Unpaid gratuities, pensions: 32 retired judges drag governor, A-G to court

Thirty-two retired judges, including five retired state Chief Judges in Anambra State, led by Justice Godwin Ononiba (retd), have dragged Anambra State governor, Willie Obiano, to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria in Awka for non-payment of their severance gratuity, upward review of pensions, arrears of housing allowances and overall welfare. Also joined in the suit tagged complaint No: NICN/Awk/43/2016 filed by their lawyer, Gabriel Udoka Moneke is the Attorney-General of Anambra State. The action of the retired judges drew the praises of some senior lawyers, including Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, Yusuf Ali, SAN, Femi Falana, SAN, and others, who commended them for using the instrumentality of the law to fight their cause. The development came on a day 126 former supervisors, who served in the various local government areas of Anambra State until their dissolution in August this year, demanded a severance package of N1.2 billion from Governor Willie Obiano. Of the 32 retired judges, 13 of them are dead, while 19 are still alive, including five former chief judges. WILLIE OBIANO The former retired chief judges are G.U. Ononiba, C.J. Okoli, Nri-Ezedi, E.A. Nzegwu, and P.A.C Obidigwe who were members of the Association of Retired Judges of Anambra State. Part of the suit read: “You are hereby commanded that within fourteen days after the service of this complaint on you, inclusive of the day of such service, you do cause an appearance to be entered for you in an action at the suit of  HON. JUSTICE G.U. ONONIBA C.J. (Rtd) & 31 Ors, and take note that in default of your so doing, the claimants may proceed therein, and judgement may be given in your absence. The claimants are praying the court for:  “A declaration that each of the 1st-19th claimants and each of the estates of the 20th  to 2nd claimants are entitled to be paid severance gratuities based on 300% of each claimant’s annual basic salary while in active service. “A declaration that each of the 1st  to 19th claimants and each of the estates of the 20th to 32nd claimants are entitled to be paid housing allowances per annum and in the tune of 200% of each claimant’s annual basic salary. “A declaration that the 1st defendant does not have the power to amend, alter or vary the provisions of an Act of the National Assembly and in particular the “certain political, public and judicial office holders (salaries and allowances, etc) (Amendment) Act No. 1 of 2008 which took effect from 1st February, 2007” “A declaration that each of the 1st – 19th claimants and each of estates of the 20th to 32nd claimants is entitled to an upward review of each of the claimant’s pension in line with Section 210(3) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. “An order of court directing the defendants to pay to the 1st-19th claimants and the estates of 20th-32nd claimants forthwith their severance gratuities, based on 300% of annual basic salary of each of the claimants while in active service. “An order of court directing the defendants to pay the 1st-19th  claimants and the estates of the 20th  to 32nd  claimants forthwith the arrears of their housing allowances based on 200% of their annual basic salary. “An order of court directing the defendants to recompute the pensions and gratuities of the claimants based on 200% of their annual basic salaries as housing allowance. “An order of court directing the defendants to pay to the claimants the arrears of their respective pension and gratuities from the withheld 100% of their annual basic salary as housing allowance. “An order of court directing the defendants to pay to each of the 1st-19th claimants and the estates of the 20th to 32nd claimants all the balance and arrears of their pensions which would have accrued to them had the pensions been reviewed upward in line with the provision of the constitution and the directives of the salaries and wages commission.” The retired judges (claimants) stated that they had at different times meritoriously and successfully served as judges of the Anambra State High Court and Customary Court of Appeal but were  forgotten and abandoned without payment of their due benefits, allowances and entitlements. The Association of the Retired Judges was formed pursuant to the directive of the Chief Justice of Nigeria in a letter addressed to all judges, dated July, 10, 2010. The claimants averred  that they had on May, 5, 2016, issued and served on the defendants, through the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, and the office of the 2nd defendant respectively, the three months mandatory notice of intention to institute the legal action against them, adding that no response came from them. Reactions Ozekhome Reacting to the development, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, said:  “This is a good omen. For the first time in the history of this country, judges can pick up courage to drag a government to court over unpaid gratuities and pension. It is a shame that such senior citizens had to resort to the court to get their constitutional right. “It is also a shame they can be subjected to this kind of treatment over pensions and gratuities. Before now, they could not talk while they were in service and with their action, they are also speaking for serving judges.” Falana Femi Falana, SAN, said:  “The legal action is in order. The government cannot successfully fight judicial corruption if retired judges are owed pension for months. “You are simply telling serving judges to take care of the raining day by engaging in corrupt practices. The Anambra State Government and others involved in the illegality should pay the outstanding pension of retired judges.” Yusuf Ali, SAN Ali said:  “Yes, what they have done is right, except you want them to take laws into their hands, which expectedly they won’t do. These are the people who have worked and are getting old. Do you want them to die before enjoying the fruits of their labour? It is sad. For me, what government is doing in this clime is unexpected, if it is true. We only wish they pay them and not allow them to wait for court judgment before receiving their pension.” Otteh Joseph Otteh, Executive Director,  Access to Justice, said:  “No one should be owed pension, whether judges, doctors or messengers. This situation shows that anyone can be a victim of government’s neglect and failings. But this can have a serious, predictable effect on judicial independence as some judges might feel they need to stack up money during service for raining days of lack. Anambra State government should immediately pay up all retirees their entitlements.” In its reaction, the National Judicial Council, NJC, yesterday, said it only had the mandate to pay pension to retired federal judicial officers. Though the Council explained that such judges were entitled to receive their benefits from the state government, it, however, declined to officially react to the development, stressing that it would amount to sub-judice since the case was already in court. A top source at the NJC, who pleaded anonymity, said:  “We have paid salaries of all judges in the country serving in federal courts. “Likewise, when they retire, we only pay pension to those that were in federal courts. So it is the state that is responsible for the payment of pension of judges that served under them. “Meanwhile since the matter is already in court. I think it will be better to allow the court to make the interpretation. I cannot say anything more on the issue as such action will be sub-judice.” Ex LG supervisors demand N1.2b severance package Meanwhile, 126 former supervisors, who served in the various local government areas of Anambra State until their dissolution in August this year, have demanded a severance package of N1.2 billion from Governor Willie Obiano. The former supervisors were appointed by their elected local government chairmen as provided under Section 72 of the Anambra State House of Assembly Law, 2012. In a letter addressed to the governor after their meeting in Awka, yesterday, the ex supervisors threatened to drag the secretary of the state Joint Action Committee, JAC, Mr. Tony Oli, to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for allegedly misappropriating funds meant for the payment of their severance allowances. Oli could not be reached at press time, but the ex supervisors said he told them when they visited his office that he had no business with them. The letter was signed by the chairman of the ex supervisors’ forum, Mr. Chijioke Eruchalu, the secretary, Mr. Cliff Nneli and the coordinator, Mr. Cajethan Okafor. The letter read in part: “In view of this, we therefore plead with you to redress all the anomalies. We believe that as our father, we will get a favourable response so that we won’t feel left out and abandoned after serving our state diligently, in spite of the hard times.”

Rivers Re-run: Wike Would Have Gone Had PDP Lost — Okorocha

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has explained the fight of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State in the just concluded re-run elections.

Okorocha told journalists in Owerri yesterday that Wike did all he could to secure his office by making sure that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won majority of the senatorial, House of Representatives and House of Assembly seats in the state.

He also appreciated that it was not easy to defeat an incumbent governor because he would do all he could to remain in power.

He said: “If the governor did not do that to make sure he has majority of state and National Assembly members, he would have gone”.

Speaking on the just concluded governorship elections which went in favour of the APC, Okorocha described it as a testimony that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government was doing well.

He said the APC would take over the governorship in Anambra State in 2017, adding that “Anambra State needs APC governor to succeed”.

Meanwhile, Governor Okorocha has assured the executives and members of the Abia State chapter of the APC of the support of his administration as they prepare for the forthcoming local government elections.

Speaking during a meeting with the members of the APC in Umuahia, Okorocha said the party would take over the government house in the state and urged them to remain steadfast if they wished to succeed.

Okorocha, who was represented by a member of the Imo State House of Assembly, Max Odunze, said the state would be a better place if the APC took control in 2019.

Rivers rerun: PDP, APC dispute polls result

PORT HARCOURT—The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, yesterday, released more results of the three senatorial, eight House of Representatives and 10 state House of Assembly re-run elections held in Rivers State. ADVERTISING inRead invented by Teads Amaechi and Wike With the results announced, yesterday, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, won the Rivers East and Rivers West senatorial seats through Senator George Sekibo and Osinachukwu Ideozu. Senator Magnus Abe of the All Progressives Congress, APC, had earlier been declared as the winner of Rivers South-East senatorial seat. This came as the APC rejected the result of Rivers-East senatorial re-run and the PDP also rejecting that of Rivers South-East senatorial district won by the APC. The results were announced after Governor Nyesom Wike led hundreds of PDP members to the INEC office in Port Harcourt, protesting the electoral umpire’s delay in releasing the results. The PDP called for the immediate release of all the results alleging that INEC was withholding them to allow APC manipulate the results. In a statement issued in Abuja, the spokesman of the party, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, said the party was in possession of all the results as announced at the polling units and that it was clear the PDP had won. The party also rejected the declaration of Magnus Abe as the winner of Rivers South East Senatorial District, saying no election was held in the area.” How Sekibo reclaimed Rivers-East senatorial seat Senator George Sekibo, who had in 2015 won the Rivers East senatorial district seat that was nullified by the courts, yesterday, retained the seat. Professor Orji Okumenkama, the returning officer for the Rivers East district declared the result at Port Harcourt City Local Government Area Sekibo with 93,098 votes defeated his rival, Chief Andrew Uchendu of the APC, who polled 34,193 votes. Senator Sekibo has commended the doggedness of his supporters, saying they stood to defend their votes. The supporters and candidates of the PDP had taken over the premises of the Port Harcourt City Local Government Area due to alleged delay in release of the results. Governor Wike led hundreds of PDP members including His Chief of Staff, Mr. Emeka Woke; the Attorney General of the State, Emma Aguma; Uche Secondus and Chief Sergeant Awuse to the scene to ensure that the results collated were announced. Security men, who came with the governor, shot sporadically into the air, causing panic in the area before the results were announced. At the Government House, while addressing the supporters, who were on ground when the result was announced, Wike vowed that intimidation would not happen in the state in any future election. Wike thanked the supporters for their resilience, noting that their efforts would not be forgotten. “I thank God for the strength and courage he has given to us in this election. We have really sacrificed. I know that freedom comes with sacrifice. Rivers people were murdered for just a simple legislative election. The Federal Government came with their might to conquer Rivers State, just because they want to win. They killed people because they want the state. The blood of those people they killed will be on their heads. States that cannot pay their workers’ salary and cannot carry out meaningful project in their states, brought money to rig election in this state. “They should be ashamed because they won one but we won two of the senatorial seats. They fought but God said, no way. Do not be intimidated. This will never happen in 2019. They have shown us that there is no democracy in Nigeria. If not, why not conduct election the way it is done in other countries?” The PDP candidate, Randolf Brown has also been declared winner of the Degema/Bonny federal constituency in a result announced by Professor S.O. Eze. In Asari Toru LGA, the PDP won the two state constituency seats. How Ideozu won in Rivers West INEC also declared PDP’s Osinachukwu Ideozu as the winner of the of the Rivers West senatorial district election. He scored 107,166 votes to defeat Otelemaba Amachree of the APC, who garnered 48,898 votes. APC rejects Rivers East result Meantime, the APC has rejected the Senatorial result for Rivers East, saying it did not reflect the reported true position of votes cast. Deputy Leader of the party, Dr Dakuku Peterside and Director General, NIMASA who addressed the press at the party’s state secretariat in Port Harcourt, alleged that INEC announced the results without including the one from Emohua local government area. Continuing, he said the results had also not been completely compiled in Etche local government area before Senator Sekibo was declared winner. “This mocks democracy when Etche and Emohua results were not computed. What then were the results declared for Rivers East? We will not accept it,” he said. My victory reward for faithfulness – Senator Abe In his acceptance speech, Senator Abe thanked his supporters for their resilience and steadfastness. His words: ‘’First is to say that this has been a titanic struggle; it has been a very difficult two years for Rivers people and for all of us. My victory in this election is a reward for faithfulness. I have been faithful to my party, the APC. I have been faithful to my people, the people of the Rivers South East senatorial district and I have been faithful to my leaders and I think God in his infinite mercies has rewarded me with this unprecedented victory. There is no victor, no vanquished. “I want to thank my friend and brother, Senator Olaka Nwogu for his very kind and peaceful words, which he has expressed to the people of this state.”

Arrest Obj, IBB, Tinubu, Others To Show Seriousness In Anti-graft War - Asobie

A former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, Humphrey Asobie, on Thursday advised the anti-corruption agencies to be holistic and go for the ‘big fishes’ in the fight against corruption..

Mr. Asobie, who was the chairman of the board of the Nigerian Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative, NEITI, made this call while speaking as the guest speaker at the International Anti-Corruption Day (IACD) 2016 roundtable discussion hosted by the United States Embassy.

The discussion had the theme “Corruption: an impediment to the sustainable development goals”.

Mr. Asobie suggested the use of “shock therapy” and “bing bang strategy” in the fight against corruption, stressing that the most important personalities should be taken in.

“Pick OBJ, IBB, (Rotimi) Amaechi, (Bola) Tinubu, Abdulsalami (Abubakar) and Raji (Fashola). They will all think you are mad when you say it,” the professor of Political Science at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, said.

OBJ is the popular name for former President Olusegun Obasanjo while IBB refers to former military ruler, Ibrahim Babangida. Like others mentioned by the don, the former Nigerian leaders have been accused of corruption while in office.

“Corruption is systemic in Nigeria; it’s not just a few certain individuals. It also includes the anti-corruption agencies, they have a problem of corruption.

“It has reached a stage where we are confused as to what is wrong and right, you start to wonder whether it has affected their intellect.

“After speaking at an event in 2013, the then Governor of Anambra State Mr. Peter Obi was provoked, he came to me and said, “I was one of your student but I’ve avoided you because you are at the left and am on the right. All of us are corrupt,” Mr. Asobie said.

In his welcome remark, the U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission, David Young, said the U.S. government is committed to work with Nigeria in fighting corruption and recovering stolen funds.

Fayose condemns FG increment of workers’ PAYE tax, others, urges reversal

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has called on the federal government to rescind its decision to reduce workers salary through obnoxious increment in Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax, pension and National Housing Fund (NHF) deductions, which were applied on gross salary, making some of the workers to have as much 30 per cent reduction in salary.
The governor said it was wicked and inhuman for any government to increase taxes on workers salary at this period of economic recession when “workers take home can no longer take them home,” adding that;

“The federal government should stop believing that the only way it can take Nigeria out of recession is to impose obnoxious taxes that will further impoverish the people.” In a release issued on Sunday by the governor’s Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, he said; “If government does not have capacity to increase workers salary at this trying period, it should not also increase taxes that will cause decrement in what workers earn.”
 Salary of federal government workers was reportedly reduced through increment in PAYE tax, pension, National Housing Fund (NHF), formerly based on consolidated, which were applied on gross salary. Some of the workers had as much as 30 per cent pay cut.

Reacting, Governor Fayose said it appeared that the President 00Mohammadu Buhari led All Progressives Congress (APC) federal government’s desire was to kill Nigerians with obnoxious taxes.
 He said; “As military head of state, Buhari used gun to deal with Nigerians, now as a civilian president, he is using economic recession to punish Nigerians and adding salt to injury by using inhuman taxes to reduce workers salary.

 “Buhari’s government increased petrol price from N87 to N145 per litre, kerosene; diesel and gas price was increased, electricity tariff was increased, N50 stamp duty was imposed on bank customers, N65 levy was imposed on every withdrawal on ATM, various bank charges introduced, custom duties increased and now workers’ PAYE tax has been increased.XX
“I sympathise with the federal government workers who only got to know about reduction of their salaries when they got credit alert last month, but they should remember that I warned them.
“Workers are already facing hardships owing to the economic recession, which has caused exchange rate to rise to as much as N480 to $1. The implication of this is that the purchasing power of a worker that is earning say N100,000 per month has reduced to less than N50,000 per month, meaning what such a worker bought at N10,000 this time last year is now should at N25,000.
“I therefore call on the federal government to reverse this decision so as to reduce the level at which the workers are suffering.”

Rivers Rerun : Commissioner Of Police Has Withdrawn My Security –Governor Wike

Ahead of the December 10, 2016 rerun legislative elections in Rivers State , Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has announced that the State Commissioner of Police has withdrawn majority of policemen providing security for him.

The governor also called on youths in the state to protect their votes and the mandate of the people , despite the planned deployment of security personnel for illegal electoral purposes .

Flagging off the reconstruction of the Igbo-pEtche Road on Friday , Governor Wike said this deliberate security infraction orchestrated to intimidate him, will not succeed .

He said: “As I speak with you , the Commissioner of Police has withdrawn the security around me. It is God that will protect me

“As a governor , the Commissioner of Police has the effrontery to withdraw my security . There is no limit to this kind of intimidation and impunity “.

He said despite the assault by the Commissioner of Police and the Security Agencies , nobody in Rivers State will be intimidated by the political antics of the police .

The governor informed that he has intercepted the security manual for the election to be used by Rivers State Police Command .

According to him, the Rivers State Police Command will deploy policemen in manner that APC leaders in the state will have access to disproportionate number of policemen on election day.

He noted that on the average , the police command will attach at least 15 policemen to one APC leader, for the purpose of intimidation and theft of electoral materials.

He added that some of the policemen would also be used by INEC to divert election materials to the home of APC leaders for electoral fraud.

He advised the Rivers State Police Commissioner not to allow APC leaders to mislead him into commiting electoral fraud . He also warned the police commissioner against indiscriminate arrests being proposed by APC leaders on the premise of frivolous petitions .

He assured the Etche Ethnic Nationality that its time has come for massive developmental interventions .

Simeon Nwakaudu ,
Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor ,Electronic Media .
25th November , 2016.

Tension in APC: Amosun, Akande, Ajimobi, Aregbesola in closed door meeting

ABEOKUTA – Three All Progressives Congress, APC, governors in the South West and former Interim Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande held a closed door meeting at government house, Isale-Igbein, Abeokuta, Ogun State. Chief Akande who was accompanied by governors of Oyo and Osun states, Senator Abiola Ajimobi and Rauf Aregbesola to the Ogun state government house, Abeokuta, held a closed door meeting with Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun state. Vanguard gathered that the meeting which held on Wednesday night lasted for one hour was not unconnected with the crisis rocking the party. Emerging from the Government House, both Akande and Ajimobi while fielding questions from newsmen denied that there was crisis in the APC. When asked on the alleged rift among some leaders of the party, Akande said in his short remarks “there is no crisis in the party, we are one”. Governor Ajimobi who also spoke with newsmen said, the party was crisis- free . When asked why he was not at the APC Governorship rally in Ondo State, Governor Ajimobi simply said; “Some of us were out of the country. Me for example I was in China”. Governor Aregbesola however walked out on newsmen who tried to get his comment. Attempt by governor Amosun to woo Aregbesola to join others during media chat was unsuccessful as he refused to alight from the vehicle that brought him and Ajimobi to the government house.

Fayose shares his birthday cake with residents of Ado-Ekiti, hands them N200 each

Ekiti state governor who turned 56 on Tuesday November 15th, took his birthday celebration to the streets of Ado-Ekiti, the state capital yesterday, where he shared his birthday cake with them and also handed them N200 each. Speaking at the celebration, he said;
"It is a show of love to my people, we can't sit in the government house and enjoy the comfort of the office without remembering them, I got a lot of gifts on my birthday, cakes, yam tubers, cows, rice and so on, how many can I eat? How many clothes can I wear at a time?"It is just normal, just good for me to go back to the street and give it back to the people that put me in the government house, this is my style, this is me naturally, just that this time around it is more elaborate moving from one junction to the other to ensure about 500 persons per junction get something small on my birthday.
"The more people you can touch, the better for your life today and tomorrow, these are the set of people that will never walk into the government house asking for contract, asking for help, they will not even be allowed to get in unless the governor leave the comfort of his office to come and meet with them wherever they are and that is exactly what I am doing.
"This are the people that employed us into the office, they should not be abandoned for one minute, we must stay with them continuously at every opportunity"

Why Reps delivered 28 Peugeot cars to members

…Transparency group cries foul, reports fraud to EFCC …No trace of 28 exotic cars in NASS yet THE fear of being dragged to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, by the Transparency Group of the House of Representatives may have made the leadership of the House to hurriedly order for the purchase and delivery of 28 exotic cars for members, investigations revealed. This is as the cost of the Peugeot 508 model which was initially budgeted for N3.6 billion for 360 cars has gone up for N4.8 billion with each member paying N13 million instead of the former N10 million cost price of each unit. PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI INSPECTING A PEUGEOT CAR BROUGHT TO THE STATE HOUSE BY PAN NIGERIA (File) Meanwhile, there is no trace of the cars within the National Assembly complex unlike the previous tradition where such new cars would be parked at sensitive areas for onward distributions to members. The House had approved the purchase of 360 cars for oversight functions of members in the 2015 budget at the cost of N3.6 billion, but the legislature/executive face off appeared to have affected the purchase. Besides, there was outcry from members of the public who had condemned buying cars for individual members at an exorbitant price in the midst of the economic recession facing the country, just as President Muhammadu Buhari had reportedly disapproved the purchase of cars for members. Vanguard investigations revealed that the Transparency Group, which is the group opposed to the leadership of the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, had in its meeting last week, concluded cried foul over the alleged misappropriation of the money budgeted for the purchase of the vehicles since December last year and had planned to drag the leadership of the House to the EFCC. Some members of the House had confirmed to Vanguard that they were confronted by the Transparency Group that threatened to drag the Speaker and other principal officers to the anti-graft agency for allegedly “stealing” money earmarked for the purchase of the cars. This according to sources in the House forced the leadership to hurriedly order for the delivery of 28 out of the 50 to be delivered in the first phase to save its face from any embarrassment. Recall that it was reported that the delivery of 360 exotic cars to the lawmakers began last weekend amid the economic downturn in the country and that 28 units of the Peugeot 508 series had already been delivered to lawmakers in Abuja. The 28 were among the first batch of 50 cars supplied by the Kaduna-based Peugeot Automobile Nigeria Limited. However, Vanguard inquiry revealed that the Transparency Group had in its meeting last week concluded that the money for the purchase of the cars had been embezzled by the leadership of the House, and had decided to address the press to tell the world that the money had been stolen by the House leaders. A source within the group had said, “We wanted to bring it out to the world that, that money had been stolen. They (the House leadership) told us that before June this year, the cars will be ready, we thought that before we come back from the vacation, we will see them. “So after our meeting last week, we wanted to tell the world that the money had been stolen but we didn’t know that we have moles among us who may have leaked the information.” Although the source said that the N13 million current unit price of each car was not exorbitant, he noted that what was expected to be supplied following the tradition of the House was 400 units and not 360, adding that the Speaker will have additional 20 cars, the deputy Speaker, additional 10 and the Chairman, House Services, additional five among others. He said, “If you are buying a Peugeot at N13 million now, it is not expensive. It is about $28,000. Last week, our group sat and said among other issues that we will raise is the issue of vehicles and we confronted some of them (members loyal to Speaker). “The information we had was that they have spent the money. The purchase of cars was in the 2015 budget. What we said that they have stolen the money was what brought out the 28 cars you are seeing today. “In our meeting, there is a mole, now they have beaten us,” he stated. The member who expressed surprise that 28 cars had been delivered without the knowledge of many members said that what the lawmakers agreed on ab initio was the purchase of 2015 Model of Toyota Camry, but that because of the high price of the Camry product, they later agreed to go for Peugeot. He said that an indication that the leadership was not serious with the purchase of the vehicle was the delivery of 28 cars instead of even 50, adding, “the truth is that they have spent that money and decided to rush because we have threatened to expose them. “What they just did was to create the impression that the cars have started coming and they may not bring all. They are being clever by half. I am sure that they have not paid for them. We planned to write to the EFCC to investigate the money. I am sure somebody from our group went and told them (the leadership).” Although it was reported that the 28 units of cars were distributed to female lawmakers and members who did not occupy committee headships, a female lawmaker from the South-South told Vanguard that she had not been given the car yet. When contacted, Chairman House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Abdulrazak Namdas said, “we have taken delivery of 28 cars and the process is a gradual one. “After this batch, we will get another but according to our tradition, the ladies will get first. The next set of people are non-committee chairmen and deputy chairmen. “We opted for an indigenous firm to save cost and get a better bargain.” Vanguard gathered that the tradition before now was for the cars to be brought at the assembly complex before being distributed to the individual owners, but this was not the case this time as the cars were not brought to the complex. However, reports have it that the luxury cars would arrive in Abuja in batches till January, 2017 when all members would have picked a unit. It was further gathered that as a result of the current recession in the country, it was agreed that the lawmakers would make the payment of the car which cost N3.6 billion within 24 months or “two years’ budget.” Besides, the House has to pay additional N1.08 billion to successfully secure the N360 Peugeot that was ordered from Peugeot Automobile Nigeria Limited (PAN) in April. Based on the House arrangement with PAN, delivery of the 360 vehicles was to begin in July, but it was gathered that due to some hitches, the first batch, containing 50 cars, was delivered just last month. It was gathered that due to the challenges of foreign exchange, which made the naira to be far lower than the dollar, PAN was said to have requested for a review of the contract to allow for an additional N3 million on each of the 360 vehicles, totaling N1.80 billion. By this, the House would now have to pay N4.68 billion instead of the initial N3.6 billion.

Why FG is owing Shagari, OBJ, IBB, Gowon, Abdulsalami, Shonekan, Jonathan 10 months salaries, allowances

ABUJA—THE Presidency revealed yesterday that in the last 10 months, the federal government has not paid the salaries and allowances of all former Presidents in the country. They include 91-year-old  Alhaji Shehu Shagari; Chief Olusegun Obasanjo; Dr Goodluck Jonathan; former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida; General Abdulsalami Abubakar; General Yakubu Gowon and Chief Ernest Shonekan. These was revealed to senators yesterday when the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter-Governmental Affairs, led by Senator Tijjani Kaura (APC, Zamfara North) visited the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Dr David Babachir Lawal. Gowon, OBJ, Shagari, IBB, Shonekan, Abdulsalami, Jonathan and Buhari A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the non-payment of former Presidents was due to President Muhammadu Buhari’s failure to give approval. The source also said the payment schedule had severally been sent for the President’s approval to assess funds in the service wide vote for the purpose, adding that all attempts in that direction were to no avail.   The SGF attributed the non-payment of the former leaders to the unavailability of funds in service wide votes for salaries of ex-Presidents. He said: “There is a department responsible for payment of former President. At present,  funds are not available in service wide votes to do that. ‘’We are aware there was a protest in Bayelsa State that the former President was not paid, but we’ve explained that he’s not the only one affected. “Others affected are inter-religious council, traditional rulers council and so on. For some reasons, we have been writing and writing, but there has been no response. And there is currently no money to pay them. “The budget for this year’s Democracy Day was N33 million, and we had to do it on credit, we are yet to pay. There are lots of retreat which ought to be organised but there’s no money to do any. The last time we got any release was in August.” But reacting to the development, the senators  kicked against the non-payment of the former Presidents, and insisted that joint efforts be made between the office of the SGF and the committee towards finding a solution to the problem they described as unfortunate. The lawmakers, who expressed their dismay over the development, also emphasized the need to draw the attention of the Budget Office and Ministry of Finance to the development, with a view to addressing the issue immediately. Vice chairman of the committee, Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi, who described the situation as abnormal, said:  “What we have seen here is an abnormality. Before referring any matter to the National Assembly, it is a function of the executive to appropriate funds. ‘’Therefore, the SGF should understand that there is something wrong in this office that must be addressed. “There is no way you can run the expenses of this office without cash backing. We definitely have to draw the attention of the Budget Office and Ministry of Finance to the problems.” Also speaking, Senator Aliyu Wammako, Sokoto North, who kicked against the non-payment of former President’s by the office of the SGF, said: “We can understand if former president Goodluck Jonathan has not being paid because he just left office. ‘’But for someone like Shagari, who lives from hand to mouth is something I can’t understand. This development is really unfortunate; It doesn’t indicate seriousness, and it doesn’t indicate fairness.” In an attempt to persuade the senators who expressed outright disappointment at the development, the SGF explained: “When I got into this office, there was a lot of money in this account, but there was no TSA. “Before the government left office, they jerked up salaries. We told former Presidents Jonathan and Obasanjo that they cannot earn twice what the others were earning. So we told them we wanted to review it, and we did. So they now earn what the others earn as well. “When I came into office, there was N1.5 billion in the account. We had payment of all liabilities which came to N700 million. Then we wrote to the President to return what was left to the TSA. That was how we came back to a zero balance. “It is painful to me because I know all of them (ex-Presidents) personally. Now, why have we not been able to get the money? We requested for a budget of N700m, but the President has his way of doing things. “Look around, you’ll see government vehicles breaking down every now and then. Really, I know the challenges the Budget Office is facing, but the truth is the funds are not just there. In any government, there are certain agencies that must be served first before others. So we have agreed on that. However, we will lean harder on the finance ministry to see that the situation is turned around. Babachir Lawal also urged the National Assembly to intervene by ensuring it approves funds proposed by his office in the 2017 budget to be submitted soon, saying “What is in our budget, we need your help to defend it. This is part of the change agenda, so we must learn to sew our cloth according to the material.”

Trump will confront those with hidden agenda to Islamise Nigeria, Fani- Kayode

ABUJA- FORMER spokesperson of ex- President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign organisation, Chief Femi Fani- Kayode said yesterday that the President- elect of the United States of America, USA, Donald Trump would confront those in government with hidden agenda to islamise Nigeria and turn Nigeria into a nation of ethnic and religious vassals that must bow before President Muhammadu Buhari and his kinsmen. In a statement yesterday in Abuja, Fani- Kayode who personally signed the statement congratulating the President- elect, said that his victory was a fulfilment of prophesing, said, “He will also confront their hidden agenda to islamise Nigeria and turn us into a nation of ethnic and religious vassals that must bow before President Muhammadu Buhari and his kinsmen. FEMI FANI-KAYODE “For those that wield political power in Nigeria and for the small cabal of ethnic hegemonists, “born to rule” irredentists and religious bigots that run the affairs of our nation, the writing is on the wall. “Their days are numbered because those that put them in power from America have themselves been shamed and removed from power by the Living God.” The former Minister of Aviation who tagged his statement, ” head bloodied but not bowed and the ascension of President- elect, Donald J. Trump( Part2) read in full, “Though rather belated, I hereby congratulate President-elect Donald Trump on a magnificent victory at the polls in America and I wish him well. “I have been an ardent supporter of a Trump presidency for the last one year and I wrote two essays predicting his victory and stating the reasons why I supported him during the primaries and before the election respectively. “More importantly the election of Trump was a fulfilment of prophecy. His ascension to power was propelled by a force and power that is not of this world and that simply cannot be resisted by any human being or satanic conspiracy. “Simply put the Lord Himself raised and prepared Trump and He will use him to bring glory to His name, to effect His purpose and to establish His counsel and will in the United States of America and indeed the entire free world. “Most importantly I celebrate the fact that with His son and servant Donald J. Trump in the saddle, God Himself will be back in the White House and good old fashioned Christian values will once again be cherished and espoused by the leader of the leader of the free world and the most powerful man on earth. “If I can say that I had at least one beautiful moment in the last three weeks during my illegal incarceration by the EFCC this was it. “As the news filtered into the underground cells that Trump had won I shouted “praise the Lord” at the top of my voice to the utter amazement and chagrin of my cell-mates and the cell-guards. “Finally let it be clearly understood that the implications of a Trump presidency for Nigeria are far-reaching and self-evident. “Those that came to power last year on the the mantle of islamic domination, religious intolerance and racial discrimination and that espoused the most hideous form of ethnic bigotry and religious fanatacism certainly have a lot of soul-searching to do because there friends in the Obama White House are on their way out and their darling Hilary is not coming in to replace him. “I assure you that President Donald Trump, who I have known and studied closely for many years, will literally give them hell. “Not only will he resist their constant and gross violations of human rights and civil liberties but he will.also bring them to justice for their regular use of genocide against religious and ethnic minorities in our country. “He will also confront their hidden agenda to islamise Nigeria and turn us into a nation of ethnic and religious vassals that must bow before President Muhammadu Buhari and his kinsmen. “For those that wield political power in Nigeria and for the small cabal of ethnic hegemonists, “born to rule” irredentists and religious bigots that run the affairs of our nation, the writing is on the wall. “Their days are numbered because those that put them in power from America have themselves been shamed and removed from power by the Living God. “In the next few years many changes will take place in politics throughout the world as the forces of Christendom and right-wing nationalism ride on the crest of a rising tide and a beautiful wave. “Nothing will be able to stop the irresistable and righteous quest for self-determination and the reawakening of ancient cultural identitities all over the world in the next few months which has come as a consequence of the Trump victory. “It started with Brexit in the United Kingdom and the rise of right wing and ultra nationalist political parties like Marie Le Pen’s National Front in France, Italy, Holland and Germany. It has now culminated in a Trump victory in the United States of America. “Throughout the world there is a new, strong and rising tide of resisitance to governmental tyranny, the propagatiion of political correctness, the imposition of foreign and alien values, the establishment of state-sponsored slavery, the promotion of anti-Judeo-Christian philosophies, the enforcement of religious bigotry and servitude, the pampering and accomodation of radical islam and terror and the supression of ethnic and religious minorities. “We in Nigeria will not be left out. The time for our final emancipation and permanent liberation from the representatives of satan on earth, the foces of darkness and our internal colonial masters are at hand. “Freedom beckons and greatness calls all those who dare to believe and who are courageous enough to damn the consequences and take it. If Trump can turn the tide and the tables in America then we, by the grace of God, can also do it here. “As my friend Jackie Macgunn wrote on Facebook, “A Putin/Trump/Netanyahu coalition is the worst nightmare for the world sponsors of terror and marks the end of an era of the Washington apologists for ISIS, AL Qaeda, AL Nusra, the Taliban, AL Shabab, Boko Haram and the Fulani militants and herdsmen”. “This is what they call the “Trump-effect” and those that are not comfortable with it must be prepared to live with it for the next eight years whether they like it or not. “I thank God for President-elect Donald J. Trump and I trust and believe God that his era will.be one of great glory for the United States of America and indeed the civilised world.”

N23bn Diezani poll cash: Ebonyi Gov, Umahi in trouble

THE Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi, is in trouble with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Umahi The commission said last night it had discovered that Umahi collected the sum of N400 million allocated to the PDP in the state to compromise last year’s Presidential poll but he diverted the cash to two of his companies and used it to build two hotels in Port Harcourt and Abakiiki. The commission has already arrested and questioned many suspects, including bank officials, who have made statements linking the governor and his companies. EFCC sources said, “This case involving some chieftains of the PDP in Ebonyi State and some companies emanated from the alleged N23,2999,705,000, disbursed by the erstwhile Petroleum Resources Minister, Mrs Diezani Alison Madueke during the 2015 Presidential election out of which N400million was traced to Ebonyi State. “In the State, Kelechi Igwe (incumbent Deputy Governor ), Fidelis Nwanwko and Ambassador Frank N. Ogbuewu collected the money to prosecute the 2015 general election. “The duo of Fidelis Nwankwo and Ambassador Frank N. Ogbuewu were invited and they disclosed that they collected the N400million from Fidelity Bank and handed it over to Access Bank on the directive of the then Deputy Governor who is now the incumbent Governor, Engr. David Umahi. “The Operations Manager of Access Bank Abakaliki was invited and he revealed that the money was paid into the accounts of Osborn La-Palm Royal Resort Ltd and Brass Engineering & Construction Nig. Ltd. domiciled in Abakaliki. “The statement of the accounts of the companies that were analysed disclosed that the sum of three N300million was paid into the account of Osborn La-Palm Royal Resort Ltd and N100 million into the account of Brass Engineering & Construction Nig. Ltd and subsequently withdrawn by Chinyere Egwuche. “The movement of the fund from one account to another and the subsequent cash withdrawal of N300million in tranches of N50million are clear features of money laundering. “The above companies were discovered to have been incorporated by the incumbent Governor of Eonyi State in 1993 and 2011 respectively. “Consequently, letters of invitation were written to the Managing Directors of the companies where the money was paid but the letters were returned undelivered as the addressees refused to collect them. “Thereafter, Austin Umahi, Maxwell Umahi, Chinyere Egwuche and Mabel Dikibo were arrested. Investigation revealed that Chinyere Egwuchu and Mabel Dikibo were the signatories to the account of the companies. “It was also discovered that one of the suspects, Chinyere withdrew the N300million paid into the account of Osborn La-Palm which, according to her was used to further construction of Osborn La-Palm hotels in Abakaliki, Uburu and Port Harcourt, while the N100million paid into the account of Brass Engineering and Construction Nigeria Limited was transferred to a certain David Umahi Faith Foundation. They volunteered statement and were released on bail to reliable sureties. “In furtherance of this investigation, the property belonging to the companies were identified and the Commission’s stickers “Under Investigation” were placed on them. However, legal machineries are being set in motion to seal the companies in case the suspects refused to wholly refund the monies that were fraudulently collected by them.” In the meantime, the sum of N90million has been refunded. Investigation is still in progress,” a top EFCC official confirmed.

I’ll leave Nigeria better than I met it— Buhari

BENIN—PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has vowed to leave Nigeria a better nation than he met it, urging the various ethnic groups in the country to maintain unity and assist the nation become greater again. ADVERTISING inRead invented by Teads

 The President lamented that the nation made some grievous mistakes in the past by her over dependence on oil, saying, “that is what we are paying for today as a nation.” He spoke after commissioning the Edo State University, Iyahmo, Etsako West Local Government Area and Ugbegun-Ujiogba-Ebudin- Igueben-Ewohinmi Road in Edo Central senatorial district. President Buhari, whose two days working visit to Edo State ended yesterday, emphasized that his administration had made tremendous success in the three key areas he promised Nigerians; security, economy and fighting corruption, irrespective of the view of opposition about his administration. He said: “I am not deterred over such criticisms because I am focused and I am happy that many Nigerians have started realizing what we are doing and trying to do, to fix this country for the better. Our problem as a nation started when we abandoned agriculture, our hides and skins, cocoa export, palm kernel and engaged in oil business. Once petroleum was discovered and developed in large quantity, we threw everything to the dust. Now petroleum is diving from 100 dollars to between 40 and 50 dollars per barrel and that is the price we are paying now. What have we done to our agriculture, power, rail, road and social infrastructure; education and health? Just check and find out. “We have been wasteful. Now, we have to go back to the land, to solid minerals and do a lot of savings so that we can leave a better country for our children and our great nation.” President Buhari, who insisted that God had always saved the country from collapse, noted that “if the rainy season had failed this year, especially, in the Northern part of the country, I wonder what the future would have been because there were no savings, there was no infrastructure, coupled with hunger. I think it is a big recipe for disaster. We thank God for saving us from that disaster.” He commended the out-going governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, for what he described as his foresight, hard work and the integrity which he exhibited in the past eight years, expressing optimism that Oshiomhole would work for the nation when he left office as governor. Earlier, Governor Oshiomhole who thanked God for the achievements in the past eight, said the Edo University, Iyahmo, was built to offer quality education and to meet the educational needs of both the rich and poor as well as contribute to human capital and skills development.

APC hasn’t managed victory well – OKOROCHA

 ABUJA—CHAIRMAN of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Governors’ Forum and Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, yesterday, said the party has not managed properly, its victory as there were hunger and serious hardship in the country. Governor Okorocha, who was at the National Assembly to mediate peace between the President Muhammadu Buhari-led executive and the legislature, which have been having frosty relationship, stated that there was anger among members of the ruling party, the APC

. He said that in the next few weeks, President Buhari will be bringing the members of the party together to ensure amicable resolution of the problem threatening to tear the party apart and promised that the party will soon be rebranded. This came as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara said that the party will not afford to fail the people that voted them into power, even as he said the legislators are loyal party members. Okorocha said: “As you can see, this is my very first time coming to the office of the Speaker. I have come here to look at issues as it affects our nation, our party in particular. I have been to the national office of our party and I have had meeting with the national working committee. “I have also visited the Senate, where we also had deliberations and I am here with the leadership of the House where we have also deliberated on a lot of issues on how to move our nation forward and how to move our party forward. “Today we are proud to say APC is not an opposition party, it is the ruling party of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. “This victory of ours is very dear to us, but we are concerned that our victory so far has not been properly managed due to anger, bitterness among the members of our party at different levels and at different cadres. “This calls for concern and that is why we are trying to bridge the gap to close ranks on how to unite, provide governance, leadership to our people, Nigerians and also move our party forward. “It is true that our nation is going through difficult times, but with unity of purpose, we shall overcome. There have been so many complaints and distrusts, confusion and we have resolved as a people, as governors, as senators as federal House members, as national working committee members to come together and resolve these issues once and for all. “The president will be talking to the party and the leadership very soon on this matter. Nigerians expect so much from us and at the end of it all,nigerians will not ask us how far have you dealt with each other, but they will ask us how much food have we put on the table of the common man…?”    

Aggrieved Ondo PDP members carry coffins to protest emergence of Jimoh Ibrahim as party governorship candidate

The protest against the removal of Eyitayo Jegede as the candidate of the PDP at the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Ondo State took another dimension in Akure, the Ondo State capital yesterday as the PDP supporters and well wishers carried Coffins with inscriptions which read: R.I.P Barr. Jimoh Ibrahim, Ibrahim is not PDP candidate, No To O.E.A injustice, Okon Abang is a rotten Egg, Obituary of Okon Abang, No Eyitayo Jegede No election in ondo state

$2.2bn arms deal: Chime moves to halt EFCC

INDICATIONS emerged yesterday that former governor of Enugu State, Sullivan Chime, ‎has commenced moves to stop his investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over his involvement in looting the campaign fund for Enugu Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which was allegedly part of the $2.2 billion arms fund shared to some states by the former NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki.
Sunday Sun gathered that Chime, worried by the anti-graft agency’s move, was mounting pressure‎ on his successor, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwanyi, to intervene.
According to a source, who is familiar with the issue, the anti-graft agency’s searchlight was beamed on Chime sequel to findings that he was a beneficiary of the slush funds from the $2.2 billion arms deal, for which the detained former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, is being prosecuted.
The source said: “What I can confirm to you is that former Governor Chime is presently trying to stop his investigation by the EFCC over his involvement in looting the fund for Enugu PDP, which was part of the $2.2 billion shared to some states by the former NSA. As we speak, Chime is putting so much pressure on the present Governor to stop the prosecution of two of his former aides that have been indicted.”
Chime was reportedly quizzed recently by the anti-graft agency, but has not been charged to court. Other top PDP members who played key roles and got campaign funds from Dasuki had either been arrested or compelled to refund their own share of the loot.

10 northern govs mission in Washington, by Kashim Shettima

The Chairman of Northern States Governors’ Forum, Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State, speaks on the mission of 10 northern governors to Washington, United States (US), last week.  The nine other governors who attended a three-day symposium for the northern states’ chief helmsmen organised by the United States Institute of Peace include the governors of Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, Zamfara, Adamawa, Bauchi, Kwara and Niger.  The governor of Kano State was represented by his deputy. When I arrived at the entrance of the United States Institute of Peace a short while ago, I recalled the last time I was here in March 2014, when the Institute organized a security symposium for members of our forum. Since my last visit here, I can point to many benefits that my primary constituents—the people of Borno State— have derived, since they sponsored my trip here. The 2014 symposium was dominated by issues of security and the Boko Haram insurgency, of which Borno State was the epicenter. Shettima The discussions we had then must have contributed in many different ways to the commitment and responses of the United States Government and the international community in helping Nigeria to fight the insurgency. Our visit here in 2014 proved to be highly beneficial in the fight against Boko Haram, which affected Borno State the most but also had a destabilizing effect on nearly every other state in northern Nigeria and the country at large. Soon after that symposium, the United States government increased humanitarian and development support for Borno State through the United States Agency for International Development, USAID.   But then, my visit today for the 2016 symposium is not just about Borno State. My colleagues and I are here to seek benefits that should accrue to all the 19 northern states of Nigeria.   We look forward to many more benefits that will accrue to our region after this important symposium. Ongoing economic recession in Nigeria has made life very challenging for our citizens but the Federal and state governments are tackling it in many different ways. As you would shortly see in a 14-minute documentary, the North of Nigeria is grappling with all kinds of problems. This is no jamboree Your excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, by the time we wake up tomorrow, print, online and broadcast media houses in Nigeria would have screaming headlines, that “Ten Northern Governors Storm Washington” in the midst of economic recession, when our national currency, the Naira, has sharply depreciated against the U.S Dollar. Majority of our citizens will quickly conclude that we are here on a jamboree. Well, leadership isn’t only about popular decisions, leadership is about doing what is right at a time that is right. Our visit to Washington is an opportunity to re-engage with our American partners on the most vital issues that can help us to quickly make transition from volatility to a phase of peace and development in the Northern States of Nigeria. Over the past few years, we have realized that the indices of development in our region have not only been some of the most damning in our country, they have also been the background against which the problems in our region have manifested. These range from the deepening problems of Boko Haram, rural banditry, spontaneous religious and inter-tribal violence, deadly clashes between pastoralists and farmers, cattle rustling as well as the Mother of them all, which is pervasive poverty that gives birth to the many   forms of crime.    The emergence or the re-surfacing of insurgencies are not episodic events. They manifest through lingering processes which eventually symptomatized into aprons like Boko Haram and ISIS. We have the greatest respect and admiration for the American Government and we hold the United States Institute of Peace in very high esteem due to its track record. It is for these reasons that even though we anticipate criticism at home for this visit, we came here with high expectations. We believe that our hosts, USIP and officials of the U.S Government will work with us with the utmost sincerity of purpose to guarantee quick benefits that will improve the living conditions of our people. As Governors of the 19 Northern States, we hope to secure tangible benefits that we can point to our people as proof, that our visit here is not a jamboree as they would assume.   We in the Northern States Governors Forum recognize that our partnership with USIP is strategic. Some of the benefits we derive from this partnership include deepening cooperation towards eliminating conflicts. We may not be able to point this benefit tangibly to our people but we know for instance, that the United States is the world’s pre-eminent agricultural power and the number one food exporter. On the other hand, No land in the world is better suited for agricultural cooperation than Northern Nigeria. Girl-child education Your highly adored and respected first lady Mrs. Michelle Obama has a program for intervention on girl-child education in Africa. We eagerly look forward to benefit from this program as well as many other areas in which we can partner with our American friends to tackle our under-development and weak infrastructure. What is needed is the will and I can assure you that all the Governors of the Northern States here and those at home, are irrevocably committed to these partnerships in the service of our people. The Northern Nigeria provides a good eco-system for all developments and development partners. What we need is sincere will from our development partners and I am sure that our development partners have the will. Finally, on behalf of my colleagues, let me express our profound gratitude to the American Government, to the Board and officials of the United States Institute of Peace, to the United States Agency for International Development, to the European Union and to all partners who have stood in solidarity with us through development support in different parts of Northern Nigeria. We are also grateful to USIP for organizing this symposium that once again, brings the underdevelopment in Northern Nigeria to the front burner of discussion. But even as we discuss, we cannot ignore the fact that the outcome of the U.S election in 21 days to come, may affect   the full implementation of our goals after this symposium. Favorably, our country is not as close as Mexico for us to worry about a ‘wall’ that could come between our forum and the United States after January 20th. ladies and gentlemen, what works in today’s world is coming together with sincerity because like the American Henry Ford said, COMING TOGETHER IS A BEGINNING, KEEPING TOGETHER IS PROGRESS AND WORKING TOGETHER IS SUCCESS. We look forward to successful partnerships. Shettima, Governor of Borno State and Chairman of Northern States Governors’ Forum, delivered these remarks on Tuesday, October 18, 2016, at the opening of a 3-day symposium for Northern Governors in Nigeria organized by the U.S Government hosted by the United States Institute of Peace in Washington that was attended by Governors of Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, Zamfara, Adamawa, Bauchi, Kwara, Niger, Borno and Deputy Governor of Kano State.

EFCC Seizes Isah Yuguda's House

The private residence of the former governor of Bauchi State under the People's Democratic Party (PDP) has been seized and placed under investigation by the EFCC.

The multi-million naira mansion belonging to Mr Yuguda situated at Sir Kashim Ibrahim Street, GRA Bauchi was yesterday besieged by men of the anti graft agency who later placed it under investigation.

This new development might not be unconnected with the series of complaints and petitions filed against the former governor by the current Bauchi State government under Governor Muhammad Abdullahi Abubakar to the EFCC.

Obanikoro drilled by EFCC agents

Former Minister of Defence, (State), Musiliu Obanikoro today, October 17th, reported at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja. Obanikoro is being investigated over his alleged involvement in the misappropriation of $2.1 billion meant for the procurement of arms for which former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki is being prosecuted by the Federal Government.

The former minister as at this evening was still at the Commission's office telling the operatives of the Commission his involvement in the armsgate.

EFCC Arrests Precious Chikwendu, Femi Fani-Kayode's Wife In Ekiti

The Economic and Financial crimes commission arrested the wife of former aviation minister, Olufemi fani Kayode today. This was revealed in a statement by the former minister;

He said;

This govt is sick and cowardly and so are the EFCC. If you have a problem with me face me and leave my family alone.
My wife travelled to Ado Ekiti to see my friend and brother Governor Fayose and his family.

They were on their way out of town when they went to Access Bank in Ado Ekiti to get some money.
When they got there my 8 month old son Aragorn and wife Precious Chikwendu were illegally detained, brutalised and put under arrest on the orders of the EFCC at a bank in Ado Ekiti today.

She has never had any business with me, she has never been formally invited by the EFCC or asked any questions about her transactions and neither have they written to her on any issue even though they are always sending letters to my house and sending people there.
If Buhari wants to deal with me why doesnt he face me like a man obstead of trying to harm and hurt my 8 month old son and wife.
Had it not been for the intervention of Governor Ayo Fayose they would have been taken them away and subjected them to all manner of harm and indignities simply because she is married to me.

This was an account that has 200,000 naira in it and that has never had more than 500,000.

She has operated it since 2005 and she stopped using it in 2013. The account has no connection with me and I did not know it existed till today.
In an attempt to starve and harass me and my family all my accounts and wifes accounts have been frozen.

Now they are resorting to arresting peoples wives and children for no just cause.

I thank God for Gov. Fayose and the people of Ado Ekiti who stormed the bank and freed my wife from this illegal detention and attempt to kidnap them.

Had it not been for the governors intervention and prescence the bank would have been burnt down by the crowd. My family have since left Ekiti state.

This is Buhari's Nigeria and we will resist his wickedness and tyranny.

We intend to sue the bank and to sue the EFCC for this illegal and wicked action. They have no right to do this.
If they want to see my wife all they need to do is to invite her. We have nothing to fear. They do not need to be so primitive and barbaric to people.

Below is a photos of fayose and snowhite after her rescue today.