Author: Chief Editor

*Kyari: Continent will fix its energy problems before joining renewables bandwagon *AFC launches $2bn intervention for African countries Several prominent Africans, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, President Nana Akufo-Ado, Governor of Anambra state, and Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, yesterday converged on Abuja to discuss the continent’s infrastructure deficit. Obasanjo contended that if the world must take Africa seriously, the initial financing for major projects must be mobilised from within the continent, stressing that the issue of corruption in projects financing must be eliminated completely. Speaking at the African Finance Corporation (AFC) organised programme tagged: “The Infrastructure Solutions…

President Muhammadu Buhari has signed into law, three bills aimed at improving the anti-money laundering and counter terrorist financing/proliferation frameworks in the country. The bills signed yesterday were the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Bill, 2022, the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Bill, 2022, and the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Bill, 2022. Speaking at a brief signing ceremony at the Council Chamber at the State House, Abuja, the president described the bills as being in tandem with his administration’s commitment to fight corruption and illicit financing activities, as well as critical to the governance agenda and the development of…

*As party places fate of contenders in hands of screening committee  *Political appointees drag APC, INEC to court over disqualification threats There are indications that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) may be walking on political landmines ahead of the 2023 elections following the refusal of some of its serving ministers who are presidential hopefuls to resign their positions 30 days to the party’s primary as directed by the guidelines released by the party before the commencement of the process. his is just as some political appointees who intend to participate in the forthcoming general elections under the platform of…

MTN Nigeria Communications Plc’s claim that it paid the sum of N618.7 billion in both direct and indirect taxes to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in 2021 has continued to raise dusts in public quarters,  THISDAY can report. On April 2,  2022, MTN Nigeria, in a  statement issued by the company’s secretary, Uto Ukpanah, had said it paid the amount in direct and indirect taxes to the FIRS in the 2021 tax year, making it the largest single biggest contributor to taxes in Nigeria. The company added that its total tax contribution to all government agencies was 13.5 per…

* AGF, INEC, honour court summon as PDP, others join CBN governor’s suit *Court orders accelerated hearing *FG directs ministers, heads of agencies, ambassadors, other appointees nursing political ambitions in 2023 to resign *Afenifere hails Buhari, charges him to be decisive too in tackling Nigeria’s problems Twenty-four hours after President Muhammadu Buhari advised political appointees desirous of running for elective offices to resign on or before May 16, 2022,  and hours after the Secretary to Government of the Federation issued a circular directing heads of government agencies with political ambitions to also resign, the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Mr. Godwin…

• Vows to be resolute against political pressure as 18 parties submit register • Considers relocation of sensitive materials from CBN • Says commission can’t regulate cost of nomination forms for politicians The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, announced it might move sensitive materials from the Central Bank of Nigeria to another location. Speaking during a consultative meeting with the media, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, while responding to a question on the political ambition and partisanship of Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele, said the commission might be forced to seek alternative arrangement for the handling of sensitive materials.…

• Nigeria pushing for plutocracy, says Kukah • Yiaga Africa: APC, PDP used forms’ prices to marginalise youths, women • Garba dumps APC after withdrawing from presidential race • Stakeholders want units in EFCC, ICPC to probe funds, tax politicians • Experts seek leeway for lax campaign finance regulations, monitoring  Described by some stakeholders as obscene, money laundering scheme, investment and fund-raising tactics, the rave purchase of nomination forms and the slush fund in the hands of political parties ahead of 2023 general elections is creating fresh worries of a situation that could harm national development and the nation’s economy,…

• FG releases detailed categories of persons expected to resign • Emefiele meets Buhari, says there will be news soon • Political appointees sue APC, INEC over disqualification threats • Afenifere: You’ve done well by asking appointees to resign but apply same decisiveness to insecurity, ASUU Ministers affected by the presidential directive to resign after declaring their interest to contest in 2023 general elections have today to turn in their resignation letters inspite of President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive giving an ultimatum ending Monday, May 16. This is because, in the adjusted schedule of activities and timetable of the All Progressives…

Abimbola Adelakun In Nigeria, saying something is “impossible!” is risking being stranded on the island of reality. This time eight years ago, a section of the country badly wanted the mediocre administration of Dr Goodluck Jonathan gone. It seemed impossible, but it happened. Depending on how the odds align, Jonathan may return to Aso Rock again. That will not only mean we would have spent eight years running only to arrive at the same spot from where we started, but also that nothing that resembles social advancement seems possible in Nigeria. Since the possibility of Jonathan’s second coming started…

Niran Adedokun Regardless of what points it might want to prove, the Academic Staff Union of Universities can do better than these endless industrial actions. Unarguably meant to revamp university education in Nigeria, the strike strategy has become worn out, counterproductive and an existential danger to the very system it was meant to save. I am going to explain. Between 1999 and now, a period of 23 years, ASUU has called strikes at least 16 times and nothing has changed. Things have gone from bad to worse on almost all levels you can imagine. Inflationary trends have rendered academics’…