2017 Appropriation bill will be passed into law on May 11 - Saraki

During the plenary on Tuesday, May 9, the Senate president Bukola Saraki revealed that the 2017 Appropriation budget would be passed into law in two days time, May 11, 2017.

Senator Saraki said this following the submission of the 2017 Appropriation bill to the house by the senate's committee on Appropriation.

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Saraki and El-Rufai went behind me to kill my Vice-President's ambition - Tinubu

In the book titled: “Against the Run of Play,” that is yet to be launched, written by Olusegun Adeniyi, who is the Editorial Board Chairman of ThisDay, the Former Lagos State Governor and the current National Leader of the ruling party All Progressives Congress (APC), Ahmed Bola Tinubu, claimed that Senate President Bukola Saraki and the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai, convinced President Muhammadu Buhari of not picking as his running mate in the last presidential election held in 2015.

Tinubu said that Saraki and El-Rufai with some other political figures who decamped to APC few months before the elections, went against the design of the ruling party to make him the running mate of the president.

According to the Party leader, the politicians maintained that running with President Buhari would produce a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket and that could cost the party victory during the elections.

Tinubu said: “What they did behind my back was wrong. We always do things as a group. By the time they joined, we were already too far ahead in our processes but we accommodated them.

“We agreed to take their state structures and subsume them into the part and they all had their opportunity to nominate the candidates of their choices for different political offices. But they went behind to instigate Buhari and some other people in the party against me on the pretext of religion.

“That was not right. They were canvassing arguments that the Christians in the North would not vote for a Muslim-Muslim ticket.

Nasir el-Rufai was also selling the same argument within the CPC (the defunct Congress for Progressive Change) because at that point, he still wanted to have Pastor Bakare brought in as Buhari’s running mate.”

Tinubu futher said that President Buhari later asked him to suggest three persons for the Vice President's ticket but he presented only Prof Yemi Osinbajo as his final choice. “I backed down because I did not want to be depicted as causing a problem. I backed away from the position in order to offer Buhari a name I once raised with him in 2011: that of Professor Yemi Osibanjo".

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2017 National Budget Missing - Senate blames Police for disappearance.

The Upper Chamber in the House of Assembly, Senate, had on Wednesday, April 26, 2017 announced that the National 2017 budget is missing and accused the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) of stealing the documents which was needed to pass the 2017 budget.

The allegations made against the Force followed a presentation made by Senator Danjuma Goje, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, linking it to the invasion of his home last week, by operatives of the NPF.

Goje accused the policemen of taking N18 million, $19,000 and 4,000 Saudi Riyadh from his home.

Goje alleged: “In addition, they also took my laptop and to make matters worse they took 18 files from my office. I am so traumatized now and I don’t know which files is missing, which files is available now.

"Some of these files have to do with the work I am doing.

“Like I told you, we are holding a meeting on the budget that last Thursday that they came. So from Thursday to now we have not been able to meet because some of the papers are not around, many of us are traumatised, my house as a politician is a beehives of activities; people are coming from all over the country to sympathise with me.

"I have no time to sit and from today we are trying to start sitting again as appropriation committee to see what we can do with the budget.”

He continued: “I want to apologise to my colleagues that we could not keep to the timetable you gave us to lay the budget yesterday (Tuesday) and to get it passed (Wednesday); and I think it is not our own fault, it is the fault of the police because the police interfered with the whole of the budget process and I hope Nigerians will not turn out to blackmail the national assembly because the process were truncated by the police.”

After the accusation, the Senate ordered the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, to return those documents as soon as possible and the computer which was seized from the official home of Senator Goje.

In addition, the Senate also directed the authority to tender a public apology to the Legislative Arm of the government.

Senate President Bukola Saraki disclosed that the NPF had informed the Senate Committee on Police Affairs that the operation carried out on Senator's Goje’s house was based on a false information from a whistle blower.

He said Upper Chamber would not give in to any excuse and maintained that an immediate official explanation on the operation must be presented to the House.

The Senate President said: “This matter is very serious, just as Senator Goje has said. It is now over five days with no statement or comments from the Police to tell us why this raid was done or to tell us where these files which are very important to the appropriation process.

“Sadly, I must tell you informally that the chairman of the Police Committee told me this morning (yesterday) that the Police are saying that it has something to do with a whistle blower. If it has to do with a whistle blower, then the whistle blower misled them.

“If a whistle-blower misled them, I think that this matter that has come out publicly like this to embarrass a Senator should be well handled. I think the Police, like in a civilised society, needs to come out and accept responsibility.

“If somebody has given you any wrong information, tell the public what you are doing with that person and if it is an intelligence officer that got the house wrong, come out and tell us. For five days now, nothing. I think it is unfortunately.

“I also got an information that the House of Representatives has also set up an adhoc committee on this matter and this committee that is set up should work closely with the House, particularly to ascertain the circumstances surrounding why they went to Senator Goje’s house.

“If truly it was a whistle blower and he gave them wrong information which is what the IG is telling them, what are they doing about that wrong information? Have they come out to make a public apology for this wrong raid?

“These are issues that the committee would look into and the files that are still in Police custody which Goje has told us is affecting the works before us, also needs to be brought publicly and formally to him because it was taken publicly.”

The Senate immediately announced the establishment of an adhoc committee to commence instant investigation into the NPF operation and also to probe the alleged assassination attempt of Senator Dino Melaye.

The adhoc committee will be chaired by Senator Jibril Barau (APC, Kano State), members includes David Umoru (APC, Niger State), Senators Isa Misau (APC, Bauchi State), Chukwuka Utazi (PDP, Enugu).

After IGP, Ibrahim Idris, privately met with the Senator Saraki, reportedly tendered an unofficial apology over the invasion.

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I was suspended because I want them to do the right thing - Suspended Senator Ndume

*Senator Ndume claims he was suspended for trying to make the Nigerian Senate do the right thing.

Senator Ali Ndume

The suspended senator, Ali Ndume, who represents Borno South, has swore not to apologise to the senate president, Bukola Saraki so as to lift the suspension.

According to Premium Times, Senator Ndume told his supporters and well wishers in his constituency on Saturday, April 15, 2017 that he was suspended by his fellow Senator due to the fact that he wanted them to do right thing.

Ndume said his suspension was actually not only grounded on his colleagues' probe but some other occurences which he threw more light on.

At the get together in the Palace of tye Emir of Biu, the Senate leader said he never regretted what he did and that his people would not have received him well if it had been based on corruption or abuse of power or office.

Ndume said: “Your Royal Highness, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, it took us hours to squeeze through the crowd of supporters to get to this place. And this gives me the greatest joy because my people still appreciate me.

“I will not remain a Senator for the rest of my life; but for the time I serve as the representative of my people, I shall continue to do and tell the truth. I know if I had erred, I would not have been received here. But I enjoy the support of my people because they know my suspension was because I spoke the truth.

“I know those that suspended me are going now regretting their actions because of the massive protest that trailed my illegal suspension. After seeing the support that I enjoy from Nigerians, the same people that suspended me came to say I should tender an apology so that my suspension could be lifted. But I said no to that because I did not commit any offence in the first place.

“They later came to say the Senate President, Senator Melaye and I should go and reconcile our difference; and I told them that I had no issue with either of them, so there is nothing to reconcile – as far as I am concerned we have a good working relationship.

“But I thank the Governor of Borno State, and Your Royal Highness, the Emir of Biu, and all those that sent emissaries in seeking to ensure that this issue is resolved. We are still talking, but I know I had not committed any offence.”

“My religion enjoins me to always stand on the path of truth even if I turn around and found that everyone has deserted me.

“Firstly, I know my trouble with them started because of my support for the policies and ideals of President Muhammadu Buhari. Secondly, when Ibrahim Magu’s name was brought to the Senate as nominee for the Chairmanship of EFCC, some group in the senate insisted that he would not be cleared. And in my position as the then Senate Majority leader, it was incumbent upon me to support any nominee sent in by the Executive. Besides that, the same nominee is from my state, Borno; besides, he had committed no offence to be denied the senate clearance.

“Above all, the majority of Nigerians loved him because he is doing the job well even as an acting chairman of EFCC.

“Thirdly, when he was brought in for screening and it was not successful, I took courage to tell them that they were acting out of the Senate order.

“And lastly, my position on the allegation levelled on the Senate President as well as the issue of Senator Dino’s certificate by a news medium was the final straw they needed to break the camel’s back.

“But Your Royal Highness, it is incumbent upon we the Senators, under Order 14-15 that if there is any issue or development or any action that tends to rubbish the integrity of the Senate, we stand up to ensure that we defend the name of the Senate. All I asked for was to investigate an allegation published in a news medium against two of our colleagues.

“The President of the Senate has all the powers to rule me out of order if he felt that the issues I raised were not welcomed on the floor of the Senate. But because they had always wanted to crucify me, they seized the moment to unleash their built-up angst against me. So, they gave a dog to hang me. And they did that when majority of the senators were not on seat.

“I thank God this turned out good to me, because it made me know how much love I enjoy from Nigerians.”

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Saraki opens up on Senate vs Presidency crisis, Ali Ndume's suspension and his CCT Trial

The Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has commented on the speculations go round that he is not loyal to the president, Muhammadu Buhari and his government.

Senator Bukola Saraki

The Senate President, while speaking in an exclusive interview with DailyTrust, said he is certainly faithful to the President. He said, loyalty is not only when you have facial contact with the person or doing things for everybody to see, loyalty is what you do in the absence of that individual.

"The people who are saying that this Senate President is against President Buhari, I say to them, when President Buhari was away for two months and rumours were flying everywhere as to the real situation, President Buhari received many guests [in London] but who was the person who came out and said, ‘President Buhari is fine and is coming back home’? Tell me, who was it? Senate President. 

“Loyalty is not what people do in front of you. It is what they do behind your back. This propaganda is just to cause head-on collision and we know why they are doing it. When the time comes, we will tell you why they are doing it".

Talking about Ali Ndume’s suspension, Saraki stated that Ndume knew better that, calling him personally to confirm the authenticity of the allegations laid against him and Dino Melaye would have eliminated the rising of his suspension. It wouldn’t have reach that level.

Recall that the allegations were claims that Senator Dino Melaye was never a graduate of Ahmadu Bello University while that of Saraki was the importation of Range Rover SUV without paying the proper associated custom duty.

He said: "I don’t think so because the issue of the car, when it came up, the management issued a statement. When government appointees buy an official car, it is not their car. Government provides a car to you by virtue of your job. The National Assembly Management said no car was imported in Senator Saraki’s name, and Senator Ndume knew that.

“Even if you think that your colleague is not qualified, did he call him and say ‘Colleague, is it true that you don’t have a genuine certificate?’

“There are many ways of addressing these issues. Coming to the Senate floor escalated the whole issue. What the committee was saying was did you check this thing very well before you came to the floor and said your privilege was... So it is not that he gave me an opportunity to prove it because the management had already said that no car was brought in under my name, and Ndume knew it.

“He brought the issue to embarrass both myself and the institution. I am not an importer. I don’t agree with you that he gave us a chance to clear ourselves because we had already been cleared."

On whether he would pardon Ndume and remove the suspension bar, the Senate President said: "I wish I have all these powers. I am only the presiding officer. I was not the one who approved his suspension with a memo, like they do in the Executive Branch, so you cannot send another memo to me and say, ‘Please review it.’

“He was suspended at the Senate plenary, so all the senators must sit again and look at it. All I can say is that this Senate has a large heart. We used to have dissenting voices before but we are now back as one family.

“Sooner or later we may have a political solution somewhere and Ndume may be back in the fold. That’s another thing people are saying. That those senators that once opposed to you, you gave them juicy committee assignments and they are silent now".

According to Saraki, there are so many reasons to suggest that his current trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) is abnormal and politically motivated.

He said: "As I said from Day One, that case should never have gone to CCT. EFCC has no business taking a case to CCT. CCB is saying all these things; we don’t know anything about them.

“This is the first time that CCB will take anyone to court without first asking him to come and write a statement. This is the first time that EFCC will prosecute a case at CCT.

“So many things in that trial are abnormal. People who have been following that case already know that it has collapsed. So I have no fear about it and we will not put it on the table. Certainly we were not pleased by it, to see the head of one arm of government sent to a trial that is more political than anything else. That was what those senators were talking about. But for the last two years did it stop us from working? We are carrying on, doing our best in working for people’s welfare.

“So while senators are not happy, I don’t think we should misinterpret what they said. This trial cannot be the reason for any rift between the two arms of government.”

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Photos/Video: Supporters of Ali Ndume barricade National Assembly gate, demand the reversal of his suspension

Supporters and lovers of suspended senator, Ali Ndume, have taken to the street to stage a protest over the 6-months suspension placed on Ndume by the upper champer last week.

Recall that Ndume asked the senate to probe the allegations reported by Sahara reporter against Senator Dino Melaye and the Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

The senate decided to suspend Ndume for moving a motion for the investigation of Sahara Reporters claims that Senate President Bukola Saraki imported a Range Rover bulletproof SUV without paying the necessary Customs duty and also that Dino Melaye did not graduate from he Ahmadu Bello University ABU, without proper investigation from his end.

The senate committee on Ethics and Priviledges investigated the claims and found out that all the accusations were false.

His supporters are now calling for the senate to revert their decision by lifting the 6 months suspension placed on him.

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Ndume's supension: Gov. Kashim Shettima leads monarchs, politicians to Bukola Saraki to beg for forgiveness

Borno state governor, Kashim Shettima, led some traditional rulers and top politicians within the state to the residence of Senate President, Bukola Saraki, yester-night to beg for the senate to lift the six months ban placed on Seantor Ali Ndume this week.

The senate at its plenary held on Wednesday, March 29, suspended Ali Ndume for beckoning for an investigation in an accusation made by Sahara Reporters against senate President Bukola Saraki and Senator Dino Melaye. Sahara Reporters had accused Saraki of bringing in a Range Rover SUV into the country without paying the necessary customs duty while Dino was accused of forging his First degree certificate, that he was never a graduate.

The senate's committee on Ethics and Priviledges was directed to carry out a public hearing. The investigation by the committee revealed that the claims against Saraki and Dino were false. Based on their discovery, the senate decided to suspend Ndume for moving a motion against two of his colleagues without proper investigation from his end.

During the meeting with Saraki held in his Maitama, Abuja residence yesterday night, Shettima begged the senate to recall Ndume and cancels the suspension.

Responding to this appeal, Saraki assured the visitors that he would look into the matter and come up with what would be favourable to them.

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"Saraki Will Reduce Your Punishment If You Apologise" - Melaye to Ndume

Senator Dino Melaye, representing Kogi west senatorial district, has assured Senator Ali Ndume, who represents Borno south, that Senate President, Bukola Saraki will reduce his punishment if he apologize.

Ali Ndume

Recall that on thursday, the senate resolved to suspend Ndume for 6 months grounded on the recommendation of its Ethics and Privileges Committee.

The committee made the recommendation after Saraki and Melaye were cleared of allegations drawn against them.

The Borno South senator had earlier moved a motion for his colleagues to be investigated, arguing that the reputation of the senate should be protected and that the allegations levelled against them could tarnish the image of the house.

While Saraki was accused of abuse of privilege for harassing Col. Hameed Ali, Comptroller-General of Customs, because the commission seized a vehicle that belongs to him, Melaye was accused of forgery of his bachelors degree certificate from the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.

Both men refuted the allegations, Melaye was cleared by the Vice Chancellor of ABU, while Saraki denied the ownership of the vehicle.

Melaye said, while speaking on Friday, March 31, 2017, as a guest on a Channels TV's programme, Politics Today, Ndume was never a victim of witch-hunt.

Melaye said: “Senator Ndume is an experienced legislator, having been in the house of representatives for two terms, and this being his second term in the senate.

“I didn’t prophecy that he would be suspended, or did Bukola Saraki, who was wrongly accused. We are not the ones who make up the senate. Ndume should understand the workings of the National Assembly. The senate is made up of 109 members.

“So, the decision to suspend Ndume was not that of Saraki or myself, but the decision of the Nigerian senate after investigation by the relevant committees… We have a very responsible senate president, a very compassionate Nigerian who does not believe in witch-hunting.

“Already, there is a lot of pressure, and people are appealing to the person of Bukola Saraki, and I can say on good authority that if Saraki had presided over Ndume’s case, he may not have been suspended because the senate president is a compassionate character. 

"So, if Ndume shows remorse, apologise to the senate, the Bukola Saraki that I know will persuade members to either reduce his punishment or forgive him.”

Melaye further disagreed with people who said Ndume was not given a fair hearing.

He said: “The senate has the capacity to suspend any erring senator, but what we are saying here is very clear, due process was followed.

“Ali Ndume was given fair hearing. He appeared before the committee, he defended himself before the committee gave that recommendation, which was ratified by the entire senate.”

Melaye failed to answer questions surrounding his certificate controversy from LSE and Harvard University.

“Even a mechanic or a plumber who undergoes apprenticeship is given a certificate… he graduates from his training.

“Anyone who attends a particular institution and is given a certificate that he attended the programme, whether it is diploma, a degree or PhD, as long as you have been given a certificate, you are a graduate of that institution because you carry a certificate of that institution.

“I am not going to be distracted.

“What the lawyers and many others who have been insulting and assaulting the senate fail to understand is that they are not senators.

“They are not part of our decision making. They do not know the debates that led to resolutions and opinions of the senate.

“So, they can only blab from outside… Unfortunately, they cannot influence or destroy whatever we have done. If they want to understand how resolutions are reached or understand the workings of the senate, they would have to contest election and come into the senate. Some have been speaking from the point of ignorance," He added.

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BREAKING: Ex-SSS official who STOLE N310 million said to belonging to Saraki arrested by police

A former SSS official has been arrested for reportedly stealing N310 million allegedly belonging to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki

The Nigerian Police have apprehended Abdulrasheed Maigari, a 35-year-old former operative of the State Security Service, SSS, who was dismissed from the service due a robbery offence he commited. He was said to have robbed a bureau de change operator.

Maigari was apprehended in Abuja by anti-kidnap squad of the police in a surveillance operation, conducted between March 26 and 28.

Maigari, who hails from Taraba State, was arrested alongside 10 other suspected criminals for supposedly kidnapping a former General Manager of Peugeot Automobile Nigeria, Issa Salami.

In a statement released by the police spokesperson, Jimoh Moshood, the other suspects are identified as follows:

Kelvin Emeka, 28, from Owgu LGA in Enugu State;
Ndubusi Prince Ozor, 31, from Nsukwato LGA Abia State;
Sunday Travnor, 33, from Ovi LGA in Nasarawa State;
Zayor Alfred 23, from Obi LGA of Nasarawa State;
Avah Joseph, 25, from Ogbadibo LGA in Benue State;
Gabriel Friday, 33, from Ogbadibo LGA Benue State;
Rajab Baba Ishiaka, 22, from Wukari LGA Taraba State;
Ali Sani, 27, from Takum LGA Taraba State;
Nuhu Sule, 20, from Takum LGA Taraba State and
Mohammed Abubakar, 21, Mokwa LGA of Niger State.

The police noted that the suspected criminals were identified by their victims.

Moshood said: “They also confessed to the crime admitting to the various roles they played in the commission of various kidnappings, armed robberies and other violent crimes linked to them."

Recall that, reports said in December 2015, the SSS announced the arrest of its agents, that included Maigari, who was said to have robbed a bureau de change operator in Abuja of N310 million.

However, the service was silent on the identity of the owner.

Meanwhile, in another twist, Sahara Reporters later claimed the owner of the huge sum was the Senate President and gave details on how the Senate President allegedly employed the service of a money changer, Abubakar Dantani, to help transport the money to his abode.

But Maigari and his cohorts in the SSS allegedly robbed the van which was conveying the N310 million cash as it was about driving into Senator Saraki’s residence in Abuja.

However, the Senate President denied ownership of the fund at the period.

According to the police, the robbery case was still pending in court, but Abdulrasheed Maigari was granted bail.

He reportedly moved to another gang that had been terrorising the residents of Abuja metropolis in the last few months before his arrest this week in connection with Salami’s abduction.

The following arms and ammunition were retrieved from the suspects: two pistols, three AK 47 magazines, One AK 47 rifle, ninety rounds of 7.62mm live ammunition, fourteen rounds of 9mm live ammunition.

2 bedroom apartments used by the suspects at various locations in Suleija, a next door town to Abuja, were also recovered and would be use as exhibit, according to the police.

Moshood stated that Maigari and his cohorts will be charged to court after the completion of investigation.

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Why Buhari wants Magu as EFCC chairman - Hon Nwuke

Honorable Ogbonna Nwuke has voiced out his own opinion about the ongoing silent war between the executives and the legislative arm.

Ibrahim Magu

He said there is something about Ibrahim Magu that is very special, which is still making President Muhammadu Buhari keep him as the head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Recall that the Senate rejected confirmation of Magu as chairman of the EFCC and also in a dramatic style, hanged the screening of 27 REC members due his continuation as acting chairman.

Honorable Nwuke also stated that the Senate president, Bukola Saraki was under investigation for corrupt practices at a time when he should be working with the president for the growth of the country.

Nwuke said: “The face off between the Presidency and the Senate is rather unfortunate. Unfortunate in the sense that the reaction of the Senate whose president is under investigation for alleged corrupt practices sends wrong signals at a time that the entire country wants the corruption war prosecuted to a logical conclusion.

“There must be a strong reason why the Presidency believes Magu is the right man for the job but those strong reasons which support Magu’s choice, in my opinion, are responsible for the stiff opposition to his confirmation by a section of the Senate.

“If the Presidency is still insisting on Magu, it is possible that there may be new facts, new information that may not have been available to the Senate at the time of the screening. Somehow, the Senate President is expected to meet with President Buhari over some issues, including Magu’s.

“My expectation is that the two leaders may well use the opportunity to address areas of growing differences between the Senate and the Presidency, at least to guarantee synergy and understanding.

“I think that we all must work towards the realisation of the goals of state; ensure that core policy perspectives which define the mission of the administration and the APC are effectively pursued.

“Of course, there is the doctrine of the separation of powers. So the Senate may not be totally out of place in taking certain steps.

“But Saraki is supposed to appreciate the position of Buhari’s government having been on the campaign trail with the president.

“We saw Speaker Ryan in the United States tow a path of responsible politicking. As Speaker, he had an unusual health bill to market in place of Obamacare. He stood by the Republican party which had promised to kill Obamacare and stood by the President of the United States even when votes required were not sufficient to upturn Obamacare. Saraki should really take a cue from here and help Nigeria at a time of great need.”

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Ali Ndume who moved a motion for probe of Saraki and Dino, has been suspended for 6 months

Senator Ali Ndume

The former senate leader, Ali Ndume who moved a motion for the probe of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Senator Dino Melaye, has been suspended for six months.

Ndume moved the motion for the senate to investigate Sahara Reporters claim, which alleged that Dino Melaye forged his certificate and was never a graduate of Ahmadu Bello University, ABU, and that the Senate President Bukola Saraki purchased a Range Rover Bulletproof SUV without paying the necessary Customs duty.

Ali Ndume's suspension was announced today, March 29, 2017 at the plenary, after recommendations by the senate's committee on Ethics and Priviledges.

In its report, the committee stated that Ndume failed to conduct a proper investigation before reacting to the accusation. The members of the committee had earlier recommended that Ndume should be suspended for 191 days, which should start from today but the senators later reduced the suspension to 6 months, beginning from today March 29, 2017.

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EFCC indicts Saraki and his assistance in N19bn Paris Club scam

Senato Bukola Saraki

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) allegedly submitted a report to President Muhammadu Buhari, linking the Senate President Bukola Saraki and some of his assistants to the diversion of about N19bn from the N522bn Paris Club refund.

According to the Punch, the report also accused one Robert Mbonu of Melrose General Services Limited, an ex-Managing Director of the commercial bank owned by the Saraki’s family, Societe Generale Bank of Nigeria.

The report also stated that the Nigeria Governors Forum and Kathleen Erhimu, who is the relationship manager in Access Bank is also under investigation.

Also under investigation are Saraki’s aides Gbenga Makanjuola, Kolawole Shittu, Obiora Amobi and Oladapo Idowu.

The report claims that on an occasion in December, Saraki introduced the former bank MD, Mbonu, to Erhimu where his abovementioned aides were also present.

After the gathering, N3.5bn was lodged in a domiciled account belonging to Melrose General Services Company (account number 0005892453) in Access Bank from the Nigeria Governors Forum on December 14, 2016.

According to the report, two of Saraki’s aides, Obiora Amobi and Gbenga Makanjuola, were familiarized to Access Bank as agents of Melrose General Services Limited by Mbonu to enable them to make cash withdrawals from the account.

The withdrawals made from this account by Amobi and Makanjuola ranges from N5m to N10m.

Part of the report reads: “Based on the foregoing findings, it is clear that Robert Mbonu, the Managing Director of Melrose General Services Company and his company were used to help divert proceeds of unlawful activities under the guise of payment for contractual obligations with the Nigeria Governors Forum.

“Suffice to apprise that all payments received by Melrose General Services Company from the NGF have hitherto been diverted directly via cash withdrawals and indirectly through transfers by Gbenga Peter Makanjuola, Kolawole Shittu and Oladapo Joseph Idowu, who are principal aides to the Senate President.

“Furthermore, other payments from Melrose General Services Company have also been linked to companies that Dr. Bukola Saraki has interest in and carries out transactions with.

“This includes the sum of $183,000, which was transferred to Bhaska Devji Jewellers, Dubai, a company Dr. Bukola Saraki had repeatedly made payments to.

“Also, the sum of N200m was transferred to Wasp Networks Limited that subsequently transferred the sum of N170m to Xtract Energy Services Limited, a company that routinely made deposits into Dr. Saraki’s Access Bank US Dollar Domiciliary account.”

It then concluded that an evidence of conspiracy to retain the ensues of unlawful activities and money laundering, contrary to sections 15(3) and 18(9) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2004, could be established against the above-mentioned suspects.

Yusuph Olaniyonu, who is Special adviser to Saraki on media and publicity, said he would not act in response except he saw the report.

“Send the report to me and I will be able to read it and contact the necessary people. If I don’t see the report, I cannot react to it in abstract. Send me the report if you want our reaction,” Yusuph said.

The EFCC spokesperson Wilson Uwujaren confirmed that probes were ongoing into the Paris Club scam but said he did not know the details of the investigation.

He said: “I can only confirm that there are investigations but I don’t have details.”

Recall that the EFCC had initially refuted the claim of indicting Saraki, saying the issue was still under investigation.

EFCC said in a statement released on Monday, February 13, 2017, that not only was the story against Saraki and the governors fallacious, also allegations that officials of the agency were trying to cover up the indictments were false.

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BREAKING: Senate commenced investigations on Melaye’s alleged certificate scandal

The Nigerian Senate has launched investigation into whether the current Senate President, Senator President Bukola Saraki and Senator Dino Melaye have abused their constitutional rights as lawmakers in the Upper House of assembly.

Even though, Senate is still investigating Saraki over reports that he allegedly used his office to seek reprisal against Nigeria Customs Service boss, Col. Hameed Ali, another launch of investigation has commenced over claims that Melaye may have produced a counterfeit certificate which used to run for the legislative seat.

Read also: Senator Dino Melaye failed in the university

The Senate came together and decided to probe Saraki and Melaye following a motion sponsored by Senator Ali Ndume representing Borno South bidding that the allegations against the two lawmakers should be probed to ensure that there was no abuse of parliamentary privileges by them.

Ndume said that the allegations against Hammed Ali not putting on his proper uniform by the Senate, resulted from an issue that brewed up between Saraki and Ali.

Ali reportedly seized a bullet-proof Range Rover that belonged to the Senate President because it lacks the necessary proper papers.

Ndume said the allegations against the Customs Boss needs to be looked into, before the upper Chamber can move on with probing Ali over the debatable issue of collecting Customs duties on old vehicles.

Read also: Senator Dino Melaye failed in the university

On another note, Ndume also suggested that the allegations that Melaye did not really graduate from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) in Zaria as claimed in his CV has to be looked into to ensure the whole Nigeria knows the truth.

The Senate Committee on Ethics and Privileges has commenced investigation on the two issues and will report back to the assembly in two weeks.

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Nigerians are hungry, the cost of living is high - NLC, TUC

The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) on Thursday took over the National Assembly Complex, Abuja with a protest over

the depreciating standard of living in the country.

The delay in the upward review of minimum wage and the appalling cost of items in the country led to the protest, according to the current NLC Chairman, Mr Ayuba Wabba. He also said that Nigerian worker are the main victims of corruption and bad governance.

He said,“We are here to demand for good governance and express our support in the fight against corruption.

“More importantly, we demand for respect for rule of law, greater accountability and transparency in governance."

“Today the dollar rate is N500 to one dollar and the salaries of Nigerian workers have remained the same.

“Therefore, we are here to urge the National Assembly to play an important role to ensure that life is made better for Nigerians.

“We cannot succeed if the fight against corruption does not succeed.

“We appreciate the efforts by the National Assembly to ensure financial autonomy for the local governments and this must be sustained because money meant for the local governments does not get there.’’

Mr. Ayuba went further to express his concern that despite bailout funds to states for worker's salary, they have not been paid, “the living condition of workers have not been improved because many are not paid’’.

He also talked about the agonies the pensioners in the country are facing, some were owed up to 77 months and called on the National Assembly to work with other arms of government to settle them.

Bobboi Kaigama, the TUC President, also contributed by saying that the inflation rate in the country was growing astronomically.

Kaigama said that it was time for governments at all tiers to go back to the drawing board to retore the country’s economy back to glory.

Kaigama said, "Whatever it takes, we must review the structure of our economy.

“If we must have to kill corruption, the laws have to come from the National Assembly.

“Nigerians are hungry, the cost of living is high, no houses, no light and factories have gone comatose."

Responding to their expression, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, said, "we need to sit down and work out how to make necessary adjustments".

“It can’t continue this way, the exchange rate is high, cost of things in the market have gone high but only the workers’ salaries remain the same.

“By the next time we will meet, I will tell you what the National Assembly has done to improve the living condition of Nigerians,’’ Saraki said.

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