Headline

Alpha Beta: Punch Replies Osinbajo “We Will Not Be Silenced”

Published

5 years ago

July 24, 2019

Editor

Punch Nigeria Limited has refuted the claim by a firm, SimmonsCooper, that a story, ‘Osinbajo’s firm linked to company fingered in alleged N100bn Alpha Beta scam’, in the Saturday PUNCH of July 13, was born out of malice towards Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN).

Rather, the organisation said the investigative report was done in line with its commitment to fight all forms of societal ills, including corruption, through the dissemination of news to educate Nigerians.

The newspaper company stressed that the report was not published out of malice towards Osinbajo or anyone else, but in furtherance of its mission as a public trust beholden only to Nigeria and Nigerians.

Punch stated this in a letter by its Company Secretary/Legal Adviser, Omolara Ogunleye, in response to a pre-action letter written to it by SimmonsCooper Partners, a law firm in which Osinbajo was a Senior Partner until 2015 when he was elected as Nigeria’s Vice-President.

She said, “It is a fact that by a Return filed with the CAC sometime in November 2011, your firm was registered with the CAC as the Company Secretaries to a company named Ocean Trust Limited, which in turn is alleged to be of interest in the matters complained of against Alpha Beta.

“If, as you now say, your registration with the CAC as Company Secretaries to Ocean Trust Limited was without your knowledge or consent, then, rather than making us the object of your umbrage for simply revealing what is in the CAC records to the public, it will sound more reasonable for your firm to take it up with:

“(i) The CAC that accepted the filing of the Return and kept it in its public record as a fact concerning the entity named Ocean Trust Limited;

“(ii) Messrs Iyiola Gboyega and Akinniyi Kunle who signed as directors of Ocean Trust Limited on the Return to the CAC of your appointment as Secretaries to the Company;

“(iii) Mr Jack Oguche (phone number 0803335150) at whose presentation the return of your appointment was accepted and processed and filed in the CAC records; and

“(iv) Where the said Mr Jack Oguche proves to be a lawyer, then complain against him to the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee for filing what you claim is a false return affecting your firm to the CAC.”

The newspaper house said since July 13, 2019 when it published the investigative report, which SimmonsCooper complained about, the organisation and its employees had continued to be subjected to “all manner of threats of dire consequences, including threats of a shut-down.”

Punch said while it had no reason to link SimmonsCooper with the threats, it would want it passed on that “it behoves the current occupiers of the highest public offices in the land to remember that the democracy which we, and they especially, have enjoyed since 1999 and which served as the vehicle of their ascendancy to power, was not served to Nigerians on a silver platter. Rather, it resulted from a hard-won battle against the resolute enemies of open society.”

It added, “Our publishing stable, like many other patriots, bears the bruises of this battle to promote an open and lawful society. Our business was targeted and undermined; our publications suffered incessant shut-downs; and our journalists and other staff members were subjected to intimidation, harassment and arrests by those who tried to mortgage the long-term interest of Nigeria and Nigerians for short-term gains. We, nevertheless, soldiered on stoically till Nigerians won freedom from military jackboots and democracy dawned.”

Punch said rather being narrowed down to malice towards Osinbajo or SimmonsCooper or an attempt to malign them, the investigative report should be seen as its support for the fight against corruption, which President Muhammadu Buhari had himself pronounced would kill Nigeria if not killed.

“It is, therefore, the duty of all individuals and corporate patriots, including your good self and your organisation, to support that fight.

“We support that fight by disseminating news to, and educating the public on the ills and perils of all forms of lawlessness, especially corruption. We will do all in our powers to ensure that our voice and the voices of Nigerians are not silenced again,” Punch said

Headline

Breaking: Wike Plans to Attend Thursday’s PDP NEC Meeting

Published

2 days ago

April 17, 2024

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

The immediate past Governor of Rivers State, and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr Nyesom Wike, may have concluded plans to attend the much advertised National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), billed to hold on Thursday, in Abuja.

Impeccable source, who is in the know, told The Boss that the minister, whose membership of the PDP is yet to be revoked even as he frolicks with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and serving in the President Bola Tinubu government as a minister.

The Source told The Boss that Wike’s impending presence at the NECeeting on Thursday is not unconnected with plans, already hatched with some governors, to weaken the opposition PDP.

“Yes, we have on good authority that FCT minister, Wike is planning to attend the NEC meeting tomorrow all in a bid to weaken the fabrics of the PDP, and pave the way for the continuation of the Tinubu administration come 2027, and by extension, relapse Nigeria to a full blown one party state.

“From every indication, Wike and his co-travellers, are bent on unleashing the same crisis ravaging the third force, Labour Party, and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso’s Nigerian National People’s Party (NNPP) on the PDP for the APC to remain the only political party in the country, and ensure that Tinubu has no challenger, come 2027,” the Source said.

It would be recalled that Wike has boasted over and again that there’s no opposition against Tinubu’s re-emergence in 2027, and that they have made sure of that. He has been compensated with the Ministerial job after he withdrew support for his party, and supported the APC and Tinubu to emerge as national government.

The Source further revealed that in the attempt to actualize the intended one party state, a lot of funding is ongoing to ensure that concerned stakeholders are ‘settled’ handsomely.

Wike, prior, during and after the 2023 general elections, has been floating in between the two major political parties; the APC and the PDP. While he claim to still be a member of the PDP, he is functioning as a minister in an APC government, mocking the inability of his party to discipline him.

Political stakeholders have concluded that the outcome of Thursday’s PDP NEC meeting will determine the path Nigeria’s political trajectory will take, and that it may portend the end of multi-party system and political democracy if Wike succeeds in his plan.

Headline

Bribery, Corruption: APC Suspends National Chairman, Ganduje

Published

5 days ago

April 15, 2024

Eric

The All Progressives Congress ward in Ganduje, Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area, has suspended the party’s National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje.

The party ward legal adviser, Halliru Gwanzo, announced the suspension while addressing newsmen in Kano State on Monday.

Gwanzo cited allegations of bribery against Ganduje levelled by the Kano State Government as the reason for the suspension.

“We decided to suspend Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje from the party due to the seriousness of the allegations against him,” Gwanzo said.

Meanwhile, efforts to contact the Chief Press Secretary to the APC National Chairman, Mr Edwin Olufo, failed as his mobile phone was unreachable.

Headline

Akpabio Commits to Collaboration with Tinubu, Governor Umo Eno

Published

1 week ago

April 12, 2024

Admin

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, has stated his commitment to working closely with Nigeria’s President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and Governor Umo Eno to ensure the delivery of democratic benefits to the people of Akwa Ibom State.

Akpabio stated this in his country home, Ukana, Essien Udim Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom, while briefing his constituents on the journey so far as their representative in the red chamber.

He assured the people of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District of his commitment to their welfare in appreciation of their total support for him, President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in last year’s election.

The Highpoint of the constituency briefing was the distribution of over 10,000 bags of rice and other essentials for his constituents from the wards, to the local governments.

A statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom, quoted Akpabio as saying, “I am here once again, to thank you for standing by me, our President and the party, before, during and even after last year’s elections. I have come to say thank you and also bring Renewed Hope to you all.

“As the President is doing his own, the Senate President is also doing his bit and being complemented by the state governor, Akwa Ibom would be the better for it. We have finished elections and politics, we are now into governance. The governor of the state must touch you, because he is the governor of all the people in the state irrespective of political affiliation.

” As I am touching you now from the political angle, I will also touch the state without any political party affiliation. Most of the projects we are putting in place would be used by people resident in the state. Relax, things are getting better.”

The former Governor of the state, assured his constituents that his current position as the Senate President would be used for the development of the state in collaboration with the President and the Akwa Ibom State Governor.

Hear him: This Senate President is not the one that would be fighting the state government. I will collaborate with , I will collaborate with , to make the state better for us all. We cannot be out of government for a long time. You have to go to a government that carries you along”

Akpabio promised to work for his constituents and Nigeria with all his strength, noting that, “as the President of the Senate, I am for the Southern region and the entire country. I may not come here regularly to tell you what I have been doing for you, but you will be feeling the impact on way or the other. Our unemployed youths would be gainfully employed. I will construct a mini stadium in all the local governments in the district, for our youths to develop their sporting potentials. ”