INEC Accuses Parties of Fielding Ex-convicts, Certificate Forgers Sets up special unit to prosecute offenders Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has blamed political parties for the high incidence of court-nullified elections by nominating candidates who do not adhere to the rules and
proper due diligence. The chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu said that as a result of the lack of due diligence, some of the parties have fielded
ex-convicts and candidates with forged certificates for elections, thereby causing the elections to be nullified at the courts. Yakubu who promised
to take steps to reduce the malfeasance during elections, said the commission would step up its partnership with civil society groups, especially in civic and voter education
and election monitoring and observation. Speaking at the formal presentation of INEC’s Strategic Plan for 2017-2021 to stakeholders yesterday
Oando Finally Turns the Corner, Records N3.5bn Profit... Page 8
in Abuja, Yakubu said the management of INEC has decided to set up a special prosecution unit staffed by trained prosecutors to facilitate prompt and more efficient prosecution of electoral Continued on page 9
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Britain to Lift Veil on Nigerian Property, Bank Account Owners Envoy: It’s in line with UK’s beneficial ownership register How Buhari ordered Ifeanyi Ubah’s arrest for diversion of NNPC’s products Olawale Olaleye in Lagos and Alex Enumah in Abuja with agency report In furtherance of the Nigerian government’s goal to rid the country of corruption, the Executive Secretary of the
President Advisory Committee against Corruption, Prof. Bolaji Owosanoye has revealed that the British Government will from next year release information on Nigerians who own property and bank accounts in that country.
The measure will come into force when Britain starts the enforcement of the Unexplained Wealth Order, he said. Owosanoye told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in New York that negotiations
on this had reached an advanced stage, adding that the measure being taken by the governments of both countries was a step up in the fight against corruption. “There’s no doubt that rogues in government oppress
and impoverish their people by corruption and this must be sanctioned by collective action. “We need to make sure that there is no safe haven for corrupt officials to run to. “Britain has promised that by 2018, she will provide
Nigeria with the information about who owns what and where; that’s very helpful. “These include all the houses that have been bought by public officials or accounts Continued on page 8
In Explosive Meeting with NWC, APC Senators Insist on Magu’s Ouster Party seeks senators’ support on funding, agrees to work with caucus Onyebuchi Ezigbo and Damilola Oyedele in Abuja The meeting of the Senate caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party yesterday was characterised by fireworks, as the senators without holding back, expressed their disappointment with the party's leadership and the executive arm of government. Some of the issues discussed at the meeting included the inaction of President Muhammadu Buhari on the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, the suspension of the former majority leader, Senator Ali Ndume, the delay in the constitution of boards of agencies and parastatals, and non-consultation of party Continued on page 8
STANBIC IBTC RINGS THE MARKET'S CLOSING GONG... Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Oscar Onyema; Chief Executive, Standard Bank, Africa Regions, Mrs. Sola David-Borha; Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC, Mr. Yinka Sanni; Executive Director, Capital Markets, NSE, Mr. Haruna Jalo-Waziri; and Head, Marketing and Communications, Stanbic IBTC, Mrs. Nkiru Olumide-Ojo, when executives of Stanbic IBTC rang the closing bell at the NSE, in Lagos... yesterday