Connect with us

News

2023 polls will be the best, Senate President assures EU observers, Kenya’s Raila Odinga

Published

on

The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan is upbeat that the forthcoming general elections will be the best ever in Nigeria.

Lawan expressed this optimism on Tuesday while playing host to a delegation of the European Union election observers and former Kenyan Prime Minister, Raila Odinga who paid separate courtesy visits to the Senate President.

Odinga was in Nigeria at the instance of the Management of the Leadership newspapers for their Annual Conference and Awards which held in Abuja on Tuesday.

The Senate President told his guests that the National Assembly had worked very hard to provide necessary support to the electoral agency and enacted the needed legislation to guide the electoral environment for the polls.

Receiving the EU delegation led by  Deputy Chief Observer,Thomas Boserup, the Senate President said, “The general elections this year will be probably the best. This is because we worked so hard in the National Assembly to produce a very good document to guide electoral environment in Nigeria.

“The amendment to the Electoral Act was signed into law by Mr President last year and the INEC has been given ample opportunity and a great deal of latitude to introduce technology in the elections.

“The introduction of BVAS(Bimodal Voter Accreditation System) I think will go a long way in ensuring that election fraud, manipulations are reduced to the bearest minimum.

“We believe that has been one of the serious issue that bedeviled our elections previously.

“The thing that motivates us more is what we have been able to give to INEC. I think INEC is a princely institution. We have always prioritise INEC. We believe that INEC shouldn’t be in want. Where INEC makes a request, we believe we should always give INEC what our country can afford.

“Where we are able to give everything, we should do so. If we have to meet INEC half way, we must have a strong reason to doing so. This is because we don’t want any excuse from INEC.

“We want INEC to perform very well. We want the elections in 2023 to be very credible and very transparent and with the introduction of BVAS, we believe we can achieve that feat.

“Your (EU)statement in 2019 was very helpful. We believe that the stability of Nigeria is the stability of Africa and indeed, the stability of the world. And what you are doing is not only to stabilize our political or electoral process but to ensure that other countries copy from us.”

Also while receiving Kenyan former Prime Minister and his delegation, Lawan re-echoed similar sentiments about the 2023 polls.

Lawan commended Odinga for his roles in ensuring that Kenyan democracy is peaceful and stable.

He said,“Election periods are normally periods that are described as uncertain especially in developing countries and Africa in particular.

“Many things are suspended. Everybody will tell you after the elections are over. Why? Because people fear that elections will bring violence and so much uncertainty.

“I think we need to continue to work to ensure that our elections are peaceful, credible, that the integrity test that we need to push our elections should give us every hope and give our people every hope that their votes count.

“I think with more certainty around our election periods, people will see election periods as those normal activities, that you can just go and vote and continue with your other activities. But we have to work hard to ensure that people don’t see election periods as periods of violence.

“I want to commend you and congratulate you for working to ensure the Kenyan democracy is peaceful and stable.

“I must commend you for the stance you took in the recent election outcome in Kenya. You are an African patriot and you are an African democrat and a leader.

“In 2022, the National Assembly passed the Electoral Act (amendment) which Mr President signed and we introduced so many innovations.

“We gave INEC so much powers and for it to introduce technology in the elections so that we reduce subjectivity, possibility of rigging and some unwholesome attitude of some politicians or their agents.

“And we believe that the 2023 elections will have the best and highest quality of election processes than the previous ones.Our hope is that the outcome will be a reflection of the will of Nigerians.”

Earlier, Odinga told the Senate President that Nigeria and Kenya maintained a long standing relationship.

He expressed delight in knowing more about the uniqueness of the Nigerian National Assembly in relation to the Kenyan parliament.

News

How Palmpay overcame trust deficit in 12 months- MD Nwosu

Published

on

Nigerians’ trust in Palmpay, a Central Bank of Nigeria’s fintech licensed bank, has grown tremendously in the last 12 months.

The Managing Director of Palmpay Nigeria, Chika Nwosu, disclosed this recently when he appeared on  Channels TV Business Roundtable.

Recall that the CBN recently restricted Palmpay and four fintech banks from onboarding new customers.

However, Nwosu gave insights into regulatory concerns surrounding the FinTech ecosystem and said that Palmpay has come to stay within Nigeria’s banking sector.

“Whatever happens with regulation is for the good of the FinTech space in Nigeria. Initially, when we started, there was an issue of trust. However, I can tell you now that the last 1 year after the cashless policy has seen the trust start to grow”.

The Managing Director emphasized PalmPay’s unwavering support for regulators in regulating the FinTech ecosystem, underscoring that regulators want to improve the services of strong players in the FinTech space, such as PalmPay.

On the ease of doing business and how it affects PalmPay, he said:

“Doing business in Nigeria for us is difficult, but Nigerians are embracing our App and digital payment”.

When asked about the problem of failed transfers, he stressed,

“Every institution has its business strategy and infrastructure. For us and most fintechs, we have a structure that makes transactions seamless”.

Regarding the regulator’s recent onboarding policy, he stated that PalmPay agreed with the regulators on some grey areas that must be addressed.

Reassuring customers that there was no issue with using PalmPay, he emphasized, “If PalmPay completes their own today, we will start onboarding today”.

On the issue of trust and the security of the PalmPay app, he said,

“There is no day you won’t see on our app boldly written that we are licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and our deposits are insured by the Nigeria Deposits Insurance Corporation (NDIC). PalmPay is here to stay”.

Continue Reading

News

Mushin LG Chairman flags off construction of Yusuf Street road, promises solar lighting

Published

on

The Mushin Local Government Chairman, Hon. Emmanuel Bamigboye on Wednesday flagged off the construction of Yusuf Street road in Papa Ajao.

The project is expected to bring relief to residents and traders in the area and is set to be completed within six months.

According to Bamigboye, the project is a fulfillment of his campaign promise to the people of Mushin, and he expressed gratitude to God for the opportunity to execute the project.

He urged residents to cooperate with the contractor and the local government to ensure the successful completion of the project.

The councillor representing the ward, Ayomide Abioye, expressed his joy and appreciation for the project, stating that it is the longest street in Papa Ajao and will bring immense benefit to the community.

Also, the Baba Oloja of Ladipo International Market, Eze Monday, also commended the Executive Chairman for the project, stating that it will make a significant impact on the development of the area.

The project includes the construction of the road and the installation of solar lighting, which is expected to enhance security and facilitate economic activities in the area.

Residents and traders in the area have been warned not to disturb the contractor or disrupt the project in any way.

Meanwhile, the traders applauded Hon. Bamigboye for demonstrating its commitment to infrastructural development and the welfare of its citizens.

Continue Reading

News

Giving back to community — Prof Oyedokun speaks on motives

Published

on

Lead Facilitator Professor of Accounting & Financial Development Founder OGE, Prof. Godwin Emmanuel Oyedokun, has disclosed that giving back to society community is his motive for pursuing his career.

He made the disclosure in an article titled “My motive for running a free professional diploma course in Forensic Accounting and Fraud Investigation is of several folds.”

He said, “Running a free professional diploma course in forensic accounting and fraud investigation is also motivated by my desire to give back to the community.

“By sharing my expertise and knowledge without any financial barriers, I am helping individuals from diverse backgrounds and financial situations to acquire valuable skills and advance their careers.”

The academic reiterated that the motive for running a free professional diploma course in forensic accounting and fraud investigation is centred around education, skill development, community service, and professional growth.

It is a way to contribute to the accounting profession, address a skill gap, and empower individuals in their pursuit of knowledge and career advancement.

According to him, “Promoting Education and Professional Development to contribute to the growth and development of the accounting profession by providing individuals with an opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skills in the specialised field of forensic accounting and fraud investigation.

“By offering this free course, i am enabling aspiring professionals to access valuable education that might otherwise be costly or inaccessible.”

The Don addressing the need for expertise in Forensic Accounting said, “In recent years, there has been an increasing demand for professionals skilled in forensic accounting and fraud investigation due to the rise in financial crimes and fraudulent activities. By offering this free course, I am helping to address this skill gap and aiding in the fight against financial fraud.”

Continue Reading

Trending