Daily Watch – GEJ disowns group that purchased presidential form, WHO has ‘no plan’ to buy African-made vaccines
10th May 2022
Former President Goodluck Jonathan says he has no link to the northern coalition that purchased the presidential nomination and express of interest forms of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for him. Earlier on Monday, the coalition procured the forms for Jonathan from the International Conference Centre in Abuja. But in a statement issued on Monday night by Ikechukwu Eze, his spokesman, the former president said he didn’t authorise the purchase. A supporters’ group had bought the nomination form on his behalf on Monday, continuing the trend of aspirants using proxies to purchase the form. For months, rumours had swirled over his secret defection to the ruling party but neither Mr Jonathan nor his associates had commented. Nigeria’s main political parties are expected to hold their primaries later this month to meet the election commission’s dateline of 3 June for the submission of their candidates for the February 2023 election. It costs ₦100 million to purchase the APC’s nomination papers. Mr Jonathan is only eligible for one more term if he wins next year which might mean power returning to northern Nigeria in an unwritten, controversial arrangement that alternates power between north and south.
The Federal High Court in Abuja refused to shield the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Godwin Emiefele from being disqualified to contest for the presidential ticket of any political party ahead of the 2023 general elections. Mr Emefiele’s lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, earlier on Monday, urged the court to issue an interim order stopping the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) from disqualifying him from participating in the primary election of his preferred political party. But ruling on the ex parte application, the judge, Ahmed Mohammed, ruled that he would rather order INEC and the AGF to appear to state their side of the case instead of granting the CBN governor’s request. The judge said having read the affidavit in support of the motion, it was more appropriate to direct the defendants to appear in court on 12 May to show cause why Mr Emefiele’s request should not be granted. The court also ordered that Mr Emefiele’s filings should be served on the defendants before the next hearing date. Mr Ozekhome filed the ‘ex-parte’ application on 9 May for an order of the court for maintenance of status quo, fearing that Mr Emefiele might be disqualified from running in the presidential primaries. Pressure has mounted on Mr Emefiele to step down since news of his presidential ambition leaked to the public earlier this year.
Gbenga Adebayo, chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunication Operators (ALTON), has asked the FG to remove “nuisance taxes” placed on operators in the sector. Nuisance tax is a tax imposed as a percentage of the selling price of goods or services, payable by the customer and transmitted by the seller to the taxing authority. President Muhammadu Buhari last week approved the collection of a five per cent excise duty on telephone recharge cards and vouchers. The new 5 per cent duty would add to some of the taxes levied on telcos including tertiary education tax, companies income tax, value-added tax, right of way charges, and an annual operating levy, among others. Speaking on the levies, Adebayo told Channels Television that operators faced about 36 levies and taxes, and an additional 5 per cent duty on recharge cards would take effect on 1 June. Mobile operators have asked for an upward review in tariffs on voice calls, short message services (SMS) and data costs. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had said it will not allow any tariff increases without approval. His lawyers argue in the suit that no law exempts him from contesting the primary election of any political party as a sitting CBN governor.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and its COVID-19 vaccine partner Gavi have no immediate plans to buy shots made by Aspen Pharmacare, the two bodies said, dealing a blow to Africa’s efforts to develop its own vaccine production capacity. Aspen completed a deal in March to package, sell and distribute Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine in what was lauded as a game-changing moment for an under-vaccinated continent frustrated by sluggish Western handouts. But the South African company’s expectations of high demand in Africa, where just a sixth of adults are fully vaccinated, have not materialised. Its CEO warned last week it would be forced to re-purpose about half of its vaccine production capacity if orders did not pick up. The Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Africa’s top public health body, has called upon organisations procuring shots for the continent to prioritise sourcing from African producers. However, COVAX – the global COVID-19 vaccine-sharing programme instrumental in Africa’s pandemic response – has no current plans to place orders with Aspen because of oversupply. COVAX is backed by the WHO, the global vaccine alliance Gavi and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI). Kate O’Brien, the WHO’s Director of Immunisation, Vaccines and Biologicals, said COVAX had already secured the 380 million vaccine doses required for the global programme for the second and third quarters of this year. The African Union’s goal is to produce 60% of all routine vaccines – covering everything from COVID to measles – administered in Africa locally by 2040, up from the current 1%, and several such plants are being set up.