9th Assembly: Reps members speak on Gbajabiamila ‘buying’ votes with green cards

POLITICS

9th Assembly: Reps members speak on Gbajabiamila ‘buying’ votes with green cards

A group of lawmakers have spoken up over accusation of vote buying against the Speaker of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila

We reported that a House of Representatives group, G7, are seeking legal redress over alleged proof of vote-buying and gross impunity by the Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Sani Omolori.

Omolori, who supervised the June 11 election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker in the House of Representatives, is being accused of having condoned impunity among the lawmakers.

Making references to photographic images and video evidence being released to back up their claims, the group asserted that they are only embarking on a principled struggle, adding that while the members have no personal grudges against any person or political party, they will not condone any illegitimacy in the election of the person or persons who will lead the House of Representatives.

But, reacting, a House of Representatives member Khadijah Bukar Abba on Monday said that Gbajabiamila did not induce his colleagues financially to vote for him.

Abba, the acting spokesman of the House, spoke shortly after the inauguration of four adhoc committees by the Speaker on Monday.

Also Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, who stood in for the ad Committee Chairman, said Gbajabiamila had no reason to induce any lawmaker as he worked hard enough to deserve the seat.

Ihonvbere said: “For us, we have conducted a democratic election that was held and aired live. At the end, winners emerged and we all witnessed the losers congratulating the winner on the floor.

“To us as a House, everything is now in the past and we are focused on the serious legislative business we are are here to carry out, to make the House and the country better.

“As far as we are concerned, nobody received money, nobody was enticed to vote. As a matter of fact, no one campaigned intensely robust more than Gbajabiamila, and it went beyond the call of duty to explain what he has to offer.

“At times he went to parts of the country with over 120 lawmakers, with that kind of work, he needed to buy no vote”.

 

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Constituency projects: ICPC to storm Kano, Benue, other states

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Constituency projects: ICPC to storm Kano, Benue, other states

 

The Independent Corrupt Practices And Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it is set to commence tracking of its first phase of constituency projects in 12 states.

This was contained in a brief statement signed by the commission’s Public Relations Officer, Mrs Rasheedat Okoduwa and made available to newsmen in Abuja on Monday.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the initiative launched on April 2, 2019 by ICPC, is aimed at ensuring satisfactory execution of all constituency projects as well as obtaining value for money.

Members of the Steering Committee for the initiative included Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS), Budget Office of the Federation, and Office of the Accountant General of the Federation.

Other members are Premium Times, International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR) among others.

According to Okoduwa, the first phase of the exercise will commence in 12 states across the six geo-political zones of the country.

“At least five projects have been identified for tracking in each state.

“The zones and states include North Central; Kogi and Benue, Northeast, Adamawa and Bauchi while others are Northwest, Sokoto and Kano.

“Southeast has Imo and Enugu, Southwest, Lagos and Osun; South-South, Akwa Ibom and Edo.”

 

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N69bn alleged fraud: Chief Judge transfers Fayose’s trial to another judge

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N69bn alleged fraud: Chief Judge transfers Fayose’s trial to another judge

 

The Chief Judge (CJ) of the Federal High Court on Friday transferred the trial of the former Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, charged with alleged N6.9 billion fraud, to a new judge.

The CJ, Justice Adamu Abdu-Kafarati, transferred the case from the former judge, Justice Mojisola Olatoregun, to Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke.

The action, followed a petition by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), seeking a transfer of the case.

Fayose was arraigned on Oct. 22, 2018, by the EFCC, alongside a company, Spotless Investment Ltd, on 11 counts bordering on fraud and money laundering offence.

He had pleaded not guilty to the charge and was granted bail on Oct. 24, 2018, in the sum of N50 million with sureties in like sum, while the prosecution opened trial on Nov. 19, and had so far called 13 witnesses out of 15 listed.

On March 20, a drama ensued in court midway into the trial, between the trial judge, and EFCC counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs, SAN.

The judge raised concerns on the manner of prosecution by counsel, and had noted that the prosecutor was not doing a good job, adding that he was not competent to evaluate the court’s ruling.

On his part, the prosecutor expressed his displeasure on the grounds that he had always dispensed his duties diligently and had never been derogated by any court.

Meanwhile, at the last proceedings on May 10, the 13th prosecution witness, Mr Adewale Aladegbola, a former driver of a bullion van, had given evidences which the prosecutor described as being contrary to his extrajudicial statement to the commission.

On this premise, the prosecutor informed the court that his witness appeared “hostile” and urged the court to adjourn the case to enable him make necessary application on the situation.

Continuation of trial was billed to resume on June 10.

However, the CJ conveyed the transfer of the case from Justice Olatoregun to Justice Aneke, by a letter dated May 23, a copy of which was obtained by newsmen,NAN reports.

The CJ said: “I refer to the petition of EFCC on this case and your Lordship’s comments thereto.

“It is apparent that the prosecution has lost confidence in the judge trying this case and justice must not only be done but must be seen to have been done, I hereby transfer this case to Hon. Justice C. J. Aneke for hearing.”

A new date for the case before Aneke has however not been confirmed.

The matter will consequently begin afresh before the new judge, as the defendant will take his plea again.

During the trial before Olatoregun, the prosecution had called witnesses, from Zenith Bank, Diamond Bank, as well as a former Minister of State for Defence, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro.

According to the charge, on June 17, 2014, Fayose and Agbele were said to have taken possession of the sum of N1.2 billion, for purposes of funding his gubernatorial election campaign in Ekiti State, which sum they reasonably ought to have known formed part of crime proceeds.

Fayose was alleged to have received a cash payment of five million dollars, (about N1.8 billion) from the then Minister of State for Defence, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro, without going through any financial institution and which sum exceeded the amount allowed by law.

He was also alleged to have retained the sum of N300 million in his Zenith Bank account and took control of the aggregate sums of about N622 million which sum he ought to have known formed part of crime proceeds.

Fayose was alleged to have procured De Privateer Ltd and Still Earth Ltd, to retain in their Zenith and FCMB accounts, the aggregate sums of N851 million which they reasonably ought to have known formed part of crime proceeds.

Besides, the accused was alleged to have used about N1.6 billion to acquire properties in Lagos and Abuja, which he reasonably ought to have known formed part of crime proceeds.

The accused was also alleged to have used the sum of N200 million, to acquire a property in Abuja, in the name of his elder sister, Moji Oladeji, which sum he ought to know also forms crime proceeds.

The offence contravened the provisions of sections 15(1), 15 (2), 15 (3), 16(2)(b), 16 (d), and 18 (c) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011.

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President Buhari failed in scurity, corruption, economy – N’Delta group

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President Buhari failed in scurity, corruption, economy – N’Delta group

A Niger Delta group, the Centre for Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Crusade, CHURAC, has taken an appriasal of the first term of the current federal government, stating that President Muhammadu Buhari has failed in his three focal areas of security, fighting corruption and the economy.

The group stressed that the president failed in his terms of his performances in office, warning that “the country should not continue in this miserable path in his second term”.

It claimed that Buhari’s first tenure has been characterised by economic repression, ethnocentrism, nepotism, lack of parity in the composition of government, gross abuse of human rights, persecution of old-time enemies as well as political rivals in the name of anti-corruption war as well as unbridled abuse of all known democratic ethos.

This was contained in a statement signed and made available to newsmen in Warri by the CHURAC’s national president, Cleric E. Alaowei, Esq, ahead of President Buhari’s inauguration for second term in office on Wednesday.

CHURAC said further, “The vain-glory and ego-boasting achievements in the four years of office by President Muhammadu Buhari is rather a mishmash of economic disaster, which has been ennobled as achievements by the sugar-coated propaganda of image laundering being anchored in the present Government.

“However, in the real sense, the Government’s celebrated achievements are democratic attrition to the nation.”

“This APC led-Government after mesmerizing Nigerians with its edited but failed to be executed 2015 campaign promises to entrust the Party with their votes, has shown that it’s four years was far worst than the PDP’s sixteen years rule.

“One eventful but excuses-coated four years have gone down the drain, yet this APC Government of propaganda has not formulated and or implemented any policy to recoup Nigerians of the mass feelings of distrust and gross incompetence displayed by the Government to pilot the affairs of the nation.

“High point of the Government’s shenanigan is its decision to go back to the APC’s vomit when the later was in opposition.

“The then opposition party, (APC), now groping around for help at the alter of governance, spared no minute in rebuking and reproving the PDP led-Government over the removal of fuel subsidy.

“We are surprised why this APC led-Government find the fuel subsidy removal parody as its best democracy gift to the economically pauperised and beleaguered Nigerians in his first term?

“Despite the social pariahs former President Jonathon’s Government was being subjected to, the Buhari’s Government is virtually doing everything left on the table of governance by the immediate past PDP led-Government.

“Prominent among those areas are the railway and road constructions which the present Government is celebrating as its achievements.

“The few self-serving, jingoistic and esoteric policies of this Government have not only polarised the Country along ethnic/religious lines but it has also plunged the Country into economic recess thereby elicited an unprecedented double digits inflationary rates.

“There is hardship everywhere in the Country although the Presidency said the Government has delivered in its first term. The question is: what are the achievements in Buhari’s first term?

“Insecurity is worst compared to the PDP’s era. The Government’s lackadaisical attitude in confronting the identified causes of the various ethno-religious crisis headlong has escalated the scourge of insecurity.

“While Fulani herdsmen are being tagged as the world’s fourth dangerous terrorist group by the International Terrorism Index, the same people who are waging a genocidal war against other Nigerians are being pampered by the Government of Mohammadu Buhari.

“Also, a good number of Boko Haram members who arrested and tried by the previous government of Goodluck Jonathan were released by the Government of the day who were alleged to have been granted amnesty. However, the same acclaimed repented terrorists have gone back to the trenches to embolden the Boko Haram jihads.

“Similarly, another factor that seemed to be escalating insecurity in the land under this Government was the Buhari’s ill-conceived decision to appoint top security positions from only one ethnic group/religion together with his resolve to keep them in office despite the fact they have overstayed their statutory years in office.

“On corruption, though it is fighting the menace with a determined vigor, the Government’s lukewarm attitude to the official corruption involving his appointees and political associates has proven to be a major setback to his avowal.

“Nigeria under Buhari is more corrupt than the Jonathan’s government. This position has been testified by the Transparency International through its yearly analysis of official corruption among countries in the world. Its Global Corruption Perception Index on Nigeria being released in 2018 and 2019 has shown that the Country has moved from its earlier position in 2014 when Buhari took over the Government.

“Transparency International rating of the Country’s Global Corruption Perception Index of 2017 but was released in 2018 which placed Nigeria at 148th position. However, in the 2018 report which was released in 2019, Nigeria moved to 144th from 148th in Transparency International latest corruption perception index worldwide.

“The Country made the four notch jump without improving its score of 27 out of a possible 100 as recorded in 2017. This is ironically an upward movement from its earlier position of 136th in 2014 under the PDP government.

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Imo: Don’t allow Okorocha collect Paris Club refund from Buhari govt – Group tells Ihedioha

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Imo: Don’t allow Okorocha collect Paris Club refund from Buhari govt – Group tells Ihedioha

The Imo Charter Forum, ICF, has urged the state’s incoming governor, Emeka Ihedioha to ensure that the balance of Paris Club refund due for the state is not released to the outgoing governor, Rochas Okorocha, whose tenure comes to an end in less than two weeks.

The supervising Finance Minister, Zainab Ahmed had last week, on Thursday in Abuja, stated that states yet to collect their balance of the Paris Club debts refunds would soon be paid.

She had said about N649.434 billion has been released for the final phase of the Paris Club debts refunds, adding that the total sum was verified by the Ministry as the outstanding balance to be paid to the state governments.

The Minister assured that states with outstanding balances of the refund would be paid in due course.

Reacting to the development, ICF in a statement signed by its National Secretary, Hon. Zebulon Nwariri, said while it welcomed the “announcement of the refunds with open arms, if the fund is released to the outgoing governors, they would find excuses to spend it on frivolities or even divert it to private coffers.”

ICF an umbrella body of different associations and stakeholders on governance and welfare of Imo State, stated that the previous releases of such funds have not been duly accounted for by some of the governors.

The Forum stated that the “case of Okorocha was peculiar, as the state under his rule presently owes workers and pensioners, several month salaries and pensions, the same with local contractors who executed jobs but have not been paid despite many of such Paris Club refunds and huge internally generated revenue.”

ICF urged the Federal Government to “wait for the incoming governors to be inaugurated so that the money would serve as their take-off grant, in view of the fact that many of them would be inheriting empty treasuries from the out-going ones.”

The statement reads: “We welcome the news by the Federal Government that the last tranche of Paris Club refund has been released. For us, this would serve as take-off grant for some of the incoming governors, most of who would be inheriting empty treasuries from the out-going governors.

“The case of Imo state is peculiar because Governor Rochas Okorocha has no respect for accountability and due process with finances and has always seen the money belonging to Imo State as his personal resource.

“The Federal Government may need to be reminded that Rochas is owing workers over six months of unpaid salaries, the same with pensioners and contractors. This is in spite of the fact the state rakes in much revenue from internal revenue streams, in addition to the huge releases in the past from the same Paris Club refunds.

“We, therefore, urge the incoming governor, Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha to do whatever is legally possible to safeguard Imo State’s share of the latest refunds by making sure that the money is not released to Rochas before he lives office in a few days from now. He must ensure that the money does not go into the hands of out-going governor Rochas Okorocha as they say that prevention is better than cure.”

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Imo: Gov. Okorocha under investigation by EFCC

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Imo: Gov. Okorocha under investigation  by EFCC

 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Friday disclosed that it’s investigating the Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha.

EFCC disclosed that it’s investigating Okorocha and the state government for a case of money laundering.

The Commission’s zonal head for South East, Usman Imam during a briefing yesterday said the state government used funds meant for workers during the just concluded elections.

Usman stated that the Commission’s operatives blocked accounts belonging to the state government in the build-up to the election, following a tip-off.

According to Usman, EFCC’s timely intervention saved the state over N5bn that would have been deployed for vote buying by the Okorocha’s administration.

He said: “About N7.9bn is what had been blocked, although with pressure, subsequently, about N2.5bn was released for salaries. On the whole, we have over N5bn of those funds blocked; we are following up to see what actually happened.

“Honestly, what we discovered was that within two days, N700m was withdrawn in cash; N200m on the first day and N500m on the second day and all these monies were disbursed in a manner that was honestly unpalatable.

“Distribution to school teachers; I don’t know, schools that you were not funding and you wake up on the eve of the election and withdrew N500m cash and start distributing N1000 each or so to teachers. Whatever that means, I don’t know.

“When we came in, we were able to save about seventy something millions of the funds that we discovered were not disbursed, we also blocked it. People are still answering questions as to who asked them to move those monies, monies that were blocked at the banks.

“The sad story about this was that these monies were the intervention funds; the bailout funds that the Federal Government released to states to pay salaries when they were having problems paying salaries.

“They didn’t utilize that money to pay the salaries; they warehoused it and kept it until the election period, they started attempting to draw down the money. Whatever happens, we have saved over N5bn of that money, as we talk, two weeks to handover. Probably, the next government would have that money to use it better. There are a lot of other general investigations going on in Imo right now.”

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NJC urged to investigate corruption allegation against Chief Judge

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NJC urged to investigate corruption allegation against Chief Judge

 

The National Judicial Council (NJC) was on Tuesday urged to prioritise investigation of corruption allegations brought against Justice Nasiru Ajanah, Kogi Chief Judge without further delay.

The Executive Secretary Anti-Corruption and Research Based Data Initiative (ARDI), Chief Dennis Aghanya made the call while speaking to newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja.

The anti-corruption body recently gained popularity when it initiated the investigation of the non-assets declaration allegations against Justice Walter Onnoghen, former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).

The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) found merit in the evidence excavated by the NGO and convicted the ex-CJN.

Aghanya said the organization was worried by the slow nature of the council toward investigating the fraud allegations brought against the Kogi CJ.

“Gentlemen and ladies of the press, we wish to bring to your notice our petition submitted today to the Acting CJN and the chairman of the NJC against the NJC.

“The bone of contention in our petition is our dissatisfaction over the manner the NJC is handling the petition submitted to it by the Kogi Governor on the recommendation of the Kogi House of Assembly.

“The assembly has recommended the sacking of the State Chief Judge, Justice Nasiru Ajanah for alleged gross misconduct.

“While our petition to the NJC is not a pronouncement of guilt against his Lordship, Justice Ajanah, we frown at the pattern the NJC seem to be adopting in cases brought before it against serving judges.

“In its efforts to find a lasting peace in the face off between the Kogi State Judicial workers and the executive arm of government’’, he said.

Aghanya, however, said: “the NJC left unaddressed the substance of the indictment against the State Chief Judge to merely address the administrative dispute, thereby giving the embattled Chief Judge a soft landing’’.

“You may recall that in addressing the petition of the EFCC against the former CJN, Justice Walter Onneghen, the NJC had recommended a soft landing to President Buhari by suggesting that he be retired or sacked.

“We commend the President for not succumbing to such recommendation. Justice is better left to run its full course.

“We consider this pattern of soft landing as dangerous precedence by the NJC. It should learn to call a spade a spade so that justice can actually be seen to be dispensed’’, Aghanya said.

Aghanya further said: “another dangerous dimension to the NJC’s approach is that it delays verdicts for petitions brought before it’’.

“Like in the case of Kogi, a recommendation of the State Assembly assented to by the state Governor is supposed to be effective.

“But in the magnanimity of the state Governor he chose to still write the NJC in obedience to the stipulations of the law.

“Rather than reciprocate this gesture the NJC has chosen to unnecessarily delay verdict on the crucial aspect of the matter’’, he said.

He explained that the delay would only linger the crisis in the state, adding that the council must not give room for the governor to a decision that could be termed an affront against it.

“The Kogi House of Assembly has statutorily done the needful by investigating the report and aligned itself with State Auditor General.

“It is on the basis of this that we are calling on the NJC to ask the State Chief Judge to step aside and allow the necessary agencies to investigate the matter and do the needful.

“Failure to address our petition after seven days would compel us to graduate into the next level of action’’, Aghanya said.

Aghanya said the organisation would continue to highlight issues of corruption in the judicial sector because of its strategic importance in the fight against corruption in the country.

“Sanity in the judiciary would ensure sanity in justice dispensation to guarantee equality of all Nigerians’’, he said.

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EFCC vs Doyin Okupe: What judge told EFCC in court on Tuesday

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EFCC vs Doyin Okupe: What judge told EFCC in court on Tuesday

 

Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, adjourned the trial of a former Senior Special Assistant to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Doyin Okupe, to June 26, 2019, after cross examination of the fifth witness, Mr. Remigus Ugor, a Compliance Officer with Zenith Bank PLC.

Okupe is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on a 59-count charge bordering on money laundering, criminal diversion of funds to the tune of N702, 000,000 (Seven Hundred and Two Million Naira) only.

At the resumed hearing, Remigus Ugor, while being cross examined by Okupe’s Counsel, Akinlabi Akinbade, told the court that Okupe is a signatory to the two accounts he tendered as evidence but that he cannot tell, if the defendant has other bank accounts.

While being cross examined by the defense Counsel to Value Trust Investment Ltd, Ugor told the court that he does not know the purpose for which the payment was made or what it was paid for, adding that it’s only the bank customers that know the reason for the deposits made to the banks.

The witness also released different payments made from Value Trust Investment Ltd; to various individuals and companies, which included a cheque of N3million to Gbenga Arulegba of ‘Focus Nigeria’ a programme ran on African Independent Television, AIT, on June 18, 2013, and another N2,200,000 to Aruleba on August 6, 2012.

According to Ugor, there was a payment of N500, 000, sometime in 2013, to one Suleiman Aledeh, another N12million transfer to Channels Incorporated Ltd on November 4, 2014, and another sum of N2, 150,000 payments to one Charles Iorhemba of Nigeria Television Authority, NTA.

Ugor also told the court that the bank can open a company account without a SCUML’s certificate depending on the nature of the company. While being cross-examined by the defense counsel to Abrahams telecoms Ltd, Ezenwa Ifegbulam, on whether the deposit of N35, 050,000, on October 2014, made to Abraham Telecoms was a suspicious or fraudulent transactions, Ugor told the court that he cannot say if it was fraudulent or not, adding that he knows the bank reports transactions above N10million to supervisory bodies.

The judge adjourned the case to June 26 and 28, 2019 for continuation of trial.

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Bayelsa: Speaker, four others to be arraigned by CCT

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Bayelsa: Speaker, four others to be arraigned by CCT

 

The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) said the Speaker of Bayelsa House of Assembly, Kombowei Benson and four other serving and former staff of the assembly will be arraigned in the court on May 22.

Mr. Ibraheem Al-Hassan, the tribunal’s Head, Press & Public Relations disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja.

Those to be charged alongside the speaker are former Clerk of assembly, Aaron Timiye and former Accountant, Thomas Tamaraodubo, NAN reports.

Others are Owudogu Edward serving Clerk, of the assembly and Koroye Stephen, serving accountant of the assembly.

Al-Hassan said the alleged offences bordered on gross misconduct and abuse of office.

“Chairman Code of Conduct Tribunal Justice Danladi Y. Umar, has approved May 22 for the commencement of trial against serving Speaker and four others.

“The offences are alleged abused of office against Benson, the Speaker Bayelsa state House of Assembly.

“This was contained in a correspondent from Code of Conduct Bureau, addressed to Chairman Code of Conduct Tribunal to commence trial, dated April 30, jointly signed by the operatives of Code of Conduct Bureau: Musa Usman and Fatima Ahmed,” he said.

The charge was brought to the tribunal pursuant to Section 24 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act.

According to the charge, the alleged actions of the defendants are contrary to paragraph 9 of the fifth schedule, part 1 of the 1999.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the offences are punishable under paragraph 18 (1) and (2) of the same constitution, and Sections 13 and 23 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act CAP C15 LFN 2004.

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Saraki Vs EFCC: PACAC chairman, Itse Sagay reveals why anti-graft agency is investigating Senate President

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Saraki Vs EFCC: PACAC chairman, Itse Sagay reveals why anti-graft agency is investigating Senate President

 

The Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, PACAC, Itse Sagay, has reacted to the probe of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Sagay explained that the anti-graft agency was investigating Saraki for alleged acquisition of properties by fraudulent means and not false declaration of assets, which he had been cleared by the courts.

EFCC had last week sealed off some properties belonging to Saraki located in Ikoyi, Lagos State while investigating the period he was governor of Kwara State from 2003 to 2011.

The Senate President, however, described the action of the anti-graft agency as a witch-hunt, claiming that the property in question had been investigated by the commission several times in the past.

However, Sagay, while speaking with Independent said: “The investigation is not over. The earlier one was the issue of false declaration of assets. What they are doing now is acquiring properties by fraudulent means and siphoning money from the state.

“So, it is a totally different charge. Although, he was cleared up to the Supreme Court on the issue of declaration of false assets, this one is different.

“That the court declared that a case is not proved does not mean that there is no guilt. So, this is a second approach, which permits the agency to actually have the property forfeited without proving guilt.

“All he has to do is to go through the first process of temporary forfeiture and then, the owner of the property (in this case, Saraki) will be invited by the court through an order to come and justify how he acquired the property, usually by affidavit.

“So, the two parties will come and if he cannot establish satisfactorily to the court that he earned the money by which he acquired the property, then he will lose it to the Federal Government.”

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Senate Sets To Impeach Buhari Over $496m Aircraft

​BREAKING NEWS

Senate Sets To Impeach Buhari Over $496m Aircraft

Senate on Tuesday moved to impeach President Muhammadu Buhari over breach of various sections of the 1999 constitution as amended.

The move followed reports by the Senate Committee Chairman on Public Accounts, Senator Mathew Uroghide indicting President Muhammadu in the purchase of American Tucano Aircraft worth $496 million without the approval of the Senate.

Uroghide submitted that his committee grilled the Minister of defense to that effect in line with the mandate given to his committee. He also confirmed that the Minister of Defense, Mansur Dan-Ali had admitted wrongdoing in the purchase of the aircraft.

“Mr. President, the procedure of the purchase of that Aircraft was wrong procedurally. I wish to refer us to Section 80, 81, 82, 83, and 84.”

“Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, I rise through order 15 and 52 to explain my Committee report. Mr. President, as the head of executive arm has breached the provisions of the Constitution.”

“In our grilling of the Minister of Defense yesterday, he admitted wrongdoing over purchase of American Tucano Aircraft.”

“Obviously, President Buhari has committed an impeachable offence and I move that the Senate invoke Section 80, 81, 82, 83 and 84.”

Uroghide added that it was not the first time, Mr. President was committing impeachable offence.

“Mr. President, the procedure of the purchase of that Aircraft was wrong procedurally. I wish to refer us to Section 80, 81, 82, 83, and 84.”

Senator Chukwuka Utazi, Enugu North Senatorial district seconded that Mr. President has committed an impeachable offence, hence, he should be impeached.

He was saddened that Buhari continued to dispense huge sums of money without regard to the Senate and the constitution, saying he clearly breached section 80.

He further explained that the purchased aircraft would be delivered in 2020.

Shehu Sani representing Kaduna Senatorial district admitted the high level of insecurity the nation is experiencing.

He suggested for the recall of the funds for due process to be followed instead of impeachment.

Senator Abu Ibrahim in his contributions took the Senate through national accountability, stating that APC led government has been very open.

He urged the Senate to focus on how to assist government to tackle insecurity.

“Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, as responsible Senate, I appeal that we should consider Mr. President’s request since he has written to us.”

“My appeal is, lets look at the request. Senators should do anything to tackle insecurity. Today, it is Benue, Zamfara, tomorrow it could be anywhere.”

Senator Samuel Anyanwu representing Imo East insisted that the breach of the constitution by President Buhari was beyond party and friendship, stating that the substance of Buhari’s action must be looked into.

He recalled that late Senate President, Dr. Chuba Okadigbo was removed from office based on anticipatory budget. He called on the Senate to invoke section 143 of the constitution, saying Buhari should be impeached.

Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki recalled the United States Congress meeting with Nigerian parliament over the purchase which President Donald Trump sought the American Congress’ approval.

“It was after our meeting in August last year, that they went back to approve Donald Trump’s request,” he said.

The Senate President added that there was ample time for the executive to write to the National Assembly for approval. He, therefore, referred the motion to the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal matters to weigh the legal implications and report back on Wednesday next week.

                                                  

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Afenifere Calls On National Assembly To Sanction Buhari For Corruption Over $496m Aircraft Purchase

​BREAKING NEWS

Afenifere Calls On National Assembly To Sanction Buhari For Corruption Over $496m Aircraft Purchase

The pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, yesterday tagged the anticipatory approval and payment of $496 million by President Muhammadu Buhari for the purchase of the A29 Super Tucano Aircraft as an act of ‘corruption and misappropriation of public funds.’

It called on the National Assembly to ensure that the full wrath of the law was brought to bear on the issue.

Rising from its monthly meeting at the home of their leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti, in Akure, Afenifere also condemned the statement credited to the President in London, where he degraded youths.

Reading the group’s communiqué, its Publicity Secretary, Yinka Odumakin said Afenifere “frowned at the anticipatory approval and payment of $496 million to the US government by President Buhari for the purchase of 12 A29 Super Tucano aircraft.

“It is disturbing that this impetuous act was carried out by the President, who is now asking the National Assembly to include money he already spent in 2018 Appropriation Act under consideration.

“This is against Section 83 of the 1999 constitution. Since there was no act of National Assembly for this money, it is clear that the President’s action is a clear subversion of 1999 constitution.

“It is an act of corruption and misappropriation of public funds and we call on the National Assembly to ensure that the full wrath of the law is brought to bear on this issue because this act of impunity is getting too much.”

                                                  

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