Headline

FG Begins Probe into CJN Onnoghen’s 13-Year Salary Account

Published

6 years ago

January 20, 2019

Eric

The Federal Government through the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit has launched a probe into the salary account of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, dating back to September 2005, reports The Punch.

The probe predates the advent of the Bank Verification Number initiative of the Central Bank of Nigeria and is expected to expose some alleged questionable deposits made into the account of the embattled CJN.

A fact sheet from the NFIU to the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), stated that nearly N100m passed through Onnoghen’s salary account with Union Bank Plc between September 2005 and October 2016.

Onnoghen’s salary in 2005 was N240, 202 but rose to N751, 082.37 in February 2008. However, the funds in his account were said to have surpassed his salary.

The document read in part, “His salary in 2005 was N240, 202. 20 and it rose to N751, 082.37 in February 2008. The salary remains within range till date.

“However, the turnover in the account from September 2005 to October 2016 was N91, 962, 362.49.

“He did not spend from the salary account from March 2015 to October 2016. The salary and allowances accumulated to N22, 520, 636.27 in October 2016 from N6, 132, 885.24 in March of the same year.”

According to the NFIU, investigations showed that the funds deposited in the account of the CJN are questionable and probably proceeds of crime.

“From the investigations conducted so far, it is plausible that the payments into the various accounts are bribes. This is because the sources of inflows into his accounts other than the salary account in Union Bank are unknown and probably fraudulent and the nature of the transactions (including structured payments) are not typical of the transactions of a public servant,” the statement added.

The Federal Government had last week filed charges against Onnoghen for allegedly failing to declare some assets before the Code of Conduct Bureau.

The Punch

Headline

Akpabio Relieves Natasha of Committee Chairmanship Position, Appoints Akwa Ibom Senator As Replacement

Published

2 days ago

July 10, 2025

Eric

Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has replaced suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, as the Chairman, Senate Committee on Diaspora/Non-Governmental Organisations.

In her place, Akpabio named Senator Bassey Aniekun Etim (Akwa Ibom -East).

The Senate President, who made the announcement on the floor in Abuja on Thursday, did not give any reasons.

The committee position had remained vacant since March when the Senate suspended the Kogi-Central Senatorial District lawmaker for six months for flouting the Senate’s rule on the seating arrangement and seat allocation.

The suspended lawmaker, at a point, chaired the Senate Committee on Local Content before Akpabio reassigned her to the Committee on Diaspora/NGO, shortly before she ran into trouble with the Senate over her conduct on seat allocation.

Headline

Supreme Court Upholds Election of Monday Okpebholo As Edo Governor

Published

2 days ago

July 10, 2025

Eric

The Supreme Court has affirmed the 2024 governorship election victory of Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC), dismissing the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Asuerinme Ighodalo.

In a unanimous decision by a five-member panel led by Justice Mohammed Garba, the apex court ruled that the appeal lacked merit. It upheld the earlier judgments of the Court of Appeal and the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which had both declared Okpebholo the validly elected governor.

Headline

‘Overthrow’ Comment: Tinubu’ll Be Removed by Votes, Not Bullets, ADC Replies Presidency

Published

2 days ago

July 10, 2025

Eric

The African Democratic Congress (ADC), on Wednesday, said President Bola Tinubu will be removed through the ballot and not bullets.It dismissed insinuations that the coalition is interested in truncating democracy in Nigeria.

ADC’s Interim National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, accused Tinubu of laying the foundation for a clampdown on opposition leaders.

He made the remark in response to a tweet by Tinubu’s spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, who alleged that the opposition was planning to overthrow the President.

Onanuga had said the coalition had ganged up to overthrow Tinubu’s administration.Rubbishing Onanuga’s comment, Abdullahi described his remark as reckless and unsubstantiated.

In a statement he signed, Abdullahi said Onanuga’s comment shows that Tinubu’s administration is out to intimidate and repress opposition political leaders in Nigeria.

He noted that ADC would explore Democratic means to ensure Tinubu’s removal from office and not by overthrowing him.

The statement read partly: “ADC condemned the tweet made by an aide of President Bola Tinubu, Onanuga, which alleges that the opposition is planning to overthrow the Tinubu government before 2027.

“If anything, it potentially lays the grounds for systematic clampdown on opposition leaders.

“The ADC is not interested in truncating democracy, we are solely committed to saving the nation from the irredeemable incompetence of this government. We are not soldiers, we are politicians.

“We don’t have bullets; we only have the ballots. When the time comes, we will only present our solutions and an alternative vision of the future to the Nigerian people and leave them to make their choice.”