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Tag: Emmanuel Jime

  • Benue re-run: APC elders seek deployment of more security personnel

    Ahead of March 23 governorship re-run election in Benue state, the All Progressive Congress (APC) Elders Councils has called for more security personnel to curtail violence.

    The elders council said from reports available there are plans to disrupts the re-run especially in APC strongholds.

    Addressing the media in Makurdi, Spokesman of APC elders council Chief Terlumun Akputu said there is need to provide more security for the re- run election to stamp out vote buying and intimidation.

    Akputu also advised Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to insist on the use of card readers before accepting any result from polling unit in the re-run.

    The Elders Council expressed concerned that in March 9th governorship and State Assembly election APC recorded zero vote in some Local Governments which is not acceptable.

    Read Also: PDP vows to reclaim mandate from Bayelsa APC

    “There is nowhere in Nigeria where the APC recorded zero votes except in Guma Local Area Government area despite having candidates and agents which he said were chased out of the polling units.”

    The elders called for the cancelation of elections in places where card readers were not used and declared the candidate of APC Emmanuel Jime as the authentic winner of the March 9th election.

  • Observers urge INEC to declare Jime, winner of Benue Guber Polls

    The Coalition of Election Observers in Benue State has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to forthwith announce Emmanuel Jime, the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) as winner.
    Like in six other states, INEC had declared the polls in Benue inconclusive, alleging that 121,011 electorates were either not able to vote or election did not hold in their areas.
    However, in a statement by Convener Princess Ajibola on Saturday, the election observers urged INEC to  adhere to the constitution and declare the APC flagbearer winner having picked up the highest number of votes in areas where card reader machines were used for accreditation.
    The group of observers, who thoroughly monitored the exercise asserted that the incumbent and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Samuel Ortom, connived with some INEC officials to deliberately sabotage the entire process in his favour.
    According to the observers, “ It is no coincidence that the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Samuel Ortom, only scored high votes in places where Card Readers were deliberately sabotaged by his agents to force electoral officers to resort to manual accreditation. In course of our observation, we documented that Card Readers were not used in Logo, Guma, Vandekiya, Konshisha, Buruku and Gwer West Local Government Areas.
    “ The manual accreditation gave room to vote manipulation in the identified local government areas. Incidents documented included over voting, accreditation of people that are not registered voters, ballot stuffing amongst others. These incidents do not in any way form part of what INEC had promised when it announced its determination to conduct acceptable elections and they certainly do not indicate credible elections in any part of the world.
    “ The knowledge on the part of other candidates that violations occurred on this scale is reasons for the election results so far announced are being met with rejection. The results have become controversial and are now a subject of protests by many candidates and observers.
    “ Public anger will continue to grow for as long as INEC continues to delay in declaring a rejection of results from locations where Card Readers were not used. This is because INEC had issued a guideline that specifically directed that the use of card reader machine must be complied with.
    “ In a bizarre development, the PDP candidate has connived with some INEC officials in Benue state to rig the elections through the failure to use Card Readers and is now parading himself as the winner of the election while citing some outrageous votes.

    Read Also:Rivers APC lashes INEC over comment on military

    “ The rigging is so brazen that the leading APC candidate was allocated zero votes in places where it had large turnout of its supporters and polling agents, which would suggest that even the agents were not allowed to vote.
    “ We see the case in Benue State as test for INEC that it can take electoral decisions that will ensure that every vote it organized do not end up being tabled before Election Petition Tribunals for adjudication. The Commission must begin to put an end to the practice of deprived winners being asked to go to court to reclaim their victories. INEC should therefore cancel the results from local government areas where Card Readers were not used and declare the Emmanuel Jime/Sam Ode ticket as winner.
    “ We urge the international community to keep close watch of the development in Benue state so that the world will know what truly transpired in the state since it will become necessary to make interventions at some point based on the way the electorates will likely respond to their votes being stolen.”

  • I’d abolish joint account if elected- Jime

    The Benue State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate Hon. Emmanuel Jime on Wednesday vowed to abolish the state and local government joint account if elected.

    According to him, the abolition of the account would free funds for development of the grassroots across the state.

    He spoke at an interactive session in Abuja with indigenes of the state.

    He added the separation of the joint account would be a prelude to a comprehensive reform in the local government system to ensure effectiveness.

    The candidate, who alleged the monthly wage bill of N7.5bilion is unbelievable, promised to revisit it to enable the state pay the new national minimum wage.

    On the implementation of a Treasury Single Account (TSA), Jime noted said: “We shall fully implement the Treasury Single Account in order to reduce opaqueness and ensure transparency and accountability in the management of our public finances.”

    He pledged the state under his watch will prioritise capital expenditure over recurrent expenditure.

    Jime said the state shall pursue social programmes of financial inclusion of the most vulnerable on the social ladder.

    He also promised the state will see to domestication of the Public Procurement Bureau as well as the Fiscal Responsibility Bill to ensure service delivery.

    He said the state would overhaul its Ministries Departments and Agencies to improve efficiency.

    On tax, he noted that “We shall create an enabling environment for implementation of tax reforms.

    “In this regards, the BIRS shall be formed under a codified and standard tax system and also pursue the integration of the formal and informal sectors.”

    Read Also: Teachers will no longer suffer in Ekiti – Egbeyemi

    The APC candidate promised to also revisit and review the issue of pension in the state.

    Jime told the citizens the choice of enthroning him for the right change is in their hands, adding they have an overwhelming influence in the governorship election despite being in Abuja.

    He lamented Benue state has degenerated in the last four years.

    According to him: “Those of you who have kept abreast with developments in our state in the last four years will agree with me no less, that Benue has never had it this bad.

    “Benue has lost direction as it has now. And our people have never felt this hopeless.”

  • I will not repeal the anti-open grazing law—Benue APC flag bearer

    The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Benue State,  Emmanuel Jime, has indicated that he has no plans to repeal the state’s law prohibiting open livestock grazing, contrary to the propaganda in some quarters that he is sponsored by certain groups opposed to the law.

    He stated this at a thanksgiving service and reception organised in his honour at NKST Central, Zaki Biam. Jime told the people that he heard very clearly their cries as expressed by Solomon Wombo. He assured that his government would not tow the path of Governor Samuel Ortom, who instead of attracting democratic dividends to the state had brought untold hardship to the  people.

    He said: “When your son Gabriel (Suswan) was governor of this state and was working  closely with former President Goodluck Jonathan, he did not bring us excuses. He attracted quite a number of federal appointments to our children. One of the key beneficiaries of those appointments was Samuel Ortom, as he was appointed to serve in very key ministries (Trade and Investment, and Aviation). What has Gov. Samuel Ortom attracted to Benue State since he became governor three and half years ago?

    “Today, he goes about telling people that I am a Fulani man who is sponsored to repeal the state’s anti grazing law. I want to tell you in very simple language that neither I, nor my mother is Fulani. I am also not coming to repeal any law; instead I would strengthen the law to the benefit of Benue people and robustly engage security agencies and other stakeholders for full adherence, as opposed to what obtains now.

    “Between a lawyer with over 10 years experience in lawmaking and one with no knowledge of lawmaking who will guarantee a law to work?”

    Earlier, the Director-General of Jime/Ode Governorship Campaign Organisation, Senator Jacob Tilley Gyado, assured the governorship hopeful that Sankera people are very trustworthy people. He said: “They have stood behind me and have never denied me any favours since I joined partisan politics in the 1970s. Right now, I owe them a debt of gratitude. I have been looking for ways to pay and I believe Jime is better positioned to pay that debt on my behalf.”

    He,  therefore, urged the people to mobilise massive support for his victory at the poll.

    Others who spoke at the occasion were the senatorial candidate of the APC Zone A, Mrs. Mimi Adzape Orubibi, and her counterpart for the Katsina Ala/Ukum/Logo Federal Constituency.

    They charged the people of the area to vote for all the candidates to the APC, so that they will team up with the governorship candidate and Presidnt Muhammadu Buhari to attract positive development to the people of Sankera and the entire Benue State.

     

  • APC clear National Secretary, 23 others for 2019 governorship poll

    The National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) has affirmed the nomination of the party’s National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni and 23 others as governorship candidates of the party for the 2019 governorship election across the country.

    Also cleared to fly the party flag are Lagos state flag bearer, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Kaduna state Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, Kano state Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Plateau state Governor, Simon Lalong, Bauchi state Governor, Mohammed Abubakar, Kebbi state Governor, Abubakar Bagudu and Katsina state Governor, Aminu Bello MASARI.

    Others are Jigawa stage Governor, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, Niger state Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, Sokoto state deputy governor, Ahmed Aliyu, Prof. Babagana Umara-Zulum (Borno), Abubakar Sule (Nasarawa), Emmanuel JIme (Benue), Tonye Cole (Rivers), Uche Ogah (Abia), Nsima Ebere (Akwa Ibom), Adebayo Adelabu (Oyo), Fapo Abiodun (Ogun), Great Ogboru (Delta), Senator John Owan Enoh (Cross River), Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Senator Sunny Ogboji (Ebonyi) and Sani Abubakar Danladi (Taraba).

    Read Also: FG committed to promoting Social Security — Ngige

    Acting National Publicity Secretary of the party, Yekini Nabena said in a statement that the clearance followed the adoption of the report of the various electoral committee sent to conduct the primaries in the various states.

    The governorship primaries for Enugu, Kwara and Adamawa states have not been conducted, while the party has cancelled the primary in Zamfara and Imo states due to irregularities.

    The NWC also approved the report of the pane, that conducted the governorship primary in Ogun State which declared Dapo Abiodun as the candidate of the party.

  • Abuja centenary city to generate 250,000 jobs

    As controversy threatens project take off

    As preparation for construction work to commence at the Centenary City in Abuja, controversies over compensation may once again hamper the success of the project which is aimed at putting Abuja on the world tourism map.

    The project is expected to generate about 250,000 new jobs when it finally takes off.

    Original inhabitants of the area designated said they must be paid compensation for their farm land, but the project handlers are insisting that compensation has been paid on the land and therefore the call for further compensation should not arise.

    The Emir of Jawa, Alhaji Idris Musa even though in accordance with the laws of the country, All land belong to government, the same law said that those occupying the land need to be compensated, relocated and resettled, pointing out that his subjects are still waiting to be relocated.

    He said after the initial compensation given to them, the project was supposed to have taken off and provide employment opportunity for his subject, pointing out that the delay in the take take off of the project gave rise to agitations by the inhabitants whose land was taken and have no land to farm on.

    He said “we expect that if the project starts, it will absorb our people and they will be busy doing something to keep the, busy. But the delay led to agitation. The compensation that was paid to them is finished and yet, they have nothing to fall back on.

    Read Also: Passengers’ protest delay Abuja-Kaduna train

    “They have returned to farm on their land. So, they should be paid compensation for their crops and the government should ensure that the project starts so that there will be no more agitation”.

    It was however learnt that over N1 Billion was paid as compensation for the about 1,262 hectare of land earmarked for the Centenary City, with only N306 Million paid for the Economic trees in the land while the rest went to developers in the area.

    Managing Director of the Nigeria Export Processing Zone Authority (NEPZA), Emmanuel Jime said all contending issues that hampered the takeoff of the project which was meant to celebrate Nigeria’s Centenary anniversary.

    He said that the realization of the project will encourage Direct Foreign Investment into the country, describing it as a flagship project which will provide the kind of infrastructures that have not been seen before in the country.

    Managing Director of Centenary City Plc, Ikechukwu Michaels said about 40 local and foreign investors will participate in the development of the city, pointing out that it will be the best free zone project in the country.

    He said the project was fully a private sector driven project with no single contribution of the government into its financing, adding that it will cost the private sector about 18 billion dollars to complete, providing about 150,000 jobs.

    Meanwhile, one of the investors in the project, Alhaji Baba Dantata has said he will begin the construction of what he called Buhari Tower in the Centenary City within the next two months to cater for the interest of civil servants who will not be able to afford most of the houses that will be built there.

    Dantata, a stanch Polo promoter said the houses in tower will be sold to civil servants at the cost of N15million which is the maximum approved for low income houses by the Federal Mortgage Bank.

    He dismissed any claim that the Buhari tower was a political campaign strategy for the President, saying he is not a politician, but was only naming the project after the President because of his personal believe in what the President stand for.

     

     

  • NEPZA Boss donates relief materials to IDPs

    NEPZA Boss donates relief materials to IDPs

    The Managing Director of the Nigeria Export Processing  (NEPZA), Mr. Emmanuel Jime has donated relief materials worth millions of naira to internally Displaced Persons in Benue state.

    Donating the items at IDPs camp in Daudu, Guma Local government area, Hon Jime  regretted the situation where crisis have forced people out of their homes to stayed  in camps where life was very difficult to live .

    He advised them to exercise with children who should be undergoing teaching in school to become responsible citizens tomorrow are also hopelessly roaming the camps.
    Following Fulani attacks on communities in Guma and Logo Local Governments of Benue state by suspected Fulani militia, many people have been displaced and are staying in about 8 camps across the state.
    The NEPZA boss who was in IDPs camp to sympathise and console with the people on their plight also donated a truck load of assorted relief materials including toiletries and foodstuffs.

    Hon Jime expressed concerned that the continued stay at the camp by people who are mostly of a farming population portend gross danger especially of hunger in the country.

    “I am deeply saddened by what you are going through. But I assure you that from the state to the federal government, there are concerted efforts I am also involved in to ensure your earlier return to your original abodes”,  he said.

    The Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Emmanuel Shior appreciated the gesture and called on other spirited individuals to find ways of supporting the state government to take care of the IDPS.

     

  • Makurdi stands still as Jime picks APC form

    Makurdi stands still as Jime picks APC form

    There was a traffic gridlock yesterday in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, when the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FTC), Emmanuel Jime, picked his nomination form to contest next year’s governorship election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Jime is highly favoured to clinch the APC governorship slot and challenge any candidate presented by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The lawmaker, who arrived in Makurdi at 1.30pm, was received by a huge crowd of supporters at Agan toll gate. The long convoy drove through the North Bank, crossed the new bridge to Wurukum before going to the APC secretariat.

    APC State Chairman Abba Yaro, who presented Jime to the crowd, said the lawmaker had been tested and trusted.

    The chairman said the aspirant would deliver to the people of Benue real development in all sectors.

    He promised to chair the conduct of transparent primaries to strengthen the party’s preparation for a clear victory in next year’s elections.

    Jime’s motorcade drove through the streets of Makurdi to IBB Square, where he addressed a crowd of supporters from the 23 local government areas in their distinctive canopies.

    Besides the large turnout of APC members, market women, students’ groups and youth organisations, dignitaries from parts of the state also attended the occasion.

    They included the former member of the House of Representatives representing Buruku Federal Constituency, Orker Jev and a former governorship candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the 2011 elections, Prof Steven Torkuma Ugba.

    Jime is the third APC governorship aspirant to have paid and picked nomination forms.

    Others are: Akange Audu and Prof Steven Ugba.

     

     

  • Reps to establish Tax Board for FCT

    Reps to establish Tax Board for FCT

    The House of Representatives is to establish a Federal Capital Territory(FCT) Internal Revenue Service for Abuja.

    This followed the partial consideration of the report of a bill sponsored by a member, Hon. Emmanuel Jime (APC-Benue), who is also the Chairman, House Committee on FCT.

    When fully established, the Revenue Board will have the powers to assess, collect and account for revenues due to the FCT.

    Yesterday, 14 clauses of the report were considered by the House, in a session presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha.

    Further consideration of the report continues today.

     

    The consideration and passage of clauses 1 to 14 of the Bill was smooth except for a controversy over Clause 15 of the report on the Bill which was opposed by the Deputy Leader of the House, Hon. Leo Ogor(PDP, Delta).

     

    According to him, the clause if passed, will violate sections 80 and 120 o?f the constitution.

     

    Clause 1 of the Bill states that: “There is established a body to be known as the Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (in this Bill referred to as “the Service”).

     

    Clause 2 states: “the object of the service shall be to control and administer the different taxes and laws specified in the First Schedule or other laws made or to be made from time to time by the National Assembly or other regulations made there under by the Government of the Federation and to account for all taxes collected”.

     

    For the Board, the Bill proposes an experienced Chairman, Directors of Treasury, Legal Services, Lands, Planing and Survey, Area Council and Abuja Infrastructure and Investment Company who shall be appointed by the Minister of the FCT.

     

    ? A four-year tenure for the Chairman and other members of the Board was proposed in Clause 4 of the Bill.

     

    ?The clause 15 opposed by Ogor reads:

     

    “The Board shall establish and maintain a fund to be applied towards the discharge of its functions which shall consist of and to which shall credit (1) an amount not more than 10% of all revenue collected by the Service in the Preceding Year as administrative charge or cost of collected; all other moneys which may, from time to time, accrue to the Board for other services including the disposal, lease or hire of any other dealing with, any property vest in or acquired by the Board”.

     

    The lawmaker while explaining his stance said that by the provisions of sections 80 as it regards the federation and 120 as it regards States(FCT being in the category of the latter), all revenue generated by agencies must go to the Consolidated Revenue Fund, before any sum is drawn from the account on the recommendation of a State House of Assembly or the National Assembly.

    ?

    Drawing a percentage from the revenue generated from taxes to pay a tax consultant, as the piece of legislations intends, he said, would offend the constitution.

     

    FCT Committee Chairman, Hon. Jime however argued that the decision to establish the board was in line with the practice in all other States of the Federation.

     

    The 10 percent that would be paid administrative fee to a consultant would be from the amount generated before being deposited in government coffers and not be drawn from the consolidated revenue fund, he explained.

     

    According to Jime, agencies like Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Inland Revenue Service and several other agencies of government were using the same method for their tax regimes.

     

    At the end of yesterday’s deliberation, amendments were made to avoid the offending sections 80(1), section 120(1) and (2) and section 162(1) of the 1999 Constitution,

     

    END.

     

    NPA MD begs Senators, set to boost revenue

    BY OLUWAKEMI DAUDA

     

    The Managing Director Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Mallam Hanib Abdullahi has apologized to members of the Senate committee on Marine Transport for his failure to receive them when the committee visited his office last month to carry out their oversight function at the agency.

     

    Speaking during the repeated oversight working visit of members of the committee to NPA yesterday, Abdullahi explained that his inability to receive them last time, was based on circumstances beyond his control and not a deliberate attempt to ridicule the Upper House.

     

    He said what took him out of his station on the aforesaid date was an emergency call to boost NPA’s revenue as self sustaining government agency.

     

    Speaking on behalf of other committee members, its Chairman Senator Zaynab Kure said they were happy that MD apologized saying that her members saw it as an inadvertent error which has since been corrected.

     

    Briefing the committee on the activity of his agency, Abdullahi said NPA is set to boost its marine operations as part of its determination to be the leading port in the West Africa sub- region and generate more revenue for the country.

     

    Speaking during the oversight working visit of members of the Senate committee on Marine Transport, its Managing Director Mallam Babib Abdullahi said their efforts are anchored on the need to deliver an efficient port service in a safe and customer friendly environment.

     

    The NPA boss told the senators that despite the increase in the level of efficiency at the port, the management is working to tap its potentials to make it perform optimally.

     

    NPA, Abdullahi said, has decided to pay attention to the existing port infrastructure in the area of rehabilitating of port quay walls and aprons; deepening of the Channels, upgrading and renovation of common user facilities, wrecks removal to ensure efficiency of the port and meeting the expectations of the stakeholders and port users.

     

    He said large vessels of above 232,33 meters with capacity to carry 4,500 TEUS requiring draught of 13,5 meters have started visiting the ports.

     

    In the last six years, he said, the activities of the terminal operators have positive effect on port operation and boost efficiency.

     

    The terminal operators, Abdullahi said, have added value to their areas of operations by providing monthly and quarterly update information in their terminals and acquisition of state of the art cargo handling equipment to reduce cargo dwell time.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Benue lawmaker joins APC

    Benue lawmaker joins APC

    The lawmaker representing Makurdi/ Guma in the House of Representatives, Emmanuel Jime, has joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Speaking to supporters in Makurdi yesterday, he said: “The decision I am going to take will shape the Benue political landscape.

    “Some of you will be willing to tow the path, some will not.

    “I have called you to tell you that I appreciate your support over the years. I have consulted broadly and I have decided to align with the conversation Nigerians are holding.

    “To this end, I have this sacrifice to make, so that we can actualise our ambition on a different platform.

    “By the time we resume plenary in Abuja, many of my colleagues and I will join the APC.

    “I enjoin you to ponder over it and those willing to make this sacrifice with me should prepare to embrace the new path towards realising our dream for a forward Benue.”