The House of Representatives has approved President Bola Tinubu’s long-awaited passage of the highly contentious tax reform bills that he had submitted to the National Assembly in October 2024.
The government’s efforts to reform Nigeria’s tax system are significant milestones.
Persecondnews recalls that the House reviewed and approved the House Committee on Finance’s report on Thursday, which contained some contentious recommendations, particularly in contentious areas like the value-added and inheritance tax.
The proposed tax reform proposals are expected to be sent to President Tinubu for his signature in the coming days while Senate approval and passage is on hold.
Nyesom Wike, the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has revoked the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) in Abuja’s national secretariat’s land occupancy rights.
The Director of Land Administration at the FCT Administration, Chijioke Nwankwoeze, based the revocation on the party’s failure to pay ground rent in a letter dated March 13, 2025, which was addressed to the PDP National Chairman, Umar Damagum.
Notice of Revocation of Right of Occupancy With File No. was the title of the letter. Plot No. MISSEC 81346 Abuja’s Central Area District has a 243.
Read more about Wike’s revocation of 4, 794 land titles in Abuja.
The PDP, according to the FCTA official, has refused to pay the annual fee, which landowners are required to pay for the occupying and using of their property, between January 1, 2006 and January 1, 2025.
The FCT administration has requested all allotees of plots in the Federal Capital Territory to pay all outstanding bills and ground rents on their properties since 2023, according to the letter.
“You would kindly take note that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) national secretariat’s (MISC 81346) violations of section 28 of subsections 5a and 5b of the Land Use Act are unlawful.
Further, I want to let you know that the subject property (Plot No. ) is. The Federal Capital Territory Administration will now be in possession of 243 Central Area, Cadastral Zone A00, Abuja,” the letter read.
At the Aso Villa in Abuja on Tuesday, President Bola Tinubu held a meeting with the service chiefs led by General Christopher Musa, the chief of the defense staff.
At the meeting were Oluwatosin Ajayi, the Director General of State Services, Kayode Egbetokun, the National Security Advisor, Nuhu Ribadu, and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
Later, Opeyemi Bamidele, the leader of the majority, and Godswill Akpabio, the president’s president, joined the meeting.
Read Nnamdi Kanu’s release, which is not connected to Soludo’s work on South-East security.
Tajudeen Abbas, the speaker of the House of Representatives, and Ben Kalu, his deputy, were also spotted at the meeting.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) national secretariat in Abuja has been given revocation in a shocking move by the Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike.
Wike cited the party’s failure to pay 20-year-long annual ground rents as the justification for the revocation, which included numerous warnings and publications in national newspapers and electronic media.
The minister sent out the revocation notice on Tuesday, titled “Notice of Right of Occupancy with File No: MISC 81346 in respect of Plot No: 243 within Central Area District, Abuja,” in a letter dated March 13, 2025.
The FCT’s Director of Land Administration, Mr. Chijioke Nwankwoeze, signed the letter.
He claims that the opposition party hasn’t paid its annual ground rent since January 1, 2006, to January 1, 2025.
In the course of carrying out the powers that the Minister of Federal Capital Territory has under the Land Use Act No. 1, I have been directed to refer to the above Right of Occupancy granted to the National Security Council (PDP) and the President of the United States. 6 of 1978, Cap. Your rights, privileges, and interests were terminated in L5, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (2004) regarding Plot No. 243 in Abuja’s Cadastral Zone A00, Central Area.
The revocation comes as a result of your continuing infraction of the terms and conditions of the grant of the Right of Occupancy by failing to pay the property’s annual ground rents for twenty (20) years, starting on January 1, 2006, through January 1, 2025.
“This is in spite of the numerous publications the FCT Administration has requested from all plot owners in the Federal Capital Territory to pay every outstanding bill and ground rent on their property since 2023, in addition to numerous national newspapers and on electronic media.”
You should take note that Section 28 Subsection 5 (a) and (b) of the Land Use Act’s proposed violations by PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP) and NATIONAL SECRETARIAT (MISC 81346) are contrary to those provisions.
Wike announced that until all bills are settled, the FCTA administration will take over the party’s secretariat right away.
A bill aiming to amend the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023, to require social media platforms to set up physical offices in the nation has been passed through the Senate’s second reading.
A bill to amend the Nigerian Data Protection Act, 2023, to mandate the establishment of physical offices within the territorial boundaries of the Federal Republic of Nigeria through social media platforms, and for related issues, 2025 (SB) is the title of the bill. Senator Ned Nwoko (Delta North) sponsored 650).
According to a Global Web Index report cited by Business Insider Africa, Senator Nwoko noted that Nigeria, the most populous nation with over 220 million people, has a significant digital presence, ranking first in Africa and second globally in terms of social media usage. It spends an average of three hours and 46 minutes per day online.
He emphasized that, unlike in other countries, multinational social media companies like Facebook, X, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat do not run physical locations in Nigeria despite the high engagement rates.
Senate Investigates Cameroon’s alleged annexation of the Mangrove Islands in Nigeria
Senator Ned Nwoko X / @Prince_NedNwoko
In addition to having limited local representation, economic losses, and challenges in ensuring legal and data protection compliance, Senator Nwoko cited several issues that arise as a result of Nigeria’s lack of social media offices.
Additionally, the bill makes recommendations for new rules for Nigerian bloggers. It requires that all bloggers: – Set up a verifiable office in any of the nation’s largest cities. – Keep accurate records of employees. – Be a part of an established national blogger organization with its main office in Abuja.
Similar to traditional media houses, this measure, according to Senator Nwoko, is intended to promote accountability, transparency, and professionalism in Nigeria’s digital media landscape.
He claimed that the bill is a call for respect for Nigeria’s position as a global leader in digital engagement rather than an attack on social media platforms.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio acknowledged in a statement regarding the bill that while having a local address for digital platforms is beneficial, blogging regulations need to be carefully considered.
He said, “Bloggers are a little different from one another, but it’s good to have an address.” For much more simplified clarity, I believe a second reading and subsequent public hearing would be the best thing to do.
He argued that the bill should not serve as a framework for appropriate taxation and record-keeping for digital platforms operating in Nigeria.
Senator Akpabio continued, “We wait until it reaches the stage of public hearing to see if it intends to gag bloggers, but I hadn’t seen that.”
The Republic of Cameroon’s alleged annexation of the nation’s mangrove islands and maritime territories has been the focus of an ad-hoc committee headed by the Senate. In the upcoming two months, the committee will submit a report with the necessary recommendations.
The Senate has urged President Bola Tinubu to take immediate action to protect Nigeria’s territorial waters, including securing the more than 2,560 oil wells located in the disputed mangrove islands in Akwa Ibom State.
Additionally, the Senate leadership has agreed to talk with Tinubu directly to find diplomatic solutions.
Read more: Akpabio claims that next year, Statutory Delegates will be a part of the party primaries.
At a joint NASS meeting in Abuja, President Bola Tinubu (L) greets Senate President Godswill Akpabio and House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas.
The urgency of what they referred to as a “provocation by the Republic of Cameroon” was emphasized by legislators during the plenary on Tuesday.
Senator Aniekan Bassey, who was in charge of the motion under Orders 41 and 51, expressed concern about the economic and territorial ramifications of Cameroon’s annexation of Nigerian territory.
Senator Bassey claimed that the mangrove islands, which are located in Akwa Ibom State’s Efiat and Mbo Local Government Area, were not included in the Anglo-Germany’s ceded territories, nor did the International Court of Justice (ICJ) have ruled in October 2002.
[Harmony] There’s Hope, I’m Ready to Listen, Tinubu Tells Catholic BishopsCentral African Republic of Cameroon on a map
He lamented Cameroonian security forces’ “monumental national embarrassment” over the ensuing “monumental national embarrassment” against Nigerians living in 16 ancestral villages in the affected areas.
