God bless the distinguished Senator. Whether your known or unknown villains like it or not, you have surpassed them. It is only wounded snake that spits venom! Anybody who is not comfortable should hug a life transformer!

The question which comes to heart is if certain people are scared of the petition which might be nemesis. I don't see anything wrong Sen. Kashamu petitions the US on the case. The said case had been tried twice in the UK which it was said that the NDLEA was a witness to while Kashamu was awarded damages for incancerating him for 4 good years of a crime he did not commit, the the case was not appealed for over 14years. Another question which comes to heart is, would the UK fiddle records or support a black man (kashamu) at the detriment of a fellow European nation (US)?

Of course we have clues to were these partisan folly, vilifying articles emanate from. But soonest, you'll all be put to shame by God's special grace.

There is no need dignifying your vituperations with a response as it will be folly. Shizophrenics like you should be referred to a psychiatric hospital for treatment. Your ilks ended up in failing.

SPBK; AN ASTUTE LEADER AND EMBODIMENT OF PROWESS

Having a great idea, and assembling a team to bring a specific concept to life is the first step of a demagogue. While finding a new and unique idea is rare enough; the ability to successfully execute this idea is what separates the illusion from reality.

However, age may be no barrier, as soon as you make that exciting first move you have taken the first steps in becoming a powerful leader. When money is tight, stress levels are high, and the visions of instant success don’t happen like you thought, it’s easy to let those emotions get to you, and thereby your team. Take a breath, calm yourself down, and remind yourself of the leader you are and would like to become. As a leader your impact on the lives of the less privileged will always leave an etch on their hearts. The mediocrity of some leaders will give birth to an offspring. What legacies are you passing to subordinates as a leader? villains will make abysmal and vituperations kind make utterances about your eloquence and success, do not be downcasted. Giving in to defamation does not and will not make you a leader.

Distinguished Senator Sir, your kind gesture, love, commitment, determination to bring forth a just society will always speak for you during tribulations. You have elevated the less priviledged, helped the poor, gave the downcasted a purpose. Ogun State is indeed lucky to have a vast, blunt and pragmatic leader of your caliber. These you have all exhibited on several basis and quite sure you'll be willing to always. At the mention of your name nor appearance, the populace leap in euphoria. Your exceptional leadership qualities and philanthropic gestures is very rare.

God bless SPBK, God bless Ogun State, God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

I tell you, we know where this might be coming from! What has other politicians of his calibre done to improve the lives of the less privileged in their various jurisdiction? I saw someone utter balderdash here claiming he has done nothing. How about the health bill motion he moved awaiting ratification? Nigeria will never be one with this inimical utterances and vituperation moves by selfish leaders.

RE: KASHAMU SPONSORS BILL ON MENTAL HEALTH

Our attention has been drawn to a report with the above title in the online version of The Punch newspaper which should be published in the hard copy edition of Friday, 9th October, 2015.

Despite exercising great restraint in not joining issues with The Punch newspaper over the years, we have noticed a consistent pattern by some elements within the newspaper to prosecute a proxy political battle.

This time, the newspaper took its biased for Senator Kashamu a notch higher when it deliberately twisted a report that a bill he sponsored on mental health illnesses had passed first reading in the Senate.

Instead of commending Senator Kashamu for being one of the first set of lawmakers to sponsor a bill in the 8th Senate, or at least just report event and tell us the contents of the bill, it (The Punch) went on a binge to cast aspersion on his person.

First, which unnamed experts told The Punch that drugs "remained the major cause of mental ailments among the youths?" This is just a colouration given to the report by The Punch's Sunday Aborishade who has a clear mandate to report lies about Senator Kashamu and/or twist reports that relate to him. Recall that he was the one who, shortly after the 8th Senate was inaugurated in June, reported that Kashamu was absent at the Senate whereas he was not! Now, in another of his jaundiced reports, Aborishade says "Kashamu is currently being investigated by the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency on issues relating to drug abuse which, experts claimed, remained the major cause of mental ailments among the youths". Pray, does it not smack of ignorance that a man who had been tried and discharged severally over the same allegations both in Nigeria and the UK could be said to be "being investigated"? If he is still being investigated by the NDLEA (the very agency that had severally testified in his favour), why was the extradition proceedings instituted against him dismissed in June, this year?

In case The Punch and its minders do not know, according to WebMD, mental illnesses are caused by three major factors, namely biological factors/inherited traits, psychological factors and environmental factors. It is under the environmental factors that you have substance abuse. It is NEVER “a major cause of mental ailments” as The Punchclaimed, all in a desperate bid to justify its biased reportage.

So, the less than clever attempt to narrow mental illnesses to drugs abuse and make Senator Kashamu unfit to present the bill, even when several courts have exonerated him,  is wicked and unprofessional, to say the least!

It is only consistent with The Punch’s Pull-Kashamu-Down campaign. It has an uncanny penchant for twisting anything that relates to Senator Kashamu, and there are several examples. It reportage of Ogun State/South West PDP issues, congratulatory message to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu,  face-off with the NDLEA and lately the NANS award!

We do know the relationship among the Managing Director of The Punch newspapers, Mr. ‘Demola Osinubi, former Governor Gbenga Daniel, Mr. Dapo Abiodun and some politicians in Ago-Iwoye, Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State where Osinubi and Senator Kashamu hail from.  But we never knew that anyone would sacrifice professionalism on the altar of primordial sentiments.

Clearly, Osinubi and his cohorts are under a clear mandate to use the newspaper to run down Senator Kashamu under the pretext of performing its professional duties! But, we know that no man, no medium, no matter how powerful, is more powerful than God.

 Thank you.

 

Signed

Austin Oniyokor

Media aide to Senator Buruji Kashamuə

RE: KASHAMU SPONSORS BILL ON MENTAL HEALTH


Our attention has been drawn to a report with the above title in the online version of The Punch newspaper which might be published in the hard copy of tomorrow, Friday, 9th October, 2015.

Despite exercising great restraint in not joining issues with The Punch newspaper over the years, we have noticed a consistent pattern by some elements within the newspaper to prosecute a proxy political battle.

This time, the newspaper took its biased for Senator Kashamu a notch higher when it deliberately twisted a report that a bill he sponsored on mental health illnesses had passed first reading in the Senate.

Instead of commending Senator Kashamu for being one of the first set of lawmakers to sponsor a bill in the 8th Senate, or at least just report event and tell us the contents of the bill, it went on a binge to cast aspersion on his person.

First, we which unnamed experts told The Punch that drugs "remained the major cause of mental ailments among the youths?" This is just a colouration given to the report by The Punch's Sunday Aborishade who has a clear mandate to report lies about Senator Kashamu and/or twist reports that relate to him.

Recall that he was the one who, shortly after the 8th Senate was inaugurated in June, reported that Kashamu was absent at the Senate whereas he was not! Now, in another of his jaundiced report, Aborishade says "Kashamu is currently being investigated by the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency on issues relating to drug abuse which, experts claimed, remained the major cause of mental ailments among the youths".

Pray, does it not smack off ignorance that a man who had been tried and discharged severally over the same allegations both in Nigeria and the UK could be said to be "being investigated"? If he is still being investigated by the NDLEA (the very agency that had severally testified in his favour), why was the extradition proceedings instituted against him dismissed in June, this year?
In case The Punch and its minders do not know, according to WebMD, mental illnesses are caused by three major factors, namely biological factors/inherited traits, psychological factors and environmental factors. It is under the environmental factors that you have substance abuse.

So, the less than clever attempt to narrow mental illnesses to drugs abuse and make Senator Kashamu unfit to present the bill, even when several courts have exonerated him, is wicked and unprofessional, to say the least!

It is only consistent with The Punch’s Pull-Kashamu-Down campaign. It has an uncanny penchant for twisting anything that relates to Senator Kashamu, and there are several examples. It reportage of Ogun State/South West PDP issues, congratulatory message to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, face-off with the NDLEA and lately the NANS award!

We do know the relationship among the Managing Director of The Punch newspapers, Mr. ‘Demola Osinubi, former Governor Gbenga Daniel and some expired politicians in Ago-Iwoye, Ijebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State where Osinubi and Senator Kashamu hail from. But we never knew that anyone who sacrifice professionalism on the altar of primordial sentiments.

Clearly, someone is under a clear mandate to use the newspaper to run down Senator Kashamu under the pretext of performing its professional duties! But, we know that no man, no medium, no matter how powerful, is God!

Thank you.

Signed,
Austin Oniyokor,
Media aide to Senator Buruji Kashamu.

NANS OGUN AND ZONE D, A MERE FACADE

Dotun Opaleye the self acclaimed Nans Ogun JCC chairman and his ally Okikiola the Nans zone D coordinator are well known hypocrites as far as Ogun State NANS is concerned. What utterances is expected of these duo? Praises of Senator Kashamu? Their vituperations, vilifying and smearing games are actually expected anyway.

Now, the question is can they (dotun opaleye and Okikiola ) explain their relationship with Ogun State APC? They may not based on the fact that both of them were sponsored by Amosun the Ogun State governor who belongs to the opposition. Dotun and Okikiola can be likened to APCs vuvuzela!

Sincerely, the people claiming to be sanctimonious are the evil ones who have absolutely nothing to offer to the public! I keep wondering why some people can be this folly! As a human, Senator Kashamu is trying his best to give back to the public what other business men and politicians couldn't and some boys who lacks home training, ethics and culture are here passing all forms of vituperations on this noble mans personality! Where is your surrogate all these years? None!

Even the state governor couldn't offer anything but retrogression! What i noticed is the more you victimise him, the more he gets stronger. Has any court of competent jurisdiction both in Nigeria and over the sea found him guilty? If not why all these gullible utterances? The HOLY BIBLE insinuates castigate nobody so as not to receive the same treatment from our CREATOR and also ISAIAH 33:1 speaks it all. We shall see how you'll both run your race!

The people claiming to be sanctimonious are the evil ones who have absolutely nothing to offer to the public! I keep wondering why some people can be this folly! As a human, this man is trying his best to give back to the public what other business men and politicians couldn't do and we are here smearing, vilifying and passing all forms of vituperations on his personality! Where is your surrogate all these years? None! What i noticed is the more you victimise him, the more he gets stronger. Moreover, the HOLY BIBLE insinuates not castigate anybody so as not to receive the same treatment from our CREATOR.

Why does the NDLEA love chasing shadows? Everywhere is full of drug addicts, even the so-called celebrities can't do without drugs, yet the NDLEA had failed in their duties to perform their expected obligations to wipe out this non sense from our environment.

A United States of  America congress woman, Federica Wilson, has blasted  Nigerian lawmakers for not advocating the release of the missing 219 Chibok Secondary School girls.

The American lawmaker said the lawmakers had failed to identify with the struggle by the #BringBackOurGirls coalition advocating the rescue of the girls  abducted by  Boko Haram over a year ago.

Wilson who addressed  the BBOG sit-out at the Unity Fountain, Abuja on Tuesday said it was part of the responsibilities of the lawmakers to also come out and canvass the release of the school girls.

She specifically called on lawmakers from the North-East region to take up the Federal Government and state governors on what efforts had been made to rescue the girls.

Wilson said  Nigerians should stand up for their rights and ask their elected representatives questions, noting that it is the duty of the elected officers in different offices to take care of those who elected them.

According to her, the election of President Buhari and other political office-holders marked the beginning of a new era for Nigeria as a country.

She said, “Believe me, you have the power to put pressure on the people you elected  to deliver to the people of Nigeria and to stamp out boko Haram, and find the Chibok girls.

“I have been supporting them from day one, I didn’t even know that this was even taking place, it has been so quiet, but one day somebody phoned me and I heard that they kidnapped girls in Nigeria and it has been going on for a longtime. So when I found out, I went straight to the Congress and filed two bills that were passed, which helped the President to establish victims funds.”

“That helped to bring money to the victims and helped those girls that escaped from Boko Haram. United States has invested money into the Army in making sure that they are ready for battle, and the Victims Funds.”

The lawmaker who represents the state of Florida in the Congress, challenged Nigerians to hold their lawmakers and political officer-holders accountable, stressing that it is the duty of the elected officials to deliver on their promises to the people.

The embattled Heyden petroleum boss, dapo abiodun who shone beyond comprehension politically via the platform of Peoples Democratic Party is no doubt a man of multiple faces! An hypocrite and of course a shenanigan who has lately stuped so low to resolving for a politics of a do or die affair!

Despite his vituperations and involvement in colluding with some political villains to bring down the Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District, Buruji Kashamu by all means via citing cases which the he had earlier been vindicated by the United Kingdom Court. No doubt the spirit of enemity still very much dwells in him as a result of losing the senatorial seat.

Recently, it was confirmed Mr Dapo Abiodun had sponsored some political social media dogs amongst them are JOHNSON LAWRENCE and a self acclaimed SHERIFAT KASHAMU whose duties are to tarnish Senator Kashamus image! Ogun State indigenes are known to be people of a high esteem and intellectual quotient, but some had proved to be a vagabond. These 2 pseudo accounts especially had resulted to character assassination, smearing and vilifying. The articles dropped by these 2 major accounts are crass, disdain, untrue and blackmailing of the highest order.

Furthermore, the good people of Ogun east senatorial district had elected a candidate of their choice via their votes, but Mr Dapo Abiodun who is not comfortable with this decided to cite case with the honourable tribunal for a fair hearing which no doubts is capable of handling this issue appropriately.

These adopted activities by Mr Dapo Abiodun claiming to be more Catholic than the pope is hypocritic and inimical to Nigeria's growing democracy and may draw this slow but steady growth back to retrogression. No doubts this action is borne, powered, and engineered as a result of selfish motives/interests.

The money laundering saga of the heyden petroleum boss which is being reviewed by the EFCC is still very much etched in our minds while the public is getting mundane of this sanctimonious attitude displayed by these blackmailers and their boss.

We urge Mr Dapo Abiodun to allow the honourable tribunal perform their duties. The rule of law must prevail. In conclusion, investigation is on going by the appropriate quarters and anyone found guilty shall be dealt with accordingly.[img][/img]

GOVERNOR AMOSUN DEMOLISHES BUILDINGS AT AGBOPA COMMUNITY


I wonder why some beings have no human feelings for fellow men. As at the time of filing this report, it was learnt one of the residents of this jurisdiction, an elderly man collapsed thrice and lost his life as he couldn't be saved. What prompted this was the elderly man's house had previously been demolished which prompted him to erect another structure in AGBOPA community which was also brought down to rumbles with no compensation from the state governemnt!

Honestly, the present government in Ogun State led by SIA/APC isn't friendly to the masses.

Ogun State Election Petition Tribunal seeking an order of the court to have unfettered access to materials used in the last governorship election in the state. The application was granted.
Delivering ruling, chairman of the three-man panel, Henry Olusiyi, said the application had considerable merit.

He also held that the counsel to Mr. Amosun, Olumide Ayeni, failed to show to the court how granting the application would be prejudice.
The counsel to the petitioner, Funminiyi Adeleke, moving the application dated July 10, 2015 which was brought pursuant to section 77 (1) of the Electoral Act, 2010 as amended, said the document being sought would assist in the determination of the substantive petition before the court.

The counsel pointed out that granting the application would be in line with the fundamental human right to fair hearing by the petitioner and would further strengthen the will of justice.

However, opposing the application, Mr. Ayeni argued that the application was grossly incompetent and the tribunal lacked the jurisdiction to entertain it and should be struck out.
However, counsel to the governor and his party, described the application as a fishing expedition for evidence and “an utter and complete ruse calculated to pull a wool across the eyes of the Honourable Tribunal and mislead it.”

Mr. Ayeni explained that all the documents being sought were in the custody of the petitioner as demonstrated by the available information before the court.
Mr. Olusiyi, while granting the application, said the lone issue for determination was resolved in the affirmative in support of the applicant stating.
“Counsel to the 1st respondent failed to show how granting the application would prejudice him. There’s considerable merit in the application, it succeeds and is hereby granted.”

The chairman further declared and directed that representatives of the 1st and 2nd respondent should be available from the beginning to the end of the inspection adding the petitioner had only seven days to complete the exercise.
The tribunal had earlier struck out two preliminary objections filed by both Mr. Amosun and APC for lack of merit.

I wonder why some people have decided to speak the truth but more comfortable fees I lies to the public. APC is full of propangists.I thought president Buhari promised to deal with insurgency within to weeks of assuming the mantle, the free meals he promised elementary school pupils, 5k stipends for youths on a monthly basis, tackling corruption even if a member of his house hold is involved! Why had he refused to discuss #bringbackourgirls# with OBAMA? Afterall, this was a scam to vilify and smear the last regime.

During the interactive session between the United States President and Nigerian President, Obama never asked Buhari I there was any development as regards the chibok girls! Does this assertion connotes Barak Obama knew the chibok girls saga was a scam/illusion/facade? Why was this very issue not deliberated? Are this girl's no more important as claimed earlier?

#bringbackourgirls#

I smell HYPOCRISY!

Buhari treating our members as criminals –PDP




The Peoples Democratic Party on Tuesday cried Buhari treating our members as criminals –PDP




The Peoples Democratic Party on Tuesday cried out that the ruling All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari had been treating members of the main opposition party as ‘criminal and prisoners of war.’

The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, accused Buhari’s government of engaging in witch-hunt of PDP members under the pretext that it was probing acts of corruption.

A statement by the Kogi State government on Tuesday quoted Metuh as speaking while addressing PDP stakeholders in Lokoja, the state capital.

The PDP spokesman condemned the Federal Government’s alleged arrests, intimidation and denial of PDP members who served in the ex-President Goodluck Jonathan administration their fundamental human rights.

He said regardless of the alleged intimidation and victimisation of PDP members by the Buhari government, PDP would win in the forthcoming governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states.

Metuh said the APC administration had been busy victimising public officials in the Jonathan administration rather than provide a policy direction for Nigerians.

Metuh said, “We are being treated as if we are criminals or prisoners of war. We are being treated as if we are refugees. We are not afraid; we have faith in our strength and unity. We have faith in the peace, unity and progress of Nigeria.

“If the ruling party believes that there is anyone who has served in the Federal Government and is guilty of corruption practices, they are free within the law to investigate as long as they go through due process and observe the rule of law.

“PDP is not afraid of the intimidation, harassment and arrest of its members by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, if the arrest is done within the confines of the law.”

In another interview with one of our correspondents in Lagos, Metuh said the opposition PDP had left Nigerians to judge the activities of Buhari’s administration in the management of the country’s affairs.

It said that Nigerians would soon confirm if the government of the APC has brought any change to their national life.

Metuh, who spoke on the 33-man delegation that followed the President to his current four-day state visit to the United States of America, said the opposition party would leave the huge presidential entourage for Nigerians to judge “whether indeed there is a change in that aspect.”

Former President Goodluck Jonathan had been criticised for embarking on foreign trips with large numbers of people in his entourage.

The Punch had reported exclusively on December 7, 2012, how Jonathan spent billions of naira of taxpayers’ money on foreign trips despite his promise to cut down on such trips earlier in January.

While Metuh stated that the PDP would not comment on the number of people on the trip with Buhari, he said as the President of Nigeria, Buhari knew the reason for “that large crowd.”

The PDP spokesman also said Nigerians would soon know whether the change was “moving forward or moving backward.”

Metuh said, “Let Nigerians judge. We will not be guided by the misinformation, misdirected attacks, insults and abuses bequeathed by the former opposition party.

“Now that that they are the ruling party, we intend to educate them on the proper way of being in the opposition. We will restrict ourselves to constructive criticism of government policies and programmes, wherein we will offer options and alternatives.”

On Buhari’s entourage to America are Governors Umaru Tanko al-Makura (Nasarawa State), Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), Kashim Shettima (Borno) and Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), among others.out that the ruling All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari had been treating members of the main opposition party as ‘criminal and prisoners of war.’

The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, accused Buhari’s government of engaging in witch-hunt of PDP members under the pretext that it was probing acts of corruption.

A statement by the Kogi State government on Tuesday quoted Metuh as speaking while addressing PDP stakeholders in Lokoja, the state capital.

The PDP spokesman condemned the Federal Government’s alleged arrests, intimidation and denial of PDP members who served in the ex-President Goodluck Jonathan administration their fundamental human rights.

He said regardless of the alleged intimidation and victimisation of PDP members by the Buhari government, PDP would win in the forthcoming governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states.

Metuh said the APC administration had been busy victimising public officials in the Jonathan administration rather than provide a policy direction for Nigerians.

Metuh said, “We are being treated as if we are criminals or prisoners of war. We are being treated as if we are refugees. We are not afraid; we have faith in our strength and unity. We have faith in the peace, unity and progress of Nigeria.

“If the ruling party believes that there is anyone who has served in the Federal Government and is guilty of corruption practices, they are free within the law to investigate as long as they go through due process and observe the rule of law.

“PDP is not afraid of the intimidation, harassment and arrest of its members by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, if the arrest is done within the confines of the law.”

In another interview with one of our correspondents in Lagos, Metuh said the opposition PDP had left Nigerians to judge the activities of Buhari’s administration in the management of the country’s affairs.

It said that Nigerians would soon confirm if the government of the APC has brought any change to their national life.

Metuh, who spoke on the 33-man delegation that followed the President to his current four-day state visit to the United States of America, said the opposition party would leave the huge presidential entourage for Nigerians to judge “whether indeed there is a change in that aspect.”

Former President Goodluck Jonathan had been criticised for embarking on foreign trips with large numbers of people in his entourage.

The Punch had reported exclusively on December 7, 2012, how Jonathan spent billions of naira of taxpayers’ money on foreign trips despite his promise to cut down on such trips earlier in January.

While Metuh stated that the PDP would not comment on the number of people on the trip with Buhari, he said as the President of Nigeria, Buhari knew the reason for “that large crowd.”

The PDP spokesman also said Nigerians would soon know whether the change was “moving forward or moving backward.”

Metuh said, “Let Nigerians judge. We will not be guided by the misinformation, misdirected attacks, insults and abuses bequeathed by the former opposition party.

“Now that that they are the ruling party, we intend to educate them on the proper way of being in the opposition. We will restrict ourselves to constructive criticism of government policies and programmes, wherein we will offer options and alternatives.”

On Buhari’s entourage to America are Governors Umaru Tanko al-Makura (Nasarawa State), Adams Oshiomhole (Edo), Kashim Shettima (Borno) and Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), among others.[

Dapo Abiodun in fresh trouble as EFCC Probes Marketers, PEF Officials over Fraudulent claims on Bridging Funds.

As the country continues to grapple with inadequate availability of petrol at most retail outlets across the country, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has commenced the investigation of some major and independent marketers of petroleum products who submitted claims for bridging funds for fuel that was not delivered to the filling stations, THISDAY has learnt.

The anti-graft agency is also probing some officials of the Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF) for their alleged connivance with the marketers to make fraudulent claims for the payment of bridging funds.

The Executive Secretary of PEF, Mrs. Asabe Asmau Ahmed, could not be reached for comment while the spokesman of the agency, Mr. Goddy Nnadi, declined to comment, saying the matter was under investigation.

But a member of the PEF management board told THISDAY on the condition of anonymity, that the new Executive Secretary who invited EFCC for the investigation, had also redeployed all PEF staff in Kaduna State, while those suspected to have aided the attempted fraud are helping EFCC in their investigations.

Under the PEF scheme, which is administered by the PEF Management Board, marketers that transport petrol to a minimum distance of 450 kilometres and above are entitled to transport claim, otherwise called bridging claim, which is N11.82 per litre for products moved from depots across distances that qualify for the claims.

The scheme, which is aimed at ensuring that petrol is sold at the uniform official price across the country, also provides that for distances below 450 kilometres, marketers are paid equalisation or inter-district claims which is however less than the bridging rate.
To ensure that marketers do not make false claims, a marketer who moves a truck of petrol from a Lagos depot to Kaduna State, for instance, must report at the NNPC depot in Kaduna for documentation by officials of PEF before the product is moved to any filling station within the areas covered by Kaduna depot, which is one of the 21 NNPC depots across the country.

The manager of the filling station who receives the product must also sign the out-turn report showing that the product has been delivered for the marketer to be entitled to bridging claims.

THISDAY’s investigation, however, revealed that some marketers who claimed to have lifted products from Lagos depots to Kaduna depot are being investigated by the EFCC after submitting false claims for the payment of bridging for petrol that was not delivered.
“The marketers did not bring the product to the Kaduna depot but wanted to claim bridging for products not delivered. We discovered the fraud and our new Executive Secretary invited the EFCC. All our staff in Kaduna have been replaced with new people, while those who have questions to answer are helping the EFCC,” said a top official of PEF.

THISDAY also gathered that due to inadequate supply of petrol from NNPC, marketers do not sell it in major cities and towns but at the outskirts, where they can sell above the official price without sanction by the regulatory agencies.

One of the marketers told THISDAY yesterday that the problem was not about diversion but unavailability, which has led to high prices.
“Most depots in Lagos and Calabar, for instance, loaded for N94 per litre yesterday. For you to move the product from Calabar to Enugu or Kogi, you will incur an additional cost of N4 per litre on transportation, making it N98. So you cannot sell it at official pump price.

“The only way out is not to sell at Enugu metropolis to avoid DPR. You could instead sell it in filling stations along the Enugu-Onitsha or Enugu-Makurdi expressways or anywhere inside the hinterlands.

“The same thing happens to petrol that is meant for Lagos and Abuja. That is why you don’t find petrol inside the cities. The product that is supposed to be sold inside Lagos is being sold along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, while Abuja-Suleja roads are flooded with petrol but there is none in the cities,” he explained.

He said the allegation of diversion was meant to distract attention from the inability of NNPC to bridge the shortfall in supply arising from the refusal of private marketers to import due to unpaid subsidy claims.

Dapo Abiodun in fresh trouble as EFCC Probes Marketers, PEF Officials over Fraudulent claims on Bridging Funds.

As the country continues to grapple with inadequate availability of petrol at most retail outlets across the country, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has commenced the investigation of some major and independent marketers of petroleum products who submitted claims for bridging funds for fuel that was not delivered to the filling stations, THISDAY has learnt.

The anti-graft agency is also probing some officials of the Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF) for their alleged connivance with the marketers to make fraudulent claims for the payment of bridging funds.

The Executive Secretary of PEF, Mrs. Asabe Asmau Ahmed, could not be reached for comment while the spokesman of the agency, Mr. Goddy Nnadi, declined to comment, saying the matter was under investigation.

But a member of the PEF management board told THISDAY on the condition of anonymity, that the new Executive Secretary who invited EFCC for the investigation, had also redeployed all PEF staff in Kaduna State, while those suspected to have aided the attempted fraud are helping EFCC in their investigations.

Under the PEF scheme, which is administered by the PEF Management Board, marketers that transport petrol to a minimum distance of 450 kilometres and above are entitled to transport claim, otherwise called bridging claim, which is N11.82 per litre for products moved from depots across distances that qualify for the claims.

The scheme, which is aimed at ensuring that petrol is sold at the uniform official price across the country, also provides that for distances below 450 kilometres, marketers are paid equalisation or inter-district claims which is however less than the bridging rate.
To ensure that marketers do not make false claims, a marketer who moves a truck of petrol from a Lagos depot to Kaduna State, for instance, must report at the NNPC depot in Kaduna for documentation by officials of PEF before the product is moved to any filling station within the areas covered by Kaduna depot, which is one of the 21 NNPC depots across the country.

The manager of the filling station who receives the product must also sign the out-turn report showing that the product has been delivered for the marketer to be entitled to bridging claims.

THISDAY’s investigation, however, revealed that some marketers who claimed to have lifted products from Lagos depots to Kaduna depot are being investigated by the EFCC after submitting false claims for the payment of bridging for petrol that was not delivered.
“The marketers did not bring the product to the Kaduna depot but wanted to claim bridging for products not delivered. We discovered the fraud and our new Executive Secretary invited the EFCC. All our staff in Kaduna have been replaced with new people, while those who have questions to answer are helping the EFCC,” said a top official of PEF.

THISDAY also gathered that due to inadequate supply of petrol from NNPC, marketers do not sell it in major cities and towns but at the outskirts, where they can sell above the official price without sanction by the regulatory agencies.

One of the marketers told THISDAY yesterday that the problem was not about diversion but unavailability, which has led to high prices.
“Most depots in Lagos and Calabar, for instance, loaded for N94 per litre yesterday. For you to move the product from Calabar to Enugu or Kogi, you will incur an additional cost of N4 per litre on transportation, making it N98. So you cannot sell it at official pump price.

“The only way out is not to sell at Enugu metropolis to avoid DPR. You could instead sell it in filling stations along the Enugu-Onitsha or Enugu-Makurdi expressways or anywhere inside the hinterlands.

“The same thing happens to petrol that is meant for Lagos and Abuja. That is why you don’t find petrol inside the cities. The product that is supposed to be sold inside Lagos is being sold along the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, while Abuja-Suleja roads are flooded with petrol but there is none in the cities,” he explained.

He said the allegation of diversion was meant to distract attention from the inability of NNPC to bridge the shortfall in supply arising from the refusal of private marketers to import due to unpaid subsidy claims.

Nigeria is full of hypocrites! This man was jailed wrongfully, tried and found not guilty as a result of this the United Kingdom court exonorated him on two different occasions and gave a verdict the United State must pay damages to this man which US did. I even learnt representatives from NDLEA gave testimonies in he"(kashamus) favour. Now I ask, is it possible for the NDLEA yo be the petitioner and defendant? Can the UK court be easily manipulated? Why would the NDLEA forcefully want to extradite him if they truly have a genuine case against him? Why would the NDLEA empower the agents with such destructive ammunition and cause so much damage to his crib if it is not politically motivated?

Congratulations to the great philantrophist and the senator of the federal republic.