Democratic presidential nominee and former Vice President Joe Biden
waves as he leaves the Hotel Dupont after having internal campaign
meetings on September 16, 2020 in Wilmington, Delaware. Earlier in
the day, Biden participated in a briefing with medical
professionals about the coronavirus vaccine. Drew Angerer/Getty
Images/AFP
White House hopeful Joe Biden on Thursday holds his
first extended face-to-face with voters since winning the
Democratic nomination, a town hall where he will likely savage
President Donald Trump’s handling of the coronavirus
pandemic.
With less than seven weeks before Election Day, Biden has ramped
up his public appearances after spending large chunks of time at
his Delaware home, even as Trump repeatedly barnstorms swing
states.
Now both candidates are hitting the physical campaign trail in
earnest, although still in very different ways.
Trump returns to Wisconsin Thursday for a public rally fueled by
his signature bravado — a contrast to Biden’s quieter style of
connecting with blue collar and everyday voters.
Ahead of his departure, Trump railed on Twitter against the move
by many states to encourage voters to mail in their ballots,
thereby avoiding possible coronavirus risks in polling
stations.
The shift, which is popular with Democrats, will promote
“ELECTION MAYHEM,” he tweeted, claiming that the results of the
November 3 vote “may NEVER BE ACCURATELY DETERMINED.”
He offered no evidence for his claims, and mail-in voting, which
has been regularly used in previous elections, has never been tied
to any wide-scale fraud.
Biden is attempting to project a calming alternative to Trump’s
fury.
At the CNN town hall, he will take questions from a live,
socially distanced audience on what could be described as his home
turf — Scranton, the scrappy Pennsylvania city where he was
born.
But the town hall event carries risks for a candidate who has
done few unscripted encounters in the last months.
The 77-year-old former vice president has largely kept close to
his home in Delaware during the pandemic, which has so far killed
nearly 200,000 Americans. His go-to events have been speeches, with
reporters rarely able to ask questions.
He has traveled to swing states like Wisconsin, Florida and
Pennsylvania, but has dodged crowds and engages with voters only in
small, controlled settings.
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Trump has badgered his rival for remaining cloistered in his
“basement” and declining to engage in more traditional campaign
events.
Local officials briefed on the town hall plans told US media
that it will take place in a stadium parking lot, and that
pre-approved attendees will drive in and park near the stage.
CNN said it will adhere to Pennsylvania pandemic guidelines,
which limit gatherings to less than 250 people.
– Growing animosity –
The dueling events come one day after each candidate homed in on
the pandemic as a campaign issue — and offered dramatically
different views of how the Trump administration has responded.
Biden delivered a scathing speech in which he said “I don’t
trust Donald Trump” to provide a vaccine free from any political
interference.
The Republican incumbent meanwhile insisted a vaccine could be
ready this year, directly contradicting the timeline offered by a
top government health official.
Trump said Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director
Robert Redfield, one of the most prominent experts overseeing US
pandemic response, “made a mistake” and “was confused” when he
testified to lawmakers Wednesday that a safe and effective vaccine
would not be widely available until mid-2021.
Trump also criticized Redfield for renewing his call for
Americans to wear face masks as their best defense against
spreading Covid-19.
Biden routinely appears at functions wearing a mask. Trump
almost never does, and he mocks Biden for doing so.
Biden’s town hall comes two days after Trump appeared in a
similar setting, also in Pennsylvania — in Philadelphia.
Critics panned the president’s performance, including his
insistence that he had not downplayed the coronavirus threat, even
though he acknowledged doing just that in a taped interview with
journalist Bob Woodward.
The animosity has ramped up between Trump and Biden ahead of
their first debate, scheduled for September 29 in Ohio.
Biden has consistently led Trump in national polls.
He is also ahead in several key battlegrounds like Florida,
Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — all states won by Trump in
his shock 2016 election victory — although by dwindling
margins.
AFP
Anti-Corruption: FG launches Database
for Stolen Assets Tracing
The Federal Government
has officially launched a Central asset database initiative
designed to trace, track and recover stolen assets.
The Honorable Attorney
General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (HAGF), Abubakar
Malami SAN made this known at the programme tagged:
‘Formal launch of the Central Database under Asset Tracing,
recovery and management Regulations 2019 and the Central Criminal
Justice Information System (CCJIS) under the National
Anti-Corruption Strategy 2017-2019, and Sensitization Workshop for
stakeholders in Abuja, on 17th September,
2020 .
Delivering his speech
at the occasion, Abubakar Malami SAN described the initiative as
continual efforts and further commitment of the President Muhammadu
Buhari’s administration to fighting corruption in the country.
He said the initiative
was also targeted at deepening transparency in the asset recovery
effort in accordance with the United Nations Charter.
Malami explained,
“Apart from our involvement in the Open Government Partnership
initiative, anti-corruption agencies saddled with responsibilities
have been given adequate support to succeed.
He disclosed that the
Federal Government of Nigeria has declared its commitment in
deploying technology to every nook and crannies of the
Federation to enable the relevant stakeholder key into the 21st
Century technology in Nigeria through Central Database.
The Minister pointed
that this will enable the relevant stakeholder key
into the 21st Century technology in Nigeria which
guarantees transparency and ensures there is accountability on the
part of public officers.
He expressed the
Ministry’s readiness to work with the Judiciary at all
levels, Anti-Corruption Institution at both the States and Federal
levels and the Nigerian Police in order to run the information
center real time.
“Let me state in
addition to what the Solicitor General of the Federation and
Permanent Secretary has said about the Central Criminal Justice
Information System (CCJIS), the Office of the Attorney General of
the Federation and Minister of Justice, is developing legislation
for the full implementation and operation of the CCJIS in order to
ensure compliance” he explained
In his opening
remarks, the Solicitor General of the Federation and Permanent
Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Dayo Apata,
SAN, disclosed that, the Central Database for
assets recovery and Central Criminal Justice Information System are
practical expression of the administration’s willingness to have a
one-stop information centre where timely and verifiable information
is sourced and provided to all Stakeholders, whether as private,
public, local or international entity.
He said, “let me
recall that, following the issuance of the asset tracing, recovery
and management regulations on the 29th October,
2019 by the AGF, the need to put in place a centralized database
for the storage of records of all recovered assets within and
outside of Nigeria as contained in Section 3 of the ATRM
Regulations, 2019 became obligatory for Nigeria. Hence, the AGF
team worked tirelessly with minimal funding to develop these
tools.”
Enumerating the
objectives of the ATRM, Apata said, it is centralised asset
depository for easy coordination for all Stakeholders with regards
to asset Management. Most importantly, the Central Database for
recovered assets compliments Central Criminal Justice Information
System.
Speaking on National
Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS), the Solicitor General of the
Federation explained that, following the directives by the Federal
Executive Council (FEC) on 5th July, 2017, the
Ministry under the HAGF developed a robust implementation plan for
NACS.
“Let me inform
Stakeholders present here today that, Federal Ministry of Justice
has developed Central Criminal Justice Information System under the
NACS in line with ‘Pillar 1’ on prevention, with specific emphasis
on strengthening the legal, institutional and operational framework
designed to prevent and combat corruption”.
He therefore
encouraged all relevant Stakeholders and Nigerians to never relent
in fight against corruption for the battle requires
perseverance.
In his good will
message, the Speaker, House of Representatives, RT. Hon Femi
Gbajabiamila represented by the Chairman, House Committee on
Justice, Hon. Ugonna Ozurigbo said that the ATRM is a panacea to
rekindling the value system of a nation. He added that it is a core
value of good governance and effective management of this venture
will serve as a deterrent to would-be fraudulent minded individuals
who may find themselves in public offices.
He described the
initiative as apt for the 21st century, assuring
that NASS will continue to empower relevant agencies to recover
looted assets via quality legislation.
In a short remark, the
both acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) and Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and
Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), DCP Mohammad Umar and
Professor Bolaji Owasanoye jointly described the initiative as a
welcome development, saying they were ready to key into the
initiative.
According to Umar, the
initiative will enhance effective management of seized assets,
saying the agency is already maintaining a database which contains
all frozen or seized assets.
While commending the
federal government, Owasanoye described the initiative as long
overdue, saying apart from preventing any form of looting and
re-looting of assets, the initiative will remain a key component of
transparency and accountability.
The British High
Commission through its representative, Andrew Clowes also pledged
its partnership with the Nigeria government in the fight against
corruption, describing it as a step forward.
Also, in his goodwill
message, the Auditor-General for the Federation, Mr Anthony Ayine
represented by Andrew Magaji lauded the Ministry on the initiative
of ATRM.
He commended the HAGF
for the memo presented to the Federal Executive Council on a bill
to seek the approval of the Council to transmit to the National
Assembly for passage into law “the proceeds of Crime and Management
Agency Bill” which to him was a move in a right direction.
Also present at the
event are; Representative of Inspector General of Police, FIRS
Chairman, Muhammed Nani, Representative of UNODC and Civil Society
Organisations and other relevant stakeholders.
Modupe
Ogundoro
Deputy Director
17th September, 2020