₦airaland Forum

There is anxiety in Benin City, Edo state capital and other parts of the state over the detection of corona virus on an Italian that visited Nigeria from Milan, Italy few days ago.

This development has created fears among residents as there is hardly any family in Benin City and environs that do not have members in Europe and particularly Italy so there are fears that some persons from the state may have traveled with the victim on the same flight to Nigeria and these persons may have visited home.

This development as led to decision to commence screening of travelers using the Benin airport by a joint team of Nigerian Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Nigerian Red Cross and other stakeholders.

Chairman of Red Cross in Edo state, Festus Alenkhe yesterday told Satuday Vanguard that the screening of passengers at the airport would begin from Monday.

He said “We Just had a meeting now with officials of NEMA and FAAN in Edo. From next week, our volunteers will be at the Benin airport to join the health personnel in screening travelers. We are in touch with Edo disease control unit. The international federation of the Red Cross is making efforts to support all Red Cross branches nationwide We are planning adequate and massive health campaign to all nooks and crannies of Edo state. Markets, churches, mosques, schools and others. For now personal hygiene is the best option.”

Meanwhile the Edo State Government said it has commenced various activities to stop the virus from spreading to the state.

Commissioner for Health, Dr. Patrick Okundia said that a team has been deployed to the Benin Airport to get information on the manifest of the airline that brought the Italian into the country.

He said it has also sensitised staff at the Benin Airport on the screening modalities of air travellers as well as creating awareness for the public on the new coronavirus.

The driver of the UBER and the Rapid Response Squad (Lagos State Police Command) should be commended for their quick intervention to prevent another suicide, barely 10 days after Daibo Toju Davies plunged himself into the lagoon.


The police in Lagos on Thursday rescued a 28-year-old man, Princewill David, who jumped into the lagoon at Third Mainland Bridge in a suicide attempt.

The incident occurred around midnight, less than two weeks after another young man jumped into the lagoon for yet -to -be ascertained reasons.

It was gathered that David, a resident of 42, Tajudeen Balogun Street, Igando, took the dive after his lover broke up with him.

The Foreign Exchange (FOREX) dealer was said to have requested a hailing taxi service only to tell the driver to stop midway through the bridge for him to urinate.

The Nation gathered that the driver turned down his request following recent trend of passengers on suicide mission, asking drivers to stop for them to pee only to jump into the water.

It was learnt that the driver increased his speed until he sighted operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) on pin down operation towards Adeniji before he slowed down.

As soon as the driver slowed down, David was said to have jumped off the car and into the lagoon where he landed on logs of wood.

It was gathered that the policemen quickly went after him, rescued and rushed him to the hospital.

David was said to have fractured his legs and sustained other body injuries as a result of the jump.

According to a source, the driver said David insisted he should pass Third Mainland Bridge after he picked him up at Igando.

“He asked the driver if they were on Third Mainland Bridge when they got there and he said yes.

“The man then said the driver should stop the car so he can pee but the driver refused and sped off.

“The driver said the man was forcing him to wait but because of reports of people jumping into the water after lying that they want to pee, he increased his speed and only slowed down when he saw RRS.

“But before the driver reached where the policemen where to complain, the man ran off the vehicle and jumped into the water.

“One of the policemen saw him approach the railings and pleaded with him not to jump but the guy went ahead. Fortunately, he landed on logs of wood and the policemen with the help of local fishermen rescued him.

“He broke his legs and sustained other injuries. He was rushed to the hospital where he is still being treated.

“They asked why he wanted to kill himself and he said it was because his girlfriend said she was no longer interested in him,” the source said.

Confirming the incident, police spokesman Bala Elkana said the victim was responding to treatment at the hospital, adding that he said heartbreak led him to attempt suicide.

Another young man, who is yet to be identified, on Thursday’s mid-night leapt from an Uber car and jumped into the Lagos Lagoon.

This is coming barely 10 days after a man alighted from a cab and jumped into the Lagos Lagoon.

The man jumped into the Lagoon from the Third Mainland Bridge at midnight, sources in the Rapid Response Squad told The PUNCH on Thursday.

The PUNCH gathered that he landed on floating logs of wood beneath the Third Mainland Bridge.

The cab driver told officials of the RRS that he picked the passenger from Igando.

He said, “I carried him (the passenger) from Igando and he insisted I pass through the Third Mainland Bridge.

“On getting to the bridge, he asked me whether this was Third Mainland Bridge and I answered yes.

“He told me that he was pressed and that I should wait for him to ease himself. I was curious. At this time, he was forcing me to wait. I stylishly drove him to the point where the RRS men were standing inward Lagos.

“I told him I was no longer interested in the trip before I approached the police officers leaving him inside the car.”

A source, who is also an eyewitness, said, “As soon as the cab driver approached the police informing them of what his passenger was telling him, he (the victim) got down from the Volkswagen Jetta car and jumped into the Lagoon but he landed on floating logs of wood.

“Before he jumped, one of the police officers who saw him approached the railings of the bridge and persuaded him not to jump.”

The PUNCH learnt that the victim was rescued but sustained varying degrees of injury.

It was also gathered that the victim was rushed to the Lagos State Teaching Hospital, where he was later referred to LUTH.

“The incident was reported at Adekunle Police Station, Yaba,” The PUNCH was told.

Police in Ogun State have arrested a contestant for the vacant stool of Oba of Iwoye in the Ilaro Yewa South Local Government Area of the state for alleged certificate forgery.

Fagbemi Waheed was arrested following a petition to the police that he was allegedly in possession of forged West African Senior School Certificate Examination results.

Spokesman for the police in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said in a statement on Tuesday they arrested Waheed following a petition from the chambers of one R.R.A. & Associates.

He said the petitioners alleged that Waheed forged his secondary school certificate number NGSG 809573 he claimed to have obtained in 1988.

Oyeyemi said, “The petitioners further stated that the said Alhaji Fagbemi Waheed forged the said certificate for the purpose of using it to contest the throne of Oluwoye of Iwoye.”

The officer added that the officer in charge of the Anti-kidnapping section had been directed to investigate the matter.

He said, “The suspect was arrested and a search warrant was executed in his house where the forged certificate was allegedly recovered.

“Investigations further revealed that the certificate bearing the number actually belonged to one Raimot Omotola Adebayo.”

Oyeyemi said, “On interrogation, the suspect confessed that he collected the certificate from the owner under the pretence he wanted to use it to secure a job for her.

“But he took it to a cybercafe where he superimposed his own name on it and printed it out as original.

“He stated further that he did so because he wanted to contest the obaship of his town.”

He said the state Commissioner of Police, Kenneth Ebrinson, had directed that the suspect be charged after investigations were concluded.

The Federal High Court in Abuja has found Mr Olisa Metuh guilty of money laundering in the sum of N400 million.

The trial judge, Justice Okon Abang, found the former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) guilty on Tuesday while delivering judgement in the suit instituted against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The anti-graft agency charged Metuh, who is standing trial alongside his company, Destra investment, with seven counts bordering on criminal diversion of the money received from the office of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd).

Delivering judgement in the case, Justice Abang convicted the former PDP spokesman of count one of the charges.

“It is my view that Metuh took possession of the N400 million from the office of the NSA without contractual agreement; he is guilty of money laundering and is hereby convicted on count one.”

As Edo State 2020 governorship election draws nearer, stakeholders in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state and across the country have continued to express worry over the chances of their party retaining power. One of their major concerns is the dimension to which the ongoing face-off between the National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole and the incumbent, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has gone.

With Bayelsa State already lost to the opposition due to the party’s inability to handle its affairs well under the watch of Oshiomhole, stakeholders’ fears for Edo have become palpable. Some stakeholders have called what happened in Bayelsa as an unforgivable act of impunity on the part of the party’s leadership led by Oshiomhole. This is more so after a similar incident cost the party Taraba State only last year.

In Edo State, members blame the present imbroglio in APC on the excesses of Oshiomhole who they accuse of gross mismanagement of the national chairmanship’s office, while others liken the various crises in the ruling party, not limited to Edo, on the fact that there is lack of input of elders to the challenges confronting APC since Oshiomhole took over. In other words, Oshiomhole has been running the party in a solo fashion unlike what should happen in a democratic party, where everybody makes input for the party’s growth.

Nevertheless, the contrary opinion also faults the incumbent, accusing him of arrogance and a lack of appreciation towards Oshiomhole, who singlehandedly brought him from his private-sector business and installed him governor against all odds.

But beyond the Edo crises, some elders have also taken Oshiomhole to the cleaners over what happened in Rivers, Taraba, and Zamfara States where APC lost out in the 2019 elections. They also pointed at the recent sack of David Lyon, the governor-elect of Bayelsa State a day to his inauguration by the Supreme Court, saying, “These are consequences of the fact that APC does not have a Board of Trustees (BoT) to mediate in critical issues. The Oshiomhole-led National Working Committee (NEC) is like a ship without supervisors and or advisers.”

“The sack of Lyon by the apex court is now etched in annals of Nigeria’s political history and will remain a reference point for years on how a party should never conduct its affairs in an election,” another elder who did not want his name on print stated. “What makes APC/Lyon’s calamity very unfortunate is the fact that the debacle could not only have been easily avoided, but there have been recent experiences that could have guided the leadership of the party on what to do.

“There was a similar case in Taraba State, where a candidate’s infractions cost the party dearly. In Zamfara State, the party’s apparatus is currently in shambles due to the highhandedness of the leadership under the guidance of Oshiomhole. The Rivers episode is even more heartbreaking as the party could not even present a candidate in the 2019 governorship elections. Something similar played out in Oyo State where the party also lost to the major opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) just as it happened in Ogun where APC managed to retain power, which was made possible because of the infractions in the major opposition PDP.”

Sadly, the misfortunes of the party in all the states mentioned above are placed on the doorsteps of the national chairman, who some members also accused of having not learned anything or behaved with dignity to further justify his continuous leadership of APC.

But as the Edo and Ondo States’ chapters are heading for another gubernatorial election, APC stakeholders in the two states and pundits are already gripped with fears what may likely happen in both states, with especially Edo already boiling over with self-inflicted crisis.

The national chairman has been accused of continuously and intentionally promoting disaffection in the state to spite Obaseki. This assertion is against the backdrop that despite the incumbent’s developmental strides, Oshiomhole is still bent on removing him in his bid to play godfather in the state. Oshiomhole is allegedly fueling the crisis to destabilise both the party and the state government.

But Oshiomhole’s loyalist would sharply disagree with that notion and would rather blamed the current situation on Obaseki, who they also accused of not running the party and the state in accordance with the manifesto of APC. One of the frontrunners of Oshiomhole’s campaign to unseat Obaseki is the former governorship candidate of PDP, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who allegedly has an ongoing corruption case with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Miffed by the way and manner the national chairman railroaded Ize-Iyanmu, aggrieved members of Edo APC wonder why a party that preaches against corruption is bent on using a candidate who is under the crime commission’s radar for investigation.

What is noteworthy is that other aspirants being projected by Oshiomhole are people he had said damning things about in the past. According to sources, “Oshiomhole, for instance, had allegedly accused his erstwhile deputy governor, Dr. Pius Odubu, of being a thief and a herbalist. The same trend can be traced to other aspirants he is now fronting.”

Just as the fight between the national chairman and Obaseki is causing disaffection in the party, a big challenge also awaits it in Ondo State with rumours that Governor Rotimi Akeredolu would likely be going to be ambushed the way former Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, was ambushed.

These erratic leadership styles are blamed on APC national chairman whose party members claim to lack the aptitude and temperament to occupy that delicate office.

“He does not have the disposition and attitude,” lamented a member. “If nothing is done urgently, the ruling party will pay the ultimate price. It is therefore imperative of the party to urgently constitute a BoT to help Oshiomhole out in his job at least in advisory capacity.”

Most party members are already losing faith in what they describe as ‘mercenary leadership method’ of Oshiomhole, saying it looks like essentially a one-man-show, claiming, “The approach of operating like a bull in a China shop has not gotten us anywhere. At best, it has set the party further on the path of perdition.”

PDP’s fall pre-2014
Despite several appeals to President Muhammadu Buhari to use his office to interve­ne in the party’s crises before they got out of control like what happened in Bayelsa and Oyo States, some concerned members told The Guardian, “What led to the downfall of PDP in 2015 is playing out actively in APC with the way Oshiomhole is handling the affairs of the party. Once members lose confidence in the leadership of the party, they either become inert or go elsewhere. Our party promised change; now, it cannot even manage its own affairs because of the actions and inactions of one man.”

On the unfortunate episode in Bayelsa State, they also said, “It must be pointed out that it is unforgivable to adopt an individual who presented five certificates with different names and when it was spotted, the party hierarchy failed to take advantage of the window to substitute the candidate.

“All these flaws flow from the dysfunctional leadership, which exalts might over right and has absolute disregard for due process and the law, which is the hallmark of Oshiomhole’s leadership style.

“The damage done by Oshiomhole to the APC is incalculable. It happened in Taraba, in Zamfara, and in Rivers because of the same recourse to subverting established norms for personal interest.”

While lamenting the absence of BoT, one of the founding members of APC said even if there are no group of elders to tailor how things run in the party, “President Buhari should not stay completely aloof; after all, he eventually got to where he is on APC’s platform after many failed trials,” just as he accused the national leader of hiding under the shadow of the NWC to carry out infractions against the party. “He has been conducting the party’s affairs from his castle in Aso Rock in Abuja, alienating all else and leaving the national secretariat desolate.”

Although after the loss in the governorship election in Taraba State on the basis of age falsification by the party’s candidate, Oshiomhole had promised he would constitute committees to screen candidates so the party would guide against fielding candidates with questionable dates of birth, educational qualifications and various errors which the opposition party could latch on to snatch victory after losing at the polls.

However, the chairman’s actions have betrayed this promise, as the party still lost out because of inconsistencies in a candidate’s certificates in the Bayelsa election. With this, it has been established that what Oshiomhole says is different from what he does, with members fuming that failure to act now would result in the rapid disintegration of the party.

Anger in the party might not be totally directed against Oshiomhole but the circumstances that were at the formation of APC. In fact, Oshiomhole’s best may mean nothing if the leader of the party, President Buhari, consistently fails to take responsibility for the party’s health as he has shown in the past. Buhari’s silence in the face of the simmering crises has not helped in dousing tension in the party. It is clear Buhari can no longer afford to keep silent otherwise whatever gains his presidency made would be eroded by the antics of the chairman of the party he leads.

The leader of Nigeria’s Governors’ Forum and Ekiti State governor, Dr. Fayemi Kayode, had predicted the likelihood of the disintegration of APC post-Buhari. Oshiohmole’s continuing stranglehold on the party might just be the beginning of that disintegration except for something urgent is done to ease him and stabilize the party’s structure.

Ex-Kogi Gov, Abubakar Audu’s Son, Muhammed Arrested for Alleged Fraud

The operatives of the EFCC have arrested Muhammed Audu, son of the late Prince Abubakar Audu, a former governor of Kogi State, for his alleged involvement in an alleged fraud.
The suspect was arrested on Tuesday, February 18, 2020 for allegedly diverting the funds to the tune of several millions of US Dollars and billions of Naira, which were donated to the Nigerian Football Federation, NFF, to his personal use.

Investigations revealed that the suspect allegedly used two of his companies, Mediterranean Hotels Limited and Mediterranean Sports, to divert the funds, which he could not account for.

The suspect will soon be charged to court as soon investigations are concluded.

The police have made a headway in their investigation, as two arrests have been made, P.M.News learnt on Wednesday.

According to sources, the police were able to make the arrests after her assassins forgot one of their phones in her apartment, after raping her and gruesomely murdering her.

“They left with Laetitia’s phones and left one of their own”, said an Aso Rock source, in the know of police investigation.

The Police had used the abandoned phone to trace the suspects.

The 47-year-old from Plateau State, was living as a spinster in an apartment in Lokogoma in Abuja. According to P.M.News sources, she had reported some bad guys dealing in drugs near her home to the police, leading to a police raid of the jaunt.

It was believed that a blackleg in the police may have told the drug boys that Laetitia snitched on them.

Our source dismissed speculations that her death was connected with the leak of a December 9 memo sent to Abba Kyari, the chief of staff to President Muhammadu Buhari by the National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno.

“She was working in the Pension Department outside the Villa. There was no way, she would have come in contact with a memo from Monguno to Abba Kyari”, the source said.

Laetitia closed for work at the Villa at 8pm on Monday. But three hours after, she had been gruesomely murdered in her apartment.

The Permanent Secretary, State House, Abuja, Alhaji Jalal Arabi, described the killing as “a painful loss, not only to her immediate family, but also the entire State House”.

“She was a dedicated, hard-working officer, and we all feel pained by her dastardly and untimely death,” Arabi told her family members during a condolence visit.

”We all share in your grief and pains, but be consoled by the fact that she lived a good life and contributed her best to the services of her nation.”

Arabi expressed confidence that “the Police will fish out the killers of Laetitia and the law will take its course”.

The permanent secretary prayed God Almighty to comfort Dagan’s family, the entire Staff of State House, and grant the soul of the departed officer eternal rest.

ainas247:
With the increments of court cases on Election, please educate me,
can INEC be trusted again?

Meanwhile, if you have a business website,
let's rank it to Google page 1
see client result

The founder and director of Adoration Ministry, Emene, Enugu, AMEN, Rev Fr. Ejike Mbaka has refuted a purported prophecy report in social media alleging that he predicted the new Bayelsa governor will stay only 2 months in office.

The Enugu fiery priest denied the rumour during his Sunday sermon at the Adoration ground, Emene, Enugu.

Mbaka maintained that he has never at any time, place or circumstance made any prophecy about Bayelsa or who becomes the Governor of the state or his duration in office.

Describing the report as malicious, handwork of mischief makers and wicked individuals who are on demonic and satanic assignment to damage his reputation, Mbaka, warned them to deceased else they would attract the wrath of God upon themselves.

According to a statement signed by Media and publicity secretary of Adoration Ministry, Barr. Ike Maximus Ugwuoke, “Our attention has been drawn to report in a section of the media that spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry, Fr. Mbaka has prophesied that the newly sworn-in Governor of Bayelsa State, Diri Douye will stay in office as Governor for only two months.

“The report alleged that he predicted this in “Delta state at the ceremony to mark his friend and colleague who clocked 68 years.

“For the sake of justice and fairness, we challenge the originators of this false and mendacious report to mention the name of the so-called Fr Mbaka’s friend and colleague whose ceremony he attended in Delta State. The truth is that Fr Mbaka has not even been in Delta since this year.

“Fr Mbaka has been preoccupied with the charitable and miraculous works God has been using him to do in the ministry. He has been immersed in thanksgiving to God for the fulfilment of his prophecy on Hope Uzodimma becoming the Governor of Imo State and so he never attended any such ceremony in Delta State or anywhere else where he could have made such prediction as alleged by these satanic agents.

“During Fr Mbaka’s Sunday mass today, he refuted this report himself publicly at the altar. Those who impersonate Fr Mbaka in the media should be careful else they are attracting the wrath of God upon themselves,” The statement reads.

dominique:
Hope the driver and car have been released from police custody? Detaining him for a minute makes no sense

I received the verdict of the Supreme Court, declaring the candidate of the @OfficialPDPNig in the Bayelsa state gubernatorial elections, Senator Douye Diri, as the duly elected Governor of the state, with gladness.

The Ondo State Executive Council Wednesday approved a draft bill of the Ondo State Security Network Agency and Amotekun Corps codenamed “Operation Amotekun”.

The bill will be transmitted to the State House of Assembly for legislative scrutiny after which it would be passed into law.

Commissioner for information and Orientation in the state, Donald Ojogo said this in a statement in Akure.

Ojogo said ” ln an exhaustive session of deliberations, Council took time to peruse every detail contained in the Bill that was presented by the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Kola Olawoye, SAN. and now ready to be transmitted to the state House of Assembly for passage.

“The Draft Bill has 6 Parts and 44sections. It is also gratifying to disclose that every apprehension or fears expressed have been adequately looked into.

“This is even as Traditional Rulers will now have roles to play in the operations of the security outfit pursuant to its passage into law by the State Assembly.

“Government finds it pertinent to reiterate that this laudable initiative is aimed at complementing the efforts of the Nation’s security agencies.

”It is also necessary to encourage the good people of Ondo State to take maximum advantage of this opportunity.

Meanwhile, the speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt Hon Bamidele Oloyelogun said the bill would receive accelerated hearing and passage.

Oloyelogun said with the importance of the bill to the people of the state, the lawmakers would immediately do the needful as soon as they get the bill from the executive arm of government.

The 26 member assembly members are presently on recess and they have promised to cut short their recess to attend to the bill.

Meanwhile, the recruitment of the personnel for the security outfit in the state have commenced.

Recall that the Special Adviser to the state governor on security matters, Alhaji Jimoh Dojumo told vanguard that the forms too would be out after the recruitment exercise.

Dojumo said that traditional rulers and community leaders would stand as guarantors to those to be engaged into the security outfit.

…You failed to publicly declare your assets, Kukah tells President

…No, my principal never promised public declaration- Adesina

…I was maligned, almost assassinated doing my job as EFCC chair —Farida

President Muhammadu Buhari said, yesterday, that widespread corruption in the country was the likely reason the impact of his fight against the scourge has not permeated some quarters.

He said the menace was largely deep rooted before the coming of his administration in 2015, restating his commitment to eradicate corruption from the shores of the land, even as he called on all hands to be on deck in the fight.

The President spoke at the launching of a book “One Step Ahead: Life of a Spy, Detective and Anti-Graft Czar”, authored by former Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mrs. Farida Waziri in Abuja.

Why impact of anti-graft war not felt by many —Buhari

Represented by the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, President Buhari said significant progress had been recorded in the anti-graft war which had also attracted commendations from far and near.

He said: “We must know that corruption is a major challenge of governance and development which we must all seek to eliminate from our system. Our administration’s commitment to eradicating it has been unwavering and we shall unrelentingly pursue its eradication.

“We have made significant progress in loot recovered, leakages blocked and the challenges it posed with arrest and prosecutions made. If the impact has not been too apparent to some observers, it is because of the deep root corruption has taken and extent of the spread before our advent.

“Nevertheless, we have received good report and commendations from home and abroad on our success in fighting corruption. With our steady effort, we have great hopes that corruption will be eliminated in our country.”

The President noted the remarkable career of the author in the police force and in the EFCC, commending her courage to document her experiences.

“Dr. Waziri has had a distinguished career as a police officer, spanning the whole gamut of being a spy and a detective culminating to her appointment as the Chairman of the EFCC. Beyond this, she is a wife and a mother and an epitome career prospect for a hardworking woman; she has put her reflections on the trajectory of her life and career together in the book being presented today. I congratulate her and salute her courage.

“During and after her office, we must note that Waziri has been able to freely express her opinion and defend herself without fear as seen in the book and her comments in the media. This is possible because we are in a democracy. As a system of power and social organization, democracy fosters an environment of openness, transparency and liberty needed to espouse our ideas on virtually any subject matter under the sun. It gives citizens voice and makes their opinion the base of governance”, he said.

Buhari has not publicly declared his assets as promised — Kukah

Earlier, the Bishop, Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Dr. Mathew Kukah, while delivering as a guest Speaker in a lecture titled “Is Corruption a Biological Necessity or a Political Invention”, asked Nigerian leaders to show probity and accountability.

He said: “First, the President for example won his elections on the plank that he would fight corruption. We have had such statements like, fighting corruption to a standstill, killing corruption, getting rid of corruption or, the favourite and life changing one, which is, if we do not kill corruption, corruption will kill us. All great soundbites, I say. And of course, having been drenched in the cesspool of corruption, only the sadist, the fool would not want to see the pool drenched.

“The philosophical questions however for me are, how do you fight corruption? Who and where is corruption sitting or standing? What tools do you use to fight corruption? How will we know when corruption has been killed? What will its body look like and who will officiate at the funeral of corruption? In other words, will the high priests of the funeral of corruption be those who have wined and dined with it or those who have washed their garments in purity?

“You may find my questions quite irritating because they strike at the root of what we have not thought through but they will also help you understand why corruption has not died, will not die any time soon despite our marksmanship. Here are the reasons why I think corruption will not die so soon.

“I do not for one moment doubt or question the enthusiasm, patriotism and moral probity of those who have sought to fight corruption and are fighting corruption. I am saying that in all of these, like my fever, we are only seeing symptoms. Only a proper diagnosis can begin a process of curing us. And, in my view, we have sought to fight corruption without enough diagnostic effort. And this brings me to the first section of my question, namely, is corruption a biological necessity?”

The Bishop, who was represented at the event by Revered Father Patrick Alukumu from Abuja, however, provoked some thoughts, asking if President Buhari had fulfilled his promise of declaring his own assets public.

Defining corruption

He said: "The next issue is how do we define the corrupt? Who is corrupt? When power is used to shield those at the top, it is one of the worst forms of corruption. Often, those in power can subordinate the apparatus of state to hide their own corruption and leave the poor and ordinary people vulnerable. We create all kinds of fireballs of protections around those who govern us and we call it Immunity. When the politician controls the security agencies and the judiciary, when all these are made to serve the people in power, then we must find another word for defining corruption.

“A man of integrity and piety and we can call him incorruptible. However, what happens if the thief pays his rent, sponsors his political career, or donates proceeds from his or her theft indirectly to the friends, family and cronies of those in power? Is the canvass of their piety or integrity and honour wide enough to cover the stench of corruption or do we only see the agent of corruption?

“On a final note, let me ask two or three questions that I have heard being asked. First, is it in the Law that the Chairman of EFCC must be from the Police Force and a Muslim from Northern Nigeria? Two, people have asked, how is it that the President used Justice Onnoghen’s Asset Declaration form to prove his corruption and proceed to sack him, yet the President himself has not publicly declared his own assets as he promised during his campaigns? Thirdly, why has Mr. Magu not been confirmed as EFCC Chairman and what is the state of the trial of those who attempted to kill him in December, 2017? Thank you for your kind attention.”

Presidency to Kukah: Show us evidence of Buhari’s promise

Kukah’s questions, however, drew the ire of the Presidency who vehemently refuted claims that President Buhari had at any point in time during his electioneering campaigns in 2015 and 2019 promised to make public declaration of his personal assets.

The Presidency rather stated that the President has assured Nigerians of doing what the constitution required.

The rebuttal emanated from the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Chief Femi Adesina who reviewed the book.

Taking the podium after Kukah, Adesina before discharging his assignment opted to correct the impression generated by the submissions.

He said President Buhari never promised to make public declaration of his assets but to follow the constitution, challenging Kukah to come up with his evidence.

The Presidential spokesman recalled that on his first day on the job after his appointment, he posed the same question to the president and other officials of government in a private meeting but got an answer that there was never a promise to make a public declaration of the president’s assets.

He said: “In a private meeting with the President, one of the first questions I asked him was, this promise about public declaration of assets, when are you doing it and then he asked me, can you please show me where that promise was ever made and lo and behold, we searched everywhere, there was no place where the president ever said he will do a public declaration. And he told me what does the law require? The law requires you to declare your assets and that is what I will do. And yet since that year (2015), they keep repeating it that he promised a public declaration.

“So, sir, can you tell Bishop Kukah that I challenge him to produce that promise by the President because the President stands on it till tomorrow that he never promised public declaration. In 2015, he made his assets public. In 2019, he has declared that he has chosen not to make public. He has not broken any law. So, let’s not continue to repeat what is untrue, what is an inexactitude. That’s my message to Bishop Kukah.”

I was maligned, almost assassinated doing my job as EFCC Chair —Farida Waziri

In her welcome address, the author and former chairman of EFCC, Mrs. Farida Waziri revealed that assassination attempts were made on her life in the course of her assignment as an anti-graft Czar.

She said she also had face-off and courted enemies from local and foreign shores.

She noted that she lost her husband, Senator Waziri and her daughter within one year after leaving office with no condolences from her traducers.

According to her, the reason for writing the book was not principally to respond to distortions and half truths peddled against her person while in office but to properly situate facts and issues.

“I had been so grossly maligned not many people knew who the real Farida Waziri is. Fabrications from malicious quarters had created a distorted perception of my persona. When you read One Step Ahead, it will be easy to see the lies of the past for what they are. I have no doubt that after reading the book, you will be able to separate facts from fiction and let go of those mythologies.

“From my officialdom, I have had vantage views of history, first-person experience of events as they happened. My experiences might be personal and subjective, they are nonetheless and inevitably parts of the larger history of Nigeria. Hence, those accounts of my life are part and parcel of the Nigerian narrative.

“So, here today, we are going to unveil the true picture of Farida Waziri. It is the story of a young girl’s journey through life, from being a Catholic girl to a Muslim; from being born of a Tiv family in Benue to becoming a matriarch in Tangale family from Gombe; from a police officer who was the best recruit in 1967 to becoming Assistant Inspector General of Police, who also became a lawyer. Along the way, there were assassination attempts, face-off with cranks and officials in foreign lands, thrust and parry with criminals and personal tragedies of losing loved ones, particularly having lost my beloved husband and daughter within a period of one year, yet my traducers did not think they should sympathize. Some of them mocked me. I thought they wanted to add to my pain but I refused to be broken down because I know that it is only a jerk that can make fun of the inevitability of life such as old age, illness, death, tragedies, no sensible person can deal with it. I kept my head high and today I am standing before you.

“I have written this book, not as a rejoinder to past polemics or false accusations and fabrications against my personality by individuals, groups or institutions. I have simply put the story of my life together to fill some gaps in the history of the country.”

She pledged to donate the proceeds of the book to charity.

The book launch was attended by former First Lady, Hajiya Turai Yar’Adua, a host of former and serving ministers among other dignitaries.

Mikecold:
Is that Heineken lokoibiri or is the op ok

EVILFOREST:
Abiiiiiiii oooo
Since na Tanko

The Supreme court has dismissed the appeal filed by Senator Heineken Lokpobiri challenging the declaration of David Lyon as the flag bearer of the APC in Bayelsa State.

In a unanimous judgment read by Inyang Okoro, the five member panel held that section 285 subsection 9 of the 1999 constitution as amended does not admit any elongation of time, when it comes to pre-election matters.

The court said ”Any party seeking redress must file within the 14 days period”

The appellant cause of action arose on 4th September when he was not declared the winner and not 7th September
The court held that Lokpobiri’s appeal lacks merit and accordingly dismissed.

Lokpobiri who is a former Minister of State for Agriculture had approached the court, asking it to declare him, and not Lyon the authentic candidate of the APC.

He told the court that the governorship primary conducted by the APC in Bayelsa State was not done in compliance with the guidelines and the constitution of the party, and therefore, concluded that the party had no candidate.

However, the Court of Appeal, in Port Harcourt, upturned the High Court’s decision last month, declaring that the APC had a candidate in the governorship election.