FAYOSE: Panic As Police, DSS UNCOVER 9 Ekiti Lawmakers FORGED WAEC Certificate Results

As if the ongoing probe of over N2.1 billion shared between the Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose and former Minister of State for Defence Musiliu Obanikoro is not enough, fresh trouble has befallen the governor as 9 of his loyalist State Assembly members were confirmed to have forged WAEC certificate submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC for elections.

Following thorough investigation, police sources have confirmed that arrangements have been concluded to prosecute the 9 lawmakers involved, New Telegraph reports this morning

The source considered Impeccable confided in our source that various security agencies have conducted investigation on several petitions against 17 members of the House of Assembly for forgery of their school certificates and other related crimes. 

The Department of State Services (DSS) has established a prima facie case against nine of the lawmakers, a source said

They would soon appear in court, the source added. “After a thorough investigation on the school certificates submitted by 17 members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, we discovered that nine of the lawmakers submitted forged school certificates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Forgery is a criminal offence.

“We have submitted our report to INEC and the police. I think the police are awaiting the recommendation of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) to press criminal charges against the lawmakers. They will soon face prosecution,” the source said.

Another source confirmed to our source that INEC is already in possession of the report conducted on the forgery of the school certificates submitted for clearance by the lawmakers. 

Although the Peoples Democratic Party-dominated Ekiti Assembly had cried foul over the forgery case, pointing out that its members were being unnecessarily persecuted. The source said that the police are determined to go ahead with the prosecution in spite of the propaganda.

It was also gathered that some of the affected lawmakers have made efforts at replacing the controversial certificates, but met a brick wall in the unyielding INEC officials. It was further learnt that aside petitions written by opposition parties on the certificate forgery, some disgruntled PDP members, who were allegedly shortchanged in the party’s primaries, also wrote petitions against the lawmakers. The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) yesterday called on the affected lawmakers to submit themselves for prosecution.

CNPP, in a statement signed by the Ekiti State chairman, Mr. Tunji Ogunlola, said that the indicted lawmakers must pay for their sins. “On the issue of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, we ask the 17 members alleged to have falsified their certificates to submit themselves for prosecution. It is very unfortunate that their primary roles have been abandoned for Governor Ayodele Fayose’s defence,” Ogunsola said. Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the CNPP yesterday protested against the Fayose administration.

The protesters demanded the resignation of the governor over the N4.7 billion arms funds. Joined by other groups, the protesters massed upon the roads from Fajuyi Park in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, and walked the major streets, passing through Okesa, Ojumose, Okeyinmi down to Ijigbo junction where the leaders took turns to address the crowd. They also expressed confidence in the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, describing his anti-corruption war as the best for the country.

The protesters urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to prosecute whoever was fingered in the looting of the state’s treasury.

The group equally commended EFCC for freezing the two personal accounts of Governor Fayose in Zenith Bank Plc. through which he allegedly received N1.3 billion to prosecute the 2014 election. Fayose had challenged the legality of the EFCC’s move at the Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti while the latter had ordered the agency to justify the freezing of the accounts.

On hand to forestall unsavoury possibilities were security operatives, including men of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

The APC Acting Chairman in the state, Mrs. Kemi Olaleye, expressed reservations about the appropriateness of immunity for Fayose, saying such was a cog in the wheel of prosecuting the governor for alleged mismanagement. Her words: “We are tired of immunity clause. Immunity has become impunity in Ekiti. We condemn Governor Fayose’s corrupt tendencies. Things must change.

The EFCC must do its job and ensure that looters of Ekiti are brought to justice.” CNPP, in a statement signed by its state chairman, Ogunlola, challenged Fayose to discard his immunity and dare the antigraft agency on his alleged involvement in N4.7 billion arms deal. The statement read in part: “We also plead with the Federal Government not to release bailout for payment of salary to Governor Fayose. The Federal Ministry of Finance should pay into workers’ accounts directly, because we have lost confidence in the government.

The previous N9.6 billion bailout should be probed. “We pass confidence vote in President Buhari for fighting corruption and for all his developmental programmes,” he said. But, Fayose’s Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr. Idowu Adelusi, urged the APC to wait till 2018 for the governor to complete his tenure. His words: “They should know that this is 2016 and not 2006.

Their agenda is about 2018 and their game plans are what we are now seeing using the EFCC to concoct lies and using the media to disparage Governor Fayose, but they can’t go far.

“For now, the APC and the mad dogs of President Muhammadu Buhari should not be too desperate for Fayose to defend himself against the myriad of allegations, but rather wait till 2018 for the governor to submit himself to EFCC as he did in 2007.”

The governor’s spokesman accused the APC-led administration of double standard. Adelusi said: “Till now, even the political EFCC has not alleged Fayose of stealing Ekiti money and if it is concocting one, we shall meet in the court at the appropriate time.

“It is only in Nigeria under APC-led government that Chief Jide Awe, an accused having murder case hanging on his neck, will be the person who coordinated the 102 petitions written against one person.

“The petition itself is laughable and it shows that the writers have no common sense. Jide Awe and other APC members murdered 12 people during the Fayemi administration and, notwithstanding warrant of arrest issued on these suspects by the court, the police have refused to arrest them because of order from above. “On the infamous 102 petitions, no professional policeman, except political policemen, would give such petitions a second look.

It is very shameful that these protesters have not asked their boss, Kayode Fayemi to account for the SUBEB’s N852 million funds he misappropriated or tell Ekiti people why within four years landed the state in valley of debts and what he did with the huge loans he took from the capital market and commercial banks.

“As far as we know, no amount of harassment or intimidation or character assassination will make members of Ekiti State House of Assembly to succumb to pressures to go against the governor. The legislators know that their governor has not done any wrong thing.”

New telegraph

At last, Fayose Confesses Ownership of Houses Bought With Stolen N1.3b Amidst Earlier Denial

Yesterday, Mr. Ayo Fayose, the governor of Ekiti state attempted to pre-empt the EFCC over the illegal acquisition of properties bought with stolen funds from the coffers of a state that has not been able to pay workers' salaries for over six months. As soon as he got information that some his detained agents had confessed that they assisted him to buy properties in Lagos and Abuja he issued a statement to the effect that he owns the properties legitimately.  How legitimate?

Not knowing that his agents and  contractors had admitted that he stole Ekiti state funds to purchase the properties Mr. Fayose claimed that he bought them from the "campaign fund' donated to him by zenith bank plc and some unnamed friends. But the efcc has since confirmed how Ekiti people were duped by the lousy governor.

This guy must be so confused that he does not appreciate the legal implications of his stupid outbursts. The more he talks the more he implicates himself. Whether the N1.2 billion was stolen from the office of the NSA, Colonel Sambo Dasuki through Mr. Obanikoro or donated by zenith bank plc the efcc has the power to recover the criminally diverted fund. Granted that zenith bank plc donated the fund does the financial institution have the power to remove depositors' fund and donate it to Mr. Fayose for his political  campaign? Can a bank contribute N1.2 billion to a political campaign of a politician?

Has Mike Ozekhome SAN forgotten to educate his client whose confessional statements are sufficient to convict him in a court of law. Is Ozekhome not aware that the maximum amount stipulate for political expenses  of a governorship candidate  is N200 million whereas his client has admitted that he spent N1.2 billion? Has Ozekhome not made it clear to his client that the N1.2 billion is forfeitable since it was either stolen from the office of the NSA or from the vault of a bank being depositors' fund?

However, the efcc must be commended for carrying out a professional investigation which is so thorough that the explanations of the suspect, Mr. Fayose, look so unintelligent. Surely, Mr. Fayose stands to forfeit all the properties and other  assets traced to the campaign fund of  N1.2 billion, whether stolen from the government of Nigeria or donated illegally by  zenith bank plc. But since the efcc has shown that the money for the properties was stolen from the account of Ekiti state government through contractors, what is the explanation of Mr. stomach infrastructure?

Mr. Fayose claimed that the N1.2 billion traced to him was donated by zenith bank and unnamed friends. He said that he spent the entire fund on his election. Now, the efcc has found and confirmed  that he bought properties worth N1.35 billion within 6 months of his inauguration. Will Mr. Fayose or his lawyer, Mr. Ozekhome add up the figures for the members of the public?

Sina Odugbemi

Coordinator, Value and Integrity Group

Culled from Sahara Reporters

FG Refuses To Doze On Saraki, Unleashes 80 Specially Trained Lawyers On Him, Ekweremadu Over Forgery Suit

The federal Government through the Ministry of Justice has resolved to mobilise 80 specially trained lawyers to handle the forgery case filed against the embattled President of the Nigerian Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu and two others who have been sued over alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Rule, Punch Newspaper reports

The identities of the lawyers, who were said to have been specially trained for the tasks ahead, have not been made known.

It was learnt that the Prof. Itse Sagay-led Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption was involved in the training of the special prosecutors.

Our correspondent gathered that the training, which ended in June, lasted for over one month.

Sources in the Federal Ministry of Justice in Abuja confirmed on Thursday, according to Punch Newspaper that one of the teams of prosecutors had been assigned the forgery case recently instituted against Senate President Bukola Saraki; his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, and two others.

According to Punch Newspaper, the Federal Government has set up 20 teams of prosecutors, comprising 80 lawyers, who will handle a number of high profile criminal cases investigated by law enforcement agencies, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

Each of the teams, according o Punch Newspaper had four lawyers with a Senior Advocate of Nigeria as the leader.

The new prosecuting team will fully take over the forgery case from the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Mr. Mohammed Diri, when the trial resumes on Monday, our source says

The Federal Government, through the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minster of Justice, had, on June 10, preferred against Saraki, Ekweremadu and others, two counts of criminal conspiracy and forgery of Senate Standing Rules used for the leadership election of the presiding officers of the 8th Senate on June 4, 2015.

The two other co-accused persons are a former Clerk to the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasuwa, and his then deputy, Benedict Efeturi.

The Federal Government stated that the offence of conspiracy is punishable under Section 97 (1) of the Penal Code Act and offence of forgery with “fraudulent intent” punishable under Section 364 of the same law.

On June 27, the four accused persons were arraigned and they pleaded not guilty to the charges before Justice Yusuf Halilu of a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Jabi, Abuja.

Shortly after their arraignment on June 27, they were granted bail on the conditions that each of them should produce two sureties, who must have property either in Asokoro, Maitama, Wuse 2 or Garki (all in Abuja).

Sources confirmed to our correspondent on Thursday that the AGF and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, deliberately assigned the case to the special prosecution team for “efficient prosecution and management of the case”.

It was learnt that the team was given the liberty by the AGF to review the case file “and make necessary adjustments or amendments” where necessary to enhance the prospect of a successful prosecution of the case.

When contacted, the AGF’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Salihu Isah, confirmed to our correspondent that the forgery case was one of the high-profile criminal cases that had been assigned to one of the special teams of prosecutors.

“The prosecutors, 80 in all, are constituted into 20 teams. After they were trained, cases have been assigned to the first six and one of the cases is the Saraki’s case that you mentioned,” Isah said.

Though he declined to mention the names of the lawyers in the team, Isah said the matters assigned to the various teams varied from terrorism to corruption cases, among others.

According to him, the National Prosecution Coordination Committee, inaugurated by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, would review some of the cases either being prosecuted or still being investigated by the EFCC, the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission and others agencies.

The committee, he added, would also recommend the re-assignment of suitable cases among them to the teams of prosecutors.

“The teams will take up cases investigated by the various law enforcement agencies – ICPC, EFCC, DSS – and even some being handled by the ministry,” he said.

A source explained that some of the cases that would be assigned to the teams of prosecutors were the over 1,500 terrorism cases said to have been filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja since last year while the accused persons had yet to be arraigned.

#FayoseGate: How He Bought N1.3b Houses Within 6 Months In Office, 4 Cohorts Volunteer To 'Confess'

Detectives have uncovered how Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose bought N1.35billion properties within six months in office.

The five properties include four duplexes in Lagos and one in Abuja, Abusidiqu reports

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has summoned three more people for quizzing on Friday in respect of the ongoing investigation of the governor.

One of those invited, Oyin Daramola, who is an estate agent, is said to have told the EFCC team that she did a legitimate business.

She said she had never been fraudulent in all her business transactions.

Besides, Dramola, two others are to present evidence of their business fidelity.

Ahead of the Friday session, the anti-graft agency has relocated Fayose’s associate, Abiodun Agbele, from Lagos to Abuja.

The governor was inaugurated on October 16, 2014 but by April 2015, he had acquired the properties in Lagos and Abuja.

The four duplexes, which were bought at $1.3m each, are located on Tiamiyu Savage Street on Victoria Island in Lagos.

Each of the mansions is a four-bedroom duplex.

According to EFCC’s findings, while chalets 3 and 4 were purchased through Siqnathor, chalets 6 and 9 were owned by Noga Hotel

The fifth duplex was bought from the Skye Bank Plc at N200million.

Although the transactions were handled by Still Earth belonging to Oyin Daramola, the governor has refused to pay estate agency fees up till the time of filing this report.

Instead, he offered to pay fees through the award of contracts to the estate agent in Ekiti State to defray the commission on the five properties.

Agbele allegedly brokered the deals.

Another source, who was privy to the preliminary investigation, said: “They approached Oyin Daramola through Abiodun Agbele whom she knew in Ibadan.

“Upon seeing Agbele who came to seek assistance to buy the four duplexes in Lagos, it was obvious he was looking so poor and could not afford the huge cost.

“ Agbele then said his friend, who wanted the duplexes, will call her. It was then Fayose later called Oyin Daramola. We have the call logs and the transcript of the conversation or negotiation already.

“Investigation confirmed that Fayose did not pay the agency fees but only offered to give contracts to Still Earth belonging to Daramola in Ekiti State to pay the required fees.

“Unknowingly, he wanted to award the contracts for kick-back to feather his nest.”

For questioning are Daramola of Still Earth, her former accountant and a consultant, simply called Titilayo of Philberth company.

“We are going to interact with these three people on Friday as part of the ongoing investigation of the governor. We had a preliminary interface with Daramola, who was innocently manipulated by Agbele and the governor for a legitimate business,” the EFCC source said.

Daramola reportedly told the EFCC team:  “I did legitimate business, I am not fraudulent. I don’t do dirty business deals.

“You can check my background and business records, I have never been involved in shady transactions. Even the purchase of the duplexes, I made sure every process is documented without cutting corners. I have no cause to live a dubious life.”

Meanwhile, the owners of the houses traced to him has vowed to cooperate with the Anti-Graft Agency as it forges ahead to probe sources of funding of his 2014 governorship election.

A top official of Still Earth Ltd and Signachorr Nigeria Ltd, that sold one of the properties to Mr. Fayose, said contrary to alarm being raised, the Governor actually bought a property in Lagos at the cost of N550 million.

According to the source, Mr. Fayose paid a deposit of N400 million for the said property through his close ally, Abiodun Agbele, popularly known as Abbey, promising to pay the balance.

However, rather than paying the balance of N150 million through the same person that made the deposit or by himself, it was paid through a company, Samchese Nigeria Limited.

Unfortunately for Mr. Fayose, the EFCC has now discovered that the said Samchese Nigeria Limited is a contractor to Ekiti state Government, fuelling speculation that it was a kick-back due to the Governor.

The official of Still Earth Ltd and Signachorr Nigeria Ltd, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the company will not hide anything from the EFCC since it was a genuine transaction and they didn’t know the money Fayose paid was from kick-back or NSA Office.

“I want to tell you that we are a reputable company and have nothing to hide. We engaged in genuine transaction with Mr. Fayose and all the documents are there.

“We will not hide anything from the EFCC or any government agency that may be interested in the matter because our hands are clean.

“Nobody is trying to implicate the Governor, he should own up now because we are not ready to play any dirty game with him as he did with Zenith Bank,” the source said.

It will be recalled that in an affidavit in support of freezing of Fayose’s account, the EFCC stated:

“That apart from fraudulently retaining the sum of N1, 219,490,000.00 being part of the N4, 745,000,000.00 stolen from the treasury of the Federal Government through the office of the National Security Adviser, the Applicant (Fayose) has also received gratification in form of kick back from various contractors with the Ekiti State Government, such as Samchese Nigeria Ltd, Tender Branch Concept Nig. Ltd, Hoff Concept Ltd, Calibre Consulting Ltd.

“That the Applicant received these kick-backs and gratification through Still Earth Ltd and Signachorr Nigeria Ltd.

“That, in turn, the Applicant (Fayose) instructed the Still Earth Ltd and Signachoor Nigeria Ltd to use the funds to acquire properties for him.

“That in complying with the Applicant’s instruction, Still Earth Ltd and Signachoor Nigeria Ltd, acquired properties on behalf of the Applicant in the name of a company known as J.J. Technical Services Ltd belonging to the applicant and his wife. Attached and marked Exhibit EFCC 08 are copies of the deeds of assignment for the said properties.

The N1.2 billon being investigated is believed to be part of $2.1 billion meant for arms purchase but diverted for political purposes by the presidency through the office of erstwhile NSA Sambo Dasuki.

Buhari's Minister, Dambazau, 2 Other Army Chiefs INDICTED In Fresh $930.5m Arms Scam Probe

A serving Minister of Interior, Abdurrahman Bello Dambazau is among some former army chiefs indicted in the newest report to be submitted to the president, Premium Times has reported.

As reported by our source, those indicted in the report of Presidential Committee on Defence Equipment Procurement in the Nigerian Armed Forces with Dambazau are; the immediate past chief of army staff, Kenneth Minimah, and his predecessor, Azubuike Ihejirika. The probe report, which is described as “damning” and “explosive”, according to Premium Times, has stirred tension and frantic scheming among former army chiefs and other top officers of the Nigerian Army.

A reliable source close to the committee, which was set up by Mr. Buhari to probe the procurement of arms, ammunition and equipment in the military from 2007 to 2015, told this newspaper that several top retired army officers were indicted and some were already scheming to suppress the content of the report.

Mr. Dambazau was particularly mentioned as trying to suppress the content of the report. He was appointed the chief of army staff by late President Umaru Yar’Adua, and served between 2008 and 2010.

“The committee members are putting things together and will present its findings to the president in the next week or so,” our source said.

Our source explained that the committee uncovered a whole lot of things including the outright stealing of money meant for equipment for the army, inflation of contract, diversion of money for soldiers’ welfare, money for the rehabilitation of barracks and military facilities and many other corrupt practices.

In March 2016, the committee, predominantly made up of retired military officers, had summoned 292 retired and serving top army officers including Messrs. Dambazau, Ihejirika and Minimah.

Last August, Mr. Buhari directed the national security adviser, Mohammed Mongonu, to set up a 13-member investigative committee on the procurement of hardware and munitions in the Armed Forces from 2007.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the president on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, stated that the investigative committee’s mandate is to identify irregularities and make recommendations for streamlining the procurement process in the armed forces.

The establishment of the investigative committee was in keeping with President Buhari’s determination to stamp out corruption and irregularities in Nigeria’s public service, Mr. Adesina said.

“It comes against the background of the myriad of challenges that the Nigerian Armed Forces have faced in the course of ongoing counter-insurgency operations in the Northeast, including the apparent deficit in military platforms with its attendant negative effects of troops’ morale.

“The committee will specifically investigate allegations of non-adherence to correct equipment procurement procedures and the exclusion of relevant logistics branches from arms procurement under past administrations, which, very often resulted in the acquisition of sub-standard and unserviceable equipment,” the statement said.

In January, Mr. Buhari ordered the arrest of the former chief of air force, Adesola Amosu, and other top officers of the Nigerian Air Force after an interim report of an inquiry into the procurement of equipment uncovered widespread diversion of funds and fraud.

Those indicted by the report were former national security adviser, Sambo Dasuki, former chief of defence staff, Alex Badeh, and another former chief of air staff, Mohammed Umar. All of them and other top officers are facing corruption charges in court.

“The procurement processes were arbitrarily carried out and generally characterized by irregularities and fraud,” the panel said. “In many cases, the procured items failed to meet the purposes they were procured for, especially the counter insurgency efforts in the North East.”

“A major procurement activity undertaken by ONSA for NAF was that concerning the contracts awarded to Societe D’ Equipment Internationaux (SEI) Nig Ltd.

“Between January 2014 and February 2015, NAF awarded 10 contracts totalling Nine Hundred and Thirty Million, Five Hundred Thousand, Six Hundred and Ninety US Dollars ($930,500,690.00) to SEI Nig Ltd.

“Letters of award and End User Certificates for all the contracts issued by NAF and ONSA respectively did not reflect the contract sums. Rather, these were only found in the vendor’s invoices, all dated 19 March 2015,” it said.

The panel said some of the award letters contained misleading delivery dates suggesting fraudulent intent in the award process. The observed discrepancies are in clear contravention of extant procurement regulations.

“The SEI contracts included procurement of two used Mi-24V Helicopters instead of the recommended Mi-35M series at the cost of One Hundred and Thirty Six Million, Nine Hundred and Forty Four Thousand US Dollars ($136,944,000.00).

“However, it was confirmed that the helicopters were excessively priced and not operationally air worthy at the time of delivery. A brand new unit of such helicopters goes for about Thirty Million US Dollars ($30m),” it noted.

Furthermore, the helicopters were delivered without rotor blades and upgrade accessories.

“Additionally, the helicopters were undergoing upgrade while being deployed for operation in the North East without proper documentation. It was further established that as at date, only one of the helicopters is in service while the other crashed and claimed the lives of two NAF personnel.

“The Committee established that ONSA also funded the procurement of 4 used Alpha-Jets for the NAF at the cost of Seven Million, One Hundred and Eighty Thousand US Dollars ($7,180,000.00). However, it was confirmed that only 2 of the Alpha-Jet aircraft were ferried to Nigeria after cannibalization of engines from NAF fleet.

“This is contrary to the written assertion of the former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal AN Amosu to the former NSA that all the 4 procured Alpha-Jets aircraft were delivered to the NAF.

“The non-militarisation of the Alpha-Jets made them unsuitable for deployment to the North East and they are currently deployed only for training at NAF Kainji.

“Furthermore, the procurement of the Alpha-Jets was contrary to the recommendation of the assessment team. The Committee found that the conduct of Air Marshal Amosu was deliberately misleading and unpatriotic,” the panel said.

DON'T MISS: #FayoseGate: How He Bought N1.3b Houses Within 6 Months In Office, 4 Cohorts Volunteer To 'Confess'

PREMIUM TIMES

Oil Workers Suspend 15hrs Old Strike

In less than 15 hours which it threatened to commence strike, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and NUPENG have shelved the planned industrial action over some unresolved issues with the Federal Government.

The unions have as well have postponed the planned meeting with Federal Government over their shelved strike till July 11.

Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, the South West Chairman, Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos.

According to Korodo, the meeting which is scheduled to take place today (Thursday) has been shifted due to public holiday declared by government to mark the Eid-El-Fitr.

The chairman, who is one of NUPENG’s representatives, said that both parties had agreed to meet on Monday, July 11 to deliberate on the issues affecting the unions.

“As a result of this, we have to put the strike which is supposed to commence today on hold to allow for useful deliberations with the government representatives.”

He said that the unions were aware of hardship the strike would cause the general public, adding that this was why the unions had agreed to meet with the Federal Government.

Korodo, however, said that the unions would have no choice than to embark on strike if government did not address labour issues affecting members.

NAN reports that PENGASSAN had threatened to embark on a nationwide strike beginning from July 7 over some issues, including the alleged mass sacking of its members by various oil and gas companies.

NAN also reports that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige was scheduled to meet with representatives of PENGASSAN on July 7, according to a statement issued on July 6, in Abuja.

The statement, signed by Mr Samuel Olowookere, the Deputy Director (Press) in the Ministry of Labour said that the “crucial meeting” was being convened to find a lasting solution to problems in the oil and gas sector.

It said that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu would also attend the meeting scheduled for 10 a.m in Abuja. 

(NAN)

On-going Anti-Fayose Protesters Lock Down Ekiti, Seek The Gov.'s Resignation

Monitored by heavy police presence, some protesters have locked down Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital demanding the resignation of the embattled Governor, Ayodele Fayose.

The protesters chanting various anti- Fayose songs as they march around the city with different captioned placards.

The anti-graft agency is investigating Fayose over the sum of N1.2 billion which he allegedly collected from detained former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.), through former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, who is currently on self exile in the USA.

Some of the contractors from who Fayose got some kickback are resolved to open up and tender evidence

A source said: “EFCC has discovered payments to Signachorr and Stillearth Ltd., which sold property to Fayose, from Abbey’s account. In scrutinising Stillearth and Signachorr bank accounts, the commission discovered payment by Samchase Ltd., a contractor to the Ekiti State Government. Other three companies are also listed as paying for properties for Fayose.

“Stillearth and Signochorr claim payments by Privateer Ltd of Abbey Agbele and Simcheese are payments for property sold to Fayose by Stillearth.

“Fayose now fights Stillearth and Signachorr, accusing its owner of colluding with EFCC to make a case against him – just the same way he fights dirty with Zenith Bank, which he accused of funding his campaign but which the bank has vehemently denied.”

An official of Stillearth and Signachorr, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that the company is cooperating with EFCC on the matter. He said they couldn’t have done otherwise because “as a reputable company we have to cooperate with law enforcement agencies but I can assure you that we have done nothing wrong.”

The man said the company will not hide anything from EFCC since it was they engaged in a genuine transaction and did not know that the money Fayose paid was from kick-back or from the NSA’s Office.

He said: “I want to tell you that we are a reputable company and have nothing to hide. We engaged in genuine transaction with Mr. Fayose and all the documents are there.

“We will not hide anything from the EFCC or any government agency that may be interested in the matter because our hands are clean. Nobody is trying to implicate the Governor, he should own up now because we are not ready to play any dirty game with him as he did with Zenith Bank.”

The company chief accused Fayose of “trying to bring down people because he knows he is falling and has a failing government.”

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Muslims Hold Eid-el fitr Prayer In Church Premises In Ogun, See Photos

In what could be described as an extreme height of religious tolerance, some Muslim worshippers were yesterday seen holding Eid-el fitr prayers in a Church premises at Ebenezer Model Parish, Abiola Way, Abeokuta in Ogun state.

A Cherubim and Seraphim church, Ebenezer Model Parish, Abiola Way, Abeokuta in Ogun state yesterday gave their church premises to their Muslim neighbors to hold their Eid prayers, LIB blogged this morning.

 The church also gave the Muslim faithful their sound system.

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