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Tag: Jonathan

  • Jonathan, Ambode, Ajimobi, Amosun commiserate with Aboderin family

    More condolences poured in for the family of the late Chairman of Punch Nigeria Limited, Mr. Gbadebowale Aboderin yesterday.

    Aboderin, a trained pilot and basketball enthusiast, died in Lagos on Wednesday following a heart surgery at First Cardiology Consultants.

    He was aged 60.

    Among the eminent Nigerians who sent condolence messages to the family yesterday were for President Goodluck Jonathan; Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode; Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi and Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun.

    In a condolence letter to the Aboderin family and the management and staff of Punch Newspapers, Jonathan described the late Aboderin as a  crusader for public good, saying that he would be sorely missed because of his deep commitment to national development.

    A statement issued by Jonathan’s media adviser, Mr. Ikechukwu Eze, said the ex-President also noted that Aboderin left a legacy of hard work and passion for a just society.

    The statement said: “The late Aboderin will be sorely missed because of his deep commitment to national progress and the ease with which he reached out and made friends across regional lines and religious ties.

    “He was a man who invested hugely in the cause of the ordinary people and worked altruistically for public good.

    “The high value he placed on social capital was evident in the height to which he took Punch, expeditiously repositioning the newspaper as a credible voice for equity, national unity, good governance and democracy.

    “As a sports enthusiast, he willingly channeled his energy and resources in the pursuit of his interest; a passion that positively reflected in his substantial contributions to sports development, especially the game of basketball which he greatly lifted.

    “He will be remembered for his impressive legacy of hard work, philanthropy and passion for a just and equitable society.”

    Sad development, says Ambode

    Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, expressed sadness over Aboderin’s death in a condolence letter he personally signed and addressed to the Managing Director of Punch Nigeria Limited, Mr. Demola Osinubi.

    The governor described Aboderin’s death as a sad development coming at a time when the media institution can benefit more from his leadership and direction.

    The statement said: “With deep sympathy, the Lagos State Government wishes to condole with the management of Punch Nigeria Limited and the entire family of the Founder, Chief James Olu Aboderin, on the sudden death of the Chairman, Mr. Wale Aboderin.

    “The Punch has earned its place as a great medium for the expression of views and dissemination of news and intelligence on account of the high standards of ethics and the vision of its founding partners.

    “The death of Mr. Wale Aboderin is a sad development at a time this media institution can benefit more from his leadership and direction.

    “It is a big loss to the sports sector in which he played major roles as investor and philanthropist.

    “Because of these impeccable records, he lives in our hearts. His indelible footprints tell us that he will always be part of our journey as citizens of Nigeria and the world at large.”

    We lost a great son —Ajimobi

    Governor Ajimobi expressed “utter shock” at the news of the untimely death of the Chairman of Punch Nigeria Limited, who he described as an illustrious son of Oyo State, and a lovable brother and consummate gentleman.

    A statement issued by the Special Adviser, Communication and Strategy to the governor, Mr. Bolaji Tunji, lamented that death had again snatched one of the great sons of the land, who spread his signature effervescence and love everywhere he went.

    The governor expressed sadness that death cut short the dream of the foremost entrepreneur and affable administrator whose magic wand, he said, had further entrenched Punch as a dominant force in the newspaper industry.

    Ajimobi said: “That the Punch newspaper now prints simultaneously in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt is directly attributable to the business acumen, dexterity and go-getting efforts of my late brother, who toiled day and night to sustain the family’s business legacy.

    “The enigma called death has again cut short the life of one of our shining and unassuming stars.

    “Wale was a great citizen of our dear state and son of the soil in whom we were well pleased. The news of his sudden death saddens me.

    “His simplicity and modest lifestyle despite sitting atop a multi-billion naira enterprise are exemplary and noteworthy. I was told that no employee enters his office with a frown without leaving with a smile.

    “I can boldly say that death is not the end of my adorable brother’s life, since only his body departed.

    “His spirit can never die; it continues to live with us. His legacies of humility, selflessness, integrity, diligence and Godliness shall continue to live with us.

    “I know that no soothing words can help ease the pain and loss that my sister, his dear wife and lovable children are feeling at this moment, but they will forever be in my prayers and thoughts.”

    He was a zealous professional, says Amosun

    Governor Ibikunle Amosun expressed deep sadness over the death of Aboderin in his condolence message signed by the Ogun State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Otunba Adedayo Adeneye.

    Describing the deceased as a versatile Nigerian who excelled in all his endeavours, Amosun said “the late Mr. Gbadebowale Aboderin, a professional pilot, was zealous in carrying on the legacy bequeathed by his late father and Founder of the Punch Newspapers, Chief Olu Aboderin, when he took over as chairman of the company.

    “His commitment to the development of basketball in Nigeria, which saw him founding the Dolphins Female Basketball Foundation and emerging the chairman of the Lagos State Basketball Association as well as Vice President of Nigeria Basketball Supporters Club, is worthy of emulation.”

    The governor prayed God to grant the family of the late Aboderin the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

     

  • Jonathan, Secondus, Wike, Dankwambo, other PDP leaders converge on Ekiti

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday inaugurated the 1.3 kilometre Ado-Ekiti Flyover with leaders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) demanding a credible governorship election on July 14.

    They also urged President Muhammadu Buhari to allow the conduct of a free, fair and transparent general election in the country in 2019.

    Sounding the battle cry ahead of the next set of elections were Gombe State Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo, Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Uche Secondus.

    Also at the inauguration where they canvassed support for the PDP candidate in the Ekiti governorship poll, Prof. Kolapo

    Olusola, were Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel and Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.

    The setting was the inauguration of a new governor’s office constructed by the Governor Ayo Fayose administration.

    Jonathan arrived the scene at exactly 2.22 pm when Wike was making his speech and was welcomed by other guests who were seated before his arrival.

    The former President was in the state for the inauguration of a flyover built by the Fayose administration.

    Secondus, who noted that Ekiti had been witnessing positive development under Fayose, urged the people of the state to vote at the next governorship election and the 2019 general elections.

    The PDP boss warned the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government against any attempt to rig the Ekiti governorship poll and general election, stressing that “rigging the election would have dire consequences.”

    Secondus said: “The PDP has demonstrated that it can conduct free and fair primary; all we are asking for is that the coming elections should be free and fair.

    “We are asking the Federal Government to allow the coming elections to be free and fair for the world to see that Nigeria is moving forward.

    “Any attempt to rig is a recipe for crisis. I hope it will not start

    from Ekiti. The 1983 crisis started from Ekiti and the (77-man APC) Committee should show us what they have done.

    “They should not come and rig election here. We are asking them that it should be one man, one vote. President Buhari should allow one man, one vote.”

    Wike said: “This loyal and humble deputy governor (Olusola) will continue with the good work of Fayose.

    “Ekiti people will vote for him because of what he can offer.

    “The only thing they (APC) have is to rig election. They have told us the election will be free and fair. When election comes, don’t give them any chance; go and protect your votes.

    “They said they have set up a Committee of 77, what is our business with that?

    “If you say they will not intimidate you, it is a lie. But I want to charge our security men to allow for a free and fair election.”

    Dankwambo said: “If politics is about development, we need not campaign in Ekiti State. Politics is about development and that is what we stand for.

    “I believe the person that has emerged as our candidate here will do more and more than Fayose. He is experienced and he has learnt a lot and he will deliver.”

    Fayose boasted that the APC candidate, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, would be defeated at the Ekiti governorship election despite the instruments of coercion that would be deployed in his favour.

    He said: “Whether they like it or not, you (Olusola) are the next

    governor. If they like, let them bring their Army and Police, they are wasting their time.

    “It is your time to shine. Battles are not won by the strength of the Army. You are a divine candidate on a divine assignment.

    “I am proud to say I believe in you.”

  • Ijaw leaders condemn invasion of Kuku’s house 

    Some Ijaw leaders Friday fumed over invasion of the home of former Presidential Adviser on Niger Delta, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, by a detachment of the police.

    Kuku, who was the Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP) during ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, lamented that over 20 armed policemen stormed his house in Arogbo, Ondo State, in his absence.

    He said: “They broke the gate with sophisticated equipment, gained entry into the compound, vandalized all the doors in the house, ransacked all the rooms unaccompanied by anybody.

    “While this Gestapo-like operation lasted, some of the policemen shot sporadically into the air which made many people to scamper to safety.

    “This squad was led by a Superintendent of Police, Sunday Alli, who claimed to come from the Inspector General of Police Tactical Squad, for Armed Robbery, Kidnapping and Gun-running”.

    But Ijaw leaders described the action as provocative and advised security operatives especially the police to apply caution.

    The immediate past President of Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) Worldwide, Udengs Eradiri, said Kuku contributed greatly to the relative peace currently enjoyed in the Niger Delta and did not deserve such crude treatment.

    Eradiri said such action of the police could puncture the existing peace in the region because Kuku is held in high esteem by his people especially the youths.

    He advised security agencies to adopt high level of professionalism and tact in handling sensitive cases adding that their actions could be misconstrued as intimidation and harassment.

    Eradiri further appealed to Presidential aides to stop behaving in a way that could portray their principal, President Muhammadu Buhari as an insensitive and autocratic leader.

    He said the aides should know that their actions would have great impact on the electoral fortunes of the President insisting that invading the home of an Ijaw leader without due process could be counterproductive.

    Eradiri said: “The invasion of Kingsley Kuku’s house in Arogbo, Ondo State, is to say the least provocative and a recipe for violence. Kuku is highly respected in hometown and the Niger Delta generally as an Ijaw leader for his contributions in bringing the peace we now enjoy in the region.

    “The way and manner the raid was conducted was undemocratic and unprofessional. The police, other security agencies and aides to the President handling matters for President Muhammadu Buhari should strive to protect him and stop portraying him as an insensitive and vindictive leader.

    “This type action is capable of breaching the relative peace in the Niger Delta region and pit the youths against security agencies. The peace in the Niger Delta came with a lot of efforts and deserve to be cherished. Security agencies including the police should work hard to sustain the peace”.

    Also a factional President of IYC, Pereotubo Oweilami, decried the invasion describing it as a war against the Ijaw.

    He asked President Buhari to call security agencies to order adding that the Ijaw remained the closest political ally to the north and did not deserve intimidation by the government.

    He said: “We admonish President Muhammadu Buhari to as a matter of urgency and great concerns, call all his attack dogs to order so that they can desist forthwith from the unprovoked and unwarranted attacks against our people.

    “We expect Mr. President to see and also treat all Nigerians as his own by virtue of his position as the father of all Nigerians.

    “We also wish to urge Mr President to do something very drastic and timely too about the ceaseless and endless killings of innocent and defenseless Nigerians especially the recent killings in the North Central”.

  • Ekiti presidential lodge named after Jonathan

    The new Presidential Lodge of Ekiti state government will be named after former President of Nigeria Goodluck Ebele Jonathan on Friday.

    The Ekiti state governor, Ayodele Fayose disclosed this on his verified Twitter account.

    He said: “Today in Ekiti, the Presidential Lodge in the Govt House, Ado Ekiti will be named after former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.‘

  • Between Aregbesola and Jonathan

    It would have been hilarious, if not that it is tragic, how former President Goodluck Jonathan futilely tried to spin a statement made by Governor Rauf Aregbesola to his own advantage but ended up ridiculing himself and brought out the painful memory of his tragic rule.

    Governor Aregbesola was speaking during an all-night interactive meeting, ‘Ogbeni till daybreak’ in Osogbo last week. The audience was made up of media practitioners, civil society organisations, political parties’ representatives, students and the general public. There was also opportunity for phone-in and comments and questions from online platforms. TVC, a national television which is also on cable and three radio stations (OSBC, Ravefm and Arafm) broadcast the programme live between the night of Friday May 11 and the morning of Saturday May 12, 2018.

    A senior journalist in the state, Mr Kola Olabisi, asked the governor what was his greatest regret to which he replied that it was the coincidence of his first term in office with the ruinous PDP regime which terminated in 2015.

    This is how it was reported by The Vanguard newspaper whose correspondent, Gbenga Olarinoye, was present. ‘If I have to answer you literarily, I don’t regret being a governor but philosophically, the only regret I have is that my administration coincided with the PDP led administration.

    “As a matter of fact, PDP superintended the most irresponsible government in Nigeria, it was the most traumatised era in the history of Nigeria.

     “If I have had the opportunity of working with serious government at the Federal level between 2011 and 2015, it would have been an Eldorado’.

    However, Jonathan responded with a long but tendentious and inane treatise which reconstructed the narrative that Aregbesola admitted failure but should not blame him (Jonathan) for the failure. Is it a function of failure of grammatical apprehension or plain mischief by Jonathan? Where in this report did Aregbesola acknowledged failure?

    If anyone has failed in government, it indisputably was Goodluck Jonathan, if we begin with his comprehensive defeat at the 2015 presidential election. It was the first time in the history of Nigeria that an incumbent president would be defeated in a comprehensive manner in a presidential election and his party, the PDP, routed and eviscerated nationally in an onset of its unravelling and inexorable disintegration.

    For the avoidance of doubt, Aregbesola defeated Goodluck Jonathan thrice in political contests. First, at the April 2011 presidential election in which Jonathan won in all the South West states but lost woefully in Osun.

    Again, Aregbesola defeated the PDP candidate in the 2014 governorship election in Osun, Senator Iyiola Omisore, who was backed to the hilt by Jonathan.

    The entire security armada of the country, including police dogs, was deployed to Osun. As the truth will come out later, the candidate was given N1.7 billion directly from national treasury, in a looting frenzy, for which he is now the customer of the EFCC, running from pillar to post, looking for the balance of N1.4 billion, having refunded N300 million. Jonathan and his candidate were defeated in that election by Aregbesola, whose glorious second term is now winding down.

    Jonathan had boasted before that election that he would take Osun, even if the heaven would fall. But the owner of heaven proved to him that he is a mere mortal with transient power and that all powers belong to Him alone and Jonathan’s candidate will be defeated and heaven will not fall. Jonathan and his party were disembowelled by Aregbesola in the election which opened the floodgates for his eventual ouster from power.

    Again, Jonathan was comprehensively defeated in 2015 Presidential Election in Osun, as in other South West States and indeed other parts of the country.

    The drama to the 2015 election was that Jonathan’s campaign in the South West was accompanied with a spending binge; he was spending money like a drunken sailor. There were reports of huge sums in foreign currencies being dashed out to sundry people and interests in Osun and other South West states. He went to respected Christian clerics and maximised the photo op of the image of him kneeling down and being prayed for. From there, he went to traditional rulers who pointed their beaded staff at him while kneeling in their midst. From the traditional rulers he went to the cultists, adorned in the full regalia of the cult. At the end of it all, he was roundly defeated as he failed to get re-elected.

    However, Jonathan’s failure preceded the election. He failed in governance, which brought about his electoral failure. Indeed, long before the election, he had earned the sobriquet of ‘The clueless one’, after failing to find solutions to the myriads of problems facing the nation in economic development, security and financial prudence.

    Though oil sold for more than $140 under him, the country suffered in all indices of development. The only development took place in the account balances of PDP members and Jonathan’s wife, some of which have been forfeited to the federal government.

    The rag-tag Boko Haram insurgency group blossomed into a formidable army that seized large swaths of Nigeria’s territory in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba and Bauchi, establishing their sovereignty and evil administration.

    Details have since been released how, under Jonathan, more than $30 billion was not remitted to the federation account, but pocketed by Jonathan’s PDP cronies. Even personally, he has not escaped scrutiny as he got roped in the Malabo oil sleaze.

    It is this run on national treasury perpetrated under Jonathan that put 29 states under financial strain and which affected Osun at some point.

    Aregbesola, on the other hand has done the unprecedented in Osun, even with limited resources. The infrastructure development in education and road transport alone is without precedence and humongous. Aregbesola made reference to this at the town hall meeting and was captured in the report in The Vanguard thus: “The Governor further reiterated his resolve to complete all his projects before the end of the tenure in November, saying that he has surpassed all his predecessors in the area of infrastructural development. Aregbesola said the quality of Interchange Bridge his administration built at Gbongan, along the Ibadan -Ilesa Expressway remains one of the best in the country, arguing that such a project could only be seen in metropolitan cities like Lagos, Kano, and Port Harcourt”.

    Between Aregbesola and Jonathan, who then is the failure? Those who live in glass house should not throw stones.

     

    • Fasure, Governor Aregbesola’s Media Adviser writes from Osogbo.

  • ‘15 revenue-generating agencies fail to account for N8.1tr under Jonathan’

    Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed said yesterday that 15 revenue-generating agencies of the federal government failed to remit N8.1 trillion to the Federation Account between 2010 and 2015.

    He spoke in Osogbo, the Osun State capital while inaugurating the Channelization, De-silting, Flood Control and Development of Okoko and Ogbagba Rivers, phases one and two, on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He said the discovery by the auditing firm KPMG is many times worse than the N1.34 trillion carted away by 55 public officials between 2006 and 2013.

    “Recently, the Federal Government ordered an audit (between 2010 and 2015) of 15 government revenue-generating agencies.  The result was the discovery that the agencies had not remitted over 8.1 trillion Naira to the Federation Account. This amount is about six times the N1.34 trillion that was stolen between 2006 and 2015.

    ”It is also the equivalent, on the average, of the country’s yearly national budget! Imagine, for a moment, how many kilometres of roads could have been constructed, how many kilometres of rail tracks that could have been laid, and how many modern hospitals and schools that could have been built if that money had been properly accounted for,” Alhaji Mohammed said.

    He told the crowd at the ceremony that the Buhari Administration’s fight against corruption remained very

    critical because it would free the much-needed resources for national development.

    The minister said the projects being executed by the present administration, including the one that was inaugurated in Osogbo – one of 53 being inaugurted across the country – could have long been completed but for the mind-boggling looting of the treasury by previous administrations, which deprived the nation of infrastructural growth

    He said every kobo that is not looted is a plus for development, adding: ”This is why we will not stop talking about those who have looted the public treasury, despite the pushback from their apologists. If we do not stop the looting of the treasury, there will be no money for the kind of projects we are commissioning (inaugurating) here in Osogbo today.”

  • Jonathan: local content has hit 32% in oil, gas industry

    The value addition and percentage spending retained in Nigeria’s upstream and downstream operations have increased from less than five per cent to 32 per cent, former President Goodluck Jonathan has said.

    He said at a conference in Houston, United States that despite some limitations, the gains from the implementation of the local content Act were visible in capacity building for upstream and downstream operations.

    In his presentation entitled, “Local content as a driver for technological development,”Jonathan said before the passage of the local content law, the industry projected a value addition profile, or percentage spending retained in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry at less than five per cent.”

    He said the revenue, which came in form of taxes, royalties and rents,  has now been ramped up to about 32 per cent through engineering design, fabrication, manufacturing and procurement, royalties and rents.

    Jonathan said there is also an appreciable progress in skills acquisition in the industry in line with the manpower development objectives of the Act, pointing out that the pre-local content Act picture of limited skill sets, which brought about the influx and dominance of expatriates into the industry, has been positively altered.

    He said: “Through training and strict adherence to streamlined regulation, there are more qualified Nigerians working in the industry now than ever before. Thousands of Nigerians have been trained in technical areas, such as geosciences, oil spill management, underwater welding, pipe mill operation, engineering design and fabrication.

    “Another positive development in this area is that Nigerians have developed the capacity to carry out most onshore upstream activities, just as many Nigerian companies involved in drilling activities, are competing favourably with industry leaders. More than 38 per cent of registered marine vessels currently belong to Nigerians, up from a time when indigenous operators could only boast of less than 10 per cent ownership of the operating vessels.

    “There has also been a boost in the promotion of indigenous participation and the fostering of technological transfer as reflected in appreciable local growth in such technical areas as line-pipe mills, pipe coating, painting and cables manufacturing, as well as improved fabrication capacity. Only recently, one of Nigeria’s indigenous oil servicing firms established a $100 million fabrication plant in the Niger Delta region.

    “With this plant the local company intends to serve the fabrication and industrial needs of Nigeria and Africa, especially in the petroleum and power sectors,” Jonathan.

    The former President said despite the roles research and development (R&D) played in industrial development, little or no attention was hitherto paid to this critical area in the oil and gas industry. The story changed after the R& D guideline and strategy involving the participation of industry players, academia and government was developed in the wake of the Act. Local operators are now benefitting from the prevailing order where over 90 per cent of contracts are awarded to Nigerian companies or foreign companies that are in partnerships with Nigerian firms. Before the local content law came on stream, less than 20 per cent of contracts in the industry were conceded to indigenous companies.

    “Also, some international oil companies have been reviewing their interests in oil blocks and marginal fields by selling off some of their assets to Nigerian firms. It is instructive to note that the Act has ensured that no obvious gap was left in the industry because benefitting Nigerian firms have not only lived up to the task, but have greatly improved output. The outcome is that there are now more technically competent indigenous oil and gas companies with Nigerians constituting the majority of their workforce,” he stated.

    According to him, although the implementation of the local content policy recorded some successes as listed above, there are still some limitations in the area of steel manufacturing for fabrication, as well as the local capacity in manufacturing for upstream and downstream operations.

    “Therefore, the industry can still do with further strengthening of the capacities of Nigerian operators as well as the inclusion of more indigenes of producing communities in the economic activities of the sector,” he said.

    “The Local Content Act has galvanised and transformed the entire oil and gas industry in Nigeria into a very vibrant sector with enhanced capacities in technological development, interventions and innovations. I believe that the local skills, capacities and creativity developed for the oil industry can easily be adapted in other sectors of the economy such as ICT, agriculture, transportation, power, health and overall manufacturing,” Jonathan added.

  • ‘PDP, Jonathan failed Niger Delta’

    A coalition of nine militant groups in Niger Delta, the Reformed Niger Delta Avengers, has lashed out at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for creating poverty in Niger Delta despite being in power for 16 years.

    RNDA, in an electronic statement yesterday signed by ‘General’ Johnmark Ezonebi, lamented that the PDP was busy looting the  treasury instead of developing the region.

    The RNDA regretted the wasted years of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, accusing the Jonathan administration of corruption, looting, favouritism and non-supervision of his appointees.

    The group said no project was completed in Niger Delta during Jonathan’s era adding that the poor performance of Jonathan, who hails from Niger Delta, took the region back.

    The RNDA, however, hailed the Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) towards development of the region.

    The militants said they carried out an appraisal of Buhari’s performance and concluded that the President deserved commendation.

    They warned some leaders of the region, who they described as enemies of Niger Delta, to stay off or have themselves to be blamed.

    “We accepted the Federal Government’s ceasefire agreement in 2016 for dialogue.

    ‘’That acceptance has led to the sustained peace in the region following renewed destruction and bombings of oil installations and facilities that crippled the nation’s crude oil output.

    “Most worrisome and painful is the fact that Buhari’s predecessor goofed on development of the region as he was unable to complete the road to his Otuoke community in Bayelsa State.

    “We praise Buhari’s commitment to Niger Delta since 2015 depite the recession as crude output hit as low as 900 barrels daily, with price as low as between $35 and $45 per barrel due to agitation in the creek’’.

    “Buhari’s fight against corruption has defined his stand on development of the region. We want to commend him for the  btake off of academic activities of the Nigerian Maritime University, Okerenkoko, Delta State.

    “We want to also commend the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, for the approval for the dredging of the Escravos Warri river at the cost of N13bn to enable them to use cargo vessels to access Warri seaport which will in turn boost economic activities in the Niger Delta and to create employment for the teaming youths in the creeks.”

    The militants’ coalition, however, appealed to President Buhari to complete the East-West Road, a major gateway to other parts of the country abandoned by the previous governments.

  • Facts on grand corruption under Jonathan-VP’s spokesman

    Spokesman of the Vice President, Laolu Akande has responded to claims that the allegations of corruption against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government led by former President Goodluck Jonathan  are mere lies.

    He also denied that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo specifically mentioned former President Jonathan in the accusations against the past government.

    According to Akande, the facts in public domain on corruption in the last administration are “only a tip of the iceberg.”

    The statement is reproduced below:

    We have read reports attributed to “a media office of former President Goodluck Jonathan”. It is clear from the foul language of the authors that the statement could not have come from the former President, but from the motley group of loud and rude characters whose brief seems to be to deny all and anything said against the former PDP government and to do so in the crassest possible language.

     

    The alleged spokespersons of the former President say that  facts long in the public domain, some even being used to prosecute several corruption cases are lies and that those of us in government restating these well known facts are liars.

     

    They accuse Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, of lying against the former President or his government citing their  involvement  in the stealing of three billion dollars, while speaking recently at The Platform event on the 1st of May.

     

    Just for clarity, I quote the Vice President, “Grand corruption remains the most enduring threat to our economy. Three Billion US dollars was stolen in what was called the strategic alliance contacts in 2013, three Nigerians were responsible, today three billion dollars is one trillion Naira and our budget is 7trillion! ….”  (www.yemiosinbajo.ng/how-young-people-outside-politics-are-boldly-building-the-nigerian-nation-by-vp-osinbajo/)

     

    Two issues emerge. First, no mention is made of the former President.

     

    Second, the story is not only true, it has been in the public domain for almost three years and it is the subject of criminal investigation and trials both here and in the UK.

     

    The spokespersons also say that the allegations of corruption against the PDP government are mere lies. For clarity, the facts are laid out as follows:

     

    As the Vice President said, $3B was stolen in the so- called NNPC Strategic Alliance Contracts.  The three persons involved  are   Jide Omokore, Kola Aluko and the former Petroleum Resources Minister Diezani Alison- Maduekwe.  The companies of both Jide Omokore and Kola Aluko lifted Nigerian crude oil  and kept the proceeds.  The total sums converted is in excess of three billion dollars including royalties, taxes and fees unpaid for the asset from which the crude was taken.  The case is the subject of a trial in Nigeria, and criminal investigation in the US and UK, and the assets of all three individuals have been forfeited in Nigeria, the US and the UK.

     

    1. The criminal diversion and theft of sums in excess of $2.5 billion meant for purchase of arms to prosecute the war against Boko Haram: The first phase of the investigations revealed several sordid details, many of the assets of culprits have been seized from them and they are facing trial.

     

    1. The release of the sum of $289m in cash on February 25, 2015: Documents including cash vouchers indicate that the the sum of  $289,202,382 was taken  from the Joint Venture (JV) Cash Call Account No. 000-0000-11658-366 of the NNPC/NAPIMS with JP Morgan Chase Bank, New York, USA.

     

    1. N70 billion was released in parts from the national treasury between January 8 and February 25, 2015.

     

    5.In another illegal disbursement,  25th August 2014,   N60B in cash in tranches of N40billion and N20billion:   The sum was not tied to any project or procurement and was then shared between two security agencies under the supervision of the then NSA. Most of these sums ended up in the hands of senior PDP members some of whom have returned parts of the loot. Some are standing trial for these offenses. These facts are in the public domain.

     

    1. There was yet another set of illegal fund withdrawals under one week between January 8and 16, 2015, where the sum of N1.5 billion was released in three tranches of N300m, N400m and N800m respectively. This money was released from the MEA Research Library Account .

     

    1. Another document showed that N10 billion was released to the Office of the National Security Adviser by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on September 15, 2014. The money was released in tranches of foreign exchange of $47 million, $5 million, 4 million Euros and 1.6 million Euros. A letter from the Office of the NSA in November 2014 further showed that the monies were released as ‘funds for special services’. This particular release of N10B was sourced in November 2014 from a N40 Billion CBN released funds meant for Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR. Investigators showed that this money was released for the PDP Presidential Primaries.

     

    1. Lamido Sanusi, then CBN Governor was sacked for speaking up about the over $20billion missing from oil proceeds.

     

    These cases of grand corruption and open looting of public resources pauperized Nigeria and left us with little or no savings in the years when oil was selling at 100 to 114 dollars a barrel and we were producing 2.1 million barrels a day. When  in 2015 oil prices went even as low as between 28 and 35 dollars a barrel and oil production fell to less than one million barrels a day we had no buffer, no savings, to tide us through.

     

    The amount released from CBN in cash on a single day, ie the US$289M ( N88.1Bn) is  enough to  fund 244,000 N-Power graduates for a year, or pay for  1.2Billion school meals or  complete half of Lagos -Ibadan or half of Abuja -Kaduna -Kano roads.

     

     

    The Vice President also made the point  that in 2014 with oil prices as high as 120 dollars per barrel,  the total capital released for Power, Works, Housing, Defence, Transport, Agriculture and Defence were just N152Billion for the whole year.

     

    By contrast, the Buhari administration committed N578Bn to the same Ministries in 2016 with oil prices as low as US$28 per barrel as part of the strategy to end the recession. The government was able to do more with less by stopping grand corruption and impunity.

     

    Recently, the Minister Coordinating the economy in that administration has written a revealing book : Fighting Corruption is Dangerous: The Story Behind the Headlines. Who knows, perhaps her stories too are all lies!

  • $1.04b Malabu oil block: I didn’t grant interview to implicate Jonathan, others

    A former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN) has denied granting any interview to implicate ex-President Goodluck Jonathan or any person in the Settlement Agreement on the $1.04billion Malabu oil block.

    He also said he advised Mohammed Abacha, the son of a former Military Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, to go to court on his claim to part ownership of the shares in Malabu Oil and Gas Limited.

    Adoke, who made the clarifications in a statement, said there was no time he declared Malabu Oil Block agreement as a “presidential scam” under the administration of Jonathan.

    He said he did not speak with RAI Television of Italy or a reporter with the medium, Ms Carlamaria Rumor.

    The tape of the purported interview of Adoke is now before a court in Milan as one of the exhibits for the trial of some oil executives.

    Adoke said: “I want to place it on record that I did not grant any telephone interview to Carlamaria Rumor or any other person in respect of OPL 245 Settlement Agreement. The said Carla Maria is unknown to me, has never spoken to me and I could therefore not have granted her a one hour 17 minutes phone interview.

    “I have checked RAI Television website, but the said Carla Maria Rumor is not listed either as a TV or print journalist with RAI Television. This is clearly a case of a phantom RAI journalist.

    “ If indeed if I was given $2.2 million  for the OPL 245 transaction as alleged by the EFCC, why would I be offering to give the money to the imaginary journalist? How on earth would anyone believe that I could talk so carelessly and recklessly to a journalist that I had never met in person, when indeed, I am fully aware of the clandestine plans to nail me at all cost? It is simply incredulous.

    He said the phantom interview was meant to “pitch me against my Principal, His Excellency, ex-President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR whom I hold in high regard with a view to causing ill-will and disaffection between us.”

    The ex-Minister explained that Mohammed Abacha was not sidelined by him and the Federal Government  in the Settlement Agreement with Malabu Oil and Gas Limited.

    He added: “Since 2001, Dan Etete had been the only person that engaged successive governments on behalf of Malabu Oil and Gas Limited. He was effectively the alter ego of the company to knowledge of all government officials involved in the negotiation and implementation of OPL 245 Settlement Agreement.

    “Mr. Mohammed Abacha only appeared on the scene when the Settlement Agreement had been executed and implemented.

    “However, realizing that his claims to part ownership of the shares in Malabu Oil and Gas Limited amounted to a shareholder dispute, I accordingly advised him to go to court to assert his claims as the court was the only proper forum to effectively resolve such shareholder

    On a tape in a  Milan Court on the alleged interview, Adoke said he was disallowed access to it in order to subject it to forensic analysis.

    The statement said: “I first heard of the existence of such a tape in a publication by Vrij Nederland 26th October 2017 with the caption: “Shell in Nigeria: Corrupt Constructions.” I caused my Solicitors to write to Vrij Nederland protesting the libelous publication and requested that they disclose the tape, and details where the alleged interview took place, including relevant date.

    “Vrij Nederland declined to name their sources and the disclosures requested by me on the alleged tape despite my absolute denial of the interview alleged.

    “The disclosure requested was to afford the parties interested in the tape recording to subject it to forensic analysis to determine the genuineness of the recorded tape and of the telephone interview alleged.

    “I am informed by objective sources as well as sources from the Italian proceedings that the content of the alleged tape recording of the supposed interview on many aspect of the interview with the “Report” ‘appears (on the face of it) wrong and out of question to such a point,’ to the extent many top ranking officials of the party engaged in the current Milan/Italian proceedings, believe my voice/content of the tape recording of the interview alleged have been manipulated.

    “The Party referred is understood to be currently seeking technical expertise from phonic court experts to test whether the voice in the file of the interview as utilized by the journalist has been fabricated.”