Reception for Bode George: Falana carpets Obasanjo

LAGOS human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana has described as scandalous the statement credited to former president Chief Olusegun Obasanjo that he was deceived into attending the reception in honour of Chief Olabode George, saying: “it should be discountenanced by Nigerians.”

Falana who spoke in a telephone interview with The Nation last night said even from Obasanjo’s own account, there was no evidence of misrepresentation whatsoever as the reception programme was well-publicized in the media before the D-day.

“Now former president Obasanjo got to the venue and discovered that it was not a gathering of Area Boys, but the collection of the crème dela crème of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Federal Government. Why did he not withdraw from the event when he found out that it was a celebration of criminality?” Falana queried.

Discomfited, Falana said: “Instead of resorting to bracing opportunism, there was a belated a diatribe of Chief Bode George. The ex-president should apologize to Nigerians for assaulting their moral integrity.”

Raising a poser, he said: “Why has it taken one week to discover that he was tricked to attend that programme? Is he not aware that the return of an ex-convict from prison is a sober event or did the summary by Venerable Tayo Aduloju’s sermon not strike a cord in the conscience of ex-president Obasanjo? More so, that he was the one who launched the anti-corruption crusade under which Chief Bode George was jailed?

Was President Goodluck Jonathan also tricked to send a powerful delegation to the show of shame?”

“Obasanjo should therefore be advised to tell his cock and bull story to the marine”, he stressed.

It may be recalled that George and five others were arraigned on August 8, 2008 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 163-count charge, bordering on abuse of office in the award of over N100 billion as Board Chairman of the Nigeria Ports Authority without recourse to the due process.

He was later convicted in October 2009 by Justice Olubunmi Oyewole of the Lagos High Court, Ikeja and jailed for two years alongside others on a seven-count charge of abuse of office and six months each on another 27-count charge of disobedience to constituted authority.

Having served his prison sentence and subsequently regained freedom penultimate Saturday, a committee of friends decided to hold a reception in his honour.

Minimum wage showdown!Labour insists on full implementation

Organised labour is not taking lightly its threat to frustrate next month general elections if the N18,000 new minimum wage is not paid especially by state governors, as indication emerged that labour has directed its state officials to forward to it the names of governors willing to pay the new minimum wage by the end of this month.

This directive, Sunday Vanguard gathered, is in anticipation of the harmonisation of the the Minimum Wage Bill that both the Senate and House of Representatives have passed for eventual presidential assent.

According to sources, organised labour wants to move against governors considered as anti-new minimum wage as the governors are believed to be keeping money that would assist in the implementation of the new wage for electioneering.

“The leadership of congress is not taking chances. It has directed state officials to immediately commence discussion with their state governors on the implementation of the N18,000 minimum wage. We know that the governors can pay. Some of them want us to push them before they pay. We are ready to push them and we will push them to their limits.

Many of them have kept money that would have assisted them to implement the wage for electioneering. Well, that is their own cup of tea. We know that they have to pay if they want to hold the elections. All that concerns us is that they find money to pay. We will move against all those governors ,” one of the leaders of the NLC told Sunday Vanguard at the just concluded 10th national delegates conference of the NLC in Abuja.

Already the 16 members of the newly elected leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, have reiterated the threat to frustrate attempts at going ahead with the April general elections without the implementation of the new minimum wage.

Accolades as Akpabio kicks off re-election campaign

On Saturday, February 26, at the Ibom Hall ground in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital, Governor Godswill Akpabio flagged off his bid to return to office in May. Correspondent, GILL NSA-ABASI, writes on his chances of getting a second term.

Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State has a unique approach to his re-election bid. The campaign rallies he kicked off last weekend is basically utilised to harp on projects he embarked upon across the state. Akpabio also used the campaign programme to receive members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who had left the party, back.

Speaking at the venues of his campaigns which started from Uyo and moved to Eket and Ikot Ekpene, Governor Akpabio spoke extensively on the projects his administration has been able to put in place. Among these, he said, were school buildings, health centres, culverts, electrification projects, roads, free and compulsory education policy for primary and secondary school students as well as free health care for pregnant mothers, children under five years and the aged.

“Today, out of the quagmire of bad and deplorable roads we met in 2007 have emerged dual-carriage ways, standard highways and single lane roads of the highest quality running like industrial nerves throughout the state. We have given a new lease of life to communities which were cut off by impassable roads, some for more than 30 years.

Akpabio listed other projects completed by his administration to include the Ibom Power Plant which he said was already generating 191 megawatts of electricity to the national grid and the International Airport.

He also boasted that Akwa Ibom State was an entirely PDP state “without any infiltration from other political parties,” adding that it was the reason “uncommon transformation” was being witnessed throughout the state.

The governor promised industrial revolution in the state if he returns to office in May. According to him, at least, one cottage industry would be established in each of the local government areas in the state.

At the Eket rally, Akpabio thanked the people for their support for the PDP, noting that in 2007, the zone gave him the highest number of votes and that it was the economic nerve centre of the state.
He promised that in his second term, he would site an Ibom Industrial City and Ibaka Deep Seaport projects in the area. Governor Akpabio said soon, contracts would be awarded for massive road construction in the area.

The Uyo Senatorial District chairman of the PDP, Mr. Billy Etuk, acknowledged the governor’s claim that Akwa Ibom was “a true PDP state,” stressing that he had fulfilled all his promises.

The Director-General of Godswill 2011 Campaign Organisation, Otuekong Idongesit Nkanga, said the governor was approaching development with anger “in response to the activities of detractors.” He added that the governor would continue to keep faith with the people.

Former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who was part of the Uyo senatoral rally, said, ‘’Akpabio will soon turn Akwa Ibom into a paradise, using the flyovers and all forms of technology, including roads, airports, Independent Power Plant and gas processing industry, among others.

“Railway will soon come. The truth is that the governor is not doing things that benefit the state alone, but those that touch other states. I feel proud about what you have done in the last four years.”

On his part, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Chief Nduese Essien, described Governor Akpabio as an excellent performer who has done exceedingly well in laying a good foundation for the development of the state. Another chieftain of the party and former Special Adviser, Chief Joe Udobia, thanked the governor for his “numerous achievements for the state,” saying he had done what God sent him to do in the state.

He, however, advised the governor to view the activities of detractors as a challenge for him to do more.

Also addressing the rally, Senator Etang Umoeyo described Governor Akpabio’s achievements as “Tsunamic and phenomenal.”

In the same vein, Chief Ikpoto Okon Osung assured the governor that the Oron people stood on their earlier endorsement of him by the Oron Development Union, saying that no Oron person would contest against him in the coming election, “otherwise, such a person would not have the support of the Oron people.”

He said Akpabio should expect victory in the area.

The immediate past chairman of the state chapter of the party, Chief Otu Ita Toyo, and Sir Edet Amana also spoke glowingly about the governor’s performance, emphasising that his second term bid was already a done deal.

Jonathan is a hard sell in the Northwest

The attributes of integrity and incorruptibility are factors that could sway the votes in the entire North West geo-political zone in favour of Nigeria’s former military ruler, Muhammadu Buhari.

Mr Buhari who is aspiring for the presidency on the platform of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) will also be at home in the zone due to religious and ethnic considerations.

From Sokoto down to Zamfara, Kebbi, Katsina, Kaduna and Kano States, the majority of the voting population who are adherents of the Islamic religion are most likely going to see Mr Buhari as one who will protect their constitutionally guaranteed rights to freedom of worship.

A pointer to this could be discerned going by the recent action of a prominent Islamic scholar and the Chief Imam of the Farfaru Juma’at in Sokoto State, Abubakar Jibril, who was caught allegedly defacing the campaign posters of President Goodluck Jonathan. The cleric who was accused of inciting public disturbance is now being detained at the Force Criminal Investigation Department in Abuja.

There are thousands of Mr Jibril all over the zone that is home to Islamic hardliners who may never sacrifice Mr Buhari for any of the presidential candidates. Even fellow Muslims like All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) presidential candidate, Ibrahim Shekarau, and Action Congress of Nigeria’s (ACN) Nuhu Ribadu, who are considered as upstarts, are unlikely going to reap from the dividends of this sentiment.

The writing on the wall

Shortly after the presidential primaries of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that saw the emergence of Mr Jonathan as the flag bearer of the party, the social media were awash with innuendos, branding all the northern governors who are adherents of the Islamic faith with labels such as “pope, pastor, reverend father, bishop, primate and evangelist,” all in a bid to portray them as those who have betrayed their brothers from the same faith.

Former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who led Kano State delegates to the Abuja PDP convention, has assumed a status of a folk hero in the state today for throwing his weight behind Mr Abubakar, based on the same religious and regional sentiments.

Ironically, Mr Kwankwaso was at the receiving end at the 2003 polls because he openly canvassed support for former President Olusegun Obasanjo who contested against Mr Buhari. At that time, the electorate not only branded Mr Kwankwaso as a “pharaoh”, they roundly tossed him out of power with ignominy.

Religion undoubtedly was used as one of the major tools by Mr Shekarau who defeated Mr Kwankwaso at the poll. Therefore, Mr Kwankwaso’s support for Mr Abubakar in the PDP Presidential primary election might not be unconnected with the lesson learnt in 2003.

In Kano State these days, campaign posters of Mr Jonathan are not common. Even the PDP chieftains vying for various positions avoid being associated with Mr Jonathan’s poster like a plague. Interestingly, in one of the strategic locations in Kano, NEXT observed a poster carrying the pictures of Mr Kwankwaso and that of Mr Buhari. In Jigawa State, the story is not different, as the state governor, Sule Lamido, was allegedly stoned in Hadejia town recently by youth who were not happy with the 100 percent support for Jonathan at the PDP Presidential Primary election.

Integrity is gain

The voters in Kano, just as in other parts of the zone, see in Mr Buhari someone who is not out to enrich himself to the detriment of the masses in Nigeria. While pointing at his no-nonsense stewardship as military head of state and as head of the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) as one of the golden eras of transparent and accountable governance in Nigeria, they believe that Nigeria still requires Mr Buhari’s services to correct the ills of the society.

Though the CPC is facing some organisational challenges in virtually all the states of the zone, it is unlikely to affect the prospect of Mr Buhari at the poll.

Muhammad Kabiru Gwangwazo is a leader of the CPC in Kano and was Mr Buhari’s campaign coordinator in 2003. He believes strongly that Mr Buhari will have an easy ride in the North West and the entire northern states.

“Even if Buhari didn’t campaign in the Northwest, he will win easily, because the people trust him; he has done before and will do it again if voted to power. I want to assure you that out of the over 18 million people that registered from the Northwest, Mr Buhari will get 15 million.” Rabiu Bako who is the Kano State Secretary of the ANPP disagrees with Mr Gwangwazo, saying that Mr Shekarau is the person that will win in the zone.

“If you look, the agitation of the majority is that they want change from the old people; they know Buhari, because he was there; they saw what he did and they don’t want him again. This is what the people are saying.

“Look, our candidate, Shekarau, is the best among these people. Look at what he has done in Kano in the last eight years, nobody has achieved this feat before. We want him to go and do the same at the federal level because this PDP government has failed Nigerians in the last 12 years.” For Mr Shekarau, no doubt he has done well in Kano State in the last eight years and he still enjoys mass appeal from the Kano populace, however, his major obstacle is that the ANPP is not popular in the North West because it is a PDP-dominated zone. In addition, he is a green horn politically in the zone. Although he has been governor of Kano in the last eight years, he cannot match the pedigree of Mr Buhari in the North West, who many perceive as incorruptible and has the common man in mind.

Notwithstanding, Mr Shekarau is still upbeat about his chances; that he can defeat an incumbent in the election. On a recent BBC programme, ‘Hard Talk,’ he made reference to how he defeated Mr Kwankwaso, an incumbent, in 2003.

Mr Buhari holds sway in Kano, as the electorate would massively vote for him irrespective of the party affiliation. Already, the CPC is making inroad in Kano and states like Jigawa and Kastina. However, Mr Shekarau will give him a good run in the state, because in 2007, Mr Shekarau won the election without Mr Buhari’s support.

For Mr Ribadu who is equally new in the field and perceived by many in the North West as having been used as a hunting dog by former president Obasanjo against his enemies, his chances in the Northwest look very slim. Majority in the zone believe that his party, the ACN, is a party that belongs to the Yorubas and as such, is not a national party.

Political observers are of the view that the CPC will win in the North West ahead of the ANPP and the PDP, though others have different views because of the influence of the vice president Namadi Sambo who is from the zone. By and large, given the current scenario, the voting pattern is not likely going to be different from that of all other previous elections held since 2003.

In 2003, Mr Buhari scored 80 percent of the estimated number of votes in Kano State against Mr Obasanjo who got less than 25 percent. It was the same in 2007 when Mr Buhari contested against late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua who incidentally hailed from Buhari’s Katsina State. Although the PDP got 25 percent as well in 2007, Mr Buhari still scored an estimated 75 percent of the total votes cast.

If this trend persists, Mr Buhari may just clinch the support of over 13 million out of 18 million votes in the April polls.

You can’t get 5 per cent vote in Lagos - ACN tells PDP

THE governorship campaign of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) standard bearer in Lagos State, Mr Babatunde Fashola, was on Saturday, flagged off at the Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos, with a call by the leaders of the party urging the party supporters and Lagosians to resist any attempt by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to capture Lagos State and the Southwest zone.

The leadership of the party, including Senator Bola Tinubu, the party’s national chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, the party’s presidential candidate, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and Governoer Fashola, vowed to resist all antics by any political party to rig election in the April general polls.

While appealing to Lagosians to vote him for a second term in office, Fashola said that ACN was set to claim all the slots in the Southwest in the April polls, saying PDP would lose their deposits in all the states.

Speaking in the same vein, Tinubu urged the party loyalists and the electorate to ensure that they sweep away the PDP, which he dubbed Poverty Development Party , in the next election.

He lambasted the party for not being able to fix the problems facing Nigeria for the past 12 years , adding that rather than for the PDP to ameliorate the suffering of Nigerians , it added to it.

Tinubu also declared that he was proud of Fashola’s achievement since he became the governor of the state, and that his achievements bear testimony that the PDP will not have five per cent of votes in Lagos.

He explained that several threats by the PDP to capture Lagos State at all cost, have never moved the ACN and that they will defeat the PDP with a landslide margin, just as he urged Nigerians to vote enmasse for the party’s presidential candidate.

Toeing his line, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu noted that the only challenge confronting the nation is the PDP.

He said leaders of the party do tell lies, adding that this has been the major problem of the party because they make promises and they don’t deliver.

He, however, promised that ACN will bring the type of change witnessed in Lagos under Fashola’s government to all the 36 states in the country, including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

“We’ll bring change to Nigeria . We will give people that have integrity the opportunity to prove themselves,” he said.

Also addressing the audience, Mr. Fola Adeola, Ribadu’s running mate explained that PDP has not done anything to show that it is worth voting for in April. “They have failed the country three times because they don’t have anything to offer. We would make change, if given the opportunity,” he promised.

April Poll - No Excuse for Failure -U.S

Abuja — Ahead of the April general elections, the United State of America (USA) has warned that the international community will not accept anything short of a free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria, even as it insisted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must live up to its responsibility of ensuring that nobody or group manipulates the process.

The position of the American government was made public when the US under secretary of state for civilian security, democracy and human rights, Maria Otero led an eight-man delegation on a courtesy visit to the management of INEC yesterday in Abuja.

Even as the talks were held behind closed doors, Daily Champion gathered from reliable sources that the US envoy was full of praises for INEC for the way it has handled its activities so far, and also challenged the commission to be more proactive.

Daily Champion gathered that the delegation reminded INEC that all eyes were on Nigeria as she prepares for the elections adding that due to the strategic position of Nigeria, the elections must not be allowed to be flawed.

Before the discussions went into closed doors, leader of the delegation, Maria Otero said they were visiting INEC again as an important organization and as part of efforts to work closely with the bi-national commission that Nigeria and the US worked out together as recognition of the important partnership between the two countries.

She commended the INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega for his commitment in delivering an election that will be able to stand the test of time.

She said: "I want to begin with commending you Mr. chairman the very important and very good work of INEC in preparing for this election and in carrying out very important responsibilities that are essential in order for Nigerians to be able to participate in a fair and free and transparent elections.

"This is a very good opportunity to acknowledge this important outcome of your work so far and to have an opportunity to also speak with you about what challenges you see that remain, what concerns you have as you move elements forward and also for us to be able to voice some of the questions that we have. Perhaps as a way of beginning one of the questions that I will ask you would be your assessment of how the voter registration process went".

Responding, Jega thanked the delegation for the interest shown in the electoral affairs of the nation adding that the presence of the team would afford the Commission and delegation an opportunity to go over some issues earlier discussed and to compare notes especially on the outcome of the voters registration exercise.

He reiterated the quest of his commission to deliver a credible election that will give Nigerians their true leader.

"Basically we wanted to do very good and credible voter registration exercise and to create a frame work for a continuous sustainable voter registration using the biometric capture and information technology to establish a good data base of register. It was very challenging but we were able to do it and we are satisfied with the results I must say that we will continue to remain grateful to all our development partners especially the US and the contributions that we have received through partnerships and collaborations with many institutions and agencies in whose contributions of expertise and consultancies and discussions and reports have really helped tremendously towards the success of the exercise".

He said it is the responsibility of Nigerians to insist that the right things were done to ensure that the dream of free, fair and credible election will be realized.

Meanwhile, Prince Adedeji Soyebi, INEC national commissioner in charge of Information, while answering questions from newsmen on the outcome of the meeting between INEC and the US delegation said the delegation was full of praise of the Commission on its performance so far.

He said: "The delegation brought goodwill message; they commented on the voter register and other electoral activities basically on how to achieve credible and successful elections, it was commendation and commendation, they were very happy with us".

He equally revealed that INEC was going through the figures recorded as number of registered voters during the registration exercise with a view to reconciling them with the final number released.

Soyebi said the commission will use the opportunity to look into some claims especially that of Niger state government who claimed that the number declared for the state was lower than the actually registered voters.

Nevertheless, the national commissioner insisted that on no account will INEC rely on the figures declared by the State government as purportedly recorded during the registration, but would instead reconcile the figures recorded during registration and the final figure declared to determine the true position of the number in the state.

Ten-year jail term for money launderers

The Senate yesterday passed the Anti-Money Laundering bill, with a recommendation of a maximum jail term of 10 years, but not less than five years, for offenders, in addition to fines that may be applicable.

Some financial crimes analysts, however, warned that the maximum punishments prescribed in the bill may not discourage offenders, especially compared to what is obtainable in other crimes.

However, the passage of the bill brings Nigeria to the verge of totally fulfilling the requirements of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), established by the G7 Summit in Paris in 1989.

The new anti-money laundering bill will replace the 2004 version of same bill, which is said to lack the relevant provisions that will make it fully compliant with FATF recommendation.

Full compliance will, however, depend on the speed with which the House of Representatives passes its own version of the bill, which is already awaiting final reading in the House.

Thereafter, major discrepancies between the House and Senate version of the bill will be harmonised in a clean copy that will be adopted by both chambers and forwarded to the president, who appears to be eagerly waiting to sign it into law.

Raised bars

The bill passed by the Senate is slightly different from the version forwarded to the legislators by the president. It raised the bars for cash transaction that can be made outside a financial institution from N500, 000 and N2 million to N5 million and N10 million for individuals and corporate bodies respectively.

The Senate also raised the amount of international transfers that ought to be reported to government agencies from $2,000 to $10, 000 for individuals. It places a duty on bankers and other financial institutions to report international transfers of funds exceeding $10,000 to the Central Bank of Nigeria, from where the records can be accessed by security operatives.

Transportation of cash or negotiable instruments in excess of $10,000 or its equivalent by individuals in or out of the country shall be declared to the Nigerian Custom Service, section 3 of the act prescribed.

Offenders of this section “shall be liable upon conviction to forfeit not less than 25% of the undeclared funds or negotiable instrument or to imprisonment of not less than two years or both.”

The bill also obligates casinos and jewellers, as well as bankers, to properly identify its customers, report transactions exceeding the stated amounts to the appropriate government agency, and subsequently hold their records for at least five years.

Section 9 of the Act requires all banks to designate compliance officers at management level, branches and local offices, who are expected to feed a centralised data base with information.

The Central Bank of Nigeria is empowered by the bill to impose a penalty of not less than N1 million or the suspension of any licence issued to the financial institution or designated non financial institution for failure to comply with this section.

Meanwhile, the Act raised the amount of individual and corporate transactions that all financial institution are mandated to report to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from N1 million and N5 million to N5 million and N10 million respectively.

Any financial institution or designated non financial institution that contravenes this provision of this section is liable to a fine of not less than N250, 000 and not more than N1 million for each day the contravention continues.

The Act prohibits numbered or anonymous accounts and empowers EFCC, CBN, and other regulatory authorities to place surveillance on suspected bank accounts, access to computer systems, and other records. It, however, denies them the right to tap suspects’ phone lines.

The bill covers offences including converting or transferring resources or properties derived directly from illicit traffic in narcotic drugs and psychotic substances, and participation in organised criminal group, racketeering, terrorism, terrorist financing, bribery and corruption, tax evasion, sexual exploitation, and others.

A PDP vote is a wasted vote, says Fashola

The Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola, on Tuesday said the People’s Democratic Party has consistently proved that a vote for the party is a vote for suffering.

He urged Nigerians to use their votes to protest this failure of governance by voting for the Action Congress of Nigeria in the forthcoming general polls.

Mr. Fashola said this while flagging off the senatorial campaign rally of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) at the Agege Township Stadium.

He complained that each time President Goodluck Jonathan visits Lagos, traffic along many routes are unnecessarily blocked leading to serious gridlock. “Because they are coming to campaign in Lagos today, the PDP has blocked the entire roads leading to Lagos Island. There is a heavy traffic congestion in different parts of the state because Jonathan is coming to campaign. That is how they subject people to untold suffering. Lagosians are suffering in the traffic caused by the security operatives of President Jonathan. If you vote for PDP, you vote for suffering. We have a lot of resources, but have nothing to show for it,” he said. The senatorial rally was held concurrently in the three senatorial districts of the state.

He described the party’s presidential candidate, Nuhu Ribadu and his deputy, Fola Adeola, as “true agents of positive change, whom Nigerians should vote in the next election.”

“Considering their antecedents,” said Mr. Fashola, who was accompanied by his running mate, Adejoke Orelope-Adefilure, “we believe the time has come to change the destiny of our country, and this is what the candidature of Ribadu and Adeola really represents.”

“The entire people of Nigeria irrespective of ethnic, political and religious affiliations need to rise against governance failure, which the ruling party has represented in the last twelve years. Vote for the duo of Ribadu and Adeola, both of whom have been tested and performed creditably well in their chosen fields,” the governor said.

Call for accountability

Mr. Fashola also asked Nigerians to demand that President Goodluck explains how a huge sum of $500 billion, which accrued to the country from oil sale in the last five years, was spent.

He said oil revenue, though huge, has had no impact on the country’s decaying and moribund social amenities and infrastructure.

The federal government “has made $500 billion from the sale of crude oil. We should ask the ruling party how the revenue was spent. The roads are bad. Social amenities are decayed. Electricity is not stable. The ruling PDP has been in power for twelve years, and has not been able to make them function. The time of PDP is up. We must no longer allow the ruling party to continue lead us on the path of failure and darkness.”

Nigeria’s ambassador to US at EFCC

Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States (US) Prof. Ade Adefuye has appeared before Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) investigators over the sale of Nigeria’s mission houses in the US.

The diplomat visited the EFCC headquarters in Abuja on Monday and yesterday when he appeared before the anti-graft investigators with documents relating to the sale of five houses belonging to the Nigerian Mission and the diversion of $1.35million allegedly paid as tax.

Nigerian US-based Attorney Emeka Ephraim Egwuonye has been in custody over the alleged fraudulent, bazaar-like sale of the houses.

It was learnt that from documents made available by Adefuye, the houses which were located in Maryland and Washington DC, were sold between 2005 and 2007.

It was also gathered that preliminary investigation has confirmed that the sale of the houses was “untidy and questionable.”

A source in the commission gave an insight into the brief by the Nigerian Embassy in the US.

The source said: “So far, it has been difficult to ascertain how much was the total sum realized from the sale and what was remitted to the Nigerian Embassy in the US or the Federal Government.

“And even what the suspect claimed he gave to the Embassy or the Federal Government was less tax of $1.350, 000.

“But the Embassy later found out that diplomatic missions do not pay tax. And when this fact was made available to the suspect, he said he would fight for the refund of the tax.

“When the suspect got the tax refund, he failed to remit it to the Embassy or the Federal Government. This is where the suspect’s problem lies.”

The source said Adefuye told the EFCC that he “inherited the case and reported it to the EFCC to avoid any legal web for the nation.”

The source added: “Adefuye has testified before the EFCC’s team and he has also made some useful documents available to us.

“He (Adefuye) gave in-depth details of how the business was transacted and the issues emanating from it.

“In order to enable us conclude investigations, we have secured a court order to extend the detention of the suspect by two weeks.

“With the Ambassador testifying, we hope to charge the suspect to court in the next one week or two.”

There were strong indications yesterday that the EFCC may invite a former Minister and some ex-Ambassadors to the United States over the issue.

“We have sufficient lead to invite this ex-Minister and the Ambassadors who knew about the transactions. We want them to explain the roles they played in it.

“It is a full-scale investigation that might provide further insight into what is going on in some of our Embassies and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC Mr. Femi Babafemi said: “We are still investigating the suspect but we are having more petitions against him. We still have to investigate further before we take him to court.”

It was learnt that one of the petitions against the suspect came from Mrs Sola Adeeyo over alleged diversion of $94,000 kept in a “Client Trust Account” in Egwuonye’s chamber.

Adeeyo’s petition reads in part: “The detainee has represented me in the US, obtained money from my bank on my behalf as my Attorney, money which was expressly designated to be kept in an ‘Attorney Client Trust Account’ until such time I may be available to collect it but which Mr. Emeka Egwuonye has apparently misappropriated and has refused to release to me since 2007.

“In the year 2007, I assigned Egwuonye to represent me in a case in which my bank had erroneously released my funds to an impostor. The bank agreed to refund my money and I was not able to travel to the US at the time.

“I consented that the refund cheque could be released to Mr. Egwuonye Law Firm’s Client Trust Account. I deposed to an indemnity and a release at the US Embassy in Lagos on June 14, 2007 that my money could be released via cheque payable to “ECULAW Group Trust Account” for the benefit of Sola Adeeyo.

“Funds were indeed released subsequently but Mr. Emeka Egwuonye has refuses or unable to pay me my money in his care.

“Egwuonye is aware of the consequences of his malfeasance on his professional career and has continued to plead with me to give him time to pay.”

Ban on tinted glasses: FCT task force begins operation – Daily Trust

The task force set up by the FCT Commissioner of Police, Mr Haruna John, to enforce the ban on tinted motor glasses has begun operations.

Mr Jimoh Moshood, a superintendent of police and the command’s spokesman, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday that it was headed by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in-charge of operations, Mr Umar Shehu.

Moshood said the Federal Road Safety Commission, the Directorate of Vehicle Inspection (VIO) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps were also members of the task force.

He said members of the task force had already been deployed to strategic places in and around the city to enforce the ban since last week and advised motorists to remove their tint

Oshiomhole calls for removal of fraudulent RECs

Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has called for the removal of fraudulent Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs).

He spoke at the 10th delegates’ conference of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

Oshiomhole also said NLC is not vibrant.

He said: “To ask a brand new Prof. Attahiru Jega to head a house where the old cockroaches of rigging are present is not good enough. A lot of those fraudulent electoral commissioners who presided over fraudulent elections that were nullified by courts of law, upheld by the Court of Appeal must go. Everybody says one man, one vote, but they must watch their language.

“Anytime they say capture, that is a language of riggers.

“We are going to capture, that is not the language of one-man-one-vote. Capture

can only be done by rigging. Such RECs are wreckers, they cannot be allowed to continue to wreck the system. Jega will need more than two eyes and two ears to monitor these seasoned riggers, and most of them are members of the ruling

party. Jega must know this. He must watch them. Whatever comes out of this at the end of the day will be the result of your planning. I believe it is a mistake to leave those riggers, certified by court of law in the system. It is now the burden of the president and of course the responsibility of Comrade Jega to ensure their character. If they don’t conform with the norms, Cairo is not far from Abuja, Tripoli is not far from Abuja.

Speaking at the event Jega said an impartial electoral commission is the answer to credible polls.

He said: “We want to do our best to ensure that the current independent electoral commission is impartial, is non-partisan, and create a level playing field for everybody. We will also ensure that everybody does the right thing. We will obey the law. We will work within the legal framework and we will ensure that every participant and contestant do so, if we believe in the foundation of beginning to get things right in our country, and we are committed to that.

“We will never do anything, given our role and antecedent in the labour movement to make you feel ashamed of what we do, we will always do our best to make you proud of what we do for our country. And please continue to give us your best and your best to your country.

“I want to assure you that we, at the Independent National Electoral Commission, are doing our best, to use this opportunity to do the right things and to ensure that we create an upward framework to prepare credible elections.

“It is not easy. It has never been easy. It is a struggle. It is a continuous struggle. It is indeed a perpetual struggle. So the struggle continues, but we must struggle and we must keep on improving our democratic parties and our electoral processes,” Jega said.

(Jobs) National Consultant: Media Consultant – Abuja Nigeria

To assist the DGD in the planning and execution of the national workshop on Building Community Radio for Democracy and Development in Nigeria

• Assist the DGD in identifying relevant stakeholders for participation at the National Workshop on Building Community Radio Stations for Democracy in Nigeria;
• Assist the DGD in the contact and invitation of participants for the National Workshop on the Building of Community Radio Stations in Nigeria
• To maximize participants comprehension of key media issues in relation to January 2011 elections and coordinate active engagement of the group in discussing, raising issues, drawing conclusions, etc.
• To solicit feedback from meeting participants through informal and formal means to gauge reactions of participants and;.
• Prepare and present to the DGD a comprehensive report of the National Workshop on Building Community Radio for Democracy in Nigeria.

Deliverables

• The consultants are expected to deliver the following outputs:
• Smooth conduct of the National Workshop on Community Radio in Nigeria
• Submission of comprehensive report on the national workshop and;
• Submission of blueprint (roadmap) for the establishment and operations of six community radio stations in each of the geo political zones of the country.

Supervision

The Project Director of DGD will provide strategic guidance for the consultant in the discharge of the assignment while monitoring and supervision will be carried out by relevant progamme staff members.

Ducation:

• A minimum of a Master degree in the field of Communication, Media studies or other social science related subject.

Experience:

• At least 10 years progressive professional experience in work with Media in Nigeria
• Experience in Community Radio practice an advantage;
• Previous experience in facilitating media workshops and meetings required

Language Requirements:

• Strong skills in written communications in English;
• Excellent spoken English is also required.

Application closes on February 2nd, 2011.

Tp apply, visit the link below:

http://jobs.undp.org/cj_view_job.cfm?job_id=21209

Senate threatens to stop work on 2011 budget – Daily Trust

The Senate yesterday threatened to suspend consideration of the 2011 Appropriation Bill due to refusal of the President Goodluck Jonathan administration to forward budget estimates of some key government agencies to the National Assembly for approval. A letter by the Chairman Senate Committee on Appropriation Senator Iyiola Omisore to Senate President David Mark obtained by newsmen yesterday said Senate Committees may in line with Section 21 of the Fiscal Responsibility Act stop further consideration of the budget until the estimates of the affected agencies are forwarded to it.

Omisore said, “Despite our concerted efforts, with repeated phone calls, personal visits and interaction with the ministry of finance, the budget estimate of the agencies have not been submitted and non compliance has caused the delay in the passage of the budget as planned.

“We wish to reiterate that any further delay to submit the budget of these agencies may continue to affect the passage of the bill as we don’t want to go against the Act of the parliament.”