November 21, 2019

Result Transmission Tops New Electoral Bill

There are renewed hopes that the new Electoral Act amendment Bill would contain the much-expected electronic-voting and direct transmission of results from polling units to central database.

The Senate concluded debate on the general principles of the Bill, yesterday, sending strong signals that it may be passed into law before end of the year.

The Senate also referred the Electoral Reform Bill to its committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) demanding it reports back within four weeks.

The new Bill seeks to strengthen internal democracy, reduce the cost of politics, widen political participation and the conduct of free fair …

Bad Traffic Over Soon, Sanwo-Olu Assures Lagosians

Lagos Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has assured the people that traffic situation being experienced in some parts of the state will soon be over.

Sanwo Olu appealed to residents to bear with the traffic situation, particularly in Ikeja, Agege, Oshodi/Isolo local government areas of the state.

Commuters and motorists have been experiencing serious discomfort and unbearable hardship since the beginning of the road repairs under ‘Operation 116’ across the state.

In a statement by Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotosho, the governor said there was no deliberate action to cause Lagosians any pain, assuring the people that the present …

Jaiz Bank: Between Perception And Reality

Jaiz Bank has begun a subtle but committed move to change its narrative and win more patrons, writes Raheem Akingbolu

Perhaps because of the level of religious and ethnic biases in the country when Jaiz Bank entered the market, most banking public were apprehensive about its brand promise. Considering the fact that perception establishes the meaning about a brand when a consumer makes initial contact with it, the toga of being referred to as a core Islamic institution, has since remained with the Jaiz Brand.

After overcome the teething stage and got the brand well rooted in the market, the …

TAFAUN Tackles AFN, Ministry Over Adeleye

• Renews call for his removal
Members of the Track and Field Athletes Union of Nigeria (TAFAUN) have renewed their call for the removal of Sunday Adeleye as their representative on the board of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).Sports Minister, Sunday Dare, sacked Adeleye from his position as the Technical Director of AFN two weeks ago following the recommendation by a probe panel set up to investigate Nigeria’s poor performance at Doha 2019 IAAF World Championship.

Before then, a total of 120 athletes had signed a petition calling for Adeleye’s removal as their representative on the board of AFN.

Fayemi

Fayemi In The US, Says Leaders Must Be Held Accountable

Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, has urged Nigerians to always hold their leaders accountable to strengthen the nation’s democracy.
Governor Fayemi pointed out that democracy goes beyond the right to choose leaders through the ballot, but stimulating civic engagement to better the lives of the citizens.
The Governor stated this  Wednesday while delivering a paper at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), Washington DC, United  States.
Governor Fayemi’s  lecture was entitled: “Twenty Years of Democracy in Nigeria: Successes and Challenges.” in the event with the theme : Deepening Democratic Governance in Nigeria.
In attendance were Benue State Governor,  Samuel
Ebonyi

Bloody Clash Over Motor Park Leadership In Ebonyi

Palpable tension has engulfed Agubia Ikwo community in Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State following a bloody clash by youths over control of one of the biggest motor parks in the area.

Daily Sun gathered that one of the youths involved in the clash was reportedly killed on Tuesday during a reprisal while no fewer than 15 were seriously injured.

Some of those injured were being treated at the Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki.

Unspecified number of houses and vehicles belonging to some of the current leaders of the parks were also vandalised and torched by the angry …

Again, Governors Meet Over Bail Out Facility, Others

Governors under the platform of Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) met in Abuja, yesterday, to review the deductions being made by the Federal Government over budget support facility to the states.

This followed their rejection of the revised N162 million monthly repayment the affected states have been made to cough out.

Following last month’s meetings of the NGF and the National Economic Council (NEC), Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, had said the governors kicked against the monthly deduction saying it was too high.

She said there was need  to engage the states with a view to …

Ooni Seeks Urgent Solution To Youth Unemployment

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, yesterday urged various arms of government and public and private bodies in Nigeria to consider the alarming rate of youth unemployment and schools’ dropouts as a serious national issue that must be addressed without delay.
The monarch raised the alarm during a courtesy visit to him by officials of Longrich International Nigeria Ltd in Lagos. He stressed that the greatest threat to Nigeria’s democracy is unengaged youths, saying: “Until something is done to address it, Nigeria’s future is bleak, its corporate existence is at risk.

“We are not save in Nigeria with

AfDB Seals $250m Deal For Region’s Trade Financing

• Facilitates intra-Africa trade volume worth $938 million

African Development Bank (AfDB), in its push to facilitate inter and intra Africa trade, and reduction of trade financing gap on the continent sealed a new deal worth $250-million.Tagged: “Risk Participation Agreement (RPA) facility, the continent’s largest development bank courted a pan-Africa financial institution, ABSA, which has 12 footprints across the regional economies, for the realisation of the goal.

The three-year RPA facility was signed on November 12, on the sidelines of the Africa Investment Forum, through its trade finance operations.Under this three-year RPA facility, AfDB and ABSA will share default risk …

FEC Approves ‎₦200 Billion Loan For Bank Of Industry

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the issuance of a Sovereign Guarantee of 500 million Euros (‎₦200bn) from the Credit Suisse AG London Branch and a syndicate of international lenders as collateral for 500m Euro facility to the Bank of Industry (BoI). The Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Clement Agba, who spoke with State House Correspondents yesterday after the FEC meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said the loan was basically to finance major industrialization projects and micro-small and medium enterprises values chains in Nigeria for up to five years tenure …

IPPIS: ASUU Says Buhari Is Becoming Dictatorial

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has described alleged disobedience of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to laws of the land as the greatest corruption. The union spoke on the latest directive by the Federal Government that her officials will move to campuses to begin enrolment of university workers on the Integrated Personnel Payroll and Information System (IPPIS).

ASUU, while reacting through its University of Ibadan Chairman, Professor Deji Omole, stated that the union cannot be harassed or intimidated by those who have penchant for breaking the law of the land. According to him, breaking existing laws with impunity is …

Anambra

Anambra Donates 50,000 Bags Of Rice To Workers

The Anambra government has donated more than 50,000 bags of rice to workers in the state.

Receiving the gift at the state secretariat, yesterday, the Head of Service, Harry Udu, said it was to ensure the workers have a pleasant Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Udu stated that it was also in fulfilment of Governor Willie Obiano’s promise to always appreciate the efforts of the workers in the state.

He noted that workers deserved reward for their commitment, loyalty and sacrifices to the development of the state, maintaining that government owed everything it has achieved to the commitment and cooperation …