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Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has said former President Goodluck Jonathan was becoming authoritarian before he was voted out of power. Soyinka added that the pioneer Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, admitted to him in the United Kingdom that he (Ribadu) realised late that former President Olusegun Obasanjo was using him for his own purpose as the EFCC boss. Soyinka, in an interview with the current edition of Zero Tolerance magazine, a publication of the EFCC, stated that Jonathan surrounded himself with ‘unsavoury characters.’ The playwright said he withdrew his support for Jonathan because he was drifting towards “fascism.” He stated that it was important for any President or public officer to pick his advisers carefully because of the kinds of characters, who shielded the former President from certain happenings around hm. Soyinka explained that he marched alongside others in order to ensure that Jonathan was sworn-in as the acting President in 2010, noting that the action was meant to protect the constitution and not about Jonathan. He said, “We marched in order to protect the constitution, not the person of Jonathan. We retained a cordial relationship during his tenure; however, despite some attacks I felt compelled to launch on him – and his wife. Jonathan committed some truly alarming errors of governance. He was propelling himself towards outright fascism.” Asked by the interviewers if Jonathan was caged, he answered, “Correct. There were forces around Jonathan, you put your fingers around it, which he himself does not understand and that is why I stressed that you’ve got to choose your circle of advisers very carefully, when you are in charge. He’s been caged; things are going on in his ministry that he did not know about.” Soyinka added, for instance, that the former President did not know that King of Morocco had withdrawn his ambassador to Nigeria in March, 2015 until a week later. He stated that the former leader surrounded himself with corrupt individuals. “When it comes to the issue of corruption, Jonathan surrounds himself with certain unsavoury characters and that is something you don’t have to do if you are in charge,” he said. Soyinka said a leader, dedicated to the fight against corruption, should ensure that the agencies entrusted with the responsibility of fighting the scourge, were strengthened. According to him, he told Ribadu that he was being used by Obasanjo but said the pioneer EFCC chairman did not believe it. He stated that the former EFCC boss admitted to him when he was forced to go on exile in the UK that he realised very late that OBJ was using him. Soyinka stressed that it was imperative to remove the link between power and corruption in Nigeria. He said, “Why should a President involve himself in what is already structurally established and dedicated to that purpose? “I warned your former boss, Ribadu, I told him that your task will be done when in the course of your investigation, you discover that the source of the problem is the very person who appointed you. “He looked shocked a bit, and eventually he and I met in London, after he was removed and El-Rufai was also on exile after they tried to kill him. We met and Ribadu refused to sit down. I asked him to sit but he said no, that until I accepted his apology, he wouldn’t sit down. I asked what apology? And he said ‘I should have listened to you. I failed to listen to you. Something you have said to me and I failed to listen’. “Ribadu admitted that he realised very late that Obasanjo was using him. “So we have to destroy that link between power and corruption. Audu Ogbe confirmed what I am telling you. Then, it was ‘go after this one, go after that one, ahh you did not arrest him? Arrest his mother’! I am challenging Obasanjo to deny it. http://www.punchng.com/news/jonathan-was-becoming-authoritarian-soyinka/ |
Dat woman x a silent crook, just like her ex-boss |
OK |
The Ife traditional council in Osun State has officially confirmed the death of the Ooni of Ife, Okunade Sijuwade Olubuse II, after denying that the monarch had passed away. The Awara of Iwara-Ife, Layi Adereti, made this known in Ife while speaking on the preparation for the burial of the Ooni, who died at Saint Mary Hospital in London about two weeks ago. He said the official proclamation of the passage of the Ooni of Ife would be made on Wednesday August 12. The traditional ruler said the Oro festival was the final rite of passage for the Ooni, declaring that the final pronouncement of the demise of Ooni has been fixed for Wednesday between the hours of 9am and 4pm. “This is an official statement from the palace of Awara of Iwara-Ife who is the head of Oro deity that on Wednesday 12th August 2015, there would be official proclamation of the demise of Ooni of Ife,” he said. “The proclamation will be made public during the Oro festival, being the final rites on the demise of Ooni of Ife. “The residents of the ancient town are therefore urged to keep away from the streets between the hours of 9am and 4pm during which the Oro diety will be out. “With the announcement, people are advised to stay in-doors for the period when the Oro will be out.” Mr. Adereti who is also the head of Oro Cult in Ile-Ife, noted that residents of the ancient town whether male or female would remain indoors during the Oro rites. According to him, immediately after the Oro rites and the proclamation, subsequent rites would follow. He appealed to all residents of Ife to heed the restriction orders from the palace. The monarch added that though only females were normally barred when Oro festival is being carried out, but this time around, it would have no respect for gender. The council had been in denial since the news of the Ooni’s death broke, claiming that its traditional rulers don’t die. Many of the Chiefs were also embarrassed by the fact that the media reported the passing, instead of the traditional channels established by aged long customs of Ife land. http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/188145-breaking-ife-chiefs-confirm-death-of-ooni-okunade-sijuwade.html |
The Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, on Monday admitted to supporting Yakubu Dogara over Femi Gbajabiamila, to clinch the Speakership of the House of Representatives. Mr. Tambuwal, who is the immediate past Speaker of the House of Representatives, said Mr. Dogara was more competent and had better leadership skills. Mr. Dogara is more competent, accommodating and more capable to lead than Mr. Gbajabiamila, Mr. Tambuwal said, and added “sentiments have to be put aside”. Messrs Dogara won the election to become Speaker the 8th House of Representatives despite stiff opposition from his party, the All Progressives Congress that supported Mr. Gbajabiamila. Speaking for the first time on his role in the election, Mr. Tambuwal, said “the issue of competence led eight out of 10 members of the body of Principal Officers of the 7th Assembly” to endorse Mr. Dogara. He said this when leaders of Sayawa Community of Bogoro and Tafawa Balewa Local Government Areas of Bauchi State paid him a “thank you” visit to show appreciation to him for supporting Mr. Dogara to become speaker. Mr. Tambuwal’s admission has now put to rest speculations on whether he supported Mr. Dogara or played a neutral role during the jostling for the nation’s number four position. Many had expected Mr. Tambuwal to support Mr. Gbajabiamila’s bid given the Lagos lawmaker’s role in his emergence as Speaker of the 7th Assembly. But ironically, he supported Mr. Dogara who opposed his ambition to become Speaker at the time. But while explaining the reason for his action, he said, “the survival of the legislature as an important arm of government made it imperative that competent hands are headhunted to be its leaders”. “Eight out of ten members of the Body of Principal Officers in the last Assembly supported Dogara’s aspiration,” he said. “Only Hon Femi (Gbajabiamila) and Hon Datti Ahmad supported Femi.” “I have strong affinity with Hon Femi. He was closer to me than Dogara. But when talking about leadership and collective decisions, sentiments have to be put aside. I’m not here to tell you that my support made Dogara the Speaker, no. Two things made Dogara to become the Speaker, one is God and two, Dogara’s competence. He continued, “The acknowledgement of Dogara’s competence did not start with me. It started from the time of Hon Patricia and Etteh and Hon Dimeji Bankole when they entrusted him with a sensitive position of the Chairman of House Services Committee. “The committee is one of the most sensitive in the legislature. Apart from taking care of the welfare of members, the committee oversees all procurement processes. As the Speaker, I only did what my predecessors did by giving Dogara this sensitive position. “No person, as far as I know, has ever served as chairman of the House Services committee in two dispensations. Dogara broke that jinx. All through my tenure, I brought Dogara close to me because I found in him a person who is competent, accommodating, and with capacity to lead. “Anyone doubting Dogara’s ability to lead, should ask members of the 7th Assembly how he handled their matter. So we supported Dogara not for any reason but because he was competent to deliver on any task given to him.” In his remarks, the paramount ruler of Sayawa, Gung Zaar (select), Ishaku Komu, thanked Mr. Tambuwal for reviving the age-long relationship between Bauchi and Sokoto States, saying the entire community will forever be grateful for the confidence shown to their kinsman. Mr. Tambuwal responded, saying, “The relationship between people of Sokoto and Bauchi States was amplified in the First Republic when the first Prime Minister of Nigeria, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa worked in harmony with the leader of his party and then Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahamdu Bello.” http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/188141-why-i-supported-dogara-for-speaker-gov-tambuwal.html |
President Muhammed Buhari Monday in Abuja called for an explanation from the Ministry of Finance on the foreign loans obtained for rail projects but diverted to other purposes. Speaking at the end of a presentation on the Ministry of Transport by the Permanent Secretary, Mohammed Bashar at the Presidential Villa, President Buhari said that it was disappointing to find that foreign loans obtained in line with signed agreements were moved from one project to another. “I hope that due process was followed before such diversions were carried out. Taking money from one project to another has to be done properly,” Garba Shehu, his senior special assistant on media and publicity, quoted the President as saying. Mr. Buhari was reacting to the specific instance of the diversion of a substantial part of the loan of USD1.005 billion from the Chinese Exim Bank, obtained for the construction of a standard gauge rail line linking Lagos to Kano but which was moved elsewhere. The permanent secretary had informed the President that only USD 400 million of that loan remained with the Ministry of Finance. The president regretted that government had, over the years, failed to meet its counter-part funding obligation on some projects, leading to such projects being left uncompleted or abandoned. He added that there was a clear need to streamline, harmonize, and prioritize on-going projects in the transportation sector. The permanent secretary of the ministry also briefed the president on other challenges facing the transport and maritime sectors such as encroachment on railway land, lack of security on inland waterways and the confused nature of agreements between the Nigeria Ports Authority and ports concessionaires. http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/188134-buhari-launches-probe-into-alleged-diversion-of-1billion-loan-for-rail-projects.html |
nice |
OK |
Dats serious |
And wen did Aba b'com d capital city of Abia State? From that point, d news seemed false to me |
Even prostitutes dey do election. Where's d Transformation n Change Parties? |
He's taking selfie on d sick bed... Ok na |
Looking cute |
A former Special Assistant to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on New Media, Reno Omokri, has expressed displeasure over crackdown on “baby factories” in the country, saying the practice should be allowed by government. Mr. Omokri, the founder of the Mind of Christ Christian Centre in California, said calling the practice baby factory is stigmatization as it should be called surrogate motherhood. “Every civilized nation accepts and promotes this practice as a humane option for childless couples,” he said an opinion article sent to PREMIUM TIMES Sunday. Mr. Omokri, a pastor, wondered why Nigeria did not legalize a practice that brings succour to childless couple. “I have been appalled reading about the raids on so called ‘Baby Factories’ in the media lately. These raids are a throwback to the Salem Witch Trials and I cannot believe that in Nigeria of the 21st Century we are stigmatizing what is an acceptable world wide culture that has brought hope to childless couples all over the world,’ he said in the article. The former presidential aide continued, “For the avoidance of doubt, these women are surrogate mothers who have children for childless couples. Every civilized nation accepts and promotes this practice as a humane option for childless couples. “The main reason many childless couples prefer a surrogate mother is because they want to know about the family history and genetics of the mother of their unborn child. “In many cases, when you adopt a child without knowing who the parents are and there arises a need in future for a blood transfusion or an organ donor, many adoptive parents get stuck. Other medical issues like cancer, or behavioral issues like autism and ADD/ADHD are better diagnosed and treated if you have family history, which is not possible with anonymous adoptions. So, the idea of surrogate motherhood fills this gap. “In Europe and the Americas as well as in Asia, surrogate mothers are well sought after and advertisements are placed in bus stations, newspapers, on the underground as well as on the Internet seeking out such women. I have included one such advert in this piece. “Tens of thousands of surrogate children are born each year in the Americas and even more in Europe. Anyone who has ever experienced childlessness either directly or indirectly through a relative, extended family or friend is likely to appreciate the role surrogate mothers play in bringing succor to such families. To ostracize them and tag them ‘Baby Factories’ is most unfortunate indeed.” http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/188066-reno-omokri-breaks-silence-wants-baby-factories-allowed.html |
OK |
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has visited President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja. The two leaders met Friday, away from public glare. A source close to the former president who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES, said Mr. Obasanjo visited Mr. Buhari to commend the president for “doing well so far” and to also offer words of encouragement. “Baba was surely at the Villa to give encouragement to the president to make sure that the new experiment does not fail,” our source said. We also gathered that the two leaders discussed a number of national issues and Mr. Obasanjo offered his advice to Mr. Buhari. Friday’s visit was Mr. Obasanjo’s first to the villa since Mr. Buhari was elected president on March 28 and inaugurated on May 29, 2015. Mr. Obasanjo announced his retirement from politics ahead of the elections, but said he will offer his support to the new president as necessary. He named a team of Nigerians who proffered recommendations on how Mr. Buhari could kick-start his administration. It was unclear if some of the recommendations formed part of the discussions between the two leaders Friday. The former president could not be reached Saturday. President Buhari’s spokesperson, Garba Shehu, said although he did not see the former president at the Villa Friday, it was possible he visited when most staff had retired for the day. http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/188058-obasanjo-in-secret-visit-to-buhari.html |
Simply unthinkable n unacceptable |
And Dats serious |
A former Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, Haladu Hananiya, is in trouble for allegedly paying N150,000 for a brand new Toyota Land Cruiser jeep worth N13 million. Mr. Hananiya is alleged to have used his position as former Chairman, Governing Council of the Adamawa State University, ADSU, to convert the vehicle to his personal property. The university bought the brand new vehicle on January 28, 2015, several months after the former FRSC boss ceased to be chairman of the institution’s board. Seven days later, the car was passed to Mr. Hananiya who bought it off as scrap, paying a token N150,000. A whistle blower, one Luka Ibrahim Monduva, first made the alleged scam public in a petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Mr. Hananiya was appointed chairman of ADSU governing council on August 16, 2014. About two months into his four-year tenure; the state government sacked the board on October 8, 2014. However, three months after the board was sacked, the university, on January 28, purchased a brand new Toyota Land Cruiser V6 Jeep with chassis no: JJEJU9FJ3E5C47168 for Mr. Hananiya. He bought off the vehicle as scrap seven days later. Read documents used for this story here. Investigation showed that the vehicle was purchased from AS Galadima Motors, located at Dawaki Junction, opposite Charley Boy Bus Stop, Kubwa Express Way, Abuja, with receipt number 0006 and sales invoice no: 0106. In his petition to the EFCC, Mr. Monduva alleged that prior to Mr. Hananiya’s appointment; the university’s management passed a resolution that empowers principal officers to retain official vehicles after paying the scrap value of N150, 000. “Principal officers are entitled to retain their official vehicles once during their tenures after paying the scrap value of N150, 000; and if for any reason an officer leaves office after spending two years or half of the tenure, he shall pay the scrap value of N150, 000,” part of the resolution reads. But Mr. Hananiya only spent two months in office, and Mr. Monduva described his purchase of the new car on scrap value as “fraudulent and questionable”. He insisted that during the short period the former FRSC boss served in the university’s board, he was not given an official vehicle. “However, the Governing Council of ADSU, acting in concert, conspired with the vice chancellor of the university and purchased an official vehicle on the 28th day of January 2015 at the cost of N13 million long after the termination of Gen. Hananiya’s short term in office,” the petition reads. “I wish to assert here that subsequent to the belated and illegal purchase, the duo reduced the disused official vehicle to a ridiculous scrap value of N150, 000 only, which does not in any case represent the fair value of the vehicle. “Wherefore, I humbly invite the EFCC to interfere and reverse the fraud perpetrated on the university and prosecute parties to the act altogether, thereby engendering probity and observance of due process in the discharge of official functions by public servants.” Officials of the Adamawa State University could not be reached to comment for this story. Multiple calls to the two telephone numbers listed on the university’s website failed to connect. An email seeking comment to the address listed on the university’s website is yet to be responded to. Attempts to seek clarifications from Mr. Hananiya failed as he would not pick calls or reply a text message sent to him. However, EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed that the commission received a petition against the former FRSC boss. Mr. Uwujaren also confirmed that the EFCC has started investigating the matter. http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/187950-shocking-ex-frsc-boss-buys-off-govts-7-day-old-n13m-jeep-as-scrap-paying-n150-000.html?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter
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freeslash:I no talk lie |
freeslash:I no talk lie |
After imposing dat man called Wike in her state, she nw wants to call d shots in Bayelsa. Anyway, e go soon over her cos Wike will b forced out of d seat by d tribunal very soon |
Anyway, goofing z allowed |
Timbuktu14:Maybe his parents hv car dat I can use in teaching him |
Martins301:Benin City... Bring car make I teach u |
Dis man z my parishioner. For goodness sake, tot he's married?? |
In what appears a crafty attempt to arm twist the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and force his release from prison custody, where he has been remanded on the orders of the Court of Appeal, embattled former managing director of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company, Emmanuel Okoyomon, has approached Justice Valentine Ashi of the Federal Capital Territory High Court with an ex parte motion seeking his release from prison. Lawyers call the suspect’s application Writ of Habeas Corpus Ad Subjiciendum. Mr. Okoyomon, in the supporting affidavit, is seeking among others, an order for his immediate release on the grounds that the over two months he has spent in prison custody were beyond the time contemplated by Justice E. S Chukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja who first ordered his remand on May, 4 2015, after granting the extradition request brought against the applicant by the Attorney General of the Federation. He also claims that his continued incarceration has adversely affected his health, and that the medical facilities at the Medium Security Prison, Kuje, were inadequate for his health needs. Acting on the applicant’s motion, Justice Ashi, on July 30, 2015, ordered the Attorney General of the Federation and the deputy comptroller in charge of the Medium Security Prison at Kuje, Abuja, “ to appear in court and show cause why the applicant should not be released from Medium Security Prison Kuje, Abuja, forthwith”, and “produce the applicant before the honourable court on the return date( August 5, 2015).” Those familiar with the case consider the order of the FCT High Court as specious, and wonder why the applicant failed to disclose to the court that the Court of Appeal had refused his bail application, while ordering a stay of execution of the Federal High Court ruling on his extradition pending the determination of the applicant’s appeal at the appellate court. They claim that it is deceitful of the applicant to claim that he is being detained illegally when he is on remand on the orders of the Court of Appeal. “I think this is another classic case of abuse of court process and we will be watching closely the actions of Justice Ashi in this matter”, one of them said. Justice Chukwu had on May 4 ordered the extradition of Mr. Okoyomon to the United Kingdom to face charges of corruption and money laundering. Mr. Okoyomon’s extradition is sought by the UK government over his alleged complicity in the bribery scandal involving some Nigerian agencies, including the NSPMC and Securency Pty of Australia. Dissatisfied by the May 4 ruling, Mr. Okoyomon, through his counsel, Alex Iziyon, SAN, approached the appellate court seeking a stay of execution of the ruling of the lower court. The embattled MINT MD ran into trouble following the October 1, 2009 launch of the polymer bank notes in Nigeria, which saw the N5, N10, and N50 notes remade in polymer material as against the original paper version. A scandal later broke that CBN and NSPM officials received bribes to effect the switch to polymer. NEXT, the now rested Nigerian newspaper, had reported extensively how Securency Pty, a bank note printing company owned by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), engaged in a series of bribery schemes to secure polymer note printing jobs. According to the paper, as well as an Australian newspaper, The Age, at least N750 million was paid in bribes to some Nigerian officials between 2006 and 2008 to secure the contract which saw to the initial supply of about 1.9 billion pieces of polymer substrates on which bank notes were printed. Subsequently, several international investigations over the activities of the bank note company led to the arrest, prosecution as well as sack of several top management staff of the RBA and its sister company, Securency Pty. In its own investigation, Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency, the EFCC interrogated several officials of the CBN and NSPM. But while no official of the Central Bank has so far been indicted, the commission has been in court with Mr. Okoyomon, over the request to extradite him to the United Kingdom to face prosecution over some findings related to the allegations. The U.K. had sought the extradition of Mr. Okoyomon over his alleged role in the bribery scheme allegedly executed between 2006 and 2008. http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/187833-exclusive-ex-mint-boss-okoyomon-seeks-back-door-release-from-prison.html |
Nigeria would have been buoyant enough to finance its 2015 budget of N4.36 trillion and still pay off its external debts of N2.03 trillion if it had not lost more than that amount — $32 billion (N6.4 trillion at N200/$1) — to massive corruption that characterized oil sales by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation during the last administration, a new report has said.http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/187783-nigeria-lost-over-n6-4-trillion-to-corruption-ridden-nnpc-oil-sales-nrgi-report.html |
The Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has called on Governor Rauf Aregbesola to pay the money owed the West African Examination Council so that candidates who took the exams can obtain their certificates. In a statement on Sunday, the party said although it recognised the fact that the administration of Mr. Aregbesola was indebted to many agencies and individuals, it should pay the money due to WAEC. “The money should be paid having allowed students in the state to sit for their papers on credit with the assurance that the state government would pay up,” the PDP said in a statement signed by its Spokesperson, Diran Odeyemi, said. “Not paying the debt owed WAEC on time, will jeopardize chances of many students that are awaiting result of getting admission to further education Universities and Polytechnics. “For the records, we want to inform the world that before students that sat for WAEC in public schools could sit for their practicals, they had to pay for specimens because of the refusal of the examination body to send money to schools to buy them.” The party noted that WAEC withheld the money meant to buy practical specimens because the government owed it huge sums of money. “If Aregbesola can no longer run the free education programme he inherited from the PDP government for about eight years with almost 80 percent passing rates in external examinations, he should not shy away from declaring a state of emergency in Education in the state,” the statement read. “Taking exams on credit is another open disgrace Osun is witnessing under the watch of Mr. Aregbesola.” The PDP said with teachers being owned salaries, resulting in the closure of schools in the past nine weeks, the party could only plead with the Governor to give education its deserved attention in the state in the interest of the future of the children. http://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/ssouth-west/187749-pdp-lambasts-aregbesola-over-owed-waec-fees.html?utm_source=&utm_medium=twitter |
Phockphockman, eroticangelina |
Investigators at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission are currently questioning the director general of National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Paul Orhi, over corruption allegations. Mr. Orhi, a very reliable source told PREMIUM TIMES, was being grilled on allegations of contracts awarded by the former DG. The source also said that Mr. Orhi might likely be allowed to go home, especially given that there were documents he was asked to make available to the commission. Mr. Orhi has been accused of massive corruption at the food and drug administration office. A former finance director of NAFDAC, Ademola Mogbojuri, said Mr. Orhi was behind shady deal and financial recklessness at the agency. He said Mr. Orhi refused to remit funds meant for the federation account, and instead funnelled the agency’s internally generated revenues to fund political campaign in his home Benue State. “Some of the companies they used to carry out the deals have collected over N6bn in the last two years,” Mr. Mogbojuri told Punch in July. “Towards the general election this year, he collected a lot of money and used it to buy vehicles, which he branded and gave to a governorship aspirant in his native Benue State. The financial recklessness of the DG has brought NAFDAC onto its knees.” The DG denied the allegations. In an interview with Vanguard, Mr. Orhi said the claims were false. “We have not indulged in reckless spending as claimed. Take a look at the person making the allegations, the former director of finance and administration,” he was quoted as saying. “He is the person who has been making the payments for the past three to four years. Then suddenly when he was reassigned, he woke up to discover that there were irregularities.” http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/187766-breaking-efcc-quizzes-former-nafdac-boss-orhi.html |
OYO is their case. On Your Own |
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