₦airaland Forum

THE Chief Justice of Nigeria Mahmud Mohammed, on Monday said the Judiciary remained resolute and committed to upholding its independence.



The CJN said this on the occasion of the swearing-in of Amina Augie and Ejembi Eko as justices of the Supreme Court in Abuja.

Mohammed said all courts in the country were empowered to adjudicate with utmost fairness and justice as prescribed in the Constitution and the law.

He said: “Certainly, the decision of the National Judicial Council at its last meeting reflects our desire to preserve this independence.

“Hence, we proclaimed to the world that any judicial officer that is standing trial will cease to perform judicial functions.

“The Council took this stand following communications it received from the Attorney General of the Federation that he was embarking on the prosecution of the affected judicial officers for the offences disclosed against them.

“We must not forget that we operate a constitutional democracy, which clearly prescribes the powers accorded to each organ of the State.

“I therefore wish to state without fear of contradiction that the third arm of government will remain resolute in its commitment and resolve to uphold its independence.”

On his advice to the new justices, Mohammed urged them to continue to be diligent in the discharge of their duties.

He said: “You must remain blind to personality and status and remain the hope of all men, whether common or uncommon.

“Hence, the integrity and impartiality of our courts must not be in question or compromised.

“I am confident that with the institutions and initiatives that we have put in place, the Nigerian judiciary will evolve to meet the high standards demanded by our citizens.”

Eko, before his appointment, was a Justice of the Court of Appeal.

He also served in the High Court of Justice, Benue State Judiciary between 1989 and 2007.

Eko, from Benue State, obtained a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.), Law/Jurisprudence from the University of Ife, Ile-Ife in 1976.

On her part, Augie, until her elevation to the apex court, was a justice of the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division.

THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Rivers State says the reluctance and dismal silence over several high profile allegations of financial recklessness, diversion of public funds for private use while he served as Rivers State Governor and attempts to bribe some justices of the Supreme Court to thwart the course of justice against the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, is an eloquent testimony that the All Progressives Congress, APC-led federal government is not sincere in its anti-corruption policy or at best, treacherous in its pursuit.








APC's Muhammadu Buhari defeated PDP's Good Luck Jonathan, who was the incumbent President during the election.


Buhari's administration has since swooped on many officials of the former administration who were allegedly involved in massive corruption.


A statement by the State PDP Chairman, Bro Felix Obuah said if the APC leadership were sincere and serious to fight corruption in the country, people like Rotimi Amaechi would not be part of the government.


But rather than investigate the former Rivers State governor over the myriad of criminal allegations against him, including the recent issue of attempting to dissuade Supreme Court Justices to compromise justice in the Rivers State Governorship election appeal, these high level cases have been swept under the carpet.


Worse still, the APC has turned round to allege that the shocking revelations by the two Supreme Court justices, of how Amaechi unsuccessfully tried to influence their judgment in the Governorship election appeal, were mere attempts to rope Amaechi in at the behest  of Governor Nyesom Wike and some other chieftains of the PDP.


From the way and manner the APC has cautioned to carry on with the anti-corruption fight, the persons involved and their political affiliations, defiance to Court Orders and acts of lawlessness applied, there is no gainsaying the fact that the APC is reprobate.


Being selective in the prosecution of the accused persons and the total exclusion of political office holders under the APC from the searchlight of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and other security agencies clearly exposes the federal government’s double standard in the entire affair.


Bro Obuah insists the allegations against Rotimi Amaechi by the two honourable Justices of the Supreme Court are weighty enough to make Amaechi step down as a member of President Buhari’s cabinet while he is subjected to unhindered investigations.


“No amount of sponsored media hype will be enough to provide shield for Amaechi. Rather than postpone the evil day, Amaechi should better submit himself for investigation because the records will remain even after the Buhari regime is over,” the State PDP boss declared.


Bro Obuah appealed to the innocent PDP chieftains, notably Gov Nyesom Wike, the Senate minority leader, and immediate past governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio and the incumbent governors of Akwa Ibom, Cross River and Delta States not to be distracted by the antics of the APC and these Amaechi’s protégés, stressing that as usual, time shall vindicate them.


Although most Nigerians agree on the need to sanitize the country of corruption, there is a growing consensus that Buhari's administration has closed its eyes to cases involving senior members of his administration and party.


Meanwhile, Reasons why leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and those in the president’s cabinet are not being prosecuted for corruption has been offered by Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari

NOT to brag, but there are quite a number of amazing and hot girls in Lagos city, Nigeria! These girls seem to not only appeal to the eyes, they seem to have it all: they are gorgeous but also smart and thrive in their careers; they have huge senses of self-worth, are witty, sarcastic, and real.  



Out of all of these fabulously manicured and truly enjoyable girls in Lagos, though, there are a disturbing amount that is completely single, and this dilemma left us at Jumia Travel, asking the question “why?”. Men are visual creatures and there is nothing more pleasing to the eye than a beautiful girl, so what gives!

Read on to discover our speculations on possible reasons why these hot, smart, down to earth, and funny girls are single.

Men presume they’re already taken

This is a number one reason most of the hottest girls in Lagos are still single. A lot of men assume that because the girl is pretty,  has an education, makes her own money, and seems happy, she must already be taken so they give up even before they start. They do not bother to get close to the girl or even ask her out as they feel they would be fighting an already lost battle.

Society does not set the rules



In Nigeria, most girls are generally groomed from a young age to believe that finding a man and having a family is the most important accomplishment in life. As a result, there is the expectation from the society that a girl above 25 should either be married or in a serious relationship that would lead to marriage. The thing with Lagos girls, though, is that they do not conform to this dictate of the society. The Lagos girl most times is occupied with so many other things making “finding a man to spend the rest of her life with” an item not so high on her list of to do’s. Basically, she makes her own rules and lives the way she wants to rather than being told what is and isn’t appropriate.

Most men are intimidated by their confidence

Lagos girls are one of the most confident girls in the world, especially the hot ones. While the confidence can be attractive, it tends to make the men want to run for cover. Usually, even the cockiest of men will second guess themselves before even daring to approach a Lagos girl. They get intimated and scared as they do not want to risk getting rejected.



The men are not as into commitment as they were

Thanks to modernization and influence from western cultures, a majority of Nigerian men, especially the one in Lagos have adopted the “hook up culture”, and this now seems to take precedence over serious relationships. It is therefore now difficult for Lagos girls to find commitment in a sea of men who just are not into it. Hence they remain single.

Most of the girls are focused on their career and barely have the time to meet men

In Lagos, the hustle is real for not just men but women as well. Most of the hottest girls work a lot of hours a day, including weekends as they focused on their career and want to climb as many ladders as they can. They are consumed with work, and coupled with the Lagos traffic there is little or no time for actual recreation , making the chances of  them meeting men much slimmer. The few who end up creating profiles on online dating sites eventually give up as they may never get the time to meet up with their interests or when they do, they find they have been deceived.

Izonpikin:
I go curse the lala join..

Nonsense adesina..fool..!!!!

Izonpikin:
This adesina na big fool...goat..ewu...

ABDULMUMIN Jibrin, the suspended lawmaker, has won an anti-corruption award for exposing budget fraud in the House of Representatives.



Mr. Jibrin was honoured on Saturday by the London-based African Voice newspaper, his office said in a statement Sunday.

The paper bestowed the honour on Mr. Jibrin at its 20th Leadership and Legislative Awards investiture held in London.

“Your effort in helping to eradicate corruption is commendable,” Mr. Jibrin quoted the newspaper as saying in a notification letter to him.

After receiving the award, Mr. Jibrin, accompanied by his wife, thanked the organisers and said the accolade will further encourage him in his quest to defeat pervasive fraud in Nigeria’s legislature.

“The award is a huge morale booster because it is coming at a very difficult and challenging period.

“It’s a period I had to leave my post as Appropriation chairman of the House of Representatives, suspended through subterranean means by Speaker Yakubu Dogara and received several threats to my life by the highly placed public officials I accused of corruption,” Mr. Jibrin said.

Mr. Jibrin sparked controversy in July when he accused the leadership of the House of budget padding.


He made the allegations a day after he was removed as chairman of the House Committee on Appropriation.

On September 28, barely a week after the House returned from a two-month recess, Mr. Jibrin was suspended.

The suspension, which would last for a year, is without salaries or allowances. He will also not be able to step his foot into the National Assembly complex.
Yet, the embattled lawmaker said he is unfazed.

“Despite the difficulties I am going through, I will never be cowed to silence. I asure you I will never retreat from this worthy line of action,” he said in his statement Sunday.

“I shall remain committed to the fight against corruption in the House of Representatives and Nigeria as a whole.”

REASONS why leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and those in the president’s cabinet are not being prosecuted for corruption has been offered by Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari








The presidential spokesman made this known while featuring as a guest on a radio programme, Sweet F.M’s Podium in Abeokuta.


He also argued that the federal government’s anti-corruption fight was not selective.


According to him, APC chieftains and appointees are not being prosecuted because no evidence had been put forward indicting them of being involved in corrupt practices.


“The onus lies on he who alleges to also prove.


“The fact that any PDP member crosses to APC does not provide automatic shield. Whoever is indicted will be prosecuted,” he said.


On the arrest of judges, Mr. Adesina said the raid on judges was only a raid on corruption and not the judiciary.


“Mr. President has said it all. No one is out to intimidate the judiciary. DSS raid was a raid on corruption not Judiciary,” he said.

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari’s avowed determination to punish culprits who smuggled foreign items into the 2016 budget and who caused both national and international embarrassment are back to work

THE Rivers State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, said it has taken notice of a press release by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to ask the Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu to step aside because some Justices accused and being investigated of corruption had curiously described their investigation as act of persecution by the Buhari administration for not favouring the All Progressives Congress, APC, in election matters arising from the 2015 general elections in some states. 


 








Rivers APC Chairman, Chief (Dr) Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, JP, who in a statement today said “the call by the PDP flies in the face of reason, fairness, common sense and cause of justice”, reeled out thus:


 


“It is a known fact that embattled Justices Sylvester Ngwuta and John Inyang Okoro of the Supreme Court who are currently under DSS investigation for serious corruption charges only resorted to the cheap, convenient, everyday reaction of people caught red-handed committing crimes in order to divert attention away from the grave reality confronting them especially when faced with sufficient evidence.” 


 


“Indeed, it is even more disconcerting that PDP in the said call, refused to recognise the naked fact that by accusing the Ministers of attempting to induce them to pervert the course of justice, the accused Hon. Justices introduced unrelated allegations against innocent persons unconnected with the matter for which they are being investigated, something that many accused persons easily, conveniently and cheaply resort to when caged. The questions that quickly come to mind include: were the huge sums of money reportedly found in their homes given to them by the Ministers they are accusing? Do the petitions for which the Justices are being investigated have anything to do with Amaechi or Onu? Are Justices of the Supreme Court unaware that relevant laws of the land imposes on them the strict duty to properly and formally report inducement of any kind in a timely manner or risk prison term of not less than 2 years?”


 


“We urge Mr. President and Nigerians to completely disregard PDP call for the sacking of Amaechi and Onu. Why should they be sacked? What crime did they commit for PDP to call for their sack? These fine gentlemen did nothing wrong. Mr. President should not and cannot act based on mere accusations from the Supreme Court Justices without any iota of proof or evidence to back their claims. And we should not forget that these Justices only started making these false accusations against Amaechi & Onu, after they were arrested by the DSS.”


 


“PDP call is fraudulent, unnecessary, a distraction from the real problems of fighting corruption in the Judiciary. They should allow Mr. President fight corruption without their childish, partisan distractions. The President Buhari’s fight against corruption is about Nigeria and moving Nigeria forward.”


 


“The PDP should rather be calling for the expulsion and sack of their governors and senate minority leader from the South-South region who has been involved in the pervasion of justice in governorship electoral matters by financially inducing the Supreme Court Justices under investigation.”


 


“Yes, as a party, we re-affirm our belief that the PDP governors and Senate Minority Leader who perverted justice and then turned around to orchestrate wrongful and false accusations against the Transportation Minister, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi through the Supreme Court Justices in order to cover their tracks, crime, distract attention and destroy Amaechi, are the ones that the PDP should expel from their party, banish from politics and call for their resignation or sacking.”


 


“Again, we stand by our earlier statement on the ignominious roles of the governors of Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Delta States, and the Senate Minority leader in the pervasion of the course of justice at the apex court and the subsequent failed attempt to pin the Justices’ travails on Amaechi. In the days ahead, more details will continue to come out. For instance, it is already in the open that Governor Nyesom Wike held a secret meeting in a hotel in Owerri, Imo State with one of the Supreme Court Justices that was arrested by the Directorate of State Services (DSS). The agenda of that meeting was for the apex court Justice to assist Wike to get a favourable judgement and pervert the course of justice in the Rivers State governorship election matter that was then about going to the apex court.”

A few days after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced that the Rivers re-run elections have been fixed for December 10, the governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike and the PDP have used thugs to stage what they call “bursting of a fake result sheets printing syndicate in Port Harcourt” said to be operated by a purported APC chieftain.
 








The Rivers State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, wishes to state that no APC person, chieftain or ordinary member, was involved in any of the purported actions as alleged by Gov. Wike and the PDP assuming without conceding that any such development took place.
 
We make bold to state that, at the time of writing this press release, the Rivers State Police Command has not confirmed any such arrest made by its officers and men as alleged. What the governor and PDP are doing this time around is to use their thugs to stage a drama and arrest some innocent persons and detain them in the Port Harcourt Government House without the knowledge of the Nigeria police.
 
Sadly, the information we hear is that the present melodrama is being carried out by Gov. Wike and the PDP using one Mr. Igbani of the SOS who is a well-known PDP sympathiser who former Police Commissioner Mbu Joseph Mbu used to perpetrate his evil machinations in Rivers State in the past.
 
Again, information at our disposal indicate that PDP and Gov. Wike’s thugs are going to individual APC members homes to plant incriminating materials then turn around to harass and illegally arrest and detain them with the help of the likes of Mr. Igbani. The activities of this police officer and his associates will be properly unveiled to the public in due course.
 
Indeed, it is worrisome when we see the replay of a well-known script of political mischief by the governor and the PDP in Rivers State any time elections have been scheduled. Recall that as the last election was approaching, Gov. Nyesom Wike and the PDP in Rivers State contrived a story with which they used to arrest and incarcerate an APC chieftain, Ojukaye Flag-Amachree. We believe that the same scenario is playing out again and this time another prominent APC chieftain, Hon. Emma Chinda is being targeted for arrest on trumped up charges purporting a false confessional statement by an alleged  suspect.
 
The APC would like to unequivocally state that the party has a zero-tolerance for electoral malpractices and does not directly or indirectly engage in any form of electoral malfeasance. We advise Rivers people and indeed Nigerians not to fall for Gov. Wike’s antics deliberately contrived to tarnish the image of the APC and its members in Rivers State.
 
Warisenibo Chris Finebone
State Publicity Secretary
Sat, 5th Nov, 2016.

THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has confirmed Punch Newspaper reports that a former Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko, returned N1 billion to the Federal Government.








The commission’s spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, gave the confirmation via SMS to the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Saturday.


Dikko, who headed the NCS between August 2009 and August 2015, was reportedly arrested by the EFCC in June over alleged diversion of N40 billion from the agency’s coffers.


He was said to have been released due to his poor health and was expected to return more money.


Uwujaren confirmed the seizure of a property belonging to the former customs boss in the Jabi District of Abuja, saying it was under investigation.


Media reports had identified the property as a mansion worth N2 billion and located at 1, Audu Ogbe Street, Jabi, Abuja.


The EFCC spokesperson also confirmed the release of ex-Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, who had been in the commission’s detention since October 17.


Uwujaren said that the former minister returned N100 million as reported and that the amount was being verified by the commission.


“He dropped his Nigerian and American passports, apart from being released to two sureties,” Uwujaren said.


Obanikoro submitted himself to the EFCC following accusations of a N4.7 billion fraud also linked to his two sons, Jide and Gbolahan.


[NAN]

Professor Chukwuka Okonjo, Obi of Ogwashiukwu and NLC Trustee, on October 29 received the highest civil national award from the Government of Ghana.

The award was conferred on him by President John Dramani Mahama in recognition of his stellar and distinguished contributions to the country’s education system.

Mr. Okonjo, father of the two-time former Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala of Nigeria, is a renowned mathematician and economist who worked for a long time in Ghana as a United Nations staff and later as a consultant to the Ghanaian Government.
He joined the United Nations System in 1974 as an official based in New York with his duty station at Accra, Ghana as the Director of the Regional Institute for Population Studies (RIPS) at the University of Ghana, Lego, Accra. He worked as a Professor of Economics at the University from 1974 to 1985 at a time the country was going through severe economic and political difficulties.

During that time, Mr. Okonjo installed the first African population information network popularly known as the Population Information and Documentation System for Africa (POSA) valued at $350,000.

He also created a 12 months Master of Arts (M.A) programs, 18 months Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) and 36 months Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) degrees in Population Studies at the University. Over 437 post graduate students successfully completed their studies under his leadership.
Professor Chukwuka Okonjo later left the United Nations in 1985 and worked as the Education Adviser to Ghana’s Minister of Education and Culture where he was instrumental in conceptualizing and implementing several reforms in the structure and organization of the minister.
Some of the reforms include reducing the length of pre-tertiary education from 17 to 12 years, increasing secondary school admission from 26,000 to 260,000 and growing primary school enrolment at a rate of 12 per cent per annum (twice the rate approved by the World Bank for Ghana).


In recognition of his outstanding contributions, Mr. Okonjo was accorded the National Service Award in June 1982 for the support he gave to the National Service Scheme of the Ghanaian Government.
Other renowned persons who also received the honours include Globacom Chairman, Mike Adenuga, Jr. and John Newman.

TWO Special Assistants to Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State on Wednesday resigned their appointments and defected to the All Progressives Congress.








The two aides stated their position in letters addressed to Mimiko.


Those who resigned are Aderonke Morolayo, the Special Assistant on Political Matters, and Victor Ojo, the Special Assistant on Mobilisation.


In her letter of resignation dated November 2, 2016 and addressed to the Governor, Morolayo said: “This is to formally inform Your Excellency of my resignation from the government of Ondo State due to circumstances beyond my control.


“Your Excellency, let me also use this medium to thank and appreciate you for counting me worthy to serve the good people of Ondo state in this capacity.”


She informed Mimiko that his decision to have his successor from the Central Senatorial District, where he hailed from, would make the Peoples Democratic Party to lose the November 26 governorship poll.


Morolayo and Ojo on Wednesday formally declared their membership of the APC.


A statement by the APC’s Publicity Secretary in the state, Abayomi Adesanya, said the two politicians were received into the party by the deputy governorship candidate in the forthcoming election, Agboola Ajayi.


The statement said the two new members had pledged to work for the success of APC in the election.


It stated that Ajayi assured the defectors of equal opportunities and urged them to work assiduously for the party’s victory and progress in the state.

ESO Faleke, the seventh prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh, before the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday gave a vivid account of Badeh laundered the sum of N48 million through Guaranty Trust Bank Plc.



The witness, a staff of GTB, and account officer of Iyalikam Nigerian Limited, told Justice Okon Abang that the bank transferred N48 million from the company’s account on the instructions of Badeh to some other companies and individuals.

Led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, the witness told the court that the account of Iyalikam Nigerian Limited was opened with the bank in 2005 by one Mary I. Badeh.

Iyalikam Nigerian limited is the second defendant in the trial.

Faleke said: “Badeh instructed the bank to transfer the sum of N10 million via electronic transfer from Iyalikam Nigerian Limited to one Mohammed Hamidu.

“Also on July 23, 2015, Badeh requested that we transfer another N8 million to the same Mohammed Hamidu.”

The witness also told the court that the bank transferred the sum of N30 million in two tranches of N14 million and N16 million to Habco Nigerian limited.

Faleke further told the court that the sum of N4.7 million was deposited into Iyalikam Nigerian Limited account on July 2013 following orders from Bamuba Global Resource.

The account also received the sum of N3 million credit deposit on October 18, 2013 by one Enyi Jonathan.

It received N6 million transfer sent by Nonaway Nigerian Limited, while N40 million was deposited in the account by Prime Touch Insurance on April 23, 2015.
Under cross examination by the defence counsel, Akin Olujimi (SAN), Faleke said Iyalikam Nigerian Limited was opened at Garki branch of GTB in 2015.

The witness said that Olorun Femi, who handled the opening of the account, has left the bank and that she believes he is still alive as she had not heard any news of his death.

She confirmed that at the time of the opening of the account, Alex Bade was not a signatory to the account, adding that Badeh became a signatory to the account in 2015.

Faleke said the N30 million transfer was under the written instruction of Badeh and that the N10 million and N8 million were transferred based on telephone instructions.

The witnessed insisted that telephone instructions were valid instructions because they were usually backed by verification via an e mail sent to the defendant, Badeh.

Cross examination of the witness will continue on Thursday.

Badeh is standing trial alongside his firm, Iyalikam Nigeria Limited, for allegedly abusing his office by using the dollar equivalent of N1.4 billion removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force to purchase properties in choice areas of Abuja between January and December 2013.

The prosecution had already called six witnesses, who had given evidence in the 10-count charge preferred against Badeh and Iyalikam Nigeria Limited.

THE attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has been drawn to a recorded audio conversation attached to a report with the caption, EFCC Detains Brother of Former Akwa Ibom State Governor Ibanga Akpabio, which appeared today, November 2, 2016 on the online news portal, Sahara Reporters, allegedly featuring two Akwa Ibom politicians, Ibanga Akpabio and a certain Osong.








In the said audio recording, a voice purporting to be Akpabio could be heard dropping the names of some security chiefs including the acting Chairman of the Commission, Ibrahim Magu, and boasting about the supposed EFCC boss’ willingness to help deal with his purported political adversaries in Akwa Ibom state, especially a certain Robinson Uwak.


The Commission wishes to state that the claims in this tape especially as it affects Mr. Magu are patently false.


The EFCC boss has never met Ibanga Akpabio all his life and could not have been party to any violent scheme to settle unknown political scores in Akwa Ibom State.


Indeed, if Magu were Akpabio’s Man-Friday as he would have his ‘friend’ believe, he would not today be a suspect answering to charges of fraud before the Commission.


Members of the public are therefore enjoined to disregard the recorded conversation as plain braggadocio.

LEADERS of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday described the action of the embattled Deputy Publicity Secretary of the Party, Comrade Timi Frank as harmful to the country’s democracy.


They also appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to take steps to protect the country’s democracy by stopping Frank and his sponsors from destroying the ruling party.


The leaders in a statement signed and issued by the Chairman of APC United Front, Alhaji Ibrahim Musa after their meeting in Abuja, described the APC as democratic in organizational practice and goals.


The leaders praised the National Chairman of the Party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun for taking into consideration the shapes of opinion of the different party leaders, supporters and well-wishers concerning the party’s growth and progress.


“APC is not in trouble. Chief John Odigie-Oyegun is not APC’s problem. He is a man of facts, not given over to wild speculation or sensationalism. His moral reputation is a great asset to the party” they said.


The leaders also commended the national chairman for playing according to the rules and policies of the party.


The leaders said controlling the party ahead of 2019 election cannot happen through political blackmail and intimidation


They chided Frank for not respecting the national chairman of the party, urging him and his sponsors to stop factionalizing the party and focus on party programs and policy statements.


‘People like Frank are very inexperienced politicians without focus”.


The leaders who also praised Oyegun for promoting democratic values and adhering to basic elements of internal democracy, urged him not to succumb to any intimidation from anybody.

LEADERS of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in South-South geo-political zone on Friday defended the national chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, describing him as “a strong and competent leader”






“Chief John Odigie-Oyegun knows his substance. He is working closely with President Muhammadu Buhari in the fight against corruption in the country” the leaders said.


 


They also praised the national chairman for freeing the party from factionalism, vested interests and authoritarianism.


 


In a statement in Yenegoa by the chairman of South-South APC Leaders Forum, Chief John Harry, the leaders commended Oyegun for promoting progressive values, respecting progressive views and keeping members of the party together.


 


“Oyegun is a man of impeccable credentials. He is a highly trained technocrat. We are blessed to have him at the helm”.


 


They also dismissed the opinion of Mr. Timi Frank, saying it is essentially a figment of his own imagination and that of his cohorts. 


 


The leaders said in a big party such as the APC, conflicts were inevitable.


 


“There is no political party in the world that does not have its own internal crisis. A political party has its own internal mechanism to put its house in order. It is disgraceful for Timi Frank to ridicule his office. It is also a dereliction of his duty. It clearly shows that the man does not understand his office or the party”.


 


The astonished leaders described the action of Frank as regrettable and a betrayal of Oyegun and the South-South people.


 


“Mr. Timi Frank is a disgrace to APC. He lacks the ability to manage the party’s relationship with the general public. His incompetence is setting our party back” they said.


 


They accused the deputy publicity secretary of the party of playing politics of the stomach.


 


 “Timi Frank should learn to respect leadership. A responsible leader should not take side on matters affecting his party. Frank’s utterances and attitude are geared towards causing disunity in the party”.


 


The leaders listed personal envy, vaulting ambition and gluttonous appetite for personal power as reasons for Frank’s actions.


 


“Is he saying the party is promoting corruption? Is he saying the party is not supporting President Buhari in his fight against corruption? Is he saying the party came to power to propagate corruption? Is he not part of the leadership? Where he sees leadership failure that overwhelms his capacity to correct, the honourable thing to do is to resign and not fanning embers of discord. Timi Frank should find stop acting deceitfully. He should find another way of currying the favour of his sponsors”.


 


They urged Frank to show respect for the elderly.


 


“Where was Timi Frank when Oyegun carefully crafted a winning formula that dislodged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from power? Where the national chairman is not in control of the party, it would be interesting to ask who controls Timi Frank. He should declare his sinister motive. Timi Frank belongs to a faction that wants to destroy the APC. His loyalty is not with APC or the national chairman but an interest outside the party. The APC is one indivisible party” they said.

ONE of the six judges invited to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to face interrogation over allegations of money laundering and bribery, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia reported herself to the anti-graft agency on Thursday evening.








It would be recalled that the embattled judge was invited for questioning on Tuesday, October 18, but unlike five of her colleagues, Mrs. Ofili-Ajumogobia refused to turn herself in.


She claimed on Wednesday that she could not report to the EFCC because she was admitted to the intensive care unit at the Golden Cross Hospital in Ikoyi, Lagos.


However, it was revealed that Mrs. Ofili-Ajumogobia was not in the hospital on that day after EFCC agents visited the hospital to verify her claim.


The hospital records showed that she had not been in the hospital since October 13, 2016.


Puzzled by her absence, EFCC operatives called the judge on the phone. She maintained that she was in the intensive car unit, but when the agents told her they could not find her in the hospital, she hung up.


To avoid interrogation, Mrs. Ofili-Ajumogobia had a doctor and a staff member of the hospital try to insert her name into hospital records on the days she claimed she was in the intensive care unit.


With the assistance of the hospital staff, Mrs. Ofili-Ajumogobia snuck into the hospital through a back door and tried to trick the anti-graft operatives by meeting in the room they had earlier visited. This action raised suspicions, leading to the EFCC to place her on security watch.


Mrs. Ofili-Ajumogobia then discharged herself from the hospital and reported herself to the EFCC office.


The doctor and staff who helped smuggle her into the hospital and insert her name into the records were also invited to the EFCC for questioning.

ONE of the six judges invited to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to face interrogation over allegations of money laundering and bribery, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia reported herself to the anti-graft agency on Thursday evening.








It would be recalled that the embattled judge was invited for questioning on Tuesday, October 18, but unlike five of her colleagues, Mrs. Ofili-Ajumogobia refused to turn herself in.


She claimed on Wednesday that she could not report to the EFCC because she was admitted to the intensive care unit at the Golden Cross Hospital in Ikoyi, Lagos.


However, it was revealed that Mrs. Ofili-Ajumogobia was not in the hospital on that day after EFCC agents visited the hospital to verify her claim.


The hospital records showed that she had not been in the hospital since October 13, 2016.


Puzzled by her absence, EFCC operatives called the judge on the phone. She maintained that she was in the intensive car unit, but when the agents told her they could not find her in the hospital, she hung up.


To avoid interrogation, Mrs. Ofili-Ajumogobia had a doctor and a staff member of the hospital try to insert her name into hospital records on the days she claimed she was in the intensive care unit.


With the assistance of the hospital staff, Mrs. Ofili-Ajumogobia snuck into the hospital through a back door and tried to trick the anti-graft operatives by meeting in the room they had earlier visited. This action raised suspicions, leading to the EFCC to place her on security watch.


Mrs. Ofili-Ajumogobia then discharged herself from the hospital and reported herself to the EFCC office.


The doctor and staff who helped smuggle her into the hospital and insert her name into the records were also invited to the EFCC for questioning.

TOPE Aluko, former Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti State, has told the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission of how a former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, handed over $5.377 million cash to Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State.



Aluko said the cash, which was put in a green military trunk by Obanikoro, was given to Fayose in the presence of nine PDP elders.


He listed those who witnessed the collection by Fayose to include a former Secretary to the State Government, a senator, two members of the House of Assembly and a former Director-General.


Aluko, it was learnt, had one-and-a half hours hostile encounter with Obanikoro.


Upon receiving the large suit case (box) and a key to open it, he said Fayose and Obanikoro retired into an inner room of Spotless Hotel for a brief discussion.


Aluko made the revelation during a grilling by the EFCC team against the backdrop of the ongoing probe of how the ex-minister shared the N4.745 billion wired to a company linked to him by the Office of the National Security Adviser.


The N4.685 billon was transferred to Sylva McNamara Limited out of which N60 million ($5.377m) cash was personally given to Fayose by the ex-minister.


Obanikoro told the EFCC team that he gave Fayose the cash in the presence of PDP elders, Aluko.


According to a source, Aluko told the detectives: “The ex-minister brought the $5.377 million cash to Spotless Hotel for Fayose in a green military trunk.


“He was accompanied by four military men.


“Obanikoro handed over the trunk and a key to Fayose in the presence of nine eminent PDP elders in the state.


“Holding a piece of paper, Obanikoro later entered into an inner room in the hotel for a brief discussion with Fayose.


“Maybe the paper was for Fayose to acknowledge the receipt of the cash.


“Upon coming out, Fayose opened the trunk with the key and we all saw it was filled with dollars.


“We had a list of how we wanted to use the money but we had not expended the Naira cash at hand.


“Fayose, who asked me to call other PDP leaders, later took the trunk to his room at the hotel for safe keeping.


“That was the last we heard about the cash.”


Another source in the EFCC claimed that Aluko and Obanikoro had about “one-and-a half hours of unfriendly encounter” before interrogators.


The source said: “Both Obanikoro and Aluko were brought to the interrogation room by EFCC detectives.


“They asked if Aluko had ever met the ex-minister, the ex-PDP Secretary in Ekiti State said: ‘Obanikoro was the liaison personnel between the Presidency and Fayose.’


“He confirmed that he had met with the ex-minister at a meeting in Abuja before the delivery of the money.


“Aluko also admitted that he was present when Obanikoro brought the over $5.377m cash to Governor Ayo Fayose.”


The EFCC had uncovered how Sylva McNamara, which was incorporated in November 2011, was used for the slush funds from ONSA.

THE federation accounts allocation committee (FAAC) shared the sum of N420 billion among the Federal, State‎s and Local Governments for the month of September 2016.


It is however short by N35.3bn compared with the amount in August this year.


Giving the breakdown, FAAC chairman who also doubles as ‎the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Alh. Mahmoud Isa Dutse who stood for the Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun said, the gross statutory revenue of N279, 746 billion received for the month was lower than the N315. 045 billion received in the previous month by N35. 299 billion.


He said, Crude Oil export volume decreased by 1.15 million barrels in June, ‎2016. The decrease, according to him was caused by revenue decline of $45.52 million in Federation export sales despite the increase in average price of Crude Oil from $46.06 per barrel in May, 2016 to $48.43 per barrel in June, 2016.


Force Majeure ‎was declared at Bonny Terminal and there was a subsisting Force Majeure at Forcados Terminal. Shut-in and shut-down of Pipelines for repairs and Maintenance also contributed ‎to the drop in revenue.


Also, there were decreases in volume of dutiable imports, receipts from Joint Venture Cash Call, Foreign Companies Income Tax (CIT) ‎and Value Added Tax (VAT).


The distributable statory Revenue for the month is N250.947 billion. The sum of N6.330 billion ‎was refunded by NNPC to Federal Government.


There is a proposed distribution of N63.386 billion from Ex‎cess PPT Account. Also, exchange gain of N41. 402 billion is proposed for distribution.


Therefore, the total revenue distributable for the current month (including Vat) is N420.000 billion.


The Permanent Secretary who said that the recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) rating, placing Nigeria’s economy above that of South Africa, has shown that Nigeria is a major investment destination in Africa, said, ‎Excess Crude Account stood at $2.454 billion.


Asked why the Excess Crude Account which was announced to stand at $‎2.9 billion in the last FAAC meeting reduced to $2.454 billion, the Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris argued that the amount has not change, but disclosed that Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) which was included in the $2.9 billion was now detached from the Excess Crude Account for the sake of clarity.

PassingShot:
The idiocy and pettiness of frustrated losers have no equal.

Just the omission of letter "a" in the president's name is making them hyperventilate!

THE leader of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign, and a former minister, Oby Ezekwesili, has expressed dismay over a tweet by a presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, which suggested that some media houses acted against Nigeria’s interest in their reporting of the recent arrest of some judges by the State Security Services (SSS).








“To suggest that the government is acting outside the law in a dictatorial manner is to breach the interest of the state,” Mr. Shehu tweeted on Sunday.


The tweet was picked from the first press statement issued by the presidency after the country’s secret police raided the homes of some senior judges and arrested seven of them, including two Supreme Court judges. The judges were later released Monday evening.


The presidency, in the statement, had accused the media of portraying the incident as a confrontation between the executive and the judiciary.


Mrs. Ezekwesili quickly took on Mr. Shehu on the social media site.


“Delete your Press Release,” she wrote. “How dare you dictate what opinion citizens should express on any issue in a democracy?”


She said dissent voices and debates were the essentials of democracy, and that Mr. Shehu needed to take a class on “Democracy 101”.


“Globally, public backing is a sine qua non for all successful anti-corruption wars. Only governments that consistently acted lawfully earned it.”


She said she wasn’t against the prosecution of corrupt judges, but that she wanted the SSS to “step back” from their excesses.


“I’ve often said judiciary is (the) weakest link in anti-corruption effort. Empower @officialefcc for greater work. DSS keep within your mandate.


“Why has a strong anti-corruption government not worked hard with @NGRSenate to confirm Ibrahim Magu of @officialefcc to bolster their work? Why?” the former minister said, adding that countries like Hong Kong and Queensland Australia ended a tide of endemic corruption in the 70s through intelligent, rigorous, and due process-compliant prosecutions.

SOCIO-ECONOMIC Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP) has sent an open letter to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed requesting him to use his “good offices and leadership of the National Judicial Council (NJC) to immediately take over from the Department of State Service (DSS) the cases of all the 7 judges released by the DSS and refer the cases of those judges to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for conclusion of investigation and prompt prosecution.”








The organization asked the NJC to “refer the cases of the 7 released judges to the EFCC and ICPC within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. SERAP will take appropriate legal action to compel the NJC to take action on the cases if it fails and/or refuses to act as requested.”


In the letter dated 11 October 2016 and signed by SERAP executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni the organization expressed serious concern that “the NJC has for many years failed to appropriately deal with several cases of corrupt judges by failing to refer those cases to the EFCC and ICPC for prosecution. Many of these suspected corrupt judges are still alive and their cases should be promptly referred to the anticorruption agencies. The NJC under your leadership should seize the opportunity of the just released 7 judges to comprehensively address corruption in the judiciary.”


The letter reads in part: “SERAP is seriously concerned that over the years the NJC has felt satisfied with applying only civil sanctions and have not deemed it fit to hand over corrupt judges to law enforcement agencies for prosecution nor recover the proceeds of corruption. This omission has left a destructive gap in judicial accountability in Nigeria, and resulted in other agencies of government with no mandate, expertise and experience in the field getting involved in the efforts to combat judicial corruption.”


“In its recent report titled Go home and sin no more: Corrupt judges escaping from justice in Nigeria, and a copy of which was sent to your Lordship, SERAP disclosed that no fewer than 64 judges (out of the 1020 judges currently serving in the superior courts) were disciplined between 2009 and 2014. During this period, the National Judicial Council concluded at least 105 cases of alleged corruption allegations/misconduct against judges. SERAP’s report also contains several recommendations to the NJC and other agencies.”


“SERAP believes that the NJC is in the best position to tackle corruption within the judiciary, and to ensure the application of appropriate disciplinary and legal measures in the cases of the released 7 judges and other judges suspected of engaging in corruption.”


“SERAP believes that corrupt judges should not merely be retired where there are clear allegations of corruption against them. Corrupt judges must not also be allowed to keep their ill-gotten wealth, or receive their pension and retirement benefits, as if they have done no wrong while the victims of their corrupt acts are left without an effective remedy.”


“SERAP believes that corrupt judges are more dangerous to the society than corrupt politicians because a corrupt judiciary denies both victims of corruption and those accused of corruption access to an independent, impartial and fair adjudication process. No country can succeed with corrupt judges as there can’t be no rule of law, development, justice and enjoyment of human rights when judges are corrupt.”


“Judicial corruption is antithetical not only to human rights and good governance but it also directly undermines the ability of government to satisfactorily combat corruption. Judges should not be allowed to avoid accountability for corruption if judicial impartiality and independence is to be held sacrosanct and access to justice is to be effectively achieved.”


“Nigeria has an obligation under international law as well as under its own Constitution to ensure that its judiciary is empowered and able to function optimally to do justice to all manner of persons, regardless of their political, social, or economic status. Judges themselves upon appointment swear to an oath to do justice without fear or favour, ill-will or affection. The right to effective remedies encompass the effective recourse to a competent court or tribunal, the right to judicial protection, access to corruption-free judiciary, adequate compensation, satisfaction and the guarantee of non-repetition.”


“SERAP notes that article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights recognizes the principle of equality of all persons before courts and tribunals and the guarantee of a competent, independent and impartial tribunal established by law. However, the enjoyment of the right to a fair, effective and efficient administration of justice is impossible if the judiciary cannot act with integrity.


SERAP therefore requested the CJN to use his leadership position of the NJC to:


“Send the names of the released 7 judges and other judges suspected of engaging in corruption to the EFCC and ICPC for prosecution;


“Provide the leadership and proactively work with agencies like the EFCC and ICPC to ensure prompt investigation, prosecution and dismissal of suspected corrupt judges;


“Work to improve judicial integrity and increase judicial accountability, and ultimately, ensure access to justice for everyone, particularly the economically and socially vulnerable sectors of the population;


‘Ensure justice for those wrongfully convicted or who have suffered any other miscarriage of justice by suspected corrupt judges;


‘Suspend judges suspected of engaging in corruption pending any investigation and/or trial of such judges;


‘Champion the full and effective implementation of report on judicial corruption by the late Hon. Justice Kayode Eso;


‘Publish any audited accounts of spending by the judiciary;


‘Disclose and widely publish assets by the Chief Justice of Nigeria and all other judges


“Publish annual reports of all activities involving the judiciary, including its spending, and provide the public with reliable information about its governance and organisation, including the number of judges found to be corrupt


“According to reports, the DSS recently conducted searches at the homes of judges across the country and found prima facie evidence of corruption against the 7 judges released and other judges. The judges include: two Justices of the Supreme Court-- Justices Sylvester Ngwuta and John Okoro; Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court in Abuja; and other judges in Gombe and Rivers states suspected of corruption. The summary of cash recovered from some of the judges, revealed the DSS, included N93.6million, $530,087, £25,970 and €5,680.”


“The allegations of corruption against the released 7 judges and other judges severely undermine the rule of law, the public’s confidence in the judiciary, raise the cost for judicial services because litigation is driven by corruption instead of by the legal process, discourage people from resorting to the formal justice system, and ultimately victimise the most disadvantaged sectors of the population who do not have the means to play by the informal rules set by a corrupt system.”

THE Senate on Tuesday confirmed the appointment of Senator Victor Ndoma Egba and Nsima Udo Ekere as Chairman and Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).








Nigeria’s upper legislative  chamber  also confirmed the nomination of Engr. Adjogbe Ajenakevwe Samuel and Mene Ienyie Derek as Executive Director Project and Executive Director Finance and Administration respectively.


Other confirmed as members of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) are Frank Samuel George representing Akwa-Ibom State, Prof. Brambaifa Nelson representing Bayelsa State, Sylvester Effefiom Nsa representing Cross River State, Dr Ogaga Ifowodo representing Delta State, Uwuilekhue Saturday representing Edo State, Harry Iboroma Dabibi representing Rivers State, Air Commodore Benard Banfa representing North Central Zone, Yahaya Mohammed representing North East Zone, Mustapha Dankadai representing North West Zone, Dr Mohamoud Isa-Dutse representing Federal Ministry of Finance and Abdul-Kazeem Kasimu Bayero representing Federal Ministry of Environment.


The nomination of Donatus Enyinnah representing Abia State and Olatokunbo Ayotunde Ajasin were rejected because they are not from oil producing area of their State.


There was a fresh twist though as Senator Osita Bonaventure Izunaso a nominee from Imo State declined his nomination in a letter to the Senate committee on Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) on the basis that he  is not from oil producing area of the State. The Senate also turned down the nomination of Igo Weli on the basis of wrong nomination.


The Senate President Bukola Saraki congratulated the members of the NDDC board and hopes that they will do their best to develop the Niger Delta Area.