Read the full interview here
Sunday, 20 December 2015
INTERVIEW: I will break Buhari’s record – Kogi Governor-elect, Bello
Read the full interview here
Sunday, 13 December 2015
Buhari Order Immediate Arrest Of Okonjo-Iweala And Emefiele
Few days ago, Okonjo-Iweala admitted giving Sambo Dasuki the sum of $322m on the orders of former President Goodluck Jonathan. Before that the same Okonjo-Iweala admitted spending $2bn from the Excess Crude Oil account on the orders of the former President.
The Central Bank of Nigeria under Godwin Emefiele has admitted giving Sambo Dasuki billions of Naira and dollars on the orders of the former president.
A good part of these monies were given to Sambo Dasuki in cash in clear contravention of existing anti-money laundering laws by the country’s chief banker. Let us put the money laundering issue to the side for now.
The problem with the orders from the former President to the then finance minister and current CBN governor is that they were illegal.
Neither the President nor any other government official in Nigeria has the legal authority to order the spending of funds that have not been appropriated by the National Assembly! Both subordinates knew or ought to know that the orders they were obeying were illegal and should have refused to comply.
Resignation was an option. Between these two subordinates they cost the nation in excess of $5B by obeying the referenced illegal orders. That is just what we know so far and this kind of behavior is going on at every level of government everyday.
The arrest and prosecution of Okonjo-Iweala and Godwin Emediefe will send out the message that “the president ordered the payment” is not a defense known to the laws of Nigeria.
Their prosecution is imperative in light of the fact that a lot of the money being stolen in the country is not in the custody of the people stealing them. They rely on a group of people that I call facilitators in an upcoming article to get access to public funds in the custody of the facilittors.
In almost every case of monies made available to Sambo Dasuki, all those making the money available were following illegal orders and they knew it. The time has come for Buhari to beam the searchlight on this group of people.
The commercial bankers who allow government officials to come into their banks and withdraw millions and billions in cash in apparent violation of anti-money laundering laws are facilitators of corruption because they know the funds are dirty hence the need to terminate the paper trail through cash withdrawal. The bankers ought to be in jail too partly because they make tracing these funds more complicated.
To understand the importance of subordinates not obeying illegal orders, imagine that Okonjo-Iweala, NNPC and Godwin Emefiele refused to obey the former President’s illegal orders and resigned under pressure and spilled the beans.
With Nigerians fully aware of the attempted fraud it would have been difficult for their replacements to obey the same illegal orders.
Buhari’s anti-corruption war must involve establishing a culture that encourages civil servants, and bank employees to disobey illegal orders.
This will prevent our money from leaving the treasury rather than chasing after the money after it has been stolen.
Before closing I will like to remind people that a majority of the civilians and military officers who were tried, executed or jailed by the post-World War 2 Nuremberg Trials courts in Germany were obeying orders from Adolf Hitler.
The problem was that Adolf Hitler had no legal basis for issuing the orders and those who ended up being executed for obeying the orders had no obligation to obey the orders.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Godwin Emefiele should be familiar with the Nuremberg Trials. The lesson is that a superior cannot order a subordinate to do anything that the superior has no authority to do himself/herself.
Nigerians must rid themselves of the idea that a President has the power to order anyone to do anything in the absence of enabling legislation. Na oga say make I do am is not a defense.
Friday, 11 December 2015
See Names of PDP Members , Companies, Others Who Allegedly Received Shares in the $2bn Arms Deal Loot
The others are a former Executive Director of NNPC, Aminu Baba Kusa, former Sokoto State Governor Attahiru Bafarawa, Sagir Attahiru, Dalhatu Investment Limited, Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.
N10 billion was allegedly distributed to delegates to the Presidential Primary Election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Other expenditures include alleged N13.570 billion “agreement” between Dasuki and the ex-Director of Finance; transfer of N1.45b to Acacia Holdings Limited’s account for special prayers; N2.1b given to DAAR Investment and Holding Company Limited for publicity; N170m for a four-bedroom duplex; N380m to support re-election of members of the House of Representatives; and N750m paid into Reliance Referral Hospital Limited’s account for special prayers; N670m paid to a publisher of Thisday; N260m transferred to Tony Anenih and N345million traced to a former President of the Senate, Sen. Iyorchia Ayu.
The anti-graft commission said Hon. Waripamowei Dudafa, the Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan is on the run.
All the suspects have been divided into two groups for trial before Justice H.Y. Baba and Justice P.O. Affen of the High Court of Justice of the Federal Capital Territory.
Those in the first group with a 19-count charge are: Dasuki, his erstwhile Director of Finance, Shaibu Salisu, Aminu Baba Kusa, Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.
I delivered $47m in 11 suitcases to Dasuki- ex Finance Director says
According to the Nation, Shuaibu made the revelation in a Statement of Witness/Accused he wrote under oath in the presence of investigators of the EFCC.
He said he suspected that the cash might have been given to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Shuaibu said as a civil servant, he was innocent of any crime because he only carried out instructions from the ex-National Security Adviser, Mr. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki.
“I could remember on the 20/11/2014 , I was directed by the NSA, M.S. Dasuki to go to the CBN and collect the sum of $47m in cash and the balance in Euro and the directive was obeyed and the monies were delivered to the NSA in about 11 suit cases. I acknowledged the receipt of the money from the CBN which was handed over to M.S. Dasuki. I think the monies were meant for PDP. After delivery, I left, I did not see or know when the money was distributed. I did not benefit even one cent. The request for the funds was tag(sic) Special Services signed by the NSA, M.S. Dasuki, addressed to the Governor of CBN. I did not know the source of the money into our CBN Account. The foreign currencies that I collected from the CBN were delivered to the NSA in his house, No. 13, John Kadiya Street, Asokoro”.
A letter allegedly signed by Dasuki on November 26th 2014 and addressed to the CBN governor, instructing that the money be released to Shuaibu reads in part
“Further to our discussion, you are pleased requested to provide the sum of $47m cash out of the N10 billion and the balance in Euro to this office for special services. Mr. S.A Salisu, Director of Finance and Administration, is hereby authorised to sign and collect the amount. Please accept, Your Excellency , the assurances of my highest esteem".
Wednesday, 9 December 2015
Photos: Kogi State Governor-elect receives certificate of return
Kogi state governor-elect, Yahaya Bello received his certificate of Return from INEC today Dec. 9th.
I Won’t Join Issues With Faleke – Yahaya Bello
Bello stated this in a statement issued in Lokoja by his media aide, Suleiman Abdulmalik, today December 9th.
He said that those that mattered in the Late Audu Abubakar’s camp have since reached out to him on ways to move the state forward ..
“I will continue to appeal to him and others to join hands with me in moving Kogi State forward.
In politics, we agree and disagree but dialogue remains the only solution to issues, but what happened in my state is an act of God.
Those who matter in Audu’s camp are already working for me even before the supplementary election and the reconciliation effort greatly helped in defeating the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)”the statement read
Kogi Election Fallout: Faleke resumes legislative duties
Faleke who rejected being declared governor-elect of Kogi State after the death of his principal, Prince Audu currently represents Ikeja Federal Constituency in the 8th House of Representatives where he also chairs the Committee on Customs and Excise.
On being sighted entering the chamber, Faleke was greeted with a round of applause from his colleagues.
He made straight to the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, with whom he held a brief conversation.
After the meeting, Faleke made his way to his seat as he acknowledged greetings and cheers from his colleagues and others on the floor.
TThere was no show of strains of the electioneering rigours on the lawmaker, who was said to have transferred his voter card to Kogi to enable him participate in the election.
Source :The Nation
Monday, 7 December 2015
I will not be available for swearing in with Yahaya Bello on Jan. 27, says Faleke
Faleke stated this at a meeting of APC stakeholders in Kogi West Senatorial District in Kabba, Kogi State on Monday
He explained that this was in furtherance of his earlier letter to the national leadership of the party not to work with Bello, then governorship candidate.
Faleke, who was reacting to resolutions reached at the meeting that he should pursue the legal option to a logical conclusion, held that the Audu/Faleke ticket remained intact and unchanged.
``I will not disappoint Prince Abubakar Audu. I, James Abiodun Faleke will not be there for the swearing in if we don't finish the case before the Jan. 27, 2016.
``Nobody consulted me before making me a deputy to Bello. Bello too did not consult me. I have made my position known to the party leadership on this. I am not ready to betray and disappoint Prince Abubakar Audu”, he said.
He exonerated President Mohammadu Buahri from the crisis, saying that Buhari he knows cannot be a party to injustice and outright violation of the rule of law.
Faleke warned the leadership of the party against setting it on a path of destruction through impunity and injustice, adding that they should learn from what happened to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
He said the present struggle was a complex one and beyond him, saying that it was about emancipation of the people and the future of the state.
While asking the people not to fight or castigate anybody over the development, Faleke said those who are fighting in 2015 for positions in 2019 were trying God.
“People are fighting for 2019 in 2015. Are they God? What is happening is beyond hunan imagination’’, he said.
He warned members and supporters of the party against fighting or castigating anybody, saying that those behind the plot were only working to actualise God’s plan and the ultimate liberation of the state from the jaws of poverty and under-development.
“I am a marathoner, no matter how bumpy and rough the road is, we shall get there’’, he said.
According to him, the constitutional crisis created by the sudden death of Audu, when finally resolved will enrich the country’s democracy.
He thanked the Igalas for their support and resolve to defend the mandate with their blood and assured them that their efforts will not be in vain.
Source : DailyTrust
Photos : Sahara Reporters Posts Dino Melaye’s Bank of America Check Book, Account Numbers and Statements
According to bank statements obtained by SaharaReporters, Senator Dino Melaye representing Kogi West Senatorial District has since 2010 illegally operated bank accounts in the US.
Mr. Melaye’s operation of the foreign account while he is an elected public officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is a violation of Nigerian law. The breach could cost him his seat at the Nigerian Senate if he is successfully prosecuted by the Code of Conduct Tribunal which is currently trying Senate President Bukola Saraki, a close associate of Mr. Melaye’s.
SaharaReporters claims that Mr. Melaye, who once styled himself an anti-corruption activist, opened two accounts–one a current account, the other a savings account–in the name of “Daniel Din Melaye,” posing as a student.
By leaving the impression of himself as a student, Senator Melaye was able to open a “CampusEdge” current account with account number 4460 1649 8396 and a regular savings account with account number 4460 1647 5966 with Bank of America in the state of Maryland.
Senator Melaye obtained a bank debit card with account number ending with #8873. It is the senator’s transactions with the debit card that gave away him away as the owner of the accounts.
One of Mr. Melaye’s last transactions on the account took place on December 4th as he approved payment for a transaction relating to the purchase of cosmetics from a Kremlin-based MagnitKosmetik store. Also, on September 1, Mr. Melaye approved payment to a New York-based Schweiger Dermatology.
Mr. Melaye’s operation of the foreign account while he is an elected public officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is a violation of Nigerian law. The breach could cost him his seat at the Nigerian Senate if he is successfully prosecuted by the Code of Conduct Tribunal which is currently trying Senate President Bukola Saraki, a close associate of Mr. Melaye’s.
SaharaReporters claims that Mr. Melaye, who once styled himself an anti-corruption activist, opened two accounts–one a current account, the other a savings account–in the name of “Daniel Din Melaye,” posing as a student.
By leaving the impression of himself as a student, Senator Melaye was able to open a “CampusEdge” current account with account number 4460 1649 8396 and a regular savings account with account number 4460 1647 5966 with Bank of America in the state of Maryland.
Senator Melaye obtained a bank debit card with account number ending with #8873. It is the senator’s transactions with the debit card that gave away him away as the owner of the accounts.
One of Mr. Melaye’s last transactions on the account took place on December 4th as he approved payment for a transaction relating to the purchase of cosmetics from a Kremlin-based MagnitKosmetik store. Also, on September 1, Mr. Melaye approved payment to a New York-based Schweiger Dermatology.
Sunday, 6 December 2015
Declaring Bello Kogi Governor, A Waste of Time’- PDP
The Peoples Democratic Party PDP describes as a waste of time, scarce national resources and ridiculous shadow-chasing, the action of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC in declaring one Yahaya Bello, purported to be of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and who did not participate in the overall election, as Kogi state Governor-elect.
The PDP said INEC, in the bid to satisfy the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC Federal Government, succeeded only in making a mockery of itself and the entire electoral process, by trying to illegally install an individual who, apart from not being a valid candidate, scored, under his name, a paltry 6885 vote in the so-called supplementary election as against the 204,877 votes polled by the PDP candidate, Governor Idris Wada in the overall election.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh in a statement on Sunday said “the action of INEC in trying to transfer the votes earlier garnered by the dead APC candidate, Prince Audu Abubakar to another individual is completely impractical and alien to the nation’s Constitution and the Electoral Act.”
“The declaration by INEC that one Yahaya Bello polled the highest number of votes is an embarrassing travesty of the nation’s democracy and electoral process. Not only that this individual is not in anyway a valid candidate in the election, he also did not score the overall votes declared against his name by INEC and cannot be declared winner under any circumstance within the provisions of our laws.
“The provisions of the constitution and the electoral act are clear to the effect that with the unfortunate death of Prince Abubakar Audu before the conclusion of the election, and the fact that the laws do not permit the replacement of candidates once the balloting has commenced, the APC crashed out of the race, leaving the PDP candidate, Governor Idris Wada as the clear winner, having garnered 204,877 votes to top all other contestants since, Prince Ababakar, the hitherto leading contestant died with his votes.
“It is therefore unfortunate that INEC disregarded the provisions of the Constitution and the Electoral Act, which left it with no other legitimate option than to declare Governor Idris Wada the governor-elect. Instead, it went ahead to preside over a charade, for which it is now attempting to illicitly handover the vote cast for a dead man to another person, who did not participate in the overall election.
“We all, including INEC and the APC know that nothing other than declaring Governor Idris Wada winner of the election fulfills the requirements of the law under the circumstance. APC cannot have two candidates in one election and the bitter in-fighting within their fold shows the absurdity of INEC’s decision in that regard. Indeed, we remain shocked that INEC could elect to create such embarrassing and inciting setting just to show its 'friendship' with the ruling government.
“Our advise to the APC, Yahaya Bello and their co-travellers in illegality is that theirs is a mere pipe dream as Governor Wada remains validly elected within the dictates of our laws under the circumstance.
“Finally, we charge all our members and supporters to remain calm and resist all provocations from the APC, which is now seeking the opportunity to trigger violence in the face of their misfortune, especially as the law will soon take the center stage, right the wrong created by INEC and declare Governor Wada winner.”
Signed:
Chief Olisa Metuh
National Publicity Secretary
Yahaya Bello The Political puncher (See His profile) The First Nigeria`s 6-3-3-4 system to be Governor
Profile Of Yahaya Bello, The First Product Of Nigeria’s 6-3-3-4 System To Be Governor
Age: 40
Birthday: June 18
Town: Agassa
LGA: Okene
Education: Accounting, Ahmadu Bello University
Public service careerRMAFC (revenue officer, accountant)
Political career: New kid on the block
Campaign promise: “To move Kogi in a new direction”
Core base: Kogi central
Social media: 3,833 likes on Facebook
Hobbies: football, boxing, reading, travelling
Yahaya Bello on Saturday won the governorship election of Kogi state after the formality of a supplementary election.
Bello had inherited the 240,861 votes polled by Abubakar Audu in the November 21 poll, which was declared inconclusive by INEC shortly before Audu died. Idris Wada of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the incumbent, came second with 199,514 votes.
A supplementary election then took place in 91 polling units in 19 local government areas on Saturday and Bello polled an additional 6885 to Wada’s 5363. Final score: APC 247,742, PDP 204,877.
The constitutional crisis is yet to be resolved — there are a couple of cases going to court. Audu’s running mate, James Faleke, believes he should be declared the inheritor of Audu’s votes having run on a joint ticket with him.
Wada also wants to be declared governor-elect, maintaining that Audu had died with his votes.
Bello is, therefore, Kogi’s governor-elect, pending the legal battles. But how much do you really know about the 40-year-old graduate of accounting?
HE WAS CLASS PREFECT AT 2
Bello was born on June 18, 1975 in Agassa, Okene LGA, to Bello Ipemida Ochi and Hawa Bello Oziohu. The last of six siblings did his primary education at the LGEA Primary School, Agassa, and was made the class prefect from class two all the way to class six when he was appointed head boy.
HE WROTE HIS SSCE IN 1994
In 1989, he was enrolled at Agassa Community Secondary School, but changed school five times. He finally settled in at Government Secondary School, Suleja, Niger state, and sat for his junior secondary school certificate examination there. He also did his senior secondary school certificate examination (SSCE) in 1994 at the school.
6-3-3-4 FINALLY PRODUCES A GOVERNOR
Bello is the first product of the 6-3-3-4 education system to be elected governor. The system — introduced in 1989 by the military government of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida — restructured the schooling period from six years in primary, five in secondary and three in university to six in primary, three in junior secondary, three in senior secondary and four in the university.
HE IS A 1999 GRADUATE
He enrolled for ‘A’ level exams at the Kaduna State Polytechnic in 1995 and got admission into the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria in 1996 to study accounting. He graduated in 1999 — the year Nigeria returned to democracy. He also got a master’s in business administration from ABU in 2004. He became a chartered fellow of the Association of National Accountant of Nigeria (ANAN) at Jos (2002) in 2004.
HE DID HIS NYSC IN 2001
Bello was posted to the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) in 2002 for his national service — and was retained. He was appointed as revenue officer and was promoted to accountant within a short period. He left as assistant chief accountant. He was heavily involved in stock trading, and his portfolio investments cut across the oil and gas, finance, transportation and agro-related sectors. He is also into real estate.
HE IS A BUHARI SUPPORTER
While Audu worked for Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso in the presidential primary of APC in 2014, Bello gave his own delegates to Muhammadu Buhari, who eventually won the ticket. Bello lost to Audu in the governorship primary, but fortune would later smile on him with the death of the candidate.
AND FINALLY, HE LOVES BOXING!
His hobbies include reading, travelling, driving and football. And, interestingly, boxing. It is not too clear though if he only likes watching boxing — or if he likes boxing. Whichever way, his hands are now packed with political punches.
Source : The cable
Age: 40
Birthday: June 18
Town: Agassa
LGA: Okene
Education: Accounting, Ahmadu Bello University
Public service careerRMAFC (revenue officer, accountant)
Political career: New kid on the block
Campaign promise: “To move Kogi in a new direction”
Core base: Kogi central
Social media: 3,833 likes on Facebook
Hobbies: football, boxing, reading, travelling
Yahaya Bello on Saturday won the governorship election of Kogi state after the formality of a supplementary election.
Bello had inherited the 240,861 votes polled by Abubakar Audu in the November 21 poll, which was declared inconclusive by INEC shortly before Audu died. Idris Wada of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the incumbent, came second with 199,514 votes.
A supplementary election then took place in 91 polling units in 19 local government areas on Saturday and Bello polled an additional 6885 to Wada’s 5363. Final score: APC 247,742, PDP 204,877.
The constitutional crisis is yet to be resolved — there are a couple of cases going to court. Audu’s running mate, James Faleke, believes he should be declared the inheritor of Audu’s votes having run on a joint ticket with him.
Wada also wants to be declared governor-elect, maintaining that Audu had died with his votes.
Bello is, therefore, Kogi’s governor-elect, pending the legal battles. But how much do you really know about the 40-year-old graduate of accounting?
HE WAS CLASS PREFECT AT 2
Bello was born on June 18, 1975 in Agassa, Okene LGA, to Bello Ipemida Ochi and Hawa Bello Oziohu. The last of six siblings did his primary education at the LGEA Primary School, Agassa, and was made the class prefect from class two all the way to class six when he was appointed head boy.
HE WROTE HIS SSCE IN 1994
In 1989, he was enrolled at Agassa Community Secondary School, but changed school five times. He finally settled in at Government Secondary School, Suleja, Niger state, and sat for his junior secondary school certificate examination there. He also did his senior secondary school certificate examination (SSCE) in 1994 at the school.
6-3-3-4 FINALLY PRODUCES A GOVERNOR
Bello is the first product of the 6-3-3-4 education system to be elected governor. The system — introduced in 1989 by the military government of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida — restructured the schooling period from six years in primary, five in secondary and three in university to six in primary, three in junior secondary, three in senior secondary and four in the university.
HE IS A 1999 GRADUATE
He enrolled for ‘A’ level exams at the Kaduna State Polytechnic in 1995 and got admission into the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria in 1996 to study accounting. He graduated in 1999 — the year Nigeria returned to democracy. He also got a master’s in business administration from ABU in 2004. He became a chartered fellow of the Association of National Accountant of Nigeria (ANAN) at Jos (2002) in 2004.
HE DID HIS NYSC IN 2001
Bello was posted to the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) in 2002 for his national service — and was retained. He was appointed as revenue officer and was promoted to accountant within a short period. He left as assistant chief accountant. He was heavily involved in stock trading, and his portfolio investments cut across the oil and gas, finance, transportation and agro-related sectors. He is also into real estate.
HE IS A BUHARI SUPPORTER
While Audu worked for Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso in the presidential primary of APC in 2014, Bello gave his own delegates to Muhammadu Buhari, who eventually won the ticket. Bello lost to Audu in the governorship primary, but fortune would later smile on him with the death of the candidate.
AND FINALLY, HE LOVES BOXING!
His hobbies include reading, travelling, driving and football. And, interestingly, boxing. It is not too clear though if he only likes watching boxing — or if he likes boxing. Whichever way, his hands are now packed with political punches.
Source : The cable
Yahaya Bello is declared Kogi Governor-Elect
INEC has declared APC candidate Alh. Yahaya Bello as the winner of the Kogi governorship poll.
APC polled 247,752 votes to defeat PDP who came second with 204,877 votes. In the supplementary poll, APC polled 6885 votes to beat PDP which polled 5363 votes.
Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi who is the Chief Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Emmanuel Kucha declared the results in Lokoja. He said, having fulfilled all legal requirements, Alh. Yahaya Bello is declared winner of the election and Kogi Governor-Elect.
Faleke remains the running mate to Alh. Yahaya Bello. The supplementary poll took place in 18 of the 21 Local Government Areas in the state.
Friday, 4 December 2015
Photo: Kogi INEC office razed ahead of tommorrow's supplementary election
The thugs arrived the INEC office this morning at about 5am, shooting sporadically and then setting the office ablaze.
This action comes barely 24 hours after the supplementary governorship election in the state is to take place. It's happening tomorrow December 5th.
Wednesday, 2 December 2015
The N2.1B I collected Was For Publicity And Media In Political Campaigns – Dokpesi
Aeogho Dokpesi, Daar Communication (Ray Power and AIT) founder, has explained what transpired on Tuesday 1 December 2015 when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) invited him.
In a statement signed by the management of DAAR Communications Plc, he said that around 2.00pm that day, the Ag. Chairman of the EFCC, Alhaji Ibrahim Magu, through a phone call, invited him to the Commission.
On getting there, he was requested to, “shed more light on some payments that were made to him through the office of the erstwhile National Security Adviser to the former President, Malam Sambo Dasuki.”
Dokpesi explained to the EFCC officials that the N2.1 billion that he collected from the former NSA was payment for for publicity and media political campaigns during the 2015 General Elections.”
High Chief Aleogho Dokpesi “made his statement on the various media exposures and campaign transactions which were dutifully carried out based essentially on contractual obligations/relationship.”
The statement however did not explain how the office of the National Security Adviser became the cashier office for the payment of campaign expenses and the source of the money.
A special panel and the EFCC are probing how trillions of naira budgeted for defence were spent in the last eight years. An interim report by the panel already reported phoney contracts in excess of $2 billion.
Source : SaharaReporters
On getting there, he was requested to, “shed more light on some payments that were made to him through the office of the erstwhile National Security Adviser to the former President, Malam Sambo Dasuki.”
Dokpesi explained to the EFCC officials that the N2.1 billion that he collected from the former NSA was payment for for publicity and media political campaigns during the 2015 General Elections.”
High Chief Aleogho Dokpesi “made his statement on the various media exposures and campaign transactions which were dutifully carried out based essentially on contractual obligations/relationship.”
The statement however did not explain how the office of the National Security Adviser became the cashier office for the payment of campaign expenses and the source of the money.
A special panel and the EFCC are probing how trillions of naira budgeted for defence were spent in the last eight years. An interim report by the panel already reported phoney contracts in excess of $2 billion.
Source : SaharaReporters
Escaped Jos lion shot dead
The deputy general manager of the Plateau State tourism corporation,Timothy Nyam confirmed in an interview that the lion was killed at the wildlife park as it approach the elephant area.
Lion escapes from Jos Wild Life Park
According to Mr John Doy, the Acting General Manager, Plateau Toursim Corporation, the lion escaped “at about 8 a.m while it was being fed.”
Doy said that the lion, which had been caged since 1972,“ slipped through the gate of the cage when it was opened for its routine feeding.”
“The animal is still within the vicinity of the Park but our fear is that the Park is not fenced.
“We are struggling to recapture it, but we want members of the public to be vigilant,” he said.
The Acting General Manager said that he had already informed all security agencies to come to the Park’s assistance.
Mrs Naomi Cishak, Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), confirmed news of the escape, but said that the office had not been officially informed.
“We have not been officially informed, but we are aware of the incident; that is why we have not deployed our personnel there,” she said.
When contacted, the Public Relations Officer, Plateau Police Command, Mr Emmanuel Abuh, said: “We are somewhere, cannot talk to anyone”. (NAN)
Mark Zuckerberg to donate 99% of his wealth to charity.
In a very long letter to his new born daughter yesterday, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan pledged to donate 99% of his Facebook share currently worth about $45billion to the work of their charitable foundation in her honour. Mark wrote;
As you begin the next generation of the Chan Zuckerberg family, we also begin the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to join people across the world to advance human potential and promote equality for all children in the next generation. Our initial areas of focus will be personalized learning, curing disease, connecting people and building strong communities. We will give 99% of our Facebook shares -- currently about $45 billion -- during our lives to advance this mission. We know this is a small contribution compared to all the resources and talents of those already working on these issues. But we want to do what we can, working alongside many others.
Tuesday, 1 December 2015
Message From Yahaya Bello to Kogites
I, Alh Yahaya Bello in absolute humility wish to express my profound gratitude to God Almighty who has brought us to this strategic, and historic moment in the history of our beloved state. The long voyage of unity in the spite of our diversity has again received a boost by the recent events in the history of our democracy.
First, I'd like to accord due respect to the soul of the great Adoja, state leader of our party, APC, and the pioneer of this struggle for liberation of our dear state from economic stagnation. Prince Abubakar Audu was a great man of honour, a visionary leader par excellence. He's an icon of whose passion for a prosperous Kogi state is unequaled. May his noble soul rest in perfect peace.
The decision of the leadership of our great party that I should step into his big shoes is within the ambit of the rule of law and the principles of internal democracy. In the preservation of the legacies of Prince Abubakar Audu, I promise to reach out to all the aggrieved parties for reconciliation as we ensure that our broken spirit over his untimely home calling is healed along with every strain in our brotherhood as One Great People.
In a similar vein, I'd like to express sober reflection over the soul of my brother Abdulazeez Omeiza Aliyu, APC Governorship Aspirant who passed on March 14, 2015 in the course of this struggle. May the Almighty God be pleased with him. And to everyone else who have lost their lives or health as a result of this cause of humanity, you're indeed our heroes -your labours shall never be in vain.
I want to say "thank you" to all our supporters, at home and in the diaspora and the leadership of our great party who have been passionately committed to this cause with unflinching resilience. Your concerns and the manner you have helped in overcoming the countless challenges of various enormity are well appreciated. You have demonstrated your belief in us; we promise to reciprocate this gesture with endless harvests of democratic dividends, as enshrined in our party manifesto.
There's just a little while before the battle is won, please keep being a source of encouragement to our noble cause. Do well to come out in your numbers, in all the affected polling units, to show your supports once again during the supplementary election. "Do not let your emotions get the best of you. Keep your happiness or excitement in moderation and do not allow anger or provocation lead you into taking the law into your hands".
It's the dawn of a new day for Kogi state! We shall be operating with a new paradigm where our resources must be maximally utilized for the benefit of all. Kogi shall never remain the same again because our priority, by God's grace when we oust the inglorious misrule of the opposition party, is to live in the full reality of the dreams of our founding fathers. Please come along with us as we recreate a Kogi state by all and for all Kogites!
Long live Kogi state!
Love live The All Progressives Congress!
Long live Federal Republic of Nigeria!
BREAKING: Faleke sues INEC, asks Court to declare him Kogi’s governor-elect
The Independent National Electoral Commission had declared the election inconclusive. It ordered a supplementary election which will hold on December 5.
Mr. Faleke had on Monday threatened to go to court following the adoption of Yahaya Bello by the APC national leadership as the governorship candidate of the party in the supplementary election.
He also wrote INEC demanding the removal of his name as the running mate to Mr. Bello in the supplementary election.
Mr. Bello’s adoption at the meeting of the National Working Committee of the party followed the death of the former governorship candidate, Abubakar Audu, on November 22.
The party immediately forwarded his name to INEC as replacement for Mr. Audu and that of Mr. Faleke as his running mate.
In the suit filed by his counsel, Wole Olanipekun, Mr. Faleke, a serving member of the House of Representatives, said contrary to the claim by the electoral body, the election was conclusive and that as the running mate to Mr. Audu, he should be declared winner.
The court papers were served on INEC Tuesday afternoon, Mr. Faleke said.
The deputy governorship candidate had written INEC on November 26, insisting that he was the governor-elect following Mr. Audu’s death.
He asked the Commission not to go ahead with the supplementary election.
“In law and logic, no new candidate can inherit or be a beneficiary of the votes already cast, counted and declared by INEC before that candidate was nominated and purportedly sponsored,” Mr. Faleke wrote through Mr. Olanipekun.
“Assuming without conceding that INEC is even right to order a supplementary election, the votes already cast, counted and declared on Saturday, 25th November 2015, were votes for the joint constitutional ticket of Prince Abubakar Audu and our client.
“Therefore, no new or ‘supplementary’ candidate can hijack, aggregate, appropriate or inherit the said votes.”
In another letter to APC Chairman, John Oyegun, Mr. Faleke urged his party to distance itself from the “Greek Gift” being offered to it to nominate a new candidate for a planned supplementary election in 91 polling units.
He said the election had already been won and lost, and that the party should rather support him in actualizing the mandate already given to APC and its candidates.
According to the result declared by INEC, Mr. Audu had the highest number of votes thus leading the 21 other candidates, including the incumbent governor of Kogi State, Idris Wada, who was the flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Source: Premiumtimesng
SSS arrest former NSA, Dasuki Sambo
His arrest comes after a Former Minister of State for Finance Bashir Yuguda and 20 others who worked closely with the former NSA were yesterday arrested and interrogated on the procurement of arms to the tune of $2.1 billion during the last administration.
APC sends Yahaya Bello's name to INEC as late Prince Audu’s replacement
INEC’s Deputy Director in charge of Publicity, Nick Dazang. who confirmed this new development said " They have sent the name of their replacement candidate, the second runner-up in their primaries, that is Yahaya Bello, to the commission.”.
This development comes despite the grumblings from James Faleke, the deputy candidate of Prince Audu Abubakar in the Kogi state November 21st governorship election, who had expected that he would be declared Governor following Audu's death.
Monday, 30 November 2015
Controversy As Faleke Picks Abubakar Audu’s Son As Running Mate
Faleke who has been picked as the substitute for the late Abubakar Audu, made this assertion while addressing hundreds of APC supporters in Lokoja on Monday.
Quoting a section of the constitution while picking Mohammed Audu as his running mate, he pointed out that attempts to snatch power from the reins of the APC in Kogi State were fruitless as the party is poised to chart a new course for the state.
He explained that there is no contention between him and the immediate political family of late Abubakar Audu and described the task ahead as a moral burden on him to fight on, till the victory of APC is accomplished.
Going back to the primary election conducted on August 28, 2015, he noted that he remained the only person holding on to the votes cast for the APC.
Some APC leaders from the three senatorial districts of the state were present as Mr Faleke made his decision known to his supporters.
Source: Channelstv
Yahaya Bello fills nomination form as APC candidate for Kogi poll
The development may have foreclosed the consideration of any other candidate as the party’s standard bearer.
Bello filled the form, which was signed by a Commissioner of Oath. It was returned to the APC National Secretariat.
It was learnt that the form was attached to the letter of nomination, which the National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, sent to INEC on Friday.
The party retained Hon. James Abiodun Faleke as running mate – a position Faleke rejected, insisting on the mandate the people gave the late Abubakar Audu/Faleke ticket.
A top officer of the party said: “We are in receipt of many petitions but it is already late for anybody because we have nominated Yahaya Bello as the party’s substitute for Prince Abubakar Audu.
“Of course, we have automatically retained Hon. James Abiodun Faleke as our deputy governorship candidate.
“As a matter of fact, we gave the nomination form to Bello to fill on Friday and we have duly submitted all relevant documents to INEC.
“You can direct further enquiries to INEC and Bello, who is now our candidate.”
It was gathered that APC rushed to give the form to Bello, despite the fact that it has up till December 1, to pre-empt legal action especially court injunction.
A member of the NWC said: “We hastily concluded the nomination process to stave off any court injunction which may hinder the party’s chances for the supplementary poll on December 5.
“We took advantage of Friday to seal the process because any of the aggrieved parties could rush to court before Tuesday and allow the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) to emerge winner of the Kogi Governorship Election on a platter of gold.
“If we do not check the dirty war over the substitution of our candidate, APC may be the ultimate loser.”
When contacted, a media aide to Bello said: “It is true that our principal has filled the governorship nomination form as presented to him by APC and we are aware that the form has been submitted.”
A source in INEC also confirmed the submission of the form. “Yes, it has been submitted,” he said pleading not to be quoted.
Source : The Nation
Sunday, 29 November 2015
Faleke to APC : I am the Kogi State Governor Elect
Faleke yesterday wrote a second letter to the party’s national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun in apparent reaction to the APC decision to pick Bello to replace Audu ahead of the supplementary election scheduled for this weekend. He insisted that he is not prepared to give up his ‘mandate’ for any reason whatsoever.
He said he is the rightful person to step into the late Audu’s shoes, and pleaded the application of the ‘doctrine of necessity’ used in the crisis that trailed the demise of President Umaru Yar’Adua in 2010.
The letter came on a day supporters of the late Audu took to the streets at Itobe in Ajaokuta Local Government area of the state protesting against Bello’s choice.
The protesters blocked the bridge across River Niger which connects areas in Kogi Central, including Anyingba and Dekina.
Faleke in the four page letter written by his counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun and entitled RE: JUST CONCLUDED GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION IN KOGI STATE -APC SHOULD NOT SIDETRACK JAMES ABIODUN FALEKE OR SUPER IMPOSE ON HIM ANY OTHER PERSON OR CANDIDATE, said:
“While reiterating and adopting the position of our client as highlighted, expressed and conveyed in our first letter, permit us, most humbly, but frankly to add the following points on behalf and instruction of our client, that is to say:
(i)The Issue involved is that of constitutional, formal and legal imperatives, rather than political expediency. In the eyes of the Constitution and the law, our client is the governor-elect of Kogi State. There is no gainsaying this fact. It is a truism that cannot be discounted.
(ii) It is the duty of the APC to champion the actualization of its mandate, as well as that of our client. In this wise, we most humbly advise and caution that the party should be minded of the Ides of November, because the idea being sold to the APC by the INEC to go and hold a supplementary primary election for the purpose of bringing forth a governorship candidate to contest a supplementary election in 91 polling units is saturated with deleterious legal and constitutional landmines. We posit without any hesitation that at this stage, INEC and all the political parties that took part in the concluded election have reached a point of no return. Thus our client can neither be jettisoned by the APC, nor can a new or fresh candidate be imposed on him as his Principal. The law also does not recognize this type of supplementary election in 91 polling units, with total number of eligible voters with PVCs not more than 25,000 or thereabout. Otherwise, if the law and Constitution allow it, Kogi State would end up holding a supplementary election, which would also produce a supplementary governor. Put bluntly, there cannot be any legitimate Governor of Kogi State who would emerge from the supplementary election (outside our client) with a maximum of 25,000 votes, assuming all the registered voters with PVCs cast their votes for the anticipatory supplementary governor will also be likened to a Governor of 91 polling units. May we quickly draw your attention to Section 179 (2) (b) of the 1999 Constitution which states:
“(2) A candidate of an election to the office of Governor of a state shall be deemed to have been duly elected where, there being two or more candidates-
(b) He has not less than one-quarter of all the votes cast in each of at least two-thirds of all the local government areas in the state.”
He recalled how the PDP ,in 1999, “called off the bluff of INEC when it ordered a re-run in Adamawa State to elect a fresh or new Governor in place of the then Governor-elect, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who had already transmuted to be Vice President elect.”
Continuing, he said: “It was the contention of PDP that the then Deputy Governor-elect, Boni Haruna automatically became and assumed the position of governor-elect. The PDP took the matter to court and, at the end of the legal pilgrimage, the Supreme Court agreed with the PDP. Then the Deputy Governor-elect, Boni Haruna, not only assumed position as Governor, but spent two terms in office. With very high respect, we do not expect the APC to do less.
“When the late Umaru Yar’Adua was terminally sick, some leading members of your party in coalition with some decent forces in the country, bandying the ‘doctrine of necessity’ championed the cause of the then Vice President, Goodluck Jonathan to be appointed President. At the end of it all, the National Assembly acceded to this clarion call and Vice President Goodluck Jonathan metamorphosed to acting President. Thereafter, he became substantive President for six years. The point being made by us is that if we could rely on the doctrine of necessity and maximally utilize same to make Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, the sitting President, it then goes without saying that both INEC and the APC must submit themselves to the doctrine of constitutional imperative and/or necessity to allow our client to be Governor -elect of Kogi State.
Faleke said he is not “ready or prepared to trade off or compromise his mandate as the Governor-elect of Kogi State” and does “not want to believe that he is being discriminated against for whatever reason.”
The Itobe protest forced motorists off the roads in the area.
Some travellers had to continue their journey using the waterways at Shintako.
The protesters who were mainly Igala-speaking said it would be unfair to have an Ebira as governor of the state when the Chief Judge and the Speaker of the state assembly are also Ebira.
A lawyer who was travelling to Odu in Dekina Local Government area said he had to make a detour to avoid running into the protesters.
He said, “I did not envisage this, but I had no option than to turn round and continue on my journey through Shintako. I had paid N2, 500 to put my vehicle on the ferry across the water to Bassa, from where I continued”.
Efforts made to get response from the police on what it is doing to forestall the protest spreading to other areas of the state was unsuccessful as at the time of sending this report.
The Head of Media, Prince Abubakar Audu/Faleke campaign organization, Dr Tom Ohikere at a press conference in Lokoja warned the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, to avoid any act capable of setting Kogi State on fire.
According to Ohikere, the presidency and APC leadership cannot pretend to be unaware of the provisions of the law, where a running mate to a deceased candidate in an ongoing election steps in as the party’s flag bearer.
“Let me open up to you now. Our political mentor and father, the late Prince Audu on his dying bed, gave instruction to us (his followers), that should he not make it, the baton must be passed to his running mate, Faleke, who he said is capable of carrying on with his vision.
“I want to categorically tell you that the party/executive’s conspiracy started when they heard that Prince Audu was dead, and in an ulterior move to avoid a non-Muslim from stepping in, the INEC returning officer was quickly directed to declare the result inconclusive.”
Source: The Nation
Saturday, 28 November 2015
It’s Audu’s son or nobody, lawmakers tell APC
Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Kogi State House of Assembly yesterday told the national leadership of the party that they would not hesitate to impeach anyone brought in as a replacement for the late governorship candidate of the party, Prince Abubakar Audu, if the party failed to pick his first son, Mohammed.
Addressing a news conference after a meeting with the national leadership, spokesman of the legislators, Alfa Momoh Rabiu representing Ankpa 2 Constituency, said they had collectively resolved that Mohammed Audu should replace his father as the candidate of the party.
The lawmakers spoke as supporters of Hon James Abiodun Faleke practically paralysed activities around the national secretariat for several hours as they sang and dance with placards, demanding that Faleke be made the substantive replacement for the late Audu.
Rabiu who claimed that their position had the backing of all National Assembly members from the state, members of the state executive of the party and other APC leaders in the state however said that they were not asking Faleke to abandon the ticket, but should remain deputy to Mohammed Audu.
He said: “Based on our discussion, we have taken a decision and taken our resolution to the national chairman. We are overwhelmed by the response from them, but we are still waiting for a safe landing so that Kogi will not be doomed.
“We told the national chairman that on no account should anybody be smuggled in to occupy that position which we worked for in conjunction with the late Audu, without who there will be no APC in Kogi State.
“We present to the national leadership, Prince Mohammed Audu, to replace his late father. It is not because he is the first son, but try him, he is very intelligent and equal to the task. With him, we will have the Kogi of our dream.
“We also resolved and we will appreciate if the leadership will understand that we came to complain to them with pains and tell them our position because of the commitment of our leader and we don’t want Kogi to be left in the hands of the PDP any longer.
“We are the legislators and have told the national chairman our position that in case anybody is smuggled in contrary to what we present to them, we know the best way to remove him.
“It is not a threat, but we told them that we have no
intention of washing our dirty linen in public. Removing somebody is just a two minutes job for us as lawmakers in the state.
“We want the change we worked for and we want Kogi to be part of the moving train.
“We are the electorate and we know why we are here. There will be no solution to this problem without giving us listening ear. Prince Audu was the man who went through primary before nominating Faleke as his deputy.
“We are not asking Faleke to stay away from the ticket. We equally worked with him during the campaigns. What we are saying is that it should be Mohammed Audu/Faleke ticket. The two of them must work together.”
However, supporters of Hon. Faleke who were also at the national secretariat said the best thing to do in the circumstance was to allow Faleke to step into Audu’s shoes, having been voted for alongside the late Audu.
In a letter to the National Working Committee on behalf of APC from Kogi West, signed by former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Clarence Olafemi, the Faleke supporters said they were opposed to giving the ticket to anyone who has not laboured for it, adding that Faleke should be allowed to carry on in the spirit if equity, fairness and justice.
Source :The nation
Addressing a news conference after a meeting with the national leadership, spokesman of the legislators, Alfa Momoh Rabiu representing Ankpa 2 Constituency, said they had collectively resolved that Mohammed Audu should replace his father as the candidate of the party.
The lawmakers spoke as supporters of Hon James Abiodun Faleke practically paralysed activities around the national secretariat for several hours as they sang and dance with placards, demanding that Faleke be made the substantive replacement for the late Audu.
Rabiu who claimed that their position had the backing of all National Assembly members from the state, members of the state executive of the party and other APC leaders in the state however said that they were not asking Faleke to abandon the ticket, but should remain deputy to Mohammed Audu.
He said: “Based on our discussion, we have taken a decision and taken our resolution to the national chairman. We are overwhelmed by the response from them, but we are still waiting for a safe landing so that Kogi will not be doomed.
“We told the national chairman that on no account should anybody be smuggled in to occupy that position which we worked for in conjunction with the late Audu, without who there will be no APC in Kogi State.
“We present to the national leadership, Prince Mohammed Audu, to replace his late father. It is not because he is the first son, but try him, he is very intelligent and equal to the task. With him, we will have the Kogi of our dream.
“We also resolved and we will appreciate if the leadership will understand that we came to complain to them with pains and tell them our position because of the commitment of our leader and we don’t want Kogi to be left in the hands of the PDP any longer.
“We are the legislators and have told the national chairman our position that in case anybody is smuggled in contrary to what we present to them, we know the best way to remove him.
“It is not a threat, but we told them that we have no
intention of washing our dirty linen in public. Removing somebody is just a two minutes job for us as lawmakers in the state.
“We want the change we worked for and we want Kogi to be part of the moving train.
“We are the electorate and we know why we are here. There will be no solution to this problem without giving us listening ear. Prince Audu was the man who went through primary before nominating Faleke as his deputy.
“We are not asking Faleke to stay away from the ticket. We equally worked with him during the campaigns. What we are saying is that it should be Mohammed Audu/Faleke ticket. The two of them must work together.”
However, supporters of Hon. Faleke who were also at the national secretariat said the best thing to do in the circumstance was to allow Faleke to step into Audu’s shoes, having been voted for alongside the late Audu.
In a letter to the National Working Committee on behalf of APC from Kogi West, signed by former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Clarence Olafemi, the Faleke supporters said they were opposed to giving the ticket to anyone who has not laboured for it, adding that Faleke should be allowed to carry on in the spirit if equity, fairness and justice.
Source :The nation
APC picks Yahaya Bello as Audu’s replacement
Bello replaces Prince Abubakar Audu, who died last weekend after leading the poll with 41,000.
It was also learnt that the APC has retained Hon. James Abiodun Faleke as the party’s deputy governorship candidate.
Mohammed Audu, the son of the late governorship candidate, was dumped by the party because the party felt that fielding him might vitiate the entire governorship poll in the state.
But the people of Kogi West were mounting pressure on Faleke yesterday not to accept the nomination of Bello.
Although they asked Faleke to withdraw from the race, the deputy governorship candidate was yet to make up his mind on the next step at press time.
Investigation by our correspondent revealed that APC leaders, with the backing of some forces in the Presidency, opted for Bello because he came second in the party’s primaries behind Audu.
It was also gathered that the APC leaders felt there was no way Mohammed Audu could be fielded as a compromise candidate since he was not a candidate in the primaries.
A top source in APC said: “Our leaders met and after consultations reached a conclusion on the choice of Yahaya Bello from Kogi Central as the party’s governorship candidate to substitute the late Prince Abubakar Audu.
“The leaders arrived at the conclusion because Bello was second to Audu at the validly conducted governorship primaries of the party. Instead of running into crisis with fresh primaries, the party opted to dust up the result of the previous one which was witnessed by INEC.
“A letter, signed by the National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, on the choice of Bello has been submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday.”
Asked of other factors behind the choice of Bello, the top APC leader said: “Our leaders bought into the idea that Faleke is strange to the politics of the state, having had most of his political career in Lagos. They felt it is better for him to learn the ropes in the state before becoming a governor.
“They also argued that the choice of Bello will ensure power shift in the state and since the Ebiras were behind Audu, it won’t be difficult to foster understanding between Kogi East and Kogi Central Senatorial Districts.
“Do not forget that Kogi East had already produced the minister from the state.
“Another important factor is that some of the 91 polling units where elections were cancelled are in Kogi Central, and it will be easier to mobilize the electorate in the district to get the required votes to defeat the PDP candidate, Governor Idris Wada.
“There was also some conspiracy behind the refusal of the ticket for Faleke. Some presidency forces stamped their feet that he must not be allowed to step into Audu’s shoes because of internal power struggles in APC.
“I won’t give you names but the forced were more powerful than Oyegun and other NWC members.”
On the dumping of Mohammed Audu, the source said: “Our leaders were guided by Section 141 of the Electoral Act. If we choose him, the entire election will be voided.
“The section says: ‘An election tribunal or court shall not under any circumstance declare any person a winner at an election in which such a person has not fully participated in all the stages of such election.
“We love the Audus but we cannot take such a big risk. If Wada and PDP go to court, they will win against Mohammed Audu.”
Source : Thenation
Tuesday, 24 November 2015
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Wednesday, 18 November 2015
We've activated Safety Check again after the bombing in Nigeria - Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg
Facebook came under fire for a perceived Western bias when it activated Safety Check after the Paris attacks, with critics noting that terrorist attacks in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia hadn't previously warranted its deployment. The safety check enables Facebook users announce that they are still alive after a mishap in any troubled zone
President Buhari orders arrest of ex-NSA Dasuki, others indicted in arms contract report
On the authority of Mr President, a 13 man committee was set up by the Office of the National Security Adviser to audit the procurement of arms and equipment in the Armed Forces and Defence sector from 2007 to date. While the committee which was inaugurated on 31 August 2015 is yet to complete its work, its interim report has unearthed several illicit and fraudulent financial transactions.
As part of the findings, the committee has analyzed interventions from some organizations that provided funds to the Office of the National Security Adviser, Defence Headquarters, Army Headquarters Naval Headquarters and Nigerian Air Force Headquarters, both in local and foreign currencies.
So far the total extra budgetary interventions articulated by the committee is Six Hundred and Forty Three Billion, Eight Hundred and Seventeen Million, Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty Five Hundred Naira and Eighteen Kobo (N643,817,955,885.18).
The foreign currency component is to the tune of Two Billion, One Hundred and Ninety Three Million, Eight Hundred and Fifteen Thousand US Dollars and Eighty Three Cents ($2,193,815,000.83).
These amounts exclude grants from the State Governments and funds collected by the DSS and Police. It was observed that in spite of this huge financial intervention, very little was expended to support defense procurement.
The committee also observed that of 513 contracts awarded at $8,356,525,184.32; N2,189,265,724,404.55 and €54,000.00; Fifty Three (53) were failed contracts amounting to $2,378,939,066.27 and N13,729,342,329.87 respectively.
Interestingly, it was noted that the amount of foreign currency spent on failed contracts was more than double the $1bn loan that the National Assembly approved for borrowing to fight the insurgency in the North East.
The committee also discovered that payments to the tune of Three Billion, Eight Hundred and Fifty Million Naira (N3,850,000,000.00) were made to a single company by the former NSA without documented evidence of contractual agreements or fulfillment of tax obligations to the FGN.
Further findings revealed that between March 2012 and March 2015, the erstwhile NSA, Lt Col MS Dasuki (rtd) awarded fictitious and phantom contracts to the tune of N2,219,188,609.50, $1,671,742,613.58 and €9,905,477.00. The contracts which were said to be for the purchase of 4 Alpha Jets, 12 helicopters, bombs and ammunition were not executed and the equipment were never supplied to the Nigerian Air Force, neither are they in its inventory.
Even more disturbing was the discovery that out of these figures, 2 companies, were awarded contracts to the tune of N350,000,000.00, $1,661,670,469.71 and €9,905,477.00 alone. This was without prejudice to the consistent non-performance of the companies in the previous contracts awarded.
Additionally, it was discovered that the former NSA directed the Central Bank of Nigeria to transfer the sum of $132,050,486.97 and €9,905,473.55 to the accounts of Societe D’equipmente Internationaux in West Africa, United Kingdom and United States of America for un-ascertained purposes, without any contract documents to explain the transactions.
The findings made so far are extremely worrying considering that the interventions were granted within the same period that our troops fighting the insurgency in the North East were in desperate need of platforms, military equipment and ammunition. Had the funds siphoned to these non performing companies been properly used for the purpose they were meant for, thousands of needless Nigerian deaths would have been avoided.
Furthermore, the ridicule Nigeria has faced in the international community would have been avoided. It is worrisome and disappointing that those entrusted with the security of this great nation were busy using proxies to siphon the national treasury, while innocent lives were wasted daily.
In light of these findings, President Muhammadu Buhari has directed that the relevant organizations arrest and bring to book, all individuals who have been found complicit in these illegal and fraudulent acts.
Deputy Senate president Ike Ekweremadu escapes attempted assasination
Ekweremadu's special adviser on media, Uche Anichukwu made this known in a statement he released yesterday evening. The statement in part reads;
“The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, escaped suspected assassination attempt, Tuesday. The attempt occurred at about 10:00am between Apo Flyover and Dantata Construction Company’s yard, close to the Old Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Headquarters junction on his way to work.
The suspected assassins who operated in a tinted, white-coloured Mercedez Benz AMG E63 without a plate number, were chauffeured by a long-bearded light skinned foreigner, apparently a mercenary. The vehicle, which was positioned by the Apo Bridge, on noticing that the Deputy President of the Senate’s convoy took the right turn to join the Nnamdi Azikiwe Expressway instead, made a turn. The occupants attempted to attack the convoy, but were blocked. The driver violently broke into the convoy and they made several frantic attempts to attack the Senator’s official car. When charged at by the security operatives attached to the deputy president of the senate, the Benz driver made a U-turn, and partially smashed an oncoming vehicle on the opposite lane of the highway and escaped. The development has already been reported to the security agencies.”the statement read
Sunday, 15 November 2015
Fashola, Amaechi, Amina Mohammed others to earn N485m yearly
According to Punch, a committee chaired by Chairman of Remuneration Committee, Mr. Abdullahi Inde, new packages prepared by the committee, had been ratified at a retreat held for commissioners of the agency, which was concluded recently in Owerri.
The recommendations of the committee concentrated on the allowances of political and judicial office holders as the salary packages will not depart significantly from the status quo.
However, after the preparation of the new packages by RMAFC, it still has to be presented to the Federal Executive Council which has the responsibility to present it to the National Assembly as a bill for enactment as an Act of Parliament.
Chairman of RMAFC, Mr. Elias Mbam, on Saturday said that the new packages would soon be made public. He said the work was “going through a process of editing.”
Presidency sources said that the new ministers would be paid in accordance with the existing statute because the reviewed package was not ready.
According to the current package, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola; Minister of Transport, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi; Minister of Information and Culture, Mr. Lai Mohammed and other senior ministers will get N4,052,800 as housing allowance.
The annual housing allowance is 200 per cent of a minister’s annual remuneration.
Each of the ministers is also entitled to N6, 079,200 as furniture allowance.
The furniture allowance is 300 per cent of a minister’s annual salary. Unlike the housing allowance, however, the furniture allowance is paid once in four years.
This means the furniture allowance per annum is N1,519,800.
Should any of the ministers desire, they are also entitled to N8,105,600 as motor vehicle allowance.
The motor vehicle allowance is, however, a loan repayable by the end of the tenure of the minister.
The annual basic salary of a substantive minister is N2,026,400. On monthly basis, this amounts to N168,866:66.
Apart from the monthly basic salary, there are other perks that each minister will receive at the end of each month.
These include motor vehicle fuelling and maintenance allowance of N1, 519,800 (annual value) with a monthly value of N126,650. The vehicle maintenance allowance is 75 per cent of the annual basic salary.
The personal assistant allowance of N506,600 per annum is also payable. This has a monthly value of N42,216.66. This allowance is calculated as 25 per cent of the basic salary.
Each of the senior ministers is entitled to a payment of N1,519,800 for domestic staff. This is 75 per cent of the annual basic salary and on monthly basis amounts to N126, 650.
For entertainment, each of the ministers is entitled to N911,880 annually or N75,990 per month. This is 45 per cent of the annual basic salary.
For utilities, each of the ministers is entitled to 30 per cent of their annual salary which translates to N607,920 per annum or N50,660 a month.
For monitoring, each of the ministers is entitled to 20 per cent of their annual basic salary. This translates to N405,280 per annum or N33,773.33 per month.
For newspapers/periodicals, each of the senior ministers will get 15 per cent of the annual basic salary. This translates to N303,960 per annum or N25,330 per month.
Allowances for their security personnel, medicals and special assistants are also provided. The tour duty allowance is N35,000 per night; the estacode is $900 per night and the leave allowance is 10 per cent of their annual salary or N202,640.
The summation of these annual allowances is N13,374, 240 for each minister excluding the optional vehicle allowance. Yearly, the Federal Government is expected to pay the 24 senior ministers no less than N320,981,760.
Each of the ministers of state, on the other hand, is entitled to N3, 915,160 as housing allowance and N5,872,740 as furniture allowance. Should any of the ministers desire, they are also entitled to N7, 830,320 as motor vehicle allowance, which is a loan repayable by the end of the tenure of the minister.
The annual basic salary of a substantive minister of state is N2,026,400. On monthly basis, this amounts to N168,866:66.
The state ministers are also entitled to other perks. These include motor vehicle fuelling and maintenance allowance of N1, 468,185 (annual value) with a monthly value of N122,348.
The personal assistant allowance of N489,395 per annum is also payable. This has a monthly value of N40,782.91. This allowance is 25 per cent of the basic salary.
Each of the state ministers is entitled to a payment of N1,468,185 for domestic staff. This is 75 per cent of the annual basic salary and on monthly basis amounts to N122,348.75.
For entertainment, each of the state ministers is entitled to N880,911 annually or N73,409.25 per month.
This is 45 per cent of the annual basic salary.
For utilities, each of the ministers is entitled to 30 per cent of their annual salary which translates to N587,274 per annum or N48, 939.50 a month.
For newspapers/periodicals, each of the state ministers will get 15 per cent of the annual basic salary. Which is N293,637 per annum or N24, 469.75 per month.
The security personnel, medicals and special assistants are also provided for the state ministers. The tour duty allowance is N30,000 per night; the estacode is $900 per night and the leave allowance is 10 per cent of their annual salary or N195,758.
The summation of these annual allowances for the junior ministers is N12,597,332 for each minister excluding the optional vehicle allowance. Yearly, the Federal Government is expected to pay the 13 junior ministers no less than N163,765,316.
Source :PunchNG
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