₦airaland Forum

Before We Crucify Yemi Osinbajo...


Hysteria is in the DNA of many Nigerians, especially those who are, for parochial or partisan reasons, decidedly and desperately against the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. Since the president announced the dissolution of the Economic Management Team headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, and replaced it with an Economic Advisory Council, there has been mass hysteria in the traditional and new media.


This is apparent in the deluge of dilettante opinion articles, editorials, blog posts, blurbs and tweets all alluding to the fact that the VP has been politically emasculated by a phantom ‘cabal’ in the presidency because of his growing popularity and influence and the need to whittle them down before 2023. Some even said he has been marked for impeachment on trumped-up charges that could only have been products of a puerile imagination.



What the President simply did was to change the economic direction of his Next Level agenda; not ‘reduce’, as some also implied, the statutory functions of his beloved VP. As the chairman of the constitutionally created National Economic Council, the VP will continue to play a pivotal role in all economic matters in singular support and assistance of his Principal, Mr. President.


For emphasis, the NEC meeting, held monthly, deliberates on the coordination of the economic planning efforts and economic programmes of the various levels of government.
The council comprises the 36 state governors, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Minister of Finance, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and other government officials and agencies whose duties hinge on the economy.


Last Thursday, the VP still chaired the NEC at the Presidential Villa. Osinbajo told attendees at the NEC meeting that both councils (NEC and EAC) are for the benefit of the president; and, “If NEC wants to be briefed regularly by the Economic Advisory Council, EAC, we will request the president to do that.” So, nothing has changed, except for the new song by dissidents.


What further sent the rumour mill into overdrive was an alleged directive that the Vice-President should, henceforth, seek presidential approvals for agencies under his supervision. VP Osinbajo is the chairman of the governing boards of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the National Boundary Commission (NBC) and the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA). He is also the chairman of the board of directors of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), a limited liability company owned by the three tiers of government; and the National Economic Council (NEC), a constitutional body made up of state governors and key federal government officials, as well as the National Council on Privatisation (NCP).


Under the laws setting up the agencies, the president is empowered to give final approvals but those who chose to ignore this constitutional provision went to town, gloating and ululating, that the VP has eventually been cut to size. A careful introspection is critical here. Apart from the fact that he is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, the Vice President, as the whole world knows, is a Professor of Law. So, if anybody should know what the constitution stipulates as the roles and powers of a VP, it is Osinbajo.

So, why would he want to overreach himself knowing what the constitution states? At what point does doing the right thing require a directive? Some things just don’t add up in the name of playing politics.
Late 2018, the House of Representatives Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness invited the VP to explain his role in the N5.8 billion North East Intervention Fund which the lawmakers said was mismanaged by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).


The NEMA is one of the agencies under the VP. The committee said the authorisation for the release of the fund for emergency food intervention in the North East contravened Section 80(4) of the 1999 Constitution as amended. And that the funds were credited directly to the individual banks of the companies and NEMA’s bank account, in violation of the approval limit allowed by law.


Nowhere in the report was the VP alleged to have benefitted from the fund. Good enough, the Presidency issued a public statement to say that the money Osinbajo, in his capacity as the Acting President, approved for release in the dire emergency was sourced from the Rice Levy which had already been appropriated in that year's budget. And that explanation settled the matter.


However, in the desperation of the strident opposition, the allegation, which had since been dispelled by the House Committee, is now being unearthed as if it were new, in a mere political contrivance intended to distract the President Buhari-led administration.


Every discerning mind should be above this outright fake news and sheer inanity. Just as they should about rumours that some unspecified amount of money was found in some private accounts related to the VP’s family or that some Federal Inland Revenue Services, FIRS, funds were traced to his office. The purveyors of this particular rumour even said that the National Leader of the All Progressives’ Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and a former National Chairman of the party, Chief BisiAkande, had been duly informed. Another such report maintained that Asiwaju himself is behind the attempt to smear the VP.

These are mere fabrications intended to drive a wedge between the VP and those he holds in very high esteem. Thankfully, the president and the party leaders are above such frivolous distractions.


Indeed, at no time since Nigeria’s democratic experience began that the President and his VP have enjoyed the kind of cordial relationship and mutual respect that exist between President Buhari and VP Osinbajo. The president believes so much in the competence, character and capacity of his VP that he allows him to handle some of the populist programmes of the administration. And, this has not been without politically-motivated hiccups.


The VP is the ‘face’ of TraderMoni, the empowerment scheme of the Federal Government created specifically for petty traders and artisans across Nigeria. The launch of the scheme saw the VP crisscrossing the country, enlightening the people about it and generally pressing the flesh to the delight of Nigerians. Yet, those who do not know the workings of the scheme have gone to town, falsely accusing the VP of mismanaging the Tradermoni Funds.


Instructively, the Bank of Industry is in charge of the Tradermoni; the funds never get into the hands of the VP or his aides; the money is sent to the people via their phones. The VP has just been monitoring to make sure people received what they were promised and the program was working. So any imputation of embezzlement is nothing but a frantic attempt to soil a hard-earned reputation of loyalty, integrity and capability which the VP has built in the last four years, and which has helped to steady the incumbent administration in no small measure.
Conclusively, the news and noise of a rift or whittling down of the VP’s powers is akin to a storm in a teacup; both the president and the Vice President are still working in tandem to ensure that Nigerians are genuinely taken to the Next Level in their own time.

https://www.airwavesreport.com/politics/3227-opinion-before-we-crucify-yemi-osinbajo

Fresh Controversy as Bribery Allegations Rock Akwa Ibom National Assembly Poll Tribunal

*** Dissenting Judge threatens to expose colleagues

*** Bribery allegation tears Justice Wasiu Oladejo Akanbi's Tribunal Apart.

New Appeal Panel constituted to be headed by Justice Olubunmi Oyewole.

There was a problem in the Justice W. A. Akanbi-led National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal sitting in Uyo on Thursday, September 12, 2019 as the disagreement among the Judges has threatened to tear the Panel apart.

The Tribunal had on Wednesday, September 11, 2019, delivered judgement in the Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District election petition upheld the declaration of Engr. Chris Ekpenyong of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

However, a member of the Tribunal, Justice Sheriff Hafizu, had in a dissenting judgement voided the declaration of Engr. Ekpenyong as the winner of the election and declared his return invalid. He also declared Senator Akpabio as the winner of the election having garnered majority of the lawful votes and ordered INEC to present a certificate of return to him.

Trouble started on Thursday (today) when the Tribunal was about to reconvene to adjudicate on other election petition matters including delivering judgemnt in the pending Ikot Ekpene/Essien Udim/Obot Akara federal constituency matter.

Senator Akpabio belongs to the federal constituency and his case bears a striking semblance with the case of Hon. Emmanuel S. Akpan in material particulars. Sources said when the Judges met in their Chamber to share their views on the judgement, Justice Hafizu threatened to expose his colleagues over a raging allegation of justice-for-cash among tribunal members in the state.

A sign that all was not well among the judges was when a registry staff announced to lawyers and supporters who had thronged the court room that the matter earlier slated for 9.00am had been shifted to 12.00 noon. By 12.00 noon, the same staff announced a further change of time to 3.30 pm. Again, by 3.30 pm the registry staff emerged to announce to the bewildered members of the Bar and supporters that the cases had been further shifted to 6.30 pm which attracted jeers from the members of the public.

We gathered that Justice Hafizu had threatened to resign from the Panel and told his colleagues that he would not be part of a Panel that does not deliver justice but instead hawk it for purchase to pervert the course of justice.

This is said to have created a deadlock as Justice Akanbi and Justice Ebetu were said to have prevailed on their colleague not to do anything that would bring to disrepute the image of the judiciary. However, as at the time of going to press, Justice Hafizu is said to have stuck to his gun and threatened to expose his colleagues.

It would be recalled that a lawyer and human rights activist, Barrister Leo Ekpenyong had raised an alarm penultimate week in a widely published article: "Judgement for sale" and alleged that two members of the National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal in Akwa Ibom State had been compromised and predicted that there would be a split in the judgement of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District matter.

Akwa Ibom State Attorney General,, Barrister Uwemedimo Nwoko, denied that Governor Udom Emmanuel had bribed two of the Tribunal Judges and threatened to sue Barrister Leo Ekpenyong. However, legal analysts were surprised that true to the revelation of the human rights activist, the Judges were split in their judgement.

Barrister Ekpenyong had, however, fired back and threatened to report the judges with evidence to the National Judicial Council for necessary disciplinary action if confirmed to have been bribed.

As at the time of going to press, there were still on-going efforts to persuade Justice Hafizu to continue and deliver his minority judgement since the others have refused to see reason to deliver justice without favour.


https://www.airwavesreport.com/politics/3213-fresh-controversy-as-bribery-allegations-rock-akwa-ibom-national-assembly-poll-tribunal

Tribunal robbed Senator Akpabio of victory – Justice Hafizu

A member of the National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Justice Sheriff Hafizu, has said there were enough evidence to prove that Senator Godswill Akpabio was denied victory in the February 23 National Assembly election.

The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs and the All Progressives Congress candidate for the Akwa Ibom North-West senatorial district had challenged the election of Dr. Chris Ekpenyong, of the People’s Democratic Party, who was declared the winner of the election.

Justice Hafizu in a minority judgement on  Wednesday night held that Akpabio won the election and ought to have been returned as the duly elected Senator for Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District.

The W. O Akanbi-led tribunal had, in a majority judgement on Wednesday night, upheld the election of Dr. Chris Ekpenyong as the winner of the February 23rd National Assembly election and dismissed the petition of Godswill Akpabio.

Akanbi with the concurrence of Justice Ebetu dismissed the petition on the grounds that it was too weak to support the allegations of none compliance with the electoral laws.

But in a dissenting minority judgement, Justice Hafizu held that the argument of the Respondents that Senator Akpabio ought to have called unit polling agents to prove his case was wrong adding that Akpabio had not challenged the results of the units and therefore there was nothing to prove.
According to him, the case of Senator Akpabio was cancellation of duly collated votes at INEC office which went beyond the units.
He said he found merit in the Petitioner’s case that his collated votes which showed that he won the election were cancelled by an INEC official to give  victory to the People’s Democratic Party candidate.

Justice Hafizu also held that from the evidence adduced during the trial it was obvious that the Returning Officer had cancelled the votes of Obot Akara Local Government Area due to an established case of over-voting and said it was wrong for the same cancelled result to be revalidated in INEC office in Uyo.
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The Minority Judge also submitted that the Witnesses of the Respondents were unreliable as they gave contradictory evidence during trial.
He cited cases of witnesses who had alleged that they were abducted by APC thugs and forced to thumb-print for the party only for card reader reports to put a lie to such claims, a contention that the majority judgement glossed over.

According to Justice Hafizu, INEC was wrong to have cancelled the 61,329 votes by APC in Essien Udim Local Government Area against PDP score of 9,050 votes. He said the unlawful cancellation of the votes was a clear case of robbery since it did not follow the due process of INEC guidelines.
Accordingly, Justice Hafizu voided the declaration of Engr Ekpenyong as the winner of the election and declared his return invalid.


https://punchng.com/tribunal-robbed-senator-akpabio-of-victory-justice-hafizu/

Nsima Ekere vs Udom Emmanuel: Tribunal Adjourns for Judgment


The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Tuesday, adjourned for judgment in the petition filed by candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nsima Ekere, challenging the declaration of Udom Emmanuel of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), as winner of the governorship election in the state.

This was after all the parties in the matter adopted their written addresses.
Counsel for the petitioner, J. S. Okutekpa (SAN) in his address urged the Tribunal to upturn the declaration of Emmanuel as winner, as he did not score the highest lawful votes cast during the election.

He said the election was marred with irregularities.

He also asked the Tribunal to dismiss the addresses by counsel to the respondents, Emmanuel, PDP and INEC, for failing to file their written addresses within their allotted time, stating that their documents failed to comply with rules of admissibility.

"We urge that all their replies should be struck out based on the grounds that they did not fall within the point of law, because they filed in a flagrant violation of the right of time which must be on the point of law only.

"My Lord, I rely on all the authorities cited by us in this petition, and in the interest of justice, I urge this Tribunal to nullify the election of Emmanuel on several grounds that we have elaborated in our petition, including none accreditation", said Okutepa.

However, Chief Onyekachi Okpeazu (SAN), counsel to Gov. Emmanuel, urged the Tribunal to dismiss the petition.

He drew the attention of the Tribunal to the judgement of the Supreme Count in SC/409/2019 PDP and Anor v. INEC and Ors delivered on the 24th May, 2019, saying the petitioner has not shown sufficient grounds to upturn the election of Emmanuel.

Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), counsel to the second respondent (PDP), urged the Tribunal to expunge the documents challenged by the second petitioner (APC). He pleaded with the Tribunal to dismiss the petition for being vague in totality. He cited additional authorities in support of his position.

Sylva Ogwemo (SAN), counsel to INEC prayed the court to uphold their argument, discountenance the argument of the petitioners and dismiss the petition, because of the apparent, unclear, irreconcilable contradictions in the petition.

He, with the leave of the Tribunal, held that an analysis of facts leading to a conclusion in Law is a point of Law.

After listening to the submissions of counsel, the Tribunal thanked all parties for their peaceful conduct during the hearing and subsequently adjourned till a date to be communicated to them for judgment.


....more details later!!!



https://www.airwavesreport.com/politics/3211-nsima-ekere-vs-udom-emmanuel-tribunal-adjourns-for-judgment

Senator Akpabio Dissociates Self from Bribery Allegation Against Tribunal Judges


 The attention of the Honourable Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio (CON) has been drawn to an article circulating online titled: “Judgement for sale in Akwa Ibom State National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal” in which the author made allegations against the Chairman and members of the National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal, and wishes to totally dissociate himself from the publication.
 
The Honourable Minister could not have been privy to the allegations made against the Judicial Officers because as a Senior Member of the Bar and a Party in the matter pending before Their Lordships, he understands the need to allow the Judges to decide the cases according to the facts. Moreover, Senator Akpabio as the Honourable Minister of Niger Delta Affairs cannot be said to be desperate to win a Senate seat but he is only contesting the outcome of the INEC manipulated results in order to ensure Justice and sustenance of democratic practice in Nigeria.  
 
Senator Akpabio is shocked by the spurious allegation made by the Attorney General of Akwa Ibom State, Barrister Uwemedimo Nwoko, in a rejoinder to the said article, alleging that he “succumbed to blackmail and handsomely paid Barrister Leo Ekpenyong to recapitulate.” The fact is that Ekpenyong withdrew the petitions against Senator Akpabio voluntarily, when his clients made a volte face and could not substantiate their claims as contained in Ekpenyong’s affidavit which he swore to before a court of law as evidence of voluntary withdrawal of those false petitions.  Moreover, Ekpenyong’s client as mentioned in the stated affidavit is linked to the current Government of Akwa Ibom State and its officials. 
 
As an Elder Statesman, a serving Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, a former Minority Leader of the Nigerian Senate and a former boss to Barrister Nwoko,  decorum demands that he accords Senator Akpabio some respect. The Attorney General should substantiate his wild allegation or offer an unreserved apology to Senator Akpabio.
 
Senator Akpabio is a democrat who believes in the rule of law, and this informed his decision to approach the Tribunal after the charade by the Mike Igini-led Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Akwa Ibom State.
 
Having attended many sessions of the Tribunal and indeed testified as a Competent Witness, Senator Akpabio is confident that justice will be done. He has an abiding faith in the judicial system to dispense justice without fear or favour, affection or ill will.  He does not believe that any member of the Panel has a propensity to tarnish his heard earned reputation by engaging in “judgement for sale” as alleged. 
 
The Attorney General should also have reprimanded his PDP stalwart Dr Chris Ekpenyong, whose aides have severally alleged on social media of attempts to influence the Panel judges in favour of APC with the sum of N5m.  
 
At the moment, the Honourable Minister is preoccupied with settling down in his new national assignment and would not want to be dragged into a matter he knows nothing about. 
 
Finally, the Minister cautions paid agents of the Akwa Ibom State Government to allow the Judges to dispense justice without fear or favour as the continuous and relentless sponsored adverts seen aimed at creating fear, intimidation and are capable of truncating the popular will of the people freely gain to the APC.

https://www.airwavesreport.com/politics/3194-senator-akpabio-dissociates-self-from-bribery-allegation-against-tribunal-judges

The enigmatic protégée, Wasiu Sowami!...How Ibikunle Amosun used him to acquire High-profile Investments
 

Tongues are really wagging in the oil and gas industry, and this is not far from the recent buy-off of Forte Oil Nigeria Limited.

Since the surprise buy over of billionaire Femi Otedola’s 75 percent direct and indirect shareholding in Forte Oil’s downstream business, there had been a groundswell of speculations about the new owner, Alhaji Abdulwasiu Sowami, the managing director of Prudent Energy and Services, as he  enjoys more than a personal relationship with the former Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.

We can authoritatively reveal to you that Sowami has been fronting for Amosun for years unending. Amosun trusts him so well that he has used him to buy many blue chip companies, with Forte Oil now in tow.

While that is no sin, Sowami seems to be lending credence to the news making the rounds, given the recent constitution of his board of directors. He recently announced Sola Adeeyo, the chairman of AXA Mansard Insurance and Arinola Durosinmi-Etti, a director at Linkage Assurance, as members of the board of the board of directors.

But the oil tycoon, Abdulwasiu Sowami may have bitten more than he can chew. Reason: Two months after completion of the acquisition of the majority stake in Forte Oil Plc by oil mogul, Abdulwasiu Olatunde Sowami,through his companies, Ignite Investments and Commodities Limited, and Prudent Energy Services Limited, there has been a steady dwindling in the fortunes of shares of a once vibrant energy company. This, it was learnt, is giving its holders something to seriously worry about. Mid-June, billionaire businessman, Mr. Femi Otedola,announced his exit from the firm, after offloading his 75 percent stake in Forte Oil, to focus on another business venture, Geregu Power.

The energy tycoon sold his entire 982,971,950 ordinary shares of 50 kobo each to Sowami’s company at N66.01 per unit, amounting to a staggering N64.9 billion.

After Otedola’s departure, came a change in almost the entire management team of Forte Oil Plc. Since his exit, it appears he left with the magic wand of the then flourishing company. It started with Forte Oil Plc shares losing 40.26 percent at the stock market.

This huge fall, few weeks into the life of a new owner, is already making some shareholders of the firm to begin to doubt the future of the company. They wondered why things have been on a free-fall since the departure of Otedola, with insinuations that the businessman might have seen this coming and decided to speak to his legs.

Recently, the company also announced the postponement of its 40th Annual General Meeting. In a disclosure notice sent to the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Forte Oil’s new management seeks the approval for three months extension with no clear or tentative date on when the AGM will hold.

This has raised a lot of concerns within the oil and gas industry with some pundits wondering if Sowami has not bitten off more than he can chew. Like a bolt from the blues, Sowami came into the picture as the strange man who bid for the stake of Otedola in the Forte Oil, a leading operator in the country’s downstream sector of the oil and gas industry, which has the third largest retail outlets in Nigeria.

Though, said to have spent over 20 years in the Oil and Gas industry and highly-revered among his peers because of his intelligence coupled with his keen ability to take calculated risk which puts him ahead of his competitors, not many believe Sowami is really up for the game.

Tales swirling around suggest that the Ogun State-born dude is fronting for some powerful cartel and that he could not outright sign cheques to move on with the operations of the oil giants, without consulting his ogas at the top.

This, it was alleged, has inadvertently caused a lull in the operations of the company and also affected the commencement of the rebranding process of Forte Oil.

But those close to Sowami are saying there is no cause for worry, as the astute businessman has kept his nose to the grindstone.

Despite the expected initial challenges, Sowami will weather the storm and focus on the next phase of Forte Oil’s growth on increasing volumes, diversifying business operations, widening distribution networks and extracting potential synergies with partners.

Sowami, in his late 40s, is not given to limelight, as he intentionally avoids the publicity of his personal brand. Over the years, he has managed to stay off the public eye until recently. According to a source, he left the country with his family upon acquiring Forte Oil to avoid vain attention from the press and prying public.

As it stands, the big masquerade behind Sowami, is busy in Abuja as a federal lawmaker trying place his men in the Buhari government, and cannot find ample time to see to the activities of the newly-acquired Forte Oil.

https://www.airwavesreport.com/society/3165-the-enigmatic-protegee-wasiu-sowami-how-ibikunle-amosun-used-him-to-acquire-high-profile-investment

The enigmatic protégée, Wasiu Sowami!...How Ibikunle Amosun used him to acquire High-profile Investments
 

Tongues are really wagging in the oil and gas industry, and this is not far from the recent buy-off of Forte Oil Nigeria Limited.
Since the surprise buy over of billionaire Femi Otedola’s 75 percent direct and indirect shareholding in Forte Oil’s downstream business, there had been a groundswell of speculations about the new owner, Alhaji Abdulwasiu Sowami, the managing director of Prudent Energy and Services, as he  enjoys more than a personal relationship with the former Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun. We can authoritatively reveal to you that Sowami has been fronting for Amosun for years unending. Amosun trusts him so well that he has used him to buy many blue chip companies, with Forte Oil now in tow. While that is no sin, Sowami seems to be lending credence to the news making the rounds, given the recent constitution of his board of directors. He recently announced Sola Adeeyo, the chairman of AXA Mansard Insurance and Arinola Durosinmi-Etti, a director at Linkage Assurance, as members of the board of the board of directors. But the oil tycoon, Abdulwasiu Sowami may have bitten more than he can chew. Reason: Two months after completion of the acquisition of the majority stake in Forte Oil Plc by oil mogul, Abdulwasiu Olatunde Sowami,through his companies, Ignite Investments and Commodities Limited, and Prudent Energy Services Limited, there has been a steady dwindling in the fortunes of shares of a once vibrant energy company. This, it was learnt, is giving its holders something to seriously worry about. Mid-June, billionaire businessman, Mr. Femi Otedola,announced his exit from the firm, after offloading his 75 percent stake in Forte Oil, to focus on another business venture, Geregu Power. The energy tycoon sold his entire 982,971,950 ordinary shares of 50 kobo each to Sowami’s company at N66.01 per unit, amounting to a staggering N64.9 billion. After Otedola’s departure, came a change in almost the entire management team of Forte Oil Plc. Since his exit, it appears he left with the magic wand of the then flourishing company. It started with Forte Oil Plc shares losing 40.26 percent at the stock market. This huge fall, few weeks into the life of a new owner, is already making some shareholders of the firm to begin to doubt the future of the company. They wondered why things have been on a free-fall since the departure of Otedola, with insinuations that the businessman might have seen this coming and decided to speak to his legs. Last week, the company also announced the postponement of its 40th Annual General Meeting. In a disclosure notice sent to the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Forte Oil’s new management seeks the approval for three months extension with no clear or tentative date on when the AGM will hold. This has raised a lot of concerns within the oil and gas industry with some pundits wondering if Sowami has not bitten off more than he can chew. Like a bolt from the blues, Sowami came into the picture as the strange man who bid for the stake of Otedola in the Forte Oil, a leading operator in the country’s downstream sector of the oil and gas industry, which has the third largest retail outlets in Nigeria. Though, said to have spent over 20 years in the Oil and Gas industry and highly-revered among his peers because of his intelligence coupled with his keen ability to take calculated risk which puts him ahead of his competitors, not many believe Sowami is really up for the game. Tales swirling around suggest that the Ogun State-born dude is fronting for some powerful cartel and that he could not outright sign cheques to move on with the operations of the oil giants, without consulting his ogas at the top. This, it was alleged, has inadvertently caused a lull in the operations of the company and also affected the commencement of the rebranding process of Forte Oil. But those close to Sowami are saying there is no cause for worry, as the astute businessman has kept his nose to the grindstone. Despite the expected initial challenges, Sowami will weather the storm and focus on the next phase of Forte Oil’s growth on increasing volumes, diversifying business operations, widening distribution networks and extracting potential synergies with partners. Sowami, in his late 40s, is not given to limelight, as he intentionally avoids the publicity of his personal brand. Over the years, he has managed to stay off the public eye until recently. According to a source, he left the country with his family upon acquiring Forte Oil to avoid vain attention from the press and prying public. As it stands, the big masquerade behind Sowami, is busy in Abuja as a federal lawmaker trying place his men in the Buhari government, and cannot find ample time to see to the activities of the newly-acquired Forte Oil.

https://www.airwavesreport.com/society/3165-the-enigmatic-protegee-wasiu-sowami-how-ibikunle-amosun-used-him-to-acquire-high-profile-investment

"No Corrupt Akwa Ibom Election Petitions Tribunal Member Will Escape Prosecution"- EFCC

The office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has confirmed that a junior member of one of the Election Tribunal panels sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State is being investigated. The EFCC confirmed that its office received a petition showing video evidence of how a junior member of one of the panels solicited for help for one of the political parties. The video evidence was recovered from the CCTV which serves as a security appliance mounted by the management of a hotel.
An EFCC officer who is privy to the investigation but would not want his name in print, confirmed that the EFCC Chairman has directed some officers to look into the investigation and report to him. "I can assure you, we have the video evidence and we are analysing it.
We will soon call a press conference and let the whole world see what transpired in the video.
The principal suspect has been invited sometime last month but his solicitor just informed us that he may not be able to attend the next questioning because of his health condition. But no matter what happens, the Commission will do justice to the all the parties involved", the officer said, on condition of anonimity, since he is not permitted to speak with the press.

https://www.airwavesreport.com/business/3102-the-essence-of-yomi-awobokun-in-oil-and-gas-sector

The great grand design to cheat Senator Godswill Akpabio…How a PDP major witness unraveled the big plot


The emanating revelation from Dr. Olosunde Williams, the PDP witness, who was the collation officer at the Presidential and National Assembly Elections, has just given a new twist to the aggravated case of Senator Akpabio at the on-going petitions tribunal. Dr. Williams was tape-recorded and actually confirmed to his girlfriend that the INEC-REC, Mike Igini, ordered him to cancel Senator Akpabio's votes at the INEC office in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital. In the voice-recorded, he confirmed that Akpabio polled over 60,000 votes in Essien Udim Local Government Area of the state. This revelation has just added more facts to the enabling facts that Godswill Akpabio was indeed cheated out of the election, which was duly and overwhelmingly won by the former two-time governor of the state. This is about the greatest display of corruption and indiscriminate abuse of office by Mike Igini and his cohorts in PDP.

AUDIO


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FTG2XuY7BI&feature=youtu.be

"INEC REC, Mike Igini, instructed me to cancel Akpabio's votes"  -  Dr William, PDP Witness.

The National Assembly elections petition tribunal sitting in Uyo was on Saturday stunned by revelations by a witness called by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Alloysius William that the Akwa Ibom State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Mike Igini instructed him to cancel votes that had already been collated for the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator Godswill Akpabio.

Engr Chris Ekpenyong of the PDP was declared winner of the Akwa Ibom North West  Senatorial  District election by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Senator Godswill Akpabio is challenging Ekpenyong’s declaration at the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Akwa Ibom State and had presented his witnesses in the case. Engr Ekpenyong had also called his witnesses and closed his case. 

At the resumed hearing of the petition on Saturday for the PDP to open its case, the Tribunal was shocked by revelations by Dr William, a lecturer in  the University of Uyo that results which had already been collated at the Local Government and Senatorial  District offices of INEC and which showed that Senator Akpabio had won convincingly were cancelled on the orders of the REC, Igini in his office in Uyo.

Dr William made these startling revelations during cross examination by Mr S. I Ameh, the lead Counsel to Senator Akpabio. 

The PDP Witness told the tribunal that as the Returning Officer for Essien Udim, Akpabio's home Local Government Area he personally prepared the result sheet which he entered the score for the candidate of the APC as 61,329 votes while the PDP candidate scored 9,050 votes.

According to the Witness, "I agree that adjustments were done. These adjustments reflected in the final scores. The adjustments were done outside Essien Udim LGA. They were done at INEC office in Uyo," he said. 

When asked to confirm the earlier  testimony of a Witness of Engr  Ekpenyong, the PDP candidate, Mr Anny Asikpo that he (the Returning  Officer) had at some point disappeared from the Collation centre, a dazed Dr William said: "I did not absconded (sic.)"

Another Witness, a Corps Member who was a Presiding Officer during the elections, Mr Endurance Zachary had claimed that the elections were marred by violence and he was coerced to make entries which gave the APC victory.

However on cross examination he admitted that he did not make any report to anyone about his claim that materials were hijacked by thugs. He also admitted that he was forced to write his name and signature but was stunned when Mr Ameh, Counsel to Senator Akpabio showed him documents he claimed he was coerced to write his name and he wrote his three names: Ikhuenbor Endurance Zachary whereas in his witness depositions that was not forced to write, he used two names only: Endurance Zachary.

Two other Corps Members who served as Presiding Officers, Mr Adebitimi Abraham and Ms Oni Hallelujah Grace could neither present their Identity cards as Corps Members nor any letter of engagement by INEC. Ms Oni claimed that she did not swear to any oath of neutrality before being deployed by INEC to conduct the elections. 

The case was subsequently adjourned to Tuesday, July 23 for presentation of more witnesses by the PDP and INEC.

http://thestreetjournal.org/2019/07/igini-asked-me-to-cancel-akpabios-result-in-essien-udim-lg-at-inec-headquarters-in-uyo-witness/

Documents Vindicate Akpabio on Supply of Dialysis Machine to Akwa Ibom Hospital


Persons with sinister motives have once again flooded the internet with fake stories about Senator Godswill Akpabio.
One of the fake stories is that the Senator diverted dialysis machines and other items meant for supply to the Cottage Hospital, Ukana, in Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.
Interestingly, these items were meant to be part of Senator Akpabio’s constituency projects! And Ukana is the Senator’s hometown, a place that has witnessed phenomenal transformation through Senator Akpabio’s contributions.
Beacon Creative Idea Nig Ltd, and not Senator Akpabio, is the supplier of the dialysis machine.
Dialysis machines are not sold in the local markets in Akwa Ibom state. If the supplier wanted to divert it as the peddlers of the fake news want the public to believe, whydidn’t he do so outside the shores of the state?
The public is hereby urged to discountenance the fake news flying around the internet about Senator Akpabio.


https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/340875-promoted-documents-vindicate-akpabio-on-supply-of-dialysis-machines-to-akwa-ibom-hospital.html


See documents below:
 

https://www.nairaland.com/5293511/icpc-raids-akpabios-business-premises#80273515

Nairaland...please take a look at the letters and judge Akpabio... lemme kip my mouth shut � ����

[b][/b]

AirwavesReport:
PRESS STATEMENT 


THE PURPORTED RAID RAID ON SENATOR AKPABIO'S BUSINESS PREMISES: MISCHIEF TAKEN TOO FAR 


The attention of His Excellency, Senator Godswill Akpabio has been drawn to a sensational report circulating in the social media about a purported raid by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) of a business premises owned by Senator Akpabio over alleged diversion of generators and hospital equipment. The report is totally unfounded as Senator Senator Akpabio does not own any business premises. 

The facts of the matter is that some operatives of the ICPC led by one Mr Tiku and the Border Community Development Agency led by Engr. Susan have been in communication with the contractor handling the contract for the supply of hospital equipment to Cottage Hospital,  Ukana, Essien Udim Local Government Area, a project initiated by Senator Godswill Akpabio. 

On July 9, 2019 the said officials of the ICPC and Border Community Development Agency informed an aide of Senator Akpabio that they were tracking constituency projects and would be glad to be shown to projects which Senator Akpabio has executed, a request that was received with great enthusiasm by the aide of Senator Akpabio. 

Among the projects visited by the team included a fully built and completed Skills Acquisition Centre in Ikot Ekpene and the Recreation Centre at the Federal Polytechnic, Ukana. They were also shown the medical equipment and generators which were kept in a warehouse which shares the same fence with the hospital. 

The officials were very impressed with the execution of the projects and praised Senator Akpabio for the faithful execution of the projects even when the full contract sums were yet to be paid. They promised to make recommendations to appropriate agency for the payment of the outstanding contract sums.

The said ICPC and Border Community Development Agency officials also visited the Cottage Hospital, Ukana where the Medical Superintendent, Dr Mary Paulinus Udoh acknowledged receipt of the medical equipment. The Medical Superintendent before the officials praised Senator Akpabio for his interventions in the hospital including the donation of a dialysis machine and all the parties agreed that the generators should be formally handed over to the hospital on July 10, 2019 by 10 am.

Senator Godswill Akpabio can hardly be faulted in the execution of constituency projects. He has initiated and completed 88 constituency projects cutting across Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District and even extending the projects to the other two Senatorial Districts in Akwa Ibom State with projects in Udung Uko and Ibiono in Eket and Uyo Senatorial Districts respectively. This is unprecedented. Even though most of the projects have not been fully paid for, most of them have been completed and put to use by benefiting communities. 

The officials of the Border Community Development Agency created the impression that after the verification and tracking of the projects, they would make recommendations to appropriate agencies for the payment of outstanding balance of the contract sums to the contractors. 

It therefore smacks of mischief taken too far that while the contractor as agreed by the Hospital Management was making arrangements for forklift to carry the heavy duty generators and formally hand them over to the Hospital Management,  some political jobbers went to town about a purported raid and diversion of the same equipment duly acknowledged by the Management of the hospital. 

We therefore urge the general public to discountenance this malicious report as fictitious, baseless and unfounded. Senator Godswill Akpabio remains committed to the welfare of the good people of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District whom he had given effective representation as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

THE PURPORTED RAID ON SENATOR AKPABIO'S BUSINESS PREMISES: MISCHIEF TAKEN TOO FAR 


The attention of His Excellency, Senator Godswill Akpabio has been drawn to a sensational report circulating in the social media about a purported raid by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) of a business premises owned by Senator Akpabio over alleged diversion of generators and hospital equipment. The report is totally unfounded as Senator Senator Akpabio does not own any business premises. 

The facts of the matter is that some operatives of the ICPC led by one Mr Tiku and the Border Community Development Agency led by Engr. Susan have been in communication with the contractor handling the contract for the supply of hospital equipment to Cottage Hospital,  Ukana, Essien Udim Local Government Area, a project initiated by Senator Godswill Akpabio. 

On July 9, 2019 the said officials of the ICPC and Border Community Development Agency informed an aide of Senator Akpabio that they were tracking constituency projects and would be glad to be shown to projects which Senator Akpabio has executed, a request that was received with great enthusiasm by the aide of Senator Akpabio. 

Among the projects visited by the team included a fully built and completed Skills Acquisition Centre in Ikot Ekpene and the Recreation Centre at the Federal Polytechnic, Ukana. They were also shown the medical equipment and generators which were kept in a warehouse which shares the same fence with the hospital. 

The officials were very impressed with the execution of the projects and praised Senator Akpabio for the faithful execution of the projects even when the full contract sums were yet to be paid. They promised to make recommendations to appropriate agency for the payment of the outstanding contract sums.

The said ICPC and Border Community Development Agency officials also visited the Cottage Hospital, Ukana where the Medical Superintendent, Dr Mary Paulinus Udoh acknowledged receipt of the medical equipment. The Medical Superintendent before the officials praised Senator Akpabio for his interventions in the hospital including the donation of a dialysis machine and all the parties agreed that the generators should be formally handed over to the hospital on July 10, 2019 by 10 am.

Senator Godswill Akpabio can hardly be faulted in the execution of constituency projects. He has initiated and completed 88 constituency projects cutting across Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District and even extending the projects to the other two Senatorial Districts in Akwa Ibom State with projects in Udung Uko and Ibiono in Eket and Uyo Senatorial Districts respectively. This is unprecedented. Even though most of the projects have not been fully paid for, most of them have been completed and put to use by benefiting communities. 

The officials of the Border Community Development Agency created the impression that after the verification and tracking of the projects, they would make recommendations to appropriate agencies for the payment of outstanding balance of the contract sums to the contractors. 

It therefore smacks of mischief taken too far that while the contractor as agreed by the Hospital Management was making arrangements for forklift to carry the heavy duty generators and formally hand them over to the Hospital Management,  some political jobbers went to town about a purported raid and diversion of the same equipment duly acknowledged by the Management of the hospital. 

We therefore urge the general public to discountenance this malicious report as fictitious, baseless and unfounded. Senator Godswill Akpabio remains committed to the welfare of the good people of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District whom he had given effective representation as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. 

https://www.airwavesreport.com/politics/3118-the-purported-raid-raid-on-senator-akpabio-s-business-premises-mischief-taken-too-far

PRESS STATEMENT 


THE PURPORTED RAID RAID ON SENATOR AKPABIO'S BUSINESS PREMISES: MISCHIEF TAKEN TOO FAR 


The attention of His Excellency, Senator Godswill Akpabio has been drawn to a sensational report circulating in the social media about a purported raid by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) of a business premises owned by Senator Akpabio over alleged diversion of generators and hospital equipment. The report is totally unfounded as Senator Senator Akpabio does not own any business premises. 

The facts of the matter is that some operatives of the ICPC led by one Mr Tiku and the Border Community Development Agency led by Engr. Susan have been in communication with the contractor handling the contract for the supply of hospital equipment to Cottage Hospital,  Ukana, Essien Udim Local Government Area, a project initiated by Senator Godswill Akpabio. 

On July 9, 2019 the said officials of the ICPC and Border Community Development Agency informed an aide of Senator Akpabio that they were tracking constituency projects and would be glad to be shown to projects which Senator Akpabio has executed, a request that was received with great enthusiasm by the aide of Senator Akpabio. 

Among the projects visited by the team included a fully built and completed Skills Acquisition Centre in Ikot Ekpene and the Recreation Centre at the Federal Polytechnic, Ukana. They were also shown the medical equipment and generators which were kept in a warehouse which shares the same fence with the hospital. 

The officials were very impressed with the execution of the projects and praised Senator Akpabio for the faithful execution of the projects even when the full contract sums were yet to be paid. They promised to make recommendations to appropriate agency for the payment of the outstanding contract sums.

The said ICPC and Border Community Development Agency officials also visited the Cottage Hospital, Ukana where the Medical Superintendent, Dr Mary Paulinus Udoh acknowledged receipt of the medical equipment. The Medical Superintendent before the officials praised Senator Akpabio for his interventions in the hospital including the donation of a dialysis machine and all the parties agreed that the generators should be formally handed over to the hospital on July 10, 2019 by 10 am.

Senator Godswill Akpabio can hardly be faulted in the execution of constituency projects. He has initiated and completed 88 constituency projects cutting across Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District and even extending the projects to the other two Senatorial Districts in Akwa Ibom State with projects in Udung Uko and Ibiono in Eket and Uyo Senatorial Districts respectively. This is unprecedented. Even though most of the projects have not been fully paid for, most of them have been completed and put to use by benefiting communities. 

The officials of the Border Community Development Agency created the impression that after the verification and tracking of the projects, they would make recommendations to appropriate agencies for the payment of outstanding balance of the contract sums to the contractors. 

It therefore smacks of mischief taken too far that while the contractor as agreed by the Hospital Management was making arrangements for forklift to carry the heavy duty generators and formally hand them over to the Hospital Management,  some political jobbers went to town about a purported raid and diversion of the same equipment duly acknowledged by the Management of the hospital. 

We therefore urge the general public to discountenance this malicious report as fictitious, baseless and unfounded. Senator Godswill Akpabio remains committed to the welfare of the good people of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District whom he had given effective representation as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

APC Counsel Accuses Akwa Ibom INEC of Bias as Tribunal Orders Immediate Release of Materials to Petitioner

Sebiribo Peters, counsel to Emmanuel Ekong, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ita Federal Constituency, who is challenging the declaration of Aniekan John Umanah of the Peoples Democrat Party (PDP), at the National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Uyo, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Akwa Ibom state of bias.

He made the allegation at the tribunal while informing it of INEC refusal to release documents to the petitioner despite several attempts, and in disobedience to an earlier order by the tribunal.

Peters had complained that INEC refused to give him certified true copy of receipt in payments for documents and some election materials especially in cancelled polling units in the constituency, to aid his case.

"I have been to INEC office severally without success. The last time I went I was told the person in charge is on leave and nobody knows when he will come back," Peters said.

Flowing from this, Chairman Justice W. Akanbi, lambasted INEC and the Reesident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Mike Igini, over what the tribunal considered as uncorporative attitude of the umpire to petitioners.

The Chairman wondered why INEC will refuse to release documents which it holds in trust for Nigerians no matter party affilition, whenever they are requested for.

Justice Akanbi said: "The Resident Commissioner should know that INEC is keeping the (materials) for the Federal Government. I hereby make an order that INEC must produce the documents in question to the petitioner within days rather 10 days INEC requested for. It should provide forthwith all documents regarding Abak/Etim Ekpo/Ita Federal Constituency to the petitioner."

The judge said he would hold INEC'S counsel, M.T Don Gospel responsible if it failed to provide the documents.
Meanwhile, Peters told The Street Journal it was surprising that INEC is with holding materials from those who requested for them.

"I commend the panel for the order because petitioners have made streanous effort to get election materials or documents to prosecute or defend their petitions. Most times when you get there they give one excuse or the other.


"INEC seems to have been a god and law unto themselves. With this order of this tribunal, which it has inherit power to do, I think we are now feeling that justice will be done according to the law in the petition."

He said his experience with the election umpire has been that INEC has defaulted in its own law.

"By law under section 77 of the Electoral Act, within 14 days of your application for election materials, INEC ought to give to you whatever you are looking for. And by section 77 (2) the REC will go to prison for 12 months and pay a fine of N12m if the materials are not made available. But the law has not been followed in this case."

Peters wondered how a petitioner or defendant will persue his or her case successfully when denied election materials.
"When you deny a petitioner or respondent materials, how do you hope he files his petition? So, it's like you are timing him to fail even right from the beginning."

He regretted that he has since requested for the materials since March and until now, July he is still battling to get them.

"I think INEC officials in Uyo should wake up to their responsibility. They should not behave as if they are law and god unto themselves, unfortunately, that is what is playing out and it is bad," he summed.

https://www.airwavesreport.com/politics/3110-apc-counsel-accuses-akwa-ibom-inec-of-bias-as-tribunal-orders-immediate-release-of-materials-to-petitioner

PHOTOS: Protesters take over Mike Igini manipulated election results to favour PDP

Protesters take to AkwaIbom's street after the daming revelation of how Akwaibom REC chairman, Mike Igini manipulated election results to favour PDP in the last general election in Akwaibom by witnesses who testified at Akwa Ibom Election tribunal.

Brains and Hammers set to Built 117House Units in Lagos

In the wake of making a better living for the society, a leading player in the Nigerian real estate sector; Brains and Hammers Limited has announced a first-of-its-kind working relationship with the cooperative society of major International Oil Companies (IOCs), particularly Shell and Mobil.
The partnership provides for the delivery of 117 Housing Units across three hectares of land behind NICON TOWN in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State. The property which is named COOPEAST Resort Estate is expected to be fully built and ready for occupation in 24 Months, starting from the ground breaking event which takes effect on Saturday, June 29.

Brains and Hammers has an enviable portfolio which consists of over 2000 completed residential homes across Nigeria and ongoing work in over 3000 more. One of its most ambitious developments to date is the Brains and Hammers City in LifeCamp, Abuja. The 3500 unit-city will cater to mid and high level residents at affordable prices. Some of the facilities in the ultra-modern city include restaurants, schools, banks, a five-star hotel, high-end security facilities, jogging tracks, gyms and swimming pools.

Mr. Omo Osobase, Director of Sales for Brains and Hammers explained the involvement of his company in the project. He said,

"This is our first push with a Cooperative society. We hope to deepen this relationship, hopefully create a working model for cooperative societies. This is our contributory drive to ensure cooperative societies are able to harness their housing potentials in providing affordable housing for its members. Brains and Hammers acknowledge the interest rate implication in getting Mortgages, especially in our volatile environment.
The concept of an effective cooperative society is embedded in its funding model. This model remains, one of our strategies we strongly believe could help address this ever increasing housing deficit in Nigeria. That is why we have decided to work in tandem with the vision of Shell East Staff Investment Cooperative Society to provide affordable and decent housing for their members."

In addition, Osobase added that Brains and Hammers is eager to make a success of the Shell East Staff Investment Cooperative Society “Coopeast Resort Estate” to entrench its tradition of excellence in quality and affordable housing delivery.

"It is a win-win for all the parties involved in this transaction- the cooperative, the cooperators and Brains &Hammers. We are very open to working with other cooperatives and members of the public generally. It is a partnership that is very promising and we want to use this medium to reach other cooperatives .We are very hopeful that this will lead to a new era of advancement in housing infrastructure across Nigeria."

Advising other excos of cooperative that is keen on providing qualitative affordable housing to their members to follow the executive of “Coopeast”. Osobase noted that in the past, the leadership of many cooperatives had their fingers burnt in an attempt to engage in building housing estate for members which they did not have core competence in. He said, "This is not their area of core competence, so their attempt often faltered, not for lack of good intention, but because they do not have the cure competence to execute such projects. However, with this partnership, the cooperative provides the funding while the developer whose cure expertise is to carry out the project construction then builds.

Mr Osobase also explained that their is so much advantage the cooperative members stand to achieve from their cooperative society,example is cheaper loans compared to the usual 23% interest rate from financial institutions and also get very attractive discount from the developer since they buy in volume.
Disclosing the plan for the Coopeast Estate, Osobase said the estate will comprise of four types of accommodation including Three bedroom flat all ensuite with BQ,four bedroom all ensuite with BQ and four seem detached duplex all ensuite with BQ.The last category ‘the King's House', with five bedrooms, penthouse, a study,boys quarters and a guest house.

Commenting on the company's track record, the Chairman, Mr. Adebola Sheidu, said,

“We are happy to have people repose the kind of trust they have in banks in us. People buy into our estates, immediately we announce our intention to building and while construction is on-going, it is already fully subscribed. That has been our experience since we delivered the first estate in Abuja. We were persuaded to come to Lagos by satisfied clients who also wanted a house in Lagos. We hold that trust in very high esteem and try to reciprocate the goodwill to our customers. We place a high premium on the integrity and the quality of our structures. We deliver value for money.”

Recalling how the emergence of Brains and Hammers changed the real estate business in Abuja, the real estate promoter, said previously a detached house was sold at between N100 million and N120 million.

“We brought the price down to between N60 million and N70 million. People who invest in our projects enjoy a massive return-on-investment of over 80 per cent within 18 months. There is hardly any business you can do that will guarantee that kind of return-on-investment. Now, a lot of people try to key into our projects early.”

Brains and Hammers current development portfolio consists of residential projects within Lagos and Abuja. The sites include Life Camp, Galadima, Gwarimpa, Apo 1, Apo 11, Apo 111, Apo IV, Apo V, all in Abuja; Ijora and along the Lekki corridor in Lagos.

https://www.airwavesreport.com/business/3103-brains-and-hammers-set-for-117house-units-in-lagos

COURT DRAMA as Engr Chris Ekpenyong presents fake Agent as Witness. As another claims blindness in Tribunal.

The Senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District, Engr Chris Ekpenyong on Monday opened his defence at the National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal sitting in Uyo by calling a witness who accepted he was a fake agent during the elections.

Mr Kufre Augustine from Abia Okpo Ikot Nkap in Obot Akara Local Government Area, claimed to have been the Local Government Collation Agent for Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) but under cross examination by S. I. Ameh, SAN Counsel to Senator Godswill Akpabio, the Witness agreed that his party did not have a candidate in the election.

The Witness agreed that the acronyms of all the Political parties were usually stated on the result sheets but when Mr Ameh showed him the Obot Akara Local Government result which he claimed he was an Agent, his party was not listed.

Counsel to Senator Akpabio asked the Witness "were you agent to ZLP that had no candidate or were you Agent to the candidate of another political party?" he asked. The Witness answered that he was the Agent to ZLP which had no candidate in the election.

Also led in evidence by Mr Ameh, Witness accepted to have lied on oath when he agreed that he is a teaching staff of Akwa Ibom State College of Technology contrary to his deposition on oath that he is a businessman.

Earlier there was mild drama in the Tribunal when another Witness called by Engr Ekpenyong, Mr Sylvester Inyang of Ikot Ukana in Obot Akara Local Government Area suddenly claimed he had developed eye problems and could not read the documents presented to him which were admitted as exhibits in the Tribunal.

The document which is an INEC certified true copy of the election result in Obot Akara Local Government Area showed that the total number of votes cast exceeded the number of accredited voters.

But when asked to read the figures from the exhibit document, the Witness claimed he could not see from the same document he had earlier answered questions from the PDP Lawyer. "My Lord I have eye problems, I cannot see again," he said amidst laughter in the Tribunal.

It was the contention of Mr Ameh that since the INEC document tendered by the PDP showed that the number of votes in the Local Government Area of the PDP candidate, exceeded the number of accredited voters, the result ought to have been cancelled but the Witness claimed he could neither see the figures not what was written on the document.

The matter was adjourned to Tuesday for the Respondent to present more witnesses.


https://www.airwavesreport.com/politics/3101-engr-chris-ekpenyong-presents-fake-agent-as-witness-as-another-claims-blindness-in-tribunal

Election Tribunal: Witnesses reveal how INEC Cancelled Akpabio’s Result

More revealing facts, evidences and testimonies have continued to trail the on-going hearing session on the petition filed by Senator Godswill Akpabio seeking for nullification of the declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of Dr.  Christopher Ekpenyong, as the Senator elect. 

National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal sitting in Uyo, on Friday admitted more witnesses to give testimonies on the National Assembly election conducted  in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District on February 23, 2019.

"Wonders they say shall never end", this has been the experience of witnesses at the on-going National Assembly Elections Petition tribunal. Witnesses have informed the tribunal  that INEC surprised them with shocking news of cancellation on collated results compiled from their Units and Wards and also alleged that INEC has reproduced new voters register, which they said were not used on election day. 

Seven witnesses that testified on Senator Akpabio's petition told the three-man panel of the tribunal that they were so amazed to hear that collated election results obtained from their units and wards were cancelled by INEC after they were announced at respective polling  units and wards. 

They added that the petitioner, Senator Godswill Akpabio won convincingly from all the units and wards that results  were collated and announced. 

According to the Ward Agent in Okon Ward 8 Essien Udim Local Government Area,  he was shocked to hear that the results he signed at his ward collation centre were cancelled by INEC in Uyo, and insisted that he only heard about the cancellation in the court room. 

Responding, the lead counsel to the third respondent (INEC),  Mr. Ifeoluwa Otediran, Esq. said that the reason why INEC cancelled election results in 17 out of 20 pulling units in Okon Ward 8 was because voters resister used for accreditation were not ticked, and that INEC believed that there was no accreditation of voters. 

"My Lord,  it is not true. There was accreditation and our names were ticked in my Ward before we were allowed to cast our votes and the same thing was done in other polling units which our Party agents informed me about. There was no cancellation in my presence. I was a Ward collation officer for my Party", the stunned Witness replied Otediran.

Testifying on INEC form EC8B1 for code 06 (Odoro Ikot Ward 6) of 05 registration area, a  Witness told the tribunal that he was suprised to hear  for the first time inside the tribunal that results in the entire 10 polling units in his Ward were cancelled by INEC in Uyo. He further testified that voters register presented to him in the tribunal was far different from the one INEC brought to the area on election day.

"My Lord, these documents tendered here are  different from the one INEC gave to us in all the polling units in Ward 8 in Odoro Ikot, Essien Udim Local Government Area on election day.  

"It is a surprise that INEC gave us photocopied documents. I am surprise that there were original documents. Our names were tick on the voters register they gave to us but this one brought here at the tribunal as evidence by INEC; it is shocking  that our names on the box are not ticked". Witness testified.

The same sad scenario was also experienced in Ukana West Ward 10 and Ukana East Ward 9, both agents discovered at the tribunal that all collated results in 7 and 10 polling units in the two Wards were cancelled by INEC without their knowledge.

They also lamented that certified true copy of voters register presented at the tribunal by INEC; their passport and accreditation marked tick on the register at the polling units were not found on the register .

The witnesses also testified that voters register that were used for accreditation on election day were  rough, and according to them, was as a result that ad-hoc staff were opening them consistently for accreditation of voters but they were surprised that what was presented by INEC were new documents.

The testimonies by witnesses according to legal analysts was revealing of how some officials of INEC conspired to cancelled the results of Senator Akpabio to reduce his votes and declare his opponent as the winner of the election. More revelations are expected as the Petitioner calls more witnesses.

The lead counsel to the petitioner, Mr.  S. I. Ameh, SAN was granted June 19 and 20 by the tribunal  to present all his witnesses to continue their testimonies.


https://www.airwavesreport.com/politics/3063-election-tribunal-witnesses-reveal-how-inec-cancelled-akpabio-s-result

Associates Honour Amaechi with Book Reading

Businessman and politician Prince Tonye Princewill hosted a motley audience of professionals at Freedom Park to mark the birthday of the former governor of Rivers State and current Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi who turned 54 on Monday, May 27.

The occasion was one-of-kind for Amaechi who is better known in the political quarters. Jilting the conventional glitz and glam of birthday celebration for a reading session and poetry performance, Princewill and Hon. George Tolofari alongside other friends of the Minister of Transportation showcased an Amaechi who is every inch a literature buff.

This comes as a surprise to those who are familiar with the man better known as Lion of Niger Delta but the compere, Jahman Anikulapo, a literary icon himself recounted to the audience that Amaechi was one of the few governors in the country whose love for literature is very admirable. He told the audience how Amaechi supported the Rainbow Book Club which started advocacy programmes in 2005 to draw attention to the importance of reading to personal and national development. His unwavering stance to that cause fetched Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers state the distinguished honour of the U.N.E.S.C.O World Book Capital City in 2014 while he was still in office.

But the biggest reveal came from Princewill who described the avid reader Amaechi embodies.

"Most people don't know about the literary side of Amaechi, they only know about the controversial side of him. But he has a strong literary side to him. Amaechi can read three books at the same time. Usually when he finds a novel he really likes, he buys several copies for his friends. He is a fan of books. Part of the reason he is a fighter is because he is knowledgeable having read so many books about how things are and how they are supposed to be. That has somehow evoked a rebellious spirit in him so when you see him reacting certain ways, it is because of the import of the knowledge gathered in books."

For the reading session, Woke Soyinka's 'The Man Died' was chosen for two reasons. First, like so many in the literary world, Soyinka is considered the father of literature and Amaechi is no exception. The other reason being that the novel which was written by the professor during his incarceration at the peak of the Nigerian Civil War is a product of his experience as a fighter of the people, a role which Amaechi played during his governorship days where he curtailed the reign of terror and brigandage in Rivers.

The book however was not the only thing the organisers got right. The reading panel comprised individuals from different walks of life who have in one way or the other encountered the visionary politician. They include prolific environmental rights campaigner and art promoter Sir Newton Jibunoh; author and poet Reginald Ofodile; veteran actress, Joke Silva; publisher of men lifestyle magazine Modemen, Abubakar Tafawa-Balewa; and corporate entrepreneur Rick Nwanso.

Amaechi has in one way or the other affected their lives and they didn't hesitate to tell the audience. Newton recalled how Amaechi defied the harmattan weather and drove all the way from Port Harcourt to Asaba to attend his summit. To him, this was an exceptional example of altruism. The occasion was a way of repaying his kindness since they have not seen each other for a long time. Tafawa-Balewa recalled the many times he has sat with the Minister, picked his brain and realised the distinguished intellectual he was. Thus, it wasn't a surprise that he has graced the glossy covers of his magazine more than once.

Though the initial plan was to stick with 'The Man Died' but Silva brought a twist to it when she vocally dramatised a section of Wole Soyinka's 'Ake'. Her performance received a loud applause. Being that the Minister's birthday coincided with a Children's Day celebration, there were echoes by members of the audience for children to be equipped with books for both personal and national development.

While Amaechi was in absentia, his friend and ally, Hon. George Tolofari rained accolades on him, highly impressed by how the former governor has reached the echelons of power.

"Amaechi may have not been born great like a child with a silver spoon but he has worked very hard to be who he is today and that is why we are celebrating him. Before he assumed office as governor, shortly after we left the National Assembly, myself and a few friends wanted to throw him a surprise birthday party and we were begging people to join us. But they turned it down, because at the time Amaechi was embattled. Nobody wanted to identify with someone they see as a failure. Only his few friends that believed in him. Today, I'm delighted that it is a national event for this young man."

With the generous flow of drinks and other refreshment, it didn't matter that Amaechi was not there in person or is yet to write a book. What was more instructive was that he is a fighter of the people and a staunch supporter of the Nigerian literary world.

https://www.airwavesreport.com/society/3052-associates-honour-amaechi-with-book-reading

Irukera as the Right Fit in Kogi

By George Oyedepo

Kogi is on everybody’s mind. Mine own too. Since Presidential elections ended, the news has been awash with the failures and corruption of the administration of Governor Yahaya Bello and the anguish and sufferings of the people of Kogi. There is always news about the pain and poverty inflicted by not paying salaries of most for over three years, and some for between seven and 20 months in a state where nothing but civil service and local government employment are the sole and only industry.

In Kogi, everything is now comatose whether it is buka, school, food selling, clothes and every single stream of commerce. Only recharge card for data and reading or posting the pains of the state is a viable business. But GYB affected that one too when draconically he shut down MTN base stations to harass them to pay money. Who does that? In a government where the centre is doing Ease of Doing Business and trying to attract investors, one governor just shuts down base stations of the largest GSM company. What is supposed to be good and joyful news also causes death in Kogi. Anyone looking should see that there is a spiritual dimension to this. There is a governor whose only preoccupation is running from pillar to post, looking for a second term not minding what people are going through. There is fear of him all over the land. For a nonperforming and dismal failure of a governor the only declared opposition is from a former military man who was Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Jibrin Usman because he believes he can match him gun-for-gun, fire-for-fire. The saddest part is that many Kogites are cheering the candidate because he can match GYB’s violence. That is how bad Kogi has become. How dehumanizing. That qualification for support to run as governor is whether you have capacity and audacity for violence. Never mind that this can mean replacing an acclaimed corrupt governor with a worse person. What is Kogi’s offence? Can Nigeria ever be delivered?

A recent viral clip of news showed an Edward Onoja, GYB’s Chief of Staff upbraiding one of the candidates who has shown interest in Kogi governorship, Seidu Ogar, DG NASDRA for corrupt practices and selling employment for One Million Naira each to Kogites, He detailed how Jibrin Usman is currently an accused person in the dock standing criminal charges. He went after Ahmadu Ali for long-standing corruption allegation even though he is an elder states man. He challenged the Audu sons Mohammed Abubakar Audu and Mona Abubakar Audu for benefitting from the corrupt wealth of their late father who was under EFCC investigation and trial till he sadly passed away on the eve of announcing his victory in the governorship elections. He said they have no single item on their CVs for anything they have ever achieved apart from being Prince Abubakar Audu’s children and lots of sleaze about their morality and how they treat and sexually and physically abuse women. GYB’s own Ganajagate is no more news and what is news now is a hacking of Onoja’s Facebook account and discovery of sexually explicit sleazy conversations, images and videos of several women including young girls of as little as 17 years. In a sane clime, this is called pedophilia and the person will be in jail as a sex offender. There are also chats with his acolytes on how to set people up including taking nude photos or photo-shopping other pictures to blackmail and intimidate. This is the story of a governor and his Chief of Staff who are using the enormous powers of their office to victimize, abuse and exploit the citizens whether by stealing, not paying salaries or sexually. What a dirty but vicious circle of unending hopelessness and victimization. Things have fallen apart and the center can no longer hold. This sad story of Kogi should make us all weep as a country.

Kogi is a state of more than five million people and over one million registered voters. Can it be that there are no decent people there? How can it be that the line-up of those warming up and those in incumbency are so morally bankrupt or established as corrupt or at least questionably corrupt? There is a problem. We are not even talking about the competence of any of the people yet, we are still talking about their reputation.

For people looking from outside and feeling sorry for Kogi, we should be afraid for ourselves. The problem is next door. Ironically, Kogi uniquely shares borders with 10 other states. Whatever is happening in Kogi can, happen everywhere. Leadership should have standards. The lowest standard anywhere is potentially the acceptable standard everywhere. We should all be very afraid of how low and below sea level Kogi has taken qualification for leadership because as the lawyers say, it will become the generally applicable standard. The weakest link of any chain is the test of the full strength of the chain.

In all of their problems, Kogites are still talking about what they don’t want and what has failed them as a people. But is that enough? If we replace a bad egg with another bad egg, our options are for things to remain bad or get worse. With their desperation and how they are going, Kogites are not thinking or planning the standard for replacement. Some are not even considering it. They are united against is to chase their Greatest Yoke and Burden (GYB) away. They want their torment to end so they want the tormentor to go. I remember the story in the Bible where the people wanted a new king without caring who it will be because their king was bad and wicked. It did not matter who came, they just wanted the incumbent out. They got another one and celebrated the exit of the old one. The new one told them the old king chastised them with whips but he will chastise them with scorpions. Their story became bad to worse, frying pan to fire.

Kogi is in deep despair and cannot help herself. Who can save Kogi? The father of the nation, President Muhammadu Buhari and APC NWC can save Kogi. Kogites are Nigerians too. They can help Kogi find and enthrone a leader that will assuage their pains by taking them out of doldrums. Since Kogites are not even able to think of the leadership that is correct for them, the President and APC can give them choices that can work for them so that they don’t remain under the GYB affliction or move from that affliction to another affliction. For the President, it sounds like assistance but truly it is a duty and responsibility. The President can direct the party to ensure that their screening process only produce good candidates who meet standards and even raise standards. That is all. Democracy will work well like that and the people will get what is good. If the President and APC remain silent and don’t do this, they would fail to rescue Kogi and that cancer of pain and failure of leadership in Kogi will spread to the rest of the body, Nigeria.

I have read a little about Kogi’s history and people and about their geopolitics. The East who are Igalas have voting power because they are majority. The West mostly Okuns is next and the Central, the Ebiras is the smallest. The West and Central together can barely match East. From 1999 to 2015 the East under different parties held sway, ruling the state. From 2015 to now, the smallest Central has held sway. The West has never had opportunity. This is like Nigeria. The only difference in Kogi and Nigeria is that one is called Central and not North. Somehow, power has rotated in Nigeria inspite of the higher voting power of the North. This happened because of patriotic action to ensure fairness and justice by rotation. If leaders of the country in different generations did not agree and enforce, it is possible that there will be a major zone of this country that has never ruled. If the leaders didn’t make sure that fairness happens, one zone can continue perpetually or a permanent partnership between two zones will keep one out permanently. Since the East of Kogi is strongly pushing for power shift because they want power back, why can the power not shift for the first time to the West for fairness and justice? The President and father of the nation and leadership of the political parties can help and follow the example of our forefathers who have etched their names in our history for what they have done.

I do not support any particular candidate but I will use one as an example. It does not have to be him but some of the things that are in the public domain about him can be a pointer to what we all can use to find the right group that Kogi can choose from. If they get a correct group and decision they make will be a correct decision. I don’t know him personally, I have never met him, but I hear and read much and see on TV. He is Babatunde Irukera, the Director General of the Consumer Protection Council. I don’t recommend him but acting like a class teacher in the class there are things about him that can be example. He can never be the only one but he is the one whose name has come up in may write ups I have read in papers and online and sometime ago I saw his profile on some social media platforms.

If the push for power shift will be actualized, Irukera is from the West of Kogi, the place that has never ruled. If it is fairness that has kept Nigeria going, Irukera as governor of Kogi State is for fairness and justice.

If it is talk about competence and fit, Irukera’s profile shows what he has achieved as a lawyer. When I read his profile, he reminded me of a mini clone of our most respected and revered Vice President only to find out that he has worked for him before. Apart from that, two years ago I did not know that there was an agency in Nigeria called Consumer Protection Council and many people too didn’t know. After his short time, CPC is a household name where you can go when you have not been treated well. The agency has a reputation that it will fight for people’s rights and is professionally managed and very responsive not like most government agencies. The agency was where Kogi is now which is in coma and almost dead. His achievement of bringing it to life and making it strong and effective is what Kogi needs, a competent hand with experience and public show of how they have done it before.

In everything I have read, what I am seeing is a competent professional technocrat with deep political understanding and network. The previously unknown CPC that was at war with other agencies and not able to operate maximally, has experienced a positive turn-around but under Irukera. There is collaboration in joint investigation with NCC, joint enforcement with NAFDAC, joint advisory with SEC, joint meeting with NCAA, joint banking regulations with CBN, joint town hall meetings on electricity with NERC, joint launch of Patients Bill of Rights with Ministry of Health. To think that this is happening in a country where regulators are always fighting each other, while citizens suffer. This shows teamwork and collaborative effort. Rescuing Kogi needs someone who can bring a team together and lead them and can also heal the ethnic division and bitterness. Central and East are worst enemies in Kogi now. A right personality from the West can be the magic the state needs.

I have also read of his achievement of getting a new law for the CPC that has brought competition work into CPC. One can read that getting this law was against heavy opposition because it had been attempted and not successful and ongoing for over 18 years because big companies didn’t want it, other regulators didn’t want it and National Assembly was fighting with Executive. This shows someone who has temperamental balance and focus for achieving objectives and knows how to navigate to that purpose. He achieved this in less than two years which is less than half of one term of a governor. The last thing Kogi needs now is a politician or another politician. A competent professional achiever who understands politics is what is needed because the person can sue their professional knowledge and network to proffer solutions for Kogi and at the same build political unity and cooperation.

Very importantly, many of what is available about him describe him as urbane, compassionate exposed, listening, humble and transparent. If these truly describes any singular person, then they are the virtues Kogi and any other state needs. There is no corruption allegation or moral bankruptcy allegations against him unlike the names we are reading and he does not seem to have been part of the political bitterness that has caused serious infighting in Kogi. These are the standards we should be putting forward and this can be the beginning of many with right virtues coming in. People who have something at stake and have no choice but to deliver. This is a process Lagos has perfected and we can all see the difference.

Irukera can be an example not even necessarily to be the person or the solution. I know that there are some who can do a great job, but, even for the states that have worked and positions in government that have succeeded, not many have come to the job with what he has achieved so far. Kogi and Nigeria has many qualified persons in the persona of Irukera. That is what we should be looking for and I strongly believe this is where President Buhari and the APC leaderships can help.

https://www.airwavesreport.com/politics/3051-irukera-as-the-right-fit-in-kogi

What Godfatherism will do…The Muiz Banire Factor


If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude. It is your attitude, more than your aptitude, and that is what determines the height of your achievement in life.

Many people think that luck plays a major role in the lives of successful people, but I don't think so, because I believe awareness, information and company of people you interact with, often than not determine the level of your success.

Take for example, people living in villages. They never dream of buying an aero-plane. Most of them have never entered a car in their lives, not to talk of a plane. So they don't have the ambition of owning a plane. If you were in Europe, your first contact will determine how you will end up in life.

The people you associate with will determine the type of job and career you are likely to end up with. I remember when astute politician, Senator Ganiu Solomon brought Barrister Muiz Banire to Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu in the year 2003, some of us were not happy, because we preferred Dr. Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat. Hamzat had graduated from University of Ibadan and was a strong member of the Muslim Students Union.

Of course, very reliable and intelligent, Banire comes from the same Mushin axis with Dr Hamzat; he was made a commissioner for 12 years and later, Legal Adviser to the All Progressives Congress (APC) national by Asiwaju Tinubu. Banire was then the youngest among us all.

I was looking for an opportunity to become a commissioner under the late Lam Adesina administration at that time, but I was told by Baba Bisi Akande that Aare Arisekola was pro-North and their party AD is anti-North. And besides, I was too young to serve under Baba Lam Adesina.

So he directed me to go back to Ibadan and collect a written letter from Aare that he wanted me to join their party, AD. So, the opportunity that Muiz Banire had in Lagos was not available in Oyo. Bola Ahmed Tinubu did not place embargo on age limit, and we did not have that in Oyo. Majority of Asiwaju's kitchen cabinet members then were young and intelligent guys.

When it came out in the media that Banire was asking an un-intelligent question of how to defeat godfathers in Lagos, I wasn't surprised because, he was only fortunate to be in the right place at the right time. Some of us who he met in politics are still struggling till today.

He was introduced to national politics by the same godfather who he is now thinking of defeating. What an irony! But I think some of us are always over-rating people above their intellectual capacity. When a Senior Advocate of Nigeria from the South-West now needs someone like Nasir El-Rufai to lecture him on how to defeat a godfather in the South West, it really becomes doubtful.

If that SAN had any intellectual ability, it brings to question on his integrity. In fact, this is awkward. Banire's paternity and academic qualification need proper scrutiny. I even doubt his Yoruba lineage. There is a popular proverb in Ibadan that it is easy to take people out of Mushin but very difficult to take Mushin out of them. Banire is just showing the Mushin part of him. Simple!

Wole Arisekola, a media practitioner and political editor, writes from Ibadan.

Nill

Sen Akpabio’s legal team inspects election materials used in his senatorial district!
… As PDP rejects forensic inspection of ballot papers and other election materials

After almost a week of exchange of blames, accusations and counter-accusations, the legal team of Senator Godswill Akpabio, (Akwa Ibom Northwest, today, Tuesday, April 23, 2019, finally inspected the election materials used in the last senatorial election in the area. Senator Akpabio’s team of lawyers, led by Patrick Umoh, was at the state headquarters of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Udo Udoma Avenue, Uyo, Akwa Ibom state around 10am for the inspection.

It was gathered that the ongoing inspection process was stopped last Tuesday because of the Easter holidays after Akpabio’s lead counsel, Umoh, accused INEC of preventing his team from accessing and inspecting the materials.

They were led by the INEC officials to the Strong Room where the materials stacked in heaps were sorted out.
However, Barrister Ekom Nwoko, one of the lawyers representing the PDP at the election petition tribunal, said he was at the venue to observe inspection by the petitioners, having been joined as a respondent in the matter.

Nwoko disclosed that the PDP and the first respondent, Dr. Christopher Ekpenyong, have filed a motion for the tribunal to set aside some reliefs granted ex parte at the tribunal, especially the forensic examination of election materials.
Expressing the hope that some reliefs would be set aside, Nwoko added,

“Our motion is premised on section 151 of the Electoral Act, and inspection of Electoral materials does not cover forensic examination of materials. That is the premise of our motion, and likely, the motion will come up next week, but we have not got a date yet.”

Speaking in an interview few hours later, the Public Affairs Officer of INEC, Akwa Ibom state, Mr. Don Etukudo, said the legal team of Akpabio was able to sort out the election materials for the ten local government areas of the Akwa Ibom ( Northwest) senatorial district.

In his words,

“You have seen that the inspection process is going on. The legal team of the APC started the process of inspection of the election materials when we took them to the Strong Room and they saw the materials. What the APC legal team has been able to do today is to bring out the election materials for all the ten local government areas. By tomorrow (Wednesday) they will start the actual inspection of the materials. They will start with Abak, Etim Ekpo and Ika local government areas.”

Etukudo, who noted that the team was able to sort out election materials for the ten local government areas before 4:00pm, stressed that he had no doubt that the challenge of sorting the materials out from the stacked heaps would be surmounted.
On when inspection of materials for other cases at the tribunal would commence, Etukudo explained that the tribunal asked the commission to make materials available to only Ikot Ekpene Senatorial district. Senator Godswill Akpabio of the APC had few weeks ago approached the Election Petition Tribunal in the state to challenge the results of the February 23, 2019 elections which saw Dr. Christopher Ekpenyong, of the PDP winner.

Recall PremiumTimes.com published earlier weeks back, that INEC, shortly after the February 23, 2019 national election, had suspended the announcement of results in Akwa Ibom North-West District, where Godswill Akpabio contested for re-election. According to an INEC official in the state then, Senator Akpabio’s major challenger, Chris Ekpenyong of the PDP, was leading in the results announced so far before the commission took a decision to suspend further announcement. “We are having some issues with the election in Essien Udim Local Government Area,” said the official who did not want his name mentioned in this report then, because he was not authorized to speak on the matter. “If we accept the results from the local government area, Akpabio’s votes will overshoot that of Chris Ekpenyong. There are issues in the results which we are yet to be resolved,” the official said. Essien Udim, where Senator Akpabio comes from, is said to be one of the local government areas with a large voter’s population in the state. The senator in a result released on Saturday by INEC in his own polling unit, Ukana West Ward 2, scored 1, 533 votes, while Mr Ekpenyong, a former deputy governor of the state, scored just four votes. Senator Akpabio’s party, the APC, before the commencement of the elections, had accused the Resident Electoral Commissioner, (REC) in Akwa Ibom, Mike Igini, of being partisan in favour of the PDP. The APC had called for Mr Igini’s re-deployment from the state. The PDP responded by saying the APC was agitated because the REC refused to be “compromised” by the party. Mr. Igini has a reputation in Nigeria as being an incorruptible electoral officer. If Akpabio fails to win re-election, it would be a major political upset in the state. This was the situation before the tribunal ordered an inspection of the election materials by Akpabio’s legal team.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/315856-inec-suspends-announcement-of-results-in-akpabios-senatorial-district.html

’Akpabio can’t be written off in Akwa Ibom politics’

Etekamba Umoren was Chief of Staff to former Akwa Ibom Governor Godswill Obot Akpabio. He was Secretary to the Government under Governor Udom Emmanuel. He spoke with BASSEY ANTHONY on the place of Senator Akpabio in the politics of the Southsouth state.

Senator Godswill Akpabio is being perceived as a ruthless politician who plays god. As one of his close allies, is it true he plays god?
It is a pity that human beings have such short memory. It is also unfortunate that our level of ingratitude has risen so high. Sometimes, I ask God to forgive us for our ingratitude. If God were to judge us from the angle of ingratitude towards Godswill Akpabio, some people will go to bed and not wake up. Now, to answer your question directly; I have known Godswill Akpabio for not less than 20 years. I knew him from when he was appointed commissioner. The Godswill Akpabio I know does not and has never played god.

So, who is Godswill Akpabio?
Godswill Akpabio is a very forgiving fellow; a very humane man, a man who loves his people, a man who gets hurt because he sees a fellow human being suffering. He feels the pain. Sometimes I read about what people write about him and I ask myself is it the same Godswill Akpabio that I know? I think if they are all sincere with themselves, over 99.99 percent of the things people write against him are untrue. He is a human being too and you must leave out the 1% because he errs; he is not an angel. Most of the write-ups you see against Godswill Akpabio are politically motivated. The authors of the writers of the falsehood against Akpabio are paid to cook up those stories. My joy is that within themselves they know what they are writing is false. When a man is rising, some people think the best way is to put him down. The question is: after putting him down, what do you stand to gain? Will you take over his position? No, this is because it wasn’t meant for you. I think we need to be a lot more careful with the things we write and always remember that there is posterity and that there is a tomorrow.

Akpabio was highly revered in the state and beyond, even outside the shores of this country but at some point the table turned. What really happened? Yes

He left the state and went up to the national level. The politics we play in the state is not the same politics played at the national. You will agree with me that when you are out there, you see things differently. He went there and saw things differently and moved over.

Will we honestly say that he is the first politician in this country to move from one party to the other or that since he moved, no other person has moved or has he shut the way from other people to move?

What is so special about his moving from PDP to APC that will warrant all manner of hatred and negative venting of venom? Why would a so-called man of God invoke curses on a man who has not done anything wrong to him?

Don’t you think it is because he didn’t consult some stakeholders in the state before moving from PDP to APC?

What was he consulting for? Did he consult you when he made you smile and live big or made you go to school? Those that are asking about consultation, did he consult them when he was made them commissioners, speaker, special assistants, senior special assistant on technical matters or Deputy governor? Let’s not allow sentiments to cloud our sense of judgment.



Are you saying Akpabio is being demonized for no genuine reason?

Some years back when I was his Chief of Staff, we attended a burial in Uruan. He was the Governor then, and Reverend Uma Ukpai was preaching.

He said: “Akpabio, don’t be bothered about what people say or write as long as you are doing the right thing. Its only the mango tree that bears ripe fruit that receives the largest number of stones” if a mango tree doesn’t bear fruit, no child, even a mad man will not throw stones at him. There must be something very positive about Akpabio that some people are trying to dim. In a nutshell, what Rev Uma Ukpai said is what I stand for. If Akpadio went to the National assembly and was sleeping or unproductive, no one will say a thing. So the issue now is why him?

Akpabio’s era as governor has been linked to killings and kidnappings thereby portraying him as a violent person. Is he a violent man?

How many people did Akpabio kill or kidnap that will make you say Akpabio is a violent person? For the period I worked with him as permanent secretary and Chief of Staff, I was not aware of any killings or kidnappings. How much was the ransom people paid that had to do with Akpabio? During Godswill’s era, things happened but were they done by him? There are things happening now, is it all the fault of the President? Therefore, the killings have nothing to do with Akpabio. This is a case of calling a dog a bad name just because we want to hang it.

Considering Akpabio’s high political profile and large following, there were expectations that he ought to have pulled so many of his supporters to the APC but that didn’t happen. What went wrong?

It is often said that he who pays the pipe calls the tune. In all honesty and all truth, those who sat back did so for personal reasons.

Ask them to their faces if they really believed in their staying back.

Are they sincere to the system or is it what they can get from the system that is uppermost to them? About the elections, we all participated in the elections and saw what happened; it was INEC versus Akpabio, the state government and PDP versus APC. Don’t allow anyone to deceive you. Igini did a yeoman job. I am sure his conscience will tell him he didn’t do well. We have done elections in this state but I have never seen such level of manipulation. It was the worst election in this state. Using Ikot Ekpene as an example, there are 10 local government areas that make up the senatorial district and you use the card reader for just a local government leaving out nine. It was just a plot to make sure Akpabio lose the election. If he was a violent person, the very day the returning officer absconded instead of reading the result would have been the day the violence would have been seen, because there would have been spontaneous reaction.

Since he has lost the election, can he be written off politically?

He can’t be written off politically. He has not lost the election. The tribunal has not said anything. The returning officer was not supposed to announce the result in Uyo, but at the senatorial district headquarters. Rather, after collation of result, he disappeared for five hours.

Let’s assume in worst case scenario, after the proceedings of the tribunal and Senator Akpabio doesn’t make it back to the senate, what do you think the state will be missing?

What if Akpabio wins? You should consider that too. There are two sides to a coin, rather than ask what will be the fate of Akwa Ibom if he loses. What if he wins? I am confident he will win.

INEC REC, Igini colludes with PDP to flout court orders

***Refuses APC access to election materials 
 
The legal team of the All progressives Congress (APC) in Akwa Ibom State has accused the Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Mr Mike Igini of colluding with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to deny the party access to electoral materials as ordered by the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal.
 
Chairman of The Election Petition Tribunal, Justice W.O. Akanbi had on April 2 granted the Petitioner and Applicant, Senator Godswill Akpabio and his agents and forensic experts to inspect and copy all electoral materials used for the conduct of the election into Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District.
 
However, we learnt that on the instruction of Igini, Akwa Ibom INEC has consistently flouted the order and has refused the agents of Senator Akpabio and forensic experts access to the election material. INEC has been engaging in a hide-and-seek game.
 
 A letter from Barrister Patrick Umoh, a lawyer in the legal team of Senator Akpabio to Mr Igini reveals the frustration the team has faced in making INEC to obey the court order and allow them access to inspect the election materials.
 
“We also wish to inform you that we had earlier reported for the said inspection on Thursday, the 11thday of April, 2019, Friday, 12thApril, 2019 and Monday, 15thApril, 2019, but our efforts to have access to the materials and inspect same did not yield any positive result,” Barrister Umoh said.
 
It was gathered that the hide-and-seek by Igini may have been to tip off the PDP and give them sufficient time to oppose the move for the inspection of the election materials by forensic experts hired by Senator Akpabio.
 
In a curious twist however, INEC is said to have colluded with PDP and advised the party to file a motion on April 16thwhich they cited as the reason they couldn’t allow the inspection of the materials as ordered by the court. Analysts believe the hide-and-seek by INEC was to give the PDP enough time to file the motion.
 
A legal analyst, Comrade Frederick Bassey has argued that it was wrong for INEC to have waited for the PDP to file a motion on April 16 and cite this as the reason it could not obey a lawful order of court given since April 2. In any case, he said a mere filing of motion on notice was not sufficient to displace a subsisting court order which had been served on INEC. 
 
Comrade Bassey accused INEC REC of partisanship and collusion with the PDP. “Before the election when the APC accused Igini of partisanship and bias, I thought it was a case of wolf crying. But by his recent actions to the extent of disobeying court orders confirms the allegation that he may have been compromised,” he said.
 
Efforts to reach Mr Igini for his reaction proved abortive. At the Commission's office in Uyo, he was said to have travelled to Abuja when our reporter visited. He did not also respond to calls to his number. 


https://www.airwavesreport.com/politics/2938-inec-rec-igini-colludes-with-pdp-to-flout-court-orders-refuses-apc-access-to-election-materials

Senator Akpabio will not be deterred from challenging electoral heist

The attention of the Senator representing Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District, Senator Godswill Akpabio has been drawn to a malicious piece of fake news titled:

"I will win at Appeal if tribunal judges refuse to perform - Akpabio…says Appeal Court President in his palms."

We want to state categorically that Distinguished Senator Akpabio never at any forum or private discussion uttered any of these words mischievously ascribed to him. The article is political propaganda manufactured from the pit of hell.
The obvious objective of this ill-advised article is to intimidate and blackmail the members of the Akwa Ibom State election tribunal and sway them from the course of justice.
Our suspicion is that having accessed the quantum of unassailable evidence at the disposal of the election petition tribunal of how Senator Akpabio was robbed of his victory in the February 23, National Assembly election, these devious characters have resorted to underhand tactics to overawe the Judges from dispensing justice without fear and intimidation.
We are of the belief that the sickening brazenness and impunity with which the election of Senator Akpabio as Senatorial candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC) was rigged cannot be left unchallenged. It is not just about Senator Godswill Akpabio. The right of the people of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District to freely choose their leader cannot be mortgaged on any account.
This is why Senator Akpabio has chosen the path of due process by challenging the electoral heist of February 23. Such daylight robbery cannot stand. The election petition tribunal will have no inhibition upturning the shambolic election. This is why his opponents are in panic. The Senator has implicit confidence in the judiciary to dispense justice without fear or intimidation.
What the authors of this fake news seek to do is the desecration of the judiciary on the altar of propaganda. Treating an arm of government with such disdain must well-meaning by well meaning Nigerians and lovers of democracy. Once again we are confident that justice will be done as no Judge worth his onion will bow to childish propaganda.

THE LIES AND THE LIARS OF THE ELECTION
By Senator Godswill Akpabio, CON
There are three kinds of people. In the first category you have those who make things happen. In the second category you have those who talk about those who make things happen. And in the third category you have those who do not know what is happening. God has ordained for me to make things happen, and I am grateful to Him. That is my ministry.

Those who talk about the people who make things happen also have this as their ministry. They constitute the Gossip League. If I have been a major gossip commodity in their “enterprise”, I bless the name of the Lord. There is one thing worse than being talked about and that is not being talked about. But when they take their trade (gossip) to embarrassing heights of absurdity, one painfully has to undertake the task of reining them in and ensuring that lies and falsehood do not flourish in our State and invoke God’s wrath. It is not about me, but about the law of sowing and reaping. Rest assured that every idle and malicious talk would be judged by God Almighty.

My movement from the PDP to the APC overshadowed every discussion in Akwa Ibom State and cast a spell of fear over the Peoples Democratic Party. In their desperation, they told many lies against me and I would not bother to talk about all of them. I, however, would want to refer, for now, to four of these false claims and a few others . (1) That I said I was god or carried on like God.( 2) That I said, “Where was God when I made Udom Emmanuel Governor.” (3) That I contrived to sell the state to Moslems for the establishment of cattle colonies. (4) That I left the PDP and joined pigs and now eat in piggery. (Credited to Prelate Emeritus Sunday Mbang and co)

My story is the story of grace. My father died when I was quite young. But my mother made me to believe that my FATHER left for HEAVEN because he was sure that I am not only strong but have the strength of character and resolve to take care of her and my SIBLINGS as well as generations of our people. I am a working person’s person. I became a Solicitor, Honourable Commissioner for years and the governor of Akwa Ibom State in actualization of God's benevolence. God made me governor. The forces I faced in that election (2007) were daunting and no pundit gave me a chance. God lifted me from grass to Grace to send the message to all Akwa Ibom people and Nigerians that whether you travel by bus or by bicycle, whether you were born in affliction or in affluence, God’s will shall certainly and without fail be done in your life.

As a Governor I appreciated God at every opportunity and shall continue to do so as long as I live. My love for God and reverence of Him led to my partnership with the Church. On assumption of duty as Governor, my first act in office was the donation of a N100 million (one hundred million Naira) grant to the Church community to use as a revolving loan scheme for the poorest communicants in the church. I also extended a grant of N10 million (Ten million naira) to the Muslim community in Uyo Central Mosque to be utilized as a revolving interest free loan to the poorest Muslims in our State whose businesses confronted financial hindrances. The idea was to lift the enterprising children of God out of poverty and misery. I did this because of my conviction that we all worship the same GOD. This I did, not only because I have always been pro-poor but because of God’s injunction in James 2:15-16. I like it better in the Message Bible: “For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, ‘Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!’ and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you?’

It was because of my fear of God, love of God and gratitude to Him for all He has done for me that I brought down the old chapel and I built the current Chapel in Government House – an architectural masterpiece in honor of God. It was because of my love of God, fear of Him and gratitude to HIM that Government started the compulsory monthly prayer meeting at the said chapel for Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria which held throughout my tenure, and I am happy to note that the tradition is still continued by the present administration. My love for God was also made manifest in my interventions in the renovation/construction/reconstruction of various churches across the State and Nigeria. My heart was so overwhelmed with God that I did not pay him back enough hence my commencement of the award- winning Carol Festivals which were watched live in more than 59 countries across the the World through out my tenure. It is a thing of pride that it is still being continued by the present administration. It is also my reverence to GOD and love for Him that made us to work together as Akwa Ibom people to break the GUINNESS BOOKS OF World RECORD by convoking the largest choir group on planet earth since the world was founded - the Godswill Akpabio Unity Choir (25,272members) to sing to the glory of God. Is it right for a LEADER who did all these to be referred to as anti- Christ by a tiny clique of self acclaimed "fathers of faith" because of mere change of political party ?

In 2016 my wife, was in a coma for months and the best doctors in the world with the help of the best life-support equipment gave her less than five percent chance of making it. Doctors and science gave up on her. The press wrote that she had died. But we held on to God and God brought her back to life. Science could not explain this awesome testimony.

In 2015, I was involved in an accident, which details are still suspect. I survived against all odds, because God showed up for me.
Can a man who has seen so much favour from God, turn around to blaspheme him? Can such a man seek to play God or seek to share His glory with Him? Such a man can never say “where was God when I made Udom Emmanuel governor?”. I neither made such blasphemous statement nor conceived it in my heart. I met Udom Emmanuel in 2012 or thereabout performing the duties of a deacon in Qua Iboe Church, Surulere. I immediately took a liking to him and adjudged that as a deacon, if given the opportunity, he would superintend over the affairs of our people with the FEAR of God. Whether I was right or wrong is for history to judge. Nevertheless I picked him to succeed me and by the grace of God and the votes of Akwa Ibom electorates, he won the election 2015. So God made him governor.
Yes, your guess is right. I met enemies out of 28 other aspirants who desired that same office. That remains my cross.

So for anybody to believe that I would question where God was when we made Udom Emmanuel Governor is the height of mischief. Of course God used me and Akwa Ibom people to make Udom Emmanuel Governor, just as He used Samuel to anoint Saul king of Israel. If King Saul departed from the expectations of God and God sent Samuel to communicate the message to him , no one can accuse Samuel of playing God. For me and my household, we shall forever love God and reverence Him.

I am happy that God is not like some of His pastors. Ever since I moved to APC, they have been preaching falsehood against the party, APC and joined politicians in peddling lies about me and the APC government led by President Muhammadu Buhari. Very well known Church prelates and Bishops that dined with me for 8 years while I was governor, despite my benevolence to them and their families joined the fray calling me killer herdsman for being a part of APC.

But some of these "men of God" were in this same Country in 2012 when the farmers/herdsmen clashes claimed the lives of over 1000 people in the Benue/Plateau/Mambilla axis. At that time, a Christian was the President but was not accused of being a killer of Christians. The farmers/herdsmen clashes predate Nigeria's Independence. The clashes have occurred under various leaderships. Yet the "men of God" have been unconscionable and insensitive in accusing the current President of masterminding genocide against Christians because he is a Muslim. I am happy that God does not condemn a man based on one man’s testimony, but He sees our heart and judges our motives and intentions accordingly. Whether one is a Christian or Muslim, we all worship the same God WHO will at the appointed time judge us from our deeds in words and actions.

But these misguided acts by a section of prejudiced Christian leadership seem to know no bounds. Otherwise, how can Christian leaders led by a former CAN President be sponsored to describe me in a televised press conference as "a foolish prodigal son who went to join pigs in a piggery and eat the food meant for pigs?". May I ask the sponsored "men of God", is my party, the APC a piggery? Is the ruling party in your Country made of pigs? Are your sponsors happy with this appellation? Is God happy with your twisted involvement in partisan politics? I would like to advise the "fathers of faith" to stop the hate speeches no matter how profitable and rather speak more to us about SALVATION, LOVE and UNITY.

Some of the lies are unfathomable and ridiculous. That it could be suggested
that I would seek to undo the transformational work I did in Akwa Ibom by mortgaging Akwa Ibom interests or entering into alliances with anyone is another wicked lie from the pit of hell.
In the course of this election, I had been photo-shopped by the same propaganda merchants who told the lies about me. My letterhead and signature had been forged by the same propaganda merchants to write falsehood and circulate same on the internet purporting to be a letter from me to the PRESIDENT through the Chief of Staff to Mr President.

During the election they conscripted certain women from South Africa who claimed to be foreign observers and paid them to lie that I detained them using thugs even when such incident never occurred. I am yet to come across any of these phoney female foreign observers who claimed to have been detained by the said Akpabio and his gang of thugs. Such blackmail can not be allowed to peter out without a whimper. I have therefore instructed my solicitors to write to the South African Embassy with the view to bringing the purveyors of those lies to justice.

But in all these, I have often reflected on what happened to our Lord and Savior, JESUS CHRIST when some of the multitude who celebrated Him in the triumphant entry into Jerusalem were fooled by the Pharisees to shout, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” at his trial. Yes they crucified him. But because the Bible says in Job 20:4-7 “Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth, That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?" .

When Matthew Henry was robbed, he said “Let me be thankful because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed.” Let me say, I am thankful because it was I who was lied against and maligned, not I who lied and maligned. My dream for Akwa Ibom lives on. My love for Akwa Ibom and Nigeria waxes stronger. I call on those who have been sucked into this axis of evil to stop the lies, the smear campaigns, the propaganda and the deliberate falsehood. I wish to serve notice that I would remain undaunted and focused in serving humanity.

Let me place on record my deep appreciation to hundreds of thousands of Akwa Ibom people who ignored the innuendos, falsehood and campaigns of calumny against me and the APC, trooped out in their numbers to vote Mr President and I on 23rd February and Obong Nsima Ekere on 9th March, 2019 respectively. You voted to join the centre politics of Nigeria. Be assured that no "conspiracy" can deny you the desires of your heart.

For the people of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District, Akwa Ibom State and Nigerians,continue to pray for our best is yet to come.

God bless Akwa Ibom State, God bless our Nation, Nigeria.

His Excellency,Senator Godswill Akpabio, CON.

Open Letter to Mike Igini, The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Akwa Ibom State.

Dear Mike,

While we wait for the Akwa Ibom Election Petitions Tribunal to expose the fraud behind the 'Jankara' election you conducted in the state during the just concluded general election, I will not shy away from congratulating you for your recent award as the most notorious 'con artist ' in the history of our dear country.

I read your interview on the pages of Nigerian newspapers where you claimed that you came to Akwa Ibom State to count votes, not money.
The opposite however played out with your conduct in the recently concluded election. What an irony!

Your comments and sponsored articles on the pages of newspapers in the last two weeks did not come to me as a surprise.
I’m afraid you have already exposed the fraud your school perpetrated by awarding you a degree certifying you literate. Please Mike, kindly sue them to court to recover the school fees your parents wasted on you.

Do you think that the good People of Akwa Ibom State are educated illitrates who do not know the gravity of the political assasination you commited in their state by publicly denying them the right to vote for candidates of their choice and the right for their votes to be counted?

Your penchant for massaging your ego and flare for presenting falsehood as the truth in this regard is simply nauseating and it does not serve you well.

You continuously contradict yourself when it comes to this matter and frankly, such flip flops are unworthy of the office that you presently occupy.

Like Abraham Lincoln rightly said, "you can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time".

I will advise you to retrace your steps and seek forgiveness from God.


Ref :

https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/an-open-letter-to-professor-jega-on-cross-river-rec.html

Yours Sincerely

Wole Arisekola

PDP WARD OFFICIALS IN AKWA IBOM NORTH WEST, CONFESS THEIR SHOCK OVER SENATOR AKPABIO'S RESULT.

our indepth investigation in broader perspectives across Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District reveals that Senator God's will Akpabio was widely voted for by many card carrying members of the People's Democratic Party PDP.

In a secret Vox Pop surveylance operation carried out by our team of investigative journalists across Abak, Etimekpo, Ika, Oruk Anam Ukanafun, Essien Udim, Ikot Ekpene and Obot Akara , a good number of PDP faithfuls confessed that even though they collected some financial inducement from governor Emmanuel and PDP, but they voted for Senator Akpabio in the 23rd March Senatorial elections because of his remarkable developments and good empowerment programs across the senatorial district.

We never in our human imagination comprehended that the man we filed as a candidate could muster half of the Senatorial votes. Because Ekpenyong is not known to helping people like Akpabio.

Akpabio did not fail election in Annang land but in INEC office, they added.