Olisa Metuh says EFCC Should Inestigate President BUHARI On Dasuki's Scandal by Comrade Akanbi

Olisa metuh says president Mohammodu Buhari should also be investigated as Dasuki has mentioned him among the beneficiaries.

The Dasuki scandal has turned a new leaf simply because of the latest statement released by Dasuki that PMB also collected from the money meant for the purchase of armunition for the forces during president Jonathan regime.

Dasuki said when PMB escaped from the boko haram attacked last year,they bought 5 bullet proof SUV jeep for him and also gave him some money,following this statement the National Publicity Secretary of the People's Democratic Party Olisa metuh has called for EFCC to also investigate and hear from PMB because all humanbeing are equal before the law and no preferential treatment should be given to anyone irrespective of their office.

Nigerian Senators divided over oil benchmark for 2016 budget

kMembers of the Nigerian Senate on Wednesday
commenced debate on the Medium Term Expenditure
Framework (MTEF) presented to the upper legislative
body by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Mr. Buhari had forwarded the MTEF to the Senate on
Monday.
Under Nigerian public finance system, the MTEF is the
precursor to budget, as well as Fiscal Strategy Paper
(FSP), which details spending and revenue projections
for three years.
At the Senate plenary Wednesday, lawmakers differed
on the $38 per barrel benchmark projected as the price
of crude of oil, the mainstay of the Nigerian economy.
Leading the debate, the Deputy Senate President, Ike
Ekweremadu, asked the Senate to consider an upward
review of the crude oil benchmark for the 2016 budget.
In his opinion the $38 oil benchmark is “conservative”.
Mr. Ekweremadu therefore urged the senate to peg the
oil benchmark for the 2016 budget at $40 per barrel.
“I have looked at the projection for the oil price,” he
began, adding that “the benchmark of $38 per barrel
appears to me to be conservative. From the projection of
oil price for 2016 it is estimated that it will hover
between $40 and $45.
“I like to suggest that the senate consider an oil
benchmark of $40. I’m sure that this will help cushion
the problems we have in the states.”
However, Adamu Aliero, an All Progressives Congress
Senator from Kebbi State, opposed Mr. Ekweremadu’s
proposal, saying it was unrealistic.
“It is unrealistic. I therefore recommend we take it to
$35 per barrel,” he said.
Mr. Aliero added that it had been projected that the
global price of crude oil would fall further in 2016.
The global price of crude oil fell from $38 to $35 on Wednesday.
Also, speaking, Olalekan Adeola (APC-Lagos West), queried the indices
used by the Buhari-led cabinet in determining that “the price of oil will
increase or decrease or fall below $38″.
“We can allow it (benchmark) to be like that but we should let the
committee do a thorough job,” Mr. Adeola said.
Speaking further, he urged the Federal Government to increase borrowing
and improve budgetary share of capital expenditure.
Mr. Adeola’s view on capital expenditure vis-a-vis infrastructural
development was corroborated by Ben Bruce (PDP-Bayelsa East), who
canvassed massive borrowing to “industrialize this nation” and develop
infrastructure.
Saying “it does matter the party it comes from; what is important is that
we develop”, Mr. Bruce maintained that “this budget is good” and
commended the Finance Minister for a “good job”.
Also, he said if petrol was fully de-subsidized, the effect would be felt in
the public transport sector. He noted that “prices of goods would not
increase since diesel had always been deregulated.”
He, therefore, urged Mr. Buhari to subsidize public mass transit system,
citing instances the United States, Germany and South Africa as examples
of countries where that had been done successfully.
Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi West) also made a case for infrastructural
development.
He proposed that capital expenditure be increased to 35 per cent because
“APC promised infrastructural development”.
Peter Nwaoboshi (PDP-Delta North) drew the attention of the Senate to
alleged “hidden things” in the MTEF.
For instance, he said it should be noted that “this government has removed
subsidy on kerosene”.
Also, he said allocation to the Niger Delta amnesty programme had been
reduced.
For him, the fall-out of the Bayelsa election showed that militants still
existed.
Thus, he urged the Federal Government to jettison any plan to cut its
commitment to the amnesty programme.
He also noted the reduction of National Assembly budget from N120
billion to N115 billion.
Mr. Buhari proposed N500 billion for social welfare programme in the
2016 budget.
“The federal government will collaborate with state governments to
institute well-structured social welfare intervention programme such as
school feeding programme initiatives, conditional cash transfer to the
most vulnerable, and post National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) grant,”
the president said in a letter containing read by the Senate President,
Bukola Saraki.
“N500 billion has been provisioned in the 2016 budget as social
investments for these programmes.”
Mr. Buhari added that the interventions would start as a pilot scheme, and
that the government would work towards securing the support of donor
agencies and development partners in order to minimise potential risks.
The MTEF was later referred to the Senate Committees on Appropriations
and Finance for further legislative actions.

Kogi House of Assembly Speaker impeached

Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon.
Momoh Jimoh has been impeached. The impeachment of
the Speaker was endorsed by 17 of the 25-member House.
The Speaker was accused of financial recklessness and
misconduct.
Sources said the impeachment of the Speaker may not be
unconnected with highwire politicking in the state to
placate the people of Kogi East.
It would be recalled both the newly elected governor, Alh.
Yahaya Bello and the impeached Speaker are from the
same Okene Local Government Area. He might have been
impeached to ensure power balance in the state.
Meanwhile, member representing Ogori/Magongo
Constituency in the House, Hon. Godwin Osiyi has
emerged as the new Speaker.
The Kogi State House of Assembly is made up of 14 PDP
members and 11 APC members.

STATES HAVE GONE BANKCRUPT, Says. Ajimobi

The governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi, has raised the alarm that about 28 states in the country might have gone
technically bankrupt.
The governors disclosed this at the 7th annual Lateef Femi
Okunnu lecture, delivered by Ajimobi and titled: “State
financing and over-dependence on oil: issues and
challenge,” at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.
The event was put together by the Muslim Law Students of
OAU.
He said that penchant for tax evasion by citizens, public and
corporate entities, as well as corruption and disrespect for
the rule of law were major challenges facing the states.
To get out of the doldrums, he again reminded the country
that agriculture value chain was a neglected potential cash
cow that must be revisited.
Besides, the governors said that the country’s fortune could
be turned around if the opportunities in solid minerals,
information and communication technology, services,
manufacturing and others were explored.
Ajimobi said, “Our attitude is antithetical to development.
We need to change our attitudes completely about payment
of taxes and levies if we must avert the impending economic
doom.
“As I speak, I can conveniently say that 28 states are
technically bankrupt. The jaundiced view that taxes and
levies might be embezzled if paid is an anathema. Public
office holders are supposed to hold in trust public treasury.
To do otherwise is to court the wrath of the law after leaving
office.
“To the youths, I challenge you to imbibe positive leadership
qualities such as you have found in our honoree and among
other distinguished personalities you have seen or read
about.
“You must join the moving train of development and explore
information technology positively to advance in the current
and future world.”
On his part, expressing similar sentiments, his Osun State
counterpart, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, also said that the country
was sitting on a tinderbox with its army of unemployed
youths.
Aregbesola was confident that an estimated N625bn and
more than N7tr could be injected into the economy on a
monthly and annual basis respectively if the 25m youths
said to be unemployed are gainfully employed.
The Osun helmsman noted that the creative energy of the
citizens, especially the youth, would be activated and
unleashed if the states and the country were to respond to
the pervading challenges
appropriately.
He said, “This will lead to increased productivity and wealth
creation on a scale that we have never witnessed before.
“If the 25m youths said to unemployed by the National
Bureau of Statistics today decide that they want to work and
decently earnN25,000 every monthly it means N625bn new
money will enter into the Nigeria economy.
“Here we need to separate between earning and collecting. If
the youths decide to work like bulls then we will be talking
about more than N7tr new money annually entering into the
Nigerian economy.”

Dino Melaye Used US Bank Account To Remove Tattoo Of Ex-wife, Doctor Confirms SR

During the weekend, SaharaReporters broke the story that
long after he became a Senator of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, Mr. Melaye continued to operate a checking and
savings account with the bank, in violation of Nigeria law, a
report he has not denied.
We reported that the accounts were opened in the state of
Maryland under the name Daniel Din Melaye.
SaharaReporters also learned that, in violation of US law, he
opened the accounts under CampusEdge, which is
exclusively reserved for students, thereby masquerading as
a student.
In a series of Tweets and stories on Saturday and Sunday,
SaharaReporters reported that transactions on the bank
accounts continued while he served as a Senator.
Nigeria’s Code of Conduct Bureau strongly and clearly
prohibits the use of foreign accounts by elected and public
officials.
One transaction on Mr. Melaye’s Bank of America debit card
is an approved payment to the New York based Schweiger
Dermatology for $1,000. The company describes itself as a
medical and cosmetic dermatology service offering a variety
of skin healthcare needs.
Mr. Melaye has repeatedly dodged questions that he
operates these bank accounts, despite evidence
SaharaReporters has provided including transaction dates,
bank statements, card numbers, and location of the
transactions.
Contacted by a SaharaReporters correspondent about Mr.
Melaye’s financial transactions with the company, an
associate with the company confirmed to SaharaReporters
that “a man with the name Dino Melaye paid for a tattoo
removal on September 1st,” adding: “his payment was paid
directly in the office on the day of the procedure.”
It would be recalled that on August 31, Mr. Melaye was one
of three Senators who accompanied Senate President
Bukola Saraki to New York to participate in the 4th United
Nations Conference of Parliamentary Heads at the United
Nations, placing him on ground in the city on the date of the
dermatological procedure.
Senators Andy Uba, Bukola Saraki and Dino Melaye are
attending an IPU conference in New York
According to LegisReports, the other Senators involved on
the trip were Andy Uba and Shehu Sani. They were
accompanied by the Special Adviser to the Senate President
on Economic Matters, Dr. Uchendu Okoye, and a Special
Assistant on Public Partnerships.
With reference to Mr. Melaye’s denial of the tattoo
procedure, the Schweiger Dermatology associate pointed
out that in addition to the credit card evidence, there are file
photos of his procedure in his file.
“I can see that there is a man in the photos getting a tattoo
removed from his upper arm, near his shoulder, ” the
associate said.
Our correspondent then inquired what the tattoo was that
he was removing, to which the associate replied, “It is a
person’s name, the name is ALERO,” spelling A-L-E-R-O for
our correspondent over the phone.
Our correspondent further learned that it was impossible for
someone else to have made the transaction on Mr. Melaye’s
card because Schweiger Dermatology only accepts a credit
card payment if the card user has a proper ID which
matches the name on the credit card.
Dino Melaye and his estranged wife Alero Falope Melaye
Peace Ben Williams Blog
It is common knowledge that Mr. Melaye was briefly married
to a Mrs. Alero Falope before their matrimony ended in
2014 amidst allegations that he had physically abused Alero
over the course of their marriage.
Before then, Mr. Melaye was involved in a messy adultery
case when Nollywood actress Bisi Ibidapo Obe accused him
of being responsible for her pregnancy. In response, Mr.
Melaye’s wife, Tokunbo, took to Twitter and accused him of
lying.
"You have a Masters degree in lying, but I have a PHD in
detecting bullsh*t!” she wrote, among others.
She also told her husband, "Trust is like paper…Once it’s
crumpled, it can’t be perfect again. There's a limit to what
one can take, if you keep piling load on the camels back,
there comes a point that back will surely break!”
And then she advised Mr. Melaye, “Never lie to the girl of
your life, for the girl of the night.”
The revelation of Mr. Melaye’s recent tattoo removal in New
York, using a bank account domiciled in the United States in
violation of Nigeria law, comes less than 48 hours after news
of these accounts was revealed by SaharaReporters. Mr.
Melaye has since vowed to send SaharaReporters publisher
Omoyele Sowore to jail.
Mr. Melaye is one of the strongest proponents of the anti-
media bill in the Senate, and has cited SaharaReporters in
that connection several times, accusing the publication of
“insubordination”.
http://saharareporters.com/2015/12/07/dino-melaye-used-
us-bank-account-remove-tattoo-ex-wife-new-york-
dermatologist-confirms

Going To The West To Beg As Victims Can't Solve Our Problems - Okonji-Iweala

SIGNAL on December 7, 2015 at 4:34 pm

Former Minister for Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has

said the solution to Nigeria’s power problem lies in off-grid

initiatives that are climate friendly and not going to the

West to beg as victims.

Okonjo-Iweala, who spoke at the Conference of Parties

(COP 21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on

Climate Change, (UNFCCC) in Paris, France, said Nigeria

needs to get the private sector involved in the power

sector, adding that government must look at renewable

and off-grid solutions like the solar power generation.

She said: “Almost three quarters of infrastructure that

Africa needs, we still don’t have it. This means that the

power we need, the road and the railway, we can still get

these infrastructures and have it in a way that is friendly to

climate change that lowers emission and puts us on a low

carbon growth path. How do we do that?

“We have to get the private sector, we are looking at

power, look at renewable energy, we are not saying

renewable should be everything because Africa should

have a mix. We can still use gas to some extent, but we

should increase the renewable. Our companies that are

investing should look at off- grid solutions, let our

companies get off -grid solar solutions for our people

before other people come into it because that is what

always happens. Instead of flaring, we can use the gas, we

can convert this gas for our use and I know government

has the power to do that.”

The former minister, who is also the Commissioner, Global

Commission on the Economy and Climate spoke at a

session titled: Climate Change in Africa: Financing

Sustainable Pathways for Development at the ongoing

Climate Change talks.

She said the solution for climate change lies in Africa

because of the opportunity to build renewable

infrastructures on the continent.

“Africa should stop playing the victim game. We are not

supposed to be going to the West to beg as victims, we

should be telling them that the solution is in Africa. Our

infrastructures are just developing we have the

opportunity to build in a climate friendly way and avoid

the mistakes of the developed nations, “she added.

Okonjo-Iweala said African countries should divert funds

used in fossil fuel subsidy towards the generation of

renewable energy.

"Ohakim Gave Me $2.29m Cash To Buy Abuja Mansion" - Witness

The ongoing trial of former governor of Imo state, Mr. Ikedi
Ohakim may have taken a new turn as a star witness of the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), Mr. Abu
Sule, yesterday, narrated before the Federal High Court
sitting in Abuja, how Ohakim gave him $2.29millon at night
to help him acquire a mansion in Abuja. The witness is the
Managing Director of Tweenex Consciates Limited, a
company EFCC is insisting was used by Ohakim to launder
funds that were allegedly stolen from the Imo state treasury.
According to the witness, Ohakim had approached him with
the intention to buy a choice property in Abuja and it was
while on a search mission he discovered that a mansion
situated at No. 60, Kwame Nkrumah Street, Asokoro , was
put up for sale by the owner, one Alhaji Muktari Isah
MaiDebino , for a price of N270million.
In his words, the witness said: “I quickly informed Chief
Ohakim about the house and the price it was going for. He
asked me to come for the money. When I got there, he gave
me the the dollar equivalent of the money. He gave me
$2.29m in cash. I collected the money from him at the Imo
State governor’s lodge in Asokoro, at night. The money was
paid in one tranche.
“The following day I called Alhaji Muktari Maidebino and we
met at Unity Bank in Maitama were he collected the money
and handed over the documents of the house. He used the
money to offset a loan he collected from the bank where he
retrieved the documents. My lord, when I collected the
original title deeds, I informed Chief Ohakim. After a bit of
delay, he said I should use my companies two names for the
Deed of Assignment and Power of Attorney.
“Because he has been my benefactor, I went ahead and did
the documents as he requested. The house was never given
to me as a gift. I handed the originals of the documents to
Chief Ohakim even though I kept the photocopies. I was the
one that signed the documents. After we perfected the
purchase, we used about one and half years to renovate the
house, after which we handed it over to him in 2012”. The
witness further told the court that Ohakim on parking into
the mansion, persuaded him to prepare a tenancy
agreement to make it look like he(Ohakim) rented the
mansion from Tweenex Consciates Limited.

Olamide Says He Will Not Sign A Female Artist. Explains Why

Speaking to Hip TV, Olamide who just released his
fifth studio album, ‘Eyan Mayweather’ revealed that
he will not be signing any female artists.
His reason for this decision is simply due to their ‘short
industry life span’.
Olamide’s YBNL label at the moment is a total boys’ club
with Adekunle Gold, Lil Kesh, Viktoh, Chinko Ekun and
other lesser known artsists.
Olamide, however, made it clear that it does not mean he
can never have a female on his label. He revealed if he
was going to sign a female artist, she’d have to engulf
herself with the hunger he has, that is the ‘‘hunger for
success’

Headies2015: Small Doctor grabs first Headies nomination

Small Doctor has grabbed his first Headies nomination.
Photo: Filed
Fast rising street hop act, Small Doctor has grabbed his first
Headies nomination since venturing into the music industry.
The Mosquito singer, who is veteran fuji musician, Pasuma’s
protégé got nominated in the Best Street Hop Category but
will be facing a tough challenge to grab his first win at the
prestigious award.
The self-acclaimed ‘Akeweje Oganla’ battles Olamide (Bobo),
Reminisce (Skilashi), Falz (Ello Bae) as well as as
Masterkraft’s Indomie which features Olamide, CDQ and
Davido.
The Best Street Hop Artiste is a voting category for the artiste
whose songs are inspired by the streets. Such song should
have street lingua, which may also be originated by the
artiste and popular on the street.’
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website without our consent.

Asa Your Collabos Are Getting Dumber By The Day – Etcetera

I walked into the music preview room at

the radio station and I saw one of our

sound engineers previewing Naeto C’s

songs before uploading it into the

station’s new digital library for airplay, I

immediately walked out of the room

because I wasn’t ready to activate my

anger mode by putting myself through

another experience of listening to

another Nigerian rap song with shallow

and crappy lines of which Naeto C is the

culprit-in-chief, only to walk into the

transmitting room and heard the

presenter on duty introducing ‘Share my

Blessing’ by Naeto C and Asa, as the next

song on the play list.

I have to admit that this time around, I

wasn’t too eager to make a dash for the

door. Maybe because I heard Asa was on

the song and thought that it would have

at least inspired Naeto C to use better

and more inspiring rhymes. Hope is a

very dangerous thing. It turned out that I

hoped for too much. The first line of the

song almost pulled off my knee cap. It is

the most fatal accident I have had till

date. I almost died when I heard “what a

conundrum” within the first few lines.

What Conundrum? Like seriously? Bros

Naeto, the only thing close to a

conundrum in the whole song was how

you convinced Asa to feature in the song.

That song has some of the dumbest lines

ever used in the history of rap music

worldwide. As I sat there gasping for air, I

tried consoling myself that every artist is

allowed one mistake in a career lifespan

and ‘Share my Blessing’ is a mistake that

won’t happen again. But on a second

thought, I asked myself, didn’t Asa or her

manager Janet, hear Naeto C’s lines

before accepting to feature on the song? I

would have Usain-Bolted out of that

studio, screaming ‘tufiakwa gi’ and

snapping my fingers as I rid myself of all

the phloem in my system.

Asa apparently hasn’t learnt her lessons.

Her latest collabo with Korede Bello is

another career mistake that shouldn’t

have happened. The lightening has struck

twice. Korede Bello and Asa have

succeeded where others have failed.

Koredo Bello and Asa have succeeded in

taking every crappy song from the past

decade in Nigeria and mashed them into

a musical abomination; add that to the

level of auto-tune on Korede’s voice;

which sounds like T-Pain after he’s

slammed his testicles in a car door.

Ironically, slamming my own testicles in a

car door is something I would rather do

than listen to this song again.

Sadly, the fiasco with Naeto C now looks

like a piece of art compared to this song

with Korede Bello. This is a whole new

grade of crime against music. Asa, how

do you explain this to your fans? I have

searched for justification even from a

musician’s perspective and found none.

The whole song comes out childish and

guess Korede knows it too, which explains

why he had to sing it to us as the first line

that he is no longer a child. Korede has

proved conclusively with this song that

there are two things a Nigerian youth

can’t do: play music and feign humility.

Titling your song, “Somebody Great”, and

blabbing all through the song about

“Somebody wey dey spray millions and

somebody wey go save billions” is that

what defines greatness? Spraying of

millions? What are you doing to yourself

Asa? How did you get yourself involved in

this song?

Why did you do this to your fans?

I won’t be surprised to hear that the

sound engineer that mixed this song is

deaf. That you couldn’t hear that the

whole song is drenched in reverb is

unbelievable. For God’s sake, the

presence in the song is very disturbing to

the ears. And what is that thing that

sounds like someone striking a pot cover

with “ewedu” broom? Please don’t tell me

that it is the crash or the hi-hats. Please

sir, can you take back your mix and

reduce the shakers. Damn it, take back

your mix and keep it to yourself.

Asa, I swear you no try at all.

The only excuse that would probably

make some sense to me now is if I am

told that you guys were just trying to

create something for the current

generation but instead of a smooth-

rocking guitar classic, you have instead

created this audible shit. Yes, this song is

literally shit that you can hear. It is the

worst song from Asa that I have had the

displeasure of listening.

Unfortunately though, for some

inexplicable reason, some people are

actually going to play it and like it and

start insulting Etcetera like he is the

reason the song is rubbish.

Please, the excuse that Asa was not

involved in this collaboration with Korede

Bello; that Don Jazzy recorded her

freestyle and used on the song, is not

going to hold any water here. Nobody

does that in this age and time knowing

the ramification. And until Don Jazzy is

called out by Asa’s management, I will

assume the freestyle story is just another

industry lie and that “Somebody Great” is

a well thought out and planned

collaboration between Asa and Korede

Bello. Until then, trying to water down

Asa’s involvement in this song will be a

blatant in-your-face insult to her fans as

much as tweaking the synthesizer at the

beginning of the song to give it a rock

guitar feel is a blatant in-your-face

insulting to all guitarists out there. 

IBB Opens Up On Dele Giwa's Death & 159 Officers On Crashed Plane

Twenty-three years after a military plane crash in which
more than 159 officers lost their lives in Ejirin swamp in
Lagos in 1992, then military ruler, General Ibrahim
Badamosi Babangida (IBB) has finally spoken on the ill-fated
incident.
Babangida, in an exclusive chat in the maiden edition of The
Interview, disclosed that the crashed aircraft ought not to
have flown on that specific day, based on the issue of
maintenance and number of flying hours already attained.
Responding to a question posed by The Interview on what
actually transpired on that day and if the crash was properly
investigated, the 73-year-old former president said: “It was
investigated. It was reported. But you guys had a mindset.
Certain people had a mindset; nobody was interested in the
report. But it was investigated. What happened in sum total
was that the aircraft should not have been flying. There are
mandatory stages, number of hours and maintenance. All
those things that are mandatory were not there.” When he
was asked on what happened to the people who authorised
the plane to fly on that ill-fated day, Babangida said there
was no penalty meted out, adding: “They ought to have been
punished. I know that blame was apportioned. I wouldn’t
know about the punishment. We investigated; we even
apportioned blame but no penalty.” On why that was so, he
simply remarked, “That is the Nigerian factor.”
Responding to inquiries on who killed renowned journalist,
Dele Giwa who died from a parcel bomb blast, Babangida
said, “A Bomb”.
When asked in the interview on who sent the bomb, he
replied:
“Would you ever think somebody could sit and ask a soldier
or anybody, go and kill that man?”
Upon the interviewer’s response that “It depends....”, IBB
was quoted to have replied:
“It depends on who? If what you hear about other African
leaders is anything to go by, you are right to believe that it
could happen because of what happened in the case of the
Mobutus of this world. But there is also one human being
who believes in God, who believes you cannot take away
life, who believes that God forbids you to do that, who
believes that God created you equally. Somebody of that
nature cannot, in all fairness order the execution or killing of
another person.”
When he was pressed on his relationship with late Dele
Giwa, Babangida replied:
“We were friends. Very soon, somebody is going to accuse
me of saying he is my friend. I knew him very closely. I have
correspondence between him and me. But that is not
enough for you to believe that we were friends. What is
enough is that I took a bomb and killed him.”
When The Interview countered that “There was a general
feeling that he knew a lot of military guys and knew more
than he was supposed to know....”, IBB cut in...…
”That he knew we were dealing in drugs and Gloria Okon.
Somebody should have come out with it by now. He must
have left some manuscripts.”
When he was asked if he suppressed the investigation, the
former president replied,
“There was a report on that investigation if you may be
interested to know.”
On the interviewer’s remark that witnesses in the
investigation were apparently hidden, Babangida replied,
“No. Most of what you guys talked about was fictitious. Even
one of the persons you guys said was involved does not
seem to exist. Gloria Okon; she does not seem to be in
existence.
And then you came out with, what is the name of the other
girl who was supposed to be my wife’s friend? She was in
prison or something; you came out with that one. There is
virtually no truth in it all. People are not very good in putting
stories together to make it look credible. They only make it
look fantastic.
If you are dealing with an idiot, of course you can do
anything. But you deal with a man who thinks, a man who
tries to rationalise”.
On Saturday, September 26, 1992, a Nigerian Air Force
Hercules C-130 (NAF 911) transport plane, carrying more
than 200 persons, took off at 5:27 pm from the Runway 19 of
the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, with its
destination the city of Kaduna in northern Nigeria.
However, a few minutes after take-off, the heavy-laden
plane, which was said to be carrying not just the military
boys and girls but young students of the Nigerian Military
School (NMS), Zaria, alongside civilians, relations and
friends of military officers, developed a fault and nose-dived
into the deep swamp not too far from the Lagos State Low
Cost Housing Estate, Ejigbo to the Festac Town, Lagos, killing
all those onboard.
In the crash officers of the 19, 20, 21 and 22 Regular Courses
of the Nigerian Defence Academy were badly hit. A list of
159 names of those officially listed as passengers of the
C-130H was released on October 1 by the Director of Army
Public Relations, Colonel Fred Chijuka.
The list was made up of seven Lieutenant Colonels, 96
Majors, a Sergeant, Michael Bahago, two students – Mr. O B
Oshodi, Mrs. M A Abu, and a reporter, Mr. Augustine Okpe.
There were also the eight-officer crew including Alaboson,
Mamadi, Squadron Leader J A Adeiza and Flight Lieutenant S
O Adamu. The other men, Alum Wakala, Tarfa Saidu, W T
Datong and A Soyemi in addition to 19 Air Force officers,
were made up of 18 Squadron Leaders and a Sergeant, O.
Jaja.
The Nigerian Navy lost 16 Lieutenant Commanders,
Ghanaian Armed Forces, five; Tanzania lost Major M S
Mgonja while Ugandan Major J R Mulazi also lost his life in
the crash.
The Nigerian Army Education Corps lost a total of 19 officers,
Infantry 17, Artillery 15, Intelligence nine, Signals nine,
Supply and Transport eight, Military Police seven while the
Electrical and Mechanical Armoured and Medical Corps lost
four officers each. Others included Ordinance three while
Finance and Personnel and Training lost two men each

FG Telling Lies, Dokpesi Got Money For Media Project, Not Arms

The family of Dr. Raymond Dokpesi has cried out over the
continued detention of their bread winner.
A statement signed by his son Raymond Dokpesi Jr. and
sent to DAILY POST on Saturday said “It has become very
imperative that following an article published in the Nation
Newspaper and reprinted in other online and social
media, that we provide more clarification on the current
detention without trial of Dr. Raymond Dokpesi by the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC in Abuja
over allegations of Criminal Conspiracy and Money
Laundering.”
“In the first place, there is no iota of truth whatsoever that
Dr. Dokpesi had a hand in any transaction with the former
National Security Adviser regarding the purchase of arms,
locally or internationally. This falsehood has become
commonplace as his detention is constantly being
associated with what has generally become known by the
media as the $2.1 Billion US Dollars Arms Deal Scandal.
“We like to make it abundantly clear that Dr. Dokpesi’s
DAAR INVESTMENT & HOLDINGS COMPANY LTD, initiated a
proposal to the Presidency of Former President Goodluck
Jonathan, proposing a Multi Media Strategic Development
Support Project to promote and project the achievements
and highlight the challenges of his government whilst
demystifying false information gleefully circulated by the
propaganda machinery of the then opposition party.
“The proposal was submitted to the Former President in
person by Dr. Dokpesi and his team in the presence of the
Former Vice President and the Former National Security
Adviser at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. We must further
emphasize that the proposal had absolutely nothing to do
with the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), nor the
Presidential Campaign Council (PCC).
“We understand that this proposal was thoroughly studied,
and approved We are still at a loss as to why a Federal
Government that claims to have been popularly elected
only about six months ago, will embark on a wide scale
propaganda, misinformation and brazen falsehood just to
achieve its objective of decimating its perceived political
opponents and supporters of the previous government’s
administration.
“High Chief Raymond Dokpesi remains a law abiding and
consummate patriot who has served his fatherland to the
best of his ability with Zeal, Zest and oftentimes a very
infectious sense of patriotism.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Dr Dokpesi has never applied
nor bided for a contract for the purchase of arms. Nor has
he ever been registered with the Ministry of Defence for
the similar objective of engaging in the supply of Arms for
the Government. Unfolding events will soon prove
irrefutably and unlike what fictitious stories are being fed
to the media as published by The Nation Newspaper on
Friday 4th December 2015.
“We urge the Buhari-led APC Government to rigorously
investigate all political and economic crimes thoroughly
before embarking on a media trial and sentencing even
before the law courts of Nigeria have an opportunity to
adjudicate.
“Our democracy must grow on all fronts but more so
under the rule of law which remains the bedrock of any
democratic system.”

Metuh Has No Right To Announce Date Of PDP Convention — Okupe

A former presidential spokesperson, Doyin Okupe, has
stated that the announcement of new dates for congresses
and national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, as
announced by the spokesperson of the party, Olisa Metuh,
on Thursday, cannot stand.
Mr. Metuh had released a timetable of schedule of
congresses and national convention which, he said, was
approved by the National Working Committee, NWC, of the
party.
He said the NWC had fixed March 19, 2016 for the party`s
national convention.
The party, he said, would conduct its Ward Congresses on
February 27, 2016, while March 5, 2016 was slated as the
day for Local Government Area Congresses.
The NWC, he said, had also approved March 12, 2016 for
state congresses and March 16, 2016, for its zonal
congresses.
New set of party leaders are expected to emerge from the
congresses.
However, in a text message to PREMIUM TIMES Thursday
evening, Mr. Okupe, who was spokesman for former
presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, said
the NWC had no power under the constitution of the party to
convene a national convention.
“That power rests exclusively with the NEC of the party. The
dates announced by the national Publicity secretary
therefore, must have been in error and cannot stand,” he
said.
Mr. Okupe said what the NWC with the approval of the acting
National Chairman could do, is to “call for a meeting of the
NEC to formally begin the process”.

Why Faleke Should Be Declared Kogi Guber Candidate – Ex-inec Coordinator

A former coordinator of the Independent National

Electoral Commission Institute, Frank Ozoh, has argued

that James Faleke, the running mate to Kogi APC

governorship candidate should be declared candidate of

the APC by the electoral commission.

Mr. Ozoh told News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Thursday

in Abuja that since the candidate, Abubakar Audu, died

during the inconclusive election, his running mate should

be declared the party’s candidate for the supplementary

election.

He said in a telephone chat that failure to field Mr. Faleke

as candidate necessitates fresh election.

“Otherwise, there should be a re-run election, so that all

aggrieved persons will participate in the re-run; once there

is the position of a running mate, then there is already a

joint ticket.

“It is not possible for the votes of late Audu to be

transferred to another person who did not contest in an

election since our electoral system is not based on

transferable vote system like we have in India.

“Once we are making a return, we say this candidate,

having polled majority of the votes and having met the

constitutional requirements; we don’t say this party.

“Therefore, the votes are for the candidates and not for the

party,” he said.

Mr. Ozoh, however, said that the issue of inconclusive

election first came up in 2010, and made the electoral

institute to review the Manual for Election Officials while

he was the coordinator of the institute.

“The then chairman of INEC, Prof. Maurice Iwu, used the

procedure for the re-run of 2009 Ekiti election,’’ he said.

Mr. Ozoh therefore urged the commission to ensure that

political stakeholders in Kogi adhere to due process during

the supplementary election.

PDP Leaders Panic Over $2bn Arms Deal - New Telegraph

Many prominent leaders of the party, New Telegraph learnt,
have become apprehensive that anyone could be implicated
and arrested as the Federal Government digs deeper into
the $2.1 billion arms purchase scandal.
A senior member of the PDP told New Telegraph that a good
number of PDP leaders are going to be affected by the arms
procurement scandal. “My brother, the situation is messy. A
lot of our members benefitted in one way or the other from
the fund meant for arms procurement. I’m afraid that the
days ahead will be tough for some senior members of the
PDP,” a source said.
Also, operatives of the EFCC have arrested Air Vice Marshal
Salihu Atawodi (rtd), former chairman, Presidential
Implementation Committee on Marine Safety. A source at
the commission told New Telegraph that AVM Atawodi was
accused of defrauding the government to the tune of over
N600 million through dubious contract to procure military
boats.
The source said he awarded the contract to one Alhaji
Rabiu’s Hypertech Nigeria Limited. The contractor was said
to have been fully paid, but the boats were never supplied.
The contract award process, according to the source,
violated the Procurement Act. AVM Atawodi, who had been
under surveillance since 2013, was quizzed for several hours
on Wednesday, after he responded to the invitation
extended to him.
“He arrived the headquarters of the Commission about
11a.m.,” a source said. EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren,
confirmed Atawodi’s presence at the Commission. He said
the ex-presidential aide is assisting the investigation. The
Department of State Services (DSS) had, on Tuesday,
arrested former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo
Dasuki (rtd), former Sokoto State governor, Attahiru
Bafarawa and Chairman of Daar Communications, Chief
Raymond Dokpesi, in connection with arms scandal.
Dokpesi, who was accused of collecting N2.1 billion, has
admitted receiving the money from the Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN), but said it was meant for “publicity and media
political campaigns based on contractual obligations/
agreement.” But former Deputy National Chairman of PDP,
Chief Olabode George and Bafarawa yesterday denied
receiving any money from the controversial arms
procurement fund.
The PDP had earlier condemned Dokpesi’s arrest, and said it
has been made aware that “more notable PDP leaders have
similarly been listed for arrest over unproven allegations” as
a plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal
Government to cow and silence opposition in the country.
Party source, however, disclosed that fear has gripped some
PDP chieftains since the last round of arrests were made.
According to the source, every money collected from the
NSA office is traceable because the “person will be made to
sign for it.
The amount is stated and the purpose for which it is meant
for. So it can be traced easily,” he said. The source, who is a
member of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), said he has
advised most of his colleagues to be ready for arrest
anytime. “I advised that we should be mindful how we speak
because it will look like PDP is defending corruption. Crisis is
not good for the party. The (Sambo) Dasuki issue is taking
another dimension. Before now, it was attracting some
sympathy; but the way it is going, many people are having a
rethink.
He is our member and people will think the money was used
for campaign,” the source said. It was gathered that the
issue was extensively discussed at the National Working
Committee (NWC) meeting of the party held on Wednesday.
Acting National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche
Secondus, held a close-door meeting with management staff
immediately after the NWC meeting. The meeting, a source
told New Telegraph, might not be unconnected with the
recent clamp down on some chieftains of the party by
security operatives.
But the Director, Media and Publicity of the PDP Presidential
Campaign Organisation in the 2015 presidential election,
Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, said the organisation has nothing to
do with the money allegedly paid to the Dokpesi from the
office of the NSA.
Fani-Kayode, who spoke with New Telegraph yesterday, said
Dokpesi was not a member of the PDP Presidential
Campaign Organisation. “As far as we are concerned, we
don’t have anything to do with the payment made to
Dokpesi for publicity.
“Dokpesi is not part of the Presidential Campaign
Organisation. We have the structure; you know the Director
General, you know the directors. We did not spend one kobo
from the public fund.
All the monies we spent were from private contributions, the
fact is there for anybody to scrutinise. Dokpesi is not part of
us, and you know this. “If he says he collected money from
somebody for something, that’s between him and the
person. I am just concerned about the way the country is
going,” Fani-Kayode stated. George has also refuted a report
by an online medium that he collected N100 million from
Dasuki, in the build-up to the 2015 general elections.
In a statement issued by his political adviser, Prince Uthman
Shodipe- Dosunmu, George said: “For the record, Chief Bode
George did not collect N100 million from Dasuki or anybody
else whatsoever.
He has never even set eyes on the former NSA throughout
his tenure in office, talk less of collecting money from him.
Dasuki, of course, is very much alive to corroborate this
position.”
Similarly, Bafarawa has said that he did not receive any
money from the embattled former security chief. A
statement issued in Abuja yesterday by one of his aides, a
former Special Adviser on Youths and Students Matters,
Alhaji Akibu Dalhatu, maintained that he has neither had
any deal with the former NSA nor collected money from him
for any purpose.
“The former governor of Sokoto state, Alhaji Attahiru
Bafarawa did not receive any money from Col. Sambo
Dasuki for any arms deal or for any purpose,” Akibu said in
the statement.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government yesterday dug deeper
into its ongoing probe of the $2.1 billion arms purchase
scandal as it employed the services of a private legal
practitioner, Oladipupo Opeseyitan (SAN) to prosecute
Dasuki (rtd) who is standing before the Federal High Court
sitting in Abuja.
Dasuki had earlier been charged to court on a fourcount
charge bothering on illegal possession of firearms and
money laundering. Dasuki is standing trial before the
Federal High Court sitting in Abuja. Opeseyitan, however,
informed the court that he had filed a motion for stay of
execution of the ruling of the court which granted Dasuki
permission to travel abroad for medical treatment.
He further applied to the court to put the ruling on hold
pending the outcome of the appeal in the matter. Dasuki’s
counsel, Ahmed Raji (SAN), in his reply told the court that he
had just been served with the motion, adding that he
needed time to respond to the motion.
The court later adjourned till December 8 for hearing.
Dasuki, through his counsel, said that he did not at any point
make a statement implicating anyone or group in the
allegation of $2 billion arms purchase deal brought against
him by the Federal Government.
Dasuki was said to have made the statement to the anti-graft
agency and allegedly named some former governors of the
PDP and chieftains of the party, among others, as
accomplices in the alleged deal. Raji said his client never
made such statement or name anyone to the EFCC and
wondered where the authors got their information.

Kogi Poll: Court Decides Wada, Bello, Faleke’s Fate Today

ABUJA—The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, will,
today, determine whether in view of section 181 of the 1999
constitution, as amended, the Independent National
Electoral Commission, INEC, should go ahead with its plan to
conduct supplementary governorship election in Kogi State
tomorrow.
Justice Gabriel Kolawole adjourned for judgement after all
the parties, yesterday, adopted their final written addresses
on contentious legal issues that arose from the sudden
death of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC,
Prince Abubakar Audu, before the election was concluded.

Wada
INEC had declared the governorship election held
November 21, inconclusive, even as it fixed Saturday to
conduct a run-off poll.
Meanwhile, the court had, Tuesday, consolidated four
separate suits challenging the legality of the scheduled
supplementary election.
Justice Gabriel Kolawole, who merged the four suits, said
there was need for the court to expeditiously determine the
issues “so that INEC will not conduct the election under a
grave shadow of doubt as to the legal or constitutional
validity.”
Whereas one of the suits was lodged before the court by
Kogi State governor, C aptain Idris Wada (retd), the second
suit was filed by the governorship candidate of the People
for Democratic Change, PDC, in the state, Emmanuel
Daikwo.
Likewise, a legal practitioner, Mr. Johnson Usman, a House
of Representatives member for Ahiazu Ezinaehitte Mbaise
Federal Constituency of Imo State, Rafael Igbokwe and an
electorate from Omala Local Government Area in
Abelijukolo Ife of Eche ward in Kogi State, Mr. Stephen Wada
Omaye, filed the two remaining suits.
Upon consolidation of the suits, the plaintiffs, led by
Wada’s lawyer, Mr. Goddy Uche, SAN, distilled out three
principal legal issues for the court to determine today.
They want the court to go ahead and determine: “Whether
having regard to the provisions of sections 31(1)(2)(4)(5)(6)
(7) and ( , 33, 34, 36, 85 and 87 of the Electoral Act, 2010, as
amended, as well as sections 178-181 of the constitution of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, INEC can
lawfully conduct a second/supplementary election into the
office of Governor of Kogi State on December 5, 2015, or any
other date at all let alone accepting the nomination/
substitution by the APC of any candidate on the basis of
votes computed and credited to the deceased candidate of
the APC when the new or substitute candidate was not part
of the original election.”
Wada specifically prayed the court to determine, “whether in
view of the provisions of section 179 (2) (3)(4)(5) of the
constitution, and other enabling provisions of the Electoral
Act, 2010, as amended, and having regard to the doctrine of
necessity, the plaintiff being the only surviving candidate
with the major lawful votes cast at the Kogi State
governorship election held on November 21, 2015, ought
not to be declared and returned by the INEC as the winner
of the election having secured not less than one-quarter of
the votes case in two-thirds of all the Local Government
Areas in Kogi State.”
Justice Kolawole had given all the parties 48 hours to file
and exchange their briefs of argument and return to the
court yesterday for adoption.
Jurisdiction of the high court
Meantime, at the resumed sitting, yesterday, the APC,
challenged the jurisdiction of the high court to entertain the
suits.
APC’s position was also adopted by both INEC and its
replacement for Audu, Mr. Yahaya Bello, who both
contended that the court has no jurisdiction to adjudicate on
issues that were raised by the plaintiffs, issues they said
could be best handled by an election petition tribunal.
APC was not represented in court the day the four suits were
consolidated.
The plaintiffs had informed the court that they could not
effect service on the party owing to a free-for-all they said
took place at the APC national secretariat in Abuja by three
different factions of the party in Kogi State, the day they
went there with the court processes.
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/977/2015, Faleke insisted that
contrary to claim by INEC, the Kogi State governorship
election was conclusive.
He is seeking 16 principal reliefs from the court, among
which include: “A declaration that by the express provisions
of sections 179 (2) (a) and (b) and 187(1) of the constitution,
a person who is nominated as an associate of a candidate
for the office of governor of a state is duly elected deputy
governor of a state when the candidate for the office of the
governor scores the highest number of also scored not less
than one quarter of all the votes cast in each of at least two-
third of all the local government areas in the state

Edo Pays Workers’ November Salaries Ahead Of Other States

THERE was jubilation by public workers in Edo State, after
they received alert of the payment of their November
salaries, when many states are still battling to clear the
backlog of workers’ salaries and allowances.
Civil servants in the state who thronged to various banks
yesterday said they had every reason to support and put in
their best into the Adams Oshiomhole led administration
because the government had shown responsibility to
workers welfare by paying their November salaries on
November 25, in the midst of dwindling resources in the
country.
Many of the workers were seen at the secretariat praying
for the governor and pledging their continued
support.Reacting to the development in a statement,
Forum of Senior Special Assistants to Oshiomhole
confirmed the payment of workers’ salaries saying,
“Before the close of work on Wednesday, Edo State
Government through an alert received on phones, paid
November salaries.
The statement by Mr. Theophilus Afuda and Mr. John
Mayaki, respectively, said: “This singular action, and
flowing from previous months of prompt payment of
salaries, we can boldly and confidently say Governor
Adams Oshiomhole is the first Governor in Nigeria to pay
this months’ workers’ salaries.
This masterstroke is overkill from a most responsible
workers’ Governor in Nigeria, especially so, at a time the
country and state governments are in financial despair
and experiencing dwindling revenue and uncertainties.
We say overkill because this is landmark precedence for
the-would-be successor to begin to devise the Oshiomhole
skills to achieve this feat. We all must pray that we do not
get a lesser sterling governor post Oshiomhole.
“This issue will form a big part of our debate as it relates to
Adams Oshiomhole’s stewardship so far in Edo State and
beyond but unfortunately, desperate critics have
cautiously avoided this public discourse of Adams
Oshiomhole’s efficient economic management.
“We cannot pretend to have forgotten so soon, how
workers in this state were owed salaries spanning several
months by previous administrations.”

'How CBN Emptied Its Vaults To Finance PDP’s Presidential Campaign

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) practically emptied its
vaults apparently to finance the presidential campaign of
the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), sources conversant
with investigations into security spending in the last
administration have informed TheCable. TheCable had
earlier reported the extra-budgetary disbursement of N40
billion to the office of the national security adviser and
N20 billion to the Department of State Services (DSS) by the
CBN, but fresh revelations indicate that the monies were
released in dollar cash — contrary to all money laundering
regulations. They were taken directly from the dollar
reserve vaults of the central bank, TheCable understands.
Security sources disclosed that in August 2014, Godwin
Emefiele, the CBN governor, called a board meeting and
asked for an approval of N60 billion to support the security
services under a “special security intervention fund” he
intended to create. Emefiele, who is also chairman of the
board, told the members that the money was needed to
equip the military to fight the insurgency in the north-east
following a series of onslaughts by Boko Haram. Some
board members reportedly cautioned him against such an
audacious move, advising instead that the expenditure
should be tied to procurement, but he was said to have
rejected the advice. This was shortly after he had secured
approval from President Goodluck Jonathan to disburse
the funds. Sambo Dasuki, retired colonel and then NSA,
had twice requested for N60 billion in documents seen by
TheCable — and was only successful at third attempt
following Jonathan’s intervention. In the new documents
seen by TheCable, the former NSA regularly wrote to
Emefiele asking him to disburse the approved money in
hard currency equivalent, usually in tranches of N10
billion.
Investigators have now traced some of the monies
collected by the office of the NSA to the PDP presidential
campaign, with Raymond Dokpesi, chairman of AIT,
revealing that he collected N2.1 billion from the office to
undertake media publicity for Jonathan. Dasuki has said
not all the monies he received were for security,
maintaining that some were for NGOs.
However, questions have been raised on how CBN created
the security fund overnight to meet NSA’s requests. “What
the CBN did was to create an intervention fund, which it is
empowered to do by the CBN Act. That is why we have
aviation intervention fund, agriculture intervention fund,
all sorts, which are now being abused to take money out of
the system,” one of the sources said. A former minister
told TheCable that it is illegal for the CBN to pay raw
dollars to any government agency.
He said: “If the money was given to the NSA in naira, this
would be a case of the CBN printing money for the
government and adding to pressure on prices and
exchange rates. I was told a lot of this happened in many
instances and did a lot of damage to the economy. “If, on
the other hand, as it is being alleged in this case, the NSA
was given this money in cash forex, then a strong case can
be made for criminal activity by the CBN itself. In giving so
much cash, the CBN is itself involved in money laundering.
And by taking it from the central bank vaults, the
management of the central bank has effectively taken
foreign exchange from CBN reserves and given same to
the NSA with no questions asked.”
The way it was done, according to CBN insiders, “was that
the money was taken directly from CBN vaults without any
account being credited. It effectively did not go through the
due process. The accountant-general did not sign off as it is
the practice. “Money was just moved directly like it
happened under Gen. Sani Abacha when large amounts
were taken out of the CBN under the guise of financing
ECOMOG, the West African peace-keeping force. We know
where the bulk ended up.”

Bafarawa: N4.6billion I Received From Dasuki Was For Spiritual Purpose

The alleged diversion of $2.2 billion meant for arms
purchase by the administration of former President
Goodluck Jonathan continue to generate more revelations
as former Sokoto State Governor Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa
denied receiving any money from the embattled former
National Security Adviser (NSA) retired Colonel Sambo
Dasuki.
Controversy has led to arrest of Dasuki and some
prominent Nigerians by the Department of State Service
(DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC).
A statement in Abuja yesterday by one of his aides, a
former Special Adviser on Youths and Students Matters
during his term as Sokoto State governor, Alhaji Akibu
Dalhatu said Bafarawa has no deal with the former NSA
nor collected any money from him for any purpose.
Besides, Dalhatu lamented what he called deliberate
media campaign aimed at tarnishing the image of the
former governor saying it appears that the media was
being used to play out a script that has been written long
before now.
“The truth is that Governor Bafarawa went to the EFCC to
honour an invitation made to him by the agency while he
was abroad. He had informed them through a letter by his
lawyers that he was abroad and would honour their
invitation on return. Governor Bafarawa went to the office
of EFCC with his lawyer and an aide,” he added.
However, Bafarawa had stated that he received N4.6
billion from Dasuki for “spiritual purposes.”
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) also added
its voice to the matter calling for stringent punishment for
those found guilty.
NLC president, Comrade Ayuba Wabba told journalists
yesterday in Abuja that capital punishment for offenders
cannot be ruled out to stem the tide of corruption
bedeviling the country.
Wabba noted that the mind-boggling revelation by the
erstwhile Director of Finance to Dasuki, Shuaibu Salisu,
should be commended and should be well protected as a
whistle-blower.

Obaship Crisis Rocks Yorubas In FCT

The Obaship crisis rocking Yoruba Community in the Federal
Capital Territory (FCT) is showing no sign of abating. In fact,
it got to a level that the traditional ruler of Yoruba in the
territory, Oba (Dr) Olusegun Salau, warned those he accused
of sowing seeds of discord among members of the
community for selfish interests, to desist from such. He even
threatened that henceforth, anybody caught in the act would
be handed over to security agencies for appropriate
sanction.
The major contention is over who the authentic Oba of
Yoruba in Abuja is. Salau had insisted that he remained the
only recognised Oba and advised the contenders to embrace
peace in the interest of the Yoruba race.
Oba Salau recently summoned an emergency meeting with
chiefs and elders of the Yoruba community at his Kado’s
place in Life Camp to find solution to the crisis. He told them
that the meeting was summoned to find a way of redeeming
the image of the community which he noted had been badly
damaged through incessant crises and indiscipline among
residents.
The Oba expressed dissatisfaction that the main reasons for
the formation of the community were yet to be fully realised
many years after the community was formed. ”During this
period, it has been one form of crisis, mistrust, bickering,
blackmail and all these have largely affected our progress
and image as a community in FCT,” he told them.
According to him, “going down memory lane, you will recall
that the birth of Yoruba Community, FCT came into being
following my installation as the Oba Yoruba of Abuja at an
event which was widely publicised and which was attended
by all prominent Yoruba sons and daughters residing in
Abuja.”
Oba Salau, who highlighted most of the steps taken earlier
to ensure peace within the community as well as in other
ethnic groups within the FCT, including the emergence of Six
Area Councils’ chairmen with the appointment of an Oba as
the chairman to coordinate the activities of the Yorubas in
each Area Council who should report back to him, said that
it was unfortunate that some members went ahead and
sabotaged the efforts for selfish reasons.
He told them: “It is time to put an end to all this nonsense.
Our teeming brothers and sisters resident in the FCT are
looking up to us for what will benefit them just as their
neighbours are benefitting from their own tribal
communities. In this new era of change, we cannot continue
this way; it is unacceptable to me.”
Oba Salau insisted that there was no leadership problem in
Yoruba community in the FCT and said: “I am the only
person so chosen by the Ona of Abaji, Alhaji Adamu Baba
Yunusa as the paramount traditional ruler and leader of
Yoruba Community. I am quite aware of my enormous
power
“The fact that I allowed everybody to operate freely does not
mean I am weak. Henceforth, I have resolved to put an end
to this disgrace and embarrassments. My actions to some
extend are to bring sanity and honour to the Yoruba
community, FCT where it will earn us greater peace and
progress,” he stated.
Oba Salau, certainly, did not stop there as he announced the
prohibition of proliferation of Obaship titles in the FCT,
saying that the action was in line with the authority
conferred on him by the Ona Abaji and chairman, Council of
Traditional Rulers in FCT, Alhaji Adamu Baba Yunusa.
According to him, “Henceforth, there is only one Obaship
title in the whole of FCT, which is my own: the Oba of Yoruba
Abuja, while the rest will be known and addressed as Chief
of Yoruba in the respective villages as my representatives in
all the satellite towns and villages and they are expected to
report back to me the activities of the Yorubas in the council
areas
“Anybody or group of persons that move about parading
themselves as leaders of Yoruba Community in Abuja,
without my knowledge, for instance, the so-called Egbe
Omo-Odua Yoruba in FCT, will henceforth be dealt with and
treated as fraudsters.”
“Any Chief without my approval that moves around parading
himself as Chief of Yoruba in any part of the FCT, for
instance, those whose certificates as Yoruba leaders do not
emanate from my office, will be dealt with and treated as
fraudsters,” he added.

Six Governorship Candidates Step-Down For Sylva

In less than 48 hours to the Bayelsa state gubernatorial

election, six governorship candidates contesting on the

platform of other renowned political parties have stepped

down for the flag bearer of the All Progressives Congress

(APC), Timipre Sylva.

Channels Television reports that this was observed on

Thursday, December 3, in Yenagoa, the state capital as the

chairman of the Labour Party, Hope Democratic Party (HDP),

Alliance for Democracy (AD), Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN),

Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD) and the United

Democratic Party (UDP) all gave their mandate to the former

governor of the state.

Explaining why they threw their weights behind the

candidacy of Sylva, they said their decision was propelled by

their love for the state.

According to them, it was imperative at this time to have a

leader that has the people at heart, hence listen to their

cravings and better their lives.

The chairmen further pleaded with Bayelsa people to cast

their vote for the APC candidate and realize the long dream

of prosperity in the state.

As usual with Nigerian style of politics, there have been

series of allegations and counter allegations in the build up

to the governorship election slated for December 5. On

Wednesday, December 2, Olisa Metuh, spokesperson of the

PDP, at a news conference in Abuja said membersOn

Wednesday, December 2, Olisa Metuh, spokesperson of the

PDP, at a news conference in Abuja said members had been

instructed to defend their votes as APC plan to rig the

election.

The PDP had also accused APC of plans to arrest some of its

members with strong and influential electoral support base

to destabilize the electioneering process.

Meanwhile, the suit filed by the PDP challenging the

eligibility of Sylva to run in the forthcoming election had

suffered set back as the court adjourned till January 2016

for further hearing. The adjournment is obviously a bitter

pill for the PDP to swallow as it allows the APC flag bearer to

contest the state’s gubernatorial election.

Fayose Suspends SSG, Modupe Alade, Orders HOS To Oversee Office

Ado Ekiti-The Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose

has suspended the Secretary to the State Governor, Dr

(Mrs) Modupe Alade, over alleged incompetence.

In a statement in Ado Ekiti by Chief Press Secretary to the

governor, Idowu Adelusi, said the suspension would last

for three months.

Fayose subsequently directed the State Head of Service , Dr

Olugbenga Faseluka to oversee her office pending her

resumption.

Alade was the Treasurer of Ayo Fayose Campaign

organization prior to the last governorship poll in Ekiti

State before her appointment as the Secretary to the

government.

She retired from the State Civil service as a Permanent

Secretary, during which she traversed many Ministries like

Education, Local Government Affairs, among others.

She hails from Ifaki Ekiti in Ido/Osi Local Government Area

of the State.