The meeting commenced with an
opening prayer by Hagia Habeebah, who thanked God for His mercies, safety, and
the lives of members and their loved ones. She committed the meeting into God’s
hands with prayers for successful deliberations and fruitful outcomes.
His Excellency noted that the
meeting had been rescheduled from the previous week due to a mix-up that caused
confusion among members, with some arriving to find no meeting holding. He
expressed gladness that members were now present and anticipated that more
members would still join.
A. Reading of Minutes of the
Previous Meeting
The Secretary, Mr. Emmanuel
Essien, noted that several network challenges were encountered during the
previous meeting; therefore, he proceeded to give a summary of the
deliberations held:
A letter had been forwarded to
the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Ministry of Agriculture, and the
Ministry of Trade regarding the Soya Beans Intervention Proposal.
His Excellency had provided a
breakdown of activities expected around the Presidential Election in the
Republic of Benin scheduled for 12th April 2026.
Discussions were held regarding
the standing committees, with suggestions to reduce the number of committees,
as some members proposed three while others proposed four.
The need to conclude on the
governance structure was also discussed.
Extensive discussions were held
on membership ID cards, with agreement reached to produce temporary cards for
the Benin Republic trip to ensure members were properly identified.
Alhaji Bisiriyu Fanu Lasisi gave
a brief on the financial status of the Forum, covering the account balance,
projected expenses for the Benin trip, and the monthly stipend arrangement.
His Excellency thanked the
Secretary for the summary and noted that most of the issues raised previously
would still form part of the current deliberations.
A motion for the adoption of the
minutes was moved by Dr Olumide Ajibare and seconded by Hagia Habeebah.
B. Update on the Soya Beans
Intervention Proposal
His Excellency briefed members on
developments regarding the Soya Beans Intervention Proposal. He reported that a
response had been received from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), stating that
the letter had been wrongly directed to them as they no longer handle matters
relating to agricultural intervention. According to him, the Bank explained
that its current concentration is on monetary policy, thereby limiting its
ability to attend to the Forum’s request.
He thereafter invited Mr.
Emmanuel Essien to read the letter.
Mr. Emmanuel Essien read the CBN
response letter dated 13th April 2026 addressed to the Chairman of the
Nigeria–Benin Advocacy for Development Forum. The letter acknowledged receipt
of the Forum’s correspondence dated 13th March 2026 and commended the Forum’s
commitment to revitalizing Nigeria’s agricultural value chain.
However, the Bank explained that
in line with a strategic realignment, the CBN had shifted focus to its core
mandate of monetary policy and financial system stability. It further stated
that its role in development finance was now limited to policy advisory,
analytical insights, stakeholder facilitation, institutional capacity
enhancement, unlocking dormant capital, and fostering sustainable economic
growth.
Consequently, the Bank informed
the Forum that it was unable to accede to the request at that time. The letter
was signed by the Acting Director, Development Finance Advisory Department.
His Excellency thanked the
Secretary and noted that the CBN’s position was clearer than his earlier
summary. He confirmed that responses had not yet been received from either the
Federal Ministry of Agriculture or the Ministry of Trade and expressed hope
that replies would soon be forthcoming.
C. Need for an Abuja
Secretariat Office
His Excellency raised the issue
of establishing a functioning secretariat in Abuja, noting that the incident
surrounding the delivery of the CBN response letter exposed a critical
operational gap within the Forum.
He explained that when the
courier attempted to deliver the CBN correspondence to the Forum’s listed
address, there was nobody available to receive it. This led to multiple calls
by the courier personnel before the issue was escalated to the Secretary General
and eventually to His Excellency himself, who was then in Abuja and had to
arrange a meeting point with the courier.
He emphasized that this incident
demonstrated the urgent need for a properly functioning contact office in Abuja
where official correspondence addressed to the Forum could be reliably
received.
Dr. Raji spoke next and
acknowledged hearing about the CBN letter. He observed that the Forum had made
a tactical mistake because the policy direction of the CBN had changed
significantly. He explained that even if the CBN had been willing, its present
mandate no longer permitted direct agricultural intervention.
He advised that the appropriate
approach would be to formally direct the matter to the Federal Ministry of
Agriculture, which could thereafter engage the CBN through proper ministerial
channels. He emphasized that the Forum should await responses from the
Ministries of Agriculture and Trade before subsequently copying the CBN where
necessary.
His Excellency agreed with Dr.
Raji and reiterated that the Forum was awaiting official responses from both
ministries.
Dr. Raji further stated that an
Abuja office would add credibility and operational efficiency to the Forum’s
engagements, especially considering the Forum’s focus on federal-level
advocacy. Although he acknowledged the financial implications, he maintained
that Abuja remained more suitable than Lagos for such engagements.
His Excellency added that the
courier had almost returned the letter to the CBN because nobody was reachable
at the designated address.
Dr. Raji thereafter moved a
motion that the Forum should begin prospecting for a small contact office in
Abuja. The motion was seconded by Alhaji Lasisi Bisiriyu Fanu.
His Excellency directed members
resident in Abuja to actively assist in identifying a suitable and centrally
located space.
He further proposed that the
office need not be large but should preferably be situated around the Central
Business Area, such as Wuse or Garki, where it could conveniently receive
correspondence and facilitate meetings whenever members had assignments in
Abuja.
D. Report of the Delegation to
the Republic of Benin for the Presidential Election
Mr. Emmanuel Essien gave a brief
report of the delegates’ visit to the Republic of Benin for the Presidential
Election observation exercise.
He noted that two separate
reports had been prepared — one for CENA and another for the Forum.
He informed members that the
report submitted to CENA two days earlier had already been uploaded to the
website.
He thereafter presented the NBADF
report, highlighting the following:
1. Participation in the
Election Observation Mission
The Nigeria–Benin Advocacy for
Development Forum (NBADF), in line with its mandate to promote democratic
governance, regional cooperation, and cross-border institutional engagement,
participated in the observation of the 2026 Presidential Election in the
Republic of Benin.
The delegation was officially led
by His Excellency Ambassador Oguntuase Kayode, Chairman of the Forum and Head
of Delegation.
The mission provided an
opportunity for the Forum to assess electoral processes, strengthen
institutional relationships, and contribute to democratic consolidation within
the West African sub-region.
2. Composition of the
Delegation
The Forum was represented by:
Ambassador Oguntuase Kayode –
Chairman and Head of Delegation
Mr. Emmanuel Essien – Secretary
Alhaji Umar Barka
Dr Olumide Ajibare
3. Pre-Election Engagements
3.1 Meeting with ECOWAS
Commission
His Excellency held a strategic
meeting with Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, Head of Political Affairs at the
ECOWAS Commission. Discussions focused on:
Regional electoral stability
Democratic governance in West
Africa
The role of observer missions in
strengthening electoral credibility
The engagement reinforced NBADF’s
alignment with regional institutions and enhanced its recognition as a credible
stakeholder in sub-regional governance matters.
3.2 Participation in CENA
Briefing
The delegation attended the
official pre-election briefing organized by CENA. Key issues discussed
included:
Electoral procedures
Guidelines for observers
Security and logistics
arrangements
Compliance expectations for
stakeholders
The briefing provided operational
insights that guided the observation exercise.
3.3 Engagement with the
Nigerian Embassy in Cotonou
The Head of Delegation met with
officials of the Nigerian Embassy in Cotonou. Discussions centered on:
Nigeria–Benin diplomatic
relations
Security considerations for
observers
Institutional cooperation during
the election period
3.4 Interaction with Observer
Community
His Excellency also held
discussions with both international and national observers. These engagements
facilitated:
Exchange of observation
methodologies
Comparative electoral insights
Strengthening of observer
networks
E. Election Day Observation
The delegation visited polling
units, including the polling station where the President cast his vote.
The polling unit observed was
located at:
Littoral Department, Cotonou
5ème Arrondissement
Zongo Nima Quartier
Polling Unit: 10088
Venue: Ecole Charles Guillot
Observations at the Polling Unit
The delegation observed that:
The polling environment was
orderly and peaceful.
Electoral officials were present
and actively conducting the process.
Security personnel were
adequately deployed.
Voters conducted themselves
calmly and orderly.
The overall conduct reflected a
structured and controlled electoral process.
F. Post-Election Activities
Following the conclusion of
voting, the delegation paid a post-election visit to the CENA office to observe
the arrival of polling materials from across the country.
The delegation also observed:
Collation logistics and
procedures
Handling and accountability of
electoral materials
This provided additional
transparency into the post-election phase of the process.
The mission also attracted media
attention, with News Central requesting an interview with His Excellency
Ambassador Oguntuase Kayode to discuss preliminary observations and NBADF’s
role in election observation.
G. Key Observations and
Conclusion
The delegation observed that:
The electoral process
demonstrated a reasonable level of organization.
Security presence contributed
positively to maintaining order.
Stakeholder engagement and
observer participation were inclusive.
Electoral authorities
demonstrated commitment to transparency.
The report concluded that NBADF’s
participation underscored the Forum’s commitment to democratic governance,
electoral integrity, and regional cooperation.
Recommendations included:
Continued collaboration between
NBADF and ECOWAS
Strengthening observer frameworks
Expansion of NBADF’s role in
electoral observation and policy advocacy
Enhanced engagement with
electoral management bodies
His Excellency thanked the
Secretary and commended all members who participated in the mission.
H. Remarks by Members on the
Election Observation Mission
Dr. Raji described the outing as
highly successful and congratulated members who participated. He noted that
reports available to him indicated that the election was peaceful and well
organized, with no reports of monetary inducement or paper-based malpractice.
His Excellency also described the
outing as very successful and noted that the delegation used the opportunity to
formally register the Forum’s presence with the Beninese Government.
He informed members that the
delegation met with the Chairman of CENA, who expressed delight at their
participation. He also disclosed that the Nigerian Government officially
supported the Beninese electoral process financially.
He further explained that the
delegation interacted with the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political and Security
Affairs, who commended the Forum’s involvement and encouraged continued
programmes promoting cooperation between Nigeria and Benin Republic.
However, His Excellency observed
that the officially declared voter turnout of 58% did not appear to correspond
with what was physically observed on the ground, which he estimated to be
closer to 26%.
He further noted concerns
regarding the exclusion of opposition parties from the electoral process,
stressing that democracy thrives best where there is active opposition
participation.
He commended the Beninese model
whereby the Constitutional Court plays an active oversight role in the
electoral process from inception, unlike the Nigerian system where judicial
intervention mainly occurs after elections.
He suggested that Nigeria could
learn from this system by strengthening oversight over INEC.
His Excellency thanked Mr.
Emmanuel Essien, Dr Olumide Ajibare, and Alhaji Umar Barka for their effective
distribution across observation points.
I. Meeting with the Benin
Republic Chapter
His Excellency reported that the
delegation also used the election visit to engage with their Beninese
counterparts.
He noted that the Benin Republic
chapter was facing operational and financial challenges, including factional
disagreements and lack of funding.
The delegation encouraged the
Beninese chapter to:
Adopt a contribution-based
operational model
Introduce virtual meetings
Work in unity and harmony
Engage in activities promoting
cross-border relations
The delegation also proposed the
creation of a joint Nigeria–Benin executive WhatsApp platform for easier
coordination.
J. Structural and Financial
Reforms
Dr. Raji proposed that the Forum
organize capacity-building or mentoring sessions for their Beninese
counterparts, preferably virtual and supported with French translation where
necessary.
He also raised concerns about the
Forum’s internal financial management structure and suggested the need for a
dedicated bookkeeper or accountant.
His Excellency expressed surprise
that the Forum did not yet have a Financial Secretary and noted that most
organizations operate both Treasurer and Financial Secretary positions.
He stressed the importance of:
Financial transparency
Procurement procedures
Clear accountability
Improved governance systems
It was agreed that these
structural reforms would be processed through the Steering Committee for
further consideration.
K. WhatsApp Executive
Coordination Platform
Mr. Emmanuel Essien informed
members that he had already created a WhatsApp platform and obtained names from
the Beninese chapter.
His Excellency proposed that the
Nigerian side should not be limited strictly to names appearing on the CAC
registration but should also include other active members.
Additional names suggested
included:
Major General Shafa
Hajia Habiba
Madam Malaika
Dr Olumide Ajibare
Barrister Lasisi Fanu
Prince Adeyemi Akran
It was agreed that both Nigeria
and Benin Republic chapters should have equal representation on the platform.
L. Financial Matters —
Statement of Account
His Excellency invited the
Finance Committee, led by Alhaji Bisiriyu Fanu Lasisi and Madam Malaika, to
address the Forum on financial matters.
Alhaji Bisiriyu Fanu Lasisi
expressed concern that no member had made any payment for the month of April
despite repeated appeals.
He reminded members that the
Forum continued to incur expenses, including:
₦50,000 monthly allowance for the
Director-General
Reimbursements for correspondence
dispatch
Proposed Abuja office expenses
He reiterated that:
The minimum monthly contribution
remained ₦5,000
The mandatory entry contribution
remained ₦25,000
Members who could afford more
were encouraged to donate above the minimum
Dr. Raji acknowledged gaps in the
current accounting process and emphasized that all statements and alerts should
be accessible to relevant financial officers.
Mr. Emmanuel Essien supported the
proposal for a Financial Secretary, noting that the burden of managing
correspondence and financial administration simultaneously was becoming
excessive.
His Excellency concluded that:
Financial matters should be
separated from the Secretariat
A Financial Secretary and
Procurement Officer should be formally introduced
Transparency, accountability, and
communication must remain priorities
M. Recovery of Funds from
BACCIMA Account
Discussions were held regarding
funds previously paid into the BACCIMA account before NBADF opened its own
dedicated account.
Members agreed that:
An official letter should be sent
to BACCIMA requesting transfer of NBADF funds
Statements from the relevant
period should be obtained for reconciliation purposes
Internal records should be used
for cross-checking
His Excellency noted that he had
already spoken with the President of BACCIMA, who promised to facilitate the
transfer.
N. Any Other Business (AOB)
His Excellency raised concerns
regarding absenteeism among members and encouraged members to regularly check
on one another.
Dr. Raji expressed appreciation
for the support message he received from His Excellency regarding his health
condition and noted that such gestures strengthened unity within the Forum.
Mr. C commended the delegation
for adequately representing the Forum during the Benin Republic election
observation exercise.
He further suggested that until
the Forum secured an Abuja office, the proposal for a bookkeeper should be
deferred.
Dr. D thereafter moved the motion
for adjournment of the meeting.
His Excellency thanked all
members and wished them a productive and promising week ahead.
Attendance:
His Excellency, Ambassador Oguntuase Kayode - Chairman
Alhaji Salami Alasoadura - Vice Chairman
Barrister Issa - Member
Madam Malika Moumne - Member
Dr. Raji Ahmed - Treasurer
Hajia Habibah Seidu - Member
Dr. Mrs. Bisi Adeyemi - Member
Ambassador Aliyu Ndaman - Member
Barrister Bisiriyu Fanu Lasisi - Member
Dr. Olumide Isaac Ajibare - Member
Mr. Emmanuel Essien - Secretary
