Bratislava [Slovakia], April 10 (ANI): Slovakian President Peter Pellegrini on Wednesday (local time) announced the country’s full support for India‘s bid to become a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), highlighting the longstanding and growing relationship between Slovakia and India, according to a Joint Press Statement, amid President Droupadi Murmu‘s state visit to the nation.

According to the joint press statement, President Pellegrini emphasised Slovakia‘s commitment to backing India‘s bid, stating, “I would like to clearly declare at this place that within the United Nations, Slovakia is prepared to fully support India‘s bid to become a new permanent memberof the UN Security Council.”

Meanwhile, President Murmu, in the statement, expressed her gratitude for the warm welcome extended by Slovakia and acknowledged the mutual respect between the two nations and commended Slovakia for its cooperation in various areas, including trade, investment, science and technology, defence, and space.

She further acknowledged Slovakia‘s “unwavering support” in evacuating Indian students from Ukraine during the Russia-Ukraine conflict, strengthening the bond between the two nations.

“I am extremely pleased to be in Slovakia, my first State visit to this beautiful country. I thank President Pellegrini and the people of Slovakia for the warm welcome and hospitality extended to me and my delegation. I bring warm wishes from the people of India. India and Slovakia are based on mutual respect, democratic ideals and a shared vision for global cooperation. Our two countries support each other in international forums, reflecting our deep friendship. Our trade relations are flourishing, and our trade and investment have grown significantly in recent years,” Murmu said.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Slovakia for its unwavering support in evacuating Indian students from Ukraine. India will always remember Slovakia‘s cooperation and generosity, which strengthens our bond as true partners and friends,” she added.

The leaders discussed various areas of bilateral cooperation, including trade, investment, nuclear cooperation, and cultural exchange and also reviewed global and regional issues of mutual interest, reinforcing their shared vision for international cooperation.

“We resolved to further strengthen our long-term bilateral relations covering all areas, including trade and investment, science and technology, defence, digital technology, migration and mobility, space, nuclear cooperation, and culture, and to further promote people-to-people contacts,” President Murmu added.

The two Presidents also signed documents related to the exchange of diplomats and cooperation in the field of small and medium enterprises.

Meanwhile, trade between the two countries has tripled in the past five years, reaching nearly EUR 1.3 billion, with Indian investments in Slovakia, including the Tata Jaguar Land Rover assembly plant in Nitra, contributing to this growth.

“Two documents on bilateral cooperation were signed, one pertaining to the exchange of our diplomats and the second supporting cooperation of small and medium companies. I can declare with pleasure that substantial growth is also a mutual trade which, over the past five years, has tripled today, reaching the level of nearly EUR 1.3 billion, and I’m very pleased indeed that the Indian partners are also showing more and more interest now in Slovakia,” President Pelligrini said.

In addition to these bilateral discussions, President Murmu and President Pellegrini will jointly inaugurate the India-Slovak Business Forum on Thursday and visit the Jaguar Land Rover Assembly plant in Nitra, marking a significant milestone in economic cooperation between the two countries.

President Murmu’s visit, the first by an Indian head of state to Slovakia in nearly 30 years, is expected to further strengthen the political and economic ties between the two nations. The visit underscores the growing partnership between India and Slovakia, with a focus on expanding trade, investment, and cooperation in various sectors.

Owerri, April 3, 2025 – The Government of Imo State has issued a stern warning to the general public against engaging in unauthorized land transactions within designated government layouts across the state.

In a public notice released by the Ministry of Lands, Survey and Physical Planning, the Honourable Commissioner, Barr. Enyinna Onuegbu, cautioned that all prospective land buyers must verify every land transaction through the ministry before proceeding, to avoid legal complications and financial loss.

The government expressed deep concern over the alarming increase in police cases and litigations linked to unverified land dealings, especially within key government layouts. The affected layouts include:

1. 3R Residential Layout, Off Onitsha Road

2. Housing Area TM, New Owerri

3. Housing Area TN, New Owerri

4. Unity Layout Extension, Uratta, Owerri North LGA

5. Ekwema (GRA) Residential Layout

6. Shared Prosperity Layout, Port Harcourt Road, New Owerri

7. Riverside Layout, Orji/Amata

8. New Community Layout, Okuku, Owerri West

The statement made it unequivocally clear that no official land allocation exercise has been conducted within any of the listed layouts since the inception of the administration of His Excellency, Distinguished Senator Hope Odidika Uzodimma.

“The public is hereby warned to desist from transacting on any purported land allocation in the said layouts,” the statement read. “The Government and the Ministry of Lands, Survey and Physical Planning shall not be held liable for any act of negligence resulting in loss, litigation, or any adverse consequences suffered by land speculators or buyers.”

The ministry reiterated that all land transactions must be duly verified at the Ministry of Lands, Block 7, State Secretariat Complex, Owerri, to ensure legality and avoid falling prey to fraudsters and illegal developers.

The warning comes as part of a broader effort by the state government to sanitize the land sector and protect residents from avoidable disputes and fraudulent practices.

The National Vice Chairman (North West) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Garba Datti Muhammad has advised former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Kaduna Governor Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai to reconsider their political paths ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Datti, a former member of the House of Representatives, specifically urged Atiku to forgo another presidential bid, stating: “As we approach the next general elections, you are at it again. Having sensed that your party, the PDP, may not cede the presidential ticket to you, you are now considering joining forces with some aggrieved politicians to form a coalition to challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu come 2027.”

He further advised Atiku, saying, “In your best interest and the interest of Nigerians, it is better you drop the idea of contesting for president in 2027, by which time you would have already turned 80 years. The Wazirin Adamawa, you should rather remain the elder statesman that you currently are.”

Datti also urged Atiku to follow the example of another former Vice President, Arc. Muhammad Namadi Sambo, who has remained an elder statesman since leaving office in 2015.

He also cautioned Atiku not to be swayed by figures like El-Rufai, who Datti claims are attempting to lead him toward forming a coalition for the 2027 elections:

“In truth, even if you contest, you have nothing new to offer. Remember, you are also a proponent of subsidy removal. It is on record that, as Vice President, you spearheaded the privatization of some key national assets when you chaired the committee on privatization during the Obasanjo administration, while former governor El-rufai was the Director General of the Bureau for Public Privatization (BPP).”

Addressing El-Rufai, Datti expressed disappointment in his exit from the APC, despite being a founding member of the party:

“It is on record that you were part of the founding members of the APC. Having worked for the party tirelessly and served as governor under its platform for eight years, it is rather worrisome that you decided to leave APC at this critical point.”

Datti referenced El-Rufai’s past media statements, highlighting:

“While still serving as governor in 2022, during one of your media chats, you averred that ‘the moment I leave APC, then I have quit politics altogether.’ At this critical point, you should ponder and reconcile with the APC or quit politics altogether.”

He further criticized El-Rufai’s sudden turn into criticism, given that the former governor had previously stated his lack of interest in positions within the Tinubu administration:

“The world knows that it was you who announced that you were not interested in any position in the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration. Why should you turn to a critic overnight just because you perceived things were not going your way when you had unfettered access to the leadership of the party and the President?”

On broader political matters, Datti advised against political miscalculations, warning:

“I would like to tell you for free that no PDP governor will join the SDP because their party already has a structure on the ground. Who will leave certainty to uncertainty? You may end up committing a serious political miscalculation.”

Datti also stressed the importance of supporting the South’s eight-year tenure before considering a rotation of the presidency back to the North:

“One would expect that as a leading figure who supported the presidency to go to the South in 2023, you would support the zone to finish its eight years before canvassing for the rotation of the position to the North.”

He acknowledged the significant strides made in the North West under President Tinubu’s administration, noting:

“Currently in the North-West, we have the Speaker of the House of Representatives from Kaduna State and the Deputy President of the Senate from Kano State. It has never happened in the history of Nigeria where two Presiding Officers of the National Assembly came from the same zone.”

Datti also praised Tinubu’s efforts in reshaping the North West’s leadership:

“Additionally, the North West also got 12 ministerial appointments some of whom are manning critical ministries such as the two ministers of Defence; Budget and National Planning; Environment; two ministers of Housing; Culture and Creative Economy; Ministers of State for FCT, Education and Works etcetera. The zone also has the two Service Chiefs: the Chief of Defence Staff from Kaduna State, and the Chief of Air Staff from Kano State.”

Furthermore, Datti highlighted the improvements seen in Kaduna State, where:

“The Speaker, working in collaboration with Governor Uba Sani, has so far attracted about seven higher institutions to the state. The Speaker and Governor Uba Sani have also attracted the metro rail line (intra-city) worth about 250 billion Naira, already approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which will run from Rigachikun to Maraban Rido. This will ameliorate the transportation challenges residents of Kaduna metropolis face on a daily basis.”

He concluded by emphasizing the positive changes under the Tinubu administration, including improvements in the economy and prices:

“The Tinubu administration is also working assiduously to make life better for Nigerians following subsidy removal. Naira is now gaining strength by the day. Prices of foodstuffs are dropping drastically by the day. The economy is gradually taking a new turn.”