Connect with us

COVER

INEC Makes U-turn, Admits Ownership of Server

Published

on

INEC makes U-turn, admits ownership of server
Share

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Monday, 17th June, 2019 admitted ownership of a sever,
maintaining however, that the results of the 2019 general elections were not transmitted electronically
to its server but that the Commission only experimented the technology during some staggered
elections held in 2018.

The Commission said that the clarification was necessary because of rising controversies on the
transmission of 2019 Presidential Election results from states to the INEC server.

At the resumed sitting of the Presidential Election tribunal last week, the Peoples’ Democratic Party
(PDP) and its candidate in the presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, had prayed the tribunal to
give it permission to inspect other electronic gadgets used by INEC in February 23 election.

In their petition before the tribunal, the PDP and Atiku are claiming that they won the presidential
election based on results fed into INEC’s server.

However, speaking during the Post Election Retreat organised by the Commission for its staff and ad hoc
staff engaged for the last general elections in Osun State, INEC National Commissioner, Solomon Soyebi,
said many factors forced the Commission to drop the idea of electronic transmission of the results to a
central server.

Soyebi said INEC experimented with electronic transmission of results during Anambra, Sokoto and Osun
elections held before 2019 elections but the Commission did not sustain the use of the technology
during the 2019 general elections.

He said the late release of INEC’S budget for the 2019 elections and controversies over the Electoral Act,
among others reasons, forced the Commission to jettison the idea of using the technology to transmit
results to the central server.

“We piloted the use of transmission of election results electronically in Sokoto, in Anambra, even in
Osun. What happened was that we were trying to pilot to see the desirability of such technology in our
electoral process.

“First, our budget came out very late, there was also issue (with) the Electoral Act. For these and some
other reasons, the Commission did not adopt that option. 2019 elections were conducted according to
Law.

“We used the Constitution of the Federal Republic; we used the Electoral Act and our guidelines for
2019 elections. If you look at the three instruments carefully, the issue of server was not highlighted.

“Once in a while, you will see an experiment going on but we have to pilot it before we will deploy
wholesale for election. We did not use it because of circumstances beyond the control of the
Commission,” Soyebi said.

Meanwhile, the call for the resignation of the chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has heightened.
Yesterday, the Concerned Nigerians Group said Yakubu should honourably resign, as the final report of
the European Union(EU) EOM which was made public over the weekend was an indictment on INEC’s
incompetence in handling the 2019 general elections.

Addressing journalists in Abuja on Monday on behalf of the group, Mr. Dare Ariyo, said the Chairman of
the electoral umpire has no moral right to remain in the office having been indicted by the report of the
EU.

Ariyo said: “Since INEC has denied that they have no server in the court of lied on oath and we must
know. That is why I also support the fact that the INEC Chairman should step aside to allow thorough
investigation and we believe if the executive is not willing to do that, we are calling on national assembly
who approved the budget to demand the INEC chairman to step down.”

“The Concerned Nigerians Group is particularly satisfied with the ‘audacious and grand’ final report of the EU EOM which was made public over the weekend and contained 30 recommendations to improve
future electoral processes. The EU EOM has done a good job and we laud its positive impacts on our
elections.

“We believe that the reports by EU EOM, other partners, and our own recommendations should provide
sufficient information to guide the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in developing a
far-reaching framework for fundamental electoral reforms.”

He said the controversy over INEC server has lingered for so long in the public space and is gradually
eroding the confidence of Nigerians in the electoral body as an institution that has sincerity of purpose
in conducting free, fair and credible elections.

Also speaking, a human right activist, Deji Adeyanju, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to
expedite action and sign the electoral act into law to ensuring credibility and transparency of the
electoral process.

The European Union Election Observation Mission on Friday released its report on the just concluded
general elections where the flaws and shortcomings of the process were highlighted.

COVER

UNGA 78: Nigeria, 192 UN Members Adopt Plan Against  Pandemics

Published

on

Share

Nigeria and other UN Member States have pledged to prevent a repeat of the devastating health and socio-economic crises caused by COVID-19 and shore up the world’s ability to head off another pandemic.

All 193 UN Member States adopted a political declaration at a high-level meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response at the ongoing 78th session.

Adopting a milestone political declaration at the first-ever summit on pandemic prevention and response, nations also committed to get back on track to reach the 2030  Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

“[This] is a historic milestone in the urgent drive to make all people of the world safer, and better protected from the devastating impacts of pandemics,”  Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the UN World Health Organisation (WHO), said.

“I welcome this commitment by world leaders to provide the political support and direction needed so that WHO, governments and all involved can protect people’s health and take concrete steps towards investing in local capacities, ensuring equity and supporting the global emergency health architecture that the world needs.”

The declaration was the result of months of intense negotiations to refine and agree on actions at the national, regional and global levels. It will be submitted to the General Assembly in due course for formal endorsement.

The political declaration asserts the need for Member States to conclude negotiations on a formal agreement on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, known also as the Pandemic Accord – and make targeted amendments to International Health Regulations – by May next year.

It also calls on States to address the negative, physical and mental health impacts of health-related misinformation, disinformation, hate speech and stigmatization, especially on social media platforms.

Instead, it calls for public information campaigns based on science and the facts.

Member States also committed to strengthening health work forces and rapid response capacities, surveillance, and local manufacturing abilities, so countries can meet their own needs to prevent, prepare for and respond to pandemics.

Speaking at the summit, UN Secretary- General, Antonio Guterres, recalled that the global response to COVID-19 showcased both human ingenuity and exposed society’s shortcomings.

While rapid test and vaccine development were notable achievements, there were also a lack of preparedness, disproportionate impacts on the world’s poorest and vaccine hoarding by wealthy nations.

“We must not repeat the mistakes of the past when the next pandemic strikes – as we know it will – and other health threats emerge,” he said.

Reiterating the importance of the declaration, the UN chief urged countries to support the WHO, including increasing their financial contributions.

Tinubu Attends NASDAQ, Rings Closing Bell

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday, rang the bell at the National Association of Securities Dealers Automatic Quotation System (NASDAQ), becoming the first African Head of Government to do so.

The president rang the bell at the world’s financial capital, New York and became the first African President to perform such task.

NASDAQ is world’s second largest stock exchange.

Tinubu, while performing the task, was in company of  some Nigerian business leaders and officials of the Nigerian Exchange Ltd. (NGX).

The President also used the opportunity, presented by the historic moment, to advance his foreign investment push in front of financial markets at the famous stock exchange.

“It’s a great honour for me to be here. I am happy to bring Nigeria to your doorsteps and I am honoured that we are here, today, with a bubbling Nigerian stock market that will evolve in the West African sub-region.

‘’The greatest economy in Africa is Nigeria. There is an immense opportunity in Nigeria, where you can invest your money without fear,” the President said.

He said that his government would address longstanding problems and impediments, such as the recent economic policies taken since assumption of office in May.

He said these include restoration and unification of the foreign exchange rate market to a stable and trustworthy level.

According to him, this will allow new investors to bring their money and be free of worries about whether they can take it out at any point in time.

“You’re free to take in your money and bring out your money. I count on you to invest in Nigeria,” the President said.

Tinubu Woos Investors at Nigeria-US Business Roundtable

President Bola Tinubu has assured prospective investors of his administration’s determination to adopt necessary fiscal and regulatory measures toward the ease of doing business in Nigeria.

At the Nigeria-U.S. Executive Business Roundtable, the President said he recognised that investment capital is cowardly in nature.

He said that was the reason behind his bringing successful Nigerian industrialists and public officials to share their experiences and operational plans, respectively.

Tinubu said this was in addition to all he had done to boost the confidence of the global investment community in Nigeria, by reforming the fiscal, monetary, regulatory and tax policy environment.

“Nigeria is an opportunity that is impossible to replicate or find elsewhere in any part of the world. We have brilliant young people who both innovate and consume at a large scale.

‘’Our entrepreneurial spirit is a major part of what makes our market totally unique, aside from demography.

‘’Nigerians build businesses and Nigerian businesses partner with other businesses to conduct larger business.

‘’There is enough value to spread around. Be careful of what you hear about Nigeria. You may be dissuaded out of a major opportunity that others will take up.

‘’We are here for you. We will give you all the support you need to succeed and succeed abundantly,” the President said.

On behalf of the U.S. Government, U.S. Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo, told U.S. business leaders he came back from Nigeria on an official visit that later became a fact-finding mission.

“In Lagos, I saw, first-hand, some of the major reforms you implemented as the Governor of Lagos and the transformative effect on Nigeria’s commercial capital.

‘’People have attested to the fact that the reforms you have put in place as President are quickly enhancing confidence.

‘’American business is paying attention to that and from what we have seen for ourselves, Nigeria is proving to be a new frontier for investment.

‘’We will encourage our companies from our end as those reforms continue to deepen,” Adeyemo said.

The American Business Council President, Mr Sops Ideriah, said that the extensive turnouts at the roundtable by American business chief executives was impressive.

According to him, the turnouts served as a testament to the degree to which confidence is rising in response to the actions and words of the President.

He said that this was with respect to ease of doing business, investment promotion, and his willingness to intervene to clear the historical concerns of American business people about doing business in Nigeria.

“Having all the stakeholders in the room, His Excellency, the President of Nigeria being here, from government actors at the federal and state level to ministers and tax authorities present, as well as private sector industrialists in Nigeria.

‘’We are very positive about the potential of Nigeria and we are just reinforcing to our colleagues the message about the economic opportunities that exist there,” Ideriah said.

Acting Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr Zacch Adedeji, assured the American captains of industry that the nation’s apex tax authority would not focus on taxing the seed.

He said it would focus only on the proportionate taxation of the fruit of fully formed industry, through efficient policy synergy with Nigeria’s sub-national authorities.

“The President is a business enabler, not a handicapper. Everything we do will be geared toward making your tax assessment and payment processes as digitally efficient and transparent as possible.

‘’We are not after the seed, but the fruit and we will keep to this commitment,” Adedeji said.(NAN)

Continue Reading

COVER

NNPCL Signs Membership of UN Global Compact

Published

on

Share

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, has signed up as a participant of the United Nations Global Compact, thereby becoming the first state-owned oil company to join the global initiative.

Group CEO of NNPC Ltd, Malam Mele Kyari, signed the Letter of Commitment, at the ongoing UN General Assembly (UNGA), signifying its participation in the UN Global Compact in New York.

A statement by the NNPC Ltd management, on Thursday, said the company signed up in a short ceremony on the sidelines of President Bola Tinubu’s session during the Global Africa Business Initiative (GABI) at the ongoing general assembly.

In a speech  shortly after the signing, Kyari said the NNPCL’s participation in the UN Global Compact was a further testimony to Nigeria’s commitment to work with global partners towards attaining a just Energy Transition.

Kyari added that with this development, NNPCL supports the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact on human rights, labour, environment, and anti corruption.

He described the NNPCL as a dynamic global energy company with businesses and operations across the entire spectrum of the energy value chain.

“We are committed to making the UN Global Compact and its principles part of our strategy, culture and day-to-day operations of our Company.

“We will engage in collaborative projects which advance the broader development of goals of the United Nations, particularly the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” Kyari added.

Earlier in her remarks, the Executive Director, UN Global Compact Network, Nigeria, Ms Naomi Nwokolo described NNPCL’s move to become a participant of the UN global initiative as pivotal step in fostering a culture of ethical business conduct, environmental stewardship, and social responsibility.

With Nigeria being one of the largest producers of crude oil in Africa, a transition from an energy system driven by fossil fuels to one based on renewable energy will have far reaching positive impact, serving as a catalyst for sustainability in-country, on the continent and the world at large.

The UN Global Compact, formally inaugurated in July 2000, is a voluntary UN agreement designed to encourage companies around the world to develop, implement, and disclose responsible and sustainable corporate policies and practices. (NAN)

Continue Reading

COVER

Minister Calls for Creative Ideas to Overcome Economic Challenges

Published

on

Share

By Raphael Atuu, Abuja

Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Terlumun Utsev has called on Nigerians to come up with creative ideas and suggestions on how best to overcome challenges facing the country.

Engineer Utsev made the call on Wednesday, when he received members of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) in his office in Abuja.

According to him, the administration of President Bola Tinubu was committed to making lives meaningful for all citizens and was ready to welcome creative ideas that will enable the country surmount its  challenges and better the living condition of citizens.

He acknowledged the key role the Nigerian Economic Summit Group has played over the years  in promoting and championing reforms of the Nigerian economy and called for synergy between the group and the Ministry to achieve the desired result.

Acting Chief Operations Officer and Senior Fellow Economic Policy, Strategy and Competitiveness, Dr Tayo Aduloju had explained that the group, which is non – profit, non -partisan private sector organization with a mandate to promote and champion the reform of the Nigerian economy into a modern globally and competitive one was at the ministry to seek partnership in the areas of providing useful ways of improving water , sanitation and hygiene in the country as well as how to make water a business .

The Minister had earlier played host to a delegation from the World Bank led by Jun Matsumoto, which were at the ministry to also seek partnership for the promotion of irrigation farming and effective utilization of dams for agriculture.

Continue Reading

Read Our ePaper

Top Stories

Ikorodu Building Collapse Ikorodu Building Collapse
NEWS6 hours ago

No Casualty as Three-storey Building Collapses Story Building — NEMA

ShareThe National Emergency Management Agency on Saturday confirmed that there was no casualty in the three-Storey building that collapsed at...

Media7 hours ago

Minister of Information Charges Advertising Agencies on Value Orientation

ShareMinister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has urged the Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) to support...

POLITICS7 hours ago

Kogi APC Alleges Vandalism on Campaign Office in Dekina

ShareFrom Joseph Amedu, Lokoja The Kogi State All Progressives Congress (APC), has said that its campaign office in Dekina Local...

CRIME7 hours ago

Group Moves to End Cultism in Benue South

ShareFrom David Torough, Makurdi  A Socio-cultural organization, Ede-ma Development Association (EDE-MA), has backed Edumoga Youth Movement (EYM) and Edumoga Youth...

National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)
NEWS8 hours ago

NYSC Tasks Employers on Welfare, Security of Corps Members

Share From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja Ag. Director, North Central Area Office, National Youths Service Corps (NYSC),Mrs Biodun Olobukola has challenged...

Foreign News11 hours ago

UNGA 78: Tinubu Harps on Sustainable Environment for Investment in Africa

Share President Bola Tinubu has emphasised the importance of creating sustainable environment for investment opportunities in Agriculture to strive in...

Health11 hours ago

30 Cleft Lip, Palate Patients Get Free Medical Surgery in Kogi

ShareFrom Joseph Amedu,  Lokoja No fewer than 30 Cleft lip and Palate Patients in Kogi state have benefited from the...

NEWS12 hours ago

Fintiri Inaugurates Human Capital Development.Council

ShareFrom Yagana Ali, Yola. Adamawa state Governor, Ahmadu Umaru   Fintiri  has inaugurated the State Human Capital Development council.  At the...

Agriculture12 hours ago

Relief for Kaduna Ginger Farmers as  FG Intervenes

ShareFrom Nicholas Dekera, Kaduna Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, has assured the Ginger farmers, whose farmlands...

Education12 hours ago

FG Appeals for Calm over Tuition as Varsities Resume

ShareMinister of State for education, Hon. Dr. Tanko Yusuf Sununu has appealed to students, parents and lecturers in our Institutions...

Copyright © 2021 Daily Asset Limited | Powered by ObajeSoft Inc