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Sunday, 15 January 2017
Ekweremadu most join APC to safe his seat - Senator Marafa .
member of the Senate Unity Forum, a group within the All Progressives Congress senators in the red chamber, Senator Kabir Marafa, in this interview with inner room correspondent Linda Bankole, explains how Senator Ali Ndume was removed as the Majority Leader and the next move by the caucus
Why did the Senate APC caucus change its leadership on Wednesday?
When we reconvened at the 8th Assembly, you all know what happened. There was leadership tussle; we had the Like Minds Senators and the Senate Unity Forum, where Senator Ahmed Lawan contested on the SUF platform and Senator Bukola Saraki contested on the LMS. Like we all know, it is God who gives leadership and God gave it to Senator Bukola Saraki and that brought some friction between the two camps of the same APC.
Naturally, when there is such a crisis, the next port of call is the parents — in this case, we all know who the parents of all politicians The President, and the leader of the party. We rushed to the party and said this was what happened. The party, after looking at the whole scenario and all that happened, said since he (Saraki) had taken this one (Senate President), the remaining four positions, that is, the Senate Leader, Deputy Senate Leader, Chief Whip and the Deputy Chief Whip, should be ceded to the SUF faction of the APC caucus in order to bring the caucus together. But as fate would have it, the LMS faction didn’t see it that way that time. That was what led to all the crisis. We in the SUF felt that it was disobedience (by the LMS faction) to the party.
From that time till today, anybody who wishes APC well had this at the back of their minds and all hands had been on deck to ensure that the crisis is resolved. So, pressure had been mounting on all the APC senators, on the need for us to come together but we (SUF) insisted that the only way we could come together was when we all respect our party because it was the party that brought us into this place (Senate) because elections are held on the basis of the party, not individuals. If the party says this thing belongs to us (SUF), we want you to give it to us. What you have seen today is just a result of all the pressure mounting over time.
Why did the caucus meet on Monday and how did it arrive at the decision to change its leadership?
Our rule says that once you become anything, the only way you can be removed is through constitutional means. Now, since there was a nomination, the only way we can reverse it is to follow the rules. Our Standing Rules, precisely Order 32(6), spells out how leadership can be removed — leadership, not presiding officers; presiding officers have the rules that specify how they can be removed. Order 32(6) spells it out that any party can change its leadership, provided it has the majority (to take the decision). You need to have the majority to effect the change.
Ndume said he was not aware of the whole process. How did the caucus hatch the plan without
his knowledge?
his knowledge?
With due respect to him, the law didn’t say someone must know or everybody must know. Order 32(g)(IV) says, ‘After due notice of the Senate, each party has the right to change its leader or whip provided that the change is made by a majority of the senators of a party in the Senate.’ That is all it says. It didn’t say we have to notify him or her or anybody; just notify the Senate. And that was what the Senate President (Bukola Saraki) did. It (the decision) has the signatures of people (at the meeting). It can be used to establish the fact that the majority took the decision. If you don’t have the majority and you are questioning why you were removed, I will protest too.
With this move, can you now say that the APC has forgiven Saraki for hijacking the leadership of the Senate from the party?
I am not an official of the APC, so I don’t think it is fair for you to ask me that question; you should ask the APC leadership that question. But as a party member, I feel it can be taken for granted because the party said it by itself; it wrote a letter (saying) that we have accepted you but we want you to do this. So, if he does that, automatically, it shows that he’s been forgiven.
If there is anything now, the remaining problem is about what we do with our Deputy Senate President — my leader and my boss. I will tell him that he should exploit the provision of our Constitution — Section 68(g) — that says when there is a rift in a political party, members can defect to another party. Let me use the opportunity to call on my leader and my boss, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, to please defect to the APC and that will seal the whole thing and there will never be a problem since we will become one. That is the only seat we are contesting because the seat belongs to us and, Ekweremadu, is from the Peoples Democratic Party. Now, if he just defect to our party, shikenah! (That’s all.) Everything becomes one.
Is your next move for Ekweremadu’s seat?
I am telling you that he has the opportunity now. Let him just defect. The beauty of any political party is the people. If you can join us, join us. We want more people. Instead of moving against his seat, let him join us.
What if he refuses to join the APC?
He will! I am using this medium now to tell him to please join the APC. It is when he says he is not joining (the party) that you can come back to say Ike has refused to join the APC, what are you going to do? I am using this medium now to call on Ike to join APC.
He has the golden opportunity: Senator Ahmed Makarfi and Senator Ali Modu Sheriff have successfully to our delight, caused a division in the PDP. We are always praying that their power tussle will continue. While I pray for Makarfi to have the upper hand, I am also praying for Sheriff to have the power and ability to sustain the fight, so that we (APC) will be taking the senators one by one.
The Constitution says once there is a division (in a political party), senators can defect. Let all well-meaning APC members and even people who are sympathetic to the APC, let Ike (Ekweremadu) — instead of moving against his seat, which I don’t want to do because he was my leader in the 6th and 7th Assembly and now in the 8th Assembly — use this golden opportunity to defect to the APC and the party will become one in the Senate. Then, I can tell you that the Senate will be stable and there won’t be any friction. The little (issue) we can then have may be due to human nature. You never can say that you will gather people and they will not disagree
Many people believe that Ndume was removed due to the issue surrounding the nomination of
the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, by President
Muhammadu Buhari.
the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, by President
Muhammadu Buhari.
I have told you what the reason is but you’re now alleging something else. What is the Magu issue?
Was Ndume not sacked because of his reaction to the way the Senate rejected Magu’s nomination?
I don’t know about that but let me tell you something: there is no way I, Kabir Marafa, will oppose anything the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria brings to the floor of the Senate. So, if you are saying it is because of that (Magu), do you think people like us in the SUF will oppose him? Nobody will, definitely. So, that is out of the question. As far as I am concerned, I am telling you that there is nothing like that because I am not opposed to Magu — I make bold to say that. Why then will I support any move against anyone who supports Magu?
Having said that, I think we should desist from this politics of tribalism, sectionalism or ethnicity. If you say it is because of Magu, you should have asked why he (Ndume) is supporting Magu that way. I supported Magu even though Magu is not from my place (state). We should be seen as senators of Nigeria than to be supporting you, regardless of where we come from. I don’t want that issue to be raised because it will raise a lot of sentiments against us. But I can tell you that I supported Magu and I will support anything the President brings. Henceforth, you will see the APC and say, ‘this is what we have been missing.’ Henceforth, you will see that the two groups (SUF and LMS) will be liquidated and you will not hear anything like, Like Minds or Unity Forum; it is going to be APC. Whatever the President brings, we are going to support it. If we have any grouse or misgivings, we will go and sit down with our President and our party, trash issues and come out well. We have seen how they did it in the Peoples Democratic Party when we were in the minority. We don’t want issues like (staging) walkouts; we don’t want PDP to stage another walkout. Let us just take Ekweremadu’s seat and we will leave them with the rest..
Monday, 7 November 2016
Why we suspends judges accused of corruption : CJN.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, on Monday said the Judiciary remained resolute and committed to upholding its independence.
The CJN said this on the occasion of the swearing-in of Amina Augie and Ejembi Eko as justices of the Supreme Court in Abuja
Mohammed said all courts in the country were empowered to adjudicate with utmost fairness and justice as prescribed in the Constitution and the law.
He said, “Certainly, the decision of the National Judicial Council at its last meeting reflects our desire to preserve this independence.
“Hence, we proclaimed to the World that any Judicial officer that is standing trial will cease to perform judicial functions.
“The Council took this stand following communications it received from the Attorney General of the Federal that he was embarking on the prosecution of the affected judicial officers for the offences disclosed against them.”
He said, “We must not forget that we operate a constitutional democracy, which clearly prescribes the powers accorded to each organ of the State.
“I therefore wish to state without fear of contradiction that the third arm of government will remain resolute in its commitment and resolve to uphold its independence.”
On his advice to the new justices, Mohammed urged them to continue to be diligent in the discharge of their duties.
“You must remain blind to personality and status, and remain the hope of all men, whether common or uncommon.
“Hence, the integrity and impartiality of our courts must not be in question or compromised.
“I am confident that with the institutions and initiatives that we have put in place, the Nigerian Judiciary will evolve to meet the high standards demanded by our citizens.”
Eko before his appointment was a Justice of the Court of Appeal.
He also served in the High Court of Justice, Benue State Judiciary, between 1989 and 2007.
Eko, the Benue born, obtained a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.), Law/Jurisprudence from the University of Ife, Ile-Ife, between 1973 and 1976.
On her part, Augie until her elevation to the apex court was a justice of the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division.
Why we suspends judges accused of corruption : CJN.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, on Monday said the Judiciary remained resolute and committed to upholding its independence.
The CJN said this on the occasion of the swearing-in of Amina Augie and Ejembi Eko as justices of the Supreme Court in Abuja
Mohammed said all courts in the country were empowered to adjudicate with utmost fairness and justice as prescribed in the Constitution and the law.
He said, “Certainly, the decision of the National Judicial Council at its last meeting reflects our desire to preserve this independence.
“Hence, we proclaimed to the World that any Judicial officer that is standing trial will cease to perform judicial functions.
“The Council took this stand following communications it received from the Attorney General of the Federal that he was embarking on the prosecution of the affected judicial officers for the offences disclosed against them.”
He said, “We must not forget that we operate a constitutional democracy, which clearly prescribes the powers accorded to each organ of the State.
“I therefore wish to state without fear of contradiction that the third arm of government will remain resolute in its commitment and resolve to uphold its independence.”
On his advice to the new justices, Mohammed urged them to continue to be diligent in the discharge of their duties.
“You must remain blind to personality and status, and remain the hope of all men, whether common or uncommon.
“Hence, the integrity and impartiality of our courts must not be in question or compromised.
“I am confident that with the institutions and initiatives that we have put in place, the Nigerian Judiciary will evolve to meet the high standards demanded by our citizens.”
Eko before his appointment was a Justice of the Court of Appeal.
He also served in the High Court of Justice, Benue State Judiciary, between 1989 and 2007.
Eko, the Benue born, obtained a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.), Law/Jurisprudence from the University of Ife, Ile-Ife, between 1973 and 1976.
On her part, Augie until her elevation to the apex court was a justice of the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division.
Buhari hail Gov Oshiomole over his performance both in politics and unionism .
President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday expressed the hope that the ruling All Progressives Congress would find another assignment for the outgoing Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole.
He said it would result to wasting Oshiomole’s energy if he was allowed to retire immediately after his tenure as a state governor.
According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President spoke at the Palace of the new Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, shortly before he embarked on the inauguration of projects in the state.
Buhari said the country would be the loser if the APC failed to utilise the people’s governor’s wisdom, skill and energy.
He said, “It will be a pity to waste his energy by him retiring. I hope there will be a higher assignment for him to do more for the nation.
“I congratulate the governor for his hard work; Oshiomhole is a hard working governor. We will need his services in Abuja.
“Thank you for inviting me, most especially during this time in the country.
“You have served two terms and you are about to leave. You deserve a place in history. I hope the APC will look for a place for you because your service for the country is far from over.”
Buhari also congratulated the Oba on his enthronement and extended the support of the Federal government to him in his bid to improve the lives of Edo people.
The Oba in his speech expressed delighted on the president’s visit, noting that it was the first since his recent coronation.”
“We believe this is a sign of better things to come. I appreciate your contribution to my coronation,” Oba Ewuare II said.
The royal father who commended the President for appointing Edo indigenes into positions in government appealed for the establishment of an export and import processing zone for agro-allied industries in the state.
He said the venture would stimulate the nation’s economy and create jobs.
Sunday, 6 November 2016
Gov Fayose visit another APC chieftain ex-Governor Segun Oni, says Yoruba regional integration is not negotiable.
Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, yesterday paid a surprise visit to another Apc chieftain,the former state Governor, Segun Oni, at his Ifaki Ekiti country home.
Fayose teamed up with Dr. Kayode Fayemi of the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) during the 2009 rerun governorship election, which fuelled the ember of political hostility between the duo.
As a pay back, Oni also worked with Fayemi during the 2014 governorship poll, but Fayose eventually triumphed in the poll.
According to a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, Fayose said it was a mere courtesy visit and proper for him as a governor and leader.
The visit which took place around 2.30p.m. had the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chief Dipo
Anisulowo, on the entourage.
Anisulowo, on the entourage.
The governor who went with only three vehicles in his convoy, said he and Oni had a useful discussion claiming that a governor is the leader of all, saying: “leadership comes first, Ekiti comes first and leadership is about sacrifice to make for the purpose of unity. That is exactly what I am doing.”
He said further that “there is a difference between leadership and politics. To me, the state comes first, every leader willing to make the state first, I will visit him. I am the governor of the state and everybody is my subject. My visit to Oni has nothing to do with politics.
When it comes to how to move the state forward, we must firstly remove our political garment.”
Oni who warmly received Fayose, said he was overwhelmed with the visit which he claimed was brotherly.
According to him, “It is a brotherly visit, I am happy for that. It is a welcome development and good for the state. We are both leaders of the state.”
Shortly after he came to office, Fayose restored the portrait of Oni which was removed by Fayemi from the Governor’s Office.
Fayose also restored all his benefits as former governor of the state.
Ondo governorship election without Jegede will not work - Says Gov Mimiko.
• Mimiko
Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko said yesterday that the substitution of the name of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Eyitayo Jegede with Jimoh Ibrahim by the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) will not stand.
Mimiko told reporters in Akure, the state capital, that what happened was a contrived conspiracy which cannot find comfort “in justice, in principle, in law, and in morality”.
He said redress is being sought by Jegede, PDP and major stakeholders, “because the impunity will not stand”.
Mimiko observed that the development remained “bizarre in the nation’s politics and particularly in the state’s polity, noting that it is something bizarre, abnormal and without precedent in polity.”
The governor, however, thanked the people for their maturity and peaceful conduct.
“You have comported yourselves well. Your peaceful but rugged and persistent resistance in the last three and half weeks would go down in the record of the new Ondo State.”
He denied that he went to see President Muhammadu Buhari as a prelude to crossing over to another party.
According to him, he had to see the President on the need to allow justice to prevail.
“Mr. President gave his word that he would ensure that justice is done and I have no cause to doubt him,” he said.
Thursday, 27 October 2016
Another court stops INEC from removing Jegede's name as candidate of PDP for Ondo governorship election.
Jegede
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been restrained by the Akure High Court from substituting or replacing the name of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Eyitayo Jegede, already included on the electoral agency’s list of candidates for November 26 governorship election in Ondo State.
This followed the emergence of two factional candidates in the party.
Justice Abang of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had in a controversial ruling directed INEC to replace Jegede with Jimoh Ibrahim, following a contempt case instituted against the Jegede faction and INEC over a June 2016 ruling that the PDP factional executive in the Southwest should nominate candidate for the 2019 general election.
The Akure High Court ruling followed a suit filed by the Ondo State PDP Chairman , Clement Faboyede.
In a judgment delivered on Wednesday, Justice W R Olamide of the Akure High Court while restraining INEC from replacing Jegede said it would be out of order for INEC to replace or substitute his name.
Justice Olamide said any contrary action will contravene the principles of equity, justice and fairness.
In another development, the Akure High Court granted Bamiduro Dada an order restraining INEC and its agents from recognising Jimoh Ibrahim as PDP candidate , even as another injunction was granted the plaintiff restraining Jimoh Ibrahim from parading himself as the PDP candidate.
Dada, who contested the primary election organised by the PDP faction in Ibadan with Ibrahim, based his prayer on the submission that the shadow election held in Ibadan was a fraud.
In his ruling, Justice Olasehinde Kumuyi ruled that Biyi Poroye and others cannot parade themselves as PDP state executives and therefore can not take any action in respect of the party.
How we moved N1.2bn cash for Gov Fayose - Witness.
Obanikoro
The prosecution opened its case yesterday in the trial of Abiodun Agbele, an aide to Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose, with the testimony of its first witness Mr. Sunday Oluseye Alade.
Alade, 54, a banker told the court how he, along with some other officials of a bank and others received N1,219,490,000 cash brought into Akure airport on June 17, 2014 by ex-Minister of State for Defence Musiliu Obanikoro and two others.
The witness, who works in the Akure branch of the bank, gave details of how two aircraft brought the cash on two occasions, same day and how they moved the cash in a bullion van.
Agbele was arraigned before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court, Abuja on August 3, 2016 on 11 counts of money laundering involving about N4,685,723,000,000, allegedly taken by former National Security Adviser (NSA) from the account of the office of the NSA domiciled in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The prosecution alleged that the accused knew the N4,685,723,000,000 formed part of the proceeds of alleged unlawful activities by Dasuki.
The prosecution alleged that on June 17, 2014, Agbele, Obanikoro and other suspects (said to be at large), took N1,219,000,000 from the total N4,685,723,000,000, when they “reasonably ought to have known” that the money was part of proceeds of Dasuki’s unlawful activity.”
Alade, who was led in evidence yesterday by prosecution lawyer Wahab Shittu, also gave details of how Agbele allegedly supervised the lodgment of the cash into different accounts, including those allegedly belonging to Fayose, his company, Spotless Investment and others.
The prosecution also tendered some statements made by the witness on June 2, 2016 and July 4, 2016.
Part of the statement of June 2, 2016 reads: “Sometime in the month of June 2014, I was informed by my colleague in Ibadan, Lawrence Akande, that a customer of the bank will be bringing cash for lodgment in their account, but since the cash involved may be what he cannot singlehandedly handle and conveniently/safely bring to the branch office, I should arrange for the bank’s bullion van to evacuate the cash from Akure airport.
“To this end, that one Abiodun Agbele had collected my number from him and will call me in respect of the lodgment. Later on that date, nne Mr. Abiodun Agbele called that we should arrange to pick some cash from the Akure airport.
“He then came to meet us in the branch with Toyota Hillux van with some security ‘Army’ personnel. We then drove to the airport. At Akure airport, we waited for sometime before the arrival of a medium sized aircraft.
“After the aircraft had parked, three individuals came down and Mr. Abiodun Agbele walked to meet them.
“They had a brief discussion and two of the three men walked away and entered a waiting Toyota Hillux, one of the two appeared to be Senator Musiliu Obanikoro.
“The remaining individual, together with Abiodun Agbele then invited my team to come to the tarmac with the bullion van. And we off-loaded the cash to the bullion van.
“We then drove to the bank in the town in a convoy with their security team made up of soldiers and Mopol officers. At the branch, we just bundle counted the cash and ascertained it was N724,500,000.
“The person that handed over the cash later introduced himself as Adewale A. O and claimed to be a military aide de camp to Senator Obanikoro. He left us in the bank and went back to the airport in Akure.
“After about three hours, we drove our bullion van and security team back to the airport and waited until when another aircraft came with the second tranche, which was equally off-loaded to our bullion van and taken to the bank branch in Akure for ascertainment in the presence of Abiodun Agbele and one Adewale A. O.
“This second movement was ascertained to be N494,990,000 only. We were then informed by Abiodun Agbele that the cash was to be credited to various accounts,” Alade said.
The witness also gave details of how the money was distributed into the various accounts.
“The account credited and the amount are as follows: N100m was credited to Spotless Investment account: 1010170969 on 17/06/2014; Deprivateer Ltd was credited in account: 1013835889 with N219,490,000 on 18/06/2014 and another N300m on 19/06/2014 and another N200m on 23/06/2014.
“Another account owned by Ayodele Fayose was credited with N137,000,000 on 26/06/1014. This brings the total amount credited to the various accounts to N956,490,000.
“Mr. Abiodun Agbele then eventually took away the cash balance of N263m with their security team to Ado-Ekiti on the same day the cash was delivered in Akure.
“The total amount of cash so delivered amounted to N1,219,490,000. The amount deposited was N724,500,000, cash taken away N956,490,000 and cash balance of N263,000,000 (taken away by Abiodun Agbele).
“The driver that drove the bullion van on that cash pick-up engagement was Olaolu Omotosho. I do not know the registration number of the aircraft, but the colour is metallic grey.
“I was able to recognise Senator Musiliu Obanikoro sine the appearance resembled his picture that I used to see on the television and newspaper, but I cannot recognise the third person that came out of the aircraft with him.
“The cash was packed inside several sacks popularly referred to as Ghana-must-go sack. The aircraft that brought the second tranche of the cash was of a smaller size when compared with the aircraft that brought the first tranche.
“The sacks were many, and as such, I cannot remember the number. Mr. Abiodun Agbele collected a packet of deposit booklet and when we got to the bank with the N724,500,000, he said he would fill the deposit slip for the various amounts,” the witness said.
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