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Zenith Bank Maintains Position As Nigeria’s Best Commercial Bank, Emerges Best Corporate Governance Bank At World Finance Awards 2022

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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Ebenezer Onyeagwu - Zenith Bank PLC MD

By Tosin Olatokunbo 

Zenith Bank Plc has emerged as the Best Commercial Bank, Nigeria in the World Finance Banking Awards 2022, retaining the award for a second consecutive year. The bank was also named as the Best Corporate Governance Bank, Nigeria in the World Finance Corporate Governance Awards 2022.

The awards, which were presented to the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive of Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Ebenener Onyeagwu at the London Stock Exchange yesterday, were in recognition of the bank’s ability to embrace digital transformation and best-in-class sustainability and corporate governance practices, leading to a stellar business performance in a difficult economic climate.

Commenting on the double recognition, Onyeagwu said that: “These awards reflect our strong business fundamentals, resilience and ability to adapt to the ever-changing dynamics of the market through our innovative solutions, as well as our commitment to global best practices. As a member and signatory to various domestic and international sustainability frameworks including the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria Sustainable Banking Principles, we continue to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by creating value for our shareholders, customers, clients, investors, communities and the environment through our practices, operations and investments.”

He dedicated the awards to the Founder and Group Chairman, Jim Ovia, CON, for his pioneering role in building the structures and laying the foundation for an enduring and very successful institution; the Board for the outstanding leadership they provide; the staff for their commitment and dedication; and the bank’s customers for making Zenith Bank their preferred financial Institution.

World Finance is a leading international magazine providing comprehensive coverage and analysis of the financial industry, international business and the global economy. The editorial combines award-winning reportage, covering a broad range of topics from banking and insurance to wealth management and infrastructure investment, with contributions from some of the world’s most well-respected economists and theorists as well as consultants in government think tanks and the World Economic Forum.

Zenith Bank’s track record of excellent performance has continued to earn the brand numerous awards, with these latest accolades coming on the heels of several recognitions including being voted as Best Bank in Nigeria, for three consecutive years from 2020 to 2022, in the Global Finance World’s Best Banks Awards; Best in Corporate Governance ‘Financial Services’ Africa, for three consecutive years from 2020 to 2022, by the Ethical Boardroom; Best Commercial Bank, Nigeria and Best Innovation In Retail Banking, Nigeria in the International Banker 2022 Banking Awards; and Bank of the Year (Nigeria) in The Banker’s Bank of the Year Awards 2020. Also, the Bank emerged as the Most Valuable Banking Brand in Nigeria in the Banker Magazine Top 500 Banking Brands 2020 and 2021, Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 Capital in the “2021 Top 1000 World Banks” Ranking by The Banker Magazine and the Retail Bank of the year at the BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BOFI) Awards 2020 and 2021.

Similarly, Zenith Bank was honoured as Bank of the Decade (People’s Choice) at the ThisDay Awards 2020 and emerged winner in four categories at the Sustainability, Enterprise, and Responsibility (SERAS) Awards 2021, carting home the awards for “Best Company in Reporting and Transparency”, “Best Company in Infrastructure Development”, “Best Company in Gender Equality and Women Empowerment”, and the coveted “Most Responsible Organisation in Africa.

Lagos Shuts Redeemers School After Pupil Die In Swimming Pool 

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Redeemers Primary School Tragedy

By Akinwale Kasali

The Lagos state government has shut the Redeemers Nursery and Primary School, Ogba following the death of Chidera Eze, a five-year-old Pupil.

Chidera was alleged to have drowned in the swimming pool during a swimming lesson while in the Custody of the School.

The Lagos State Ministry of Education swung into action and shut the school immediately.

The Babajide Sanwo-Olu -led government said the school will remain closed, pending an administrative investigation of its operations and procedures as well as the conduct of its officials in line with schools’ safety standards and guidelines.

The government’s decision was contained in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Education, Folasade Adefisayo.

A preliminary probe by the Office of Education Quality Assurance of the Ministry has shown that the School is yet to conclude its registration and is not yet an approved school.

“The Ministry is concerned about the safety of the pupils, hence the need for intervention. The school will remain closed until all the required approval processes are concluded.

“Parents are advised to note the closure and wait for the conclusion of the administrative investigation,” the government stated.

Unity Bank Grants N10m To Agro, Fashion Entrepreneurs In Corpreneurship Challenge

By
Tosin Olatokunbo
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By Tosin Olatokunbo

Nigerian lender, Unity Bank Plc has doled out a N10 million business grant to 30 corps members who emerged winners of the eighth edition of its flagship Entrepreneurship Development Initiative, known as Corpreneurship Challenge.

The winners emerged after a business pitch that took place across 10 states – Rivers, Delta, Sokoto, Edo, Abuja, Akwa-Ibom, Osun, Kano, Bayelsa and Enugu recently.

At the Rivers State National Youth Service Corps, NYSC Orientation camp at Nonwa Gbam Tai, the winners included Moses Obianuju Gloria, a fashion entrepreneur whose business plan won N500, 000 grant for a fabric production company; Emmanuel Godwin Adole, a budding commercial rice farmer who won N300, 000 grant; and Okotie Racheal Dokubere who took home N200, 000 grant to support her fashion production outfit specialising in office and outdoor outfits for women.

In Delta State, where the Corpreneurship Challenge also debuted in this edition, Adegoke Blessing Hezekiah, a fish farmer emerged as the overall winner to claim the N500,000 grant, while Egbelelo Lucky Etanami, a fashion entrepreneur and Tob Tamaraumien Ruth, emerged the first and second runner up to claim N300,000 and N200,000 prizes respectively.

Other winners from other states were also drawn from contestants whose business plans included fish production, poultry farming, fashion, soap and cake making, printing, piggery and beverage making.

To emerge as the winners, their business plans were assessed on originality, marketability, future employability potential of the product and knowledge of the business.

Speaking during the finale in Delta State, the Group Head, Retail, E-Business and SME Banking, Unity Bank Plc, Mr. Olufunwa Akinmade, said the competition has gradually become Nigeria’s premium business plan contest for emerging entrepreneurs.

“When we started the initiative in 2019, we had set out to inspire a new generation of entrepreneurs in Nigeria. So far, the initiative has resonated with the target audience and there is no gainsaying the fact, that this will continue to have a huge impact on job creation across the country.

Represented by Mr. Abu Igemohia Mohammed, the Regional Manager, Edo/Delta Region, Akinmade reiterated, “As we have maintained, the grants are not a loan and we want the money to be directed towards the profitable ventures which have been selected. We continue to encourage the winners to continue to learn the rudimentary lessons necessary to build a successful business.

“We emphasize that the budding entrepreneurs who take part in this initiative constantly think about the challenges they will face and put the same energy they all have displayed in preparing for this contest in their businesses as they face their post-service year ahead.”

He said the Bank will sustain the programme in order to achieve a record impact on entrepreneurship support and job creation.

The Corpreneurship Challenge, which has earned the bank national recognition for its impact on youth empowerment and job creation, has continued to elicit growing interest among the corps members, attracting over 2000 applicants and participation in every edition.

In partnership with the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development, SAED, the initiative prominently features a business pitch presentation that provides the participants with the opportunity to present their business plans and stand a chance to win up to N500, 000 cash in the business grant.

So far, Unity Bank has invested over N100 million in the initiative which has now produced 88 winners since it was launched.

NPC To Recruit One Million Nigerians For 2023 Census

By
Ayodele Oni
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NPC Recruitment

By Ayodele Oni

As efforts towards the conduct of 2023 population census are in top gear, all is set for the recruitment of no fewer than one million Nigerians for the exercise.

The National Population Commission, (NPC) saddled with the task of conducting the exercise, disclosed that the federal government has given approval for the recruitment.

The Commissioner representing Ekiti at the NPC, Deji Ajayi, who disclosed this in Ado Ekiti, assured that improved technology would be deployed to prevent politicians and interested elites from hijacking or manipulating the process.

Ajayi, who spoke in Ado Ekiti at a press conference heralding the trial census to be conducted in Ekiti as a preparatory exercise billed for next year, said, “Census is a massive operation that will engage one million personnel and managing such a huge workforce manually will raise huge logistical and documentation challenges.

“It is in recognition of this fact that the NPC resolved that recruitment for the 2023 census will be done electronically. This trial census will provide an opportunity to test the feasibility of the e-recruitment.”

He listed the nine towns across nine local governments delineated into Enumerated Areas to ease the trial census at Ado, Emure, Iro, Ijero, Ikole, Iworoko, Ise, Ikun, and Omu Ekiti.

“This is the first time we will be doing a paperless census, everything will be digital to check corruption and bring about accurate data that can help national development.

“The government will also use such statistics to plan for our youths, students, and the health needs of Nigerians. They will also know the number of gerontocrats, who should be catered for.”

“Technology is open to manipulation, but NPC has gone a step higher by having an updated technological innovation that can prevent multiple registrations.

“The biometric technology will capture your face and fingerprints and goes to the server and any similar information supplied will be noticed and expunged from the data immediately,” Ajayi said.

Ekiti PDP Gets Two Chairmen As War Between Fayose, Olujimi Intensifies

By
Ayodele Oni
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Ayo Fayose and Olujimin

By Ayodele Oni

Another chairman has emerged for the Embattled People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) in Ekiti state few hours after Alaba Agboola was appointed.

The development appears to be the latest in the struggle for the soul of the party by two factions led by Senator Biodun Olujimi and former Governor Ayodele Fayose.

Agboola, believed to be from the faction controlled by Olujimi had earlier been installed as chairman today.

 Early Monday, the party had announced his  appointment as the substantive Chairman.

Appointment of Engr Agboola as the substantive State Chairman, was said to be among the resolutions at the State Executive Committee meeting held in Ado Ekiti on Monday.

The Deputy Chairman, Lanre Omolase, who has been acting as Chairman and State Secretary, Mrs Funmi Ogun, announced the appointment in a statement.

The statement reads;  “The Exco meeting of the PDP, Ekiti State, was held at the State Secretariat of the Party, at the instance of the Chairman (Acting) – Hon. Lanre Omolase, on Monday, 4th July, 2022.

“The quorum at attendance being over and above one-third of the total membership of the Exco, deliberated on the need to appoint a substantive Chairman for our Party, in accordance with the Party’s Constitution.

“Article 47(6) of the Constitution of our great Party, the People’s Democratic Party, provides that: ‘Where a vacancy occurs in any of the offices of the party, the Executive Committee at the appropriate level shall appoint another person from the area or zone where the officer originated from to serve out the tenure of the officer.’

However, in a counter statement later, the State Executive Committee, (SEC) of the Ekiti State Chapter of Peoples’ Democratic Party said it has ratified the appointment of the former Chairman, Ado Local Government and former 2018 Deputy Governorship Candidate of the party, Deji Ogunsakin as the new State Chairman of PDP. 

The State Publicity Secretary, Raphael Adeyanju, in a statement made available to journalists after the meeting said; “the appointment is in line with section 47(6) of the party constitution which states that, ‘where a vacancy occurs in any of the offices of the party, the Executive Committeee at the appropriate level shall appoint another person from the area or zone where the officer originated from, to serve out the tenure of the officer.’

 Ogunsakin is from the same Central Senatorial District as the former Chairman, Bisi Kolawole who resigned from the position on Sept 23, 2021.

The ratification by SEC was Sequel to the nomination by 10 out of 12 members of SEC from the Central Senatorial District.

With the emergence of two chairmen, there are indications that the crisis within the party is not likely to abate soon.

CDHR Demands FG Probe of 21 Kids Rescued In Jos Church

By
Akinwale Kasali
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21 Children rescued in Jos Church

By Akinwale Kasali

The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, CDHR, has demanded an immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding the discovery of 21 children rescued from a church building in Jos, Plateau State.

CDHR called on the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to swing into action to probe the matter.

Condemning the heinous act in strong terms, the CDHR said president Buhari should order Men of the Nigerian Police Force, NPF and Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate the issue.

In a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Idris Afeez Olayinka, on Monday, July 4, 2022, CDHR said the act shouldn’t be swept under the carpet, but investigations should be carried and bring those behind the act to book no matter how highly placed.

Recall that the DSS operatives rescued the 21 children when it swooped on a house located at JMDB quarters, in the Tudun Wada community of Jos North LGA of Plateau State.

Meanwhile, the General Secretary of ECWA, Rev. Yunusa Nmadu, has confirmed that the building where the victims were rescued was under the control of the ECWA church.

According to reports, “the children had been kept for about five months before one of them escaped and sought help from a nearby mosque in Jos, Plateau State”.

According to one of the victims that escaped, Abdulrahman Husain, the incident occurred on  June 13.

While narrating the incident, the escapee said he and one other Nura Usama were forcefully taken by some individuals in a Camry Toyota Car from Gombe to ECWA headquarters in Jos.

“CDHR will continue to monitor the police and DSS investigations as events unfold. It should be noted that CDHR will always stand at the side of the law,” Idris added

Ekiti PDP: Fayose Loses To Olujimi As Her Ally Becomes Chairman

By
Ayodele Oni
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Ayo Fayose and Olujimin

By Ayodele Oni

Still counting loses in the last Governorship election, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State has appointed Alaba Agboola, as the Chairman of the party in a bid to rebuild the party.

The PDP recorded a bad showing by coming a distant third during the election won by the All Progressives Congress,. APC.

The outcome of the election has kept watchers of the state wondering on the future of the party in the state, under former Governor Ayodele Fayose who until now had a strong grip on the party.

By choosing Agboola as the new chairman, a strong signal has been sent to the former governor, who’s believed to be nursing a defection to another party,  that he’s no longer in control, analysts say.

Agboola, an ally of Senator Boidun Olujimi from Ijero Ekiti, replaces the party’s governorship candidate in the last election, Bisi Kolawole, who resigned as the State Chairman to contest the governorship.

His appointment was among the resolutions reached at the State Executive Committee meeting held in Ado Ekiti on Monday.

This was contained in a statement by the Deputy Chairman, Lanre Omolase, who has been acting as Chairman and State Secretary, Mrs Funmi Ogun.

The statement reads;  “The Exco meeting of the PDP, Ekiti State, was held at the State Secretariat of the Party, at the instance of the Chairman (Acting) – Hon. Lanre Omolase, on Monday, 4th July, 2022.

“The quorum at attendance being over and above one-third of the total membership of the Exco, deliberated on the need to appoint a substantive Chairman for our Party, in accordance with the Party’s Constitution.

“Article 47(6) of the Constitution of our great Party, the People’s Democratic Party, provides that: ‘Where a vacancy occurs in any of the offices of the party, the Executive Committee at the appropriate level shall appoint another person from the area or zone where the officer originated from to serve out the tenure of the officer.’

“Accordingly and in view of the resignation of our erstwhile Party Chairman Hon Bisi Kolawole, who became our party flagbearer at the recent Ekiti State Governorship Election, the State executive committee members present deliberated on an appropriate and capable stalwart from the same zone as our erstwhile Chairman and unanimously appointed Hon. Alaba Agboola as substantive Chairman.

“He is expected to serve out the remainder of the tenure of our said erstwhile Chairman.

“It was also resolved that Hon. Lanre Omolase, the Chairman (Acting), should revert to his elected post as the Deputy Chairman of our party, PDP, Ekiti State.

“National officials of our great party, corporate organizations, as well as our teeming party members and the general public be immediately notified of the appointment of our new substantive Party Chairman.”

Recall that Agboola, was the Chairman of the Repositioning Group, a group in the Ekiti State PDP led by Senator Olujimi.

Early Monday morning, stern looking policemen took positions at the party secretariat along Ikere road, to forestall any breakdown of law and order while the meeting lasted.

PDP in Ekiti state has been factionalized between Fayose and Senator Olujinmi.

Reasons For The Persisting Insecurity And Massacres In Southeast

By
The Source
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Aloy Ejimakor

By Aloy Ejimakor

Before post-colonial Nigeria lapsed into its current unitary state, while still passing off as a federation, regional security was largely within the purview of the respective regions, not the federal government. And it worked pretty well.

This basic arrangement was not by chance but by well-considered design. Despite their many failings, Nigeria’s indigenous founding fathers and the departing British colonists knew too well that you cannot secure a people within their region without their participation. Even the mighty British empire knew that it couldn’t secure colonial Nigeria without the participation of Nigerians in vast numbers.

In a diverse federation of equals (or even near-equals or unequals), Northern Nigerians shouldn’t be the ones exclusively or dominantly securing Western or Eastern Nigeria, and vice versa. When you do that, it becomes counter-intuitive to security and begins to look like belligerent occupation or conquest. It also destroys the neutrality of the security personnel, engenders ethnic profiling and extrajudicial killings.

Truth be told, massacres won’t happen if there’s no premeditation, driven by sectarian impulses and lack of compatriot empathy customarily exhibited by some security personnel when it comes to law enforcement outside their regions, even when the targets of such law enforcement are unarmed and amenable to arrest.

The inherent dangers of an imbalanced security leadership and formations is the main reason the framers of the 1999 Constitution enacted Section 217(3) of the Constitution, which roughly states that ‘the composition of the officer corps and other ranks of the Armed Forces of the Federation shall reflect the federal character of Nigeria’.

In plain terms, it means that no region or tribe shall be markedly excluded from securing Nigeria or any part thereof, especially its own part. But today, the opposite is the case as Southeast officers and ranks are significantly redlined from all critical security formations, particularly the ones based in Southeast. It makes no sense and it is unconstitutional to boot.

Still, for the same reason of sectional balance, Section 14(3) of the same 1999 Constitution provides that, ‘the composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies shall ensure that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few States or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that Government or any of its agencies’.

This means that the Southeast shall be equal partakers in the opportunities of the Nigerian enterprise. But it is not and uniquely so. To be sure, there’s no better contradiction to the oneness of Nigeria than this profound injustice that appears to have become the norm and persisted since 2015.

And this: Southeast being continually absent from the table partly explains why each time the witch cries at night in the Southeast and the baby dies in the morning, the authorities jump to conclusions that it’s the witch that killed the baby.

In other words, almost every incidence of insecurity, including by State actors and others, ends up being blamed on the people of the Southeast, such that they are now left with no other option than rampant resentment, widespread alienation and popular agitation.

Aloy Ejimakor, a Lawyer writes from Alaigbo

Buhari ‘Removes’ Accountant General, Anamekwe

By
James Orji
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Chukwuyere Anamekwe has been removed from office as the acting accountant-general of the federation (AGF), the Witness newspaper.
The paper reported that Anamekwe  was replaced two weeks ago with Okolieaboh Ezeoke Sylvis, a former TSA (Treasury Single Account) Director.

Anamekwe was appointed in May by President Muhammadu Buhari to replace Ahmed Idris who is currently standing trial for allegedly stealing over N80 billion.

Reports however emerged recently that the federal government has been shopping for Anamekwe’s replacement due to his own alleged corruption problem with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The Buhari administration had two weeks ago advertised the position for qualified Nigerians to apply.
The federal government is said  not to be comfortable with Anamekwe holding the key position due to his problems with the anti-graft angency.

But what actually aided his removal, the paper said was his recent revelation that the government is borrowing to pay civil servants salaries.

“His comment rattled the presidency to the extent that some close aides to the president, including the minister of finance called for his removal,” a source in the presidency told the magazine.

He said the government has not officially announced his removal due to the sensitivity of the issue, particularly due to the fact that Anamekwe had just been appointed less that two months ago.

“We don’t want a situation where some Nigerians will beging to feel thst there’s a disconnect in the government at the time of serious economic crisis,” the source said.
Anamekwe was appointed as acting AGF on the May 22 following the arrest of Idris, former AGF,  by the EFCC over corruption allegations.
The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, HoS Folasade Yemi-Esan has issued a circular for the search of a new AGoF.
In a memo titled: “Commencement of the process of appointment of a substantive Accountant-General of the Federation”, the HoCSF directed permanent secretaries to forward details of eligible directors on Grade 17 to her on or before 4:00 pm on Wednesday July 6, 2022.
The memo stated the qualification of level 17 officers qualified for the position.
There are” “Those who have attained the position of Substantive Director (Grade 17) on or before January 1, 2020 and are not retiring from the service earlier than December 31, 2024 are eligible to participate in the selection process while officers undergoing disciplinary proceedings are excluded,” the HoS said in the memo.

The Source magazine has not been able to reach the embattled Anamekwe for comments as his telephone line is unreachable.

Quoting NSA, PDP Demands Recall, Investigation Of Buratai

By
The Source
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The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to recall Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Republic of Benin, General Tukur Buratai for investigation. Buratai is a former Chief of Army Staff, COAS, who was appointed Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Republic of Benin  by Buhari.

The PDP’s agitation for the recall and investigation of Buratai stem from the discovery of the sum of N1.8billion in a property in Wuse, allegedly traced to Buratai by the Independent Corrupt and Other Related Practices Commission, ICPC. Discovered, also, were all kinds of luxury cars and jewelries.

The PDP in a statement in signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba insists the APC is haven for Treasury looters. It, therefore, called on  President Buhari to immediately recall Buratai to face investigations and clear his name over his alleged connection with the N1.8bn recovered in by ICPC.

The PDP’s demand for the recall and investigation of Gen. Buratai is predicated on an earlier assertion by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Gen. Babagana Monguno, after the exit of Gen. Buratai as COAS that the $1bn drawn from the national coffers under the APC administration for the purchase of arms to fight terrorism in our country could not be traced.

Buratai insists he has no  property in the Wuse area of Abuja and the ICPC says the property has been traces to an Army Contractor. But the PDP sees no difference and alleges it is the same trade of corruption running.

Said the PDP: “That assertion by the NSA heightened suspicion on allegations of barefaced looting of money meant to equip our security forces. Such corruption under the APC administration has led to the upsurge in unhindered terrorism attacks, mass killing of citizens and loss of many of our gallant fighters in the front in the last seven years.

“It is therefore of serious interest to Nigerians when reports that the ICPC discovered the sum of N1.8 billion in various currencies, expensive cars and jewelries secreted in a property in Abuja allegedly linked to the former COAS broke out.

“There are already apprehensions that the discovered money is part of the security fund that was criminally diverted. This is especially against the backdrop of the frenzy and spirited efforts by certain quarters linked to the APC to suppress investigation and free flow of information, politicize the matter and sweep it under the carpet.

“Nigerians will recall that our Party has on several occasions alerted that the looting of our treasury is officially sanctioned and enabled by the APC administration with its refusal to prosecute those who were alleged and found to have been involved in massive corruption.

“It would also be recalled that the PDP drew attention to plans of the APC to create a slush fund account from monies fraudulently drawn from the national treasury to finance their plot to rig the 2023 general elections.

“This is evidenced by the massive use of money by the APC to prosecute a vote buying scheme in the recent Ekiti State Governorship election. The prevalence of vote buying in that election by the APC was even acknowledged by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, which prompted the INEC Chairman to demand for speedy trial of those arrested for vote buying in the Ekiti State election.

“The reports of massive looting by APC leaders and their cronies in government Ministries, Departments and Agencies further confirm the APC administration as a haven for treasury looters.

“Moreover, the recently exposed looting of N80bn by the suspended Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, which investigation has now gone cold is suspected to have been engineered by the cabal at very high level of the APC administration.

“The PDP, standing with Nigerians, insists that Gen. Buratai should return to the country and personally face investigation to clear his name.

“This is because any allegation bordering on looting of funds meant for the fight against terrorism is of grave national concern and consequence. It must be thoroughly investigated and anybody found wanting must be made to face the full weight of the law no matter how highly placed.”

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