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Oktober 11, 2018

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APC Responds To INEC Barring Party From Fielding Candidates In Zamfara 2019 Elections

Posted: 11 Oct 2018 04:05 PM PDT

APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has rejected the verdict of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), that the party did not hold valid primary elections in Zamfara State.

INEC had declared APC ineligible to field candidates for all elective positions in Zamfara State in 2019, based on its inability to hold party primaries within the stipulated time-frame.

However, the party on Wednesday, replied INEC insisting that primaries indeed took place in Zamfara State.

In the letter dated October 10 and signed by chairman Adams Oshiomhole, APC said that INEC did not capture the true situation of the APC primaries in Zamfara State.

"The contents of your letter seem to conclude that no primaries were conducted by the APC in Zamfara State. We wish to state emphatically that nothing can be farther from the actual situation in Zamfara State.

"Kindly find attached a comprehensive report from the Zamfara Electoral Committee of the APC and signed by all the members on the conduct of primary elections for the Zamfara State held between October 6th and 7th, 2018," it said.

APC further explained that following the frictions, disagreements and threatened violence by various political camps before the primaries, all the aspirants met at City King Hotel, Gusau to find a truce.

According to the party, a consensus arrangement was reached in strict compliance with section 87 (6) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as Amended).

"Therefore, the claim in your letter under reference that "no primaries were conducted by your party in the state, notwithstanding that our officials were fully mobilised and deployed" could only be referring to their observation that actual voting did not take place, which is not the only mode prescribed for producing candidates in the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended).

"We, therefore, affirm that indeed primaries took place in Zamfara State.

"Please also refer to the lNEC's Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2019 General," the party said.

It accused INEC of not giving it a fair hearing before taking a position on the Zamfara State primaries.

APC further said that by INEC's timetable, all political parties were expected to submit a list of their candidates on or before 18th of October, 2018, after exhausting all internal procedures for Appeals arising out of the congresses.

It said that it was in the process of exhausting those internal procedures "before forwarding the names of our candidates to INEC."

"We are perplexed that you did not wait for us to submit the names of our candidates in Zamfara State (considering that the time within which such submission should take place has not elapsed) before raising your observation in your letter under reference.

"It is our contention, in the circumstance, that your letter is not only preemptive, but your position seems to negate the spirit of any fair hearing and is devoid of legal basis.

"Be informed, (emphasis by the party) that in the spirit of due compliance with the law, we affirm that we shall indeed be presenting candidates for Governorship, National Assembly and State Assembly Elections in Zamfara State for the 2019 General elections before the deadline for submission of such names which has been fixed by your Commission on the 18th of October, 2018 and in line with section 87 (6) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended).

"If you raise further observations AFTER you receive our list of candidates, we shall be glad to clarify them. Please accept the assurances of our highest regards," the letter added.

Read the original content from DAILY POST

Related Topics: #INEC #APC #APCZamfaraPrimaryElection

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JUST IN: President Buhari Signs New Executive Order To Collect Taxes On Foreign Assets Of Nigerians

Posted: 11 Oct 2018 05:15 PM PDT

President Buhari

The Muhammadu Buhari administration is stepping up the regulations on money laundering and tax evasion by releasing a new Executive Order tagged 'Voluntary Offshore Assets Regularisation Scheme (VOARS).'

The new Executive Order (008) takes effect from October 8, the day it was signed by President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to a spokesperson of Mr. Buhari, Garba Shehu, by the new order, Nigerian taxpayers who hold offshore assets and income are expected to, within a period of 12 months, declare voluntarily those assets and pay taxes on them.

"When they do this, they should expect to derive certain specified benefits," Mr Shehu said in a statement Wednesday.

He also said that according to the order, "any taxpayer who truthfully and voluntarily complies with the conditions of the scheme, pays a one-time levy of 35 percent on the total offshore assets or pays all outstanding taxes, penalties and interest after forensic audit of their offshore assets and income shall obtain immunity from prosecution for tax offences and offences related to offshore assets, among others.




"Equally, failure of any defaulting taxpayer to take advantage of this scheme shall, at the expiration of the scheme result in investigation and enforcement procedures concerning offshore assets anywhere in the world pursuant to information now readily available through automatic exchange of information between Nigeria and foreign countries."

He said in accordance with the new order, the federal government, through the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, will set up a VOARS in Switzerland for all categories of taxpayers who have defaulted in the declaration of their offshore assets, payment of taxes due and collectable subject to the fulfilment of the terms and conditions as stipulated in the order, or any other subsequent complementary regulations that follow.

To avoid the abuse of this process, he said, the federal government makes clear that the "scheme is open to all persons, entities, and their intermediaries holding offshore assets and are in default of their tax obligations in any way, including those who are not already under investigation by law enforcement agencies in Nigeria or any other country and have not been charged with any crimes including theft of public funds or obtaining offshore assets through corrupt practices."

In signing the order, Mr Shehu said Mr Buhari noted that under Nigerian law, every citizen has the duty to declare his or her income and assets and pay taxes on them but regretted that this, in most instances, had not been the case.

"The sad reality is that efforts to recover these taxes from defaulters through litigation are often frustrated by the complications caused by the change in the character and nature of such assets, insufficient financial intelligence, long delays in courts, among several other reasons," the presidential aide said.

President Buhari is optimistic that the new scheme will help to facilitate the expedient regularisation of offshore assets connected to Nigeria and lead to "a new expanded tax base for the federal government, and also fund the Nigeria Infrastructure Fund in Switzerland," he said.

Read the original article on Premium Times

Related Topics: #BuhariExecutiveOrder #Taxes

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Breaking: APC Takes Over Ekiti State House Of Assembly

Posted: 11 Oct 2018 12:39 PM PDT

APC and PDP

Read the report below as published by the Nation Newspaper:

Some members of Ekiti State House of Assembly have impeached the Speaker, Kola Oluwawole.

They also sacked the Deputy Speaker, Sina Animasaun.

Both Oluwawole and Animasaun are members of the People's Democratic Party (PDP).

Oluwawole, a staunch loyalist of Governor Ayo Fayose, was removed at about 11.00 am behind closed doors.

The lawmakers elected the former Deputy Leader, Adeniran Alagbada while the Minority Leader, Gboyega Aribisogan, was elected as new House Leader of Business.

Former Deputy Speaker, Segun Adewumi, was returned to his post by the lawmakers.

Read Also: Fayose must account for over N100b loans – CNPP
He was removed by Fayose's loyalists earlier in the year.

Sunday Akinniyi was elected Minority Leader.

The new principal officers were sworn in immediately after being elected.

Alagbada defected defected from PDP to APC in June alongside his political mentor, Prince Dayo Adeyeye.

The minority APC lawmakers were joined by their PDP counterparts who will soon defect to the broom party.

The change in leadership was believed to have been effected in anticipation of the change of government.

Outgoing Governor Ayo Fayose will make way for the incoming Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who will be inaugurated on Tuesday.

Related Topics: #EkitiState #Fayose

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Gov. Amosun Threatens And Vows To Dump APC Over Primaries

Posted: 11 Oct 2018 12:20 PM PDT

Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Ogun State governor

Senator Ibikunle Amosun, the Ogun State governor, has vowed to dump the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The Governor said, "If the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party fails to uphold the candidacy" of his annointed governorship candidate, Abdul-Kabir Adekunle Akinlade, he "will leave."

Amosun took the stand last night, just few hours after Governors Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos), Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Umar Ganduje (Kano), Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi) and Kashim Shettima (Borno) met with President Muhammadu Buhari to seek his intervention in the contentious primaries in the states.

The Ogun State Governor issued this threat during a meeting with some party leaders and his loyalists across the 20 local government areas of the state held at his private residence located inside Ibara GRA, Abeokuta.

One of the APC chieftains, who was present at the meeting, told Daily Sun that the governor, who briefed his loyalists on the outcome of his meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari as well as the national leadership of APC, "did not give any hint on the party he may join."

The party chieftain said that Amosun informed them that "rather than the NWC iron out the issue of the governorship, he (Amosun) was asked to share the national and state assemblies tickets with certain group of individuals, who, according to him, did not participate in both the governorship and legislative primaries."

He added that "the governor berated those he termed 'Abujaconnection APC, for standing rules of the primary election on its head and produced Abiodun as the party's candidate instead of Akinlade, who emerged through a direct primary."

The party chieftain said Amosun "made it clear that he could not work with Abiodun, who he said lacked the wherewithal to win a senatorial district, let alone the whole of Ogun State, insisting he would rather bid APC goodbye rather than accept his candidacy."

He added that the Governor was silent on the choice of the party, but made it clear that he would never defect to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Related Topics: #IbikunleAmosun #APC #OgunStateAPCPrimaries

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What Obasanjo Told PDP, Atiku, Oyedepo & Others (Full text)

Posted: 11 Oct 2018 11:13 AM PDT

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Atiku Abubakar

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former Nigeria President, has finally endorsed the presidential ambition of his former deputy, Atiku Abubakar.

Obasanjo who met with Atiku, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate and others in Abeokuta, Ogun state declared that Atiku will defeat the incumbent President, Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019.

According to Chief Obasanjo, he believes that Atiku has 're-discovered and re-positioned himself' and is now good enough to enjoy his support in the next election.

Obasanjo said, "Let me start by congratulating President-to-be, Atiku Abubakar, for his success at the recent PDP Primary and I took note of his gracious remarks in his acceptance speech that it all started here.

"Yes, when it started, it was meant for Atiku to succeed Obasanjo. In the presence of these distinguished leaders of goodwill today, let me say it openly that we have reviewed what went wrong on the side of Atiku. And in all honesty, my former Vice-President has re-discovered and re-positioned himself. As I have repeatedly said, it is not so much what you did against me that was the issue but what you did against the Party, the Government and the country.

"I took the stand I had taken based on the character and attributes you exhibited in the position you found yourself. I strongly believe that I was right. It was in the overall interest of everyone and everything to take such a position.

"From what transpired in the last couple of hours or so, you have shown remorse; you have asked for forgiveness and you have indicated that you have learnt some good lessons and you will mend fences and make amends as necessary and as desirable.

"Whenever or wherever you might have offended me, as a Christian who asks for God's forgiveness of my sins and inadequacies on daily basis, I forgive and I sincerely advise you to learn from the past and do what is right and it will be well with you. Obviously, you have mended fences with the Party and fully reconciled with the Party. That's why today, you are the Presidential Candidate of the Party. In addition to appreciating all that the Party has done for you, may I advise you to work together with all those who contested for the Party's flag with you as a team for your campaign.

"There are still areas, nationally and internationally, where you have to mend fences and make amends. You will know how to handle what is already out and what may yet be put out by the opposition. But, I am convinced that if you continue with the attitude that brought you here with these distinguished leaders of goodwill, with remorse and contrite heart, the rest of the coast within and outside the country can be cleared. And if there is anything I can do and you want me to do in that respect, I will do.

"I am sure with the right attitude for change where necessary, and by putting lessons learned by you to work, you will get the understanding, cooperation, support and mandate – all at the national level. With Nigerians voting for you, it will mean that you secure their forgiveness and regain their confidence. It will be with the hope or assurance of a Paul on the road to Damascus Conversion. After all, change and conversion are of man. I believe that with a contrite heart, change is possible in everybody's life and situation.

"For me, relatively and of all the aspirants in the PDP, you have the widest and greatest exposure, experience, outreach and possibly the best machinery and preparation for seeing the tough and likely dirty campaign ahead through. From what I personally know of you, you have capacity to perform better than the incumbent. You surely understand the economy better; you have business experience, which can make your administration business-friendly and boost the economy and provide jobs.

"You have better outreach nationally and internationally and that can translate to better management of foreign affairs. You are more accessible and less inflexible and more open to all parts of the country in many ways. As Pastor Bakare, one-time running mate of the incumbent President said, "You are a wazobia man." And that should help you in confronting the confrontable and shunning nepotism.

"As you know, along the road to where you are today, many leaders and ordinary people cooperated and overtly and covertly worked hard. On your behalf, I thank them all. May their coast continue to be expanded. And when you become Nigerian President which, insha-Allah, you will be, remember what we did together in government – we ran an administration by Nigerians for all Nigerians where merit and performance count more than blood relationship, friendship or kith and kin. Although some time and ground have been lost, you should endeavour to start from where we stopped and recover some lost ground, if not time.

"Please uphold truth, integrity, principles, morality and fight corruption, crimes and insurgency. The fundamental law of the land, our constitution must be scrupulously defended. I make one demand and one demand on you today, I need you to say before God and man that you will always remain irrevocably committed to upholding ALL the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the whole country will remain your single indivisible constituency.

"Constitutionalism, popular participation and inclusiveness are pre-conditions for reversing the deficits of the past three and half years. They will ensure abiding faith in our indivisibility, oneness and faith in the survival of all against none.

"The fundamentals for our development, economic growth and progress are hard and soft infrastructure. Remember to always give adequate places in your administration to our youth and women.

"All the authorities involved with the preparation, all processes and conduct of the election must ensure that the election is free, fair and credible.

"Once again, congratulations and I wish you well. My distinguished brothers and leaders of goodwill, thank you for making this happen. I will now count on you to encourage all hands to be on the deck to take Nigeria to the level God has created it to be – autopilot level."

Related Topics: #Obasanjo #Atiku #PDP #2019Election

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Bishop Oyedepo Seen As He Arrives Obasanjo’s Residence To Join Meeting With Atiku

Posted: 11 Oct 2018 10:36 AM PDT


Bishop David Oyedepo and Atiku Abubakar.

The General Overseer of the Living Faith Church, Bishop David Oyedepo, has arrived the residence of former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital.

Oyedepo's visit comes while Obasanjo is in a meeting with his former Vice, Atiku Abubakar.

But it is not certain if both visits are connected.

DAILY POST reports that the meeting is being held at the residence of the ex-president within the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta.

Atiku arrived his former boss' premises at about 1:05pm.

The former VP was accompanied by his campaign Director-General and former Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, and Senator Murray Ben-Bruce, among others.

Related Topics: #BishopOyedapo #Atiku #Obasanjo #PDP #2019Election

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Atiku, PDP Urged To Take Fani-Kayode As Running Mate - CIPN

Posted: 11 Oct 2018 09:50 AM PDT

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar

A Christian group, Christians in Power Network, CIPN, has urged the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its Presidential candidate, at the forthcoming 2019 general elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to choose a former minister of aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, as their vice presidential candidate.

In a statement signed by Apostle Chikezie Onyekere and Pastor Solomon Ayuba, the organisation's Coordinator and Secretary respectively, the group said "we predicate our advice on the fact that Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, unlike many Christians, is the one man who has stood firmly for the faith and has suffered immense persecution in the hands of the establishment because of this.

He is one man many Christians believe has been ordained by God to rescue us from the hands of our relentless traducers and murderers".

The statement continues: "The population and spread of Christians in Nigeria cut across regions and ethnicity.

The greatest fear of Christians today is that of insecurity where priests, pastors and their members are wantonly killed, our churches continuously desecrated and destroyed, and our sources of livelihood wasted, we as Christians will not vote for any party that parades a Christian who cannot effectively represent our cause at the highest levels.

Related Topics: #PDP #Atiku #CIPN

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Bishop Kukah, Sheikh Gumi, Pa Adebanjo, Others In Ota As They Join Obasanjo’s Meeting With Atiku, PDP Leaders

Posted: 11 Oct 2018 09:14 AM PDT

OBJ

Outspoken clerics, Bishop Mattew Kukah and Sheikh Ahmed Gumi, have arrived the residence of former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital.

Also present is the leader of apex Yoruba group, Pa Ayo Adebanjo.

They arrived the premises of the former president around 2:00pm.


Obasanjo is meeting with former vice, Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate.

DAILY POST reports that the meeting is being held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta.

Atiku arrived his former boss' premises at about 1:05pm.

The former VP was accompanied by his campaign Director-General and former Ogun State Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, ex PDP deputy national chairman, Bode George, Senator Murray Ben-Bruce, ex Cross River Governor, Liyel Imoke, ex Minister Osita Chidoka, among others.


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JUST IN: The Nigerian Governor's Face Caught On Camera Receiving $5m Bribe Revealed

Posted: 11 Oct 2018 04:48 AM PDT

Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State

The story of a Nigerian governor caught on spy camera receiving $5million bribe took over the internet recently.

The reporter from Daily Nigerian Newspaper who first broke the news has alleged threat to his life, however, he has gone ahead to reveal the face of the governor behind the bribery scandal.

Read below:

Nigerian security agencies are currently analysing a number of video clips showing a Nigerian governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, receiving $5 million bribe.

Multiple contractors who spoke with DAILY NIGERIAN on the condition of anonymity said the governor personally receives from 15 to 25 percent kickbacks for every project executed in the state.

Sources familiar with the situation said two agencies have been asked by President Muhammadu Buhari to file a report and submit to him in earnest.

The report, according to sources, involves analysis on the audiovisual contents of the clips, backgrounds and sequence, and then give recommendations to the president.

Credible sources in the presidency told DAILY NIGERIAN that the president would act on the report as soon the two agencies submit the report.

"The video was first shown to Mr President on a large TV screen. The president was bitter after watching the clips.

"I believe he will deal with the matter as soon as possible," the source disclosed.

Plot to remove the governor, who is gunning for his second term on the platform of ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, thickens by the day as the President explores all the options available.

Pundits familiar with the situation say the State House of Assembly will easily bow to the presidency's request for impeachment upon release of the videos.

It was gathered that the devastated governor is currently planning to suppress the release of the video through various means.

"The governor is in danger. He is still in Abuja searching for a way out. His plan to settle at least 3 people who possess the clip has also failed. The governor is now planning how to hire fake activists and engage in a media war to discountenance the videos," a source who preferred not to be named told our reporter.

The source also said there is also plan to attack DAILY NIGERIAN publisher, Jaafar Jaafar, for his refusal to trade off the video.

Recall that this newspaper had exclusively reported that a Nigerian governor from one of the North West states was caught on spy camera receiving kickbacks in hard currency for various projects executed by his administration.

In the three-episode clips seen by DAILY NIGERIAN reporter, the governor was shown on different dates receiving the bribe amounting to about 5 million dollars in total.

In one of the clips, this reporter watched how the governor, who appeared without a cap, took note of the names of contractors who paid the kickback and later tucked the bundles of dollar notes into his kaftan side pockets and trousers' pockets.

In another video, appearing in babbarriga and a cap, this reporter watched how the governor collected nearly 3 million dollars, being 25 percent kickbacks for selling market stalls.

DAILY NIGERIAN graphics expert, who was also invited to a secret meeting to ascertain whether the videos were genuine, confirmed that they were not doctored.

A representative from a reputable international anti-corruption agency, who was also furnished with the clips for authentication, confirmed that it was genuine.

"Going by the analysis we made on conversation and the graphics, we concluded that the voice matched the subject matter's voice and the images are unmistakably his," the agency's representative said.

Spokesman for the governor, Salihu Tanko, could not be reached for comment at the time of filing in this report.

According to the DAILY NIGERIAN,  the videos will be published as soon as possible.

Related Topics: #Ganduje #$5MillionBribe #KanoState

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