Breaking News:- Gov. Fayemi Accept Defeat, Congratulates Fayose As The New Governor Of Ekiti State

Former Governor of Ekiti state and the
All Progressives Congress, APC
gubernatorial candidate for the just
concluded Ekiti governorship election
has congratulated Ayo Fayose, Ekiti
Governor-elect while also biding the
good people of Ekiti farewell.
In a statement issued this Sunday
morning, Fayemi said,
” If indeed this is the will of the
Ekiti People, I stand in
deference to your will. If the
result of the elections is an
expression of the voice of our
people, we must all heed your
voice.I have just spoken with
my brother, Mr. Peter Ayodele
Fayose, congratulating him on
his victory. In a few hours from
now, I would be meeting the
Governor-elect to discuss the
future of our dear state and how
we would work together to
institute a smooth transition
programme.”.
“It has been a hard fought
election. As expected, in the
course of the campaigns, there
were unsavory episodes as the
candidates toured the nooks
and crannies of the state to sell
ourselves to the people.
Elections tend to be highly
divisive affairs that often see
brother rising against brother.
Despite our diverse party
affiliations, and regardless of
which way we voted on
Saturday, we must remember
that we are all sons and
daughters of Ekiti State. Ekiti is
ours to build together.
“On our part, over the course of
the campaigns, we presented
our scorecards before the
people of Ekiti State. We never
at any point took your support
for granted. We campaigned,
we canvassed and we traversed
the nooks and crannies of this
State. Our performance and
achievements in office will
remain the backdrop against
which the next government and
indeed future governments will
be assessed. We are proud that
with the support of Ekiti people,
we have raised the bar of
excellence in governance. In all,
we gave our best, for
conscience and for posterity.
“Indeed a new sociology of the
Ekiti people may have evolved.
However, the task of
understanding how the
outcome of this election has
defined us as a people will be
that of scholars. For us as an
administration and a cadre of
political leaders in Ekiti State,
we have fought a good fight,
we have kept faith.
“To members of our party, our
campaign team and indeed all
Ekiti people who defied the
siege on our state to cast their
votes for our party, I salute your
exemplary courage and
doggedness in the face of
harassment. Thank you for
staying the course. The
incidences of brazen
harassment, intimidation and
allied infractions on
fundamental humanrights,
which many of you suffered in
the hands of agents of the
state, would be documented
and communicated to the
appropriate authorities, for the
records.
I thank you all for listening.
May God bless the land of honour,
Ekiti State, Nigeria.
May God bless the Federal Republic
of Nigeria.
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Ekiti gov aspirant asks PDP to disqualify Fayose

Mr. Ayodele Fayose

A Peoples Democratic Party governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Mr. Deji Ajayi, has asked the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, to disqualify a fellow aspirant, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, from taking part in the PDP primaries scheduled for Saturday.

Ajayi, in a petition, which he also sent to President Goodluck Jonathan, threatened to seek legal redress if Fayose was not barred from the primaries to produce the PDP candidate in the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti.

He said that Fayose had ceased from being a member of the party, having defected to the Labour Party in the past and that there was no constitutional recommendation to the National Working Committee of the PDP for Fayose’s readmission to the party.

Ajayi’s letter read in part, “Sir, the subject person, Mr. Ayo Fayose, who is not a party member has been parading himself as an aspirant on the platform of the party for some time without going through and/or fulfilling the constitutional prerequisites to becoming a member of the party.

“It may be apposite to state the facts of how Mr. Fayose, who was once a member of the party lost his membership and has never been re-admitted to full membership of the party to confer the status of participating in the electoral process leading to emergence of the party candidate.

“Sir, the subject person was the Governor of Ekiti State between 2003 and 2006 when he was impeached by the State House of Assembly and went on a self-imposed exile. Upon his return, he left the party and joined the All Nigerian Peoples Party and campaigned across the state for that party’s candidate in the 2007 gubernatorial election.

“In 2013, he did not only join the Labour Party, he was also the candidate of that party for the Ekiti Central Senatorial seat which he lost with a wide margin to the candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria. Sir, it is a fact that cannot be denied that the subject person, with these antecedents lost his membership of the party.

“It is conceded that the subject person has, to the general knowledge and to the personal knowledge of our client, taken the initial steps towards becoming a member of the party (PDP) in line with the provision of section 8(17) of the Constitution of the party, however, no recommendation has been made to the National Working Committee for his readmission to the party.”

Court hears PDP suit against defected govs April 7

Ex-PDP govs.

The Peoples Democratic Party has moved to serve hearing notices on the governors who defected to the All Progressives Congress at their liaison offices in Abuja in a bid to accelerate proceedings in a suit in which it asked an Abuja Federal High Court to remove them from office.

The suit filed by PDP against the governors – Alhaji Murtala Nyako (Adamawa); Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers); Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto); Rabiu Kwakwanso (Kano); and Abdulfatai Ahmed (Kwara) – has been stalled repeatedly as a result of a dispute over the address of the national secretariat of the APC.

The governors’ grouse was that the PDP did not serve the hearing notice at the address stipulated in the order which directed them to appear before the court.

However, the PDP explained that the defected governors’ new political party, the APC, had moved from the address mentioned in the court order – No. 6 Guinea Bissau Street, Wuse Zone 6 – to a new location – No. 40 Blantyre Street, Wuse 2, where it served the hearing notice.

The five governors are insisting that they cannot be served at an address that was not authorised by the court, and their lawyers, including Yusuf Ali, SAN, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, Awa Kalu, SAN, John Bayeshia, SAN and Akin Olujinmi, SAN, have challenged what they described as ‘wrongful’ service of the hearing notice.

However, in a bid to resolve the impasse and make progress in the case, the PDP counsel, Dr. Alex Izinyon, SAN, at the continuation of hearing in the matter on Wednesday, informed the court that PDP had filed a new application on March 17 to seek the leave of the court to serve the hearing notice on the governors at their liaison offices in Abuja.

“We want to serve them now at their liaison office.

“The essence (of the application) is that we want to tell that this is what we want to do,” Izinyon said.

Explaining the decision to serve the defected governors at their liaison offices, he said, “We don’t want to follow them to the new address because they can say they are no longer there.

“So we said let’s look for an address that is permanent.

“This is a matter of constitutional importance and we have been here for three months – we cannot continue following them from pillar to post.

“I hope the liaison offices will still be there on the next adjourned date.”

With the defected governors’ lawyers arguing that they were not empowered to receive service on behalf of their clients, Justice Kolawole adjourned to April 7 to hear all pending applications, including the defendants’ motion against the service of the hearing notice.

The confusion over the address of the national secretariat of the APC became a major issue in the suit after the governors and their lawyers failed to appear before the court when proceedings in the suit commenced on January 27.

Following the governors’ absence, Justice Kolawole fixed February 6 for hearing and ordered that a  hearing notice to that effect should be served on them.

The judge directed that the hearing notice should be pasted at the national secretariat of the APC as a means of substituted service on the five governors, in addition to its advertisement in two national dailies

Another Letter: Bayelsa Elders Say They're Not Feeling Impact of Jonathan's Government

President Olusegun Obasanjo is the first Nigerian president to prosecute his Secondary School friend, the man he appointed Inspector General of Police, a sitting Senate President, his serving Ministers, etc. But when some "idiots" want to talk on TV and Radio programmes, they will say Obasanjo do not have the moral right to write such a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan. How ridiculous!

Now President Jonathan's people have written to him complaining about the same lack of development:

"Whilst it takes the federal government the better part of the century to connect us by road, there exists a vast and expanding network of oil and gas pipelines across our territory connecting prolific oil wells to flow stations to export terminals and so on. In some 40 to 50 years of oil and gas production, the Nigerian government has in league with the oil companies virtually drilled the life out of our communities."

The people of the oil producing areas of Bayelsa State have written to President Goodluck Jonathan, and their complain is that he has not done anything to correct the wrongs of the past, making life difficult for them.

The elders therefore raised the alarm on the rising anger and impatience of the people especially the youths of the areas against multinational oil companies operating in their domain, and even the government.

In a letter which was signed by Emeritus Professor E. J. Alagoa and several others, they declared that in spite of over 50-years of old oil exploration and 10 percent of nation's oil and 15 percent gas production, the federal government had failed to deliver on road construction promised the Nembe communities till date.

The position of the elders which was read at the weekend, argued that the relationship between Nembe and the country had been one sided as the territory had only been good for economic exploration, extraction of their resources and an export terminal for extracted resources.

"What is the fate of these road projects? How do we get our various stakeholders to keep faith with their legal and social obligations to Nembe? Has SPDC tricked us and finally abandoned the Otuegila-Emago-Oluasiri-Nembe road? Is the Ogbia-Nembe road the only serious project NDDC intends to do for the entire Nembe communities with quota that we contribute to the commission which is roughly N300billion yearly budget? Will the federal government prove to us through concrete infrastructural evidence that it now cares about the people and territory of Nembe?"

Why Jonathan Should Start Preparing To Vacate Aso Rock

Late Tuesday morning, at about 11:46, the National Chairman of the New Peoples Democratic Party, nPDP, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, formally announced the merger of the party with the All Progressives Congress (APC). The merger was contained in a communiqué which Alhaji Baraje read to journalists at the end of a meeting between the leadership of New PDP and that of the APC held at the Kano Governor’s Lodge in Abuja. 

The communiqué signed by Bisi Akande the APC National Chairman and Kawu Abubakar Baraje the National Chairman of NPDP reads, “A meeting of the leadership of All Progressives Congress, APC, and the new PDP met this morning at the residence of the Kano State Governor, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, in Abuja and after exhaustive deliberations the two parties agreed to merge in order to rescue our fledgling democracy and the nation” 

Now, we have reached the stage that we can only say: “PDP, your sinking ship has been abandoned to you! You brought this misfortune upon yourself, now you must bear it alone!” 

Below are the obvious consequences of this new development...

The G7 Governors of New PDP, namely, Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara) and Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), are now members of the APC. The merger thus shoots up the number of APC State Governors to 18 while PDP’s shrinks to 16, with All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Labour Party having one governor each. A similar permutation exists in the National Assembly where we now have the majority with PDP and its allies in minority.

The simple meaning of this is that APC is now the majority party in the country while PDP has become a minority party. In the circumstances, President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan must now start writing his handover notes because his ambition to maouevre the party structures so as to get a third term in office in 2015 has suddenly collapsed.

What a sudden change of fortune! What a sad day for the PDP, a party which we laboured to build, which was viciously taken away from us but which, out of our great love for it, we did everything humanly possible to save but were frustrated by the unpatriotic elements that have usurped the leadership of the party.

Nigerians could recall that several meetings had been held between the APC leaders and the leaders of the New PDP. The APC had visited each of our seven New PDP governors in their states to convince them to join its fold but all these notwithstanding while the PDP Leadership on their own side were plotting on daily basis on how to frustrate us out of the party we suffered to nurture.

The fact remains that we did all within our powers to reconcile with PDP to no avail and sadly our dear President allowed the hawks within the Presidency and PDP Leadership to convince him to abort our last Sunday’s meeting that would have brought a last peace to our party which the PDP leadership under Alhaji Bamanga Tukur frustrated, so we have no other option than to formally announce the death and burial of PDP. Day and night we cried out, begging whoever loved PDP to join us to rescue the party from imminent doom but we were conveniently ignored and abused. Just last night, we issued the last in a series of passionate appeals to PDP Elders to take urgent steps to save the troubled party in the face of their unbelievable silence in the face of the chain of developments instigated by factional National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, which has put the party at the edge of the precipice.

As for us, we are happy to belong to the APC, where our value is appreciated, where we are made to feel truly wanted, and where we can now join forces with like minds in our struggle to liberate Nigeria from PDP’s misrule, which is soon to end.

Among those at the Tuesday’s historical merger meeting were APC leader and former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu; APC National Chairman, Bisi Akande; Kano State Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso: former Kwara governor and serving senator, Bukola Saraki; former Nasarawa governor and serving senator, Abdullahi Adamu; former Bayelsa governor, Timipre Sylva; and Adamawa State Governor, Murtala Nyako.

Others were former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Masari; Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi; National Secretary of the PDP, Olagunsoye Oyinlola; former Abia governor, Ogbonnaya Onu; former PDP vice chairman, Sam Jaja; Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed; and Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu.

Delta Nominates Dead Man For Assembly’s Screening

THERE was a mild drama, Tuesday, at the sitting of the Delta State House of Assembly, as one of the seven persons nominated to be appointed into Delta State Tourism Board, was discovered to be deceased.

The executive had sent the seven nominees to the House for confirmation, namely, Efe Afe, Peter Okolotu, Hyacinth Iyere, James Youmu, Amah Agbajoh, Abel Eyube and Joe Morgan.

However, during the screening, when the fourth nominee on the list, James Youmu, was called up, Efe Afe, who was screened as chairman of the board and a former member of the House, drew the attention of the House that James Youmu had since died even before the names were sent to the House.

Also, one Mrs. Gift Gomere, nominated for appointment into Delta State Broadcasting Service, DBS, Warri, was sent back when she appeared for screening,for being “improperly dressed,” while another person nominated for appointment into Delta State Rural Development Agency, RDA, Friday Okoh, was also sent back for unruly behaviour, as he was spotted chewing gum while standing before the Mace.

Mallam Nasir El Rufai detained by SSS in Awka Anambra state-naijaswap

Just heard men of the State Security Service are currently holding Mallam El-Rufai hostage at Finotel Hotel in Awka, Anambra state where he went to observe the Anambra Governorship election.

Jonathan Attends Oritsejafor's Jubilee Festival In Warri -Naijaswap

President Goodluck Jonathan was in Warri yesterday Sunday November 10th to celebrate the 26th Jubilee Festival of the Word Of Life Bible Church and the birthday of the church's General Overseer, pastor Ayo Oritsejafor. Governors Emmanuel Uduaghan, Liyel Imoke, & Jonathan Jang also attended the jubilee and birthday celebration which took place at the church auditorium in Ajamimogah, Warri. More photos after the cut...

Nigeria's President Seeks Emergency Extension-Naijaswap

President Goodluck Jonathan has asked the National Assembly to approve another six months of emergency rule in three north east states worst hit by Boko Haram violence.

In separate letters to the Senate and the House of Representatives, the president asked the lawmakers to review the period of the emergency as the first six months he declared in May, ends November.

Mr. Jonathan said security forces have recorded considerable gains within the first six months and that he believed normalcy will fully return to crisis-ridden areas in the next six months.

"As a result of the laudable effort of our armed forces, we have achieved considerable gains," the president said.

The fresh tenure, if approved by the National Assembly, will take effect from November 12, he said.

The president's letter came as the senate received the report of its investigation into the killings of squatters in Apo quarters in Abuja, by security agents.

At least seven men were shot dead by soldiers and members of the State Security Services, SSS, in an early morning raid mid-September.

Military authorities claimed the men were members of Islamist sect, Boko Haram. But that claim has been forcefully denied by witnesses, residents and survivors. Witnesses said the men were mere artisans and that the killing was extrajudicial.

Authorities have failed to show convincing evidence to back their claim.

While ordering the report, lawmakers said even where those killed were Boko Haram militants, they should have been arrested and prosecuted, as there was no evidence to show that they attacked the soldiers.

Falana gives EFCC 13 grounds to prosecute Oduah[Read 8,599 times]

Lagos lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), has given the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission 13 grounds to prosecute the Minister of Aviation, Ms Stella Oduah, and “her agents” for gross misconduct in the purchase of two armoured cars at N255m.

In a November 2, 2013, letter to the EFCC chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, Falana also gave the commission up till November 8 to make available to him the investigation report on the matter.

Relying on the Court of Appeal’s decision in the case of Dogogo v EFCC (2013), the lawyer threatened to sue the EFCC if it failed to carry out its “statutory duty”.

He accused the House of Representatives committee before whom Oduah appeared on October 31, of deliberately not asking her the relevant questions on the “criminal enterprise”.

But he said facts and circumstances of the “illegal transaction” had established, among others, that “there was no appropriation for the sum of N255m for the acquisition of armoured cars in the Appropriation Act, 2013.”

He also said the minister “exceeded her approval limit as only the Federal Executive Council can approve any transaction of N100m and above; and the transaction did not comply with any of the provisions of the Public Procurement Act.”

Other grounds canvassed by Falana include, “The prices of the two cars were inflated by the auto company in connivance with the aviation minister and the management of the NCAA.

“The loan of N643 million sourced from the First Bank Plc for the purchase of operational vehicles for the NCAA was not approved by the National Assembly.

“The repayment of the loan in 36 months by the NCAA is tantamount to contract splitting in contravention of the Financial Guidelines of the Federal Government.

“That the Aviation Minister admitted her involvement in the extra budgetary purchase of the cars when she gave illegal approval before directing the NCAA officials to “do the needful”!

“The Media Assistant to the Aviation Minister who claimed that the armoured cars were purchased for the “safety” of his boss has not denied the official statement.

“The Ministry of Aviation conspired with the auto company to evade the payment of appropriate duties on the armoured cars to the coffers of the Federal Governmen as they obtained duty waiver by false pretences from the Federal Ministry of Finance.

“The First Bank Plc  entered into an illegal loan agreement with the NCAA to finance the illegal transaction from the internally generated revenue of the NCAA. Under the law loans can only be approved by the legislative arm of government fo fund capital projects and not for the purchase of cars.

He therefore asked the anti-graft agency to hasten to try the minister and her agents “for gross economic and financial crimes as they wilfully violated the relevant provisions of the Constitution, the Public Procurement Act as well as the relevant Circulars and Financial Guidelines of the Federal Government.”

He threatened to apply for an order of mandamus to compel EFCC “to carry out your statutory duty” if it failed to acceded to his request.

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N255m car scandal: Airlines stop payment of charges[Read 8,867 times]

Oduah

Domestic airlines have announced that they will no longer remit charges to aviation agencies until the sector is rid of corruption.

The carriers, under the aegis of the Airline Operators of Nigeria, said the decision took effect from November 1, 2013.

In a statement on Sunday, the spokesman of the group, Alhaji Mohammed Tukur, complained that heavy charges were being imposed on the airline operators by the aviation agencies.

He added that despite this, there was a lot of corruption in the system, citing the latest armoured car scandal involving the Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah.

Tukur said, “Due to the ongoing crisis, we have resolved to stop all remittances payable to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and other relevant aviation bodies, as the numerous charges have the potential to cripple our operations.

“This will continue pending the time they reform or come clean on the taxes and charges they have collected, which ran into several billions of naira in a couple of years. They also need a reform to comply with the global practices and standards.

“The suspension of payment of taxes and charges took effect from November 1, 2013, and we call on the Federal Government and all concerned to set up an investigative panel to resolve these anomalies.”

The aviation industry has  lately been embroiled in controversy over the propriety of new tariffs imposed by the NCAA on non-scheduled commercial airline operators among other charges that have made it difficult for them to cope.

Tukur added that the airlines were in dire straits occasioned by the imposition of security charges, landing and parking charges, remittance of five per cent taxes on every ticket sold, fuel tax, multiple navigational charges, airport taxes, and expensive office spaces, among others.

The carriers expressed disappointment with the obsolete infrastructure at the nation’s airports and the malfunctioning navigational tools, which they said had contributed to numerous crashes in Nigeria.

Tukur said the association was studying the involvement of two of its members in the reported bulletproof car scandal, noting that they might be sanctioned if found culpable.

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Police Disrupts G-7 Govs Meeting In Abuja Threatens Members With Arrest

DPO ASOKORO POLICE UNIT, ABUJA, CSP NNANNA AMAH IN ORANGE-COLOURED T-SHIRT INFORMS GOVERNOR RABI’U MUSA KWANKWASO OF KANO STATE TO STOP THE NPDP MEETING AT THE KANO STATE GOVERNOR’S LODGE YESTERDAY.

The security clampdown on members of the G-7 governors continued yesterday as truckloads of policemen led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Asokoro police station – CSP Nnanna Amah, stormed the Kano governor’s lodge and attempted to disperse a meeting that was on-going citing ‘orders from above’.

Although the governors stood their ground daring the policemen to do their worse, CSP Amah threatened to arrest them if they refused to cooperate by stopping their meeting immediately.
Governors Muazu Babangida Aliyu, Rabiu Musa kwanwaso, Sule Lamido, Rotimi Amaechi, Governor Murtala Nyako and some top leaders of the new Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) including chairman of the faction, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje were among those at the meeting.
It was learnt that no sooner had the meeting begun by 7pm yesterday than four truckloads of armed policemen arrived at the lodge and demanded to be allowed into the premise but they were stopped by the security details of the five governors who were already manning the gate to the premises.
In the ensuing commotion outside, the governors stepped out to see what was happening when they were told that policemen were at the lodge demanding to be allowed into the venue of the meeting.
The governors then invited the leader of the police team CSP Amah into the lodge to brief them on his mission; he was on orders to stop the meeting or arrest them.
Citing their rights under the Nigerian Constitution which guaranteed them freedom of association, the governors challenged the police officer daring him to go ahead and arrest them. The DPO was said to have stood aloof for a while before beating a retreat but left his men behind while the meeting continued.
Governor Kwankwaso, who spoke to newsmen at the end of the meeting with officials of the party, confirmed the incident, saying the DPO told them that he had orders from the Presidency to stop their meeting or arrest them.
“I see this as an affront not only on me as a person; because as a citizen of this country I have the right to associate, but I see it as an affront on the entire people of Kano State, since I have their mandate as a governor.

“We have not seen this type of thing even in the dark days of the military and it is unfortunate that this thing would be happening in a democracy where the freedom of every individual is guaranteed,” he said.
His statement was corroborated by Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State and National Secretary of the faction, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola.
A statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the nPDP, Chukwuemeka Eze flayed the police action, saying the caucus of the new PDP were meeting to review progress reports, accept the reports of committees and take important steps on the future of the movement.
“Sadly, midway into the meeting, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Asokoro Police Unit, CSP Nnanna Amah, burst into the scene and ordered the meeting stopped, threatening to mobilize troops to abort it if his order was not obeyed. According to CSP Ama he has the directive from the Villa to arrest the Governors if the meeting is not stopped”.
Eze, however, disclosed that before the arrival of CSP Amah, the governors had gone far in their deliberations and mandated its caucus to fashion out modalities for its next meeting to be held immediately after the proposed peace talks with President Goodluck Jonathan to consider the options before them which he said includes; either to remain in PDP or accept the proposal of APC or join PDM, VOA or form a new political party.
Governors Aliyu Wammako of Sokoto and Abdulfatai Ahmed of Kwara State were absent at yesterday’s meeting but were said to have sent their apologies, which was accepted by the caucus.
Other leaders who attended include Senator Danjuma Goje (Gombe State) and Senator Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa State) and former deputy national chairman of the PDP, Sam Jaja.

EFCC, ICPC scared to probe Oduah — Investigation

Ms. Stella Oduah

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission are at a crossroads over the investigation into the purchase of N255m bullet-proof cars for the embattled Minister of Aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah, SUNDAY PUNCH can authoritatively report.

Oduah on Thursday had denied that the NCAA bought the two bulletproof cars for her use, adding that they were bought for the use of the guests of her ministry.

Our correspondents gathered on Friday that the EFCC and ICPC were reluctant to invite the minister for questioning because of her close relationship to President Goodluck Jonathan. Oduah emerged one of the President’s closest aides following the significant role she played in Jonathan’s 2011 election campaign.

There have been reports that the two anti-graft agencies are investigating Oduah’s role in the controversial vehicle purchase.

However, SUNDAY PUNCH learnt that none of the two anti-graft agencies had made progress in its investigation.

A senior official of the ICPC, who spoke to SUNDAY PUNCH over the weekend, blamed the slow pace of investigation on what he described as the “body language of the President.”

The source, who pleaded anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, said, “If the President wants us to probe her, there would be no need for him to set up a three-man panel to probe her. Why set up a panel when the nation has capable anti-graft agencies?

“Ordinarily, the President should have asked us to take over the case instead of constituting his own panel. If you watch his body language, you will know that he does not want us to step in.

“We will wait for the report of the panel and the final report of the House of Representatives. That is when we will know what to do. The truth is that we are not fully autonomous anti-graft agencies and that is a major handicap.”

Our correspondents also gathered that the EFCC was treading carefully and had no plan to invite Oduah to its Abuja office for questioning. A senior agency official who pleaded anonymity said the agency “did not want to incur the wrath of the President”.

The reliable source said, “We are doing our best in this situation but this is a peculiar situation because the President has asked his committee to investigate her. Even though we don’t need the President’s directive based on the public outcry but the formation of that three-man panel passes a subtle message. We are also waiting for the report of the House and the President’s panel even though we are questioning the aviation agencies.”

Meanwhile on Monday, Oduah is to appear before the three-man administrative panel set up by Jonathan to investigate the scandal.

Jonathan had, in the wake of public outcry over the matter penultimate Wednesday, constituted the panel headed by a former Head of Service of the Federation, Mr. Isa Bello.

Other members of the panel are the National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), and Air Vice Marshal Dick Iruenebere (retd.).

Bello told SUNDAY PUNCH exclusively on Friday that the panel had contacted Oduah and that the minister would appear before members on Monday to answer questions bothering on the purchase of the cars.

The former HOS faulted media reports that the committee, which has two weeks to carry out its assignment, had not met since it was set up.

“Whoever told you that we have not met told you a blatant lie. We have been meeting and we will meet with the minister on Monday,” he said.

Bello also told one of our correspondents that the committee’s two-week deadline would expire November 11.

He said although the announcement about the committee was made penultimate Wednesday, their letters of appointment were dated October 28, hence their timeline would start from that date.

“It is not true that our deadline started running from penultimate Wednesday. Our letter of appointment was dated October 28, so it could not have been last Wednesday. You don’t just listen to (the details of) appointment on television or radio,” he explained.

In announcing the establishment of the committee penultimate Wednesday, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, had said members were expected to ascertain whether the procurement of the vehicles followed due process.

SUNDAY PUNCH also learnt that the committee had been holding its sessions behind closed doors in the office of the National Security Adviser which serves as the committee’s secretariat.

In a related development, the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, is to appear before the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation on Monday.

The committee is investigating the purchase of N255m BMW bulletproof cars ahead of the report of the probe.

The committee took the decision following Thursday’s clarification by Okonjo-Iweala that she did not grant any waiver for the importation of the controversial bulletproof cars.

The panel, which was given one week to conduct the investigation, had wound down its public sitting on Thursday after drilling Oduah for several hours.

However, it said on Friday that the report would have to incorporate the testimonies of Okonjo-Iweala.

A member of the panel, Mr. Zakari Mohammed, told naijaswap in Abuja that it had resolved to hear the finance minister on Monday.

He added that writing the report would come after hearing the coordinating minister of the economy.

Mohammed, who doubles as the spokesman of the House, explained that the committee could still meet the one-week deadline.

He spoke further, “It is true that we were given one week for this assignment. However, the one week is counted as sitting days.

“We have sat three times; meaning three days out of seven days. We plan to take the finance minister on Monday; that will be four days out of seven.

“We will have three days left; so, we are still within schedule.

“The minister made a statement that she did not grant waivers for the bulletproof cars.

“That is interesting. Let her come before us to clarify the statement and to explain the nature of the waiver she granted.”

Okonjo-Iweala stated on Thursday that she only granted waiver to the Lagos State Government to import 300 vehicles for the hosting of the National Sports Feastival (EKO Games) last year.

The statement, which was signed by her Special Adviser, Mr. Paul Nwabuikwu, noted that the waiver did not cover bulletproof cars.

The Nigerian Customs Service had informed the panel that the Federal Government lost N10.1million revenue as a result of the waiver.

It disclosed that it later discovered that the bulletproof cars were among the vehicles Coscharis imported. Coscharis had told to the panel that it got a waiver but gave no satisfactory answers on how the bulletproof cars were included on the list.

Court Of Appeal Sacks 2 Senators, 8 House Of Rep. Members - naijaswap

The ruling upheld an earlier decision of a federal high court The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Friday fired two Senators and eight House of Representatives members from Katsina state, who got their seats after their initial occupants were sacked by the Independent National Electoral Commission December 2011. The court ordered that those sacked by INEC be reinstated. They are Senators Abdu Umar Yandoma and Ahmad Sani Stores, House of Reps members, Murtala Isa, Muntari Dandutse, Musa Salisu, Aminu Ashiru and Umar Adamu Katsayal, Muhammad Tukur, Tasi’u Doguro, and Abdu Dankama. Those occupying the seats presently, who are to vacate are Senators Abubakar Yar’adua and Hadi Sirika, House of Reps members Ahmed Babba Kaita, Salisu Salisco, Umar Abubakar, Salisu Daura, Isa Doro, Sani Mashi, Abbas Machika and Mansur Funtua. The first set of lawmakers were sacked in December 2011 by the electoral body which said they were not the due candidates for the elections on the platform of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change, CPC. That decision was overturned in January 2013 by a High Court in Abuja, which ordered that the initial winners be reinstated. But that ruling was not effected as the second set of lawmakers appealed against the ruling. In its ruling on Friday, the Court of Appeal affirmed the judgement of the Federal High Court, Abuja which voided the withdrawal of Certificate of Returns of the first 10 Katsina lawmakers. The court also said the leadership of the National Assembly acted in error by accepting to swear-in the second set of lawmakers to replace the old ones after INEC issued to them Certificate of Returns. Justice Jimmy Bada, who led four other judges to hear the appeal said that the High Court was right to have dismissed the objection raised by the lawmakers currently in the National Assembly. “There is no court of competent jurisdiction that declared the appellant as winner in the election,” the judge said. “The respondents (those whose certificate of returns were withdrawn) were duly sworn-in and I am of the view that the court below has the powers to entertain the case of the respondent. “The certificate of returns issued to the appellants is a nullity. The court below was right in dismissing the objection of the appellants. INEC issued the certificate of returns without order from any court or tribunal”. The lawyer representing the lawmakers who have been ordered to vacate their seats, John Baiyeeshea, said the appeal, which raised four issues for the court’s determination, was not a pre-election matter and as such the federal high court had no jurisdiction to hear and make a pronouncement on it. He argued that the issuance of Certificates of Return and alleged withdrawal of the certificate are post-election matters, and begged the court to annul the judgement of the high court.

APC’s Poaching Of Our Governors Height Of Hypocrisy, Cries PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday said it would remain committed to national interest and the unity of the country as a true national party.

This information is contained in a statement issued by Mr Olisa Metuh, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, in Abuja.
“We will continue to be committed to the national interest and the unity of the country in line with the principles of equity and justice.
“These among several others are encapsulated in the PDP ideology and manifesto,” Metuh said.
He thanked President Goodluck Jonathan, for his humility and calmness so far exhibited in the face of provocation and obvious attacks by the opposition.
This, according to the statement, is a mark of a true statesman which is not being exhibited by some other leaders.
He urged Nigerians to continue to support the president and his transformation agenda geared toward the good of all.
Metuh said that the move by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to woo the aggrieved PDP governors shows that the party lacked true followership.
“The move by the opposition APC clearly shows that the APC lacked true followership and electable materials at all levels, hence its desperate bid to poach from the PDP.

My Decision To Join APC Dependent On Meeting With Kano PDP Stakeholders – Kwankwaso

L-R GOV. BABATUNDE RAJI FASHOLA, GEN. MUHAMMADU BUHARI & GOV. RABIU MUSA KWANKWASO IN KANO YESTERDAY

Gov. Rabi’u Kwankwaso of Kano State has said that he will consult stakeholders of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in the state before he can join the All Progressive Congress (APC).

Kwankwaso made the remark on Thursday in Kano when he received a delegation of APC national leaders led by Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), who came to woo him to join the party.
“I will sit down with all stakeholders because there is no decision a governor can sit down and take on his own without consulting the stakeholders of the party.
“Kwankwasiyya movement is a disciplined movement. We are working as group and team”, he said.
He assured the delegation that he would consult all the stakeholders of the party in the state with a view to critically examine their demand.
He described Kwankwasiyya as a ‘powerful movement’ which had the capacity and strength to win election in 2015.
He said that the PDP had 31 out of 40 state assembly members, two senators and 14 members of the House of Representatives.

Syria: Assad Seeks End To Rebel Backing From Foreign Powers - naijaswap

Syria: Assad Seeks End To Rebel Backing From Foreign Powers

Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has told UN-Arab envoy that peace talks can only take place when foreign states supporting rebels withdraw assistance.
Assad said this during a meeting with peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi in Damascus on Wednesday.
“The Syrian people are the only ones who have the right to decide on Syria’s future, and any solution or agreement must have the acceptance of the Syrian people, and reflect their desires,” Assad told Brahimi.
The meeting came as part of a regional tour aimed at  garnering support for a US-Russian peace initiative for Syria planned next month in Geneva.
In seeking a solution to Syria’s civil war, in which an estimated 115,000 people have died in 31 months, Assad also warned that there must not be “any foreign intervention”.

“Putting an end to support for the terrorists and pressuring the states that support them is the most important step to prepare… for dialogue,” Assad said.
Since the start of an anti-Assad revolt in March 2011, Damascus has systematically branded the uprising-turned-rebellion as a foreign-backed plot.
“The success of any political solution is linked to putting an end to support funnelled to terrorist groups,” he added.
UN-Arab League envoy Brahimi also agreed with Assad that the Syrians themselves need to find a solution to the conflict ravaging the country, State television reported.
“The efforts being made for the Geneva conference to be held are focused on finding the way for the Syrians themselves to meet and to agree on solving the crisis as quickly as possible,” Brahimi said in the meeting, his first with Assad since December last year.

Life for Lagosians to get better as Fashola Proposes To Spend N489.69b In 2014 - naijaswap

Fashola Proposes To Spend N489.69b In 2014

Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) yesterday presented a 2014 budget estimate of N489.690 billion to the State House of Assembly for consideration and approval.

Presenting the 2014 budget estimate before a large audience of stakeholders including party chieftains and captains of industries, Fashola noted that the proposed budget was about N10 billion shy of the 2013 budget (as amended).
He said the budget has N234.665 billion as recurrent expenditure and N255.025 billion for capital expenditure.
A breakdown of the 2014 budget proposal showed a Total Personnel Cost/Total Revenue of 19 per cent; Total Personnel Cost/IGR, of 27 per cent, and Personnel Cost as percentage of Recurrent Expenditure of 37 per cent, anchored on a zero deficit financing requirement.
The sectoral breakdown is as follows: General Public Service, N100.215 billion; Public Order & Safety, N17.977 billion; Economic Affairs, N160.046 billion and Environmental Protection, N39.727 billion.
Similarly, the Housing and Community Amenities sector got N50.537 billion; Health was allocated N37.8 billion; Recreation, Culture and Religion got N3.482 billion, while N77.423 billion and N2.466billion are devoted to Education and Social Protection, respectively.

Oduah Shuns House Committee Hearing As Cars Presented Are Different - naijaswap

Maduka Cosmos, whose Coscharis Motors sold the controversial armoured cars to a department of the Ministry Civil Aviation, has told the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation the matter that his company followed due process.

Mrs. Stella Oduah, the Minister who is implicated in the alleged fraud, is absent at the hearing, from which Premium Times is carrying live updates.

“Absence of the Minister is a slap on the face of the House,” said an angry Jerry Manwe, a member of the committee from Taraba State.  Last week, the committee gave Mrs. Oduah up till yesterday to appear before it, recognizing that she was away in Israel on official duty.

“To the best of my knowledge, we followed all due process,” Coscharis said.  “We were interviewed by SSS.

We were interviewed by the National Security Adviser. Every due process by law was followed. We do business with morality.”

The Deputy Comptroller General of Customs, Manasa Daniel Jatau, has told the committee that Coscharis imported the cars without paying import duties because there was a waiver from the Ministry of Finance.  He added that Coscharis obtained the waiver claiming the armoured cars were part of 300 vehicles being imported for the Sports Festival in Lagos last year.  The impression given, therefore, was that the beneficiary of the waiver would be the government of Lagos State.

 Get Liveblog Updates from PREMIUM. TIMES HERE

15:45

The cars inspected by the House committee yesterday, Tuesday, are different from the ones stated in the documents between NCAA and Coscharis, the reps said.

Lawmakers say they saw cars with different chassis number from those on the communication between NCAA and Coscharis.

But Coscharis said since it did not inspect the cars with the House members, it cannot say whether that was the car they delivered to NCAA. The firm insists it has done no wrong.

15:31

Coscharis admits telling the Ministry of Finance/NSA the cars were meant for Lagos state government, but said the arrangement was a usual “sponsor practice” for an event like the sports festival, and there was nothing wrong with that.

The company insists it did not lie. It said during events the company gives cars for use by government, in exchange for waivers that would be used for importing new ones as replacement.

With a lot of gusto, Coscharis said it price was right. But lawmakers have busted that claim by revealing that the firm sent different prices to NCAA and NSA.

Coscharis also claims the car in question goes for about N87 .7 million(factory price) without tax, shipping etc.

But a lawmaker has confirmed that he received a quotation from an American firm for the same car for about N42 million.

Jerry Manwe( a member): “Your own bullet proof is not manufactured in the moon”

Coscharis says a seven series in America is different with what they got from Europe.

Again, the committee said the cars they inspected yesterday are different9in terms of chassis number) from those stated in the documents between Coscharis and NCAA.

15: 07

Coscharis’ Maduka: To the best of my knowledge, we followed all due process. We were interviewed by SSS. We were interviewed by the National Security Adviser. Every due process by law was followed. “We do business with morality,” he says.

Another Coscharis official: Armoured cars are in levels; Level B7 is the highest for any civilian/VIP armoured cars. More than that is for military tanks.

Coscharis: The controversial cars are level B7. The BMW 760 series, bought by NCAA, goes for 418 thousand Euro from factory without shipping cost, taxes, etc.

Coscharis offers to demonstrate a powerpoint to show how it arrived at the cost. But is disallowed by committee.

14.55

Coscharis’ Maduka: “People have spoken, different media have written, I kept quiet. Nobody has called me to ask anything. But I thank God for this opportunity to state my own side of the story.”

“People have called me from US embassy to ask when did you start money laundering.”

He says the whole controversy is “politically motivated”. He pleads to be allowed to speak.

Mr Maduka said the matter is so important that his Uncle died and will be buried tomorrow, but he has to attend the sitting.

He said he is prepared to give details how Coscharis arrived at the price.

14.46

First Bank asked to step aside.

Coscharis takes over.

Coscharis chief, Cosmas Maduka, calls the car scandal “very controversial matter that has made newspaper headlines for two consecutive weeks” as he takes the hot seat.

14.37

First Bank cannot explain how the loan given to NCAA for all its 54 cars climbed from earlier stated N564 million to N643 million.

The bank claimed earlier that the difference was because the two armoured cars were not included-apparently untrue because of the cost.
Under questioning by the committee, the bank now says only the NCAA can explain the difference; the bank says it was only concerned about what the NCAA as a customer asked for.

“Our job as financier are based on what the customers are asking for”

14.29

Interaction with First Bank representative continues…

First Bank: The armoured BMWs were not part of the first order from NCAA which comprised mainly Land Cruisers totaling less than N600 million.
House chair, Nkiruka Onyejeocha: So could it be that the BMWs were an afterthought?

First Bank: That’s for the NCAA to answer.

14.24

“Absence of the minister is a slap on the face of the House,” Jerry Manwe, a member of the committee from Taraba state said, apparently angered by the minister’s absence.

14.23

First Bank official, Seyi Oyefeso, that oversaw the transaction addressed the House committee on behalf of the Executive Director of the bank.
First Bank was invited to make proposals alongside other banks and tender was opened publicly on 21 of May, 2013 in the presence of other banks and media

First Bank was afterwards shortlisted alongside 7 others.

First Bank granted a loan facility of N643 million for purchase of assorted cars.

14.19

The Customs representatives at the hearing said Coscharis lied to the Ministry of Finance and NSA, making them to believe that the cars were for Lagos state government, for the National Sports festival.

The NSA office issued End User certificate without knowing that it was doing so for cars to be delivered to Stella Oduah or the NCAA.

So, in a way, the NSA office is right to have told PREMIUM TIMES it did not issue end user certificate for any bullet proof cars for Minister Oduah and the NCAA.

14.11

Deputy Comptroller General of Customs, Manasa Daniel Jatau, said the following
The two cars were imported through Tin Can Port 2; Imported from Antwerp Netherlands.

The vehicles were cleared 19/6/2013.
Coscharis imported the cars without paying import duties since there was a waiver from the ministry of finance.
Coscharis obtained the waiver claiming the armoured cars were part of 300 vehicles imported for the Sports festival in Lagos last year, and therefore the beneficiary was Lagos state government.

The due import duty should have been N10.1 million.

The cars had an End User Certificate from the NSA office in the name of Coscharis.

The waiver obtained by Coscharis was for one year; as such the time of importation this year was covered.

Customs admit its laws requires that it enforces duty on any item for which waiver was obtained, which was not used for the purpose stated-in this case, for Sports festival.

13.53

Car dealers as well as end users of armoured cars are mandated to seek authorization from the office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, before ordering or importing such vehicles into Nigeria.

Last week, reliable sources at the office of the NSA told PREMIUM TIMES no authorization certificate was ever issued to either Minister Oduah or the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, to procure the controversial vehicles.

13.50

Nigerian Customs confirmed that the two cars were imported and cleared at Tin Can 2.

The Customs said the import duty on the two cars which should have been N10 million plus were not paid because there was a waiver note issued by the finance ministry.

Customs also confirmed there was an End User certificate issued by the office of the National Security Adviser, NSA.

13.43

The hearing, proposed to start at noon, started 25 minutes late. The minister is absent at the hearing. The committee said it will take a position on that later

Forbes releases World's Most Powerful list, puts Putin ahead of Obama - naijaswap

Forbes releases World's Most Powerful list, puts Putin ahead of Obama-

Forbes just released its World's Most Powerful People list and put Russian president Vladamir Putin ahead of US president Barack Obama. That's wack! They also said Dangote is more powerful than President Goodluck Jonathan. Dangote was placed 64th most powerful person in the world, Jonathan didn't make the list. See the rest after the cut...