[dropcap]P[/dropcap]resident Muhammadu Buhari and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, National Leader, the All Progressives Congress (APC), say infrastructure development is a critical component of the Next Level of the administration.

The duo said this at the 11th Bola Tinubu Colloquium held in commemoration of Tinubu’s 67th birthday on Thursday in Abuja with theme, `Next Level: Work for People.’ Next Level was the campaign slogan of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the 2019 presidential campaign.

Represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Buhari said that fixing infrastructure was crucial to achieving socio-economic development; hence the Next Level focused on agriculture.

“For us, infrastructure is critical at the Next Level; we cannot have transformative development with the type of power we have today; that is why we are focused on power and other infrastructure.“We are focused on fixing infrastructure in our country and we believe that if we are able to fix infrastructure in our country, the roads, the rail and especially power, we will be able to make significant progress.

“Today, our rail project starts from the Apapa Port so that we will be able to clear the congestion in that port because the Lagos to Kano railway begins from the Apapa port.

“We can start taking our cargo from the Apapa port using rail as an alternative means of transportation.’’

On agriculture, he said transformation had started in the sector with the partnership between Nigeria and Brazil.

According to him, reforms are being made in the education and healthcare sectors as emphasis is on digital literacy, training our teachers to be able to train the next generation of children in school.

“So, we are focusing on Science Technology Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) not Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

“We are focusing on training young people on digital skills, critical thinking and some other skills that are necessary for the kind of jobs that the 21st century will provide,’’ he said.

Buhari extolled Tinubu’s leadership qualities and contributions to the entrenchment of democracy in Nigeria.

On his part, Tinubu said that government should continue to aggressively implement its national infrastructure plan.

He said that Nigeria must commit to a national highway system linking its major cities and towns and centres of commerce with one another.

“In working to transform the face of our economy, government must also enact policies that encourage industrialisation and modern agricultural practices.

“ We must applaud President Muhammadu Buhari for the historic innovations made in the agricultural sector.

“We must further encourage him to do even more; government funded social security for the aged and government backed affordable housing and mortgage facilities are things we must continue to explore in an aggressive manner.’’

He advised the Federal Government against increasing the Value Added Tax (VAT), adding that it would have negative impact on the citizens. “Consumer spending is sleepy and this is where I will stop and appeal to Osinbajo and his team to put a huge question mark on any increase of VAT please.

“ If we reduce the purchasing power of the people, we can further slow down the economy. Let’s widen the tax net.

“Those who are not paying now even if it is inclusive of Bola Tinubu; let the net get bigger and take more taxes and that is what we must do in the country instead of additional layer in taxes,” he said.

Earlier, the Chief Host and Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, described Tinubu as a man with high political dexterity and a dogged national leader of APC who spearheaded the party to victory in the last presidential election.

The colloquium attracted many dignitaries, including Governors of Ondo, Kano, Oyo, Zamfara, Bauchi, Osun, Ekiti, Plateau, the Governor-elect of Lagos State, and Governor-elect of Kwara State and the National Chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole.

Ministers, traditional rulers, diplomats and some service chiefs were also in attendance.

The highpoint of the event was the cutting of birthday cake.

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Thursday, cleared air on its decision to withhold Certificates of Return of Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State and three others.

Mr Festus Okoye, INEC National Electoral Commissioner, Information and Voter Education, said the decision “does not amount to shifting goal post at the middle of a match.“

He said on Thursday in Awka, Anambra State that INEC only issue certificate to people who genuinely won elections.

“Issuance of Certificates of Return is a statutory function of INEC, it is only issued to those who won election and must be done through free will of a returning officer.

“In the case of Imo West Senatorial zone where Okorocha contested, the Otu-Opi Federal Constituency in Benue, Agayi State Constituency and another in Akwa Ibom.

“What INEC is saying is that you can’t engage in bad electoral behaviour and expect INEC to reward you with a certificate. “Our certificate is only for those who won freely,” he said.

Okoye said the commission has the right not to issue certificate to such persons as it would amount to abnormality.He said INEC action is not targetted at the voters who voted people of their choice, but to address excesses of those who wanted to use unconventional means to win elections.

“Once we have such case, INEC will not issue certificate, but ensure that the right thing is done,” he said. He said at the moment that contenders of the positions in all the four affected areas are in court adding that INEC is awaiting for the outcome of the pending matters.

Okoye said if the court orders INEC to issue certificates of return to the people involved, it would do same. He said if a consequential order is made directing INEC to conduct fresh election in the areas, the commission would do same.

[dropcap]S[/dropcap]enator Ahmad Lawan, who has been adopted by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Presidency of the ninth Senate, has described those who have been bandying news around about his plan to amend the country’s constitution to pave way for President Muhammadu Buhari to go for third term as President after 2013 as evil thinkers.

“To say that Senator Ahmad Lawan will amend the constitution to keep him (President Buhari) in office beyond 2023 is just the height of evil thinking and bad politics taken too far.”

In a statement today, Wednesday, by his spokesman, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, the possible Senate President described such allegation as fake news, saying that the story is a desperate plot concocted by “evil and desperate politicians” bent on frustrating the emergence of Senator Lawan as Senate President in the 9th National Assembly.

“This is just a very desperate attempt by detractors and some politicians who want to taint the good image of the Senate Leader, and the future Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan.”

“When we (Senators) met the President two days ago, he (President) was very emphatic that he has stood for election five times, and this is his last.

“The President made it clear that he wants to retire quietly to his home, on the basis of which he is going to work very hard these four years since Nigerians have given him this opportunity, to leave a lasting legacy behind.”

 “The President’s statement clearly shows that he is a full democrat who knows that our constitution only provides for second term which he has gotten, and for which he is grateful to Nigerians.

“Therefore, to come back to say that Senator Ahmad Lawan will amend the constitution to keep him in office beyond 2023 is just the height of evil thinking and bad politics taken too far.

“The public should discountenance that and focus on supporting a very genuine and transparent process that will lead to the emergence of our own choice leaders as Senators-elect when the 9th Senate unveils.”

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, Nigeria’s federal capital, has revoked the bail granted the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu and that he should be rearrested immediately.

A report by Channels Television said that Justice Binta Nyako gave the order in a ruling today, Thursday.

“She explained that the court gave the order because Mr Kanu had failed to appear in court after his bail was granted in April 2017,” the report said.

Nnamdi Kanu has since returned to his base in the United Kingdom after initial stay in Israel following his escape from Nigeria amidst military crackdown at his family home in Afaraukwu, Umuahia, Abia State.

[dropcap]E[/dropcap]kiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi has floored the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate in last year’s governorship election in the state, Olusola Eleka at the Appeal Court. At Thursday’s judgment, the Appeal Court in Abuja affirmed Fayemi’s victory at the July 14, 2018 governorship election in the state.

The judgment was unanimous as the three-man panel, led by Justice Stephen Adah, dismissed the appeal filed by Eleka.Adah stated that the appeal by Eleka lacked merit and upheld Fayemi’s victory at the poll.

Adah, said the court resolved all the seven issues raised against the appellants and in favour of the respondents — Fayemi, INEC and APC.

The court, which had conducted a hearing on the appeal earlier on Tuesday, dismissed the case in its judgment on Thursday for lacking in merit. Justices Tinuade Akomolafe-Wilson and Emmanuel Agim agreed with the lead judgment delivered by Justice Adah. The summary of the judgment given on Thursday lasted more than 30 minutes.

The Independent National Electoral Commission had last year declared that Fayemi and his party, the All Progressives Congress, polled a total of 197,459 votes to defeated Eleka and the PDP who placed second with 178,121 votes in the July 14, 2018 election. Dissatisfied with the outcome, PDP and Eleka had filed their petition before the Ekiti State Election Petition Tribunal which sat and delivered its judgment in Abuja.

The petitioners alleged, among others in their petition, that the election was marred by a lot of wrongs, including non-compliance with the Electoral Act.

But the tribunal on January 28, 2019 dismissed their petition and affirmed the results declared by INEC.

The petitioners further appealed to the Court of Appeal, raising seven issues against the judgment of the tribunal, Punch reports.

[dropcap]L[/dropcap]osers in the Saturday, March 23 supplementary governorship elections are protesting the results, threatening to challenge the results at the election tribunals.

The Sokoto State Chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) was first to reject the declaration of Governor Aminu Tambuwal of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winner of the election in the state.

Speaking to news men in Sokoto today, Sunday, the APC’s spokesman, Bello Danchadi, alleged that the election process was flawed with irregularities, which he said were duly reported to electoral body.

Danchadi said that the margin of 342 votes was far less than the registered voters in polling units where elections were not held, a development which he said contravened the electoral law.

He said that the party had also registered its complaints to INEC, which included alleged outright rigging perpetrated by the PDP.

He alleged that some eligible voters at some polling centres were denied voting, and in some places repeated votings were recorded. “We draw the attention of INEC to a number of polling units that were canceled as result of violent attacks by thugs, while others were arbitrarily canceled to please certain political party interests.

“In view of these we deem it necessary to express our disagreement with the action taken by INEC to declare a winner without giving us a fair hearing in our position in the electoral processes.”

In Benue, the APC also rejected the outcome of the governorship election, saying that the results did not reflect the wishes of the people.

In a statement by the Secretary of the Jime/Ode Campaign Organization, Eugene Aliegba, the party said that it would challenge the results in court.

The statement insisted that the outcome of the poll was “totally unacceptable to the APC”.

And senator Jeremiah Useni, gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau has vowed to challenge the re-election of Governor Simon Lalong for another term. Useni said that he and his team had gone through both the official results released by INEC and the documents submitted by the party’s field staff and had reservations.

“We have every reason to believe that justice has not been done to our people in this election because there was massive rigging and electoral shortcomings. Sokoto re-run: INEC halts results collation over 1 LGA “After due consultation, I hereby state that the results announced by INEC is not acceptable to us.

“Consequently, we have requested our legal team to activate all the due processes to reclaim our cherished mandate.

“I give you my word that we will pursue this matter diligently, and by the grace of God, we will overturn and recover the people’s mandate.”

[dropcap]P[/dropcap]resident Muhamamdu Buhari, on Monday, received the report of the Technical Advisory Committee on the implementation of the new National Minimum Wage at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

President Buhari had on January 9 inaugurated the advisory committee chaired by an economist and financial expert, Mr Bismarck Rewane, where he reiterated his commitment to an upward review of the minimum wage.

The president had on December 19, 2018 while presenting the 2019 Appropriation Bill at the joint session of the National Assembly announced his intention to constitute the committee.