₦airaland Forum

SARAKI, THE FACE OF CORRUPTION

BY SAHARAREPORTERS, NEW YORK APR 24, 2016
#OccupyNASS, the civil event at which Nigerians will demonstrate on April 26 against Senate President Bukola Saraki and the cabal around him, has gone global.

In an update, Citizens United for Peace and Stability (CUPS), the organizers, said that last Saturday alone, Nigerians donated a total of N183,500 towards actualizing the historic #OccupyNASS and ‪#‎ReclaimNigeria movement.

“The largest donor donated N30,000,” the group said in the statement, signed by Dr. Idris Ahmed & Dr. Bunmi Awoyemi.

“Other patriots donated N20,000, N10,000, N5,000, N2,000, N1,500 and N1,000. A total of 26 compatriots made the donations. This means that in five days’ time we are able to raise one million, two hundred and fifty-six thousand Naira! - N1,256,000.”

It explained that following due consultations with Nigerian organisations in Diaspora, the group decided to extend the #OccupyNASS and #ReclaimNigeria event to a global affair.

“This means that we will be demonstrating against Bukola Saraki and his cabal around the globe on the same 26th April.”

CUPs reassured concerned Nigerians that the Police Act, which sought to empower the Police to issue permission for demonstrations, has been deemed unconstitutional by the Federal Court of Appeal.

“According to the law, all that is required from us to host a peaceful protest is to inform the Inspector General of Police or state Police Commissioner that we are embarking on a peaceful demonstration, and that we need the Police to provide security,” the statement said, adding that CUPS has already done that, and also written to the DG of the Department of State Security, the Minister of FCTA, and the FRSC Marshal.

Stressing that the plan to host the historic event is well underway, the group appealed to Nigerians to donate generously to its corporate to enable the dream to be actualized, pointing out that no donation is too big or too small.

“Every single Naira donated counts towards providing food, water, shelter, medical care, and other facilities to peaceful demonstrators,” it said, noting that donating to support peaceful demonstrators at #OccupyNASS is one of the best charitable acts that any patriotic Nigerian can do.

“Think about it, our mere plan to occupy the NASS is already yielding impressive results at the Senate,” CUPs said. “They recently capitulated on their unlawful attempt to amend our constitution.”

Below is the account information for donations:

Account Name: Citizens United for Peace and Stability.
Account Number: 1140085583.
Bank: Skye Bank.

http://saharareporters.com/2016/04/24/nigerians-are-making-quick-donations-occupynass-group-says

SARAKI, THE FACE OF CORRUPTION

SARAKI, THE FACE OF CORRUPTION

SARAKI, THE FACE OF CORRUPTION

SARAKI, THE FACE OF CORRUPTION

SARAKI, THE FACE OF CORRUPTION

SARAKI, THE FACE OF CORRUPTION.

SARAKI, THE FACE OF CORRUPTION. WHAT ABOUT ALL THE MONEY YOU STOLE FROM SGB, TRADE BANK, INTERCONTINENTAL, KWARA STATE, PANAMA, SUVs? GO AND FACE CCT AND STOP BLAMING OTHERS FOR YOUR SELF INFLICTED PROBLEMS.

SARAKI, THE FACE OF CORRUPTION. WHAT ABOUT ALL THE MONEY YOU STOLE FROM SGB, TRADE BANK, INTERCONTINENTAL, KWARA STATE, PANAMA, SUVs? GO AND FACE CCT AND STOP BLAMING OTHERS FOR YOUR SELF INFLICTED PROBLEMS.

April 23, 2016 Niyi Odebode, John Alechenu and Eniola Akinkuotu

The Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State, Mr. Joe Igbokwe, says former governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola and his Rivers State counterpart, Rotimi Amaechi, did not fund President Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign.

He described Fani-Kayode, who is a former Minister of Aviation’s allegation as a ‘bedtime story for kids’.

Fani-Kayode, in an article on Friday, had alleged that former governors Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State and his Rivers State counterpart, Rotimi Amaechi, funded President Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign.

But Igbokwe urged the former minister to quickly return the N840m he admitted to receiving instead of giving excuses.

Igbokwe wondered how an opposition state could have access to more funds than a party that had been in control of Federal Government resources for 16 years.

He said, “Fani-Kayode is afraid of his shadow. Fani-Kayode’s PDP ruled Nigeria for 16 years and also looted Nigeria for 16 years with nothing to show for it except decayed infrastructure and empty treasury.

“In his confused state of mind, Fani-Kayode thinks APC spent huge sums of money including Lagos and Rivers states’ money to defeat Jonathan and PDP. This is a bedtime story for kids. What the APC did was to apply common sense where PDP was spending billions.

“Fani-Kayode is one of the PDP shameless leaders that destroyed the PDP. Fani-Kayode left the PDP and for almost a year, he rained abuses on President Jonathan and the PDP. He left no stone unturned in exposing Jonathan as clueless and rudderless, and in fact he brought to the public knowledge the inner workings of PDP and its many woes. Fani-Kayode later returned to the party he had labelled as a monumental and colossal failure to serve as the spokesman for the campaign organisation. What a confused man.”

http://www.punchng.com/fani-kayode-is-afraid-of-his-shadow-lagos-apc/

SARAKI, THE FACE OF CORRUPTION. WHAT ABOUT ALL THE MONEY YOU STOLE FROM SGB, TRADE BANK, INTERCONTINENTAL, KWARA STATE, PANAMA, SUVs? GO AND FACE CCT AND STOP BLAMING OTHERS FOR YOUR SELF INFLICTED PROBLEMS.

SARAKI, THE FACE OF CORRUPTION. WHAT ABOUT ALL THE MONEY YOU STOLE FROM SGB, TRADE BANK, INTERCONTINENTAL, KWARA STATE, PANAMA, SUVs?

SARAKI, THE FACE OF CORRUPTION. WHAT ABOUT ALL THE MONEY YOU STOLE FROM SGB, TRADE BANK, INTERCONTINENTAL, KWARA STATE, PANAMA, SUVs? GO AND FACE CCT AND STOP BLAMING OTHERS FOR YOUR SELF INFLICTED PROBLEMS.

A witness in the ongoing trial of Dr Joseph Nwobike SAN, who is standing trial for allegedly bribing a Federal High Court judge, today told a Lagos State High Court sitting in Igbosere, how the senior lawyer paid N750,000(Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) into Justice Mohammed Nasir Yunusa's bank account with Zenith bank.

The witness, Oyekunle Aderemi, a compliance officer with Zenith Bank made the disclosure when he was confronted with the statement account of the defendant. In the account statement, the witness identified the transaction of 19 March 2015 where the defendant paid the sum of N750, 000 (Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira) into Justice Yunusa’s account.

Earlier, the prosecution had moved to tender the account statement but the defence counsel, O. Akanni, SAN, objected to the admissibility of the document. But when the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, applied to withdraw the document, Akanni dramatically withdrew his objection and the document was admitted and marked as exhibit P2.

Oyedepo also led the second prosecution witness, Oliver Owaremi, also a compliance officer with Access Bank in evidence. He told the court that his bank received a request from EFCC seeking an account information on Hawa Ajiya Nigeria Limited, a company that was alleged to be part of the channels the defendant used to transfer money to Justice Yunusa. Another Federal High Court Judge, Justice Hyeledzira Nganjiwa Ajiya was said to be the owner and sole signatory of the company's account.

From this account, the witness showed the debit transaction of N300,000 to Justice Yunusa from the company’s account on 30 November, 2015. During cross examination, the witness said that, apart from the transactions of 28 September, 2015 and that of 30 November, 2015 there was no other transactions between Joseph Nwobike and Hawa Ajiya or Justice Yunusa.

Justice Adebiyi adjourned the matter to 12, 26 and 30 May, 2016 for continuation of trial.

Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
22nd April, 2016

http://saharareporters.com/2016/04/22/how-nwobike-paid-n750000-justice-yunusa’s-account-witness

SARAKI, THE FACE OF CORRUPTION

BY ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIMES COMMISSION APR 22, 2016
Justice A. A. Akintoye of the Lagos State High Court sitting in Igbosere on Friday, dismissed an application filed before the court by Rickey Tarfa, SAN, challenging the jurisdiction of the court and seeking an order to quash the 27-count charge bordering on alleged willful obstruction of authorized officers of EFCC, refusing to declare assets, making false information and offering gratification to a public official brought against him by the anti-graft agency.

The judge ruled that the court had jurisdiction to entertain the charges and turned down Tarfa's prayers for the quashing of the charges. "This Court has a jurisdiction to entertain the charges on this matter. The prayer of the applicant asking for an order on jurisdiction to entertain charges on this matter is hereby dismissed. The prayer of the applicant asking for an order to quash charges laid before the court is hereby dismissed. The prayer of the applicant asking the court to restrain EFCC operatives, staffs, agents, or any person whatsoever to investigate and prosecute the defendant is hereby refused. The applicant's motion on notice on 10th March, 2016 is hereby dismissed accordingly", he said.

One hundred and thirty six (136) lawyers including 40 Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SAN appeared for the defendant.

Justice Akintoye subsequently adjourned the matter till 20 and 27 May, 2016 for commencement of trial and further hearing.

Tarfa was arraigned on 9 March, 2016 by the EFCC on a 27-count charge bordering on alleged willful obstruction of authorized officers of EFCC, refusing to declare asset, making false information and offering gratification to a public official.

Wilson Uwujaren
Head, Media & Publicity
22nd April, 2016

http://saharareporters.com/2016/04/22/court-affirms-jurisdiction-try-rickey-tarfa-trial-commences-may-20

BY SAHARAREPORTERS, NEW YORKAPR 21, 2016
And it came to pass that on the fiftieth year of the sufferings and tribulations of the people of Sodom, the Lord took pity on them. And I Am That I Am, the fiery one who wrought genocide on the Amorites, the Amalekites, the Canaanites, the Philistines; the one who plagued Egypt and destroyed Jericho; the one who roared through the Old Testament with blood and fire and thunder and disease; the one who wasted Onan for wasting his own seed, summoned his only Son and the Holy Ghost to his presence.

And when his Son and the Holy Ghost has come into his presence, the Lord opened his mouth and spake: “the cries of the people of Sodom, who we have punished this past fifty years because of their evil and corrupt ways have reached up to me. We hath sent our angels to find but ten righteous souls among them but there was none for the land of Sodom is peopled by thieves and liars and hypocrites and the covetous. We have punished them with darkness for fifty years. It is meet now that we take pity on them and bring them from darkness to light if they repent and change their ways.”

And the Son and the Holy Ghost took the word of the Lord to the people of Sodom: “repent and change thine ways and Jehovah shalt take pity on thee and lessen thine punishment.” And the people of Sodom screamed: “pray, what must we do to merit the Lord’s pity?” And the Son and the Holy Ghost spake unto them: “Thou must banish iniquity from thine hearts and quit the ways of corruption and lying. For fifty years, thieves and the corrupt have found honour and glory and elevation in thine eyes. Thou hast cast away Jehovah and worship corrupt leaders in his place. Thus saith the Lord, thou must repent and punish thine thieving leaders for justice and righteousness to come onto this land. Only then shalt thou find favour with our father.”

And the people of Sodom came together and spake thus of their leaders: “thieves! We must punish the thieves! Only then shall Jehovah take pity on us.”

And the lords of the land, the Pharisees and the Sadducees and the Sanhedrin and the moneychangers came together and saith unto themselves: “to save Sodom; the Lord has asked the people to punish the thieves amongst us. Seeing that the people wait upon us outside, who shall be punished?”

And one elder said, “Lo, I stole only a thousand shekels but I bought fish and bread for the people. For all the righteous things I did for the people, I cannot be punished.”

And another elder said, “Lo, I stole only five thousand shekels but I bought asses and horses for the people that they may move about not on foot. It has even been foretold by a prophet that one of the donkeys I bought for the people shall one day be seized by the son of Jehovah and used for his entry into Jerusalem a thousand years from now. I cannot be punished.”

And another elder said, “Lo, I stole only ten thousand shekels but I built a mighty Temple for the Lord and I pay my tithe and I take care of the shepherds of the Lord for they must not go hungry. I cannot be punished.”

And another elder said, “Lo, I stole only fifteen thousand shekels, I prepare feasts for the people. I pay for their funerals. I pay for their weddings. It has even been foretold that one of the weddings I shall pay for in the future shall be attended by the Son of the most high and he shall turn water to wine after partaking of the wine I bought with the money that I stole. I cannot be punished.”

And all the elders in the meeting hath stolen but all had been righteous with what they stole from the people and hath done good and great deeds for the people with what they stole from the people. And the leader of all the elders rose up and saith to the assembly: “seeing that we have all stolen and done great deeds with our loot, it is not meet that one of us is punished. Have we not heard from two of us that even the son of the Lord shall benefit a thousand years from now from their money when he takes a donkey to Jerusalem or turns water to wine? Let us, therefore, go to the people and say to them that we have found no unrighteous thief among us.”

And the leaders of the land went outside and saith to the people: “we found no unrighteous thief amongst our ranks for we have always spent a portion of whatever we have stolen from you on you.”

And great anger is come upon the people. And they seized upon a thief from among the lords of the land named Sarakius the moneychanger. Sarakius the moneychanger was a man of great fortune. He hath set up a store in the Temple like all the other moneychangers. And when the people brought their shekels and pieces of silver to him for safekeeping, he stole all the shekels and the silver and the house of the moneychangers. And his wife took the fortune across the great seas for safekeeping. And Sarakius became one of the lords of the land.

And the people saith, “Lo our hands are weak and we have no strength to fight all the lords of the land who have stolen from us from generation to generation. Therefore, we shall make an example of Sarakius the moneychanger and punish him to fulfil the commandments of Jehovah for great indeed are the crimes of Sarakius.”

And there was great rejoicing among the people as they dragged Sarakius towards the throne of judgement. And the people saith unto themselves: “it is indeed meet that we start with one thief among all the great thieves for when one thief is punished, our small victory shall give us strength to fight and punish more thieves. And we shall go from thief to thief till we rid the land of pestilence.” And the people kept vigil that Sarakius may be punished.

But some rose up from among the people and spake: “touch not Sarakius for he is not alone.” And the people answered them: “many indeed are the thieves who have afflicted us from generation to generation in the ranks of the lords of the land. Seeing as Jehovah has asked us to punish thieves and seeing as we have to start somewhere, it is meet that we start with Sarakius.”

And the hearts of the puritanical dissenters hardened. And they poured ash over their own heads and wore sackcloth and saith to the people: “touch not Sarakius until you touch all the thieves.” And the people asked them: “are ye for us or are ye for Sarakius?” And the dissenters answered: “we are not for you and we are not for Sarakius, we are not for here and we are not for there for we are of the generation of those who sat on the fence of Jericho. And when the Lord destroyed our fence, we built other fences for our bottoms.”

And the people saith to them: “we must do something about somebody. We must do something about Sarakius as an example to all the other big thieves. If we get one of them our spirit will be lifted and we shall confront the rest.”

And the dissenters persisted: “fold your arms and do nothing about nobody until you can do everything about everybody all at once for such is our philosophy.” And the people saith to them: “come down from thine fence and teach us to do everything about everybody at once so that we may shun the path of little symbolic and powerful victories and embrace the path of sitting down and waiting for the miracle of doing everything about everybody at once.”

But the dissenters could not hear the people for the fence upon which the sat hath grown higher and higher into the clouds.

And the people continued to fight and struggle.

And the shekels of Sarakius continued to move in mysterious ways into mysterious pockets such that the people could not speak as one against the moneychangers.

And the Lord and the Son and the Holy Ghost looked down on them from on high above.

And there was great sadness among the Trinity.

And the Lord spake to his Son and the Holy Ghost: “what else must I do for Sodom? Years ago, Abraham asked me to spare them if I found ten righteous among them. We did not find ten righteous among them. Now I have asked them to punish just one thief and they cannot agree on who is a thief in a land populated only by thieves. Christ, bring me a bowl of water. Holy Ghost, bring me a piece of cloth for I must wash mine hands and wipe them and cast the affairs of the land of Sodom away from my presence forever. So let it be written, so let it be done!”

http://saharareporters.com/2016/04/21/sarakius-and-fate-sodom-pius-adesanmi#disqus_thread

SARAKI, THE FACE OF CORRUPTION

Chief Kanu Agabi, the lead lawyer for Senator Bukola Saraki, has apologised over the conduct of Ajibola Oluyede, a senior advocate of Nigeria, at the Code of Conduct Tribunal today.

Agabi, was not in court when there was an exchange of words between the Tribunal Chairman, Danladi Umar and Oluyede on Thursday morning.

On arrival, Agabi interrupted proceedings to apologise for Oluyede’s behaviour.

The Senior Advocate of Nigeria told Mr. Umar that Oluyede was a member of his team and was announced among the defence counsels yesterday. He also urged the Tribunal Chairman not to judge the lawyer by his weakness.

“Don’t be angry. If other people annoy you, would you send them to prison? ”. Agabi queried.

“In this case, I would have done that,” Mr. Umar reaffirmed.

Agabi, however, appealed to him not to be annoyed with the lawyer.

But for the intervention of other lawyers in court, Umar would have sent Oluyede to prison.

The exchange of words was over an application filed by the attorney.

Oluyede had in the application asked Mr. Umar to disqualify himself from hearing the suit against Saraki over allegations that he is also being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, which is also leading the prosecution of the Senate President.

The exchange of words had degenerated into arguments during which Mr. Umar threatened to send the lawyer to prison for contempt.

“The point I was making was that when that application was filed, he filed at a time he was not appearing, and this is an issue tried at High Court, and he brought it here,” Umar said.

“I have said I will not listen to that motion. I would have sent him to prison for contempt in the face of the court. He was arguing with me. I would have sent him to prison. He would have been cooling his feet there now. Maybe from there, he will be taken to another place. It was because other colleagues begged for him that I allowed him to be sitting there now,” Mr. Umar told Agabi.


http://saharareporters.com/2016/04/21/saraki%E2%80%99s-corruption-trial-agabi-begs-umar-over-oluyede%E2%80%99s-behavior

We’ll stand by Saraki to the end of his corruption trial – Nigerian Senators
April 20, 2016Hassan Adebayo

The Nigerian Senate has vowed to stand by its embattled president, Bukola Saraki, to the end, except if he is convicted of corruption allegations by the Code of Conduct of Tribunal.
The deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who led the Senate plenary on Wednesday, said this after the lawmakers met behind closed doors for over two hours.
Mr. Saraki is standing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal on a 13-count charge of false asset declaration.
His trial has gained momentum this week after the tribunal directed that hearings must go on a daily basis till the matter is concluded.
A group of All Progressives Congress senators, who had initially opposed Mr. Saraki’s emergence as president, had called for his resignation in view of his trial.
Kabiru Marafa, who speaks for the group, could not be immediately reached for comments.
The Senate also agreed to stand down the report of its Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions Committee on Mr. Marafa, a known critic of Mr. Saraki’s leadership.
Mr. Marafa had drawn the ire of some of his colleagues and was referred to Ethics Commuter after asking Senators to impeach Mr. Saraki to save the image of the Senate or risk being recalled by Nigerians.
Foramfera
Mr. Ekweremadu said the Senate also “agreed to put behind them all the crises that have engulfed the Eighth Senate”, and that all senators had resolved to “speak with one voice”.
He said all Senators who have cases in court against the Senate leadership were asked to withdraw their suits.
Mr. Marafa is currently in court challenging the constitution of Senate Committees, while Suleiman Hukunyi also petitioned the police over allegation of forgery of Senate Rules against Mr. Ekweremadu.
Mr. Ekweremadu also announced the composition of a 12-man committee consisting of two senators from the six geopolitical zones to resolve all pending issues.
Amendment of Anti-corruption law
The Senate also suspended amendments of the Code Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act and Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA 2015, buckling under intense public pressure.
The amendment bills were initiated last Tuesday, and curiously got a second reading 48 hours.
But Mr. Ekweremadu announced that further legislative action on the bills would be suspended.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/202132-well-stand-saraki-end-corruption-trial-nigerian-senators.html

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) on Tuesday said that the purchase of 108 Toyota Land Cruiser jeeps by Senators was a clear sign that they do not mean well for the country and have lost touch with the plight of the people.

TUC in a statement signed by its President, Bobboi Bala Kaigama and Ag. Secretary General, Simeso Amachree, described as insensitive the decision of the senators to acquire the Land Cruiser jeeps after collecting car loans less than one year ago.

The Congress said the act was that of criminality, especially after collecting loans for the same purpose and expressed concern that the senators are not disturbed by President Muhammadu Buhari’s efforts to revamp the economy.

The statement said: “Where did such idea emanate from at a time the country is bleeding from all sides and seriously gasping for breath? This is obviously a pointer to the fact that our Senators mean no well for the country. They have lost touch with the plight of the people that voted for them.

“Our politicians and their tradition of reaping where they did not sow. What would our Senators say they have achieved in the last one year? It is morally wrong and shameful for the Senate of the Federal Republic to attach so much importance to infinitesimal things like cars and houses at a time their counterparts elsewhere are making good laws and transforming lives.

“We do not know of any lawmaker both in the Red and Green Chamber that had not got cars before they came to the National Assembly. Some have even been in the senate now for 12 years after serving as governors and lawmakers in their respective states.

“Where lies the conscience of our Senators? How come they are not disturbed by the efforts of our president to revamp the economy? We are not going to let all these forces frustrate the effort of the Federal Government again, not any more.

“We want the Senate to immediately furnish Nigerians and the world how they got money for the purchase of these cars without appropriation. We view as demeaning and laughable the explanation by Senate spokesperson, Aliyu Sabi.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/senators-lost-touch-reality-tuc/

SARAKI, THE FACE OF CORRUPTION

SARAKI, THE FACE OF CORRUPTION

SARAKI, THE FACE OF CORRUPTION

Senate’s purchase of exotic cars “criminal” – TMG
April 20, 2016Samuel Ogundipe
The Transition Monitoring Group, TMG, a coalition of over 400 grassroots organisations, has described as “ungodly” and “criminal”, the latest acquisition of new Toyota Land Cruiser automobiles by members of the Nigerian Senate, calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to deploy all his powers to stop the “hedonistic acquisition in these lean times”.
In a statement signed by its chairman, Ibrahim Zikirullahi, on Wednesday, the group said the senators circumvented extant procurement laws and the Fiscal Responsibility Act in acquiring the exotic vehicles.
The Senate has come under intense criticism following reports that the top lawmaking body has started taking delivery of 108 four-wheel drive Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles.
The Senate says it purchased 36 units of the vehicles at N36.5 million each, an amount many Nigerians say was inflated.
“The gluttonous manner in which less than 500 individuals are cornering the resources of a country where poverty and many other forms of privations are the order of the day, calls for concerted efforts among citizen groups, to reject the reign of these thieves garbed in legislative robes,” TMG said in a statement.
[b]“TMG is incensed that at a time Nigerians in many states are grappling with the difficulties of living life without salaries, and the dire economic conditions biting so hard, it is provocative for Senators to be living in criminal opulence. Ironically, this is the same Senate led by a character currently standing trial over weighty allegations of false and anticipatory declaration of assets. It is the same institution that has been hijacked by shady figures, including their leader who has also been mentioned as one of those hiding suspicious assets in offshore tax haven, as revealed in the leaked Panama Papers. In defiance to extant procurement laws and the Fiscal Responsibility Act, the Senators have gone ahead to acquire the cars at prices that are twice the actual market value. It is barefaced stealing from the Nigerian people for the Senate to have paid N35.1 million for each of the Toyota Landcruiser purchased, while independent checks confirmed that the Toyota Land Cruiser SUV V6 2016 model is sold at N17 million.[/b]
[/b]“To show that the greed of these characters is limitless, TMG recalls that in February, the Senate President’s cars were changed in a move that cost taxpayers the sum of N330 million. [/b]The architects of these wasteful expenditures on fancy items in a time of hardship, are the enemies of the Nigerian people. Those who arranged and benefited from this rude plunder of scarce resources must be investigated and brought to book. 

“Nigeria can no longer afford to shoulder the burden of funding the wasteful and opulent lifestyles of a few hundred legislators, many of who suffer from severe reputation deficit. It is indeed worrisome that the gluttons in the National Assembly cannot spare a thought for the millions of unemployed young Nigerians in the country, and make some sacrifices to free some resources, for this excluded and vulnerable segment of the population. In the face of this unconscionable affront, the silence of many legislators, who should ordinarily be condemning this impunity is deafening. Suddenly, we are not hearing any partisan bickering in the Senate over this latest ungodly attempt to share the national patrimony.”
Foramfera
Mr. Zikirullahi, therefore, called on the president to take all measures to stop the purchase.
“With the logic that exceptional times require exceptional measures, TMG calls on President Muhammadu Buhari to take all necessary measures to stop the corrupt and insensitive purchase and distribution of these vehicles by the Senators. Provocative steps like this insensitive purchase and distribution of exotic cars in the face of the current economic struggles remind us of the urgent need to vanquish all forms of corruption and greed from the system. This is why the vendors involved in these shady supplies should be investigated because they are also aiding and abetting the corrupt and wasteful spending by the legislators. TMG again calls on the Nigerian people to brace up for the coming struggle to confront legislative greed, impunity and corruption,” Mr. Zikirullahi said.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/202106-senates-purchase-exotic-cars-criminal-tmg.html

SARAKI, THE FACE OF CORRUPTION

SARAKI, THE FACE OF CORRUPTION

Posted By: Olakunle Abimbolaon: April 19, 2016I
Stealing in the name of the Lord,

My father’s house of worship has become a den of thieves,

Stealing in the name of the Lord …” — Max Romeo, reggae artiste

There is an ongoing rascality in the hallowed Senate of the Federal Republic. It is nothing but brazen institutional subversion, criminal breach of trust and monumental breach of faith.

It is akin to what doomed Luficer from the brightest son of the morning, the most beautiful of the archangels and beloved of God Almighty, to Satan, the eternally damned prince of darkness.

Dr. Bukola Saraki, the president of the Senate, is all but doomed — no thanks to his free choices. All his present troubles — his trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), the Panama Papers where his name isn’t exactly written in gold, et al — stream from conscious and deliberate choices he made in the past.

Even the alleged trigger of his Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) debacle, viz the accusations of dodgy declaration of assets to defraud the state — Saraki’s controversial emergence as Senate president — was a conscious and deliberate choice.

When it was time to duel for the Senate presidency, every fair mind agreed it was Saraki’s constitutional right to run. Besides, if his new-Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) faction warred to gain the presidency for the All Progressives Congress (APC), it was only fair they were duly compensated in the new government.

Now if, among the APC legacy parties, Muhammadu Buhari (Congress for Progressive Change) was occupying the presidency and Yemi Osinbajo (Action Congress of Nigeria) had landed the vice-presidency, it was only fair that nPDP be allowed a share of the victory spoils. If that translated to the Sente presidency, so be it.

All that was still within the confines of democratic equity, decency and fairness. But Saraki’s resort to outright perfidy changed that equation.

You don’t betray your party, sell its due, the Senate deputy presidency, to the PDP, arrogantly shun intra-APC rapprochement to fill the other party positions, and expect not to murder sleep! Remember the tale of Macbeth? Glamis has murdered sleep, so Cawdor shall sleep no more!

That is the long and short of Saraki’s current odyssey.

Even the fuel for his judicial roasting (if you prefer the emotive bleat trending in the embattled senate President’s camp), Saraki merrily provided.

His alleged dodgy declaration of asset, which will form the pillar of evidence against him in court, would appear a clear-eyed decision to cheat.

So, is his newly exposed Panama Papers misadventure, in which he was alleged, as Kwara governor, to have bought a shell company off his wife for £3 million sterling. Now, where did that huge dough come from?

Which patriotic citizen would confect £3 million, from virtual nowhere, to consummate such an ultra-secret deal, as sitting governor? Meanwhile the law was clear: such opaque business was absolutely forbidden.

Did Saraki, in his high conceit, think impunity would last forever? Did he think secrets would stay buried for aye? Again, a clear, conscious and deliberate choice.

But as Saraki made noxious past choices that now blight his present, he and his confederates, are making present choices that may yet blast their future.

These devious Senate manoeuvres are a parliamentary equivalent of the Biblical money changers and other petty criminals turning the temple of the Most High into a filthy mart, from which the venal chief priest made a hefty kill.

That inspired the Max Romeo number quoted above. But so offensive was the original deed that even the meek and gentle Jesus was riled into his most ferocious bout of anger the Bible recorded.

For Saraki’s sake, Senator Peter Nwabuoshi (PDP Delta) — this Peter seems founded on the quicksand of legislative cant not on the rock of fair legislation — is pushing a bogus amendment to the CCB&T Act.

For Saraki’s sake, Senator Isah Misau (APC Bauchi) has launched a most cynical amendment to the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015. Because that law exempts the court martial from its coverage, and CCT is not listed under section 6(6) of the 1999 Constitution as amended, stating the courts under ACJA purview, ACJA, posits Misau’s amendment, should be made not to operate in CCT!

Disingenuous, isn’t it — so that Saraki can continue to dodge and hedge and stall, instead of grabbing legitimate opportunity to prove his innocence?

For Saraki’s sake, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, presides over the provocative defilement of the grandest legislative portal in the land. But who does not know the embattled Ike is also playing a vicious game of self-survival, being also doomed by the Senate rule forgery that catapulted Saraki and Ekweremadu into office?

Help, legislative barbarians and Talibans, on a crude, pre-historic mission, are at Nigeria’s parliamentary gate! But we would be damned if we just laid down to be slaughtered!

But for these legislative dark angels who would, willy-nilly, fall with their Lucifer, Saraki’s comeuppance, based on a grating sense of entitlement, is long overdue.

When Saraki the Father “ported” from the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) in 2003, to teach then sitting Governor Mohammed Lawal (now dead) some harsh lessons in realpolitik, Saraki the Son was the joker.

If I make others governor and they all prove ingrates, Baba Oloye mused, why not my own son? Meanwhile, Kwara, the feudal colony, had no say at all. It merrily acquiesced.

That same sense of ernest and transparent entitlement would spur the Son to unhorse the Father. After brother Bukola’s tenure, it was sister Gbemisola’s turn, in the Saraki Turn-By-Turn Kwara Unlimited!

But he did right — for Baba Oloye’s hubris would probably had laid waste the Saraki dynasty enterprise, particularly in a conservative state with a sizable, if not predominantly, Muslim population. But by handing his father filial humiliation, instead of honour, Saraki the Son doomed himself.

Could that be the cause of the present Saraki troubles? Maybe. Maybe not.

But one thing is clear: the Sarakis are in the second generation of democratic feudalism (never mind the contradiction in terms), where Kwara is only a vassal state.

It is the same sense of feudal lordship that Saraki has brought to the Senate. First, he emerged with a suspect rule the police have found to be pure forgery. Then, he won’t exit until the laws are skewed, in the most bizarre of manners, so he can evade the law, to retain his Senate presidency. What hubris!

From the Evan-Evans tale of the late Evan Enwerem, first Senate president of the 4th Republic, the Senate has had its fair share of charlatans as leaders.

But it is doubtful if the Senate has ever been put through a worse grill of muck, as Saraki and his band of desperadoes are now doing. It is legislative gangsterism writ large!

That is why Nigerians must take note of all the senators involved in this grand outrage. We must scour the law books to make them pay for their heinous rascality — after all, that a cleric enjoys ex-cathedral immunity does not shield him from crime he commits at his job.

http://thenationonlineng.net/senatorial-rascality/

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Saraki: Time to go
Editorial on: April 19, 2016I

Given the cloud of wrongdoing over his head, the Senate President has no moral
basis to continue as Nigeria’s top lawmaker

SENATE President, Bukola Saraki, pelted left and right by severe financial scandals, digs deeper and deeper into infamy. But what to do is to make an honourable exit — and the time is now.

By willy-nilly trying to stay afloat, Dr. Saraki and his senatorial gang have brought the highest legislative chamber in the land to hitherto unknown odium. That is evidenced in the silly on-going attempts to amend both the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) Law and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) of 2015. It is as if a band of criminals are holding the Senate captive; and would think nothing of subverting the law, just to save the fast sinking Saraki.

Amending the CCB Law would, in their skewed thinking, offer Saraki some rogue comfort and protection, since he is currently undergoing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). But which serious legislature makes laws, in their own sole interest? Besides, on April 15, Saraki’s latest gambit to evade justice hit the rocks, with a court in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, talking him to go face trial at CCT.

As it is now, amending the CCB Law would appear an exercise in futility, since that would be amending the Constitution. Even if the senatorial gang succeeds in their plotting, they would still need two-thirds of state legislatures nationwide to endorse such an amendment. That, they are not likely to get.

The more dangerous gambit is amending the ACJA. To start with, it is incestuous for a band of senators to attempt to rig the law, to favour one of their own. That is a monumental betrayal of trust, which this polity must not tolerate. Again, by their skewed thinking, these senators figure amending ACJA would avail Saraki the opportunity to stall and stonewall, so that his CCT trial can last virtually forever, while he clings on to office in disgrace.

It is true: those the gods want to destroy they first make mad — and these misguided senators, by so brazenly attempting to skew the law, manifest nothing but arrant insanity. So, they must be brought to book before profaning, beyond measure, Nigeria’s highest legislative chamber.

Amending ACJA, to dubious ends, must not be allowed to happen. ACJA would appear one of the few good legacies of the Goodluck Jonathan Presidency. It is also on this all-important piece of legislation that the prosecution of public sector thieves, that have evaded justice for too long, is being anchored. Such rascality, if allowed, would spectacularly undo this fine reform of Nigeria’s criminal justice system.

But even in the unlikely case that the amendment comes on stream, President Muhammadu Buhari must veto it. That would be the most logical thing to do, given his administration’s war against corruption. Afterwards, the nation would have the opportunity to face-off rogue senators, who can muster the two-thirds majority vote to countermand the veto.

Preaching honour and nobility to Dr. Saraki, with his present intolerable level of desperation, would appear tantamount to yelling at the deaf. Yet, we would be damned if we sat back and allowed the Senate’s institutional integrity to be further rubbished, just because of a senate president notorious for a condemnable sense of entitlement.

The Senate is hollow without honour; and when its president luxuriates in infamy, and yet insists on keeping his job, then something has gone terribly wrong. It is true Saraki has not been found guilty of any crime. But when the head of the Senate is accused of fraudulent declaration of assets, and also named in the Panama Papers of allegedly buying a shell company off his wife for £3 million, while as Kwara State governor, his rotten personal morality is blighting the institutional grace of the Senate.

At this critical juncture, it ceases to be a matter of hollow legalism. There is a perception of muck and dirt, which does not sit well with the head of any legislature — and Dr. Saraki is not only the president of the Senate, but also chairman of the National Assembly. This heavy perception of muck casts a pall over the National Assembly. Therefore, Dr. Saraki should gracefully remove himself and help stop this monumental national embarrassment.

To force Saraki out, crucial institutions of state must also speak out: the Presidency, the Council of State and every patriot that feels the Saraki disgrace. Even the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), on whose platform Saraki sits, must disown him. Enough of this aberrant solidarity of saying nothing, while an individual and his gang undo the National Assembly!

Dr. Saraki must go. He has disgraced the National Assembly enough. The time to go is now!

http://thenationonlineng.net/saraki-time-go/

SARAKI, THE FACE OF CORRUPTION