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Governor Amosun, Loyalists Set To Dump APC

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Indications emerged on Wednesday that Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State and the entire All Progressives Congress structure in the state may decamp from the party on Thursday (today).

Elders of the party at a meeting on Wednesday evening in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, resolved that the controversy on the gubernatorial ticket should be put behind them as they prepare for the 2019 elections.

The resolution was arrived at after Governor Amosun had reportedly briefed the elders on all attempts made to validate the election of Hon. Abiodun Akinlade in the gubernatorial primaries in the state penultimate week.

The primaries ran into troubled waters when the State Chairman of the party announced the election of Akinlade, while the Chairman of the National Working Committee on the gubernatorial primary announced Prince Dapo Abiodun as the winner of the election.

The conflict remained unresolved and the Presidency directed primaries into state and federal legislative houses to establish the truth about conflicting claims of strength between the group led by Vice President Yemi Osibajo, Chief Olusegun Osoba and Dapo Abiodun on the one hand and Governor Amosun on the other.

The Amosun group claimed to have won all available seats, including three Senate, nine House of Representatives and 26 House of Assembly seats, leaving no seat for the Osinbajo/ Osoba group.

The son of Osoba, Olumide, who contested the House of Representatives ticket for Abeokuta Federal Constituency, was said to have been defeated by Hon. Muiz Kazeem by 23,000 votes to 4,050 votes.

However, the result, which was announced by the NWC committee in Abeokuta did not resolve the crisis.

The Osinbajo/Osoba group, which though accepted the result, consented to Akinlade as the gubernatorial candidate but on the condition that they were given two out of the three senatorial tickets, four out of the nine House of Representative tickets and 13 out of the 26 House of Assembly tickets.

The Amosun group rejected the request, insisting on the party respecting the outcome of the primary elections.

“It is clear that a candidate who lost all senatorial, representatives and Assembly seats could not have won the gubernatorial ticket. The party should do the right thing or else we leave,” a party official who pleaded anonymity said.

He explained that the party leaders had given up on the national leadership of the party but it was Governor Amosun who insisted on pursuing their aspirations on the platform of the APC because of his closeness to President Muhammadu Buhari.

The source added: “He told us that the President had instructed (the National Chairman of the APC, Adams) Oshiomole to announce the authentic result of the gubernatorial primaries, but he refused.

“If the President cannot enforce his orders, then he has lost control of his government and it is a waste of time defending him at the expense of our own future.

“If he refuses to accept our request, we will leave the governor alone with his friend.”

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JUST IN: CBN Increases Banks Capital Base To N500bn, N200bn For National Commercial Banks

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The capital basis for commercial banks with international permission has been raised to N500 billion by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The policy change was confirmed by Mrs. Hakama Sidi Ali, CBN’s acting director of corporate communications. in a declaration.

She added that commercial banks with regional authorization are expected to reach a capital floor of N50 billion, while those with national authority must meet a ceiling of N200 billion.

Announced on Thursday, March 28, 2024, this comprehensive financial reform requires significant increases in banks’ minimum capital bases, which vary depending on the size of the bank.

The latest policy directive specifies that commercial banks with international authorization are now required to shore up their capital base to N500 billion.

In a bid to tighten the financial fabric, the CBN has not overlooked merchant banks, which are now subject to a N50 billion minimum capital requirement.

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Detained Binance Executive Gambaryan Drags EFCC, NSA To Court

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Tigran Gambaryan, the CEO of Binance who is currently in detention, has claimed that he has been violated in his fundamental human rights by the Economic Financial Crimes Commission and Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser.

Gambaryan, in an originating motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/356/24 sought a declaration that his detention and seizure of his international travel passport, contravened Section 35 (1) and (4) of 1999 Constitution.

He urged the court to order the NSA and the EFCC to release him from their custody and return his international travel passport with immediate effect.

Gambaryan also sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents and their agents from further detaining him in relation to any investigation into or demands from Binance.

He also urged the court to order the respondents to issue a public apology to him.

Gambaryan averred that he was in Nigeria alongside fleeing Nadeem Anjarwalla to honour the invitation of the ONSA and EFCC to discuss issues relating to Binance in Nigeria.

Anjarwalla escaped from the guest house where he and Gambaryan were being held

He argued that he had not committed any offence during the meeting, and neither was he informed in writing of any offence he personally committed in Nigeria at any other time.

“The only reason for his detention is because the government is requesting information from Binance and making demands on the company,” he added.

The fleeing Anjarwalla also filed a similar suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/355/24.

At the proceedings on Thursday, T.J. Krukrubo (SAN) appeared for the plaintiffs, while the respondents had no representation.

Krukrubo informed the court that the respondents were served two days ago.

Shortly after that, he announced to the court that he was withdrawing from the matter as counsel for the fleeing Anjarwalla.

He did not give reasons for his withdrawal.

The trial judge, Justice Inyang Ekwo, adjourned the matter till April 8.

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Federal Government To Arraign Binance Executives Over ‘Tax Evasion’ On April 4

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On April 4, the federal authorities will file charges against senior executives of the cryptocurrency company Binance, Tigran Gambaryan, and Nadeem Anjarwalla, for allegedly engaging in “tax evasion.”

Anjarwalla is Binance’s regional manager for Africa, while Gambaryan oversees the company’s compliance with financial crimes.

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) charged Binance with a crime on March 25th for “tax evasion.”

The service claims that the action is intended to maintain national economic integrity and fiscal discipline.

The lawsuit, designated as suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/115/2024, is said to “implicate Binance with a four-count tax evasion accusation”.

However, on Thursday, NAN reported the federal government will charge the three defendants before Emeka Nwite, the presiding judge, at the federal high court (FHC) in Abuja on a four-count charge.

Despite not being a vacation judge, according to the report, the chief judge granted the fiat for the judge to oversee the case during vacation because it is a matter of critical national interest.

The lawsuit comes a month after Anjarwalla and Gambaryan were detained by the Nigerian authorities.

Anjarwalla and Gambaryan had flown into Nigeria but had their passports seized by ONSA.

On March 12, Anjarwalla was transferred to a local hospital after he fell ill while in detention in Nigeria.

However, on March 25, Anjarwalla escaped from custody and fled Nigeria with a smuggled passport.

Meanwhile, Gambaryan, on March 28, sued Nuhu Ribadu, the national security adviser (NSA) and the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alleging violation of his fundamental rights.

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