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Tag: Three years

  • I earned N60.2m in three years, Atiku tells INEC

    PDP candidate paid N10.3m tax

    Buhari’s papers ‘with military’

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has declared a personal income of N60.2 million in three years, according to the credentials he filed with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)

    He also indicated in his tax returns attached to his presidential nomination form that he paid N10.8 million tax between 2015 and 2017.

    Atiku is reputed to be a billionaire, one of Nigeria’s richest. He has been campaigning  with his ability to create millions of jobs as, according to him, he does now with his numerous companies.

    His N60.2 million income in three years is likely to suprise many.

    The PDP candidate’s credentials indicate his highest educational qualification as a Diploma in Law of 1969 from the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU).

    President Muhammadu Buhari, in an affidavit to support his form, said his credentials are still with the military.

    In the sworn affidavit, the President, who is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said: “I am the above-named person and the deponent of this affidavit herein. All my academic qualification documents as filled in my Presidential form, APC/001/2015 are currently with the Secretary of the Military Board as of the time of this affidavit.”

    Seventy-four other people, apart from Buhari and Atiku, have filed nomination forms with the INEC to run for President on February 16 – 112 days away.

    Yesterday,  INEC, in line with Section 31 (3) of the Electoral Act 2010, as amended published the names and particulars of the candidates.

    The candidates for senatorial and House of Representatives seats have also been published in the states.

    The final days for submission of names of presidential candidates and Senate/House of Reps  was last Thusday.

    The Electoral Act Section 31 (3) states: “The commission shall, within seven days of the receipt of the personal particulars of the candidates, publish same in the constituency where the candidate intends to contest the election.”

    Some of the other presidential candidates are Obadiah Mailafia of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Donald Duke of the Social Democratic Party (SDP)  and Olusegun Mimiko of Zenith Labour Party(ZLP).

    The list of senatorial candidates from the states as published include:

    Anambra

    Senators Victor Umeh, Stella Oduah and Uche Ekwenife are listed to contest senatorial seats.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that INEC displayed the list of candidates for the 2019 general election and their particulars at the INEC state headquarters in Awka.

    Head, Voter Education and Publicity, Mr Leo Nkedife  said:

    “Today we formally publish the list of candidates as submitted by the political parties in line with Section 31(3) of the Electoral Act as amended.

    “It stipulates that INEC must publish the particulars of the candidates submitted to INEC within seven days.

    “In compliance to that, we hereby publish the list of candidates submitted to INEC.

    In Anambra Central Senatorial District, the published candidates are Mr Charles Odunukwe of Peoples Democratic (PDP), Umeh of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Ekwunife of All Progressives Congress (APC).

    In South Senatorial District, Sen. Andy Uba of the APC, Mr Chukwunedum Ubah of the PDP and Chief Nicholas Ukachukwu of APGA made the list.

    For North Senatorial District, Sen. Margery Okadigbo of the APC, Oduah of the PDP and Chief Chinedu Emeka of APGA made the provisional list.

    Nkedife said the list of governorship and House of Assembly candidates will be published on November 2.

    Bayelsa

    The INEC yesterday released the list of qualified candidates in Yenagoa..

    In Bayelsa West, immediate past Commissioner of Works and Infrastructure  Lawrence Ewhrujakpo is the PDP’s candidate.

    He will contest against Capt. Mathew Karimo of the APC.

    In Bayelsa East,  Edwin Blessing Ipigansi (PDP) and Bishop Degi Eraumieyo (APC) will square it up. In  Bayelsa Central, Douye Diri (PDP) and Festus Daumeri (APC) will slug it out.

    For the Sagbama-Ekeremor Federal Constituency, Famous Daumeigha (APC) and Fredrick Agnes (PDP); Yenagoa-Opokuma, Osomkeme Blankson, APC and Steve Azaiki PDP; Southern Ijaw, Preye Oseke, APC.

    Others are Ogbia Federal Constituency, Samuel Ogbuku (APC), Fred Obua (PDP); Brass, Isreal Sunny-Goli,  APC and Marie Ebikake,  PDP.

     Lagos

    .A check by a NAN correspondent at INEC office in Lagos revealed that 50 candidates are contesting for the three Lagos senatorial seats from 25 political parties.

    There are 249 candidates across 30 political parties contesting the state’s 24 seats in the House of Representatives.

    A breakdown of the list showed that the Lagos West Senatorial District has the highest contenders of 22 candidates. Lagos East and Lagos Central had 15 and 13 contestants.

    Political parties fielding candidates in Lagos West are: Accord, AA, ADP, AAC, ADC, APC, AD, ANP, APM, CAP, DPP, GPN, MPN, NCP, ND, PDP, PPN, PRP, PT, PPC, UDP and YPP.

    Political parties fielding candidates in Lagos East are: Accord, ACD, AAC, ADC, APC, AD, CAP, DPP, ID, MPN, PDP, PPN, PT and PPC.

    In Lagos Central, the following parties have candidates: Accord, ACD, ADC, APC, ANP, FJP, ID, LM, MPN, PDP and PT.

    For the House of Representatives seats, of the 30 political parties participating, only PDP, APC and ADC are fielding candidates in all the 24 federal constituencies. Others did not.

    Ogun

    The names of outgoing  Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun(Ogun Central) is on the list of senatorial candidates of the APC.

    The other APC candidates are Chief of Staff to the Governor Tolu Odebiyi (Ogun West) and Senator Lekan Mustapha(Ogun East).

    For the House of Representatives son of former Governor Olusegun Osoba, Hon. Olumide Osoba, is listed for Obafemi – Owode and Odeda Federal Constituency seat.

    The others are  Jimoh Ojugbele (Ado/Odo/Ota), Sulaiman Ismail(Ijebu North, Ijebu East and Ogun Waterside constituency), Ibrahim Isiaka (Ifo/ Ewekoro Federal Constituency),  Edun Oladapo, (Abeokuta South Federal Constituency), Biyi Otegbeye (Egbado South and Ipokia), Kayode Oladele(Egbado North, Imeko Afon) Osunsanya Korede(Ijebu North, Ijebu -Ode, Odogbolu) and Adewunmi Onanuga (Ikenne, Remo North, Sagamu).

    Senatorial candidates of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) are: former Speaker Titi Oseni – Gomez (Ogun Central), Mr. Adedeji Ashiru (Ogun East) and Mr. Babatunde Ogunola (Ogun West).

    FCT

    Also pasted at the INEC national secretariat is the particulars of 22 candidates for one FCT Senatorial District seat and 24candidates jostling for two FCT House of Representatives seats.

    Those contesting for the Senate are Sen. Zaphaniah Jisalo (APC); Sen. Philip Aduda, (PDP); Esther Audu,  (ADC) and Eric lbe, (SDP).

    For the House of Representatives (AMAC Bwari) are Lamorde Hallilu (APC) Micah Jiba (PDP); and Ene Idoko-Abel (ADC).

    Benue

    In Benue State, former Governor Gabriel Suswam PDP) will battle Senator Barnabas Gemade (SDP), Joseph Akaagerger (APGA) and Former Benue State Internal Revenue Service Chair Mrs Mimi Orubi (APC) will contest for the Zone A Benue North East senatorial seat.

    For Zone B Benue North West Senatorial district the top candidates are Senator George Akume (APC) and Chairman House Committee on Businesses (PDP)

    In Zone C which Senator David Mark is vacating, former Minister Abba Morro (PDP) is running against former permanent Secretary of Defence,Okibe Onoja Mike (SDP) are running.

     

  • Trader gets three years for peddling Indian hemp

    A Federal High Court in Lagos has sentenced a 65-year-old trader, Ogbonnaya Onyenekwe, to three years’ imprisonment for trafficking six kilogrammes of  Indian hemp.

    The convict was arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) before Justice Saliu Saidu on a charge of dealing in restricted narcotics.

    The prosecutor, Mr. Jeremiah Aernan, tendered a written statement by the convict, the bulk of drug exhibit, a request for scientific aid form, a drug analysis form and remnants of the restricted substance.

    The court admitted the evidence as exhibits.

    Justice Saidu found the accused guilty and convicted him.

    He said: “The convict is hereby sentenced to a term of three years’ imprisonment, which will start from the date of sentence.”

    The court ordered that the drug substances be returned to the NDLEA for destruction.

    The prosecution told the court that the convict committed the offence on February 13, 2016.

    He said the convict was arrested at Apollo Street, Makoko, Lagos State, with the restricted narcotics, weighing about six kilogrammes.

    Aernan said the offence contravened Section 11 (c) of the NDLEA Act, Cap. N30, Laws of the Federation, 2004.

     

  • Nigeria to host AFRIMA for another three years

    Nigeria to host AFRIMA for another three years

    The African Union (AU) has awarded the hosting right for the Pan African Music Initiative, All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA), to Nigeria for another three years (2017-2019), following its successful hosting of the 2014-2016 editions.

    In a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday, the minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the award of the hosting right was conveyed in a letter written to him by the Commissioner of Social Affairs at the African Union Commission, Mrs Amira Elfadil.

    In the letter, the AU Commissioner commended the growth and inclusiveness of AFRIMA by reaching out to ‘many musicians, music producers and creative arts practitioners in general’.

    Between 2014 and 2016, during which Nigeria hosted three editions of AFRIMA, Mrs. Elfadil stated: “The All Africa Music Awards initiative has become a very crucial event and movement of African musicians which allows them to establish synergies and work towards the development of Africa’s music and promotion of music in the continent and in the international arena.”

    Reacting to the award of the 2017-2019 hosting right to Nigeria, the minister said the government’s desire to retain the right was informed by the enthusiasm and sense of duty with which Nigerians embraced AFRIMA from 2014 to 2016.

    “The African Union’s gracious concession to our request is beneficial for the creative sector in Nigeria and across Africa,” he said.

    “The Federal Government of Nigeria is calling on state governments and corporate Nigeria to partner with it and the African Union in ensuring a successful hosting of AFRIMA 2017, which will bring immense socio-economic benefits to the selected host city.”

    The 2017 edition of AFRIMA is scheduled to hold 10-12 November 2017 and includes activities such as the Africa Music Business Round Table (November 10), which brings together big music brands, music producers and intellectual property experts to discuss the needed networks and infrastructure for an expanding economically-vibrant music industry in Africa.

    Other events are the AFRIMA Music Village (November 10), an evening of a non-stop open music festival of live performances from the African stars and nominees, with an expected audience of 40,000 people, and the Main Awards Ceremony (November 12), a star-studded and world-class event with live performances and television broadcast to 84 countries on 109 television stations around the world.

  • Investors lose N4tr in three years

    Investors lose N4tr in three years

    Capital market investors  lost about N4 trillion in the last three years as  equities closed last year  with a full-year net capital loss of N604 billion.

    The unprecedented three-year losses brought most shares at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) to their lowest prices as investors grappled with foreign exchange (forex) crisis, decline in income and investments, high interest rate and soaring inflation.

    The stock market has been on a losing streak since 2014, though this has successively moderated over the years. Investors lost N1.75 trillion in 2014 and followed this with another loss of N1.63 trillion in 2015.

    Against the expectation that political transition and new government will quicken a rebound, equities closed with a net capital loss of N604 billion last year.

    Aggregate market value of all quoted equities on the NSE closed the year at N9.247 trillion as against N13.226 trillion recorded at the start of trading in 2014, representing a net capital loss of N3.98 trillion.

    Yearly analysis showed that the average return for last year stood at -6.17 per cent, equivalent to net capital loss of N604 billion. The All Share Index (ASI), the value-based common index that tracks prices at the NSE, closed 2016 at 26,874.62 points as against its opening index of 28,642.25 points for the year.

    Aggregate market value of quoted equities also dropped from year’s opening value of N9.851 trillion to close at N9.247 trillion.

    Nigerian equities have writhed under sustained losses in recent years. Aggregate market value of all quoted equities on the NSE closed 2015 at N9.851 trillion as against its opening value of N11.478 trillion for the year, representing a loss of N1.627 trillion.

    The ASI, which serves as sovereign equities index for Nigeria, indicated a negative full-year average return of -17.36 per cent. It closed 2015 at 28,642.25 points as against its opening index of 34,657.15 points.

    The losses in 2015 worsened the downtrend that had in 2014 marked out Nigerian equities among the worst-performing stocks globally with average full-year decline of 16.14 per cent. Aggregate market value of all quoted equities had closed 2014 at N11.478 trillion as against its opening value of N13.226 trillion for the year, indicating a loss of N1.75 trillion.

    Analysts at Afrinvest Securities said the low foreign exchange liquidity that plagued the economy in the year contributed to the decline at the stock market as investors, especially foreign portfolio investors, were wary of being trapped within the forex illiquidity.

    Analysts also noted that weaker domestic macroeconomic fundamentals and high discount rate pressured earnings of companies and weighed on investors’ sentiment.

  • Ogun pays N27bn to retirees in three years

    Ogun pays N27bn to retirees in three years

    Ogun State Government said it paid over N22billion to pensioneers and another N5billion as gratuities in the last three years even as it vowed not to owe any pensioner or worker his due.

    Governor Ibikunle Amosun revealed this yesterday when leaders of the pensioners paid a courtesy call on him in his office at Oke-mosan, Abeokuta.

    Amosun said his administration had cleared the backlog of gratuities owed by the immediate past administration from 2008, adding that the administration cleared  five years backlog of gratuities owed retirees in the state.

    Leaders of the pensioners had earlier requested for the settlement of pension arrears owed them from 2003-2006, implementation of increment on pension from 2010-2011, harmonization of pensions and payment of outstanding gratuities from 2008 among other demands.

    On the harmonization of pensions, the governor explained that the disparities in the amounts paid to the pensioners were determined by the numbers of years served and unequal terminal salaries of the pensioners, adding that it would be unfair for people who did not serve the government for their entire productive years in service before moving elsewhere to earn as much as those who committed the entire working life to the state and completed their service years before retirement.

    The governor added that the last salary earned by the pensioner was what was expected to be paid to them as pensions.

    He was, however, quick to add that the government could look into the possibility of reviewing this pensions.

    Amosun urged the pensioners to show more understanding with the government as he was currently clearing the backlog of pensions and gratuities he never owed, but was inherited, adding that his administration had never defaulted in the prompt payment of salaries  and pensions.

    He promised that the government would have cleared all the backlog of all pensions and gratuities by next year.

    The Chairman of Nigerian Union of Pensioners, Chief Kessington Odukoya, had earlier thanked the governor for prioritising the welfare of the pensioners and pleaded  he continues to put smiles on the faces of the elders who served the state meritoriously.

  • Imo, three years after

    Imo, three years after

    Three years after he was elected governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha stood before the people and presented his scorecard. The crowd seemed to like it, some climbing  over others to catch a glimpse of their governor.

    Accompanied by his Deputy, Prince Eze Madumere, his wife  Nneoma, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Benjamin Uwajumogu, members of the Executive Council, Okorocha gave his audience an in-depth account of his ‘Rescue Mission Agenda’ which he initiated on assumption of office.

    As early as 7.30 in the morning Imo residents across all political and social divide had converged at the newly built International Conference Centre, where they waited patiently for several hours to hear what the governor had to say, most importantly if he was going to re-contest.

    Appearing later, the governor, clad in a white safari, had a hectic time wading through the  charged crowd as he stopped to acknowledge greetings from various groups who competed to be noticed.

    Speaking in an emotion-laden  voice; the Imo Governor recalled the circumstances that brought him to power in 2011 describing it as “unusual circumstances”.

    He said that his emergence was made possible by the poor masses of the State who were yearning for a godly leader to deliver them from the evil leadership of the past.

    The governor said, “I took an oath to touch the lives of the people of my state with the help of God; and I do what I do not for monetary gain nor to be re-elected but to have my name written in the history of the state as a leader who had great impact on the lives of the people and development of Imo State. I remain indebted to you”.

    He explained that the state in the last three years had received the sum of N168,495.00 billion as statutory allocation from the Federal Government, which he said was prudently managed to fund the free education programme from primary to university level as well as provided the much needed dividends of democracy to Imo people.

    Okorocha who was intermittently interrupted by thunderous ovations from the crowd, pointed out that his administration was able to record the unprecedented achievements within the short period due to sacrifices made by him and members of his team.

    He said, “the first thing I did after I was sworn-in as Governor was to forfeit my security vote, which was over N2 billion annually so that we can fund the free education programme and other development projects. I did all that because I believe that you have no business in leadership if you can’t make sacrifices.

    “Another thing I did that brought us this far was to get a four-year budget from the state House of Assembly which allowed to implement a four year action plan without running into any kind of hitches.

    “Again, because I was in a hurry to develop the state, we shelved what people call due process, which in the actual sense is an enhanced form of corruption that slows down and frustrates development projects. We also blocked all loopholes where public funds were previously siphoned and this helped us to save a lot of money for capital projects”.

    The governor listed some of the achievements made within three years in office to include; over 1,000km asphalted rural roads, construction and dualisation of city roads, construction of five inland bridges to link the old and new Owerri and the reconstruction of the Government House.

    Others were the construction of Owerri City School, 305 primary school buildings in the rural areas and the degree awarding College of Health Technology at Orlu, the Odenigbo Guest House, Akachi Towers, the Imo European University, Imo College of Advanced Professional Studies, 27 new General Hospitals, Young Scientist College, and the Centenary Towers, among others.

    He added further that the state government has transformed Okigwe and Orlu into new cities as well as developed more new cities to make Imo a one-city State.

    The governor maintained that one of the greatest achievements of his administration was the establishment of the Community Government Council (CGC) which he said will unlock the hidden potentials in the rural communities.

    He pointed out that with the cooperation of all security agencies in the state, kidnapping and other criminal activities have reduced drastically, adding that the daily 12 noon prayer has attracted the presence of God to make these achievements possible.

    On whether he was to contest for second term as governor or run for the presidential position under the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015, the governor declared that his decision would depend on the wishes of the masses in both the state and in the nation.

    He re-stated that he has no intentions of leaving APC as alleged by the opposition and urged Nigerians to continue to support the Party that assures needed changes in Nigerian leadership.

    In his speech, the Deputy Governor said that the Okorocha’s administration had delivered beyond its campaign promises, adding that the achievements recorded within the last three years was a mockery of the People’s Democratic Party’s (PDP) 12 years administration in the state.

    He said, “Today I can beat my chest and walk tall in the state because the Rescue Mission Agenda is a huge success, which had returned the state to the part of greatness. Governor Okorocha had broken the enviable records set by late Dee Sam Mbakwe just under three years. It sounds impossible that over 1000 projects were initiated by this administration and almost all of them are completed”.

    In his contribution, the Speaker commended Governor Okorocha for the giant strides made within the three years of his administration, attributing it to the cooperation and cordial relationship that existed between the Legislature and the Executive.

    He thanked Imo people for making the needed sacrifice to ensure that Imo is put on the part of progress, while appealing to all the political parties in the State to work towards the common good of the Imo masses, as he assured the continuous support of the Legislators.

    The Speaker also enjoined the governor to consider a second-term bid in order to consolidate on the achievements made in the areas of free education and infrastructural transformation of the State, adding that, “the reward for good work is more work”.

    The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Dr. Theodore Ekechi, hailed Okorocha’s prudent management of the state resources, which he said had been deployed to better the lot of the poor masses of the state.

    Ekechi pointed out that most of the critical projects including the inland bridges were executed at a far lesser amount than what was obtained during the PDP administration.

    He said, “the people of the state indeed have something to celebrate because this administration has done so much to deliver the dividends of democracy, even though the government is not making noise about its achievements, the evidence are there, the projects are verifiable unlike during the PDP era when projects only existed on billboards, pages of newspapers and internet”.

    An octogenarian, Sir Michael Emelumba, who was at the conference centre, declared that, “since after the administration of Mbakwe, this is the only time Imo State is having a responsible government. I came out today to show support for the Rescue Mission Agenda, which had woken the patriotic spirit in all of us.

    “What has happened in Imo State in the last three years has justified the people’s decision to throw out the PDP’s administration, which had mismanaged the state resources for 12 years. I and other likeminded senior citizens are urging the Governor to seek reelection to consolidate on his achievements”.

    Present at the occasion were national leaders of the APC including, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, Alhaji Bello Masari, Chief Audu Ogbe, Chief Tom Ikimi, Chief Timipre Sylva, Chief Lawal and APC National Women Leader, Sharon Ikeazu.