₦airaland Forum

A house where there is infighting will not stand. This matter should have been settled out of court before it got to this.

A debtor cannot choose how his debt will be paid.

World Bank on glass building. Mirrored sky and city modern facade. Global capital, business, finance, economy, banking and money concept 3D rendering animation.

As against the statement by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed that the country is already in talks with the multilateral institutions on restructuring Nigeria’s debt, the President of World Bank Group, David Malpass has said the country alongside Ghana are yet to approach the bank as well as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for the framework on debt restructuring.

Ahmed, speaking on the sidelines of the 2022 IMF/World Bank annual meetings in Washington on Wednesday had mentioned that one of the objectives of the Nigerian delegation at the meetings was to engage the Brenton Woods institutions on the restructuring of its debts.

“We have been engaging the financial institutions to look at the opportunity to restructure our debt to further stretch the debt service period to give us more fiscal relief. Those are some of the things we want to achieve in this meeting” she had stated.

However, the World Bank president, David Malpass while answering questions on if the debt restructuring request by Nigeria will be considered, said many countries with the exception of Nigeria and Ghana are yet to approach both the IMF and the World Bank for the common framework on restructuring their debt.

Malpass while speaking at the World Bank Press Briefing on Thursday said “with regard to debt restructuring, the World Bank works very closely with the IMF on debt situations, Nigeria has not asked for the common framework under the G20 process.

“That process has been slow acting in Chad, Ethiopia, and Zambia and there are some signs of movement on Zambia but it is still challenging. So Nigeria and Ghana both did not ask for a common framework treatment.


“Kristalina (IMF Managing Director) and I were talking yesterday with the group about if countries could have a situation where the common framework paused or allowed the country to have a standstill on their debt, that would help the countries choose their path forward on debt restructuring, and that would mean they would get a break on debt payments while they’re working out a restructuring agreement with the world but Nigeria didn’t go, it hasn’t gone that route.”

In a swift reaction, the minister of Finance, Budget and Planning, Zainab Ahmed said yesterday that, the country is working on renegotiating its debt obligations to see how it can stretch it out to ease the debt burden of Nigeria, saying restructuring is not in the works.

This is following an interview she granted on the sidelines of the ongoing 2022 World Bank/ International Monetary Fund annual meeting holding in Washington DC.

Speaking during a Debate on the Global Economy, Ahmed said “we are not restructuring our loans but we are looking at options of how we can stretch out including buying back some of our bonds when we have the resources to do that.”

Ahmed, who was responding to a question by CNN anchor Richard Quest on if the country was feeling punished for its debt, said “we are actually feeling the pressures, the market costs is too high for us to come out.

“We would explore the markets in the near future and also because inflation is going up and is going to stay up for longer and also our debt service obligations in foreign currency are increasing. And what we have decided to do is not to wait for it to happen we have to start looking at how do we better manage our liabilities.

“For example, our domestic liabilities will be able to shift our loans from short-term to medium and longer-term tenure. We have to do the same for international borrowings as well, bilateral loans and even some concessionary loans that the periods could be stretched to give us more fiscal room while we are working to increase revenue. To improve on our revenue to debt service, you still need to be able to renegotiate and stretch out repayment implications.”

The IMF Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva, on her part noted that Nigeria is on the right part, saying “that is what we are recommending for countries. When you see the dark clouds on debt financing, don’t wait. Look at ways in which you can extend maturities, you can improve the matching of currency obligations with what you are earning yourself. In that sense, what Nigeria is doing in this current environment is exactly what you should be doing.

Meanwhile, the World Bank president, Malpass, reiterated that the challenges for Nigeria remains its dual exchange rate, its trade policies as well as subsidies which it said have continued to eat into the revenues of the country despite a global oil bloom.

“Some of the challenges in Nigeria that I have talked about and been involved with them for some time is the dual exchange rate or the multiple exchange rates that are used which makes it very hard to have capital flowing in an efficient way within the country.

“Also, the trade policies tend to be protected on the import side and restrictive on the export side. So we would work with the IMF on an assessment of the depth sustainability of Nigeria but then it would also be up to Nigeria itself to interact with the various creditors, which include bondholders and includes official creditors that are engaged in Nigeria.

“With regards to subsidies to the extent that governments can have them be smaller meaning if you’re putting a cap on gasoline prices don’t make that a nominal cap in the local currency terms but allow it to be reduced over time.

“So the challenge for Nigeria is that the subsidies are so large that they undermine the revenues coming to the government from the state-owned oil company.  Nigeria is actually in a concerning situation because the increase in the oil prices that occurred earlier this year actually ended up hurting the finances of Nigeria because of that large subsidy that is provided.”


https://leadership.ng/nigeria-has-not-asked-for-debt-restructuring-world-bank/

So Kogi government is suspecting Dangote's involvement because they are currently having issues.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has certified its presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, medically fit, saying despite spending one week in the United Kingdom, the former Lagos governor did not embark on the London trip for medical purposes.

The party was responding to rumours that Tinubu traveled to that country to receive medical attention and was in critical health condition.

Tinubu had jetted out of Nigeria to the United Kingdom, fueling speculations that the trip may not be unconnected with a severe health condition.

Tinubu left the country to London immediately after the list of the 422-member campaign council was released, signaling a fresh crisis in the party, with some APC governors, NWC members and other party bigwigs crying foul that they were not carrying along in constituting the campaign team.

This led to the cancellation of a Peace Walk and Prayers scheduled by the campaign council to hold on September 28 to officially flag off the campaigns for the 2023 presidential election and other activities.

The rumour of Tinubu’s deteriorating health condition gained traction when he was conspicuously absent at the signing of Peace Accord by all the presidential candidates and their political parties.


Vice presidential candidate of the governing party and former governor of Borno State, Sen Kashim Shettima however represented Tinubu at the event.

But the APC said yesterday that Tinubu is in good health and is not on medical trip as widely circulated.

Deputy national publicity secretary of the governing party, Yakubu Murtala Ajaka, who visited the APC flag bearer in London, made the clarification in a statement, saying “contrary to the widespread speculation in the public space which was hugely circulated by our political opponents that senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu was on a medical trip in London. It is totally false”.

The APC chieftain said the party’s standard bearer was in London to meet with different interest groups for the advancement of the country.

Noting that he is ‘hale and hearty’, Ajaka described Tinubu as a man of resounding political and administrative experience, who has a sound and vast understanding of Nigeria’s diversity and would deploy this knowledge into leadership when elected.

He noted that the presidential candidate would deploy his unquenchable desire for Nigeria’s progress to unify the nation and include the youths in the scheme of things to drive the policy of the country.

Ajaka added that among those jostling to become Nigeria’s next president in 2023, the APC flag bearer stands tall with a very remarkable but humble track record.

On Sunday night, Tinubu had taken to the social media to also certify himself medically fit.

In a short video he posted on Sunday night, Tinubu was seen riding a bike at a gym, saying contrary to rumours that he is down in health, he was strong, hale and hearty.

In the video which he posted on his verified Twitter handle, Tinubu also left a short message stating: “Many have said I have died; others claim I have withdrawn from the presidential campaign. Well… Nope.

“This is the reality: I am strong, I am healthy and I am READY to serve Nigerians from Day One,” he further tweeted.


https://leadership.ng/after-7-days-in-london-apc-says-tinubu-not-in-uk-for-medical-attention/

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Aminu Umar-Sadiq as the new managing director/chief executive officer for the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA).

Apart from the new MD, two new executive directors were also appointed into the management of NSIA, according to a statement that was issued by the media aide to the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Yunusa Abdullahi, on Monday night.

The appointment of the new MD followed the expiration of the tenure of the erstwhile MD, Mr. Uche Orji, whose tenure expired on September 30, 2022 after serving two five-year terms, following his appointment on October 2, 2012.

Those also appointed are Mr. Kolawole Owodunni, executive director, and Mrs. Bisi Makoju , executive director, all of the NSIA.

Section 16(3) of the NSIA establishment Act 2011 specifies that the Executive Nomination Committee (ENC) be constituted to begin the process of recruitment and selection process for the replacement of Mr. Orji, the MD, and the executive directors, the statement said.

Umar-Sadiq, who is currently an executive director and head of infrastructure at the NSIA, has Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Engineering Sciences from University of Oxford (Saint John’s College), Oxford, United Kingdom (UK).
 

He is Archbishop Tutu Leadership Fellow (ATLF) and also Mandela Washington Fellowship (MWF).

Umar-Sadiq commenced his professional career in Mergers and Acquisitions focused on infrastructure and energy at Morgan Stanley Investment Bank, proceeding to infrastructure focused private equity at Denham Capital Management, all in the UK.

He has worked on several projects including presidential fertiliser initiative, an import substitution programme for the delivery of 1 million high quality, lower cost to farmers at lower cost metric tons of fertilizer.

He was also a part of the presidential infrastructure development fund, an investment fund focused on the actualisation of five strategic nationwide projects in the transportation and power sectors.

He has a vast experience in investment and infrastructure industry.

Also, Mrs. Bisi Makoju is a financial expert with vast experience, in financial risk management, while Mr. Kolawole Owodunni is a professional of 18 years standing in the financial services sector with emphasis in investment management, risk management and treasury.

“They are all expected to help steer and transform the investment and infrastructure industry and propel the sector to a high pedestal,” Mr Abdullahi stated in the statement.



https://leadership.ng/buhari-appoints-umar-sadiq-as-nsia-md/

After wasting our precious time for 7 years, Buhari has come to finally realise the harm his corrupt administration has done to Nigeria.

Nigeria don cast. Na to japa remain.

PDP now means Politicians Deceiving Politicians.

The chairman of the Police Service Commission, PSC, Musiliu Smith has resigned.

Spokeperson of the commission, Ikechukwu Ani confirmed the resignation yesterday but refused to speak further.

His resignation followed clashes between the PSC and the Nigeria police over the ongoing police recruitment of 10, 000 constables, which is currently hinging I’m the balance.

While the police warned Nigerians against the recruitment, the PSC asked Nigerians to continue applying.

This is even as the Joint Union Congress of the PSC continued their protest to drive home their demand over a breach of agreement between the police and the commission.

This union had on August 28, embarked on indefinite strike to demand the return of police constable recruitment to the commission as stated in the law and pronounced by the Appeal court.


Speaking at the protest then, the chairman of the Joint Service Union, PSC chapter,  Adoyi Adoyi said the chairman of the PSC, Smith and the inspector-general of police, Usman Baba and other police chiefs have connived to  overruled the constitutional duty of the PSC.

Adoyi said the IGP allegedly took it upon himself to carry out the functions of the PSC in flagrant disregard of the Nigeria constitution, a verdict of the Appeal Court and the authorities of the PSC.


https://leadership.ng/police-service-commission-chairman-smith-resigns/

Strike is now commonplace in Nigeria. What a shame.

Unions in the aviation sector yesterday shut down flight operations nationwide over alleged anti-labour clauses in the new aviation bills currently awaiting the assent of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The unions which downed tools are the Air Transport Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE), Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals (ANAP) and Amalgamated Unions of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Services Employees (AUPCTRE).

LEADERSHIP gathered that the strike was due to what they described as oppressive clauses in the new bills governing affairs of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and four other aviation agencies.

The unions said the clauses were a ‘subtle attempt’ to restrain their powers and obliterate unionism, threatening  to proceed on industrial action if their requests for withdrawal of the bills are not granted before the next 14 days.

The development, however, left passengers stranded, as they struggled to get the necessary information, and flight directives amongst others in the airport.

The contentious clauses are: “all services which facilitate and maintain the smooth, orderly and safe take-off, flight and landing of aircraft, embarkation and disembarkation and evacuation of passengers and cargo respectively in all aerodromes in Nigeria are hereby designated as essential services pursuant to the provisions of Section 11(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered).


“The minister may, by regulations, prohibit all or such class or classes of workers, officers and other employees or persons, whether corporate or natural, engaged in the provision of services specified in subsection (1) of this section from taking part in a strike or other industrial action.

“The provisions of the Trade Disputes (Essential Services) Act, Cap. T9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 shall apply to service in the agency, facilities managed by the agency and in the implementation of this bill. There shall be no strikes, lock-outs, pickets, blockades, service disruptions, etc. of any kind within all facilities managed by the agency and where any labour dispute arises, such dispute shall be resolved by the agency.”

In Abuja, the aviation workers disrupted activities at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, yesterday.

The workers who took their protest from the international wing of the airport up to the entrance gate of the airport carried different placards saying, “Buhari, don’t assent to anti-union aviation bill/act”,  “our voices must be heard, protest is our right”, “when injustice becomes law, resistance becomes a duty”.

Speaking at the protest, the state council chairman of the National Union of Air Transport Employees (NUATE) Abuja, Comrade Dauda Nambol, said the protest was premised on the illegal clause inserted into the Aviation Bill.

He explained that classifying them as essential workers means that they would be exempted from all the instruments of their actions; they would not be allowed to carry out strikes, picketing or lock-outs, saying these are the instruments of their struggles as enshrined in the International Labour Organisation (ILO) convention.

“We are comrades and this is our right as workers; if we fill dissatisfied over any issue, we have the right to protest and we will not allow anybody take away that right.  We are calling on the president not to assent to that bill because that bill is anti-labour and we will make sure we win that struggle,” he stated.

Nambol warned that after the peaceful protest, they have given the government two-weeks to retract the clause, saying if he fails to do so, they would use all the available instruments to ensure they achieve their goal.

Meanwhile, NUATE secretary general, Ocheme Aba, noted that the implication of the clauses is that the bills grant powers to the minister of aviation to regulate trade unions and workers in contradiction to the Trade Unions Act, 2004, which grants the minister of labour the sole regulatory powers over trade union and industrial relations matters in Nigeria.

“It is clear that the contentious clauses smuggled into the aviation agencies’ bills have no moral or legal basis for being there. The lame reference to Section 11(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Public Order and Public Security) is poignantly pretentious.

“Its attempt to enable the minister of aviation to usurp the powers of the minister of labour is diabolically disingenuous, and its bold assault on the rights of trade unions and hapless workers renders the intended law a demonstration of an ultimate disservice by public officers. Therefore, the intended laws must be prevented from breathing any air of acceptance.

“The leadership of the Senate and House Committees on Aviation should withdraw the bills and expunge the contentious clauses before approval by President Buhari,” Aba added.



https://leadership.ng/passengers-stranded-at-airports-as-unions-protest-anti-labour-bill/

That means community policing will be a bad thing.

A security expert, Charles Inko-Tariah has declared that armed regional security groups, such as Amotekun and Ebubeagu in the South-West and South-East geopolitical zones of the country respectively, may pose threats to the 2023 general elections.

Inko-Tariah, who is also the project coordinator of Homeland Awareness and Sensitisation Initiative (HASI), disclosed this yesterday to LEADERSHIP in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

He stated that the armed groups may be vulnerable to some selfish influential politicians, who will in turn use them to inflict pain and violence on Nigerians during the general elections.

The security expert said< “Amotekun and Ebubeagu regional security groups and several other groups like them are threats to 2023 general election because armed groups in an election period can be used by some selfish politicians, who may not mean well for the society.

“People that feel that they don’t have the mandate, hence, they inflict pain and violence on the people. So, armed groups are vulnerable in the hands of such influential people. We anticipate some level of violence with what we are seeing except there is any special intervention,” he said.

Inko-Tariah, however, said he was optimistic that the 2023 general elections would be free, fair and credible considering the provisions of the newly amended Electoral Act and the level of consciousness among Nigerians.


He said, “I am optimistic that there will be relatively free, fair and credible election in 2023 because of the newly amended Electoral Act. The amended act that gave power to electronic voting system will definitely create some level of free and fair and some level of commitment to the electoral processes.

“The amended Electoral Act gave some level of confidence to the public and it was tested recently in the elections in the South-West.

“It gives us a level of confidence about the system especially now that people are a bit conscious of the voting system to ensure that we have credible leadership because of the peculiar challenges and pains the people are passing through. So, it is obvious that we will have something close to free, fair and credible election,” he said.


https://leadership.ng/amotekun-ebubeagu-pose-threats-to-2023-elections-security-expert/

I come against any hacking, or manipulations or glitches that may arise during the course of electronic transmission of results that may subvert the will of the Nigerian people who truly want a Nigeria that will be on the right path of progress for once.

Political parties and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the country have declared absolute support for plans by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to transmit election results electronically in the 2023 general election.

This is just as the groups have implored the electoral umpire to put every measure in place to punish its staff who may want to subvert the electoral process in the 2023 polls.

Speaking at the weekend during a conversation in LEADERSHIP Newspapers Twitter spaces, national organising secretary and acting national publicity secretary of the Inter-party Advisory Council (IPAC), Egbeola Wale Martins, said the umbrella body of all political parties in Nigeria is happy with INEC’s decision to adopt electronic transmission of election results.

Martins noted that the political parties will support the commission to actualise its bid to deploy modern technology in the 2023 polls.

He said, “This question is bordering on the mind of the critical stakeholders. If the electronic transmission of election results were to be a trap, we wouldn’t have been part of that process. This system was used in Anambra, Osun and Ekiti State.

2023: We’ll Never Return To Dark Days In Electoral Process – INEC

“Those benefiting from the former disformal system will be the ones to complain about electronic transmission of election results. All well-meaning critical stakeholders have agreed to the electronic transmission.

“Once the result at the polling unit is pasted on the wall, one can snap and transmit the results to their central server. At the level of the polling unit where the votes are cast, the results should go to the server. That does not mean you should not take it further”.

Martins maintained that political parties are at home with the electronic transmission of election results, saying those who don’t want it should have a change of mind because what happens at the polling units is what the electorate will get.

Also, the director of Programmes at Yiaga Africa,  Cynthia Nbamalu, said electronic transmission of election results has improved electoral transparency.

“The efforts in building and improving transparency in elections in Nigeria is commendable and the use of technology has been tremendous. The electoral act also adds to the credibility of the election.

Cynthia said, “When it comes to results management, there is a lot more to contextualise. We’ve seen INEC deploy its system in Osun and Ekiti and other places. The use of BIVAS is working. The results sheets, EC8A which is used to transmit the election results at the polling unit do not substitute the manual process. They complement each other.

“The INEC Results Viewing (IReV) portal has been deployed in 105 elections.  The electronic transmission of election results in every political zone, including FCT has been done and INEC has been learning and improving in it.

“We may not have a 100 percent deployment but we’ve had a sense of testing. The question if every part of the country will have the results transmitted electronically, putting into context the present security and infrastructure, the Ekiti, Osun and the 105 elections INEC have conducted gives them the opportunity to know what is required. And the law is clear because we have to confirm the figures and transfer them electronically.

“INEC must ensure the infrastructure is in place.  While you may not do that immediately in some polling units, once you leave that place to another place, the results will be uploaded even though we know that not all the polling units will get the results uploaded immediately. Some in real time while others will come later. So, a policy document that will guide that should be put in place, ” Cynthia added.

Also speaking, the representative of the Center for Democracy Development (CDD), Afolabi Adekaiyaoja, said electronic transmission of election results will inspire more faith in the electoral process.

He noted: “In the Osun and Ekiti elections, we’ve seen more turnout with violence reduced. We are seeing more faith in the process. People are now coming out to vote because of the transparency in the process.

“The electronic transmission of election results is important because it encourages people to come out and vote. People are optimistic in participating in the process now. The fact that people can see the results in real time, it is easier to feel more confident in the outcome”.

A social entrepreneur/executive director of Paradigm Initiative of Nigeria and member, UN Internet Governance Forum, Gbenga Sesan, said that the plan by INEC to use electronic transmission of election results is not a trap.

According to Sesan, the improvement in the electoral process and the adoption of technology is a commendable development, which they have been praying for a long time.

He stated: “We must ensure that people or INEC staff who may want to subvert the process are punished. It has already been said; this does not mean manual transmission will not be done but the electronic transmission is important. If we did not learn anything from the COVID-19 lockdown, we should have the value of technology. Technology does not mean the internet.

“You can’t equate electronics to the internet. TV, Radio, SMS are electronic and you don’t need the internet to transmit election results electronically. It’s not about whether everybody can use broadband, we only need the appropriate technology. So, electronic does not mean internet. Even at that, the growth of internet penetration from 2000 is over 100 percent.

The new registrants are born into technology so we must get a process that is compliance, which is technology. I look forward to a time where even registration will be based on technology”.

A candidate of the House of Representatives under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for Hawal/Askira Uba, Borno State, Dr Manasseh Allen, said electronic transmission of election results is not about the internet.

“There is nowhere in the entire state where people are not making calls, even if the transmission will be internet based. But we are talking about electronics in which the transmission can be in any form. They are against the electronic transmission of results because they are used to writing results.

“The transmission of the election results electronically is a threat to their plans to manipulate the process. In Gwoza LGA for example, the election is conducted in few places as centres and that is the headquarters of the local government. The INEC decision is valid and we support it,” Allen said.

Similarly, the spokesman to INEC chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said the law provides for manual and electronic transmission of election results.

He argued: “At the different levels of collation, we can’t jump it. We have a combination of both manual and electronic in terms of collation of results. The introduction of INEC results viewing portal started in 2020 and has conducted several other elections including seven off season gubernatorial elections.

“INEC has a committee with NCC, we have done a mapping where we have a 2G -4G network. Our own conclusion is that we have 98 percent of this country covered. The committee is still sitting and they know what to do concerning the 2023 general elections. We have a strategy and the strategy is working and everything will work well for the 2023 general elections."

https://leadership.ng/electronic-transmission-parties-csos-caution-against-sabotage-in-2023/

We can generate more if we have credible and trustworthy leaders like Peter Obi at the helm of affairs in Nigeria.

A total of N714.4 billion was generated from Company Income Tax (CIT) in the second quarter of 2022 a 29.53  per cent increase compared to N551.53 billion generated in the first three months of the year. Most of the income came from the manufacturing, financial services and information technology companies.

Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that local payments of CIT totalled N634.01 billion while Foreign CIT payment contributed N80.39 billion in Q2 2022. Manufacturing sector pulled the largest contribution to CIT with N174.68 billion accounting for 27.55 per cent of the total figure.

It was followed by Information and communication which contributed N155.737 billion representing 24.56 per cent of the total figure while Financial and insurance companies accounted for 14.98 per cent with N94.98 billion.

In terms of sectoral contributions, the Activities of households as employers, undifferentiated goods and services-producing activities of households for own use recorded the least share with 0.004 per cent, followed by Activities of extraterritorial organisations & bodies with 0.07 per cent; and Water supply, sewerage, waste management & remediation activities with 0.12 per cent.

Nigeria’s Capital Inflow Hits $1.535bn In Q2 – NBS

On a quarter-on-quarter basis, the Activities of accommodation & food services recorded the highest growth rate with 481.93 per cent with a N6.256 billion contribution to the CIT pool followed by Information & communication with 430.67 per cent, and Transportation & storage with 339.08 per cent.

 

On the other hand, Activities of extraterritorial organizations & bodies had the lowest growth rate with – 42.59 per cent, followed by Activities of households as employers, undifferentiated goods and services-producing activities of households for own use with -31.80 per cent. However, on a year-on-year basis, CIT collections in Q2 2022 increased by 51.34 per cent from Q2 2021.



https://leadership.ng/nigeria-rakes-in-n714bn-revenue-from-company-tax/

Fashola eyes and brain will soon clear to see the effects of what 12 million voters can do in this election.

Look at this nonsense. In a country where so many are unemployed, and FG has been busy paying salaries of over 54000 ghost workers since 2015. Chai, what a waste.

Following the controversy generated over the nomination of some persons by President Muhammadu Buhari to serve as Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the federal government has called for patience for the process to be exhausted.

Some civil society organisations, prominent among which was Socio-economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), had alleged that some of the nominees, whose names President Buhari passed on to the Senate, are card-carrying members of political parties and others standing trial on corruption charges.

However, reacting to the allegation, minister of information and culture,  Lai Mohammed, pointed out that it would be premature to expect the president to act on yet-to-be-proven allegations, noting that the media trial of nominees is unfair.

INEC Displays Final Candidates’ Lists September 20, October 4

Speaking to State House correspondents after the federal executive council meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari, the minister said electioneering has changed under Buhari.

He said, “I think you are going to be very fair to Mr. President. Over the last couple of years, you had very transparent, free, and fair elections. We all know what used to obtain before we came. Before we came, it was quite almost impossible for a ruling party to lose any election in any state, maybe governorship.



 

“We’ve witnessed, whether in Anambra, whether in Osun, that Mr. President has lived up to his commitment to free and fair elections and I’m sure the same will apply come 2023.

“As to the nominees that are being challenged by social media warriors and by some critics, I don’t think it is the business of the President to immediately throw out the nominees, based on allegations which have not been proven.

“I think the whole idea is that these people will go for confirmation in the National Assembly, the same questions that are being raised in the public domain will be asked there.

“I think this media trial is quite worrisome because even when these people are cleared of any wrongdoings, nobody comes back to apologise to them. So, my advice is, yes, there’ll be allegations against anybody. It does not mean that that fellow is guilty. Let’s wait for the process to be completed”, he said.

Mohammed also spoke about the issue of fuel queues developing in and around Abuja, describing it as a local matter, which is being resolved.

“I’m aware of the queue in some parts of Abuja, but my investigations showed that is rather a local matter and I think it will be resolved very soon.

“With respect to the Orosanye Report, I think what Mr. President said was that the Presidency will review that report and act upon it”, he said.



https://leadership.ng/inec-recs-federal-govt-decries-media-trial-of-nominees/

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) tribunal sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday, affirmed the right of pay TV service provider, MultiChoice Nigeria, to fix prices for its services.

The three-member tribunal, in a unanimous ruling read by its Chairman, Thomas Okosun, also ruled that though MultiChoice occupied a dominant position in the Nigerian digital satellite television market, there is no evidence that it is abusing its position to the detriment of consumers.

The tribunal made the assertions while delivering its judgment in the suit filed by an Abuja-based lawyer, Festus Onifade, and Coalition of Nigerian Consumers against MultiChoice. Onifade and the Coalition of Nigeria Consumers had dragged MultiChoice, the operators of DStv and GOtv platforms, to the tribunal following announcement by the company in March 2022 that the subscription rates for the various bouquets on its platforms would go up on April 1, 2022.

In the suit in which the FCCPC is the second defendant, Onifade prayed the tribunal for an order restraining MultiChoice from increasing the subscription rates for its services and other products pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice dated and filed on March 30.

The claimant also asked the tribunal to make an order directing MultiChoice to adopt pay-as-you-view subscription model for its services.

But while delivering its judgment on Tuesday, the tribunal affirmed that Nigeria is operating a free-market economy and as such, the FCCPC or any other body cannot fix prices for services and products.

The tribunal said only the president is empowered constitutionally to fix prices for products in Nigeria under stipulated conditions, which are not available currently.

The tribunal also rejected demand for N10 million compensation by the claimants over alleged abuse they have suffered as subscribers to services of the company, ruling that the claimants did not present sufficient facts to prove that they have suffered abuse in any way as subscribers to MultiChoice services.

It, however, asked the FCCPC to investigate claims that MultiChoice is operating payas- you-go television services in its home country and other lingering issues concerning the services of the company in Nigeria within six months and get back to it.

The tribunal had earlier dismissed a challenge by MultiChoice that it has no power to hear the suit. It also found the company guilty of contempt for going ahead to increase its subscription rates in April 2022 despite its ruling on the ex-parte application on March 30 directing the parties to maintain status quo pending the determination of the whole suit.

 Consequently, it ordered the management of MultiChoice to appear before it with the company’s audited 2021 financial report for violating its restraining order on tariff increase on September 8.

 The sanction to be imposed on the company will be based on section 51 of the CCPT Act, a corporate body is liable upon conviction for contempt of a fine not less than “N100 million or 10 percent of its turnover in the preceding year.”

https://independent.ng/tribunal-affirms-multichoices-right-to-increase-prices/

Wetin concern APC on top PDP wahala?

Dear INEC, we are watching your every step. Any attempt to breech the game will be detected sharpenly. We won't trade the future of our country with incompetent leaders anymore.

No end in sight of ASUU strike at all if universities don't achieve autonomy.

No matter how you look at it, Kano, Kaduna, Lagos and Rivers States votes will matter in this upcoming 2023 elections. Any serious party with the aim of winning that election should take these electorates seriously.

From Covid 19 to Monkey pox. Another pandemic loading. Hope those annoying lockdowns won't be implemented again.

*UK detects new strain traced to Africa



Nigeria recorded 48 additional cases of monkeypox between August 8 and August 14 2022, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), has said.This is as the government of the United Kingdom said it had identified a different strain of monkeypox infection in an individual who recently travelled to West Africa.

The NCDC said the 48 cases were recorded in 16 states.It stated that Lagos State topped the list of new infections with 15 cases, while Abia and Ogun recorded five cases each.Benue, Edo, Rivers and the FCT had three cases each; Bayelsa and Ondo had two cases each, while Cross River, Anambra, Gombe, Imo, Katsina, Oyo and Osun recorded one case each.

The latest infections raised the number of cases in Nigeria since the beginning of the year to 220, the NCDC stated, adding that the infections were recorded in 29 states.It stated also that of the 220 infections, males accounted for 144 cases, while females accounted for the 76 others.It added that four monkeypox deaths had so far been recorded in four states – Delta, Lagos, Ondo and Akwa Ibom.Monkeypox has killed a total o0f 12 persons in Nigeria since September 2017, the NCDC stated.

Since the re-emergence of monkeypox in September 2017, 1,042 suspected cases have been reported in 35 states in Nigeria.The ongoing outbreak of monkeypox, a viral disease, was confirmed in May 2022. The initial cluster of cases was found in the United Kingdom.Monkeypox is symptomised by a rash that may be located on or near the genitals or anus and could be on other areas like the hands, feet, chest, face, or mouth.The rash will go through several stages, including scabs, before healing. The rash can initially look like pimples or blisters and may be painful or itchy.

Meanwhile, the UK government has identified a different strain of monkeypox infection in an individual who recently travelled to West Africa.The latest development was reported on the official website of the UK government.The report noted that the “preliminary genomic sequencing conducted by UKHSA indicates that this case does not have the current outbreak strain circulating in the UK.”

This is the second time the UK would be linking monkeypox infection to West Africa since the current outbreak started. The first was confirmed in an unidentified individual who travelled from Nigeria to England.

The UK noted that the unidentified individual with the new strain has been admitted to the High Consequence Infectious Disease (HCID) unit at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital “in line with standing advice from the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP).”

According to Premium Times, it also noted that contact tracing of close contacts of the individual is underway but no further linked cases have been identified.“UKHSA and the NHS have well-established and robust infection control procedures for dealing with cases of imported infectious disease and these will be strictly followed. The risk to the general public is very low,” said the incident director at the UKHSA, Sophia Maki.

“We remind everyone who is planning to travel to west and central Africa to be alert for the symptoms of monkeypox and to call 111 if you have symptoms on your return,” the official said.

https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2022/09/04/nigeria-recorded-48-new-cases-of-monkeypox-in-six-days-says-ncdc/

The good thing about this Buhari-led FG is that they know how to come up with bogus agreements and fail to deliver at the very last.