₦airaland Forum

This is really historic!


According to the person that shared this picture on Facebook, protesters yesterday, April 26, were at the National Assembly to demand the immediate resignation of the Senate President Bukola Saraki. During the protest, Christian protesters were said to have formed a circle around the Muslims as they observed their praying hour.

The protesters were from various Civil Society Organisations and students.




https://www.naij.com/812704-historic-see-christians-muslims-occupy-nass-venue-photo.html?source=index_trending

e Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja today struck out the application filed by the embattled Senate President, Bukola Saraki seeking a stay of proceeding of his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal over allegations of corruption.                                                  


Justice Abdul Aboki, who led the three-man panel, gave the ruling after the defence counsel; Kanu Agabi applied for its withdrawal saying it would be better for them to base their application on the substantive motion which bordered on the jurisdiction of the tribunal to try the Senate president.

 The court asked the parties to file and perfect all their documents to enable the parties to get a new date for a hearing.
 
SaharaReporters learnt that Saraki and his lawyers changed their mind upon discovering that they had not filed the appropriate papers detail a reason for the strange appeal.

The Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court had already decided that the tribunal has jurisdiction in the case.

 Mr. Saraki's trial at the CCT will resume again on Wednesday.

http://saharareporters.com/2016/04/25/saraki-loses-bid-stop-his-trial-appeal-court-strikes-out-stay-proceeding-application

– Some Nigerians in Diaspora have said that it is pertinent for the Senate President, Bukola Saraki to resign

– These Nigerians under the Nigerians in Diaspora Monitoring group (NDMG) gave the Senate President 10 days ultimatum to resign

– The group said the position of Senate President has been tainted beyond imagination with the endless scandals around Saraki

Some Nigerians in diaspora have offered to help the embattled Senate President, Bukola Saraki write his resignation letter over his ongoing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

The Nigerians under the umbrella of Nigerians in Diaspora Monitoring Group (NDMG) on Sunday, April 24, said it will gladly help Saraki write his resignation letter if he has no idea on how to do that.

The group gave the Senate President 10 days to resign as leader of the eighth assembly.

The group’s offer came at a walk held by thousands of Nigerians living in London.

The participants of the walk marched around the buildings housing the Nigerian high commission in the United Kingdom.

Also, in a speech presented by Onyilo Adeka, the group said Saraki, whom he accused of entrenching corruption, must resign immediately.

Adeka said the position of Senate President has been tainted beyond imagination with the endless scandals around current holder.

“Bukola Saraki’s position as Senate President is no longer tenable and he should quit immediately allowing to Nigeria make progress.

“We urge constituents of the various Senatorial Districts to closely watch where the senators they elected are pitching their tents in this show of shame with a view to using the instrumentality of recall or voting them out in the next election,” Adeke said.

To back the call for Saraki’s resignation, the group gave 10 reasons why Bukola Saraki must resign as the Senate President.


Read the 10 reason below:

1. His failure to declare his assets or falsifying any declaration he did made is a violation of the Code of Conduct for public officers as spelt out in the constitution.  A lawbreaker has no business leading the nation’s law making arm.

2. Revelations of the Panama papers about his offshore assets, which were not declared by the way, are enough reason for Saraki to have done the needful. His co-traveller in the Panama affair and former Icelandic Prime Minister, Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson, has demonstrated what a man does when he compromises his honour but Saraki failed to understand the concept. In this he may want to peruse the National Assembly records for the names of Evan/Evans Enwerem, Chuba Okadigbo and Adolphus Wabara.

3. The truly innocent has nothing to fear in clearing his name before a court but instead of defending himself against the Code of Conduct Tribunal charges he had engaged on an endless trip of judgement shopping as he approached one court after the other, not to clear himself, but to block his trial from holding. In addition to the many charges against him he has endlessly abused the judicial system. We are now the butt of online jokes that say the only court Saraki has not approached to stop his trial is the Basketball Court.

4. The purchase of exotic SUVs for members of the chamber he presides over (in addition to being the chairman of the National Assembly) is a clear indication of his unremorseful attitude and the disdain in which he holds Nigerians. It is enough proof that corruption and wasteful public expenditure are an integral part of his DNA as a public office holder and the fact that the public outcry prior to the act fell on deaf ears confirms he has no iota of regard for what citizens want.

5. Saraki has converted his trial into an avenue for wasting tax payers’ money as the business of the National Assembly is crippled each time he has to appear at the CCT. He has denied mobilizing his colleagues to following him to the trial venue in solidarity but what he has not proven is him telling the other senators to continue with what they were elected and paid to do instead of embarking on their charade. It will be prudent that Saraki resigns and faces his trial as an individual while the other lawmakers face their national assignment without distraction.


6. On top of the outrage the charges against him are generating among Nigerians, Saraki upped the insult to Nigerians by attempting to change the goal post when he and his colleagues futilely attempted to amend the laws, the Code of Conduct Bureau Act and Code of Conduct Tribunal Act, under which he was being tried. Even it was another top politician being tried; attempting to change the laws during the trial has all the hallmark of criminality.

7. In the almost one year he has been the President of the Senate, Saraki has not demonstrated concurrence with the desire and determination of Nigerians to tackle corruption head on. Almost all the Senate/National Assembly action he has presided over tend to be in favour of entrenching corruption.

8. The budget fiasco is confirmation that Saraki is out to strangulate the nation for political leverage. A man that can compromise the well-being of 170 million citizens to save his political career is not to be trusted with the office that Saraki currently occupies.

9. Saraki’s persistence in office in the face of the damning indictments against him is blocking Nigeria’s progress with international partners. They cannot trust that a man with baggage this much presiding over parliament will willingly domesticate treaties that have anti- corruption components. Many agreements between Nigerian and other countries are consequently awaiting activation as these nations bid time to see what we do with her legislative arm.

10. Saraki’s several and latest attempts at using the media to plead political persecution as the reason for his compromised position are unacceptable. His explanations, which should have been saved for the courts, did not factor in all the above enumerated reasons. The combination of all these reasons is enough ground for Saraki to immediately resign and we so demand.

The Senate President is facing a 13-count charge for falsely declaring his assets before the Code of Conduct Bureau.

He is currently being tried by the Code of Conduct Tribunal under the chairmanship of Danladi Umar who has just been exonerated by the Economic and Financial Crimes commission (EFCC).

https://www.naij.com/809124-read-10-reasons-bukola-saraki-must-resign.html?source=index_trending

Eniola Akinkuotu
THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested the Director of Finance of the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Senator Nenadi Usman, for allegedly receiving N2.5bn from the Central Bank of Nigeria.
A top official of the EFCC, who confided in The PUNCH, said the former minister was arrested on Thursday in Abuja.
All funds that came from the Presidency during the campaign were believed to have come through Usman.
Usman, who is also a former Minister of State for Finance, had been on the radar of the EFCC for several weeks but she travelled out of the country on March 13, 2016 thereby stalling investigations.
According to impeccable sources at the anti-graft agency, N4bn was transferred from the account of the CBN into a mysterious account known as the Ministry of External Affairs Library.
The mysterious account was believed to be a conduit put in place by the Office of the National Security Adviser on the instructions of the Presidency.
From the mysterious account, N2.5bn was said to have been transferred to the company account of Usman while N140m cash was allegedly paid into her Zenith Bank account with number, 1000158311, domiciled in 7 Kachia Road, Kaduna.
The said transfer was said to have taken place in January 2015, during the build-up to the last presidential election.

The PUNCH had reported in March that Usman, on the instructions of a former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih, transferred different sums of money to several individuals and interest groups during the build-up to the last general elections.
Usman allegedly transferred money to several persons through the bank account of a company, Joint Trust Dimension Nigeria Limited.
Through the said account, the Director of Publicity of the Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, received N840m.

According to the documents sighted by our correspondent, the money was deposited into Fani-Kayode’s Zenith Bank account, Maitama branch with account number 1004735721 on February 19, 2015.
EFCC sources said a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, Chief Olu Falae, received N100m through a company, Marreco Limited, where he is chairman.

The fund was credited into the company’s United Bank for Africa Plc account number 1000627022.
About N320m was also paid into the bank account of the Goodluck Support Group, an association of over 100 pro-Jonathan groups headed by Jonathan’s Special Adviser on Political Affairs, Prof. Rufai Alkali.
However, many of the recipients of the money said they did not know that the funds emanated from the CBN as they were told by Usman that they were sourced privately.
A detective at the EFCC described Usman’s arrest as a breakthrough, adding that she would be able to shed more light on the controversy.

He said, “A lot of people who received money during the campaign claimed to have received money from Nenadi Usman. Since she was in charge of funds, she will be able to list the names of those who collected money and if the money was approved by Jonathan.
“There is no part of the constitution which gives the CBN the right to fund a political party. Usman must therefore tell us why the CBN gave her money.”
It was gathered that the former Finance Minister was being interrogated at the EFCC headquarters as of the time of filing this report.

Meanwhile, the EFCC has also traced N316m to the company account of the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Mr. Clement Iloh.

Our correspondent learnt that Iloh was currently in the EFCC custody as part of investigations into the fraud at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency under the leadership of the immediate past Director-General of the agency, Mr. Patrick Akpobolokemi.

A reliable source in the anti-graft agency told our correspondent that the N316m was traced to Iloh’s company account domiciled in Zenith Bank in contravention of Civil Service Rules.

The Civil Service Rules Part I, Fifth Schedule, Section 2 (b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides that, “A public officer shall not, except where he is not employed on a full-time basis, engage or participate in the management or running of any private business, profession or trade, but nothing shall prevent a public officer from engaging in farming.”

The source, who did not want his name in print, said the permanent secretary was undergoing interrogation at the Lagos office of the EFCC as of Wednesday.

The detective said N14.1m was traced to Iloh’s bank account from NIMASA.
He said, “In the course of investigating the Technical Committee for Ratification of MLC of NIMASA, we traced about N14.1m from NIMASA’s account to a company account belonging to Clement, Bob and Associates domiciled in Zenith Bank. Upon investigations, we found out that the account belonged to the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Dr. Clement Iloh, who is the sole signatory.

He is being investigated because we traced N316m to a company belonging to him.
“The name of the company is Clement, Bob and Associates. Investigations revealed that Iloh is a signatory to the account which is domiciled in Zenith Bank.”

It was learnt that although NIMASA is not under the supervision of the Ministry of Labour and Productivity, the ministry is concerned with relations between workers and employers.

Last year, Iloh as the permanent secretary headed the ministry for several months in the absence of a minister, overseeing labour matters at NIMASA.
The source stated that the EFCC traced some money from what he called ‘maritime lab



http://www.punchng.com/n2-5bn-fraud-efcc-arrests-jonathans-campaign-director-nenadi-usman/

The embattled Senate President Bukola Saraki trial continued at noon on Monday, April 18th with the prosecution introducing tendered bank checks and other banking documents as evidence of payments for a property bought from the Presidential Implementation Committee on Landed Property. Mr. Saraki is facing charges of corruption and false asset declaration at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).



President of the Senate Bukola Saraki
The lead prosecuting attorney, Rotimi Jacobs, questioned the lead witness for the evidence Michael Wetkas, an official with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Mr. Wetkas told the court how Mr. Saraki purchased a property located at 15A Macdonald in Ikoyi, Lagos State using a company named Tiny Tee Ltd as a front for his transaction.

Mr. Wetkas told the court that Mr. Saraki did not declare plots 15A or 15B as his property and that when the EFCC verified the records from the Presidential Implementation Committee, they found that the properties had been sold to Tiny Tee his company.

The letter to the Implementation Committee on Sale of Federal Government Properties from the EFCC and their response was tendered as evidence in court and admitted.

Mr. Wetkas noted that Tiny Tee paid 75% of the property, which is N123,750,000 from the account of Skyview Properties in Intercontinental Bank now named Access Bank.

However, when the EFCC attempted to locate a draft for the payment from the Presidential Implementation Committee and Access Bank, they could not find any records. Bank officials at Access Bank referred EFCC agents to the Skyview Properties Ltd account, also at Access Bank, where the draft for this property was cleared.

Access Bank, according to Mr. Wetkas, provided the EFCC with records of the banking activity for that account. Associated account and banking information, including the drafts for payment, these records were presented to the court as evidence and accepted.

Mr. Wetkas also revealed in his testimony that the property purchased by Mr. Saraki’s company Tiny Tee was financed from accounts at Access Bank and Guaranty Trust Bank.

It was also learned that multiple payments from bank accounts were paid for the same property, No 17 Macdonald Street in Ikoyi Lagos.

The EFCC investigation into the GTB bank accounts associated with these property purchases found that some were drawn from an account named Carlisle Property and Investment Ltd, which is also known as a front for Mr. Saraki’s business activities.

The EFCC investigation found that a draft of N256,300,000 was drawn as payment for property at No 17 MacDonald from the Carlisle Property account. Another draft amounting to N12,000,800,000 also payment for that No 17 Macdonald. There was also an N24 million payment from a Zenith Bank account of Carlisle Property and Investment, and N4.90m was from Carlisle Property account in GTB.

Another draft was N180m, which was dated  April 5th, 2007 part payment for 17 Macdonald. Another draft of N36,000,135,000 dated  January 10th 2007 drawn from account Carlisle Property account in GTB, which also forms part payment for No 17 McDonald and lastly, another draft for N12 million dated 10th January 2007 also drawn from the account of Carlisle Property in GTB, which also forms part payment for No 17 McDonald, Ikoyi.

Wetkas identified the statement of accounts of Carlisle Property in GTB and Zenith Bank and Assets Declaration Form of Saraki as evidence, and the Court has accepted it as part of the 40 exhibits registered so far by the court.

The defense counsel told the court that he would reserve his objection to the documents tendered until the appropriate time.                                                               

The court then adjourned for 15 minutes to allow Muslim faithful to observe their prayers.


http://saharareporters.com/2016/04/18/code-conduct-corruption-trial-document-expose-sarakis-delicate-web-deceits-and-intrigue

Bukola Saraki has ceased to be a mere fugitive from the long shadow of his own criminal past. He is now a threat to national security. He is actively sabotaging all the three arms of the Nigerian government…from the vantage position of the senate president!


Even after the Supreme Court gave an unambiguous dead end ruling on the validity of the case against him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, he has kept making the rounds of lower cadres of the Nigerian court system, harassing them to oblige him a contradictory verdict on the selfsame matter that the highest court in the land has pronounced upon.

His brazen contempt for and assault on the Nigerian judiciary is unprecedented. He doesn’t pretend to be an importunate suppliant in the temple of justice. He prides himself on the daredevilry of an insurgent sworn to exploding the society!

While he continues his attack on the judiciary, he started a new one on the legislature. He rallied some senators and instigated them to gut the extant laws under which he is being tried at the Code of Conduct Tribunal. The draft ‘amendments’ he means to visit on the Code of Conduct Act and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 will make the laws weaker instruments in the war against corruption.

According to the provisions of the Nigerian constitution, the amendments, if passed, will not have a retroactive effect. And, in the event that they are passed, President Muhammadu Buhari would definitely veto them. But Saraki would not be restrained by the apparent futility of his overreach. He simply wants to please himself with the satisfaction that he had attempted to undermine the war against corruption, one of the core agenda of President Buhari, his presumed persecutor!

In a show of desperation, the feverish kind that can only derive from lust for revenge, Saraki rushed The Code of Conduct Act CAP C15 LFN 2004 (Amendment) sponsored by one of his foremost sidekicks, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi (PDP, Delta North), through the first and second reading within forty eight hours. The bill seeks to whittle down the powers of the Code of Conduct Bureau and the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

Saraki has also slated next Tuesday for the commencement of deliberations on The Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 (Amendment) Bill 2016 (SB249) sponsored by another of his staunch supporter, Senator Isah Misau (APC, Bauchi Central). The bill seeks to delegitimize the use of the Criminal Justice Law in the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

The proceedings of the senate put paid to any doubt that the ‘amendments’ were all about Saraki. When Abdullahi Yahaya (APC, Kebbi North) warned that processing the amendments in the midst of Saraki’s trial would reflect negatively on the image of the Senate, a Saraki ally, Biodun Olujimi (Ekiti South, PDP), answered that the senators had to be Good Samaritans to their needy colleague. She said, ‘’If you don’t assist your neighbor when his house is burning, it will extend to yours.’’

Saraki, a bundle of insecurities himself, had capitalized on the insecurities of his colleagues to deploy them as pawns. He had told them they were potential victims. Buhari could seize some misdemeanor in their history and haunt them for it.

Saraki’s imposed collegial phobia on the senators in order to control them cheaply. His use of them as minions represents his conversion of the Senate of the Federal of Republic of Nigeria to his personal rubber stamp. It is a gesture of dictatorship!

In a healthy democracy, laws are not formulated except in the best interest of the entirety of the citizenry. And amendments to such laws are not proposed save to rid the existing acts in question of their inherent flaws, to enrich their nuance, and to conform them to the progress of societal evolution.

The ‘amendments’ Saraki is ramming through the Senate were not crafted to serve such good purpose. The ‘amendments’ are antithetical to public interest. They clearly run against the prevailing zeitgeist.

They were fashioned to be anti-people and pro-corruption. They will be a hedge around the cult of the corrupt. They will shield looters of public funds from justice. They will nurture impunity.

And these are neither the laws Nigerians need now nor the ones they expect their high maintenance legislators to conjure up. The exposition of the mind-boggling plunder that was routine under past administrations has converted an overwhelming majority of Nigerians into the supporters’ club of anti-graft agencies. Nigerians want laws that would strengthen those agencies.

That Saraki is driving these abominable bills –something a normal man’s sense of civility would ordinarily not allow him to fantasize about –underscores that he has no character. His cynical abuse of his trust as the leader of the Nigerian parliament confirms that he is as unworthy of public service as he is dangerous in public office.

But this ‘amendment’ bid is not Saraki’s first attempt to rig the law. At the beginning of this CCT trial, he had his surrogates float the idea that the immunity clause needs to be reviewed to cover the Senate President and make him untouchable. He dropped the proposal only because Nigerians rose in protest against it.

Saraki, a man whose composite sketch typifies a mosaic of multiple scandals, is the most agitated politician in Nigeria today. The weights of his past baggage are tumbling down on him. They leave him with two options. One is surrender, which would mean his acquiescence to the burial of his present by his past. The other is warfare; fighting a rearguard action to slow the denouement of his tragedy.

His future is bereft of hope. His prospect comprises a trinity of woes: a career apocalypse, the forfeiture of all his fraudulently acquired assets, and a jail term. The fear of the eventuality of the three is the reason why his quest for survival is charged with panic.

Politics is his habitat. His existence elsewhere is inconceivable. His vow never to resign affirms that fact. He fears, justifiably, that stepping down as head of the senate will be the beginning of his downhill slide to oblivion.

He has managed to go the farthest any Nigerian has ever dared in trivializing the judiciary because of the leverage of the Senate Presidency. Without the covering of the aura of Nigeria’s No. 3 man, only his ordinariness will remain. And that ordinariness will serve to amplify the merit of the case of false declaration of assets against, vitiating the veracity of his propaganda of being a victim of political witch-hunt.

Saraki insists on retaining the senate presidency because the senate presidency sustains him. The position is his life support machine. His abdication in Abuja will open his absolute dominion in Kwara state to a viable challenge. It will incentivize the people who have had to endure the Saraki dynastic yoke for decades to maximize his vulnerable moment to snatch their freedom.

His appeal as politician rests on his status as the omnipotent godfather of politics. If he loses his base, he is finished. And he has no path to another career.

He was a failed banker. He fast forwarded the bankruptcy of his father’s bank, Societe General Bank, through relentless looting.

He was a failed governor. He spent the better part of his eight year tenure in Kwara government house funneling state funds into his pocket, shipping some of them to offshore tax havens, and buying himself properties.

As a senator, he was a perennial failure at organizing gift-giving events for his constituents: He would choreograph his ‘charity’ festivals in such a way that his people died in stampedes year after year!

Like his father, Bukola trained as a medical doctor. But he can’t return to medical practice. His memory is clean of the use of a stethoscope!

The ongoing judicial process, if it is fair, will most assuredly culminate in Saraki forfeiting all his stolen assets. He did not earn much of possessions by the sweat of his brow. The confiscation will significantly impoverish him. His crazed fight derives from a determination to avert a monumental loss that would bring him close to destitution.

Saraki foresees a jail term. He knows better than everybody that his conviction is inevitable given the preponderance of evidence against him. He is more eager to stop the trial than hasten it because he fears it will sooner establish his guilt than validate his innocence. He fights this dirty because a conviction and a prison sentence would be as destructive as a death sentence.

He can’t re-enter politics as an ex-convict. He would be a toxic material. Even an Alamieyeseigha kind of pardon won’t make his rehabilitation feasible.

With such an ominous prospect before him, Saraki has too much to fight for. Yet, his dirty fight cannot win him any respite. He has so damaged himself that he cannot escape the injury he inflicted on himself. But the desperado is a threat to national security threat because he is working to bring down the country on his head.

immaugwu@gmail.com
@EmmaUgwuTheMan

http://saharareporters.com/2016/04/18/thief-threat-national-security-emmanuel-uchenna-ugwu

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor, Henry Umoru, Levinus Nwabughiogu, Victor Ahiuma-Young & Omezia Ajayi ABUJA — As controversy continues to dog the budget transmitted by the National Assembly to the Presidency for assent, indications emerged, last night, that President Muhammadu Buhari was still furious with the high level of distortions inflicted on his estimates by the lawmakers. Buhari presents N6.08trn 2016 budget to NASS This came as the Senate, weekend, moved to pacify Southern senators over the controversy surrounding the Calabar-Lagos rail project in the 2016 Appropriation Bill. Also, Nigerian Railway workers have advised the Presidency and the National Assembly to harmonize their positions and ensure the re-inclusion of the Lagos-Calabar railway project in the 2016 budget. Similarly, the South-South chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has expressed strong disavowal to what it claimed as the mutilation by the National Assembly of the 2016 budget proposals and warned the legislators not to derail President  Buhari’s plans for the country. Meantime, the presidency has formally opened talks with the leadership of the National Assembly. Speaking to VANGUARD, last night, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said that there were efforts to reach a consensus on the issue. According to Shehu, the outcome of the meeting between the executive and the legislature would determine the president’s next line of action. He, however, did not know how fast both parties can reach agreement to timely resolve the issue. “It is when we reach a common ground that we will then know the next line of action. For now, the presidency is still talking with them”, he said. New distortions On new distortions found in the budget, the President was said to be considering measures to deal with those who masterminded the budget infractions, thereby drawing back the hands of his administration. The distortions Project                                                   Distortion Lagos-Calabar Rail                          Removed Lagos-Ibadan Exp. Rd                    Reduced by N24bn Second Niger Bridge                       Slashed by N3.9 bn Odukpani-Itu-I/Ekpene Rd         Reduced by N4.3bn Benin-Sagamu Rd                           Reduced by N800m Itakpe-Warri Signalling                  Cut by N302.9m Calabar-Ikom-Obudu Rail           N267m expunged Kano-Damaturu-Ngala Rail         N260m cut            Competent sources said the President became more upset as more stunning revelations emerged that apart from the Calabar-Lagos Railway Project, the National Assembly also expunged other key national infrastructure projects and drastically reduced the votes earmarked for others. According to sources close to the APC  secretariat, Buhari was said to be very furious that the lawmakers virtually re-wrote his budget and transferred cut from national projects to their personal constituency projects, which were neither provided for nor had been taken care of elsewhere. Among the key projects, which capital provisions in the budget were drastically reduced are the Lagos-Ibadan expressway, which votes the lawmakers reduced by a whopping N24 billion; the Second Niger Bridge, which estimate was slashed by N3.9 billion. Similarly, the provision for the reconstruction of the Odukpani-Itu-Ikot Ekpene Road in Akwa Ibom and Cross River states was reduced by N4.3 billion; the votes for the completion of  Benin-Shagamu Road was also reduced by N800 million, while the votes for the Itakpe-Warri Signalling Project was cut by N302.9 million. The NASS completely expunged from the budget the sum of N267 million meant for the design and feasibility studies on a Standard Guage Rail Line for Calabar-Ikom-Obudu and another N260 million slated for the Maiduguri, Kano-Damaturu-Ngala routes. A top APC official, who is close to the Presidency, explained, last night, that it would amount to a disservice to Nigerians for Buhari as the leader of the party, who promised change for the people, to sign such a budget into law. The official maintained that by removing the key infrastructure which the President intended to open up the country and give a new lease of life to Nigerians, the NASS had effectively rendered the budget inoperative and should, therefore, not be signed into law. There were indications, however, that with the return of Buhari to the country on Saturday, the NASS might have decided to reconsider the document in order to avoid negative public opinion, especially given the complaints by most members that only a handful of their members in the Appropriation Committees orchestrated the noticeable infractions without their knowledge. Saraki begs Southern senators Also, strong indications emerged weekend that the Senate was putting in place moves to pacify Southern senators over the controversy surrounding the Calabar-Lagos rail project in the 2016  Appropriation Bill, with Senate President, Bukola Saraki, practically begging Southern senators over the removal of the Calabar-Lagos rail project from the budget. A source told Vanguard that as part of moves to find a common ground on the budget in the interest of Southern senators, Senate President, Bukola Saraki, met with Southern senators in his office, last Thursday evening, with the Chairman of Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Danjuma Goje, APC, Gombe Central, and some members of the committee. It was resolved at the meeting that there was need to look at the areas of concern since the Calabar-Lagos railway, if accommodated in the budget, would be beneficial to the cities and towns the proposed  project would have its routes. According to a source at the meeting, the Senate President asked the appropriation committee to find a soft-landing for the executive on the proposed project for the overall interest of the states the rail line would pass through and Nigeria in general. The source, who was privy to some of the issues raised at the meeting, told Vanguard that Senator Goje promised that his committee would give the proposal an accelerated approval, if President  Buhari sent it to the Senate as a supplementary budget. It was also gathered that the Southern senators told the Senate President that if the project was eventually accommodated in the 2016 budget, places such as Ijebu-Ode in Ogun State; Ore in Ondo State; Benin in Edo State; Agbor; Sapele; Warri; Ughelli, all in Delta State; Onitsha in Anambra State; Yenegoa in Bayelsa; Port Harcourt in Rivers State, among others, would benefit from it to boost their development. It would be recalled that senators from the Southern part of Nigeria last Wednesday asked President Muhammadu Buhari not to give his assent to the 2016 Appropriation Bill that had been passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives until both chambers agreed to include the Calabar-Lagos rail project in the budget. According to the Southern senators, the call for the supplementary budget was an attempt to deny the south an opportunity to enjoy a viable rail project. The resolution came after both federal legislators from the South West, and South South geopolitical zones met in their caucus levels last Tuesday night and resolved to resist any attempt to deny their people the viable project. While the South South, South East senators met at undisclosed locations outside the National Assembly complex, South West senators had met at the residence of Senator Gbenga Ashafa, APC, Lagos East. Railway workers react Meanwhile, Nigerian Railway workers weekend in Lagos, advised the Presidency and the National Assembly, to harmonize their positions and ensure the re-inclusion of the Lagos-Calabar railway project in the 2016 budget. Acting under the platform of Nigeria Union of Railway Workers, NUR, the workers urged the National Assembly, its committees and the executive arm of government to desist from further trading of blames and resolve the Lagos – Calabar railway project issue for the sake of Nigerians. The union in a statement signed by the Secretary General, Segun Esan, said: “The Presidency and the National Assembly should stop any further bickering and blame game that is going on in the media as a result of the alleged removal or non-inclusion of the Lagos-Calabar railway project in the 2016 budget. Such blame game will not help us as a nation but rather will portray us as unserious people. The only patriotic and honest thing to do now is for the executive and the legislative arms to come together and clear the project for inclusion in the budget.  No two ways about that.” South-South APC warns NASS In a similar vein, the South-South chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, has expressed strong disavowal to what it claimed as the mutilation by the National Assembly of the 2016 budget proposals and warned the legislators not to derail President Muhammadu Buhari’s plans for the country. A statement issued by the national vice-chairman of the party,  South-South, Prince Hillary Eta, while condemning the complete deletion of the Calabar-Lagos rail project weekend, also accused the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation of wanting to disrupt the rehabilitation of the Calabar-Ikot Ekpene road. The statement alleged that N5 billion of the N6 billion voted for the project was removed and taken to non-existent projects in Kano State, in the constituency of  Abdulmumin Jibrin, chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation. The chapter thus vowed to take legal action against the National Assembly on the issue. Eta in a statement issued at the weekend, said:  “We are very upset that our representatives in the National Assembly would discard decorum and hinder progressive change by acting at variance with the infrastructure development agenda of the APC-led federal government.” ‘’The arbitrary removal of the Lagos – Calabar rail track by the National Assembly from the 2016 budget is a display of depraved indifference to the welfare of Nigerians. The deletion is not just arbitrary; it is a big disservice to the people of Nigeria, particularly the South South zone which the proposed railway track would have traversed. “Also, the total rehabilitation of the collapsed and terrible Calabar – Odukpani –Itu – Ikot Ekpene federal highway which was allotted six billion naira by the federal government in the budget was doctored and almost five billion naira removed and reallocated to a non-existent project in the constituency of the Chairman of the House of Representatives Appropriation Committee, Abdulmumin Jibrin, in Kano state. “By these two acts, the Senate and House of Representatives displayed the astonishing contempt in which they hold Nigerians. The National Assembly exists to ensure that Nigerians get the best from their government using the instrument of purposeful legislation but the 8th Assembly by this budget padding debacle has not only brought itself to ridicule, it has also proved itself unworthy of the trust and confidence of Nigerians. “It is pertinent to at this point conduct a re-examination of the powers of the legislature to establish if really it has the power to doctor and alter projects or totally remove them from the budget even after the Minister under whose ministry the said projects fell under had credibly defended them and justified their inclusion. “As a Party in the South South zone, we make public our disenchantment with the National Assembly and we are particularly disappointed by the Chairman of the Senate Appropriation Committee, Senator Danjuma Goje and his counterpart in the House of Representatives, Honourable Abdulmumin Jibrin who directly supervised and even actively abetted such debauchery. “The South South zone of the All Progressives Congress demands that the budget be reverted to its original form and all the development projects conceived and included in the budget by the federal government be retained without alteration. We also advise the legislature to refrain from giving the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari a bad image by attempting to deprive Nigerians of the dividends of democracy under any guise. “Lastly, we shall approach the courts of the land for a clear interpretation of the role of the National Assembly in the passing of the National Budget as it is evident that it overstepped its bounds by unnecessarily tinkering with the budget when its constitutional duty is mainly supervisory. “It is time we Nigerians begin to show a keen interest in the affairs of the legislature as only that can put a stop to the kind of shady alterations that the budget was subjected to while it was being evaluated by the National Assembly.”  

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/04/2016-budget-logjam-presidency-uncovers-infractions/

PLANS by President Mu­hammadu Buhari’s adminis­tration to make the agricul­tural sector its main focus in the face of the dwindling oil economy appear to have suffered a setback as fresh revelations hint of a drastic reduction in the allocation to the sector in the 2016 budget passed by the Na­tional Assembly.

Aside the ministry’s N40.918 billion budget proposal that was reduced to N31.618 billion by the National Assembly, the law­makers allegedly inserted fresh 386 projects worth N12.6. billion.

A member of the House of Representatives Appro­priation Committee from the South, who expressed worry at the development, pledged to activate the nec­essary machinery to ensure a probe was instituted to unravel how fresh projects were allegedly injected without the knowledge of the entire membership of the committee.

The source said: “We are happy that the speaker hinted that the issue of the budget will be revisited this week. But what some of us want is the understanding of Nigerians on this matter.

“The issue of this con­troversial budget has to be carefully done this time around, because some per­sons who think they were smarter had already led the entire parliament into colli­sion with the executive and indeed Nigerians.

“They have done this by inserting projects without the knowledge of others ei­ther in the appropriation or relevant sectoral commit­tees and presenting same as the collective decision of the house or the entire par­liament.

“To the best of my knowl­edge, as a member of both the appropriation and agri­culture committees in the House of Representatives, I did know that we reduced the ministry’s N40.9 billion proposal by about N9.3 bil­lion.

“But the surprise here is that while a decision was not taken where to infuse the reduced sum, some of us were surprised to see that so many projects were passed on to the president for as­sent, which he declined.

“The implication is that if the president did not insist on details, most National Assembly members would not have had the opportu­nity to know what went be­hind them.

“For instance, in the agric sector, which I am conver­sant with, 386 projects unknown

to many of us were inserted, and totaled about N12.6 billion.

“Out of this, while N5.3 billion of the main ministry’s budget was taken away, about N7.2 billion was infused into almost 40 agencies and parastatals of the Agric Ministry.

“We agree that we reduced the budget, but who infused these bogus sums into the projects without the knowledge of others is the question here. So, I am poised to raise the issue when we meet because it is betrayal of many angles.

“This is more so that looking at the N7.2 billion infused into the agencies, only a paltry sum of N2.3 billion was allocated to the South, while the remaining N4.3 was allocated to the North.”

http://sunnewsonline.com/fresh-crisis-looms-in-nass/

– Governance in Nigeria is reaching new heights since the coming of President Muhammadu Buhari to power

– The president’s decision to declare his assets publicly was well applauded by all and sundry

– Some of his appointees are now following suit

The executive secretary, Nigeria Extractive Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Waziri Adio, today, April 13, declared his assets publicly.

Adio, 47, was appointed as the NEITI boss about a month ago by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Giving reasons why he declared his assets, Adio said as the head of a transparency and accountability agency, he believes he needs to model the values the agency espouse.


He went on give other reasons saying, ”nothing forbids public disclosure; non-disclosure makes the exercise a hollow act; we need to be the change we seek.”

Adio also stated that he believes all public officers should declare their assets publicly.

According to Adio, he decided to take this action based on the examples laid by President Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, minister of solid minerals; Kayode Fayemi and Senator Shehu Sani among others.

Part of Adio’s assets includes stakes in an online news website; The Cable, an Abuja-based magazine; The Metropole and a bakery in the city.

He also listed a 1 unit of 3-bedroom bungalow in an estate in suburb of Abuja bought at N17.5m, now valued at N25m; 2 units of 3 bedroom flats in Lambe, Ogun valued at N12m; undeveloped plots (1000sqm) in Iwo, Oyo state valued at N700,000 and a yet-to-be-located 600sqm land in a disputed estate in the state bought at N750,000.

In cash, Adio has N3, 810, 206 in Access Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and the United Bank of Africa (UBA) and also $821 in domicillary accounts in Access and UBA banks.

Adio listed some other assets like his house hold items, generators, shares in banks, vehicles and his wife businesses.

Speaking to NAIJ.com on Adio’s action, a Lagos-based legal practitioner; Kingsley Jephter, praised the NEITI boss for the step he took, while urging other public officials to follow suit

”It is not enough to declare your assets as some of them have done in the past, they should go public with it as Mr Adio has done. This shows that we still have a lot of honest persons in our midst who are ready to serve this nation creditably,” he said.

NAIJ recalls that after President Buhari declared his assets, all the 36 state governors hurriedly did same at the  Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) even though they didn’t declare them publicly.

https://www.naij.com/798063-change-president-buharis-appointee-publicly-declares-assets.html?source=index_trending

Nigerians find a way of inducing humor into everything they say. It is intriguing to know that every sentence is laced with humor. One could feel the sarcasm in their speech; that’s why serious statements become not that serious, more attractive and bring a smile to one’s face. 

Of course, we understand ourselves and still get the major points in the statements.

Here are some typical phrases that reveal the true colorful nature of our nation:

1. Come and be going


Example: It haf do, come and be going.

Like seriously? How can you say come and be going at the same time? Nigerians say this when they want a person to leave.

2. I ‘kuma’ went there
Example: “They didn’t return the money, I kuma went there o.”

Only God knows when this became an English word. Nigerians say it when they mean conclusively or eventually. It depicts the final turn out of things.

3. I have ‘sha’ said my own
Example: “If you like answer, I have sha said my own.”

When you hear this, the speaker means his or her opinion has been stated firmly. In addition to this, the speaker becomes unbothered about the change of event.

4. I’m coming
Example: “Just wait here, I’m coming.”

How could you say you are coming when you are actually leaving the place? Most people say this when they ought to say ‘I’ll be right back.’ This contradicting clause is hilarious.

5. I cannot come and kill myself
Example: “I’ve called and called them, I cannot come and kill myself.”

This reflects their attitude when being frustrated. It is a typical Nigerian’s way of accepting defeat.

6. Falling my hand

What?

Example: “You just keep falling my hand, it is so annoying”

Nigerians say this when they are disappointed in someone. Pay no attention to the falling hand. It would not drop.

7. Copy copy
Example: “You went to buy the cloth too, copy copy”

This expression is used when the person referred to like doing things other people have done. This means the person lacks originality.

8. Follow follow
Example: “Must you go with them? Follow follow”

People in Nigeria say this when they mean someone is easily influenced.

9. Waka waka
Example: “Waka waka, don’t you ever get tired?”

This is Nigerian’s way of referring to someone who is restless. People who move from one place to the other are often called this.

10. Shaky shaky
Example: Don’t get there and be doing shaky shaky o

This is used when talking about someone who lacks courage.

11. Dey der
You didn’t know, dey der

Example: “I have taken my own now, dey der.”

People often say this when showing their smartness in a situation. This expression suggests that the other person is not moving at the expected pace.

12. How far?
Example: “How far?”

Please make no mistake of thinking you are being asked for the distance of a place. This is our way of saying hello or what is happening

13. He has arrived
Example: “I cannot believe the guy has arrived”

You could get lost in a conversation upon hearing this. The person who is being discussed might not have gone anywhere. We say this when we mean luck has finally smiled on a person.

14. Cast
Example: “And I was here waiting for you, you just cast me”

No one is talking about fishing or news casting. The speaker probably meant he wasted time thinking the situation was what he thought it would have been. It means he was not involved in the decision making.

15. See me see trouble

See me see trouble o

Example: “On top 50 naira change, see me see trouble o”

This simply means unbelievable. But of course, trust Nigerians to be so dramatic about everything.

President Muhammadu Buhari has arrived China on his four days visit to strengthen diplomatic relations between the People’s Republic of China and Nigeria. 


President Buhari being welcomed by Mr Cheng, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs alongside other Senior Chinese Government Officials at the Beijing Capital International Airport on April 11 2016.

According to a statement released by the special adviser to the president on media and publicity, Femi Adeshina, Buhari on his arrival was welcomed by Mr Cheng, assistant minister of foreign affairs alongside other senior Chinese government officials at the Beijing Capital International Airport.

READ ALSO: Exclusive: Presidency denies rejecting 2016 budget

As the president touched down at the airport, he was also welcomed by some Nigerian governors among whom were; Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state, Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun state, and Governor Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe state.


President Buhari being welcomed by L-R: Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, Governor Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe State as President Buhari arrives People’s Republic of China for a State Visit.

The president who departed for China yesterday night is expected to use his visit as an opportunity to secure greater support from Beijing for the development of Nigeria’s infrastructure, especially in the power, roads, railways, aviation, water supply and housing sectors.

READ ALSO: Photos: Kebbi state government signs 2016 budget into law

Prior to his trip Buhari told the Xinhua, Chinese news agency, that Nigeria cannot afford to lose the enormous potential in China-Nigeria economic and trade cooperation.

On trade and economic ties, Buhari added that his government remains committed to contracts signed by Goodluck Jonathan, his predecessor, with Chinese firms on railway, roads and hydroelectric dam projects.

Following his visit, President Buhari would be the first African head of state to have visited China after the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Johannesburg Summit, which is of great importance to both China-Nigeria and China-Africa relations, and draws great attention from both countries and Africa.

https://www.naij.com/795324-breaking-president-muhammadu-buhari-arrives-china-photos.html?source=index_main

– Former minister, Godsday Orubebe’s lawyer pulls stunt in court

– Shouts at the chairman of the CCT

– CCT head asks for apology from defence counsel

Reports reaching us have it that the counsel to Elder Godsday Orubebe, Larry Selekeowei (SAN) did an ‘Orubebe’ at the court on Thursday, April 7.

According to Vanguard, the trial of the former minister over allegations that he falsified his assets declaration in 2007 kicked off on a dramatic note when his lawyer got into a hot exchange of words with the Justice Danladi Umar-led panel of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

Trouble began when the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Mohammed Diri moved to tender into evidence, the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) and the Right of Occupancy (R of O), of Plot ‎No. 2057 Asokoro District Abuja, which Orubebe reportedly failed to declare as his property.

Samuel Madojemu, an investigative officer at the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), was the star witness the federal‎ government brought to testify against the former minister and attempted to tender the documents into evidence before the drama began.

The point when Orubebe’s lawyer was adducing reasons why the documents and an accompanying letter from the Federal Capital Territory Department of Land Administration should not be admitted into evidence was when the unrest started.

One of the judges on the CCT panel, Agwaza Atedze, interjected and asked the defence lawyer to streamline his argument to specific contents of the document before the tribunal, a remark which got ‎Selekeowei really angry and he ‘rudely’ reprimanded the judge.

He ranted in court: “‎Why are you interjecting into my submission like this? I am making a point, you have not even allowed me to land! You are interfering with this proceeding and it is wrong!

“You are the Judge, you should allow me to make my submission while you rule. Allow me do my work, yours is to be neutral. Why are you doing this?”

Justice Umar, chairman of the CCT quickly made efforts to pacify the infuriated lawyer, but like his principal’s drama at the collation centre during the 2015 presidential election, the SAN continued shouting: “I am making a submission and someone is interfering and you expect me to keep quite, that cannot happen!”

The continuous ranting of the legal counsel got the Umar really angry and he asked Selekeowei to tender an open apology for his verbal attack on the bench.

He noted: “Are you not sitting before us. Why are you being rude to us? You must apologise. When there is an interjection you are not expected to rudely shout at a Judge the way you ‎are doing.

“You are a member of the silk, you must respect the bench. You are expected to speak humbly and with humility to the bench no matter what. ‎This is not a place to fight, it is a place to settle dispute in an amicable way.”

And he obeyed promptly by saying: “I apologise, though I still insist that it was wrong for anyone to interject like that.”


https://www.naij.com/791840-like-orubebe-like-lawyer-read-ex-ministers-counsel-justice-court.html?source=breaking

– Senate president, Bukola Saraki’s trial has been adjourned to April 5

– Justice Danlami Umar struck out an application by Saraki’s counsel challenging the jurisdiction of the tribunal

– Some senators were at the tribunal to pledge their solidarity to the Senate president

The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on Thursday, March 24, adjourned the trial of Bukola Saraki, the Senate President till Tuesday, April 5.

Danladi Umar, the presiding judge said there is no rule that said that an individual cannot be charged years after committing an offence.

He therefore struck out the motion to discharge the charges against the Senate President.

“It is not out of place to charge the accused person after thirteen years. After all this consideration, the constitution thereby struck out the motion to dismiss the charges,” he said.

Danladi noted that CCT is a special court, a creation of the constitution itself exclusively to try matters of corruption in public offices, and so the motion has been quashed and struck out.

He therefore ordered that trial of Saraki should continue as charged.

Rotimi Jacobs, the counsel to federal government, however argued that he was ready for the ruling and trial.

READ ALSO: Saraki, Dogara hire 282 aides

He added that the submission is uncalled for because the ruling stated that if they proceed, the trial is ready.

However, Kanu Agabi, counsel to Saraki on the other hand commended the judge on his ruling throughout the case.

He also said that if the case had been adjourned for ruling and consideration, it only meant that the tribunal had made a conclusion.

“We are as anxious as the prosecution is to proceed in this case. People are being convicted on the streets and don’t have a forum to defend themselves,” he added.

After consideration, Umar stated that it has to be adjourned till after the Easter.

He said there are other cases to be attended to, so the case does not have to be rushed into.

He added that it will lead to injustice if the case is rushed into.

However, some senators came to pledge their solidarity to the Senate president. Some of these senators are Dino melaye representing Kogi west senatorial district, Rafiu Ibrahim representing Kwara south senatorial district and Danjuma Goje, the chairman committee on appropriation and Sam Anyawu, the Senate committee chairman on ethics and privileges.

Also in attendance was Abdulaziz Nyako representing Adamawa central senatorial district, Gershom Bassey representing Cross river south senatorial district, Biodun Olujimi representing Ekiti south senatorial district, Phillip Aduda representing the Federal Capital Territory among others.

READ ALSO: CCT trial: Dismiss Saraki’s case, Lawyers urge Justice Umar

On Friday, March 11, Saraki’s ongoing trial was adjourned till Friday, March 18.

After which the case was adjourned till Thursday, March 24.

Saraki has been charged with 13 counts of false declarations of assets while he was the governor of Kwara state.

His case has been ongoing since September 22, 2015.



https://www.naij.com/776069-breaking-sarakis-trial-postponed.html?source=index_main

– A judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja said he will continue with the trial of the spokesperson for the PDP, Olisa Metuh

– Justice Okon Abang told the court that a petition was written against him by one of the defense counsels

– Abang further adjourned the matter to Wednesday, March 23


Olisa Metuh in court

A judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday, March 17, said he will continue with the trial of the spokesperson for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh.

Justice Okon Abang told the court that a petition was written against him by one of the defense counsels, Emeka Etiaba.

But Abang said: “I have a circular from my employer, National Judiciary Council, that where there is an petition seeking a transfer of a matter from a judge, the judge will continue with the case until a decision is taken by the chief judge.

For this reason, I shall continue to preside over this matter until a decision is taken by the chief judge of this court.”

Abang also berated Etiaba’s action stating that the counsel’s action is against the ethical conduct of the profession.

READ ALSO: Metuh loses suit against EFCC on fundamental human rights

He also said that the matter before it have on three occasions being adjourned at the instance of the defendant and for the fourth time will also be adjourned at the instance of the defendant.

Abang further adjourned the matter to Wednesday, March 23, at the instance of the defendant for continuation of trial.

With today’s adjournment, the defendant is left with only one adjournment as five is allowed by the law in a criminal trial.

In a related development, Metuh on Thursday, March 17, petitioned the chief judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Ibrahim Auta over rulings of the court in favour of the prosecution.

At the sitting, the trial judge in the matter, Okon Abang asked the prosecuting counsel and defense counsels if they were aware of a petition against the court from Emeka Etiaba, one of the defense counsels.


https://www.naij.com/767798-judge-insists-continuing-metuhs-trial-despite-petition.html

– A judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja said he will continue with the trial of the spokesperson for the PDP, Olisa Metuh

– Justice Okon Abang told the court that a petition was written against him by one of the defense counsels

– Abang further adjourned the matter to Wednesday, March 23


Olisa Metuh in court

A judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday, March 17, said he will continue with the trial of the spokesperson for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh.

Justice Okon Abang told the court that a petition was written against him by one of the defense counsels, Emeka Etiaba.

But Abang said: “I have a circular from my employer, National Judiciary Council, that where there is an petition seeking a transfer of a matter from a judge, the judge will continue with the case until a decision is taken by the chief judge.

For this reason, I shall continue to preside over this matter until a decision is taken by the chief judge of this court.”

Abang also berated Etiaba’s action stating that the counsel’s action is against the ethical conduct of the profession.

READ ALSO: Metuh loses suit against EFCC on fundamental human rights

He also said that the matter before it have on three occasions being adjourned at the instance of the defendant and for the fourth time will also be adjourned at the instance of the defendant.

Abang further adjourned the matter to Wednesday, March 23, at the instance of the defendant for continuation of trial.

With today’s adjournment, the defendant is left with only one adjournment as five is allowed by the law in a criminal trial.

In a related development, Metuh on Thursday, March 17, petitioned the chief judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, Ibrahim Auta over rulings of the court in favour of the prosecution.

At the sitting, the trial judge in the matter, Okon Abang asked the prosecuting counsel and defense counsels if they were aware of a petition against the court from Emeka Etiaba, one of the defense counsels.


https://www.naij.com/767798-judge-insists-continuing-metuhs-trial-despite-petition.html

– Members of the Coalition of Civil Society Groups staged a protest in Ado-Ekiti

– The protesters accused Governor Ayodele Fayose of failing to run a transparent and accountable government

– They blasted the lawmakers for lying that operatives of the Department of State Services invaded the state House of Assembly

– They said that three lawmakers who were allegedly abducted by the DSS are hiding in Fayose’s house



Members of the coalition of Civil Society Organisations took to the streets of Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital, to protest against lawlessness, corruption and anti-people policies of the Ayodele Fayose administration.

The Nation reports that the protesters accused the governor failing to run a transparent and accountable government and inflicting sufferings on the people.

They also accused the lawmakers for lying that operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) invaded the state House of Assembly. The protesters said that they have since discovered that there was no invasion.

Declaring their support for the anti-corruption campaign of President Muhammadu Buhari, the protesters stressed that all those who stole the nation’s wealth must be punished.

READ ALSO: Fayose accuses Buhari of planning to rig rerun election in Rivers

Members of the coalition called for the governor’s probe over the Ekitigate scandal and alleged ownership of property in Abuja, Ghana, South Africa and Dubai.

During the protest that was staged on Wednesday, March 16, the demonstrators carried placards which read:

“Promoters of treason must pay for their crimes”; “Fayose, when are you going to publicize your assets?”; “Stop demolishing traders’ shops in our state”; “There is nothing like DSS invasion of Assembly”; “Fayose has destroyed Ekiti legacy of honour and integrity”; “Stop using Ekiti youths as thugs while your children enjoy abroad” among others.

Groups which participated include Coalition of Southwest Youths, Ekiti Youth Vanguard, Omoluabi Grassroots Coalition, Coalition of Progressives, Ekiti Progressive Women Alliance and Conference of Nigeria Political Parties.

The protest started at 9.04 am at Okeyinmi and ended at the Ojumose Roundabout, where protest leaders addressed journalists.

READ ALSO: APC chieftain killed in road mishap: Governor Fayose mourns

Adedamola Temitayo, the leader of Ekiti Movement for Progress, said that the governor must account for the N2.4 billion ecological funds allegedly mismanaged under his watch.

Yomi Oso, the coordinator of Movement Against Corrupt Leaders, stressed that the lawmakers who assaulted some judges must not be spared. He called on the appropriate authorities to probe Fayose and some of his aides for alleged crimes against the constitution.

Speaking about the alleged DSS invasion on the House of Assumbly, Dunni Alabi, the leader of Ekiti Progressives Women Alliance, said that the truth has come to light on the purported abduction of four lawmakers. According to her, three of them (Badejo Anifowose, Sina Animasaun and Musa Arogundade) are hiding in Fayose’s house in Afao-Ekiti.

Meanwhile, Governor Fayose, who constantly criticizes Muhammadu Buhari, has condemned the foreign trips embarked on by the president.

According to him, Buhari abandoned governance instead of focusing on security and economic issues affecting Nigeria.


https://www.naij.com/767179-protest-governor-fayose-rocks-ekiti.html

– An NGO says the Senate should never be dragged in the mud over Saraki’s trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal

– Describes the support from the Senate for Saraki as a shame 

– Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara state has dismissed reports that the state government is footing the legal fees of the Bukola Saraki in his ongoing trial at the CCT


File photo of Senator Bukola Saraki coming out of the courtroom after his case was adjourned to March 18.

The clamour for Senator Bukola Saraki to step aside as the Senate president, pending the outcome of the corruption case against him has again taken the forefront after a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Nigerian Diaspora Alliance for Good Governance (NIDAGG), called on Saraki to take a clue from what obtains in developed democracies, by vacating his seat as the Senate president.

READ ALSO: NASS will never cover up corruption – Saraki

According to the Daily Trust, a representative of the group, Abdul Ibiyeye, told journalist over the weekend that considering the nature of the case against Senator Bukola Saraki, stepping down would be the right thing to do as Nigeria is bigger than an individual or a group’s interest.

Ibiyeye said the Senate should never be dragged in the mud because of political interest.

He said: “Considering the nature of the case against him, the Senate president, Senator Bukola Saraki, should by now stand up for what is right. Nigeria is bigger than an individual or a group’s interest. The Senate should never be dragged in the mud because of political interest.

“What we saw in terms of support from the Senate when Saraki appeared in court is a shame and it is turning Nigeria to a laughing stock overseas.

“There is nowhere in the world, except in our country, Nigeria, where you find senators supporting someone accused of corruption.

READ ALSO: Osinbajo stays home due to conflicting schedules with president

 “If Saraki knows that he has no skeleton in his cupboard as regards the case against him, let him vacate the seat of the Senate president and confront the court with worthy evidences to show his innocence. 

Meanwhile, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara state has dismissed reports by an online news platform that the state government’s support for the Senate president, Bukola Saraki in his ongoing trial at the Code Of Conduct Tribunal was responsible for the delay in the payment of salaries of workers.

Governor  Ahmed, according to Vanguard, said that Saraki is fully capable of funding his legal defence and associated costs without recourse to public funds.

https://www.naij.com/763686-cct-saraki-step.html

An investigation by SaharaReporters has exposed the officials of Nigeria’s Ministry of Justice who collaborated with lawyers representing Senate President Bukola Saraki to obtain a controversial adjournment by filing a motion challenging the jurisdiction of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) to try the senator.

At a session of CCT yesterday, Mr. Saraki’s lead lawyer, Kanu Agabi, obtained a weeklong adjournment by claiming that he had filed a motion on March 4, 2016, contesting the tribunal’s jurisdiction. However, several officials of the Ministry of Justice, as well as a staff member of the CCT, told SaharaReporters that Mr. Agabi’s purported motion was a carefully orchestrated scam to scuttle the Senate President’s trial. “The so-called motion Agabi talked about was never served on the tribunal. And as such the lead prosecutor [to the tribunal] was never made aware of the motion,” a lawyer with the Ministry of Justice declared. He added: “The whole thing was a ruse, and it was calculated to ridicule the judicial process and scuttle the Senate President's trial.”

After a report by SaharaReporters exposed the fact that the tribunal’s secretary was also not aware of Mr. Agabi’s so-called motion, an investigation by the Federal Government found that Mr. Saraki and his lead lawyer colluded with the Solicitor-General of the Federation and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, Taiwo Abidogun, as well as the Director of Public Prosecutions, Mohammed Sa'idu Diri, to hide the motion secretly filed at the Ministry of Justice. The judicial officials colluded with Mr. Saraki and his lawyers to hide the motion from the tribunal and the lead prosecutor, Rotimi Jacobs.

A highly placed security source told SaharaReporters that investigators had obtained records of phone conversations between Mr. Saraki and Mr. Abidogun discussing strategies for scuttling the corruption case against the senator, who for eight years was the governor of Kwara State. Part of the said conversation centered on the need to hide the motion from the tribunal. The investigator disclosed that Mr. Saraki used two phone numbers, 0802 454 4666 and 0810 451 2566, as he engaged in several conversations with Mr. Abidogun, whose phone number is 0803 316 4271.

Our source revealed that Mr. Abidogun claimed that he had informed the chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, Justice Danlami Umar, that a motion challenging the CCT’s jurisdiction had been filed and served on his tribunal. Justice Umar was observing the lesser hajj in Saudi Arabia at the time.

Our investigation revealed that, shortly after the deal was struck, Mr. Abidogun called Mr. Jacobs to a meeting and asked the prosecutor to “cooperate,” asserting that the Ministry of Justice had decided to bring an end to Mr. Saraki’s trial.

Our security source claimed that once Mr. Abidogun and Mr. Diri arranged to fraudulently thwart Mr. Saraki’s trial, they assured the senator that the case was as good as “finished.” That assurance explained why Mr. Saraki was upbeat when he arrived at the tribunal yesterday. 

Another lawyer at the Ministry of Justice told SaharaReporters that it was obvious that Mr. Saraki’s lawyers had connived with a few top officials of the ministry to thwart the case because Abubakar Malami, SAN the Minister for Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation had minuted on the motion and instructed the DPP to respond to the motion at least 48 hours before he departed to London for a conference. “Justice Umar ought to have thrown ought the motion and commenced with the trial since [Mr. Agabi’s] motion was improperly filed,” said the lawyer. Instead of dismissing the motion, Justice Umar said he would hear the motion next Friday before proceeding with the trial.

When SaharaReporters contacted the Solicitor General, he feigned ignorance about the issues. At first, he claimed that Mr. Agabi’s motion was not served on him but on the Ministry of Justice. He also indicated that the Attorney General was traveling. Asked why, as Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary, he did not know that something was amiss with the case, he answered that he simply did not know. When our correspondent asked if he had ever been in contact with Senator Saraki about the issue, he claimed he had never met or spoken to Mr. Saraki, a claim that is at odds with what investigators told SaharaReporters. 

This website had revealed that Mr. Saraki’s recruited his new lead lawyer, Mr. Agabi,  because he had hired Justice Umar to work at his law practice  in Calabar when the judge was a fledging lawyer. Mr. Agabi, a former Attorney General and Minister of Justice under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, had also recruited Mr. Jacobs to work with him during his tenure in the cabinet. 


http://saharareporters.com/2016/03/12/nigeria’s-solicitor-general-director-public-prosecutions-fingered-plot-scuttle-saraki’s

The age of ‘youth’ has for too long been seen as an age of much strength and vigour channeled into foolishness, however, the times have changed and knowledge has increased. The world has experienced innovations and exploits in various facets of life, championed by young people.

Hence, following the trend of this age in which the youths or young people as some may term them, are doing greater things than their fathers and generations before them, many nations have thought it wise to place trust in the capabilities of their young people to actualise the transformation agenda.

It is in this light that a nation like the US continued in its tradition of believe in youths, by giving Barack Obama the mandate to rule. As of the time of his inauguration on Tuesday, January 20, 2009, the brilliant Obama was only aged 47 years, 169 days.


Prior to Obama, the US had some other younger people like Theodore Roosevelt (42), John F Kennedy (43), Bill Clinton (46), and Ulysses S. Grant (46). There were a couple of others between the ages of 47 and 50; while the oldest elected president was Ronald Reagan who was 69 at time of his inauguration.

It must be stressed that this piece goes way beyond Obama and the United States, because there are many other countries in world with a good history of being ruled by young people. However, the US seem the most consistent of all.

And while we cannot say that all the young leaders around the world are doing fantastically well, we would agree that the majority of them have caused great changes that stirred their nations towards the positive light.

Some of the outstanding young leaders in the world include Xavier Bettel, Prime Minister of Luxembourg (41),  Xavier Bettel, Prime Minister of Luxembourg (41) Matteo Renzi, Prime Minister of Italy (40) Moussa Mara, Prime Minister of Mali (39) Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, Prime Minister of Iceland (39) Charles Michel, Prime Minister of Belgium (39) Atifete Jahjaga, President of Kosovo (39 ) Taavi Rõivas,  Prime Minister of Estonia (35); not forgetting the youngest- Kim Jong-Un,  Supreme Leader of North Korea (31).

Now bringing it down home to Nigeria, the military era saw a rule by very young individuals; and many analysts argue that the era was a very prosperous one especially when compared to most of the civilian dispensations. For instance, a recent survey by Nairametrics has revealed that former military president of Nigeria, late General Sani Abacha, performed more than every other Nigerian ruler since 1999 with the capital expenditure against the recurrent expenditure.

Back to age playing a role in the growth of the era, statistics shows that asides from Abacha who was 50 when he assumed power,and the caretaker government of General Abdulsalami Abubakar who was 56 at the time; the oldest of Nigeria’s military rulers was 44; and that was between General Olusegun Obasanjo and General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida.

Others were between 30 and 40, and asides the troubles that accompanies dictatorial government, most Nigerian military rulers  performed optimally; hence debunking all the usual rubbish about the youth age.

Again this piece is not to make a statement for the military era nor was it written to stir debate over what system of rule best serves Nigeria.

Down to the era of presidents, Goodluck Jonathan remains the youngest Nigerian president and he was 53 when he assumed office. Jonathan is closely followed by Shehu Shagari who was 54 when he assumed office in 1979.

The late Yar’Adua was about 56 when he took over on May 29, 2007; other Nigerian presidents were over sixty when they came into office. Hence, let me note at this point that for this piece, our yardstick for youth or young as some would term it, is anyone below the age of 60.

This yardstick has been set, having taken into consideration the average age of all those who have ruled Nigeria both past and present. However, you will be fascinated at the age of these top seven candidates who have been chosen based on their works, achievements and outstanding records.

7.  Adeniyi Olusegun

This journalist was born in Ile-Ife on November 6, 1965. He chairs that editorial board of This Day newspapers and was a former presidential spokesman for the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

He holds a BSc in International Relations from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife with a Masters in International Law and Diplomacy (MILD) from the University of Lagos in 1997.

He was also a Fellow at the Weatherhead Centre  for International Affairs, Harvard University where he spent the 2010/2011 academic session. He conducted his research on the factors that shape incumbent presidential elections in Africa.

This astute journalist and learned fellow is a founding member of the National Stakeholder Working Group of the Nigeria Extractive Transparency  Initiative (NEITI).

He is married with three children, have written numerous papers and books, most prominent of which is Power, Politics and Death: A front-row account of Nigeria under the late President Yar’Adua.

In 1992, he won the Jakande Prize or Political Reporter of the Year at Nigeria Media Merit Awards (NMMA).

6. Kayode Fayemi

Born on February 9, 1965, John Olukayode Fayemi, is the former governor of Ekiti state and a native of Isan-Ekiti in Oye local government of Ekiti state.

A well read fellow, he attended Christ’s School Ado Ekiti from 1975-1980 and received degrees in History, Politics and International Relations from the Universities of Lagos and Ife in Nigeria and his Doctorate in War Studies from the prestigious King’s College, University of London, England, specializing in civil-military relations.

His research and policy interests include: Democratisation, Constitutionalism, Security Sector Governance, and Regionalism in the Global Context.

Fayemi ran for the Ekiti state governorship in the 2007 elections on the platform of the Action Congress party.

The Action Congress of Nigeria party formed as an amalgamation of the Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD) by the loyalists of the vice president Abubakar Atiku, the faction of the AD being led by Chief Adebisi Akande and believed to be loyal to Lagos State Governor Bola Tinubu, the Movement for the Restoration and Defence of Democracy (MRDD), a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), as well as some smaller political parties.

Fayemi has headed many organizations, including the Centre for Democracy & Development. He was also a technical expert to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on small arms and light weapons and United Nations Economic Commission of Africa on governance issues.


A member of the Africa Policy Advisory Panel of the British Government. At other times he has served as a consultant to the OECD on Security Sector Reform and chaired the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative’s Committee of Experts on developing guiding principles and mechanisms of constitution making in Commonwealth Africa.

He is noted as the first governor in this present political dispensation in Nigeria to openly declare his seven hundred and fifty million naira assets, which included those of his wife, Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi.

His former deputy, late Funmilayo Olayinka, also declared her assets with that of her husband’s, including cash in local and foreign banks, buildings, undeveloped property, vehicles, business enterprises and household items, which totaled one billion, two hundred million naira.

It is also on record that Fayemi was the first governor in Nigeria to sign into law the Freedom of Information Act on Monday, July 4, 2011.

5. Senator Shehu Sanni

This Nigerian lawmaker was born on October 29, 1967. He is an author, a playwright and a renown human rights activist.

He is the president of the Civil Right Congress of Nigeria (CRCN) and the chairman of Hand-in-Hand, Africa.

He was a leading figure in the struggle for the restoration of democracy in Nigeria.

The senator has experienced incarceration by past successive military regimes in Nigeria. He was released from life imprisonment when democracy was restored in Nigeria in 1999. He contested and won the Kaduna Central Senatorial District on March 28, 2015.

Sani was born in Tudun Wada Kaduna. He had his primary schooling at Local Government Education Authority (LGEA), Badarawa, and Kaduna between 1975 and 1980.

The legislator enrolled at Government Day Secondary school, Kagara, Niger State 1980–1984 and proceeded to Government Science College School, Kagara, Niger state.

He gained admission into the Kaduna Polytechnic in 1984, to study Agricultural Engineering up to HND level, in 1993.

In September 4, 2015, he became the first and only Nigerian senator to declare his assets publicly after President Muhammadu Buhari.

He is a very prolific playwright and writer with many awards to show for his ingenuity. To his many accolades is the title “Hero of Democracy” an award bestowed by Tell Magazine.

4. Mallam Nuhu Ribadu

He rose to fame due to the way he carried out his duties while serving as the pioneer Executive Chairman of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), under the Chief Olusegun Obasanjo administration.

Nuhu Ribadu who was born 21 November 1960 also served as the Chairman of the Petroleum Revenue Task Force.

An erudite scholar in his own right, he studied law at Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, Kaduna state from 1980 until 1983, receiving a Bachelor of Laws degree.

He was called to Bar in 1984, following a year at the Nigerian Law School.  He also earned a Master of Law degree from the same university.

In April 2009, he became a visiting fellow at the Center for Global Development.

He is also a TED Fellow and a Senior Fellow in St Antony’s College, University of Oxford, UK.

Ribadu was forced into exile from 2009, following some controversies within the Nigerian police force. In 2010 when he returned to Nigeria and declared his intention to run for President of Nigeria under the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

On Friday, 14 January 2011, Nuhu Ribadu was adopted as the presidential candidate of the ACN.

In August 2014, He defected to the ruling party PDP with the intention to run for the Governorship of Adamawa State, North East Nigeria.

Ribadu told the BBC on 20 October 2006, that over 380 billion dollars had been stolen or wasted by Nigerian governments since independence in 1960.

Under his administration as boss of the EFCC, the antigraft agency charged prominent bankers, former as well as serving state governors, ministers, Senate presidents, high-ranking political party members, commissioners of police, and “419” gang operators.

According to reports, the EFCC issued thousands of indictments and achieved about 270 convictions.

The conviction and jailing of his boss, the then Inspector-General of the Nigerian police force, Tafa Balogun, was one notable case of his era as boss of the EFCC.  Tafa was made to return £150 million under a plea bargain.

Ribadu received the World Bank’s 2008 Jit Gill Memorial Award for Outstanding Public Service, for having led a courageous anti-corruption drive in Nigeria, as Head of the EFCC.

3. Dr Akinwunmi Adesina

Former minister of Agriculture and rural development, and current president of the African Development  Bank (ADB), Adesina is a man with an enviable record.

Prior to his appointment as minister in 2010, he was Vice President of Policy and Partnerships for the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).

Born to an Ogun state farmer, Adesina toed a line of business which he was all too familiar with. He received a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Ife (Obafemi Awolowo University) and a PhD in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University (1988).

Adesina worked at the Rockefeller Foundation after winning a fellowship from the Foundation as a senior scientist in 1988.

He was the representative of the Foundation for the southern African area from 1999 to 2003, when he began to serve as associate director for food security until 2008.

He was named as Forbes African Man of the Year for his reform of Nigerian agriculture. He introduced more transparency into the fertiliser supply chain, and  also said that he would give away mobile phones to farmers but this proved too difficult. One of the reasons was the lack of a mobile network in many rural areas where agrarian societies thrive.

He is the first Nigerian in history to be President of the African Development Bank.

In 2007, he was awarded the YARA Prize for the African Green Revolution in Oslo. A year after, Purdue University’s College of Agriculture gave him their Distinguished Agricultural Alumni Award.

Two years afterwards, Adesina was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters by Franklin and Marshall College, and in 2013, he was named as Forbes African Person of the Year.

Silverbird Television gave him an Extraordinary Achievement Award on May 5, 2015.

2. Sullivan Iheanacho Chime

He was governor of Enugu state between 29 May 2007 and  29 may 2015. Sullivan was born on 10 April 1959 at Park Lane Hospital, GRA, Enugu, Enugu state.

The father of five attended the College of Immaculate Conception (CIC) in Enugu for his secondary education (1971 – 1976).

He went on to study for a law degree at University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, graduating in 1980.

Sullivan then enrolled at the Nigerian Law School, Lagos and graduated on 10 July 1981, when he was called to the bar.

He  ran a private legal practice in Enugu for about 17-years, serving as secretary of Nigeria Bar Association, Enugu branch for two years(1992 – 1994).



Later, he was appointed special adviser (Legal Matters) to the Governor of Enugu State, Dr Chimaroke Nnamani. In 2001, he was appointed Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice of Enugu State.

While in office, Mr Chime favoured a 4-point agenda for development: Physical Infrastructure, Economic Expansion and Employment, Rural Development and Service Delivery.

Under his administration, Enugu state was declared the state with the least crime rate, and one of the safest places in Nigeria.

1. Donald Duke

If there is one politician with an impeccable record, then Donald Duke is the man that fits that status.

Born in Calabar on September 30, 1961, he served as Governor of Cross River state, from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007.

Records reveal that his father, Henry Etim Duke is the second indigenous (after Ayodele Diyan) and longest ever serving Comptroller

General (then referred to as Chairman board of Customs and excise duties) of the Nigeria Customs service.

Duke exudes great brilliance and that is all thanks to his professional training.

He received an LLB degree in 1982 from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, the B.L in 1983 from the Nigerian Law School, Lagos and

the L.L.M. in Business Law and Admiralty in 1984 from University of Pennsylvania. He is indeed a learned fellow.



Donald Duke is reported to have spearheaded the incumbent debt of Nigeria, pushing for democracy and against military control.

In one of his ever brilliant and charismatic speeches, he said: “What got the military out of power was not democracy but the dreadful state of the economy. If we, the democratic government, cannot deliver food for the mass of people we can forget about democracy.”

Duke has been praised for his contributions to the fields of agriculture, urban development, government, environment, information and communication, investment drive, and tourism.

While serving as governor, Calabar was seen as the “cleanest city in Nigeria.”, a quality that is still maintained years after he left office.

Under his leadership, the idea of the Obudu Ranch International Mountain Race was created, and the race grew to become one of the most lucrative mountain running competitions in the world.

Donald Duke was the brain behind the Tinapa Resort project as a way to boost business and tourism in the state.

The project cost over $350 million on initial development before phase 1 opened in April 2007.

He proposed to run for president in the 2007 presidential election, however, he stepped aside in favour of the eventual winner, Umaru Yar’Adua.

According to a 2006 report by the BBC, Governor Duke was the only governor specifically mentioned as not being under investigation by the EFCC (Four other governors were also reported as not under investigation but their names were not released.)

In conclusion, a careful observer would notice that no female was on the list. This was done deliberately, Naij.com would love to know your choices of women or ladies who you believe have the capability to rule Nigeria.

Also for those who have noticed that the people on the list above are about 50 and slight above 50-years. Hence, Naij.com would also like to know you top five people 40-years and below, who you deem fit to oversee the affairs of Nigeria.


https://www.naij.com/759751-the-future-of-nigeria-top-7-young-nigerians-who-can-be-president-pictured.html

We sincerely hope and pray that the current re-organisation of NNPC will bring about departure from the past era of Corruption, ineptitude, mal-administration and sabotage by stooges across all boards

9ja shall be great again

Sometimes we are tested. Not to show our weaknesses, but to discover our strengths. It is after you may lose or fail, that you find the strength within and come back stronger than ever.

Let go and just let life happen the way it’s supposed to. Sometimes the situations you can't change, end up changing you. When you thought you were at a loss, in reality you were being led to something better.

Where you are today is no accident. God is using the situation you are in right now to shape you and prepare you for the place He wants to bring you into tomorrow. Trust Him with His plan, even if you don't understand. In the end, it will all make sense May Allah forgive us and grants us jannah Firdaus! Amin.

Jumu@ mubarak

Photos: Lawyer exposes Wike's N450 mobile office

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state may have courted fresh trouble following a recent revelation by a Port Harcourt-based lawyer, Charles Aholu.

According to the lawyer, the Rivers governor allegedly spent N450 million on the three luxury vehicles he just acquired as mobile offices


The mobile office of Governor Wike spotted at a recent event.

According to him, the vehicles were first noticed at the interdenominational Thanksgiving Service held last Sunday at the Yakubu Gowon stadium and have been valued at N150 million each.

https://www.naij.com/749569-trouble-looms-gov-wike-lawyer-exposes-n450m-mobile-office-photos.html

Someone should tell #Dasuki and his lawyer to stop asking for frivolous injunctions and applications in the name of he has been granted bail and he wants to enforce his Bail by force. Even in saner climes and the so called United states keep detainees for years without trial most especially in #Guantanamo Bay. Critiques have said a lot both within and outside USA for it to be closed but their appeals have fall on deaf ears. Why because those been detained are threats to USA or have done something heinous to warrant them been kept despite their own Rule of law.

A man has been ordered to notify police officers every time he plans to have sex in North Yorkshire, England, UK.

The unidentified man has to contact local police officers when he intends to have sexual activity of any kind and provide the woman’s name, even if it’s one-night stand, at least one day in advance.

The unusual restricitons were imposed on the man, who is believed to be unsafe for the public, while the court is considering whether to make a full sexual risk order or not.

READ ALSO: Man Calls Police To Force Girlfriend Have Sex With Him (PHOTO)

Besides, the man should inform about every device he owns, including phones, laptops and other that can access the internet or allow him to communicate with people.

Sarah Green, acting director at End Violence Against Women, csaid: “We have crisis levels of rape and sexual assault in this country for which it is often very difficult to get justice. We know from research that these offences are commonly repeat offences and these orders are a tool for protection of the public.”

READ ALSO: Woman Faces Year In Prison For Catching Husband Cheating With Maid

Although the man has not been convicted of a sex offence he has probably done an act of a sexual nature, thus posing a risk of harm to the public. The interim order will last for five months and its breaching can lead to up to five years behind bars.

Following a 14 day deadline given to them to declare their assets, what could be regarded as panic among customer officers in the nation has been reported.

Speaking to The Nation, an officer on the condition of anonymity said the mandate for custom officers to declare their asset is not a pleasant exercise.

According to him, declaring one asset is like revealing one salary to their loved ones and associates.

READ ALSO: Former Comptroller of the Nigeria Customs Service Is Dead

Another female officer said: “Who will happily disclose how much he has in his account to you? Who will happily declare the number of houses he owns in this country when the outcome is not for any reward but a punishment?

“Please, don’t ask me how I feel declaring my asset. It is like asking me how I feel when I am doing something forcefully.”

Asked whether their colleagues were complying with the directive, the female officer said: “We have no choice. We must comply to retain our jobs. But nobody will show you the details of his asset declaration form.”


Panic in customs over mandate Comptroller- General of the NCS, Retired Col. Hammed to officers to declare their assets

Wale Adeniyi, the Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) said that officers were already declaring their assets as directed by the Comptroller- General of the NCS, Retired Col. Hammed Alli last week.

READ ALSO: Buhari Orders Customs To Give Seized Rice Others To IDPs

Adeniyi however referred newsmen to the bureau for further information, saying: “The best place to find out is the Code of Conduct. They (officers) don’t fill the form and bring it back to Customs.  It is an individual action.

“There are those who filled it earlier in the year; there are those who fill it regularly.

“It is the Code of Conduct Bureau that can say the rate of compliance. The Code of Conduct Bureau office is all over the federation but the responsibility of filling the form rest with the officers. But left for me, I have collected the form, I have filled it and I have submitted. They (the officers) all have the obligation of and filling the forms.”

The Comptroller- General of the NCS, Retired Col. Hammed Alli had last week directed the officers to declare their assets within two weeks

A press release signed by the public relations officer, Wale Adeniyi, stated that all officers of the NCS are to make full disclosure of their assets in a new measure put in place to push transparency and compliance with the rule of law.

“The directive on Assets Declaration is contained in a Circular, signed by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hammed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) and addressed to all Deputy Comptrollers-General, Zonal Coordinators and Customs Area Controllers. All Officers are to comply with the directive within 14 days,” the statement reads in part.

According to the statement, the directive on assets declaration is in compliance with the bank employees’ declaration of assets Act Cap B1 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004

https://www.naij.com/705961-panic-customs-assets-declaration-deadline.html

Corrupt Men in Nigeria are really sitting on the edge.... this Government mean business with the fight against corruption. Keep Our Fingers crossed...!!

Despite battling to pay a negotiated  fine of $5.2 billion slammed on it by the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC)  for failing to disconnect subscribers with unregistered and incomplete subscriber identification modules (SIM) cards within the stipulated time,, mobile telecommunications giant, MTN was yesterday fined another $160 by the Cameroonian government.
MTN, according to Reuters report, was slammed the fine for failing to pay taxes on games and gambling services.
The fine which was equally extended to another telecommunications firm,Orange and other companies, was an outcome of a wide-reaching probe into the sector,leading to a total fine of $283 million, that included Camtel and Viettel which were also in violation of regulations.
In the report written by the anti corruption commission, known as CONAC, MTN and Orange were also accused of not paying taxes on their money transfer system, known as Mobile Money.
Recall that NCC,had in October 2015, issued a landmark fine of N1.04 trillion ($5.2bn) against MTN Nigeria, the largest mobile network operator in the country.
But MTN had on December 16,2015, launched a court challenge against the fine that NCC ordered it to pay by December 31 for failing to disconnect unregistered users.
MTN said that “All factors having a bearing on the matter have been thoroughly and carefully considered, including a review of the circumstances leading to the fine and subsequent letters received from the NCC.”
“MTN Nigeria, acting on legal advice, has resolved that the manner of the imposition of the fine and the quantum thereof were not in accordance with the NCC’s powers under the Nigerian Communications Act and therefore that it has valid grounds upon which to  challenge the fine.”

http://sunnewsonline.com/new/more-troubles-for-mtn-as-cameroon-anti-graft-agency-slams-160m-fine/

As the war against corruption wages on, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has gotten fresh orders from President Muhammadu Buhari.

President Buhari has instructed the anti-graft commission to account for funds that were stolen but recovered by it, Vanguard reports.

The president also asked the commission not to allow negative comments from some quarters distract it from its operations.

According to some sources, the recent visit of the EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu to the Aso rock presidential villa may be a pointer to the seeming micro-management of the anti-corruption drive..

Speaking on Magu’s recent private meeting with Buhari, a presidential villa source said: “Mr. President wanted a very clear picture regarding accountability and the exact amount of funds already recovered from some of those who were said to be making refunds to the coffers of the Federal Government of Nigeria.”

Report has it that the activities of the EFCC regarding recovery of looted funds under the immediate past chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde, were brought into sharp focus.

READ ALSO: EFCC Accused Of Shielding Buhari’s Associates From Probe

This is because some recoveries and seizures from some looters were made under Lamorde’s administration and there was need to account for “everything that went down.”

Though Lamorde is out of the country, there are indications that he may “be made to come back to the country to properly account for recoveries and sale of properties that may have happened under his tenure”.

President Buhari has vowed that all stolen funds would be recovered and the present wave of arrests and interrogation is not unconnected with this drive.

There appears to be no backing down by Buhari on his resolve to fight corruption.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has had a few of its leaders arrested and detained by the EFCC in Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade.

The opposition has been trading words with the ruling All Progressives Congress, on the approach of the EFCC was using to execute the anti-graft war.

Meanwhile, Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka has said Buhari’s administration is effectively tackling corruption, exposing the vice at a level no administration has reached before.

https://www.naij.com/691385-war-corruption-read-fresh-orders-efcc-got-buhari.html[b][/b]

Prince Bola Ajibola has said that the issue of corruption in Nigeria has spoilt the country’s name internationally and has blamed the past government and past politicians for dragging the country’s name into the mud.

In an interview with Vanguard, the foremost judge who served on the international Court of Justice at The Hague noted that corruption was a deep-rooted problem in Nigeria and needed to be dealt with using firm hands.

He said: “Corruption is really sad and already endemic in our country.  It is a kind of cankerworm that has eaten deep into our fabrics.    It is an unfortunate act that has debarred many things that we could have done to make progress. It is terribly retarding our progress.    It is very unfortunate that with corruption we are persistently regularly retrogressive. Otherwise, we would have been one of the best nations in the world.”


Prince Bola Ajibola says President Muhammadu Buhari must deal with corruption with firm hands

READ ALSO:  Falana Speaks On Dasuki, Kanu Arrests

Hopefully this new government will correct a lot of those bad situations that we have, because the name of Nigeria stinks to the outside world.    Nobody is really interested in dealing with anything from Nigeria because of the problem of this deep rooted corruption that is still raging among our people.

The new government that we now have is all out to do its best to rid our country of corruption but the situation is very heavy and it is very serious.    When you have so many people bent on dipping their hands corruptly into the purse of the government from all spheres of life in Nigeria, we still have a long way to go.”

The former minister of justice said that President Muhammadu Buhari must deal with corrupt officials in order to send a strong message of seriousness to the world.

He said: “The situation is a very sad one as I have said and it is deeply rooted.    And I mean deeply rooted in the past government and the past politicians.

A good example is this, there are so many politicians that EFCC and ICPC accused of corruption and they are all in court at the moment.    How many of them have we concluded?    How many of them have we convicted? How many of them are in prison? We are only informed about the fact that some have been accused and they have been granted bail and that is the end of it all. The whole thing is being treated with levity. There is the need for a serious action to be taken against these matters of corruption without which the whole thing will go on endlessly and they now consider it to be usual practice rather than for them to desist from this act of corruption.

And it is unfortunate because it is really downgrading our nation.    It is really destroying our nation and a lot of the countries all over the world found that we are seriously and hopelessly enmeshed in corruption and that practice is continuing unabated.    I only hope that this new government of Buhari would take it up seriously and deal with it.”

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On the issue Sambo Dasuki and the mismanagement and misappropriation of fund through the office of the national security adviser, the former attorney general of the federation said he hoped Buhari would act on it.

“Everybody is now watching the issue of Dasuki’s $2.1 billion and I hope he (the President) will, with that, send out the strong signal against those who are destroying the country.

Ajibola said the reason the government was moving slow was because he government had to contend with the issue of corruption.

When you have so many people bent on dipping their hands corruptly into the purse of the government from all spheres of life in Nigeria, we still have a long way to go.

I have listened to a lot of hues and cries about the fact that the government is slow.    How could government not be slow under the present circumstance?    Because the government has a lot of hurdles to overcome in dealing with any problem.

In the midst of it all, unnecessary criticisms are always there and the people are just willing to criticise and not help develop the country.    We only hope that the present government would do its best to ensure that at this time, everything could be done to get rid of corruption in this country.

https://www.naij.com/691704-previous-government-made-nigerias-name-stink-outside-world-icj-judge.html

Hmmmmm.... the wailing wailers have no bound...!!

Na wa ooo

This so called developed countries where else while harbouring and encouraging corruption in high places. But now, there is no safe heaven to starch money away now because d world has fast become a global arena