THE Presidency has named three persons who allegedly stole $3 billion during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
This was as accusation and counter-accusations about alleged grand corruption in the Goodluck Jonathan administration continued on Sunday with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo reeling out details of the allegations he called “a tip of the iceberg.”
THE Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Kayode Fayemi and the governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, has had themselves tagged as thieves by delegates of the All Progressive Congress (APC).
Mr Fayemi, a serving minister is among those seeking to fly the party’s flag in the forth coming governorship election in Ekiti slated for July 14.
The APC in the state, on Saturday, had its primary election in Ado Ekiti disrupted by some supporters of the party believed to be loyal to one of the aspirants in the gubernatorial race.
The supporters while disrupting the process destroyed and carted away voting materials at the venue of the event.
This led to the break out of a protest with chants of “Fayemi ole” renting the air.
While ‘Fayemi‘ is the minister’s name, ‘Ole‘ is understood by HEADLINE to mean a ‘thief.’ The language is that of Yoruba.
However, the situation was later brought under control and the primary postponed indefinitely. The state governor, Ayodele Fayose, has reacted to the incident.
Mr Bello, the governor of Kogi State was not left out. He had his own share of the embarrassment being meted out to him.
Bello elected under the APC had his party youths to contend with.
The APC held congresses across the 36 states and Abuja on Saturday.
However, Kogi is one among the states where the congresses were mired in controversies and violence. The state chapter of the party is also fictionalised.
“Yahaya Bello ole” were the chants of the youths at the entrance of the congress held in Iyamoye.
The youths later moved their protest to the street.
Bello is accused of playing a vital role in the failed recall process of Senator Dino Melaye.
Senator Melaye represents the west senatorial district of the state at the Senate. He is of the APC and had since inception had a running battle with his state governor.
Bello was alleged to have funded the recall process to the tune of N1billion naira. The allegation has since been addressed by INEC.
SENATOR Shehu Sani (Kaduna Central) and governor, Nasir El-rufai, have disagreed on the conduct of the ward congresses of their party, the All Progressive Congress (APC), across the state.
While the lawmaker is of the opinion that what transpired on the Saturday event was not the party’s ward congress, the governor said the event was successfully held across various wards in the state.
The APC held congresses across the 36 states and Abuja on Saturday.
However, some of the congresses were mired in controversies and violence in some states.
Reacting through his Facebook timeline, Sani said the congresses was not held in his state.
“APC ward Congresses NEVER took place in Kaduna state.” he said.
“Our political, Legal and media team were on the ground in all the 23 Local Governments in the state.
“Any “List” written in the Lavatory and presented or any form of “Affirmation” will suffer legitimacy, legal and credibility setbacks.Make no mistake about it.
“Whatever is built on the sand ‘will end in the sand.’We can’t claim change and end up short changing.
“We have cases of elected people removed from their seat as a result of faulty congresses.NO WARD CONGRESSES TOOK PLACE IN KADUNA STATE,” Sani added.
On his part, El-rufai said the congresses took place across the state and that he participated at his Ungwan Sarki ward.
He stated this in a statement by his spokesperson, Samuel Aruwan, on Saturday.
While applauding the “orderly conduct of congresses held to elect ward officials for the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state,” the governor said, “I am receiving reports from all the 255 wards showing that the new APC leadership in the wards are emerging in a peaceful and orderly manner. It is an impressive exercise in democracy at the local level.”
“There are no adverse reports from any part of the state. The reports indicate that things are going well. All the stakeholders are working together to bring about a strong leadership for the party at the ward level.
“The Kaduna APC will continue to wax stronger as a united party, whose members are loyal to its constitution, and are committed to the goal of serving our people,” he said.
Sirjamo: At least, APC is trying to conduct a primary, while you have already ramed your puppet down the throats of your party members even before any primary.
Just like APC is forcing their clueless leader on those who might want to aspire for the highest office in the land?
AYODELE Fayose, Ekiti State governor, has disclosed why the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state could not hold a successful primary election.
The governorship primary election of the APC which held on Saturday in the state was been marred by violence ranging from protests to carrying of ballot boxes, smashing of the boxes, carting away of voting materials and conspiracy with security agencies in manipulation of the process.
Reacting, Fayose likened the APC to a house divided against itself, saying this was why the party failed to conduct a peaceful primary.
“The whole world can now see the so-called progressives. Ordinary primary election, the APC could not hold here in Ekiti.These people are hypocrites and enemies of democracy, masquerading as progressives.
“Their party (APC) is a house divided against itself, it’s center will never hold,” the governor said in a tweet via his twitter handle on Saturday.
He expressed worry over the conducts of the APC agents at the primary saying, “If they could be this violent during their own primary election, won’t they do worse things during the election proper?”
Fayose cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to allow itself to be used in manipulating the forth coming governorship election slated for July.
“INEC must be mindful of being used to manipulate the July 14 election in favour of APC. More so that they have by their conduct today, failed themselves,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Ekiti State Governorship primary has been postponed following the break out of the violence.
As at press time, HEADLINE gathered that no date has been announced for a repeat of the primary.
VICE President Yemi Osinbajo has stated why the administration of his principal, President Muhammadu Buhari, is different from previous governments.
Mr Osinbajo said their government was different because it is not made up of thieves who loot the nation’s treasury at any given opportunity.
The vice president stated this at the APC Ward Congresses in Eti Osa Local Government where he had observed the congress, a statement from Laolu Akande, his Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity quotes him as saying.
He was at the Wards A & B – Agungi Ajiran, and Ikate Elegusi in the LGA respectively. His first stop was at his Ward in Agungi and later Ikate Elegusi, both of which are in Ajah, Lagos.
Osinbajo assured all Nigerians that they would share in the benefits that would accrue as the Buhari Administration continues to serve.
“As I have been saying all over the country, the difference between us and any other govt is that we will not steal the money. We must be confident,” he said.
“We are confident in our party and the reason we are confident is that we are not thieves, we are different and we want to serve the people and the people know we want to serve them. And with everything we have, we would serve the people. We will make sure we provide everything necessary.
“We came to find out how things are going, to hear the good news that all our ward congresses are going on very peacefully without any rancour and problems.
“And I pray that everyone of us will all see and benefit in the goodness of this land. None of us would be left behind. We would all see the blessings together.
“Our party is a great party and it will become greater and greater still.
“What we must achieve in Lagos and other parts of the country is that we must be the best, in everything we do we must be the best,” Osinbajo added.
The Vice President noted that “with the decline in the oil prices, we have been earning 60% less than the previous government, but God is helping us, we are getting more and more hopeful.
“With that we would see the changes we hope for, so that our children and ourselves will see the benefits.”
Commending the party leaders in the council, Osinbajo said, “ I have seen that we held this congresses peacefully. I am very happy to be here, to see that our party is making progress and is doing very well.”
PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari Saturday in Daura, Katsina State, said the driving force for seeking public office should be to serve the people, and see their lives improved, not for frivolity or personal ambition.
Speaking at the All Progressives Party’s (APC) Ward Congress held at Bayagida Model Primary School, President Buhari said the passion to serve and see real changes in the lives of Nigerians informed his choice to join partisan politics in the first place, and inspired him to contest elections in 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015.
The President said that his decision to seek a second term in office was borne out of a deep passion to serve Nigerians, and not for personal gains.
President Buhari noted that his administration had already started the process of ensuring fairness, justice and equity, in spite of challenges, and would work hard to consolidate on the gains.
“I am not in politics for fun, frivolity or to amass wealth, I have always been driven by a deep sense of commitment to make a difference to the lives of our people.
“After my retirement from the army, or forceful retirement, I sat back and watched as events unfolded on the political turf, and realised the country needed an intervention for fairness, justice and inclusion of Nigerians in the issues that affect their lives,” he said.
The President called for patience, maturity and orderliness as the 2019 elections’ calendar begins to unfold, urging political parties, candidates and the electorate to put the country first and always remember that victory ultimately belongs to God.
“After going to the court so many times to challenge results of elections in 2003, 2007 and 2011, and going up to the Supreme Court, I concluded that ultimately it is God who determines who will win elections, and in 2015 I got here,” he added.
In his remarks, the Katsina State Governor, Alhaji Aminu Masari, said the process of electing the leaders of the party at the ward level was hitch-free, orderly and based on the constitution of the APC.
“What we have here are our leaders that were chosen based on consensus and we are happy that it reflects the will of the people and the APC constitution. We followed the process to also ensure that there is affirmation,” he said.
The Chairman of the Organising Committee for the Ward Congress, who is also the Commissioner of Justice and Attorney General, Ahmad Usman El-Marzuq urged the party leaders to remain loyal and live up to expectations.
Garba Shehu SSA to the President (Media & Publicity) May 5, 2018
Pls read through the thread . It is true saying when people say, 'a cheat is always a cheat' . After the last incidence everything returns to normal for us but early this year God reveal to me in a dream that my fiancee got impregnated by another man. This awakens my me and I decide to check what she is up to of a recent because our introduction is slated for this month.
To cut the long story short I discovered she has been cheating again with her ex not with the same guy of last year . They have met in the city where I reside now many times according to the recorded conversation between them. Though she told the guy she has chosen to marry me, she still professes her love to him ,also she calls the guy several times at times she spent over 20 minutes, I also discovered she hides her number when doing so. The guy was trying to win her over because he knew she is a relationship with me.
Also I discovered she saved the name of the guy she was caught with , with another name and she spoke with him recently.
I regretted for not dumping her last year, but I know God still loves me that is the reason he is revealing all these to me before we tie the knot.
My sis who has been making some preparation for our intro when I told her all my findings, she was heartbroken and devastated she said that was the least thing she expected from her, she said I should have told her when the last incidence happened.
I have not confronted her again with her all her escapades yet, I want to seek advice what's the best approach break up with her because I have made up mind to end everything between us. God bless you all
Does she has an elder brother? Let me coach you on what will help.
SENATORS from Kaduna State has been described as bastards, useless and ignorant of the real indices of development and progress in a democratic setting.
This description is coming from the state governor, Nasir El-rufai, who further addressed the lawmakers as the enemies of democracy.
El-rufai stated this on Friday while flagging off the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign for the local government election in the state.
Present at the event were John Oyegun, national chairman of the party; Zainab Ahmed, minister of state for budget and national planning, among others.
Senators Shehu Sani (Kaduna central), Sulieman Hukunyi (Kaduna north), and Danjuma Leah (Kaduna south) who are representatives of the state at the upper legislative chamber blocked a $350 million loan request by the Kaduna government.
The state had sought to get the facility from the World Bank but the federal lawmakers said the loan would erode the economic viability of Kaduna.
Speaking in Hausa dialect, the governor said the action of the senators showed that they were irresponsible and asked the people not to allow “opportunists” like them to remain in the national assembly.
“The senators from the state who worked against the World Bank loan are useless; they came out and said this loan should not be given. What is their reason for rejecting the loan? It is because they are haters of the masses in Kaduna state.
“If a road project is initiated in your town, they don’t want it to be completed. If we start renovating a hospital, they don’t want it to be completed. If five schools are renovated and 10 are remaining, they will not want the remaining 10 to be renovated.
“Today, there are no haters of the masses of Kaduna state like Shehu Sani, Suleiman Hunkuyi and Danjuma Laah, God will curse them. God will reward their wickedness against the masses, may God never bless them. All members of the house of representatives from this state, God bless them, may God return them to their seats in 2019.
“Members of our state assembly who gave us their cooperation before the World Bank approved the loan to us, may God bless them and may God return them to their seats in 2019. But those ones that are cursed, if they come to Kaduna, shave their heads and beard. They have shown that they are bastards, they have no origin, therefore, it is important to tell them that they did not originate from this state.
“If the time for election comes, answer them with votes, show them that you don’t like them… Let them go back to where they come from. Let them go to the people they are working for to vote for them.
“I want my people to comprehend the simple logic that the three senators representing my state at the senate are starkly ignorant of the real indices of development and progress in a democratic setting.
“Their major concern is to amass money at the expense of their people. The electorate are at liberty to call their buff, and this is the right time.
“I really commend all our legislators serving satisfactorily at the house of representatives and equally thank all the legislators at the state assembly for their absolute commitment and sacrifice. I believe that with the confidence of the electorate they are earning, they are poised to surmount every obstacle,” El-rufai said.
The governor thereafter promised that local government election would be credible, assuring the people that he would not tamper with the process.
THE Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) said it spend One Hundred Million Naira on the failed process of recalling Senator Dino Melaye.
This was made known by the chairman of INEC, Mahmood Yakubu, during a press conference in Abuja on Friday.
The INEC boss was reacting to allegations in some quarters that billions of naira was spent for the exercise.
“Recall is like conducting a senatorial election,” Yakubu said. “We conducted the recall in 552 polling units in 7 local government areas in Kogi State.”
“The cost was allegedly over N100 million naira not N1 billion naira.
“I can’t place my hands on the exact figure but it’s a little over N100 million,” Yakubu clarified.
“A substantial part of it went to the payment of ad-hoc staff and logistics like in all previous election,” he said.
In June 2017, a total of 188,580 electorates in Melaye’s constituency had signed a register to recall him from the National Assembly for a series of misconducts. INEC took delivery of the recall register on June 21, 2017.
After Melaye lost an application in an Abuja division of the Federal High Court to declare the petition submitted to INEC as illegal and unconstitutional, he refused to take receipt of the petition, as required by law.
When INEC filed an application in court to allow it serve the recall petition on Melaye through substituted means rather than personal service, the court had to suspend the hearing because Melaye had filed for an appeal to the initial judgement.
On March 16, 2018, the Court of Appeal panel made a unanimous decision to strike out Melaye’s application to stop INEC from completing the process.
INEC conducted the verification exercise on Saturday, April 28, but it was marked by an overwhelming low turn out.
For the recall process to continue, INEC needed 51% or 98,364 signatures of the original signatories of the petition. However, after the exercise, only the signatures of 5.34% of the total signatories to the petition could be verified, ending the process.
The process was notably marked by controversies such as forged signatures and names of dead persons affixed to the recall petition.
Mr Melaye has always maintained that the recall was backed with state resources by Governor Yahaya Bello whom he’s been in open conflict with for months.
AS the world marks the international day for press freedom, an annual event that brings to fore the need for the press to enjoy a certain level of freedom without molestation from state or non state actors, it is important to examine how Nigeria has been faring in the amount of freedom her press enjoys.
No doubt the media is a key stakeholder in any Democratic institution. This key role apart from being a channel of informing and educating the masses also arms the media with the constitutionally supported role of being the social watchdog in enhancing accountability and openness in government businesses. Unfortunately, because of obvious reasons ranging from vested interests and endemic corruption, the journalists often run into trouble in the course of performing their duties to their fatherland with some having to pay the supreme price.
Still fresh in our memory is the late Dele Giwa who in 1985 was brutally murdered in a letter bomb by the then military junta. Most unfortunate, over 3 decades later, the identity of the killers of one of the finest breeds of journalists in our land remains a mystery.
That Nigeria has in the past 3 years ranked very low in World Press Freedom Index is an indication that all is not well with us. In 2016 for instance, we ranked a debasing 116 followed by 2017 when we ranked 122 and this year 119. What this tells you is that we have a problem at hand to deal with.
In 2017 alone about 12 journalist suffered some job hazards while performing their duties with some media houses recording a significant loss as a result of state actions while two journalists were killed. They are Famous Giobaro of Bayelsa State-owned radio station, Glory FM 97.1, who was shot dead on April 16; and Lawrence Okojie of Nigerian Television Authority, Benin, who was shot dead while returning from work on July 8.
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The Online Media Practitioners Association of Nigeria (OMPAN) has also had its fair share of overzealousness of the security agencies who are poorly tutored on respect to rights of citizens. Early this year, a group of SARS unit of the Nigerian Police allegedly harassed a member of the Association on their way from a convention in Owerri, Imo state. I am particularly happy the new leadership of the Association has vowed to resist any attempt by anyone to treat its members with disdain and disrespect while doing their job entrenching a rich democratic ethos in our country.
Even the National President of OMPAN, Emeh James Anyalekwa is not spared of the harassment and intimidation. Being a blogger has its hazards and challenges and Anyalekwa knew what he signed up for when he floated IgbereTV. His incisive reportage of events, especially in politics unsettles government and politicians. This has attracted constant cyber-attacks on his blog but he has remained undaunted. To show how tenacious he has been, Anyalekwa would have been cowed when in October 2016, he was arrested by the DSS for some publications which the presidency Allegedly didn’t find palatable. But like many others, he has remained resilient.
These are all desperate attempts to gag the media and intimidate them into silence. All these have however not deterred our most dogged and resilient journalists from discharging their duties without fear of whose ox is gored. In March this year, a blogger and publisher of AbaCityblog.com, Mr. Ngozi Blessed Onwukwe, was abducted by unknown gunmen in Umuahia the Abia State capital for reports considered by some political power brokers to be unsavoury. On January 1 this year, a United Kingdom-based publisher, Daniel Elombah who was holidaying in his hometown of Nnewi, Anambra state was arrested by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad unit of the Nigeria Police Force.
The cases of deliberate harassment of journalists are too numerous to mention. Daily Independent Abuja Bureau Chief, Tony Ezimakor was few months ago arrested by the State Security Service for publishing a story on the alleged payment of $2 million to the Boko Haram terrorists for the release of some of the abducted Chibok girls.
These are all pointers to the fact that the media has been working in an environment laced with threats and dangers, which could consume us all if urgent steps are not taken to save the situation.
The government must begin to see the third estate of the realm as partners in nation building and not as dangers. This way, the high handedness against the media could be converted into fighting social vices like drug abuse, insecurity, corruption etc.
The security agencies must take proactive measures to ensure that journalists all over Nigeria are protected in and outside their work stations. This will not only boost their confidence but strengthen our quest for nationhood. The media practioners must at all times be objective and accurate in their reportage especially as the 2019 election draws nearer. They must avoid getting the atmosphere emotionally charged and abhor hate speeches. Their employers should make adequate provision to ensure their condition of service are meaningful with assurance cover in case of unforeseeable. This way, the journalists can give their best and our nation better for it.
Ifeanyi Okali Editor-In-Chief/Publisher OMPAN, Abia Breaking News & ABN TV
INFORMATION Minister, Lai Mohammed, has said another fresh list containing names of those who looted the nation’s treasury will soon be out.
Mohammed stated this on Sunday after his condolence visits to Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, the people of Offa, the Kwara state police command and the victims of armed robbery killings in Offa last Thursday.
The government had previously released two versions of those it alleged amassed wealth illegally.
The lists mostly contained names of chieftains of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with some of them denying and seeking legal redress.
While addressing journalists the minister said, “very soon” another list of looters list would be released.
He also said no amount of “intimidation from any side” could stop the release of the list.
“We are not going to ask anybody not to go to court, but what we are telling them is that they should re-examine themselves because when the government came out with its list, it was confident of the evidence it has.
“No government worth its salt would be challenged and would not come out to prove that what its saying is correct.
“When it comes to evidence it’s for the courts to decide, but we want to make it clear that no amount of intimidation from any side would prevent the government from releasing the next batch of looters lists and what you have seen so far is a tip of the ice bag when the list comes out.
“You will see that many people that Nigerians did not suspect partook in the national looting,” Mohammed said.
Mohammed also explained that the release of the looters list by the federal government should be understood from its content, in that the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo was challenged when he said that a few days to the hand over of the former President Goodluck Jonathan, about N100 billion was shared by the members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“Interestingly, we have people saying that they are going to court, you see, courts are for the accused and the accuser, courts are for the rich and the poor, courts are for the government and the governed so anybody that says that he’s going to court, that shouldn’t frighten anybody,” he said.
2019: Why Nigerians Should Not Listen To Obasanjo – Kalu
By SAMUEL UBOKULO -April 8, 2018
THE former governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, has reeled out why Nigerians should not listen to former president, Olusegun Obasanjo on his assessment of President Muhammadu Buhari’s performance in office.
The former president had advised Nigerians not to re-elect President Buhari and his party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the coming presidential poll slated for 2019.
Mr Obasanjo said the President and his party have failed to meet up to expectation, hence the need to kick them out in the next election.
He had on January urged the president to shelve the thoughts of a second term in office, citing underperformance.
Making a veiled reference to the Buhari-led government, the former president noted that the administration was indulging in giving excuses, arguing that the current administration would not have been voted into power if there were no challenges to address.
But Kalu who defied the “no entry” statement of the Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, leading his Peace Advocacy Tour to the state on Sunday, urged Nigerians not to listen to the former Nigerian leader because he never listened to advised while he was in power.
The former Abia governor who is the acting chairman of the advisory board for the National Movement for the Reelection of President Buhari, led his team to Ekiti in continuation of the tour to garner support for the President.
“Obasanjo is the most incompetent former president and so had no locus standi to describe any government as being corrupt in the country.
“Nigerians should tell former President Obasanjo to stop writing frivolous letters.
“It was sad that some who behaved badly while in government by not listening to advice could talk like this.
“Let me tell you emphatically that President Buhari will contest again, don’t listen to letter writers like Obasanjo. Obasanjo has been president twice, so he should keep his letter in Otta for himself.
“If anyone will caution President Buhari, it should not be Obasanjo. If you check your records very well, he remains the most corrupt president ever,” Kalu said.
Continuing he said, “He (Obasanjo) came into office with less than N20,000 and he later built multi billion naira Otta Farm, Library Project and the Hilltop Mansion.
“That is why somebody like me is in Ekiti to tell our people not to listen to Obasanjo.
“The economy was in comatose when this government came on board, today President Buhari has raised the foreign reserve from $23 billion to as much as $47 billion while the menace of Boko Haram has been defeated.
“So, some people are out to destabilise his government. We want Nigerians to embrace love, peace and show understanding,” he added.
A statement from the Ekiti State government on Saturday had warned Mr. Kalu and his Peace Advocacy Tour to stay away from the state.
The government instead urged him to visit other troubled states of Benue, Taraba and other sections of the country in dire need of peace.
Reacting, Kalu said, “My attention was called from Ondo State on Saturday that Governor Fayose said I should not come to Ekiti, Fayose is my boy, he can’t stop me from coming. He is my boy and he knows he can’t stop me on anything.
“Governor Fayose was in my house for 90 days after he was impeached, he is my friend but he has gone beyond his limit by saying a bonafide elder statesman like me should not come to Ekiti.
“Fayose was in my state, Abia last week, nobody said he should not come, so I have declared war on him. Even if I sleep on the floor, I will still defeat Fayose on any issue.”
On the Ekiti July 14 governorship poll, Mr Kalu urged Ekiti delegates to vote wisely, by voting an aspirant who had the political network and dexterity to defeat Mr Fayose.
He promised to work hard to ensure that APC emerged victorious at the 2018 governorship poll, so that the battle could be easier for the party in the 2019 presidential election.
Kalu was received by an All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant and former speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Femi Bamisile, at his home from where he addressed the party supporters.
OMOYELE Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters has been told that he is a noisemaker over his presidential ambition in the forth coming 2019 general election.
This was the outcome of a heated argument between the publisher and the communication minister, Adebayo Shittu, when the both of them featured in a radio programme aired on Fresh FM, Ibadan, owned by foremost broadcaster and musician, Yinka Ayefele.
ITSE Sagay, chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), has revealed why President Muhammadu Buhari cannot prosecute former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan.
The federal government led by Mr. Buhari of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has always complained of the misrule it met in power, blaming the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The PDP until 2015 had been at helm of affairs in the country and has produced three presidents on its platform since the return to democracy in 1999.
Two of those it produced as presidents (Obasanjo and Jonathan) are still alive while one (Umaru Musa Yar’adua) is late.
The incumbent government had from the day of its Inuaguration been blaming its predecessors of misrule but some Nigeria are calling for the prosecution of the former leaders if so much looting was carried out under their regimes instead of persistent lamentation.
But in an interview with Punch Newspaper, Sagay disclosed that the nation was not ripe for such hence the former leaders could not be tried.
“Speaking from a peripheral level, unlike in South Africa, Brazil, and other countries, we don’t have a history or culture in this country of prosecuting our former presidents. It will take a long time, when we’ve developed and become more mature, to do that kind of thing. Right now, if you touch a former president, the storm that it will bring will be so diversionary and disturbing that it will affect your capacity to do positive things for the citizens. In my own thinking, you have to leave them alone and go for those who carried out the act of looting,” Sagay was quoted by the paper to have said.
He also said there should be media trial for looters who amassed wealth illegally from the nation’s treasury.
Mr. Sagay said looters needs to be tired in the media so that people will know how they got their wealth and shame them should they appear in public.
He stated this while reacting to claims by former president Olusegun Obasanjo that the current administration was just making noise about the war against corruption.
“I don’t agree with him. Noise should be made because you cannot reduce us to this level of poverty and wretchedness and think the government will continue to hide your name from the public. Even if a person has yet to be convicted, let them be subjected to the odium of public contempt so that when you see his child driving a Rolls Royce, you should be able to point at him and say, ‘That’s a car bought with our stolen treasury that you are driving.’ I support media trial; let the looters be tried in the press. If they feel there is anything wrong with it, let them sue the government; they have the right to sue if they didn’t steal.”
When asked what will happened to the reputation of the alleged looters soiled due to the media trial if they are eventually found to be innocent, Sagay could not give a straight answer.
He said: “Why there should be media trial is that it’s not every corrupt person that will be convicted. Therefore, something should be done to mark them so that when they appear in public, everybody will know and say, ‘Here is another looter who is not in prison!’”
He also noted why the looters’ lists contained names of mostly members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“…I am not surprised that the list contains mostly the PDP members because they were the ones in charge of our common wealth before the APC came in. APC wasn’t the party in charge of our common wealth before.”
When asked what the fate to those perceived to be corrupt who left the PDP for APC citing a former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro who was alleged to have taken part in the same $2.1bn arms scam that led to the inclusion of PDP members on the looters’ list as an example, he said there must have been a development which led to the omission of Obanikoro’s name.
Sagay noted that the government is going to publish name of 55 persons it said allegedly looted N1.34tn under the Jonathan regime.
Giving more insights he said the list includes former governors, ministers, bankers and so on, noting that the expected list is another one entirely.
The PACAC chairman also said looting of public funds was still ongoing at the national assembly through budget padding.
He said the implementation of treasury single account (TSA) by the Buhari administration has shown that country is making trillions of naira that “nobody knew about.”
“Nobody is sharing any money again — but perhaps at the national assembly looting is still ongoing due to budget padding. Some sharing may be going on at that level, but at the executive level, I can assure you that no sharing is going on.
“Remember, we have the treasury single account, though initiated by the Jonathan administration, but never implemented. The TSA has revealed the trillions of naira that this country had been making but which nobody knew about.”
THE recently approved $1billion meant for procurement of arms and ammunition to battle Boko Haram insurgency is for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Omoyele Sowore, a presidential hopeful and publisher of online medium, Sahara Reporters made the above allegation while speaking with newsmen on Friday, March 6, shortly after a Town Hall meeting he held at the Gamaliel Onosode Hall, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, towards the realisation of his presidential ambition.
While describing the Buhari-led administration as a deceit, he further said it was disappointing that the president followed the same path allegedly taken by his immediate predecessor, former President Goodluck Jonathan, to perpetrate himself in office beyond 2019.
“It is all glaring and to all intent and purpose, the approval of $1 billion for arm procurement by the president is nothing but part of the plan by President Buhari to fund the 2019 elections.
“President Buhari seeks to contest the 2019 election and the money he released, purportedly to prosecute the war against the Boko Haram insurgents is really meant to prosecute the elections.
“It is unfortunate, but what President Buhari has done is a repeat of the style adopted by former President Goodluck Jonathan when they were sharing money among themselves in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2014.
“They came to office on the premise of integrity, but Buhari is doing the same thing done by Jonathan. There is no doubt about it. Buhari and his people in the All Progressives Congress (APC) have shown themselves to be very dishonest like the PDP,” he said.
Speaking on his presidential ambition, the Sahara Reporters’ publisher disclosed that he was determined to “democratically dethrone” Buhari from office in 2019, having failed to deliver on all the electoral promises he made in 2015.
According to him, the president had failed to deliver on the promises he made concerning all key areas, including ensuring adequate power supply, eradication of official and public corruption, road and infrastructural development, among several others.
Sowore however said he would achieve his ambition through what he described as a “movement of coalition with several political parties”, while not foreclosing talks with progressive and positive-minded Nigerians, irrespective of their political and religious affiliations.
Home National News $1b Arms Purchase: No One Should Play Politics With Security Of Nigerians, Presidency Warns By STANLEY CHIMEZIE -April 6, 2018
CRITICS of President Muhammadu Buhari’s led government has been warned not to play politics with the security of Nigerians.
The presidency gave the warning while clarifying the controversy surrounding the recently approved $1billion by President Buhari for purchase of arms and ammunition mainly for combatting insurgency in the North-East.
It also said there was no illegality in the release of the funds.
The Personal Assistant to the President on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie, said the release was duly approved by the National Economic Council and state Houses of Assembly.
Onochie through a tweet posted on her Twitter handle, @Laurestar, said, “The NEC made up of state governors, approved the $1bn given to the military to purchase arms.
“The state Houses of Assembly approved same. There is no illegality in the release of the funds to the military.
“No one should play politics with the security of Nigerians.”
Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, had while reacting to the approval described it as funds meant for the president’s re-election.
Attacking the governor, Onochie said the governor said so because his friends and colleagues are looters which led him to draw such a conclusion.
“Spare a thought for Gov. Fayose. When a man’s political associates and friends are all looters, he sees looting in everything.
“Can we forget how his friends and associates looted the arms funds, leaving our people in dire security situations? It won’t happen again. #NeverAgain.”
The Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, had on Wednesday at the end of a meeting Buhari had with security chiefs at the Presidential Villa, Abuja said the President approved the purchase of equipment worth $1bn for the nation’s military.
“What I can add, after all that I have said is to inform you that of recent, our leader, President Muhammadu Buhari gave approval for the purchase of more equipment for the military, worth $1bn,” the minister had said.
The National Economic Council (NEC), chaired by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo had in December 2017 approved the withdrawal of $1billion from the Excess Crude Account to fight insecurity.
Mr Fayose had kicked against the approval of the NEC for the funds, saying he was not consulted since the NEC comprises of governors of the federating units of which he is among.
Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, also noted that he was not consulted and never gave his assent.
THE oust Commissioner of Police in Kogi State, Ali Janga, has been reinstated back to his duty post.
Mr Janga was removed over a jailbreak of suspects linked to the trial of Senator Dino Melaye, in the state.
His removal came hours after he announced that six suspects, including two men who accused Senator Dino Melaye of supplying them arms, escaped from police custody in Lokoja, the state capital.
However, the lawmaker has since denied the allegations and described them as attempts to silence him.
Melaye is being tried for misinforming the police over assassination attempt on his life.
Confirming the new development, is the state police command spokesman, ASP William Aya, according to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
He said Mr Janga was reinstated after meeting the one week ultimatum given to him by the Inspector-General of Police to re-arrest the suspects who escaped from police custody.
The police spokesman confirmed that all the six suspects that escaped from lawful police custody on March 28 had been re-arrested.
Aya also said that 13 persons that aided the escape of the suspects had been arrested in Lokoja.
According to him, those arrested are commercial tricycles operators that ferried the suspects to safety after their escape and the owners of the houses where they slept after their escape from custody.
He said that all the suspects would be charged to court after conclusion of investigation.
Politics › Presidency Names 3 Persons Who Allegedly Stole $3 Billion Under Jonathan by Limitednow(op): 10:54am On May 08, 2018
