₦airaland Forum

The Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) has stated why his office withdrew the corruption case against Senator Danjuma Goje.

Mr Goje, a former governor of Gombe State has been defending an N8billion suit filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after he left the office in 2011. He described his prosecution as an embarrassing triviality.

The AGF gave the explanation in a statement signed by Umar Gwandu, his spokesman.

“As to the allegation of withdrawal of the corruption case of N25bn against former Gombe State Governor, Senator Danjuma Goje; the first point of correction is that the AGF did not withdraw a N25bn case,” the statement released on Friday read.

“The EFCC had filed a 21 charges of N8bn against Senator Goje and had been prosecuting same for over eight years without the AGF’s interference but after a no case submission filed by Senator Goje, 19 of the 21 counts making up the N8bn were struck out by the court leaving only two counts bordering on the manner in which the sale of some old buses belonging to Gombe State Transport Company between 2003 and 2011 were handled under the watch of Senator Goje.

“It was the said last two counts that the AGF thoroughly reviewed in 2019 and having found no prima facie case, withdrew in exercise of his constitutional power pursuant to Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution,” it added.

The attorney general did not give reason why the court was not allowed to decide on the merit or demerit of the case.

Backstory

Last year June, the office of the AGF under Mr Malami applied for the transfer of the case file to it and ultimately quashed the case going on for over eight years within a month.

This however did not happen until the lawmaker representing Gombe Central at the Senate who declared his interest to vie for the 9th Senate Presidency met with President Muhammadu Buhari.

Mr Buhari was reported by Sahara Reporters to have persuaded the lawmaker to shelve his ambition and allow the current Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, who was chosen as then consensus candidate by the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) to man the position.

The online medium said the president was trying to avoid a repeat of what transpired during the formation of the 8th Senate which saw then Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who formed alliance with the help of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) emerging against the wish of the ruling party.

Mr Saraki despite belonging to the APC at the time survived several attempts to oust him. The former Kwara State governor has severally been blamed as the stumbling block to the programmes and initiatives of the ruling party.

The current Senate headed by Mr Lawan is widely referred to as a rubber stamp Senate by critics despite rebuttal by the top lawmaker.

voltron14:
Buhari has done a lot of positive things for this country.

President Muhammadu Buhari has been told not to see calls for his resignation as a demand to truly step aside.

Insecurity across the country has forced some critics of the present administration to demand the resignation of the president.

It started with Senator Enyinnanya Abaribe who spearheaded the call. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker was backed by his party while some Nigerians on social media are making similar demand by trending the hashtag #BuhariResign.

But weighing in on Friday morning, the president was advised by Festus Keyamo, the Minister of State, for Labour and Employment, to see the call as a demand to do more.

Mr Keyamo who said the demand was uncalled for noted that even the opposing voices are aware that their demand with regards to resignation is impossible.

“The hullabaloo over the call by the opposition for the resignation of the President is unnecessary,” the minister said in a tweet.

ALSO READ: Why Buhari should resign - PDP backs Abaribe
“It’s the usual singsong of opposition all over the world. They know it’s not going to happen. It’s just a way of telling govt to do more and we in govt. should see it in that light,” Keyamo added.

Meanwhile the president has been asked by the two chambers at the national assembly to sack his security chiefs and restructure the security architecture to improve the security situation of the nation.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has backed up Senator Enyinnanya Abaribe for calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to resign.

The opposition party made the backing in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Wednesday.

Mr Abaribe had called on the president to step down from office having failed to address insecurity bedeviling the nation.

While reacting to the call of the opposition lawmaker, the presidency said the Abia South representative at the Senate ought to have been in prison if the president should resign.

But supporting its lawmaker, the PDP said the recent comments of the president on insecurity shows he lacks power to nib it in the bud.

The opposition party said by admitting that he was surprised at the worsening security situation of the country, the president has displayed a disheartening dereliction of duty, directly admitted that he is overwhelmed and lacks the required capacity to articulate and implement any solutions to the escalated insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, bloodletting and increased wave of violence under his administration.

ALSO READ: I'm surprised Boko Haram is still existing - Buhari
“Our party holds that such a statement from a Commander-in-Chief, who promised to lead from the front, is distressing as it further exposes an abdication of duty and shows that Mr. President is not even abreast of his major task in governance which is the security of lives and property,” the statement partly read.

“The PDP is particularly worried over this apparent display of leadership failure as Mr. President ought to be receiving a daily brief from his service Chiefs on the actual situation on ground.

“His comment therefore speaks volumes on the manner with which the security of our nation is being handled at the highest levels despite the huge resources reportedly committed to security issues by the Buhari administration.

“The PDP notes that such development has further eroded the confidence Nigerians repose on the Buhari Presidency for solutions, especially given his failures to rejig his security high command in the face of failures and demands by well-meaning Nigerians.

“The party therefore backs the call by the Senate Minoriry Leader, Senator Eyinnaya Abaribe, asking President Buhari to resign,” the PDP added.

The presidency has attacked Senator Enyinnanya Abaribe who represents Abia South at the Senate for calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to resign.

Mr Abaribe while making his contribution bordering on challenges of national security at the floor of the red chamber on Wednesday, called on the president to relinquish his office having failed to tackle insecurity bedeviling the country.

The country has witnessed a spike in criminal activities ranging from kidnappings, farmers and herders clashes, terrorist attacks etc.

But responding, presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, said if the president should resign over insecurity then the lawmaker should be in prison having failed to produce Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) in court.

Mr Abaribe alongside two others stood as a surety for Mr Kanu when the latter was granted bail. The IPOB leader charged for treason has jumped bail and currently out of the country.

“If a leader like President Buhari needs to resign, there are millions of other Nigerians who need to resign, including Senator Abaribe who unlocked the door to enable the escape of traitorous and treasonable suspects,” Mr Shehu said in a statement.

ALSO READ: I'm surprised Boko Haram is still existing - Buhari
“He signed the bond for the court to release Nnamdi Kanu on bail, from which moment the suspect disappeared into the thin air. Senator Abaribe has failed repeated deadlines to return Kanu to the court for trial, yet he has the effrontery with which to accuse someone of failing to the bidding of the law.

“This is a man who should have replaced the suspects he failed to produce in the correctional facility.

“Abaribe’s party raped the nation and left it collapsing in 2015 and President Buhari is fixing things up all the years he is in office,” the statement partly read.

Mr Shehu who said the resignation call does not represent the opinion of those who re-elected his principal for another term of four years, claimed only President Buhari can stop the insecurity going on.

“President Buhari is working hard to keep Nigeria and Nigerians out of the harm terrorists have unleashed in the entire Sahel and Sub-Saharan Africa with the support of Nigerians and our foreign friends, he is going to finish off these terrorists. He alone can do it,” he added.

President Muhammadu Buhari has said he is surprised that Boko Haram terrorists are still existing.

Mr Buhari stated this in Abuja when he played host to Eminent and Respected Citizens of Niger State.

The delegation led by Governor Abubakar Bello, visited the State House, on Tuesday.

“I was taken aback by what is happening in the North West and other parts of the country,” presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, in a statement, quoted his principal as saying.

“During our campaigns, we knew about the Boko Haram. What is coming now is surprising. It is not ethnicity or religion, rather it is one evil plan against the country,” the president added.

The Nigerian leader promised to increase the war tempo against the terrorists and bandits.

“We have to be harder on them. One of the responsibilities of government is to provide security. If we don’t secure the country, we will not be able to manage the economy properly,” the statement partly read.

His visitors said they visited to show appreciation to the president for his interventions on infrastructure, security, and appointment of indigenes of the state into key positions of government.

Boko Haram, a terrorist organization based in northeastern Nigeria has killed many and displaced thousands of Nigerians since it was formed in 2002.

When he sought to be president in 2015, Mr Buhari vowed to wipe out the terrorists by leading from the front. Despite efforts being made by his administration which claimed to have decimated the terror group, the terrorists are still carrying out pockets of attacks here and there.

The current 9th Senate has said the mace-snatching incident which occurred during the 8th Senate session cannot be revisited.

Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, a member of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) who is currently the Deputy Senate President was alleged to have led political thugs into the upper legislative chamber in 2018 and carted away the authority symbol of the red chamber.

TODAY POLITICS recalls the incident occurred during the reign of Bukola Saraki as the Senate President despite belonging to the ruling party then.

Mr Saraki emerged the President of the 8th Senate largely due to his alliance with his colleagues who are members the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The mace-snatching incident is one of the several attempts by the APC to indirectly oust the top lawmaker from his position but the move met brick walls.

The report of a joint panel set up by the then leadership of the two legislative chambers at the National Assembly was not considered due a suit instituted by Omo-Agege who feared he might be suspended for the invasion.

Addressing the issue on Saturday, Godiya Akwashiki, who is the spokesperson of the current 9th Senate, says the report on the incident will not see the light of the day because it transpired during the last Senate session.

Mr Akwashiki was responding to recent requests by some civil society groups demanding the resignation of the incumbent Deputy Senate President for allegedly leading thugs into the red chamber.

“As far as I am concerned, anything that affects the life of the 8th National Assembly, any uncompleted report has expired with the life of the last Assembly,” the Senate spokesperson said in a interview.

“If it is a bill that was passed but not assented to, or any other uncompleted bill, it has expired with the life of the 8th Assembly.

“As far as the 9th National Assembly is concerned, even if we want to enact a bill, we have to start afresh.

“Any unresolved issue in the 8th Assembly has gone forever. So, the implication is that the report of mace-snatching has gone with the 8th Senate,” Akwashiki added.

President Muhammadu Buhari has replied critics suggesting the existence of a crack within his relationship with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

At the commencement of his second term, Mr Buhari cut down some responsibilities delegated to Mr Osinbajo during their first term in office.

Some government agencies under the vice president’s office were relocated and assigned to ministers while some of his aides were unlucky to have their appointments renewed.

Critics described the move as a ploy to whittle down the political influence of the number two citizen who is said to be nursing the ambition to succeed his principal.

In a chat with TheInterview, the president, when asked to rate his relationship with the vice president on a scale of one to ten, said the mutuality between him and his vice is satisfying.

“Perfect,” Buhari answered, querying, “Or has he complained to you?”

He said Osinbajo is not complaining and as such there shouldn’t be any cacophony about the development.

lalasticlala

The two major political parties in the country are currently staging protest and counter-protest at the decision of the Supreme Court in regards to the governorship election in Imo State.

The apex court had last week sacked Emeka Ihedioha, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who was declared winner of the gubernatorial election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Presided over by the Tanko Mohammad, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) the Supreme Court declared Hope Uzodimma, candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC) as the duly elected governor of the South-East state.

While the opposition PDP is protesting against the decision of the apex court, the ruling APC is counter-protesting in support of the ruling.

Taking off from its headquarters, the PDP protesters led by the National Chairman, Uche Secondus, headed for the Supreme Court but had their protest cut off midway on sighting demonstrators of the APC already at the junction leading to the apex court.

The protest was discontinued to avert a clash with the APC protesters led by one Iliya Adams.

Bala Mohammed has been declared as duly elected Bauchi State governor by the Supreme Court.

The declaration was made Monday morning by the apex court sitting in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

The governor was elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

His election was challenged by his opponent Mohammed Abubakar and the All Progressive Congress (APC).

More details later…

Herdsmen under the umbrella of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore have warned Southwest governors to withdraw their support for Western Nigeria Security outfit, codenamed ‘Operation Amotekun’, adding that their continued support for Operation Amotekun may hurt the Southwest’s chances of getting the Presidency in 2023.

The National Secretary of the group, Alhassan Saleh, said this during an interview with The PUNCH on Wednesday.

Saleh said Miyetti Allah was disappointed in the South-West intelligentsia for supporting the outfit.

He said, “This Amotekun scheme is political and is not the solution to the problem of insecurity. What the South-West governors should have done is to continue to push for state police. Where did they expect to get the funding from at a time some of them are struggling to pay salaries?

“It is best they give up on this idea because it may affect the chances of the South-West to produce the President in 2023. The thinking is that if the South-West, a major stakeholder in this government, can be toying with this idea now, they may do worse when they get to power.”

The group also hailed the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, SAN, for describing Amotekun as an illegal outfit.

Saleh said the AGF ought to have spoken long ago instead of waiting for things to have reached an advanced stage.

“We are in agreement with the AGF that Amotekun is illegal. In fact, we are unhappy that it took the AGF this long to react,” he said.

Almost all the supporters of President Muhammadu Buhari and his party are rejoicing that Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka's prediction about Imo came to pass.

As I observe reactions on social media, pro-government supporters says the cleric is now the National Prophet of the country.

They are quick to point at all the prophecies of the Catholic cleric which came to pass, the most reference is that of 2015 general election which saw the incumbent Goodluck Jonathan loosing his re-election bid.

I want to ask why much fuss was not made when this same cleric who usually parades himself as the messenger of the Almighty God prophesied that Mr Buhari should not seek re-election and that he will be disgraced should the latter refused to adhere to the directive?

Hear him: "As I was waiting on the Lord, I’m asked to advise you, don’t come out for second tenure; after this, retire peacefully.”

“Mr. President you are the cause of your own problem.”

“God gave you an adviser, a wonderful mentor, a visionist, a matriarch, in the person of your wife, Aisha, but you don’t want to listen to her. That woman is heartbroken because she knows you are not yourself."

As we all know, Buhari was not just re-elected, he soared higher with about 4 million votes to defeat his opponents.

Meanwhile here are my sources: https://www.google.com/amp/s/dailypost.ng/2018/01/01/2019-contest-disgraced-fr-mbaka-warns-buhari-shocking-new-year-message/amp/

https://www.google.com/amp/s/theeagleonline.com.ng/father-mbaka-to-buhari-reasons-you-wont-be-reelected-in-2019/

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.sunnewsonline.com/mbaka-to-buhari-god-said-you-shouldnt-run-in-2019/amp/

The Nigerian government has declared a regional security outfit, Amotekun, formed by states in the South-west geopolitical zone as illegal.

Governors in the region announced the formation of the regional paramilitary outfit last week to complement the work of the police.

A launch of the outfit was held in Ibadan at the event attended by political and traditional leaders across party lines from the South-west.

A Tuesday statement from the minister of justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, on Tuesday said setting up of the organisation “runs contrary to the provisions of the Nigerian law.”

Policing is a federal duty under the exclusive list of the Nigerian constitution.

Details later…

lalasticlala, mynd44

MelesZenawi:
You be Enugu youth?

Enugu Youth Coalition has debunked the report making round in the social media claiming that the council chairperson for Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, Mrs. Chinwe Ugwu distributed some wheelbarrows to youths of the council as part of her youth empowerment scheme under hire-purchase system.

It however took us some time to investigate the matter before issuing this statement setting the records straight.

Hence, our investigation showed that the story was distorted to ridicule the state government as the said wheelbarrows were procured for use by the Department of Works and Housing in Nsukka Local Government Area of the state.

The decision was reached after the inventory of all the equipments in the council was taken by the new chairperson.

In the process, it was discovered that the Works and Housing Department had obsolete equipments which needed to be replaced for effective service delivery in the council.

According to our investigation, the central idea was based on the fact that, the road maintenance, housing and construction works of the council are been done by contractors whereas the council has it's own staff who are collecting salary every month for the same job.

So, as part of the cost-saving measure by the Chief Administrator, an approval was given for the procurement of relevant equipments for the Works and Housing Department so that, the staff of the council can now be doing the work they were employed to do by their employer.

Therefore, the commissioning of the procured wheelbarrows which mischief makers tagged as poverty alleviation programme was just the first set of equipments delivered for the Works and Housing Department of the Council.

We therefore urge the reading public to disregard the distorted news report as that is the handiwork of mischief makers who never mean well for the state.

Truly, Enugu State is in the Hands of God!

Signed:

Dr. Edwin Obune,
National Coordinator,
Enugu Youth Coalition

Deji Adeyanju's Health Worsens, Flown Abroad For Medical Treatment

Human rights activist, Deji Adeyanju, who was physically brutalised by dozens of hired government thugs on Monday in Abuja during a protest tagged #FreedomRally in front of the National Human Rights Commission, has been flown overseas for medical treatment.

SaharaReporters had earlier revealed that the activist was in a critical condition at the hospital following the deadly attack that left deep cuts all over his body and left him struggling to breathe.

Adeyanju has been flown to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where he would be receiving comprehensive medical treatment.

During the attack, some operatives of the Department of State Services and policemen at the scene failed to rescue the activist, allowing the thugs carrying posters bearing President Muhammadu Buhari’s image and chanting ‘Sai Baba’ to violently ‘feast’ on him.

Several other activists, who participated in the peaceful demonstration, were also attacked by the hired thugs.

THE total votes recorded for the ruling party, All Progressives Congress, APC, in Kogi State shows that the Incumbent governor, Yahaya Bello has won the Saturday guber election, but the number contradicts the summation of the vote count from each local government area, The ICIR has found.

Final score announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the APC is 12,682 higher than the actual votes counted. This represents 3.2 per cent surplus in favour of the ruling party.

The Returning Officer and Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Professor Ibrahim Umar, declared at the INEC office in Lokoja that the APC governorship candidate, Yahaya Bello, polled 406,222 votes in total against Musa Wada of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) who garnered a total 189,704 votes.

Here are the figures as announced by INEC:

LGA APC PDP
Adavi 64,657 366
Ajaokuta 17,952 5,565
Ankpa 11,269 28,108
Bassa 8,386 9,724
Dekina 8,948 16,575
Ibaji 12, 682 10,504
Idah 4,602 13,962
Igalamela-Odolu 8,075 11,195
Ijumu 11,425 7,587
Kabba/Bunu 15,364 8,084
Koton Karfe 14,097 9,404
Lokoja 19,457 11,059
Mopa-Muro 4,953 3,581
Ofu 11,006 12,264
Ogori/Magongo 3,679 2,145
Okehi 36,954 478
Okene 112,764 139
Olamaboro 16,876 8,155
Omala 8,473 14,403
Yagba East 6,735 7,546
Yagba West 7,868 8,860
TOTAL 393,540 189,704


However, a summation of results from 21 local government areas monitored live by The ICIR shows that the APC candidate instead polled a total 393,540 votes, a difference of 12,682 from the figure announced by the INEC, while the PDP polled 189,704 votes.

The ICIR discovered that 12,682 is also exactly the number of votes that went to the APC candidate at Ibaji Local Government Area, an indication that the result from the area may have been posted twice.

Results from Ibaji were part of the last set of results announced on Monday morning by the electoral commission after it postponed the collation process on Sunday evening.

Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, did not deny this finding when The ICIR reached out to him.

“We are going to look at the figure again when the report is sent to the headquarters,” he said.

He also assured The ICIR that the Commission would check for votes other local governments to see if there are double posting of results.