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Tag: Reps

  • Reps, minister in mild drama over suspension of NITDA DG

    Reps, minister in mild drama over suspension of NITDA DG

    EFFORTS by the House of Representatives’ committees on Communication and ICT to probe the suspension of Peter Jack, director-general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) resulted in a drama yesterday.

    Minister of Communications Adebayo Shittu was invited to explain the removal of the director -general and the appointment of an acting director general in violation of the NITDA Act.

    The minister told the committees that he was “blank” on why he was before the committee. This annoyed members.

    He said: “My name is Abdulraheem Adebayo Shittu. I’m here almost blank as to why I’m here. I don’t have information why I was asked to come. And I’m hoping that members will tell me. As I speak, there’s a conference at Transcorp where I’m to represent Nigeria in the midst of many international bodies and foreign players.

    “I also have another meeting with Mr President and some foreign investors. And as you know, Nigeria lacks the capacity to fund investment in the ICT sector, so I’m appealing that I have the questions so that I can go and look at them, get necessary information and provide answers on another date”.

    The minister’s submission annoyed the lawmakers. The Chairman of the Telecommunications Committee,  Saheed Fijabi, said the letter of invitation sent to the minister was stamped “received” by a staff in his office .

    He said the contents stated that he was being invited over investigations into the petition from the suspended NITDA director-general.

    Linus Okorie said the minister was only expected to introduce himself and allow the chairman of the Information Technology Committee, Mohammed Onawo, to continue  but that Shittu stripped the lawmakers of the “extreme respect and courtesy” the National Assembly deserved.

    The Permanent-Secretary, Sonny Ochono, made frantic appeals to the lawmakers.

    The minister eventually admitted receiving the letter of invitation and apologised.

    His words: “I want to apologise for any misconception. A letter was brought to my office yesterday with a heading relating to the suspension of the director general, NITDA. And I liaised  with my permanent secretary to get back to the Clerk to work out the possibility of readjusting the date, given the number of engagements I’m to have on behalf of the President.”

    The session was eventually rescheduled for another date.

    Onawo told reporters that  the House mandated the committees on ICT and Telecommunications to invite the minister to explain his role in the alleged unlawful suspension of the director general, NITDA and the appointment of another in acting capacity.

    FFORTS by the House of Representatives’ committees on Communication and ICT to probe the suspension of Peter Jack, director-general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) resulted in a drama yesterday.

    Minister of Communications Adebayo Shittu was invited to explain the removal of the director -general and the appointment of an acting director general in violation of the NITDA Act.

    The minister told the committees that he was “blank” on why he was before the committee. This annoyed members.

    He said: “My name is Abdulraheem Adebayo Shittu. I’m here almost blank as to why I’m here. I don’t have information why I was asked to come. And I’m hoping that members will tell me. As I speak, there’s a conference at Transcorp where I’m to represent Nigeria in the midst of many international bodies and foreign players.

    “I also have another meeting with Mr President and some foreign investors. And as you know, Nigeria lacks the capacity to fund investment in the ICT sector, so I’m appealing that I have the questions so that I can go and look at them, get necessary information and provide answers on another date”.

    The minister’s submission annoyed the lawmakers. The Chairman of the Telecommunications Committee,  Saheed Fijabi, said the letter of invitation sent to the minister was stamped “received” by a staff in his office .

    He said the contents stated that he was being invited over investigations into the petition from the suspended NITDA director-general.

    Linus Okorie said the minister was only expected to introduce himself and allow the chairman of the Information Technology Committee, Mohammed Onawo, to continue  but that Shittu stripped the lawmakers of the “extreme respect and courtesy” the National Assembly deserved.

    The Permanent-Secretary, Sonny Ochono, made frantic appeals to the lawmakers.

    The minister eventually admitted receiving the letter of invitation and apologised.

    His words: “I want to apologise for any misconception. A letter was brought to my office yesterday with a heading relating to the suspension of the director general, NITDA. And I liaised  with my permanent secretary to get back to the Clerk to work out the possibility of readjusting the date, given the number of engagements I’m to have on behalf of the President.”

    The session was eventually rescheduled for another date.

    Onawo told reporters that  the House mandated the committees on ICT and Telecommunications to invite the minister to explain his role in the alleged unlawful suspension of the director general, NITDA and the appointment of another in acting capacity.

     

  • 11 Reps sue Dogara over House rules

    11 Reps sue Dogara over House rules

    •We still united, says spokesman 

    Another round of crisis is brewing in the House of Representatives as Speaker Yakubu Dogara has been sued over the new Standing Orders.

    The Clerk of the House, Sani Omolori, was also joined in the suit at an Abuja High Court.

    The House rules were adopted on October 8, last year after the report of an ad hoc committee, which reviewed the House Standing Orders (2011), was considered.

    The aggrieved lawmakers are Mohammed Musa Soba (APC, Kaduna); Yusuf Bala Ikara (APC, Kaduna); Abubakar Lado Suleja (APC, Niger); and Lawal Yahaya Gumau (APC, Bauchi).

    Others include Rotimi Agunsoye (APC, Lagos); Aminu Ibrahim Malle (APC, Taraba); Sunday Adepoju (APC, Oyo); Ahmed Babba Kaita (APC, Katsina); Philip Shuaibu (APC, Edo); Abubakar Chika Adamu (APC, Niger).

    The lawmakers were concerned about the power vested in the Speaker  to suspend any member who approaches the mace.

    The new Standing Order also provides that the Speaker can suspend a member for 30 plenary days for failing to obey the presiding officer’s directive.

    In their written summons of December 14, the 11 lawmakers, led by Aliyu Sani Madaki (APC, Kano) urged the court to declare the new Standing Orders null and void as well as unconstitutional.

    In addition, the aggrieved lawmakers urged the court to restrain Dogara, the House or any of its agents from exercising the purported amendments vested on them in the new rules pending the determination of the matter.

    Also, the court was asked to declare as repressive, susceptible to abuse and breaches of their rights Dogara’s powers to present any proposal for the suspension of any member.

    Reacting to the development, House spokesman Abdulrazak Namdas, told The Nation on the phone that such the development would not affect the unity of the House.

    He said.”First and foremost I’m not aware of this but if it is true I won’t be able to make any comment on it since it is in court, we have to allow the court to decide.

    “We always have one or two differences and that will not hinder the smooth running of the House

    “There are 360 lawmakers in the House and as you said 11 people took the Speaker to court out of 360, I don’t think that can affect our unity.

    “We are in a democracy and we cannot stop people from making their views known but the truth is that we are still a group and will continue to work together.”

  • Reps set up constitution review panel

    Reps set up constitution review panel

    THE House of Representatives has constituted a new Ad hoc Committee on Constitution Review with the Deputy Speaker, Sulaiman Lasun, as the chairman.

    Yesterday at the end of plenary, Speaker of the House, Yakubu Dogara, announced the names of the committee members.

    The committee includes all principal officers of the House and other members, including Jonathan Gaza, Abubakar Chika, Sunday Karimi and Aishatu Jibril Dukku.

    With the naming of the committee’s members, it appears the House may embark on a new effort to amend the constitution.

    The Speaker had declared the resolve of the Eighth House to re-submit the Alteration Bill passed in the Seventh House to President Muhammadu Buhari.

  • 2016 budget: Reps adopt $38 oil price bench mark

    • Reject e-collection platform for TSA

    • Approve N197/$1 exchange rate

    The House of Reprsentatives yesterday approved a benchmark of $38 per barrel of crude oil for the 2016 budget.

    The lawmakers also approved daily crude oil production of 2,200 million barrels per day (mbpd) as proposed by the Executive for the budget.

    While the House also approved an exchange rate of N197/$1, it  however rejected the recommendation “that the implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) with e-collection platform be sustained.”

    The position of the House was sequel to the consideration and adoption of the report of the joint committees of Finance, Appropriation, and Aids, Loans and Debt Management on the  2016-2018 Medium Term Expenditure Framework ( MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper ( FSP) of the Federal Government.

     

    It also adopted other recommendations which included: “That the Central Bank of Nigeria should initiate measures that will close the gap between the parallel market and the official exchange rate;

    “That government should sustain the current tempo towards increasing Federal Government independent revenue and diversification of the economy.

    “That the Federal Government should establish a data base and possibly a single salary account for all its employees in order to streamline and reduce its personnel cost.

    “An increase in tax collection to a level closer to to the accepted tax/ GDP ratio of our economy.

    “That the relevant committees of the National Assembly should  closely and constantly conduct oversight of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) responsible for implementing special intervention programmes  to ensure that the targeted populace benefit and in order to avoid abuse.”

    The House also approved the recommendations “ that the diversification of the economy should be accompanied with economic modernisation such that the economy can be more competitive and productive;

    “That the finding of the infrastructural development stated in the MTEF should be clearly captured in the details of the 2016 Appropriation bill; and

    “That the National Assembly,in close collaboration with the Executive arm of government should, as a matter of urgency, consider an accelerated passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) particularly those sections with implication on Joint Venture funding by Federal Government ( JV cash calls).

    However, the lawmakers rejected two recommendations which are: “ that the implementation of the Treasury Single Account ( TSA) with e-collection platform be sustained,” and,

    “And that the areas of 2015 fuel subsidy for domestic consumption as proposed in the MTEF be sustained.

    The Speaker, Hon. Yakubu Dogara also set up a conference committee to harmonize positions with the Senate, in order to allow members adopt the harmonized version on Tuesday next week before the presentation of the 2016 budget by the President.

     

  • Reps to CBN: disclose interest on foreign reserve accounts

    Reps to CBN: disclose interest on foreign reserve accounts

    The House of Representatives has demanded to know how the nation’s foreign reserves accounts are managed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    The lawmakers, who were particular about the interests accruing to the funds in the foreign reserve accounts, are not happy that the reserves are managed by foreigners.

    The lawmakers directed the CBN to declare, without delay, the particulars of the accounts in which foreign reserves of the federation are held and any interest accruable to the foreign reserve accounts held on behalf of the federation in the last four years and thereafter periodically.

    The lawmakers urged the CBN to report the criteria for engaging any and all foreign managers of the foreign reserves account of the federation to ensure transparency.

    This is in addition to annual reports of performance and continued compliance of the managers with any set guidelines issued by the CBN for the engagement of the managers.

    The decision of the lawmakers followed the adoption of a motion by Abudussamad Dasuki  (APC, Sokoto), who noted that the CBN maintains several foreign reserve accounts on behalf of the federation containing funds in foreign currencies.

    He said the  foreign currencies are held in financial institutions before they are shared during the monthly Federation Accounts Allocation Committee  (FAAC).

    He said: “It is a fact that reasonable interests accrue from the surplus of funds held by the CBN on behalf of the federation which have not been monetised into naira and received by the federation from the CBN from the foreign bank accounts.

    “It is also a fact that foreign managers are contracted by the CBN to manage the funds on contractual terms which are not subject to public scrutiny or open competitive and transparent processes.

    “Furthermore, the Nigeria  Sovereign Investment Authority  (NSIA) was established, among other reasons, to undertake the management of of the excess crude account funds on behalf of the federation and that domestic capacity is being developed in order that large state-owned funds can be managed by Nigerians.

    “It is however of concern that the accruals to the federation from foreign reserve accounts have not been openly declared

    “Of more concern is the fact that some states have persistently agitated for the discontinuance of the ‘agreement’ allowing FAAC to decide savings or reserves from disbursable funds to the components of the Federation.

    “It is worrisome that the entire circumstances regarding the management of the Excess Crude Account  (ECA) of the federation is straining the relationship between the three tiers of government, in particular, with the argument of some states that they require the unused funds for  development purposes and so do not support the continued arrangement.

    “If this situation is not thoroughly examined and appropriate measures taken, it may lead to unforeseeable consequences.”

    The bill was referred to House Committee on Finace which had two  months to report back after it was adopted through voice vote.

  • Reps walk out NCC, NDDC over non-remitance of non-oil revenue 

    Reps walk out NCC, NDDC over non-remitance of non-oil revenue 

    Officials of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) were barred from a House of Representatives ad hoc committee hearing investigating alleged fraud in the remittance of generated non-oil revenue.

    The officials of the two agencies were walked out due to the non-appearance of their chief executives.

    The NCC was represented at the hearing by some officials led by the Director of Public Affairs, Anthony Ojobo, while the NDDC was represented by Executive Director of Finance, Henry Ogiri.

    Other agencies at the public hearing included the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and the Nigerian Communications  Satelite (NigComSat)Ltd.

    The action of the committee was coming on the heels of a challenge thrown to House committees by the Speaker Yakubu Dogara at a retreat earlier Monday that the House is set to drive the change agenda of the government.

    The panel, chaired by Chike Okafor (APC, Imo) said the non-appearance of the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC Prof Umar Garba Dambatta and NDDC Managing Director Bassey Dan-Abia was against the rules of the House.

    According to him, engaging officials who cannot take responsibility for the actions of their agencies at the hearing would not serve the purpose of the investigation.

    Okafor however said Dambatta and Dan-Abia must appear before the panel to respond to questions relating to their organizations on a date to be announced by the panel.

    “We have to engage those that would not set us back because the mandate of the committee is critical to the economic realities on ground in this country.

    “With a monolithic economy and the fact that we don’t have control of global oil market, with (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) setting its benchmark at $35, while we set ours at $38, the implication is that we are going to have issues with our budget proposal.

    “That is why we have to look into non-oil revenue generation and we are looking at the past four years.

    “We need to know what has transpired in that period concerning statutory and other sources of funds, interest paid on deposit accounts, banks  used by the agencies concerned   in terms of kinds of accounts, before Treasury Single Account  (TSA), investment portfolios, offshore banks among others requests.

    “If we are looking at all of these, we must have officers who can take responsibility for whatever is given to the committee.”

    The submisions of NTA, FRCN and NigComSat were however taken by the Committee.

  • Bad day for senators, reps at Appeal Court

    Bad day for senators, reps at Appeal Court

     Some lawmakers who manipulated their way into the hallowed chambers of the National Assembly are being shown the exit by the Court of Appeal. Eric Ikhilae and Okodili Ndidi report that five lawmakers, whose elections were voided yesterday, are to run again in Rivers and Imo states. 

    SOME  lawmakers  got a piece of bad news yesterday. Two senators and two members of the House of Representatives lost their seats at the Appeal Court. All the affected lawmakers won on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The court, which sat in Owerri, the Imo State capital and Abuja, the Federal Capital City (FCT), voided the Certificates of Return given to senators Mao Ohuabunwa (Abia North Senatorial District) and George Thompsom Sekibo (Rivers East Senatorial District). The appellate court ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct rerun elections in the two senatorial zones.

    The Senatorial Election Petitions’ Tribunals in Imo and Rivers states had upheld the elections of Ohuanbunwa and Sekibo but unsatisfied with the verdicts, their challengers, Orji Uzor Kalu of the Progressives People’s Alliance (PPA) and Andrew Ibonule Uchendu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) approached the appellate court.

    Also to undergo bye-elections in their federal constituencies are two PDP representatives from Rivers State. The duo, whose elections were annulled are Kingsley Ogundu Chindah and Blessing Nsiegbe, representing Obio/Akpo and Port-Harcourt II respectively. APC’s Anthony Chinedu Okocha and Collins Owhondah had appealed the lower tribunals’ ruling in their petition against the declaration of Chindah and Nsiegbe as winners of the House of Representatives election on March 28.

    In Owerri  

    Deciding the appeal filed by Kalu, a former Abia State governor, the Court of Appeal set aside the judgment of the lower tribunal and ordered for a fresh election in the Abia North Senatorial District.

    In the judgment delivered by Justice I G Mbaba, the court held that there were certain documents the lower tribunal should have relied upon to decide the case which were not presented and where presented, were not stamped.

    The presiding judge noted that the election was marred by irregularities to the extent of result mutilation. With the mutilated result compromising the overall outcome, the court held that to ensure a credible and transparent election, all the parties in the election should go back to the field for a fresh poll. He therefore ordered for a rerun election within the next 90 days.

    Ndubuisi Nwosu, a lawyer from the K.C Nwufor (SAN) chambers and counsel to the petitioner, noted that the Appeal Court largely based its decision on the non-tendering of some critical documents and cases of irregularities to nullify the election.

    In his reaction, Ohuabunwa’s counsel, Mike Onyeka, expressed displeasure and disappointment with the judgment. He said: “As a person, I do not agree with the conclusion of the court here today (yesterday) but as a lawyer, I am bound by the judgment. If there was another opportunity to contest this judgment, I would have done it. In any case, this is not the worst case scenario as all the parties involved would have to go back.”

    In Abuja

    Nullifying Sekibo’s election in an appeal by Uchendu and the APC, the Court of Appeal upturned the decision of the Rivers State National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal that sat in the FCT.

    The lower tribunal, chaired by Justice Muazu Pindiga, had held that the APC candidate failed to prove his case that election did not hold as claimed by the defendants including the electoral umpire and the PDP.

    But the appellate court yesterday held that it was for the respondents – Sekibo, the PDP INEC – who claimed that election actually held, to lead evidence to prove that election held as required under the Electoral Act.

    The court, in the appeal marked: CA/A/EPT/626/2015, ordered that fresh election be held in the senatorial district.

    Sekibo led two other senators from Rivers State to present a petition before the Senate, during the ministerial screening, opposing the nomination of the ex-governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.  The former governor was eventually screened and cleared. He has been handed the Ministry of Transportation portfolio by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    The elections of Chindah and Nsiegbe were also voided by the appellate court.

    The court upheld the appeals marked: CA/A/EPT/624/2015 and CA/A/EPT/625, filed by Okocha and Owhondah of the APC.

    In the three judgments, the Justice Ali Gumel-led three man panel, upheld the appeal filed for the appellants by their lawyer, B. E. I. Nwofor (SAN).

    Others know fate today

    As at 8pm last night, the court was yet to deliver three other House of Representatives judgments scheduled to be delivered yesterday.

    They include: the appeals filed by Ogbonna Nwuke against Jerome Amadi Eke (Etche/Omuonu Federal Constituency); Maureen Tamuno against Gogo Bright Tamuno (Okrika/Ogubolu) and Frank Chudi Wihioka against Boniface Emerengwa (Ikwere/Emuoha). All three appellants in the three appeals are of the APC and the respondents are of the PDP.

    Barring the unforeseen, the court will today rule in the appeal marked: CA/A/EPT/627/2015, by Igochukwu Auma of the APC and PDP’s Ken Chikere in respect of the election in Port-Harcourt I Federal Constituency.

    Ohunabunwa and Sekibo joined the club of former Senate President David Bonaventure Mark (Benue South Senatorial District) and Senator Bashir Marafa (Taraba Central Senatorial District). Unlike Mark, who was asked by the Court of Appeal to participate in a rerun election within 90 days, the court ruled that Marafa’s Certificate of Return be transferred to his challenger as the winner of the March 28 poll.

    The Makurdi Division of the court voided Mark’s election last week and ordered INEC to conduct fresh election in the Benue South Senatorial District within 90 days.

    Mark’s victory at the March 28 senatorial election was challenged by Daniel Onjeh of the APC, who petitioned the Benue State National Assembly Election Petitions’ Tribunal and asked for the cancellation of the election and an order to conduct fresh election in the district.

    Although the Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu-led panel dismissed Onjeh’s petition on October 7   on the ground that the evidence he tendered was documentary hearsay, he approached the higher court for judicial remedy.

    On September 30, the National Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal in Yola, the Taraba State capital, nullified Marafa’s election as the senator representing Taraba Central Senatorial District.

    The court ordered INEC to issue Certificate of Return to the APC candidate, Yusuf Abubakar, who the court said proved his appeal beyond reasonable doubt.

  • PDP, Reps, Anenih, Ayu, others named in N30b ‘loot’

    PDP, Reps, Anenih, Ayu, others named in N30b ‘loot’

    EFCC begins trial of ex-NSA, Yuguda, Bafarawa today

    Jonathan’s ex-aide ‘on the run’

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) will today begin the trial  of a former National Security Adviser (NSA), Mr. Sambo Dasuki, ex-Minister of Finance Bashir Yuguda and a former Director of Finance in the Office of the National Security Adviser, Mr. Shuaibu Salisu as well as  six others for alleged misappropriation N10billion.

    The others are a former Executive Director of NNPC, Aminu Baba Kusa, former Sokoto State Governor Attahiru Bafarawa, Sagir Attahiru, Dalhatu Investment Limited, Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.

    The N10 billion was allegedly distributed to delegates to the Presidential Primary Election of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP).

    Other expenditures include alleged N13.570 billion “agreement”  between Dasuki and the ex-Director of Finance;  transfer of N1.45b to Acacia Holdings Limited’s account for special prayers; N2.1b given to DAAR Investment and Holding Company Limited for publicity; N170m for a four-bedroom duplex; N380m to support re-election of members of the House of Representatives; and N750m paid into Reliance Referral Hospital Limited’s account for special prayers; N670m paid to a publisher; N260m transferred to Tony Anenih and N345million traced to a former President of the Senate, Sen. Iyorchia Ayu.

    The anti-graft commission said Hon. Waripamowei Dudafa, the Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan is on the run.

    All the suspects have been divided into two groups for trial  before Justice H.Y. Baba and Justice P.O. Affen of the High Court of Justice of the Federal Capital Territory.

    Those in the first group with a 19-count charge are:  Dasuki , his erstwhile Director of Finance,Shaibu  Salisu, Aminu Baba Kusa, Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.

    The charges are : “That you Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki whilst being National Security Adviser and Shaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser and Hon. Waripamowei Dudafa (now at large) whilst bring Senior Special Assistant , Domestic Affairs to the President on or about 27th November within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit: the sum of N10billion being part of the funds in the account of the National Security Adviser with the CBN, the equivalent of which sum you received from the CBN in foreign currencies to wit: $47million and €5.6million Euros committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property when you claimed to have distributed same to the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) Presidential Primary Election delegates and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004.

    “That you Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki whilst being National Security Adviser and Shaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser(ONSA)  between 22nd January 2015 and 19th March 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit: N2,120,000,000 which was in the account of National Security Adviser with the CBN committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property by remitting the said sum into the account of DAAR Investment and Holding Company Limited controlled by one Dr. Raymond Dokpesi for the funding of media activities for the 2015 Presidential Election Campaign for the PDP and you  thereby committed an offence punishable under under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004.

    “That you Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki whilst being National Security Adviser and Shaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser on or about 12th December 2013 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and in such capacities  entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit: N90million which was in the account of the ONSA with Diamond Bank Plc, committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property by remitting the said sum into the account of Brains and Hammers Limited for the purchase of 7-bedroom duplex house at No.11 Mansur Bamalli Drive (D1064), Apo 1 Abuja  and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004.

    “That you Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki whilst being National Security Adviser and Shaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser on or about 28th January 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and in such capacities  entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit: N170million, which was in the account of the ONSA with Skye Bank Plc committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property by remitting the said sum into the account of Urban Abode Nigerian Limited for the purchase of 4-bedroom duplex house  at Plot 2562/2643 Platinum Villa(PV) Asokoro Abuja in the name of AVM M.N. Umaru and  you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004.

    “That you Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki whilst being National Security Adviser and Shaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser between 9th October 2014 and 17th April 2015 in Abuja dishonestly misappropriated certain property to wit: N1.45billion belonging to the Federal Republic  of Nigeria which sum was transferred to Acacia Holdings Limited’s bank account controlled by one Aminu Baba-Kusa purporting same to be payment for organising prayers and  you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004.

    “That you Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki whilst being National Security Adviser and Shaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser on or about 17th April 2015 in Abuja dishonestly misappropriated certain property to wit: N750million belonging to the Federal Republic  of Nigeria which sum was transferred to Reliance Referral Hospital Limited’s bank account in favour of one Aminu Baba-Kusa purporting same to be payment for organizing prayers and  you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004.

    “That you Acaci Holdings Limited and Aminu Baba-Kusa between 9th October 2014 and 17th April 2915  in  Abuja knew that an aggregate sum of N1.45b directly represented the proceeds of criminal conducts of Mohammed Sambo Dasuki and Shuaibu Salisu, who were NSA  and the Director of Finance of ONSA respectively, to wit: criminal breach of trust in respect of the said amount, used the said property and  you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 17(b) of the EFCC(Establishment) Act 2004.

    “That you Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki whilst being National Security Adviser and Shaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser on or about 9th April 2015 in Abuja dishonestly misappropriated certain property to wit: N380million belonging to the Federal Republic  of Nigeria which sum was transferred to Belsha Nigeria Limited’s bank account controlled by Hon. Bello Matanwalle for distribution to support some members of the House of Representatives for  their re-election campaign and  you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 309 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004.

    “That you Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki whilst being National Security Adviser and Shaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser(ONSA)  between 12th August 2014 and 23 rd March 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and in such capacities  entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit: the sum of N670million being part of the funds in the account of the ONSA with the CBN committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property when you transferred same to the bank account of General Hydrocarbons Limited with the Guaranty Trust Bank controlled by one Nduka Obaigbena purporting the said sum to be payment for “energy consulting” and  and  you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004.

    “That you Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki whilst being National Security Adviser and Shaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser(ONSA)  on or about 28th November 2014  in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and in such capacities  entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit: the sum of N260million being part of the funds in the account of the ONSA with Skye Bank Plc committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property when you transferred same to the bank account of Tony Anenih with First Bank of Nigeria Plc and  you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004.

    “That you Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki whilst being National Security Adviser and Shaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser(ONSA)  between 8th January and 4th March 2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and in such capacities  entrusted with dominion over certain properties to wit: an aggregate sum of N345million being part of the funds in the account of the ONSA with  the CBN committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property when you transferred same to the bank account Starbriid Limited with Stanbic IBTC and Guaranty Trust Bank controlled by one Emmanuel Lawani on behalf of Senator Iyorchia Ayu for the construction of shopping mall at Jabi, Abuja, purporting the said sum to be payment for satellite charges and security equipment and  you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004.

    “That you Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki whilst being National Security Adviser and Shaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser(ONSA)  between October 2014 and April  2015 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, agreed to do an illegal act to wit: criminal breach of trust by public officers in respect of an aggregate sum of N13.570 billion being part if the funds in the accounts of the ONSA and that the same act was done in pursuance of the agreement  among you and  you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004.

     

  • Reps urge govt on cocoa export standard

    The House of Representatives yesterday urged the Federal government to provide incentives and farm inputs to cocoa farmers to enable them increase the quality of cocoa they produce.

    According to the lawmakers, this would allow the farmers to make high quality cocoa beans available at reasonable prices for the processing factories both locally and internationally.

    The House also urged the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to ensure that cocoa and other products are properly processed to meet regulatory requirements and global standards before being exported.

    This was sequel to the adoption of the prayers of a motion sponsored by a member, Hon. Mayowa Akinfolarin.

    According to the lawmaker,  in the past, no agricultural commodity surpassed cocoa in terms of earnings of foreign exchange, adding that the cocoa sub-sector still offers huge employment opportunities, directly and indirectly.

    He however regretted that for a long while, cocoa processing companies have faced a lot of challenges ranging from high cost of production, unpredictable and fluctuating prices of raw cocoa beans, lack of funds and non-standardised cocoa products.

    He said: “While Nigeria, like other countries, is focusing on agro-business to earn more foreign revenue, it’s main challenge in the exploitation of cocoa and other products is that exporters do not follow the law on standardisation.

    “It is of concern that cocoa and other agricultural products are exported without testing, which leads to the products being returned or destroyed when they are tested abroad and found to be below global standard.

  • Reps present 130 bills on Thursday

    Reps present 130 bills on Thursday

    History was made on the floor of the House of Representatives on Thursday when the lawmakers presented 130 bills for first reading.

    An elated Speaker Yakubu Dogara said it was the first of the several promises made to Nigerians during electioneering campaign.

    Dogara said it has become expedient for lawmakers to take up the challenge of ensuring that the statute books are no longer subjected to wanton manipulations by the nation’s leaders.

    He said: “This is the first set of the intervention bills to be presented and there are still more in my office.

    “The intention is to review the statute books so that they are no longer whimsically thrown away at the whims and caprices of any leader.

    “Today, we are fulfilling the promise we made to Nigerians and we are assuring them that they are going to be passed before the last quarter of next year.”