TAX EVADER !!! Group accuses Atiku of tax evasion, asks FIRS to release his record

The Committee for the Protection of Peoples Mandate (CPPM), an activist group, has demanded that the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) produce tax receipts belonging to Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In a letter sent to the FIRS dated November 16, and signed by Nelson Ekujumi, the group’s national coordinator, Abubakar was accused of evading tax for several years.

The group said he only paid the backlog from 2015 to 2017 in order to meet up with the requirements of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to contest the presidential election.

CPPM alleged that Abubakar only used his 2017 tax receipt to fill the presidential nomination forms.

A copy of Abubakar’s tax clearance certificate showed that the PDP presidential candidate was issued the certificate on April 19, 2018, for payment of his personal income tax for 2015, 2016, and 2017.

A separate receipt was issued by the Federal Capital Territory Internal Revenue Service (FCTIRS) for N4 million paid as tax for the year 2017.

The payment date captured on the receipt was April 12, 2018.

The group threatened to take the matter to court if the FIRS did not honour its request for the tax receipts, to prove whether Atiku paid his taxes at the right time or not.

“We are Nigerians committed to enthrone honesty and integrity in public office and the sustenance of true democracy,” the letter read.

“It is in this regard that we write to you under Section 1 (1) and (2) and Section 4(a) of the Freedom of Information Act to make available to us the 2015 and 2016 Personal Income Tax receipts of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who is the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2019 Presidential elections.

“Information at our disposal is that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar DID NOT PAY HIS Personal Income Tax for several years and only ran to the FIRS in April this year to pay the back-log of only his 2015 – 2017 taxes to meet up with the requirements of INEC. Hence, in filing his INEC forms, he only produced his receipt for 2017 tax which was paid in April, 2018.

“As someone who continuously says he is interested in getting Nigeria and its economy working again, it is important Nigerians know whether he has been paying his Personal Income Taxes AS AT WHEN DUE.

“Consequently, we request for his 2015 and 2016 Tax receipts to ascertain whether he paid his taxes AS AT WHEN DUE.

“TAKE NOTICE that you are to meet our demands within SEVEN (7) working days of the receipt of this letter.”

Thecable

How our pastor bewitched my wife – Man tells court

A trader, identified as Blessing Oziomela, of No 11, Don Linus Street, Ajao Estate, Lagos, has pleaded with a customary court sitting at the Agege Local Government Council to dissolve her five-year-old marriage to her husband, Emmanuel Oziomela.

Blessing yesterday told the court that her husband, Oziomela had maltreated and threatened her life on many occasions.

The petitioner said, “When I realised I couldn’t continue living with him that way, and I also realised my daughter was already imitating her father’s behaviour, I had to pack out of the house in June 2018.

“After I left, he sent me a text message saying he only did me a favour by marrying me.

“It is better I am alive to take care of my children than to be in this abusive marriage. He has not even been supporting in the upbringing of the children.”

But Oziomela, a 34-year-old trader residing at No 413, George Crescent, Ogba, told the court that it was the pastor of the church they attend who bewitched his wife.

“The problem started on the day I decided to stop attending the church. Anytime I mention the pastor as the cause of our problem, my wife will attack me and start her trouble again. When she packed away from my house, she sent the bills of the children’s school fees to me and I sent money into her bank account. Early October, my wife came with eight people who beat me up and broke my door,” he said.

He pleaded innocent to all his wife’s allegations against him and begged the court not to dissolve the marriage.

The court president, Mrs Patricia Adeyanju, adjourned the case till December 4, 2018 for a possible alternative dispute resolution.

- Daily Post

N1.6bn fraud: Court orders EFCC to re-arraign ex-aide to Jonathan

A Federal High Court In Lagos, on Friday, ordered the re-arraignment of a former presidential aide, Waripamo-Owei Dudafa charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over N1.6 billion fraud.

Dudafa, an ex aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan, is charged alongside one Iwejuo Nna.

EFCC alleged that they committed the offence on June 11, 2013.

They were first arraigned in 2016, before Justice Mohammed Idris, on 23-counts of conspiracy to conceal proceeds of crime amounting to N1.6 billion.

On Friday, Justice Mohammed Idris ordered the re-arraignment of the accused, after dismissing objections to the amended 22 count charge preferred against them by the EFCC.

The accused were consequently, re-arraigned on the amended charge, and they pleaded not guilty to same.

The court then allowed the accused to continue with the previous bail earlier granted them.

After their re-arraignment, the defence informed the court that they would need to call their witnesses afresh.

In response, the prosecutor, Mr Rotimi Oyedepo, told the court that even if they wished to recall any of the prosecution witnesses, he would oblige them.

The court adjourned the matter until Nov. 19, for trial by 1 p.m.

Before their re-arraignment, the court had delivered his ruling, dismissing the objections to the amended charge.

The court had held that an amendment was permissible by law at any time before judgment, adding that once there is an amendment, the accused are expected to plead to same.

“Section 396(7) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, allows the court to conclude part heard matters within reasonable time, and I have no doubt that this falls within the ambit of the law.

“This court is sitting pursuant to a flat, and this fiat is not open ended, but will expire after its time, and the trial will begin de novo before another judge.

“The defendants are at liberty to call or recall any witness in the case; in my opinion, a reasonable time is when the time for justice does not wear out against the parties, but is seen to be done,” the court had held

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the prosecution closed its case on March 16, but the accused opted to make a no-case submission in its defence.

Defence had urged the court to dismiss the case, on the grounds that the prosecution failed to establish any case against them.

Justice Idris had in a ruling delivered in August, dismissed the no case submission of the accused, and ordered them to open their defence.

Defence had since opened its case, after which the court adjourned for adoption of final written addresses.

On Nov.12, the prosecutor, Oyedepo, informed the court of an amended charge against the accused, and told the court that same had been served on defence, and urged that the accused be re arraigned.

In response, defence counsel, Messrs Gboyega Oyewole (SAN) and Ige Asemudara, respectively, resisted the move by prosecution, on the grounds that they had not studied the amended charge.

The court had then adjourned for hearing of arguments on the new charge.

On Nov.15, defence counsel had respectively argued their objections in opposition to the amended charge, urging the court to strike out same.

They argued. that the amendment would prejudice the case of the accused, adding that Justice Idris, who had been elevated to the Court of Appeal, lacked jurisdiction to allow the amendment, as he was only empowered to conclude cases.

They argued that an amended charge was a fresh charge, adding that the court was not supposed to hear fresh cases.

In response, the prosecutor argued, that even before final addresses were filed, he had given the defence notice of the said amendment.

He argues that the amendment had not divested the court of the power to go on with the case pursuant to Section 396 (7).

He had urged the court to allow the charge and cause the respective pleas of the accused to be taken.

In the charge, EFCC alleged that the accused on June 11, 2013, conspired to conceal the sum of N1.6billion, which they reasonably ought to have known formed part of proceeds of unlawful act.

The offences contravenes the provisions of sections 15 (2), 15(3), and 18 of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2012.

- PM News

Transfer News : Juventus join race for Liverpool midfielder Fabinho

Juventus have joined the race to sign Liverpool midfielder Fabinho, according to reports.

The Brazilian utility man joined the Reds from Monaco last summer, costing the Merseysiders in the region of £40million.

However, the 25-year old has so far failed to establish himself in Jurgen Klopp’s first-team, having made just a handful of appearances for the club, which has subsequently led to speculation that he could be ready to move on.

AC Milan have shown interest in the Brazil international earlier this week, with the Rossoneri said to be interested in a loan in January if Liverpool agree to it.

But according to Sport Mediaset, as translated by talkSPORT, they will need to fight off fellow Serie A giants Juventus to land their target.

Fabinho is reportedly happy to stay at Anfield and fight for his place, but that could change if Liverpool decide to move him on, and Juventus decide to shore up their interest.

- Read Sport

PL News : Hasselbaink believes Chelsea must sign another striker

Former Chelsea forward Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink explains that the club desperately need to buy another striker if they want to compete for the title alongside Manchester City and Liverpool.

Despite the recent good form of Álvaro Morata, Hasselbaink believes that the Blues need to have another option to rely on in their Premier League title hunt.

Speaking to Sky Sports News, Hasselbaink said:

“I think every club that is going to challenge for the Premier League needs three strikers.”

“For me they [Chelsea] still have a gap to close on Man City, but they are improving and if they can keep on improving they can hopefully catch them.”

“[Sarri] has changed the way they play totally. They now play more in the defensive third of the opposition. They have the ball 60 or 70 per cent of the time – that was totally different last year.”

“You see smiles on the players’ faces again and they’re playing attractive, attacking football.”

Morata has scored five Premier League goals in 11 appearances so far this season, despite starting the campaign in a rough patch.

While Morata has received his fair share of criticism in the past, Hasselbaink believes he will start to come good now following a upturn in confidence. Hasselbaink continued:

“Morata will score goals. He is a confidence person. He is so good at getting behind the defence and he needs to keep on doing that.”

“Everybody says ‘he needs to do this and needs to do that’ but he shouldn’t concentrate on becoming something he is not. He should embrace what he has got.”

“He’s not somebody who likes the contact of the centre-halves, but he shouldn’t have to play like that. If he keeps on playing to his strengths I believe he will score a lot of goals.”

- Read Sport

UCH: Death from cardiovascular diseases is on the rise

Temitope Alonge, the chief medical director (CMD) of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, says the deaths recorded as a result of cardiovascular diseases is rising.

The CMD made the statement on Wednesday at a symposium organised by the Association of Radiologists in Nigeria (ARIN) in conjunction with the Department of Radiology at UCH

According to Alonge, the commonest disease for people above 40 in Oyo state is hypertension.

“We have got to a point in our lifetime in Nigeria when things have got to change,” NAN quoted him to have said.

“In two years,  we undertook the study of disease patterns in rural areas through the Rapid Result Initiative of the Federal Government.

“We undertook the evaluation of would-be-patients in all 11 local government areas in Ibadan, four local government areas in Oyo and Sepeteri in Saki East Local Government all in Oyo State.

“The result was that hypertension is the commonest disease in these areas after the age of 40. We have put together a paper entitled the ‘Burden of  Hypertension and Cardiovascular Diseases in Oyo State.

“The impact of the non-communicable disease is enormous; many people had systolic hypertension and are ignorant of it and about 90 per cent of these have resulted in sudden death.”

- Thecablelifestyle

US envoy to Nigerian youth: Don’t be used as thugs during elections

Stuart Symington, US ambassador to Nigeria, says Nigerian youth should be concerned about the country’s future and should not allow been used as thugs in the 2019 elections.

He said this in Lagos on Thursday at the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Alumni Association seminar where he delivered a keynote address.

The ambassador said the Nigerian youth is a powerful force for good beyond the country and the African region.

“Leadership begins with each of you. For example, if somebody reports to this vote-buying, who has made the mistake, who has done something wrong? Two people; the person who paid and the person who took it,” he said.

“So, one of the things I urge you to do between now and February next year is to do everything you possibly can to make sure that those people who might be in desperate circumstances are little better off because of something that you do today, so that no one would be driven by some sorts of need to take money for their vote, or their right to vote.

“Another thing is sometimes outside of polling places there are people who purport to be either a thug or security person who are keeping folks from going in to vote. When people act like that, they are not actually increasing security they are reducing security. And so, if you are one of those people who is asked to do one of those things you have a choice; you can either do it or not do it, you can say no or say yes to the future of your country.”

He added that what distinguish Nigeria are not the resources of its oil or the resources of its land and water, but the young people.

He said the challenge is how the youths can take the resources and make Nigeria and the world better than it would be.

- TheCable

FG approves N60bn for rice subsidy

The federal government has disclosed its plan to disburse N60 billion to subsidise rice production.

Audu Ogbeh, minister of agriculture, made the disclosure after a meeting of the National Council on Food Security.

President Muhammadu Buhari presided over the meeting in Abuja on Friday.

“There is a subsidy programme coming up. Government has approved N60 billion to support the rice industry to bring down prices. But we are going to handle it differently,” he said.

“We don’t want to get into petroleum subsidy problem. So, a committee is looking at it with the ministry of finance.

“We think that it is better for us to loan money to the millers, farmers and distributors at a very low interest rate, so that the capital doesn’t disappear, so they have cheaper credit to do their business that should impact on the price of rice in the market.

“When we are ready we will let you know.”

He said the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) had concluded plans to restructure the bank of agriculture, making it possible for investors and farmers to buy shares in the bank.

“It will eventually become the farmers’ bank. And we hope that in the process this will bring down interest rates reasonably maybe five percent or a little higher, so that agriculture will become attractive and people can raise capital to invest,” he said.

Ogbeh also said the federal government had approved N24 billion as compensation for flood victims across the country.

Atiku Bagudu, Kebbi state governor, who was also at the meeting, dismissed the report that Nigeria will become the second largest importer of rice in 2019,

“Certainly, that is an erroneous report. Even in spite of the flooding, the upland rice production has been quite strong this year. Even though prices have increase in response to flooding, we still have adequate paddy rice in Nigeria,” he said.

- TheCable

Embattled Oshiomhole meets Buhari, dismisses corruption allegations

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Adams Oshiomhole, has dismissed allegations that he collected bribes of about 80 million dollars to manipulate the outcome of the party primaries in some states and FCT.

Some aggrieved aspirants are accusing Oshiohmole of collecting various sums in bribery to twist the primaries.

Speculations are also gaining currency that he was last week interrogated by the Department of State Service (DSS) over the outcome of the recently conducted APC primaries.

An online media outfit which allegedly accused the APC chairman of collecting about 80 million dollars in bribes, however, reported that Oshiomhole had become a target after refusing 500,000 dollars bribe cash from one of the aggrieved APC governors.

It reported that the affected governor had wanted the APC chairman to adopt his anointed governorship candidate.

“It was gathered that many godfathers and governorship candidates were desperate for tickets but Oshiomhole stood his ground that he will not compromise party guidelines,’’ it further stated.

But, Oshiomhole, who spoke to State House correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, described the allegations of corruption against him as reckless insinuation.

“No tree that will bear fruits that will grow in Sahara desert and the fact that the publisher of Saharareporters himself is a presidential aspirant we would soon find out the difference between Sahara and its reporters, and a green forest and its reporters.

“The unfortunate thing here, however, is that people, who specialize in libels they take advantage of our peculiar judicial system.

“When I was a governor in Edo state, they published all kinds of things against me. At a point I decided to go to court and my lawyer told me that I have to be ready to enter the witness box to make my case – whether I was ready to go through that humiliation.

“What is in the governorship? Before I became the governor I entered the witness box and I know after being governor I can still go back there one day. So I went there and I won the case. They awarded damages in my favour.

“But by the time you want to check the process of the guy who libeled you and so on, he sells himself everything put together he could not compensate for by legal fee not to talk of really mitigating my paying as a result of the judgment,’’ he said.

On the forthcoming campaign programmes of the APC, Oshiohmole revealed that the party’s campaign for the 2019 presidential election would focus on character and integrity of the key candidates.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Buhari is the APC presidential candidate while the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is presenting former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as its candidate.

According to the party chairman, the APC is fully ready to flag off the campaigns soon.

He said: “We are fully ready, we have done with our primaries and filled our nominations.

“As you know, INEC still has a window between now and first of January to deal with issues of substitution. As of campaigns, we are ready.

“We are going to announce the date and programme for our campaigns. My idea of kick-off will be the day we will do our first presidential rally where Mr President as our candidate and other candidates, party leaders will assemble in a venue that will be agreeable to all of us.

“There will be two sets of messages. One, on what we have done in the past, without failing to remind people of where we were before, what we are going to do in the next four years, and a couple of things we believe we will be doing differently.

“President Buhari if compared to the rest of the candidates, there is no basis to compare day and night. The real issue in this election is not going to be religion. It is not going to be about ethnicity.

“Central to the issue and given our past experience as a country, we know that what makes a difference is the character, the issue of integrity of the candidates.’’

According to Oshiomhole, the campaign is going to be focusing on character and integrity of those who want to govern the country.

- PM News

Court grants N500,000 bail to accused for allegedly stealing N550,000 property

A 42-year-old man, Jide Oyedele ON Friday, appeared in an Ikorodu Magistrate’s Court, Lagos for alleged theft of pickup van motor engine and other spare parts worth N550,000.

Oyedele, whose address was not given, is being tried for the charge of stealing, an offence he denied.

The prosecutor, Sgt. Mary Ajiteru, told the court that the accused committed the offence between Nov. 9 and Nov. 20, at about 4 p.m. at No 2, Faniyi str., Ebute Ipakodo, Ikorodu, Lagos state.

Ajiteru said that the accused stole engine, worth N450, 000, other spare parts, valued at N82, 000, tyre and rim and nuts valued at N18, 500, property of one Mr Shuabu Sunday.

She said the offence contravened Section 287 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.

The Chief Magistrate, W. B Balogun, granted the accused bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.

Balogun adjourned the case until Jan. 17, for mention.

- PM News

Inferno kills 4 family members in Kebbi

Three children of same parents, their mother and another child have been burnt to death in an early morning inferno on Friday in Argungu Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the incident, which has thrown residents of the area into mourning, also partially razed the victims bungalow.

The Chairman of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Alhaji Sani Dododo, who was at the scene, told NAN that the man of the family, was not at home when the incident happened.

“The incident happened around 1a.m on Friday, in the house of a West African Cotton Company Limited (WACCOT) staff, Malam Umar Argungu, who was on duty on that day.

“His wife was in the house with her three children: two daughters and a boy as well as a neighbour’s daugther who was keeping them company because the husband was away,” he said.

Dododo said the incident was caused by an electric heater which unattended to in the house.

“The woman had forgotten the heater and it kept on heating till all the water had finished.

“The house caught fire, which resulted in the death of the woman, her three children and the neighbour’s daughter,” he said.

He warned residents of the state to always switch off electricity in their home before sleeping in the night, especially during the harmattan season.

- PM News

FG directs govt MDAs, companies to accept NIN slips as means of identification

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has asked government and non-governmental agencies to accept the National Identification Number (NIN) slip as a means of identification for Nigerians.

Director-General, NIMC, Mr Aliyu Aziz told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in an interview on Friday that the process of issuance of the NIN slip was digitally secured.

“There is always a misconception by many enrollees that the general multipurpose card is what entails identification of an individual.

“Government and non-governmental agencies as well as service providers should recognise and accept the NIN slip as means of identification in the absence of the card.’’

Aziz commended the public for the acceptance of the National Identity Management Systems Project, as NIMC currently had about 33 million records in its database.

He said there would be an exceptional increase of enrollment when the Digital Identity Ecosystem commenced in January 2019.

“The Digital Identity Ecosystem is a sustainable system where any of the data collecting government agencies or licensed private agencies can enroll and capture data from citizens and legal residents and send to the NIMC back-end.

“Having an ecosystem that is sustainable will not interfere with the functions of other agencies; rather it will make the data collection process easier.

“As other data collecting agencies will rely on the NIN as the primary means of identification, putting an end to duplication of functions.

“And it will bring an increase in enrolment centres nationwide making the process easier and more accessible,” Aziz said.

The DG therefore urged the general public to take advantage of the ecosystem and be identified for life.

- Daily Post