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Senate Condemns Invasion of Odili’s Home

By
Uche Mbah
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Justice Mary Odili attack on her Abuja residence

By Uche Mbah

The Senate, Tuesday, condemned the invasion of the Abuja home of Mary Peter-Odili, a Justice of the Supreme Court, by some people claiming to be acting on a court order obtained from an Abuja Magistrate Court.

Betty Apiafi, Rivers West, brought the motion to the floor of the Senate, condemning the invasion.

Security operatives claiming to work under the directive if the Attorney General, Abubakar Malamu, on October 29 invaded the house of Justice Odili based on an alleged petition to the EFCC  of “illegal activities”  going on in the compound.

But Malami denied sending them, and instead instituted a probe panel to look into the incident.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which also came under fire, denied involvement in the raid. And so did the Police and the DSS.

But the Nigerian Bar Association has set up a panel of enquiry to investigate it, hinting that if Malami is found culpable he might be stripped if his privileges including the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN status.

Meanwhile, Usman Baba, inspector-general of police (IGP), had ordered a probe into the incident.

On the floor of the upper legislative chamber Tuesday, Apiafi expressed worry at the slow pace of turning in report on the findings of the police so far.

“There is no information on the arrest said to be made,” she said.

Also speaking on the issue, Opeyemi Bamidele, Chairman of the Committee on Judiciary, wanted those found culpable to face the law.

“No one was at ease with what has happened. The government should take appropriate steps to ensure that those culpable are brought to book,” Bamidele said.

“There is need to protect the sanctity of the judiciary.”

Thompson Sekibo, Rivers North-east, requested that police findings be made public.

“A couple of months ago, Justice Mary Odili’s residence was also invaded. Several reasons were given for that. Again her house in Abuja was also invaded. They claimed to have brought a warrant in Abuja,” he said.

“There was a claim that the Minister of Justice was aware of it but he denied. The IGP said he has done some arrest and they are investigating the matter.

“Most times we hear of investigation and we don’t see the result. Fear is one of the causes of death.

“Let them make the investigation public. Let us also pray that this does not cause fear to Mary Odili and other Judges.”

Thereafter, the Senate President ruled that the IGP should disclose the findings of the investigation as soon as possible.

Collapsed Ikoyi Skyscraper: Lagos Assembly Indicts LASG, LASBCA

By
Akinwale Kasali
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Lawmakers in the Lagos State House of Assembly have pointed accusing finger at the Lagos State Government and LASBCA, as responsible for the misfortune that befell the State last week, following the collapse of a 21-Storey Skyscraper on Gerard Road, Ikoyi. Lagos. This has led to the death of 44 people, so far.

By Akinwale Kasali

Lawmakers in the Lagos State House of Assembly have pointed accusing finger at the Lagos State Government and the Lagos State Building and Control Agency, LASBCA, as responsible for the misfortune that befell the State last week, following the collapse of a 21-Storey Skyscraper on Gerard Road, Ikoyi. Lagos. This has led to the death of 44 people, so far, with several others injured.

The Lagos State Assembly has now called on Governor Sanwo Olu to compensate the families of the victims that died, stressing that the negligence of the State Government and its Agency led to the catastrophic incident.

The Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa led House,  in a motion, called on the Governor to direct the relevant agencies of Government to ensure that all requirements for buildings as stipulated in extant laws of the State are strictly adhered to.

Presiding at the Plenary, Obasa said, “We should exercise patience before passing comments concerning the incident until the findings of the committees looking into it unravels the cause,” adding that it was obvious that the agencies saddled with the responsibility of monitoring buildings and their construction have not done much.

“The Government should compensate victims’ families. If the agencies had done the needful we would not have this sad occurrence,” he said.

Obasa urged his colleagues to sympathize with the families of the deceased and pray for the repose of their souls.

Hon. Nureni Akinsanya, representing Mushin 1 Constituency, who moved  the Motion had earlier expressed worry over the collapse of the building in the state, stressing that the negligence of the Agencies saddled with overseeing the structures and control shouldn’t be treated with kid gloves.

Akinsanya added that, “The House expressed worry over the wide speculation that the building was raised to 21 floors contrary to the 15 floors approved by the Lagos State Physical planning permit authority (LASPPPA) for the owner.”

The motion added that the House was  worried that over time, the State had recorded series of building collapse like the one that happened at in November 2006 and a 3-storey building that collapsed in Ita Faaji in 2016, among others.

“The House is disturbed about the constant collapse of buildings in the state and the manner in which agencies set up to inspect building work, give certification at various stages of construction and keep records for ease of reference, and realise that these frequent cases of building collapse can be attributed to unqualified or unskilled builders, use of sub-standard building materials, illegal conversion or alterations to existing structures and lack of maintenance to mention a few,” the motion said.

The House then mandated its Committee on Physical Planning and Urban Development to invite the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development as well as other agencies saddled with the responsibilities of issuing approval, monitoring of construction and project development with a view to ascertaining the level of compliance with the extant laws and regulations relating to buildings in the state.

In his submission, Hon. Rotimi Olowo (Shomolu 1), implored others to support the motion noting that it was well couched.

Hon. Oluyinka Ogundimu (Agege 2) said that the motion was all encompassing as the second part of it had given the committee the power to go into details all in the interest of the public.

Hon. Setonji David, Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Publicity and Strategy, opined that many factors might be responsible for the incident.

The lawmakers, thereafter, observed a minute silence for the repose of the souls of those who lost their lives.

My Conversation With Obi On Anambra Election

By
The Source
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Joe-Martins Uzodike

This morning,(Monday, November 8), I had a 30 minutes conversation with Mr. Peter Obi, which I find fascinating, instructive and worth publishing.

I discussed the election in my Local Government -Idemili – and told him  how our State has continued to degenerate. I reminded him that four years   ago people were paid 2 to 5 thousand Naira to vote but that  today 15 to 20 thousand Naira were paid for people to vote.  I find this scandalous and very worrisome.

In his reply , he said he had  always maintained  that while leaders were the problem, followers were worst.  In his words, “There is no hope in this country.  I vehemently and consistently insists on not being part of sharing money even if my household will vote against me because of that.”

His further comments are instructive: “I have travelled all over the world and studied development, no successful and fruitful democracy elects her leaders based on money shared. Such crude practice makes  nonsense of character, leaders and their manifestos.”

To drive home his point, Obi used specific examples. Again, let me quote him:  “Let me give you an example with Ayamelum local government. The only road infrastructure  in the local government, as well as their headquarters, were built by me, for which I spent over 7 billion Naira. How would they expect me to give them  10 to 20 thousand Naira each  to vote? Is it not absurd?”

“Likewise, the only road in Anambra West was built by me. I did the Anam to Mmiata, which cost me over 12 billion Naira because of the terrain. How would the same people collect 10 to 20 thousand Naira from people and vote wrongly? Is it not strange and absurd?

Obi, also, used his Anaocha Local Government community as example. He says: “Let me take my local government for example, over 90% of the roads in the community  were constructed by me. Adazi-Nnukwu, a town in the local government area  would have been swept off by erosion if not for my own intervention. I   paid an indigene of the town, Benejaf, over 300 million Naira to control the menace. I paid over half a billion for roads in the town. I returned the two major schools in the town to the Church, rehabilitated them, provided them with two buses, labs, Internet connectivity, computers, generators, among others. I upgraded St. Joseph’s Hospital in the town,  where I invested over 1 billion Naira by building their School of Nursing, School of Midwifery and  Heart Centre that cost us over  300 million Naira. After all this, it is absurd that they will still expect me to share 10 to 20 thousand Naira to them on Election Day or vote for a party that gives them that or more.

Obi, also, offers further example with Ihiala, where election will take place tomorrow thus: “It is on record that I constructed virtually all the road in Ihiala. Only road in Okija today was done by me. The entire road in ebonese- Azia, Mbosi, Lilu were done by me.”

“I rehabilitated all the schools in the local government such as Ihiala Girls, Uli Girls, Abbot Boys and Girls. I also rehabilitated Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu University and did the road to the school.”

Obi, also, recalled his unparalleled development of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Ihiala,  which cost the government over 2 billion Naira. He said that regrettably, the same people would expect him to give them 10 to 20 thousand Naira to vote or else they collect from others.

Obi concludes on a didactic note: “It is not about Peter Obi, not about Uzodike, but about the future of the society our children will live in tomorrow. If we continue abusing that society today as we do, it will surely take its revenge on our children tomorrow.  Let me assure you that I will remain who I am. Such abuse will not distract me from doing the right things, hoping that one day our people will discover the difference between right and wrong, how to build the society and how to destroy it.”

“I read some of the comments by people on the Anambra election, most of the commentators are consumed with the outcome while totally losing sight of the colossal damage being done to the society.”  Obi concluded with a question: are we not encouraging leaders not to do anything but park money meant for development and use a fraction of it to buy voters?

Jonathan Calls For Ceasefire, Dialogue In Ethiopia

By
The Source
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Former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in Ethiopia, following continued fighting between Ethiopian soldiers and soldiers of the Tigray Defence Forces in the northern part of the country.

The former President urged the warring parties to embrace dialogue and negotiations in the interest of the peace of their country and the entire continent.

Dr. Jonathan who is ECOWAS Special Envoy in Mali and Chairman of the international Summit Council for Peace (Africa) made this known in a statement titled ‘Ethiopians should meet as brothers, not as combatants.’

The former President said: “I call for an immediate cessation of hostilities in the conflict between the Ethiopian government and those opposed to it.”

Jonathan noted that Ethiopia, as a nation, “is strategically important to Africa, being at the heart of the continent, and of our efforts at continental unification”, adding that such a country should not be allowed to be consumed by internal crisis.

The former President who is also the chairman of Goodluck Jonathan Foundation said further: “Africa and the rest of the world cannot sit idly by as this great nation, that has played a very pivotal and vital role in human civilisation, is at risk. I therefore call on all sides to look at the bigger picture. And that is what Ethiopia means to her people, to Africa and to the world.

“So much progress has come out of Ethiopia over the last few years, and this forward match ought not to be halted.  I urge everyone in that blessed nation to recognise that they are all brothers and sisters of one motherland, Ethiopia.

“That being the case, it is certainly more profitable to meet as brothers than to meet as combatants. Thus, I make this urgent appeal for all to move from battleground to common ground.”

Anambra Polls: CNPP Hails INEC, Warns Against Altering Outcome

By
The Source
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Chief Willy Ezugwu

Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has praised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the conduct what is seen so far as a reflection of the will of the people, warning against altering the Anambra State governorship election.

In a statement signed by its Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu, the CNPP counselled both the eventual winner and the other contestants to join hands to turn the fortunes of the state around for the benefit of Nigerians resident in Anambra State.

“INEC has so far played the role of a neutral umpire and has proven that there is hope for Nigerians in 2023 general elections if the commission continues with the current trend in their performance in future elections.

“The hitches experienced as a result of the deployment of new technologies in the Anambra State governorship election are understandable as the remedies by the commission ensured that the outcome was not adversely affected.

“Therefore, the CNPP urges all the contestants to accept the eventual outcome, embrace whoever wins and put an end to needless litigation that has characterised Anambra State pre- and post-election experience in the state.

“Anambra State elections have proven to be the most contentious in the country, leading to court cases and counter litigations, most of which were needless”, the CNPP observed.

NIN Now Mandatory For WASSCE Candidates

By
Ayodele Oni
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Students in Examination Hall

By Ayodele Oni

Intending candidates for the West African Senior School Certificate Examinations, (WASCE) are now mandated to possess the National Identity Card.

The Federal Ministry of Education has directed the West African Examinations Council, (WAEC) to conduct NIN registration for candidates registering for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination.

This was contained in a memorandum to zonal coordinators, titled, ‘Registration Of Candidates For WASSCE (SC) And PC With The National Identification Number (NIN).

The memo added that “To this end, Management has directed all Zonal Coordinators, Branch Controllers and Officers in Charge of Offices to sensitise all schools (Principals, Proprietors) Candidates and all stakeholders in their areas of jurisdiction on this new development.

“For emphasis, only candidates with National Identification Numbers (NIN) would be eligible to register for WASSCE (SC) or WASSCE (PC).

“It is important that all stakeholders are sensitised early enough as registration for WASSCE (SC) would soon begin.”

Update: Maina To Spend Eight Years In Jail

By
Uche Mbah
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Abdulrashid Maina

By Uche Mbah

Finally, Abdulrasheed Maina, Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), has been found guilty of money laundering and stealing charges and sentenced to 61 years imprisonment.  The jail terms, however, will run concurrently, reducing it to eight years to be spent in a Correctional facility.

Justice Okon Abang, who handed down the judgement, had last month also sentenced Maina’s Son, Faisal to jail in absentia, asking law enforcement agents to make all efforts to extradite him from the USA and send him to jail.

With this, a chapter in the fight against corruption has ended, unless Maina utilised the appeal window to go to appeal  the sentence. As at press time, it was not clear if his lawyers will appeal.

Maina’s journey began under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, when the coordinating Minister for the economy, Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala,  appointed him to manage the pension fund.

Maina went to work, and developed a computer algorithm that was able to check ghost pensioners in the system, especially in the police force. Reports indicate that he discovered that the pension figures were grossly inflated. But some whistleblowers claim he was enriching himself.

He claimed  there were threats to his life, and  sought audience with the Presidency to request for a bullet proof car after an attempt was made on his life with suspected assassins spraying his car with bullets.

Pressures mounted on the Presidency for his sack. However, he was on an official mission outside the country when he was finally relieved if his post. He stayed back in voluntary exile.

With the change of regime, Maina was  asked back to the country by the new Government of Muhammadu Buhari, reinstated in his former ministry with payment of arrears of his employment.

Within the same period, posters were seen in his home state Bornu bearing his name as a possible Governorship candidate.

Then the hunt began again, and he went underground threatening to spill some information on many highly placed officials. He was later arrested and a case filled against him by the EFCC at an Abuja High Court presided over by Justice Okon Abang.

Justice Okon Abang, the trial Judge, held that Maina cornered over N2 billion from Pensioners, “most of whom have died without reaping the fruits of their labour.”

“I find the defendant (Mr Maina) guilty and convicted in count 2, 6, 9, 3, 7 and 10,” Justice Abang said.

Last month, the court jailed Maina’s son, Faisal, after he was found guilty on all three count charges of money laundering involving N58.1million in public funds.

Maina was arraigned before Mr Abang, on October 25, 2019, with his firm, Common Input Property and Investment Ltd.

He was alleged to have  used his firm to launder N2 billion and also buy properties in Abuja.

He had jumped bail twice in the course of the trial.

Plateau Assembly Crisis: Lagos Lawmakers Urge Buhari, Others, To Defend Democracy

By
Akinwale Kasali
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By Akinwale Kasali

The Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday condemned the crises in the Plateau House of Assembly. It  called on President Muhammadu Buhari to rise up in defence of the country’s democracy.

The Lawmakers who spoke during plenary, condemned the alleged interference of the Executive arm of the Plateau State Government in the Legislative arm of Government.

They also called on the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, and others to ensure that the crises are resolved and all those who took part in the impeachment of the Plateau Speaker brought to book.

The lawmakers further urged the Conference of Speakers of State Legislatures in Nigeria to stop recognising any lawmaker who emerges Speaker from such illegalities like it happened in Plateau where only six members supposedly impeached the Speaker, Nuhu Ayuba Abok.

Speaker of the Lagos Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Dr) Mudashiru Obasa, who presided over the sitting, said every well-meaning Nigerian must speak against the impeachment of the Plateau Speaker, which has led to the Assembly being under lock and keys.

According to him, the manner he was impeached leaves more to be desired.

“The parliament is the eyes and ears of the people. The impeachment is something we all have to rise up against. It happened in Edo and it has not been resolved as we speak. The roof of the Assembly was removed. The majority members are now residing in Abuja while the minority members are in charge.

“Now we have Plateau and we are talking about Imo state. Where is our democracy?

“It shows that it is not a fluke that the Lagos Assembly is above the common standard of excellence. If we don’t criminalise this across the country, it will continue,” he said.

Obasa also commended the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, for removing the police commissioner in Plateau after allegations that the latter played a role in the crisis.

He called for the opening of the House for plenary activities, because, according to him, no state can be without a parliament in a democracy.

Hon. Rotimi Olowo, who moved the motion under ‘Matter of Urgent Public Importance’ said he was worried that in Plateau, the legislature which is the bastion of democracy is under attack.

According to Olowo, a situation where the executive tried to trample on the legislative arm is not good enough.

He noted that the Speaker of the state was impeached because he and others raised issues about insecurity in Plateau.

“Everyone is now pointing fingers at the governor of the state who was also impeached as Speaker and who is supposed to know more about the sanctity of the parliament,” he said.

“With  the concurrence of my colleagues, I want to say we condemn the invasion of the House and we also condemn the purported impeachment of the Speaker,” he said.

Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Wasiu Eshinlokuni-Sanni, also condemned the impeachment of the Plateau Speaker noting that the position of Lagos Assembly when the constitutional review committee visited Lagos was that undue interference of the executive in the legislature should be criminalised.

He said even the policemen who took part in the whole issue should be prosecuted adding that the judiciary can also help hasten related matters brought to the courts.

The Leader of the House, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, said impunity is developed anywhere illegality is condoned.

He said he expects the Speakers Conference to dissociate itself from what he said should be treated like a coup with the beneficiaries prosecuted.

In his contribution, Hon. Adewale Temitope said after over two decades of democracy, it was shameful what happened in Plateau state.

“It goes to show that we are not ready to uphold the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended,” he said adding that what happened was condemnable and saddening.

Hon. Setonji David argued that where there is no legislature, there is no democracy.

He said it was illegal for six people to conduct the business of the day.

“We must not ridicule our democracy. We must not truncate democracy. How can we degenerate to this level?” He asked.

Others who condemned the crisis in the Plateau Assembly include Hons Lukemon Olumo, Owolabi Ajani, Richard Kasunmu

Kasunmu, Victor Akande and Femi Saheed.

FG Partner UFUGOLD To Tackle Unemployment, Unrest In Niger Delta

By
Akinwale Kasali
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UFUGOLD Participants

By Akinwale Kasali

The Federal Government is partnering with UFUGOLD Projects Services Limited to train and empower youths in the Niger Delta Region on entrepreneurial hands-on skills acquisition.

The aim of the partnership is the determination and will power of the FG in tackling unemployment and youths unrest through entrepreneurship in the Niger Delta region.

Declaring the two weeks training activities open on behalf of the Federal Government, the Principal and Chief Executive of Officer of  Petroleum Training Institute, Effurun, Delta State, Dr. Henry Adimula, on Monday, 8th November, 2021, said the partnership between the FG and UFUGOLD was aimed at reducing unemployment and its effects on youths unrest.

Adimula who stated that he was confident that the youths would be well-developed within the two-week duration of the training, disclosed that they will be trained in petroleum products such as soap, cream, special corrosive painting, repairs and maintenance and various entrepreneur vocations .

He applauded and appreciated all those who put the programme together, urging participants to maximize the opportunity by putting the skills acquired during the training to practice as it would help them become masters on their own.

In his words, “At the end of the programme, all of us would become entrepreneurs, self-reliant. They will be given the necessary skills that would help them on their own”. Adimula added

From Left: Ufuoma Johngold (MD of UFUGOLD), second right, Dr. Henry Adimula (Principal/ CEO of PTI Effurun), First Right, Dr. Abubakar Dembo ( Chief Internal Auditor of PTI)
From Left: Ufuoma Johngold (MD of UFUGOLD), Second Right, Dr. Henry Adimula (Principal/ CEO of PTI Effurun), First Right, Dr. Abubakar Dembo (Chief Internal Auditor of PTI)

The Managing Director of UFUGOLD Projects Services Ltd, Hon. Ufuoma Johngold in his remarks stated that the intensive training was aimed at  making the youths self-reliant, urging them to value the new knowledge and skills more than than the empowerment because it will turned them to employers of labours in the shortest possible time.

Johngold expressed worries over incessant reported negative vices of Niger Delta youths, said the training and empowerment became necessary in order to develop both physical infrastructure and human capital to be able to enhance significantly the quality of living in the Niger Delta region.

He further added that the main objective of the initiative of the partnership was to make the youths of the Niger-Delta region to be self-employed and to be meaningfully engaged

Admonishing participants to look beyond the start-up empowerment packages, but be determined and focused to use their acquired knowledge and empowerment start-up package to start up small various businesses and grow big.

In the same vein, Dr. Abubakar Dembo, Chief Internal Auditor of PTI Effurun, said the empowerment was necessitated by the need to develop the manpower capacity of the Niger Delta States, disclosed that the training is an annual program designed for Niger Delta youths that was designed to put youths out of unemployment.

Youths were selected from the Nine Niger Delta States and few persons from North for the empowerment programme

Maina Found Guilty of Money Laundering

By
Uche Mbah
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0
Abdulrashid Maina

By Uche Mbah

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, Monday, found Abdulrasheed Maina, Chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team (PRTT), guilty of money laundering charges.

Justice Okon Abang, the trial Judge, held that Maina cornered over N2 billion from Pensioners, “most of whom have died without reaping the fruits of their labour.”

“I find the defendant (Mr Maina) guilty and convicted in count 2, 6, 9, 3, 7 and 10,” Justice Abang said.

Last month the Court jailed Maina’s son, Faisal after he was found guilty on all three count charges of money laundering involving N58.1million in public funds.

He is in the US and was, therefore, convicted in absentia.

Maina was arraigned before Mr Abang, on October 25, 2019, with his firm, Common Input Property and Investment Ltd.

He was alleged to have  used his firm to launder N2 billion and also buy properties in Abuja.

He had jumped bail twice in the course of the trial.

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