₦airaland Forum

Tracking down erstwhile presenter and anchorman with Channels TV, Sulaiman Aledeh, was not a walk in the park but THEWILL’s David Oputah was determined to get him to talk on what made him quit the service of the major broadcast station where he stood out as one of the anchors of Sunrise Daily and other programmes of the television channel. Getting to his new office at Apapa, Lagos, was made difficult by the numerous trucks that have turned the road leading there to the permanent parking lot. David eventually succeeded in placing the tall, easy-going Sulaiman on the hot seat, where the former Channels TV staff had often times placed newsmakers. In this first part of a two-series interview, he talks about his sojourn into broadcasting; his craving for good diction and eloquence; life in school studying philosophy and practising broadcasting by the side; how he got VIP treatment during his NYSC days in Ebonyi state courtesy of then Governor Sam Egwu; and of course, why he left Channels TV for Arise TV Network. Enjoy!

So from Metro FM to TVC, TVC to Channels, and from Channels, now to Arise TV. What has it been like?

It’s been interesting; you learn every day and it was quite interesting coming through TVC. Before TVC, they had a name, Link 65, then G 65, before it became TVC. The audition, I can’t forget the audition, it was huge; it was crowded. A lot of people were at the gate trying to get in, trying to get a space to be auditioned. Finally I sailed through and we started a programme; it was awesome. Dele Alake, the head then, was a fantastic administrator; Lemi Olalemi, all these people were fantastic and I was there. So while I was leaving, I thought, okay, I want to go to Channels, let me go to Channels because I’ve always heard that it’s the best, so let me go and work with the best.

Coming to Channels was a dream come true. I did all the interviews, I don’t know if they still do it, but it was really tough getting into Channels, for anyone who wanted to come in. There was the written interview and also the oral one. You were given some tests to write. I did all of that and I was also lucky to get in.

Was getting into Channels TV your big break?

The big break is not yet here.

But you said you wanted to work with the best, and at that time…

I have always dreamt; I still dream, and whatever I dream has come to pass and I’m excited about that. I dreamt, as a young boy, of attending UNIBEN. UNIBEN was the in thing around my area then, my locality, everyone wanted to go to UNIBEN. It was like Cambridge, Harvard or Oxford, MIT. I wanted to go to UNIBEN. I didn’t want to go to other schools. And it came to pass. So, that’s it. I said I wasn’t going to influence my Youth Service, let’s see how it plays out, how it pans out. It worked for me, I survived, I made friends in the East. If anything, I understand how to pronounce many South-Eastern names, and that is an added knowledge to my kitty. I also dreamt of, I was supposed to be at Rhythms. I remembered when I was coming up, I was supposed to go to Rhythms. I had a talk with them but my dad and a few people said it’s always best when you leave school, to start work with the government. So I started working with the government, and that was a blessing because at every point, every year, I was trained, free of charge.

If you go through the basic, the intermediate, the advanced of any field presentation, they wait and they look, ‘Okay, what next?’ Then they say okay, come for production, what next?, come for script writing. But when I finished all that, and I went into the private world of media practice, none ever gave me that kind of opportunity I had with the Federal Government. So sometimes I tell people that there’s still some kind of goody within the Federal Civil Service, if you really have a good parastatal or agency that really works, and you have a good person who is heading that. And at that time, we had Dr Eddie Iroh, a fantastic administrator. He gave me, and all of us, because at that point in time we were with Metro FM and many thought it was privately owned. This comes from the thinking that anything that is better run is a private concern.

So we had the three male voices then on Metro at that point in time, just Frank Edoho (the host of ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire’), Charles Anazodo now with Super Sports, and myself. Today all three of us are on television. We all had the best of training while at Metro; for us, diction, pronunciation, presentation skills, speaking right was all that mattered to us, and it helped us when we got there. That’s why I’m saying the big break is not here yet.

So, how was it like at Channels?

Yes, I love my sojourn at Channels and that’s another place anyone who wants the best should be because you’re not talking about someone who is an entrepreneur, you’re not talking about someone who is into politics or someone who is bereft of the rudiments, technicalities, knowledge of the trade. You’re talking about someone who, in an ideal world, you can call the professor in broadcast journalism and that’s Mr John Momoh. So for you to work there, it’s an added advantage, it’s a school in itself, a school whereby as you work, you learn.

The semblance I get there is the kind of semblance you pick from Radio Nigeria where you have so many people, some of them are dinosaurs. I call them that because they have retired but they are still very much there; they are listening to you, you make a mistake, they pick up the phone and call you and tell you this is it, and on and on it continued, just like that. That’s what we also have in Channels Television because Mr Momoh is like an Octopus, he’s got his hands on so many pies and he listens to everyone and once he’s chanced, he has this one-on-one with people to impart that kind of knowledge. You can’t give what you don’t have; he’s got it, so he’s giving it back to those in need of it.

Any regrets leaving Channels?

No, I don’t regret, never! I don’t regret. I’m strong-willed. I think, the day I was leaving, someone asked me if I was broken. Perhaps the person had something in mind while asking me if I was broken, if I felt bad, and all that. I smiled, because it tells a story that definitely means something wasn’t right about something, perhaps. But I decided to ignore it; maybe this person saw something I didn’t see or something everyone thought I should see.

But I don’t regret. I’ll prefer people to hurt me than to hurt people, that’s how I see life. I love people to hurt me, I’m serious. I don’t like to hurt people, it’s always good for people to do what they are doing; when they do that, it’s best for you to move on and say, ‘Well, God, this is what has happened,’ and move on. So, I don’t regret. Never. I have colleagues; I try to also qualify people. If I work in a place, if you’re not my friend, you’re not my friend; you’re my colleague. (Laughs) If you’re an acquaintance, that’s what you are. Some people make the mistake of saying, ‘Oh, my friends.’ No. The fact that we work together or are cousins doesn’t make you my friend. My brother could be just my brother, or he could also be my friend as well. I try, as I grow up, to define all of that, and that’s what I also teach my children. If this is your classmate, then that’s what that person is, not your friend. If your friend is ten or a thousand miles away, that’s your friend. That’s how I worked there. I have friends, I have colleagues, I have people. We live in a world where communication is there, so I don’t regret anything.

People are still confused. What really happened? Why did you leave Channels?

I was sad! I wasn’t happy anymore. I felt I should be doing something else to make me happy. I felt, eight years, I needed to do something more, create an opportunity for myself, a new vista. I’ve always loved to be, to do. I’m a social advocate, I’ve always loved the online media and I was playing, doing my thing online while I was with Channels. At that time, I had my blog sulaialedeh. which was what I was doing then. But I stopped, because I couldn’t continue, and it was like a conflict, or a drawback, when you have some kind of silence in what gives you joy, like closed doors, and everyone believes that you can’t dare, you can’t evolve; you can’t aspire. I hate restrictions. I’m claustrophobic; I hate small spaces, and it also happens to me when it has to do with my mental being, my mental thinking.

When I think that you’re boxing me into a corner, I try to run. So I thought for a while, I didn’t have space, I was being put in a hole, I was choked, I was choking. It was really something that I don’t like to think about. There are things that you can always see in a movie, but I think they were all happening, all at the same time, and I tried as much as possible to let it wear out before I take a walk.

How did you survive all that?

I think maybe I survived because I pray. I’m not a holy person, but I pray. I’m a sinner who acknowledges the fact that he’s a sinner but I pray, daily, a lot. When you pray you wouldn’t think of committing suicide. If you communicate, and you also believe in the leap of faith, you also believe strongly -call it dogmatism-, just believe and believe, it will help you in life. I believe, I’m a believer, and it helped me. Now it’s difficult for me to tweet sometimes. I used to tweet a lot. It’s almost the same case of breaking up with your lover and every time you try to say something about heartbreak or love, people think that you’re referring to that person. It happened to me. I’d go online, try to express myself the way I’d always done and someone thinks I’m talking about my travail in Channels. A few of my tweets before I left, yes, but after I left, I just left everything because I didn’t want to be seen as insulting anyone who’s older than me or someone who is a father to you. People have troubles with their parents, you don’t come on the streets and start to insult your dad or throw stones on the roof. That’s not my style.

So for a while, I was just trying to tweet at nothing. I created something then on YouTube called ‘Blabbing with Sulai’. I was just talking because I felt that anything I say could be used against me in a wrong way. So I was just playing and letting it go that way. But the bottom line is, I left when, perhaps, I should have been able to do something bigger and better in the broadcast world and I felt that I didn’t have that independence anymore. I didn’t have any physical altercation with the management or any individual, never. And, back to my blog, I was asked to stop the blog while I was working there. It was a management decision because I had a kind of meeting with some very senior people and they said I was competing with the station. It was kind of painful for me but I stopped it immediately.

So, who or what do you miss the most?

Well, basically, I had good times in Channels but the people, my people in Channels are the cleaners, security guys and all of that. And I miss the make-up girls.. (laughs). You know we had an older woman heading that unit and anytime she wanted to make us we would just tell her to please call her younger girls… (laughs), I miss all of that. Those were my real people because I allowed them, even the cleaners, access to me. They could talk to me anytime and tell me anything. I was never rude to them, you know some of us in the broadcast industry see ourselves as celebrities and treat those folks like low life ‘hey, come and do this, hey, look at my table’ and all of that but I treated them with respect which was mutual too. As for my colleagues, of course, they are just a dial away so it’s not that different but those other guys, I miss them a lot.

Read full interview at TheWill using the link below...

http://thewillnigeria.com/news/sulaiman-aladeh-tells-thewill-why-he-left-channels-insists-he-has-no-regret-quitting/

SAN FRANCISCO, May 05, (THEWILL) – The immediate past governor of Kano state, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (APC, Kano Central) on Thursday expressed disappointment over the way things are done in the country, stressing that this is not the Change he and others worked to bring about in the country.

He stated this during an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, while condemning a siege by security operatives on the house of his brother in Kano. The lawmaker stated that there was more than meets the eye in the ransacking of the house of his brother by the police operatives.

“We’re very disappointed that impunity is now the order of the day in a country we invested a lot to bring change; this is not the change we bargained for because we’re now in a helpless situation. If it were the previous government that’s doing this, we would not complain. Alas! This is being orchestrated by a government we worked to entrench,” he said.

Explaining what transpired when the security operatives came for the raid on his brother’s house, the former governor said, “We woke up with a distressing situation today (yesterday) when some people besieged the house of my brother in Kano for hours; on the allegation that cash and weapons were ferried to the building.

“They bundled the guardsman, threatening him to show them the vehicles and other valuables that were allegedly concealed in a garage within the house.

“The guardsman told them only rabbits were kept there but they forced their way in and that was it, only the rabbits were seen joyfully feasting on spinach.

“Not satisfied, the police ransacked everywhere, including the vehicles in the compound but could not trace anything incriminating. This is very sad and a serious setback for our democracy.

“I’m one person that never allowed my immediate or extended family to be part of government while I was a governor; my brother is a retired teacher but look at what they did to him.”

Responding to whether he regrets joining the All Progressives Congress, APC, Kwankwaso said, “I would say my mind at the appropriate time but government must be mindful of its actions.”

http://thewillnigeria.com/news/kwankwaso-decries-impunity-under-buhari-says-this-isnt-the-change-he-helped-establish/

SAN FRANCISCO, May 04, (THEWILL) – President Muhammadu Buhari’s cousin, Adnan Na-Habu, who is the official spokesman for the family, has come to the defence of the Director-General of the Department of State Services, DSS, Lawal Daura and Buhari’s nephew, Mamman Daura, both of whom are widely believed to be prominent members of the cabal purportedly governing the country by proxy.

He noted that the law allows the President to bring in whoever he thinks can make an impact on the mission and vision of government, pointing out that there is no leader in the country who does not have official and unofficial advisers.

Na-Habu, who maintained in an interview published by Daily Sun, that Daura is not doing anything outside his work as the DSS DG, added that the President’s nephew, Mamman, has never interfered in the affair of anybody in the Buhari government.

Disclosing that Buhari shares many things in common with his nephew, he pointed out that it will be wrong and impossible to throw away one’s relations or childhood friends just because a person has become the President or a governor.

His words, “People should understand that Lawal Daura is not just handpicked and put there. In fact, nobody in the security circle that does not know Lawal Daura. Having said that, he is doing his work and so people should understand this. I believe he is not doing anything outside his work. The fact that he is from Daura, is not be the issue, he is a Nigerian and possess all it takes to do the job.

“On Mallam Mamman Daura, people should understand that whenever you are in a position of authority, you must have some people you trust and can advise you personally. It is a tradition in Nigeria that, our leaders have official and unofficial advisers. You cannot tell me that there is any leader in Nigeria who does not have these advisers? But I don’t know why Malam Mamman Daura stands out.

“Malam Mamman Daura has been a retired Civil servant and a business man all his life. He worked with New Nigerian Newspapers and rose to the rank of Managing Director, and later retired and established his business which is doing very well. He is a Chairman of Many Private and Public companies.

“Malam Mamman Daura, as a veteran Journalist, knows a lot about Nigerian politics. So by virtue of that he has all the requisite experience to advice someone. Having said that Mamman Daura is not officially appointed as an adviser, in other words, he is not an official of this government; I don’t see reason people should always pick on the gentle man. Is it because of truthfulness, sincerity and honesty? Or Is it because of his intimacy with Mr. President? Let us be very fair to him and Mr. President.

“Malam Mamman has never interfered in the affairs of anybody in this government. Malam Mamman is a Nephew (son of the President eldest brother) to Mr. President and they grew up together, though he is older than President Muhammadu Buhari, and they share many things in common. If there is anybody with evidence that can prove to me that Mallam Mamman Daura did something wrong in this government, let him bring it forward.”

The President’s cousin, who went on to disclose that Buhari will present himself for re-election in 2019, stated that the health condition of the President should not give Nigerians any cause to worry, adding that the family would not waste time in asking Buhari to resign if there is anything that will make him incapable to govern Nigeria.

http://thewillnigeria.com/news/buharis-cousin-speaks-on-cabal-in-presidency/

SAN FRANCISCO, April 20, (THEWILL) – On a day that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Babachir Lawal, and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, were suspended over suspected acts of corruption, a former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, has dismissed the present anti-corruption crusade of President Muhammadu Buhari as mere noise.
Speaking in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service on Wednesday,
the former minister of Foreign Affairs alleged that Buhari was “equally corrupt when he served under the late Head of State Sani Abacha”.
It may be recalled that Buhari had served as chairman of the defunct Petroleum Trust Fund, PTF, which was created by the Abacha military junta in 1994 to provide critical infrastructure across the country.
But Lamido said, “He (Buhari) worked under Abacha; in fact he was the closest to the late military ruler and when it comes to corruption, everybody knows where Abacha’s government stands.”
He maintained that there was nothing to show in the much touted successes of the Buhari administration between 2015 and now in the areas of security and fight against corruption.
“Buhari is just making noise; there’s no iota of truth in the so-called commitment to the improvement of security and halting graft in the country,” he said.
The former governor argued that “It’s unthinkable to say that the EFCC had discovered huge monies (nearly N15 billion) in a building (Osborne Towers) in Lagos but could not track the real owner; who leaked the story? Who did the source say is the owner of the find?
“No reasonable person will believe that there is no safe for the NIA (which claimed ownership) to keep its money but a private residence in Lagos; those in position of authority should always have the courage to tell the led the truth because leadership is sacred.”
THEWILL had exclusively reported that the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, had claimed ownership of the $43,449,947, £27,800 and N23, 218,000 seized last Wednesday by the EFCC from Osborne Towers, a luxury residential complex in Ikoyi, Lagos, said to be owned by ex-National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Adamu Muazu.

http://thewillnigeria.com/news/buhari-was-corrupt-when-he-served-under-abacha-current-anti-graft-war-mere-noise-lamido/

SAN FRANCISCO, April 16, (THEWILL) – Service failure in the NHIS in the United Kingdom has caused the death of a second year law undergraduate at the University of Birmingham, UK, Kikaose Ebiye Onyibe, who passed away on Wednesday, the father has said.
She gave up the ghost following an unsuccessful surgery to remove a ruptured appendix at Gold Cross hospital on Bourdillon road, Ikoyi, Lagos.
The deceased is the daughter of a former commissioner in Delta state, Magnus Onyibe, who disclosed that Kikaose had been complaining of lower abdominal pain since last October and had been visiting a General Practitioner, GP in Birmingham, UK.
THEWILL gathered that the General Practitioner, who failed to correctly
diagnose the ailment despite several visits in many months, recommended minor pain killers to the then patient whenever she visited the clinic instead of conducting a Computer Tomography, CT scan to identify her ailment.
The parents said in a statement that “it was only after Kika had arrived Nigeria on Tuesday 11th April that it was discovered that her appendix had ruptured. The revelation was made after a visit to a doctor in Nigeria where CT scan was and carried out.
“Upon discovery of the rupture , an immediate surgery was recommended in Nigeria by doctors who warned that Kikas life would be in grave danger if she were to be flown back to UK for the procedure.
“Unfortunately, the surgery was not successful as the hospital had no life support system to stabilize her and Kika passed away.”
The bereaved stated that upon graduating from Green woods House school, Parkview estate, ikoyi and Lagoon School, Lekki Lagos for her primary and secondary education, Kikaose had a clear idea of what she wanted to do in life.
Her ambition led her to opt for her Basic Studies program at BridgeHouse college, Ikoyi Lagos upon completion of which, she travelled to the United Kingdom for a Law Programme at the university of Birmingham, where she was before her sudden demise.
“Kika was a bubbling young lady that was full of lofty dreams and aspirations.
“Above all , she loves her creator, the almighty God and it was unsurprising that she resolved to attend church regularly; assemble her mates together for fellowship and talk at informal sessions with her friends.
“In fact, Kika had passion for God,” the father said.
A Facebook post on her wall on 27th May 2011 explains her thought process” Can anyone tell me why it is so hard to pray, but easy to swear? , why clubs are growing and churches are shrinking? Why it is so hard to repost a Christian status but easy to post a gossip? Why we can worship a celebrity but not Jesus? Jesus said, if you deny me in front of your friends, I will deny you in front of my father. Repost if you’re not afraid of what your friends will think,” she posted.
A winner of series of awards, she was the Yellow House Captain at Lagoon school and also won an award for leadership amongst others.
While attending Bridge House, she was the events coordinator and played an active role as a member of the GIFT fellowship, University of Birmingham UK.
The statement continued, “Kika who could have been 19 years on the 29th of April, led short but eventful life.
“Kika achieved more and she is a good example of the adage ‘life is measured by quality of life lived and not the number of years spent’
“She once confided in her parents about her decision to concentrate on advocacy and rights issues in her law programme.
“Kika left behind, her lovely parents Helen and Magnus Ebiye-Onyibe and two siblings, Sopuluchukwu and Ebubechukwu.
“In commemoration of her transition, a service of songs will hold on Monday, 17th April 2017 at 33B Eti Osa way Dophin Estate, Ikoyi from 4pm while the interment will be at Ebony Vaults, George str, off Alagbon close, ikoyi lagos on Tuesday 18th April 2017.
“Time is 10am prompt.
“May her gentle soul rest in peace.”

http://thewillnigeria.com/news/how-uk-doctor-caused-death-of-nigerian-law-undergraduate-at-birmingham-university/

BEVERLY HILLS, April 13, (THEWILL) – The National Intelligence Agency (NIA) is claiming ownership of the $43,449,947, £27,800 and N23, 218,000 seized Wednesday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from Osborne Towers, a luxury residential complex in Ikoyi, Lagos, owned by Mr. Adamu Muazu, a former governor of Bauchi state and ex-National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), THEWILL has gathered exclusively.

The NIA is the government security agency tasked with overseeing foreign intelligence and counterintelligence operations in Nigeria.

A ranking government official with knowledge of the latest twist to the seizure confirmed to THEWILL that NIA Director General, Ambassador Ayodele Oke, has been in touch in EFCC’s boss, Ibrahim Magu, to express his displeasure over the raid at the apartment used as one of NIA’s safe houses in Lagos for its clandestine operations.

The official said Magu, whose confirmation as substantive chairman of the agency has been frustrated by the DSS and the Senate, has been under pressure to show President Muhammadu Buhari the billions of naira he told the president during a meeting that the EFCC had recovered under his leadership. “So he is on a reckless search for monies hence all these strings of raids and seizures within the last one week,” the source who asked not be identified said.

“I can authoritatively tell you that money belongs to the NIA. The DG has come forward to claim it and has informed my office of the development. He is furious with Magu for his agency’s recklessness and for compromising their operations,” the official told THEWILL.

Meanwhile, Justice Muslim Hassan of a Federal High Court in Lagos Thursday ordered the temporary forfeiture of the cash and ordered that the funds be temporarily forfeited to the Federal Government and adjourned till May 5, 2017, for anyone interested in the funds to show up before him to show cause why the money should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

THEWILL had previously linked Mrs. Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue, a former Managing Director, Retail, at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), to the haul found in an apartment on the 7th floor. She denied ownership of the cash in a statement by her attorney Thursday though admitted residing on the second floor.

This is a developing story….

http://thewillnigeria.com/news/more-twists-in-the-43m-seized-by-efcc-as-national-intelligence-agency-nia-claims-ownership-source/

BEVERLY HILLS, April 12, (THEWILL) – A former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Adamu Muazu is the owner of the Ikoyi, Lagos luxury apartment complex, where operatives of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) discovered and seized $43.4m, £27,800 and N23.2m (all cash) from a unit on Wednesday, THEWILL can report.

Muazu 2017-04-12-PHOTO-00000005Sources with knowledge of the raid told THEWILL that the funds were seized after a whistleblower in Abuja leaked the existence of the stashed cash in a flat inside the Ikoyi luxury residential apartment complex (Osborne Towers) located at 16 Osborne Road, Ikoyi.

EFCC sources said that the apartment where the money was found allegedly belongs to Mrs. Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue, a managing director at the NNPC in charge of retail, under whose watch millions of litres of petrol belonging to the NNPC disappeared.

The products stored at tank farms operated by Capital Oil and Gas Limited and MRS Oil in Apapa, Lagos, were misappropriated by the companies. Nnamdi-Ogbue is believed to have been forcefully retired from the corporation on Tuesday alongside at least two others over the scandal.

She previously served as managing director of the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company Limited (PPMC), a subsidiary and cash cow of the NNPC.

Political pundits told THEWILL that Muazu, a former Governor of Bauchi State (1998 – 2007, was beneficiary of huge sums of money from politicians and aspirants, who wanted the PDP ticket ahead of the 2015 general elections.

Adamu Muazu
Adamu Muazu
This is a developing story and we will publish new information in subsequent articles.

Some pictures from the raid have been made public by the EFCC.

Adamu 2017-04-12-PHOTO-00000006

An EFCC Statement following the development said:

“EFCC Uncovers Another Massive Stash Of Monies In Ikoyi

The whistle blowing policy of the Federal Government is paying off positively as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission today stormed a residential building in the 7th Floor of a four – bedroom apartment at Osborne Towers located at 16, Osborne road Ikoyi, Lagos, where a humongous find of foreign currencies and Naira notes to the tune of $43.4m, £27,800 and N23.2m was uncovered.

EFCCThe operation followed a whistle blower’s confidential alert received by the Commission’s Lagos office this morning regarding some noticed suspicious movement of bags in and out of a particular apartment in the building. According to the source, the movers of the bags, make believe that they bring in bags of clothes.

Another source who is conversant with the apartment of interest indicated that some woman usually appeared on different occasion with Ghana Must Go bags. “She comes looking haggard, with dirty clothes but her skin didn’t quite match her outward appearance, perhaps a disguise”, the source said.

Ikoyi -04-12-PHOTO-00000007On getting to the building, operatives met the entrance door locked. Inquiries from the guards at the gate explained that nobody resides in the apartment, but some persons come in and out once in a while. In compliance with the magisterial order contained in the warrant, the EFCC used minimum force to gain entrance into the apartment.

Monies were found in two of the four bedroom apartment. Further probe of the wardrobe by operatives in one of the rooms, was found to be warehousing three fire proof cabinets disguisedly hidden behind wooden panels of the wardrobe. Upon assessing the content of the cabinets, neatly arranged US Dollars, Pound Sterling and some Naira notes in sealed wrappers.

Preliminary findings indicate that the funds are suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity.

The facility is said to be owned by Osborne Towers Resident Association.

Investigations are ongoing.”

http://thewillnigeria.com/news/muazu-former-pdp-national-chairman-is-owner-of-luxury-apartment-where-efcc-seized-38m/

SAN FRANCISCO, April 11, (THEWILL) – The Governor of Imo state, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has suggested that the he is above the office of Governor, stating that the nation’s number one job is more bespoke for him.

Addressing journalists in Owerri on Monday, the Governor, who is serving out his second term, declared that he prefers being a President of Nigeria to being a state governor.

He however pointed out that he does not intend running against President Muhammadu Buhari, stressing that he would shelf his ambition should the President decide to throw his hat into the ring come 2019.

“Governor does not fit me. What fits me is president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I will not contest against Buhari,” Okorocha said.

THEWILL has observed that since Buhari returned to the country from a 49-day medical vacation in the United Kingdom, Imo rescue mission advert has been running on major national television channels.

The commercial showcases the development strides of the Okorocha administration in Imo state. Analysts believe that this move is the governor’s means of worming his way into the consciousness of Nigerian voters ahead of the 2019 presidential election.

http://thewillnigeria.com/news/being-president-more-fitting-for-me-than-governor-okorocha/

BEVERLY HILLS, April 05, (THEWILL) – Speaker of the Lagos House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa has revealed that former governor of the state and national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu started his political career from a Barbers shop at the densely populated Agege area of Lagos.

He stated this when members of the Lagos House of Assembly converged on the floor of the Assembly complex to shower encomiums on Tinubu and review activities organised to mark his 65th birthday.

Obasa pointed out that he needed to put the record straight following the claim by the Deputy Speaker Sanni Eshilokun that the former Lagos governor began his political career in Lagos Island.

The Speaker categorically declared that, “Asiwaju started his political career from a barber’s shop in Agege”, adding that the APC bigwig has made an immense contribution to his own political career.

He observed that the height of the birthday celebration was the colloquium at the Eko Hotel where dignitaries from all over country including past and serving governors attested to the role played by Tinubu in their lives.

The House Committee Chairman on Information and Strategy, Hon. Tunde Braimoh, representing Kosofe Constituency II, who had raised the issue for deliberation under Matter of Urgent Public Importance, described Tinubu as a phenomenon and an enigma in the present generation.

http://thewillnigeria.com/news/tinubu-started-his-political-career-from-a-barber-shop-lagos-speaker/

SAN FRANCISCO, March 24, (THEWILL) – Some contractors with the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, have bemoaned the alleged bias of the Comptroller-General, Hameed Ali, who was said to have refused to pay them for completing projects already being used by Customs officers and men across the country, but is paying contractors who are his relatives, friends or members of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The angry contractors, who were engaged to construct barracks, purchase boats, water storage tanks, drill boreholes, renovate and rehabilitate old barracks and houses for the Service, told THEWILL that they are daily getting more indebted to the banks that gave them loans to carry out the contracts given out in 2014.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals and further victimization, they stated that some of the jobs were completed in 2015 and in 2016, regretting that rather than pay, the C-G says he is reviewing all the jobs “which had been costed by NCS in-house QS and approved by the service”.

The contractors, who pointed out that the publishing, bidding, award and signing of legal papers for the jobs were all done in 2014, said, “they reported to site early 2015, sourcing money wherever they could get them, the NCS gave some 15 per cent mobilization to contractors who wanted it, all this before this new CG took office. Not only has he refused to pay the balance owed the contractors, he is now saying he would not pay the full amount owed the contractors”.

They continued, “We heard he now thinks the contracts were inflated and that they must be reviewed, he is cutting some by 50 per cent even though these were jobs that were issued when the USD sold for N168.00 and not long after money went to almost N300+/USD, prices of materials went up and none of the contracts was reviewed. Not to mention all the loans contractors took from all sources at high interest rates to do those jobs and have been paying those interest rates through their noses.

“All was well till this new CG came and once in office he paid a few contractors who probably were friends or APC and others with connections and the rest over 95 per cent of the contractors have been left unpaid. Nothing like this should be allowed to happen to anyone and frankly it cannot happen anywhere else in the world but in Nigeria.”

In a bid to balance this report, THEWILL visited the Customs headquarters in Abuja to get the reaction of the NCS spokesman, Mr Joseph Attah, who admitted that some of the contractors have not been paid since 2015, assuring however that “some contractors that have met all conditions for payment are being processed”.

His words, “When the present Comptroller-General came on board, a number of bills that were ready; that is those that were completed, verified, satisfied, ready for payment, I know that almost all of those were paid then. But I’m also aware that due to paucity of funds, a number of financial decisions could not be promptly taken especially as it has to do with payment. But the good news is that a number of these contractors who have done what they are supposed to do are being processed and in no distant time they will be paid”.

A contractor (name withheld) in the forefront of agitation for him and his colleagues to be paid had sent an email to THEWILL where he made the following claims.

“Sad state of Non-payment of contractors in Nigeria even when the money is there, case in point NIGERIAN CUSTOMS SERVICE

“Inspections done/ Certificates of completions issued on most if not all of the jobs.

“Jobs duly issued; legal papers signed and completed, most been used as we speak by the clients.

“Some of the completions are over 2 years ago and not even a word on payments, it is known wildly that the money is there but the CG has just out of being power drunk refused to pay.

“NCS has the money to pay but The leadership is just refusing to pay, in this case Nigerian Customs the CG even had the audacity to return money to the Nigerian treasury just to curry favor with the president even though he was owing this contractors. He on the other hand draws his salary every month while these contractors grow more indebted and poorer by the day/ week/month.

“Not minding that most of these contractors borrowed money from banks and other sources at exorbitant pay back rates and are now deep in debt to their necks.

“Case in point Nigerian Customs, all their contractors have not been paid, except those who are relatives and friends of the CG.

This is nothing than that military rule style mentality which has no place in civil rule.

“CG is NOT a businessman, does not have a clue what the average business owner goes through, he is a carrier soldier. A man who had always drawn a paycheck all his life, never had a successful business of his own. All he does is bark orders and throw his weight around and no one for fear of been sacked dare say a word to him. Ask around in the Customs headquarters in Abuja, no one comes to him with advice not even the CCG’s whose duty that is.

“Behind every one of this contractors are between 50 to 100 family members who rely on that payment one way or another for one thing or the other, school fees for kids, medicines for sick family members, repayments of loans taken, putting food on the table etc..

“If this is all about crime fighting, a Presidential Committee was set up and has gone round all the sites, they have returned with a detailed report on what projects were finished, those with issues and those that needed to be cancelled. That was over a year ago and this CG would rather return money to the national treasury rather than pay the poor contractors whose only crime is trusting that if they do their work their employers will do right by them and pay them very timely. That report is sitting on the CG Ali’s desk right now and so are all the payments files that are all on the floor in his office.

“Before returning money to the treasury, he was said to have talked about not paying the full contract amounts owed contractors for one reason or the other best known to him. Does it make sense that the CG have this money in a bank account, the bank is making money from that deposit. Then the same bank is making money from charging these contractors all those unbearable rates for the loans they got to do these jobs?

“NCS is a revenue generating parastatal of the FGN, as a matter of fact one of the top three at that, what is wrong with it paying
people/Nigerians it owes? Nigerians get their goods sized and confiscated if they owe the Customs and not pay, why should they Customs owe people and just refuse to pay? But continue to enjoy all the amenities that were done for the service?

“Truth is these completed facilities are been used, as we speak 99% of this facilities are been enjoyed by staff/ men-women of NCS all
over the country.

“To make matters worst, there is no clear statement to when this payments would be made. We are almost half way into 2017, what possible if any argument with a human face can be made to justify this type of leadership anywhere? For almost two years no payment and no one is even talking about paying the contractors let alone when? Where in the world is such wickedness and disrespect of citizenry allowed to go unchallenged like this? I do not care what any one says this is PURE injustice and it should have no place in our democracy.

“We are in a civil government, this is NOT military as the CG would like to throw his weight around with no one asking any questions. This is out right wrong, it is abuse of office and frankly a tyrannical agovernment. With most of its ministers and head of parastatals very shallow in management/ business. All they claim to bring with them is the fight against corruption, but that is looking more and more as the charade that it is. When you fight people who steal from government, there should be room and obligation to also pay the hard working law abiding Nigerians who do NOT deserve to be bankrupt and loose all they have worked for in their life for simply doing the right thing.”

Responding to some of the allegations raised above, Attah, who is an Assistant Comptroller of Customs said, “We should not bring party, religion, tribe into such issue, this is a straightforward business issue. If you do your thing; if it is verified and found to be done properly, what remains will be to process and pay. In Customs, we are not talking about party here. We are here to serve all Nigerians irrespective of party affiliations, religion, tribe and all that. We don’t talk party here, we don’t talk religion here, we don’t talk tribe here.”

On the purported move by Ali to slash what would be paid the contractors, Attah said, “the CGC is one person that will do what is appropriate always. He cannot say he will arbitrarily slash something if for instance there is no genuine reason to review a particular contract. But if there is a genuine reason where a particular contract can be reviewed, those reasons can be adduced and of course valuation experts would have gone to ascertain why it should either be reviewed upwards or downward. But maybe an isolated case should not be used as a general case, that is if there is a particular one that deserves this kind of attention. But I know that he (Ali) believes in giving to Ceaser what is Ceaser’s.

“There are various reasons why a particular payment can be delayed apart from the paucity of funds. If I know A and B company that did C and D contract is the person that raised these allegations, I would have gone to check the files; known when the last committee visited; what were their comments; did they said job weldone; completed as contracted, ready for payment; or did they say because of this, this and this, payment should be delayed until this condition and that condition is completed.

“So there are various reasons why a particular payment could be delayed, apart from paucity of funds,” he told THEWILL.


http://thewillnigeria.com/news/exclusive-customs-contractors-claim-ali-withholds-payment-for-completed-projects-but-pays-friends-apc-members/

BEVERLY HILLS, March 22, (THEWILL) – The Nigeria Police Force has established a national broadcasting and radio service that will serve the entire nation.

The broadcasting service will be managed by the Nigeria Police Broadcasting Service Limited (NPBS), a company jointly owned by the police and a private entity, according to documents seen by THEWILL on Wednesday.

Sources familiar with the development at the police force headquarters in Abuja told THEWILL that the news and current affairs station will have operational bases in all the states of the federation and the FCT, and will be jointly funded by the force and private investors, who are behind Skytick Limited.

The force has filed paperwork for a broadcasting license with the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), THEWILL gathered.

The police channels when operational will help the police force as well as security agencies communicate effectively with the general public and improve policing in our societies, one source said.

http://thewillnigeria.com/news/exclusive-nigeria-police-establishes-national-television-radio-service/

BEVERLY HILLS, March 22, (THEWILL) – The Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Mr. Abba Kyari brokered the deal that enabled returnee former Governor of Delta State, Chief James Ibori, enter Nigeria without being detained or prosecuted.

Ibori fled Nigeria after he was declared wanted for graft charges by the EFCC during the immediate past administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

THEWILL gathered from sources that Kyari, who has had long-term relations with Ibori, lobbied the Director-General of the Department of State Services, DSS, Lawal Daura for the former governor, who just finished serving his 13-year jail term for graft in December last year in the United Kingdom, to be in the clear upon his return. Ibori in a statement this week said his lawyers have appealed his conviction.

Kyari, who is one of the most powerful and influential officials in Buhari’s close circle, also coopted the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami into the plot to give Ibori a pass just as the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Corruption, Professor Itse Sagay, pressed the argument in Ibori’s favour that it would be wrong to detain and try him again in Nigeria for graft having been convicted and jailed in London for same offence.

The respected Professor of Law and Ibori have also maintained long term relations.

THEWILL further gathered that the negotiations to allow Ibori into Nigeria without harassment were brokered without the knowledge of the President. The timing of Ibori’s return was also well perfected to coincide with the President’s long absence from the country. Buhari was in London, United Kingdom, from January 19 – March 10, receiving treatment for a yet to be disclosed ailment.

THEWILL recalls that Ibori returned to the country on February 4, about six years after he was arrested in Dubai, UAE, by Interpol operatives and subsequently extradited to the United Kingdom, UK.

In the ensuing trial, a UK court convicted him of corruption and money laundering in 2012 after pleading guilty. He completed his sentence in December and agreed to leave the United Kingdom after he won an appeal against the Home Office, which wanted to continue to detain him until his assets confiscation hearing is concluded in court.

Following his arrival into Abuja, Ibori immediately went to honour a prearranged meeting with Daura at the DSS office at Aso Drive, Abuja accompanied by his cousin and also the immediate past Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan.

The secret police boss would later tell the media that he met with the ex-governor for “a short debriefing session and to also welcome him back to his fatherland”.

THEWILL gathered that during the meeting, Ibori was advised to keep a low profile politically in the interim so as not to piss off some powerful interests.

http://thewillnigeria.com/news/thewill-exclusive-how-buharis-chief-of-staff-brokered-iboris-safe-passage-into-nigeria/

BEVERLY HILLS, March 18, (THEWILL) – The refusal of the Nigerian Senate to confirm the appointment of Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, for the second time has thrown up some intriguing issues.

While it is constitutional of the Senate to confirm or reject a nominee of President Muhammadu Buhari, the role of the Department of State Services, DSS, and Magu’s statement to fight on shortly after his rejection have indicated a crack in the government controlled at both the legislative and executive arms by the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The DSS for the second time wrote a letter advising the Senate not to confirm Magu, who it accused of lacking in integrity. Among other allegations, the secret police insisted that Magu lives an ostentatious lifestyle and fraternizes with some suspects that were under the EFCC’s investigation.

Given the gravity of allegations hanging on the neck of Magu, not only should the substantive position elude him but he needs to be dropped from his present position to allow for an independent investigation into the DSS report against him.

The DSS needs to explain exactly how the supposed flamboyant lifestyle of Magu and his relationship with suspects in EFCC’s radar warranted its conclusion of charging the anti-corruption warlord with insincerity.

While at this, the public must be told the truth behind insinuations that the Senate rejected Magu’s confirmation because “he’s just too good for the job, and a lot of people are uncomfortable with people like that who are committed and determined to root out corruption from the country,” according to the Chairman of the Presidential Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay.

The upper legislative chamber must also prove that there is nothing more to their rejection of Magu, in view of rumours that some governors who are currently being probed by the EFCC influenced their allies in the Senate to go against the Acting EFCC Chairman.

There are also senators, some of them former governors, who are either being investigated or prosecuted by the EFCC for alleged graft.

Whatever the case, some questions need to be asked and answered so that the integrity of all involved can be preserved. It is scandalous that the presidency re-presented Magu to the Senate without ordering an investigation into the issues earlier raised by the DSS. Does this mean the government has no confidence in the secret police?

Against the backdrop of the Federal Government’s penchant for influencing the actions of agencies under it, including claims that security agencies were only unleashed on perceived enemies, it is difficult to comprehend the incongruity of the DSS’ action with the President’s insistence on Magu.

How can it be that as powerful as the Nigerian President is, an agency of government would stand in his way of having a nominee confirmed for a job? This is the first time that a President’s nominee is being hacked down by an agency of the Federal Government as the DSS.

THEWILL urges President Buhari to compel the DSS to reveal details of its investigation that brought about the no-integrity tag on Magu. If the embattled Magu would continue acting as the EFCC chairman as he has hinted, it then means the President really wants him for the job.

This clarification to be provided by the DSS on Magu is critical so the President can nominate a fresh candidate, or allow Magu continue in acting capacity, in which case more startling revelations could emerge along the line as the perceived enemies seem bent on humiliating the EFCC boss out of office.

THEWILL would want to caution the Presidency and other power brokers against giving the impression that President Buhari is not in charge of his government. They are not only embarrassing the President but the entire nation and are setting a dangerous precedent.

We however reject the grandstanding that can be gleaned from Sagay’s statement that “the appointor will continue to appoint”, and assert that the continued re-nomination of Magu will not bode well for the nation’s democracy.

At a time when efforts are being made to promote the relationship between the President and the Senate, such efforts should not be jeopardised because of Magu. This is because Magu’s confirmation cannot be as important to the country as having a harmonious relationship between the legislative and executive arms of government.

Given that there are so many Nigerians eminently qualified to head the EFCC and do a fantastic job of it, there is no need to heat up the nation’s polity and endanger the executive-legislative relationship on account of who occupies the substantive chairmanship position of the EFCC.

Shortly after he and Senate President Bukola Saraki had a closed-door meeting with President Buhari on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara said it was not in the place of the legislature to fight the executive.

He added that, “There is one government and no division. If he (Buhari) fails, we all fail, so it is in realisation of this that we always extend the needed support to ensure that he succeeds, so that the government will be rated as a success”.

THEWILL therefore hopes that the controversy over Magu and the EFCC Chair would not affect this professed disposition of Dogara.


http://thewillnigeria.com/news/thewill-editorial-sacrificing-executive-legislature-harmony-on-the-altar-of-magus-confirmation/

BEVERLY HILLS, February 13, (THEWILL) – The International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law, InterSociety says it is most unlikely that President Donald Trump of the United States, U.S, had a telephone conversation with President Muhammadu Buhari who is on a medical vacation in London.

It noted that the statement by presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, announcing the phone conversation is “grossly one-sided, circumstantially untenable, diplomatically blundered and grossly un-Trump-like”, stressing that such diplomatic conversations can only take place between two mentally coherent and bodily agile presidents.

Recall that virtually all leading local and foreign news outlets were on Monday evening awash with news of Trump speaking with Buhari and inviting him to Washington at a mutually convenient date.

Trump was quoted, in the telephone call, as encouraging President Buhari to keep up the good work he is doing; commended Buhari for his efforts in rescuing 24 of the Chibok Girls and the strides being taken by the Nigerian military. Both leaders were also quoted as discussed ways to improve cooperation in the fight against terrorism through provision of necessary equipment.

President Trump was also said to have assured the Nigerian President of the readiness of America to cut a new deal in helping Nigeria in terms of military weapons to combat terrorism.

But doubting the credibility of the reported conversation between the two presidents, Intersociety, in a statement by its Board Chairman, Emeka Umeagbalasi; and Head, Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law Programme, Barr. Obianuju Igboeli, accused the presidency of lying.

It advised Nigerians not to believe Adesina’s statement until the White House authorities and the United States Department of State concur with the content of Adesina’s statement from Washington DC; and confirm all that the Nigerian presidency reported Trump as telling Buhari.

“Of all the trending and unfolding dramas associated with the whereabouts and true health status of President Muhammadu Buhari, the latest is gravely disturbing and diplomatically weighty; capable of causing serious diplomatic rows between Nigeria and the new Donald Trump Administration in Washington; if found to be an extension of trending presidential falsehood,” InterSociety said.

The frontline human rights group believes that the claims “may most likely have been presidentially corrupted and made an extension of trending presidential falsehood in Nigeria and expanded into presidential falsehood across borders.”

Read the full statement here: http://thewillnigeria.com/news/ignore-adesinas-statement-trump-didnt-speak-with-buhari-intersociety-advises-nigerians/

BEVERLY HILLS, February 08, (THEWILL) – The Serving Overseer of the Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare, has revealed that Muhammadu Buhari, while persuading him to be his presidential running mate in 2011, said he wanted a vice president who can hold the country together in case he dies while in power.

It would be recalled that both men ran for the 2011 election under the platform of the now-rested Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, but lost to Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s Goodluck Jonathan.

Addressing his congregation in Ogba, Lagos last month, Bakare said all what transpired during that period had been documented in his book: ‘Strategic Intervention in Governance’.

According to him, “After I was called and I went to Abuja, and I sat with Mr President or General Buhari then, I said why me? ‘I’m not a politician’, ‘I do not belong to any political party’, ‘I am not carrying card of any party, why me’?

“He gave me all the reasons, they are written in the book; Strategic Intervention in Governance. He gave three reasons, but the one that made everyone around me that day to dove their hats was when he said: I am not as young as you think, and even Yar’Adua that is younger is dead.

“In case I die, I know you can hold the nation together. That was when Jim (he didn’t give his surname) removed his cap and said egbon, you must agree.”
Bakare disclosed that Buhari rejected former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s choice of former Finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to be his running-mate, stating that Obasanjo said he would only accord his support to Buhari’s aspiration if he settles for Okonjo-Iweala.

In the words of the pastor, “The day I signed that paper was the last day of submission. I carried the candidacy paper with me, but I didn’t fill. The final day, Nasir el-Rufai (current governor of Kaduna) came to my room, and said Chief Obasanjo summoned him, that if he could appoint Okonjo-Iweala and drop Bakare, he (Obasanjo) will support Buhari.

“I was so glad, I was totally relieved, I took the nomination paper and I said ‘let us go to General Buhari’s room’. He took us to his bedroom, only three of us there.

“I said Nasir el-Rufai has just come to tell me good news, President Obasanjo has spoken to IBB, has also spoken to Dangote, they will now support you if you can only substitute Ngozi Iweala and let me go.

“I said, sir, there are five reasons why you must yield to this, and he kept on looking at me… Look, many of you don’t know this man… For the ability to keep calm in the midst of storm and not say anything… to hold your peace, I need some Fulani blood.

“I said five reasons why you must embrace this: ‘1. Ngozi Iweala is Delta Igbo; you have solved the problem of south-south and south-east. 2. She’s a Christian, faith balance. 3. She is a woman, gender balance. 4. She is a former minister of finance and external affairs, it is called experience, and currently, her position in the World Bank gives her global exposure, any of this five, I don’t have’.

“He looked at me, and said did Obasanjo meet with you or Nasir? I said honourable minister (el-Rufai), you speak, and he repeated all the things I’ve said. And he (Buhari) asked him, what do you think he (Obasanjo) is up to? He said ‘you know our boss, there is something up his sleeve’.

“Then he turned to me, and said Pastor Bakare I told you I have prayed my own prayer the way I know how to, and I chose you, if you don’t want, give me the form, I would look for somebody else.

“It was then Nasir said, egbon, sign it. In that room, I signed it, and Nasir seconded it. I left the place and it was as if a burden lifted.”

http://thewillnigeria.com/news/buhari-wanted-a-vice-president-who-can-hold-nigeria-together-if-he-dies-bakare/

SAN FRANCISCO, Fabruary 05, (THEWILL) – Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Governors’ Forum and Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose has revealed that his ambition is to become the President of Nigeria, adding that it is God’s will for him to occupy the nation’s highest office.

Disclosing this at the weekend while hosting journalists to a dinner in Ado Ekiti, he stated that since the prophesy was from God and it was very clear that he would govern the country.

The Governor, who was not specific on when he will contest for the Office of President, said the issue needed not to be debated as he was only waiting for its manifestation.

His words, “It is according to God’s will that I will one day become the president of Nigeria.

“It was the same prophesy that said I would return as governor of Ekiti when I was in the trenches that predicted that I will govern the whole country. Many did not believe the first one but it happened just as we are waiting for the manifestation of the second one.

“Do not bother to ask me questions as to how this will materialise, I also do not know how it will happen but all I know is that I shall one day occupy the presidential villa, not as a visitor but as president.”

Fayose, who claimed to be in the good book of most Nigerians, expressed optimism that they would always be ready to make God’s plans for him come to pass at the appointed time.

He vowed to use his position as the Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum to correct many ills of the society as well as fight the cause of the poor Nigerians.

http://thewillnigeria.com/news/my-ambition-is-to-become-nigerias-president-fayose/

BEVERLY HILLS, February 03, (THEWILL) -The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Friday stated that he reads comments of people who do not to believe what he says and corrupted his first name to “Lie’’ Mohammed, asserting that such comments were the mindset of the people and a price he had to pay for serving the country.

The Minister, who spoke while fielding questions from newsmen when he visited the headquarters of Daar Communications Plc in Abuja, observed that some people found it difficult to separate him from “Lai Mohammed as All Progressive Congress (APC) spokesperson and Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information’’.

Read more here...

http://thewillnigeria.com/news/nigerians-think-whatever-i-say-cannot-be-true-minister-decries-lie-mohammed-moniker/

SAN FRANCISCO, February 02, (THEWILL) – The Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, on Thursday pleaded with Nigerians not to pressure President Muhammadu Buhari into making him the substantive CJN, stating that “the president does not need any threat or ultimatum to perform his constitutional duties”.

Several lawyers, activists and other Nigerians have criticised Buhari for not submitting Onnoghen’s name to Senate for confirmation as the Chief Justice of Nigeria almost three months since he was appointed in acting capacity following the National Judicial Council’s recommendation of Onnoghen to the President to be made the CJN.

But the Acting CJN, in a statement by his media aide, Awassam Bassey, called on “Nigerians to allow Mr. President, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, a free hand to perform his constitutional duties concerning the appointment of a substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria”.

According to the statement, “Honourable Justice Onnoghen believes the president does not need any threat or ultimatum to perform his constitutional duties and therefore dissociates himself from those individuals and groups making such demands on the president.

“However, the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria and the Nigerian Judiciary sincerely appreciate the interest of Nigerians towards the appointment of a substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria to oversee the affairs of the Judiciary as the third arm of government, but believes that issuing an ultimatum to Mr. President appears to be going too far and smacks of disrespect for the exalted office of the president.

“The Acting Chief Justice therefore appeals for caution on the issue of the appointment of Chief Justice of Nigeria as Mr President goes about his constitutional duties, especially considering the fact that the given time for him to act as Chief Justice of Nigeria has not expired.

“In conclusion, the Acting Chief Justice wishes to thank all Nigerians for their support and continued prayers while calling on them to back the Federal Government in the fight to make the country a better place for all.”

http://thewillnigeria.com/news/nigerias-acting-chief-justice-onnoghen-speaks-on-delayed-submission-of-his-name-for-confirmation/

BEVERLY HILLS, January 27, (THEWILL) – The General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide, Apostle Johnson Suleman, says those who rumour that he is with the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, owes him an apology.

This was as he revealed that his father is a leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in his Auchi hometown in Edo state.

The controversial preacher recently escaped arrest from operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, who came for him while in Ado-Ekiti for a 2-day crusade. Following his distress call, Governor Ayo Fayose mobilised to the hotel Suleman was lodged to prevent his arrest.

This happened days after a video that went viral on the internet showed Suleman instructing his church members to kill any Fulani herdsman found around Omega Fire premises, asserting that nothing will happen.

But addressing members of his church after the Ado-Ekiti incident, Suleman accused his traducers of making it look as if he does not like the APC government.

According to him, “I am speaking to clear the air, because number one, people who are going about saying things about me, do not know me.

“They owe me an apology for all of those statements. They are making the issue political, as if I am with PDP. Let me say this thing that Nigerians do not even know. Let me shock them. My father is a leader of APC in Auchi.

“If I were to be political, don’t I know who to follow? But I am not interested in politics.”

The controversial Evangelical preacher went on to state that he has nothing personal against Fulanis and Muslims, even as he vowed not to apologise for telling his people to go after herdsmen.

He explained, “I need to speak about this because of my friends and most of our northern pastors who have Fulani members.

“Many of them have been so concerned. They said: ‘Daddy, we know you love us.’… My driver in Lagos is a Muslim. He has been driving me for nine years and I have bought him two cars. If I am not tolerant, a Muslim won’t drive me.

“One day, there was an issue that happened at the gate of the church and I met with all the security men. I discovered that one of them was a Muslim and I asked how he happened to be there.

“He said he had been here for a long time and he was their supervisor, chief security officer. The way people make comments online, they say, ‘He has asked Muslims to kill Christians’.

“I come from a Muslim family. Some of my family members are Christians, some are still Muslims… I have decided to ignore them (people criticisng him) because your viewpoint is what determines your point of view. What gets your intention should not get your attention. They don’t know me.”

The pastor said he was angry because those who he was referring to in the video, which trended on the social media, are now rejoicing that the issue has taken a religious colouration.

Clarifying that he will continue having high regards for Fulanis who are tolerant and respect the sanctity of life, Suleman singled out the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi, for commendation, noting that the monarch built a church reportedly destroyed during crisis.

His words, “Let me give you an example, the emir of Kano is an intelligent Fulani man. He is a Muslim. There was a church that was destroyed, but he rebuilt it.

“Will I tell people to go and kill such a person? The Fulani people who are very enlightened have called me. They understand me.

“The reason I’m speaking now is because the herdsmen whom I am angry against are happy that this issue has become a religious one.

“I’ll not withdraw my statement and those of you who are my children and pastors need to know what I’m fighting for, so that you can stand tomorrow and say ‘this is what I’m fighting for’.”

http://thewillnigeria.com/news/suleman-demands-apology-from-those-presenting-him-as-anti-apc-says-his-father-is-apc-leader/

I'm disappointed by this cleric's reaction. Why appeal to the arm of flesh by boasting about half a million members and having churches overseas where Nigeria has embassies.

He should have reckoned with God's advise that the arms of flesh will fail you and that our weapons, as children of God, are not canal.

I just see a frigetted man resorting to empty threat to get the hawks off his back.

We don't have men of God who can act like Prophet Elijah of old. Remember what he did to soldiers sent by Ahab to arrest him.

I'm disappointed by this cleric's reaction. Why appeal to the arm of flesh by boasting about half a million members and having churches overseas where Nigeria has embassies.

He should have reckoned with God's advise that the arms of flesh will fail you and that our weapons, as children of God, are not canal.

I just see a frigetted man resorting to empty threat to get the hawks off his back.

BEVERLY HILLS, January 21, (THEWILL) – Former Petroleum Minister during the last administration, Mrs. Deziani Alison-Madueke Saturday responded wholly to allegations of graft against her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Crimes (EFCC) including stealing $153 million that was ordered forfeited to the federal government by a court.

THEWILL can report that the former oil giant, Shell top employee’s treatment for cancer in a London, United Kingdom facility is going super well. A source said her healing has been “remarkably excellent.”

Click on the link below to read detailed statement and documents:

http://thewillnigeria.com/news/trending-deziani-responds-to-seized-153m-other-allegations-with-explosive-documents/

SAN FRANCISCO, January 19, (THEWILL) – The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has stated that the non-invitation of President Muhammadu Buhari to Friday’s inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States, US, is a clear indication that Buhari no longer enjoys international relevance.

Stressing that the development was a very clear signal that Buhari’s government would not enjoy tangible support from the new US administration, Fayose said there is no doubt that Buhari is not in the good books of the incoming government of the United States.

This was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by the Governor’s Special Assistant on Public Communication and New Media, Mr. Lere Olayinka, which stated that Buhari’s frequent visit and romance with the US under Obama was due to the tacit support given to Buhari by Obama to win the 2015 election with deception.

“With Obama’s role in the emergence of President Buhari, it can be said that he (Obama) is a member of the APC in the diaspora.

“In an important event like this in US, our president will be missing in action,” read part of the statement.

Fayose wondered why the same president, who was a regular visitor to the US during the Obama administration, is not being invited to be a part of the historic inauguration of a new administration in Washington.

“No doubt, something is fundamentally wrong because if there is hope of a future relationship between President Buhari and the new US President, they would have been celebrating his inauguration and would not have allowed Nigerians to hear any other news apart from Buhari going to America.

“Obviously, Buhari’s junketing to US that gulped $1m per trip, has come to an inglorious end,” the Ekiti governor said.

Congratulating Trump for winning against all odds, like he (Fayose) won his own election in Ekiti in 2014, he urged the new American president to do everything possible to save Nigeria from the wanton killings and horrid human rights abuses of the Buhari administration.

Fayose enjoined Trump to use his good offices to look into the daily killings in Nigeria particularly in Southern Kaduna where over 1,000 people were slaughtered like goats and buried in mass graves.

According to the statement, “The Southern Kaduna killings is a clear case of genocide that must be thoroughly investigated and unraveled.

“To make matters worse was the bombing of the Internally Displaced Persons camp by the military in desperation to cover up the corruption and mismanagement of affairs in the camp.

”We appeal to Trump to ensure that the voice of the opposition is not silenced in this country.

“We however appreciate the non invitation of Buhari because that will give him the much needed opportunity to face the problems he inflicted on Nigeria, especially the IDP bombing, which left over 100 hapless Nigerians dead.”

http://thewillnigeria.com/news/fayose-mocks-buhari-for-not-being-invited-to-trumps-inauguration/

SAN FRANCISCO, January 19, (THEWILL) – The Deputy Senate President, Senator ‎Ike Ekweremadu, on Thursday declared that President Muhammadu Buhari ought to have sought the approval of the National Assembly before deploying troops in Senegal for an operation in the Gambia.

He relied on Section 5(4)(b) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, to assert that the President cannot deploy troops outside the country without any prior approval from the legislature, insisting that it is wrong to subject the Senate to ridicule.

Nigerian troops and fighter‎ jets were deployed in Senegal for the enforcement of a resolution of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, to remove Yahya Jammeh from office should he refuse to quit on January 19 when his tenure expires as the president of the Gambia.

Spokesman of the Nigeria Air Force, NAF, Ayodele Famuyiwa, on Wednesday confirmed the deployment to Senegal, as part of Nigerian contingent of Economic Community of West African States military intervention in Gambia, ECOMIG, a standby force tasked by ECOWAS heads of state to enforce the December 1, 2016 election mandate in The Gambia.

“The NAF today moved a contingent of 200 men and air assets comprising fighter jets, transport aircraft, light utility helicopter as well as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft to Dakar from where it is expected to operate into Gambia. The deployment is also to forestall hostilities or breakdown of law and order that may result from the current political impasse in The Gambia,” Famuyiwa said.

But raising a point of order on the floor of the Senate on Thursday, the lawmaker representing Enugu North, Senator Chukwuka Utazi, had relied on Section 5(4)(b) of the 1999 Constitution as well as on Order 43 of the Senate Standing Rules to point‎ out the illegality of the president’s action.

Stressing that the Constitution demands that the National Assembly be briefed before troops are deployed in any country, he said, “ECOWAS countries have been discussing the political crisis in The Gambia. But to ask that this country will go on a warfare in another country without a recourse to the constitutional provision is an affront of the 1999 constitution.

“It is a breach of the constitution and we have failed. Let it be on record that the National Assembly has to be informed properly in writing,” the Enugu senator submitted.

But the Senate President, Bukola Saraki only noted his argument, saying the President has at least seven days to inform the National Assembly before deploying troops in a foreign country, pointing out that the window had not elapsed.

“The point made is noted, but the explanation concerning the constitution is confusing. I believe the constitution gives room for the president, within seven days for such an action to come before us,” Saraki said.

It was at this point that Ekweremadu countered Saraki, arguing that based on Section 5(4)(b) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, the President cannot deploy troops outside the country without any prior approval from the National Assembly.

The Deputy Senate President, who warned that setting a bad precedence will hurt in the future, said, “This has nothing to do with war and we are not at war with anybody, but for you to send the Nigerian armed forces outside Nigeria, this Senate must be told. But it is happening in The Gambia. They need the approval of the Senate because that is not war.

“War comes in when you are talking about section 5 of the constitution and the president does not need our approval. He can go to war on our behalf and come back later. But for you to deploy them to The Gambia, you must seek the approval of the Senate,” he insisted.

No official position was taken by the Senate on the issue as the Deputy Senate President’s argument was only noted.

http://thewillnigeria.com/news/gambia-buharis-deployment-of-troops-over-yahya-jammeh-unconstitutional-ekweremadu/

SAN FRANCISCO, January 18, (THEWILL) – A group of legal practitioners coming under the auspices of Bini Lawyers Forum has accused some Northern forces purportedly led by President Muhammadu Buhari of scheming to sideline Justice Walter Onnoghen from becoming the substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN.

The group, in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, claimed that the President deliberately refused to forward the name of the acting CJN to the Senate for confirmation because he is a Christian and from the South-South geopolitical zone.

Noting that Justice Onnoghen, who is the first Southern Justice of the Supreme Court to qualify to be CJN in about 30 years, is currently the most senior Justice of the Supreme Court, the forum called for the immediate submission of his name for confirmation as the substantive CJN in line with constitutional provisions.

The statement reads, “The forum wishes to note with dismay the plot by some Northern interest/forces led by President Buhari to jettison laid down rules, procedure and convention in the appointment of the Chief Justice of Nigeria by the planned removal of Justice Onnoghen as the Chief Justice of Nigeria simply because he is a Christian and from the South-South zone of Nigeria in order to pave way for the appointment of a Northern candidate.

“It is sad to note that the President has willfully and deliberately refused to act on the recommendation of the, National Judicial Commission, NJC, by refusing to send the name of Justice Onnoghen as the Chief Justice of Nigeria to the Senate for confirmation three months after the receipt of recommendation from the NJC.

“In line with the written script of the Northern forces as executed by the President, Justice Onnoghen was sworn in as the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria in order to perfect their plan to oust him at the expiration of three months to pave way for a Northern candidate.

“We wish to note that Justice Onnoghen, who is presently the most senior Justice of the Supreme Court, by providence is the first Southern Justice of the Supreme Court to qualify for the position of CJN in about 30 years after the retirement of Justice Ayo Irikefe in 1987. It will be recalled that after the exit of Justice Irikefe, subsequent occupants of the position came from the North.

“In the light of the above, we humbly demand the immediate submission of the name of Justice Onnoghen to the Senate for confirmation as the substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria in line with the provisions of the Constitution.

“We enjoin all well-meaning Nigerians to reject and condemn this dangerous precedent set by President Buhari in the governance of Nigeria, as the President has been driving governance on the wheel of ethni9city and religion since his assumption of office.”

http://thewillnigeria.com/news/buhari-northern-forces-plotting-to-sideline-onnoghen-from-cjn-position-bini-lawyers/

SAN FRANCISCO, January 18, (THEWILL) – A group of legal practitioners coming under the auspices of Bini Lawyers Forum has accused some Northern forces purportedly led by President Muhammadu Buhari of scheming to sideline Justice Walter Onnoghen from becoming the substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN.

The group, in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, claimed that the President deliberately refused to forward the name of the acting CJN to the Senate for confirmation because he is a Christian and from the South-South geopolitical zone.

Noting that Justice Onnoghen, who is the first Southern Justice of the Supreme Court to qualify to be CJN in about 30 years, is currently the most senior Justice of the Supreme Court, the forum called for the immediate submission of his name for confirmation as the substantive CJN in line with constitutional provisions.

The statement reads, “The forum wishes to note with dismay the plot by some Northern interest/forces led by President Buhari to jettison laid down rules, procedure and convention in the appointment of the Chief Justice of Nigeria by the planned removal of Justice Onnoghen as the Chief Justice of Nigeria simply because he is a Christian and from the South-South zone of Nigeria in order to pave way for the appointment of a Northern candidate.

“It is sad to note that the President has willfully and deliberately refused to act on the recommendation of the, National Judicial Commission, NJC, by refusing to send the name of Justice Onnoghen as the Chief Justice of Nigeria to the Senate for confirmation three months after the receipt of recommendation from the NJC.

“In line with the written script of the Northern forces as executed by the President, Justice Onnoghen was sworn in as the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria in order to perfect their plan to oust him at the expiration of three months to pave way for a Northern candidate.

“We wish to note that Justice Onnoghen, who is presently the most senior Justice of the Supreme Court, by providence is the first Southern Justice of the Supreme Court to qualify for the position of CJN in about 30 years after the retirement of Justice Ayo Irikefe in 1987. It will be recalled that after the exit of Justice Irikefe, subsequent occupants of the position came from the North.

“In the light of the above, we humbly demand the immediate submission of the name of Justice Onnoghen to the Senate for confirmation as the substantive Chief Justice of Nigeria in line with the provisions of the Constitution.

“We enjoin all well-meaning Nigerians to reject and condemn this dangerous precedent set by President Buhari in the governance of Nigeria, as the President has been driving governance on the wheel of ethni9city and religion since his assumption of office.”

http://thewillnigeria.com/news/buhari-northern-forces-plotting-to-sideline-onnoghen-from-cjn-position-bini-lawyers/

BEVERLY HILLS, January 13, (THEWILL) – Former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has apologised to the paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona over his choice of words in his letter to the Awujale to debunk allegations levelled against him in the autobiography of the monarch titled: ‘Awujale: The Autobiography of Alaiyeluwa Oba S. K. Adetona, Ogbagba II’.
Recall that Obasanjo had accused the respected monarch of being a peddler of falsehood and a rumourmonger in his letter dated December 30, 2016 and addressed to the traditional ruler .

This follows an unpleasant remark about Obasanjo and his alleged use of Nuhu Ribadu’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to witch-hunt and extort Globacom Chairman, Dr Mike Adenuga during his tenure as President.
But to douse the tension being generated by the negative publicity their face-off was getting, the former president put a call across to the Awujale on Thursday January 5 to make peace with the Ijebu monarch.

A reliable source very close to Obasanjo, who confirmed the telephone conversation between the two friends, told SaturdaySun that: “Baba Obasanjo pleaded with the Awujale not to allow the media come in between them”.

After pleading with the monarch to sheathe his sword, the ex-president then invited the monarch to honour him with his presence at the commissioning of a new mosque built within the premises of his Presidential Library in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital on February 11.

“I overheard the Awujale expressing concern over what he would tell the media if they ambush him to answer some questions on their relationship at the event, but Baba Obasanjo assured him that he would handle the media well that day,” the source was quoted as saying.

http://thewillnigeria.com/news/obasanjo-begs-awujale-invites-oba-adetona-to-commission-mosque-in-his-library/

BEVERLY HILLS, January 13, (THEWILL) – A national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has attended a meeting with ministers from the Southwest zone as well as APC governors in the region, where they and other stakeholders agreed to shelve personal differences and project the interest of the Southwest under the progressive banner.

This happened on Thursday at a “crucial” meeting of Southwest Stakeholders and Elders, which held at the Agodi State House in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, and was chaired by the former Interim National Chairman of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande.

The Southwest APC leaders resolved to unite and press for more dividends of democracy for the region; and defend the legacies of the zone as the centerpiece of the progressive political ideology, which gave birth to a new Federal Government during the 2015 general elections.

Aside Tinubu, other APC chieftains at the meeting included Governors Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun) and Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun); APC National Deputy Chairman Chief Segun Oni, National Deputy Vice Chairman Chief Pius Akinyelure, former Osun State Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former Ogun State Governor Olusegun Osoba and his Ekiti State counterpart, Otunba Niyi Adebayo.

The six ministers from the zone – Babatunde Fashola (Power, Works and Housing), Dr. Kayode Fayemi (Mines and Steel Development), Mrs Kemi Adeosun (Finance), Adebayo Shittu (Communication), Prof, Isaac Adewole (Health), and Prof. Cladius Daramola (Minister of State for Niger Delta ), were also at the four-hour closed door meeting with the governors and APC leaders.

The Southwest National Assembly Caucus was represented at the meeting by Senator Sola Adeyeye and House of Representatives Leader Femi Gbajabiamila.

APC National Legal Adviser Dr. Muiz Banire and Information and Culture Minister Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who is from Kwara State, Northcentral Zone, were also invited to the meeting.

The Nation reports that Akande, who shed light on the meeting on telephone, said: “The purpose of today’s meeting is to let the Southwest office holders at the state and federal levels; the governors and ministers; to meet face to face with the leadership of the party and assure the Southwest people of what they will benefit from the APC-led Federal Government.

“The Southwest is the home of the progressives and the thinking about the merger started from the Southwest and we want to make sure that positive change will come to the Southwest from the APC Federal Government. That is the motive.”

Akande, who dismissed insinuations that the meeting was summoned to reconcile some of the leaders, stated that the elders were not aware of any rift among the stakeholders.

He maintained that what was paramount was the unity of the progressive leaders on the platform of the APC in the zone and how the functionaries could attract the benefit of welfare to Yorubaland.

Speaking with reporters shortly after the parley, Osoba said, “critical issues affecting the Southwest in the APC” were discussed at the meeting, stressing that the leaders wanted to build a more formidable front to command strength and respect in national affairs.

He said the meeting did not discuss the 2019 polls, saying that the agenda was restricted to the unity of the zone and the need to resolve its developmental challenges.

According to the ex-governor, “We met principally to discuss all the things that may be affecting Southwest and we have come out with a resolution to show that in the Southwest APC, there is unity of purpose and that the leadership is one.

“We have resolved on all the issues that may be affecting governance of this country and what should be the role and influence that we should exercise as a group in the interest of this county and for the progress of this country.”

Osoba pointed out that the party leaders had fruitful discussions with the governors and ministers, adding that the interface will be a continuous exercise.

“We have examined the government that we were all involved in bringing about and we have resolved all the issues and all those that will be taken to Abuja will be taken to Abuja by those concerned. We have related with our legislative members, leaders at the party level and we have related with our governors.

“I can assure you that, from now on, there will be total harmony and consultation among our governors for the progress of the Southwest. The Southwest is the leader of progressives in this country and we are determined to reassert our influence in the progressive politics of this country for the betterment of Nigeria,” he said.

http://thewillnigeria.com/news/tinubu-fashola-fayemi-others-resolve-to-shelve-personal-differences-project-southwests-interest/

SAN FRANCISCO, December 10, (THEWILL) – The Nigerian Senate has stated that the ponzi investment scheme, MMM, is a pyramid that would soon burst, warning Nigerians to be wary of the Russian originated investment model which involves directing clients to make money available for an anonymous person with a promise of 30 per cent return within one month.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions, Senator Rafiu Adebayo Ibrahim and other members of the committee alerted Nigerians to the dangers of buying in to MMM, while speaking in an interview with Saturday Vanguard.

According to Ibrahim, “Any Financial institutions of any kind that is not under the regulation of a Regulator such as MMM is a pyramid that will soon burst. We engaged the CBN and they have issued a statement in the recent past. So Nigeria should be wise and know that there is no free money any where. One wonders which investment can yield 30% flat any where in the world.”

For Senator Gbolahan Dada, APC, Ogun West, who is a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions, “It is important for members of the Public to know this fact. was a Russian company founded in 1989. The company was established by Sergei Mavrodi, his brother named Vyacheslav Mavrodi, and Olga Melnikova. The name of the company was taken from the first letters of the three founders’ surnames. MMM could be called a wonder bank. Over 5 to 40 million people lost up to $10billion in the 90s when it was introduced. The company was shut down by Russian Police in 1994 and declared bankruptcy in 1997.

“It is unfortunate that some unscrupulous Nigerians are capitalizing on current economic hardships to defraud unsuspecting Nigerians by encouraging them to part with their hard earned money with mouth-watering interest or returns.

“MMM does not contribute or add value to the economy because the records of such transactions are not kept and not made open to the public or regulatory authorities. It is a product of fraud and nothing good comes from fraud.

“The operator pays returns to the investors from new capital acquired from new investors and not from legitimately earned profits. The operators entice investors with mouth watering offers. The short term returns are abnormally high and unusually consistent. They may struggle to pay the first returns but would bolt away with subsequent capital or deposits made by investors.”

Speaking about the financial implications of investing in MMM, Dada said, “The money involved in MMM are usually spent by the promoters on frivolities. The promoters engage in ostentatious lifestyles. They hardly have concern for the unsuspecting investors. It is fool hardy for any members of the public to fall prey to the scheme despite warnings from stakeholders. Those patronizing MMM will have a tale of woes to tell after losing their deposits.”

On what can the Senate do to protect the interest of Nigerians, the lawmaker said, “The House of Representatives has taken a step to condemn the Scheme and also promised to investigate the scheme. Secondly, the CBN and majority of the Banks have warned members of the public from participating in the scheme.

“The EFCC also issued warnings to arrest perpetrators of that scheme. My take is simple. Any Nigerian who decides to participate in the scheme is on his own and should blame himself in the event of any loss. The only thing the Senate can do is to advise Nigerians to shun the temptation of getting rich quick so as not to lose their meager resources.”

In his contribution, a member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Senator Adesoji Akanbi, APC, Oyo South, who noted that the present economic situation in the country caused MMM to become popular, warned Nigerians to be careful, just as he said that those involved are civilized and educated people who actually know the consequences.

According to Akanbi, “first and foremost, every Nigerian has the right to embark on any investment, it is a choice of anyone. The question is, is MMM real, is it actually threatening the financial institutions in Nigeria; is it posing a security threat and is it capital flight? Those questions need to be looked into. I believe that it is the consequence of recession, it is not MMM, but about the desperation of Nigerians looking for survival and nobody needs to be blamed.

“If we see the kind of people that patronize MMM, they are civilized, educated people who actually know the consequences of failed investment, but they still take the risk and go into it. The only advise I can give them is to be careful, they have the right to go into it, it is their right, but they must be careful.”

http://thewillnigeria.com/news/mmm-will-soon-burst-theres-no-free-money-anywhere-senate-warns-nigerians/

BEVERLY HILLS, December 09, (THEWILL) – Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has told the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris, that the withdrawal of his Chief Security Officer has exposed his life to danger, lamenting that “I am empty”.

This Saturday (December 10) has been set aside as date for the legislative rerun election in Rivers state both for members of the National Assembly and state legislature. It is feared that the polls may come with violence as major actors seem to be beating the drums of war.

Wike however requested the IGP to transfer the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, Steven Hasso, and the Commander of Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Akin Fakorede, for deliberately compromising the security for alleged partisan reasons.

He made this demand while receiving the IGP at the Government House in Port Harcourt, regretting that without consultations, Idris took sides with Hasso, who allegedly attempted to invade Government House with APC supporters.

The Governor said he was shocked by the statement released by the Office of the Inspector General of Police that his Chief Security Officer was withdrawn for misconduct.

He told Idris that contrary to his claim, his Chief Security Officer was withdrawn for misconduct; his CSO only stopped Hasso and the APC members from invading the Government House.

In the words of Wike, “The moment you touch my Chief Security Officer, you are telling me that you are ready for me. As I sit, I am empty, I have no protection.

“When people start to embarrass the governor, take his CSO without information, it is completely wrong. What you have done is the highest disrespect to the office of the governor.

“I am pleading with you, my life is very important. I will take any CSO you bring to me that I don’t know? This is a matter of security and protection, it is not what you do with levity.

“If the police want free and fair elections, the police will get free and fair elections.”

http://thewillnigeria.com/news/i-am-empty-wike-tells-igp/

BEVERLY HILLS, November 28, (THEWILL) – The Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Usani Usani has disclosed that projects worth over N420 billion have been abandoned in the Niger Delta region, disclosing that when he came in as minister, there was no Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.

Lamenting that there was so much waste in the ministry, he told reporters on Sunday that “organised chaos and a deliberate action of disorder” reigned supreme before he came into office, adding that “there was an amorphous organisation called a ministry. But there was no ministry. So, attempting to get things in proper perspectives became the first responsibility, which, so far, is beginning to take proper shape.”

Usani continued, “It was a situation where people thought that the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs was a platform for collecting and sharing. That is the reason we had more than N420 billion disbursed in the ministry and the rate of project completion was just 12 per cent. There was so much waste.”

He categorised the projects into sectors, saying: “In every state of the Niger Delta, there are housing estates of two-bedroom and three-bedroom units. They have skills acquisitions centres. Only one has been completed and donated to the Federal University Otuoke.

“The rest are not complete, like the popular East West road, which seems to characterise the image of the ministry.”

The minister, who stated that he would not like to refer to the projects as abandoned, explained that; “What we are trying to do is reward contractors who have shown true diligence in execution and should be encouraged by being mobilised further to return to site. And those who are in liability against the recent mobilisation are requested or advised to return to site until they get to the level of project execution that will be commensurable to what they have gained financially.”

As regards the East West road, he said: “It was first awarded in 2006. One decade has passed and it has not been completed. Yet, it is of so much economic and social importance to the region.”

http://thewillnigeria.com/news/there-was-no-niger-delta-ministry-when-i-came-in-minister-usani/