The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in on the verge of breaking apart after an group within the party under the auspices of Team New Nigeria, TNN, announced the commencement of a movement leave the party and form a new one.....Read Full Article>>

According to the group, the new political party it intends to form would rescue Nigeria from the threshold of poverty, hunger, insecurity and devastation. The group’s National President, Modibbo Yakubun Farakwai announced the move on Monday during the official inauguration of the Kano State harmonisation committee.

He said, “We understand that our people are hungry for change but they are not looking only for a change in government but a political party with some new faces replacing old ones. “Nigerians want to see a change in the culture and efficacy of governance. They want to see genuine change in the way government functions at all levels

According to him, “The group, have already boasted of having 26,382,000 registered voters in its fold across the country, who agreed to form a New Nigeria devoid of bad governance, selfish leaders and corrupt Political officeholders.”

Farakwai disclosed that “Today, every responsible Nigerian is looking beyond the APC government. Hence, let us assure you that we in TNN have been preparing for the future in the right earnest.

He added, “I would like to seize this opportunity to tell you that with your support, the TNN will provide not only an alternative government but an alternative culture of governance rooted in the ideals of democracy.

“We have embarked upon this nationwide program of rallies to start a new dialogue with the good people of Nigeria in the new situation that has arisen in the country.

“We have gone to the extent of developing a flag, a logo, a name, constitution, manifesto and proceeded to engage with the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, informing them of our desire to register the TNN as a political party.

“The leadership of Team New Nigeria acknowledges the registration of 26,382,000 members nationwide.

“We have also approved the allocation of additional membership registration materials for Kano State.

“The Harmonisation Committee is implored to work towards the registration of more people without delay.

“The Membership Registration form is free and not for sale.

“Let us thank INEC for resuming the nationwide continuous voters’ registration exercise. Our people are advised to take advantage of this development and register en masse.

“And may the INEC be independent, apolitical, unbiased and neutral.”

“Amongst us are well-meaning Nigerians from all walks of life, from all professions and all tribes and religions. Our binding forces are brotherhood, humanity, patriotism and the love for a greater Nigeria.

He emphasised that “In the coming weeks, a national rollout of plans will happen in TNN, the first of which is the presentation of the TNN’s Manifesto, book and newspaper.”

He added that the group has so far achieved the formation of administrative and mobilisation structures across the six geo-political zones, 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and the 774 Local Government Areas.

In other news, presidency responded to the criticism of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Tax Reform Bills, arguing that no part of it is meant to impoverish the northern part of the country.

It also said that the Tax Reform Bills were borne out of the need to help over­burdened Nigerian Investors, debunking insinuations that it introduced tax reform bills to make Lagos and Rivers states richer than other confederating states.

It also wrote off critics who have speculated that the policy when implemented would see to the scrapping of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), NASENI and NITDA, among other agencies of government.

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, rose to the defence of the bills in a statement circulated to State House correspondents on Monday, regretting that in the last few weeks, various political actors and commentators have tried to obfuscate the facts, deliberately misinforming and misleading the public.

The presidential spokesperson said most of the reactions are not grounded in facts, reality, or sufficient knowledge of the bills.
He lamented that while some commentators have attempted to incite the people against the lawmakers, others have polarised one section of the country against another.

Giving further insight into the policy, Mr. Onanuga reiterated that the tax reform bills will not make Lagos or Rivers more affluent than other parts of the country, as recklessly canvassed, poorer.

He assured that the bills will not destroy the economy of any section of the country. Instead, they aim to enhance the quality of life for Nigerians, especially the disadvantaged, who are trying to make a living.

“Contrary to the lies being peddled, the bills do not suggest that NASENI, TETFund, and NITDA will cease to exist in 2029 after the passage of the bills.
“Government agencies, such as NASENI, TETFund, and NIT­DA, are funded through budgetary provisions with company income tax and other taxes paid by the same businesses that are being overburdened with the special taxes.

“One reason President Bola Tinubu embarked on the Tax and Fiscal Policy Reforms is the need to streamline tax administration in Nigeria and make the operating environment conducive for businesses.

“For decades, businesses, in­vestors, and private sector players in Nigeria have complained of being overburdened by a myri­ad of taxes and levies, including those earmarked to fund various government agencies and initia­tives,” the presidential media aide stated.

He insisted that the multiple taxes complicate the economic environment, making Nigeria uncompetitive for investment and preventing many businesses from growing or continuing their operations.

According to him, some com­panies have had to make the ra­tional decision to relocate to other countries.

“We cannot continue on this path or wait for 20 years if this country is to deliver the prosper­ity we need for our people.

“The proposal, as contained in section 59(3) of the Nigeria Tax Bill, only seeks to consolidate some of the earmarked taxes imposed on companies and re­place them with a single tax to be shared with the key agencies as beneficiaries in a phased manner until 2030.

“The time frame offers am­ple opportunity for the affected agencies to explore other funding sources in addition to budgetary allocations in line with the con­stitution and international best practices.

“It is a misrepresentation of facts to conclude that chang­ing an agency’s funding source amounts to scrapping it. None of the countries leading globally in education, science, engineering, or information technology have similar earmarked taxes.

“The government imposes major taxes, be it income tax, consumption tax, or other taxes, to channel resources to its areas of priority at the time. Imposing a separate tax to fund an agency is an aberration that has yet to yield results despite the huge burden on businesses. The tax bills seek to address this problem.

“Relevant stakeholders and public analysts owe it a duty to properly educate themselves about the bills’ contents and avoid misleading the public for any reason. We may be entitled to our opinions, but such views must be informed and based on facts, not emotions targeted at in­flaming passions,” he noted.

Mr. Onanuga cautioned that in a period like this, when our people across the country look up to lead­ers for guidance and direction on matters of public importance, such as the Tax Reform Bills, leaders should be more measured in their public utterances to avoid heating the polity and polarising the country unduly.

He said President Tinubu welcomes the public interest these bills have generated. He encour­ages leaders across the country, including governors, traditional rulers, civil society activists, students, trade associations, professional associations, and the general public to take advantage of the public hearings that the National Assembly will organise to present their views on how best to reform our taxes and fiscal regime.

“What is never in doubt is the imperative of changing the existing tax laws and administration that have become obsolete and unhelpful in achieving the growth and development we desire for our country,” he noted.

Opposition moves to impeach president....Read Full Article>>

South Korea’s opposition moved to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday after his extraordinary but short-lived imposition of martial law that brought thousands of protesters to the streets.

Yoon’s shock bid to suspend civilian rule for the first time in over four decades — before being overturned by lawmakers in a night of drama — plunged South Korea into deep turmoil and alarmed its close allies.

The future of Yoon, a conservative politician and former star public prosecutor who was elected president in 2022, is now highly uncertain.

South Korea’s opposition parties — whose lawmakers jumped fences and tussled with security forces to vote down the law — on Wednesday filed a motion to impeach Yoon.

“We’ve submitted an impeachment motion prepared urgently,” said Kim Yong-min from the opposition Democratic Party.

They were yet to decide when to put it to a vote, but it could come as soon as Friday.

The opposition holds a large majority in the 300-member parliament and needs only a handful of defections from the president’s party to secure the two-thirds majority needed to pass the motion.

Earlier the DP said it would file charges of “insurrection,” against Yoon, his defence and interior ministers and “key military and police figures involved, such as the martial law commander and the police chief,” the DP said in a statement.

The nation’s largest umbrella labour union called an “indefinite general strike” until Yoon resigns.

Even the leader of Yoon’s own ruling party described the attempt as “tragic” while calling for those involved to be held accountable.

– Defiance –

In his late-night television announcement, Yoon declared martial law, citing the threat of North Korea and “anti-state forces”.

More than 280 troops backed by 24 helicopters arrived at parliament to lock down the site.

But 190 lawmakers defied rifle-carrying soldiers to force their way into parliament to vote against the move.

This left Yoon with no choice but to retract his decision and call off the military in another television address at around 4:30 am (1930 GMT Tuesday).

Under the constitution, martial law must be lifted when a majority in parliament demands it.

Senior aides working for Yoon offered Wednesday to resign en masse over the martial law declaration.

By mid-afternoon, Yoon had yet to reappear publicly.

– ‘Impeachment’ –

The U-turn prompted jubilation among flag-waving protesters outside parliament who had braved freezing temperatures to keep vigil through the night in defiance of Yoon’s martial law order.

Lim Myeong-pan, 55, told AFP that Yoon now has to go.

“Yoon’s act of imposing it in the first place without legitimate cause is a serious crime in itself,” Lim told AFP.

“He has paved his path to impeachment with this.”

With more protests expected through Wednesday, large numbers of police were patrolling key avenues Wednesday afternoon.

“I was so incensed I couldn’t sleep a wink last night, I came out to make sure we push out Yoon once and for all,” 50-year-old Kim Min-ho told AFP at a fresh demonstration at the assembly Wednesday.

– ‘Anti-state’ elements –

Yoon had said that his imposition of martial law was to “safeguard a liberal South Korea from the threats posed by North Korea’s communist forces and to eliminate anti-state elements plundering people’s freedom and happiness.”.

Yoon did not elaborate on the North’s threats, but the South remains technically at war with nuclear-armed Pyongyang.

“Our National Assembly has become a haven for criminals, a den of legislative dictatorship that seeks to paralyse the judicial and administrative systems and overturn our liberal democratic order,” Yoon said.

The president labelled the main opposition Democratic Party “anti-state forces intent on overthrowing the regime”.

In recent weeks Yoon and his People Power Party have been bitterly at odds with the opposition over next year’s budget.

Opposition MPs last week approved a budget plan through a parliamentary committee that slashed Yoon’s spending plans.

His approval rating dropped to 19 per cent in the latest Gallup poll last week, with voters angry at the state of the economy as well as controversies involving his wife, Kim Keon Hee.

– Concern, relief –

Democratic South Korea is a major ally of the United States, which has nearly 30,000 troops in the country to protect it from the nuclear-armed North.

Washington said it had no prior notice of Yoon’s plan to impose martial law and welcomed his decision to reverse his move.

“We continue to expect political disagreements to be resolved peacefully and in accordance with the rule of law,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

China, a key ally of North Korea, urged its nationals in the South to stay calm and exercise caution, while Japan was monitoring the situation with “exceptional and serious concerns”.

“This is a surprising last-ditch move by Yoon to grab political power,” Gi-Wook Shin, a sociology professor at Stanford University, told AFP.

“This move will only fasten the demise of his political career as it is likely to lead to his impeachment.”

Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has taken urgent steps to address the deplorable state of public schools in the Kabusa community of Abuja. Highlighting the seriousness of the issue, Wike hinted at the potential consequences of inaction, including his dismissal from office, if President Bola Tinubu were to witness the disrepair firsthand.....Read Full Article>>

This dramatic declaration underscores the critical importance of improving public infrastructure to ensure quality education for all Nigerian children. On Tuesday, during the flag- off ceremony for the rehabilitation of the 9. 8km Kabusa– Takushara road in Abuja, Wike expressed his dismay at the dilapidated structures that pass for schools in the area. Speaking candidly, he described the current condition of the schools as unacceptable and unworthy of a nation with Nigeria’ s resources. ”

They said this is a school. My brother, I no go lie, I will not accept this as a school for our people to have quality education, ” Wike said, adding that the rehabilitation of the schools must be treated as an emergency.
The Minister’ s remarks revealed a dual motivation: a genuine concern for the welfare of Nigerian children and a desire to safeguard his ministerial position. He remarked that if President Tinubu were to inspect the schools and witness their poor state, it would almost certainly jeopardize his tenure. ” I’ m sure if Mr. President comes here and sees that this is the school our children are learning [in], I will lose my job. And I don’ t want to lose my job, ” he confessed. To this end, Wike pledged to upgrade the schools immediately, transforming them into facilities befitting of modern education standards.

Wike’ s proactive stance highlights the intersection of accountability and governance. His fear of dismissal demonstrates the heightened expectations under the current administration, while his swift response underscores the necessity for leaders to act decisively in the face of glaring infrastructural deficiencies. The Minister’ s directive also aligns with broader efforts to support President Tinubu’ s agenda of improving the lives of Nigerians.
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Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, has suspended Uchenna Igwe, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters over alleged failure to perform official responsibilities.....Read Full Article>>

The suspension, which took effect immediately, was announced during a press briefing at the Governor’s office in Abakaliki.

Reports revealed that Igwe failed to address an assignment concerning local government pension payments, prompting the action.

This marks the fourth commissioner removed in recent weeks.

Last month, the Governor took similar steps against commissioners for housing, urban development, water resources, and health, as part of efforts to maintain accountability within his administration.

The Governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has given the 18 local government council chairmen in the state, 48 hours to submit their statements of account Governor Okpebholo who stated this during his meeting with the 18 council chairmen in Edo at Government House on Tuesday in Benin, demanded the council bosses submit the statements to the Assets Verification Committee, through the Secretary to the State Government (SSG).....Read Full Article>>

He said the statement of accounts should be effective from the 4th of September 2023 till date.

Okpebholo who was represented at the event by his Deputy, Hon. Dennis Idahosa, promised to work closely with the council chairmen for a better Edo State.

“I have listened to you keenly, the ALGON Chairman. The Governor is a leader of all of us. Election has come and gone and we are all one family. The Governor has asked me to assure you that we are one family.

“He has also asked me to tell you that we will work closely together. I guess you are aware that a few weeks ago, the Assets Verification Committee was constituted.

Taiwo Oyedele, Chairman of the presidential committee on tax policy and fiscal reforms, has refuted any plans to employ Alpha-Beta Consulting or other consultants for tax collection.....Read Full Article>>

During a town hall meeting hosted by Channels Television on Monday, Oyedele addressed concerns about using external consultants like Alpha-Beta, a firm known for managing tax collection for Lagos State and linked to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He highlighted that relying on consultants for tax collection is a significant economic challenge, stressing that governments should not depend on external firms for such crucial functions.

“In fact, we debated at the committee level about including a provision in the law that prohibits governments from using consultants to collect taxes. We see this as one of the biggest economic problems,” Oyedele stated.

“I can confirm 100 percent that there is no plan whatsoever to use consultants for this purpose.”

According to Oyedele, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) already has the infrastructure needed for efficient tax collection, particularly through its TaxPro Max platform. He noted that minor adjustments to the system are sufficient to implement the proposed reforms.

“For instance, once these bills are passed, we can simply update the system to require companies like MTN to indicate the states where VAT returns are generated,” Oyedele explained.

He added that similar measures would apply to other large corporations, such as the Dangote Group and financial institutions, ensuring compliance without external assistance.

‘Governors Were Consulted on Tax Reform Bills’

Addressing concerns about consultation, Oyedele emphasized that state governors were actively engaged during the drafting process of the tax reform bills.

“This is not a rushed process. We consulted extensively. We had a session with the governors’ forum and two sessions with the national economy council. We also spent almost a full day with finance commissioners from across Nigeria,” he said.

Oyedele further revealed that the committee held multiple meetings with heads of internal revenue services from all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Letters were sent to governors in each geopolitical zone, offering detailed discussions with their cabinets.

“Some governors didn’t have time for us, but for those who did, like the governor of Lagos, we had thorough engagements. In Lagos, a joint committee between my team and the state cabinet worked on the details for over six months,” he added.

How to Print NYSC Green Card and Check Your NYSC Call-Up Letter

He maintained that the committee remains open to further consultations, dismissing claims that stakeholders were not adequately involved.

....Read Full Article>>

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has named Adeboye Adeyinka, alias Zulu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Grassroots Sports Development.

Zulu is a well-experienced sports administrator who was until his appointment, the Special Assistant to the immediate past Minister of Sports, Senator John Enoh.

His enviable service with four different Lagos State Governors in various capacities has already branded him as one of the leading crusaders for grassroots sports in Nigeria.

With vast experience in sports administration and grassroots development, Adeboye Adeyinka is prepared to play a pivotal role in the support for transforming and revitalizing Nigerian sports by the National Sports Commission.

This appointment reflects President Tinubu’s commitment to fostering sports development at the grassroots level, which is essential for building a sustainable sports ecosystem in Nigeria.

On Monday, Zulu formally presented his appointment letter to the National Sports Commission (NSC) Chairman, Mallam Shehu Dikko. He pledged to work alongside Dikko to strengthen the nation’s talent development pipeline.

The Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo on Sunday said he did not consult any prophet or native doctor to win the September 21, 2024 governorship election.....Read Full Article>>

DAILY POST reports that Senator Monday Okpebholo, a candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, defeated his closest rival, Asue Ighodalo of the Peoples Democratic Party, and 15 other political parties’ candidates to win the off-cycle gubernatorial election.

Fred Itua, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen in Benin City. Itua said the governor made the remarks at Winner’s Chapel, Akho in Irrua, Esan Central Local Government Area of Edo State, where he worshipped alongside top members of his administration.

The governor, who reiterated his trust in God, stated that he contested the September 21 governorship election without seeking help from native doctors or prophets.

According to him, “I want to thank God for his wonderful deeds in my life, as no one can accomplish this except Him alone. My life is filled with testimonies, and God has consistently granted me victory in all my endeavours.

“I contested the election without seeking help from native doctors or prophets. My faith is in Christ alone. If God does not will it, then let it not be done.

“In Nigeria, and indeed the world, no prophet or native doctor can claim that I visited them for help in winning the election.

“The only factor I recognized is God. If He cannot accomplish it, then let it not be done. The prevailing sentiment is that God’s grace is upon me.

“As a member of Winner’s Church, I am confident that we cannot be losers, especially since both my Deputy and I are part of this community. How can we lose? While others were strategizing and utilizing media outlets, I trusted in the Lord, and He granted me victory, ”he said.

The Pastor of Winners Chapel Church, Akho, Peter Osawe, who spoke on the topic ‘Wisdom kits for joy and rejoicing”,’ emphasised that God is the pivotal factor in human life.

Osawe noted that nothing occurs without God’s knowledge and encouraged the congregation to continue drawing strength from God’s word.

He opined that Nigeria would become a better nation if everyone worked together.

DAILY POST reports that the Governor, who also attended a service at God’s People World Wide Prayer Ministry in Illeh, Ekpoma, Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State, said he was in the Church to seek prayers for the success of his administration.

“I am here to pray for the strength to move the state forward, to work for the Edo people, to utilize the state’s resources for development, and to promote justice and fairness for the Edo people”, he added.

In his message, Apostle Ehijele Unuayan, the General Overseer, urged the Governor to remain focused on his vision for the state’s development and the welfare of its people.

Unuayan expressed gratitude to the Governor for approving automatic employment for first-class graduates of Edo origin from universities in Nigeria and worldwide.