Twitter has announced that TweetDeck, a popular program that allows users to monitor several accounts at once, will be available only to “verified” users from next month.
The social media firm, bought by billionaire Elon Musk last year, has been thrashing around for ways to make a profit, cutting staff and ramping up its paid-for subscriptions.
Twitter’s verified users are mostly those who have paid to receive a blue check mark, though Musk has gifted the check mark to some users and others have it as a legacy from the previous regime.
TweetDeck, launched more than a decade ago, shows messages in columns and its search and posting functions operate differently from the website or the app.
The firm said in a support message on Monday that it was launching a new version of TweetDeck with various new functions.
“In 30 days, users must be Verified to access TweetDeck,” the message said.
A series of changes to the way Twitter is run left many TweetDeck users unable to see posts on the weekend.
Twitter bought London-based TweetDeck in 2011, with technology media putting the price tag at $40 million at the time.
AFP/PUNCH
A prominent business Igbo chieftain, Gaius Chibueze has offered to cater for Mmesoma Ejikeme‘s tertiary education following fraud allegations by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
It would be recalled that the examination body on Sunday accused Ejikeme of manipulating her 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) result for monetary gain.
The board claimed she manually inflated her UTME result from 249 to 362 and used her manually inflated score to attract a N3m scholarship from Innoson Motors and was set to be awarded by the Anambra State Government before she was exposed.
Reacting to the development, the bitcoin billionaire businessman via his verified Twitter page condemned the examination body for the attack against the student’s personality.
He also offered to sponsor her education till masters level in either the United Kingdom, Canada or America
He wrote: “I and our company @VoiceOfTheEast are ready to offer Miss Joy Mmesoma a 100% scholarship to study in the UK, CANADA or the UNITED states of America.
“Our team will work with her to get admission From any university of her choice in any of the above 3 countries. We will take 100% charge of her Fees and upkeep until her masters level.
“@lota_nna, kindly get in touch with her and her family!We are calling on@JAMBHQto desist from such unprofessional behavior.This is not just an attack on her person but the entire Igbo race!”
Senators Opeyemi Bamidele and David Umahi have been elected as the Senate Majority Leader and Deputy Majority Leader, respectively, in the 10th Nigerian Senate.
The announcement was made on Monday by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, at the resumption of plenary and their adoption by senators of the ruling party.
Opeyemi is the Senator representing Ekiti Central Senatorial District of Ekiti State while Umahi represents Ebonyi South Senatorial District.
The Senate President also announced the APC Senator’s adoption of Mohammed Ali Ndume as
Senate Majority Whip and Lola Ashiru as Deputy Majority Whip.
More details to follow…
The Abia State governor, Dr. Alex Otti, on Monday launched a new digital tax system that would help the state eliminate fraud and intermediaries in revenue generation.
The new system, which integrates free medical insurance scheme for all commercial vehicle drivers and riders of Keke and Okada, will see the state also maximise its revenue potential, according to the state’s Chief Executive Officer.
Speaking at the launch, Dr. Otti, who was flanked by some senior members of his cabinet, including the Chief of Staff, Dr. Caleb Ajagba; the Special Adviser on Internally-Generated Revenue, Mr. Chimereze Isaac Okigbo; and Special Adviser on Policies and Interventions, Rev Father Christian Anokwuru, said that the introduction of the new digital system will not only strengthen the state’s tax collection but would also promote economic growth and entrepreneurship in the state.
“By simplifying tax compliance procedures, we have removed barriers for businesses, encourage formalisation, and stimulate investment. This initiative empowers entrepreneurs, enabling them to focus on their ventures’ growth and expansion, ultimately leading to job creation and economic prosperity for our state.
“By eliminating fraud, intermediaries, and introducing the digital platform to block leakages, we will unlock the true potential of our tax system to maximise revenue for development projects.
“The digitalised tax regime ensures that every business, large or small, contributes its fair share towards the growth of our state. With the expected increased revenue, the government can invest in infrastructure development, education, healthcare, and other essential sectors that will uplift the lives of all Ndi Abia,” Governor Otti affirmed.
He declared that the free medical insurance scheme component of the new digital tax payment system is a fulfilment of his campaign promise to create an affordable health care delivery “for our people across all sectors and segments” of the society.
The new digital tax system essentially aims at sanitising revenue generation in the transport sector and the markets. While the Permit to Operate Tickets targets those in the transport business, the Innovative Traders Tax Payment aptly targets traders in the market areas.
“Unlike in the past where revenue agents abused these daily tickets with all manner of collectibles, now, we are promoting Transparency and Ease of Compliance in our commitment to making tax compliance simpler and more accessible. The digitalised tax regime introduces enumeration and easy paying platforms which includes the use of USSD and wallet services.
“The Permit to operate Tickets for Transporters has been designed in bouquets which gives the commercial transport operators options to choose among the daily, weekly and monthly scheme. This has eliminated all forms of middle men that have been meddling on our revenue collection space. We are also optimistic that this model will eventually eliminate and reduce the risk of extortion, promote transparency, increase tax compliance, strengthen ease of doing business in Abia state and empower these businesses to operate within a legally defined framework and environment,” the governor said.
In the same vein, he said the new framework for Innovative Traders Tax Payment “is the first of its kind in our state”. According to him, it was carefully designed within the ambit of the principle of convenience and fairness.
“This model gives the traders in all our major markets the benefit of prorating their annual Market levy in a Monthly, Quarterly, Bi-Annually or Annually. A thorough consideration was made to accommodate this model so as to cushion the effect of economic hardship and business cycle volatility. This was our promise to Ndi Abia during our campaign and we are keeping to that,” he explained.
Alleged result forgery: Apologise to Mmesoma or face legal action – lawyer threatens JAMB, Oloyede
AdminA lawyer, Johnmary Maduakolam, has threatened to sue the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, and the management of the Board should they fail to tender an apology to Anambra pupil, Mmesoma Ejikeme, who was accused by JAMB of manually inflating her 2023 UTME result.
The lawyer in a letter addressed to Oloyede noted that Mmesoma was incapable of forging her own results. He also accused JAMB of failing to protect the identity of the girl.
He said, “I am Chief Johnmary Akachukwu Maduakolam, a legal practitioner and the President of Johnmary Akachukwu Maduakolam Initiative for Education which is a pet project with a special interest in education and holistic development of the young person.
I am shocked to read from the media a circular issued by one Mr Fabian Benjamin on behalf of JAMB, accusing one Ms. Mmesoma Ejikeme, a minor and a student of Anglican Girls Secondary School Nnewi, Anambra State of faking JAMB scores to curry favour from unsuspecting philanthropists. By that publication, JAMB, under your watch, defamed the poor girl, exposed her to public opprobrium, and most especially failed to discharge its duty to the girl child under the Child’s Right Act.”
JAMB in a statement on Sunday evening noted that Ejikeme manually inflated her UTME result from 249 to 362 and used her manually increased score to attract a N3m scholarship from Innoson Motors and was set to be awarded by the Anambra state government before she was exposed.
“The most pathetic of them all is the case of Miss Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma, who claimed to have scored 362 in the 2023 UTME and was awarded a N3m scholarship by Chief (Dr.) Innocent Chukwuma. She was even set to be honoured by the Anambra State Government when one of its top officials put a call through to JAMB to confirm her claim only for the Board to reveal that Miss Ejikeme Joy Mmesoma had actually scored 249 and not 362 she claimed. She had manipulated her UTME result to deceive the public to fraudulently obtain a scholarship and other recognitions,” JAMB said.
Maduakolam in the letter said, “Paradoxically, information available in the media strongly suggests that JAMB, and not the poor girl, is culpable of dishing out fake results but even if the girl forged her results, the law affords her some protection as a child in the circumstance.
“Sequel to the above, I hereby request your good self, on her behalf, to retract forthwith the malicious publication made against the child, tender an unreserved apology to her and take steps to ensure that the trauma your conduct caused is cushioned immediately.
“Kindly note if you fail, neglect or refuse to harken to my demands for the welfare of the child, I shall drag you to a court and you shall bear its cost.”
The Zone 2 Command of the Nigeria Police has arrested two men, who allegedly specialise in hacking into bank customers’ accounts.
The Zonal Public Relations Officer, SP Hauwa Idris-Adamu, confirmed the arrest in a statement on Tuesday in Lagos.
Idris-Adamu said that the arrest followed a petition received from a bank by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in charge of the Zone comprising Lagos and Ogun, Mr Mohammed Ali.
“On the 8th of May 2023, a petition was submitted by United Bank for Africa (UBA) to the AIG that there are some syndicates that specialise on internet fraud of various banks in Nigeria, most especially United Bank for Africa (UBA).
“They hack into customers accounts and move their money.
“Based on the petition, the AIG raised a team of detectives from the Zonal Monitoring Unit, which swung into action with the aid of modern technology.
“The two suspects were tracked down at their hideout at Ijebu Ode, Ogun State,” she said.
According to the official, the suspects confessed to the crime.
“They confessed that they had many syndicates all over Nigeria and that they used software to hack into customers’ accounts and move their money undetected from any bank.
“The modus operandi of these fraudsters is to have a customer’s BVN-linked phone number for easy transfer of money.
“Consequently, over 1,000 customers’ accounts have been hacked and the customers defrauded across the country,” she said.
She said that further investigation into the incident revealed that members of the syndicates were from different parts of the country.
She said that efforts were being intensified to arrest all those connected with the crime.
According to her, investigation is ongoing while the suspects will be arraigned on completion of investigation. (NAN)
NNPC Limited has disclosed it plans to invest into a Maiduguri based start-up company that is into renewables and electric vehicles.
The company explained that the move would boost its footprint in the renewable energy space and help Nigeria in reducing its carbon emissions.
The Managing Director of NNPC New Energy Limited, Kanachukwu Odoe who disclosed this in an interview contained in the NNPC Quarterly Magazine, said the company plans to install charging point facilities in all its retail outlets across the country.
Odoe noted that although renewables are not yet a big deal in the country, it will be the energy of the future.
He said: “On Electric Vehicles, there are two things we are looking at.
There is a start-up from Maiduguri that is into renewables and Electric Vehicles. It’s a Nigerian start-up. We are currently discussing with them to expand their capacity to meet local demand in Nigeria.
“It’s something l believe we should invest in not just because it’s our own, but also because they are doing something that hasn’t been done before, at least, in this part of the world. So, when we invest in the company, we can have a foothold in the electric vehicles market.
“The next part will be how to provide access to charging ports for the electric vehicles We have NNPC Retail stations scattered around Nigeria, we are currently having a discussion on how to install charging points in the stations to serve electric vehicles”, he added.
He observed that “on capacity expansion with respect to renewable energy, you know that there is a gap in the power sector with regards to electricity supply, particularly in the rural areas. We must be able to meet that demand by developing capacity to provide power to those in the rural areas with renewable energy sources like solar”.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) has slammed a three-year ban against Mmesoma Ejikeme, the examination candidate who allegedly falsely inflated her exam scores.
It insisted that the result being paraded by the student is fake and that its system cannot be compromised.
The board made this known in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Fabian Benjamin on Tuesday.
Ejikeme shared a video to social media on Monday, stating that the result in question is not forged and that she rightfully obtained the score of 362 as she has always been a brilliant student.
The JAMB spokesman however, said the video was stage-managed and that Ejikeme revealed the rightful owner of the result when she said that the QR code on the result slip showed the actual owner of the said result.
“To witness the unassailable position of the Board regarding this obvious falsehood, the general public is, therefore, urged to endeavour to scan the QR code on the result slip to see its actual owner before it was mutilated”, the board stated.
“It is to be noted that the QR code encapsulates the UTME result of each candidate, hence, what is on the result sheet is nothing other than the interpretation of the information on this QR code.
“Similarly, the public is also invited to ponder on the fact that out of all the candidates that sat the 2023 UTME, only Ms. Ejikeme Mmesoma parades the obsolete ‘Notification of Result.’
“The board remains unperturbed by this unfortunate development as this is not the first time such fraudulent claims have been made. As such, Nigerians are urged to recall numerous occasions where the Board was sued for billions of naira only for the lawyers to later apologise profusely for their clients’ misadventure,” the statement read.
The board then said that it has barred her from sitting the examination for the next three years, in line with its established procedures, and has withdrawn her 2023 UTME result.
JAMB stated that the case has been handed over to security agencies for proper investigation, adding that “the truth would manifest and the Board vindicated.”
Osun State Police Command on Monday threatened to sanction any of its officers attached to public officeholders caught carrying out domestic duties for their principals.
The Command spokesperson, Yemisi Opalola, who disclosed this in a statement released in Osogbo, stated that whosoever found with the act would be punished accordingly, adding that the era of police orderlies carrying handbags, umbrellas and opening of gates, amongst other menial duties for their principals had gone.
The statement reads: “The command is miffed with consternation the way and manner government officials and personalities use police orderlies attached to them for domestic duties, such as carrying handbags, umbrellas and opening of gates, amongst other menial duties.”
“The command, therefore, warns police officers attached to these officials to stop carrying out or serving purposes other than protecting their principals from security threats. ”
“Such behaviour is highly unethical, unprofessional and would attract appropriate sanctions against erring police personnel.”
“Government officials are therefore enjoined to employ the services of domestic staff and personal assistants to carry out such services”
“Police officers attached to government officials are to protect their lives and property and not to serve as their domestic workers,” she added.
APC tenders evidence, as INEC closed case
The Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) on Monday admitted as exhibit the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the final report of the European Union Election Observer Mission, which faulted the conduct and outcome of the February 25, 2023, presidential election.
The report, tendered by the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 25 presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and his party were admitted as exhibited by the court, despite the objection by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who are listed as respondents along with INEC in the petition challenging Tinubu’s election.
The European Union election observer mission had, in the report, claimed that there was no credibility and transparency in the way and manner the February 25, 2023, presidential election was conducted.
The report tendered through INEC’s sole witness and Director of Information Technology (IT) of the Commission, Dr Lawrence Bayode, said only 31 per cent of the presidential election result was uploaded into INEC’s results viewing portal.
In his evidence in-chief, Dr Bayode admitted that INEC has no electronic collation system and agreed that there was no electronic collation of the presidential election results.
The INEC’s witness admitted that the Presidential election results were collated manually by the electoral body’s presiding officers.
Under cross-examination by Atiku Abubakar’s lead Counsel, Chief Chris Uche (SAN), the witness admitted that not all the presidential election results were uploaded into the INEC’s results viewing centre as of March 1, 2023, when INEC chairman, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood declared and returned Tinubu as the winner of the February 25 presidential election.
Under cross-examination by Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), lead Counsel to President Tinubu, the witness told the court that form EC8A formed the basis of the election results and that data and network service were required for the upload of the images of the results captured by the Biomodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) machine into INEC’s results viewing portal.
He further testified that images captured on BVAS, whether transmitted electronically or manually, will not affect the integrity of the election, especially when results entered into form EC8As are announced to the hearing and knowledge of party agents.
Also under cross-examination by the lead counsel to the APC, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), the witness admitted that the technical glitches experienced during the presidential election did not affect the actual scores of candidates at the election, as the results remain intact.
Fagbemi asked the witness if he was aware that, three days before the presidential election, INEC came out to say that electronic transmission of results would not be visible, the witness answered in the affirmative and his (Witness) attention was drawn to Thursday, February 23, 2023 edition of the Nigerian Tribune which carried INEC’s announcement of its inability to collate the election results electronically.
Through its counsel, the APC tendered the Tribune newspaper publication as evidence in defence of the outcome of the February 25 presidential election.
With one witness and four documents tendered, INEC closed its defence in the petition filed by the former vice president and his party against the declaration of Tinubu as the winner of the February 25 presidential election.
Meanwhile, Tinubu will open his case on Tuesday, June 4, to defend his victory in the February 25 presidential election.
More...
Barring last-minute changes, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas will on resumption of legislative activities on Tuesday announce the names of the Principal Officers.
Before embarking on the Sallah recess, Speaker Abbas announced members of the Selection Committee.
The Selection Committee is to be chaired by the Speaker while Deputy Speaker, Hon. Benjamin Kalu is to serve as the Deputy Chairman.
According to the Speaker, each of the 36 State and FCT Caucuses is expected to nominate one of their members as member of the Selection Committee.
As stipulated in the 10th edition of the Standing Order, the Selection Committee is responsible for the nomination of Chairmen of various Standing Committees.
Members of the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) penciled down as members of the Body of Principal Officers are: Hon. Julius Ihovbere as Majority Leader.
It was also gathered Deputy Majority Leader, Hon. Abubakar Halims (APC-Kogi), Chief Whip – Usman Kumo (APC-Gombe). However, the South West lawmaker nominated for the position of Deputy Chief Whip cannot be ascertained as at the time of filing this report.
For the Minority Caucus, Hon. Kingsley Chinda was adopted as the Minority Leader, while Hon. George Ozodinobi (Labour Party – Anambra) was nominated as Deputy Minority Leader.
It be recalled that the PDP Caucus via a statement issued after the inauguration of the 10th Assembly had adopted Hon. Ali Isa (PDP – Gombe) as the Minority Whip.
Anambra State Government has instituted a panel of inquiry into the controversy trailing the highest scorer in the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination.
Miss Mmesoma Ejikeme, a 16-year-old student of Anglican Girls secondary school in Nnewi, had earlier been announced to have scored 362 as the highest.
JAMB, however, in a press release on Sunday night, dismissed her result as fake, saying it was manipulated and that she would be prosecuted for it.
A press release by the Anambra State Ministry of Education and signed by its Public Relations Officer, Mr Nnaemeka Egwuonwu, stated that the investigation would unravel the truth about how Miss Ejikeme got her result.
Part of the release read: “Education Commissioner, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh regretted that the development was very embarrassing, coming at a time when the Soludo-led administration is repositioning in her avowed determination to get education right in the State.
“Meanwhile, the Anambra State Government will continue to celebrate Nkechinyere Umeh, who was declared the highest by JAMB, having scored a cummulative mark of 360, while security agents are investigating the allegation of falsification of result levelled against Ejikeme Mmesoma, who had earlier been showcased in the social media as having scored the highest.”
A former governor of Zamfara State, Senator Sani Yerima, has renewed his advocacy for dialogue with bandits.
He spoke on Monday while fielding questions from State House reporters after a meeting with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Yerima said though the federal government possessed the capacity to contain banditry decisively, it was the government at the centre that championed the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s successful negotiation with militants in the Niger Delta region.
The former governor said dialogue was necessary to avoid collateral damage and recalled that World War I and World War II were resolved on the negotiation tables.
He emphasised that negotiations were an integral part of governance and that they should be pursued before resorting to extensive military operations.
He said poverty and ignorance were root causes of conflicts and proposed rehabilitation programmes as a means to integrate the bandits back into society.
He said poverty and ignorance were prevalent among the bandits and advocated education and poverty alleviation programmes to address the root causes of their actions.
On the concerns raised about the plight of victims affected by bandits’ activities, he said he was proposing a solution for the overall Nigerian crisis and not advocating for the bandits.
He stressed the importance of giving Nigerians the opportunity to repent, be rehabilitated, and reintegrated into society.
He restated his confidence in the government’s capacity, with adequate resources and support, to address the security challenges if negotiations failed.
The pipeline contractors operating in Bayelsa State have uncovered a total of nine illegal refineries sites with a combined total daily production estimated to be more than one million barrels per day (bpd), in three communities in Bayelsa State.
The discovery was made possible through the efforts of security operatives in the ongoing war against crude oil theft and illegal refineries in the Niger Delta region.
The illegal refineries commonly called ‘Kpofire’ in local parlance in the state were uncovered in Okordia, Zarama, Biseni in Yenagoa Local Government Area, and the boundary communities of Ibelebiri and Otuege(Agba) in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
Speaking with journalists at the site of one of the busted illegal refineries located 8 kilometres inside the swamp forest of Zarama Clan, the Spokesman and Mobilisation Officer of Daven Oil and Security Enterprises, Comrade Okardi Yogo, said a total number of nine sites have so far been uncovered during the operation.