We write to call your attention to a number of economic and financial crimes being perpetrated by the current crop of leaders in Imo state and urge you to use your good offices to cause urgent investigation into the case. For clarity, we have enumerated some of these fraudulent activities to guide your kind attention.

–

Hon. Chief Barr. CoC Akaolisa & Co

LEGAL PRACTITIONERS

COC AKAOLISA LLB(Hons)BL                                                   AMARAIHE CHAMBERS

Our Ref: COC/OC/52/13                                                         120 Ikenegbu Layout, Owerri

Your Ref:……………………..                                                         Imo State, Nigeria

Phone: 08033368473, 0816045927                                        E-mail: cocakaolisa@justice,com

The Executive Chairman,                                            11th March, 2013

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission

5 Fomella Street, Wuse II, Abuja.

Sir

CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY, ABUSE OF OFFICE, STEALING, MISAPPROPRIATION OF PUBLIC FUNDS AND THE FINANCIAL ROT IN OKOROCHA’S ADMINISTRATION IN IMO STATE

–         a call for urgent investigation & prosecution of a cabal of fraudsters masquerading as Imo State Rescue crusaders

Our client the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Imo State Chapter has further to our earlier petition instructed that we forward the following facts to you for your information and necessary action.

Consequently, we write to call your attention to a number of economic and financial crimes being perpetrated by the current crop of leaders in Imo state and urge you to use your good offices to cause urgent investigation into the case. For clarity, we have enumerated some of these fraudulent activities to guide your kind attention.

1.             FRAUDULENT MISREPRESENTATION OF THE FINANCIAL POSITION OF IMO STATE UPON ASSUMPTION OF OFFICE AS GOVERNOR BY OKOROCHA

The administration of His Excellency Chief Ikedi Ohakim left a total sum of N26.27billion in various bank accounts of the state namely:

a)    Balance of Imo bond proceeds in UBA Plc – N13.3billion

b)    SUBEB project accounts with BankPHB (now Keystone Bank Ltd) – N3billion

c)     VAT account in Zenith Bank Plc – N488million

d)    Internally generated Revenue account with Zenith BANK Plc – N450million

e)    Local Government Joint project account with BankPHB –N2.5Billion

f)      Agric Loan Account with Access Bank Plc – N500million

g)    Fertilizer sales account with Oceanic Bank Plc – N250million,

h)    JAAC Account with BankPHB – N3.6billion,

i)       MDG Projects accounts with Fidelity Bank Plc – N500million,

j)       Education Trust Fund (ETF) with Zenith Bank – N1billion

k)    Imo Children Education Funds – N670million

Total sum = N26.27billion

Although the previous administration of Chief Ohakim left huge sums in various accounts as shown above, the Okorocha’s administration did everything to conceal these funds from the Imo people. These funds were never appropriated in any budget of the state since taking over office and control of same. Today as it were, the entire N26.27billion have been criminally squandered without the knowledge of the Imo People. Suffice to say that this is a clear case of crass abuse of office, criminal conspiracy and outright stealing of public funds which should attract very serious sanctions.

2.    CRIMINAL VIOLATION OF IMO STATE BOND LAW AND MISAPPROPRIATION OF THE N13.3BILLION IMO STATE BOND PROCEEDS

a)     It can be recalled that the Imo state Government during Chief Ohakim’s administration approached the capital market to fund specific critical capital projects.

b)    Part of the requirements of the capital market was the enactment of a state bond law to restrict the utilization of the bond proceeds for the critical projects for which the approval will be based.

c)     This led to the passage of the Imo State bond law authorizing the Executive arm of government to borrow in tranches a maximum of N40billion for the funding of specified projects as detailed in the prospectus with which the bond was issued to the investing public.

d)    Upon receipt of Securities and Exchange Commission approval, Imo State Government under the Ohakim’s administration drew the 1st tranche of N18.5billion.

e)    A total sum of N5.2billion was expended on the following projects as approved by SEC in compliance with the bond law:

i.            All professional parties fees –N925million,

ii.            Critical Roads – N3.773billion,

iii.            Renovation and furnishing of Oguta Lake Motel plus preliminary works on the Oguta Wonder Lake Resorts and Conference Centre –N390million,

iv.            Completion of 37 water schemes –  N125million,

From the foregoing, it is evident that a balance of N13.3billion was handed over to the Okorocha’s administration. This balance was over and above the amount of N12.5billion appropriated for the Wonder Lake Resorts and Conference Centre project under the bond law.

The Sun Newspapers of January 23, 2013, reported the Current Imo state Commissioner for Finance, Deacon Chike Okafor as saying “the balance of the bond proceeds were channeled into critical areas of infrastructure development such as the building of 305 classroom blocks, building of ultra-modern general hospitals in the 27 local government areas of the state and construction of vital roads across the local government areas.”

Arising from Deacon Okafor’s assertion, it is obvious that the bond proceeds had already been spent before the Okorocha’s administration approached SEC with a proposal for change of purpose.

Another point to underline is that the Commissioner for Finance admission shows criminal violation of the bond law as it existed. Even the projects upon which the bond proceeds were purportedly channeled to with the exception of Owerri Municipal Primary School and ongoing primary school in Emekuku, are non-existent.

It is regrettable that rather than check the executive arm, the Imo state House of Assembly is criminally colluding with the executive to amend the bond law to deceive the Imo People that the unlawful and fraudulent diversion of a whopping N13.3billion bond proceeds is justifiable. As at close of work on the 8th of March, 2013, the purported amendment is yet to be signed into law by Governor Okorocha.

3.    CRIMINAL SHARING OF N45BILLION AND N28BILLION LOANS ILLEGALLY SECURED WITH IMO LGA ALLOCATIONS ALLEGEDLY USED FOR NON-EXISTENT ROAD CONTRACTS IN VARIOUS LGA

The probe of the Deputy Governor of Imo has exposed the various schemes perfected by the Okorocha administration to unwholesomely divert public funds and in fact share public funds among themselves as largesse. This is done through phantom award of road contracts without any contract document as outlined below:

A)   Award of a 3 kilometer road at the cost of N1.2billion ie at N400 million per kilometer,  as confirmed by the Imo House of Assembly Report, adds weight to the series of allegations that the state government uses fake contractors in the various LGA to loot Imo funds.  This award did not have the following:

i.            No project Design,

ii.            No Advertisement,

iii.            No Bidding,

iv.            No Bills of Quantities and Specifications

v.            No tender at all,

vi.            No evidence of prequalification of contractor,

vii.            No provision for the project in the State budget,

viii.            No Exco Waver for all of the above,

In addition, 100% payment was made without performance bond nor advance payment guarantee in contravention of the Imo state financial Instruction I & II, Imo State Public Procurement Law (Due Process Law), Fiscal Responsibility Law, Imo state and the Public Procurement Act, 2007.

Furthermore, the contractor who runs a restaurant as a business is not known to have done any road contract anywhere in Nigeria. His only qualification is that he is a close friend and partner of the Imo state first lady, Mrs. Nkechi Okorocha. Thus he was merely used as a conduit to fraudulently withdraw money from the government coffers to be shared. The Deputy Governor, Sir Jude Agbaso took N458 million representing 40% of the contract value.

We request that the following persons who are directly or indirectly connected with the phantom contract should be invited for investigation:

i.                   The Contractor – Mr. Joseph Dina, MD/CEO of Jpros Int’l Nigeria Ltd,

ii.                 The Deputy Governor of Imo State, Sir Jude Agbaso,

iii.              The Principal Secretary to the Governor, Dr. Pascal Obi,

iv.              The Accountant General of the State, George Eche,

v.                 The Commission for Finance, Deacon Chike Okafor,

vi.              The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, Mr. Alex Nebedum

vii.            The Director of civil, Ministry of Works, Engr. Egbuka,

viii.         Chief Okey Nwosu, AKA 101, the biological brother to the Imo State First Lady who procured the contractor,

ix.               The Imo State First Lady, Mrs. Nkechi Okorocha,

x.                 The Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chief Eze Madumere. see the Imo House of Assembly Special Adhoc Committee Report on Sir Jude Agbaso published on Friday, the 8th of March 2013 edition of the Nigerian Horn Newspaper (attached and marked Annexture 1)

B). In Onuimo LGA, the state government approved the sum of N255.6million for payment to phantom contractors purported to be engaged in non-existent road contracts in the LGA as evidenced in the undated memo of the Management Committee (project Monitoring & Evaluation) with Ref no: GH/SA/PME/533/VOL.VIII/49 (attached as annexture 2). Note that these payments were made on the 24 of April 2012 long before the incorporation of some of the beneficiaries namely: Elason Global Enterprises incorporated on the 24th of December, 2012, Lufranza Engineering Services Company incorporated on the 13th of December, 2012 and Elason General Supplies Company with no evidence of incorporation. One wonders how a state government should award road construction work to unregistered companies if not to deceive the people and steal their money.

C) Again in Governor Okorocha’s 2013 Budget Speech on page 9 paragraph 4 & page 13 paragraph 7, he listed a number of contracts he claimed are designed to put Imo State in the Guinness Book of Records for which he categorically stated that he had already paid 40% of the contract sums. Contracts in this category include:

(a)  Imo Towers of 1,000 Housing Units targeted at high networth individuals and Imo citizens in the Diaspora,

(b) The Ecumenical Centre known as Amarachi,

(c)  The Magnificent Towers known as Akachi,

(d) The five star crystal Hotel,

(e) Ultra-Modern shopping malls,

(f)   Multilevel car parks,

(g) The Ultra-Modern Judiciary Headquarters,

(h) Princess Hotel, Okigwe,

Today, there is nothing anywhere in Imo to justify the payment of 40% advance as presented by the governor. (See a copy of the year 2013 Okorocha’s Budget speech attached as annexture 3) Who are the contractors? How were they engaged? was there any advertisement? Was there bidding? Was there any appropriation before the said contracts were awarded? These are questions law enforcement should seek answers from the governor and his cohorts in Imo State House of Assembly.

D) One other fraudulent scheme currently going on in Imo is that contracts are awarded and awardees are coerced to pay kick back before their cheques are confirmed for payment. A number of the contractors who refused to be part of the crime have had their cheques returned unpaid. (See the cheques attached as annexture 4) which belong to some of the Imo people who got contracts but refused to offer bribe and their cheques were never confirmed by the commissioner for Finance and therefore dishonoured. Note that these people are ready to testify on this case as part of their commitment to reinventing sanity in our body polity. See list of cheques on the table below:

S/N

NAME OF CONTRACTOR

AMOUNT N

CHEQUE NUMBER

1

INELS LTD

1, 900,000.00

00001490

2

HUUBS VENTURES

1,045,000.00

0O001436

3

HUUBS VENTURES

1,045,000.00

00001433

4

CHOPPERS GLOBAL SERVICES LTD

300,200.00

00001489

5

CHOPPERS GLOBAL SERVICES LTD

2,090,000.00

6

CHOPPERS GLOBAL SERVICES LTD

2,090,000.00

00001487

7

INELS LTD

1,900,000.00

00001435

8

HUUBS VENTURES

1,045,000.00

00001488

E) In his characteristic manner, Governor Okorocha also awarded a Phantom N4billion contract for government House furniture and paid 100% of the sum upfront to the contractor now purportedly at large.  In our view, this is one of those schemes criminally crafted to siphon the N26.27billion handed over to him by the Ohakim’s administration which he had kept sealed lips over.

F) The graveyard silence maintained by the Imo State House of Assembly over the heartbreaking fraudulent activities being perpetrated by the Executive is a clear indication of criminal conspiracy and collusion to loot public funds. It is now an open secret that the Honourable Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly awards road construction contracts in the state and has even installed his own Asphalt plant in Owerri  from where almost all the asphalt used in the construction in the state are procured. Similarly, most of the Honourable Members of the Imo State House of Assembly seem to have abandoned their legitimate legislative duties and are now in a mad rush to build hotels in Owerri such as the magnificent hotels being built by Honourable Mrs. Eudora Igwe, member, representing Ideato North State Constituency and Honourable Amuka (AKA Oshimiri), member, representing Ideato South state Constituency. The speaker and other principal officers of the House of Assembly must be immediately arrested and investigated if order must be restored in the State.

4.             CRIMINAL CONVERSION & STRIPPING OF IMO STATE GOVERNMENT ASSETS

Mr. Rochas Okorocha has criminally converted the Imo State government assets to his personal use. It is evidently clear that the former Imo Deputy Governor’s lodge located on High Court Road, Behind Government House Owerri has been converted to Lamonde Hotel, a holding of Okorocha which was so heavily indebted before he became governor that the Credit Bureau blacklisted the company from borrowing from the Nigerian money market.

Most Imo state money yielding corporations have been either concessioned, sold or leased to cronies of the governors for little or nothing in contravention of the Imo State Investment Promotion Agency Law.

These corporations include among others:

i.                   Ada Palm sold to Roche for N3.5Billion,

ii.                 Both Concord Hotel and Oguta Lake Motel  leased for 20 years to ABM Global Nigeria Ltd, No. 8A Iron Bar Street, Lekki Phase 1,

iii.              Imo Transport Corporation leased to Global Ginikana Ltd for N250 million,

iv.              Part of Imo Hotel leased to himself,

v.                 Avutu Poultry Industry, Obowo,

vi.              18 General Hospitals sold to Lantech Solutions,

From the foregoing, the financial rot in Imo State is enormous, we may have only scratched the surface. We believe that your circumspective investigation into this petition will not only shock the world and dwarf any case of criminal conspiracy and stealing of public fund ever known to any state government but also truly rescue the Imo people from these rampaging criminal invaders in the state.

Hon. Chief Barr. C. O. C Akaolisa

Legal Counsel to ALGON, Imo State

In 2007 when Senator David Mark became the Senate President, political pundits thought his military background would have a telling effect on his leadership of National Assembly in general. The feeling then was that another bully had mounted the saddle; this time, in the legislative arm of government; this stems from the belief that during Obasanjo’s era as the President of Nigeria, he was perceived as been dictatorial in administering the State-Nigeria.

Seven years down the line, the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has proved skeptics wrong from the perspective of performing their function as a stabilizing institution in Nigeria. One thing is clear here about the leadership of Senator Alechenu Bonaventure Mark. Contrary to the fears of Nigerians that his era as Senate President will be characterized by dictatorial inclinations, what Nigerians are seeing is a rather issues based Senate and pragmatic leadership style. Although, there were occasions Nigerians saw National Assembly as anti- people, by extension, anti-development in Nigeria. A case in point here is when the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Sanusi, Lamido Sanusi, accused them of cornering 25% of Nigeria budget funds to themselves. The response of David Mark’s Senate leadership was swift as it invited the CBN Governor to come and shed more light on his allegation. This he satisfactorily did.

There is no doubt that Nigerians see the House of Representatives as been more vibrant than the Senate in terms of taking side with the masses on critical National issues. For instance, during the petroleum subsidy crisis that almost paralyzed the economy of Nigeria, the House of Representatives call off their recess and sat on Sunday to deliberate on the raging crisis then. Though, their intervention did not have much effect on the resolution of the subsidy crisis eventually. It is on record that Senate, under David Mark’s leadership embarked on shuttle diplomacy in bringing the problem to an end. Legislative analysts believed that what the two arms did under the circumstance they found themselves was right. They are of the opinion that the lower chamber acted the way they did because of age factor. They must necessarily be vibrant because their age permits that, they reasoned. Justifying why the Senate did not join the House of Reps. to pile pressure on the executive arm of government to rescind their decision on the fuel price hike, the legislative analysts said that by the reason of their age, maturity and experience, they can only apply diplomacy in resolving the problem.

Perhaps, the Doctrine of Necessity David Mark’s Senate applied in making Vice President Goodluck Jonathan as he then was, the Acting President of Nigeria, could be regarded as the greatest achievement of Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as an institution. Though, this line of thinking has been faulted by Constitutional experts. They believe that the Constitution of Nigeria is explicit on what should happen if the President is sick or incapacitated in any way, and as such, credit should not be given to the Senate for bringing about the Doctrine of Necessity that eventually brought about stability in Nigeria. But on a balance of scale, credit must be given to the Senate because as things were then, none of the appointees of Late President Yar’Adua could pronounce the President incapacitated, at least from the point of view of geo-political dichotomy in Nigeria. In the first place, the late President absence afforded his appointees the needed opportunity to help themselves to the treasury of the nation. Secondly, the appointees will not like to lose their job as full disclosure of what was wrong with late Yar’Adua will automatically earn them sack from the cabinet, by the new President, or so they thought.

It was not surprising to see the tactical booting out of Professor Dora Akuyili from the administration of President Good;uck Jonathan because of her half hearted call on other cabinet members to tell the Nation the truth as regards late President Yar’Adua’s true state of health. In a nutshell, it was politically expedient for members of late Yar’Adua’s cabinet not to disclose the nature of his illness from AkuyiIi’s experience. Based on real or imagined fear of what awaits them if they tell the public the truth about their President, and the vexed issue of  North/ South dichotomy in Nigeria; David Mark led Senate was dead right in the DOCTRINE OF NECESSITY that empowered the President Goodluck as the Acting President then. The Nation was thus saved the trauma of uncertainty and bleak future.

Once again, a thorny issue has cropped up in the National Assembly. This time, the problem is the Petroleum Industry Bill [PIB]. Senator David Mark’s Senate has again, proved skeptics wrong by putting the stability of Nigeria above any other consideration. Currently the bill has scaled second reading at the Senate. Before now, the bill had let to division of the National Assembly along North/ South divide. Even there was the fear in the South that the Senate President will align with his brothers in the North to frustrate the bill, seen in some quarters as anti- north. So far, Senate President has proved to all in Nigeria that he is a core Nationalist. He has demonstrated a strong belief in the unity of Nigeria. I think he deserves commendation here. The task before David Mark’s Senate is therefore to use the current Constitution amendment to strengthen Local Government Institution to really take democracy and development to the grass-root.

Indeed, the Senate as an institution has performed its function as stabilizing institution in Nigeria, the tempo should be maintained.

Scores of inmates may have been freed last night after gunmen suspected to be members of Boko Haram attacked a prison facility in Gwoza Town of Borno State, witnesses said.

A civilian was said to have been killed by stray bullet during the shootout.

Yahaya Inusa, a resident of Gwoza told PREMIUM TIMES on phone that the gunmen drove into the town at about 10 p.m. “and went straight to the prison located very close to the Emir of Gwoza’s palace.”

“They used explosives to break open the prison and freed all the prisoners after which they burnt down the place completely,” he said.

Another source who doesn’t want to be named said the gunmen had also attacked a settlement called Fadagwai at the outskirts of Gwoza hill where they shot and killed undisclosed number of villagers there.

The details of the incident still remain sketchy as officials of the Nigeria Prisons Service in Borno state could not be reached to confirm the exact number of freed inmates.

The spokesperson for the Joint Task Force in Borno, Sagir Musa, did also not return calls or respond to short messages sent to his phone.

Source: Premiumtimes

The Governing Council of University of Calabar has dismissed five academic staff and demoted 10 others for what it called “academic dishonesty”.

In a statement issued by Dr. Julia Omang, the Registrar and Secretary to Council today, the institution’s Council said the disciplinary measure was in furtherance of the school’s “bid to curb academic dishonesty’’.

The statement said four of the dismissed workers were allegedly involved in plagiarism while one was involved in alleged financial fraud.

The statement added that the 10 demoted lecturers chose to publish their works in fake or cloned journals and proceeded to submit same and obtained promotion in the process.

“The academic staff dismissed for outright plagiarism include Dr. Azubuike Iloeje and Dr. Maurice Bisong of the Department of English and Literary Studies, Mr Oden Ubi (Department of Marketing) and Dr. Paulinus Noah of the Department of Linguistics and Communication Studies and Dr. Damian Agom who was dismissed for salary overpayment, enriching himself to the tune of N7,268,044. 95 over a period of 11 months.

“The 10 academic staff demoted for publishing in fake or cloned journals includes Prof. Udoayang, Dr. Asuquo Akabom, Dr. Sunday Effiong and Dr. C. O. Udoka, all of Accounting Department, Prof. Molinta Enendu, Department of Theater and Media Studies and Dr. E.S.Akpan of Banking and Finance.

“Others include Dr. A.I. Afangideh and Dr. Francis Okpiliya of the Department of Geography and Environment Science and Dr. K.B.C Ashipu of the Department of English and Literary Studies.

Professors Udoayang and Enendu, Dr. Okpiliya, Dr. Afangideh and Dr. Ashipu were demoted to the rank of Senior Lecturer, others were stepped down to Lecturer I’’ the statement added.

Source: crossriverwatch

With a tinge of regret in his voice, Mr. Nwokorie Samuel Chinedu, the lawyer who filed the application with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the registration of the controversial African Peoples Congress (APC), has spoken of his role in the row.

Nwokorie, who spoke with our correspondent from his hideout in Abuja Wednesday night, said he was hired by Ugochinyere Ikenga sometime in February to file the application – an action which has kept leaders of merging parties battling to defend their emerging party’s identity.

Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and Congres for Progressive Change (CPC) have merged to form the All Progressives Party (APC). The proxy “APC” is believed to be an attempt to throw a spanner in the works for the real APC.

According to the lawyer, Ikenga paid him N30, 000 before he filed the papers. The “client” paid him N50, 000 later and gave him a Samsung Galaxy phone after the job had been done.

Nwokorie said he took the brief as a young lawyer eager to earn a living without any inkling of what Ikenga had in mind. He added that Ikenga told him that he was acting on behalf of the promoters of the party.

His words: “Ugochinyere Ikenga approached me sometime in February 2013 to put in an application for the registration of a political party by name African Peoples Congress.

“He paid me an initial sum of N30,000 and later added another N50,000 and a Samsung Galaxy phone after I had filed the papers, with a promise that he was going to settle me after the party must have been registered.

“I filed the application in the honest belief that it was just another political party because even the application I entered at INEC only bears the name African Peoples Congress. The acronym APC was not included in the application.

“So there was no way I could have visualize, whether or not there was an ulterior motive in the registration of that political party. I was, however, surprised to see my name all over the newspapers, including the a sample of the application letter I wrote to INEC.

“I wish to let Nigerians know that I am not a politician in anyway whatsoever. I regret the issues at hand and the dimension the entire thing is taking.”

Asked to explain the discrepancy in the office address in the application and his real address, Nwokorie said the address was correct.

According to him, a friend of his works in one of the two law chambers in the address.

“I used the address because a friend of mine (a lawyer) works in one of the two chambers. But that friend does not wish to be dragged into this matter because of the uproar.

“Legal World Chambers with which I filed the application is duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). I personally registered the firm. But if anyone has any doubts, let them check it out with the CAC.

“Some people are even doubting whether I am a lawyer or not. I challenge them to go to the Supreme Court and check the roll to see whether or not my name is there.”

Nwokorie said he did his first degree programme at Buea University in Cameroun. He did NYSC in Abuja in 2005/2006 after which he proceeded to the University of Lagos (UNILAG) where he got a Master’s degree in International Law and Diplomacy.

According to him, he attended the Law School, Bwari, Abuja and was called to the Bar on February 14, 2011.

The obviously-frightened Nwokorie said he was forced to switch off his phones because he was bombarded with calls.

“I am not happy about the unfolding event because I did not bargain for it, especially as I have been receiving calls from unknown persons and my present boss, whose identity I would not want to reveal for now, is not happy with me. My family is also worried and apprehensive about the entire thing,” Nwokorie said.

Meanwhile, Ikenga has kept telling Nwokorie that he should not bother himself about the heat generated by the action, assuring him that the sponsors of the application would handle the matter.

Said the lawyer: “He keeps telling me not to worry, that I should be a man and that he would handle the matter. He also said that the real owners of the party would soon be revealed to Nigerians.

“Once again, I want to tell Nigerians that I just took a brief as a young lawyer and it ended there. I don’t know the sponsors of the party. The only person I know is Ugochinyere Ikenga, who gave me the brief.

“I got to know Ikenga through a friend. I thought it wise to come out and tell Nigerians the entire story because I keep receiving calls all-day through. My major concern now is my letter head, which is in the custody of INEC.

“My family has asked me to hands off the matter, which is the reason I have come out in the open,” Nwokorie stated.

When our correspondent called Ikenga on his telephone number provided by Nwokorie, he promised to call our correspondent back and cut the line off. He never did.

Source: The Nation

The past few days, as always, have been filled with both fascinating and controversial news usually discussed by the perpetually insomniac social media audience. From the release of new songs/music videos to the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMCVA); from the most unfortunate news that President Jona exonerated some rogues to the disheartening report of the killing of seven hostages by Boko Haram re-loaded, Ansaru.

In one of my articles, I said that one thing which stimulates me about Nigeria is that there are no dull moments; no day passes without one funny episode or the other, be it in high offices or the immediate environment.

Now onto the reason why we are here: Recently a guest on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, embarrassed himself, his career, his family, his friends, his agency and indeed the rest us.

Mr. Obafaiye Shem is the Lagos State Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC). Naturally, one would have thought that a man holding such status would be brilliant and have an in-depth knowledge of where he gets his daily bread. I was wrong as our dear Shem could not “categorically” tell the official website of the NSCDC because only is overall boss knows it.

I missed the programmed where bros goofed, so the first time I saw the phrase “My Oga at the top” trending on twitter, I thought it was a new slang. However, careful surf through the conversation dazed me. Don’t even try to envision my upset when I watched the video.

Honestly, it is sad and shameful that a top echelon in the para-military messed up that much. If he is unable to provide a simple thing as an address on the internet, how did he attain his current locus? What criteria were used in the promotion exercise – if there was any at all? We should ask questions; many of his kind are holding positions of authority, blowing sirens up and down with empty brains.

More worrisome is that the official was invited to speak on the job racketeering in Ministries, Department and Agencies. Who knows, he may have been smuggled into the Corp via the back door or by a special list as habitual. I suggest his employment and all others must be probed. It is good that this problem has come up albeit in the most hilarious manner.

Public and civil officials should know that ours is a clime where the people do not forget stupidity in a hurry and just like the Boys’ Scout, they should always be prepared.

My hope is that the revered “Oga at the top” will not ridicule himself when the searchlight beams on him. As it is stands now, the “Oga at the bottom” fumbled a trillion fold, oh he really did. His time in service should be over soon but since this is Naija, he may get promoted and subsequently become the Commandant General of NSCDC. When that happens, I will personally sue the government in power on the grounds of ‘national insult’.

On a lighter note, I appreciate his blunder. Whenever I wish to laugh plentifully, I simply play back the video which I already saved. In effect, I am considering burning the audiovisual in a disk and then conceal in my bank.

Meanwhile: “Okay, If you want to know about NSCDC as at now; Okay www.nscdc (*mute*)…Yes, so (*coughs*)…daz all” – Lwkmd!

The 17-kilometer road connecting Owan West and Owan East Local Government Areas in Edo State will be completed within 10 days.

Site Engineer of the contractor handling the project, Hartland Construction Company, told Governor Adams Oshiomhole during his inspection of projects in Edo North area, yesterday,

The Governor who inspected the Ikhin-Uzebba road, connecting the two Owan said he was impressed with the progress of work on the road.

Comrade Oshiomhole also told the contractor to resurface the 10-km Ikhin-Otuo road to meet with the standard  of the Ikhin-Uzebba road.

He directed officials of the State Ministry of Works to find out the cost of laying stone base and asphalting the 10 kilometer road in line with the advice of the Hartland Construction Company that there should be stone base before the road is asphalted in order to enable the road last for a long time.

The Governor noted that the state embarked on rebuilding rural roads  to make every community in the state motorable and accessible, saying this would attract investors to the local communities and boost the economy of the state.

According to him “I am satisfied with the quality of job, and we will continue to patronise Hartland.”

Bayelsa State Governor Hon. Seriake Dickson has called on the Local Government chairmen aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to embark on an issue based and peaceful campaigns in the state.

Governor Dickson gave the charge during the PDP Local Government election campaign flag off at the Peace Park in Yenagoa., for the election which is scheduled to take place next week end.

The Governor also urged the candidates to carry along stakeholders and the various caucus chairmen of the party to convene a meeting and take charge not only of the campaigns but also be in a position to guide and direct the chairmen of the various local governments.

According to Hon. Dickson, “the old era of politics of acrimony and divisions which begins at the local government level must stop. The era of disrespect for your stakeholders and leaders because you think you are a chairman and you have access to government must stop”

Your government will be directed by the stakeholders of our party at all levels”

Describing Bayelsa as a PDP stronghold, Hon. Dickson urged the various candidates to go all out to win the election and particularly charged the PDP stakeholders to demonstrate their commitment by delivering their wards to the party.

He also noted that after the elections, the successful aspirants should carry everybody along for the collective interest of the state just as he is doing at the state level.

Representative of the PDP National Chairman, who is also  Political Adviser to the National Chairman, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Gusau described Governor Dickson as a transformer and urged the candidates to  fly the party’s flag high in the forthcoming local government polls.

In his remarks, the state Deputy Governor, Retired Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah enjoined the flag bearers to replicate the developmental efforts of the state government in their respective local government areas when elected.

Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Konbowei Benson said the state is experiencing tremendous transformation owing to the purposeful leadership style of the governor and urged the aspirants to take a cue from him.

In their separate speeches, the Senator representing Bayelsa Central Senatorial District, Senator Emmanuel Paulker, Chief Thompson Okorotie, Engr. Numoipre Wills and Chief Remi Kuku said the flag bearers have all been carefully chosen to key into the restoration agenda of the present administration.

According to them, it will no longer going to be business as usual because the chairmen would be closely monitored to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people at the grassroots.

Highpoint of the event was the presentation of flags to the chairmanship candidates of the party by Governor Dickson, who was assisted by the representative of the PDP National Chairman, National Assembly members from the state and other stakeholders of the party.