Inec Plans Against Void Vote In Ogun

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ogun state has embarked on massive voter education/awareness campaign programme for women in the state ahead of the 2015 general elections.

The commission which declared that apart from voter's apathy, the major problem confronting the electorates is lack of knowledge on how to vote right.

Speaking during the programme, held at NUT hall, Kuto, Abeokuta, the Head of Voters Education and Publicity of the Commission in the state, Leo Inkedife, said the state recorded a total of 48, 000 void votes in the 2011 general elections, noting that such awareness and education programme was necessary at this point in time in order to guide against recurrence of such development.

First 3D Animated Film Unveiled In Nigeria

Nigeria's finest creative animator Victor Enoch whose works so far has recorded itself in the book of life especially in the history of Nigeria technological sector and animation has unveiled Nigeria's first 3d Animated film titled "Dave and Golly".

Briefing newsmen recently, Mr enoch who also produced House of Ajebo, says the film is an animated comedy skits meant to bring the Disney World standard of animation to Nigeria.

Dave and Golly is set to hit cinemas soon.

NSE sets deadline for VAT refund

 The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has given stockbrokers up till Friday, January 30, 2015 to submit documented evidence of refund of Value Added Tax (VAT) that were deducted between October 1 and 24, 2014 to investors.

It should be recalled that the Federal Government had commenced the implementation of the exemption of commissions on stock market transactions from Value Added Tax (VAT) as from October 1, 2014. However, the announcement was delayed until late October.

The exemption, which was first announced as part of measures to resuscitate the market in December 2012, was part of a basket of incentives outlined by Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. She had on December 3, 2012, announced the exemption of stock market transactions from VAT and stamp duty. However, the implementation had dragged over the years. The stamp duty waiver, which was also announced in 2012, is yet to be implemented.

The exemptions from VAT included commissions earned on traded values of shares, and those that are payable to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS). The exemption is effective for a period of five years according to the Federal Government gazette on the issue.

A circular obtained yesterday by The Nation indicated that the Exchange would commence the verification of the full refund of the VAT that were deducted within the delayed period between the announcement of the removal of VAT on Stock Exchange transactions and the release of the gazette.

Stockbrokers had continued the deduction of VAT on transactions before the release of the gazette.

Meanwhile, FBN Capital, the investment banking arm of FBN Holdings Plc, has predicted that the Nigerian equity market may close flat this year with average year-on-year gain of 1.0 per cent.

Analysts’ report from FBN Capital noted that while the downtrend at the stock market has created attractive buy opportunities, investors might wait on the sideline as the macroeconomic outlook remained overshadowed by the decline in crude oil price.

“The fall of the index in Lagos has produced buying opportunities in both banks and non-financials although we do not see a clear recovery until investors feel that the oil price has reached its floor. FBN Capital sees a 1.0 per cent gain for the index over the full year,” FBN Capital stated.

The report noted that the rationale for investment remains firm household spending and the prospect of a renewed reform momentum once the electoral cycle has ended.

The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has given stockbrokers up till Friday, January 30, 2015 to submit documented evidence of refund of Value Added Tax (VAT) that were deducted between October 1 and 24, 2014 to investors.
It should be recalled that the Federal Government had commenced the implementation of the exemption of commissions on stock market transactions from Value Added Tax (VAT) as from October 1, 2014. However, the announcement was delayed until late October.
The exemption, which was first announced as part of measures to resuscitate the market in December 2012, was part of a basket of incentives outlined by Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. She had on December 3, 2012, announced the exemption of stock market transactions from VAT and stamp duty. However, the implementation had dragged over the years. The stamp duty waiver, which was also announced in 2012, is yet to be implemented.
The exemptions from VAT included commissions earned on traded values of shares, and those that are payable to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS). The exemption is effective for a period of five years according to the Federal Government gazette on the issue.
A circular obtained yesterday by The Nation indicated that the Exchange would commence the verification of the full refund of the VAT that were deducted within the delayed period between the announcement of the removal of VAT on Stock Exchange transactions and the release of the gazette.
Stockbrokers had continued the deduction of VAT on transactions before the release of the gazette.
Meanwhile, FBN Capital, the investment banking arm of FBN Holdings Plc, has predicted that the Nigerian equity market may close flat this year with average year-on-year gain of 1.0 per cent.
Analysts’ report from FBN Capital noted that while the downtrend at the stock market has created attractive buy opportunities, investors might wait on the sideline as the macroeconomic outlook remained overshadowed by the decline in crude oil price.
“The fall of the index in Lagos has produced buying opportunities in both banks and non-financials although we do not see a clear recovery until investors feel that the oil price has reached its floor. FBN Capital sees a 1.0 per cent gain for the index over the full year,” FBN Capital stated.
The report noted that the rationale for investment remains firm household spending and the prospect of a renewed reform momentum once the electoral cycle has ended.
- See more at: http://tvcontinental.tv/article/nse-sets-deadline-vat-refund#sthash.OzUZfWXu.dpuf

FG Fires Back, Says Soludo’s Tenure a Disaster

The Federal Government has described the five year Prof Chukuwma Soludo used as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria as a failure and a disaster to the banking sector.

Soludo who on monday wrote an article saying that Goodluck Jonathan has performed woefully as the president of Nigeria.

But the Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala while reacting through a statement issued by her Special Adviser Communications, Mr Paul Nwabuikwu said Soludo through his article has committed what she described as “intellectual harakiri.”

The Minister noted that not only was the article littered with abusive and unbecoming language, it shows Soludo, whom she described as an “embittered loser in the Nigerian political space” can get so derailed by misquoting economic facts and maliciously turning statistics on their head to justify a hatchet job.”

Military deploys drones to battle Boko Haram

Come drones and other sophisticated equipment have been deployed in the Northeast to curtail Boko Haram’s insurgency, The Nation learnt yesterday.

It was also learnt that the military intensified air strikes on Boko Haram bases in Monguno to reclaim the town, which fell to the sect’s fighters last weekend.

The acquisition of the drones is part of the new massive military campaign to be launched soon against Boko Haram.

A source, who spoke in confidence, said most of the equipment were sourced from the Far East, including Russia and Ukraine, following lack of cooperation by some Western countries.

The source said the arrival of the hardware has boosted the morale of troops.

The source said: “The military has deployed some drones and sophisticated hardware in the North-East in line with its timeline to end Boko Haram insurgency.

“These drones will complement ongoing air and land strikes against some bases of the sect.

“The simultaneous attacks on Monguno, Konduga and Maiduguri by Boko Haram insurgents were pre-emptive steps against the military by the sect.

“With effective equipment, the insurgents were aware that the game is up and in annoyance, they decided to attack military installations and troops.”

The military has intensified air strikes on the insurgents’ locations in Monguno.

Another source said: “Troops will soon reclaim Monguno because the insurgents in the town have been trapped. They cannot move away from the town since troops have laid siege to all entry and exit points.

“You see, the insurgents also struck in Monguno, Konduga and Maiduguri to divert attention of the military from the relocation of some of their commanders from one of their strategic camps to another.”

Fleeing residents yesterday disclosed that the insurgents are in full control of the town.

Abdullahi Jibril, who fled to Maiduguri through Gajiganna told our correspondent that there was no military presence in Monguno.

Jibril said residents of Gajiganna, a town on the Baga/ Monguno road, were also on the run for fear of an impending attack by the insurgents.

“As I am talking to you now, there is no single soldier in Monguno. Anybody that is saying that there are soldiers fighting in Monguno is lying. The Boko Haram have put their flag in the hospital, police station and the military barracks. They are preaching in the place right now.

“I was lucky to escape after I moved my father and my mother to Gajiganna. They killed the Imam Bachila of Bakasi area. They also caught the chief Imam of Monguno town, Liman Modu who is the most respected in the town,” Abdullahi Jibril informed.

Hundreds of soldiers from Monguno are stranded and loitering on the streets of Maiduguri after the Sunday attack on the military formation in the area.

The soldiers were denied access to Maimalari Barracks and some of them were rather camped at AIT on Damboa Road.

Our correspondent who was on Baga Road saw many stranded soldiers among other hundred displaced civilians from Monguno, Baga and Gajiganna sitting under tree, with nowhere to go.

Some of the soldiers had their guns on their shoulders, their shuttle bags on their back.

Some of the soldiers who spoke on condition of anonymity expressed anger with the Federal Government for, according to him, not doing enough for them in the fight against Boko Haram.

“I can’t imagine that a Federal Government will abandon her soldiers to die in a fight that cannot take one hour to finish with serious commitment. We fight in the bush with Boko Haram and no one sends us any jet but when one man is coming for campaign, you see many Alpha Jets with helicopter gunships patrolling, flying in the air. Is this fair?” a soldier said.

Some of the soldiers were angry that they were denied access to the Maimalari Barracks in Maiduguri.

One said: “Can you imagine that as soldiers, we came into Maiduguri and the army authorities turned us down from entering the barracks. Where is the esprit de corps that we preach among us?”

Come drones and other sophisticated equipment have been deployed in the Northeast to curtail Boko Haram’s insurgency, The Nation learnt yesterday.
It was also learnt that the military intensified air strikes on Boko Haram bases in Monguno to reclaim the town, which fell to the sect’s fighters last weekend.
The acquisition of the drones is part of the new massive military campaign to be launched soon against Boko Haram.
A source, who spoke in confidence, said most of the equipment were sourced from the Far East, including Russia and Ukraine, following lack of cooperation by some Western countries.
The source said the arrival of the hardware has boosted the morale of troops.
The source said: “The military has deployed some drones and sophisticated hardware in the North-East in line with its timeline to end Boko Haram insurgency.
“These drones will complement ongoing air and land strikes against some bases of the sect.
“The simultaneous attacks on Monguno, Konduga and Maiduguri by Boko Haram insurgents were pre-emptive steps against the military by the sect.
“With effective equipment, the insurgents were aware that the game is up and in annoyance, they decided to attack military installations and troops.”
The military has intensified air strikes on the insurgents’ locations in Monguno.
Another source said: “Troops will soon reclaim Monguno because the insurgents in the town have been trapped. They cannot move away from the town since troops have laid siege to all entry and exit points.
“You see, the insurgents also struck in Monguno, Konduga and Maiduguri to divert attention of the military from the relocation of some of their commanders from one of their strategic camps to another.”
Fleeing residents yesterday disclosed that the insurgents are in full control of the town.
Abdullahi Jibril, who fled to Maiduguri through Gajiganna told our correspondent that there was no military presence in Monguno.
Jibril said residents of Gajiganna, a town on the Baga/ Monguno road, were also on the run for fear of an impending attack by the insurgents.
“As I am talking to you now, there is no single soldier in Monguno. Anybody that is saying that there are soldiers fighting in Monguno is lying. The Boko Haram have put their flag in the hospital, police station and the military barracks. They are preaching in the place right now.
“I was lucky to escape after I moved my father and my mother to Gajiganna. They killed the Imam Bachila of Bakasi area. They also caught the chief Imam of Monguno town, Liman Modu who is the most respected in the town,” Abdullahi Jibril informed.
Hundreds of soldiers from Monguno are stranded and loitering on the streets of Maiduguri after the Sunday attack on the military formation in the area.
The soldiers were denied access to Maimalari Barracks and some of them were rather camped at AIT on Damboa Road.
Our correspondent who was on Baga Road saw many stranded soldiers among other hundred displaced civilians from Monguno, Baga and Gajiganna sitting under tree, with nowhere to go.
Some of the soldiers had their guns on their shoulders, their shuttle bags on their back.
Some of the soldiers who spoke on condition of anonymity expressed anger with the Federal Government for, according to him, not doing enough for them in the fight against Boko Haram.
“I can’t imagine that a Federal Government will abandon her soldiers to die in a fight that cannot take one hour to finish with serious commitment. We fight in the bush with Boko Haram and no one sends us any jet but when one man is coming for campaign, you see many Alpha Jets with helicopter gunships patrolling, flying in the air. Is this fair?” a soldier said.
Some of the soldiers were angry that they were denied access to the Maimalari Barracks in Maiduguri.
One said: “Can you imagine that as soldiers, we came into Maiduguri and the army authorities turned us down from entering the barracks. Where is the esprit de corps that we preach among us?”
- See more at: http://tvcontinental.tv/article/military-deploys-drones-battle-boko-haram#sthash.UUMAOKxr.dpuf

I Don't Regret Leaving Choc City - Brymo

Former Chocolate city singer, Brymo parted has stated he has no regrets parting ways with the record label following controversies and a law suit.

But Brymo featuring ‘Rubbin Minds’ along with KOWA’s presidential aspirant, Remi Sonaiya on Channels Television on Sunday, said he didn't like how things ended with Choc City.

Also Said: "I have no regrets, I have not heard from Audu Maikori in a long while but I ran into M.I at 2face’s album launch and we spoke."

According to the singer, who is now a father to-be, ‘I’m not in touch with Ice Prince‘ while adding that his career is in a better place as he claims his recently released 4th studio album, Tabula Rasa is doing better that his previous album in the market.

Eya! This 90yr old woman (allegedly) donated her N1m life savings to Buhari's campaign

This tweet caught my eye. Don't know if it's true, but if it is, then she must really believe!