Biafra Galaxy
[Watch] This Horrific Wreck Will Have You Believing In Angels
Eleven states resume today after forced Ebola holidays
Finally, Jonathan begs the B'Haram sponsors to stop, but will they? :: |:: FG appeals to the sponsors of Boko Haram to desist
2015: PDP, govs set to clash over aspirants
Lunar eclipse leaves moon glowing blood red
The zoo's Banks to invest N598bn in power sector – Jonathan
We believed he would not return again as he is useless to the zoo:: |:: IBB from German hospital: I will be back shortly
Outrage in military circles •Over plan to court martial Lt-Col, 37 others
$5.7Million Arms Deal: Jonathan’s Government Equals “Money Launderers”
2015 Elections: CNPP Asks Zoo's INEC to Emulate Brazil
Jonathan Grants N25.8bn Waivers, Exemptions in Five Months
Gbemi Saraki Joins Guber Race, Vows to Bail Kwarans Out of Broken Electoral Promises
Court Stops Adamawa Governorship Bye-election,* Orders Chief Judge to Swear in Ngilari Immediately
‘Ponmo’ consumption dangerous to health – DG, Institute of Leather Science
Please pass this news to those that wanted secular religion in Biafra:: |:: Pope accepts British Bishop’s resignation after affair with married parishioner
185 churches razed in Borno, Adamawa captured towns
Not smart to assist his people get over poverty through good leadership, but smart to be the 6th if not number one richest President in Africa:: |:: Opinion: For God’s Sake, Why Will Any Nigerian Still Believe President Jonathan Is Clueless?
Ebola: WHO warns Europe to expect more cases
Religious tourists shun Synagogue
China quake displaces thousands, one dead, 300 injured
UK police arrest 4 men suspected of terror plot
Some Chibok girls may never return; others will produce babies for Boko Haram members – Obasanjo
Still another group called South East Self Determination Coalition:: |:: Biafra: Coalition to honour Zik, Ojukwu, others
Blend in and take a breather for the zoo has expired and you will not get that riches you are after: |:: 2015: Why Buhari shelved presidential declaration
Unlike minds are no fun, based on history Nigeria politics does not befit you!:: |:: I’ve no plan to run for Senate –Bianca Ojukwu
[Watch] This Horrific Wreck Will Have You Believing In Angels
Posted: 08 Oct 2014 06:31 AM PDT
Some people believe in the supernatural, but sometimes it takes an undeniable miracle to convince them there is something watching out for them.
Video was published online Sunday, revealing the terrifying moment a race car veered off the track and into a crowd of onlookers.
Spectators at the Jolly Rally Valle d'Aosta in norther Italy were enjoying the race on the edge of the speedway. None suspected that the driver and his co-driver would lose control of their vehicle and endanger several lives with what is more than just a close call.
The car careens into the grass, toppling over towards a group of bystanders, missing some by what seems like a nothing more than coat of paint.
Fortunately, everyone managed to walk away completely unharmed, except for one onlooker who was treated for shock, TheBlaze reports.
The incredible footage went viral immediately, and it's easy to see why.
Many viewers are accrediting the near miss to guardian angels, while other still find it impossible that everyone was able to cheat death.
Whatever you believe, the amazing incident is enough to remind us to salvage each day, as we're never promised the next.
Eleven states resume today after forced Ebola holidays
Posted: 08 Oct 2014 05:45 AM PDT
Minister of Education, Mr. Ibrahim Shekarau
Schools in at least 11 states of the country are set to resume a new academic session today (Wednesday) after a forced holiday occasioned by the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak.
The states which had earlier shunned the September 22 resumption date announced by the Federal Government, picked October 8, as a more realistic resumption date to enable them to put in place the logistics required to prevent the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease and also observe the Eid-el-Kabir holiday.
Some of the states commencing academic activities today include Rivers, Benue, Lagos, Ekiti and Oyo.
Others are Kano, Kogi, Akwa -Ibom, Ebonyi, Ogun and Kwara states.
However, some states such as Niger, Zamfara and Adamawa, will resume on October 13.
In a telephone interview with our correspondent on Tuesday, the National President, Nigerian Union of Teachers, Mr. Michael Alogba, said the resumption was not nationwide as schools in some states had earlier resumed classes, having received the preventive equipment from the government.
The NUT had ordered its members to stay at home until the materials, such as digital non-contact thermometers, soaps, sanitisers and basins were provided.
"I'm sorry I don't have a comprehensive list right now. But I know Lagos and Ogun states are resuming tomorrow. Our directive was that state wings of NUT should monitor the degree of compliance with the provision of safety measures and formally notify us. But the resumption tomorrow (Wednesday) is not nationwide. Some have resumed earlier. Many of them have reported total compliance to us and they include Lagos, Ogun, Rivers and Ebonyi states," he said.
Asked what lessons were learnt with the Ebola Virus Disease scare, Alogba said that the disease had revealed the underbelly of the education sector.
"It has exposed the deplorable state of hygiene in our schools. Ordinarily, we don't need to cry to the high heavens before we could have water in our schools. But the EVD has exposed our shortcomings. Let everybody begins to do what is right. Government should know that it is accountable to the people,'' he added.
However, the fate of pupils attending Federal Government colleges still hangs in the balance. Alogba, who admitted issues in the unity schools said, "The problems in the Federal Government colleges are multi-dimensional. Aside from the Ebola-imposed holiday, there are other issues with the members of staff. As long as those problems persist, the Federal Government colleges will continue to remain under lock and key.''
The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria had last month ordered its members to go on strike over the inability of the Federal Government to pay their promotion arrears from 2007 to 2010.
In a statement, the ASCSN Secretary-General, Mr. Alade Lawal, said, "By this decision, the 104 Federal Unity Colleges will not re-open for the next academic session scheduled to begin on September 22. Records available to us indicate that the Federal Ministry of Education had collected the money meant for the settlement of these arrears from the Federal Ministry of Finance,'' he said.
Finally, Jonathan begs the B'Haram sponsors to stop, but will they? :: |:: FG appeals to the sponsors of Boko Haram to desist
Posted: 08 Oct 2014 05:42 AM PDT
Abuja – The Federal Government has appealed to financiers of the Boko Haram insurgents to desist from sponsoring the terrorists and surrender to security forces as some members of the sect had done recently.
Mr Mike Omeri, the Coordinator, National Information Centre, made the appeal in statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja.
The statement which was personally signed by Omeri, said that there was no wisdom in fighting against ourselves.
"They (terrorists) should know that this war can never be won by them,'' he said.
Omeri reiterated the resolve of the government to rescue all persons and communities traumatised by the insurgency, adding that there were concerted efforts to restore normalcy to those communities.
He commended Nigerians for their support and cooperation with the security forces, saying this was responsible for the successes so far recorded in the campaign to end insurgency.
The coordinator said that intense fighting was currently going on in parts of Adamawa, especially in Michika and Bazza among other areas to flush out the insurgents.
He said that security forces had been recording tremendous gains in recent weeks.
Omeri noted that the security awareness programme put in place by the federal government was responsible for nationwide hitch-free celebration of the 2014 Eid-el-Kabir. (NAN)
2015: PDP, govs set to clash over aspirants
Posted: 08 Oct 2014 05:34 AM PDT
National Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Ahmadu Adamu Mu'azu
There were indications in Abuja on Tuesday that the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party may clash with governors elected on the party's platform over what it considers as indiscriminate endorsement of some governorship aspirants in their states.
Investigations showed that the PDP leadership was not happy that despite its warnings, some governors were openly endorsing those that would succeed them.
The PDP, according to a source close to its Wadata Plaza headquarters in Abuja, feels that the actions of the governors are capable of causing divisions among its members in the affected states.
Already, members of the party in some states like Enugu and Abia are said to be angry with happenings in their states.
The Governor of Enugu State, Mr. Suliivan Chime, has already announced Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi as his choice candidate, an action already causing ripples among the members of the party in the state.
Chime has however defended his action, saying that only Sen. Ayogu Eze, another governorship aspirant, had expressed reservation.
The governors are said to be relying on the role they played in paving the way for President Goodluck Jonathan to be endorsed as the PDP sole presidential candidate of the party for the 2015 election.
It was gathered that the governors' plan was also making some ministers to be having a rethink about their desire to contest the governorship elections in their states.
Among such ministers are Bala Mohammed (FCT); Musiliu Obanikoro (state, Defence); Emeka Wogu (Labour); Nyesom Wike(state, Education); Labaran Maku (Information), Kabiru Turaki (Special Duties); Bashir Yuguda (state, Finance); and Samuel Ortom (state, Trade and Investment).
While Obanikoro wants to rule Lagos, Wogu is interested in becoming the next governor of Abia State. Wike on his part has been nursing the ambition of ruling Rivers State.
Maku is interested in taking over in Nasarawa State while Turaki, a former governorship aspirant on the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, is interested in taking over from Governor Saidu Dankingari in Kebbi State. Yuguda is interested in becoming the next governor of Zamfara State.
Ortom hopes to succeed Gabriel Suswan in Benue State while Mohammed is planning to take over from Isa Yiguda in Bauchi State.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Prof. Viola Onwuliri, is said to be considering contesting the position of a senator from Imo State.
Two of the ministers, who spoke with our correspondent in Abuja, however, said they and their colleagues were now wary of leaving because of the unwritten agreement between the President and the governors .
"How do we leave certainty for uncertainty?", one of them asked. The other said only aspirants in states ruled by the opposition parties could be bold enough to take such a gamble.
A member of the National Working Committee of the PDP said the endorsement of some aspirants by the governors would deprive the national headquarters of the PDP from making money from the sale of nomination forms.
He said, "Imagine a party that is this broke and one of the major areas from which we get money is through the selling of nomination and expression of interest forms.
"How then do we make enough money when governors are busy endorsing candidates thereby scaring other aspirants away from their states?
"It is that bad that they are ignoring our warning not to be part of this. I know that they are doing this because we all endorsed the President as our sole candidate."
Efforts made to speak with the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Olisa Metuh, on the issue on Tuesday were not successful as he did not pick his call.
He also did not respond to a text message sent to his mobile telephone.
Metuh had however in a statement on Thursday warned state chapters of the party and governors against endorsing any governorship aspirant.
Arguing that only the NEC of the party had such powers, he said the PDP National Working Committee had noticed that some persons were already anointing some aspirants for the position of governors.
Stating however that the party was not against this, he warned elected party officials at the state level not to be part of those anointing candidates.
He had said, "The NWC has noted the activities of some persons and groups supporting some aspirants for the 2015 general election at the state level.
"Whilst the party cannot stop individuals, groups or communities from endorsing persons of their choice, the national leadership wishes to restate in the strongest possible terms that elected party officials at the state, local government and ward levels must not be involved in such, as they must remain as unbiased umpires in the nomination process.
"For the avoidance of doubt, only the National Executive Committee, as an organ of the party can officially endorse a candidate under the PDP constitution. All party officials at all levels are expected to be guided by this."
No governorship aspirant has turned up to pick the party's nomination form of N11m which closes on October 30.
Lunar eclipse leaves moon glowing blood red
Posted: 08 Oct 2014 05:33 AM PDT
Total eclipse started at 3:15 a.m. PT (6:15 a.m. ET), and lasted about an hour
CBC News Posted: Oct 08, 2014 7:06 AM ET Last Updated: Oct 08, 2014 8:05 AM ET
Lunar eclipse 3:49
Send us your photos and videos of the lunar eclipse
The edge of the Earth's shadow began to pass over October's full moon, traditionally called the hunter's moon, at 1:15 a.m. PT or 4:15 a.m. ET. It covered the moon for a total lunar eclipse starting 3:15 a.m. PT or 6:15 a.m. ET and lasting 59 minutes. In much of Eastern Canada, skies were cloudy, blocking out the eclipse for watchers on the ground. People in Western Canada got a better view.
The moon turned brownish orange earlier this year during this eclipse on April 15, as seen from Los Angeles. The second total lunar eclipse in a series of four takes place early Wednesday morning. (Gene Blevins/Reuters)
The moon turns reddish during a lunar eclipse because the Earth's shadow blocks almost all sunlight from hitting the moon. The exception is a small amount of light bent around the Earth by its atmosphere.
More details about the eclipse from NASA
The atmosphere scatters most of the blue light, leaving only the red to hit the moon — causing it to appear red.
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"It's the same reason why the sky is blue … and why sunset is red," J. Randy Attwood, executive director of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, said.
The amount of red colour depends on the weather in the part of the atmosphere the light is passing through, he added. If it's clear, the moon will be brighter and redder, but if it's stormy and cloudy, the moon will be darker and more brownish.
The final two total lunar eclipses of this tetrad will take place next April 4 and Sept. 28.
Meteor shower expected to peak
'It's perfectly safe to look at an eclipse of the moon with your regular eyes or binoculars.'—J. Randy Attwood, Royal Astronomical Society of Canada's executive director
This particular lunar eclipse could give skywatchers an additional treat, by bringing out the meteors of the Draconid meteor shower, which is expected to peak tonight. The annual fall meteor shower produces relatively few meteors compared with the summer's Perseids, and the full moon is expected to wash out most of them. But the eclipse will temporarily darken the full moon and the night sky.
"That's the perfect time to look for meteors," said Attwood.
The Draconid meteors will appear to originate from the constellation Draco the Dragon, in the north to northwest sky.
Of course, the main event is still the eclipse.
"I get kind of excited about them because they're really cool to watch," Attwood said. "You're seeing motion in the sky, you're seeing it slowly creep into the Earth's shadow."
The best part is that they don't require any special knowledge or equipment.
"Anyone who sees the moon can see the eclipse," he said.
And unlike solar eclipses, they can be viewed without any eye protection.
"It's perfectly safe to look at an eclipse of the moon with your regular eyes or binoculars."
The zoo's Banks to invest N598bn in power sector – Jonathan
Posted: 08 Oct 2014 05:34 AM PDT
CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele
Deposit Money Banks in the country are gearing up to invest over $3.623bn (about N598bn) in the power sector, the Federal Ministry of Power has said.
Figures contained in the latest Power Enabling Nigeria publication for the second quarter of 2014 showed that the banks had adopted different models in a bid to raise funds that would enable them to finance the sector.
Among the models adopted by the banks are the sale of dollar-denominated bonds, issuance of Eurobonds and raising funds from the equities market to invest in the privatised power industry.
The over $3.623bn investment is in addition to the $1.3bn total banking loans to the sector in 2013 for the electricity distribution companies and $1.7bn for the power generation firms.
According to the report, the interests of the DMBs were heightened by the fact that private sector investors had taken over Nigeria's power sector.
This, it stated, had led to a boom in the demand for generation, distribution and transmission facilities such as aluminium conductors, meters, transformers, cables, transmission towers and other accessories.
It outlined the banks with interests in the power sector to include Zenith Bank Plc, Diamond Bank Plc, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, Access Bank Plc, Sterling Bank Plc, Skye Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc and First Bank of Nigeria Limited.
Detailing the magnitude of financial investments by the banks in the sector, the power ministry said, "Zenith Bank Plc sold its $500m dollar-denominated bond. The bank had explained that the proceeds would enable it to finance the power sector. Similarly, Diamond Bank Plc issued its debut $200m five-year Eurobond. The bank also plans to tap into the equities market to raise about $300m.
"Diamond Bank is seeking to raise $500m additional capital also for the growth of the Nigerian power sector; while Union Bank Plc is seeking approval to raise $750m, Access Bank Plc at its recently held Annual General Meeting got approval of its shareholders to raise $1bn.
"Sterling Bank recently disclosed plans to issue a $200m Eurobond early next year, while Skye Bank, which raised N50bn last year, is also eyeing the Eurobond market."
It was further gathered that other banks that had also tapped into the Eurobond market to raise funds for the power sector were Fidelity Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank and First Bank.
The Federal Government, in the report, dismissed claims that the power sector was bankrupt.
It stated that as the funding from the banks was rolling in, other internationally recognised power firms as well as some governments had expressed interests in the industry, stressing that "the Nigerian power sector is not broke as some persons would like the world to believe."
Senior power ministry officials told our correspondent that the latest N213bn Central Bank of Nigeria intervention fund had made the banks, which hitherto had developed cold feet in power sector financing, to review their decisions in order to work out ways to strike funding deals in the industry.
The Federal Government recently announced new measures to address financing related issues in the power sector.
Top among the measures was the provision of the N213bn intervention facility to settle legacy gas debts.
The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, stated that the facility, which would be provided by the CBN through the banks, would also be used to address revenue shortfall in the power sector.
According to her, inadequate gas supply for power generation is one of the three major issues affecting the sector.
We believed he would not return again as he is useless to the zoo:: |:: IBB from German hospital: I will be back shortly
Posted: 08 Oct 2014 05:14 AM PDT
FORMER military president, General Ibrahim Babangida (IBB), on Tuesday, broke speculations over the state of his health, saying he will be back to the country soon.
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General Babangida, who spoke with newsmen over the telephone at the residence of the Niger State governor, Dr Babangia Aliyu, in Tunga, Minna, when General Abdulsalami Abubakar paid the governor a Sallah homage, said, "I will be back very soon."
Speaking from Germany through General Abubakar's mobile telephone, he said "I miss all of you. I wish you all Barka de Sallah.
"I am better now and I will be back in a few days time.
"I thank Nigerians for their prayers and well wishes. Insha Allah, I will be back to Nigeria very soon."
The former leader was hospitalised last month in a German hospital.
Outrage in military circles •Over plan to court martial Lt-Col, 37 others
Posted: 08 Oct 2014 05:05 AM PDT
Chris Agbambu -Abuja
SOME soldiers and officers are said to be outraged and bitter over the decision of the General Court Martial, convened by the Army authorities, to try a Lieutenant-Colonel (names withheld) and 37 soldiers for mutiny.
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This was as they claimed the authorities shunned the heroic operations of the officer and his men, daring to storm Sambisa forest in search of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls.
Military sources disclosed this to the Nigerian Tribune on Tuesday.
According to sources, the officer, as commander of the battalion in Konduga, also led troops to halt attacks from Boko Haram terrorists rearing to enter Bama several times, before the last attack that led to its fall, when the Brigadier General in charge of the 21 Brigade took to his heels with his men.
The Lieutenant-Colonel and his men, the military sources said, successfully held Konduga and stoutly provided the leadership that enabled his troops to lead from the ground, while Air Force jets provided air attack, killing over 50 Boko Haram terrorists in Kawuri.
The development, it was gathered, also helped in the seizure of a cache of arms and ammunition from the terrorists.
Giving an account of how the officer stormed Sambisa, a source said "during the operation to locate and rescue the Chibok girls, four different battalions were programmed to enter Sambisa from the North, East, West and South.
"The officer and his men entered from the Konduga axis and took out enemies on sight, destroying seven camps while the terrorists ran away.
"For that singular feat of entering Sambisa and coming out alive, many soldiers and officers feel the Lieutenant Colonel and soldiers would have been rewarded, rather than sent to face court martial."
Nigerian Tribune gathered that some officers at Army headquarters and his colleagues on the battlefield were not happy with the way he pays out allowances to troops timely, as well as the way he shows concern for their welfare.
"So they feel the best way to get him out is to send him to a court martial" a source said.
It was also gathered that the operation to rout out the Boko Haram insurgency would have long been concluded, if not that most of the equipment being used by the terrorists were taken from the Nigerian troops.
Also it was gathered that with the arrival of the modern warfare equipment for the armed forces, the tide will soon change.
$5.7Million Arms Deal: Jonathan’s Government Equals “Money Launderers”
Posted: 08 Oct 2014 06:05 AM PDT
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked President Goodluck Jonathan
to urgently address Nigerians on the serial embarrassments to which his
administration is subjecting the country in the comity of nations, after
another seizure of $5.7 million of Nigerian arms money by the South
African authorities.
In a statement issued in Lagos on Tuesday by its National Publicity
Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said the issues surrounding the
first seizure of $9.3 million have yet to be resolved before this latest
scandal, wondering why the government would want to turn Nigeria to a
rogue nation by taking ownership of money laundering and other acts of
illegality, thus devaluing the currency of every Nigerian.
"Again, Mr. President, Nigerians are urging you to please come clean over
these cash-for-arms scandals. They want you to answer critical questions
on the legality of your administration's repeated conduct. They want to
know the identities of the two Nigerians who were arrested with an Israeli
in South Africa over the first illegal deal, especially since the Israeli
has been named.
"Nigerians want to why the purported arms procurement for the government
is done illegally between private companies that are neither known nor
registered for dealing in arms? And why are the movement of monies not
transparently documented for what they really are, if they are truly for
legitimate purposes?
"They want to know whether indeed the weapons which the government is
seeking so furiously to procure are for the battle against Boko Haram or
for a sinister motive, considering the desperation of your Administration
to continue to rule at all cost and by any means possible. They want to
know whether every Nigerian should begin to fear what will happen in the
days and weeks leading to the forthcoming general elections, against the
backdrop of your Administration and party's do-or-die politics.
"Mr. President, if the funds involved in the latest seizure were sent
through bank transfer, can the government explain why Oritsejafor's plane
was stuffed with cash and transported to South Africa? Can your
Administration's embarrassing explanation that it is customary for other
country's security agencies, including with MOSSAD, KGB and CIA, to cart
plane loads of cash across the world to purchase black market weapons hold
any more water now? These are some of the questions Nigerians are asking,
not an untenable spin by untruthful government officials," it said.
The party also wondered whether the funds being ferried up and down by the
Administration were appropriated by the National Assembly, or whether they
are part of the missing $20 billion oil money.
APC slammed the federal government for issuing childish and immature
threats against South Africa threatening its investments in the country,
instead of addressing the pertinent questions surrounding the illegal arms
procurement deals.
"Mr. President, you cannot threaten another country when your
Administration is willfully breaking the laws of that country. In this
case, your Administration stands on a weak moral ground, as its hands have
been caught in the cookie jar. Therefore, issuing infantile threats is
laughable, unacceptable and wrong," the party said.
It reminded the Jonathan Administration that nowhere else does a
government engage in illegal black market movement of money or arms – both
signatures of terrorism worldwide, adding that only terrorists and pariah
nations move money and procure arms in clandestine manners as the Jonathan
Administration is doing.
"Even at a time when we were ruled by military dictators and our country
was a pariah nation, we did not experience these repeated and embarrassing
national disgrace and clandestine, terrorist groups' approach to the
purchase of arms. How can Nigeria truly be a respected member of the
Financial Action Task Force (FATF) when our own government and its
operatives are self identified and self confessed money launderers?" APC
queried.
The party wondered how many other unknown scandals the Jonathan
Administration has plunged Nigeria, and appealed to the Administration to
tread softly in the interest of all Nigerians, who will be the ones to
suffer the repercussions of the government's repeated illegal conduct.
2015 Elections: CNPP Asks Zoo's INEC to Emulate Brazil
Posted: 08 Oct 2014 04:59 AM PDT
Prof. Attahiru Jega, INEC chairman
Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) has challenged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to emulate the Brazilian Election Management for its conduct of a highly participatory but seamless general election last week.
A statement issued yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, urged the commission to take a cue from the transparent nature of the Brazilian poll which had elections for president, state governors, National Congress and state legislators all in one day.
According to CNPP, in the said election, more than 80 per cent of Brazilian 142, 822, 046 registered voters voted, thus registering the highest voter turn out in any liberal democracy in recent times.
"The figures goes thus-: Null Votes - 6,678,580, Blank Votes - 4,420,488 and Total Valid Votes - 104,023,543.
"Our interest was elicited because the results were out in less than 48 hours and up to date no election tribunal was set up, all the presidential candidates concurred for the 26 October runoff between Dilma Rousseff of Workers Party (PT) that polled 43,267,668 votes making 41.59 per cent and Aecio Neves of Party of Brazilian Social Democracy (PSDB) that polled 34,897,211 votes making 33.5 per cent.
"It is worth emulating, how seamlessly the Brazilian Election Management conducted the October 4 general election for the election of president, state governors, National Congress and state legislators all in one day. We also understand that Electronic Voting and E-Card reader mechanisms were adopted in the conduct of the general election.
"Nigeria like Brazil is multi-cultural, heterogeneous, literate and illiterate, rural and urban and among the 10 most populated countries on earth.
"CNPP therefore challenges the Professor Attahiru Jega-led INEC to study the procedure, processes, mechanisms and technology adopted by the Brazilian Election Management for a successful conduct.
"For it is our considered view that the transparency, fairness and credibility of the conduct of elections reinforces the trust and confidence of the electorate; hence maximising their electoral worth and value. This is what led to large turn out of voters in Brazil, " it said.
Jonathan Grants N25.8bn Waivers, Exemptions in Five Months
Posted: 08 Oct 2014 04:58 AM PDT
The Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
Eromosele Abiodun
The Federal Government of Nigeria has granted a total of N25.81 billion in waivers and exemptions to several organisations between January and May this year. The beneficiary organisations include agencies, non-profit institutions and private businesses.
A report by the Budget Office of the Federation obtained by THISDAY showed that organisations operating in agriculture, oil and gas, power and education sectors were the major beneficiaries.
In all, a total of 64 different organisations were granted waivers with several of them claiming supply of machinery, equipment and spare parts, plants, equipment and core drilling rigs.
THISDAY findings revealed that grants, tax holidays granted to corporates by the federal government and failure by many Nigerians to pay their taxes is costing the government about N1 trillion in valuable tax revenue annually.
As a result, Nigeria has consistently ranked along with countries with the lowest tax to gross domestic product (GDP) in the world.
Numbers released by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) recently showed that gross collections totalled just 12.1 per cent of GDP in 2013 (8.5 per cent for oil and 3.6 per cent for non-oil). In Brazil the ratio is 32 per cent, and for Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries the average is closer to 35 per cent.
Experts believe Nigeria's poor record of tax collection for the non-oil economy reflects the award of generous tax exemptions, inadequate salaries and overlapping responsibilities.
"There is a broader explanation. The ratio for the OECD impresses because collection is generally efficient with the help of computerisation. Additionally, taxpayers are more willing to meet their obligations if they can identify some reciprocal benefits such as a welfare system.
"It is no coincidence in our view that those states in the federation such as Lagos which provide some basic services for the population and channel resources into collection tend to achieve far higher rates of internal revenue generation," said analysts at FBN
Capital.
The FIRS had recently reminded corporate Nigeria that firms whose financial years ended in December (2013) are required to meet their tax obligations by the end of June this year.
The warning comes against the background of the service's underperformance. For instance, the FIRS gathered N418 billion in the second quarter of 2014 against a target of N558 billion.
The Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, had set the FIRS a new target of N700 billion for April and May combined, including at least N400 billion from the non-oil sector.
Gbemi Saraki Joins Guber Race, Vows to Bail Kwarans Out of Broken Electoral Promises
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