Chairman, South-west Governors Forum, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, has told critics of some of the outcome of last week’s meeting of Southern Governors Forum, to seek redress in Court.
Mr Akeredolu, who is Ondo State Governor, in a statement he personally signed on Thursday, insisted that there was no going back on the ban of open grazing in the zone.
According to him, the decision to ban open grazing stays and it will be enforced with vigour.
Governor Akeredolu, SAN, apparently reacting to position of some officials of the Federal Government, stated that “I have just read the press statement credited to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Shehu Malami, SAN, on the resolution of the Southern Governors Forum to ban open grazing in their respective States.
“The AGF is quoted to have said that this reasoned decision, among others, is akin to banning all spare parts dealers in the Northern parts of the country, and is unconstitutional.
“It is most unfortunate that the AGF is unable to distill issues as expected of a Senior Advocate. Nothing can be more disconcerting.
“This outburst should, ordinarily, not elicit response from reasonable people who know the distinction between a legitimate business that is not in anyway injurious and a certain predilection for anarchy.
“Clinging to an anachronistic model of animal husbandry, which is evidently injurious to harmonious relationship between the herders and the farmers, as well as the local populace, is wicked and arrogant.
“Comparing this anachronism, which has led to loss of lives, farmlands and property, and engendered untold hardship on the host communities, with buying and selling of auto parts is not only strange. It, annoyingly, betrays a terrible mindset.
“Mr Malami is advised to approach the court to challenge the legality of the Laws of the respective States baning open grazing and decision of the Southern Governor Forum taken in the interest of their people. We shall be most willing to meet him in Court.
“The decision to ban open grazing stays. It will be enforced with vigour.”
Cross River State’s political firmament, Thursday, witnessed a significant shift as Governor Ben Ayade announced his defection to the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The Governor’s defection is the climax of his running battle with stakeholders in the State chapter of the Peoples Democtratic Party, PDP, a party on which platform he won election as Senator in 2011 and Governor in 2015 and 2019.
He, however, lost the Party’s structures to members of the National Assembly from the State in 2020, after Ward and Local Government Congresses.
Ayade defected despite entreaties from PDP National Leadership of the party and its Governors.
In March, he told Governor Bala Muhammed of Bauchi state who was on troubleshooting to Calabar that he was sitting on the fence, and that any further injustice from the PDP, he would move.
In April, the PDP despatched Governors Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, and Ifeanyi Ugwuayi of Enugu to Calabar to persuade him not to leave, assuring that the PDP structure would be returned to him.
The sudden arrival of six APC Governors Wednesday to Calabar- Kayode Fayemi, Hope Uzodinma, Mala Mai Buni, Simon Lalong, Muhammed, Badaru Abubarkar and Atiku Bagudu- changed the calculations.
Flanked by the APC Governors at the Executive Council Chambers of the Governor’s office, Calabar, Professor Ayade said he was moving to the APC to key into the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari for Nigeria.
“We all need to, as a team, work ahead of the present by working towards building a prosperous country. Having seen and known the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and his commitment to this country, his nationalistic disposition, and all the efforts he has made to bring Nigeria to where we are today, it is obvious that at this point, we need to join hands with him to build a Nigeria that we can be proud of”, he said.
He stated that his defection also stemmed from the need to bring Cross River to the centre.
Shortly after his defection, Governor Buni, who is the Interim National Chairman of APC declared the Cross River State governor Leader of the party in the state.
Buni: “I am here, on behalf of the APC family, to welcome His Excellency the Executive Governor of Cross River State formally to the APC. As from today he is the leader of the party in the state.”
There are feelers that some Commissioners and political appointees in the Ayade Government whose allegiance is to the National Assembly members will, in the coming days resign their appointments.
Many of them wore long faces as the Governor announced his defection.
But Ayade had, while expressing his frustrations before Gov. Bala Mohammed, said if he moved, it would be with all the Members of his Executive Council, the State House of Assembly, Chairmen and Councillors of Local Government Areas.
However, impeccable sources told The Source that the Governor was set to dissolve his Cabinet to reflect the new political realities in the state.
Reacting to Ayade’s defection, a PDP chieftain in the State told The Source that nobody should blame the Governor. He attributed his defection to what he called the suffocating stranglehold on the PDP by a South-south Governor. He said unless the Party Leadership calls him to order, a couple of more Governors could leave the party.
“I hope this teaches the PDP a lesson. One man wants to be in control of his State, and those of other Governors. It is not done. He is not the only one funding the party. The PDP should watch out for Bauchi and Zamfara State, Zamfara in particular.”
By Ayade’s defection, the APC now has a footing in all the Zones of the Federation.
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami says that Southern Governors have no right to ban open grazing in the Southern region of the country.
Malami also condemned the resolution of the Southern Governors forum for calling for the restructuring of the country.
Speaking on Channels TV, Malami argued that the Governors’ ban on open grazing infringes on the freedom of Nigerians enshrined in the Constitution.
Malami stressed that the controversies surrounding open grazing are a constitutional matter that amending the constitution will address.
“It is about constitutionality within the context of the freedom of expression enshrined in our constitution. Can you deny the rights of a Nigerian?
“It is as good as saying the northern governors come together to say that they forbid spare part trading in the North,” explained the minister. Does it hold water? If you’re talking of a constitutionally guaranteed right, the better approach to it is to go back to ensure that the constitution is amended.”
He however advised the 17 Southern Governors to approach the National Assembly for the needed backing to effect the ban on open grazing.
The Southern Governors had last week imposed a ban on open grazing in their states following the failure of President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime to find a lasting solution to killers herdsmen ravaging farms, kidnapping and killing farmers and other residents.
In a four-hour meeting in Asaba, Delta State Capital, last week in a 12-point communique, the southern governors unanimously agreed to ban open grazing.
The Governors said the influx of armed herders, criminals, and bandits into the South presented a severe security challenge in the region.
Cross River State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade, has finally dumped the People’s Democratic Party, PDP.
A two-time Governor, Ayade dumped the Party, Thursday morning, and declared for the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress. APC.
He did after about six APC Governors, led by the Interim National Chairman of the Party, Governor Mai Bunu of Yobe State, visited him in Calabar, and persuaded him to join them.
Last week, a delegation of the PDP, including Governors, had stormed Calabar to dissuade him from dumping the party. It did not work.
Ayade, a long time admirer of President Muhammadu Buhari, has been threatening to dump the PDP.
With this, he has again given the APC a footing in the South -south, which the party lost when the PDP won Edo State
Forget it, the federal government has told the Delta state government in its bid to recover the £4.2 million seized from James Ibori, a former governor of the oil bearing state, by the United Kingdom. The looted funds was, on Tuesday, returned to the Nigerian Government by the British government which has also agreed to repatriate tens of millions stolen under the Ibori administration back to Nigeria.
The development comes amidst disclosure, on Wednesday, by the Attorney General of the Federation and and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami that Nigeria has recovered and ensured the return of more than $700 million stolen funds within the last 4 years.
The AGF who spoke in Abuja, at the International Conference on IFFs and Asset Recovery organised by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC also noted that Nigeria and other countries in Africa lose over $148 billion to corruption annually.
The former governor who ruled the state between 1999 and 2007 was convicted by the United Kingdom government for looting several millions of British Pounds, belonging to the state, much of which were starched in shell accounts across the world.
The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, had in March this year, disclosed that over £100 million (N527 billion) allegedly stolen by the former Delta strongman and his cronies is still being expected, insisting that the funds will not be sent back to the state when recovered because the crime that led to the diversion of the funds was a federal offence.
He said, “As it is we have succeeded in recovering £4.2m from the UK. We are still pursuing other assets even as it relates to the Ibori assets.
“The quantum of the amount involved was within the region of over £100m (N2.2bn) and it is out of it that we have succeeded in recovering a fraction of £4.2m and we are still pursuing an additional sum within the region of £100m (N527bn) and that will be a function of conviction and subsequent recovery process.”
The returned fund marked the end of several months of bickering between the state and the federal government on whether the stolen funds should be sent back to the state. But Malami, has ruled out that possibility, insisting that the funds will be used to fund critical infrastructure such as the Second Niger Bridge, Lagos Ibadan Expressway among others.
Malami spokesman Umar Gwandu, said in a statement on Tuesday that “The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, signed Memorandum of Understanding for the repatriation of the Ibori loot on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“The development, according to Malami, was a demonstration of the recognition of reputation Nigeria earns through records of management of recovered stolen Nigerian stolen in the execution of public oriented projects,” said Umar Gwandu in a statement.
Malami: Looted Fund Will Not be Returned to Delta state
The AGF later said that the looted fund has been received from the United Kingdom, saying that the “naira equivalent value” of the total £4,214,017.66 “has been credited into the designated Federal Government account” since May 10.
But speaking on a television programme on Wednesday, the nation’s chief law officer said that the agreement to channel the funds towards critical social infrastructure has been sealed and signed with the United Kingdom. He noted that efforts by the Delta state government to recover the funds cannot overturn the decision of the federal government on the issue.
He said Nigeria owes the repatriated fund to the magnanimity of the UK government, noting that the reputation of the Buhari’s administration as a transparent government also made the recovery to be possible.
“If monies were not looted down to the UK, the UK could not have a say as to what we do.“There is no legal action that can bring the UK back to renegotiation. As far as this agreement is concerned, it is signed, sealed and delivered.
“While some other countries were finding it very difficult repatriating monies, Nigeria has been having it so good arising from the reputation of the present government,” the AGF said.
On March 9, the federal government and UK government signed an agreement for the return of the money, which is about N2.4 billion at the current Naira exchange rate.
The agreement was signed under the auspices of the U.K.-Nigeria Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, which came into force in 2016.
Archbishop of Owerri Ecclesiastical Province and Bishop of Okigwe South, Most Rev David Onuoha, has berated the National Assembly for lack of political will to fulfill its constitutional role of law making.
Delivering his Presidential Address/Charge with the theme ” Feed My Lambs and Tend my Sheep, The Test of true love for the Master” (John21:215-17)at the First Session of the Tenth Synod of the Diocese held at St. John’s Church, Umunumo, Ehime Mbano Local Council of Imo State, the Archbishop
challenged both arms of the National Assembly to ensure the survival of democracy in the country.
He said they have the responsibility to appropriate and carry out effective, oversight functions of other arms of government but regretted that the Assembly has failed in these responsibilities. The Archbishop noted that they have not been able to activate the constitutional provision to save the nation from imminent precipice in very challenging times like these in the history of the nation.
Archbishop Onuoha who accused the National Assembly of guiding and protecting the Executive arm of Government in its avowed breach of the federal character principle in appointments, failure to do the needful regarding the nagging issue of open grazing and the herders conflict with farmers, banditry, kidnapping, unknown gunmen as well as seeking to preserve their political career and interest above those of the nation state.
He urged that every legitimate means should be employed at this challenging times to remove whoever that was threatening the cooperate existence of the nation to guarantee peace and the safety of the citizenry.
The Archdeacon in apparent anger rated the National Assembly low and urged those who through their actions and inaction, statements or silence, as well as conduct or misconduct were beating the drums of war very high to retrace their steps , stressing all should pursue all that make for peace.
The number one Anglican in Imo State expressed worry at the unfortunate security challenge in Imo State and the onslaught in Igboland and called for an unbiased assessment to ensure that what is happening was not a well articulated script to overrun Igbo land.
The guest lecturer and Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike in his paper titled “Service to the people as a hallmark to Governance: Rivers State Experience”, explained that governance was an inherent good but only effective governance that guarantee every society that opportunity of achieving the collective aspirations of the people and the goodness in governance.
Governor Wike who was represented by the Deputy Governor Dr. . Mrs. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, Deputy Governor, noted that only good, visionary effective and transformational leaders can guarantee democracy, rule of law, progress of the society and enhance the wellbeing of the ordinary people..Special host of the Synod and an indigene of St John’s Church, Sir Chidiebere Okoroafor said the success of the Synod was overwhelming for which the Church will ever remain grateful to God. Sir Okoroafor said he was particularly thankful to God that inspite of the security threat by unknown gunmen in State their guests were able to pass across their widow’s mite despite the fact that the insecurity challenges in the State.
But for his defeat at the Polls, Abidemi Rufai, the disgraced Senior Special Assistant to Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, would have shamed Nigeria more than he already did.
Rufai was arrested while at the JFK International Airport en route Nigeria, over wire fraud charges running into hundreds of thousands of Dollars he, allegedly, committed in the United States of America. He was detained, and has reportedly appeared in court.
His lawyer is pleading for bail, saying he presented no flight risks as his travel documents have been seized.
If Rufai had realised his ambition in 2019, Nigeria would have been thrown into unprecedented shame. His ambition was to be a Member of the House of Representatives to represent the Ijebu-north/Ijebu-east/ Ogun Waterside Federal Constituency under the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC. But he was defeated by the PDP candidate, Adekoya Adesegun.
Governor Dapo-Abiodu
Said a prominent Ogun State politician, “You can imagine the shame on Nigeria if this guy was a Federal House Member.”
Before Rufai’s arrest, he lived large, and was well-respected in the State and his Community. No wonder, Governor Abiodun, appointed him as one of his SSAs, to compensate him for losing the House seat, and for his contribution to the success of the party in the 2019 General Elections.
He was also a High Chief – Ogbeni Oja Gbogbo Egbe Bobamaiyegun Okunrin Akile Ijebu- a title he revered. In his New Year message to his people on January, 2, he wrote:
“As we step into another year, I’d like to thank everyone for your support. Thank you for your encouragement to move forward. I appreciate everyone who congratulated me as the new Ogbeni Oja Gbogbo Egbe Bobamaiyegun Okunrin Akile Ijebu.
“It is a great honour to be called for the people. I wish you a beautiful and prosperous New Year ahead.”
Now, in one fell swoop, he has been stripped of all dignity. It is not known if the Chieftaincy title will be withdrawn from him by his people, but a thoroughly embarrassed Governor Abiodun has suspended him from office.
Not a few people think the suspension is like a slap on the wrist. They are asking for more.
An APC Chieftain told this magazine: ” Abiodun should have sacked him. Why is he suspending him? For how long will the suspension last? The man disgraced the State and his Government. Instead of sacking him, you are suspending him. Why?”
Rufai’s shame started when he was nabbed in the United states by the Federal Bureau of Investigations, FBI, on multiple charges bordering on wire fraud.
He was arrested at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport by Federal agents as he was about to leave the country.
Until his arrest, Rufai was a Senior Special assistant to the Governor of Ogun State and a Human Resource expert.
Rufai has already been charged to court in US, on suspicion of swindling the Washington state of $650 million, which included $350 million unemployment fund from the Washington State Employment Security Department during the COVID-19 pandemic last year.
“This is the first, but will not be the last significant arrest in our ongoing investigation of ESD fraud,” said Tessa Gorman, acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Washington, in a statement Monday, as reported by the Seattle Times, an American local tabloid.
Rufai, who is a graduate of English of the Lagos state University, where he also did his Masters in Public Administrations, was arrested one year after the US authorities suspended unemployment benefit payments because criminals had used Social Security numbers and other social security information to file false claims and swindle the Government. They traced the fraud to Nigeria, to a group codenamed Scattered canary.
Using the moniker Sandy Tang, spread his tentacles to many areas- Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Kunle Somorin, who confirmed the incident and subsequent suspension of Rufai, told BBC that the law should take its course and that Rufai should answer the charges against him.
Rufai used different e-mail addresses to file for unemployment benefit paid to his online accounts like “green dot” accounts or wired to banks through complex control system. Over $288,000 was traced to accounts personally controlled by him. In Nigeria, he lives in style, driving exotic cars.
His overall net worth has not yet been estimated.
Rufai, 42, has his alleged schemes “extended well beyond unemployment fraud, according to the complaint. Investigators found “substantial evidence” in Rufai’s G-mail account “that the user was actively engaged in stealing and retaining the personal identifying information of American citizens,” the complaint alleges”, according to the Seattle Times.
Operatives of the Uyo Zonal Office of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have swooped on alleged internet fraudsters in Calabar, making a big haul into their dragnet.
Numbering 20, the arrested Internet fraudsters, also called Yahoo boys in local parlance, include Emmanuel Eneji, 23, who claimed to be a Movie Producer.
The suspects were picked up in a dawn raid by the EFCC Operatives at different areas of the Cross River State capital including Ekorimim, Efio Ette junction, Parliamentary by Car Park and Zone 6 axis by Monty Suites Hotel.
The suspects arrested at the highbrow Ekorimim area were said to have moved into an, almost, one million Naira per year apartment a few months ago to the consternation of neighbours who wondered how young boys in their early 20s were able to raise such money to pay the rent.
The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has asked Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, to as a matter of urgency, unconditionally recall sacked workers of the Kaduna Public service, calling their sack worrisome.
The request by the PDP comes on the heels of the threat by Oil Workers under NUPENG to go on strike Nationwide, and thus, ground the Country over the Kaduna NLC crisis.
If NUPENG carries out its threat, the effect on the economy which is already weak will worsen.
Since 2016, El Rufai has sacked not less than 70,000 workers. His State has, also been under attack by kidnappers and bandits, and the lives of the kidnapped students of Greenfield University hang in the balance over his hard stand.
In a release signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, the main opposition party said that it is worrisome that the State Government dismissed the Workers “without recourse to laid down due disengagement proccess and benefits as prescribed by extant labor laws.”
During a warning strike by the Nigerian Labour Congress, thugs were unleashed on the demonstrators, and the NLC leader, Ayuba Nwaba, was declared wanted by the Governor. He later announced the sack of nurses in the State and Civil Servants below management level. This group participated in the strike.
The Governor, also, also sacked the Kano State University Lecturers.
The Governor also called the NLC Executive members, Bandits, and said they plan to destroy the economy of the State.
But, shocked, the release said “The PDP further upbraids Governor el-Rufai for overstepping the law in declaring the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) Ayuba Wabba wanted as well as ordering the sack of health workers and lecturers for joining in peaceful solidarity procession with the sacked workers.
:Our party insists that the right of citizens to peaceful protest is fully guaranteed in the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and charges Governor el-Rufai to douse the tensed situation by coming down from his high horse, rescind his position and listen to the people.
“Governor el-Rufai must understand that we are in a democratic Nation, governed by law; where sovereignty belongs to the people, and not a dictatorial regime as being witnessed in the attitude of the Kaduna state government towards workers.
“It is even more worrisome that some of those involved in this anti-people disposition are seen as aspiring to hold the position of President, Federal Republic of Nigeria
“Our party insists that the workers in Kaduna are citizens of Nigeria and we demand that their wellbeing and rights under the law must be respected.
“Moreover, the unleashing of thugs to attack the Kaduna workers during their peaceful protest now leaves no one in doubt regarding the connection between APC leaders and the thugs that attacked our youths in the #EndSARS protests as well as the thugs unbridled to attack innocent Nigerians during the 2015 and 2019 general elections.
“Furthermore, the silence by the APC, as a party, to the situation in Kaduna, betrays its support for the suppressive measures of the Kaduna State Government as well as the unleashing of thugs to attack the workers.
“Our party, however, urges the NLC and the workers to remain calm and law abiding in the pursuit of their demands despite the provocation by the Kaduna state government, while efforts are being made to find solution to the matter”, it concluded.
Many concerned Nigerians and institutions, including the APC Governors Forum, have asked the Governor to sue for peace and get down to a round table with the striking Workers.
The Presidency has, also, reportedly waded into the crisis.
But, sounding tough, Wabba has dared the Governor to arrest him, triggering fears of a possible Nationwide strike by the NLC.
President Muhhamdu Buhari has made a fresh request for $6.1 billion loan from the National Assembly for the funding of the 2021 Budget, barely a month after he got approval for $1.5 billion loan, which the federal government said was needed to fund the shortfall in last year’s budget, as well as finance critical infrastructure in the country.
The development has raised serious concern from the critics of the government who said the loan could become a problem for the government to pay back, considering the country’s current financial state.
According to the letter read by Senate President Ahmad Lawan at the Senate sitting on Monday, the president said the loan will be used to fund part of the N5.6 trillion deficit in the 2021 Budget.
What this means is that the President has effectively increased the nation’s debt stock, which the Debt Management Office, DMO put at over N30 trillion at the end of 2020, by close to $8 billion within a year.
The government has yet to give details of where the loan is expected to come from , but the magazine learnt that it’s likely to be sourced from development partners such as African Development Bank, AfDB, IMF, World Bank and China, which recently has become one of the nation’s biggest creditors.
The worry, however, is that Nigeria foreign loan has skyrocketed since the advent of the Buhari administration, critics say, adding that the loan could become unsustainable in the face of year-on-year fall in crude oil receipt due to global economic downturn.
In spite of this, the Minister of Finance Zainab Ahmed said earlier in the year, that the federal government needed the loans to fund critical infrastructure, adding that more debt will be incurred whenever there is need for it.
This, is contrary to IMF, World Bank position that loan request by the Buhari administration has become alarming.
The Financial Counsellor/Director, Monetary and Capital Markets Department, IMF, Tobias Adrian, said two years ago that “Nigeria has been borrowing in international markets but we worry. So, on the one hand, that is very good because it allows Nigeria to invest more; but on the other hand, we do worry about rollover risks going forward.
“At the moment, funding conditions in economies such as Nigeria and other sub-Saharan African countries are very favourable but that might change at some point. And there is a risk of rollovers and there is the risk of whether these needs for refinancing can be met in the future.”
The nation’s total debt profile as of December 31, 2018, stood at N24.387 trillion. The figure swelled by 12.25 per cent from N21.725trillion in 2017 to N24.39trillion in 2018.
The figure, the DMO said has risen to over N30 trillion by December 2020, more than 20 per cent increase within two years.
Last month, the National Assembly approved for the president a $1.5 billion he requested since May last year which the administration said would enable it finance the 2020 budget deficit, fund ‘critical projects’, and support some states of the federation.
The federal government said ”the loans will be used to execute priority projects and support state governments in stimulating their economy, adversely hit by the COVID-19 pandemic”.
The breakdown of the loan, according to the ministry of Finance include $750 million from the World Bank for States, Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability, SFTAS programme to provide fiscal support to states.
It also include World Bank’s $750 million for the COVID-19 Action Recovery and economic stimulus programme to support state level efforts to protect livelihoods, ensure food security and stimulate economic activity, N-CARES, apart from the €671 million, €324 million and €995 million from the Export-Import Bank of Brazil (BNDES) & Deutsche Bank of Germany for the Green Imperative to enhance mechanisation of Agriculture and agro progressing in Nigeria (GIP).
