By Florence Onuegbu

Sen. Kashim Shettima, Vice Presidential Candidate of the APC has described Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the partys presidential candidate as an excellent example of national cohesion.

Shettima made the assertion on Thursday in Ikoyi, Lagos while presenting a lecture at the Yoruba Tennis Club 96th Anniversary Celebration, with the topic: Social Club and the Search for National Cohesion.

He said that in recent times, Nigerians had witnessed increasingly alarming tendencies, towards a loss of belief in the idea of national cohesion.

According to him, nation building is a continuous work-in-progress, and all must always maintain optimism.

The vice presidential candidate said that it was against this backdrop that Tinubu emerged as the presidential candidate of the APC.

We are convinced that the general political situation in Nigeria needs the competencies of a detribalised and committed Nigerian, like Tinubu to re-ignite the requisite values that can help us rededicate ourselves and all Nigerians to collectively tackle the challenges of national cohesion.

In 2023, we need a Nigerian leader who has the humility and generosity of spirit of the likes of Gen. Yakubu Gowon. We need a leader who has commitment of a Muhammadu Buhari.

We need a leader who has the work ethic and broad mindedness of an Olusegun Obasanjo. We need a leader who has the situational pragmatism and understanding of the Nigeria security, the maradonic skill of an Ibrahim Babangida.

We need a leader with a vision and sense of responsibility and commitment and somebody who understands the national title of the nation like an Abdulsalami Abubakar and in our systemic circumstances, we need a leader with a dose of the hospitality of a Sani Abacha.

We need a leader with the intellectual acumen, with the action to catapult this nation to a higher pedestrian. We need a leader who is not bound by regional or religious sentiments.

We need a leader who has established such records of excellence and commitment to good governance. There is no one, with all due respect, that fits this than Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he said.

Shettima said that the 2023 general elections were just a few months away and Nigerians have a choice to make, in the determination of their destiny.

He said that the Tinubu-Shettima ticket is dedicated to the building of that progressive and more united country, that would allow for harnessing the very best that the country can offer.

According to him, the Tinubu-Shettima candidacy will rekindle the spirit of patriotism and draw on all the positive lessons from the commendable history of the Yoruba Tennis Club.

We trust that we can count on your support in the days and months ahead and God willing when we assume power, we will ensure that stakeholder groups such as yours are constantly engaged in the continuous development of our nation building plans, he said.

In his address, Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State said that Tinubu remains the most qualified candidate with the capacity to lead Nigeria among all the presidential candidates contesting to succeed President Buhari come May 29, 2023.

Sanwo-Olu urged Nigerians to support the ticket in the 2023 presidential elections, as Tinubu and Shettima have the knowledge of the issues of the economy.

In his welcome address, the Chairman of Yoruba Tennis Club, Chief Euzebio Damazio said that since inception, the club had housed eminent members of the society who had played significant roles in nation building and societal development.

Damazio said that the founding fathers of the acclaimed first indigenous social club in Nigeria built it on the ethos of unity, brotherhood and communal heritage.

Every single one of us has collectively nurtured and fostered this bond, which steadfastly extends to our spouses and family members. We have collectively preserved this great organisations culture of love, social excellence, and moral uprightness.

On a remarkable day like this, we are reminded about the very core of our togetherness and are collectively enjoined to celebrate the essence of our humanity, he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Kadiri Abdulrahman

The Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation (OAuGF) has announced the appointment of Mr Andrew Onwudili as the new Acting AuGF.

This is according to a statement by Ema Oqua, Head of Press Unit of the OAuGF

Oqua said that Onwudili, a director in the OAuGF, and a Fellow of the Association of National Accountants (ANAN) replaced erstwhile AuGF, Adolphus Aghughu who retired from public service on Sept. 7.

She described the Acting AuGF as a thoroughbred, result-oriented public servant with over 30 years professional experience in audit.

He joined the federal civil service as a senior auditor and has progressed in his career to becoming Director of Audit, Extra-Ministerial Audit Department in the OAuGF before his appointment.

He attended many courses and in-service trainings locally and abroad which have broadened his professional horizon and refined his competence.

He has memberships of professional bodies like, Fellow, Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, among others, she said.

Meanwhile, a letter from the Federal Civil Service Commission, dated Sept.
7, directed Onwudili, who is the most senior director, to oversee the office until the appointment of a substantive AuGF.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the OAuGF is saddled with the responsibility of auditing public accounts of the federation and of all offices and courts of the federation.

According to the Nigerian Constitution, the AuGF or any person authorised by him in that behalf shall have access to all the books, records, returns and other documents relating to those accounts.

This implies that the Constitution of Nigeria has given the OAuGF the authority to carry out audit of all income and expenditure of the Federal Government of Nigeria. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Isaac Aregbesola

Source: NAN News

By Kingsley Okoye

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) has called on the National Assembly for the review of its Establishment Act, to ensure optimal performance and enhance its revenue generation.

Mr Buki Ponle, the Managing Director, NAN, made the call at day interactive session on 2022-2025 MTEF-FSP, organised by the Senate Committee on Finance in Abuja on Thursday.

Ponle said that the agency had made name as the largest news content provider in Nigeria, over the years especially in the media space.

He said that underfunding and non review of its act were factors inhibiting its optimal operations especially in the area of revenue generation and general performance.

We are not initially made to generate revenue, but as time went by, this was added to us and so far, we have been performing optimally well.

But two things have been inhibiting our performance, first is underfunding and the second is non review of the act, establishing the agency.

Up till now, we cannot operate optimally and this has affected our performance in terms of collecting revenue and until that review is done, we may still be where we are in terms of revenue, but we strive to generate more fund, he said.

Ponle said that NAN has so far generated about N100 million as Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

He said that most of the agencys subscribers had been defaulting in paying for services, because they perceived it as a social services provider.

When we tried to review our tariff upward, many still complained, which led to holding up of the tariff increase, we are still operating on the old tariff, but by next year we will start with the new tariff with effect from Jan. 1, 2023, he said.

Ponle said the review of the act would give the agency the monopoly to control inflow of foreign news as well as enhance its operations among others.

With your support, we can do more,Ponle said.

Responding, Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele, a member of the committee pledged the commitment of the senate to ensure the review of the act.

Sen. Solomon Adeola, the Chairman of the Committee urged NAN management to redouble its efforts in generating more funds.

Adeola said the senate would work towards the review of the act to ensure the agencys optimal performance in news dissemination and revenue generation.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Saidu Adamu/Ali Baba-Inuwa

Source: NAN News

By Akeem Abas

Supporters of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential candidate, in Oyo State staged a Solidarity Walk to rally support for him in Ibadan on Thursday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the walk led by Isaac Kekemeke, the APC National Vice-Chairman (South-West) and the Oyo State APC Chairman, Isaac Omodewu, was tagged: Youths Walk for Asiwaju/Shettima.

The Oyo State Governorship Candidate, Sen. Teslim Folarin and the Oyo Central Senatorial Candidate, Yunus Akintunde, also joined other leaders in the walk.

NAN reports that the supporters who wore different T-shirts bearing the pictures of Tinubu and his running mate, Sen. Kashim Shettima, marched from Oke-Ado to Dugbe and its environs.

Folarin, while speaking, thanked the people for their supports over the years, assuring them of a better rewarding future with the APC.

The governorship candidate urged them to believe in APC as the campaigns and general elections approach.

He pleaded with the people to support Tinubu based on his track records, antecedents, competence and being a trustworthy Yoruba man.

Kekemeke had earlier on Wednesday, described Tinubu as a true Yoruba son, who had never betrayed the race.

He rallied support for Tinubu, whom he said believes the Yoruba people could thrive exceedingly well in the Nigerian nation where there is justice, fairness and equity.

Meanwhile, organisers in their separate remarks, said the walk was aimed at sensitising the voters and to rally support for the APC candidates ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The walk was also attended by the House of Representatives Candidate for Ibadan South-East/North-East, Dapo Lam-Adeshina and Ibadan South-West II Assembly Candidate, Idris Abiola-Ajimobi.

Others were: House of Representatives Candidate for Ogbomoso North/South/Oriire, Olamijuwonlo Alao-Akala and Rep. Akin Alabi (APC- Egbeda/Ona-Ara). (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Remi Koleoso/Olagoke Olatoye

Source: NAN News

By Angela Atabo

The Electoral Forum, a Civil Society Organisation (CSO), has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) to compel political parties to present regular audit reports of their accounts, in line with the provisions of the law.

This is contained in a communiqu issued and signed by Prof. Adebayo Olukoshi, the Chairman, The Electoral Forum,at the end of the 7th Technical Session of the organization on Thursday in Abuja.

Olukoshi said that INEC must also publish the audit reports after receiving them.

He said that the forum expressed various concerns about elections in Nigeria and recommended strategies to improve the electoral process, ahead of the 2023 general election.

Having agreed that consolidation of democracy involves widespread compliance with rule of law toguarantee a level playing field for candidates in elections, The Electoral Forum hereby recommends as follows:

Engagement of INEC on the proper placement of voting cubicles during the election to ensure the secrecy of the ballots, in line with global integrity standards and best practices.

INEC should train ad hoc staff on the proper placement of the voting cubicles to ensure secrecy of the ballot and privacy in relation to the positions of party agents during the voting process.

The National Electoral Offences Commission should be anindependent bodyand should not be subject to the Attorney General, Olukoshi said.

He said also urged INEC and anti-graft agencies to ensure that there was compliance with the provisions of the law on campaigns.

He said the media should aid in boycotting negative news, hate speeches and ensure balanced coverage.

He added that mainstream and social media should be use to curb misinformation, disinformation and the issues pertaining to the misuse of media during the electioneering period.

He called for therevival of strategies and alliances by CSOs like before and which brought the changes in the electoral process between 1999 -2010 the first 10 years of democracy in Nigeria.

Olukoshi said that taskforce by citizens and CSOs should be formed to enable Nigerians to protect their mandate where necessary.

He called on CSOs to blow the whistle where the political classes use state resources for campaigns or personal gain.

He added that CSOs should also focus on the holistic agenda of good governance and not only on good elections as both were equally critical.

Olukoshi expressed concerns about the Electoral Offences Commission being subjected to the Attorney General of the Federation as this may lead to impunity at the highest level.

He called for policy-based and issue-based campaigns, eschewing hate speech in all its ramifications and that campaigns should target real issues facing the country with facts and figures.

He added that politicians should ensure that messages passed during campaigns were violence-free and impact positively on the audience.

In addition, banks and anti-corruption agencies such as ICPC and EFCC should be fully involved in monitoring campaigns and the electioneering period, and the media should spotlight more on policy-based campaigns by candidates and parties, he said.

Olukoshi underscored the importance of security in the electoral process and emphasised that peaceful and credible elections could only be possible through close collaboration between INEC and the security agencies.

He also appreciated the initiatives of INEC such as the establishment of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) and identification of high-risk or flashy areas using electoral risk tools.

He named the tools as: theElection Violence Mitigation and Advocacy Tool(EVMAT), and the creation ofvoting centres for Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) to ensure inclusivity for voters like people displaced due to insurgency.(NAN)(nannews.ng)

Edited by Deborah Coker/Ali Baba-Inuwa

Source: NAN News

By Salisu Sani-Idris

The National Coordinator, Jagaba Ambassadors and Media Action (JAMA), Alhaji Mohammed Uthman has pledged to mobilise 15 million votes for the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Candidate, Sen. Bola Tinubu, come 2023 elections.

Othman made the pledge on Wednesday at the inauguration of the national executives, zonal and state coordinators of Jagaba Ambassadors and Media Action (JAMA) in Abuja.

He said that the group would use its structures across the 36 states of the federation and FCT to sensitise Nigerians on the leadership qualities of Tinubu.

He said this would ensure victory for Tinubu and Shettima presidential ticket in the 2023 General Elections.

Age is not the issue on leadership but capacity, talent and commitment and Tinubu has all the leadership qualities to take Nigeria to the desired level.

Also, the APC-lead Federal Government has recorded tremendous achievements in both human and capital developments, Uthman said.

Earlier, the National Chairperson of Tinubu/Shettima Support Group, Mrs Hadizatu Mustapha, said the pair of Tinubu and Shettima would put Nigeria on the right track of development.

Mustapha expressed optimism that the APCs presidential candidate and his running mate would hunt for qualified talents to put Nigeria on the path of peace and progress, if elected.

She said that it was a wise decision that APC elected Tinubu as the presidential candidate of the party for the 2023 General Elections.

It is my hope and prayers that this combination of game changers will attract victory for our party come 2023; to revamp the nations economy, enhance national cohesion and restore hope in the country.

The common feature that that connects Tinubu and Shettima is that they are both achievers in their primary constituencies when they were tested.

They are human resources builders whose successors have made them proud and improved on what was set before them, she said.

Mustapha urged members of JAMA not to relent on their efforts to go to the grassroots, mobilise massive support and votes for the party across the nooks and crannies of the country come 2023 General Elections.(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo/Bashir Rabe Mani

Source: NAN News

By Franca Ofili

Mr Edosa Oviawe, Country Manager, Global Rights, says there is a need for the government to drive incentives for companies operating in Nigeria to make donations to the nonprofit sector

Oviawe, who is also the Chairman, Steering Committee on Civil Society Regulatory Environment, said this on Wednesday in Abuja at the first national conference on civil society operational environment in Nigeria.

There is a need for the government to drive incentives for companies operating in Nigeria to make donations to the nonprofit sector.

The donations are to be deducted from the companys tax liability as stipulated by the Company Income Tax Regulation, he said.

According to him, part of the responsibility of regulators was to ensure civil society organisation (CSOs) have access to needed information on existing guidelines and obligations of the non-profit sector.

He said that such would ensure total compliance with such regulations.

It is therefore imperative for the regulators to constantly engage the CSOs sector with a view to providing updates

Also, providing needed assistance in compliance with the seemingly multiple regulations including complying with the Financial Reporting Council, Oviawe said.

He advocated the need to address the issue of multiple reporting on CSOs by ensuring uniform reporting to the regulatory bodies.

Oviawe said that CSOs in Nigeria were currently burdened with multiple regulatory laws and some of such laws have very insidious provisions that tend to stifle the CSOs operational environment.

CSOs in Nigeria have always been regulated, but recently introduced regulations such as CAMA and the proposed NGO regulation bill have provisions that cast doubt on the intentions of the government.

These kinds of regulations are what continued to put both regulatory agencies and civil society actors at loggerheads, he said.

According to him, the issue of CSOs taxation in Nigeria was still shrouded in a lot of myths and misconceptions.

He said that there was a dearth of information on the tax responsibilities of CSOs in Nigeria.

It is therefore expedient to accentuate that although CSOs are exempted from paying Company Income Tax (CIT).

Where they do not engage in any trade or business, they are however mandated to file CIT returns, Value Added Tax (VAT) returns.

Also withholding Tax (WHT) returns where taxes of corporate service providers have been withheld, whether or not they access grants or carry out projects, Oviawe said.

He said that the Federal and State Inland Revenue Services have an obligation to constantly engage the non-profit in providing an understanding of the existing tax responsibilities and comprehensive guides to aid compliance.

The item 32 part 1 of the second schedule of the 1999 constitution that deals with incorporation, regulation and winding up of bodies corporate has to be moved from the exclusive list to the concurrent list of the Constitution.

It empowers state governments with the legal backing to deal with such issues as the provision currently impedes the country resilience and innovation index.

It is not only relevant but imperative to have harmonization of extant laws regulating CSOs operations in Nigeria, he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

Source: NAN News

By Funmilayo Adeyemi

The African Women in Media (AWiM) will hold its 6TH conference aimed at bringing academia, industry experts, civil society and policy actors together to discuss gender equality and media development in Africa.

Dr Yemisi Akinbobola, Chief Executive Officer, AWiM in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday said the conference #AWiM2022, would share insights and best practices on the intersection of gender equality and media development in Africa.

Akinbobola said that the conference, scheduled for Dec. 8 to Dec. 9, in Fez, Morocco, would feature over 90 speakers with panels, workshops and round-tables.

According to her, the theme of the conference is: United in Action discussions will be wide-ranging across three sub-themes: Gender Equality in and through Media; Collective Action and Representation; and Media Business and Global Challenges.

United in Action refers to the coming together of all stakeholders in gender equality, in our shared experiences, and unity among media practitioners, academics, policy actors and civil society towards gender equality in the newsroom and in media content.

Therefore, the AWiM2022 conference is guided by an ethos of shared best practices and collaborative action to impact positively the way media functions in relation to African women, she said.

She listed the AWiM2022 speakers to include Dr Amina Lemrini, Dr Kenza Oumlil, Belinda Nadine Nyanhete, Dr Catherine Therrien, Dr Ke Cai, Dr Sherehan Hamdallah, Dr Ere Mendie Amapamoere Jennifer, Dr Nonhlanhla Ndlovu and many more.

We are filled with excitement and anticipation as our sixth annual conference draws closer. Not only are we thrilled that the conference will be in-person, we are also hosting it in North Africa for the first time.

We are pleased to work with the International Institute for Languages and Cultures (INLAC), in partnership with Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University and Isis Centre for Women and Development to organise AWiM2022, she said.

Also, Prof. Ennaji Moha, the President and Co-founder of International Institute for Languages and Culture said gender equality and women in media were topics that had not been dealt with widely in North African countries.

He said that the conference would be a golden opportunity for academics and civil society actors to come together and debate on these important and timely issues.

African Women in Media (AWiM) is a network for African women working in media industries globally with the aim of positively impacting the way media functions in relation to women. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Grace Yussuf

Source: NAN News

By Jessica Dogo

The United States National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET) says combating criminal misuse of digital assets is a top priority to the country.

The Inaugural Director of the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET) at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Ms Eun Choi, said this on Wednesday.

Choi, who spoke on the topic: The Rise of Cybercrime and Cryptocurrency, said law enforcement had to rely on the records of intermediaries in order to identify the true identity of those behind the addresses conducting those transactions.

She said digital assets were used in these crimes,because many of the features of these technologies by design make them attractive for the purposes of criminal exploitation.

Choi said that the growing use of digital assets in the global financial system had profound implications for investors, consumers, and businesses.

She also said, with the growth of adoption in digital assets, especially cryptocurrencies had resulting increase in the risk of crimes such as money laundering, cybercrime and terrorist financing, among others.

Choi said digital assets fall under three categories which are the use of cryptocurrency as a means of payment to facilitate criminal activity, cryptocurrency as a means of concealing illicit financial activity and Ponzi schemes.

It is because many of the features of these technologies by design make them attractive for the purposes of criminal exploitation.

We have been at the forefront of investigating crimes related to digital assets before the invention of Bitcoin, which is, of course, the first cryptocurrency, the director added.

Choi, however, said that the DOJ created NCET to help identify, investigate, support and pursue investigations and prosecutions of criminal misuse of digital assets with a particular focus on crimes committed by exchanges.

The NCET sets strategic priorities regarding digital asset technologies, identifies area for increased investigative and prosecutorial focus, as well as tacklesissues arising from the application of existing law to novel uses of digital assets.

It leads the departments efforts to coordinate with domestic and international law enforcement partners, regulatory agencies, and private industry to combat the criminal use of digital assets.

We also assist in training and recovering in tracing and recovering digital assets, including cryptocurrency payments to ransomware groups.

We build upon and strengthen the capacity of the department and its partners to dismantle the entities that enable criminal actors to flourish and profit from abusing digital assets, she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme was organised by the U.S. Department of States Foreign Press Centres in collaboration with Meridian International Centre. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Bashir Rabe Mani

Source: NAN News

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The Alumni Association of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (AANI), is set to hold a high-level conference to discuss Nigerias national unity.

The National Publicity Secretary, AANI, retired Brig.-Gen. Dani Usman, made this known in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

Usman said the association was concerned about divisive tendencies in the country, hence the need for the conference.

He said that the conference with the theme, Nigerias National Unity in the build up to the 2023 General Elections, will hold on Sept. 20.

Usman said the institute had since its establishment in 1979 remained a reservoir and think-tank on public policies in Nigeria.

As one of the foremost stakeholders in the Nigerian state, we are deeply concerned over the countrys growing insecurity, violent extremism, and ethno-religious crisis, especially as we approach the 2023 general elections.

This underscores the need to interrogate the circumstances that led to the present national challenges and proffer appropriate recommendations and implementation strategies, he said.

The AANI spokesman said Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will chair the conference while retired Gen. Martin-Luther Agwai will be the keynote Speaker.

Agwai was a former Chief of Defence Staff and ex-Special Adviser to UN Secretary-General on Peacekeeping.

Also, the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Saad-Abubakar III, who is also the Chairman of AANI Heritage Council, will be the Royal Father of the day, while FCT Minister, Malam Mohammed Bello, will be the Chief Host.

Other prominent Nigerians expected to attend the conference include, Gov. Babagana Zullum of Borno, that of Jigawa, Badaru Abubakar and other governors from across the country.

The rest include members of National Assembly and the Federal Executive Council, as well as eminent Nigerians from diverse backgrounds, among others, he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Maharazu Ahmed

Source: NAN News