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Tag: Atiku Abubakar

  • Atiku framed Obasanjo over the years – Presidency Sources

    Some Presidency sources on Tuesday night faulted the alarm raised by the former Vice President and Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    Atiku had on Monday declared that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration was bent on framing Obasanjo in order to stop him from criticising Buhari’s administration.

    In a statement by his media office, Atiku had also alleged that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was giving falsehoods to the media  towards causing disaffection between him and Obasanjo on one hand, and between Obasanjo and Nigerians in general.

    But a Presidency source, who spoke to The Nation on a condition of anonymity, said that Atiku had so much framed Obasanjo that nobody could beat his record.

    He said “When Mr. Atiku Abubakar reflects on some of the things he said of President Obasanjo, he will realize that having framed the former President so well in the past, Obasanjo cannot anymore be framed by anyone, no matter how he tries.

    “On the unresolved issue of the mismanagement of the Petroleum Trust Development Fund, PTDF under their government, Mr Atiku’s revelation before the Senate was that Obasanjo took N10 billion to kickstart his Third Term campaign.”

    This source added “This is how the press captured it: “Abuja — The ill-fated third term agenda re-echoed yesterday in Abuja at the public sitting of the Senate Committee on Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) when Vice President Atiku Abubakar alleged that President Olusegun Obasanjo approved the immediate release of N10 billion in the thick of the battle to push the agenda in the National Assembly.”

    Another source recalled what Atiku said about Obasanjo on the 16 Billion Dollar spending on electricity, which he noted nothing to show.

    Read Also: Still on Atiku’s ‘treasonable’ comments

    He quoted Atiku as saying “The issue of electricity is a thing that I feel very emotional about it, because I believe if we had handled the issue of electricity when we were in office by 2005 we would have provided enough electricity for the people of this country; but unfortunately we did not follow that route. … I have said it in many interviews. … I was then the chairman of Privatization Council and we commissioned international consultants to come and help us – How do we get power within the shortest possible time and they came. They went round this whole country and they submitted their recommendations. …”

    Atiku, according to the source, added “The government went for the IPPs, … the President, … we collected money from local governments, states federal government and others, five set of contracts were given, some contracts were paid 100 percent, we left nothing, was achieved … ”

    The source declared “Obasanjo has already been framed by Mr. Atiku. Nobody needs to do that all over again.”

    When contacted on telephone on Tuesday night, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, declined to comment on the issue.

     

     

  • My son-in-law gave Obasanjo Library N50m, says Atiku

    A SON-IN-LAW of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar gave $140,000  (N50 million) to the Olusegun Obasanjo Library, the ex-VP’s Media Office said on Monday.

    According to a statement, the Atiku Media Office said Mr. Babalele Abdullahi facilitated the donation as part of a plan to support institutions promoting peace in the country.

    It said donations to institutions set up to promote peace in Nigeria and Africa should be commended and not criminalised.

    The ex-VP’s office was responding to a story exclusively published on Monday by The Nation that operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) visited the Obasanjo Library on August 8 as part of investigation into the receipt of $140,000 by an official of the Presidential Library.

    The money was suspected to be a source of money laundering and illegal cash used to corrupt some officials to influence the 2019 elections.

    Babalele is being investigated with others for allegedly laundering 150 million euros.

    One of those under probe is an Atiku associate and lawyer, Mr. Uyi Giwa-Osagie.

    About  67, 950,000 of the suspected 150 million euros was traced to Osagie’s and Babalele’s accounts, two slush firms and two Bureau De Change operators.

    Of the 67.9 million euros, Uyi’s account was credited with 26,050,00 million euros between January 9 and 28, 2019.

    Babalele is expected to account for 41,900,000 euros.

    Out of the cash credited to Babalele, he gave about N50million ($140,000) to his childhood friend, Bashir Mohammed to take to an official of  ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta.

    The EFCC is investigating why the $140,000 was taken to the library, making its detectives to visit the Library in company of Bashir.

    The Atiku Media office said: “Yes, he (Abdullahi) did facilitate a donation of fifty million naira to the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, but so did many other individuals, including civic-minded traditional rulers, state Governors, bankers and captains of industry.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, Mallam Abdullahi’s donation of fifty million naira was made via a bank transfer, in full compliance with the law.

    “He did not donate or make any payment in cash, as the EFCC is erroneously and salaciously misleading the public. Furthermore, the sources of these funds are completely legitimate and have been conclusively proven to the EFCC.

    “It is instructive to note that even the EFCC has not once claimed these funds to be the proceeds of any illegal activity whatsoever”, Atiku said

    Read Also: Supreme Court rejects Atiku’s, PDP’s appeals

    Presidential libraries in America and other parts of the world are similarly funded by donations from civic-minded individuals”, the statement said, accusing the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari of hatching plots to rope ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo into a crime in a bid to silence him.

    “Yes, he did facilitate a donation of fifty million naira to the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, but so did many other individuals, including civic-minded traditional rulers, state Governors, bankers and captains of industry. This is because the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library is a non-governmental organization that plays a pivotal role in promoting peace and stability in Nigeria, and that should be applauded. “Unlike another past leader, who did not improve himself or Nigeria after leaving office, but sat down nursing grudges and plotting revenge, former President Olusegun Obasanjo improved himself and Nigeria by authoring books, founding international think tanks and engaging in peace and capacity building efforts.

    “Donations to institutions set up to promote peace in Nigeria and Africa are to be commended, not criminalized. Presidential libraries in America and other parts of the world are similarly funded by donations from civic-minded individuals.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, Mallam Abdullahi’s donation of N50m was made via a bank transfer, in full compliance with the law. He did not donate or make any payment in cash, as the EFCC is erroneously and salaciously misleading the public.”

    The statement said the sources of the donation were legitimate and proven to EFCC.

    It added: “Furthermore, the sources of these funds are completely legitimate and have been conclusively proven to the EFCC. It is instructive to note that even the EFCC has not once claimed these funds to be the proceeds of any illegal activity whatsoever.

    “The truth is that there is desperation on the part of the current administration to rope in former President Olusegun Obasanjo into a crime as a way of silencing his voice, which they see as the preeminent critical voice against the misrule that they have foisted on Nigerians.

    “This is why they asked the Federal Inland Revenue Service to falsely and libelously include his name in a published list of tax evaders, along with the names of other Peoples Democratic Party sympathizers, such as prominent international singer and pride of Nigeria, Davido, who played a prominent role in PDP’s gubernatorial campaign in Osun state, for which he is being punished.

    “We are therefore calling on Nigerians to be watchful for false and misleading stories planted in the media by the EFCC against Atiku Abubakar, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and other persons deemed to be opponents of this government.

    “Let it be known that former President Olusegun Obasanjo established the EFCC to be an investigative body and not a propaganda or enforcement arm of the ruling party, as it is now being misused.

    “May we also add that whenever the EFCC wish to come up with mischief, they fly their kite in The Nation This is now a pattern. It should be clear to Nigerians that the Presidency, APC, the EFCC, The FIRS and The Nation are now working together as five fingers of the same leprous hands.”

  • Supreme Court rejects Atiku’s, PDP’s appeals

    MOVES by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the February 23 presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to have access to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) server ended on Tuesday at the Supreme Court.

    It was a double loss for the opposition party and its candidate as the apex court rejected the appeals they filed against two earlier decisions of the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC).

    It came ahead of Wednesday’s resumption of proceedings at the PEPC, where parties are scheduled to adopt their written addresses.

    The PEPC will today reserve a date for judgment after adoption of the addresses by the parties – PDP/Atiku; All Progressives Congress (APC)/President Muhammadu Buhari and INEC.

    It was learnt on Tuesday the PEPC has 21 days left out of the 180 days within which it has to deliver judgment in the petition.

    The PDP and Atilku are challenging the outcome of the election won by President Buhari.

    The first appeal numbered: SC/739/2019 was filed against a ruling of the PEPC, in which it held that the Atiku and the PDP do not have a reply to an application filed on May 14, 2019 by the APC seeking among others, the dismissal of their (Atiku and the PDP) challenging Buhari’s victory.

    The second appeal numbered: SC/815/2019, sought to reverse the decision given by the PEPC on June 24 rejecting their request to inspect a supposed central server purportedly used by the INEC to transmit results.

    When the first appeal was called on Tuesday, appellants’ lawyer, Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) applied to withdraw it on the grounds that the time allowed in law, for the hearing of such an election related appeal has expired.

    Jegede said the lawyer, who led the appellants’ team on July 30, when case last came up, failed to inform the court that the time for the hearing of the appeal would lapse before August 20, to which the case was adjourned.

    He then applied to withdraw the appeal, an application the respondents: INEC (represented by Yunus Usman, SAN); Buhari (represented by Wole Olanipekun, SAN) and APC (represented by Charles Edosomwan, SAN) did not object to Jegede’s request to withdraw the appeal.

    Justice Datijo Mohammed, who presided over the court’s five-man panel, subsequent gave a bench ruling, in which he struck out the appeal.

    Other members of the panel, Justices Mohammed, Kumai Akaahs, Paul Galumje and Uwani Abba-Aji agreed with the lead decision.

    In dismissing the second appeal, the court unanimously held that the appeal was without merit.

    Justice Centus Chima Nweze, who read the lead judgment, said: “I see no reason for departing from the reasoning of the lower court. I find that this appeal is without merit, and it is accordingly, dismissed.”

    Justice Nweze upheld the arguments by Olanipekun, Edosomwan and Usman, to the effect that the appellants, having failed to show the PEPC wrongly exercised its discretion in arriving at the June 24, 2019 ruling, the Supreme Court as no reason to reverse it.

    The judge, in upholding the June 24 decision of the PEPC, said the lower court effectively exercised its discretion judicially and judiciously when it elected not to decide the issue of the existence or otherwise of a server at the interlocutory stage.

    The five members of the PEPC panel, led by Justice Mohammed Garba, were unanimous, in their June 24, 2019 ruling, in dismissing the application filed by Atiku and the PDP.

    Justice Garba, who gave the lead ruling, was of the view that, since parties to the petition by Atiku and PDP were disputing the existence or otherwise of “an INEC central server,” it was wrong for the court to grant the petitioners’ request to inspect a server, whose existence, usage or otherwise was being disputed by parties.

    He noted that by the averments contained in processes filed by parties, they have joined issues on whether or not there is a central server and whether or not INEC deployed it for the election. He added that granting the petitioners’ request to inspect a server, which the supposed owner said did not exist, will amount to the court agreeing that a server actually exist.

    Read Also: Buhari not qualified to run, Atiku insists

    Justice Garba said the issue about the existence of a server, which forms a substantial part of the petition filed by Atiku and the PDP, should be determined at the hearing of the main petition.

    He noted: “Based on the facts deposed to in the pleadings, in paragraphs 6 to 8 of the petition, which is to the effect that the election results were electronically transmitted to the 1st respondent’s server, in addition to the accreditation information from the smart card readers used for accreditation use for the election.

    “And the respondents, having joined issues with the petitioners in respect of the same data, said to have been transmitted to the 1st respondent’s server, this court has to be circumspect and be minded, to peruse the petition as well as the respondents’ replies thereto, in order to confirm whether, in fact, parties have truly joined issues on the existence and use of a central server.

    “There are, in paragraphs 26, 27, 28 and 29 of the petitioners’ petition, facts that for the said election, held on the 23rd of February 2019, the 1st respondent deployed smart card readers in accreditation as well as transmit election results directly from the polling units to the central server.

    “But, the 1st respondents, in paragraph 6 of its reply, has totally denied the existence and use of electronic transmission of results in the presidential election of 2019.”

    Justice Garba, after analyzing the averments in the processes filed by parties, held that, the averments in the processes filed by parties “have clearly and unequivocally shown that parties have, indeed joined issues on the existence or otherwise of a central server and whether the results of the presidential election held on the 23rd of February 209 was electronically transmitted

    “Now, given the germane nature of this issue, which prove can only emerge at the hearing of the substantive petition, the question that comes to the fore is whether it will be rational; whether it will be judicious and to meet the end of justice, in accordance with the law, that the court should exercise its discretion in favour of the petitioners/applicants to grant access to what they call central server, in respect of which parties have joined issues.

    “However, from the pleadings before us, I am of the view the averments in the petition and the respondents’ reply thereto, with regard to the existence of aa central server and whether there was electronic transmission of the results of the presidential election, held on the 23rd of February 2019 and which issues have, admittedly been joined, substantially by parties, it is no doubt out of place and will not be expedient that this court should grant the prayers contained in the application.

    “In other words, if the court grants the prayers sought in this application, it would have delved into and resolved the substantially issues aforementioned as regard the existence of a server and the electronic transmission of the election results, which scenario would be unpalatable and create the impression that this court has indeed, confirmed that there is a central server into which the result of the presidential election conducted on February 23, 209 was transmitted and stored by the 1st respondent.”

    Justice Garba said the court should be careful, while determining preliminary issues, and should avoid making declaration and observation that could touch or prejudging the substantial issue.

    He added that the court cannot, in determining preliminary issued, determine the substantial issues.

    Justice Garba said: “I decline to grant the reliefs sought in the application. The application filed on May 8 is hereby refused and dismissed.”

    Atiku and the PDP, in their petition before the tribunal, claimed that they won the election based on results they downloaded from the said INEC central server, which INEC has consistently denied its existence.

    INEC has consistently denied that it deployed any server for the transmission of the election results and that the extant Electoral Act and Electoral Guidelines do not allow electronic transmission of election results.

    In the application, Atiku and PDP had prayed the tribunal for:

    • An order granting access or the court’s supervised access and inspection by the petitioners in the presence of the 1st and 2nd respondents, if they so desire, of the 1st respondent’s server, wherein information are recorded and stored in data packages relating to the accreditation of voters and transmission of results from the presidential election, the subject matter of the petition.
    • An order directing the 1st respondent’s Chief National Electoral Commissioner and /other officers to grant the petitioners access to the said data base in the 1st respondent’s central server.
    • An order granting leave to the petitioners to inspect and obtain certified true copies (CTC) of Smart Card Readers’ accreditation data from the smart card readers used for the said election as stored in the 1st respondent’s server.
    • An order granting leave to the petitioners to file the report of the inspection and analysis thereof at the trial.

  • Buhari not qualified to run, Atiku insists

    THE presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the last presidential election Atiku Abubakar and his party have insisted that they proved their claim that President Muhammadu Buhari was not qualified to contest the election.

    They also insisted that the results of the election were transmitted electronically to a central server allegedly owned by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Atiku and the PDP, who are petitioners before Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) said they were able to establish allegation of malpractices and non-compliance with Electoral Act in the 11 focal states in which they contest the outcome of the last presidential election.

    They argued that INEC’s failure to call witnesses amounted to its admission of all the allegations raised in the petition and those contained in the evidence provided by their witnesses.

    Their position is contained in a 43-page final written address which they submitted before the court as their final argument in the case.

    The petitioners, in the written address, raised five issues for determination and urged the court to uphold their petition.  The issues raised include: Whether the 2nd respondent  (Buhari) was at the time of the election not qualified to contest the election; whether the 2nd respondent submitted to the 1st respondent (INEC) affidavit containing false information of a fundamental nature in aid of his qualification for the said election and  whether from the pleadings and evidence led it was established that the 2nd respondent was duly elected by majority of lawful votes cast at the election.

    Read Also: BREAKING: Atiku’s son-in-law gets N20m bail

    Others are: Whether the presidential election conducted by the 1st respondent on 23rd February 2019 was invalid by reason of corrupt practices and whether the presidential election conducted by the 1st respondent on 23″ February 2019 was invalid by reason of non-compliance with the Electoral Act. 2010 (as amended) and the Electoral Guidelines 2019 and manuals issued for the conduct of elections.

    As it relates to Buhari’s qualification, the petitioners argued that they have proved their case and claimed that the President’s non-attachment of his certificate to the Form CF001 he submitted to INEC implied that he did not possess they.

    “The summary of the Petitioners’ case on the pleadings in respect of the non-qualification of the 2nd respondent is in paragraphs 388 to 405 of the Petition. The case is that the 2nd respondent did not possess the certificates relating to the qualifications, which he claimed in his Form CF001.

    “The 2nd respondent had listed his educational credentials in proof of his qualification to contest the election in the said form, which he then submitted to the 1st respondent. The qualifications claimed by the 2nd respondent were (a) First School Leaving Certificate; (b) West African School Certificate (WASC); and (c) Officer Cadet (whatever that means). None of the alleged certificates was attached to Exhibit P1.

    “The Petitioners submit that the 2nd respondent was not qualified to contest the presidential election because the 2nd respondent failed to satisfy the mandatory requirements of Section 131 (d) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.

    On INEC’s failure to call witnesses, the petitioners argued that while the electoral body pleaded, in kits reply to the petition, that it found the 2nd respondent‘s educational qualification acceptable, at trial, “the 1strespondent abandoned its pleadings and did not call any of the witnesses it had listed, or any other.

  • Atiku, PDP insist Buhari not qualified to contest 2019 election

    The presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the last presidential election and his party have insisted that they proved their claim the President Muhammadu Buhari was not qualified to contest the election.

    They also insisted that the results of the election were transmitted electronically to a central server allegedly owned by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Atiku and the PDP, who are petitioners before Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) said they were able to establish allegation of malpractices and non-compliance with Electoral Act in the 11 focal states in which they contest the outcome of the last presidential election.

    They argued that INEC’s failure to call witnesses amounted to its admission of all the allegations raised in the petition and those contained in the evidence provided by their witnesses.

    Their position is contained in a 43-page final written address which they submitted before the court as their final argument in the case.

    The petitioners, in the written address, raised five issues for determinations and urged the court to uphold their petition.  The issues raised include: Whether the 2nd respondent  (Buhari) was at the time of the election not qualified to contest the election; whether the 2nd respondent submitted to the 1st respondent (INEC) affidavit containing false information of a fundamental nature in aid of his qualification for the said election and whether from the pleadings and evidence led it was established that the 2nd respondent was duly elected by majority of lawful votes cast at the election.

    Others are: Whether the presidential election conducted by the 1st respondent on 23rd February 2019 was invalid by reason of corrupt practices and whether the presidential election conducted by the 1st respondent on 23″ February 2019 was invalid by reason of non-compliance with the Electoral Act. 2010 (as amended) and the Electoral Guidelines 2019 and manuals issued for the conduct of elections.

    Read Also: PDP BOT Chairman supports RUGA

    As it relates to Buhari’s qualification, the petitioners argued that they have proved their case and claimed that the President’s non-attachment of his certificate to the Form CF001 he submitted to INEC implied that he did not possess it.

    “The summary of the Petitioners’ case on the pleadings in respect of the non-qualification of the 2nd respondent is in paragraphs 388 to 405 of the Petition. The case is that the 2nd respondent did not possess the certificates relating to the qualifications, which he claimed in his Form CF001.

    “The 2nd respondent had listed his educational credentials in proof of his qualification to contest the election in the said form, which he then submitted to the 1st respondent. The qualifications claimed by the 2nd respondent were (a) First School Leaving Certificate; (b) West African School Certificate (WASC); and (c) Officer Cadet (whatever that means). None of the alleged certificates was attached to Exhibit P1.

    “The Petitioners submit that the 2nd respondent was not qualified to contest the presidential election because the 2nd respondent failed to satisfy the mandatory requirements of Section 131 (d) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999

    On INEC’s failure to call witnesses, the petitioners argued that while the electoral body pleaded, in kits reply to the petition, that it found the 2ndrespondent‘s educational qualification acceptable, at trial, “the 1st respondent abandoned its pleadings and did not call any of the witnesses it had listed, or any other.

    “Nobody testified to the alleged acceptability of the 2nd respondent’s qualification. Where no evidence is led in support of a party‘s pleadings, the pleadings are deemed abandoned.

    “The burden therefore remained squarely on the 2nd respondent to prove his qualification under Sections 318(1) (a) and (b) since limbs (c) and (d), which are anchored on evidence of acceptability to the 1st respondent, were abandoned at the trial.”

    As it relates to their claim of the existence of a server, the petitioners said: “In an undoubted failed effort to deny the fact of e-collation and e-transmission of results, the respondents made contradictory and inconsistent claims in their unconvincing efforts to deny the existence of INEC Server[s] or Central Server.

    “If they had appreciated what a sever is, they should not have wasted valuable time denying what is obvious or making inconsistent claims.”

  • BMO to Atiku: you, not Buhari, pauperised Nigerians

    Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar is directly responsible for the pauperisation of millions of Nigerians as head of the National Council on Privatisation (NCP), the Buhari Media Organisation (BMO) said on Tuesday.

    It said this contradicted his claims that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration ruined the country.

    In a statement by its Chairman Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary Cassidy Madueke, BMO noted that the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last election is again pushing a false narrative to fool undiscerning Nigerians.

    “We are not surprised that the former Vice-President has jumped on a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) report issued last month to take a swipe at a man he clearly considers as his nemesis.

    “The UN body had noted that slightly over 98 million Nigerians were living in multi-dimensional poverty, but, as usual, the PDP presidential candidate did not fully grasp the details before launching an attack on President Buhari,” the statement said.

    It added: “The report indicated that about 46 per cent of Nigerians were poor as at today, but Atiku Abubakar needs to be reminded that   60.9 per cent of Nigerians, or 100 million people, were living below the poverty threshold in 2010, and 120 million in 2012, according to the World Bank, which is the body that provides a global poverty headcount.

    “Interestingly, the period the country had an exponential spike in the number of people living below $1 a day was during the 16 unbroken years that the former Vice-President’s party held sway in Nigeria.”

    Read Also: Atiku’s unrelenting appeal to emotion: A gambit doom to fail – by Femi Adesina

    BMO also noted that the PDP stalwart created the pathway for Nigeria’s struggle with poverty alongside his then principal, Olusegun Obasanjo, with the less than transparent privatisation he presided over.

    “It is not a secret that Alhaji Abubakar was the executor-in-chief of what has gone down in the annals of the nation as a major heist of the nation’s assets, an action that later pitched him against former President Obasanjo.

    “He literally sold off several government-owned enterprises for less than their market values to his cronies to strip and cannibalise, and in the process, tens of thousands of workers were denied their livelihood and laid off without benefits. It is also on record that he kept one of the prized assets (Onne Port) to himself.

    “Or, does he also have to be reminded of the period when the nation’s Education sector virtually collapsed but that was when he and former President Obasanjo established high profile private secondary and tertiary institutions?

    “So, if Atiku is searching for the person who plunged Nigerians into multi-dimensional poverty, he should just look into the nearest mirror, or maybe he could tell us how many people he drove into penury and how many had their pensions paid, even after the terminal date of the Obasanjo administration.

    “In case he missed the latest news, the Buhari administration, through its Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD), has paid the outstanding severance package of over 1,500 verified eligible former workers and next-of-kin of deceased former workers of Savannah Sugar Company.

    “The former Vice-President cannot say he has forgotten that these workers were not paid their benefits when they were disengaged in 2002, after the company was privatised.

    “This is just one out of many examples of how President Buhari has been cleaning up the mess left by Atiku and his party’s leaders, who have not shown any form of remorse but are rather prepared to also insult the sensibilities of Nigerians.”

    The BMO urged the former Vice-President to heed the advice of his former boss and seek proper forgiveness from Nigerians for the harm he did the country.

  • DHQ, Atiku disagree over alleged secret burial of soldiers

    THERE are no secret graveyards in the Northeast Theatre of Operation,  the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), has said.

    The DHQ clarification followed a call by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for a probe into alleged secret burial of over 1000 soldiers killed by insurgents in the Northeast, particularly in Borno State.

    Atiku was reacting to a report in the United States-based Wall Street Journal on the alleged secret burial in its latest edition.

    The Journal reported that the dead soldiers were being buried in the night in unmarked graves in farmlands to hide the huge casualty figures being recorded in the war against terror.

    But the DHQ dismissed the report as false.

    A statement issued in Abuja by the Director, Defence Information, Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, said such insinuation could only emanate from an uninformed position.

    Col. Nwachukwu said the Armed Forces had a rich and solemn tradition for the internment of their fallen heroes.

    “Therefore, it must be unambiguously clarified that the Armed Forces of Nigeria does not indulge in secret burials, as it is sacrilegious and a profanity to extant ethos and traditions of the Nigerian military.”

    The statement added: “In tandem with the traditions of the Armed Forces, fallen heroes are duly honoured and paid the last respect in befitting military funeral of international standard.

    “It features funeral parade, gravesite oration, solemn prayers for the repose of departed souls by Islamic and Christian clerics, as well as gun salutes, aside other military funeral rites.”

    Col. Nwachukwu explained that the cemetery described in publication, situated in Maimalari Military Cantonmen, was an officially designated military cemetery for the Armed Forces in the Northeast theatre, with a Cenotaph erected in honour of the fallen heroes.

    Read also: Soldiers kill 5 bandits, rescue 2 kidnap victims in Kaduna

    According to him, the official cemetery has played host to several national and international dignitaries, where wreaths are laid in honour of the fallen heroes.

    He said: “It is, therefore, a far cry from the sacrilegious impression being painted by the Wall Street Journal.

    “The Defence Headquarters, therefore, urges members of the Armed Forces and the public to disregard such a misinformed publication.”

    He urged them “to see it as a figment of the imagination of the writer, whose knowledge of military valued ethos and traditions is grossly misplace.”

    In a statement he personally signed, Atiku said the report should be investigated with the view to establishing the true state of the federal government’s counter-insurgency war in the Northeast.

    Atiku said: “To ensure that we get to the bottom of this matter, I urge that a Judicial Commission of Inquiry headed by a non-partisan and reputable jurist, be inaugurated to investigate the findings of the Wall Street Journal.

    “While this is occurring, I also strongly urge that a panel of inquiry comprising distinguished former military officers be set up to investigate and report to Nigerians the true state of the war on terror and what must be done to ensure Nigeria brings a speedy end to the ongoing insurgency.”

    Wondering how such unwholesome practice could take place under a democracy, Atiku regretted that the authorities could cover up such event of epic proportions.

    He said: “The men and women of our armed forces are our first, second and last defence against our domestic and foreign enemies and should be treated with love, respect, dignity and appreciation for the invaluable service they render to Nigeria.

    “I cannot fathom that in the space of a year, 1000 of these great patriots were killed and buried secretly without their families being told. I hesitate to believe that deceit on such a grand scale is even possible.

    “Nigeria must ensure prudent use of finances, so we can redistribute national resources in such a way that ensures that our military and security forces are well armed and well remunerated.

    “Even the death of one soldier affects me. But the alleged cover-up of the deaths of 1000 soldiers is a national emergency that should shock all statesmen and leaders of thoughts into action to save Nigeria.”

  • Atiku’s witnesses not attacked in Zamfara- Police

    Zamfara State Police Command has refuted allegations that bandits attacked witnesses of presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar, who were travelling to Abuja to testify against the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari as winner of the presidential election.

    The police were reacting to reports by some national dailies, which claimed that the witnesses said they were attacked by bandits in Zamfara State.

    The witnesses added that the situation forced them to scamper into the bush and stopped their journey to the Supreme Court to testify for the former vice president against Buhari.

    Read Also: Atiku’s witnesses allege manipulation of results

    The police command stated in a statement signed by Muhammad Shehu, a superintendent of police: “It is pertinent to categorically state that, as per the crime statistics of  Zamfara State is concern, there was no any attack by bandits either on villages or on any person or group of persons travelling on any highway in the state.

    “Since the inception of the ongoing peace and dialogue initiative in the state, attacks, kidnapping and other heinous crime in the state have been reduced drastically to about 98 percent, a situation that has restored peace and stability in the state.”

  • Atiku’s witnesses claim presidential election results were falsified

    Nine witnesses called on Thursday by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the last presidential election, Atiku Abubakar insisted that results of the elections were falsified to favour the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Muhammadu Buhari.

    The witnesses, who said they served as Local Government and state Collation Agents of the PDP,made sunday allegations of result manipulation, voters’ intimidation and harassment, mutilation and tearing of result sheets, and cancellation of election where the petitioners won.

    At cross-examination, majority of the witnesses were however unable to substantiate the allegations as contained in their written statements, which they adopted as their evidence in chief before the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT).

    Nicholas Msheliza, who said he acted as PDP’s state collation agent for Borno State claimed that virtually all the result sheets from the various local governments in the state were mutilated.

    Msheliza also claimed that accreditation of voters did not take place in over  200 polling units out of the 3,933 statutory polling units in the state.

    Also alleging over-voting in the state, Msheliza said the 911, 786 declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) “was well over the accredited voters across the state”.

    But, under cross-examination, lawyer to INEC, Yunus Usman (SAN), the witness said he did not have the true figures of votes actually scored by the parties.

    Read Also: Atiku’s witnesses allege manipulation of results

    When asked by lawyer to APC,  Adeniyi Akintola (SAN),if he visited all the polling units in the state  during the election, Msheliza said, “I could not have visited the polling units because of the peculiar security challenges in Borno State.”

    The lawyer drew Msheliza’s attention to part of his statement, where he said he “observed in the course of transmitting the results from local government result sheets to the state result sheets wrong figures were being entered by INEC officials.”

    Akintola then asked the witness to reconcile his claim that the results were already collated before he got to the collation centre with his assertion,in his written statement,  that he observed when the figures were being tendered, Msheilla said “They were merely announcing the results to the hearing of people present.”

    John Makama, who served as the PDP collation agent for Sanga Local Government Kaduna, claimed that results were wrongly cancelled by INEC officials in some polling units won by his party, with the intention of reducing the votes of the petitioners.

    When asked by Usman to produce the actual scores of his party,which he claimed were cancelled, the witness said he did not have them.

    Makama said the result sheets containing the actual scores were submitted to his party, but that they were not attached to his statement that was tendered before the tribunal.

    When asked by Buhari’s lawyer, Yusuf Ali (SAN) whether he would be surprised to know that cancellation of results is not one of the grounds of the petitioners’ case in respect of his Local Government, the witness kept mute.

    On how he knew that the allegedly cancelled results belonged to his party, the witness said it was generally known that the PDP was popular in most part of his Local Government, where the results were cancelled and that the APC was only popular in three wards

    Bukar Petrol, said he served as PDP’s collation agent in Dambowa Local Government of Borno State.

    Petrola claimed that the APC took advantage of the series of bomb explosions carried out by boko haram a day before and on the morning of the election to manipulate the election results.

    When asked how he knew all that happened in all the 10 wards and 100 polling units in his Local Government, the witness said the whole election was conducted in the LG Secretariat, because of the problem of boko haram.

    Under cross-examination by Ali, Petrol said all the ward collation centres were also located within the LG headquarters, which made it easy for  him to move around all the voting points and know witness what was happening.

    When questioned further, the witness said although devoted after being accredited with card reader, the electoral process was disrupted later when explosions occurred.

    He said everyone ran away when bombs exploded, “and the 2nd and 3rd defendants took advantage of the situation, with the alleged collaboration of members of the civilian Joint Task Force (JTF).

    When asked how he was able to monitor what happened during the election, even when he claimed the explosions chased everyone away, the witness said he hid and watched from a distance.

    Yau Yusuf said he was PDP’s collation agent in Dass Local Government of Bauchi State.

    He said although he was fully accredited and voted, voters were intimidated and harassed.

    On why he was able to vote if his claim of intimidation and harassment of voters were that pronounced, the witness said: “the intimidation did not stop me from voting, but it altered the result after the voting process.

    “The original result was torn by agents of APC in the office of INEC right at the presence of INEC officials,” he added.

    When asked where he kept the torn results, he said they should either be with INEC or the police, who collected the torn results and promised to investigate.

    On whether the person, who tore the results has been prosecuted and  convicted, the witness said no, “because he is still moving around town.”

    When asked why he excluded the information about torn result sheet from he written statement, Yusuf said he did not because the statement was a summary of what happened and that he was at the tribunal to elaborate.

    The witness,who claimed to have visited most of the polling units in his local Government, said under cross examination, that “there are 116 polling units my his Local Government. I visited minimum of three in each of the 10 wards in the Local Government.”

    When asked why he signed the result sheet if he was not happy with the results, the witness said he signed to obtain a copy of the result sheet for the purpose of the tribunal.

    Jafar Abbas Ibrahim, who said he was a collation agent in Zaria Local Government of Kaduna State, also claimed the election process was manipulated against his party.

    On whether the alleged vote switching, which he claimed took place in his presence, Ibrahim said he witness some and some were contained in the result sheets passed to him by the party agents at the polling unit and ward levels.

    When asked whether the agents were still alive, the witness said they were at home and not before the tribunal.

    On why he signed the result sheet, Ibrahim, who said he has been a lawyer since 1981 and was once the Chairman of the Local Government, said he signed just to indicated his presence, “not to authenticate the result.”

    Further hearing continues on Friday.

  • Presidency tackles Atiku over comments on judgement

    The Presidency on Friday tackled former Vice President and presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, over his comments on the Supreme Court judgement affirming the election of Mr Gboyega Oyetola as governor of Osun State.

    Commenting on the judgement, Atiku, in a statement, had said: “I urge the nation’s judiciary to take a pulse of the nation and reflect it.

    “In their hands, God has placed a great responsibility. The duty to ensure that justice is done, irrespective of the pressure to do otherwise by the powers that be.”

    But the Presidency, in a statement issued by the Special Adviser on Media and publicity, Femi Adesina, said that it found Atiku’s reaction very ridiculous, and comical.

    The statement reads: “Many things fly in the face of logic, reason, and legality in this portion of the statement.

    “Alhaji Abubakar urged the judiciary to reflect the pulse of the nation in their judgments.

    “Learned people know that the judiciary comes to conclusions drawing from matters of law placed before it, and not sentiments, or so-called “pulse of the nation.”

    “A pertinent question is: how does the judiciary gauge the pulse of the nation? Is it even positioned to do such? Is the judiciary established for that purpose, or to dispense justice, even if the heavens fall?

    “Again, there is insinuation of inducement in the statement when the PDP candidate said the judiciary should ensure justice is done, ‘irrespective of the pressure to do otherwise by the powers that be.’

    “We see this as an attempt to browbeat the judiciary, thus causing it to entertain sentiment in the ongoing petition on the presidential election before the tribunal.

    Read Also: Osun: We ‘ll stand by Adeleke, says Atiku

    “If anybody has the tendency or proclivity to put pressure on the judiciary, Nigerians knows where the finger points, and it is definitely not at President Muhammadu Buhari.

    “This was a man who had thrice taken his electoral challenges to the judiciary, up to the Supreme Court, and not once was he accused of trying to influence the process, or put pressure on the courts.

    “When the All Progressives Congress (APC) lost Zamfara and Rivers states, arising from judicial proclamations then, there was no “pressure to do otherwise, by the powers that be.

    “But now that the victory of the party in Osun was upheld, there is insinuation of pressure from those who have never learnt to play straight.”

    According to him, President Buhari has always been committed to fair play, which he noted was clearly evident in the last general elections.

    Buhari, he said, remains committed to even-handedness and justice always.