A Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in Sabo- Yaba, Lagos, on Wednesday, granted bail in the sum of N1 million with 4 sureties to Eze Ndigbo of Ajao Estate, Fredrick Nwajagu, 67.
Nwajagu is facing two-count charges of conspiracy and act that has tendency to cause a breach of public peace.
The defendant who was first arraigned on April 5, was remanded at the Ikoyi custodial facility for 30 days.
Chief Magistrate Peter Nwaka granted the Igbo leader bail following oral application made by the defense counsel, Nkechi Agubuzor.
Nwajagu was in April caught on camera threatening to invite the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to Lagos to protect businesses and properties of Igbo people in the state.
In a 49-second video shared on Twitter by one Ayekooto @DeeOneAyekooto, the Igbo leader posited that the move became necessary to prevent attacks on Igbo businesses in the state.
“IPOB, we will invite them. They have no job. All of the IPOB will protect all of our shops. And we have to pay them. We have to mobilize for that. We have to do that,” Nwajagu had said.
“We must have our own security so that they will stop attacking us at midnight, in the morning, and in the afternoon.
“When they discover that we have our own security, before they come, they will know that we have our own men there.”
“I am not saying a single word to be hidden. I am not hiding my words; let my words go viral. “Igbo must get their rights and get standing in Lagos State.”
The Executive Directors of the World Bank have selected Ajay Banga as President of the World Bank for a five-year term beginning June 2, 2023.
This was disclosed by the world bank in a press release on Wednesday.
This appointment by the Executive Director has made Banga to become the first Indian American to hold such a position.
The World Bank noted that it followed the selection process agreed by shareholders in 2011. The process includes being open, merit-based, and transparent nomination where any national of the Bank’s membership could be proposed by any Executive Director or Governor.
The World Bank said “Directors of the World Bank today selected Ajay Banga as President of the World Bank for a five-year term beginning June 2, 2023.
“The Board looks forward to working with Banga on the World Bank group evolution process discussed at the April 2023 meeting.
“Also on all the World Bank Group’s ambitions and efforts aimed at tackling the toughest development challenges facing developing countries.”
Banga most recently served as Vice Chairman at General Atlantic. Before then, he was President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mastercard, a global organization with nearly 24,000 employees.
Under his leadership, MasterCard launched the Center for Inclusive Growth, which advances equitable and sustainable economic growth and financial inclusion around the world
Nigerians may face the worst of policy decisions as more job cuts may follow the new tax regime signed by President Muhammadu Buhari, according to the Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Promotion Private Enterprises, Muda Yusuf.
Buhari approved new Fiscal Policy Measures (FPM) for 2023 in a Circular dated 20 April 2023 signed by Zainab Ahmed, Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning.
The FPM introduced additional excise taxes ranging from 20 per cent Ad valorem Tax and N75/litre on Beer and Stout; Wine Production: 30 per cent Ad Valorem and N75/litre; Spirit and other Alcoholic Beverages: 30 per cent Ad Valorem and N150/litre
Import Adjustment Tax (IAT) levy that was introduced on motor vehicles of 2000 cc to 3999 cc at 2 per cent. For vehicles of 4000cc and above, the tax will be 4 per cent while vehicles below 2000cc, mass transit buses, electric vehicles, and locally manufactured vehicles are exempted.
This translates to import duty of 42 per cent or 44 per cent depending on the engine capacity of the vehicle.
Tobacco tax was reviewed to 30 per cent Ad Valorem and N8.20k per stick. FG will charge by way of excise duty on Single Use Plastics (SUPs) like plastic containers, films and bags at the rate of 10 per cent.
“It should be noted that Ad valorem tax is based on the value of the product, which makes the impact even more injurious to industrialists.
“Sustaining current investments in these sectors would be a herculean task. These policy measures failed to reckon with the multifarious challenges which industry operators are currently grappling with, some of which include the following.
“Weak and declining consumer purchasing power. Naira exchange rate depreciation which is taking a huge toll on cost of production. High energy cost Multiple taxes and levies already being imposed on the industry players. Risk to jobs in the sector and its extended value chain including millions of MSMEs in its distribution and marketing chain. Downside risk to manufacturing sector outlook in the Nigerian economy,” Yusuf said in an emailed reaction.
The CPPE boss said the new tax regime will affect businesses and could lead to job losses.
“With a 30% Ad Valorem tax and a specific tax of N75/litre, most wine industries operating in the country may have to shut down. It is ironic that rather than support local wine producers to be more competitive and create more jobs, the government has opted to impose even higher taxes on them.
“Millions of farmers supply local inputs such as grains to the sector may lose their livelihoods. Risk of decline in profitability and shareholder value. Elevated risk of smuggling of the products,” he said on tax on alcohol and spirit.
He said it is insensitive of policy makers to impose a whooping 40 per cent import duty on vehicles in an economy where there is no mass transit system and where vehicle ownership has become a necessity, particularly for the middle class.
THE first batch of evacuees from the war-torn Sudan to Egypt arrived in Nigeria last night.
The evacuees were the first batch who arrived at the Argeen border last week Wednesday, April 26 for airlifting in Aswan Egypt.
The first batch of evacuees experienced some delays as a result of the formalities issued by the Egyptian authorities to enable them to be airlifted to Nigeria.
In an audio sent to the Nigerian in the Diaspora Commission Situation Room on Wednesday, a Nigerian official explained the reasons for the delay in the airlifting of stranded Nigerians who ought to have arrived in the country earlier today.
The official explained, “Two aircraft, Air Peace and NAF C130, are supposed to airlift 350 passengers. Unfortunately, 26 additional persons sneaked into the buses. The Egyptian personnel were there. They counted and they found 376 Nigerians. They refused the 26 people to stay back at the airport and they also refused to allow Nigerian officials to take the 26 people back to the border.
“Now, they want everyone to leave. Neither will they allow them to go back to the border. The only option is to overload the aircraft. The pilots were consulted and they said they could not airlift more people and have plenty of luggage.”
However, the Air Peace plane arrived at 11:35pm with 278 passengers while NAF C130 arrived at 11:55pm with 98 passengers.
[NaijaTimes]
…Targets increase of per capita income to $33,328 per annum
…Aims at placing Nigeria amongst world’s top economies by 2050
…President urges incoming administration to implement plan
Barely 26 days to hand over power for the termination of his eight years of two terms in office, President Muhammadu Buhari, on Wednesday, launched the Nigeria Agenda 2050; a plan aimed at increasing real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth by seven per cent.
The plan which also targets creating 165 million new jobs, and reducing the number of Nigerians living in poverty to 2.1 million in 2050, from the 83 million estimated in 2020, was launched by Buhari on Wednesday shortly before the commencement of this week’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The launch is coming after three years of its conception.
The launch trailed an earlier development about seven weeks ago when the FEC approved the policy document on March 15, nearly three months after the National Economic Council (NEC) endorsed the Agenda.
At the occasion of the launch, President Buhari said the goal is to increase per capita income of Nigeria to $33,328 per annum to be placed amongst the world’s top economies by 2050, urging incoming administration to pay regard to it.
“This vision is a product of a dynamic knowledge based economy to provide sustainable development by 2050.
“The goal is to increase per capita income of Nigeria to $33,328 per annum to be placed amongst the world’s top economies by 2050.
“I hope this document will prove useful for subsequent administrations,” he said.
Buhari had earlier inaugurated the National Steering Committee for the preparation of the Medium-Term National Development Plan 2021 – 2025 and Nigeria Agenda 2050 in November 2020.
Its overarching goal is to take Nigeria to an Upper Middle-Income Country and subsequently to the status of a High-Income country by 2050.
Nigeria is home to several long term policies, but the question of implemention have been a subject attracting criticisms from stakeholders, particularly as majority of them do not outlive the administration that conceive and draft them.
[NewsDirect]
Emeka Nwafor, Chairman of Anambra State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has asked Governor Chukwuma Soludo to provide vehicles and security for workers coming to work to Awka, the state capital on Mondays in view of the sit-at-home.
He said by so doing, workers would feel safe and comfortable to shun Mondays sit-at-home and continue and come to work on Mondays, as directed by Governor Soludo.
Reacting to Soludo’s May Day rally directive that every civil servant in the state must henceforth be coming to work on Mondays or be prepared to have their salaries cut, Nwafor noted that it would be suicidal for workers coming from areas like Ihiala, Onitsha and Aguata to board commercial vehicles on Mondays to travel to Awka and go back after the day’s work without assured security arrangements by the government.
According the State NLC boss, “If the Governor wants all the workers to be coming to work on Mondays, he should provide buses to convey workers to Awka every Monday and then provide security to guide and protect the workers at the Secretariat until the day is over and the vehicles would equally take the workers back to their respective destinations at the end of the day”.
Commercial vehicles are still afraid of plying the roads on Mondays for fear of being attacked by hoodlums enforcing the illegal sit-at-home.
Also speaking, Chairman of Nigerian Civil Service Union, NCSU, Paul Uwaeze, said government should refurbish all the dilapidated office furniture and equipment to enhance productivity on the part of the workers, adding that government should stop imposing contractors on the workers to come and calculate their payroll for the workers.
In their separate speeches, the state chairman of Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN, Chinedu Nwabueze solicited state government support in improving their services in the state.
Comrade Nwabueze noted that the association has introduced ambulance services for accident victims along the federal and state highways to save lives and properties.
Southeast Zonal Chairman of National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Dr. Austin Udeozor appealed to Soludo to recognize them as partners in progress in the state, particularly now that the state government is looking for avenues to increase its internally generated revenue, IGR.
According to Udeozor, “It is quite ironical that NURTW is working in all the states of the federation, except in Anambra state. We are not Agberos. We maintain security in motor parks and also generate revenue for the government”.
[Vanguard]
‘Non-compliance with law’ — EFCC, ICPC ask court to dismiss Keyamo’s suit seeking Atiku’s probe
AdminThe Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has asked a federal high court, Abuja to dismiss a suit by Festus Keyamo, mister of state for labour, seeking the probe and prosecution of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.
According to NAN, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) also asked James Omotosho, the presiding judge, to discountenance Keyamo’s case.
Keyamo, the spokesperson of the APC presidential campaign, had asked law enforcement agencies to arrest the former vice president based on an audio recording released by Michael Achimugu, his former aide.
In the audio, the former Abubakar was alleged to have explained how shell organisations were set up to divert public funds.
Keyamo, in a letter addressed to the EFCC, ICPC, and the Conduct of Conduct Bureau (CCB), gave the agencies 72 hours to begin the prosecution of Abubakar.
He also filed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/84/2023, asking the court for an order compelling the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate “to submit himself to the CCB, ICPC and EFCC for thorough investigation”.
At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, Samuel Okeleke and O B. Odogu, lawyers to the EFCC and ICPC, faulted the competence of the suit and prayed the court for its dismissal.
Okeleke argued that Keyamo did not comply with the requirements of the law in filing the suit as he ought to have first obtained the leave of the court in seeking to compel an agency of the government to act.
On her part, Odogu argued that Keyamo did not approach her agency properly.
“We do discrete investigation. He (Keyamo) gave us 72 hours ultimatum within which to investigate and prosecute the 1st defendant,” she said.
“That is not how we operate. We take our time to do a discreet investigation.”
Benson Igbanoi, Abubakar’s lawyer, also faulted the competence of the suit and accused Keyamo of engaging in abuse of office.
He asked the court to decline jurisdiction among other grounds, that no cause of action was disclosed by the plaintiff.
Meanwhile, O. C. Uju, Keyamo’s lawyer, prayed the court to dismiss the objections raised by the defendants and proceed to hear the case on merit.
Omotosho, after entertaining the arguments by lawyers to the parties, adjourned until June 5 for ruling on the preliminary objections.
[TheCable]
•Borrowing from CBN illegal, suspicious, say NECA, LCCI, economists
•N22.7tn extra-budgetary spending to raise public debts to N69tn
Prominent economists, Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association and opposition parties took a swipe at the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, (retd.), and the Senate over the government’s N22.7tn extra-budgetary spending approved by the upper legislative chamber on Wednesday.
While groups including NECA and the Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry questioned the rationale for the loan by a regime that was approaching its exit, economists, in separate interviews with The PUNCH, described the approval by the Senate as unusual.
With the approval by the Senate of the N22.7tn loan from the Central Bank of Nigeria extended to the Federal Government under its Ways and Means provision, Nigeria’s external debt will rise to N68.95tn.
The Debt Management Office recently revealed that Nigeria’s total public debt stock increased to N46.25tn in the fourth quarter of 2022.
It stated that the figure consisted of the domestic and external total debt stocks of the Federal Government and the sub-national governments (36 state governments and the Federal Capital Territory).
On Wednesday, Senate approved the request of the President for Ways and Means Advances restructuring to the tune of N22.7tn, which then adds to the existing debt stock.
The Ways and Means provision allows the government to borrow from the apex bank if it needs short-term or emergency finance to fund delayed government expected cash receipts of fiscal deficits.
Since the government started experiencing a significant shortfall in revenue, it has relied heavily on the central bank to finance its expenditure programmes via Ways and Means.
The Federal Government had said it would repay the loan with securities such as treasury bills and bonds issuance.
Buhari had last year asked the Senate to approve his proposal to securitize the loan, but the Red Chamber rejected the request, citing a lack of details.
Buhari, while appealing to the Senate to reconsider its stand, said failure to grant the securitization approval would cost the government about N1.8tn in additional interest in 2023.
The Senate Leader, Ibrahim Gobir, who led the Senate in the debate for the approval of the Ways and Means on Wednesday, explained that part of the money was given as loans to states.
Gobir added that the Special Committee was set up by the Red Chamber to scrutinize the fiscal document and put up the report after critical analysis and review of submissions made by the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget, and National Planning and the CBN.
The Senate Leader said the panel discovered that the Ways and Means balance was initially N19.33tn as of June 30, 2022, but later grew to N22.72tn as of December 19, 2022, as a result of financial obligations to ongoing capital projects and additional expenditures which includes domestic debt service gaps and interest rate.
He noted that the Senate on Wednesday, December 28, 2022, approved the sum of N819.54bn from the N1tn additional request made by the President, leaving an outstanding balance of N180.4bn being the accrued interest on the sum.
Lawmaker justifies borrowing
Gobir further stated that the House of Representatives had earlier approved the additional N1tn Ways and Means Advances requested by the President to enable the smooth implementation of the supplementary budget.
Gobir said, “Part of the Ways and Means money was given to state governments as loans to augment budgetary shortfall in their various States.
“Most of the requests for funds for an increase in Ways and Means were made to Mr President on the need to finance the budget due to revenue shortfall. Such requests were either made by the Hon. Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning or the Central Bank Governor.
“The Federal Government as a result of revenue shortfalls occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic and low oil prices, relied heavily on the Ways and Means to finance its budget deficit to keep the country working for the people.”
The Senate leader added, “The monies received by the Federal Government were used for funding critical projects across the country;
“That due to the serious shortfall in Government Revenue, the Federal Government for the economy not to collapse, was compelled to borrow repeatedly from the CBN, exceeding the 5 per cent threshold of the prior year’s revenue as stipulated by the CBN Act, 2007.
“That the Federal Government through the Ministry of Finance, Budget, and National Planning has concluded plans to convert the CBN loans to tradeable securities such as treasury bills and bond issuance.”
Gobir said the Senate Special Committee, after exhaustive deliberations, recommended, among others, the restructuring of N22.7tn for Ways and Means Advances be approved because the advances were made to ensure that the government does not shut down.
The panel further sought the approval of the Senate for the sum of N180.4bn, being the balance of the supplementary budget and the interest accrued on the Ways and Mean Advances.
Other recommendations were, “If there is a need to exceed the five per cent threshold of the prior year’s revenue, recourse must be made to the National Assembly for approval.
“The Federal Government should begin the process of recovering the portion of the Ways and Means given as the loans to State Governments as further deferment of the repayment of the loans by the States will not be healthy for the economy.
“The Federal Government through the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning should expedite action on the repayment of the loans through treasury bills and bond issuances.
“The National Assembly will not condone future increase in the Ways and Means without seeking the approval of the National Assembly.”
Meanwhile, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, after the approval of the fiscal document, noted that the Ways and Means Advances was a global practice.
He, however, faulted the process adopted by the executive arm of government, which failed to carry the National Assembly along while accumulating a huge amount of loans.
Lawan added that the Senate had to pass the Ways and Means Advances so that the federal parliament would be able to consider and pass the 2022 Supplementary Budget still pending before the two chambers.
Lawan said, “I don’t see any National Assembly standing against any infrastructure development like the building of roads and bridges among others. It is therefore very important that before the executive incurred this kind of huge Ways and Means Advances, should, as a matter of must, seek the approval of the National Assembly. Where for, whatever reason, an emergency happened, it should not take them this kind of period before a request is sent to the National Assembly for approval.”
He added, “We have to pass these Ways and Means Advances because we don’t want the government to be shut down. The supplementary budget 2022, is on hold at the moment because we could not pass the Ways and Means request. However, with the passage of the Ways and Means Advances today, the Supplementary budget 2022, which essentially is to rehabilitate damaged roads and bridges across the country, will be fixed.”
NECA flays FG
Reacting to this, the Director General of NECA, Mr Wale Oyerinde, questioned the borrowing, which he said was dragging the economy.
He said, “Our view is this, why are we borrowing again a few days before the expiration of the current administration? What the government should focus more on now is to put a closure to most of the ongoing projects and not borrow again for the incoming government to inherit. Whatever project is not completed at this time, those projects should be part of the handover. And this extended way and means of the CBN are just dragging the economy. The loan is not necessary at this point all attention should be focused on proper handing over so that the next government can start on a good note. We believe that all loans should stop until the incoming government takes over, that is our view, it is not necessary.”
Also speaking, a facilitator with the Nigeria Economic Summit Group, Dr Ikenna Nwaosu, said, “I don’t know why they did what they did, they didn’t give their reasons. I know there has been opposition to that from the private sector; the organised private sector has not been in support of this because it is putting us more into debt. This is towards the end of the President, Major General Muhammed Buhari (Rted) administration. So I can only sit here and be wondering. What is the reason given by the National Assembly for passing that, what are their reasons.”
On his part, a professor of economics, Sherifdeen Tella, berated the Senate for approving the ways and means request without sanctions and warnings adding that it further proves notions of being a rubber stamp assembly.
He said, “The Senate should have sanctioned the Ministry of Finance and the CBN for it because once they start approving, other governments will do the same in the future and even more. It is a legal means of borrowing but it is supposed to be the last resort. It is quite unfortunate that the Senate just approved it like that without warnings and sanctions. It shows they are just rubber-stamp legislature.”
He further warned the incoming administration against this line of action.
“What they should do is stick to the limit because this government has misused that opportunity. Other governments may do the same in the future which is not good enough because ways and means create inflationary pressure on the economy.
“For the incoming administration, it allows them to do the same and worst things which is not good enough for the economy itself. This is unfortunate.”
Also, an economist, Akpan Ekpo, described the situation as “unfortunate” noting, “There is a rule that ways and means should not exceed 5 per cent of previous revenue. To approve that amount in trillions is very unfortunate and I hope it doesn’t encourage future happenings because it has increased our debt which is becoming very disturbing now. We also don’t have enough revenue to match the debt. They must ensure the central bank doesn’t do this again. It is not a welcome development.
“Debt is a generational matter and it is not a good thing. Don’t be surprised the incoming administration will borrow too. I just hope a time won’t come when we are unable to service our debts.”
‘Approval unusual’
The Chief Executive Officer, Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, Dr Muda Yusuf, said, described the approval as unusual, adding that the total public debt may hit N80tn by the end of 2023.
He said, “This is an unusual approval. The National Assembly was confronted with a fait accompli. Constitutionally, the National Assembly is empowered to appropriate funds before it is spent. But we are dealing with a situation where the monies have been spent before approval is sought. It is really an unusual situation and an aberration, it is a bad precedent.
“The event that led to this situation was a breach of the constitution and a flagrant violation of the CBN Act. It is necessary to officially indict agencies of government involved in these infractions. It is important for state actors to operate within the law at all times. Meanwhile, the public debt levels would be close to N80tn by the end of this year. The incoming administration would have to brace up for the challenges of managing this huge debt.”
A Professor of Management and Accounting at Lead City University, Ibadan, Godwin Oyedokun, criticized the government for its penchant for borrowing.
He said, “This is not the first time they are getting approval for Ways and Means and we have said that naturally, it is adding to their debt profile which some of us have frowned at. If you look at this regime, all they have done is borrow and the implication of this is that they are borrowing for the next generation to pay.
‘It is not as if that when they borrow, we are seeing the effect or impact of what they are borrowing for. With this, it means that the next government is inheriting debt. The debt that they are inheriting, it is the next generation who will pay for it. The future income we are going to generate, somebody already mortgaged it for us to use to pay the debt.
“There is nothing bad in borrowing, it is only when you borrow without sense. Who is bearing the brunt of this borrowing? That is my grouse with this borrowing strategy.”
Also, the Deputy-President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry described it as blatantly illegal for the National Assembly to approve spending bills that had not been duly ratified ab initio.
Idahosa said the development shows the level of impunity the Federal Government currently enjoys, which is not tenable in any advanced economy in the world.
He said, “You don’t borrow money that is not in the budget or any supplementary budget to accommodate that borrowing. The only reason they are able to do it is that they have control over the Central Bank.
“It is because we do not have strong institutions that insist on compliance with the law, that’s why this has happened. Because this administration is coming to an end, they did not want to leave an absolute illegality as part of their handing over notes. So, they had to go and get approval for what has been spent, not what is going to be spent.”
Opposition kicks
The Peoples Democratic Party also chided the Nigerian Senate for approving a whopping sum of N22.7tn extra-budgetary spending.
Director of Publicity of the PDP, Chinwe Nnorom said having almost exhausted his tenure, Buhari had nothing more to do than to create more confusion.
On his part, spokesperson for the New Nigeria Peoples Party Presidential Campaign Council in the 2023 election, Ladipo Johnson expressed shock at the development in a conversation with The PUNCH.
He said, “We are shocked at this latest insensitivity by lawmakers who are representatives of the people. What the hell does a government that has a few weeks to round off need such a huge amount of money for,” he asked.
Following a motion by the Senate directing the government to halt the demolition of offices belonging to agencies doing aviation activities at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Government has announced that it cannot be stopped from giving development to the people.
The Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, disclosed this on Wednesday during a briefing after the Federal Executive Council presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House in Abuja.
Sirika who believes the Senate is simply an advisory council and cannot drag issues with the government, says they have a reason for overheating the issue.
Senator Biodun Olujimi who chairs the senate committee on Aviation had hours ago drawn the attention of the upper legislative chamber to the warning strike threatened by the Union of Air Transport Employees, Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, Association of Nigeria Aviation Professionals, and National Association of Aircrafts Pilots and Engineers.
“Just the other day, some houses were demolished by the Lagos government in our camp. We have been on that issue for some time, we went up to Supreme Court and won and they had to give way for development. This is in the national interest,” Sirika said.
“There’s no individual that can drag it out with the government. If I want to pull down this hall and build a better one, who is going to stop me as a government?
“So I think it is not an issue, they are just overheating it and you know why. But we have a responsibility and mandate, and we are not shy, we are very bold to do all those things that are good for our people. We are also a very responsive and responsible government, where it will affect the lives of the people, of course, we are going to do it.
“We have been known to do things that better civilization everywhere we go. So, this one also is going to make life very good.”
The Aviation Minister further maintained that those who are contesting the demolition should not deny millions of Nigerians the gratification of witnessing a revolutionized Lagos airport as tenable in other countries.
[Channels TV]
The Independent National Electoral Commission said it would prosecute the 215 case files in its docket out of the 774 persons arrested for various electoral offences by the Nigeria Police Force during the 2023 general elections.
INEC chairman, Yakubu Mahmoud, who was represented by the INEC Deputy Director of Prosecution, Nasara Auta, stated this during the monthly review forum on Human Rights and the 2023 elections organized by the National Human Rights Commission in Abuja.
Mahmoud noted that in recognition of the statutory power of INEC to prosecute electoral offences, the Inspector General of Police recently forwarded 215 case files on electoral crimes to the commission for prosecution of the perpetrators.
He said the commission was partnering with the Nigerian Bar Association for Pro Bono legal services for the effective prosecution of electoral offenders arrested during the 2023 general election.
Among the various grounds of arrest are dereliction of duty, criminal conspiracy, disorderly conduct at the election, possession of weapons, destruction of election materials, political thuggery, electoral violence, snatching of ballot boxes, stealing of sensitive election materials and others.
The Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ahmed Audi, represented by the Commandant, Election Monitoring Unit of the NSCDC, Fatima-Binta Ilesanmi, reiterated that the Corps will continue to be professional and committed in the discharge of its mandates.
She called on the NHRC to be deliberate about bringing perpetrators of electoral and human rights offences to book to further strengthen the nation’s democracy adding that victims should be served justice regardless of the political, cultural and religious affiliations of the offenders.
Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission has called for the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the attack on the former Vice Chancellor of the University of Sokoto, Prof. Abdullahi Zuru, in Adamawa State during the April 25 rerun election held in the state.
The Coordinator, MOVE project of the commission, Hillary Ogbonna, called on relevant authorities to ensure that those responsible for the attack are brought to book.
Prof. Zuru was attacked by a mob in Adamawa State on April 17 while on electoral duty as the National Commissioner from the North-West deployed to the state for the governorship election.
According to Ogbonna, the action of the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Adamawa state, Ari Hudu, was an infringement on the collective rights of voters in the state and added that he should be made to face the full wrath of the law.
[Punch]
More...
The senate on Wednesday suspended the consideration of three budgets of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) after Seriake Dickson, senator representing Bayelsa west, objected to it.
The consolidated budgets are for the 2021, 2022, and 2023 fiscal years.
In 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari ordered a forensic audit of the finances of the commission, following allegations of corruption and mismanagement.
The upper legislative chamber had the consideration listed on its order paper, but shortly before it could be moved for consideration, Dickson raised an order of privilege.
While citing order 9 of the senate standing rules, Dickson said his privilege as a member of the senate and a member of the committee on Niger Delta had been breached, suggesting that he was not in the know of decisions reached by the panel on the budgets.
In reaction, the senate president said: “I have 17 people here who signed the report and that is more than the quorum required.”
He added that the report would be considered on another legislative day “for the general understanding amongst ourselves”.
“I believe that sometimes we may not be able to attend some of our meetings because we have other engagements elsewhere and when some of our colleagues do some things on our behalf, we should also respect what they have done.
“I will suggest that we stand down the report. If we are coming back to this senate tomorrow, then we take it because time is of the essence.”
The senate president directed the committee to meet and sort out the issues.
[TheCable]
The President-elect, Bola Tinubu, has rejected Rivers State governor’s request for Federal projects reimbursement, saying, he owed the state nothing.
River State governor, Nyesom Wike on Wednesday in Portharcourt requested a refund of some Federal projects including roads which he reconstructed with the approval of the Federal Government.
While addressing the President-elect, who was in the state to commission some projects, Wike explained that his government had to amend its procurement law to source for funds to complete some flyovers in the state capital which are Federal government projects.
Wike explained that he could not wait to see those projects uncompleted because they are federal projects, hence, he has to complete them.
He said: “If we had said because they are Federal Government roads, and we won’t do it. Who are those to suffer?
“Since we have said we don’t want our people to suffer, I also believe that the Federal Government should say look, you have done well for us. These are projects we should be doing, can you bring your bill, let us refund you the money you have done these roads.
“That is what it is supposed to be for a partnership with a good Federal Government. I can assure you as you enter the office and you approve to pay this money back, other states will have the courage to also do the same thing.”
[DailyPost]
After several efforts by stakeholders in the blockchain technology business to be allowed to operate unhindered failed, the Federal Government, on Wednesday, in Abuja, approved a National Blockchain Policy.
The approval which was disclosed by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof Isa Pantami, after this week’s Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), at the State House, Abuja, was a product of consultations with 56 institutions and personalities whose end goal is to institutionalise blockchain technology in Nigeria’s economy and security sectors.
According to Pantami, “The Federal Government of Nigeria today approved the national blockchain policy for Nigeria.
“This policy was gotten through consultation with our stakeholders where 56 institutions and personalities were involved in the process of conceptualizing, developing and reviewing the policy.
“With the approval of the national blockchain policy for Nigeria today, we can safely say that blockchain technology with all its components and types have been institutionalized in the country,” said the Minister.
He noted that the Security Council has directed regulatory bodies to liaise with the National Information Technology Development Agency to come up with regulatory instruments in all sectors.
The establishment of a national steering council to be coordinated by NITDA is also part of the approval.
Wednesday’s approval underlines the potential opportunities of blockchain technology even as studies predict that blockchain would add $1.76tn to the global GDP by 2030.
[DailyIndependent]
President-elect, Bola Tinubu on Wednesday, claimed he won the 2023 presidential election “fair and square” amidst rejection by opposition.
He stated this during inauguration of some projects in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.
Tinubu, who was in the state at the instance of Governor Nyesom Wike, was received by the governor and his entourage on Wednesday morning at the Port Harcourt International Airport.
Supporters of the governor were also present to receive Tinubu as they were allowed into the tarmac area under strict security control.
While reading his goodwill message, Tinubu said; “If you talk of character, you can say Wike is very dependable.
I won, fair and square. Nyesom, I say “thank you” for your contribution to my victory”.
Wike had in a state broadcast on Tuesday declared Wednesday as a holiday, appealing Rivers residents to come out en masse to welcome Tinubu who he supported during the February 25 Presidential poll.
[NigerianTribune]