Wike vs Fubara: Bode George calls for intervention in Rivers crisis 

A former deputy national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has appealed to the party’s elders and stakeholders to intervene in the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State.  George, also a member of the PDP Board of Trustees (BOT), stressed the importance of the elders’ intervention to prevent the escalation of the crisis into a national catastrophe.  Also, he urged President Bola Tinubu not to perceive the issue solely as a PDP concern but to intervene in order to prevent any potential breakdown of law and order within the state. The State House of Assembly has been polarised since 2023 following the rift between Gov. Sim Fubara and Nyesom Wike, minister, Federal Capital Territory FCT. The crisis, which has led to several threats to impeach the governor, assumed a new dimension on Wednesday when lawmakers loyal to Fubara appointed a factional speaker of the House of Assembly. Lawmakers loyal to Wike had recently defected to APC. Reacting, George said the crisis in Rivers was a time bomb waiting to explode. Insisting that the oil-rich state belongs to PDP, Mr George advised that nobody should sit on the fence and pretend as if everything was okay. He said Section 109 (1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution states that a member of a House of Assembly shall vacate his seat in the House if “ being a person whose election to the House of Assembly was sponsored by a political Party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected”, George said that all the PDP lawmakers who defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC, had automatically lost their seats. The PDP chieftain said: “They are in no position to threaten Governor Fubara. So, their plot to commence impeachment proceedings against the governor is already in vain. “Rivers people belong to PDP. Those threatening to impeach the governor are being remote-controlled by some forces. “This must stop because if Rivers is set on fire today, that may end this democracy. “We should remember ‘Operation Wetie’ which started in the defunct Western Region and eventually consumed the nation and ended the First Republic in 1966. “All the actors in this crisis in Rivers should avoid actions likely to cause breach of peace and breakdown of law and order in our country.” According to him, members of the Board of Trustees of the party should be the elders in the room, act swiftly and nip this crisis in the bud before it consumes everybody. He said that all the gladiators should also think of the collective interest of Nigerians. “Whether we are members of PDP, APC or other parties, we should stop issuing provocative statements to increase the tension in Rivers. “Any move that can truncate this democracy must be stopped immediately. Enough is enough,” he said.

Why we took over Rivers Assembly quarters – Police

The Rivers State Police Command has clarified its presence at the State House of Assembly Quarters, asserting it’s to maintain peace and prevent any potential disruption of order. Superintendent of Police Grace Iringe-Koko, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, emphasized that the deployment aims solely at ensuring tranquility, dispelling concerns of any alarming situation. The move comes amidst recent tensions, as state lawmakers loyal to Chief Nyesom Wike encountered resistance over facility inspection, with occupants disputing the necessity for renovation. The Command urged public cooperation, affirming commitment to fostering a secure environment for all. The statement read: :The Rivers State Police Command wishes to clarify the recent reports regarding our presence at the Rivers State House of Assembly quarters. “Our deployment in the area is solely aimed at ensuring peace and preventing any possible breakdown of order. We assure the public that there is no cause for alarm, and all individuals are encouraged to continue their lawful activities without fear. “Your cooperation is greatly appreciated as we work towards maintaining a safe and secure environment for all.”

Yahaya Bello to be arraigned, June 13

The former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, Friday finally agreed to submit himself to the Federal High Court Abuja for arraignment on June 13. At the Friday sitting, Justice Emeka Nwite rejected the former governor’s request for suspension of trial. Following the rejection of the application, the lead Counsel to the defendant, Abdulwahab Mohammed, gave the undertaking that his client will appear before the court in the next adjourned date. He stated that Bello was not afraid of arraignment but the safety of his life in the hand of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja. According to Mohammed, the life of his client has been under consistent threats in Abuja, hence, his decision to go underground for safety. In his remarks, Justice Nwite reiterated that EFCC as a law-abiding body would not do anything against the provisions of the law. The court added that Bello was not the first former governor to be merely invited by the anti-graft agency and would not be the last. The judge also said that the charges are based on allegations that have not been proved, adding that the law even presumes any accused person innocent until proven otherwise. Consequently, Justice Nwite advised Bello’s lawyer to prevail on his client to respect the law and order of court as a law-abiding citizen. Responding, Mohammed expressed gratitude to the court, adding that with the assurance that EFCC would not do anything untoward, the former governor would be brought to court. “All my client needs is just an assurance for the safety of his life which has been under threat for sometimes in Abuja.” He, therefore, requested for four weeks to bring his client before the court. However, he added that the former governor, now at large, will come to the court instead of the EFCC to take his plea in the charges. In his reaction, counsel to the Anti-graft agency, Rotimi Oyedepo SAN, didn’t oppose the application. Justice Nwite fixed June 13 for Bello to appear in court to take his, please.

Tinubu’s appointees are misfits and weak- Dikwa

The Dean of Borno Elders Forum, Prof Khalifa Dikwa, says members of the elite in the northern region of the country are unhappy with President Bola Tinubu because of his “misfit and weak appointees” as well as his “anti-people policies”. The political analyst, who featured on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Wednesday, said northern elite are “not happy because each of these policies affect the north entirely”. “Most of the appointees are either misfits or weak or to the wrong places,” the elder statesman said, adding that the appointments by the Tinubu administration are “lopsided”. Prof Dikwa said even “the southern elite should be annoyed because Nigeria is more than Lagos”. He further described as “provocative”, the 0.5% cybersecurity levy on electronic transactions recently introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and asked the President to immediately order the apex bank to suspend the implementation of the new policy. “This is not the time, it’s wrong timing. Why are they provoking the people of this country? They have taken enough,” he said.

2027: Mega Party Prepares to Unseat Tinubu

Renowned political economist and former presidential candidate, Professor Pat Utomi, has announced plans for the formation of a new mega-political party aimed at unseating the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.  Utomi, who criticized the current political landscape for its failure to deliver effective governance, emphasized the need for a drastic change.  The proposed party will merge two distinct groups: the ‘mea culpa’ cohort, consisting of former politicians acknowledging past failures, and the ‘new value’ cohort, comprising forward-thinking individuals from various political backgrounds.  Utomi highlighted the importance of promoting value-driven citizenship, integrity, and respect for the dignity of people.  “The nature and the structure of our politics is such that even good people, when they enter these existing political parties, will play to their interests,” Utomi explained.

More Woes For Nigerians As Presidency Moves To Increase VAT Rate

The current financial woes of the Nigerian is set to get worse as the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms has put forth a proposal to increase the current Value Added Tax (VAT) rate.  Mr. Taiwo Oyedele the chairman of the committee, has highlighted the need for this change during a policy exposure session.  Currently set at 7.5 per cent, the proposed adjustment aims to restructure the revenue-sharing formula, with states and local governments set to receive a larger portion.  Oyedele stressed the importance of ensuring transparency and neutrality in VAT collection, emphasizing that the burden should fall on the ultimate consumer.  To mitigate the impact on small businesses and the underprivileged, certain essential goods and services would remain exempt from VAT.  He said, “We are proposing that the federal government’s portion should be reduced from 15 per cent to 10 per cent. States’ portion will be increased, but they would share 90 per cent with local governments. “In 1986, we had sales tax collected by states. The military came up with VAT in 1993 and stopped sales tax, so they said it would collect VAT and return 15 per cent as cost of collection, and that is the 15 per cent charged today came about. But we think it is too much. So we must make it transparent and neutral, and this is what over 100 countries where they have VAT are doing. “Nigeria’s economy is more than 50 percent in services and if I just stop at this, many states will be broke because VAT collection will go down by more than 50 percent and it won’t even fly. “So we, therefore, need to adjust the VAT rate upward. We would ensure that it doesn’t affect businesses. The only thing is to look at basic consumption from food, education, medical services, and accommodation will carry zero per cent VAT. So, for the poor and small businesses, no VAT.”

ALGON support call for Fubara’s impeachment

The crises in Rivers state is beginning to take a new dimension after the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, called for the impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara yesterday. In support of the call, the Rivers State chapter of the Association of Local Government Areas of Nigeria, ALGON, has accused Governor Fubara of withholding funds allocated for the 23 LGAs in the state. According to the state chapter of ALGON, the Governor’s action has hindered their ability to carry out their duties, saying it amounts to abolishing local government councils in the state. The LG Chairmen also indicated that they are in support of the call for impeachment of the Governor by the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Tony Okocha, who had asked the Martins Amaewhule-led State House of Assembly to initiate impeachment proceedings against the Governor. Addressing journalists on Wednesday, Allwell Ihunda, the State ALGON Chairman and Chairman of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area said, “It has come to the notice of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Rivers State chapter, that the Rivers State Government, under the leadership of His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has neglected, failed, and deliberately refused to hold the statutory Joint Account Allocation Committee Meeting which is the prerequisite for the release and disbursement of funds due to the local government in the State Joint Local Government Accounts. “And has continued to withhold the statutory allocations due to the 23 local government councils of Rivers State since April 2024. “And in the case of Emuoha LGA since March 2024 till date for no just course, thereby starving the third tier of the government of the funds required to discharge its statutory functions in the administration of the local government areas.”

Sultan Urges Muslims To Look Out For New Moon

Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has urged the Muslim Ummah to start looking for the new moon of Zul qa’ada from Wednesday, May 8, which is equivalent to 29th Shawwal 1445 AH. The Sultan is also the President-General of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Nigeria. His call was contained in a statement issued in Sokoto by Chairman, Sultanate Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs, Professor Sambo Wali Junaidu. The Sultan further called on Muslims to report the sighting to the nearest District Head for onward communication to the sultanate council. The statement read: “This is to inform the Muslims Ummah that Wednesday, 8th May, 2024 which is equivalent to 29th day of Shawwal 1445 AH, shall be the day to look for the new moon of Zulqa’ada 1445 AH. “Muslims are therefore requested to start looking for the new moon of Zulqa’ada 1445 on Wednesday and report its sighting to the nearest village or district head for onward communication to His Eminence, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar CFR , the Sultan of Sokoto.”

Senate Moves Forward with Bill to Protect Domestic Workers and Employers

In response to the escalating cases of abuse and exploitation faced by domestic workers in Nigeria, the Nigerian Senate has taken a significant step forward by advancing a bill aimed at protecting the rights of domestic workers and their employers. Sponsored by Senator Hussaini Babangida of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) representing Jigawa State, the bill passed its second reading on Wednesday following a comprehensive presentation of its core principles during plenary sessions. Senator Babangida emphasized the urgent need for legislative intervention, stating, “Over the years, there has been an increase in the incidents of assaults and abuse of domestic workers by their employers or hosts. These abuses ranged from slave labor, physical abuse, and sexual abuse among others.” He further highlighted the vulnerability of domestic workers in the informal sector, noting, “They are unionists and they do not have a collective platform to speak for themselves and therefore remain ostensibly vulnerable and helpless.” Addressing concerns about crimes involving domestic workers, Babangida pointed out, “On the other side of the coin, is the rise in the state of complicity of crimes committed by domestic workers mostly in connivance with other criminal elements of society against their employers or host. These bother on burglary, kidnapping, stealing of children, and sometimes outright murder.” The bill aims to document and safeguard the rights of domestic workers while also considering the security concerns of their employers, particularly in rapidly urbanizing cities such as Port Harcourt, Lagos, Abuja, and Kano. President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, referred the bill to the Committee on Labour and Productivity for further legislative inputs after it successfully passed its second reading. It is expected to return to plenary for deliberation in four weeks. Also in a related development, a bill seeking to amend the Chartered Institute of Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) Act also progressed with its second reading at the Senate. Presented by Senator Solomon Adeola (APC-Ogun), the bill proposes amendments to strengthen ICAN’s collaboration with other professional bodies and regulatory authorities, both domestically and internationally. Adeola highlighted the necessity of updating the ICAN Act to align with the evolving needs of chartered accountants and the changing economic landscape. “The act empowered the Institute to set standards and regulate the practice of Accountancy in Nigeria,” he stated. Following the second reading, the bill was referred to the Committee on Establishment and Public Service for further legislative inputs and is expected to return to plenary for consideration in three weeks’ time.

Since when did the office of the NSA become a revenue collecting centre?” – Peter Obi knocks Tinubu over Cybersecurity Levy” 

Former Anambra State governor Mr. Peter Obi has challenged the Tinubu-led government over the introduction of cyber security levy. He wrote: “The introduction of yet another tax, in the form of Cybersecurity Levy, on Nigerians who are already suffering severe economic distress is further proof that the government is more interested in milking a dying economy instead of nurturing it to recovery and growth. “This does not only amount to multiple taxation on banking transactions, which are already subject to various other taxes including stamp duties but negates the Government’s avowed commitment to reduce the number of taxes and streamline the tax system. “The imposition of a Cybersecurity Levy on bank transactions is particularly sad, given that the tax is on the trading capital of businesses and not on their profit, hence it will further erode whatever is left of their remaining capital, after the impact of the Naira devaluation and high inflation rate. “It is inconceivable to expect the suffering citizens of Nigeria to separately fund all activities of the government. Policies such as this not only impoverish the citizens but also make the country’s economic environment less competitive. “At a time when the government should be reducing taxes to curb inflation, the government is instead introducing new taxes. And when did the office of the NSA become a revenue collecting centre? “And why should that purely national security office receive returns on a specific tax as stated in the new cybersecurity law? -PO”