African First ladies have launched a campaign tagged: “Hands off our girls” on the margines of the just concluded 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the United States of America.
A Federal High Court sitting in Kano has ordered the appearance of the Chairman Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Babatunde Fowler before it on October 7, 2019 and show cause why he should not be sacked for overstaying his tenure which expired on August 18, 2019.
Fulani people in Kogi State, under the umbrella of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) have collectively endorsed the candidacy of Governor Yahaya Bello for a second term and have asked their members to vote en-mass for the governor in the November governorship election in the state.
Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita who was suspended recently on the order of President Muhammadu Buhari is facing more troubles as a Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the forfeiture of some assets linked to her
Justice Folashade Ogunbanjo-Giwa made the order of final forfeiture of the monetary assets to the Federal Government today, September 27.
The assets were earlier returned to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) by a suspect linked to Oyo-Ita.
The embattled Oyo-Ita is involved in a N3 billion alleged contract scam, a case which she was recently quizzed about by the EFCC.
Sources told Channels Television that she is also being investigated over alleged abuse of duty tour allowance, money laundering and alleged theft of government funds.
President Buhari earlier in September asked Oyo Ita to proceed on indefinite leave to allow a proper investigation by the EFCC in the allegations against her.
Counsel to the EFCC lawyer, Mohammed Abubakar, says the funds were voluntarily returned to the commission as proceeds of crime by an associate of Mrs Oyo-Ita.
He also reminded the court that it had on June 28, 2019, granted an ex parte application ordering the interim forfeiture of the assets.
Abubakar explains that as at Thursday 26th of August, no one had come out to challenge the interim court order on asset forfeiture despite the fact that it had been served on the suspect.
Former national publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, has narrated how he distributed the N400 million he collected from the Office of the National Security Adviser, under Sambo Dasuki as national security adviser in 2014, in what he said was a “special national assignment,” in the lead up to the 2015 general election.
Metuh, who is the defence team’s 15th witness under cross-examination today, September 27, by the prosecution counsel at the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Okon Abang, said that the disbursement of the funds was as directed by the former President, Goodluck Jonathan.
He said that he paid the sum of N7.5 million through a cheque to a company known as CNC Connect on December 2, 2014 and that another payment of N21.7 million was also made to Chief Anenih and N50 million to Kanayo/Olisah Metuh which is a joint account on December 4, 2014 while on the same date, he paid the sum of N31.5 million to Richard Ehidioha
According to Metuh, two separate payments of N200 million and N300 million were made to Daniel Ford International also on December 4, 2014, adding that other subsequent payments were made to CNC Connect in the sum of N70 million on December 15, 2014; N25 million to Abba Dabo on December 16, 2014 and N5 million to Ambassador Kema Chikwe.
He said that a final report he submitted to then President Jonathan had all the expenditures of the N400 million, captured in receipts and signatures for all payment of monies in cash and through several accounts for the special assignment. He said that he had about 19 accounts and that more than five are in Diamond Bank.
Metu told the court that he made an investment of $2 million dollars in cash in ARM, through an ARM staff, Miss Nneka Ararume.
When asked if the equivalent of the $2 million was paid in naira into Dextra’s account which was to the tune N366 million at that time, he said: “we led evidence to show that the $2 million was paid by me to ARM and the prosecution had led evidence to show that Nneka Ararume paid monies to bureau de change which now transferred the monies into my account.”
He said that he did not have any dealings with the bureau de change, recalling that Miss Ararume told the court that she got his account details from his record with ARM and gave it to the bureau de change.
When asked if the non-payment of $2 million dollars into his account was to conceal the origin of the money, Metuh said that the non-payment of the sum into his account was the failure of his account officer to execute a lawful and legal directive.
Metuh is facing prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alongside his company, Destra Investment on seven-count charges, bordering on money laundering to the tune of N400 million.
He told the court that there was never an instance where ex President Jonathan directly paid any money to him.
Evidence was shown to him about the N6.6 million he had in his account before the inflow of N400 million into it on November 24, 2014,
Justice Abang adjourned the matter to September 30, 2019 for continuation of trial.
Rev-Samson-AyokunlePresident of the Christian of the Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Supo Ayokunle has vowed that the association and the church in Nigeria will fight for Vice President Yemi Osinbajo over what it called baseless allegations of N90 billion leveled against him.
Rev. Supo Ayokunle, who led members of CAN to pay a solidarity visit on the Vice President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja today, September 27, said: “if there is an allegation, there must be an evidence and that it can never happen and will never happen. The church and the entire country will fight for him.”
Rev Supo Ayokunle declared that Osinbajo is innocent of the allegations, adding that the church and all Nigerians are proud of the Vice President and would continue to pray for him.
The CAN boss cautioned Nigerians against toying with the innocent and faithfully serving the nation.
“He (Osinbajo) has cleared the air that the allegation is baseless and there is no truth in it and that some people are plotting against him and he was ready to provide himself to be cleared.”
President Buhari meets with Nigerian Youth Climate Activists in New York, Departs New York for Nigeria on 27th Sep 2019 | State HouseNigerian Youths Climate Group has expressed appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari for not only giving the youths hope for a better future but working hard to resolve the climate change challenges facing the Sahel Africa.
At a meeting today, September 27 with the Nigerian leader after the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the youth group confessed that this was the first time a leader from Nigeria would give them a listening year.
One of the leaders of the group, Esther Agbarakwe, said: “ this is the first time we are seeing a President sit with us. It gives us hope. We young people understand the problems, and are in the vanguard of advocacy. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Climate Change Department works with us for solutions.”
She commended the support the group is receiving from the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed and the Ministry of Environment, saying: “we are in it together.”
Also, Hamzat Lawal, another leader of the group, thanked President Buhari for signing the Not Too Young to Run Bill into law.
“We seek solutions to problems in the Sahel region. If we provide solutions to the Sahel, the world will be at peace. You have announced planting of 25 million tress and we youths plan to match it.”
this was even as President Buhari told the youth group that the Lake Chad is shrinking while population is exploding, which he said is a big challenge.
“With less land, less rainfall, these are very unique problems for the country.”
The President Buhari commended the youths for representing Nigeria at UNGA as Climate Change Champions, adding, “it is good you are participating so that you can appreciate the problems older people are having.”
National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Festus Okoy, has said that 23 political parties have been cleared to contest the November governorship election in Kogi State and that 18 other parties have withdraw from the race.
In a statement today, September 27 in Abuja, Festus Okoye said that one party withdrew from the race in Bayelsa State, leaving 45 political parties in the race.
“At the close of the time stipulated by sections 31, 33 and 35 of Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) for the submission of the names of nominated candidates, 49 nominations were received for Kogi.
“Out of these, 41 nominations were valid, while eight were invalid. Subsequently, 18 political parties withdrew from contesting the elections. Therefore, 23 political parties will contest the governorship election in Kogi.
“For Bayelsa State, a total of 52 nominations were received. Out of these, 46 were valid, while 6 were invalid.
“One political party has since withdrawn from the contest, leaving a total of 45 political parties to contest the governorship election in Bayelsa.’’
Festus Okoye said that INEC monitored the primaries conducted for nomination of candidates for the two states and also made public its preliminary review of the list and personal particulars submitted by the parties at the close of nomination.
“After the review, we disclosed that some of the nominated candidates for governorship and deputy were below the minimum age prescribed by the constitution and that the Commission was considering further action.
“In a letter dated Sept. 13, the Commission notified the concerned political parties of the invalidity of their nominations.
“In Bayelsa State, six of the nominated Governorship and/or Deputy Governorship candidates were affected, while in Kogi State there were eight such nominees.
“Some of the affected parties have written the Commission admitting their error and requesting to submit new nominees to replace the under-aged ones.
“However, this was after the deadline for submission of nominations on September 9, 2019. As such, the Commission could not accept any fresh nominations.
“In like manner, since the parties did not submit valid nominations before the deadline; they cannot substitute the candidates on the grounds of death or voluntary withdrawal, in accordance with the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), which assumes the prior existence of valid nominations.’’
he said that before the 2019 general elections, INEC had cause to draw the attention of political parties to the same problem of nominating under-aged candidates.
“That communication was a notice to the parties that future violation of such a basic provision of the Constitution will be unacceptable and could lead to severe consequences.
“Accordingly, the Commission has informed the affected parties that their names and logos will not appear on the ballots for the Bayelsa and Kogi governorship elections due to the invalidity of their nominations.”
He said that in compliance with section 34 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), the full names and addresses of all candidates standing nominated would be published in the relevant offices on Monday, Sept. 30.
He said that it would also be made available on the INEC website.
The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation has commenced the payment to depositors of 154 Micro Finance Banks. The licences of the bank were revoked by the Central Bank of Nigeria revoked in 2018 due to insolvency.
You Can Accuse Osinbajo Of Anything But Not Corruption, By Fredrick Nwabufo
You can accuse Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo of being ‘’down-to-earth’’, considering his pint-size. You can also accuse him of intellectual exuberance, but you cannot tack corruption to him. It will not stick.
Over the years, the maelstrom of anger against Osinbajo has widened. The reason for this, perhaps, is the perception by some Nigerians that he is not standing up enough for his own – the Christian fold and the south — when it matters. Another reason is the amplification of this perception by some members of the opposition who deploy propaganda to ‘’divisive finale’’.
Osinbajo’s faith and calling – as a pastor – are sometimes juxtaposed with allegations of intellectual dishonesty, pretense and of enshrouding the wrongs in the Buhari administration.
As matter of fact, the vice-president often appears to be singled out for remonstrance for the lapses and controversial policies of the administration.
For example, in June, the vice-president was reported to have told Nigerians in New York that Nigeria had about 112.7million people living in extreme poverty as of 2010 – this was in response to reports of the country becoming the world poverty capital under Buhari.
One of those who drew blood from Osinbajo on account of this was Reno Omokri. The soi-disant “Buhari tormentor’’ vocalised the typical perception. He said the vice-president lies as much as the devil.
He said: “You see that no matter how far and fast Osinbajo’s regular falsehood travels, it will always be overtaken by truth.’’
“I will like to say again that Mr Osinbajo has shown himself to be a man of very base character, who lies as much as the devil that he preaches against and whose behaviour has undermined the faith of genuine believers.”
Really, social media has made it facile to sculpt perceptions. All it takes is for a stentorian voice, with a strong capacity for babble, to make pronouncements on an issue or an individual, and the mob, which operates without the ‘’encephalon’’, go to town and bleat.
It is understandable that there are high expectations of Osinbajo being a man of the robe. But the tendency to diminish him for standing in support of the administration he serves is an act sanctimony.
I think, by being a strong support to Buhari, Osinbajo is giving to Caesar what belongs to Caesar.
Also, before the Ruga programme was pigeonholed, Osinbajo took much of the obloquy for the controversial initiative, even though he had nothing to do with it; he was already working on the National Livestock Transformation Plan with the governors of the 36 states.
The vice-president, eventually, had to issue a statement dissociating himself from Ruga to get the hounds off.
In addition, there is the perception that he is not doing enough or not exerting enough pressure on the administration to secure the release of Leah Sharibu, a Christian girl in Boko Haram captivity.
In fact, this was the core of one of Omokri’s jabs at Osinbajo. As I said, it is understandable, considering Osinbajo’s religious background. But perceptions are not always true.
However, these accusations can be palliated because they are governed by perceptions. But the allegation of financial impropriety and fraud against Osinbajo by some persons border on his personal integrity. They are weighty and damaging.
It is characteristic of our brand of politics, for political actors to casually tag other actors as corrupt even when there is no evidence. Nigeria’s politics is where good and competent men and women get into, and become sectioned as part of the vacuous, predatory corrupt class.
The reason most Nigerians with the aptitude for leadership do not go into politics is for fear of the ‘’tag’’.
Even the principled Oby Ezekwesili was not spared of scandals after bravely stepping into the molten magna that is Nigeria’s politics. Allegations of diverting 153 million campaign funds rippled when she decided to back out of the 2019 presidential contest.
One thing is certain; the hawks are hovering over Osinbajo in Aso Rock. He himself admitted that there are saboteurs working against the government. These recent allegations may be a furtherance of the artifice of those hawks.
Fredrick Nwabufo
@FredrickNwabufo