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Tag: Orubebe

  • Asset declaration: S’Court dismisses FG’s appeal against Orubebe

    Asset declaration: S’Court dismisses FG’s appeal against Orubebe

    The Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal filed by the Federal Government against the reversal of the conviction of former Niger Delta Minister, Godsday Orubebe, on allegation of breach of Code of Conduct for Pubic Officers.

    In a judgment yesterday, a five-member panel of the apex court held that the appeal filed by the Federal Government was incompetent.

    In the lead judgment prepared by Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba but read by Justice Emmanuel Agim, the court found that the appellant failed to obtain prior leave (permission) of the court before filing the appeal, which was based on grounds of mixed law and facts.

    The court held that the appellant’s failure to obtain prior leave of court as required rendered the appeal incompetent. It proceeded to dismiss the appeal.

    The Federal Government’s appeal, marked: SC/680/2017, was against the June 14, 2017 judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja which set aside Orubebe’s conviction on October 4, 2016 by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) for breach of Code of Conduct for public officers.

    The Federal Government had arraigned Orubebe before the CCT on a one-count charge of false asset declaration.

    He was accused of failing to declare a property at Plot 2057, Asokoro District, Abuja, in any of the asset declaration forms which he submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) while serving as a minister.

    In his defence, Orubebe claimed that the property was no longer his as at the time he went into public service.

    Orubebe stated that he had sold the property and saw no need to declare what was no longer his as at when he became a minister.

    In a judgment on October 4, 2016 the CCT convicted Orubebe, holding that he contravened the Code of Conduct for Public Officers.

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    The tribunal, led by Mr. Danladi Umar, found him guilty of failing to declare the said property.

    The CCT ordered that the said property be forfeited to the Federal Government; a decision Orubebe challenged at the Court of Appeal in Abuja.

    In its judgment on June 14, 2017 a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal held among others, that the CCT erred in its decision to convict Orubebe.

    In the lead judgment, Justice Abdul Aboki noted that the case before the tribunal was not about the declaration of title but false declaration of assets.

    Justice Aboki added that the unregistered instrument of transfer of the property was admissible in proof of the payment of purchase price by Divention Properties Ltd which acquired the property.

    The judge further said the appellant (Orubebe) was not expected, in the eye of the law, to declare a property he had parted with.

    Justice Aboki noted that the issue of non-registration of title, in respect of the said undeclared property, was not raised and argued by parties, but raised suo motu (on its own) by the tribunal.

  • Orubebe: I will have good reply for Buhari soon

    Former Niger Delta Affairs Minister, Elder Godsday Orubebe is bidding his time to respond to the barb aimed at him last week by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Buhari, speaking at this year’s Democracy Day lecture in Abuja, said he wished Orubebe was in the audience to listen to former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, who was the guest lecturer.

    He said:”Here, I must digress and raise an observation about the programme organizers because I did not see Mr. Orubebe who ought to have come and listen to Professor Jega deliver his lecture; this is a major observation.”

    “That instance, for those of us who were lucky that there was light and we had the television to see the confrontation between Orubebe and Prof Jega, it will remain a life impression to many of us,” Buhari added, in reference the attempt by Orubebe to disrupt the announcement of the result of that year’s presidential election.

    The former minister who was ex-President Jonathan’s agent during that year’s presidential election unexpectedly stood up to Jega while the results were being broadcast live, and accused him of partiality.

    He threatened that the announcement of the election result would not proceed further after sensing that Jonathan had lost.

    Only the intervention of the then President Goodluck Jonathan saved the day.

    Contacted on phone by The Nation to respond to Buhari’s dig at him, Orubebe said he would soon send his reply to Buhari.

    He said he was not in a hurry to do so now, as he did not want certain thoughts to disturb his idyllic stay in the village.

    Orubebe said he would definitely give an appropriate response once he returns to Abuja this week.

    He said he was resting in his village and won’t allow any thought of such digs to disturb his peace at the moment.

    “I am in the village. When I come back, I am going to talk to the press,” he said

    “I’m going to send him a good reply but not here, not now.”

    Prodded to give an insight into his feelings about the presidential jibe as well as the likelihood of honouring an invitation to the Democracy Day event, Orubebe insisted that he would not say anything on telephone, adding that those who want to hear from him just have to wait for a few more days.

    “No, no, I will not speak about that now. I will be back next (this) week; just wait till then,” he emphasized.

     

  • PDP descending into a party of shame, says Orubebe

    A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Godsday Orubebe, has urged the party to embrace urgent reforms to prevent its demise.

    He lamented that the PDP “is still lost in depression and suffering from a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), adding that the platform had crossed the bridge from pride to shame.”

    Orubebe noted that imposition, impunity, arrogance and greed were responsible for the party’s electoral defeat in 2015, stressing that the crisis rocking the platform was compounded by the mishandling of its last national convention.

    The party stalwart, who caused a stir during the collation of the 2015 presidential election results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja,  said the PDP would need vigour, courage and sustainable ideas to bounce back to reckoning.

    In an open letter to the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, published in this edition, the former minister said the party must accept that it made mistakes while in power for 16 years.

    Chiding the party for not living up to expectation as a leading opposition platform, he said: “We have gone from a party of pride to a party of shame and gradually receding into the abyss of political reality. For the simple reason that the nation is witnessing calls for the rise of a “third force,” we are fast becoming a shadow of ourselves.”

    In Orubebe’s reckoning, the PDP had regressed to the same imposition, impunity, arrogance and greed that heralded its electoral misfortune, adding that its leaders are not building a culture of democratic representation.

    Referring to the domineering role of the PDP governors, he said “the party is gradually coming under the control of certain individuals, who are exhibiting dangerous levels of undemocratic behaviours.”

    The former minister said unless the grandstanding and imposition gave way to a healthy competition, the party could avert a looming doom.

    He said the party should be liberated from the jaw of its exclusive funders, who have held it hostage.

    Orubebe said: One of the biggest challenges that the PDP faces is balancing its needs for funding with established egalitarian values and internal systems. If the party continues to be held hostage by few major donors, it will continue to find it difficult to instil the values that will endear us Nigerians.

    “We must take our appeal to Nigerians and through our reforms, let the party truly become a people-funded party. Small donations from millions of Nigerians will go a long way in the party’s finan cial requirements and will create the necessary atmosphere for true ownership among members of the party.”

    Urging the party leadership to embrace reforms, Orubebe said the leadership should re-organise to break down the silos of loyalty and allegiance within the party.

    He added: “It is my expectation that the necessary reforms will be put in place before it is too late to salvage what we have left.”

     

     

  • I’m still in PDP, says Orubebe

    I’m still in PDP, says Orubebe

    Former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, has described his rumoured exit from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as false and misleading.

    The former minister, who spoke to our correspondent in Warri, through one of his aides, Ekenwa Akwagbe, said he had no reason to decamp from the PDP.

    If there would ever be any such need, Orubebe said such decision would not be conveyed without him addressing a press conference to inform the world.

    Reports indicated the former minister with two of his former colleagues, had decided to abandon the PDP for the Social Democratic Party (SDP) over alleged hijack of the opposition party by Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike.

    But Orubebe said: “There’s no truth in it, he has said he has not dumped the PDP for any other party, including SDP.

    “If he has any reason to leave the PDP, he’s going to personally address a press conference and not anybody coming on his behalf to write what they have written.

    “What has been published about him decamping from the PDP is both false and misleading, a figment of the writers imagination.”

  • 2019: Fresh crisis hits PDP as Jerry Gana, Adeniran, Orubebe, Turaki, others dump party for SDP

    2019: Fresh crisis hits PDP as Jerry Gana, Adeniran, Orubebe, Turaki, others dump party for SDP

    Three former ministers are leading an exodus of top members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after efforts to heal the wounds of the last national convention of the party hit the rocks.

    Ex-Information Minister Jerry Gana,ex-Education Minister Tunde Adeniran and ex-Niger Delta Minister Godsday Orubebe  are moving to the  Social Democratic Party (SDP) which is merging  with the  Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Peoples Salvation Party (PSP) to form a formidable party ahead of next year’s elections.

    More chieftains of the PDP are expected to join them, The Nation gathered yesterday.

    The Olusegun Obasanjo-inspired Coalition for Nigeria Movement (CNM) is in  talks with the SDP to work together.

    The likes of Gana, Adeniran and Orubebe,all founding members of the PDP, are still displeased with what they see as the hijack of the party by Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and others during the party’s last national convention.

    Adeniran was defeated in a bitter  chairmanship election by Wike’s candidate, Uche Secondus.

    A  high powered committee headed by  Governor Henry Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State to reconcile  the aggrieved members could not help the situation.

    The aggrieved party chieftains launched into a  marathon meeting/negotiation with the leadership of SDP on Thursday night in Abuja for a merger.

    The meeting ended  early yesterday with the the signing of  a Memorandum of Understanding  by the coalescing group at Ladi Kwali Hall in Sheraton Hotel, Abuja.

    Joining Gana from the PDP are a former Military Administrator of Katsina State, Sen. Joseph Akaagerger; a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Peter Godsday Orubebe; Chief Mike Oghiadhome, who was  a former Chief of Staff to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan; ex-Governor Saminu Turaki of Jigawa State; and ex-Minister of Defence, Dr. Olu Agunloye and a former Deputy Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, Hon. Dare Emiola.

    Also teaming up with SDP are a former member of the House of Representatives, Dr. Junaid Mohammed; Sen. Bassey Ewa Hensaw;  a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Olamide Oni; Supo Shonibare (South-West Zonal chairman of SDP), Hon. Dipo Olaitan (a former leader of the Alliance for Democracy in the House of Representatives); a former Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Kehinde Ayoola;  Amb. Yemi Farounbi; leaders of the Middle Belt Forum; Mr. John Dara; the leaders  of the National Intervention Forum led by Dr. Tafawa Balewa; Amb Bejide; Shehu Gabam who gave the vote of thanks.

    A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae is a stalwart of the SDP.

    Although ex-Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State and a former Deputy President of the Senate, Sen. Ibrahim Mantu were part of  the preliminary talks, it was unclear why they were not at the signing of the MoU.

    A highly placed source in the group said:”As a matter of fact, Mantu propped up the name of a party which should be included in the merger but it was rejected. He attended the initial meeting but by the time  the MoU was signed, he was not there.

    “We are hopeful that he will  be at our subsequent meetings. Some of our leaders are suspecting that Mantu may chicken out  because he has been begging Adeniran and Gana not to leave  PDP.

    The MoU entered into by the leaders  was  obtained yesterday by The  Nation.

    Jointly signed by Falae (for SDP) and Prof. Gana (for Movement for a New Political Order),  the MoU reads in part: “Whereas on the 12th Day of February 2018, a joint resolution was adopted at Sheraton Hotel Abuja, for working together to ensure the emergence of a new and credible political order to deepen democracy, good governance and genuine development, with peace, security and social justice. The said meeting also  unanimously resolved to build:

    a)a restructured, balanced equitable and truly functional Nigerian Federation:

    b)a humane, free, seIf-reliant and democratic society;

    1. c) a dynamic, productive, transformed and sustainable economy;
    2. d) a just, fair, egalitarian and peaceful nation
    3. e) a land of bright and full of opportunities for all Nigerians; and
    4. f) a national culture of raising good leaders through effective mentoring;

    “Whereas, it was also agreed that the proposed movement shall be directed,  driven and defined by such core values as:  1. Justice, fairness, equity and progress;  2. Democracy, good leadership, good governance and sustainable development; 3. Transparency, integrity, truth and honour; 4. Accountability and zero tolerance for corruption; 5. Respect for human dignity, human rights and sanctity of human life;; and 6. Peace, security, harmony,  cooperative solidarity, within the rule of law; and 7. International cooperation for a common humanity within a secure and peaceful order.

    “Whereas, the movement further resolved to be inspired and motivated by the ideals of social democracy, with great emphasis on:  the triumph of social justice; the  nobility of human dignity; the  harmony of fairness and equality; the power of working together in solidarity; the excellence of good governance, driven by good leadership; the wisdom of reforms and transformation far beyond mere growth; the horror of poverty, demanding eradication; the dignity of prosperity; the imperative of democracy and the security of peace with justice

    “Whereas with due reference to these objectives, core values, and ideals, a Strategy Committee was mandated to search for a suitable, popular, meaningful and widespread platform, with a name that already resonates with the people and to make appropriate recommendations; and

    “Whereas, the Strategic Committee, comprising representatives from all the six geopolitical zones of the Federation, have met  and submitted their report, unanimously recommending the adoption  of  Social Democratic Party(SDP) vehicle by the movement for a new political order:

    “Therefore, we hereby resolutely agree to: (a) Fuse together into one political form; (b) adopt the Social Democratic Party(SDP) as the political vehicle for the fused political formation; (c) Convene a non-elective convention for Saturday, 14th April, 2018; (d) authorize the National Working Committee to serve as the Interim Management Committee until the said convention;  Set up a National Steering Committee of 12 members to guide the Interim Management  Committee during the transition period; Raise a Constitution Review Committee to consider all necessary amendments to the party constitution.”

    Speaking with our correspondent last night, Dr. Junaid Mohammed said: “Those involved in SDP are the Peoples Redemption Party(PRP), Peoples Salvation Party(PSP), the Social Democratic Party(SDP) and some elements of Peoples Democratic Party(PDP). It was like a merger but we do not want to call it so because the All Progressives Congress(APC) has destroyed the concept of merger.

    “I am an optimist, I believe SDP will make a great impact. The main reason I want to be associated with it is because it is ideologically driven. Even it was not ideologically driven before, it has to be ideologically driven.

    Asked if some governors and National Assembly members have subscribed to SDP,  Mohammed added: “It is not compulsory to have governors or members of the National Assembly in a party  to succeed. There are about 65 to 67 parties thereabout in the country. In terms of electoral performance, most of the parties are not on ground. The two parties which have led the country are not doing well. They have impacted negatively on the economy and our political life.  A three-party or a four or five -party system will be better.”

    A top source in the SDP said: “The SDP has been approached by the Coalition for Nigeria Movement (CNM) which has been founded by ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo. We are hopeful that our ongoing talks will be fruitful.

    “We share common ideals with the CNM on how to move the nation forward.”

  • Delta community accuses ex-Minister Orubebe of imposition, raises alarm over impending crisis

    Delta community accuses ex-Minister Orubebe of imposition, raises alarm over impending crisis

    DELTA State governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, has been asked to intervene in the brewing political crisis in Tuomo, Burutu Council Area of the state, over alleged attempt to impose a councillorship candidate. Addressing journalists in Warri yesterday, Tuomo political leaders, who are also key stakeholders in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, raised the alarm that ongoing political activities in the council which is Ward 5 of Burutu, were already heating up the entire council area, a situation they claimed was threatening peace in the area.

    The elders, including the traditional ruler of Tuomo, His Royal Highness Emokpo Opukuma; former Majority Leader of the defunct Bendel State House of Assembly, Prince Okpanbeni Johnny; and Barr Dio Orubebe, said some persons were trying to subvert the will of the majority to assert their personal interest. According to the elders, the PDP in the ward had held peaceful primaries, which produced a clear winner, in the person of Adesefuobo Emokpo, but alleged that the former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Pastor Godsday Orubebe, had been making efforts to scuttle the process by attempting to impose another aspirant as candidate.

    “This whole thing started three years ago, during the last local government election when Orubebe went to tell the then governor, Dr Uduaghan, that it was his community’s turn. After this boy (Emokpo) won the primary, we have to prevail on him to wait for the next turn, just to avert trouble. “Now it is another election season and we have all witnessed the process so far; first the ward leadership constituted an electoral college, which met in Mr Godsday Orubebe’s house in Ogbogbagbene. We had over 73 people. All the aspirants spoke at the meeting and all agreed to go through a free process. “Everybody knows it is now the turn of Tuomo, the biggest community in Burutu Local Government Area, to produce the councilor, but Godsday Orubebe still said even if it’s not the turn of his town, he will impose an unpopular wish on the people but the people said no. The state secretariat of the PDP sent a returning officer in the person of Comrade Elijah Ologeh. Efforts to reach the former minister for response were unsuccessful as he neither answered nor replied calls and text message to his mobile line

  • Appeal Court upturns Orubebe’s conviction for false asset declaration

    Appeal Court upturns Orubebe’s conviction for false asset declaration

    The Court of Appeal has set aside the conviction of former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Godsday Orubebe by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

    A three-man panel of the court sitting in Abuja held yesterday that the CCT, headed by Danladi Umar, was wrong to have convicted Orubebe for false asset declaration when he had sold the property he was accused of not declaring.

    Justice Abdu Aboki, who read the lead judgment, faulted the CCT’s conclusions in its judgment of October 4, 2016, allowed the appeal by Orubebe and proceeded to discharge and acquit him.

    In allowing the appeal, Justice Aboki held that the issue before the trial tribunal was not declaration of title,  but false declaration of assets, and as such, the unregistered instrument of transfer are admissible in proof of the payment of purchase price, which shows that Divention Properties Ltd had acquired the property.

    He said the appellant (Orubebe) was not expected, in the eye of the law, to declare a property he has parted with.

    Justice Aboki noted that the issue of non- registration of title in respected of the said undeclared property was not raised by party, but raised suo motu (on its own).

    The CCT had, while convicting Orubebe in its October 4, 2016 judgment,  faulted Orubebe’s defence that he had sold the plot of land to former landlord and Managing Director of Givention Properties Limited, Akinwumi Ajibola in 2011 at N10 million and deployed the proceed to paying his rent.

    Umar, in the lead judgment said, after  analysing all the testimonies given by Orubebe, it was difficult to understand why the property he claimed to have sold about six years ago still remained registered in his name at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Land Administration.

    Umar said: “To the tribunal, this is very absurd and not credible. The tribunal observed that under the Lands Instrument Registration Law, the DW1 (Ajibola) was under obligation to register/document his right over Plot 2057.”

    The ex-Minister’s lawyer, Selekowei Larry (SAN) commended the Appeal Court for the judgment, which he said had finally exonerated his client.

    Orubebe was initially arraigned on on November 9, 2015 on a four-count charge, in which he was accused of failing to declare the Asokoro land and accepting bribe.

    After some delay, the prosecution, led by then Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Muhammad Diri, amended the charge, reducing the counts to one, excluding the aspect that relates to bribery.

    The single count  read: “That you, Godsday Peter Orubebe, on or about June 29, 2011, while being a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in charge of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable tribunal, did make a false declaration of assets to the Code of Conduct Bureau when you failed to declare Plot 2057, Asokoro District, Abuja on assumption of office on September 26, 2007 and on leaving office (at the end of your tenure) on June 29, 2011 and you hereby commit an offence contrary to section 15 of Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act Cap 15 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 and punishable under section 23(2) of the same Act.”

    Orubebe was re-arraigned on the amended charge (marked: CCT/ABJ/02/2015) on March 8, 20176.

    The prosecution opened trial on April 7 by calling its sole witness, Samuel Madojemu, an official of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and closed its case on April 24.

    Orubebe conducted his defence on June 2, by calling two witnesses including himself. The other defence witness was Ajibola, who described himself as a lawyer and Managing Director of Givention Properties Limited.

  • Asset declaration: Appeal Court quashes Orubebe’s conviction

    Asset declaration: Appeal Court quashes Orubebe’s conviction

    The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Wednesday set aside the conviction of a former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe, for false asset declaration.

    The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) convicted Orubebe for failing to declare some of his assets during his stint as minister.

    Orubebe was initially arraigned on November 9, 2015 on a four-count charge of false asset declaration.

    He was accused of failing to declare the Asokoro land and accepting bribe.

    A three-man panel of the appeal court held that the tribunal headed by Danladi Umar, was wrong to convict Orubebe for false asset declaration when he had sold the property he was accused of not declaring.

    Justice Abdu Aboki, who read the lead judgment, faulted the CCT’s conclusions in its October 4, 2016 judgement and proceeded to discharge and acquit Orubebe.

    The judge held that the issue before the  tribunal was not declaration of title,  but false declaration of assets and as such the unregistered instrument of transfer are admissible in proof of the payment of purchase price, which showed that Divention Properties Limited had acquired the property.

    The CCT had dismissed Orubebe’s claim that he sold the plot of land to the Managing Director of Divention Properties Limited, Akinwumi Ajibola, for  N10 million in 2011 and deployed the proceed to pay his rent.

    Umar, in the lead judgment said after analysing all the testimonies given by Orubebe, it was difficult to understand why the property he claimed to have sold about six years ago still remained registered in his name at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Land Administration.

    Umar said: “To the tribunal, this is very absurd and not credible. The tribunal observed that under the Lands Instrument Registration Law, the DW1 (Ajibola) was under obligation to register/document his right over Plot 2057.”

     

     

  • Funds diversion: FG withdraws charge against Orubebe, others

    Funds diversion: FG withdraws charge against Orubebe, others

    The Federal Government on Tuesday withdrew a six-count charge brought against a former Minister of Niger-Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe and some others over their alleged complicity in the purported diversion of N1.97 billion released by government for the East-West Road dualisation project.

    Orubebe, Oludare Lawrence Alaba, an Assistant Director, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, Ephraim Tewolde Zeri (Director of Contracts in Gitto Costruzioni Generali Nigeria Limited) and the construction company were named in the charge marked: CR/265/2016, filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).

    The accused persons allegedly diverted N1, 965,576,153.46 project fund.

    According to the ICPC, the fund formed part of the N2, 320,686,826.00 earmarked for payment of compensation to owners of properties marked for demolition in respect of the dualisation of the Eket Urban Section of the East-West Road (Section IV).

    The accused persons were arraigned on September 7, 2016 before Justice Olukayode Adeniyi.

    They pleaded not guilty to the charge following which they were granted bail.

    Before trial could commence, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), wrote the Chairman of the ICPC, requesting the discontinuation of the trial.

    The AGF, in the December 16, 2016 letter, written on his behalf by the Director of Public prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mohammed U. E., said there was no need proceeding with the trial following his realisation that the fund has not been spent.

     

  • Saraki’s case different from Orubebe’s – CCB

    Saraki’s case different from Orubebe’s – CCB

    The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) on Tuesday clarified its handling of a case involving former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe, saying it is different from that of the Senate president, Bukola Saraki.

    A senior official of the CCB, Samuel Madojemu, told the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), that while the Bureau invited Orubebe after discovering discrepancies in his assets declaration form, it did not find it necessary to invite Saraki because of the magnitude of the infraction noticed in the Senate president’s case.

    Madojemu spoke while being cross-examined by Saraki’s lawyer, Kanu Agabi, at the resumption of proceedings in Saraki’s trial for false assets declaration on Tuesday.

    Asked by Agabi if it was not remarkable that Saraki was never invited to make written statement before charges were filed against him, Madojemu said it was immaterial.

    He said, “Your lordship, I have handled many cases. And among the many cases, there were instances that we invited the subjects and they refused to honour our invitation.

    “During the trial of Godsday Orubebe we said that he was invited severally and he refused to honour the invitations. We thereafter charged him and he was convicted.

    “I will refer you back to what I said earlier which was that it was beyond my competence to decide who to invite and who not to invite.”

    Madojemu also said t it was not mandatory for the CCB to invite a declarant before filing charges against him or her.

    He added: “When there is observed infraction of this magnitude, the Bureau reserves the right whether or not to invite the declarant.”

    When asked why Orubebe was invited and Saraki was not invited by the CCB, the witness said, “Your lordship, the decision to invite and not to invite is beyond my capacity and competence. It is a decision made by the management of the Bureau.”

    Madojemu explained that the CCB did not obtain statement from Saraki, saying, “the asset declaration of asset which is made on oath serves as the statement.”