The Seven (7) Count charge against PDP's Spokesman Olisa Metuh

1. “That you Olisa Metuh and Destra Investment Limited, on or about 24th November 2014 in Abuja, within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable court, took possession of the sum of N400, 000 000:00 (Four hundred Million Naira) only, paid into the account of DESTRA INVESTMENTS limited with Diamond Bank Plc, with account number: 0040437573, from the account of the office of the National Security Adviser with the Central Bank of Nigeria without contract award when you reasonably ought to have known that the said fund formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity of Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (Rtd.); the then National Security Adviser (To wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act.

2. “That you Olisa Metuh and Destra Investment Limited, on or about 24th November, 2014 in Abuja, within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable court converted the sum of N400, 000 00: 00 (Four Hundred Million Naira only) which sum was received from the office of the National Security Adviser with the Central Bank of Nigeria without contract award, which you claimed to have received for political activities of the People Democratic Party when you reasonably ought to have known that the said funds form part of the proceeds of an illegal activity of Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (Rtd.) the then National Security Adviser, (To wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15(2) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011, as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act.

3. “That you Olisa Metuh and Destra Investment Limited on, or about the 24th November, 2014 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court, did retain the sum of N400, 000 000: 00 (Four Hundred Million naira only), on behalf of the Peoples Democratic Party for its campaign by concealing the said sum in your account, with Diamond Bank Plc, when you reasonably ought to have known that the said funds form part of the proceeds of an illegal activity of Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (Rtd.) the then National security adviser, (To wit: criminal breach of trust and corruption) and you thereby committed an offence contrary to section 17(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011, as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 17(b) of the same act.

4. “That you Olisa Metuh and Destra Investments Limited, sometime between November 2014 and March 2015, in Abuja, within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable court, having reason to know that an aggregate sum of N400 000 000:00 (Four Hundred Million Naira only) directly represented the proceeds of an unlawful activity of Col. Sambo Dasuki (Rtd), the then National Security Adviser, (to: with criminal breach of trust and corruption) in respect to the same amount, used the said fund for the campaign activities of the Peoples Democratic Party and other personal purposes and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 15 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011, as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 15(3) and (4) of the same act”.

Counts five to seven accuse Mr. Anenih and others of being part of the alleged fraud.

5. “That you Olisa Metuh and Destra Investments Limited, on or before the 22nd of December   2014 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did make a cash payment through your agent, one Nneka Nicole Ararume to one Kabiru Ibrahim; a none Financial institution to the tune of $1, 000 000:00 USD, (One million United States Dollars) only, and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011, as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 16(2)(b) of the same Act”.

6. “That you Olisa Metuh and Destra Investments Limited, on or before the 22nd of December 2014 in Abuja, within the Jurisdiction of this honourable court did make a cash payment through your agent, one Nneka Nicole Ararume to one Sie Iyenome of Capital Field Investment, to the tune of $1, 000 000:00 USD, (One million United States Dollars) only, and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011, as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 16(2)b of the same Act.

7. “That you Olisa Metuh and Destra Investments Limited on or about the 4th of December 2014, in Abuja, within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable court did transfer the sum of N21, 776, 000:00 (Twenty-One Million, Seven Hundred and Seventy-Six Thousand Naira) being part of the N400, 000 000:00 (Four Hundred million Naira) which directly represented the proceeds of an unlawful activity of Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (Rtd.) the then National Security Adviser, (to: with criminal breach of trust and corruption) to Chief Anthony Anenih and thereby committed an offence, contrary to section 15(2) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2011 as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 15(3) of the same Act.”

Former Speaker, Bankole, launches political group, says he won’t quit PDP

A former speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, has announced his intention to revive the Ogun State Peoples Democratic Party, with a warning against the imposition of candidates by party leaders.

Mr. Bankole made this known on Friday, while hosting thousands of his supporters under the banner of Dimeji Bankole Movement, for a new year party at his residence in Onikolobo area of Abeokuta, the state capital.

Mr. Bankole was rumoured to be interested in the governorship race in 2015 in Ogun State, but suspended his bid after party financier, Buruji Kashamu, who is now a senator, allegedly imposed Gboyega Isiaka as the party flag bearer.

Speaking Friday, Mr. Bankole warned the party leadership against any form of manipulation during the forthcoming party’s congress.

He said any attempt to impose candidates would lead to the experience of the 2015 poll, when the party split into many factions.

Mr. Bankole said he had no plan to leave the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as being insinuated.

“It is almost two years now. I commend your perseverance. I now know the differences. The outcome of the congress would determine the political future of PDP in the state,” Mr. Bankole said.

The state secretary of the Bankole Political Movement, Johnson Fatoki, however declared that the group would leave with the former speaker to any political party he chooses in the state if the state leadership fails to unite all factions within the party.

The former speaker later went into a closed-door meeting with senior members of his political group from the various local government areas in the state.

Source: Premium Times

Release Nnamdi Kanu to us – Ohaneze begs Buhari

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, the Ohaneze Ndigbo, has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to release the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu to them.

The group promised to make the embattled Director of Radio Biafra realize the futility of continuing his pro-Biafra agitation.

Dr. Chris Eluemunoh, who is the Chairman of state presidents of Ohaneze Ndigbo in the east told newsmen in Awka, Anambra State, that if Kanu is released to Igbo leaders, he would be made to realize the negative effects of continuing with the efforts to actualize the Biafra Republic.

Eluemunoh, said the Igbo leaders believe that Kanu’s issue could be better handled and resolved if he was released to them.

He said: “IPOB and MASSOB (the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra) can operate as pressure groups and not as secessionist groups. Many Igbo people are residing in other parts of Nigeria and there is no way they can abandon their investments to return to the East in the name of Biafra.”

Commending IPOB for ending their protests that shut down some cities in the east recently, Eluemunoh stressed that they stand to benefit more if they adopted dialogue in their approach.

He further described recent statement credited to Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka in which he was quoted to have said that some people were plotting to kill President Buhari, as reckless.

“Mbaka should face his evangelism work as a priest rather than creating panic in the country. If he received any revelation, the better thing for him to do is to keep it to himself and pray to God to avert such a thing. The president is the Commander -in -Chief of the country’s armed forces and is capable of securing himself and we see the statement by Mbaka as a distraction,” he said.

The Ohaneze leader also reiterated the organisation’s supports for Buhari’s anti-corruption war.

Source: Daily Post NG

Jonathan threatened to cage me – Oshiomhole

Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has revealed how former President Goodluck Jonathan threatened to cage him after May 29 for throwing his weight behind the candidature of President Muhammadu Buhari in the last general elections.

Speaking at a meeting with APC leaders across the three Senatorial Districts of Edo State on Thursday, a highly elated Oshiomhole said “around this time last year, the tension in Nigeria was such that Prophets of doom around the world were almost unanimous that Nigeria would not survive 2015 but as you can see, man proposes, God disposes.

“Around this time last year, in January, a few weeks to the election, many were saying quite recklessly on radio and television that we were finished.

“The former President, Goodluck Jonathan told our National Chairman, Chief John Odigie Oyegun to inform me that after the election, he will put me, Adams, the son of Oshiomhole in a hole and I told Chief Oyegun to inform him to dig that hole very deep because although I am short, in the course of pushing me into the hole, nobody knows who will get there first.

“Since he is taller than me, he needs to dig the hole deep enough so that either of us can get in. In the end, he is inside the hole and I am busy putting dust into that hole”.

Oshiomhole continued, “In this hall, around this time last year, we held a meeting to share information about what was going on in various local governments and the specific challenges in each of those local government in order to fashion out appropriate response.

“Some of the statements that we shared in those meetings included threats that by June, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole would have been impeached because PDP would write results whether we liked it or not. They would overrun the House of Assembly and once the House is proclaimed in June, before the end of June, Comrade would be banished to his house in the village and from there to prison.

“Those who made those threats, who supervised those processes, even now in their early 90s are writing letters to explain how they shared money meant for defence. Every evil weapon they fashioned against me did not prosper and even the ones they are fashioning now will not prosper.”

Reminding the party leaders of the journey so far and how the Party has risen from ground zero to become the leading party in Nigeria, Oshiomhole said, “When we came in about 7 years ago, my party had no control even of one ward. We had no control of one local government, but today, we control wards, local, state and by the special grace of God, federal. Things have changed. The one who tamed a lion with bare hands, now with automatic weapons, no antelope can dare us in our own forest.”

Source: Vanguard Newspaper

PRESIDENT BUHARI ORDERS EFCC TO INVESTIGATE FORMER CHIEF OF DEFENCE STAFF, CHIEFS OF AIR STAFF, OTHERS OVER CORRUPTION IN MILITARY PROCUREMENTS

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE

On the recommendation of the committee established to audit the procurement of arms and equipment in the Armed Forces and Defence sector from 2007 to 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to carry out further investigation into the misconduct established against the following retired and serving officers of the Nigerian Air Force and Nigerian Army:

(1)Air Chief Marshal AS Badeh (Rtd)
(2)Air Marshal MD Umar (Rtd)
(3)Air Marshal AN Amosu (Rtd)
(4) Maj-Gen. ER Chioba (Rtd)
(5)AVM IA Balogun (Rtd)
(6)AVM AG Tsakr (Rtd)
(7)AVM AG Idowu (Rtd)
(8)AVM AM Mamu
(9)AVM OT Oguntoyinbo
(10)AVM T Omenyi
(11)AVM JB Adigun
(12)AVM RA Ojuawo
(13)AVM JA Kayode-Beckley
(12)Air Cdre SA Yushau (Rtd)
(13)Air Cdre AO Ogunjobi
(14)Air Cdre GMD Gwani
(15)Air Cdre SO Makinde
(16)Air Cdre AY Lassa
(16)Col N Ashinze
(17)Lt Col. MS Dasuki (Rtd)

Following the submission of the audit committee's second interim report, President Buhari has directed the EFCC to investigate the roles of the officers and the following companies and their directors in fundamental breaches associated with the procurements by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).

(1)Messrs Societe D’ Equipments Internationaux
(2) Himma Aboubakar
(3)Aeronautical Engineering and Technical Services Limited
(4)Messrs Syrius Technologies
(5) Dr Theresa A. Ittu
(6)Sky Experts Nig Ltd
(7)Omenyi Ifeanyi Tony
(8)Huzee Nig Ltd
(9)GAT Techno Dynamics Ltd
(10) Gbujie Peter Obie
(11) Onuri Samuel Ugochukwu
(12)Spacewebs Interservices Ltd
(13)Oguntoyinbo Tayo
(14) Oguntoyinbo Funmi.
(15) Delfina Oil and Gas Ltd
(16)Chief Jacobs Bola
(17)Mono Marine Corporation Nig Ltd
(18)Geonel Intergrated Services Ltd
(20)Sachi Felicia
(20) Mudaki Polycarp
(21)Wolfgang Reinl.

The breaches identified by the Audit Committee include non-specification of procurement costs, absence of contract agreements, award of contracts beyond authorised thresholds, transfer of public funds for unidentified purposes and general non-adherence to provisions of the Public Procurement Act.

Furthermore, the procurement processes were arbitrarily carried out and generally characterized by irregularities and fraud. In many cases, the procured items failed to meet the purposes they were procured for, especially the counter insurgency efforts in the North East.

A major procurement activity undertaken by ONSA for NAF was that concerning the contracts awarded to Societe D’ Equipment Internationaux (SEI) Nig Ltd.
Between January 2014 and February 2015, NAF awarded 10 contracts totalling Nine Hundred and Thirty Million, Five Hundred Thousand, Six Hundred and Ninety US Dollars ($930,500,690.00) to SEI Nig Ltd.

Letters of award and End User Certificates for all the contracts issued by NAF and ONSA respectively did not reflect the contract sums. Rather, these were only found in the vendor’s invoices, all dated 19 March 2015. Additionally, some of the award letters contained misleading delivery dates suggesting fraudulent intent in the award process. The observed discrepancies are in clear contravention of extant procurement regulations.

The SEI contracts included procurement of two used Mi-24V Helicopters instead of the recommended Mi-35M series at the cost of One Hundred and Thirty Six Million, Nine Hundred and Forty Four Thousand US Dollars ($136,944,000.00).

However, it was confirmed that the helicopters were excessively priced and not operationally air worthy at the time of delivery. A brand new unit of such helicopters goes for about Thirty Million US Dollars ($30m). Furthermore, the helicopters were delivered without rotor blades and upgrade accessories.
Additionally, the helicopters were undergoing upgrade while being deployed for operation in the North East without proper documentation. It was further established that as at date, only one of the helicopters is in service while the other crashed and claimed the lives of two NAF personnel.
The Committee established that ONSA also funded the procurement of 4 used Alpha-Jets for the NAF at the cost of Seven Million, One Hundred and Eighty Thousand US Dollars ($7,180,000.00). However, it was confirmed that only 2 of the Alpha-Jet aircraft were ferried to Nigeria after cannibalization of engines from NAF fleet.

This is contrary to the written assertion of the former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal AN Amosu to the former NSA that all the 4 procured Alpha-Jets aircraft were delivered to the NAF.
The non-militarisation of the Alpha-Jets made them unsuitable for deployment to the North East and they are currently deployed only for training at NAF Kainji.

Furthermore, the procurement of the Alpha-Jets was contrary to the recommendation of the assessment team. The Committee found that the conduct of Air Marshal Amosu was deliberately misleading and unpatriotic.

The contract for the procurement of 36D6 Low Level Air Defence Radar for the NAF was awarded to GAT Techno Dynamics Ltd in April 2014 at the cost of Thirty Three Million US Dollars ($33m) and was funded by ONSA.

The Committee established that the radars were excessively priced as a complete set of such radars (comprising 6 radars including the Control Centre) goes for Six Million US Dollars ($6m) averagely. The Committee observed that the radars were delivered without the vital component of Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) that distinguishes between own and adversary aircraft, which has significantly degraded the operational capabilities of the NAF in the North East.

It was further observed that the sum of Three Million, Three Hundred Thousand US Dollars ($3.3m) was fraudulently included in the contract agreement as VAT and With Holding Tax and subsequently paid into the bank accounts of Spacewebs Interservices Ltd and Delfina Oil and Gas Ltd.
The Committee further established that Two Million US Dollars ($2m) from the proceeds was transferred to Mono Marine Corporation Nig Ltd, which is jointly owned by principal characters in this deal. The Committee opined that the infractions of extant regulations by these companies were clearly intended to defraud.

It was established that between September 2009 and May 2015, the NAF expended about Fifteen Billion Naira (N15bn) on the maintenance of its Alpha-Jets, C-130H aircraft and Mi-24V/35P helicopters. Out of this amount, Four Billion, Four Hundred and Two Million, Six Hundred and Eighty Seven Thousand, Five Hundred and Sixty Nine Naira, Forty One Kobo (N4,402,687,569.41) was paid out for contracts not executed.

It was also observed that in carrying out these maintenance activities, contracts worth over Two Billion, Five Hundred Million Naira (N2.5bn) were awarded to Syrius Technologies, a Ukrainian company that was not registered in Nigeria. Regrettably, in spite of these expenditures, the status of NAF fleet remained operationally appalling as only 3 Alpha-Jets, 2 C-130H and one each of Mi-24V and Mi-35P were serviceable as at 28 May 15.

In October 2013, NAF awarded contracts to DICON for the supply of weapons and ammunition at the cost of Five Hundred and Ninety Nine Million, One Hundred and Eighteen Thousand Naira (N599,118,000.00). However, only 2 of the 7 items contracted were delivered to NAF while the outstanding 5 items remained undelivered despite repeated requests to DICON.
The Committee also found that the delivered ammunition were about 40 years old, thereby casting doubts on their shelf life. The failure of DICON to fully execute the contract and the delivery of aged ammunition diminished the capacity of the NAF in North East operation.

The Committe uncovered insider dealings by military officers in procurement activities undertaken by ONSA and the NAF. The officers were found to have misused or abused their offices for personal gains by influencing award of contracts to private companies in which they have substantial interests.
For instance, an officer serving in the ONSA used his office to secure 2 contracts for his company, Geonel Integrated Services Ltd, for the protection of 20 Dams and Presidential Air Fleet security at the cost of Six Billion, Two Hundred and Fifty Million Naira (N6,250,000,000.00) and Five Million US Dollars ($5m) respectively.

Furthermore, some NAF officers used their companies to collect VAT and With Holding Tax that were never remitted to FIRS while another officer was found to have cross transferred about Five Hundred Million Naira (N500m) between a NAF company, Aeronautical Engineering and Technical Services Limited, SkyExperts Nig Ltd and Huzee Nig Ltd, companies in which he had personal interests.
It would be recalled that in its First Interim Report, the Committee on Audit of Defence Equipment established that the sum of Six Hundred and Forty Three Billion Naira (N643bn) and Two Billion, One Hundred Million US Dollars ($2.1bn) interventions were received for defence procurements by DHQ and the Services between 2007 and 2015.

In continuation of its assignment, the Committee has so far established that the nation spent about Twenty Nine Billion Naira (N29bn) and Two Billion US Dollars ($2bn) on NAF procurement activities alone.

Garba Shehu
SSA to the President
(Media & Publicity)
January 15, 2016

Transport minister, Amaechi emerges Ohanaeze Igbo man of the year

Nigeria’s Minister of Transport, Chibuike Amaechi has won the 2015 Igbo Man of the Year Award.

National Secretary of the Ohanaeze Youth Council, OYC, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, who disclosed this to journalists at a press briefing on Thursday, said “the former Governor of Rivers State from the Ikwerre sub Igbo clan won the award after a stiff poll organised by the OYC.”

While disclosing that the award will officially be conferred on Hon Amaechi on Saturday, 30th January, 2015 at Nike Lake Hotel, Enugu, he stated that the Deputy Senate President, Chief Senator Ike Ekweremadu emerged as the outstanding Igbo politician of the year.

According to him, winners of other categories include Governor Willy Obiano- the best Igbo Governor of the year, Senator Hope Uzodimma, the Igbo legislator of the year, Chief Ifeanyi Ubah, the Igbo entrepreneur of the year, Leo Stan Ekeh, the Igbo Scientist of the year, Prof Ben Nwabueze, the Igbo Elder statesman of the year and Prof May Nwoye the Igbo Woman of the year.

Others are Dr Ogbonnaya Onu, the Igbo Minister of the year, Chief Charles Okereke, the Igbo Journalist of the year, Chief Innocent Chukwuma , the Igbo investor of the year, Chief Author Eze, the Igbo philanthropist of the year and Chief Maduka Onyishi, the Igbo Transporter of the year.

On why Amaechi won the award, Okwu explained that “his actions before and during the 2015 presidential election has so much helped in deepening Nigeria’s democracy.

“We recall how he doggedly fought and retained his position as the chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, against all odds.

“Apart from that, as the Director of President Buhari’s campaign team, he gallantly led the fight that led to the change in the country today. These no doubt, put him forward as a true Igbo son from the South-South.

“On the part of Senator Ike Ekweremadu, apart from the effective representation he has given to his constituency and the South-East Zone, he emerged as the Deputy Senate President against all odds”.

On the recognition of Gov Willie Obiano as the best Igbo Governor of the Year in the zone, he explained that even though all the governors, especially the three new ones, had make remarkable impact, the Anambra Governor had created so many indelible records.

He further stated that other categories of awards to be announced later include the Igbo Sportsperson of the year, the Igbo Farmer of the year, the Igbo Academic of the year, the Igbo footballer of the year, among others.

Source: Daily Post NG

Buhari will adjust 2016 budget – Aide

A Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly (House of Representatives) to President Muhammadu Buhari, Sumaila Kawu, on Thursday said the president would make some adjustments to the 2016 Budget proposal.

Since the resumption of the National Assembly from recess on Monday, there has been controversy over the whereabouts of the proposed budget documents, presented before a joint session of the National Assembly by the president in December.

The senate on Thursday accused another presidential aide of submitting a version of the budget different from the copy presented by the president.

Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES in Abuja, Mr. Kawu said the president would amend the proposal to reflect the current oil prices.

“We made a proposal of $38 per barrel, now it’s $27; so there must be adjustment.

“If in the process of the budgeting period, the National Assembly or the Executive discovers anything not practicable or deserving adjustment, then it will be amended. Budget is always subject to amendment.

“You can’t foreclose any amendment. We must amend. Even without dwindling oil revenue, the budget must be amended. It is a man-made document, therefore there must be an amendment,” he said.

On why the National Assembly has not started deliberating on the budget, he said, “You need to be clear on what to deliberate on. There is no need for rush as the National Assembly will make consultations with all relevant international bodies”.

He said the first action the National Assembly would do is to debate the general principle of the budget, while the second action is discussing the nitty-gritty of the budget by a committee after the adjustments.

“Whenever there is need for the amendment of the proposal by the presidency, it will be done. There is no hidden agenda and nothing was missing,” he added.

Source: Premium Times

Court remands Metuh in prison

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday remanded the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Olisa Metuh, in Kuje prison.

Metuh , who was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on a seven –count charge, pleaded not guilty to all the charges filed against him.

The PDP spokesman’s counsel, Ifedayo Adedipe, filed an oral application for bail, but the prosecuting counsel opposed the application.

The presiding judge, Abang Obong, ordered that the application be properly filed so that the EFCC can respond before it would be entertained.

Obong directed that Metuh be transferred to the prison from EFCC custody.

Source: The Nation

Music stars Dammy Krane and Wizkid fight at Quilox club?

According to sources at the club, in the early hours of today Jan. 15th, Dammy Krane, who called Wizkid out on social media a few days ago for allegedly stealing his slangs and lyrics, was attacked by the singer at Obafemi Martin's All Black party at Quilox night club. Continue..

The two were said to be sitting on the same table with Obafemi Martin and others when the fight broke out. They said Wizkid didn't like a comment Dammy Krane made at the table and without warning, punched Dammy in the face, some claim he hit Dammy with a glass cup. Dammy picked up a bottle and threw it at Wizkid but missed and before he could do anything else, others got involved and separated the two. Club owner Shina Peller then took them to his office to settle issues.

The two music artists are yet to say anything about the incident on their respective social media pages..

Source: Linda Ikeji's blog

Buhari: Senate’s claim on Budget 2016 is laughable

•Buhari

The fate of this year’s budget was yesterday hanging in the balance, with Senate President Bukola Saraki accusing Presidential Liasson Officer Ita Enang of printing a different version of the document presented by President Muhammadu Buhari on December 22.

He said the Senate will not consider the budget until the version presented by the President is made available to senators.

But to the President, the drama over the document is “laughable”, according to House Presidential Liasson Officer Sumaila Kawu.

Saraki spoke after a two-hour closed session to “thorougly discuss and to take far-reaching discussion on the budget”.

He recalled that the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions was told to investigate the matter.

He said the Senate discovered from the findings of its Ethics committee that Enang printed and submitted to the Senate a different version of the document.

He said: “We have received the report of the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions on investigations surrounding 2016 Appropriation Bill.

“Our finding is that Senator Ita Enang, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (SSA), printed copies of the 2016 Appropriation Bill and brought to the Senate.

“We have discovered that what he brought is different from the version presented by Mr. President.

“We have resolved to consider only the version presented by Mr. President as soon as we receive soft copy of the original document from the Executive.”

Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, told reporters immediately after Senate plenary that:

“The report of the investigation by the committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition has been submitted in the Executive session because it was a decision we took in the last Executive session on Tuesday.

“Now our findings are these, that Mr. President did lay the budget in the Joint session of the National Assembly.

“Thereafter, the Senate went on recess and upon resumption copies of the document were produced by Senator Ita Enang, who is the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters for Senate and copies were submitted to both the Senate and the House of Representatives.

“What we found out is that the document submitted by Senator Ita Enang upon our resumption has some differences and discrepancies with what was originally laid by Mr. President in the joint sitting of the National Assembly.

“However, the Senate in defence of its integrity and honour will not work with what has not been laid in the National Assembly.

“We are constitutionally mandated and duty-bound to consider only that budget that has been so laid by Mr. President.

“Right now, for reproduction, we are awaiting the soft copy of the originally submitted budget so that the National Assembly can reproduce copies of the budget itself.

“Because if we reproduce ourselves, then we have confidence in the fact that what we reproduced is what was originally submitted to us.

“The institution of the Senate will not and can not do anything that is illegal. We will not do any thing that will not promote the unity, integrity and welfare of Nigerians.”

Abdullahi said: “The budget submitted by the President is not missing. We already have copies of it but what we are saying is that for us to reproduce for our members, it is easier, based on the quantum of document that has to be produced, that we get the soft copy of that original version so that we can reproduce it.”

He insisted that “by next week, we want to go down to business; senators have picked dates to speak during the three days set aside for debate of the 2016 budget.”

Abdullahi also said that the Senate leadership was mandated to speak with all those concerned with the document. “That was why the Senate President was in touch with Mr. President.”

The Senate spokesperson, however, refused to speak on the claim by the House of Representatives that it had its own original version of the fiscal document.

He also declined to state the differences in the version submitted by Enang and the one presented by President Buhari.

“I am not in the position to say the differences between the document submitted by the President and the one brought by Ita Enang. The committee that investigated the issue did not include that in their report.”

Enang declined to speak on the matter, saying it is between “two of my bosses”.

.”I do not want to comment on the matter at the moment,” Enang said. “It is a very sensitive matter involving two of my bosses – the National Assembly and Presidency. I don’t want to talk about them.”

To Buhari, the drama over the budget is “laughable”, according to the House Presidential Liasson Officer Sumaiala Kawu. The President cannot direct his agents to “steal” the document.

According to him, the President has no reason to smuggle the document out of the Senate because he is aware of  options he can explore to withdraw the document.

He also described the accusation directed at his Senate counterpart, Sen. Ita Enang as “unfair” because the former senator is an experienced lawmaker who once chaired Rules and Business Committees in the House and in the Senate.

Kawu said the missing budget rumour may have been strengthened by the locking away of the document in the Clerk of the National Assembly’s office.

He said: “It is a suprise to us and Mr President in particular; it is laughable. We just laughed when we heard of it.

“Being a joint sitting , Mr President laid  one document on the floor; then it is for the Budget Office or National Planning Commission (NPC) to make copies.

“In this case, once it was laid, the Clerk of the National Assembly locked the document in his office because of the time of the year; it was holiday period and the lawmakers were going on holiday.

“The confusion might have been as a result of that.

“But our concern in this matter is why we were dragged into it.

“Actually, as our job entails, we lobbied the National Assembly to take a second look at the oil benchmark because our projection was no longer in tune with the current reality.

“We lobbied the National Assembly on the benchmark; it was not illegal or alien to legislature world over and it has nothing to do with stealing or smuggling it out of the Senate.

“We, as the Executive, have to take account of the volatile nature of oil price. The National Assembly was aware of this, but notwithstanding we still have no reason to withdraw it.

“Even if the document must be withdrawn, it must be done legally and there are laid down means of doing that, which the President can explore.

“Buhari will be the last person to assign his agent to be involved in such illegality.”

The presidential aide said the sad development was not a matter of lack of communication between the Executive and  legislature but an act of mischief by those behind it.

He defended Enang, saying:

“Enang is a hands-on legislator that knows the rules. He was Chairman of Rules and Business committees of the House and Senate, so he knows the rules.

“This is the same lawmaker that tackled the then Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on different versions of Budget being implemented.

“He is very much aware of what is at stake and couldn’t have involved himself in such an illegality”.

On whether the budget may be withdrawn as a result of the crashing global oil price, Kawu said there was no plan for that.

“We will not withdraw the  because the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) has taken into consideration a situation like this.

“We are aware that for Saudi Arabia to raise her domestic oil price and the United States  exporting oil means there’s a problem.

“That was the reason why diversification of economy is a priority to this government, this budget wasn’t oil-dependent,” he said.

House of Representatives spokesman Abdulrazak Namdas said the House would only work with the document presented by President Buhari.

“He came with the document, and laid it on the table, and this is the document we would work on, as far as we are concerned as a House.

“By next week, we are commencing consideration of the document. Since our budget is not missing, nobody has withdrawn it,”.

Source: The Nation