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OPC, Afenifere never supported Tinubu – CNG hits back

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Abdul Aziz Suleiman CNG chairman

 

The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has said, the self-professed leading Yoruba groups, OPC and Afenifere had never worked for the victory of Nigeria’s President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

CNG was replying to the statement by the OPC that tends to threaten the North from demanding what is due to it describing the development as unguarded and empty in a statement signed by its Spokesperson, Abdulazeez Suleiman.

The statement said, “without the need to give the OPC more reasons to feel important, the CNG is however compelled to respond to the fact that both the self-professed leading Yoruba groups, OPC and Afenifere never worked for the victory of the Asiwaju.

“While Afenifere, through its leader, Ayo Adebanjo, openly, directly and actively opposed the Tinubu contest, the OPC was completely silent throughout and for any of these groups to now turn around and assume the right to speak against the North, from where the President-elect extracted the bulk of his winning votes, is the accurate personification of crass opportunism.”

Basing their response to facts and figures, CNG extends invitation to the OPC to stop being lazy and instead, dissect the data from the 2023 presidential election to get the idea of how Tinubu was able to overcome strong opposition thereby coasting to victory and where the Northern claim to commensurate reward comes from.

“For a start, Tinubu got more votes from the north-west — the largest voting geo-political grouping in the country — than from the south-west, his home zone. In raw numbers, Tinubu beat Atiku in the north-west, scoring 2,652,824 votes compared to his opponent’s 2,197,824. Not only were Atiku’s margins in some of the states narrow, Tinubu took a whopping half a million votes in Kano alone.

“In fact, Tinubu got 30 percent of his total votes from the north-west alone. That is almost one-third. The entire south-west gave Tinubu 2,542,979, second to the north-west.

“Another vital context is that his second highest votes came from Kano where he also came second. The third was also from a state where he came second, Katsina and coming second in certain states is better than coming first in others. Tinubu was first in Ekiti state, for instance, but he got only 200,000 votes while he got more than double the figure in Kano to place second.

“Tinubu got a miserable one percent of his total votes from the south-east with a total of 127,605 votes from the five states and did not score 25 percent in any of them. If these verifiable figures mean anything to OPC regional jingoists, they should by now understand that the North is only making a legitimate case for appropriate recognition of its efforts.

“No one expects that the incoming president will run an administration that will give to the North what it does not deserve, but no one also can deny the North the right to speak for what is legitimately due to it.”

CNG further made its ground that no amount of threat or hooliganism will stop northerners such as Abdulaziz Yari, Abbass, Betara, Gagdi, Wase and Jaji from exercising their right to contest for the positions of their choices.

“Any other interested candidate from whatever section of the country should be free to contest so that in the end the matter is sorted through democratic election by the legislators themselves.

“In case OPC needs a tutorial on elementary political principle that participation is always, and everywhere, a matter of give and take, contrary to their orientation in uncoordinated brigandage and grandstanding.”

The statement therefore cautioned the incoming President to be wary of the way he relates with what it termed as “proliferated regional jingoist associations like OPC and the Afenifere, lest they drag him into an unnecessary misunderstanding with other sections of the country by pretending to be his kith and kin.

“It is no longer news that neither Afenifere nor OPC played any role in bringing about the Tinubu presidency, what is clear however, is they both expressly and impliedly opposed his bid for the presidency right from the primary to the secondary stages of the race.

“For the OPC and all other merchants of mindless threats and hate campaigns, we say, the North is neither afraid nor apprehensive of their designs and we will remain resolute in protecting our legacy and inherited responsibility to all northerners.

“The OPC and all those who have no other useful vocation other than attacking northerners under the slightest of pretexts, should know that the North’s reticence in speaking out or taking action is not born of fear or ignorance of how to respond in kind.

“We are aware that a few regional political opportunists have made an entire career out of demonizing and insulting the North and all it stands for. We will not feed these people with more reasons to be important. What the North will do, as it has always done, is to insist that justice is done to it and to everyone else.

“The North shall henceforth respond to any provocation coin for coins and we dare say: Shege Ka Fasa for those who have ears to hear.”

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Gombe Approves 2025 SSCE Fees for Over 20,000 Students

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The Gombe State Executive Council (SEC), presided over by Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON, has approved the sum of 580 million for the payment of registration fees for over 20,000 students sitting for various Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) in 2025 across the state.

This was announced by the Commissioner of Information, Culture and Ethical orientation, Hon. Mijinyawa Ardo Tilde, when he led other council members for a press briefing after the 45th executive council of the State.

Speaking further on the council’s approval for the payment of the SSCE, the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Aishatu Umar Maigari, stated that the Gombe State Government has consistently funded SSCE payments since 2019 to ease parents’ financial burdens and ensure indigent students complete their secondary education without obstacles.

“Today, at the council meeting, approval was granted for the payment of registration fees for various Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) for 20,477 students across the state. Out of this number, fees were paid for 18,723 indigent students for WAEC, 110 students under the Exchange Programme Officer, 58 students from Special Schools, 1,368 students for NABTEB, and 219 students from Arabic colleges for NBAIS”, the Commissioner stated.

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“The total amount approved for this year’s SSCE is N580,870,900. This amount will be shared between the state and local governments. Let me also reemphasize that the payment of SSCE fees has been an annual practice of this administration since 2019, and is aimed at alleviating the financial burden on parents and ensuring that our students across the state have the opportunity to complete their secondary education,” the Commissioner added.

The commissioner further stated that before Governor Inuwa’s led administration came on board, only 23% of students who sat for various SSCE exams obtained five credits, including English and Mathematics, saying with the continuous reforms in the education sector and the increased annual payment of SSCE fees, the number has risen to about 70%.

In a related development, the Education Commissioner announced council’s approval for a new sanitation roadmap in schools and healthcare facilities aimed at improving hygiene and environmental standards across the state.

She explained that the roadmap seeks to ensure regular sanitation exercises in public schools and healthcare centers, stating that the initiative will compliment the monthly sanitation exchange being conducted during the last Saturday of every month to enhance a healthier environment.

To ensure adherence to the provisions of the new roadmap by all public institutions, the Commissioner announced council’s composition of a committee which include the Commissioner of Environment, Water and Forest Resources as Chairman, while Commissioner for Education and the Commissioner of Health are to serve as members with the mandate to ensure increased supervision on the schools and healthcare facilities as well as government offices.

In another development, the commissioner of Works, Housing and Transport, Engr. Usman Maijama Kallamu, announced the council’s approval of N530,770,128 for the procurement of furniture for the newly completed Sharia Court of Appeal in the State in order to immediately put the edifice into use.

 

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House of Representatives Passes Tax Reform Bills

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The House of Representatives has passed for second reading of the four Tax Reform Bills submitted to the National Assembly by President Bola Tinubu.

These bills—the Nigeria Tax Bill 2024, the Tax Administration Bill, the Nigeria Revenue Service Establishment Bill, and the Joint Revenue Board Establishment Bill—seek to overhaul Nigeria’s tax system, ensuring efficiency, transparency, and improved revenue collection.

The tax reform bills scaled second reading after five months of consultations among lawmakers, during which critical concerns were addressed to achieve consensus on contentious provisions.

During deliberations, legislators emphasized that the proposed reforms would harmonize tax administration, eliminate multiple taxation, and create a structured framework for tax dispute resolution.

The bills also propose the establishment of an ombudsman system to expedite tax-related conflicts between taxpayers and the government.

Expected impact of the tax reforms 

The lawmakers noted that the reforms are aimed at:

Expanding the tax base by integrating more businesses and individuals into the formal tax system.

Ensuring uniform tax policies across different levels of government to prevent arbitrary levies.

Enhancing tax collection efficiency, reducing revenue leakages, and improving government earnings.

Promoting ease of doing business by simplifying tax compliance processes for businesses.

Call for judicious revenue utilization 

While supporting the bills, lawmakers advocated for the prudent application of tax revenues by all tiers of government. Some legislators raised concerns over revenue mismanagement and lack of accountability in tax utilization, urging the executive to ensure that increased tax revenue translates into improved infrastructure, social services, and economic development.

With the second reading secured, the bills will now proceed to the committee stage, where lawmakers will fine-tune provisions before a final vote. Stakeholder engagements, including input from tax experts, business leaders, and government agencies, are expected to shape the final versions of the bills before they are passed into law.

What you should know 

Earlier, the Northern Governors’ Forum, chaired by Gombe State Governor Muhammed Inuwa Yahaya, earlier opposed the derivation-based VAT distribution model.

In a communiqué, the forum argued that the proposal undermines the interests of the North and other sub-national regions.

Despite this opposition, President Tinubu encouraged governors and stakeholders to engage in the legislative process.

The Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, also addressed concerns, noting that the current VAT distribution model is unfair not only to Northern states but also to all geopolitical zones.

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Breaking:Dangote Refinery Reduces Diesel Price

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Aliko Dangote

Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals has reduced the cost of its diesel product to N1,020 per litre, down from N1,075 per litre at the gantry price, in an effort to better serve its customers and Nigerians in general.

Since it began diesel production in January 2024, the refinery has reduced the price of diesel more than three times, from an initial N1,700 per litre to the current rate, thus providing much-needed relief to manufacturers and consumers alike.

The latest reduction of N55 per litre for diesel follows the revelation by Development Economist and Public Policy Analyst, Prof. Ken Ife, that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery sacrificed over N10 billion to ensure the availability of petrol at a uniform price across the country during the yuletide period. He also praised the refinery for setting a new benchmark in Nigeria’s energy sector by unlocking vast opportunities for export revenue.

Speaking on the transformative impact of the refinery on Arise TV, Prof. Ife explained that for years, the equalisation fund had been responsible for managing the price differentials and transportation costs involved in distributing petroleum across the country. However, it has been reported that the fund owes marketers over N80 billion, according to the development analyst.

“What has actually happened is that the president has shifted the subsidy burden away from the public purse and onto the private sector. The equalisation fund, which was meant to cover the price differential and transportation costs, plays a crucial role. If petroleum is to be sold across the country at a set price, then transportation costs must be accounted for to ensure this is possible. That’s the purpose of equalisation. However, the equalisation fund is reported to owe around N80 billion to the marketers, and this issue is still under discussion.

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“During the Christmas season, which is traditionally the most challenging period, we often face shortages of petroleum, petrol hoarding, and arbitrary price hikes, all of which impact the cost of food. In response, during this last yuletide, the Dangote Group made the decision to absorb the costs. They equalised the price themselves, at a cost of over N10 billion. In doing so, they effectively absorbed the subsidy,” he said.

Prof Ife also said the facility is steering Nigeria away from its traditional focus on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) towards a diversified range of petroleum-based exports.

He added that with major international players such as BP and Saudi Aramco purchasing refined products from Nigeria, the country is swiftly becoming a key player in the global petroleum market. The analyst expressed confidence that Nigeria is on the path to self-sufficiency in petroleum products, while simultaneously positioning itself as an energy export powerhouse.

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