SABINEWS EVENING NEWS UPDATE – MARCH 28, 2019
You can’t increase VAT, Tinubu tells FG
The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, on Thursday urged the Federal Government not to increase the Value Added Tax. He said an increase in VAT will reduce the spending capacity of the people and might increase hardship. He urged the Federal Government to rather consider increasing the tax net. He spoke on Thursday during the 11th Bola Tinubu Colloquium marking his 67th birthday, at the International Conference Centre, Abuja. It may be recalled that, sequel to the approval of N30,000 as minimum wage by the National Assembly, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udo Udoma; and the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Mr. Babatunde Fowler, had said the Federal Government was considering an upward review of the Value Added Tax by 50 per cent.
Okorocha’s appointee angry over Certificate of return
Ideato North local government chairman, Joy Ezebuiro, Thursday said the delay in issuing Okorocha, senator-elect, certificate of return, was unacceptable. According to Ezebuiro, in Owerri, claimed that due process was maintained in the Imo west senatorial election. It should be recalled that, the returning officer for Imo West senatorial election, Innocent Ibeawuchi, confessed that he declared Okorocha winner of the election under duress and that one hour was given to him to do the declaration, after he was held hostage. Not only that, the National Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, had issued certificate of return to other senator-elect, but insisted that Okorocha would not be issued any certificate, given the reason that Okorocha, was declared winner of Imo west election under duress.
CUPP disowns purported endorsement of Gov Ganduje
The Coalition of United Political Parties on Thursday dissociated itself from a group that, on Wednesday, endorsed the Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje. The group had, during a solidarity visit to the governor, claimed that the CUPP had decided to drop plans to contest Ganduje’s victory in the state governorship election at the tribunal. But the CUPP, in a statement by its national spokesman, Imo Ugochinyere, said the group’s position did not reflect the position of CUPP. Ugochinyere said that, as far as the CUPP was concerned, Ganduje’s mandate would be retrieved from him. He said the coalition would never associate with the “illegality” which, he alleged, “foisted the governor on the people of the state.”
Wike sets up panel to probe 2019 election violence in Rivers
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has inaugurated a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate the violence, killings and other related matters, which occurred during the February 23 and March 9, 2019 general elections in the state. Wike also inaugurated a panel into the violent invasion and attack on the Rivers State Judiciary and destruction of public properties, which occurred at the state judiciary complex in Port Harcourt on May 11, 2018. The governor inaugurated both commissions on Thursday at the Government House, Port Harcourt, with a charge that they should submit their reports after 30 days.
Inconclusive polls, attributes of deepening democracy, says INEC
The Independent National Election Commission (INEC) has attributed the growing phenomenon of inconclusive elections in the country to deepening democracy and improved integrity of the electoral system. Speaking while issuing certificates of return to the re-elected governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, the deputy governor elect, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe, and 34 members-elect of the state House of Assembly, at the state INEC headquarters Thursday, the National Commissioner supervising Niger, Plateau and Kaduna States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Prof. Antonia Okoosi-Simbine, decried the attitude of some political parties and candidates who engaged in violent behaviour, including the manhandling of election officials, intimidation of voters, as well as collation and returning officers during the 2019 elections.
APC should not be penalised for INEC’s ‘mistakes’ in Osun election – Aregbesola
The former governor of Osun State Rauf Aregbesola said the ruling All Progressives Congress should not be made to suffer for the Independent National Commission’s errors and mistakes during the Osun governorship election. An election petition tribunal last Thursday declared the candidate of the People’s Democratic Party Ademola Adeleke as the winner of the election after cancelling the rerun election which gave APC’s Isiaka Oyetola victory. “The most relevant question one would pose here is: should the tribunal allow APC to suffer as a result of the mistakes or omissions occasioned by the INEC staff,” Aregbesola said in an advertorial published in The Guardian on Thursday.
Amosun absent at Tinubu’s 67th birthday colloquium
Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, failed to attend the 11th Bola Tinubu Colloquium, which held in Abuja on Thursday. Amosun was the only governor from the South-West that failed to attend the colloquium, which is held yearly in commemoration of Tinubu’s birthday. The Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who represented President Muhammadu Buhari, called out the names of all the governors present, as protocol demands. They are: Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State; Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State; Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State; his Ekiti State counterpart, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; and Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola. Others present include: Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu; Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State; his Bauchi State counterpart Mohammed Abubakar; Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shuaibu; former Governor Rauf Aregbesola; and Lagos State Governor-elect, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
APDA sues INEC, AGF over Rivers Poll
The Advance People’s Democratic Alliance (APDA) has dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) before a Federal High Court in Abuja over the Governorship and House of Assembly elections of March 9, 2019. In an originating summons brought pursuant to order 3 rule 4 of the Federal High Court, the party alongside its governorship candidate in the March 9 election, Warigbani Zebulun, are praying the court for an order for the outright cancellation of the results in 15 local governments where, according to them, collation of results had not been concluded before INEC announced the suspension of the election. INEC and the AGF are first and second defendants respectively.
Kano PDP chief faults BMO over violence in supplementary poll
The Kano state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has faulted claims by the Buhari Media Organization, BMO, that the PDP and its chieftains were behind the violence that marred the recently held supplementary governorship election in the state. Chairman of the party in the state, Alhaji Rabiu Sulaiman Bichi on Thursday distanced the PDP, former governor of the state, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso and its governorship candidate, Abba Yusuf from any form of violence and act that brought the exercise into disrepute.
Paris to host Bucks, Hornets in NBA regular-season game
Paris will host a regular season NBA game for the first time next year when the Milwaukee Bucks take on the Charlotte Hornets, the league announced Thursday. French stars Tony Parker, a four-time NBA champion, and Nicolas Batum will lead the Hornets against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks in the contest on January 24, 2020, at the AccorHotels Arena. It will mark the first appearance in France for the Bucks, who played a 2015 regular-season game in London, and the second game in Paris for the Hornets, who played in the French capital in a 1994 pre-season game against the Golden State Warriors.
Kane eyes NFL after football career
England striker Harry Kane is keen to pursue a kicking career in the NFL once his football days are behind him. The Tottenham star told ESPN in an interview Wednesday he believes his dead ball ability could translate to success as an NFL place kicker one day. “That’s real,” Kane told ESPN of his NFL ambitions. “Something that in 10 or 12 years I definitely want to try.” Kane is a huge NFL fan and has forged a friendship with New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady via social media in recent years, stating that he has drawn inspiration from the six-time Super Bowl winner’s career. Kane said his desire to attempt to break into the NFL as a kicker was linked to his competitive drive. “It goes back to that drive to be the best,” he told ESPN.
Korapay looks to reduce cost, increase of money transfer from Nigeria to the Us
A Canadian based cross-border remittance company, Korapay Technologies has launched the US to Nigeria transfer corridor, with the aim of reducing the cost of online money transfer and increasing the speed of individual and business payments into and within Africa. People can now use Korapay to send money from the United States into Nigeria, which is 6 times cheaper and way faster than other platforms. In the coming months, Korapay intends to open Canada, the UK and Europe transfer routes as well as scale to 22 other African countries. This will have an immense impact on Africa payment infrastructure and make it a lot easier for people in Africa to receive money from outside the continent as well as make seamless transfers within the continent.
Trump presses OPEC to boost output to cool oil prices
US President Donald Trump on Thursday called on OPEC to boost oil output following a fairly steady rise in crude prices in 2019. “Very important that OPEC increase the flow of Oil. World Markets are fragile, price of Oil getting too high. Thank you!” Trump said on Twitter at around 1230 GMT. Oil prices took a brief, sharp turn downward after the statement before recovering somewhat. Near 1300 GMT, US oil benchmark West Texas Intermediate for May delivery was down 88 cents at $58.53 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Since becoming president, Trump has periodically put pressure the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to open the taps to add more supply to the market and lower prices.
Iran president visits flood-hit zones as death toll hits 43
President Hassan Rouhani travelled to flood-hit zones of Iran for the first time Wednesday after nine days of heavy rains that have inundated most of the country and killed 43 people. The authorities have been struggling to cope with flooding after extreme rainfall which at times has been equivalent to half of the average annual levels within 24 hours. The disaster, which one government minister blamed on climate change, struck in the middle of Iranian New Year break, with many relief workers on leave and millions of holidaymakers on the roads.
Workers jump to their deaths as Dhaka office block fire kills 7
Desperate workers leaped to their deaths, as a huge fire tore through a Dhaka office block Thursday killing at least seven people and trapping others in the latest major inferno to hit the Bangladesh capital. Six people died after jumping from the 22-floor building while another victim suffered fatal burns, officials said. Emergency services said at least 65 people were being treated in hospitals. People were seen screaming for help as hundreds of panicked onlookers crowded the streets of the upmarket Banani commercial district.
Some workers slid down a television cable on the side of the building. Others grabbed ropes lowered by emergency service helicopters which pulled them out of the blaze.
