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CSO’s Accuses Media Houses of Misleading, Mischievous Story About Hon. Obasa

Published

5 years ago

July 14, 2020

Bisi Kayode

A coalition of Civil Society groups comprising of Competent Governance for Accountability and Civic Trust, South-South Youth Peace Mission and other Civil Society groups in the country have accused some section of media houses of a mischievous story to destroy the reputation of Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa built over the year

The groups in a press release jointly signed under the leadership of Amb. Omoba Micheal and Comrade Godwin Erheriene, as the conveners on Tuesday in Abuja, asked those media houses to stop misleading the public.

According to the release, unarguably religion plays a major role in the life of the people. To some it is their candlelight; it gives them insight, wisdom, and knowledge. Therefore, it is expected that the teaching of religion should reflect in the lives of the people.

“Fake news stories can not only polarize different groups within a state but can also affect international relations and for political intrigues whereby causing conflict to undermine people faith in the Democratic process and people ability to work together.

“While it is right to encourage outstanding actions and condemn mediocre deeds, the intent and manner have done matters. In recent years, social media has been hijacked by those who are stock in trade of fake news and seek the downfall of persons, organization or Nations perceived to be excelling in their chosen endeavors.

“Based on fact findings, is not possible for anyone to have more than one account in one bank with two different dates of birth and different names in with one BVN.

“Officials of Ecobank, Wema Bank and Polaris has denied that Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa is operating multiple bank accounts with them.

“Some representatives of the banks spoke before the 9-man House Adhoc Committee on fact-finding and investigation on the corruption allegations against Speaker Mudashiru Obasa being circulated on social media recently.”

“The bank officials stated that it was not possible for an individual to operate multiple accounts with one Bank Verification Number (BVN). The Committee is headed by Hon. Victor Akande (Ojo Constituency 1).” The statement said.

Present during the meeting were Hon. Rotimi Olowo, Hon. Yinka Ogundimu, Hon. Lukmon Olumoh and Hon. Mojisola Alli-Macaulay.

A Business Development Officer with Wema Bank, Mr. Adekunle Adeleke said that the BVN server did not reserve with any bank, and that it is with the CBN.

“The BVN and the accounts stated in the story is not correct and they don’t belong to the Speaker of the Assembly.

“It is not possible for a BVN to have two dates of births. If they do so, it would be rejected in another bank, they would have to swear to an affidavit so that it would be the same.

“If it should be changed, it would be backed up by marriage certificate or sworn affidavit,” he stated.

Adeleke stressed that the companies stated by those media houses in their reports had no linkage with Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.

He added that the name, signature, and other details in the story has no relationship with Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa

“BVN is a different server, it does not belong to any bank. You cannot punch BVN and get any financial details. It is only the regulator or the anti-corrupion agency that can do so through the CBN,” he said.

Polaris Bank was represented by Mr. Charles Osho and Mr. Rotimi Omotayo, Chief Internal Auditor of the bank.

“Mr. Adebayo Adeyemi David is different from Mr. Ajayi Mudashiru Obasa and there is no linkage between the two personalities.

“Rt. Hon. Ajayi Mudashiru Obasa has one account with our bank and the BVN quoted for Obasa is correct. The other person has a separate BVN for the two accounts.

General Manager of the Lagos State Public Procurement Agency (PPA), Mr. Onafowote Fati Idowu, who was also invited by the Committee, revealed that the 40 Toyota Corolla back-up cars bought for the 8th Assembly was with the notice of his office and that the purchase followed the due process.

He said that Certificate of Compliance was issued for the procurement of the vehicles on 30th April 2019.

“The purchase of the vehicles was approved by the Management Committee of the House, led by the Speaker Mudashiru Obasa and the relevant documents were provided.

“Members of the Committee were Hon. Wahab Olumuyiwa Jimoh, Hon. Rotimi Olowo, Hon. Dayo Saka-Fafunmi, and Hon. Setonji David. The purchase was budgeted for and It is in tandem with the appropriate Procurement Law,” he said.

We, therefore encourage those organizations behind those publications against the impracticable character and numerous achievement of the Speaker, to have a rethink and do a rejoinder of their allegation, as is now obvious that they goofed based on the publication made against the innocent man. Reject invitation to support lies against the innocent. Very common in politics; blackmails will come but stick to the truth and right fact.

Hon. MUDASHIRU AJAYI OBASA has won so many awards based on his outstanding performance over time. As a young man of his age to have achieved a lot within this short period of time, I think he deserves an accolade from us, Nigerians.

Leadership Training, Cambridge University, UK, Certificate on Legislation, UK parliament, Nigerian Law School, (2007)

Legislator of the Year, Podium Recognition Awards 2016 by Podium International, 10th Anniversary, Evergreen Lawmaker of the Year 2016 by APC Volunteers Lagos Award of Excellence, Omoluabi/Ambassador Ile Asofin Rere (OAIAR) by the Yoruba Community (Egbe Omo Oduduwa), Naples, Italy. True Son of Islam Award 2016 by CITINET international, Best House of Assembly Speaker 2016 by Global Excellence, Speaker of the Year 2016 by City People Magazine, Outstanding Leaders Award by Christian Coalition Against Corruption, Award of Landmark for Community Support Initiative by Orchard Media, Man of the Year Award by Agege Awards Organization, Mentorship/Leadership Award by R&A City Hotel: Ikeja Committee of Friends, Certificate of Excellence by the State of Georgia, USA. His awards and achievement will be too numerous to mention here on this platform. May we at this juncture call on well-meaning Nigerians to always support hard work instead of this, “let bring him down syndrome” for the Development and interest of this Nation is more paramount than our individual interest.

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Business

Tax Reform Bills: The Verdict of Nigerians

Published

1 week ago

March 6, 2025

The Gleamer

Ismaila Ahmad Abdullahi Ph.D

The public hearings conducted recently by the two Chambers of the National Assembly have elicited positive responses from a broad spectrum of Nigerians, cutting across regional interest groups, government agencies, civil society groups, concerned individuals, the academia, and Labour Unions, among diverse others. Contrary to a few dissensions hitherto expressed in the media, almost all the stakeholders who spoke during the week-long sessions were unanimous in their declaration that the hallowed Chambers should pass the tax reform bills after a clean-up of the grey areas.

The public hearings were auspicious for all Nigerians desirous of economic growth and fiscal responsibility. They were also a watershed moment for the Federal Inland Revenue Service, which had been upbeat about the tax reforms. Indeed, the public hearings had rekindled hope in the tenets of democracy that guarantee freedom of expression and equitable space for cross-fertilisation of ideas. Without gainsaying the fact, the tax reform bills have been unarguably about the most thought-provoking issues in Nigeria today, drawing variegated perspectives and commentaries from even unlikely quarters such as the faith-based leaders, student bodies, and trade unions, which speaks much about the importance of the bills.

In the build-up to the public hearings, not many people believed that the bills would make it to the second reading, much less the public hearings. Even the Northern stakeholders who seemed unlikely to support the passage of the bills have softened their stance and have given valuable suggestions that would enrich the substance of the bills. The Arewa Consultative Forum came to the public hearings well-prepared with a printed booklet that addressed their concerns. It concluded with an advisory that the bills should be “Well planned, properly communicated, strategically implemented and ample dialogue and political consensus allowed for the reforms to be accepted.”

The concerns of ACF ranged from the composition of the proposed Nigeria Revenue Service Board as contained in Part 111, Section 7 of the bill, the unlimited Presidential power to exempt/wave tax payment as proposed in Section 75(1) of the bill, the family income or inheritance tax as contained in Part 1, Section 4(3) of the bill, to the issues around development levy and VAT. On the development levy, the ACF stated that unless the Federal Government is considering budgetary funding for TETFUND, NASENI and NITDA, it does not see the “wisdom behind the plan to replace (them) with NELFUND”.

The position of the North was equally reinforced by the Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria, Northern Elders Forum, Kano State Government, Professor Auwalu Yadudu, and the FCT Imams. Like the ACF, these stakeholders lent their respective voices to the Section on the Inheritance Tax in Part 1 of the bill and the use of the term ‘ecclesiastical’, which, in their views, undermines certain religious rights and beliefs. The Kano State Government, represented by Mahmud Sagagi, affirmed that “we support tax modernisation” but cautioned that “we must ensure that this process does not come at the expense of states’ constitutional rights and economic stability”. Professor Auwalu Yadudu, a constitutional law professor, drew attention to the use of the ‘supremacy clause’ and cautioned that the repeated use of “notwithstanding” in the bills would undermine the supremacy of the Nigerian constitution if passed as such.

Other stakeholders that made contributions at the sessions included the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas, Fiscal Responsibility Commission, Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, Nigeria Customs Service, and a host of others. While most of their concerns bordered on technical issues requiring fine-tuning, they were unanimous in their support for the bills. They aligned with the position of the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Zacch Adedeji, Ph.D. and the Chairman of the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, which is that the extant tax laws and fiscal regulations are obsolete necessitating reforms aimed at creating a fair and equitable tax and fiscal space to grow Nigeria’s economy.

In one of the sessions, Dr Zaach Adedeji expounded on the criss-cross of trade activities in the Free Trade Zone whereby companies misuse tax waivers as exporters to sell their goods or services in the Customs Area at an amount usually less than the price the operators in the Customs Area who pay VAT and other taxes sell theirs thereby disrupting business transactions. This way, the operators in the Free Trade Zone shortchange the government in paying their due taxes by circumventing extant regulations, which are inimical to the economy’s growth.

Overall, the presentations were forthright, foresighted, and helpful in elucidating the issues contained in the bills. According to the statistics read out at the end of the hearings at the Senate, 75 stakeholders were invited, 65 made submissions, and 61 made presentations. At the House of Representatives 53 stakeholders made presentations. By all means, this is a fair representation. Given the presentations, it is evident that the National Assembly has gathered enough materials to guide its deliberations on the bills. As we look forward to the passage of the bills, we commend the leadership of the National Assembly for their unwavering commitment to making the bills see the light of the day.

Abdullahi is the Director of the Communications and Liaison Department, FIRS.

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