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CBN In $95,000 Foreign PR Contract Scandal

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CBN In $95,000 Foreign PR Contract Scandal
Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele
Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele

By Tajudeen Suleiman

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has a new mandate and it has nothing to do with money matters. It does not even have anything to do with stabilising the foreign exchange regime or strengthening the naira, desirable as that task is.

The new role of Nigeria’s apex bank is to launder Nigeria’s apparently battered image abroad.

In what is the latest in a trend of frivolous and wasteful spending of tax payers’ money, the apex bank in April engaged the services of APCO Worldwide Inc., a public relations and political consultancy firm based in Washington DC, to help launder the image of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and the country in the United States.

In the last three years, the www.icirnigeria.org has tracked many of such controversial contracts amounting to over $6 million dollars awarded by different agencies of the Nigerian government to foreign firms to launder the country’s image abroad.

From our investigations, such contracts, it appears, are mere conduits for siphoning public funds.

Previous similar questionable contracts tracked by this news website include a $3 million lobbying contract awarded by the National Security Adviser, NSA’s office in September 2013 to Patton Boggs, an American law firm that specialises in lobbying and a $1.5 million PR contract awarded by the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, to Levick Strategic Communications, a Washington – based PR firm.

There is also a $700,000 PR contract awarded by the Nigerian Embassy in the US to Mercury Public Affairs.

Read our reports on these frivolous contracts here, here and here.

The latest image laundering contract awarded by the CBN has an initial fixed payment of $95,000, more than N33 million at the parallel market exchange rate today, and is for a period of three months beginning from April 18 to July 17, 2016.   The contract agreement, however, gives wide room for APCO to negotiate further fees when necessary during the life of the contract.

According to a document obtained from the US Department of Justice by www.icirnigeria.org, APCO is expected to provide media relations, stakeholder engagement, and strategic communications services for Nigeria within the United States.

“Registrant (APCO) has contracted with Davebrook Digital PR Services Limited to provide services for the foreign principal (CBN) within the United States to promote positive relations between the United States and the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the document states.

The document states further: “A copy of the Registrant’s agreement with Davebrook Digital PR Services Limited is attached. The Registrant commenced services within the United States for the foreign principal starting on June 1, 2016.”

The CBN contract raises too many questions with nobody purportedly involved in it ready to provide answers. There are also many curious things about the contract.

First, the CBN did not award the contract directly to APCO but purportedly hired a Nigerian public relations firm, Davebrook Digital PR Services, to engage the US PR consultants. Davebrook, according to the document is located at No 1, Asabi Cole, Ikeja, Lagos.

“THIS MASTER ENGAGEMENT AGREEMENT (Agreement) made and entered into as of April 18,2016 (Effective Date) with offices located at 90 Long Acre, London by and between APCO Worldwide Limited WC2E 9RA, United Kingdom (“APCO”) and Davebrook Digital PR Services Limited…(“Client”)…” are the exact words of the agreement.

Another curious point in the contract is that although APCO is an American firm, the contract is enforced by laws of the United Kingdom and Wales, not US statutes. Thus, the person who signed the document for APCO, which is headquartered in Washington, is James Acheson – Gray, the managing director of the firm’s London office.

Of the questions the contract raises, perhaps the most obvious is why the Buhari administration, which has enjoyed worldwide support and goodwill since its emergence in May last year, would need to embark on any image laundering exercise?

Besides, why would the CBN be the government agency to award a PR contract when the ministry of information and the office of the media adviser to the president exist?

Also, what will the Buhari administration benefit from a three-month image laundering job in the US?

But, most importantly, was due process followed in the award of the contract? For this kind of contract, the Public Procurement Act requires that the contract be advertised in at least two international newspapers and a bidding process conducted, among other due processes. From our investigations, it is unlikely that any of these processes was followed.

What clearly proves the contract to be bogus, however, is that the Nigerian firm which the CBN purportedly hired to award the contract to APCO denied any knowledge of its existence.

When our reporter contacted the Managing Director of Davebrook, Adesida Adelekan, who is shown to have signed the document for the CBN, to speak on the PR job, he expressed shock that his company was linked to a contract awarded by CBN. He said his company has never handled or been involved in any public relations contract with or for the apex bank.

“This is news to me. Please I want more details about this contract because this is the first time I’m hearing about it. We don’t have any contract with either the CBN or the federal government,” he declared, adding that some people might be using his company’s name to feather their nests.

But the biggest scandal of all is the denial by the CBN of any knowledge of the contract. When our reporter contacted the spokesman of the regulatory bank, Isaac Okorafor, to clarify issues surrounding the contract, he said that it does not exist as there was nothing in the records of the bank regarding it.

When he was first told of the contract, Okorafor denied any knowledge and said he would not “respond to a rumour.” He asked whether the reporter had evidence of the contract to which he got an affirmative response.

Okorafor then asked the reporter to “do an email stating the details of the contract.” On Tuesday morning, the CBN spokesman called our reporter to say that he had searched everywhere and asked everyone, but there was nothing about the contract in their books.

“I have searched through our system, I’ve asked around and looked out for what you said at every corner of our office and I can’t find anything like that. If you have any evidence or document to show me, you can scan it and show it to me,” he stated.

Asked if he confirmed from Kingsley Obiora whose name is provided as the liaison person for the bank, Okorafor inferred that the CBN governor’s aide also denied knowledge of the contract.

“I am telling you I haven’t seen anything. I’ve asked everybody. So if you have any document to show me you can scan and send to me…” he said.

He refused further discussion on the matter and added that the newspaper could go ahead and publish falsehood.

“I have answered your question. If you want to go ahead and publish falsehood, you can go ahead. You can’t expect me to comment on a document I have not seen. I am a professional.”

Also curious is the refusal of APCO to respond to issues concerning the contract. An email sent to Acheson last week Thursday was not replied until press time. Margery Kraus, founder and executive chairman of APCO, who is based in the US also did not reply an email sent to her email.

By U S law, specifically the Foreign Agents Registration Act OF 1938, as amended, every firm providing services for a foreign principal is required to provide detailed information about any contract signed.

The document in the possession of the www.icirnigeria.org was filed and signed on June 9, 2016 by Terry Judd, a senior director at APCO on behalf of the PR firm. He gives the registrant’s name as APCO Worldwide Inc. and its address as 1299 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Suite 300 Washington, D.C. 20004.

In the filing, the foreign principal is given as “Central Bank of Nigeria (through Davebrook Digital PR Services Limited)” with address at “Plot 33, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Way, Central Business District, Cadastral Zone, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria.”

Also, in the document, the name and title of the official with whom registrant deals with is given as “Kingsley Obiora, Special Adviser to the Governor (Economic Matters) Central Bank of Nigeria.”

The detailed activity for which the PR firm will provide the CBN for three months at the cost of $95,000 is “media relations, stakeholder engagement, and strategic communications services within the United States to promote positive relations between the United States and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The contract document was signed on April 20, 2016 by Acheson- Gray and Adesida.

However, the contract document itself was not filed as an annexture with the US Department of Justice as required by law. When our reporter checked www.fara.gov, the contract document was missing and he had to physically go to the Washington office of the Department of Justice to collect it. The official who provided the full contract document could not explain why it was missing in the documents filed with the Department of Justice.

The chief executive officer of the Public and Private Development Centre, PPDC, which advocates transparency in budget and public procurement processes, Seember Nyager, questions the entire contract and condemned the trend whereby public funds are being frivolously expended by several agencies of government to launder the country’s image.

“All government contracts must be bound by the Public Procurement law as long as state resources are involved. All contract will have to be through competitive bidding unless there is a reason to use a restricted method, and even then there has to be a justifiable reason,” she said.

“In any case why is CBN the one to award a PR contract for government? Is it because they have the resources?” she queried.

“I don’t think it is a good use of our resources. The unfortunate thing is that these things keep happening,” she observed.

 

 

Army Intercept Boko Haram Fuel Supply 

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Army Intercept Boko Haram Fuel Supply 

boko haram fuel supplier

A truck believed to be carrying fuel supply to a Boko Haram around Damboa was intercepted by the Nigerian Army on Tuesday.

Army spokesperson, Sani Usman, in a statement said a truck carrying 25 jerry cans of premium motor spirit and other goods cleverly hidden was intercepted around 8:00am at a checkpoint on the outskirts of the state capital Maiduguri by troops from the army’s Quick Response Force, QRF, of 251 Battalion, 7 Division.

“The driver of the vehicle, Muhammadu Adamu, claimed ignorance of the contents of the vehicle and called the owner of the goods, Tijjani Gambo, to explain. He too denied supplying terrorists fuel and other items, rather he claimed to be a mere trader that supplies goods to customers in Damboa based on demand.

“However, preliminary investigation revealed that he has been sending PMS and other goods through the same route at regular intervals without an identifiable corresponding recipient in Damboa as alleged,” the army said, adding that it is working with the theory that the suspects were being used to deliver much needed supplies to the insurgents in Sambisa forest.

“This is more so that there is a ban on the purchase and transportation of petrol in containers such as that within the theatre.

“Both suspects and the exhibits have been handed over to Joint Interrogation Centre for further investigations,” it concluded.

Be True Ambassadors Of Nigeria-Buhari Tasks Olympic Team

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Be True Ambassadors Of Nigeria-Buhari Tasks Olympic Team
President Buhari in a group photograph with some Team Nigeria members
President Buhari in a group photograph with some Team Nigeria members

President Muhammadu Buhari has called on the Nigerian contingent to the 2016 Rio Olympics to be true ambassadors of the country and to prioritize integrity and honesty ahead of the quest to win medals.

The President gave the charge during a ceremony at the State House in which the athletes were officially handed over to Nigerian Olympics Committee and President Buhari was invested as the grand patron of the NOC.

He commended the athletes for their “outstanding performances” which qualified them to fly the country’s flag in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, assuring them that funds budgeted for the Games would be released without delay.

He however urged officials who have no important role to play during the games to stay back and cheer the team from home.

“We are all aware of our nation’s dwindling revenue and the current global economic challenges.  It is therefore imperative that funds provided for the Games are utilized judiciously.  In this regard, any official who has no business at the Games should stay at home to cheer the team from here and if they must travel to the Olympics, they should do so at their own expense,” he said.

The President advised the athletes and officials not to engage in acts that could dent the image of the country.

“I want to charge all athletes and team officials going to the Olympic Games to be worthy ambassadors of our great country, both on the field of play and outside the sporting arena,

“The eyes of the global community are on you and as such, you should desist from acts that could dent the image of our great country, Nigeria,

“You are very aware of recent doping allegations which cast aspersions not only on the individual athletes but on their home countries. Please keep Nigeria clean,” the President charged.

Buhari wished team Nigeria success during the outing urging them to “Please bring as many medals back home as a result of your efforts and endeavour,

“But remember it is more important to compete and acquit your country as a fair sporting nation than to bring a pack of medals as a result of bending the rules and denying the Games of fair competition.”

The President assured them of the support of all Nigerians as they strive to make themselves and the country proud.

Nigeria has a total of 78 athletes comprising of 49 male and 29 female athletes, to compete in 10 different sport disciplines.

A good number of Nigerian athletes have also qualified for the Paralympic Games, which comes up immediately after the Olympic Games in Brazil.

Niger Gov. Blames Parents For Increase In Child Beggars

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Niger Gov. Blames Parents For Increase In Child Beggars
Niger State Governor Abubakar Bello
Niger State Governor Abubakar Bello

Governor Abubakar Bello of Niger State has blamed parents for the high rate of child beggars, otherwise known as Almajiris, on the streets of major towns in the northern region of Nigeria.

He said parents were guilty of abandoning their responsibilities in bringing up children under the guise of religion and sending them far from home to seek Islamic knowledge without anything to support them.

The governor made this observation when he played host to the new State Comptroller of Immigration, Tamuno Oyedeji, in Minna.

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Governor Bello stated there were enough Muslim Clerics spread across the country and that parents have no reason whatever to send a child far from home in other to acquire Islamic education.

He described the development as worrisome and unacceptable as these children are left without care, adding that the state government would do all it could to protect such vulnerable children so that they don’t become menace to the society.

“We are also fine tuning some laws in this regard with the hope that it would bring enduring solution to the problem. But in the main time, we have decided to send these child beggars on the street back to their parents”, the governor added.

He also pledged to sustain the joint patrol of the Immigration Service in the state in order to curtail illegal migration from neighboring Niger and Benin Republics.

Bello called on officers of the service to always be on the alert and pay attention to entry flights into the country, especially those returning pilgrims, in other to apprehend those who might sneak in illegally.

He promised to assist the State command of the Immigration service with logistics to boost its monitoring and surveillance across the state.

The new State Comptroller, Oyedeji acknowledged the continued support of the state government to the Immigration service and assured that the service would continue to work with relevant stakeholders to ensure sustainable peace and stability in the state.

 

Stop Blackmailing Government Officials – Buhari

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Stop Blackmailing Government Officials – Buhari
File: President Buhari congratulating Kachikwu on his appointment as Minister of State, Petroleum Resources
File: President Buhari congratulating Kachikwu on his appointment as Minister of State, Petroleum Resources

President Muhammadu Buhari has called on well-meaning Nigerians to discountenance attempts to tarnish the image of his ministers and other senior government officials, who are being tarred with the brush of corruption without any concrete evidence.

The President was reacting to reports, particularly by online media, that the immediate past Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, is being investigated over crude oil swap deals and gas liftings during his tenure as GMD of the petroleum corporation.

President Buhari appealed for decent and civilized comments, particularly when it has to do with the integrity of those who are serving the country.

“Terrible and unfounded comments about other people’s integrity are not good.

“We are not going to spare anybody who soils his hands, but people should please wait till such individuals are indicted,” the President said.

He reiterated the administration’s commitment to probity, accountability and integrity, promising that transparency remains a watchword, which would never be trifled with.

Senate Questions Emefiele Behind Closed Doors

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Senate Questions Emefiele Behind Closed Doors
CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele
CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele

The Senate on Tuesday held a closed-door meeting with the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Godwin Emefiele on the monetary policies being adopted by the apex bank in order to salvage the country’s economy.

According to a brief information by the Senate President, Bukola Saraki on one of his social media accounts, the senators “questioned the CBN Governor on the recent changes made to Nigeria’s foreign exchange management policy; the determination of foreign exchange rates; the monetary policy of the Federal Government; the challenges being experienced by many commercial banks; and the need to diversify and grow Nigeria’s economy for better performance.”

Saraki said the 8th senate will continue its collaborative approach of working to bring succour to the Nigerian people in the form of effective oversight and innovative legislation.

Also at Plenary, the senate received a letter from the presidency requesting the passage of the 2016 budget of over 37 federal agencies.

The agencies include the CBN, the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, the Nigeria Television Authority, NTA, as well as the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN.

NNPC To Set Up Energy Renewable Plant In Benue

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NNPC To Set Up Energy Renewable Plant In Benue

NNPC Headquarters, Abuja
NNPC Headquarters, Abuja

The Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, has said it plans to set up an energy renewable plant in Benue State, that will use agro products to generate energy.

Rabiu Suleiman, General Manager in charge of Renewable Energy Division at the NNPC, stated this on Tuesday in Markurdi when he paid a courtesy visit to Governor Samuel Ortom at the Government House.

He said the project is going to cost an estimated 300 million dollars and would be financed through joint partnership with foreign partners, adding that the corporation had already secured partners that were ready to support the project.

Suleiman said Government had conceived the idea of diversifying energy generation from existing sources to agricultural products since 2005 but it had been in the pipeline.

The NNPC manager said President Muhammadu Buhari had already taken initiatives to begin the diversification programme and thanked the Benue State Government for providing 20,000 hectares of land for the projects’ take-off, assuring that the land would form part of its equity share of the plant.

Suleiman said the plant, when completed, would boost economic growth and create employment for the people of the state.

He further explained that the land would be used to cultivate sugarcane, cassava and oil palm for the extraction of ethanol as a renewable energy source.

“Apart from ethanol which will be sourced from the agricultural products, we can also make fertilisers and animal feeds from their byproducts,” he said.

He said the Federal Government also identified seven other states for its renewable energy project but said the success of the Benue plant would determine the take-off of the other projects.

Governor Ortom assured the delegation that his administration would provide adequate security to both the expatriate and local staff engaged in the plant.

He also thanked President Buhari for considering Benue as a pilot project of the agricultural renewable programme.

 

 

Resign For Peace To Reign In PDP, Sheriff Tells Makarfi

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Resign For Peace To Reign In PDP, Sheriff Tells Makarfi
Ali Modu-Sheriff
Ali Modu-Sheriff

Former Borno State Governor and factional leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Ali-Modu Sheriff, has given conditions that must be met by the Makarfi-led Caretaker Committee for peace to return to the party.

He said the only condition for peace was for the caretaker committee led by Ahmed Makarfi to resign, because there is no place for a caretaker committee in the party’s constitution.

He stated this while playing host to a delegation of party members from the 17 local government areas in Abia State.

Earlier at a peace meeting organised to resolve the crisis rocking the party, Modu-Sheriff had ruled out the possibility of an out-of-court settlement of the matter, insisting that the caretaker committee must go.

He also proposed that he be allowed to nominate a chairman, and ten persons into the new convention committee.

“Yes, we have met and issues were discussed but all the issues I put forward for them was for the Makarfi-led caretaker committee to resign. It is an aberration as far as our party constitution is concern. I told them that I am not ready to be a permanent chairman but I want the party to be placed in proper stead,” Modu-Sheriff said.

He added that: “If he resigns tomorrow (referring to Makarfi), I will ask the members of my NWC whose tenure still lasts to 2018, including myself, to set up a convention committee in Abuja and put respected members into the committee.

“In that convention, I will give away my mandate, which does not expire until 2018.

“I have given the people the opportunity to see ‎that Sheriff is not the problem. The problem is that some people want to make the party their personal property and that will not happen under Sheriff,” he said.

Donald Trump’ s Wife Accused Of Plagiarism

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Donald Trump’ s Wife Accused Of Plagiarism

Trump Obama

Donald Trump’s wife, Melania, took centre stage on the first day of the Republican National Convention as she faced accusations that a portion of her speech plagiarised Michelle Obama.

Commentators noticed similarities with Michelle’s Obama’s 2008 convention speech.

It was Melania’s first speech of the campaign and reports say she had the help of a speechwriting team.

Donald Trump’s communications adviser Jason Miller issued a statement saying: “In writing her beautiful speech, Melania’s team of writers took notes on her life’s inspirations, and in some instances included fragments that reflected her own thinking.

In a section of her speech, Melania said: “My parents impressed on me the values that you work hard for what you want in life; that your word is your bond and you do what you say and keep your promise; that you treat people with respect.”

Michelle Obama’s speech in 2008 carried similar lines: “And Barack and I were raised with so many of the same values: that you work hard for what you want in life; that your word is your bond and you do what you say you’re going to do; that you treat people with dignity and respect, even if you don’t know them, and even if you don’t agree with them.”

Another portion of Mrs Trump’s speech said: “[My parents] taught me to show the values and morals in my daily life. That is the lesson that I continue to pass along to our son. And we need to pass those lessons on to the many generations to follow, because we want our children in this nation to know that the only limit to your achievements is the strength of your dreams and your willingness to work for them.”

Again, Mrs Obama had said: “And Barack Obama and I set out to build lives guided by these values, and pass them on to the next generations. Because we want our children, and all children in this nation, to know that the only limit to the height of your achievement is the reach of your dreams and your willingness to work for them.”

Melania, a Slovenian-born former model, said of her husband that “He’s tough when he has to be but he’s also kind and fair and caring. The kindness is not always noted, but it’s there for all to see. That is one reason I fell in love with him to begin with.”

“If you want someone to fight for you and your country, I can assure you, he is the guy,” Melania added.

She has kept a lower profile compared with other spouses of major candidates, while Trump’s adult children have often been more prominent.

Saraki Raises Alarm On Malnutrition In Borno

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Saraki Raises Alarm On Malnutrition In Borno
Saraki carrying a recovering baby at a health facility in Borno State, as the State Governor, Kashim Shettima looks on
Saraki carrying a recovering baby at a health facility in Borno State, as the State Governor, Kashim Shettima looks on

Senate President Bukola Saraki has described the present malnutrition challenge being witnessed in Borno State as a national problem which deserves the attention of everyone.

So serious is the problem that the Senate President has promised to raise the issue on the floor of the upper legislative chamber of the National Assembly soonest.

Saraki made this declaration while in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, on a condolence visit to the people of the state over the death of Shettima Monguno, a first republic minister and the first African head of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC.

The Senate President also used the opportunity to visit the centre for the treatment of people suffering from severe malnutrition.

During his interaction with journalists at the Maiduguri International Airport after the visit, Saraki said that Borno State has been left to carry too much of the burden of the Boko Haram insurgency, adding that it has become pertinent for others to give the people there a helping hand.

“I am happy I am here with the leadership of the Senate. Before we break we will definitely discuss it (the Borno malnutrition crisis) on the floor and see what we can do,” he said, adding that the federal government and all concerned agencies need to do more to remedy the situation.

“I think it is not good for a country like ours, we are a rich country, it is just an issue of organizing ourselves and getting the fund to support the state government. The state has been carrying too much of the load on their own,” Saraki said.

“We all need to put in our effort and see how we can address the (malnutrition) situation because it is the women and children that have suffered most from this. We must do our best to play a role and support the state in doing that,” he added.

The Senate President was accompanied on the visit by the Majority Leader of the Senate, Mohammed Ali Ndume, Abubakar Kyari, Baba Garbai and Adamu Aliero.

He said the visit to Borno was an eye-opener as it has offered the team the opportunity to see first-hand the extent of the malnutrition crisis.

He however commended that state government for the work it has been doing in managing the crisis.

Saraki said that the senate is almost at the last stage of passing the law on the North East Development Commission.

“We believe that the institutional framework is necessary to start to address the situation and once we pass the bill the commission can start to work and begin to register the issues of rehabilitation and reconstruction that is important.”

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