Nigeria Now on Growth Trajectory, Says Jim Ovia Joseph Ushigiale The Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Jim Ovia, has lauded the federal government’s economic team for pulling the economy out of economic recession, acknowledging
that the country’s economic outlook shows that it is now on a growth trajectory. Ovia, while appraising the performance of the economy in 2018 in a goodwill message he delivered at the Deloitte in Dialogue Nigeria Economic
Outlook 2019 event in Lagos yesterday, noted, “We are no longer in recession and we have been able to manage the rate of inflation. The outlook for the nation shows that we are “now on a growth trajectory”.
The Zenith Bank chairman who focused on two key points in his message - the ease of doing business, and the nation’s inflation rate, commended the present economic team including Ministers of Budget and
National Planning, Senator Udo Udoma; Finance, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed; Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Okechukwu Enelamah and Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele “on the nation’s
remarkable improvement on the ease of doing business index.” On the way forward, Ovia charged them with the responsibility of further Continued on page 8
FG Targets $2bn Annual FX Earnings from New Aviation Initiative… Page 8 Friday 1 February, 2019 Vol 24. No 8689. Price: N250
www.thisdaylive.com TR
UT H
& RE A S O
N
Obasanjo Vows to Do Everything to Save Nigeria’s Democracy … Page 10
Despite NJC’s Pendency, CCT Insists on Onnoghen’s Trial February 4 Buhari has been vindicated, says APC Alex Enumah in Abuja Despite the ongoing investigation of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, by the National Judicial Council (NJC), the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) has insisted on
proceeding with his trial on February 4. This is coming as the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday said the ruling of the Court of Appeal upholding the trial of the CJN by the CCT had vindicated President Muhammadu Buhari.
The NJC had on Tuesday after its emergency meeting in Abuja given Onnoghen, and the acting CJN, Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, seven days to respond to petitions written against them. While the petition against Onnoghen was written by
Zikhrillahi Ibrahim of Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civil Education, the petitions against Justice Muhammad were written by the Centre for Justice and Peace Initiative, and Mr. Olisa Agbakoba, (SAN). But while the petitions are still pending, the CCT in a
statement yesterday, insisted that come February 4, it would resume the trial of the CJN over alleged non-declaration of his assets. The Chairman of the CCT, Danladi Umar, had at the last sitting adjourned the trial indefinitely on the orders of
the Court of Appeal, Abuja division. The court had ordered the tribunal to stay further proceedings in the trial of Onnoghen till January 30, for the appellate court to deliver Continued on page 10
INEC Maintains APC Has No Candidates in Rivers, Zamfara Kashamu makes final list Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday released the final list of gubernatorial candidates and House of Assembly candidates for the March 2 election with the All Progressives Congress (APC) in both Rivers and Zamfara States conspicuously
missing. But Senator Buruji Kashamu again floored the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), making the final list of the commission as the Ogun State gubernatorial candidate of the party. The electoral body had in a statement on Wednesday Continued on page 8
ON THE FUTURE… Soyinka: APC, PDP Don’t DIALOGUE L-R: Chief Executive Officer, West Africa, Deliotte, Mr. Fatai Folarin; Minister of Budget and National Planning, Mr. Udo Chairman, Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Jim Ovia; and Minister of Finance, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, at Deliotte’s dialogue on Deserve Our Votes … Page 10 Udoma; Nigeria’s 2019 economic outlook in Lagos…yesterday ETOP UKU