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The Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC) on Tuesday released the final list of candidates for the December 29 local government elections.

The list was presented at a meeting with Electoral Officers (EOs) and Assistant Electoral Officers (AEOs) at the commission’s headquarters in Ibadan.

OYSIEC Chairman, Dr Afees Adeniyi, directed that the list be displayed immediately at the commission’s offices across the state.

Adeniyi said the commission had made significant progress towards conducting the third consecutive council elections under the present administration.

‘Nine out of the 15 activities in the final revised election timetable and schedule of activities for the election have been carried out successfully,’ he said.

He assured stakeholders that they would be involved in the electoral process to ensure successful conduct of the elections.

Adeniyi spoke while responding to questions and observations raised during the meeting.

He commended Governor Seyi Makinde for his interest in the elections and approval of funds for the exercise.

‘This meeting is to brainstorm and ensure there is no communication gap between us.

‘The commission has worked on the final list of candidates submitted by political parties accordingly,’ he said.

The Chairman of the Electoral Officers Forum, Dr Olusegun Odekunle, pledged the commitment of electoral officers to the successful conduct of the elections.

Odekunle commended the commission for its efforts on allowances and other welfare packages for electoral officers and their assistants, as approved by the state government.

The Joint Revenue Board (JRB) has described the harmonisation of tax laws as a major step towards ending arbitrary levies, overlapping taxes and exploitative revenue collection practices in Nigeria.

Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, the Executive Secretary of the JRB, Olusegun Adesokan, said the initiative would eliminate revenue collection practices that have increased operating costs for businesses and driven up consumer prices.

He said more than 21 states had passed harmonised tax laws aimed at addressing overlapping taxes, curbing illegal revenue collection and creating a more enabling environment for businesses to grow.

Adesokan said the strong performance of states in internally generated revenue (IGR) aligned with the objectives of the reforms, which include improving tax administration, expanding economic activity and bringing more taxpayers into the formal system rather than imposing heavier burdens on existing taxpayers.

He noted that the figures suggested states could improve revenue mobilisation while reducing tax pressure on eligible individuals and businesses.

‘The mission is to ensure that the tax burden is fair and that Nigerians have the space to do their businesses, earn more and improve their livelihoods,’ he said.

The reforms are also expected to increase the disposable income of eligible workers by reducing their personal income tax liabilities.

Adesokan explained that eligible deductions include pension contributions, mortgage interest and qualifying rent relief, which are considered when determining taxable income under the relevant provisions.

He said the framework was designed to ensure that low-income earners pay reduced or no personal income tax where they qualify, while higher-income earners contribute in line with the applicable rules.

According to him, the initiative aims to leave workers with more money to spend, save or invest, potentially boosting household consumption and domestic business activity.

The JRB said the harmonised law would also establish a more uniform framework for taxing businesses in the informal sector, addressing inconsistencies in the way states previously administered such taxes.

Adesokan said the board would support state revenue agencies through digitalisation, training and closer institutional collaboration to ensure that the new framework translated into more efficient tax administration.

He disclosed that the new law prohibits the sale of stickers and emblems for revenue collection, the establishment of roadblocks for tax purposes and unauthorised cash collections, warning that offenders would face legal consequences.

The JRB further explained that the effectiveness of tax exemptions for small traders and entrepreneurs would depend not only on the provisions of the law but also on compliance by state and local government revenue officials.

The board is also introducing a unified national Tax Identification system that will enable revenue authorities to access and verify taxpayer records across jurisdictions to strengthen enforcement and improve coordination.

Adesokan disclosed that more than 100 million Tax Identification Numbers had already been generated.

Under the arrangement, state revenue authorities will be able to verify relevant taxpayer information when individuals and businesses conduct transactions in other states, reducing repeated documentation and duplicate tax demands.

The system is also expected to simplify access to government permits, licences and other public services by improving coordination among revenue authorities.

The JRB said that, under the initiative developed in collaboration with the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, more than 100 different taxes, levies and charges imposed at the subnational level had been streamlined into nine approved categories.

The categories cover income tax, stamp duty, property tax, road tax, development levy, economic development levy, annual levies, user charges and other approved charges.

The board said the reform was intended to replace fragmented state and local government revenue practices with a more predictable tax system, particularly for businesses operating across multiple jurisdictions.

It also disclosed that it was working with the police and state revenue authorities to establish a national task force to remove illegal revenue collectors from highways and transport corridors.

According to the JRB, the planned enforcement operation would extend to local government areas, where businesses and transport operators frequently face multiple demands from different revenue-collecting authorities.

Mega international carrier, United Airlines, has reported pre-tax earnings of $1.3 billion, with a pre-tax margin of 7.3 percent in the third quarter of 2026. Adjusted pre-tax earnings1 were $1.1 billion, with an adjusted pre-tax margin1 of 6.2 percent.

Within the period, fuel expense was up $1.8 billion, compared to third-percent Commenting on the results, United CEO Scott Kirby said: ‘Our employees met the challenge of our ever-changing environment and our results prove the resilience of focusing on building a brand-loyal airline for customers.’

Compared to the third quarter of 2025, premium revenue was up 17 percent, revenue from basic economy was up 16 percent, loyalty revenue was up 17 percent and cargo revenue was up 23 percent.

Contracted business revenue was up 26 percent during the quarter compared to the third quarter of 2025, showing strong and resilient close-in demand across all industries. Economy cabin revenue grew for the third consecutive quarter, with unit revenue up 17 percent year-over-year.

United now offers Starlink on more than 640 aircraft, equipping approximately three more aircraft per day. United also offers more daily Starlink flights now than the entire U.S. industry, further increasing United’s competitive advantage. In September, more than 5.4 million United customers experienced Starlink. United expects it to be available fleet-wide by the end of 2027.

Explaining further, Kirby said, ‘We are winning new long-term, brand-loyal United customers because they are trying us for Starlink but staying with us for the industry-leading app, great service, on-board product and technology. These advantages will persist long after the fast, low-Earth orbit Wi-Fi we are offering today becomes the industry standard. By then, United will be leading on the next innovation as we seek to sustain our lead with customers.’

Nigeria is losing about 300 hectares of forest daily, while more than 4,000 illegal miners have been displaced from Gashaka-Gumti National Park following security operations, the National Park Service (NPS) has disclosed.

The Conservator-General of the service, Ibrahim Goni, raised the concerns in Abuja while receiving members of the Environmental Media Correspondents Association of Nigeria (EMCAN), warning that deforestation, illegal mining, logging, wildlife trafficking and insecurity were threatening conservation efforts across the country.

Goni said the continued destruction of forests could worsen desertification and accelerate environmental degradation, stressing the need for urgent and sustained intervention to protect the country’s forest resources.

He disclosed that the NPS, in collaboration with the Nigerian Army, had shut down two illegal mining sites in Gashaka-Gumti National Park, which straddles Taraba and Adamawa states.

According to him, the operation led to the closure of extensive mining pits and the displacement of more than 4,000 illegal miners from the protected area.

However, the Conservator-General said security operations alone would not permanently address illegal mining, noting that affected communities needed alternative sources of livelihood to reduce their dependence on activities that damage protected areas.

He also expressed concern over illegal mining in Oyo State, saying the service was working with the Ministry of Solid Minerals to tackle the problem.

In Rivers State, Goni disclosed that about 17 miners had been arrested as part of ongoing enforcement efforts.

He explained that illegal activities in forests around national parks often complicated security operations, as individuals driven out of protected areas could relocate to neighbouring forests and continue their activities.

Goni, therefore, called for sustained collaboration among security agencies and relevant government institutions to ensure effective protection of forests and national parks.

He commended the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security operatives for their contributions to safeguarding vulnerable conservation areas.

On wildlife trafficking, the NPS chief said Nigeria was frequently implicated in international smuggling networks because traffickers used the country as a transit route for wildlife specimens destined for overseas markets.

He said wildlife products were transported from neighbouring countries, including Chad, Niger and Cameroon, through Nigeria before being shipped to other destinations, particularly through the country’s seaports.

To strengthen enforcement, Goni disclosed that the Nigeria Customs Service, NPS, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and the Nigeria Police Force had established an inter-agency committee to combat wildlife trafficking.

He said the committee had conducted raids that resulted in the seizure of live animals, carcasses and other wildlife specimens.

The Conservator-General urged environmental journalists to work closely with law enforcement agencies to expose trafficking networks, raise public awareness and promote accountability in wildlife conservation.

Goni also highlighted the expansion of Nigeria’s national park system as part of efforts to restore degraded vegetation, conserve wildlife and strengthen the country’s response to climate change.

He said Nigeria now had 17 national parks, although only 13 were operational, compared with seven before the establishment of 10 additional parks under former President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to him, the expansion was aimed at encouraging vegetation regeneration in areas previously designated as forest or game reserves while advancing the country’s environmental and climate objectives.

He called on journalists to give greater attention to environmental challenges, including deforestation, illegal hunting, pollution, flooding and erosion, noting that consistent reporting could stimulate public engagement and prompt government action.

The NPS chief further disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Environment had deployed flood-warning equipment in some parts of the country to alert communities to impending floods and enable residents of vulnerable areas to move to safer locations.

He also urged journalists to educate the public on Ebola prevention and the links between wildlife and the transmission of certain infectious diseases.

Goni pledged that the service would support professional training and conference participation for environmental correspondents, subject to available budgetary provisions.