The second part of the transcript of the purported conversation between the former Chairman of the House of Representatives ad hoc Committee on fuel subsidy fraud, Farouk Lawan and Chairman of diesel retail giant, Femi Otedola has been broadcast by a Lagos television station.
Transcript of the conversation follows:
LAWAN: When I saw your text ,it makes me feel bad, I said … You know the effort I am making?
OTEDOLA: I know, I know
LAWAN :No, no ,no ,no, when you said I’m … that didn’t…Please, this thing we are doing ,keep it to yourself, otherwise you will make things difficult for us
OTEDOLA: Ok, I am now
LAWAN: You will make it difficult for us all, because somebody called me now and said that we said we are going to address it.
OTEDOLA: Address what?
LAWAN: It is already out that we are going to do something, but when we do it, people will think we are doing it because we have compromised. If my colleagues get to hear about it, I won’t be able to convince such, so keep it to yourself ,let it be a top secret. Let it be a top secret .Let it not be like anybody is aware of what is happening if anybody ask you…somebody is saying that… they said you know from your record…they have all your record and you have made a case to the committee.
OTEDOLA: God bless you, God bless you
LAWAN: It is left for the committee to decide what to do ,please keep it that way ,but the moment it goes out, when we are going to correct it.
OTEDOLA: Ok,ok
LAWAN: Whether it seems we have already a… so ,let it be want to spring a surprise on floor and that is the only credible way to do it .You know your sector is hot so much.
OTEDOLA: God bless you, God bless you my brother .I’ve been trying … anytime I hear your voice…
LAWAN: You know your sector is hot one. You are hot enough and people are even saying … they said…somebody just called and said what happened that Femi has gotten his way around .He has already… No, no I am saying it because this is what I heard.
OTEDOLA : But let me tell you one thing, you know me as a person .
LAWAN: I know. Don’t make things difficult. Whoever ask, say no I didn’t do this .I am trying to clear myself from the committee. But I have sent a letter to set the record right. That’s all ,yeah
The curfew imposed on Kaduna state following the violence that trailed the bombing of three Churches and subsequent reprisal attacks in the state has been further relaxed across the state.
A press release issued by the Senior Assistant on Media to the Governor, Mr Reuben Buhari stated: “In view of the improved peaceful coexistence witnessed in Kaduna state, the security council of the state has further relaxed the curfew hours as follows; the hours of free movement for Kaduna south, Kaduna North, Chikun and Igabi is 6am to 7pm, While for the 19 remaining LGs is 6am to 8pm.
“The Government commends the entire good people of Kaduna state over the returned of normalcy and urge all to continue to be law abiding”.
The relaxed curfew according to Mr Buhari takes effect from yesterday, Tuesday, 3rd July. He restated government’s commitment towards the peace and welfare of her citizenry, while urging all to eschew bitterness and all forms of violence and embrace peaceful coexistence at all levels.
The Chairman of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited, Femi Otedola, on Tuesday honoured the invitation of the House of Representatives Ethics and Privileges Committee probing his alleged $620,000 bribe to the suspended Chairman of the ad-hoc committee, Farouk Lawan which probed the management of the fuel subsidy fund. The committee then went into a closed door session. However, Mr Otedola requested the hearing should be conducted in public.
“I strongly believe that the interest of the public will not be best served if this investigation is held in-camera,” he said. The committee had invited the billionaire businessman to explain allegations that he gave $620,000 bribe to Mr Lawan, and the erstwhile secretary, Boniface Emenalo, to get his companies off the list of firms indicted for the alleged mismanagement of oil subsidy funds.
The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Ethics and Privileges,
Honorable Members of the House of Representatives Committee on Ethics and Privileges,
Honorable Members,
This is a matter that has generated a lot of public interest and controversy.
The House of Representatives Committee on the Management of Fuel Subsidy headed by Hon. Farouk Lawan held all its sittings in public.
When this issue arose, the House of Representatives Committee on Ethics and Privileges publicly stated that its investigations will be held in public.
It is therefore surprising and curious that this committee has made a U-turn to hold its investigative sittings in-camera particularly in the light of unfolding events.
I strongly believe that the interest of the public will not be best served if this investigation is held in-camera.
I have nothing to hide and will only speak on this issue when the press and interested Nigerians are allowed to be present at the sittings of this committee.
The former minister of the federal capital territory [FCT] Abuja, Malam Nasiru El-Rufai is slated to appear at federal high court in Abuja before Justice Umar on Wednesday July 4, 2012 to answer to corruption charges leveled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC].
The former People Democratic Party [PDP] stalwart and former FCT minister during Obasanjo regime was alleged to have misused/abused the powers of his office via illegal revocation of lands belonging persons and corporations who had legally acquired the said land. The former Minister was said to have transferred the land to members of his nuclear family and friends.
The former Minister who has since decamped from the PDP for the Buhari led Congress for Progressive Change [CPC] party – has denied the allegations/charges filed by the EFCC as false. Nasiru El-Rufai termed the charges as political blackmail against him. He called the then chairperson of the EFCC, Farida Waziri as playing to the script written by the then political godfathers of PDP – particularly, James Ibori.
El-Rufai has since morphed into lose political rebel – rebelling against the Jonathan led PDP. Through this effort, the former minister charged Christians for masterminding the numerous Church bombings in Northern Nigeria. He has called President Jonathan one of the major sponsors of the dreaded Islamic terrorist group, the boko haram.
For this reason, it remains unsure how the EFCC case him will go.
The scramble for the All Progressive Grand Alliance [APGA] appears to have intensified. This is as information recently made available to 247ureports.com through sources close to the activities of the party in Anambra State reveals that the embattled chairman of the party may have already sold the gubernatorial ticket to a shady oil businessman from Nnewi, Ifeanyi Uba – the chief executive officer of Capital Oil.
APGA appears divided over its new leadership largely due to the tussle over whom to succeed the current governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi as his term comes to an end in February 6, 2014. Principal sources tell our correspondent that Victor Umeh during the period when involved committees prepared for the burial arraignment of Ikemba Nnewi – was engaged in intense marketing of the gubernatorial ticket to various business moguls around the State.
The marketing of the gubernatorial ticket began as cracks in the party started to appear – and as some within the government began to demand of the chairman to account for some the monies made available to him for the ‘supposed’ management of the party. In particular, 247ureports.com gathered that the N20million paid to the party on a monthly basis for the management of the party – could not be accounted for by Victor Umeh. The embattled chairman was said to have collected the monies personally on a monthly basis. And following his inability to account for the monies, the governor of Anambra State was said to halt further payments into the account.
The governor’s refusal to continue the payment without proper accounts led the embattled chairman into the hands of the shady oil mogul from Nnewi, Anambra State by the name Mr. Ifeanyi Uba. The embattled chairman approached the oil mogul with the offer of a gubernatorial ticket in return for a fee. And as gathered, Mr Ifeanyi Uba has been harboring unpronounced aspirations for becoming the governor of Anambra State. It was not difficult to convince Ifeanyi Uba – who took interest and asked for what will be required to get the ticket. Chief Victor Umeh simply told him that it will take him – to take over the financial upkeep of the party – to the tuned of N20million monthly. Ifeanyi Uba agreed and made available N240million for one year’s worth – and then registered as a member of APGA.
With Ifeanyi Uba’s agreement, the entire members of the national executive committee [NEC] and national working committee [NWC] was invited to parley with Ifeanyi Uba – and monies were made available by Ifeanyi Uba and distributed to each member of the NEC and the NWC – in return for unadulterated allegiance. And so, the NWC and the NEC under the new regime of a reinvigorated Victor Umeh found in Ifeanyi Uba a new political godfather.
Informed sources close to Ifeanyi Uba indicate that Ifeanyi Uba may have not completed his secondary school education. His company is reported among the companies that received FOREX from the central bank of Nigeria against the importation of petrol to the tune of N30billion – but failed to import the said petrol. The said company is reported to owe banks monies in excess of N70billion.
Information recently made available to 247ureports.com through sources close to the happenings within the government house at Kano State reveal that the elder son of the Governor of Kano, Mustapha Kwankwaso was quizzed by the agents of the State Security Services [SSS] over a drug induced drunken altercation with an Imam and the men of the joint task force [JTF] at Kundila along Maiduguri road in Kano State.
The incident occurred on Sunday June 17, 2012 at Kundila along Maiduguri road at 1pm when the elder son of the State governor of Kano, Mustapha Kwankwaso aged in his mid-twenties drove in a Honda vehicle [aka discussion continues] with two other friends – and arrived at a traffic congestion caused by a JTF checkpoint. The driver of the Honda vehicle who was the son of the Governor, maneuvered the vehicle into the other lane facing the incoming traffic – in attempts to overtake the traffic congestion and thus the JTF checkpoint.
Unfortunate for the youngster, as he steered the vehicle violently into the other lane and began racing the vehicle in a manner deemed reckless, he was said to have nearly struck down an Imam of a nearby Mosque housed at a nearby housing estate. But the Imam was said to have ran into the sidewalk in attempt to save his life.
The people nearby who saw what had happened rushed to the aide of the Imam. As the residents comforted the Imam – who is said to be well known in the area – the son of the Governor pounced out of the vehicle in anger tantrum.
Mustapha, according to a police witness who to spoke to 247ureports.com revealed that when Mustapha alighted from the vehicle – that he was too drunk to stand up right “his speech was somehow” and the “boy looked dazed and his eyes were bloodshot”.
As Mustapha tried to speak, it was evident his tongue was bluish green in coloration – resulting from a new fashion drug popular among children of well to do men in Kano.
And so, as the clearly intoxicated Mustapha pounced out of his vehicle, the standers by were taken aback as he pounced on the Imam to begin raining insults and threats on the Imam – threatening to hand him over to the men of the JTF as a Boko Haram suspect. This quickly resulted to a rebuke from the people who had gathered to comfort the Imam. The rebuke further angered Mustapha – who then turned to open the trunk of his vehicle in a move to retrieve what was believed to be weapon. As he opened the trunk, he told them he will blast them. Accoring to the police, “he brought out a gun from the boot of his car“.
It took the quick intervention of an SSS officer stationed near the site of altercation who alerted the men of the JTF of the unfolding incident. As the JTF officers arrived, the young Mustapha introduced himself as the son of the State Governor – and quickly asked for the Imam to be dealt with. But the SSS officer who witnessed the entire brouhaha signaled to the JTF and briefed them of what had transpired and told them that he [SSS fellow] is determined to see that the Governor’s son pay for the unnecessary embarrassment of the Imam and nose-thumbing at the law. The SSS officer then detained the Governor’s son at the Kundila roundabout and alerted the director of SSS.
As the Director was contacted, he was told initially that the Governor’s son had pulled a dangerous weapon against the Imam and against the SSS officer. The Director’s first reaction was to issue a directive for the boy to be brought in Mustapha to the SSS office. This directive made it seem the Governor’s son was under arrest – or about to be arrested by SSS. Immediately, the Governor’s son began working the phone lines and pleading to be forgiven. Through the pleadings of the governor’s son and the intervention of other high ranking members of the State security apparatus – the Director of SSS cautioned Mustapha – and told him to report to the SSS office at a later date – to iron out the details of the case. The SSS Director, in talking to 247ureports.com, indicated that the governor’s son was never officially arrested.
I want to use this medium to draw the attention of the Lagos State Governor Mr. Babatunde Fashola(SAN) and the Commissioner for Environment Mr. Tunji Bello to come to the aid of suffering lagosians over incessant flood due to climate change. The regular heavy downpour being experienced in the state has called for great concern. Presently, Lagosians are living in palpable fears of flood in the state.
Most of these so-called pedestrian and mini-bridges being constructed over 30 years ago are gradually fading out which the Master plan used was a result of the less population of the state then. The Master plan is no longer relevant as a result of the present population of Lagos State which is estimated to 18 million people.Though Lagos State Government under the Lagos State Ministry of Environment has cautioned Lagosians over heavy downpour due to climate change and environmental degradation in the past few months.The worst is that property worth millions of naira has been destroyed by incessant flood in the State. The opposition party in the State is now seeing the flood as a means to run down the government of the ACN.
Even dredging of canals in the state do not prevent the flood but the problem lies on some Lagos houses being built on the canals which prevents flowing of water anytime there is heavy downpour. Lagosians are seriously battling with accommodation problem which the high cost of house rents has left many Lagosians no option than to build their houses in shanties. Even the traffic gridlock in the state is at a pitiable state due to flood.Lagos State is a coastal state surrounded with sea but the flood can be prevented if all measures are put in place.
Come to think of Ajegunle that is most populated with different tribes, the people over there are living in the mercy of God. The unpredicted rainfall has rendered many Ajegunle residents homeless while property worth millions of naira destroyed by torrential rainfall and stormy weather.Some of the affected flood areas are Opaleye, Okoya, Otor-Wharf, Okorogbo, Osobengson, Babani, Ekene, Aiyenero, Agugu, Amukoko, Tolu, Ogbowankwo and just mention but a few.The major problem of Ajegunle flood is that some houses are constructed on the canals and gutters due to accommodation problem in Nigeria and the outgrown population of Lagos State.The fact remains that house owners in Lagos Sate refused to abide on the tenancy laws of the state which prevents house owners not to collect more than one year rent but the reverse is the case . Nobody is monitoring the law at present while landlords are taken advantage of tenants to collect two years rent without hesitation In fact one- room apartment or self-contained goes for one hundred fifty thousand to three hundred thousand naira in Ajegunle to the extent that house owners now greedily collect both agency and agreement fees without estate agents while some Ajegunle residents prefer to erect wooden houses on the canals.Poor drainage system is also causing flood in the State.
Most of the Lagos houses do not have toilets and bathrooms which canals are the only alternative to such unfortunate house owners who are desperate for money without caring for their tenants. Even the 57 local government chairmen are handicapped to confront the incessant flood in their local government areas.In Ejigbo, Mushin, Ebegda, Satellite Town, Old Ojo road and other areas in the state needed to revisit their Master plans to construct new bridges that can help to prevent flood in the State. Some of these pedestrian and mini-bridges are causing havoc to Lagosians which reptiles, mosquitoes and other dangerous insects also breeding various diseases to the people. The flood has affected some public and private businesses including schools in the state. The fear of flood is the beginning of many people relocating from Lagos together with their businesses which could be adversely effect to the economic activities in the State.
Again , organizing seminars on climate change cannot prevent flood but ability of the Lagos State Government to caution Lagos house owners on the imminent danger of building houses on canals.Despite some houses were destroyed during the first dredging of Lagos canals some Lagosians still operating their businesses on it.People now use canoes to ferry themselves to their respective homes.The increase of Malaria parasite among Lagosians could be traced to flood in the State.
Finally, Lagos State Governor Mr. Babatunde Fashola and the Commissioner for Environment Mr. Tunji Bello and Environmental stakeholders should review on the Lagos State Master Plan in order to fight against incessant flood in the State.
In reaction to Mallam Nasir el-Rufai’s uninformed piece on Anambra State entitled: Anambra: Budget of Misplaced Priorities, many people have written by way of further comments on the subject. Quite unusual of the Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi did a rejoinder himself; he sought to correct a misrepresentation of his State. Beyond just telling us that Anambra State has adopted the Millennium Development Goals as its vision, Obi explained that Anambra Integrated development Strategy (ANIDS) is a vehicle for achieving the vision. The Governor took the goals one after the other and clearly showed what the state is doing. At the end of the piece, even skeptics were convinced that his Government is focused and is driven by plan encapsulated in novel methods that are working towards achieving set goals.
At the end of the day, and going by what Obi has done in Anambra State, the question on all lips is: ‘Why does he still have apposition?’ The answer is simple: ‘Obi met a State that was in the jaws of lions. Naturally, to retrieve anything from the lions’ jaws will surely entail collateral damage and injuries on any person who so dares embark on such a hazardous enterprises.
Today, with Governor Obi bearing the scars of all the instruments used in the battle for the soul of Anambra State, one can say that he has done well. The loosing vocal minority are like the evil spirit, legion, that Christ cast out from a man’s body that entered into a swine and caused damage. This minority have been frustrated in the State, and like legion, they are determined to cause maximum damage on their way out.
Today, in Anambra, Obi has not been forgiven by many who consider him an “outsider”, who, not only wrestled power from them, but seems determined to alienate them from Anambra politics by growing a new crop of dedicated political who would forever bench the failed politicians of old. This failed lot have sworn that this ‘dangerous’ move by Obi must be stopped at all cost. This I submit explains the level of opposition massed against the Governor.
Anambra has therefore become a State where people deliberately pretend not to know the truth as they pursue some wild and elusive dream. Otherwise, why should somebody like Mr. Chudi Offodile, from Awka, deny Obi the credit of doing anything on health, when a Teaching Hospital built from the scratch stands before him in his home town! Obi erected about 20 new buildings in that complex, equipped the hospital and ensured its accreditation by the relevant professional medical bodies; yet Offodile’s lamentation that nothing is happening around him.
In his own piece entitled “Anambra: Further comments on Obi’s misplaced Priorities, one Dr. Chidozie Emenuaga was at it too. Though he pretended to be objective, he ended up showing his true colours. My first reaction on reading him was: ‘Ah, where is this Emenuga coming from?’ A little check however revealed him as once a Personal Assistant to Prof. Charles Soludo when he was the Governor of the Central Bank. It was easy to establish a nexus here: the write up by Mallam El-Rufai was the reproduction of a lecture delivered by Soludo himself on the 3rd of May, 2012 at the faculty of Social Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka with little input by Rufai. During the public presentation of Uche Ezechukwu’s book on Ojukwu, Soludo’s only comment was about the imaginary poverty in Anambra State. Emenuga was Soludo’s Personal Assistant, while the newspapers reported that the Barnhill Hotel partly owned by Mr. Chudi Offodile was actually used to rig election for the PDP, when Soludo was their governorship candidate in Anambra State.
Now to some points raised by Soludo’s Assistant and the mallam that: “The point that Governor Obi and other Anambra people should swallow is that the condition of Anambra State has become such a national and international concern that ‘outsiders’ can no longer be shut out from proffering solutions”. This is at best intellectual dishonesty. I challenge Emenuga to tell us what El-Rufai did at a time Anambra State was really in pathetic condition. At a time when their principal, President Olusegun Obasanjo ensured that Anambra State was a butt of dinner jollity. At that time, Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju could not even see the President, while in the full glee of the world Obasanjo agreed that Dr. Chris Ngige was rigged into office. Is it now Obi has restored sanity, peace and progress to the State that somebody should talk of “the condition of Anambra State?”
I share what Emenuga said about Philosophy. Let one go on and add that it was not in vain that it was regarded as Regina Scientiarum (the Queen of the Sciences) In fact when you enquire into the history of civilization, you will discover that the epochal liberation of man from barbarism was more the achievements of philosophers.
Philosophy is good because it awakens in man the need for critical thinking. However, if what Emenuaga was trying to say is that Obi as a philosopher should have performed better, he is wrong. I challenge him to tell us one Governor that is doing better than him with the available resources? There is no sector in which Obi has not done better than his predecessors.
Emenuga gleefully echoed El-Rufai’s view on the poor IGR base of the State and submitted that “only Lagos, Kano and a few other non-oil producing states are not as valuable as Anambra. If he were sincere, he should have named two more states that do not fall within his vulnerable ranking. He knows he may not get any beyond Lagos and Kano. But like a typical home opposition, Anambra must be used as an example. I cannot accuse him of criticizing what he did not understand, because it was evidently out of mischief. Since Obi advent, Anambra’s IGR may not have reached its optimum, but it has continued to increase. Obi says that he has enough money to pay salary for even a year should nothing come from the centre.
In 6 years Obi has invested over 10 Billion Naira for Anambra State in promising businesses and yet he is doing nothing to improve Anambra’s IGR Base. If all the companies, SABmiller, Orient Petroleum , Innoson Motors, Juhel, etc he is supporting or attracting to Anambra pay taxes, would it not improve the IGR base? Surely Emenuga’s understanding of IGR is still within the base category of collecting stallage fees and all that.
Coming out more pungently to showcase his real motive, Emenuaga asked: “What are the good works a visitor will see in Anambra State? Peer Review? King Solomon of Israel did not publicize his good works before Queen of Sheba heard of it and embarked on a trip to Jerusalem to see for herself”. If everything Solomon did should be glorified, I advice Emenuga to get 700 concubines for himself. In a State where people like Emenuaga deny what exists, what will happen if such are not shown to the world? In fact, the antics of people like him call on the Governor to re-double whatever he does to showcase his work. I think Emenuga should rather not concern himself about false claims.
In saying that the only solution to poverty and unemployment in Anambra State is to expand economic activities in the State and create enabling environment for the private sector to flourish, Emenuga left many more confused than enlightened. In the past 6 years, economic activities in the State have been expanding. Consequently Bank branches have more than doubled, industries are coming up, hotels grew from about 4 to over 30, and development partners that were not in the State are all here. Emenuga, what do you mean?
To show you what Emenuaga set out to do, he denied any development taking place in his part of the State. Even the road he referred to – Igbo-Ukwu – Uga – Umunze – Owerre-Ezukala road was completed by Governor Obi. He does not know that this Government has completely rebuilt the Umunze Cottage Hospital, constructed the longest Bridge – Odor – in his area, did the Ufuma – Enugwu road, is doing Ajalli- Aguluezechukwu road. In his part of the State, there is no town that did not benefit from a new classroom of five blocks. Most schools for the first time benefited from library, buses, internet, boreholes etc.
Judging from what Obi has done and the recognition that has come his way, it will not be easy to distort the truth here. Thisday best Governor on Financial Prudence; Champion Most Trustworthy Governor; Thisday 4th most performing Governor; a Governor heading a State acclaimed by the Nigerian Senate as Most Stable; a Governor Debt Management Office acclaimed as leading the least indebted State; a Governor The Federal Ministry of Works acclaimed his State as having the best network of roads; a Governor who is beloved by International community/development partners, a Governor who enjoys warm relationship with the Federal Government, cannot by any stretch of imagination be called a failure.
In his long and tortuous journey in politics, we must accept that Obi has driven lunatics away from Anambra State, clipped the wings of predatory politicians eying the State treasury, prevented those who saw themselves as readymade to govern Anambra State from succeeding. But even if he turns Anambra into an Eldorado, this tribe of critics must see him as a failure. Too bad! Too tragic!
Dr. Amos Onyedika, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka
President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Monday in Kaduna commissioned the Defence Industry Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) bullet proof vest production factory.
The President commended the Public Private Partnership (PPP) between DICON and MAROM-DOLPHIN Nigeria Limited which resulted in the domestic production of the bullet proof vests and other textile wares for the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies in the country.
President Jonathan noted that the landmark event further signaled that the “nation’s military establishment has effectively keyed into the Federal Government’s Local Content Policy which is aimed at building indigenous capacity in the petroleum and other sectors of the national economy.”
The President restated his Administration’s commitment “to creating the requisite enabling environment for local manufacturing industries to grow, become major employers of labour and progressively become globally competitive.”
President Jonathan noted that the Nigerian Navy’s locally designed and constructed Seaward Defence Boat which he commissioned about a month ago in Lagos and the Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) locally produced by the Nigerian Army Engineering Corps which he also commissioned Monday at the Command and Staff College, Jaji, Kaduna as part of activities marking the 2012 Nigerian Army Day Celebrations (NADCEL), marked the beginning of the end of the nation’s total reliance on foreign suppliers for the country’s security needs.
While urging all Nigerians to show patriotism by buying DICON products, President Jonathan indicated that a directive would soon be issued to compel all Federal agencies to patrionise DICON unless they can prove convincingly that such products are not available locally.
“That is the only way we can move as a nation,” he said, while calling on other foreign investors to emulate MAROM-DOLPHIN.
President Jonathan accompanied by the governors of Kaduna and Bayelsa States, ministers, members of the National Assembly and the Chief of Defence Staff among other top government officials, also inspected weapons made by DICON-MAROM.
DICON was established by an Act of Parliament in 1964 to primarily “produce small arms and ammunitions for the use of the Nigerian Army, paramilitary and security agencies in the country.”
