₦airaland Forum

The immediate past governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, will spend the weekend in prison as he failed to meet his bail condition before the close of work on Friday.

Mr Fayose who is facing an 11-count charge of conspiracy and money laundering amounting to ₦2.2 billion was granted a N50 million bail on Wednesday by a judge of the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court, Mojisola Olatoregun.

The judge ordered that Mr Fayose should provide two sureties who must issue a ₦50 million bond in a reputable bank as well as possess three years tax clearance.

She also directed that the former governor deposits his international passport with the court.

However, Mr Fayose, who pleaded not guilty to all the charges leveled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has struggled to meet the bail conditions and could not do so on Friday before close of business.

He will therefore spend the weekend at the Ikoyi Prison in Lagos, where he is currently being held.

However, Mr Fayose’s spokesperson, Lere Olayinka told PREMIUM TIMES that his principal has met his bail conditions but filed the papers this afternoon after the judge had closed for work.

“There are two questions. Has he met his bail conditions? The answer is yes. All the documents were brought to the court around 2 pm by that time the judge had left,” he said during a telephone chat.

Mr Olayinka added that he was sure that Mr Fayose will be released next Monday, at the start of the new working week.

The Atiku Campaign Presidential Organisation says the endorsement of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) by the Economist Magazine has rendered as lies, “ridiculous claims” made by Lai Mohammed, minister of information.

The campaign organisation said this in response to a recent endorsement of Atiku Abubakar by the magazine.

When the research unit of the international business magazine had predicted in September that PDP would defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 presidential election, the minister had said the prediction was based on fake premises and constituted fake news.

Maintaining its previous stance, the magazine released another report, alluding to Atiku’s victory over Buhari.

Atiku’s campaign said the latest endorsement is a testament to the achievements recorded under the watch of the PDP candidate as chairman of the National Council of Privatisation, when he was deputy of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.

The latest endorsement of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, by the Economist Magazine, puts to lies the recent ridiculous claims made by Alhaji Lai Mohammed, that the international media is askance of the candidature of Mr. Abubakar.

This is the second endorsement in as many months by the world’s number one economic and policy magazine. An endorsement based on the clarity of vision and the detailed policies of the PDP’s candidate when compared to the vague and empty promises of the incumbent All Progressive Congress administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

As the Economist rightly states, the issues in 2019 are “popular frustration over the rise in joblessness and poverty (two of the biggest voter concerns) on Mr. Buhari’s watch, as well as growing insecurity in central Nigeria.”

No other candidate has the capacity to address these challenges, like Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, under whose watch as Chairman of the National Council on Privatisation, Nigeria had her highest growth in job numbers.

Indeed, His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, is poised to translate the significant success he has made in his private business empire to the public sector. This anticipation is responsible for the momentum he now enjoys in all the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria.

For the past one year, Mr. Abubakar has traversed the length and breadth of Nigeria, selling his plans, vision and policies to Nigerians. Unfortunately, rather than do the same, the All Progressive Congress has focused on negative campaigning by slandering Mr. Abubakar’s past.

We are not surprised by their actions. When a man’s future intimidates people, they focus on lying about his past because they cannot compete in the present. However, we thank The Economist for proving that no matter how far and fast falsehood has traveled, it must eventually be overtaken by truth.

For now, we remind Nigerians that Atiku means JOBS. And by providing the atmosphere for Jobs, Opportunity, Being United (JOBS), Atiku Abubakar is ready to Get Nigeria Working Again.

The spokesperson to President Muhammadu Buhari, Femi Adeshina, had said that the proposed N30, 000 as minimum wage for civil servants, is not feasible.

The labour unions, who initially demanded N50, 000 minimum wage, and later said N30,000 was agreed upon during the negotiation, are angry at government’s stance on a new minimum wage for workers.

The unions, on Sunday, stated that they will commence a nationwide, indefinite strike from November 6 if the government does not meet their demands on minimum wage for Nigerian workers.

The organised labour has rejected the proposal of the federal government to raise the minimum wage from N18, 000 to N24, 000.

Speaking on a Channels TV programme, Politics Today, aired on Thursday, Mr. Adesina noted that some governors were unable to pay the N18, 000, not to talk of N30, 000.

“So if they can’t pay N18, 000 and labour is asking for N30, 000 and they refuse to come lower, there may be a stalemate which will not be good for the country.

“I think in the spirit of negotiation, labour should not insist on N30,000,” he said.

Mr Adesina was asked that if the political class, “particularly members of the All Progressives Congress (APC)”, agree to reduce their salary, will the states be able to pay the N30,000 minimum wage? He replied; “I doubt”.

“Even if they decide not to collect anything, it still doesn’t take care of N30,000 minimum wage. It doesn’t.

“Maybe if the members of the national assembly concede part of their salaries and allowances, it can make a dent on minimum wage. But other office holder’s don’t earn anything outrageous.”

Also, speaking on the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) towards the 2019 general elections, Mr Adeshina said; “President Buhari once told me that if clean, free, and fair elections is the only thing he leaves for Nigeria, he is a satisfied and a contented man.”

“President Buhari is not interfering with INEC. INEC is truly independent under this presidency,” He added

It should be recalled that Mr Buhari is seeking re-election and will be contesting against Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, amongst other candidates.

Mr Adeshina also reiterated that the federal government has not published the names of those affected by the travel ban as some media houses have published.

“It is only people that have skeleton in their cupboards that will be afraid to open their cupboards.”

When asked if the federal government will release the names, he explained that he doubts that and that only the Attorney General of the Federation has the power to do so.

Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun state has alleged that there is a plot “to strip President Muhammadu Buhari bare” by people bidding to have “unfettered domination” of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Daily Trust reports that in a statement he personally signed, Amosun said the purveyors of “falsehoods” against him are actually targeting Buhari.

Legit.ng gathered that he said his relationship with the president remained “strong and unimpeachable in spite of the desperation of the political opponents to orchestrate disaffection between them through mendacious propaganda.”

Amosun denied the allegations against Buhari, which he said, were attributed to him, describing them as lies from the pit of hell.

The statement read: “The ultimate aim of the purveyors of these unconscionable falsehoods is to drive a wedge between me and the president and tarnish my hard-earned reputation. This hatchet job will not work as Mr President is discerning enough to know the source(s) of the pack of concocted lies.”

“The relationship between President Buhari and myself transcends partisan politics. Senator Amosun holds President Buhari in the highest esteem and nothing will change that.”

“The target of this grand campaign of calumny is actually our dear President Muhammadu Buhari.

“For the avoidance of doubt, let me state categorically that the people trying to cause disaffection between those of us loyal and committed to Mr. President and the success of APC, are plotting to strip Mr. President bare, so that their grand design to achieve unfettered domination of the party would be achieved.”

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that Governor Rotimi Akeredolu accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, of incompetence.

In a statement sent to journalists on Wednesday, October 24, by his senior special adviser on special duties and strategy, Doyin Odebowale, Akeredolu said APC primaries exposed the incompetence of Oshiomhole.

Have you been a part of the GOtv Open week? If not, this is your final opportunity to experience quality entertainment on GOtv Max as it ends in 24 hours.

GOtv MAX world class channels: FOX, ROK2, Star Life, BET, CBS Reality, Supersport Select 4 and Supersport Select 5, will be available for active customers on GOtv Plus till the 26th of October.

Over the years, GOtv has been committed to providing Nigerians with quality entertainment they can afford. To celebrate its seventh year anniversary, GOtv announced a special ‘Open Week’ of its GOtv Max content to all active Plus customers at no extra cost.

Customers on GOtv Plus can tune-in to these fantastic channels to enjoy the latest episodes of award-winning series and other TV shows. More exciting contents are also available on the newly added BET and SuperSport Select 5.

The fun does not have to end today as you can continue enjoying your favourite shows, movies and live football matches from the Premier League, Champions League, La Liga, including this Sunday’s El Clasico, and Serie A by upgrading to GOtv MAX for N3,200 monthly.

In a matter at the Lagos high court, two persons alleged to be fraudsters have been accused of obtaining the sum of N1.8 billion from Sterling Bank Plc by false pretence.

The two accused persons identified as Messrs Ogbor Kehinde Eliot and Kelvin Ejere Chris were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice O. A. Taiwo of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos.
They were taken to court on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, forgery and obtaining by false pretence.
The defendants, who were charged alongside a company, Danium Energy Services Limited, were alleged to have fraudulently deceived Sterling Bank Plc into lending them money through a fraudulent scheme with the pretence to finance local purchase of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), otherwise known as diesel, for supply to Total Nigeria Limited.

The first defendant, Eliot, an alleged serial fraudster, allegedly used his company, Danium Energy Services Limited, to obtain the facility from the bank and was said to have defaulted in repayment, which was expected from the proceeds of sales of the petroleum products by Sterling Bank.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Ogbor Kehinde Eliot, Kelvin Ejere Chris and Danium Energy Services Ltd., sometime in February, 2016 in Lagos within the Lagos Judicial Division, with intent to defraud, conspired amongst yourselves to obtain the sum of N1.821 billion by false pretence from Sterling Bank Plc.”
Another count reads: “That you, Ogbor Kehinde Eliot, Kelvin Ejere Chris and Danium Energy Services Ltd, on or about 23rd of February, 2016 in Lagos , within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, with intent to defraud, induced Sterling Bank Plc to deliver to Danium Energy Services Ltd the total sum of N1.821 billion under the false pretence that Total Nigeria Plc vide Purchase Orders (PO) with Reference No. OPS/SUP/02/16/330 and OPS/SUP/02/331 dated 3rd of February, 2016 contracted Danium Energy Services Ltd to supply 20,000 metric tons of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) in two tranches of 10,000 metric tons each valued at the aggregate sum of N2.328 billion and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
However, both defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to them. In view of their pleas, the prosecution counsel, Idris Mohammad, asked the court for a trial date.
However, counsel to the first and third defendants, Ladi Williams (SAN), as well as counsel for the second defendant, Dennis Omorojo, informed the court of applications for bail on behalf of their clients.
After listening to both parties, Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo asked the prosecution counsel why he did not oppose the bail applications.
In his response, Mohammad told the court that he intentionally did not oppose the applications so as to allow the first defendant to attend his trials in other courts.
Justice Taiwo then stood the matter down for ruling on the bail applications.
In her ruling a few hours after, Justice Taiwo granted the defendants bail in the sum of N10 million each with two sureties each in like sum, adding that the sureties must be civil servant on Grade level 16. She said they must provide known addresses, which must be verified by the court.
The sureties are also expected to also deposit with the court registrar their Permanent Voters Cards, National Identity Card or International Passports.
The Judge ordered the defendants to be remanded in the EFCC custody pending the perfection of their bail conditions.
However, the prosecution counsel prayed the court not to remand the defendants in the EFCC custody, stating that the EFCC custody was congested and, therefore, would not be able to accommodate them.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) says Ibikunle Amosun, governor of Ogun state, resorted to self-help which is alien to its constitution.

Lanre Issa-Onilu, spokesperson of the ruling party, said this in reaction to the crisis trailing the party in Ogun state.

Amosun had kicked against the emergence of Dapo Abiodun as the governorship candidate for 2019, saying Abiodun Akinlade, his preferred candidate, is the people’s choice.

Addressing journalists on Wednesday at the APC national secretariat in Abuja, Issa-Onilu accused the governor of handpicking candidates for the party without due process.

He said though the governor took some monarchs in the state to see President Muhammadu Buhari, he should know that the president will ask for the rules to be followed.

“It is a straight forward case. If we speak to the merit of this case, the whole world saw it; the visuals were everywhere, where the Ogun state governor gathered some aspirants, stakeholders and said clearly, there won’t be primaries and right there he pointed at who the next governor, senator, house of representatives candidates would be. He named himself the next senatorial candidate,” he said.

“In the case of Ogun, after that exercise failed after they tried to handpick who will be what, they sent a letter that they have agreed on direct primary and the party has no choice than to endorse what you want.

“On the day they all came for screening including the governor, he suddenly left with other aspirants and returned back to Abeokuta, gathered some people and sent back to the NWC that they wanted indirect primary and the other aspirants said we were all here together, that they didn’t know when this change was made.

“So, whatever the governor did was self-help and there is no provision for self help in the party’s constitution. Eventually, the NWC panel that was constituted to conduct the primary went to Abeokuta and did the primary. The governor’s preferred candidate chose not to participate in that exercise. So the party stands by the result of that primary it conducted in Ogun state.

“Secondly, he took some monarchs to meet the president. I am surprised because someone like him, with due respect to him should have understood the nature of the president we have, that no matter how close you are to him, he will listen to you but he will ask for the rules to be followed.

“So, the next thing we had was he looking for who to blame, and Bola Tinubu and Segun Osoba readily came to his mind and he blamed them for that. The question to ask is whether they were the one who gave directive to him to organise his own primaries or they were the one who instructed him not to participate in the primaries or his candidate not to participate in primaries the party organised.

“Have I done the right thing? Am I asking for what is fair? Am I not putting the party in a position to ask them to do what’s wrong? Those are the questions we expect governor of Ogun state to ask himself. He needs to self appraise, look at the actions he has taken and come to that conclusions that he’s taking the wrong route.”

As the race for the Ogun State governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC, continues to make the headline, tongues are wagging as to Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s bizarre insistence to impose Abiodun Akinlade, a member of the House of Representatives who is perceived as not possessing the fecundity or rigour to rule Ogun State, against the choice of successful businessman, Dr. Dapo Abiodun.

Since the party primary held weeks back and his candidate lost, Amosun has visited Aso Rock no less than four times to reportedly blackmail President Muhammadu Buhari into overturning the party’s decision. Amosun was leveraging on his presumed closeness to the President to have his way but, so far, has been unlucky.

On his recent visit last Sunday, he railroaded two royal fathers, the Alake of Egbaland and the Olu of Ilaro; and a former minister, Iyabo Anisulowo, to join him to prevail on President Buhari to have a rethink. Reports say he met a brick wall as the president pointedly told him he could not upturn the decision of the party’s National Working Committee which conducted the primary and presented Abiodun as the authentic winner.

Defiant and desperate, Amosun, in a chat with the media at the Ogun State Government House Monday morning, said, “The President already knows there was no election in Ogun State. He knows that they just went to Lagos, write all results, and that what they did is fraud. If the National Working Committee or the National Chairman said there was any election in Ogun State, it was all fraud.”

He went ahead to blame some leaders of the party, notably Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former governor of the state, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, saying, “We have not heard one word from any of them. Was there any election in Ogun State? Yes or no? They should come out and those that are hiding behind one finger, they cannot come out. People at this level should be courageous enough to take position, to come out, to come and tell us whether there was election.”

Now in the twilight of his two-term stewardship, Amosun has been repeatedly blamed for his brashness and imperious attitude, which pitted him against the party at both the state and national levels. It was his choice of Akinlade that may have done him in eventually, say party leaders.

While Amosun could have had his way with a candidate with a good head on his shoulders, Akinlade does not cut it for stakeholders because of his gung-ho lifestyle and vacuity. Reportedly more popular in the Abuja social circuit than the National Assembly where he is a legislator, Akinlade’s major claim to fame is his marriage to Chinenye Ochuba, a former beauty queen. Akinlade rose to political prominence on the strength of Amosun’s characteristic style of imposition. First appointed a special assistant to the governor in 2011, his loyalty to Amosun largely paid off when he secured the House of Representatives ticket in 2015.

Why Governor Amosun would therefore insist on Akinlade at the expense of Abiodun, a blue blood from Iperu-Remo and one of the largest indigenous players in the oil and gas industry in Nigeria with his Heyden Petroleum Ltd, is what party stakeholders cannot reconcile with. “Here is a man with proven entrepreneurship skills that have catapulted him into the list of Nigeria’s wealthiest men which didn’t go unnoticed by President Buhari who appointed him Chairman, Corporate Affairs Commission.

He is also credited with Nigeria’s rising rank in the ‘Ease-of-doing-business’ index. That is the kind of governor Ogun State deserves not a yes man that would be going for tutorials in his master’s house every morning,” a party chieftain said.

Indeed, Abiodun is no lackey, what Amosun reportedly wants. Prince Abiodun was first elected a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on the platform of the defunct United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) before that transition programme was truncated by late General Sani Abacha. He was just 33years old then.

At the time, Amosun had not joined politics. While party members insist that the process that produced Abiodun was free and fair and should be upheld in spite of pressure from the governor, they averred that they have seen through Amosun’s hue and cry that he just wants a lackey in office to protect his interest, not the interest of Ogun people.

The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Kwara State in the forthcoming general elections, Razak Atunwa, did not participate in Nigeria’s compulsory national youth service scheme, PREMIUM TIMES can authoritatively report today.

Instead, he procured a forged discharge certificate of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) which he submitted to the PDP to prove his eligibility for public office.

The fresh revelation about Mr Atunwa came about four months after PREMIUM TIMES exposed then finance minister, Kemi Adeosun, for engaging in similar conduct, and just a little over a month since the embattled official was forced to resign as a result of the scandal.

The Kwara politician’s conduct also came to light exactly a month after this medium reported that the Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu, also dodged the compulsory service, making him ineligible for public office and employment in Nigeria.

Although the minister was later disqualified by his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) from running for governorship of his native Oyo State, President Muhammadu Buhari is yet to remove him from office.

The NYSC law requires every Nigerian who attended university or polytechnic to participate in the national youth scheme for one year after graduation, provided the person finished before age 30. Failure to serve would prohibit such individual from gainful employment in Nigeria, and making false claims about serving could attract up to 14 years in jail.

Also, anyone who graduated before 30 but deliberately declined to serve has committed a crime that could attract 12-month imprisonment, even if the person did not forge NYSC documents.

Only a person who obtained a degree after 30 or served in the military or won national honours medal would qualify for exemption certificate under the NYSC law.

Mr Atunwa, born on October 17, 1969, said he studied law at the University of East London, graduating in 1992 at age 23.

Having earned a bachelor’s degree at 23, Mr Atunwa, going by Section 2 of the NYSC Act, should have participated in the year-long national service.

THE AUDACIOUS FORGERY
But rather than present himself for national service, Mr. Atunwa stayed back in the United Kingdom, returning only in 2005 to join the cabinet of then Governor Bukola Saraki in Kwara State at the age of 36.

Between 2005 and 2010 when he stepped down to run for office, the politician was commissioner at four different ministries, including Land and Housing, Works and Transport, Information and Home Affairs and Finance.

It was not immediately clear whether or not Mr Atunwa presented any NYSC document to authorities since 2005 when he was first appointed commissioner, 2011 when he became speaker and 2015 when he became member of the House of Representatives.

But to secure the PDP governorship ticket on October 1, he submitted a counterfeit NYSC discharge certificate and accompanied it with an affidavit, indicating he lied on oath, an offence that attracts up to 14 years in jail.

Mr Atunwa — who claimed he qualified for law practice in the United Kingdom after obtaining undergraduate and master’s degrees at separate universities in London — indicated in the nomination document he submitted at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja that he partook in the youth service scheme between 1995 and 1996.

The lawmaker, who is chair of the House Committee on Justice, then accompanied it with a notarised affidavit sworn at the Kwara State High Court in Ilorin on September 10. The document was attached to his PDP expression of interest form.

He signed the document despite a clause indicating he remained automatically disqualified as candidate if any statement or information he provided is found to be false, inaccurate, or mislead the party or its agents from making proper assessment of his competence to contest the governorship election under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

It remains to be seen if the PDP will enforce its own rule and disqualify him as a result of this revelation. Governorship elections are scheduled to hold February 2019.

One could see at first glance that Mr. Atunwa’s so-called discharge certificate is fake.

For one, Mr Atunwa’s ‘certificate’ purportedly obtained in 1996 carried the signature of Walter Oki (brigadier general at the time). But Mr Oki was only made NYSC director-general in 2002. In 1996, Soyemi Sofoluwe (brigadier general) was director-general of the corps and signed all discharge and exemption certificates during the period. He was succeeded by S.M. Dule (brigadier general), who served as director-general between 1996 and 2000.
The NYSC Certificate
To further crosscheck the authenticity of Mr Atunwa’s ‘certificate’, PREMIUM TIMES compared his with original ones that bore the basics of the document, especially those from foreign university graduates.

At least three ministers who returned to Nigeria to serve after finishing from schools in the UK and the United States had similar call-up mark in their certificates, which usually carries the acronym of the institution, the state where the participant served, where the person was called up, the year of service and the serial number for the certificate.

For instance, Ibe Kachikwu, the minister of state for petroleum, has his NYSC certificate marked as NYSC/OY/FORN/82/7101. Mr Kachikwu was deployed for service in Oyo State (OY) on August 16, 1982, passing out a year later on August 15, 1983. He came back to Nigeria to serve after completing his doctorate in law at Harvard University (FORN) in December 1981.

Aisha Abubakar, the minister of state trade and industry, returned to Nigeria after concluding her masters in development studies at the University of Leeds. Her certificate is marked NYSC/LA/FRN/91/18170, indicating that she served in Lagos, after graduating from a foreign university.

Khadija Bukar Ibrahim, the minister of state foreign affairs, also schooled abroad. She attended Roehampton Institute for Higher Education, affiliated with the University of Surrey and finished in 1989. She enlisted in the NYSC on October 2, 1990 and passed out on October 1, 1991. Her certificate is marked NYSC/LA/FRN/90/28750, indicating that she served in Lagos (LA) after graduating from a foreign university (FRN) in 1990.

However, Mr. Atunwa’s certificate, rather than bear FRN or FORN (code for foreign graduates) has KWP (a code reserved for graduates of Kwara State Polytechnic) as identification mark. But the politician did not graduate from Kwara Polytechnic. He claimed he attended the University of East London for the first degree and the University of London for his master’s.

“This is the most audacious forgery since PREMIUM TIMES began investigation into NYSC claims of senior government officials and politicians generally,” Liborous Oshoma, a Lagos-based legal practitioner, told PREMIUM TIMES Sunday afternoon.

WAEC Result
Mr Oshoma said Mr Atunwa appeared to have broken Nigerian law twice.

“Based on Section 13 (c) of the NYSC Act, even being in possession of a forged NYSC certificate is already a crime,” Mr Oshoma said. “And then we now have an affidavit that he swore to and walked himself into perjury, another criminal offence.”

Mr Oshoma said Mr Atunwa’s case was more unfortunate for Nigeria.

“You could say Kemi Adeosun did not know some people gave her fake document, and Mr Shittu was being exuberant, but this particular case is very troubling,” the lawyer said. “He knew of those recent cases and still went on to do it.

“This is amongst the consequences of the president’s failure to act on time or act at all on the already uncovered cases. Since the former finance minister was able to escape from the country without prosecution and the communications minister remains in office despite being found not to be qualified for the job, this man could easily dismiss any legal ramifications of his action,” he added.
“Since it has now come to the fore that if you graduated before 30, either from a Nigerian university or abroad, you know you do not qualify for exemption and you must serve and if you forge your document you would be exposed, I would have expected that all those who schooled abroad would start investigating whether the NYSC document they were given was genuine or not. There is no hiding place anymore.”

MR ATUNWA, PDP RESPOND

PREMIUM TIMES sent Mr. Atunwa a message informing him of our findings.

In response, he said he is “fully compliant with all the legal requirements to be elected to the Office of the Governor of Kwara State.”

He added, “I did not submit any unsupported NYSC certificate as suggested by you.
“I strongly advise that you verify each and every assertion you wish to make. You may wish to make formal enquiries/verifications of all institutions concerned.

“You should also be circumspect enough to authenticate the provenance of any document you may be handed if it’s not from a formal and official source.

“An organization such as yours should not fall short of the required legal and ethical standards.”

He also told one of reporters by telephone that he broke no law because he did not submit any fake document to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He declined to explain why he failed to participate in the mandatory national service scheme.

This newspaper’s investigation did not show he submitted the document to INEC and our question to him was not along that line. We only said he submitted the document to the PDP.

However, following PREMIUM TIMES enquiry, the lawmaker, party insiders say, has triggered a scheme to replace the documents he submitted to the PDP, and withdraw the fake NYSC certificate.

“He is now planning to claim that secondary school certificate is his highest academic qualification and that he did not need to serve,” one source said.

The PDP, when contacted, said it was not aware of the forgery.

“I am not aware of this,” spokesperson Kola Ologbondiyan said of the problematic document Mr Atunwa presented to the party . “Please give me time to find out.”

A GODFATHER’S FAVOURITE

For several months leading up to the PDP primaries in late September, Mr Atunwa was not considered a favourite for the Kwara PDP governorship slot.

The race was largely seen as a battle among Shaba Lafiagi, a serving senator; Bolaji Abdullahi, a former sports minister; Abubakar Suleiman, a former national planning minister; and Ali Ahmad, the current speaker of the state Assembly.

Only Messrs Atunwa and Lafiagi remained in the race when the primaries held on October 1 in Ilorin, and the House member defeated the senator by 4,555 to 577 votes. Other candidates withdrew from the race in protest, insinuating that Senate President Saraki imposed Mr Atunwa on the party.

A RAGING EPIDEMIC

After the publication of Ms Adeosun’s scandal, there are suggestions by some Nigerians online that many Nigerians who schooled abroad did not return home to serve, but instead opted for either forged exemption or discharge certificates to clinch employments and appointments in Nigeria.

Although the investigation was published in early July, Ms Adeosun did not resign until mid-September, after the pressure from Nigerians home and away became too much for the Buhari administration to bear, and as a competitive general election was looming.

Rather than being arrested for forgery and prosecuted by federal authorities, Ms Adeosun was allowed to quietly depart Nigeria a day after he resignation, a development for which President Muhammadu Buhari was fiercely knocked by critics, who used it to ridicule his anti-corruption claims.

Mr Shittu, the communications minister who was in the race for the All Progressives Congress’ governorship ticket in Oyo State, was disqualified from the race by the ruling party after PREMIUM TIMES published another investigation showing that he evaded youth service upon graduation from the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University.

While the ruling APC found Mr Shittu’s position for office untenable, Mr Buhari continued to keep him in office, more than a month after the scandal broke.

While Ms Adeosun said she did not know her certificate was forged (although PREMIUM TIMES revealed she knew at least since 2015 when senators screened her for ministerial position) Mr Shittu said he deliberately avoided service because he assumed he had done a greater service to the nation when he was elected to state parliament immediately after graduating.

Uche Mefor, deputy leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), says Nnamdi Kanu did not reach any agreement to work against President Muhammadu Buhari’s reelection.

Femi Fani-Kayode, a former minister of aviation, had said Kanu vowed to work against the reelection of Buhari when they spoke via telephone on Saturday.

But in a statement, Mefor said Fani-Kayode’s claim is “crude tactics” in an attempt to drag the name of the IPOB’s leader in the mud.

The deputy leader of IPOB said Kanu is on a “divine mission to restore Biafra and the resolve behind this restoration project remains irrevocable, sacrosanct and irreversible”.

“Our attention has been drawn to some deceptive and crude tactics employed by some politicians to drag the name of our leader, Nnamdi Kanu to the mud by suggesting that he held talks with such politicians to oust Muhammadu Buhari,” the statement read.

“We want to use this medium to state unequivocally that at no time did Nnamdi Kanu reach any agreement with any politician to participate in Nigerian politics.

“Consequently, any publication not authorised by our leader, his deputy or by the head directorate of state regarding IPOB and/or our leader is pedestrian and null and void.

“Finally, Nnamdi Kanu’s humility and courtesy in appreciating a few individuals and groups in Nigeria for what they did to assist during his incarceration cannot be construed as weakness. We invite you to listen to Nnamdi Kanu as he addresses IPOB family members and the world in general from the city of Tel Aviv in Israel on the direction of the struggle.

“It is only after this address that you will advise yourselves accordingly regarding all the lies and propaganda being peddled.”

Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has called on his supporters to speak facts only, when campaigning for him.

The former vice-president took to Twitter on Sunday morning to say insults, threats and falsehoods will come, but his supporters must show respect, even when they disagree.

“For everyone who supports me, I ask you to conduct yourself respectfully, even with people who do not agree with you,” Atiku said.

“There will be insults, falsehoods, threats and innuendo. Ignore them and stay focused on the task of rebuilding Nigeria.”

Atiku, who has been accused of being corrupt from time to time, asked his supporters to stay focused getting Nigeria to work again.

“Instead of insults, speak with facts. Let us all work together to get Nigeria working again,” Atiku added.

Atiku promises to fight corruption differently, explaining that he intends to fight the menace by preventing it from happening in the first place.

Tare Okiri Harrison, popularly known as Harrysong is one of Nigeria’s topmost songwriters and recording artiste. In this interview THEMOMENTNG, he shares how he turned his company, Alterplate into a business conglomerate and how he conquered his much publicised depression

As we approach the yuletide period, what should your fans expect from you?
Of course I know my fans are expecting the best from me, they are expecting a single from me and my management is set to drop my next single titled, ‘Report Card’, so I know they are expecting a lot from the video and audio. Basically they want the best from me and I can assure them I will not disappoint.

Can you give us a total view of your 2018?
My 2018 has been a total blessing to me and the entire management of AlterPlate. I prayed to the Lord and yes of course we had some challenges, ‘major’ challenges but we conquered and here we are today. Still grinding and pushing harder.

Why do your songs have strong old school vibe, what influences this choice?
I influence like 80 percent of my production basically. And about the message, the inspirations from the messages are from life itself; everything that happens every day is my inspiration, what is going on, the ups and downs. Life is like my biggest inspiration.

For some time now you have been running your record label, how has it been for you as the Chief Executive Officer of AlterPlate?
As President of Alterplate, it’s been amazing! I am not just a free man but a responsible man. Not responsible for just myself alone but for other people as a team, as a company, as a family and as a movement. It feels great to be a source of empowerment as the President of Alterplate. Again, I would say to the best of my knowledge, I know that in 70- 80 percent we have served as a very huge content provider in Nigeria Entertainment circle.

What has managing Alterplate taught you differently from being an artiste?
It has taught me that being an executive is not just about the label or the platform. It is also about giving back and about an expansion, making and remolding yourself and that is what we have been doing over the years. Creating new contents, expansion and making and re-making ourselves and that is why we have younger people under the platform who we are building to become ‘Younger Kings’ to take over the industry and be a blessing basically.

So far, can you give a total number of artistes on your record label and which of them would you say is ready to explode?
Right now, we have Lami Phillips signed on by ALterplate. We’ve signed in Lami Phillips for a while now and we are trying to put a lot together for her. And then as the platform Alterplate Music, we have about three artistes that we are grooming right now that will be officially unveiled soon.

How do you keep up your energetic stage performances?
It is a course I have chosen to follow and I am a professional in this business and I have been here for a while so I do my job when I have to do my job in spite of how I feel, and I know that the output always have to be 100 per cent because I know where I’m coming from and I know where am going to I always give in my 100 per cent.

Do you see yourself going overseas for greener pastures or to expand your music career in the nearest future?
Music has taken me round the world, from one show or the other. I am not looking for greener pastures, I am very comfortable where I am and besides from where we are, we are inspiring the world and people come from every part of the world to book us for shows and events, we go and do what we have to do to still make money, merry and return to base. So I don’t think I am going to look for anything else abroad. We are grounded to inspire and also move and compliment what is going on so it is about what is happening, I think we should be complemented for being an inspiration. On the hand, my management is also considering me doing something outside the Nigerian space, but definitely, not relocating completely.

Aside being an entertainer, one very strong aspect of your skill is writing. What inspires your writing generally?
Writing has always been part of me! My life is a testimony, my life is enough for me to write about till I die and so, like I said earlier when it comes to performing, I said life is my biggest inspiration so it goes to singing, it goes to writing. So my biggest inspiration is everything that is happening every day, the ups and downs, if it is working well it inspires me, if it is not doing good it inspires me. However, sometimes, my writing is inspired by my mood at a given moment, sometimes also, I understudy the life and craft of the person I am writing for, these and many other factors serve as my inspiration when writing and creating a song.

Let’s go back a little, what really went wrong between you and Five Star Music?
I and Five Star story have been over flocked! We have talked about it severally; Alterplate is about two years now! Going back to that is trying to spill the wheel all over again. We had our good times, we had our rough times, we have moved on, so we should let it go and just progress. If it is of the will of the people and the will of God that someday Harrysong and Five Star Music can still do business together, why not? The door is always open.

You talk about the will of God, how religious are you?
God has been good to me. I am a Christian and I love God passionately. And in case you don’t know, I attended a pastor’s school and graduated.

What is that thing that stands Alterplate out?
Alterplate music is different because of our sound definition, business strategies and our large capacity to execute and meet deadlines.

While growing up which artist or music were you listening to?
I listened to old school music, gospel music and the likes of R-Kelly and Kirk Franklin; those are the people I listened to. Michael Jackson was also one of my favourites. Those were the kind of music that defined and molded me today. They even mold the final production of what I am putting out. My grandma is a major influencer in the final work that I am putting out as well.

Sound keeps revolving in the music industry. What do you think is the problem with the way Nigerians musicians handle sound?
It is a challenge; I don’t see it as a problem because many are called but few are chosen and the challenge with the way Nigeria musicians handle sounds is that, when there is a new sound they over use it and at the end of the day, it becomes a problem and the fans get tired until we have another infusion before there is a relief. For me, it’s what is going to continue even outside the shores of the country, it’s what is working for them. So, at every given time, we have the sounds that come up and everybody will vibe on it until someone else will create something else. So it is normal.

What is that one sound that you are yet to explore and you really wish to explore?
The sound that I am yet to explore is the Caribbean sound because the Nigerian platform is still covered with the copy and paste style. Yes, we cannot leave the Afro beat sound 100 percent but artistes are scared to leave their comfort zone. But I am approaching that Caribbean sound and we are going to get there. We already have a test run that we did and it is like 60 per cent in the market already. There is possibility that it is going to work. So we are working to improve it.

What is one of the greatest lessons you have learnt being a music director?
The greatest lesson I have learnt all my years as a music director is to work. Don’t stop working, don’t stop evolving, don’t stop doing your research, improve on your musical knowledge. Nobody is the best; we just get better as it goes. Music is bigger than just the sound, music is life, and music rules the world.

What is the most embarrassing moment for you as a music director?
That was when I was in Church of God Mission and I was supposed to work with a set of choir in CGM. They didn’t believe in what I was going to offer, they heard so much about me and they saw me as a young man and thought they needed to school me before the session that I wanted to work with them basically. That rehearsal was supposed to take like five hours but it took three hours just to prove myself and to prove to them that the person that they are underrating is actually their teacher.

Could you shed more light on the ‘King Maker Concert’?
King Maker Concert is first of all a platform to make younger kings, a platform to build, to remake, to give back, to be a blessing and to build younger businesses. Every time the concert comes up, there are smaller businesses that will grow to become big business. That is the purpose and it was history for us when we did King Maker Concert this year, in the Warri City Stadium, next year by His grace we want a bigger concert, the team has been putting a lot together already. It might be in Lagos, we are working towards that and we will try as much as we can to improve on what we did this year.

Who are your favourite all-time Nigerian musicians?
They are Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Rex Lawson and Tuface Idibia. I love their legacies and inspirations.

Recently you shocked the world with your depression message and a lot of people where really worried and bothered about what was actually going on. Can you shed more light on what you were actually going through?
What I was going through was pressure. It was more than I really envisaged. I was depressed basically, then it was pressure and I needed to speak out to also help myself and help others. It was also a lesson not just to me but to others and thank God I am out stronger and back to business.

So how were you able to conquer your depression?
Because I was real to myself, it was a big challenge for me. So, I tried as much as I can not to focus on myself but to the works that needed to be done and lives needed to be affected and people that are looking up to me. So I tried as much as I can to put 20 per cent on me and 20 percent on the people around because at the end of this whole journey, the goal is to be a blessing to my generation and to also live a fulfilled life. Thanks to my manager and the rest of the team.

What is your advice to fellow musicians who are probably going through depression and afraid to speak up?
We have a very good challenge on social media; there is so much competition and pain there. We are normal just like the average man on the street, we should try as much as possible as celebrities, as role models to be real, be truthful to them and preach love.

As an artiste, what will you like to be remembered for?
I will like to be remembered for my works and the message that passes through my music, the work that I have done, and how it has affected the people. Basically, I would like to be remembered for doing evergreen songs.

Are there other businesses that you are nurturing or some that you already have that are working for you?
Music is my life, but of course, I have other businesses that I am doing. First, I want you to know that Alterplate is a business conglomerate; we are into other things aside music. Currently, we are working on my clothing line called Kingmaker Clothing Line (KCL) and also working on the Kaywaters that would be out shortly, I am also into Real Estates big time. Yes, music is number one but, there other things.

How about fishing? I learnt that you used to be a fisherman?
Yes. I am half Delta, half Bayelsa and I grew up in Port Harcourt. It is natural. I used to be a fisherman, but music got the better part of me and here I am today. God willing, I will go back to the business of fishing someday.

Do you see yourself at some stage moving into the gospel music genre?
It depends on where the message hits me. It depends on what I really have to do at that point in time, it depends on the calling, and it depends on the direction. My career is built on God’s grace, blessing, hard work and good will from the people. I would not have come this far if God. Then, I am also working on something huge with gospel musician and my brother, Tim Godfrey, watch out for it.

You recently did a remix of ‘Selense’ and there were some controversies or some disagreement around the artiste you were to feature. What actually happened?
‘Selense’ was already a hit song and I decided not to feature Kiss Daniel for the remix. We did the remix with Iyanya and Dice Ailes. The original song was with Kiss Daniel and Reekado Banks. But I didn’t shoot the video because, at some point in the project I realized they weren’t falling in line with the original idea of having them in the song, so I moved and I am happy I did. I still love them regardless.

The resolve of the Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Prof. Usman Yusuf, to re-accredit the Health Management Organisations(HMOs) and ensure the implementation of a security report which mandated the ES to recover the sum of N1.05 billion allegedly embezzled by some HMOs may have pitched him against the Chairman of the NHIS Council, Dr. Enyantu Ifenne.

We learnt that the Executive Secretary was, last Thursday, suspended indefinitely on the order of the council’s chairman, to allow unfettered investigation into a petition said to have been written against him by some staff of the NHIS.

In a letter signed by its Chairman, the Council said: “In line with the public service rule 030406, has resolved to suspend you, Professor Usman Yusuf, indefinitely with effect from 18th October 2018 to allow for a comprehensive and unfettered investigation of the issues in the petitions against you.”

However, staff of the organisation claimed that the suspension was a unilateral decision by the chairman. They claimed seven out of the 11 council members walked out of the meeting. A senior Director of the organisation instructed to take over from the ES in acting capacity also reportedly declined the offer in solidarity with staff.

In his response to the letter of suspension, Prof. Yusuf stated that contrary to the claims of the council that the NHIS Act and the Public Service Rules No. 030406 conferred on it the power to suspend the Executive Secretary, it had no such powers, stressing that only the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria could order the suspension or removal of the ES.

Insiders, however, were of the opinion that there was no love lost between the chairman of the council and the Executive Secretary, for reasons many of the staff considered as self-serving.

The most obvious reason, according to sources, was an alleged collusion between the chairman and HMOs which had considerably weakened the scheme but benefitted the HMOs. Since resuming as ES in 2016, Prof. Yusuf had indicated interest to sanitise the scheme and stop an alleged racket which had ensured that HMOs to NHIS funds for as long as they like without paying hospitals offering service to enrollees in the scheme.

An internal audit by the ES had revealed a staggering number of ghost enrollees and hospitals while the HMOs continued to receive huge illegal payments. The Department of State Services (DSS) had also investigated the Scheme from 2013-2015. One of the recommendations in its report was that HMOs should pay back the sum of N1.05b that they were unlawfully paid in 2015.

But it was learnt that even though the ES sought and got the council’s approval to recover the NHIS funds and re-accredit the HMOs, the Chairman never supported the move. The Chairman reportedly called a Council meeting one week after the approval was given and asked a representative of the HMOs to address them on why they should not pay back the money.

“The meeting was attended by only four of the 11 council members, and after the presentation, the Chairman asked the HMOs not to pay back any money to NHIS,” a senior staff claimed. On several occasions, the Chairman had also allegedly circulated council meetings among certain HMOs, an action that was frowned upon by the ES who warned against giving undue access and advantage to some HMOs at a time they were being accredited.

The 11-member Council is the highest policy making organ of the agency. Other members of the Council include: Senator Bassey Otu; Mr. Lekan Ewenla, representing the Health and Managed Care Association of Nigeria; Comrade Joy Josiah for the Nigeria Labour Congress; Arc. Samson Rufai and Nasir Adamu, representing the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation.

Prof. Yusuf’s resolve to stop the milking of the NHIS led to strained relationship with the Chairman who allegedly constituted herself into a parallel administrative structure.

The Chairman was said to have referred to Prof. Yusuf as a ‘Fulani herdsman’ in the presence of staff and had on occasions, reportedly incited staff unions against him. A member of staff said that the Chairman “regularly meets with unions in her house, encouraging them to write petitions, hold press conferences paid for by HMOs and be insubordinate to Management.”

It was alleged that the behind-the-scene maneuvering of top staff of the NHIS led to the suspension of Prof. Yusuf by the Minister of Health in July, 2017. He was later recalled to his post by the Presidency in February, 2018 after investigations cleared him.

To further undermine the ES, she had allegedly disseminated council deliberations on the Internet and among newsmen – a violation of PSR (030401 & 030402), which classifies such actions as ‘serious misconduct.’

Staffers say the no-love-lost relationship between the Chairman and the ES had affected the operations of the NHIS.

“This year is almost ending, and the Chairman has still not signed the budget that Management presented to Council since March. She has single handedly arrogated to herself the sole power to approve the Scheme’s budget. There is nowhere in the NHIS Act that says the Chairman must sign the budget, power of approval is Council’s,” a senior staffer of NHIS said.

Some management staff of NHIS alleged that The Chairman was working for the interest of the HMOs and their owners, which include a former military President and former Senate President.

According to sources, Dr Ifenne’s actions at the NHIS may be part of a deliberate strategy of the political enemies of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to portray it as incapable of protecting workers’ interests. One of the sources cited a newspaper report, where Dr. Ifenne was quoted to have suggested that the President was unaware of the rot at the NHIS.

In what appears to be a confirmation of the claim, this reporter sighted documents where Dr. Ifenne was listed among board members of three of the companies owned by a Presidential candidate in the 2019 elections.

Some of the owners of the biggest HMOs are politicians now in the camp of the Presidential candidate.

The Spiritual Director, Adoration Ministry Enugu Nigeria, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka has said that while President Muhammadu Buhari is “change,” former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is “bureau de change.”

Mbaka described Atiku as bureau de change, according to him, because of the foreign currencies that allegedly exchanged hands at the National Convention of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, before the ex-VP emerged the party’s presidential candidate.
Mbaka however predicted that Atiku will defeat Buhari in 2019 but warned him not to emulate Buhari if he is elected the president.

The fiery cleric said this while addressing his congregation at the Adoration Ground.

“So let the will of God be done in Nigeria. It is like what I have been saying Buhari change or you will be changed”

Mbaka said that Buhari had all the human and material resources at his disposal to make the country better but rather chose to play ethnic, despotic politics.

“What will it take you; change the Chief of Staff, change B, change C, change this and change that; even if it will take 20 Igbo men or 20 Yoruba men to change Nigeria; take all of them. Look at what (Chukwuma) Soludo did in the Central Bank; he has assured Nigeria and the whole world that there is nothing like bank collapse again.
“An Igbo man did this, why can’t Buhari take Soludo for the economic revival and revamping of Nigeria’s economy? And you are busy talking about corruption, playing game with the lives of Nigerians from the issue of Fulani herdsmen to Boko Haram to Jos killings. You said somebody stole, what did he steal?

“Someday, they said the government has spent trillions of naira on social investment scheme and I want to know who are the people they were spending the money on; the Vice President said they are giving N10,000 to small scale businesses and I asked, is this how they will transform Nigeria? You give somebody N10,000 for business, what type of business will N10,000 start?

“Somebody will have billions and want to take the one belonging to the public while hunger will be killing his people. Look at the type of money they shared during the primaries to the extent that they brought Bureau de Change. They said Buhari is change, but Atiku is bureau de change. They were sharing the money in dollars and it was going out in millions of dollars in Nigeria where hunger is killing people; where you don’t have food to eat.

“If they spend such monies to get ticket, how do you think that when they get into power they will rule, of course, they will first recover the money they have spent but the worst is that the money was not being shared to the poor,” he lamented.

Speaking further, the prophet described the cost of APC Expression of Interest and Nomination forms as outrageous.

According to him, if the leadership of the party had conscience, they would not have collected N24 million from people to obtain the forms.

“There are some people that sold their land to pay for this form because of the promise they were made. I don’t think these politicians were thinking of heaven that is why they are ready to kill anybody that stands on their way,” he said.

Mbaka said that Atiku may not be able to solve the problems of Nigeria if he emerged victorious.

“If anybody is thinking that if Atiku becomes the President of Nigeria things will get better, ‘who born you’ because for this country to be good it is easier for a carmel to pass through the eye of a needle than this country to be good,” he said, urging that Nigerians must do their part to make Nigeria the nation of their dream.

The fiery preacher predicted defeat for the APC but said that there was still opportunity for change.

“There are no people that will develop this country that are not in Nigeria. We have people who will develop this nation; but our President left the same type of people who don’t have the same type of vision around him and everything they do is in your head.

“After you are removed, they will bring people that will flog you because you messed up the opportunities because you didn’t listen to the word of God. You didn’t listen to the man of God you have and you were disobeying him.

“The price of disobedience is disgrace,” he declared.

TUNMISE BADRU

Nigerians aged 35 and above are unlikely to have problems recalling what constituted our entertainment staple before 1993. It broadly consisted of movie releases at 10pm after the news bulletin on national or state-owned television, blockbuster movies on video cassette recorders, old Latin American soaps and dramas, recorded matches of the Premier League and for the children, cartoons early in the evening. Each, I have to say, fulfilled its role.

Then came satellite TV in the name of MultiChoice Nigeria to change the future of television.
A quarter of a century later, MultiChoice has grown to become a household name and a lifestyle choice in the country, bringing entertainment and information to millions of homes, cutting across different ages and cultures, as well as making huge contributions to the nation’s economy via huge investments.

Television, it is safe to say, has never been more powerful since November 1993 when MultiChoice landed on these shores.

How did the company succeed in causing a sea change in the television sector, where it has remained the dominant operator? Given where we were at the time MultiChoice commenced operations in the country, I would say the company showed enormous faith in Nigeria, was committed to providing high quality pay television service through investments in cutting-edge technology, content and service to kick off a revolution.

MultiChoice came into the country at a time of great political upheaval and uncertainty induced by the annulment of the 1993 presidential election, a period the country was, with some justification, avoided like a plague. The foul socio-political weather aside, there was the huge infrastructural deficit in the country, a state of affairs that required a pioneer to provide for its own needs. This required eye-watering financial investments and near-blind faith in a climate of political uncertainty.

Notable among investments made in infrastructure were the commissioning of the Eutelsat satellite at a cost of N1.3 billion for the provision of the KU-Band transmission service, having a spot-beam with Nigeria at its epicenter; building of the Lagos up-link to enable the carriage of the national free-to air channels, yearly expansion of satellite transponder capacity for the continuing carriage of these free-to-air channels as well as backhaul of the channels to the company’s facilities in Guadalajara in Spain at no cost to the channel providers.

MultiChoice, over the years, has continued to invest heavily in the latest technology in digital television, including its decoders, which it has consistently improved upon, new products, improved services and new payment systems.
The company has also been the leading figure in the country’s efforts to migrate from analogue to digital transmission being the first two introduce the second generation broadcast technology through its GOtv platform.

The launch of new technologies has contributed to the efforts of the government to create quality employment in the engineering and technical fields.Through its products, MultiChoice has demonstrated commitment to Nigeria’s progress by ramping up its investment in local content. This has been variously demonstrated by SuperSports in increasing interest to solicit local content for programming and support for Nigerian boxing through GOtv Boxing Night to mention just a few. The entertainment industry owes a large slice of its progress to support for MultiChoice, whose Africa Magic range of channels has established the country’s cultural hegemony by providing local artistes and producers the platform to showcase their talents to millions of viewers across the continent.

And to ensure an improvement in production quality, MultiChoice has continued to invest in various capacity building efforts for professionals in the creative content industry. The latest of these efforts is the MultiChoice Talent Factory initiative, which is aimed at raising the next crop of African film and television professionals by equipping them with skills capable of putting them on the same level with their counterparts in other parts of the world. A major element of the initiative is the MultiChoice Talent Factory Academy, a fully-funded one-year training programme for young people in the creative industry. The continent-wide initiative has three academies, with the one for West Africa located in Nigeria.

The company has, in addition to providing family entertainment, continued to contribute to the country’s social and economic development through the creation of job opportunities via local entrepreneurship schemes in dealership, training of a network of installers to assist in the installation of DStv and GOtv hardware as well as resolution of issues associated with the products.

On the Corporate Social Investment front, MultiChoice has invested a huge amount of resources in the rollout of over 300 MultiChoice Resource Centres in secondary schools in 29 states of the country. Each beneficiary school receives a TV set, High Definition personal video recorder (HDPVR) decoder, generating set, complimentary subscription to DStv education bouquet, which contains BBC World, BBC Knowledge, National Geography, Animal Planet, National Geography Wild, History Channel, Learn and ED channel, as well as facilities such as chairs and tables.

Equally importantly, the company has been a good corporate citizen, paying about 10 different tax types to government.

Badru, a business analyst, writes from Suleja

Former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman, Nuhu Ribadu, Senator Magnus Abe, and Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Uguru Usani lost out in the nomination process for the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Appeals Committee rejected their appeals and upheld results of the primaries in their various states of Adamawa, Rivers and Cross River.

Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, also lost out in the race to upturn Dapo Abiodun’s nomination for Adekunle Akinlade as his choice candidate as the party’s flag-bearer.

First Lady, Aisha Buhari’s brother, Mahmud Halilu, lost to Governor Jibrilla Bindow in Adamawa.

It was also a day All Progressives Congress (APC), the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and several other political parties jostled to beat the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s deadline for submission of forms CF001 and CF002.

Yesterday was INEC’s deadline to submit names of candidates for presidential, governorship and legislative positions in 2019.

Representatives of the political parties stormed the International Conference Centre venue in Abuja, which later degenerated into a rowdy session.

The political parties competed for attention; to ensure that they beat the deadline which elapsed midnight; in line with section 31(3) of the Electoral Act, as amended, which stipulates that INEC publish the list, within seven days of receipt.

As at 7.00 p.m., yesterday, only 86 parties had obtained tally numbers, to be processed by INEC officials handling the exercise; although only 27 were said to have submitted their lists.

Some officials of political parties loitered around the premises and waited for their turn to submit their lists.

APC Director of Organisation, Abubakar Kairy, led other senior staff of the party out of the secretariat around 4.00pm, in a branded APC bus, to the International Conference Centre (ICC) to submit the list; amidst uncertainty among the candidates and protesters.

A PDP official said the party had yet to submit its list of candidates; as at 4.30 p.m., yesterday. He clutched a file which contained the name of candidates, in readiness for submission.

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Director of Publicity, Ifeanacho Oguejiofor, who went to submit his party’s list, said the exercise was done in batches, and that he had already submitted some while he waited to be called to submit others.

Also, National Conscience Party National Chairman, Yunusa Tanko, who doubles as his party’s presidential candidate, told newsmen that although he was given tally number 37, his submission was yet to be processed as he was yet to be called, at that time.

On his part, the Accord Party National Chairman, Mohammed Nalado, acknowledged that he had earlier submitted the party’s lists, stressing that this year’s exercise was better organised than what obtained in 2015.

On his part, Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance (APDA) National Chairman, Mohammed Kabir Shitu, argued that the delay associated with the exercise was because of the large size of country and problems in collating results of the primaries as well as some crises within some political parties.

Former governor of Ondo state and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) Presidential candidate, Olusegun Mimiko, advised INEC to ensure that the exercise was hitch-free and transparent.

In apparent fear of exposing the corruption and rots in the present administration, President Muhamadu Buhari on Thursday ordered the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) to stop the candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, from speaking in an arranged and agreed radio interview.

Sowore was billed to have a one-hour interview with the radio, but a few minutes to the talk show, it was announced that there was order from “above” for the interview to be stood down.

The African Action Congress (AAC) candidate took to social media to express his disappointment of the last-minute cancellation.

He tweeted: “FLASH: Bigwigs at Radio Nigeria Radio Nigeria (FRCN) @frcnnews @radionigeria today canceled my 4pm interview at the Radio station in Abuja after they belatedly found out I was the one and that standing “orders from above” forbids having me on live radio. We will #takeitback through #sowore2019.”

It came like an innocent, harmless offer. But looking back now, Francis Nwufoh, the proprietor of an Abuja-based private school, Whiteplains British School, is wishing he never took it.

Today, the supposed harmless offer is the subject of a bitter legal battle between Mr Nwufoh and the management of First Bank Nigeria (FBN) over alleged forgery and fraud involving a N630 million credit now threatening the survival of the high-end school, located in Jabi, Abuja.

The loan was granted on June 26, 2013 by the Utako branch of the bank located within the Shippers’ Plaza premises in Zone 5 area of the federal capital territory.

Under the terms and conditions of the credit signed between the bank and Mr Nwufoh, its tenor was scheduled to expire in June 2019.

But, months before the terminal date, the loan has not only become a subject of various investigations by the Police and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), but also a subject of litigations in various courts.

On May 11, 2018, Mr Nwufoh petitioned the EFCC to accuse FBN of forgery and fraud over the loan. He asked the anti-graft agency to ensure his demands were “properly addressed, investigated and First Bank of Nigeria Plc prosecuted.”

In a copy of the petition by Mr Nwufoh raised a number of allegations against the bank, bordering on fraud and forgery.

The bank has however refused to address the issues raised, upon enquiry by PREMIUM TIMES seeking its reaction to the allegations.

The spokesperson of the bank, Folake Ani-Mumuney, who spoke through another official of the bank, Babatunde Lasaki, said its management would prefer not to talk about a matter still pending in court.

“Since the matter is in litigation, we will rather wait for the outcome of the judgment. We are not issuing any statement or reacting to any issue,” Mr Kasali said.

ORIGIN OF LOAN
The loan relationship began in 2008 when Mr Nwufoh sought and got a N70 million credit from Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) to acquire the land where Whiteplains School is currently located in Abuja.

Following the prompt repayment of the loan, Mr Nwufoh said GTB offered to provide another N390 million loan to facilitate the development of the school and provision of key infrastructures.

The GTB loan was still running when Mr Nwufoh said FBN surfaced with an offer to Whiteplains School management to grant another commercial mortgage loan.

Mr Nwufoh said he was interested in the offer on condition that FBN would first pay up the school’s indebtedness to GTB (then about N430 million), in addition to another N200 million facility to help complete the development of the school’s permanent site.

The loan was also to facilitate the construction of the administrative block, classroom blocks, examination hall, science laboratory, assembly/graduation auditorium, library, dining hall, male and female hostels and principal’s quarters.

To formalise the banking relationship, FBN wrote to GTB for the updated status on Whiteplains’ loan with it.

Prior to signing the final agreement on June 26, 2013, FBN paid off Whiteplains’ indebtedness to GTB and took over the loan, along with all security documents used as collateral, including a certificate of occupancy dated August 2005.

Additional provision was made for another N200 million facility to take care of furniture and running cost for the school, bringing the total loan to about N630 million. First Bank withheld the security documents used as collateral, which it collected from GTB.

Under the agreement, part of earnings from school fees would be used to service the loan and the balance for the day to day running of the school.

Root of crisis

But the lawyer to Whiteplains British School, Chukwuma Ume, said trouble began shortly after the N200 million loan reached the school’s account with the bank.
Mr Ume, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said hardly had the money landed in the school’s account than FBN deducted over N188 million. No explanation was forthcoming.

Initially, Whiteplains said FBN claimed it was for running cost. Following protests and series of demands for further explanation, the lawyer said FBN claimed it was for “perfection of deed documentation.”

Although the N200 million was meant for administrative purposes, including payment of salaries to teachers and other categories of workers, Mr Nwufoh said for more than three months the school was unable to meet its running cost for lack of funds in its account.

He said the crisis degenerated, with the school unable to meet its basic financial commitments, which took its tolls on the entire school management resulting in teachers leaving.

With First Bank unable to provide concrete explanations why the school could not have sufficient funding in its account with the bank despite huge lodgments from tuition and other fees, Mr Nwufoh said the school management devised other means of meeting its obligations.

Crisis deepens

Mr Ume said the unraveling of the crisis came when FBN took Whiteplains management to court alleging breach of loan agreement.

Curiously, Mr Ume said while in court, FBN’s application never made any reference to or claim of any monetary debt by the school, or demand the court to help recover its loan.

Rather, he said FBN’s interest was on the receivership of Whiteplains School premised on a Tripartite legal Mortgage agreement purported to have authorised the transfer of the ownership rights.

The agreement allegedly drafted by Muftau Ande, lawyer, was purportedly signed between the directors of Whiteplains School (Mr Nwufoh and his wife) and late Lycious Ibe’s wife and son, Emeka, as directors of France-Lee Nigeria Limited.

Mr Ibe, a former retired Permanent Secretary, Federal Civil Service Commission, owned the company that sold the land to Mr Nwufoh on which the Whiteplains School currently stands.

Although Justice BFM Nyako ruled in favour of FBN, she ordered the bank to release the title document it was withholding to Whiteplains School to enable it sell to repay the loan.
Again, First Bank was asked to agree on an arrangement with the owners of Whiteplains on how to collect its loan to term without disrupting the payment of teachers’ salaries.

Besides, the bank was advised to ensure it performed its duties “without being visible in the administration of the school so as not to traumatize the students.”

Following the court ruling, Mr Ume said Whiteplains management agreed to structure an arrangement where all tuition fees were paid into its First Bank account to service the loan repayment obligations.

Other revenues were directed into other accounts in other banks to take care of teachers’ salaries.

Inquest in document

After the court ruling, Mr Nwufoh said he was not convinced about the authenticity of the tripartite agreement on which the judge based her judgment.

He said he was even more worried that FBN did not release to Whiteplains the collateral documents it collected from GTB when it bought over the previous loan.

Although he said he did not suspect anything fishy, he sought to see and review the document FBN claimed he signed. He said his findings were shocking and scandalous.

“When the document was presented to me, it looked strange, because I was not only seeing it for the very first time, but there were clear disparities with our signatures on the loan agreement with First Bank,” Mr Nwufoh said.

“On closer scrutiny of the signature the bank said I signed with my wife as directors of Whitesplains School, it was clear they were forged,” he added.

Yet, he said he opted not to rush into any hasty conclusion until he met with the other two persons the bank claimed signed the document with them. As suspected, the revelations were even more damning.

Mr Ume told our reporter, Mrs Ibe did not only deny signing the document, she could not recall ever seeing the lawyer whom FBN claimed she hired to represent France-Lee Nigeria Limited in packaging the agreement.

“The woman was even more scandalized when she learnt her son, Emeka, 40, was also a signatory to the document with her, despite not visiting the country since he left at the age of 18,” Mr Ume said.

Apart from never stepping her foot on FBN’s banking hall, Mrs Ibeh swore she did not know Shippers’ Plaza, where the bank’s branch that generated the documents was located.

To put her story in a historical perspective, Mrs Ibe recalled her son, Emeka, who is a director in his father’s company, France-Lee Nigeria Limited, was barely eight years old in primary school when the company was about to be registered.

Because he was too young at the time to have a signature on official documents, the name, Emeka, was appended on the Corporate Affairs Commission’s form in place of his signature.

Emeka lived and schooled in Nigeria till he became 18, when he left for the United Kingdom.

Mrs Ibe said since Emeka left Nigeria, he never returned to the country until 2014 when he came to attend his father’s burial. The father died in 2013. Immediately after the burial, Mrs Ibe said Emeka left Nigeria back to the UK on April 2, 2014.

Curiously, the tripartite agreement FBN said Emeka signed bore October 25, 2014. Mrs Ibe said she could not understand how her son came to sign the document.

Was the document taken to him in UK? Or did he return to Nigeria without her knowledge to sign the document?

To further unravel the mystery surrounding the agreement, Mr Ume said he approached the CAC to apply for and get the certified true copy. A review of the document threw up even more startling discoveries.

Beyond the agreement, he said there was another document with which the agreement was sent to CAC, considering the need to create a scenario that gave the impression directors of France-Lee Nigeria Limited gave their consent.

On two supporting documents, Dibiaezue Chuks, who claimed to be counsel to France-Lee Nigeria Limited, was also the same lawyer claiming to represent FBN.

In one document, the lawyer gave his address as LAGARDER & CO (Barristers & Solicitors) representing FBN, and on the other as LAGARDERA & CO (Barristers & Solicitors), representing France-Lee Nigeria Limited.

Interestingly, his office address and telephone numbers were the same on two opposing documents for prosecution and defence.

Besides, Mrs Ibe also denounced the notarized affidavits FBN also said she signed with her son authorising the registration of the agreement at the CAC.

But, shockingly, even the notary public before whom the quartet were said to have appeared to sign the agreement not only denied any knowledge of the deal, but also said he never met any of them.

With all the findings, Mr Nwufoh and Mrs Ibe swore on oath denying the authenticity of the document.

Mr Ume said all the documents were attached to a petition to the police. During investigation, the police brought the lawyer who drafted the documents on behalf of First Bank to meet with Mrs Ibeh.

On interrogation, the lawyer agreed he never met the woman, neither did the woman ever direct or authorise him to produce the contentious tripartite document.

Pressed to find out who did, Mr Ume said the lawyer confessed First Bank asked him “to do it that way.”

Armed with the latest findings, Mr Nwufoh said Whiteplains filed an appeal urging Justice Nyako to set aside the November 18, 2016 ruling he gave, as it was procured based on fraud and forgery.

But, on June 29, 2018, the court ruled its judgment could not be set aside, as Whiteplains neither raised the issue of forgery nor fraud against the document throughout the hearing.

However, Mr Ume is insisting Whiteplains could not have raised any objections to the document or object to its authenticity when FBN refused to release the document in its possession.

The lawyer said since FBN was asked to come and identify the four persons it claimed signed the tripartite agreement, it has not showed up.

Despite several letters delivered through registered mails to FBN management, including its chairman, managing director and all board members calling for investigation into the forgery and fraud, Mr Ume said no response has been forthcoming.

First Bank keeps mum on allegations

When FBN were contacted for its side of the story, its spokesperson, Folake Ani-Mumuney, requested a formal mail detailing the issues to guide her response.

On Wednesday, when our reporter called back for her response, she directed her colleague, Babatunde Lasaki, to meet with the bank’s general counsel to respond.

When contacted, Mr Lasaki said the bank preferred not to respond to any enquiries on the issue or join issues with Whiteplains Schools, as the matter was already before a court.

“The position of the bank is that it is not going to join issues with them (Whiteplains). We are not going to respond in black and white, because we do not want to join issues with them, since they have already written to our regulator and the matter is in court.

“What the legal unit of the bank is saying is that there are some sacrosanct facts in the matter, which are that Whiteplains School did not deny they are owing the bank money, and they breached their repayment terms.

“They should rather explain why it is possible for the bank to have the original copy of the document in question (tripartite agreement) on which the bank had actually gotten judgment in the first instance.

“The school has gone on appeal and the matter is in court. The bank will rather wait for the outcome on the matter, before joining issues with Whiteplains on the pages of the newspapers.

“If Whiteplains feels that what they are doing is right, they should rather wait for the outcome rather than going about organizing press conferences,” Mr Lasaki said.

Source: PREMIUM TIMES

rman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole, was joined in the suit,as the second respondent with APC as first respondent. Also joined are INEC and Jones Erue as the third and fourth respondents respectively.

The Cyril Ogodo-led State Working Committee (SWC) of the party in the state and others had applied for the interlocutory injunction restraining NWC of APC and Mr Oshiomhole from submitting the list of candidates from Mr Erue’s faction to INEC.

In her ruling, the judge said “this matter shall be given an accelerated hearing owing to fact that it is a pre-election matter. All defendants are to take note of the pendency of this suit.

“Parties shall maintain the status quo as at today, the 17th day of November 2018. That is the order of this court.” Mr Adegoke ruled.

Counsel to the applicants, O.J. Oghenejakpor, said the implication of the ruling is that no list will be submitted to INEC until the case is determined.

“Technically, the court has granted an injunction restraining any person to nominate any candidate from Delta State for the 2019 election. The issue will have to await the substantive trial which is now fixed for 1st and 2nd November, 2018. Court has also granted us an accelerated hearing so that the facts can be put to rest once and for all,” he said.

Mr Oghenejakpor added that the order by the court was a healing process.

“I think if the national executives could take opportunity of this process, this is what will bring the party together in Delta State.”
Meanwhile, counsel to the first and second respondents, George Onaho, who challenged the jurisdiction of the court to hear the suit, however, said the court has done the needful.

“In the view of the court, our objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court has to wait and be adopted together with our final written address after the substantive suit must have been heard. So that necessitated the adjournment that was taken and the court has ordered an accelerated hearing and gave two days to call in witnesses and deal with it.”

Two factions of the party exist in the state and held parallel primaries that produced different sets of candidates for the elections in the state.

The APC faces a similar problem in Zamfara State where INEC has said it would not allow the party field candidates for any elective positions. INEC said it took the decision because the APC failed to conduct primaries in the state before the deadline. The APC has, however, vowed to present candidates in Zamfara.

The People’s Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has vowed to give 40 per cent of his cabinet positions, if successful in the 2019 general elections, to women and youth.

“I give an undertaking that if by the grace of God, I am elected by you the good people of Nigeria, at least 40 per cent of my cabinet would be women and youth,” Mr Atiku posted on Twitter Wednesday.

“During my time in government, we designed our policies to help young people grow – stronger banks, telecoms etc. Many returned to Nigeria to start successful businesses,” he said.

Mr Abubakar lamented the spiralling poverty in Nigeria, saying it was said Nigeria is now cited as the country with the highest number of poor people in the world despite massive resources.

“Nigeria under Buhari is now the world headquarters for extreme poverty,” Mr Atiku said. “If we are to change that, we must empower women & youth.”

Mr Abubakar also decried the migration of doctors and other professionals to other nations ”because of the preferred standard of living obtained there”.

“Today, those young people are leaving again, to Canada etc. We are losing our best doctors and professionals,” he added.

As Lagos State is set to host the second edition of the Nigeria Beer Festival from Thursday October 25th to Wednesday October 31st, 2018, organisers of the event has promised to crown the week-long event with maximum entertainment to fun loving Lagosians.

Speaking at a press conference to announce the event in Lagos on Wednesday, Mr. Fola Adeyemi, the Permanent Secretary in the State’s Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture explained that the festival is in line with government’s agenda to grow the tourism and economy of the state.

He stated that Lagos state is collaborating with beer brewers in the country and their counterparts across the globe to stimulate the economic and tourism potentials in the State.

He enjoined Lagosians to come out in their large numbers to enjoy the ambience of the festival, assuring that the city is safe for fun lovers because of the various infrastructure development by the state such as Light-up Lagos among others.

“Lagos is a city state and in league with great cities all over the world. We are actually moving the state to a 24 hour economy and this festival will be part of the beneficiaries. Lagos is safe for fun and business. We are joining the global tourism world to create impact on the economy of Lagos and Nigeria.” he said.

Also speaking at the event, Akinola Oluwaleimu, General Manager of On and One Events Limited, the organisers of the festival informed that the festival will be held at the Eko Atlantic City, Bar Beach Water front Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos to give it a carnival atmosphere.

He noted that the festival, will promote responsible drinking among drinking-age (18 +) consumers at all its touch points.

According to him, the event, since it debuted last year, has seen Nigeria enrolled into the league of Beer Festivals around the world, and boost the country’s tourism opportunities.

“It will be a gathering of the largest community of beer consumers from across the country and beyond. This year’s edition will be bigger, better and “beertiful”, he said.

He revealed that the 2017 edition attracted over ten thousand beer enthusiasts and consequently the Festival has proven to become a major international tourist event in Nigeria with a potential to compete with other international beer festivals around the world.

“Nigeria Beer Festival will be a carnival week of entertainment, sales and marketing and a gathering of the largest community of beer consumers from across the country to bond and ‘beer’,” Oluwaleimu assured.

He added that the Nigeria Beer Festival will provide a fitting ambience to showcase culture and lifestyle in a carnival atmosphere with various beer brands and other alcoholic drinks in Nigeria connecting with their existing and potential consumers.

Oluwaleimu maintained that the festival, which will commence 4 p.m daily is a big opportunity for major breweries to exhibit and deliver various offerings of beer brands to the teeming consumers to strengthen brand relationship with them. “The timing promises an after work relaxation environment to bond with friends and associates, he said”

He also acknowledged the support of the Lagos State government through His Excellency, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode who found the private driven initiative worthy enough of its endorsement and providing necessary logistics support in security, health, safety and publicity to ensure a hitch free event.

ICCA/Umunna supports Atiku-Obi Ticket for 2019 elections.
Having Peter Obi as Vice-Presidential candidate a step in right direction.
The Buhari administrations undermined Ndigbo, doesn’t deserve second tenure.
Urge Ndigbo to participate in coming elections


The Igbo Canadian Community Association (ICCA/Umunna) has declared total support and solidarity for the former Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Peter Obi as the Vice-Presidential Candidate and running mate to the former Vice President and presidential flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in the forthcoming general elections in 2019 describing the combination of the two former leaders as a good recipe for reconciliation, restructuring and restoration of the country to the deserved economic height as well as positioning Ndigbo towards a promising realization in the structure of leadership in Nigeria.

In a statement issued in Toronto, Canada by the President, Chief Ugochukwu Okoro, through the Public Relations Officer, Ahaoma Kanu, the socio-cultural and pressure group said: “The selection of Dr. Peter Obi as the Vice-Presidential candidate is a commendable recognition and an attempt at balancing the obvious disregard of Ndigbo in contributing to nation building and leadership affairs in Nigeria which the present administration took to an unprecedented nepotic level.

“Since 2015 when Nigerians made a decision to elect the present government, the administration of President Muhamadu Buhari not only bred nepotism to a whole new level ever witnessed in a democracy, he used the instrument of government and security agencies to murders thousands of citizens in the country especially people from the South-East through the now infamous Operation Python dance, drove the economy of the country downhill while undermining Ndigbo in positions of leadership and provision of infrastructure. Buhari and the All Progressive Congress (APC) undermined Ndigbo with military occupation, government ordered executions and open discrimination against the South-East section of the country in his proclamations even on foreign soil.

“As if that is not enough, the government of Muhammadu Buhari and the APC has no regard for the judiciary and its proclamations and turned court orders to null while ensuring the disappearance of her citizens among them one of our sons and leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and his aged father.Our mothers, daughters and wives were equally not spared as this present government suppressed freedom of expression and association of our women who were arrested, manhandled, sexually assaulted and imprisoned. This is some of the reasons ICCA/Umunna is throwing its weight behind the candidacy of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi as they seek to return Nigeria to the right pauth and restore the dignity of Ndigbo,” Okoro said.

Going further, the Umunna President urged Ndigbo across the South-East and the Diaspora to ensure a complete participation in the upcoming elections to realize an inclusive change.

“The present administration of Buhari and the APC promised a change which excluded us, we urge every Igbo person across all Igboland to participate in ensuring a change in government that includes us.”

In reaction to the development of some governors of the South-East grievance of not being consulted by the PDP presidential candidate on his choice of running mate, Umunna said it is unfortunate that after 37 years of exclusion in the leadership of Nigeria some governors of South-East states would come out brazenly to point at non consultation as an excuse in opposing the choice of Dr. Peter Obi as running mate.

“Inasmuch as we have the utmost respect for our leaders and hold them in high esteem, it is indeed worrisome that they have chosen to bring an issue that could have been discussed as Umunne inside our Obi to the market place. Since they decided to show their resentment openly instead of choosing other subtle avenues to have this consultation, Umunna, in telling truth to power, is pleading that they reconsider their stance as it will neither do them nor Ndigbo any good,” Okoro said.

He described the development as unfortunate and exposes the self-seeking attitude of some of the Igbo leaders.

“It is very unfortunate that our governors are standing shoulder to shoulder to cry in public in this issue, we would have expected them to have also come out publicly in demanding from President Muhammadu Buhari the whereabouts of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and the hundreds of young Ibo men, women and children that were massacred during the operation Python Dance exercise in September 2018. We would have expected them to have set up Panels of Enquiry into what really happened during this state –sponsored exercises in their states as done by the Kaduna State government after the Shitte Muslims were killed in December 2015.”

“We want to remind them that Ndigbo is still waiting for them as Chief-Security-Officers of the South-East states to inform us where Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and his aged father are being kept. The ICCA/Umunna will, through our outreaches in Igboland, make this part of the mandatory questions these our leaders seeking reelection have to answer for us to give them our support. We are certain as Igbo leaders that they must have felt the yearnings of the people and should, as Ndigbo, resolve this issue withing the shortest time possible.’

In the detailed and lengthy statement, Mr. Kukah said he only facilitated reconciliation between the two men, and that he was not part of the subsequent event which saw Mr. Obasanjo endorsing Mr. Abubakar for the 2019 presidential election.

The bishop also explained how he initiated the reconciliation moves and how he worked hard to be a neutral, non-partisan facilitator in the entire process.

Another cleric at the event, Sheikh Abubakar Gumi, had also explained his role at the meeting.

David Oyedepo, the general overseer of the Living Faith Church Worldwide was the third cleric at the meeting. He is yet to speak on his role.

READ FULL STATEMENT BELOW.

PRESIDENT OBASANJO & ALHAJI ATIKU ABUBAKAR:

A RECONCILIATION NOT AN ENDORSEMENT.

Bishop Matthew Hassan KUKAH

I have deliberately made this explanatory note long because I think it is necessary that people make up their minds based on the facts, given my central role in the event. I note that Sheikh Gumi has already told his own side of the story. I feel obliged to state my own side so that Nigerians can have a clearer picture of my own involvement. Sadly, I personally did not read President Obasanjo’s statement until two days later on the Internet since I was not physically in the hall.

Although trying to reconcile President Obasanjo and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was something I had been working on intermittently in the last few years, nothing could have prepared me for the way things finally shaped up. My focus all along had been with President Obasanjo and I had never brought Alhaji Abubakar into what I was doing. Quite fortuitously, a chance meeting changed the tide in favour of reconciliation.
Understandably, the pictures of the four of us (President Obasanjo, Alhaji Abubakar, Shaikh Gumi and I) literally lit up the social media and elicited divergent reactions from the general public. Although over 99% of the reactions that have come to me have been largely those of commendation, with people focusing, rightly, on the reconciliation, there have been others whose focus has been on an isolated development that had absolutely nothing to do with what I had in mind all these years, namely, the endorsement.

I must say that I am eternally grateful to God that this reconciliation finally happened. The focus of attention has been on the endorsement of Alhaji Abubakar by President Obasanjo, a development that I can call the third leg of the process which I initiated. I am not sure of President Obasanjo’s other interlocutors after we agreed to meet leading to the participation of other actors and so, I will only clear the air on what I can take full responsibility for.

Let me state first that I am a priest of the Catholic Church and by the grace of God, a Bishop. I have more than a passing knowledge of our discipline and doctrine in matters relating to the role of a Catholic priest in political engagement. My doctoral thesis was on Religion and Politics in Nigeria. So, this is an area that I have written and spoken extensively about for over thirty years. I am therefore very clear about the boundaries, the slippery slopes and the contexts. Unlike Shaikh Gumi and Rev. Oyedepo who were invited to this event, I am a central actor. So let me explain what really happened.

On Tuesday, October 9th, 2018 I had the honor of being the Guest Speaker for the annual Conference of the Four Square Gospel Church in Alagomeji, Lagos. (The Presidential Spokesman, Femi Adesina, a member of this Church had first invited me some years back but I could not honour the invitation). President Obasanjo was the Chairman of the occasion. At the end of the lecture, he indicated that he would have to leave because he had a scheduled meeting. I told him I needed to see him briefly and he obliged. I brought up again the issue of what he thought of his reconciliation with Alhaji Atiku.

My last discussion with him this year was either January or February. His response was still negative and he told me what he later told the media. I reminded him that I was not interested in the politics of reconciliation but the spiritual angle. After all, I said to him, ‘as a Christian, this is an important thing for you to do’. He was quiet and then said he would speak with me later that evening on his final decision. We parted, he to his car and I returned to the Church to end the event.

At about 9pm the same Tuesday, he called to say that he had thought over the issues I had raised and finally decided to accept my suggestion and that yes, he would be happy to reconcile with Alhaji Abubakar. When did he think we could meet then, I asked him? He said he would look at his diary and get back to me later. Then, just before 11pm the same Tuesday, I received another call from him saying his diary was full, that the earliest date for him was October 21st. I accepted happily and told him that I would try and reach Alhaji Abubakar either directly, or through his aides to convey the news.

My initial intention had been to return to Abuja that same evening from Lagos, but my hosts at the Four Square Gospel had suggested that I should get some rest. Next morning, Wednesday October 10th, after I had finished celebrating the Holy Mass, I received a call from President Obasanjo: ‘Bishop, listen, I have changed my mind’. My heart nearly sank, but before I could ask why, he said: ‘Let us do it tomorrow if you can reach Atiku. I am going to deliver a lecture in Ife and will be back home before 1pm. So, tell him to come at 1pm’. I started frantic efforts to reach Alhaji Atiku without luck. I reached one of his aides, Paul Ibe, and asked him to please let him know I am trying to reach him. Finally, at about 1pm, I received a call from him. I told him what had happened with President Obasanjo. He agreed and said he would be in Abeokuta for 1pm on Thursday.

I got back to my hosts, the Four Square Gospel Church to tell them about the change in my travelling plans especially as I had no car to take me to Abeokuta. I didn’t want to ask President Obasanjo’s people to send me a vehicle because I believed I needed a leeway of independence and trust. My hosts were exceedingly gracious in making a vehicle available, a driver and an aide to take me to Abeokuta. Earlier that morning, President Obasanjo had called me a second time and told me that he wanted Alhaji Abubakar to come with the Chairman of the PDP, and two or three others. He also told me he had also invited both Shaikh Gumi and Rev. Oyedepo. This was welcome news- Rev. Oyedepo is a kinsman of his, and the presence of Shaikh Gumi made sense. I was a bit nervous, seeing that the circle was getting larger for something I thought was between three of us.

I arrived Abeokuta about 12.15pm ahead of both President Obasanjo and Alhaji Abubakar and his team. Alhaji Abubakar and his team arrived, and then I saw more and more people coming in. I saw familiar faces of different people who turned out to be the leaders of Afenifere. All these years, whenever I brought up this matter of reconciliation, my idea has always been for the three of us to sit down together. I still believed that the meeting would be between the two of them and the three religious leaders.

When President Obasanjo appeared, I walked up to him and said I wanted to know the protocol for the meeting. He suggested that we would meet in a hall and that I should say a few words about how we got here. I declined because it seemed again that at this point, we were in small forest of politics and I had no wish to be caught in it. I was happy that what I wanted to achieve had been achieved, namely, getting these two men to put the past behind them. My personal preoccupation was a pastoral one, and not a political one. I was uncomfortable with this and I decided to make my position clear. I offered a different proposal to help us sift the moral grain from the chaff of politics via a three-step process so as to insulate the three of us from the political fallout.

I proposed that the first step would be for he and Alhaji Abubakar to sit down behind closed doors, sort out their issues and then the next step would be for both Sheikh Gumi and I to go in and listen to the two of them as Rev. Oyedepo had not arrived. After that, I said, they could continue with the third phase which from what I could see was high wire politics and I had no wish to be caught in the web. After they both finished their brief meeting, Sheikh Gumi and I went in and sat down with the two of them. We had some small briefing and then both of us spoke briefly on what they had done, encouraging them to ensure that this reconciliation holds. I even said jokingly that I am a Catholic priest and our marriage vows are indissoluble! After that, we prayed and then took what has now become the famous photograph behind closed doors.

At this point, I felt that my spiritual duties had been achieved and I was prepared to maintain my independence. Sheikh Gumi and I shook hands and although I was hungry and food was being laid out, I skipped lunch. I quietly let myself out by the side door, got into the Four Square Gospel car and we drove off to Lagos. Despite the dread of Lagos traffic and the disruption of flights at the Airport in Lagos, I had declined the offer of a seat in the Aircrafts which had flown them to Abeokuta. Although flying with them was the best (and most convenient) assurance I had of getting to Abuja in time for a speaking engagement at an event with the Sultan and Cardinal Onaiyekan for 9am the next day, it was necessary to ensure that I took no favours from any of the two parties.

I was not in Abeokuta to endorse Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the candidate of the Peoples’ Democratic Party. I perfectly understand the feelings of many of my friends and members of the opposition who believe that I travelled with Alhaji Abubakar and his team to attend his endorsement by President Obasanjo, but I reiterate that this was not the case. All the bills for my travel were settled by the Four Square Gospel hosts for the earlier dated programme who had bought my tickets, booked accommodation for me and took care to get me to the airport for my flight to Abuja and Sokoto.

I am a strong believer in a peaceful and united Nigeria, ideals for which I have striven and served my entire adult life as a thinker and a priest. My instincts for reconciliation and peace were sharpened during my involvement and experience with the Oputa Panel. When the Generals refused to respond to the invitation of Oputa Panel, I personally undertook to visit both General Babangida and Buhari (he was not at home) at a time that today’s latter day Buharists were asking the Panel to compel them to come or risk being blacked out of national life. Objective-minded people will remember that back in 2001, when the Christian community and many of President Buhari’s opponents claimed that General Buhari had said that Muslims should vote only for Muslims, many people in the Christian community were disappointed that I wrote a long article to explain the context of what he had said after speaking with the General. His party, the ANPP later used part of my article for their 2003 campaigns! My faith and experience have taught me to learn to suspend judgment till I have heard both sides of a story, no matter what.

I hope that this clarification helps to allay the concerns of those who may have seen all of these in a different light. Many minds will remain set no matter the reasonableness of my comments here, and this is to be expected- one can not please everyone. This is why it is often best to seek to please only one’s own conscience, and here, mine is very clear.

I have been involved in a few behind-the-scene shuttle diplomacy for years, largely on my own initiative, taking advantage of my knowledge of those engaged in the conflict or at the invitation of third parties. Some have succeeded and some have not. As priest, it is not in my place to publicise what we have achieved.

I am the Convener of the National Peace Committee. This alone is enough to place a moral boundary which I am bound to respect. The NPC able to accomplish much because of trust and that is not what I can treat lightly. When it became clear that both President Obasanjo and Abubakar were on the verge of making peace, I alerted the Chairman of the NPC, General Abdusalam. Since I happen to be in Lagos, I drove to the Ikoyi home of Chief Emeka Anyaoku and alerted him. I spoke to my Metropolitan, the Archbishop of Kaduna, Archbishop Matthew Ndagoso. All in all, everyone believed this was a very good move if we could achieve it. None of us imagined the third phase of this meeting.

Both theoretically and practically, I have come to know that peace making is a very risky business and often a thankless job. I recall listening to the late Kofi Anan speak about his on two different occasions. Anyone involved in peace making from domestic quarrels to larger battles, must be ready for the good, the bad and the ugly. In the end, we must wear the shoes of the long distance runner, believing and trusting that the truth never ever sinks to the bottom of the sea. The truth will always have a stubborn way of defying the hostile elements and popping up at the right time, no matter how long it takes.

I perfectly understand that with Alhaji Abubakar having just picked up the Presidential ticket of his Party, without providing this context, definitely, I can appreciate why many people will have a lot of anxieties. They will definitely be right to question my neutrality. However, I have far too many friends across party lines for me to openly endorse one candidate or party against the other. It will be against the principles of the Code of Canon Law of the Catholic Church which regulates our public life in the political space. The President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference has signed a statement to the effect that no altar of the Catholic Church must ever be open to any politician, something we have all taken seriously. I therefore hope that this clarification helps those whose minds are open. I am thankful to God and quite pleased that this reconciliation took place and that I was a small instrument in making it happen. However, I am sorry that it has been given a different colouration and doubts to many people. Its timing was purely fortuitous and purely circumstantial not a contrivance. Personally, I will never relent in the very urgent task of making peace and reconciliation across the spectrum of our country.

.Victim’s account can be emptied with the 16 digits number



Coming on the backdrop of rising claims by different individuals that cyber criminals had withdrawn money from their accounts without their ATM cards, indications were rife at the weekend that cyber thieves, know at the local parlance as ‘Yahoo Boys’ have taken their criminal enterprise a notch higher by now hacking into the account numbers of online shoppers to use their accounts to shop. All the account owner will be getting is alerts

Most of the banks spoken confirmed the development has gotten to an alarming state, saying the target of the cyber thieves is mainly online shoppers.

The lenders who spoke on condition of anonymity insisted that the criminal innovation is not due any failure in the security chips measures built into the ATM cards, pointed accusing the online shopping companies of culpability in the crime. “The crime is not possible without an insider collaboration in the online shopping firms,” they alleged.

The lenders further disclosed that the victims in the course of interactions between him/her and the online shopping outfits, give out information which at the initial stage would look harmless. Such information is what is used to hack into their account, they said.

According to them, the fraudsters would send a four digit number purportedly from the online shopping firm to the victim, asking him or her to confirm whether the number is his/hers, “once it is confirmed, the fraudsters have a way of using that to get the victim’s pin number.”

Meanwhile, in a post on his Facebook wall, the Head Corporate Communication, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Femi Babafemi said: “Our ATM cards are no longer as safe as our banks would want us to believe. Criminals can now draw money from your accounts, yes, even from ATM machines without knowing your secret 4-digit pin number. All they need now is the 16-digit number boldly printed on the cover of your card and the 3-digit open pin at the back. This means it’s not enough to keep a 4-digit secret pin as the banks will make us believe. I have a case I’m dealing with at the moment. So, this is a first hand alert. You either keep your cards totally away from any other contact or you cut off the 16-digit printed on them so that nobody can copy them. Without that portion, the card will still work.”

Our investigation further revealed that this fraud has been on for a long time unknown to the general public. Ololade Bashirat, a victim of this crime said it happened to her once so since then she decided not to own an ATM card.

She said, “This problem has been going on for a while now and people are not doing anything about it. I experienced this thing once and am not praying to experience it again, hence I decided not to own an ATM card, I woke up one morning and received an alert that I have withdrawn N250,000, I was confused because I knew I didn’t withdraw that much the last time I went to the ATM machine so I immediately went to the bank and I was told that someone transferred the money to his/her account; honestly I did all I could do but here I am and definitely not with the money, so it happens and I just don’t understand why they insist that we should never tell anyone our pin when they can get access to our money”.

Also, a source said stealing money from people’s account without the ATM card is possible using the first four numbers of the 16 digits number at the back of the ATM card or the last four numbers for this transaction.

According to the source, before the fraudsters were using the first seven numbers of the 16 digits number to do the transaction and according to this guy he said it is mostly used to shop online as some shopping sites request for the numbers.

The source further said that the first four numbers, the last four numbers and the three digit number at the back of the ATM card shows certain details of the owner of that particular account, but he said that it is impossible to do this if you have a bank verification number because it also protects your account from being hacked as he said everything is all about hacking.

Reacting to the development, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Office (PPRO), Mr. Chika Oti, said that the Command has not received such complaint from victims.

He said that the Command had at different times arrested and prosecuted several suspects involved in cyber crime in the state.

He said: “The Lagos State Police Commissioner, Imohimi Edgal had at different times while parading the suspects warned Lagos residents to be wary how loose they are with their phones, laptops or their ATM cards. The CP warned that the cyber criminal when they get the account owners details, ATM card details, or get hold the ATM card proper, they us it to either shop online or empty the victim bank account,” he said.

President Muhammadu Buhari says religious leaders should not partake in partisan politics or be involved in political controversies.

Buhari gave the admonition while speaking at the Interfaith Conference on Religious Harmony in Nigeria on Saturday.

According to the president, with the influence religious and traditional leaders wield over their followers and subjects, they are in the best position to encourage them to “vote wisely” ahead of the 2019 general election.

“Having recognised the role our religious leaders have been playing so far, I appeal to them to eschew partisan politics and appeal to their respective members to read the manifestos of each political party, discuss and pray for God’s guidance before casting their votes,” he said.

“Religious leaders should not be seen to involve themselves in partisan politics or political controversies, otherwise they risk losing their status and public respect.

“On their part, the traditional rulers are also requested to enlighten their subjects, encourage them to ask questions and clarifications before going out to vote.

“As you are present, I will request that you encourage your subjects to come out and exercise their voting rights as responsible citizens.

“It is my hope and prayer that we will even perform better in the polling stations and see to the peaceful conclusion of the entire process without resorting to the negative use of religion and ethnicity.”

The president urged “aggrieved persons” to place the stability of Nigeria ahead of their individual political ambitions and to seek redress in court where necessary.

“It is my hope that all, who feel aggrieved will put the stability of our country first before their political ambition, or accept the decisions of their political parties or seek resolution through party reconciliation mechanisms or the law court,” he said.

“Very soon, political campaigns will commence leading to elections in February next year.

“To all of us politicians, I ask that we discharge our political responsibilities with integrity, bearing in mind that we will one day give account to God Almighty.

“I am proud to say that our country has moved on; the era of free money, lack of transparency and accountability is over.”

The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential flag bearer said the party deserves re-election in 2019, in view of its achievements thus far.

“We deserve continuity, we deserve a better future for the coming generations,” he said.

“I sincerely hope that 2019 will move us closer to these goals and so I look forward to a peaceful, fair and credible election come 2019.”

President Muhammadu Buhari has banned 50 prominent Nigerians suspected of corruption from travelling abroad.

Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, said the development is part of steps being taken to enforce the executive order 6 recently signed by the president.

He said the Nigerians affected by the executive order have been placed under watch list and are restricted from travelling pending the determination of their cases.

“Also, the financial transactions of these persons of interest are being monitored by the relevant agencies to ensure that the assets are not dissipated and such persons do not interfere with, nor howsoever corrupt the investigation and litigation processes,” he said in a statement issued Saturday.

According to Shehu, the president has also mandated Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation, to implement the executive order “in full force”.

“To this end, a number of enforcement procedures are currently in place by which the Nigeria Immigration Service and other security agencies have placed no fewer than 50 high profile persons directly affected by EO6 on watch-list and restricted them from leaving the county pending the determination of their cases,” he said.

“The Buhari administration reassures all well-meaning and patriotic Nigerians of its commitment to the fight against corruption, in accordance with the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the general principles of the Rule of Law.

“Accordingly, this administration will uphold the rule of law in all its actions and the right of citizens would be protected as guaranteed by the Constitution.

“We, therefore, enjoin all Nigerians to cooperate with the law enforcement authorities towards ensuring a successful implementation of the Executive Order 6 which is a paradigm-changing policy of the Federal Government in the fight against corruption.”

The Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) says it plans to sell Polaris Bank within two years.

Ahmed Kuru, chief executive officer, AMCON, said this in an interview with Bloomberg in Lagos.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had revoked the operating licence of Skye Bank in September for failing to meet capital and liquidity requirements.

Polaris Bank was subsequently approved as a bridge bank to take on the assets and liabilities of Skye Bank.

He said the agency has met with the management of Polaris Bank and will sell the financial institution in less than two years.

Kuru added that the authorities intervened in the Skye Bank issue because of “a lot of systemic issues”, including saving more than 5,000 jobs and almost N1 trillion in deposits.

He said AMCON will advertise for financial advisers for the sale of Polaris Bank after an investigation into the cause of its capital and liquidity challenges.

“The divestment must be quick. It’s a very big bank and if you allow anything to happen to it, it will affect some other financial institutions,” Kuru said.

“Because we have put a lot of money there, where we find out that something wrong has been done, I can assure you that people will be held responsible.”

Kuru said AMCON, established in 2010 to buy bad debts, had set a 2023 deadline to dissolve its operations, even as it is still struggling to recover non-performing loans.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.thecable.ng/amcon-to-sell-polaris-bank-in-two-years-dissolve-operations-by-2013/amp

Sefi Atta, playwright and award winning author of “Everything Good Will Come” will launch her first children’s book “Drama Queen” on Sunday, October 14, 2018 at the Simi Johnson Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The book, according to the publishers, “tells the story of 12 years old Timi Aziz who has a lot to say about the perils of being in an all-girls boarding school.”

Timi who is given a diary for her birthday gets into a series of scrapes when other people read the entries in her diary leading to very exciting and eye-opening incidents. The story also unfolds against the backdrop of the February 13, 1976 coup, thus providing a profoundly historical context for readers both young and old.

The event will feature a book reading and discussion, followed by a book signing.

Drama Queen is published by Mango Books, an imprint of Quramo Publishing, and is suitable for 9- to 11-year-olds. The event is open to the public. Atta will also be a guest at Ake Book Festival on Friday, October 26, 5:40-6:40 p.m., where she will talk about her new novel The Bead Collector.

As lender loses over 200,000 customers in 3 weeks

+ The Bola Tinubu’s connection



All seems not to be well with Polaris Bank Limited, a bridge bank created by the Central Bank of Nigeria to assume the assets and liabilities of the defunct Skye Bank as shareholders of the defunct bank have accused the current management of Polaris Bank led by its Group Managing Director, Mr. Adetokunboh Abiru of conniving with the CBN to defraud them of their investment.

We reliably gathered that with the recent takeover of Skye Bank Plc by Polaris Bank, shareholders are now at the risk of losing an estimated N10.69 billion, being the value of the shareholders’ fund.

Meanwhile, there have been questions as to why the apex bank would revoke license of a bank with a performing management. It was understandable when the Mr Tunde Ayeni-led board was sacked by the central bank because the bank found itself in a non-performing loan mess estimated to be almost N700 billion.

The criss-cross in the statement of the CBN has thus seen questions being asked with no one ready to answer them.

There are some who said if the interim management set up by the CBN to manage Skye Bank for two years could not prevent its eventual fall, why keep the team to run the bridge bank.

Also, there are those who insist that there is more to the whole development, as they keep asking if the bank would have been put to rest if it was really doing well. There are also those who believe that the hands of the CBN Governor Emefiele might be tied, hence he is maintaining the set of management and board. Whatever is the situation, one basic truth is that Polaris Bank in the hands of the same management that couldn’t salvage Skye Bank Plc is only poised to fail except of course if the Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON) can quickly find a buyer before the invested N786 billion is known.

Explaining the consequences of the move recently by the apex bank, Financial Analyst, Tunde Biobaku, said “when a bank is recapitalized, there is always the need to name a new board who will handle the new investment. If you use the same set of people, they will run down the business just like they initially did to make the bank need recapitalization in the first place, so what the CBN has done is very confusing because the same guys that couldn’t do well with Skye Bank are now managing Polaris Bank, the end result is already clear, crystal clear. They would leave Polaris Bank worse than they met it, you mark my words.”

Boniface Okezie, National Coordinator, Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria (PSAN), said the CBN need to explain its actions to Nigerians for better understanding.

Okezie said the investors should not be allowed to suffer again for the misdeeds and mistakes of the regulations. He called on the Federal Government to investigate the incessant fall of banks in the country, adding that the past management and board of Skye Bank must be made to account of what led to the bank’s misfortune.

Signs that the apex bank would move in to takeover the bank became obvious when it failed to declare its result under the mandatory window. The announcement of the takeover by CBN came like a surprise to many.

With the same old wine in a new bottle, it is hard to see a flourishing Polaris Bank in the near future, especially in the hands of Tokunbo Abiru, leader of the team.

Ecobank Nigeria Limited says it would continue to strongly resist any attempt to use a frivolous N72 billion claim to derail it from continuing to pursue the recovery of monies owed and overdue for payment by Honeywell Group.

The bank, in a statement signed by management of the bank, said contrary to the picture being painted by Honeywell Group, it is unhindered by the continued attempts to coerce the public into believing that the Honeywell Group has fully paid its overdue debt.

The statement reads: “Ecobank’s attention has been drawn to several media reports stating that the Honeywell Group has filed a suit claiming damages against Ecobank in the sum of N72billion.

“We wish to state that Ecobank is unhindered by the continued attempts to coerce the public into believing that the Honeywell Group has fully paid its overdue indebtedness.

“It is noteworthy that Honeywell’s recent claim for damages was published and serialised in the news media even before the bank was served with the court papers, which clearly elicits the ‘motive’ of a party owing huge sums of money. Indeed the purport of the matter is most curious especially as there are other pending matters in court which remain undecided.

“Ecobank is the Pan African bank with representation across 36 countries. The Ecobank Group supports various businesses in all the countries in which it operates while holding customer deposits in safe trust. In the same vein, Ecobank is resolute that the businesses it supports should also honour their obligations when due. This is the crux of the demand on the Honeywell Group to pay their debts in full.

“While the matters are in court, being a responsible corporate citizen, the bank reiterated its commitment in allowing due process to prevail in court rather than use the news media.

“Our resolve is to fight to ensure that debtors fully honour their obligations after benefiting from credit facilities which helped to grow their businesses.”

Moses Olaiya Adejumo, a veteran comic actor better known as Baba Sala, has died.

The iconic dramatist died on Sunday at his house in Ilesa, Osun state.

According to Tribune, Baba Sala’s death was made known by Isaac Haastrup, his media aide.

PUNCH quoted Haastrup as saying Sala died of “old-age related sickness”.

“He came to church two Sundays ago and he was the one that said the benediction. Baba has gone to be with the Lord and he will be missed by many people including his fans,” he said.

The comedian’s remains have been deposited at the morgue in Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa.

Baba Sala, 82, recently solicited financial assistance from the public after suffering a reported stroke.

In the past few months, the comedy great has been rumoured dead a number of times.

Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has hailed the endorsement of President Muhammadu Buhari by members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2019 elections.

Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday,Omo-Agege at the venue of the APC National Presidential Convention in Abuja, Omo-Agege, the Senator representing Delta State Central Senatorial District, commended the party’s leadership over success of the convention.

He said the ruling party chose to elect Buhari as its presidential candidate to show opposition party the challenges to face in 2019.

According to him, the number of votes polled by Buhari from delegates alone at the APC Convention was a message to opposition parties.

‘’This is the first time this is happening. We decided to go by the option provided in the Electoral Act and our constitution to permit members to directly nominate Mr President at the wards.

”We did this to be able to show to Nigerians unlike in the past where a couple of delegates were doing the nominations.

”Here we have over 14 million card carrying members who did the nomination that will also send a message to the other side about the challenges they face as they come into the contest with Mr President in 2019,” Omo-Agege said.
President Buhari scored a total of 14,842,072 votes at the party’s recent presidential primaries held across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as announced by Dr Kayode Fayemi, Ekiti State Governor-elect, to emerge as the party’s candidate.

Fayemi, who was the Chairman APC Presidential Primary Committee, later asked the no fewer than 7,00 delegates from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to affirm the president’s candidacy through a yes vote, which they did.