Headlines
Oyo Govt Excludes Churches, Mosques from Paying Tax
The Oyo state government at the weekend exempted churches and mosques from paying levies and taxes to the coffers of the state.
The government position was in sharp contrast to the immediate past administration which stipulated certain amount of money to be paid by religious houses, corporate bodies, among others as security levies.
The Executive Assistant to Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state, Rev. Idowu Ogedengbe made this known at the thanksgiving mass to celebrate the 70th year birthday of the Catholic Archbishop of Ibadan diocese , Most Rev . Gabriel Abegunrin held at the Church of Ascension, Bodija, Ibadan.
Ogedengbe spoke as the Publisher of the defunct Third Eye newspapers, Chief Akanni Aluko; the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan represented by Oba Fayemi Olumayowa; the President , Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, Most Rev. Augustine Akubueze; Ekerefe of Erefe of Ife , and members of Olubadan Advisory Council including High Chief Eddy Oyewole nodded with enthusiasm.
He clarified its position on the controversy on whether places of worship in the state are to pay taxes or not, following the criticism that greeted the move during the last administration.
Though, he stated that any places of worship that do business , such as establishing of schools, university, hospital, bakeries, and so on must pay tax to the government since it was a profit making venture.
The Punch
The National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (NWC) has suspended the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade; National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu; Deputy Legal Adviser, Okechukwu Osuoha; and National Organizing Secretary, Umaru Bature for one month.
The suspension comes on the heels of the judgement of the Federal High Court On Friday, which stopped the party’s planned national convention.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba, told journalists in Abuja on Saturday, that the decision followed an emergency meeting of the national working committee, which was held in Abuja.
President Donald Trump of the United States on Friday designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), in response to allegations of widespread persecution and genocide against Christians.
Writing on his Truth Social account, Trump stated that Christianity faces a serious threat in Nigeria.
The US leader also added Nigeria to a State Department watch list.
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter,” Trump wrote.
According to the US president, he was placing Nigeria, Africa’s top oil producer and most populous nation, on a “Countries of Particular Concern” list of nations the US deems to have engaged in religious freedom violations.
According to the State Department’s website, the list includes China, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia, and Pakistan, among others.
Trump said he had asked US Representatives Riley Moore and Tom Cole, as well as the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee, to look into the matter and report back to him.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has removed Hon. Abubakar Gummi from the House of Representatives after he left the Peoples Democratic Party for the All Progressives Congress.
The lawmaker represented the Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency in Zamfara State.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu delivered the ruling, holding that Gummi’s defection breached the Constitution.
The court said the seat does not belong to any politician but to the political party that sponsored the election.
According to the judgment, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, is barred from recognising Gummi “as a member representing Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency.”
The judge also instructed the Independent National Electoral Commission to “conduct a fresh election” for the vacant seat within 30 days.
The case was instituted by the PDP and its Zamfara chairman, who insisted that Gummi’s move to the APC had no legal justification. They argued that there was no division in the PDP to support his defection, as required by Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution.
Gummi, through his counsel, claimed he left the PDP due to internal crises which he said made it “impossible” to serve his constituents effectively. The judge, however, dismissed his arguments and granted all the reliefs requested by the plaintiffs.
Justice Egwuatu, in a firm comment, warned politicians against what he described as reckless party hopping.
“Political prostitution must not be rewarded,” he declared, adding that lawmakers must not transfer votes won on one party’s platform to another party.
The court also ordered Gummi to refund all salaries and allowances received from October 30, 2024, until the date of judgment. He is also barred from earning any further benefits as a member of the House.
Additionally, the judge imposed a N500,000 cost against the defendants in favour of the PDP.
