₦airaland Forum

THE Labour Party (LP) has accused the All Progressive Congress of kidnapping Chibok girls contrary to the believe that they were kidnapped by Boko Haram insurgents.

The party said the ruling APC kidnapped the girls so as to dent the image of former president Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.

The party said the wrath of God will be visited on the All Progressives Congress (APC) for manipulating Nigerians about their abduction.

In a statement, Abdulkadir Abdulsalami, national chairman of the party, said the All Progressives Congress (APC) should expect the wrath of God for deceiving Nigerians and manipulating the parents of the Chibok girls.



The national chairman said the government should not claim credit “for what they have packaged, pre-arranged and now executing”.

He said the government has worsened the suffering of Nigerians and if President Muhammadu Buhari does not leave office, nothing good should be expected from his administration.

“The government should expect the wrath of God for deceiving Nigerians and manipulating the parents of the Chibok girls. The release of the Chibok girls is a fluke and an ordinary abracadabra. If by this time, they claimed to have captured Sambisa forest, from which other forest will they say they have brought these girls,” Abdulsalami said.

“I think Nigerians need to be told the truth by our leaders, if they want sympathy from Almighty God, what happened to the Chibok girls. By the time we get to May 29 next year (2018), they will now release all the remaining girls to say they have fought the war, they have won the war.

“But the fact of the matter, as I have been saying before, during and after the campaign for the 2015 general elections, is that these Chibok girls were not kidnapped by any Boko Haram. They were prepared and arranged to destroy the image and administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.


“The present government has worsened the suffering of Nigerians. We have suffered enough, and if Buhari doesn’t leave office, Nigerians should expect worse repercussions from the government.”

Abdulsalami said that if the APC lacks the capacity to lead, the party should step aside and let a responsible government take over.



“And if they don’t have capacity, let them get away from government. The APC should step aside and let a responsible government take over the administration of Nigeria. You can’t talk of the government without bringing in APC. Buhari came on the platform of change, using deceit in all its programmes,” he said.

THE Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has said the Federal Government must not only show commitment to the ease of doing business in Nigeria and usage of goods made in the country in words alone but by deeds.

Ikpeazu in an interview with select journalists on Friday night, said it was a contradiction for the government at the federal level that is promoting made in Nigeria products to still be serving imported meals in the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Reacting to the signing of three executive bills that are business-related by the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Governor Ikpeazu said: “I commend the Presidency for that.



“It is very encouraging to our efforts.

“It is what we have been expecting them to do.

“But whatever they say or do, it is not complete, until it affects rice, baked beans, salad cream and other imported products that we are consuming daily in Nigeria.

“I am looking forward to a time when they will stop serving imported rice, baked beans, etc at the Federal Executive Council meetings and other events around the Villa.

“Since I became Governor, I have been eating local rice and wearing made in Aba clothes to support our people.”

Chiefpriest1:
Abeg, it's almost June. Let him sign and let Nigeria move forward. The year is almost gone.

And all these yeye online media that will just appropriate someone else's sweat, God is watching you.

This is a story by Success Nwogu of Punch newspapers. Social Times ko, Social Club ni.

A human rights activist, Mr. Femi Falana ( SAN), has advised the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo not to sign the 2017 budget because it was illegally increased by the National Assembly.

He also said that President Muhammadu Buhari is not competent to sign the appropriation bill into law because he is on vacation.

Falana spoke in Ilorin, during a colloquium organised by the Movement for Genuine Change to mark the 50th anniversary of the creation of Kwara State.

He explained that once Buhari had transmitted a letter to the National Assembly that he was proceeding on vacation , all presidential powers had automatically been transferred to Osinbajo who is now the Acting President.

He stated that until the President writes another letter to the federal parliament at the end of his vacation, he cannot exercise the powers of his office.

Falana said , “ The President is not competent to sign any bill into law while he is on vacation . The constitution did not envisage that a President who is on a vacation and an acting president, who is standing proxy for him will be exercising presidential powers simultaneously.

“ To that extent, pending the resumption of duties by President Buhari , the Acting President , Prof . Osinbajo, is competent to sign all bills validly passed by the NASS .



“ If President Buhari did not exercise powers during his vacation even though he was in the country , why would he want to do so while he is on medical vacation abroad ?

“ Instead of dissipating energy over the competence of an appropriation bill signed into law by the Acting President , Nigerians should subject the 2017 budget to scrutiny.

“ We are therefore calling on the Acting President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria , Prof . Yemi Osinbajo, who is a professor of law not to endorse and sign the illegal appropriation bill of 2017 into law .”

Falana also explained that the National Assembly has no constitutional powers to increase the budget presented by Buhari.

He said the legislators erred constitutionally by increasing their share of the budget.

He also said the debate over Buhari ’ s medical vacation should henceforth centre on the urgent need for the Federal Government to equip hospitals across the country.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria condemned any attempt to truncate Nigeria ’ s democracy and urged Buratai to properly investigate the coup rumour and prosecute the culprits.

He said , “ The enemies of democracy are desperately trying to exploit President Buhari ’s ill health to truncate the democratic dispensation.

“ Notwithstanding, the glaring shortcomings of the fragile democratic process , the people should be allowed to take advantage of the democratic structures to take their political destiny in their own hands . On their own part , the political class should stop playing into the hands of potential coup plotters.

“ While the decision of the Army chief to alert the nation of the devilish plot is appreciated, the authorites should proceed to fish out the coup plotters and their civilian collaborators with a view to trying them for treasonable felony .”

The human rights activist lauded the establishment of interest free banks, adding that those who are opposed to it should rather establish their own interest free bank . He stated that interest- free banks would compel commercial banks to reduce their interest rates on borrowers.

He also lamented the abject poverty in the country and called for better economic blueprint and management that would boost the economy.

He urged the Federal Government to stop releasing funds to state governments which are unable to account for the bailout funds and London/ Paris Club loan refund made available to them to fund the payment of salaries of workers and other developmental projects.

He said the anti – graft agencies have a duty to investigate and bring to book those who were alleged to have cornered and diverted the public funds.

He called on labour unions to ensure that the funds were fully accounted for as it was meant to alleviate the sufferings of the working people.

An Afenifere leader, Chief Ayo Opadokun , who also spoke on the occasion , agreed with Falana that the National Assembly had no right to increase the budget.

He said , “The legislature does not have the legal authority to increase the budget because they are not the ones that will scout the revenues that will come in and they are not the ones to execute it. ”

A two-storey building collapsed on Saturday at Ebute Meta area of Lagos, Southwest Nigeria.

This is coming barely three days in which a 3-storey building collapsed at Ilasamaja area of the state.

The building, located at Cole Street, Ebute Meta was under renovation when it collapsed during the heavy downpour of Saturday.

A woman was said to have escaped death as the building caved in. She was rescued and treated, an emergency responder said.



The building was said to have collapsed around 2pm on Saturday.

Spokesperson, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Ibrahim Farinloye confirmed the collapse of the two-storey building at Ebute Meta, saying that the building was under renovation.

ALSO READ: Senator Abaribe Signs Nnamdi Kanu’s Bail Bond
He said only one person was affected and that the woman was rescued after she sustained injuries, adding that no life was lost.

Director, Lagos State Fire Service, Rasak Fadipe added that also that the building was under renovation when it collapsed, adding that operation was ongoing.

On Wednesday, a three-storey building under construction collapsed at Ilasamaja area of Lagos, killing three people while 19 others who sustained injuries were rescued.

Two weeks ago, a two-storey building under construction collapsed in Lekki area of Lagos, killing two people and several others injured.

THE Economic and Financial Crimea has said monies recovered are returned to the rightful owners.

The commission was apparently reacting to questions in some quaters on what it does with the monies it has recovered so far.

The anti-graft agency reacted through series of tweets using it verified Twitter handle, @officialEFCC.

The rightful owners could be an individual, organisation or the state, the agency said in another tweet.



It also added that in the case of the state, the money is paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the FG once it is no longer a subject of litigation.

PROMINENT Ijaw groups and elders, yesterday, told former President Goodluck Jonathan, to blame himself for his defeat in the 2015 presidential election.

The leaders asked Jonathan to stop blaming his woes on the North and come clean on the issues that led to his ouster from the Presidency.

They, however, condemned a statement credited to former President Olusegun Obasanjo that Jonathan was too small for the Presidency, describing it as derogatory and childish.

They also appealed to the youths in the region to desist from issuing renewed threats of bombing of oil installations in the region.

Jonathan was quoted in a new book, Against the Run of Play, written by Segun Adeniyi, as saying that his re-election ambition was frustrated by northern betrayers.

But the two prominent Ijaw groups, Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide and the Ijaw National Congress (INC), including some Ijaw leaders, differed sharply with Jonathan’s claims.

The President of IYC, Mr. Eric Omare, said it was belittling for Jonathan, who occupied the highest political position with all security apparatus under his watch, to feign ignorance of conspiracies against him before the election.

He said: “I would like to align myself with statements credited to former Senate President David Mark who said that he told Jonathan that there was a conspiracy against him but how Jonathan could not decipher the information was what he could not fathom.

“Jonathan would not say he didn’t know about the conspiracy. You cannot be the commander-in-chief with all the security at your disposal without knowing of a conspiracy by a region against you. It was a conspiracy that was obvious to all Nigerians except himself. He needs not say it.”.

Also, a famous Ijaw leader and immediate past President of IYC, Mr. Udengs Eradiri, said Jonathan should not blame the North, adding that the former President failed to establish the required machinery before the election to get necessary feedback for the happenings across the country.

He recalled calling on Jonathan at the time to go outside conventional security protocol to gauge the mood of the nation but the former President ignored his advice.

He said: “I don’t see the North as betraying Jonathan. I think the problem was that Jonathan did not have the machinery necessary to give him full feedback of what was happening. It was Jonathan’s fault, not the fault of the North.

“A leader must have a feedback machinery and always have the team that reviews information that comes from the field. As a President, apart from your routine government machinery or security informants, you must have your personal-on-the-ground assessment.

“I remember that at a point as IYC President, I made a publication calling on the President at that time to go outside of security protocol and land at Port Harcourt Airport instead of using helicopter to Yenagoa, and that he would see the neglect of the people by the government.

“I told him that security was only deceiving him and telling him that following the road to Yenagoa was risky. So anytime he was coming to the region, he was flying helicopter, so he could not see how bad the region was until the day we were escorting him to Yenagoa and he almost wept at the state of the East West Road.

“So, it is not the fault of the north. It was Jonathan’s fault. As a President, he should have had a feedback mechanism especially towards election so that he would use it as a buffer.”

Eradiri further contended that Jonathan failed to take hard decisions, including ignoring calls at some point to sack his Petroleum Minister, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.

“Diezani was his minister and he loved her so much. She was doing so well but he shouldn’t have allowed her into the election. All the calls to change Diezani and use some of those offices to appease some parts of the country, he refused to listen and so he shouldn’t blame the north.

“We have all lost this Presidency and we are licking our wounds. Let him not remind us of our painful exit from the Presidency. The Niger Delta people are suffering today because of that loss. The issue that was coming out from the public was corruption,” he said.

Eradiri added that corruption was a major factor that led to the revolution against Jonathan’s administration, adding that there were many cases of graft from the government.

He said: “There were too many corrupt issues in his government. In fact, he was removed because of corruption.

“Disrespecting former Presidents and leaders when you knew you were going into election was bad. Even if you didn’t like what they were doing, you would just pretend.

“France and America were worried just as we were worried in Nigeria about his attitude towards some of the super ministers that he had. Since nobody could advise him, the best that happened was that the entire country had to gang up against him. So let us not try to rewrite history by playing the blame game.”

But the Chairman, INC, Central Zone, Chief Kennedy Odiowei, disagreed with the IYC and Eradiri, saying Jonathan was a victim of betrayal.

“Jonathan was betrayed by the north. That is very bitter truth.

“You could see the pattern of the votes. The whole South East and South South voted for him. Jonathan had the least votes from the north. So they betrayed him”, he said.

CHILLING details of how and why former President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, lost the 2015 presidential election, have continued to make the headlines, courtesy of a book “Against the Run of play: How an incumbent President was defeated in Nigeria,” written by Segun Adeniyi, Chairman, ThisDay Board of Editors.

The latest being admittance for the first time by Jonathan that there was indeed a gentleman’s agreement that he was going to do just one term and leave, but had to change his mind because “… You can make a political promise and change your mind, so long as it is within the law.”

The book was formally presented to the public, in Lagos yesterday.

Although Jonathan had in the same book before giving himself away maintained that the statement he made in Addis Ababa concerning the fact that he agreed to the one term agreement was quoted out of context, he admitted some persons made the pledge on his behalf, thus making nonsense of his initial claims that he had no idea such a thing ever existed.

“I had made a proposition for a single term of seven years. That was the context in which I spoke in Addis Ababa that if the idea was accepted, I would not run again. It was not in the context of a second term of four years.

“Of course, at that period, the issue of one term was brought several times at different meetings and some people took it upon themselves to pledge on my behalf but I never said I was going to spend only one term… the question was always usually randomly asked and I never made any such commitment to anybody. "

But former Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, on his part said” As chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, I recall having to remind him of the commitment he made to us in 2010 before we supported his bid to contest. … In one of my meetings with him, I suggested he could even choose any credible PDP man he wanted from the north and such person did not have to be among the governors. One day, he would agree to the idea, another day, he would say something else, “ Aliyu, in the same book, was also quoted to have said.

When the book was launched on Friday March 28, 2017 at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), the chairman of the occasion, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, however cautioned that it would be wrong to reduce the book to a narrative about the fall of President Goodluck Jonathan and the rise of President Buhari.

According to General Abubakar, Against The Run of Play “further deepened our understanding of what actually happened in Nigeria during the March 2015 general election which many believed, and quite right too, as one of the defining moments in our political history.”

Continuing, he said: “The book is not [about] the fall of one president and the rise of another, it is a typical journalistic history in a hurry about what happened, what could have happened and what is currently happening in our country, so that we can all learn important lessons.”

While giving kudos to the author, he challenged journalists to write more books about the different aspects of our national life, and not only on politics. “We need books to explain some of the issues that are treated perfunctorily and generate more heat than light, so we can understand ourselves better,” he charged. He specifically identified the subject matter of the Chibok girls and the Boko Haram insurgency as fertile grounds for such books.

The book was summed up by the reviewer, Dr. Okey Okechukwu, as “ the most useful contribution to our own understanding of the crises and convolution of the Nigerian state in the last 16 years.” Okechukwu called it one of the most contemporary works on political economy and power, especially, as it exists in the country.

The occasion was graced by dignitaries including former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, former Minister of Communication and (later) Transportation, Chief Cornelius Adebayo, Senator Tunde Ogbeha and Mrs. Onari Duke, wife of former Cross River State governor, who all were on the high table.

The launch also attracted people from all walks of life, especially corporate figures, politicians and media bigwigs. Adeniyi’s two successors to the office of the President’s media advisers, Dr. Reuben Abati and Mr Femi Adesina both attended the launch.

BELOW is Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, on Friday signing the bail bond for the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.

An unconfirmed report also says that a Jewish leader has signed the bail bond for Kanu.

There are other prominent Nigerians who are reported to have agreed to stand surety for him.

The terms of the bail has it that a Jewish leader should be among three persons that will stand for Kanu’s bail and in the sum of N100 million each.

Kanu is standing trial for treason.

He has been in custody since his arrest by the Department of State Services in 2015.

NASIR El-rufai, Kaduna State Governor, has accused some aides of President Muhammadu Buhari of leaking his last memo to the president.

El-Rufai made the accusation Friday while speaking to State House Correspondents after joining President Buhari and other Muslim faithful for the Juma’at prayers at the Presidential Villa.

The Governor who declared that no one including some of the ‘powerful’ aides of the President can stop him from visiting the villa said, “within the villa, there are people that like me and there are those who don’t and it is normal. My relationship with the President has never been strained in any way.

“I met with him last night, I did not talk about things like that but our relationship with him is like that of father and son and it is a privilege for me. I told him I will come today for the Juma’at and I did.”

“No one ever stopped me from coming to the villa and no one can stop me from coming to the villa. As a governor, I come here, I have blank cheques, no one checks me at the gate.

“But I believe what the President needs is for those that love him to keep away from him and allow him to rest.

“The President needs quality time to rest because it is meeting too many people that strain leadership.

This was the first time the Kaduna State governor was in Aso Rock since his blunt memo to the President was leaked to the media.

He insisted that he had written several similar memoranda to Buhari to bring his attention on the need to strengthen governance issues in the interest of Nigerians and the All Progressives Congress (APC) led Federal Government.

“I am a governor and I know that when I meet 10 people in a day I get really tired, it is not the paperwork, it is not really the memos, approving them or asking questions that strains a leader, it is the stream of visitors. I do not want to contribute to the President’s problem by coming here every day,” el-Rufai noted.

The Kaduna State governor noted that he was happy that part of his recommendations in the memo to the President were being implemented.

“I believe that since September last year when I wrote the letter, there has been a significant improvement in the delivery of services at the federal level. As I said, some of our federal programmes have started in earnest.

“If anyone reads that memo. he will see that there is nothing in the memo that has anything to do other than the success of Mr President and progress of the country. That is my goal, my motive and I am driven by that. I stand behind the President to the very end,” he added.

Governor el-Rufai also denied any friction between him and members of the National Assembly, noting that his call for the lawmakers to make public their earnings and annual budgets was out of patriotism.

IBRAHIM Magu, the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), says the fight against corruption will continue no matter whose ox is gored.

He said the commission is determined to completely wipe out corruption from Nigeria and return the country to her position in the comity of nations.

Magu made this known on Thursday during an interactive session with staff of the commission to mark its 14th year anniversary.

“We will continue to fight corruption whether anybody likes it or not. Because, we know that, that is the only way we can bring succor to this country. Now that we have found ourselves in this position, please, let us put heads together”, he said.

“My door is completely opened. If something is going on wrong, please come and tell me. If you don’t want to show your face, just write a letter to me. Information is very important. I am alone, if you don’t tell me what is wrong, I would not know.

“I don’t want to know what is right, just tell us how we can correct the system itself, because the system needs correction every day. People are complaining about corruption in the EFCC, which is not good. We should not allow some individuals to spoil our names here.”

Magu urged the EFCC staff to approach the anti-corruption fight selflessly, in the interest of the nation, adding that the successes of the commission were being celebrated in the international communities.

“If you go to United States of America and the United Kingdom, they are all awash with news about us because of this Malabu case. So we are succeeding. Be part of the success. Forget about your own interest. Consider the overall interest of this country and the interest of the nation,” he said.

Lalasticlala, mynd44

ADAMU Mu’azu, former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says he knows nothing about monies found by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at a property reported to be his in Ikoyi, Lagos.

On Wednesday, EFCC said it discovered $43.4m, £27,800 and N23.2m in a house in Ikoyi , Lagos, which was said to belong to the ex-PDP chairman.

Mu’azu, who was the governor of Bauchi state from 1999 to 2007, said he took a bank loan to acquire the land where the house was built, and eventually had to sell it to pay back the loan.

“My attention has been drawn to the news making the rounds that I own the building on No.16 Osborne Road, Ikoyi, Lagos. I want to state clearly that I built the said property and sold to prospective buyers of individual flats,” he said.

“I have been a property developer since 1983 and I have developed and sold several properties all over the world, the property in queation happens to be one of them. I acquired the land and jointly develop it using a bank loan, I obtained about nine (9) years ago.

“However all the flats have been sold to prospective buyers inorder to pay back the loan. I do not own or occupy any of the apartments. I sold all the apartments through established estate agents as such I have no knowledge or interest in who purchases or rents any of the flats.”

Mu’azu commended the EFCC for the fight against corruption, stating that he believes they will reveal the real owner of the apartment, where the monies were found.

“I commend the efforts of the official of the EFCC and the government’s drive at fighting corruption and also the media in informing the public on illicit and corrupt proceeds.

“My response is not intended to jeopardise or interfere with the ongoing investigation of the anti graft and security agencies but to clear the misconception that the house in question belongs to me.

“I strongly believe that the efforts being made will surely unveil the real owner of such flat and the monies recovered.”

Lalasticlala, mynd44

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has moved the huge funds found in an apartment in Ikoyi area of Lagos State on Wednesday to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Besides, it obtained a court order for the temporary seizure of the $43million, N23million and £27,000; quizzed a former Managing Director of the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC), who was suspected of being the owner of the cash; and planned to review the Close Circuit Television (CCTV) of the building to determine the identity of a “haggard-looking” woman who is said to have been bringing in sacks (suspected to be holding the cash) into the apartment.

The apartment on 6, Osborne Road, Ikoyi is under surveillance by EFCC operatives.

Although three highly-placed Nigerians have been linked with the seized cash, they have all denied having anything to do with the money.

They are a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alh. Adamu Mua’zu; former PPMC boss, Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue, and the Senator representing Lagos West Senatorial District, Solomon Adeola.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) yesterday sacked Nnamdi-Ogbue as part of the organisation’s ongoing reforms. But there were speculations that she may have been fired over the “missing” 130 million litres of fuel kept with Capital Oil and Gas Limited.

The EFCC, after a tip-off, recovered the money from an apartment in House 16, Osborne Road in Ikoyi on Lagos Island.

The anti-graft commission yesterday secured a court order of interim forfeiture of the cash.

“The commission was also directed to publish in any National Daily for anyone to show cause within 14 days why the order of final forfeiture should not be granted. The Interim Forfeiture was obtained pursuant to Section 17 of the Advance Fee Fraud and other related offences Act 2006.

As at press time, the EFCC was still searching for the owner of the cash.



The anti-graft commission quoted a witness as saying that the sacks were always brought by a haggard-looking woman.

Apart from the court order, the EFCC released the details of the recovery of the cash.

A separate statement added: “The operation followed confidential information received by the Commission’s Lagos office regarding some suspicious movement of bags in and out of a particular apartment in the building.

“Another source who is conversant with the apartment of interest indicated that a woman usually appeared on different occasion with Ghana Must Go bags. She comes looking haggard, with dirty clothes but her skin didn’t quite match her outward appearance, perhaps a disguise,” the source said.

“On getting to the building, operatives who were armed with a search warrant, met the entrance door locked. The guards at the gate explained that nobody resides in the apartment, but some persons come in and out once in a while. The EFCC operatives used minimum force to enter the apartment.

“Monies were found in two of the four-bedroom apartment. Further probe of the wardrobe by operatives in one of the rooms yielded three fire proof cabinets hidden behind wooden panels of the wardrobe.

“Upon assessing the content of the cabinets, neatly arranged US dollars, Pound Sterling and some Naira notes in sealed wrappers were found.”

There were indications that the EFCC might review the CCTVs in House 16 and nearby houses on Osborne Road to determine how the cash was brought into the house.

“We may also interact with the guards at the house and some neighbours with useful information on those behind the ferrying of the cash,” an EFCC source said.

Although three prominent people were allegedly linked with the money, they have all denied having anything to do with it.

They are a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), Alh. Adamu Mua’zu; a former Director of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue, and the Senator representing Lagos West Senatorial District, Solomon Adeola.

Nnamdi-Ogbue, who spoke through her lawyer, Emeka Etiaba(SAN), frowned at the allegation.

She said there was no need for “conjecture”.

A statement by Etiaba said the former NNPC Director expressed hope that the anti-graft agency will in due course uncover the owner of the property and the huge sum.

The statement said: “By this Press Release, we inform the public (especially the News Media) that the said sums of money and/or the apartment where the sums of money were found do not belong to our client.

“Our client is as shocked as many other Nigerians at the uncovering and recovery of the said sums of money and wishes to salute the courage and efforts of the EFCC in the war against corruption.

“She also wishes to commend the whistle blowing policy introduced by the Federal Government in the fight against corruption which policy has resulted in large scale uncovering and recovery of monies and assets.

“It is our client’s belief that the source and ownership of the said uncovered sums of money is known or eventually will be known by the EFCC in due course. There is therefore no need for conjecture or speculation.

“May we finally implore the news media to be more circumspect in their publications.”

The Senator representing Lagos West Senatorial District, Mr. Solomon Adeola, yesterday expressed dismay over an online publication alleging his ownership of N15 billion in foreign and local currencies discovered by the EFCC.

The medium alleged that Adeola stashed the huge cash in anticipation of using the money to finance his gubernatorial ambition in one of the states of the Southwest.

His reaction was contained in a statement by his Media Adviser, Chief Kayode Odunaro.



He said the media report was “absolute lies and calculated blackmail to dent the image of the lawmaker”.

The statement said: “We are aware that the satanic report is conscious antics by some politicians, who are having sleepless nights in the rising profile of Senator Adeola, and his impeccable records as a grassroots democrat.

“These elements are hell bent on eliminating him in their paranoid political equation towards 2019.

“Senator Adeola does not own any house or apartment on Osborne Towers at Osborne Road, Ikoyi and could not have been the owner of the discovered cash in the apartment.

“The senator will in due course not hesitate to take legal action against anyone unjustly tarnishing his hard earned reputation and image pursuant of his fundamental rights under the constitution.

“ The EFCC as a credible anti-corruption organisation is doing its statutory duty and I am sure it will soon come out with details of the ownership of the discovered humongous cash.

“Senator Adeola as an APC Senator is fully committed to the anti-corruption agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari and APC.”

Mua’zu, who is overseas, was not willing to talk about the money.

An associate of his said: “The ex-PDP chairman was shocked by the revelation because he has nothing to do with the recovered cash.

“He said he will not talk to the media on it on the seized cash.”

As at press time, EFCC was grilling Mrs Nnamdi-Ogbue over the cash.

A source in the commission said: “Our operatives stormed her residence in Maitama in Abuja for a search and she was invited for interrogation.

“While quizzing her, she insisted that she had nothing to do with the cash.”

JUSTICE Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court in Abuja has insisted that the trial of Colonel Nicholas Ashinze, a former aide to Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd), and seven others in alleged N1.5 billion fraud would not resume until the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission retracts fully the misrepresentation of the court’s proceedings that the defendants are being tried on N36.8 billion fraud.

The EFCC also wrongly referred to the aide of Dasuki as a retired military officer, while Ashinze is currently a serving Army Colonel.

The judge dismissed the oral claim by the counsel to the EFCC, Ofem Uket, that the anti-graft agency had retracted the offending publication because the lawyer failed to produce any document or evidence before the court to ascertain its claim.

Justice Kolawole had at the last adjourned date on March 21, 2017, warned EFCC to stop media trial of Nigerians being put on prosecution for any offence and ordered that the alleged N36 billion fraud contained in the EFCC press statement issued by Wilson Uwujare must be retracted.

The Judge also ordered the news media involved in the alleged offending publication to appear before it and show cause why they should not be disciplined for misrepresenting the court’s proceedings by dishing out falsehood to the general public through the EFCC press statement.



When the matter was to resume on Thursday, counsel to the EFCC informed Justice Kolawole that his client had already retracted the offending press statement as contained in some national dailies of April 12, 2017, but failed to present a copy of the retraction to the court as required by law.

Uket therefore urged the court to resume the trial of the defendant on the ground that the court order issued against EFFC had fully been complied with.

However, Ernest Nwoye, Counsel to Colonel Ashinze, stood his ground that the EFCC had not in any way obeyed and respected the court order on the ground that it has not shown any evidence or placed any document before the court as a prove of compliance.

The counsel argued that since the court order on the retraction was in writing and duly served on the EFCC, the anti-graft agency must show respect to the court by filing necessary papers and attaching necessary document to show the compliance to the order of the court.

In the absence of any documentary evidence, Nwoye urged the court not to attach any seriousness to the oral evidence of the prosecution counsel.

Counsels to other defendants in the matter, including the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Paul Irokoro (SAN), aligned themselves with the submissions of Nwoye and urged Justice Kolawole to sustain the order for the retraction until the evidence of compliance with the order has been shown.

In his ruling Justice Kolowale disagreed with the oral evidence of the EFCC counsel, lamenting that the counsel as a minister in the temple of justice has not shown any seriousness or do enough to protect the integrity of the judiciary from being unjustly rubbished.

The judge said: “No responsible judge will sit down and allow his court to be rubbished with falsehood as in the case of the EFCC that has been engaging in feeding the general public with falsehood.

“It is a fact that the defendants in criminal matter will be prejudiced when they are unjustly subjected to media trial through publication of falsehood and misrepresentation of the court’s proceeding.

“Since the court cannot act in vain, it is hereby ordered that the EFCC must show compliance in the appropriate way with the retraction of the offending press statement it issued out in respect of the proceeding of this court.



“It is hereby also ordered that the Deputy Registrar, Litigation, must liaise with Deputy Sheriff and ensure that the order of March 21, 2017 is served on the Editor-in-Chief or the appropriate person in the Vanguard Newspaper to ensure that the Editor and his correspondent in Abuja responsible for the publication (of March 8, 2017) to appear before this court on May 4, 2017 to show cause where they got their story on the N36.8 billion fraud published.

“Let it be understood that the press as the fourth Estate of the realm has the responsibility of holding all arms of government accountable to general public but the press has no business in misrepresenting the court so that the defendant in criminal matters would not be prejudiced and would not be found guilty though false media trial before the real court trial.”

Justice Kolawole said that his order of March 21 shall be in force until it has been fully complied with.

It would be recalled that based on lawyers’ complaints, the judge stopped the trial of Colonel Ashinze and others in the alleged diversion of N1.5 billion brought against them by the Federal Government.

The action of the judge followed a press statement issued by the EFCC that Colonel Ashinze is being prosecuted on alleged N36 billion fraud and which was widely reported on March 8, 2017 by some national dailies.

Justice Kolawole held that deliberate misrepresentation of court proceeding as done by EFCC through its press release was in bad taste and would always prejudice the defendants because the public would be made to have different perception of the real trial in court.

Lalasticlala

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says tracing, freezing and retrieving stolen assets has proved to be exceptionally difficult for most African countries.

According to him, Nigeria has seen how difficult it is "to get back stolen assets from the international financial system such as banks that ought not to have received those funds in the first place if even the most routine questions were asked."

The vice president was speaking yesterday in Paris, France, at the anti-corruption and integrity forum of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

Osinbajo disclosed that this week, Nigeria signed a bilateral mutual legal assistance treaty on collaboration of financial crimes and corruption, in addition to the several ones earlier ratified with numerous countries within and outside the West Africa.

Lalasticlala, mynd44

The All Progressives Congress (APC) says Nigerians will never forget the “iniquities ” of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesman of the APC, said this in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday.

Abdullahi accused the PDP of attacking the ruling party in order to seek relevance or gain the upper hand in its “ internecine war ”.

He was reacting to a statement, which the Ahmed Makarfi caretaker committee released on Wednesday.
The Makarfi group had criticised the federal government over the situation in the country.

But Abdullahi said if APC has not been talking about the “plethora of PDP iniquities” , it is not because it has forgotten, but it only chose to “pick up the pieces of the PDP wreckage and move the country forward".

“ The All Progressives Congress (APC) finds Wednesday’s statement attributed to Mr.
Dayo Adeyeye, the purported spokesperson of a rump of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) quite regrettable,” Abdullahi said.

“As a party that was formerly in the opposition, the APC is aware of the role a thriving opposition can play in sustaining democracy. However, it appears that the marginal group that Adeyeye belongs believes that it is only by attacking the APC that it can find its relevance or gain the upper hand in the PDP’s internecine war.

“We need to remind Adeyeye’s group however that although Nigerians may have forgiven the PDP, two years after the party left the country in ruins, but we have not forgotten.

“Nigerians have not forgotten that it was under the PDP-led administration that the terrorist group, Boko Haram seized a sizable portion of Nigeria’s territory, created a Caliphate and hoisted its own flags. It took the APC-led government of President Muhammadu Buhari to reclaim our territory and pride.

“Today, Boko Haram insurgents are virtually defeated and are on the run, and no millimetre of Nigerian territory is currently held by the insurgents. We have forgiven, but we have not forgotten.”

Abdullahi taunted the former ruling party, recalling the famous line: “stealing is not
corruption”.

“Under the PDP, a party that does not consider corruption to be stealing, corruption enjoyed an unprecedented prosperity,” he said.

“Nigeria recorded some of the most unimaginable, shocking and astounding cases of corruption ever experienced in our history, or in the history of any country. Funds meant for the procurement of arms and ammunition required to fight the Boko Haram insurgency were stolen by agents of government and shared among themselves. It was a classic case of kleptocracy.

“The PDP-led administration was sending soldiers to battle without weapons and sharing the money. Worse still, when soldiers protested the lack of weaponry, the PDP-led administration added wickedness to weakness and court-martialled them, sentencing some of them to death, and others to long terms of imprisonment. If Nigerians have graciousness to forgive the PDP for the wanton corruption, we will not forget.

“Nigerians also remember that it was under the nose and watchful eyes of the PDP that over 250 Nigerian girls were abducted. It took the party more than a month to even make a statement! PDP went about bandying conspiracy theories while innocent Nigerian girls were being held in captivity.

“Nigerians will not forget that under the PDP, over 20 Nigerian youths died and thousands were seriously injured while looking for jobs. the PDP-led administration organised a fraudulent Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) recruitment exercise and lured young people desperate for jobs to various stadiums across the country after extorting them. In the end, the exercise ended in tears, sorrows and blood. None of those who survived got the job and, worse still; the officials responsible for the calamity were protected by the PDP. We cannot forget.

“Nigerians remember that under the PDP,
whistle-blowing was a crime. When a former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor exposed the stealing of $20 billion from the national treasury, he was suspended and hounded out of the government. We have not forgotten.”