Connect with us

Headline

No Going Back, We Have Joined Mr President’s Party APC – Rivers Lawmaker, George

Published

on

As the political complexity in Rivers State continues to dominate discussions in the country, a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly, who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Enemi George, has ruled out returning to the former party.

 

Explaining the resolve of the cross carpeting members to remain with their new party, George, who was a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, said that 27 of them that moved to the APC are committed to supporting President Bola Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’.

 

“We have crossed that Rubicon. We have move to the APC. We voted for the President, if we find Mr President worthy of our votes then I think we should find him worthy of our support.

“We have moved over to join his Renewed Hope Agenda to work hands in gloves with him to ensure that the expectations of Nigerians are fulfilled. So, we have moved to the APC and we are working with the President, we have crossed that Rubicon and there is no going back for us,” George said.

Recall that Rivers has been embroiled in political fisticuffs as a result of disagreement between Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Nyesom Wike.

The crack between Wike and Fubara split lawmakers in the House with 27 of them decamping from the PDP to the ruling APC, a party in whose central government Wike currently serves as minister.

It degenerated to a level where the governor was served impeachment notice, saw the demolition of the Assembly complex, and a gale of resignations of pro-Wike commissioners in Fubara’s cabinet.

However, a resolution seemed to have been reached after Tunubu had a meeting with the warring parties on Monday.

Headline

EFCC bars dollar transactions, orders embassies to charge in naira

Published

on

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has barred foreign missions based in Nigeria from transacting in foreign currencies and mandated them to use Naira in their financial businesses.

 

The EFCC has also mandated Nigerian foreign missions domiciled abroad to accept Naira in their financial businesses.

 

The anti-graft agency said the move is to tackle the dollarisation of the Nigerian economy and the degradation of the naira

The Commission, therefore, asked the government to stop foreign missions in Nigeria from charging visa and other consular services in foreign denominations.

The EFCC gave the advisory in a letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Yusuf Tuggar, for onward transmission to all foreign missions in the country.

In the letter, the EFCC said it issued the advisory because the practice of paying for consular services in dollars was in conflict with extant laws and financial regulations in Nigeria.

In a letter dated April 5, 2024, which was addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, titled: “EFCC Advisory to Foreign Missions against Invoicing in US Dollar,” the EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede expressed dismay over the invoicing of consular services in Nigeria by foreign missions in dollars.

The EFCC cited Section 20(1) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007, which makes currencies issued by the apex bank the only legal tender in Nigeria.

The letter read, “I present to you the compliments of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and wish to notify you about the commission’s observation, with dismay, regarding the unhealthy practice by some foreign missions to invoice consular services to Nigerians and other foreign nationals in the country in United States dollar ($).

“It states that ‘the currency notes issued by the Bank shall be the legal tender in Nigeria on their face value for the payment of any amount’.

“This presupposes that any transaction in currencies other than the naira anywhere in Nigeria contravenes the law and is, therefore, illegal.”

The commission further stated that the rejection of the naira for consular services in Nigeria by certain missions, along with non-compliance with foreign exchange regulations in determining service costs, is not just unlawful but also undermines the nation’s sovereignty embodied in its official currency.

The letter continues: “This trend can no longer be tolerated, especially in a volatile economic environment where the country’s macroeconomic policies are constantly under attack by all manner of state and non-state actors.

“In light of the above, you may wish to convey the commission’s displeasure to all missions in Nigeria and restate Nigeria’s desire for their operations not to conflict with extant laws and regulations in the country.”

Diplomatic sources said yesterday, May 10, that some embassies were wondering whether the EFCC’s advisory represented the position of the Federal Government.

Continue Reading

Headline

Prince Harry visits sick Nigerian soldiers in Kaduna

Published

on

Prince Harry and his team visited the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna to interact with wounded soldiers who are receiving treatment.

 

The Duke of Sussex is in Nigeria with his wife to champion the Invictus Games, which Harry founded to aid the rehabilitation of wounded and sick servicemembers and veterans.

 

Nigeria joined the Invictus Community of Nations in 2022 becoming the first African country to join.

Prince Harry’s visit to Kaduna came 68 years after his late grandmother Queen Elizabeth II visited the state during the time of the late Premier of Northern Region Sir Ahmadu Bello.

Continue Reading

Facebook

Trending