By Nnamdi Odumody

Dubai Airport Free Zone is an ideal platform which offers individuals the opportunity to start businesses in the UAE and provides a business friendly environment with exceptional technological facilities.

The Dubai Airport Free Zone Authority in 2018 announced the development of Dubai Blink, the world’s first B2B Smart Commerce Platform which will leverage artificial intelligence, blockchain technology and virtual business licenses allowing companies from across the world to connect and trade via Dubai. Through new trade platforms for global free zone companies, it hopes to reshape the future of global supply chains. It will allow global companies and small businesses to virtually set up digital businesses in Dubai Free Zones.

The Smart Commerce project is an innovation which will redesign the future of global supply chains and E-Commerce encouraging trade growth for companies in the UAE.

The Emirate of Dubai is sparing no effort to make the city the business hub of the world ahead of Hong Kong, London, New York, Shanghai, and Singapore. While countries across the globe are putting reforms in place to open up to the global investment community, some African countries whose leaders are not forward thinking are enacting laws and other initiatives to scare away foreign investors from their shores. The integration of artificial intelligence and blockchain will enable intelligent, real time trading round the clock in a decentralized platform which is part of its Smart Dubai Initiative to eliminate paper based transactions by adopting technology driven processes in businesses, government ministries, departments and agencies by the year 2021, creating a smart happy city for its citizens and other residents alike as well as a digital economy driven by innovation and technology.

Through holistic solutions Dubai Blink will accelerate its trade in free zone, helping companies search for services and make online purchases via combined platforms using artificial intelligence and blockchain. It will solve two common problems, identification as AI algorithms will provide customized results lengthy supplier identification and validation processes quicker and accurate than human efforts.

The second problem which revolves around transactions as international trade barriers, regulations and transaction fees add unwanted complications to B2B Commerce, therefore the combination of free zone set ups, AI & Blockchain will help reduce cross border transactions and time.

Dubai Blink will also offer companies a Cloud Trading license which is a virtual business license, allowing them to explore commercial opportunities in Dubai without a physical copy of the license. The project will unlock connections, assets, goods and services for business in the UAE.

Dubai has once again pioneered the road ahead.

Ibom Deep Seaport

Nigeria’s planned Ibom Deep Seaport should emulate the Dubai Blink as it is being worked out. The nation needs to build a top-grade deep seaport since the one we have in Lagos is largely a 20^st century infrastructure.  By investing on Ibom Deep Seaport, Nigeria will unlock more economic opportunities in the south east and south-south regions of the nation.

The much anticipated $2 billion Ibom Deep Seaport project is closer to actualisation, following the opening of the bid process in Lagos recently.

Of the three firms shortlisted for the bid process, Bollore & China Power and China Harbour Engineering Company are still interested while the third firm, China Road Breach Corporation (CRBC) has reportedly withdrawn from the process, The Nation learnt.

The Akwa Ibom State governor, Emmanuel Udom, while thanking the Ministerial Project Development Steering Committee (MPDSC), the body midwifing the project, explained that the project is very “dear to us.”

Aba Will Become Shenzhen Of Africa With Its FTZ Status

PDP has rejected Nigeria’s presidential election elections. The PDP in a statement issued by its national chairman, Uche Secondus, noted the results being announced are not the actual results.

“Firstly, I want to categorically state that our collation centers have all original results from every polling unit, in every ward, in every Local Government Area (LGA) in Nigeria, of which the international community is well aware, implying all results currently being announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is incorrect thus unacceptable to our party and people,” Mr Secondus said.

Read his full statement below.

Our Democracy is Under Threat

Protocols:

1. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is forced to take a stand and make the following pronouncements at this crucial point because our democracy is under threat of derailment.

2. Firstly, I want to categorically state that our collation centers have all original results from every polling unit, in every ward, in every Local Government Area (LGA) in Nigeria, of which the international community is well aware, implying all results currently being announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is incorrect thus unacceptable to our party and people.

3. Secondly, officials of both President Buhari’s government and the All Progressive Congress (APC), working with INEC officers, have tried to alter the course of history and disenfranchise our people through the cancellation and manipulation of figures for results already announced at polling units, nationwide, in Local Government Areas (LGAs) where our party, the PDP, had commanding votes; this must now be resisted by every well meaning Nigerian.

4. Thirdly, the ruling party’s strategy has indeed been murderous, undignified, and disrespectful of the wishes of the electorate, our people and the international community who have been in solidarity with our nation as we attempt to strengthen our democracy and its institutions.

5. Fourthly, in full view of the watching world, and despite efforts by our great party and its agents to adhere to every laid down provision for the 2019 general elections, the APC in collusion with INEC have taken aggressive steps, mostly through inducements, manipulation and incarcerations, using the elements of state power including the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army in particular, alongside other organizations including the Department of State Security (DSS) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to silence the voices of our long suffering people; this is disheartening, considering the terms of the Peace Accord, which called for impartiality and non-partisanship by members of our security organization with constitutional roles to play during this civic exercise.

6. Fifthly, as results trickled in on the Sunday, February 24th, 2019, clearly putting the PDP in the lead, the ruling party and President Buhari dispatched high-ranking officials to coercively influence outcomes in different geopolitical zones in the country. For example:

I. The minister of the interior, was dispatched to the North West of the country

II. The Secretary of the Government of the Federation was dispatched to the North East of the country; while the

III. The Attorney General and Minister were dispatched to the South East and South-South regions.

1. With the INEC IT server hacked by agents of the APC to manipulate results, we can with certainty state that results from the following polling units have, for example, been tampered with, note:

i. Sarkin Dawaki ward in Doma LGA – Nassarawa state

ii. Doka ward in Doma LGA – Nassarawa state

iii. Agyaragin – Tofa ward

iv. 10, 000 illegal votes added to already announced results in Wurno LGA in Sokoto state

v. Additionally, violent and destructive attacks have been meted out to officials while counting at Lafia St. and police barracks polling units.

1. As if these provocations are not enough, our agents and officials are constantly arrested and in many cases locked-up for complaining that Card Readers were not in use in many Northern states, implying that all results from the Northern part of the country where Card Readers were not used should be voided in accordance with INEC guidelines.

1. I also believe, the arrest of Eng. Buba Galadima, who has been a great symbol of what is courageous about our people goes to show that one man’s ambition is greater than our collective good, and most probably worth the blood of all Nigerians.

2. In that context, I call for Buba Galadima’s immediate and unconditional release, as well as that of all officials and agents of the PDP, in the Southwest, who were mostly arrested on the eve of the elections where intimidation became the APCs sole election strategy.

3. Despite these provocations, intimidation and attempts to hijack our democracy and change the course of history, I must, in fact, convey to our good people the fact that the PDP is on course to victory and the Presidency; therefore, remain resolute and steadfast, because our party shares in your uncertainty and suffering, which must decisively come to a good end for us all.

4. Finally, and once again, we appeal to the leadership of INEC to remain impartial and not become willing agents to disenfranchise our people and derail our democracy, because the world is watching, and history will indeed pass judgment.

In addition, to the international community; we welcome your support for our democracy and extend our gratitude with great hope for our democracy.

Prince Uche Secondus

Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)