The Nation Newspaper

Tag: House of Representatives member

  • Oyo police hold suspect in Olatoye ‘Sugar’ murder

    POLICE in Oyo State said yesterday they are getting closer to arresting those involved in the gruesome killing of House of Representatives member Temitope Olatoye (a.k.a Sugar) on Saturday.

    Commissioner of Police Shina Olukolu said a team of police investigators, led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID), has succeeded in arresting one person (names withheld) in connection with the killing of the federal lawmaker.

    The state police command had on Sunday vowed to ensure that the killers of Olatoye during the Saturday’s polls were arrested and made to face the law

    The Commissioner of Police, who spoke through the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Olugbenga Fadeyi, a Superintendent of Police, said the police have arrested one of the killers, who has made confessional statement linking him to the killing of the lawmaker.

    According to the state police boss, the police are closer to arresting all those involved in the Saturday’s killing.

    Confirming the suspect’s arrest, Olukolu said others were being sought for, expressing assurance that there would be other developments.

    “We have arrested one person in connection with the killing of the lawmaker and he is helping the police with useful information that will eventually lead to the arrest of all those that have hands in the dastardly act. I can tell you that we are getting closer to the killers,” he said.

    The police said aside the suspect linked with Sugar’s case, about 18 persons, six guns, nine live cartridges, axe, knives and other miscellaneous items were recovered.

    Stating that Sugar’s death was in no way connected with the elections that took place on the day he was killed, the police commissioner said there were enough facts and evidences available to the police that would lead to the arrest of the other culprits.

    Temitope (a.k.a. Sugar), before his demise, was a member of the Federal House of Representatives representing Lagelu/ Akinyele Federal Constituency and the Chairman, House Committee on Urban Development and Regional Planning.

    Olatoye was a member of the Action Democratic Party (ADP). He was allegedly shot during the governorship election. He was 47 years.

     

     

  • Niger lawmaker empowers 1,100 women

    Alhaji Umar Bago, (APC) House of Representatives member, representing Chanchaga Federal constituency, has empowered 1,100 women.

    Bago was re-elected as member representing Chanchaga Federal Consistituency for the third term during the February 23 presidential and National Assembly elections.

    The items distributed included grinding machines, sewing machines and refrigerators.

    Bago explained that the gesture was a way of giving back to the women who turned out in large numbers to vote for candidates of the All Progressive Congress (APC) during the presidential and NASS elections.

    “This is a way of paying back to our women for their massive support and for re-electing us. It is also part of the continuation of our empowerment scheme and to encourage women to come out again to vote APC,” he said.

    The lawmaker disclosed that about 110 motorcycles would also be distributed to the youths in the area to make them self-reliant.

    He gave assurance that he would continue to empower women in every three months.

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    In his remarks, Gov Abubakar Bello, urged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the empowerment kits to better their lots and that of their families.

    He commended the lawmaker for the initiative, adding that the empowerment programme will help reduce unemployment among women and youths.

    He also appealed to women and youths to come out in their large and vote for candidates of APC during the governorship and state house of assembly elections.

    Hajiya Azumi Mohammed, one of the beneficiaries who spoke to NAN, commended the lawmaker and promised judicious usage of the items. (NAN)

  • Jubilations, rekindled hope as Obasanjo storms PDP rally in Ogun

    It was wild jubilations and rekindled hope for thousands of members and supporters of the Ogun State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday evening when former President Olusegun Obasanjo briskly stormed the political rally of a governorship aspirant of PDP in the state, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu.

    Obasanjo who dressed in white kaftan caused not a small stir and contagion of excitements among the crows when he dashed into the rally and waved, an indication in his heart, he wished the party and Oladipupo  Adebutu success in his aspiration.

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    Ebora Owu who quitted partisan politics in the build – up to the 2015 general elections, did not speak during the brief moment at the rally that took place at an expanse ground within the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

    Earlier, the House of Representatives member, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu urged Nigerians in all levels of leadership to provide good governance to the people, saying that is the only way to secure their “exalted positions and wealth.”

    Adebutu said high and mighty fences or trenches could hardly secure but would just entrap one in an environment of poor governance.

    The lawmaker representing Remo Federal Constituency in Ogun State gave the advice at the Ake Palace, Abeokuta, when he met with the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, and his chiefs prior to the rally at OOPL.

    He was at the Palace to thank the Paramount ruler for his prayer in 2015 when he was contesting for the current seat being occupied by him at the lower chamber of the National Assembly and to also seek further blessings from the royal father ahead of his 2019 governorship ambition in the state.

    Adebutu said good governance would bring genuine growth and development to the people and curbs corruption.

    He also noted with proper orientation, fear of God and compassion for others, a leader would able to shun corruption.

    According to him, if one has the compassion for others at heart, it would be difficult for one to appropriate collective wealth for persona benefits.

  • Alleged bribe: Video clip shows Otedola handing ‘parcels’ to Farouk Lawan

    Alleged bribe: Video clip shows Otedola handing ‘parcels’ to Farouk Lawan

    The prosecution in the trial of former House of Representatives member, Farouk Lawan played before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory Court in Lugbe, a video clip showing how businessman, Femi Otedola, handed two “parcels” to Lawan.

    Lawan, who was the Chairman of the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy, is being tried before on three-count charge, in which he is accused of collecting $500,000 out of the $3m bribe he allegedly requested from Otedola.

    Lawan is also accused of accepting the bribe with a promise to remove Otedola’s company’s name, Zenon Petroleum and Gas Ltd from the list of firms indicted by the House’s Committee the abuse of the fuel subsidy regime in 2012.

    At the commencement of proceedings Tuesday, lead prosecuting lawyer, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) infomred the court about the prosecution’s intention to have the video played.

    A 32-inch LG television was mounted on a courner in front of the courtroom, on which the video was later played.

    The images on the video were not-too lucid and the voices were barely audible. But one could see two men entering a sitting room and sitting close to each other.

    After a short discussion, one of the men was seen handing over two swollen and folded “parcels” to the other man. The one, who handed out the envelopes, was heard saying that the balance remained $1m.

    The man, who accepted the envelopes, was seen inserting one of the envelopes into his pocket. He held on to the other as both men walked out of the room.

    Shortly after the video, which lasted about two-and-a-half ended, the 3rd prosecution witness, David Ojatah, an operative of the Department of State Service (DSS), said the “exchange of parcels” took place in Otedola’s residence on April 23, 2012.

    Ojatah, who was led in evidence by Awomolo, said he led the team that installed the device which recorded the meeting between the two men at Otedola’s residence before Lawan’s arrival.

    The witness said he was then the Principal Staff Officer, Technical Operations of the DSS.

    When asked by Awomolo about what happened in the vvideo, the witness said, “Those in the clip are Mr. Femi Otedola and Honourable Farouk Lawan. In the video clip there was exchange of parcels from Mr. Femi Otedola to Honourable Farouk Lawan.The venue was at Mr. Femi Otedola’s residence in Abuja.”

    While being cross-examined by lead defence lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), Ojatah said he was from Iwajara in Ibaji Local Government Area of Kogi State, and that he had his Higher National Diploma in Electronics/Telecommunication Engineering from Federal Polytehnicn Bida, Niger State. He said he enlisted into the DSS in 1992.

    The witness said he was not present during the meeting between Otedola and Lawan.

    He added that he could not say what the content of the envelopes were because they were sealed.

    He said “no date or time was shown on the video clip, because the device used does not have such functionality” He said “there was no discussion of bribery” in the clip.

    On why he concluded that one of the men shown in the clip was Lawan, the witness said, “Before the video clip, there was a complaint against Hon. Farouk Lawan by Otedola. In view of this, the person in the video clip was the defendant.”

    The witness said there was a DSS stamp on the pages of the letter of complaint dated April 13, 2012 addressed to the Director-General of the DSS.

    Ojatah said there was a space for date and signature but “no signature was imprinted on the stamp and no date on the stamp.”

    The witness said he was not sure if the DSS replied Otedola’s letter.

    Trial judge, Justice Angela Otaluka adjourned further proceeding to Wednesday.