₦airaland Forum

So is Fayose blind?
You mean he hasn't seen Shekau video? He doesn't know Shekau?

Ekiti people, una don enter one chance.

Court adjourns Fani-Kayode’s money laundering trial


A Federal High Court in Lagos has further adjourned till February 24 and 25, 2015, the trial of a former Minister of Aviation, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode, who is facing money laundering charges.

Fani-Kayode’s trial was stalled on Monday owing to the absence in court of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s prosecutor, Mr. Festus Keyamo.

The trial judge, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, had adjourned till Monday for the ex-minister to open argument in his own defence against the charges of financial impropriety levelled against him.

Though the accused was in court and had proceeded into the dock upon calling the case, a counsel representing the EFCC, Mr. Somadina Okore, however stood up and pointed the attention of the court to a letter written by Keyamo asking the court for an adjournment.

Okore said, “Most respectfully, my Lord, earlier before now, the prosecutor in this matter, Mr. Festus Keyamo, has written a letter to this honourable court, informing the court that he is appearing before a Federal High Court in Yola today. He is praying this honourable court to vacate today’s date to allow him to appear and prosecute this case in person.”

Responding, Fani-Kayode’s lawyer, Mr. Wale Akoni (SAN), said he was aware of the letter and that he had no objection to the request for an adjournment. He also reminded the court that the matter was adjourned till Monday and Tuesday, adding that if it was convenient for the court, his client would go and return on Tuesday to stand trial.

In the circumstance, Ofili-Ajumogobia adjourned till Tuesday and Wednesday for continuation of trial.

Fani-Kayode was arraigned before Ofili-Ajumogobia on 40 counts bordering on money laundering to the tune of about N100m.

The EFCC alleged that while he held sway as the Aviation Minister and the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Fani-Kayode, at various times carried out several financial transactions and dealt in cash in excess of N500,000 without going through any financial institution.

The anti-graft agency said the alleged offence contravened Sections 15(1) (a) (b) (c) (d) and 15 (2) (a) (b) of the Money Laundering (prohibition) Act, 2004.

But Fani-Kayode, who is now spearheads President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election campaign, had pleaded not guilty to the charges, following which the prosecution was asked to open its case and adduce evidence in support of the allegations.

However, at the closure of the prosecution’s case on July 10, 2014, the accused on August 5, 2014 submitted a no-case application, arguing that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against him and thus prayed the court to dismiss the charges and set him free.

Ruling on the no-case application on November 17, 2014, Ofili-Ajumogobia dismissed 38 of the 40 counts and discharged Fani-Kayode on the charges.

The judge, however, said the accused would need to prove his innocence in respect of counts 25 and 26 of the charges.

The counts read, “That you, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode on or before September 20, 2006, while serving as Minister of Culture and Tourism of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, made a transaction exceeding N500,000 which was not done through financial institution, by accepting cash payment of N1m, which sum was further paid into your personal account number, 103450252601 with First Inland Bank PLc Apapa branch, now FCMB, through one Supo Agbaje, your administrative staff, now at large.

“That you, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode on or before September 20, 2006, while serving as Minister of Culture and Tourism of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, made a transaction exceeding N500,000, which was not done through financial institution, by accepting cash payment of N1.1m, which sum was further paid into your personal account number, 103450252601 with First Inland Bank PLc Apapa branch, now FCMB, through one Supo Agbaje, your administrative staff, now at large.”

Fani-Kayode’s trial began in December 2008 before Justice Ramat Mohammed, from whom he secured bail in the sum of N200m with two sureties in like sum.

The case file was subsequently passed on to Justice Binta Murtala-Nyako, following the transfer of Mohammed from the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court.

Ofili-Ajumogobia took over the case from Murtala-Nyako on February 11, 2013.


http://www.punchng.com/news/money-laundering-court-adjourns-fani-kayodes-trial-2/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Nigeria’s Attorney General Files Affidavits To Scuttle Use Of PVCs For Elections
Affidavits filed by Nigeria’s Attorney General Mohammed Bello Adoke and just leaked to SaharaReporters reveal a stealth and controversial attempt by President Goodluck Jonathan’s government to undermine the use of permanent voter cards (PVCs) in the country’s forthcoming elections.

Judicial sources, who leaked the affidavits to SaharaReporters, said the documents show that Mr. Adoke is opposed to efforts by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct free and fair elections using an updated electronic voters register and permanent voter cards.

At campaign stumps and interviews, President Jonathan has touted the adoption of PVCs as part of his legacy to ensure the empowerment of Nigerian voters, stating that the initiative would eliminate lapses in past elections. But affidavits filed by Mr. Adoke, a longtime confidante of Mr. Jonathan’s, reveal a surreptitious scheme to undermine the use of PVCs.

In one of the affidavits, Mr. Adoke, who is also Nigeria’s Minister of Justice, argued, “if the election is conducted majorly with the use of Permanent Voters’ Card, the constitutional right of the many eligible voters would be taken away from them.”

The affidavit also argued that the election “is likely to be unsuccessful if rigid use of the Permanent Voters’ Card is carried out.”

A second affidavit, also leaked to SaharaReporters, stated, “the use of card readers and/ or any other machine at the general elections must encourage eligible voters to vote without being deprived in any way.”

INEC chairman Attahiru Jega recently stated that the use of PVCs would not be to cast votes but to validate and authenticate the votes cast. The distinction, he said, was that the PVCs and card readers would prevent electoral manipulation by acting as a checking mechanism.

An INEC source told SaharaReporters that, without these electronic verification mechanisms, the presidential and other elections could be severely compromised.

Mr. Adoke’s affidavits, which are dated February 23, 2015, expose yet another attempt by President Jonathan’s associates to use incessant lawsuits to disrupt electoral processes decided on and announced by INEC several years ago.

SaharaReporters had revealed that cronies of Mr. Jonathan had filed some 15 lawsuits aimed at once again scuttling the presidential election now scheduled for March 28, 2015.

The affidavits by Mr. Adoke represent a new twist in the familiar plot, one legal source in Abuja told SaharaReporters. “The office of the Attorney General of the Federation has aligned itself with many litigants who are determined to use the courts to either scuttle the elections or stop INEC from using the best tools to prevent or drastically reduce rigging in this year’s elections. The use of rigging-proof electronic voter cards, which the AGF is now challenging, is an ominous sign,” said the source, a senior advocate of Nigeria.

Read the affidavit here http://saharareporters.com/2015/02/24/nigeria’s-attorney-general-files-affidavits-scuttle-use-pvcs-elections

Beautiful piece. You made my day.

If I subscribe before now I would have gotten a welcome or thank you message but there was nothing like that. I just loaded my phone immediately I got the messages.

That's stealing!

For me it's not about the money lost but the stealing attitude and bad system we have in Nigeria. This won't happen in advance countries.

I am very angry right now for what Glo has done to me. What kind of country is this? How can I be robbed openly like this?

I did not subscribe to glo mPaper Daily Times NG, I have been duped N50 this Monday morning. I loaded my phone with N1000 and I just got an sms after receiving their usual welcome message, thanking me for subscribing to Glo mPaper Daily Times.

This is absurd!

Below are screen short of the sms

I am very angry right now for what Glo has done to me. What kind of country is this? How can I be robbed openly like this?

I did not subscribe to glo mPaper Daily Times NG, I have been duped N50 this Monday morning. I loaded my phone with N1000 and I just got an sms after receiving their usual welcome message, thanking me for subscribing to Glo mPaper Daily Times.

This is absurd!

Below are screen short of the sms

Satan dey trip for GEJ lies!

Too many lies from ffk.

Make Nigeria Ungovernable
I thought that issue has been sorted out of court begging Buhari. FFK lied!

Talking about PTF. He lied.

He talked about seeing light joining PDP. So this man has seen light where 16 is greater than 19?

Mark my works, his British forming will change when his time in kirikiri will be over

Fayose is sick not Buhari.

So the Jingle being aired where Obasanjo spoke about Jonathan agreeing to be a one term president, patience applauded it in the event.

Why this man dey lie like this?

“We’re not politicians, stop inviting us to impromptu meetings” – Ogun Obas tell Jonathan

By Wale Odunsi on February 21, 2015

President Goodluck Jonathan on Friday held a short meeting with some Ogun State traditional rulers.

The News Nigeria reports that the parley held on the sidelines of the commissioning of the Olorunsogo Power Plant.

The monarchs were led by the Akarigbo of Remoland and Chairman of the Ogun State Traditional Council, Oba Michael Sonariwo, Alake of Egbaland, Oba (Dr.) Aremu Adedotun Gbadebo, Olowu of Owu,Oba Adegboyega Dosunmu, Olu of Itori,Oba Fatai Akamo, Oniro of Iro,Oba Adebari, Olu of Owode- Egba, Oba Sowemimo and other traditional rulers, mostly from the Ogun Central Senatorial District.

Ogun Obas, Gbenga Daniel at the meeting with Jonathan

The monarchs were said to have lamented the various attacks on the former Nigerian President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, after he announced his departure from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

They also demanded that the President caution his aides to cease verbal assaults on Obasanjo.

One of the monarchs, apparently speaking the mind of his colleagues, protested the impromptu meeting, which he regarded as a disrespect to the royal class.

“We must be respected because we are not politicians and cannot just be summoned into a meeting without prior notice,” he said.

“Also, we down here, always respect elders, we don’t say because of politics, one will not know his elders.”

After the meeting, the Obas reportedly proved their displeasure by reluctantly agreeing to take photographs with President Jonathan.

Speaking, President Jonathan appealed for support for his re-election and that of other PDP candidates in the State.

In attendance were former governor of the State, Gbenga Daniel, his former deputy, Alhaja Salmot Badru, Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, his Culture and Tourism counterpart, Edem Duke, former Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Titi Oseni-Sodunke, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Doyin Okupe, Chief of Staff to the President, Brig. General Jones Arogbofa.

Others are Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, Peter Obi, Ex-governor of Anambra State, Ogun PDP Governorship candidate, Gboyega Nasir Isiaka, MD/CEO, Niger Delta Power Holding Company Limited, James Abiodun Olotu among others.

Earlier at the commissioning, Jonathan commended the people of the State for creating an enabling environment for the project, which was started by the Obasanjo administration.

“I must commend all our people from Ogun State, especially, people from the catchment areas, the trading leaders, the youth leaders, the women leaders for creating the enabling environment for this project to go on to this level that we are here today commissioning. This is your project and we shall expect your continued cooperation in safeguarding it.

“With the support we are getting from our traditional rulers, religious and youth leader, community and women leaders, we will get to where we want to go. I am pleased that I have lived up to my campaign pledges to make power sector reform a priority and a reality.

“This agenda has ushered in new capital investment and would continue to boost more investment opportunities for the private sector players, widening the horizon of our transformation agenda through the multiplier effects.

“I urge you all to support the federal government. This is the way we can improve electricity services to the entire country,”Jonathan said.

“We are also thinking about the very unpopular one, the issue of energy from atomic sources which we are working on very hard. Of course, international agencies and companies would always control you because of the implications of developing that sector.

“And of course, the renewed sources the Honourable Minister mentioned, the solar, that is abundant especially in the northern part of the country. We have all these potential and if we can annex all these and make sure that we get power supply to stimulate the growth of our micro enterprises.

“We are lucky as a nation because we have gas, so the mega companies and the big companies don’t depend on the national grid. They buy the gas and generate their own power but without a stable power supply. Small businesses can not survive, they can not survive by buying small generators and buying fuel and sometimes, there are hazards leading to death or destruction of properties”.

http://dailypost.ng/2015/02/21/not-politicians-stop-inviting-us-impromptu-meetings-ogun-obas-tell-jonathan/

onatisi:
bros I don dey talk am since last year ,dis ppl dey prove strong head wey go carry dem chop koboko. There is no way a party like apc will rule nigeria,no matter how ppl try to paint or beautify apc ,outside the south west apc is still seen as a yoruba or regional party. And no regional party will rule this nation. Nigerians aren't fools and so are the powerful northern elites who will dictate the direction of the votes and which they have already done. The powerful northerners will not allow tinubu and co to control them through buhari. they have seen through tinubu antics and they are now willing and ready to give gej his last 4years .there will be some reactions at the end of the day,court cases and the usual apc lamentations but the objective would have been fulfilled .

Wonders shall never end.
PDP go win and PDP dey fear to do election.
Chai! Diaris God o!
Oya kontinu!

And we keep spending billions for generator and diesel every year in Aso Rock.

Guy park well, I hold my Please Vote Change PVC very tight o.

omenka:
But come oo, e be like say the man come switch caps with Buhari oo!! Dudes must really be close!!

Too much garri soaking!
So you can't spot the difference in size and colour?

AmakaDNB:
ok.
He will soon come back and say he didnt mean two weeks.

He actually said so on media chat "boko haram will not be wiped out completely in 6 weeks, no one is saying that..."

Now he is making another unkempt promises again. I just can't wait till March4Buhari 28th.

I said this man will fail in 2011 folks didn't believe me. He has no record till he got to the top but instead campaigned with "Luck" because his name is Goodluck and many stupid Nigerians fell for the crap.

The guy is looking fresh. The guy dey hammer from FG o!

nzeobi:
Card readers won't be used for the elections quote me anywhere.
Or some thugs will just come steal the card reader and it automatically dissenfrachizes the electorate.

Thugs can only steal in a nation without security. Anywhere there is thuggery in election security is involved.

Just like what happened in okirika yesterday, thugs shooting in a rally where security officers were present not even one thug was caught and a police officer was killed. I saw on tape an army officer with AK47 asking people to calm down while the shooting was going on and he didn't make a move. Watch it over again it was obviously conspicuous on tape.

Abeg naija no be country.

deelaw1:
Oh now, it is about content of accord?

Now, I see they are not interested in violence free elections so that they can discredit the government.

Accord was broken by advert that had no violence?? How?

Stones were thrown at the President bu APC supporters in APC states after that accord was signed.

Now, I see where the 'failed state' term used by Christiane Amanpour came from during her interview of GMB... I knew that those unintelligent questions were handed over by APC to Christiane to ask rather than them allowing her to generate her own set of questions. She as a broadcaster, is very cut throat and very brash, asks very tough questions which she did not do during the interview.

The stoning you are talking about was arranged by PDP to discredit APC. How can people throw stones with security men watching?

jaybee3:
But it's possible to disenfranchise eligible voters due to system malfunction.
Have they got back up plans?

Don't ask me, ask INEC.

As far as I am concern card reader will work perfectly. I was demonstrated today and has been demonstrated any times before and it's been working very well.

Ichiato:
Why can't you address someone with some reasonable degree of respect? Did he claim there's electronic voting in Nigeria?
He's only trying to point out the fact that electronic device can never be 100 percent efficient. Weather na for voting or na for accreditation no concern person. Nigerians shouldn't expect these devices to be 100% percent efficient simple.

With all due respect my brother I am not abusing him only adding to what he has said. I keep hearing senators asking unreasonable questions when they know fully well the pure purpose of PVC.

I am sorry.

tbaba1234:
During the Obama/Romney elections, there were irregularities in some polling units. Some machines malfunctioned such that, you press Obama and Romney is recorded. This is a country with tested processes.

That is the problem with technology, there will be malfunction. At the end of the day, there is greater chance of a more credible elections with card readers than without.

For those comparing PVC as electronic voting
There is no electronic voting in naija for Christ sake! It's only for accreditation and to authenticate voters that's all.

Why many people dull like this?

Our senators are really dumb. How can dey be asking Jega security questions? Dey should direct it to security chiefs.

Jega answered beautifully the frequently asked questions a senator asked holding booklet of 2011 to ask question in 2015

It won't work

sincerenigerian:
Now we know why they've been running from pillar to post. They have spent more time attacking Jega and INEC than time they've spent encouraging their supporters to pick their PVCs. I have never seen or heard Jonathan advised his supporters to pick up their PVCs. Buhari on the other hand tells his supporters to pick up PVCs anytime he is given microphone to talk at campaign venues.

Good observations. You are a true and honest person.

To justify GEJ's plan to postpone elections for another 6 months abi?

Una plan no go work. Election must hold!

Do you think if Buhari become president NOI is not going to kirikiri?

Think again. She'll rot in jail.

Balkan:
Report yesterday shows how buhari
was ordained as Bishop of RCCG yesterday
Buhari also promised not islamise Nigeria
if he becomes the president.

I don't blame you, I blame GEJ for not providing jobs for the youth, you should have been working now instead of wasting your talent on things like this

This is the reason you should vote out the clueless one so you can get something doing with your life

#IHaveDecided

Governor Fayose Confesses To Partaking In Ekiti Poll Rigging Meeting Secretly Recorded By Army Captain Koli

Ekiti state governor, Ayodele Fayose has finally confessed to partaking in the secret meeting where politicians led by former minister of state for defense, Musiliu Obanikoro met with army officer led by a Brigadier General plotted how to rig last August's gubernatorial election for Mr. Fayose.

Mr. Fayose was speaking  at an event in Ekiti where he inadvertently referred to the tape and then he quickly tried to change his story by claiming that he was only chastising the army general for being compromised in the presense of his collegaues. Mr. Fayose's confession contrasts his earlier stance that the tape was manufactured with the aid of a voice software.  The minister of Police Affairs, Jelili Adesiyan had earlier confessed to being at the meeting, however, President Goodluck Jonathan told reporters from the Wallstreet Journal during a recent interview that the tape was not "real" stating that the incident will not be probed.

 Listen to Fayose's confession here:

http://saharareporters.com/2015/02/15/governor-fayose-confesses-partaking-ekiti-poll-rigging-meeting-secretly-recorded-army