Alleged Graft: EFCC arrests, flies Lamido, 2 sons to Kano for trial - read and share

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, yesterday, arrested immediate past Jigawa Governor, Sule Lamido with his two sons over graft allegations.

Vanguard learnt that the former governor and his two sons- Aminu and Mustapha-were picked up in Abuja on Tuesday and taken to Kano where they are expected to be arraigned today before the Federal High Court there.

A source in EFCC said that the governor and his sons would be charged with a-24-count charge bordering on money laundering and related offences.

The commission claims Lamido used his sons to transfer state funds into companies in which they had interest and also received kickback to the tune of N1.3 billion from a local road building company, but did not say the job was not done.

EFCC spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the arrest and movement of Lamido and his sons to Kano but did not disclose why they were moved to Kano and not Jigawa where the alleged offence took place.

Two weeks ago Lamido had to cut short his overseas vacation to honour EFCC invitation over the same case.

He had reported to the EFCC agents who questioned him on what he knew about the alleged fraud while in office. Lamido, however, denied allegations that he pilfered state funds and was granted administrative bail.

Insurgency in Nigeria: Boko Haram days numbered, says President Buhari - READ AND SHARE

ABUJA – President Mohammadu on Wednesday encouraged Nigerians no to despair over the continued Boko Haram attacks against the Nigerian State, assuring that insurgency will soon become history.

Buhari’s assurance followed his condolences to all Nigerians who lost relatives in the latest terrorist atrocities in Jos, Kano, and Zaria recently.

In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, the president “urged all Nigerians not to be unduly disheartened by the seeming resurgence of terrorist attacks and atrocities in the country as his administration remains fully committed to overcoming the challenges of insecurity, terrorism and insurgency as quickly as possible.”

Shehu stated that “already, the intensified onslaught by the military on terrorists’ strongholds has led to significant seizures of weapons and vehicles, a blockage of their sources of arms and ammunition, and a decimation of their fighting men.

“Buhari assures Nigerians of the ability and readiness of the country’s armed forces and security agencies to contain the frantic resort by the terrorists to attacks on soft targets such as crowds and places of worship.

“President is convinced that with recent increases in troops deployment, improvements in the supply of arms and equipment to the military, as well as the ongoing effort to mobilize greater international cooperation and support, the end of Boko Haram and terrorism in Nigeria is in sight.”

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How Buhari can change Nigeria in 100 days —Ikokwu

SECOND Republic politician and one of the founders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Guy Ike Ikokwu, wants all Nigerians to rally round President Muhammadu Buhari, to actualise his change agenda or the country will pay direly for it.

Assessing the performance of the president since he took over the reins of power 38 days ago, the lawyer and former Anambra State chairman of the defunct Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP), said Buhari’s wind change could be made to blow good tidings for Nigerians within 100 days, if the needful is done. His words: \

By Clifford Ndujihe,     Deputy Political Editor

Nigerians enamoured by Buhari’s change mantra

The whole of Nigerian nationalities in the last five months of this year have been enormously enamoured by the change mantra of the Buhari’s and the All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign ideology, which was vividly summarized on issues of insecurity, economy and corruption, gross unemployment and electricity.

Since President Buhari’s inauguration a month ago, he has been engrossed on the resolution of these issues and his ruling political party, APC, has also been engrossed in the issues of governance and the objective rather than the subjective criteria for the implementation of the mantra.

Brewing impatience

The Nigerian public is in some way becoming impatient with the seeming lack of progress as had been expected for the wind of change.

In view of the fact that our constitution, supposedly federal in character enshrines the doctrine of the separation of powers and democratic principles and processes, one must not be tempted as had been in the distant past to believe that a departure from the above principles would legitimize the diverse methods for the actualization of the mantra.

Buhari’s initial good steps

Although President Buhari’s constituency covers the whole country, it does not necessary guarantee that his style of governance should be unitary rather than federal. At the presidential level, it is his duty to tackle the issue of insecurity which requires both military, political and international solutions. He realizes these facts and has to the delight of Nigerians and with his background as a former military personnel of the rank of a general and astute administrator of the areas in the North East zone of six states, Borno, Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba, Yobe, has taken on the challenge by visiting our neighbouring West African states, attending a meeting in Britain, the G7 meeting of major powers, and scheduled a visit to Cameroon and the United States of America for the urgent resolution of the insurrection of the Boko Haram.

President Buhari on the issue of the economy and corruption has begun the probe of the NNPC and the recovery of several trillions of Naira looted by previous administrations and public and private moguls. It should be understood that many public servants and civil servants are indeed richer in wealth and style of living than some who are still serving or may have retired or opted out of service with their stolen billions, including ministers and commissioners.

Pervasive graft, economic depravity

It is also known and admitted that corruption pervades the very fabric of the Nigerian nation in both private and public sectors, and among all classes of individuals and professions and trade and among the various federal, states and local government structures of all the existing and previous political parties and colorations.

Restructuring the polity: This economic depravity is systemic in nature which is why President Buhari should vigorously, on the basis of the separation of powers, hand over to the legislature at the national and states levels, the urgent and immediate task of restructuring the nation.

President Jonathan had handed over to President Buhari and the National Assembly the 2014 reports of the Abuja National Conference on the issue of restructuring the nation into a viable fiscal federal culture. The National Assembly has spent some billions of Naira like the Jonathan administration in discussing and enumerating several constitutional issues which have to be corrected as a result of the immense lapses of the 1999 constitution, which was more unitary than federal in character.

The 1999 constitution was enthroned by the previous military regime rather than the people of Nigeria.

Diversification of economy

For the diversification of the economy which was part of the change mantra there must be an immediate devolution of powers from the central Abuja level to the zones and states. Several issues which are exclusive to the central government today should really be concurrent to enable the Nigerian economy grow at a greater pace than it is now.

It will also enable our economy to stop being a mono oil product economy to a diversified macro and multiple product economy which with discipline and zonal competition can grow at a rate of not less than 12 per cent per annum as China had done.

For instance, the federal government should no longer be the sole authority in the oil and power sectors of the economy. Local governments should no longer be sustained by the federal government but should be organized and funded were necessary by the state governments.

Cultural ambience

The system of government best suitable to our cultural ambiance is the parliamentary system where the state governor or premier or administrator is elected by his own constituency and has a seat in the legislature. Most Nigerians do not like the present system of executive governance in the states whereby the governors of all political parties are financially reckless and absolutely abusing their powers which has personalized the system of governance without any mode of accountability. In a parliamentary system a governor who is unable to pay the wages of its statutory workers would certainly lose his seat in a vote of no confidence and be replaced by another commissioner. This system strengthens the position of the political parties during and after elections.

It reduces the evil of corruption which was enhanced by the military which abolished our parliamentary democracy into the executive personalized unitary system.

Virtually all the previous and present governors of the states in Nigeria are guilty of financial recklessness and indictment by the EFCC and have used the false doctrine of immunity to shroud their economic misdeeds. The 2014 Abuja confab decisions have certainly taken care of most of these problems.

Reducing cost of governance

The other crucial issue on the economy which Buhari and the APC should immediately address is the issue of the cost of governance across the country. It should be reduced by 50 per cent and it should be made a constitutional issue that the capital expenditure ratio should not be less than 60 per cent while the recurrent expenditure should never be more than 40 per cent. The national and state legislative expenditure as well as those of the Executive and administration should be reduced by half and their number should also be trimmed down. Constituency projects, wardrobe allowance, bogus travelling allowances and too many vehicles should be reduced or scrapped. Imagine the recent case of where over 20 vehicles were retrieved from the wives of a state governor.

Indeed the recurrent expenditure in most cases should be 30 per cent so that privatization and governance of the economy should be the mode rather than the exception.

 Actualising change in 100 days

The yearning of the majority of Nigerians can be achieved this year within the next 100 days if President Buhari’s administration takes the bull by the horn. The reduction of the ministerial appointees at the central and state levels should be guaranteed constitutionally.

Imagine the smallest state in the South-East recently appointing more commissioners than other states. This state is one of those wallowing in huge public debt, unfinished projects and unpaid salaries and pensions. A state in the South-West is guilty of this enormous profligacy of unpaid salaries, while financial recklessness and abuse of powers is dominant and the governor is one of those chanting the change mantra.

The resultant change will be manifest and the issue of patience will endear itself to the majority of Nigerians who are prepared to make sacrifices today for a better future for their children born and unborn and for the new Nigerian Nation.

Both the presidency and the legislature at the National Assembly have 100 days each for the transformation agenda in their change mantra. If the Boko Haram insurrection is not suppressed in the Northern Region, to make way for the economic transformation of the North East zone, in particular, Nigerians will become disillusioned.

On the other hand, the National Assembly can within the next 100 days achieve the constitutional restructuring of the nation into a truly federal nation with a truly fiscal federal structure in other to pave the way for the diversification of the economy, enhancement of education and employment and a rapid increase in the electrification of the urban and rural areas of the country.

The time is now and Nigerians have the capacity to claim the above areas of transformation and change mantra. This change can come but if it doesn’t, it would lead to total disillusionment, disenfranchisement, apathy, inequities and separatist tendencies of all sorts to our own political, economic, social and cultural detriment

Jonathan hits back at Buhari ;;click link for more update

President Goodluck Jonathan hits back at General Muhammadu Buhari over his statement today, titled “Pull Nigeria Back From the Brink”, which contains allegations leveled against the Jonathan led administration on a  brutal crackdown of the opposition party .

Read the full statement

President Goodluck Jonathan and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd)

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE

DON’T BLAME ME FOR YOUR PARTY’S SELF-INFLICTED WOES – PRESIDENT JONATHAN TELLS BUHARI

We have noted with much surprise and regret, the statement issued by General Muhammadu Buhari today in which he made some wild and totally unsustainable allegations against President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

Although he tries very hard to deny it in the statement titled “Pull Nigeria Back From the Brink”, there can be no doubt that General Buhari has sadly moved away from the patriotic and statesmanlike position he recently adopted on national security, which President Jonathan publicly commended, and has now reverted to unbridled political partisanship.

There can be no other explanation or justification for the completely unwarranted and very uncharitable assault on the conduct and integrity of President Jonathan which the statement he issued today represents.

General Buhari’s main grouse which clearly motivated his ill-considered statement appears to be what he called “the gale of impeachments or the utilisation of desperate tactics to suffocate the opposition and turn Nigeria into a one-party state”.

It is most unfortunate that instead of working to put their house in order and resolve the leadership crises and internal contradictions that have plunged their party into a downward spiral, General Buhari and his opposition allies have resorted to blaming a blameless President for their woes.

The processes for impeaching an elected Governor are clearly stipulated in the National Constitution which Nigeria has operated since 1999. The President of Nigeria is not assigned any role in that process and President Jonathan has certainly not played any role in the recent impeachment of Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa or in the impeachment drama currently being played out in Nasarawa State.

For the record, President remains fully committed to upholding the letters, principles and spirit of the Nigerian Constitution as he has sworn, and defending the rule of law and integrity of the democratic process with all his might.

General Buhari talks about anarchy. He needs to be reminded that President Jonathan from his humble beginnings as a Deputy Governor in Bayelsa state to date, has never in his acts, or utterances, recommended or promoted violence as a tool of political negotiation.

Contrary to whatever General Buhari and his new friends may imagine, President Jonathan fully respects the rights, powers, authority and independence of elected representatives of the people, including the members of the state assemblies who have concluded or initiated impeachment proceedings against their state governors on grounds which they consider justifiable.

The constitution does not give the President any power to intervene in such proceedings and President Jonathan has never  arrogated such powers to himself  or sought to exert any nefarious and unconstitutional influence on state assemblies in Adamawa, Nasarawa or anywhere else in other to secure undue political advantage for his party as General Buhari unjustifiably alleges.

President Jonathan remains true to his declaration that no political ambition of his is worth the life of a single Nigerian. The President has definitely not declared war on his own country or deployed federal institutions in the service of partisan interests as General Buhari falsely claims. Neither has he been using the common wealth to subvert the system and punish the opposition, as the former Head of State inexcusably asserts.

Also, President Jonathan has never at any time ordered that any Nigerian should be kidnapped or that anyone should be crated and forcefully transported in violation of decent norms of governance.

We therefore urge General Buhari to tarry a while, ponder over his own antecedents and do a reality check as to whether he has the moral right to be so carelessly sanctimonious.

It may well be time to pull the brakes, as General Buhari says in his statement, but it is he and others who have resorted to idle scapegoating and blaming President Jonathan for their self-inflected political troubles who need to stop their inexcusable partisanship and show greater regard for the truth, democracy, constitutionalism, the rule of law, peace, security and the well-being of the nation.

APC Crisis: Oyegun’s exit isn’t a solution — Sen Alimikhena -

Senator Francis Alimikhena, APC, Edo North is the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate and a retired military officer. In this interview with Vanguard, Senator Alimikhena, who is in his first term in the Senate and the only APC senator from the South-South, speaks on topical issues affecting the Senate and his party.  Excerpts:

What should one expect from you as the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate?

I am going to do the best I can for Edo North and Nigeria in general. As deputy chief whip, I will make sure that I make my office very attractive and robust and do what is right for all manner of people.

What are the issues stoking the crisis in your party?

Well, it is a leadership issue and at the same time, it is a family affair. You know in every family, there must be issue and it is good to resolve the issues among the family. It all goes down to misunderstanding. As I can say by my own perception,  misunderstanding and wrong direction are the causes of the wrangling.

There are calls from some quarters that the National chairman of your party, Chief John Odigie Oyegun should resign or be removed. What is your take on this?

I do not believe that he should resign because any decision taken rightly or wrongly is a collective responsibility. If they feel that Oyegun has not done well, it is not only Oyegun that should go, all the National Working Committee, NWC of the APC should go. But I don’t think he should go, it is just a matter of consensus.

When mistakes occur then they can be rectified because if you say one mistake occured here and you say the people that made that mistake should go, what of other people that will come? If they make similar mistakes, will they have to go? I don’t think that it is fair on him for anybody to clamour that they should go because of what has happened.

What is your agenda for the Senator Bukola Saraki led 8th Senate?

Well, I don’t have to set agenda for him because he is an agenda person. He can set good agenda that he believes can be good for the country. You should bear in mind that he was once a governor and he did well in Kwara State and this is his second term in the Senate. He should be able to know the agenda that is good for the country.

For instance, today he has set up two committees. There is the legislative committee which has not been done before in the Senate. And he also set up a finance committee to look at the finances of the Senate in a way to prune it down so that a lot of people talking about what goes to the Senate should be able to know. Information matters.

If they come up with a blueprint, then Nigerians will know what comes to the National Assembly and it is in the right direction that he has set up those two committees.

What do you expect from your colleagues and secondly, what is your take on the controversy concerning the huge allowance for lawmakers?

First and foremost, my colleagues and I expect that we should work in peace and harmony. It is when there is peace that there will be development. I don’t expect anybody to have any ulterior motive whereby you come to the Senate to fight. The Senate is not a place to fight, it is a place to make laws for the good of the country.

Wardrobe allowance

Like all these talk about  jumbo pay and the rest, I have not seen the jumbo pay. For instance they were talking about wardrobe allowance of about N6 million or thereabout. But we were told the wardrobe allowance is N42,000 and N42,000 cannot be a jumbo pay.

I have not seen the jumbo pay. Whether the jumbo pay will come tomorrow, it is only when I see it that I can comment on it.

Meanwhile what they read on the floor of the Senate to us is what I have just told you now. They said wardrobe allowance which the papers published as N6 million for every Senator is N42,000 and I don’t think that N42,000 is a thing that somebody should make noise about.

And if you calculate all these as you were told, the take home pay of a Senator is about 900thousand a month, so I don’t see the jumbo pay there. Maybe probably they calculated what you take in a year or added the furniture allowance which you receive once in four years.

And the 42thousand wardrobe allowance that they are talking about is paid once in a year.

So I have not seen any jumbo pay, maybe  the jumbo pay will come, I don’t know.

It is based on this thing that the Senate President set up a committee on finance to look at all the loopholes.

This Senate is not going to be an extravagant Senate and you should also bear in mind that this is change. The slogan of APC is change, change for the good and not change for the bad. The change from the wrong way of doing things to change to good things so that Nigerians will benefit. I don’t think the 8th Senate is insensitive to the yearnings of Nigeria 

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