Politics

Buhari pledges Nigeria’s support for Burundi

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President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday promised Nigeria’s support to Burundi as part of deliberate efforts at promoting peace and development in the Southern African country.

The President, according to a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, made the promise when he met with his Burundian counterpart, Evariste Ndayishimiye, in New York, the United States.

The meeting was held on the margins of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly holding in New York.

Buhari said: “We will be proactive and give support to the best of our abilities.”

The Burundian President assured that his country was out of conflict, saying “there is now peace and reconciliation and we have vast opportunities to exploit.”

He said Burundi was looking for support of friendly nations in the areas of oil supply, agriculture, mines, and several others.

Politics, World News

Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wins re-election but falls short of a majority

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Justin Trudeau has won a third term as Canada’s prime minister, but his decision to hold election early didn’t really pay off as his bid to win a majority of seats failed.
 
The Liberals (Trudeau’s party) won the most seats of any party, taking hold of 157 – the same number they won in 2019, and 13 short of the 170 needed for a majority in the House of Commons.

 
The result means  Trudeau, 49, and his second consecutive minority government will have to rely on other parties to govern.

 
Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole, whose party placed second, conceded defeat as results trickled in late into the night.
 
Early results indicated the Conservatives had 121 seats, the same number they won in 2019. The leftist New Democrats won 29, the Quebec-based Bloc Québécois were down three seats to 28, and the Greens remained at two seats.

Following his victory, he thanked his supporters on Tuesday morning, September 21, and promised he would work with other parties to serve all Canadians.

 
“You are sending us back to work with a clear mandate to get Canada through this pandemic and to the brighter days ahead,” he said.

 
He also highlighted the issues important to his party’s platform – climate action, affordable homes and childcare, pledging to continue to work on them.
 
“You have given this government and this parliament clear direction,” he added.
 
Before the election, Trudeau led a stable minority government that was not under threat of being removed hence the opposition relentlessly accused him of calling an unnecessary early vote – two years before the deadline – for his own personal ambition.

 
Trudeau believed Canadians didn’t want a Conservative government during a pandemic with their scepticism surrounding lockdowns and vaccine mandates, which he argued would be dangerous, and said people needed a government that followed science.
 
His government has spent hundreds of billions of dollars to support the economy through lockdowns and Canada is now one of the most vaccinated countries in the world.

Politics

PDP zoning committee schedules meeting for Wednesday

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has scheduled the meeting of its National Convention Committee on Zoning, for Wednesday, September 22, in Enugu State.

The Committee headed by Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, is expected to take critical decisions on the zoning of offices for the October 30 and 31 National Convention of the opposition party.

The meeting was announced by the Chairman of the National Convention Committee of the party, Ahmadu Fintiri, the Adamawa State Governor, who called on the Ugwuanyi committee to hasten up the zoning of the offices.

The meeting, according to insiders, is also expected to throw open its presidential ticket to all the six geopolitical zones since it might have resolved to keep its national chairmanship in the South.

Though there has been a clamour that the presidential ticket be specifically zone to the south in line with the agitation from the southern governors, the party might adopt the position of the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, whose committee reviewed the outcome of the 2019 presidential election.

The Mohammed committee had recommended that on the “basis of equity and fairness as well as calibre of Nigerians believed to be capable of being the president, the ticket should be thrown open.”

The committee had anchored its position on the fact that across the land, Nigeria boasts good hands capable of bailing the country “out of her current quagmire.”

Mohammed, had said when tasked on the position:

“In line with certain unwritten conventions of the nation’s history, many people think that, for fairness and equity, the North-East and South-East geo-political zones that have had the shortest stints at the Presidency, should be given special consideration, in choosing the presidential flagbearer of the party, for the 2023 elections.

“While we admit that this is a strong argument, we should not lose sight of the fact that Nigeria is endowed with many capable and very experienced leaders in every part of the country.

Moreover, the exigencies of the moment demand that nothing should be compromised in choosing the leader, with the attributes to disentangle the country from the present quagmire.

“Therefore, we think that every Nigerian, from every part of the country, should be given the opportunity to choose the best candidate, through a credible primary election; as a way of institutionalising a merit-based leadership recruitment process, for the country.”

Politics

Nigerian govt threatens to sanction international passengers over COVID-19 test

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The Federal Government on Sunday declared its readiness to sanction international travellers who shunned the COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test.

The Chairman of the Presidential Steering Committee on COVID-19, Boss Mustapha, who disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja, said any violation of the COVID-19 travel protocol would attract severe sanctions.

He added that the reviewed protocol would come into effect on September 14.

Mustapha stressed that passengers coming to the country must go through the routine port health screening and present electronic or print-out evidence of pre-boarding COVID-19 PCR test and the Permit to Travel Certificate/QR Code.

He said: “Thereafter, international passports must be presented for clearance through the Nigeria Immigration Service System’s Migrants Identification Data Analysis System (MIDAS) before a compulsory one-week self-isolation.

“Passengers who fail to show up for this test will face travel restrictions on their passports for at least six months and will not be able to travel abroad for this period. Non-Nigerian passport holders will have their visas revoked.

“Passengers are advised to avoid physical interaction with friends, family, colleagues, and other members of the public. Passengers should check their emails/text messages regularly for updates regarding the arrangement for their repeat COVID-19 PCR test from the laboratory of their choice.

“During this period, the passenger may be contacted by the COVID-19 Response team to ascertain [the] state of isolation, day-7 testing appointment, and health status.”

Politics

Buhari arrives in New York for 76th UNGA

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President Muhammadu Buhari has arrived in New York, United States, for the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

The Special Adviser on Media on Publicity to the President, Femi Adesina, who disclosed this on his Facebook page, said Buhari landed in the US on Sunday.

The session opened on Tuesday.

President Buhari will address the Assembly on a topic titled: “Building Resilience Through Hope – To Recover from COVID-19, Rebuild Sustainably, Respond to Needs of the Planet, Respect the Rights of People and Revitalise the United Nations,” and other global issues on September 24.

He will also hold bilateral meetings with leaders of delegations and heads of international development organizations while in the US.

The President will return to the country on September 26.

Politics

Nigerian govt urges doctors to return to work as strike continues

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The Federal Government has sent an appeal to the striking doctors of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to discontinue their current strike action.

This appeal was made by the Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.

The Minister further noted that negotiations are ongoing over the doctors’ allowances in order to ensure an end to the protracted feud.

“I want to appeal to NARD for them to reconsider their position, get back to work tomorrow or next and then come back again for discussions. We have so many things to discuss.

“I have nephews who are resident doctors. I have three of them at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital, UNTH Enugu, Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu. I have so many of them. I have a son who will graduate in Medicine in October. I cannot destroy the profession, I have to protect the profession too,” Ngige said.

In response to the recent court case filed against the doctors, Ngige said, “The court has ruled and said ‘Go and do some more settlement but meanwhile, you go back to work and continue the settlement’.”

Politics, World News

Nigerian govt urges doctors to return to work as strike continues.

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The Federal Government has sent an appeal to the striking doctors of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to discontinue their current strike action.

This appeal was made by the Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.

The Minister further noted that negotiations are ongoing over the doctors’ allowances in order to ensure an end to the protracted feud.

“I want to appeal to NARD for them to reconsider their position, get back to work tomorrow or next and then come back again for discussions. We have so many things to discuss.

“I have nephews who are resident doctors. I have three of them at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital, UNTH Enugu, Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu. I have so many of them. I have a son who will graduate in Medicine in October. I cannot destroy the profession, I have to protect the profession too,” Ngige said.

In response to the recent court case filed against the doctors, Ngige said, “The court has ruled and said ‘Go and do some more settlement but meanwhile, you go back to work and continue the settlement’.”

Politics, World News

Godwin Emefiele’s Lawless Attack on AbokiFX: Fighting Shadows for the Naira’s Sake.

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If you’re a fan of the Arsenal Football Club who appear to be suffering bad fortunes in the Premier League this season, there is good news from the Central Bank of Nigeria. You can now improve your team’s score-line by attacking Livescores and sending ‘experts’ to take down its site. This quick fix which has eluded seasoned pundits is the ingenuity of none other than Mr. Godwin Emefiele, the Chief Treasurer of Nigeria and apparently also, the Clown-in-Chief.

Indeed, of all the inanities that has buffeted us in recent times as Nigerians, the CBN Governor’s declaration of war against abokiFX, an online platform that publishes aggregated currency exchange rates for reference purposes, takes the ball. It offers insight into how our leaders in the eco-political sphere think, and we must be concerned.

It does not take an economist to unravel the apparent improbability of a non-trading platform that merely publishes exchange rates publicly sourced as being responsible for the weakening of the naira. If it were so, abokiFX would only have to publish that the naira is now at par with the dollar for it to be so. The government would not have to fight the platform and its owners but partner with them in publishing favourable even if untrue naira to dollars exchange rates to magically cause it to be so in the currency market.

In this utopia, one would be free from contemplating the role an import-based economy plays in the valuation of a country’s currency; one would be free from worrying over the lop-sided chasing of dollars with naira, and be unmindful of our single-export based economy, being crude oil, whose value is decided by a global body and as such, outside the control of the Nigerian government. In that utopia, the role of fiscal policies by government to shore up foreign reserves or scale up industry-based exports which would tip the scales of international valuation of the naira would be left out, completely ignored, and this, no doubt, are the synapses that jump around in the insulated mental world of our CBN Governor.

It is appalling that this is the mind and thinking of the man saddled with the nation’s treasury and reserves. Going after an online platform and its owner for merely publishing exchange rates references is shadow chasing and fighting a non-factor in the strengthening or weakening of the naira. Surely, the CBN Governor with all his learning and exposure knows this. If this is so, then the real reason for the CBN’s attack on abokiFX and its owner must be because it considers its publishing to be embarrassing to government and hope that by bringing it down, they can save face.

In the grand scheme of things, this is consistent with this government’s approach to facts they find embarrassing and which are evidentiary of their failures or incompetence. And as such, the CBN is another successfully bastardized institution of state deployed to the purposes of regime protection as against its primary responsibility.

Given that the abysmal failure of the naira to perform favourably is a no-brainer, the CBN Governor’s delusion of authority in eviscerating the owner of abokifx, going as far as deigning to arbitrarily order his prosecution, must be tempered by the reminder that executive rascality will only condemn the naira to a further plunge. The CBN and its governor are, indeed, not laws onto themselves but are beholden of it and due process.

The attack on abokiFX and its owner, no matter how stubbornly sustained, will not save the naira from its embarrassingly free fall and, I predict that many other platforms will spring up in place of, or in solidarity with abokifx. Will the CBN attack all? Anyway, the average Nigerian does not need to visit an online platform to know that the naira is fast losing value. The abokis under the trees in Sheraton know, travellers and traders sourcing for scarce dollars know and the general public who have to adjust to the tripling cost of household materials and commodities know. It is to these ones that the CBN Governor owe a duty, not to insulate government from reproach but to build a spine for the crippling naira.

Source: Pelumi Olajengbesi Esq., is a Legal Practitioner and the Principal Partner at Law Corridor Chambers, Nigeria.

Politics, World News

“I cut my hair in honour of those who died during #EndSARS protests” — Singer, Omawumi reveals.

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Veteran singer, Omawumi has revealed what led to her decision to cut her hair low, citing the sad memory of EndSARS protests victims.

The Nigerian singer who cut her hair live in the video of her hit single, “Bullshit” revealed in an interview with HipTV, that she did it because of the despair she felt from the loss of lives during the pandemic and the EndSARS protests last year.
According to Omawumi, she felt so much pain that people were dying and the country was busy celebrating mediocrity.

I cut my hair on my video that I did; the song is titled BS. I cut my hair live on that video because when I was writing it, I was in a place of despair. It was during the pandemic and I was losing people left right center,” she said.
“There was the ‘Soro Soke’ in the background. People were dying. It just felt like nothing was going right with the country. We were celebrating mediocrity,” Omawumi added.

Politics

Court Declares Yoruba Nation Agitation Legal

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An Oyo State High Court has declared that campaigns for self-determination by any group in Nigeria is legal and a fundamental human right.

Justice Ladiran Akintola, delivered the judgement on Friday in a suit filed against the Federal Government by Sunday Adeyemo alias Sunday Igboho.

The judge said with the combined provisions of international and domestic laws, Nigerians, including Igboho, had the unquestionable and inalienable fundamental right to campaign and agitate for self-determination.

CorrectNG reported earlier that he awarded N20 billion to Igboho against the Federal Government as aggravated damages over the invasion and destruction of his home by operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) on July 1, 2021.

Respondents in the suit were Attorney General of the Federation, the State Security Service (SSS) and Director, State Security Service, Oyo State.

Justice Akintola granted all the 16 reliefs sought by Igboho in the suit filed on his behalf by his lawyer, Chief Yomi Aliyu, SAN.

The reliefs include: “A declaration that the Federal Government’s resolve to prevent him from propagating his belief in ‘Yoruba Nation’ in association with others was against his fundamental rights to freedom of thought, conscience and association.”

Specifically, Igboho asked the court to declare that he and his Yoruba indigenous people had unquestionable and/or inalienable fundamental right to peacefully campaign and seek self-determination of Yoruba tribe in Nigeria and lobby the legislature to amend the CFRN, 1999 as guaranteed by Article 20 of African Charter on Human and Peoples Right (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, Laws of the Federation, 2010, and Articles 3, 4, 7, & 18 of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous People made at its 107th Plenary Meeting of Thursday 13th September, 2007, thereby insulating campaign for self-determination from criminal culpability.

The court further held that the invasion of Igboho’s residence in the middle of the night without a warrant violated his fundamental human rights to property, life and family under section 35 (i) (a-c) of the 1999 constitution.

Politics

Ogun Assembly passes 2022-2024 Medium Term Expenditure Framework

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The Ogun Assembly on Friday passed the 2022-2024 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) for the state.

Governor Dapo Abiodun presented the 2022-2024 MTEF to the parliament in August.

The Assembly approved the financial framework after adopting the report of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation at the plenary.

The Chairman of the committee, Olakunle Sobunkanla, moved the motion for the adoption of the report and this was seconded by the whole House.

The report was later read and adopted by the House.

The House Majority Leader, Yusuf Sheriff, moved the motion for the passage of the House resolution titled: “The Year 2022- 2024 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF)’, seconded by Sobukanla and supported by the whole House.

The Speaker of the Assembly, Olakunle Oluomo, directed the Clerk of the House, Deji Adeyemo, to convey the House resolution to the state’s Commissioner for Budget and Planning, Olaolu Olabimtan, for the preparation of the 2022 budget.

Politics

Kogi govt blames politicians for Kabba jailbreak

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The Kogi State Government said on Friday politicians were behind the recent attack at the Kabba Correctional Centre in the state.

The state’s Commissioner for Information, Kingsley Fanwo, who disclosed this to journalists in Lagos, also blamed the politicians for other security challenges in the state.

Unidentified gunmen had on Sunday night invaded the custodial centre and killed two security agents at the facility.

The gunmen also freed 240 prisoners during the attack.

The commissioner revealed that 126 inmates had been recaptured and urged the Federal Government to beef up security at the facility.

He said Governor Yahaya Bello had put in place security measures in a bid to protect lives and properties in the state.

Fanwo added that at least 240 patrol vehicles and security equipment had been procured and distributed to security agencies in the state.

Politics

Sanwo-Olu threatens to stop LagosHoms contract over slow pace of work

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The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has threatened to terminate the contracts for the LagosHoms housing project in Sangotedo, Eti-Osa local government area of the state over the slow pace of work at the site.

The governor, who visited the project site on Friday, gave the contractors gave the contractors a one-week ultimatum to improve work on the project.

He noted that work on Phase 1 of the project was 90 percent completed while contractors handling Phase 2 were behind schedule.

He charged the contractors handling Phase 2 to complete the work within nine months.

Sanwo-Olu said: “As far as I know, the government owes no one. But if we owe you, we will pay in one month. Erring contractors have one week to speed up work.

The Ministries of Housing and Works and Infrastructure would be back in one week to inspect the project and if there are no changes, your contract will be terminated and you will face prosecution.

“I have not come here to turn you away but to make peace and restitution. For those contractors still working, we will wait for another four more weeks for extensive clean-up before we finally commission the project.”

The governor also directed the contractors handling Phase 1 of the project to complete the 744 flats by October.

Politics

ECOWAS sanctions Guinea, Mali army rulers, insists on transition

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The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has imposed sanctions including a travel ban and asset freeze on Mali and Guinea’s Army rulers.

The decision was taken by the West African leaders at meeting in, Accra, Ghana, on Thursday, making the sanctions the bloc’s toughest response to a spate of coups in the region.

The ECOWAS sanctions also extend to family members of the junta leaders just the body demanded a quick return to civilian rule in the two countries.

The demand came after a summit of the 15-nation regional group to decide how to respond to the September 5 ouster of Guinean President Alpha Conde, by special forces troops led by Col. Mamady Doumbouya.

At the meeting, the West African leaders also piled more pressure on Mali’s transitional government, demanding they stick to an agreement to organize elections next February.

It announced sanctions on those it said were frustrating efforts for a return to constitutional rule.

In May, Mali junta leader Colonel Assimi Goita staged another coup, deposing a transitional administration in which he was vice president.

He has pledged to stick to the old transition schedule but his government has been accused of dragging its feet on efforts to achieve civilian rule.

Guinea‘s junta was due to hold its last day of consultations on the future of the country in Conakry on Friday.

Politics, World News

Why I Won’t Reveal Sponsors Of Boko Haram Terrorism Anti-graft Agency, @officialEFCC Boss, Bawa.

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The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa has said he cannot publicly reveal the Identities of people bankrolling Boko Haram terrorists and other insurgents in Nigeria.

The EFCC boss made the statement during Politics Today’s Channels TV programme on Thursday evening

Earlier this week, the authorities of the United Arab Emirates mentioned six Nigerians among those funding terrorism. 
However, while answering a question regarding that, Bawa said he would not discuss a sensitive national security issue on national television.
“If you are my adviser, will you advise me to come on national television to tell the whole world regarding matters of sensitive national security issue?” Bawa asked. 
“Certainly, not. But what I want to assure you we are working tirelessly with other sister agencies to ensure that this country is free of terrorism.”
The President Muhammadu Buhari-led government has promised many times to publish the names of people sponsoring terrorism in the country, but has failed to do so.
Also in Nigeria, about 400 Bureaux de Change operators are standing trial for allegedly supporting terrorists but the government has also not made the details available to Nigerians. 
Bawa, who collapsed while speaking at an event organised by National Identity Management Commission at the Presidential Villa earlier on Thursday, said he had since returned to work after seeing his doctor.
He said apart from being dehydrated, he was fine

Politics, World News

Sunday Igboho wins DSS in court, secures N20 billion payment

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Yoruba Nation activist Sunday Igboho, has recorded a massive victory against the DSS in court, securing a N20 billion damages payment.

The Oyo State High Court has asked the Department of State Services (DSS) to pay N20 billion to Chief Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho for unlawfully invading his Ibadan residence, The Nation reports.
You may recall that a team of DSS security operatives raided Igboho’s residence in Soka area of Ibadan, Oyo state back in July.

However, during a ruling presided by Justice Ladiran Akintola on Friday September 17, the Oyo State High Court awarded the massive sum as damages against the secret police in the lawsuit filed by Sunday Igboho, through his lawyers.
The court also declared the invasion illegal and berated the DSS for acting based on what the Justice described as “arbitrary aggression and prejudices” from his agitation for Yoruba Nation.

Politics

Amendment of 1999 Constitution to be completed before 2023 elections – Reps

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The House of Representatives on Thursday declared its readiness to complete the amendment of the 1999 Constitution before the 2023 general elections.

The House spokesman, Benjamin Kalu, who disclosed this to journalists in Abuja, said the constitutional amendment had reached an advanced stage.

He said the House was determined to complete the amendment process in the next two years.

The spokesman also revealed that the lower legislative chamber would beam light on revenue generation agencies in order to block revenue leakages in the country.

Kalu said: “We started in 2020 to reshape the Constitution of Nigeria which is almost becoming obsolete because the society is dynamic and as society progresses, different needs are defined and ways of solving those needs should be found in the grand norm.

“In the wisdom of the leadership of the House and the Senate, we decided to go for a review of the constitution. Last year, we scored a major milestone in making sure various steps needed to amend the constitution were taken.

“So many people want us to immediately review the constitution but we cannot. We cannot sacrifice quality on the altar of speed; so we urge Nigerians to be patient so that we go thoroughly.”

Politics

I judged Buhari from outside but know better now – Fani-Kayode

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A former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, on Thursday explained why he returned to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Fani-Kayode, a fierce critic of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, returned to the party he left more than seven years ago on Thursday.

The ex-minister, who appeared on Channels Television programme, “Politics Today,” described the APC as a liberal party.

He commended the President for accommodating the change in the ruling party.

Fani-Kayode said: “I spoke against President Buhari from the outside, now I know him from the inside. I am not saying he is an angel or a demon. The APC I was taking about that time is not the same today. Let’s focus on unity, peace, and togetherness.

There is a time to condemn and criticise people. There is also a time to come together, work together to achieve unity. Joining APC now is the way forward irrespective of what people may think about the party.

“APC is a liberal party. A lot has happened in APC over the years. The party has changed and President has accommodated the change. Had the APC leadership not changed I wouldn’t have joined them.

“I am doing the right thing based on conviction and understanding. This is the right decision for me, love me or hate me, it will not take anything away from me.”

Politics, World News

More civil societies have backed the Arewa Youth Assembly, calling for the resignation of the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.

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Seven different groups on Thursday joined others who want the Governor to resign over his alleged inability to stabilise the country’s bleeding economy

In a statement made available by the coalition and signed by seven of them, the groups noted that the current high poverty rate in the land on the failure of the country’s economy under Emefiele’s watch as CBN governor.

The group who signed the press statement include; the Nigeria Citizens Action Group, Unified Nigerian Youth Forum, Concern Northern forum, Igbo unity forum of Nigeria, Federation of Idoma Youths, Igbo Youth Assembly and Itsekiri National Youth Council.

“The Nigeria Citizens Action Group (NCAG), a coalition of 35 civil society organisations is constraint to lend its voice with that of numerous other concerned Nigerians that have been calling on Mr Godwin Emefiele, Nigeria’s CBN to resign with immediate effect to save the country from total collapse.

“This call became necessary following the extensive review of the tenure of Mr Godwin as the head of our apex bank which has come to the sad conclusion that he should humbly step aside and allow a more competent person to step in to save our country from total collapse.

“We understand that it will be difficult for him and his heirs to reason with us, but we wish to beg on them to put on their garment of patriotism and save our country”, Isah said.

The Arewa Youth Assembly Speaker, Mohammed Salihu had noted earlier that his organisation has given Mr Emefiele three options to either resign voluntarily, get sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari or youths will occupy the CBN premises in their numbers until he resigns.

They made available three options for Emefiele – to resign, to get sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari or to force us to occupy the CBN complex.

The statement reads: “Based on the Arewa Youth Assembly earlier call on the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Godwin Emefiele to resign his position as the apex bank boss over his inability to stabilise the glaring nose-diving country’s economy, we have noticed the sponsored backlash and propaganda against our persons instead of the issues we have raised.

“The fact that the sponsored messengers of the propaganda couldn’t come up with an issue-based argument is a clear indication that Mr Emefiele has truly failed and they are only helping in further exposing his flaws because Nigerians are watching.

“Mr governor would have proved us wrong with facts and figures, and possibly, engage the services of those with related intellectual to defend his inability to stabilise our bleeding economy.

“We are surprised that, Mr governor would engage those with track records in dirty jobs because of their stomach infrastructure. Those that never promoted a genuine course that can prosper the country except sowing the seed of divisional tune in the country are the ones Mr governor is paying to insult us just for saying the obvious.

“While we maintain our three options available for Emefiele – to resign, to get sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari or to force us to occupy the CBN complex, it is important to remind Mr governor and his think-thank the personality of his defenders in this stance.

“We expect Mr Emefiele’s errand boys to come out in his convincing defence. They should tell us that it is not true that our legal tender, the naira has drastically lost its value against other foreign exchanges even in Africa where Nigeria is a big brother.

“They should tell us that it wasn’t true that ₦150bn NIRSAL loan money got missing under Mr Emefiele’s watchful eyes. They should ell us that CBN under Mr Emefiele has been very up to date with her audited report.

“They should tell us that the dishing out of BDC licenses has followed due process and are being issued to the right individuals. They should tell us that Mr Emefiele is not nursing a secret Presidential ambition that has stolen his attention and plunged the Nigerian economy into a quagmire.

“They should also come out to tell us that their action in defence of Mr Emefiele is not for the money they have collected from the CBN to do so. Failure to do all these puts them clearly on the plates as Mr Emefiele’s number one enemies who are hell-bent on ensuring that he gets sacked”, he said in a statement.

Politics, World News

Southern Governors back VAT collection by states.

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The Southern Governors Forum has expressed support for the collection of the controversial Value Added Tax by state governments.

The Governors made their positions known on Thursday during their meeting in Enugu.

Reading the resolutions of the Governors shortly after the meeting, which was attended by nine Governors and seven Deputy Governors, the Chairman of the Forum/Governor of Ondo State, Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN), tasked the Governors that were yet to enact the anti-open grazing law to do so without much delay.

Akeredolu, in the seven-point communiqué, said the Governors were satisfied with the rate at which the states were enacting and amending the anti-open grazing laws, in line with the uniform template and aspiration of the Forum.

The communiqué read in part, “the Southern Governors Forum expressed satisfaction with the rate at which the states in southern Nigeria are enacting or amending the anti-open grazing laws, which align with the uniform template and aspiration of Southern Governors and encouraged the states that are yet to enact this law to do so expeditiously.

“We also encourage the full operationalisation of already agreed regional security outfits, which would meet, share intelligence and collaborate to ensure the security and safety of the region.

“The Forum reaffirms its earlier commitment to fiscal federalism as resolved at the inaugural meeting of the Forum held on Tuesday, May 11, 2021, at Asaba, Delta State and emphasised the need for the Southern States to leverage the legislative competence of their respective State Houses of Assembly, as well as representation in the National Assembly to pursue its inclusion in the Nigerian Constitution through the ongoing constitutional amendment.

“The meeting resolved to support the position that the collection of VAT falls within the powers of the states. It also expresses satisfaction with the handling of issues around the Petroleum Industry Act and ownership of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation by the larger Nigerian Governors’ Forum.”

The Forum also reiterated their earlier position that the next President of Nigeria must come from the southern part of Nigeria, in line with the politics of equity, justice and fairness.

The Governors present at the meeting were Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State; Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State; Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State; Nyesom Wike of Rivers State; Adegboyega Oyetola of Osun State; Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State; and Doye Diri of Bayelsa state.

Others were the Governors of Ogun state, Dapo Abiodun, and Akwa Ibom, Emmanuel Udom.

The Deputy Governors that represented their Governors are Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi of Ekiti State, Rauf Olaniyan of Oyo state, Prof Evara Esu of Cross River, Ude Okochukwu of Abia State, Kelechi Igwe of Ebonyi State, Philip Shuaibu of Edo state and Placid Njoku of Imo state.

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