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Saraki’s Trial, A Bait By Magu To Secure Second Term -Frank
Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has reacted to the declaration by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that its plot to investigate President of the Senate, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki was not predicated on the public good.
EFCC spokesman, Tony Orilade had in a statement dismissed claim that its recent move to investigate all details of salaries, allowances, or any other entitlement enjoyed by Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, the President of the Senate, during his tenure as Governor of Kwara State between 2003 and 2011 was a mere vendetta.
Frank in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday claimed that the chairman of the EFCC, Ibrahim Magu was bent on using the investigation of the Senate President as a bait to secure a fresh tenure for himself.
The chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party from Bayelsa state further argued that the EFCC recent investigation of the former Kwara state governor was a vindictive measure over the non-confirmation of Magu as the chairman of the anti-graft agency by the Senate leadership under Senator Saraki.
He said:” The EFCC under its Acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu, has since derailed from the lofty objectives for which it was set up.
“It is lamentable that what was established by law to sanitise and rid the country of economic and financial crimes has suffered a terrible hijack by puppeteers now using it to settle personal and political scores.
“How do you launch an investigation into the legitimate earnings of a public servant who served his state meritoriously as governor from 2003 – 2011 and still claim that the move is for public interest and the subject’s personal interest?
“Nigerians are no fools. They know that Magu is out to get his pound of flesh following his non-confirmation by the Senate through an illegal and unjust investigation aimed at tarnishing the image of Saraki which he has repeatedly failed to achieve since 2015.
“Let me remind the EFCC that Nigerians are still waiting for them to investigate a bullion van that hurled humongous cash into the Ikoyi residence of a National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, during the general elections. Or are the laws and regulations of the Commission only meant for certain individuals?
“Besides, when has the “personal good” of Saraki or any citizen for that matter, become the official business of the EFCC? Was the Commission set up to look after the welfare of individuals?
“This is why I dare say without fear of contradiction that the EFCC under its present leadership has lost focus, is heavily compromised and has since abandoned the lofty objectives for which the agency was conceptualized.
“There is no gainsaying the fact that Magu is using the Saraki investigation as a bait to secure a second term in office after almost completing an illegal one foisted on the country by the worst government ever in the history of Nigeria.
“How will local and international partners respect a body that is not run according to the law but the personal whims and caprices of its leader and a cabal that mean no good for the country?”
He further admonished the anti-graft agency to work in the overall interest of every Nigerian and not to use its powers to settle personal scores.
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I’m Committed To Community Dev – Ajinwo
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RSG Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP …As Sensitization Team Visits Akulga, Degema, Three Others

Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
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Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman

The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.
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