NDDC MD, Pondei, Takes N51.8M, Monthly, In Allowances- Senator Nwaoboshi, Why Dr Ojougboh Would Kill For Akpabio |The Source

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August 1, 2020

By Adesina Soyooye

Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, has just disclosed why Dr Cairo Ojougboh , publicly swore that he would kill somebody on behalf of the Minister for Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Godswill Akpabio, even before Akpabio asks him to do so. Ordinarily, after that statement, the medical- doctor-turned politician should have been sacked from office. But in Nigeria, It is seen as a sign of loyalty to the Minister, and the Government in power.

In Nwaoboshi, William Shakespeare’s description of the reaction of a woman scorned, gets confirmation. “Help hath no fury than a woman scorned”, wrote the legendary Shakespeare.

Accused of alleged multiple misconduct and corruption in his chairmanship of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission’s (NDDC) affairs, the Senator is fighting back.

His weapon: Reveal more eye-popping scandals in the Commission.

The latest from his stable, on Friday , is the monthly allowance the Acting Managing Director of the Interim Management Committee, IMC, of the NDDC, Prof, Kemebradikumo Pondei, takes home.

The plumpy Professor, who fainted when he was being grilled by the House ad hoc Committee invetigating alleged corruption and reckless spending in the NDDC, the Senator informs Nigerians, takes home, every month, the sum of N51.8m in allwances. This excludes his monthly salary.

As for Dr Ojougboh and his other IMC colleagues, each gets a paltry N18m, monthly, in allowances, according to Nwaoboshi. Pondei is used to big money. That explains why he looked everybody in the face, and said he spent the sum of over N1.3bn on palliatives for NDDC staff.

In the Ojougbo’s shoes, many would kill over Akpabio who recommended him into the juicy office.

Senator Nwaoboshi spoke on Friday, just as the Senate said it has discovered, and would probe more multi-billion Naira corruption allegations at the NDDC, not related to the N40bn alleged reckless spending its Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions is already investigating.

The Committee Chairman, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, disclosed that Pondei would soon appear before his Committee, to be grilled over the recent scandal.

He said:” There is a petition that has just been sent to my Committee by the Leadership of the Senate.

“I received it on Tuesday. It is about the alleged fraudulent practices of the Acting Managing Director of the NDDC.”

Since the investigation of the corrupt activities at the NDDC, many Nigerians have been morbid with anger. Outraged, they have demanded for the sack of both the IMC board, and Akpabio.

On Friday, President Muhammadu Buhari, speaking for the first time on the alleged corruption at both the NDDC and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, said he regretted that those he trusted at both Concussions diappointed him.

The Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu, a Commissioner of Police, has been facing a Presidential Panel over allegations bordering on misconduct and corruption. He is currently on suspension from office.

Gov. Fayemi Survives, Tests Negative For COVID-19, Resumes Duty |The Source

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The Source

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August 1, 2020

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By Ayodele Oni

Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, is back at his duty post after eleven days in isolation, battling the global pandemic, Covid 19.

In a tweet on Saturday, the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, confirmed that he has tested negative for Covid-19.

He went into self isolation immediately he tested positive for the dreaded ailment.

According to him, “After 11 days in isolation, I received news that my Covid- 19 repeat test came back negative.

“My sincere gratitude goes to God Almighty, my family, my medical team and all well wishers for the prayers and solidarity. We must continue to do all we can to tackle the pandemic.”

However, some of his close Aides and appointees are still in isolation after they went for the test as directed by the Governor and tested positive.

Aside from the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice , Mr Olawale Fapohunda, who made public his status via his Twitter handle, other officials, though in isolation, kept secret their result after the test.

Only the Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, and Secretary to the State Government, Mr Ade Oyebanji, were visible in public activities during the week.

By his recovery, Fayemi has joined the growing list of his Governor-colleagues, who were victims of the Virus, and like him, recovered.

No Single refinery Is Working, Says NNPC MD |The Source

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The Source

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August 1, 2020

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By Uche Mbah

The Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has confirmed what most Nigerians always suspected. It has confirmed how a country blessed with so much crude oil, wastes billions of hard currency importing petrol. To make maximum gain from the crude oil it was blessed with, Nigeria, also, spent billions of Dollars, building Refineries – Port Hacourt, Warri, Kaduna.

But, here’s the state of the refineries.

They have since turned into a waste, a curse, and a cesspool of corruption.

NNPC’s Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, has just disclosed that every drop of fuel, currently being used in Nigeria is imported because there is no single functional refinery in the country.

This is the first time that the government would admit that there is no refining going on, at all, in Nigeria. Before now, local refining hardly suffices for local consumption.

Recent reports indicate that the Kaduna refinery spends billions every month paying workers who are not working.

Kyari, however, said that efforts are on to change the situation.

But this has been a constant refrain of successive governmennts on the issue, which sees more words than action.

“Today, unfortunately, all our four refineries are down. We are importing every petroleum product that we consume in this country”, Kyari said.

For the records, these same refineries are the same ones Nigeria has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on, in turn-around maintenance.

Nigeria has been playing a yoyo game on the deregulation and price readjustments.

The most recent was in March, an action occasioned by the disruption of supply chains by the dreaded COVID Pandemic. There was a reduction in pump price, which usually varies from time to time due to different variables – import tariffs and international crude prices.

The NNPC boss assured that the government is working hard to ensure that they are “able to fix our refineries and also have new initiatives, like having the condensate refinery, which I am also happy to announce that the Seplat group is cooperating with NNPC to create a splitter plant in the short term.”

The government has always had a monopoly on the refining of petroleum products until recently when Aliko Dangote joined the club.

The government mostly operates joint ventures with multinationals. Hopefully, the private driven initiatives will evaporate the strangleholds of the oil majors on the country and probably ease pricing.

“There are other private initiatives. As we know, there are several licenses granted by the Federal Government for people to construct refineries, but they can’t do this because of the clear issue around the market structure.

“But thankfully, we have transited out of the regulated petroleum market into a deregulated market, which means that companies can now predict what will be the refinery price of petroleum and they can now have the basis of investment; banks can see visibility around the recovery of cost and margin and ultimately we will see more activities coming up.

“As we know, Nigeria, is a net importer of petroleum products; that simply means that with all the resources that we have, we still import petroleum products. Beyond that, it is a continent that is projected to have a significant increase in the consumption of petroleum in the coming years, even up till 2040.

“The projections about 2.3mb/d by 2040 are still a very conservative estimate. We have one of the most active population, growth rate, and projections showing that by 2049 we would likely be the most populous continent in the world.

“This means Africa is a continent of opportunity, and Nigeria will contribute about 25 percent of the total population of Africa by 2040; and in terms of growth, it will constitute about 20 percent. We are in a country with vast opportunities where you cannot exclude petroleum and its related resources.

“What we can do to get this to work for us is first, make the operating environment competitive – this is one of the targets so far of the Minister and the government of today, first to bring down the cost of production and then pay attention to gas”, Kyari said.

Why I Will Not Probe Mimiko – Gov Akeredolu |The Source

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The Source

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August 1, 2020

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By Ayodele Oni, Akure

Former Governor of Ondo State, Dr Olusegun Mimiko is a lucky man.

He is not suffering the fate of his colleagues in most states. His successor in office, Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, is a good man, and appreciates friendship.

He says he will never probe Mimiko. That Mimiko should relax, not minding what he did, or did not do while in office.

And the reason is simple.

Akeredolu says Mimiko is his friend. The two men have been friends for over 40 years. For the Governor, friendship is important. Friends don’t betray friends, no matter the pressure, the provocation, and/or the circumstances.

So, for Akeredolu, no intrigue or politics would make him expose the deeds or any misdeeds of his friend, former Governor Mimiko, to any anti corruption agencies for investigation.

The Governor was reacting to a story which has gone viral, alleging that he was set to probe Mimiko’s administration.

He says the story is the handiwork of mischief, being propagated by idlers and ne’re-do-wells.

He has no time for such things which would even involve more spending of the state’s scarce resources, and create unnecessary tension.

It is not the first time the Governor will be saying this. Long before now, and at several fora, Governor Akeredolu had described his predecessor in office as a good friend and someone that contributed immensely to his emergence as governor.

Their friendship dates back to their University days at University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University, (OAU) where both of them served as Students union leaders.

Also at the wedding ceremony of the former governor, Akeredolu served as his best man.

The question is why such story of probe would emerge now, a couple of months to the Governorship election, an election in which the Governor is seeking a second term.

Reacting to the report, the Commissioner for Information, Mr Donald Ojogo, dismissed it as a lie from the pit of hell. In a statement entitled

“Re: Threat To Expose Mimiko To EFCC,”

the Government dusmissed it as untrue, puerile and utterly mischievous, saying it is, to all intents, a cleverly laid path for the two friends of over four decades to engage in a needless mudslinging.

“It is, perhaps, pertinent to state unequivocally that Governor Akeredolu does not desire, not even in the least of anyone’s imagination, to travel such pernicious path typical of those who have taken the route of perfidy for the sake of their political ambitions. We have since wished them well, even in their self-inflicted tears of treachery and betrayal.

“Clearly too, the former Governor, in Governor Akeredolu’s view, is well acquainted with the antecedents of those who have chosen to embrace any straw, including those they had mindlessly plotted against in the past, to keep their waning political comfort zones afloat.

“Nonetheless, while Governor Akeredolu has nothing against his friend and immediate past predecessor, he has chosen to allow posterity to intercede and interpret the roles of men in whatever form.

“In this regard, the friendship of the duo shall remain unaffected by the current political permutations, alignments and realignment, however impotently strange.

Governor Akeredolu shall maintain that cordiality, even in the face of opportunism.

“It must, however, be noted that Governor Akeredolu remains unperturbed by forces of whatever colouration. He is resolute and unwavering in his belief that a more debilitating defeat awaits those who have chosen to travel the route of conspiracy come October 10, 2020.”

It is believed that government is apparently reacting to the unfolding event in which the embattled deputy governor, Mr Agboola Ajayi has, allegedly, approached former Governor Mimiko, for support in his quest to contest for the October 10 governorship election on the ticket of the Zenith Labour Party, (ZLP), believed to be founded, and funded by Dr Mimiko.

Since his defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the Deputy Governor had contested in the primary of the PDP, and lost the ticket to Mr Eyitayo Jegede.

In his desperate bid to participate in the election, the ZLP ticket has been conceded to him. On that ticket, he will face both Akeredou and Jegede.

Many people describe the move as desperate and of no effect, saying he stands no chance of making any impact during the election. Their advice: Go back to either the APC or the PDP, and prepare for 2024, all things being equal.

Sallah: Buhari Laments Insecurity In North East |The Source

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Bayo Bernard

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July 31, 2020

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By Fola James

In the face of killings by armed bandits, Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen in some parts of the country, President Muhammadu Buhari said his administration has done its best to provide security for Nigerians.

The president made this comment in his Sallah message to Nigerians, barely 24 hours after the governor of Borno state, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, escaped by the whiskers, an ambush by suspected Boko Haram insurgents in Baga, a suburb of the state.

Few days ago, suspected Fulani criminals also attacked Southern Kaduna, killing scores of persons, including women and children; some in their sleep and security agencies are still struggling to bring peace to the restive communities.

But speaking with journalists after observing the Eid El Kabir prayers with his family and some top government officials in Aso Viila, President Buhari boasted that the security situation has improved compared to when he first came to office five years ago.

His administration is still working hard to make sure that security situation gets better, he said.

Buhari said Nigerians should remember that what “we inherited when we came in 2015 was Boko Haram in the north-east and the militancy in the south-south… Nigerians know that we have done our best.”

The president said more needed to be done.

According to him “What is coming up in the north-west and north-central is very disturbing indeed but I believe the military, the police, and other law enforcement agencies from the report I am getting, I think they could do much better.

They could do much better, but we are keeping them on the alert all the time to do their duties.”

Meanwhile, President has directed security agencies to root out all manner of criminalities in the country, according to a statement by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the president on Media and Publicity.

The statement said “He (the President) said considering the security situation on ground when he came to office, ‘Nigerians know that we have done our best. However, what is coming out of the North West and the North Central is very disturbing’ Shehu said in a statement.

Responding to a specific question on the performance of the service chiefs which recently, he said needed to get better, the President said that the military, the police, and other security agencies are working hard.

We are making available resources to them to even do better,” he assured, adding that “from the reports I am getting, they could do much better…they could do much better. But we are keeping them on the alert all the time to do their duties.”

During the attack on his convoy on Thursday in Baga, Governor Zulum lashed out at the Nigerian Army, for failure to provide security in the state.

He threatened that his government will enlist local armed groups to fight Boko Haram if the Nigerian Military cannot do the job.

Blowing Oil Pipelines: Buhari Chides Niger Delta; Says They Are Hurting Themselves, Not Others |The Source

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The Source

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July 31, 2020

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By Adesina Soyooye

For Niger Deltans, especially, the Militants in the region, who think they are hurting Nigeria by blowing up oil pipelines, President Muhammadu Buhari is laughing at their expense. He is sympathising with them, and chiding them.

Many times, Militants in the region had blown up the oil pipelines in their region, either in protest against one injustice or the other, or atimes, to steal oil. But the President has nothing but pity for them.

He said they are hurting themselves, and their region, communities, and people, more than they are hurting other Nigerians because it affects their everyday life more than it affects other Nigerians.

But he, also, warned those vandalising the oil installations to stop, threatening that henceforth, residents of the area will bear the consequences. They should be vigilant, he advised.

Mr President spoke on Friday to State House Correspondents, after observing the Eid- el-Kabir prayers with his family members and very close aides.

Noted the President: “Those who are blowing pipelines, and interfering with the production of petroleum products are hurting their people more than the rest of Nigerians because majority of their people are fishermen, fisherwomen and farmers.

“Now, if they pollute the land and the waters, the fish goes into the deeper sea where the people cannot go, and they cannot grow anything. They are hurting their immediate communities more than any other thing.”

The vandalisation and/or blowing up of oil pipelines in the region seems normal in the region than an aberration, thus causing the pollution of their waters and farms.

Edo 2020: Phillip Shaibu Will Come Back Crawling, Begging Me – Oshiomhole Boasts; He Needs Medical Attention – Shaibu |The Source

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The Source

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July 31, 2020

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By Akinwale Kasali

Former National Chairman of the All Progresssives Congress, APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, says Deputy Governor of Edo State, Phillip Shaibu, will come on his kneels, crawling and begging him after his principal, incumbent Governor, Godwin Obaseki, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, would have lost the Governorship Race on September 19, 2020.

Oshiomhole made this statement, Friday, during his campaign exercise for Pastor Osagie Ize- Iyamu, candidate of the APC in the Governorship Election.

Shaibu had earlier lambasted Oshiomhole, saying, “as a son of Oshiomhole, I am ashamed of my father’s recent actions which I attributed to old age”.

Shaibu had also promised to take the former Edo governor for medical checkup after his Candidate has lost the election.

But in a statement, Oshiomhole through his media aide, Victor Oshioke, said no responsible child will insult his father in public like Shaibu has been doing.

“Phillip Shaibu is suffering from arrested mental development. Comrade Adams Oshiomhole took him off the streets as a frustrated boy without appreciable abilities, upgraded him to a status of an adopted son, gave him opportunities beyond his educational and mental capacities”.

“Perhaps, the only thing Oshiomhole failed to do was add some megabytes of sense in Philip’s slow brain, and the consequences are what we all witness today. Because of his low mentality, this is how best the hobbledehoy knws to pay back his benefactor”.

“Old age is a privilege granted to those who God have found worthy of His grace. Interestingly, a healthy old age with sound mind and body like the one being enjoyed by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole cannot be gifted by God to insolent ingrates like Philip Shaibu. He should, in his quiet moment, pray that he attains Adams Oshiomhole’s age, let alone with a sound mind anybody”.

“An intelligent young man with a sound mind and good sense of judgement will never insult someone who once called him son and gave him opportunities that his biological father could not give him”.

“I know that after September 19, 2020, when Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu would have defeated Godwin Obaseki in the governorship election, Philip Shaibu will come crawling and begging Comrade Adams Oshiomhole for forgiveness. Until then, let’s watch him run his mouth beyond the capabilities of his brain”.

2023 Presidency: Afenifere Berates Mamman Daura; Agbakogba Supports Him |The Source

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The Source

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July 31, 2020

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By Akinwale Kasali

Mamman Daura has continued to receive backlash over his comments on the 2023 Presidency.

The Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere has condemned the position of President Muhammadu Buhari’s nephew, Mamman Daura who said competence should be placed above zoning arrangement in the 2023 presidential election.

Just like the Ohaneze, Middle Belt Development Association, MBDA, who had earlier lambasted Mamman Daura for making such comments at a time the nation is trying to strengthen its fledgling democracy, and at a time most regions are clamouring for restructuring.

Daura, said to be the most influential man around the president, had, in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service, said Nigeria should do away with Rotational Presidency, insisting it should not be “turn by turn”

Responding, the Afenifere insisted that the country must continue with the common understanding of power rotation between the north and the south.

The spokesman of the group, Yinka Odumakin, in a telephone interview said the country must stand firm and respect the zoning agreement.

His words: “They [northern candidates] would come out definitely, but it is now left for the country to say whether they want to accept the move, or they should insist on the common understanding that power should rotate between north and south.

“I heard him [Mamman Daura] talking about competence or whatever. In 2023, he would understand if there is anything called competence. We are watching how things unfold.”

Odumakin said he expected the South to forge a common front when the time comes to ensure that the Presidency returned to the region in 2023.

Meanwhile, apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation in Nigeria, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has urged political parties in Nigeria to look the way of the Igbos and give them a chance in 2023.

Nnia Nwodo, the President General of the socio-political group, disclosed this when he paid a courtesy visit to Imo state governor, Hope Uzodinma in Owerri.

Nwodo speaking on the 2023 presidential elections, expressed confidence that the situation in Nigeria will be turned around if the Igbo are given the opportunity.

It was previously reported in the media that the Igbo socio-cultural organization disclosed that it is still committed to ensuring that a president, of Igbo ectraction succeeds President Buhari in 2023.

The organization explained that the quest for the Southeast zone to produce the next president was in the spirit of equity, justice and fair play.

Mazi Chuks Ibegbu, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze, had, on Monday, May 18th, 2020, in Enugu pleaded with political parties in the country to zone their presidential tickets to the southeast zone.

Interestingly, a Human Rights lawyer of Igbo extraction and former Nigerian Bar Association chairman, Chief Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, has kicked against the zoning of the presidency.

According to him, Nigeria needs a President who is passionate about the country and has the type of passion Late Colonel Odimegwu Ojukwu had for Biafra.

In an interview with a national newspaper recently, Agbakoba stressed the need for the devolution of powers, if the country is to make progress.

Islamic Cleric Canvasses For Resource Control By States |The Source

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The Source

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July 31, 2020

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By Ayodele Oni, Akure

The Chief Imam of Akure, Ondo state, Alhaji Hakeem Yayi- Akorede, has joined in the crusade to allow states control their resources, saying this will reduce unemployment rate in Nigeria.

In his speech to mark the muslim celebration of this year’s Eid El Adha, the Islamic cleric pointed out that the federal government should equally address the issue of incessant strikes by universities.

“On this special occasion, I want to appeal to the political class, especially in those states where election is scheduled to take place this year – Ondo and Edo States – that contestants should please appeal to their followers to be peaceful and orderly.

“Nigerians are passing through a special phase of life, and we should not allow anyone or group of people, to add to our problems. We should shun violence and embrace peace at all levels. The position all of you are contesting for, one and only one person would win. Winners should see co-contestants as compatriots and not enemy, while the losers should accept defeat gallantly in the spirit of sportmanship.”

On the economy, Alhaji Yayi Akorede, counselled that the Federal Government should learn from advance nations of the world how to develop economically.

“The Federal government should allow states to take charge of natural resources in their domains. Nigeria is well endowed with abundant natural resources like limestone, clay, bitumen and petrol in Ondo, precious stone and metals in Ekiti, Kogi and Niger State.

“We have columbite, marble and limestone in states like Oyo , Ogun and Kogi. If states are allowed to tap their natural resources, the nation would be out of the present economic crisis and youth unemployment.”

He also canvassed for more incentives to agriculture, saying government from local to federal level should promote agriculture by supporting famers through loans and empowerment.

“Government should find a lasting solution to the problem of incencant strikes in our tertiary institutions and set up education trust fund where students could borrow money to finance their education, as it will be a great opportunity for parents and poor students alike.

“On a last note, I am appealing to the World health bodies and the United Nations to develop vaccines and drugs to combat Coronavirus, as soon as possible, because many important lives had been lost to the pandemic.”

NDDC Probe, Petition Insists Tunji – Ojo is Culpable |The Source

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The Source

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July 31, 2020

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By Ayodele Oni, Akure

There are more reasons than what the eyes can see as to why the Chairman, NDDC Committee, on Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC) probe, Mr Olubunmi Tunji Ojo, decided to step aside when the Committee resumed its sitting last week Monday.

As the committee, set up by the House of Representatives set for the days job to receive some top officials of the intervention agency, the committee’s chairman announced that he would be stepping aside.

It was gathered that a catalogue of accusations was levelled against the committee chairman, so much so that his continuous stay to preside over the committee may make its report incredible.

One of the petitions titled “Rogue Questioning a Thief: A Case Study of Bunmi Tunji-Ojo” was widely circulated in Akure, Ondo state capital. Tunji – Ojo is from the state.

Signed by Ernest Fabinu, President, and Samuel Imusesin, Secretary, on behalf of Integrity Group Nigeria, it states that “when the news of gross misappropriation of funds crept up with Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the NDDC where billions of naira were said to have been misappropriated, Nigerians believed that another exposure was in the offing.

“It was dramatic during the last session of House Probe Committee when the managing Director of NDDC alleged the credibility of the Chairman in person of Bunmi Tunji- Ojo was in doubt.

“He alleged, unequivocally, that Tunji Ojo, was involved in corrupt practices which includes, but not limited to being awarded numerous NDDC’s unadvertised contracts running into billions

“NDDC has given foreign scholarships worth the value of #500million to the chairman and value were given in cash

and benefitted immensely on numerous supplies to NDDC through his cronies.”

He was also alleged to have received a cash sum of #600million in dollar value, sometime in November, 2019 and gave employment to over ten individuals in the NDDC.

“Anchored on the above, our sources within the Commission, avered that he can not move far with the probe of NDDC.

“What gave the NDDC Managing Director the guts to stage a walk out on the probe Committee?

“We are calling on EFCC, ICPC and other anti- corruption agencies to put the allegation of the NDDC Managing Director against Tunji Ojo into questioning,” the petition added

Outlandish as the huge sums of money being bandied around are, they were enough to keep him off the Committee sittings.

He vehemently denied all the allegations.