Leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are set to hold talks at the presidential villa about President Muhammadu Buhari’s interest in running for a second term in office in 2019.
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This Day reports that Buhari and his loyalists might seek to use the leadership meeting to try to secure a badly needed vote of confidence for his administration.
This Day newspaper for Monday, October 30, 2017, photo credit, snapshot from NAIJ.com
The newspaper reports that among those expected to attend the crucial meeting are the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie Oyegun; the National Leader, Senator Bola Tinubu; Senate President Bukola Saraki; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara; all the APC state governors; and former interim National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande.
However, former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, might not attend the meeting.
His media aide, Paul Ibe, said that the former vice president is currently outside the country.
Meanwhile, officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have traced about £6 million pension funds to a United Kingdom bank account under the name of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF).
The Nation reports that the money is being suspected to have been tampered with by some government officials but the two former heads of the Civil Service of the Federation (Engr. E. Okeke and Prof. O. A. Afolabi) reportedly did their best to protect the funds from being looted.
The Nation newspaper for Monday, October 30, 2017, photo credit, snapshot from NAIJ.com
There are reports that the EFCC has also seized new properties linked to the embattled ex- chairman of the presidential task force on pension reforms task team, Abdulrasheed Abdullahi Maina, whose whereabouts is still unknown.
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Maina is reportedly one of the signatories to the account recently discovered in the UK.
In order news, governors and leaders from the southeast region have urged the federal government to repair all federal roads in the zone.
Vanguard reports that leaders from the zone complained that the situation of the roads had further deteriorated.
Vanguard newspaper for Monday, October 30, 2017, photo credit, snapshot from NAIJ.com
The southeast leaders who met at a meeting on Sunday night, October 29, frowned on the deplorable state of Akanu Ibiam International Airport, particularly the runway, the terminal buildings and the cargo shelter.
Those who were in the meeting included Governors of Enugu state, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; Ebonyi State, David Umuahi and Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu.
Imo and Anambra states were represented by their deputy governors, Eze Madumere and Nkem Okeke, respectively.
Also in the meeting were the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; some other members of the National Assembly from the zone; President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo and speakers of the five state houses of assembly in the zone.
Meanwhile, the federal government has been advised by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to urgently revisit tax holidays and exemptions given to companies.
The Punch reports that the IMF specifically urged Nigeria to implement a reform that would see it phase out tax holidays and exemptions eroding the Company Income Tax base.
The Punch newspaper for Monday, October 30, 2017, photo credit, snapshot from NAIJ.com
The senior resident representative and mission chief for Nigeria, Africa department (IMF) Mr Amine Mati, made the statement on Saturday, October 29, Lagos on Saturday, when making a presentation at a forum organised by the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria.
He stated that that the federal government needed to reduce interest payments on borrowed funds to about 30 per cent of the country’s revenue.
In others news, some stakeholders in the aviation sector, have expressed concerns that investors from some Middle East countries are expressing interest in the planned concession of Nigerian airports.
According to the Guardian the stakeholders are worried that interests from countries like Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar are bothering the stakeholders because of the security implication for Nigeria and alleged northern agenda currently put forward either by coincidence or deliberately in the concession buildup.
The Guardian newspaper for Monday, October 30, 2017, photo credit, snapshot from NAIJ.com
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Source: Naija.ng
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