What Jonathan told me after he conceded to Buhari – Ita-Giwa

Senator Florence Ita-Giwa

Former Presidential Adviser on National Assembly Matters, Florence Ita-Giwa, has disclosed her conversation with ex-President, Goodluck Jonathan, during last year’s presidential election.

Jonathan, the candidate of the PDP was defeated by the incumbent President, Muhammadu Buhari of the APC.

Speaking with DAILY POST in Lagos on Tuesday, Ita-Giwa revealed her chat with Jonathan after he conceded defeat.

“I called former President, Jonathan and told him, ‘why not wait till the result is declared before conceding?’

“This was two minutes after he made the announcement.

“Responding, he said, ‘Aunty, I already know what the outcome would be. I have done the right thing. I am keeping to my word that no blood is worth my ambition.

“I said to him, ‘You are great indeed’. He thanked me for my call.”

“I don’t regret supporting him, but we thank God for the peace and unity of the country.”

Reacting to the spate of defections to the ruling APC by PDP members, the politician said she will not leave the PDP.

“You can support the President without defecting to his party. Many are doing this for what they can gain.”

“I remain in PDP but will support good policies of the present government.”

Ita-Giwa hailed the nation’s media for the resilience over the years, urging them to continue to be the voice of the people.

“You all are doing a wonderful job, let’s continue to do our best to make Nigeria great,” she added.

Source: Daily Post NG

WE'LL REBUILD NIGERIA, PRESIDENT BUHARI ASSURES BRITISH MPs

President Muhammadu Buhari says Nigeria expects a lot from Britain in her rebuilding process, due to the affinity shared by the two countries.

Receiving a team of British Members of Parliament led by Hon Chi Onwurah at State House, Abuja, Tuesday, President Buhari declared: "We are going to rebuild Nigeria, and there are vast opportunities for Britain and us. We share very close ties, and our expectation from you is high." 

President Buhari lamented that Nigeria has found herself in a phase of development, "which is not a very welcome one. We are disorganized because we relied on mono-economic product for too long, and now that oil price is down, we have to go back to agriculture and solid minerals. Tin, columbite, cocoa, groundnut, and others, used to be the basis of our economy, but then, oil came, and everybody began to look for cheap money. Now, we need to start all over again."

Hon. Onwurah, Nigerian-born MP for Newcastle, said the team was in the country "to promote positive engagement between Nigeria and the UK, since we are stronger when we build on ties of the past."

She said her team was interested in how the Diaspora can support the economic progress of Nigeria, as well as promotion of trade and diversification of the economy. 

Also on the delegation made up of three MPs was the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Paul Arkwright.

Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
February 16, 2016

Senior Nigerian lawyer, Rickey Tarfa, arraigned; floods court with over 90 SANs

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday arraigned a senior lawyer, Rickey Tarfa, before Justice Aishat Opesanwo of Lagos State High Court, Igbosere, on 2-count charge of obstruction of justice and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Mr. Tarfa pleaded not guilty to both counts.

Based on his plea, the prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo prayed the court for a trial date and to remand the defendant in custody.

However, Adeniyi Akintola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, who led a team of over 90 Senior Advocates and other lawyers to represent Mr. Tarfa, said they had filed an application for bail which he said was served on the prosecution on the 10th of February, 2016.

In his application for bail, the defence counsel told the court that the defendant went to court voluntarily and that he was granted administrative bail by EFCC on self-recognition.

He said the defendant was a very senior member of the bar with no criminal record. He said there was nothing to show that the defendant would jump bail.

However, prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, urged the court to dismiss the application as the offence was grave. He urged the court to dismiss the application and order for an accelerated hearing.

Justice Opesanwo, in her ruling, granted bail to Mr. Tarfa on self-recognition but ordered that he must not travel out of the country without the permission of the court.

The trial judge bemoaned the number of counsel who were in court for the defendant. She noted that there was no need for such magnitude of support as it amounts to harassment and intimidation of the court.

Soon after the ruling, Mr. Akintola told the court that he had filed an application to quash the charge.

Mr. Rotimi responded that he had not been served. He was subsequently served by the defence counsel in open court.

Justice Opesanwo adjourned the matter to March 14, for hearing of the application to quash the charge while the substantive case was fixed for April 20, 2016 for trial.

Mr. Ricky Tarfa, SAN, is accused of willfully obstructing two officers of the EFCC, Moses Awolusi and Sanusi Mohammed from arresting Gnanhooue Sourou and Nazaire Odeste, who were suspected to have committed economic and financial crimes in contravention of Section 38(2) (a) of the EFCC Establishment Act of 2004.

Also, he is alleged to have engaged in improper communication with Justice M. Yunusa of the Federal High Court Lagos between May 11 and June 25, 2015 while the case between the EFCC and two others was pending before the judge.

Count 1:

“That You Rickey Tarfa (SAN) on or about the 5th day of February, 2016 in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, wilfully obstructed Moses Awolusi and Sanusi Mohammed, authorized officer of Economic and Financial Crime Commission from arresting GNANHOUE SOUROU and NAZAIRE ODESTE who were reasonably suspected to have committed economic and financial crimes by keeping the said suspects in your car between 11.00 hours to 16: 30 hours”

Count 2:

“RICKEY TARFA (SAN) between 11th of May and 25th of June, 2015 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court attempted to pervert the course of justice by communicating with Hon. Justice M.N. Yunusa of the Federal High Court through your mobile Telephone No. 08034600000 whilst suit No: FHC/L/CS/715/2015 between Rana Prestige Industries Nigeria and EFCC and Suit No: FHC/L/CS/716 between Hair Prestige Manufacturing Nigeria and EFCC filed by you on behalf of the applicants in the two suits seeking to retrain the commission from performing its statutory duties were pending before the said judge”.




Source: http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/198546-senior-nigerian-lawyer-rickey-tarfa-arraigned-floods-court-90-sans-lawyers.html

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BUDGET MAFIA 101: Who benefitted from Padding? By Lauretta Onochie

✳ Budget Mafia? Is there anything we will not hear of in this country? The government of President Buhari has implemented the Treasury Single Account TSA policy. This exposed the fact that NNPC had more than 45 bank accounts! The Military (Army, Navy, Airforce) had more than 70 accounts! Mind boggling!

✳ But when we thought we have heard it all, we now know that those civil servants entrusted with the drawing up of the budget, did not understand that change is here. They carried on with reckless impunity, padding the budget as they have done in the past.

✳ Budget Mafia was unknowingly, inherited from previous administrations as way back as the year 2000. Nobody would have thought that anyone would slot in so many zeros where they did not belong to, in the budget of a nation. Nor inflate the budget of an Agency and then have the audacity to later approach the agency to claim the loot. If you do not know who got the padding, here is an example as given by Rotimi Fashakin on how it works:

"In 2000, just the first year of the latest democratic experiment, the senate committee on Information informed the NTA management that its budget had been increased and as such, the government institution should release the sum of N100 million for sharing among the members. Coincidentally, the CEO of NTA at that time is now a distinguished senator. The Chief Internal Auditor pooh poohed the idea that External auditors would easily discover that malfeasance. The Senate committee came with the idea of using a bogus insurance policy to conceal the graft. The money for the committee was reportedly removed in four tranches of N25Million. The padding was done in virtually all the MDAs. Over time, the civil servants too did their own padding, in addition to what NASS often added to the budget."

Courtesy: budgiT 

✳And surprise, surprise, our holier than thou Senator Ben Bruce, has been involved right from the Genesis of Padding. We are now certain that there are other vices this government has inherited that will come to the fore as the days go by.

✳ We are only delighted that it was found out by the government of Pres, Buhari before the 2016 budget bill was passed. Better late than never.

✳ Looking at the example given by Rotimi Fashakin, only God knows how much the budget Mafia has "legally" scammed us over the years. But their days have now come to an end. Baba will have none of it and so heads have rolled and rightly so. Let everyone learn the lesson that Change is here.

God bless us all, everyone.
Lauretta Onochie
@Laurestar