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Tag: EFCC

  • EFCC denies raiding Senator’s home

    EFCC denies raiding Senator’s home

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday debunked rumours of raiding the Abuja home of Senator Danjuma Goje.

    The commission made this known through its verified twitter handle.

    The commission said: “Please disregard online reports claiming the EFCC raided the Abuja home of Senator Danjuma Goje.

    “The report is FALSE as the Commission was not a part of any such activity.”

    See tweets below:

  • How Buhari sealed SGF Lawal’s, NIA DG’s fate

    How Buhari sealed SGF Lawal’s, NIA DG’s fate

    President Muhammadu Buhari suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir Lawal and National Intelligence Agency (NIA) Director-General Ayo Oke after two meetings with his kitchen cabinet, The Nation learnt last night.

    There were indications last night that the Presidency may not recall the officials. Besides, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has invited the wife of the suspended DG for questioning.

    But some members of the kitchen cabinet are opposed to the grilling of Mrs. Folashade Oke by EFCC since the President has raised a three-man committee to investigate the DG.

    They said the presidential panel should complete its assignment before the EFCC moves in.

    The suspension of the two officials was to enable the Federal Government investigate alleged infractions against them before a formal acceptance of their resignation.

    Babachir will be probed over alleged N200million contract awarded to a company, Global Vision Limited, allegedly linked with him by the Presidential Initiative for the North East (PINE) for the clearing of “invasive plant species” (weeds) in Yobe State.

    Oke is being investigated for alleged $43.4million operations cash, which was found by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at apartment 7B in Osborne Towers, Ikoyi,

    Lagos.

    The President wielded the big stick after two meetings with members of his kitchen cabinet on Tuesday night and at about 11am on Wednesday, a source told The Nation.

    At the Tuesday night meeting were the President, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami (SAN) and Chief of Staff Abba Kyari, who has just returned from a medical trip overseas.

    The Director-General of the Department of State Security Service (DSS), Mr. Lawan Daura, who was to be part of the meeting, could not make it because he was in transit from Saudi Arabia where he had gone for lesser Hajj( Umrah).

    But on Wednesday morning, the DG, DSS was part of the second session.

    According to sources, the meeting went through the EFCC Interim Report on the $43.4million; a fresh security report on the PINE contract in which the SGF was implicated; the Senate Report on PINE and available options.

    A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The meeting was painstaking in looking at issues against the two officials, especially allegations bordering on compliance with due process and financial regulations and alleged abuse of office.

    “The outstanding records of the DG of NIA made the meeting solemn but it was decided that there should be no scared cow. The implication of the wife of NIA DG on how the safe apartment was secured to keep the $43.4million was found to be ‘abnormal’.

    “Non-disclosure of the cash to the President after almost two years in office was also said to be unexplainable.”

    “As for SGF Babachir Lawal, fresh security reports available to the President decided his fate. Some decisions taken by PINE under his watch were faulted by the meeting.

    “The President strongly felt the two officials crossed the line and he said the excuses were unacceptable.”

    Responding to a question, the source added: “At the end of it all, the meetings were caught in-between investigation and immediate resignation of the SGF and NIA DG.

    “Some of those at the sessions wanted the NIA DG to proceed on pre-retirement leave because of the sensitive nature of the operation of the agency.

    “As a matter of fact, the DIG had personally submitted a letter for leave of absence to the President to allow unfettered investigation. Oke said he was more interested in the survival of the intelligence system than his personal survival.”

    After weighing the options, the meetings strongly recommended investigation into the alleged infractions against the officers to ascertain what went wrong, unmask other accomplices and learn some lessons for the future.

    The source went on: “The Presidency was of the opinion that there might be more to the $43.4million haul. It described the covert operations as suspicious with the immediate administration of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan rated as complicit.

    “The suspension of the officers was designed to allow the conduct of the investigation into the activities of the two officers before a final decision is taken.”

    Asked why the President acted decisively on the cases, the source said it was because of the reasons as follows:

    •   need not to compromise of the anti-corruption agenda;
    •   public opprobrium on  the grass cutting allegation against the SGF and the $43.4million cash haul;
    •   perception that the government is weak in taking decisions against its officials; and
    •   the need to respect the decision of the Senate on the SGF to pave the way for the ongoing mediation between the Executive and the Legislature

    The two officers were caught unawares by the news of their suspension.

    Another source said: “As a matter of fact, there was no formal letter of suspension served on the SGF and the DG of NIA before the announcement was made.

    “They were both in office when the news was broken to them by their friends and associates. So, they later heard it on radio and television.

    “The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo however had audience with the two officers where he explained why they had to go on suspension.”

    The highly-placed source believes that the government may not recall the suspended officials. They might either be retired or asked to formally resign from office, he said, pleading not to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter.

    He added: “If there is any strong reason to prosecute them, affected officials, the government will do so, depending on the recommendation of the three-man panel headed by the Vice President.

    “Already, the Presidency is sourcing for their replacement. Some candidates have been pencilled down. As for NIA, the suspended DG will soon be 60 and his tenure will end in November. Technically, he is expected to proceed on pre-retirement leave from August.”

    Amb. Arab Yadam (Plateau State) is said to have taken over as the Acting DG of NIA.

    Yadam is said to be the senior Deputy DG among Oke’s two deputies.

    Also, it was learnt that Dr. Habibat Lawal (Bauchi State), who is the most senior Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, has stepped in as the Acting SGF.

    Meanwhile, there was disquiet in the Presidency last night following the summoning of the wife of the DG of NIA by EFCC.

    The anti-graft commission has invited her for interrogation over the $43.4million recovered from Apartment 7B in Osborne Towers. Her company was alleged to have acquired the apartment for the NIA.

    But some government officials were said to be opposed to the invitation of Mrs. Oke since a presidential committee was already in place.

    “Some government officials felt the presidential committee should complete its assignment before EFCC steps in.

    “They said it will be improper and untidy for a presidential panel to be investigating and EFCC is doing the same thing. “This development is causing some disquiet in the Presidency,” another source said.

  • EFCC: Remembering the originators

    EFCC: Remembering the originators

    Until the recent haul of $43,449,947, £27,800 and N23,218,000 found hidden inside an apartment at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, it was becoming increasingly difficult keeping tabs with the amount of suspected looted funds being discovered in the country almost on a daily basis. Just when one is digesting an unbelievable haul another would emerge; and on and on goes these endless madness and shows of shame. The Ikoyi recoveries were valued at N13 billion based on prevailing exchange rate set by the Central Bank of Nigeria

    How do one even begin to try to make meaning of what is happening in the country? It gets increasingly difficult for even the staunchest optimist on Nigeria to begin to piece together the direction the country is heading. However, all what we are experiencing today about suspected looted funds would not have been possible had there not been an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The controversies – in some quarters – over its perceived lopsided anti-corruption war aside, most Nigerians would agree that the commission is doing a good job sniffing out suspected looted public funds.

    It is in this light that I want to bend backwards today by remembering the originators of what is today the EFCC. I am doing this against the backdrop of the need to always acknowledge – and even reward where necessary – patriotic individuals who may have undertaken endeavours that are having positive impact in the polity today.

    What is today the EFCC emanated from a proposal sent to former President Olusegun Obasanjo barely two months into his first term on July 19, 1999. Two Nigerians were the authors of this proposal; Dr. Dan Mou, a distinguished scholar and retired director from the civil service and Dr. Rose Abang-Wushishi, a retired assistant inspector general of police.

    “Proposal for the establishment of a National Economic and Financial Crimes Enforcement Agency” was written by the authors as a reaction to “the growing negative impact of economic and financial crimes in Nigeria.”

    In the detailed proposal – complete with organogram for the proposed agency – they highlighted twenty four (24) complex and diversified financial crimes which include the popular Advance Fee Fraud famously referred to as “419.” Other highlighted financial crimes include money laundering, trade malpractices, maritime fraud, fraudulent bank transfers, charity fund, intellectual and industrial property fraud, bankruptcy fund, liquidation fraud and others.

    As a result of their detailed proposal and their firm grasp of the issues on ground, President Obasanjo approved the memo and forwarded it to late Chief Bola Ige, the then Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice who promptly summoned Drs. Mou and Abang-Wushishi to personally commend them for their thorough proposal which the president had approved for implementation. As a result of their thoroughness, I was made to understand that the late Ige promised to make Abang-Wushishi the first Chairman and Mou the first Director General.

    In order to fast track the process of setting up the commission, the late Chief Bola Ige set up a committee chaired by professor Ignatius Ayua, then Director General, Nigerian Institute of Legal Studies to formulate the drafting mandate for the production of the draft bill for the proposed agency. This draft bill was to be sent to the National Assembly for the enactment of the relevant Act to set up the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Again, Prof Ayua summoned the authors to be members of the committee since they were the originators. There, they threw more light on what inspired them to author the proposal. Strangely, no reference was made about them again after the Act for the commission was passed by the National Assembly and it was subsequently created. Could it have been as a result of the assassination of Chief Bola Ige?

    Trying to make meaning of the development, Mou wrote: “Typically, as things happen in Nigeria, other officers that knew nothing about how the EFCC came about were appointed to run the affairs of the EFCC; and we were completely sidelined. I recall Dr. Abang-Wushishi was so disturbed that she protested to former President Obasanjo. As a compromise, she was made a member, and later, Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), and I was posted to the Ministry of Defence to take charge as the Director of Nigeria Air Force.”

    I met Dr. Dan Mou on these pages when he reacted to one of my articles “Books on my Mind” published on November 12, 2015. “I find your article in The Nation of November 12, 2015 quite illuminating and praise worthy” he wrote. “I don’t care how voluminous provided there is a lot to learn from them. The books you selected were truly excellent. In this regard, I urge you to get and read my two recent books: “Making of an African Giant: State, Politics and Public Policy In Nigeria Vol 1 & 2 (2015).”

    Just when I was trying to place order for the books, I travelled to Abuja for an official trip and gave Dr. Mou – who has since became a fan and mentor – a call. I was surprised to get two autographed copies of his over 800 page books. That was how an intellectual friendship began and how I got to know that beyond the EFCC proposal Dr. Mou has authored series of memos – both private and public – to successive Heads of State and Presidents. These are found as appendixes in his books. His latest being proposal for the creation of a National Poverty Eradication Commission to President Muhammadu Buhari which the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo has already received and acknowledged.

    I believe in cases where someone’s idea is utilised it is only fair to allow such an individuals a place to midwife their ideas before others are brought on board. It is in this light that I feel Mou was not fairly treated.

    I have had cause to sit with colleagues from the academia and professionals trying to battle and dissect what the problems of Nigeria are. We query why Nigeria was not lucky in having ‘benevolent dictators’ like some countries in Asia and Latin America. Yes, most of the ‘benevolent dictators’ were corrupt, but they used the proceeds of corruption in a nationalistic sense. Does that, in any way, make corruption right? Absolutely not, but at least proceeds were invested in their countries.

    Nigeria’s challenge is not the consideration of which party should govern us. We have seen how our politicians move from one party to the next because there are no political ideologies or conviction, only opportunism. These guys believe in nothing and will do anything for themselves and their interests. The electorate does not come into their thinking. The Nigerian political class – under whatever logo or affiliation – is the cause of our turbulence and loss of hope.

    So how do we get rid of these people who portend to represent us? Should we insist for another system of government that is not as costly, does not project our differences and throws up only those who are answering the call to serve? This is the critical challenge before Nigerians who truly love Nigeria. We have capable Nigerians at home and abroad that can champion this alternative way.

    But we first have to look ourselves eyeball to eyeball and ask deep questions. Do we really want to end corruption in this country? Is corruption embedded in our ‘DNA’ as some have suggested? From what can be deduced on ground it may appear that the average Nigerian does not want to end corruption, but languishes in the fatally false hope that he/she can participate in the banquet with a bit of patience. Hence, there is really no great desire for good government and the implied non-tolerance for corruption.

    The duo of Mou and Abang-Wushishi were driven by a passion to make things work. Between then and now, the level of corruption has grown beyond comprehension.

  • Court orders forfeiture of N449m found in Lagos shop

    Court orders forfeiture of N449m found in Lagos shop

    Justice Rilwan Aikawa of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday ordered the temporary forfeiture of N449, 750,000 found in an abandoned Bureau de Change shop on Victoria Island, Lagos.

    He ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to advertise the order in a newspaper.

    The judge said anybody interested in the money should report in court to justify ownership.

    The interest party must appear before him within 14 days to show cause as to why the money should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

    An EFCC investigator, Moses Awolusi, in a supporting affidavit to a motion ex-parte, said the shop LS64 at Legico Shopping Plaza had not been opened for two years.

    He said the money was found on April 7 in several “Ghana Must Go” bags.

    The EFCC, he said, recovered it after investigating intelligence about Mohammed Tauheed.

    According to the investigator, Tauheed allegedly conspired with the owner of the abandoned shop to launder the money.

    Awolusi said Tauheed had earlier been brought to the EFCC office by the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of Legico shopping Plaza, Mr. Sulaiman Daba and Alhaji Ishaq Ayandiran.

    Tauheed, he said, told the anti-graft agency that he received the money in cash from a serving government official, whose name was not disclosed for security reasons.

    The operative said Tauheed agreed to return the money to federal government.

    The EFCC said the money is strongly suspected to be proceeds of criminal activities.

    After granting the order, Justice Aikawa adjourned the matter till May 19.

  • Ex-deputy governorship candidate denies link with recovered N4bn

    A former Deputy Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Niger State, Mr. Kantigi Lima, has denied link with N4 billion allegedly recovered recently by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Lima, who said the report was misleading, also threatened to commence legal action against some media organisations in the country.

    Lima made the clarifications through three Senior Advocates of Nigeria, Chief Akin Olujimi, Chief KarinaTunyan and Sam Ologunorisa who are his solicitors.

    He said it was “sheer mischief” for anybody to associate him with the ownership of the alleged money in two companies’ accounts.

    The statement said: “Therefore if not for mischief purposes, how can anybody reasonably attach ownership of funds in the accounts of a company to a particular person.”

    “Our client concedes the right of news media to publish news reports but denies any rights in them to malign his name as we intend to take appropriate legal steps in due form of law to seek redress for our client as it is necessary.”

  • Lawmaker wants special courts for corruption cases to enable spending recovered loots

    Lawmaker wants special courts for corruption cases to enable spending recovered loots

    A Lagos State lawmaker, Mr Segun Olulade, on Wednesday urged urgent establishment of special courts for speedy trial of corruption cases.

    Olulade, the Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Health Services, made the call in a statement he issued in Lagos.

    The legislator, who represents Epe Constituency II, said that cases of corruption were experiencing delay in the regular courts.

    According to him, the delay has hampered spending of recovered loots by the Federal Government.

    He was reacting to the recent recovery of a huge amount of money by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in an apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos.

    “The delay being experienced in the trial of corruption cases has been hindering the Federal Government from accessing and utilising money seized from persons standing trial for corruption.

    “The fight against corruption may not yield any good result until special courts are established.

    “Some court cases on corruption have been pending for years. Some have lasted for 10 years, some for eight years.

    “These court cases can drag on for a long time which means that money recovered by this government cannot be utilised.

    “Once special courts are established, they should have a time limit for trashing out cases,” he said.

    According to him, the special courts should complete corruption cases within a period of three months to one year.

    He suggested that recovered funds should go back into Nigeria’s treasury as soon as the cases would be concluded.

  • Osborne Towers: EFCC invites ex-governor, others

    Osborne Towers: EFCC invites ex-governor, others

    How NIA got property where $43.4m was found

    Amaechi seeks N2b compensation

    Detectives are to question a former governor and some high-profile owners of apartments in Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos where $43.4million was recovered last Wednesday.
    Besides, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has identified how the controversial apartment 7B, where the $43.4m was kept, was acquired. Also recovered were £27,000 and N23m cash.
    The EFCC has intensified investigation into the roles played by some apartment owners and tenants on how the cash was brought into the Towers, The Nation has learnt.
    The anti-graft agency is said to be suspecting that some owners or tenants may have been complicit in the matter.
    A source said: “The more we investigate this $43.4m haul, the more we get fresh facts. It has become imperative to interact with some owners or tenants of apartments in the Towers.
    “We have invited a former governor and other high-profile owners and tenants for interaction. It is just to ask a few questions on whether or not they were aware of such movement of cash.
    “We have clues linking some occupants of the Towers to the cash haul. And in line with sections 16 and 17 of the EFCC (Establishment Act) 2004, we are inviting these landlords or tenants.
    “Unless we get to the root of this case, Nigerians may not know the truth or otherwise about the cash.
    “We are not saying that those invited are guilty of any infraction or having link with the $43.4million but we need to hear from them – in line with the ongoing profiling of those in the Towers.”
    Sections 16 and 17 of the EFCC Act reads: “A person when – (a) whether by concealment. removal from jurisdiction, transfer to nominees or otherwise retains the control of the proceeds of a criminal conduct or an illegal act on behalf of another person knowing that the proceeds is as a result of criminal conduct by the principal, or (b) knowing that any property is in whole, or in part, directly or indirectly represent another person’s proceeds of a criminal conduct, acquires or uses that property or has possession of it, commits an office and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not less than five years or to a fine equivalent 105 times the value of the proceeds of the criminal conduct or to both such imprisonment and fine.
    “(1) A person who, without lawful authority (a) engages in the acquisition, possession or use of property knowing at the time of its acquisition, possession or use that such property was derived from any offence referred to in this section, or
    (b) engages in the management, organisation of financing of any of the offences under this Act; or(c) engages in the conversion or transfer of property knowing that such property is derived from any offence under this Act; or
    (d) engages in the concealment or disguise of the true nature, source, location, disposition, movement, rights with respect to or ownership of property knowing that such property is derived from any offence referred to in this section, commits an offence under this Act and is liable on conviction to the penalties provided in Subsection (2) of this section.
    ”The penalties for offences under subsection (I) of this section shall be imprisonment for a term not less than 15 years and not exceeding 25 years.”
    Meanwhile, there were indications yesterday that the EFCC had been able to trace how the controversial 7B apartment, where the $43.4m was kept, was acquired.
    Another source said detectives discovered that the 7B Apartment was bought in the name of a company allegedly owned by the wife of a senior government official.
    “Since investigation is still ongoing, we will not release the identity of the owner of the company. Doing so might jeopardise investigation,” the source said, adding that the EFCC had interacted with “some people from the company.”
    A National Intelligence Agency (NIA) source said of the apartment: “What happened was that because of the nature of the covert operations which the apartment will be used for, it was necessary to manage the process well.”
    Only the Deed of Assignment was acquired by Thabis Ventures Limited on behalf of NIA. “And immediately the process for the purchase of the apartment was completed, the ownership was clearly stated in the name of NIA. All the papers are reflecting NIA too, he said, adding: “The title document is available for anyone to verify.”

  • Senator accuses EFCC of plotting to re-arrest him

    Senator Ayo Adeseun has petitioned the Zonal Director Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged plot to re-arrest him and some other officials of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    His lawyer, Michael Lana, in the April 8 petition, alleged that an agent of the commission, Mr. Usman Zakari threatened to arrest Senator Adeseun’s surety if he fails to produce the senator in court.

    Adeseun, who was a senator between 2011 and 2015, was arrested last May 10 and kept in EFCC custody for 40 days during its investigation of N650million allegedly spent on behalf of the PDP to prosecute the 2015 presidential election in Oyo State.

    The petition was also copied to the Station Registrar of the Federal High Court, Ibadan and the Secretary-General of the Nigerian Bar Association, Abuja.

    The lawyer said there was a pending motion to restrain the anti-graft agency and its officers from arresting or tampering with the liberty of the defendants.

    Lana said there were also pending applications to strike out the charge for want of jurisdiction; for an order dispensing with the physical appearance of the defendant and an order of injunction restraining the complainant from arresting the defendants pending the determination of the applications.

    The lawyer said the threat to re-arrest Adeseun and his surety, Remi Adeseun, amounts “to abuse of office and an oppressive and reckless use of power as the law is trite that once a matter has been submitted to court, it is no longer within the power of either party to do anything in relation to it.”

  • Lawyers seek protection from EFCC

    Defence counsel in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) fraud charge against a banker, Mr. Olufunmilayo Adenmosu, have sought the protection of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja from alleged harassment by the agency.

    The five-man defence team comprising Messrs Shina Fashugba, David Ogebe, Ndubuisi Ogbonnaya, Abraham Jighu and Emmanuel Abraye accused the commission of attempting to intimidate them from representing the defendant.

    They made the allegation last Thursday, while moving the defendant’s bail application before Justice Josephine Oyefeso.

    In countering the application, prosecution counsel Samuel Daji accused the defendant, who is standing trial for offences on obtaining under false pretence, of, among others, having procured a forged medical report to aid his bail application.

    “The defence counsel are even being investigated. They were invited to our office yesterday,” Daji said.

    He attempted to tender the said medical report from the bar.

    Objecting, lead defence counsel Fashugba questioned the motive behind the agency’s invitation, especially for allegedly keeping them for hours at the EFCC office a day before they were due in court for the bail hearing.

    He said: “What concerns counsel? The affidavit was not deposed to by any counsel on the defence team. We filed documents we were furnished with. The invitation itself was mischievous.

    “It was when I got to the EFCC office that I realised that they had invited all of the defence team of lawyers. We met there. They were asking us ‘what do you know about this medical report? What do you know about this document? Sit down, oya make statements.’

    “They have decided to employ what I would call Gestapo tactics reminiscent of the Nazi era to intimidate lawyers from the defence.

    “If they have any complaint about the medical report, they can prepare another charge. It will not affect this pending application. This development is an attempt to truncate the course of justice, to harass, intimidate and witch-hunt the defence team of lawyers.

    “Yesterday (Wednesday), we could not sit in our offices to even go through the case file and prepare a good argument for the bail application. We spent hours at their office.

    “We seek the protection of this court to enable us continue to represent the defendant in this matter.”

    Justice Oyefeso advised the prosecution to make an application if it intended to tender the document and adjourned till April 24 for ruling on the bail application.

  • Shekarau applauds Buhari’s anti graft war

    Shekarau applauds Buhari’s anti graft war

    Former Kano state Governor, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau‎ has applauded the President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti graft war, saying that “it is what most Nigerians have been yearning for.”

    According to him “Anyone who acquired wealth through illegal or fraudulent means should be investigated and brought to justice.”

    He noted that it takes a true and honest individual to right track a nation like Nigeria against corruption, pointing out that” we will join hands provided it is done with fairness.”

    Shekarau who spoke to reporters in Sokoto on Sunday on the sidelines at the 22nd Annual National Ummah Convention(NUC) held in Sokoto, declared open by the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III said the anti graft war was a right step in the right direction.

    According to the former Presidential candidate in 2011 on the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party(ANPP) and one time governor of the state described as the northern ‘commercial hub’‎ second to Lagos, “Nigeria and Nigerians need absolute system reformation where justice, fair hearing and strict adherence to the rule of law are premium.

    “Let me share with you that Kano state during my government was the first and only state to key in and evolve an anti corruption machinery when then President Obasanjo came up with EFCC‎”, he added.

    The one time Minister of Education and first to set a record of two terms of 4 years as governor in Kano state said the present APC led government under President Buhari should not jettison the baseline of due process and avoid selective justice in its anti corruption fight.

    “Our system needs to be sanitised for prosperity. But meting injustice to an unjust person amounts to no justice.”

    On the crisis rocking the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to which he owes allegiance, the former governor said ‎it was a normal political hurdle that would come to pass, adding that “we are re-strategising and we will sail out of the perceived  woods.

    “We are only going through political reformation to come up with acceptable leadership with people oriented ‎agenda”, Shekarau explained.

    On the Sharia system entrenched ‎during his government, the former governor said “there is nothing wrong in being godly which entails the fear of your creator by been just, truthful, honest, sympathy, patience and morally up right. Both Islam and Christianity are adherents of these teachings and tenets.

    “They are not new and strict adherence would have shaped‎ our society as a nation. Only that some quarters have a different perception and misconception about what it entails.

    “It may interest you to know that the National and state bodies of c gave me a commendation letter ‎on Sharia”, he disclosed.

    On the convention, Shekarau noted that it was a good platform to objectively dissolve national problems‎ associated with the revival of agriculture not only in the north but Nigeria as a whole.

    According to him “we have to encourage responsive leadership and favourable policies that would transform the country’s agricultural sector to glory.”

    He said Nigeria’s greatest challenge ‎was the lack of coordination and absence of a genuine and responsive platform that would galvanise existing potentials and capacity to produce in large commercial quantity.

    “We have the land and human capital but without coordinating other components, we cannot make the desired impact”, he pointed out.

    He further attributed the country’s crash in agriculture to ‎the politics of state creation, adding that “the creation of additional states has further set us back.

    Before, states were doing well and a lot in agricultural activities because there was control chain in the system especially when northern marketing board was in operation which we need to reverse to augment strategic agricultural policy framework to be braced by a more holistic mechanism for the production, marketing and sales of grains between the farmer and final consumer destination”, he explained.