Rain International Soul / Core works wonders,for all types of infection STD's,health issues (liver ,Kidney Heart) etc.This supplements are natural seed which helps the body fight diseases in diverse ways.

ODB2:
How can the state prosecution pay a Judge a bribe to secure a conviction?

Magu is truly a madman .

“At that material time of this commercial transaction and till date, I had no prior knowledge that Justice Ajumogobia had any interest whatsoever in the company.”

Mr man,the above is one of the ways they do it in naija,of all the building material firms in deidei,alaba ,Nigeria etc,why must it be a building material firm the judge as a stake in that you would pay 5 million to for building materials?
And as a judge does public service act even allow her to have private businesses asides agriculture/farming?

The first lawyer from the Northern part of the country and father of Kwara State Governor, Alh. Abdulganiyu Folorunsho Abdulrasaq is dead.

Popularly known as AGF, he died in the early hours of Saturday in Abuja.

He passed away less than four months to his 93rd birthday.

Apart from being Nigeria’s Ambassador to Cote d’Ivoire, he was the first Commissioner of Finance for Kwara State after the state was created in 1967.

He was President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange from 2000 – 2003 and Vice-President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange from 1983 – 2000.

He is survived by his wife Raliat; Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq; Dr. Alimi Abdulrasaq, a former Executive Director of NNPC; Isiaka Abdulrasaq; Sen. Khairat Gwadabe and a former First Lady of Kwara State, Hajiya Aishat Lawal.

Arrangements are being made to fly his corpse to Ilorin for burial later today.

A statement by Dr. Alimi Abdulrazaq reads: “With total submission to the will of the Almighty Allah, the AbdulRazaqs of Ilorin Emirate of Kwara State hereby announce the passing of their patriarch and statesman Alhaji AbdulGaniyu Folorunsho Abdul-Razaq SAN (OFR) at the age of 93 in Abuja. He was born in 1927.

” The Mutawali of Ilorin and Tafida of Zazzau(Zaria), who was Chairman of the Nigerian Body of Benchers, died peacefully at about 2am on Saturday July 25th, 2020(the 4th day of Dhul-Hijjah 1441 AH.)

“The first lawyer from the Northern Region is survived by his 90-year-old wife Alhaja Raliat AbdulRazaq, illustrious children (including incumbent Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq), and grandchildren.

” Arrangement for his interment will be announced by the family shortly.”

May Almighty Allah Grant him Aljanah Firdaus ,Amin.

The Nation.

It does not require clear thinking for one to see how shameful and revolting things have become in our country.

If integrity was a man, they would have called him Idiagbon.

The world, especially Nigeria, is what it is today because of our inability to live a life of integrity. The pillars of our guiding principles are no longer standing on the foundation of value.

Instead of dignity and morality to be the watchful directors of our course, we decided to let vanity and impunity to rule over us.

Regardless of any other opinion, it was this senseless decision of ours that Gen. Idiagbon tried to dethrone from our mind.

But in vain he tried.

Born on the 14 September 1943, in Ilorin, Kwara state, Babatunde Abdulbaki Idiagbon received his secondary education at the Nigerian Military School, Zaria between 1958 and 1962.

He would join the Nigerian Army by enrolling in the Nigerian Military Training College (NMTC) in 1962: NMTC was renamed the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) in February 1964.

In April 1965, Idiagbon was commissioned second lieutenant upon his arrival from Pakistan Military Academy where he had obtained a BSc in economics.

From 1966 to 1967, he served as an intelligence officer, 4th Battalion and General Staff Officer, 3rd Intelligence, 1st Sector.

It was during this time that he got promoted to the rank of lieutenant, and also to the rank of captain two years later.

At the age of twenty-five, Idiagbon had already become the commanding officer, 125 Battalion.

Owing to his intelligence, qualification, and personal ability, his promotion kept coming until he rose to become Brigadier General in 1983.

Nigeria before 1983 had already taken side with lawlessness. In addition, the nation's resources were handled with recklessness.

The depth of corruption among public officials had succeeded in dragging the country into a state of economic shambles and the government in charge at the time seemed to be very okay with the situation.

The Shehu Shagari's government succeeded in creating a group of dark kleptocratic thieves whose heartless goal would not be reached until the nation is plunged into a well of hopelessness.

As a matter of fact, record has it that in the space of four years, between 1979 and 1983, Shehu Shagari administration had mismanaged Nigeria into debt.

In fact, Nigeria was at the time counted among the most indebted countries in Africa.

Owing a colossal sum of about fifty billion dollars, inflation found a fertile soil to sprout. The result could only lead one end, hardship.

And of course, where there’s hardship, insecurity is always present.

At the time, a radical Islamic insurgent called "Maitatsine" operating from present-day Gombe state was inflicting all sorts of atrocities.

The Shehu Shagari government could not contain this vicious and dangerous Islamic fundamentalist. The nation was in a state of disarray.

It was during this time of national disorganization that the military ousted the Shehu Shagari administration in a coup d'etat.

Thus, Gen. Buhari became the Head of States and made Idiagbon chief of staff at Supreme Headquarters (de facto vice president).

Spearheading the control of all visible instruments of national, political, governmental and administrative powers, Idiagbon made use of power the way power should be used.

With ruthless zeal and determination, he introduced and implemented policies like War Against Indiscipline, which comprises of five phases:

Phase One - Queuing (launched on 20 March 1984)
Phase Two - Work Ethics (launched on 1 May 1984)
Phase Three - Nationalism and Patriotism, launched on 21 August 1984
Phase Four - Anti-Corruption and Economic Sabotage, launched on 14 May 1985
Phase Five - Environmental Sanitation, launched on 29 July 1985
To enumerate, the first phase was forcefully introduced to encourage customers and citizens to always line up to board buses.

And to always do the same whenever they find themselves vying for services with high demand. Anyone who deemed himself too important to comply was met with the military’s wrath.

The purpose for which this phase was implemented was to bring social order back to society.

In like manner, the second phase was launched to encourage hard work: Civil servants must be punctual, arriving work at the strike of the clock.

Frog jumps and sometimes kobokos from soldiers were the lots of those who usually arrive late.

Interestingly, the war was also extended to the classroom; making cheating during examination a very serious crime.

The third phase was launched to foster nationalism and patriotism. And this was supported by the implementation of import substitution industrialization policy; based on the use of local materials.

Thus, importation was tightened. The sole aim of the policy was to ensure the growth of local industries.

And it was further supported by the implementation of the Go Back to Land Programme which was part of the government’s farming policy that encouraged massive agricultural food production.

In a bid to implement the fourth phase, which was to counter corruption and economic sabotage, Idiagbon announced the introduction of a new currency for Nigeria.

He said the new currency would keep the same name, but the colors of bills would be different.

It was reported that some former politicians including ministers, governors and local government chairmen were holding large amount or sum of stolen monies in their houses.

The move was to render those monies useless.

Notice was given to the public, a time frame to withdraw their old naira notes from the bank and re-change it to the new ones.

Idiagbon had already announced that the exchange limit was 5000 naira; exchanging in excess of the limit had to explain where the money came from with government clearance.

He had affirmed that the deliberate sabotage of the Nigerian currency through large-scale illegal trafficking was the major cause of the nation's economic problems.

So ruthless was the implementation that when Fela was caught at the airport with more foreign cash than was stipulated by law, not even the truth that he was known for could set him free from paying the prize.

Even a huge consignment of Abiola’s imported newsprint, which was on the government contraband list was seized.

Without conformance to bias nor sentiment, the no-nonsense general blasted corrupt politicians on a radio programme known as Military in Action; promising to smoke them out of their holes to face justice.

It might interest you to know that it was during this administration that late Alhaji Barkin Zuwo, a former senator and Governor of Kano state, was slammed for corruption with an imprisonment sentence of two hundred and fifty years.

Like the Great Thomas Sankara, Idiagbon believed that Nigeria was strong enough to develop from within; that should Nigeria be focused, she could become a creditor nation.



In fact, it was with this conviction that he blasted the International Monetary Fund when he said: "International Monetary Fund (IMF) cures no sick state, in most cases, they worsen the ailment."

Idiagbon's ruthlessness wasn't born out of foolishness; he was intelligent and prudent enough to know what he was doing.

In April 1985, he was heavily criticized for executing a drug trafficker. In replying his critics, he said, "a uniquely Nigeria solution is necessary to curtail the get-rich-quick mania that encourages serious crime."

Also, when he was blasted by some senseless critics, for jailing corrupt Second Republic politicians, Idiagbon blasted back: "All these criminal racketeering and swindling went on while the salaries of local government employees and teachers were left unpaid for months."

The no-nonsense general never smiled.

But how could he have smiled with a country like Nigeria? A country whose thought alone calls depression to the thinker's mind.

Nigeria has always been an organization of disarrangement. A nation where sentiment and bias ride upon the horses on its Coat of Arms. A state where religion and tribalism make mockery of patriotism.

It does not require clear thinking for one to see how shameful and revolting things have become in our country.

A country where the people's representatives pocket in a year, what an average citizen won’t earn in three earth lives if we are to go by the minimum wage.

However, one major highlight of Buhari/Idiagbon’s regime was the Umaru Dikko saga.

Umaru Dikko was a special adviser to Shehu Shagari and also the minister of transportation. He exiled himself from Nigeria and took refuge in the UK when he sensed that danger was coming for him

Accused of looting a whopping sum of $1billion, he was declared Nigeria’s most wanted.

With an intent to bring him back home alive, Umaru Dikko was kidnapped, injected into a state of unconsciousness and packaged inside a specially made crate.

Luckily for him, the move was somehow double-crossed by a British customs officer known as Charles David Morrow.

Though the Nigerian government denied involvement, Idiagbon was, however, angry that the British government foiled the plan.


He was clear in his assertion that Nigeria was not going to ask for restoring relations with Britain, and that if anyone was to ask for forgiveness, it should be Britain.

As expected, the Nigerian Airways plane that was sent to bring Dikko, with its crew, was detained by the British government.

The no-nonsense general would retaliate by detaining a British Airways passenger plane at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport.

It was not long before it became clear that his style of leadership had earned him a long chain of elite enemies.

In August 1985, while on a pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia, news reached Idiagbon that Buhari had been overthrown and detained in a coup led by Ibrahim Babangida.


He was cautioned to stay away from the country or he will be dealt with.

Upon hearing this, the late King Fahd Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud called Idiagbon and made an offer. The Saudi king told Idiagbon that he would get him a magnificent mansion to stay for his retirement for life and forget about the idea of returning to Nigeria.

Idiagbon politely declined the offer. He was too rugged and brave to hide behind closed doors.

A few days later, he was unwelcomed by soldiers armed with all sort of weapons. And for forty horrible months, he was placed under house arrest in Benin and Bauchi state.

His reign as vice president lasted for only twenty months.

With no millions of dollars to his name, Idiagbon took to farming and detached himself from public activities.

Nigeria had chosen not to be better, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Still remembered for his simple and humble lifestyle, Major-general Idiagbon passed away on May 24, 1999; leaving Nigeria to the darkness she preferred over the light.

The new Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, has said his primary allegiance would be to President Muhammadu Buhari and not the public.

The Chief of staff stated this on Wednesday when he spoke briefly to State House Correspondents at the Presidential Villa.
He started out by thanking President Buhari for deeming him worthy to serve in the new capacity, adding that he would serve the President to the best of his ability.

“I thank the President of the Federal Republic for giving me the opportunity to serve him and of course, the country”, he said.

Asked what Nigerians should expect from him as Chief of Staff, he said “we have not started, I’ll have to find out. I don’t report directly to the nation, I report to the President”.

About what he has to offer the President, he said “my loyalty, competence and support”, adding that his guiding principle as Chief of Staff would be “to serve the President to the best of my ability”

The nation news

Bukola saraki and the new COS have been very close since way back,saraki would have assured all his pdp goons that they are now in safe hands going into the 2023 presidential election.

The Argentine becomes the third Bianconeri player to test positive for the virus
Juventus striker Paulo Dybala has confirmed he and his girlfriend Oriana Sabatin have tested positive for coronavirus, though he says neither of them are displaying any symptoms.

The Argentine forward was tested for the disease last week and is currently self-isolating at home.

"Hi everyone, I just wanted to inform you that we have received the results for the Covid-19 test and both Oriana and I have tested positive," Dybala posted on Twitter.

Goal.com

Chelsea star Callum Hudson-Odoi has tested positive for coronavirus, leading the Blues to enact a partial closure of their training facilities.

More to Follow...
Goal.Com

The founder and Senior Pastor of the Living Faith Ministry, also known as Winner’s Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo, has announced the sack of some officials for allegedly stealing from the church’s treasury.
According to TheCable, Oyedepo disclosed this on Saturday during an empowerment summit organised for the church’s ordained workers.
Bishop Oyedepo, a fierce critic of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, did not disclose the number of officials affected.
He said, “We had no choice but to dismiss them. You can imagine top church officials engaging in doubling figures and other dubious practices. After we dismissed them, we discovered more fraud.
“Those who should discover the fraud were the ones involved in it. One of them refused to confess until the last minute. Can you imagine accountants perpetrating fraud in the house of God?
“Don’t employ them, don’t sympathise. Whoever sympathises with the wicked is wicked himself. Don’t sympathise with any perpetrator of fraud, otherwise, you are a partaker of the evil act.”

NAIJA NEWS

[quote author=Lexusgs430 post=85453479]I hope he does not have a house too...... Once power changes hands....... He better buy a caravan..........


Please go and get more informed about happenings around the house,saraki should head to court if he knows their family acquired the property genuinely and not through the back door.

lahizak:

So attacking the legacy of d past leaders of d state is now the best tin to do? Is there no way the court can be used to probe past leaders rather than tarnishing images.

How has he tarnished their image?if they did the right thing in the first place ,would there be any image to tarnish ,the land on masterplan of the state is for a state Secretariat,if his father used his influence then to get the land allocated to himself for private use rather than for the public use it was designed for in the masterplan,Abdulrazaq has all the right to revoke it simple.

Staro:
This is bad
Abdulrazaq should tread carefully

What is bad about what Abdulrazaq has done.
The above mentioned land on the masterplan of kwara is suppose to be for a state Secretariat,if his father used his influence to get it allocated to himself for private use,Abdulrahman has all the right to revoke it and use it for the planned use on the state masterplan (which is for the state Secretariat)

The United States Department of Justice says it has indicted Air Peace CEO, Allen Onyema, in bank fraud and money laundering.

While Mr. Onyema has denied the charges, the Justice Department also states that the burden of proof belongs to the American government.

See the full details of his indictment:

Allen Ifechukwu Athan Onyema, the Chairman, CEO, and founder of Air Peace, a Nigerian airline, has been charged with bank fraud and money laundering for moving more than $20 million from Nigeria through United States bank accounts in a scheme involving false documents based on the purchase of airplanes. The international airline’s Chief of Administration and Finance, Ejiroghene Eghagha, has also been charged with bank fraud and committing aggravated identity theft in connection with the scheme.


“Onyema allegedly leveraged his status as a prominent business leader and airline executive while using falsified documents to commit fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “We will diligently protect the integrity our banking system from being corrupted by criminals, even when they disguise themselves in a cloak of international business.”

Robert J. Murphy, the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division commented on the indictment, “Allen Onyema’s status as a wealthy businessman turned out to be a fraud. He corrupted the U.S. banking system, but his trail of deceit and trickery came to a skidding halt. DEA would like to thank the many law enforcement partners and the subsequent prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office who aided in making this investigation a success.”


SEE ALSO: US govt indicts Air Peace CEO in bank fraud, money laundering

“This case is a prime example of why IRS-CI seeks to partner and leverage its expertise in an effort to thwart those seeking to exploit our nation’s financial system,” said Thomas J. Holloman, IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Atlanta Field Office. “With the importance of our banking system to the movement of money around the world, those attempting to use intricate schemes to commit bank fraud through the use of falsified documents and other means should know that the odds are now heavily stacked against them as law enforcement is combining its talents to protect the sanctity and integrity of the nation’s financial system.”



“Onyema setup various innocent sounding multi-million dollar asset purchases which were nothing more than alleged fronts for his scam,” said acting Special Agent in Charge Robert Hammer, who oversees HSI operations in Georgia and Alabama. “I’m proud to be part of a team of law enforcement agencies that come together to identify and attack criminals that attempt to profit from the exploitation of our nation’s financial systems.”

According to U.S. Attorney Pak, the indictment, and other information presented in court: Onyema, a Nigerian citizen and businessman, is the founder and Chairman of several organizations that purport to promote peace across Nigeria, including the Foundation for Ethnic Harmony, International Center for Non-Violence and Peace Development, and All-Time Peace Media Communications Limited.

Beginning in 2010, Onyema began travelling frequently to Atlanta, where he opened several personal and business bank accounts. Between 2010 and 2018, over $44.9 million was allegedly transferred into his Atlanta-based accounts from foreign sources.


Onyema is also the CEO and Chairman of Nigerian airline Air Peace, which he founded in 2013. In years following the founding of Air Peace, he traveled to the United States and purchased multiple airplanes for the airline. However, over $3 million of the funds used to purchase the aircraft allegedly came from bank accounts for Foundation for Ethnic Harmony, International Center for Non-Violence and Peace Development, All-Time Peace Media Communications Limited, and Every Child Limited.

Beginning in approximately May 2016, Onyema, together with Eghagha, allegedly used a series of export letters of credit to cause banks to transfer more than $20 million into Atlanta-based bank accounts controlled by Onyema. The letters of credit were purportedly to fund the purchase of five separate Boeing 737 passenger planes by Air Peace. The letters were supported by documents such as purchase agreements, bills of sale, and appraisals proving that Air Peace was purchasing the aircraft from Springfield Aviation Company LLC, a business registered in Georgia.

However, the supporting documents were fake — Springfield Aviation Company LLC, which is owned by Onyema and managed by a person with no connection to the aviation business, never owned the aircraft, and the company that allegedly drafted the appraisals did not exist. Eghagha allegedly participated in this scheme as well, directing the Springfield Aviation manager to sign and send false documents to banks and even using the manager’s identity to further the fraud. After Onyema received the money in the United States, he allegedly laundered over $16 million of the proceeds of the fraud by transferring it to other accounts.



Allen Ifechukwu Athan Onyema, 56, of Lagos, Nigeria, and Ejiroghene Eghagha, 37, of Lagos, Nigeria, were indicted on November 19, 2019, on one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, three counts of bank fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit credit application fraud, and three counts of credit application fraud. Additionally, Onyema was charged with 27 counts of money laundering, and Eghagha was charged with one count of aggravated identity theft.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendants are presumed innocent of the charges and it will be the government’s burden to prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

The Drug Enforcement Administration, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Commerce, and Department of Treasury are investigating this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Garrett L. Bradford, Deputy Chief of the Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Section and Lead Strike Force Attorney, Irina K. Dutcher, and Christopher J. Huber, Deputy Chief of the Complex Frauds Section, are prosecuting the case, with assistance from the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Office of International Affairs.

targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The specific mission of the Atlanta Strike Force is to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug trafficking and money laundering organizations designated as Consolidated Priority Organization Targets or Regional Priority Organization Targets and their affiliates impacting the Atlanta metropolitan area and the Northern District of Georgia.

Source The punch

13 things to know about incoming governor
David Lyon has been declared governor-elect of Bayelsa state
- Lyon and 44 other candidates participated in the election
- The governor-elect is 49 years old David Lyon, governorship candidate of the All progressives Congress (APC), has successfully challenged and finally broken the two-decade-old dominance of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the politics of Bayelsa state.
Lyon emerged winner of the governorship election in the oil-rich-state conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday, November 17. Legit.ng brings the profile of the new Bayelsa state governor for those who do not know him well. 45 candidates representing 45 political parties participated in the election.
Here are 13 things you should know about Lyon
1. His full name is David Lyon Perewonrimi
2. He is the CEO of Darlon Security and Guard, a private security firm in Bayelsa state.
3. He was born into the Olodiana clan of Southern Ijaw local government area of the state.
4. He is a wealthy businessman.
5. He is not a very popular face in the Bayelsa political landscape.
6. He contested under the platform of PDP as an aspirant to represent the Southern Ijaw constituency IV in 2011.
7. He defected from PDP in 2015 to join the ruling APC.
8. He was born on December 20, 1970, in Olugbobiri community.
9. He is 49 years old.
10. He attended Saint Gabriel’s State School Olugbobiri, from 1978 to 1983
11. He attended community secondary school, Olugbobiri, from 1984 to 1988.
12. He went to Rivers State College of Education 13. He possesses a National Certificate of Education (NCE).
Read more: https://www.legit.ng/1276547-bayelsa-election-13-incoming-governor-david-lyon.html

- David Lyon of the APC has won the Bayelsa governorship election
- Lyon defeated his closest rival, Duoye Diri, of the PDP - INEC expressed disappointment at the level of violence recorded in Kogi and Bayelsa elections The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), David Lyon as won the Bayelsa state governorship election. The APC candidate defeated his closest river, Duoye Diri, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Bayelsa state consists of eight local government areas including Brass, Ekeremo, Kolokuma/Opokuma, Nembe, Ogbia, Sagbama, Southern Ijaw and Yenagoa. Below are the results of the election in each local government. Sagbama LGA APC – 7, 831 PDP- 60, 339 Brass LGA APC – 23, 831 PDP- 10, 410 Nembe LGA APC – 83, 041 PDP- 874 Ekeremor LGA APC – 21, 489 PDP- 18, 344 Kolokuma/Opokuma LGA APC – 8, 934 PDP- 15, 360 Ogbia LGA APC – 58, 016 .
Read more: https://www.legit.ng/1276529-bayelsa-election-apc-wins-governorship-seat-displaces-pdp.

The Department of State Services (DSS) has declared former National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki and leader of Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) popularly known as Shittes, Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, chose to be in its custody on their volition.

The Service disclosed this in a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Dr Peter Afunanya, on Friday evening.

The statement titled “Setting the records straight,” explained it was necessary to clarify this given the outcry over their alleged illegal detention.
It reads: “There has been outcry about alleged illegal detention of some notable persons undergoing trials at the Courts and disobedience to Court Orders by the Service.

“To put the records straight, the Service wishes to advert public attention to the circumstances that warranted the custody of Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.) and Sheik Ibrahim El-Zakzaky in its facility.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the duo had appealed to the Courts to be left in the custody of the Service instead of being taken to the Correctional Centres.
“Well meaning Nigerians are equally witnesses to the case of Omoleye Sowore, who, on a similar order of the Court, was to be remanded at the Kuje or Suleja Centre but preferred to be kept at the DSS.

“Everyone, also, saw what eventually played out with El-Zakzaky, when he opted to be returned to the custody of the Service even as the Court had granted him leave to seek medical care in India. These were choices these personalities made on their own volition.

“Since their stay, the Service has continued to extend the best courtesies to them.
They are allowed access to people and use of other facilities like telephones, gymnasium, TV, newspapers and medical facilities.

“Among others, their families and trusted persons bring them food of their choices on daily basis. There could not have been better treatments than these.

“Against the wrong perception that the Service held these persons in defiance to Court Orders, it is obvious, by the above explanations, that they rather chose be looked after by the DSS. The reason for such choice is not far-fetched. It is simply because the Service’s holding facilities are good and within acceptable international standards.

“It is not in the character of the DSS to join issues with persons or groups. Yet, silence should not be golden at a time like this. For its compliance to democratic norms, the Service owes the Nigerian public a duty to explain some of its activities. This is more so that these are oftentimes grossly misunderstood or misrepresented.

“Once again, the Service restates its commitment to a strong partnership with the media and other stakeholders including opinion leaders. It is not averse to criticisms and therefore welcomes constructive engagement from all and sundry.

“It will continue to conduct its operations within the bounds of the law and importantly be guided by that time tested axiom of Usman Dan Fodio that conscience is an open wound and only the truth can heal it.”

https://thenationonlineng.net/dasuki-el-zakzaky-chose-to-be-in-our-custody-dss/amp/

“Lol its a pattern, once they’re on trial they’re all sick and can’t stand, wheelchair stretchers replace their jeeps. Nigeria is not ready yet..” That was the comment of @ArafatMuazu, a Twitter when Vanguard published the news on the arrival of Abdulrasheed Maina in court in a wheelchair.

Maina is a Former Chairman of Pension Reform Task Team. He is currently facing trial over his alleged complicity in a N2 billion fraud at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

He seems not to be the first prominent Nigerian appearing at a trial with a wheelchair.

In January 2016, Haliru Mohammed former ‎National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, appeared before a Federal High Court in Abuja following allegations of his involvement in the $2 billion arms deal. Full Story.

In January 2016, Former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Patrick Akpobolokemi, appeared before a Federal High Court on crutches to face charges of fraud.

In March 2018, former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, who was facing corruption charges arrived the continuation of his trial before the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, in a wheelchair. Full Story.

In May, 2018, Sen. Dino Melaye, the Senator representing Kogi West Senatorial District in the National Assembly, during his trial before a Chief Magistrate Court in Abuja for attempting to kill himself by jumping out of a vehicle conveying him to Lokoja to face criminal allegations against him arrived the court in a stretcher. Full Story.

In September 2019, Major General Hakeem Otiki, General Officer Commanding 8 Division Nigerian Army, appeared in a wheelchair during his trial in the General Court Martial (GCM) over the stealing of large sums of money put between #400million and #600 million by soldiers attached to the GOC. Full Story

Source : VANGUARD NEWSPAPER.

By Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

Kwara Assembly has confirmed the 16 commissioner- nominees forwarded to it by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.

This was after the screening of the last batch of four nominees by the House in plenary.



The four nominees screened are Mrs. Oyedun Juliana Funke(Isin), Agbaje Wahab Femi (Offa), Arinola Fatimoh Lawal and Joana Nnazua Kole

Others earlier screened are: Ayinla Jawondo Salman (Asa), Engr. Suleiman Rotimi Iliasu(Moro),Arc. Aliyu Mohammed Saifudeen (Kaiama) and Harriet Adenike Afolabi-Oshatimejin (Ifelodun).

Others are Sa’adatu Modibo Kawu (Ilorin South), Dr. Raji Rasaq (Ekiti); Alhaji Muritala Olarewaju (Oyun)
( Aremu Abosede Deborah (Irepodun) and Aisha Ahman Patigi.

Also confirmed commissioners are: Oyeyemi Olasunbo Florence (Oke-Ero), Lafia Aliyu Kora Sabi (Baruten),Ahmed Fatima Bisola (Ilorin West), Oyedun Juliana Funke (Isin), Agbaje Wahab Femi (Offa), Joanna Nnazua Kolo (Edu) and Arinola Fatima Lawal (Ilorin East).

During the screening, members eulogised a former Governor Mohammed Lawal for his tremendous efforts in ensuring the survival of democracy in Kwara State.

The House, being satisfied with all the nominees, asked each of them to take a bow and leave.

The nation news.

President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo will spend a total N3.5 billion on travel and food in 2020, a figure that is more than double what they spent in 2019, according to the budget proposal submitted by the president early October.

The amount spent in 2019 was N1.4billion. The sharp rise comes at a time of increased worry about President Muhammadu Buhari’s growing foreign trips.

The president flew out of Abuja on Monday to Saudi Arabia for what officials said would include official meetings and a religious event. He will then travel to the UK after for a two-week vacation.
Mr Buhari just returned last week from Russia. Critics have questioned the real benefits of the trips that come at huge costs to the nation.
In the 2020 budget, over N2.5 billion has been budgeted for the president’s local and international travels.
Despite his new foreign travel guidelines for ministers which Mr Buhari said would curb leakages and ensure efficiency in the management of resources of government, President Buhari’s allocation for international travels increased from N751 million in 2019 to N1.75 billion.
Also, N775 million is budgeted for the president’s local travels, a whopping rise from the N250 million budgeted for the same purpose in 2019.
Similarly, N98 million was budgeted for the president’s foodstuff and catering supplies, while N25 million was budgeted for refreshments and meals.
For refreshments and meals, the president and his household and office are expected to spend more than N68,000 per day asides from the foodstuff and catering services.
For the vice president, N801 million was budgeted for travels for the year as against the N301 million which was budgeted for travels in 2019.
Local travel will gulp N283 million while international travels get N517 million in 2020.
Similarly, for the vice president, the sum total of N50 million was budgeted for foodstuff and catering materials and supplies and N18 million for refreshments and meals.
Health and Education
The African Development Bank in its 2018 Nigeria Economic Outlook said about 80 per cent of Nigerians live on less than $2 per day.
The N3.5 billion assigned for travel and food for the president and vice president can construct over 320 blocks of two classrooms with furniture using N11 million as the price for each, according to a pricing estimate by the civic group, BudgIT, provided for the 2016 Federal Constituency Projects.
Analysts believe this can help reduce the 10.5 million of the country’s children in the country.
The money can also be useful in providing healthcare for Nigerians. Nigeria is the highest contributor to maternal mortality in Central and Western Africa and contributes 14% to the global maternal mortality rate, according to UNICEF.
Most primary health centres in Nigeria do not have an ultrasound machine that could help save the lives of mothers and children during childbirth.
With the cheapest of this equipment going for N1.6 million, the huge presidential food and travel bill can cover 2,200 units of this equipment.
Tope Fasua, a financial analyst, said such spending merely help increase Nigeria’s debt.
“If you look at the budget, the entire revenue of the government can not fully cover the recurrent not to talk of capital, recurrent is not being covered by the revenue and therefore the government goes into a frenzy of trying to take taxes from people,” he said.
“Minding the fact that the global financial world is expecting another global recession by next year, most of the countries in Europe are guarding their loins and getting prepared.
“Unfortunately, this is the best we can do in this country and of course it is also very unfortunate that the Buhari government, that people had hoped that will be disciplined is perhaps the most undisciplined of the lots we have had since 1999,” he said

Source:premium times

Barcelona captain, Lionel Messi has named Ronaldo Nazario de Lima as his best striker in the history of the game.

Ronaldo had won the hearts of many fans across world with his dribbling skills, as well as power and precision in front of goal.
Highlights of his illustrious football career include winning the 2002 World Cup with Brazil in Japan.

Asked who he thinks is the best striker of all time, Messi snubbed his closest rival Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammate Luis Suarez.

“Ronaldo [Nazario] was a phenomenon, Of all the strikers I ever saw, he was the best,” Messi told TyC Sports.
“He was impressive,” he added.

Speaking on his best strike partner for Barcelona, Messi said: “Ronaldinho helped me a lot. I came into the dressing room at 16-17 years of age, seeing all those footballing giants made it tough.

“But he mentored me and made me feel comfortable, and I loosened up. Afterwards on the pitch, I always looked for him but we didn’t have many years to enjoy together. Besides, we didn’t play as much at that time. I would have liked to play more with Ronaldinho.

“I have played five years with Luis Suárez. Playing every 3 days, you get used to each other and play by heart. We have children of the same age, spend our lives together every day, and the relationship is growing ever stronger.”

One of the beauties of democracy is the right of an individual to choice. It affords the individual opportunity to decide on who should lead them. That is why some positivists believe that anybody who subverts free and fair process to the election of a leader deserves capital punishment.

Nigeria and several developing countries involved in the democratization process have had its fair share of issues, bothering on election malpractice and impediments against freedom to informed choice.

Whatever the case, democracy in Nigeria have come of age, where the political consciousness have grown astronomically, to such an extent that people are beginning to make informed choice.
In Bayelsa State, the governorship election scheduled for November 16, 2019 is a straight epic battle between the People’s Democratic Party’s candidate, Senator Douye Diri and his counterpart of the All Progressive Congress, Mr. David Lyon.

The atmosphere is already electric over the issue of choice between the two candidates. The stakes in this election are higher than any other election in the history of the state.

The essence of this piece is to keep sentiment apart and take a critical appraisal of the two major contending candidates. This will go a long way in contributing to the electoral process, so that the electorate can make rightful choice based on their credentials.

It will not be out of place to first make reference to the great philosopher Plato who said that only philosopher kings be made rulers as all philosophers aim to discover the ideal state. Plato contends that philosopher kings possess a special level of knowledge which is required to rule what he called the Republic or the State.

Plato therefore placed emphasis on education as a key factor in leadership recruitment process; this idea about the role of education in leadership has transcended time, believing that only informed leadership can bring about happiness and justice in the State. Plato further noted that “there will be no end to the troubles of States; humanity itself till philosophers become kings in the world… and political power and philosophy thus come into the same hands”
Also, in laying his epistemological foundation, Plato emphasized in his “allegory of the cave” that knowledge is power and education is light. In other words, only educated people should be entrusted with the task of leadership.

In the case of Bayelsa, there is a fundamental problem with leadership recruitment process. It is a real source of worry.

It is in the light of the above, this author will lay bare the strength and weaknesses of PDP’s governorship candidate, Senator Douye Diri and that of APC’s David Lyon within the context of Plato’s political philosophy.

First, at the level of educational exposure, the PDP candidate, Senator Douye Diri, is a professional or trained teacher and he holds National Certificate of Education, NCE, and Bachelor of Education (B.ED) in political science at University of Port Harcourt.

The APC candidate, Mr. David Lyon, too is a trained teacher and holds a National Certificate in Education (NCE) at the then Rivers State College of Education.

Senator Douye Diri, after his graduation taught in several secondary schools in the Old Rivers State and later Bayelsa State, where he imparted knowledge and groomed students for leadership.

Mr. David Lyon on the other hand has no record of teaching in any school despite his NCE background.

So, on the scale of preference before the electorate, if Plato’s political philosophy and epistemology is going to count as it does in other civilised climes, the guess of the electorate is as good as a concluded choice.

At the level of public service, Senator Douye Diri had invested the better part of his life to public service and that of the Ijaw (Izon) ethnic group in the country.

Apart from serving as a teacher, he was the pioneer Organising Secretary of the Pan Ijaw Organisation known as Ijaw National Congress, INC.

He ventured into the murky water of politics and was appointed Commissioner for Youths by then Dr. Goodluck Jonathan administration while Jonathan was governor of Bayelsa State.

At the saddle as Commissioner for Sports, Senator Douye Diri initiated programmes at catching young boys and girls into business of sports, some of whom are excelling.

Today his nitche in sports administration at Bayelsa State Ministry of Justice is well carved for all to remember.

When the governor Seriake led government of restoration came on board, Senator Douye Diri was further appointed as Deputy Chief of Staff and was later made Principal Secretary to the governor.

These appointments exposed Senator Diri to the workings of government. No doubt, he was equipped with a very rich service experience, preparing him for higher call to service.

Truly, it came when he was elected to represent the Yenagoa/Kolokuma/ Opokuma Federal constituency at the green chamber of the National Assembly. Senator Diri availed himself of the opportunity to embark on landmark motions by drawing the Federal Government attention to the grotesque State of marginalisation of the Niger Delta in terms of development.

His sterling performance endeared him to his constituents which later earned him of his election to the Senate.

On the other hand, the APC standard bearer was allegedly involved in militancy in the creek of Olodiama in Southern Ijaw, busy confronting multinational oil companies. According to credible sources, it was due to his constant disturbance at the creek, that Agip oil companies decided to enlist his service by providing him the opportunity to carry out surveillance contracts for oil companies; to protect pipeline and other facilities from being sabotaged or damaged by militants in the creek of Bayelsa.

This is what had thrown him forth to limelight because he made huge financial fortunes out of it by further engaging youths exposed to militancy. His philanthropic gestures are also well known.

But this is why, when Governor Henry Seriake Dickson told Bayelsans to reject candidates with militant background on the occasion of the inauguration of PDP governorship campaign council, it was understandable where the message is being directed at.

Sustainable development conscious people hold the opinion that Bayelsans have suffered bad leadership; that this time around the people should drop sentiment and go for who has the requisite exposure to governance and not somebody who wants to learn on the job.

They said serious business of governance transcends the pedestrian sentiments of philanthropism, adding that after all, Bill Gate, the second richest man in the world from US, does not seek to contest the presidency of America on account of his philanthropic activities all over the world in the area of poverty reduction, health matters, education and so on.

So the question that is begging for answer is, why must any Bayelsan who commit little fund to philanthropic activities want to be a governor? This is a huge question mark on the APC governorship candidate.

In other parts of the country, people are projecting their first eleven in the serious business of governance. In the South-West, to North Central, to North- East and North-West, down to even states in the South East and South-South, they present their best in terms of education, public service exposure, some of whom have become presidential materials in the future.

In Bayelsa State, since 1999, the state got it wrong in the quality of its leadership recruitment process when it began to patronise militants with no education or half-baked education for positions of trust.

This is where the electorate are faced with the simple but tough choice. We should not visit whatever perceived sin of Timipre Sylva on the candidacy of David Lyon, same way one should not visit Governor Seriake Dickson’s perceived sin on Senator Douye Diri, simply because they are all benefactors of the candidates.

What is required is objective and informed choice to lead the state. The November 16, 2019 governorship election provides yet another opportunity for paradigm shift away from the poor culture of leadership weaved around mediocrity to a new era (oya oge in Ijaw) of a philosopher king leadership.

Just as somebody jokingly said, “if education is not important for leadership, then let us close down all our schools and allow all manner of people to assume leadership position in this global village of competing ideas”.

As the election gets closer, the real choice will become manifest and may God see Bayelsans through on this tough path to choose the right candidate.

A daughter of President Muhammadu Buhari, Zahra, on Friday, stunned guests at a BBC Hausa event when she revealed that she is unable to speak fluently in Hausa, her father’s language.

The event was to unveil winners of a literary contest organised by the broadcast station.
Mr Buhari is a Hausa man from Daura, an important Hausa city in Katsina. Zahra’s mother, Aisha, is, however, a Fulani from Adamawa.

“I’ll make you laugh,” Zahra, who is married to businessman Ahmed Indimi said, when asked to make a comment at the ceremony officiated in Hausa.

She said she and her siblings rarely communicate in the language.

”Every day my father would correct my Hausa when I converse with him” she said in Hausa amidst laughter.

She said they usually communicate in “Engausa” a colloquial term for mixing of English and Hausa in a conversation.

She attributed her inability to speak good Hausa to attending schools with “children of white people.”

The president’s daughter later told interviewers off stage that they mostly speak in her mother’s native Fulfude language at home.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/359553-i-cant-speak-hausa-fluently-zahra-buhari.html

FORMER Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has been invited to appear before the House of Assembly on Wednesday.

In an invite published in the newspapers, the immediate past Governor has been asked to appear before the Committee of the House by 1pm to say all he knows about some financial transactions that took place under his administration.

The publicised invite entitled: “Notice of summons: Mr Akinwunmi Ambode (the former Governor of Lagos State), was signed by the Clerk of the House, Mr. A. A. Sanni
In the notice, the former governor was reminded of the importance of appearing before the Committee to shed light on five-point infractions raised by the Assembly.

The governor had shunned an an earlier summon by the House when he alongside three of his Commissioners and Accountant-General of the State were invited.
The fresh notice states: “The Lagos State House of Assembly, pursuant to Section 129 (1)(c) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) hereby summons His Excellency, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, the former Governor of Lagos State (May, 2015 – May, 2019) to appear before the Committee of the House on Wednesday, 30th October, 2019 at the Lateef Jakande Auditorium, Assembly Complex, Alausa, Ikeja by 1.00 p.m.”

If he appears on Wednesday, the former governor will be asked to clarify the following:

Unauthorised discounting of Promissory Note;
Purchase of 820 buses by your administration without due authorisation;
Misappropriation of Special Expenditure Funds;
Improper implementation of the Appropriation Law; and
Non-adherence to the Financial Regulations of the State.
The notice urged the former governor to provide the Committee with documents to justify that the transactions did not violate constitutional provisions.

It reads: “You are kindly requested to furnish the Committee with fifteen (15) copies each of all relevant document(s) relating to the issues raised through the Office of the Clerk of the House on or before Tuesday, 29th October, 2019.

“It is pertinent to state that your presence at the proposed meeting would give you the opportunity to shed light on issues that are material to the investigation.”

Era of reckless spending over in Kwara, says Gov. AbdulRazaq
ON OCTOBER 25, 20195:23 PMIN NEWS, POLITICSBY BANKOLE
Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara has declared that the era of reckless spending by public office holders was over in the state.

The governor said this on Friday in Ilorin in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

NAN reports that the governor was reacting to a news report by an Ilorin based newspaper that he bought three bullet-proof vehicles for himself, his and son.


According to Ajakaye, the governor has no reason to feign modesty as alleged in the report.

“His decision to be prudent with public funds is deliberate and is a pointer to his philosophy of selfless service to the people.

“His administration is a clear departure from the rapacious regimes Kwarans have recently rejected.

“The newspaper is gravely mistaken to think that Governor AbdulRazaq belongs to that horrible past,” he said.


He, therefore, gave the medium 24 hours to retract and take down the story from all its platforms, apologise to him, or face legal consequences for the libellous report.

According to him, the Governor, being a true son of the soil, fully appreciates the need to conserve scarce public funds to serve the best interest of the suffering people of Kwara State.

“He will, therefore, never engage in reckless spending of public funds. ‘Omo onilu oni je o tu’ (son of the soil will not allow his town to scatter).
“Going forward, we’ll like to state that the Governor is a citizen and a public official who reserves the right to keep his good name and that of his family.

“The governor also reserves the right to seek legal redress in the event that the demands above are not met within 24 hours from 25 October, 2019,” the statement added.

fairfora:
Hefty and well-fed guys. I still believe Joshua sold that fight. The end of the rematch would rest all doubts

Continue believing,Joshua is now what that he cannot loose a fight?even the greatest evers in boxing loose fights.

Gas flaring: FEC approves conversion of natural gas to methanol
ON OCTOBER 23, 20197:53 PMIN BUSINESS, NEWSBY BANKOLE

The Federal Executive Council(FEC) has approved the conversion of natural gas to methanol in order to address the environmental challenge caused by gas flaring in the country.

The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, briefed State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He said the gas flaring, which had constituted a problem over the years, would be addressed by converting natural gas to methanol which could be used in many sectors on the economy.


“The Federal Ministry of Science and Technology presented a memo to the council that requires the utilisation of Methanol in our economy.

“The problem that we have in the Niger Delta where our natural gas is flared and it has created lots of problems; environmental problems; and also problems for fellow Nigerians living around those areas where the gas is continuously flared.

“It is of major concern to this administration and one way to help us to completely solve this problem of gas flaring is to convert the natural gas into Methanol.


“Methanol is a liquid that finds use in virtually all sectors of the economy; you can use methanol for transportation; all those racing cars that they put M85, M100, essentially, that’s’ is methanol and then 15 per cent gasoline but for ordinary use, normally the blending will be 15 per cent of methanol so that you don’t need to make any adjustments to your vehicle.

“Then, also, methanol can be used to replace diesel for all these trucks that we find on our high ways because methanol is cheaper and more environmentally friendly.

“So that all the problems associated with the use of diesel can be solved by the use of methanol.’’

According to Onu, women and people in rural areas can use methanol for cooking so that it will replace kerosene

The minister said that methanol did not have soot as it was very clean, safe and cheap.

“It is one way that we utilise our gas in our rural areas and it is going to help us in this problem of deforestation; because today, we are losing many of our forests and trees because we are using them for domestic energy use; so methanol will do this.

“Methanol is also useful in generating electricity power plant; many power plants currently use diesel and all that; methanol will be a replacement.
“Once this is implemented, it will help us to create new businesses particularly, micro and small businesses that have the potential to grow into bigger ones and it will help in the creation of jobs,” he said.

Onu said that the conversion of natural to methanol would also help in wealth creation as well as in fighting poverty.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday met with the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin at the opening of the Russia-Africa Summit.

Photos from the event were shared by Bashir Ahmad, Personal Assistant to Buhari on New Media via Twitter.

https://mobile.twitter.com/BashirAhmaad/status/1186969500610113536

The Nation Newspaper
Melaye, Adeyemi: A fresh test of strength
October 23, 2019
Melaye, Adeyemi: A fresh test of strength
FacebookTwitterPinterestLinkedInWhatsAppEmail


Kogi West Senatorial District is back to square one. The district is warming up for a fresh senatorial election, following the nullification of the precious poll by the Appeal Court. The contest is between Senator Dino Melaye of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Senator Smart Adeyemi of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Who wins? Correspondent JAMES AZANIA asks

With the affirmation of the ruling of the Kogi State National/State Assembly Election Petitions tribunal, invalidating the election of Dino Melaye as the senator representing Kogi West at the National Assembly, by the Court of Appeal, Abuja, a fresh poll will hold in the district on November 16. The game of supremacy between Senator Dino Melaye and Senator Smart Adeyemi will assume a new dimension.

The Court of Appeal ruled that the verdict of the National/State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal in the state, that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate (Senator Melaye) in the February 23, 2019 polls was not validly elected. It ordered a fresh election within 90 days.



Adeyemi, a former two-term senator under the PDP, was beaten at the last general election by Melaye, who had just defected from the PDP to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC). The latter is a former members of the House of Representatives from (Ijumu/Kabba/Bunu constituency).

Melaye in a controversial circumstance, picked the APC ticket to contest in 2015, a feat he repeated at the last National Assembly Election, but which has now been invalidated.

The two senators have dug at each another, as their political interests have often clashed.

Following the invalidation of the Kogi West election, and the removal of the only PDP senator from Kogi State, the battle will not only be a straight one between Melaye and Adeyemi, but also between Melaye and Governor Yahaya Bello.

Not only is Bello, who has a score to settle with Melaye, seeking to return to the Lugard House in the November 16 poll, being the candidate of the ruling party, the fact that the governership election and the Kogi West Senate rerunwill hold on the same day makes it a big battle for supremacy.

“It is going to be a political battle that will settle the contest between Bello/Senator Adeyemi and their common foe and Dino, who is a former ally of the governor. We all know that the governor and Dino have parted ways long ago, but the Senate election ordered by the court is basically going to be a Kogi West affair. Let us wait and see how it will go,” said a politician who did not want his name in print, from the area.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had said that it will explore the possibility of using the November 16 governorship election to conduct the fresh election for the Kogi West Senatorial District.

The INEC National Commissioner in-charge of Kogi, Nasarawa and Kwara states, Alhaji Mohammed Haruna, hinted this in Lokoja, the state capital.

The INEC National Commissioner said since the governorship election was still 31 days days away, it is possible to hold the two polls together.

The petition filed by Adeyemi, candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the February 26 election, paved the way for the rerun and the opportunity for either Adeyemi and all those that want Melaye out of the Senate, have their day, or for Melaye to proof his resilence, in the political firmament of Kogi State, and Kogi West particularly.

The three-man panel of the Court of Appeal, led by Justice A.O. Chijioke, in its majority decision, upheld the arguments by Adeyemi’s lawyer, Dapo Otitoju, to the effect that the election was flawed.

It invalidated the poll outcome due to what it described as discrepancies in dates indicated in the result sheets produced by the electoral commission, noting at that while the election was conducted on February 23, 2019, the result sheets indicated February 25, 2019 as the date of the election.

Otitoju, in his final submission on July 23, prayed the court to nullify Melaye’s election on three grounds; arguing that the INEC’s decision to collate and announce the election results in Lokoja, despite the judgment of the Federal High Court, identifying Kabba as the headquarters of the senatorial district, was a negation of the constitution and Electoral Acts. It was substantial ground to nullify the election.

He argued that the INEC’s failure to abide by the judgment of the Federal High Court, which it did not appeal, showed that it had a hidden agenda.

Counsel argued that the presentation of the certified true copy of PVC distribution in Kogi West, which revealed 48,200 excess votes in the result declared for the senatorial district, was enough reason for the tribunal to nullify the election.

He urged the tribunal to take note of the mutilation of votes that was visible in the result sheets. He said the mutilation was occasioned by the INEC’s change of the venue of collation centres, and prayed the tribunal to void the election on the grounds that it was held in substantial non-compliance with the constitution, the Electoral Act and against the wishes of the people who voted.

Melaye’s counsel, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), called on the tribunal to dismiss the petitioner’s prayer, saying that the documents presented by him were “mere hearsay documents.”

He urged the court to hold that his client was validly elected. The case, however, did not favour Melaye.

The ousted senator said he was not worried by the verdict, which he described as human judgment.

“It is absolutely well. No worries, no tension, no pains. I celebrate God for He is always a good God. I believe in the divine, I mean God’s judgment. I ask my supporters to be law-abiding as we shall always overcome. To God be the Glory,” he said.

Adeyemi, however, expressed confidence of winning Melaye in the Senate rerun, saying, “I am not afraid of poll rerun with Senator Melaye. He cannot defeat me in a free and fair election. He is no match any day. It is now obvious that he did not defeat me at the last poll.

“Dino Melaye has never won an election before. I thank God we have judges with a high level of integrity because the facts before them spoke for themselves. You don’t have to be a judge to see that the results were manipulated.”

He added: “It is a different ball game now in the Kogi West Senatorial District. The masses have seen the difference between my performance in office and that of Dino who did nothing for our people.The political scenario has changed completely. More than half of the foot soldiers of the Peoples Democratic Party in Kogi West have defected to the All Progressives Congress .

“He cannot account for his stewardship in the Senate; he has nothing to show for it to the electorate.”

Bello welcomed the court’s decision, describing it as a clear attestation that the judiciary was solidly on course and working in line with the aspirations of the people.

He said it is a vindication of his earlier position that the PDP manipulated Melaye’s election.
The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Onogwu Muhammed, said: ”For upholding the petition by Senator Smart Adeyemi of the All Progressives Congress and ordering that a fresh election be conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission in the constituency, the tribunal and the Appeal Court have jointly proved to the world that the people’s mandate was stolen in the last Kogi West Senatorial election. “The Appeal Court and the entire judiciary, therefore deserve our commendation for further strengthening the democratic and electioneering processes in Nigeria.” Bello said he was confident the people of the Kogi West will turn out enmass to elect Adeyemi of the APC in the re-run election.

The Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday ordered the forfeiture of three landed properties belonging to Kola Aluko, an ally of a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission gave the value of the landed properties located in Abuja and Lagos as $73m and N350m.

The EFCC gave the names of the properties as Plot 3389 and Plot 3390, House 2, Margaret Thatcher Close, Asokoro Cadastral Zone, Abuja; as well as Avenue Towers, Plot 1391 Tiamiyu Savage Street, Victoria Island, Lagos
the properties were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

Following an ex parte application on Tuesday, Justice Mohammed Liman ordered the properties temporarily forfeited to the Federal Government.

EFCC lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, had told the judge that Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act No. 14 2016 empowered the court to make such a forfeiture order
The properties sought to be attached are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of an unlawful diversion from the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“That the respondent’s known and provable lawful income is far less than the properties sought to be forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria,” the lawyer said in the application.

An operative of the EFCC, Sambo Mayana, said the anti-graft agency investigated Aluko after receiving from Mr Debo Adeniran, the Executive Chairman of the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, “a damning intelligence report and a petition alleging fraud, lack of transparency and unethical conduct in the transfer of production rights in the oil mining leases against the respondent and his cronies
That there are suspicious financial transactions involving the 1st respondent, KAA and Atlantic Energy Holding Limited based in the British Virgin Island.
That the company, in the course of three years, received large suspicious transfers from two sister companies, namely: Atlantic Energy Drilling Concept Limited and Atlantic Energy Brass Development Limited, based in Nigeria.”

After granting the forfeiture order, the judge directed the EFCC to publish it in a national newspaper.
He adjourned till November 12, 2019, for anyone interested in the properties to appear before him to show cause why they should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

https://punchng.com/court-orders-forfeiture-of-kola-alukos-73m-n350m-properties/amp/

News Of The Arrest Of Mr Mustapha, Widely Known By His Business Moniker ‘Mompha’, Spread Quickly As A Rumour Across Nigerian Social Media Monday Evening.

Mr. Mustapha has cut the personality of one of Nigeria’s wealthiest socialites on social media, using instagram to post pictures of his family’s wealth.

In some of his most recent posts on his verified Instagram page, which has nearly 650,00 followers, Mr. Mustapha featured a yellow ferrari and a 2020 Rolls royce wraith eagle viii he claimed to have purchased for N180 million.
He Said He Was The First African To Own The Rolls Royce And It Was Only One Out Of 50 Exotic Vehicles He Owned Across The World.

Celebrity Bloggers Claimed The Ferrari Was Bought Earlier This Year For N155 Million.
Read what EFCC posted below:-