The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has shared a total sum of N786.161 billion to the federal, state and Local Governments.

It represented their share from the May 2023 Federation Account Revenue, according to the communiqué issued at the end of the FAAC meeting in Abuja, yesterday.

The meeting was chaired by the new Accountant-General of the Federation, Dr. Oluwatoyin Madein, according to the Director, Press and Public Relations, Mr. Bawa Mokwa.

The N786.161 billion total distributable revenue comprised distributable statutory revenue of N519.545 billion, distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue of N251.607 billion, Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL) of N14.370 billion, and Exchange Difference revenue of N0.639 billion.

A total of N38.238 billion was deducted as cost of collection, usually paid to the revenue generating agencies, while statutory transfers took another N163.193 billion.

The balance in the Excess Crude Account (ECA) was $473,754.57.

The communiqué indicated that from the total distributable revenue of N786.161 billion; the Federal Government received N301.889 billion, the State Governments received N265.875 billion and the Local Government Councils received N195.541 billion.

A total of N22.855 billion was shared to the oil producing tates as 13% derivation revenue.

Gross statutory revenue of N701.787 billion was received for the month of May 2023. This was higher than the sum of N497.463 billion received in the previous month by N204.324 billion.

From the N519.545 billion distributable statutory revenue, the Federal Government received N261.686 billion, the State Governments received N132.731 billion and the Local Government Councils received N102.330 billion. The sum of N22.798 billion was shared to the relevant States as 13% derivation revenue.

For the month of May 2023, the gross revenue available from the Value Added Tax (VAT) was N270.197 billion.

This was higher than the N217.743 billion available in the month of April 2023 by N52.454 billion.

The Federal Government received N37.741 billion, the State Governments received N125.804 billion and the Local Government Councils received N88.062 billion from the N251.607 billion distributable Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue.

The N14.370 billion Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL) was shared as follows: the Federal Government received N2.155 billion, the State Governments received N7.185 billion and the Local Government Councils received N5.030 billion.

From the N0.639 billion Exchange Difference revenue, the Federal Government received N0.307 billion, the State Governments received N0.156 billion, the Local Government Councils received N0.119 billion and the sum of N0.057 billion was shared to the relevant States as 13 percent mineral revenue.

The naira yesterday depreciated N765.13 per dollar in the Investors and Exporters (I&E) window.

Data from FMDQ showed that the indicative exchange rate for the window rose to N765.13 per dollar from N763.17 per dollar on Wednesday, indicating N1.96 depreciation for the naira.

Similarly, the naira depreciated by N14 in the parallel market yesterday.

Vanguard findings from black market traders showed that the exchange rate for the market rose to N772 per dollar from N758 per dollar on Wednesday.

Thursday’s transaction volume was an improvement from below $90 million turnover recorded at the window on Wednesday.

The naira also weakened against the British Pound Sterling (GBP) to N980/GBP at the close of business on Thursday.

The I&E window was activated in June 2017, and represents the broader forex market, where dollars sourced from autonomous sources are traded between Authorised Dealers, Clients and the CBN.

The Department of State Services (DSS) has issued a warning about potential attacks on worship and recreational centres during the upcoming Eid Kabir celebrations.

The warning comes after the discovery of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in a joint operation conducted by the DSS, the Nigerian Army, and the Police.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Peter Afunanya, the spokesperson for the DSS, urged vigilance from operators of public spaces, such as shopping malls.

According to the DSS statement, there have been reports suggesting plans to attack these places of gathering before and during the Eid festivities. The discovery of IEDs further validates these concerns.

“Operators and patrons of public places including markets, malls, etc are advised to be watchful and report any suspicious movements and persons to the relevant security agencies,” the statement read.

The DSS, in collaboration with the Nigerian Army and Police, has been conducting operations in Nasarawa and Kogi States.

In June 19, 2023, they arrested Abubakar Muhammad, a suspected gunrunner, along the Abuja- Keffi Expressway in Keffi LGA of Nasarawa State.

The team confiscated several items, including ammunition, IEDs, cash, and a Volkswagen Golf vehicle.

In another operation on June 22, 2023, in Ejule, Ofu LGA of Kogi State, the team encountered Kabir Bala, a notorious gang leader and one-time jailbreaker.

Although Bala was neutralized during a gunfight, his gang members managed to escape.

The operation resulted in the recovery of an AK47 rifle, locally fabricated weapons, phones, and charms.

The DSS reassured the public of its commitment to partnering with other security agencies in executing proactive measures to prevent criminal activities.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on Thursday, asked the federal government to shelve its plans to increase electricity tariff by 40%.

NLC in a statement signed by its President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, said; “The plan to increase electricity tariff by 40% by July 1st is both insensitive and callous and reflects an organised indifference to the well-being of consumers, especially, the poor ones.

“The massive increase is explained away as a response to the over 100 per cent increase in the pump price of premium motor spirit (pms).”

The organised labour, further stated; “Details reveal a movement in inflation from 16.9% to 22.41 (threatening to needle 30), and a shift in exchange rate from N441 to N750.

“We believe not even these figures are a justification for this reckless proposed tariff increase.

“The issue of capacity to pay and quality of service delivery are not only germane but superior to any rationalisation by market logic.

“The service providers in spite of sundry support have not been able to meet the threshold of 5000 megawatts.”

Ajaero went on to say, “There have been surreptitious increases without notice in violation of statutes.The inherent risk in the new regime of tariff is that there is no control, implying that by August, consumers will pay new rates.

“The other risk is that by the time other product or service-rendering entities come up with their new prices or rates, the ordinary person would have been compacted into dust.

“We would want to advise apostles of the Market who have called NLC all sorts of names to check their conscience.

“The rate at which they are going is highly combative and combustible. With contemplation of payment of school fees in tertiary institutions and increases in privately-owned ones in addition to other costs/tariffs on the way, life in Nigeria could truly be Hobbesian.

“The market economies which the Market Fundamentalists seek to emulate, have in place socio-economic safeguards which we do not have.

“In light of this, our advice is that this proposed tariff hike should be shelved for our collective safety.”

…Confers Honorary Degree On Fashola, Fayemi, Gbajabiamila, 5 Others

Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Thursday, announced a cash reward of N10 million for Ojo Aminat Yusuf, the best graduating student of the Lagos State University.

Sanwo-Olu made the announcement during the school’s 26th convocation ceremony for the awards of diplomas, first degrees, PGD, MSc, professors, PhD, Conferment of honorary foctorate degrees and others.

The event also marked the 40th anniversary of the establishment of LASU.

Yusuf who graduated with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 5.00 (First Class Honours), is the first to do so in the history of the school.

The governor said he would give Yusuf N5 million from his personal pocket, while another N5 million would be given to her by the state government.

“I’ll be giving her a token donation of N5 million. My state government will give her additional donation of N5 million,” Sanwo-Olu said.

Meanwhile, speaking to journalists, Yusuf, said the events of the past few days had motivated her to share in brief her story, in a bid to inspire many others who are in similar situation as she was and are striving towards excellence.

She said: ”I called for financial support only under compelling circumstances, after I have exhausted all options.

“As a result, I experienced some serious financial constraints during my two plus four years stay at LASU.

“In 200 Level, second semester, just because I needed to get a browsing phone and get trained in computer skills, I saved up about 90 per cent of my feeding allowance.”

According to Yusuf, for most part of her days as an undergraduate, she lived in the university premises, because she had no hostel, and going home everyday would have been absolutely inconvenient for her.

“I remember fantasising about achieving a remarkable feat in this prestigious university.

“I first did Diploma in Law programme, which runs for two years, in which students are taught compulsory law courses, with a view to offering direct entry admission to top class students.

“I studied really hard and prayed so fervently towards achieving excellence; I graduated from the programme with a CGPA of 4.98 and this was the best in my set.

“The possibility of graduating with such grade motivated the yearning to graduate with a perfect CGPA at the undergraduate level,” she said.

Other highlight of the event was the conferment of honorary doctorate degrees on former Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola; Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; former Ekiti State governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, First Lady of Lagos, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, among others.

A cyber security expert, Dr. Chibuike Ugwoke, on Thursday, alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, uploaded the picture of a book on its results viewing portal, IReV, instead of results of the presidential election that held on February 25.

Ugwoke, testified before the Presidential Election Petition Court, PEPC, sitting in Abuja, as the eight witness, PW-8, in the case the candidate of Labour Party, LP, Mr. Peter Obi, filed to nullify President Bola Tinubu’s election.

Though the PW-8, who was described as an expert witness, commenced his evidence on Wednesday, however, the court deferred his cross-examination after the Respondents complained that they needed time to study his statement on oath.

Consequently, at the resumed proceedings on Thursday, he was recalled to the witness box, even as all the Respondents took turns to grill him before the Justice Haruna Tsammani-led five-member panel of the court.

Aside from INEC, other Respondents in the matter, are; President Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Answering questions under cross-examination, Dr. Ugwoke, said he conducted analysis on INEC’s ICT infrastructure which he termed as “Meta Data”.

He told the court that the Meta Data, described the actual information in the system.

The witness said he used 12 polling units in three states- Bauchi, Anambra and Rivers state- as focal points of his analysis, adding that he equally made reference to Benue state in his report that was tendered before the court.

He told the court that the petitioners approached him on March 10 to analyse what INEC uploaded to its IReV portal after the presidential election.

“Though I initially sent a preliminary report which was more like an overview, around March 1, I later wrote an elaborate report in the middle of May,” he stated.

The witness, however, admitted that he read Obi’s petition as well as replies by the Respondents, before he wrote his final report that was tendered in evidence.

“I read the replies some time in the middle of my work, that was before the final report was made.”

He told the court that his analysis revealed that INEC officials made incorrect inputs into the IReV portal, using the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, machines.

Asked if he knew the identities of those that made the incorrect inputs, the witness, said: “I don’t know who made the uploads, but it was from the BVAS and the number is there.”

He said though he did not in the course of his assignment, interrogate any INEC official, “but I interrogated the INEC manual.”

Asked if he contacted the Labour Party to give him what should have been the actual results from the polling units, the witness, said: “No my lords, I did not”.

“In one of the instances, the picture of a book was uploaded instead of election results

“I interrogated the Amazon Web Services, AWS, that was how I got to know because the information was there in the server,” he insisted.

He told the court that out of 176, 846 polling units in the country, he chose only 12 of them based “on my proof of consent.”

On claim by INEC that technical glitches hampered the electronic transmission of results, the witness, told the court that such errors in technology could be detected at the time of testing of an application before its deployment.

He said: “Errors arise at the time of testing, but after deployment, the probability for an error to arise may be very negligible. However, it is not impossible for error to arise after deployment.

“I used three states to show that it is possible to display the meta data in the IReV portal.

“I proved that there were errors and I did not have to examine the Forms EC8As, physically, to reach my conclusion.”

Asked if he could tell that results from polling units in the states he analysed, were properly collated, the witness, said: “That was not for me to prove, I only presented the facts.”

He told the court that all he did was from his computer, adding that he was familiar with the AWS, which INEC engaged for the general elections.

“AWS security is a shared responsibility model between the company and a client.

“With respect to security, there are three components; confidentiality, integrity and availability of data.

“Availability simply means that the data would not shut down and will be readily accessible when needed. That aspect is the responsibility of the AWS.”

Asked if there was anything about electronic collating system in a press statement that INEC issued on the use of BVAS, which was cited in his report, the witness, said: “Yes, it was inferred in the last paragraph.”

He went ahead and read the last paragraph of the said press release, where INEC, assured that results of the elections would be electronically transmitted to its IReV portal, in real time.

The witness maintained that by the statement, INEC, inferred that the results would equally be electronically collated.

Nevertheless, Dr. Ugwoke admitted that he did not physically inspect any of the BVAS machines, neither did he interview Mr. Festus Okoye, the INEC National Commissioner that signed the said press statement.

Asked if he was aware that PDP won election in one of the polling units in Bauchi state which he analysed, the witness, said he was not aware.

Asked if he was aware that in one of the polling units in Anambra state, the LP, won with 127 votes, while APC scored zero vote, the witness, said he was not also aware.

“I am not aware. I am only an expert in the subject matter for which I was engaged. I am not biased”, he told the court, adding that he attached links in his report.

Asked to confirm that the results he referenced in his report were not the original copies from INEC, the witness, said: “They are original results from the IReV portal and they are still there.”

However, he said he neither met nor interviewed any official of the electoral body, before the report was written.

More so, the witness, told the court that International Organization for Standardization, ISO, certification, was a statutory requirement for organisations like the INEC under the National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, Act.

Meanwhile, shortly after Dr. Ugwoke was discharged by the court, another witness, Mr. Emmanuel Edet, mounted the box as the eleventh witness in the matter.

Edet, who is a legal practitioner and head of legal services at NITDA, said he was subpoenaed to appear before the court.

The witness told the court that there was no correspondence between the agency and INEC with respect to ICT technology that was deployed for the 2023 general elections.

He said there was equally no certificate of clearance from the agency that gave approval to INEC for such ICT deployment.

“We don’t have such documents in our office, to the best of my knowledge,” the witness added, saying it was the reason why he did not produce them before the court as requested in the subpoena.

Meanwhile, INEC, through the head of its legal team, Mr. Abubakar Mahmoud, SAN, said it was opposed to the evidence of the witness.

Mahmoud, SAN, argued that evidence of the witness did not comply with the law as he was not listed by the petitioners, ab-initio.

Likewise, lead counsel to President Tinubu, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, contended that paragraph 41(3) of the First Schedule to the Electoral Act, prohibited such witness from entering the box to testify in the matter.

However, unlike the INEC, both President Tinubu’s lawyer and that of the APC, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, took turns to cross-examine the witness.

Answering questions from Chief Olanipekun, SAN, the witness, said the subpoena was served on him personally, though he informed the Director-General of the agency, who gave him the nod to appear before the court.

The witness further admitted that the Act that established NITDA, does not contain any regulation on cyber security or ISO standards, adding that INEC was not mentioned in any portion of the said Act.

While being cross-examined by counsel to the APC, Fagbemi, SAN, the witness, said he was aware that the Minister of Communication & Digital Economy, had in the wake of the presidential election, disclosed that over 16millio attempts were made to hack INEC’s ICT infrastructure.

The witness said he was equally aware that INEC, being an independent body, did not need authority of any agency to conduct elections.

After he was discharged by the court, the petitioners called their 12th witness, Mr. Tanko Yunusa, who told the court that he was a member of LP’s election Situation Room.

Mr. Yanusa identified a bundle containing several letters the party wrote to INEC.

Besides, he told the court that over 18, 088 results the Commission uploaded to its IReV portal, were blurred.

The Justice Tsammani-led panel adjourned further hearing on the matter till Friday to enable the Respondents to cross-examine the witness.

We have followed with consternation the viral story of the purported 114% increase in the salary of the President, Vice President, elected Federal and State political office holders and judicial officers. 

We state without any equivocation that President Bola Tinubu has not approved any salary increase, and no such proposal has been brought before him for consideration. 

While we recognise that it is within the constitutional remit of Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission to propose and fix salaries and allowances of political office holders and Judicial Officers, such can not come to effect until it has equally been considered and approved by the President. 

It is important to note that RMAFC, through its Public Relations Manager, has responded to this fake story being circulated and has already set the record straight. 

However, that this unfounded story gained prominence on social media and in a section of mainstream media, again, brings to the fore the danger fake news poses to the society and our national well-being. The misinformation was, obviously, contrived to create ill-will for the new administration, slow down the upward momentum and massive goodwill the Tinubu-led administration is currently enjoying among Nigerians as a result of its fast paced, dynamic and progressive policies. 

It is important to reiterate to journalists, media managers, and members of the public that stories on government activities and policy issues that do not emanate from approved official communication channels should be ignored. 

Media practitioners are enjoined to, at all times, cross-check their stories to ensure accurate reportage, which is the hallmark of responsible journalism.

Dele Alake 

Special Adviser, Special Duties, Communications & Strategy 

On Thursday, the People’s Democratic party, PDP, presented a digital forensic expert, Mr Hitler Nwala, to testify on his reports which showed alleged “crime” associated with some Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines deployed for the presidential election in the Federal Capital Territory, CT.

According to him, the data he extracted from about 100 BVAS machines deployed in the FCT showed that criminal malpractice took place on the devices and the polling units he analysed, including PUs where the PDP flagbearer Atiku Abubakar won.

BVAS is a technological device that was deployed by INEC for accrediting voters and uploading scanned polling unit results during the 2023 poll.

Under cross-examination by INEC lawyer A.B. Mahmoud, he said the polling unit results contained in the BVAS machine for the FCT was deliberately deleted even though the FCT was not scheduled for governorship election.

But Mahmoud told him that his reports before the PEPC were false because he did not inspect all the BVAS machines deployed in the FCT.

The witness disagreed, saying “when you have a small sample space and you have a deviation, by the time you have a larger sample space, the deviation will be more.”

Mahmoud showed him about 3 BVAS machines to confirm if they were part of those he inspected.

The witness told the court he would not identify the devices shown to him by Mahmoud, explaining that having inspected the BVAS under review several weeks back, he was not in a position to state if they had been tampered with again.

Taking questions from President Bola Tinubu’s lawyer, Wole Olanipekun SAN, the witness admitted making typographical errors by giving different figures for some BVAS machines he inspected.

He also agreed with Olanipekun that the BVAS devices he inspected were the primary source of his forensic report.

“All your reports evolve around the 110 BVAS machines you inspected. Am I right?” Olanipekun asked, to which the witness responded in the positive.

The witness was further told that he embarked on his inspection exercise with the mindset that crime was committed at the elections, having tagged it “Crime Type”.

But Nwala replied, “It (the title) is a format of forensic report.”

Olanipekun further told the witness to “Tell my lord whether the crime you detected affected the polling unit where PDP won”.

“Yes,” the witness replied, adding that he is aware that Labour Party won the presidential election in the FCT and that he also included polling unit results won by LP in his report.

Forensic Expert told the court that as of the time of his inspection of the BVAS machines, nothing was intrinsically wrong with the device.

According to him, all the results in the 110 BVAS machines he inspected were deleted but he was able to recover them using a tool called “Celebral Physical Analyser.”

Under cross-examination by APC lawyer, Lateef Fagbemi SAN, the witness said he did not bring the tool to court.

He maintained that the polling unit results he mentioned were those on the BVAS machines, not those uploaded to the INEC Results Viewing Portal, IRev.

The witness added that he did not physically inspect the INEC Form EC8A.

After his testimony, he was discharged from the witness box.

PDP’s lawyer, Eyitayo Jegede SAN then tendered Form EC8As for Ogun (20 LGAs), Ondo and Jigawa states as part of the team’s evidence.

The five-man panel of the court led by Justice Haruna Tsammani, admitted them in evidence while adjourning the proceedings to Friday.

PDP and Labour Party will be closing their cases on Friday.

The candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 governorship election in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, on Thursday, accused the Deputy Governor of the State, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, of renouncing his Nigerian citizenship when he acquired the American passport.

Rhodes-Vivour made the allegation through one of his expert witnesses at the Lagos State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in the Ikeja area of the state.

The witness, Mrs. Olubusayo Fasidi, who claimed to be a United States Immigration lawyer, told the Tribunal that Hamzat swore an oath of allegiance to the U.S., renouncing his Nigerian citizenship.

Fasidi, led in evidence by Dr Olumide Ayeni (SAN), counsel to the petitioner, also testified that the deputy governor applied for naturalisation as contained in Forms 8CFR/337 and N400.

Ayeni tendered the documents to the three-member Tribunal led by Justice Arum Ashom.

However, counsel to all the Respondents objected to the move, saying that the reason for their objection would be included in their final written addresses.

Other Tribunal members are Justice Mikail Abdullahi and Justice L. P. Braimoh.

During cross-examination by the lawyer to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Eric Ogiegor, the witness admitted that an individual could enjoy dual citizenship.

She, however, said that she was not aware of the provision of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution that deal with dual citizenship.

Fasidi said she was subpoenaed before the Tribunal to explain U.S. law and not Nigeria’s Constitution.

When the counsel to the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat, Bode Olanipekun (SAN), asked her to disclose the jurisdiction and date Hamzat applied for naturalisation, she said she would not because the information was protected by the Privacy Act of 1974.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) counsel, Norris Quakers, asked the witness if she knew whether Hamzat disclosed his American citizenship, and she answered in the affirmative.

Earlier, Ayeni presented result sheets from polling units in nine local government areas of the state to establish differences in some regions against what was recorded on INEC’s Form EC 40A.

Counsel to INEC, Sanwo-Olu, Hamzat and APC objected to the admissibility of Form EC 40A, reserving reasons until their final written addresses.

The Tribunal has adjourned the matter to June 26 for further hearing.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Thursday in Paris, France said ongoing reforms, starting with removal of fuel subsidy and streamlining of exchange rate, will be sustained for a more competitive economy that attracts Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), urging investors to take advantage of opportunities in Nigeria.

“We are ready for business, prepared to welcome investments,’’ he said, while receiving President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of African Export-Import Bank (Afrexim), Prof. Benedict Oramah and President of European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Odile Renaud–Basso, in separate meetings, on the sidelines of the Summit for New Global Financing Pact.

In a statement by Presidential spokesman, Dele Alake, the President assured the delegation of AfreximBank Executives led by Dr Oramah that the Federal Government will continue to stimulate the economy with policies that support investments in areas of Nigeria’s competitive advantage, particularly agriculture.

“We need reforms for national survival,’’ he added, noting that it would take boldness and courage to reposition the economy, calling for more collaboration to solidify the economy.

“We must stimulate recovery for the growth and prosperity of our people, which will not be far away. Nigeria is ready for global business and our reform is total.

“Nigeria is blessed with human and material resources,’’ President Tinubu told the delegation, who had earlier listed areas of interventions to buoy the economy, like infrastructure, health, energy and agriculture.

The President of AfreximBank commended President Tinubu for the bold steps in removing the fuel subsidy and unification of the exchange rate, assuring the Nigerian leader of the full support of the financial and development institution on the ongoing reforms.

Dr Oramah said the bank was already building the first African Specialist Hospital in Abuja, and Energy Bank, pledging to inject more money into the economy to further build confidence of investors.

In the meeting with the EBRD, President Tinubu said, “We are challenged in terms of reforms, and we have taken the largest elephant out of the room with removal of fuel subsidy, and multiple exchange rates are equally gone. We are determined to open up the economy for business. Consider us a stakeholder in the Bank.’’

He told the EBRD President that Nigeria’s economy was too large and potent to be ignored, adding, “Ignoring Nigeria will be a peril to the universe.’’

Renaud-Basso said it would be a mistake for the development bank not to invest in Nigeria, after considering six potential economies for investment.

She explained that focus would be on the private sector, especially Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs).