If I Don’t Get APC Presidential Ticket, I Will Go Back Home – Tinubu

May 11, 2022

“I will work to the level my strength can carry me, but I will tell you all to go and relax if I’m defeated, I will go back home.”

These were the words of the National leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu while speaking to his supporters in Lagos today, May 11.

Tinubu, who is the party’s foremost Presidential aspirant, made it clear that he will accept defeat if he fails to emerge as the party’s presidential flag bearer.

The aspirant had earlier, today, submitted his Nomination and Expression of Interest forms at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

He was represented by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State; a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal; pioneer Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Malam Nuhu Ribadu, amongst others.

FCT Area Councils, Stakeholders Smile Home With N3.9 Billion March Allocation

Greenbarge Reporters

May 11, 2022

The Federal Capital Territory’s six area councils and other stakeholders, have shared a total sum of N3,965,107,151.48 as statutory allocation for the month of March 2022.
The FCT Minister of State, Dr. Ramatu Aliyu, who presided over the 164th Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC), in a statement today, May 11 by her Special Assistant on Media, Austine Elemue, explained that the figure indicated an increase in revenue from N3.5 billion disbursed in the month of February 2022, to N3.9 billion in the month of March, representing about 10.36 per cent increase.
The minister commended all stakeholders for their commitment towards the allocation committee, assuring that the FCT Administration (FCTA), would continue to scale up its revenue drive.
“The figures released indicate that the sum of N1,667,382,074,49 billion was made available for distribution to the six area councils.
“While the sum of N2,297,725,076.99 was made available to other stakeholders, bringing the total sum to N3,965,107,151.48.
“However, distributions to area councils show that the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), received N299,230,797.09, while Gwagwalada got N269,109,403.93 and Kuje received N307,397,373.83.”
Dr. Ramatu said that other Area Councils included, Bwari Area Council received N264,326,148.55 million, Abaji got N268,210,871.18million and Kwali received N259,107,479.91, bringing the total sum to N1,667,382,074.49 billion disbursed to the six area councils.
“Furthermore, distribution to other critical stakeholders include: Primary School Teachers which gulped N1,923, 745, 610.27 and 15 per cent Pension Funds took N226,478,989.57.
“Also one per cent Training Fund gulped N39,651,071.52, while 10 per cent Employer Pension Contribution gulped N107,849,405.63, bringing the total sum to N2,297,725,076.99.”
This was even as the Joint Account Allocation
Committee (JAAC), also approved the remittances of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), by the SDAs, totaling N2,768,406,767.82 for the month of April, 2022, to six area councils.
It could be recalled that the FCT is statutorily required to contribute 10 per cent of its IGR to the Area Councils’ monthly fund allocation.
Source: NAN.

BREAKING: Buhari Gives Ministers Interested In Presidency, Others, Up To May 16 To Resign

Greenbarge Reporters

May 11, 2022

President Muhammadu Buhari has given members of his cabinet, the Federal Executive Council who have ambition to contest the Presidency and other elective offices to resign on or before May 16th, 2023.

Those affected specifically are Ministers of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; Niger Delta, Godswill Akpabio; Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige; Science, Technology and Innovation, Ogbonnaya Onu, Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba; Justice and Attorney General, Abubakar Malami. They have all joined the Presidential race on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

Others are the Minister of State for Mines and Steel, Uche Ogar, who is running for governorship position in Cross Rivers State; the Minister of Women Affairs and Paulline Tallen, who declared her ambition to contest for the senatorial seat in Plateau State.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, made this known to newsmen today, May 11, shortly after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential villa, Abuja. It was presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Details later.

To Restore Normal Fuel Supply, Petroleum Marketers Ask FG To Pay Them N500 Billion Debt

Editorial staff

May 10, 2022

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), has asked the Federal Government to pay marketers their N500 Billion bridging claims to enable them to begin lifting petroleum products from depots.

The IPMAN Public Relations Officer, Alhaji Yakubu Suleiman, in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja today, May 10, said that the Federal Government owes its members N500 billion as bridging claims, also known as transportation claims.

Suleiman also urged the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to convert the special allocation of products meant for cargo to IPMAN in order to quickly address the current shortage of fuel in the country.

“We are calling on the Nigeria downstream and mainstream regulatory authorities to try and pay our marketers their bridging claims as from today. This is important, so that as soon as we get the payment, we can give directives to marketers to start loading their trucks, so that they can start transporting petroleum products. We are calling on the authorities and the NNPC to quickly allocate a certain cargo of AGO for IPMAN to distribute it to their members to enable them fuel their trucks for accelerated bridging loading. There is no money to buy the product until the Federal Government pays our claims and assist in allocating a cargo of AGO to us to hasten loading from various loading deports.”

Reacting to the claims by IPMAN, an official of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), who spoke under condition of anonymity said that the Federal Government had been paying the marketers, though in batches.

According to the official, “IPMAN is one of our key stakeholders and we have a committee looking into issues bothering the association.”

IPMAN had, at a news conference called on Nigerians to prepare for the worse fuel crisis unless the Federal Government prevails on NMDPRA to pay its members their outstanding bridging claims amounting to N500 billion.

Most filling stations in Abuja have been shut down at the weekend following scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, thereby, resulting to long queues. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), however, attributed the sudden appearance of fuel queues in parts of Abuja to low load-outs at depots.

In a statement, the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Department of NNPC, Garba Deen Muhammad, had said that such thing usually happened during long public holidays. Garba Deen Muhammad said that another contributing factor to the sudden appearances of queues was the increased fuel purchases which were also common with returning residents of the FCT from the public holidays.

FIRS Boss Stresses Need For Africa To Go Digital In Tax Businesses

Editorial staff

May 10, 2022

The Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Muhammad Nami has stressed the need for improved collaboration among countries and international stakeholders with the aim of exploring alternative rules, especially the digital tax businesses.

Nami, who spoke recently in Lome, Togo, at a Technical Assistance Programme, organized by African Tax Administrators’ Forum (ATAF), said that though some African countries have endorsed the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), including the Framework for global solution on the tax challenges of the digitalized economy, Nigeria still believed that the outcome will not be favourable to African countries.

“Nigeria continues to hold the view that the outcome will produce very minimal revenue comfort for African counties. This is instructive considering the implementation challenges that developing jurisdictions will face due to the complexity of the Pilar 1 and 2 rules.

“Our analysis continues to show that the possible cost of administering and implementing the complex rules will far outweigh the expected revenue accruing from its implementation.

“I therefore urge the African Tax Administrators Forum to join the discussion at the UN Tax Committee of Experts, South Centre, as well as collaborate with all other well-meaning stakeholders to explore alternative rules that will enable African countries to effectively subject the digital businesses and base eroding payments to tax in our jurisdictions.

“These collaborations should extend to other rules developed and implemented at the international level for the taxation of Multinational Enterprises, such as the tax treaty, exchange of information and transfer pricing rules.”

Muhammad Nami called for the African Tax Administrators Forum to collaborate with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to explore opportunities for Africa within the programme’s Tax for Sustainable Development Goals Initiative.

According to him, this would ensure that African countries are able to generate appreciable revenue to fund the Sustainable Development Goals.

On the need for the West African region that require Technical Assistance of ATAF, the Executive Chairman said that there is need for capacity building of members in respect of Base Erosion and Profit Shifting Actions by Multinational Corporations, as well as on the taxation of the digital economy.

“It is crucial for the ATAF Technical Assistance to look towards improving the capacity of member country’s tax administration, through the digitisation of operations. Also, critically needed by tax authorities in the West African region is the development of Data Analytics intelligence expertise and the use of research tools that are required for taxation in a modern economy.”

Nami called on the African Tax Administrators Forum to organise peer-to-peer knowledge sharing sessions between beneficiaries of the Technical Assistance programmes, while also intensifying on its technical assistance on international tax rules, particularly in the areas of tax treaties, transfer pricing, and exchange of information.

The African Tax Administrators Forum Technical Assistance (ATAF-TA) Programme aims at helping members build sustainable and efficient tax systems while achieving its strategic plans to increase domestic resource mobilisation, target the development of African expertise and support Africa’s effective voice in the international tax environment.

FCT Administration Moves To Recover N29 Billion Ground Rent Debt From Recalcitrant Residents

Editorial staff

May 10, 2022

FCT MInister, Muhammed Musa Bello and some officials

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has initiated moves to recover N29 billion ground rent owed by land allottees in the Federal Capital Territory.

General Counsel and Secretary of the Legal Services Secretariat of the FCTA, Barrister Mohammed Babangida Umar, who spoke today, May 10 at the Executive Committee meeting, chaired by the FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, said that the recovery of the funds will be carried out through the instrumentality of the courts.

“The Land Use Act allows us to recover ground rents through the Magistrate Court. 29Billion Naira is a lot of money that can be used to build infrastructure and improve services for the teeming residents of the FCT who require these services and whose welfare is the cardinal objective and concern of the present administration.

“It is our intention that very soon, debtors and people who are recalcitrant, who have refused to pay their ground rents and other rents due and payable to the FCT Administration, will be made to do so by being sued to court and if they don’t pay, may forfeit their titles on such land.”

He advised residents who are yet to pay their ground rents to do so or risk the prescribed penalties.

“When this land is given to you, there are terms and conditions attached to the allocation. One of them and fundamentally, is for you to pay your rents. If you don’t pay your rents and you owe for years, what else do you expect?

“It’s like a tenant who lives in a rented apartment and who simply tells his landlord, I’m not paying. What does he expect? And if you need services on the land, you want road, you want water, you want refuse collection and you are not paying your rent, how then do you expect government to provide the services?

“We know that budgetary allocations are not enough and you have a duty to pay. After all, these lands are worth a lot of money. So why don’t you just take a bit of it and simply pay your liability.”

The meeting also received briefings from the Director-General of the FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Dr Idris Abass on the flooding situation in the nation’s capitaL.

2023: Presidency Does Not Buy Idea Of Interim Govt, Insists On Elected One

Editorial staff

May 10, 2022

The Presidency has refused to buy the idea of an interim government being installed in Nigeria in 2023 as suggested by a renowned lawyer, Afe Babalola.

Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) had suggested recently that elections should be suspended, with the current elected government replaced by an interim unelected administration.

According to him, interim government is necessary “to create a new constitution for the people.”

In a statement today, May 10 responding to Chief Babalola’s position, a presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu said such interim government would paradoxically ignore the Democratic rights of the people and create constitutional crisis.

“Down that path lies crisis and instability.

Instead, this administration proposes something entirely simpler: honouring the constitution and people’s right to decide.”

Also responding to another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Robert Clarke, Garba Shehu stressed that President Muhammadu Buhari will step down on May 29th, 2023, after serving two terms – as per the constitution.

The Senior legal practitioner had said that President Buhari had the constitutional backing to extend his term by six months.

However, Garba Shehu insisted: “we wish to categorically restate that the President will step down on May 29th, 2023, after serving two terms – as per the constitution.

“Having been the first recipient of a democratic transfer of power from an incumbent administration to an opposition candidate in Nigerian history, the President is committed to extending and entrenching democratic values across the country. He shall, in turn, hand the privilege of serving the people of Nigeria to whomever they choose through free, fair and credible elections.

“However, Chief Clarke is right to say that without security, Nigeria would not likely realize its true potential as a peaceful and prosperous nation. That is why it has been at the core of this administration. The results are there for all to see. Boko Haram have been forced back from controlling whole swathes of this country. Internally Displaced Persons are now returning to rebuild their communities.

“These achievements have been accomplished through the bravery and determination of the Nigerian armed forces and the fortitude of the people of our nation.

“New challenges have arisen and tackled in turn – whether it’s the National Livestock Transformation Plan to alleviate herder-farmer clashes, the elimination of the leadership of ISWAP, or new efforts to combat banditry. Till the last day of the administration, the security of the citizens shall remain the administration’s paramount concern. We shall finish the job. Yet, in any case, respect for the constitution and Nigerians’ democratic rights remains the best path to securing and then maintaining peace.”

Cross-Carpeting Politicians Are Unprincipled – Female Presidential Aspirant From Canada

Editorial staff

May 9, 2022

A Canada-based Professor of Education, Benedicta Egbo, aspiring to be President in the 2023 election, has described Nigerian politicians who are in the habit of crossing from one political party to the other as “unprincipled.”

“The frequent cross-carpeting of politicians from APC to PDP is evidence of unprincipled leaders who only care about their selfish interests and lack a sense of direction.

“Governance is more than waving umbrellas and brooms. Governance should involve good and principled leadership that is grounded in competency, patriotism and a vision for the common good. Instead, what we operate is a government of a few, for a few by a few.”

Professor Egbo, who spoke today, May 9 when she declared for the Presidency on the platform of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), said that at the top of her presidential agenda, will be an upward review of workers’ salaries and security, among others.

The Professor lamented the meager N30,000 minimum wage which she said could buy only a bag of rice which also sells for N30,000 or even above.

“Nigeria has become a beggar nation and if we are not careful, Nigeria will borrow itself into bankruptcy because no nation can borrow itself into prosperity for recurrent expenditure.

“I join the race to serve Nigerians because all past and current political leaders owe Nigerians apology. Nigeria has never had it so good. The country has retrogressed rather than progressed.

Professor Egbo called on Nigerians to desist from recycling the current crop of politicians that have failed the country, even as she maintained them that corruption has increased significantly under the administration of the current government at the Federal level.

On her chances going into the 2023 polls, Professor Egbo said: “It is all psychological. I do not see why Nigeria is not ready for a female President. We need to change things. I am running because I want to see this country respected. We must reclaim our future.”

FIFA Angry With Nigeria For Sacking German Coach, Insists He Must Be Paid Over N433 Million

Editorial staff

May 9, 2022

World football governing body, FIFA is not happy with Nigeria for sacking Super Eagles head coach, Gernot Rohr, in December 2021.

FIFA has therefore, ordered the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to pay the sum of $1, 045,000 (about N433, 873,550.00 officially) compensation and salaries to the sacked German, who, at the time of his sack, was being owed several months’ salaries as well as bonuses and allowances.

The coach had reported the NFF to FIFA and the world football whereupon, the governing body ordered NFF to pay him $1,045,000 to cover his entitlements and additional compensation.

NFF sources confirmed today, May 9 that the ruling was made on April 22 but kept under wraps, and that the body is not considering an appeal.

FIFA ruled that the NFF had no justifiable reason to terminate Rohr’s contract in the manner that they did, especially as they were owing him a large sum.
The world body also clarified that Rohr must be paid in dollars and not naira since he is no longer based in Nigeria.
Rohr was named as the Super Eagles’ head coach in 2016 and he was the longest-serving coach of the team having spent over five years in charge.

The former Burkina Faso head coach was believed to be earning around $55,000 monthly in Nigeria.

He is yet to be replaced with a permanent successor after Austin Eguavoen’s disastrous spell as interim head coach.

Under Eguavoen’s three-month stint, the Super Eagles fell in the second round of the Africa Cup of Nations in January and lost out to Ghana in the World Cup playoffs in March.

FIFA says Nigeria had no reason to sacked Gernot Rohr last December and has ordered the NFF to pay him his entitlements.

Court Asks INEC, AGF To Show Cause Why CBN Boss, Emefiele Cannot Contest Presidency

Editorial staff

May 9, 2022

Justice A. R. Mohammed of the Federal High Court in Abuja has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami, to show cause on why the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele should not be allowed to contest the presidential election slated for next year.

This is contrary to report trending in social media to the effect that a Court refused Emefiele’s request to restrain the INEC and the AGF from his presidential ambition. Justice Mohammed has only summoned INEC and AGF to appear in court on May 12, to show cause on why status quo antebellum, should not be granted to the CBN Governor.

The case, instituted to seek clarification about Section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act as amended, 2022, which according to the Counsel to the CBN Governor, Mike Ozekhome, does not affect him, being a public servant and not a political appointee, and thus, he could run for the post of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria without vacating his position as the CBN Governor. Specifically, the Judge has summoned INEC & AGF to show up in the court on May 12 to explain why Emefiele should not be allowed to run. Emefiele, through the suit, sought seven reliefs from the court, one of which was to declare him qualified to contest for the presidential post.

The reliefs include: “A DECLARATION that the Plaintiff can only be governed by or subject to the provisions of section 137 (1) (g) and 318 of the Constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered), which require a public officer seeking election into a political office to resign, withdraw or retire from his appointment at least 30 days to the presidential election, rather than by the provisions of section 84 (12) of the Electoral Act, 2022 or the guidelines, rules, criteria, measures or conditions made by the plaintiffs political party or any political party,” read the court filing.

“A DECLARATION that the Plaintiff can participate in the primary election of a political party and is entitled to vote and be voted for as candidate of any political party of his choice for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for the election to the office of President or any other office under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). Having heard the Plaintiff, the court directed the Defendants, including INEC and AGF, to come to court on Thursday, 12th May, 2022, to show why the order for maintenance of status quo ante bellum should not be granted. The Court also ordered the Plaintiff to deliver all processes to the Defendants, including a hearing notice.

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