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N1.14trn Subsidy Payment Fraudulent -PDP …As Ezeife, Yakasai, Others Tell Buhari To Drop 2nd Term Bid
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of corruption over the fuel subsidy regime of his government, throwing its weight behind state governors’ query of the subsidy regime.
The main opposition party has therefore challenged the President to submit himself for an independent inquest into his handling of the subsidy regime as well as the alleged complicity of his Presidency in other exposed financial impropriety by cronies of his government, particularly in
revenue collecting agencies.
According to a statement issued Kola Ologbondiyan, the party’s National Publicity Secretary in Abuja yesterday, such inquest, which it noted, was already backed by state governors across board, “will not only expose humongous corruption but also show the world that our African Union (AU) Anti-Corruption champion had not been totally spotless.”
The party invited Nigerians to note that the demand by governors to probe all subsidy deals since 2015 was a direct indictment on President Buhari as the Minister of Petroleum, particularly, following allegations that the stolen funds were being warehoused to fund his 2019 re-election bid and the opulent lifestyle in the Presidential Villa.
The party noted that if President Buhari allowed the inquest, “it will reveal how our president, who had queried the genuineness of the oil
subsidy payments by PDP administration and described the process as a fraud, had secretly engaged in underhand oil subsidy deals.”
The party asserted: “Nigerians will also understand how the cost of fuel geometrically rose from the PDP subsidized the cost of N87 to N145, representing a criminal N58 tax, per liter of fuel.
“Nigerians recall that it took over two years of secret oil subsidy deals under President Buhari before it was exposed last December. Since then, the Presidency and the NNPC have been seeking ways to cover the fraud which include claims that local consumption suddenly jumped from 28 million liters per day to 60 liters per day.
“PDP considers this as a fabrication to retire the billions being stolen as subsidy, even when statistics by the National Bureau of Statistics and the reality of the retarded purchasing power of citizens, under the prevailing economic recession, do not validate such claims.
“Nigerian, therefore, deserve to know who authorised the payments and the identity of the beneficiary companies, if any.
“The PDP is happy that state governors across the board and the National Assembly are on the same page with our party in condemning the humongous fraud going on under President Buhari’s fuel subsidy.”
The PDP, therefore, demanded that the inquest should cover the alleged the N15 billion stolen from the NHIS, the N18 billion stolen from the PINE initiative, the alleged leaked memo of N9 trillion corrupt oil contracts at the NNPC, the reported diversion of N1.1trillion worth of crude last year and why indicted Presidential cronies and fronts have not been prosecuted.
Meanwhile, the National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has raised alarm over what it described as deliberate attempts by the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government to completely clampdown on opposition elements across the country.
Rising from its meeting, last Saturday, in Abuja, where members discussed issues on the state of the nation, particularly the clampdown on opposition and dissenting voices, the PDP stated that it was taking the pains to alerts Nigerians because of the dare consequences such government policy could have on the nation’s democracy, peace and economic development of the country.
A statement issued by the party in Abuja, said, “The PDP alerts all Nigerians that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its Federal Government have commenced a vicious and direct clampdown of major opposition leaders, perceived political opponents and individuals with interests and views that are divergent to those of their Presidential aspirant, perhaps, candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari, ahead of the 2019 general elections.
“The clampdown is tailored to silence opposition as well as those who refused to join or support the APC in their unlawful design to emasculate other political parties, undermine our laws and electoral system, foist a one-party state and perpetuate their incompetent, dysfunctional and anti-people rule on our nation.
“It is instructive to inform that our leaders, particularly, our National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, have been receiving threats since the PDP filed a petition to the United Nations and the Commonwealth of Nations, detailing documented threats to democracy by the APC and its Federal Government, abuse of human rights, mass killings, extra-judicial executions, persecution of opposition and unabated constitutional violations.
“The PDP is aware of clandestine plots against key opposition leaders, particularly, members of the PDP National Working Committee, some dissenting members of the APC, members of the civil society, opinion leaders, journalists and bloggers, who refuse to succumb to intimidation and that such persons have already been listed and currently being trailed by agents of the state.
“This has become manifest in the plot to rope members of ‘nPDP’, especially those in the National Assembly, into gun-running and murder charges just because they came out to voice their opposition to the APC government’s constitutional violations and executive brigandage in the running of our nation’s affairs.
“The PDP wants Nigerians and the international community to know those to hold responsible should PDP leaders, as well as other members of the opposition start falling victims of untoward situations like assassinations, unexplained accidents, inexplicable ‘armed robbery’ attacks, high profile abduction and sudden disappearances.
“These include wanton arrest, manhandling and detention of opposition leaders on trumped-up charges, as well as illegal invasion of their homes and businesses by agents of the state.
“Apart from allegations of corruption, there are also plots to clamp down and detain opposition leaders for charges bordering on treason and the PDP is also aware that some compromised judicial officers have been enlisted to give convictions and jail members of opposition as well as dissenting voices, on flimsy grounds.
“Moreover, we know that the APC is fixated with the PDP because of the renewed popularity of our party among Nigerians, as the inevitable vehicle to return power to the people, restore democracy, national cohesion and safeguard our territorial integrity, come 2019.
“The PDP’s response to all these plots is that we are not cowed. Nigeria belongs to all of us and our laws on political engagements are very clear. The PDP, as a party committed to democracy and freedom will continue to uphold the inalienable rights of our citizens to free speech, political association and to politically aspire to any position in the land, including the Presidency.
“Our party, therefore, urges all Nigerians to be alert, united and remain resolute in their decision to collectively defend our democracy and its tenets, constitutionally guaranteed personal freedom and the rule of law in our nation,” the PDP added.
Similarly, some elder statesmen in the country have urged President Muhammadu Buhari not to seek a second term in 2019.
The leaders from different parts of the country gave various reasons for advising Buhari not to seek re-election in separate interviews with newsmen, last Saturday.
A former governor of the old Anambra State, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, said age was no longer on the side of the President, adding that the stress associated with his office was already having negative effects on his health.
Ezeife, who noted that he was opposed to Buhari’s election as President in 2015, prayed that God would change his (Buhari’s) heart to dump the second-term bid.
He said, “Let us pray so that God would stop Buhari from talking about a second-term and instead, begin a six-month emergency restructuring of Nigeria.
“It is not a matter of whether he is fit or qualified, age is important. He claims to be 75, he may be 82. Even at 75, he is too old to be in that office.
“The second consideration is his comprehensive failure in the first term. If you recorded a failure like that, why do you want to seek a second term?”
Also, the Chairman of the Northern Elders’ Council, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, said he had never supported Buhari to become President of Nigeria.
Yakasai said, “Buhari and his party (All Progressives Congress) were not prepared to rule Nigeria in the first instance. Therefore, in my opinion, he should not have contested at all.”
Similarly, a former minister of health, Prof. A. B. C. Nwosu, noted that as a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party, he would never have supported Buhari to be Nigeria’s President.
Nwosu, who is a member of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, said, “It is his (Buhari’s) constitutional right to seek any office just like anybody else. We need to organise ourselves to provide an alternative with a clear set objective that will make life better for Nigerians.”
Meanwhile, self-acclaimed spiritualist and leader of Divine Intelligence Ministry, Prophet George Fakolade, last Saturday warned President Muhammadu Buhari, to stop further activities towards his re-election in 2019, saying the second term bid was ill-fated.
Fakolade, who spoke to newsmen in Abuja, said there would be fatal consequences, if President Buhari does not retract and rescind his public declaration to run for a second term in office.
He said: “There is a very serious warning for the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari over his ill-fated ambition for a second term as president in 2019.
“President Buhari must retract, rescind, and withdraw his decision to seek a second term, and apologise to all Nigerians or else, history shall repeat itself on him with fatal consequences and many calamities”.
“He has been weighed on the balance and found wanting. All Nigerians should be on red alert as President Buhari’s public declaration to run again in 2019 at the APC National Executive Committee Meeting was an act of arrogance that will end in a fatal manner,” he warned.
The man of God had earlier predicted that there would be a 2015 change of government in Nigeria; a Dr Goodluck Jonathan takeover of government from late President Musa Yar’Adua; a Presidential election victory for Barack Obama in 2008; and the demise of late military Head of State, Gen Sani Abacha, in 1998.
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
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.