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Arms Contract Scandal: Senator Saraki Blackmailed CBN Officials To Pay N250 Million Hush Funds

Mohammed Useni
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Arms Contract Scandal: Senator Saraki Blackmailed CBN Officials To Pay N250 Million Hush Funds

Senate President Bukola Saraki blackmailed officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to hand him N250 million as “hush” funds after the senator had found out that ex-President Goodluck Jonathan had illicitly approved N60 billion for the former National Security Advisor (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, to purchase “arms.”

A source, who is a senior CBN official, disclosed to Saharareporters that bank officials paid the sum to Mr. Saraki, who was not the Senate President at the time, to ensure that he and other senators kept silent about the irregular withdrawals by the NSA and the Jonathan administration.

Our source also revealed that some officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria had quietly resisted several attempts by officials of the Jonathan administration to carry out large-scale theft of funds from the national treasury in the name of fighting Islamist insurgent group, Boko Haram insurgents.

A CBN whistleblower made available to our correspondent a hurriedly typewritten document that detailed how ex-NSA, Mr. Dasuki, requested tranches of dollars from the bank after obtaining approval from former President Jonathan between February and March this year.

According to the document, in third week of February 2015 the former NSA requested for $250 million from the CBN, but got $200 million. In the fourth week of February, the NSA put in a request for $150 million but received $125 million.

In the first week of March 2015, with Nigeria’s postponed elections a few weeks away, the NSA made a request for another $250 million, but only got $204 million. In the second week of March, Mr. Dasuki again called for $250 million, but the CBN provided $104 million and N3 billion.

According to the whistleblower, Abbas Umar Masanawa who was appointed as the Executive Director in charge of Finance and Strategy at the Nigerian Minting Company by the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele as soon as he resumed as CBN governor in 2014 played a major role. Our source said Mr. Abbas then oversaw “the printing of an unprecedented amount of naira by the Mint,” adding “the printed cash was passed on to President Jonathan.” Masanawa was key aide of Mr. Emefiele while he was the MD of Zenith Bank before he got appointed to the Mint.

The source said that Mr. Jonathan and former NSA Dasuki withdrew close to $600 million from the Central Bank of Nigeria within a period of three to four weeks. He said the funds were mostly used for election.

Yesterday, a news website, TheCable, published details of the illegal withdrawal of N60 billion from the CBN as well as the theft of public funds from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). TheCable alleged that a Nigerian senator, on learning about the illegal withdrawals, threatened CBN officials that he would reveal the questionable payments unless they gave him N5 billion. The site, which did not name the senator in question, stated that he was now a principal officer of the Senate.

But a source at the Nigerian Presidency told SaharaReporters that the person in question was then Senator Bukola Saraki, who is now Senate President. Although TheCable did not disclose if the senator got paid the hush funds or not, SaharaReporters learned that, as recently as May 2015, Mr. Saraki received N250 million from CBN officials. The cash transfer was deemed part of the hush payment to ensure that Mr. Saraki keep quiet about the questionable withdrawals ostensibly meant for arms purchases.

Our Presidency source suggested that Mr. Saraki got wind of the illegal transactions through a CBN staff loyal to the ousted CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi. Mr. Sanusi, who is now the Emir of Kano, is a close friend of Senator Saraki with whom he attended school. During the period in question Saraki had become a fierce opponents of President Jonathan haven dumped the PDP and with attempts made by the regime to kick him out of the Senate.

Our source also stated that Mr. Saraki’s blackmail of CBN officials also included a demand that the CBN approve Heritage Bank’s takeover of Enterprise Bank as recently as August 2015. Senator Saraki has significant equity stake in Heritage Bank.

Apparently basking in his ability to compel the CBN to do his bidding, Mr. Saraki urged the bank’s top officials to remove the National Assembly from the Treasury Single Account policy, even after President Muhammadu Buhari had explicitly refused to allow that exclusion. In an apparent attempt to force the hand both of the CBN and President Buhari, one of Mr. Saraki’s closest allies, Senator Dino Melaye, raised an alarm accusing the government of stealing N25 billion from the TSA via a remittance fee charged by a third party company that had been hired by President Jonathan’s administration.

But when the Senate set up a probe committee to look into the alleged fraud, it could not find proof that any money was missing.

 

Buhari Says Climate Change Threatens The Existence Of Nigerians

Mohammed Useni
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Buhari Says Climate Change Threatens The Existence Of Nigerians

President Muhammadu Buhari has raised the alarm that climate change was threatening the totality of human existence in Nigeria.

Speaking in Paris on Monday while presenting Nigeria’s position at the opening of the United Nations Climate Change Conference being attended by 150 world leaders, he said climate change was also threatening the sustainable development of Nigeria’s social and economic activities.

Buhari, who emphasised that climate change posed a threat to food security in Nigeria, said the world leaders had a historic chance to save the planet by coming up with binding resolutions for sustainable development.

“Without a doubt, climate change is threatening not only the sustainable development of our social and economic activities but also the totality of human existence in our country as in other parts of the world”, he said.

According to him, like many countries, Nigeria continues to witness the adverse effects of climate change in all its ramifications.

“Presently, we are reeling under the challenges of climate change as the frequency and intensity of extreme events like floods and drought is on the increase. These challenges have resulted in the destruction of many economic and social structures and more worryingly, threatening our national food production and security. The magnitude of insurgency Nigeria is facing cannot be completely explained away without taking cognizance of the threat of climate change.

“At the sub-regional level, we’re saddled with the challenge of the drying up of the Lake Chad Basin, which is resulting in the total wipe out of livelihoods of many communities surrounding this trans-boundary natural resources. Regrettably, the world is leaving behind millions of people who depend on the Lake for their survival.

“The Government of Nigeria welcomes the Lake Chad Development and Climate Resilience Plan, and the Lake Chad Basin Commission and international partners for designing this climate-based Plan. In all, the experience of countries sharing the Lake Chad further illustrates the mutual challenge we face today and which must be collectively addressed without further delay”, Buhari said.

Late Audu’s Running-mate, Faleke Threatens To Pull Out As APC Dumps Him For Yahaya

Mohammed Useni
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Late Audu’s Running-mate, Faleke Threatens To Pull Out As APC Dumps Him For Yahaya

A tense meeting of the All Progressive Congress (APC) officials ended political deadlock over the Kogi State APC primary races today.

The All Progressives Congress has adopted Yahaya Bello as replacement for Abubakar Audu, its Kogi governorship candidate who died as the election was declared inconclusive.

Mr. Bello came a distant second to late Mr. Audu in the APC’s primary held August 13.

Mr. Audu died November 22, just as he was declared winner in majority of local government areas, ahead of incumbent Governor Idris Wada.

James Faleke, the former running mate the deceased Abubakar Audu, has threatened to pull out of the race, making the Party’s nomination of Yahaya Bello vulnerable to a legal challenge in court. Mr. Faleke made his threat known to journalists at the end of the meeting at the Party Secretariat in Abuja.

Mr. Faleke was on the APC gubernatorial ticket as the Deputy Governor candidate and argues that, due to the death of Mr. Audu, he should be the rightful APC candidate in the reelection.

He told the media “if the Party decides to go with Bello as the candidate, I will pull out of the race leaving it vulnerable to be challenged in a court of law.”

He added that he was not briefed by the leadership of the Party on their decision to pick Bello as party candidate, and that he was just informed about their decision.

“The Party told us that they have nominated Alhaji Yahaya Bello. We told them that it is not acceptable and we are not going with it, and that I personally observed that my name was submitted to INEC as the Deputy Governorship candidate, ” he continued.

Mr. Faleke insisted that Mr. Bello did not participate in the campaign adding that he thought that Party would challenge the Independent National Electoral Commission in court.

“I want to make it very clear that Alhaji Yahaya Bello did not take part in all our campaign process and we now are only contesting in 91 polling units out 2,548.”

Earlier political supporters of both Mr. Bello and Mr. Faleke besieged the Party Secretariat chanting solidarity songs for their principals.

Sule Lamido Says The APC Is Now Synonymous To Poverty, Loot & Agony, Everything The PDP Was Accused Of

Mohammed Useni
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Sule Lamido Says The APC Is Now Synonymous To Poverty, Loot & Agony, Everything The PDP Was Accused Of

Former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido has accused the All Progressives Congress, of dividing the country, ethnically and politically.

Lamido says the new ruling party is presently guilty of everything the Peoples Democratic Party, was accused of, during the last administration.

While receiving an award of excellent service in Kano, Lamido said: “I may sound a little different of what is today Nigeria. Because in today Nigeria, everything is politics and there are very strong divides.

“One is either here or there and even those who are arbiters or referees or monitors if stand on your own belief you will be accused by both sides. We are going through a very difficult political evolution with so many distortions and the 1999 Constitution is compounding Nigeria’s problem”.

“If one goes through the social media before the 2015 election, everything evil was PDP, that PDP was Boko Haram, PDP was fuel shortage, PDP was poverty, PDP was agony, PDP was fake and was dividing Nigeria, PDP was looting Nigeria, in fact, everything evil was PDP.”

“Everything PDP in the past is now with the present APC. PDP was throwing bombs, bombs are being thrown now, PDP was fuel shortage, there is fuel shortage now, PDP was killing Muslims, Muslims are being killed now, PDP was causing poverty and hunger, it is the same thing with the APC today. PDP was promoting ethnic politics, it is the same thing now with the APC.”

 

Nigeria’s Foreign Reserves Fall; Stocks Hits 3-Year Low As Buhari’s Govt Drags On

Mohammed Useni
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Nigeria’s Foreign Reserves Fall; Stocks Hits 3-Year Low As Buhari’s Govt Drags On

Nigeria’s foreign exchange reserves fell to $30.04 billion by Nov. 26 from $30.10 billion the month before, the latest central bank data showed on Monday.

Reserves were down 18.6 percent on the year from $36.9 billion in the same period last year.

Nigeria’s dollar reserves have been hit by a plunge in crude prices and the central bank’s decision to defend the currency.

In the capital market, stocks hit a 3-year low on Monday as investors complained the government has yet to start tackling the problems of Africa’s biggest economy, nearly three weeks after ministers were sworn in.

The stock market, which has the second-biggest weighting after Kuwait on the MSCI frontier market index , shed 0.84 percent on Monday on thin volumes to close at 27,385, a level last seen in December 2012. The index is down 20.3 percent year-to-date.

Nigerian shares lost 6.5 percent in October as foreign investors, the most active traders, stayed on the sidelines. It posted a further 6.1 percent decline in November.

Market capitalisation has been drifting lower as investors wait for government plans and as the poor outlook for Africa’s top oil producer drags down the relatively liquid banking and consumer goods sectors.

All the sectors on the stock market have fallen sharply this year with the consumer goods index down 22.4 percent and the index of the top 10 banks shedding 19.9 percent.

“The role foreign investors play in the Nigerian equity market cannot be ignored … hence the need for the central bank and government to review their stance on forex policies,” said Ayodeji Ebo, head of research at Afrinvest.

President Muhammadu Buhari swore in his cabinet on Nov. 11, five months after he took office, but work may not get under way until early next year as the country comes to a halt for a Christmas break in mid-December, analysts said.

The central bank announced a surprise interest rate cut last week to lift the economy. But the bourse rose for only one day as investors looked for fiscal policy signals.

Naira Depreciates Further At Parallel Market

Mohammed Useni
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Naira Depreciates Further At Parallel Market

The naira depreciated further at the parallel market on Monday as it lost N0.5 to exchange at N242.5 to the dollar.

It was previously exchanged at N242 to the dollar.

The naira, however, closed at N197 to the dollar at the inter-bank segment.

The naira has continued to slide in spite of the measures adopted by the apex bank to defend the exchange rate.

Traders at the market said that there was upsurge in demand for foreign exchange and this was impacting on the exchange rate of the naira.

Buhari Is Concerned Over Degradation Of Niger Delta, Says Vice president Osinbajo

Mohammed Useni
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Buhari Is Concerned Over Degradation Of Niger Delta, Says Vice president Osinbajo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says the Federal Government is focused on implementation of Niger Delta Master Plan to drive development of the region.

Osinbajo stated this at the inaugural meeting of Partners for Sustainable Development Forum organised by Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Monday.

He said President Muhammadu Buhari had also expressed concern with current degradation of the environment with a view to addressing challenges faced by the region.

“Niger Delta remains a priority of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC government with a view to attending to current devastation and environmental degradation in the region.

“The Federal Government will give NDDC all necessary assistance and support to achieve its mandate of ensuring rapid and sustainable development of the region.

“For meaningful and sustainable development to take place in the region, citizens and stakeholders must be peaceful while curbing militancy and eliminating terrorism,” he said.

Represented by Mr Ade Ipaye, the Deputy Chief of Staff in the Presidency, Osinbajo added that Niger Delta, being the world’s third largest wetland, had immense potential to become an agriculture hub.

He said the nation’s over-dependence on crude oil was partly responsible for “redundant human resource base and high level of corruption.”
According to him, there has to be a major shift from dependence on oil to agricultural production which will assist job creation and encourage development of the manufacturing sector.

The vice president assured that on-going clean-up of several years of un-addressed oil pollution in Ogoni area of Rivers State and other communities in the region would be completed.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan Was Earlier Today Attacked

Mohammed Useni
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Former President Goodluck Jonathan Was Earlier Today Attacked

Former President Goodluck Jonathan this morning when some suspected militants working for the All Progressives Congress in Bayelsa State drove into his convey.

The men, who intercepted and drove into a short motorcade conveying the former President from the Julius Berger bridge area of the state capital Yenagoa, trailed and chased the motorcade to the entrance of the Yenagoa private residence of the former President in the Kpansia area of the town, before they were overpowered and arrested by a combined team of security operatives attached to the former President.

Members of the arrested gang have been taken to the Bayelsa State Police Command for further investigation and interrogation.

Meanwhile, the Bayelsa State Police Command on Monday debunked reports that former President Goodluck Jonathan was attacked in the state.

The state’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Butswat Asinim, who spoke to The Nation, said persons peddling the rumour were mischievous.

Asinim said a group of hungry youths mistook a convoy of the former President for one of the governorship candidates in the state.

The PPRO, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), said the youths traditionally followed the convoy, perhaps, for alms, only to discover it belonged to Jonathan.

He said on realising it was Jonathan’s convoy, the youths who had followed him up to his house in Yenagoa, pulled back and took to their heels, adding that security operatives pursued and arrested some of them.

He said: “There was no attack on the former President. The youths mistook his convoy for a governorship candidate engaging in campaigns.

“But when they discovered on getting to the entrance of his house in Yenagoa that it was that of the President, they ran away. Some of them were arrested. They did not haul stones at the President’s convoy. They did not attack the convoy and no weapon was found on them.”

Don’t Use Your Media Platforms To Divide Nigeria, Lai Mohammed Begs Media Owners

Mohammed Useni
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Don’t Use Your Media Platforms To Divide Nigeria, Lai Mohammed Begs Media Owners

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has appealed to the private broadcast media owners in Nigeria not to allow their platforms to be used to propagate ideas that can hinder national unity.

The Minister made the appeal in Abuja on Monday when he met with the Northern Broadcast Media Owners Association (NBMOA), who paid him a courtesy call in his office.

“They (private broadcast media owners) must realize that in order to be able to practice their profession at all, they must first have a peaceful and united country. It is important for the private broadcast media owners to avoid the temptation to use their platforms to promote ethnic or religious agenda that are inimical to the emergence of a strong, peaceful, united and developed nation,” he said.

Alhaji Mohammed reminded the private broadcast media owners that irrespective of their location, they have a wide reach because their news and programmes are routinely uploaded to their websites, where they can be assessed by anyone with access to the Internet within and outside the country.

The Minister said radio and television constitute a very powerful platform, because they are instant, emotive and are the sources of news and information for a large number of people.

“That also increases their ability to help shape opinions, one way or another. This is why owners of such powerful platforms must exercise a high level of responsibility, be patriotic and also ensure that they put the national interest above sectional or sectarian considerations.
“Lest we be misunderstood, we are not asking you to shut out those whose opinions may not agree with yours. We are saying you must show great restraint in turning your platforms over to those whose opinions serve to divide us as a people,” he said.

To buttress his point, Alhaji Mohammed mentioned the role played in the 1994 Rwandan genocide by the Radio-Television Libre des Mille Collines (RTLMC).

“RTLMC, which began broadcasting In June 1993, helped to prepare the ground for genocide in Rwanda by demonising the Tutsi and encouraging hate and violence. In the end, over 800,000 people died in that genocide,” he said.

The Minister said that for too long, Nigerians have taken the country’s unity for granted, adding that, “We have failed to make a conscious effort to continue to play up those things that unite us, while playing down the ones that divide us. We have failed to take a cue from countries like Canada, which would have lost the province of Quebec but for its consistent and conscious effort to work on the country’s unity.”

He sought the support of the NBMOA for the nationwide campaign, to be launched soon by the ministry, “to change the way we, as Nigerians, do things”, as well as support for the war on terrorism to enable Nigerians to know that it is not just a war for the military but also a war for all Nigerians, hence they must give the military all the necessary support.

Responding to the issues raised by the Chairman, Executive Council of NBMOA, Dr. Ahmed Tijjani Ramalan, the Minister assured the association that he would consider their requests in a most impartial and objective manner, especially the need for a level playing field for all broadcast media owners.

Earlier, Dr. Ramalan congratulated Alhaji Mohammed on his appointment as Hon. Minister of Information and Culture and expressed the commitment of the association “to positively respond to government policies that will be aimed at rebuilding nd preserving the sanctity, integrity and unity of the Nigerian state”.

He said the NBMOA consists of 15 licensed private broadcast operators with a combined platform of 22 radio and television stations, employs more than 5,000 Nigerians and has an audience base in excess of 50 million.

APC Sends Yahaya Bello’s Name To INEC To Replace Audu In Kogi Governorship Poll

Mohammed Useni
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APC Sends Yahaya Bello’s Name To INEC To Replace Audu In Kogi Governorship Poll

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has received the request by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to replace the late Abubakar Audu’s name with that of Yahaya Bello for the December 5 supplementary governorship election in Kogi State.

Mr Nick Dazang, INEC Deputy Director, Publicity, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.

Dazang, however, did not disclose when the commission received the request.

“They have sent the name of their replacement candidate, the second runner-up in their primaries, that is Yahaya Bello, to the commission,” Dazang said.

The deputy director also told NAN that the commission was much ready to conduct both Kogi supplementary and Bayelsa State elections scheduled for Saturday, December 5.

“The commission is committed to conducting the two elections. That is why in respect of Kogi, in spite of what happened, we came out with public notice which invites the APC to submit its replacement candidate for the election,” he said.

Dazang said that as part of the commission’s preparation for the Bayelsa poll, INEC would be holding stakeholders’ forum in the state on Tuesday.

The deputy director added that INEC had concluded the distribution of non-sensitive materials for the Bayelsa poll.

He also said that the commission would be going to Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to collect sensitive materials for onward distribution for the Bayelsa election on Wednesday.

“After the stakeholders’ forum, the commission will immediately on Wednesday commence the distribution of sensitive materials in the state.

“We are inviting the representatives of political parties, their agents, observers, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the media to witness the distribution of sensitive materials,” he said.

Breaking! Supporters Of Bello, Faleke Clash At APC National Secretariat In Abuja #KogiDecides

Mohammed Useni
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Breaking! Supporters Of Bello, Faleke Clash At APC National Secretariat In Abuja #KogiDecides

The atmosphere around the national secretariat of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Abuja has become tense following a clash between supporters of Yahaya Bello and Hon. James Faleke.

The supporters of both contenders mainly “jobless” youth had a fleeting clash of strength at the party secretariat. Stones, clubs and sticks were freely used as they chanted the names of the contenders respectively to show their preference. The development created fear in most people around the APC vicinity.

Both camps are jostling to replace the former governorship candidate of the party, late Abubakar Audu.

While Bello, who was the second runner up in the primary election that featured Audu as candidate is rumoured to have been endorsed by the party for the replacement, Faleke, Audu’s former running in the November 21 inconclusive election, is asking the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and the APC to declare him both the standard candidate and Governor-Elect.

INEC has slated December 5 as the day for supplementary polls.  Governor Nasir El-R0ufai of Kaduna State and Senator Dino Melaye are also in the meeting are currently at the meeting..

Despite ‘APC’s Deceit In Securing A Re-run’, David Mark Will Win Again Says PDP

Mohammed Useni
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Despite ‘APC’s Deceit In Securing A Re-run’, David Mark Will Win Again Says PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says David Mark will win the Benue south senatorial return despite what it referred to as the deceit of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in securing a rerun.

In a statement signed by Olisa Metuh, the party’s national publicity secretary, the PDP described Mark as an asset to the nation.

Metuh said the people of Benue south senatorial zone have been “ardent members and supporters of the PDP since 1999 would remain steadfast in giving him another resounding victory at the rerun election”.

“The confidence of the party of retaining the senatorial seat is even stronger now that the deceit of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has become obvious to all Nigerians,” the statement read.

“The inexplicable ruling of the appeal court, even when all evidence pointed to Mark’s victory as upheld by the lower tribunal, is yet another evidence of APC’s dangerous interference in the judiciary, which negative consequences the PDP has continued to alert the nation.

“The party also noted the significant contributions of Senator Mark in growing and stabilising the nation’s democracy through his mature, responsible and patriotic leadership of the senate, a value that is still highly needed in the polity.

The PDP asked its members in Benue south to “resist any attempt to intimidate them, especially in their determination to ensure effective and result-oriented representation in the senate as typified in Senator Mark”.

On Saturday, the court of appeal sitting in Makurdi, capital of Benue, nullified Mark’s victory, ordering fresh elections in 90 days.

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