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Tag: Peoples Democratic Party

  • Ex-Jigawa Senator dumps PDP

    Alhaji Danladi Sankara, former Senator representing Jigawa Northwest, has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Sankara was received by the Jigawa Governor, Alhaji Muhammad Badaru at the Malam Aminu Kano triangle Square on Sunday in Dutse.

    Badaru said that the defection of the former senator was a welcome development to the party in the state.

    The governor said that the APC had caught a big fish, for the entrance of Sankara to APC in view of his pedigree in his former party.

    Badaru recalled that Sankara was one time National Vice chairman, PDP Northwest geo-political zone and Sole Administrator of the party in Sokoto state.

    “With his defection to APC, PDP is completely dead in Jigawa because Sankara is one of the founders of PDP in the country and the person that brought it to jigawa,’’ he said.

    The governor, however, said that the immediate past administration left a contract liability of N92 billion to him but with the help of God and the good people of the state, he overcame the situation.

    He lamented the myriad of problems left by the previous administration of PDP at both state and federal levels which resulted in President Muhammadu Buhari giving out bail outs to states.

    Chief John Oyegun, National chairman of APC who was represented at the ceremony by the chairman of the party in the Northwest, Alhaji Shuaibu Lawal, assured that Sen. Sankara would be treated fairly like other members of the party.

    Earlier, while formally declaring for the party, Sankara said that he was joining the party with 8,905 of his supporters.

    Sankara pledged to work for the unity and progress of the party, to win all elections in the state and at the federal level. (NAN)

  • Maina: Garba Shehu has lost capacity for rational thinking-PDP

    Maina: Garba Shehu has lost capacity for rational thinking-PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has advised President Muhammadu Buhari’s media aide, Mallam Garba Shehu to go for a mental evaluation.

    The advice followed Shehu’s statement accusing past officials of the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration of being responsible for bringing the fugitive ex Pensions Reform boss, Abdulrasheed Maina back into the civil service.

    However, Maina’s family members have come out to say that Maina, who was dismissed by the Jonathan administration, was brought back to the civil service by top officials in the Buhari administration.

    In a statement on Thursday by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, the party described Shehu’s statement as the height of absurdity.

    The statement read, “We are not surprised on the postulation by Alhaji Garba Shehu in which he blamed the former administration of Goodluck Jonathan as being responsible for the return of fugitive Abdulrasheed Maina. This is to say the least the height of absurdity.

    “The shenanigans surrounding the return of Maina who was under investigation and sacked by the previous administration of PDP is an issue Nigerians are privy to and even Maina’s immediate family have come out openly with their position that President Buhari was responsible for his return.

    “May we, therefore, remind Garba Shehu in case he has forgotten, that the current administration is that of the APC and not PDP, so we wonder how PDP will be responsible for the mess created by President Buhari and his cabal.

    “We had earlier in our response on this matter advised the government to properly investigate those responsible for this mess and bring them to justice and we still stand on that, because Nigerians are tired of excuses and blame game.

    “We reiterate that the body language of this APC government in the fight against corruption is mere propaganda and road-show. The idea of blaming every misdemeanour on previous administration is symptomatic of failure to deliver on promises. It’s time Garba Shehu and his likes resigned if they have nothing more to contribute in government.

    “Finally, we urge the APC led government to re-evaluate the inclusion of the likes of Garba Shehu in the administration. A man who is fixated on blaming each and every mistake of this government on the PDP has certainly run out of ideas, and must even have lost the capacity for rational thinking. We wonder the damage he may be causing to this country with his continuous stay as an Assistant to the President”.

  • Presidency: Jonathan govt officials, Maina shared loot

    Presidency: Jonathan govt officials, Maina shared loot

    The Presidency yesterday said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lacked the moral right to criticise President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration over the botched reinstatement of Abdulrasheed Maina.

    Presidential spokesman Garba Shehu described Maina as one of the monsters created by the former PDP government which are still active long after the party was defeated in the 2015 election.

    He said: “Over and over again, the President Buhari government has pointed out that the administration’s greatest problem is the mess left behind by the previous government. Maina is just one more example

    “Top officials in the PDP government, from sectoral heads, to those charged with responsibility for law and order received some of these billions of naira from Maina.

    “We have all the transaction records and these are matters that the EFCC has been pursuing to ensure that they all have their day in court.”

    Shehu alleged that some influential officials loyal to the previous government might have been the invisible hands in the return of Maina to the public service, despite being on the EFCC’s wanted list.

    He assured Nigerians that President Buhari was determined to get to the bottom of the impunity that led to Maina’s reinstatement.

    “Everything will be uncovered in due course

    “This just goes to show us the scale of corruption that this government is fighting. And, as we can all see, corruption keeps fighting back viciously.” Shehu added.

    The PDP said on Monday that it was “not too shocked at the steps taken by the administration of the All Progressives Congress in reinstating a supposed criminal and fugitive, Abdulrasheed Maina to office instead of getting him arrested.”

    Barely 24 hours after his houses were sealed off by EFCC operatives in Kaduna, former Presidential Task Force on Pension Reforms Chairman Maina’s family has said he is being persecuted by elements in President Buhari’s administration.

    The family did not name such people.

    They said Maina’s  “persecutions” was the handiwork of a cabal in government, which is witch-hunting him because he did not allow them steal pension fund.

    The Maina family threatened that he would soon open a can of worms, which they said are capable of nailing the cabal.

    The Maina family said he is not a fraudster but someone who worked diligently to save pensioners from thieves, adding that President Muhammadu Buhari was misinformed to have sacked him.

    The family lamented that the “ongoing persecution” by a government that preaches the rule of law is bad, but noted that Maina has documents and facts that would vindicate him and show the true intention of his persecutors.

    Addressing reporters  yesterday in Kaduna, family spokesman Malam Aliyu Maina, who was flanked by Salihu Maina and Ladan Abdullahi, said that the marking of the houses they inherited from their father in Kaduna by the EFCC was wrong. They threatened a legal action to protect their fundamental rights.

    They said that Maina left Nigeria following threats to his life, but President Buhari invited him to come and help his administration.

    Aliyu Maina said:  “It is on record that Abdulrasheed Maina’s reform put a stop to the fraudulent withdrawals of huge sums from both the Nigerian Pension Board, the Nigerian Police Pension Board etc. Perhaps it is this noble effort that made him enviable to the present administration when they came into power to convince him to come back and assist in its “Change” agenda.”

    “Abdulrasheed was in fact invited by this administration and he was promised security to come and clean up the mess and generate more revenue to the government by blocking leakages.”

    “He succumbed to the present administration and came back to Nigeria. He has been working with the DSS for quite some time and he was given necessary security.

    “There is a letter from the attorney-general of the federation where he gave his own legal opinion regarding the court verdict which was submitted to the Civil Service Commission and the Head of Service respectively. So, one wonders why all the agencies and various individuals responsible for his return are now denying,” he said.

    He, however, said that “you must have noticed the recent attempt by some cabal to ridicule and tarnish the image of the Maina family in the media. Where our brother, Abdulrasheed Maina has been blackmailed as a fraudster.

    “The cabals have gone to the extent of marking our house in red paints with an inscription of EFCC under investigation. The EFCC is wrong in their action because Abdulrasheed inherited so many properties from his late father in Kaduna and Abuja, some of them were built before he was born so how could he have acquired them fraudulently.

    “The entire family of Abdullahi Maina is categorically stating that our son is not in anyway a fraudster, rather he is a messiah who brought reforms into Nigerian Pension Scheme, whose effort saw the disappearance of pensioners roaming the streets of Abuja and other state capital in Nigeria”.

    According to the family, the actions may have been targeted at not Maina but high above, “we are aware that all this act of calumny is not targeted against Abdulrasheed Maina alone but against the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria and the office of the Attorney General. We have contacted our lawyers Messr Mamma Nasir & Co and instructed them to act appropriately.

    “We equally know that Abdulrasheed Maina is in possession of many facts that is against the cabal and interesting to the Nigerian populace, which he will disclose very soon,” the family noted.

  • Metuh’s trial: Court orders Jonathan to appear on Tuesday

    Metuh’s trial: Court orders Jonathan to appear on Tuesday

    A FEDERAL High Court in Abuja has ordered former President Goodluck Jonathan and his former National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki to testify before it on Monday.

    Justice Okon Abang gave the order yesterday in a ruling on the invitation of the two men by former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spokesman Olisa Metuh as defence witnesses.

    Justice Abang also ordered the court bailiff five days within which to effect personal service of subpoena (witness summons) issued on  Jonathan.

    The court had on Tuesday adjourned the criminal trial to yesterday for Jonathan and Dasuki, who were subpoenaed on the request of Metuh, to appear and testify as defence witnesses.

    At the resumption of proceedings yesterday, neither Jonathan nor Dasuki was in court.

    While there was evidence that Dasuki had been served with the witness summons, the court noted that its bailiff was not yet able to serve  Jonathan.

    When asked what further steps should be taken, prosecuting lawyer Sylvester Tahir, urged the court to order substituted service since personal service has failed.

    As it relates to Dasuki, Tahir asked the court to apply the provision of Section 246(1) (a) of Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).

    Tahir said: “There was a report on Monday that Dasuki has been served on October 18. Today is the return date. The witness that has been served is not here.

    “Section 246(1)(a) of ACJA has addressed the situation at hand. It says ‘A witness, who refuses or neglect without reasonable excuse, to attend court in response to a witness summons is liable to a summary conviction and sentencing to fine of N10,000 or imprisonment of two months.”

    When asked by the court, as the lawyer to the complainant what steps he has taken to ensure that an agency of Federal Government (DSS) comply with the order made by Court of Appeal on September 29, Tahir said he had reported to his employer, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Lawyers for the defence, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) and Tochukwu Onwugbufor (SAN) objected to the position canvassed by Tahir.

    They urged the court to ensure that more attempt were made to serve Jonathan personally before the option of substituted means could be considered.

    Justice Abang agreed with the submissions of the defence lawyers and directed that further attempt should be made at serving Jonathan personally, failing which the option of substituted means could be explored.

    On Dasuki, he directed that the issue should be handled administratively since the case was being prosecuted by an agency of the Federal Government (the EFCC) and Dasuki was being held by another agency of the Federal Government (DSS).

    He said the court would be unable to make meaningful progress where Dasuki and Jonathan fail to attend court as directed.

    “As regards His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who is not in court today, it is on record that he is yet to be served the witness summon.

    “The court cannot apportion blame to him for his failure to be in court today.

    “It is my humble view that service of court process on the witness or a party goes to the root of adjudication, absence of which will nullify proceedings; no matter how well-conducted.

    “It is not sufficient that the bailiff of the court made only one attempt to serve him with the witness summon.

    “The bailiff is hereby directed to make further attempts in effecting personal service of the witness summon on His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

    “If personal service cannot be effected, it is only reasonable that the first defendant has a duty to apply for leave to serve His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan by substituted means. I so hold.”

    The judge then scheduled both Jonathan and Dasuki to appear in court on October 31.

    In an earlier ruling, Justice Abang struck out the motion filed by Dasuki, seeking the setting aside of the subpoena issued on him.

    Dasuki had argued that he was not in the right frame of mind to testify in the case because he has been held in custody since December 2015 and could no longer remember all that happened while he was in office.

    The EFCC is prosecuting Metuh and his company, Destra Investments Limited, on seven counts of money laundering involving alleged cash transaction of $2 million and fraudulent receipt of N400 million meant for procurement of arms from the Office of the NSA.

     

  • PDP chair: Drama as Dokpesi drums up support for George

    PDP chair: Drama as Dokpesi drums up support for George

    THE race for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national chairman took a dramatic turn yesterday as one of the aspirants, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, openly drummed support for a rival aspirant, Chief Olabode George.

    Dokpesi had made a dramatic appearance at George’s campaign office in the highbrow Maitama, Abuja, where the latter was having an interactive session with his supporters and other stakeholders.

    The media mogul, who arrived midway into the event, swapped his traditional cap with George’s branded campaign fez cap, with the bold inscription ‘BG’ (Bode George) embossed on the cap.

    Describing George as a man that had made invaluable contributions and services to the Nigerian project, Dokpesi said he was at the event to give full solidarity to a fellow aspirant.

    Dokpesi said: “Let me thank Chief George not only for his contributions to the PDP but also for his services to Nigeria.

    “My presence here is to give full solidarity to Olabode George. We rose from a meeting yesterday and we agreed that this contest is going to be a family affair.

    “He is a team player, very courageous.  In 2019, we cannot succeed without the support of Bode George or any of the other aspirants.”

    George, who addressed his supporters before Dokpesi’s arrived at the venue, assured that he would be a team player, if given the chance to lead the party.

  • Senate caucus grills Dokpesi, Adeniran, others for PDP chair

    Senate caucus grills Dokpesi, Adeniran, others for PDP chair

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus in the Senate Monday night met with six aspirants to the position of the party’s National Chairman.

    The meeting, which was still holding at the Asokoro private residence of the Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio was still in progress at the time of filing this report.

    The aspirants that appeared before the senators included Chief Olabode George, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, Prof. Tunde Adeniran, Prince Uche Secondus, Prof Taoheed Adedoja and Mr Jimi Agbaje.

    The purpose of the meeting, which was being chaired by Akpabio was to interact with the aspirants, with the view to determining the suitability of each of the aspirants for the position of chairman.

    Secondus and Agbaje who are in their 50s, are the youngest of the aspirants and are considered late entrants into the race.

    George and Adeniran are in their 70s while Dokpesi and Adedoja are in their mid-60s.

    The aspirants are billed to also meet with the National Chairman of the PDP, Senator Ahmed Makarfi shortly before today’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting at the party’s Abuja secretariat.

    The NEC will be considering approval for the December 9 date and venue for the convention.

  • BREAKING: Amaechi, Wike’s fight get messier

    BREAKING: Amaechi, Wike’s fight get messier

    The fight between the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has got messier, with the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS) supported with purpose-built office complex in Port Harcourt, when Amaechi was governor, suddenly given quit notice by officials of Wike’s local government council.

    The quit notice came from Obio/Akpor Local Government Council of Rivers state, where Wike, a former Minister of State for Education, hails from, through the council’s Legal Adviser, Victor Owhonda Wokem.

    Wike, who is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and most leaders of the PDP decided to declare war against the Commander of F-SARS in Rivers state, Akin Fakorede, a lawyer, for allegedly refusing to support the plans of the PDP during the December 10 last year’s legislative rerun.

    Fakorede, who hails from Ekiti State, in a telephone interview, however, declared that the security outfit would never vacate the facility given to it by Amaechi’s govt on August 23, 2012, asking officials of the local government council to desist from making false claims.

    While also speaking on the telephone on Friday, the Caretaker Chairman of Obio/Akpor local government council, Goodnews Ozioma Amadi, a member of PDP, who was recently appointed by Wike for three months, with the possibility of being reappointed for another three months, if she performs optimally, in her reaction, said: “It is a legal matter. It is being handled by the council’s Legal Adviser.”

    The Rivers state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), through its Publicity Secretary, Chief Chris Finebone, in Port Harcourt, said: “Of course, this is one of the clearest evidence of the war of attrition being waged by Wike and his government against the F-SARS in Rivers State. It is a development foretold by discerning minds.”

    Rivers APC also claimed that Wike was fighting F-SARS in the state and Fakorede, because of 2019 elections and the governor’s vice-presidential ambition in 2019, with the state’s commander of F-SARS having earlier allegedly refused to be bribed to support the massive rigging of the December 10 last year’s legislative rerun in Rivers.

    The quit notice from Obio/Akpor local government council, located in Rumuodomaya, Port Harcourt, and the reply of F-SARS, both on their colourful letterheads, were obtained on Friday in Port Harcourt.

    The quit notice was dated October 18, 2017, signed by the local government council’s legal adviser, was addressed to the commander of F-SARS, Sir Celestine Omehia Road, Rukpokwu, Port Harcourt, Obio/Akpor LGA, Rivers State, and titled: “Notice to Vacate and Deliver up Possession of the Property/Premises You Occupy Inside the Obio/Akpor International Market, Rukpokwu Town, Obio/Akpor LGA, Rivers State.”

    Wokem (LG legal adviser) said: “I am directed by the Local Government Council to give you one month notice to vacate and deliver up possession of the premises/property of the Obio/Akpor International Market, which you presently occupy, as a licensee thereof, on or before 30th day of November 2017.

    “This directive is borne out of the council’s need to carry out major renovation works at the international market and to put the said property, which you occupy, into full use and purpose for which it was originally acquired and built.

    “Take further notice that in the event you fail, refuse or neglect to abide by this notice, the council shall have no option, but to use all available legal means to eject you therefrom and demand consequential damages. Please, be guided accordingly.”

    Copies of the Obio/Akpor local government’s quit notice were sent to Wike; the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris; and the Rivers Commissioner of Police, Zaki Ahmed.

    The quit notice, which was received by F-SARS, Rivers state on October 19, 2017, was stamped and signed by one of the officials of the security outfit, without the name indicated.

    F-SARS, Rivers state, in its reply, dated October 19, 2017, and signed by its commander (Fakorede), a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), accused the officials of Obio/Akpor local government council of being economical with the truth.

    The F-SARS’ response had copies sent to Rivers Police Commissioner, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Port Harcourt and the Officer in Charge (O/C) Legal, State CID, Port Harcourt.

    F-SARS said: “I refer to your letter dated October 18, 2017 on the above subject matter and wish to respectfully inform your good office that the Rivers State F-SARS is not in possession or occupation of any premises/property of Obio/Akpor Local Government.

    “For the purpose of clarity and the avoidance of doubt, the F-SARS is presently occupying a purpose-built police facility, constructed for the police and officially handed over to the F-SARS, Rivers State on August 23, 2012 by the Rivers State Government, under Rt. Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, then Governor of Rivers State.

    “You are kindly requested to advise your client to desist from making false claims. Please be advised.”

    Fakorede, in yesterday’s telephone interview, also stated that F-SARS purpose-built facility had standard police station, cells, offices and residential quarters for officers and men, among other facilities to enhance the smooth operations of the special security outfit, while declaring that there was no way F-SARS could quit the facility it had been occupying for over five years.

    Rivers Commissioner for Information and Communications, Emma Okah, at a news conference in Government House, Port Harcourt, accused Fakorede of taking sides with the leaders of the APC, while calling for his transfer out of the state.

    Okah drew the attention of President Muhammadu Buhari, other Nigerians and the international community to the alleged atrocities committed in Rivers by F-SARS, under the command of Fakorede and the alleged deliberate refusal of the IGP, as well as the Police Service Commission (PSC) to reprimand or transfer the commander of F-SARS in the state.

    Information commissioner said: “Rivers State government is not after the person of Mr Akin Fakorede, but the odious methods he employs in doing his job and the consequences.”

    APC in Rivers, however, accused Wike and his allies of lying outright, in their declaration of war against the hardworking, focused and professional commander of F-SARS in the state.

    The main opposition APC in Rivers said: “The accusation by the Rivers State government is complete nonsense. If the police and particularly former Commissioner of Police, Mbu Joseph Mbu, were the armed wing of the PDP to tackle the former Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, years back, it does not by any means follow that APC today needs such an aberration or unholy alliance. We are a party of change.

    “APC has no special relationship with SARS or any security agency in the colour being painted by Wike and the PDP in Rivers State. We are happy that the Rivers State government and PDP in Rivers State have come out to unveil the real reasons they are battling SARS and its Commander, Akin Fakorede. They have spelt it out that it is all about 2019.

    “APC as a political party sensed it all along. We will not be surprised if the police high command already knows why PDP and Wike are whining, huffing and puffing about SARS and Akin Fakorede. Now, it is crystal clear who is politicising security in Rivers State and why the best efforts of the security agencies appear not to be achieving the desired results.”

    It will be recalled that Amaechi, a former Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), had been at loggerheads with Wike, his former Chief of Staff (2007-2011), who was the Director-General of Amaechi Re-election Campaign Organisation in 2011, before the then Rivers governor (Amaechi) recommended him (Wike) to the then President Goodluck Jonathan for ministerial appointment in 2011, over who would be Rivers governor in 2015.

    Amaechi, an indigene of Ubima in Ikwerre LGA, stated that to ensure equity, justice and fairness in the multi-ethnic state, it would not be proper for another Ikwerre person/Uplander to succeed him in 2015, while opting for a riverine successor, but Wike, also an Ikwerre from Rumueprikom in Obio/Akpor LGA of the state maintained that emphasis should be placed on competence and capability to win elections, not zoning.

    Amaechi stuck to zoning between the upland and riverine parts of the state, leading to the emergence of Dr. Dakuku Peterside, from coastal Opobo, the headquarters of Opobo/Nkoro LGA of the state as the standard bearer of the APC, but he was rigged out, while he got favourable judgment at the Court of Appeal, Abuja, with Wike emerging victorious at the Supreme Court.

  • Judge withdraws from Ogun PDP leadership tussle suit

    Judge withdraws from Ogun PDP leadership tussle suit

    Justice Ibrahim Buba of Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday withdrew from a suit on the leadership tussle in the Ogun Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The judge, who announced his withdrawal from the suit no. FHC/L/CS/1556/17 in the open court, said his decision was based on a petition written against him to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court.

    The suit was filed by the Ogun State delegation to the PDP National Convention.

    Listed as plaintiffs are a member of the PDP National Working Committee, Alhaji Adewole Adeyanju, the PDP Youth Leader in Ogun and delegates to the convention — Daisi Akintan and Alhaji Idris Muniru.

    Others are the Chairmen of Ijebu North, Ijebu East and Sagamu Local Government Areas of state —  Chief (Mrs) Tuke Omotara, Alhaji Badejo Abiodun and Otunba Kola Akinyemi respectively.

    Among the 31 defendants in the suit are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the PDP and the PDP National Caretaker Committee and its Chairman, Alhaji Ahmed Makarfi.

    The plaintiffs are seeking among other reliefs, a court order restraining INEC from monitoring or supervising any congress of the PDP conducted by the second to sixth defendants for election of any person (s) into the Executive Committee of the PDP in Ogun State.

    They also want the court to bar INEC from accepting or recognising any person(s) that emerge from such congress conducted by the defendants or any other officer of the PDP until May 2020 when the tenure of the current executive would expire.

    But Justice Buba, who had earlier fixed Friday to hear the case, withdrew himself from the suit, saying he had seen a copy of the defendants’ petition against him in the case file.

    Some placard-carrying protesters had stormed the court premises, demanding the judge’s withdrawal from the case. (NAN)

  • Dokpesi bought household items with funds from Dasuki – witnesses

    Dokpesi bought household items with funds from Dasuki – witnesses

    The trial of a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Raymond Dokpesi resumed Thursday with two prosecution witnesses telling a Federal High Court in Abuja that Dokpesi bought household items with funds allegedly paid to him by former National Security Adviser (NSA), Mohammed Dasuki.

    The witnesses – Peter Imoekor and Fabian Ozoemina – informed the court that they supplied generators, a transformer and security doors valued at millions of naira, to Dokpesi’s houses in Lagos and Agenebode, Edo State, and his offices at different times after N2.1bn was allegedly paid to him by the Office of the National Security Adviser between January and March 2015.

    Dokpesi and his firm, Daar Investment and Holding Limited are standing trial on a six-count charge in relation to the N2.1bn they allegedly received unlawfully from the Office of the National Security Adviser between January and March 2015.

    They are accused of engaging in money laundering and procurement.

    Dokpesi and Daar Investments were said to have received the sum of N2.12bn from ONSA then headed by Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), as payment for a “purported contract on presidential media initiative”.

    The two witnesses, who testified as the prosecution’s 7th and 8th witnesses, were led in evidence by prosecuting lawyer, Oluwaleke Atolagbe.

    Imoekor, who is the Administrative Manager of Mikano International Ltd, Abuja branch, was the first to mount the witness box. He said that he was invited by the EFCC in February 2016 “to clarify” some transactions which Mikano had with Dokpesi and Daar Communications Plc.

    He explained how between February and August 2015 Mikano supplied four units of 140KVA, two units of 200KVA and a 500KVA electric transformer to Dokpesi’s house in Agenebode (Dokpesi’s hometown) and Daar’s offices in Sokoto and Gusau, Zamfara State.

    He said “The transaction was in respect of four units of 140KVA Basic (open type). Each costs N3.5m and they all totalled N14m

    “Daar made payment for all. The payment was made in two tranches of N7m each through First Bank drafts.

    “On March 19, 2015, they came to exchange three of the ‘Basic’ generators with soundproof type and paid the difference of N6, 350,000 through UBA Plc.

    “Then on March 30, 2015, delivery was made. We delivered them to Sokoto and Gusau, capital of Zamfara State.

    “In the same March, they made a request for the purchase of two units of 200KVA basic generator and payment of N11,657,240 was made through transfer and delivery was made to his (Dokpesi’s) house in Otuake  Quarters, Agenebode in Edo State.

    “In August 2015 payment for 500KVA electric transformer was made. The amount paid was in cash. It was N3,073,200. This time the receipt was issued in his name, that is, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi’s name.

    “Then a memo was issued to the head office of Mikano International Limited for delivery in Agenebode Edo State. It was subsequently delivered,” the witness said.

    He confirmed that the instructions for the transactions were from Dokpesi and that they were mostly carried out by the officials of Daar Communications.

    While being cross-examination by Dokpesi’s lawyer, Kanu Agabi (SAN), Imoekor said did not know the sources of the money paid by Dokpesi and his company for the supply of the products.

    He also said he did not know about the income and expenditure of Daar and that there is nothing about the transactions which he considered abnormal until he was invited by the EFCC.

    Ozoemina said the EFCC invited him sometimes in January 2016 and asked him what the money paid to my company was for and he said it was for a security door.

    The witness was later handed a document – a bank statement – and was asked to read from it.

    He said, “The narration reads: inward clearing cheque in favour of Gilgal Concept Ltd, on January 27, 2015 – N5m. Inward clearing cheque in favour of Gilgal Concept Ltd on the same day, January 27, 2015 – N1,066,558.”

    Ozoemina confirmed that the sums of money were paid into the account of Gilgal, his company.

    He said the total sum of N6,066,558 was for the installation of security doors at Dokpesi’s house in Agenebode.

    The witness further said “We got a total of N6,066,558 for the supply and installation of steel security doors. We installed the security doors. They were installed at chairman’s project at Agenebode. It was installed towards the end of 2014 and early 2015.”

    He confirmed that Dokpesi, whom he had known for close to 20 years gave the instructions for the transactions.

    While being cross-examined by Agabi, he denied knowing the sources of the money paid by Dokpesi.

    On whether he would describe Dokpesi, with whom he said he had related for the past 20 years as a good man, Ozoemina said the 1st defendant is.

    The trial judge, Justice John Tsoho subsequently adjourned further proceedings to November 17.

  • Jonathan accuses APC of lies, propaganda

    Jonathan accuses APC of lies, propaganda

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan has lashed out at the All Progressive Congress-led administration, saying that the party runs a government of lies and propaganda.

    Jonathan spoke in Abuja on Thursday while receiving one of the chairmanship aspirants of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prof Tunde Adeniran at his private residence.

    The former President insisted that the PDP, which controlled government at the centre from 1999 to 2015 did well for the country but that the APC has failed the country and its people.

    According to him, the APC administration has nothing to show in terms of achievement. Rather, the ruling party has been governing through lies and deployment of hi-tech propaganda to cover up its misrules.

    ‎Challenging the APC leadership to the public debate over its performance, Jonathan said: “The PDP administration for 16 did well and will continue to do well. But this administration has done nothing, the administration is full lies and propaganda.

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    “In the power sector, we did well to revive it, a certain state governor criticised our government, saying that any serious government should be able to fix the power sector within six months. But today, the APC has been in power for how many years? Fortunately, the then governor is in the APC Government as a Minister”.

    The former President, however, said that all hope was not lost, adding that the PDP would go all out and put its house in order for it to return to power in 2019.

    Jonathan said that Nigerians have been able to see the difference between the PDP and the APC in terms of performance.

    “With the rate at which people are coming around to associate with a party that lost elections, it shows that the

    President Muhammadu Buhari

    people still believe in the PDP. With the number and calibre of the people coming out to vie for the seat of the national chairman and other offices of our party, it shows that our party still has another chance”, the ex-President added.

    Fro the PDP to get it right and regain its lost glory, Jonathan said the party required a competent, reliable and courageous individual as national chairman to lead the PDP to victory in 2019.

    According to him, the contest for the office of the national chairman is very interesting. It’s a healthy competition in which many of the aspirants have been coming here. This will allow the delegates to choose the best among them at the convention.

    “For our party to make a headway, we need a national chairman that will select credible and reliable candidates for various elective offices at the various levels of government, from the Presidency to councillorship.

    “We need a national chairman who will be courageous enough to call the President to order if we win the Presidency and the President is going astray. He must not be someone who would change when the party takes a position on ‎issues.

    “We need a national chairman who will rule the party democratically and carry others along. In fact, the national chairman is the leader of the party. It is not the other way round”.
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    The ex-President said judging by his long interaction with Prof Adeniran, coupled with testimonies of other party leaders, Adeniran possessed what it takes to lead the party at this critical point in time.

    He warned the party leaders and the aspirants against turning the convention into a battlefield, saying the PDP must avoid another crisis that could jeopardise the party’s interest. He urged party leaders and members to see the upcoming convention as family affairs.

    Speaking earlier, Adeniran said that he was not interested in the race at the initial stage, but that the need to rebuild and reposition the party ahead of the 2019 general elections prompted him to join the race.

    Prof Adeniran added that he was in the race for the PDP to regain its lost glory and give Nigerians the real dividends of democracy that have eluded them since the PDP lost power in 2015.