Gov. Ikpeazu

By Ihechinyere Chigemeri-Uwom

Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia on Thursday inaugurated a Molecular and Diagnostic Laboratory in Aba to boost the state governments efforts in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking at the event, Ikpeazu expressed delight over the actualisation of the project.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the laboratory was realised through Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative between the government and Abia Development Summit (ADS).

He opined that the facility would enhance the peoples access to quality healthcare service.

I pray that this facility will bring hope, succour and also restore the health of the end users, Ikpeazu said.

In an address, Prof. Sam Erugo, the Chairman of ADS, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), credited the laboratory to the visionary leadership of Ikpeazus administration.

We are ready to be in partnership with the Abia government to transform the health sector. This is the first phase and a work in progress, Erugo said.

He expressed the NGOs desire to build a state- of- the-art medical facility in Abia.

He recommended a PPP arrangement that could successfully run the laboratory.

Also, Dr Joe Osuji, the Commissioner for Health, expressed delight over the completion of the laboratory, saying it would quicken governments efforts to flatten the COVID-19 curve.

Osuji said: Some months ago, we were sending samples for COVID-19 testing to other states. From that period, the state government did everything to address the challenge.

This led to the building of a molecular laboratory in Amachara and because of the ingenuity of a group of Abia people, the state has a new molecular laboratory in Aba.

I am happy that from now onward, the Abia people will no longer send their samples outside the state for testing.

Earlier, Mr Fred Ogwo, the acting Transition Committee Chairman of Aba South Local Government Area, described the molecular laboratory as a laudable project.

Ogwo said that the facility would help to curb medical tourism and also address issues arising from poor diagnosis.

He said that the laboratory further demonstrated state governments committment to the transformation of the health sector in Abia.

In a remark, Chief Chris Igwe, an industrialist, commended the state government for its support and contributions toward the actualisation of the project.

Igwe urged Abia stakeholders to join hands with the governamt to transform the state. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Policemen

By Ismaila Chafe
President Muhammadu Buhari has signed into law the Nigeria Police Bill, 2020.

Mr Femi Adesina, the presidents spokesman confirmed this in a statement in Abuja on Thursday.

Adesina said that the president in a memo dated Sept. 16, 2020, communicated his assent to the Bill to the National Assembly, through the Clerk of the legislature.

According to him, the Act repeals the Police Act Cap. P19. Laws of the Federation, 2004, and provides for a more effective and well organized Police Force.

He added that the new law was driven by the principles of transparency and accountability in police force operations and management of its resources.

Among others, the Act establishes an appropriate funding framework for the Police in line with what is obtainable in other Federal Government key institutions, enhances professionalism in the Force through increased training opportunities.

(It also) creates an enduring cooperation and partnership between the Police Force and communities in maintaining peace and combating crimes nationwide.

Source: NAN News

NAFDAC DG, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye

By Aderogba George
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned against buying and using of falsified Proximexa Suspension 125mg/5ml, with Lot No. C830116 currently in circulation in Nigeria.

The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye made this known in statement issued to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.

According to Adeyeye, the agency has been informed by Allen and Hanburys (A

Mr Festus Okoye

By Angela Atabo

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday said there is the need for Nigeria to make elections a civic responsibility instead of imbuing violence and thuggery into the process.

Mr Festus Okoye, National Commissioner in Charge of Information and Voter Education Committee, INEC made this known on Thursday when he featured in the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), forum in Abuja.

Okoye said that the position of the commission was that the conduct of election should be an ordinary civic responsibility where everyone would trust the process just like in order climes.

He explained that in other countries even in Africa, safety and transportation of election materials were not things of worry.
Okoye said that results collated at registration units for transportation to mega collation centres were done without fear of any possible hijack.

He said that in Nigeria, however, the movement of materials from the central bank to the local governments, to registration centres was always under heavy security and everything is conducted under a war-like situation.

So, I think that we must find ways and means of making elections an ordinary civic responsibility, and not that the whole world would gather, getting the political parties to sign a peace accord that they are going to maintain the peace.

We must make violence and violent conduct unattractive; people must be made to understand that there must be other ways of earning a living other than through violence.

The political parties must also commit to the fact that people can only get to power through the votes of the people and through the sovereign power of the people expressed through their votes.

The moment people get to power through other means, it becomes a coup dtat, because the constitution says that nobody, no individual, no institution and no group is permitted to take over the reins of power in the country, other than through democratic means.

Okoye said that those who take power through means that were not democratic have violated the provisions of the constitution because they took power through means other than as expressed in the constitution.

He said with this in mind, the issue of getting people to sign peace accord during elections should not arise if everyone would imbibe the democratic spirit. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

FRSC personnel at the scene of an accident

By Suleiman Shehu

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed the death of five persons and injury of five in an accident involving a truck and a Mazda bus in Saki area of Oyo State.

The FRSC Sector Commander in Oyo State, Mrs Chukwurah Uche, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan that the accident occurred on Tuesday at Agunrege Village.

She said that the Saki unit command of the corps was there for the rescue operation.

The sector commander said that the bus collided with a stationary truck as a result of speeding and loss of control.

The accident happened on Tuesday at about 9 p.m. along km 28 Agunrege road in Saki area of Oyo State.It involved two vehicles, a white Mazda bus and a black truck.

The accident involved 10 persons consisting of four male adults, five female adults and one male child.

The crash was fatal resulting to the death of five persons, two males, two females and one male child.

Five persons were also injured consisting of two males and three females, she said.

The sector commander said that the dead had been deposited at the Baptist Medical Centre morgue in Saki and the injured treated at the same hospital.

The sector commander called on motorists to drive carefully and consider other road users whenever behind the wheel.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

Gov. David Umahi

By Chukwuemeka Opara

The Ebonyi Government has announced that it will re-open schools in the state on Oct. 5, 2020 with the exception of kindergarten and crches.

The the Commissioner for Education, Dr Onyebuchi Chima, announced the plan on Thursday while briefing newsmen at the end of the states Executive Council meeting in Abakaliki.

Chima described the executive council meeting as a good one for the state ministry of education as it approved the memo from the ministry for the re-opening of schools.

The resumption will be for the primary, secondary and tertiary levels of education as academic activities will be staggered according to the ministrys recommendation.

This means that there will be two sections for schools: morning and afternoon sessions with the morning sessions starting from 8 .a.m to 12 p.m., while the afternoon will start from 12.15 p.m. to 4.p.m.

The junior primary section: 13 and junior secondary 1-3 classes will have their sessions in the morning, while the senior primary: 46 and senior secondary 1-3 classes will run in the afternoon session.

This implies that each session will run for four hours and we will dedicate the first two to three weeks of academic resumption to intensive studies to conclude the remaining programmes of the 2019/ 2020 academic sessions, he said.

We will subsequently conduct a mini-promotional examination to enable the schools move fully into the 2020/21 academic session.

The ministry applied and the executive council approved that we will not resume kindergarten and crches in the state for pupils from 0-5 years.

This is because we know that the COVID-19 pandemic is subsiding but we should not give it the opportunity to spring its ugly head again.

Mr Cletus Ofoke, the states Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, disclosed that the governor assigned portfolio to former Local Government Area (LGA) Chairmen as his Special Assistants (SAs).

Chef Sunday Ogodo is the SA on school monitoring and will operate from Ezza South LGA and Chief Ogonnaya Chukwu-Ude is SA on school monitoring as well operate from Ivo LGA.

Chief Ogbonnaya Oko-Enyim is also SA on school monitoring and will operate from Afikpo North LGA.

They all will ensure that teachers and civil servants in their councils and development centres attend to their duties such as monitoring of schools re-opening among others, he said.

Mr Uchenna Orji, Commissioner for Information and Orientation, said that students in tertiary institutions were adults as their respective institutions would determine the schedule for their academic activities. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

State Governors at a National Economic Council (NEC) meeting

By Chijioke Okoronkwo

The National Economic Council (NEC) says 15 states have qualified to benefit from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) funding for education as part of measures to cushion the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the sector.

Gov. Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State disclosed this while virtually briefing State House correspondents after the virtual NEC meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday.

The virtual NEC meeting was anchored from the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

I am very pleased to announce that the Federal Government has put in place some financial incentives to assist the states in implementing the education COVID-19 plan.

Selected states are to benefit from the COVID-19 GPE global partnership for education funding; those that are above the national average from at least two of three criteria.

The states that have qualified are Abia, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Ebonyi, Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Kano, Nassarawa, Niger, Plateau, Sokoto and Zamfara.

These are the states that made two of the three criteria for GPE funding; this is the grant from the World Bank and other donors.

He said the Federal Ministry of Education presented to NEC a broad overview of the education sector and how the education of Nigerian students in the COVID-19 era could continue.

El-Rufai said that the Ministry of Education approved the closure of schools and tertiary institutions on March 19 before a formal lockdown was announced.

Some actions taken so far to mitigate the learning loss among children are the education sector COVID-19 strategy and National Education Sector COVID-19 Response Plan in collaboration with parastatals, development partners, public health experts, and the Nigerian education group.

The Federal Government also constituted a ministerial task force on COVID-19.

The primary objectives of the COVID-19 education response plan are to ensure that all children continue learning through access to the best remote learning programmes and appropriate for each context to meet the needs of each child, including the most vulnerable.

Some may have access to the internet, but the poorest can get their lessons over the radio; some through television.

So, the whole plethora of platforms was made available so that no one is left behind.

He said that the federal and state governments were working towards ensuring a safe opening up of the educational system.

The governor said, first, capacity must be built for teachers for ongoing development and deployment of technology in teaching.

According to him, teaching with digital technology is new and requires a lot of training as well as providing technical assistance in selection and delivery of online digital content and offline learning resources among others.

Some of the measures to arrest the potential growth in the number of out of school children, arising from the situation we had before the pandemic and during the pandemic are as follows:

Disbursement of the Federal Government of Nigeria, UBE intervention funds to states on equality basis to states.

This is to enable them to implement tangible state based priority projects, including the building of schools or additional classrooms, renovations, rehabilitations, procurement of furniture and equipment etc with focus on enrolling more pupils or having more flexibility to do shifts.

The Almajiri integrated Quaranic teaching school programmes to mainstream the Almajiri boys into basic education and eradicate the out-of-school children syndrome in northern Nigeria.

Open schooling, which is principally aimed at reducing the number of out-of-school children in the country, among others, he said.

El-Rufai said that, going forward, there should be a national training programme to equip all university lecturers in delivering blended learning.

The governor said that NEC also recommended accelerating and strengthening the management of an electronic digital identity management system for all Nigerians.

El-Rufai explained that such digital identity would aid easy enrolment, retention and completion of learners at all levels as well as curb fraud, forgery and alteration of certificates. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

INEC Smart Card Readers

By Kingsley Okoye

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), says it has ordered for a transfer of over 6,000 smart card readers from its Oyo state office to Ondo for the smooth conduct of Oct. 10, governorship election in Ondo state.

INECs National Commissioner, Information and Voter Education, Mr Festus Okoye, said this when he appeared on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), forum in Abuja on Thursday.

Okoye, was responding to questions on alternative plans the commission was putting in place for the Ondo election, given the destruction by fire of 5,141 smart cards readers in its Ondo office.

He said it was sad that the commission lost the 5,141 smart cards readers in the inferno.

He, however, noted that Ondo election was a stand-alone election, noting that the commission would move smart card readers from other states to conduct the election.

As at today, we have given an order that all the smart card readers in Oyo state office should be moved to Ondo.

And they have over 6,000 smart card readers in Oyo and so we are not going to have any problems reconfiguring them and using them for the elections.

Okoye said the commission took the decision to move the smart card readers from other states to conduct the Ondo elections because of the long duration required to purchase a smart card.

According to him, the process of ordering one smart card reader takes at least six months, hence the decision to move smart card readers from other states.

He, however, said the commission was also looking at a more secured way of storing its smart card readers to avert any further destruction of the cards given the expensive nature of the cards.

Because these smart card readers were bought with Nigerias tax payers money we have a responsibility to make sure that we dont waste the resources of this country.

But we have recovered quickly and we are proceeding with the Ondo state election, noting will stop the conduct of that election, Okoye said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

President Muhammadu Buhari

By Ismaila Chafe

President Muhammadu Buhari has advised political parties, candidates and security agents to behave responsibly in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo.

The president, in a message to voters, political parties, election officials and security personnel, also warned against what he described as the do-or-die mentality to politics.

The presidents Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, in a statement in Abuja on Thursday, quoted Buhari to have said:

I am passionately committed to free and fair elections, but my own commitment is not enough if other actors at ground zero refuse to abide by the rules.

I want to see democratic standards in the country raised higher at every level, but these cannot be achieved when politicians resort to do-or- die methods to gain power by any means or machination.

The do-or-die mentality to politics is a threat to free and fair elections because the actors are more focused on winning than caring about a fair outcome that reflects the will of the people.

The president appealed to all political parties and their candidates to respect law and order.

He also advised election officials and security agents to remain neutral to ensure free and fair elections and avoid any action(s) capable of compromising the integrity of the elections.

Conducting free and fair elections is one of my main concerns for our democracy, and I want this commitment to be one of the legacies I will leave behind when I depart office, the statement quoted the president as saying.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed Saturday for the Edo governorship election.

NAN also reports that the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, and that of the Peoples Democratic Party, Godwin Obaseki, who are the main contenders, had since signed a peace accord. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Col. Hameed Ali (rtd)

The Comptroller- General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hameed Ali (rtd) has appointed two new Acting Deputy Comptrollers-General of Customs and five Acting Assistant Comptrollers -General of Customs following statutory retirement of some members of NCS management.

The Public Relations Officer of the service, Mr Joseph Attah, made this known in a statement in Abuja on Thursday.

Attah said the newly appointed Deputy Comptrollers-General were DCG Abdullahi Babani to head HRD, and DCG Mohammed Boyi, NCS TRADOC.

He stated that the appointed Assistant Comptroller-Generals were ACG Saidu Galadima in charge of ICT/Modernization, SM Modibbo for Zone B HQ ACG Uba Mohammed for E,I

Physical distancing at a polling unit

By Emmanuel Oloniruha

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday said it had further trained its presiding officers for Edo state Governorship election on how to guarantee physical distancing among voters at the polling units level.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, disclosed this at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Forum in Abuja.

Okoye said that the peculiar training was one of the lessons INEC learnt from its policy on the conduct of election under COVID-19 pandemic in the Nasarawa Central by-election.

He said that in Nasarawa by-election the commission provide infrared thermometers for all the polling units and insisted that every voter at the polling unit on election day must wear a face mask or face covering.

We insisted that there must also be physical distancing in relations to the election and we also provided all the personal protective equipment for all the ad hoc staff for that particular election.

So, we did the test-run and then all the voters came with their face masks or face covering.

There was water and soap for washing of hands, then there was also a two metre distance at the polling unit. It was observed.

But in some of the polling units, we noticed that people found it difficult to observe the issue of physical distancing.

So, that was one of the lessons we learnt from the Nassarawa state central constituency election.

Based on that particular lesson, we have further trainedour presiding officers on how to guarantee physical distancing at the level of the polling units.

Okoye said that the commission would also deployed its innovations including Election Result Viewing Portal that were tested in Nasarawa, for purposes of ensuring transparency in elections.

He said while the commission would still use it Z-Pad to upload election results on its dedicated website, it has dropped the use as a secondary authentication mechanism to support the smart card readers.

We had a few challenges with the Z-pad in terms of aligning it with a smart card reader.

So, based on that, we found that it is not robust enough for us to deploy to a contentious election, like the Edo governorship election. So, we dropped it in order for us to do a further work on it.

Okoye also explained why the commission have to go on with Edo and Ondo governorship elections, in spite of the COVID -19 pandemic.

He said that because of the nature of the pandemic, over 70 countries, including advanced countries, postponed their elections, but INEC could not because of Nigeria peculiar constitutional circumstances.

Section 178 subsection 2 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria prescribes a window within which what we call end of tenure elections must be conducted.

Based on that constitutional provision, we must conduct the Edo governorship election on or before Oct. 13, 2020 and we must conduct the Ondo governorship election on or before Jan. 15, 2021.

So, based on that, we had no choice than to fix these elections.If we conduct the Edo election on Oct. 14 that means we have not conducted any election.

Whatever we do will be null and void because, constitutionally speaking, when lawmakers design a constitution, and impute dates within the constitutional framework.

The implication is that that particular date is unmovable, it cannot be changed, it cannot be adjusted, and it cannot in any way be tempered with.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

NAPTIP boss Julie Okah-Donli

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in Kano State, has arrested a 29-year-old housewife, Jamila Abubakar, over alleged murder of her stepson, Muhammad Bashir.

Mr Shehu Umar, NAPTIP Zonal Commander in charge of Kano State, confirmed the arrest in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Kano.

Umar disclosed that the suspect was apprehended on Thursday after she beat her seven-year-old stepson to death at Tarauni Kasuwa area of Kano metropolis.

He recalled that the Agency had invited the suspect over alleged child abuse after the deceased was rescued from the suspect in the past few months.

The Coordinator said: We received information that the deceased rescued few months ago was allegedly clubbed to death by his stepmother.

On receiving the information, operatives of NAPTIP swung into action and arrested the suspect.

He added that preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect confined the decease in a room without food when they left home for their daily engagements.

The suspect was invited and the victim rescued by our team. The Agency provided shelter and medication to the victim before reuniting him with his father.

The couple wrote an undertaking that the boy will not be confine again, noting that they also promised to take care of the child protection and wellbeing when they set out for their normal businesses.

Umar added that the case has been transferred to the Police Command in Kano for discrete investigation and prosecution. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

COVID-19 updates by NCDC

Were grateful to our partners and state leadership for this milestone in strengthening national health security, it said.

(NAN)

Source: NAN News

Gunmen

By Remi Koleoso

The kidnappers of a retired United States Army officer, Maj. Jide Ijadare, who was abducted at his Palm oil factory located along Ijan-Ise EKiti road have demanded N20 million ransom.

Ijadare and one of his staff were allegedly abducted by gunmen at Ijan Ekiti, Gbonyin Local Government area of Ekiti State, on Tuesday.

A man identified as a contractor with the factory was allegedly shot dead by the kidnappers during the broad day attack.

A member of Ijadares family confirmed to journalists via telephone, on Wednesday, that the abductors had contacted one of them and demanded for N20 million ransom.

Yes, they contacted one of the family members this morning (Wednesday) and demand for the sum.

Though, the matter had been reported to the police since life was involved and they are also doing their own bit to ensure that the abducted are released in time.

However, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti Command, Mr Sunday Abutu, said the command was not aware of any ransom being demanded by the abductors.

We are not aware of any ransom being demanded by the abductors. But our men are in the bush combing everywhere to ensure their release.

The police Commissoner, Mr Babatunde Mobayo had deployed different units of police operatives in the factory and the surrounding forests.

We are assuring the people that the abductees will be released safe and sound and in good health, but we appeal to the public to give us useful information that can help our men and other local hunters we are working with.

The retired military mans abduction came barely 48 hours after the Director, General Administration with the Local Government Service Commission, Mr David Jejelowo, was shot dead by assailants.

Jejelowo was killed at his residence at Igirigiri, Odo Ado area of Ado Ekiti metropolis. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Ade Laoye a star in Finding Hubby screen adaptation

By Ifeanyi Nwoko

The producers of the screen adaptation of Tunde Leyes 2012 fan-favourite Finding Hubby have unveiled the star actors in the movie which is set to hit the Cinema in November.

According to a video tweet on its handle @FindingHubby, major stars unveiled were: Ade Laoye, Kehinde Bankole, Munachi Abii and Omowunmi Dada.

According to the tweet, the unveiling is to lay to rest the suspense as to who would play the role of Oyin Clegg and her friends Toke and Gloria in the 2012 viral blog series now being adapted on screen.

The women in are

Finding Hubby Movie (@FindingHubby)

The video shows Ade Laoye as the queen of the pack who plays Oyin Clegg, while Kehinde Bankole and Munachi Abii play her friends Toke and Gloria.

The stunning Omowunmi Dada plays Oyin Cleggs arch-rival Moroti Hassan in the movie that has gotten fans of the blog series excited since its release was announced.

According to the tweet, the rest of the stellar cast will be revealed over the next few days on the social media handles of the Finding Hubby team.

Speaking on the movies cast, Executive Producer of the movie Zainab Baruwa-Abiola said, We took special care to cast actors who embody the characters and personalities of the ladies featured in the story.

With this cast, we believe movie-goers and fans will connect with the story even more.

Explaining her thoughts, the producer and director, Femi Ogunsanwo added: Ade Laoye is Oyin Clegg in flesh and she totally embodied the character every day we were on set.

I am sure the fans of the series will agree with us when they watch the film that Ade is the Oyin Clegg they signed up for.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the screen adaptation is set to debut in November in Cinemas and would be distributed by Genesis Distribution.

Source: NAN News

FIFA

By Bushrah Yusuf-Badmus

Nigerias Super Eagles have moved up by two spots in FIFAs ranking for September to place 29th after more than six months of disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the ranking placed on the world football governing bodys website on Thursday, Nigeria garnered 1493 points during the period under review without playing any match.

The movement also placed Nigeria as the third in Africa behind Senegal and Tunisia who garnered 1555 and 1506 points respectively.

On the global scene, with the exception of Uzbekistans 2-1 friendly victory over Tajikistan, the countries back in action have all been European.

The successful staging of these games was nonetheless encouraging for teams from other confederations as they seek to resume international fixtures in the weeks ahead.

The 54 UEFA Nations League games which took place across Europe at the beginning of September had an immediate impact on the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, which had remained unchanged since April 9.

While there had been no movement among the leading quartet - in descending order: Belgium, France, Brazil and England - Portugal (5th, up 2) have moved into the top five.

This was as a result of victories over Croatia (8th, down 2) and Sweden (18th, down 1).

Other countries moving in the right direction are Spain (7th, up 1), Italy (12th, up 1), the Netherlands (13th, up 1), and Germany (14th, up 1).

Each of them gained one place respectively in the global classification.

Wales (21st, up 2) climbed two rungs but remain just outside the top 20.

Russia, hosts of the last FIFA World Cup, are further back in 32.

But they had the biggest gain in this edition, ascending six places courtesy of wins over Serbia (31st, down 2) and Hungary (52nd, unchanged).

In spite of not playing, Iran (30th, up 3) moved into the top 30 after Serbia and Turkey (32nd, down 3) dropped points.(NAN)

Source: NAN News

Edo poll: Gov. Buni cautious electorate against violence

By Ahmed Abba

Gov. Mai Mala-Buni of Yobe and Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) Caretaker Committee, has appealed to electorate in Edo to avoid violence and during the Sept. 19 Governorship Poll in the state.

Buni made the appeal on Thursday in a statement signed by Mr Mamman Mohammed, his Director General of Press and Media Affairs in Damaturu on Thursday.

He said that APC had earlier directed its supporters to shun violence and any activity that contravened the provisions of the electoral law.

I urge APC supporters including those from the opposition parties to support the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct fair, credible and acceptable election.

The people of Edo should be allowed to elect a leader of their choice and, the peoples wish should be respected.

We are optimistic that the security agencies would check the excesses of trouble makers, protect the electorate and their votes,Buni said.

According to the chairman, INEC has in the last few years made remarkable achievements in organising free, fair and credible elections.

It should be supported and encouraged to improve on these achievements and that is how our democracy would grow, but not through violence, he said.

He urged party leaders to refrain from making inciting and inflammatory statements capable of breaching the peace.

As leaders, we should avoid statements capable of over heating the polity and creating tension. No responsible leader will preach violence,Buni said.

He also admonished youths to resist those preaching violence.

Your future lies in a peaceful election and purposeful leadership, the advocates of violence do not wish you good and have no programmes for your future.

You should therefore distance yourselves from them, Buni said. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo

By Funmilola Gboteku

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Facebooks Vice President, Policy and Communication, Nick Clegg, are set to hold a virtual informal chat on Facebook on Friday.

Facebook, in a statement issued on Thursday, said the chat would be held as part of its activities during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 75th session of the U.N. General Assembly commenced on Tuesday with a moment of silence against the unprecedented backdrop of the Coronavirus pandemic.

It will close on Sept. 22.

Facebook said that the event, which would be moderated by Omowale David-Ashiru, Vice President, Global Operations at Andela, would explore the growth of digital economy in Nigeria.

According to the statement, the session will also highlight Facebooks role in the economic development across Sub-Saharan Africa.

As the Chair of Person of Nigerias Economic Sustainability Committee, Vice President Osinbajo, will highlight the importance of digital technologies, innovation hubs and private equity funding in ensuring economic growth and development in the country, it said.

The session would also provide Osinbajo a platform to share further insight into Nigerias Post-COVID Economic Recovery Plan (ERP), Facebook said.

The company stated that the 45-minute virtual event will be streamed on Facebook Live. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

FIRS

By Mustapha Sumaila

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) says non-oil tax receipts have consistently contributed 75 to 90 per cent of total tax revenue in recent months.

Mr Abdullahi Ahmad, the FIRS Director, Communications and Liaison Department made this known in a statement in Abuja on Thursday.

Ahmad quoted the Executive Chairman of the service, Mr Muhammad Nami, as disclosing this during a courtesy call on the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, by the members of the FIRS Board.

Nami explained that in spite the national and global economic upheaval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the service had continued to record significant increase in collectable tax revenue from the non-oil sector of the economy.

According to him, out of N490 billion collected by the service in July, only N52 billion was from the oil sector, with the rest coming in through non-oil receipts.

The FIRS boss attributed the increase in the non-oil sector receipt to reform measures introduced by the FIRS Board and Management as well as the renewed vigour in the service workforce.

Nami commended the minister for her support to the service and its Board since their inauguration earlier in the year, and solicited closer working relationship between the FIRS and her ministry.

Ahmed is quoted in the statement as commending the Management and Board of the FIRS for working to limit the disruptive impact of COVID-19 on government revenue through their proactive reforms.

She said that this had made it possible for the three tiers of government to receive their monthly statutory allocations from the Federation Account.

According to her, the Value Added Tax (VAT) and Stamp Duties receipts have boosted government revenue in spite the pandemic.

The minister pledged to continue to support the Management and Board of FIRS, and urged the service to work harder toward diversifying government revenue sources further away from dependence on oil. (NAN)

Source: NAN News

APC Logo

By Joy Odigie

The All Progressives Congress (APC), has commended Edo residents for their peaceful conduct, support as well as turnout during its campaigns across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state.

Retired Maj.-Gen. Cecil Esekhaigbe, the Director-General, Edo APC Campaign Council, gave the commendation during a news briefing in Benin on Thursday.

Esekhaigbe said: Today we thank Edo people for their faith in the APC which they demonstrated throughout the campaign through their massive turnout across the state.

As the campaigns end today, we are confident of victory because we have made it clear that we do not believe in sloganeering.

We took to Edo people what we have in stock for them and they have taken it by pledging to vote massively for APC come Sept. 19, he said.

He also commended security outfits for ensuring peace during the campaigns in spite of pockets of violence experienced.

He said the party was not unaware of plans by unscrupulous elements to cause mayhem during the election, noting that the security outfit would be fully ready to ensure law and order.

We shall resist any move by highly placed politicians who are relocating to the state to cause mayhem.

Those who believe in thuggery must know that there are consequences for their actions.

Security agencies have expressed it clearly that they will not tolerate any act of thuggery and violence, he said.

He added that the APC was not relying on anyone to provide financial support to enable the party to win the election.

We look forward to a peaceful and credible election in the state.

We are ready to continue to maintain peace irrespective of the outcome of the election, he said.(NAN)

Source: NAN News