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26 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2022 RE- INVENTION: From left: Fatai Folarin, CEO, Deloitte Nigeria; Simi Adeagbo, Nigerian Olympic gold medalist; and Anthony Olukoju, Chief Operating Officer, Deloitte Nigeria, during the Art of Reinvention event, held at the Deloitte Head Office, Lagos. :Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058 Benue arrest, arraign over 100 illegal tax collectors By Peter Duru MAKURDI—THE Chairman of the Benue Internal Revenue Service, BIRS, Mrs Mimi Adzape-Orubibi weekend said over 100 persons have been arrested and arraigned for operating illegal tax collection points in the state. Mrs Adzape-Orubibi said more arrests are being made to ensure that the criminal elements harassing traders and well as as businessmen and women on Benue highways are brought to justice. The Chairman, in a statement by her media assistant, Jacob Suswam, in commemoration of her one year in office explained that the arrests were made within the period, assuring that the onslaught on the illegal tax syndicate would be sustained to effectively stem the menace of illegal taxation in the state. She said the period had also witnessed impactful reforms in the service saying, "revenue administration in Benue State has recorded great improvements in the last one year following the automation of tax processes, procedures and enforcement in line with one of the cardinal goals of the administration of Governor Samuel Ortom on Revenue Security." Mrs Adzape-Orubibi said with Governor Ortom's focus on Revenue Security, it became imperative for her to adopt processes that would block leakages in the system and improve collections while ensuring that tax payers paid only what is enshrined in the state revenue law. Highlighting more of the achievements recorded under her, Mrs. Adzape-Orubibi listed "the reinvention of the real-time 2023: IPC ED, Komolafe task media on credible election reporting By Victor Ahiuma- Young LAGOS—AHEAD of the 2023 general elections, Executive Director, ED, International Press Center, IPC, Lanre Arogundade, and Veteran journalist and former Vanguard Labour Editor, Mrs Funmi Komolafe, have tasked the Nigerian media on credible elections reporting. They spoke while presenting papers at Labour Writers Association of Nigeria, LAWAN, sensitisation workshop on the role of Media in 2023 General Elections, sponsored by Fredrich Elbert Stiftung, FES, Foundation in Lagos. Speaking, the IPC ED, noted that journalists must use investigative methods and instruments to ensure accurate Revenue Dashboard Reporting System which has curbed sharp practices and entrenched transparency. The introduction of a more secured e-Receipt with a tracking and verification system to checkmate fake receipts and the introduction of the Smart Attendance Management System, SAMS, for checking truancy and absenteeism of staff. "The purchase and distribution of new computers and printers to all Area Tax Offices in the state; reporting of electoral processes, saying "Labour journalists working in the broadcast media should create election programmes focusing on the issues of workers in 2023 general elections." According to him, "not getting it right as a journalist in reporting could hinder the effective performance of the four core roles of the media in election which are, the civic and voters' education role, the public educator role, the campaign platform/open forum role, and the conflict management role. "Citizens consume and interpret media information to make informed decisions and judgments hence the need for credibility in reporting especially at the ongoing political Tinubu'll be worker-friendly president —Issa Aremu JOS—LABOUR Director, All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential Campaign Council, Mr Issa Aremu, yesterday in Jos, Plateau State, said the party's presidential candidate, Senator Bola Tinubu, will prioritise the welfare of workers if elected in 2023. Aremu, who is also the Director General and Chief Executive Officer, D-G/CEO, Michael Imoudu National Institute of Labour Studies, Ilorin, MINILIS, Kwara State, spoke when he met with leaders and members of the Plateau chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in Jos. The Director, who lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for being good and friendly to Nigerian workers, advised them to vote for someone who would continue with such noble legacy. "No doubt there is a lot of challenges facing this country and we can't deny it . But one thing we can say is that President Buhari is a labourfriendly President and the facts are there for everyone to see. "One thing he did is that he resisted the pressure to retrench workers; even in the face of recession and COVID-19 pandamic that ravaged most economies of the world, he never thought of retrenchment or downsizing the workforce. "Every comrade respects employment, security of jobs, regular payment of salaries, decent job, industrialisation, human rights, among others and this government has made it obligatory to pay salaries as at when due. The President gave bailout in three tranches to governors to pay salaries of their workers and also approved and implemented the N30, 000 minimum wage," he said. Aremu advanced that if voted, Tinubu will not only continue with the legacies of the current administration in relation to workers' welfare, but introduce new ones that will better the lots of Nigerian workers. He added that of the major political parties in the country, the APC remaines the only one that had demonstrated the willingness to ensure the Nigerian worker doesn't suffer. "Why we think the APC should be our direction is because it has done a lot toward the wellbeing of workers. We strongly believe Tinubu will be the one to continue with the legacies of the current government in terms of addressing labour related matters. "Not only that his records in Lagos says it all; he was the only governor who approved and implemented same minimum wage for his employees with that of the Federal Government workers. His manifesto speaks volumes because Tinubu will create decent jobs and so comrades, let's shine our eyes as we go into the next election," he said. Responding, Mr Eugene Manji, NLC Chairman in Plateau, thanked Aremu and his team for the visit. Manji who said that workers in the state were facing numerous challenges, added that the union would discuss their demands with the incoming government. and the purchase and distribution of office furniture to all the Area Tax offices in the state as well as the construction of mini offices at the designated inspection and monitoring points across the state, painted with BIRS colours, among others." The BIRS Chairman lauded Governor Samuel Ortom for giving her the opportunity to serve the state, and also supporting her to discharge her duties effectively. campaigns ahead of the general election come 2023. Actions or inactions of media professionals, reporters, photographers, Cameramen, producers, presenters, editors etc can also impact positively or negatively on the credibility and fairness of the electoral situation under which the people exercise the right to choose." Arogundade, urged labour writers to help the media to get it right by raising awareness on why workers should refrain from serving as foot soldiers of political party militias or as party thugs. On her part, Mrs Komolafe noted that the role of the media pre-dates the Election Day and must begin with party primaries, where candidates are elected or appointed to choose their flag bearers. Delivering a lecture on "The Role of the Media in Ensuring Peaceful, Credible, Transparent and Inclusive General Elections in 2023", she said journalists must report campaign activities without being carried away by activities of politicians, saying "the media needs to work with credible civil society organisation and I emphasis credible because politicians have corrupted many of the civil society groups. What do I mean, members of some of these civil society groups ask politicians for money for what they term "election expenses" where the party or governor fails to meet their demands, they write and release unfavourable reports about the candidates of that party. "It is therefore common to see headlines like 'mammoth crowd and massive turn-out'. Such headlines do not reflect objective reporting. As the 2023 general elections approach, the Nigerian journalist needs to ask in whose interest he or she is reporting?. "We must remember that we have a duty to ensure that the interest of our nation should be our focus. We should desist from unnecessary sensationalism that promotes ethnicity and religious divide." Police in Kwara vow to deal with politicians defacing opponent's billboards, posters By Demola Akinyemi ILORIN—THE Kwara State Police Command weekend read riot act to politicians in the state over destruction of their opponents' billboard and other campaign materials. The Commissioner of Police, Paul Odama in a statement in Ilorin, warned that anyone caught would be arrested and prosecuted, urging parents and guardians to caution their wards against being used by politicians for dirty and criminal works. The police commissioner directed all Divisional Police Officers, DPOs, across the state to monitor and ensure that no political billboard is defaced henceforth. He insisted that wherever any billboards found defaced, the concerned DPO would be sanctioned for dereliction of duties. The CP in the statement through the Command's Public Relations Officer, Ajayi Okasanmi reads," The Commissioner of Police, Kwara State, CP Paul Odama has frowned at the reports filtering into his hearing about the barefaced disobedience to his admonition to political gladiators to warm their supporters against destruction and defacement of opposing political party posters during his parley with political parties executives few weeks ago. Police step up security around INEC offices in Bauchi BAUCHI—POLICE in Bauchi State have stepped up security around INEC offices and facilities in the state. Police spokesman in the state, Ahmed Wakil stated yesterday in Bauchi that Divisional Police Officers, DPOs, and Area Commanders have been directed to ensure strategic deployment of officers at INEC offices and facilities. This, he added, was to bolster security and sustained surveillance in the affected areas. He assured that the police would deliver on its mandate of providing a safe and enabling environment for the conduct of the 2023 general elections and beyond. Wakil also stated that the police would continue to provide a level playing field for all political actors while remaining professional in the discharge of their responsibilities. "In line with the directives of the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Usman Baba, the Commissioner of Police, Bauchi State, Mr Umar Sanda has deployed operational assets BAUCHI—GOVERNOR Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, yesterday called on all the emirs and traditional rulers in the state to be firm and fair in the discharge of their responsibilities. Mohammed gave the charge in Misau, Jama'are Government Area of the state at the coronation and presentation of Staff of Office to Ahmed Suleiman as the 11th Emir of Misau. Suleiman ascended the throne of his late father, Alhaji Mohammed Manga in 2015. The governor was also in Jama'are Local Government Area to present the Staff of Office to Nuhu Wabi, the 10th Emir of Jama'are. Wabi became emir on February 27 after the demise of his father, Muhammadu Wabi III, on February 6, 2022. "Let me use this occasion to give the emirs some advice. Your royal highnesses should strive to strike a balance between tradition and modernity. "You should be flexible and keep pace with the dynamics of modern society while exercising your traditional authority. "You should be on the same page with the government of the day by offering constructive and intellectual contributions for the economic, political and social development of your people and the state in general. around INEC facilities. "This is for surveillance operations to checkmate criminal activities and to provide an atmosphere conducive to hitchfree political processes. "These deployments are aimed at keeping an eye on INEC facilities and materials and to prevent any attempt to undermine security around them and also to coordinate a timely response to distress calls,'' he stated. Wakil added that the police in Bauchi State would clamp down on miscreants found around INEC facilities and prosecute them. He warned political thugs to steer clear and turn away from INEC facilities and materials as the police would not hesitate to decisively deal with any person who decided to flout the directives. Wakil also called on parents, guardians, and leaders wielding various degrees of influence to prevail on their wards not to be used to destroy national critical infrastructure. Bauchi gov charges emirs to be firm, fair in discharging duties "As the custodian of the culture and traditions of the people of Misau and Jama'are emirates, you should be firm and fair and adhere strictly to the oath of office and allegiance that you have just sworn to,'' the governor charged. He urged the emirs to work hard toward peaceful coexistence among their people and the development of their areas of jurisdiction. Gov. Mohammed acknowledged the roles of traditional rulers in the social economic development of the country and said they deserved to be commended for bringing about peace and stability. According to him, emirs have a significant role to play in checkmating kidnapping, banditry, insurgency and other crimes. He added that his administration would not hesitate to sanction any traditional ruler found to be supporting and refusing to report criminal activities in their areas of jurisdiction. Mohammed also appealed to the National Assembly to amend the Constitution so as to assigning specific roles to traditional rulers. In their separate votes of thanks, the two first class emirs appreciated the governor for their recognition and promised to work hand-inhand with the state government to further ensure peaceful coexistence in their domains.
Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2022 — 27 Tinubu, Atiku, Obi bicker over fake news, hate speech Continues from Page 5 drug-related forfeiture of $460,000 to authorities in the United States instead of trying to divert attention. In a telephone interview with Vanguard, Ologbondiyan said hat claims by the APC Presidential campaign that the PDP campaign and its Labour Party counterpart were behind a fake INEC press release indicting Tinubu, were part of a diversionary tactic by the APC, which was hell bent on shifting attention from the real issue. He said: “We demand that Tinubu should come out boldly and defend his reported link to the whopping sum of $460,000 forfeited to the United States rather than hiding behind a finger and sending his media aides to attack other Nigerians. “Our campaign insists that the burden before Asiwaju Tinubu is to cleanse himself of being linked to illicit funds by a court in the United States rather than searching for scapegoats and pointing index finger on others whereas the remaining are pointing to his direction. “Is it not absurd that rather than proving his innocence by personally telling Nigerians the truth about the forfeiture judgment, Asiwaju Tinubu is allowing his aides, who were not principal witnesses in the crime, to issue threats and vituperations on Nigerians? “This accounts for why the campaign is singing discordant tunes on taxation while Asiwaju Tinubu himself is labouring to dismiss the case as ‘a rumour.’ This is very laughable! “Our campaign wants Asiwaju Tinubu to know that Nigerians are still waiting for him to address the very serious issue of alleged link with narcotics for which a forfeiture judgment was imposed on him.” Looking within APC for your problems, LP tells Tinubu On its part, the LP Presidential campaign asked the APC to look within its ranks for those responsible for the alleged forgery of the letter headed paper of the INEC to issue a fake statement. In a telephone interview with Vanguard, the opposition party said it was depressing that a party whose candidate has a record of falsification of documents could have the effrontery to accuse innocent people of doing the same. The chief spokesperson of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, warned the APC Campaign to desist from dragging the LP into its sinking campaign with baseless allegations. His words: “It is on record that our Presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, has never falsified any record about his age, his academic credentials, or had cause to deny his place or birth or his parents. “It is inconceivable for a presidential campaign whose candidate has been unable to come clean about his background to accuse us of conniving with another opposition party to falsify documents. Our advice to the APC is for it to face issues and stop diverting attention.” Shettima’s insults on Obi, breach peace accord – LP CAMPAIGN Also, the LP Presidential Campaign expressed disgust at what it described as the various unguarded insults and disparaging remarks passed on Obi and other candidates, by the Vice Presidential Candidate of the APC, Senator Kassim Shettima.“Director General of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign, Dr. Doyin Okupe, conveyed the party’s displeasure in a statement in Abuja, yesterday. He said: “Our political parties are all signatories to the National Peace Accord, supervised by General Abdulsalami Abubakar National Peace Committee chairman, which represents the bonafide Code of Conduct, for all corporate and individual direct participants, in the current electoral process. “In the Peace Accord signed in Abuja, it was expressly stated, that candidates will avoid the use of abusive and offensive language, throughout the campaigns. “It is, therefore, very unfortunate and regretful, but Naira appreciates to N445.67/ $ in I&E window By Elizabeth Adegbesan HE naira yesterday appreciated to N445.67 per Tdollar in the Investors and Exporters (I&E) window. Data from FMDQ showed that the indicative exchange rate for the window fell to N445.67 per dollar from N446.1 per dollar on Tuesday, indicating 43 Kobo appreciation for the naira. The volume of dollars traded (turnover) in the window rose by 28 percent to $93.01 million from $72.69 million traded on Tuesday. Similarly, the naira appreciated by N20 in the parallel market yesterday. Vanguard findings from black market traders showed that the indicative exchange rate for the market fell to N870 per dollar from N890 per dollar on Tuesday. not exactly surprising. that in flagrant disregard for the clauses and principles of this accord ,the APC Vice Presidential Candidate, in particular, has continued, repeatedly, to play the court jester - by persistently , irresponsibly and recklessly, making all sorts of derogatory comments, totally at variance with good manners and decorum. “We are in no doubt whatsoever, that while he has consistently abused the opportunity of public audience, by making these snide remarks about Peter Obi and other candidates, he cannot, in the least and in any way, ever measure up to these his political superiors, in integrity, character and status, not to mention vision, policies and national acceptance. Okupe further said: “We here emphasize, that strictly in line, with the directives of our presidential candidate, Peter Obi, to keep the campaign engagement and rhetoric, civil and issue based, we have resisted his sustained diatribe, and could not bring ourselves to his dirt level, to respond to him in like manner. “However, it must be placed on record that this does not represent a lack of capacity to publicly take him on, especially as he personally carries a huge burden of a sordid and reprehensible past. “At this juncture, the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Organisation will like to advise the APC to rein in and restrain its Vice Presidential candidate from further uncouth and unguarded language against our candidate and all other candidates in this race. “It can be understood that he is still basking in the euphoria of having been nominated, to the exalted position of the Vice Presidential candidate of a party, which ordinarily could never have occurred, in an environment of strict adherence to best practices and high moral and character values, where due attention is paid to pedigree, personal records and known antecedents. Okupe noted that in saner climes, a presidential election is a serious process of responsibility to the people, and should not become a putreous arena for display of bad manners and verbal hooliganism. “We will like to remind Shettima that those who make their living in glass houses should not have stone throwing as their hobby.” Peter Obi’s statistics is unsettling the opposition, says Media Office Indeed, the Obi-Datti Media office, said the dimensions Obi brought into the nation’s electioneering this time around has successfully thrown many pundits and politicians off balance because they were never prepared for it. It said in a statement: Obi’s issue driven campaigns even though the correct and necessary thing to do in an ideal democratic setting has remained alien and unfamiliar to Nigeria’s political environment, hence the apparent disgruntlement from his competitors and the opposition political parties. “The use of statistics and figures by Obi to buttress his points to Nigerians has helped to drive home his points, almost the same way the use of statistics and illustrations are handy in explanation of things. “But notwithstanding all the potentials that abound in the use of statistics, the Labour Party flag bearer, Mr. Peter Obi, has remained under attack for adequately using statistics to explain the challenges of the country and the way to go about it using inferences from other countries that passed similar roads and have already scaled through. The Obi-Datti Media office said it tries to ask, why Nigeria is averse to any progressive ideas, especially in political circles despite not making any meaningful progress in the old ways. “At a recent Arise Television Town Hall meeting for presidential candidates, even the organizers mobilised themselves in the name of fact-checking to ambush and embarrass Obi on his statistics but couldn’t, instead they apologized to him for their own misinformation.” Catholic Bishops seek issues-based campaigns Worried by the dangerous bent campaign of calumny is assuming, the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, yesterday urged political parties and their candidates to focus on issue-based campaigns, urging that campaigns should be devoid of bitterness and unhealthy rivalry Ṫhe Bishops also urged the government to provide the enabling environment for citizens to exercise their franchise devoid of violence, intimidation, vote buying and vote selling during the 2023 general elections. These were contained in a message by the Bishops at the end of the 3rd National Pastoral Congress of the Catholic Church in the country with the theme: 'Towards a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation and Mission'. The message was cosigned by the CBCN President, Most Rev. Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji (Archbishop of Owerri) and the Secretary, Most Rev. Donatus Aihmiosion Ogun (Bishop of Uromi), "Political candidates for the election should avail citizens of their electoral manifestoes including strategies for achieving set goals and objectives. "The practice of promising the electorate lofty objectives to be pursued by political office holders that look good on paper but only to be jettisoned after such candidates win election has become the common experience of many Nigerians," they said. The message recalled that at their last meeting in Orlu, Imo State in September 2022, they promised that at the end of third Pastoral Congress, a prayer will be composed for free, fair, credible and peaceful elections in our country in 2023. "The bishops have composed the said prayers, which should be said in all dioceses, parishes and families from now to the time of elections," they said. Economy in bad shape The Catholic Bishops lamented that despite several efforts by the government, the economy had not been in good shape. Consequently, they argued that redesigning the Naira alone cannot provide the needed reprieve in the economy and confront the problems of corruption and terrorism-financing. The clerics advised the Federal Government to exploit every opportunity, build strong institutional frameworks and laws such as an effective policing system, tracking and timely prosecution of corrupt persons, amongst others. "Citizens are not seeing much improvement in their daily lives but a decline in From left, Solomon Rotimi; Alhaji Jani Ibrahim; Senior Special Assistant to the President on Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs Moji Rhodes; Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq; Chief of Staff to the President Prof. Ibrahim Gambari; and R e s i d e n t Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Muhammed Yahaya; during a visit to the Kwara State Garment Factory, in Ilorin, on Friday. their purchasing power. The costs of staple food like rice, yam and garri have skyrocketed. Power supply is still epileptic. "Fuel is sold at far above the official pump rates in many parts of the country. This should not be happening in a country that is the 6th largest producer of crude oil in the world. Government should devise a strategy that makes fuel and other petroleum products available, accessible and affordable.“"The new government policy of Naira redesign, aimed at curbing inflation and fighting corruption and terrorism, is a lofty idea. "In any case, Naira redesign alone cannot provide the needed reprieve in the economy and confront the hydra-headed problems of corruption and terrorism. "A redesigned naira must necessarily be accompanied by strong institutional frameworks and laws such as an effective policing system, tracking and timely prosecution of corrupt persons and strengthening the security agencies to properly police Nigeria’s borders to prevent the influx of armed bandits from other countries." Hate speech, greatest danger to unity, stability of Nigeria - ACF Also cautioning against hate speech, the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, in a statement titled “Hate speech and violence will be our death” by its Secretary General, Murtala Aliyu, said: “Although Nigeria is already facing severe life threatening challenges arising from lack of security and the growing economic crises, it would seem that there are many desperate political leaders and other self-appointed commun i - tychampionsthatwilnothesitatetoaddmorefueltothefire. "As shamefully, most are driven by blind ambition or plain hatred. No one can fail to notice the alarming rise of tension and lawlessness as the election campaigns and cont e s t s g a t h e r pace. There are reports that some politicians are engaging thugs and violent persons to attack their op- Continues on Page 29
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