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The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) yesterday in Abuja presented the template for the fiscal allocation and statutory disbursement audit to stakeholders for necessary input. The audit exercise which will cover the period 2...
African farmers and agribusinesses could tap into a trillion-dollar market by 2030 if they can secure access to significantly more capital and infrastructure, including irrigation, to grow their food and compete in the global market. The new World Bank...
The application of two oil marketers to have the fraud charges preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was quashed yesterday by a Lagos High Court in Ikeja. Aro Bamidele and Abiodun Bankole alongside their company, ...
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Lagos State Chapter on Wednesday faulted Gov. Babatunde Fashola's position on the National Good Governance Tour, describing it as hypocritical.
The party said that the governor’s rejection of the team on good governance tour was an attempt to hide the state's ``shortcomings’’.
The PDP said in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Mr Taofik Gani that Fashola was only playing to the gallery, pointing out that he (Fashola) and other governors had endorsed the tour.
``The same governor who has condemned the good governance tour is currently on tour of project sites in the state.
``Honestly, the attitude can be described that of kettle calling pot black.
``Lagos State Government has no moral right to criticise the tour; it has been celebrating every 100 days in office since 2007 wasting public funds,’’ the party said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Fashola had on Feb. 26, while marking his 2,100 days in office, said that Lagos would not welcome the team.
According to him, ``a government does not need a good governance tour to showcase its projects as good projects can be seen by the people.’’
The National Good Governance Tour, led by the Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, was inaugurated on Sept. 20, 2012.
The tour has so taken them to all the South-South states and some states in the North
Zenith Bank Nigeria Plc on Wednesday in Lagos increased to N20 million the sponsorship money for the 2012/2013 Zenith Bank Female Basketball League. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Zenith Bank, sponsors of the competition for the past eig...
The Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday heard that a businessman, Mr Jimoh Ibrahim, paid only a part of the retirement benefits of former directors of Newswatch Communications Ltd. which he acquired.
A former Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr Ray Ekpu, made the claim while giving evidence in a suit filed by two minority shareholders of the company.
The shareholders – Mr Nuhu Wada and Prof. Jibril Aminu -- are challenging the method through which Ibrahim acquired the majority shareholding of the company.
During cross examination by Ibrahim’s counsel, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN), Ekpu said that Ibrahim cheated him by refusing to pay him a balance of N30 million of his retirement benefits.
"The sum of N79 million was paid to me out of N109 million.
"During his meeting with me and four other directors, he called on the accountant who read the figures to us.
"The figures were less than what we expected to be paid and we had since submitted our request for regularisation to the board on May 5, 2011.
"When we told him that the figures were less than what we expected, he said that that was the only money available.
"He just paid us what he wanted and still insisted on collecting 10 per cent as tax, the receipt of which he never gave us," Ekpu testified.
He said that efforts to make Ibrahim to pay the balance through correspondences yielded no result.
The defence counsel, Ayorinde, consequently tendered as exhibits, copies of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) containing the names of other companies under the Newswatch group.
The MoU also disclosed how much was paid to other directors.
Justice Ibrahim Buba adjourned the case to March 18 for continuation of trial.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the plaintiffs filed the suit on Jan. 17.
They are seeking, among other reliefs, an order to quash a share purchase agreement which transferred the ownership of the company to Ibrahim.
Newswatch Communications Ltd., Global Media Mirror Ltd., Newswatch Newspapers Ltd. and the Corporate Affairs Commission are joined as co defendants in the suit.
A former Speaker, House of Representative, Alhaji Aminu Masari, on Wednesday urged INEC in the FCT to conduct free and fair elections that would satisfy the yearning and aspirations of the people.
Masari, a CPC chieftain, made the call during a visit to the Resident Electoral Commissioner of FCT INEC, Mr Godwin Kwanga, in Abuja.
``We are here to demand for transparency, accountability and fairness in the conduct of the forthcoming FCT area councils’ elections coming up on March 16,'' he said.
According to him, the forthcoming FCT area councils elections will be a litmus test for the conduct of the 2015 general elections by INEC.
He said that Abuja was a centre for unity; therefore, the commission must ensure that the outcome of the elections reflects the true vote of the people.
Masari said that the rational surrounding the creation of the area councils was to bring government nearest to the people.
According to him, the area councils could be regarded as the foundation of democracy in Nigeria.
Responding, Kwanga emphasised the commitment of the commission to conduct free, fair and transparent elections in the territory on March 16.
Kwanga said that as part of the efforts to ensure smooth elections, the commission held meeting with different political stakeholders in the territory to clarify issues concerning the conduct of the poll.
``We will ensure that there is no secrets in the conduct of the elections and transparency will be our driving force throughout the exercise.
``The commission will do its best to fulfil your demand if it is within the orbit of the law or in line with the provision of the electoral Act 2010,'' Kwanga said.
Other members of the CPC chieftains present at the meeting were the former FCT Minister, Malam Nasiru El-Rufai and Sen. Naziru Gamawa.
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar, has called for synergy between the Bank of Agriculture, National Poverty Eradication Programme ( NAPEP ) and the National Directorate of Employment ( NDE).
Abubakar, who made the call when the Managing Director of Bank of Agriculture, Dr Mohammed Santuraki, paid him a courtesy call in Sokoto on Wednesday, said that such an arrangement, would further reduce poverty and unemployment in the country.
The sultan said: "Not that I am calling for their scrapping or merger, rather they should work hand in hand as they have similar mandates.
"They should have an efficient inter-link among themselves . They all have the same aims of engaging more Nigerians meaningfullly.
"By such gestures, more Nigerians will be taken away from violence and crimes and have a better society."
Abubakar observed that poverty is the major factor precipitating crimes and various security challenges in Nigeria.
"When it comes to food, there is no politics. A hungry man is an angry man.
"When the people are left with no food or nothing to do, there must always be problems for the society.’’
Abubakar commended the Federal Government for re-invigorating the bank, recalling the glorious old days of the defunct NACB, the predecessor of BOA.
"We are delighted with what the Federal Government has done to revamp agriculture after the sector was neglected after the discovery of the black gold.
"No amount of oil or gold etc you still have the need for food to eat . You cannot just throw away agriculture because of this basic need," he added.
Abubakar pledged to continue to be an active partner with the bank and other agencies aimed at further improving the living standard of Nigerians.
Earlier, Santuraki had told the Sultan that the visit was aimed at showing appreciation to him on his sustained support to the bank.
"It is a fatherly visit to also thank the sultan for his contribution to peace and unity in Nigeria and humanity across the globe generally.
A total of 563.93 million shares worth N5.9 billion were traded in 5,682 deals on the Nigerian Stock Exchange on Wednesday. This was against the 631.17 million shares valued at N3.9 billion exchanged in 6,370 deals on Tuesday. The News Agency of Nigeri...
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has advised government agencies to ensure full implementation of the 2013 budget for the benefit of all Nigerians. The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Olisa Metuh, gave the advice in a statement he ...
The Senate on Wednesday pledged support for a bill that would empower the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and states chief judges to order the monthly release of prison inmates, unlawfully detained. The chief judicial officers are expected to act based ...
The six foreign sailors abducted by unknown gunmen along Koluama waterways in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area in Bayelsa State, yesterday, regained their freedom. LEADERSHIP gathered that the two Indians, one Russian and three Ukrainians were freed...
There indications that the emergence of Chief Tony Anenih as the Board of Trustees (BoT) chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is a total declaration of war against former president Olusegun Obasanjo. It may also be a pointer to the intention ...
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has moved into the ownership saga of Super Eagles midfielder, Sunday Mba. The tussle over the Nations Cup revelation involves three Nigerian premier league sides, warri Wolves, Rangers International of Enugu and Do...
Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi has said striker Osaze Odemwingie was dropped from the 2013 AFCON because of “character problems”. Keshi caused a nation-wide stir when he axed West Brom striker Odemwingie from his provisional squad to the Natio...