Murdered Ataga: Chidinma Rubbishes Him, Says He Liked To Carry Girls, Calls Him Druggist, As Lying Lawyer Apologises

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July 16, 2021

By Akinwale Kasali

The tragic soap opera that is the gruesome murder of Usifo Ataga, the Chief Executive Officer of Super TV is still unfolding, getting messier and more dramatic everyday than expected.

As the drama unfolds, more insights are given. And it gets more complicated everyday.

For a start, Chidinma Ojukwu, the 300 level student of the University of Lagos, the main suspect, has been talking. Surprisingly, she had nothing flattering to say about his lover who she had freely and publicly admitted to killing.on the first day of her arrest.

So, in her interview, a few days ago, she had no respect for the Biblical injunction that admonishes the living not to speak ill of the dead. She blatantly said Usifo “liked to carry girls” without sparing a thought for his wife, Brenda, who she has reduced to the status of a widow. And, cunningly, she chipped in that it was like Ataga did not have a good marriage, and catered only for his kids. She said he, also,liked drugs, and liked to drink.

Without quite saying it, she gave the impression that Usifo was a carefree man, who would “dash” her, before a blink of the eyes, his laptop which, perhaps, contained important documents.

But more important to this case, Chidinma admitted to being a callous thief, a common criminal who, not only stole from a man whose brutally dehumanised body was still oozing blood, but would use his ATM card to go and withdraw money thereafter.

It is not known why the Police is making Chidinma available for one-on-one interviews with the Media. One had thought that the interview she granted the day the Lagos State Police Command paraded her was enough. But no. She has since granted three more interviews – to a national newspaper, to the Nigeria Television Authority, NTA, and now, the most dramatic, to Crime Fighters.

The Crime Fighters’ interview was as dramatic as that of one Lawyer who dragged his reputation and that of his profession in the mud, just because he wanted to be noticed. In the interview he granted to ITV, this Lawyer, Barrister A.B. Thomas, told lies that would make satan weep. His interview went viral.

He claimed to know of the relationship between Ataga’s wife, Brenda, and Izu, the fictitious Chidinma’s cousin. Speaking with so much confidence, he said Brenda and Izu planned Ataga’s murder. He said he had the photographs of the two together, and had every evidence to nail them. He was believed by most people. But the man was lying with everything in him. He lied shamelessly.

When the Ataga family and Brenda took him to ask, and threatened to sue him to the tune of One Billion Naira, he shamelessly, again, recanted. He said he neither knew Brenda nor the fictitious Izu. He said he had no photograph, or any shred of evidence. He admitted he lied, that his story was fabricated, and that there was nobody in Brenda’s life called Izu. He said all the stories he told were hearsay, and things he put together from online publications. He stated these and more in a letter he wrote to Brenda’s lawyer, Mbasekei Martin Obono, dated 8th July, 2021, which he personally signed. He begged for forgiveness.

But Chidinma’s drama peaked during her interview with Crime Fighters. She recanted her earlier confession that she stabbed Ataga to death under the influence of drugs and alcohol which both of them took. She said she was not present when he was killed. She said she went to buy drugs and food, and only met his dead body on return. She only stole his things she admitted. Ataga’s cousin, who had seen his body five times in the mortuary say his wounds were extremely deep; and his hands so tightly bound together that the marks left were horrible.

The new claims by Chidinma, many say, sound like her claim of Ataga, wanting to rape her while they were together in the rented apartment.

The only good thing about the interview is that Chidinma finally confirmed what most people, including Ataga’s family, and even the Police, suspected from the onset which are that: there is more to Ataga’s murder; Chidinma had help. She did not act alone; that she couldn’t have, alone, tied Ataga’s hands behind him; that she could not have gagged him alone; that she did not stab him only three times, as she claimed, but that Ataga was stabbed multiple places.

The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, has since dismissed Chidinma’s new song as an after-thought. Odumosu said what her new claims were the words of an active criminal.

And, in an announcement that gladdened many hearts, the CP, also, disclosed that some more arrests have been made in connection with Ataga’s murder. What is now left is for Chidinma to tell us her true story, especially, who she truly is.

Following is the text of her interview with Crime Fighters.

Chidinma On Atiga: He liked to carry girls

“He doesn’t talk much about himself. He is quite busy. I would say he is a busy person. At a point, I got to know that he likes to carry girls. He smokes, drinks and also takes drugs. I don’t really know deep about him.

“He gets angry easily. He has issues with his wife. He was more of catering for his kids. He wasn’t happy in his marriage. I can’t remember the faces of his friends, but have met two people. I don’t have N10 Million in my bank account, I have like N400 to N500 thousand.

“Michael (Ataga) gave me his laptop. He has two laptops and I told him I wanted one and he gave it to me and that is what I sold to get the money. It was Mac Pro.

“I wasn’t doing ushering when I was with him. I was getting more from him than doing the ushering. So there was no need of doing the ushering job. Ushering can’t be up to N20 thousand or N15 thousand. He gives me more than the ushering money.

WHO BROUGHT THE IDEA TO BOOK AN APARTMENT?

“The apartment where he was at Lekki. He told me to go and they said it was free. It was on a Sunday June 13, so I had to check online about the short-let, because I don’t want hotel, because it is not going to be fun like staying in the house or something. So I decided to check for a short-let and I told him and he said it was okay.

“Then he said I should go and check the place out which I did and it was okay. The price was N105,000 for four days. After paying the money, he came after one hour, and we both went out to get food and also get drinks. We were just indoors watching movies, drinking and smoking. He woke up before me, but I was still feeling sleepy and dizzy.

“This is because of the smoke, drink and the drugs. So he asked what we needed, and I was like, we need to buy food and drugs, because the drugs we brought had already finished and he tried to forward the money into my account because we had to make payment. So he gave me his card.

“I did not have access to his card but I know the pin code. As I was leaving, he stood back to lock the door. But when I got back I was knocking, and no one answered, and the door wasn’t locked. The duvet was on the floor, the pillow, the couch was facing the door, and the bed was stained with blood already, and the floor was also stained. Music was playing aloud with the Television also on. The room was already disarranged like someone broke in. I saw him on the floor and I did not know what to do.

“I took my things and left. I was afraid and did not know what to do. If I had raised alarm they would have arrested me and say I did it because we are both together in the room. I just left. I was packing my things to leave, I noticed my cloth was stained; I changed it to another one. I took the bag that contained his ID, documents and bank statements.

“My bag wasn’t on the floor but I met it on the floor and the stuffs I took were on the TV set. So I just packed and put them into the nylon and left.

“The following week, I was home and I went out to withdraw some money from the ATM card I was with. I withdrew N200,000

WHY DID YOU WITHDRAW HIS MONEY EVEN AFTER HIS DEATH?

“Before that day on Tuesday, he already told me he was going to give me the money that I requested for. And when I came out the day I was arrested and they were saying I went away with N5 million. There is N5 million in the account. I just did it, it is not like I have something to do with his death.

HOW DID THE OWNER OF THE APARTMENT KNOW ABOUT THE INCIDENT?

“The lady that I rented the apartment from was the one I messaged to probably tell the security guard to check the room. And they came to my house, arrested me and took me to the station.

AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE YOU SAID YOU STABBED MR ATAGA USIFO, WHY NOW DENYING?

“I didn’t involve anybody, so I don’t know who might have come into the apartment, but definitely, somebody did. I don’t know who that person is and I dont know what happened when I left to buy the food. Because of the things I did – not alerting the Police and withdrawing his money, I feel guilty. I did not kill him. Knowing fully well that I did not kill him, but taking his money and not reporting to the Police.

“I believe somebody knew where we were and waited till I left before they could enter. But the security said no one entered, that I was the only one that entered the house and the apartment. I just took the blame on myself since no one believed me.

“No one is influencing my statement. I have not spoken to my relation or anybody. I have just been in there, in the cell since.

Chidinma is an active Criminal – CP HAKEEM ODUMOSU TO CRIME FIGHTERS

“What she is depicting is the trait of an active criminal. At the State CID, she was here and we recorded all her statements the night she was arrested, even the lady she rented the apartment from is also on record.

“If all she is now saying is an after-thought, then the secret will be revealed. If anybody is saying the Police are trying to give her a splint or something, the person is saying it out of mischief and it is highly discouraging.

“For us to have risked our lives and carried out our professional calling in getting her, instead of our action to be appreciated and encouraged to push further, we are being discouraged and distracted by being castigated. Some people believe that if we are castigated we will be discouraged and not push further. No, we will never be. We are not leaving any stone unturned to get a lead. Any lead that we get is helpful.”

His phone was used to send a message in badly written English – OKOEDO ADOMI (Usifo Ataga’s Friend) TO CRIME FIGHTERS

“I spoke to him last on Monday at about 9pm. It was on a public holiday. On Tuesday, I was on my way to his house in Banana Island in Ikoyi, and I started calling him. Usifo is a kind of person that when he misses your call, he calls you back immediately. I was calling him from VGC to Lekki Phase I, maybe like six to seven times and he did not pick his call or call me back.

“This was like about 2pm, and between Lekki Phase 1 and Banana Island gate, I called like 15 times, because I will need a Code to get into the estate. So when I got to the gate, and he still was not picking, I had to call somebody else to give me a Code to get in. When I got to his house, I didn’t even enter because it was a transparent gate, I saw that his Toyota Hilux was in front of the house, but the Range Rover was not there. So I called his Personal Assistant and asked where is Usifo? He said that he came to Banana Island that morning and his cook said that Usifo had left the house since Sunday and was not back on Tuesday morning.

“I asked him if he had asked Rahman, one of his business partners, and he said he had asked him and he also said the same thing that he had been calling him but he never picked but sent a message. I said okay, that when he is ready to talk to me he would call me.

“When I got to VGC, I then saw Gambo and Rahman, and I asked him to show me the message. I now said, one, he is not a message person, he is a talking person. The English he used here, Usifo won’t use this type of English, that something is wrong with Usifo. We now decided that in the morning we will try and do a search.”

“I Regret seeing my cousin’s body” – BARR. FRANKLIN UFUA (Usifo Ataga’s Cousin) TO CRIME FIGHTERS

“Usifo is the third son in a family of four. He has two elder brothers and a younger sister. His siblings all live abroad. Usifo grew up as a child raised by very Godly parents in a Christian way. He was guy who always had business in his DNA. What I can tell you about Usifo is that he was very respectable. Usifo will never hurt a fly. Usifo loved people. He goes beyond his immediate family to know his cousins, uncles, sisters. I have had the very regrettable privilege of seeing the dead body five times.

“My cousin’s hands were tied so badly that it entered his skin. The rope is right there as an exhibit with the Police. That crime can never be done by that lady alone. It is not possible. Even if he was drunk, it is not possible because I saw the lady and I saw my cousin and I said this is not possible. Apart from the fact that he was tied, there were multiple stabs on his body. That story of two stabs is not true. He was stabbed in other places. His legs. In Yaba mortuary, the attendants were so dramatic, and they told us that the stab here was a hole. The guy stubbed his two fingers in my cousin’s body in my presence.

“In the doppler vein, he was stabbed there deliberately. It wasn’t that he was stabbed in the neck alone, it was on the doppler vein and multiple stabs on his body.”

A couple of days ago, the House of Representatives weighed in on the Ataga murder. Worried about the interviews Chidinma is granting, it asked the Police to stop parading her before Journalists, and to ensure her safety for as long as the case would last.

Rejection Of Electronic Voting: Outrage Reigns; Tambuwal Expresses Shock; Democracy Murdered – PDP

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The Source

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July 16, 2021

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By Adesina Soyooye

Outrage has greeted the rejection, by the Senate, on Wednesday, of the Electronic Transmission of Votes in many quarters.

Like a good number of Nigerians, the Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, in a statement he personally signed, expressed shock at the rejection.

The main opposition Party, the PDP, said in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said that by the rejection, the APC has Murdered democracy.

Tambuwal, a former Speaker of the House of Assembly, described the rejection as unconstitutional.

Not a few Nigerians are outraged by the outcome. Many had looked forward to the Senate backing it. Doing so, would have meant, to a large extent, a free and fair election. It would have meant an elimination, to a large extent, of blatant rigging. It would have meant an improvement on Nigerians much maligned democratic process.

But the Senate disappointed.

With a vote of 52 against 28, and 28 absentees, it was thrown out.

They voted, mostly, across party lines, and across regional lines. Most Senators who rejected it were of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC. Most of them were, also, of the Northern extraction.

Not a few Nigerians say by the rejection, rigging of elections have been legally endorsed in Nigeria.

There was hope that the 9th Senate would turn things around, especially, when the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, used it in the Governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States. In Edo, in particular, it produced an unexpected result. The PDP won, clearly and cleanly.

Fears that the Senate was likely to disappoint began when a couple of Senators from the North began to complain about network problems in their States.

What surprised, however, was that even Senators from States where nobody could claim network problems voted against it.

At the House of Representatives, the debate was stopped and sitting adjourned to Thursday, when fighting broke out among the members.

The Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila quickly adjourned, and told them that both the Minister for Communications and Digital Economy, as well as INEC Chairman, Professor Mohammed Yakubu, would be present to address them.

Yet, not much hope is expected. The opinion is that it will also be defeated.

The Nays will carry the day.

Following is the full text of Tambuwal’s statement which he personally signed.

ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION OF VOTES: SENATE DECISION IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL

“The decision of the Senate to subject INECs constitutional power to conduct elections to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and National Assembly is patently unconstitutional.

“For the avoidance of doubt, S.78 of the Constitution provides that “The Registration of voters and the CONDUCT of elections shall be SUBJECT to the DIRECTION and SUPERVISION of Independent National Electoral Commission”. In Third Schedule, Part 1,F, S.15: INEC has power to ORGANISE, UNDERTAKE and SUPERVISE all elections. The Constitution further provides that INEC OPERATIONS SHALL NOT be subject to the direction OF ANYBODY or AUTHORITY.

“2. Unquestionably, the mode of election and transmission are critical parts of the CONDUCT, SUPERVISION, UNDERTAKING and ORGANISATION of elections in Nigeria. Of course the National Assembly has power to flesh out the legal framework but that has to be consistent with the Constitution.

“3. These constitutional powers have been solely and EXCLUSIVELY PRESCRIBED BY THE CONSTITUTION to INEC, and CANNOT BE SHARED WITH the NCC, or any other Authority, and certainly not a body unknown to the Constitution. The Senate decision to subject INECs constitutional power to conduct elections to NCC is consequently patently VOID, unconstitutional and unlawful.

“4. We had earlier counselled that that the mode of conducting elections and in particular the transmission of votes be left with INEC who would monitor developments and determine at every election the type of technology to be deployed to ensure free, fair and credible elections. INEC also has constitutional power backed by the Electoral Act to make rules and guidelines to ensure that every vote is counted and that every vote counts.

“5. If INEC determines that in any part of the country, electronic transmission is not possible, it would by regulations determine the appropriate thing to do.

“6. The decision of the House of Representatives to call on INEC to address the House and nation on its readiness by 2023 to deploy electronic transmission technology for our elections, seems to be a wise one, I therefore commend the Leadership and Hon Members of the House for this decision and further admonish them to remain on the path of patriotism and deepening of our democracy by engendering and strengthening free and fair electoral process

“7. In any case, I still believe that the best option is to leave this matter in the hands of INEC.

“8. We admonish INEC to be solely guided by the National interest and the desire of all Nigerians for a credible, free and fair elections in using its constitutional powers and in the deployment of error free technology.

The PDP, in its statement titled: Electronic Transmission: APC Senators in A Haste to Murder Our Democracy, said the Party was shocked.

Following is the PDP statement.

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and indeed majority of Nigerians are shocked over the decision of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Senate to undermine our electoral process by refusing to approve the demand by Nigerians across board for electronic transmission of election results without conditionalities.

“The action of the APC senators is an atrocious assault on the sensibilities of Nigerians, who looked up to the Senate for improvement in our electoral process in a manner that will engender free, fair and credible process.

“It is outrageous that the APC and its Senators, in their desperate bid to annex the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seek to route a statutorily independent commission to the approval of an individual masquerading in the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC); an agency under executive control in addition to an extra endorsement of the legislature, before conducting elections.

“This action of the APC senators is a direct affront, novel in its recklessness and a defilement of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which clearly conferred operational independence to INEC to conduct elections, free from interferences and regulations from any other agency of government.

“The decision of the APC Senators therefore amounts to a suspension of the 1999 constitution (as amended) which is a recipe for crisis that could derail our democracy and destabilize our nation.

“It is, to say the least, a preparation for mass rigging of elections across Nigeria by the APC, which must be firmly resisted.

“Our party, standing with Nigerians, however commends the PDP senators as well as other democratically minded senators in the chamber for their resilience in voting for unconditional electronic transmission of results, in line with the wishes and aspiration of Nigerians for free, fair, clean and credible election.

“The PDP however notes the efforts being made in the House of Representatives and urges lawmakers to return to the chamber tomorrow and save our nation from the machination of the APC as being pushed in the Senate.”

Following is how the Senators voted

A COMPILATION OF SENATORS VOTE FOR OR AGAINST ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION OF ELECTION RESULTS (A few names still missing)

Ovie Omo-Agege NO

Enyinnaya Abaribe YES

Orji Uzor Kali NO

Robert Ajayi Boroffice YES

Surajudeen Basiru NO

Adenugba Fadahunsi YES

Clifford Ordia YES

Matthew Urhoghide YES

Francis Alimikhena NO

Kola Balogun YES

Ezekiel Ayuba NO

Abubakar Kyari NO

Gyang Istifanus YES

Senator Gyagung Ladi NO

George Sekibo YES

Ali Ndume NO

Opeyemi Bamidele NO

Biodun Olujimi YES

Mpigi Barinada YES

Betty Apiafi YES

Gobir Abdullahi NO

Abdullahi Danbaba NO

Philip Aduda YES

Chukwuka Utazi YES

Mohammed Goje NO

Danbaba YES

Yusuf Yusuf NO

Isa Shuaibu Lau NO

Mohammed Goje NO

Bomai Ibrahim Mohammed NO

Francis Onyewuchi YES

Yau Sahabi NO

Uba Sani NO

Danjuma La’ah YES

Kabiru Gaya NO

Ishaku Elisha Abo NO

Baba Kaita NO

Adamu Aliero NO

Yahaya Abdullahi NO

Yakubu Oseni NO

Isa Jibrin NO

Smart Adeyemi NO

Ibrahim Oloriegbe NO

Oluremi Tinubu NO

Solomon Adeola NO

Tanko Al-Makura NO

Godiya Akwashiki NO

Abdullahi Adamu NO

Musa Mohammed Sani NO

Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi NO

Bima Enagi NO

Patrick Akinyelure YES

FINAL VOTE FIGURES ON ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION

AYES: 28

NAYS: 52

ABSENT: 28

ABSTAIN: 0

TOTAL VOTES: 80

TOTAL NO. OF REGISTERED SENATORS: 109
(as announced by Clerk of Senate and validated by Senate President, Ahmad Lawan)

OPINION: Lauretta Onochie As Metaphor

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The Source

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July 15, 2021

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By Azu Ishiekwene

The refusal of the Senate to confirm Lauretta Onochie, President Muhammadu Buhari’s nominee as National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is a triumph of public opinion. But the Senate has tried to disguise it otherwise.

In response to growing criticisms that the National Assembly has become Buhari’s rubber stamp, the Senate has framed the rejection as a violation of the Federal Character principle, and more important, as proof of its legislative independence.

The truth is nuanced.

It is correct to say that the nonsensical conundrum of where they were born versus where their partner comes from is just one of the many indignities that women – especially women in politics – have to deal with.

Recently, for example, when Justice Akon Ikpeme was nominated by the National Judicial Commission (NJC) as Judge of Cross River State, the matter, as far as politicians were concerned, was not her competence. Instead, they reminded us that though Ikpeme is married to a Cross Riverian, she is from Akwa Ibom State by birth. Her “crime”, they said, was her place of marriage.

The same controversy trailed Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala during President Goodluck Jonathan’s era, when she was nominated as Finance minister, before she was eventually confirmed.

In both cases, it took the combined and persistent efforts of all persons of goodwill to extricate the nominees from the web of needless controversy.

Onochie’s case is slightly different, of course. Her case is not just slightly different, it was complicated first by her toxic exuberance on social media, and also by the shambolic secretarial work of those who documented her nomination.

If they had done any shred of home work at all – except of course, if they set her up to fail – they ought to have seen that May Agbamuche-Mbu who currently occupies one of the two slots for the South South, was recommended as a candidate of Delta State, even though her husband is from Cross River.

What’s more pathetic?

The only vacancy for the South South that currently exists was occupied by Mustapha Lecky, from Edo – a fact which could only be hidden in plain sight by incompetent paperwork.

Onochie tried to wriggle out during her screening by claiming that Agbamuche-Mbu was nominated on the ticket of Cross River, but it was her word against that of a Committee determined to show that it still has some mojo left. She even said, with a straight face, that she had quit politics three years ago, giving the impression that her Principal had to use Google maps to find her current address. But the screening committee was not convinced.

Public opinion is perfectly entitled to ignore the Senate’s framing and to claim victory for Onochie’s rejection. But we must also be careful not to fall for the single-plot story. What lies beneath is not pretty.

The fact that the Government even thought of presenting Onochie at all is not just an indication of how bad the electoral system is, it is also an indication of how rotten it promises to get if the public is not looking. Onochie is proof of an electoral system badly in need of redemption from desperate politicians.

In spite of the best efforts of the current INEC leadership to provide free, fair and transparent elections, and to further reduce cases of court-decided elections, you don’t have to try to see danger lights flashing. Onochie is just a metaphor.

While we’re splitting hairs over the nominee, who is just one of the 12 national Electoral Commissioners, the States, with 37 resident Electoral Commissioners, promise nastier surprises.

Twenty-seven out of the 37 Resident Electoral Commissioners appointed by Buhari in 2017 would be due for replacement in August next year, about six months before the next general elections.

Assuming they are appointed at that time and there are no problems whatsoever with their nominations – an unlikely possibility – it would take something of a miracle for them to settle down quickly before elections start.

That means just on the eve of the general elections, a government that is on its way out will have the liberty of choosing, from its bucket list of Lauretta Onochies, umpires with nearly zero experience to manage the next elections.

We have seen from Lauretta Onochie that the appointment would hardly be on the basis of who is competent or who will serve the best interest of the country. It will not be about who would protect voter’s rights or defend the integrity of the system. The sole consideration would be availability and willingness to help the ruling party win elections, willy-nilly.

With less than six months to prepare, nominees who would assume office with a good heart tinged with partisanship and an empty pocket, would also have to contend with political pressures and temptations beyond their capacity. The consequences for the integrity of the elections are better imagined.

Whether this situation was unintended or it was the result of malicious negligence, it is part of the price that the country has to pay for the tardiness of Buhari’s early years when it took months for the government to make vital appointments – tardiness that was spotty at first, but which has since become systemic.

Lauretta Onochie is only a metaphor, a symptom of the disease. Have you stopped to ask what it is about the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), that is now drawing politicians to its fold in their numbers?

Have you wondered why a party that has no Board of Trustees, no governance structure, or anything remotely resembling a consistent system of rules and not even a single organised meeting in nearly two years, is turning out to be the biggest draw for politicians?

It’s simple.

One, as I said last week, is that it is the platform which the resurgent Congress for Progressives Change (CPC) wing of the party considers the most viable option to retain power; and two, which is linked to one, is that the APC is the party that controls the security services. The party in power not only gets to decide who it nominates to manage the electoral system, it also decides how security, which is vital to electoral success, is deployed.

Forget that when it was in opposition, the APC dragged the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to court over the use of soldiers in the governorship elections in Ekiti. That is past tense. Now APC is in power and those defecting to the party in droves understand that one sure way to secure their electoral fortunes is to align with the party in power, which guarantees that the security services will be at their disposal at the next poll.

All the noise by politicians that they’re defecting because of lack of internal democracy or that they are doing so to emulate the patriotic spirit of John Brown makes no sense. Don’t be fooled. The only thing that separates APC from PDP is who is in power. Everything else is the same difference, an elaborate plot on the road to a palace coup.

It would be interesting to see how the National Assembly treats what is perhaps the most consequential provision in the electoral amendment act – electronic transmission of votes from the wards.

My guess is that given what happened in Edo State where the electronic voting was deployed, with significant success, but to the displeasure of the ruling party at the centre, nationwide support for it would depend on how politicians fancy their chances in the poll.

The opposition party which is in a relatively weaker position will, of course, support it. But it is doubtful if the ruling party, which has the majority in the National Assembly, will see any merit in electronic transmission of results, when security services can be deployed to do the job with brutal efficiency.

Lauretta Onochie is a red herring, a distraction. She was presented to confuse the public and divert attention from the deeper, systemic problems threatening the integrity of the next general elections.

If attention does not shift quickly back to the main issues, we would have successfully written an electoral story doomed to fail from the start, while nitpicking over a semicolon called Lauretta Onochie.

If we can’t smell the coffee now, we probably never will.

Ishiekwene is the Editor-In-Chief of LEADERSHIP

Nigeria Airforce Boosts Fleet With Six Aircrafts

By

Ayodele Oni

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July 15, 2021

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By Ayodele Oni

An addition to the fleet of the Nigeria Airforce is being expected in the country by the end of the month.

The air wing of Nigeria armed forces will take delivery of six A-29 Super Tucano aircraft into its fleet as part of measures to boost its operations.

A statement on Thursday by spokesman of the force, Edward Gabkwet, an Air Commodore, disclosed that the aircrafts departed the United States of America on Wednesday, 14 July 2021 enroute Nigeria.

The statement added that the six aircrafts will be leapfrogged through five countries of Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Spain and Algeria before arriving their final destination in Nigeria towards the end of the month.

“An official induction ceremony of the aircraft into the inventory of the Nigerian Air Force is already being planned at a later date in August 2021 to be announced in due course.

“The Office of the Director of Public Relations and Information remains open to any inquiry regarding the arrival and induction of the aircraft.”

Nigerian Army Says No Boko Haram Fighter Released

By

Ayodele Oni

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July 15, 2021

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By Ayodele Oni

The Nigerian Army (NA) has categorically denied reports that it released 1009 ex-Boko Haram fighters in its custody to State Governments.

The denial of the story which made rounds Thursday morning, and put Nigerians on edge, came as the Army shed light on the category of suspected terrorists in custody, that are presently being released to State Governments for rehabilitation.

NA explained in a statement on Thursday that only those that were not implicated in insurgency and terrorism were being released to undergo further rehabilitation.

The statement, signed by Director, Army Public Relations, Onyema Nwachukwu, stated that:

“The Nigeria Army has been notified of a media publication alleging that the NA has handed over 1009 Ex-Boko Haram fighters to Borno State government.

“The report also alleged that the event was shrouded in secrecy. This report, is obviously one of those attempts to dampen troops’ morale and denegrate the NA, riding on the back of unsubstantiated report and misinformation.

“It is an indisputable fact that the ongoing Counter Terrorism Counter Insurgency Operations (CTCOIN) in the North East has led to the arrest of several terrorism/insurgency suspects.

“These suspects have been held in custody, while undergoing profiling and further investigations by experts from the Joint Investigation Centre (JIC) and those who are found culpable are usually handed over to prosecuting agencies accordingly, while those who are not implicated in terrorism and insurgency are cleared and released to the state government for rehabilitation before they are reintegrated into the society.

“These cleared suspects are therefore not ex Boko Haram fighters, as peddled in the said report and as the masterminds would want to impress on the public.

“A total of 1009 cleared suspects, not ex fighters, were therefore released after this rigorous process on Wednesday 14 July 2021.

“It is also necessary to categorically state that the handing over of the cleared suspects was not shrouded in secrecy as it was witnessed by United Nations Humanitarian and government agencies, in tandem with global best practice.

“The NA therefore urges the general public to discountenance this misinformation, as it is evidently a manipulation and distortion of the truth and reality of the event.”

Zamfara: Fallout Of Matawalle’s Defection: Assembly Summons Deputy Governor

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Ayodele Oni

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July 15, 2021

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By Ayodele Oni

The ongoing political melodrama unfolding in Zamfara State following the defection of Governor Matawalle to the ruling All Progressive Congress, (APC) may consume the Deputy Governor, Mahdi Aliyu Mohammed Gusau.

Despite support from his party, the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) and assurance that he is the face of PDP in the State, the Deputy Governor is currently facing attacks from various State organs.

There was an attempt by Governor Matawalle early in the week to use security agents to stop a rally he organized to garner support for the PDP.

And Wednesday, the State House of Assembly in its plenary, passed a resolution to invite the Deputy Governor to appear before the House on Tuesday 27th July 2021.

He is being summoned over a political rally he held last Saturday, amidst cases of banditry attacks on communities during the same period under review.

The resolution to invite Aliyu Gusau was reached following a motion raised by Yusuf Alhassan Kanoma, representing Maru North under matters of urgent public importance of the House.

Kanoma, condemned the timing of the rally, coming up barely less than 24 hours after massive reprisal attacks by bandits on Faru communities in Maradun local government area of the state.

A statement by the Director of Press in the Assembly, Mustapha Kaura, stated that Kanoma further opined that while the State was in a mourning mood over the killings of more than 56 innocent people, the State Deputy governor did not sympatthize with the victims.

Worst still, according to Kanoma, was the utterances of the Deputy Governor in the interview he granted to the press during the said rally where abusive words were said to have been made by the number two citizen of the state.

The lawmaker commended the state police command for ensuring law and order during the rally.

Other Lawmakers that contributed agreed that the Deputy Governor should be invited, with the House leader, Mr Faruk Dosara, advising that every action of the Assembly must be in conformity with the law.

He added that while inviting the Deputy Governor, similar invitation should be sent to the Commissioner of police Hussaini Rabi’u to also appear before the House to explain whether the Deputy Governor obtained permission from the Command or not, and to also explain to the House the role of Police authority during the rally.

The Speaker of the House, Mr Nasiru Magarya later announced that through voice vote by members, it was resolved that the Deputy Governor and the State Commissioner of Police should appear before the House on Tuesday 27th July.

Banking: Amazons’ Take-over

By

Bayo Bernard

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July 15, 2021

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By Bayo Bernard Business Editor

Within eight months, the Nigerian banking sector has witnessed the emergence of three seasoned women bankers as managing directors of top commercial banks in the country, a development top industry players insist, prove that women no longer want to play the second fiddle in the nation’s financial sector. The latest in the pack is the Guarantee Trust Bank Limited which has appointed Miriam Olusanya to steer the affairs of the new generation bank.

She joined Yemisi Edun who was, on Tuesday, appointed as managing director of the First City Monument Bank, FCMB by the board of the bank after acting in that role for six months. Edun replaced Adam Nuhu who has now retired from the tier two bank.

Earlier in December 2020, Fidelity Bank Plc appointed its first female CEO, Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe as replacement for Nnamdi Okonkwo who retired from the bank on December 31.

The new GT Bank managing director takes over from Segun Agbaje, who has now taken up the role of Chief Executive officer Guarantee Trust Holding Company, GTHC under the new structure approved by the industry regulators such as the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN Nigerian Exchange, NGX and the Security and Exchange Commission.

Her appointment has therefore put an end to initial rumours that the board of the bank were divided on who should replace Agbaje as the chief executive of the bank, as other top executive directors were also said to have position themselves for the top job.

The parent company also appointed Ibrahim Hassan as chairman of the Board, Jide Okuntola as Deputy Managing Director, Haruna Musa as Executive Director, Olabode Agusto as Independent Non-Executive Director, Imoni Akpofure and Victoria Adefala as Independent Non-Executive Directors.

A seasoned bank, Olusanya is coming to the top post with over 16 years of experience. She joined GTBank in October 2004 as a Treasurer and has risen through the ranks, holding strategic leadership positions. Prior to her recent appointment, she was the Group Treasurer and Head of Wholesale Banking. Olusanya also serves on the Board of Guaranty Trust Bank (Gambia) Limited as a non-executive director.

She is also an alumna of the prestigious University of Ibadan and University of Liverpool, where she obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy and an MBA in Finance and Accounting respectively.

The three amazons, according to industry watchers have what it takes to lead the new generation banks, based on their solid experience in the banking and financial sector as a whole.

“The women are gradually taking over the sector” said Akin Davids, a financial expert. “This is not surprising considering that women have been known to excel in the financial sector of the economy and beyond. For instance, two Nigerian women expartriates, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Dr Oby Ezekwesili have served with the World Bank and they gave their best.

‘Therefore, it would not be surprising to see the emergence of more women CEO in the banking sector as men chief executives are winding down their career after more than three decades of holding sway in the nation’s new generation banks,” he said.

Meanwhile, the managing director of Unity Bank Plc Tomi Somefun who was appointed in March 2015, according to checks is expected to retire soon from the tier two bank after 35 years of excellent career in the sector.

Onochie’s Rejection: CNPP Warns Against Her Forceful Appointment in Acting Capacity

By

Adesina Soyooye

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July 15, 2021

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By Adesina Soyooye

The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, CNPP, has warned against the appointment of Lauretta Onochie, through the back door, as a National Commissioner on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC in an Acting position. It warned against repetition of the template of the former Ag. Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, who was rejected by the Senate, but stubbornly kept in office in an Acting capacity by President Muhammadu Buhari until he was removed, unceremoniously, from office.

Buhari had, shockingly, nominated Onochie, an Aide of his, as an INEC National Commissioner. But the nomination was met with outrage from not a few quarters. The Senate was asked to reject her if Buhari refused to withdraw her name. Eight months after the nomination, Onochie was screened and rejected by the Senate which, obviously, caved in under the unprecedented pressure on it.

Following her rejection the CNPP has commended the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria “for listening to the voice of reason and flowing with public opinion rather than maintaining its traditional rubber stamp disposition to all executive requests at the detriment of the overall national interest.”

The CNPP Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu, in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday said “it pays for all elected public officers to listen to the people from whom they derive their powers and are holding offices in trust for their well-being, with a view to improving on the rapidly eroding public confidence in our political office holders.”
The CNPP added that “while we commend the Senators for not allowing the controversial nomination Onochie to sail through, we warn of a repeat of the Ibrahim Magu template where the executive unilaterally imposed him on the country in perpetual Acting Capacity as Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against the wish of the people.

“We all know how Magu’s tenure as EFCC’s Acting Chairman ended, proving that corruption allegation against him by the Department of State Services (DSS) leading to his rejection by the 8th Senate was correct.
“And, just as a once corrupt person will always be corrupt, a partisan player like Lauretta Onochie would have remained partisan even as INEC commissioner.

“It will be disastrous for our already struggling democracy if the executive is allowed to appoint a fanatically partisan character like Lauretta Onochie through the backdoor, using the Magu template.

“The CNPP hereby advises the Presidency to shelve all overbearing attitude it has continued to subtly exhibit on the federal lawmakers in the remaining less than two years of the tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari.

“All Federal Lawmakers, Mr. President, and Presidential Aides should focus more on life after office rather than generating controversies through an unending opposition to the welfare of the citizens manifesting in numerous ill-conceived policies and executive bills meant to gag the people and the media”, the CNPP stated.

Okorocha Has Left The APC – Uzodinma

By

Adesina Soyooye

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July 15, 2021

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By Adesina Soyooye

The former Governor of Imo State and, now, the Senator representing Imo West in the Senate, Rochas Okorocha, has since left the All Progressives Congress, APC.

This was revealed by the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma. Speaking through his Media Adviser/Chief Press Secretary Oguwike Nwachuku, in a statement, the Governor said Okorocha would never want to be in the same party with him because he, Okorocha, abhors team work.

Proofs: The Governor pointed out that on a visit to a South-south Governor a couple of months ago, Okorocha had said he was part of a new political group being put together. He, also, pointed out that Okorocha has refused to revalidate his membership of the party, as directed by the National leadership of the party because he had since moved on without the knowledge of most of his aides.

Okorocha, the Governor said, lost interest in the APC, the minute he was unsuccessful in imposing his political son, Uche Nwosu, as the Governor of Imo State – succeeding him, Okorocha.

Uzodinma’s reaction came on the heels of the allegation by Okorocha, through his Special Adviser on Media, Sam Onwuemeodo, that Uzodinma was trying to blackmail him out of the APC. But in response, Uzodinma said by making this allegation, and touting blackmail, the former Governor only reconfirmed that he had since left the APC.

Following is the full text of the Governor’s statement.

“Going by a statement by his media aide on Tuesday, former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha has simply reconfirmed his intention to call it quits with the All Progressive Congress (APC).

“Sam Onwuemeodo, Okorocha’s aide had insinuated in his statement that Governor Hope Uzodimma was blackmailing Okorocha out of the APC.

“He also alleged that Governor Uzodimma only became a member of the APC when he emerged governor.

“Truth is that Okorocha had long left the APC without some of his aides like Onwuemeodo knowing.

“Few months ago when Okorocha was invited by one of the Governors in the South South to commission a project, the Senator representing Orlu zone on the platform of the APC told his audience he was part of a camp of political likeminds midwifing a party.

“Former Governor Okorocha loathes team work and still carries on with the mentality of Lord of the Manor not ready to humble himself in the face of changing times.

:For a man with history of junketing from one political party to another, discerning minds know that Okorocha’s days in APC were numbered the moment he was not able to foist his political son, Uche Nwosu, on the hapless Imo people in a bid to sustain his political hegemonic hallucination.

“If there is any politician in Imo APC who does not want Governor Uzodimma to be in the same party with him that politician is Okorocha, and he has not hidden such disdain for the sitting governor.

“Governor Uzodimma is a slave to team work, due process, respect for rule of law and a respected party man any time any day. These qualities are completely lacking in Okorocha and he can do anything to subvert the system.

“For example, how can one who claims to be a founding member of the APC refuse to revalidate his membership the way all others across the country had done? How can he disregard the decision of the National Secretariat of the party he claims to be a founding member as regards headship of the Imo APC?

“Are the above the mind set of one who still wants to be part of the efforts to build a strong and virile APC, whether in Imo or the country at large?

“If anything, Okorocha has succeeded in blackmailing himself out of the APC only to look for where to point fingers.

“Governor Uzodimma has always said he does not have any problems with Okorocha and he means every bit of that.

“He has said repeatedly it is his desire to work with the Senator in the interest of Imo people, but the problem is that Okorocha is not wired to work in the interest of Imo people and anything that would make him do so would be sternly resisted by him and that is where the problem lies.

“Whether Okorocha leaves APC for the PDP as his aide insinuates or another political camp for that matter, the truth is that he will still find fault in the arrangement when he is not having his way.”

The two political parties are of the same party, the APC, but their relationship soured when Uzodinma denied Okorocha’s son-in-law, Uche Nwosu, the opportunity of picking the Governorship ticket of the APC. Nwosu was forced to contest under a stand-by political party, the Alliance Agenda, allegedly founded and funded by Okorocha.

Nwosu lost the election to the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, The Rt.Honourable Emeka Ihedioha. Seven months into office, the Supreme Court removed Ihedioha from office, and declared Uzodinma the rightful elected Governor.

Before he was removed from office, following several complaints, Ihedioha had set up a couple of Judicial Commissions and Panels to look into alleged looting of the State, illegal acquisition of properties and lands, as well as Contract scams.

Being of the same party, Okorocha put a lot of pressure on Uzodinma to disband the Commissions and Panels. The refusal of Uzodinma to do so, and his determination to recover, for the State and the people, everything that was, illegally, taken away from them, did not go down well with Okorocha. it badly worsened their relationship.

Since then, nothing has been the same between them, especially, as Okorocha does not recognise the Leadership of the party in the State. He is insisting on the Leadership he installed just before he left office. That wish is not likely to see the light of the day.

Finally, Kanu Talks Of His Ordeal In Kenya; Interviewed By DSS Before Special Counsel

By

The Source

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July 15, 2021

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By Charles Igbo

For the first time since he was brought back to Nigeria, and kept in the custody of the Directorate of Special Services, DSS, two things happened to Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, IPOB.

His Special Counsel, Alloy Ejimakor, visited with him for about three hours. And for the first time, he was interviewed (interrogated) by the DSS, since he was kept in the custody of the Secret Police.

The interrogation, by three DSS officers, which took place before Ejimakor, was not harsh, but revealing. There were new allegations against him which he had never heard before. But they bordered, mainly, on his activities as IPOB leader.

Ejimakor said Kanu was in high spirits, and was looking forward to dealing with, and overcoming his forced trip to Nigeria. This observation might surprise many people, given the story of his ordeal in Kenya.

Snippets of the ordeal which he passed through in Kenya, before he was brought back to Nigeria are gradually unfolding.

For instance, it has been confirmed that Kanu was brought back to Nigeria on a private jet on Sunday, 27th June, 2021. And even though he was blind-folded and driven to the foot of the jet to board, he knew he did not pass through any Security checks or immigration protocols. He was, also, the only passenger on board the jet, which took off from the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, at about 12.00noon, and arrived Abuja in the evening, into the waiting arms of an array of Security men.

On arrest in Kenya, he was taken to no jail. But where he was kept was a jail on its own. Kanu disclosed that he was kept in a nondescript private facility in Nairobi, and chained to a bare floor.

For the eight days he was detained in Kenya, he said he was held incommunicado, and that those who arrested him had a different impression of him.

For instance, he disclosed that his abductors, who he alleges were harsh and cruel to him, said they did so at the behest of the Nigerian Government, which is not surprising since a Nigerian Court had issued a warrant of arrest against him, and the Interpol had been notified.

They, also said to him that they were told he was a Nigerian, linked to Islamic terrorists in Kenya.

Recall that in Kenya, the terrorist group which holds sway is the Al-Shabab.

According to the account, there was no warrant of arrest. If there was, none was shown to Kanu, and he was not taken to any Court in Kenya.

However, the harsh treatment given to him by those who arrested him was relaxed a little, he disclosed, when they confirmed his true identity.

The confirmation did not, in anyway, translate to releasing him, as they felt obliged to hand him over to the Nigerian authorities.

On what he expects Ejimakor said that in his “assessment of how the case now stands, I wager that before any Court can subject Kanu to trial for any offenses, it has to first conduct a trial within a trial on the grievous incident that forced him to leave Nigeria and the equally grievous incident that forced him back to Nigeria. No court of law, conscience and equity will overlook those two supervening incidents and proceed to trial.”

Kanu was facing trial in Nigeria at a Federal High Court before the Hon. Justice Binta Nyako for, among others, allegations bordering on treasonable felony. He, however, was forced to jump bail when Federal troops invaded his father’s Palace at Afara-ukwu, Umuahia, where he was. From that 2017, he was not seen in public, until he surfaced at a Synagogue in Israel in 2019.

He then went back to Britain, which citizen he is, from where he was pursuing, vigorously, an independent Republic of Biafra to be made up of Igbo speaking people.

In the struggle, IPOB cites injustice, inequality and marginalisation of the South-east as its driving motive to secede from Nigeria.

On Monday, 28th June, 2021, not a few Nigerians were suprised when Abubakar Salami, SAN, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, announced that Kanu was ‘intercepted’ and brought back to Nigeria. It was a well- guarded operation as, for the eight days he was detained in Kenya, his arrest did not leak.

Not a few people think President Muhammadu Buhari shelved his scheduled visit, on medical grounds, to the United Kingdom, once he was briefed of Kanu’s ‘interception’.

IPOB insists he was kidnapped, and holds the Kenyan Government responsible for it. It has since asked its members to boycott Kenya Airlines and Kenyan products.

Kanu’s case before Justice Nyako comes up again on July 26, 2021. He appeared before the Court on June 28, a day after he was brought back to Nigeria.

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