The Nation Newspaper

Tag: demand

  • PDP demands Assembly poll’s cancellation

    PDP demands Assembly poll’s cancellation

    •APC accuses ruling party of electoral malpractices, violence

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi State yesterday called for the cancellation of election in five federal constituencies.

    It claimed it won in Dekina I where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared election inconclusive.

    The party demanded the cancellation of poll in Ofu, Dekina II, Ajaokuta, Lokoja I and Koton-Karfe.

    Addressing a news conference in Lokoja, PDP Chairman Hassan Salawu said the party would challenge the results of the election in two constituencies where the All Progressives Congress (APC) won – Okene I and Ankpa II.

    He accused the APC of masterminding violence.

    The APC alleged that the PDP indulged in electoral malpractices and violence in parts of Kogi East during last Saturday’s House of Assembly election.

    It accused the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof. Jacob Jatau, of conniving with the government to rig the election for the PDP.

    The party, in a petition to INEC Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega accused the REC of hobnobbing with agents of the government before the election.

    The Kogi PDP chairman, however, indicted the APC, saying electoral malpractices were traceable to the latter.

    He urged INEC to conduct elections in the areas where polls were declared inconclusive.

     

  • Abductors demand $10m for Dariye’s dad

    Abductors demand $10m for Dariye’s dad

    The gunmen who kidnapped Mr Dariye Dafweng, father of former Plateau State Govermor Joshua Dariye, at his home in Mushere village, Bokkos Local Government Area on Saturday, have asked for $10 million ransom.

    “We have just confirmed that the kidnappers dropped a letter in which they asked for $10 million,” Maj.-Gen. Dave Enetie, Commander of the Special Task Force (STF), said yesterday.

    The STF chief said the kidnappers also left their telephone numbers.

    He said: “We are trying to get a copy of the letter and the phone numbers in our efforts to rescue Dariye’s father.”

    Enetie said the STF’s personnel had been dispatched to parts of the state to locate the kidnappers, besides the efforts of the search teams combing neighbouring states.

    Police Commissioner Abu Emmanuel said the command had visited the site of the incident and picked up shells of bullets shot by the gunmen.

    He said: “There is already a search-and-rescue team. We hope we should be able to arrive at something as soon as possible.”

    NAN reports that Dafweng was kidnapped by gunmen, who invaded the Dariye family’s compound, shooting sporadically to scare away people.

    The gunmen took the old man, dressed him in women’s clothes, and sped off with him on a motorcycle.

  • Fed Govt offers new bonds amidst dwindling demand

    Fed Govt offers new bonds amidst dwindling demand

    The Federal Government will today launch the first tranches of its bond issues for this quarter, as the government seeks to raise some N305 billion over the next three months.
    The Debt Management Office (DMO), the Federal Government agency that manages sovereign debt issues, is scheduled to offer three tranches of bonds today, according to an issuance schedule made available to market operators.
    The bond issues, which are re-opening of previous issuance, are expected to raise about N73 billion, about a quarter of government’s target for the quarter. The bonds to be offered at today’s auction included the N24 billion 15.10 per cent FGN April 2017 bond, the N25 billion 14.20 per cent FGN March 2024 bond and N24 billion 12.1493 per cent FGN July 2034 bond.
    In order to encourage retail investors and broaden investors’ participation, the bonds will be offered with a minimum subscription of N10, 000 and in multiples of N1, 000 thereafter. A unit costs N1, 000.
    While the issuance today consists entirely of re-opening, DMO is expected to launch a new five-year instrument sometimes in February.
    The new bond issues come amidst notable decline in demand for sovereign bonds. Analysts at FBN Capital noted that demand for government bonds had fallen below supply in the previous quarter.
    The DMO had raised N182 billion in the fourth quarter of 2014 as against its targets of between N195 billion and N285 billion.
    “It has a new challenge in that investor fatigue for auction participation has emerged,” FBN Capital stated in a review of this quarter issuance progamme.
    According to analysts, DMO has the unenviable task of rolling out bond issuance calendar when there is no approved 2015 budget and there may not be any one until after the February elections.
    Analysts attributed the slowdown in demand for sovereign bonds to attractive rates on money market instruments as well as tight monetary policy and macroeconomic worries due to pressure on crude oil price and Naira.
    There are expectations that the Federal Government may overshoot its proposed budget deficit of N722 billion in 2015, raising the possibility of larger bond issuance.
    Analysts at Afrinvest Securities Limited said the current macroeconomic scenario suggests possibility of a higher deficit than anticipated in 2015 citing the declining crude oil price and the vulnerability of the non-oil revenue mobilization.
    According to analysts, with a new floor yet to be established, there is the possibility of crude oil prices declining, which will undermine Nigeria’s budget benchmark and pose major challenge to budget performance during the year.
    Analysts noted that in the scenario that oil prices do not recover to a minimum of $65 in 2015, Nigeria’s budget benchmark price, government may incur larger deficits than the previously estimated sum of N755 billion.
    The 2015 Budget indicates net federally collectible revenue of N6.9 trillion, with a total of N3.6 trillion envisaged to fund the FGN 2015 Budget, representing about 3.4 per cent drop from N3.7 trillion for 2014 Budget. Details of aggregate budget revenue of N3.602 trillion included oil revenue of N1.92 trillion and non-oil revenues of N1.68 trillion. This represented a ratio of 53 percent oil revenues to 47 percent non-oil revenue.

     

     

  • Lagos 2015: Groups demand credible governorship candidate

    Lagos 2015: Groups demand credible governorship candidate

    The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), the Muslim Lawyers Association of Nigeria (MULAN), the National Council of Muslim Youth Organisations (NACOMYO) and the Lagos State Chapter of the Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria have urged political parties to present credible and reliable governorship candidate for next year’s elections.

    Their spokes man, Prof Ishaq Akintola, who addressed a press conference  in Lagos, said religion sentiments should not be  a yardstick to determine  the choice ofcandidates. He therefore, called on Lagosians to vote for credible politicians, who will serve the society

    .“The Muslims of Lagos State believe that the faith of the next governor should not really be the issue. Rather, Lagosians should fish out a trustworthy person, somebody with the right credentials of transparency, hardwork, vision and integrity. Lagos State needs someone who can guarantee employment for young graduates, security of lives and properties, freedom of speech, equal rights, justice, respect for Allah-given and fundamentals human rights as well as freedom of religions”.  “In particular, Lagos State needs a governor, who is prepared to treat both Christians and Muslims equally, no matter his personal affiliation,” he said.

    The don said sentiment should not be used in determining who emerges as Lagos Governor. He cited cases in the past when religion was not a determinant factor in picking governorship candidates for Lagos. He said Asiwaju Bola Tinubu was elected on merit not on religions basis likewise Governor Babatunde Fasola he therefore called on the Christians to eschew the call for a Christian Governor come 2015.

    “Sentiments apart, the demand currently being made by Lagos Christians for a Christian governor in 2015 is therefore, parochial, divisive and ridiculous. It makes a mockery of democracy,”

    Akintola debunked the claim of an Islamic scholar who is parading himself as the endorsed running mate to a governorship candidate by Islamic organisations. He advised him to stop parading himself as such, as no Islamic organisation has endorsed anyone for such position.

    “We hereby dissociate ourselves from the so called endorsement. We assert clearly, unambiguously and categorically that Islamic organisations were not consulted before the unauthorised endorsement. The Islamic scholar is advised to desist forthwith from parading himself as the mouthpiece of Islamic organisations in Lagos State while we advise gubernatorial candidates to explore the possibility of genuine dialogue with leaders of Islamic Organisations in the state,” he said.

    Also commenting on the case of Hijab which is in court, Prof Akintola said the Muslims in the state will insist on the use of Hijab in public, adding the slogan of Muslims for Lagos 2015 is ‘No Hijab No Vote’.

  • Colonisation: Time to demand compensation 

    SIR: When Libya demanded compensation from Italy for its colonization, the world thought it a joke. But before our very eyes, Libya got Italy to accept the fact that it owed compensation to the Libyan people.

    Italy admitted that its colonization of Libya was wrong and will never be repeated, and it promised not to attack the Libyan territory by land, air or sea. Italy also agreed to provide Libya with $250 million a year in compensation over a period of 20 years and to build hospitals for the Libyan people.

    More than 50 years have passed since Britain returned sovereignty to the people of Nigeria. Yet, the federal government has not deemed it fit to demand compensation from the country which invaded our territory, stole about 90 percent of our artefacts, expropriated a significant part of our mineral resources, forced our men and women into labour and slavery, humiliated us by subjecting and reducing us into mere second class citizens in our own lands and polluting and relegating our cultural values to the background.

    The time is ripe for Nigeria to take advantage of Libya’s achievement and as a matter of utmost national importance, seek compensation from the British government.

    Colonization should be punished; the countries that harmed other peoples during the colonial era should pay compensation for the damages and sufferings they inflicted. What Africa needs is compensation, not aids. We should not be seen as poor and beggars. No we aren’t poor, the colonial authorities made us poor. They should compensate us for all the atrocities committed against our peoples, the unlawful encroachment into our lands, desecration of our shrines, and our African values.

    Now is time for us to ask and demand that all that was stolen and unlawfully taken from us be returned without further delay.

    • Hussain Obaro,

    Ilorin, Kwara State.

  • Maigari’s detention: House of Reps demand explanation

    Maigari’s detention: House of Reps demand explanation

    The country’s top security chiefs have been asked by the House of Representatives to explain why NFF president Aminu Maigari was detained without any charges brought against him.

    Maigari’s detention prevented him from presiding over an NFF general assembly last Tuesday.

    Maigari said he would prefer not to take any legal action for his unlawful arrest, saying God will remain his refuge.

    On Friday, several of the country’s football stakeholders spoke at the public hearing called by an arm of the country’s parliament.

    Chris Green gave a graphic account of their harrowing experience at the anti-robbery squad cells in Abuja, where he and Maigari were thrown in with terrorists, kidnappers and murderers.

    “It was a dehumanising ordeal,” said Green, whose narration caused several of those attending the hearing to weep.

    Chairman of Nigeria Coaches Association, Bitrus Bewarang, equally produced a Plateau State White paper which indicted Chris Giwa.

    He closed his presentation by warning that this exposure might put his life is in danger.

  • N215m-a-year demand: Lazio set to agree with Onazi

    N215m-a-year demand: Lazio set to agree with Onazi

    Recuperating Super Eagles midfielder Eddy Onazi is set to be offered a new deal by Serie A outfit Lazio to fend off interest from English Premiership sides.

    Onazi was heavily linked with a move to Liverpool prior to the World cup but of late Sunderland, Everton and Southampton are rumoured to be keen on the services of the 21-year-old.

    He presently earns a meagre  200,000 euros (N43m) per year making him the lowest paid Lazio first team player.

    Calcio Mercato reports that Onazi wants 1m euros (N215m) a year and Lazio president Claudio Lotito has already met with his agent Jonathan Barnet.

    Lazio are ready to pull all the stops to keep the midfielder, who won the Coppa Italia in 2013 and made 29 appearances last season.

    Since making his debut in 2012 he has so far made 45 appearances with two goals, in addition to his 21 caps for Nigeria, where he won the Nations Cup and played all of the country’s games at the World Cup before injury forced him out in the Super Eagles’2-0 loss to France in the round of 16 .

  • APC: Legislators’ demand unconstitutional

    APC: Legislators’ demand unconstitutional

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has slammed the PDP members of the Nasarawa House of Assembly for demanding the dissolution of the panel set up by the Chief Judge to probe the impeachment charges against Governor Umaru Al-Makura, saying the call is unreasonable, unconstitutional and way too late.

    In a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the demand by the lawmakers shows they either have a very poor understanding of the Constitution or they are blinded by their desperation to impeach the governor.

    ‘’Either way, they have boxed themselves into a tight corner. Holding an illegal sitting in Abuja with a fake mace is as ridiculous as the demand by the lawmakers for the dissolution of the panel set up by the Chief Judge.

    ‘’Section 188 (5) of the Constitution is clear: ‘Within seven days of the passing of a motion under the foregoing provisions of this section, the Chief Judge of the state shall, at the request of the Speaker of the House of Assembly, appoint a panel of seven persons who in his opinion are of unquestionable integrity, not being members of any public service, legislative house or political party, to investigate the allegation as provided in this section’.

    ‘’It is important to point out to the desperate lawmakers that the key words in that section is that the Chief Judge must appoint persons WHO IN HIS OPINION (emphasis ours) are of unquestionable integrity. At this juncture, it is neither the opinion of the Speaker nor that of the legislators that counts, it is the opinion of the Chief Judge.

    ‘’Therefore, neither the Speaker, the lawmakers nor the Chief Judge can dissolve the panel at this stage, and none of them can stop the impeachment process. Once the Chief Judge has appointed the panel under section 188 (5), he becomes ‘functus officio’, that is he has no further powers on the matter. This is the situation of things at present and the lawmakers can only await the report of the panel,’’ it said.

    The APC said, however, that it was not surprised by the unwarranted and illegal call for the dissolution of the panel by the PDP members of the Nasarawa legislature, because that call falls within the realm of the runaway impunity for which the PDP and the Jonathan Administration have become infamous.

    ‘’The Jonathan Administration, for one, is always scoring a first in the area of impunity. This is the first time in the history of our democracy that a House of Assembly is seeking to dissolve the panel of seven judges it requested to be set up. This is unacceptable and it will not fly.

    ‘’What the House is suffering from now is called boomerang. Against sound advice, it went ahead to initiate the impeachment process. Well, it must now follow it to its logical conclusion. The Chief Judge cannot be made to dissolve the seven-man panel because he simply lacks the power to so do,’’ the party said.

  • Mark: ASUP’s demands are genuine

    Mark: ASUP’s demands are genuine

    Senate President David Mark has said the Federal Government is committed to addressing the challenges in the Education sector.

    Mark spoke yesterday in Abuja when executives of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), led by its President, Dr. Chibuzo Asomuogha, visited him in his office.

    The Senate president noted that ASUP’s demands are genuine.

    He said the biggest investment any government could give its citizens is effective education at all levels.

    A statement by his Chief Press Secretary Paul Mumeh on the visit, quoted Mark as saying the union had a genuine case.

    Mark said: “ASUP’s demands indicate that the union is not selfish. They are requesting for not only their welfare but infrastructural development that would promote learning in the polytechnics.

    “I was delighted when I heard that the union gave room for the new Minister of Education to settle down and look into the demands of the union. This shows some level of understanding.

    “We must continue to dialogue. What we need is to resolve all the issues raised and bring back our students to the class. Polytechnic education is a unique form of education no nation desirous of development can ignore.”

    He said the Senate under his leadership would ensure that normalcy returns to the polytechnics.

    Mark said: “The Senate will continue to do the needful to bring back our students to classes and ensure normalcy returns to the sector.”

    Asomuogha hailed the National Assembly for taking decisive steps to resolve the ASUP strike and return the lecturers to the classroom.

    The union leader urged Mark and the Senate to prevail on the Federal Government to accede to the demands of the union before the expiration of the three-month suspension of the strike.

  • UniAbuja Council to meet unions’ demand

    The Governing Council of the University of Abuja (UniAbuja) has promised to grant all the demands of striking unions.

    This, however, does not include the release of the 2012 Visitation Panel report, which it said was outside its purview.

    The Council called on the  Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU)  to call off the strike and return to work.

    The pro-chancellor, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia, said this at a briefing after a meeting with stakeholders.

    The pro-chancellor, who was represented by a member of the council, Prof Edigba Agbo, described the unions as partners in progress.

    He said the processes for the appointment of a new vice-chancellor were transparent.

    Ogbemudia assured that the Council will implement the White Paper, when it is released.

    He assured that issues bordering on promotion, election of Senate representative to Council and remittance of deducted checkout dues will be resolved.

    The pro-chancellor said: “The promotion arrears submitted to the Budget Office would be followed up by the administration speedily.

    “The unions check off dues would be restored immediately and Council will notify the National Universities Commission (NUC).

    “Last year April’s  check off dues, which were deducted, will be remitted to members.

    “The payment of claims is being processed and the Bursary Department has been directed to bring same up for the VC’s approval and immediate payment.”

    ASUU and SSANU had on June 2 and June 4 embarked on the strike to press forward its demands of better welfare for its members.