News
Fraud Allegation Hits TAN
The Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), a group passionately campaigning for a second term for President Goodluck Jonathan, has been hit by allegation of fraud, with some members of the group accusing it of staging a crowd in support of the president and refusing to pay them as agreed.
TAN has conducted regional rallies in support of Jonathan since August, with the last of its six conventions held in Kano, for the North West, which comprises Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, and Kaduna states.
The Kano event held September 27, like the previous five regional rallies, was attended by senior officials of the Federal Government, and thousands of supporters.
Much of the crowd at the event was rented, some aggrieved members of the group have told our correspondent.
The politicians, who are members of the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), in Kano State, and were drafted to be part of the TAN rally, narrated how they were asked to rent a crowd for the president for an agreed fee, only to be left stranded without money to compensate hundreds of youth and women hired for the rally.
The matter is threatening to tear the support organization apart with the aggrieved members gearing to seek redress and expose the sham they claim was on parade at the events.
The aggrieved agents now have a pile of debt to settle and some of them, who spoke with our correspondent, say they do not know who to talk to about the money they spent in bringing in supporters.
One of the agents, Ibrahim Lawan, who claimed to be the secretary of the PDP Youth Awareness Initiative, Kano, told our correspondent that he was instructed to bring in 500 youth and women and to hire buses that will transport them to the venue of the rally in Kano city.
The arrangement, according to Lawan, was that each participant would be paid N500 on arrival, and N2, 000 for each bus. Those contracted to rent the crowd hired, at least, 50 busloads of supporters, he said.
The story changed once they arrived at the venue, Lawan told our correspondent.
“But to my utmost surprise and confusion, as we entered the venue, we tried to locate the organizers but we could not see them. When I called them, they said I should be patient as they would settle everything after the event. But almost immediately, we realized that the whole thing is a scam because nobody was talking to us again,” Lawan said.
He said they were left to source money and settle some of the youth who became restive and attacked them and their personal vehicles, and seized their belongings, including phones.
“This left us in rancour with over 600 angry youth who went wild due to frustration of spending lots of hours, no food or water, and also no available transportation back to their various destinations,” he said.
Lawan said he managed to escape while two of his guards were injured in the fray that followed.
Students in the state, who were also asked to put up a showing at the event, were treated the same way, he said.
Another agent, Bello Dan Alkarya, also told ou correspondent that he was asked to bring in women and youth to the venue and would be given N500 for each of them.
Alkarya said he did, but unlike Lawan, he was short-changed as only N300 was paid for each person transported to the rally venue.
Our investigation revealed that TAN has no official representation in Kano.
Our correspondent, who made findings in Kano, was told the group has only two resource persons who are responsible for the entire North West.
One of the officials, who agreed to speak, but on the condition his identity be protected, said he had received several complaints of people short-changed by the group after the event.
“I simply told them I am not an insider on the activities of TAN because I don’t know much about them. We are only two of us in the whole of North West region, and we don’t have any office. The only way I get to them is when they call me, I don’t know anything about them,” he said.
“In fact, the only person who holds everything is the owner of the group, Ifeanyi Uba. He is the one who directed one Jibrin to make sure that they get some people to bring in women and youth. Now, you can see that there is a problem in the whole thing,” the man said.
TAN’s Director of Communication and Strategy, Udenta Udenta, told our correspondent in a telephone interview last Saturday that the association was not aware of the issue, and could not have been involved in such an arrangement.
“Kano rally was our last rally. The response of Nigerians to our objective and rallies was spontaneous and they are full of passion and conviction. From the South East rally to the North West, that has been the trend.
“However, stakeholders, including those contesting elections, can mobilize people to come to the rallies. It is not like TAN is doing the entire mobilization. It is like a market place. TAN only set up a platform to accommodate various interests. Therefore, whoever made the accusation (you are talking about) should be clear on it; he should state clearly who is responsible, when the agreement was reached, date and if not, such a story should be dismissed,” Udenta said.
Lawan said he and others affected have decided to reach out to the media, the PDP leadership and the police.
“Till now, those in charge of the mobilisation and payment of transport fares and feeding stipends are nowhere to be found or contacted,” he said.
“It’s indeed a pity to see how things are being organised by TAN North West (Kano). Please, PDP, GDG and TAN members, come to my aid, I am currently under pressure and threatened by angry PDP youth to pay them their stipends,” Lawan lamented.
TAN has been at the centre of controversy before.
During its earlier rallies, the group staged the events at the peak of the Ebola outbreak in Nigeria, defying complaints and warnings from Nigerians about the possibility of helping to spread the deadly virus.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has lamented that there is a fierce fight over the soul of the State to destroy it but noted that only the well-meaning persons who are standing firmly with him can wield the force of unity to save it.
Governor Fubara made the remark at the country home of Sir Celestine Omehia in Ubima community, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State on Saturday.
The Governor, accompanied by some elders of the State, was in Ubima to commiserate with Sir Omehia, who had just laid his late mother, Mrs Ezinne Cecilia Omehia, to rest after 95 years.
Governor Fubara said the visit was to demonstrate love and show support to Sir Omehia who, as a son, had satisfactorily performed the duty of giving his mother a befitting burial.
He said, “I have come here with a few of us; very respected elders of the State, to come and support you and say to you that ‘we sorrow with you’.
”The most important thing is to show our concern and love. Any human being that shows enmity to death, that person is not even normal.
”We also rejoice with you for a life lived well to fulfillment by Mama. We wish Mama safe journey. Let her stay well where she has gone.”
Governor Fubara told the elders of the need for every true lover of the State to synergise and be resolute in the fight to safeguard the soul of Rivers State.
The Governor decried the evil of politics of bitterness and the telling danger it has on the progress of the State, which according to him, should be discouraged as a bad political culture in contemporary times.
Governor Fubara said: “Anybody who claims to love this State should not be party to anything, directly or indirectly, that will bring us backwards. We will continue to support every course that will advance the interest of our dear Rivers State.
”And I am happy to say, and I’ve said it over and again, it doesn’t matter the number of people that are standing with me, I will stand on that side of truth.”
The Governor emphasised: “I will not, I repeat, I will not govern our dear State on my knees (bending). If that was the purpose, I will not do that. I will stand to govern our dear State and stand continually on the side of right.
”But politics of bitterness will not take us anywhere. So, I want to thank you that, at this stage, we have a few of you who understand that Rivers State belongs to everyone of us. We must, therefore, fight together to sustain the soul of this State,” he added.
Governor Fubara also spoke about the tanker inferno that has become a sad episode in the State with over 120 vehicles razed and about five lives lost, describing it as “great tragedy and very unfortunate.
”It is a very sad day in our dear State. Something happened in Eleme, along the route of Indorama Petrochemical and Fertiliser Company Limited. A tanker had an issue with a tipper, and there was an unfortunate situation that caused the State a very devastating loss.
”I went there this morning to see for myself what really happened, and I can tell you, I’ve not been happy since then. With all the dramas in our State, it is not even proper for us to add that to it.
”But it wasn’t our fault. It was just what impatience caused. The tanker driver, knowing the state of that road was not patient, and it resulted in that colossal loss. Over 120 vehicles were completely burnt and five lives were lost. It was very unfortunate.”
He commiserated with those who lost loved ones and others whose vehicles were burnt beyond repairs, and added that the State Government mourns and grieves with them.
In his speech, Sir Celestine Omehia, expressed appreciation, on behalf of his family, to Governor Fubara, his delegation and other friends, among whom, were those he described as matured elders, for the show of love.
He said his mother died at 95 years, which is 25 years of grace added to the 70 years as specified in the Bible, and assured that he will sustain her legacy because she was their role model.
Sir Omehia also said that he was well known as a man who takes decision and stands by it no matter the consequences.
He, therefore, declared: “I have taken a decision to be SIMplified. Where ever you go (Fubara), is where I will go. If you say tomorrow, you are no more interested in this position, I will also stop fighting for anything in Rivers State.
”But, God who gave you the opportunity will also give you all the wisdom, strength, power and everything that it takes to govern the people of Rivers State and beyond.”
He assured the Governor that almost the entire people of the State, including chiefs, elders, opinion leaders, women, youths, civil society groups and professionals across all spectrums of the State were praying and working assiduously for the success of his Administration.
Sir Omehia told the Governor that it is that support and prayers of the people that he needs to succeed, because, according to him, one with God, is with majority, and will always excel and succeed.
He, therefore, urged the Governor to continue in his strides to deliver good governance, peaceful and prosperous State to the present and future generations.
Highlights of the event were the offering of prayers by leaders of Ikwerre Supreme Council of Traditional Rulers for the Governor and his Administration as well as the symbolic presentation of gifts to Governor Fubara in appreciation of his peaceful disposition and quality leadership of the State.
Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has described as very unfortunate the fire incident caused by a tanker conveying premium motor spirit (PMS), otherwise called petrol which burnt motorists and commuters beyond recognition and destroyed a good number of vehicles.
The incident occurred between Indorama Gate and Aleto Bridge on the popular and ever busy Eleme section of the East-West Road now undergoing major reconstruction by the Federal Government.
Governor Fubara expressed his sadness at the gory sights that he saw when he visited the scene of the incident, accompanied by the State Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, and the State Commissioner for Energy and Natural Resources, Mr Uchechukwu Nwafor, on Saturday morning.
The Governor explained that he got a call from the Managing Director of Indorama Petrochemical and Fertiliser Company Limited in Eleme Local Government Area, informing him of the incident.
At the news of the incident, Governor Fubara stated that he immediate routed a call to the security agencies and instructed that they visit the scene to take charge of the security of the area to avoid escalation of the situation.
Governor Fubara said: “We are here to see for ourselves and get a first hand information of the incident of what happened yesterday night.
“About 7.30 – 8pm, we got information of the gravity of the incident. I was told that it was caused by a tanker vehicle that was conveying Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).
“In fact, I got the information through the MD of Indorama, and I immediately alerted the security agencies to make sure they take control of the security situation in the area.
“And from what we are seeing this morning, it was not a pleasant case. We recorded a huge number of vehicles being destroyed and lives lost.
Governor Fubara explained that he had already requested the relevant government agencies to provide him a detailed account of their findings to enable the State Government take appropriate decisions and actions to significantly remedy the situation and reduce the negative on the affected people.
“I have already asked the relevant agencies to give us a full brief so that we can come into the situation fully by seeing to how much we can support the families that are bereaved, and also cushion the effect of the loses, which I believe, is no fault of a good number of them.
“We all know the situation of this road. It is really unfortunate. Most of our people, when plying this road, should ply it with caution.
“I believe very strongly that this situation would have been avoidable, if the motorists had behaved properly. But it is late already. The damage has happened. This is the situation we have found ourselves. We will see how we can control the aftermath,” he added.
Rivers State Deputy Governor Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, has described King Dandeson Douglas Jaja as a great and humble King who has continued to be a light to the Kingdom of Opobo and Rivers State.
Prof Odu stated this during a thanksgiving service to mark the monarch’s 82nd birthday at St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Opobo Town, yesterday.
According to the Deputy Governor, on a special day like this, she wishes him God’s grace and innumerable blessings, stressing that his reign shall be long in good health.
In his testimony, King Dandeson Douglas Jaja, who disclosed that he is nothing without God, said his life has been God’s Gift and Grace all these years, stressing that it is the Grace of God that has brought him this far.
The king seized the moment to announce the conferment of the King Jaja Manila Tree Award, which is the highest honour in Opobo Kingdom to the State Chief Executive, Sir Siminalayi Fubara and the BALOLO of Opobo Award to Prof. Ngozi Nma Odu, the Deputy Governor on a date to be announced later.
In his Sermon, drawn from Psalm 122: 6,7,8, Ven. Emanuel Nwuju, the Vicar of St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Opobo Town, who spoke on the theme “Good Gifts Comes from God “said God has given us everything we enjoy in life, adding that whatever you are today is a gift from God.
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