Kemi Adeosun(Minister of Finance of FRN) emerges ECOWAS Bank Board Chair; proffers ways to promote regional integration

The Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, on Tuesday emerged the Chairperson, Board of Governors of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development, EBID.
Mrs. Adeosun’s emergence came at the end of the 15th Ordinary Meeting of the board of governors of the bank in Abuja.
She succeeds her counterpart from the Republic of Niger, Hassoumi Massoudou.
At the opening session of the meeting, Mrs. Adeosun proffered ways the 15-member countries of ECOWAS could promote regional integration and inclusive development in the sub-region.
These include embracing a new development model that promotes inclusive economic growth; radical economic transformation to better the lives of all citizens in the region, and prioritising industrialisation, especially through labour intensive manufacturing to promote job creation for citizens.
Others include conscious emphasis on agriculture to improve food security; boosting the ocean economy in the region and deliberate effort to promote regional integration among member countries.
The meeting, which was declared open by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, was attended by the ministers of finance and members of the board of the banks from Benin, Burkina Faso, Capo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.
Mrs. Adeosun noted that past economic growth in the region was not inclusive and called for a new model that would ensure opportunities are shared and enjoyed by more citizens.
The minister, who observed that the ECOWAS’ vision for economic development was facing challenges, said the meeting was a good opportunity to discuss the various issues and come to a consensus on the way forward.
She urged her counterparts in the region to endeavour to speak about radical economic transformation of their economies to guarantee better life for all citizens in the region.
Besides, she said, prioritising industrialisation and agricultural development would promote job creation as well as ensure improved food security.
“Potentially, these areas also provide investors with profitable investment opportunities in our community.
Equally critical is the work that is being done to promote regional integration in our sub-region,” she stated.
Mrs. Adeosun cited the example of Nigeria, which she pointed out was already making efforts to radically transform her economy, by attempting to shift emphasis away from oil as the main source of revenue.
“Diversification and domestic resource mobilisation through improved tax revenue are therefore ongoing,” she said.
If adopted, she said diversification policy would have significant impact on the regional economy.
Again, she emphasised the need for infrastructure development, pointing out that it remained top on the agenda to ease movement of goods, people and services across the region.
She said generation of power would not only light up Africa, but would also enhance industrialisation.
Mrs. Adeosun used the occasion to underscore the significance of finance, arguing that for the region to realise its vision, member countries would need to mobilise appropriate domestic and external financial resources to support EBID and strengthen developmental partnerships and collaborations.
The EBID is a financial institution established by member states of the ECOWAS with headquarters in Lome, Togolese Republic.
The Bank was established to promote private sector and development of the public sector and contribute to the economic development of West Africa through the financing of projects and programmes, particularly those related to transport, energy, telecommunications, industry, poverty alleviation, the environment and natural resources.

PICTURE NEWS : Edo lawmakers throw punches, chairs as they impeach Speaker

 Punches and chairs were thrown on Monday at the Edo State House of Assembly when the Speaker of the House, Dr. Justin Okonoboh, was impeached, following an impeachment notice signed by 16 out of the 24 members of the assembly.
Okonoboh was replaced with Mr. Kabiru Adjoto, while Mr. Victor Edoror emerged as his deputy.

PHOTOS NEWS: Buhari’s aides, Lai Mohammed, visit him in London

President Buhari today, Saturday, 12th of August, 2017, received a delegation of his aides and the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, at Abuja House in London.

The president’s guests included Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora Matters Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Senior Special Assistant Media & Publicity Mallam Garba Shehu, Minister of Information Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Special Adviser Media and Publicity Mr Femi Adesina and Personal Assistant Digital/Online Media Lauretta Onochie.



President Buhari has been in London receiving treatment for 95 days and still counting

EFCC traces N47.2 billion, $487.5 million to ex-Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke

N47.2 Billion and $487.5 Million in cash and properties have so far been traced to the former Minister of Petroleum Resources in the Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has said.

“This followed painstaking investigations by operatives of Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, “ two staff of the anti-graft agency wrote in an article.



The article, written by Tony Orilade and Aisha Gambari of the EFCC Media department reads:



From time immemorial, precious metals – gold, silver and sparkling stones such as diamonds have delighted women. Relationships have been built and destroyed, wars fought for and reconciliations cemented with gold and precious stones. Not too far back in history, Liberia was the theatre of war over Blood Diamonds.



Unlike Liberia however, the Nigerian nation is not at war. But, it seems Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, until recently, Minister of Petroleum Resources, going by the sheer amount of her acquisition of gold and diamonds, may have been fighting a spirited war against millions of compatriots who are heavily and unevenly yoked by crass poverty. To boot, the former minister is accused of having stolen – in broad daylight – the money that funded her acquisitive binge.
A search of one of Mrs. Alison-Madueke’s palatial residences in Abuja, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) turned up boxes of gold, silver and diamond jewellery, worth several million pounds sterling.



Apart from the jewellery, the EFCC, Nigeria’s foremost anticorruption agency, has traced N47.2 Billion and $487.5 Million in cash and properties to the former Minister of Petroleum Resources in Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.



The former minister who has been in London since the birth of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, has however continued to deny any financial misdeed. She insists she is being severely maligned and persecuted by the EFCC.



But, on the strength of weighty evidences placed before Nigerian courts, there are a string of judicial pronouncements ordering the forfeiture of all allegedly ill-gotten wealth to Mrs. Alison-Madueke’s former employers, the Federal Government of Nigeria.



One of the constitutional requirements to be appointed to public office in Nigeria, is the total declaration of all personal assets. It does seem like that provision was observed more in the breach by Mrs. Alison-Madueke.



The EFCC, in the course of investigation, traced another property valued at $37.5m to the former minister in Banana Island, Lagos. She was said to have purchased the 15-storey building, which comprises 18 flats and six penthouses, between 2011 and 2012from the developers, YF Construction and Real Estate.



The property was allegedly acquired in the name of a shell company, Rusimpex Limited, which is managed by one Afamefuna Nwokedim, Principal Partner, Stillwaters Law Firm, Lagos.
On August 7, 2017, Justice Chuka Obiozor, a vacation judge sitting at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, ordered the final forfeiture of a $37.5m (N11.75bn) (Eleven Billion, Seven Hundred and Fifty Million Naira) property on Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos allegedly belonging to Diezani Alison-Madueke.



The order followed an exparte application filed on July 17, 2017 by the EFCC.
At the last adjourned sitting on July 19, 2017, counsel to the EFCC, A.B.C. Ozioko, while moving the ex-parte application, had urged the court to order the forfeiture of the total sum of US$2, 740,197.96 and N84, 537,840.70 respectively found by the Commission in Rusimpex USD account No. 1013612486 domiciled in Zenith Bank Plc suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities. Ozioko had also urged the court to order an interim forfeiture of the assets and property. Ruling on the applications, Justice Obiozor had ordered the respondents- Deziani, Afamefuna Nwokedi and Rusimpex Limited- to show cause within 14 days why the properties should not be forfeited to the Federal Government.



The judge had further ordered the publication of the interim order in any national newspaper for the respondents or anyone who is interested in the property to appear before the court to show cause within 14 days why the final order of the property should not be made in favour of the Federal Government.



At the resumed hearing on August 7, counsel to the EFCC argued that the failure of the second and third respondent, Nwokedi and Rusimex meant that “they are not willing to contest the application”.



In his ruling, Justice Obiozor ordered the final forfeiture of the property to the Federal government, in view of the failure of any interested parties or persons to contest the interim forfeiture order as published in a national newspaper by the Commission. The court also ordered the permanent forfeiture of the sums of US$2, 740,197.96 and N84, 537,840.70 respectively realized as rent on the property.



But, by far the most numbing, record-shattering acquisitions of Alison-Madueke, is to be found in the ritzy, nouveaux riches playground of Banana Island, Lagos. It consists of two apartments at the Bella Vista Court.



The apartments which are Penthouses, are located on Block C-5, Flat 21, Plot 1, Zone N. For them, a $350 Million (Three Hundred and Fifty Million US Dollar) hole was allegedly dug in the Nigerian treasury on November 22, 2011, by Ms. Alison-Madueke.



Also in Lagos, Ms. Alison-Madueke allegedly bought a block of six units serviced apartments at Number 135 Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, just a few hundred metres away from the EFCC zonal operations hub. The apartment has a standby power generating set, sporting facilities, play ground and a water treatment plant. The property was bought at the rate of N800 Million (Eight Hundred Million Naira) on January 6, 2012.



Other properties in Yaba, Lagos, also discovered by the eagle eyes of the Commission’s operatives, are located at number 7, Thurnburn Street and 5, Raymond Street. The Thurnburn Street property consists of 21 mixed housing units of eight 4-bedroom apartments, two penthouse apartments of 3-bedrooms each and six 3-bedroom (all en-suite) terrace apartments.
The Raymond Street property is made up of two en-suite 2-bedroom apartments and one 4-bedroom apartment.
The Yaba, Lagos properties, which dug a deep hole of an eye-popping N1 Billion (One Billion Naira), were paid for on May 30, 2012. The same day Alison-Madueke splashed N900 million for the Port Harcourt estate.



In Lekki Phase one, an upscale neighbourhood of Lagos, operatives found a twin four-bedroom duplex. The duplex is located on Plot 33, Block 112, Lekki Peninsula Residential Scheme Phase 1, Lekki, Lagos, with an estimated value of over N200 Million (Two Hundred Million Naira).



Also in Lagos, a large expanse of land at Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos has also been traced to the former Petroleum Resources Minister. The land, which is located in Oniru Chieftaincy Family Private Estate, Lekki peninsular, Lagos and currently being utilized as a dumping site, was bought on February 16, 2012, for N135 Million (One Hundred and Thirty- Five Million Naira).



Plot 8, Gerard Road Ikoyi, Lagos, another property traced to Mrs. Alison-Madueke, is a penthouse on the 11th Floor in the Block B Wing of the building. It was bought for N12 Million (Twelve Million Naira) on December 20, 2011.



On Plot 10, Frederick Chiluba Close, in the serene, upscale Asokoro district of Abuja, lies a tastefully built and finished duplex. In the compound, there are also a Guest Chalet, Boy’s Quarters, an elegant swimming pool, fully equipped sports gym and a host of other amenities.
Investigators have discovered that the property acquired by the ex-minister in December, 2009, at the cost of N400 Million (Four Hundred Million Naira) was never declared in any of the asset declaration forms filed by Mrs. Alison-Madueke.



Also linked to the former Minister in Abuja is a mini estate at Mabushi, Abuja. The estate located on Plot 1205, Cadastral Zone B06, Mabushi Gardens Estate, houses 13 three bedroom terrace houses, each with one bedroom en-suite maid’s quarters. It was purchased on April 2, 2012 at the princely sum of N650 Million (Six Hundred and Fifty Million Naira).



In Aso Drive, Maitama, Abuja, Mrs. Alison-Madueke reportedly acquired a 6-bedroom en-suite apartment made up of three large living rooms, two bedroom Guest Chalets, two bedroom Boys Quarters, two lock up garages and a car park. It was bought on July 20, 2011 for N80 Million (Eighty Million Naira).



Down South in Nigeria’s oil city of Port Harcourt, the former minister’s acquisitive appetite took her to Heritage Court Estate, located on Plot 2C, Omerelu Street, Diobu Government Residential Area, Phase 1 Extension, Port Harcourt.



The Estate which is made up of 16 four bedroom terrace duplexes is equipped with among other facilities, a massive standby power generating set. Mrs. Alison-Madueke did not blink as she shelled out N900 Million (Nine Hundred Million Naira) for it on May 30, 2012.



In neighbouring Bayelsa State, an apartment with two blocks of flats, all en-suite, and with a Maid’s Quarters were also traced to her. The house located on Goodluck Jonathan Road, Yenagoa, is sitting on a large expanse of land. Realtors spoken to by EFCC investigators have placed estimated values running into hundreds of millions of Naira on the property. The apartments have four living rooms, eight bedrooms and gold-plated furniture.



Aside from jewelry and property, Mrs. Alison-Madueke, EFCC operatives charge, has N23,446,300,000 and $5milion (about N1.5billion) in various Nigerian banks.



Based on evidence presented by the Commission before the court, Justice Muslim Suleiman Hassan on January 6 2017, ordered the funds’ temporary forfeiture to the federal government.
The EFCC again, on January 24, 2017, urged the Federal High Court in Lagos to order the forfeiture of yet another N9 billion allegedly laundered by some bank officials for Alison-Madueke.



A month later, on February 16, 2017, Justice Hassan ordered the final forfeiture to the federal government, of N34 Billion naira which has been traced to the former minister.



Earlier in May 2016, the sum of over $100 Million (One Hundred Million US dollars) were traced to the accounts of several Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) staffers, who were allegedly bribed by Alison-Madueke to compromise Nigeria’s 2015 general elections.



Justice Mohammed B. Idris of the Federal High Court, sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on April 27, 2017, ordered the final forfeiture of the bribe money traced to one staff of INEC, Christian Nwosu, who was arraigned on April 5, 2017.



In the course of the trial, Mr. Nwosu pleaded guilty to receiving the sum of N30 Million (Thirty Million Naira) from Mrs. Alison-Madueke. Upon his confession, the court ordered the final forfeiture of his landed property situated at Okpanam, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State. Also forfeited by Mr. Nwosu to the federal government was the cash sum of N5 Million (Five Million Naira).



Going by the continued unearthing of hard-to-ignore evidences of unexplained acquisitions, coupled with Justice Chuka Obiozor’s rulling on the final forfeiture of a $37.5m (N11.75bn) (Eleven Billion, Seven Hundred and Fifty Million Naira) to the federal government, ex-minister Alison-Madueke’s evidence-free counter-charge, that she is a victim of EFCC persecution, may be ringing hollower and hollower.

We Voted Buhari The Dictator Because We Needed It Tough On Polithiefcians

It appears the boys in the Senate are out to rubbish Baba. They were afraid at the initial time because of the Baba of the old. But now that they know that Baba wants to be seen as a Democrat, they are out to use Constitutional loopholes to trap him.
Unfortunately for Baba he is looking at democracy only from the American mirror, he is yet to understand that democracies come in phases, shades and forms. For a DEMOCRACY like ours, it is still a growing one. With the kind of military experience we had over the years and the criminal tendencies of average Nigerian Politicians, we need a civilian dictatorship driven by a man of integrity with love for country until such a time when everybody have been beaten into shape as it happened in Singapore.
We are not yet ready for the kind of democracy that Baba is practicing. We need speed. There is need to cut a lot bureaucracratic tapes and get things in shape quickly. We are making a lot of excuses with democracy. Ours has to be modeled to suit our needs.
Unfortunately we knew Baba was a tough man before we voted him in. Now If Baba cannot take tough stands, especially against some rascally governors, Ministers, civil servants, judges and criminal junta senators, as Obasanjo did, then the critical reason for bringing him to power is lost.
Imagine how the Senate denied him the opportunity to borrow money to get the economy out of recession. They are seating on a bill that is supposed to speed up war against corruption. They are refusing to open their books and budget for scrutiny and many of them are people who are either running from Justice or are drawing us back from justice.
Why can't we have a civilian dictatorship?
We may complain about tough stands in the beginning but in the end it will pay. Although we should encourage diplomacy and the rule of law but there should be no banters with criminals and those who insist on making the country ungovernable and those who think only about their selfish interest.
With what the way the Senate is playing with Baba, it will be difficult to achieve anything of note or to move speedily. Baba should go to the trenches with these pedestrian Senate and rescue his administration from delays. Some Senators who are supposed to be in jail have highjacked the legislature and are using it to manipulate the system. Baba must bring people like Asiwaju Bola Tinubu closer and make his executive be up and doing. The Senate is making Baba look weak.
I am angry.




By Great Imo Jonathan

IBRAHIM MAGU REACTS TO SENATE REJECTION

My priority is to fight corruption. My confirmation has not changed anything. We have always been on duty I will work until the last day whether confirmation or no confirmation.
The greatest violation against human right is crime against the society and the humanity but everybody has a duty and responsibility to fight corruption and I also has a responsibility. I assure you that we will fight to finish.
We will never be deterred because what we are doing is trying to investigate what has gone before and protect the future of our children and our future generation. So, if we don’t work today and fight against corruption, the future is not guaranteed, the future of our children is not guaranteed.
So, we must wake up, where ever you find yourself, fight corruption. Anytime you discover that I am corrupt, expose me.”
Those allegations can not stand the test of time because they can not be proven. You know, you can’t just raise mere allegations without giving the person opportunity to answer you. There is issue of fundamental human right and the right of fair hearing is there.
Up till this time, DSS has not called me and I am even surprised that the same report is coming back and this time around it is signed by somebody. I doubt the genuineness of that report. But I think we need to identify those who have the interest of this country at heart.

Senate Sends Customs CG Away For Not Wearing Uniform

The Senate on Thursday sent the Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ali (retd.) away for not wearing uniform as he was instructed.
The senators were angry that Ali did not put on Customs uniform, saying that as the head of Customs, he should live by example.
Ali, who appeared in ‘kaftan’ defied the lawmakers’ order that he should come in uniform.
Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu had asked the Customs boss why he failed to appear before the lawmakers in uniform as requested.
Ali’s reply was that the Senate did not state in its last letter to him that he should appear in uniform.
Ekweremadu, however, said the last letter only served as a reminder of the first letter to him, in which he was asked to come in uniform.
Unanimously, the senators refused to attend to him and ordered him to come back next Wednesday in uniform.

STATE OF WE IN NATION

My unreasonable written ?



I repeat, PMB is not the problem of Nigeria. Take it or leave it.
WHO ARE THE KLEPTOCRATS?
Read this intriguing and provocative piece; yet Nigerians refuse to be provoked instead holding one man, Buhari, responsible for all their woes!
How far can you push a Nigerian before he reacts like an angry lion?
Isn't it a ridiculous mockery and insult that Nigerians are the only world citizens that when pushed to the wall, spend more energy to break the wall and cross over rather than fight back?
Read this and let's know who our real enemies and shameless oppressors are - GOVERNORS, EX-GOVERNORS, SENATORS, REPS. Can't we do something to get rid of these big thieves that use our power against us?


ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!


NIGERIANS WAKE UP!
A lion never shies away from a fight when it is hungry, neither does it blame the buffalo for resisting or refusing to be eaten.
How come our forefathers dared death and everything to give us a sane society?
Shaaaaaame!!!
Please endeavour to read this very interesting piece!


STATE OF THE NATION
A SELF DECEIVING COUNTRY CALLED NIGERIA


Twenty-one senators currently receiving pensions from government as ex-governors and deputy governors.
The current senators who once served as governors are Bukola Saraki of Kwara, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano, Kabiru Gaya of Kano, Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom, Theodore Orji of Abia, Abdullahi Adamu of Nasarawa, Sam Egwu of Ebonyi, Shaaba Lafiagi of Kwara, Joshua Dariye of Plateau Jonah Jang of Plateau, Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko of Sokoto, Ahmed Sani Yarima of Zamfara, Danjuma Goje of Gombe, Bukar Abba Ibrahim of Yobe, Adamu Aliero of Kebbi, George Akume of Benue and Isiaka Adeleke of Osun.
The  former deputy governors in the Senate are Ms Biodun Olujimi of Ekiti and Enyinaya Harcourt Abaribe of Abia. Danladi Abubakar Sani served as the acting governor of Taraba state.
Many former governors are also in Buhari's Cabinet as Ministers. This includes: Ngige, Fayemi, Amaechi and Fashola (SAN).).
In Akwa Ibom State, the law provides that ex governors and deputy governors receive pension equivalent to the salaries of the incumbent. The package also includes a new official car and a utility vehicle every four years; one personal aide; a cook, chauffeurs and security guards for the governor at a sum not exceeding N5 million per month and N2.5 million for his deputy governor.
In Rivers, the law provides 100 percent of annual basic salaries for the ex-governor and deputy, one residential house for the former governor “anywhere of his choice in Nigeria”; one residential house anywhere in Rivers for the deputy, three cars for the ex-governor every four years and two cars for the deputy every four years.
It is alleged that in Lagos, a former governor will get two houses, one in Lagos and another in Abuja, estimated at N500 million in Lagos and N700 million in Abuja. He also receives six new cars to be replaced every three years; a furniture allowance of 300 percent of annual salary to be paid every two years, and a N30 million pension annually for life.
This is the reality for all the 21 ex-governors and deputy governors who are currently serving as senators. This same is also true of ex governors who are now serving as Ministers.


NOW I ASK:

How many years did these guys serve their states as governors and deputy governors? Is it more than 8years? Is that a reason to be entitled to pensions for life? Even if they are entitled to pension for life, must it be so outrageous?
As if that is not enough: HOW on earth can any public servant with conscience collect salaries and allowances as a senator or minister, and still have the audacity to claim pensions equivalent to the salaries of a serving governor in Nigeria?


IT ISN'T ROCKET SCIENCE......


Once you are elected a senator or appointed a minister, you must forfeit any pension accruing to you from government at any level until you vacate office. This should also apply to senators collecting military pensions like former Senate President David Mark.
Yet these senators are in the Senate that is inviting the current finance minister to discuss the recession of Nigeria's economy. A senator pockets approximately 30 million naira monthly as salary and allowances. Our "honourables" are not interested to make laws that could restructure our country into economically autonomous federating States/Regions to save the country from sectional agitations that is threatening  to destroy Nigeria. The sad and hopeless situation is that the rest of Nigerians are busy arguing based on party, ethnic and affiliations while these enemies of state continue to rape us.
Do you know that it costs tax payers 290m Naira yearly to maintain each member of our National Assembly in a country where nothing works & 80% of population earn below 300 Naira a day ? A working day earning of a senator is more than a yearly income of a doctor; it's more than the salary of 42 Army generals or 48 professors or 70 commissioners of police or more than twice the pay of the US President or 9 times the salary of US congressmen.
It's high time the country had a referendum on those outrageous salaries of Senators, House of Representative members and other political office holders.




If you are seriously against the looting of our commonwealth in Nigeria, in the name of democracy, you can let this piece go viral by sharing it with as many of your contacts and groups too!










#GodBlessNigeria #OneNigeria

WE WILL CONTEST INEC's DECISION IN COURT : IDRIS WADA SAYS

The Kogi state Governor Idris Wada, in a recent chat with newsmen, said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), will contest INEC's decision to allow APC replace its Guber candidate in court.
The Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) on Tuesday, November 24, 2015, reached a decision to allow the All Progressives Congress (APC) get a replacement for Abubakar Audu.
It also said that it will conduct supplementary
elections in 91 polling units.
Also, a source close Governor Wada said “INEC did not base its declaration on sound legal provisions, so what.they have done is not within their powers.
“The PDP legal team have been meeting since INEC.made the announcement.”
“I can categorically tell you that we are going to court.
“INEC did not base its declaration on sound legal
provisions, so what they have done is not within their.powers.
“Their role is to conduct election not try to adjust the.law to fit what the want.
“INEC’s decision is clearly bias because what it should have done, in allowing APC conduct another primary, was cancel the election so we go for a fresh one.
“In this matter, APC has been favoured and it behoves on us to act,” the source said.
Audu died on Sunday, November 22, 2015, after
participating in the polls and being in the lead the day before.
The elections were later declared inconclusive by INEC.due to irregularities in the 91 polling units earlier.mentioned.

INEC announces decision on Kogi election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has at last its decision on the governorship election in Kogi state. With the demise of Abubakar Audu, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Saturday’s governorship poll in Kogi state a new legal battle reported on the fate of the election.

APC candidate, who was buried on November 23, was leading his closest rival and incumbent governor of the state, Idris Wada of the Peoples Democratic Party, by 41,353 votes.
The INEC has asked the ruling party to fill the vacuum created by the death of its candidate in order to continue with supplementary election.

The electoral commission has issued a statement that says:
1. The Commission will conclude the election in the remaining 91 polling units.
2. INEC will allow the APC to fill the vacancy created by Audu’s death
3. INEC will conduct supplementary election on December 5, 2015.

The commission has announced the poll in Kogi state inconclusive.
According to results declared the margin of votes between Audu and Wada was 41,353. And that the poll was inconclusive because the total number of registered voters in 91 polling units, in 18 local government areas, where election was cancelled is 49,953.

BREAKING : The full list of the ministers and their offices

President Muhammadu Buhari has assigned his newly appointed ministers offices.

The full list of the ministers and their offices are as follows:
Kemi Adeosun (Ogun) – Finance
Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers)–Transportation
Chris Ngige (Anambra)–Labour and Employment
Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti)–Solid Minerals
Babatunde Fashola (Lagos)–Power, Works and Housing
Abdulrahman Dambazau (Kano)–Interior
Aisha Alhassan (Taraba)–Women Affairs
Ogbonnaya Onu (Ebonyi)–Science and Technology
Abubakar Malami (Kebbi)–Justice
Hadi Sirika (Katsina)–State for Aviation
Suleiman Adamu (Jigawa)–Water Resources
Solomon Dalong (Plateau)–Youths and Sports
Ibeh Kachikwu (Delta)–State for Petroleum
Osagie Ehanire (Edo)–State for Health
Audu Ogbeh (Benue)–Agriculture
Udo Udo Udoma (Akwa Ibom)–Budget and National Planning
Lai Mohammed (Kwara)–Information
Amina Mohammed (Gombe)–Environment
Ibrahim Usman Jibril (Nasarawa)— State for Environment
Anthony Onwuka (Imo) – State for Education
Muhammadu Bello (Adamawa) — FCT
Adamu Adamu (Bauchi) — Education
Okechukwu Enelamah (Abia) – Industry, Trade and Investment
Aisha Abubakar (Sokoto) — State for Trade, Industry and Investment
Khadija Bukar Abba (Yobe) – State for Foreign Affairs
Claudius Daramola (Ondo) – State for Niger Delta
Geoffrey Onyeama (Enugu) — Foreign Affairs
Monsur Dan-Ali (Zamfara) — Defence
James Ocholi (Kogi) – State for Labour
Zainab Ahmed (Kaduna) – State for Budget and National Planning
Mustapha Shehuri (Borno) — State for Power
Heineken Lokpobiri (Bayelsa)–State for Agriculture
Isaac Adewole Folorunsho (Osun) — Health
Usani Usani Uguru (Cross River) — Niger Delta
Abubakar Bwari Bawa (Niger) — State for Solid Minerals
Adebayo Shittu (Oyo) — Communications
Muhammadu Buhari — Petroleum

N5,000 stipend: PDP reject Buhari, APC Senators move to ease the unemployed NYSC graduate

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has said that Wednesday’s rejection by the All Progressives Congress, APC, senators of N5,000 monthly stipend, underscored the “monumental hypocrisy” of their party in getting to power by means of deceit and false promises to Nigerians.
APC had promised payment of N5,000 to unemployed Nigerians as a social security
package during electioneering campaign.
PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh​,​ in a statement on Thursday said the development was a clear confirmation that the APC was a party of “hypocrites, who never had the intentions of honouring any of their campaign promises”​.​
“The PDP declares that it is absolutely obvious to all that the APC came to power riding on monumental lies and deceit in making promises they had no intentions to keep.
“All they wanted was to get into power and they achieved this with their lying tongues.
“Indeed, the unanimity displayed by the APC senators in rejecting the promised N5, 000 monthly welfare package, especially coming after their party and the presidency had made futile efforts to distance themselves from it, further stresses the duplicitous spirit of the APC and its reprehensible insensitivity to the feelings and aspirations of Nigerians, especially the unsuspecting youths, women and the indigent, who they shamelessly swindled with false promises.
“From the foregoing therefore, Nigerians should not expect any sincere action from the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC government on the other promises including monthly allowance to discharged but unemployed NYSC members, free meals and scholarship to school children, free houses, bringing the naira to the same value with the dollar.
“Our position remains that the APC has sufficiently confirmed to the world that they have a lot to learn on the leadership values of honesty, integrity, credibility and forthrightness.
“Finally, we invite Nigerians to note the powers amply vested in them by the constitution under a democracy as we urge them to stand on such powers and hold the APC and its government accountable for all their campaign promises,” the party said.

I will lead a war against them like Ojukwu. Am not joking– Wike

Yesterday, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the April 11 governorship election in Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike declared war on those he considered to have betrayed outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan and the South-South. Addressing his supporters in Port Harcourt via a media briefing monitored by Sayelba Times, he said Governor Chibuike Amaechi is Judas Iscariot.
He further declared that nothing can stop his victory at the polls. Barrister Wike also alleged a plot by the State Governor to sponsor thugs to disrupt the election in order to use that as a pretence to annul the results when President-Elect, General Muhammadu Buhari is sworn in. He however promise to lead Rivers people to an Ojukwu style war against the Federal government to resist such attempts.
Below is his full statement.

“Today, I want all South-South and South-East to remember this, that we’ve two Judas. Let me confess to you, we held a meeting before the elections on Saturday, and we said as people from this part of the country, we must standby our brother. Some APC leaders bought into the idea. And that was why with all the money Amaechi throw around, we still gave our brother almost 1.5million votes.

Amaechi is the only betrayer that raised his ugly head to say we rigged elections. When he knows it’s obvious that you and I gave our best to our brother. In Edo state,the governor only complained of Army that was deployed in his residence. He never said the elections should be cancelled. IMO state the same thing. But it is only Amaechi that stood like Judah to tell Jega to cancel elections in rivers state.
We heard he has gone to Abuja, trying to persuade Jega to change the returning official here. In fact, let him tell Jega to come down to conduct the election himself. Amechi, Jega,and Buhari will still fail. We have taken over the Senate and the state house,we are left with the governorship, and with you again,we will get 2million votes to silent Amechi for once. We will treat him like a betrayer, and call him a stranger in his own house. He is coming to beg us, to let go. When he has succeeded in using Rivers Rtate money to fund his Fulani friends.
Amaechi, eyes will see hell the highest they can give to him is Secretary. And after 8 years, he will return home and become irrelevant. Trust the Hausa people,they will soon betray him just the way he betrayed the south south struggle. I was told he is paying some thugs so that elections will be cancelled in Rivers State,in order for them to come back and conduct it after GMB is sworn in. If they try it, they should just carve Rivers State out of Nigeria map. I will lead a war against them like Ojukwu. Am not joking, I know am on air,and I am warning them now. Any attempt to rob us the way they rob our brother (GEJ) the battle will start from rivers state.
We will remain opposition state like Lagos. In fact we from the south south and south east we remain in PDP. We leave the south west and north to run APC. That is how they tactically shared the country. And we will not allow them use our resources to develop their States.. I am urging you all to come out April 11th to do it again. We will be at the field to defend our votes,and revenge for our brother.

THANK YOU.”

AMAECHI'S FULL ADDRESS TO THE SENATE

AMAECHI'S FULL ADDRESS TO THE SENATE
Your Excellency, the President of Senate,
Your Excellency, the Deputy President of Senate
Your Excellency, the leader of Senate,
Your Excellency the minority leader of Senate and former Governor of Akwa Ibom State,
Distinguished leaders of the Senate
Very distinguished Senators,
Good morning. It is a rare pleasure to stand before you distinguished Senators in this hallowed chambers.
I am deeply humbled and honoured to have been nominated by President Muhammadu Buhari to serve in the office of a Minister in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
My name is Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, and I am the immediate past governor of Rivers State.
Before then, I had served as the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly for two terms of eight years and as Chairman, Conference of Speakers, for two tenures.
I am perhaps the first Nigerian to have served as Speaker of a State House of Assembly, for eight years.
I served as Governor of Rivers State for two terms during which period, I had the honour and privilege to serve my colleagues as Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, for two terms.
Taken together, whether as Governor or as Speaker, these two career paths tell a story of public service.
During my tenure as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, we achieved a lot.
Some key bills were passed like the Anti Kidnapping Law and the Rivers States Schools Rights (Parent, Children and Teachers) Law. However, my most fulfilling moment as Speaker was the passage of the Rivers State Schools Rights (Parent, Children and Teachers) law, No. 2 of 2005.
This bill clearly enunciated and defined the
responsibilities of parents, teachers and children to guarantee our children access to qualitative education.
As Governor, we inherited a state that was comatose and in the throes of insecurity. Rivers State bore the fault lines of the Niger Delta militancy.
Our immediate task was therefore to restore security and improve the social and economic well being of our people.
Ours was a two-pronged approach of fiscal and physical security.
Whilst we confronted criminality with aggressive law enforcement measures, we embarked on massive social and infrastructural development.
We declared an emergency in the education sector that guaranteed free and compulsory education up to secondary school level. During my tenure as Governor, we awarded the construction of some 500 primary
schools. 314 of these were 100 percent completed while others were virtually completed by the time we left office in May 2015.
We undertook the training and recertification of teachers already in the service of the state and employed over 13,000 new teachers.
Our efforts and investments in the education sector did not go unnoticed as Port Harcourt won the UNESCO World
Book Capital city for 2014, beating cities like Moscow and Oxford.
In the area of healthcare delivery, we built over 140 primary healthcare centres, three secondary healthcare facilities, employed 400 doctors and 200 nurses to improve the manpower in the healthcare sector.
Anyone who visited Port Harcourt while we served, will testify to the fact that we worked to bring back the old glory of Port Harcourt as the garden and city as the third leg in the economic tripod of Nigeria.
We built a dualised network of 1500 Kilometres of roads, 23 bridges, 2 major fly-overs and 2 interchanges.
In the area of power, of the 350 Megawatts (MW) total capacity generation assets invested by the government before ours, only 70MW (equivalent to about 20 per
cent) was available.
With enthusiasm, we ramped up the efficiency to 77 per cent availability including injecting another 360MW Green Field Generation Project at Afam. That massive investment is partly the reason why today, residents in Port Harcourt enjoy almost 24 hours of electricity supply.
On the whole, Mr. President of Senate, I say with pride that during our stewardship of eight years we consistently maintained our pledge to our people to render “transparent and accountable stewardship.”
To guarantee that we did not deviate from that pledge, we were the first state to pass a Fiscal Responsibility law and the Rivers State Bureau of Public Procurement law. Both laws stemmed from executive bills, and we are pleased that we maintained our stance of surrendering the power of the governor to award contracts until the end of our tenure.
Mr. President of Senate, Distinguished Senators, it is therefore fair to say that under my leadership as governor of Rivers State we redefined governance and
repositioned Rivers State as a destination choice to live, work and do business.
Accordingly Mr. President of Senate, Distinguished Senators, I give you my word that if I am confirmed as minister by this distinguished Senate, I will bring to bear my vast experience as a Legislator, Speaker and Governor in the execution of my duties

#EKITIGATE : NIGERIAN ARMY TO INVESTIGATE EKITI AND OSUN GOVERNORSHIP ELECTIONS OF 2014

The Nigerian Army on Tuesday announced a
high-powered Board of Inquiry (BOI) to
investigate serious malpractices involving its
personnel and to review the involvement of its
formations/units and their officials in elections
and other duties in aid of civil authority.
“The BOI is to investigate the alleged unprofessional and unethical conduct of some Nigerian Army personnel in Ekiti and Osun States’ Gubernatorial Elections 2014, as well as in any other State in Nigeria where other allegations of misconduct were made during the 2015 General Elections in the country,” the Army’s Acting Director of Public Relations, Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman, said in a press statement.
It would be recalled that last February,
SaharaReporters published an exclusive story about how some leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in collusion with some army officers led by Brigadier-General Aliyu Momoh,the commander of the 32nd Artillery Brigade stationed in Ekiti State, rigged the gubernatorial elections in Ekiti and Osun States in 2014.
Our report included documents and audio recordings providing substantial courageously prepared and provided by Sagir Koli, a Captain in the 32nd Artillery Brigade stationed in Ekiti State who accompanied Brigadier General Momoh to a key PDP planning meeting in Ado-Ekiti on 20th June 2014 ahead of the Ekiti election which brought the current governor, Ayodele Fayose, back to power. The meeting involved Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro, Iyiola Omisore, Jelili Adesiyan, Omobolanle Oluwo, Wasiu Kayode Bawa-Allah and a crew of Nigerian army officers led by Brig. General Momoh. Captain Koli fled the country for fear of his life, but his teenage secondary school brother was arrested and tortured by army officials.
According to Tuesday’s statement, the mission of the BOI is to “prevent future unprofessional conduct by officers and men in the performance of the constitutional roles while strengthening Nigerian Army’s support to democratic values and structures in Nigeria.

By : Godwin Onoghokere

BREAKING NEWS :Former Bayelsa governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, is dead

Former Bayelsa governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, is dead

A former governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha, is dead, the Bayelsa State radio is reporting.
He was 63.
Mr. Alamieyeseigha died Saturday at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, where he had been in coma for days.
He was the governor of the Niger Delta state from 1999 to 2005 when he was impeached on corruption charges.
The former governor was succeeded by former President Goodluck Jonathan, who was his deputy.
Close family sources said Mr. Alamieyeseigha was diabetic and was treated in Dubai, but recently returned to Port Harcourt.

2016 Budget’ll Diversify Nigeria’s Economy – PMB

President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated that the 2016 national budget is being fashioned in a manner that would accommodate fresh policies and measures to encourage rapid diversification of the Nigerian economy away from its current over-dependence on the oil and gas sector.
The president hinted this during a meeting with the president of the Movement of the Enterprises of France (MEDEF), Mr. Pierre Gattaz, and a delegation of French investors.
LEADERSHIP recalls that following Buhari’s visit to France last month, firms under MEDEF had offered to visit Nigeria between October 4 and 7, with a view to exploring its business climate for possible investment in the country.
The president had got this assurance at a meeting with French firms and investors who had converged at the Nigerian-France presidential business forum held at the headquarters of MEDEF in Paris three weeks ago.
Buhari’s visit to that country may have started yielding results, as the umbrella organization of French investors, made up of 800,000 French manufacturing firms and businesses, met with him behind closed doors at Aso Rock, Abuja, yesterday.
At the meeting, Buhari stated that policies being evolved by his administration to boost domestic manufacturing and attract greater investment in Nigeria’s agricultural and mining sectors would be given full effect under the 2016 budget.
The delegation of the French investors that met with President Buhari included over 50 companies with interest in manufacturing, agriculture, infrastructure development and other areas.
The president’s senior special assistant on media and publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, noted in a statement after the meeting that the president urged Gattaz and the French trade mission to return to Nigeria again next year in order to take full advantage of the new policies.
Buhari also assured the French investors that, under his leadership, Nigeria will not fall short of international standards in the protection of foreign investments and the repatriation of returns on such investments.
According to Shehu, the president admitted that domestic security and the inflow of foreign investment were intrinsically linked, and gave the assurance that his government was taking all necessary measures to overcome Nigeria’s security challenges.
The presidential aide quoted the president as saying, “Our government came into office at a time when many people had abandoned the country’s manufacturing, agricultural and mining sectors.
“We are doing our utmost best to encourage diversification into these sectors which can employ a lot of people and we will welcome your support in this regard. Ultimately, reducing unemployment will also help to improve security because unemployment and insecurity are inseparable.”
Buhari further said that Nigeria would also welcome more French investment in its power sector because the availability of steady power would lead to the reopening of closed factories and the creation of more jobs.
He also assured the delegation that his administration was tackling corruption with vigour to ensure greater probity in the management of national resources.
Earlier, MEDEF president, Gattaz, who spoke on behalf of the French investors, had sought assurances from President Buhari on the safety of their planned investments in Nigeria and the easing of bureaucratic bottlenecks.
He noted at the business forum that the organisation’s delegation that would embark on the trade mission to Nigeria next month would consist of prospective investors with varieties of interests in area like agriculture, mining, automobile, energy, skills development, light manufacturing, food processing, military and civilian transportation services and “business to consumer” products among many others.

Buhari confirms plan to reduce ministries

• To retain a minister per state
• ‘Badly’ privatised public assets to be
revoked
• MDAs to receive zero budgeting framework
AS part of measures to reduce redundancy
in public service, President Muhammadu
Buhari is working on reducing the number
of federal ministries which currently stands
at about 28.
He intends to merge those with similar
functions.The Guardian had recently
reported the plan to reduce ministries.
Also, state-owned enterprises dubiously
allocated to friends or relations under the
guise of privatisation are to be reviewed
and reclaimed by the Federal Government
while those that went through transparent
and credible processes are to be retained by
their investors.
However, to abide by the provisions of the
Nigerian Constitution that each state shall be
represented by a minister at the federal
cabinet, the President will still recommend
36 ministerial nominees to the Nigerian
Senate for consideration.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo revealed these
plans of the Buhari-government in a chat
with The Guardian and two other media
organisations in Abuja at the weekend.
The implication is that most of the ministers
to be appointed would serve as Ministers of
State to the few senior or supervising
ministers.
Osinbajo explained that the plan is part of
an overall strategy to reduce waste of public
resources and channel same to human
capital investment and key infrastructural
revival.
The Vice President was responding to
questions during the chat on the Federal
Government’s economic agenda.
He said: “Definitely, we are not going to
have as many ministries as we have now
and there is no question at all about that.
The President has made it quite clear that he
intends to work with fewer ministers and of
course you may not have fewer ministers
because the constitution says you must have
a minister from every state. But surely we
must have fewer ministries. That’s
definitely what the President has said not
once or twice and I believe that we will
overcome.”
On the privatisation of public assets,
Osinbajo said: “Obviously, there is no
intention whatsoever to roll back
privatisation. Government generally must
honour the obligations because government
is a continuum. But suppose what has
happened in some cases, for example, is that
there was no bidding process and if it was
just mere allocation? Some of the noisiest
people who complain about policies that
would not favour them are people who have
benefitted from the system where things
were not done properly.
There is no reason why anybody will
interfere with the process that was done
properly, but if you were just allocated a
major government facility without due
bidding process, then, it is the duty of
government to ensure that you are put
through the right process. When individuals
have been allocated resources that are very
beneficial and there was no due process,
then, it cannot be allowed to stand.
Look at the bidding process that took place
for telecoms in 2001 and even some of the
bidding processs for some of the National
Independent Power Project (NIPP) plants
although that was stalled and we have to
reopen it. People would come forward and
make completive bids. That’s the way
government grows its resources and you
can’t give people gifts that belong to
everybody. Privatisation must have
integrity, must be transparent and must be
proper.
As chairman of National Council on
Privatisation (NCP) I very, very strongly
believe in privatisation in the first place
and I believe that it’s the way to go. I also
believe that the process must be strictly
transparent and it must be clear to all that
there are no entries through back-doors or
anything not transparent. It must be stated
that there is no intention to roll back any of
the privatisation process that has already
taken place,” he reassured.
Speaking on the preparation of the 2016
Fiscal Plan of the Federal Government,
Osinbajo said efforts were already on, just
as he expressed the hope that the budget
would not suffer too much delay as the
framework will be submitted to Ministries,
Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on
Tuesday for their input.
His words: “What we are doing at the
moment is on the Medium Term
Expenditure Framework (MTEF) in
particular and we expect that it would be
submitted to the House of Representatives
very shortly.
‘‘We also have many ministries already
working and by Tuesday we would be
sending guidelines for the zero budget
process and all of that. We have tried to
sensitise the heads and have held several
meetings between the revenue generating
agencies and the Budget Office, the National
Planning Commission (NPC) all the revenue
generating agencies, like Customs, Federal
Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and others.
We are basically meeting and working out
the parameters for the new budgeting
system and would by Tuesday, be sending
the guidelines to the MDAs. We are trying to
work round the clock, holding meetings
daily. It’s a rigorous process and I don’t
want to commit to any timeline or dates and
anyway very soon we are going to have our
ministers in place.”
Meanwhile, the Director-General of the
NILS, Dr. Ladi Hamalai, who has been
talking on the place of the institute and its
relevance in the overall contribution to the
political and economic growth, regretted
that the bill seeking the establishment of the
Budget Office of the National Assembly in
Nigeria suffered a set back leading to it’s
being thrown out.
She gave assurance, however, that NILS, as
part of the research base of the National
Assembly would spearhead the
representation of the bill and push for its
passage.
Hamalai explained that the passage would
correct the erroneous perception by a
section of the population that the National
Assembly was not productive enough.
She said: “We are working on it and very
soon we will re-present the bill for the
Budget Office of the National Assembly
because of its importance to even the
lawmakers and for the speedy passage of
budget proposals by the executive."

By : Godwin Onoghokere

VERY REVEALING!!! HOW NIGERIA'S EX - MINISTER OF PETROLEUM MADUEKE LAUNDERED LOOTED MONEY, HER ACCOMPLICES REVEALED

An investigation by SaharaReporters has revealed
some of the ways in which former Petroleum Minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, and her network of accomplices, family members, and shell companies sought to conceal and launder an astonishing amount of the former minister’s corruptly acquired wealth. The laundered funds are the focus of twin investigations by British and Nigerian anti-corruption agencies.
Last Friday, the International Corruption Unit of the
British National Crime Agency (NCA) arrested Mrs.
Alison-Madueke and four other suspects in London.
SaharaReporters has exclusively obtained intelligence
documents and briefing on financial information
regarding Mrs. Alison-Madueke’s extensive acts of
corruption and money laundering. Our investigation
also involved interviews with several individuals in
possession of highly sensitive information about the
illicit flow of funds to the former minister’s front
companies and individuals.
An intelligence analyst with intimate knowledge of the
embattled ex-minister’s family and business network
told SaharaReporters that UK investigators were
focusing on several real estate properties in the United
Kingdom. The source added that “[Diezani Alison-
Madueke] was most likely aware that the Crown
Prosecution [in the UK] was investigating her
properties going back as early as 2013.”
SaharaReporters learned that British prosecutors
decided to be low-key about their investigation of Mrs.
Alison-Madueke’s suspicious ownership of real estate
assets in the UK because the UK Foreign Office and
security establishment did not want to unsettle UK-
Nigerian ties by going after the former minister during
the administration of former President Goodluck
Jonathan.
Sources in the Nigerian government and law
enforcement told SaharaReporters that the National
Crime Agency (NCA), which arrested Mrs. Alison-
Madueke and four other suspects last Friday, did so
unilaterally and without the cooperation of the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
However, once the EFCC read media reports about
Mrs. Alison-Madueke’s arrest, their agents moved
swiftly to search her residences in Abuja and
elsewhere in Nigeria. The EFCC’s action led to media
reports, now established to be misleading, that UK and
Nigerian authorities were coordinating their
investigations of the former minister.
Mrs. Alison-Madueke was the most powerful minister
in the Jonathan administration, and had long been
linked to shady deals and policies in Nigeria’s oil
sector. She fled Nigeria in May, days before the
official end of her tenure as Minister of Petroleum and
the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari’s
administration.
Earlier in May, SaharaReporters reported that Mrs.
Alison-Madueke booked herself a seat on the same
flight in which then President-elect Buhari was
traveling to London, and made awkward attempts to
strike up a conversation with Mr. Buhari. A source on
the flight told SaharaReporters that Mr. Buhari quietly
ignored the former minister during the flight.
A Nigerian who met Mrs. Alison-Madueke in the UK said the former minister claimed she was receiving medical treatment.
HOW ALISON--MADUEKE LOOTED NIGERIA AS OIL MINISTER:
Two of our sources said that the former Petroleum
Minister acquired an astonishing sum of looted funds
through shady dealings that included theft of kerosene
subsidy payments, manipulation of fuel subsidy
payments, so-called swap deals in which she used a
number of personal and corporate fronts to sell
Nigerian crude oil that was meant to be refined and
brought back for local consumption, fraudulent
acquisition of marginal oil fields and allocation of other
lucrative oil field to fronts.
Our sources disclosed that Mrs. Alison-Madueke’s
most daring fraudulent deals were her strategic
partnership agreements with two respective companies
officially owned by her most notorious fronts, Jide
Omokore and Kola Aluko. The agreements were worth
over $6 billion, according to one source. He added that
another avenue of money laundering by the former
minister was the controversial Malabu deal in which
she, former Attorney General, Mohammed Adoke, and
President Goodluck Jonathan may have pocketed close
to $2 billion between them.
Our financial intelligence source said Mrs. Alison-
Madueke was able to get away with her deals and
schemes in the oil industry because she was “one of
[former President] Jonathan’s money managers.” The
same source pointed out that the Jonathan
administration had designed the Petroleum Industry
Bill (PIB) to give Mr. Jonathan and Mrs. Alison-
Madueke “sweeping discretionary powers to award
contracts, licenses, and leases for the Nigerian
petroleum industry.”
ACCOMPLICES AND COMPANIES IN MRS. ALISON-- MADUEKE'S ORBIT:
SaharaReporters learned that several key individuals
helped the former minister to hide her loot. Two
separate intelligence reports identified one Donald
Chidi Amamgbo as a key figure in Mrs. Alison-
Madueke’s money laundering activities. Mr. Omokore,
Mr. Aluko and Walter Wagbatsoma were also named
as close collaborators in the former minister’s
suspicious web of financial activities.
Mr. Aluko, who went to near-anonymity to become a
flashy, high-flying and yacht-owning “entrepreneur,”
was identified as a “money-launderer” for Mr.
Jonathan and Mrs. Alison-Madueke. Our source
claimed that Mr. Aluko recently bought several real
estate properties in Los Angeles and New York ranging
between $8 million and $23 million. Recently, rap
mogul, Jay Z, and his wife, Beyoncé, spent their
vacation on a $50 million yacht owned by Mr. Aluko.
According to our source, Mr. Aluko’s flamboyant
lifestyle led Mr. Jonathan and Mrs. Alison-Madueke to
decide to use more discreet fronts. Besides, the
source added, Mr. Aluko also fell out with the former
Petroleum Minister Diezani when he absconded with
funds he was supposed to have laundered for her and
the former president.
Mr. Aluko’s Atlantic Energy, formerly known as Atlantic
Energy Drilling Concept Limited (AEDCNL), was one of
the major corporate entities used to stash away the
former minister’s looted funds. Mr. Aluko established
the company in Zug, Switzerland, along with Nigerian
national Temidayo Adeoye Okusame and British
national Oscar Seda Mbeche.
In July 2015, SaharaReporters had published an
investigative report that revealed connections between
Mrs. Alison-Madueke, Nigerian Petroleum Development
Company (NPDC), and Atlantic Energy. This website
reported, “on July 19, 2010, Atlantic Energy Drilling
Concept Limited (AEDCNL) was incorporated as a
portfolio company,” adding that this was barely three
months after Mrs. Alison-Madueke assumed office as
the Minister of Petroleum Resources. The report
continued: “Atlantic Energy, even without prior record
of successful experience in the oil and gas sector,
announced that it had entered into a Strategic Alliance
Agreement (SAA) with the Nigerian Petroleum
Development Company (NPDC) in April 2011. That was
exactly six months before AEDCNL was legally born.”
One oil industry expert told SaharaReporters that there
was widespread shock when Mrs. Alison-Madueke
awarded an unknown company like Atlantic Energy a
strategic agreement with the NPDC “without following
any process as stipulated in the government
procurement laws and policy.” The stated that oil
industry operators knew that the deal between Atlantic
Energy and the NPDC “was an unholy arrangement”
between the former minister, top NPDC officials, Kola
Aluko and Jide Omokore. He identified Mr. Omokore as
a “controversial business mogul” and political
financier.
According to a report published by the Natural
Resource Governance Institute, Atlantic Energy had
entered into strategic alliance deals with the NPDC for
at least five oil blocks or oil mining leases.
Walter Wagbatsoma, also listed as a “money manager”
for the former Petroleum Minister, runs several
companies that investigators found to be entangled in
Mrs. Alison-Madueke’s financial activities. An
intelligence report discussing Mr. Wagbatsoma’s
business dealings found that “he holds a private plane,
said to be bought by [Mrs. Alison-Madueke], probably
in 2011, in trust for the Petroleum Minister.”
However, Mr. Wagbatsoma is associated with a
shadowy energy company named Ontario Oil and Gas,
which trades Nigerian crude on international markets
and whose directors are currently facing money-
laundering trial in Nigerian courts. According to the
Berne Declaration, an independent watchdog
organization, Ontario Oil and Gas continues to export
Nigerian crude despite accusations by the Nigerian
government that the company misappropriated more
than 4.2 billion naira—and arrests of the firm’s
executives by the EFCC. According to the company’s
own website, it exports at least 2 million barrels of
crude oil a month.
The Natural Resource Governance Institute reported
that Ontario Oil and Gas, along with another company,
Aiteo, saw “their shares of the Nigerian crude and
products markets grow rapidly under the Jonathan
government,” despite their very limited experience. The
report also noted: “Ontario relied on a few foreign
traders to take its [petroleum] allocation to market.”
Mrs. Alison-Madueke’s third accomplice, who was
described as such in two separate intelligence reports
leaked to SaharaReporters, is Donald Chidi Amamgbo.
Mr. Amamgbo reportedly studied law at Howard
University in Washington, DC at the same time Mrs.
Alison-Madueke was studying there as a student of
architecture. It is believed that they met each other in
DC.
According to biographical information available in
intelligence reports, in January 2012 Mr. Amamgbo was
suspended from practicing law in California, where he
relocated, for one year. However, his main focus
seemed to have already turned to managing three
companies under his ownership, specifically Tidax
Energy, Mezcor SA, and Lynear SA.
Tradax, Mezcor, and Lynear are all based out of
Geneva, Switzerland and all three are connected to a
Portuguese national, Daniel Roy Joanes, and an
American national, Richard Levinson. The Natural
Resources Governance Institute characterized Tridax
as an example of suspicious conduct because the
firm’s “corporate structures stretch outside Nigeria.”
The report found that Mr. Amamgbo owned 49% of
Tridax with the remaining 51% of the ownership
belonging to Tridax Oil domiciled in Switzerland.
Further tracing the corporate structure of Tridax, it
was revealed that 100% of it is owned by a sister
company based in Malta, with 99% of that company
owned by Calpenergy Fund in Gibraltar, with 67% of it
owned in turn by Daniel Roy Joanes, with the
remaining 33% owned by Turicum Private Bank also
located in Gibraltar. This kind of circuitous ownership
arrangement often typifies an attempt by a corporate
entity’s real owners to hide their identities.
SaharaReporters obtained an intelligence report that
stated, “Mezcor SA is clearly the lead company of the
three run by Amamgbo.” Mr. Amamgbo also owns 49%
of Mezcor, with the remaining 51% owned by Mr.
Joanes and Mr. Levinson. Mr. Joanes, who previously
worked as an asset manager for Clariden Leu, later
worked for Bank Hapoalim. He also owns NFS
Partners, which is co-located in the same office as
Mezcor in Geneva.
Mr. Levinson is described in one report as having “a
scandalous past” and has the dubious distinction of
owning one of the first companies to be suspended by
the US government for fraudulent activity during
reconstruction after the Iraq War in 2003. According to
the Wall Street Journal, “a [US] federal jury in
Alexandria, VA found that Custer Battles [owned by
Levinson] defrauded the US government of $3 million
by filing faked invoices.”
US authorities later discovered that Mr. Levinson’s
companies billed the American government $10 million
for work estimated to actually cost only $4 million. In
a curious corporate sleight of hand, Mr. Levinson sold
Custer Battles to Danubia Global Inc., a company
based in Bucharest, Romania, for one dollar. It turned
out that he owned Danubia as well.
One intelligence investigation found that Mr. Levinson
“acts as a director of the five companies [in which]
Daniel Roy Joanes is also a director.”
According to another investigation, Tridax is a
beneficiary of one of “38 contracts for 1,179,000
barrels per day crude lifting awarded by the [Nigerian]
Federal Government last year.” The NNPC, which
awards these contracts, also awarded a contract to
Mezcor SA and two companies it worked with—India
Oil Company and Fujairah Refinery.
These companies’ ties to Mrs. Alison-Madueke extend
beyond questionable crude oil lifting contracts and her
relationship with Mr. Donald Chidi Amamgbo.
Investigators showed SaharaReporters documents that
established that Timi John Agama, the former
Petroleum Minister’s younger brother, has a financial
stake and is a part owner of both Mezcor and Tridax.
THE Madueke-Agama FAMILY BUSINESS NETWORK:
SaharaReporters has learned, from profiles of Mrs.
Alison-Madueke’s sons, brothers, and nephews, that
the family’s core businesses are suspiciously located
at a single address: Unit 8, Quebec Buildings,
Manchester M3 7DU in the United Kingdom. The main
business is listed as Hadley Petroleum Solutions Ltd.
But other corporate entities registered at the same
location include Ryan and Bell Solutions Ltd., Callserv
Ltd., Parrot Mobile Ltd., Mail Express Ltd., and Stone
International Ltd.
All these companies are associated with close
members of Mrs. Alison-Madueke’s family, including
nephews Abu Fari, Abiye Agama, Somze Agama, and
her son, Ugonna Madueke. According to one
intelligence report, “key in the Diezani Alison-Madueke
family business structure is her elder brother, Doye,
who is a Pentecostal Archbishop based in Manchester,
UK. SaharaReporters learned that in addition to his
business activities with the Madueke-Agama family,
Bishop Agama presides over the Apostolic Pastoral
Congress located in Manchester, UK.
Before becoming part of the clergy in 1994, Mr. Doye
Agama worked as a telecommunications consultant to
the oil industry, central and local government and the
emergency services.
Investigators told SaharaReporters that Mrs. Alison-
Madueke owns a number of properties in the United
Kingdom and the United States, under a variety of
names, often those of her family. One property,
located in London at 22 Parkwood, St. Edmunds
Terrace, St John's Wood, London, NW8 7QQ is
registered in the name of her mother, Beatrice
Agama. Her younger brother, Timi John Agama, has a
property registered under his name at 67, Wades Hill,
Winchmore Hill, London, N21 1AU.
The former minister’s elder brother, Bishop Agama,
has a property located at 27 Tavistock Square,
Holburn, London, WC1H 9HH registered to his name.
Winihin Ayuli-Jemide, a younger sister to Mrs. Alison-
Madueke, is active in organizing a series of
conferences ostensibly to empower African women.
Her seminars are called the Winihin Jemide Series.
Curiously, her conferences and seminars are often held
in cities like London and Vienna where her elder sister,
Mrs. Alison-Madueke, is suspected to have business
interests. The former minister was often invited to
speak at the conferences.
In the United States, the former Petroleum Minister
owns three properties that are registered under her
maiden name, Diezani K. Agama. They include a posh
apartment located at 1220 West Highway, Silver
Spring, Maryland, with the zip code of 20910. Her son,
Ugonna Madueke, has at least three properties
registered in his name, two in Virginia and one in
Maryland. The former minister’s son’s properties in
Virginia are located at 11711 Scooter Lane, Fairfax, VA
22030, and 4227 Summit Manor Ct, Fairfax, VA 22033.
His property in Maryland is at 13116 Silver Maple Ct,
Bowie, MD 20715.
The former minister’s husband, Admiral Alison
Amaechina Madueke, was Nigeria’s former Chief of
Naval Staff. On retiring, Mr. Madueke went into the
maritime services business, serving as the chairman or
director of numerous companies, including Radam
Maritime Services Ltd.

By : Godwin Onoghokere

UK Court seizes 27,000 pounds from former petroleum minister, Alison- Madueke

UK Court seizes 27,000 pounds from former petroleum minister, Alison- Madueke
The Westminster Magistrate’s Court on
Marylebone Road, London, on Monday
granted an application for seizure of 27,000
pounds seized from a former Minister of
Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-
Madueke.
Mrs. Alison-Madueke was arrested and later
released on bail on Friday for alleged
corruption-related offences.
The cash was seized under Section 295 of
Proceeds of Crime Act 2012.
By granting the application, which was filed
by the UK’s National Crime Agency, the
money would be held in the custody of the
court until April 5, 2016.
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that although the
former minister did not appear today in
court, her mother, Beatrice Agama, and
another woman, Melanie Spencer, appeared
in today’s sitting.
Reports also said a separate application was
also made against Ms. Agama for the seizure
of an undisclosed amount of money.
PREMIUM TIMES learned that there were
indications the money seized by the court
was found recently with Mrs. Alison-
Madueke as the National Crime Agency
applied for the seizure within 48 hours.
PREMIUM TIMES had exclusively reported
the arrest of Mrs. Alison-Madueke alongside
four others in London on Friday, for
offences related to bribery, corruption and
money laundering.
An overview of the Proceeds of Crime Act
says “The Proceeds of Crime Act 2002
(“POCA”) sets out the legislative scheme for
the recovery of criminal assets with
criminal confiscation being the most
commonly used power.
“Confiscation occurs after a conviction has
taken place. Other means of recovering the
proceeds of crime which do not require a
conviction are provided for in the Act,
namely civil recovery, cash seizure and
taxation powers.
“The aim of the asset recovery schemes in
POCA is to deny criminals the use of their
assets, recover the proceeds of crime and
disrupt and deter criminality.
“Since 2010, more than £746 million of
criminal assets has been seized (to 2013/14)
across all four methods of recovery – a
record amount.
“Over the same period, assets worth more
than £2.5 billion have been frozen denying
criminals access to these resources and £93
million has been returned to victims,” said
a factsheet.