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Pro-June 12 Group Seeks National Dialogue, People’s Constitution

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The June 12 Pro-Democracy Movement of Nigeria says President Bola Tinubu must facilitate a process of national dialogue and consultation that will give birth to a democratic people’s constitution.

The convener of the movement, Mr Wale Okunniyi, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday ahead of the commemoration of the 31st anniversary of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election.

Okunniyi spoke on how Tinubu could gladden the hearts of June 12 activists under his tenure.

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According to him, if the President can show commitment to national dialogue that will lead to true federal constitution in his administration, it will go down in history and become memorable.

Okunniyi said that the President, by so doing, would be actualising the hope late Chief MKO Abiola, the winner of the annulled election, stood and died for.

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“The critical thing that will make meaning for us with Tinubu’s administration to further entrench June 12 Hope ’93 of MKO Abiola, is for the current President to immediately facilitate a process of national dialogue and consultation that will lead to the birth of constituents assembly that can give us a people’s constitution.

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“The only thing, which will make him immortalise the struggle of June 12, MKO Abiola and the National Democratic Coalition, which he (Tinubu) was a member of, is for him to do this.

“The only record that will be memorable with Tinubu’s administration with regard to the June 12 struggle and democracy is to facilitate a process for national discussion and dialogue.

“If the President can do this to give Nigeria a new people’s constitution that is generated from a democratic discussion, that can never forever be erased in history,” Okunniyi said.

According to him, the movement will mobilise June 12 activists and stakeholders for a national discussion on how democracy can work for the people in commemoration of the 31st anniversary.

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He said that the present civil rule had only limited features and benefits of democracy in the practice.

“For us as leaders of the June 12 pro-democracy movement, it is our duty to organise the Nigerian people to further consolidate the present nascent democracy of Nigeria.

“This is to bring to memory the struggles and what we have done to bring about what we have now as civil rule or democratic governance.

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“We are putting these in focus in this year’s June 12, we are refocusing on generating a democratic people’s constitution for Nigeria and securing the destiny and future of Nigeria,” he said.

Okunniyi said that the 2024 anniversary would be chaired by Chief Emeka Anyaoku, former Commonwealth Secretary General, while the keynote would be given by Dr Kayode Fayemi,a former governor of Ekiti.

“Our message and focus for this year while celebrating the June 12 anniversary is how to generate and actualise a democratic people’s constitution for Nigeria that can be given to Nigerians through an elected constituent assembly.

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“What we have today, that is generating crisis in Nigeria, is the Decree 24 of 1999, which is not essentially generated and produced by the Nigerian people,” he said.

He said that Nigerians must stay faithful to the struggle and the cause for a new democratic people’s constitution for the nation to move forward.

According to him, without a democratic constitution, Nigeria cannot say it has democracy, hence the reason democracy is not serving the people at the moment.

“What we have today doesn’t reflect Hope’93. MKO Abiola cannot be happy with what is happening in the nation now as democracy,” he said.

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He said that at the death of MKO Abiola, NADECO demanded two things – a government of national unity and Sovereign National Conference to give birth to a people’s constitution.

He said that a diverse country like Nigeria would not progress without a national dialogue (conference), “where we come to agree to the terms of the existence of where we want to co-habit.”

The PUNCH reports that June 12 is significant in Nigeria’s history as it marks the anniversary of the 1993 presidential election, which was won by Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola but later annulled by the military government.

Abiola’s victory and the subsequent annulment led to political unrest and eventually the return of democratic rule in Nigeria in 1999.

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JUST IN: Again, Tapswap Postpones Token Allocation

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A popular tap-2-earn app, Tapswap, powered by TON Blockchain, has said the token allocation to users has been postponed to quarter three of the year.

The app, which required users to repeatedly tap the icon in the centre of the Telegram Tapswap bot screen to mine coins, recently gained momentum among Nigerians tapping on their phone screens in pursuit of financial earnings and has amassed over 50 million users since it launched on February 15, 2024.

The management said it decided to move the share-to-token exchange event scheduled for July 1st to the third quarter to better serve its players.

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In a series of threads created on X, on Monday, to share what it described as ‘bad and good news’ for its players, the management said it is in active talks with tier 1 exchanges around the world to price the highly ranked game from the prey of scammers and leaders in web3 industry who are moved by the successes the game had attracted.

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We’ve got some bad and really good news for you at the same time: our team has decided to move the date for the Shares-to-Token exchange event. You might wonder, what’s good about that? Just FUD

“Not exactly. The whole point is that you’ll benefit from this. Let us explain how:

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“Recently, there’s been a lot of buzz around Tapswap, especially about listing on tier 1 exchanges, a massive drop, and more. And it’s no surprise: the project has become one of the major players globally, ranking at the top. This kind of attention attracts not just scammers but also leaders in the web3 industry.

“So, not all rumours are just rumours. The Tapswap team is actually in active talks with tier-1 exchanges!

“And they are thrilled with you – our community! Isn’t this what we’ve been tirelessly working towards together?”

The management further reiterated its effort to devote a high level of attention to the task, which requires much more detailed work on tokenomics and the right launch strategy.

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“However, this success comes with some ‘inconveniences’. This level of attention requires much more detailed work on tokenomics and the right launch strategy. And that means extra time.

“But know that this is all to ensure that our launch in Q3 is fair and, more importantly, profitable for all of you who stand by us no matter what,” it added.

Tapswap, however, charged its players to be happy about the bigger news in the future while appreciating the support and feedback gotten from them.

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“So, as you can see, there are plenty of reasons to be happy about this change. And very soon, we’ll give you some even bigger news about our future, tier 1 partnerships, and the drop itself!

“We really value your support. And we truly listen to your feedback, so don’t forget to share it in the comments. Together, we’ll keep reaching higher and higher levels!

The PUNCH reports that Tapswap postponed its token launch date, which was scheduled for July 1st, indefinitely.

READ ALSO: Drop Your Arms, Seek Dialogue – CAOS Urges Arms Carrying Individuals

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This was disclosed by the Head of Communications of the gaming firm, John Robbin, on June 20, 2024.

Before the aforesaid disclosure, it announced that its coin allocation date would be July 1st after it couldn’t establish a date in May because of too many bot accounts that they are working on separating from the authentic gamers.

According to Robbin, the method of token allocation has not yet been ascertained, stressing that the processes cannot be communicated before the allocation.

“The token launch was postponed from July 1. The new date will be communicated.

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“We will allocate a significant part of the tokens to the community to retain the tappers. We want you all to be part of the tapswap community.

“We need a token airdrop to be a win-win for all of us. We have started communicating with many exchanges and platforms,” he said.

Nigerians, including young and old, have been obsessively tapping on their phones, with some asserting that they are waiting for the tokens to be allocated to buy cars and houses of their choice from the many taps they have accumulated.

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In a viral clip, a Keke driver was seen tapping away on his phone with one hand while simultaneously steering his moving vehicle and transporting passengers.

Another viral video showed several traders in Northern Nigeria tapping vigorously on their screens.y

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Tinubu Approves New Withholding Tax Policy

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President Bola Tinubu has approved a new withholding tax policy, replacing the old policy established in 1977.

Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Taiwo Oyedele announced this on Tuesday.

The new withholding tax policy introduces significant reforms designed to alleviate the heavy burden that the previous system imposed on farmers and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

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According to Oyedele, the updated regime addresses several long-standing challenges and introduces specific provisions, including: Small businesses will now be exempt from withholding tax compliance, reducing their administrative and financial burdens; businesses with low profit margins will benefit from reduced withholding tax rates, easing their cash flow and operational costs and producers, particularly farmers, will receive exemptions, fostering growth and sustainability in these critical sectors.

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Others are the new measures aim to enhance compliance and reduce opportunities for tax evasion and avoidance. The policy streamlines the process of obtaining credit and utilizing tax deducted at source, making it more accessible for businesses. Updates to the new withholding tax regime will reflect emerging issues and align with global best practices, ensuring Nigeria’s tax system is contemporary and effective, and the new policy will provide clear guidelines on the timing of deductions and definitions of key terms, eliminating ambiguities.

Oyedele identified several issues with the previous withholding tax regime, which evolved to cover more transactions over time, leading to complications and unintended consequences.

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According to him: “Businesses, especially Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), faced ambiguities regarding compliance, eligible transactions, applicable rates, and remittance timing. This complexity resulted in an excessive compliance burden and strained working capital for low-margin businesses”.

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Other identified challenges include previous system treated withholding tax as a separate tax, adding to the list of multiple taxes and increasing the cost of doing business. Obtaining refunds for excess withholding tax was problematic, causing further financial strain on businesses. The lack of an exemption threshold made compliance costs uneconomical for taxpayers and enforcement costs high for tax authorities. Also, the overall structure of the old regime promoted tax inequity, failing to address emerging and contemporary issues effectively.

The new withholding tax policy is expected to bring significant relief and clarity to Nigerian businesses, promoting a more equitable and efficient tax system. The approved regulations will be published in the official gazette in the coming days, formalizing the changes and providing detailed guidelines for compliance.

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This reform marks a critical step in Nigeria’s ongoing fiscal policy and tax reforms, demonstrating President Tinubu’s commitment to creating a more conducive environment for businesses to thrive.

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Hardship In 2024: A Time Like No Other![OPINION]

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Icon-James Tam

Nigerians are known for their sense of resilience, endurance and hard work, especially in challenging times. Like years gone, 2024 has also given face to this fact.

Since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu took office on May 29, 2023, and announced the removal of fuel subsidies, prices of essential goods have skyrocketed across the country.

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Even our education system has been affected, with tertiary institutions increasing tuition fees by 100%. I withheld judgment on the daily struggles of Nigerians until after the president’s first year in office.

To my surprise, President Tinubu’s first tenure came to completion with his stumble at Eagle Square, followed by an explanation that, as a Yoruba man, he(Dobale)was paying homage, not falling. Unfortunately, this past year has been incredibly difficult for Nigerians, with the benefits of subsidy removal nowhere to be seen in terms of human or infrastructure development.

Eight out of every ten persons suffer from malnutrition, a fact painfully evident during my recent visit to my hometown Arogbo in Ese-odo Local government Area of Ondo state. The promises of renewed hope after the turbulent governance of former President Muhammad Buhari seem increasingly distant.

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Today, Buhari’s leadership is sorely missed, as hunger claims an average of ’20 lives daily’, largely under-reported by the mainstream media.

Mr. President, it’s time to live up to your reputation as a pro-democracy advocate and patriot; and live out that messiahic leadership that would salvage our economy.

A president cannot succeed if his people are not thriving. I urge you to overhaul your cabinet, your economic team and enact robust economic policies that would ensure that every citizen, every home in this nation enjoy three square meals a day.

Icon-James Tam,
Writes from the creek of Ogidigba 2,
A suburb community of Arogbo, Ese-odo LGA ,Ondo state ,

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