₦airaland Forum

President Muhammadu Buhari has re-approved the payment of a controversial $418million in Paris Club refund-related judgment debts to six creditors after being manipulated by his Chief of Staff, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami.

Multiple presidential sources told SaharaReporters that the Debt Management Office (DMO) has issued promissory notes to the creditors, the means of payment approved by Buhari on Thursday.

The development is against the Nigerian Governors Forum’s protest and calls for a forensic audit into the suspicious claims of the creditors.

The governors had recently queried the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, for issuing promissory notes in favour of the creditors.

The governors claimed that President Buhari approved the payment of the $418million Paris Club judgment debt despite pending court cases.

Buhari, however, in early September directed the Finance Ministry to ask the DMO which was supposed to pay in form of promissory notes, to stay action “until all the cases are exhausted”.

Sources told SaharaReporters that the promissory notes were issued to the creditors on Thursday in-spite of the fraudulent claims by the creditors.

“In spite of the clear evidence of fraud being perpetrated against the Nigerian nation, President Buhari has released a $418million promissory note for jobs not done. This is a government of integrity indeed. God help Nigeria,” a source told SaharaReporters.

“He was manipulated by his Chief of Staff, Gambari, and the Attorney-General who were both promised 40 percent of the money by these creditors. Everything was done during the UN General Assembly in New York, it’s so sad that we have a president who can be easily manipulated.
“Even the Director-General of the DMO, Patience Oniha, was reluctant to issue the promissory notes to them. She was sad about the development.”

SaharaReporters had in a series of reports exposed exposed wide-ranging legitimacy issues, including non-execution of agreed contracts and backdoor deals raised against the indebtedness from various quarters.

One of the beneficiaries is one Dr Ted Iseghahi Edwards who was indicted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Documents seen by SaharaReporters showed that Edwards did not represent Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) as claimed.

A letter dated August 1, 2018 by former EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, to the Ministry of Justice/Attorney General Office indicted him of an attempt to defraud the Nigerian government.

It said, “The suspects had filed applications in court to be joined as one of the judgement creditors during the garnishee proceedings and the applications were refused by the Federal High Court. The judge in a ruling delivered on the 27th of June 2016 frowned at Dr Ted Edward for brandishing a judgment purportedly delivered by the Federal Capital Territory on 30th October, 2015 and in fact took a swipe at it.

“By the Motion Ex parte filed on the 30th of March, 2015, the judgement creditors applied for a Garnishee Order Nisi which was granted on 1st April, 2015 and fixed the return date for 16th April for the Garnishee to show cause why the Order Nisi should not be made absolute.”

“The Honorable Judge in his ruling stated unequivocally that “let me state right away that the substantive matter was commenced by me until I entered judgement on the 3rd of December, 2013. I have searched my records up to the date of I entered judgement. I could not find the name of Dr Ted Iseghahi Edwards as representing the judgement creditors even for one day nor did I find any process filed by his law firm. How then was that judgement prosecuted.

“Another point to highlight is the fact that according to the purported letter of engagement being bandied by Dr Ted Edwards, he was engaged on September 15, 2011 long before the matter was filed in court quoting the exact judgment sum.

“What this throws up is the fact that the said letter of engagement was done after 3rd December, 2013 and backdated to make it look as if the suspect had been engaged before the case started. There is no evidence to prove that the suspect did any work in relation to the recovery process.

“A careful look at the memorandum of settlement Dr Ted Iseghohi Edwards and Hon Odunayo Ategbero betrays the conspiracy and an attempt to defraud the Federal Government by the suspects.

“Pending Actions; Invitation and/or Arrest of the suspect, Dr Ted Iseghahi Edwards with a view of confronting him with all the issues raised in the evaluation above.

“Tracing and filing interim forfeiture order on any property or asset acquired with proceeds of fraud by Dr. Ted Iseghahi Edwards.”

SaharaReporters gathered that despite the report, Malami and Gambari persuaded Buhari to approve $159million as legal fees to Edward.

They also directed the DMO and the Ministry of Finance to release the promissory notes to Edward and others so that they could take their shares, a source had said.

“Edward was the Secretary General of ALGON when the Paris Club refund case FHC/ABJ/CS/130/2013 was done by Joe Agi (SAN) and his colleagues before Justice Ademola. It is clear that he was not the lawyer to ALGON and this much ALGON has said in writing to Malami and the Chief of Staff, Gambari,” the source had told SaharaReporters.

“The EFCC in its report to Malami and Gambari also established that TED EDWARD did not represent ALGON and that Ted Edward in his own handwriting admitted that Joe Agi was the lead counsel for ALGON. He went to one Judge, Baba Yusuf and procured a judgement that he was the lawyer to ALGON in the Paris Club refund case.

“Yet, Malami who knows this is recommending that Ted Edward be paid $159,000,000 as fees from ALGON instead of the actual lawyer. Will this not amount to double payment whenever Mr Joe Agi demands to be paid? From my investigation, Mr Joe Agi, ALGON and The Nigerian Governor Forum have all gone back to court to challenge the payment of the $418million including that of Edward through promissory notes.

“Should Malami not take a second look at the suit and see if really there is any fraud as being widely alleged? Instead he and the Chief of Staff tricked the President and subsequently directed the Debt Management Office and the Finance Office to release the promissory notes to Edward and others so that they can take their shares.

“The total sum of $418million promissory note suggested by Malami to be paid is just a tip of iceberg of what is coming unless he is stopped. Nigeria will become bankrupt before President Buhari leaves office. The anti-corruption war of Buhari has been effectively clipped by Malami and Gambari using their powerful offices to trick the President who really trusted them.

“All needed to be done is to allow an independent people to go through the whole cases concocted on the advice of Malami and the truth will be seen and Nigeria saved of all these massive stealing.
“Why is Malami not challenging any of these court judgements? If I may ask; in most of all these claims, the EFCC had investigated, took statements and established that none of the contacts were executed. The report was submitted to Malami and former Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun by Magu-led EFCC suggested the arrest and interrogation of Ted Edward and one Prince Nicolas Ukachukwu but he and Gambari suppressed the report.

“The same man suggested to be arrested is who Malami said should be given $159,000,000. ALGON had written several letters to him and Fayemi, who is the Chairman of Nigerian Governor Forum that all the jobs executed by Edward and others were fake, not executed. Yet Malami in the face of this clear case of fraud tricked the President in a memo and said judgement was given against them.

“He also negotiated the debt to 50 percent and convinced the President to pay to avoid more damages. It’s high time President Buhari save his anti-corruption war by causing a thorough investigation of his appointees involved in this massive fraud.”

Other beneficiaries include a former member of the House of Representatives, Ned Nwoko, who is laying claim to $142,028,941 via a consent judgment he obtained from the Federal High Court in Abuja in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/148/2017.

Three beneficiaries laying claim to $143,463,577.76 via a judgment of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in the suit marked FCT/HC/CV/2129/2014 are: Riok Nigeria Ltd, Orji Nwafor Orizu, and Olaitan Bello.

From the total money, Riok Nigeria Limited has a share of $142,028,941.95 (about N54 billion), Mr Nwafor is entitled to $1,219,440.45 and Mr Bello has a share of $215,159.36.

A firm, Panic Alert Security System Limited, owned by George Uboh, is also laying claim to $47,831,920 based on another “consent judgment” it obtained in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/123/2018, which was filed as recently as 2018.

The World Bank has declared as “effective“ President Muhammadu Buhari regime’s $750-million COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) Programme.

Aso Vakporaye, the Federal CARES Technical Committee chairman, announced this in a statement on Tuesday.

“President Muhammadu Buhari has promised to lift 100 million people out of poverty in 10 years. The NG-CARES Programme is one of the strategic actions being taken to achieve this presidential mandate,” said the World Bank representative. “Each of the 36 states of the federation will get a nominal allocation of $20 million, while the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will get $15 million under the Programme for Result (PforR) financing instrument of the World Bank.”

The World Bank had in August listed Nigeria among 10 countries with high debt risk exposure. Nigeria ranked number five with $11.7 billion debt stock according to a financial statement the World Bank released on behalf of the International Development Association (IDA).

Mr Vakporaye explained that the World Bank’s recommendation was contained in a letter which the Country Director of World Bank Office in Nigeria, Shubham Chaudhuri, addressed to the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed.

He explained that the global financial institution stated that Mr Buhari’s regime had met all the conditions for eligibility for the credit line.

Mr Vakporaye recalled that the regime sought the assistance of the World Bank in funding its ‘Post-COVID-19 Economic Sustainability Plan’.

The bank described the fund as an emergency intervention programme, built on three result areas with 11 disbursement linked indicators (DLIs).

“Results Area One: focuses on Increased Social Transfers, Basic Services, and Livelihood Support to Poor and Vulnerable Households,” said the statement. “Results Area Two will address the issue of increasing food security and safe functioning of food supply chains; and Results Area Three will support initiatives aimed at facilitating the recovery and enhancing capabilities of micro and small enterprises across the federation and the FCT.”

Mr Vakporaye added that the NG-CARES programme objectives were to expand access to livelihood support and food security services and provide grants for the poor and vulnerable households, as well as firms.”

In August, the Minister of Water Resources Suleiman Adamu announced that seven states (Bauchi, Delta, Ekiti, Imo, Katsina, Kaduna, and Plateau) would benefit from the first tier of the World Bank $700 million for specific water projects.

No less than 6,000 delegates will elect the next National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the October 30 national convention.

Chairman of PDP national convention organising committee, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State disclosed this in Abuja shortly after inaugurating 15 sub convention committees yesterday.

The event was attended by top party functionaries and Governors Nyesom Wike, Duoye Diri and Seyi Makinde of Rivers, Bayelsa and Oyo states respectively. The party’s national elective convention is slated for October 30/31 this year in Abuja.

Addressing newsmen at the event, Fintiri said, “We are expecting over 6, 000 delegates by our new constitution and we are fully prepared for that. We’re expecting everybody in every ward that is a delegate to attend the convention.”

He said the leadership crisis in the party is at the verge of being fully resolved.

He said, “We are moving on. I am the chairman of the convention committee and you can see that we are doing our work. Everybody is happy and participating. I don’t see any crisis in this party.”

Fintiri however refused to comment on provisions of the party’s constitution that are likely to be amended at the convention, noting instead that the committee assigned to review the constitution is allowed to complete its job.

The has also appointed Governors Wike, Emmanuel and Darius as chairmen of Special Duties, Constitutional Amendment and Contact and Mobilisation sub-committees respectively.

Meanwhile, the process of zoning party offices within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the October 30-31 national convention appears to have assumed a new dimension as two camps have emerged within the 44-member zoning committee over how the positions should be zoned.

It was learnt that the groups comprise of those who want the zoning of party offices to remain the way they currently are and those who want all the posts presently occupied by the South to be transferred to the North and vice versa.

It was however gathered that the Ugwanyi Committee may resort to voting among members to take decisions on which area will produce the party chairman at the October 30th national convention of the party.

The 44-man zoning committee led by Hon Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi Committee was charged with zoning PDP NWC offices.

The meeting was hosted by the Chairman of the committee, Rt. Hon Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi at the Lion Building, Government House, in Enugu yesterday.

Members started arriving for the meeting from about 2pm.

Deputy chairman of the committe and Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom arrived the venue of the meeting at about at about 4.30 pm, after attending an event organised by the Federal Radio Coporation of Nigeria, Enugu Network Center.

However a source privy to the undercurrents of the meeting, disclosed to LEADERSHIP that the first group called the ‘Maintain the Status Quo Group’ wants all the party offices to be retained in the geographical side to which they presently are.

The second group called the ‘Move Around Group’ wants all the posts presently in the South to be transferred to the North while the ones in the North should move southward.

It was learnt that while a former Senate President from the South East with support from some South-South and South East members is leading the Move Around Group, a South West governor is spearheading the Maintain the Staus Quo Group is led by Governor Seyi Makinde with the support of key party leaders from the Southwest and the North.

The source added, “By the calculation of the ‘Maintain the Staus Quo’ group, the chairmanship of the Party will be retained in the South while the National Secretary will move to the North. However, the ‘Move Around Group’ wants the next chairman of PDP to emerge from the North while the South produces the Secretary.

“Also while the ‘Move Around Group’ believes that zoning the chairmanship group to the North will make the Presidential ticket to be automatically zoned to the South, they continued to insist that the issue at hand now is party position and when the party gets to the point where it has to nominate the presidential flagbearer, the matter will be resolved.

“However, the ‘Maintain the Status Quo’ group believes that the zoning committee should also adopt the position of the Bala Mohammed Committee which reviewed the performance of the party in the 2019 general election should clearly declare that the presidential ticket of the party will be thrown open for aspirants from all the six zones,” the source said.

The source added that the camp that is desirous of maintain the status quo hinge their position on the notion that mass transposition from North to South and vice versa, would defeat the argument that some members of the current NWC are being removed from office on grounds of performance.

“If not for the issue of performance which some leaders raised against the continuation of Secondus and his team, the members of the current NWC would have been eligible to seek second term.

We are prevailing on them not to seek second term because we believe they did not do well and that there is need for change of strategy, approach, injection of new hands and some energy, vigour and wisdom into the party. So, to make mass switch across geo-political divide will defeat the argument,” the source said.

Another source which condemned the Move Around Group argued that “this group consist of people who want the Presidential ticket zoned to their backyard.

They are afraid of going across the country to canvass for votes and seek support that will give them a popular party mandate”.

The Nigerian Navy has handed over two vessels – MT Bright Hope and MV Johanna 11 – to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).

The two vessels were arrested by the Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base Bonny with thirteen crew members onboard MT Bright Hope while twelve crew members were onboard MV Johanna 11.

While performing the handing over exercise in Bonny, Rivers State, the commanding officer Nigerian Navy Forward Operating Base Bonny, Captain Rufus Taye Oladejo explained that preliminary investigation has revealed that MT Bright Hope was arrested on the 10th of September 2021 along the Bonny waterways laden with about 1,371,256 litres of stolen crude oil and 62,431 litres of illegal refined AGO.

Captain Oladejo while giving a brief of the second vessel, MV Johanna 11 that was also arrested on the 14th of July 2021 conveying about 394 ,000 litres of product suspected to be AGO without the Nigerian Navy approval, also explained that activities of illegal refineries have reduced drastically due to the synergy with other sisters agencies in policing Nigeria’s waterways against oil theft and other marine crimes.

EFCC detective Arasah Shaks, who received the vessels and the suspects on behalf of the Port Harcourt Zonal command of the EFCC, said investigation will commence immediately and the suspects prosecuted if found guilty.

Detective Shaks gave kudos to the Nigerian Navy for their unrelenting efforts in seeing that the waterways are protected and safe.

The Lagos State Government has announced diversion of traffic from Yaba for the first phase of the construction of the Red line railway project.

The Commissioner for Transportation, Dr Frederic Oladeinde, said the diversion would last for three months from midnight of Friday, 1 Oct. 2021 to 1 Jan. 2022.

“Motorists heading to Murtala Muhammed way from Western Avenue are advised to use Empire Road at Jibowu, while Traffic circulating Murtala Muhammed Way and Yaba Bound will be diverted to Empire Road to access Western Avenue.

“In the same vein, motorists on Herbert Macaulay can also use Empire Road to connect Western Avenue to reach their desired destinations.

“We assured that the site will be cordoned off for the safety of the citizenry, while emergency vehicles will be on ground to tow broken down vehicles along the axis,” Oladeinde said.

According to the commissioner, the three month long project was to ensure that the project was completed in record time as promised by the Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration.

He stated that signage would be placed on the access roads with the State’s Traffic Management Authority to manage traffic flow and minimize inconveniences.

He added that government had reiterated its continuous commitment to the development of transport infrastructure within the metropolis.

Oladeinde maintained that the development was vital for the Multi-Modal Transportation System of the state government which would boost the economy of the citizenry.

angelfallz:
How is what I said related to the Taliban?

angelfallz:
there is no such thing as gender equality. It is a smoke screen to promote women above men.

bukatyne:
Happy observation

bukatyne:
@bold:

This would be more effective and makes sense.

Let the women playing grassroot politics canvas for support to represent.

It is now they would approve the 111 seats and baba would decide to use 97% / 5% sharing formula.

Edo State has received 50,000 additional doses of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccines from the federal government.

Receiving the vaccines at the Benin airport at the weekend, the Executive Secretary, Edo State Primary Health Care Development Agency (EDSPHCDA), Dr Mrs Erhabor Julie, said the vaccines would boost the state’s efforts at vaccinating more citizens.

Erhabor charged citizens to avail themselves of the opportunity to get inoculated against the virus.

Erhabor said: “l am calling on all those who have not been inoculated to come and take the vaccines.

“Edo does not have any problem with the supply of vaccines.”

He assured of the government’s commitment to ensuring the health and safety of Edo citizens.

He added: “The vaccines are free, safe and effective.

“People should come out and take the vaccines to get protection against the virus.”

jackcanfield:
Chioma Carbon Copy

BBBricks:
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The Secretary-General/Registrar of the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, Dr Faruk Abubakar has said that over 7,000 professional nurses leave the country for greener pastures.

According to him, this was a clear testimony that Nigeria has competent, efficient and hardworking professional nurses which he said, are among the best in the world.

Dr Faruk Abubakar stated this when he led members of the council to the Delta State Commissioner for health, Dr Mordi Ononye, in Asaba shortly before a five-day workshop for examiners engaged in nursing and professional examinations held in the state recently.

The secretary-general/registrar quipped: “In that respect, the council felt it is necessary that we maintain that standard and this is why in every two years we organise this workshop and make sure that the examiners that we assign and appoint to conduct professional examinations have updated knowledge in line with global practices.”

It would be recalled that Nigeria has witnessed increased migration of nurses to developed nations due to push factors such as low remunerations, poor governmental policies, poor working conditions and pull factors such as good working conditions, better pay which are offered by developed countries.

The Delta health Commissioner, Dr Ononye, however, decried the high rate of migration of Nigerian nurses to developed countries as worrisome which he said must be urgently looked into with the view to check its threat to Nigeria’s health system.

He said, “We have a situation where human resource experts, trained and skilled at great cost to the nation are lost to our health system by migration to already developed countries.

“This is worrisome to stakeholders in the health sector and we welcome practical suggestions for finding solutions to this problem.”

Dr Ononye commended the council for the good job it has been doing through its rigorous training programmes for nursing students and professionals which is the reason behind the competence displayed by Nigerian nurses in and outside the country.

“I commend the council for organising the examiners’ workshop and the inclusion of assessment of participants as part of its training activities which no doubt has made the workshop to be more than a mere paper exercise.

“By this the council no doubt has set the pace for other health players in the health sector to emulate,” he added.

A fuel tanker on Monday morning exploded at the busy PZ Roundabout along Airport Road, in Yola, Adamawa state capital.

As of the time of publishing this report, it is not clear whether lives were lost in the inferno.

According to Sahara Reporters, the fuel compartment of the tanker, owned by Conoil, detached and fell while the driver was negotiating the roundabout.

Vehicles and shops within an 80-metre radius were burnt, causing losses yet to be evaluated.

At the time of this report, the fire was still raging.

A combined team of firefighters from the state and federal fire services and Air Force were seen making efforts to put out the fire.

The Nigerian naira has continued its downward spiral as it trades at N540 to a dollar at the parallel market on Thursday.

The drop comes barely a week after it traded at N530 against the American currency.

The exchange rates have been on a downward slope, after the suspension of foreign exchange transactions with bureau de change operators. Same day last week the national currency traded at N530 per dollar.

In July, Peoples Gazette hadbreported the CBN ban on foreign exchange sales to bureau de change operators, band an indefinite suspension issuance of licences to money changers.

The bank then instructed commercial banks to set up teller points in branches, so that dollars and other foreign currencies would be made available to Nigerians

The naira has been on a constant decline since the Buhari-led administration came into power. When President Muhammadu Buhari assumed his responsibilities in May 2015, it was trading at about 187 to a dollar.

The administration has faced backlash for its handling of the country’s fiscal and monetary policies. Officials however dismissed the criticisms, saying the government came on board at a time of perilous economic situation that stemmed from decades of mismanagement by previous administrations.

OgwuEgo:
VP Academics