Sunday, March 10, 2019

Data Visualisation: How Nigerian Celebrities Performed In 2019 General Elections

Data Visualisation: How Nigerian Celebrities  Performed In 2019 General Elections


The entertainment industry has recorded its own fair share in the ongoing governorship and house of assembly elections in the country.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that two out of the five Nigerian celebrities that sought elective positions have emerged successful after the polls.

Prominent artistes Olubankole 'Banky W' Wellington, Emeka Ike, Desmond Elliot, Freedom 'Mr Jollof' Atsekpoyi and Shina Peller were vying for several legislative positions.

Nollywood star, Elliot, who was a candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was re-elected in the Surulere constituency l Lagos State House of Assembly on Saturday.

Also, entertainment businessman, Peller, was announced winner of the Iseyin/ Itesiwaju/ Iwajowa and Kajola Federal Constituency seat in Oyo State on Feb. 23.

Meanwhile, singer and actor Banky W and social commentator, Mr Jollof, who contested for House of Reps seats in Eti-Osa Constituency and Warri Federal Constituency both lost.

Banky W contested under the Modern Democratic Party (MDP) and was commended for his tenacity in spite of being a first-timer; Mr Jollof contested under the Africa Action Congress (AAC).

However, elections for Okigwe South Federal Constituency, where actor Ike contested under the Young Progressives Party (YPP), have been declared inconclusive by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)

Saturday, March 09, 2019

Protests in Iba, Ojo Collation Centres In Lagos

Protest in Iba, Ojo Collation Centres In Lagos

INEC ad-hoc staff protesting at Iba collation centres


Scores of adhoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at Ojo and Iba Collation Centres in Lagos on Saturday staged a protest over unpaid allowances.

The collation centres are located at St. Michael Nursery and Primary School, Costain Road, Ojo, and Local Authority Primary School, Iba, both in Lagos State.

As at 9.30 a.m, the adhoc staff were seen chanting. "No Pay, No Work'' at the collation centres, refusing to go and resume duty at the polling units in the area.

One of the ad-hoc staff who pleaded anonymity said that they will not resume duty until they get their allowances.

"We will not go to work if we do not receive our money here and now.  They promised to pay us for the Presidential Election held on Feb. 13 immediately after the elections, but some of us got paid only yesterday March 8.

"The N10,000 allowance for the governorship election was supposed to be paid yesterday, but till now nothing.

"So, we will not go anywhere until we get our money,'' he said.

An Electoral Observer at the collation centre, Mr Davis Faleye, decried the poor organisation by the Commission.

"I was here at 7.30 a.m and I met this situation.

"INEC should have paid them their money so they can render their services to the government and for the election because I feel that their rights should not be undermined.

"If they are yet to leave the collation centre as at 9.30 a.m, I wonder when voting will start.

"I have called the commission and reported the situation, but nothing has been done,'' Faleye said.

In some of the polling units in the area, voters were on queues waiting for the INEC officials to cast their votes.

Friday, March 08, 2019

How INEC Office In A’Ibom Was Burnt - Police

How INEC Office In A'Ibom Was Burnt - Police


The Akwa Ibom Police Command has confirmed the burning down of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Ibesikpo Local Government Area of the state.

It was gathered that unidentified hoodlums set fire to the office this Friday, barely 24 hours to the Governorship and House of Assembly polls.

The command's Public Relations Officer, DSP Odiko MacDon confirmed the incident to newsmen in Uyo on Friday.

"The Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim
Kaoje, is aware of the incident and has detailed senior police operatives to investigate the incident.

"We are investigating to ascertain whether it is a clear case of arson, and when the investigations are completed, we will let the people know," MacDon said.

He said the findings would be made public while anyone found culpable will be made to face the law no matter how highly placed.

The command spokesman said security had been beefed up around all INEC offices and centers across the state.

Seven States Where Governorship Election Won't Hold On Saturday

Seven States Where Governorship Election Won't Hold On Saturday

 

The Governorship election will not hold in seven states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The affected states, Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Kogi, Ondo and Osun, will not be participating because their governorship elections held at different times or `off season'.

This was mainly due to court judgments that nullified the election of their governors at different times in the past.

However, the State Houses of Assembly elections will be conducted in all the 36 states.

The FCT will not witness both elections because it is run by a minister, who is appointed by the President, with laws made by the National Assembly.

But Saturday will witness election of new chairmen and councillors in the six Area Councils of the territory, namely Abaji, Abuja Municipal, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali.

Monday, March 04, 2019

Plea Bargain: Late Badeh Loses Six Properties, $1m To FG

Plea Bargain: Late Badeh Loses Six Properties, $1m To FG


The late Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh has six properties to the Federal Government  and $1 million recovered from No.6 Ogun River Str., off Danube Str., Maitama, Abuja, through a plea bargain agreement entered with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC).

This followed a judgment delivered by Justice Okon Abang at the Federal High Court, Abuja on Monday in a further amended charge brought by the EFCC where Badeh's company was made the defendant following his demise.

The judge held that in view of the plea bargain agreement , the defendant was guilty as charged.

"I have before me a plea bargain agreement duly executed by Iyalikam Nigeria Limited and the EFCC.

"I hereby find the defendant guilty and accordingly convict the defendant of the 10-counts further amended charge.

"Having regards to the plea bargain agreement duly executed by the parties, Iyalikam Nigeria Limited is hereby wound up and the judgment shall be served on the Corporate Affairs Commission for execution," the judge said.

Justice Abang also ordered forfeiture of a mansion situated at No.6 Ogun River Str., off Danube Str., Maitama Abuja, shopping mall situated at Plot 1386, Oda Crescent, Cadastral Zone, Wuse II Abuja and duplex located at No.19, Kumasi Crescent, Wuse II Abuja.

Others are a duplex at No. 14 Adzope Crescent, off Kumasi Cresent ,Wuse II, Abuja, Semi-detached duplex at No. 8A Embu Str. by Sigma Apartments Wuse II, Abuja and $1 million recovered from No.6 Ogun River Str., off Danube Str., Maitama, Abuja."

The judge further ordered that in view of the fact that the first defendant, (Badeh) was reported dead, all processes against him were hereby terminated.

At the resumed trial, the prosecuting counsel, Mr Oluwaleke Atolagbe said that the business of the day was for the second defendant to open defence since the first defendant(Badeh) was now deceased.

Atolagbe, however, informed the court that in view of an agreement reached between the prosecution and the defence, a further amended charge of 10 counts had been filed as well as a plea bargain agreement.

"My Lord, there is a development, the prosecution met with the defence and we have been able to reach an agreement.

"We filed a further amended charge dated March 1 and filed March 4 and we also filed a plea bargain agreement with regards to provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, (ACJA)."

Atolagbe asked that the new charge be read in open court and in view of the plea bargain agreement, a guilty plea be entered for the defendant, (Iyalikam Nigeria Limited) by the court.

Following the reading of the ten count amended charge and the plea of guilty entered for the defendant by the court, the lawyer prayed the court to enter judgment based on the plea bargain agreement.

"For the avoidance of doubt, we ask that the court should order, as part of the sentence, the final forfeiture of all the properties affected in counts one to ten in the further amended charge as reflected in the plea bargain agreement.

"We further pray that the defendant be convicted and wound up based on the plea bargain agreement and Section 19 of the Money Laundering Act."

The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that until his death, Badeh was standing trial on charges of alleged abuse of office, money laundering and converting public money to personal use to the tune N3.9bn.(NAN)

He was arraigned along with his company on a 14-count charge bordering on fraud, to which he entered a "not guilty" plea to all counts.

The diverted money was said to have been meant for arms purchase in the face of worsening destructions by Boko Haram terrorists.

BREAKING: Court Orders Fresh Election In Kano

BREAKING: Court Orders Fresh Election In Kano

 

 


Barely five days to the governorship election, a Federal High Court in Kano on Monday nullified the governorship primary election conducted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP,) which produced Abba Kabir-Yusuf as the PDP's flag-bearer in the state.

The cancellation of the primary election followed the suit filed before the Court, by one of the party gubernatorial aspirants, Alhaji Ibrahim Ali-Amin, who challenged the legitimacy of the process which produced Kabir-Yusuf  as candidate.

Al-Amin alleged that the PDP during the primary election "sidelined and booted him out" of the race.

Delivering a ruling, Justice Lewis Alagua, nullified the election on the premise that the party had no incontrovertible reason to deny the plaintiff participating in the primary election because he formally brought his expression and nomination form.

Alagua also held that denying the plaintiff the right to participate in the primary election, contravened the provision of the Electoral Act.

He ordered for a valid fresh primary election before the forthcoming governorship election on March 9 in the country.

Earlier, the plaintiff, Ali-Amin, prayed the court to nullify the election on the ground that it was grossly flawed, given the manner he had been sidelined with no justifiable reasons to legitimize such an act.

He said he was blatantly denied participation in the primary election, in spite of the fact that he had brought his expression and nomination form.

It was, however the contention of the plaintiff that there was also the need for the court to interpret whether the party could go ahead to field a candidate for the election in Kano State without conducting the primary election or not.

In his submission, counsel to the plaintiff, Barrister Kabir Usman said the judgement effected had become legally expedient, since his client had been denied the right to contest the election.

He said with the cancellation of the primary election, the governorship slot is now vacant, pending when a fresh and valid primary election is held.

In his remarks, counsel to PDP, Bashir Yusuf said the verdict did not affect Abba Kabir-Yusuf as a candidate but PDP as a party pointing out they would appeal against the judgement.

Wednesday, February 27, 2019

VAT: Manufacturing Sector Contributed N864bn In 6 years – NBS

VAT: Manufacturing Sector Contributed N864bn In 6 years – NBS

The manufacturing sector contributed about N864 billion of the N3.63 trillion generated as Value Added Tax (VAT) from 2013 to 2018, an analysis by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed.

The NBS report on Sectoral Distribution of VAT showed that the manufacturing sector's contribution represented 24 per cent of the total VAT generated within the six-year period.

A breakdown of the N3.63 trillion indicated that N481.5 billion was generated in 2013, N493.9 billion in 2014, while N759.4 billion and N777.51 billion, were generated in 2015 and 2016, respectively.

According to the report, N972.35 billion and N1.10 trillion were generated as VAT in 2017 and 2018, respectively, with the amount generated as 2018 VAT being the highest in the six-year period.
The manufacturing sector has eight sectoral activities among the 28 sectoral categories in the report.
Tha manufacturing sector's sectoral activities included automobiles and assemblies, breweries, bottling and beverages; as well as chemicals, paints and allied industries.
Others are other manufacturing, petrochemical and petroleum refineries; pharmaceutical, soaps and toiletries; publishing, printing and paper packaging;  and textile and garment industries.
For VAT in the six-year period, the automobiles and assemblies contributed N8,691,597,713.42,  breweries, bottling and beverages added N192,028,180,262,  and chemicals, paints and allied industries contributed N6,989,648,842.73.
Other manufacturing has N597,005,133,563, petrochemical and petroleum refineries added N37,013,858,414.6, and pharmaceutical, soaps and toiletries provided N7,131,243,714.78 to VAT.
Publishing, printing, paper packaging contributed N9,685,665,303.04,  while textile and garment industry added N5,501,007,456.24 to the VAT in the six-year period.
Mr Hamma Kwajaffa, Director-General, Nigeria Textile Manufacturers Association, commended the  manufacturing sector's contribution to VAT, saying there was a correlation between economic growth and VAT revenue.
He said that increased contribution of manufacturing sector to VAT, especially in the fourth quarter of 2018, was driven by consumer spending during Christmas season.
Kwajaffa urged the Federal Government to improve infrastructure support, fiscal incentives, financing, anti-smuggling activities and implementation of the executive order on patronage of locally produced goods.
He said that doing these would boost the sector's performance and invariably its contribution to VAT and Gross Domestic Product.
Similarly, Mr Muda Yusuf, Director-General of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), urged the government to create a better environment that would reduce cost of production and make manufacturers more competitive.
Yusuf said that government should expedite action to address infrastructure problem, especially power which, he said, was a huge challenge to the sector.
"Review some of the high tariffs on their inputs to increase their profitability and revenue contribution to government as well as company income tax to boost reinvestment and compliance to tax payment.
"If the environment is conducive for them through concessions, they will create more jobs. Aside the revenue benefits, there is also the social benefits for the society.
"Government can look at the regulatory environment which most manufacturers complain is too harsh; many of the regulators are like revenue-generating agencies on their own," he said.
He urged the government to review the cost of fund for manufacturers and evolve better mechanism for long-term financing.
Also, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, Tax Leader, PricewaterhouseCoopers, West Africa, said that the Federal Government would require more reliable data on who the VAT payers were.
"According to reports, only three per cent of the taxpayers in the VAT net contributes 97 per cent of the revenue, which means a lot of companies that ought to be paying VAT are not in the tax net, while some are there, but are not remitting," he said.
Oyedele said that VAT improvement in 2018, compared to other years, was reflective of the increased efforts of the Federal Inland Revenue Service to increase tax compliance among taxpayers.
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