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Electoral Bill: CSOs Demand Buhari’s Assent In Two Days, To Stage Protest Tuesday

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Following President Muhammadu Buhari’s delay in signing the revised Electoral Act Amendment Bill, no fewer than 26 civil society organizations have decided to stage a demonstration on Tuesday if the bill is not signed by the President within two days.

The group invited its supporters to gather at Abuja’s Unity Fountain for the protest.

Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, Yiaga Africa, Partners for Electoral Reform, International Press Centre, Institute for Media and Society, Nigerian Women Trust Fund, The Albino Foundation, Centre for Citizens with Disabilities, Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism, Labour Civil Society Coalition, Transition Monitoring Group, CLEEN Foundation, and Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre are among the organizations that make up the coalition.

Others are Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre, Nigeria Network of Non-Governmental Organisations, Inclusive Friends Association, Enough is Enough, The Electoral Hub, Centre for Liberty, Take Back Nigeria Movement, International Peace and Civic Responsibility Centre, 100 Women Lobby Group, Women in Politics Forum, Raising New Voices, Millennials Active Citizenship Advocacy Africa and Ready To Lead Africa.

On January 31 2022, the National Assembly transmitted the reworked bill to the President for assent.

Buhari consequently forwarded it to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), for legal advice.

Malami had hinted that he might advise the President to withhold assent if he (Malami) found the reworked bill to contain proposals hinged on personal interests.

The CSOs in a statement on Saturday by the Media Officer of Yiaga Africa, Moshood Isah, after an emergency meeting, urged citizens across the nation to “call on President Muhammadu Buhari to act on this matter of urgent national importance.”

The coalition said the bill allowed electronic transmission of results, strengthened the financial independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission and empowered the commission to reject falsified election results.

The statement read in part, “Further aware, the bill, when signed, requires INEC to issue Notice of Election not later than 360 days before the day appointed for an election. Therefore, the President has to give assent to the bill on or before February 22, 2022, if the dates announced for the 2023 elections are to be maintained.

“We are concerned that the delay in granting presidential assent to the Electoral Bill, 2022 will create legal uncertainties that threaten the integrity of the off-cycle elections in Ekiti, Osun, and the 2023 general election, which is 366 days away.

“The civil society community resolves to declare Tuesday, February 22, 2022, as the national day of protest to demand immediate assent to the bill. Civil society networks will organise peaceful public direct-action activities to further the demand to assent to the bill. We urge citizens across the nation to call on President Muhammadu Buhari to act on this matter of urgent national importance.”

The President has not shown any significant sign of signing the reworked bill 20 days after it was transmitted to him by the National Assembly.

By law, the President is expected to respond to the National Assembly’s proposal not more than 30 days after receiving it.

The bill was transmitted to him on January 31, 2022, meaning he has barely 10 days left to act on it. The President has in the last five years rejected electoral amendment bills five times.

The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, had said last month that the commission would quickly release the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2023 general elections based on the new law once the bill is signed by the President.

However, there are indications that INEC will go ahead with its preparations rather than allow Buhari’s failure to sign the bill to delay its activities.

The National Commissioner for Voter Education and Publicity, Festus Okoye, said on Channels Television that the commission could conduct the 2023 general elections with the current Electoral Act 2010.

Okoye added that Buhari not signing the Electoral Act amendment bill did not affect the FCT council election that took place on Saturday as the poll went smoothly.

He explained that INEC is an agency of the government that works with existing laws and it would continue to do so.

When asked if the President’s refusal to sign the electoral bill affected the conduct of the FCT poll, Okoye said, “Not in any way.”

When asked if the commission would be able to deliver a credible election in 2023 if the President doesn’t sign the electoral bill, Okoye said, “As an electoral management body, our responsibility is to utilise the existing law and conduct our elections very well.”

Also speaking with Sunday PUNCH, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, said although the commission would be happy if Buhari signs the bill, the commission which is a product of the law would go ahead with its core mandate of organising elections.

On whether INEC would be forced to shift February 18, 2023, due to the controversy surrounding the electoral bill, Oyekanmi said it would be speculative to provide a response.

He added, “When the commission decides on whether or not to postpone the elections, we will come up with a statement but it is not wise to speculate. As a commission, we would like to see the electoral amendment bill signed but let us not forget that there is existing law.

“What that means is that if perchance the bill is not signed by Mr President, INEC will have no option but to fall back on the existing law to conduct the elections because the constitution does not say that you must wait for the amendment of one law or the other before you conduct general elections. General elections must hold every four years.”

Meanwhile, a top government official told Sunday PUNCH that it was unlikely that the President would sign the electoral bill.

The official, who wished to remain anonymous because he was not authorised to speak with the press, said the National Assembly did not comply with the President’s letter which he issued while explaining his reason for rejecting the previous bill last December.

He said, “The National Assembly was only expected to remove the mandatory direct primary and add all options which include: direct, indirect and consensus. However, they have now inserted a clause that says that in the event that consensus is adopted, all aspirants who choose to step down must put it into writing.

“This last clause is a recipe for disaster. The President has been advised against signing this bill. I will be surprised if he appends his signature to it. But nothing is impossible in politics.”

BIG STORY

NDPC Fines MultiChoice N766m For ‘Violating Privacy Of Subscribers’

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The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) has imposed a fine of N766.24 million on MultiChoice Nigeria, the parent company of DStv and GOtv, for “violating the privacy of subscribers and their friends”.

In a statement on Sunday signed by Babatunde Bamigboye, head of legal, enforcement and regulations at NDPC, the commission explained that the sanction followed an investigation launched in the second quarter of 2024.

NDPC said MultiChoice was found to have breached the Nigeria Data Protection (NDP) Act after an inquiry into alleged violations of the privacy rights of its subscribers and the illegal cross-border transfer of personal data belonging to Nigerians.

“NDPC found, among others, that Multichoice violated the data privacy rights of subscribers and their friends who are not necessarily subscribers,” the commission stated.

“The Commission also found that Multichoice carries out illegal cross-border transfer of personal data relating to data subjects in Nigeria.

“The depth of data processing by Multichoice is patently intrusive, unfair, unnecessary and disproportionate. This is a grave affront to fundamental right to privacy as enshrined in section 37 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Nigeria is entitled to protect her citizens, and data sovereignty under both international and extant municipal laws – as these have far-reaching implication for rule of law, national security and economic growth.

“In line with its standard remediation procedure, the Commission directed Multichoice to carry out appropriate remedial measures. However, the Commission found the measures undertaken by Multichoice in this regard unsatisfactory.

“For want of cooperation, the Commission has directed Multichoice to pay N766,242,500 for violating the Nigeria Data Protection Act.”

NDPC also stated that Vincent Olatunji, the national commissioner of the agency, has directed that every outlet through which MultiChoice collects Nigerians’ personal data be investigated for possible non-compliance.

Olatunji emphasized that any outlet processing personal data in violation of the NDP Act would be subject to a penalty as stipulated by the Act.

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BIG STORY

US Court Jails Nigerian Pastor Over $4.2million COVID-19 Fraud As Monarch Forfeits Properties

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They appeared before Justice Christopher Boyko at the US District Court of Ohio.

A Nigerian pastor, Edward Oluwasanmi, has been sentenced by a United States District Court to 27 months in prison for defrauding the COVID-19 relief fund.

His associate, the Apetu of Ipetumodu, Oba Joseph Oloyede, forfeited his property to the US government while awaiting a court ruling set for August 1.

Oluwasanmi and Oba Oloyede were arrested in early 2024 for fraudulently obtaining $4.2 million in COVID-19 relief funds.

They were charged with 13 counts, including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud, money laundering, and engaging in monetary transactions involving criminal proceeds.

They were brought before Justice Christopher Boyko at the US District Court of Ohio.

Reports indicated both men pleaded guilty to some of the charges under a plea agreement.

According to court documents, Judge Boyko sentenced Oluwasanmi on Wednesday, July 2, to 27 months on counts one, 11, and 12 of the indictment.

The sentences will run concurrently.

The court also ordered Oluwasanmi to pay a $15,000 fine and report to the U.S. Marshal Service.

The court stated, “Supervised release three years on each of counts 1 and 11-12, all such terms to run concurrently, with standard and special conditions.”

It also declared, “As a result of the foregoing offenses, defendants Joseph Oloyede and Edward Oluwasanmi shall forfeit to the United States: all property, real and personal, which constitutes – or is derived from – proceeds traceable to the commission of the wire fraud, wire fraud conspiracy offenses; all property constituting, or derived from, proceeds the defendants obtained, directly or indirectly, as the result of the wire fraud, wire fraud conspiracy offenses and any and all property, real and personal involved in the money laundering offenses, and any property traceable to such property.”

Oluwasanmi will forfeit a commercial property located at 422 South Green Road, South Euclid, Ohio. Meanwhile, the court scheduled Friday, August 1, for the sentencing of Oloyede after the monarch pleaded guilty to counts one and 13 of his indictment.

On Monday, April 21, Oba Oloyede, a US-based accountant and information systems professional crowned Apetu in July 2019, entered his guilty plea before the court.

Oba Oloyede and Oluwasanmi were accused of submitting fake applications for the Paycheck Protection Programme and Economic Injury Disaster Loans under the US Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act between April 2020 and February 2022.

They allegedly used falsified tax and wage documents to obtain funds intended to help struggling businesses during the pandemic.

The Act was meant to offer emergency financial relief to Americans facing the economic consequences of COVID-19 by providing loans to small businesses and nonprofits.

Oba Oloyede was alleged to have used some of his companies, including Available Tax Services Incorporated, Available Financial Corporation, and Available Transportation Company, to commit the fraud.

Following the monarch’s disappearance, the Osun State Government said it would wait for the conclusion of his trial before deciding on any action.

The state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, said, “A person is innocent until a court convicts them. So, we don’t want to jump the gun; let us wait for the court’s pronouncement on the matter.”

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UK Grants Duty-free Access To 3,000 Nigerian Products Under New Trade Scheme

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The United Kingdom has revealed that more than 3,000 Nigerian products, such as cocoa and cashew, are now eligible to enter the UK market either duty-free or at reduced tariffs. The Country Director for the UK Department for Business and Trade, Mark Smithson, announced this development as part of the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) in a recent video released by the UK in Nigeria.

“Up to 3,000 products from Nigeria qualify for low tariff or no tariff access to the UK through the Developing Countries Scheme, one of the most generous trading schemes in the world,” Smithson stated.

He added that the UK has streamlined the process for Nigerian exporters, making it simpler to trade a wide range of goods, including cocoa and textiles.

Smithson urged Nigerian exporters to take advantage of this opportunity.

“The UK is open and looking to do business with Nigeria. So why don’t you go to the website and find out more about the Developing Countries Trading Scheme and begin to trade with us?”

The DCTS, launched in 2023, replaced the UK’s former Generalised Scheme of Preferences. It aims to lower tariffs and simplify trading regulations for over 60 developing countries, Nigeria included.

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