The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Monday accused Mr. Rickey Tarfa of falsifying his age, urging Justice Mohammed Idris of a Federal High Court in Lagos not to allow a further and better affidavit filed by the Senior Advocate of Nigeria in support of his N2.5bn suit against the EFCC.
EFCC
“He who comes to equity must come with clean hands,” lawyer for the EFCC, Mr. Wahab Shittu, said on Monday while moving a counter-affidavit to Tarfa’s application seeking to tender a better and further affidavit to support his case.
An EFCC operative, Moses Awolusi, claimed in a counter-affidavit, that though Tarfa gave his age as 43 in the statement he made to the EFCC on the day of his arrest, findings showed that Tarfa’s real age is 54.
“I know as a fact that the applicant, in his extrajudicial statement to the 1st respondent upon his arrest, falsely stated that his age was 43 years in the document marked Exhibit 1 to the counter-affidavit of the 1st respondent dated 18th February, 2016, whereas the true age of the applicant, as stated in the compendium published for all Senior Advocates of Nigeria referred to, is 54 years old,” Awolusi averred.
But Tarfa’s lawyer, Chief Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN), urged Justice Idris to discountenance the EFCC’s claim, saying that anyone could misrepresent his age under the kind of treatment that the EFCC subjected Tarfa to on February 5.
“In such a situation, I would put my age at 25 because I will be u nder shock,” Ayorinde said.
Ayorinde argued that what the EFCC needed to concentrate on was how it would debunk Tarfa’s claim that an Access Bank account into which his law firm paid N225,000 into on January 7, 2014 belonged to one Mohammed Awal Yunusa and not Justice Mohammed Nasir Yunusa as the EFCC had claimed.
Ayorinde urged the judge to admit Mohammed Awal Yunusa’s further and better affidavit in support of Tarfa’s N2.5bn fundamental rights enforcement suit against the EFCC, saying it was in the interest of justice to do so.
But the EFCC’s lawyer, Shittu, described Tarfa’s application as an abuse of court processes and a ploy to arrest the judgment of the court, which was earlier slated for delivery on Monday.
Shittu, who claimed that Tarfa had already admitted paying N225,000 to the judge and had also lied to the EFCC about his age, said the SAN did not deserve the discretionary favour of the court.
The anti-graft agency had earlier alleged that it traced the payment of N225,000 from Tarfa’s law firm into Justice Yunusa’s Access Bank account, claiming that it was a bribe.
In response to the allegation, Tarfa had, in a further affidavit deposed to by the head of his chambers, John Odubela, denied bribing the judge, stating that the N225,000 he paid into the judge’s bank account was donated by some friends of Justice Yunusa towards the funeral rites of the judge’s father-in-law, Alhaji Audi Damasa.
Odubela had said, “That the applicant and some friends of Honourable Justice M.N. Yunusa made some donations for the said funeral rites and to commiserate with the judge since they could not physically go and commiserate with him in Maiduguri, where he was.
“That the contributed monies amounted to N225,000, which was given to the applicant with the responsibility to get same across to the bereaved judge.
“That the applicant consequently made arrangement to forward the sum of N225,000.”
But in the better and further affidavit, which Tarfa sought to tender, Mohammed Awal Yunusa claimed to be the owner of the Access Bank account into which Tarfa’s law firm paid N225,000 into on January 7, 2014, contrary to the EFCC’s claim that the account belonged to Justice Mohammed Nasir Yunusa.
Barely 24 hours after the inauguration of PUNCH newspapers campaign, 14-year-old Ese Oruru was rescued from Kano State where she had been taken to by her paedophile captor, Yinusa, aka Yellow.
Ese and Yenusa case
Ese, who was abducted on August 12, 2015, converted to Islam and forcefully married by Yinusa, was on Monday released to the police in Kano State.
The minor was released to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 1, Kano, Shuaibu Gambo, by the Kano Emirate Council.
The Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, who confirmed this to one of our correspondents via a text message, said Ese would soon be reunited with her parents.
He said, “She is safe with us. She will be reunited with her parents.”
The Force Public Relations Officer, Olabisi Kolawole, also confirmed that Ese had been released to the AIG Zone 1, adding that she would be brought to Abuja on Tuesday along with her parents.
She said, “Ese has been released and as I speak with you, she is with the AIG, Zone 1, Kano. She will be brought to Abuja tomorrow (Tuesday) along with her parents.
“The AIG Zone 1 has taken over the matter. The police swung into action and they are investigating at the moment. Investigation is still ongoing.
“All those involved in the saga would be dealt with according to the law. Any person indicted in the incident will be made to face the law.”
Asked if the police would conduct medical tests, including HIV/AIDS test on Ese, Kolawole stated that “all the necessary tests would be carried out.”
The Police Public Relations Officer, Zone 1, Kano, Rabiu Ubayi, also confirmed that Ese was with them in Kano.
The police spokesperson added that Yinusa had also been invited for questioning, and he was writing his statement when our correspondents called him separately on the telephone.
He said, “Presently, we are in action. We have found the girl. The police have invited all the parties. We invited the people who are holding her, including Yinusa himself.
“The girl and the man are here. They are writing statements. They are all in police custody. We have not concluded investigation at the moment. But they are all with us.”
Ese had been abducted in 2015 by Yinusa, who was a longstanding customer of her mother, Mrs. Rose Oruru, a food vendor in Opolo in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
Yinusa, a tricycle rider, took away the minor to Kano from her mother’s shop. Rose had gone out on the day, leaving Ese and her siblings in the shop.
Yinusa subsequently took Ese, who was 13 years old at the time, to Kano, where she was allegedly converted to Islam and forcefully married.
Rose’s attempts to get the girl released had met a brick wall until PUNCH newspaper’s campaign.
Prosecute Ese’s abductor, Yinusa
Nigerians are demanding sanctions for those who held 14-year-old Ese Oruru captive for eight months.
Ese was released to the police on Monday, 24 hours after PUNCH newspapers inaugurated a campaign to free the minor.
One Yinusa, aka Yellow, had abducted Ese in August 2015, taken her to Kano, had her converted to Islam and forcefully married her.
It took eight months, trips to Kano by her parents, a campaign by PUNCH, and outrage among Nigerians to secure her freedom.
Many Nigerians, who were shocked by Ese’s ordeal, have called on the Federal Government to ensure such an incident does not recur by dealing decisively with those that have contravened the country’s laws.
The Minister of Women Affairs, Jummai Alhassan, made it clear that laws had been broken, promising to prosecute those involved.
“Our laws are very clear on the case; Ese Oruru is 14 years and as such cannot consent to marriage. Any such union she’s in is illegal,” she said in a tweet.
Alhassan explained that since Ese was a child, her right to freedom of movement was subject to parental control.
“The Act also clearly states that anyone who marries a child is liable to a fine of N500,000 or five years’ imprisonment or both,” she said, adding that her ministry would ensure the full prosecution of anyone found to have contravened the law.
A former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, also called for the prosecution of those involved.
She called for an investigation into the incident and publication of findings about why Ese’s release was allowed to linger for so long.
Senator Ben Murray-Bruce had also, while calling on the Inspector-General of Police to free Ese, stressed that the IG must ensure that those involved did not go free.
A PUNCH reader, Obazee Osas, had while celebrating the news of Ese’s release, explained that his joy would not be complete if Yinusa was not prosecuted.
He said, “Yes, PUNCH, we did it! But this should not be the end of the case. That Yinusa of a man who took that girl from Bayelsa has a lot of people like him, who are looking for young girls to prey on and elope with.
“Won’t it be right, if he is used as a deterrent to others who might be contemplating such act? Please, raise the hastag #YinusaMustBeArrestedAndProsecuted.”
Several other Nigerians also called for the prosecution of those involved.
A twitter user, Yomi, who tweets via the handle @akintonmide, said, “This cannot be let off.”
Another user, Yemi, tweeting via @ScarTissue101 said, “Ese isn’t really free till Yinusa is made to face the law for his crimes.”
Prominent legal practitioners also called for the prosecution of Yinusa.
The lawyers wanted the police to prosecute Yinusa for abduction and rape.
They also urged the police to arrest and prosecute others mentioned in the abduction mess and policemen involved in the lackadaisical handling of the case.
Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Mr. Femi Falana and Sebastine Hon, told one of our correspondents on Monday that the abductor of the girl and those who helped him had committed a criminal offence.
They called on the police and the governments of Bayelsa and Kano states to prosecute the culprits.
Falana said regardless of the rescue of the girl, Yinusa and his helpers should be prosecuted by the Bayelsa State Government.
Falana said, “I have just got the assurance of the IGP, Mr. Solomon Arase, that Ese has been freed and will be released to her parents tomorrow (Tuesday).
“While thanking The PUNCH newspaper for campaigning for the release of Ese, and the police authorities for ensuring the release of the girl, the matter should be pursued to a logical conclusion.
“The abductor and his helpers should be arrested and prosecuted to serve as a lesson to others. We call on the Bayelsa State Government to file charges against the suspects without any further delay.”
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Felix Fagbohungbe, said what Yinusa did was criminal and condemnable and called for his prosecution according to the law.
Fagbohungbe said, “It is a criminal act and Yinusa should be prosecuted. The law of the land is very clear on that. In fact, the young girl is not a Muslim in the first place; so, she cannot be affected by any provision of the Quran. And even at that, a 13-year-old girl, who is supposed to be in school, how can she give consent, when we know that the age of maturity is 21, and the voting age is 18? So, this is a criminal act.”
She is a minor
A Lagos-based lawyer, Mr. Wahab Shittu, also called for Yinusa’s arraignment for abduction, stressing that Ese, being a minor, could not give a valid consent to marriage.
Shittu said, “She is still a minor. If you look at the provisions of our Constitution, the age to vote starts from 18 years. The implication is that the Constitution envisages that you do not attain adulthood until you reach the age of 18. The girl is a minor.
“He (Yinusa) took away the girl from the custody of her parents without their consent outside the jurisdiction of the state and even without the consent of the girl, expressed or implied; so the man should be arraigned for abduction.”
Another Lagos-based lawyer, Mr. Jiti Ogunye, said Yinusa acted contrary to the provisions of Section 361 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria and the analogous provisions of the Criminal Code, Law of Bayelsa State and should as such be prosecuted.
According to Ogunye, the charges against Yinusa will also include rape as he was likely to have slept with the girl.
Ogunye said, “Section 361 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria and the analogous provisions of the Criminal Code, Law of Bayelsa State, define the offence of abduction and provide that ‘any person, who with the intent to marry or carnally know a female of any age, or cause her to be married, or carnally known by any other person, takes her away or detains her against her will, is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for seven years. And of course, it can be imagined or assumed that the offence of rape would have been committed against the young girl. The punishment for rape, under sections 537 and 358 of the same Criminal Code Act, is life imprisonment.
“The abductor and his accomplices should be prosecuted in Bayelsa State. That is where the crime originated.”
Mr. Emeka Ngige, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said the Bayelsa State Governor, Siriake Dickson, should also be held accountable for the incident.
He said, “The Bayelsa State Governor should tell the public why he would allow such a thing to happen in his domain. All the police personnel, who failed in their duties of rescuing the girl, including the Inspector-General of Police, should be appropriately sanctioned.”
Human rights lawyer, Festus Keyamo, said Ese could not make a decision for herself until she reached the age of 21.
He said, “It is worrisome that the girl was taken away without the consent of her parents. Any girl that is under the age of 21, no matter the religion involved, should not be married off without the consent of her parents. If anyone is saying it is tradition, then that tradition is repugnant to natural justice, equity and good conscience and should be rejected.
“In law, 21 is the age of maturity and consent, while 18 is the voting age. To sign a contract or enter into any other agreement, you must be 21.”
A Lagos-based lawyer, Mr. Yemi Omodele, said Ese’s parents had a valid cause of action and urged them to approach a high court in Bayelsa State to enforce their daughter’s rights.
“If it is true that the age is 14, the parents have a legal right to approach the appropriate court of law within the southern region of the country, particularly in Bayelsa. They can approach the state high court in Bayelsa to protect the girl’s rights,” he said.
Ahmed Adetola-Kazeem, another counsel, said the forced marriage of Ese was wrong both from the Islamic religious point of view and the constitution.
He advised her parents to sue Yinusa and the police.
Adetola-Kazeem said, “Quran 4:25 states that a man can only marry a lady with the permission of the parents. So, the step he (Yinusa) has taken is a very wrong step. Secondly, the Quran also says that there is no compulsion in religion, so, you can’t force your religion on someone else.
“The parents of the girl should sue Yinusa and join the police or whichever law enforcement agency that is involved or complicit.”
The Executive Director of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, Adetokunbo Mumuni, said any supposed consent given by a person below the age of 18 years was invalid in the face of the Nigerian law and urged the parents to seek redress in court.
Mumuni said, “The law does not reckon with a consent given by an underage person. For a person to consent, he must be 18 years and above. As far as Nigeria is concerned, the lowest age of maturity in terms of contract and consent is 18 years. In the law of contract, a person below the age of 18 is still regarded as a minor; under that age you cannot enter into a contractual agreement and marriage is a contract.”
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Gowdwin Obla, said the excuse of elopement was not tenable and would not shield Yinusa from being prosecuted.
Obla said, “Elopement at what age? Can a girl who cannot give consent for marriage give consent to elope? It is wrong. Even if the girl elopes with him, there are enough public outcries to make any reasonable person return the girl to her parents. The man did not mitigate the extent of his criminality and sadly, it looks like he has some support from governmental institutions. It is not a matter to be negotiated.
“It is a case of what is called statutory rape because the girl is below the age of 18. She cannot give consent for sexual relationship. That is statutory rape.”
As to whether the excuse of elopement would prevent Yinusa from being prosecuted, Obla said, “No, it is not an excuse. In fact, he could have mitigated his punishment by promptly returning the girl when he became aware of her true age. But he did not; he persisted in his criminality.”
Blame the police, not me
The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, has described the abduction of 14-year-old Ese Oruru from Bayelsa State by one of his subjects as an embarrassment.
Sanusi spoke on Monday after a meeting with members of his council over the issue.
He explained that he had received two calls from people in far away South Africa on Monday over the matter.
The emir further explained that when the matter was first brought to his attention in September 2015, he ordered her immediate return to her parents after it was established that she was underage.
He, however, expressed surprise that the matter still lingered months after he gave the instruction.
Sanusi said, “I ordered her return since September 2015, through the Office of the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 1.
“But to my surprise, the issue was still with the Sharia Commission, Hisbah (religious police) and the Police.
“The matter is worrisome, to the extent that two people phoned me in the morning today from South Africa over the matter. I told them clearly that I had directed her return since the last six months.
“I can also remember that I ordered the district head of Kura, the Sharia Commission and Hisbah, to investigate the allegation she (Ese) raised that her mother wanted to kill her.
“They confirmed to me that the allegation raised by Ese was true. I requested police intervention just to get her a cover to take her back home.
“I think it was the police authorities that caused the delay. I have done my best for her and even directed for action. It’s unfortunate that the police delayed this matter which has embarrassed us.
“Ese is underage and she can’t be married off as an underage girl. Every Muslim also knows that marriage can’t be without guidance. She must be taken back to her parents; she can only marry when she reaches the age of 18.”
The Emir further said, “It is un-Islamic for someone to marry a lady without guidance. This abduction of Ese by my subject to Kano is bad because it will cause disunity among our people.”
Sanusi reiterated his directive to the Sharia Commission to immediately return the girl to her family, adding that “this issue is something that is unbecoming among our people”.
All is set for the debut of the African Basketball League as top International Basketballers who will be featured throughout the season have arrived Nigeria for the league which tips off on 5th of March 2016 at the Landmark event centre.
African Basketball League
Four cities in West Africa will play host to a hundred and twenty games in the first season; Lagos, Abijan, Dakar and Libreville. Lagos Islanders, Lagos Warriors and Stallions are the participating Nigerian teams.
The other Africa clubs that will participate in the league are Dakar Rapids from Senegal, Abidjan Ramblers from the Cote d’Ivoire and Izobe Basketball Club from Libreville.
The first game will see the Stallions playing at home against Dakar Rapids of Senegal on Saturday March 5th , the game will commence by 6.30pm at Landmark Event Centre.
Some key players to look out for during the season are Mark Hill, Kelechi Anuna, Melvin Baker, Akintunde Moses, amongst others.
Mark Hill: At 5’11, Mark Hill is a quick silver point guard who has the ability to lead his team, while being able to score at will anytime. He has an excellent foot speed and agility which makes a very good penetrator who can finish in traffic. Mark was most notedly the league’s MVP in Finland for the 2014/2015 season before he joined the Lagos Islanders.
Kelechi Anuna: Kelechi is a point guard for the Stallions, having also played for the Nigerian National Team in the past and more recently for the Slovakia League. Born and bred in the USA, Kelechi played basketball for his college Middle Tennessee State University before he played professionally. He has played in Top leagues in Tunisia, Slovakia, Dominican Republic, Egypt and Venezula.
Melvin Baker: At an outstanding 6’7’ and 215 pounds, Melvin Baker is more than an able power forward, adept at blocking shooters who might be aiming for his team’s basket. He has played basketball across Europe, most noteably wining the championship in Helsinki Finland and winning the championship while averaging 17ppg and 8rpg.Melvin represents the Lagos Islanders.
Akintunde Moses: Akin is a versatile, physical and athletic player with tremendous athleticism and strength which make him a powerful lead on the court. He is an excellent mid-range and 3-point shooter. Akin represents the Stallions.
As more professional basketball players arrive in Nigeria for what can be described as one of the greatest and most remarkable events in Africa, we hold on to our seats in anticipation of The African Basketball League Season premier.
Tickets are available on www.ablafrica.com, Wakanow offices and Select Union Bank branches.
The ABL is proudly supported by TRACE, Union Bank, Wakanow, Cornerstone Insurance, Landmark, THE BEAT 99.9FM and ASKY Airline.
….it’s a celebration of the death of Rivers people killed by PDP
….Describes the visit of Sherriff and Fayose as disaster for Rivers State
The Rivers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed sadness over Saturday’s Victory Celebration by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State, describing it as shameful and insensitive. “The so called Victory Celebration held two days ago, February 27, 2016, at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, Elekahia, Port Harcourt, was nothing but the celebration of PDP’s bloody victory obtained through massive rigging and the shedding of the blood of over 100 APC members murdered by PDP agents to usher in the administration of Governor Nyesom Wike.
APC Rivers State
The celebration is shameful, callous and insensitive to the injured feelings of families still grieving for their loved ones needlessly killed by PDP agents during the campaigns and the April 11, 2015 gubernatorial elections,” Rivers APC said in a statement issued on Monday in Port Harcourt by the Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya.
He expressed fear over the safety of APC members in the State in view of the subsisting war mood of PDP signaled with the formal welcoming of two notorious apostles of political banditry in Nigeria in the persons of Ali Modu Sheriff the National Chairman of PDP and the Governor of Ekiti State, Peter Ayodele Fayose into the politics of Rivers State by Wike.
With this mischievous and deadly trio of Wike, Sherriff and Fayose well noted war propagandists, that insecurity will be heightened in Rivers State before the rerun elections of March, 19 need not be overemphasized; the party said: “Not satisfied with the amount of blood already shed by him and his party, Governor Nyesom Wike kick started this ominous and sinster attack against Rivers State and her people at the recent 50th birthday celebration of Senator Lee Maeba in Luuwa, Khana Local Government Area told PDP supporters that he will not be happy unless they stop Senator Magnus Abe’s re-election bid by all means.
Similar charges at various fora by the Governor have resulted to the harassment, intimidation and killing of APC members on daily basis all over the State and the burning of APC candidates’ campaign offices, including Senator Magnus Abe’s Senatorial Liaison Office. Today, militants are empowered by the PDP in Rivers State to accumulate arms illegally, and terrorise the rest of the State because Wike ascended the office of Governor of Rivers State through violence.
We view these increasing attacks as an attempt to intimidate our supporters, instill fear into them and frighten them not to participate in the forthcoming re-run elections in the State.”
Rivers APC asked in the statement: “For how long must we as a political party continue to suffer these humiliations and killing of our members while the security organs watch? How long must this continue before both the Federal Government and the international community act to secure our lives and restore sanity to our State?”
Continuing, the statement said: “As we plead with the Police, DSS and other security organs not to give up on our State, we wish to commend the good people of Rivers State for their resoluteness and steadfastness. We wish to encourage them not to relent but to remain united and focussed to secure our State by massively voting out all PDP candidates during the re-run elections so that collectively we can once more bring joy and development to our State. As Rivers PDP, the nest of killers, celebrates its phantom victory, we wish to state that God will one day bring judgement on those who have turned Rivers State to an unsecured State where kidnapping and assassination of APC members have become a daily occurrence.”
The residents of Yeghe Community in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State and other communities in Khana and Tai Local Government Areas respectively who fled their homes for safety following the killing of over 17 innocent persons by men of the Nigerian Army led by Captain Mustapha, drafted to the area by Magnus Abe and Barry Mpigi and were back home based on assurances given to them by the Governor, Barr Nyesom Wike, when he visited the area have again fled their communities following rumour that the Nigerian military was coming to the area for mass arrest.
Magnus Abe
Recall that last week troops of fully armed soldiers had invaded Yeghe community and shut and killed over 17 persons while combing for the ex-Niger Delta agitator, Chief Solomon Ndigbara on the orders of Magnus Abe and Barry Mpigi.
Following the rumour on Sunday, life in the community was lonesome as some residents were seen going out from the community. Some other residents who do not have where to travel to said they would hang around to see the actions of the military.
Speaking to newsmen, the Paramount ruler of Bua Yeghe, HRH. Chief Barinada Barine disclosed that there is heavy tension in the community over the news of re-invasion of the area by the military for mass arrest.
Barine who spoke, Sunday, February 28, 2016, when a delegation of Chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Rivers South East Senatorial District led by the Secretary to the State Government, Hon. Kenneth Kobani visited the community to donate some food items to the community said the community has been thrown into tension.
The monarch pleaded with the local, state and federal governments, and other well meaning individuals to intervene, adding that the community would be sacked if nothing was done.
“We heard that army are coming to Yeghe again for mass arrest tomorrow, Monday March 29, 2016 or any other day not known to us. As I am talking now, there is already four vans loaded with soldiers in Bori.”
“We don’t know what their mission is again in this place. We are afraid. If not that today is Sunday you wouldn’t have seen anybody around.
“I want to plead with army authority and the government to help us remove the army because we not fighting war here.”
He also thanked the State Governor, Barr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike and Chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Rivers South East Senatorial District for remembering the people in their time of sorrow and trouble, adding that the people need peace.
Meanwhile, the army have been provided accommodation, by Magnus Abe at the defunct Social Democratic Party, SDP secretariat along Bori Road, opposite Bori Police Station.
Magnus Abe, Barry Mpigi Maurice Poronem and other APC Chieftains in Ogoni, were seen with the army in the area on Sunday.
It would be recalled that in 1995 during the military invasion of Ogoni and killing of prominent Ogoni leaders, including Ken Saro-Wiwa, Magnus Abe and Barry Mpigi were also at the centre of the controversy
Former Super Eagles coach, Sunday Oliseh, is prepared to meet the Nigeria Football Federation in court over what they termed breach of contract.
The Football house is reportedly threatening to sue Oliseh for quitting his post as coach without prior notice, but the 42 year old gaffer is optimistic the court will vindicate him on the false allegations levelled against him.
“They said I was paid for three months (December 2015, January 2016 and February 2016) and half-year rent for July-December 2015. But we will see who is telling lies,” Oliseh said.
“Since they are prepared to expose themselves, I will help them further. My lawyers are studying the reports, and when we meet, we shall know who breached our contractual agreements.”
Oliseh further claims his eight months on the job was a lesson for him, that only a wholistic change is needed in Nigerian football void of favouritism and nepotism.
“My time there was a big lesson and unless a wholistic change is made in the administrative level, it will be difficult.”
When Edo State governor assumed office on November 12, 2008, many were set to put him to task if he dared fail to deliver on his campaign promises. As a labour leader who cut his political teeth from his many struggles to emancipate the poor masses and workers across the country, it was a huge responsibility for him to take over a state that was in ruins and total infrastructure decay. The education sector was a festering sore that finds expression in the manner of neglect that the previous administration had treated it. Edo State was notorious for many miracle centers which provided accommodation for all categories of persons from different parts of the country to sit for the West African School Certificate Examinations with the hope of coming out with flying colours even when such examinations were hardly taken by the students.
Oshiomhole
With the dubious cooperation of the examination officers and the invigilators, desperate students easily parted with huge sums of money to buy their way through the corridors of examinations with promises of superlative grades. This was the practice inherited by the Comrade Governor from the PDP 10 years’ preoccupation of Edo State before the courts gave verdict that threw away that regime of waste and non-performance. Seven years down the line, the Comrade Governor has rediscovered the missing link in the education sector and appropriately repositioned the sector to the admiration of all. While the state was usually placed in a distant position of 30th amongst states in Nigeria in terms of performance at national examinations, the story today has assumed a more positive and rewarding classification. In the last three national examinations, Edo state came 2nd and has been adjudged as one of the heavily transformed states in terms of infrastructure, manpower and investment. The latest ratings and outcomes are the end product of the heavy investment which the government has put into this sector to rediscover its lost glory. Added to this is the fact that Edo State is tuition free for both primary and secondary schools students.
When Comrade Oshiomhole presented his first budget to Edo State House of Assembly, populated by majority of PDP lawmakers, rather than encourage a governor that was willing to work settle down, they threw up partisan interests over the Edo interest. First, the initial budget was scrutinized, altered and later adjusted to suit the peculiarity of the PDP godfathers. Aside from frowning at the percentage allocated for capital project, the Comrade Governor was told pointedly that he was not the messiah that Edo State was waiting for. And that if he must work, he must operate within the labyrinths of the godfather’s desires. Yet undaunted, the Comrade Governor took his case to our highly revered Oba of Benin, who wrote a scathing letter to remind the Edo State House of Assembly that if Benin City could not be respected for being the headquarters of Benin Kingdom, at least it should be recognized as the capital of Edo State. The PDP chieftains were asking for the portion of the budget that would be available for sharing like the “Dasukigate” money. They had to back down when the Comrade Governor told them that if they were prepared to share money, he would issue them cheques, if that would persuade them to put pen on paper to sign the Appropriation Bill. The rest as it is often said is now history.
The huge economic infrastructure which the Oshiomhole administration has brought about can be explained from the point of view of his determination to alter the narrative in Edo’s political economy. Rather than continue the tradition of skewing budget in favour of recurrent expenditure, the Comrade Governor has sustained a tradition of ensuring that capital expenditure carries a higher percentage in all his budgetary proposals and laws. More than anything, this explains the huge infrastructural component of the administration spread across the three senatorial districts of the state. As a direct consequence of this initiative, the state is now becoming an investment haven for different categories of businesses. There is bamboo wood furniture company in Anegbete, there is ceramics tiles company in Benin City as well as Yongxing Steel Company. These companies have recruited over 1,500 capable youths who have been trained and gainfully employed to provide one service or the other.
The Okpekpe road race has become an internationally accepted road race by the sheer insight of the government and a sports marketing company which seized the initiative of utilizing the beauty of the Okpekpe Road to bring this to fruition. This event has not only entered into the calendar year of the International Athletics Federation but has become a source of economic boom to residents of the entire Edo North each time the event was hosted. That is one way to boost the economic wellbeing of the people.
It is instructive to note that Comrade Oshiomhole’s intervention in Edo state has paid off in different areas. As we speak, even when states across the country cannot meet up with their salaries commitments, the Comrade Governor has almost completed building a brand new Edo State University located at Iyamho. The University environment boasts of sophisticated buildings and facilities that can compete with any other university in the world. Having invested heavily in enhancing the infrastructural status of Ambrose Alli University, he felt it was proper for the state to have another university that would absorb qualified students who often lazy about after failing to secure admission into the existing schools.
The national statistics with respect to school enrolment are quite alarming. On a yearly basis, about 1.4m Nigerian youths write the JAMB examinations. Out of this figure, available universities can only absorb a little above 300,000 thus allowing 1.1million to roam the streets before the onset of another examination calendar.
When the PDP raised dust over our investment in Ambrose Alli University, one had thought they were going to present their own statistics to show how much they invested in the university during their 10 years’ regime in Edo State. Rather, the PDP were running from pillar to post to complain about the huge investments we have made in the university. We have not only built and commissioned three lecture theatres; we have also built two world class laboratories for the medical and laboratory sciences students. We have also completed the moot court that was abandoned in 1991, built the agriculture extension services department, the Fine and Applied Arts department, and also the Building department. The dam that was built by the European Union and later abandoned was reticulated and as we speak, the university is now fully serviced with water. There are still several on-going projects aside from increasing the monthly subvention from a paltry N100m to N250m. When we asked the PDP to name what they did in 10 years’ at Ambrose Alli University, they were simply blaming themselves, pointing accusing fingers at themselves. What a pity.
While it is convenient for the PDP to make all the noises about development in Edo State as not reflecting what accrues to the state, they have not been bold enough to state what they did with all the billions they collected during their time. We have seen companies that were built overnight, we have seen how reptiles and snakes took over as managers and chief executives, and thereafter sold before daybreak. We have seen how Edo State resources were used to feather the nest of PDP chieftains, making overnight millionaires and billionaires. They jump about like musketeers, looting from the center and the corners, leaving Edo State to bleed with perfunctory disdain. Now that they have been uprooted from the inner sanctuary of Aso Rock conclave, they now see Edo State like a fallow land that must be conquered to continue their regime of mindless plunder. This is why the people are saying never again for the PDP to come and rape us politically.
–Afegbua is the Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Public Affairs, Edo State.
Tragedy struck at Ofumwengbe in Ovia South West local government area of Edo state at the weekend as a truck crushed a father of five and his two sons.
Similar incident in Benin
Mr Joseph Adeke, a farmer. and his two sons 15-year-old Jeffrey and Ovie (13) were crushed by a truck owned by an Abuja Federal Court of Appeal.
“The man went to pick the children who were in SS1 and JSS1 of Evergreen School, a private school in Ofumwengbe, and was on his way home when they were run over by the truck.
“They were riding on a motorcycle and the truck, which was carrying some papers (documents) had brake failure and the driver lost control,” an eyewitness told our reporter.
The driver of the truck, whose identity was not immediately known, was arrested and taken to Iguobazuwa division of the Nigerian Police.
Attempts by our reporter to speak with the Divisional Police Officer was abortive as he was said to be “unavailable” when our reporter visited the station on Sunday afternoon.
The truck, which was sighted at the station premises, had its plate number removed.
The grief-stricken mother and wife of the victims, Mrs Helen Adeke was too devastated to speak.
But a member of the grieving family, Mr Tony Odoyibo, confirmed the report in a telephone chat with our reporter.
Odoyibo described the incident as “a grave loss to the family. The two children are the oldest sons.”
Our reporter’s attempt to get confirmation from the Commander in charge of Okada Junction of the Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC) was abortive.
Although he promised to get back to our reporter, the commander was yet to return our call over one hour later before press time on Sunday.
What is Solomom Edebiri, the Edo State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant, up to? The technocrat, businessman and Benin chief is on the popularity weighing scale as he warms up for the primary election. Many observers believe that he has a big hurdle before him. But, at the weekend, the aspirant reiterated his resolve to succeed Governor Adams Oshiomhole. “I have goodwill among the people of Edo and this gives me confidence,” he told reporters in Lagos.
Ijaw endorses Solomon Edebiri
“We need to have a government that will cater for the future. How can the state grow without a solid foundation? I am on a rescue mission. That is the motivation for entering the race,” he added.
However, it is a moment of storm and stress for his party. Not only has the party lost power at the federal level, it is also grasping for breath in Edo. Greed, disunity and godfatherism are the bane of the Edo chapter. Yet, Edebiri is of the view that the party has prospect, if it can put its house in order. Noting that the governorship poll offers an opportunity for the chapter to bounce back, he , however warned that the chance can be bungled, if a wrong candidate is picked. “If a wrong candidate is picked, the exodus from the party will be worse,” he stressed.
Edebiri believes that the PDP needs a new name to sell it to the people of Edo. This corresponds to a call for a clean break from the past. Flaunting his credentials, he said his competence, clear understanding of Edo, liberal disposition and cognate experience as an operator in the oil industry for 26 years have marked him out. He urged delegates to swing the pendulum of victory towards his direction during the shadow poll.
Unfolding his vision, he said:”My vision for Edo State as a governor is to build s state on strong foundation that future leaders can build upon, a state where human capacity development , technology transfer and industrial development will be top on the agenda, where the state can become an export hub rather than an import based economy to guarantee self-satisfaction, confidence in the future within a healthy environment and sound educational base.”
The aspirant also said that he has a mission to employ the services of the natural and human resources in the state to actualise his vision without ignoring the experience of more advanced and developed nations. “When Edebiri is mentioned, it is about credibility, integrity, accountability, transparency and push for industrialisation, human capacity development and a new order to create a new society,” he added.Edebiri may not be an aspirant on the fringe. He described himself as a highly educated and well connected person. But, he could be described a politician who is ready to embrace reality. Not only does he knows his onions, he also understands his limitations. The aspirant has set up a campaign structure, the Ise Initiative, to actualise his dream. He knows that he has other formidable aspirants to contend with at the primary. He also understands that politics is a slippery field. Party insiders agree that the shadow poll will not be a walk over for him and indeed, other aspirants. Edebiri, also said the exercise is not a do or die affair.
The first critical step to the electioneering is fortifying the party. Edo PDP, in the aspirant’s opinion, needs to present itself as a better alternative. “We must move away from the greed and disunity of the past and ensure cohesion,” he said. To forge unity and harmony in the party, he promised to use his liberal disposition to bring stakeholders together and chart a new course. Edebiri said the party must know that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is not sleeping on guard. He said a wrong flag bearer will boost the chance of the ruling party at the poll. “APC is interested in the PDP primary. We can’t afford to get it wrong,” he stressed.
If elected as governor, Edebiri said he will restore the lost glory of Edo. “In the past, we had bendel Insurance Company, Edo Line, Bendel Breweries. All these industries have been castrated. There is job loss, no money for trade and nowhere to work. We need to revive the dead industries and create job opportunities for youths,” he said. If these are done, the aspirant said crime, corruption, armed robbery, kidnapping and insecurity will end.
Edebiri acknowledged that Oshiomhole has done well in certain areas. He applauded him for constructing roads. But, he alleged that the governor has ignored other areas, including transportation, industrialisation, healthcare and human capacity development. The PDP chieftain also chided the administration for what he described as the tax burden. He said: “If the intent of the leader is at variance with the intent of the people, things will not work.”
The aspirant promised to harness the resources of the state to fuel its development. Noting that Edo is endowed with a lot of mineral resources, he said these can be converted into financial resources, instead of leaning on the now elusive federal allocation. He said the state will survive if it creates wealth, instead of the penchant for sharing wealth.
Edebiri also said that Edo should embrace agriculture as a viable alternative for revenue generation. “I will initiate one local government, one commercial crop syndrome. We have studied the local governments. Some can engage in rice planting. Others can go for cassava. We have local governments that can go for pineapples,” he added.
This interview was first published by The Nation Newspaper
The House of Representatives has put on hold its plans to purchase 360 exotic cars for its members.
Investigations by our correspondent showed that the funds to prosecute the purchase remained the main drawback for the House in taking a final decision on the controversial “utility” or “committee” cars.
“Funding for the cars will come from the 2016 budget. As you are aware, the budget has not been passed. The passage of the budget will decide how much will be available for vehicles,” a House official informedThe PUNCH in Abuja.
It was also learnt that the House had yet to decide on the brand of cars to buy for the lawmakers, who were split on whether to settle for Peugeot 508 saloon cars or the 2015 model of Toyota Camry.
Peugeot Automobile Nigeria Limited reportedly started advertising the 508 series to lawmakers since December 2015 in a bid to get them to patronise the local assembly plant.
The firm was said to have sent catalogues to the House to promote the features of the 508 series.
One senior member of the House told The PUNCH in confidence that the cars had not been bought, but insisted that the House would make the purchase at the appropriate time.
The source added, “Look, all these talks will not stop us from buying our utility vehicles. We haven’t bought the vehicles because there is no money yet.
“We are going to buy the cars at the appropriate time. If a minister, who is junior in the order protocol to a legislator, has up to four Land Cruiser SUVs as officials vehicles, why do people think that just one Camry orPeugeot 508 is too much for a member?
“What is the uproar about? That a member is asking to buy a Camry to use for oversight duties is too big?”
The Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Abdulrazak Namdas, said the House had neither ordered nor taken delivery of the controversial vehicles.
Namdas confirmed that the House would buy the cars when funding was available after the passage of the budget.
“I think this car issue has generated too much hues and cries. The House has not bought any cars for now.
“We will buy cars and the public will know about it because there is nothing to hide, really,” he added.
Sunday PUNCH had reported that the Senate had purchased the vehicles.
The newspaper reported that eminent Nigerians had criticised the Senate for defying Nigerians, including President Muhammadu Buhari, by going ahead to buy the exotic vehicles, put at about N4.7bn.
Those who flayed the Senate included the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN); Senator Femi Okurounmu and Dr. Junaid Mohammed.
The contractor in charge of delivering the vehicles, Lanre Shittu Motors, had confirmed to Sunday PUNCH that it had delivered a lot of vehicles to the Senate.
The Group Executive Director, Lanre Shittu Motors, Mr. Taiwo Shittu, in an interview, stated that a lot of deliveries had been made to the Senate.
The Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, to the Senate President, Alhaji Yusuph Olaniyonu, had, in a statement on Saturday, stated that only one new vehicle had changed in the convoy of his principal, Dr. Bukola Saraki.
Olaniyonu, explained that the new vehicle, a Mercedes Benz, was meant to replace the old spare car in the convoy that the Senate President inherited and had been using since he assumed office in June last year.
Despite the bombings still being carried out in parts of the country by members of the Boko Haram sect, President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday said the sect is no longer in a position to cause serious threat to his administration’s development programmes.
General Buhari
While admitting that the sect’s activities had led to loss of many lives and displacement of innocent people in the country, the President boasted that since his assumption of office in May 2015, Boko Haram has been systematically decimated.
According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President spoke at a bilateral meeting he had with the Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hammad Al-Thani, on Sunday.
Buhari was also said to have talked on the situation in the Middle East and commended the role Qatar is playing in resolving the present Syrian crisis, the Palestinian cause and efforts in reconstructing Gaza.
He said, “The conflicts in Yemen and Syria, with their attendant humanitarian crisis, need genuine international effort to solve.
“Nigeria as a peace-loving country identifies with the State of Qatar in all her peace efforts in the world to end terrorist activities.
“Nigeria is a victim of terrorism. It is with heavy heart that I stand before you and say activities of Boko Haram have led to loss of many lives and displacement of innocent people in our dear nation.
“We, however, take pride to inform you that since our coming to power, Boko Haram has been systematically decimated and are in no position to cause serious threat to our development programmes.
“I wish to reiterate that Nigeria rejects violence and extremism in all their ramifications, and we assure Your Highness that we are with the State of Qatar in your efforts to fight terrorism and injustice in your region and in the world at large.”
Buhari also called for a lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying, “We in Nigeria, like the State of Qatar, favour a ‘Two State’ solution, with the State of Palestine living side by side with the State of Israel.
“I want to assure you that we will stand side by side with you, until our brothers and sisters in Palestine achieve their desired objectives.
“Our support for various Security Council resolutions restoring and respecting 1967 boundaries with Jerusalem as capital of Palestine is firm and unshaken.”
The President also stressed the need for member states of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries and non-OPEC members to cooperate and find a common ground to stabilise crude oil prices.
He described the current market situation in the industry which has seen oil prices plummet by 70 per cent since mid-2014, as unacceptable.
“As members of OPEC and Gas Exporting Countries Forum, our relations in the areas of oil and gas, which our two nations heavily rely on, need to be enhanced and coordinated for the benefit of our people.
“The current market situation in the oil industry is unsustainable and totally unacceptable.
“We must cooperate both within and outside our respective organisations to find a common ground to stabilise the market, which will be beneficial to our nations,’’ the President said on the second day of his state visit to Qatar.
The President used the occasion of his address to the emir to commend the existing cordial bilateral relations between both countries and invited prospective Qatari investors to take advantage of the abundant opportunities in Nigeria and invest in the key areas of energy, agriculture, real estate development, banking and finance.
President Muhammadu Buhari has ruled out the payment of N5, 000 monthly allowances to unemployed youths in the country as promised by his party, the All Progressives Congress, ahead of the 2015 presidential election.
Buhari’s statement, which dismissed the N5,000 as largesse, has drawn the ire of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, which described the declaration by the President as an abandonment by the APC of the promise it made to Nigerians.
President Buhari
The President’s Saudi pronouncement contrasts sharply with those of some APC government officials who had, at different times and on various occasions, assured Nigerians that the fund to implement the promised allowance had been provided for in the 2016 Budget, which is currently before the National Assembly.
The President, who is on a one-week official visit to Saudi Arabia and Qatar, said during an interactive session in Saudi Arabia that he could not pay those not employed.
He said he had a “slightly different priority” from the position of his party on the payment of N5, 000 to unemployed youths, which he described as “largesse.”
The President said rather than paying unemployed youths, his administration would build infrastructure and empower able-bodied men to work.
“This largesse, N5,000 for the unemployed, I have got a slightly different priority. I would rather do the infrastructure, the school and correct them and empower agriculture, mining so that every able-bodied person can go and get work instead of giving N5, 000 to those who don’t work,” Buhari declared.
The APC, which defeated the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party at the March 28 presidential election, had promised during its campaign that if elected to the central government, it would pay N5,000 monthly to 25 million jobless youths. It also promised to introduce a free school-feeding programme.
A motion to compel the Buhari-led Federal Government to fulfil the campaign promise of paying the unemployed youths was recently rejected in the Senate.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice-President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, had at different times this year, stated that the funds meant to fulfil the electoral promise had been built into the 2016 Budget.
Akande had said the Presidency’s social protection plan had been segmented into six plans, namely Teach Nigeria; youth empowerment programme; conditional cash transfer; homegrown school feeding programme; free education for science, technology, engineering and mathematics students in tertiary institutions; and micro-credit scheme.
Under the conditional cash transfer which, according to him, is for extremely poor and vulnerable Nigerians, Akande said N5, 000 would be paid monthly to one million Nigerians.
He had also said work was ongoing on the identification of beneficiaries, stressing that it was the desire of the government to ensure the commencement of the programme in 2016.
Similarly, the Minister of Youths and Sports, Solomon Dalong, had also said last year that the Federal Government would commence payment of N5, 000 promised the unemployed youth during the campaign from 2016.
Dalong spoke when he visited the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, to commiserate with him over the death of the party’s governorship candidate in the inconclusive election in Kogi State, Abubakar Audu.
The minister, who spoke to journalists during the visit,said the APC government was fully committed to fulfilling all campaign promises made before the last elections.
He said the payment of the promised N5,000 could only begin after if it had been included in the budget.
“I would want the youth to understand that every promise must be backed up by budgetary provision and our promise to pay N5, 000 is not contained in the 2015 budget. So, definitely, it is going to begin in 2016 as we have made budgetary allocations for that,” he said.
When contacted to react to the President’s decision to drop the APC’s promise, Odigie-Oyegun, said he was on leave and outside the country.
He said in a short message to our correspondent, “As you know, I am on leave and outside Nigeria.”
Calls to the mobile telephone number of the party’s National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni, indicated that it was switched off.
A response to a text message sent to him on the subject was still being awaited as of the time of filing this report.
When contacted, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, said the party would soon make public its position on the general state of the nation.
Metuh told one of our correspondents in a telephone interview in Abuja, on Sunday, “We will soon make our position on the general state of the nation and all these issues known after our caucus and NEC meeting.
“What we are hearing (from the ruling party) is quite different from what they promised Nigerians before and during the campaigns.”
Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has promised to work with his Kano State counterpart, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, to ensure the return of 14-year-old Ese Oruru, who was abducted, taken to Kano, converted to Islam and married by one Yinusa.
A non-governmental organisation, Kindling Hope Across Nations Initiative, which has been working with Ese’s parents to secure her release and return home, said this in a statement.
The statement said the governor had during a meeting with KHAN Initiative officials on Sunday, expressed concern over the issue and appealed to the NGO to allow him intervene in the issue.
The KHAN Initiative said, consequently, it cancelled a rally, aimed at drawing attention to the 14-year-old’s shocking story, which was scheduled for Monday.
“In view of the personal interest demonstrated by the Executive Governor of Bayelsa State, we have decided to suspend the rally to give both state governments time to urgently bring Ese back,” the NGO said.
It explained that the governor had expressed concern that a rally might lead to a breach of the peace, “given the high level of tension currently in the state on account of the proposed rally”.
The NGO, however, said it would continue the fight to return Ese back to her parents and seeks justice for her.
Dickson’s intervention follows the launch of “Free Ese” campaign by PUNCH, which has drawn the attention of thousands of Nigerians to the sordid story and failure of top officials in Bayelsa and Kano states to do the right thing.
Stories about Ese’s plight and the travail of her parents have led to increased calls for her immediate release and the prosecution of those involved in her abduction.
KHAN, an NGO committed to improving the lives of people and creating a world where everyone is empowered to live above poverty, has worked with the Orurus since they reported the incident to the organisation.
The Executive Director, KHAN Initiative, Mr. Kizito Andah, had told Sunday PUNCH that after receiving the case, the organisation immediately swung into action by formally informing the Department of State Services.
He said several meetings were held in December 2015 with officers of the DSS, noting that the state security outfit made several promises to secure the release of the victim, but that up till date, Ese was still held hostage by the perpetrators.
Andah, who is also the Secretary, Child Protection Network, claimed that their coordinator also spoke with the Inspector-General of Police and the police boss gave his word that the girl would be returned to her parents. Yet, that had not been done.
Ese had been abducted in August 2015 by Yinusa, who was a longstanding customer of her mother, Mrs. Rose Oruru, a food vendor in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
Since August 12 when her parents made the shocking discovery, trips to Kano, the involvement of the police and efforts to get the Emir of Kano, Mallam Lamido Sanusi, at whose palace the girl is believed to be held to resolve the matter and ensure the return of the 14-year-old to her parents have failed.
While her mother was told that Ese had converted to Islam and, therefore, was no longer her daughter, her father was told that his daughter was an 18-year-old adult and not 14, hence she was capable of making decisions for herself.
The Senate may issue a warrant for the arrest of a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, this week barring an unexpected reversal, our correspondent has learnt.
EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde
This means the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, may be ordered to arrest Lamorde, who is currently undergoing a course at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos.
The upper chamber had on Thursday last week asked its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to begin the process of issuing a warrant for the police officer’s arrest.
The senate is currently investigating Lamorde following a petition against him by one Dr. George Uboh.
In his petition, Uboh accused the former EFCC boss of diverting over N1tn the anti-graft agency recovered from treasury looters.
Uboh, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Panic Alert Security Systems, had petitioned the Senate through the senator representing Delta North Senatorial District, Peter Nwaoboshi, alleging that Lamorde, in connivance with other EFCC officials, short-changed the Federal Government in the remittance of funds and assets recovered from some corrupt public officers.
The petitioner alleged that under Lamorde, the EFCC opened bank accounts for the funds it recovered from corrupt officials, but the funds did not reflect in the agency’s audited accounts.
The whistle-blower also alleged that the EFCC doctored and manipulated bank accounts to conceal the alleged fraud.
Lamorde was also accused of diverting over 90 per cent of the money the EFCC recovered in foreign currencies, including those from multinational companies.
At the consideration of the report at plenary on Thursday, the ethics panel lamented efforts by the House to get a reaction from Lamorde were not successful.
The Chairman of the committee, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, who read the report, noted that Lamorde ignored all invitations extended to him and urged the House to issue a warrant for his arrest.
The committee therefore said it had become necessary to force Lamorde to appear if only to “save the National Assembly as the highest law-making body of the nation, from irreparable damage to its reputation and capacity to summon.”
Our correspondent learnt from the Senate President’s office on Sunday that Arase might get Lamorde’s arrest warrant this week.
The source confirmed that the ethics panel had forwarded its request to the Senate President Bukola Saraki.
The source said, “I am not sure there will be any delay. The arrest warrant will be sent to the appropriate quarters anytime this week.”
BENIN—THE Ogiamien family of Utantan, Benin, Edo State has warned the Benin Traditional Council, BTC, that any attempt to circumvent the Ekiokpagha treaty between the family and the Oba during the coronation rites of a new monarch, will bring an end to the reign of the current dynasty in the kingdom.
Meanwhile, the family has given a 14-day ultimatum to one of the Bini palace chiefs, Chief Osamede Adun, to withdraw the falsehood levelled against it that members of the Ogiamien family, who they said were the Bini aborigines, were slaves/strangers in the kingdom, or face legal action.
The family, in statement by Chief Monday Whewhe, was reacting to a publication in the media, where Chief Adun had said that the Ekiokpagha treaty cannot affect the coronation rites of an Oba as the mock battle between the forces of the Oba and Ogiamien was a mere formality.
However, Chief Whewhe called on Chief Adun to stop making mockery of them, describing his comments on the Ogiamien family as embarrassing, insisting that the family was a descendant of the Ogisos, who had ruled the land for 300 years before the coming of the Eweka dynasty.
He contended that the Ekiokpagha treaty “is the rent a new Oba must pay before being allowed the occupation of Benin Kingdom leased to them by the Ogiamen family.”
Support for the Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Monday Igbuya mounted on Sunday as member representing Ethiope East Constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Evance Ivwurie lauded his leadership qualities, describing him as “an inspiring and magnetic political figure.”
“I will describe Igbuya as a democrat in our hallowed Chamber and in leadership. He is a team player. He is a very energetic, hard-working, disciplined, committed and very effective law-maker. Rather than deny any member of his or her right, he fights for and protects the rights of every member daily” he said.
In a statement issued in Asaba, Ivwurie, a Labour Party (LP) member, described his relationship with Igbuya as “beautiful”.
“My relationship with Speaker Igbuya as someone elected from a different political party from that the Speaker is bipartisan, friendly, mutually respectable and cordial. Mr. Speaker finds common ground through compromise in legislation with opposing political parties. He does not adhere only to his political party interest. He does not advance his own political party agenda unduly in the exercise of his duty as Speaker at the expense of the other political party because of conflicting ideologies. Speaker Igbuya especially, and every member of the Delta State House of Assembly has not left anyone in doubt that he and we all have the interest of a united, indivisible and strong Delta State at heart, in ways that the interest of the State has overriding effect over and above Mr. Speaker and all members personal interests and considerations” he said.
In a statement titled: “My Perspectives on Mister Speaker”, Ivwurie listed patience and persistence as two most useful character traits of Igbuya.
“Mr. Speaker is completely bipartisan and this has reflected in all of the bills, acts, resolutions and policies we have dealt with in the House in which the Speaker and all members have agreed about all or many parts of the choices by finding a common ground in bipartisanship and that is why there is no cynicism and gridlock in Delta State political and economic system. It has been a strong spirit of Delta State first, bipartisanship and hard-work. I can assure you that Speaker Igbuya is always looking out for the best interests of Delta State”.
Emphasizing that the speaker is an honest politician who has a clear vision for the House and the State, Ivwurie accused critics of Igbuya of pursuing selfish agenda.
“My Assessment of his performance will start with his weakness. First thing I will like to talk about is the general weakness of Mr. Speaker which is well known to so many people because it continues to cause him problems regularly. He is considered highly and overtly too prudent, frugal and inexpensive, even journalists and those seeking services have this quarrel with him all the time. He always wants to make sure Delta State does not waste or spend money that she does not have. He is also considered by many members to be too open and transparent especially on finance and funding. He has no reservation as to correcting his colleagues behind as he is unable to compromise or accept unethical conducts no matter who is involved”.
The Labour Party member also offered some genuine insights on how the Delta State House of Assembly functions.
“Mr. Speaker is quite spiritual. He possesses a vision of a strong, strengthened and united Delta State. He is not temperamental but very decisive. He is very unflappable. His actions toward law making are matched with a political savvy that often includes a measure of expediency. Although he is consensus-seeking, he has always led the House by the House Rules as they exist, not as he would like them to exist. He is internet and Facebook friendly and has strong capacity to endure negative criticism. He believes that many criticisms are meant to keep him continuously on his toes.
He thanked Mister Speaker for his service to the state.
“Rt. Hon Igbuya is a leader who understands that our Country and State is in a total mess. He knows the depth and enormity of the predicaments and task that lies ahead of the State and he is seriously working with the Executive Governor, His Excellency, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa to surmount the challenges. He has self-discipline and he is very persuasive. He taps into the authentic need of his colleagues and members easily. So far, Mr. Speaker has shown clearly that he is neither a dealer nor a transactional leader. The interest of the State has always superseded his personal interests”.
He also heaped praise on Igbuya for cherishing the mood of his colleagues, saying, “The perspectives that I have shared above has resulted to many accomplishments and achievements of the Delta State House of Assembly under one year of Mr. Speaker’s passionate leadership and strong ability to mobilize members to attain goals as reflected in the speed of work in the several pro-development debates, considerations, confirmations, policies, acts, resolutions and bills that the House has dealt with and passed.”
Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the Rivers South East Senatorial District re-run election has disclosed a conspiracy hatched by Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to malign his character and incite the Ogoni people against him before the March 19, 2016 State and National Assembly re-run elections. Speaking at Silverbird Rhythm fm 93.7 news and current affairs programme tagged:”The View Point”, in Port Harcourt, Abe said that the case of the military approved by Gov. Wike to raid the home of ex-militant leader Solomon Ndigbara was the script the governor and the party were using to malign his character and incite his people against him.
He said that he knew nothing about the operation and had no part in it. He wondered why the governor would sponsor a social media attack where he was described as a desperate politician who would want to win at all cost with the blood of his people. He said those who knew him would testify that he had never been a desperate politician. Senator Abe recalled that when the caucuses in the Senatorial District endorsed him in 2003, and the leadership of the party said otherwise and chose Senator Lee Maeba that he quickly supported Maeba without fighting him.
He further recalled that when his party did not approve of his ambition to be the governor of Rivers State, he did not fight the party neither did he give them personal conditions but rather presented only the interest of the Ogoni.
He also stated that when Nyesom Wike was detained by the EFCC, he went to EFCC to obtain his release insisting that without the release of Wike that he would not leave. This, he said, compelled the EFCC to detain him together with Wike.
He said that a person with such antecedent could not be referred to as a desperate politician. “I want to say clearly that Rivers people know that I am not a desperate politician and will never be. Between me and Governor Wike who is desperate for power”, he said.
The Chairman of the Rivers State Chapter of All Progressives Congress [APC], Chief Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, has urged Rivers people, nay Nigerians to ignore the numerous campaigns by Gov. Nyesom Wike under the guise of thanksgiving service to mark his victory at the Nigerian Supreme Court but should ask the governor to provide further explanations to his confessions of how he got his victory at the Supreme Court.
Nyesom Wike
Reacting to Saturday’s PDP thanksgiving service at the Liberation Stadium, Elekahia, and the now familiar vituperations of Gov. Nyesom Wike, Chief Ikanya wondered why Gov. Wike has refused to address key issues he raised in his confession concerning how he got victory at the Supreme Court.
“For example, Gov. Wike told the world while speaking on live television that he got his victory at the Supreme Court because Dr. Peter Odili directed him on who to meet and what to do. Let Wike also explain to the world who and who Dr. Peter Odili directed him to meet and where and where the former governor directed him to go that brought about victory for him [Wike] at the Supreme Court,” Dr. Ikanya demanded.
The APC State Chairman further wondered the kind of advice that Gov. Wike would have received from former governor Peter Odili, a medical doctor, which resulted to victory for him at the Supreme Court.
“We know that the matter before the Supreme Court was legal and not medical, how come it was Dr. Peter Odili, a medical doctor, who would direct Wike on a purely legal matter? Surely, Nyesom Wike has not disclosed all that happened” Ikanya stated.
“It has become more curious to most people that Gov. Wike openly acknowledged that his Supreme Court victory was a result of the advice he got from Dr. Peter Odili hence the need for the governor to tell Rivers people and Nigerians the nature of the advice, especially those the former governor directed him to meet which got him victory at the Supreme Court,” Chief Ikanya stated.
The APC State Chairman condemned Gov Wike’s attempt to politicise the crisis in Ogoniland for his own political benefit.
“It took the State Governor more than two weeks to visit ONELGA where over 26 persons were killed with most of the victims’ beheaded and their heads taken away. He has neither spoken nor visited Ahoada East where scores were also horrendously killed and still being killed. At his thanksgiving service yesterday, he only asked the audience to observe a minute silence for victims of the Bori crisis which he engineered with his war cry that the Ogonis must stop Senator Magnus Abe from returning to the Senate. Were those killed in ONELGA and Ahoada East not Rivers people? It clearly shows that he is behind the Ogoni crisis because of the forthcoming rerun elections,” Chief Ikanya charged.
Chief Ikanya lamented that Killings across Rivers State are continuing with nine persons killed across the State by Sunday morning.
“Just this morning [Sunday], less than 24 hours after Wike’s thanksgiving service, 9 persons have been reported killed across the State. Four persons were killed each in Ahoada East LGA and Unyangala in Andoni LGAs while one person was killed in Ikwerre LGA bringing the total dead to nine,” Chief Ikanya announced.
The APC Chairman called on security agencies to ignore the antics of Gov. Nyesom Wike, who has since activated media war against the Army, and come to the aid of Rivers people who can no more sleep with both eyes closed across the State.
“The Army and other security agencies should ignore the media propaganda Gov. Wike is unleashing at them using faceless groups and persons and come to the rescue of innocent Rivers people who are now being killed like chickens by cult groups sponsored by PDP leaders in Rivers State,” Chief Ikanya pleaded.
The APC State Chairman decried the prolonged killings in Rivers State which started before the 2015 elections and have remained and even getting worse. He attributed the sad development to the unholy alliance between Nyesom Wike, cult groups and warlords across Rivers State for the sake of political power.
“The spate of killings in Rivers State today has a direct correlation with the franchised killing groups Nyesom Wike entered into alliance with to enable him become Governor of Rivers State. He compensated some of the criminal gang leaders with State Assembly tickets and Caretaker positions but their foot soldiers are left to cater for themselves and that is why they have turned the guns they were given on innocent people. Gov. Wike has a number of options such as taking back the arms he gave them and rehabilitating them especially now that innocent people are being made victims,” Ikanya concluded.
President Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday concluded the lesser Hajj to end his visit to Saudi Arabia.
President Muhammadu Buhari departs on a 3-day official visit to Kenya
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the President and his entourage performed the final Dawaf, which is the circumambulation of the Holy Ka’aba seven times, and offered supplications Allah to round off the pilgrimage.
Buhari and members of the delegation have since left Saudi Arabia for Qatar to attend the meeting of Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), before returning to Nigeria on Monday.
NAN reports that the President departed for Doha, the Qatari capital from Jeddah International Airport at about 3:00 pm local time.
Before his departure, Buhari was received at the King Abdulaziz International Airport by a high delegation of Saudi officials led by the Governor of Jeddah, Prince Mishaal Bin Majed Bin Abdulaziz.
Others at the airport to bid farewell to the president included the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II; Emir of Maradun in Zamfara, Alhaji Garba Tambari, Oba of Lagos, Alhaji Rilwan Akiola and the Otaru of Auchi, Alhaji Haliru Momoh.
Nigerian diplomatic officials in Riyadh, Madina and Jeddah were also at the airport to bid farewell to the president.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, on Thursday arraigned one Kanayo Chris Enemuo and Alex Okafor before Justice. I.N Oweibo of the Federal High Court, Awka, Anambra State, on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money under false pretence to the tune of N4,245,000.00 (four million, two hundred and forty five thousand naira).
EFCC
The offence is contrary to section 8 (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under section 1(3) of the same Act.
Mr. Enemuo, a former speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly and former Commissioner of Lands, Survey and Urban Planning, allegedly obtained the said sum under the pretext that he was the rightful owner of plot Os/9, Iyagu Housing Estate.
Mr. Enemuo, in an alleged abuse of his position as a public servant, issued documents purportedly emanating from the Ministry of Lands, Survey and Urban Planning to mask his fraudulent scheme, the EFCC said.
One of the charges reads:
“That you, Barrister Kanayo Chris Enemuo, Alex Okafor sometime in February 2013 at Awka, Anambra state, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court of Nigeria with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of N4,000,000.00 (four million naira) from one Mr. Anthony Okonkwo when you sold to him a plot of land at plot Os/9 Iyagu Housing Estate, Awka, Anambra state under the false pretence that the said plot of land belongs to you, a pretence you knew to be false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(a) the Advanced Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006 and Punishable under section 1(3)of the same Act”.
The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges read to them.
In view of their pleas, the prosecuting counsel, Simon Ibekute, asked the court for a trial date.
In response, the counsel to the defendants, Don Ezeani, prayed the court to grant his clients bail.
After listening to both counsels, Justice Oweibo granted the accused persons bail in the sum of N5 million each and one surety each in like sum.
The sureties must have landed property within the jurisdiction of the Court with their Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) and addresses verified.
The accused persons are to be remanded in EFCC custody pending the fulfillment of their bail conditions, the spokesperson for the anti-graft agency, Wilson Uwujaren, said in a statement.
The case was adjourned to May 3 and 4, 2016 for hearing.
Nigeria’s Chief of Army staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, on Wednesday assured Nigerians that the troops on the front line are now better equipped for the counter-terrorism war.
The army chief gave the assurance while assessing the equipment recently acquired to prosecute the war against terror in Nigeria’s north east region.
Buratai further told journalists that despite pockets of desperate attacks by the insurgents, troops have been making progress.
Buratai has also said the collaboration between Nigerian army and neighbouring countries under the Multi National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) arrangement is paying off.
He listed Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC), unmanned camera drones and desert motorbikes as part of the equipment acquired.
Buratai said that the Nigerian Army is effectively using satellite and communication facilities for proper coordination, maintaining that the war is now technology driven.
Motorists are groaning as queues reappeared in fueling stations across Ibadan the Oyo State capital.
The situation has started creating panic among residents.
Fuel Scarcity
Going round some major roads within Ibadan, Channels TV discovered that only a handful of petrol stations were selling petrol while majority were not selling.
Both the independent and major marketers appeared to be affected as most were not selling.
Some motorists are suspecting that some filling stations are possibly hoarding the products as no explanation has been given for the non-availability of the product.
Some of the station managers who spoke to Channels TV denied this allegation and told our correspondent that they were not dispensing fuel because they did not have product to sell.
However, managers of some of the few stations selling claimed that they had no idea why there should be any form of fuel scarcity.
These few stations sold at the official pump price but there were fears that they might not be doing so for long if the fuel scarcity continues.
Efforts to get the NNPC or the leadership of IPMAN for comments were unsuccessful.
Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose Governor Nyesom on Saturday accused President Muhammadu Buhari of mapping ways towards making Nigeria an Islamic nation.
Fayose vows to lead opposition against APC
Fayose made the allegations while delivering a speech at the inter–denominational thanksgiving held in Port-Harcourt to celebrate the victory of the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike after the supreme court ruling.
Governor Fayose, who referred to himself as Peter, the rock who cannot be harmed by anyone, announced to the crowd that he had a secret to reveal.
He asked those present if he should reveal the big secret about the Buhari led, APC government. After the crowd yelled that he should reveal it, Fayose said: “They have started subtle moves to make Nigeria an Islamic nation, but God will stop them. This was done in 1984, it failed, it would fail again.”
To underline an earlier boast that he could not be intimidated by the ruling party, Fayose further stated: “I am not far away, I am in Ekiti. I am Ayo Fayose, Peter the rock, if you hit me you will be in trouble. If I hit you, you will be in trouble.”
To substantiate his claim about the President’s plan to make Nigeria an Islamic nation, Fayose said: “Why did five of them go to Saudi Arabia to wait for our man there (referring to President Buhari and state governors), if they don’t have agenda.
“The agenda is coming small small, but we will resist it. Nigeria is a free nation where we proclaim the name of Jesus Christ freely, and we believe in Allah for those who are muslims. This nation will not be taken for an Islamic nation,”
Fayose said. As a closing remark, the Ekiti State governor went on to declare and “decree” the return of a PDP-led government in 2019.
