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NEWS
Lagos bye-election: PDP asks court to disqualify Abiru
Published
Tokunbo Abiru
Oladimeji Ramon
The Peoples Democratic Party has asked the Federal High Court in Lagos to disqualify the candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the upcoming bye-election for Lagos East Senatorial District.
The senatorial district seat became vacant at the Senate following the death of Senator Bayo Osinowo in June.
The PDP and its candidate, Babatunde Gbadamosi, are urging the court to disqualify the APC candidate, Tokunbo Abiru, over his alleged possession of two voter cards.
In the suit filed through their lawyer, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa (SAN), the PDP also alleged that Abiru is not from any of the local government areas under Lagos East Senatorial District.
The plaintiffs are urging the court to declare that Abiru, “who is not a registered voter in the Lagos East Senatorial District and having registered and exercised his right to vote outside Lagos East Senatorial District, cannot suddenly switch to Lagos East Senatorial District to contest for Senate without valid transfer of his voter registration card to the Lagos East Senatorial District through the 1st defendant (Independent National Electoral Commission).”
The PDP and Gbadamosi are praying the court to order INEC to “delete the name of the 2nd and 3rd defendants (Abiru and APC) from the list of the candidates and political parties to participate in the Lagos East by-election.”
But Abiru and the APC have, through their lawyer, Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), filed a preliminary objection, praying that the suit be dismissed.
The defendants, among others, said, “the complaints in this suit, as captured in questions 1-6 of the originating summons, as they relate to the residency or indigene of the 2nd defendant are not recognised grounds upon which the 2nd defendant can be disqualified from contesting an election.”
Justice Chuka Obiozor adjourned hearing in the suit till November 16.
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FEDERAL HIGH COURT LAGOS BYE-ELECTION
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NEWS
FG explains delay in payment of MDAs’ October salaries
Published November 2, 2020
Head of Service, Folashade Yemi-Esan
Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja
The Federal Government on Monday attributed the delay in payment of salaries in some Ministries, Departments and Agencies to the fact that the 2020 Budget was passed into law before the conclusion of negotiation on the new minimum wage and its consequential adjustment.
It said the provision made for salaries of some MDAs based on previous salaries had been exhausted, hence the delay in the payment of October salaries of some workers.
The Director of Information, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Olawunmi Ogunmosunle, in a statement made available to journalists quoted the HOCS, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, as making the clarification.
The statement was titled “FG explains delay in payment of October salary.”
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The clarification came amidst rising tension among the affected federal workers.
Some of the affected workers were said to have stormed the office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation at the Federal Secretariat Complex in the early hours of the day to demand the payment of their salaries.
Although Ogunmosunle denied knowledge of such protest, she admitted the delay in payment of October salaries and said a committee was already working to come up with the figure of what is needed to pay the salary.
She expressed the belief that the exercise will be concluded this week and the outstanding salary paid.
The statement read, “The Federal Government has given reasons for the delay in the payment of October, 2020 salary to civil servants, assuring that necessary steps have been taken to resolve the matter.
“The Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan in a statement issued on Monday, November 2, 2020 explained that the delay is due to the fact that the 2020 Budget was passed before the conclusion of negotiation on the new minimum wage and its consequential adjustment.
“She went further to explain that a lump sum was however provided in the 2020 Budget for minimum wage and its consequential adjustment.
“Dr. Yemi-Esan also disclosed that a committee made up of representatives of the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, the Budget Office and the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation has been set up to determine the shortfalls of Ministries, Extra- Ministerial Departments and Agencies.
“The shortfalls are to be paid from the lump sum already set aside in the budget for the minimum wage and its consequential adjustment.
“The committee is expected to conclude its work by the end of this week so that salaries can be paid.
“While appreciating civil servants for their patience, the Head of Service also informed them that she is in touch with the Director-General, Budget Office, who assured her that salaries will be paid by the end of this week.”
It was learnt that at least 428 MDAs in the federal civil service have reportedly exhausted their 2020 personnel costs and are therefore unable to pay salaries.
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MDAS’ SALARIES
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NEWS
Looting: Lagos business owners to get tax break -Sanwo-Olu
Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, addressing Store Owners of the looted and vandalised Circle Mall, Lekki, during a meeting on Sunday, November 1, 2020 (Photo: LASG)
The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has promised to assist the tenants and shop owners at the Circle Mall in Lekki, whose shops and stores were recently looted and razed by hoodlums.
On Wednesday, October 21, hoodlums went on the rampage and looted property worth billions of naira at Circle Mall and also set parts of the building ablaze.
The governor was quoted as making the promise in a press statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile, on Monday.
The statement was titled, ‘Circle mall looting: Sanwo-Olu promises tax break, financial support for business owners’.
Sanwo-Olu was quoted as speaking on Sunday during a condolence visit and meeting with tenants and shop owners at the Mall in Lekki.
Sanwo-Olu said, “Lagos State Government will give tax break and some financial assistance to all the business owners affected by the ugly incident.”
Speaking on his administration’s readiness to assist those affected by destruction in Circle Mall, Lekki, Sanwo-Olu was quoted as saying, “Lagos State Government will not leave the people to bear the pains alone. The government will assist them to return to their respective businesses.
“Lagos State Government will give all business owners in the burnt Circle Mall tax break of PAYE and also appealed to the Federal Government to ensure that they get tax relief from the Federal Internal Revenue Services.”
Sanwo-Olu said that “the State Government will give victims of the Circle Mall financial support, which will be in form of grant or loans to cushion the effect of the looting and destruction of their respective shops and stores.
“The grant support is non-refundable financial support to the victims. The affected businesses are not expected to pay back while the lending support would be in form of a loan.”
The governor said that he is “already discussing with some financial institutions to assist people with zero-interest loans”.
Sanwo-Olu also asked the shop owners to reach out to the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund and urged them to make use of the opportunities being provided by the agency in assisting people who are in business, especially small scale businesses.
Speaking earlier, the tenants at Circle Mall, appealed to Lagos State Government to strengthen the security around the Circle Mall to prevent future occurrences of the two attacks they suffered in the last 13 months.
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