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Tag: Dokpesi

  • Jonathan gave Dokpesi N2.1b contract – Family

    Jonathan gave Dokpesi N2.1b contract – Family

    • Accuse Buhari of vendetta

    The Dokpesi family yesterday contradicted the claim by Daar Communications PLC that the N2.1 billion received by its patriarch and founder of the company, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, from former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, was for political campaigns.

    The money, the family said in a statement last night, was payment for “the various media exposures and campaign transactions which were dutifully carried out based essentially on contractual obligations/relationship.”

    It also accused the Buhari government of seeking to decimate political opponents.

    Dokpesi is currently in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which is investigating the disbursement of $2.2 billion budgeted for arms procurement by the Jonathan Administration.

    The N2.1billion collected by Dokpesi is believed to have come from the arms budget.

    Daar Communication had, in an earlier statement, said the money was payment for “the various media exposures and campaign transactions which were dutifully carried out based essentially on contractual obligations/relationship”.

    The Dokpesis, however, contradicted this claim yesterday saying, in a statement signed by Raymond Dokpesi Jnr, that the N2.1billion was indeed for a proposal by Daar Investment and Holdings Company Ltd to “promote and project the achievements and highlight the challenges of his (Jonathan’s) government whilst demystifying false information gleefully circulated by the propaganda machinery of the then opposition party.”

    The proposal, the family said, was submitted to the former president in person by Mr. Dokpesi and his team in the presence of former Vice President Namadi Sambo, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    It declared, “We must further emphasise that the proposal had absolutely nothing to do with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), nor the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC).”

    It also said the proposal was “thoroughly studied, approved and paid for by the presidency through the office of the National Security Adviser.”

    It claimed that the office of the NSA “has multiple budgetary sub-heads including for communication and information.”

    The family accused the Buhari government of embarking on a “wide scale propaganda, misinformation and brazen falsehood just to achieve its objective of decimating its perceived political opponents and supporters of the previous administration.”

    It challenged government to thoroughly investigate all political and economic crimes “before embarking on a media trial and sentencing even before the law courts of Nigeria have an opportunity to adjudicate.”

    The family described its patriarch as a law-abiding and consummate patriot “who has served Nigeria to the best of his ability,” adding, “for the avoidance of doubt, Dr. Dokpesi has never applied nor bided for a contract for the purchase of arms, nor has he ever been registered with the Ministry of Defence for the similar objective of engaging in the supply of arms for the government.”

     

  • Court orders EFCC to produce Dokpesi

    Court orders EFCC to produce Dokpesi

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to produce High Chief Raymond Dokpesi before it.

    The order made ex-parte yesterday by Justice Gabriel Kolawole followed an ex-parte application by Dokpesi who claimed to have been unlawfully detained beyond 48 hours by the EFCC.

    The judge, who heard the applicant’s lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN) in chambers, ordered the EFCC to produce Dokpesi before his court on the next hearing date of December 14.

    Ozekhome, who told journalists what happened in the judge’s chambers, said the judge also ordered the EFCC to show cause why he should not grant Dokpesi’s prayer for unconditional or conditional bail.

    Dokpesi had, in the application, prayed for an order compelling the respondent to produce the applicant who is currently in its custody or any other place of detention before this court on the date this application comes up for hearing.

    He also sought an order admitting the applicant to bail on self-recognisance or on such favourable and liberal terms as this court may deem fit to make in the circumstances of this case, pending the formal arraignment of the applicant before a court of law.

    He hinged his prayers on the ground that no formal charge has been brought against him, over 48 hours after his detention.

    The applicant said he went to honour a verbal invitation from officials of the EFCC on December 1 and had been detained since then after subjecting him to hours of “unprepared interrogation.”

    He argued that the offences alleged against him “are ordinarily bailable.” He promised not to jump bail, not to interfere with witnesses or the course of justice, if any formal charge was filed against him.

    Dokpesi said, with his social status, the court could grant him bail on liberal terms, or on self- recognisance as he has no criminal antecedents or record. He promised to attend court, if eventually he is formally arraigned.

    In a supporting affidavit, the applicant said he was arrested over his inability to honour an invitation by the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), inviting Daar Investment and Holding Limited (an arm of Daar Communications Ltd) “for discussion on the supply and services rendered to the Office of the NSA.”

    He stated that while he was yet to perfect the bail granted him by the EFCC “on the most onerous,” it went before a Magistrate’s Court to procure an order to legitimise and further detain him.

  • Spare nobody in Arms deal probe – Activist

    Spare nobody in Arms deal probe – Activist

    An activist , Segun Lema Thursday urged the Economic and Financial crimes Commission (EFCC) and Department of State Security (DSS) not to spare anybody suspected to be connected with the ongoing arm deal probe.

    He particularly demanded that the former President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan must not be treated as a sacred cow in the struggle to expose those allegedly behind the scam.

    He said as the former President, he should be mandated to explain what he knew about the misappropriation of the $21b meant for the purchase of arms.

    Lema said Jonathan as the consenting authority, was in best position to tell Nigerians the role he played in the arms deal

    The former Vice Chairman, Okitipupa branch of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) emphasised that Nigerians deserved explanation from the former President on the matter.

    According to him, the money was meant to purchase arms and combat terrorism and insurgency in the northeast of Nigeria.

    The EFCC had on Tuesday arrested the chairman of DAAR Communication, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col Sambo Dasuki (Rtd), Amb. Bashir Yuguda and Atahiru Bafarawa over their alleged involvement in the disappearance of the money

    The military authority had also invited the immediate past Chief of Defense Staff, Air Vice Marshall Alex Badeh (Rtd) and former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Azubuike Ihejirika over their alleged involvement in the arms deal.

    He said the invitation of former President Jonathan on the matter would throw more light on the issue and unravel the circumstances that led to the misappropriation of the money.

    He hailed the arrest of former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Vice Marshall Badeh and Lt Gen. ihejirika by the EFCC and urged the anti graft Agency to prosecute whoever that was involved in the deal accordingly.

    He lamented that some individuals whom Nigerians look up to as symbol of the nation could because of their selfish interests, worked against the collective interest of the nation in its quest to combat terrorism, insurgency and protect the lives and properties of the citizenry.

    The legal practitioner however urged the President Mohammadu Buhari to ensure that the money is recovered and punish whosoever that is linked to it accordingly, saying “Nobody is bigger than the law.”

  • Dokpesi’s arrest ‘a persecution’ – PDP

    Dokpesi’s arrest ‘a persecution’ – PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the arrest of Daar Communications Emeritus chairman Raymond Dokpesi as persecution.

    In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary Olisa Metuh, the opposition party said:

    “While the PDP is not against the war against corruption, we insist that the crusade must be carried out within the limits of the law and not as a guise to persecute and torture opposition elements in the country.

    “Our fear is that with the pronouncement of guilt even without being given the opportunity within his rights as a citizen to state his own side of the story, the President Buhari-led government is sidestepping the laws to ensure that Chief Dokpesi does not get justice in the court, a plot which they want to extend to other PDP leaders.

    “The PDP therefore demands an open and public trial of all those arrested so that all issues and charges against them as well as their defence therein would also be in the public domain.

    “We demand a proper investigation and lawful prosecution instead of the reprehensible resort to outright political persecution, which can only have a place in a military regime.

    “We also note that this development may not be unconnected with the planned onslaught against the media, following its commitment in holding this dictatorial regime accountable since it took office.

    “We call on the international community and rights bodies worldwide to note the growing impunity and gross violation of human rights by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government tailored to decimate the opposition and cow the media in Nigeria.”

  • Update: DSS arrests Dasuki, Bafarawa, Dokpesi in EFCC net

    Update: DSS arrests Dasuki, Bafarawa, Dokpesi in EFCC net

    After a month siege and legal fireworks, the Department of State Security Service (DSS) on Tuesday arrested a former National Security Adviser, Mr. Sambo Dasuki for interrogation on the $2b arms deals.

    Dasuki is expected to be handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after relevant security checks by the DSS.

    The EFCC also intensified the ongoing probe of the arms deals by arresting ex-Governor Attahiru Bafarawa and the Emeritus Chairman of Africa Independent Television (AIT), High Chief Raymond Dokpesi.

    While Dokpesi was picked up for allegedly collecting N2.1billion from the Office of the NSA, Bafarawa hauled N100million cash at a go.

    The EFCC has however launched manhunt for a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mohammed Haliru Bello, in connection with some diverted arms cash.

    But at time of filing this report, one of the suspects in EFCC custody has refunded N200million.

    He also pleaded for bail to source about N1billion credited to him as diverted funds.

     

  • Dokpesi: I didn’t apologise for PDP’s failure

    Dokpesi: I didn’t apologise for PDP’s failure

    •’APC pushing for one party state’

    A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, yesterday said he did not apologise to Nigerians on behalf of the party for fielding former President Goodluck Jonathan in the last general elections.

    He also denied apologising for the PDP’s misdeeds in the last 16 years, contrary to media reports.

    The African Independent Television (AIT) Chairman-Emeritus clarified that he only apologised to party members over the party’s zoning agreement, which, he said, was compromised by incumbents, who had preferred and pliant candidates.

    Dokpesi said in a statement that he was proud of the achievements of former President Jonathan, particularly his reforms across the sectors of the economy.

    He said: “My attention has been drawn to claims in the media that I had apologised to the nation on behalf of the PDP over the fielding of former President Goodluck Jonathan in the last general elections. Such other media comments and reports actually went further to say that I had apologised for the misdeeds and wrongs done to the nation by the PDP in its 16 years in the saddle since the return of democratic governance in 1999.

    “These reports were clearly deliberate and mischievous misrepresentations of what I said at the press briefing…”

    Dokpesi said he was proud of Jonathan’s achievements across the sectors, adding that Nigerians would shower praises  on the former President, who, he said, owing to some extraneous factors, had been misunderstood.

    He said he was also proud of the democratic gains of the PDP government, including the independence of the judiciary and political stability, until the advent of the Boko Haram insurgency.

    The PDP chieftain alleged that plans are underway by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to turn the country into a one party state, adding that the party planned to achieve the objective by promoting division in the PDP.

    Describing the alleged plot as day dreaming, Dokpesi said the PDP would continue to wax stronger because it was not a gathering of strange bed fellows.

    He added: “I call on all PDP members nationwide to discountenance the misleading reports as the party has no apologies to offer anyone for its years of rule at the centre and the majority of the states.”

     

  • Dokpesi’s apology remains his personal opinion – Metuh

    Dokpesi’s apology remains his personal opinion – Metuh

    National Publicity Secretary of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, said the apology credited to the party’s National Conference Committee Chairman, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, remained his personal opinion.

    Metuh made this remark when he spoke with newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday.

    He said Dokpesi’s statement did not in any way represent official position of the PDP, as he was not a member of the party’s National Executive Committee.

    Metuh said Dokpesi could only speak in his personal capacity adding that his opinion remains personal and did not represent that of the party

    On PDP’s choice to field former President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 presidential race, Metuh said the decision was approved by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).

    He added that the decision was also approved by the party’s National Executive Council (NEC), and the party’s National Caucus.

    “In addition, the Constitution of the party allows a sitting president the chance to exercise his personal right to run for a second term if he so desires.’’

    On whether the party regretted its action, Metuh said: “how can you regret a decision taken when everyone was there, the NWC, NEC and the national caucus?

    “What are we talking about? Everybody was conscious of the decision; nobody was coerced into supporting the position.”

    He, however, said it was not the time for buck-passing or blame-game but time to collectively reposition the party.

    “We are repositioning our party. What we should do is to join hands to reposition PDP based on Sen. Ike Ekweremadu’s report to reclaim the party’s lost glory. This is what is expected of us all at this time’’, Metuh said.

    NAN recalls that Dokpesi had on Tuesday on behalf of the PDP apologised for mistakes it may have made during its 16 years rule in the country.

    Dokpesi admitted that the party might not have met all the expectations of Nigerians while it was in power and said: “on behalf of PDP, I tender our apologies.’’

    Dokpesi admitted that the party deviated from the dream of its founding fathers, adding that members operated without recourse to the rule of law.

    He added that the party, in 2010 and 2011, made the first fundamental mistake for not allowing the North to complete its term.

    He noted that special recommendations were made to allow former President Goodluck Jonathan to complete it.

  • PDP wrong with Jonathan’s candidacy, says Dokpesi

    PDP wrong with Jonathan’s candidacy, says Dokpesi

    Fielding former President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan in the 2011 and 2015 election was a costly mistake by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The chairman of the party’s national conference organising committee, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, stated this yesterday at a media briefing in Abuja.

    Dokpesi said the imposition of Jonathan by the PDP might have been responsible for the party’s loss of the presidency.

    He stressed that the zoning formula put in place by the founding fathers was jettisoned by the party leadership.

    According to him, the PDP made the first mistake when it failed to retain the party’s 2011 presidential ticket in the North after the death of former President  Umaru Yar’Adua.

    The second mistake, he said, was making Jonathan the sole presidential candidate of the party in the 2015 general elections, adding that the action caused disaffection among party chieftains from the North.

    Dokpesi apologised to all party chieftains who felt offended by the action and extended the apology to voters who were denied the freedom of choice by the PDP.

    He said having retained power for 16 years at a stretch, it was normal for a party to make mistakes, adding however that the party was repositioning ahead of the 2019 general elections.

    The PDP committee chairman said Nigerians should forgive the party for the many mistakes it made while in power, promising that the party was restructuring to enable the youths play active roles in the future.

    He identified lack of internal democracy in most of its nomination processes, as one of PDP’s problems adding: “There was impunity, imposition of candidates and breach of the zoning arrangement as well as lack of a level-playing field for members”

    Dokpesi continued: “Make no mistakes, the PDP is aware that there were errors made along the way. We admit that at certain times in our past, mistakes have been made.

    “We did not meet the expectations of Nigerians. We tender our apology. But the past is exactly what it is. We call on all party faithful, supporters and sympathisers to partner with us going forward.

    “You asked about the mistakes the party made. The Ekweremadu report is very explicit on that. It acknowledged the fact that the party made a lot of strides during the last 16 years.

    “But also, there was no internal democracy; there was impunity within the party. There was no level-playing ground for members of the party.

    “The zoning principles of the party were abandoned and a gamut of all other issues which will come up during the conference. And for all these and for the people who have been offended, for people whose toes were stepped upon, we tender unreserved apology.

    “While we should not forget the past and its errors, we must look forward and begin to show true leadership within and outside our party.

    Dokpesi, founder of DAAR Communications, owner of Africa Independent Television (AIT) said over 3,000 delegates are expected at the party’s national conference, which is billed to hold in Abuja on Thursday.

  • PDP flags off e-registration exercise in Edo

    PDP flags off e-registration exercise in Edo

    The Peoples Democratic Party has flagged off the e-registration exercise of both old and new members in Agenebode, headquarters of Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State.

    At Ward 1, existing and prospective members of the party were seen as early as 9am seen filling registration forms given to them and waiting to be registered.

    Director of Operations of the firm handling the project, Emmanuel Nsubuisi, said registered members would have been issued identity cards immediately but some equipment arrived late.

    He however promised that the cards would be ready by Monday.

    According to him, “The project itself is highly complicated and technical because we have to do instant issuance. When you register their bio-metrics, you print their cards for them and you encode on the card instantly.

    ‎”Due to logistics reasons, some of the equipment could not arrive on time. But we are taking custody of them in the next one or two days.

    Chairman of the e-Membership Registration Committee, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, said the PDP has begun an inclusive process of rebranding itself in order to conform with global best practice of political participation.

    Chief Dokpesi said the e-registration would put an end to godfatherism within the party and create room for all members to be owners of the party.

    Dokpesi warned that the PDP would collapse if younger generation were not given opportunity to aspire and participate in democratic processes.

    “They (registered members) will contribute their own quota, so you don’t have to look for a godfather. You can imagine if you pay your N100 every month. For six million members, that the PDP at one time said it had, that would have been N6 billion in one month, N72 billion in a year. So, why are you looking for a godfather?

    “When in August 1998, we said PDP, Power to the People. That means power resides with the people; it is the people that decide. But we now have a PDP where a group of people, when they get together, they determine who the governorship candidate is. They determine who the governor is, taking away the power from the people.

    “When you are going into an election, unless you have a good godfather, or a powerful godfather and godmother, or a garrison commander, with your merit, you will not become what you want to become,” he said.

    He continued, “In Edo North here, there were some certain persons who will determine who the councillors will be; who will determine who the local government chairman will be, will determine who will contest for state house of assembly.

    “They alone will determine who will go for governorship; they alone will determine who will be minister. They will determine who will be president, they will determine (and) above all this one, the assistant to God because actually, they were quarter to God.

    “And we said no; we have to try to return power to the people and the only way we can do it is to be a part owner of it, is to be able to properly get the ordinary man to play a role (and) to give him a voice.

    Dokpesi, who is also the head of the reconciliatory and mobilisation committee of the PDP in Edo, warned that the “party will collapse,” if it failed to create an opportunity for the younger ones.

    He said, “PDP as you can see have become party of the old men. We have to return the party to the younger generation. The times of the Anenihs of this world, of the Shehu Shagaris, of the Adamu Ciromas of this world, of the Babangidas and Raymond Dokpesis of this world have come and gone.

    “This party will collapse if will do not encourage the younger ones and give them opportunity. After all, Shehu Shagari became a federal minister at the age of 18, (Richard) Akinjide became a minister at the age of 21; M. T. Mbu became an ambassador at the age of 20. Just all of them had the opportunity to get involved. They didn’t say they were too young then.

    “The party is coming back with the policy of zero for primaries. We are saying if we have biometric registration. People don’t like this because they can no longer sit in their air-condition of their sitting room and decide the fate of others.

    “We must return Nigeria to an ear where ordinary citizens of this country have the right to aspire to anything he wants to become without having some up there to push him. We are in an era of technology and we need this to rebuild the party, mobilize the youths and let the people know the core value of the reforms of the party.”‎

  • Dokpesi, seven others to testify in Tinubu’s N150b suit against AIT

    Dokpesi, seven others to testify in Tinubu’s N150b suit against AIT

    THE Chairman of DAAR Communication Plc, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi, and seven others have been listed as witnesses to testify in a N150 billion libel suit filed by All Progressives Congress (APC’s) National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu against the African Independent Television (AIT).

    The former Lagos State governor had instituted a N150 billion suit against the DAAR Communications Plc, owners of AIT, before an Ikeja High Court over alleged false accusations in a documentary titled: “Lion of Bourdillon”.

    The matter is before Justice Iyabo Akinkugbe of Ikeja High Court.

    Others listed as witnesses are Namure Joy Edoimioya, Chief Medan Tenke, Ajibola Adewusi, Olumide Idowu, Chief Stanley Odidi, Engr. Nwabueze and Dr. Stanley Bassey.

    Tinubu is claiming that the documentary was politically sponsored to tarnish his reputation in the eyes of the populace.

    Justice Akinkugbe had on April 1, 2015 granted an interlocutory injunction restraining the AIT from further airing the documentary, pending the determination of the libel suit.

    But, in a statement of defence and counter-claim filed by AIT before the court yesterday, the defendant denied each and every claim of the applicant in the amended statement of claim.

    AIT claimed that the claimant/applicant founded his entire claims on a non-existent ground or cause of action because contrary to his (Tinubu) claim, the documentary aired by its media outfit is not titled: “The Lion of Bourdillon”, but “Unmasking the Real Tinubu”.

    AIT, in its statement of defence, also averred that the documentary, in its honest opinion, was not false and neither was it aired out of malice against the person of the claimant.

    It averred further that as the fourth estate of the realm, it was empowered by Section 22 of the Constitution to at all times, hold those in government accountable and responsible to the people of Nigeria.

    “The defendant avers that further to paragraphs 4 and 5 above, that it is empowered by Section 22 of the Constitution as the fourth estate of the realm, to at all times, hold those in government accountable and responsible to the people of Nigeria, and to be free to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in Chapter 2 of the Constitution and uphold the responsibility and accountability of the government to the people to ensure that the economic system is not operated in such a manner as to permit the concentration of wealth or the means of production and exchange in the hands of few individuals or of a group, and that there is equal opportunity for every Nigerian to secure adequate means of livelihood and empowerment without discrimination.

    “The defendant avers that the claimant is a former public office holder, whose activities before, during and after leaving office are always in the public domain for proper scrutiny, in accordance with the intendment of the framers of the Nigerian Constitution.

    “The defendant also avers that being in the business of information dissemination, it is aware that the contents of the said documentary are not news to many Nigerians, a fact very well known to the claimant, who took no steps to correct the information embedded in the print media and the social media platforms for years. For example, the pseudonym, “Lion of Bourdillon”, by which the claimant has come to be known, addressed and associated with, over the years, was not given to him, or coined by the defendant”, it averred.

    According to AIT, the said documentary, which it did not authored, was only aired for a given short period of time and was last aired on March 6, 2015, when it got wind that the defendant had filed a libel suit.

    Attached to the statement of defence and counter-claim was a list of documents which it said would be relied upon and which comprises links to online publications.

    Dokpesi, in his statement on oath, also claimed that the defendant merely exercised its constitutional, statutory and social responsibility to inform, educate, entertain and provide a platform for national discourse, to all shades of opinion and political persuasion.

    He said the documentary aired by the defendant under Section 22 of the Constitution merely states that the claimant has breached some portions of the said fundamental objectives, and directive principles of state policy contained in Chapter 2 of the Constitution and which the defendant is legally mandated to ensure the observance of, and same was not maliciously or falsely made against the claimant.