MTV Base’s hit show, Celeb Living, is back for yet another explosive season and the viewers are sure to be thrilled with the show’s new guests.
The show started on Tuesday, January 22, 2019, with one half of Nigeria’s biggest pop duo of all time, Paul Okoye. MTV Base VJ, Nenny B, takes us on a tour of the ‘Senorita’ crooner’s lavish home which includes a relaxing swimming pool and a fabulous studio space.
Also, MTV Base VJ, Dada Boy Ehiz, guides viewers through L.A.X.’s house with the ‘Rasaking’ singer showing off his beautiful car and other cool spots in his home as he engaged in conversations and video game sessions with Dada Boy.
Moving from the entertainment scene to the political sphere, Celeb Living makes a stop at the home of Jimi Agbaje, the People Democratic Party (PDP) Lagos gubernatorial candidate. Mr Agbaje and his wife gave Nenny B the grand tour of their luxurious living space and of course, answered some questions about his plans to move Lagos forward.
The Celeb Living episode featuring the Agbaje’s goes live on Tuesday, February 5 2019.
The lagos State Government has lifted the ban on building of filling stations and issued fresh guidelines for their construction.
Physical Planning and Urban Development Commissioner Prince Rotimi Ogunleye told reporters yesterday in Alausa, Ikeja that under the new regime, safe and orderly siting of those outlets would be given priority.
Among the facilities to be provided at the outlets are firefighting equipment, toilets, a borehole and overhead water tank, changing room, office, water sprinkler, smoke/gas leakage detector and Close Circuit Television (CCTV).
The ban was imposed on April 26, 2017, to check proliferation of the outlets and the consequences on safety of lives and property, following fire caused by non-compliance with safety measures.
Ogunleye said investigation showed non-compliance such as siting of outlets in residential areas. This, he said, would be addressed by the guidelines that would be enforced by the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LABSCA).
He said: “The Lagos State Government is also concerned about improving the aesthetic value and efficiency of operation in the planning, building control and urban regeneration of the state.”
The commissioner added: “Investors intending to embark on development of this nature and existing operators are directed to comply with the provisions of the reviewed templates.
“Investors are enjoined to apply for planning information from the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development before embarking on any development in order to have first-hand information about the kind of development that can be done in a specific area of the state.”
Planning information, he said, was free, adding that by this the ministry also provides information on land use zoning, permissible use, plot size, building coverage and height, deviation setback, airspaces and parking requirements.
Ahead of the forthcoming general elections, the RMB Family Political Group has started mobilisation of support for candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Surulere, Lagos State.
The group donated campaign materials, including six branded vehicles and 10,000 posters and handbills.
The group, which is under the leadership of a former Chief Whip of Lagos State House of Assembly, Dr Abdurrazaq Balogun, said the development became imperative in view of the need to facilitate the campaign process of APC.
It added that the candidates the party elected were genuinely committed to the development of the country.
At the New Year thanksgiving of the group at RMB secretariat in Aguda, Surulere, Balogun said it was important for members to go all out and mobilise support for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari and Senator Oluremi Tinubu as well as election of Babajide Sanwo-Olu as governor and all APC candidates in the February 16 and March 2 elections.
Addressing over 500 party leaders, members and various groups at the gathering, Balogun said: “This is the time for party loyalists to remain focused on the job ahead. We must remember that our unity as people of the same party is non-negotiable. We must get all our candidates elected or re-elected at the coming polls to consolidate on the democratic gains that the people have been enjoying from APC.”
Also, APC’s House of Representatives candidate for Surulere Constituency II, Lanre Okunlola, advised his constituents to show love within the rank and file.
The politician noted that such a move help to build a strong foundation for APC to make it achieve victory at the general elections.
The member representing Surulere Constituency II in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mosunmola Sangodara, hailed party members for their steadfastness and zeal towards the party’s affairs.
THE People’s Trust (PT), the emergent third force party in Nigeria, at the weekend inaugurated its Presidential Campaign Council ahead of the February 2019 presidential elections.
Its presidential candidate, Mr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, who was endorsed and adopted by the Northcentral zone last week, is the council chairman.
Other notable Nigerians, who featured in the campaign council, are the PT vice presidential candidate, Dr. Arthur Nwankwo from the Southeast, who is the vice chair of the campaign council, Dr. Olisa Agbakogba, the PT National Chairman also became co-chairperson and former Speaker of the House of Representatives Ghali Umar Na’abba from the Northwest.
Dr. Abduljhalil Tafawa Balewa, son of former prime minister from the Northeast became the Vice Chairman and Funke Awolowo, the granddaughter of Chief Obafemi Awolowo from the Southwest and Dr. Jay Osi Samuels, Chairman of Alliance for New Nigeria, an allied political party, were made co-vice chairpersons.
Director General of the party’s campaign organisation and a former minister, Alhaji Aliyu Habu Fari, from the Northeast, doubles as the secretary of the campaign council.
Other members are Secretary of PT Board of Trustees, Veteran Olawale Okunniyi, who is the Deputy Director General and Assistant Secretary of the Presidential Campaign Council, from the Southwest. Okunni will be in charge of organisation, mobilisation and publicity of the 2019 campaign.
Co-Deputy Director General are: Mr. Mathias Tsado from the Northwest, who is in charge of planning and protocol, and Dr. Dale Ogunbayo from the Southwest, who takes charge of strategy and monitoring.
Other members include the party’s National Secretary, Malam Naseer Kura, from the Northwest as party representative; Dr. Segun Awe Obe from the Southwest; Mrs. Ajoh Torkwase, women leader (Northcentral); Mr. Abayomi Rotimi Mighty, youth leader from Southwest; Mr. Anthony Akika, zonal rep, Northcentral; Chief Nike Job, zonal rep Southwest; Comrade Ibuchukwu Ezike, zonal rep Southeast; Dr. Osagie Obayuwana, zonal rep Southsouth, Alhaji Shehu Sambo, zonal rep Northeast; state chairpersons of the party and state campaign coordinators also made it into the PT Presidential Campaign Council.
Agbakoba, SAN, while declaring the event open, said by fielding the highest number of candidates for the 2019 elections among the newly registered parties, the party has demonstrated immense capacity as a formidable third force for the 2019 elections.
Nigeria’s premium gin – Chelsea London Dry Gin ended 2018 on a memorable note, hosting consumers to an end of year beach carnival tagged ‘Catching Fun with Jaywon’.
The music fiesta which was held at Barracuda Beach Resort, Lagos, had artistes like Small Doctor, Jaywon, Dotman, Joeel, Solidstar, Slimcase, Dremo and a host of upcoming artistes.
Brand Manager Chelsea London Dry Gin, Afolabi Kasomo, said the followed an earlier successful one; Felabration. He noted that consumers asked for another brand experience after the recent sponsorship of Felabration and the beach fiesta was the perfect response to their request.
There were fun games at the event for attendees and winners went home with lots of branded and household gift items like TV, Refrigerators, Washing Machines, and Microwave Ovens among others.
Senate President Bukola Saraki, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and others yesterday faulted the Federal Government’s plan to arraign Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Walter Onnoghen before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) today. The All Progressives Congress (APC), however, supported the move. It accused the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of being sympathetic to corruption. Onyedi Ojiabor and Chris Oji report.
NBA: This is desecration of the judiciary
NBA President Paul Usoro, in a statement, faulted the action against the CJN.
His statement reads: “Nigerians have witnessed again the targeted assault of the judiciary by agents of the Federal Government of Nigeria (“FGN”) epitomised by today’s media trial of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honorable Mr. Justice Walter S N Onnoghen, GCON (“CJN”). According to media reports which have now been validated by the Statement of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (“CCT”) that was released today an application was “filed by the Code of Conduct Bureau to the CCT Chairman yesterday for the trial to commence against the Chief Justice of Nigeria on six count charges” and that the CCT “will commence the trial on Monday, 14th January 2019”. The Nigerian Bar Association unequivocally condemns this assault, intimidation and desecration of the Judiciary by FGN agencies and demands that it be stopped immediately.
“In Nganjiwa v Federal Republic of Nigeria (2017) LPELR-43391(CA), the Court of Appeal made it very clear that any misconduct attached to the office and functions of a judicial officer must first be reported to and handled by the National Judicial Council (“NJC”) pursuant to the provisions of our laws. Only after the NJC has pronounced against such judicial officer can the prosecuting agencies of the Federal Government proceed against him. As the Court pointed out, these requirements of the law are anchored on the overriding principles of separation of powers between the executive, the judiciary and the legislature and on the need to preserve, promote and protect the independence of the judiciary. Our respective liberties and the rule of law are best protected and preserved if the judiciary remains independent and shielded from intimidation and assault by the other arms of the government.
“In Nganjiwa v FRN (supra), the Court of Appeal made reference to Rule 3 of the Revised Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of February 2016 (“Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers”)and held that the said Rule 3 “makes provision in relation to fidelity to the Constitution and the Law”. The provisions in regard to assets declaration as they apply to all public officers including the CJN are contained in both the Constitution and the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act 1991, the enabling law that establishes both the Code of Conduct Bureau (“CCB”) and the CCT. The fidelity which judicial officers therefore owe “to the Constitution and the Law” pursuant to Rule 3 of the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers encompasses compliance with the provisions relating to assets declarations as contained in the Constitution and the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act. Any infraction in that regard by a judicial officer, as the Court of Appeal rightly held, constitutes a misconduct by the judicial officer and becomes the subject matter for discipline by the NJC as a condition precedent to any possible prosecution of the judicial officer by any of the FGN’s prosecuting agencies.
“Why has FGN decided to embark on this anomalous course of charging the CJN before the CCT without first presenting whatever facts it purportedly has against His Lordship to the NJC for its deliberation and determination? The Petition that triggered the CCB action was on its face received by the Bureau on 09 January 2019 and the Charge was promptly drafted and is dated the following day, 10 January 2019 – giving the CCB a record 24 hours for completion of its investigation and the drafting of the said Charge and ancillary processes! If one contemplates the fact that the CCT arraignment is scheduled to take place on 14 January 2019, we have in total a record number of 3 (three) working days between the receipt and processing of the petition, investigation, preparation of Charge and ancillary processes and the arraignment! Such unprecedented speed and efficiency in Nigeria’s criminal justice administration! It is clear, given the rush with which this matter was conducted by the CCB, that the NJC was not privy to it and did not conduct its mandatorily required disciplinary processes prior to the filing of the Charge before the CCT.
CJ Walter Onnoghen
“We still wonder why the FGN choose to deviate from the laid down and explicit provisions of the law as expounded in Nganjiwa v FRN (supra). Could it be that it was misadvised? Or is this a naked show of power and force by agencies of the FGN? And why embark on the media trial of the CJN? This, unfortunately, is a predilection of the FGN’s prosecuting agencies with the possible exception of the Federal Ministry of Justice. As the NBA pointed out in its International Anti-Corruption Day Statement that was issued on 09 December 2018 “media trial of persons charged with corrupt practices . . . amount to corruption itself. Indeed, those orchestrated media trials degrade and corrupt the justice administration system quite apart from the incalculable (but obviously intended) damage that it does to persons who may ultimately be discharged and acquitted. In point of fact, it is corrupt practice to use as license or hide under the cover of the fight against corruption to recklessly destroy the names, characters and reputations of persons who have not been found guilty of corrupt practices by competent courts and who may ultimately be pronounced innocent of such charges.” These media trials must, alongside the on-going desecration and assault of the judiciary, cease forthwith.
“There are two final issues that we must touch upon in this Statement, albeit, briefly. First, could it possibly be a coincidence that the current assault on the judiciary is taking place only weeks to the 2019 National Election? Apart from the conduct itself being wrongful and deplorable, its timing is condemnable. FGN will find it difficult to convince any reasonable person that its assault against the CJN and by extension the judiciary is not aimed at emasculating that arm of the government and intimidating our Judges ahead of the 2019 National Elections. In our afore-referenced International Anti-Corruption Day Statement, the NBA had deplored “conducts that qualify as . . . political non-accountability, absence of transparency and impunity in public service.” The FGN’s conduct in this instance qualifies, amongst others, as “impunity in public service.”
Wike: Nigerians will resist attempt to truncate democracy
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike stated that Nigerians would resist any attempt by the APC Federal Government to deliberately truncate the nation’s democracy.
Speaking during the inter-denominational service to mark this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day at the Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral, Rumuapara Deanery, Port Harcourt yesterday, Wike said that the illegal actions of the Buhari administration are pointers to the fact that he may not willingly hand over after he suffers defeat in February.
Wike described the charges against the CJN as concocted.
He said: “Since 1960 when Nigeria gained independence, for the first time in 2011, a Niger Delta person became the President. The entire country ganged up against him . They gave excuses and denied us a second term. We did not fight. We did not shed blood. He said his ambition was not worth the blood of any Nigerian and they called him a weak man.
“Since 1960, no Niger Delta person has been the Chief Justice of Nigeria. When it came to his own time to be appointed the Chief Justice of Nigeria politics came in. They were not willing to appoint him. It was God that created the circumstances. The President was sick and was flown out. That was how Onoghen became the Chief Justice of Nigeria.
“Now, because they believe that the Niger Delta is not part of this country, they have come again with all kinds of stories. They think they are talking to small children. Fabricated stories and said he did not declare his assets in 2011. Step aside for who take over. We must know whether or not we belong to this country. Enough is enough. I have never seen people who are so desperate to cling to power.”
Ohanaeze kicks
Apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, kicked against the move against Justice Onnoghen.
A statement issued by the organization through the Media Assistant to the President General, Chief Emeka Attamah reads:”Ohaneze has received, with shock and disappointment, the decision of the Federal government of Nigeria, acting through the Code of Conduct Bureau to prosecute the Chief Justice Of Nigeria.
“Legal opinion abound that the action is premature and ill conceived following an extant Court Of Appeal decision which interprets the procedure for prosecuting judicial officers. This procedure has not been followed. The fact that the National Judicial Council has been ignored is not just illegal but suggests deliberate court shopping and a predetermined objective.
“Secondly, the fact that one of the issues being canvassed by the CCB before the CCT is for an order of the CCT for the Chief Justice of Nigeria to step aside from his exalted office pending the conclusion of the trial contrary to the procedure for his removal from office as provided by the Nigerian constitution exposes the aim of the prosecution.
“A perusal of some of the depositions in the charge sheet also shows a completely distorted conception of the regulations pertaining to the declaration of assets. Assets acquired after assumption of office are declared at the end of a public official’s tenure in order to present a comparison with assets declared on assumption of office.”
Hashim cautions Executive
The presidential candidate of the People’s Trust, Mr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, cautioned the executive arm of government to thread softly in the planned arraignment of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen, before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on allegations of false asset declaration.
Olawepo-Hashim, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Hassan Ibrahim in Abuja yesterday, said the development constituted a serious threat to constitutional democracy and rule of law.
He warned that the principle of separation of powers on which democractic order stands should not be destroyed due to power play or because of any other reason.
He said as one who was a leading partisan in the struggle for the restoration of democracy in Nigeria, “I owe inviolable the sacred principle of separation of power of which the independence of the judiciary is a fundamental element.”
He said “Nigeria’s judiciary is surely not perfect just like many other institutions of state that need urgent reform. But this must not be a licence for executive’s perfidious interference.
“There are mechanisms for correcting errors done by judicial officers in the Nigerian constitution. What we are seeing now is not the activation of such mechanism but what appears like a political persecution of the judiciary which is dangerous for democracy, national unity and cohesion.
“Though with her own shortcomings which can be internally cured within the judiciary’s self correcting mechanism, our judiciary remains highly revered with an enviable jurisprudence and history.
“It has provided help to other countries by posting judges to many African countries such as Botswana, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe and even at the international level.”
“That enviable record must not be recklessly blighted by the on-going attempt to humiliate judicial officers,” he said.
The PT’s candidate said this occasion was an opportunity for the the People’s Trust to elucidate on its policy perspective on the Judiciary, stressing that in his party’s manifesto,” there are far-reaching justice sector reform initiatives in our manifesto to reposition the judiciary as a self-correcting institution through the National Judicial Council, to reverse the humiliation and molestation of the judicial sector and stop the erosion of judicial authority and mandates due to executive interference and harassment.
“Under our Presidency, I will implement and pursue fundamental reforms of the justice administration sector to guarantee the independence of the judiciary from executive interference while strengthening the system to justly and efficiently discharge her constitutional mandate.”
“We intend to make the judiciary truly the last hope of the common person by stopping police brutality and removing hindrance in the justice administration system”, the presidential hopeful said.
Saraki to Fed Govt: due process should be followed
Senate President Bukola Saraki yesterday urged the Federal Government to ensure that its plan to put on trial the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Walter Onnoghen does not cause chaos in the judicial system.
Saraki also advised the Federal Government to ensure that due process is not compromised in the planned trial of the CJN.
The Senate President, in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity) Yusuph Olaniyonu, noted that he believes that if the government truly has genuine reason to put the incumbent Chief Justice of Nigeria on trial, it should ensure that every step in the process is transparent and the normal process as provided by the law is followed to the letter.
He said: “A situation where the petition which triggered the trial was submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) on Wednesday January 8 and by January 10 on Friday, the Chief Justice was presented with it for his reply only for the charges to be drafted that same day and filed in the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), all this taking place within three days and commencement of trial fixed for Monday, January 14, already indicate unnecessary haste and short-circuiting of the process of fair hearing.
“It is important for the government and members of the public to know that as somebody who has travelled this route before, we should refrain from any media trial and political players should avoid abusing the judicial process in order to achieve what they could not get through normal political contests. Everybody who is being tried should be presumed innocent until proven guilty. That is the underlining principle of our justice system.
“The proposed trial of the CJN has once again opened up the debate on the transparency and neutrality of the fight against corruption. The haste with which this trial is being pursued leaves a lot to be desired.
“From last Wednesday when the so-called petition against the CJN was initiated to the period the trial is scheduled to commence has been barely three working days whereas there are pending cases where the individuals involved have been indicted some months ago but no prosecution is being considered.”
“While noting that the anti-corruption fight has become a case of a separate rule for the people close to the executive branch and another set of rules for the rest of Nigerians, the Senate President stated that the fight has been compromised and politicized.
“All these subjective actions politicise the anti-graft fight. They weaken national institutions. They send wrong signals. The CJN is not above the law but his trial puts the entire judicial system on trial. It sends a signal to the entire world about our judiciary. It has implications for the confidence of local and foreign investors about the system of adjudication over disputes in our country. Thus, the matter should be handled with care, demonstrating intense transparency and strict adherence to due process.
“This trial, coming just about a month to the commencement of the presidential elections, the aftermath of which the CJN and the judiciary he is leading are set to play crucial adjudicatory role, has already raised suspicion about the real motive. There are already suggestions that this plan is set to disorganise the judicial arm after constant attempts by agents of State to undermine the federal legislature.
“Therefore, the entire country and the international community will be watching closely every step in this trial because it is definitely unusual, unprecedented and will set a record in the engagement among the three arms of government recognised in our presidential system.
“This trial definitely has implications for the principle of separation of powers and concept of checks and balances embedded in our presidential system of government,” Saraki said.
PDP sympathetic to corruption, says APC
The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of being sympathetic to corruption.
The statement by its spokesman Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu reads: “Following reports of the move to prosecute Justice Walter Onnoghen, Chief Justice of the Federation, over an alleged infraction on the Code of Conduct laws, the swift statement by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) condemning the purported move has again exposed the Party as one with a natural inclination to rise up in defence of cases of alleged corruption.
“Resort to baseless postulations anytime issues of corruption is leveled against public officers only confirm what Nigerians already know. PDP and corruption are siamese twins that are difficult to separate from each other. One would have thought that the PDP will call for impartial investigations when corruption cases are levelled against public officers, but spinning falsehoods and conspiracies remains the opposition party’s favourite past time.
“The fight against corruption remains a cardinal promise made by the APC to the electorate. We assure the PDP and indeed all Nigerians that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration remains uncompromising in its determination to rid the country of this malady.
“As noted on many occasions by President Buhari, it is only those who have committed crimes that need to worry. The APC administration will not hesitate to investigate and prosecute any public officer if and when such is indicted for corruption.
“Achieving acceptable elections in all democratic climes is a collective effort which require the contributions and support of all well-meaning Nigerians, political parties, institutions and sundry interests.
“Commendably, in successive elections conducted under the APC administration, the Party has played by the rules, which has led to credible elections. This cannot be said of the PDP era when state institutions were deployed to manipulate the electoral process.
“The PDP’s baseless conspiracy theory on APC’s participation in the 2019 general elections should hereby be disregarded. We remain solidly committed to ensure that the forthcoming election go on record as one of the freest, most credible and peaceful elections in the country.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka and others yesterday called for criminalisation of fake news.
They spoke in Abuja yesterday at the BBC Conference, on Nigeria 2019: Countering Fake News.
Osinbajo painted a picture of the destructive power of fake news, which he said has the capacity to cause personal harm and lead to violence. Besides, he said fake news can also cause damage to credibility and integrity of public information.
He added that the capacity of fake news to cause great harm is not in doubt as it has the ability to mislead without realising it.
Osinbajo, who narrated his personal experience in the hands of fake news peddlers, said a line must be drawn so as not to infringe on the rights of the people.
He said: “I have also been a victim. Fake news may also cause you marital peace. About three weeks ago I got a call from my wife in the office and she said, Yemi what are you doing with strippers. There is this story on a very famous blog that said, ‘Osinbajo caught with strippers.’ And there was also a photograph of me standing in between the perfectly clothed ladies and under the photograph, the same ladies now not wearing much. It turned out that I have taken photograph with the ladies at an entertainment event when they were perfectly clothed.
“The capacity of fake news to cause great arm is not in doubt at all. It has been the realisation that it may even mislead. I think it was Wilson Churchill that said a lie gets half way round the world before the truth has a chance to get his pants on. But why fake news is now news, is obviously because of the greater dimension of content of harm that it can do and then the scope.
“A lot of these are as a result of the advancement in technology, especially in the past few decades or so. But I think as for the damage done to the credibility and integrity of public information, the capacity of fake news to cause alarm, fear and even violence has been demonstrated again and again.”
He warned that greater damage would be done if nothing was done about it.
“One of the great worries for us should be what harm it has done to public information. I think that a time may come if nothing is done, when nothing will be believed or nothing will be believable because as technology improves in its capacity to manipulate and disseminate, after a while there will be perfect videos raising artificial intelligence and all of the other tools of digital technology,” he added.
He went on: “A perfect video of people speaking or somebody making a speech that he never made at events that never happened. It will become more and more difficult to differentiate between what is truth and what is not.
“I think if we discredit public information, it is a massive danger for society itself aside from the capacity of it to cause physical arm. Ones it destroys the believability of public information, then the means of communicating with each other have been soiled forever.”
While raising concern of human rights in an attempt to address fake news, Osinbajo said it would be impossible to regulate social media without infringing on fundamental rights.
He said: “Today there are three issues we have to look at. The first is to which extent can we hold local media owners to account. A lot of the disinformation obviously is from social media. It is easier to sue the traditional media because they are bound by local laws and it is much easier to hold them to account. But social media is under multi-jurisdictional regulation if there is any threat. But I think there is opportunity here for more jurisdictional collaboration. There should be some kind of agreement between countries that should help us regulate social media much more effectively.
“The second concern is how to deal with the consequence without infringing on the Freedom of Information and also the freedom of the press. Everybody is a press now, so freedom of the press means my freedom to own a blog, my freedom to determinate information, but the the question is how do we regulate now without infringing on these fundamental freedoms.
“Really it will be impossible to regulate social media without infringing on fundamental rights. There is no way we are going to leave that in the hands of government or in the hands of the legislature without refining some activity on the part of government of the legislature. How do you create that balance?”
Commending the organiser for coming up with the conference, Osinbajo said: “This conversation is overdue and I hope that we are able to provide some direction for the way we should handle this problem on fake news.”
Prof. Soynka and other panelists unanimously agreed that fake news be criminalised as a way of curbing the menace.
Other panelists include: BBC World Service Group Director Jamie Angus, Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE) President Funke Egbemode and Bella Naija founder Uchechukwu Pedro.
Soyinka said fake news has the capacity to cause the Third World War, adding that it might come from Nigeria. The Nobel laurel, therefore, asserted that fake news be treated as a crime.
He said: “People do not understand what is like to have things attributed to you which you know nothing about. Apart from the fact that I have been killed on social media several times, this last year I had telephone calls asking me ‘where are you?’ and I said ‘I am in hall’. And I said ‘I know why you are calling because you thought I was dead’. Emerging waking up one day and finding a statement attributed to you and in a kind of language which you never used. For example during former President Goodluck Jonathan, there were statements that I said that why did Jonathan marry an illiterate. I never made comments like that whatsoever. Those who share fake news are sick.
“And I made a statement that if people are not careful World War 3 may be quickly started by fake news and that fake news probably will be generated by a Nigerian. We have a system where fake news can multiply in a second. Many of the fake news carriers use it for business. I have someone whom we have tracked down in Poland, using a fake Facebook page of my name and my picture. And I give him a deadline to pull down the page. He lives in the Unites States of America but lives in Poland. He is a member of an organisation called some AIESEC which actually encourages young business men and women.
“The first thing is to accept the fact that fake news is real and people should stop rushing to the fake sites. Individuals who have no voice before have been empowered suddenly. Every individual is now a journalist, editor, promoter and most of all a publisher. There is competition to be the first to comment. So the ‘419’ individuals sleep in cafes doing all sorts of things. Fake news should be treated as a crime. When you pin down one of such criminals, it should be a case of INTERPOL because they move all over the place. They should be advertised as criminals and get the police to arrest them.
“I had complained about this to a former inspector general of police that this has to do with personal security, community security. I had expected him to reply but there was no response. Not even acknowledgment. This should be a collective responsibility. Above all we should treat it like a crime.”
The representative of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Festus Okoye, a National Commissioner, argued that fake news constituted a danger to the forthcoming general elections.
Okoye, who also pointed out that the country has an army of angry people with different agenda, urged the security operatives to be watchful so as to arrest any threat.
The INEC commissioner also challenged Nigerians on the need to be able to draw the line on what they want to believe.
The commission, Okoye said, will be undertaking regular briefing as the elections draw near as part of the measures to curb fake news.
Okoye said: “It is important that we should pay attention to fake news, it is an issue in the forthcoming 2019 general election.
“Fake news is misinformation; it has no basis in fact and no basis in reality. But it is generated for a particular purpose. The issues of fake news is of utmost importance in an election period where the stakes are high and where the gladiators wants to win and some of them want to win by all means. So, there are people who just sit down, mix fiction in other to generate a certain reaction. And when they generate such reaction, you can never tell how it will go. In a country like Nigeria, sometime people receive information saying forwarded as received without you looking at the dynamics of what they are forwarding. So for me if you forward as received that means you believe in what they are forwarding or you can attest to what you are forwarding. It is a very serious issue and we are also paying close attention to fake news.
“The truth of the matter is that during an election period people want to guild their thoughts. As the chairman of the information on voter education committee of INEC, we have had to battle with a situation where it was reported that we have established polling unites in Chad, Niger and other neighboring countries for purposes of having the Internally Displaced persons to vote.
“Nobody wanted to believe us when we said that there is nothing like that. One of the things that generate fake news is our inability to put out information in the public. When we put out information and you give it a different narrative then it is not our fault. I believe that if governments, agencies are proactive in putting out information on public space. In Nigeria you keep on hearing that there is no smoke without fire. That give people the opportunity to believe something even if they know that the chances of that news to be real in not possible. ”
Egbemode warned INEC to be ready for fake news, saying politicians would use fake news to gain advantage. He stressed that fake news is dangerous, posited that some people are paid to spread it.
She said: “Fake news is sophisticated. And some people wants to use that to set the country on fire. They want to see the effect. They know that there are some people who believe in sensation and they just take a full advantage of that. In the newsroom, we also know that fake news infringes on professionalism, it compromises integrity. Names that is built, brand that is build over decades.
“So we make sure that as an editors we cross check. If you cannot prove it then it cannot even be called a news item. That is what we do and that is what we have been doing. This is the season for more fake news. It is because of the advent and strength of the social media that we are having fake news and there are a lot of people who are paid to spread fake news. These people who post or Carry fake news are not journalists. The fake news issue did not originate from the newsroom. We know what we will lose if we peddle the smallest news item that is fake. We will lose ground, credibility. INEC should be ready for more fake news as the election approaches. There is news and there is gossip. When you want what is real you know where to go to. And when you want gossip and sensationalism you know where to go. When you want to listen to a sermon you do not go to a bar.”
Pedro noted that ” A lot of the fake news website mimic real news website, so they have they have similar template, it even contains lot of real information alongside the fake information. Fake news go viral than the real news. Many of these people that are posting fake news employs different methods by putting prominent figures to make it real. This is a political period we should be careful and vigilant. The traditional media is not creating fake news. Newspapers do not do that. The people who are posting fake news are not those who will benefit from it. When we have no official news people are going to take the unofficial one.”
IT Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has sealed the premises of DN Meyer Plc, Morrison Industries Plc and seven other companies in Lagos. The excercise is in line with its plan to reciver more tax revenue from tax-owing companies.
The enforcement exercise, which ran from Monday through Wednesday, also affected Grizi Nigeria Limited, African Paints Nigeria Limited, Congas Oil, J. Irorun Enterprises and Kesley Greene Nigeria Limited.
DN Meyer’s office, located at 34, Mobolaji Johnson Road, Oregun, was shut over a tax debt of N54.6 million. The FIRS enforcement team, led by Mrs. Ruth Mandeun, also sealed off the office of Congas Oil, located on the same street with DN Meyer, over tax liabilities of N24.2 million. The office of Morrison Industries Plc was shut over the company’s tax debt of N19, 813, 450.80. African Paints Nigeria Limited suffered a similar fate over its N11, 146, 453.57 liabilities.
At the premises of Grizi Nigeria Limited, located at Industrial Estate in Oregun, the team shut the administrative building of the company, which owes N11, 351, 640.30 in Company Income Tax. J. Irorun Enterprises Nigeria Limited, with a tax debt of N11.59million; Kelsey Greene Nigeria Limited, owing N4.325 million; Persus Ventures Nigeria Limited, with a debt of N40, 831, 878. 00; and Best Aluminum Limited, with liabilities totaling N21, 565, 728, were also shut.
THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday declared that it would not drop Hajiya Amina Zakari as Chairperson of the 2019 Elections Results Collation Committee. It said that contrary to fears in some quarters, Mrs. Zakari who is alleged to be a niece to the President will have nothing to do with the collation of the presidential poll results.
It said by law, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmud Yakubu is the Chief Electoral Commissioner and Returning Officer for the Presidential Election. Yakubu, according to the commission, cannot and will not delegate his responsibility as the Returning Officer to anyone no matter the circumstance. The position of INEC was made known by its Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mr. Oluwole OsazeUzzi in an interview with our correspondent.
“We cannot and we won’t drop Amina Zakari as the chairperson of the Collation Centre Management Committee. She is only in charge of a committee to prepare the facility for the collation of results,” Osaze-Uzzi said. “She was also very involved in negotiating with the ICC management in 2015 for the use of the facility so her duty is to ensure the facility is ready.
She has no role whatsoever with the process of collation of results. “The job of the chairperson and other members is to make sure that the centre is conducive with internet access for INEC officials, representatives of political parties, international and local observers. “The committee has nothing to do with the process of compiling results. They are just blowing the scope of the committee out of proportion. It’s a needless controversy; not an issue at all.” Responding to a question, Osaze-Uzzi said: “By law, the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu will superintend over the collation of results. He cannot assign the responsibility and he has not assigned the responsibility to anybody. “He is going to be in charge of collation of results. It is he who decides the validity of votes and any issues in the election as the Returning Officer.”
“INEC wants to reassure Nigerians that its chairman as the Chief Electoral Officers will be assisted by trusted Nigerians who he will appoint as collation officers in all the states.” Another source in INEC said: “Sections 27 and 28(2) of the Electoral Act spell out the collation and announcement of results and no single individual can hijack it. “In fact, those in charge of the elections are even expected to swear to an oath that they will be fair to all. “I think we should be careful in reading meanings and giving political colouration into every activity of INEC. Parties ought to be well-informed than other stakeholders.”
Sections 27 and 28 (2) are as follows: 27. (1) The results of all the elections shall be announced by a) the Presiding Officer at the Polling unit; b) the Ward Collation Officer at the Ward Collation Centre; c) the Local Government or Area Council Collation Officer at the Local Government! Area Council Collation Centre; d) the State Collation Officer at the State Collation Centre; and (2) The Returning Officer shall announce the result and declare the winner of the election at(a) Ward Collation Centre in the case of Councillorship election in the Federal Capital Territory; b)Area Council Collation Centre in the case of Chairmanship and Vice Chairmanship election the Federal Capital Territory; c) State Constituency Collation Centre in the case of State House Assembly election; (d) Federal Constituency Collation Centre in the case of election to the House of Representatives; (e) Senatorial District Collation Centre in the case of election to the Senate; f) State Collation Centre in the ease of election of a Governor of a State; (g) National Collation Centre in the case of election of the President; and (h) the Chief Electoral Commissioner who shall be the Returning Officer at the Presidential election. 28. (1) “All staff appointed by the Commission taking part in the conduct of an election shall affirm or swear before the High Court an Oath of Neutrality as in the Second Schedule to this Act. (2) “All Electoral officers, Presiding Officers, Returning Officers and all staff appointed by the Commission taking part in the conduct of an election shall affirm or swear to an Oath of Loyalty and Neutrality indicating that they would not accept bribe or gratification from any person, and shall perform their functions and duties impartially and in the interest of the Federal Republic of Nigeria without fear or favour.” Moments after INEC announced the inauguration of the Zakari-led committee and the Electoral Logistics headed by Air Vice Marshal Tijjani Mu’azu (retd.) on Thursday, the PDP had called a press conference in Abuja vehemently rejecting the role assigned to Mrs.Zakari. National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, said her appointment could not stand because “she is President Muhammadu Buhari’s blood relation.”
Ologbondiyan said such an appointment would assist Buhari, the APC and INEC to rig the presidential election. He also said it could fuel violence and harm Nigeria’s democracy. He asked the INEC chairman to rescind the appointment. Ologbondiyan had said: “Today, we have been informed that Yakubu, apparently in furtherance of the plots to rig the presidential election, has appointed Mrs Amina Zakari, a blood relation (niece) of the APC candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari, as the chairperson of INEC Advisory Committee and Presidential Election Collation Centre Committee. “The PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation vehemently and unequivocally rejects, in its entirety, the appointment of Mrs Amina Zakari, President Buhari’s blood relation, as the head of the collation of results, in the same election in which his uncle, President Buhari, as a candidate, has displayed a huge desperation to win. “The appointment of Zakari, who had been openly accused in various quarters as being the link person between INEC and the Buhari Presidency in their schemes to rig the election for President Buhari, constitutes a direct violence against the presidential election and the PDP will not, in any way, whatsoever, accept it.”,,
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has taken a major step in its preparation for the February 16 presidential election and others.
It inaugurated yesterday two ad-hoc committees for Electoral Logistics and Collation Centre.
Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Ahmed Mu’azu is the chairman of the Electoral Logistics Committee. Mrs. Amina Zakari is the chairperson of the Results Collation Committee. Her appointment drew criticism from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but INEC said there was no need for that because she is in charge of setting up the Situation Room and National Collation Centre for the election. This includes creating a conducive environment for observers, INEC staff and others all through the election.
Air Vice Marshal Mu’azu and Mrs. Zakari are National Commissioners in the commission. INEC’s directors of Stores and Secretary are to serve as secretaries to the committees.
INEC Chairman Prof Mahmood Yakubu described the inauguration as another step in the commission’s determination to ensure seamless preparations for the the forthcoming elections.
The Electoral Logistics Committee will be responsible for coordinating logistics, as well as the clearance and transportation of electoral materials to various locations nationwide.
Yakubu said: “The first committee is responsible for electoral logistics. The commission is aware that the conduct of a general election is the biggest and most complex logistics operation a nation can undertake.
“Sensitive and non-sensitive materials procured by the commission must be delivered to almost 200,000 locations nationwide, ranging from the polling units to the various wards, local government areas, states and the national collation centres for the 1,558 constituencies into which elections will be conducted.”
“At the end of the elections, sensitive materials will be retrieved from the same locations. The same process will be repeated for each of the two phases of the 2019 general elections.
“The two phases are: the Presidential and National Assembly elections holding on February 16 and the governorship, states’ Assembly and Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on March 2,’’ the INEC chairman said.
The Committee on National Collation Centre, which is entirely internal to the commission, will be responsible for the national collation centre from where results of the Presidential election will be announced.
“As was the case in 2015, the commission will use the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja.
“Already, the management of the ICC has approved the commission’s request to once again use the venue in 2019.
“It will serve as the secretariat for collation of results and venue for briefing of international observers and the media.
“It will also be accessible to agents of the 73 political parties fielding candidates in the presidential election.
“Facilities, such as power, access to the internet, live transmission for national and international media as well as accreditation for access to the ICC and security of the venue, shall be handled by the committee,” Yakubu said.
He assured Nigerians that “the commission is on course to deliver credible elections in 2019’’.
He also noted that the commission would meet with the national leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) in Abuja today by 4pm to discuss the ongoing strike by the union, only in relation to INEC’s preparations for the general elections.
Yakubu said: “We are concerned that the bulk of critical election duty staff are drawn from the universities. We are determined to ensure that the processes are not affected by the union’s industrial action.
“ASUU is a critical partner to the commission in delivering credible elections. We look forward to the meeting and we are confident of a positive outcome.”
The INEC chair said that the commission had contacted the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) as the commission was already in partnership with one of its affiliate unions, the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW).
“The Commission plans to meet with the NLC next week,’’ Yakubu said.
Members of the Logistics Committee are: National Commissioners Abubakar Lamuche and Malam Muhammed Haruna, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Nigeria Immigration Service, Federal Road Safety Corps and Nigeria Police Force.
Others are: Department of State Services (DSS); the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC); the Nigerian Army, Navy and Air Force; INEC Director in charge of Electoral Operations & Logistics Department, INEC Director of Estate Works & Transport and INECý Director of Procurement.
On the committee on Collation Centre are: National Commissioners Prof. Antonia Okoosi-Simbine and Festus Okoye; Chief Technical Adviser to INEC chair Prof Boade Eyinla; Chief Press Secretary to Chairman Rotimi Oyekanmi; Director, International Cooperation and Protocol; Director, Information Technology (ICT); Director, Election, Party Monitoring (EPM); Director, Security Department; Director, Planning and Monitoring; Director, Health Services Department and Director, Commission Secretariat who will also double as Secretary of the committee.
AVM Mu’azu pledged that the members would deliver their responsibilities with all sense of diligence.
He said: “The committee will do whatever needs to be done to guarantee a seamless delivery of men and materials to the right place at the right time and in the right quantity and, of course, guarantee retrieval of same after the two elections.
“I want to also assure you that we appreciate and very clear in our minds the gravity of what is on our hands. Therefore, we shall hit the ground running.”
