He probably needs to read Jesus’ admonition that “let your yea be yea and your nay nay.”
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Tag: Ayo Oritsejafor
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I’ll forever remain grateful to Alamieyeseigha – Jonathan
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has paid tribute to his former boss, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, for giving him a breakthrough in politics.
Chief Alamieyeseigha picked Dr. Jonathan as running mate for the 1999 governorship election in Bayelsa State which they won.
The former President went on to replace Alamieyeseigha as governor following his impeachment.
He was preparing to seek re-election as governor in 2007 when he was drafted in as running mate to the late Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua in that year’s Presidential election.
Speaking during an interdenominational thanksgiving service organised by the Bayelsa State government as part of the grand reception in his honour in Yenagoa, yesterday Jonathan said he never dreamed of becoming a commissioner in the state until Alamieyeseigha convinced him to become his running mate in 1999.
“Without Alamieyeseigha, l wouldn’t have been here talking about being a former President. Nobody would have heard about Jonathan without him. So, help me thank him,” he said.
He appealed to religious leaders and the Christian community to keep praying for him and his family saying that he would continue to contribute to development and nation-building by virtue of his current position.
He commended the CAN President and other Christian leaders for their prayers and support throughout his Presidency.
Jonathan who read the first Bible lesson from Luke 17:11-12 hailed his former aides for their services to the country saying that they all worked tirelessly to develop the country.
He praised Dickson for packaging the grand reception.
The thanksgiving service, which was held at the St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Ovom, Yenagoa, was attended by dignitaries from across the country and abroad.
Governor Seriake Dickson and his wife, Rachel, Deputy Governor John Jonah, Alamieyeseigha, Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Kombowei Benson and other notable politicians in the state were in attendance as were over 50 former presidential aides including ministers.
The Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike, led a high-powered delegation of Rivers people including the former Governor of the state, Celestine Omehia, to the event.
President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, received Jonathan and his wife, Patience, at the church.
Earlier in his welcome address, Dickson said the people of the state were elated to welcome the former President and thanked the people for accompanying him to his Otuoke country home.
“The significance of this thanksgiving is that we as a government felt that all the activities will not be complete unless we assemble here to thank the awesome God for the opportunity granted us to serve this country.
“Our leader Jonathan did a great job and he has now entered into an exclusive club of national and international statesman. We know the challenges of public office but God helped him and we are very grateful to God”, he said.
In his sermon, Pastor Uma Ukpai described Jonathan as “one man that remembers those who helped him when he was nobody. He was approachable and he doesn’t behave like a Nigerian.”
The highpoint of the event was a presentation made to Mrs. Jonathan by a group of Abuja women led by Onyeka Onwenu.
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Alleged demolition: Oritsejafor sues Fashola, others
Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) President Ayo Oritsejafor has filed a suit against Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola over alleged plans by the government to demolish his church in Victoria Island.
It was alleged that the government plans to demolish Word of Life Bible Church, situated at Plot 21E, Abdulrahman Okene Close, Off Ligali Ayorinde Street, Victoria Island Annex.
Joined as co-defendants are the State, Attorney General; Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development; State Building Control Agency, State Physical Planning Permit Authority and State Task Force on Environmental Sanitation.
In the suit before Justice Deborah Oluwayemi the Incorporated Trustees of Word of Life Bible Church, prayed the court for an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the state government from demolishing, destroying, dispossessing or forcibly ejecting the church from the property.
The church averred that after applying for building plan approval from the respondents and it was not forth coming within the regular period, the claimants through Pastor Orisejafor made due enquires, wrote several letters and held meetings with the former and present governors, Bola Tinubu and Babatunde Fashola respectively.
The claimant argued that in March last year, it received a letter from the defendants directing them to submit some certain documents to facilitate the process of the approval of the building plan which it complied with.
But while it was still awaiting the building plan approval in order to continue with the building, the claimant said it suddenly discovered that the defendants had pasted a certain contravention notice dated January 20 on its fence.
According to them, the notice alleged absence of development permit, as the ground of seeking removal of the building on the land within two days.
In their counter affidavit, the defendants alleged its action was generated by the claimant’s refusal to comply with rules and regulations.
It averred that the claimant commenced the erection of the structure on the said property without first obtaining a development permit, adding that the church did not wait for the approval, rather it continued with the construction of the building.
The state told the court that the claimant did not provide all that was required to process its development permit.
However, the matter was abruptly stopped after the church’s lawyer, Ndu Nwolocha, prayed for an adjournment to enable him reply to the defendants counter affidavit.
The matter has been fixed for January 13 for continuation.
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$9.3m arms deal: Secret panel clears Oritsejafor, Asari-Dokubo
A SECRET panel raised by the Federal Government has reportedly cleared the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ayo Oritsejafor, and Alhaji Mujahideen Asari-Dokubo of involvement in the $9.3 million arms’ deal.
The panel said it was statutory and legitimate for the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) to issue end-user certificate for arms transactions.
But the identities of members of the panel, mostly drawn from security agencies, were kept secret last night.
But a lawyer, Ibrahim Ahmed, faulted such a secret clearance by the government.
A statement made in Abuja by PRNigeria claimed that the panel had submitted its report to the Presidency.
PRNigeria is a media outfit close to security agencies, through which important information are released to the public.
The statement said: “”A Special Team, comprising security agents, intelligence experts and officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has investigated the $9.3m cash-for- arms deal and submitted its report to the Presidency.
“The committee confirmed that the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, had no connection with the transaction.
“It was true that the CAN President’s jet was used, but we found out that it was without his knowledge. As at the time in question, the aircraft was on lease. And you may be aware that the lease trend is peculiar to private jet owners in the country.
“It is the view of the committee that Oritsejafor cannot be held liable for any shuttle made by a lease firm.
“As for the manifest of the plane, the committee also discovered that the Niger Delta activist, Mujaheedin Asari-Dokubo, was not among those on board the transaction aircraft. There was no mention of Dokubo in the manifest presented during the investigation.”
The statement added: “The committee’s findings revealed that the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has the statutory and legitimate mandate to issue end-user certificate for such arms transactions. The imputations surrounding the role of the ONSA were unfounded, baseless and ill-motivated.
“The decision of South Africa to return $15million to Nigeria lent credence to the legality of the transaction. Certainly, Nigeria had no case to answer”.
Ahmed faulted such a secret clearance by the government.
He said: “It is within the ambit of the law for the Federal Government to set up a panel to look into the allegations surrounding the ill-fated transactions.
“However, the fact that the public was left in the dark as to the members constituting the panel as well as the details of the proceedings surely has a roller coaster-effect on the credibility of the outcome of the panel’s findings.”
A private aircraft belonging to Oritsejafor last month conveyed some unnamed persons and cash to South Africa, ostensibly to purchase arms from the black market to help bolster Nigeria’s fight against terrorists in parts of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.
This led to widespread speculations in the media and sentiments expressed by politicians on the issue.
The three individuals on board the aircraft were briefly detained in South-Africa, while the cash was confiscated by the country’s financial authorities.
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$9.3m arms deal: Secret panel clears Oritsejafor, Asari-Dokubo
A SECRET panel raised by the Federal Government has reportedly cleared the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ayo Oritsejafor, and Alhaji Mujahideen Asari-Dokubo of involvement in the $9.3 million arms’ deal.
The panel said it was statutory and legitimate for the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) to issue end-user certificate for arms transactions.
But the identities of members of the panel, mostly drawn from security agencies, were kept secret last night.
But a lawyer, Ibrahim Ahmed, faulted such a secret clearance by the government.
A statement made in Abuja by PRNigeria claimed that the panel had submitted its report to the Presidency.
PRNigeria is a media outfit close to security agencies, through which important information are released to the public.
The statement said: “”A Special Team, comprising security agents, intelligence experts and officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has investigated the $9.3m cash-for- arms deal and submitted its report to the Presidency.
“The committee confirmed that the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, had no connection with the transaction.
“It was true that the CAN President’s jet was used, but we found out that it was without his knowledge. As at the time in question, the aircraft was on lease. And you may be aware that the lease trend is peculiar to private jet owners in the country.
“It is the view of the committee that Oritsejafor cannot be held liable for any shuttle made by a lease firm.
“As for the manifest of the plane, the committee also discovered that the Niger Delta activist, Mujaheedin Asari-Dokubo, was not among those on board the transaction aircraft. There was no mention of Dokubo in the manifest presented during the investigation.”
The statement added: “The committee’s findings revealed that the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has the statutory and legitimate mandate to issue end-user certificate for such arms transactions. The imputations surrounding the role of the ONSA were unfounded, baseless and ill-motivated.
“The decision of South Africa to return $15million to Nigeria lent credence to the legality of the transaction. Certainly, Nigeria had no case to answer”.
Ahmed faulted such a secret clearance by the government.
He said: “It is within the ambit of the law for the Federal Government to set up a panel to look into the allegations surrounding the ill-fated transactions.
“However, the fact that the public was left in the dark as to the members constituting the panel as well as the details of the proceedings surely has a roller coaster-effect on the credibility of the outcome of the panel’s findings.”
A private aircraft belonging to Oritsejafor last month conveyed some unnamed persons and cash to South Africa, ostensibly to purchase arms from the black market to help bolster Nigeria’s fight against terrorists in parts of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.
This led to widespread speculations in the media and sentiments expressed by politicians on the issue.
The three individuals on board the aircraft were briefly detained in South-Africa, while the cash was confiscated by the country’s financial authorities.
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$9.3m arms deal: Presidency exonerates Oritsejafor,
The Federal Government has exonerated the President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor from the alleged involvement of his aircraft in the controversial $9.3m arms deal in South Africa.
The Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan (Public Communication), Dr. Doyin Okupe, told newsmen in Abuja that Oritsejafor who is also the Founder of Word of Life Bible Church has no hand in the deal.
“Most Nigerians do not also respect the sensibilities of other people. Oritsejafor is the President of CAN and Head of all Christians in Nigeria who is representing at least, 50 per cent of people in this country. When it comes to a man like that, people should be cautious and circumspect.”
Okupe also advised Nigerians to stop playing politics with every issue of national concern saying it is not in tandem with patriotism.
According to him, the Office of National Security Adviser has done well for coming out promptly to tell the truth on the matter.
The Presidential Aide also said it would not be proper for government to be making public its plans on how to tackle the ongoing security challenges in the country.
Okupe said, “The linking of Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor is the most unfortunate thing; to put the very respectable, responsible, honest and sincere President of CAN in this matter is the extreme of mischief. It just shows you what Nigerians do, they go to any extent to politicize everything and everyday. What bothers me here is the manner with people want to bring down Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor on this matter. It is pure absurdity.
“Oritsejafor has no business in this matter. It is true that he owns the aircraft but there are over 200 private Nigerians who have jets. Apart from those who use it frequently, some give it out to get some money and defray some of the costs. If you put your jet down, you pay money and parking charges everyday.
“He gave the private jet to a company to manage. The company is handing it and these people gave out the plane that is available. What has this to do with Oritsejafor? If I have many cars at the airport and decide to give one to car hire services. And he decides to carry somebody having Indian hemp, and you will link it up with the man who gave it out? Excuse me, this is ridiculous.”
He also stated that the second controversial deal has legitimized the first because it was a normal banking transaction.
“A company was mandated to do a national security assignment for the Federal Government of Nigeria and because of the extant laws in South Africa, that company was unable to deliver its contractual agreement with the Nigerian government; the company now wants a refund which is normal.” -
$9.3m cash transfer: My case, by Oritsejafor
Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) President Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor has defended his integrity over the movement of $9.3m to South Africa by two Nigerians and an Israeli, using his private jet.
Pastor Oritsejafor told the National Executive Council meeting of CAN at the National Christian Centre in Abuja that those linking him with the matter are unfair.
He said: “I want to assure you that I will not do anything to tarnish the image of Jesus Christ or compromise the divine standard of the church.
“As you are all aware, the media has been awashed in the past few days about an unfortunate incident involving the movement of funds from Nigeria to South Africa. In the unfortunate news reports, attempts have been made to link me directly with the transaction.
“So far I have refrained from making any direct public response pending the time that I would have brief the leaders if the church and explain my position on the issues to them.
“I believe that the primary institution that I owe any explanation to is the church.
“At the risk of being seen to be defending myself, I wish to confirm to the distinguished leaders of the church that the Bombardier Challenger 601 aircraft in question is mine. The aircraft was presented to me as a gift by members of our congregation and ministry partners worldwide at my 40th anniversary of my call into the ministry.
“May I be permitted to stress that the aircraft was not given to me by the President of Nigeria, neither was it a settlement for any political favour or patronage.
“With the benefit of hindsight, the President of the country was a guest in our church during the anniversary celebration when the jet was presented to me.”
“The President of Nigeria has nothing to do with the gift of the aircraft. By the way I still wonder why all those saying this, still cannot come out to show proof so that the matter can be put to rest once and for all. Let me say that this might be an issue for the courts in the near future.
“In order to ameliorate the cost of maintenance of the aircraft, I sought and got permit to allow the aircraft fly in and out of Nigeria.
“Based on this, I leased the aircraft on August 2, 2014 to a company to run it. It was the leasee that entered into an agreement with the people who carried out the transfer of funds. Having leased the aircraft to the Green Coast Produce Company Limited, any transaction undertaken with the aircraft can no longer be attached to me.
“Inasmuch as I am shocked and distressed by the incident, I wish to appeal to Christians in Nigeria to remember that a war has been waged against the Nigerian church. This war is being fought on many fronts and this unfortunate incident is another dimension in the assault against the church.
“It is clear that those who manipulated this conspiracy desire to create a schism in the church.
“The media hype and the deliberate distortion of information that followed it confirmed that forces that desperately desire to cause division and disunity in the church are at work. Even the devil knows that a house that is divided cannot stand.
“As Christians, we need unity in the church now more than ever. We are witnessing inhuman attacks by religious extremists against Christians in the northern part of the country, while christian infrastructure is being destroyed in hundreds.
“If we permit the enemy divide us, our chances of corporate survival shall be severely threatened.
“Distinguished leaders of the church, please permit me to state clearly before God and before all of you here present today, that I am not a party to the movement of $9.3m from Nigeria to South Africa to purchase arms and ammunition. I am not part of the deal. I know nothing about it.
“If I offend you or you offend me; instead of talking to media, let us talk to each other within the house of God.”
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$9.3m cash transfer: My case, by Oritsejafor
Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) President Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor has defended his integrity over the movement of $9.3 million to South Africa by two Nigerians and an Israeli, using his private jet.
Pastor Oritsejafor told the National Executive Council meeting of CAN at the National Christian Centre in Abuja that those linking him with the matter are unfair.
He said: “I want to assure you that I will not do anything to tarnish the image of Jesus Christ or compromise the divine standard of the church.
“As you are all aware, the media have been awash in the past few days about an unfortunate incident involving the movement of funds from Nigeria to South Africa. In the unfortunate reports, attempts have been made to link me directly with the transaction.
“So far, I have refrained from making any direct public response pending the time that I would have briefed the leaders of the church and explained my position on the issues to them.
“I believe that the primary institution that I owe any explanation to is the church.
“At the risk of being seen to be defending myself, I wish to confirm to the distinguished leaders of the church that the Bombardier Challenger 601 aircraft in question is mine. The aircraft was presented to me as a gift by members of our congregation and ministry partners worldwide at my 40th anniversary of my call into the ministry.
“May I be permitted to stress that the aircraft was not given to me by the President of Nigeria, neither was it a settlement for any political favour or patronage.
“With the benefit of hindsight, the President of the country was a guest in our church during the anniversary celebration when the jet was presented to me.
“The President of Nigeria has nothing to do with the gift of the aircraft. By the way, I still wonder why all those saying this still cannot come out to show proof so that the matter can be put to rest once and for all. Let me say that this might be an issue for the courts in the near future.
“In order to ameliorate the cost of maintaining the aircraft, I sought and got the permit to allow the aircraft fly in and out of Nigeria.
“Based on this, I leased the aircraft on August 2, 2014 to a company to run it. It was the leasee that entered into an agreement with the people who carried out the transfer of funds. Having leased the aircraft to the Green Coast Produce Company Limited, any transaction undertaken with the aircraft can no longer be attached to me.
“Inasmuch as I am shocked and distressed by the incident, I wish to appeal to Christians in Nigeria to remember that a war has been waged against the Nigerian church. This war is being fought on many fronts and this unfortunate incident is another dimension in the assault against the church.
“It is clear that those who manipulated this conspiracy desire to create a schism in the church.
“The media hype and the deliberate distortion of information that followed it confirmed that forces that desperately desire to cause division and disunity in the church are at work. Even the devil knows that a house that is divided cannot stand.
“As Christians, we need unity in the church now more than ever. We are witnessing inhuman attacks by religious extremists against Christians in the North, while Christian infrastructure is being destroyed in hundreds.
“If we permit the enemy to divide us, our chances of corporate survival shall be severely threatened.
“Distinguished leaders of the church, please, permit me to state clearly before God and before all of you here present today that I am not a party to the movement of $9.3 million from Nigeria to South Africa to purchase arms and ammunition. I am not part of the deal. I know nothing about it.
“If I offend you or you offend me, instead of talking to the media, let us talk to each other within the house of God.”
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FG as money launderer?
•No explanation can remove the illegality and odium of the $9.3m cash haulage scam
Call it serial bungling, insinuate mind-numbing corruption or official money laundering, all these tags will stick like a desperate tick on the Federal Government, considering the manner governance is conducted in Nigeria today.
The latest in the list of this scandal-drenched environment is the report of the arrest last Monday in South Africa of a Nigerian private jet with a cash haul of $9.3 million. The jet had on board, two Nigerians and an Israeli. A curious twist in the tale however, is that the jet belongs to a well-known clergyman, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the country’s apex Christian body. Oritsejafor is also a well-known confidant and consort of President Goodluck Jonathan.
The Federal Government had intervened quickly on the side of the private jet crew, claiming ownership of the cash and knowledge of their mission. According to it, the cash was meant for the procurement of arms in furtherance of the raging war against insurgency in Nigeria. But the South African authorities are not convinced. By the end of last week, that country’s Asset Forfeiture Unit of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), had obtained a court order to freeze the cash. In a statement, NPA said, “The money was initially detained by the South African Revenue Service as it was neither disclosed nor declared at Customs and was above the prescribed legal limit for the amount of cash that may be brought into the country.”
NPA also raised questions about Nigerian authorities’ explanation that the cash was meant for arms procurement. It notes that Tier One Services Group, the firm the Nigerian government claimed it was to procure arms from is not authorised to sell or rent military hardware. Further, the invoice issued by Tier One to a Cyprus-based firm purportedly in respect of procurement of armaments also raises suspicion as to its true intent and leaves classical money laundering trails.
There is no doubt that this singular heist has portrayed Nigeria and her government as dubious, having scant regard for rule of law and indeed anachronistic, to say the least. As the South African Authorities have pointed out, the issues here border on criminal breach of foreign exchange laws; a breach of international arms procurement conventions and has tell-tale signs of official-backed large-scale money laundering.
The intervention of the Federal Government has also shown up Nigeria as a banana republic, a jungle nation of the 21st century where anything goes. The Federal Government makes it seem legitimate under some guises to ship out undeclared currencies through her ports. But that is not the law of the land: every sum above $10,000 must be declared and approval required before it can be ferried out. Does the Nigerian Customs have record of this cash; did they approve its shipment?
Many more questions arise: why would the Federal Government pay cash for arms procurement? The only plausible answer is that it is buying from the black market. Why would a country of Nigeria’s status seek to purchase arms from dark alleys and corner markets patronised by terrorists and hoodlums?
Why would government use a private jet, and why the uncanny coincidence of using one that belongs to the CAN president? And some questions for Oritsejafor: we thought he was a clergy man; now he runs a jet charter firm? He told the world he needed the jet for evangelism when Nigerians raised eyebrows over its purchase sometime ago!
Speculations have actually been rife as to the devious uses most Nigerian owners of private jets have been putting them to and we are now more inclined to begin to take a more critical look at ownership of private jets in Nigeria.
In spite of all the explanations that the Federal Government has proffered, two most sacred institutions in the land have been badly tainted by this scandal – the Presidency and the church. We urge the National Assembly to look into the matter and find ways to mitigate the shame and odium it has brought to the nation.
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$9.5bn seizure: Group queries sincerity of Oritsejafor critics
A group, Christians and Muslims Youth Forum (CMYF) at the weekend queried the sincerity of critics of the President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, over the $9.5 million recently seized by the South African authority.
The CMYF National President, Yusuf Ibrahim, condemned how some individuals are hiding under the cover of the seizure to impugn on the integrity of the CAN president.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Ibrahim pointed out that though the group’s investigation revealed that the seized private jet belongs to Oritsejafor, it has since been leased to a private company.
He added: “As a peace advocacy organisation committed to fostering a harmonious and peaceful co-existence among Nigerians irrespective of ethnic, tribe or religious affiliation, we have witnessed a recent unfortunate development capable of jeopardising the peace that is being gradually restored.
“It is in line with this perspective that when the news of the $9.5 billion seized by the South African Authority broke, we took our time to investigate the matter especially as it was linked to a respected gentleman in the person of Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, the CAN President.
“The questions therefore are: is it expected that Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor should have inspected the jet before it was used by the client? How would Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor have known that the luggage(s) of the client contains such amount of money? Can Pastor Ayo determine who his client should travel with when the jet is on lease?”
He said though National Assembly (NASS) has risen up to investigate the controversy, he called on Nigerians to exercise caution and patience by allowing the NASS to conduct its investigation.