General
Senate Amends Electoral Act to allow President, Others Vote at Primaries
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Electoral Act 2022 has been adjusted by the Senate to allow statutory delegates comprising the President, Vice President, members of the National Assembly, Governors and their deputies, members of the State Houses of Assembly, Chairmen of Councils, Councillors, National Working Committee of political parties, amongst others vote at party congresses and primaries.
At the plenary on Tuesday, the federal lawmakers at the upper chamber of the parliament noted that the law, which was passed this year, had a deficiency that was never intended and will deny all statutory delegates in all political parties from participation in congresses and conventions.
The Senate noted that “this is a fundamental effort to ensure that we address this within the week, so that by next week, the Electoral Act, 2022 (amended version), will be very salutary for us to start our party primaries.”
The action followed the expeditious consideration of a bill during plenary which scaled first, second and third readings, respectively, and was passed during plenary by the chamber after consideration by the Committee of the Whole.
The bill to amend the 2022 Electoral Act No. 13 was sponsored by the Deputy Senate President, Mr Ovie Omo-Agege, who in his presentation said the bill seeks to amend the provision of section 84 of the Electoral Act.
According to him, the provisions of the section “does not provide for the participation of what is generally known as ‘statutory delegates’ in the conventions, congresses or meetings of political parties.”
“The extant section only clearly provides for the participation of elected delegates in the conventions, congresses or meetings of political parties held to nominate candidates of political parties.
“This is an unintended error, and we can only correct it with this amendment now before us”, the Deputy Senate President said.
Speaking after the bill to amend the 2022 Electoral Act was passed, the Senate President, Mr Ahmad Lawan, said that the amendment became imperative in view of the deficiency created by the provision of section 84 of the extant Act.
He said, “The amended Electoral Act of 2022 that we passed this year, has a deficiency that was never intended and that deficiency will deny all statutory delegates in all political parties from participation in congresses and conventions.
“And, therefore, such a major and unintended clause has to be amended before the party primaries start in the next eight days. This is an emergency legislation, so to speak.
“Our expectation is that the National Assembly – the two chambers – would finish with the processing of the amendment of this bill, between today (in the Senate) and tomorrow (in the House of Representatives), and then the Executive will do the assent.
“That is so important to enable every statutory delegate to participate in the party primaries right from the beginning that will start on May 18, 2022.
“So, this is an emergency effort to ensure that nobody is denied his or her rightful opportunity as a delegate, especially the statutory delegates, and these are those who are elected.
“These are the President, Vice President, Members of the National Assembly, Governors, Members of the State Houses of Assembly, Chairmen of Council and their Councillors, National Working Committee Members of all the political parties and so on.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The domestic production of polypropylene will help Nigeria to save around $267 million in import costs, according to estimates by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN).
The group said investments from Dangote Group in the sector could significantly reduce the country’s reliance on imported raw materials for the textile industry.
The local production of polypropylene will not only boost industrial growth but also create jobs and enhance the competitiveness of Nigeria’s textile sector.
According to the Director-General of MAN, Mr Segun Kadir-Ajayi, this could help revive and ease the challenges facing a lot of industry in Nigeria, particularly the textile industry, which once employed over 25,000 workers in the northern region.
He attributed the industry’s decline to the lack of local polypropylene production and foreign exchange scarcity, forcing many companies to shut down.
Recently, Business Post reported that Dangote Industries has fully commenced polypropylene production, a move expected to transform Nigeria’s manufacturing sector.
It will help reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imports for this essential material used in packaging, textiles, and automotive components.
The Chairman of the group, Mr Aliko Dangote, projected that once fully operational, the refinery will meet local demand, eliminating the need for $267.7 million in annual imports.
By producing polypropylene locally, Dangote Industries is set to enhance industrial growth, create jobs, and strengthen Nigeria’s economy.
Polypropylene is a versatile thermoplastic used across multiple industries due to its durability, chemical resistance, and lightweight nature.
It plays a vital role in packaging, textiles, automotive, healthcare, construction, agriculture, consumer goods, and electronics. Its applications range from food containers and medical devices to car parts and irrigation pipes.
Local production of polypropylene is expected to boost industrial growth, create jobs, and enhance competitiveness.
Polypropylene’s versatile applications crucial for various industries including packaging, textiles, automotive, healthcare, construction and agriculture.
In packaging, polypropylene is essential for plastic containers and food packaging films. The textile industry relies on it for non-woven fabrics and carpets, while the automotive sector benefits from its lightweight properties in car bumpers and dashboards.
In healthcare, it is used for syringes and medical vials due to its sterility and durability. The construction and electronics industries utilize polypropylene for insulation materials, cables, and battery cases.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
An associate of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Ms Aisha Achimugu, has been declared wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The agency is investigating her for an alleged money laundering and criminal conspiracy, a statement said.
The action of the EFCC followed a report by an online newspaper, Peoples Gazette, that President Bola Tinubu was not happy that the some funds made available to Ms Achimugu for the 2023 general elections were used to prosecute the campaigns of his main challengers, Mr Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP).
Already, the former Vice President of Nigeria, Mr Atiku, has denied getting funds from the fugitive’s ally, Mr Sanwo-Olu, calling the claims “a blatant lie from the pit of hell.”
“We wish to state emphatically and for the record that this is a political hatchet job aimed at providing a much-needed justification to jettison Governor Sanwo-Olu, who appears to have fallen out of favour with the Bourdillon Cult,” a statement from his media office said.
The EFCC asked anyone with the whereabouts of Ms Achimugu to contact any of its offices in the country.
“The public is hereby notified that AISHA SULAIMAN ACHIMUGU, whose photograph appears above, is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in an alleged case of Criminal Conspiracy and Money Laundering.
“Achimugu, 51, is an indigene of Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi State. Anybody with useful information as to her whereabouts should please contact the Commission in its Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, Ilorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt or Abuja offices or through 08093322644; its e-mail address: info@efcc.gov.ng or the nearest Police Station and other security agencies,” the notice signed on Friday by the commission’s Head of Media and Publicity, Mr Dele Oyewale, said.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
In a bid to redefine modern media through technological innovation in content creation and distribution, Tether has embarked on a €10 million capital increase and equity acquisition in Be Water.
A statement from the largest company in the digital asset ecosystem on Thursday said it would take up a 30.4 per cent stake in Be Water by the end of the month to support the company’s technology-driven approach to content production and storytelling.
With this investment, Tether and Be Water will collaborate to enhance digital content distribution, integrate new technological solutions, and support the international expansion of Be Water’s brands.
The partnership will enable Be Water to develop a holistic technology infrastructure that leverages blockchain and advanced digital tools to distribute high-quality, independent content globally.
In addition, Be Water will launch a significant investment plan focused on developing a cutting-edge digital infrastructure for content distribution and production, expanding Chora and Will’s investigative journalism division establishing new strategic partnerships with global talent in film, television, and documentary production, and driving the international growth of Be Water’s brands.
Also, Be Water’s ownership structure will change, with key shareholders now including Guido Maria Brera, Giancarlo Devasini and Paolo Ardoino (Tether), Mario Calabresi, Roberto Condulmari, Saverio Costanzo, Barbara Salabè, Mattia Guerra, Sabina Grossi, Claudio Erba, Alessandro Borghi, Stefano Bises, Cecilia Sala, Riccardo Haupt, Fabio Pirovano, Sabrina Giovannetti, and Giorgia De Paolis.
Equally, the board will be restructured with Guido Maria Brera as Chairman, Barbara Salabè as CEO, and Mario Calabresi, Claudia Lagorio (COO of Tether), and Sabrina Giovannetti (CFO of Be Water) as members.
“At Tether, we recognize the power of storytelling and the importance of independent media in shaping informed societies.
“Our investment in Be Water aligns with our vision to support technology-driven innovation across industries. We are excited to collaborate with Guido Maria Brera and the entire Be Water team to explore new frontiers in content creation and distribution, ensuring that high-quality, independent content and entertainment reach audiences worldwide,” the chief executive of Tether, Mr Paolo Ardoino, said.
Also, the Chairman of Be Water, Guido Maria Brera, said, “Since the beginning, our goal with Be Water has been to build a modern media company capable of producing and distributing content across multiple platforms—podcasting, film, television, and live events—with a strong, diverse, and independent voice.
“With Tether’s entry and the technological expertise of Paolo Ardoino, we have the opportunity to accelerate our growth and expand our reach both in Italy and globally.”
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