RE: Gov Kwankwaso’s Drug Abuse, Assault on Cabinet Members, Corruption and Ibrahim Shekarau

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By Muhammad mukhatar Gwarzo

On October 11, 2011, an article bearing the above confused headline appeared on an embarrassingly unpopular website which indentifies itself as 247ureports.com. The website, which pretends to practice journalism, carried out an incomprehensible and incoherent report on the government of Kano state led by Engineer Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

Going by the first paragraph of the report, one does not need to be an expert in language to understand the linguistic nonsense the publishers of that unfortunate article unleashed, all in an attempt to impress unsuspecting readers. First, 247ureport.com claims that Governor Kwankwaso assaulted one of his commissioners whom the website identified as the Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Abbas Abdullahi Abbas. The assault, the website claimed almost led to the resignation of the commissioner “there and then” if not for the intervention of the some members of the cabinet. It must be categorically stated that at no time did such incident happen at the Kano government House. The whole story emanated from the schizophrenic imaginations of the publishers.

Any reasonable person knows that no amount of persuasion would make any sensible commissioner who has been assaulted by a governor to remain in a cabinet. To further confirm the blatant lie contained in the 247ureports.com story, no other sources of news carried the story. The report only exists on 247ureport.com and not anywhere else.

Second. The claim that Kwankwaso sanctioned the mischievous slogan of “Sabon Gwamna, Sabon sarki” (new governor, new emir), was just another deliberate attempt to bring the image of Kwankwaso into disrepute. The truth is that Governor Kwankwaso, even before his election into office has since dissociated himself from that slogan concocted by mischief-makers in his name. Also, members of the Kwankwassiyya movement as loyal party members have been known to be peaceful and not trouble-makers like their counterparts in the opposition camp of the ANPP.

Third. A close look at the composition of Kwankwaso’s cabinet reveals that virtually all the members in the cabinet are seasoned and experienced experts and technocrats in their respective areas of specialization. . According to The Nation newspaper edition of 18 June 2011 “… [kwankwaso’s] first set of appointments shows his preference for technocrats to translate his vision into reality. They include Dr. Yunusa Dangwani, Dr. Rabiu Suleiman, Dr Umar Shehu Minjibir, Dr. Danjuma Mahmud [and Prof. Umar Faruk [Jibril] among other experienced personalities”. This therefore clearly violates the 247ureport.com’s accusation that Kwankwaso “appointed unqualified persons to his cabinet. Even more interesting is the clear contradiction in the 247ureport.com’s description of the Hon. Abbas Abdullahi Abbas as “his own man” and not a “praise-singer”. If truly Kwankwaso wanted to honor incompetence, he would certainly not have appointed righteous people who are capable of being their “own man” like Abbas in his government.

Fourth. Contrary to the malicious allegations labeled on Kwankwaso that he “tongue-lashed his cabinet” and called them “jobless”, it was the appreciation of the individual commitments of Kwankwaso’s cabinet members in their respective fields of endeavor that attracted his interests to appoint them in the first instance. Professor Umar Faruk Jibril, the Hon. Commissioner for Information for example was the Head of Department (HOD) of Mass Communications, Bayero University, Kano, before his appointment to the position. Since kwankwaso’s first tenure in 1999, the governor has never been known to work with quacks in any area of his government and this explains his huge success then and now.

Fifth. Another mind-boggling falsehood perpetrated by the publishers of 247ureport.com was the charge Kwankwaso acted inappropriately to the unfortunate flood that ravaged Fagge local governments during the past few months. It was a well known fact that the Fagge flood disaster was one event that got the most appropriate and effective response from the Kwankwaso government. if, if Kwankwaso had slashed drainage clearing fund as 247ureport.com wants to claim, then how did the government find it possible to address the problem without receiving any complaints from the communities affected? To buttress my point,let me quote a report by The Nation newpaper which revealed that “after the recent destruction of almost 300 houses and the subsequent killing of about 30 people by a recent violent storm, the Commissioner for Environment , Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas painstakingly oversaw “the evacuation of the heaps of refuse that blocked the water tunnels and also ensured the sanitation of the debris of the fallen buildings” (The Nation, July 19,2011). This report again contradicts the falsehood perpetrated by the 247ureport.com publishers. Therefore, it is simply untrue that Governor Kwankwaso slashed a N10million to N1million as reported by 247ureport.com. Indeed ureport.com had no idea at all, on how much was spent to address the floods disaster in Fagge local government

Sixth. Also it is worth clarifying that no street cleaners were ever sacked by the Kwankwaso administration. However, any government will naturally find it necessary to eliminate ghost workers that usually feed undeservedly from government at the expense of hard-workers and the general public. There have been cases in which some loyalists of the Shekarau administration collected state funds every month using their ANPP membership cards as identification. It is these kinds of people that this government currently works hard to discover. None of them had any appointment letter and none of them did any kind of work. Nevertheless, they were paid each month for doing nothing. Any worker who has any valid appointment letter given to them by the past government should forward it if they must continue to serve in government. To confirm the truth that no valid cleaner was sacked, any keen observer would notice that the streets of Kano are always clean with the cleaners available in their assigned locations within the Kano metropolis.

Finally, it is also pathetically untrue that the Kwankwaso government sold any part of the Sabon Gari Market or increased any rent to any tenant in the market as alleged by the 247ureport.com story. Additionally, the relationship between the Emir of Kano, Alhaji ado Bayero and Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has not suffered any injury as mischief-makers like the publishers of the ureport.com story and their sponsors claim. The relationship between the two is as intact as it can ever be. More importantly, Kwankwaso’s cabinet is very stable and working quite efficiently in managing the affairs of the state. Whatever fabrications made to the contrary are just manifestations of the desperate attempts of the opposition camp to distract a focused government. Therefore, the unscrupulous publishers of 247ureport.com and their shameless sponsors should know that the Kwankwaso government is aware of their antics and is no position to succumb to cheap blackmail. This is because the Kwankwaso government still enjoys the magnificent support of the people especially as it intensifies the implementation of its people-friendly policies and programmes.

muhammad mukhtar Gwarzo k/fada kano state.

Enforcing “Operation Impunity”

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Bala Mohammed

Tunde Akpeji

The Minister of FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed knows how to stay in the news and get positive coverage. I have a strong feeling that his background as a journalist is serving him well in this regard as he is able to make newsworthy pronouncement at whatever function he attends.
Senator Bala Mohammed again displayed this trait of his recently at the launch of “Operation Sanity” by the Federal Road Safety Commission of Nigeria (FRSC) apparently in response to the diabolical level of insanity on the roads in the FCT. The Minister was quick to point out that poor driving attitude and indiscipline are major causes of most road accidents in the Federal Capital Territory-thankfully even the least enlightened person in the territory knows this. The seeming good news, for the few sane drivers in the city, is that Senator Mohammed urged the security agencies especially the Federal Road Safety Commission, the FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services and the Nigerian Police Force to put tougher measures in place to sanction traffic offenders and instil discipline on the roads.
Just for the purpose of clarity, even by Nigerian standards, Abuja roads are not short of oddities that have become everyday affairs. On Airport Road, I have seen mini convoys blaring siren to convey cattle on the bed of a pick-up truck. I have seen siren blaring for some bunches of plantain, in another instance it was for a deep freezer in transit and just when I thought I had seen it all I saw a pick-up load of firewood enjoying that rare privilege of being conveyed through a traffic snarl with siren.
There is also the appalling everyday spectacle of convoys that terrorise road users all over the city; drivers must leave the road for them immediately, in which failing, those on the convoys will menace them sometimes with guns. There have been many instances when drivers who do not immediately make way for the convoys end up with dented cars and in extreme instances they get beaten. Usually these convoys leave chaos in their wake as commercial bus drivers, taxi cabs and other uncouth drivers take advantage of the openings left by their bosses.
These same convoy were responsible for the now dominant practice of driving on the hard shoulders of the road with the attendant splashing of mud on the decent road users who maintain the legitimate lane-with the dry season around such drivers progress on their self created rapid lane at the expense of leaving others behind to breath in the cloud of dust in their trail. Take a closer look today, those driving on the hard shoulder of the road sport green government plate numbers, diplomatic plates, vanity plates others are commercial bus drivers, taxi drivers and drivers who merit the creation of the theme “Operation Sanity.”
It is also common knowledge that drivers of the pick-up trucks used by banks as makeshift bullion vans with their police escorts are blissfully ignorant that traffic lights exist in the city as they run the red light at will sometimes with disastrous consequences for other road users. This class of insane drivers get worse when an intersection is manned by traffic wardens.
The list is not exhaustive but the last category in this piece are the nephews, nieces, concubines and stooges of the ruling class who try their best to turn every available road in the nation’s capital into race courses. To this set of ‘human beings’ sanity sets in only when there has been a crash and English begins to follow grammar as they try to intimidate the hapless victims of their erratic driving that they are well connected. Those who have experienced the oppression of such people must really happy with the pronouncement of the FCT Minister.
Unfortunately, I am worried that in calling for tougher sanctions for violators of traffic rules, the Minister of FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed must have forgotten that he is dealing with two different capital cities here-one is the capital of Federal Republic of Nigeria and the other for the People’s Republic of Nigeria. The first one is for those who enjoy the luxury of sirens and have the liberty to violate every single rule of safe driving. To this class the minister himself belongs as evident in the way his convoy drives around the city without any proof that he has ever called his people to order the way they drive. The second city is for the everyday citizens for whom “Operation Sanity” is meant to deal with and they are the one who must be made to conform to traffic rules to leave for rooms for the convoys to manoeuvre.
Has Senator Mohammed gone to the Federal Executive Council and inform his colleagues about the need to call their stunt drivers to order? A friend recently told me about how President Goodluck Jonathan’s convoy will not drive against the traffic around the Women Development Centre in Abuja even when it was the easiest thing to do but you will scarcely hear such stories about the convoys of ministers and lawmakers.  

This is where the FCT Minister must focus his attention; he must first call the real violators of traffic rules to other. The same message goes to the man who conceived “Operation Sanity”, the FRSC Corps Marshal, Osita Chidoka. The FRSC must send a clear and strong signal to the principals and drivers of convoys, the commercial drivers and public office holders by making examples of those who violate traffic rules. If any class of person is exempted in this attempt to sanitize the roads then authorities would only be ‘enforcing impunity’ as the average road user would always follow in the footsteps of his leaders.

 
Tunde Akpeji

Jonathan’s Caged Mind On NDDC Appointment

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Written by Odimegwu Onwumere

The quest for who will man the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) is taking the shape of the 2011 presidential elections, where ‘it was zoning’ and ‘it was not zoning’ characterized the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) primary elections. A lot of people are saying that the NDDC chairman must come from their zone, while others are lobbying Aso Rock with the help of their state governors and the big wigs in Nigeria thereby putting the mind of President Goodluck Jonathan in a corner, perhaps not to take a conscientous decision that would produce who chairs the NDDC.

If the the Presidency is bent on listening to lobbyists for the appointment of persons into the new board and management of the agency, Jonathan will find it very hard to appoint someone who will take into cognizance the bedeviled plights of the people of Niger Delta, and by extension, Nigerians at large, and harness them. This is the time to seprate politicians from technocrats in the appointment, because technocrats who are into politics are dangerous in any appointment more than a wounded python. They concentrate much on work-politics inlure of the job. This is the time to seprate religion, region and personality. Whoever that should be appointed must be on a genuine ground. The agency must be seprated from politics and politicians if Nigerians are truly looking for result-oriented features devoid of godfatherism which many people think has gone on errand in the country, whereas the practice is still very much in vogue.

There is no amount of pressure by lobbyists on the Presidency that should make Jonathan be sidelined by key officials of the Presidency to appoint against his mind. What made the management and board of the commission was sacked by President Jonathan on September 13, 2011 in line with the recommendations of the Oronsaye Committee, should not be allowed to repeat self.

While Jonathan has given a nod for a quick replacement of the ousted leadership of the commission, his conscience should be quick to fulfill his promise because this issue is taking a long time. He should brave up and step on toes to make the appointment. Recycling of politicians in such a sensitive Commission should be eschewd.

Jonathan sould not be hoodwinked in appointing any loyalists of politicians or members of the Oronsanye Panel into NDDC, because the appointee might not give the expectant result wanted in the Commission. If Jonathan does the contrary, his action would cast doubt on his promise of making and bringing the change needed in Nigeria. Any person or group that brought the downfall of the other for his selfish gains should not be exalted.

Jonathan should know those scheming to become the chairman of the board of the commission and those who want to do the job and appoint them. The later is preferable. He should not neglect those from outside the Niger Delta, because among them, the LEADER could be. This appointment should not create serious credibility crisis as we can see.

The sincere intention of the Presidency to reposition the commission should not be traded. The trend of recommendation should be stopped. Jonathan should know that he needs to make Nigerians happy in this appointment so that the questions of many Nigerians in the rationale behind the dissolution of the former leadership of the commission would be in the affirmative. Many Nigerians had said that it was wrong for President Jonathan to punish the old members equally because not all sacked members could be corrupt. They even said that the dissolution by the president was a mudslinger action that contravened the provisions of the NDDC Act, where a mandatory and statutory tenure for the management and board of the agency was relegated.

Jonathan would receive vituperations and venoms if he goes by his conscience, but that will safe Nigerians and the commission further embarrassment. He should be careful of a few self-seeking lobbyists for this job, because they could hide their deceptive and treacherous tendencies. These people will never find any fault in his government. They are just rabble-rousers. They want their own favour. They go from office to office, from one political party to the other. They are not ready to be stable.  

Those who have had cause to help NDDC have never, but here they are looking for the job. How many suggestions and essays have they written to foster the dissolved NDDC? But you will hear them saying today that they are professionals who the work should go to. Anyway, have we not seen professionals messed up in the course of their duties, whereas those we never expected that they will perform made us proud? Professionals indeed!

If Jonathan wants to get it right this time in the NDDC, the issue of ‘illustrious son of the Niger Delta’ should be reviewed, because not all the people who are from the Niger Delta are ‘illustrious sons and daughters’ in the real sense of ‘illustrious’ especially when the issue has to do with the management of money. Well meaning Nigerians can attest to this fact. Not all Nigerians are also ‘illustrious Nigerians’ when it comes to leadership.

Buttressing this point, we have seen what many ‘seasoned administrators with professional degrees and management skills’ have caused this nation in their different public offices. So, Jonathan must be deaf on hearing such image laundering statements such as ‘illustrious’ and ‘professionals’, because not all that glitters is gold.  He must follow his mind. This is the only thing that would direct him finely in not making the wrong choice. It is not one’s Curriculum Vitae (CV) that does the job. 

Odimegwu Onwumere is the Coordinator, Concerned Non-Indigenes In Rivers State (CONIRIV). Mobile: +2348032552855. Email: nirivpol@gmail.com

Kebbi’s Dakingari reconciles with Yar’Adua’s Daughter, Zainab

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Information available to 247ureports.com through principal officers of the Dakingari’s administration in Kebbi State indicate that the Governor of Kebbi State, Gov Dakingari has reconciled with his third wife, Zainab [Daughter of Late President Yar’Adua – May His Soul Rest In Peace ].

The Governor of Kebbi, Dakingari had called off his marriage to the daughter of the Late President following a misunderstanding over a prior promise of who will act as the 1st lady of Kebbi State – and over a supposed N500million loaned to the governor by Zainab for use during the governorship re-election campaign. Zainab was asked to leave the governor’s home with her children and a seven months pregnancy.

According to information gathered, the reconciliation came as a result of pressures and interventions from prominent Emirs from Katsina and Kebbi State who pressed for the two to reconciled to safegaurd the family’s name from being dragged through the mud. 

Zainab was said to be hurt and bitter over her treatment by her husband – and so was relunctant initially to respond to the reconciliation moves. She gave strick conditions that must be met before she could return to Dakingari’s home as his wife. 247ureports.com is uncertain what the conditions were but it is gathered that she still wants to play the role of the 1st lady of Kebbi State.

Meanwhile, Zainab has yet to relocate to her husband’s home in Kebbi State. Her entire properties remain at her home in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory.

N18B Fraud: Court Remands Ex-Nasarawa Gov,Akwe Doma, 8 Others

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…Remands Goje, 4 Others In Prison Pending Meeting N200 Million Bail

A federal high court sitting in Lafia, Nasarawa state has ordered a former governor of the state, Aliyu Akwe Doma and eigth other accused arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC over money laundering charges to be remanded in the Commission’s custody till tomorrow.

The order by the court presided over by Justice Marcel Awokulehin followed bail applications filed by counsel to all the accused and the counter application filed by the lead prosecution counsel, Kemi Pinheiro,SAN opposing the bail bid.

The former Nasarawa governor was docked today, Tuesday October 18, 2011 on a 17 count criminal charge of laundering stolen state funds totalling over N15 billion. He was arraigned along with Senator John Dangoyi, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, Timothy Anthony Anjide, Dauda Egwa, Suleiman Ibrahim, Broworks Ltd and Green Forest Investment Ltd while charges filed against two other accused, John Aigbakhode and Incapint Nig Ltd who are still at large were stepped down.

At about 9.30am, the accused brought in from Abuja under heavy security by EFCC operatives were called into the dock to take their plea. One after the other, they all pleaded not quilty to the charges after which the defence team led by Lateef Fagbemi, Charles Edomosoran and M.I. Ameh, all SANs informed the court of their pending applications for bail for the accused.

In his response, the prosecution counsel, Pinheiro informed the court that he was served 10 applications between Monday and today, and as such would need the court to step down for three hours to enable him file his response opposing all the bail applications. The trial judge aligned with the position of the prosecution after which the court went on a recess and resumed sitting at 2pm.

At the resumed sitting, the prosecution filed his application opposing the request by the accused to be granted bail. Justice Awokulehin who had earlier assured both the prosecution and the defence of his preparedness to give the case expeditious trial, thereafter adjourned to Wednesday October 19, 2011 when he would rule on the applications and counter applications filed by both sides in the case.

He therefore ordered that all the accused be returned to the EFCC custody in Abuja.While the court session was ongoing, hundereds of youths gathered in two camps metres away from the court premises armed with placards and chanting anti and pro Doma songs. There were however hundreds of security agents including soldiers, SSS and police on ground to contain them.

Some of the charges against Doma and others read: “That you Aliyu Akwe Doma (Former Governor of Nasarawa state), Timothy Anthony Anjide and Dauda Egwa between January 2007 and December 2009, in Lafia, Nasarawa State within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court converted the sum of N5, 000, 000,000 (Five Billion naira Only) property of Nasarawa state Government being proceeds of an illicit act to wit: Concealing its illicit origin and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 14(1)(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2004 and punishable under Section 14(1) of the same Act.

Count 2 “That you Aliyu Akwe Doma (Former Governor of Nasarawa state), Timothy Anthony Anjide and Dauda Egwa between January 2009 and December 2009, in Lafia Nasarawa state within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court converted the sum of N1, 000, 000,000 (One Billion naira Only) property of Nasarawa state Government being proceeds of an illicit act to wit: Concealing its illicit origin and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 14(1)(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2004 and punishable under Section 14(1) of the same Act”

Count 3 “That you Aliyu Akwe Doma (Former Governor of Nasarawa state), Timothy Anthony Anjide and Dauda Egwa between January 2010 and December 2010, in Lafia Nasarawa state within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court converted the sum of N274,000,000 (Two hundred and Seventy four million) property of Nasarawa state Government being proceeds of an illicit act to wit: Concealing its illicit origin and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 14(1)(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2004 and punishable under Section 14(1) of the same Act”

Meanwhile, a former governor of Gombe State, Senator Danjuma Goje, and four others who are facing an 18 count charge of money laundering and diversion of public funds preferred against him by the EFCC, was on Tuesday, October 18, 2011, admitted to bail on stringent conditions by a Federal High Court, sitting in Gombe.

In his ruling on the bail application, Justice Babatunde Quadri said that all the five accused persons are to present two sureties each in the sum of N200 million. The sureties are also to have properties in the metropolis of Gombe and the properties which must be supported with a letter from the Ministry of Land must be free from any encumbrance. The court also ruled that the sureties who must also deposit their international passport with the Court Registrar must be able to produce three years Tax Clearance. They are however to be remanded in prison custody until the fulfillment of the bail conditions.

The other four accused persons   arraigned with Goje are; Alhaji Sabo Mohammed Tumu, former  Gombe State Government House food supplier; Alhaji Aliyu Ubadone El-Nafaty former Executive Chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board, Gombe; S. M. DOKORO;  proprietor of S. M. Dokoro and M. Dokoro Gombe.

Court Orders El-Rufai To Face Trial

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A Federal Capital Territory High Court presided over by Justice Sadiq Abubakar Umar on Tuesday, October 18, 2011, turned down an application filed by a former Minister of the FCT , Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and two others to quash the charges of misconduct and abuse of office filed against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. In his ruling,  Justice  Umar  said the consolidated motion on notice filed by the accused persons on May 12 and June 28, 2011, through their counsel is unmeritorious and has failed the test of law. The judge who maintained that the prosecution has established a prima-facie case against them  ordered that the three accused persons must face trial to defend the charges against them.

The two other accused persons arraigned with El-Rufai are a  former Director-General, Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS); Altine Jubrin, and a former General- Manager, Abuja Geographic Information System, AGIS, Ismail Iro. The judge, said that from the proof of evidence before the court, the three accused  persons have explanation to make in the course of trial. He also said that Section 2 of the ICPC Act was elastic enough  to hold the accused persons  liable to face trial . The EFCC had on Wednesday, July 6, 2011, argued that the three accused persons as public officers, can be tried by the Commission as the anti-graft agency has an absolute authority to prefer charges against them. 

Counsel to the EFCC, Adebayo Adelodun, SAN, had questioned the motion seeking to quash the charges saying that it was an abuse of court processes to have brought the same motion which had earlier been ruled upon. He said that the court had on March 28th, 2011, granted EFCC leave to prefer charges against the accused persons and that the court’s decision was borne out of proof that the EFCC had a prima facie case against them. Adelodun further averred that the defence counsel’s submission that the first accused person, Mallam El- Rufai was not a public officer but rather a political appointee hence should not be charged under the ICPC’s Act, was erroneous as section 2 of the ICPC Act clearly describes a public officer as one who is employed or engaged in the service of the federation. “My lord, the enabling law has intrinsically described who a public officer is and takes into consideration circumstances of other people engaged as consultants, ministers, and other non- regular staff in the service of the federation.”

On the argument by the defence counsel that the charges have violated the law of duplicity and should then be quashed, prosecution counsel said that according to some rulings of both the Supreme and Appeal courts, it is not in all cases that duplicity of charges are deemed as a sufficient ground to quash a case but only when there is an occasion to miscarry justice. “The use of conjunctives ‘and’ and ‘or’   which the defence counsel are relying upon to drive their argument of duplicity cannot be sustained as it does not in any way mean that  but is explanatory in nature as to the time of committing the crime.”, Adelodun had submitted. He had insisted that the crime for which the first accused was being charged was committed before his disengagement in May 29 2007.

Earlier, Messrs Akin Olujinmi (SAN) and Kanu Agabi (SAN), counsel to the accused persons had separately asked the court through applications brought to quash the case against their clients,  saying that the offences being alleged were not disclosed in the proof of evidence and that it was an abuse of court processes to have duplicated their charges. They submitted that the court needed to safeguard the accused persons from harassment and public embarrassment. The Senior Advocates opined that because the office of a minister was not described as a public servant, but was distinctively described in the constitution, no charge against the first accused person should be sustained.

 

Agabi particularly said: “The only thing tangible in their charge is that the fist accused revoked and re-assigned a land but I find nowhere in our laws where that is a crime. Rather Section 28 of the Land Use Act gives him the right to do so.”  The case is adjourned till November 15 and 16 for accelerated hearing. 

El-Rufai and his co-accused were initially re-arraigned on April 17th, 2011. Their arraignment followed a petition to EFCC, chronicling allegations of abuse of office against El-Rufai and how he misappropriated government land which he allocated to his friends and family members, in flagrant breach of the Abuja Master plan.  According to the petition, the former minister, between 2003-2007, allocated ten plots of land in choice areas of Abuja and in various sizes to his family members, including his wife, Hadiza Isma El-Rufai, who got two plots- one in the Asokoro district and the other in the Kubwa district. Ten other family members and relations were also allocated different plots of land at various locations in the FCT.  El-Rufai was granted bail on self-recognition by Justice Umar.  

 One of the count charges reads: “That you  Mallam Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai (M) between 13th day of December, 2003 and 14th of December, 2007 or thereabout at the Ministry of Federal capital territory, Abuja in the course of and or in the performance of your official duties as the Minister of  the federal Capital Territory  did use your said Office and position to gratify and confer corrupt or unfair advantage on your relation to wit your wife Hadiza Ahmed El-Rufai by reallocating to her parts of the parcel of land known as plot No 1201, Asokoro District (A4) Abuja, originally allocated in the Federal Capital Territory Master plan to power Holding company of Nigeria Plc for the construction of transmitting/ injection sub-stations which fully and/or intentionally revoked for that purpose, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under section 19 of the corrupt and Other related Offences act, 2000”.

EFCC Arraigns Ex-Gov Goje,4 Others Over N52billion Fraud

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…As Ex-Governor Withdraws No-Case Application.

A former governor of Gombe State, Senator Danjuma Goje, on Monday, October 17, 2011 bowed to the superior arguments of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, as he hurriedly withdrew an application to quash an 18 count charge preferred against him by the Commission based on the ruling of a Federal High Court sitting in Gombe asking him to defer his bail application until the consideration of his no-case submission.

Counsel to the EFCC, Wahab Shittu, told the court that bail application for Goje and four others arraigned over the charges bordering on abuse of office;  awarding contracts without budget provision and obtaining by false pretence and misappropriation to the tune of N52 billion, should not be heard since “ he has brought an application before the court seeking the quashing of the charges imputed to him”.

Counsel to Goje and his co-accused, Adeniyi Akintola, SAN, had approached the court with two applications: one for the quashing of the charges preferred against them and the other for bail. However, he became thoroughly flustered by the argument of the EFCC counsel who insisted that consideration for bail should not be placed before the court simultaneously with a no-case submission.

The other four accused persons   arraigned with Goje are; Alhaji Sabo Mohammed Tum, former  Gombe State Government House food supplier; Alhaji Aliyu Ubadone El-Nafaty former Executive Chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board, Gombe; S. M. DOKORO;  proprietor of S. M. Dokoro and M. Dokoro Gombe.

The five accused persons were docked before Justice Babatunde Quadri for offences ranging from conspiracy to obtain by false pretence contrary to section 8 of the advance fee fraud and other related offences act, concealing the genuine ownership of two properties in London and conspiracy to award contract/awarding contract without budget provision; an offence which is punishable under section 22 (4) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.

The five accused persons however pleaded not guilty to the charges when it was read to them. Counsel to EFCC, Wahab Shittu then asked the court to fix a date for their trial. However, counsel to the accused persons,  Adeniyi Akintola, after withdrawing the first application for the quashing of charges preferred against Goje, told the court that he had filed an application for bail. 

 In his ruling, Justice Quadri adjourned the case till tomorrow, October 18th, 2011 for ruling on the bail application. He then ordered that the accused persons be remanded in the custody of the State Security Service, SSS.

Some of the charges  against them read :

Count 1.

COUNT ONE That you, ALHAJI DANJUMA GOJE ‘M’, former Executive Governor of Gombe State, Nigeria; sometimes between May 2003 and May 2011, in Gombe within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, with attempt to convert, conspired with others to conceal or disguise the sum of N5, 000,000,000.00 (Five Billion Naira only) property of Gombe State Government, which was, or in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, represented proceeds of an illegal act, contrary to Section 17 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition Act) 2004 and also punishable under Section 14 of the same Act as amended, modified and retained under Sections 15, 16, 17, 18 & 19 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (As Amended).

COUNT TWO That you, ALHAJI DANJUMA GOJE ‘M’, former Executive Governor of Gombe State, Nigeria sometimes between May 2003 and May 2011, in Gombe, within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, committed an offence to wit: converted the sum of N5, 000,000,000.00, (Five Billion Naira only) property of the Gombe State Government and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 14 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition Act) 2004 and also punishable under section 14 of the same Act as amended, modified and retained under Sections 15, 16, 17, 18 & 19 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (As Amended).

COUNT THREE That you ALHAJI DANJUMA GOJE ‘M’, former Executive Governor of Gombe State, Nigeria; ALHAJI SABO MOHAMMED TUMU ‘M’ being Gombe State Government House food supplier; and others, between May 2003 and May 2011 within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, with attempt to convert, conspired among yourselves and others to conceal or disguise the sum of N1, 920,000,000.00 (One Billion, Nine Hundred & Twenty Million Naira only) property of Gombe State Government, which was, or in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, represented proceeds of an illegal act, contrary to Section 17 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition Act) 2004 and also punishable under Section 14 of the same Act as amended, modified and retained under Sections 15, 16, 17, 18 & 19 respectively of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (As Amended).

COUNT FOUR That you ALHAJI DANJUMA GOJE ‘M’, former Executive Governor of Gombe State, Nigeria; ALHAJI SABO MOHAMMED TUMU ‘M’ being Gombe State Government House food supplier; between May 2003 and May 2011 within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, committed an offence to wit: converted the sum of N1, 920,000,000.00 (One Billion, Nine Hundred & Twenty Million Naira only) property of Gombe State Government, being an illegal act to wit: concealing its illicit origin and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 14 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition Act) 2004 and also punishable under section 14 of the same Act as amended, modified and retained under Sections 15, 16, 17, 18 & 19 respectively of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011 (As Amended).

Kalu Likens Okonjo-Iweala To Awo

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Finance minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala got tremendous applause Weeekend as she was put in the shoes of late sage Chief Obafemi Awolowo by former Abia state governor Orji Uzor Kalu.

 
Kalu who decried the torrent of attacks on the minister likened her role to that of  Awolowo who was released from prison by Gen.Gowon and appointed Federal Commissioner for Finance and Vice- chairman of the Federal Executive Council[FEC].
 
He said,”Dr.Okonjo- Iweala’s plum job as Co-ordinating minister of the Economy is nothing new.She is only playing a role similar to that of  Pa Obafemi Oyeniyi Awolowo from June 1967-June 1971.Call her ‘Primus inter pares'[First among  equals] if you like.And like Awo,the woman never lobbied to be appointed in the first place.Those who do not feel comfortable with her can only end up chasing shadows.”
 
The ex-governor described those sponsoring anti-Okonjo-Iweala forces as soldiers of fortune who had nothing but destruction for the economy.
 
“Okonjo-Iweala did not create our problems.She came in as part of the solution.You can not manage the World Bank without being exceptional.These mercenaries will not allow her to settle down.Today they say other ministers are not happy with her,tomorrow they claim she has usurped Vice-President Namadi Sambo’s office.The game plan is to cause confusion by turning others against her.But i know, President Jonathan is having a good laugh.He brought and believes in her,”Kalu pointed out.
 
Kalu added that there could not be any plot against the Finance minister by her colleagues since they all had their briefs from the President.
 
“When Awo was Finance minister,there were other big names in Gowon’s cabinet-Aminu Kano,Tony Enahoro,Wenike Opurum Briggs,Shettima Ali Monguno,Joseph Sarwuan Tarka,Russel Dikko and Lateef Olufemi Okunnu-they never felt threatened.Nigeria needed an Awo to survive the war then.Today, we need an Okonjo-Iweala to maintain fiscal discipline,”he said.
 
Signed,
 
Emeka Obasi.

NDWPD fighting against climate change, empowering women in Niger Delta

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The Event

By our reporter, Ughelli

 


The Niger Delta Women Peace and Development (NDWPD), Non Governmental Organization, with a vision to empowering Women, promoting enduring peace, conflict mediation in the Niger Delta region as well as girl-child education and ecological imperatives, has joined other relevant NGOs and government agencies on the crusade against the global menace called climate change.

 

Delivering her speech, Wednesday at the Niger Delta Women’s Tribunal/Climate Justice Hearing, with the theme “Women and climate Justice: Strengthening Voices, Search for Solutions in the Niger Delta, Nigeria” held at Wiltrice Hotel, Ughelli, Delta state, national President ofNDWPD, Princess (Mrs.) Caroline Usikpedo-Omoniye, MCIA, bemoaned the rate of damaged caused by the menace and the activities of multinational oil companies in the region.

 

According to the group “One of the most disturbing ironies in the Niger Delta today is that the pipelines are laid across farms, waterways, fishing grounds communities and living quarters. Not enough care is given to the technical integrity of the pipes, so they corrode, burst and cause a deluge of oil spills, fires that consume plants and human lives especially women and children. Adaptation to climate change is therefore no longer a secondary and long-term response option only to be considered as a last resort. It is now prevalent, and for those rural communities in the Niger Delta like Burutu, Forcados, Foutorugbene already vulnerable to the impacts of present day climate hazards, and urgent imperative especially the rain seasons in the Niger Delta where economic activities are halted due to high flood, causing food insecurity, affecting education activities and human rights.”

Usikpedo-Omoniye while enumerating some of the problems faced in the region to include oil spill, food security, change in vegetation and gas flaring, she however noted that the devastating impacts of these incidents on the farmlands, crops, economic trees, creeks, lakes, fishing equipment is such that the people can no longer engage in productive farming and fishing as they us to do adding that “ Several major rivers are heavily polluted and also farmlands are under acid rain and oil spills. Oil canals and network of pipelines is making it impossible and dangerous for women to undertake economic activities on it.”

 

In communiqué issued and signed by eight man communiqué committee, Mr. Efik Surveyor, Chief Mrs. Whegbere (JP), Mrs. Martha Iweh Okoro, Mrs. Benedicta Ekemiafor, Mr Okezi Odugala, Mr. Kolawale Lawal, Mr. Omonode Kejekpo and Mrs. Onose Martha at the end of the one Niger Delta Women tribunal and climate Justice and made available to the press, noted that one of the most disturbing ironies in the Niger Delta today is that the pipelines are laid across farms, waterways, fishing grounds communities and living quarters. Not enough care is given to the technical integrity of the pipes, so they corrode, burst and cause a deluge of oil spills, fires that consume plants and human lives especially women and children. They further noted that adaptation to climate change is therefore no longer a secondary and long-term response option only to be considered as a last resort but now prevalent, and for those rural Communities in the Niger Delta like Burutu, Forcados, Foutorugbene already vulnerable to the impacts of present day Climate hazards, and urgent imperative especially the rain seasons in the Niger Delta where economic activities are halted due to high flood, causing food insecurity, affecting education activities and human rights.

According to the communiqué the aim of the Climate Justice Hearings is to up-scale local solutions and bringing the voices of those most affected  women and traditionally excluded groups to influence negotiations and plans of action on climate change at the national as well as the international level during COP17 and Rio+ 20.  

“After an exhaustive testimony by five women and others from different communities in the Niger delta region, namely; Foutorugbene , Forcados, Orogun and Burutu Communitie of diverse ecological problems namely flooding, seasonal climate changes, sever heat which has affected their fishing and farming work i.e their main traditional occupation, they have noticed that they are more than 30yrs fishing and farming experiences has shown negative yield production which has impacted adversely their social economic life; no more food crop for domestic consumption, no more income from farm product, sales to train their children and assist their family, no infrastructure in this oil bearing communities most especially health care centre which has lead to death from persons who falls ill from diseases aftermath of climate change problems. Educational activities are put on hold because flood has destroyed the community school premises and distorted yearly academic calendar.” They noted.


All testifiers called on pro active actions from government and international organization towards saving the environment from devastation and poverty as they are more vulnerable to climate change.


They  called on the entire Niger Delta women, the organizer of the program (NDW) to take their plight to , the UNFCC COP 17 durban, south Africa and let the international body come to their rescue to mitigate and adapt to climate change problems as a means of sustaining their livelihood which is farming and fishing.


They also called on the Nigeria government to address as a matter of urgency the climate change problem to save their life and generation yet unborn, they wonder if they are part of the country with their contribution through oil and gas exploration in their different communities in the Niger delta region.


The participants at the climate change tribunal therefore recommend that; the complaints should be taken to the respective authorities at the local, state and federal government levels, all the concern expressed should be well represented at the forth coming UNFCC COP 17 and the Rio+20, the international community should come to their rescue with meaningful support such as finance, capacity building, sensitization, awareness creation and adaptive techniques, the climate change tribunal should be carried out periodically across the various communities in the Niger Delta, advocacy visits should be embarked on upon with outcome of the Climate Change Tribunal to the Niger Delta State Houses of Assembly, the Traditional Rulers Council, the Ministry of Environment, including the line Ministries and all the concern oil/gas companies, all Stakeholders and communities members should embark on massive tree planting exercise in their respective communities to serve as risk preparedness measures as well as the Niger Delta States Government should put in place early warning signal at community level to take care of emergency response.

Imo NDDC Nomination: Stakeholders Fault Okorocha

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…Say Governor Unfair to Izombe

Imo State Governor, Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha has received some knocks over a list of nominees allegedly submitted to the President for consideration and appointment to represent the State in the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, about being re constituted.

Major stakeholders see the list as a maximum injustice to Izombe Community, in Oguta Local Government Area of the State, even as they urged the Governor to withdraw same without delay.

Youths of the State, under the aegis of Imo Youth Congress expressed their disappointment with the governor’s list, even as they dissociated themselves from same. They however insisted that it is time to balance the equation of justice in the state.

Reacting to the list, President of Imo Youth Congress, Comrade Robinson Nwokocha  argued that the Governor’s choice of candidates falls short of the expectations of the people.

According to him, “We have seen the governor’s list. The first person on the list is Gideon Mefor, an Egbema man. Egbema has had their own share twice. The next person is Bons Nwabiani, a 70-year old man, who is gradually getting senile. He is from Oguta town and Oguta has also been represented severally. In fact, the immediate past Imo representative, Ikechukwu Akeru is from Oguta town. The next is one Okafor, from Osemoto, still in Oguta. Osemoto has no oil deposit. This is unfair. Governor Okorocha is making his government unpopular, by taking these very unpopular steps”, he stressed. 

Adding his voice, International Co-ordinator of Ohaji/Egbema/Oguta Consultative Forum, Dr. Chukwudi Igboezuo expressed shock at the governor’s list, describing it as unrealistic; even as he urged President Jonathan to ignore him.

Dr. Igboezuo, who took reporters down the memory lane explains: “In Imo State, there are four core Oil Producing Communities, namely : Oguta, Izombe, Ohaji and Egbema.

Since the establishment of the defunct OMPADEC, till the present day NDDC, no Izombe man has represented the state in the Commission. This is simply because they do not have  people to speak for them. We believe in Justice. This injustice must stop. I am not an Izombe man, but I believe in justice, because what goes around comes around.

For instance, Mr. Bons Nwabiani, an Indigene of Oguta Town was the first Commissioner in the defunct OMPADEC, which was the slot of Oguta Local Government Area. Now, Rochas has included him again on his list. He is 70 years old. Mr. Ikechukwu Akeru, the immediate past representative of the State in the Board is also from the same town.

Again, Mr. Victor Kogah, from Egbema and Emmanuel Assor from Ohaji have also had their turns in the Commission. Now, this is the turn of Izombe to represent the state in the NDDC Board and the governor has joined the line of injustice. We are worried because if we do not stand against this, someday, this injustice may come to us, because what goes around comes around. This is unfair. Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. Is it that Rochas has no good advisers or that they are far from history”?, he queried.

Meanwhile, a group of like minds in Izombe, under the aegis of Izombe patriots Forum had petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan on the matter, reiterating the need for an Izombe man to be appointed to represent Imo in the Board, even as they threatened to resist anything in the contrary.

It would be recalled that following the recent dissolution of the Board of the NDDC, stakeholders have continued to make their inputs on the need for round pegs to be put in round holes.

Some of the major contenders are: Chief Emmanuel Duru, a former member of the Governing Council of the Federal College of Eucation (Technical), Omoku; Chief Bons Nwabiani, a 70-year old man, who is widely criticized; though one of the governor’s candidates, among others.

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