07.02.19 FOR GOD AND COUNTRY THURSDAY No. 3, 211 N200 THURSDAY NIGERIA’S MOST INFLUENTIAL NEWSPAPER Leadership Newspapers @leadershipNGA All Set For LEADERSHIP Conference, Awards Today All is now set for the LEADERHSIP tors in the previous year. The Minister of the Federal Cap- administrator, Alhaji Ahmed Joda, they will attend the Conference and Annual Conference and Awards billed The theme of this year’s conference ital Territory (FCT), Muhammad chairman of the Independent Nation- Awards. to hold today at the International is ‘Multiparty Democracy, Stability Musa Bello, Nigeria’s Ambassador to al Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Unit- Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja. and Peaceful Elections: Connecting the United States (US), Justice Sylva- Mahmood Yakubu, are among digni- ed States (US), Justice Sylvanus Nso- The conference is an annual event The Dots’. nus Nsofor, statesman and seasoned taries, who have all confirmed that for, will be chairman at the occasion put in place by LEADERSHIP Group while INEC chairman, Prof.Mah- Limited to celebrate those it acknowl- mood Yakubu, will deliver the key- edges as having distinguished them- Customs Intercepts Smuggled Police Uniforms In Lagos ➔ Pg. 25 selves in the public and private sec- ➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 PDP Threatens To Pull Out Of Peace Accord Over el-Rufai’s Comment 4 My statement not a call to violence – Kaduna gov We are committed to peaceful polls - Presidency R-L: President Muhammadu Buhari; Nasarawa State governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura; Andoma of Doma, Aliyu Oga President Muhammadu Buhari flanked by Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom (right), and Tor Tiv, Prof James Onawo, and Emir of Nasarawa, Usman Jibrin, when the APC presidential campaign train arrived Lafia, yesterday. Ayatse, when the president visited Makurdi for the APC presidential campaign rally, yesterday. Police Deploy 37 CPs, To 16 Polls: CBN Takes Delivery Wabba Returns 43 Appeal Court Okays APC Again, EFCC Fails To 16 Withdraw Officers From VIPs Of Sensitive Materials 2 As NLC President Campaign In Rivers 16 Arraign Ex-NIA DG, Wife 2 NEWS www.leadership.ng Leadership Newspapers @leadershipNGA Thursday, February 7, 2019 Group News Editor: Ekele Peter Agbo L-R: Dr. Alimi Abdul Razak; Hajia Rahila Abdul-Razak; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Senator Khairat Gwadabe, during the Vice President’s meet your Neighbours visit in Abuja, yesterday. PMB, Osinbajo Polls: CBN Takes Delivery Of Sensitive Materials Enjoy Protective BY SUNDAY ISUWA, Abuja INEC press corps, National elections,” Okoye said. sleeping mats and others. by the need to uphold Shield From God Commissioner and Speaking further, the “Most of the resident the basic tenets of good The Independent National chairman, Information National commissioner electoral commissioners reporting.” – BCO Electoral Commission and Voter Education said, “The Central Bank of have concluded the training While speaking on the (INEC), yesterday said the BY OLADIPO MAGAJI, Il- Committee, Barr Festus Nigeria (CBN) on the other of various categories of ruling of an appeal court in Central Bank of Nigeria Okoye said all is set for the hand is taking delivery of adhoc staff and are putting Rivers State that gave the orin (CBN) has taken delivery conduct of the elections. sensitive materials for finishing touches to other All Progressives Congress of sensitive materials for Patron, Buhari Campaign “For now, the conduct of the elections.” processes, “ Okoye said (APC) the go ahead to Organisation(BCO), Mallam next week’s presidential commission is engaged in The sensitive materials while urging journalists to present candidates for the election. readiness for the elections in the custody of the be guided by the need to elections, Okoye said the Yakub Gobir yesterday said According to the that will take place on the CBN, according to Okoye, uphold the basic tenets of commission is yet to take President Muhammadu Buhari commission, the different 16th of February, 2019 and includes ballot papers and good reporting in the 2019 a final decision concerning and vice president Yemi zonal stores of state and 2nd of March, 2019.” result sheets. general elzctions. the issue. Osinbajo are enjoying divine local government offices of “The different zonal For the non-sensitive “As you go about covering On the burning of the protective shield from God. INEC are presently taking stores and state and local materials that have already the activities of the INEC office in Imo state, He added that the divine delivery of non-sensitive government offices of the been delivered to both commission, it is imperative Okoye said INEC may protection has been responsible materials for the conduct of commission are presently the states and the local that you are abreast of the print PVCs and distribute for Osinbajo’s narrow escape the 2019 general elections. taking delivery of non- government offices, Okoye constitutional and legal it to people that had theirs from death. Speaking at an sensitive materials for said they include ballot issues in the conduct of the burnt if they can get the Gobir said this in Afon, Asa interactive forum with the conduct of the 2019 boxes, voting cubicles, elections. Always be guided data of those affected. local government area of Kwara state during a campaign rally. He said APC is ready to win at the polls, adding that, “in Labour Seeks Amendment Of Income Tax Law terms of previous elections I BY MICHAEL OCHE, Abuja workers caused by to raise the tax bar in raised the point and I workers have in their will say our preparedness is at unrestrained devaluation such a way that N30,000 think labour must push pocket is what will turn the highest point . So we are The Nigeria Labourof naira and high rate of minimum wage would fall the agenda to protect the the economy around. prepared.” Congress (NLC), yesterday inflation’. It also expressed below taxable income. He new minimum wage. That is what we will use On the reception accorded his called for the amendment concern that the process also called for tax holidays “The N30,000 isto purchase goods in the team, he said: “The reception of the present income for the new minimum for some categories of actually a compromised market and pay rent. For is fantastic.This is not my tax law so that the new wage was taking too long, Nigerian workers. amount from N56,000 economic recovery, it is first time of coming to Asa. minimum wage on calling on the parent He said, “Now that we earlier proposed so it good for workers to have This local government is very N30,000 will not be taxed. body, NLC to discuss have raised the minimum must be protected. If sustainable purchasing important. This is the first local In a motion submitted strategies and plans for wage to N30,000, we must the Federal Government power or disposable by the National Union government that results would effective implementation impress it on the FIRS to can give 10 year tax income that is off the tax be announced. of Textile Garment and of the new minimum wage raise the tax bar so that holiday to companies, hook.” Tailoring Workers of “The second thing is that it is particularly at the state the new minimum wage why not give the same While appealing for a very rural local government Nigeria(NUTGTWN) at level. will be protected. If you to workers? Given the protection of the new the plenary session of the in Kwara central and there are General Secretary of tax minimum wage of collapse of income, minimum wage, the great distances between polling 12th delegates conference the of NUTGTWN, Issa N30,000, we may as well today, Nigerian workers General Secretary of NLC, of the NLC in Abuja, the Aremu, noted that it was go back to N25,000 or deserve tax holidays. We Peter Ozo-Eson, said that units. Also, APC Kwara central union noted that there important to put pressure N27,000 by default. The are not asking for this the income tax law needed senatorial chair, Abdullateef was ‘twin assault on the on the Federal Inland Deputy Speaker of the because we consider our to be amended to protect Alakawa said that APC has real income of Nigerian Revenue Service,FIRS House of Representatives job as charitable, what workers purchasing power. become a movement in the state. LEADERSHIP Thursday, February 7, 2019 3 our stand Scourge Of Drug Abuse oday, it is sad to ob- and synthetic cannabinoids like one mental illness or anoth- Regrettably, not much attention is serve that the main Kronic being frequently used. er, meaning that an estimated given to hard drugs and their atten- social issues domi- For instance, fentanyl and its 20–30 percent of the country’s dant consequences in the country. nating contemporary derivatives not only pose a risk population is believed to suf- The level of awareness of the pub- discourse in Nigeria to recreational drug users, but fer from mental disorders. This lic on these issues is poor. For in- Tis drug abuse, criminality and its other versions are even more statistics point to the fact that stance, drug abuse is very harmful drug trafficking. Despite our potent. For instance, carfentan- more people will be disabled to the body. It can lead to lung and law enforcement agents daily yl is 10,000 times more potent by drug related challenges than cardiovascular diseases, stroke, vari- battling with the increasing than morphine. complications arising from ous kinds of cancer, HIV/AIDS, and number of users and other mea- Little wonder then that statis- HIV/AIDS, heart disease, ac- Hepatitis B and C. It has serious con- sures taken thus far, the prob- tics show that no fewer than 40 cidents and wars combined by sequences on job performance in the lem of drug abuse continues million Nigerians suffer from year 2020.