Diezani's Bribe For Election Scandal: 2 Jonathan's Ministers, INEC Chiefs Refund N1bln Loots

Those tagging the current probe of some government officials and politician who served under the ousted former President Goodluck Jonathan as witch-hunting should have a rethink as two of his ministers and some Chief of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC have also refunded the sum over N1 billion as party of the N23.29billion allegedly pumped into the failed bid to get former President Goodluck Jonathan re-elected by bribing INEC officials.

The N23.29billion allegedly came from a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. It allegedly came from a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.

The cash, according to The Nation Newspaper came from  some former ministers, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders and coordinators of some election observer groups.

The Federal government had few days ago disclosed it has recovered fund running into trillions of naira, being loots from the coffer of the nation's treasury, yet some Nigeria stil believed the effort aimed at witch-hunting.

In the process, more than N2billion has been frozen in many accounts by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC).

The cash is part of the N23.29billion allegedly pumped into the failed bid to get former President Goodluck Jonathan re-elected by bribing INEC officials. It allegedly came from a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.

There are also refund pledges running into billions of naira, a source said.

The latest of such refunds came yesterday from two former ministers, three INEC officials and a coordinator of election observers who paid back N62,750,000 to the EFCC.

Besides, no fewer than 36 INEC officials have been implicated in the campaign cash fraud.

According to a source, who pleaded not to be named because he is not authorised to speak to the media, the EFCC has recovered more than N1billion cash from those who shared in the bribe.

The source said: “In all the six geopolitical zones, most of those quizzed have admitted benefiting in one way or the other from the cash.

“Our investigation revealed that there appears to be a pattern of allocating about N450million to each of the 36 states and FCT.

“Some of the beneficiaries have paid back; others made pledges and some are still meeting in groups to refund what was allocated to them.

“So far, we have recovered over N1billion in cash and more than N2billion frozen in some accounts nationwide.

“We have given them deadline and they seem to be willing to pay back.”

The Nation stumbled on a document in which some of the refunds are listed. They include N359millon by some INEC staff in Oyo and Ogun states; a former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Sen. Joel Ikenya Danlami (N2m);  ex-Speaker of Taraba State House of Assembly Mark Bako Useni (N1m);  ex-Minister of Power Wakil Muhammad (N6,680,000); ex-Minister of Science and Technology Abdu Bulama (N5m); Muhammed Kadai(N1m); the Coordinator of observers in Maiduguri, Jummai Lawan Ibrahim(N19m); and a former INEC official, Bunu Mulina (N6m).

Others are INEC officials, including Mohammad Umar ( N17m); Kabir Bello (N5m); and Musa Buba Amshi (N4m); Senator Kumo Saidu Umar and ex-PDP Chairman in Gombe State, Paloma Nuhu N4million( N2 million each) which they claimed to be their personal benefits from the fund.

The latest of such refund (N62, 750,000) came yesterday from Maiduguri zonal office.

The source said: “In continuation of the ongoing investigation of some INEC officials in Maiduguri and two former ministers, the Advance Fee Fraud/Extractive Industries Unit handling the investigation was able to recover N62,750,000.

 “Investigation is ongoing in the matter as other people are expected to come for questioning. The serving INEC officials are detained in the EFCC office.”

There were indications yesterday that the number of serving INEC officials quizzed by the EFCC on the scandal has risen to 36.

They comprise 16 top directors at the headquarters, a Resident Electoral Commissioner(REC), Gesil Khan and five others from Cross River; 11 in Gombe State, were grilled at the Gombe State Zonal office of the EFCC; and three detained  in Borno.

Grilled are Khan for collecting  N185, 842,000 out of a N681million bribe deal; Fidelia Omoile( Electoral Officer in Isoko-South Local Government Area of Delta State)—N112,480,000 ; Uluochi Obi Brown( INEC’s Administrative Secretary in Delta State)—N111,500,000; a former Deputy Director  of INEC in Cross River State, Edem Okon Effanga—N241,127,000 and the Head of Voter Education in INEC in Akwa Ibom, Immaculata Asuquo—N214,127,000.

A retired INEC official, Sani Isa,  was grilled for alleged N406,206,000 bribe allegedly collected on behalf of the deceased Resident Electoral Commissioner  (REC) in Kano State, Alhaji Mukaila Abdullahi.

Those grilled in Gombe are: Godwin Maiyaki Gambo Balanga, Bukar Alone Benisheik, Dukku, Jibril. B. Muhammed,Billiri, Dunguma Musa Dogona, Funakaye, Mohammed. A. Wanka, Kaltungo, Ishaku Yusuf, Kwami, Suleiman Isawa, Nafada, Babagana Malami, Shongom, and Nuhu Samuel, Y/Deba.

The EFCC source said: “So far, we have questioned more than 36 INEC staff but we are still counting. We are expecting more names from our zonal offices in  Port Harcourt, Enugu, Gombe, Kano and Lagos.

“At the end of our investigation, we will refer the list of those indicted to INEC management for appropriate disciplinary action.

“This is without prejudice to the fact that the law will take its course. Some of the INEC officials may face trial.”

TheNation

PDP Crisis: Sheriff, Makarfi 'Chased Out' By PDP BoT At Ongoing Abuja Truce Meeting

The embattled ousted Chairman of the Opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the Chairman of the newly-constituted caretaker committee of the party, Senator Ahmed Makarfi were both sent out of an ongoing truce meeting by the party leaders and BoT in Abuja, Daily Post jus reported

Sheriff arrived the venue of the meeting at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja at about 11:10 am and was followed five minutes later by Makarfi.

Upon their arrival, the chairman of the Board, Senator Jibril Wali announced that the board has a very important decision to take before the commencement of the meeting. At that point, reporters were asked to leave the hall.

Shortly after the announcement, both Sheriff and Makarfi were seen walking out of the hall even as the meeting continued.

Details soon

One Party, 3 Chairmen CRISIS: PDP NASS Lawmakers Set To Defect To APC Massively As Pressure Mounts

The opposition Peoples Democratic Party National Assembly members may massively defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress over unending crisis ravaging the party that has produced three chairmen running parallel affairs of the party, News Punch has learnt

The party report says is now at the risk of losing most of its elected members at both chambers of the National Assembly especially from the non-PDP controlled states to the All Progressive Congress (APC) if it failed to find an amicable resolution to its crisis, report according to Nigerian tribune suggests

The chieftains of the ruling party are already in serious talks with lawmakers in both chambers of the National Assembly on the need for most of them to dump the former ruling party with assurances of several offers, including automatic ticket to return in 2019 general elections, Tribune reported

According to our source the most targeted states are Anambra, Lagos, Edo Kogi, Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau, Yobe, Adamawa, Kaduna, Ogun, Oyo and Osun.

It was gathered that following the three divisions that emerged in the Party on last Saturday, APC leadership reportedly directed its leaders in the affected states to everything possible to bring the PDP lawmakers into its fold since the electoral law allows defection once there is a division within a political party without losing one's seat.

A member of the PDP in the National Assembly who confirmed this development to the Nigerian Tribune in Abuja yesterday said that this might forced the party members  to come together to resolve their   problems

"The pressures are just too much; the leaders of the APC are mounting serious pressures on us to come over to them, following the latest development in our party, the pressures are coming with various promises and am afraid some of our members may bow to the pressures since they will have nothing to lose," the source.

According to our source, "we cannot continue to waste our time and resources; we are tired of the ending crises, there are factions here and there in all the states and the zone and all fighting for selfish interests, we thought the coming of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff would unite the party but alas, look at what is happening now, PDP is supposed to be providing a credible opposition to the ruling APC.

This came just as the National Secretariat of the former ruling Party, popularly known as "WADATA Plaza" in Abuja remained sealed on the orders of the Inspector General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase.

The Plaza was sealed off in the early hours of Sunday, following the three divisions that emerged in the Party on Saturday with the three factions threatening to take over the party secretariat on Monday.

The road leading to the Plaza were barricaded with two trucks belonging the Nigeria Police Force, while the staff of the secretariat, journalists and visitors were politely turned back by the stern looking mobile police personnel.

The staff and journalists covering the party were seen in groups discussing the lasted development in the Party.

The Caretaker Committee headed by the former Haduna State governor, Senator Ahmed Markarif, put in place at the Port-Harcourt convention to oversee the affairs of the party did not show up as expected while the Ali Modu Sheriff-led National Working Committee, which rejected the Caretaker Committee and vowed to take over the secretariat was said to be attending a crucial meeting at a location in the city and the third faction led by Senator Ibrahim Mantu was nowhere to be found.

As at press time, the Board of Trustees of the party was said to be meeting on the crisis in the Party

Credit: Nigerian Tribune

BREAKING: Jerry Gana Led PDP Abuja Convention Picks Mantu, Other As National Interim Leaders

Report just reaching us suggests that Prof. Jerry Gana led Peoples Democratic Party faction, which held own convention at Abuja today has also postoned the election of the party national officers, but picked Ibrahim Mantu and professor Tunde Adeniran as the national coordinators of party pending the time a substantive convention will be held.

The Port Hourcour version had also picked former governor of Kaduna State, Ahmed Makarfi and Ben Obi as the Secretary, News Punch had earlier reported.

Reported monitored via Daily Trust Newspaper says, the former minister of information, Prof Jerry Gana-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Saturday, held a parallel national convention of the party at the M & M Event Centre, Abuja, ‎which shelved the elections of national officers of the party.

The convention which ‎started by 10 am and ended by 12 pm adopted a former deputy senate president, Ibrahim Mantu and Professor Tunde Adeniran as coordinators of the party pending when the next national convention of the faction would be held.

Although the date for their next convention was not announced, the convention also ratified a 57-member steering committee ‎that would administer the affairs of the party nationwide.

A member of the steering committee, Chief ‎Dubem Onyia moved a motion that "in compliance with the court order, Mantu and Adeniran should run the party‎ until the next convention." Mantu and Adeniran were upheld as the co-chairmen of the party.

Addressing the crowd, Mantu who enumerated the achievements of the PDP during its 16 years of ‎reign as the 'biggest party in Africa' added that the 16 years also led to mistakes that needed to be addressed by Concerned PDP Stakeholders in order to deepen democracy in the country.

He said the stakeholder viewed the extension of the PDP national chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff's tenure by the National Working Committee (NWC) as "null and void" as the National Executive Committee (NEC) cannot grant any such extension under the party's constitution.

Mantu said NEC's appointment of Sheriff as chairman of the party was a "gross violation"‎ of the established procedure for the selection as Sheriff was not among the nominees sent by the North-east caucus of the party to the party's national leadership.

According to the former law maker, Sheriff's decision to go ahead with the "illegal convention in Port Harcourt in disobedience for a valid court judgement stopping the convention" signalled a wearisome trend that would further weaken the party.

He added that the Gana-led faction was aimed at rebuilding, renewing and re-branding the party to anchor the dreams of its founding fathers  ‎and give wings to the hopes of citizens who "live in uncertainty and surrounded by a growing culture of fear."

He said: "mindful of our role as elders and conscience of our great party, we the elders reviewing recent events‎ have come to the painful conclusion that the culture of impunity, disdain for democratic norms and utter disregard of our party's constitution, behaviours that brought us to the 2015 loss, are rearing its ugly head again.

"‎The current challenges in the PDP is symptomatic of our democratic heritage and signals the begin

Credit: Daily Trust

PDP BoT Endorses Sheriff As Chairman, Election of New Chairman Barred By Court

Obviously in a move that could be termed as an endorsement of the embattled national Chairman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, the Board of Trustees, BoT of the party yesterday unanimously extended the tenure of the National Chairman to 2018, Vanguard News reported.

News Punch had yesterday in a headline error, which read; PDP Dethrones Sheriff, Elects New Chairman, Secretary, published the accounts of the PDP BoT's ratification of Sen. Walid Jibril a substantive BoT Chairman and the election of  Ojo Maduekwe, as the board's Secretary. The headline error highly regretted.

In a related development, confusion was said to have pervaded the national headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party in Abuja on Monday evening when words filtered in that a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has stopped the party from conducting elections into the offices of the national chairman of the party, the national secretary and its national auditor Punch Newspaper reports this morning.

The court has also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission from monitoring the conduct of any election into the offices.

He is to now quit office in 2018 to allow for the emergence of a chairman from the southern part of the country, while the north produces the party’s presidential candidate for 2019 election. 

On their part, the chairman of the party and its governors dropped the proposal to amend the party’s constitution at the forthcoming convention in Portharcourt, while also promising to revisit the conduct of state congresses that were contentious in some states. 

The Board also confirmed the position of its chairman, Senator Jibril Wali, who had been in acting capacity, while also appointing Ambassador Ojo Maduekwe as secretary of the board. While Jibril was appointed unanimously, Ojo Maduekwe’s appointment followed the stepping down of his sole challenger, Senator Stella Omu.

PDP is planning to hold its national convention in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Saturday, May 21.

The order to restrain the party from conducting the elections followed a case brought before the court by the National Chairman of the party, Senator Modu Sheriff; the National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo; and the National Auditor, Alhaji Fatai Adeyanju, who were listed as 1st, 2nd and 3rd plaintiffs in the case.

In the case with suit number FHC/L/CS/61 3/2016, dated 6th of May, 2016, both the INEC and the PDP were listed as the 1st and 2nd defendants.

The plaintiffs prayed for an order of interlocutory injunction restraining the 2nd defendant from conducting any election into the offices of the National Chairman, National Secretary and National Auditor occupied  by the 1st, 2nd and 3rd plaintiffs respectively, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

An order of interlocutory injunction restraining the 1st defendant/respondent from monitoring and or recognising the conduct of any election by the 2nd defendant/respondent into the offices of the National Chairman, National Secretary and National Auditor occupied by the 1st, 2nd and 3rd plaintiffs respectively, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

According to the court order dated May 12, 2016 which was shown to reporters at the party secretariat in Abuja, the affidavit in support of the Motion on Notice and the exhibits attached were deposed to by Adeyanju.

In response to the submission made by the plaintiffs’ counsel, the court presided over by Justice I.N. Buba, granted the following: “An order of interlocutory injunction as requested by the plaintiffs/applicants restraining the 2nd defendant/respondent from conducting any election into the offices of the National Chairman, National Secretary and National Auditor occupied by the 1st, 2nd and 3rd plaintiffs respectively, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

“An order of interlocutory injunction to the plaintiffs/applicants restraining the 1st defendant/respondent from monitoring and or recognising the conduct of any the 2nd defendant/respondent into the offices of the National Chairman, National Secretary and National Auditor occupied by the 1st, 2nd and 3rd plaintiffs respectively, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.”

The substantive case has been adjourned till May 24, 2016.

Efforts made by our correspondent to get the reaction of the party’s National Legal Adviser, Mr. Victor Kwon, failed as he did not pick the calls made to his telephone.

But the national secretary said the party was aware of the court order.

Credits: Punch Newspaper, Vanguard Newspaper

Photo: Ali Modu Sheriff, Fayose 2019 Poster Filters

A photo of 2019 campaign poster of proposed joint ticket of former Borno State Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff and the governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Peter Ayodele Fayose has surfaced online.

Though the 2019 Presidential election could be said to be far, at least 3 years from now, but the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP who mulling how seizing power back from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC is leaving no stone unturned. The party, which had zoned the national chairmanship of the party to the northern part of the country, have also resolved to pick it Presidential candidate from the same zone.

Unfortunately, Ali Modu Sheriff is already tagged and accused as Boko Haram sponsor. Fayose, highly controversial too; ranging from slaping a Chief Judge of his state, stomach infrastructure to Ekiti rigging scandal. How the PDP will convince Nigerians to vote for these guys, i can't still comprehend.

The APC on the other hand, still in the euphoria of victory harped on Change still finding it difficult to convince Nigerians it has actually brought the desired change. The Party, the government have been bedeviled by various challenges that seem insurmountable. Still full of hope, Nigerians are yet to visibly reap from their decision to Change from PDP To APC. 

The only visible achievement of the APC is no doubt the fight against corruption. Though many see it as witchhunt of political opponents. Be it witchhunt or 'wizardhunt' so to say, the big question is that; are the accused innocent?

2019 loading.... let keep our fingers crossed.

It's Too Early To Condemn Buhari - PDP Chieftain, Bode George

Chief Olabode George, a former southwest Vice-Chairman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has said it is too early to batch President Muhammadu Buhari-led government of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.

Chief George in an interview with the Daily Sun opined that the President grap­ples with the myriads of problems confronting the country urged Nigerians to be patient with Buhari. He said  he has refrained from joining is­sues with him because, “it is just a year and person­ally, I don’t believe this is the time to start kicking them”, described Nigeri­ans as “ very impatient.”

He, however, identified the con­gregation of different groups in the party which has defied proper fusion as the major cause of the many problems afflicting the government which has slowed down progress. Describing the President’s All Progressives Congress (APC) as a “congregation of strange bed fellows”, he averred that the instabil­ity in the party has frus­trated the expectations and hopes of Nigerians on the government, adding that, “if you don’t have a solid political foundation, for­get about any economic growth.”

George further advised the APC not to make the mistake of the PDP by al­lowing these crises and di­visions, which he blamed for the latter’s ouster from government in the 2015 presidential elections.

“For me, it is still too early. Understandably, they came from differ­ent groups that make up the party. They are still struggling…politics and political activities are the foundations for economic growth.

“If you don’t have a solid political foundation, forget about any econom­ic growth. It is sine qua non. There is CPC, ACN, APGA, nPDP. It is a con­gregation of strange bed­fellows. It will take time for them to melt together.

“We don’t want to go into that crises and the divi­sions, because we know what happened to our party that we got a bloody nose. Thank God it was not a technical knockout”

Excerpted From Daily Sun

Fights To Replace Saraki Intense; North-Central Picks A Consensus, PDP Picks Ekweremadu

Senators from the North-central geopolitical zone, under the auspices of the Forum of North-central Senators, have resolved that one of their own emerges as the next senate president in the event of Bukola Saraki’s removal by the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), ThisDay reports

Saraki is being tried by the tribunal for false declaration of assets when he was the governor of Kwara State between 2007 and 2011.

According to our source, a senator from the zone yesterday  said: “It is expected that the North-central zone retains the seat because in the present dispensation, the zone only has the Senate presidency allotted to us.”

The senator, who elected to speak anonymously, disclosed that several meetings across political divides had been held recently on the issue.

He said: “It is becoming obvious that the present occupant of the seat would likely give in to the pressure coming from his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

“So we have weighed the situation surrounding Saraki’s situation and have come to the resolution that we must work across board to have one of our own replace him. This is in the spirit of political correctness and inclusion.

“When you look at the crop of senators from the zone, we have experienced lawmakers comprising ranking and knowledgeable senators capable of administering the Senate. Some of us have combined experience of both being in the executive and now as legislators.

“Agreeably, the zone parades the best crop of lawmakers in the present Senate and it is rightly expected that we retain the leadership of the Senate at this crucial time.

“What we have done is to look at individual senator’s profiles and taken crucial Senate service requirements into consideration and I can tell you that we have a consensus on who is most suited for the job."

“It is in the overall interest of the zone to keep the seat without any compromise at this point in time and this is what we have decided to do regardless of political affiliations.”

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may field Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu as a likely replacement if there is vacancy following the Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun said in a recent interview that his party would only consider it as sacrifice for Change should the opposition PDP emerges as the next President of the Senate.

Some members of the opposition party are thinking in that direction following the body language of the Unity Forum and the Like Minds camps in the Senate.

Members of both camps, who spoke with our correspondent yesterday evening, revealed that they are considering Ekwer­emadu as a possible replacement for the Senate president, based on his experience and the fact that he has been Saraki’s deputy since last June.

Read: Oyegun's Outburst: PDP Back-down On Saraki, Roots For Ekweremadu, APC Lawan Group Oblige