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Samuel Ortom And The Missing N139bn: ‎Accountability Is Not Witch-Hunt

By
The Source
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Samuel Ortom and Gov Alia

By Tersoo Kula

 

‎The public response issued on behalf of former Benue State Governor, Chief Samuel Ortom, following the submission of the report of the Benue State Income and Expenditure Commission of Inquiry, raises familiar arguments that deserve clarification rather than emotional amplification.

 

‎At the heart of the matter is a simple question: Should former public office holders be exempted from scrutiny once they leave the office? The answer is clearly no.

 

‎It is ironic that those who now condemn the investigation as a political witch-hunt were themselves active participants in similar accountability processes while in government.

 

‎‎During his tenure as Governor, Chief Samuel Ortom constituted the Justice Elizabeth Kpojime Commission of Inquiry to investigate the administration of former Governor, Senator Gabriel Suswam. That commission made its findings and presented its recommendations to Ortom for further action. To date, legal proceedings arising from the probe are ongoing.

 

‎‎Having embraced the principle of probing a predecessor while in office, it is difficult to understand why the same principle has suddenly become objectionable to Ortom when applied to his administration.

 

‎‎The attempt by his media handlers to portray the exercise as a diversionary tactic designed to distract from governance challenges is equally unconvincing. Accountability and governance are not mutually exclusive responsibilities.

 

‎Governor Alia is simultaneously pursuing developmental objectives while ensuring that public resources entrusted to previous administrations are also properly accounted for. Transparency and accountability are essential components of good governance, not distractions from it.

 

‎‎The argument that previous panels established by the present administration were challenged in court and subsequently dissolved does not invalidate the legitimacy of investigating past government activities. In a constitutional democracy, disputes over the legality of commissions of inquiry do not automatically extinguish the government’s authority to seek answers regarding the management of public resources. Ultimately, the courts will determine whether the commission was properly constituted and whether its findings meet legal standards.

 

‎It is also important to note that merely describing an investigation as a witch-hunt does not make it one. Such allegations are common whenever former public officials face scrutiny. The real test lies elsewhere: Was the evidence properly examined? Were conclusions supported by verifiable facts? These are the questions that should concern the public. Political rhetoric cannot be substituted for due process.

 

‎The Ortom camp appears to suggest that any investigation involving a former governor is automatically tainted by political motives. Such a position is neither sustainable nor democratic. If every probe is dismissed simply because politics exists, then no public official would ever be held accountable. Democratic governance requires that those entrusted with public resources remain answerable for their stewardship, regardless of who they are.

 

‎Furthermore, the timing of the report should not be misconstrued as an attempt to divert attention from contemporary issues. The commission was established to examine matters within its mandate, and the submission of its report represents the completion of that assignment. Accountability cannot be suspended merely because governance challenges exist. If anything, responsible governance demands both present performance and retrospective scrutiny.

 

‎‎The people of Benue State deserve facts, not political grandstanding. They deserve a transparent examination of how public resources were managed and whether established procedures were followed. If the findings of the commission are not convincing, the law provides adequate avenues for challenge and redress. If they are valid, they should be addressed on their merits rather than dismissed through allegations of persecution.

 

‎Accountability is not a witch-hunt. It is a fundamental pillar of democratic governance. Those who once demanded it from others should not object when it is demanded of them.

‎Benue state income and expenditure commission of inquiry has uncovered N139.8 billion in unaccounted public funds income and expenditure between 2015 and 2023.

 

This is an established fact and instead of ranting in the media space, Ortom and his team should be honourable enough to refund the money to the coffers of Benue State.

Sir Tersoos Kula is the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Benue State

Group Doubts Credibility Of Ekiti Gov. Poll, As New Tactics To Vote Buying Surfaced

By
Ayodele Oni
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Ekiti Election

By Ayodele Oni 

 

Another dimension to vote buying was experienced on Saturday during the governorship election in Ekiti state.

 

Investigations revealed that party agents used numbered slips instead of cash for vote buying  during the election. 

 

This is just as the Action Group Renewal Organization (AGRO) Nigeria expressed concerns over the credibility and integrity of the governorship election in Ekiti State, alleging widespread irregularities in the issuance of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) ahead of the exercise.

 

There are indications that some voters in the ongoing governorship election in

 Ekiti State are selling their votes at the polling units where they are queuing to exercise their franchise.

 

It was observed across multiple polling units in Emure-Ekiti and Ose-Ekiti Local Government Areas, with incidents consistent with vote-buying at several polling units.

 

Party agents were seen asking voters to display their marked ballot papers as proof of voting preference. 

 

Rather than distributing cash directly at the polling units, some agents issued numbers to voters after they cast their ballots.

 

The purpose of the numbers could not be independently verified by this newspaper. 

 

However, the practice was observed repeatedly across some of the polling units visited, with voters receiving numbers after showing their ballot papers to party agents.

 

Election observers have previously identified the use of coded numbers, tokens and other verification methods as tactics sometimes employed to facilitate vote-buying while avoiding the direct exchange of cash at polling units.

 

Security personnel and election officials were present at the affected polling units at the time of observation.

 

Speaking on behalf of the AGRO, on Saturday, the Initiator, Comrade Adeyinka Fadumiye, described as highly suspicious reports indicating that nearly 99 percent of registered voters in Moba Local Government Area had collected their PVCs prior to the election.

 

Fadumiye, a political scientist with over two decades of experience in election monitoring and observation, argued that such a development is practically impossible in a country where voter apathy has become a recurring feature of the electoral process.

 

“To suggest that virtually all registered voters in a local government area collected their PVCs defies logic and electoral realities in Nigeria. 

 

“Such a feat would be difficult to achieve even in advanced democracies like the United States. Therefore, serious questions must be asked about how such figures were arrived at,” he said.

 

The AGRO Nigeria Initiator alleged that some unscrupulous elements within the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), working in concert with misguided members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), may have compromised the electoral register and facilitated the issuance of PVCs to unqualified and ineligible individuals.

 

According to him, if such abnormalities could occur in Moba Local Government Area, it would be difficult to confidently rule out the possibility of similar irregularities in other parts of the state.

 

“For this situation to arise, it suggests that the voters’ register may have been manipulated to accommodate fictitious names and unauthorized persons. 

 

“This development raises fundamental concerns about the integrity of the electoral process.

 

“Opposition parties must be seriously concerned about what is happening in Ekiti State. What we are witnessing may be a testing ground for a larger strategy ahead of the 2027 general elections. 

 

“If electoral institutions fail to address these concerns now, similar occurrences may be replicated across the federation,” he warned.

 

Calling on INEC to restore public confidence in the electoral process, Fadumiye urged the electoral commission to identify and remove compromised officials within its ranks before preparations for the 2027 general elections commence in earnest.

 

“INEC must redeem itself by purging the commission of bad eggs and ensuring that the integrity of the voters’ register is protected. Any attempt to manipulate or rig the 2027 general elections could have grave consequences for Nigeria’s democracy and national stability,” he concluded.

In Northern Nigeria, We Are Wedding Illiteracy To Illiteracy

By
The Source
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Zainab Suleiman

 

An Open Letter to Northern Nigerian Political Leaders

 

By Dr. Zainab Suleiman

 

An open letter to Northern Nigerian Political Leaders

 

To: The Governors, Commissioners, Hisbah Boards, Traditional Rulers, and Legislators of Northern Nigeria

 

Subject: Stop Cloning Poverty: Marry Skills, Not Just Couples

 

Esteemed Leaders,

 

I write not to insult, but to confront us with a truth too bitter to keep swallowing.

 

This year, Kano has approved N1.5bn for 3,000 couples. Katsina is sponsoring 1,000 couples. Zamfara, 100 couples. Mass weddings are paraded as welfare. But sirs, let us ask the hard question: What exactly are we wedding?

 

1. We are wedding illiteracy to illiteracy

When both partners cannot read a prescription, cannot calculate school fees, and have no trade beyond “survival”, we are not forming families. We are duplicating poverty. A ring does not create income. A certificate of marriage does not create jobs.

 

2. GDP vs Womb Count

Our GDP grows when we produce goods, services, and ideas. But we celebrate population growth as if it were production. 3,000 new households without land, factories, clinics, or schools is like building 10 floors on sand. The building will fall. It is falling already. You cannot eat GDP. And GDP cannot feed children born into homes with zero economic base.

 

3. The Street Kid Factory

Marry two people with no income → have 6 kids → cannot feed them → children hit the street. Those street kids don’t disappear. In 15 years they become the statistics for crime, drug abuse, banditry, and terrorism we cry over today.

 

We are not having babies. We are manufacturing future headlines for NBS and UN reports.

 

4. Malnutrition is killing our children like chickens

When 8 mouths share 1 meal, the smallest bodies lose first. Stunting, kwashiorkor, measles, diarrhea — these are not “God’s will”. They are math. Calories in < calories needed = death. Our under-5 mortality rate is the verdict on our choices.

 

5. Broken homes from day one

A wedding does not cure unemployment or trauma. Illiteracy + poverty + desperation = divorce, domestic violence, and children who grow up learning that marriage = suffering, father = absent.

 

Terrorism does not start with ideology. It starts with hopelessness. Boko Haram, bandits, cults — they do not recruit PhDs. They recruit boys who were “produced” but never raised.

 

6. This is not religion

Islam demands _nafaqah_ the ability to provide. Christianity says “he who does not provide for his household is worse than an unbeliever”. Our tradition says “know the family you’re joining”.

 

No religion encourages backwardness. What we are doing is weaponizing religion to dodge responsibility. Piety without planning is negligence with prayers.

 

7. The women and the future we ignore

Mass wedding + zero family planning education = women’s bodies broken by back-to-back pregnancies. Maternal mortality is the hidden tax we don’t budget for.

 

When 7 kids share 0 books, public schools collapse into daycare centers. Mental health dies under shame and hunger. And we pretend we will “fix it later”.

 

The deepest cut for us ,

We are not cursed. We are making choices with consequences. Marrying poverty to poverty and calling it “empowerment” is like pouring petrol on fire and calling it rain.

 

So what is the plan, leaders?

N1.5bn for dowry, furniture, and N100k “capital”… then silence. No skills training. No literacy classes. No job placement. No follow-up.

 

The real plan seems to be: “Push the problem 18 years forward and let the next governor handle the street kids.”

 

Here is what would change everything:

Take half that budget. Before any wedding:

1. Adult literacy + numeracy: 6 months. If you can’t read, you can’t budget.

2. Vocational training: Carpentry, tailoring, solar installation, farming tech, phone repair. Give skills, not just furniture.

3. Family planning + health education: Not to stop births, but to space them so mothers and children survive.

4. Marriage counseling: Teach conflict resolution. A home without peace is a prison.

 

Marriage should equal: skill + income + literacy + planning. Anything less is a photo-op, not policy.

 

Sirs, we in Abuja see the result daily: beggars at Area 1, almajiri at traffic lights, mothers selling sachet water with babies on their backs. That is not “the poor”. That is the child of the wedding we cheered 10 years ago.

 

The North does not lack faith. It lacks foresight. If we want a North that leads Nigeria, we must stop producing children without infrastructure. We must stop treating population as wealth.

 

Give us leaders who think right even when there is no election. Give these couples more than a ceremony. Give them a future.

 

The children we fail to feed today will be the men we fail to jail tomorrow. The choice is yours.

 

Respectfully,

A Citizen Who Still Believes the North Can Rise

Dr.Zainab Suleiman Buhari

“Gov Alia Bent On Rubbishing Me In Benue State” – Fmr. Gov. Ortom

By
Suleiman Anyalewechi
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0
Samuel Ortom and Gov Alia

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

 

Immediate past Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom has accused his successor in office, Rev Fr Hyacinth Alia, of engaging in an orchestrated political witch-hunt solely targeted at rubbishing him.

 

Ortom’s alarm bell is tolling  on the heels of the formal submission of the reports of the Commission of Inquiry on the State’s  Income and Expenditure Profile to Governor Alia on Friday.

 

Although, details of the Commission’s report that covered  receipts and expenditures of the State between 2015 and 2023 were not made public, speculations are rife that Ortom may have been seriously indicted.

 

But in a statement on Saturday, June 20, 2026, from Paul Zege, his spokesperson, the former Benue state Governor, while vehemently rejecting the reports, described the exercise as not genuinely inspired, but a predetermined process deliberately put in place to discredit him.

 

This was as he declared the probe, and its outcome a nullity, having been conducted amidst pending legal proceedings before courts of competent jurisdiction.

 

Ortom further informed that the Benue State Government had earlier constituted two separate panels to carry out inquests into his administration, but were later dissolved following Court’s injunctions.

 

According to him, similar  Court orders arising from pending legal proceedings interrogating it’s legality  were also served on the present Commission of Inquiry.

 

He however expressed serious concern and regret that the panel chose to proceed with it in total disregard of the court orders.

 

He explained that while  proceedings in one of the pending court cases,is billed for hearing on June 29,2026 ,the state Government’s appeal at the Supreme relating to the constitutionality of the exercise is yet to be determined.

 

” It is astonishing that a Government which has voluntarily submitted itself to the jurisdiction of the courts would proceed as though those processes do not exist”Ortom stated.

 

The former Governor accused his successor of only trying to use the illegal probes to mask his glaring failure in discharging pressing governance challenges facing  Benue state.

 

 He expressed disappointment that rather than attending to the growing level of insecurity, the deteriorating condition of internally displaced persons IDPs, unresolved Labour matters, as well as crisis in many sectors of the economy of the State, Governor Alia has continued to dissipate energy and resources seeking to rubbish him and his administration.

 

He maintained that his administration conducted its financial and other activities in line with extant rules and regulations governing public expenditures.

VDM Confirms EFCC’s Invitation, Discloses Why

By
Akinwale Kasali
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0
VeryDarkMan - VDM

By Akinwale Kasali

 

Vincent Otse, popular as Verydarkman, VDM,  a Social Media Activist, known for his activism and  exposure of the ills of the society, has confirmed that the anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has invited him to its office.

 

It was gathered that the Social Media Influencer was invited by the EFCC following a complaint submitted to the anti-graft agency by legal practitioner, Blessing Agbomhere, of Blessing Agbomhere & Partners, who requested that the EFCC should do a comprehensive investigation into the financial activities, sponsorship arrangements, and funding channels of both VeryDarkMan and his Lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, also a Human Rights Activist.

 

Confirming the invitation in his Instagram handle, VDM claimed that the probe is a calculated attempt to silence dissenting voices in the country.

 

He alleged that members of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, used the legal channels to initiate the inquiry in order to suppress public criticism of the current administration’s shortcomings.

 

He also wrote on his update: “(THEY WANT TO STOP US FROM SPEAKING AGAINST THIS  GOVERNMENT THAT HAS FAILED TO PROTECT THE LIVES OF NIGERIANS, SO THEY USED THEIR PEOPLE TO WRITE PETITIONS)”.

 

The leader of the Ratel Movement further detailed the contents of the complaint, stating that the political establishment wants to frame their organic advocacy work as an illegal operation.

 

“They say APC wrote a petition to efcc to investigate myself and @adeyanjudeji according to the petition they are claiming we are fighting against bad governance and therefore we are being sponsored so they need to investigate US, they claim our protest is so organized and well organic, they are surprised by the turnout of Nigerians that want change, SO FOR THAT REASON APC member who is also a lawyer wrote a petition.

 

“In a nutshell they want to claim we are sponsoring terrorism in other to disrupt APC GOVERNMENT”.

 

He also noted that the petitioner, Blessing Agbomhere, is an APC member from his own local government area of Etsako in Edo State.

 

According to the documents he shared, the petition was received by the commission’s headquarters on June 18, 2026.

Driver Caught For Allegedly Plotting Boss Abduction, Death In Ogun State

By
Akinwale Kasali
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0
Driver Caught in Ogun State

By Akinwale Kasali

 

If not for the swift intervention of the “So Safe Security Officers” in Ota area of Ogun State through a whistle-blower who was part of the plan to kidnap and murder,  Chidozie Joseph, a Business Man, would have by now, been a dead man. His driver,  Moses Owolabi, was the mastermind of the evil plot.

 

Owolabi had planned, with some persons, to abduct his boss, collect ransom, and eventually kill him. But one of them, a butcher, reported the plot to “So Safe Security Operatives”.

 

This led to the arrest of Owolabi and his accomplices, who later confessed to their crime.

 

This incident was disclosed by political activist, Festus Olanrewaju Ojo. The suspects were paraded at the Ogun State Police Command.

 

The video of the suspects is currently trending on social media, raising the spate of insecurity bedeviling the nation.

Allegations Of Vote Buying, Late Arrival Of Materials, Officials, Trail Ekiti Gov Election

By
Ayodele Oni
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0
Ekiti Election

By Ayodele Oni

 

There are mixed reactions to the governorship election in Ekiti state on Saturday as results are being collated at wards level.

 

Report indicate peaceful conduct of the election as people trooped out to vote, but early morning reaction indicated a possible low turn out.

 

Except in few cases the BVN machines met voters expectations, as they were accredited and cast their votes early and left for their homes.

 

The security situation was normal as there was no reported cases of violence while voting lasted.

 

Hon. Biodun Omoleye, member representing Ekiti Central Federal Constituency II, commended the peaceful and orderly conduct of the elections, describing the exercise as a positive indication of improvements in the electoral process.

 

Speaking with journalists shortly after casting his vote at Polling Unit 13, Iloro/Ijurin Ward, Omoleye said the electoral process had been smooth and devoid of intimidation or violence.

 

According to him, reports from across the constituency indicated that the election was being conducted in a peaceful atmosphere, with voters turning out early to participate in the exercise.

 

“Everything is peaceful and orderly. The system is working. I must commend the electoral body for the improvement we are witnessing.

 

“This is a standard that deserves recognition, and I also commend all stakeholders involved in the process,” he said.

 

The federal lawmaker noted that voters arrived at polling units as early as 7:00 a.m., while election officials and security personnel carried out their responsibilities effectively.

 

Omoleye also praised security agencies for maintaining law and order throughout the exercise, saying their presence had contributed significantly to the peaceful environment observed across the state.

 

“I have gone round different areas, and everywhere remains peaceful. Everything has gone well here, and I commend the security agents and all stakeholders for their contributions to the success of the exercise,” he stated.

 

However, allegations of vote-buying  emerged during, with several voters claiming they received cash of Ten Thousand Naira each from political parties in exchange for their votes.

A visit to multiple polling units in Aramoko Ekiti, the hometown of the mother of incumbent Governor Biodun Oyebanji, where some voters admitted receiving money to support candidates in the election.

 

At least five voters interviewed separately alleged that they were each paid N10,000 to vote for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

 

The voters described the practice as widespread across several polling units in the community.

 

Party agents, according to investigation allegedly offered N10,000 in exchange for support for Governor Oyebanji, while the ADC representative allegedly offered N2,000 for a vote in favour of the opposition party.

 

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) visited Governor Oyebanji’s polling unit in Ikogosi following reports of vote-buying in parts of the state.

 

According to earlier reports, about 10 EFCC officials arrived at Polling Unit 003, Ward 06, Ikogosi, in Ekiti West Local Government Area shortly after voting commenced on Saturday to monitor activities around the polling centre. No arrests were announced during the visit.

 

The EFCC’s presence followed repeated warnings by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), civil society organisations and anti-corruption agencies against voter inducement and other forms of electoral malpractice.

 

the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Dr. Wole Oluyede, raised concerns over alleged irregularities, claiming that delays and the conduct of electoral officials threatened the integrity of the voting process.

 

Oluyede made the allegation while speaking with journalists shortly after casting his vote at Polling Unit 6, Ward 3, Osagulu Hall, Ado-Ekiti.

 

The PDP candidate expressed concern over what he described as an unjustified delay in the commencement of voting despite the early arrival of voters and election materials at the polling unit.

 

According to him, sensitive election materials were delivered to the polling centre early, while voters, including himself, arrived as early as 6:30 a.m.

 

He, however, noted that voting had yet to begin as of 9:45 a.m. Oluyede said neither INEC officials nor security personnel offered any satisfactory explanation for the delay, leaving voters waiting for several hours without clarity on when accreditation and voting would commence.

 

“The security officials and INEC personnel, without giving any reasonable explanation, stalled the voting process and kept the people waiting for several hours.

 

“I joined other voters on the queue very early this morning, yet up till now there has been no clear explanation as to why voting has not started,” he said.

 

The PDP flagbearer further alleged that the delay formed part of a broader pattern of intimidation and improper conduct capable of discouraging voter participation and compromising the integrity of the election.

 

The Governorship Candidate of the Accord Party, Opeyemi David Falegan (ODF), exercised his civic right by casting his vote and urged all eligible voters to participate peacefully in the electoral process.

 

Speaking after voting, ODF condemned all forms of vote buying, describing the practice as a threat to democracy and the will of the people.

 

He called on voters to reject any attempt to influence their choices through financial inducements or other illegal means.

 

He also expressed concern over reports of security personnel intimidating voters in some areas, stressing that security agencies must remain neutral and professional throughout the election. According to him, every citizen has the constitutional right to vote freely without fear, harassment, or intimidation.

 

He added that “Democracy can only thrive when elections are free, fair, and conducted without intimidation or manipulation. I call on all stakeholders to uphold the sanctity of the ballot and respect the will of the electorate,” he stated.

State Of The Nation: Minority Caucus Replies Reps Spokesperson

By
James Orji
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0
Fred Agbedi
Fred Agbedi

Legislature Not ‘Lapdog’ of the Executive, Minority Caucus tells House Spokesman

… Demands apology, threatens to petition Ethics and Privileges Committee

 

The Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives has raised   grave concern with the statement credited to the Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, in which he purported to speak for the “House” in response to the legitimate concerns raised by the Minority Caucus on the state of insecurity and worsening hardship in the nation.

 

The Minority Caucus said it is the constitutional duty of Parliament to hold the Executive to account, emphasizing that the current President, while in opposition, rightly declared that _“the buck stops at the President’s table.” That constitutional position has not changed.  Thus, the legislature must never look away when the country bleeds.

The Caucus made the admonition in a statement signed by its spokesman, Afam Victor Ogene, saying it’s the duty of the federal government to ensure that it fulfill all the promises made to Nigerians.

 

According to the lawmakers,  the Executive has repeatedly failed to honour commitments made to the Nigerian people through the Parliament. But rather than demand accountability, the House Spokesman has chosen to defend the indefensible.

 

The Caucus declares, unequivocally, that Parliament is not, and will never be, a lapdog of the Executive.

“We will keep speaking for Nigerians, even if the Majority Caucus elects to capitulate at the altar of blind partisanship, shredding the sacred doctrine of checks and balances, upon which democracy either bleeds or thrives,” the Caucus said.

 

For the avoidance of doubt, the Minority Caucus states as follows:

 

  1. The Minority Caucus views with grave concern the procedural impropriety exhibited by the House Spokesman, which sets a dangerous precedent for parliamentary conduct.

 

  1. The deployment of the phrase – “House Notes”- in his statement is improper, misleading, and constitutes a flagrant breach of the collective privileges of Members. For the record, the last sitting of the House was on Monday, 15th June, 2026. The Minority Caucus addressed the media on Wednesday, 17th June, 2026. No subsequent sitting, meeting, or resolution of the House was convened to authorize a collective position on the matter.

 

  1. While the House Spokesman is at liberty to speak for the Speaker, the House Leadership, or the Majority Caucus, he possesses no mandate to purport to speak for the entire House or to misappropriate the views of the Minority Caucus. Such conduct is a clear violation of established parliamentary procedure and an affront to the rights and privileges of Members of the 10th House of Representatives.

 

  1.  The matters raised by the Minority Caucus fall within the constitutional oversight functions of the National Assembly over the Executive. With numerous spokespersons in the Presidency, it is not the duty of the House Spokesman to embark on an unsolicited defense of the Executive.

 

  1. This conduct reinforces public perception of the 10th House as an appendage of the Executive. Sections 14(2)(b) and 88 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) mandate Parliament to ensure the security and welfare of the people and to expose corruption, inefficiency, and waste. The Minority Caucus will not abdicate this sacred duty.

 

  1. At an emergency virtual meeting held on Friday, 19th June, 2026, the Minority Caucus unanimously resolved as follows:

 

  1.  To demand a public apology from the Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, for misrepresenting the position of the House and for contempt of the Minority Caucus. Failure to render such apology within 72 hours will compel the Caucus to petition the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges for appropriate redress.
  2.  To formally raise, upon resumption of plenary, the issue of persistent non-implementation of the National Budget since 2024. The Caucus notes with alarm that defense and security-related Ministries, Departments, and Agencies have recorded less than 30% budget implementation. There is a direct correlation between the non-payment of local contractors, breakdowns of operational logistics, and  escalating insecurity across the country. The Armed Forces can not sustainably prosecute campaigns against heavily-armed insurgents under such fiscal constraints.

 

The Minority Caucus will keep speaking out for Nigerians, as the Constitution demands. That is not partisanship; it is parliamentary duty. The legislature is the soul of democracy because of its sacred responsibility to the people. If the Majority Caucus chooses to forget this, the Minority Caucus will not continue to abdicate this sacred responsibility.

 

 

 

Signed:

 

Hon. Afam Victor Ogene

_For: The Minority Caucus,

House of Representatives, Federal Republic of Nigeria_

Reps Minority Caucus Appoints Ogene As Spokesperson

By
James Orji
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0
Victor Ogene

The Minority Caucus of the House of Representatives has appointed Afam Victor Ogene as Spokesperson of the Caucus. The caucus said the decision was reached at an online meeting of the Caucus held on Friday.

The caucus, in a statement issued by fredrick Agbedi, its Leader described Ogene as a ranking legislator and award-wining journalists who is expected to bring his wealth of experience to the new role, adding that he has a “deep understanding” of parliamentary procedures.

 

“As Spokesperson, Hon. Ogene, an award-winning journalist and editor, will articulate the positions of the Minority Caucus on national issues, ensure effective communication with the Nigerian people, and uphold the Caucus’s constitutional duty of holding the Executive to account. The Caucus is confident that his appointment will strengthen its engagement with citizens and reinforce the principles of checks and balances in the 10th Assembly,” Agbedi said.

 

Adding, “The Minority Caucus urges members of the press and the public to accord Hon. Ogene all necessary cooperation as he discharges this responsibility on behalf of the Caucus.”

“How Appointment As Nigeria’s First Female Petroleum Minister Ruined My Life” – Alison-Madueke

By
Ayodele Oni
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0
Diezani Alison-Madueke appears in Uk Court
Diezani Alison-Madueke.

By Ayodele Oni

 

Former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has asserted that her position as Nigeria’s first female Petroleum Minister and first female OPEC president made her a target in a male-dominated environment.

 

Alison-Madueke pointed out that the corruption allegations brought against her severely damaged her reputation and integrity, claiming that powerful interests were behind the legal battle she faced.

 

In her first major interview after the conclusion of her court case in the United Kingdom, Alison-Madueke revealed that the accusations against her were particularly painful.

 

She explained that her position as the first female to lead Nigeria’s petroleum ministry and the first female president of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), contributed to her predicament.

 

Alison-Madueke, who served as Nigeria’s petroleum minister between 2010 and 2015 under former President

Goodluck Jonathan, was accused of bribery-related offences in the UK.

 

The case, which lasted about 13 years, involved investigations by the UK National Crime Agency (NCA), in collaboration with Nigerian authorities and other witnesses.

 

She remarked that the prolonged legal process affected her psychologically, adding that losing her freedom had a lasting impact.

 

“When your freedom is taken away from you, no matter how you try to handle it, it has an impact on you psychologically,” she said. Allegations affected years of hard work.

 

The former minister described the accusations as “completely damaging from the beginning”, saying they affected years of hard work that led to her becoming one of Africa’s most prominent female political figures.

 

She said achieving leadership positions in major global institutions was a difficult journey, and the allegations became traumatic.

 

“To be the first female of these institutions and break global ceilings for women, and then to have these accusations against me, was a complete breakdown of my reputation and integrity.”

 

Alison-Madueke stated that her rise to leadership positions was achieved through determination and hard work, adding that the allegations affected her personal and professional image.

 

Alison-Madueke alleged that her attempts to introduce reforms in Nigeria’s oil sector angered influential individuals, whom she referred to as “cabals”.

 

“The things I tried to put in place to fight

 corruption in the oil sector did not go well with the cabals at all,” she said.

 

She maintained that her position as Nigeria’s first female petroleum minister and first female OPEC president made her a target in a male-dominated environment.

 

“I was the first female to enter that kind of position as petroleum minister and as head of OPEC in a very misogynistic society,” she said.

 

When asked who she blamed for the ordeal, Alison-Madueke said responsibility should not be placed on one side alone, urging both Nigerian and UK authorities to examine the processes involved.

 

“I think blame is everywhere. I don’t think one group can take all the blame alone,” she said.

 

She also emphasized that authorities should have spent more time examining the information provided during the investigation before reaching conclusions.

 

Historic rise in Nigeria’s oil sector

Alison-Madueke became Nigeria’s first female Minister of Petroleum Resources in April 2010.

 

Before then, she served as Minister of Transportation in 2007 and later as Minister of Mines and Steel Development in 2008.

 

She became OPEC president in 2014, making history as the first woman to lead the organisation. Her appointment placed her among Africa’s most influential political figures in the energy sector.

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