The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has dared Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, to provide proof of his bribery claim against the chairman of the Commission.
Matawalle had accused the EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa, of demanding $2 million bribe from him.
He made this allegation in an interview with BBC Hausa, claiming that Bawa is not trustworthy.
He said: “It is not just to always blame governors. It is not only governors who have treasury, the federal government also has. What does the EFCC boss do to them? As he is claiming he has evidence on governors, let him show to the world evidence of those at the federal level.
“If he exits office, people will surely know he is not an honest person. I have evidence against him. Let him vacate office, I am telling you within 10 seconds probably more than 200 people will bring evidences of bribe he collected from them. He knows what he requested from me but I declined.
“He requested a bribe of $2 million from me and I have evidence of this. He knows the house we met, he invited me and told me the conditions. He told me governors were going to his office but I did not. If I don’t have evidence, I won’t say this.”
Meanwhile, prior his revealation, Matawalle had in a statement on Wednesday, called for Bawa’s resignation, saying he had proof of his corrupt acts.
However, in a statement made available to THE WHISTLER by the EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, on Friday night, the Commission said it will not be drawn into a “mud fight with a suspect under its investigation for corruption and unconscionable pillage of the resources
“If Matawalle will be taken seriously, he should go beyond sabre-rattling by spilling the beans – provide concrete evidence as proof of his allegations.”
Uwujaren said the Commission wishes to alert the public about plans by some alleged corrupt politically exposed persons to flee the country ahead of May 29.
He added that the Commission was working in close collaboration with its international partners to frustrate these escape plans and bring those involved to justice.
Another round of fresh corruption crisis has bedevilled the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) as the Chairman of the commission’s board, Lauretta Onochie and the Managing Director, Samuel Ogbuku, openly engaged one another in corruption allegations exchanges at the National Assembly.
At an investigative hearing by the Senate Committee on Unauthoried Spending in the Commission, Ogbuku, who was represented by the Executive Director in charge of Finance and Administration, Charles Airhiavere, accused Onochie of over stepping her bounds by desperately seeking to be a signatory to NDDC’s accounts.
He alleged that Onochie had even written a letter to the Accountant General of the Federation for approval to make her a signatory to the accounts.
Onochie, however, said the decision for her to be a signatory to the accounts, was taken by the board at one of its meeting, adding that it was not a personal decision.
She said that the request for change of signatory was rejected because the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) directed the Managing Director to ensure that her confirmation is sought in every financial dealings.
“The CBN said I should be the confirming authority but they didn’t come back to me. That is why they have been operating the way they like,” Onochie added.
But in a twist of event, Onochie accused the MD and the entire management of running the commission in breach of financial regulation.
She alleged that the NDDC’s management currently operates a total of 367 accounts against the dictates of the Treasury Single Accounts (TSA).
According to Onochie, all these accounts are in foreign exchange (FOREX).
The MD also denied the existence of 367 accounts in the commission but admitted that it operates only four.
Onochie also informed the Senate that since the board resumed in January 2023; it has not enjoyed the cooperation of the management.
She disclosed that the MD had been frustrating attempts to hold board meetings where necessary decisions ought to be taken.
This was rejected by the MD, who disclosed that the main problem arose from what he described as ‘trust deficit’ between the board and the management.
Ogbuku also said that the board never gave sufficient notice of any board meeting as required by law.
Onochie further informed the Senate Committee that part of the abuse of financial responsibilities displayed by the Ogbuku-led management, was the increase of the monthly impress for the Managing Director from N4 billion to N10 billion.
The Senate Committee-led by Senator Yusuf Yusuf (APC, Taraba Central) expressed shock at the disclosures made by the board and the management of the NDDC.
He directed Onochie and Ogbuku to appear before it on Monday to substantiate their allegations.
The original reason for the investigation of how unauthorised spending were made in the commission between 2021 and 2022 despite the absence of NDDC budget was thrown aside when the two parties engaged one another in corruption allegations.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has in strong terms condemned the recent attack on the US Embassy convoy in Anambra while also warning the Nigeria Police to desist from linking the group and also Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi with the dastardly act.
The Police had linked Eastern Security Network (ESN) and IPOB with the attack.
But reacting in a statement issued Friday through the Media and Publicity Secretary of IPOB, Comrade Emma Powerful, the group said that though the White House said no American citizen was involved in the convoy attack, they condoled with the families of the victims and request that the masterminders and the perpetrators be brought to book.
“The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu condemns the recent attack on the USA Embassy convoy in Anambra.
“We condole with the families of the victims and request that the masterminders and the perpetrators be brought to book,” the statement partly read.
IPOB, then, said it had no hand in the attack, saying those who tried to blackmail its members are behind the attacks and past ones that had occurred.
“It is important to note that those accusing IPOB of being behind the attack on the US Embassy convoy are the real masterminders.
“Their quest to blackmail IPOB globally has led them into assassinating innocent people in Biafra Land. For instance, these agents assassinated Alhaji Gulak in Owerri, and they assassinated an Army couple in an undisclosed location in Biafra. They assassinated Dr Akunyili in Anambra (late Dora Akunyili’s husband).
“In all these and many more of the state-sponsored murder cases, IPOB was accused, and till date, the police never conducted an investigation on any of them.”
“We demand the independent investigation from USA intelligence on the US Embassy convoy attack in Anambra State. We also demand that the result of the investigation be made public. We have zero trust in the Nigerian government and its security agencies to conduct any unbiased investigation,” the statement further added.
Google Artificial Intelligence has ranked the five greatest Ballon d’Or winners.
As reported by Sportskeeda, asked about the greatest Ballon d’Or winners in history, Google AI replied:
“Here is my ranking of the top 5 Ballon d’Or winners in football history: Lionel Messi (7 awards), Cristiano Ronaldo (5 awards), Johan Cruyff (3 awards), Michel Platini (3 awards), Marco van Basten (3 awards).”
Google AI also justified how it ranked its top five winners thus: “This ranking is based on a number of factors, including individual and team achievements, longevity, and impact on the game.”
[NewsDirect]
Chelsea caretaker manager, Frank Lampard, has confirmed that seven of his players will not take part in their Premier League clash against Manchester City on Sunday evening.
Lampard spoke at his pre-match press conference ahead of Chelsea’s away Premier League tie with Man City at the Etihad Stadium.
According to the Englishman, the likes of Mason Mount, Benoit Badiashile, Kalidou Koulibaly, Ben Chilwell, N’Golo Kante, Marc Cucurella and Reece James are all out for the game due to lack of fitness and injury.
“We are pretty much similar to where we have been recently. Mason [Mount], Reece [James], Chilly [Ben Chilwell], N’Golo [Kante] and Marc Cucurella are not fit,” Lampard said (via Football London).
“Kouli [Kalidou Koulibaly] has been training this week but is not ready for a game like this. He is ahead of schedule, to be fair. Benoit [Badiashile] injured his groin in training two days ago and will miss the game. We are assessing that as we speak.”
The kick-off time for the match is 4 pm
[DailyPost]
The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), some outgoing ministers and governors have embarked on last-minute appointments, investigations by Saturday PUNCH have revealed.
Our correspondents also observed that Buhari and his ministers awarded contracts worth over N3.7tn in the dying embers of his regime.
The appointments and contracts were awarded between March 20, 2023 and May 14, 2023 after the conduct of the presidential and governorship elections, which produced Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress as President-elect and a total of 28 governors out of which 16 newly elected governors will take over from their predecessors, who will complete their constitutionally approved second term in office.
However, some of the outgoing governors made last-minute appointments in the period under review.
On May 17, 2023 Buhari appointed Paul Harris Ogbole (SAN), former member of the Board of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and ex-Chairman, Otukpo Local Government Council of Benue State, as a member of the Council for Legal Education for a period of four years.
On May 11, the President approved the appointment of a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, Garba Baba-Umar, as a Senior Security Adviser on International Police Cooperation and Counter-terrorism in the Office of the Minister of Police Affairs. According to a statement issued by the Presidency, the appointment was made to enable “Umar complete his nationally beneficial tenure as an executive member of the INTERPOL.”
Two days after, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, announced the appointment of a Benue monarch as the Pro-chancellor of the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa state.
Earlier on May 5, 2Buhari re-appointed the members of the Board of Trustees of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund.
On May 3, the President, in a letter addressed to the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, asked the Senate to confirm the appointment of 12 nominees of the governing board of the North East Development Commission.
The day before, Buhari re-appointed Abike Dabiri-Erewa as the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission. The President also asked the Senate for the confirmation of six federal commissioners for the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission on the same date.
The Minister of Environment, Muhammed Abdullahi, also announced the appointment of a new coordinator for the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project on May 2.
A month earlier, Buhari through the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, appointed a new director for the Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu.
He also re-appointed the Chief Executive Officer of the National Lottery Trust Fund, Bello Maigari, and the Director-General of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, Dr Gambo Aliyu, on March 24, while a new DG for the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency was appointed on March 21.
In Kaduna State, the outgoing governor, Nasir El-Rufai, who will be succeeded by his party man, Uba Sani, appointed 15 new judges on April 25. The judges included seven state high court judges, five Sharia Court of Appeal judges and three Customary Court of Appeal judges.
In Benue State, the outgoing governor, Samuel Ortom of the Peoples Democratic Party, who will be succeeded by Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia of the APC, swore in a new Chief Judge for the state on April 11. The governor also appointed five new permanent secretaries.
In Sokoto State, the outgoing governor, Aminu Tambuwal, who lost to the APC, swore in 23 permanent secretaries and 15 director-generals for state-owned agencies on May 2.
Earlier on April 14, the governor had appointed 23 caretaker chairmen for the local government councils in the state.
In Cross River State, the outgoing governor, Ben Ayade who will be succeeded by his party man, Bassey Otu, appointed five new permanent secretaries into the state public service on May 4.
In Abia State, the outgoing governor, Okezie Ikpeazu of the PDP, whose party man lost to the candidate of the Labour Party, Alex Otti, appointed a new rector for the Abia State College of Health on April 14.
The outgoing governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, approved the appointment of a provost for the state College of Health Technology on April 5, 2023.
In Kano State, the outgoing governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, appointed a former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Attahiru Jega, as the pro-chancellor and the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Moshood Balogun, as the chancellor of the state-owned Sa’adatu Rimi University of Education. The Olubadan had earlier decorated Ganduje and his wife, Hafsat, with chieftaincy titles.
The appointments by Ganduje were announced on April 3, 2023.
In Katsina State, the outgoing governor, Aminu Masari of the APC, on May 8, appointed a new manager for the state-owned football club, Katsina United.
The governor also appointed a new vice-chancellor for the state-owned university on May 10, 2023.
The outgoing governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, appointed a total of 149 new village heads on April 30. According to him, the new village heads were appointed to work alongside the incoming administration for stability in the state.
In Taraba State, the outgoing governor, Darius Ishaku, appointed a new caretaker chairman for one of the local government areas in the state. The appointment took effect on April 11.
N3.7tn contracts awarded
Analyses by our correspondents revealed that over N3.7tn worth of contracts were awarded between March 20 and May 14, 2023.
During the Federal Executive Council meeting held on March 23, the sum of N453.90bn was approved for the acquisition of rolling stock, operation and maintenance equipment for the Kano-Maradi standard gauge rail line under construction.
The FEC also approved N5,157,265,770 for the construction of 192 flats for officers and men of the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency and $984.7m for the procurement of maintenance equipment for the Nigerian Railway Corporation on the same date.
During the FEC meeting held on March 29, 2023, various contracts worth N210bn were approved for provisions of various infrastructure, including free Internet services at 20 of the nation’s airports, 43 higher institutions and 20 markets across the country. A breakdown of the contracts showed that N95.98bn was for various road projects, while N59. 78bn was approved for the continuation of the ongoing Ogoni clean-up.
The FEC also approved N41.4bn for the construction of a centre of excellence for environmental restoration in the Khana Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The minister added that the council also approved N18.3bn for the construction of a specialist hospital for the people of Ogoni in Rivers State.
On April 5, two contracts worth N15.3bn for the supply and installation of information and communication technology components and digital assistance devices for the 2023 population census were approved. There was also the approval of N3.3bn to build a new training facility for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
An e-Customs modernisation project worth at least N142.24bn was awarded by the FEC on April 20 amid reports of an existing court order restraining it from proceeding with the project.
On the same date, it was revealed that a total of N11.93bn was okayed for Customs aircraft and zonal offices, while the Ministry of Education obtained the sum of N2.8bn for the construction of senate buildings and purchase of ambulances. The FEC also approved the sum of N1.86tn for the linkage of roads in 11 states of the federation.
Similarly on April 20, 2023, the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning presented a couple of memos for which approvals were obtained. The first one was for the award of a contract for the procurement of a Cessna Caravan aircraft EX208B by the Nigeria Customs Service in the sum of N3.45bn inclusive of 7.5 per cent Value Added Tax with a delivery period of 12 months.
The ministry further disclosed that the sum of N45.9bn was approved as augmentation for the cost of contracts for the construction of the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation’s head office buildings in Abuja and Lagos, including its training institute in Lagos.
On May 10, 2023, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu announced that the sum of N449.9m had been approved for the engagement of consultants for the development of master plans for 17 airports, while N3.4bn was approved for the construction of the Abuja airport’s runway.
The FEC also approved a fresh sum of N129.8bn for various projects in the Ministry of Niger Delta, particularly the mandate of the United Nations Environment Programme on the Ogoni clean-up on May 11.
On May 13, the sum of N647.7bn was announced by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission for two power plants in the country.
Similarly, the Minister of State for Transportation, Adewole Adegoroye, on May 18, 2023, noted that FEC approved three port development projects for Ondo, Lagos and Delta states.
Adegoroye, who spoke excitedly about the three memoranda approved for his ministry by council, said the approvals were for the expansion and development of the Snake Island Seaport in Lagos, Ondo Multipurpose Port in Ilaje, and the Burutu Seaport project in Burutu, Delta State.
According to him, the projects would be executed through concession to private investors for 45, 50 and 40 years, respectively, at no cost to the Federal Government.
He explained that while the investors would be investing $974,185,203.66 in the Snake Island Port project, those for Ondo Multipurpose Port project would be spending $1,480,465,253 and $1,285,005,818.40 on the Burutu Port.
CSOs, analysts speak
Speaking with our correspondents in Abuja, political analysts and civil society organisations flayed the move by outgoing executives to award last-minute contracts and make new appointments.
A political analyst, Dr Busari Dauda, noted that the approved amount would only add to the challenges to be faced by the incoming government, adding that it was wicked to allocate such amounts at this last minute.
He said, “I think the current government is deliberately building up obstacles for the government that is coming in. Remember that the Federal Government had promised to remove oil subsidy in June and implement an increment in the salaries for lecturers and medical doctors after it would have handed over to the incoming administration.
“Why are they putting all the challenges on the new government that is coming in? It is somewhat wicked to begin to approve projects for a government that is coming in with a lot of baggage.
“It is likely that those projects will be stalled because if you don’t have an idea of what you are doing and you call me to carry it on, I would have to rethink before doing anything, so it’s likely that the projects are stalled.”
The Executive Director, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, Auwal Rafsanjani, queried why the government waited till the last minute before approving the projects, noting that the analysis had proved the laziness and lack of seriousness in the current administration.
He stated, “This analysis has exposed the laziness and lack of seriousness of the Buhari administration.
“They had more than seven years in power to do innovative programmes and projects that can bring about growth and development, and alleviate poverty and secure the country, but that was not done and suddenly there is a rush to start projects and considering the way and manner Nigerians operate, the new administration will likely abandon some of the projects, which will lead to wastage.
“The Buhari administration is encouraging public waste. A sustainable project should not be done at the last minute and without a proper plan. I think the approval is just to fund the pockets of some people.”
However, another political analyst, Jide Ojo, did not see any wrong in the approvals, stating that projects would be completed if genuine since governance is a continuum.
Ojo said, “Foremost, governance is a continuum and if it is for approval of the budget, there are still about 35 days to the end of this administration and a lot can still be done.
“I believe that nothing is wrong with the projects and amount approved, but whether FEC is mandated to award contracts every Wednesday legally is what I think is debatable.
“If the contracts are not inflated or used to siphon public funds out of the government treasury and are going to be applied, nothing is wrong with that.”
Another analyst, Olaseni Shalom, described the appointments as “political compensation.”
He said, “Those appointments are nothing short of political compensation for loyalists and apparently had nothing to do with competence. This also shows that we run a big government where we have more than necessary offices just to put more pressure on the government and the cost of running the government despite the economic hardship in the country.
“I would have advised the incoming administration to reduce the cost of government, but it is most unlikely as political appointments and offices are mainly for rewards and compensation for political loyalists rather than for the effective management of the government.”
•Court shuns SAN briefed by Apapa-led faction of LP to appear in Obi’s case
•As hearing continues today
A former Vice President and candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in the last presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on Friday, berated the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for filing processes to defend the qualifications of the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Atiku maintained that it was wrong for the electoral body to throw its weight behind the president-elect, whose election victory is being challenged in court.
While accusing INEC of fighting a proxy war for Tinubu, the PDP candidate who came second in the presidential election held on February 25, through his team of lawyers led by Chief Chris Uche, SAN, urged the Presidential Election Petition Court sitting in Abuja, to dismiss a counter affidavit and preliminary objection the Commission filed to challenge his petition.
According to Atiku, INEC lacked the legal capacity to defend the controversy surrounding Tinubu’s educational qualifications, his age as well as his alleged indictment in a drug-related case in the United States of America, USA.
He contended that INEC, being the umpire that conducted the election, ought to remain neutral in the case.
Atiku’s lawyer had at the resumed proceedings in the matter, notified the court that there were seven pending applications, among which he said included the one that INEC sought the striking out of 32 paragraphs of the petition relating to Tinubu’s qualifications.
Uche, SAN, prayed the court to not only dismiss INEC’s preliminary objection but to also declare it as a gross abuse of the judicial process.
“All that INEC has done is to ask for averments that were against Tinubu to be struck out. INEC is fighting a proxy war for Tinubu, which a neutral umpire is not expected to do. This is very wrong my lords,” Atiku’s lawyer added.
However, INEC, which is the first respondent in the matter, through its team of lawyers led by Mr. Abubakar Mahmood, SAN, asked the court to either strike out the said paragraphs or dismiss the entire petition for want of competence.
Likewise, Tinubu’s lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, and that of the APC, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, equally drew the attention of the court to processes they also filed for the petition to be dismissed.
The Justice Haruna Tsammani-led five-member panel subsequently adjourned the case till Saturday to conclude the pre-hearing session.
The court held that it’s ruling on all the preliminary objections would be delivered before its final judgement on the case.
The development came on a day the court equally adjourned another petition that was brought before it by the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr Peter Obi, till Saturday.
A mild drama played out in the court on Friday, as the Lamidi Apapa-led faction of the LP, briefed another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, to announce an appearance for the party.
Immediately Obi’s petition was called up for hearing and lawyers were asked to announce their appearances, Chief Oba Maduabuchi, SAN, stood up and told the court that he was briefed to represent the LP.
The senior lawyer addressed the court after Prof. Awa Kalu, SAN, who appeared alongside five other SANs, had already announced his presence as counsel for the petitioners.
Maduabuchi, SAN, told the court that he was instructed by the party to appear on its behalf and to represent it in the matter.
However, the panel declined to record his appearance.
“You did not file this petition. Let the person that filed the case announce their appearance. We cannot record you,” Justice Tsammani held.
Another member of the panel berated Maduabuchi, SAN, for accepting the brief when he was aware that the party already had its team of lawyers.
“As a learned silk, you should know better and you should have told whoever briefed you that there is another lawyer handling the matter,” a member of the panel added.
Realising that he would not be allowed to take over the case, Maduabuchi, SAN, said he would go back and relate what happened in court to his client.
“That is not our business. You can either leave the court or sit and observe the proceedings,” Chairman of the panel, Justice Tsammani told him. Earlier, Obi, who was in court, announced himself as the representative of the petitioners.
Remarkably, the two factional Chairmen of the party, Julius Abure and Apapa were both in court for the matter.
It will be recalled that irate youths had on Tuesday, attacked Apapa at the court premises, accusing him of yielding himself as a tool in the hands of people seeking to disintegrate the party.
Apapa, who denied the allegation that he received N500 million to scuttle Obi’s case against Tinubu, was subsequently taken into protective custody by security operatives attached to the court.
Meanwhile, the court said it would on Monday, deliver its ruling on two separate applications that Atiku and Obi brought for day-to-day live coverage of proceedings in their cases.
They argued that the dispute trailing the presidential election was of serious national importance to both Nigerians that are within and outside the country.
However, INEC, Tinubu and the APC opposed the request which they said would expose the judiciary to unnecessary opprobrium.
They further argued that a live telecast of the proceedings would not be possible in the absence of an administrative policy direction from the President of the Court of Appeal.
Both Atiku and Obi are seeking the withdrawal of the Certificate of Return that was issued to Tinubu by INEC.
The duo, in their separate petitions, claimed that they won the presidential election, insisting that Tinubu was not duly elected by a majority of lawful votes cast at the poll.
More so, they told the court that Tinubu was not qualified to contest, adding that his election was invalid by reason of corrupt practices.
It will be recalled that INEC had on March 1, announced Tinubu as the winner of the presidential poll, ahead of 17 other candidates that contested the election.
INEC declared that Tinubu scored a total of 8,794,726 votes to defeat Atiku who polled a total of 6,984,520 votes and Obi who came third with a total of 6,101,533 votes.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu says the controversy about the discharge certificate of Peter Mbah, the state’s governor-elect, is borne out of a willful misrepresentation of facts.
Mbah has been in a row with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) over the authenticity of his discharge certificate.
The governor-elect had claimed that after graduating from the University of East London in 2000, he returned to Nigeria and was admitted into the bar part 1 programme of the Nigerian law school.
He said he was required to wait for the bar part 2 programme upon completing the first leg and was told to enrol in the one-year NYSC programme instead of wasting time sitting around.
After six months of NYSC, Mbah applied and was granted approval to defer the one-year mandatory programme to enable him to complete the bar final exam, after which he was re-mobilised to finish the service, which he did complete, Emeka Ozoani, his lawyer told a court.
However, in February, NYSC issued a letter signed by Ibrahim Muhammad, the scheme’s director of certifications, saying the certificate belonging to Mbah was not issued by the corps.
Consequently, Mbah sued NYSC for what he described as conspiracy, deceit, and misrepresentation of facts, demanding N20 billion in compensation.
NYSC INSISTS ON CERTIFICATE FORGERY
Reacting to the development, Yusha’u Ahmed, NYSC director-general, said he had met with the governor-elect and told him that the certificate was a counterfeit.
Ahmed said NYSC was yet to receive a court order or document confirming the suit by the Enugu governor-elect and would continue to stand by the “truth”.
“I wonder how the issue of racketeering would come up when you are talking about an elite: somebody who is a graduate and well-enlightened. Where did you obtain your certificate? You do not know how we issue our certificate? You cannot go and collect certificates on the street or in a hotel, you should know better,” the NYSC DG said.
“The governor-elect is a lawyer. I am not a lawyer, but I know as the DG of NYSC, I’m fully aware of this case. He came to me, I was frank with him, and I told him this certificate was not from us, However, he chose to go to court and sue. But as far as I’m concerned NYSC has not been sued. I’m just hearing about it. I have not seen a court order.”
ENUGU PDP TO NYSC DG: CLAIMS OF FORGERY ARE IRRATIONAL
In a statement released on Friday by Nana Ogbodo, spokesperson of the Enugu state PDP campaign, the party said the NYSC DG’s claim was “in sync with the agency’s conspiracy, deceit, and wilful misrepresentation of facts”.
According to the statement, Ahmed had, during a meeting, admitted to being ignorant about the fact that Mbah had received a discharge certificate from the NYSC and did not challenge the authenticity as his claims alleged.
The party equally described as an irony, a situation where the DG said he would not want to comment on the matter since it was in court, only to go ahead to not only deny knowledge of the lawsuit and consequent court order, but also to act in clear contempt of the court.
“We should have viewed with surprise the false claim by the NYSC DG, Brigadier-General Yushau’u Dogara Ahmed, on national television this morning. But he has not said anything new, as his statements were in sync with the continued conspiracy, deceit, and wilful misrepresentation of facts by the agency and its Director of Corps Certification, Mr Ibrahim Muhammad, which necessitated Mbah’s N20 billion lawsuit against the agency and Mr Muhammad in the first place,” the statement reads.
“The DG lied when he claimed that he told Mbah during a meeting in his office that the NYSC did not issue his certificate. The truth is that he told Mbah that the director in question neither briefed nor cleared with him before issuing the letter dated February 1, 2023 disclaiming Dr Mbah’s discharge certificate.
“He equally expressed surprise when Mbah showed him the letter by the NYSC national headquarters dated 7th May, 2003 (reference number NYSC/DHQ/CM/27/20) to the state director, Lagos, NYSC, re-mobilising him for the remaining part of his service year after a break, by the express and written permission of the agency, to complete bar part II (bar final).
“Excerpt from the re-mobilisation letter states: ‘I am directed to refer to your letter of 24th April, Reference No. LA/01/1532/T on the above subject matter and to request you to re-instate the corps member to continue his service year from where he stopped, with effect from May 2003.
“It is noteworthy that the directors and staff present at the meeting did not deny that the NYSC authored the letter re-mobilising Mbah, while his place of primary assignment, Udeh & Associates, Lagos, has not denied that it authored the letter reabsorbing him to complete the remaining months of his service year as well as the final clearance letter to enable him receive his NYSC discharge certificate at the end of his service.
“The DG actually told Dr Mbah that he was barely three months in office at the time, but would resolve the matter with dispatch. But it is striking that the NYSC is yet to formally respond to Mbah’s petition since February 2, 2023. Instead, the NYSC, through its director of corps certification, has continued to issue letters of disclaimer to various political interests in Enugu state, in clear contempt of a subsisting court judgment upholding the authenticity of his certificate and in relentless disparagement of his reputation.”
The PDP said it was unfounded that Mbah would go through the rigorous process of the NYSC only to end up forging a certificate and challenged the NYSC to produce a contrary certificate as proof.
“NYSC discharge certificates are printed by the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company PLC. They have security features such as watermarks and serial numbers denoting the batches. We therefore challenge the NYSC to produce any other certificate in the series of Mbah’s certificate that has the same serial number as his,” the statement added.
In March, Mbah won the Enugu governorship election with 160,895 votes while Chijioke Edeoga of the Labour Party (LP), had 157,552 votes.
[TheCable]
The authorities of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, have received, with a heavy heart and deep sadness, the news of the passing of the fourth substantive Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Professor Cyril Agodi Onwumechili.
A release by the Public Relations Officer of the University, Abiodun Olarewaju, states that the esteemed former Vice-Chancellor, who passed away at age of Ninety-one (91) years, was a visionary leader, an exceptional academic, and a compassionate individual, who made invaluable contributions to the growth and success of institution.
During his tenure as Vice-Chancellor from 1979 to 1982, the renowned Physicist, Professor Cyril Onwumechili, played a pivotal role in shaping the university's trajectory, steering it towards excellence, and upholding its commitment to academic rigor, innovation, and societal impact.
Describing the late University helmsman as a detribalised Nigerian and a renowned academic of high repute, the current Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire said that he championed progressive policies, fostered a vibrant academic community, and strived for inclusivity, leaving an indelible mark on the Sixty-two (62) year-old University and the countless lives he touched.
According to him: "Under Professor Cyril Onwumechili’s leadership, the University experienced remarkable growth and advancement in various fields of study, research, and outreach as he spearheaded strategic initiatives that fostered interdisciplinary collaboration, established partnerships with renowned institutions worldwide, and ensured the university's relevance in an ever-evolving global landscape."
Professor Bamire further states that beyond his administrative duties, ”Professor Onwumechili was an exceptional scholar, renowned for his groundbreaking research as a Physicist who inspired generations of students and faculty members through his profound knowledge, unwavering dedication, and unrelenting pursuit of academic excellence."
The Vice Chancellor added that : "In fact, Professor Onwumechili was a compassionate mentor, a trusted confidant whose genuine concern for the well - being of staff, students and faculty resonated deeply within the University community, fostering an environment of support, growth and collaboration",
Professor Adebayo Simeon Bamire, therefore, extends OAU’s deepest condolences to Professor Cyril Agodi Onwumechili’s family, friends, and loved ones during this difficult time, affirming that the late former VC’s legacy will forever be etched in the annals of Obafemi Awolowo University, serving as a guiding light for future generations. The university will be forever grateful for his unwavering commitment and profound impact.
There was naira rain at the Public Presentation and Launch of two biographies written about the life, times, and leadership experience of President Muhammmadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Friday.
The two books; “State of Repair: How Muhammadu Buhari Tried to Change Nigeria for Good”, written by Antony Goldman and “The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari”, written by Senator Abu Ibrahim, were reviewed by the former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi and Professor Abubakar Sadeeque Abba.
The Chairman of BUA Group, Alhaji Abdulsamad Rabiu, led other donors with N200 million, followed by the Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, who launched with the sum of N100 million just as Muhammed Idimi also bought copies of the books for N100 million.
The President-elect and the Vice President-elect, Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima obtained copies for a combined amount of N40 million.
Besides the President-elect, who was represented by the Vice-President-elect, Senator Shettima, other dignitaries at the event included the President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan; Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC); Senator Abdullahi Adamu; Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu; a co-launcher, Alhaji Kashim Ibrahim-Imam, and many others.
Speaking before unveiling the books as Chairman of the occasion, the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Akufo-Addo, said history would be kind to President Buhari.
The Ghanaian President, who took time in his opening remarks to highlight some of the achievements of Buhari, whom he noted shared a similar experience in the journey to the Presidency with, however said Africa and the world would miss his leadership when he leaves office in a few days.
He lauded President Buhari for providing model leadership for Nigeria and other regional and international organizations that he had been tasked to lead, particularly noted how he tamed the Boko Haram menace.
“Likewise, through the launch of today’s biographies, the story of President Muhammadu Buhari, a man who made such a great effort to change Nigeria for good, is being told by those who’ve had the opportunity to see for themselves at firsthand, from the beginning of his mandate as a democratically elected president, to his last days in office, the highs and lows of his tenure thus far. From what I have read and know, the life of Muhammadu Buhari has been truly an amazing story.
“The works the President Buhari has done in helping to diversify Nigerian agriculture and thereby enhancing significantly agricultural productivity, reviving the economy and ensuring consistently fast rates of growth. These developments, for me, have vindicated the choice of Nigerians, which I believe enabled continuity in office for the APC, through President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“You can imagine the excitement in the ranks of the NPP with the victory of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, about the prospects of a third term agenda for the NPP, what we in NPP call ‘breaking the eight’.
“By the same token, the efforts President Buhari has made to defeat the scourge of Boko Haram, a process which is still ongoing are also testimonies of his determination to establish full normalcy and security in Nigeria.
“His tentacles extended beyond Nigeria; Chairperson of the Authority of Heads of States and Government of ECOWAS; Chairperson of the Gulf of Guinea Commission; ECOWAS Chairman in the coordination of the fight against COVID-19, amongst several others, and in all of these, he has spared no effort to ensure the successful execution of the objectives of his office.
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A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has lifted the suspension of the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), Julius Abure and three others.
Justice Hamza Muazu in a ruling on Friday agreed with the LP lawyers that the notice of appeal and documents submitted to the court shows that there was a valid appeal before the Court of Appeal.
The court overruled the counsel to the factional members of the LP, George Ibrahim, Esq opposing the stay of execution, granted.
The appeal was filed following the May 12 ruling of the high court dismissing the LP preliminary objection to the order suspending Abure, National Secretary, Umar Farouk Ibrahim; National Treasurer, Oluchi Opara; and the National Organising Secretary, Clement Ojukwu.
LP”s counsel, Ben Nwosu Esq, had argued that the matter was an internal affair of the LP, which the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain and it was, therefore, non-justiceable.
Governor Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State has accused the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, of demanding $2 million bribe from him.
He made the allegation amid the growing rift between the governor and the anti-graft agency.
In a statement on Wednesday, Matawalle called for Bawa’s resignation, saying he had questions to answer on corruption.
But the EFCC Chairman responded that he had nothing to hide and asked Matawalle to petition appropriate authorities if he had any evidence against him.
“It is not just to always blame governors. It is not only governors who have treasury, the federal government also has. What does the EFCC boss do to them? As he is claiming he has evidence on governors, let him show to the world evidence of those at the federal level.
“If he exits office, people will surely know he is not an honest person. I have evidence against him. Let him vacate office, I am telling you within 10 seconds probably more than 200 people will bring evidences of bribe he collected from them. He knows what he requested from me but I declined.
“He requested a bribe of $2 million from me and I have evidence of this. He knows the house we met, he invited me and told me the conditions. He told me governors were going to his office but I did not. If I don’t have evidence, I won’t say this.”
Contacted for reaction, Wilson Uwujaren, spokesman of the anti-graft agency, said he had not seen the story so he could not respond.
Told it was on BBC Hausa where Matawalle spoke, he said he could not speak Hausa and asked that the story link be sent for a response, but he had not responded at the time of filing this report.
President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein as the substantive Accountant General of the Federation (AGF).
This was contained in a circular by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esin, dated 19th May, 2023, and signed by the Director, Communications in her office, Mallam Mohammed Abdullahi Ahmed, on Friday, in Abuja.
Ms. Oluwatoyin Sakirat Madein hails from Iperu Remo in Ikenne LGA Ogun State and was born on 7th of March, 1965.
Until her appointment, she was the Director of Finance and Accounts in the office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF).
Daily Trust reports that Madein is taking over from the former AGF, Ahmed Idris, who was sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari and is currently undergoing trial by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over not less than N100bn corruption scandal.
Idris who was appointed accountant general on 25 June 2015, took over from Jonah Ogunniyi Otunla who was also sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari on allegedly misappropriating N2.5bn of security agencies’ funds.
A Federal High Court in Kano state says media reports that it nullified the candidature of the Abia state Governor-elect, Dr Alex Otti, who contested the election on the platform of the Labour Party, LP, are misleading.
The court, however, said it annuled the election of all the Kano LP candidates that contested the 2023 general election.
Recall that Ibrahim Haruna-Ibrahim had filed an application asking the court to withdraw and set aside the certificate of return issued to all LP candidates declared winners in Kano and the 35 states of the Federation, including the FCT, Abuja.
However, following the divergent reactions that greeted the judgement, Justice Nasir-Yunusa affirmed that the candidates in Abia who took part in the just-concluded general elections were not parties in the suit.
Nasir-Yunusa said the court declared only the primary election of the Labour Party in Kano State null and void.
“This court lacks jurisdiction to make an order for the issuance of certificate of return.
“They are at liberty to seek redress in the appropriate division of the court,” he said.