World News

APC’s N100m for presidential form is recipe for corruption —Afenifere

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Afenifere, a Yoruba socio-political group, has criticised the high cost of nomination and expression of interest forms for presidential contenders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday.

According to the group, it would allow corruption to flourish in the country.

The APC had announced the sum of N100 million as cost for the presidential nomination and expression of interest forms for the party’s presidential aspirants.

Mr. Sola Ebiseni, the Secretary-General of Afenifere, reacted to the development by saying it was a tactic to prevent ordinary Nigerians from participating in government activities.

It is an insulting message to the pauperised Nigerians that they have no say in the governance of Nigeria or any part thereof. It is a direct affront to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and particularly the declaration in Section 14 (2) (b) that the participation of Nigerians in their government shall be ensured in accordance with the provisions of the constitution.

How can the poor members of the party who are so blatantly discriminated against, on the basis of their situation in life, contrary to Section 42 of the constitution, participate in the governance of the country, particularly in a country where only a political party can field a candidate and no independent candidate allowed?

“Unfortunately, the two dominant parties are both guilty in this game of absurdity and conspiracy against the ordinary Nigerians in the access to their platforms for political participation,” the Afenifere spokesman stated.

He noted that for the PDP, it goes against the goals of their founding fathers, like Alex Ekwueme and Solomon Lar, adding, that the existing payment for participation is the pinnacle of political insensitivity and an open invitation to steal by anyone who could only rise to power through corruption.

The only path ahead for the country, Ebiseni claimed, was reorganization, which would bring every citizen to power.

Only the reconstruction of the country’s political architecture, which liberalizes citizens’ access to power, can prevent the country’s inevitable decline into oligarchy and anarchy, he said.

Felix Morka, the APC spokesman at the end of a closed-door meeting of the party’s NEC in Abuja on Tuesday, had revealed that members who want to run in the All Progressives Congress‘s (APC) presidential primaries must pay N100 million for nomination and expression of interest forms.

Politics

‘Adamu has lot of baggage bordering on corruption allegations,’ PDP slams APC

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday mocked the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the emergence of former Nasarawa State governor, Abdullahi Adamu, as the party’s new national chairman.

Adamu and 72 other persons were elected into the APC National Working Committee (NWC) at the party’s national convention held on Saturday in Abuja.

In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, PDP challenged the former governor to defend himself on the allegations of financial impropriety hanging on his neck.

The party accused Adamu of mismanaging N15 billion belonging to the Nasarawa State government.

The statement was PDP reaction to the ex-governor’s remark on its 16-year rule in the country.

Adamu had in a chat with journalists before the APC convention claimed the opposition party destroyed the Nigerian economy throughout its years in power.

The statement read: “A bad workman complains of his tools and an irredeemably bad workman complains of others. Adamu does not deserve a response from the PDP. He has a lot of baggage bordering on corruption allegations. He should first and foremost tell Nigerians, particularly the people of Nasarawa State the whereabouts of that huge sum of money.

“A party that promised Nigerians change but brought them sorrow, pain and death should keep quiet at a time well-meaning Nigerians are exploring ways to get the country back on track.

“Instead of change, APC brought us chaos-chaos in national security, chaos in economy, chaos in education, and chaos across all sectors. There is no basis to compare the 16 glorious years of the PDP with the seven sorrowful years of the APC. Take to the streets and ask ordinary Nigerians to tell you the condition of their lives under APC and the PDP.

The Mala Buni caretaker committee that presided over the convention was illegal and something cannot stand on nothing. At the appropriate time, Adamu and co-travelers will have themselves to blame.

“At a time they were doing what they called a convention, terrorists wreaked havoc, seized the Kaduna airport, and prevented innocent Nigerians from flying. Adamu should brace up for what awaits him and his party. Nigerians have moved on.”

Lifestyle

APC is a santuary of corruption and TI report validates our stance —PDP Minority Reps Caucus

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Lawmakers under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the House of Representatives have berated the Federal Government led by the All Progressives Congress (APC) of plunging the country into the abyss of corruption.

This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Minority Caucus via its spokesman, Ndudi Elumelu, who revealed his fears as Nigeria ranked 154 out of 180 countries in the latest 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index published by Transparency International.

According to the PDP lawmakers, this was further proof that the ” APC is a sanctuary of corruption, which provides cover for its corrupt members to continue in looting our national treasury.

The statement reads, “The TI report is a direct validation of the position of the Minority Caucus that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its government are hopelessly corrupt and lacking in ideas and programmes that would positively impact on our people.

“The TI Report also validates the stance of the Minority Caucus that the APC is a sanctuary of corruption, which provides cover for its corrupt members to continue in looting our national treasury; a development that has brought infrastructural stagnation and economic hardship in the country.

Moreover, the Minority Caucus notes Nigeria’s continued decline in corruption rating since the APC took over in 2015. This points to the fact that the situation and its attendant woes to Nigerians will continue to worsen as long as the APC remains in power.

“Such proclivity for corruption is complemented by fake promises and false performance claims, which have been the stock-in-trade of the APC and its government.

“As representatives of the people, the Minority Caucus has intensified its checks mechanisms particularly in our strict monitoring of all provisions in the 2022 budget to ensure the delivery of all approved items.

“Furthermore, the Minority caucus assures that it will never relent in fighting for the wellbeing of the people and urges Nigerians to remain focused in their determination to vote out the APC in 2023 and usher in a government that truly cares for their interest.”

Politics

APC accuses Anambra govt of corruption, charges EFCC to probe state’s finances

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Monday asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe the Anambra State finances in a bid to uncover monumental corruption in the state.

The APC Chairman in the state, Chief Basil Ejidike, made the call in a statement signed by his Media Adviser, Chief Dan Okeke, in Awka.

The party accused the Anambra government of fraudulent use of its monthly security vote totaling several billions of Naira.

The statement read: “Anambra as a state has not recorded significant growth and development since the inception of Governor Willy Obiano’s leadership. To maintain existing developmental structures in the state remains unattainable.”

The party challenged the government to give account of all funds meant for development of the state in its control.

APC challenged the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to face the business of governance and stop name-calling

The statement added: “Development has neither been visible nor felt by the people of Anambra.

“We urge APGA to focus on its campaign and leave APC alone.

“Harassing the State House of Assembly members who left APGA for APC is a distraction for the party; proferring solutions to APGA’s internal problems should be paramount to its leadership.”

Politics

EFCC grills NEPC chief, Sadiku for alleged corruption

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday grilled the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Yewande Sadiku, alleged abuse of office and contract fraud running into several millions of Naira.

Sadiku was quizzed by the EFCC operatives for nine hours at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

The EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed the development.

Sadiku was appointed the Executive Secretary/CEO of NIPC in November 2016.

She also served as Executive Director in charge of Corporate and Investment Banking business at Stanbic IBTC Group, among others.

Politics

EFCC quizzes ex-Nasarawa governor, Al-Makura, wife over alleged corruption

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Wednesday quizzed the former Governor of Nasarawa State, Tanko Al-Makura, and his wife, Mairo, over alleged corruption.

A source at the commission confirmed the development to the journalists on Wednesday evening.

He said the couple were questioned by EFCC operatives at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

However, the source did not give details of the allegation against the ex-governor.

Al-Makura was the Governor of Nasarawa State from 2011 to 2019.

He was elected the Senator representing Nasarawa South Senatorial District in the Senate in 2019.

Entertainment

EFCC defends new chairman, Bawa, against corruption allegations

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has defended the newly appointed chairman of the commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, claiming that there is no truth in the allegations of corruption levied against him.

The anti-graft agency’s defence is coming amidst allegations that Bawa was arrested and detained while serving as the zonal head of the EFCC in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital for allegedly selling off about 244 trucks seized from looters.

According to the allegations, Bawa sold the trucks that should have gone for between N20 million and N30 million each for a paltry sum of N100,000 each to his cronies, depriving the nation of N4.8 billion in recovery of looted funds.

The commission, however in a statement by its spokesman, Wilson Uwajuren on Tuesday, claimed Bawa has no corruption record.

The statement read in part: “The commission wishes to state categorically that Mr Bawa was never arrested or detained over sale of any assets.

“As zonal head of the Port Harcourt office of the commission in 2019, Bawa’s responsibilities did not include the sale of assets as the commission has a full-fledged Directorate of Assets Forfeiture and Recovery Management, which remit such matters.

For the avoidance of doubt, the disposal of finally forfeited trucks in the Port Harcourt zonal office through public auction, was conducted after the exit of Bawa as zonal head. It is therefore illogical for him to have been indicted over an auction that was not superintended by him.

“The auction of trucks at the Port Harcourt Office was among the issues examined by the Justice Ayo Salami Panel, leading to the suspension of some officers of the commission. The commission, therefore, enjoins the public to disregard the false publication which is believed to be sponsored by mischief makers to impugn the integrity of the EFCC chairman-designate.”

It would be recalled that the alleged diversion and sale of the trucks formed part of the allegations levied against the former acting Chairman of the agency, Ibrahim Magu, who was suspended by President Muhammadu Buhari, and faced the Justice Ayo Salami-led Presidential Panel of Inquiry.

Reports that surfaced online after the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina announced Bawa’s appointment, have it that he was briefly detained in Port Harcourt before he was ordered to report at the EFCC Academy in Abuja, from where he was transferred to Lagos as the zonal head.

World News

China execute former bank executive for corruption

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A former head of a Chinese state-owned asset management company, China Huarong Asset Management Company, Lai Xiaomin, has been executed after a court sentenced him to death on charges of corruption, bribe taking and bigamy.

Xiaomin who was sentenced to death by a court in Tianjin, east of Beijing, on January 5, was executed on Friday after President Xi Jinping signed the warrant for his execution.

The Second Intermediate People’s Court had ruled that the death sentence of the 54-year-old former bank executive was justified because he took “especially enormous” bribes to make investments, offer construction contracts, help with promotions and provide other favors.

According to prosecutors, Xiaomin had “asked for or collected 1.8 billion yuan ($260 million) over a decade” while he was the head of the company set up in the 1990s to buy non-performing loans from government-owned banks.

Under Xiaomin who was the Chairman of the company, it expanded into banking, insurance, real estate finance and other fields.

Court documents said one bribe exceeded 600 million yuan ($93 million). He was also convicted of embezzling more than 25 million yuan ($4 million) and starting a second family while still married to his first wife.

The accused “endangered national financial security and financial stability and the death penalty “was his own responsibility, and he deserved it,” the judge had said during the judgment.

Xiaomin was placed under investigation by the ruling Communist Party’s anti-corruption watchdog in 2018 and expelled from the party later the same year.

He was also accused by the anti-corruption agency of squandering public money, illegally organizing banquets, engaging in sexual dealings with multiple women and taking bribes while investigators seized hundreds of millions of yuan (tens of millions of dollars) in cash from his properties.

Key Phrase: Former Chinese bank executive executed for corruption

World News

Now, you have seen me. You have seen the situation , and you can tell whether or not I am running away from my trial.”— Maina Abdulrasheed

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The chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, has said he will resume his trial only when his doctor gives him a clean bill of health. Maina, who claimed to be suffering from knee injuries, spoke in a recorded video clip which circulated online on Thursday.

The about six-and-a-half-minute-long video clip showed him fielding questions from an unseen “journalist” who claimed to have embarked on an “independent investigation” to verify if Maina had jumped bail as being speculated in the media.

Maina was shown lying in a bed as he fielded questions, with his son, Faisal, who is also being prosecuted for separate charges, seated beside him.

The left knee, which he claimed was injured, was not shown in the clip, Punch reports. 

Maina, who is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for allegedly laundering N2bn, has been absent from court on seven consecutive occasions since September 29, 2020, when his trial was scheduled to have resumed.

On October 2, Borno South Senator Ali Ndume, who stood surety for Maina to enable him to get bail, told Justice Okon Abang that he could no longer find the defendant.

But Maina, who was in hiding for about two years before he was re-arrested by the EFCC last year, said in the video clip that he had not absconded from his ongoing trial.

Asked when he would resume his trial, he said, “The doctors are here. You need to ask the doctors. But what they told me was that I would need six to seven weeks for recovery.”

But when asked further if he was ready for his trial, he said, “Of course I am ready, as soon as I am healed.”

“They told me that the next knee cap, they may not be able to do it here,” Maina added.

Asked to respond to specific allegations that he had jumped bail, Maina said, “You have done your independent investigation. You were able to get my location Punch reports.

“Now, you have seen me. You have seen the situation , and you can tell whether or not I am running away from my trial.”

Maina also alleged that the judge had in the course of the trial shown bias against him, citing an occasion when the judge asked him to stop gazing at him. 

He said, “My lawyer asked him why, and he said ‘I don’t want him to look at me because I have a wife and children, and I want them alive’. Does that suggest that looking at him would kill his wife and children?”

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