The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ibrahim Shema

  • Masari to Shema: Leave me out of your travails

    Masari to Shema: Leave me out of your travails

    The Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Bello Masari, on Thursday said he has nothing to do with the ongoing trial of his predecessor, Ibrahim Shema, for alleged N1 billion fraud.

    The governor asked Shema to be bold enough to face his ongoing trial instead of dragging him into it.

    The governor, who made the clarifications in a statement issued his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Abdu Labaran Malumfashi, said neither the judiciary nor security agencies takes directives from him.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, neither the judiciary nor the security agencies take orders from Governor Aminu Bello Masari, and on his part, the Katsina State Governor does not interfere in the work of other arms or agencies of government either at state or federal levels.

    “In fact Governor Masari has no need to interfere with the judiciary since he has set up a judicial commission of enquiry under the chairmanship of a Federal High Court judge, Justice Mohammed Suraj, with an unfettered mandate to interrogate the inexplicable disappearance of tens of billions of Naira from the state’s treasury during the administration of Ibrahim Shehu Shema.

    “What is more, the former governor, more than most people, knows very well that Governor Aminu Bello Masari is not vindictive.

    Let us make it clear that no amount of attempts at blackmail, subtle or obvious, will deter or distract Governor Masari from making good the mandate given to him voluntarily by the people of Katsina State in the most freely and fairly election ever conducted in the state, nay the country.

    “Our advice to the former Katsina State Governor is that he should be man enough to bear his cross without trying to drag Governor Masari into the cesspit of the judicial travails he willfully got himself entangled.”

     

  • Alleged fraud: I am ready for trial – Shema

    Alleged fraud: I am ready for trial – Shema

    A former Governor of Katsina State, Ibrahim Shema, on Wednesday said he is ready for trial on the alleged N1billion fraud case brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    But the ex-governor said he is prepared to defend himself in an atmosphere of fair hearing, justice and rule of law.

    He, however, faulted botched attempt to abduct him by some agents of the Katsina State Government.

    Shema, who made his position known in a statement issued by his Head of Media Team, Mr. Oluwabusola Olawale, said the failed abduction showed that his life is in danger.

    The statement said:  “We are saying it for the umpteenth time that Shema is not afraid of court trial. He has submitted himself to the court and he is ready to defend himself in an atmosphere of fair hearing, justice and rule of law.

    “We are calling on the international community and well-meaning Nigerians to call Governor Aminu Bello Masari to order on his use of state and federal institutions for political intimidation and harassment, before Masari and his aides, through desperation, truncate democratic institutions in Nigeria.

    “It is also necessary to remind Governor Masari that he has a tenure opportunity which he must not squander on witch-hunting his predecessor because what goes around comes around.”

    The ex-governor condemned failed attempt to abduct him at the premises of Katsina High Court by some agents of the state government.

    He accused Governor Masari of allegedly persecuting him.

    The statement added: “The failed attempt to abduct former Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema on Tuesday, February 7, 2017 at the premises of Katsina State High Court by security agents  who were being used by Governor Aminu Bello Masari and his aides, despite the ruling of the court to maintain status quo on the bail granted  Shema pending the determination of the matter before the court,  has confirmed that the ongoing corruption case against Shema and his former aides is not about court trial and rule of law, but sheer personal vendetta and a wicked attempt to humiliate, and harass the immediate past governor.

    “It was on record that few days before the sitting of the court,  it was reported in the media that there was a plot by Governor Aminu Bello Masari and his aides to humiliate, denigrate and condemn Ibrahim Shehu Shema, which we took for granted because we never thought they could stoop so low.

    “But the failed abduction and desperation of Governor Masari and his aides have been confirmed to us that there is a sinister move to probably harm former Governor Shema.”

     

  • Shema’s trial is contrived – PDP

    Shema’s trial is contrived – PDP

    The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the ongoing trial of the immediate past Governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Ibrahim Shema as contrived.

    In a statement issued on Friday by the spokesman of the PDP, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, the party said the ex -governor was being persecuted by the Federal Government.

    Shema is standing trial in a Katsina court for alleged corrupt practices while he served as governor of Katsina State from 2007 to 2015.

    But the PDP has condemned what it described as “the recent shenanigans” that are being carefully orchestrated to politically persecute the former governor.

    The statement said, “It is obvious today to all and sundry in Nigeria and the Diaspora that those under trial by the court on corruption charges are perceived enemies of President Muhammadu Buhari, his party, the APC.

    “In this context, the spot light of APC is now on Alhaji Shema, a political son of the late former President, Alhaji Umar Musa Yar’Adua who in a landslide victory, defeated Buhari in the 2007 presidential election to win the Presidency on the platform of our great party, PDP.

    “In the same vein, Ibrahim Shema defeated the candidates of the ANPP who were the choice of Buhari for the governorship election in Katsina State in 2007 and 2011, respectively.

    “Nigerians will also recall that Barr. Shema as the Governor of Katsina State, supported the choice of the former President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR against Buhari, an indigene of Katsina State in the 2015 presidential election.

    “President Buhari and co-travellers cannot understand this and we ask, why? Is it difficult to comprehend the tenets of democracy and the rights of citizens to free choice of candidates and parties?

    “For the records, these trump-up charges, arrests and trials of Alhaji Ibrahim Shema is part of the APC’s plan to intimidate, harass and blackmail opposition leaders around the country in order to silence them ahead of the 2019 general elections.”

    The party added that Shema unarguably remained one of the most performing governors produced by the PDP.

    “He is known for his infrastructural development and implementation of people oriented policies and programmes that uplifted the lives of his people within the period of his administration.

    “While we do not support corruption of any kind no matter who is involved, however we disagree with the selective persecution of PDP leaders and members by President Buhari and the APC,” the party added.

     

     

  • Sambo’s aide dismisses joint ticket conditions

    Senator Isiaiah Balat, Special Adviser on Special Duties to Vice President Namadi Sambo, on Monday denied media report claiming that President Goodluck Jonathan has ordered the vice president to support his governorship ambition in Kaduna State or he would be dropped as the President’s running mate in the 2015 elections.
    The report at the weekend had quoted sources in Kaduna and Abuja that the Presidency had concluded plans to appoint the governor of Kaduna State, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, to succeed Mallam Lamido Sanusi Lamido as Central Bank of Nigeria governor in June this year.
    It further claimed that Jonathan told Sambo if he wanted to continue with him as running mate, he should support Balat, who hails from Southern Kaduna or he would have no option than pick Katsina State governor, Ibrahim Shema as his running mate.
    The former governor of the state, late Patrick Yakowa, who died in a chopper’s crash on December 15, 2012, also hailed from Southern Kaduna.
    Balat, in a statement urged members of the public to ignore the report, stressing that it was an unsuccessful attempt to divide the strong and solid bond existing between President Jonathan and Sambo.
    Noting that President Jonathan does not meddle in the internal affairs of Kaduna State, he said the story was a figment of the authors’ imagination.
    He said, “My attention was drawn to a story making the rounds titled – Jonathan gives Sambo conditions for joint ticket where I was mentioned as a beneficiary of such condition.
    “I wish to categorically deny the existence of anything as such. It is instructive for me to also state that the story is the figment of the imagination of its authors and to say that President Jonathan does not meddle in the internal affairs of Kaduna State.”
    Balat, who was Minister of State for Works and Housing between 1999 and 2000, and a one term Senator for Kaduna South between 2003 and 2007, continued: “While also not holding brief for the Governor of Kaduna State, I am certain he has nothing to do with the CBN job issue.”
    “I appreciate that the joint ticket is not only valid but virile as well. They should disregard the contents of the story as it is an unsuccessful attempt to divide the strong and solid bond existing between President Goodluck Jonathan and his Vice – Arc Namadi Sambo.”

  • Jonathan, Mark, Fayemi condole with Shema

    Jonathan, Mark, Fayemi condole with Shema

    President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday condoled with Katsina State Governor Ibrahim Shema on the death of his father, Shehu Shema, at the National Hospital, Abuja.

    Jonathan, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, urged the governor and his family to thank Allah for the elder Shema’s life.

    He believed that at 86, the governor’s father would return to his Maker in peace, having produced worthy offspring like the governor, who will proudly carry on his legacy of worthy and selfless service.

    Senate President David Mark also commiserated with Shema. In a condolence message, he said the late Shema lived a life full of passion and sacrifice.

    In a statement by his Special Adviser (Media), Kola Ologbondiyan, Mark urged the family to see the death as the utmost will of God and remember that only God gives and takes at will.

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi also condoled with Shema.

    The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Olayinka Oyebode, urged Shema and the family to be consoled that their father lived a long and fulfilled life as an accomplished farmer and notable community leader.

     

  • Kidnapping: Katsina sets up committee on expatriates

    Kidnapping: Katsina sets up committee on expatriates

    Katsina State Government on Monday constituted a committee to provide security cover to expatriates working in the state.

    The Commissioner of Police in the state, Alhaji Abdullahi Magaji, disclosed this to journalists in Katsina shortly after the state security meeting chaired by Governor Ibrahim Shema.

    The News Agency of Nigeria gathered that the decision followed the kidnapping of a Frenchman, Mr Francis Colump in Rimi Local Government Area of the state two months ago by gunmen.

    It was also prompted by the recent abduction of seven expatriates in Jama’are, Bauchi State and similar incidents in other parts of the country.

    The commissioner said that members of the committee were drawn from police, State Security Service (SSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the army.

    Magaji said the committee was mandated to identify the number of expatriates working in the state, their location and telephone numbers, to be able to provide adequate security cover for them.

    He added that the committee had already begun action and solicited for the cooperation of people of the state for the attainment of the goal.