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Tag: indictment

  • OAU lecturer debunks indictment report

    Former Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Prof. Adesina Aderibigbe, has debunked a report in an online medium which alleged he was indicted by the Governing Council of the institution. He said he was neither indicted for stealing from the Agric. Farm nor arrested by the university security at the gate as was being rumoured.

    Prof. Aderibigbe, an Animal Nutritionist, told reporters that the report by one Concerned Integrity Group on the thebriefng.com, an online news site whose address cannot be verified, was false and sponsored by some elements within OAU to tarnish his integrity.

    According to Aderibigbe, the spurious publication was planted to stop him from winning election into the Joint Council and Senate Selection Board (JCSSB) for the appointment of a new Vice-Chancellor. Nonetheless, Aderibigbe is happy that he emerged victorious among the four contenders.

    He said: “I have never been indicted by the university’s Governing Council or any committee in the university or anywhere else. Rather, my efforts and those of other faculty deans were commended by Council, which consequently approved a sum of N30 million for the farm. Even the former VC, Prof. Roger Makanjuola, on August 24, 2005, wrote me a letter, Ref. No. VC90/Vol.VI/6,to congratulate me on my various achievements as the dean during that period.

    “The false story on my person was targeted at stopping my election into the JCSSB for the just concluded VC appointment. However, my colleagues knew my track record, character and integrity and voted overwhelmingly for me despite the massive circulation of the false online story a day before the election in Senate. The evil perpetrators failed in their attempt to stop me from winning one of the two Senate spots. Subsequently, I discharged my responsibility creditably well during the VC selection process to the unprecedented satisfaction of all the 21 applicants, members of OAU community and Nigerians in general.

    ‘’I want to use this opportunity to clear my name and hard earned reputation and integrity which the faceless and cowardly “Concerned Integrity Group “attempted to rubbish, but failed woefully. I am very happy that the sponsors of the false story did not achieve their goals.”

    Aderibigbe said his initial reaction was to overlook the story, but had to rescind that decision following the advice of colleagues and family members. “The entire story is fake and unfounded. It was meant to achieve an evil purpose, but they have failed woefully.”

    He said no amount of blackmail and sponsored stories by some disgruntled elements within and outside the university would stop him from being focused and doing what is right, fair and just.

    “In fact, winning the election despite the false and evil publication, was like a double vote of confidence in me by my distinguished colleagues in the Senate, for which I am very gratefu. I thank God for making me not to disappoint them during the selection process. I will remain resolute to maintain my honour and integrity always.”

    He said he has already instructed his lawyer to begin legal process against the operator of the online site who he accused of not verifying the story before running it online.

    “I want to assure my colleagues, students and family members that no amount of falsehood through whatever means will deter me from standing on the side of truth, fairness and justice. It took me decades to build my career and hard earned honour and integrity. I will continue to uphold the truth in any circumstance and defend my integrity always. The false and malicious online story against my person failed woefully to achieve its aim,”  Aderibigbe concluded.

  • Budget impasse an indictment on Nigerians, says NECA

    Budget impasse an indictment on Nigerians, says NECA

    Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) Director-General Segun Oshinowo has said the impasse over the 2016 Appropriation Bill is an indictment on Nigerians.

    Speaking when the acting Managing Director of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), Ismail Agaka visited him, Oshinowo said it was a shame that the budget was still not out four months into the year.

    He said: “The inability of the National Assembly and executive to produce the 2016 budget is saying something silently loud about our country. I think it is shameful that there is no budget four months into the year. What kind of image are we painting of our country outside?

    We need to urgently address our mind to a situation where our budget for the current year is unusually delayed. What stops us from getting our budget to be passed before the commencement of the budget year and then address those issues that have served as encumbrance to passing the budget annually?”

    Speaking on the Employees Compensation Scheme, Oshinowo expressed satisfaction over the decision of the NSITF to adopt social dialogue in the implementation of the Scheme, saying: “I am happy that NSITF is relying on social dialogue approach rather than on the law that establishes Employees Compensation Scheme to collect remittances.

    “There are so many things that officialdom may lack the capacity to resolve. We can always meet outside of official capacities to share information, strategize and plan on what is to be done to resolve thorny issues for the benefit of the country.

    “This strategy has gone a long way in helping the NSITF over the last few years. I want to assure NSITF that we have not changed, we remain of who are and are ready to cooperate with NSITF to ensure success of its programmes.”

    He expressed the support of the organised private sector for the institutionalisation of corporate governance by the Acting-managing director into the operations of the NSITF and called for early convocation of the interactive aspect of the Safe Workplace Intervention Programme (SWIP) to enable employers who have complaints about the implementation of the ECA to put them forward for speedy resolution.

    He said: “I think it is better to have the interactive session around July because delaying in order to have the whole SWIP will deny employers that want to ventilate their complaints.

    “Since the interactive session addresses the quality of service that is rendered, if NSITF is unable to address the contributors, that might affect inflow of contribution. Meeting the Lagos group because a lot is happening there that will be interesting to the operations of the ECA.”

    In his remarks, the Acting Managing Director of NSITF, Ismail Agaka said the fund was institutionalizing corporate governance structures to boost its operations and expressed confidence that corporate governance would, clearly spells out procedures and processes of NSITF.

    According to him, “Corporate governance is a system, methods, processes and procedures that governs organizational businesses. Where there is a breakdown in the procedure, there would be negative impact not only on the organisation, but also on other stakeholders who relate with the organisation.

    “It is no secret that not only NSITF, but also the public sector over the years has witnessed this dysfunctional corporate governance. What we are therefore doing at the NSITF is in tandem with the change mantra of the present administration.”

  • Save me from indictment, Suswam begs Ortom

    Save me from indictment, Suswam begs Ortom

    Immediate past Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, has reached out to his successor, Samuel Ortom, to save him from the embarrassment of an indictment by the Judicial Commission and Administrative Panel of Inquiry.

    The Commission set up by Ortom to probe his predecessor is expected to commence public setting soon in Makurdi.

    It was gathered that the former governor met with Ortom last Thursday at the Government House Makurdi for several hours behind closed doors.

    Suswam was reportedly accompanied to the meeting, which extended to the early hours of Friday, by his elder brother, Dr. Terkula.

    A source at the meeting, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent that Suswam denied recent media statements where he about allegedly spoke “tough” against the administration of Ortom.

    Suswam was reported to have made disparaging remarks against the administration of Governor Ortom in a speech at the funeral of a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Chief Atoza Ihindan.

    Ortom
    Ortom

    He reportedly asked Ortom to extend the probe of his administration to include the sales of Benue Cement Company to Dangote industries Limited.

    The former governor was also said to have pointed out that though security votes had increased to N500million, the state continues to reel under insecurity.

    He was said to have further challenged the Ortom’s administration to publish monies collected from the federation account.

    But Suswam was said to have denied making such statements at the meeting with Ortom.

    He was alleged to have asked his successor to temper justice with mercy.

    Speaking on the development, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain from Benue South, Dr Omale Ogwuche, faulted the meeting.

    He dismissed it as selfish, saying Suswam should have attended with other stakeholders instead of going alone with his elder brother.

     

  • AGF: NDDC yet to reply to indictment

    AGF: NDDC yet to reply to indictment

    Weeks after the Auditor General of the Federation indicted the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) of not accounting for N183.7 billion the NDDC is yet to respond to the indictment.

    A statement released yesterday by the Office of the Auditor General of the Federation (OAuGF) and signed by Ogunmosunle, O.A. for the auditor general stated that “at the time of this Press Release, the NDDC is yet to respond to the Special Periodic Checks.”

    The statement noted that “it took NDDC, 16 months to grant the Office permission to commence the periodic checks beginning from 9thDecember, 2011 to 6th May, 2013.  Similarly, it took another 16 months and several reminders to the NDDC with effect from the 24th of April, 2014 to 12th August, 2015 before the final report was submitted to the National Assembly.”

    The auditor general decried media reports alleged to be engineered by the NDDC “denying and casting aspersions on the Special Periodic Checks recently submitted to the National Assembly.”

    The Office of the Auditor General said it stands by its report and its contents despite “the negative sentiments occasioned by the NDDC’s condemnation of the Special Periodic Checks in various media calculated to demean the efficacy of the Constitutional mandate carried out by the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation.”

    The statement maintained that “the Office of the Auditor-General for the Federation has a constitutional mandate to submit its Reports to the National Assembly and in doing so, due process are usually followed.”

    The NDDC was reminded that if it “is not satisfied with the contents of the Special Report it has the opportunity to defend itself before the Public Accounts Committees (PACs) of the National Assembly.”

  • Agbaso’s indictment not political, say lawmakers

    The Imo State House of Assembly yesterday said its indictment of the Deputy Governor, Sir Jude Agbaso, for allegedly receiving N458million kickback from a contractor was not politically-motivated.

    It said media reports that the probe was over the 2015 election was wrong.

    The House, in a statement by its Chairman, Committee on Information, Acho Ihim, said it was “mischievous, sacrilegious and cheap blackmail” for anybody or group to divert attention from the issues at stake.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, the travails of Sir Jude Agbaso have nothing to do with 2015 rivalry, ethnic and zonal politics or indeed whipping up undue sentiments.

    “The fact of the matter remains that the Report of the Special Committee indicted the deputy governor.

    “The Imo State House of Assembly will, therefore, not allow external forces to influence its constitutional duties. Imo must be better,” the statement said.

    The House said a State and Local Government Joint Monitoring Committee was established about six months ago to monitor the construction of roads in the three senatorial zones.

    The committee, led by Stan Dara, submitted its report last month.

    The report, the House said, indicted three construction companies.

    Following the indictment, the House said it set up another Special Adhoc Committee to find out why the companies allegedly failed or abandoned their projects.

    The companies were invited to the House to explain.

    The House said the Managing Director of one of the firms “confessed that they abandoned their site because Agbaso demanded and collected N458 million from him.”

    “The committee thereafter invited Agbaso, and from the interview, the House found enough evidence and collaboration,” the House said.

    Agbaso denied media reports that he resigned, saying the allegation was not only false but politically-motivated to malign his person.

    He said the contractor was introduced by Governor Rochas Okorocha.

    The deputy governor claimed that he was a victim of the political games being played by powerful forces over who becomes governor in 2015.

    He spoke to reporters in Owerri at the weekend amid speculations that he was denied access to his office and being pressured to resign as a face-saving measure.

    Agbaso denied the stories, saying he was on his desk on Friday.

    The deputy governor described the impeachment threat against him by the House of Assembly as ill-informed and unfair.

    Agbaso called on the relevant agencies to investigate the allegation.

    He said: “Let me put it straight and, very categorical too, that at no time, have I contemplated resigning as Imo State deputy governor.

    “As I stated earlier, the mandate was freely and massively given to me by the people of this state.

    “So, I never resigned, I never intend to resign and I will continue to serve the people, until the mandate they gave me elapses.

    “I want to also seize this opportunity to state that at no time did I demand N458million or any sum of money from any contractor in Imo State.

    “And at no time did the contractor, Joseph Dina of JPRO, pay me N458 million.

    “JPRO is the contractor working on the present day Sam Mbakwe road.

    “I never knew the construction company or its owners.

    “The company was introduced to the state by Governor Rochas Okorocha, who approved a contract of N1.5billion.

    “Since they said the money had been paid to the bank, I think the onus is to call on investigative agents to trace the payment; N458million is not N458, 000 and it cannot vanish into thin air.

    “They should look for the money there (in the account the contractor claimed he paid into). It must be there.

    “If it is not there, they can track the money. It can be traced to the last account that it went into.

    “With forensics, they can trace the money into the pockets of those who took it.

    “But my dear people of Imo State, I state here one more time, I never asked for the money, I never received the money and I do not have any thing to do with it.

    “The other question is why all these things about bribery and impeachment at this moment?

    “This whole thing stems from the various players’ agitation as to the situation in 2015.

    “I have heard speculations about who runs in 2015 and who does not.

    “I have heard that this has everything to do with it. But I can tell you it has nothing to do with the person of the deputy governor as we speak.

    “And I think that, sooner rather than later, this whole story would be unravelled.

    “Let me state that I have maintained a robust, cordial relationship with Governor Rochas Okorocha.”