Headline

Abacha Loot: Reps to Probe Recovery from 1998 to Date

Published

6 years ago

July 4, 2018

Eric

The House of Representatives has resolved to set up an ad-hoc committee to investigate the total amount recovered from the Abacha loot from 1998 to date.

This is one of the four resolutions made by members of the lower chamber after a long deliberation.

The resolutions were sequel to a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Karimi Sunday.

Mr Sunday had explained that the Abacha family in 2014 entered an agreement with the federal government, forfeiting public funds in several billions of dollars to the federal government, following a plea bargaining to drop charges against the late military ruler’s son.

He said the funds have been released to the Federation in several tranches by Switzerland Government but without much disclosure to the public by government.

Recently, the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, signed an agreement on behalf of the federal government on the release of the last tranche of $322million to Nigeria.

The Special Adviser to the President on‘ Justice Reforms, Juliet lbekaku-Nwagwu, was reported to have said that in line with the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Switzerland Government and the Nigerian Government, the $322 million will be paid directly to the accounts of the poorest Nigerians without recourse to the National Assembly.

Mr Sunday, however, said by virtue of Section 12 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), no treaty between the Federal Government of Nigeria and any other country shall have the force of law except to the extent to which such treaty has been enacted by the.National Assembly.

“Consequently, no agreement or Memorandum of Understanding purportedly signed by the Federal Government with the Switzerland Government can have any force of law in Nigeria, except approved and enacted by the National Assembly,” he said.

He further said by virtue of Section 80 (1-3) and 81 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) a revenue raised and received by the federal government shall be paid to the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

“Section 80(3) stipulates that no such monies raised shall be withdrawn from the Consolidated Revenue Fund unless the issue of such funds has been authorised by the National Assembly. As a result, no monies can be paid or expended without National Assembly approval,” he said.

He called on the federal government to come up with a Supplementary Appropriation Bill, earmarking the funds due to it from the Abacha loot for the completion of the Ajaokuta Steel Complex/Project.

Mr Karimi frowned at the decision of the federal government to distribute the money among poor families in the country, describing it as a breach of the constitution.

“How many poor families have been identified? Let’s follow the laws of the land. This is impunity and has to be stopped,” he said.

In his contribution, Hassan Saleh supported the motion as he urged the federal government to invest the recovered loot into the Ajaokuta Steel Company.

He described the government’s decision as corruption in disguise and said the money cannot be properly distributed among poor families. He also wondered what happens if the government cannot feed the poor families tomorrow.

Abdumumin Jibrin, on his part, said although he understands the federal government has the nation’s best interest at heart, “there is nothing wrong with consulting the National Assembly” as regards what should be done with the money.

He called for thorough investigation into the recovered funds and urged his colleagues not to politicise the issue.

While stating that money recovered be invested in the Ajaokuta Company, he also urged the House to “deal with the motion in isolation.”

The House thereafter resolved to establish sources of the money recovered and if at all, charges paid to lawyers and consultants.

It also resolved to find out if procedures were followed and identify if agreements entered aligns with Nigeria’s constitution.

Premium Times

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

Published

3 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. ”