The deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has urged young Nigerians to promote the country’s image through positive attitudes, especially on social media.

Mr Kalu gave the charge while addressing journalists in Abuja on Friday, following a weeklong engagement with global stakeholders at Chatham House in the UK.

He said amplifying negative narratives on social media could harm the country’s image.

“Global partners and observers are leveraging those narratives of ours and are seeing us from negative viewpoints,” Mr Kalu said.

He instead encouraged young Nigerians to use artificial intelligence (AI) and social media to project a positive image of the country.

The lawmaker said leadership would come and go, but Nigeria and Nigerians would remain forever.

“We do not have any other country but Nigeria. There is no place like home. This is the only place that gives us dignity and pride as a people. We know we have challenges, but we must remember that whatever we drop on the internet stays, and it tells much about how other people see us.

“Nigeria is only 27 years old since the return of our democracy, which means ours is a young democracy, and the countries that we are being compared with are more than 200 years, 300 years in democracy,’’ he said.

Mr Kalu said if Nigerians were a little patient, the country would get it right in due course.

On the state police bill, the deputy speaker urged Nigerians who are sceptical that governors might take undue advantage of the state police to fear not, as preventive measures have been put in place to check such acts.

“Let me ask this question: how many governors have used the state high courts to jail opposition members?

“It is because of the anticipated fears by Nigerians that while drafting the document for the establishment of state police, we put in guardrails on what the House of Assembly can do with regard to the powers, the duties and the goals of the state police.

“While unbundling the police into the concurrent list, we also put in the parameter where they can legislate; we also put a national minimum standard that they cannot go below. The state police cannot be used for partisan warfare or politically associated issues. It is a beautiful piece of legislation that we put together,” he said.

Mr Kalu assured that there would be a consequential repeal and re-enactment of the Police Act.

He said that the Act would serve as the implementation framework for the state police’s operations.

The deputy speaker said he went to Chatham House in the UK to brief global stakeholders on electoral, security, and economic developments in the country.

He said that Nigeria is not an island but part of the comity of nations, adding that it is better to take ownership of narratives on issues in the country rather than letting others determine them.

Mr Kalu said that adequate time was dedicated to wooing investors to take advantage of the potential in Nigeria’s agriculture, energy transition, solid minerals and climate change, among others.

He said that investors were excited about opportunities in Nigeria and were willing to come to the country to invest. 

(NAN)