Gist Arena

The Presidency is constrained to decry criticisms, mostly on social media, on the retention in London of the Presidential Aircraft, NAF 001 as mostly informed by lack of understanding of protocol around foreign trips by Heads of State all over the world. It is important to state that for reasons of protocol, national security, diplomacy and prestige, there is no world leader who travels abroad and is left without plans for immediate return or possible evacuation. From operational point of view, this country’s Armed Forces as represented by the Nigeria Air Force are not to abandon their Commander-In-Chief in whichever circumstance he is. This is a standard operating procedure. We have also read claims about outrageous fees allegedly paid by Nigeria. The published amounts are totally untrue. Aircraft conveying heads of state all over the world usually enjoy waivers even where payments for parking are differentiated by aircraft categories. We been assured

The Election Petitions Tribunal presiding over senatorial elections in Rivers State has nullified the victory of George Sekibo of the Peoples Democratic Party. Andrew Uchendu, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, was declared the winner of the re-run election, which held on December 10, 2016. The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had declared Mr. Sekibo winner of the election conducted in Rivers East Senatorial District. The tribunal ordered INEC to withdraw the certificate of return from Mr. Sekibo and give to Mr. Uchendu. Source: Premium Times 

The Federal Government has declared every Thursday “Tax Thursday”, to create awareness among Nigerians on payment of tax and accrued benefits. Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, who made the declaration in Abuja on Thursday, said the programme will last one year, and will target at least 4 million new taxpayers from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Mr. Osinbajo spoke at the launching of the Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme, VAIDS. Source: Premium Times

Ebonyi Governor, David Umahi, on Wednesday declared that the state is opposed to the agitation for Biafra and for restructuring. He said the state was not yet economically viable to seek independence. The governor explained that Biafra and restructuring would not benefit the people of the state. Umahi spoke at the Government House, Abakaliki, while responding to the presentation of a consultant on Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), Dr. Mike Abani, during the state executive council meeting. He maintained that Ebonyi totally depends on the federal allocation, while the internally generated revenue (IGR) is paltry. “When the issue of Biafra or restructuring is discussed, my heart jumps because Ebonyi State is not ripe for any”, Umahi said. “Ask yourself, what is it that we are producing? We totally depend on the federal government for allocation. “Investors are not coming into the state and our IGR is nothing to write home about,

Chukwudumeje Onwuamadike, billionaire kidnapper popularly known as Evans, has asked a federal high court in Lagos to compel the police to release him. The plea was contained in a fundamental rights enforcement suit he filed at the court on Wednesday. In the motion ex parte, Evans asked the court to coerce the police to either charge him to court immediately or release him from custody unconditionally. He accused the police of infringing on his rights by detaining him since his arrest on June 10 without any court order. Evans said he ought to have been charged to court in accordance with sections 35 and 36 of the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria. Listed as the respondents in the suit were the inspector general of police, the Nigerian police force, the Lagos state commissioner of police and the special anti-robbery squad, Lagos command. In an accompanying affidavit, Stephen Onwuamadike, Evan’s father, claimed he and othe