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Nigerians Are Losing For Not Using FOI Act – NOA Boss

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Mr Nuru Kobi, Director, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Bauchi State, has said that all Nigerian citizens should understand the provisions of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and what they tend to lose for not using the law as expected.

He said this is because the law is totally made for them.

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Kobi made this known in Bauchi on Thursday during a ‘Stakeholders’ Engagement on ‘Evaluating the application of the Freedom of Information Act and its Impact on National Development’ organized by the agency.

READ ALSO: Skills Acquisition: NDE Inducts 400 Women In Bauchi

“We all should know that a law remains dormant until we allow the provisions to take effect.

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“Nigerian citizens should understand the provisions of the FOI Act because the law is meant for them, they should also be educated on what the laws are and the rationale for such laws.

“They should also understand the ultimate objective and the benefits they will derive for using it or what they lose for not using the law as expected,” Kobi said.

He said that it was against this backdrop that the agency organized the Stakeholders’ engagement to evaluate the application of the FOI Act and its Impact on National Development in Bauchi State.

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READ ALSO: Edo Guber: Be Neutral, Obaseki Charges Corps Members

He stressed that the agency believed there is dire need to embark on a robust and sustained public communication of the provisions of the FOI Act and that the agency had translated it into 22 Nigeria languages.

A gesture, he believed would improve citizens’ awareness and understanding of the provisions

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In her speech, Mrs Yahcij Dala, Bauchi State Coordinator, National Human Right Commission (NHRC), said the Freedom of Information Act has a great impact on National Development, especially, when there is easy and timely access to information.

She said it enhanced citizens’ involvement in government affairs.

Dala, however, said that the advocate for Freedom of Information Act has been overburdened with various challenges that has impeded its progress.

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READ ALSO: Oshiomhole’s Suspension: Ize-Iyamu Talks Tough, Says ‘We Will Resist Attempt To Rubbish Him’

Some of the challenges she highlighted as poor record keeping by government agencies, culture of secrecy in doing government work, public officials not willing to give out public information and poor demand for information by the public among others.

(PHOTO: File)

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More Than Half Of world’s Poor In Africa – Economist

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Chief Economist, Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Hanan Morsy, said Africa accounts for more than half of the world’s poor.

Morsy gave the figure on Monday at the 55th session of the Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

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The official noted that the continent faced a tsunami of global shocks that have exacerbated existing socio-economic operation and equity.

READ ALSO: Angry Delta Youths Chase Rep Away From Community Over Poor Performance

“Africa, as a result of these shocks, currently accounts for more than half of the world’s poverty at 54.8 per cent,” the economist hinted.

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Morsy said an estimated 548 million Africans lived in poverty in 2022, while 149 million more at risk of falling into poverty.

She observed a skewed distribution across the continent in terms of concentration of underlying issues, with East and West Africa having a higher share of poverty.

Morsy called for inclusive macroeconomic policies such as targeted and efficient spending, and resilience to future shocks at the household and community level.

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READ ALSO: 133m Poor Nigerians: Buhari Dragged To Court Over Failure To Probe Spending On ‘Social Intervention Programmes’

The ECA chief, however, urged African governments to enhance resource mobilisation, including closing tax loopholes.

Africa loses 40 to 60 billion dollars annually in tax evasion. There’s also funding that can be raised through tackling issues of illicit financial flows,’’ she said.

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Abia Guber Poll: Otti Wins In 10 LGAs, PDP 5

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Alex Otti of the Labour Party has won a total of 10 out of the 16 Local Government Area results so far declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, before the commission suspended collation of the Abia governorship election.

Otti polled a total of 171,747 votes while Okey Ahiwe of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, scored a total of 79,477 votes after winning five LGAs.

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Young Peoples Party, YPP polled 8,839 to win Osisioma LGA the home of its governorship candidate, Enyinnaya Nwafor.

Meanwhile, INEC, has directed the immediate suspension of collation of governorship election results in Abia State.

Administrative Secretary of INEC, Abia State, Chief Clement Oha read the directive midway into collation at the INEC office in Umuahia on Monday.

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He said that based on the alleged irregularities by in some polling units particularly Obingwa Local Government Area where INEC office was invaded, collation had been halted at the LGA.

According to him, there will be no further collation of results at Obingwa until INEC Commissioners arrive from Abuja by Tuesday to supervise the collation and take decision on what has to be done after reviewing the situation on ground.

The Presiding Officer and Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Owerri, FUTO, Professor Nnenna Oti had in the course of collation brought in the Administrative Secretary to read the message she said that came from the INEC headquarters Abuja.

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She had said that the INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu, personally called her and gave her directives on guidelines to follow in ensuring that Abia governorship election results were collated based on the extant guidelines.

READ ALSO: Why We Suspended Collation Of Guber Results In Abia – INEC

Professor Otti thereafter, announced the immediate suspension of collation pending the arrival of the team from Abuja.

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She had earlier vowed to the neutral but strictly objective in discharging her duties.

Professor Otti who is also a Pastor with the Redeemed Church, assured that the will of Abia voters would not be subverted under her watch.

”I’m Professor Nnenna Oti from Afikpo, VC of FUTO. The people’s mandate shall stand.

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“I have spent all my adult life in pursuit of the ideals of good governance. We shall stand by the these principles.

”The pastor in me and the mother in me will not permit me to do anything that will adversely affect the future of our children. I shall do right by God and by man!”

Meanwhile INEC in another statement signed by its Head Voter Education and Information Committee, Festus Okoye, announced suspension of collation of governorship election results in Abia and Enugu States.

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INEC in the statement, cited alleged cases of violence, irregularities and invasion of its offices in the affected states as reason for the action.

According to a statement, the commission will review results in the affected LGAs before further action.

READ ALSO: INEC Suspends Collation Of Guber Election Results In Abia, Enugu

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But Alex Otti of the Labour Party is already leading in the 12 LGAs so far declared.

Below is a full text of the statement.

“SUSPENSION OF FURTHER COLLATION OF GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION RESULTS IN ABIA AND ENUGU STATES

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Below is a full text of the statement entitled ” Suspension of Further Collation of Governorship Election Results in Abia and Enugu”:

“The Commission met today, Monday 20th March 2023 and reviewed the conduct of the Governorship and State Assembly elections held nationwide on Saturday 18th March 2023. Arising from the meeting, the Commission took the decision to suspend forthwith further collation of the Governorship election results in some parts of Abia and Enugu States.

“It will be recalled that our office in Obingwa Local Government Area was invaded by thugs yesterday Sunday 19th March 2023 and our officials held hostage in relation to the collation of results from the Local Government Area. Similarly, reports from Enugu State call for a review of the results for the Governorship election from the two outstanding Local Government Areas of Nsukka and Nkanu East.

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“Consequently, the Commission hereby suspends the collation of results in Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State and the two outstanding Local Government Areas of Enugu State which are yet to be collated. A review will be undertaken immediately before the process is concluded.

“We appeal for the understanding and patience of voters, parties and candidates in the affected States.”

Meanwhile, Dr Alex Otti has maintained a comfortable lead in the 16 Local Government Area results so far declared.

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He won five LGAs out of 10 that was declared on Sunday, and collected another five out of the six LGAs announced on Monday, thus bringing the total number of LGAs under his kitty to 10.

Young Peoples Party, YPP won in one LGA while PDP has five LGAs.

According to the results of the 16 LGAs declared so far, Otti polled a total of 171,747 votes, while Ahiwe of the PDP trailed behind with 79,477 votes.

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In the results declared on Monday, YPP polled 8,839 to win Osisioma LGA the home of its governorship candidate, Enyinnaya Nwafor.

Labour Party came second in Osisioma after polling 7,032 votes while PDP got 4,699 votes.

APC, APGA and ADC scored 504, 292, and 332 respectively.

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LP swept Umuahia North the seat of Abia power with 27,668 while APC whose candidate, Chief Ikechi Emenike who hails from the area, came second with 7,225 votes.

PDP got 4,843 votes while APGA and ADC polled 1,816 and 457 respectively.

READ ALSO: Alex Otti Coasts To Victory In Abia Guber Poll

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Similarly, LP cleared Aba South with 22,014 votes while PDP crawled behind with 3,348 votes; and APGA, 1,762 votes.

The Labour Party continued its winning spree at Aba North where it polled 20,974 votes while the ruling PDP managed to get away with only 4,146.

YPP scored 2,296; while APGA got 1,404 votes.

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LP also swept Ohafia LGA with 11,848 votes against PDP’s 4, 128 votes.

APC and APGA got 1,354 and 945 votes respectively.

The Labour Party still cleared Umuahia South with 16,187 votes while PDP got 5,464 votes.

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Falz Reacts To Sanwo-Olu’s appreciation Post

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Famous Nigerian singer, Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz the bad guy, has reacted to the Lagos State re-elected Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s appreciation post.

Governor Sanwo-Olu had on Monday, in a post shared on his official Twitter handle, appreciated Lagosians for believing in him.

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He wrote: ”I’m deeply humbled and grateful for the overwhelming support and trust of the good people of Lagos State. I’m honoured to be re-elected as your governor and pledge to continue to work tirelessly to deliver a better Lagos for all. Thank you for believing in me.”

READ ALSO: Lagos Governorship Election: Sanwo-Olu Speaks After Victory

Reacting to this, Falz, who quoted the tweet, said everyone had seen the electoral irregularities unfold and Sanwo-Olu was only deceiving himself.

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You were not re-elected. You selected yourself. Everybody saw it unfold. You are only deceiving yourselves,” he said.

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