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Tag: Former Vice President

Buhari vows to check recovered assets’ diversion

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday vowed to put in place measures to check embezzlement and diversion of recovered assets to private pockets.

He gave the assurance while inaugurating the Audit Committee on the Recovery and Management of Stolen Assets within and outside Nigeria at the First Lady Conference room in the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Stressing that all recovered assets must be accounted for, he directed all the Ministries, Departments and Agencies and corporate bodies to give the committee all the necessary support.

The committee, which has three members including Mr. Olufemi Lijadu, Mrs. Gloria Chinyere Bibigha and Mr. Mohammed Nami, was given four weeks to carry out the assignment.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting started, immediately after the inauguration ended, with one-minute silence observed for the late former Vice President, Alex Elwueme.

Inaugurating the committee, Buhari said: “Members of the committee may recall that pursuant to the resolve of this administration since its inception to pursue a strong and effective anti-corruption regime, and in view of the multiple cases of mis-managed and misappropriated national assets identified by this administration upon our assumption of office, the Federal Government embarked on tracing and recovery of all such stolen assets within and outside Nigeria using all legal and diplomatic resources at our disposal.

“The gains of our initiatives over the past two and a half years have been very obvious to all Nigerians. This is clear from the level of investigation, prosecution and forfeitures involving both public and private sector officials in the country.

“The message has therefore been passed loud and clear that never again as a nation are we going to allow the wanton diversion and embezzlement of public funds to private pockets.

“Nigerians will further recall that pursuant to requisite directives, recovered assets are progressively being returned to designated accounts by the anti-graft agencies and other agencies of Government involved with the process.

“In the course of implementing this exercise and given the number of agencies who are concurrently pursuing specialized initiatives and making recoveries for Government, it has become obvious that fundamental gaps still exist in ensuring that the recovered assets are accounted for, and managed in an accurate, transparent and logical manner.” he said

The President added: “It was in realization of this and due to our determination to ensure that in pursuing the anti-graft war, we do not create new room for dishonorable conduct by any individual or agency that I directed, earlier in the year, that all agencies should send in detailed reports of all their recovered assets as at March, 2017.

“The decision to inaugurate this Audit Committee on the Recovery and Management of Stolen Assets within and outside Nigeria today is therefore the next step in ensuring that all returns filed by the various agencies are accurate and consistent with actual recoveries made,” he said.

He said that the Committee is expected to judiciously undertake an audit of all recovery accounts established by government agencies from the date of opening such accounts up to 10^th April, 2017.

“The details of the Committee’s functions are as set out in your Terms of Reference. I congratulate all Members of the Committee on your appointment which is another opportunity for you all to serve your country. I therefore urge you to perform your duties diligently in the best interests of Nigeria,” he said.

He directed all relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Banks, and Companies to give the Committee full cooperation as the assignment was not only crucial to the harvesting of needed resources for national development but towards setting out a fresh template of public accountability.

He said “Where it becomes necessary, the Committee will of course rely on existing laws to compel the production of information and will also have the benefit of necessary interventions by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice in obtaining such information through legal processes, where so required.

“The Committee is hereby given a time frame of four weeks to finish this assignment and submit its Report to my office. I look forward to receiving your report and recommendations in due course and I wish you the best of luck in this assignment,” he said.

Read Also: Buhari to bring in more ministers in FEC shake-up

November 22, 2017
Anambra: Ekwueme, Ezeife, Soludo disagree over APC, APGA, PDP candidates

The November 18, Governorship election in Anambra State, has pitted the former Vice President , Dr Alex Ekwueme against former first Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife and former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) , Prof Chukwuma Soludo among others in the old Aguata Union (OAU) political bloc.

While, Ekwueme has endorsed the Governorship candidacy of Mr Oseloka Obaze of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) with his daughter Chidi Onyemelukwe as the running mate, Soludo and Ezeife have endorsed Obiano of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

But the youth, led by Emmanuel Agu had championing the candidature of Mr. Godwin Ezeemo of the Progressives People’s Alliance (PPA)

Before now, it was celebrated by the APGA faithful that Ekwueme had given his nod for the re-election of Obiano in an interview he granted one Paul Nwosu some month back .

Speaking with the PDP faithful at his Oko country home at the weekend, Ekwueme who delved into memory lane on the formation of the PDP, said Anambra state had a kindred affinity and alliance with the party.

Read Also: 2019 polls: Opposition parties ‘ll get few votes- Wamakko

It was when he received Obaze, the PDP candidate his daughter Onyemelukwe with former Governor Peter Obi among others which attracted an unprecedented crowd.

He said time had come to unseat Obiano of the All Progressives Grand Alliance and enthrone a PDP government in Anambra State.

He said APGA was able to saddle the affairs of the state for 12 years because of the protracted crisis in the PDP in the state.

According to the former Vice President,”Anambra State is a PDP state from inception. We shall now continue with PDP. Time has come for us to take away power from APGA”

For Obaze, who commended Ekwueme for his roles in the enthronement of democracy in the country in 1999 assured the people of simultaneous development of the state.

He said his priority would be on education, adding that 26 percent of the state budget would be dedicated to education, while promising scholarship from nursery to Junior secondary school, if voted to power.

However Soludo and Ezeife alongside two former Deputy Governors in the state, Dr Okey Udeh and Chief Emeka Sibeudu, had in meeting of the old Aguata union (OAU) at Amaokpala Orumba North Local Government Area last week, said the people should support Obiano as it was the surest way of the zone getting the Governorship in 2022.

The eminent sons of Aguata said they were tired of producing Deputy Governor everytime which according to them was like a spare tyre, adding that they would never support that idea again saying “enough is enough”

The youths of old Aguata Union (OAU), had tackled the pioneer Governor of Anambra state, Ezeife, Soludo and others over their call to the people of the area to support the second term bid of Governor Willie Obiano.

The leader of the youth, Emmanuel Agu who opposed the meeting held by some members of OAU, said it was natural that the people of the area should support their own in the person of, Mr Godwin Ezeemo of the Progressive People Alliance (PPA)

Agu called on the Aguata leaders to stop such blanket endorsement on behalf of the people of the area, adding that enough is enough.

According to him,” the purported endorsement is an imposition, it is not allowed in a democracy. We refuse to continue in the ignorance of old men in our union, who collect money and sell our collective birth right “

The youth said their reason was not enough as Ezeemo who came from Umuchu community in Aguata, was a member of the union and also gunning for Governorship on the platform of PPA and therefore should be supported by his people.

The old Aguata union comprised of 45 communities and three local government areas in the state.

Meanwhile, majority of the people in the area are equally rooting for the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Dr. Tony Nwoye.

Some them like Chief Hon. Okonkwo Okom, had faulted the endorsement of Obiano by some of the members of OAU, declaring that the prominent candidates in the Governorship election like Nwoye, Obaze, Ezeemo and Obiano had equal opportunity of emerging victorious during the election.

He noted that what had prompted the blanket endorsement by some the members of the clan was because they were afraid of inroads APC had made in recent times after branding the party with all sorts of names in the past.

October 13, 2017
Kinsmen, others fete Atiku

Congress Hall of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja was filled to the rafters with indigenes of Adamawa State living in Abuja who came to honour their illustrious kinsman, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar. They were led by Governor Bindo Jibrilla.

The Adamawa indigenes under the aegis of Adamawa Community Association (ACA), Abuja, together with friends, feted Atiku, who was elevated from Turakin Adamawa in June to Wazirin Adamawa by His Royal Highness (HRH) Muhammadu Aliyu Mustapha.

Those at the reception included former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Umar Ghali Na’Abba, former House of Representatives Leader, Muhammed Kumaila, Senator Binta Garba, Senator Grace Bent and husband Jackson, former Ministers, Hassan Adamu, Dauda Brima and Idi Hong. Among several others are Prof Adamu Modibo, the secretary to the State Government Buba Bindir and other cabinet members.

Royal fathers were led by the Lamido of Mubi, Alhaji Isa Ahmadu, who represented Lamidon Adamawa.

Serving members of the federal and state legislatures led by members of House of Representatives Abdulrazaq Namdas, Sadiq Ibrahim and a host of close associates ushered in the former Vice President, who wore a sky-blue babanriga and white turban.

Abubakar’s entrance kicked off the event in earnest with a welcome speech by ACA President, a former Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF), Bello Sali, who said he had to be celebrated by Adamawa community in Abuja being a pillar of support, not only to the ACA but to Adamawa State in general.

He noted that the association was non-partisan, adding that the reception would have held immediately after being conferred with the title but for unavoidable postponements. He urged citizens of the state to emulate local empowerment initiatives of the former Vice President by setting up their businesses in the state.

Entertainment at the packed hall followed with performances by a local artiste and a Senegalese performer after which goodwill messages were read by the state governor Jibrilla.

Speaking in Hausa, the governor urged citizens of the state to consider the development of the state as a collective task that must be accomplished.

The conferment of the Turakin Adamawa on Abubakar was due to hard work, while the elevation to the position of Waziri was merited due to more hard work, he added.

Hon Abu Zahri, who represented FCT Minister wished Abubakar long life, while the Lamido asserted that he is a worthy leader.

“We are happy with him,” said the Lamido.

Presentation of gifts by Senator Binta Garba followed after which Abubabar appreciated the group’s gesture. He also said Adamawa should not be judged by the years of insurgency that ravaged parts of the state but by its contributions to the growth and preservation of the unity of the country as a whole.

He reeled out a list of Adamawa indigenes that have excelled in various fields while serving the country in public and private sectors. He challenged any state in the country that has contributed more to the country than Adamawa. He urged the state to prioritise education. While he emphasised that he will continue to think of Adamawa first in his endeavours, Abubakar also advised the elites and industrialists from the state to look inward towards the development of the state.

The former Vice President also used the opportunity to dispel rumours of a rift between him and the governor, saying there was no such thing.

He said, “My elevation is a call to greater contribution, I will continue to contribute to state. We are to mentor the young ones and make them greater because we will be remembered by the people we lifted. Let us continue to help one another especially the younger ones to help grow the state. I urge our business men and women to invest in Adamawa and contribute to its growth, visit home regularly and set up your businesses there so that our people can benefit from the immense multiplier effect it will generate for our collective and individual economic growth. We should also not relent in our efforts until all displaced persons in camps return to their home and normal life.”

October 10, 2017
Atiku to Buhari: Treat minorities well

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar said Wednesday that Nigeria can show example to the world on how to treat minority groups by placing high priority to the treatment of its minorities and the way it treats them.

Reacting to President Buhari’s address to the United Nations General Assembly, Atiku said that minorities all over the world deserve the cooperation of majority groups

In a statement from his media office in Abuja, Atiku said President Buhari did the right thing by drawing the UN’s attention to the sufferings of Myanmar’s Rohingya people, cited by the UN as perhaps the world’s most persecuted minorities.

He congratulates President Muhammadu Buhari on a successful outing at the 72nd Session of United Nations General Assembly in New York on Tuesday the 19th of September, 2017.

Atiku aligns with the President’s message of gratitude to the international community for their efforts in the Lake Chad region which has helped bring succor to Nigerians affected by the scourge of terrorism.

“It is my sincere desire that arising from President Buhari’s speech, the UN will increase its support to Nigeria and her neighbors in the Lake Chad Region as we redouble our efforts to rid the region of the scourge of terrorism and restore peace and prosperity to a once thriving zone”, he said.

September 20, 2017
Atiku warns of decent to Rwandan style genocide
- Says hate songs against Igbos in circulation
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar on Monday warned of comments, songs and actions that may force the country to go the same way that led to the infamous Rwandan genocide which led to the death of thousands of people in the East Africa country.

Atiku said in a statement he personally signed and made available to newsmen in Abuja that a particular song disparaging people of Igbo origin and wishing them dead was currently circulating in the country, reminding Nigerians that the Rwandan genocide was ignited by a similar song.

The former Vice President asked security agents to immediately swing into action, investigate, arrest and prosecute those behind the hate song.

The statement reads “It has come to my attention that a song disparaging people of Igbo origin, and which wishes them dead, is circulating in some parts of the nation. I totally and unequivocally condemn this development, and I call on all men of goodwill to rise up against this evil.

“This song is reminiscent of the beginnings of the Rwanda Genocide. Nigerians need to be aware that the Rwanda Genocide was believed to have been ignited by a song titled Nanga Abahutu (I hate Hutus), sung by Rwanda’s then most popular musician, Simon Bikindi. God forbid that we should have such a déjà vu in Nigeria.

“I call on the security agencies to thoroughly and decisively swing into action and apprehend, try, convict and severely punish those behind this ungodly song which incites racial hatred.

“Simon Bikindi was convicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for igniting and aiding the Rwandan genocide. Thus, let those who think they can treat their fellow citizens so unjustly know that within and outside Nigeria exist mechanisms that will ensure they answer to their crimes.

“I call on all men of goodwill to remember those immortal lines from our former National Anthem “though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand”.

“The effects of hate in any shape or form were made even more evident over the weekend, in a mass shooting incident that left many of us reeling with shock. I commiserate with the people of Ozubulu in Anambra State, who lost family members in the fatal shooting that also left almost a score injured.

“I pray that peace will return to their minds and their community soon, even as the police work hard to get to the bottom of the matter. May God comfort them as no man can.

“The difference between us as Nigerians is not a difference in our tribe or our religion. It was and remains a difference based on whether we are good Nigerians or bad Nigerians, and I am very certain that the good Nigerians far outnumber the very few bad ones.”
August 7, 2017
Whistle blower in trouble over raid on ex-VP Sambo’s residence

…as ICPC arraigns him for false information, remanded in prison

Whistle blower who allegedly gave force information that led to the raid on the Kaduna residence of the former Vice President, Architect Mohammed Namadi Sambo by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), landed in trouble on Thursday, as court ordered his remand in prison.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) on Thursday arraigned the whistle blower identified as Abubakar Sani for providing false information to the commission.

The ICPC said the false information, the Whistle blower provided led to the raid on the residence of former Vice President, Namadi Sambo on June 28 in Kaduna.

It will be recalled that the ICPC and the officers of the DSS on June 28, 2017 conducted a search on the Kaduna resident of the former Vice President.

The ICPC, however, did not say if anything incriminating was found or recovered from the former VP’s house during the search.

The ICPC in a two-count charge arraigned the whistle blower in a Kaduna State High Court, accusing him of allegedly providing false information to the commission that led to the raid.

A principal Legal officer and counsel to the Commission, Elijah Akaakohol who read out the charge before Justice Aliyu Tukur, presiding Judge of the Kaduna High Court 7, said the accused person sometimes on June 21, 2017 gave a false information to the officer of the commission of ICPC.

According to him, “that sometime in 2013 you conveyed a huge sums of money both in the Nigerian and other foreign currencies from Abuja Airport to a house in Ungwan Rimi GRA, Kaduna on the directive of a retired Army officer which money you suspected to be ill-gotten wealth and still laying in boxes in that said house at the moment of your report.

“And of which you made the officer of the commission of the ICPC to carry out a sting operation that turned out to be false.

“You thereby committed an offence, contrary to, and punishable under section 64 (3) of the corrupt practices and other related offences act 2000.

The counsel told the court that Abubakar Sani also made a false statement to one Mr. Olusegun Adigun, an official of the Commission in the course of the exercise of his duties as a public officer, contrary to section 25(1) and punishable under section 25(1b) of the ICPC act 2000.

Sani, who appeared without a legal counsel, however pleaded not guilty of the allegations.

The presiding judge, directed that the accused be remanded in prison custody and adjourned the case till Thursday, Nov. 2 for hearing.

Before the adjournment, Justice Tukur urged the accused person to get a counsel to stand for him at the next hearing of the case.

July 13, 2017
Ekwueme receives IPOB leader, assures him fatherly support

Former Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme Wednesday, gave assurance of his fatherly support to the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi NnamdiKanu.

Ekwueme, who made the pledge when the IPOB leader visited him at his Enugu residence, assured that he would always give the IPOB leader the needed counsel.

Kanu had told Ekwueme that “I have come to tell you that we find you invaluable in our advancement of our people and in our cause also to make life better for the public and for the masses.

“So, I am humbled and delighted to be here and also to bring you up to speed as to what we have been doing, what motivated me; what motivated the IPOB to do what we have been doing.

“It is more or less today an expression, a political expression to the yearnings and aspirations of the society; that’s what we are trying to do.

“The sum total of the struggle by the IPOB, which I’m leading is to ensure that there is dignity of life.

“And for us to fulfill that very mandate, we must be diligent, we must be focused, we must be sincere.

“So, I have come here to brief my father as to why we‎ do what we do and to get his blessings; anything he tells me is what we are going to do, in so far as it advances our political course as a people.”

Ekwueme said it was a pleasure receiving the IPOB leader after all his travails, stressing: “I thank God that he is free and able to move around.”

“I will make my best counsel available to him in his very onerous task of leading an organization that is committed to bringing justice and equity among people, especially for our people”, he added.

May 10, 2017
Stop weeping for PDP, APC tells Ekwueme

Enugu State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged former Vice President, Dr Alex Ekwueme to stop weeping for the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Ekwueme who was Vice President in the Second Republic while receiving members of the party’s Strategy Committee at his house in Enugu, said anytime he remembered the story of the party, he felt like weeping.

Reacting to Dr Ekwueme’s statement that he felt like weeping for PDP, Enugu APC through its Publicity Secretary, Mrs. Kate Ofor said Ekwueme should instead of weeping for PDP, weep for Nigerians, who were depraved, bankrupted and deeply wounded by the unbridled corruption which was the trademark of the 16 years PDP’s rule.

According to Offor, Ekwueme should weep for millions of Nigerian youths whose future were punctured by the looting of our commonwealth, hence decayed infrastructure, poor quality education and gross unemployment.

“Or do we talk of thousands of mothers whose children go to bed hungry in the midst of plenty?

“Our empathy goes to His Excellency, on his regrets that, ‘In 1999, we ended up with 21 out of 36 governors; South East and South South were all PDP. It was a strong showing, we also had control of the National Assembly; with that showing, all we needed to do was to manage the party properly as envisaged by the founding fathers, making it a mass movement and expanding its power base’.

“The scenario envisaged by the founding fathers of the PDP floundered when billions of dollars were pocked and doled out by the high placed government officials, as exemplified by the former Managing Director of NNPC, Andrew Yakubu. We cannot forget as well how the $23 billion meant for three Greenfield Refineries grew wings, leading to the present stress on the national currency, due to daily importation of refined petroleum products,” Mrs Offor said.

The Enugu APC spokesperson appealed to Ekwueme to weep for Nigerians, not for PDP, which squandered our golden opportunity and nearly led Nigeria into a failed state.

February 16, 2017
Atiku, Oyegun in closed door meeting

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar Monday held a closed door meeting with the nation, leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led by the National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

Atiku who arrived the APC secretariat unannounced at about 12.50 was in company of Adamawa state governor, Muhammad Bindow Jibrila, walked straight to the office of the national chairman where they met for about 20 minutes before other national officers were called into the meeting.

He however failed to speak with the press on his visit as he was shielded from the media by two NWC members despite signed that he wanted to do so.

The agenda of the meeting was however not clear, but may not be unconnected with the state of the party that has been finding it difficult to pay its bills as well as the running of the party.

The former Vice President has largely stayed away from the party secretariat since the APC came into power.

July 18, 2016