₦airaland Forum

SARAKI, THE FACE OF CORRUPTION

April 18, 2016
Sunday Aborisade, Abuja

The secret distribution of the first batch of the brand new 108 Sport Utility Vehicles to 36 senators last Thursday has started generating tension and ill-feelings among members of the upper chamber.

Investigations by our correspondent revealed that each senator from the 36 states had collected the keys to the Land Cruiser jeeps.

A senator who craved anonymity, confided in our correspondent on Sunday, that only identified members of the pro-Saraki’s Like Minds Senators were favoured in the distribution of the vehicles.

He alleged that except for Lagos and Osun states where Saraki had no identifiable loyalist, his supporters in the South-West geopolitical zones were already in possession of the vehicles since Thursday.

He said, “Those who collected their keys to the vehicles were identified Saraki supporters who had been following him to the courts since his corruption case started. So, they were being rewarded for their loyalty.

“The beneficiaries from Ondo, Oyo, Ogun were die-hard loyalists of Saraki but the beneficiaries from Lagos and Osun states were not members of the Like Minds. The senators who collected from Lagos and Osun, had the consent of their two other colleagues.

“I know they would push some of us to the last batch but we are not bothered. They met with us seeking our cooperation to move the Senate forward being members of the same party but see the type of injustice they are perpetrating now?”

The senator denied the campaign by the Saraki loyalists that members of the SUF wanted to sell their own jeeps to create an impression before their constituents that they rejected them.

He said, “There is no way anybody could have sold the vehicles because they are properties of the National Assembly. They were purchased by the management and they remained the National Assembly properties until we decide to buy them after the end of our tenure.”

The Senate spokesperson, Sabi Abdullahi, refused to make any comment on the issue when contacted by our correspondent on Sunday.

Abdullahi said, “I don’t want to make any comment on the issue either relating to the distribution or the process of procurement. “

Efforts to get the reactions of some of the beneficiaries failed on Sunday as none of them picked their calls while text messages sent to their mobiles were not replied
http://www.punchng.com/distribution-of-exotic-vehicles-divides-senators/

SARAKI, THE FACE OF CORRUPTION

SARAKI, THE FACE OF CORRUPTION

BY SAHARAREPORTERS, NEW YORK APR 17, 2016
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has joined the growing number of those opposed to moves by the Senate to amend the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) Act.

In a statement signed by its President, Ayuba Wabarakatu, the NLC said irrespective of the reasons given by the Senate, where the bill scaled two readings in 48hours, its timing is suspect and carries a lot of danger for the country.

"It is quite intriguing that it took the trial of the Senate President for the Senate to discover these flaws in the law(s). Putting it bluntly, in spite of the spirited defences by the Deputy Senate President to the contrary , not a few believe that this legislative move is a desperate attempt to scuttle the trial of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, at CCT," the statement said.

The NLC said it was for this objective that he Senate accelerated the process of the amendment via the first and second readings within 48hours. The labour body also pointed to the fact that the Senate has set in motion the process for stripping the CCT of jurisdictional powers on criminal matters via the amendment of the Administration of the Criminal Justice Act, a development it plainly disagrees with.

"On our part, we do not think the privileges of the Senate President extend to exemptions from civil or criminal trials. "At the moment, only the President and his Vice, the Governor and his Deputy enjoy this rare privilege.

"Thus, what the Senate is trying to do is no more than a legislative ambush.

"We need not remind the Senate that we are all equal or ought to be equal before the law, in spite of our stations in life.

"We similarly believe that the fight against corruption should be total and not selective. If this amendment, therefore, is allowed to scale through, it would have set a dangerous precedent," added the statement.

http://saharareporters.com/2016/04/17/ccbcct-act-proposed-amendment-%E2%80%8Esuspicious-dangerous-nlc

Corruption Trial: Senate President Saraki’s Camp In Disarray, Dino Melaye Failed To Appear At Poorly Attended Meeting Of 'Likemind' Senators

Hours after the refusal of the fundamental rights application by Senate President Bukola Saraki to stop his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) by a Federal High Court in Abuja, there were signs at the weekend that some of his prominent loyalists within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) may be retracing their steps.

There were strong indications that they may be opting to support an ongoing move by the leadership of the party to unite the party’s caucus in the national assembly.

Reliable national assembly sources told The Nation yesterday that prior to the judgment delivered by Justice Abdul Kafarati on Friday, some frontline supporters of the embattled Senate President have resolved to withdraw their support for Saraki in his bid to remain in office as Senate President while his trial at the CCT lasts.

In the meantime, the National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has ruled out the possibility of the party losing the senate presidency to the opposition. In an interview with an online medium, The Premium Times, he said, “We don’t take anything for granted. As they are planning, we are also planning. The situation is under control.”

He insisted that the party is not likely to lose the position to the opposition, but noted that should this happen, it will have to be the ‘price’ for the desired ‘change’.

It was also learnt that some members of the Senate President’s camp in the national assembly are now of the view that the incessant face-off between the legislature and the presidency allegedly being generated by Saraki’s trial at the CCT, is needless and avoidable.

“Hence, some of them are ready to support a change in the leadership of the Senate to save the ruling party from further crises and at the same time represent the yearnings of their constituents for good governance by ensuring strict adherence to the provisions of the laws of the country,” our source, a Senator from Lagos State, said.

“Mr. Senate President is currently facing charges that borders on false declaration of assets … The issue has gone beyond mere accusations as he has already gone down in history as the first serving Senate President in the country to be docked in a competent court.

“Sadly, one recalls that there is a way these things have been handled in the past to save the national assembly and by extension, the government, from unnecessary embarrassment. All former presiding officers of the National Assembly, who were faced with similar charges, first resigned their positions in order to protect the integrity and sanctity of the country’s hallowed chambers.”

The senator regrets that what has been happening in the last few months “were a blatant display of disregard for the sanctity of the Senate by some misled and confused senators whose loyalty is not to the country, but to an individual or group.”

The senator added, “But one is happy today, to tell you that things are changing for better. For one, I can tell you the APC caucus in the Senate is working towards uniting all. We are healing the divide imposed on us by self-serving individuals. We are all returning our loyalty to the party and the government.”

The Nation gathered that attendance at the regular and emergency meetings of the ‘Like Minds Senators,' the group of senators loyal to the President of Senate, has plummeted in recent times, giving credence to talks about serious cracks in the ranks of Saraki loyalists.

Senate sources put the reduction in attendance to the activities of a committee instituted by the APC caucus in the national assembly to unite the legislators elected on the platform of the ruling party. According to reliable sources, the committee, which has core Saraki allies in the likes of Senators Aliyu Wammako, Danjuma Goje, Kabiru Gaya, Ahmed Yerima and Adamu Aliero, as members, is championing a united APC caucus that is loyal to the party and government as against the current arrangement of a divided caucus.

For instance, a meeting called yesterday at the residence of Saraki in continuation of the one held earlier in the week recorded abysmal attendance in spite of the fact that it was scheduled early enough, and a text message was sent few hours before the kick-off to remind senators.

Not only was the attendance low, the discussion, we learnt, was unimpressive. Those who attended, it was said, were downcast and disturbed. The meeting, unlike the one a few days earlier where the decision to review the laws establishing the CCT was taken, was devoid of the usual vibrancy, our source added.

The Nation also gathered that the text message reminding Like Minds Senators of the meeting was, unlike the previous ones, sent by an aide of the Senate President. A prominent Senator from Kogi State is known to have sent invites to such meeting before now.

“What we heard was that the Senator, who used to do the invite tactically avoided doing same for the last meeting. To further cause anxiety in the Senate President’s camp, he was absent at the meeting where he was scheduled to brief the Senators on certain steps taken to advance the cause of the group. His action and absence formed the chunk of the discussion at the unimpressive meeting,” our source added.

It was also gathered that the APC caucus in the lower chamber recently met to discuss the crises in the national assembly and resolved that members of the caucus must desist from taking the side in the Saraki saga.

“The House caucus took a decision that none of us should drag the lower chamber into the Senate crisis by making inflammatory statements. Specifically, we are to toe henceforth the party’s line in all matters. The meeting also resolved that there should be no division within the caucus.”

Another member of the lower chamber from Kogi State told our correspondent that effort to unite the APC caucus in the national assembly is yielding fruit to the detriment of the camp of pro-Saraki hardliners. According to him, it is only a matter of time before a final position on the various bones of contention in the national assembly is announced.

The Nation also gathered that the dwindling fortunes of the Saraki camp is responsible for its inability to push through the suspension plot allegedly instituted against the Senator representing Zamfara Central, Kabir Marafa, an unrepentant critic of the Senate President.

Weeks after the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, submitted its report on its investigation on Marafa, the Senate has failed to deliberate on the panel’s recommendations. Marafa was accused of granting a press interview to mislead the public allegedly about the Senate.

Marafa, a second-timer at the upper chamber of the National Assembly, served as the mouthpiece of the Unity Forum, an umbrella of senators that worked for Senator Ahmed Lawan (Yobe North), the preferred candidate of the APC for the plum job.

Following the Supreme Court verdict on the appeal of Saraki on his CCT trial, Marafa demanded the resignation of Saraki. He had said, “What is happening in the CCT is personal to Saraki and has nothing to do with his position as the Senate President. It has now reached the time when Saraki should take a bow to enable him to concentrate on his case at the CCT. I don’t have anything against him as a person.”

Expectedly, pro-Saraki Senators made a huge show of the interview and demanded the immediate suspension of the Zamfara senator. But following an unexpected show of support for Marafa by other senators across party lines, Saraki referred the matter to the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Public Petitions. He asked the committee to report back a week later.

According to Senate sources, the Senator Samuel Anyanwu (PDP, Imo East)-led committee has recommended Marafa’s suspension, but the development has failed to receive the blessing of a majority of the members of the Senate as many feel Marafa has not done anything wrong that would warrant any punishment.

Our source also attributed the new thinking in the national assembly to both the effort of some party leaders in the senate and the failure of Saraki to stop his trial at the CCT in spite of several efforts to get competent law courts to declare that he shouldn’t be docked.

Kafarati’s judgement on Friday put paid to earlier optimism that the Senate President will get a reprieve. The judge held that the reliefs prayed for by Saraki “are not cognisable under Chapter 4 of the 1999 Constitution,” which lists the fundamental rights of citizens.

Saraki had, for the umpteenth time through his counsel, Ajibola Oluyede, filed the application challenging the trial at the CCT for falling short of Article 3 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution. He argued that the prosecution wants to achieve the political objective of the All Progressives Congress (APC)

Saraki’s counsel, Oluyede has indicated intention to appeal the verdict of the court before the Court of Appeal.

The APC chairman, Chief John Odigie Oyegun has declared that a political solution may not be in sight for the ongoing Senate President’s trial at the CCT.

According to him, a purported political solution as is being bandied by a section of the political class will negate the change philosophy upon which the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC government was voted into power last year.

He said “The President is certainly not the type who will interfere in a judicial matter,” as that would also negate his straight personality.

“Things must normally be done. And that is part of the change mantra that we must play by the rule, so we don’t truncate the processes.”

Odigie-Oyegun explained that “People don’t seem to internalize what change is. If the President says “court, free that man,” the same president can say “court, imprison that man.” Is that the Nigeria you want? No! The change means allowing the law to take the proper course. I can tell you the President won’t interfere. The President is straight definite, straight and firm in all facets.”

On the possibility of the party losing the president Senate position to opposition PDP, Oyegun said, “We don’t take anything for granted. As they are planning, we are also planning. The situation is under control.”

He said, “I don’t think we will lose that position. But sometimes, for change to take place there is a price you have to pay. So losing the position may be the sacrifice for change.”

On speculations of in-fighting in the party, Oyegun said this is normal as there are always different views. “Interests differ. Some feel they are not sufficiently rewarded or consulted. So, it happens. We are just barely one year in power.”

On complaints that Nigerians have yet to feel the much-touted change, the APC chairman said change is a ‘process’ and a ‘progressive’ phenomenon. “When the process fully completes, we will have an entirely new Nigeria.”

http://thenationonlineng.net/cct-sarakis-camp-disarray-senators-seek-end-crises-2/

BY SAHARAREPORTERS, NEW YORKAPR 16, 2016
Senator Kabir Garba Marafa of the Zamfara Central senatorial zone has urged Nigerians to resist attempts by some senators to change the constitution in order to save Senate President Bukola Saraki from his trial for corruption at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

In an interview with our correspondent, Mr. Marafa reminded Nigerians that the current moves to gut the laws establishing the CCT highlighted his earlier warning the forgery of the Senate’s standing rules.

“You can also recall my call on the leadership of the Senate to respect the ranking rules,” said Senator Marafa, adding, “The chickens are now coming home to roost.”

He said what happened in the Senate last week when pro-Saraki senators tried to carry out an underhanded attempt to amend the laws establishing the CCT, was propelled by blind, naked ambition and the personal interests of a few.

He explained that most senators either walked out or refused to waste time opposing the bills was hinged on two factors—that Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu was presiding and that many senators did not want to waste their time arguing non-issues.

He said, “All the three proposed bills fall under constitutional amendment and not an act of the National Assembly.”

Senator Marafa stated that the bill that was passed for second reading yesterday attempted to rearrange the constitution and redraft it to suit the narrow purpose of Senator Saraki and his supporters “This is pure constitutional amendment,” said Senator Marafa. He explained that the second bill that was stood down sought to delete or ignore sections of the constitution, adding that the third bill was a controversial attempt to enlarge the immunity clause.

Senator Marafa stated that Nigerians should lose no sleep over the current illegal moves by the pro-Saraki senators, describing their efforts as “dead on arrival.” However, he said it was “unfortunate that an issue like this can even be listed and given an accelerated hearing in the hallowed chamber presided over by a senior lawyer.”

http://saharareporters.com/2016/04/16/nigerians-must-resist-attempt-change-constitution-suit-saraki-says-senator-marafa

Saraki Hotline +234 8024544666, +234 7039559900

SARAKI, THE FACE OF CORRUPTION

SARAKI, THE FACE OF CORRUPTION

SARAKI, THE FACE OF CORRUPTION

SARAKI, THE FACE OF CORRUPTION

A former Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti State, Dr. Tope Aluko, has said the plot to rig the June 21, 2014 governorship election was perfected inside a hotel barely a week before the poll.
He alleged that the hotel was owned by the Chief of Staff to Fayose, Chief Dipo Anisulowo, where sensitive materials like ballot papers and result sheets were delivered to PDP chieftains by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Besides, he claimed the Governor Ayodele Fayose’s administration had received the refund of the N5.2bn spent on Ado-Ifaki federal highway by former Kayode Fayemi’s administration.
The government has continued to deny receiving refund.
Speaking on a special interview programme on Adaba 88. 9 FM, Akure, on Wednesday evening, Aluko claimed that the electoral materials were delivered through Akure Airport.
He claimed that INEC ballot papers were thumb-printed and result sheets filled by PDP members which gave their party the edge long before the electorate went to the polls.
Aluko explained that operatives of the Department of State Services led by a female officer stormed Anisulowo’s hotel and arrested the PDP members perfecting the rigging but that they were released within three hours following the intervention of the Federal Government.
He disclosed that a lorry conveying part of the electoral materials delivered through the Akure Airport was the one intercepted by soldiers led by the recently retired Brig.-Gen. Aliyu Momoh.
According to him, the materials were later released after the officers received an “order from above.”
The former PDP scribe alleged that the N5.2bn refund had been diverted to the Ado Ekiti flyover project following investigation conducted by the Department of State Service, the Police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Aluko said, “Ask him (Fayose) why did former Commissioner for Works, Kayode Oso run away? Commissioner for Finance Toyin Ojo told his interrogators about the finances of the state including the N5.2bn refunded on the Ado-Ifaki Road project carried out by Fayemi.
“You will recall that Fayose had earlier denied receipt of the N5.2bn refund but the revelation by Ojo while in custody now made him (Fayose) to divert the money for flyover construction because Ojo told them that Oso was in a better position to explain on the refund collected on road.”
Aluko urged Nigerians to pray for him because of alleged plans to assassinate him.
Responding to questions, Aluko said the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Owoseni Ajayi, was liable for prosecution for his alleged role in an attack on the Ekiti State High Court to prevent the delivery of a ruling on a perjury case involving Fayose.
Aluko said “I pity Owoseni Ajayi who is saying that I should be prosecuted because he (Owoseni) was the one who placed a call to Fayose to organise the mob to disrupt the delivery of a ruling by Justice Olusegun Ogunyemi.
“Owoseni told Fayose on the telephone that should the judge deliver the ruling on the perjury case, it would go against him (Fayose) and his planned swearing-in would be in jeopardy.”
Aluko maintained that he never asked for forgiveness from Fayose as “erroneously” reported in the media but that the governor and former Ekiti Assembly factional Speaker Dele Olugbemi barged into a meeting he was holding with some PDP leaders.
“Olugbemi and Fayose barged into the meeting venue, Olugbemi is a pathological liar. Olugbemi had lied against Fayose, he lied against the APC, he lied against the PDP and he is working for the money and appointment he had just received from Fayose.
“I did not create a scene at the venue of the meeting because hefty men had been stationed around and my wife was afraid of what could happen. Fayose held my clothes that I should not talk when I wanted to say something.
“I feared for my wife who later disappeared from the scene and I did not know her whereabouts. They almost attacked me when I went to Channels Television but it was policemen led by the CP that saved me after being held up there for about three hours.
“I played safe because of my wife and to avoid the scenario that played out when I went to Channels Television to grant my first interview.”
Aluko said his trouble with Fayose began when the governor derailed from the plan and blueprint for the development of Ekiti State and not because he was not made the Chief of Staff.

http://www.punchng.com/we-perfected-ekiti-rigging-in-hotel-aluko/

A former Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti State, Dr. Tope Aluko, has said the plot to rig the June 21, 2014 governorship election was perfected inside a hotel barely a week before the poll.
He alleged that the hotel was owned by the Chief of Staff to Fayose, Chief Dipo Anisulowo, where sensitive materials like ballot papers and result sheets were delivered to PDP chieftains by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Besides, he claimed the Governor Ayodele Fayose’s administration had received the refund of the N5.2bn spent on Ado-Ifaki federal highway by former Kayode Fayemi’s administration.
The government has continued to deny receiving refund.
Speaking on a special interview programme on Adaba 88. 9 FM, Akure, on Wednesday evening, Aluko claimed that the electoral materials were delivered through Akure Airport.
He claimed that INEC ballot papers were thumb-printed and result sheets filled by PDP members which gave their party the edge long before the electorate went to the polls.
Aluko explained that operatives of the Department of State Services led by a female officer stormed Anisulowo’s hotel and arrested the PDP members perfecting the rigging but that they were released within three hours following the intervention of the Federal Government.
He disclosed that a lorry conveying part of the electoral materials delivered through the Akure Airport was the one intercepted by soldiers led by the recently retired Brig.-Gen. Aliyu Momoh.
According to him, the materials were later released after the officers received an “order from above.”
The former PDP scribe alleged that the N5.2bn refund had been diverted to the Ado Ekiti flyover project following investigation conducted by the Department of State Service, the Police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Aluko said, “Ask him (Fayose) why did former Commissioner for Works, Kayode Oso run away? Commissioner for Finance Toyin Ojo told his interrogators about the finances of the state including the N5.2bn refunded on the Ado-Ifaki Road project carried out by Fayemi.
“You will recall that Fayose had earlier denied receipt of the N5.2bn refund but the revelation by Ojo while in custody now made him (Fayose) to divert the money for flyover construction because Ojo told them that Oso was in a better position to explain on the refund collected on road.”
Aluko urged Nigerians to pray for him because of alleged plans to assassinate him.
Responding to questions, Aluko said the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Owoseni Ajayi, was liable for prosecution for his alleged role in an attack on the Ekiti State High Court to prevent the delivery of a ruling on a perjury case involving Fayose.
Aluko said “I pity Owoseni Ajayi who is saying that I should be prosecuted because he (Owoseni) was the one who placed a call to Fayose to organise the mob to disrupt the delivery of a ruling by Justice Olusegun Ogunyemi.
“Owoseni told Fayose on the telephone that should the judge deliver the ruling on the perjury case, it would go against him (Fayose) and his planned swearing-in would be in jeopardy.”
Aluko maintained that he never asked for forgiveness from Fayose as “erroneously” reported in the media but that the governor and former Ekiti Assembly factional Speaker Dele Olugbemi barged into a meeting he was holding with some PDP leaders.
“Olugbemi and Fayose barged into the meeting venue, Olugbemi is a pathological liar. Olugbemi had lied against Fayose, he lied against the APC, he lied against the PDP and he is working for the money and appointment he had just received from Fayose.
“I did not create a scene at the venue of the meeting because hefty men had been stationed around and my wife was afraid of what could happen. Fayose held my clothes that I should not talk when I wanted to say something.
“I feared for my wife who later disappeared from the scene and I did not know her whereabouts. They almost attacked me when I went to Channels Television but it was policemen led by the CP that saved me after being held up there for about three hours.
“I played safe because of my wife and to avoid the scenario that played out when I went to Channels Television to grant my first interview.”
Aluko said his trouble with Fayose began when the governor derailed from the plan and blueprint for the development of Ekiti State and not because he was not made the Chief of Staff.

http://www.punchng.com/we-perfected-ekiti-rigging-in-hotel-aluko/

April 14, 2016 Ogala Emmanuel
The publisher of Sahara Reporters has accused Nigeria’s Senate President, Bukola Saraki, for cloning his newspaper and stealing his brand identities to create fake versions of his website.
Sahara Reporters, a U.S.-based news website, with special focus on Nigeria, said it believed the Nigerian senate president, who is facing charges of false asset declaration, is masterminding the proliferation of imitation of cloned versions of the newspaper aimed at circulating lies to the public while disguising as Sahara Reporters.
The publisher, Omoyele Sowore, said his team had so far blocked three fake websites since January 2015. He said the faking websites were blocked from Google, Web4Africa and Twitter.
“The only one left is a Facebook account,” Mr. Sowore said.
The outstanding fake account is named Sahara Reporters Rescue.
Checks by PREMIUM TIMES showed that it had assumed the branding features of the original Sahara reporters with insignificant modifications.
Mr. Sowore said Sahara Reporter Rescue had succeeded in deceiving about 30 thousand people while circulating contents praising and defence Mr. Saraki.
Its bio is an exact copy-and-paste version of the original Sahara Reporters.
“I know Saraki is directly behind it,” Mr. Sowore said, explaining that he was only concerned the public might mistake the page for the original Sahara Reporters.
Identity theft is an emerging fraud in the Nigerian cyberspace, mainly used by politicians to clone digital identities of critical media house with the aim of using the clone to pass down propagandist inform, faking endorsement.
It is a form of cyber attack that utilizes deception, rather than the brute force of DDoS attacks.
PREMIUM TIMES was a victim of similar attacks. The latest is by individuals linked to the current governor of River State, Nyesom Wike.
While many other digital businesses treat identity theft with urgency and seriousness, Facebook is notorious for being slow in checking the crime.
Facebook’s clumsy reporting process and policy make fighting clones and replicas almost impossible for victims.
The suspected pirate is Osinuga Oriola Mcleish, a blogger and member of the Kwara All Progressives Congress. Although Mr. Osinuga denies the crime, investigations by PREMIUM TIMES traced his digital footprints on the downed websites and the fake Sahara Reporters Facebook Page.
“I don’t know anything about it,” Mr. Osinuga said before hanging up during an interview.
Mr. Saraki’s new media team also denied involvement in the crime.
“Sahara Reporters is not that important for me to waste my time on,” Bankole Omishore, a new media aide to the Senate President told PREMIUM TIMES. “We no longer monitor Sahara Reporters.”
Mr. Omishore said Sahara Reporters had been critical of his boss, claiming the newspaper was hired to promote propaganda to sack Mr. Saraki.
The publisher of Sahara Reporters denies any personal grievances with the senate president, saying , “I only have beef with thieves.”
“I’ve been covering Saraki since 2005 with the same tenacity I covered (James) Ibori,” he said. “I know very well he (Saraki) has stolen a lot of money and should not be Nigeria’s number three man.”

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/201802-sahara-reporters-publisher-sowore-accuses-saraki-identity-theft.html

Saraki’s Corruption Trial: Nigerian lawmakers speed up controversial bill to amend anti-corruption law
April 14, 2016 Hassan Adebayo

A bill for an amendment of the Code of Conduct Tribunal and Bureau Act scaled second reading at the Nigerian Senate, Thursday, just 48 hours after it was first read.
In Nigeria’s lawmaking process, rarely do bills get such accelerated legislative action.
The bill, sponsored by Peter Nwaoboshi (PDP-Delta State), passed second reading and was subsequently referred to the committees on Judiciary and Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions.
The committees is to report back in two weeks.
THE AMENDMENT
The bill seeks to amend Section 3 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act “to give every public officer appearing before the Bureau fair hearing as provided for under Section 36 (2)(a) of the CFRN 1999 which provides:
“For an opportunity for the person whose rights and obligations may be affected to make representations to the administering authority before that authority makes the decision affecting that person.”
The existing law, Mr. Nwaoboshi said in his lead argument, does not provide for the Bureau (CCB)to take written statement from concerned public officers before referring a matter of alleged non-compliance to the Tribunal (the CCT).
Foramfera
Mr. Nwaoboshi’s bill therefore proposes that before a public officer is accused of breaching the Code of Conduct law and referred to the Tribunal, the officer should first be allowed to make a statement in writing.
That is the crux of Mr. Saraki’s argument against his ongoing corruption trial at the Tribunal. He repeatedly asked that the case against him be dismissed since he was not invited by the CCB to give a written statement.
The amendment bill also seeks to stop the CCT from using the Criminal Procedure Act and the Criminal Procedure Code as a procedural template.
The bill was supported by several lawmakers who yelled “hai” when the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, put the question.
There was silence when the “nay” question was put.
Senators – Dino Melaye, Jibrin Barau, Abu Ibrahim, Abiodun Olujimi, Samuel Anyanwu – spoke in favour of the bill.
FUELLING PUBLIC SUSPICION
The bill, along with another one by Isah Misau (APC-Bauchi State), which seeks the amendment of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, was read for the first time on Tuesday.
The bill seeking an amendment of the ACJA 2015 wants the provision of the Act not to “apply to a Court Martial and such other Courts or Tribunal not being courts created and listed under Section 6 (5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended.”
In essence, if passed the ACJA amendment bill will make the usage of the criminal justice law illegitimate for the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
It was also slated for second reading Thursday but was stepped down, and its consideration fixed for a later date.
The two bills were introduced at a time the Senate President Saraki is facing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal with prosecutors relying on the two laws for which amendments are now being sought.
The senators’ action has fuelled suspicion that the amendments are being vigorously pushed to help the Senate President stave off conviction.
The haste at which the amendments are being rushed such as slating them for second reading within 48 hours has further fueled public suspicion.

The two amendments were sponsored by two of Mr. Saraki’s staunchest supporters, Messrs. Nwaoboshi and Misau.
A Senator of the All Progressives Congress from Kebbi State, Abdullahi Yahaya, raised that point in plenary, saying the timing of the amendments would remain a subject of suspicion, although he did not oppose the action.
But Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, said the amendment was not meant to favour Mr. Saraki.
“The amendment is not to affect the current CCT trial in which the Senate President is involved,” he said.
He maintained that the amendment would in no way benefit Mr. Saraki since his trial started last year before the effective year – 2016 – of the proposed law.
He said the Senate only summoned courage to ensure justice for everyone.
Also justifying the amendments, Mrs. Olujimi said, “If you don’t assist your neighbour when his house is burning, it will extend to yours.”

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/201786-sarakis-corruption-trial-nigerian-lawmakers-speed-controversial-bill-amend-anti-corruption-law.html

SARAKI, THE FACE OF CORRUPTION

Senators fear Gender Equality Bill will turn women to prostitutes, lesbians –Senator Abaribe

April 13, 2016 Samuel Ogundipe

The senator representing Abia South Senatorial District, Eyinnaya Abaribe, has said the Senate rejected the Gender Equal Opportunities Bill because some lawmakers feared the legislation could give women unfettered freedom to engage in immoral activities.

Mr. Abaribe said many senators expressed deep concerns over the blanket freedom the bill would give women because many of them would ignore their immediate responsibilities and turn to prostitutes and homosexuals, urging the proponents of the bill to find a way of replacing some of its languages.

Mr. Abaribe spoke during a forum on political rights of women in Nigeria organised by the Civil Resource Development and Documentation Centre (CIRDDOC) on Wednesday in Abuja.

“The bill was defeated at the second reading when its details were highlighted to the senators,” Mr. Abaribe said. “Some lawmakers started expressing deep worries about some parts of the bill that they think could give women too much freedom and lead them to prostitution, lesbianism and other social vices.”
Mr. Abaribe called on all those championing the bill to make efforts at modifying some aspects of it in order to make it acceptable to all lawmakers for passage.
“The reason why we’re here is that we think that we should be able to restrategise, we should be able to look at the bill again and see those contentious areas we may need to modify. We should be able to find those critical constituencies within the senate that we must have to address.

“We should be able to look at the narrative of the bill and how it is being presented to the public and change that narrative and make it a positive narrative.
“For example, the bill is not a north versus south bill. The bill is not a Christian versus Muslim bill. The bill is not a male versus female bill. The bill simply seeks to extend to every Nigerian all the rights that are they should enjoy. And if women by virtue of our culture, by virtue of our historic antecedents are being behind, then we need to also drag them into the economy by giving them every right that they can use to be productive members of the society and that is all that we’re trying to do.
“It has been rejected but we’re talking to the senators who are supporting the bill to know how we could move forward. It’s not easy to say the bill can pass tomorrow, but we will continue to plead with other members for their support on this bill.
Mr. Abaribe, who is a member of the Senate Constitutional Review Committee, also said the bill may need to be incorporated into the Constitution as part of the ongoing constitutional amendment process in the National Assembly.
“Since we’re doing constitutional review, I will advise that we find a way of putting this bill directly into the Constitution because if we just make it as part of electoral law, it could be challenged at the courts and get struck down.”
The bill, which has continued to stoke widespread emotions amongst women, was introduced by Senator Biodun Olujimi and it aimed to achieve, among other purposes, equal access to education, strengthening of the laws on violence against Women, ending abduction of girls, sustenance and promotion of entrepreneurship opportunities, gender mainstreaming and gender equality, as well as female participation in governance.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/ssouth-east/201751-senators-fear-gender-equality-bill-will-turn-women-to-prostitutes-lesbians-senator-abaribe.html

BY SAHARAREPORTERS, NEW YORKAPR 12, 2016
Timipa Jenkins Okponipere, a lawyer and human rights activist, is seeking to unseat Hon Justice Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili, whom he describes as “Africa's most corrupt judicial officer," from the bench of the Supreme Court of Nigeria,

[b] Named as 1st, 2nd and 3rd respondents in a suit, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, are the National Judicial Council (NJC), Justice Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili, and the Attorney General of Rivers State.

Mr. Okponipere is asking the court for an order compelling the NJC to recommend to President Muhammadu Buhari the immediate and compulsory retirement of Justice M. U. Peter-Odili from the Supreme Court bench for alleged violation of the Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers of Nigeria.

When the suit came up for hearing before Justice Anwuri Chikere -a wife of a People's Democratic Party federal lawmaker from Rivers state-on February 24, 2016, Mr. Okponipere was arrested on the orders of Justice Mary Peter-Odili.

He has since then been remanded at Kuje prison in Abuja on trumped-up charges of impersonation and forgery by a Chief Magistrate Court sitting at Wuse Zone 2.

That magistrate court has refused to grant the lawyer bail and the police prosecution team has also on two occasions—March 17, 2016 and April 4—failed to commence his trial.

The matter has been adjourned to April 25, 2016 to hear Mr. Okponipere's motion to quash the two-count charge.[/b]

Mr. Okponipere's troubles with the Peter-Odili's began sometime in December 2006 when he led his law firm, First Law Solicitors, to conduct a referendum on corruption and politically-motivated killings in Rivers State under the former governor Peter Odili and Justice Mary Peter-Odili as First Lady of the state.

Following the critically acclaimed referendum, Dr. Odili lost the presidential primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held on December 12, 2006 at the Eagle Square, Abuja. The former governor also lost out in the shadow race for the PDP Vice presidential ticket, as Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan was declared the running mate to Alhaji Umaru Yar'Adua, the eventual winner of the presidential ticket.

Dr. Odili and his spouse, Justice Mary Peter-Odili reportedly blamed Mr. Okponipere as the architect of their loss of the PDP presidential and vice-presidential tickets, and promptly got him arrested and charged before Justice Biobele Georgewill of the Rivers State High Court on January 17, 2007.

The matter subsequently progressed from the Rivers State High Court to the Court of Appeal (Port Harcourt Division) and eventually, to the Supreme Court in 2010.

By that time, however, Justice Mary Peter-Odili was already a Justice of the apex court, and she eventually sat on the Supreme Court panel which heard and determined the suit on February 8, 2013: a criminal appeal in which her spouse was the Chief Complainant and Prosecutor against Mr. Okponipere.

Following his dissatisfaction with the role played by Justice
Mary Peter-Odili in the matter (Suit No. SC 250/2010), Mr. Okponipere filed Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/273/'13 at the Federal High Court, Abuja to enforce his fundamental right to fair hearing and to seek the removal of Justice Mary Peter-Odili from the Supreme Court bench.

Mr. Okponipere who is on record as recently filing a fundamental rights application at the Federal High court in Abuja on behalf of Charles Okah, (the alleged mastermind of the October 1, 2010 bombing) seeking, among others, conjugal visitation rights, rights to procreation and rights to marry in prison for all Nigerian prison inmates, believes that "Hon. Justice Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili of the Supreme Court of Nigeria is Africa's most corrupt judicial officer".

In his words, "Hon. Justice Mary Peter Odili's sole purpose at the Supreme Court is to protect the corrupt legacy of her spouse and his political associates,” asserting that she would otherwise have recused herself from taking any part in Suit No. SC 250/2010.

http://saharareporters.com/2016/04/12/judicial-corruption-lawyer-seeks-unseat-supreme-court-judge-mary-peter-odili

SARAKI, THE FACE OF CORRUPTION

Billionaire Judge, In Turnaround, Now To Give Saraki Judgement On Thursday


BY SAHARAREPORTERS, NEW YORKAPR 11, 2016
Justice Abdul Kafarati of the Federal High Court judge, reversing his position, will this week return to the bench to give a major ruling on the human rights case filed by embattled Senate President Bukola Saraki to stop his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

SaharaReporters learnt that the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Ibrahim Auta, secretly returned the case file to Justice Kafarati asking him to deliver his judgement and damn the consequences.

Our sources revealed that the assurance that Kafarati would give the judgement is the reason Mr. Saraki is still in office despite having told several Senators that he would resign in order to save himself further embarrassment at his CCT trial where prosecutors revealed mind-boggling evidence of his corruption when his trial commenced last week.

After Justice Kafarati recused himself from the case, Saraki hired several writers to keep encouraging him to deliver his ruling, which has been revealed to Saraki to be favorable.

Saraki’s lawyer, Prince Ajibola Oluyede, who is a known ally of Justice Kafarati, has also sent a petition to the Chief Judge insisting that he allow Justice Kafarati to deliver his judgement.

Justice Kafarati is the next in line to become the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court of Nigeria. Known in legal circles to be a very corrupt judge, and has been caught with billions of Naira in his personal account by the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He claims to have made his wealth from farming.

Previous detailed reporting of his track record by SaharaReporters last month pre-empted Justice Kafarati from delivering his favorable judgement on Saraki’s human rights lawsuit. At that time, he claimed a Catch-22 dilemma: that he could not give either judgement without it being interpreted either as caving to pressure, or being bribed by Saraki.

SaharaReporters learned on Monday that Kafarati has chosen Thursday to give his ruling, which would aim at scuttling Saraki’s trial.

http://saharareporters.com/2016/04/11/billionaire-judge-turnaround-now-give-saraki-judgement-thursday

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BY SAMUEL OGUNDIPE APR 10, 2016
The verbal fireworks between civil society groups and the embattled Senate President, Bukola Saraki, continued Sunday with the Transition Monitoring Group releasing yet another scathing statement urging Nigerians to remain steadfast in their quest to kick the top lawmaker out of office.

The TMG said it has continued to watch with keen interest as the Senate President reacts to its previous calls for him to step down amid corruption scandals.

In a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES by its chairman, Ibrahim Zikirullahi, on Sunday, TMG said Mr. Saraki’s strategy to wait out the public outrage over his alleged false assets declaration trial, as well as the new revelations about his ties to offshore businesses in tax havens as contained in the Panama Papers, has backfired.

“In the last 48 hours, the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) has observed closely as heavily tainted Senate President; Bukola Saraki struggles to rationalize his decision to sit tight in the face of damning revelations from his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal and the leaked Panama Papers.

“Like a drowning man, Saraki is advertising his willingness to hold on to any straw. Since TMG released its widely circulated statement calling on him to immediately step down on account of damaging effects of his trial on the Senate as an institution, Saraki has cut a pathetic figure.

“His vile calculations that the Nigerian people would soon forget about the revelations, and move on, have boomeranged,” Mr. Zikirullahi said.

Following the commencement of his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal and the PREMIUM TIMES investigations that exposed him as one of the most prominent clients of Mossack Fonseca, the Panamanian law firm at the centre of the Panama Papers leak, calls for Mr. Saraki’s resignation have been spearheaded by the Transition Monitoring Group, TMG, Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL, Muslim Rights Council, MURIC, and other Nigerians.

A defiant Mr. Saraki said in a statement on Saturday that all efforts to stampede him out of office are being orchestrated by his political adversaries, vowing to continue the battle until his case is dispensed by the court of law.

“They believe that the on-going trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal provides them the opportunity to stampede Dr. Saraki out of office so that their defeated objective of getting their lackey into the office of Senate President will be realized. This is another desperate move by these spineless politicians to achieve through the back door what they failed to realize on the floor of the Senate,” his Special Adviser on Media, Yusuph Olaniyonu, said.

But the TMG rejected that position, arguing that Mr. Saraki has resulted to creating imaginary enemies for himself in order to court the sympathy of Nigerians.

“Saraki and his spin doctors are now running from pillar to post in a desperate last ditch effort to silence courageous voices. The result of this pathetic approach to clear questions of accountability, is a streak of hallucination that has led Saraki and his fellow legislooters to create imaginary enemies in order to conflate issues and deflect responsibility,” Mr. Zikirullahi said.

The TMG, therefore, reiterated its position that Mr. Saraki’s time as the President of the Nigerian Senate is up.

“Knowing that shame, contrition and conscience are alien to characters like these; it is not surprising that they continue to defy civilised standards in human conduct. Saraki should make no mistake about it; he is the man in the dock, having to face up to the consequences of his actions.

“Saraki is the one who has to cope with insomnia in this futile battle to erase the truth. He may bluff and bluster as much as he wants; the Nigerian people have made up their mind that his position is no longer tenable. There is no mistaking the fact that he has completely lost legitimacy.

“Like the exposed shell companies he secretly opened in Panama, he is now an empty shell. All his diversionary antics notwithstanding, TMG insists it is time for Saraki to go. That is the verdict of the Nigerian people; in due course, the voices of the people will prevail.”

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/201538-tainted-saraki-resign-nigerian-civil-society-group-insists.html

SARAKI, THE FACE OF CORRUPTION

THE FACE OF CORRUPTION SARAKI

BY SAHARAREPORTERS, NEW YORK APR 06, 2016
The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL, has called on Dr. Bukola Saraki to resign as the Senate President. This call was provoked by the latest revelations from the ‘Panama Papers’ leaks about assets confirmed to be proceeds of corruption belonging to the Saraki family.

The call came via a statement signed by Wale Salami, CACOL 's media coordinator.

The statement quoted Mr. Debo Adeniran, Executive Chairman of CACOL, as saying that Saraki became the Senate President in controversial circumstances and was well known for running publicly-owned businesses bankrupt.

"Someone with a poor reputation such as his isn’t fit to be called or be elected as a Senator not even to talk of becoming the Senate President.

"With such a background and considering that he oscillates between sitting in the criminal suspects’ box in the Code of Conduct Tribunal as a criminal suspect and sitting as President of the Senate in the hallowed Chambers of the National Assembly as the President of the Senate doubling as the Chairman of the National Assembly, the situation becomes an aberration and makes Saraki a misfit to occupy a seat in the Nigerian Senate in the first place and unfit to continue to occupy the exalted position of the Senate Presidency,’’‎ Adeniran said.

Adeniran added that Saraki's lies about his declaration of assets has sufficiently proven that he lacks the credibility required for the office he occupies and he should have been a subject of impeachment now. "His impeachment processes should have started long before now, so it is better for him to resign now.

"Should he refuse to resign, the Senate must wield the big stick by commencing his impeachment process immediately.’’ he contended.
According to CACOL, the Saraki family is obscenely wealthy, having used its hold on political power, especially in Kwara State to amass wealth and corner government properties and other assets. "Since 1999 up to this present moment, all the governors have either come from the Saraki family or imposed by the Saraki family, leaving no chance for other people to be elected,’’ explained Adeniran, who also demanded that Saraki's trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal must not be truncated under any guise. Also, Adeniran demanded the investigation and prosecution of his wife, Mrs. Toyin Saraki, who he said has always been used as a conduit to siphon public funds for the private use of the Sarakis.

The CACOL Chairman also called for wider investigations into disclosures coming from the Panama Paper Leaks. said “With revelations from the ‘Panama Papers’, the Federal Government and the anti-corruption agencies should swing into action with the view of investigating, prosecuting and recovering of the loot while applying necessary punitive measures where culpability is established. And this is not just about Saraki; it must include all other Nigerians mentioned in the ‘leaks’ like Mr. David Mark and others.’’

http://saharareporters.com/2016/04/06/panamapaper-resign-now-or-face-impeachment-cacol%E2%80%8E-tells-saraki

Saraki - The Face Of Corruption

The face Of Corruption Saraki

The Face Of Corruption Saraki

The Face Of Corruption Saraki

The Face Of Corruption

The Face Of Corruption

The Face Of Corruption

The Face Of Corruption