EFCC Raids Lagos Assembly, Carts away Documents
Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji
•Ikuforiji faces grilling again today
By Collins Edomaruse and Gboyega Akinsanmi
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday raided the Lagos State House of Assembly and carted away what it called valuable documents from the office of the speaker and the assembly’s accounts department.
The raid, which was carried out by a team of the commission officials that is investigating alleged financial mismanagement levelled against the assembly’s speaker, Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, THISDAY gathered, was necessitated by new developments that countered the speaker’s claims on the mode of disbursement of the assembly’s funds.
THISDAY checks at the EFCC revealed that Ikuforiji had claimed in his statement of defence last weekend that the assembly receives N500 million monthly as running cost.
The speaker, according to the investigation, also told the commission that of the amount, he disburses N5 million monthly to each of the 40 members of the assembly.This, however, is turning to a claim that has become too bogus for his colleagues to swallow.
According to a source, “Some of the speaker’s colleagues in the assembly came up with information to the effect that they receive N500,000 monthly and not N5 million as claimed by Ikuforiji.
“This made the EFCC team to relocate to Lagos to raid Ikuforiji’s office and the accounts department. We are interested in it and we want to look at the books to find out the actual amount the speaker disburses to the lawmakers.
“We are also interested in what the speaker does with the remainder of N480 million monthly, if it is true that the lawmakers receive N20 million as against the N200 million (N5 million for each of the 40 lawmakers) the speaker claimed he disburses monthly.”
The newspaper also gathered that Ikuforiji is keeping another date with the EFCC team today in Lagos to answer questions arising from the documents carted away from his office and the accounts department yesterday.
Meanwhile, some members of staff of the assembly have decried the handling of the allegation of N7 billion fraud against the speaker by the EFCC, saying the commission was completely misled.
A member of staff of the assembly, who received the speaker into his office yesterday amidst jubilation before the EFCC raid, said it was clear even from the content of the said petition signed by one Olawale Williams that the issue was more political than the impression being created.
The worker, who identified himself as Olatunde, said it smacked of professional inefficiency on the part of EFCC to have taken the steps it did on the issue without having to first investigate the allegation and uphold that which is the truth.
“You know, being a civil servant, I am not even meant to talk to you but you can call me Olatunde. The allegation against the speaker, honestly calls for concern because when politics assumes a level as bitter as this, the players should be wary of their actions and utterances.
“It is true that the assembly collects N500 million monthly, but do I need to tell you that it is not a sum meant for the speaker alone? So, why would anyone sit back and accuse one man of having embezzled the money meant for an entire institution, the 40 members especially? That’s crude and unfair.
“Apart from the office of the speaker, the 39 other members of the assembly are shared their legitimate part of the money for the running of their offices. The over 600 staff of the assembly are maintained from the same running cost. Both the local and international training of members and staff are funded from this money.
“Not just that, the oversight functions of members often require the services of consultants which is also funded from the money. Members of staff of the assembly are taken care of during festive periods as a matter of tradition. That is also funded from the running cost. So, tell me, how is it now possible that an individual who was elected the same way as others would now appropriate everything at the expense of others? That’s impossible,” he said.
The civil servant also cautioned the spokesperson of EFCC, Mr. Femi Babafemi, to refrain from churning out false information. This, he said, would not be good for the image of the commission and might also corroborate insinuations that he was working with opponents of the speaker.
“For instance, when asked during a television interview on whether the speaker was arrested or that he came on his own, Femi alleged that the speaker only came because he got the wind that the operatives were coming to pick him up. That’s untruthful and if I may ask, who hinted the speaker? Is Femi saying there is a mole in the EFCC? Femi is also biased already and this is not good for our system.
“It is in the interest of the EFCC that they tread with caution on this issue. The entire story is being twisted completely and it is for a sinister political reason. But this is already common knowledge. What I know is that the speaker will not suffer for the crime he did not commit, so, let the investigation run its course. The House under Ikuforiji is a good story today and nothing can change that,” he said.
Despite FG’s Recognition of TNC, Rebels Still Attack Nigerians in Libya
06 Sep 2011
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Col. Muarmar Gadhaffi
By Paul Ohia with agency report
Although Nigeria has recognised the Transitional National Council (TNC) as the legitimate representatives of Libyans, this rare display of fearless or bold diplomatic action seems not enough to avail Nigerians in the conflict-torn country a safe haven.
They have indeed been labelled as mercenaries that helped Col. Muarmar Gadhaffi unleash mayhem on the rebels that forced him out of Tripoli.
The same TNC operatives that enjoy the backing of the Federal Government of Nigeria are unleashing inhuman treatment on Nigerians and other black Africans trapped in the country.
This has prompted former Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, to plead with the Federal Government to move fast and get the victims out of the country.
A marooned Nigerian, Clement Daramola, narrating his ordeal to the press, said: “I and my wife and children are stuck here. There is no way of escape for us as we’re afraid of being shot if we make any attempt to move from this place. In fact, we don’t have food or access to any medication.”
The stranded Daramola called on the African Union (AU) to act and save African families abandoned in Libya and the Nigerian government to intervene and stop the killing of its citizens by the former rebels who are now the new leaders in Libya.
“Gaddhafi killed Africans mercilessly, they should not do the same to us,” Daramola from Ekiti State said.
“Gaddhafi killed Africans mercilessly, they should not do the same to us,” Daramola from Ekiti State said.
Another victim, 28-year-old Ahmed Ali whose face got burnt, peeled with blisters, told the Age.com that he needed urgent medical help.
''Nine days ago, some youths, near my house, got angry - they came to my place and they poured fuel on me,'' he said, bracing himself against a wave of pain.
''Nine days ago, some youths, near my house, got angry - they came to my place and they poured fuel on me,'' he said, bracing himself against a wave of pain.
They set him (Ali) on fire in an apparent racist attack that has become increasingly common in a country harbouring so much anger against Gaddhafi and his mercenaries. Anyone with dark skin - regardless of their loyalties - can find themselves as targets. Ahmed has been held without any medical care - directly across the road from one of Tripoli's largest hospitals.
Dabiri-Erewa, who said she had been receiving many phone calls from Nigerians from different parts of Libya, issued a statement condemning the reported killings of Nigerians and blacks in Libya over the accusation that they were mercenaries working for the deposed leader, Gaddhafi.
She called on the Federal Government to mount pressure on the TNC and the remnant of Gaddhafi forces to stop the on-going genocide against blacks in the country.
The lawmaker expressed support for the Federal Government’s position in recognising the TNC, but noted that Nigeria must do everything possible to rescue Nigerians and other Africans in the country.
She expressed dismay at the unwarranted killings, describing the development as unfortunate.Also, the Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have been warning of mounting evidence of human rights abuses against dark-skinned Libyans and sub-Saharan Africans ''who have frequently been accused of serving Gaddhafi as foreign mercenaries''.
They have urged the de facto government in Libya to treat all detainees in accordance with international human rights and humanitarian law standards, including prompt review before an independent judicial panel and immediate access for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to all detainees in the TNC custody.
Meanwhile, Libyan rebels are poised to attack one of Gaddafi’s remaining strongholds, but their military spokesman said he expected the town’s tribal leaders to surrender rather than see their divided followers fight one another.
Rebels control most of Libya and are moving forward with setting up a new government, but they might hold off on declaring victory until Gaddhafi is caught and his remaining strongholds are defeated.
Gaddhafi and his staunchest allies have been on the run since the fall of the capital late last month. Loyalists have entrenched themselves in several towns, including besieged Bani Walid, some 90 miles South-east of Tripoli.
TNC’s military spokesman, Colonel Ahmed Bani, said members of the tribe that dominates Bani Walid, the Warfala, were divided over whether to join the rebels. He advised the Warfala to surrender to avoid fighting one another.
“They will give up at the end because they are cousins and they don’t want to spill each other’s blood,” he said.Bani added that people in Bani Walid had told the rebels one of Gaddhafi’s sons, Saif al-Islam, had fled to Bani Walid soon after Tripoli fell, but left recently for fear that his town’s people would hand him over to the rebels.
Al-Islam, former heir apparent to his father, has been indicted alongside the former Libyan leader by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on crimes against humanity in their attempt to quash the rebellion that broke out in February against the former regime.
Last week, a man claiming to be al-Islam Gaddhafi made an appeal from hiding that was broadcast by a Syrian-based TV station, urging his father’s supporters to keep up the fight against the rebels even if it means “we are going to die on our land”.
Rebel officials have given conflicting statements on where they believe the elder Gaddhafi is hiding. Bani Walid, Gaddhafi’s hometown of Sirte and the loyalist town of Sabha, deep in the Libyan desert, have been mentioned.
Graft: I Won't Shield Any Official from Prosecution, Says Jonathan
06 Sep 2011
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President Goodluck Jonathan
•Johnson-Sirleaf: Liberia out of suicidal corruption level
•Johnson-Sirleaf: Liberia out of suicidal corruption level
From Ike Abonyi in Abuja
President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday restated his commitment to the fight against corruption in the country and vowed that his administration would not shield any corrupt person from investigation or prosecution by the anti-graft agencies in the country.
The president, who spoke through Vice-President Namadi Sambo at the opening ceremony of the 8th National Seminar on Economic Crimes at the Training and Research Institute of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abuja, promised that government would continue to support and encourage the EFCC and other anti-corruption agencies to confront the monster of corruption more decisively. He charged the anti-graft agencies not to spare any culprit, regardless of his status or position.
He said: “We will give all the necessary support and encouragement to all the anti-corruption agencies to vigorously enforce the enabling anti-corruption laws. I urge these agencies to do their works fairly but firmly within the ambit of the law without regard to position or status. There shall be no sacred cows. This government will not protect any so-called sacred cows. The wheel of justice must run its full course in tackling anti-corruption cases.”
He said his government was committed to fighting graft to save the nation the horrific effects of corruption.
He congratulated the EFCC for the results recorded so far and said: “I urge the commission not to rest on its oars; for the job ahead is daunting but surmountable. There are still huge stolen assets left un-recovered abroad in safe havens.”
He congratulated the EFCC for the results recorded so far and said: “I urge the commission not to rest on its oars; for the job ahead is daunting but surmountable. There are still huge stolen assets left un-recovered abroad in safe havens.”
The commission must work hard in collaboration with the office of the Attorney General of the Federation; the designated central authority, to recover and return those funds. Government appreciates the peculiar challenges facing anti-graft agencies. It will do everything possible within the law to facilitate the work of the agencies.”
In a keynote address, the Liberian President, Mrs. Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, took an historical excursion into the travails of her country, lamenting the nation's huge losses to graft and poor governance, in spite of the enormous natural resources available in the country. She said that through "structural and systemic reforms", she has succeeded in stirring Liberia out of "systemic and suicidal corruption level". She gave the credit to the independence of the Liberian Anti-Corruption Commission (LAC), fashioned after the EFCC, and with un-fettered freedom to carry out its job.
"The Liberian Anti-corruption Commission is independent of the Ministry of Justice. It investigates and acts on any information on corruption. The LAC is getting better. Presently, its prosecutorial power lies in the judicial system of the Ministry of Justice. There is an anomaly in this and two weeks ago, I submitted to the legislature a bill to amend the act which established the anti-corruption Commission. The fight against corruption requires the Commission to be strengthened with direct but not exclusive powers to prosecute cases involving corruption and related offence", she stated.
SSS Unveils The Boko Haram Bomb Factory
Boko Haram Bomb Factory Photo: Sunday Aghaeze
•Azazi: Terrorism met us unprepared
From Ike Abonyi, Ahamefula Ogbu and Yemi Akinsuyi in Abuja
On a day the National Security Adviser (NSA), Gen. Andrew Owoye Azazi, admitted that Nigeria was not fully prepared to tackle terrorism at the time it broke out in the land, the State Security Service (SSS) announced that it had recorded some success in the probe of recent bombings in the country.
The SSS haul of Boko Haram suspected members: an Igbo Muslim convert, a Nigerien, a half-Nigerien, an indigene of Kano, two from Borno and a miner from Nasarawa who allegedly supplied explosive materials.
Their names were kept secret for security reasons, the SSS said, while promising to charge them to court soon.
But of bigger interest in the revelations was the discovery of the alleged factory where explosives were being manufactured.
Taking journalists round where the improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were assembled in “Chechnya” Hayin-Uku village in Tafa Local Govern-ment Area, Niger State yesterday, the Service’s Assistant Director, Public Relations Department, Mrs Marylyn Ogar, said the suspects had all confessed to the crime.
In a statement by the commission, it said: “Following the bombings at the INEC office, Suleja on 8th April, 2011 and the All Christians Fellowship Church, Suleja, Niger State, on 10th July, 2011, this Service commenced investigation to unravel the perpetrators.
Consequently, on 4th August, 2011, a suspect, who is a Nigerienne (Nigerien) national, was apprehended in connection with the bombing incident in Suleja.
He confessed to his involvement in the bombings as well as his membership of the Boko Haram sect.”
She said the Nigerien’s confession led to the arrest of an Imo State indigene who converted to Islam in 2003.
The trail led to the arrest of a half-Nigerien who was brought up in Niger Republic. A third person from Kano was subsequently arrested, with two suspected accomplices from Borno State.
She continued: “The five suspects all confessed that the main supplier of the explosive materials used for their bombing operations is a miner from Nasarawa State, who Service eventually arrested on 30th August, 2011.
They also confessed that they took part in the killing of four policemen at a checkpoint at Dakwa-Deidei in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on May 22nd, 2011.
“Investigation has indeed revealed that the suspects belong to the Boko Haram cell operating in the Suleja-Abuja axis which is under the direction and control of a blood-thirsty Boko Haram leader who is now at large.”
Ogar said among items recovered from the suspects were one gas cylinder, one battery connected to a detonator, two damaged detonators, one locally-made revolver, one gun butt, two knives, 10 GSM handsets with SIM cards, one ceiling fan coil, two laptop computers, 37 unused metallic oil filters and two metallic cylinders.
Others are one clock connected to a primed bladeless ceiling fan with nine-volt batteries ready for use, some pieces of shrapnel, Honda Civic car with Borno State registration number AG94MNG, 200 pieces of detonators, some detonating cord (red colour), a Sony remote control, five battery chargers and a black bag containing detonating cables.
“In effect, the six suspects are responsible for the bombing of INEC office, Suleja, All Christian Fellowship Church, Suleja, and the killing of four policemen at Dakwa-Deidei in the FCT,” she said.
While calling on all Nigerians to be more security-conscious and vigilant, and urging them to cooperate with security agencies, Ogar said the suspects would soon be charged to court.
Azazi yesterday stated that terror attacks jolted the nation the way they did because the country was not prepared for them, as basic things like awareness and database which could have helped in handling it were absent.
He however said critical decisions were arrived at in the Council of State meeting yesterday on how to tackle the problem, especially the use of technology and stricter border controls without unduly alarming the people and making the nation feel unsafe.
Azazi was speaking after a seven-hour emergency meeting of the National Council of State, the highest advisory body in the land, which was called by President Goodluck Jonathan.
He said: “There are security issues all over, problems in the Niger Delta, crisis in Jos, kidnapping in parts of the country but I think the focus was on what was considered topical at this point.
Explosives everywhere, especially police headquarters, UN building… and although there are claims as to who was responsible, the important thing is that we as a nation should realise that we are facing challenges that are relatively new to us.
It has happened in different parts of the world but today it is happening in Nigeria. And we must resolve as a nation to solve this problem.
“But we don't want to make the nation feel so unsafe. These problems of religious sect and all that could have started maybe over 15 years ago and they have escalated up to this point.
The problem is that we were not as a nation prepared for this new level of
terrorism… the public facilities we have were not prepared for that. So when these things happen, there is a lot of devastation.
“We spoke about the Jos crisis and the president has said that at the next security council, I should bring him all the facts available so that we can make a decision on what to do.”
“We spoke about the Jos crisis and the president has said that at the next security council, I should bring him all the facts available so that we can make a decision on what to do.”
Azazi assured the nation that a lot of progress had been made and that a lot of arrests had been carried out, pointing out that the police in due course would make known the names of the dead and those arrested.
According to him, the emphasis now was on more intelligence gathering and patterning public places to suit access while security agencies provide more information to the people as it was everyone’s responsibility to secure the environment.
Asked if the identities of those behind sponsorship of terror attacks have been unravelled, he replied: “Today as we see, a lot of work is being done by security services but when investigations are not complete, it may not be the proper thing to do to start to expose the level of investigations to the media.
But from time to time, we have tried to engage the media either from the services themselves or myself, not necessarily publicly this way. But I have talked to the media persons at different levels; I have engaged the nation on security on radio talk shows to give the public certain level of confidence.”
He denied that there was a move by the government to shield those behind the insecurity in the country by not prosecuting them.
Wikileaks: Sanusi Saw Yar'Adua's Ministers as Opportunists
Malam Lamido Sanusi
By Paul Ohia with agency report
Hitherto held secrets have continued to be blown open as the whistleblowing website Wikileaks.com has revealed, this time, that in a meeting between Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Malam Lamido Sanusi, and former United States ambassador to Nigeria, Ms Robin Renee Sanders, the former described ministers serving late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s cabinet as opportunists.
The cable also said he was particularly worried about the capability of then ministers of power and finance to make right decisions in their sectors and more importantly the ability of the president and the then Foreign Minister, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, to demonstrate “strong and consistent signals to the international community of where Nigeria is headed on both good governance and reform”.
According to the website, Sanusi also said that former Petroleum Minister Lukman Rilwanu's star was diminishing being in the lead on the Petroleum Industry Bill, and that the former Managing Director (MD) of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Alhaji Mohammed Barkindo, was more reasonable in listening to suggestions.
“Sanusi was frank in expressing his views on banking reform as he had done in many other public forums recently, noting that he is still targeting a year-end GDP growth rate of over six per cent,” the cable said.
Wikileaks quoted the embassy cable as saying that Sanusi spoke about his predecessor, Prof. Chukuma Soludo, who later ran for governorship elections in Anambra State.
According to Sanusi, he met the president late October 2009 where he revealed to him with documents a number of bad loans and the outstanding liquidity support to Oceanic Bank of over N120 billion and Intercontinental Bank for over N100 billion.
Sanusi told Yar’Adua that there was no way Soludo would have been ignorant of the fact that some banks were in trouble and demanded that the president should give him more time because of his conviction that more corruption was involved in not only how these loans were given out but to whom and by whose authority, implying connivance on the part of Soludo.
“Sanusi stressed that he was not pointing fingers or out to get anyone, but that he simply wanted the president to be aware that there was probably more to come, and that there could be implications regarding the role Soludo had in these loans and other banking malpractices,” Ambassador Sanders said.
The CBN governor obviously wanted Yar’Adua to become abreast with those issues considering the fact that he supported Soludo when he decided to contest in the 2010 governorship elections in Anambra State which would make him immune from prosecution if he won.
“He also hoped that Yar'Adua would do the right thing on the Anambra gubernatorial election, despite his strong ‘personal desire’ to run in 2011,” the cable said.
“Moving on to then Finance Minister Mansur Muhtar, Sanusi was a little more forgiving of his Kano classmate from high schools days at Kaduna's Kings College. He said that Muhtar was a good technocrat and had good experience coming from past ADB and World Bank experiences,” it also said.
It continued: “However, he was worried that the Finance Minister was feeling overwhelmed given the size and the problems in his Ministry; that he was not making sound financial decisions; that he could not stand up to the politics around him; and that he was heavily, and unfortunately influenced, of late, by Presidential Chief Economic Advisor Tanimu Yakubu and Agricultural Minister Abba Ruma.
Sanusi added that the influence by these two would be okay if they had the country's best interests at heart, rather than their personal interests.”
On Yakubu, he said that the chief economic adviser was a terrible economist" (this is not the first time we have heard this comment), and that Ruma the Agricultural Minister was close to President Yar'Adua.
The ambassador then asked, if by association, was the finance minister also corrupt as we had not heard anything negative about him in that regard. Sanusi said no; Muhtar is “not corrupt but weak”.
Yakubu and Ruma do not know anything about good financial models or practices, and are telling him what to do, instead of Muhtar giving the president the best advice, Sanusi said.
The cable had recently revealed alleged double-edged role former military president Ibrahim Babangida had planned to play in the relationship between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.
It similarly revealed that the SSS and some emirs had had a “deal” on how to keep the arrested Boko Haram suspects from going to jail.
But sources had explained that the so-called deal between the emirs and the SSS authorities, at the time, was to encourage the community and religious leaders to re-orientate the religious fanatics, who were anything but violent and deadly at the time.
The belief being that the Boko Haram members at the time, were wrongly indoctrinated, and so needed to be “debriefed” by religious and community leaders.
The latter day activities of the religious sect may therefore be the failure of the expected re-orientation, or a change in the philosophy and modus operandi of the sect.
In almost all “revelations” the cable stories have generated both controversy and increased circumspect.
I Stand on My Comments on Obasanjo, Says IBB
General Ibrahim Babangida
From Chuks Okocha in Abuja
Former military president, General Ibrahim Babangida yesterday said he had not recanted on the comments he made about the person and administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, insisting that the administration of Obasanjo was characterised by fraud.
A statement signed by his media spokesman, Kassim Afegbua, said Babangida stood by the comments he made on Obasanjo during his 70th birthday on August 17.
The statement said: “He wishes to state very clearly and without fear of contradiction that there is nothing like ‘recant’ on his part.
“In the light of the above, he wishes to state unequivocally that the idea or notion or impression of a recant does not arise at all.
His response to Chief Obasanjo’s outburst remains in force and valid, hence it will be wrong for anyone to report that “IBB recanted.
“General IBB still stands by the contents of that interview where he made allusion to the squander-mania that characterised Chief Obasanjo’s government with particular reference to the $16billion dollars reportedly wasted on a fruitless power project, as revealed by the National Assembly power probe panel.
There was nothing extra-ordinary in what General IBB said to warrant Chief Obasanjo’s outburst and scathing remarks on the person of General Babangida.”
The statement from Babangida further said, “He will not allow history to record it for him that he kept mum when someone reportedly called him a fool.”
All the issues raised in his earlier response have not been contradicted by Chief Obasanjo save that he resorted to name-calling and abuse.
“He still holds the position very strongly that former President Obasanjo’s regime recorded the highest revenue in the history of Nigeria from independence in 1960 till 1999 when his government came into force. Over N16trillion naira was shared among the three tiers of government during Obasanjo’s government, out of which about N7.4trillion was spent by the Federal Government.”
According to him: “This is aside from other non-oil income that accrued to his government within the same period. Needless to state that the government went on a spending spree, which culminated in several sharp practices and abuses particularly in the privatisation exercise.
The records are gradually becoming glaring for all to see, no thanks to the National Assembly probe panel”.
The statement said Babangida would be prepared to offer further clarifications should there be the need arise.
The statement said Babangida would be prepared to offer further clarifications should there be the need arise.
Presidency Denies Graft Allegations against Jonathan, Wife
President Goodluck Jonathan
From Ahamefula Ogbu in Abuja
The Presidency has denied reports by a national daily linking President Goodluck Jonathan to corruption when he was Governor of Bayelsa State, saying he had never been tried or indicted by any anti-graft agency.
The Presidency has denied reports by a national daily linking President Goodluck Jonathan to corruption when he was Governor of Bayelsa State, saying he had never been tried or indicted by any anti-graft agency.
A reaction from the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, dismissed the publication as malicious, disrespectful and disparaging, especially as it lacked facts and was based wholly on fallacy.
The statement noted that the publication which was authored some years back by a non-Nigerian was not worthy of any mention in a credible organisation and urged the general public to discountenance such report.
“It is a matter of public record that no charge of corruption was ever made or sustained against the president while he served as governor of Bayelsa State, while his many achievements as governor of the state speak for themselves.
“The report also includes an unjustifiable attempt to impugn the President’s integrity by rehashing a well-worn fictional account of alleged corruption by the First Lady which has been dismissed as arrant nonsense by the former Chairman of the EFCC, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
“For the avoidance of any doubt whatsoever, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has never been on any EFCC list of corrupt governors and we challenge anyone to prove otherwise,” Abati said.
According to him, it was the sterling leadership qualities of Jonathan that endeared him to Nigerians who were convinced about his" incorruptibility in public office" which also made the Peoples Democratic Party to choose him to fly its flag that earned it the presidency.
Abati also dismissed allegations levelled against the first lady, adding that a reference to alleged seizure of large sums from her without a proof showed that it was a premeditated job aimed at tarnishing the image of the family.
“The incident described above never happened and is at best a figment of the reporter’s imagination. Let me state categorically that at no time was $13.5 million or any other sum seized from Dame Patience Jonathan at the Lagos airport or any other airport.
“The former Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who was in office at the time President Jonathan was a governor stated categorically that the allegations were just lies inserted into the media for political purposes.
“Mallam Ribadu's precise statement on this issue made on the 13th of October, 2010 was as follows: ‘We investigated it and there was nothing connected with Mrs. Jonathan. Even as at that time those who were desperately looking to make a political mile out of every opportunity decided to use that to link it with them simply because they wanted to kick them out of office at that time,’” he said.
He reminded publishers of the story of the need for thorough investigation, noting that the Freedom of Information Law puts public records at the disposal of those who make the effort, unless they were not committed to establishing truth in their publications.
Govt Dumps Oji River Power Plant
Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji
From Chineme Okafor in Abuja
The Federal Government yesterday said it would not commit further funds to the revival of the moribund Oji River hydro-power plant located in Enugu state.
Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji, stated that government had in its desire to prioritise its developmental agenda, discarded any plans or suggestions to finance the revival of the power plant, and would rather concentrate its efforts on the construction and commissioning of a new 1000 megawatts (MW) coal-fired power plant in Enugu.
Nnaji, while explaining ongoing efforts and worthwhile achievements in the power sector within the last 100 days of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, said in Abuja: “We would not invest any more money in reviving Oji River power plant because the plant generates just about 35MW considering that its water level has drastically gone down such that it cannot power its turbines to generate electricity.
“The plant is obsolete and we would not commit funds in such obsolete plant.”
He explained that Oji River was no longer as forceful as it used to be years back, adding, "So you do not have enough water to power the turbines and that is a serious problem because when you look at the water level of the rivers in this area before, you will discover that they no longer have the same kind of force and that is the very unfortunate situation with Oji River.”
The minister noted that government was also committed to diversifying Nigeria’s energy mix with the scheduled delivery of three 1000MW coal-fired plants in Enugu, Gombe and Kogi states upon conclusion of the re-evaluation of coal reserves in the country to establish bankable data for investment in the sector.
“When we complete the re-evaluation of coal reserves in the country, government will employ available data from the exercise for effective mining and establishment of coal-fired electricity plants and the study will yield at least five coal blocks from Enugu, three blocks each in Kogi and Gombe.
“A private company is already in the process of building a coal-fired plant in Kogi and has approached government for logistical support in the evacuation of what is expected from this plant,” Nnaji explained.
While highlighting salient feats in the power sector within the last 100 days, he said that the expected contributions of some of the National Integrated Power Projects (NIPPs) - Olorunsogo, Sapele and Alaoji - to the national grid by the end of this year were indications of government’s commitment to achieving its plans to improve electricity generation by 5000MW in December.
“It will appear like nothing is actually happening but a lot is actually going on positively in this sector. We are on the verge of adding additional megawatts towards improving our current generation to 5000MW by December with expected contributions from the NIPPs. As we go along, government’s spending on power will drastically reduce with the privatisation of the sector, and except for expenditures on some hydro and coal-fired plants, government will actually concentrate on transmission networks, thereby opening up the sector for efficiency while providing money to finance projects in other sectors like education, health, agriculture and security ,” Nnaji noted.
Minority Whip: Obasanjo Can't Remove House Leadership
Chief Olusegun Obasanjo
From Onwuka Nzeshi in Abuja
Following suspected fresh moves to ensure that the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives goes to the South-west geo-political zone, the leadership of the lower chamber of the National Assembly has declared that nobody can remove the speaker or his deputy.
The declaration was coming amid speculations of a renewed campaign by former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to ensure that the position of speaker of the House reverted to the South-west geo-political zone, where the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had earlier zoned the position.
The zone lost the position about three months ago following a rebellion by lawmakers elected on the platform of the ruling party and their refusal to abide by the zoning principle and directives of the party in the election of presiding and principal officers at the inauguration of the seventh session of the National Assembly.
Obasanjo, who is the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the PDP, was said to have consistently maintained that the rebellion and its results would be a dangerous precedence and a negation of party discipline if allowed to stand.
Deputy Minority Leader of the House, Hon. Abdulrahman Kawu (ANPP/Kano), said yesterday in Abuja that the house leadership was not rattled by the utterance of the former president as he (Obasanjo) did not have the capacity to remove the Speaker, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, or his deputy, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, the two beneficiaries of the said rebellion.
According to him, neither the ruling party nor its South-west Caucus had the powers to remove the two elected presiding officers of the House. He said the officers could only be removed through the mandate of at least 241 lawmakers in the 360- member legislative chamber.
Kawu accused Obasanjo of encouraging ethnic politics and regional division in the polity, stressing that such a plot was capable of leading to the eventual division of the country.
He said the bid to unseat the current leadership of the House of Representatives would only create anarchy in the system and undermine the smooth execution of the transformation agenda of the federal government.
“I don’t think Obasanjo is against Tambuwal as a person. I think he is jealous and he is working to undermine President Goodluck Jonathan because from my understanding, President Jonathan is not dancing to his tune; therefore he is trying to create anarchy in the system. I don’t think the president will achieve anything if there is crisis in the House of Representatives,” he said.
Kawu said Obasanjo was on his own in the plot to unseat the leadership of the House, adding that the people of the South-west had already passed a vote of no confidence on him in the April 2011 general election in which electorate in the region voted overwhelmingly for the opposition instead of the ruling party at the centre.
Presidential Election: CPC Loses Judgment Bid
Court of Appeal
From Tobi Soniyi and Adebiyi Adedapo in Abuja
The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja as the Presidential Election Tribunal yesterday dismissed an application by the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) for judgment to be entered in its favour in the election petition it filed against the success of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan in the April presidential election.
CPC had based its application on the ground that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not allow it to access the materials used for the presidential election.
Four justices of the court led by Justice Mohammed Garba unanimously held that CPC was not entitled to judgment in default of evidence.
In a ruling, which lasted about 45 minutes, Justice Garba held that the order of May 24, which directed INEC to grant CPC access to biometric data, did not mean taking copies but just to see it. He therefore resolved the first issue against the petitioner.
On the second issue of entering judgment in favour of the petitioner, the tribunal held that judgment could not be entered in default without hearing the evidence in the matter.
According to him, the court must hear the matter on its merit. He also resolved the second issue against the petitioner.
He said: “In the light of the above, petitioner’s application lacks merit and it is hereby dismissed. I make no order as to cost.”
The court adjourned till today for issuance of pre-hearing report.
CPC had filed an application asking the court to enter judgment in its favour by nullifying Jonathan’s election because INEC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would not allow it to access electoral materials needed to substantiate its case.
On August 29, a panel of four justices concluded hearing in the CPC application and adjourned to a date to be communicated to lawyers for ruling.
CPC is challenging the victory of Jonathan at the April general election.
The party had alleged that INEC frustrated its effort to inspect materials used for the election.
While arguing the application for judgment, CPC's counsel, Dipo Okpeseyi (SAN), argued that contrary to the order of the court directing the electoral body to grant them access to all the materials used for the presidential election, INEC had refused to do so, adding that such failure invariably showed that there was connivance between INEC and Jonathan.
He further stated that on such grounds, it showed that CPC won the presidential election.
Counsel to Jonathan, Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN), however opposed the application, stating that granting CPC access to the Direct Data Capture (DDC) machines would compromise the privacy of voters; especially voters’ identities which he said were sacrosanct.
He added that what the petitioner was requesting would be a breach of section 125 (3) of the Electoral Act.
Counsel to PDP, Joe Gadzama (SAN), also opposed the application, arguing that Section 25 of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended and Sections 1 and 9 of the Official Secrets Act 1990 did not permit INEC to allow any person or authority to have information as to the pattern of voting or who a voter voted for during election.
He added that it was a criminal offence under Section 1 of the Official Secret Act and any staff of INEC who allowed such act to be done must be prosecuted.
He further argued that it was strange to Nigerian law for a petitioner to go to court and ask for judgment in default of evidence, adding that they (petitioners) have a duty to go to INEC to get all what they need and they have got up to 90 per cent of what they needed.
Responding to the ruling, counsel to CPC, Ismail Alasa, said the 2011 presidential election was marred by various forms of irregularities.
He said the petitioner would ascertain the fingerprints at each polling station against the votes recorded, alleging that some voters cast their votes where they did not register, and such votes, according to him, would have to be invalidated.
“The rigging took place at different levels. Some people voted where they are not supposed to have voted. So, a fingerprint appeared in a particular polling unit where it was not registered.
Of course it means that that vote is invalid. We are not saying we want to know the faces that did. We are just saying we want to know the fingerprints that belong to a particular polling unit,” he said.
He stated further that INEC was not showing the required cooperation for CPC to adequately prosecute the petition because the commission was reluctant to make electoral materials available to the party.
He said: “How I wish people had access to the minutes of the meeting we’ve held at the instance of INEC and other respondents; you would get to appreciate our position.
They are not cooperating at all. Even as we talk, they have not made any electoral material available to us, apart from the form EC8E which I paid for and it took more than three days to do certification of ordinary declaration of result by INEC. But they come here and give the impression that they are cooperating. It is so sad.”
Alasa however expressed optimism that with the cooperation of the respondents in the matter, CPC would be able to conclude its case within the two months period left.
Gadzama accused CPC of unwillingness to proceed with the case, as he said seeking access to biometric database would not deter the petitioner from inviting its witnesses.
He said: "Now we are left with two months, and we are yet to start hearing. So, now the counsel are expected to cooperate with the court probably by minimising the days they require or even reducing the number of witnesses.”
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