Senate Orders Probe of Billions Spent Under Obasanjo, Jonathan on Electricity

The Senate, Thursday, constituted a 13-member ad-hoc committee to conduct investigation into the management of funds appropriated for the power sector by successive governments since 1999.

The committee, led by Abubakar Kyari, has a two-week mandate to conduct its investigations and submit its report to the Senate.

The timeframe given nevertheless, the Senate adjourned plenary to September 29.

Buhari Reinstates NPA MD Sacked By Jonathan

According to a statement by Femi Adesina, President Buhari's Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, the president has sacked the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, Alhaji Sanusi Ado Bayero and has replaced him with Habibu Abdullahi, the MD sacked by Goodluck Jonathan in April. According to Adesina, Bayero's sack is with immediate effect, and he is to hand over the management of NPA and all government property in his possession to Mr. Habibu Abdullahi.

Jonathan Secretly Visits Pres. Buhari In Aso Rock

President Muhamadu Buhari on Thursday met behind closed doors with former President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The meeting was held inside the President’s official residence.

It was about 24 hours before President Buhari also met with former President Olusegun Obasanjo at the same venue on Friday.

The details of discussion at the meeting with Jonathan on Thursday were unknown as at press time.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, confirmed the meeting.

Buhari Begins Total Probe of Jonathan’s Government

A total probe of the administration run by immediate former president, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is underway as the National Economic Council, NEC, Ad-hoc Committee on the Management of Excess Crude Account Proceeds and Accruals into the Federation Account, headed by the Governor of Edo State, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, is to hire two international forensic audit firms to probe revenue that accrued into the Federation Account and how it was spent under former Dr Goodluck Jonathan as President.

Mr. Oshiomhole told journalists at the end of the first meeting of the committee in Abuja, yesterday that the auditors would cover the period January 1, 2010 to June 1, 2015. It put paid to calls by the opposition Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, that Buhari should extend his probe to the administrations of Jonathan’s predecessors, Alh. Umaru Yar’ Adua.and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

Already, some revenue generating agencies have been invited to brief the committee which will take detailed briefings from all Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs of the Federal Government that deal directly with revenue.

The focus will be on the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, the Nigeria Customs Service, the Central bank of Nigeria, the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, among others.

Other members of the committee included Gov. Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai of Kaduna State, Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe, and Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom.

He said that the committee did not want its actions to be bogged down by political interpretations and that the members were not professionals. Even if they were professionals, he said that their duties as governors would not allow them the time to do a thorough work.

His words, “We held our first primary session today here with some of the revenue generating agencies that are supposed to remit funds to the federation account. We had a successful session with Customs, NPA, NEITI, SEC, FIRS, and quite a number of others and next week we will also hear from CBN, Ministry of Finance, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.
For the remaining ones, we agree we are going to meet on Thursday next week, NNPC, NPDC, DPR, NIMASA and other remaining agencies.
We have started the work, with the idea to hear them out, what they have been doing, with particular emphasis on revenue accruing from these organizations and whether or not these have been remitted to the Federation Account for judicious distribution.
His words: “We realised that this is a task and given our mandate, even if we were professional accountants because we are sitting governors, we would not have the time to do a forensic audit which this assignment entails.
“Therefore, we have agreed in line with our mandate to appoint two reputable international audit firms to carry out a thorough forensic audit, not only of NNPC, which is more of excess crude, but other monies that accrued to the Federation Accounts. We have other revenues like bonuses, royalties, taxes, VAT that flow into the Federation Account.
“We are taking a holistic review of the entire process, looking at all the agencies that make contribution of funds to the federation account.

We are convinced that by appointing audit firms, we will allow professionals to carry out this exercise, so that it will be free of any political colouration and also we will ensure the outcome of the investigation will.

“We have learned, we have listened and asked questions. I think we all have a clear picture of what is happening in those organizations before now. Some have information to supply and we have drawn attention to those areas, they are willing to oblige. We believe in the end, we will be able to not just establish what had happened over the period but much more important, going forward with the changes the President has promised the country.

“It is not going to be business as usual. He started on a clean slate and everybody knows the new rules of the game and in particular as the laws apply to the various institutions are implemented in full. So I think we started very well. We are very confident that we are going to come out with something that is going to be of immense benefits to the Nigerian people”.

On the rationale for embarking on another audit report with regards to the alleged missing funds, he said “Some reports were produced by PWC but in that report the PWC expressed their frustration and pointed to the fact that they were not able to access all the information they needed and that what they were able to produce was to the extent of information that was made available to them.”

He added: “Audit can only be credible as much as information that was made available to auditors. The good news now is that with President Buhari, all the books will be open, no agency has any protection. Any agency that refuses to open the books then is ready to go on confrontation with the authority.

“The forensic audit will act on the whole truth and nothing but the truth so that all stakeholders will have basis to formulate good policies and that Nigeria will never find itself in this circle where huge sums of money are allegedly diverted and unaccounted for. Audit has become a way of life for all public institutions.”

On the duration of the audit exercise, Oshiomhole explained that the committee had looked at it professionally. “We are focusing on a five year circle. What we have agreed is that we are going to carry out an audit for five years from 1st January 2010 to 30th June 2015.

“If the audit report reveals that we need to go backward, then we can do that. But for the first instance, this is the period that we consider good.
“We can’t impose a time frame on them but will engage them and by Thursday we will be able to make it public. We need to listen to them and agreed with them on how much time will be okay for them. We are all in a hurry to ensure that the right thing is done. The emphasis is not on time but doing thorough job.

“By next week we will meet with the big ones and we will then be able to tell you the audit firms that we have appointed. They are firms I am sure Nigerians will have confidence in.
“At the end of the audit we will hear them out and reconcile them with what the laws says and arrive at a position. Given the volume of work and complicated nature of issues, we agreed we need professionals to carry out the audit. It is only the professionals that can handle it. It is not good to compromise”.


Vanguard

Contractor sues FG over Jonathan’s N9.2bn stoves

A contractor handling the N9.2billion worth of clean cook stoves and wonder bags awarded by the administration of former President, Goodluck Jonathan has sued the Federal Government.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Fatima Mede, revealed this to State House correspondents on Tuesday shortly after briefing President Muhammadu Buhari of the ministry’s activities inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Mede said the contractor approached the court to order the government not to terminate the contract following the emergence of a new administration.


The Jonathan-led Federal Executive Council had on November 26, 2014 approved N9.2billion inclusive of Value Added Tax for the procurement of 750,000 units of clean cook stoves and 18,000 wonder bags.

The contract was awarded to Messrs Integra Renewable Energy Services Limited and there have been several calls on the present administration to terminate the contract.

Confirming the legal action, Mede said the ministry had briefed the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation on the development.
She said the government would appear before the court to argue its case, however, she did not say if there were plans to terminate the contract.
She said
“The matter is in court right now, so there is a limit to how I can talk about the issue of cooking stoves.
“The contractor took government to court asking the court to grant an injunction for government not to terminate the contract.
“We will go there and argue our case, the government will go, we have briefed the Attorney General’s office.
“We will present our case on the issue that led to the contractor taking us to court, it will be explained and the court will decide.”
Mede said during her team’s meeting with Buhari, the President raised concerns over environmental degradation in the country.
She said the President was aware that the sustainability of the country would depend on how well the environment was managed and that the rate of desertification and afforestation in the country was alarming. Stating that over 43 per cent of Nigerians were affected by the effect of desertification.

The Permanent Secretary also pointed to the conflict between the herdsmen and farmers because of forced migration.
She said the President had directed that to reduce the rate at which wood was being cut down for cooking, the ministry should consider promoting the use of LPG especially in the cities.


Punch

Borno Elders: Jonathan Should Apologise For Past Killings By Boko Haram

Indigenes of Borno under the aegis of Borno Elders Forum have demanded an apology from former President Jonathan over the death of Borno state residents during the various Boko Haram attacks under his administration.

The Elders in a statement signed by their chairman Amb. Usman Gaji Galtimari released today August 4th, said the recent remarks by immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh showed that the Nigerian military were not adequately equipped by the Johnathan Administration in the fight against Boko Haram.

The elders say they were baffled that their state governor, Kashim Shettima was rebuked by the former president when he also reported that the Nigerian troops sent to Borno state were not adequately equipped

"What particularly baffles the Borno Elders’ Forum was that at some point in 2014, the Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, had said it publicly after assessing the true situation as the man on ground that troops deployed in the fight against insurgents seriously lacked and required better military equipment and that those at battle fronts were poorly motivated. Several voices were raised in support of the Governor’s position. The Governor’s comments were completely rebuffed by the then President of Nigeria who went as far as threatening to withdraw soldiers from Borno as he spoke on live television interview relayed by the Nigerian Television Authority, at a Presidential Media Chat. Not only did the President rebuke the Governor and by extension, the people of Borno State, his aides followed suite and roundly condemned the Governor,” the statement said.

The elders made the following demands

– A National Judicial Commission of Enquiry under an incorruptible judge from preferably the Southern Nigeria be set up to ask the immediate past President questions on why his administration refused to provide the military with the required functional and superior equipment whereas our sons and daughters were exposed to mass murder, severe injuries and grave destructions of our communities
– If the former government is found wanting it should be charged for genocide against the people of Borno State or at least criminal negligence at the International Criminal Court of Justice.
– The retired CDS retired should also be asked why he kept silent when the military under his command was not provided with the right equipment. He had the option of speaking or resigning as he ought to have done in order to draw attention of the world and by that he would have saved lives of Borno people.
– A list of citizens of Borno State killed from the time the issue of military capacity became in question, is compiled and relations of those killed are fully compensated for the death of their loved ones as a result of criminal negligence.
– A list of soldiers sent on missions without being properly equipped and exposed to death at different battle fronts in Borno State, is also compiled and that they are specifically celebrated with their survivors fully compensated since their bread winners died not just in combat but out of negligence of those in authority.
– An unreserved apology is tendered by the immediate past President and his service chiefs to the people of Borno State, especially those lost relations and also to Governor Kashim Shettima for all the humiliation he was made to suffer for telling the truth about capacity of the military at that time.

Amaechi - I asked God to protect me by making Jonathan lose

Former Gov. Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers said on Monday in Abuja that the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in this year’s general elections was engineered by God.

Mr. Amaechi said this at a reception organised for him by the Committee of Friends at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

He said God engineered the victory by giving the APC a good and credible presidential candidate, which enabled the party to win the last election.

He thanked all members of the party for working hard during the campaign, saying the victory was for all party members.

“Gov. Amaechi did not contribute more than you did. We all worked together; in fact, it will be unfair for us to claim the glory.

“This is because I believe that the victory of APC was engineered by God.

“And I saw it coming and told my friends that we would win. People thought I was a political mathematician.

“The more I prayed, the more God gave me the confidence that we would win.

“One of my prayer points was `God, do not tell me You will protect me after we lose; protect me now by making sure that we win’; and we won.”

Mr. Amaechi, however, stressed that APC must deliver, as the citizens would hold it accountable in 2019.

“We will not disappoint Nigerians. We believe APC governors are progressives and therefore, they cannot afford not to deliver.”

The former governor said that the struggle had been quite challenging since he joined APC, adding that the state’s allocation from the Federation Account had reduced grossly.

“From 2013, we were receiving N6 billion; by the time I left office, our wage bill monthly was N9.2 billion.’’

Mr. Amaechi recalled that when the state was receiving about N20 billion monthly, he employed more teachers for the university, college of education, polytechnics as well as secondary and primary schools.

He said that the increased wage bill of N9.2 billion was because more people were employed in the state.

“The fuel subsidy was N300 billion under former President Olusegun Obasanjo and it remained the same under President Umaru Yar’Adua.

“Within six months under President Goodluck Jonathan, the fuel subsidy rose from N300 billion to N1.9 trillion.

“Yet, Jonathan wanted more money for fuel subsidy.

“This prompted the trouble between me and the Jonathan administration,” he said.

Mr. Amaechi thanked the organisers for the reception in his honour.

The National Chairman of the APC, John Oyegun, said Mr. Amaechi had the ability to struggle, fight and win power, describing him as “hyper-active”.

“Amaechi brought passion and energy into APC and he was aware of the risks of failure. The man we are celebrating today deserves honour,” Mr. Oyegun said.

Gov. Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State and Chairman of the occasion, said Mr. Amaechi had transformed Rivers within the seven years he governed the state.

“I know this because I have visited Rivers many times and have seen the work he did.

“The primary schools in the state are better than some state universities.

“He also transformed the roads, health sector and created jobs, among other things.

“All these feats make him a transformative leader,” Mr. El-Rufai said.

The governor said that Mr. Amaechi was constantly strategising for the party, making him an arrowhead in the lead-up to the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states.

Mr. El-Rufai said the former Rivers governor particularly contributed to efforts to increase the collection of the Permanent Voter Cards from 50 per cent to 90 per cent nationally, shortly before the general elections.

He said that Mr. Amaechi was worthy of being celebrated because he displayed courage in everything he did and cared about humanity.

“He has no regard for ethnic affiliation; he has no regard for religious affiliation.

“He is a devout Catholic who believes that every human being is entitled to his or her religious beliefs.

“What matters most to Amaechi are fairness, equity and justice and I am happy to call him my friend,’’ Mr. El-Rufa’i said.

(NAN)

Amaechi - Jonathan raised fuel subsidy from N300bn to N1.9trn

Former Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, has accused former President Goodluck Jonathan of increasing the country’s subsidy claim from N300 billion to N1.9trillion all by himself during his administration.

He said:

“The fuel subsidy was N300 billion under former President Olusegun Obasanjo and it remained the same under late President Yar’Adua. Within 6 months under President Jonathan, the fuel subsidy rose from N300 billion to N1.9 trillion. Yet, Jonathan wanted more money for fuel subsidy.
“Is it that the country now doubled its population or bought more machines or started manufacturing? As chairman of Governors Forum, I was in a position to get my share of the N1.9 trillion but I chose the part of honesty and truth, you cannot catch me being dishonest.
“There was a time I walked into a meeting with the president (Goodluck Jonathan) and at the meeting, the argument was that they wanted more money for oil subsidy. As the chairman of Governors Forum, I stood my ground and told the president I was not going to support that.
“He asked me why and I explained that we were already in court on the issue of fuel subsidy. The president abused the hell out of my life. I have huge respect for the president, but the only thing that made me disagree with him was on the issue of the management of the country’s treasury.


In regards to anti-South South allegation, he said:

“I told the president then that those who were accusing me of being anti South South will come out and tell the world the development that has happened to the South South under his presidency. The president confirmed it himself during the campaign that he has done nothing, he said: “I know I’ve done nothing but if you vote for me, I’ll do…” so I call him I’ll do president.
“This prompted the trouble between me and the Jonathan administration.”

Recalling his face-off with Jonathan, he stated that the genesis of their differences dated back when the former president reduced the allocation due to Rivers State from N20 billion to paltry N6 billion, adding that he never worked against the South South zone.

He alleged that the current government of his state under Governor Nyesom Wike was working against him being appointed a Minister on the grounds that he would determine the course of the state politics.
He said:

“Some people will say I betrayed the South South, I have no word for betrayal. May God not give me the ambition the current governor of Rivers State has, he can sell anybody. God should rather put me to death than to have an ambition to sell this country.
“The current governor of Rivers State and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP are afraid of me getting appointment at the national level, because that will determine the politics of Rivers State. They know that the current president abhors corruption and the only way to stop me from getting appointment is to paint that picture of corruption.




Vanguard

Probe Threat: Pres. Buhari Begs obasanjo

Nigeria's President, Muhammadu Buhari’s threats to probe governance affairs of his predecessors has tumbled into a boomeranging breadth, prompting the General to personally send a plea with apologies to the former President and one of the targets of his proposed probe, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, International Guardian reliably gathered. “I didn’t personally know what was said or written, but to my understanding, PMB was only trying to diffuse rumors in the media about Obasanjo being a target of his probe,” a source close to Buhari’s administration explained in a text message.
Chief Obasanjo was already gathering a dossier which included documents linking President Buhari and key allies and colleagues in his administration to major fraud related to various affairs of the government, when he received President Buhari’s “es·prit de corps” plea for a common understanding and restraint. To further appease the aged former leader, President Buhari quickly announced a retraction of his threats, announcing publicly that he would not extend his corruption probe beyond the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Theguardian

Buhari Taking Credit For Jonathan’s Achievements - Linus Okorie

A member of the House of Representatives, Linus Okorie, has flayed President Muhammadu Buhari for failure to acknowledge former President Goodluck Jonathan’s legacies and achievements while in office.

Okorie who represents Ohaozara/Onicha/Ivo Federal Constituency in Ebonyi State, said he was worried by Buhari’s pattern of appropriating achievements of the immediate past administration and called on him to acknowledge the contributions of former President Goodluck Jonathan to nation building.

Okorie also asked President Buhari to take note of the natural law that “what goes around comes around”, adding that if Buhari cannot be fair to his predecessor, he should expect the same treatment when he leaves office.

He cited examples of projects that were either completed or close to completion before ex-President Jonathan’s exit, noting that it is unfair and unjust for the Buhari administration to take credit for the achievements without acknowledging the role of the initiator and executor.

“Just like the opposition that must be constructive in criticising the government in power, the sitting government owes its predecessor, itself and the wider Nigerian public the moral and social duty of acknowledging the positive accomplishments of their predecessors,” Okorie insisted.

He enumerated some of former President Jonathan’s feats currently being credited to Mr. Buhari such as President Buhari’s acceptance in his recent visit to the United States of America that the U.S. denied Nigeria arms, technology and personnel to fight Boko Haram, which the ex-President had noted but was lampooned by Mr. Buhari’s political party, the APC.

Okorie also cited the recent launch of Kano-Port Harcourt intercity mixed rail service without acknowledging the Jonathan administration that reactivated the railway; the Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna refineries reactivation now refining up to 200,000 barrels of crude oil per day after successful turnaround maintenance initiated and completed by President Jonathan’s government.

Okorie also lamented that President Buhari has been all over the media celebrating Nigeria’s one year polio-free anniversary without any reference to President Jonathan and his policy team that achieved the feat.

“The Jonathan administration introduced cutting edge anti-corruption technology based Public Finance management tools including IPPIS, GIFMIS and TSA, which the present government is now laying claim to for ghost workers elimination and funds accountability and transparency monitoring, without giving credit appropriately.

“The Federal Capital Territory Authority (FCTA) has also announced that the Abuja rail project, conceived and implemented by the Jonathan administration is 67 per cent completed. This credit should also be formally attributed to the past government.

“I hold the view that the Buhari administration should imbibe the necessary humility and courage to give credit as necessary even as it continues to put the out-gone government to task in established areas of weakness or malfeasance. That is leadership. I also appeal to the media as social engineers to also encourage the Presidency in this onerous responsibility. We owe posterity that much,” Okorie said.

- Via Premium Times

Obasanjo: Jonathan Paid People To Attack Me

Barely one week, after he defended his choice of successor in 2007, former President Olusegun Obasanjo has pointedly accused former President Goodluck Jonathan of paying people to attack him.

Obasanjo, who also reflected on the despotic regime of the late maximum ruler, General Sani Abacha, stated that he would have been killed wrongly for the fathom coup.

Speaking on Channels Television programme, Channel Book Club last night, Obasanjo alleged that Jonathan paid people to attack him over his controversial book, “ My Watch”.

He claimed that Jonathan paid an activist from the South-West to criticise him.

While defending his book, Obasanjo said he did not have any regret on what he wrote, advising those who do not like what he said in the book to also write theirs, “so let the dialogue begin”.

On the criticism, trailing his book, Obasanjo said: “ If I have to react to all criticisms people write about me, which most of them are not true, then, I will not have time to do anything really again

He stated that what his critics, including Wole Soyinka, said did not bother him.

“Wole Soyinka and I have been having running battle. As he has said that it will not end until one of us leaves this world and I have said in this book we re talking about that If he leaves before me, when I get to Heaven and I hope he will be there, he should welcome me. But If I leave before him, I wiil welcome him.

“Wole Soyinka is a gifted man, I have always acknowledged that, but he is a bad politician or poltiical analyst and it is my own point of view, he may agree with my own point of view or disagree,” he said.

Sunnews

Former Commonwealth Secretary, Anyaoku, Begs President Buhari Not To Probe Ex-President Jonathan

Ex-president jonathan has sent the former Common Wealth Secretary, Gen. Emeka Anyaoku to beg Pres. Buhari not to probe his administration.

Report has it that Mr. Jonathan moved quickly to send powerful intercessors to the Presidency after the Buhari administration began to question massive last-minute withdrawals and disappearance of more than $20 billion in government funds orchestrated by former President Jonathan as well as his closest ministers and aides.

It was revealed that Mr. Anyaoku, the former Commonwealth chief executive urged the new president to remember that Mr. Jonathan voluntarily decided not to contest the results of the March 28, 2015 presidential election, won by Mr. Buhari, on the understanding that he and his administration would not be subjected to a probe.

One source at the Presidency revealed that Mr. Buhari was not receptive to Mr. Anyaoku’s pleas. According to the source, the president told the former Commonwealth chief executive that the massive theft of funds by officials of the previous administration had robbed him of funds to start meeting his promises to the Nigerian people. “The president’s concern is for everybody who stole funds, including the former president, to disclose their willingness to return their loot to the Nigerian people,” the source added.

Saharareports