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Tag: Ehindero

  • Akerele urges Ehindero to emulate Tunji-Ojo

    Akerele urges Ehindero to emulate Tunji-Ojo

    A leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Prince Olubunmi Akerele, has urged the winner of last Saturday’s by-election in Akoko North East/Akoko North West Federal Constituency, Ife Ehindero, to emulate the good work of his predecessor, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.

    Akerele said Ehindero must fulfil his electoral promises as well as ensure he performed to expectation because of the faith the people had in him.

    Ehindero polled 35,504 votes to defeat Mr. Bada Olalekan of the People Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 15,328 votes.

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    Akerele in a statement in Akure said the victory was the result of good performance.

    He said: “Our constituency enjoyed under Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo before he was appointed to serve in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s cabinet and we are sure Ife Ehindero will continue from where he stopped.

    “I congratulate the people, I congratulate our party, the All Progressives Congress, and Ifeoluwa Ehindero on this victory. I want him to continue the good work of the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo and ensure our people continue to enjoy the dividends of effective representation.

    “We appreciate the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for upholding the tenets of democracy by remaining an unbiased umpire throughout the process, as well as security agencies for ensuring voters exercise their franchise in a conducive manner.”

  • Tinubu real Yoruba leader – Ehindero

    In the interview with Dare Odufowokan, Assistant Editor, the General Overseer of Messiah New Life Ministry Inc., Archbishop Joseph Ehindero, warned those antagonising the National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to desist, saying the former Governor of Lagos State is the true leader of the Yoruba race today. The cleric bared his mind on some other national issues. Excerpts

    WHAT is your reaction to the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari in the Presidential election?

    Buhari’s victory is divinely ordained. His victory was revealed to me months before the election, and my prediction of Buhari’s victory was published in an interview I had with a national daily which came out on Tuesday 18th December 2018.

    Before then, several ministers of God were predicting Atiku Abubakar’s victory but God clearly told me that Buhari will win, and my prediction was published in that interview.

    In 2015,that was how God revealed to me that the then incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan would lose and my prediction equally came to pass as the main opposition leader then who is now the President, Muhammadu Buhari, will win the election. This is to show people that there are still genuine prophets in this country.

    What I want Nigerians to clearly understand is this and it is that Buhari is on a divine mission to salvage Nigeria from the rot of the past. Buhari has a divine mission to fulfill for this nation, and I enjoin Nigerians to support his government.

    I’m not a politician but a Minister of God and whatever I’m saying about Buhari is the revelation that God gave me concerning him. Buhari is an unusual politician, he is not self-centred and from his actions, especially his anti-corruption war, the man wants to restore sanity in this nation. Buhari wants to restore Nigeria’s lost glory.

    What Nigerians must realise is that this nation has been in a mess before Buhari came in as president and now he has done a lot to bring Nigeria back on the path of greatness. It would have been a big tragedy if Buhari had lost to Atiku because Atiku is not the man God wants to use to redeem Nigeria.

    What is your reaction to the court case against Buhari’s victory by Atiku and PDP?

    Atiku is wasting his time. Buhari’s victory is secured. My advise to Atiku is that he should not waste his time. Nothing would come out of his efforts. What I expect him to do is to be sober, and reflective. He should do stock taking, and I’m sure if he does this, he will know that he has been very lucky. He should stop fighting Buhari. He should stop wasting his time and resources. God has a divine mission for Buhari for this period in Nigeria’s history. God wants Buhari to consolidate on his present achievements and Nigerians are enjoined to co-operate with his government.

    Before the polls some prominent clerics predicted victory for Atiku Abubakar but …

    (Cuts in) It is very sad and unfortunate that some highly regarded men of God were also involved as they predicted Atiku’s victory. What God revealed to me was that those eminent men of God who claimed that they saw Atiku being declared winner were not led by the spirit of God to make the pronouncements. They were led by the flesh. Some of these clerics have personal hatred for Buhari and this is wrong. They should not have allowed their emotions to lead them into taking wrong decisions. I’m also not happy that some Christian bodies appear to be taking sides and were openly in a subtle manner canvassing support for Atiku Abubakar. This is very wrong. This is a lesson to all Christian leaders and prophets that they should always allow the Holy Spirit to lead them and not the flesh. It is the same thing that happened to Afenifere leaders. They did not behave like elders by openly supporting Atiku before and during the elections.

    Afenifere leaders have no justification for backing a particular candidate. As elders and leaders, they are supposed to play the role of fathers to all. They are supposed to be neutral. By being partisan and taking sides, they were not promoting the interests of Yoruba people.

    This is why I like Tinubu and give him kudos. If not for him, the behaviour and actions of Afenfere leaders would have jeopardised Yoruba interests. I give kudos to Tinubu. By his actions, he has proved to be the true Yoruba leader. Enough is enough, Afenifere leaders should stay out of politics and behave like genuine leaders who are not partisan and self-centred.

    Now that President Muhammadu Buhari has won re-election, what is your advise to him?

    Buhari should hit the ground running. He should quickly form his cabinet, and set to work immediately. He should take Nigeria to the next level as he promised during his campaigns. First and foremost, he should sustain the on-going war against corruption. Corruption has permeated every facet of our lives, and this is why some Nigerians who are involved are not happy with Buhari’s war against corruption. Buhari should not spare looters. Every loot must be recovered, and looters must not go unpunished.

    Then his administration must also sustain the on-going tempo in the area of infrastructure development like the construction of roads and rail lines that are on-going across the country. It is good that his administration is already shifting attention to the agricultural sector, an area that has been neglected by successive administrations in the country. For those Nigerians that are complaining, they need to exercise patience. Nigeria has been messed up before Buhari took over and he can’t transform the country overnight. Buhari is not a magician. I believe that if Nigerians co-operate with him, he will be able to take Nigeria to greater heights.

    For those politicians that are newly elected and those that will be going for their second term, what’s your advise to them?

    My advise to them is very simple: They should see politics as an avenue to serve people. They should not be self-serving or self-centred.

    I also want to advise our politicians not to see politics as a do-or die affair. If you lose today, you may win the next time. Politics is like a game; so our politicians should develop the spirit of sportsmanship.

    Our political leaders should not see public office as an avenue or short cut to ill-gotten wealth. In other climes, their leaders use public office to serve people; this is what our leaders should emulate. Many of our leaders have traveled outside the country and they’ve seen how leaders over there serve their people with love and passion; this is what I expect them to do also in Nigeria.

  • ICPC re-arraigns ex-IG Ehindero, ex-CP Obaniyi for alleged N16.4m fraud

    THE Independent Corruption Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) yesterday re-arraigned a former Inspector-General of Police, Sunday Ehindero and ex- Commissioner of Police, John Obaniyi, before a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Apo on a 10-count charge for alleged N16.4 million fraud.

    The charge borders on conspiracy, fraud and making false statement.

    The former police chiefs, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    Prosecution counsel Mr. O.G. Iwuagwu told the court that the accused committed the offences from May 2006 to November 2006.

    Iwuagwu said the duo conspired and used their positions to place N500 million in two fixed deposit accounts.

    He added that the money was part of N557,995,065.00 donated by the Bayelsa Government to the Police for purchase of arms and ammunition.

    The prosecutor, however, added that the N500 million placed in fixed deposits yielded an interest of N16,412,315.06.

    According to him, the alleged offences contravene Sections 26(1) and 22(5) of the ICPC Act, 2000.

    Counsel to the defendant Mr. Messrs Kenneth Onorun and Mr. Samuel Obairko prayed the court to uphold the bail granted to them when they were first arraigned.

    They objected to the prosecutor’s application for the court to proceed with evidence by a prosecution witness who, the prosecutor said, was ready to testify.

    The defence counsel submitted that the statements of the accused were not served along with the amended charge. Justice Sylvanus Orji directed the prosecutor to serve the defence counsel with the statements.

    Justice Orji adjourned the case until January 8 for hearing.

  • ICPC re-arraigns Ehindero for N16.4m fraud

    The Independent Corruption Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Thursday, re-arraigned the former Inspector-General of Police, Sunday Ehindero and  former  Commissioner of Police, John Obaniyi,  for alleged  N16.4 million fraud.

    The defendants are standing trial before an FCT High Court, Apo, on a five-count charge of fraud and conspiracy.

    The prosecutor, Mr. O.G. Iwuagwu, told the court that the defendants committed the offences between May 2006 and November 2006.

    He said the defendants conspired and used their positions to place N500million in two fix deposit accounts.

    Iwuagwu said the money was part of N 557,995,065 donated by the Bayelsa State Government to the Nigeria Police Force for the purchase of arms and ammunition

    The prosecutor said the N500 million placed in fixed deposits yielded N16.4 million interest.

    When the charges were read, the defendants denied committing the offences.

    The counsel to the defendants, Kenneth Omoruan and E .O. Tela, prayed the court to allow the bail granted to the defendants when there were first arraigned to continue.

    Justice Sylvanus Oriji told counsel to both defendants to transfer the bail documents to the court.

    In the alternative, he granted them bail in the sum of N10million each and two sureties each in like sum.

    He said the sureties must be civil servants on grade level 14 and reside in the FCT.

    The case was adjourned till June 19 and 26 for hearing.

    NAN

     

     

  • Alleged N64bn fraud: ICPC to resume prosecution of Ehindero

    The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) says it is set to resume prosecution of former Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mr Sunday Ehindero, for alleged N16 billion fraud.

    Spokesperson of the commission, Mrs Rasheedat Okoduwa, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja yesterday.

    Okoduwa said the case against Ehindero, who was I-G between 2005 and 2007, would continue at the FCT High Court in Abuja.

    The former police boss is facing trial for alleged criminal conversion of money belonging to the Ministry of Police Affairs into personal use while in office, according to the ICPC spokesperson.

    “This development followed a Supreme Court ruling dismissing the appeal filed by the former police chief, challenging the jurisdiction of the commission and the FCT high court to try him.

    “Ehindero and an accomplice had in 2012 been arraigned on a six-count charge of conspiracy to criminally convert public funds totaling N16,412,315.00.

    “The allegedly diverted funds were the interests generated from the sum of N557,995,065 police money he had placed in two fixed deposit accounts at Wema Bank Plc and Intercontinental Bank Plc.

    “The said money was donated by Bayelsa State Government to the force at the time to enable it purchase equipment for proper policing of the state,” she said.

    Okoduwa alleged that the principal sum donated was transferred to the Ministry of Police Affairs from the accounts without the interests earned.

    This, according to her, formed the crux of the allegations against the accused.

  • Ehindero, others trial suffers set back

    Ehindero, others trial suffers set back

    The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) has suffered a set back in its prosecution of former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Sunday Ehindero and a member of the House of Representatives, Farouk Lawan before the Abuja High Court.

    The trial judge in both cases, Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi, has returned the case files to the Chief Judge of the court, upon his elevation to the Court of Appeal.

    The Nation learnt yesterday that Justice Oniyangi, who was recently elevated with 23 other judges, remitted both files and others, to the court’s CJ for reassignment to another judge.

    By the development, progress is stalled in both cases as parties are, under the court’s rules, required to await the reassignment of the case to a new judge for proceedings to commence afresh.

    The ICPC had filed a six-count charge against Ehindero and John Obaniyi, a suspended Commissioner of Police-in-charge of Budget, accusing them of alleged involvement in N16 million fraud.

  • Court dismisses attempt to stop Ehindero’s arraignment

    Court dismisses attempt to stop Ehindero’s arraignment

    Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi of an Abuja High Court on Friday dismissed an application by former Inspector General of Police, Mr Sunday Ehindero, which urged the court to stop ICPC from arraigning him.

    Oniyangi also dismissed similar application filed by the suspended Commissioner of Police in charge of Budget at the Force Headquarters, Mr John Obaniyi.

    He also refused to vacate the leave granted the ICPC to arraign the duo.

    The duo had filed separate notices of preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court as well as the leave granted the ICPC to file charges against them.

    They had prayed the court to quash the six-count charge preferred against them by the anti-graft agency.

    The ICPC had filed a six-count charge of alleged corrupt embezzlement of N16 million against them.

    The ICPC said the amount was the interests generated from N567 million donated to the Nigeria Police by the Bayelsa Government for the purchase of arms, ammunition and riot control equipment.

    The accused persons could be imprisoned for seven years if convicted.

    Delivering his ruling, Oniyangi held that the anti-graft agency had, by the proof of evidence before the court, successfully established a prima facie evidence against the accused to warrant their being put to trial.

    “Prima facie evidence has been shown by the ICPC through the exhibits and statements of witness to proceed with trial,” he said.

    Oniyangi also held that the ICPC was competent to prosecute the accused, adding that the ICPC Act 2000, under which the duo were charged, was a valid law.

    Oniyangi said that the submission of Ehindero’s counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), that the ICPC Act 2000 was a non existing law, was not tenable.

    He said that the offence the suspects were charged with were known to written laws, stressing that it was not correct to say the ICPC was charging the accused under non-existent law.

    The judge further held that the commission is empowered to prosecute offences which fall under the penal and criminal codes.

    Oniyangi, therefore, dismissed the objections and subsequently ordered that Ehindero and Obaniyi be arraigned.

    After the ruling, Oniyangi read the charges to Ehindero and Obaniyi.

    They pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    Oniyangi, refused to grant bail to Ehindero and Obaniyi on liberal terms as made in an oral application by Ozekhome.

    He granted them bail in the sum of N10 million each and one surety in like sum.

    Oniyangi ordered that the surety must swear to an affidavit of means.

    He also said the accused persons should be detained in prison if they failed to meet the bail conditions.

    Oniyangi adjourned the case to Nov. 12 for accelerated hearing. (NAN)