- APC’s nomination forms raise eyebrows
- Government to end ₦200bn yearly electricity subsidy in December
- Nigeria begins SIM cards production
- The attackers in Imo are after APC people, don’t blame Buhari or me – Imo governor
- Presidency justifies pardon of Dariye, Nyame
Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the five top news stories you shouldn’t miss:
APC’s nominations forms raise eyebrows
President Muhammadu Buhari’s advice to All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC) to ensure that the party’s tickets were not given to the highest bidders was ignored, yesterday, as the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) approved 100 million naira as cost of Presidential nomination forms and 50 million naira for aspirants under 40.
The 100 million naira for the Presidential nomination form is over a 100 per cent increase from the amount it sold the form for the same office in 2018 at 45 million naira, and a nearly 200 per cent hike from the 27 million naira it sold forms in 2014. The 100 million naira fee is also more than double the fee of the major opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which fixed its Presidential nomination form at 40 million naira.
FG to end ₦200bn yearly electricity subsidy in December
The Federal Government is looking at ending tariff shortfall, averaging ₦200 billion yearly, in the power sector by the end of the year.
Between 2015 and 2020, the shortfall reportedly stood at about ₦2.4 trillion, averaging ₦200 billion yearly. The shortfall accrued from suppressed charges for electricity consumption.
This comes as the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) said emerging challenges, especially insecurity, are already frustrating the sector.
By implication, Nigerians may, from December this year, be compelled to pay the actual cost of energy consumed.
Nigeria begins SIM cards production
Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, has said Nigeria could now produce its own Subscriber Identification Module (SIM) cards and export them to other African nations.
He spoke, yesterday, in Abuja, while briefing the House of Representatives on the importance of an executive bill – “Bill for an Act to Provide for the Creation and Development of an Enabling Environment for Technology Enabled Startups in Nigeria” – seeking to create an enabling environment for technology innovators to maximise their potential by becoming job creators in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector.
The attackers in Imo are after APC people, don’t blame Buhari or me – Imo governor
Imo governor, Hope Uzodimma, has accused those accusing President Muhammadu Buhari, of being those really behind the banditry in the State and Nigeria.
Speaking on Monday at a wedding ceremony in Owerri, Uzodimma wondered why the attackers in the state attacked the property of the members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), leaving that of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying that the perpetrators should desist and beg for forgiveness before they are punished by God.
He said, “I pray that God will touch the hearts of these people who are sponsoring the killing of innocent ones, burning houses and destroying public property in the name of politics.”
He continued, “I have crosschecked since the inception of this mindless bloodletting in Orlu, Orsu and other communities in the zone, not one PDP person has died, their houses burnt or attacked. It is clear to me, therefore, that these killings are the handiwork of politicians who are after the APC members.”
Presidency justifies pardon of Dariye, Nyame
In a statement Wednesday night, titled, DARIYE, NYAME PARDON IN LINE WITH CONSTITUTION, WILL NOT DERAIL ANTI-CORRUPTION WAR BY PRESIDENT BUHARI, President Muhammadu Buhari’s spokesperson, Garba Shehu, said Buhari pardoned the former governors – Joshua Dariye of Plateau and Jolly Nyame of Taraba – on the ground of ill health after a review of their conditions.
He said the recommendation to the National Council of States for the pardon of the former governors and 157 others, “was a culmination of a rigorous process, regulated and guided by the law which was not, in any way designed to achieve a political purpose.”
“While it is natural that the cases of the ex-governors-two among many- would excite political analysts, coming at a time when elections are in the air, the President would at the same time have come across as insensitive and cruel to most people were he to have ignored very compelling cases recommended for pardon made to him because someone is a former Governor. Even Governors have the right to be treated fairly under the law.”
Both men were serving jail terms after they were convicted of stealing billions of naira of public funds while they were governors. Their convictions were upheld by the Supreme Court.
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