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Tag: Senator Bala Mohammed

  • EFCC charges governor-elect with ‘accepting gratification’

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a criminal charge against Bauchi State governor-elect, Senator Bala Mohammed, at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    He is charged with accepting gratification in form of a house valued at N550 million on 2599 & 2600 Cadastral Zone, AO4 Asokoro District, Abuja, from Aso Savings & Loans Plc in 2014.

    EFCC’s prosecuting counsel Mr Wahab Shittu said the alleged gratification was accepted as reward by Mohammed “for performing your official duties”.

    The offence, EFCC said, contravened Section 18 (b) of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000. It is punishable under Section 18 (d).

    Among the six-count charge is an allegation that the governor-elect made a false statement to an EFCC investigating officer, Ishaya Dauda, that he acquired the Cadastral Zone property through a mortgage facility from Aso Savings & Loans.

    Mohammed was also accused of failing to make full disclosure of his property at 54, Mike Akhigbe Street, Jabi, Abuja, in the course of filing his asset declaration form at the EFCC.

    The commission said the offence is contrary to Section 27 (3) (a) of the EFCC (Establishment) Act 2004 and punishable under Section 27 (3) (c).

    The prosecution also accused Mohammed of failing to declare a property on Agwan Sarki Kaduna in Kaduna State.

    EFCC said the governor-elect made a false declaration that a property on CITEC Kwara House 5, AP Street, Mbora, Abuja belongs to him.

    The commission said the property actually belongs to Abubakar Abdu Mohammed.

    EFCC said Mohammed, in 2014, “did use your office and position to confer corrupt and undue advantage upon your associates by allocating four numbers of fully detached duplexes and eleven numbers semi-detached duplexes valued at N314million only through the Presidential Tax Force on Sale of Government Houses to them…”

    The offence contravenes Section 19 of the ICPC Act 2000.

    A source said Mohammed would be arraigned today in Court 26, FCT High Court, Maitama.

    The charge is numbered CR/177/17.

    Mohammed of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) defeated incumbent Governor Mohammed Abubakar of the All Progressives (APC) in the last elections.

  • INEC plans to cancel declared results in Bauchi, PDP alleges

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged moves by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to cancel results already declared in the March 9 governorship and state assembly elections in Bauchi State.

    Bauchi is one of the six states where INEC declared the elections inconclusive, following the cancellation of results in the Tafawa Balewa local government area.

    Others states where the election was declared inconclusive are Benue, Kano, Adamawa, Sokoto and Plateau. INEC had fixed Mach 23 for supplementary election in the six states.

    At a media briefing in Abuja Friday, spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, cautioned the electoral body alleged attempts to tamper with the returned results or cancel already tallied results in 14 local governments, as declared by INEC.

    The main opposition party further warned the INEC to be mindful of the already charged atmosphere in Bauchi and the level of awareness among the electorate, stressing that any attempt to touch the already announced results will attract “serious consequences to the conspirators”.

    READ ALSO: PDP takes protest to INEC

    “Our party already have full information of plots by certain known top ranking officials of INEC, who have been bribed with huge sums of money by the All Progressives Congress (APC), to widen the scope of result cancellation beyond Tafawa Balewa to 14 more local government areas and hike the number of cancelled votes from 70,000 to 184, 555.

    “To achieve this, INEC has been instructed by the APC to cancel already declared results in 230 polling units in 15 LGAs, in the state, cause confusion and pave the way for the APC to manipulate the March 23 supplementary elections.

    “Seeing that our party, the PDP, and our candidate, Senator Bala Mohammed, are inevitably coasting to victory, being that Tafawa Balewa is home to the PDP, the APC is instructing INEC to cancel elections in more local governments where it plans to manipulate the processes and allocate fictitious results for the APC at the March 23 polls.

    “The PDP states that such a wicked plot cannot stand, as the people of Bauchi state have fully rallied themselves for a firm resistance”, Ologbondiyan said.

    The opposition spokesman said the PDP was already in possession of a leaked document from the Bauchi INEC office, which exposed details of the plot against the people of Bauchi state.

    Continuing, the PDP said, “This plot further justifies our stance that even the cancellation of Tafawa Balewa results was orchestrated by the APC and INEC in the ignoble bid to forcefully rob the people of Bauchi state of their choice of the PDP candidate, Senator Bala Mohammed, as their governor.

    “It is public knowledge that by the results delivered at the polling units, Sen. Bala Mohammed was already leading with over 4,000 votes after results of 19 LGAs were collated and announced.

    “With Tafawa Balewa LGA, where the PDP scored 40,000 valid votes against the APC’s 29,000, it is clear that our party won the election with about 15,000 votes, only for the results of the Tafawa Balewa LGA to be cancelled by INEC for no just cause.

    “The PDP invites Nigerians to note that Tafawa Balewa result was cancelled by the state Returning Officer, Prof. Mohammed Kyari, who unilaterally ruled that there was no result for the LGA even when the Collation Officer, Mrs. Dominion Anosike, had informed the commission that there was no any incident of cancellation, violence or electoral malpractices at both the polling unit and ward levels.

    “Though the PDP vehemently rejects the cancellation of Tafawa Balewa, we stand with the people of Bauchi state, in the determination to go to the supplementary election on March 23 and reinforce our candidate’s victory in Tafawa Balewa LGA. This is in addition to the resolve to vehemently resist any attempt by INEC to tamper with already declared results in the other 19 local governments of state.

    “The PDP therefore urges the INEC fact-finding committee headed by a National Commissioner to be guided by the extant rules as established in court rulings that the polling units is a base of our elections and that once declaration has been made at the polling units and return of votes established, INEC no longer has powers to influence the results from such polling units.

    “Finally, the PDP counsels the APC to accept its defeat not only in Bauchi state but also in Sokoto, Benue, Plateau, Kano as well as Adamawa states, and end its shenanigans, as such will amount to naught.”

  • Ex- minister: I have not been indicted by EFCC

    Ex- minister: I have not been indicted by EFCC

    A Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed, on Monday dismissed reports he has been indicted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the ongoing investigation of public officers that served in the last administration.

    The ex-minister said he was neither indicted nor were his properties confiscated by the anti-graft agency, noting that he was yet to be personally invited by the EFCC to explain corruption allegations levelled against him.

    Mohammed, who spoke through his media consultant, Emma Agu, said he was unhappy about the media spotlight brought to his family by the EFCC investigation, adding that his political opponents were taking the advantage of the situation to cause mischief and smear his family name and character.

    The ex-minister described the EFCC probe of his tenure as legitimate, but cautioned mischief makers not rush to conclusion as he was ready to give account of his stewardship in office.

  • Gana, others set for parallel PDP convention

    Gana, others set for parallel PDP convention

    The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has taken a new twist with the party set to hold two separate national conventions on Saturday.

    While the faction loyal to the National Chairman, Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff, will be holding its convention in Port Harcourt, another faction, headed by a former Information Minister, Prof. Jerry Gana, will be holding its own in Abuja.

    The two factions met simultaneously in Abuja on Tuesday to fine-tune plans for their separate conventions.

    The pro- Sheriff convention is backed by the party’s serving governors, its National Assembly caucus and a faction of the Board of Trustees (BoT) led by the chairman, Senator Walid Jibrin.

    The Gana group, under the aegis of Concerned PDP Stakeholders, inaugurated its 56-members steering committee to conduct its convention and pilot the affairs of the party afterwards.

    Members of the group include Prof. Tunde Adeniran, Hajia Inna Ciroma, Amb. Wilberforce Juta, Alhaji Ibrahim Bunu, Alhaji Adamu Maina Waziri, Senator Bala Mohammed, Mr. Taminu Turaki, Dr. Doyin Okupe and Mrs. Remi Adiukwu.

    Also in the group are – Mrs. Josephine Anenih, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, Prof. ABC Nwosu, Sen. Ben Obi, Mr. John Odey, Prof. Sam Oyovbaire, Sen. Florence Ita-Giwa, Alh. Shittu Mohammed Kabiru, Senator Grace Bent, and Senator Anietie Okon.

    A group of former PDP governors who are also named as members are – Chief Lucky Igbinedion, Mr. Bonnie Haruna, Alhaji Ibrahim Shema, Mr. Donald Duke, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa, Alhaji Mahmood Shinkafi, Alhaji Abdulkadir Kure, Sen, Ahmed Makarfi, Chief Achike Udenwa, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and a former PDP national Chairman, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo.

    At a meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), Walid said he met with the Gana group up to 2:30am on Tuesdays where he pleaded with the aggrieved members to drop plans for a parallel convention.

    “I pleaded with them to refrain from actions capable of destroying the unity and progress of the party. I made it clear to them that I will not be attending meetings other than the ones called by the organs of the party.

    “As a matter of fact, I made it clear to them that I will be leading the BoT members to the Port Harcourt convention,” the BoT chairman said.

    Also speaking at the NEC meeting, Sheriff said the party had resolved to cancel results of the just concluded congresses in some states and that fresh congresses would be conducted in the affected states.

     

  • PDP crisis: Aliyu, others call for postponement of convention

    A group within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by the immediate past Governor of Niger State, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, has called for the postponement of the party’s national convention slated for May 21 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

    Rising from a meeting of the group, under the aegis of Concerned PDP Group on Wednesday, the body condemned ongoing development within the party, particularly the process that led to the zoning of the party’s chairmanship position to the Northeast geopolitical zone.

    After a marathon meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, the group decided among others that the procedure and conduct of the congresses nationwide were flawed with resultant disaffection and disagreements.

    “Furthermore, the current zoning formula for the position of National Chairman as adopted by only 1/3 (One-Third) of the National Executive Committee (NEC) is inconsistent with the original PDP principles.

    “In consonance therefore, the group unanimously resolved as follows – call for the postponement of the national convention and appeal to the leadership of the party to revisit these fundamental issues to enable the party to organize and conduct a more cohesive and acceptable national convention to avert the situation whereby aggrieved members may be compelled to organize parallel congress/convention,” the group said.

    The group observed one minute silence in memory of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to mark the sixth year anniversary of his death.

    The statement was signed by Dr. Aliyu.

    Other members of the group are – Senator Bala Mohammed, Hon. Mrs. Zainab Maina, Mr. John Odey, Dr. Sulaiman Abubakar, Capt. Hassan Mohammed (rtd),  Saidu Ndako Idris, Dr. Bolere Ketebu and Hon. Kaulaha Aliyu.

  • FCT to get N3.2tr secondary investment

    FCT to get N3.2tr secondary investment

    Over N3.2 trillion secondary investment is expected to be generated for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja with the implementation of the Abuja Land Swap Initiative.

    Apart from the N3.3 trillion, another N450 billion is already accruing to the FCT Administration from the Land Swap primary investment , which is the cost of the infrastructure to be provided by the investors.

    FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, who spoke yesterday in Abuja while receiving the National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) led by its President, Ademola Olorunfemi said  the Abuja Land Swap Initiative is equally the first of its kind in the entire African continent. He added that it has only been realised during the transformational period of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s Administration.

    He said: “Apart from N3.2 trillion, the sum of N450 billion is already accruing to the FCT Administration from the Land Swap primary investment, which is the cost of the infrastructure to be provided by the investors.

    “Abuja as a national mega engineering project that is a success story in the history of Nigeria, appreciated the contributions of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) for the development of the model city.

    “The Abuja Land Swap Initiative is equally the first of its kind in the entire African continent.”

    He agreed to allocate a befitting plot of land for the NSE to construct its head office and challenged the group to muster all its contacts to get all the needed resources to build a gigantic edifice expected of a professional body such as the NSE.

    He also promised to support the proposed international engineering conference scheduled for Abuja, stressing that the conference will open Abuja to the World and avail the FCT of new frontiers.

    Earlier,  Olorunfemi  had pleaded with the Minister to allocate a plot of land for the society to build its headquarters.

    He solicited the cooperation of the FCT Administration and the NSE for the mutual benefit of the two bodies.

  • Minister threatens to sue online publisher

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed has begun the process of suing an online media organisation (Pointblanknews.com) which he said has been publishing false and libelous reports against him, his children and administration.

    He said the media organisation had, in recent weeks, alleged that two of the minister’s children whose names it gave as Ibrahim and Shamushdeen, had stashed away a staggering N35 billion in the Unity Bank and UBA Plc as well as an unnamed offshore account.

    The minister, according to the statement, issued by his Special Assistant on Media, Nosike Ogbuenyi, has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police calling for an investigation of the allegations which he dismissed as nothing but criminal fabrications by the authors.

    “For instance, the minister said contrary to the claim of the online publication, he has no son called Ibrahim. Again, he said his children had no domestic or offshore accounts with Unity Bank or UBA contrary to the claims of the online newspaper. He added that even the name of his first son, Shamsudeen was wrongly spelt as ‘Shamushdeen’ in the hatchet stories. Against the backdrop of untruths and contradictions in the stories, he appealed to the Inspector–General of Police to interrogate the publisher.

    “The minister urged the police boss to prevail on the media organisation to disclose the full identities of the ‘Ibrahim’ and ‘Shamushdeen’ it referred to in its reports so that the public would be better informed.

    “They should also be made to provide credible evidence of the bank account numbers to enable you carry out your investigation. I am insisting on these processes to prove my family’s innocence even though I know that the publishers have nothing to buttress their claims because the information upon which their stories were predicated is totally false, malicious and unsubstantiated,” the minister said.

    “He recalled that appeals to the online media organisation to desist from publishing further negative reports against him and his children were rudely ignored. The publisher has not only failed to heed wise counsel to retract the malicious story but has also continued to do more false reports against him and his children,” the statement added.

  • Photo: Dame Patience, FCT Minister and family

    Photo: Dame Patience, FCT Minister and family

    First Lady, Patience Jonathan ( fifth left) with FCT Minster Senator Bala Mohammed during a condolence visit to the Minister on Sunday
    First Lady, Patience Jonathan ( fifth left) with FCT Minster Senator Bala Mohammed during a condolence visit to the Minister on Sunday

    First Lady, Patience Jonathan( fifth left) with FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed and his family during the first Lady’s condolence visit to the Minister on Sunday.

    Photo: State House

  • ‘Abuja rail target realisable’

    The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohammed has assured that the Abuja light rail project started in 2007 will be completed in 2015.

    Mohammed gave the assurance during the ground-breaking ceremony of the rail mass transit station at the National Park station, Wuye District.

    The event which marked the commencement of the construction works on the 12 railway stations under the first phase of the Abuja light rail project will include shopping precincts, cultural and entertainment centres to boost tourism in the Federal Capital Territory FCT.

    The 12 railway stations are Abuja Metro Station, Stadium Station, National Park Station, Ring Road II Station, Wupa Station, Idu Transfer Station, Airport East Station and Airport Station.

    Also included are the Gwagwa Station, Deidei Station, Jibi Station and Gwazango Station.

    The rail stations, he said will be places of high economic activities like boarding or alighting, rail transit management and operations, commercial and tourism activities among others.The locations of these stations are strategically designed to connect the transportation network to districts and area councils.

    The Abuja main railway station located at the central business district of the Federal Capital City (FCC) will be linked to the transportation centre in the central business district (CBD) for high capacity bus and para-transit services, located within the vicinity is the world trade centre’s 35 twin-towers which will serve as the major business hub within the vicinity of the Abuja main railway station and transportation centre.

    He said that shopping malls, hotels, offices, restaurants, banks, clinics, etc, will all be located in the twin towers and will boost the economy of the railway stations.

    Bala added: “When the projects are realised, they will bolster economic development of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and speed up the pace of our attainment of FCT administration’s vision to build a capital city that would be among the top twenty capital cities in the world.”

    The Chairman Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory, Smart Adeyemi who was also present at the occasion commended the Minister on the progress recorded so far.

    He also said that, “I hoped that in no distant time from now, the administration will be thinking of how to integrate the whole Federal Capital, where the Abaji axis can be connected to Lokoja so that the FCT can as well develop its neighbouring states.

    “The FCT will not be asked to pay but the Federal government can start thinking of constructing a rail system from Lokoja to Abuja, Minna to Abuja, etc, to increase the economic activities because it is important to have rail systems connecting all the neighbouring cities to Abuja.”

  • FCTA on grassroots sports talent hunt

    FCTA on grassroots sports talent hunt

    The FCT Administration has launched a sports talent hunt in all 62 wards of the Federal Capital Territory in preparation for the National Youth Games.

    FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed made this disclosure in Abuja while meeting with some senior officials of the FCT Sports Department.

    The Minister said the new programme which is tagged “Know, Understand and Appreciate the Game” is being driven by the Social Development Secretariat under direct supervision of the FCT Minister of State, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide, would be used to identify talented youths in preparation for the National Youth Games being contemplated by the National Sports Commission.

    His words: “The programme will compliment the ‘Athletes of Hope,” an inter-collegiate athletics championship that began in the Federal Capital Territory since 2006.”

    Mohammed recalled that at the recently concluded National Sports Festival, held in the last quarter of 2012 in Lagos, a total of 148 athletes represented the Federal Capital Territory and earned the FCT the 12th position out of the 36th states and FCT, adding that the FCT contingent won 7 Gold, 12 Silver and 10 Bronze.

    The Minister remarked that the FCT Administration has been able to upgrade the Basket Court at the Garki Area 10 Sports Complex into a modern synthetic court.

    According to him, other courts at the complex such as Squash Hall, Badminton, Gymnasium and a host of others have either been upgraded or being constructed.

    He revealed that a multipurpose sports hall planned for the complex since 1992 is being revisited with a view of completing it in earnest.

    Senator Mohammed disclosed that the hall when completed would provide for 8 marshal-arts or combats games and 5 team games respectively.

    ”The Games are Boxing, Gymnastics, Judo, Taekwondo, Karate, Kick-boxing, Kung-fu and Wrestling. Others are Badminton, Basketball, Handball, Table Tennis and Volleyball respectively”, he added.

    The Minister noted that for the first time, special funds have been set aside by the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory for the construction of Sports Centres at their respective headquarters.