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Tag: John Owan Enoh

  • APC chieftain predicts victory for party in Cross River

    Mr Cletus Obun, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River, says the party would win the March 2 governorship election in the state.

    Obun told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Calabar that the emergence of Sen. John Owan-Enoh as APC flag bearer has changed the political calculation in the state.

    “Right now there is geographic and demographic evidence to show the expected voting pattern in the election, we expect that the battle ground should be the Southern Zone.

    “The APC candidate is from the Central Zone and the incumbent, Gov. Ben Ayade (PDP) is from the Northern Zone.

    Read Also:Buhari to Niger Delta: expect more development

     

    “So the people of the North will vote for their son, while the people in Central zone will vote for their son too.
    “In this case, the Southern Zone where the APC deputy governorship candidate comes from will determine the winner at the end.

    “I am confident that the APC candidate will emerge victorious going by the massive support in the ongoing campaign tour across the 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state,’’he said.

    Obun said the APC leaders in the state, like Chief Usani Usani, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and other stakeholders must throw their weight behind the party’s candidate to ensure victory on March 2.

    “The infighting should be over by now; everybody should come together in the interest of the party.

    “Owan has extended an olive branch to the minister and I think he should accept it and lets work together to deliver the state from the PDP,’’ he said.

  • Cross River: 14 governorship candidates adopt Owan-Enoh

    The governorship candidates of 14 political parties in Cross River State on Thursday endorsed the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator John Owan-Enoh, for this year’s general election.

    The governorship candidates who came under the group, Coalition of Owan Friends of Political Parties and Groups (COFOPPAG), said the state is in dire need of a rescue from the present administration hence the need to come together to ensure the APC candidate wins at the governorship polls.

    Director-General of the Coalition and the governorship candidate of the People’s Party of Nigeria (PPN), Pastor Ntami Esege, said the development was the first of its kind in the country, and it became necessary because “our state has gone through a lot of drama where lies and sycophancy have taken over as the order of the day.”

    Speaking at the inauguration of the Coalition in Calabar, Esege said the adopted Owan-Enoh because he had been tested and proven over the years in public service.

    He expressed confidence that with their support, the APC would emerge victorious in the elections.

    Owan-Enoh, who was accompanied by his running mate, Ntufam Ekpo Okon, said he was honoured by the adoption by the governorship candidates, and described the development as history making for the rebirth of Cross River State

    He lauded them for choosing the interest of the state instead of personal interests, and promised not to fail them and the people of the state.

    The APC governorship candidate alleged that everything about the present administration is fraudulent and called on Cross Riverians to “save the state.”

    According to him, “great danger” awaits the state if the present government got reelected.

  • “Cross River State is sick”

    The deputy governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Cross River State, Ntufam Ekpo Okon, has described the state as sick, saying there is urgent need for its revival.

    Okon, who would be running with governorship candidate, Senator John Owan-Enoh, told some reporters in Calabar that there was a complete absence of governance in the state.

    “If you go to any government office today, you will realize that there is no work that is going on. Nothing is happening. The materials to get work done are never there. You go to the governor’s office, when the governor is not in office and there is disruption in public power supply, then there won’t be electricity. So those who are in the offices have no business coming to work when the governor is not in town. What kind of administration is that? That is the situation across the entire state. There is no administration.

    “Cross River has never reduced to this level. And you find people who ought to be leaders reduce themselves to the lowest levels of sycophancy. It is very unfortunate.

    The issues of who will become the next governor of Cross River State, first is in the hand of God. The next one is the fact that capacity of the person. A Cross Riverian, who wants to be the next governor, must prepare himself and create the require linkages across the state and he would win. We don’t have to sit down and sit down for a Governor Ayade, who will carry it like a crown and give to the next person.

    “I believe that Cross River State is sick. I believe that we have to deliberately work hard to revive Cross River. I have offered myself as part of the medical team. We find it expedient that if we must rescue Cross River, all hands must be on deck. And under such circumstance you must allow the ideal of rescue to drive you and as far as I am concerned, I must give it to John (Owan-Enoh). You must assess him from the offices he has held and the way he has stood out. He has capacity. You cannot deny that fact.

    “I believe in one thing. I am a team player. Anyone who has worked close with me will tell you one thing that I don’t run solo. I’m a team player. I have watched Senator Owan-Enoh for a long time and I must tell you one thing, there is something I have noticed in him, he has been able to build a team and run a team and I believe that teaming is the real thing. So far I believe it is all about bringing our experience, each bringing his own on the table and together we can work and make things go well.”

    Okon, a former chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, and from the southern senatorial district of the state, also knocked the issue of zoning for the governorship position, saying whoever should be governor should be based on his capacity to deliver.

    Read Also: Concerns in Cross River over zoning

    “I hear people talk about zoning and all of that. Let me say something. I have been in the politics of the state for this while. There has never been a zoning. Cross Riverians have a way of ensuring there is stability. I was a very critical part of the campaign of Donald Duke in 1998. There was no zoning. Donald was able to win in Cross River. And some people from my senatorial zone will be waiting for Ayade to hand over to them as if he is God. It does not happen that way. Anybody who has capacity and is ready to work, should work hard and you can become the governor.

    “You don’t have until one governor will sit down to look at your face and he will like your face and he will hand over to you. That is not it. I was here in 2003 when Donald fought for a second term, and there were candidates from across the state. Even in 2007, when Senator Imoke contested the first time, candidates came from the three senatorial districts, including the south. So when I hear all this skewed issue of zoning, in any case if zoning was the issue, the first time we ever had candidates contesting for election, coming all from one senatorial district is the last one in 2015. Maybe that is why we are having these issues now. Cross Riverians are in a position to show equity. Allow them the broad choices at any given time and they will do what is right’” Okon said.

     

     

  • FIRS, NIPOST battle over control of stamp duties funds

    FIRS, NIPOST battle over control of stamp duties funds

    *Senate uncovers N18.6bn NIPOST fund

    Federal Inland Revenue Service ( FIRS ) and the Nigeria Postal Services ( NIPOST ) are battling over who controls billions of naira accruing from Stamp Duties payment.

    While FIRS said that collection of stamp duties is part of its statutory function, NIPOST stoutly disagreed.

    NIPOST is spearheading a bill for an Act to amend the Stamp Duties Act, Cap.S8, laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, to ensure compliance with current realities and for related matters.

    The controversial bill, which emanated from the House of Representatives, has already been passed by the House and referred to the Senate for concurrence.

    The bill seeks the amendment of Section 2 of the principal Act by changing the definition of “Stamp” and addition of the definition of words “Proceeds” and “Stamping Protocol”

    The bill also seeks the amendment of Section 5 of the principal Act by substituting the word “may” for “shall” in Section 5(2) to read “Where the duty may be denoted by adhesive stamp, Postage Stamps shall be used for the purpose.”

    It further seeks amendment of Section 89 of the principal Act in sub 2 to change “may” to “shall” to read “For the purposes of the Act, all income from denotation of receipt, document or instrument with postage stamp shall be known as Stamp Proceeds.”

    The Post Master General, Bisi Adegbuyi and Ike Odume, Director Legal Services, FIRS who appeared before the Senate Committee on Finance, argued for and against the bill.

    Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun was also represented at the hearing by Tor Tsavsar, Director Technical Services, Federal Ministry of Finance.

    Chairman of the committee, Senator John Owan Enoh, said that the hearing became necessary to enable the Senate take informed position on the bill.

    Enoh noted that although the House of Representatives has passed the bill, his committee was mandated to consider it for its merit or demerit.

    The committee questioned the submission of the Post Master General, “because it came without letter head and was not signed.”

    Enoh asked Adegbuyi to do the needful before he could be allowed to make his presentation.

    The FIRS representative said that the Service was opposed to the bill in its entirety because NIPOST wanted to usurp its statutory function.

    Odume said that the Act NIPOS sought to amend affects the 36 states of the Federation “and for the amendments to pass 36 states of the Federation must be around to make their input.”

    He noted that the Stamp Duties Act is a tax legislation which has nothing to do with NIPOST.

    The subsisting Stamp Duties Act, he said, gave the Federal Government and states the leeway to generate revenue and has nothing to do with post office.

    Odume noted that the proposed amendment aimed at eroding the statutory powers of the FIRS.

    He said, “FIRS was given a law to administer which includes Stamp Duties Act. Item 96 of FIRS Act is the administration of Stamp Duties Act. What is the mischief of NIPOST in amending the law. Stamp Duty is a form of tax. All NIPOST is seeking is to usurp the power of the FIRS and the 36 states. It should not be allowed.”

    Representative of the Ministry of Finance adopted the position of FIRS on the bill and sought periodic review of the rate of stamp duty.

    The committee chairman remarked that any body could seek amendment of a law “what is important is the content and what the bill seeks to achieve.”

    The Post Master General told the committee that the bill is a private member bill

    Adegbuyi in his presentation said that the amendment of the Stamp Duties Act became necessary because the law has become obsolete and no longer relevant to meet the challenges of modern day.

    He said that NIPOST was only asking to be allowed to sell stamp either manually of electronically.

    Adegbuyi said, “We are seeking the amendment of the Act to include sale of postage stamp. We are not collecting tax. It is in the interest of Nigeria to draw a line between duty and stamp. We want to sell our stamp.”

    He prayed the committee to allow the bill to pass.

    Chairman of the committee asked the Post Master General the whereabouts of N18.6 billion the committee stumbled upon in the account of NIPOST.

    Enoh asked severally “where is this money, where is it. This committee wants to know where the money is. This committee is interested to know where the money is kept.”

    The committee also demanded to know how the huge fund was accumulated.

    The Post Master General told the committee that the money is with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    Adegbuyi said that NIPOST do not have access to the fund.

  • Senator Enoh defects to APC

    Senator Enoh defects to APC

    The Senator representing Cross River Central, Senator John Owan Enoh has  defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
    Senator announced his defection on the floor of the upper chamber.
    As the Cross River central lawmaker was making his defection announcement, jubilant APC senators rushed to his seat and practically dragged him to their side of the divide.
    Senate Deputy Minority leader, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, told PDP members who defected to the APC that they would beg to return to the PDP when the party bounces back.

    With the defection of Enoh, APC now has 67 members against 41 PDP members

  • No electronic, diaspora voting in 2019 elections – INEC

    No electronic, diaspora voting in 2019 elections – INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) on Monday ruled out electronic and diaspora voting in 2019 general elections.
     
    The electoral umpire told the Senate that until the Constitution was amended and necessary logistics put in placed, the commission cannot delve into electronic and diaspora voting.
     
    It said that electronic and diaspora voting do not only lack constitutional backing but were also expensive to execute. 
     
    The commission said that work was in progress to develop a strategic plan with a view to coming out with the financial requirements for the 2019 poll and other pending elections including the Anambra governorship election and Anambra Central Senatorial District by-election. 
     

    Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu
    Prof. Mahmood
    INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, stated this when he appeared before the Senate Committee on Finance to defend the commission’s 2017 budget.
     
    The committee had demanded to know the preparedness of the commission ahead of the 2019 general elections. 
     
    A member of the committee, Senator Yakubu Abubakar, wanted to know if INEC would key into the reported breakthrough of by the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, (NASENI), in the invention of electronic voting in the 2019 general election. 
     
    Professor Yakubu noted that since the news of the electronic voting machine invention came up, he had not been either formally or informally informed by NASENI.
     
    The INEC boss said that even if he was formally informed, to adopt electronic voting in the election, the possibility would not be feasible because the device should be tested to certify the efficiency.
     
    He added that the device should also be produced in large quantity to cover the country’s numerous polling units. 
     
    On whether INEC would incorporate diaspora voting in the election, the INEC boss answered in the negative.
     
    He said that there was no provision for diaspora voting. 
     
    Yakubu noted that for INEC to adopt the system the constitution needed to be amended to give it legal backing.
    He also said that the cost of running the method was very high.
     
    The INEC boss said that adopting the method at this time of economic recession occasioned by the problem of currency exchange rates would deeply and negatively affect the country’s finances. 
     
    Yakubu noted that for the past three years, INEC’s annual budget had stood at N45 billion.
     
    He said the commission was yet to know how much the 2019 general election would gulp.
     
    The commission, he said, was already embarking on a strategic plan with a view to coming out with the actual financial figure the 2019 elections and others would cost the country. 
     
    He said that INEC’s purse had been deeply drained following “unscheduled elections” in the last one year caused mainly by deaths of 13 national and state assembly members. 
     
    He said, “For instance, in the last one year, we have conducted 13 unscheduled by-elections caused by deaths of some members of national and state assembly, meaning that on the average, a member of the national or state assembly dies every month. ” 
     
    Chairman of the committee, John Owan Enoh, explained that the purpose of the session was to avail federal government agencies that come under statutory transfer the opportunities of interacting with the committee on their revenue framework before approval for their various committees.
  • Court refuses to restrain Saraki on choice of Minority Leader

    Court refuses to restrain Saraki on choice of Minority Leader

    Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday refused to restrain the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki and 17 others from departing from the Senate’s standing rules in the appointment of Minority Leader for the 8th National Assembly.

    Two members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – Alaye Don Pedro (Ward 8 Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State) and Okechukwu Ibeh of Umukegwu/Umuopia in Ide Ato Local Government Area of Imo State – had, in an ex-parte motion sought to restrain Saraki and 17 members of the PDP South -South Senate Caucus from choosing the Minority Leader outside the provision of Order 3(2) of the Senate Standing Order 2015 (as amended).

    The plaintiffs are contending that the alleged plot by some individuals to make former Akwa Ibom State governor, Godwill Akpabio (a first term Senator) the Senate’s Minority leader, was in violation of Order 3(2) of the Senate Standing Order 2015 (as amended).

    Named with Saraki as respondents, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/602/2005 are – Akpabio, Nelson Effiong, Bassey Albert, Emmanuel Paulker, Ogola Foster, Ben Murray Bruce, John Owan Enoh, Gershom Bassey, Rose Oko, James Manager, Peter Nwaoboshi, Ighoyota Amori, Clifford Ordia, Mathew Urhoghide, George Thomson Sekibo, Olaka Nwogu and Osinachukwu Ideozu.

    Justice Kolawole in his ruling refused the plaintiffs’ prayer for “an order restraining the 2nd to 18 respondents from selecting or appointing the Minority Leader of the Senate by a procedure in breach of Order 3(2) of the Senate Standing Order 2015 (as amended) pending the determination of the substantive suit.”

    The judge also refused their request for an “order prohibiting the 1st respondent from accepting, recognising, announcing or giving effect to the appointment of a Minority Leader of the Senate, whose appointment is in breach of Order 3(2) of the Senate Standing Orders 2015 (as amended) pending the determination of the substantive suit.”

    Justice Kolawole, who noted that the plaintiffs were neither members of the Senate nor contestants for the position of Minority Leader, said he could not grant their prayers because they failed to establish the interest they sought to protect.