[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he 11th Bola Tinubu Colloquium to mark the 67th birthday of the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) kicked off in Abuja on Thursday where Governor Akinwunmi Ambode described the celebrator as “dogged leader’’. In a brief speech at the ceremony which held at the International Conference Centre (ICC), the Lagos state governor said that Tinubu with “undoubted political courage’’ spearheaded the ruling party to victory in recent the national elections.

He said that APC won at the national and state levels.

Ambode said that Asiwaju Tinubu had been a key to the successes and progress recorded by the current administration. Tinubu, he said, was also going to be part of the success of Nigeria in years to come.

“We are here today to celebrate the coming down.’’

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and many other dignitaries attended the colloquium. Commenting on “Nigeria’s Industrialisation Policy’’, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Okechukwu Enelamah, unveiled the administration’s plans to spur the country’s industrialisation and growth.

He listed Eyimba Industrial City, Lekki Modern Industrial Park and Funtua Cotton Cluster as major projects to grow Nigeria.

The Eyimba city in Abia state, he said, covered 9,500 hectares of land. The master plan has been completed. The partners in the project included South Africa, United Arab Emirate, China, African Export-Import Bank.

He reported that the power project for electricity had been put in place and the zone would create 625,000 jobs. The Lekki park is occupying 1,000 hectares of land designed to handle export of manufactured goods. The feasibility study of the zone has been prepared, he said.

The Funtua cotton cluster, he said would pull more than 8,000 farmers together to restore cotton production and value chain as well as produce feeds for animals and spur textile industry.

The zone, he said, would attract more than $2 billion investment

[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.