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Tag: Lawan

  • Lawan and the quest for NASS leadership

    It is no longer news that the All Progressives Congress (APC) recently announced its endorsement of Senator Ahmed Lawan from Yobe State as the party’s candidate for the position of president of the senate in the ninth assembly.

    The party hinged its decision to field Senator Lawan on the outcome of extensive consultations with members-elect, stakeholders as well as the cognate experience of the senator.

    Expectedly, Senator Lawan has since hit the ground running alongside his campaign team.

    Speaking during a campaign visit to Lagos last week, Senator Lawan unveiled his campaign slogan- the “A Senate and National Assembly that works for Nigeria” to the public. According to him, the main agenda is to have a senate and National Assembly that will work with the Nigerian people.

    “We need a National Assembly that will look at Nigeria as its constituency. We want a senate and a National Assembly that will maintain cordiality, synergy and cooperation with other arms of government” he stated, adding that the welfare of Nigerians must not be compromised, stressing that jobs and wealth should not be concentrated in few hands.

    In his words, “you can’t sleep with two eyes closed if wealth does not go round, if there is poverty, if the children of the poor cannot to school”. Senator Lawan said the 9th Senate should assist the country by helping President Muhammadu  Buhari to achieve his agenda in the areas of security, economy, job creation and anti-corruption battles.

    To him, the concept of separation of powers should not translate into an unnecessary rift that will cripple the harmonious working relationship amongst the various organs of government to the detriment of the country. The relationship amongst these organs of government, he stressed, should be characterized by cooperation, collaboration, partnership and synergy.

    “We may disagree. Our perspectives may differ. We don’t go to the market square to settle our differences. We should be able to meet and discuss issues and make compromise in national interest. That is the way to grow democracy. We may disagree, but the disagreement should not escalate”, he  declared”.

    On his qualification for the exalted office, he said his progressive stance over the years would serve as a major advantage. “I have been in National Assembly for almost 20 years. I have served in the House of Representatives for eight years and senate 12 years. I am a progressive. I was an APP and later ANPP House of Representatives member and I am now in the APC. I believe in the progressive politics, in ensuring that ordinary people – the masses-get support and opportunities to actualize their potentials and dreams. We should support entrepreneurship and business to grow and thrive for employment to boom”.

    Expectedly, the progressive disposition of Senator Lawan as well as his welfarist policy plans has not gone unnoticed by some members–elect and members of his campaign team. Senator Barau Jibrin from Kano North, who is the campaign  secretary, said from Senator Lawan’s policy agenda, which is welfarist–oriented, Nigerians should brace up for a people’s friendly 9th Assembly. “you can see that apart from his cognate experience, Senator Lawan means well for the Nigerian people, especially the ordinary Nigerians. Therefore, we should be expecting a preponderance of people-friendly legislations coming out of the senate. And this is exactly what Nigerians are clamoring for at the moment”. In his reaction, the chairman of the campaign committee, Senator Yahaya Abdullahi from Kebbi North declared that Senator Lawan “is eminently qualified for the position” and has the capacity “ to lead a Senate that will work with Nigeria people’’.

    For senator–elect on the platform of the YPP, Ifeanyi Uba, Senator Lawan deserves all the support he can get from all his colleagues and Nigerians in general.

    Justifying the inter-party endorsements flowing in for Senator Lawan, chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Sabi Abdullahi declared that the PDP will also massively support Senator Lawan’s senate presidency.

    Political analysis have variously commented on  Senator Lawan’s senate presidency bid and  their opinions rest majorly on the plank that his welfarist pro-people policy plans remains the surest path to a successful Senate Presidency.

    However, this endorsement is facing a major challenge from some members-elect in APC like senators Danjuma Goje and Mohammed Ali Ndume. Ndume has since gone ahead in defiance of the party’s stance to reel out a nine-point agenda for his bid.

    In another vein, some political analysts have opined that Senator Lawan would most likely be a pro-executive senate president and therefore sacrifice the independence of the legislature but this assertion was vehemently denied by Senator Jibrin who said Senator Lawan would never be a lackey to anyone based on his antecedents.

    According to him, “if there is anyone that can perfectly bridge the gap between the executive and the legislature, it is Senator Ahmed Lawan. He perfectly fits the bill because of his vast experience spanning close to 20 years in the National Assembly. We dont need an extremist who would make confrontation with the executive a pastime neither do we need one that would be a lackey. The person must be able to manage the delicate balance and we have found the person in Distinguished Senator Lawan”.

    While the whole scenario plays out, one thing that sticks out is the fact that the APC seems determined to push through its decision this time.

     

    • Meseko, a public affairs analyst, writes from Abuja

  • Breaking: Why we settled for Lawan as Senate President, by APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday said that it settled for Senator Ahmed Lawan as the next Senate President after wide consultations with the President and other leaders of the party.

    It said the choice followed consideration of all available options.

    The party also said the stand of the party not to share power in the National Assembly with the Peoples Democratic Party (APC) is borne out of the fact that it has a clear majority and does not need the PDP to run successful government.

    National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, told reporters on Wednesday in Abuja that having settled for Lawan as Senate President, the party is working out an acceptable zoning formula for other positions in the Senate and House of Representatives.

    This, he said, includes the position of Speaker of the House.

    Onilu said that the party is not unaware of the fact that there are other senators interested in the position.

    He pointed out the party has ranking Senators from all zones of the country eminently qualified to contest the position, but only one of them can be Senate President.

    He said the party will not allow what happened in 2015 to replay, adding what the leadership of the 8th Senate did was treachery and not democracy.

    Details shortly…

  • Lawan, Goje, Ndume, Adamu battle for Senate Presidency

    •PDP in fresh plot to pitch Dogara against Gbajabiamila as Speaker

    The race for the leadership of the 9th session of the National Assembly is on, just a week after the election into the legislative arm.

    Already in contention are the Senate Presidency and the Speakership of the House of Representatives.

    The Nation can now reveal that no fewer than five candidates are seeking to head the 9th Senate when it is inaugurated in June.

    They are the outgoing Senate Leader  Ahmad Lawan; a former Senate Leader,  Ali Ndume; a former Governor of Gombe State and the outgoing Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation,   Danjuma Goje; and the Chairman of the Parliamentary Support Group (PSG), ex-Governor Adamu Abdullahi.

    Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State who is also being touted as a possible candidate does not seem to stand a chance on account of zoning as he is from the same zone -Southwest- and same state -Ogun- as Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

    He was suspended by the National Working Committee of APC on Friday for alleged anti party activities and recommended for expulsion by the party’s National Executive Council (NEC).

    For now, only the current Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, is the front runner in the race for the Speakership of the Green Chambers, although the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is allegedly hatching a plot to push outgoing Speaker Yakubu Dogara for a return to the seat.

    Dogara emerged in controversial circumstances in 2015 to clinch the post and sources said the PDP to which he now belongs may look for an alternative to Dogara in a desperate bid to stop Gbajabiamila, on the strength of his closeness to the APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

    PDP is banking on a likely split in the All Progressives Congress (APC) House Caucus to return Dogara as Speaker.

    But pressure is mounting on President Muhammadu Buhari to take charge to avert a repeat of the political scheming which led to the emergence of the outgoing President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki and Speaker Dogara in 2015 against the directive of the APC.

    The Nation also gathered that some forces in APC want party leaders to prevail on the President to give members of the National Assembly a free hand to elect their leaders.

    Results of the last  National Assembly elections released by the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC), shows that the  APC won 65 of the 109  (about 59%) senatorial seats in the country, leaving the  PDP with  41 Senatorial seats (37%) and Young Progressives Party’s (YPP) one seat (1%).

    The APC has also won 200 of the 360 House of Representatives seats – leaving PDP with well over 100 seats. The final figure for the two major parties is still not clear as there are still unresolved election contests for several House of Representatives seats.

    Investigation by our correspondent revealed that although the APC has the majority of the seats in the Senate and House of Representatives, the emergence of the President of the Senate and the Speaker will still require the input of the PDP.

    It was learnt that the APC will need two-thirds majority in the Senate (about 73 votes) to be able to pass any bill.

    The APC   secured 61 seats in the Red Chambers in 2015 before the PDP infiltrated its ranks to secure the office of the Deputy President of the Senate for Senator Ike Ekweremadu.

    Following the development, all the candidates aspiring to lead the Senate and the House have started reaching out to elected PDP members.

    A top source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The horse-trading to lead the Senate and the House of Representatives has begun.

    “It is going to be a tough contest because all the candidates are ranking. For example, Ndume has been in the National Assembly for 16 years with eight years spent in the House and another eight years in the Senate. Lawan has been a Senator since 2007 with Adamu and Goje joining in 2011.

    “Some governors and APC stalwarts are gambling with the choice of Governor Ibikunle Amosun to lead the Senate as a bosom friend of the President. They have linked the suspension of the governor to the plot to install him as Senate President.

    “This jostling for power is despite of the fact that the APC is yet to define its zoning or power sharing formula. Those aspiring to lead the National Assembly are banking on the 2015 formula of the APC, which ceded the Senate Presidency to the Northeast and the Speaker to the Southwest, before the President of the Senate, Speaker Dogara and some APC lawmakers revolted.

    “The lack of zoning formula made ex-Governor Abdullahi Adamu from Nasarawa State in the Northcentral to join the race. As the chairman of the Parliamentary Support Group which resisted the outgoing Senate President to save President Buhari, he believes he should lead the Senate.

    Responding to a question, the source said: “All the candidates are already lobbying not only to have the Senate presidency and House Speaker zoned to their areas but to be anointed.

    “Unless it is carefully managed, the Senate may witness a repeat of the 2015 crisis which PDP took advantage of.”

    Sources said that although Gbajabiamila has a brighter chance to be the next Speaker, the PDP might still resist him.

    It was reliably gathered that the PDP might back Dogara’s return as Speaker by depending on a possible split in the APC caucus. It was also learnt that the PDP might throw mud at Gbajabiamila like it did in 2015 in order to stop the APC candidate.

    Another source said: “The PDP is working on another joker to checkmate Gbajabiamila’s ambition again. Some PDP leaders are uncomfortable with Gbajabiamila, who is a political son of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu who worked harder to ensure the defeat of PDP at the presidential poll.

    “PDP actually wants Dogara back in line with its pre-election plans. The opposition can only succeed if the APC Caucus in the House is disunited.

    “The only challenge APC is facing is about likely imposition of the Senate President and the Speaker. Most of the candidates want the race left open equitably.

    “This is why some APC leaders are pleading with President Muhammadu Buhari and party leaders to meet and work out an equitable power sharing module.”

    The source added: “I think in the next two months, the game will be more interesting. If Dogara’s candidacy does not fly, PDP might sponsor another ranking member from the Southwest to be the Speaker.”

    A source in government said: “President Buhari has really not shown interest now on those who will lead the National Assembly. Maybe he has a mindset but he is yet to discuss with party leaders.”

    Lawan is spending his 2oth year in the National Assembly having being elected into the House of Representatives between 1999 and 2003 before becoming a Senator.

    Set up zoning mechanism for NASS leadership to avoid 2015 scenario, Nabena tells APC

    The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Yekini Nabena, yesterday asked the leadership of the party to set in motion machinery for the zoning and selection of preferred principal officers of the incoming 9th National Assembly.

    In a statement in Abuja, he said this was necessary to avoid a repeat of the crisis that engulfed the party in 2015 over the struggle for the leadership of the legislative arm.

    Describing the National Assembly as strategic to APC’s change agenda for the country, he said President Muhammadu Buhari’s direct involvement and views on the matter “will be very important as the party works around the zoning and selection arrangements for principal NASS officers.”

    He added:  “The Peoples Democratic Party has lost the presidential election and they have now adopted a plan B from their infamous Dubai strategy meeting.

    “The plan is to hijack the incoming National Assembly leadership by repeating their heinous coup in the previous Assembly.

    “The APC must prevent a repeat of a situation where despite our overwhelming majority in the outgoing 8th Senate and House of Representatives, its leadership was hijacked by saboteurs and their opposition PDP collaborators.”

  • Electoral Act: Lawan backs Buhari on refusal of assent

    Senate Leader Ahmad Lawan says there is nothing to worry about in President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to withhold assent on the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill 2018.

    Lawan told the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) in Abuja that the Electoral Act (2010) was good enough for the conduct of the 2019 general elections.

    He said the President’s decision should not be misinterpreted, adding that it was done in the interest of the country. “That the President declined assent to the bill was no big deal,” he said.

    “We can still use the Electoral Act, 2010, that was used in 2015 general elections.

    “This is to allay the fears of the citizens, who might think that the 2019 elections would not be well conducted without the amendment.

    “What we need to do is to look at the few lapses, especially in terms of administration which does not need any legal backing.

    “INEC conducted a very good election in 2015 with the existing act.

    “So, I believe that we can use that and nobody should start thinking that the elections will not be free and fair.

    “The 2015 elections were free, fair and transparent. All over the world, we were commended for conducting such a credible election.

    “It is not like the current act is so defective that we cannot use it,” he said.

    The leader said the bill could be worked on, to be used in elections beyond 2019.

    He pointed out: “If we cannot use the current amendments in 2019, who says we cannot use it in the 2023 elections and elections in between 2019 and 2023.

    “So, national interest is of utmost importance and not the noise being made by some people. So, there is no reason for worry or agitation.”

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Otedola: Despite blowing the whistle on subsidy scam, Lawan wanted a bribe

    The Chairman of Forte Oil and billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola, said he informed ex-President Goodluck Jonathan about a subsidy scam that was being perpetrated during his presidency while explaining how he blew the whistle on those ripping off Nigeria in the oil sector.

    According to the oil magnate, there were some Nigerian companies who had claimed money for subsidy on petroleum products they did not import, leading him to discuss the situation with the former president.

    Otedola disclosed: “I realised that companies in Nigeria were claiming money for subsidy on petroleum products they never imported. When I saw how much was being stolen, I went to the then President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.”

    But Jonathan did not believe the businessman’s claims.

    “I told him my observations as to how much was being stolen as money for subsidy on the product they never imported. He told me later that he had consulted with the then Minister of Petroleum and that there is nothing of such. I then reached out to Senator Bukola Saraki who raised the issue on the floor of the Senate and thereafter, the House of Representatives set up a panel to investigate the allegation,” Otedola added.

    The oil mogul stated this while standing as a prosecution witness at high court sitting in the Federal Capital Territory as he recounted how Farouk Lawan, then-lawmaker in the House of Representatives and the Chairman of Ad hoc Committee inaugurated by the lower chamber to investigate oil subsidy scam had threatened to indict his oil company (African Petroleum Plc now Forte Oil) and demanded $3m to exonerate Zenon from a subsidy scam allegation.

    “The defendant (Lawan) reached out to me and I gave him the background information as to how the monies were being stolen. I gave relevant information to the ad hoc committee. I had two companies, which are in the oil and gas industry, which were AP and Zenon oil. The two companies had something to do with the defendant’s panel. AP submitted to the committee documents regarding all the importations of the company. Mr. Otaru, General Manager AP, had direct contact with the defendant’s committee,” he told the court.

    As Otedola narrated, Lawan had other ideas, saying: “On 18th of April, 2012, the defendant came to see me at my house in Abuja after the report of the committee had been laid before the House of Representatives in plenary. He told me that pursuant to what we discussed on the phone while I was in the UK, he was going to indict Zenon Oil and Gas Ltd. He demanded the sum of $3m to exonerate Zenon Oil. I asked him why he would indict a company that did not import petrol but diesel. He said most of the companies indicted had paid a bribe. I told him this was extortion.”

    Subsequently, the Forte Oil boss petitioned the Department of State Services regarding the issue and a plan for a sting operation was hatched.

    “After my petition to the DG DSS, I received a call from the DSS official – from Caleb – who told me that they were going to carry out a sting operation. He told me that I will be provided with serialised dollars to give to the defendant and they were going to install video-recording gadgets in my living and dining rooms. About six operatives of the DSS did the installation, I was given $620,000 serialised dollars. I took the instruction of the DSS and I agreed to play along.

    “On April 23, 2012, I was in my house in Abuja. The defendant came to my house and I handed over to him the $500,000 given to me by the DSS. After handing over the $500,000 to the defendant, I asked him what next. He said he would go to the House and discuss with its leadership. He said I should watch House plenary on the television. Shortly after, I watched it on the television where the defendant applied to the House in plenary that the name of Zenon Oil removed from the subsidy scam which was then removed,” the oil magnate recounted.

  • Akume, Lawan win senatorial tickets

    The immediate past chairman of Benue State Board of Internal Revenue Service (BIRS), Mrs. Mimi Orubibi, has emerged as All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate for Benue north east senatorial zone otherwise known as Zone A.

    Mrs. Orubibi polled 1,391 votes to beat Mathias Byuan who came second with 279 votes.

    Orubibi will square up against Senator Barnabas Gemade, who joined the Social Democratic Party (SDP) after defecting from the APC and former Governor Gabriel Suswam, who picked the PDP senator ticket in the general elections.

    In APC Benue south senatorial zone known as Zone C, former Deputy governor Chief Steven Lawani beat former National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) president Daniel Onjehwith 1,321 votes against 1,059.

    Senator George Akume was unanimously endorsed as the APC consensus candidate for Benue north -west senatorial zone.

     

  • Oshiomhole, Lawan, Akpabio, others storm Lagos for Senator Tinubu

    It was commendation galore for the senator representing the Lagos Central District, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, as the All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwarts gathered in Lagos yesterday to pour encomium on her for quality representation.

    It was at the 27th town hall meeting of the Lagos Central District organised by her.

    The high-powered delegation was led by the National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. Others were the Senate Majority Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan, former Senate Minority Leader , Senator Godswill Akpabio, Senator Kashim Imam, Senator John Enoh and  Senator Fatai Buhari, among others.

    Oshiomhole praised the senator for organising the town hall meeting on quarterly basis to brief her constituents on her activities in the National Assembly since she was elected into office in 2011.

    The APC national chairman said what Senator Tinubu is doing is a challenge to other senators in the country.

    The APC Leader recalled that his relationship with the Tinubu family started when Asiwaju Bola Tinubu was Lagos State Governor and he as a labour union leader had to visit him on several occasions to discuss labour issues in the state.

    “It was then I knew that Asiwaju was blessed with a woman that was very humble. Any time we visited them, she, as First Lady then, would serve us food and drinks despite the fact there were cooks in the house. Up till now, if I go to Asiwaju’s house, I feel at home”, he said.

    Oshiomhole further said: “Women have a lot to learn from her. Asiwaju is a national leader; he spends most of his time outside the family home. The wife too has to sacrifice the time she is supposed to spend with her husband and the family. A leader needs an extremely patient mother and wife to accommodate all manner of visitors. I want to appreciate Senator Tinubu for what she did for people like us.”

    Senator Lawan described Senator Tinubu as a very hardworking legislator.  According to him, she always does her homework properly before making her presentations.

    “There is no time you will engage her in a discussion that you will not gain something from her. She is a fantastic senator that makes her presentations in robust language. Most of us have to emulate her, particularly on this quarterly meeting with our constituents,” Senator Lawan said.

    On the request by the former Lagos State Deputy Governor, Chief Femi Pedro, that Senator Tinubu should be considered for the position of Senate President in the ninth Senate, Senator Lawan said she would get there and promised her his support.

    But it was moderated later by Oshiomhole who said  Senator Tinubu would go for the office of Senate Leader because of her loyalty to the party.

    Senator John Enoh from Cross River was stunned to hear that Senator Tinubu was holding the 27th town hall meeting in her senatorial district. He said it was marvellous because many senators were not holding such meetings with their constituents on a quarterly basis.

    Enoh said: “I spent three terms in the House of Representatives before being elected into the Senate. The first town hall meeting in Cross River was done by me. It takes a lot of personal commitment to public service to do what Mrs Tinubu is doing in the Lagos Central District. At the Senate, she pursued the same passion to public service. Being the wife of a national leader did not affect her activities in the Senate.  I congratulate the Lagos Central District for having her as their representative in the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly”.

    Senator Akpabio, who arrived after the end of the programme, insisted to make a speech. He  commended Mrs Tinubu for showing direction for women in the country. He said: “You have laid a good foundation for women by showing them direction.”

    Other speakers included  the Lagos Central Senatorial Leader, Prince Tajudeen Olusi; Lagos APC Chairman, Alhaji Babatunde Balogun; Senator Muniru Muse; Oba of Igbobi -Sabe, Oba Owolabi Adeniyi; and the representative of Oba of Lagos, the Opeoluwa Onido of Lagos, Chief Lateef Aderibigbe. All of them praised the senator for her empowerment programmes that have lifted many people in her constituency.

    The high point of the event was the launching of a book “Compendium of Service,” a collection of town hall speeches of Senator Tinubu. It was launched by Senator Imam. Senator Akpabio and the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Chief Nsima Ekere, also launched the book.

    Present on the occasion were former Minister of Defence, Chief Ademola Seriki; Hon. Oyinlomo Danmole;  one-time Commissioner for Finance in Lagos State, Hon. Wale Edun; Hon. Wasiu Esinlokun; Hon. Hakeem Bamgbala; Lagos  APC  Woman Leader, Mrs Jumoke Okoya-Thomas; Chief Babajide  Damazio;  Hon. Wale Oshun and  Lagos APC Publicity Secretary, Mr Joe Igbokwe.

  • Lawan backs Buhari for withholding assent on 2018 Electoral Act

    Senate Leader Dr. Ahmed Lawan has said President Muhammadu Buhari acted within his power and the provisions of the law for refusing to sign the 2018 Electoral Act into law.

    Lawan, who fielded questions from reporters after the Yobe State All Progressives Congress (APC) Critical Stakeholders meeting at the Government House, Damaturu, said technology must not be applied for election.

    The senator, while blaming the National Assembly for sending an unfinished document to the President and expected him to sign, noted that Buhari was the only president in the history of Nigeria, who had signed the highest number of bills into law since his assumption of office.

     

  • Buhari a ‘phenomenon’, says Lawan

    The Senate Leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan, yesterday said President Muhammadu Buhari is a phenomenon.

    He said the massive movement propelling the re-election of President is due to the phenomenal attributes of the man.

    Lawan stated this in Abuja when he hosted members of North East Youth coalition for President Muhammadu Buhari in his office.

    He said: “Buhari is a phenomenon, it’s a movement.  What I mean here, let me not be misquoted. When I said Buhari is not a man, Buhari is an attitude to life, what is that attitude, integrity and commitment.

    “He came into politics not to make money.  It is our duty as citizens not to allow the president to do it alone. No matter how you are, how equipped you are, when it comes to leadership and administration, especially of a country that is as complex Nigeria, you need every hand to be on deck.

    “That is what we are trying to do, that is what the coalition is seeking to do as a Senate. When the president came in 2015, the first actions he took were the actions necessary to rescue and secure the north east.

    “The north  east has been rescued, insurgency once it starts it doesn’t stop like when rain starts and stops, you will always find from time to time some signs that they are still there.  But the signs have been reduced to suicide bombing of soft target, not declaring a caliphate with headquarters Bama or anywhere else. We really owe gratitude to our president.”

    Lawan said “Buharism” is delivery of services in transparent and accountable manner.

    He said, “We are not only asking President Muhammadu Buhari to run in 2019, we want Buhari to finish in 2023 and then another Buhari should come. The attitude to governance that we should be transparent and demonstrate accountability.”

    The Senate Leader asked the youth to mobilize support for Buhari in the North east to ensure his easy return in 2019.

    Abdullahi Auwal who led the group said the coalition had appointed Lawan as their grand patron.

    Auwal noted that they were on top of the situation to galvanize and mobilise support for President Buhari in the North East geo-political zone and beyond.

  • $500,000 bribe: Lawan to know fate today

    High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Jabi, Abuja will today rule on whether the trial of the former Chairman of the House of Representative on Fuel Subsidy Mr. Farouk Lawan will be transferred back to Justice Angela Otaluta of the Lugbe Division of the court.

    The Federal Government is prosecuting Lawal before Justice Otaluka on a three-count charge of corrupt collection of $500,000 out of $3 million bribe he allegedly requested from the Chairman of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited Mr. Femi Otedola.

    Lawan was accused of accepting $500,000 as a bribe for the removal of Otedola’s company’s name, Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited, from the list of firms indicted by the Lawan-led House committee for allegedly abusing the fuel subsidy regime in 2012.

    At the last adjourned date, the prosecution counsel, Mr. Enitayo Fagbemi, brought an application dated June 30, 2017 to transfer the case back to the former judge handling the case at the FCT High Court in Lugbe.

    He said: “My lord, we have called four witnesses already and were about to call the fifth witness when this matter was re-assigned back to your lordship.”

    Fagbemi said the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) must be followed, urging the judge to grant the application in the interest of justice.

    The defence counsel, Godwin Iginbor, opposed the application, urging the court to dismiss it as lacking merit.

    “The complainant does not have any evidence to show that the chief judge did not comply with Section 98 of the ACJA and that application is tantamount to asking the CJ to overrule the decision,” Iginbor said.