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  • NNPP, APC trade blames over electoral violence, suspension in Kano

    NNPP, APC trade blames over electoral violence, suspension in Kano

    The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano on Saturday traded blames over the disruptions and irregularities that marred the House of Assembly rerun polls.

    The disruptions and irregularities, including the hijacking of electoral materials resulting in violence led to the suspension of the election in Kunchi/Tsanyawa constituency of the State by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    While the NNPP accused the APC of “brutally attacking” its members at some polling units in the affected constituency, the latter said the NNPP allegedly snatched election materials from INEC officials and ran with them.

    Kano Chairman of the NNPP, Hashim Suleiman Dungurawa, in a statement accused APC of perpetrating the violence.

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    “We noticed with dismay, the sporadic attacks on the unsuspecting voters with the aim to disenfranchise them from exercising their civic rights.

    “Since last night, we sighted the deployment of thousands of thugs hired by the APC to distract the election process,” Dr. Dungurawa said.

    The APC secretary Zakari Sarina, in a swift reaction, said no rerun election held in Kano.

    Sarina described the NNPP’s comment as “baseless,” asking the NNPP chairman to bury his head in shame for his “misleading statement.”

    He alleged that NNPP’s hired hoodlums were deployed across the polling units preventing voters legitimate right to vote.

    He said: ”NNPP took over all the entire polling units in Kunchi/Tsanyawa and turned themselves into agents of APC, PDP and even denied INEC the statutory duty because they hijacked the materials and wrote results. Thank God the election has been canceled.”

  • Three days after suspension, Amosun meets Buhari

    TWO days after his suspension was announced by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun was at the State House in Abuja yesterday.

    He was at the Presidential Villa for private talks with President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Amosun, who won the Ogun Central Senatorial District seat for the ruling APC on February 23, was on Friday suspended by the APC for alleged anti-party activities.

    He was suspended alongside his Imo State counterpart Rochas Okorocha, who also won the Imo West Senate slot for the ruling party.

    Amosun was accused of backing the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) governorship candidate, Adekunle Akinlade. Okorocha is supporting Action Alliance (AA) governorship candidate Uche Nwosu.

    But yesterday’s meeting between the President and Amosun was behind closed door. It was, however, learnt that it may not be unconnected with the latest development, especially the governor’s suspension.

    Apart from campaigning for the re-election of President Buhari, Amosun has been expressing his preference for the APM candidate against his party’s flagbearer in the governorship race, Prince Dapo Abiodun.

    Akinlade, before moving to the APM, was governorship aspirant on the APC platform. He lost the ticket to Abiodun.

    Announcing the suspension, APC National Publicity Secretary, Lanre Issa-Onilu, alleged that the suspended governors constituted themselves as opposition to APC candidates.

    The party’s spokesman said the affected chieftains had earlier been warned to withdraw their support for rival parties’ candidates in the rescheduled March 9 governorship election.

  • CNPP backs Buhari on suspension

    The local chapter of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) in Ekiti State yesterday commended President Muhammadu Buhari over the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen and immediate appointment of Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed in acting capacity.

    The CNPP said the bravery displayed by President Buhari indicated that he had the capacity to end corruption in the country, by making big men to be held accountable for their actions in their respective offices.

    The political group, however,  advised  Justice Onnoghen not to pander to the dictate of the “distraught opposition elements who wanted to  push him by their caustic comments to confront the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the action taken by President Buhari.

    “But rather, Justice Onnoghen should go ahead to clear himself of some of the allegations levelled against him by the Code of Conduct Tribunal to protect his name and the Judiciary.”

    In a statement in Ado Ekiti by its State Chairman, Deacon Olu Akomolafe, the CNPP said: “Onnoghen as a chief law officer was supposed to have stepped aside or resigned to allow free, fair and unbiased trial since the beginning of the imbroglio that led to his suspension as the CJN in order to uphold the sanctity of the judiciary.”

    The coalition added further that the latest move by the President has again confirmed that, the fight against corruption has gone beyond mere sloganeering.

    It said: “There is no doubt that, the development will further strengthen the judiciary in the country and make the common man to have more confidence and trust in it as their last hope.”

  • PDP: suspension must not stand

    THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected what it described as attempts by President Muhammadu Buhari to foist an illegal Chief Justice on the nation while the substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen is still in office.

    President Buhari had yesterday sworn in Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed as Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, following the suspension of Justice Onnoghen, on the advice of the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

    In a statement by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, the main opposition party said such impunity cannot stand. Insisting that Nigeria is a nation governed by law and not by the whims and caprices of a dictatorial leader, the PDP accused President Buhari of wanting to ruin the country, vowing, however, that the PDP would not allow him.

    The party called on Nigerians to reject what it termed the incendiary move by President Buhari to forcefully suspend the constitution, annex the judicial arm of government and open the nation up for full-blown totalitarianism to achieve his self-succession bid, having realised that he cannot win in the 2019 general election.

    The statement said, “President Buhari’s action in attempting to unilaterally appoint a Chief Justice and foist him on our country is a direct invitation to anarchy, national confusion and a monumental crisis capable of derailing our democracy and destroying our corporate existence as a nation.

    Read also: Oyo APC vows to give Buhari highest votes in South West

    “It is now clear to the world that President Buhari, in his selfish self-succession bid, is out to cause mayhem in our nation and truncate the smooth conduct of the 2019 election, not minding the consequential human and material losses.

    “There can be no two Chief Justices of Nigeria. Our constitution is clear on how a Chief Justice is appointed and removed as such does not lie on the prerogative of the President.

    “The world already knows how the Buhari administration has been trying to compromise the electoral process, including the refusal to sign the amendment to the Electoral Act, as well as the foisting of Mr. President’s relation by marriage, Mrs. Amina Zakari to coordinate the collation of Presidential election results.

    “The PDP wants President Buhari to know that this nation belongs to all Nigerians. Our nation is a democratic state governed by the constitution and the law and Nigerians will never allow anybody to appropriate rulership to himself outside the dictates of the law.

  • Suspension: 7 Zamfara House of Assembly members threaten court action

    Seven members of the Zamfara State House of Assembly have threatened to sue the Speaker of the house along with other members for allegedly breaching the nation’s Constitution.

    The aggrieved members are questioning the constitutionality of the sudden suspension of four members by the Speaker, Alhaji Sanusi Rikiji, and the remaining 16 of the 24 members of the assembly without following due process and constitutional provisions.

    The aggrieved members are: Salisu Musa, representing Tsafe East, Alhaji Daiyabu Rijiya, representing Gusau 2 as well as the House Chief Whip and his deputy, Alhaji Abdullahi Dansadau and Malam Mani Malam Mummuni, respectively.

    They are being supported by the other three: Alhaji Mansur Bungudu, Alhaji Hamisu Gazuri and Abubakar Nasarawa.

    Speaking on behalf of the group, Alhaji Salisu Musa said, “we are challenging this suspension which we believe was hurriedly carried out without giving us a fair hearing.

    “The house acted on false allegations that we disclosed to an online media that members of the house and some officials of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs collected N200 million from local government chairmen in order to extend the chairmen’s tenure in office which expired on Jan. 2.

    “Other allegations were that we were sponsored to cause chaos in the assembly and that we have been given N30 million by a member of the G8, all of which were baseless and which can only be determined by setting up an investigation committee.

    “The violation of this and the subsequent approval of the remaining members to extend the tenure of the local government councils are directly an abuse on the nation’s constitution and the state’s local government law 2012 as amended,” Musa said.

    Reacting to the allegations, the House Leader, Alhaji Isa Abdulmumini, told journalists that those suspended violated the house rules which led to their suspension.

    “Every member is aware of the house rules and the penalty against violations, so if the affected members feel they were not treated fairly and are threatening to go to court, they are free to, and we will be ready to face them in court.

  • Senate seeks suspension of new tariff on alcohol, others

    Senators yesterday urged the Federal Government to put on hold the implementation of the excise tariff increment on alcoholic beverages and tobacco products.

    The upper chamber said the suspension should be in force until all stakeholders  have been consulted.

    It said the discussion with stakeholders should pave the way for consensus on the implementation .

    The resolutions followed the adoption of the report of the Senate Committee on Finance which considered “The urgent need to review the excise tariff increment in order to save local distillers of beverages from looming extinction.”

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Senator John Owan Enoh, presented the 16 page report at plenary yesterday.

    The increase in the excise tariff rates on alcoholic beverages and tobacco products was approved by President Muhammadu Buhari after the adoption of the recommendation of the Tariff Technical Committee of the Federal Government.

    Read also: Violence rocks Akwa Ibom Assembly

    The main reason for the increase in the excise rate is said to be government’s drive to increase revenue generation and the belief that taxation has proved to be a veritable tool in controlling the consumption of alcoholic beverages as they have negative health effect on consumers.

     

    The resolutions followed the adoption of the report of the Senate Committee on Finance which considered “The urgent need to review the excise tariff increment in order to save local distillers of beverages from looming extinction.”

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Senator John Owan Enoh, presented the 16 page report at plenary yesterday.

    The increase in the excise tariff rates on alcoholic beverages and tobacco products was approved by President Muhammadu Buhari after the adoption of the recommendation of the Tariff Technical Committee of the Federal Government.

    The main reason for the increase in the excise rate is said to be government’s drive to increase revenue generation and the belief that taxation has proved to be a veritable tool in controlling the consumption of alcoholic beverages as they have negative health effect on consumers.

    The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) believes the increase will give more competitive advantage to foreign products because they will not be affected by the increment.

    MAN which described the increment as “outrageous as it stands at 500 per cent” warned that “if the new rate is fully implemented after the three years incremental period, it is believed that a number of the local manufacturers will have no other option than to suspend operation.”

    It suggested that 35 per cent increment at maximum should be implemented by the government as it will guarantee the survival of the industry rather than 500 per cent increment which will put the entire industry in a very difficult situation.

    But the Senate said an increment of not more than 50 per cent at maximum should be adopted, “as it becomes necessary for the Federal Government to increase the tariff in order to boost revenue as the rate will provide more leniency to the affected manufacturers and give more hope for the survival of local firms.

    The upper chamber also resolved that there is need to increase the import duties of foreign alcoholic beverages and tobacco products in order to give local firms more competitive edge.

    It urged the government to sensitise and carry along the producers and consumers of alcohol and tobacco products to understand the need for the increase and its advantage in adding to the economic fortune of the country.

    The Senate agreed that if the new excise tariff is allowed to be implemented by the government, it will stand at about 500 per cent after the three years incremental period.

    It also said if the tariff is fully implemented without review, it is capable of compelling affected companies that cannot stand with the new rate to either shut down or relocate their full operation to neighbouring countries with favourable and flexible taxation policies for the sector.

     

  • Minister clears air on suspension of national carrier

    •N90m incurred for entire project •’No $600,000 payment to foreign airline’

    THE Federal Government has made clarifications over the suspension of the national carrier project.

    It said only N90 million was incurred for the national carrier project, adding that it was yet to make full payment to those who did the job.

    Contrary to claims that the project was suspended because of investors’ apathy, Minister of State for Aviation Senator Hadi Sirika said so many people indicated interest in the project.

    He denied claims that the Federal Government paid a foreign company $600,000 for the design of the Nigeria Air logo.

    The minister spoke in Abuja yesterday at the 5th edition of Aviation Stakeholders Forum.

    He said the idea that Arik and Aero be merged to establish national carrier was not tenable.

    On the amount incurred so far over the project, he said: “The transaction advisers for National Carrier coordinated the campaign and provided the additional services that included the development of the brand strategy and the media activities relating to the unveiling of the airline.

    “Due process was followed in the branding, which included obtaining ‘No Objection Certificate’ from the Bureau of Public Procurement for the sum of N50,893,000. Payment for these services is yet to be made.

    “Farnborough Airshow is a bi-annual Global Aviation event, which provided a perfect opportunity to unveil the National Carrier. It created visibility and connected manufacturers, investors and financiers. It also gave opportunity to showcase all the projects in the aviation roadmap.

    “As often the practice in such events, the services of a consultant were retained to arrange for the participation of the Nigerian delegation. Hiring of exhibition booth, meeting venues, obtaining relevant passes for delegates, facilitating meetings with prospective investors, logistics, souvenirs, branding materials, meals etc.

    “Due process was followed in retaining the services of the company and ‘Certificate of No Objection’ Ref. No. BPP / RPT/ 18/ VOL 1/095 in the sum of N40,219,769.20 was obtained.  Payment to the consultant is yet to be made.”

    He added: “Apart from commitment in respect of transaction advisory services, branding and participation at Farnborough air show, no other expenditure has been incurred on the Nigeria Air project.

    “So, my dear brothers and sisters, it is not $8.8 million I paid. I swear by Allah who created me, I also swear by Allah who created me that it is this amount I have shown you that we paid for all of the activity.

    “No foreign company was paid $600,000 for the design of logo. If they have proof that I paid such amount of money, they should show it because it is public purse. If I did anything wrong, I would be sent to jail.

    “Judges were prosecuted in this government and ministers. So, ministers like me can also be prosecuted, if I do wrong.

    “As far as I am concerned, you will not find me with financial misappropriation.  I am too young and too ambitious to smear my name. Honestly, such money was not spent and I don’t know where people got the figure of N1.2 billion from.

    “All that was spent and I stated in my presentation is N40 million and N50 million and all of it has not been paid to people, who did the job and it is transparent. We also said the purpose for which they are and the payment vouchers are there.”

    On the investors and partners, who have so far indicated interest in the project, he said: “We do have partners. Those who have indicated interest in the project are: Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), African Development Bank Group (AfDB), African Export–Import Bank (AFREXIM),  Export–Import Bank of the United States (US-EXIM), Standard Chartered Bank, Boeing, Airbus, Deutche infrastructure finance,  Qatar Airways, Ethiopian Airlines, French and United States (U.S.) Governments, Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC)/ China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation Ltd (CCECC), West African Development Bank  (BOAD),  Export–Import Bank of China (China-Exim) and others.”

    Sirika also said government intends to allow Nigerians to also grow their business.

    On the amount required to kick start the project and sustain it, he said: “Estimated funding requirement for the establishment of the project is $300million up to 2020. Initial start–up capital of $55million made up of $25 million for deposit for new aircraft and $30 million for working capital from June to December 2018.

    “Estimated working capital for year 2019 is $100 million, estimated working capital for year 2020 of $145 million is to be provided by the strategic equity partners who are expected to manage the project.”

    He explained that the name of the national carrier ‘’Nigeria Air‘‘ was obtained by engaging the general public through social media campaign where over 400,000 persons were engaged within one week of campaign on Facebook.

    On the importance of the national carrier, the minister said no domestic airline has evolved to fill the vacuum left by Nigeria Airways

    He stated that only 28 out of Nigeria’s Bi-lateral Air Service Agreements (BASAs) with 83 countries are active on national carrier.

    On the merging of Arik and Aero, he said:  “The suggestion that Aero and Arik Airlines under AMCON be merged to form a National Carrier is not tenable as national carrier would get entangled with huge indebtedness of the airlines, litigations and other encumbrances.”

    To avoid accidents and boost safety and security around the airport, the minister added that aviation security would start bearing arms in three months’ time.

     

     

  • Yusuf didn’t sue Presidency over ‘suspension’, says SAN

    Mr Uche Val Obi (SAN), counsel for National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) Executive Secretary Prof Usman Yusuf, has clarified that his client did not sue President Muhammadu Buhari or Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha over his “suspension”.

    He said his client had accepted the directive to proceed on leave of absence from yesterday and remains loyal to the President.

    According to him, Yusuf only went to court to seek interpretation of the NHIS Governing Council’s powers to suspend him two days before he got the letter asking him to proceed on leave of absence.

    Obi said his client would suspend the legal proceedings and not to interfere with the Independent Fact-Finding Panel set up by the Presidency.

    Obi said the news that Yusuf took the Presidency to court over his purported suspension by the NHIS Governing Board was fake.

    The SAN clarified that his client approached the Federal High Court through an originating summons filed on October 29, with NHIS, Minister of Health, and the Attorney-General as defendants.

    According to him, Yusuf sought judicial interpretation and determination of questions on the propriety or otherwise of the Governing Council’s action in suspending him without Presidential approval or following due process of law.

    Obi said Yusuf also sought consequential order setting aside his suspension by the Council, including its appointment of a General Manager to act in his place during the period of the purported indefinite suspension.

    Obi said the suit was served on the defendants on October 30.

    The SAN said Yusuf received the letter from the office of the SGF on October 31 at 4.30pm from the Minister of Health directing him to proceed on administrative leave on the President’s approval.

    “Having received the Presidential directives as conveyed in the SGF’s letter aforesaid, our client hereby confirms that he welcomes the Presidential intervention and remains obligated to fully and strictly comply with the directives.

    “He will accordingly be proceeding on administrative leave with effect from Monday, 5th November 2018 so as to give room to the Independent Fact-Finding Panel set up by the Federal Government to carry out its important task of investigating the allegations of infractions levelled against him by the Governing Council of the Scheme.

    “Similarly, our client wishes to pledge his continued loyalty to Mr. President and to fully cooperate with the incoming Overseeing Director, Mr. Ben Omogo, with whom him he has already met, and the Independent Fact-Finding Panel set up by the Presidency to deal with the matter.

    “In view of this development, to ensure that there is no interference with the work and finding of the Panel and as instructed by our client, we shall be taking prompt steps to suspend the pending legal proceedings aforesaid,” Obi said in a statement yesterday.

  • NSE lifts suspension on Thomas Wyatt, Union Dicon Salt

    The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has lifted suspension on trading in the shares of Thomas Wyatt Nigeria Plc and Union Dicon Salt Plc, after the two companies submitted their relevant financial statements.

    The NSE had earlier this month suspended trading on shares of six companies for failing to adhere to best corporate governance and extant post-listing requirements that require quoted companies to submit their periodic financial statements and reports within stipulated timelines.

    The suspended companies included DN Tyre & Rubber Plc, FTN Cocoa Processors Plc, International Energy Insurance Plc, Thomas Wyatt Nigeria Plc, Union Dicon Salt Plc and Unic Diversified Holdings Plc.

    The Exchange stated that Thomas Wyatt Nigeria and Union Dicon Salt have submitted their audited financial statement for the year ended March 31, 2018, and unaudited financial statement for the period ended March 31, 2018 respectively to the Exchange.

    Post-listing rules at the NSE require quoted companies to submit their audited earnings reports, not later than 90 calendar days, or three months, after the expiration of the period. The rules also require quoted companies to submit interim report not later than 30 calendar days after the end of the relevant period.

    Not less than 83 per cent of quoted companies use the 12-month Gregorian calendar year as their business year. The business year thus terminates on December 31. While March 31 is usually the deadline for submission of annual report for companies with Gregorian calendar business year, the deadline for the quarterly report is a month after the quarter.

     

  • NPA lifts suspension on shipping firms

    The management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) yesterday, lifted  the suspension order it placed last week, on four Shipping lines, which included the foreign giant, the Mearsk Line and the Cosco.

    Its Assistant General Manager Corporate & Strategic Communications, Mr Issah Suwaid, said  the new directive was sequel to a review of the suspension order, in a bid to enable the affected firms acquire additional holding bays and end the gridlock on Apapa and Tin—Can Island ports roads.

    “The management ordered the restoration of services to the four shipping companies whose operations were suspended for their failure to comply with the directive of acquiring and operating holding bays for their containers.

    “However the affected shipping companies have now been given two weeks, beginning from Friday July 20th 2018 to comply with four conditions to ensure sustainable relationship.

    “Among the conditions are that the affected companies must increase the capacity of their Holding Bays ranging from 1,800 TEUs to 7,500 TEUS; that the affected companies will sign-off on the volume capacity of the Holding Bays verified at the end of the grace period and that at the expiration of the two weeks an inspection will be conducted to ascertain compliance and that the Authority warned, thereafter further sanctions will be applied on failure to meet the said conditions.

    “It would be recalled that a fortnight ago, shipping services of Maersk Line, Cosco Shipping, APS and Lansal were suspended by the NPA for their inability to upgrade their Holding Bays capacities,” he said.

    The suspension, Suwaid said, was for 10 days in the first instance. The two weeks period of grace granted to the four affected shipping companies, the image maker said, was sequel to a meeting the agency held with officials of the companies over the weekend.

    “The decision by the NPA to grant the period of grace was after due consideration of their presentations at the meeting and a subsequent joint inspection on their existing facilities.

    “A formal letter dated 20th July, 2018 informing the accepted companies of the review of the suspension order signed by the General Manager, Marine & Operations, Mr. Joshua Asanga on behalf of the Managing Director, Hadiza Bala Usman, has since been despatched,” Suwaid he said.