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Tag: Presidency

  • 63 people registered to run for presidency in Kyrgyzstan

    63 people registered to run for presidency in Kyrgyzstan

    Sixty-three people have submitted documents to the Central Election Commission (CEC), of Kyrgyzstan to participate in early presidential elections, the press service said on Sunday.

    The deadline for submitting the documents to the CEC was Nov. 14.

    The commission has received documents from 65 people, while two of them withdrew the application. Among the applicants, were eight women and 55 men, the CEC said.

    READ ALSO: JS Kabylie president, Hannachi passes on

    To be approved as candidates, all the applicants need to collect 30,000 signatures of voters in their support and pay electoral deposit of about 12,000 U.S. dollars to the account of the CEC. They also need to pass the test of the Kyrgyz language.

    Candidates can drop their bids for the presidency until Jan. 7.

    The election campaign will begin on Dec. 15, 2020 and end Jan. 9, 2021. Voting will begin on Jan. 10, 2021.

    Early elections in Kyrgyzstan will be held due to the fact that ex-President Sooronbai Jeenbekov resigned amid protests to annul the results of the Oct. 4 parliamentary elections.

  • #EndSARS: Presidency explains why Buhari didn’t speak on Lekki shooting in his speech

    #EndSARS: Presidency explains why Buhari didn’t speak on Lekki shooting in his speech

    The presidency has explained why President Buhari didn’t speak on the Lekki toll gate shooting during his speech yesterday October 22.

    Presidential aide, Femi Adesina in an interview on Channels TV’s ‘Politics Today’ said it will be “premature and presumptuous” for Buhari to talk about the shooting as it was still being investigated. 

    Adesina said; 

    “The Defence Headquarters issued a statement to say that it was investigating the matter. Lagos State Governor has also set up a probe panel to investigate what really happened.

    “So, the President couldn’t have said anything because it would be premature and presumptuous while investigation is ongoing. It is after investigation has been concluded that he can speak on the matter.”

  • Late Funtua: You gain nothing by attacking dead soul, Presidency tells Sowore

    Late Funtua: You gain nothing by attacking dead soul, Presidency tells Sowore

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President, Malam Garba Shehu, has advised the publisher of SahareReporters, Omoyele Sowore, to desist from attacking late Isma’ila Isa Funtua over his encounters with security officials.

    Shehu, who was reacting to comments by Sowore on late Isa Funtua in Abuja on Tuesday, condemned the way and manner Sowore was attempting to twist facts on what transpired between him and officials of the Department of State Services when he was in detention.

    The presidential aide, who was part of the intervention team to `negotiate freedom for Sowore, said:

    “Let’s get the facts straight on the meeting with Sowore in SSS detention.

    “First, it is important to state that the meeting was not instructed by the government. Nobody sent anybody to go and “negotiate” Sowore’s freedom as he put it.

    “The late Malam Isma’ila, on his own, called me to ask that I broker a meeting with him and two others with the SSS, which they agreed to.

    “It is important that I state that it was the force of Malam Isma’ila’s argument that made the meeting possible.

    “Vanguard Newspapers publisher, Sam Amuka and ThisDay Publisher and President, Nigerian Press Organisation, Nduka Obaigbena, all agreed that Sowore was a “rascal”, who had used his newspaper “to abuse all of us,” but agreed, nonetheless to go and press for his release.

    “As the late Isma’ila put it, although he (Sowore) got into his problems due to politics, not journalism, the fact of him being a publisher imposed a duty on the media leaders to seek ways of making him free.’’

    Shehu further explained that the meeting ended well, and contrary to the posturing by Sowore, “he said he was happy with a resolution proposed but that his lawyer, whoever that was, needed to come on board.

    “The fence mending process, apparently collapsed after the meeting of the trio with the lawyer in Lagos.

    “I don’t know what Sowore wants to achieve by distorting the facts of what transpired, but my advice to him is that he should stop his attacks on a dead, well-meaning intercessor.

    “Knowing the way the secret service works, it should surprise no one if they keep a recording of that meeting.

    “Faced with this posturing and the unfair attacks on the dead, we certainly will be forced to ask for the release of tapes, in case they are available for the public to judge.’’

    Sowore, currently on bail, is facing trial on charges of treason, money laundering and “cyberstalking”.(NAN)

  • Governance: Presidency reacts to editorials, says Buhari critics should appreciate due process

    Governance: Presidency reacts to editorials, says Buhari critics should appreciate due process

    The Presidency has frowned at a number of opinion articles and a stringent newspaper editorial on Sunday, which outrageously said President Muhammadu Buhari was not in control of his administration.

    Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, made this position known in a statement in Abuja on Sunday.

    According to the presidential aide, several of these comments, disguised as objective criticisms, are merely speaking the language of the opposition- ”the people who ruined the country during their 16 years of corruption on an industrial scale.”

    The statement read in part: ”As many detractors have done lately, these “influencers,” “celebrated columnists” and “editorial comments” do no more than endorse the opposition’s utterly wrong and fallacious position that the President is not in charge of his government.

    ”Sometimes, we are forced to wonder whether some writers are mindful of the implication of words for the strategic and territorial interests of the nation.

    ”An entrenched culture of dissent in our country is not something that anyone, not least a Buhari Presidency wants to stamp down.

    ”The fact that these baseless and appallingly mischievous attacks can freely be aired is itself evidence of the right to freedom of expression prevailing in the country today.

    ”Whether it is Ibrahim Magu, Godswill Akpabio, NDDC, NSITF and the others, Nigerians are bound to hold differing opinions, write letters, opinion columns, editorials and even stage lawful protests.

    ”What is sometimes worrisome is that several of these comments, disguised as objective criticisms are merely speaking the language of the opposition-the people who ruined the country during their 16 years of corruption on an industrial scale.

    ”These detractors pick up isolated issues like the ones in the EFCC, NDDC, and incidents of crime and corruption which have been with the country for years, and without any serious effort to uncover them, paint them a phenomena orchestrated and happening because President Buhari’s administration has decided to pursue cases of suspected wrongdoing in the anti-corruption agency, pension funds, NDDC and other government agencies.”

    Shehu,however, stated that the Buhari government was the first to point out the obvious embarrassment that potential acts of wrongdoing by the EFCC leadership would cause the administration.

    ”The question to ask is: did they expect the President to draw a curtain over these suspected scandals by not ordering audits and investigations? And for them to turn around to accuse him of a cover up?

    ”To do a cover up and not order audits and investigations as the President did would amount to a historic betrayal of the mandate and the faith placed in him by the Nigerian people.”

    He, therefore, maintained that President Buhari’s integrity, uprightness and probity are intact and well known.

    ”Let us remind these so-called editorial writers that ECOWAS, Africa Union and the international community at large recognized President Buhari as Champion of the Anti-Corruption fight in Africa.

    According to him, Nigerians are convinced that Buhari is honest, and they voted for him as President against the background of corruption, public policy paralysis and growing menace of terrorists threatening to take over a sizable portion of the nation’s territory.

    He further stated that in Buhari’s five years in office, there was not a single charge of corruption against his person.

    ”As the leader of the country, President Buhari fully understands and bears the full weight of the solemn oaths he swore to defend the nation’s constitution, its citizens and territory.

    ”Disinformation is not a viable option for opposition,” he added.

    Shehu further stressed that the Buhari government had done nothing to warrant these criticisms.

    ”Under our laws, you are innocent until proven guilty: Investigation, trial then conviction. Not the other way round.

    ”To carry out investigations before condemnation or conviction should not be misconstrued as a weakness or a vacuum in leadership.

    ”The war against corruption is today at historic crossroads. This is the time all Nigerians should stand together to roll it back.

    ”President Buhari is determined not to be diverted by unfounded attacks, neither would he compromise the sacred mandate of Nigerians.

    ”He is determined to get justice for Nigerians on all these corruption cases being pursued,” he said.(NAN)

  • Presidency lashes out at Northern Elders Forum over Buhari criticism

    Presidency lashes out at Northern Elders Forum over Buhari criticism

    Nigeria Presidency has lashed out at the Nothern Elders Forum (NEF) for criticising President Muhammadu Buhari over escalating insecurity in northern Nigeria.

    Presidential spokesman Femi Adesina in a statement said the Nigerian Government was not surprised at the statement made by the group’s convener Prof. Ango Abdullahi on behalf of the region.

    “We are not surprised by this latest statement by Prof. Abdullahi, and our past position on what his group represents remains unchanged: a mere irritant and featherweight,” Adesina said.

    NEF in a statement Sunday signed by Abdullahi alleged that the insecurity in some northern states of the country was an indication that Buhari is incapable of performing his constitutional duty of protecting the people.

    Abdullahi said the “recent escalation of attacks by bandits, rustlers and insurgents leave the only conclusion that the people of the North are now completely at the mercy of armed gangs who roam towns and villages at will, wreaking havoc.

    “It would appear that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and governors have lost control over the imperatives of protecting people of the North, a constitutional duty that they swore to uphold.”

    Presidential spokesman Adesina, however, said the statement should not be given serious attention because “the truth is that NEF is just Ango Abdullahi, and Ango Abdullahi is NEF.”

    Adesina described NEF as a “quasi-organization that boasts of no credible membership” whose leader Abdullahi can be likened to “a General without troops.”

    The presidential spokesman recounted how NEF withdraw its support from Buhari in the build-up to 2019 presidential election for former vice president Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who lost the election.

    “NEF is merely waving a flag that is at half-mast,” Adesina said. “President Buhari steadily and steadfastly focuses on the task of retooling Nigeria, and discerning Nigerians know the true state of the nation. They don’t need a paper tiger to tell them anything.”

  • Presidency bars journalists who covered Kyari’s burial from State House

    Presidency bars journalists who covered Kyari’s burial from State House

    The Presidency on Sunday directed all State House correspondents and the Media Office staff who attended and covered the funeral prayer and burial of the late Chief of Staff, at Defence House and Gudu Cemetery Abuja, respectively, to stay off the Presidential Villa.

    Kyari died of coronavirus on Friday at the First Cardiology Consultants in Lagos. His corpse was flown to Abuja where he was interred at a short ceremony attended by tens of people.

    Eyewitnesses accounts, video clips and pictures from the burial site showed that many who were in attendance were not properly kitted to attend such a ceremony.

    The presidential order on social distance was also clearly violated.

    A statement signed by Attah Esa, a Deputy Director of Information, on Sunday directed the newsmen to work from home for the next 14 days.

    The Presidency further enjoined the newsmen to be careful and observe the recommended measures to prevent the coronavirus transmission, including maintaining physical distancing and good personal hygiene going forward.

    The Presidency had in the wake of the outbreak of the coronavirus in Abuja, scaled down the number of media organizations permitted to cover its activities following the devastating effect of the pandemic.

    A statement had announced that the Presidency will allow only NTA crew, Channels TV crew, TVC crew, FRCN reporter, VON reporter, NAN reporter, The Sun Reporter, and Photographers from the stables of Thisday, Leadership, Daily Trust, The Guardian, Vanguard and Deutsche Welle (a foreign medium) into the precinct of the Villa.

    “These correspondents are to enter the Villa for media coverage of any event beginning from Wednesday, March 25, 2020, until further notice as the COVID-19 incidence will dictate.”

    The decision, according to officials, is to reduce the number of persons who daily visit the Presidential Villa, Abuja to carry out sundry activities.

    The enforcement, according to the officials, was in compliance with the Federal Government’s stay-at-home order to avoid mass congregation of any kind as well as non-essential outings, until further advice is given.

  • Presidency refutes report of attack on Buhari in Kebbi

    Presidency refutes report of attack on Buhari in Kebbi

    The Presidency has described as false and untrue social media reports on alleged attack on President Muhammadu Buhari in Argungu, Kebbi State, on Thursday.

    A statement by the President’s spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina, late Thursday night, said a young man had attempted to greet the president at a closed range but was prevented by security officials.

    The presidential said:”As the President went round the arena to inspect rice pyramids on display, and take photographs with farmers, a young man was so very excited to see his President so close. He made an attempt to get to him.

    ”World over, such would not be allowed by security details. The young man was prevented, and he protested that he should be allowed to greet his President.

    ”Now, professional contortionists are making mischief of the event. They are passing the video clip off on social media as an attempt to attack the President.

    ”Malicious people always twist things to give a negative narrative. But they simply dash their heads against the wall. The country moves on.”

    Buhari was in Kebbi State on Thursday to declare open the Argungu Fishing and Cultural Festival.

    It was the first time the international tourism event would hold in 11 years, as security considerations had rendered it impracticable. (NAN)

  • Presidency rejects calls for service chiefs sacking, blames Libya for crisis

    Presidency rejects calls for service chiefs sacking, blames Libya for crisis

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, says the military is doing a good job and deserves the support of Nigerians.

    On calls for the sacking of service chiefs, Shehu said those criticising the President did not have the kind of information that he had as regards security and thus could not pass informed commentaries.

    Shehu said the reversals in the successes recorded against Boko Haram were being undermined by the Libyan crisis which led to the proliferation of small arms.

    The President’s spokesman said this on NTA’s ‘Good Morning Nigeria’ programme on Monday while reacting to calls for the removal of the service chiefs.

    He said, “Our Armed Forces are doing an enormously good job, they are not sitting on their laurels but the challenges have mounted because of factors extraneous to the region and Nigerians should have an appreciation and be sympathetic and see that all of the things about the collapse of Libya is no fairytale.

    “Europeans for their competing interests in Libya were dropping weapons into villages in Libya. A lot of these elements have found their way into ungoverned spaces in the Sahel. Could it be better with the sacking of the service chiefs? My sense is that the President as the commander-in-chief is not a novice in the first instance.

    “He was a military commander, a military head of state and the latitude of opinions intellectual, security, military available to him is not available to most of the critics. So, it is wrong of them to interlope in a way and begin to speak on matters of which they do not have the competence to pass judgement. I hope I don’t seem arrogant but I am stating facts as they are.”

  • Presidency explains Finance Act 2019

    Presidency explains Finance Act 2019

    The presidency had made pubic the breakdown of Finance Bill, 2019, which was submitted to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari alongside the 2020 Appropriation Bill, and signed into law by the president on Jan. 13, 2020.

    The breakdown was released by Mr Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Office of the Vice President, on Sunday in Abuja.

    Th  Act has the following objectives.

    “Promoting fiscal equity by mitigating instances of regressive taxation.

    “Reforming domestic tax laws to align with global best practices.

    “Introducing tax incentives for investments in infrastructure and capital markets.

    “Supporting Micro, Small and Medium-sized businesses in line with the administration’s Ease of Doing Business Reforms.

    “Raising Revenues for Federal, State and Local Governments.”

    The fact sheet on the new Act indicates that it was the first legislation created to accompany an Appropriation Act since the return of democracy in 1999.

    The new Act raises VAT from five per cent to 7.5 per cent.

    To allay fears that low-income persons and companies will be marginalised by the new law, reduce the burden of taxation on vulnerable segments and promote equitable taxation, the Finance Act 2019 has extended the list of goods and services exempted from VAT.

    The additional exemptions include the following:

    “Basic food items – additives (honey), bread, cereals, cooking oils, culinary herbs, fish, flour and starch, fruits (fresh or dried), live or raw meat and poultry, milk, nuts, pulses, roots, salt, vegetables, water (natural water and table water).

    “Locally manufactured sanitary towels, pads or tampons.

    “Services rendered by microfinance banks; tuition relating to nursery, primary, secondary and tertiary education.

    “Nigeria’s increased new VAT rate of 7.5 pe rcent is still the lowest in Africa, and one of the lowest anywhere in the world — South Africa VAT: 15 per cent; Ghana: 12.5 per cent; Kenya: 16 per cent; Egypt: 14 per cent ; Rwanda: 18 per cent; Senegal: 18 per cent.”

    Under Nigeria’s revenue sharing formula, 85 per cent of collected VAT goes to States and Local Governments.

    This means that the bulk of additional VAT revenues accruing from the increase will go towards enabling States and Local Governments meet their obligations to citizens, including the new minimum wage as already noted by State Governors.

    The Buhari administration had firmly resisted previous suggestions to raise VAT.

    The new Finance Act exempts Businesses with turnover below 25 million from VAT payments.

    Companies Income Tax (CIT) — under the new law small companies – companies with less than N25 million in annual turnover are charged Zero CIT.

    “CIT for Companies with revenues between N25 and N100 million (described in the Act as “medium-sized” companies) has been reduced from 30 per cent to 20 per cent.

    “Large companies with annual turnover greater than N100 million will continue to pay the standard 30 per cent CIT.

    “The new Act includes a provision that grants to all companies engaged in agricultural production in Nigeria, an initial tax-free period of five years renewable for an additional three years.

    “The new Act also provides incentives to promote tax compliance through bonus reductions in CIT for early remittance:

    “Two per cent bonus for medium-size companies; one per cent bonus for other companies.”

    On Personal Income Tax, the new Act now includes electronic mail as an acceptable form of correspondence for persons disputing assessments by the Tax Authorities.

    Contributions to Pension and Retirement Funds, Societies and Schemes are now unconditionally tax-deductible.

    Stamp Duty Tax — with the new Act, the N50 Stamp duty charge is now applicable only to transactions amounting to N10,000 and above, a significant increase on the former threshold of N1,000.

    The new Act expands the list of items exempted from stamp duty.

    The new Act also makes provisions for Customs and Excise Tariff.

    It stipulates that to reduce unfair advantages previously conferred on imported goods at the expense of locally manufactured ones, certain imported goods are now subject to excise duties similar to locally manufactured goods. (NAN)