NAVIGATING THE SEASON OF DISCONTENT: THE URGENCY OF POLITICAL ORGANISATION AND PURPOSEFUL MASS ACTION - JAYE GASKIA

It is no longer news that the Nigeria economy went into and stayed firmly put in recession during 2016 with 4 consecutive quarterly negative GDP growths.

However, this dive into free fall did not start in 2016. From about 2010 onwards the economy has been declining, with annual GDP growth declining from an average of about 5% to about 1% in 2015, before dropping precipitately into negative region at the beginning of 2016.

So whereas it is true that the economy contracted in 2016, the decline and shrinking of the economy began long before that.

So why was it necessary to recount the foregoing as a way of introducing the subject of mass popular discontent, and the coming a period that can be and will become described as a season of discontent?
It is necessary because it is important to underpin the fact that any serious person and or political party aspiring to govern this country or any other country for that matter ought to be able to understand, identify and analyse the trends in the overall development trajectory of the country and people over which it wants to superintend before ever even going to seek for the active consent of the people to govern.

FG is not increasing taxes, Udoma tells National Assembly

The Federal Government does not have any intention of increasing taxes but is working towards increasing its internally generated revenue through the broadening its tax base.

Responding to a comment by Senator Ben Bruce at the public hearing of the Joint Session of the National Assembly on the 2017 Budget, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma said “a view has been expressed that we should not increase taxes, that we should broaden tax collection instead, that is precisely what is in the budget.”

Senator Bruce had given the impression that the Federal Government was about to increase taxes, a development he said will further worsen the economic fortunes of individuals and businesses, but the Minister said “there is no increase in VAT, there is no increase in company’s income tax, there is no increase at all in taxes, but people who are not paying taxes must be made to pay. So the idea is to increase revenue by broadening the tax base, not by increasing taxes.”

Buhari Media Centre: What I know about it

Since Prof. Farooq Kperogi made his 'revelation' about Buhari Media Center (BMC), many persons have come out with their own analysis. Is the name really BMC and is it truly secret?

In 2015, soon after President Muhammadu Buhari won election, modalities were put in place to accommodate most persons who worked for him on the social media, NOT journalists, but mainly top bloggers and social media influencers.

As long as our economy is still in recession, our work is not done - Saraki tells Senate colleagues

Distinguished colleagues, as long as our economy is still in recession, our work is not done. Because our people are still being laid off; so long as factories are closing shop, for as the hardship in the land continues to bite harder, investment continues to dwindle and the foreign exchange market remains fragmented, I will be demanding even much more from us to get all our economic reform bills passed. Ideally we would like to see them pass together with the 2017 budget. Let me therefore urge all our committees involved with our priority bills to double efforts to ensure that by the end of the first quarter of this year we will have these bills ready

WELCOME BACK SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE, FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA, HIS EXCELLENCY, SENATOR (DR) ABUBAKAR BUKOLA SARAKI (CON) TO SENATORS OF THE 8TH SENATE ON RESUMPTION FROM 2016 END OF THE YEAR RECESS ON TUESDAY, 10 JANUARY, 2017.

Abubakar Bukola Saraki

Protocol:

1. Distinguished colleagues, it is heart warming for me to see you back in good health, refreshed and energised for the work ahead. Let me on behalf of myself and the entire leadership wish you and all Nigerians a very happy new year.

2. 2016, was a very challenging year for all of us. But I assure you that the work we have done so far is gradually setting the stage for a greater and better 2017. Let me therefore, begin this address by thanking every one of you for the hard work and dedication exhibited in the last quarter of last year to keep the promise we made to all Nigerians that we would pass laws that would make the difference in their lives.