PENDULUM: WHY PRESIDENT BUHARI MUST SUCCEED

By Dele Momodu

Fellow Nigerians, let me confirm what you already know; I’m an absolute supporter of

President Muhammadu Buhari despite being one of his most vociferous critics in the past.

The reasons are very simple and I shall try to enumerate them one by one. Though I wanted a young and vibrant President, and did present myself once upon a time, I’ve since realised that even the young voters can’t readily identify who they want and what they need to do to have him when they see one. Two, our younger leaders have not demonstrated their seriousness and passion for developmental goals over and above the older generation. Three, President Buhari has what most people lack and that is integrity. Four, the former ruling party, PDP, left us with no option as they went on a reckless binge at the expense of the nation.

As I told two newspaper publishers earlier in the week, my interest in President Buhari has become a religion and indeed an article of Faith. By fire and by force, he must succeed. For me and my house, failure is not on our plate.

I consider myself a humble stakeholder in this Presidency and I’m ready to give it all it takes from my little corner. That does not require me to be in his government. We can all contribute our quota. I will not deny him like Peter denied Jesus.

Many of our opponents during the last elections are already teasing and taunting us and threatening Buhari’s government with impending doom and unmitigated disaster.

They are quick to write him off instead of seeing themselves first as Nigerians and telling the President what he should be doing that he is not and so on.

The road ahead is long and rough and would be tough to navigate but the people’s General must keep marching and pushing because the world is watching and waiting with bated breath. Will Buhari fail or succeed and break the jinx of monumental failure in leadership and governance in Nigeria? In order to make the difference our President must take certain steps.

I will mention a few. He should skilfully avoid the professional power-grabbers who are

experts at misleading most leaders. As broke as Nigeria seems at the moment we are still a wealthy nation. Our riches are from human and natural resources. We are a lucky country stupendously blessed by God. The biggest trouble is our unquenchable profligacy.

We waste too much on very few. We need to be more visibly austere. Our 2016 budget should be an embarrassment to a Government that professes change. We are going to borrow money to fund extravagant spending. As usual, we want to maintain the status quo by practising capitalism without capital.

President Buhari should not dismiss the harsh criticisms of major international media

organisations as the handiwork of his enemies. He should read, digest and consider the merits of their anxieties over Nigeria. Some government agents are already behaving like the neurotic disciples of former President Goodluck Jonathan who in their abject paranoia abused and accused anyone who dared to say their government was on its way to perdition. The Buhari government must realise that the best way to punish an enemy is by succeeding. The Financial Times, Bloomberg and The Economist can’t all be wrong at once. We hailed all these publications when they wrote off the Jonathan administration which eventually came to pass. It is sad we are wasting scarce resources in advertising in those journals instead of tidying up at home and harnessing our huge potentials.

The period of campaigning is gone and we should stop engaging in unnecessary propaganda. What is good would be seen by those who have eyes and felt even by those who have none.

There is nothing new that we’ve not done to woo investors in the past. What we need to do is to create a new nation and a new way of doing things. We don’t need to sweat so much if we do the right things. In those circumstances we won’t see enemies where none exist.

Let’s get on with the job, get it done and stop the blame game.

A TOAST TO TONY ELUMELU

The Chairman of United Bank of Africa, Mr Tony Elumelu, made extraordinary impact

last year as he selected and assembled thousands of budding entrepreneurs from all

over Africa.

Since then, he’s been receiving thunderous applause for his great vision and

the passion to lift up many Africans from the depths of poverty.

The latest eulogy comes from no less a personage than Penny Pritzker, the US Secretary

of Commerce. I’m delighted to publish such a massive tribute on a great son of Africa

who deserves a resounding ovation…

“Congratulations on the launch of the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme. Tony has been one of our foremost team players in supporting entrepreneurs, particularly here on the African continent. I am so grateful for the leadership and creativity that he has brought into the many initiatives on which we have worked together, including most recently, the Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Kenya.

Secretary Penny Pritzker with Tony Elumelu

Tony, thanks to your vision and extraordinary generosity, many young African

entrepreneurs across the continent – like the ones here today – will have access to the

mentorship, training and support they need to build the businesses they dream of. They will be the leading edge of Africa’s next wave of economic growth. Supporting entrepreneurs across Africa, and indeed around the world, is a top priority for President Obama. He recognizes, as I do, that opportunity for business creators to thrive around the world is the foundation for a rising middle class, for security and stability, and for broad-based prosperity.

I am proud to lead the Administration’s effort to support and empower aspiring entrepreneurs, both in the United States and across the globe. As “America’s Innovation Agency,” my Department connects the world’s next generation of entrepreneurs with the networks, mentors

and investors they need to make their businesses successful. Our initiatives and programs include our annual Global Entrepreneurship Summits, held most recently in Kenya, where we convene entrepreneurs with investors and other key figures in their constellation of support. Another example is Our Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship initiative, known as Page. President Obama asked me to chair the initiative where we work with celebrated business creators like Daymond John to harness their energy, ideas and experience to help develop young entrepreneurs. I am always inspired by the entrepreneurs I meet during my travels throughout this continent. A year and a half ago, in Ghana, I met Eyram Tawia and Wesley Kirinya, two young men who are creating mobile video games with storylines and characters re-imagined as superheroes from African folklore. In a continent where more people use data enabled mobile phones than computers, they have been enormously successful.

And last July at the GES Summit in Kenya, I met Jehil Oliver, an American entrepreneur who grew up in the States but has made Nigeria his business base and his home. He created HelloTractor, a startup that makes smart, low-cost tractors available for small farmers like an “Uber” taxi service. This has been a cost-cutting breakthrough for many of Nigeria’s small farmers, and the market potential is huge. There are 35 million of them!

I am delighted to visit Nigeria on behalf of President Obama, who has

long appreciated that Africa being home to many of the 21st century’s fastest growing

economies means there are enormous mutually beneficial opportunities for us to explore. President Obama believes, as I do, that the American private sector, working in partnership with the African business community, and entrepreneurs like all of you, can help address many of the continent’s most pressing challenges, including creating jobs and opportunity for young people across the continent.

Recognizing the enormous, long-term potential of enhanced private sector

cooperation, the President directed me to establish the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA) to deepen our commercial ties across Africa.

In support of that mission, this delegation of carefully chosen business leaders has come to Nigeria to listen, to engage, and to gather facts. We are not here to close particular business deals but to report back to the President with strong and actionable recommendations that will

benefit both our countries by raising our commercial relationship to the next level.

Of the many countries aspiring to lead Africa into a more prosperous future, Nigeria is the undisputed rising star. It recently surpassed South Africa as Africa’s biggest economy. And it is widely projected to grow into one of the top-10 global economies with a top-four population by the year 2050.

As Africa’s largest and fastest growing economy, Nigeria’s potential is huge. But with

President Buhari’s election and the changing nature of global oil markets, this

is a genuine moment of truth for the nation. President Buhari has assembled a capable and experienced economic team that is committed to making sure Nigeria remains “open for business.” And we are encouraged by his commitment to create a diversified economy and business friendly environment in Nigeria that enables Nigerian companies to grow and thrive, while also attracting foreign investment.

Reforms to the business climate are welcome in a nation, which, while boasting the largest

economy and population in Sub-Saharan Africa, has not yet reached its potential. And

American companies stand ready to be partners moving forward. We are here because

we believe we can do more together.

Accordingly, the PAC-DBIA has focused its efforts around key sectors where we think the

greatest potential lies for creating jobs in both Africa – especially Nigeria – and the United

States. Those sectors, which include power, services, ICT, transportation, agriculture and health care, are the ones in which members of the PAC-DBIA have deep expertise. They will be looking for ways to expand our commercial ties by reviewing with American and Nigerian business leaders what works and does not work, and share their observations with the Nigerian government and President Obama.

In our meetings and conversations, we will also be discussing how entrepreneurs – like you – can be even more successful through

partnerships and business opportunities with other entrepreneurs and companies in the United

States. We recognize that few players are more pivotal to Nigeria’s economic growth – or will benefit more from government-led reforms – than entrepreneurs like you.

President Obama put it very well at the Kenya GES Summit when he said –and I quote:

“Entrepreneurship creates new jobs and new businesses, new ways to deliver basic services,

new ways of seeing the world. It’s the spark of prosperity.”

As entrepreneurs who have already started businesses, you have already experienced that

spark. But now you know how hard it is to keep that fire going.

You know the challenges of growing and maintaining your businesses. You have seen how hard it can be to access capital – or to get training and the skills to run a business

professionally and be competitive. You may have encountered problems trying to

find networks to join, or meeting mentors whose advice could be the difference

between your venture taking off or falling flat.

The PAC-DBIA members are here to listen to those experiences and hear your thoughts on the business climate in Nigeria, and what the U.S. government and American companies can do to support you. It is important to them to get a sense of the challenges faced by

entrepreneurs, not only across the Nigerian economy but the region. These sessions will be very much a two-way street, in terms of mutual benefit! As we move to these breakout discussions, please consider them a unique opportunity to test out your ideas, to ask strategic questions, and to build relationships. All of these elements are key to the success of any entrepreneur – and the future of your businesses.

I know that we do not have much time, so please do not be shy. Pin these business

leaders down. Get their advice. Pitch them your idea. Above all, do not be discouraged if

they say, “I’m not sure that is going to work,” and they ask you very tough follow-

up questions. They will ask you because every one of these business

leaders has experienced setbacks as well as successes. What makes them successful is that they learned from them. Before I moderate today’s panel, I want to invite all of you to join us on “The Road to GES,” which leads all the way to the Global Entrepreneurship Summit this summer in Silicon Valley. I am proud that this “Road to GES” goes through Lagos, and I hope some of you will apply to participate in the Silicon Valley Summit. You can find the applications on the web at www.GES2016.org.

But whether you apply or not, I want to wish you the best of luck with your businesses. And I hope you will benefit from the sessions you have today – and the contacts you can develop.

Finally, I would like to express my appreciation once again to Tony – who recognizes the

importance of taking the long view, and of planting seeds. He is helping economies

grow across Africa by investing in the people who will make them grow – entrepreneurs like the people in this room.

Thank you, Tony. And to all the entrepreneurs, let me say: Keep growing, keep expanding and keep connecting!

Remarks by U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Penny Pritzker to Nigerian Entrepreneurs and U.S. Business Leaders at the Tony Elumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Event on January 25, 2016 in Lagos

Source: http://thebossnewspapers.com/pendulum-why-president-buhari-must-succeed/

All out war in the home of Deinde Fernandez “why I am fighting” Exclusive letter from daughter, Abimbola

An all out war has erupted in the home of billionaire businessman and Nigerian High Chief, Ambassador Antonio Deinde Fernandez.

Since his death, many thought that the household would be able to bury their enmity and speak with one voice but it seemed that has been an impossible task with the latest revelations by some actors in the unfolding drama.

From twitter to instagram,the family feud between one of his daughters, Abimbola and his wife, Halima has been all over the social media, in addition to these, we present you with exclusive documents that could help make sense of this issue that is rubbishing the name and legacy of the great Fernandez.

Halima fired the first salvo, alleging that Abimbola was not even a legitimate child of Fernandez and that she had no right to demand for anything. She also made an uncomplimentary remarks about Mrs. Aduke Fernandez, Abimbola’s mother, who was now late. That was not all, she went further to show pictures of other children of the late billionaire whom she referred to as being rightfully his.

After these series of posts, Abimbola fired back on instagram but she also wrote a letter explaining why she is fighting Halima. The letter which she copied her siblings is exclusively made available to The Boss.

Upon hearing the news our father had passed to glory, we went straight to Brussels same day. When I had arrived I dropped my bags at the hotel & went directly to see my sister Antoinette at the hospital to say goodbye to our father one last time. Our visit was brief and entailed no communication from Halima – not even an invite to our late fathers home. We were told very little information regarding the existence of a will, who is in charge of dads estate, funeral plans, and what will be done with sentimental valuables.

Despite what many people want to think, us children freqented Belgium to visit our father. After losing my mother Sandra Price, AKA Aduke Fernandez, it really put life into perspective for me and really made me value every second with loved ones.

The last time I had a friendly conversation with Halima was November 2014. Nothing since then until the call about dad which I wouldn’t even describe as friendly.

Once the children returned home, we all kept in touch as to figure out the next steps. Dads last wishes were to be buried back home in Lagos. This was made clear to Halima amongst many others. Our sisters Teju & Gbemi were planning a fitting burial for a king as per dads request. We were all under the impression & getting passports visas etc ready to fly to Nigeria to bury our dad. After 2 weeks I received a phone call from a close friend of our fathers who informed me that he received a formal invite by mail and phone to dads funeral in Belgium. I immediately called my siblings who were gobsmacked at the plan put in place to bury our father without our participation, permission and most importantly without inviting us. I don’t know how anyone with sound mind can invite all of dads friends to his funeral and not his children…

My siblings tried to reason with Halima to no avail evidently because dad indeed was buried in Brussels against his wishes.

Abimbola’s birth certificate

The day of the funeral Halima had arranged for the children to be picked up in a shuttle bus while she rode in a phantom Rolls Royce. Dad owned numerous luxury vehicles such as a Bentley, Rolls and Maybach. He had more than enough cars to fit his children and their friends & family but per Halimas organization we followed in the bus. No one had seen the funeral program until the night before and some of us the day of the service. We scrambled to include readings from us children as many of us were excluded and not even asked to speak at our own fathers funeral.

The service wasn’t fitting for the king our father is and our opinions read on all of our faces. What struck me as unnecessarily evil was towards the end of Halimas eulogy she said something along the lines of “and I know you are up there with the only woman whom you really loved, Barbera Joyce” his late ex wife. In poor taste she decides to purposely take a dig at me by excluding my late mother. She took another as we stood at the gravesite and she asked all children by name except myself and Antoinette if we had anything to say in memory of our loving father. Chosen siblings went the next day to our fathers home to speak to Halima and try and get a sense of the direction things were going in. She gave them a document and told them not to share it with the rest of the family for 40 days. Of course we now know we only had 40 days to submit time sensitive information partaking to our fathers estate. Another trick. No words have been exchanged with her since.

Currently Halima is laying claim to parts of dads affairs, on what grounds, I have no idea. We have yet to see any proof of a legal marriage. She is legally fighting us children and has only recently moved out of dads home after a detailed inventory was taken to prevent theft of his belongings which by Belgian law belong to his children. After said inventory is when she took to twitter to tweet her horrific slander towards us born with American mothers. She has also gone as far as to publicly say on twitter that our father only has 1 legitimate daughter (he has 6), I do not have the right to use the title HIH which as a child of my father I do, referring to my mother as a wh*re who’s ashes need to be buried as well as plenty of other filth.

I believe in preserving our fathers legacy but this woman has already ruined it. She is slandering his children to anyone and everyone that will listen, publicly and privately. People speak of not retaliating with her but enough is enough. I am an orphan and I am protecting my mothers honor as any loving child would. My father was the first to say “Do not take nonsense from anyone” and that, I shall not.

We would like to be left alone to grieve over our father, settle his affairs and take him home to rest.
If you love him you would stop playing dirty and leave his children alone.

Abimbola Fernandez

Source: http://thebossnewspapers.com/all-out-war-in-the-home-of-deinde-fernandez-why-iam-fighting-exclusive-letter-from-daughter-abimbola/

Glamour as monarchs welcome Ooni to Ijebuland

Ooni

Scores of Ijebu traditional rulers and chiefs on Friday afternoon joined  the Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, to receive the newly crowned Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, as he made his maiden Royal and historical visit to Ijebu – Ode, Ogun state.

Oba Ogunwusi arrived the Awujale’s Palace, Ijebu – Ode, the Royal Home of Awujale by 1:16 pm.

The 40-year old Ife monarch was accompanied by dozens of Ife (Osun state) traditional rulers chiefs  and Palace aides while the Elewon Ooni(Ooni Palace drummers) chanted “Oodua mbo o” Oodua mbo o” along.

The Nation gathered that the visit was part of his agenda to foster greater unity, harmony and development of Yorubaland, Southwest Nigeria.

Few weeks ago, he had paid similar visit to the Alaafin of Oyo in Oyo town, Oba Lamidi  Adeyemi.

At the Palace with Oba Adetona to welcome the Ooni are Oloori Omoba, Otunba Subomi Balogun, the Ebumawe of Ago – Iwoye, Oba Abdul – Rasaq Adenugba, the Ajalorun of Ijebu – Ife, Oba Afolorunsho Oguntayo, the Gbegande of Ososa, Oba Toye Alatishe, the Olorogun of Ijebuland, Chief Sunny Kuku, the Alaporu of Ilaporu, Oba Jimoh Quadri, the Limeri of Awa  – Ijebu, Oba Amos Awobajo, Chief Duro Onabule among others.

Confusion over Supreme court verdict on Anambra

There was confusion on Friday morning over reports of the sack of Andy Uba and Stella Oduah as senators representing different constituencies in Anambra state. 

The report, which was widely circulated, gave rise to the belief that all the lawmakers elected to represent Anambra in the 8th assembly, had lost their seats, as the appeal court had annuled the election of Uche Ekwunife, also a PDP lawmaker, in December. 

But Tochukwu Nweke, one of the lawyers representing Oduah, Uba and seven members of the house representatives from Anambra, has said the judgment  which the apex court delivered on Friday had nothing to do with the status of the lawmakers but on the chairmanship position of PDP in the state. 

“In summary, the judgment that was given today is all about the chairmanship of PDP in Anambra state, and nothing more,” he told TheCable. 

“It has nothing to do with the candidates. The people at the national assembly are still there. The judgment does not affect them in any manner. 

“The supreme court made it clear in the judgment that they were not dealing with the issue of nomination of candidates, but only the issue of chairmanship.” 

Meanwhile, the legal team of the lawmakers has written a letter to the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), impressing on him the facts of the judgment. 

Below are snippets from the letter entitled: ‘The status of PDP senators and members of the house of representatives’: 

Our clients were duly nominated by the National Executive of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2015 General Election and they contested the Election and were duly returned as elected.  

They were subsequently issued with their respective Certificates of Return and have since been performing the duties for which they were elected by their respective constituents before the election and during the nomination process, the National Executive duly forwarded our clients’ names which the Commission duly received. 

Thereafter owing to some shenanigans by some staff of the Commission whom our clients believed were working for a self-styled State Executive Committee which were determined against the serene and settled position of the law to sponsor candidates for the Peoples Democratic party (PDP), our clients’ names were relegated.  

This created a situation whereby the legal department of the Commission commenced playing a “musical chair” with list of candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) when they were fully aware that the only authority that is competent to forward names of candidates is the National Executive Committee by virtue of correspondence signed by its National Chairman and Secretary.  

In two (2) remarkable pronouncements, the Supreme Court of Nigeria eloquently held that no list other than that forwarded by the National Executive of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) shall be countenanced by the Commission. 

It is also on record that our Client appealed the decision of the Federal High Court to the Court of Appeal which set aside the decision. Upon an appeal to the Supreme Court, the Supreme Court on 29th January, 2016 allowed the appeal.  

This appeal has now excited some attention and has been subjected to blatant and crude misinterpretations which have necessitated this correspondence.   

This correspondence is aimed at setting the record straight so that your good self will not again be misled by your legal department into unjustifiably occasioning an unnecessary confusion in the process. The judgment under reference is SC. 37 /2015: CHIEF EJIKE OGUEBEGO & ANOR v. PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY & ORS.    

May I draw your attention to the most pertinent segment of the Judgment for the purpose of the status of the legislators sponsored by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at pages 46, 47 and 48 of the Judgment where their lordships of the Supreme Court held as follows:-  

The Court below, however, veered from the course set by the trial court and took the matter to another level which clearly failed to take into consideration the main issue before the trial court. On page 1291 of Volume 3 of the record of appeal the Court of Appeal held as follows:-  

It is established beyond peradventure that it is the National Executive Committee of the appellant which has the power to conduct a valid primary for the nomination or selection of candidates for a general election.  

Please Note the Following :  

The Supreme Court did not order the withdrawal of the Certificates of Return issued by the Commission. They did not hold that the faction of the PDP had the right to sponsor candidates for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).  

They did not equally authorize the Commission to substitute our clients with the individuals whose names were on the list improperly allowed by the Commission in obvious disregard of the series of judgments of the Supreme Court of Nigeria to the effect that it is only the National Executive of the party that has the vires to sponsor candidates.




Source: https://www.thecable.ng/confusion-scourt-verdict-anambra#.VqveAcBk3Vc.twitter

EFCC arrests FIRS director for tax fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested Abumere Joseph Osagie, a Deputy Director, Regional Tax Office of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), for allegedly attempting to extort N5 million from the Chancellor of Baze University, Abuja, Senator Ahmed Datti.

He was arrested with one Jamila Ojora for abuse of office and bribery.

A statement issued by the Head, Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren,  said the FIRS deputy director was arrested following a complaint about his attempt to extort a university chancellor’s N5million.

The statement said: “Osagie and one Jamila Ojora had on January 27, 2016 allegedly approached Senator Ahmed Datti, the Chancellor of Baze University, Abuja and gave him a tax assessment of N20,029, 496.00 through a letter of intent, which he paid.

“However, when he requested for the assessment certificate, they refused to oblige him. Instead they allegedly demanded for N5 million gratification. All pleas by him fell on deaf ears.

"Consequently, he petitioned the EFCC, and was advised to play along. Consequently, marked N5million was delivered to the director through Ojora in a sting operation. Ojora was arrested after she collected the N5 million. Her confession led to the arrest of Osagie.

“The houses of the suspects were searched by operatives of the EFCC and documents recovered. Investigations continue.”

Source: The Nation

Chelsea FC Signs Alexandre Pato.

Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce the loan signing of Alexandre Pato from Corinthians until the end of the season.

Pato, whose full name is Alexandre Rodrigues da Silva, is a versatile forward player with an excellent touch and impressive turn of pace. 

Pato said: ‘I am so happy to sign for Chelsea. It is a dream for me. I am looking forward to meeting and getting to know my new team-mates and cannot wait to play.

‘I thank Chelsea for their support and hope I can repay this faith to the club and its fans.’

Emerging as one of world football’s hottest properties while at Internacional in his native Brazil, Pato earned a move to then-European champions AC Milan in the summer of 2007.

He flourished in his first season in Serie A under the guidance of Carlo Ancelotti and continued to impress with his vision, movement, and clinical finishing, netting 14 goals in the Rossoneri’s title-winning campaign of 2010/11.

Pato left Milan in January 2013 having scored 63 goals in 150 appearances. He returned to Brazil to play for Corinthians and subsequently enjoyed a successful loan spell at their city rivals Sao Paulo before becoming a Chelsea player.

Pato has made 27 appearances for his national team, scoring 10 goals, and represented his country at both the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. 

Source: ChelseaFC.com

Arms scam: EFCC operative arrested for collecting N45m bribe

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested one of its operatives, Abdulrahman Mohammed Biu, who is a Deputy Detective Superintendent for allegedly collecting $150,000 (about N45 million) from some military officers currently under investigation for their involvement in the arms procurement scam.

He promised to give the unnamed seven military officers soft landing to escape probe in the $2.1billion arms scandal.

A statement issued by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren,  said documents relating to the ongoing arms scandal investigation were recovered from the suspect.

The statement said: “An operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrahman Mohammed Biu, a Deputy Detective Superintendent, (DDS) has been arrested for offences bordering on extortion, influence peddling and impersonation.

“The officer was arrested on Monday following intelligence report alleging that he extorted a whopping sum of $150,000 from some  military officers on the pretext that he would help give them a soft landing in the ongoing  investigation into the arms deal  scandal.

“Upon his arrest, a search was executed on his residence in Abuja where the following items were recovered: $20,000 cash, N500, 000 cash, two police uniforms bearing his name with the ranks of Deputy Superintendent and Assistant Superintendent, Police warrant card No: 27/2014 with the rank of DSP allegedly obtained from Kano Constabulary office, documents relating to military arms investigation and account information of several senior military officers.

“A search of his car parked in the premises yielded the following items: unbranded pistol with a magazine and 10 live ammunitions.

“His modus operandi includes dropping the names of ranking officers of the commission, claiming he was acting on their behalf.

” A paper containing seven of such names was recovered in his house.

“The suspect has made useful statement, while investigation continues.”

Source: The Nation

EFCC Closes In On Ex- Nigerian Defense Minister Obanikoro, Two Sons Over N4.8b Diverted From Arms Budget

SaharaReporters has exclusively learned that two sons of Nigeria’s former Minister of State for Defense, Musiliu Obanikoro, are currently on the radar of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over a massive amount of monies transferred to their accounts from funds budgeted for the procurement of weapons and other equipment for the country’s military. Two sources at the anti-graft agency told a correspondent of SaharaReporters that the EFCC had traced N4.745 billion to the bank account of Sylvan McNamara Limited, a company in which the former minister’s two sons, Ibrahim Babajide and Gbolahan Olatunde Obanikoro, have major interest.  

Our sources disclosed that the funds were paid in several tranches into the company’s account number 0026223714 with Diamond Bank. The sources added that the funds were paid from an account maintained by the Office of the National Security Adviser at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

One of the sources revealed that all the transfers were made between June and December 2014. The period coincided with the preparations for and the conduct of the Ekiti State governorship election, ultimately won by Ayodele Fayose of the Peoples Democratic Party. SaharaReporters had exclusively obtained and released an audiotaped conversation in which Mr. Obanikoro, Mr. Fayose, former Minister for Police Affairs Jelili Adesiyan, and a few other PDP stalwarts instructed a top military officer, Brigadier General Momoh, on strategies for rigging the election for the PDP governorship candidate by intimidating supporters of then incumbent Governor Kayode Fayemi. Mr. Kayode also inaugurated a new campaign mode he nicknamed “stomach infrastructure,” which involved the doling out of massive amounts of cash to voters.  
 
One investigator involved in looking into transfers of funds to Sylvan McNamara’s account hinted that some of the cash was  routed to Mr. Fayose’s campaign. 

For instance, on June 5, 2014, N200 million was transferred into the account of the firm owned by Mr. Obanikoro’s two sons. On June 16, 2014, few days before the election of Mr. Fayose, N2 billion was wired into the account from the CBN account maintained by the Office of the National Security Adviser. Another massive transfer, this time of the sum of N700 million, landed in the Obanikoro-affiliated account on July 7, 2014. On July 30, 2014, N1 billion was credited to the firm’s account. Other transfers included N160 million on August 8, 2014, N225 million on August 22, 2014, N200 million on November 14, 2014, and N200 million on December 5, 2014.

Our sources disclosed that both Gbolahan and Babajide Obanikoro were listed as directors of the company earlier incorporated in 2011 by Ikenna Ezekwe, Idowu Oshodi and Elizabeth Adebiyi. They added that Mr. Obanikoro’s two sons were also signatories to the company’s account until 2014 when one Olalekan Ogunseye was made sole signatory.

Our EFCC sources disclosed that investigators had discovered no contracts to back or justify the hefty payments made by the Office of the National Security Adviser, then headed by retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki, to Sylvan McNamara Limited.
 

Mr. Dasuki and numerous politicians have been indicted for illicit disbursement of more than $2 billion budgeted for the procurement of weaponry to empower the Nigerian military in its counter-insurgency operations against Islamist militant group, Boko Haram. While Mr. Dasuki disbursed the defense funds to politicians at the orders of former President Goodluck Jonathan, the Nigerian Army suffered high casualties as Boko Haram fighters attacked and sacked several military barracks. 

The former Defense minister, Mr. Obanikoro, is currently resident in the US where he is reportedly registered as a student of history at  Oglethorpe University in Georgia, USA. One of his two sons linked with the massive fraud  resides in Suwanee, Gwinnett County in the state of Georgia where they own real estate purchased in August 2014. Obanikoro jide, Musiliu and Gbolahan

Source: Sahara Reporters

Seize any money I own in foreign accounts, Akpabio challenges FG

Akpabio

Former Governor of Akwa Ibom State and Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio has denied owning any property in Dubai, United Arab Emirate or any other foreign country.

Akpabio in a statement on Friday by his his media assistant, Anietie Ekong, challenged the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to seize any money found in a foreign bank account bearing his name.

The Senate Minority Leader was denying reports that accused him of making a secret attempt to withdraw $7.2 billion from banks in Dubai, United Arab Emirate, through channels in the Central Bank of Nigeria.

It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari had recently signed agreements with the United Arab Emirate on the repatriation of Nigeria’s stolen funds deposited in that country.

This move is believed to have unsettled corrupt, former and serving Nigerians officials, who have unexplained wealth and property there.

Stating that the media report against him was sponsored by his political traducers, Akpabio said the government should investigate the source of such money and also prosecute its owner.

According to him, “We challenge these purveyors of falsehood to publish the full details of the purported $7.2 billion account and we urge the Federal Government of Nigeria to seize such sum and prosecute the owner if it does exist. People should learn to accept the outcome of elections and stop this kind of dangerous propaganda in the name of politics,” said Akpabio

Source Vanguard

Metuh: PDP will return to power in 2019

Olisa Metuh, national publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who was released from Kuje prison on bail Thursday, says his party will regain power in 2019. 

“The party has since overcome the initial trauma that accompanied the electoral setback of the 2015 general election, and is now poised to regain power at the centre in 2019,” he said on Friday. 

Metuh said that the recent variance of voices from its members was as a result of the party’s foundation of liberal democracy, which he described as a mark of strength, adding that the party has adequate internal mechanisms to resolve all issues within its fold. 

According to Richard Ihediwa, Metuh’s aide, “the view of the PDP spokesman was contained in his opening remark at a meeting of the party’s publicity directorate with some visiting parliamentarians from the United Kingdom, led by Mark Field, member of parliament and chairman of International Office of the Conservative Party, and Colin Bloom, director of outreach-BCP in Abuja on Friday.” 

He told the visitors that the PDP faced serious challenges soon after it lost in the elections, culminating in the resignation of its national chairman, a development that created some challenges within the party, but assured them that every issue would be resolved by the party leadership by next week. 

In his remarks, Field advised the party to ensure that it did not trash its brand in the face of challenges. He observed that while it was common for some party members to demand the removal of leaders after electoral defeat, care must be taken not to jeopardise institutional memory of the party. 

“Never trash your brand no matter whatever the government of the day is saying about you”, he admonished the PDP. 

The interaction was attended by PDP publicity staff, social media operatives of the party and officials of the International Republican Institute (IRI), who facilitated the visit. 

Metuh is facing a seven-count charge of money laundering brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).


Source: TheCable

We never mandated our men to marry two wives

The Eritrean government has dismissed reports in the media across the African continent that it has mandated all men to marry a second wife.

The news report has become a major talking point in Nigeria, Kenya, Zimbabwe, South Africa and other African countries.

But when PM News wrote Eritrea, Ministry of Information, wanting to get a clarification on the matter, they wrote back stating that the alleged law was a ‘hoax’

“This is false. And the document in circulation is forged,” the Ministry of Information told PM News.

Adding that, “This report is a hoax. Eritrea’s Penal Code does not permit polygamy,” it said in an emailed response to PM News.

Eritrea became an item online and on social media after an alleged copy of a scanned decision of the Grand Mufti (Eritrean Parliament) surfaced on a Kenyan newspaper website claiming that the State of Eritrea was calling on all men in their country to marry at least two wives.

The Grand Mufti went on to state that the Eritrean government had assured its people that it would pay for the marriage ceremonies and accommodate the newlyweds.

Source: PM News

Fowler redeploys 26 directors in FIRS restructuring

359,158 corporate tax payers added

The Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Babatunde Fowler, has transferred 26 directors of the service and introduced the State Coordinator structure.

A statement by the new Head, Communication and Servicom Department, FIRS,  Wahab Gbadamosi, said “each of the 13 State Coordinators will supervise operations in their areas of jurisdictions. Two directors were moved to the headquarters in Abuja. Three will coordinate affairs in the states.”

The statement added that “experienced deputy directors were transferred to FIRS’ Training School and centres across the country as part of the efforts of the Service to strengthen its knowledge transfer programme and expeditious development of the capacity of its workforce in the interim.”

In the new posting, the Director of FCT and Northcentral Region, Olufemi Faniyi, was posted to the Compliance Support Group, while Innocent  Ohagwa, Director, Southsouth and Southeast Directorate Department is now Acting State Coordinator, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Cross River states. Gbolaga Oshiga, Director, Lagos Mainland (East and West Directorate) Department is now Acting State Coordinator, Ogun, Oyo and Osun states.  Mohammed Magam, Director, Northwest and Northeast Regions Directorate Department becomes the Acting State Coordinator, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara States while Olufunlola Adediran, Director, Oil and Gas Department, Lagos, was transferred to the Office of the Coordinating Director, Domestic Tax Group in Abuja.

"The State structure is part of the new FIRS Chairman’s vision of minimising the span of control, closer focus on corporate tax payers in all the states of the federation and stronger collaboration with State Boards of Internal Revenue (SBIR), to increase overall tax yield accruable to the three tiers of government.”

Also, between October 13 last year and January 27 of this year,  (107 days) the FIRS registered additional 359,158 corporate tax payers under a new campaign to widen the tax net.

“The FIRS chairman plans to add at least 500,000 new corporate tax payers by March 31, 2016.

“Working with states under the Joint Tax Board (JTB), structure, the FIRS chairman plans to widen the tax base further by adding five million new individual taxpayers to the country-wide tax register, by December 2016,” the statement explained.

Source: The Nation

Obasanjo, Dino Melaye, and the Impossibility of Nigeria’s Progress by Pius Adesanmi

Nigerian, you already know by now that Baba Olusegun Obasanjo recently wrote a letter to the National Assembly, calling them names and accusing them of corruption. That the National Assembly has been Nigeria’s most notorious assembly of integrity-challenged and irresponsible thieves since 1999 is no news to you. It is also the retirement home of expired looters from the Executive. If you are looking for the highest number of indicted Africans in one single room, go to Nigeria’s National Assembly.

It is also no news to you, Nigerian, that the author of the latest letter, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, is one of the most illustrious and successful graduates of Nigeria’s Federal University of Corruption in Abuja. He was admitted into this University as a student in 1999 with less than five thousand naira in his account. He graduated a multibillionaire in 2007. The PhD in Corruption he obtained from this University is not honoris causa. He earned it.

What should be strange to you, Nigerian, is why one thief has found it expedient to write a letter to another set of thieves. You are writing Saraki and company to tell them to do something about corruption. You might as well write a cat with a view to negotiating with it to stop consuming rats.

Enter the garrulous Senator Dino Melaye with a response to Obasanjo that is worth quoting in some length:

“Our leader is mistaking the eighth national assembly as the same senate assembly that defrauded him in 2007. Those who collected his money and refused to implement the 3rd term agenda. I appeal to baba that we are not the ones please. After nine years of that bribery saga, the first of its kind, I expect forgiveness to have taken place.

“There was the case of bribery introduced by the Obasanjo regime in the desperate attempt to remove speaker Ghali Umar Na’abba from office then. In fact, there was open display of that bribery money on the floor of the house. That government exposed the national assembly to corruption and easy money. I hope this is not in an attempt to cover up and distract attention from the Halliburton and Siemens corruption allegations.

“While I am against corruption anywhere in Nigeria, I will not support accusations based on anger and vindictiveness. The eighth senate should also look inwardly and purge herself of all the deliberate misgivings of the past. Nigeria must work and we must support the anti-corruption stand of the Buhari administration. God bless Nigeria.”

Nigerian, although Senator Dino Melaye is a clown unworthy of serious public disquisition at this level, I have brought you his words that you may understand the enormity of the task ahead of us; that you may understand why Nigeria may never make progress unless we somehow are able to produce and enable a new generation of young Nigerians whose paradigms have not been destroyed by the generations represented by the two clowns on display here.

Between Baba Obasanjo and Senator Dino Melaye, we have three generations of ruinous, leprous, and intellectually impecunious leaders.
Let us start with Dino Melaye’s closing statements. This corrupt and ostentatious clown dares to disclose that he is against corruption anywhere in Nigeria? Helloooo, Dino! Haba! You are a pro-corruption activist, always playing supporters’club for corruption at the CCT. Between Toyin Saraki and Bukola Saraki, we have seen your life outside as a career body guard for corruption.

But that is even not the real tragedy. The real tragedy, Nigerian, is that a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria stands up in that Chamber of Shame to declare to the whole world that Obasanjo had bribed his predecessors in the Senate to actualize his third term agenda and is only now writing because he has not yet forgiven those who took his money and failed to deliver.

In other words, a Senator is implying that he does not know that it is against the law in Nigeria to induce, give, or receive bribes? A Senator is accusing a former President of having committed a very serious crime of corrupting an institution of the Federal Republic in Nigeria and all he has to say is to appeal to the criminal to pardon the criminals who looted his loot?

How about you and your colleagues collaborating with the current Executive to revisit the issue you are talking about with a view to punishing the giver of that third term bribe and those who received it by making them face the wrath of the law and due process? Abi you think there is a statute of limitation on Obasanjo’s crimes and the crimes of your predecessors in the Senate?

Anyway, this tradition of Nigerians begging a thief to forgive other thieves or to go and sin no more is a macabre dance in which Obasanjo had been implicated in the past. Dino is in a funny way replaying Obasanjo’s script.

After Okija, after destroying Government House in Anambra, Chris Uba had finally dragged his political son, Chris Ngige, to Obasanjo in the Villa. After the meeting, Obasanjo announced to the nation that the two thieves came to report themselves to him. They revealed to him how they conspired to rig and steal the election in Anambra and how Ngige had subsequently reneged on his yam commitments to his benefactor, Chris Uba. Obasanjo told the nation how he scolded them:

I called them thieves. I kicked them. Mo ba won wi gidi gan ni o. And I made them promise not to do so again o.

That was a siting President telling the nation how he handled two citizens who came to confess to him that they broke the law of the land and violated the Constitution he swore to protect! Today, Ngige is a Federal Minister! So, if Dino is saying that he knows that the National Assembly once stole bribery money from Obasanjo and it is time for the said Obasanjo to forgive, well, we have been here before.

Anyway, Nigerian, you see your life outside now? You see the level of fevered and kwashiokored brains running your life? How can a country make any progress with these kinds of characters?

Yet, let Obasanjo and Dino arrive in your neighbourhood in a motorcade today, you will outdo one another in seeking photo-ops with them.

The only consequence they get for their crimes is your adulation and they know it!

Issorait.