The Nation Newspaper

Tag: seek

  • Why I didn’t seek reappointment as ICPC chair, by Akanbi

    Former Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) chair Justice Mustapha Akanbi, yesterday explained wy he didn’t seek reappointment in 2005.

    He said he refused to go back to the job because he didn’t want to dent his integrity.

    In an interview with The Nation shortly after the ninth yearly lecture of Aelex Law firm at the Muson Centre, Lagos, Justice Akanbi said that funds for the commission were not being released as required, as such, he did not want to fall victim to the pranks of politicians.

    He also said he needed time to serve the nation the way he would have loved to by advocating moral change through his NGO, which he may not have been able to do if he had accepted the offer.

    Justice Akanbi said: “I wanted to do something for the nation. Now, I am running an NGO, a school and I am bringing up the children the way they should be brought up by lecturing them.

    “If I had remained in that position, I do not know if I would have been able to achieve that or if I would have been dead by now.

    “Secondly, the funding of the ICPC was not going as it should and I did not want to fall foul. The president who appointed me has always spoken well of me so, I did not want to be in a situation where my things could be messy.”

    Earlier at the event, Justice Akanbi, who chaired the lecture with the theme: “In God’s name: religion, politics and economic development”, and delivered by a renowned religious scholar, Prof. Timothy Shah, said that politicians were the ones fuelling religious tension across the country.

    He maintained that members of the extremist group, Boko Haram were not Muslims adding, “no religion preaches violence.

    “Muslims and Christians believe in God. Those who hold unto God are people determined to make the society better. Both religions believe in the basic principles-thou shall not steal and thou shall not kill.

    “There is also no compulsion in religion. The duty of governance is a question of the line politicians want to tow and what they want their country to become. If you go into politics to develop your country, you will not engage in acts that are unhealthy.

    “The political terrain in Nigeria today is bad. Most of our politicians claim to be either Christians or Muslims but they do not practice the core values of the religion. I am not saying there are no good ones, a few of them are good.”

    Using Egypt as an example, Justice Akanbi said the answer was not to fight but to preach the word of God to the people. Nothing can help them better than the true understanding of what their religion says.

    “In Islam, if you kill one, it is assumed you have killed 1, 000. Boko Haram is an evil that has come on us all and we must find a common solution to it. Most of the problems we have are caused by politicians.”

  • Reps seek 25-year jail for illegal arms possession

    Reps seek 25-year jail for illegal arms possession

    A bill stipulating 25-years jail term for illegal possession of firearms went through the second reading in the House of Representatives yesterday.

    The bill seeks to amend the Fire arms Act, Cap F28, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, which prescribes a four-year jail term for offenders.

    The bill got overwhelming support from members.

    Justifying the amendment of the principal Act, the sponsor of the bill, Dakuku Peterside (PDP, Rivers), noted that the influx of illegal arms into Nigeria “constitutes a serious threat to our unity, socio-political and economic development”.

    According to him, one of the key reasons the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) gave at a recent briefing on why Boko Haram was thriving is the proliferation of illegal arms.

    Peterside said: “A 2011 small and light arms survey by the United Nations (UN) shows that about 875 million of such weapons are produced in 100 countries and are in circulation.

    “Nigeria’s share of the illegal arms in circulation was put at about eight million in 2011 and 12 million in 2012, making Nigeria the country with the highest rate of prevalence of illegal arms in Africa alongside South Africa.”

    The lawmaker said the proliferation of small and light arms has become a network affair that needs to be broken.

    He said: “Proliferation of small and light arms thrive in Nigeria because of several cells involved in the trade; importers, transporters, those who warehouse it, those who market it, those who bear it, among others, very often the law focuses on those who bear it.

  • FAAC funds crises: Reps seek diversification of economy

    Due to the persistent crises in the allocation of funds between the three tiers of government by the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC), the House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to diversify the economy.

    The House has mandated its committee on Finance to interface with the Ministry of Finance and the representatives of the states in the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee ( FAAC) within two weeks, with a view to ascertaining the critical issues bedeviling revenue allocation.

    The committee is to make necessary recommendations to the House on alternative ways of revenue distribution in the country.

    Besides, the House also mandated its ad hoc committee on Legislative Agenda to work in conjunction with committees such as Industry, Agriculture, Commerce, Solid Minerals etc. and formulate a blueprint for the diversification of the economy “for the purpose of same to the Executive and the public.”

    This was sequel to the adoption of the resolutions of a motion sponsored by Samson Osagie, Minority Whip , in conjunction with 12 other lawmakers, under the title: Administration of Federation Accounts by the Federal Ministry of Finance and the need to diversify Nigerian economy.”

  • Reps seek 40% of budget for capital expenditure

    Reps seek 40% of budget for capital expenditure

    The House of Representatives is set to compel the Executive to allocate 40 per cent of the nation’s budget to the capital expenditure.

    The lawmakers said the ritual allocation of less than 30 per cent of the nation’s budget to recurrent expenditure and debt servicing has not aided infrastructural development.

    The decision of the lawmakers followed the successful second reading of the Economic Stimulus Bill, sponsored by Minority Leader Femi Gbajabiamila (ACN, Lagos).

    The lawmaker noted that if passed, the bill has the capacity to influence and affect the lives of the Nigerian masses and generations unborn.

    Gbajabiamila said the primary responsibility of any good government should be the security and welfare of the people.

    According to him, it is incumbent on the Legislature to assist the government in taking the country out of its developing nation status to a developed economy.

    Gbajabiamila said: “It is the level of infrastructural development that differentiates developing from developed countries. We can only achieve this transition through the allocation of a minimum of 40 per cent of the budget to the capital components for at least 10 years.

    “The allocations of 70 per cent of the budget to recurrent and overhead expenditure would not translate to infrastructural growth and development. With such, the dividends of democracy can never be felt by the greater majority of our masses.”

    Antagonists of the bill, including Deputy House Leader Leo Ogor (PDP, Delta); Patrick Ikhariale (PDP, Edo) and Nicholas Ossai (PDP, Delta). They argued that the bill is against the provisions of the constitution on the basis of allocation of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

    Fort Dike (APGA, Anambra), supported by Samson Osagie (ACN, Edo), John Eno (PDP, Cross Rivers), Sani Kalgo (PDP, Kebbi) Joseph Akinlaja (LP, Ondo) and Abike Dabiri-Erewa (ACN, Lagos), however, reminded the opponents that government’s primary duty on security and welfare is for the citizens and not just for civil servants.

  • Alleged $620,000 bribe: Farouk, Emenalo seek to quash charges

    The former Chairman of the House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy, Farouk Lawan and the committee’s Secretary, Boniface Emenalo, yesterday urged an Abuja High Court to throw out the charge of receiving $620,000 against them.

    The accused are on trial for allegedly receiving the cash from businessman, Femi Otedola, to influence the report of the committee in favour of Zenon Oil and Gas Limited, one of Otedola’s companies.

    Their counsel, Rickey Tarfa (SAN), argued that the court ought not to have granted the application for leave to prefer the charges because the prosecution failed to provide the materials needed for the judge to exercise his discretion to grant the application.

    After listening to the arguments for and against the application to quash the charges, Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi said he would deliver a ruling on May 2.

    Tarfa, while substantiating his application to quash the charges, urged the court to discharge the accused since no prima facie case had been made against them.

    The senior lawyer averred that the foundation of the case against the accused was not legally laid.

    He said the prosecution failed to comply with the provisions of Section 155 (1)(b) of the Criminal Procedure Code, which requires that statements of witnesses be attached to the application to prefer charges.

    Although the trial was scheduled to begin yesterday, Tarfa insisted that the court must first hear and determine the application to quash the charges.

    He said the application to quash the charges also challenged the jurisdiction of the court to conduct the trial.

    The prosecuting counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), urged the court to dismiss the application, which he described as a ploy to waste the time of the court.

    Awomolo said the Supreme Court had held in several earlier cases that the purpose of seeking the leave of court is to ensure that frivolous criminal charges are not filed and not to allow the accused to see the details of the charges against them.

    He said the charges remained valid, adding that non-attachment of witnesses’ statements did not vitiate the legality of the charges.

    Lawan and Emenalo are on trial for allegedly violating the provisions of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) Act.

    In an affidavit, Chidi Amaeze averred that investigation into the criminal case had since been concluded.

    Lawan had repeatedly denied Otedola’s accusations, saying he collected the $620,000 as evidence to expose the businessman’s attempts to bribe him.

    Lawan and Emenalo have pleaded not guilty to the charges and have since been admitted to bail by Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi.

  • Ejection: Traders seek Fashola’s intervention

    Traders, under the umbrella of Ultra Modern Traders Association, Balogun Market, Lagos State, have appealed to the state governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola to intervene in the crisis surrounding their eviction from their market plaza last Wednesday.

    They were led to the Governor’s Office, Alausa, Ikeja by their solicitor, Onu Uche, who signed their letter addressed to the Attorney General and the Commissioner for Justice.

    He said the traders’ ordeal started when a court judgment in favour of Chief Ganiyu Balogun as original owner of the plaza led to its forceful closure.

    He said: “Most of the traders including banks, by virtue of the tenancy agreement arrangements that they had with their lessees who are direct tenants to the Lagos State Government, have just renewed their tenancies early this year with the strong belief that since the Lagos State Government is the original owner of the property in the plaza at Balogun Street, Lagos Island, there will be no question as to the title of the property in question”.

    He said Balogun, despite the court judgment, locked up the shops occupied by the embattled traders on the ground, first, second and third floors with their goods worth million of naira.

    Uche alleged that the solicitors to Chief Balogun, Segun Laditan and Co had directed the traders to obtain a form at the cost of N15, 000 per shop, pay additional two tears rent for each shop, together with a 10 percent agreement as pre-conditions for the shops’ re-opening.

    He added that the traders were not contesting the court judgment but the manner in which they had been forcefully ejected despite not being served with a statutory notice and a court ejection order.

    “The solicitors to the family said their reason for taking possession of the plaza is the deadlock arising from the meeting between the family and the office of the Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice,” Uche added.

    He urged the governor to constitute a negotiation committee comprising of the state government representatives, the Balogun family and the traders, to resolve the matter amicably.

    Though the governor was not on seat when the traders visited, the letter was received on his behalf by the security officers for delivery to his Chief of Staff.

  • Celtic seek more from Ambrose, others

    Celtic seek more from Ambrose, others

    Celtic Manager Neil Lennon has told his wards including Nigeria’s Efe Ambrose to take the remaining games of the season like a Cup final.

    The Hoops played Wednesday night against Motherwell in a Scot tish Premier League game and Lennon has stated that there will be no complacency as he wants his team to win the remaining 10 games.

    “We want to finish the season strongly.,” Lennon told the club’s official club website.

    “We’ll see what the rest of the fixtures bring up in terms of teams beating other teams as, if and when we do win the league, I think the points total is important.

    “We’ve had 92 and 93 in the past two seasons and we’d like to get up around 90 again so we still have a bit of work to do to reach that target.

    “And obviously we’ve places up for grabs for cup games and Champions League games so there’s been no sign of taking the foot of the pedal.”

    The ambitious Scottish Coach also reveled his intention to see the Hoops net in more goals as that is the name of the game.

    “We’ve got targets, we’ve scored 100 goals already this season so can we get close to 100 league goals? Can we get to 90+ points? Can Gary make 30+? Can Fraser keep clean sheets? Can the midfield pitch in with more goals?

    “There is so much still to play for and it’s a great time to be involved with Celtic. I look at my time as a player and I look at these players now, they’re playing in the Champion League and they’re going for the second title.”

    Celtic with 62 points in the kitty have a comfortable 21 points lead in the SPL and are indeed looking more like Champions in the waiting.

  • Civil society groups seek dismissal of corrupt judges

    The Osun Civil Societies Coalition (OCSC) has called for the dismissal of two federal judges, Justices Thomas Naron and Charles Archibong, who were found guilty of ethical misconduct by the National Judicial Council (NJC).

    OCSC hailed the NJC for recommending the immediate retirement of the two judges.

    OCSC Chairman Waheed Lawal, in a statement, said Naron and Archibong should have been dismissed from service.

    Naron handled the petition filed by Governor Rauf Aregbesola challenging the declaration of former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola as the winner of the April 14, 2007, governorship election.

    Justice Naron of the High Court of Justice, Plateau State, was recommended for compulsory retirement to Governor David Jonah Jang, following findings by the NJC that there were regular voice calls and exchange of multimedia messages and text messages between him and one of the lead counsel for one of the parties to the suit in the Osun State Governorship Election Tribunal, contrary to the Code of Conduct for judicial officers as contained in Section 292(1((b) of the 1999 Constitution.

    Justice Archibong was recommended for compulsory retirement following the findings of the council on complaints that he dismissed grievous charges against an accused without taking his plea and that he refused to release the certified true copy of his ruling to the lawyers, among others.

    The decision on the judges’ retirement was reached at a meeting held at the Supreme Court Complex, Abuja, which was presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mariam Alooma Mukhtar.

    According to NJC, Naron and Archibong spearheaded the perversion of justice on the cases before them.

    The group said: “Aregbesola accused the Naron-led tribunal of bias, following the revelation of regular voice calls and exchange of MMS and text messages between Naron and Kalejaiye on the suit. Aregbesola obtained the MTN call logs that revealed the conversation between Naron and Kalejaiye and presented the document to the NJC.

    “The NJC’s punishment for the compromised judges is insignificant, compared with the consequences of the manipulation and long road to justice created by their actions.

    “The trivial punishment given to errant public office holders in the country means that one can steal, compromise and siphon public funds and also go free or get slight punishment.

    “Naron and Archibong have not been duly punished, as they would be entitled to retirement benefits – gratuity and pension – as government officials that retired from service.”

  • Chime’s hide and seek

    Chime’s hide and seek

    ON  Thursday, Enugu State Governor Sullivan Chime flew back to the country as quietly as he jetted out last September. His return brought relief on the one hand, and profound grief on the other.

    I explain. Chime’s departure was on medical grounds, as everyone later came to know; so his return is good news. In fact, as this piece shaped up, part of the story was that he was eager to pick up from where he left off. I rejoice in the governor’s recovery, knowing that life, even for the rich and privileged, is in the hands of God. But I am deeply troubled by the fact that Chime and his managers failed to use the opportunity of his return to correct the grave mistakes surrounding his departure over four months ago. One reason for this is that neither the governor nor his handlers realised they were in error in the first place.

    Leaving Enugu in the third week of September, the governor divulged little information beyond the fact that he was proceeding on his annual leave and that his deputy would govern the state in his absence. There was no indication of where he was headed. There was no word on how long he would be away. Neither was anything said about his real mission, his health. That was wrong and it brought Enugu people no joy, neither did it do Chime himself any good whether as governor or politician. Such executive silence was in utter disregard and disrespect of the people who voted him into power. Enugu people and the entire country were clueless as to the state of their governor’s well-being, just as they had no idea when he would be back home. Such behaviour of leaders suggests that the people they lead count for little and are not qualified to know their leaders’ health status. This is in spite of the fact that those neglected people provide the money with which the leaders feed and fund their privileges. It smacks of downright disregard.

    Chime’s silence created a vacuum filled only by rumours and speculation, both unhealthy for the people, their governor and their state.

    It was a grave error his administration failed to correct upon his return. The blunder of silence at departure would have been corrected on his return with full disclosure and a heart-felt apology. Such humility would have appeased the people and rallied them behind him with prayers and thanksgiving. Also, such humble dispositions have a way of not just winning the people over but also helping the leader to realise his immortality. For sometimes, leaders fall into error thinking they may possess some superhuman qualities. They imagine they cannot fall ill, but when they do, they think it best not to let lesser mortals know.

    This is erroneous and harmful, for we all have a headache or flu now and then. Our economic strengths may vary, as may also our options of where to seek remedy, but ailment is no respecter of persons or status. The sooner our leaders came to grips with this fact, the less secretive they would be about their state of well-being.

    “I have recently been told that I am one of the millions of Americans who will be afflicted with Alzheimer’s Disease… At the moment I feel just fine. I intend to live the remainder of the years God gives me on this earth doing the things I have always done…I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life. I know that for America there will always be a bright dawn ahead. Thank you, my friends. May God always bless you.”

    President Ronald Reagan wrote those words in August 1994 as doctors diagnosed a disease without cure. Goodwill messages flooded his California home. He was aged 83 then, but lived for 10 more years before succumbing to pneumonia. Were Reagan a Nigerian, perhaps only his wife Nancy and one or two other people would have known what ailed one of America’s most memorable commanders-in-chief.

    All over the world, the health status of national leaders is not such top secret, except in old Communist and totalitarian regimes. Former United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s health challenges are public knowledge. She has spoken of her concussion and blood clot near her brain. Chelsea, her daughter, has not held anything back. Neither has her father, President Bill Clinton who, himself, has well-known health issues of his own.

    On these shores, things are remarkably different but Chime’s health secrets are nothing new. They only conform to an ugly standard set by even more powerful forces.

    On November 23, 2009, then President Umaru Yar’Adua was flown out of the country and did not return until February 24, 2010. In the period, everything that should not happen to a country, happened to Nigeria. Amid concerns over his well-being, there were agitations as to the direction of the country, considering that no handover instructions were left. In fact, Yar’Adua’s aides made such capital of the fact that the ailing president could run the country from anywhere in the world. When his condition was very bad, his minders said it was splendid.

    Late last year, the whole country was enveloped in a cloud of needless controversies surrounding the health and whereabouts of First Lady Dame Patience Jonathan.

    When will our leaders demystify themselves and learn to value the people they lead?

  • Ijaw youths seek better security

    THE Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) has urged the Federal Government to do more on security to stem terrorism in the country.

    IYC said this yesterday after a meeting of its leaders in council in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.

    It, however, commended the efforts of the Federal Government in tackling insecurity.

    The IYC said it has reviewed the security situation in the past one year and eight months and has deduced that a combination of security challenges have built up over the years to compound the current situation in the country.

    According to the communiqué issued at the meeting and signed by the IYC president, Miabiye Kuromiema, the council said it observed that subsisting socio-economic conditions upon which President Goodluck Jonathan entered into leadership, exacerbated by the socio-political scenario such as zoning, loss of power by a class of sit-tight politicians in the country, but more particularly some leaders in the far North and failures of past leaders were responsible for the current security challenges.

    It said; “We have noticed that exacerbating ambitions and unguided utterances of the so-called political and civil society leaders are the root sources and inflaming conditions of the current security and socio-economic challenges.

    “Terrorism in the far northern region, deadly armed robbery operations, commercial kidnapping and increasing cases of ritual murder, absence of real and equitable growth, decay in public institutions and infrastructure, particularly the security agencies among others have now attained full maturation and are currently fruiting in all national life.

    “Council commends the rise to this current challenge and growing intelligence and operational capacity of the State Security Services, the Armed Forces and the Police and their respective leaderships under President Jonathan as they rebuild a badly ruined security system. Council witnesses like many Nigerians that this progress is beginning to yield results. This is evident in encouraging arrest of many key actors, who are helping investigations, reduction in suicide bombing and the use of Improvised Electronic Devices. The intervention in Mali is also signalling the coming end of insurgence with the recent factional declaration of cease fire by Boko Haram.

    “Council notes that in countries where terrorism takes root, the world have had difficulty managing it. Council therefore urge Mr. President and his team to work even more harder on addressing socio-economic and political environment created by failed leadership in the past that support the recruiting terrorist, as security agencies work to restore internal order and security by lawful, civilised and professional procedures. As this is needed to strengthen economic progress in the far North.

    “Council similarly hails the military intervention in Mali. Council recognises the strategic relevance underlying this intervention as entrenching democracy in Africa and its usefulness to obfuscate training and resourcing lines for Boko Haram and JAMB’s activities in Nigeria.

    “Council call on government, repentant insurgents and the far Northern Nigerian leaders and indeed all Nigerians to move into this space of recently factional declaration of cease fire to find lasting solutions to the security situation.”