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Tag: Nze Chidi Duru

  • Ex-lawmaker advocate two party system

     says it will stabilize democracy

    A former member of the House of Representatives,  Nze Chidi  Duru  has advocated the collapsing existing political parties into two,  saying a two party system was. More desirable for the sustenance of democracy in the country.

    Duru who is seeking to return to the House on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) however expressed fear that those left the party as a result of the outcome of party primaries may pitch tent with opposition candidates during the election, but assured that President Muhammadu Buhari would emerge victorious in the 2019 elections.

    Duru said: “I think it is the political behaviour and i believe that like we did propose in a meeting held in 1999, the agenda was to shrink the political space, to have at least not more than two political parties. But for reasons that suited the authority, after we left, they allow the possibility of 2-4 political parties. And after that, you now have different political environment where anybody can conjure a political party and then registered and people will start moving from party A to party B.

    “I also think that if we had kept faith with the two party systems that we propose, the electorate will begin to notice that the movement across parties is not in the interest of the electorate. It is basically selfish interest that drives one politician to the other party. Once the electorate becomes aware, they can choose to punish those itinerant politicians or political party as the case maybe.”

    Duru who assured that he would not relent in his effort to attract developmental project to his constituency said he would be preoccupied with the task of ensuring the passage of the Antitrust Bill if elected at the poll.

    He said: “As you know, i have been in the private sector. I will continue to support policies and legislation that will enhance governance and businesses. It is only the private sector that reduces the amount way and manner that people live and the way they conduct their businesses.

    “I will encourage legislation that will enhance ease of doing business in Nigeria. One of the cardinal causes that i will champion is to ensure that the bill pending over the years is allow to see the Light of the day.

    “You will remember in 2003, the Bill passed through the third reading in the House of Representatives but didn’t make it in the senate. That was why it was not passed. In the second attempt,  it was not passed in the National Assembly. Since then every effort to encourage a friend or a colleague who have been reelected into the National Assembly to Champion the bill didn’t work. I will revive it ice again because it would serve the interest of the country.”

  • Court dismissed charges against ex- lawmaker

    Justice Peter Affen of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Tuesday dismissed charges filed against a former House of Representatives member, Nze Chidi Duru, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The judge, in a ruling, upheld the preliminary objection filed by Duru against the four-count charge and said the charges were abuse of court process.

    Justice Affen said the charges were filed in defiance of a pending interlocutory order made late last year by Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

    Justice Kolawole had restrained the defendants in a suit pending before him, particularly the EFCC and its chairman, from prosecuting Duru pending the determination of the suit.

    Justice Affen said it was wrong for the EFCC to have ignored the subsisting order of Justice Kolawole and proceeded to initiate criminal proceedings against Duru.

    The judge faulted the argument by the prosecution that the charges were not based on the First Guarantee Pension Limited (FGPL) “Draft Target Examination Report” produced by the National Pension Commission (PENCOM), and which had been nullified by a July 2012 judgment of Justice D. U. Okorowo of the Federal High Court.

    He said there was no evidence to show that the EFCC conducted fresh investigation on the case, as it claimed, because the nullified “Draft Target Examination Report” formed a substantial part of the proof of evidence submitted in support of the charges.

    Having found that the charges constituted abuse of court process, Justice Affen made an order quashing them.

    The judge also discharged Duru, but did not acquit him.

    He restrained the EFCC from further proffering any charge against him until the order by Justice Kolawole is either discharged or the case, in which the order was made, is concluded in the EFCC favour.

     

  • Ex- Reps member Duru arraigned for fraud

    A former member of the House of Representatives, Nze Chidi Duru, was arraigned on Tuesday before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for allegedly diverting N16.1m pension funds.

    Duru was arraigned on a four-count charge of falsification of documents and money laundering.

    He was said to have committed the offence when he was the Vice Chairman of First Guarantee Pension Limited.

    He pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to him, following which lead prosecution lawyer, Sylvanus Tahir, applied for a date for the commencement of trial.

    He also sought the remand of the defendant in prison pending the next date.

    Before Tahir could conclude his submission, Justice Peter Affen drew his attention to a notice of preliminary objection filed by the defendant, challenging the validity of the charge.

    Although Tahir claimed not to have been served with the objection, defence lawyer, Abdul Mohammed, insisted that the prosecution was duly served by the court’s bailiff on February 2, 2017.

    He said there was evidence to that effect in the court’s file.

    Justice Affen later confirmed, from evidence in the court’s file that the prosecution was served with the defendant’s objection on February 2.

    He noted that the service was acknowledged by an official of the prosecuting agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), identified as Adigwe Patricia.

  • Photos: Court charges ex-Rep with stealing

    Photos: Court charges ex-Rep with stealing

    Former House of Rep member, Nze Chidi Duru, being led out of Court
    Former House of Rep member, Nze Chidi Duru, being led out of Court

     

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  • Ex-Rep Nze Duru spends fifth day in police custody

    Ex-Rep Nze Duru spends fifth day in police custody

    Former member of the House of Representatives and Vice Chairman of First Guarantee Pension Limited Nze Chidi Duru is spending his fifth night in the cell of Zone 2 Police Command.

    He was invited last Thursday by the Lagos State Commissioner Fatai Owoseni, who later referred the case to the Zone 2, headed by Assistant Inspector General of Police Kayode Aderanti.

    He was subsequently detained.

    His detention was in connection with the crisis involving FGPL and National Pension Commission, which took over FGPL in 2011.

    The legal practitioner was said to have been detained following an accusation by the National Pension Commission that the Vice Chairman of FGPL invaded the premises of his company with the help of some armed men in police uniform. It was alleged that he broke into the office and stole documents belonging to the company, including laptops and car keys.

    But Duru denied the allegations.

    The Nation learnt that he collapsed inside the police cell and was rushed to the emergency unit of Police Hospital in Ikoyi. He was still in the private ward in the hospital as at the time of filing this report.

    Speaking from his hospital bed yesterday, the former parliamentarian said the police acted illegally.

    Duru, who accused the police of being biased in the way they have handled the matter, said court verdicts on FGPL crisis were in his favour.

    Rather than comply with court rulings, he accused the police of acting in cahoots with PenCom to intimidate him.

    Lamenting about his state of health, he alleged that he was not allowed access to his drugs, an action he claimed aggravated his condition while in cell.

    Calls to AIG Aderanti’s Owoseni mobile number were not answered as at the time of filing this report.

    Following a controversial target report, PenCom dissolved the management of FGPL in 2011 and imposed an interim management committee, which runs the firm till now.

    In his ruling on the matter on July 12, 2012, Justice D.U. Okorowo nullified the target report and ordered a restoration of FGPL board and management.

    A criminal charge against Duru preferred by the Economic and Fiancial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on the same matter was also struck out last November.

  • Police detain businessman Chidi Duru

    THE promoter and founder of First Guarantee Pensions Limited, Nze Chidi Duru, was detained yesterday at the Zone 2 Police Headquarters, Onikan, Lagos. His phones were taken from him.

    The police are charging Duru with armed robbery and other grievous crimes , sources close to the former House of Representatives member claimed.

    Duru’s case took another dimension yesterday after the police had backed him to take over the headquarters of First Guarantee Pensions Limited on Kudirat Abiola Way, Ikeja, where he was forced out in 2011.

    The former lawmaker’s action was based on a 2012 court verdict, which is yet to be vacated, as well as letters from the Attorney General of the Federation and Inspector-General of Police.

    After he successfully took over the company, its acting managing director, Mr. Jude Akaleze, reportedly went to the Lagos State Police Command to report that Duru invaded the place with armed thugs.

    Commissioner of Police Fatai Owoseeni invited the parties to his office yesterday.

    On getting to Owoseeni’s office, Duru was told that the case had been transferred to the Zone 2 Headquarters.

    He was later detained,  allegedly on the order of the Assistant Inspector-General (AIG) of Police.

     

  • Alleged fraud: I’m not on the run, says Duru

    First Guarantee Pension Limited (FGPL) founder, Nze Chidi Duru, has petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari over alleged persecution by the National Pensions Commission (PenCom) and some FGPL shareholders, who he accused of sponsoring reports that he was on the run from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The reports claimed EFCC invited Duru, Chief O.O Ojo, and a South African, Mr. Derrick Roper, who represents Novare Holding Limited, over alleged diversion of millions of naira belonging FGPL, a licensed pension administrator.

    Duru, in a statement, said the report was the “same old falsehood against me which was quashed by Justice Donatus Okorowo of the Federal High Court Abuja on August 11, 2011 and June 18, 2012. It is a continuous attempt to obscure issues.” He also denied being invited by the EFCC.

    He said it was not possible that he shortchanged some of the shareholders by withholding money given to him to buy the company’s shares,.

    His explained: “Before the First Guarantee Pension, we operated under three names. Initially, we were First Provident Trust Limited, but that name was rejected by PenCom. We now changed the name to First Pension, which again was rejected before we finally changed the name to First Guarantee Pension which was now approved.

    “Each and every investor, shareholder in First Guarantee Pension, issued his cheque or instrument to either of these three names. At the beginning it was First Provident Trust, then First Pension and finally First Guarantee Pension. None of these investors and shareholders invested in any other platform other than these three. It was this instrument that was now used as a proof of evidence to National Pension Commission of the investment that was done by each and every shareholder.

    “It could not have happened that any shareholder or investor in First Guarantee Pension would have either given money to me or to any other person to invest in FGPL because the guidelines that were enunciated by the PenCom is that every investment must be made in the name of the proposed PFA on the basis of which they now issued what they called approval in principle for you to now become a PFA.

    “After the AIP, we were now given a final license when we presented the final instrument that each and every shareholder invested. When other PFA’s were raising N150 million, FGPL in the first tranche raised N235 million and then raised another N500 million and later to well over N800 million. All those investments were done in either of the three names I told you.”

    Duru said one of the charges brought before the magistrate court in Abuja was the forgery of the signature of Alhaji Kashim Ibrahim Imam in the shareholders agreement to admit the investment of partners from South Africa into First Guarantee Pension Limited.

    “For me that was surprising because, first, I am not the management, second I have no role to play in it,” he said.

    Accusing PenCom of bad faith, Duru said Justice Okorowo had dismissed the same charges and upbraided PenCom for acting above the law and ordering that the interim management set up by the regulatory agency be removed.

    Duru said he could not have been on the run when he dutifully attends the court personally to answer to the fresh charges preferred against him in a Lagos High Court by the EFCC.

    He described the arrest of his sister, Mrs. Chinyere Christy Ekweonu, who stood surety for him in 2012, as an act of impunity.

  • Alleged fraud: I’m not on the run, says Duru

    Alleged fraud: I’m not on the run, says Duru

    First Guarantee Pension Limited (FGPL) founder, Nze Chidi Duru, has petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari over alleged persecution by the National Pensions Commission (PenCom) and some FGPL shareholders, who he accused of sponsoring reports that he was on the run from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The reports claimed EFCC invited Duru, Chief O.O Ojo, and a South African, Mr. Derrick Roper, who represents Novare Holding Limited, over alleged diversion of millions of naira belonging FGPL, a licensed pension administrator.

    Duru, in a statement, said the report was the “same old falsehood against me which was quashed by Justice Donatus Okorowo of the Federal High Court Abuja on August 11, 2011 and June 18, 2012. It is a continuous attempt to obscure issues.”

    He also denied being invited by the EFCC.

    He said it was not possible that he shortchanged some of the shareholders by withholding money given to him to buy the company’s shares.

    His explained: “Before the First Guarantee Pension, we operated under three names. Initially, we were First Provident Trust Limited, but that name was rejected by PenCom. We now changed the name to First Pension, which again was rejected before we finally changed the name to First Guarantee Pension which was now approved.

    “Each and every investor, shareholder in First Guarantee Pension, issued his cheque or instrument to either of these three names. At the beginning it was First Provident Trust, then First Pension and finally First Guarantee Pension. None of these investors and shareholders invested in any other platform other than these three. It was this instrument that was now used as a proof of evidence to National Pension Commission of the investment that was done by each and every shareholder.

    “It could not have happened that any shareholder or investor in First Guarantee Pension would have either given money to me or to any other person to invest in FGPL because the guidelines that were enunciated by the PenCom is that every investment must be made in the name of the proposed PFA on the basis of which they now issued what they called approval in principle for you to now become a PFA.

    “After the AIP, we were now given a final license when we presented the final instrument that each and every shareholder invested. When other PFA’s were raising N150 million, FGPL in the first tranche raised N235 million and then raised another N500 million and later to well over N800 million. All those investments were done in either of the three names I told you.”

    Duru said one of the charges brought before the magistrate court in Abuja was the forgery of the signature of Alhaji Kashim Ibrahim Imam in the shareholders agreement to admit the investment of partners from South Africa into First Guarantee Pension Limited.

    “For me that was surprising because, first, I am not the management, second I have no role to play in it,” he said.

    Accusing PenCom of bad faith, Duru said Justice Okorowo had dismissed the same charges and upbraided PenCom for acting above the law and ordering that the interim management set up by the regulatory agency be removed.

    Duru said he could not have been on the run when he dutifully attends the court personally to answer to the fresh charges preferred against him in a Lagos High Court by the EFCC.

    He described the arrest of his sister, Mrs. Chinyere Christy Ekweonu, who stood surety for him in 2012, as an act of impunity.

     

  • Detained director’s family asks EFCC to release her

    The family of Director of Reporting in the Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Chinyere Christie Ekweonu, has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to release her.

    It said the mother of four was arrested on May 11 at her office and has been illegally detained by the commission since then.

    Ekweonu’s offence was that she stood as surety to a relative and founder of First Guarantee Pension Limited, Nze Chidi Duru.

    The family, in a statement issued by Stella Duru, said Mr. Duru was arrested on October 3, 2011 following a petition against his company and Mrs. Ekweonu stood as surety for him.

    It said on June 18, 2012, the court quashed a National Pension Commission report on the basis of which Duru was arrested.

    The family said Duru was declared wanted and spurious charges filed against him at an Abuja Magistrate’s court. The charges were later quashed for being an abuse of court process.

    According to the family, three years later, the EFCC filed another charge against Duru at the Lagos High Court, Ikeja, on October 5 last year. Duru filed a preliminary objection challenging the charge, which has been fixed for ruling on June 8.

    The family said Duru petitioned the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, who directed the EFCC to forward the case file to him for review.

    The AGF, the family said, has sent four reminders to EFCC but has got no response.

    According to the family, Malami’s predecessor, Mohammed Adoke (SAN), also wrote twice to EFCC calling for the case file but got no response.

    “The continued detention of our daughter, wife and mother, Mrs. Chinyere Christie Ekweonu, is not in keeping with the laws of the land which specifically prohibits arrest of another person in place of a suspect,” the family said.