Tag: Goodluck Jonathan

Pastor Oritsejafor confirms link with aircraft

President Goodluck Jonathan met yesterday with some security chiefs over the $9.3m arms deal that went away in South Africa, a source said.

Jonathan reportedly demanded “full briefing” on how South African security agents impounded the cash from two Nigerian and an Israeli in Pretoria after it was flown in by a private jet.

The Nigerians and the Israeli were said to have told security agents that the money was meant for some arms purchase.

Security chiefs, it was learnt, defended the arms deal as “legitimate”.

Also yesterday, the Federal Government and South African authorities appeared to have struck some understanding on the matter.

Based on diplomatic understanding, the aircraft, a Challenger, and the crew have been released.

But a top intelligence official yesterday claimed that the transaction was “legitimate” and the facts had been made available to the South African government.

He said the arms order was based on “urgent security” concerns in Nigeria.

Investigation by our correspondent revealed that South Africa raised the alarm because of alleged abuse of protocol.

A highly-placed source said: “For more than five hours, the President met with some intelligence and security chiefs on the arms deal.

“The security chiefs took time to explain that urgent security issues warranted the direct purchase of the arms.

“The President opted for full briefing to avoid any backlash on his administration. It will also assist the government to come up with a clear position to the public. Now that the Presidency has the details, it is left to the government to clarify things.

“When the government speaks, you will get the details of what transpired on the $9.3million arms deal.”

South African police said yesterday that it investigating the cash haul – because the money was more than the amount travellers can bring into the country.  The cash was found stashed in the luggage of the two Nigerians and the Israeli, Eyal Mesika.

South African Customs officials said it confiscated the cash from the three passengers who landed on a private jet that flew in from Abuja at Johannesburg’s Lanseria airport.

Their bags were searched “after customs officials detected irregularities in the luggage,” said South African Revenue Authority spokeswoman Marika Muller.

The cash, packed in 90 blocks of $100,000 each, was discovered on September 5 in two black plastic suitcases, prosecutors said.

Mesika, had the combination lock code for the suitcases. Some cash was also found in Mesika’s hand luggage.

“The money was detained as it was undisclosed, undeclared and above the prescribed legal limit for bringing cash into the country,” said Muller.

The maximum cash allowance per traveller in South Africa is the equivalent of $2,285.

“Although various explanations about the money were given… these explanations were flawed and riddled with discrepancies,” said South Africa’s prosecution authority spokesman Nathi Mncube.

Police said no arrests had been made.

“We are still investigating,” police spokesman Solomon Makgale told French News Agency AFP.

Mncube said investigations had shown that a South African company, Tier One Services, had issued Cyprus-based ESD International Group Ltd an invoice for the “purchase of various armaments and helicopters”.

South African media claimed that the invoice had been found on one of the passengers.

“The goods were intended to be used in Nigeria,” said Mncube.

Prosecutors said the normal procedure for the procurement of equipment was not followed and that Tier One does not have permission to sell or lease military gear.

On its website, the company says it offers aviation, logistics, security and risk management support.

The government has begun diplomatic talks with South Africa on the case.

Another source said “the Federal Government has explained that the transaction was a product of legitimate and clean business.”

“All relevant documents relating to the transaction have been made available to the South African Government at the diplomatic level.”

“Security agencies of the two countries have also been exchanging notes on the case. The deal borders on serious security issues which cannot be released to the public,” he said.

A third security source gave background to the case at hand and why South Africa joined issues with the government.

The source added: “South Africa intercepted the cash because of non-declaration of the items at the airport. If the team had completed all formalities, no one would have heard of it.

“So, alleged breach of protocol by those on errands for the intelligence service in the country caused thus upset.”

Responding to a question, the source said: “The team went to South Africa with the huge sum because of urgent security concerns.

“Whether in the UK, USA or any other country, you make direct purchase of arms in a crisis situation like the ones we are in Nigeria.

“The same scenario is obtainable in Syria, Iraq and even in Gaza but no one talks of it.”

The source said: “We are streamlining the process, the cash will surely be made available to the relevant agents or firms in South Africa.

“The $9.3million was not a slush cash or smuggled for questionable pursuits in South Africa.”

The report of the National Conference is not yet with the National Assembly, lawmakers said yesterday. They resume today after two months recess.

The insecurity in the Northeast and the request for approval of a $1b loan request by President Goodluck Jonathan to procure arms and ammunition top the agenda of the final session of the sixth National Assembly.

“When it comes from Mr. President, we will address it in the normal legislative process but we cannot speak on the matter, which is yet to be seen because we do not know the form, the time and the character it will come,” Senate Business and Rules Committee Chairman Ita Enang said yesterday on the report of the conference.

Participants and a cross section of Nigerians have been clamouring for the implementation of the conference’s report by the government.

President Jonathan promised to send the report to the lawmakers whose responsibility it is to integrate relevant portions  of it into the constitution.

Enangs said the Senate would address the emergence of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), with a view to finding a way out of the problem.

He said: “As the Senate resumes from the annual vacation, we will consider the health challenge that is facing the country, the way to handle it, the way forward particularly the Ebola question.

“It (EVD) cannot be unnoticed; it will be addressed by the Senate.”

Enang also said the Senate would consider the request for $1 billion loan by President Jonathan to buy arms to fight the Boko Haram insurgency.

He said that a letter from the President asking for fund to address the Police Reform Programme which is still pending before the Senate, would also be looked into.

He added: “We will also put that forward for consideration by the Senate, as we resume, we are conscious of the fact that elections will hold soon and the time table and prioritisation of matters will take account of that particularly the Electoral Act which we have passed; we are waiting for actions from our brothers and colleagues from the House of Representatives.

“Other bills, such as Constitution Amendment and private bills relating to electoral processes and finances, we will also take account of them and consider in priority. This is September; we are likely, under Fiscal Responsibility Act, to receive from Mr. President the Revenue Framework. This will state how much will most likely to spent next year, how much is going to come from oil, non-oil and what is going to be exchange rate as well as oil benchmark and the borrowing plan.

“It is when we consider that the template and the new framework for the budget would be ready.

“All these would have to be considered between September and November to enable Mr. President prepare and lay the budget before the National Assembly. We are taking account of all these in preparing for resumption of the Senate.”

Asked why the Senate did not reconvene to consider application for N10billion additional budget for security, Enang said he was not aware of any plan for the Senate to reconvene to consider the request.

He said that the Senate Committee had almost concluded work on the Petroleum Industry Bill.

Chairman of house committee on Business and Rules Albert Sam-Tsokwa said the House would consider the $1bilion loan request, urging the executive to streamline defence spending.

“But in doing that, we would tell the President to investigate the spending of the military to know the true position on the state of the nation or we would be forced to take up the matter,” Sam-Tsokwa said.

The lawmaker, who expressed dismay over the incessant attack against the military by the insurgents, said the House would not shy away from finding a solution to the problem adding however that it was a marvel that results were not comparing favourably with the amount being expended on security.

In his view, “our inability to contain insurgency” is not due to lack of funds “because never in the history of Nigeria has such huge fund been appropriated for defence budget”.

“I think Mr President should look inward and find out exactly what is happening to the defence budget,” Sam-Tsokwa added.

Praising the Federal Government for a job well done on the Ebola Virus Disease, he said it would be one of the pressing issues to be addressed.

The yet-be-declared intention of President Goodluck Jonathan to seek re-election in 2015 is tearing the ranks of Northern leaders apart.

The Arewa Consultative Forum had, at a forum in Kaduna on Sunday, accused the President of a deliberate plan to emasculate the the North economically and divide the region politically.

But another group of northern elders, on the platform of the Northern Elders Council, at a news conference in Abuja on Monday, countered the position of the ACF, accusing the group of playing the opposition card.

Leader of the NEC, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, said the ACF has derailed and veered off the mission and vision of its founding fathers.

Yakassai said: “A motley crowd of desperate opposition politicians have hijacked its machinery. It is becoming more and more isolationist even within the region. This has greatly degraded the respectability and non-partisanship of the ACF.

“The comments by the ACF leadership is a confirmation of the allegation of partisanship and the claim that ACF is hub nobbing with opposition elements and unrepentant critics of the Jonathan administration”

Denouncing the ACF, the Yakassai group said the apex northern group could not be said to be representing the interest of the north, asking the ACF to stop making itself available as platform for the opposition to thrive.

“The NEC wishes to affirm that the ACF’s statements in no way represent the general opinion in the north, nor does it represent the attitude of majority of Northern leadership to the Jonathan administration.

“The NEC once again wishes to caution the current ACF leadership against allowing the organisation to be hijacked by people who do not mean well for the country.

“The ACF must not allow itself to be thrown into the cesspit of partisanship”, Yakassai stated.

The bid by Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain Olabode George to take over President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign in the Southwest has failed.

The President, according to sources at a meeting last week in Abuja, insisted that Ekiti State Governor-elect Ayo Fayose, should lead the campaign.

The meeting was held on the platform of the South West Unity Forum of the PDP to strategise on how to take charge of the presidential campaign structure in the zone ahead of the 2015 elections.

At the meeting were former Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel, a Labour Party chief who has been campaigning for Jonathan and former House of Representatives Speaker Dimeji Bankole, among others.

“After the meeting, a delegation was sent to the Villa to meet with the President alongside other leaders of the party, including Vice-President Namadi Sambo; Chairman, Board of Trustees, Chief Tony Anenih; the National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Muazu and Deputy National Chairman, Chief Uche Secondus, among others,” the source said.

“But the greatest undoing of the conveners of the meeting was that they left out some notable leaders of the PDP in the Southwest. After their meeting they sent a delegation to meet with the President.

“They were also asked the place of Fayose to which the leaders said had not been decided because of unresolved issues among them.

“The President advised them not to create any organ/group outside the party structure, and that they should collapse whatever group or plans into party’s structure to ensure unity and cohesion.”

The President also reportedly advised them against opening an office in Abuja but in Ibadan, the headquarters of the Southwest.