On Thursday, two ad-hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, testified against the electoral umpire before the Presidential Election Petition Court sitting in Abuja.

They were subpoenaed by the Peoples Democratic party and presented before the five-man panel of the court led by Justice Haruna Tsammani.

They explained in their testimonies why the presidential election results were not transmitted into INEC’s results viewing portal on election day as was the national assembly election results.

Their testimonies were taken despite stiff objections from the lawyers representing INEC, President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress.

The respondents urged the court not to take their testimonies until they have thoroughly studied their statements on oath.

But the court held it would rule on their objections later while directing the PDP counsel, Chris Uche SAN to present his witnesses for the day.

Uche then called Friday Egwumah who testified that he served in Abia as one of the INEC adhoc staff.

He adopted his testimony on oath insisting that the election did not go as outlined by INEC.

Under cross examination by INEC, Egwumah told the court that with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System BVAS machine, National Assembly results were scanned and uploaded to the INEC Results Viewing Portal, IRev.

But for the presidential election which was conducted simultaneously, the witness said the BVAS could not transmit the scanned result sheet despite several attempts.

“At my Polling Unit, the election went well. I signed the result form, the party agents signed as well after which I snapped it with the BVAS machine.

“After successfully sending the scanned results of the House of Representatives and Senate, the presidential could not be sent.

“I now took the results signed by me and party agents to the collation centre,” Egwumah replied.

Tinubu’s lawyer, Wole Olanipekun asked the witness if he knew his role as ad-hoc staff of INEC.

The witness said he was aware of the role, adding ” I did not break any law or regulation when performing my duty.”

The second subpoenaed witness presented by the PDP was Grace Timothy, an ad-hoc staff in Plateau state.

She adopted her statement on oath.

Upon cross examination, she said the BVAS machine “did not transmit the presidential poll” but successfully transmitted that of the National Assembly.

After taking their testimonies, the court subsequently adjourned.

Recall that the PDP and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar are contesting the presidential election results declared by INEC in favor of Tinubu.

Atiku claimed he won by majority of lawful votes cast.

So far, he has presented over 10 witnesses who’re largely state collation agents.

The witnesses have claimed that polling unit results were either changed at ward level or altered at the state collation centre.

The Ebonyi State Police Command has apprehended a 31-year-old man, Benjamin Ufoh, on allegations of defrauding St. Augustine Seminary College in Ezzamgbo, Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, of the sum of N425,000.

Ufoh was taken into custody by the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit following a petition submitted by the college’s solicitor, Sampson Ekigbo, to the state Commissioner of Police.

According to the petition filed by the school, it is alleged that the suspect approached the college’s Rector in November 2022, falsely representing himself as a staff member of a health company.

It was later discovered that Ufoh was actually a salesman for a marketing company with offices in Abuja and Lagos.

Under the guise of being a staff member of the health company, Ufoh convinced the Rector that he could supply cushion massaging machines to the college. Based on this representation, the college was persuaded to pay the sum of N425,000.00 to Ufoh for the purchase of the said machines.

However, subsequent to the transaction, the college neither heard from Ufoh nor received the promised machines. A letter was sent to the company in May 2023, but no response was received. Consequently, the college finds itself perplexed as Ufoh has absconded with their money.

The college’s lawyer pleaded with the Commissioner of Police to take the necessary action by apprehending and prosecuting Benjamin Ufoh, highlighting the potential threat his continued presence poses to Nigerian citizens who could fall victim to his fraudulent activities.

At the time of this report, the police command was in the process of arranging the suspect’s arraignment. Efforts to obtain a statement from Ufoh were unsuccessful as our reporter visited the SWAT office where he was detained pending arraignment.

A young Lagosian friend was in Abuja last week and decided to pay me a visit. I had not seen her for a long time so when welcoming her, I joked, “Eyinlokan” (meaning it’s your turn, in reference to the inauguration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu which she had earlier told me brought her to town). But she interjected, “Uncle Segun, you are in the old; the slogan now is ‘awalawanbe’”, (meaning, ‘we are now fully in charge’ or to put it in pidgin, ‘we full ground remain’). Since we often learn important lessons from jokes, my concern is that under the current dispensation ‘Awalawanbe’ can connote either service for the public good or hubris. 

President Tinubu came to office with a pledge to take tough decisions – exactly what times like this demand if Nigeria is to overcome its enormous challenges. That he has started to act in such direction is also not in doubt. With just four cynical words, “fuel subsidy is gone”, Tinubu may have succeeded where his predecessors failed. On Monday, the last (and biggest) resistance on the issue of fuel subsidy removal fell with the decision by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to suspend its nationwide strike earlier scheduled to commence yesterday. In deference to the judgement of the National Industrial Court, the NLC opted to join negotiations with the federal government. But as Professor Olatunji Dare pointed out in his column on Tuesday, the usual ‘palliatives’ will not do for the most vulnerable Nigerians. “The protections (that the federal government needs to offer) will have to be substantial, well-targeted, and delivered transparently,” he wrote. I believe that for the first time, Nigerians have resigned themselves to the reality that the fuel subsidy regime is indeed gone. As an aside, I learnt during the week that in the sociology department of a Nigerian University, one ‘Ogbologbo’ lecturer has already tasked his students to write a term paper on ‘The impact of fuel subsidy removal on inter-state adultery’! 

Meanwhile, fighting corruption may not have been a campaign issue for Tinubu but I have a feeling that he may be the one who dismantles the architecture of this wholesale corruption in Nigeria. If you successfully remove the subsidy element from the downstream sector of the petroleum industry and free the exchange rate of scandalous arbitrage, those two actions alone could take away as much as 50 percent of the public private partnership (PPP) corruption in Nigeria. We can then begin to deal with the equally monumental retail corruption that feeds from abuse of power and lack of transparency and accountability in the public space. For those who may not understand how subsidy enables unwholesome practices, they can go through my 857-page e-book, ‘The Verbatim Report: The Inside Story of the Fuel Subsidy Scam’ published in 2013. It is available on my web portal, olusegunadeniyi.com for free download: http://bit.ly/1EY9s80.   

However, now that he has succeeded in removing the fuel subsidy, it would pay the president to also extend ‘tough decisions’ to his own immediate family. Nothing erodes the credibility of a Nigerian leader as quickly as when family members constitute themselves into principalities and powers. Unlike Lagos, Abuja is a small town where there are no secrets. And inside Aso Rock, there are flies on every wall (perhaps the ubiquitous ‘demons’ that my friend, Reuben Abati keeps talking about). Already, tales abound of entitled persons who want to create ‘Office of The First Son’, ‘Office of The First Daughter’, ‘Office of The First Cousin’ etc. It is in the interest of the president to crush such inordinate ambitions before they become a problem for him and his administration. 

The early days represent the most important period for any government in Nigeria because that is when appointments are made. It is also a period for signaling. Already, Abuja is filled with the usual job seekers, so this is also the season for influence peddlers. Displaying ‘Awalawanbe’ by people who were not on the ballot on 25th February will be counterproductive for Tinubu and his administration. Even if we discount the controversy that trailed his election, Tinubu still came to office with 37 percent of the total votes cast. That means almost two thirds of Nigerians who exercised their franchise on 25th February did not vote for him. Statistically, that is a very narrow mandate. Yet, with less than two weeks in office, he has succeeded in getting Nigerians to bear the pains and disruptions associated with the removal of fuel subsidy. That is a big gesture that the president and his handlers should not misread.  

Under his predecessor, there were shadow presidents (young and old) who carved out empires for themselves and were engaged in all kinds of shenanigans. But given the contradictions in his personal and political life, Tinubu would not get away with such infractions. The challenge of the moment is how he can rise above himself to establish a legacy that could cleanse his past sins and prepare him for heroic statesmanship. It is not impossible. If Tinubu runs a minimally credible government with sensible policies that promote economic recovery and national unity, he may regain elite solidarity and consensus. If his policies improve the general welfare of ordinary people, his popular support will also improve and blur his electoral and personal handicaps.  

For that to happen, President Tinubu needs to be ‘aware’ of what is going on around him at this most critical period! 

APC and the 2015 Echoes 

Election of National Assembly presiding officers should be routine, especially since voting is only by members. But in Nigeria, nothing is ever straightforward. We now have a situation where contenders for the offices of Senate President, Deputy Senate President, House of Representatives Speaker, and Deputy are running expensive media campaigns. And the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) seems not to have learnt any lesson from what happened eight years ago. With ill-gotten money from ‘Paris Club refund’, some fat cats think they can buy the Senate gavel and the rest of us should go to hell on the issue of fairness, equity, and diversity in a plural state. They must not succeed.

Now, let me make something clear. To build a society where majority of the people are lifted out of poverty, there must be collaboration between the executive and the legislature. That precisely is how the presidential system of government which we copied from the United States was designed to function. And for that reason, it is important for the National Assembly leadership to work in harmony with the executive, especially when the ruling party is in the majority at the federal level. However, the idea of checks and balances would not work if the legislature were shackled by the executive as we can also see in practically all the 36 states of the country today.

To that extent, the next National Assembly cannot be an appendage of the executive. As the institution with the power of the purse, it should not only be independent, but it should also be seen to be so. I am therefore advocating that when they convene next week, members should be allowed to elect their presiding officers without any form of coercion from the executive. That is also hoping that the members themselves will be responsible enough to consider the necessity for ethno-religious balancing in the country. While most Nigerians would agree that the 9th Senate under Saraki was far more productive than the outgoing 9th under Lawan, the manner of his emergence as Senate President was a problem for the APC right from the beginning.

As a reminder and warning, I want to recall excerpts from my 11th June 2015 column, ‘Saraki, Dogara and APC’s Naivety’.  

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Following the election of Dr. Bukola Saraki and Hon. Yakubu Dogara as Senate President and House of Representatives’ Speaker respectively on Tuesday, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, released a cynical statement. He told the APC to “stop whining and accept the will of the people, respect the independence of the legislature, as the PDP is not responsible for their naivety and crass inexperience.” 

I believe that the APC leaders will do well to heed Metuh’s admonition. To imagine that the person you needed to truncate a legally convened legislative session is the Inspector General of Police rather than the Clerk of the National Assembly was poor judgement. And not following on what was happening within the PDP camp was a sign that the APC leaders still need to learn the ropes when it comes to high-wire politics in Abuja.  

The night before the election, 47 PDP Senators had gathered at the Apo Legislative Quarters’ residence of the immediate past Senate President David Mark to present to him three options. Option one: Exploit the division within the rank of the APC by sponsoring Mark to contest for the office of Senate President. The argument was that by the Senate rule, all that a winner needed was a simple majority and since neither of the two APC contenders (Ahmed Lawan and Bukola Saraki) would likely step down for the other, Mark would get more votes. And once that happened, Mark could take the gavel. The only thing the APC could do in such situation would be to go to court. But Mark declined the offer. Option two: Conduct a mock poll among themselves (the PDP Senators in attendance) on who between the two APC candidates, (Lawan or Saraki) they should back but with the proviso that PDP would produce the Deputy Senate President. That was something they were not prepared to negotiate. Option three: Allow the APC to nominate a candidate, then counter-nominate another APC Senator and give him their block vote in what would amount to divide and rule.  

This option has a precedent. A similar scenario played out at the Cross River State House of Assembly in 1991 during the transition to civil rule programme of General Ibrahim Babangida when there were two political parties, the National Republican Convention (NRC) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP). While Mr. Clement Ebri of the NRC won the gubernatorial election, his party secured only 12 of the 25 seats in the House of Assembly with the SDP winning the remaining 13. On the day of the election of Speaker, there was drama. The moment the SDP nominated its candidate for the office, a member from the NRC nominated another SDP member to be Speaker and he went on to win on the strength of his own vote added to that of the 12 NRC members. As it would happen, the said SDP member had done a deal with the NRC by trading away the position of Deputy Speaker. 

By Monday night, at the end of what was the third PDP meeting in Mark’s house, it was the second option that prevailed. But with 32 of the 49 PDP Senators coming from the South-east and South-south, there was a strong argument at the meeting that Lawan, most favoured by Mark, holds extreme views when it comes to the issue of North and South. “He is, in fact, seen as a northern irredentist. From the PIB debate to confirmation of appointments to state of emergency and insurgency debates, Lawan employs hurtful, arrogant, and clearly divisive dictions”, said a returning Senator from the South-east. That gave Saraki a huge advantage. 

However, the biggest odd against Saraki was that he had long-running ego issues with Mark who considers him arrogant and disrespectful. There was also an argument at the meeting that supporting Saraki by PDP would be like rewarding bad behaviour since he was one of the people who brought the party down. However, Ekweremadu argued in Saraki’s favour that he is more cosmopolitan and nationalistic in his approach to issues. A PDP Senator also told Mark that since Saraki was once a member of the family, it would be easier to work with him than with someone like Lawan who had never been a member of PDP in the last 16 years of his membership of National Assembly (eight years in the House and eight in the Senate).  

So, even before the PDP Senators began to cast their mock ballots, it had been concluded that with Lawan being the choice of the APC, it was more pragmatic to go with Saraki who had been sounded out and had agreed to run with a PDP man for the office of Deputy Senate President. The choice of Ekweremadu was also strategic because, being very close to Mark, that helped to douse whatever ill-feeling the former Senate President may harbour against Saraki. There was also a strong sentiment against Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the meeting as many of the Senators argued that a vote for Lawan would be a vote for the APC National Leader. It was the same sentiment that was employed against Femi Gbajabiamila in the House of Representatives.  

With the mock poll conducted among the PDP Senators while Mark and Ekweremadu abstained, Saraki polled 28 votes and Lawan secured 17 votes. By this time, the acting PDP National Chairman, Chief Uche Secondus and Metuh, who were practically in Mark’s house throughout Monday, had entered the fray to seal the decision of the Senators as that of the party. Saraki was then brought into the meeting where he agreed to offer the position of Deputy Senate President to the PDP, specifically to Ekweremadu. 

However, once the APC leaders got wind of the PDP decision, a meeting was immediately scheduled for 9am at the International Conference Centre (ICC), just one hour ahead of the time that the National Assembly was supposed to be inaugurated. Meanwhile, since the president had already transmitted to the Clerk of the National Assembly the proclamation order and did not withdraw it, Mark and Ekweremadu, experienced in such matters (with sufficient clout to put pressure on the Clerk) knew the APC Senators were misreading the rule of the game by staying away from their inaugural session on the pretext of holding a party meeting elsewhere. To worsen matters, attempts were made to use the police to prevent the National Assembly members from entering the premises. Who gave the directive is still a matter of speculations, but it only infuriated the PDP Senators who rallied behind Saraki who had also got some of his APC senate colleagues to attend the session. By 6am, Saraki was already inside the National Assembly premises.  

10am on the dot, the Clerk of the National Assembly commenced the session for the election of principal officers in the Senate. With Lawan and several of his APC colleagues still marooned at the ICC, Saraki was nominated for the post of Senate President and since he was unopposed with enough senators to make a simple majority, there was no contest. By the time the APC leaders and the senators (who were still expecting the president to arrive the ICC) realised the futility of their action, it was all over. Many of course rushed back to the National Assembly only to meet Saraki holding the gavel as the Senate President… 

ENDNOTE: Enough said!

The African Migrants  

In October 2021, I received a call from Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, seeking permission to take excerpts from my book, ‘From Frying Pan to Fire: How African Migrants Risk Everything in their Futile Search for a Better Life in Europe’, for a project he was working on. He laughed when I told him that I would feel honoured if he took the entire contents of the book. A few days later, I got a mail from Ms Tanya Larkins, an award-winning writer who teaches at the department of English, Tufts University, United States. She said she was acting on behalf of Soyinka for a publication, ‘The Black in the Mediterranean Blue’ in the anniversary issue of ‘TRANSITION: The magazine of Africa and the Disapora’. After signing and returning the permission request document, I heard nothing again from her.  

Last week, I eventually received a copy of the 463-page publication where seven pages were devoted to excerpts from my book. Guest edited by Soyinka with Ms Alessadra Di Miao, the central theme is the perils of irregular migration from the continent, especially across the Mediterranean Sea. With contributions from 78 respected intellectuals and professionals from across the world, (many either of African or Italian descent), the publication is very compelling. As Di Miao, who teaches African Literature and Post-colonial studies at the University of Palermo, Italy, reminds readers, “today’s migrants tread the same ancient slave-routes dating back to the Roman Empire.” 

Reading through the collection is rather sobering. But it should also be a clarion call for African leaders. If we create the enabling environment for our young people to thrive, they would not be risking their lives on the Mediterranean Sea. “Between the covers of this special edition,” Soyinka wrote in the introduction, “our readers will encounter some truly harrowing narratives of the Mediterranean experience. The defining morality of these ‘encounters of a close shave’ is ultimately—Choice. Many had none.” 

The Senate on Wednesday passed a bill mandating the inclusion of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in secondary school curricula across the country.

The Senate Leader, Ibrahim Gobir, sponsored the bill titled “Mandatory Inclusion of Preventive Measures on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence into the Curriculum of all levels of Secondary Schools in Nigeria Bill, 2023.”

The bill was passed at Wednesday’s plenary session which was presided over by the Deputy Senate President, Ovie Omo-Agege.

Gobir said mandatory inclusion of the SGBV in school curricula, will alert secondary pupils to the risks associated with committing such acts.

While leading the debate on the bill, Gobir said “It is now important for authorities of secondary schools to include lessons on how to prevent sexual and gender-based violence in their curriculum for students,

“Compulsory inclusion of the SGBV in school curriculum will expose secondary students to the dangers involved in committing the act.”

He pointed out that making such mandatory would reduce the rate of SGBV, as well as further address child protection rights, rape, and harassment.

He said “It is cost-effective, timely, and sustainable. As it is said, a stitch in time saves nine.’ The bill, when enacted, will tackle the prevalent issues of the SGBV and will further address child protection rights and related issues such as sexual violence, rape, and harassment,

“To reduce cases of the SGBV and its related offense, experts have mentioned that individuals, groups, and systematic interventions should be implemented in schools and must include students, teachers, administrators, and parents’ participation.

“This is one of the systematic approaches to tackling this issue by early intervention by catching them young with this enlightenment which will also put our children on their toes to detect the red flags and be on guard. This will also avail them of the opportunity to referral pathways for reportage.

“The goal is to have at least 80 percent of all the participating students achieve satisfactory knowledge within 12 months of the rollout to each cohort. When they learn, they will pass on to their siblings, friends, and generations. This is a more sustainable systematic approach to solving this problem” he declared.

The Federal Government has declared Monday, June 12 as a public holiday in commemoration of 2023 Democracy Day celebration.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Dr Oluwatoyin Akinlade, on behalf of the Federal Government.

While congratulating Nigerians on the occasion, Akinlade stated that the country’s democratic journey has encountered stormy and smooth sails, just like in many other climes.

She said, “But the ship of State, its institutions and most importantly, the Nigerian people have remained steadfast on the tenets of democratic governance.”

“On this memorable occasion therefore, Nigerians and friends of Nigeria are invited to appreciate the progress that has been made, celebrate the milestones covered and look forward to a better future for the country’s democracy.

“The Permanent Secretary wishes all Nigerians a Happy Democracy Day celebration, ” the statement added.

Nigeria crossdresser Bobrisky’s former personal assistant, Oye Kyme, revealed a shocking secret about him.

Oye Kyme who had parted ways with Bobrisky as his personal assistant, has called him out for sleeping with her every night despite being called his daughter.

She spilled the tea via her Instagram story in the late hours of Wednesday with a video of her and Bobrisky together where he referred to her as his daughter.

However, the Ivorian has revealed that the daughter-mother relationship is all a lie, as they were both involved in consistent intimate activities.

Watch the video below:

A Federal High Court in Abuja has extended the order restraining the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), and Department of State Services (DSS) from detaining Sen. Abdul’aziz Yari.

Justice Donatus Okorowo extended the order on Thursday after Yari’s counsel, Michael Aondoaka, SAN, made an oral application to the effect.

The development occured following a plea for an adjournment moved by lawyer to the EFCC, Gloria Ogbason, and her counterpart representing the ICPC, Kemi Odogun, to enable them file their responses to Yari’s motion.

Upon resumed hearing in the matter, Aondoaka, informed that all the respondents had been served as directed by the court.

Ogbason, who acknowledged receipt of Yari’s processes on June 5, said they had yet to file their response.

“Therefore, we will be asking for a date since we are still within time to file my lord ” she said.

Corroborating Ogbason’s submission, Odogun, who said the ICPC was served on June 6, also sought an adjournment
“In accordance with the rules of this court, we are still within time to file and we intend to show cause my lord,” she also said.

Aondoaka said though he was not opposing their intention to respond to his application, he said: “We will only be asking for an order extending the order made on June 5 because the order was given by the court to abridge the time to show cause.”

The senior lawyer also informed that there was a proof of service of their application on the DSS, the 3rd defendant in the suit, though it was not represented in court.

Obasun and Odogun did not object to Aondoaka’s application for extension of the order.

Justice Okorowo, who adjourned the matter until June 27, barred the EFCC, ICPC and DSS from.detaining Yari until they appear to show cause in the next adjourned date.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 10th National Assembly will be inaugurated on June 13 after a proclamation by President Bola Tinubu.

Yari, the two-term ex-governor of Zamfara, had indicated interest to vie for the position of the Senate president of the 10th assembly.

Yari had, through his team of lawyers led by Mr Aondoaaa, filed the ex-parte motion marked: FHC/ANJ/CS/785/23.

In the motion dated and filed on June 2, Yari sued the EFCC, ICPC and DSS as 1st to 3rd defendants respectively.

In the application, the former governor prayed the court for an order, restraining the respondents, their officials from arresting, detaining and preventing him from attending or participating at the Proclamation of the 10th Senate by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on June 13 pending the hearing and determination of his motion on notice.

In a 15-ground of argument given by the senator-elect, he said his aspiration to contest the position of President of the Senate had received overwhelming support from the general public and amongst distinguished senators-elect irrespective of party affiliations.

According to him, the support which the applicant has continued to garner across party lines has drawn consternation from some members of his political party, the All Progressives’ Congress (APC).

The party, he alleged , has resorted to using the respondents and their agents to harass and threaten to arrest and detain the applicant on trumped-up charges for the period leading to the First Sitting of the Senate when nominations and election of presiding officers shall be constituted.

“The respondents and their agents have threatened to violate the applicant’s rights as enshrined in the Constitution by unlawfully threatening to arrest and detain the applicant up to the period of the First Sitting of the 10th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the 13th June, 2023, without a warrant of arrest and informing him in writing the reasons for the arrest and detention.

“The respondents and their agents violated the applicant’s fundamental human rights as enshrined under Section 34 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).

“The respondents and their agents are mandated to operate within the ambit of their establishment laws, and to respect the fundamental human rights of the Applicant as enshrined in the Constitution,” he said.

Yari said if the order was not given, his rights would have been breached by the respondents.

The Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has reiterated the readiness of his administration to partner with any stakeholder that would like to support in giving the children in the State better standards of living, regardless of political leaning.

          Prince Abiodun who made this statement in Odogbolu Local Government Area, during the commissioning of Ultra-Modern Hall, donated by Old Pupils of St. Barnabas' Anglican Primary School, said his administration would continue to provide an enabling environment and necessary resources for anyone willing to support his education policy.

          Governor Abiodun, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Mrs. Abosede Ogunleye said overtime, Old Students of Secondary Schools are fond of developing and contributing to their Alma Mater only and the gesture extended to Primary Schools by the Old Pupils would continue to make history.

           Prince Abiodun, according to the Press Officer, Ministry of Education, Science & Technology, Mr. Ayoola Obadimu, commended the strides of the Old Pupils, noting that their passions have significant positive impacts on the educational and infrastructural developments of the school and learners, as his government has been embarking on all it required to change the narrative of the education sector in the State.

          He said, "part of our systematic efforts was the introduction of Ogun State Education Revitalisation Agenda (OGSERA), a digital approach at managing the curriculum design, funding, infrastructural development, teachers' welfare of our ever-growing population in the education sector".

          Speaking, the Chairman of Odogbolu Local Government, Hon. Shuaib Ladejobi stated that since the inception of the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led government, education in the State had enjoyed tremendous transformation, noting that at the Local Government level has been supported through the donation of white marker boards, furniture and exercise books to the schools in his local government.

          In his remarks, the National President, St. Barnabas Anglican Primary, School, Okun-Owa, Asiwaju Sina Ogunbambo said the gesture was borne out of the passion to invest immensely in the lives of the pupils, saying the hall could be used as an examination centre, centre for literary and debate activities and other extra-curricular events, appreciating the government for providing an enabling environment.

          In her appreciative note, the Head Mistress of the school, Mrs. Adebola Akinsanya applauded the donors for supporting the government in providing a conducive atmosphere for teaching and learning in the school.

The Lagos Internal Revenue Service (LIRS) and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) have issued a public notice on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by both agencies to establish a Joint FIRS and LIRS Audit and Investigation Team aimed at encouraging the exchange of information between both agencies.

In the communique signed by Ayodele Subair, Executive Chairman, LIRS, and Muhammad Nami, Executive Chairman, FIRS on Wednesday, the general public, taxpayers and tax practitioners are charged to provide full support and cooperation to both Agencies for the overall economic benefit of all stakeholders.

According to the MoU, the overall objective of the Joint Tax Audit would be to improve tax administration by reducing tax compliance cost thereby enabling ease of doing business in the country.

Speaking on the MoU, Mr Ayodele Subair, Executive Chairman, LIRS, said while the importance of the agreement was to foster greater collaboration between the two agencies, “There is no reason to debate the above as it has been established that tax compliance and good governance are expected to co-exist as the undividable social contract that binds citizens and governments anywhere in the world. Therefore, citizens and governments are expected to fulfil their end of the bargain in achieving a balance.”

According to the FIRS Executive Chairman, Muhammad Nami, ‘’the cooperation would enable the two authorities to work as a team in sharing relevant information that would assist both parties in their tax administration and enforcement roles as it would also provide capacity building between both tax authorities.

We will carry out a joint audit and investigation as a team, we will also conduct an automatic exchange of information for gathering data for the purpose of tax administration. With that information, we would be able to carry out tax administration seamlessly,” he submitted.

The communique says while the notice was issued for the information and guidance of the general public, taxpayers and tax practitioners in line with the memorandum of understanding, the collaboration between both Agencies in the area of exchange of information will ensure efficiency, accurate assessments and increased revenue for funding of Government expenditure,

FIRS and LIRS, the communique says further, are leveraging on their existing distinct competencies in tax administration to collaborate in the areas of exchange of information, harmonization of an integrated tax system and joint tax audit or investigation exercise (where necessary) in carrying out their respective mandates for the purpose of optimizing tax revenue to the Federal Government and the Lagos State Government respectively.

The collaboration is expected to improve tax administration with a view to enhancing tax revenue generation, creation of a robust database and improve on the country’s tax-to-GDP ratio.

The parties (FIRS and LIRS) are expected to establish a Joint Audit or Investigation Team to be known as the FIRS/LSBIR JAIT (hereinafter referred to as “JAIT”), whose membership shall be determined by both parties to conduct a joint audit or investigation exercise which shall be concluded timeously.

The communique assured the public that employees of both parties will abide by the Code of Conduct and Ethical compliance to assure that the implementation of the MOU does not impact negatively on the taxpayers and the parties.

Position sensitive, Mustapha tells Akume

The newly appointed Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume on Wednesday assumed duty in his office as 21st SGF in Nigeria, hours after he was sworn in by the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He received a handover note from the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, including a report from the Judicial Commission of Inquiry for the investigation of Mr Ibrahim Magu, the former acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Mustapha briefed Akume during a brief handover ceremony held at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) Complex in Abuja.

He said: “There are a few pending issues for your kind attention and follow-up, which include the following: Report of the Inter-Ministerial Committee to Consider pending Bilateral Agreements between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Report of Presidential Committee on the Review of Number and Strategy for Resourcing Nigeria’s Diplomatic Missions World-Wide.

“Approval of the Recommendations of the Reviewed White paper on the Presidential Committee on the Restructuring and Rationalization of Federal Government Parastatals, Agencies and Commissions (Goni Aji Report); and Amal Pepple Report on the new Agencies created after the Oronsaye Report, which White Paper was produced by the Ebele Okeke Committee.

“Others are report on the Presidential Implementation Committee of the White Paper on the Commission of Inquiry into the Alienation of Federal Government Landed Property; Report of the Presidential Steering Committee (formerly Presidential Task Force on COVID-19); Implementation Committee on Special Detainees Linked to Boko Haram Insurgency and the Report of the Judicial Commission of Inquiry for the Investigation of Mr. Ibrahim Magu, the Acting Chairman of the EFCC.

“Committee on Imminent takeover of Federal Government Land and landed properties by some State Governments; Draft White Paper on the Judiciary Commission of Inquiry for the Investigation of Mr. Ibrahim Magu; Report of the Presidential Transition Council, due for submission by June 30, 2023 and the Transition Documents herewith submitted.”

Responding, Akume promised to ensure policies of the government are in the interest of the citizens.

“I am aware that this position is very sensitive. I promise to operate an open-door policy. I will not hesitate to contact my predecessor when the need arises. We will continue to do our best to ensure that government policies are in the interest of the people,” he said.

After his inauguration, the SGF noted that his wealth of experience will be brought to bear as he begins his work, adding that he will follow the footsteps of President Bola Tinubu.

He said: “I am someone who has been on the scene for quite some time and I know the man we are serving, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as President and we just have to follow his footsteps. He has never been in the gallery, where is always full of critics. He has always been in the arena, where the doers are. He is a doer, so we have to tag along. We must never afford to fail.”

Benue Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia expressed delight that out of the 36 states, his state was chosen to produce the Secretary to Government.

Alia said: “I’m full of enormous joy. It is a factor of exaltation. Out of the many States, Benue is chosen and its one of our sons whom we are all proud of. We know his requisites; we know what he has offered in the past decades for the state and for the nation.

“We are very confident that he is again going to deliver and the nation is going to be proud that our choicest man for Benue is selected and sworn-in for this great job.”

Expressing the belief that the SGF will do well in his new position, his wife, Regina Akume said: “I appreciate God for all He has done to us. Words cannot express how I feel. I am so thankful to the President. My husband is a very hardworking man, very humble, kind and compassionate and I know this time too he will do his best for Nigeria.”

Those who witnessed Akume’s inauguration included: Senate President Ahmed Lawan; Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr FolasadeYemi-Esan; All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman Senator Abdullahi Adamu; APC National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore; and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno.

Also at the event were former governors Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Badaru Abubakar (Jigawa), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Dr Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), and Tanko Al-Makura (Nasarawa).

Former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Michael Aondoakaa, former Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Dele Alake and one-time Finance Commissioner in Lagos, Mr. Wale Edun.