The Ekiti State House of Assembly held its plenary session on Wednesday in the middle of the road in protest of the freezing of the account of Governor Ayodele Fayose by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The State Lawmakers, sitting under a canopy, displayed placards with various inscriptions, expressing their support for the governor and disappointment at what they described as disregard for the nation’s laws.
They accused the federal government of deliberately orchestrating and manipulating the EFCC and security agencies to harass and intimidate Fayose over his consistent criticism of President Buhari’s policies.
The EFCC had on June 21 frozen two Zenith Bank accounts belonging to Fayose on the allegation that N1.2 billion was traced to the accounts from the office of the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, who is currently standing trial in the $2.1 billion arms deal scandal.
Governor Fayose, through his counsel Mike Ozekhome, SAN, consequently approached the Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti, seeking a mandatory order to unfreeze the accounts, saying that the action by the EFCC was a flagrant negation of the Section 308 of the Constitution, which conferred absolute immunity on the governor against civil and criminal procedure.
Presiding judge, Taiwo Taiwo, has summoned the EFCC and Zenith Bank Plc to appear in the court on July 4 to explain their side of the story.
Police have cordoned off the entrance to the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City, which was the venue scheduled to hold the Governorship Primary of the Ali Modu-Sheriff faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP on Wednesday.
Reports by the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, say Mathew Iduoriyekemwen and Johnson Agbonayinma were the two aspirants contesting the primary.
When contacted, Chris Eziken, the Edo State Police Commissioner said he wasn’t certain if the primary election would go on as scheduled.
“I am not INEC. It is too early to find out if the primary will hold or not. You can call me back in the afternoon to find out.”
Also Sam Olumekun, Resident Electoral Commissioner in Edo state, when asked if the commission would monitor the exercise, said only the national headquarters could comment on the matter.
However, a member of the Caretaker Committee, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the primary would be held as scheduled but that they were looking for another venue.
INEC had earlier said it would take a position on which of the two PDP factions it would recognize after a Port-Harcourt high court would have delivered judgment on the matter on July 4.
The Ahmed Markafi-led PDP faction held its primary on June 20 at the same venue.
The exercise which was monitored by INEC produced Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as the party’s standard-bearer in the state.
Ize-Iyamu defeated Iduoriyekemwen and Chief Solomon Edebiri at the primary, but Iduoriyekemwen later joined the Modu Sheriff faction after he faulted the process of the primary.
Turkey is observing a national day of mourning after a terror attack on Istanbul’s Ataturk airport killed 41 people, including 13 foreign nationals.
Officials say three attackers began shooting outside and inside the terminal late on Tuesday and blew themselves up after police fired at them. So far 23 Turks and at least 13 other foreign nationals have been identified among the dead.
Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said early signs suggested the so-called Islamic State was behind the attack.
Recent bombings have been linked to either IS or Kurdish separatists.
Ataturk airport has long been seen as a vulnerable target.
There are X-ray scanners at the entrance to the terminal but security checks for cars are limited.
Turkish President Recep Erdogan said the attack should serve as a turning point in the global fight against militant groups.
“The bombs that exploded in Istanbul today could have gone off at any airport in any city around the world,” he said.
The US called the attack “heinous”, saying America remained “steadfast in our support for Turkey”.
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said: “We grieve for the victims. We stand by Turkey”.
Speaking several hours after Tuesday’s attack, PM Yildirim said at least 36 people were killed and many wounded, some seriously, with foreigners likely to be among the victims.
Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag put the number of injured at 147.
Desperate relatives of those missing later gathered outside a local hospital where many victims were taken. Some expressed anger about the lack of information.
Flights in and out of the airport were suspended after the attack.
Flights have now resumed at the airport, but information boards showed about one-third had been cancelled, with many delays.
Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu is seeking the intervention of the United Nations, United States’ Congress, United Kingdom, European Union Parliament and foreign missions in what he described as an attempt to rubbish the National Assembly.
Ekweremadu wrote the international community with regards to his arraignment with the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and two others for alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Rules, 2015.
He alleged that a powerful institution as the National Assembly was being ridiculed and rubbished by President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.
In the letter entitled, “Re: Trumped Up Charges Against the Presiding Officers of the 8th Senate: Nigerian Democracy in grave danger,” Ekweremadu claimed that their trial was an attempt to truncate Nigeria’s democracy and silence him as the leader and highest ranking member of the opposition party.
He attached copies of the court summons, and other relevant documents to the letter, asking the international community to decide whether or not the trial was worth it, justifiable or one borne out of political vendetta.
He also pointed out that neither his name nor that of Saraki featured in the petition by aggrieved members of the Senate Unity Forum, or during the investigation of the petition by the police, wondering how the government generated their names for the trial since there was no direct link to them in the investigation.
Ekweremadu stated that the principle of fair hearing was not adhered to as the police never sought his input or that of the Senate president during the course of the investigation.
The Deputy Senate president reminded the international community that an attempt had been made on his life in November 2015, and the security agencies did nothing about it even though it was duly reported.
Meanwhile, the Presidency in reaction to the letter, said it was needless arguing with the Deputy Senate President, even as the office of the Attorney General of the Federation said it would not comment on the matter since it was already in court.
Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma
The Federal government is committed to strengthening the linkage between development plans and budgeting processes to ensure better implementation of projects and programmes towards speedy recovery of the economy.
Udoma Udo-Udoma, Minister for Budget and National Planning, stated this at the 2016 National Economic Society Public Lecture, on Tuesday in Abuja, adding that even though government is vigorously fighting corruption from all angles, it was also seriously committed to inclusive growth and development.
Udoma said the various agencies of government were working in synergy to achieve the common goal of economic recovery and sustainable development.
He maintained that there should be a linkage between planning and budgeting as countries that have successfully transformed their economies have done so with the use of well implemented budgets designed in accordance with their strategic plans.
He noted that failure to link policies, plans and budgets may be the single most important factor contributing to poor planning and budgeting outcomes in many developing countries.
“Countries where the planning process is fragmented and not adequately aligned with the annual budgeting process experience difficulty in implementing clear and consistent national policies. This has been the Nigerian experience”, he pointed out.
Udoma admitted that Nigeria has not done well in ensuring that budget outcomes achieved planned targets, which is why according to him, President Muhammadu Buhari took the decision to merge the National Planning Commission and the Budget Office of the Federation to form the Ministry of Budget and National Planning.
Mike Obadan, a Professor of Economics and past President of the Nigerian Economic Society, who also presented a paper titled “Strengthening the Budget-Plan link for inclusive development in Nigeria,” said with the structures on ground, Nigeria can still achieve sustainable growth and development within a short period if only government can develop the commitment and political will to implement development plans in a disciplined manner.
Obadan applauded the Buhari administration for merging the Budget Office and that of the National Planning Commission, insisting that the merger must be made to work if it is to achieve the purpose.
The trial of former Chief of Defence Staff, CDS, Alex Badeh, continued on Tuesday, before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja with the prosecution witness, Mustapha Yerima, further stating how he was pressured by the defendants to claim the property allegedly acquired with the proceeds of crime.
At the resumed hearing, Yerima further testified that, Salisu Yushau, an Air Commodore now retired, had invited him over to the Defence House, after his (Yushau’s) retirement to coordinate the handover of documents and discuss progress of construction of the plaza that was ongoing at the time.
“In my evidence-in-chief, I testified that PW1 (Yushau) called a meeting after he had retired from the Nigerian Air Force. The meeting held at the Defence House and we discussed progress of work in the plaza. Barrister Timothy Muje and Barrister Umar were in attendance. I had met Barrister Umar once or twice before that meeting but there isn’t much familiarity between us.
“It was after this that Barrister Muje called and asked that we both meet somewhere at Wuse II. This was the same day the EFCC invited me to their office.
“Barrister Muje handed some documents over to me but failed to give me the power of attorney which I asked him for,” Yerima said.
Under cross-examination, Yerima insisted that he was instructed by Yushau to claim the said property, when operatives of the EFCC began to investigate the matter.
“The idea that was conveyed to me by PW1 after their meeting was for me to go and claim the property as instructed”, Yerima insisted.
The matter was adjourned to June 29, 2016 for continuation of trial.
Badeh is standing trial alongside Iyalikam Nigeria Limited for alleged abuse of office during his time as Chief of Defense Staff by using the dollar equivalent of the sum of N1.4 billion, removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force, to purchase properties in choice areas of Abuja between January and December, 2013.
The Federal Government has investigated and cleared the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai over his assets and military acquisitions just as the nature of his offshore investments has been shown to be based on capital market principles of shareholding.
Investigators found that the capital market principle that governed the properties in issue was akin to having shares in companies instead of wholly owning the properties.
The government, after investigating a recent media report over the acquisition of properties in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, UAE, by General Buratai, discovered that he and his wives invested as “shareholders” like many other persons in the properties mentioned in the publications and were not the sole owners.
A competent source told the media that “If you know the properties being referred to, you would know that they are like quoted companies. You buy into them and get dividends as profit from your investments. You can also do your own private findings on this fact”.
An intelligence military officer involved in the investigation also confirmed that apart from declaring the assets as required by law, “the Dubai property is real estate investment tailored to operate on capital market principles of shares for dividends and profits as proceeds from investment rather than total ownership of the property.”
The source further disclosed that Buratai had been into farming since he was a major. “The large scale farm produces grains, cassavas, millets and also has fish pond apart from variety of animal and reptile that provides specialized nutrients and medicament for different clients. The 1999 Constitution (as amended) under Fifth Schedule Part 1- permits a public officer to engage in farming,” the officer said.
While Defence Minister, Muhammad Mansur Dan-Ali has come out publicly to disclose that the Army Chief did not hide the properties, as he declared them on more than one occasion to both the Nigerian Army and Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, other investigations further buttressed the transparency in all the deals.
It was gathered that Buratai had declared his assets as Commander of the Multi-National Joint Task Force and as Chief of Army Staff to the Code of Conduct Bureau where all the assets were disclosed.
It was also gathered that his two wives have been operating a quasi-micro finance social intervention scheme called ‘Sana’armu’ which means “our collective enterprise,” where they earn profits from soft-loan businesses that also help budding entrepreneurs to start their businesses.
While it was discovered that General Buratai did not operate any Skye Bank account as alleged in the recent media report, the special rugged vehicles that were procured for counter-insurgency campaigns were found to be brand new.
The officer said: “The rugged buffalo vehicles are not only brand new but they are 2014 model that were imported from Libya rather than from Niger as alleged.”
There are suspicions that some officers affected in the recent compulsory retirement of officers may be involved in the smear campaign against the COAS, but the source said Buratai has been more focused on prosecuting the ongoing anti-terrorism operations than engaging in the politics of witch-hunting anyone.
The officer said that “General Buratai has taken personal efforts to ensure that innocent officers are not unduly sanctioned and had suggested retirement rather than dismissal on some of the offences to protect the image of the military.
“In fact that was the reason he always guards against disclosure of the identities of affected officers to avoid stigmatisation. Even though many officers and friends are disturbed about recent campaigns against him, General Buratai has remained calm leaving everything to God,” the source added.
The Government of Qatar has donated food items valued at N6.5 million to Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs in Borno State, comprising of bags of rice, beans, millet, guinea corn, maize and gallons of palm oil.
Presenting the food items at the Borno State Government House, Maiduguri on Tuesday, Mohammed Ajur Director of Qatar Charity, said the food items was to complement “humanitarian assistance and intervention” of the United Nations and other donor agencies to the IDPs.
Ajur said the foundation in collaboration with the Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido and the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar Garbai El-Kanemi, donated the items to the Borno state government for onward distribution to the IDPs to cushion their hardships.
He thanked the royal fathers and state government for their cooperation and prayed for quick return of peace to the state and the country at large, while urging the government to ensure judicious distribution of the relief materials.
Receiving the materials on behalf of Governor Kashim Shettima, the Deputy Governor, Usman Durkwa thanked the government of Qatar and the NGO for their support and assistance to the state government and IDPs.
He called on other NGOs and humanitarian organisations to emulate them, while assuring that the items will be distributed to the right beneficiaries.
The Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, has kicked off a road-show in the Chinese capital, Beijing aimed at attracting investments into the nation’s oil and gas industry.
Ibe Kachikwu, Minister of State for Petroleum, during the event described Nigeria as a reservoir of natural resources waiting to be tapped, urging Chinese investors to join their counterparts around the world who have invested in Nigeria and were doing well.
Kachikwu who also signed an agreement worth $30 million, stated that Nigeria was the preferred investor’s destination because of its liberal policies and quick returns on investment.
Anibor Kragha, a top NNPC official who presented the areas of investments to the businessmen, described Nigeria’s oil company as the biggest investment in the African continent. He assured the businessmen of a friendly environment and quick returns on investments in Nigeria’s oil industry
An indigenous investor in the oil industry, Bryant Orjiakor, who also took part in the roadshow, lent his voice to the attraction in the nation’s oil and gas industry.
Orjiakor said Nigeria’s oil and gas sector was a major platform on which the country aims to expand its economy, adding that the country’s population was an advantage for quick yields on investment.
Nigeria is targeting about $15 billion dollars foreign investment from China and the Gulf States to replace and expand ageing infrastructure in the oil industry.
A pressure group, the Bayelsa First Initiative, BFI, has criticised the decision of Governor Seriake Dickson to extend the appointment of Head of Service of Bayelsa State, Peter Singabele, by six months with effect from 16 June 2016.
The BFI in a statement signed by Nathan Egba, its director-general, accused Dickson of manipulating public institutions and policies for his personal interest.
Serena Dokubo-Spiff, Secretary to the State Government, SSG, had in a statement on Monday, June 20, announced the governor’s approval of the elongation of the tenure of the HOS.
The BFI said it was worried as to why the governor would extend the services of the HOS after he had attained the mandatory retirement age of 60 or 35 years in service, even when there were competent civil servants in the state that could occupy the office.
“From the foregoing therefore, we are at a loss as to the basis for the decision to further extend Peter Singabele’s appointment as Head of Service after he had clocked the mandatory retirement age of 60 years or 35 years in service,” the statement reads.
“We in the BFI do not doubt Singabele’s integrity or capacity. If anything, we applaud his meritorious service to the state, but we do not believe that there is no other civil servant qualified enough to occupy that exalted office in the entire Bayelsa State civil service.
“If however, the governor’s claim that Singabele needed to be around to complete the reorganisation of the civil service is true, then we advise that he be given an appropriate political appointment that will empower him to complete that assignment and perhaps carry out other ones too.”
The BFI said the governor’s action was “in line with his penchant for manipulating government institutions and policies for his personal interest.”
“We remember vividly his unfortunate decision to sack the Head of Service he met, who was barely a year in office ostensibly because she was not the most senior Permanent Secretary at the time of her appointment by his predecessor in office, Chief Timipre Sylva.
“So then, why is he now suddenly bending the rules by not wanting to appoint the next most senior Permanent Secretary to the position of Head of Service?” the group queried.
The BFI therefore wants the governor to rescind the decision to elongate the HOS’s stay in office so as to avoid setting a bad precedence and weakening the morale of civil servant.
