Headlines
Tribunal declares Suswam winner of Benue North East senatorial election
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Tribunal declares Suswam winner of Benue North East senatorial election
The National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal has sacked Senator Emmanuel Udende of the All Progressives Congress and declared Senator Gabriel Suswam of the Peoples Democratic Party, the winner of the Benue North East senatorial election held on February 25, 2023.
The chairman of the panel, Justice Ory Zik-Ikeorha, and two justices entered judgment in favour of Suswam and PDP on Friday.
According to the judgment, Suswam and PDP fulfilled the requirement of the law in proving their case of irregularities such as mutilation, non-signing of documents, and non-inclusion of lawful votes among others.
One of the three members of the National/State Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, however, held that evidence by PDP’s Gabriel Suswam was grossly insufficient to sustain his petition.
He, therefore, dismissed the petition and awarded the cost of N100,000 in favour of each of the respondents against the petitioners.
Suswam and PDP’s petition was based on the argument that Udende did not score the majority of the lawful votes cast at the February 25 2023, Benue North East Senatorial District election.
Read Also: Tribunal dismisses LP, Obi’s petition on 25% votes in FCT
According to the decision of the dissenting judgment, irregularities can’t be assumed.
The judge affirmed that the law is that the proper person to give an account of the irregularities are polling unit agents, noting that ward agents are not allowed to “give a global account” of what happened at polling units.
He said, “It is the decision of the court that Suswam’s PW9’s statement on oath was not front-loaded alongside the petition and cannot form part of the petition.
“The fact that documents are admitted in evidence from the Bar does not mean that value is attached to them without putting life in them.”
Justice Mohammed concluded that having failed to do the needful, he cannot be moved by the petitioners to interrogate or address the petitions page by page after failing to breathe life into the documents tendered.
“Evidence of 19 witnesses who were not party to the malpractices said to have occurred over 400 polling units cannot substantiate the petition. No magic can be done. Evidence is grossly insufficient to sustain the petition. See no merit in the petition.
“The petition is therefore dismissed, with the award of N100,000 cost in favour of each of the respondents and against the petitioners,” he submitted.
Tribunal declares Suswam winner of Benue North East senatorial election
Headlines
Police to partner NDLEA against drug abuse in Osun
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The Commissioner of Police in Osun, Mohammed Abba, has pledged collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in tackling the menace of drug Abuse in the state.
A statement by the Police Public Relation Officer, CSP Yemisi Opalaola, on Thursday in Osogbo, said that the commissioner made the pledge while playing host to NDLEA State Commandant, Adetula Lawal.
Abba expressed his readiness to further strengthen the healthy partnership between the two agencies.
The police commissioner said that the fight against drug abuse required collective efforts.
According to him, many of those committing crimes are doing so under the influence of dangerous drugs.
Abba promised to provide the necessary support to the NDLEA in the state.
The statement quoted Lawal as commending the police commissioner’s efforts in combating crime and criminality in the state.
He reiterated the agency’s collaboration with the police, as a leading security agency to tackle the menace of drug abuse and trafficking in the state.
Headlines
Customs’ 4% FOB levy will further increase inflation – financial experts
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Financial experts have raised alarm that the implementation of the 4 per cent Free-On-Board (FOB) Levy on imports would exacerbate inflation in the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) report that the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Feb. 5 announced its introduction of the FOB levy on imports.
According to Abdullahi Maiwada, the spokesman of the service, the introduction of the levy was in line with the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act (NCSA) 2023.
“In line with the provisions of Section 18 (1) of NCSA 2023, the NCS is implementing a 4 per cent charge on the Free On-Board (FOB) value of imports.
“The FOB charge, which is calculated based on the value of imported goods, including the cost of goods and transportation expenses incurred up to the port of loading, is essential to driving the effective operation of the service.”
However, a former Chairman, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Ogun Chapter, Dr Wale Adegbite and Evans Osabuohien, a Professor of Economics, said that the levy would worsen the nation’s inflation rate.
In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Ota, Ogun, Adegbite and Osabuohien of the Department of Economics, Covenant University, said that the policy would negatively impact the economy.
The former MAN chairman said that the 4 per cent levy by the NCS “is a disaster and will worsen an already bad situation with multiple devastating effect on the economy.
” Why would the government inflict more hardship on the population as this new policy will certainly lead to more price increase, thus further increasing the country’s inflation rate.
“In addition, the masses will suffer more because of the impending price increase without any corresponding increase in income.”
Also, Osabuohien said that though the new FOB policy by the NCS was meant to generate more revenue for the federal government, but it would negatively impact on the economy.
He said that the NCS action would increase the cost of living of households.
The economist explained further that the development would increase the cost of operations of Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs), especially those companies that depend on imported raw materials for their production.
“This additional cost to be incurred through the 4 per cent increase in FOB would be transferred to the consumers and it would automatically trigger increase in the nation’s inflation rate,” Osabuohien said.
Foreign
Trump plans 25% tariffs on steel, aluminium imports
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U.S. President Donald Trump plans to impose tariffs of 25 per cent on steel and aluminium imports into the United States, he said on Sunday.
“Any steel coming to the United States is going to have them, 25 per cent tariff,” Trump said, according to journalists travelling with the president. When questioned about tariffs on aluminium imports, Trump replied, “25 Per cent for both.”
Trump also confirmed his plan to announce further reciprocal tariffs in the coming week.
He spoke of an announcement on Tuesday or Wednesday.
“Very simply, if they charge us, we charge them, Trump told reporters, adding that the tariffs would go into effect almost immediately.”
U.S. tariffs of 10 per cent on Chinese goods took effect from Feb. 4.
The planned tariffs of 25 per cent on Mexico and Canada were suspended for an initial period of 30 days following promises from the two countries to increase border security measures.
Trump won November’s presidential election promising to slap high tariffs on foreign goods to reduce U.S. trade deficits.
He implemented a number of duties during his first term from 2017 to 2021.
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