The Chairman and Chief Executive of the Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (Rtd), has urged political parties to make drug integrity tests part of the screening requirements for aspirants seeking to contest political offices in the 2023 elections on their respective platforms.

Marwa stated this while responding to questions from newsmen at the 2022 First Quarter Best Performing Commands Awards ceremony at the Agency’s National Headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, 27th April 2022.

The boss disclosed that the anti-narcotic agency had been seriously advocating for all public office holders, including political appointees to undergo drug integrity tests before they would be certified fit to take public offices.

He said, “For politicians, we have long advocated and I take the opportunity again to repeat the advocacy that when they run for public office, it demands a lot of responsibility from the person and we need to be certain if he’s a person that is already a drug addict/user who will spend all the money he’s given for public service to consume cocaine and his head will not be in a stable condition to handle the affairs he has been entrusted with.

“For this reason, we have advocated and will continue to advocate that drug test be conducted for politicians. Some state governments like Kano State is already doing this.

“Not just politicians, but government appointees, and I have just sent a letter this morning to the National Chairman of the APC, who will be the first of the national working committee I wish to pay an advocacy visit on this issue.

“I recommended that drug tests be incorporated in the screening process for all those interested in running for public office. We will do the same to the PDP and other important parties.”

Marwa further hinted that when it’s the turn of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and other parties to conduct its party primaries, the anti-drug agency would also write the parties’ national chairmen and request that operatives of the NDLEA be allowed to conduct drugs integrity tests on their members aspiring for various political offices.

The NDLEA boss while further speaking to the members of the agency said, “We should all be mindful that we hold the fate of the NDLEA in our hands, and that fate will be determined by our patriotism and dedication to duty, as well as our collective resolve to work towards the attainment of the agency’s mandate.

“Let me also seize this occasion to remind you about the importance of propagating the War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) programme in your various commands. There is much we can achieve when our communities are working hand-in-hand with us. That is why our roadmap, the NDCMP 2021-2025, strongly emphasizes collaboration with all the stakeholders in the society.

“We have to woo members of society to work with us on this very important assignment. Therefore, I charge you to ensure that WADA is correctly and deeply entrenched in the spheres of operation of your respective commands”, he stated.

Marwa, who disclosed that the agency was proud of the officers, stressed, “The sacrifice of a narcotic officer cannot be quantified in gold or silver, for he is fulfilling a higher calling.

“As we go about our duty of securing our society against the corrosion of illicit drugs, we should be aware that we are the direct beneficiaries of our work because for every kilo of drugs seized, we are making our streets and society safer for our children, family and kinsmen.

“NDLEA is proud of its workforce. The Agency treasures the effort of its officers and men. The management shall continue to look out for their best interest. We shall continue to reward hard work and excellence.” He landed.

It’s no longer news that the NDLEA, as being currently headed by Marwa, is obviously doing wonders to eradicate all forms of drug abuse across the shores of Nigeria.

However, as a concerned Nigerian, I urge the management of the agency to ensure thorough speedy prosecution of the suspects in their custody is taken seriously towards serving as a deterrent to other prospective drug addicts.

It’s unequivocally a good and commendable move for the agency to recommend for a drug integrity test among Nigeria’s politicians seeking various political positions come 2023. This will go a long way to ensure that the chaffs are duly separated from the grains, to assert the least.

In view of this, I enjoin the NDLEA to expedite actions towards ensuring that its quest to totally get rid of drug abuse in the entire Nigeria’s society doesn’t die in the long run.

Hence, it must be ready to collaborate with anybody with a view to arriving at the desired destination.

The highlight of the week is the story of Yul Edochie, the renowned Nollywood actor who announced on his social media pages yesterday that he has married a second wife.

I will try to analyze this situation by the position of the law as to whether the act of Yul Edochie marrying a second wife while his first marriage is still subsisting is an offense known to the Nigerian law or not.

Since I cannot authoritatively verify nor state if Yul Edochie married his first wife, Mrs. May Edochie under the act or not, I will just make a wild assumption that he didn’t because if he did and he went on to marry a second wife he has committed a crime known in law as bigamy which is punishable in Nigeria with 5-7 years imprisonment.

Bigamy simply means the offence of marrying someone else while already married to another person and it is a criminal offense in Nigeria.

If you are legally and validly married to a person under the Marriage Act in Nigeria, you are not permitted to marry someone else while your previous marriage is subsisting and your wife or husband is still alive, if you do you have committed a crime and you can go to jail for it.

A marriage conducted under the act is a marriage that is conducted in a marriage registry or any recognized place of worship and a marriage certificate was issued to the newly wedded couples certifying that they have been legally joined together in accordance with the marriage act.

While such marriage is still subsisting, you are not to marry another person and you cannot validly marry another person if you do you have committed a crime known as bigamy.

The best legal advice in this matter for intending couples who wish to marry numerous wives/ husbands or marry another wife after the first marriage is “don’t get married under the act”, you can choose to go with traditional marriages or church marriage insofar as the church does not issue valid marriage certificates.

Back to the Yul Edochie’s issue, if Yul Edochie did got married under the act and went ahead to take a second wife as he purports then Yul have committed an offense known as bigamy punishable with 5-7 years jail term.

President Muhammadu Buhari has urged all political parties in Nigeria to keep elections and election-related differences aside and join the administration’s drive to defeat insecurity in the country.

The President made this call on 26th April 2022 in Abuja at the Iftar Dinner with members of the business community and the leadership of all political parties in Nigeria.

Buhari, who described insecurity as a common enemy, said, ‘‘Without mass, popular support to our hard working Armed Forces, it will take us much longer to finish off the successful war we are waging against terrorism, banditry and kidnapping. Our country must be kept safe for progress and prosperity to be entrenched.

‘‘I look forward to seeing the reflection of this spirit in the relationship between the parties and the government, especially as the electioneering season will soon be on us.”

The President disclosed that after the last meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in which he was among, the body rose with a clear message that the party would continue to push for the establishment of democratic principles at all levels.

He further stated, ‘‘Today, we can proudly say that we have a political system that allows political parties of all views and persuasions, reflecting the diversity of our nation to co-exist, and contest for elections at all levels of government without fear or institutional bias and pressure’’.

On ease of doing business in the country, Buhari revealed that his administration had done exceedingly well in improving the business climate, therefore urged the private sector to complement the government’s effort in poverty reduction and job creation for the young people.

‘‘No administration has done as much as we have done in the creation of a climate best suited for business, big and small, to thrive. The ease of doing business index that is globally recognized has acknowledged that the ease with which business is carried out in the country has never been better than it is today. We will continue to make it better.

‘‘We will equally continue to count on the support of the private sector to improve economic growth and create new job opportunities for our teeming population.

‘‘Employment is critical to stability and prosperity of our country. Government and the private sector, working together, have an opportunity to transform the lives of people in ways that was hard to imagine in the past,’’ he said.

The National Chairman of the APC, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, who spoke at the event, urged leaders of various political parties to make firm commitments towards peaceful and successful 2023 general elections, and challenged them to work in unison to achieve the purpose.

According to him, as leaders, leadership demands that they take responsibility in ensuring peace and stability and inspiring the party faithful and Nigerians to conform to the laws of the land in matters relating to electioneering and the elections.

Speaking on behalf of leaders of other political parties, the Chairman of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Yusuf Yabagi, who described the President as a true democrat, said the Iftar event and the invitation by the President had introduced ‘‘credibility, respect and admiration in the polity’’.

Yabagi, who is also the Coordinator Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), said:

‘‘The fact that political leaders of various political parties are sitting with you today speaks volumes that you are truly a democrat and believe in the project of growing democracy in this country.’’

He announced that IPAC was preparing to give the President an award as ‘‘Hero of Democracy’’, citing the historic signing into law of the Electoral Act, describing it as a paradigm shift that would guarantee peaceful, acceptable and all-inclusive elections in the country.

On the forthcoming elections, Yabagi said, ‘‘Mr President, history beckons on you. 2023 is going to be your glorious exit. That is our prayer and for that to happen, you have to take charge of every activity that matters in the exercise’’.

The IPAC Coordinator, who commended INEC for innovation and reforms towards ensuring credible elections come 2023 and beyond, appealed to the President to look into the role of security agencies in the forthcoming general elections.

‘‘Members of the IPAC are worried by the programme of INEC that elected candidates will spend 10 months campaigning around the country. That is a herculean task.

‘‘We also want the President to consider the appointment of a Political Liaison Officer’’, while noting that the proposed office would ensure better coordination between the President’s office and the political parties.

Commenting on the type of leader Nigeria needs after President Buhari, a representative of the business community and Group Managing Director, Sahara Group, Kola Adesina, said the next President of Nigeria must carry ‘‘the banner of hope for a new Nigeria, not a banner of self.’’

‘‘We are transitioning and I want to respectfully ask the President that anybody who comes around to show interest in leadership, you must ask them for their manifesto. Not what they want to do but how they want to do it. The challenge has always been how, not what,’’ he said.

Adesina, who thanked the President for sustaining investments in infrastructure across the country, including the Second Niger Bridge and the East-West Road, among others, stressed the need for continuity by the next government.

It’s good to realize that the Presidency is aware that discussions pertaining to security issues are meant to be devoid of politics at all times, if the needed objectives must be actualized. This is the reason the President needs to go beyond mere talking, by ensuring the key stakeholders are engaged in the national consignment.

It’s a fact that security is everyone’s business, irrespective of social and political affiliations, hence the compelling need for the concerned authorities to look inwards with a view to ensure that every required sector is duly and aptly contracted.

As the country prepares towards the 2023 general elections, all hands must be on deck for the awaited exercise to become a success. In view of this, the Presidency is expected to keep politics aside while carrying out its duty as regards tackling insecurity within the shores of the Nigerian State.