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Nigeria’s minister of finance and coordinating minister for the economy, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has offered the president-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, a word of advice concerning the diversification of the country’s revenue sources.
Okonjo-Iweala, who spoke yesterday in Washington DC on the theme: “Beyond the oil” at a forum tagged: “A conversation with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala”, said the incoming government should tinker with the option of raising the Value Added Tax (VAT), which at its present five per cent level, she pointed out, is the lowest in the world.
READ ALSO: New Date For Jonathan’s Handover To Buhari Announced
Raising the margin by another five per cent, Okonjo-Iweala argued, would make a difference in increasing revenue. She revealed that the proposal is already included in the 2015 budget before the National Assembly.
“We can look at other taxes, like the VAT, which is in the budget for 2015. We have the lowest VAT in the world, which can be doubled. This can bring another $3billion into the revenue profile,” Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala said, adding that these steps are needed to drive the economy beyond oil.
She said President Goodluck Jonathan’s position, which she is recommending to the incoming government, is to reverse the ratio of crude oil-Non oil contribution to revenue from 70%-30% in favour of oil, to Non oil- crude oil contribution of 70%-30% in favour of Non-oil over the next 10 years.
READ ALSO: What “Change” Means – Osinbajo
The minister, who spoke on a wide range of issues, impressed on the need for the incoming Gen Muhammadu Buhari administration to build institutions designed to fight corruption.
She called for reforms in the oil sector. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), she said, should be restructutred and the Petroleum Industry Bill should be passed.
The Nation reports that Okonjo-Iweala spared no kind word for politicians bent on spending almost everything that comes into the government’s coffers. She stressed the need for the government to rebuild its buffers.
The minister’s presentation was witnessed by a one time Lagos State commissioner for finance Wale Edun, Nigeria’s ambassador to the US, Professor Ade Adefuye, the director of the budget, Dr. Bright Okogu, and the former executive chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Imoigui Ifueko-Okauru, among other guests. The programme was moderated by Ambassador Princeton N. Lyman, a former US special envoy for Sudan and South Sudan.
READ ALSO: GEJ Has Not Given Up On Chibok Girls — Okonjo- Iweala
Two weeks ago, Okonjo-Iweala revealed that the federal government will be taking a loan of $2 billion from the World Bank and the African Development Bank (AfDB) to assist in the implementation of its policies and programmes for the year.

Based on the information provided by the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in the forensic audit report of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation on the allegedly missing $20 billion oil money, the findings are not 100% reliable.
President Goodluck Jonathan ordered the much anticipated report release saying his administration had nothing to hide regarding the matter.
Premium Times analysed the document and concluded that the firm itself said that it could not vouch for the integrity of its findings. The reason is that data of the 199-page report were limited to available information and did not constitute a review in accordance with generally accepted standards.
“The procedures we performed did not constitute an examination or a review in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards or attestation standards.
“Accordingly, we provide no opinion, attestation or other form of assurance with respect to our work or the information upon which our work was based.”
The document contains that the NNPC should refund to the government a minimum of $1.48 billion of missing oil funds.
The audit firm enumerated some factors that could lead to inaccuracies. For example, they had to access to the full account of some relevant agencies like NPDC, the upstream petroleum industry subsidiary of the NNPC.
READ ALSO: Missing $20bn: Rep Indicts Okonjo Iweala, Alison Madueke
“We did not obtain any information directly from NPDC, but in accordance with NPDC former Managing Director’s (Mr Briggs Victor) submission to the Senate Committee hearing on the subject matter, for the period, NPDC generated $5.11billion (net of royalties and petroleum profits tax paid).”
Additionally, without an independent legal opinion, they relied on the legal advice of the Nigerian government’s Attorney General (AG) on the subject of the transfers of various NNPC (55%) portion of Oil leases (OMLs) involved in the Shell (SPDC) Divestments which impact crude oil flows in the period.
“The AG’s opinion indicated that these transfers were within the authority of the Minister to make. Thus, these assets were validly transferred to NPDC. The same AG’s Legal Opinion also indicated that NPDC was to make payments for Net Revenue (dividend) to NNPC, which should ultimately be remitted to the Federation Account.”
READ ALSO: Buhari Urges Jonathan To Publish NNPC Audit Report
However, the PwC analysed the information independently, having considered the documentation, reviews of data and interviews conducted.
It is also stated in the end of the introduction message that the findings are not to be discussed a Third Party.
“This Report and all PwC deliverables are intended solely for the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation, for their internal use and benefit and are not intended to nor may they be relied upon by any other party (“Third Party”). Neither this deliverable nor its contents may be distributed to, discussed with, or otherwise disclosed to any Third Party without the prior written consent of PwC. PwC accepts no liability or responsibility to any Third Party who gains access to this deliverable.”
Recall that the need for investigations emerged after Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, who was at that time the CBN governor, posed a scandalous allegation about the missing billions.
Since the report appearance, Jonathan’s administration has been under pressure to make its content public. Although it has been finally done, some notices in the introduction challenge the figures reliability.

Minister of finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Minister of agriculture, Dr Akinwumi Adesina and others have been summoned by the House of Representatives over alleged N21billion rice importation tax evasion scam.

Reps Summon Okonjo-Iweala, Others Over N21billion Tax Evasion Scam

Mrs Okonjo Iweala

According to Vanguard, the ministers and 25 rice importers are expected to explain to the lawmakers how over N21bn tax was evaded despite the provision of subsidy by the Federal Government to the importers.
READ ALSO: Missing $20 billion: I Didn’t Appoint PriceWaterHouseCoopers – Okonjo Iweala
It was also reported the whole rice importation exercise was grossly abused by the importers and laced with fraud.
Many of the importers were also accused of evading tax after receiving huge subsidies from the government.
The Nigeria Customs Service was also summoned to explain why tax duties was never collected from the importers in question.
A source involved in the investigation told Vanguard: “We’ll unravel those government officials who aided these economic saboteurs and ensure that all the tax they cornered is returned to government coffers.
“The adhoc committee set up by the House will also ensure that they are speedily prosecuted.
“We’ve also discovered that those who got subsidy were the ones that even evaded tax more than those that did not get a dime from government”.
READ ALSO: Group Tells Court To Jail Okonjo-Iweala
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has in recent time come under criticism for alleged mismanagement of Nigeria’s economy.
In February, former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Chukwuma Soludo, claimed that at least N30 trillion of Nigerian money has either been stolen, diverted or unaccounted for in the last few years under her watch.

Charles Oputa, popularly known as Charly Boy, has promised to ride his bike from Nigeria to China in solidarity with president-elect, Mohammadu Buhari, if he is able to equal the value of the naira and the dollar.
Charly Boy Vows To Ride Bike From Abuja To China If...

Charly Boy Vows To Ride Bike From Abuja To China If...

The controversial singer posted this on his Facebook page following the growing solidarity by Nigerians who are now trekking and cycling from different parts of the country to congratulate Buhari.
“Una remember D guy wey trek from Lagos to Abuja? Another Malam wan ride bicycle from Sokoto to Abuja. All for General Buhari, hummmmmmm! Makachukwu, if Buhari fit make 1Naira become 1Dollar, In the next four years. I go ride my Bike from Abuja to China I swear”.
Below is his post:

Recall that Suleiman Hashimu trekked from Lagos to Abuja in celebration of Buhari’s victory.
On Thursday a 45-year-old man from Borno State Mallam Adamu Abdullahi started a trek of 868 kilometres from Maiduguri to Abuja to plead with the president-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, to end the Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast.
What do you think, is Charly Boy serious or is he simply playing pranks?

The Nigerian military release a footage that shows how women and children earlier kidnapped by Boko Haram militants are trying to escape soon after an aerial bombardment forced the militants to flee their base in Sambisa forest.

Earlier, the Nigerian army has rescued more women and children from Sambisa Forest through the Kawuri and Konduga end on Thursday, April 30. (Scroll down for footage)
According to the official Twitter account of the Defence Headquarters, 234 more people were freed.
The hostages are said to be currently undergoing a screening process for their identities to be determined.
According to Premium Times’s update, Chris Olukolade, the defence spokesman, confirmed the development:
“This set in addition to the previous individuals earlier rescued during the ongoing operation in the area.”
He added that the military assault on the forest continues from various fronts with the aim of rescuing hostages and destroying all terrorists’ camps and facilities in the forest.
READ ALSO: Rescued Sambisa Hostages Are Heading To Yola
Another footage shows Boko Haram fighters fleeing NAF aerial bombardment in Sambisa:

Sambisa Forest, the main hideout of the Boko Haram insurgents, is gradually falling under the pressure by the Nigerian military. The past week has been marked by a series of successful army operations.
On April 28 the troops rescued 293 women and children, and on the next day 160 more people were said to have been freed in the same area.

President Goodluck Jonathan was said to have questioned the March 28 presidential elections which proclaimed General Buhari as the winner.

Jonathan Questions Buhari’s Victory, Gears PDP Members Up

Jonathan and Buhari

The Punch reports that President Jonathan on Thursday questioned the results of the March 28 presidential election, saying “the Peoples Democratic Party couldn’t have got those kinds of scores” it had in some places.
Speaking shortly after receiving the report of the Senator Ahmadu Ali-led PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Jonathan, however, advised that since the general elections were over, the country must be allowed to move forward. He said that apart from himself quickly conceding defeat to the All Progressives Congress’s candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, many PDP members also made sacrifices because they were persecuted in the course of electioneering.
READ ALSO: ELECTIONS 2015: Patience Jonathan’s Many Battles
Jonathan said, “The problem is not whether we lost the elections, that is history, but how do we consolidate our party and move forward? If we are committed and we work hard, definitely the PDP will bounce back. The PDP is still the dominant party. If you look at the results, the difference is just 2.5 million votes and if you look at the areas where it is perceived that the PDP scored so low, the PDP couldn’t have got those kinds of scores but the elections are over, so the country first.
“It is not as if Jonathan alone made the sacrifice, it is all of us. I made the pronouncement but some of us are paying the price. Some people pay more price than I do, I know how some of you are already being persecuted and the kind of situation facing you. The key thing is that we must continue to unite, as a party; we must continue to work hard so that as we go into subsequent elections in 2019, 2023 and so on and so forth, the PDP will continue to come up strong. Even in the interest of the nation, we need the PDP.
“I still believe, though we have lost presidential election, some National Assembly elections, governorship elections especially in the North, the PDP is still the dominant party. Let us not judge the PDP by the results of the elections for the presidential election. Our duty is to go back and identify areas of challenges so that the party will come up strong and play the role as a very strong party. The PDP is still the most organised party, is still the party that is not owned by anybody, is still the party that whatever you are, you can get to any level with your competencies and so on.”
READ ALSO: Jonathan And Sambo’s Retirement Benefit Will Surprise You! SEE FIGURES
The President also said that all PDP members who defected to the APC would return with empty stomachs because the APC leaders would first settle their members before thinking of those who joined them midway. Jonathan added that the “food” might have finished before it gets to the turn of the PDP defectors . However, he urged all the faithful party members to remain committed to the PDP, adding that even if it was difficult in the beginning, their aim would be achieved eventually. The president said, “I encourage members of our party to remain loyal to the party; not to be so disillusioned because we lost presidential election and decide to go where they think they will fill their stomachs or something. It is not easy. I have been here for five years plus, you hardly satisfy even 15 per cent of those who work for you.
“So, those people running and those already cross-carpeting, they will come back on an empty stomach because they will touch the primary members of their party before they get to them. They know you are coming because you are hungry; and before it will get to you, the food will be gone. So, let us be committed to the party, yes we will have challenges at the beginning but surely we will get to where we want to be.”
READ ALSO: Patience Jonathan’s Attitude & Conspiracies Led To Jonathan’s Loss — PDP Chief
The president said although he did not consult anyone before calling Buhari on the telephone to concede defeat, he took that step on behalf of the PDP.
“Yes, I did not consult anybody before I made that phone call (to Buhari) but I made that phone call on behalf of all of you and on behalf of the PDP, “ he said.
Jonathan likened the 2015 elections to the nation’s civil war, saying people would give different accounts of the event depending on the angle from where they were reporting.
However, he said that because of his privileged position, he knew about the elections more than any other person. He said the most important thing was not about his electoral loss, but the need to consolidate the party and move forward. He said, “The issues of this 2015 elections will be similar to the civil war because different people gave different accounts of the civil war.
“The first book on civil war that I read was ‘My Command’ by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, which is his perspectives on what he saw and observed. I recall (Chukwuemeka) Odumegwu-Ojukwu’s own was ‘Because I’m Involved.’ I know that the issues of the 2015 general elections, may be after few years when political scientists will write, we will get different perspectives.
“If you ask the various observer groups, each will give you a different perspective. Even among ourselves whenever we talk sometimes I laugh when people draw some of their analysis but by my privileged position, I know a little more about the elections than others.
“But the key thing is not whether we lost or won but that Nigeria as a nation must move forward. Political parties can only thrive when there is peace and stability in the country. If there is military intervention all the parties will disappear.”
READ ALSO: Prophet Who Predicted Buhari’s Victory, Reveals What’ll Happen To Fayose Before Dec. 2015
The president further encouraged the members saying that despite the loss that the PDP had suffered in all the elections, it remained the dominant party in the country. He also expressed joy that countries that brought ships to Nigeria and were waiting to evacuate their citizens in case post-election crisis broke out did not have any reason to do so.
Attributing the PDP’s loss to conspiracies and betrayals from people trusted by the party chiefs, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the PDP, Chief Tony Anenih, said, “There is a lot to be done. We need a very vibrant and strong party that can stand in as a strong opposition party; a party that can stand well in the next election. That party has to be put in place now. I believe that we are on the right path.”
Senator Ali said the lessons learnt from the elections would be used to wrest power from the APC in 2019. He said it was sad that the PDP lost despite all the energy it put into the electioneering. He also said the report would provide a road map for the PDP to move forward. Ali described the campaigns in the 36 states of the federation as largely successful except for a few incidents in some states.

Muhammadu Buhari, the president-elect, in his May Day message expressed admiration for the Nigerian working class that he said had sacrificed a lot in tough economic times.
The APC politician said he was fully aware that the workers’ hardships were substantially compounded by poor government and corruption, Nigerian Times reports.
He lamented the condition of the working class in a country rich in oil resources, saying that a few corrupt officials were making a fortune at the expense of the people.
Buhari also said it was unfair that honest labour had been relegated to the background. He added that replacing honesty by quick wealth gain would never bring progress and prosperity to the nation.
READ ALSO: Why Governor Uduaghan Shunned Workers’ Day Celebrations In Asaba
Having stated the problems and challenges, the president-elect reiterated the incoming government’s commitment to boosting the morale of Nigerian workers to increase people’s productivity and their income.
He urged Nigerian workers to cooperate with the new administration in the fight against corruption which he called the greatest enemy of achievement.
In another development Plateau workers gave the state government an ultimatum to meet the full implementation of all their demands or brace up for an indefinite strike.
At the same time in Lagos the May Day atmosphere was festive as hundreds of workers gathered at the Onikan stadium in Lagos Island to celebrate the international day.

Some Nigerian soldiers have been reported to have invaded Kadarko, Kurmi and Wadata villages in Wase local government area of Plateau state and killed more than 30 innocent people.
According to reports, the soldiers were responding to the killing of four of their colleagues by unknown people in one of the villages.
The house of the traditional ruler of the Kadarko, Ponhzi Kadarko, Chief Lot Nde, was also said to have been torched.
Punch reports that the soldiers, who arrived in the villages in over 40 trucks, were on a revenge mission over the alleged killing of their colleagues at Angwan Nanmi in Karin Lamido local government area of Taraba state.
Th executive director of Stefanos Foundation, Mark Lipdo, said that the soldiers arrived and opened fire on innocent people and burnt houses.
“It is not clear why soldiers would open fire on the people they are supposed to defend,” Lipdo said.
He added: “Sources speculate that it is in retaliation for the killings of their colleagues. Others denied this, moreso that two of the four soldiers killed were even Tarohs from the area. Villagers would rather believe it is a deliberate plan by the outgoing governor to intimidate their area, following the overwhelming votes from the area that changed the results of last election.”
Reacting to the allegation, a spokesman for the Special Task Force, Capt. Ikedichi Iweha, said there was no truth in the claim that its members attacked anybody.
He said that the operation was meant to check gunmen who had been terrorising residents and security personnel in the area.
According to him, following frequent attacks on communities around the Plateau-Taraba border by some militiamen, the STF and soldiers from the 3 Armoured Division of the Nigerian Army had been carrying out operations targeted at flushing out the militias.
Iwela added that Nigerian soldiers who are working to protect innocent civilians could not turn around to kill the same people.

Leaders Of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have blasted President Jonathan for questioning the victory of Mohammadu Buhari in the just concluded presidential election.

APC Leaders Blast Jonathan For Questioning Buhari’s Victory

Muhammadu Buhari won the March 28 presidential election

President Jonathan had on Thursday, April 30, at the submission of the report of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation (PPCO), questioned the results of the March 28 presidential election.

READ ALSO: Only Political Harlots Will Move From PDP To APC Now

The president said he congratulated Muhammadu Buhari, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), before the final result was announced only for the unity of Nigeria.

The president’s recent comments have however attracted the ire of APC leaders who accuse him of playing on public sympathy.

The party leaders have therefore called on Jonathan to stop seeking public sympathy and ask for forgiveness from Nigerians who rejected him at the March 28 poll.

Reacting to Jonathan’s claims, a chieftain of the APC, Senator J. K. N. Waku said “why did Jonathan rush to accept defeat if he knew that Buhari didn’t have a clear victory? The fact that he conceded defeat early has shot up his public image, but his recent statements are only confirming to the world that he is not the person he was trying to convince the world he is. His claim is shocking. Obviously, he acted contrary to the dictate of his mind, the real him. He should stop being a cry cry loser.”

In the same vein, National Vice Chairman of APC (North-east), Engr. David Lawal asked Nigerians to disregard whatever the president was saying.

He said: “The man was roundly defeated. People are praising him for conceding defeat. What was he supposed to do? He was defeated in an election and what he did was not extra-ordinary. He did not have any option, but to accept the out come of the elections. There is no big deal in the fact that Goodluck Jonathan accepted defeat. Nigeria is a funny country.”

READ ALSO: Man Walks From Kano To Abuja For Mama Taraba

Meanwhile, Chief Olabode George has blamed the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Atahiru Jega, for the loss the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) suffered at the presidential election.

Bode George in a statement on Friday, May 1, alleged that Atahiru Jega conspired with enemies of the PDP to deny the party of a decisive victory through a bungled election process.

The late adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Research, Documentation and Strategy, Oronto Douglas was lain to rest on May 2.

President Jonathan, Bayelsa Governor Dickson & wife

The burial ceremony kicked off at 9:00am with a Valedictory Session by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) at the Chief Judges’ Court in Yenagoa, the state capital.
PHOTOS: Jonathan Visits His Late Top Aide’s Family

The funeral service followed at the Gabriel Okara Cultural Centre, also in Yenagoa at 10.30am.

Douglas’ remains was laid to rest at 2.30pm in the premises of St Mark’s Anglican Church at Okoroba in the Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
President Jonathan, Mrs Tarinabo Oronto Douglas & children, Bayelsa Governor Dickson & wife, DCOS Abubakar, Agiobenebo, PSP Tukur, FCT Min., Nuhu Ribadu and others attended the burial.
Below are Pictures from the burial;