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Tag: Senate Committee on Ethics

  • Senate summons bank MDs over freezing of Dame Jonathan’s accounts

    Senate summons bank MDs over freezing of Dame Jonathan’s accounts

    The Senate committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions Monday summoned the managing directors of seven banks over the freezing of the accounts of the former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan.

    The committee also invited the Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, over the same issue.

    The banks whose MDs were invited by the committee included  Zenith Bank , First Bank, Ecobank, Fidelity, Stanbic- IBTC , Diamond and Skye Banks.

    Chairman of the committee, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, gave the order at a sitting of his committee Monday at the hearing of a petition by the former First Lady.

    The petition brought on behalf of Mrs. Jonathan by Granville Abibo (SAN) the former First Lady claimed that the  EFCC and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency,( NDLEA) have at different times ” unleashed terror, dehumanizing, degrading and despicable treatment on her and her blood relations without justification.”

    The committee was told that the accounts in which the former first lady’s funds are trapped include that of companies Pluto Property and Investment Company Limited, Seagate Property Development Investment Company and Transocean Property and Investment Ltd.

    Also, the account of her Non- Governmental Organisation-The Women for Change Development Initiative, A.Aruera Foundation as well as Finchley Top Homes Ltd and the former Fist lady’s salary account were frozen the petitioner said.

    “The accounts of her siblings, Innocent Nyegerefaka, Mohammed Oba and Esther Oba have all been frozen by EFCC without any court order, all because they are blood relations of Dame Patience Jonathan,” the petition further reads.

    Senator Anyanwu who issued the summon, insisted that the Managing Directors must appear in person as no representative would be accepted.

    EFCC chairman was absent from the hearing.

    A letter sent to the committee, the anti-graft agency said Magu was out of the country and would be back to the country today (Tuesday).

    As a result of the letter, the committee set Wednesday, 11th of October for the EFCC boss to appear before the committee.

    Mrs. Jonathan’s counsel also informed the committee that his client has resolved her differences with the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency hence they would like to strike out the name of NDLEA off the petition before the Senate.

    Mrs. Jonathan counsel, Charles Ogboli, told the committee that the former First Lady’s accounts and that of her relations were frozen without any court order by the EFCC.

    He lamented that the action culminated in the death of Lazarus Eware brother to Mrs. Jonathan.

    He said: “The immediate elder brother to Patience Jonathan, Mr. Lazarus Eware died as a result of unfortunate maltreatment of him by EFCC as he could no longer cope in the face of this repeated humiliation, terror attacks and financial handicap.

    “He could no longer meet up with his responsibilities of his family including children’s school fees and medical bills.

    “As we speak, his lifeless body is still lying in a mortuary yet to be buried. The only offence said to have been committed by him is that he is the elder brother to Dame Patience Jonathan.”

  • Ndume’s constituents rally in Abuja ahead of his return

    Ndume’s constituents rally in Abuja ahead of his return

    Suspended Senator representing Borno South, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, is expected to resume next week after serving out his six months suspension.

    Ahead of Ndume’s return, his supporters from his constituency demonstrated solidarity for the lawmaker in Abuja.

    The supporters held a rally at the Unity Fountain, Abuja chanting Ndume’s praise.

    Led by the Coordinator, Ndume Support Initiative, Ibrahim Muazzamu, the group said that they were in Abuja in show of solidarity for Ndume.

    Muazzamu told reporters they gathered to “initiate a programme that will mark the ‘countdown’ to the resumption of Distinguished Senator from his unjustified suspension”.

    He said that the constituents had not heard of any instance where it was said in any quarters that Ndume would not resume after the expiration of his suspension.

    He said, “We are carrying out the rally to voluntarily stage our support for him.

    “This is a show of our love and passion for his efforts toward Southern Borno and indeed Nigeria.

    “We also recognise his effort in the fight against corruption which is in line with the agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari.”

    He insisted that they were confident that Ndume would resume in the Senate in spite of any unforeseen circumstances.

    “The resumption has been fixed and we believe nothing will change that,” he said.

    He noted that the constituents were expectant that the lawmaker would continue in his effort toward the development of the area.

    “We missed a lot of his representation during the period of his suspension,” he said.

    Ndume was suspended on March 27, 2017, sequel to the adoption of the recommendations of its Committee on Ethic, Privileges and Public Petitions.

    The Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, led by Senator Samuel Anyanwu, recommended that Ndume be suspended.

    The Borno lawmaker in his point of Order called for investigation into the allegation by the Customs Service alleging that the Senate President refused to pay duty of N74m for a Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) valued at N298m imported into the country by Saraki.

    Ndume also called on the upper chamber to investigate another allegation of certificate forgery leveled against Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West).

    The Ethics committee, which investigated the allegations cleared Senate President and Senator Melaye.

  • Senate exonerates Saraki, Melaye

    Senate exonerates Saraki, Melaye

    The Senate on Wednesday exonerated the President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Saraki over his alleged involvement in the importation of an SUV Range Rover bullet proof car.

    This followed the commendation of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions which investigated the allegation and found him not culpable.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Saraki denied importing any bullet proof car contrary to the report before the Senate.

    Chairman of the Committee, Sen. Sam Anyanwu, presented the committee’s report at plenary session which exonerated Saraki of any wrong doing.

    Anyanwu said “the name of the Senate President was not mentioned anywhere in the Bill of lading or any document whatsoever connected with the importation or purchase of the SUV Range Rover.

    “We observed that he did not import any SUV Range Rover as corroborated by all respondents.

    “This story was cooked up with intent to embarrass the Senate President, the Senate and by extension, the National Assembly.

    “That the complainant did not conduct due diligence before bringing the matter to the floor of the Senate.”

    The report similarly confirmed that Sen. Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi) obtained a first degree in Geography from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

    Anyanwu said since Ndume failed to cross-check facts before presentation at plenary session, he had brought the integrity of both Melaye and the Senate into disrepute.

    He said the committee consequently recommended sanction against Ndume for not being a patriotic representative of the Senate, and should serve as deterrent to others.

    The Deputy President of Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over plenary, said great lesson had been learnt. “We should investigate matter before we allege them”, he said.

    Ekweremadu commended the committee for a thorough investigation within the given time frame.

    “We look forward to a more united Senate. We should work for the betterment of the Senate”, he said.

     

  • Senate grills CCB boss over abandoned N8bn office project

    Senate grills CCB boss over abandoned N8bn office project

    The Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Monday demanded explanation from the Chairman, Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) Mr. Sam Saba over his decision to abandon an ongoing office project valued at N8 billion.

    The bureau was also grilled over what the committee described as its “failure to give detailed and realistic presentation of expenditures undertaken during the course of the 2016 budget year, one which the committee described as “voodoo accounting”.

    Members of the committee took turns to express their displeasure during a budget defence meeting with the bureau.

    The committee described as “wasteful” the agency’s demand for N4.4 billion for the purchase of a new office building despite spending N1.4 billion on a previous project.

    A member of the committee, Senator Mao Ohuanbuwa, kicked against the purchase of a new office.

    The Abia North lawmaker asked for transparency in the spending of government funds by all Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government, (MDAs)

    Ohuabunwa said: “I can’t seem to come to terms with your decision to spend N1.4 billion and dump that to purchase another building for over N4 billion. I really cannot fathom the rationality behind that decision.

    “Secondly, this budget as far as capital is concerned is still on because the likelihood of money being released is still there, and when that happens we would have gone past this. As per overheads, we need details of your expenditure.”

    Chairman of the committee, Senator Samuel Anyanwu described the budget performance of the bureau as unsatisfactory.

    He asked the bureau to provide details into some items of its expenditure for which funds were appropriated and released last year.

    The committee also requested the code of conduct bureau to furnish it with details of how it expended N22 million released for security services, N13 million for honorarium and sitting allowance, N11.2 million for local training, and N24.6 million for welfare package among others.

    Anyanwu, who queried the bureau’s spending, said it was unrealistic and unheard of, of the CCB to spend a whooping N5 million on purchase of recharge cards.

    He said: “there are aspects of the item in your 2016 budget which I would want details for, such as who were those who benefited from money’s appropriated for welfare, honorarium and all that. I think we need these details to be able to know how you spent what was released to you for last year.

    According him, the committee needed the details in coming to a decision as to whether “it is necessary to remove them because we want to stop the waste of public funds”.

    Lending his voice in support of the committee chairman, another lawmaker, Senator Matthew Urhoghide explained further that the committee’s request was made just so as to ensure “that no one is left in doubt as to how the sum of monies released to CCB was utilized”.

    On his part, Senator Tayo Alasoadura (APC Ondo Central) who described the budgetary practice of the bureau as “voodoo accounting” called on board members present at the meeting to explore alternative means of resolving the challenge of securing an office building without recourse to budgetary appropriation.

    Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau, while explaining the circumstances leading to the bureau’s decision to abandon the project blamed it on the interference of the Federal Capital Development Agency (FCDA).

    According to him, the Bureau had initially proposed N3.5 billion for an 8-floor building for the office project, but the plan was cancelled by the FCDA and redesigned and revalued at N10 billion.

    The administration of the FCT explained that its decision for revaluation and redesign was to meet the requirement for the procurement of land at the location which prescribed nothing less than an 18 floor building.

    He also expressed the willingness of the bureau to seek the support of the National Assembly in getting the approval of the federal government for the allocation of a building to accommodate the agency.

    Giving a breakdown of the bureau’s 2017 budget, Saba said the CCB proposed N2, 732, 437,287 billion; out of which N1,601,966,323 was for personnel; N435,616,600 for overhead; and N694,854,364 for capital.

  • Senate summons AGF over alleged plot to kidnap Kashamu to US

    Senate summons AGF over alleged plot to kidnap Kashamu to US

    The Senate Wednesday resolved to invite the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, over alleged fresh plot to kidnap Senator Buruji Kashamu and ship him to the United States to face trial on alleged drug charges.

    Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions invited Malami following a petition to it by Kashamu through his solicitor Ajibola Oluyede.

    Senator Kashamu and Oluyede appeared before the committee Wednesday to defend and throw more light on the petition.

    Oluyede who spoke on behalf of Kashamu at the hearing said that the fresh plot to abduct Kashamu by unknown agents was revealed to them through a text message by an informant in the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

    He noted that the plot was to kidnap Kashamu or if abduction failed to shoot him.

    Oluyede said that their suspicion is that some interested parties in the office of the Attorney General of the Federation might have been perjured to facilitate the abduction of Kashamu to the US.

    He noted that the text massage was so credible that they have no alternative than to seek protection from the Senate.

    A member of the committee, Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah wondered why those after Kashamu would want to shoot when a dead man could not be brought to face justice.

    He also said that allegation that Kashamu operates a drug factory does not add up since factories could be identified.

    Na’Allah noted that it looks as if there is internal conspiracy in the NDLEA if an officer could send such a message about the office he works.

    He suggested that since the Office of the Attorney General had been linked with the alleged plot to abduct Kashamu, the option left for the committee is to invite Malami to state the position of his office on the matter.

    Other members of the committee agreed.

    Chairman of the Committee, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, said that the Attorney General had already written the committee seeking a date within the month to appear before the committee on the issue.

    Oluyede later told reporters that “Recently it came to our attention that there were moves again, not to extradite him (Kashamu), but as the United States Government has a policy of rendition, rendition is forbidden by international law.

    “It is also even a criminal Act under the US law but the US Government does it and the Supreme Court of United States more or less allows it by saying that well if you come to our country illegally, it doesn’t matter to us, so long as you are here, we have jurisdiction over you and we will try you on any offence for which you are brought here.

    “So, on that basis the American security agencies often kidnap people and take them to the US to face what they call justice.

    “Most of the time they have only done it in what they call enemy territory and only against terrorists.

    “We have had only one instance in Nigeria where they have done rendition and that is against a motor dealer here, who was carried suddenly and exported to United States, Lanre Shittu.

    “Now this is what is being planned currently against Senator Kashamu and we have it on very good authority and you will see we have quoted from an agent of the NDLEA, a sympathetic agent.

    “He was even among those who were sitting in his bedroom with guns and wearing masks for six days.

    “There were some of them who were giving us information and till today, there are still people in the NDLEA who have conscience.

    “When they see any bad thing going on they want to be whistle blowers but we know there is a problem with being a whistle blower in Nigeria.

    “Unless Nigeria enacts a law that protects whistle blowers it will be difficult to really hold on to some of our public officers who are actually criminals who should not be in public office at all and that is why we are relying on information given to us by this informant and we have quoted that text that that is the plan.

    “Mr. Ahmed Giade was the chairman of the NDLEA at the time they invaded his house the first time to export him, the unsuccessful attempt.”

    Oluyede claimed Giade has been “meeting with them and even the office of Attorney General has told us that they warned him to stop.”

    “They wrote a letter and that letter is also in the bundle, telling NDLEA, we have this case in court you should not take any further step, don’t meet with the US officials anymore but the ambassador of the US came out unwittingly, voluntarily he told a newspaper that he is still meeting with Nigerian government officials for the purpose of the rendition of senator Kashamu.”

    He continued, “The only government official he could be meeting with is NDLEA officials and that is why we take this text very serious and now knowing this we have made further inquiries and  we have found out that is true because even  after Giade retired in December from NDLEA  his backers still got him into government.

    “He is almost 80 years old he should be in his village but his backers smuggled him into government as Special Assistant to the Attorney General on Narcotics.

    “This gives him a supervisory power over NDLEA even after removing him as chairman. He is still in control of NDLEA because the office of the Attorney General is the supervisory authority over NDLEA and it is in that capacity now.

    “He is at the centre of this move to carry out the rendition of senator Kashamu and there are many more information that are contained in the document.

    “The reason we are here is that the Senate should be able to look into this matter.

    “Yes, there are certain aspects of this matter pending in court but there are aspects of it that the court can never look at.

    “The court is not going to look into the internal workings of a government institution and find out whether those who have been appointed to hold office in that institution have carried out their duties in accordance with their remit or in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal  Republic of  Nigeria and the court  is not going to find out whether currently under the influence of a foreign power for the purpose  of  abducting, kidnapping  a senator , nobody is going to carry out  that investigation.

    “It is only this hallowed chamber that has the supervisory power  to look  into what the executive is doing  and find out whether the executive is actually complying either  with the statutes that emanates  from this chambers or even  with the constitution and you have the power to do that, to call people to order and say this is wrong.

    “You have the power to recommend to the president and say this officer who is in government is not operating appropriately and he ought to be dealt with.

    “The courts cannot do that, the courts cannot usurp the function of the legislature and the legislature cannot usurp the function of the court. We humbly appeal to you to take the appropriate action in this matter.”

    Oluyede said that a former Attorney General of the Federation was part of the conspiracy to abduct Kashamu.

    Anaynwu said, “We have heard his case and we have asked questions. Having heard from you  the Solicitor to Senator Kashamu, you may now leave and be rest assured that the committee has heard you and we  will hear from the other correspondents  and we will come up with a position on this issue.

    “Meanwhile I think it is obvious that when we make our investigation we will put down our report to the entire senate

    “We have to invite the parties involved and not in representative capacity to answer to the allegations.

    “This allegation concerns Giade and whatever the senate will arrive at he is equally going to be affected by it so it only fair that we hear from him.

    “This matter is before the senate and we think status quo should remain until we look at the issues in the petition and come up with a position.

     

  • Senate demands immediate recall of 18 sacked staff of NJI

    The Senate Wednesday directed the management of National Judicial Institute (NJI) to recall 18 sacked staff of the Institute.

    The Senate noted that it discovered that the 18 affected staff were not indicted by the report of the Board of Governors of the Institute.

    The directive followed the consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions which considered a petition by 39 staff of NJI on alleged wrongful termination of their appointments.

    According to the lawmakers, the names of the 18 staff were swapped with those indicted.

    It resolved that the 18 staff should be immediately recalled to duty with “full entitlements up to date.”

    The upper chamber rejected the recommendation that the Board of Governors of the Institute should reinstate another 19 staff whose appointments were wrongfully terminated.

    It said that those indicted by the report of the Board of Governors should be disciplined accordingly.

    Chairman of the Committee, Senator Ayo Akinyelure presented the report.

    The committee in its findings and observation noted that “there was crisis amongst members of staff of the NJI which led to witch-hunting and petition writing to discredit each other.”

    It said that the Board of Governors intervened at various times to resolve the crisis.

    It said that various investigative committees set up presented a report which indicted a total of 57 officers, specifying various disciplinary actions appropriate to the offences.

    The Administration of the Institute, the report said, acted upon an anonymous petition which was not signed, dated nor had any address.

    The report added that the committee also observed that the Administrator of NJI did not comply with the recommendations of the Board of Governors.

    The Committee said that it observed that “18 out of the dismissed staff were not indicted by the report but their names were swapped with the indicted staff of the Institute, whereas those who were indicted by the report but perceived to be loyal to the Administrator were retained in the service of NJI.”

    The Committee said that it considered the action a clear injustice on the part of innocent staff.

    It said that “The Committee noted with dismay the attitude and response of the Administrator of the NJI who rebuffed and refused to honour any of its several invitations to him to appear before the Committee, but instead the Administrator of NJI sent his written defence to the Committee claiming the case to be in court, when in actual fact no case is in court except that of Mrs Bolatito Ajibade on another issue yet to be resolved by the court.”

    Accordingly, the Senate adopted the resolution “That the 18 innocent staff not indicted by the report of the Board of Governors of the Institute and whose names were swapped be called back to duty with full entitlements up to date.”

    The report listed those to be recalled as Mrs. Rosemary Emodi, Ayuba Musa, Wale Akinbola, Esetuwagbau Steven, Fadeyi O. Emmanuel, Ramat Popoola Shittu, Awoyale Yinka Michael and Mrs. Bola Ajiboye.

    Others are; Muili Jubril Adekunle, Yahaya Mohammed, Afolabi Moses, Mrs. Mary Nelson, Miss Yemisi Oloyi, Mrs. Immaculator Inyang, Olajide Tunde, Bamidele Olusola, Mrs. Dorcas M. Delight and Ms. W.A. Adesina.

    The Senate also adopted the recommendation that “That the Senate do mandate the Board of Governors of the National Judicial Institute (NJI) to effect the dismissal with immediate effect, the following staff of NJI who were recommended by various investigative committees of NJI for dismissal ab-initio, but were retained and still in service up till now in the interest of justice and fair play.”

    It gave the names of those affected by the resolution as Mr. Segun Olowookere, Mr. James Onu, Mr. John Agono, Mr. Jacob Danladi, Mrs. Ronke Akinsehinwa, Mr. Moses Agbede and Mr. Hussaini Musa.