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LG polls: Makinde orders aides to deliver their constituencies
Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has directed his Special Assistants on Federal Constituencies to deliver the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates in their areas in the April 2024 Local Government Elections.
The Governor said this on Tuesday while inaugurating the Special Adviser and Special Assistants on Federal Constituencies at the Executive Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.
He tasked them to work hard with him to extend dividends of democracy to the people at the federal constituency level, stating that there is a lot of work to be done.
He said, “I want to congratulate Hon. Dare Adeleke and his team. It is a lot of work absolutely and I will tell you why. During the last election, out of the 14 federal constituencies, as a government, we lost nine and we had only five constituencies that are represented by PDP.
“We had Ibadan North-West/South-West, Ibadan North-East/South-East, Ogooluwa/Surulere, Iseyin/Itesiwaju, Iwajowa/Kajola and Ibarapa Central/ Ibarapa North. We have to ensure that, at the federal constituency level, we are able to extend dividends of democracy to the people.
“Yes, we have members of the state assembly in most of these federal constituencies but you need to also let them feel a sense of belonging. That is on the one side. On the other side is, you need to mobilise our people to ginger party members.
“We have a local government election coming in April and I want our candidates delivered in all the federal constituencies. So, that is the big task ahead of you. Even this weekend, we also have a bye-election in Saki. So, you have to mobilise our people and one thing I can tell you is that I will give you all the support necessary for you to perform.”
The Governor commended foremost politician, Chief Jacob Gbadebo Adetoro, who headed the body of SAs on Federal Constituencies during Omituntun 1.0, for doing a yeoman’s job mobilising people to solve problems in each of the constituencies.
He equally stated that he was confident that the Special Adviser on Federal Constituencies, who is to now coordinate the body, will do a good job, as he is a veteran who had also played at the national level.
In attendance at the event were the chairmen of the Oyo State Elders’ Council and the Oyo State Advisory Council, Dr. Saka Balogun and Barr. Bolaji Ayorinde, SAN, respectively and Commissioners in the cabinet.
Others were Alhaji Nureni Akanbi; Hon. Babatunde Oduyoye, a member of the Advisory Council; Alhaji Wasiu Adeleke, PDP State Secretary; Mr. Michael Ogunsina, PDP Youth Leader, among others.
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Stop using repressive laws to intimidate journalists – SERAP, NGE tell FG
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, and Nigeria Guild of Editors, NGE, have called on Nigerian authorities at all levels of government to stop using repressive and anti-media laws to target, intimidate and harass journalists, critics and media houses.
The groups made the demand after an interactive session on ‘the state of press freedom in Nigeria’ held at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Ikeja.
In a joint statement, SERAP and NGE said that, “the government of President Bola Tinubu, the country’s 36 governors and FCT minister must now genuinely uphold press freedom, ensure access to information to all Nigerians, obey court judgments, and respect the rule of law”.
They expressed concerns about the escalating crackdown on the right to freedom of expression and media freedom and the flagrant disregard for the rule of law by authorities at all levels of government.
The groups note that the suppression of the press in recent times takes various forms ranging from extrajudicial to unlawful detentions, disappearances, malicious prosecutions and wrongful use of both legislation and law enforcement.
The statement read in part: “We would continue to speak truth to power and to hold authorities to account for their constitutional and international obligations including on freedom of expression and media freedom.
“Nigeria as a country has a long and unpleasant history of press gagging and clampdown on media freedom, which is evidence of extensive state censorship of media and in some cases, the utter control of state-owned media houses.
“This position has not changed considerably despite almost 25 years of unbroken democratic rule in the Fourth Republic.”
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FG adds 625MW to national grid – Minister
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Tax: Court orders FCT-IRS agency to seal off defaulting coys
A Magistrate Court sitting in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, on Friday, ordered the Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCT-IRS) to seal off a company, Ifedi A.K. Nigeria Ltd, over allegations bordering on non-filing of annual returns.
The Magistrate, Janada Balami, gave the order after lawyer to FCT-IRS, Michael Towolawi, moved the application to the effect.
Towolawi told the court that the company had failed to file its annual returns from 2019 to 2023 in breach of Section 81 of the Personal Income Tax Act, LFN, 2004, and amended in 2011.
He said all efforts to make the company comply with the law proved abortive.
The lawyer, therefore, applied that the company be compel to appear before the court to explain why it acted in breach of the law.
Balami, who held that the application by the agency against the company had merit, accordingly granted same to seal the No 6, Rudolph Close, Off Katsina-Ala Street, Maitama, Abuja.
She, consequently, ordered the company, the sole defendant in the matter, to appear before the court on May 16.
The Director, Legal Services of the FCT-IRS, Festus Tsavar, told journalists after the proceeding that the service would move against companies that do not file their annual returns as provided by law.
“You know that we have a new minister in FCT that is doing a lot of projects and that hinges on money.
“And of course, you are aware that FCT has come out of TSA.
“So it is the internally generated revenue that will make the government of FCT to be able to do those projects completely within required time,” he said.
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