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Tag: Lawal

  • ‘Lawal remains labour party candidate’

    Former Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Dr. Sikiru Lawal, remains the governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP), his campaign organisation has said.

    Director General of his campaign organisation, Chief Segun Akinwumi, has urged the people of Ekiti State to disregard claims in some quarters that the LP has no governorship flag bearer for the July 14 poll.

    Factional LP National Chairman, Mr. Mike Omotoso, had claimed that the party had not nominated anybody as governorship candidate saying anybody parading himself as such is an “impostor.”

    But Akinwumi in a statement maintained that Omotoso lacks the locus standi to speak for the party on grounds that the LP National Chairman recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is Alhaji Paiko.

    Akinwumi said: “The attention of Ekiti State Labour Party is drawn to the statement purportedly made by one Dr. Mike Omotoso on the veracity of our candidate for the July 14, 2018 election, Dr. Sikiru Tae lawal.

    “The INEC recognized executive of the Labour Party at the national level is headed by Alhaji Paiko which the state chapter headed by Engr. Banji Omotoso is the Chairman, which produced Dr. Sikiru Tae Lawal as the authentic flag bearer with no controversy.

    “Let it be known that we are aware of the antics of Dr Mike Omotoso and his errands, and errand masters.

    “We urge our teeming lovers and supporters to stand firm with the Labour Party and support Dr. Sikiru Tae Lawal in rescuing our dear Ekiti State from the dungeon and shackles of serial money lenders we are in.”

     

  • EFCC raises panel to grill ex-SGF Lawal, seven others

    EFCC raises panel to grill ex-SGF Lawal, seven others

    FIVE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) detectives are to investigate allegations against ex-Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir David Lawal.

    The team, which was formed yesterday, expects Lawal to respond to eight posers, The Nation learnt.

    Lawal may be invited for interrogation alongside seven others.

    Also, the anti-graft agency yesterday grilled former Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam for about nine hours over alleged N23billion election bribe, which was traced to a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.

    According to a source, the Special Investigative Committee will invite Lawal after the preliminary review of the reports of the Presidential Investigative Committee, which was headed by Vice -President Yemi Osinbajo and the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Mounting Humanitarian Crisis in the Northeast, led by Senator Shehu Sani.

     

    It was learnt that Lawal is being probed for alleged contract scandal, violation of Public Procurement Act, abuse of office and mismanagement of funds.

    The source said: “Our team is set and we have isolated eight issues for Lawal to respond to.

    “Both Osinbajo’s Committee and the Senate Ad hoc Committee recommended the prosecution of all those involved in the alleged contract scam in the Presidential Initiative in the Northeast.”

    A document obtained last night revealed the areas to be clarified by Lawal, some companies and PINE officials. They are:

    • Why did PINE pay 95%-100% contract sums for projects yet to be executed?
    • How much was PINE’s contributions to two conferences on rebuilding the Northeast?
    • What informed the award of and purported payment of a N223million consultancy contract for the removal of invasive plant species in Komadugu, Yobe Water Channels to the ex-SGF’s company?
    • Why was Section 43(iii) and (iv) of the Public Procurement Act 2007 ignored by PINE?
    • Could it be true that all the contracts awarded by PINE had no direct bearing to the needs of the Internally Displaced Persons?
    • Who recommended the engagement of Rholavision Engineering Limited belonging to a then serving government official, Babachir Lawal?
    • Is it true that Rholavision was incorporated in 1990 to carry out ICT services instead of agro services?
    • Was Lawal a signatory to Rholavision’s account as at the time of the award of the consultancy contract? Was he a director of the same firm till September 2016 while in office as SGF?

    The EFCC yesterday grilled ex-Governor Suswam for nine hours on the over N23.9billion poll bribery scam involving a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.

    A source in the EFCC said: “Suswam was invited for interrogation on the poll bribery scandal. He came around 9am and as at 7pm, he was still with us.

    “We have grilled him for about nine hours to explain his roles in the scam. It is not yet clear if he will be detained or released on bail.”

  • Buhari hands over Lawal, Oke to anti-graft agencies

    Buhari hands over Lawal, Oke to anti-graft agencies

    Sacked Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Babachir David Lawal and National Intelligence Agency (NIA) Director-General Ayo Oke are to be quizzed by the anti-graft agencies.

    After the Presidency announced the officers’ sack yesterday, there were calls that they be handed over to the anti-graft agencies.

    A statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said President Muhammadu Buhari’s position “is that investigation agencies which have already commenced the investigation of the two officers removed from office will go on with their work of investigation without any interference or hindrance”.

    “The President, who is fully conversant with the provisions of the constitution will not stop the investigation of anyone because he has no such power under our laws. This is a decision of the Supreme Court,” Shehu said, adding: “The President under our laws can, through the Attorney General, enter a nolle prosequi to stop an ongoing trial. He may, upon conviction, order a pardon.

    “Beyond these, the President cannot order investigation agencies to not investigate anyone and does not intend to do in this, or any other circumstance.

    “Based on his wish and desire for a strict observance of the law, the President expects the EFCC, ICPC and such agencies to proceed with ongoing investigations..

    “When and where they have reasonable grounds to charge former or serving officers to court\

    Lawal  was suspended on April 19, following allegation of misappropriation of fund meant for development of the Northeast .

    The President based his decision on the report of the three- man panel headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo which probed corruption allegations against the two officials.

    Special Adviser on Media and Publicity Femi Adesina who announced the decision, said Buhari accepted the recommendation of the Osinbajo panel to terminate Lawal’s appointment.

    The President appointed Boss Mustapha as Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

    The appointment, according to the statement, takes immediate effect.

    President Buhari also approved the recommendation to terminate the appointment of Ambassador Oke and the setting up of a three-member panel to, among other things, look into the operational, technical and administrative structure of the Agency and make appropriate recommendations. The names of the members of the panel were not given.

    Until yesterday, Mustapha, a lawyer and politician, was the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).

    Lawal was alleged to have engaged in misappropriation of funds and lack of due process in the Presidential Initiative North East (PINE) which focuses on the redevelopment and humanitarian crisis caused largely by the Boko Haram menace in that region.

     

  • Mixed reactions trail Fed Govt’s sack of Lawal, Oke

    Mixed reactions trail Fed Govt’s sack of Lawal, Oke

    Has the Federal Government acted right by sacking ex-Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, and ex-National Intelligence Agency (NIA) Director-General Ayo Oke? Opinions are divided, report GBADE OGUNWALE, OSAGIE OTABOR and TONY AKOWE

    What should happen next after yesterday’s sack of ex-Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, and ex-National Intelligence Agency (NIA) Director-General Ayo Oke?

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called for the prosecution of the duo.  The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) feels President Muhammadu Buhari has done what is expected of him. But like the PDP, activists believe the duo should be properly investigated and prosecuted.

     

    PDP: go the whole hog

     

    A statement yesterday by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, accused Buhari of double standard in the anti-corruption war by shielding his aides and associates from prosecution while haunting opposition figure over alleged corruption.

    Describing the sacking of Babachir and Oke as a slap on the faces of Nigerians, the PDP insisted that they be handed over to the existing anti-corruption agencies for investigation and prosecution.

    The PDP said: “It is an insult on the-collective intelligence of our people who have waited patiently for the President’s reaction on the humongous act of corruption by two of his principal aides and this is totally unacceptable.

    “First and foremost, we had disagreed with the President last year when he decided to setup the panel headed by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo to investigate the matter because we thought that was the wrong course of action to take.

    “Ordinarily, cases of corruption or alleged cases of misappropriation of funds are supposed to be referred to institutions that are saddled with the responsibility to investigate and prosecute such matters, which is the ICPC and the EFCC if there is any prima facie case against them.

    “But it appears not all animals are equal under the Buhari APC administration. Some people are treated with kid gloves while others, particularly those in opposition are subjected to all manner of harrowing experiences.

    “One of the senators of the APC, Senator Shehu Sani of Kaduna State, succinctly put the matter when he said that this administration uses deodorant to fight corruption when it comes to some APC members and President Buhari’s kitchen cabinet, but uses insecticides when it involves members of the opposition and those in the National Assembly”.

    The opposition party wondered why it took the President almost one year to attend to the two cases while the culprits were having a field day at home and enjoying themselves.

    “Whereas, in the case of the opposition, especially PDP members, even when the evidence is flimsy, they will be visited with multiple harassment and intimidation for months and weeks without proper trial.

    “We cite the case of Sambo Dasuki who has been in detention for over two years even when many courts in Nigeria and the ECOWAS Court have ordered his release, the President has fragrantly disobeyed these court orders which again are a violation of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “This is an impeachable offence. So the President cannot just sack Ayo Oke and Babachir Lawal and expects us to be clapping for him.

    “We believe that we are operating under a democracy and a Constitution that governs our affairs. To have subjected these people to different sets of rule and treatment is totally unacceptable.

    “Nigerians are the same under the law and Babachir Lawal and Ayo Oke should not be tried by the Presidency while others are hounded by the EFCC and ICPC.

    “These actions of Mr. President are therefore a breach of his oath of office, which he swore to defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and to be fair and just to all Nigerians without any discrimination whatsoever.

    “The action of the President is a gross violation of his constitutional oath and therefore constitutes a veritable ground for impeachment Using and applying different laws to different people in the country is a direct assault on the constitution and the rule of law .

    “Consequently, we call on the National Assembly to begin processes to impeach the President for breach of the Constitution and fragrance disobedience to the laws of Nigeria.

    “We totally reject these actions and the law should follow its full course on the issues of these officers. In other words, their case should be referred to the EFCC for proper investigation and trial, more so when the President has not told us what the report of the findings was,” the statement added.

    The party argued that Nigerians have the right to know the findings of the Osinbajo panel that investigated Lawal and Oke and insisted that the report should be made public.

    “The President has by his actions taken Nigeria to the level of a banana republic. We are not in a banana republic. This is the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Three successive governments of the PDP did not act in the manner President Buhari is acting.

    “There is no doubt that the sudden sack of the SGF and the DG of NIA is just a consequence of the backlash on the Abdulrasheed Maina saga.

    “Up till now, there’s no answer to the pertinent questions we have asked on the Maina saga. The government cares less about the feelings and opinions of Nigerians. This kind of arrogance is unprecedented in the history of this county.

    “We again call for the arrest and investigation of the two Ministers involved in the return of Maina into the civil service, that is, the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau and Abubakar Mallami , the Attorney General of the Federation & Minister of Justice,” the party said.

     

    APC: we’re vindicated

     

    The APC said yesterday that the sack of the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation has vindicated the party.

    The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said: “Few days ago when the President directed the dismissal of Abdulrasheed Maina, some people say that is right but what about the suspended SGF, BD Lawal but we as a party said ‘look, the President is the only person who has all the information. All of us can only have one side of the story or the other’.

    “But the President by the virtue of the position he occupies is the only one who has all the information and he would do what is necessary at the right time; now we have been vindicated and it shows that the President has not in any way waivered  in his commitment not to tolerate corruption at any level no matter who is involved.”

     

    Babachir ‘s sack long

    overdue, says Sagay

     

    The Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Anti Corruption, Prof Itse Sagay, said the sack of the suspended SGF was long.

    Sagay said “I think there has been a consensus on this and that was overdue. There has been too much delay. Although I will like to put a caveat that government usually has a lot more information than the rest of us as the delay might have been discretionary due to the information they had. I was patient and I definitely endorse the final decision that has been taken.

    “Boss Mustapha has a very long history of political activities and my impression on him is that, apart from being a lawyer with a very good reputation in terms of integrity, he has always been a consistent person in whatever course he pursues. So, I think that we should okay at it as a positive development.”

     

    SERAP asks Buhari to handover Lawal, Oke to EFCC, ICPC

     

    Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has welcomed the decision by President Muhammadu Buhari to sack the suspended Secretary to Government of the Federation, Mr Babachir Lawal, and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Mr Ayodele Oke.

    The organisation also called on Buhari to “urgently handover Lawal and Oke to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for further investigation, and if there is relevant and sufficient admissible evidence, for them to face prosecution.”

    In a statement today by SERAP deputy director Timothy Adewale, the organisation said: “This is a positive development in the fight against grand corruption, although this decision is coming rather late. Buhari now has to go a step further by making sure that both Lawal and Oke are promptly brought to justice in fair trials.”

    The statement reads: “Buhari also has to move swiftly to publish report of investigation into the secret reinstatement of fugitive former civil servant, Abdulrasheed Maina, and without delay identify and bring to justice anyone suspected to be involved.”

    “This government now has a real opportunity to reassure a lot of Nigerians who may be worried about the direction of travel of the president’s anti-corruption agenda that there will be no sacred cow as far as the fight against corruption is concerned.”

    “What the government needs at this time is a revolutionary approach to the fight against corruption if Buhari is to show his commitment to ‘kill’ corruption before corruption ‘kills’ Nigeria.”

    “Without effective prosecution of high-ranking public officials charged with corruption, this government’s fight against corruption may sadly turn out to be all motion and no movement, and this will eventually undermine the legitimacy of the anticorruption efforts.”

    In a brief statement today the presidency said that President Muhammadu Buhari has studied the report of the panel headed by the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), which investigated allegations against the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, and the Director General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ayodele Oke.

    The statement noted that the president accepted the recommendation of the panel to terminate the appointment of Mr. Lawal, and has appointed Boss Mustapha as the new Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

     

    HURIWA seeks the

    arrest of Lawal, Oke

     

    The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) yesterday called on Buhari to order the arrest of Lawal and Oke.

    In a statement signed by the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Media Affairs Director Miss. Zainab Yusuf, HURIWA also criticised the President for failing to use the sacking of the erstwhile SGF to balance the ‘clear lopsidedness’ in the composition of his cabinet.

    The group said: “Let all the credible Non-governmental bodies come together as a coalition of patriots to set up effective monitoring mechanisms to ensure that all the relevant law enforcement institutions are compelled to do the needful in this instance and not be allowed to deliberately undermine or destroy the prosecution of these two powerful former presidency officials.

    “The erstwhile SGF is alleged to be very close to the acting chairman of EFCC because the EFCC acting Chairman has been sighted in the Maitama residence of the now sacked SGF Babachir Lawa.”

     

    Oshiomhole hails

    appointment of SGF

     

    Former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole has described the newly appointed Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, as one of the engine rooms of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the 2015 presidential election.

    Oshiomhole said the appointment of Mustapha came at a time when the APC and government were making efforts to re-tool the system for enhanced service delivery to the people.

    He said: “Mr. Boss Mustapha saw the entire processes of the formation of the party, electioneering and management of all the factors that led to the victory of the party at the 2015 General elections.

    “He is not just a seasoned party man who understands the dynamics of party management but also very much abreast with governmental administration and responsibilities.

    “As a calm, collected and silent organiser, he is very much at home with all the critical elements of the party and knows how to coordinate effortlessly without carrying any air around himself. His appointment would no doubt rekindle the strong determination of the present APC government in delivering the dividends of democracy for the good of all.

    “Mr. Boss Mustapha is coming into this job with a lot of experience in administration and management. He will no doubt be a huge resource and engine room for the APC-led Federal Government. I wish to record my congratulations on this appointment which I consider as a square peg in a square hole.”

  • Lawal, Oke to face security agencies- Presidency

    Lawal, Oke to face security agencies- Presidency

    The Presidency on Monday night said President Muhammadu Buhari has taken the necessary administrative action against the allegations leveled against the sacked Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal and the Director General of National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ayo Oke.
     It added that all other actions will be taken by the relevant government agencies.
    This was contained in a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu.
    He said “The position of the President therefore is that investigation agencies which have already commenced the investigation of the two officers removed from office will go on with their work of investigation without any interference or hindrance.
    “The President who is fully conversant with the provisions of the constitution will not stop the investigation of anyone because he has no such power under our laws. This is a decision of the Supreme Court.
    “The President under our laws can, through the Attorney General enter a nolle prosequi to stop an on-going trial. He may upon conviction, order a pardon.
    ” Beyond these, the president cannot order investigation agencies to not investigate anyone and does not intend to do in this, or any other circumstance.
    “Based on his wish and desire for a strict observance of the law, the President expects the EFCC, ICPC and such agencies to proceed with ongoing investigations..
    “When and where they have reasonable grounds to charge former or serving officers to court under our laws, they do not require the permission of the President to do so, ” he stated
  • Court strikes out suit seeking sack of Magu, Lawal

    Court strikes out suit seeking sack of Magu, Lawal

    A Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday struck out a suit seeking to compel President Muhammadu Buhari to sack acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, and suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, David Lawal.

    The court’s decision was informed by a change of mind by the plaintiffs – Save Nigeria Group (SNG) and Kingdom Human Rights Foundation International (KHRFI) – whose lawyer, Kingdom Okeke, applied to withdraw the cases.

    The groups filed the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/15/1072/16 on December 29, 2015, in the wake of the corruption allegations levelled by the Senate against Lawal and Magu.

    Yesterday, Okeke applied orally for the withdrawal of the case on the ground that his client had reconsidered their position on the matter in public interest.

    After listening to Okeke apply to withdraw the suit, Justice John Tsoho, in a ruling, struck it out.

    Okeke told The Nation after court’s proceedings that ”the boards of the plaintiffs looked at the issue of the $43 million discovered in a flat in Osborne building in Ikoyi, Lagos and discovered that Magu had done well.

    “This money was just a microscopic percentage of funds stolen by the political class over the years.

    “It is commendable that the EFCC under the leadership of Magu was able to discover this money and nobody could honour the invitation to come out and lay claim to it, prompting the court to make a final forfeiture order of the money to the Federal Government. So we decided to withdraw the suit in support of Magu.”

    The plaintiffs had in the suit filed last year named President Buhari, Lawal, Magu, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, and the Senate as the defendants.

    They argued that the Senate, having recommended the removal and prosecution of Lawal, the President was under obligation to suspend or sack him as the SGF.

    They added that the Senate, having rejected Magu’s nomination as substantive chairman of the EFCC, the office had become vacant.

    They urged the court to declare that the allegation against Lawal by the Senate “is a sufficient and reasonable ground to warrant and compel President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to sack or suspend Lawal as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation or compel him to resign as the SGF, pending when he is cleared of every allegation of corruption; on the ground that the President claims that his administration is fighting corruption.”

    They also urged the court to declare that “the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria had the constitutional powers to recommend the sack or suspension of Lawal as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) on the grounds of corruption allegation filed against him and his company, in view of section 88(1) (b) and (2) (b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

    They also sought a declaration that the provisions of the Federal Civil Service Rules is applicable to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and that under the Federal Civil Service Rules, a person appointed in acting capacity cannot act in such capacity for more than six months, in view of Rules 010101, 020603 and 020604 of the Federal Civil Service Rules 2008.

    “A declaration that the Senate’s rejection of the 1st Defendant’s nomination of Mr. Ibrahim Magu as the substantive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) following the Senate’s votes and proceeding of Thursday 15 December 2016 is a reasonable and lawful ground to warrant and compel the 1st Defendant to appoint/nominate another person as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission without any further delay.

    “A declaration that the office of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is vacant on the ground of the Senate’s rejection and failure to confirm Mr. Ibrahim Magu, who has been acting in that capacity for more than six months.

    “A declaration that the four-year term of office provided for in section 3 (1) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act is only applicable to a substantive Chairman of EFCC who is appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate; and not applicable to a person appointed to act in the capacity of Chairman of the Commission, pending the appointment and confirmation of a substantive Chairman.”

  • Senate panel: Lawal must be prosecuted

    Senate panel: Lawal must be prosecuted

    The travails of the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Babachir David Lawal, may be far from over.
    The Senate ad-hoc committee investigating “Mounting Humanitarian Crisis in the North East”, yesterday recommended his prosecution for alleged infraction and contravention of the Public Procurement Act 2007.
    The Committee also said Lawal breached the Oaths of Office as Secretary to the Government of the Federation and should therefore be prosecuted by relevant authorities.
    This is contained in the recommendations of the committee submitted to the Senate yesterday by the Chairman of the ad-hoc Committee, Senator Shehu Sani.
    The committee said: “Committee is of the opinion that Engr. Babachir David Lawal has contravened the provision of Part 1 of the Fifth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution (As amended); the Public Procurement Act 2007 and breach the Oaths of Office as Secretary to the Government of the Federation should be prosecuted by the relevant authorities.”
    The Committee also recommended “further investigation by relevant agencies of Government on why contract benefitting companies paid over Five hundred million (N500,000,000.00) into Rholavision Engineering Limited, a company in which Engr. Babachir David Lawal has interest.”
    It said “the Banks transactions of Rholavision Engineering Limited and the confirmation by the Central Bank of Nigeria that the Bank Verification Number of Engr. Babachir David Lawal is still the signatory to Rholavision Engineering Limited accounts and thirteen (13) other accounts, some with different names; the Committee is of the opinion that Engr. Babachir David Lawal has contravened the provision of Part 1 of the Fifth Schedule of the 1999 Constitution (As amended); the Public Procurement Act 2007 and breach the Oaths of Office as Secretary to the Government of the Federation should be prosecuted by the relevant authorities.”
    The committee recommended that “all resources that have been misapplied or stolen by public officials should be retrieved and anybody found culpable of contravening any of the provisions of the Public Procurement Act, 2007 and the Federal Government Financial Rules and Regulations pertaining to the award of these contracts should be duly prosecuted by the relevant authorities.”
    It added that “relevant agencies should ensure that contracts partially executed but fully paid for must be completed by the concerned contractors, or asked to refund the equivalent money of outstanding jobs to the government treasury.”
    The committee noted that “since there is evidence of malnutrition, hunger and starvation among the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), the Federal Government and States in the North East should as a matter of urgency see that food items, shelter and other essentials are adequately and promptly provided to the IDPs in order to address the prevailing malnutrition observed amongst them.”
    It added that the issue of many out-of-school children in the IDPs as result of poor educational facilities necessitates that concerted effort should be made by both the Federal and State Governments of the North East to provide conducive learning atmosphere for the children of the IDPs.
    It noted that “the complete absence of personnel of the Federal Ministry of Health in the IDP camps leaves much to be desired, hence the ministry should be compelled to immediately deploy its personnel to all the IDPs Camp to Support the efforts of the international Humanitarian Crisis Managers and the Nigerian Air force medical team in providing the necessary medical assistance so as to avert possible outbreak of communicable diseases like cholera, measles, and diarrhea etc; “
    The committee prayed the Senate to “condemn the failure of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) that are critical to the management, to appear before the Committee despite several invitations.”
    It said: “Since it was established that PINE was paying less attentions to the critical needs of the IDPs in the form of housing, the bulk of the resources were used for issues that were not addressing the immediate needs of the IDPs, but rather wasted resources on issues that merely address the pecuniary needs/interest of the officials and associates therefore, the Committee recommends that there is the need for concerted effort to reorient the intervention effort of the emergency situation, the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPE) should undertake a revaluation of such contracts to recover any proceeds from over inflated contracts.
    “Relevant agencies should ensure that contracts partially executed but fully paid for must be completed by the concerned contractors, or asked to refund the equivalent money of outstanding jobs to the government treasury.
    “All resources that have been misapplied or stolen by public officials should be retrieved and anybody found culpable of contravening any of the provisions of the Public Procurement Act, 2007 and the Federal Government Financial Rules and Regulations pertaining to the award of these contracts should be duly prosecuted by the relevant authorities.”
    “Since one of the issues hindering the management of emergency situation in the IDPs is the lack of synergy and proper coordination among all humanitarian crisis managers in the IDPs, the Committee recommends that the newly constituted Presidential Committee on the North East Initiative (PCNI) should ensure that there is proper synergy and coordination and government should ensure that PCNI be manned by people of high integrity; and inclusive enough to accommodate the leaders of the various communities that are involved.
    “Since all the contracts awarded by PINE were awarded under the principle of emergency situation, PINE should forward a detailed report of all contracts awarded by it to the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) in accordance with Section 43 (iv) of the Public Procurement Act, 2007.”
    It said since it was observed that there was no bill of quantities on most of the contracts awarded by PINE under the BPE should review all the contracts.
    With the submission of the final report of the committee, the Senate will now choose a day to consider the report and make its recommendations and resolutions.

     

  • Lawal reveals reason for Tornadoes move

    Lawal reveals reason for Tornadoes move

    Niger Tornadoes new arrival, Shittu Lawal has explained the rationale behind his exit from Akwa United.

    The defender appeared once for the Promise Keepers in the first round of the ongoing Nigerian league campaign. But believes his inclusion in the Solid Miners’ setup in the second round of the season will help propel them to the topflight title.

    “I think it’s the right time for me to move from Akwa United and I feel it’s best for me to have joined Niger Tornadoes till the end of the season,” Lawal told Goal.

    “I came here to help the team win the league, they are in a very good position and I hope to add more quality as I work hard with the rest of the team to make history.

    “It looks like a big dream but dreams do come true if only one works hard to make it happen. Personally I want to improve on my game and being at an ambitious club like Niger Tornadoes offers every player the right platform to express themselves,” he said.

    Niger Tornadoes are placed fourth on the log, four points adrift of  Plateau United.

  • Lawal and Oke as glamour news

    These indeed, are interesting times. They are also good times for news hunters. These days, the whole place is saturated with news in different moulds and dimensions. There is plenty of news in circulation every day to the extent that it takes an editor with good news judgement to decide what the lead story of his paper would be from the plethora of news items available to pick from.
    While the ink with which a particular breaking news item is written is still dripping, several other news items of compelling nature keep tumbling in, in quick succession. They come in different shapes and sizes, from the sublime to the ridiculous. Surprisingly, most of the news items usually emanate from the corridors of power and government agencies.
    Last week was particularly busy for the media. Work had just started after the Easter holiday when, suddenly, there was bedlam in the presidency following the directive by the president that Babachir David Lawal, the all-powerful Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF and Ayodele Oke, the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, be suspended. Both of them had been respectively accused of legal and due process violations as well as the discovery of large amounts of foreign and local currencies by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in a private, residential apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos.
    The suspension order on the two principal officers of government came as a rude shock to the public. For instance, the SGF had, few months back, when the controversy surrounding his handling of the grass-cutting contract awarded for the northeast, been given a clean bill of health by the presidency. This caused uproar in both the National Assembly where he was allegedly indicted and the public who viewed the government action as tantamount to condoning corruption. In the case of the DG NIA, the discovery of a whooping N13b stashed away in a private apartment by the EFCC has become a subject of discussion all over the country and beyond.
    Investigations revealed that the total money collected by this agency was in the neighbourhood of N56b. In that case, the N13b found hidden in the Ikoyi apartment could have been the balance of the money that was left in the kitty after all expenses suspected to have been made during the 2015 general elections.
    However, Lawal opened a Pandora’s Box when, shortly after the news of the suspension filtered into the media, he was confronted by news hunters who sought to know his reaction to the order. As the news of the suspension order by the presidency was broken to him, an apparently bewildered SGF, had retorted: who is the presidency? That question has, in itself, generated another debate as to who really is the presidency? The questions now agitating the minds of the people are: Is the presidency Buhari? Or is the presidency being referred to here, the cabals or scavengers around the corridors of power who have become so powerful that they wield awesome powers?
    The questions are germane because it appears that Lawal was quite aware that President Buhari had withdrawn from the public as a result of his illness which recently kept him in London for about 50 days. Besides, in the last two weeks, he had been absent from some official functions including the weekly National Executive Council meetings, only appearing briefly at the Friday Juma’at service in the confines of the Villa. At any rate, Lawal must have been in the know of the power-play in the Villa of which he could have been a major player himself. This was probably why he sought explanation for who was the presidency that issued his suspension order.
    It may take many months, if not years or even eternity, to arrive at an appropriate answer to that question. The fact is that activities around the president in Nigeria have, for long, been shrouded in secrecy. Like it is obtainable elsewhere, there is always a coterie of influence-wielding people who cluster around the corridors of power and assume the role of de facto presidents all over the place. They could be friends of the incumbent president, his relations, a group of ministers or advisers who constitute themselves into what is called the kitchen cabinet.
    Sometimes, these cabals could have the wives and or concubines of the sitting president as their arrow-head. We saw it in Turai the late President Yar’Adua’s wife; the late Stella, wife of former President Olusegun Obasanjo; and quite recently, in Patience, former President Goodluck Jonathan’s wife, including some primitive and not-too-exposed Ijaw boys and women of easy virtues, who suddenly assumed prominence in the corridors of power under the Jonathan administration.
    For Lawal, he was largely known to the public as a very arrogant person. Many times, he was quoted as telling whoever cared to listen that he could have been better off if he was allowed to operate outside the government and corner contracts from all the states of the federation rather than being pigeon-holed in the government office.
    As for Oke, those who have come across him, easily credit him as a quite humble, respectful and easy going gentleman. Agreed. But how do you reconcile that with the quantum of money allegedly discovered to have been stashed away in a private house under his watch. Remember, William Shakespeare once said: “There is no art to find the mind’s construction in the face.”
    It was learnt that other security agencies got heavy allocations in the rundown to the 2015 elections. What this invariably means is that this money may have been set aside to influence the outcome of the 2015 elections. Therefore, it might just be necessary to widen the scope of the investigation to include other security agencies who might have been used as conduits to ferry out money for rigging the elections.
    At any rate, all eyes are now on the Osinbajo-led three-man panel which has been constituted to investigate the allegations levelled against Lawal and Oke. The panel comprising the Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo himself, the Attorney General and Justice Minister, Abubakar Malami, as well as the National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd.), has 14 days to summit its report. From the suspended SGF’s question of who the presidency really is, it is left to be seen how the white paper of the probe panel will turn out to be. Maybe by the time the result comes out, Nigerians would have, indeed, found an answer to Lawal’s question.
    From the reports making the rounds, it is understood that but for the insistence of Osinbajo on the need to clear the air on these two principal officers, majority of the people in the presidency had suggested that the matter concerning both officers be treated as a security issue. And some of these people might be part of those (if not the people) who would sit with the president and take a decision on the issues.
    For a long time, it has become increasingly clear that whereas Buhari is committed to the anti-corruption war which is one of the cardinal programmes of the party in power, the All Progressives’ Congress, APC, it is doubtful if his co-travellers in government are so committed to the anti-corruption war. That is the reason Nigerians are very sceptical about the likely outcome of the panel’s enquiry at the end of the day. God help Nigeria!

  • NPFL players must have patience to succeed-Lawal

    NPFL players must have patience to succeed-Lawal

    Former  Nigeria international Garba Lawal believes Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) players can make a career breakthrough if they remain focused and have the spirit of patience.

    Following the surprise switch of Ezekiel Bassey from Enyimba to Barcelona II in January, the former Super Eagles star insists players can actualise their dreams in Nigeria if they shun fraudulent agents.

    “The important thing for most players is that they need to remain focused,” Lawal told Goal.

    “I watch the local leagues. Most of the players get carried away by agents. During our time, we did not have agents – maybe that’s why we concentrated playing good football.

    “Some of the agents sway them with their sweet mouths and they follow them. As a player, you should know what you want. Let them talk, but you focus on playing what you’ve been playing.

    “Don’t leave what you have and start thinking of grabbing what is not possible. Hold on to what you have. If you’re here, you stay and keep trying your best.

    “If you keep listening to those agents who promise to take you to this or that country – you will just get yourself distracted for nothing.

    “Football is all about time and opportunity. If the time comes, that opportunity you have will make a way for you.

    “But if it is yet to come, remain calm. Patience is very difficult but very important and with it, you will succeed.”