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Tag: Tambuwal

  • Theft, mismanagement of funds must stop – Tambuwal

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, on Monday said current financial management agencies of government are inefficient and ineffective thereby responsible for billions of naira being stolen from public coffers over the years.

    According to him, the era of financial impunity is about to end with the establishment of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Agency, the organ that would be fully backed by fool-proof legislations.

    Speaking at a public hearing organized by the House Committee on Drugs, Narcotic and Financial Crimes on the Nigeria Financial Intelligence Agency Bill, on Monday Tambuwal said the bill “will no doubt help in rectifying the deficiencies in the country’s financial system, especially the sheer number of loopholes that make it possible for people to perpetrate massive fraud and go unpunished.”

    He further stated: “The House of Representatives is therefore fully in support of the effort to evolve an efficient and effective management, administration and operation of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Agency for the purpose of generating and analysing financial intelligence.

    “The Bill equally seeks to institutionalize the application of best practices in financial intelligence management in Nigeria. We have all seen the consequences of the reckless and cavalier manner that public officials and civil servants manage public funds.

    “Today, billions of naira go missing in this country every year as a result of mismanagement and outright theft of money belonging to the commonwealth.

    “We believe that this level of financial impunity is possible because of dubious accounting procedures and the lack of a specialized agency that able to get facts and details of this intricate web of corrupt practices and ensure that the perpetrators are successfully prosecuted.

    “We want to move our nation from the prevailing system whereby only a select few is privy to the complex way that money gets moved around in this country and so they could hide under the shadows and perpetrate all kinds of scam.”

     

  • PDP sues Tambuwal, Ihedioha, others

    PDP sues Tambuwal, Ihedioha, others

    In what looks like a preemptive move, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to restrain the House of Representatives from altering the composition of its leadership.

    The PDP, in a suit filed on January 7 wants the court to among others, restrain House of Representatives’ Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, other principal officers of the House and its defecting members in the House from taking any step “to alter or change the leadership of the 1st defendant (PDP).”

    The suit has the House of Reps, its Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha, other principal officers of the House and its former members who defected to the All Progressive Congress (APC) as defendants.

    An officer of the PDP, Nanchang Ndam, stated in a supporting affidavit that while the defection of some of the defendants was still a subject of litigation before Justice Mohammed, the defendants, particularly the Minority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila have issued threats to change the leadership of the House.

    He stated that unless the defendants were restrained, they could carry out the threat and thereby prejudice the earlier suit, cause a breakdown of law and order and parallel the activities of the House.

    The plaintiff, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/2/2014 raised two questions for the court’s determination and sought for four reliefs.

    The PDP wants the court to determine whether, in view of the mandatory provision of Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution, and in view of the pendency of an earlier suit by the defecting law makers, they (the defecting legislators) can participate in any proceedings to remove the House’ principal officers.

    The party equally wants the court to determine whether, in view of the provision of Section 68(1) (g) of the Constitution and the pending suit by the defecting legislators, they (the defecting law makers) can lawfully alter the composition or constitution of the House’s leadership.

    It is praying the court to declare that in view of Section 68(1) (g) of the Constitution and the pending case marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/621/2013 the defecting lawmakers “cannot lawfully vote and contribute to any motion for the removal or change of any of the principal officers” of the House.

    PDP also wants the court to declare that the defecting lawmakers, who are plaintiffs in the earlier suit before Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the same court, “are not competent to sponsor, contribute or vote on any motion calling for the removal or change in the leadership of the House or the removal of any principal officers of the House.”

    It prayed the court for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from “altering or changing the House’s leadership.

    The PDP equally filed an application for interlocutory injunction restraining the defendants from altering the leadership of the House pending the determination of the substantive suit.

     

  • How to win anti-graft war, by Tambuwal, Wali

    How to win anti-graft war, by Tambuwal, Wali

    The House of Representatives has pledged to work with the Nigerian Bar Asociation (NBA) to stem corruption.Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal said lawmakers and lawyers were well positioned to tackle corruption, which is one of country’s biggest problems.

    He spoke on the role of the legislature in curbing corruption during a workshop by the Anti-Corruption Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to mark the International Anti-Corruption Day.

    Tambuwal said corruption was a cancerous impediment to development, noting that if Nigeria is to witness true development, then corruption must be dealt with.

    He said combating corruption was a duty requiring will, zeal and passion on the part of the three arms of the government and indeed the entire citizenry.

    He said: “As a phenomenon, corruption is so notorious that it does not require introduction at an occasion or definition in a discussion such as this. The mere fact that corruption has been able to secure a whole day globally set aside for the observance of the prosecution of war against it confirms it’s notoriety beyond doubt. It also establishes the fact that corruption is a global citizen.

    “For us in Nigeria, the reality that no greater challenge than corruption confronts us as a people is not in controversy. Indeed if the roots of the overwhelming majority of our woes were traced, they are sure to terminate at the doorsteps of corruption. This is a commonplace fact known to all Nigerians and requiring no corroboration. Yet for the avoidance of doubt, it is important to state that in its 2012 Global.”

    He recalled that the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) by the global corruption watchdog, Transparency International, ranks Nigeria as the 36th most corrupt country globally!

    Nigeria placed 139th of the 176 countries assessed, scoring 27 per cent in contrast with the least corrupt countries Denmark, Finland and New Zealand which scored 90 per cent.

    Tambuwal said a list of manifestation of corruption, especially in the public sector of Nigeria is legion.

    They range from direct diversion of public funds to private pockets, contract over-pricing, bribery, impunity, nepotism, general financial recklessness, fraudulent borrowing and debt management, public assets striping, electoral fraud, shielding of corrupt public officers among others.

    Corruption, he said, thrived in any environment where there is community indifference and in societies, with a culture of ritualised gift giving where the line between acceptable and non-acceptable gifts is often hard to draw, and in which values have been overthrown by materialism and laws observed more in the breach.

    Tambuwal said: “It would appear that these environmental preconditions are all prevalent in the Nigerian society and no wonder, therefore, that corruption has found fertile soil to blossom.

    “As noted earlier, corruption is Nigeria’s greatest problem and a cancerous impediment to any development effort planned or envisaged. It follows then that if Nigeria is to witness true development, then corruption must be dealt with decisively and comprehensively.

    “It is a duty requiring will, zeal and passion on the part of the three arms of government and indeed the entire citizenry.”

    Tambuwal said the legislature plays three basic functions in a democracy, to with the legislation, representation and oversight. It is within this scope of authority that the legislature can and indeed does impacton governance and can articipate in the prosecution of the war against corruption in Nigeria, he added.

    “Under the legislative function, Section 4 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 provides to the effect that the National Assembly shall have the power to make laws for peace, order and good government of the country.

    “More specifically, under Section 15 (5) of the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy, it provides: ‘The state shall abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of office’. Again, in Section 2 (2) (b) and (c)’ government is enjoined to harness the resources of the nation for the common good and to prevent the concentration of wealth or the means of production and exchange in the hands of few individuals or of a group.

    “The responsibility of fashioning the legal

    framework for the fight against corruption and corrupt practices is thereby vested in the legislature.

    “In the exercise of this mandate, the National Assembly has enacted The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act 2002 and The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other related Offences Commission Act 2000′ for the purpose of investigating and prosecuting Public Officers and other persons suspected of involvement in corrupt practices.

    “In both legislation, the Commissions are given extensive powers of investigation and prosecution to deal with all cases of corrupt practices and abuse of office that may arise,” Tambuwal said.

    On transparency and accountability in the management of the resources of the nation, the National Assembly enacted the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007 and the Public Procurement Act 2007.

    Both legislations make copious provisions aimed at engendering transparency and accountability in the public space, Tambuwal said.

    “I make bold to say that if the provisions of these legislation and indeed others were diligently enforced, significant milestones would have been accomplished in the fight against corruption and corrupt practices in Nigeria. Sadly, however, these legislations are observed more in the breach by the majority including government and government agencies.

    “I am pleased to report that the House of Representatives is working on some proposals for the reform of these laws with a view to reinforcing the independence of the agencies administering these laws including their mode of constitution and disbandment. I wish, therefore, to call on members of the NBA and, indeed, all Nigerians to prepare to buy into these reforms by making their input  now or when the time comes for Public Hearings,” Tambuwal added.

    Every December 9 is the International Anti-Corruption day, which is set aside all over the world by the United Nations to mark the campaign against corruption.

    The global theme for this year’s is: Zero corruption – 100 per cent development.

    NBA President Okey Wali (SAN) said the day “reincarnates” all efforts, crusades, and campaigns against corruption by all stakeholders including a strong coalition of governments, business community, civil society organisations, academics and media to resist corruption, and build culture of prevention and integrity.

    His words: “According to Transparency International, corruption is the abuse of public trust for private gain. Corruption may take a number of different forms, including and not limited to bribery, embezzlement, misappropriation patronage systems or nepotism etc.

    “With regard to Nigeria, it is obvious that the level of corruption is high. The level of endemic corruption in Nigeria is alarming. This alarming height of corruption in Nigeria is not made any better or easier by the recent publication of the 2013 Corruption perception Index of Transparency International. According to the said report, Nigeria is the 33rd most corrupt country in the World.”

    Wali said it was regrettable that in spite of all the efforts against corruption in Nigeria, and in spite of all the anti-corruption institutions in place, Nigeria is still rated very low in its fight against corruption.

    “So, the question that should be agitating our minds today is: What are we to do about it? This is because it is not enough to be saying that there is Corruption.”

    Wali praised the NBA Anti-Corruption Commission for choosing the topic: The legislature as a vanguard for anti-corruption crusade, which exlpores the legislature’s role in the anti-corruption crusade.

    “In doing so, the NBA Anti-Corruption Commission identified a very important and veritable institution that can play a pivotal role in the crusade against corruption. This can be deciphered from the pragmatic and realistic topic, which brings to the front burner of national discourse, the role of the legislature in the campaign against corruption.

    “In the entire process of nation building, the role of the legislature has remained paramount. Just as there could be no government without the law or constitution, there could be no government without the makers of the constitution.

    “Regrettably, in Nigeria, the impact of the legislature in national development has not been felt, essentially because that arm of government has not been allowed to take root because of the incessant forays of the military into politics.

    “Globally, most of the Legislative Houses are strategically positioned and empowered to tackle corruption through legislation, participation in regional and inter-regional seminar that foster the exchange of information on anti-corruption techniques, law and research.

    “In Nigeria, the role of the legislature in the fight against corruption is tripartite, which means that there are three major roles, the legislature should be involved in the quest to reduce corruption to its bearest minimum,” Wali said.

    Chairman, NBA Anti-Corruption Committee Yusuf Ali (SAN) noted that corruption has eaten deep into the fabric of the nation and, therefore, deserves every effort to eradicate it.

    He noted that his committee has within its short life span, raised the consciousness of Nigerians on the magnitude of corruption in the country.

    Ali urged all Nigerians to join hands in the fight against corruptipon for the benefit of all.

     

     

  • We’ll appeal ruling on lawmaking for Rivers, says Tambuwal

    We’ll appeal ruling on lawmaking for Rivers, says Tambuwal

    The National Assembly will appeal the ruling against its takeover of the Rivers State Assembly, Speaker of the House of Representatives Aminu  Waziri Tambuwal said yesterday

    Tambuwal spoke while receiving 23 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly led by Speaker Otelemaba Dan Amachree.

    He said the Constitution gives the National Assembly the power to take over the Rivers State House of Assembly.

    The Speaker said the National Assembly was acting on a collective decision taken by members of the two chambers of the National Assembly and that neither himself nor the Senate president had personal interest.

    Tambuwal said: “For as long as I can remember, it is the first time that it has ever happened in the history of this country for the National Assembly to take over a state assembly based on the constitutional powers given.”

    He said it would be sorted out “at the Court of Appeal and possibly the Supreme Court. But definitely, the National Assembly is not going to let go on this matter. We are going to exhaust all levels of appeal because we still believe we have such powers as provided in the constitution.

     ”As you have rightly said, we have appealed against that decision so the matter is subjudice so I wouldn’t want to say anything or comment on it.

    “Immediately after the judgment, I read in the papers that you want to go back and I watched what happened a few days ago. That has vindicated the National Assembly.”

    On security for the lawmakers when they resume sitting, the Speaker said the National Assembly leadership would meet with Inspector General of Police Abubakar Mohammed, to provide security for them when they resume sitting on Monday.

    However, he noted that the IGP and the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State were constitutionally mandated to do such and should not need any appeal.

    He said: “My expectation as a person is that the IG or the CP of Rivers need not be appealed to. It is their duty to provide security and to ensure your safety whenever you are going in there to preside and sit as an assembly. In any case, it is the duty of the police to provide security to all Nigerians, to protect our lives and our property.

    Dan-Amachree thanked the Speaker for his “show of solidarity and timely intervention during the crisis in Rivers State”.

    He said they were there to inform the House of their decision to obey the court ruling that nullified the takeover of the Assembly’s functions by the National Assembly and resume sitting on Monday.

    He requested the leadership of the National Assembly to speak with the IGP on the provision of security and an enabling environment for such.

    Dan-Amachree also requested a delegation from the House to witness their first sitting after the break.

    He added: “The second point is that we are also here to inform you that we want to go back and start performing our legislative duties based on the court judgment. We know that you have appealed but we want to obey the court judgment as law-abiding citizens of this country.

    “We have even gone to the Rivers State Police Command, they invited us yesterday to sign an undertaking that we will be of good behaviour.

    Tambuwal said the House’s delegation may witness the resumed sitting, but that it would be based on the decision of the House.

  • Tambuwal: we’ll appeal ruling on Rivers

    The National Assembly will appeal the ruling against its takeover of the Rivers State Assembly, Speaker of the House of Representatives Aminu Tambuwal has said.

    Tambuwal spoke yesterday when 23 members of Rivers State House of Assembly, led by the Speaker, Otelemaba Dan Amanchree, visited him.

    The Speaker said the constitution gives the National Assembly power to take over the House of Assembly.

    He said the National Assembly acted on a decision by the two chambers and that neither himself nor the Senate president had personal interest in the issue.

    Tambuwal said the issue of Rivers State was a first.

    “For as long as I can remember, it is the first time in Nigeria the National Assembly took over a state assembly based on the constitutional powers given to it.”

    He added that the issue would be sorted out “at the Court of Appeal and, possibly, the Supreme Court.

    “But definitely, the National Assembly is not going to let go on this matter, we are going to exhaust all levels of appeal because we still believe we have such powers as provided in the constitution.

    “As you have rightly said, we have appealed against that decision so the matter is subjudice so I wouldn’t want to say anything or comment on it. “Of course, the Senate also joined the House of Representatives in taking a decision so it was a National Assembly’s joint decision to take over the affairs of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

    “Immediately after the judgment, I read in the papers that you want to go back and I watched what happened a few days ago. That has vindicated the National Assembly.

    “None of us, especially and particularly the presiding officers in the two chambers, has any personal interest in taking over the affairs of the Assembly, but we had to do what we needed to do to save that institution.”

    On security for the lawmakers, Tambuwal said the National Assembly’s leadership would meet with the Inspector General of Police, Abubakar Mohammed, to provide security when the Assembly resumes sitting on Monday.

    “My expectation as a person is that the IG or the CP of Rivers need not to be appealed to, it is their duty to provide security and ensure your safety whenever you are going in there to preside and sit. In any case, it is the duty of the police to protect life and property.’’

  • PDP to Tambuwal: Declare seats of 37 Reps vacant

    PDP to Tambuwal: Declare seats of 37 Reps vacant

    The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal to declare vacant the seats of 37 Reps that defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The 37 members elected on the platform of the PDP had, on Wednesday, defected to the APC with many others waiting in the wings to follow suit.

    A statement issued on Thursday by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, said the members ought to lose their seats for renouncing the membership of the party.

    The statement said: “Since the affected members have renounced their membership of the PDP, we call on the presiding officer in the House of Representatives to declare the 37 seats vacant without any further delay.

    “This action shall be in adherence to our grand norm, which is the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).”

    Metuh dismissed claims by the defectors to the effect that they had obtained a court injunction restraining the relevant authorities from declaring their seat vacant, saying they must have misinterpreted the court’s injunction.

    The statement said: “The attention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to claims by 37 defecting members of the House of Representatives elected on the platform of the PDP to the APC that they obtained an injunction restraining the leadership of the National Assembly and the party from declaring their seats vacant in line with provisions of the Constitution.

    “We have, after a careful review, discovered that this claim is false. For the avoidance of doubt, the order of the court clearly says that status quo be maintained, which means the affected members shall remain members of the PDP.

    “The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in section 68 (i) (g) clearly spells out the consequences of cross carpeting when there is no division in any party. We wish to re-emphasise here that the courts have pronounced, and INEC has concurred that there are no factions in the PDP.

    “Nigerians are eagerly awaiting this call to duty as this will go a long way in demonstrating our commitment to the rule of law.”

     

     

  • 22 Senators, 57 Reps get court order to retain seats

    22 Senators, 57 Reps get court order to retain seats

    Federal High Court sitting in Abuja yesterday granted the prayer of 22 Senators and 57 House of Representatives members seeking leave of the court to restrain Senate President David Mark and House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, from declaring their seats vacant.

    The lawmakers were members of the new Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who have now defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The PDP had gone to court to seek an order to declare the seats of the lawmakers vacant.

    The defendants in the suit are National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Justice A.R. Mohammed, after hearing from counsel to the Plaintiffs, directed that the 2nd and 3rd defendants (Mark and Tambuwal) should be asked to maintain status quo on any proposed deliberation to declare the seats of the affected and interested Plaintiffs vacant pending the hearing and determination of the Plaintiffs’ motion for interlocutory injunction.

    He adjourned the suit to January 22 for hearing of the Plaintiffs’ motion dated 28th November, 2013 for interlocutory injunction. He directed that hearing notices should be issued to the 2nd and 3rd defendants.

  • Cosy with corruption

    Cosy with corruption

    Tambuwal hits the nail on the head; dismisses President Jonathan’s anti-corruption war

    The Speaker, House of Representatives, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, last week took a swipe on President Goodluck Jonathan’s weak fight against corruption. The Speaker spoke at a roundtable to mark the International Anti-corruption Day by the Nigerian Bar Association, in Abuja. He emphasised that the President’s body language does not show the political will to fight corruption. He also decried the President’s undue secrecy in governance, and the unnecessary setting up of committees to probe corruption, instead of referring cases of corrupt practices to statutory bodies empowered to investigate and prosecute such allegations.

    These assertions are unassailable, and it is important that they are treated by the President with all seriousness. Indeed, it will be tragic if the presidency treats these grave allegations with levity. Unfortunately, there are signs of this already, as the President’s media handlers have retorted that the President cannot be judged by body language; instead of denying in specificity the allegations by the Speaker. The Speaker listed glaring cases of scandalous allegations of corruption, and the President’s scant regard to the recommendations of the legislature on them.

    Tambuwal listed the oil subsidy probe, the aviation ministry’s scandal, the pension scam probe and allegations of corruption in the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). In most of the probes by the House of Representatives, allegations of monumental corruption were exposed. As rightly argued by the Speaker, the decision of the President to set up administrative committees to probe the allegations instead of referring their recommendations to police agencies is duplicitous. In the Speaker’s words, ‘the executive, by constituting committees to investigate what ordinarily should have been investigated by the EFCC, the ICPC and the Code of Conduct Bureau is engaged in duplication of efforts’.

    It is encouraging that the Speaker, who is in the same party as the President, has shown the courage to condemn the attitude of the leader of his party, publicly. It shows maturity, and we commend it. We had exerted efforts in the past, even in the last few weeks, to condemn the lukewarm attitude of President Jonathan to fighting corruption. We have also condemned the nuanced assertion by the President that corruption is not the primary challenge militating against our national development; and his further assertion that the allegations of corruption in our country are more of perception than reality.

    One of the pending corruption scandals which the Speaker raised is the illegal purchase of two armoured cars by the Ministry of Aviation, for a humongous N255 million. To underscore the rightness of the Speaker’s allegation against the President, it is unfortunate that despite a national outcry, nothing has been done by the executive and its agencies to bring the culprits to justice. The same attitude applies to the subsidy scam that almost convoluted the country last year. Despite the confirmation by even the committee set up by the President, that the subsidy was a huge scam, what we have as trials, is akin to a circus show, involving some of the scions of the ruling party, who were identified as the culprits.

    As we have noted in several of our interventions, the President has the constitutional responsibility to lead the anti-corruption war in the country; after all he is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. The enormity of his responsibilities to rein in corruption must not be taken lightly, and he must appreciate that he insults the sensibilities of Nigerians, when he makes light that challenge. For the purpose of emphasis, even the General Secretary of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, has identified corruption as the greatest challenge to development in Third World countries. It is at the heart of the deficiency in infrastructure, as money earmarked for development is usually creamed off into private pockets.

    We urge Speaker Tambuwal to also take his fight against corruption to his primary constituency. This is not to take away anything from his unassailable indictment of President Jonathan’s attitude to corruption in the executive arm of government. It is unacceptable that Nigerians are left to conjecture what it costs the tax payer to maintain the National Assembly. The sundry allegation that the members of the legislature earn more income than their contemporaries around the world, despite our gross poverty is also condemnable. It will be edifying, if in the spirit of transparency, the legislature comes clean on this blot on its integrity.

    In the meantime, President Jonathan must take heed to the challenges posed by Speaker Tambuwal.

  • Tambuwal: Nigeria needs media more than ever

    Tambuwal: Nigeria needs media more than ever

    House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal yesterday said the media’s watchdog role is crucial in achievement of national development.

    According to him, Nigeria needs every segment of the society, including the media, to help build a country where there is true freedom.

    Tambuwal spoke in Lagos at the launch of the book: Conversations with my country, written by The Sun General Editor Mrs Funke Egbemode.

    Describing the author as “a gift to Nigerian journalism,” the Speaker said it would take an effective media to achieve a country citizens can be proud of.

    “The country needs our collective effort to augment the effort being made to ensure that we have not only a stable country, but a country where there is freedom; a country where people can actually beat their chest and be proud of,” the Speaker said.

    The controversial letter which former President Olusegun Obasanjo wrote President Goodluck Jonathan was a subject of jokes by dignitaries at the event.

    As Secretary to the Government of the Federation Anyim Pius Anyim was to begin his speech, Tambuwal remarked jovially that the former Senate President “wants to read a letter.”

    Anyim said: “You know why I wanted to read this letter was because the Speaker wrote a forward to the letter. Immediately the forward came, then the letter followed.” The audience burst into laughter.

    Anyim was apparently referring to Tambuwal’s speech last week at an event organised by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to mark the 2013 International Anti-Corruption Day in Abuja, in which he criticised the President’s alleged penchant for setting up panels and committees to probe corruption allegations instead of referring them to the anti-corruption agencies.

    In Obasanjo’s letter, he wrote: “May God grant you (Jonathan) the grace for at least one effective corrective action against high corruption which seems to stink all around you in your government.”

    Anyim joked that he would not add to the “letter”, saying: “I want to assure our audience that I will not contribute to this letter.”

    He said he accepted to write the forward to Egbemode’s book because of the topical issues she discussed, which can benefit the country.

    “What we must take away from Funke’s effort to write this book is that from our small corners, our little actions on daily basis, we build or destroy, kill or give life to the future and destiny of not only individuals, but also of the country and indeed humanity at large,” Anyim said.

    The reviewer, Mr Toni Kan, described the 258-page book divided into three parts, as “wildly funny, often sad, deeply upsetting and keenly reflective pieces.”

    “In writing this book, Funke Egbemode is proceeding with sure-footed aplomb in the footsteps of illustrious forebears who mined the seedy underbelly of human foibles with the chisel and shovel of homour,” Kan said.

    Guests had more reason to laugh when Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole, who arrived shortly before the event ended, engaged in jovial exchanges with Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, who was the book presenter.

    Oshiomhole first accused Uduaghan of “rigging” the programme by asking him to speak when he was not listed as a speaker.

    “Uduaghan as PDP governor has altered this thing, rigged it thoroughly, and doing so even in the full view of both the electronic and print media. I hope this will not be another Idemili North and Idemili South problem,” Oshiomhole said.

    Uduaghan replied: “That’s how APC oppresses us. They’re always oppressing us.”

    Anyim chipped in: “It’s like he has not read the letter. The letter says Edo State was rigged. It’s on the 19th and 20th pages of that letter.”

    Oshiomhole said: “If the Secretary to the Government says that letter is a true statement, I cannot disagree with you, from page one to the end. You said so in Eko Hotel, and you will be so reported. Abi no be so?” A chorus of “Na so ooo” rent the hall.

    Uduaghan said: “He’s the Secretary to the Federal Government, and he has received the letter.”

    Oshiomhole: “I thought I have this floor sir.”

    Uduaghan: “I directed you to speak, and the longer you speak the more money you will donate.”

    Oshiomhole: “This Uduaghan used to be my friend. You can see what PDP has done to him. It’s nice to hear an elected governor admitting to giving orders to a governor that is older than him, if not by office, but by age.”

    Uduaghan: “…But taller than you”

    Oshiomhole: “That one, I will contest it. Because I know the last time we had this argument, we weighed on a scale, and the statistician showed that I had 1.3inch advantage over Emmanuel vertically.”

    Uduaghan: “That scale was manufactured in Edo State.”

    Oshiomhole: “…But Edo State used to be the headquaters of Bendel, of which you’re now only a part. So, I have the floor now. If not, the workers will go on strike, using my previous connections, and your microphone will not work.”

    Oshiomhole went on to recount efforts to proscribe the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) after Obasanjo accused him of running a parallel government while Anyim was Senate President.

    Uduaghan: “Before you continue, there is a benchmark for speaking. It’s N1million per minute.”

    Oshiomhole: “…But you know PDP never respects benchmarks. Even when they sell over and above it, they never have enough, so don’t even talk about benchmark.”

    Uduaghan: “That is why the House and the Senate have never agreed on a benchmark. Is that why?”

    Oshiomhole: “But even the CBN doesn’t agree. So don’t talk of benchmark, because you’re touching the short part of the snake.”

    Uduaghan: “SURE-P? You mean SURE-P? You said ‘short part’…Short part is ‘SURE-P.”

    Oshiomhole: “That’s another PDP invention. How many of you are beneficiaries?…But allow me to finish my speech. Next time, Funke, you want to organise things like this, let the chairman be duly elected.

    “Once he knows that we elected him, he will listen to us. This federal appointment Funke has made…you even bypassed Edo, and you were going down to Southsouth; what were you looking for? And you can see the problem now.”

    Uduaghan: “My role here is to collect money. I’m not the chairman.”

    Oshiomhole: “I will see how you will collect. Already I have reported you to the President.”

    Uduaghan: “Was it through a letter?”

    Oshiomhole: “We’re brothers. This same Emmanuel, he will keep kidnappers in Delta, release them midnight to kidnap in Edo and return to Delta warehouse. And I have been protesting. Now I report you directly to SGF.”

    Uduaghan: “Comrade, you’re going to another aspect now . We know where Mike Ozekhome was kidnapped. He wasn’t kidnapped in Delta.”

    Oshiomhole: “Yes, but we know where Kokori is located.”

    Uduaghan: “Kokori is in Edo State.”

    Oshiomhole: “Kokori? Have you ceded it.”

    Uduaghan: “It’s on the road between…It has been ceded to Edo State.”

    Oshiomhole: “SGF, please use your federal might to seize the microphone, because Kelvin…”

    Anyim: “Governor of Edo you have the floor.”

    Oshiomhole: “Thank you very much. Now that you have ruled in my favour, God bless you. Just to say that Kelvin is from Delta State. Because of these and other challenges, imagine, some of our oil wells were kidnapped, and all of that is the reason I look the way I look.

    “So, I wasn’t asked to donate. I was coming here to get a free copy, and when I heard it’s on this floor, I know there used to be a Chinese restaurant here. And I was looking forward to eating good food.

    “I have to use video conferencing to connect with the parliament in Edo State to see how we can rush a supplementary appropriation to enable me do what I have to do, because if you are not under that umbrella, you don’t have that protection…”

    Uduaghan: “But you’re collecting taxes from kidnappers in Edo.”

    Among guests were Senator Tunde Ogbeha, who represented Senate President David Mark; representatives of Governors Babatunde Fashola (Lagos), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa) and Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti).

    Also present were former Ogun State Governor Chief Segun Osoba, former Abia State Governor and The Sun Publisher Dr Orji Uzoh Kalu; Vanguard Publisher Sam Amuka; Managing Director of Famfa Oil Mrs Folorunsho Alakija, who was the guest speaker and many members of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, among others.

  • APC hails Tambuwal’s stand against corruption

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday hailed House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal for his “patriotism and dedication to the nation” and picking holes in the Goodluck Jonathan administration fight against corruption.

    The party described the Federal Government’s anti-corruption battle as “tepid”.

    In a statement in Lagos by its Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, APC said Tambuwal exhibited a leadership trait “that is rare in these parts by shunning partisanship to say that the President’s body language does not indicate that he has the political will to fight corruption in the country.”

    The party added: “Tambuwal and President Jonathan belong to the same political party, but this did not deter the Speaker from rising above crass partisanship when the issue involved borders on national interest. This is the stuff of good leadership.

    “Tambuwal has shown that he is indeed the Speaker of the House of Representatives and that the country is his constituency, unlike President Jonathan, who has transformed himself to a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and a sectional leader by viewing serious issues of national importance from the prism of partisanship and sectionalism.”

    The party hoped that other Nigerians would emulate the Speaker.

    APC said it was delighted to be in the same company with the Speaker over the criticism of President Jonathan’s nonchalant stand on corruption, which has eaten deeper into the national fabric under the present administration.

    It said: “We have raised the same issues raised by the Speaker several times in our regular intervention, but the administration has dismissed our concerns on the altar of partisanship.

    “However, now that no less a personality than the country’s No.4 citizen and a top member of the PDP is the one raising the issue, and coming against the background of Nigeria’s slide in the 2013 rankings by the global anti-corruption body, Transparency International, we hope the administration will realise that it has only been paying a lip-service to the anti-graft battle, and perhaps make amends.”

    APC noted that Tambuwal was right in talking about the President’s body language, which is a reflection of the deceptive actions he (President Jonathan) has taken time and again over serious issues of corruption, including the monumental fuel subsidy scam, the pension scam, the fraud involving the excess crude account, the Subsidy Reinvestment Programme (SURE-P) scandal and Oduahgate, the controversy on the N255 million bulletproof cars.

    It said: “These are slam dunk corruption cases that should have been handed over to the anti-corruption agencies for summary disposal. Instead, the President – thinking Nigerians will merely scream and forget after some time – engages in his usual distracting method of setting up committees, the report of which he will then put away to gather dust …until another corruption case rears its ugly head.

    “Nigerians are not stupid and they understand clearly that the President is shielding corrupt people, as long as they are willing and able to contribute, from their ill-gotten funds, to his (President’s) campaign slush funds. Now that a person of the calibre of the Speaker of the House of Representatives has added his voice to this burning issue, the die is cast for Mr. President: he can either move to redeem the image of his administration or continue to swim in the ocean of corruption.”