Home Blog Page 2909

How We Brought In Over N1.2 Billion For Fayose

Editorial
-
0
How We Brought In Over N1.2 Billion For Fayose
Governor of Ekitit State, Ayo Fayose
Governor of Ekitit State, Ayo Fayose

The trial of Abiodun Agbele, an aide to Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, kicked off yesterday at the Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday as the first prosecution witness told the court how more than N1.2 billion was brought into Akure airport for governor Fayose.

The witness, Sunday Alade, the Akure branch manager of Zenith Bank, told the court that the money was brought in by former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro and two others, on June 17, 2014

Alade, was led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Wahab Shittu, and he gave details of how Fayose’s aide, Agbele supervised the lodgment of the cash into different accounts, including those allegedly belonging to Fayose, his company, Spotless Investment and others.

In a statement which was tendered by the prosecution before the court, Alade stated how he was directed by his colleague in Ibadan, Lawrence Akande, to arrange for a bullion van to take to evacuate some cash from the Akure airport, sometime in June 2014

He said that after waiting for some time at the airport the medium-sized aircraft conveying part of the money arrived.

“After the aircraft had parked, three individuals came down and Mr. Abiodun Agbele walked to meet them,” the witness stated.

“They had a brief discussion and two of the three men walked away and entered a waiting Toyota Hillux, one of the two appeared to be Senator Musiliu Obanikoro.

“The remaining individual, together with Abiodun Agbele then invited my team to come to the tarmac with the bullion van. And we off-loaded the cash to the bullion van.

“We then drove to the bank in the town in a convoy with their security team made up of soldiers and Mopol officers. At the branch, we just bundle counted the cash and ascertained it was N724,500,000.

“The person that handed over the cash later introduced himself as Adewale A. O and claimed to be a military aide de camp to Senator Obanikoro. He left us in the bank and went back to the airport in Akure.”

The witness added that they drove back to the airport “After about three hours … and waited until when another aircraft came with the second tranche, which was equally off-loaded to our bullion van and taken to the bank branch in Akure for ascertainment in the presence of Abiodun Agbele and one Adewale A. O.”

“This second movement was ascertained to be N494,990,000 only. We were then informed by Abiodun Agbele that the cash was to be credited to various accounts,” Alade said.

The witness also provided details of how the money was credited into the various accounts.

“The account credited and the amount are as follows: N100m was credited to Spotless Investment account: 1010170969 on 17/06/2014; Deprivateer Ltd was credited in account: 1013835889 with N219,490,000 on 18/06/2014 and another N300m on 19/06/2014 and another N200m on 23/06/2014.

“Another account owned by Ayodele Fayose was credited with N137,000,000 on 26/06/1014. This brings the total amount credited to the various accounts to N956,490,000.

“Mr. Abiodun Agbele then eventually took away the cash balance of N263m with their security team to Ado-Ekiti on the same day the cash was delivered in Akure.”

The zenith bank manager said he was able to recognize Obanikoro because of “his picture that I used to see on the television and newspaper but I cannot recognise the third person that came out of the aircraft with him.”

He also pointed out that the monies were stashed inside “several sacks popularly referred to as Ghana-must-go sack.”

Recall that Agbele was first arraigned before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court, Abuja on August 3, 2016, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

He is facing an 11 count-charge of money laundering involving about N4,685,723,000,000, allegedly taken by former National Security Adviser, NSA.

The EFCC said Agbele, Obanikoro and the other suspects – still at large –  “reasonably ought to have known” that the money was part of proceeds of Dasuki’s unlawful activity.

Read also:

Aisha Buhari Coordinates Sharing Of Relief Items In Baga

Editorial
-
0
Aisha Buhari Coordinates Sharing Of Relief Items In Baga
file:
File:

Wife of the Nigerian President, Aisha Buhari, on Thursday coordinated the distribution of relief materials to more than 300 households in Beneisheikh, a liberated community in Baga local government area of Borno State.

According to her, the relief materials, comprising both food and non-food items, were donated by well-meaning Nigerians to her pet project, ‘Future Assured’ through the “Get Involved” Programme.

She added that the gesture was her own contribution in the efforts to make life more comfortable for the people returning to their homes after the Boko Haram insurgency.

The wife of the president commended the wives of the governors of the Northeast whose efforts, she said, contributed to the successes so far achieved in the fight against insurgency in the region.

Buhari also called on the wives of  state governors, national and state assembly members, local government chairmen and councilors to also see the need to always reach out to the less privileged in the society.

She noted that each of the 350 households that will would go home with 50 food and non-food items including rice, beans, semovita, spaghetti, macaroni, sugar, salt, Maggie cubes, soap, detergents, blankets, plastic buckets, cups, household cooking utensils, plates, dishes, plastic kettles, mosquito nets, fabric, wrapper, among others.

She said the distribution was informed by her desire to support the vulnerable and displaced persons, especially women and children.

The President’s wife expressed happiness that her pet project was reaching out to Nigerians together irrespective of religion, tribe, political and regional background.

She also thanked the people of Borno State and the entire country for supporting her project.

Governor Kashim Shettima in his remark thanked the Wife of the President for her care and concern towards the people Borno.

He also commended President Buhari and the Nigerian military for their support to the government and people of the state.

Buhari To Meet Niger Delta Leaders

Editorial
-
0
Buhari To Meet Niger Delta Leaders
7-big-wins
President Muhammadu Buhari and Minister of State for Petroleum resources, Ibe Kachikwu

President Muhammadu Buhari will meet with some Niger Delta leaders next week in Abuja in continuation of talks to bring the crisis in the region to an end.

This was made known by the minister of state for petroleum resources on Thursday at the unveiling of the new energy industry roadmap titled “the 7 Big wins” at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.

“Our target is to ensure zero militancy in the area,” Kachikwu said.

“This planned meeting shows the level of interest the president has to ensure peace in the area.”

Delivering his speech at the event, President Buhari stated that though the golden era of high oil prices have passed, Oil and Gas resources still remain the most immediate and practical keys out of our present economic crisis, as it still remains the “critical enabler for the successful implementation of our budget as well as the source of funds for laying a strong foundation for a new and more diversified economy.”

“As important as it is to ensure that Agriculture, Solid minerals and other critical sectors of the economy are supported to grow and contribute more to the nation’s economy, we still need a virile and efficient oil and gas industry to take care of our foreign exchange requirements,” the president stated.

He added that “the task before the Ministry of Petroleum Resources is to maximize the potentials and opportunities across the whole range of the Oil and Gas industry to stimulate our economy in spite of the current challenges.”

He said: “There is also a dire need to instill a new culture of transparency and efficiency in the industry, streamline operations along best practices by championing and implementing strategic reforms at every layer of the industry.“If we are able to plug the leakages, and tighten loose systems that characterized this industry in the days of high oil prices, we are convinced that we can do even more with the little that we are getting at the moment than we did even in the time of plenty,” he added.

President Buhari acknowledged that recent developments in the Niger Delta had temporarily limited oil production, but reassured that “whatever challenges we are currently facing in the region, our resolve and capability to work with all stakeholders to restore normalcy will guarantee success.”

Kachikwu, in his speech, stated that the petroleum ministry plans to get the National Assembly to pass the long-delayed Petroleum Industry Bill by December.

The bill covers everything, including an overhaul of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, as well as taxes on upstream projects.

The minister said Nigeria was also considering asset sales and wanted to improve the investment climate and enable development of the nation’s gas assets.

He said: “The seven elements of the plan are: solving the Niger Delta development and security problem, policy and regulations reforms, business environment and investment drive, transparency and efficiency, stakeholders management and international coordination, gas revolution and finally refineries and local production capacity.”

Kachikwu told the event that Nigeria’s oil output stood at 1.8 million barrels a day, compared with the 1.9 million bpd the Petroleum Ministry announced earlier this week.

He added, however, that the government hoped to get back to 2.2 million bpd next year – the level seen at the start of 2016.

“We have a capacity to produce 3 million,” he said.

Mass Failure: Irate Students Set Classrooms Ablaze

Editorial
-
0
Mass Failure: Irate Students Set Classrooms Ablaze

mass-failure-irate-students-set-classrooms-on-fire

Students of Isale Community High School in Oyo State, on Thursday, set their classrooms ablaze in protest over mass examination failure.

It was gathered that the protest began days ago across secondary schools in the state when the results were first released.

Men of the fire service agents were however called in to help put out the fire.

Teachers in the state say students in other government schools have threatened to also torch their schools.

It was gathered that a new promotion policy was introduced by the Oyo state government, making it mandatory for students to score up to 50% in English Language and Mathematics before such students can qualify for promotion to the next class.

The new policy was the reason behind the mass failure which led to the violence.

On Monday, students of Anglican secondary school in Oyo reportedly unleashed mayhem on their teachers and destroyed billboards bearing the picture of the state Governor, Abiola Ajimobi.

The state Commissioner for Education, Adeniyi Olowofela, declined to comment on the incident.

Minister Restate Commitment To Fighting Corruption

Editorial
-
0
Minister Restate Commitment To Fighting Corruption
Minister for Information and Communication, Lai Mohammed
Minister for Information and Communication, Lai Mohammed

The ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to revive the nation’s economy will not yield positive results unless the fight against corruption is also intensified, says Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed.

Mohammed was speaking at the 2016 Annual Lecture of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN, in Abuja on Thursday.

He said that the government is tackling both issues of economic resuscitation and fight against corruption simultaneously.

“That’s why the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture launched a Sensitization Campaign Against Corruption (Change Begins With Me) on 18th January 2016…with a view to alerting Nigerians to the evils of corruption and carrying them along in the efforts by the government to tackle the menace,” he added.

Mohammed said that the theme for the lecture: “Fighting Corruption and Growing a Sustainable Nigerian Economy”, was quite appropriate.

“It is also noteworthy that the topic for this 2016 lecture incorporates two of the three cardinal programmes of this Administration, which are the fight against corruption and the revamping of the economy to create jobs and provide wealth. The third priority, of course, is the fight against insecurity,” he said.

The Minister said that corruption stifles economic growth in many ways by discouraging foreign investment, reducing tax revenue and preventing infrastructural development.

“In other words, in countries where you have a high level of corruption, there is reduced economic growth and, of course, higher poverty level,” he stressed.

He reiterated that the federal government will not relent in its efforts to tackle the menace of corruption to a standstill; since it has been determined that corruption is the biggest threat to the economic and political development of any country.

He said: “The Buhari Administration, since its inauguration, has left no one in doubt regarding its commitment to ridding Nigeria of corruption, as captured poignantly in President Buhari’s statement that if Nigeria does not kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria.

”We are very much aware that the fight against corruption will not be easy.

“Fighting entrenched corruption can sometimes be a very lonely road to travel in our part of the world, where a true community of genuine corruption fighters are assailed from every side by unwary recruits of the looters among us, in our communities, places of work and worship.”

We also know that corruption is fighting back, fastly (sic) and furiously. But with uncommon commitment and determination, we will win the war against corruption,” Mohammed said.

Ondo Election: Courts Give Conflicting Judgements Over PDP Candidates

Editorial
-
1
Ondo Election: Courts Give Conflicting Judgements Over PDP Candidates

 

Eyitayo Jegede
Eyitayo Jegede

The drama that has characterized the leadership tussle in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, especially with regards to the Ondo State governorship election, continued on Thursday as two courts, one in Abuja, the other in Akure, gave conflicting judgements on the issue.

Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in his ruling, refused the application brought by Eyitayo Jegede, the governorship candidate of the Ahmed Makarfi-led faction of the PDP, seeking permission to appeal the October 14 judgement of the court.

Abang had declared Jimoh Ibrahim, candidate of the Ali Modu-Sheriff faction of the PDP, as the authentic PDP candidate for the November, 26 election in Ondo state, restating that Sherrif remained the authentic National Chairman of the PDP.

However, in his ruling on Thursday, Abang held that Jegede lacked the locus standi to appeal the decision of the court because the Electoral Act only allows the party and not the candidate to contest the judgement.

He said: “The only case where the applicant would have been considered as having a locus standi to contest the October 14 judgement is if he had taken part in the August 29primaries conducted by Mr. Sheriff’s faction.”

Abang said that the record before him did not show that Jegede was a sponsored candidate of the PDP in Ondo State.

In a separate judgement; Justice Abang struck out an application by the Makarfi-led faction seeking a stay of execution of the October 14 judgement.

He also awarded a fine of N100, 000 in two tranches of N50, 000 against Adeola Adedipe, the lawyer who represented the Makarfi faction on Thursday.

Jimoh Ibrahim
Jimoh Ibrahim

Abang ordered that Adedipe to pay the sum of N50, 000 to each of the two counsels, who represented both the Sheriff and the Makarfi factions in the previous sitting.

He described the appearance of Adedipe as a gross abuse of judicial process, since the counsel was not a party during the court session where the said judgement was given.

Different Ruling In Akure

Meanwhile, an Akure High Court on Thursday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, not to substitute the name of Eyitayo Jegede as candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the November 26 governorship election. ‎

The Makarfi faction of the PDP had gone to court asking it to stop the moves by the Sheriff faction and its candidate Jimoh Ibrahim to get INEC to list Ibrahim as the authentic PDP flagbearer.

Justice William Olamide ruled that it would be out of order for INEC to replace or substitute Jegede’s name while the motion on notice was still pending. He said such ‎would contravene the principles of “equity, justice and fairness.”

“It is hereby ordered as prayed. The defendant/respondent is hereby restrained either by itself, chairman, commissioners, agents and servants, officers or privies or through any person or persons, howsoever from changing, replacing, removing, substituting or in any manner tampering with the name, Eyitayo Jegede SAN as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the governorship election slated for November 26, 2016pending the determination of motion on notice,” the judge said.

The final list of candidates for the election is expected from INEC before the end of Thursday.

Senate Passes Code of Conduct Amendment Bill

Editorial
-
0
Senate Passes Code of Conduct Amendment Bill

senate-passes-code-of-conduct-amendment-bill

The Senate has passed the Code of Conduct amendment bill, 2016, stripping the presidency of the powers to appoint members of the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB as well as the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT.

In the amended bill, the powers to appoint members of the CCB/CCT were vested on the National assembly.

The decision of the Senate came just moments after the Appeal Court struck out the appeal by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, challenging his trial at the CCT over alleged false assets declaration.

Saraki had suggested that before filing charges against him, the CCB should have invited him to come and clarify his assets declaration.

The actual amendments to the Act were done by the House of Representatives and passed on May 31, the Senate only concurred with the House and passed the bill on Thursday.

According to the amended bill, ‎the CCB will first invite the person suspected of falsely declaring his asset for clarification before taking the person to the Tribunal.

In Section 4 (2) of the amended act, the word “President” was substituted with “the National Assembly”, as the one to appoint members of staff of the Bureau and exercise disciplinary control over them.

‎Section 1 (4) was deleted and replaced with: “The Chairman and members shall serve for a term of five years subject to renewal for one further term only.

“(E) upon complaint(s) of any breach or where it appears to the Bureau that there is a breach of the provision of this Act, any person concerned shall be given particulars of such non-compliance or breaches to explain before any reference to the Tribunal.”

Recall that the Senate had initially stepped down the consideration of the bill due to opposition and protests by civil society organisations.

Osinbajo To Deliver Anti-Terrorism Lecture At Harvard

Editorial
-
0
Osinbajo To Deliver Anti-Terrorism Lecture At Harvard
Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo
Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo

Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo is expected to deliver an anti-terrorism lecture: “Destroying Boko Haram and the Rebuilding of Nigeria’s North-East”, at a seminar which will hold at the Harvard University, Boston, in the U.S. on Thursday.

This was made known in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Laolu Akande.

Osinbajo was invited by the university to talk to a gathering of intellectuals at a Seminar titled ‘Nigeria in the World’ which is hosted by the Weatherhead Centre for International Affairs.

Akande said that the seminar will serve as a forum for scholars, researchers, policy makers, and professionals to reflect on critical issues pertaining to Nigeria’s relations with the world by focusing on strategic issues of security.

He added that the major focus of the seminar would be on regional stability, economic development, interreligious relations, health policy, human rights, justice and gender, while its overall goal is to bring Nigeria into dialogue with world issues.

Osinbajo’s lecture is expected to highlight the progress made by the Buhari presidency in degrading Boko Haram resulting in the freedom of thousands of Nigerians in Boko Haram captivity, including some of the abducted Chibok girls.

Aknde added that the lecture will be a clarion call for a more concerted global action against terrorism and an increasingly effective international collaboration regarding the humanitarian crisis in the North-East.

“While in Harvard, the vice president will be received by top officials of the university and will also visit the Divinity School and the African Studies Centre,” the Vice President’s spokesman stated.

He added that Osinbajo will on Friday participate in a town hall event in Houston, Texas, and also a business conference organised by U.S.-based Nigerians on infrastructure development issues.

It said he will round off the visit in Houston by attending an evening gala to honour high flying U.S.-based Nigerians.

“The Vice President who left Abuja on Wednesday after attending the Federal Executive Council meeting and the inauguration of the Presidential Committee on the Northeast Initiative is expected back on Sunday,” Akande said.

Oil Workers Threaten Strike Over Sack Of Over 3,000

Editorial
-
0
Oil Workers Threaten Strike Over Sack Of Over 3,000

oil-workers-threaten-strike-over-sack-of-over-3000

The Two Major Unions In Nigeria’s Oil And Gas Sector Are Threatening To Down Tools If The Mass Retrenchment In The Sector Continues Unabated.

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, on Wednesday gave the federal government a 21-day ultimatum to halt the sackings which they said had affected over 3,000 oil workers.

Igwe Achese, National President of NUPENG, while addressing journalists at the union’s meeting in Delta State said that government must be proactive to avoid grounding the industry.

He named oil companies that have so far retrenched workers to include: Chevron Nigeria Limited, ExxonMobil, Pan Ocean, Saipem, and Hercules oil and gas limited, among others, apparently due to the current economic recession in the country.

He said: “More than 3,000 of our members are affected.

“Chevron alone is about 1,500; Mobil is about 1,000; the entire workers of Hercules Oil & Gas are being asked to go home; Pan Ocean has since closed shop and is gone. Industry-wide everybody is being asked to go.

“We are now asking ourselves, where are we heading with the industry? We have lost so much of Nigerian personnel working in the oil and gas industry.

“What is happening in Nigeria cannot be compared to what is happening in other African countries. We want government to wake up and address some of these issues.”

Achese said if government failed to act and direct the oil companies to stop these ongoing retrenchments of their members in the sector, they would be compelled to act to protect their interest.

“It is painful to say as I address you, Chevron has wound up in the East and their offices closed. A total of 1,500 workers were sacked without their entitlements. Nobody is saying anything about it. As we speak, many companies have left and many others are winding up to go.

“The Federal Government should act fast to avert further loss of jobs. There is too much redundancy in the oil industry, which needs urgent action from government to salvage the situation,” Mr. Achese said.

It has been a tough period for the Nigerian oil and gas sector following the drastic drop in the global price of crude oil, as well as the resurgence of militant activities in the Niger Delta which has seen oil installations destroyed by aggrieved youths in the region.

Nigerian Activist In Solitary Confinement In Japan

Editorial
-
0
Nigerian Activist In Solitary Confinement In Japan

elizabeth-aruoriwo-obueza

A Nigerian activist, Elizabeth Obueza, who sought asylum in Japan, is reportedly being held in solitary confinement at a detention centre in capital Tokyo for the past two weeks.

Reports have it that the 48-year-old Obueza was detained after her asylum request was rejected.

She is a prominent campaigner for asylum seekers in Japan as well as for the thousands of people who are on “provisional release” from immigration detention.

‘Provisional release’ is a status that allowed  foreigners in Japan to get out of the detention centres but bars them from working and travelling freely in the country.

According to Reuters, Obueza’s case is being seen as efforts by Tokyo to crackdown on foreigners living in the country without valid visas.

Immigration lawyer, Shoichi Ibusuki said that “Elizabeth was targeted and detained for being an activist,” adding that he wants “her released immediately.”

Obueza reportedly said that she Nigeria in 1991 to escape female genital mutilation.

She had applied for asylum in 2011, but since the past 15 days she claimed that she was locked up for more than 22 hours a day, whereas a typical detainee is confined for up to 18 hours a day at the Tokyo Immigration Bureau.

“I want to help people,” Obueza said, “give me the right to help people. Don’t put me in here.”

Mitsuru Miyasako, the head of the Provisional Release Association in Japan, a group representing refugees and immigrants said: “Elizabeth is held in solitary because she’s an activist and immigration officials don’t want her causing trouble.

“Locking someone up alone in a tiny room is to ruin them psychologically.”

According to rights groups, lawyers and former detainees, Obueza has helped her fellow detainees navigate the system to find legal help, during her stay at different detention centres.

Miyasako too added that as an activist Obueza has helped detainees write petition to immigration authorities to seek better medical assistance.

The death of a Sri Lankan man in 2014 in a solitary cell reportedly highlighted the lack of medical facilities provided to detainees.

Obueza said isolating her will not stop her from campaigning for the cause. She said when she is let out of her room she goes to other cells to talk to detainees and “advise them”.

“You might think you arrested me, but I think God wants me here to help some other people,” she said of the immigration officials who locked her up.

1...2,9082,9092,910...3,441Page 2,909 of 3,441