Kalu praised Tinubu said the President’s assent to the Kampala convention bill reflects a humane and selfless style of leadership
The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has commended President Bola Tinubu for signing the Kampala Convention Domestication Act into law, describing the move as a landmark step towards restoring the rights, dignity, and welfare of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Nigeria.
Kalu made the remarks in Abuja while receiving a delegation from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), led by Doris El Doueihy, who paid him a courtesy visit to commend Nigeria’s efforts in domesticating the convention.
The deputy speaker, who sponsored the legislation alongside six other lawmakers, also acknowledged the role played by the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, in facilitating the process that culminated in the enactment of the law.
He said the president’s assent to the bill reflects a humane and selfless style of leadership, particularly because the law targets vulnerable populations who may not directly offer political returns.
“You can sign bills that have to do with electoral act, you will benefit from it. You can sign bills that have to do with maybe the environment, you benefit from it. But when you sign a bill that has to do with people who may not give you back anything, then it means that you are wearing the face of humanity in your leadership,” Kalu said.
He added, “And for that, I want to congratulate the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for being selfless, for setting the right step forward for other African countries who are still sitting on the fence to hop in.”
Kalu noted that Nigeria’s domestication of the Kampala Convention has set a precedent across Africa, predicting that more countries will follow suit in strengthening legal protections for displaced populations.
“Most African countries have been waiting for Nigeria to have a buy-in into this, and now that we have done that, I can assure you that a lot of African countries will come on board to embrace this shield,” he said.
He stressed that the law provides a “legal shield” for IDPs, ensuring protection of their rights and dignity, while also addressing their welfare needs.
Beyond the federal level, the deputy speaker disclosed that mechanisms are being put in place to ensure that the Act is domesticated across states for effective implementation.
“When you talk about this, domestication is not going to end at the federal level. We are setting up mechanisms to make sure that the states will domesticate this particular convention in their various codified laws,” he said.
Kalu also emphasised the need for implementation, warning that the legislation must not remain dormant.
“But is it going to stop here? What next? The next is implementation. We don’t want the wordings of this particular domestication of this convention to be dead words on the shelves… We are going to give it wheels. It should be impact driven,” he said.
He further called on key government institutions, including the refugee commission, Budget Office, Ministry of Finance, and relevant committees of the National Assembly, to align their budgets with the provisions of the Act to address the needs of IDPs, including healthcare, security, and social challenges such as early and teenage pregnancies.
While underscoring the importance of protecting displaced persons, Kalu maintained that the ultimate goal of the government is to end displacement and facilitate the safe return of affected citizens to their communities.
“It is not our intention to have the IDPs remain displaced persons forever… the ability also to make sure that we end whatever that has displaced them and reintroduce them back to their natural place of habitation… is there,” he said.
Earlier, El Doueihy praised Nigeria for taking a leadership role in Africa through the domestication of the convention, noting that the development would serve as a model for other countries.
“Nigeria is on the right track and this is an example for other countries to follow and do the same… Displacement is a major problem any population is facing,” she said.
The Kampala Convention, formally known as the African Union Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa, provides a legal framework for preventing displacement, protecting displaced persons, and supporting durable solutions across the continent.
