Iyayi’s wives still being held by kidnappers as Police confirm the abduction of Oronto Douglas’ sister

The Police Command in Bayelsa has confirmed the kidnap of Mrs Augusta Douglas-Ayam, the elder sister to Mr Oronto Douglas, the Special Adviser to the President on Research, Documentation and Strategy.

Mrs. Douglas-Ayam was kidnapped at about 8 p.m. on Monday night in Ogbia town by unknown gunmen.

Meanwhile, the two wives of prominent Edo Businessman and philanthropist, Dr. Iyayi Efianayi are still being held by their abductors. 

It would be recalled that the  two elderly ladies  – Mrs. Grace Iyayi (72 years) and Mrs. Christiana Iyayi (65years) were abducted by the hoodlums along Boundary road near Ogbetuo Avenue junction GRA, Benin City on Sunday morning on their way to church.

Speaking with ionigeria.com on Tuesday, the Public Relations Manager of Iyayi Group of Companies Limited, Mr. Julius Onaghise disclosed that, over 48 years after they were abducted, the kidnappers were yet to make contact with the family while their phones were still switched off.

The Bayelsa Commissioner of Police, Mr Hilary Opara, who confirmed the kidnap of Mrs. Douglas-Ayam to newsmen on Tuesday in Yenagoa, said he had just returned to the state capital after visiting the scene of the kidnap at Ogbia town.

Opara said that  no arreast had been made but that the Marine Police had been deployed to the creeks to effect the rescue of the victim.

When contacted, the spokesman for state's Police Command, Mr Alex Akhigbe (DSP) told NAN on phone that officers from  Anti-Kidnapping Squad had been deployed to go after the kidnappers.

``We are after the kidnappers and very soon, they will be apprehended and the woman rescued,’’ he assured.

Meanwhile, Mr Gift Douglas, a younger brother to President's aide who lives in Abuja,  told NAN on phone that he received information about the kidnap of his sister on phone on Monday night.

``I got the information this night that our elder sister has been kidnapped by gunmen who went to her shop at about 8 p.m. and shot into the air before taking her away through the creeks.''.

He said that the incident had thrown the entire family into mourning.

Meanwhile, the Bayelsa Government has expressed shock and disbelief over the incident.

The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr. Markson Fefegha said that the report of the kidnap came as a shock but that the state government remained resolute in its determination to stamp out criminal activities in the state.

``It is sad and embarrassing that it happened at a time the present administration is recording great successes in the area of sustaining the existing peace.

``The state government is, however, optimistic that the security agencies will go after the kidnappers and swiftly rescue her,'' Fefegha said.

ionigeria.com

How Aviation Minister Stella Oduah Forced Cash-Strapped Aviation Agency To Spend $1.6 Million On Two BMW Armored Cars For Her

BMW 760 Li HSS

By SaharaReporters, New York

SaharaReporters has obtained documents further exposing the depth of corruption and mismanagement of public funds at Nigeria’s Ministry of Aviation headed by Stella Oduah. One of the documents details how Ms. Oduah compelled the cash-strapped Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to purchase two armored BMW cars for the minister. NCAA is the agency charged with ensuring the airworthiness of commercial planes flying within Nigeria’s airspace. Two officials of the agency told SaharaReporters that the NCAA did not have enough funds to upgrade equipment, send staff for critical training, and hire enough qualified staff. “Yet, all the minister is concerned about is to have two exotic BMW cars from the little money we have for operations,” one of the sources said.
The documents obtained by SaharaReporters indicate that the transaction for the purchase of the two BMW vehicles started in June 2013. However, the request for delivery of and payment for the two vehicles was fast-tracked between August 13 and 15 2013. The transaction involved the NCAA, First Bank of Nigeria, and Coscharis Motors Limited.
In a letter dated August 13, 2013, J.D Nkemakolam of the NCAA sent a letter to the Managing Director of Coscharis Motors asking the company to deliver to the NCAA two BMW 760 armored vehicles based on a pro-forma invoice dated June 25, 2013 at the cost of N127, 575,000 ($796,846.21) each. The total amount for the two vehicles came to N255,150,000, or $1,593,687.31. The NCAA’s letter directed Coscharis Motors to deliver the vehicles with sales invoices, delivery notes, and attestation documents.
Our documents reveal that the payment for the vehicles was made into a First Bank of Nigeria account (number 2018912995 with sort code: 0111152303), according to a letter signed by Godwin Umeaka, Coscharis’ group financial controller.
The two black BMW Li HSS vehicles had chases numbers WBAHP41050DW68032 and WBAHP41010DW68044 respectively. The two cars were delivered to the NCAA on August 13, 2013, where it was received by two store managers, F. Onoabhagbe and Y.A. Amzat (who is also the agency’s head of transport). On August 15, 2013, Sola Ogunsakin of the NCAA signed off to certify completion of the transaction.
In an extensive investigation of the Aviation sector after three air mishaps in Nigeria’s airspace, SaharaReporters found a pattern of questionable expenditures authorized by the minister. Several insiders within the aviation industry have told SaharaReporters that Ms. Oduah and President Goodluck Jonathan had focused on the Aviation Ministry as a source for a series of corrupt activities.
“Under Mrs. Oduah, the ministry has carried out many big capital development projects. But what outsiders don’t know is that these projects are being used to divert big amounts into private pockets,” an aviation source said.
Our sources disclosed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had investigated several corrupt practices in the aviation sector, but added that the anti-corruption agency never had the backbone to act on their findings due to political pressure from the Presidency.
Several sources at the agency told SaharaReporters that they were not aware of the whereabouts of the two BMW cars. Some of the sources stated that the cars were  handed to the minister who had converted them to private use.
Several interest groups have been demanding the removal of Ms. Oduah, citing her corrupt tendencies, mismanagement of aviation funds and incompetence. Under her watch, the Nigerian airspace has witnessed several air mishaps that claimed the lives of at least 140 people.
A Presidency source told SaharaReporters that Ms. Oduah still retains the confidence of President Jonathan. She is a close associate of Mr. Jonathan, serving as the treasurer who handled funds for the Jonathan campaign during the 2011 presidential election. She also co-chaired the campaign group known as Neighbor-To-Neighbor.

Minister of Aviation BMW 760 Li HSS Armoured car documents

SENATOR ALI MODU SHERIF (SAS) IS THE LEADER OF BOKO HARAM BUT HE IS ABOVE THE LAW IN NIGERIA

1- During the 2003 election the boko haram leadership and followership voted for Ali Sherif massively.

2- In 2005 even after the Kanamma and Gwazo incidence that indicted the Boko Haram sect, Ali Sherif arrogantly went ahead and appointed their member (Hon Buji Fai) as commissioner for religious affairs by way of financing their terrorism indirectly.

3- All security reports that were addressed to the governor in those days by the Izalas and the Tarikas against the boko haram movement under top secrecy were being smuggled to the leadership of the boko haram by government officials. Thereby making the IZALAS & TARIKAS targets and vulnerable for attacks by the boko haram.

4- Such double-standard of the Ali Sherif administration coerced the people of Borno to stop writing or reporting anything against the boko haram.

5- Sheriff ordered the killing of the leader of the Boko Haram (Mohd Yusuf) who was arrested alive and could have otherwise reveal relavant informations as to who their sponsors were.

6- High profile members like Baba Fugu Mohammed and Hon Buji fai were all killed with the directive of Sherif to avoid further investigation that will in fact indict him!

7- Almost all of Sherif’s political thugs- the ‘ecomogs’ participated in the war siding with Boko Haram eg Babale otherwise known as Baleriya and his men participated and is a general knowledge. But was allowed to come and help his party in the 2011 general election.

8- After the 2009 war, there were not the slightest of insecurity in Borno state, people were living peacefully.

9- But Sherif re-created the insurgence single-handedly.

10- Sometime in 2010, we woke up in the morning and witnessed Boko Haram flags everywhere in the city of Maiduguri, including police stations and court premises.

11- Later some youth- the ECOMOGS (political thugs) were arrested with the flags and they confessed that it was the SSA to Sherif on media – Shehu Liberty that gave them the flags to mount them at strategic locations like the police stations and court premises.

12- Shehu Liberty was arrested by the police, but Sheriff managed to extenuated him.

13- Note that those flags were exactly the same with the ones used by the original boko haram during the 2009 war.

14- However, in the same year, both the Borno State Chairman and State Secretary of the ANPP were arrested with the same kind of riffles used by the boko haram fighters during the 2009 war.

15- As usual Sherif managed to extenuated them.

16- In 2012, Gen Monguno’s panel arrested all the ecomogs in Borno state, and they confessed that Sherif ordered them to kill soldiers, police, customs immigrations and prison service by way of posing as boko haram.

17- And that anyone who kill a soldier and snatched a gun is paid very large amount of money and lesser amount if he could’nt snatch a the gun. And is given lesser proportion if police is killed and lesser to prison service and the arithmetic goes down.

18- Due the interest of the federal government in the terrorism, Gen Monguno lost his seat as the Director of defence intelligence and Sherif was extenuated.

19- May be that’s why the federal government adopted all Sherif’s enemies in the Borno State PDP as it own enemy and blindly wich-hunting Sherif’s arch enemies such as Ali Ndume and Ahmed Zannah and even denied them lucrative appointments such as ministerial and heads of parastatals.

20- Why is it that the federal Govt has to console Ali Sheriff of ANPP before offering appointments to any of the Borno State PDP members?

21- Are they in the same cult organizations? If so, is their cultism stronger than the party? If it is a common friendship, hasn't he (President Jonathan) any friend in the PDP? If yes why?

22- As the truth is always unique and irrepressible! The emergence of the youth volunteer group, popularly known as the civilian JTF, who are not politicians but original citizens of Borno revealed that almost all the Boko Haram arrested and tortured use to confess that it is either Sheriff or an ANPP stallholders very close to Sherif gave them guns, money and list of people to kill.

23- It is a general knowledge that, the Borno state ANPP chairman Mala Atuman a childhood friend and cultist-ally of Sheriff was arrested because of such cases.

24- Others who fled the town in fear of the civilian JTF include Alh Abiso, Sherif’s driver. Abdulqadiri Rahis the current MMC Chairman who use to be the leader of the ‘Ecomogs’ (thugs) and a very close and long time stooge and member of Sherif’s political cultism.

25- Others include Mamman Imam who is said to be responsible for the first bomb blast in Maiduguri i.e on the day of the 2011 National assembly election after he has woefully lost the election at his own ward- Shehuri North, he detonated a bomb at the collation centre to cause chaos.

26- The current deputy Governor, Zannah Umar Mustapha is also found guilty of recruiting & sponsoring boko haram in Borno south.

27- Today in Maiduguri, everybody knows that Sherif is the sponsor, financier, alpha and omega of Boko Haram but president Jonathan is his best friend and thus he is above the law...

28- When the stronghold of boko haram, the Garannam shrine was destroyed by the combined efforts of the youth volunteer and the JTC, the youth arrested confessed that it was Sheriff that mounted them in this place and they are working for him while the discoveries found were human parts and bloods in large quantities.

29- The members of the neighbouring community have also confirmed that they use to see Sherif visiting the shrine time to time.

30- In the shrine alone, over seven thousand ak 47 guns were recovered.

31- Sometime in 2012, Sherif went to his home town Gamboru-Ngala and he told them publicly that he is responsible for all that is happening and no one could dare to arrest him. Let them contact Senator Zannah that they elected and beg him to spare them from what is happening.

32- Former vice president Atiku Abubakar has said it that Sherif use to arm thugs for political gains.

33- Former FCT minister, J T Useni also stated with evidences in 2011 that Sherif is real sponsor of Boko Haram.

34- Shuaibu bama, a close relative of Senator Ahmed Zannah was arrested in 2012 at the residence of Ali Sherif Rabi street. Why hosting boko haram at his house? and why is it that the govt can not dare to arrest him?. Or even interrogate him? Is it because he is a friend of the president? Are the friends of the president above the law?

35- In fact over fifty thousand (50,000.00) AK47 riffles were recovered in Maiduguri alone by the combined efforts of the youth volunteer and the JTF, and the QUESTION is who is that most influential person that can smuggle in such large number of ammunitions without being discovered at the security check-points????????

36- There are over 200 check-points between Maiduguri and Abuja and over 200 within the city of Maiduguri & environs.

37- The cost of AK47 riffle is over N1m and over 50, 000 of them found in Maiduguri, and each and every person found with the riffle has additional money ranging from N2m to N10m and even beyond that. What is the source of all these money? Of course none of the Islamic organizations in Nigeria has such a huge amount of money and none of the PDP members in Borno can afford such amount.

38- Anyone who doubts this presentation should come down to Maiduguri by himself and ask any passer-by as to whether Sherif is the leader and financier of Boko Haram or not. In fact you will find the civilian JTF at airport, purposely waiting for Sherif. Because they all pledged to kill him.

39- It was discovered that the last time he came to Maiduguri, the federal government gave him military uniform and military escort and he was able to get to his house without recognition of the civilian JTF. And return back to Abuja before the news is spreads.

40- Both the republic of Cameroun and Chad banned him from entering their country because of his involvement from terrorism activities but the Nigerian Government extenuates him and called him best friend of the presidency.

NOW THE QUESTION IS;

IS THE PRESIDENCY USING SHERIF TO DESTROY THE NORTH????

COMRADE Abba Idris Maikwano

Jonathan’s cabinet reshuffle of anxieties

Just as Nigerians await President Goodluck Jonathan’s announcement of his reconstituted cabinet, OLAWALE RASHEED, in this report, highlights the politics going on within the corridors of power for interested parties to get plum jobs in the cabinet.

THE race for ministerial nomination is reaching a crescendo with many names now with the Presidency and with screening said to be ongoing . The focus is already shifting from the states to the centre as names that should reach the decision point are there already. The level of anxiety among interested party chiefs within the affected nine states is also palpable.

A check across the affected states of Kano, Jigawa, Kaduna, Osun, Sokoto, Rivers and Borno revealed that the party leaderships have responded to the reported request of the president that they should forward three names for consideration. This may not hold, however, in states whose governors are considered anti-Presidency or in states where the ruling party is not in control of the government. In such hostile states, party chiefs known to be loyal to the president are to be kingmakers in term of nomination of names to the centre.

A fringe development may be the reallocation of the zonal ministerial representatives which, before the resolve, were held by Kano, Ogun and Rivers states. For the South-West, there are strong indications that the zonal ministerial slot has been zoned to Lagos State. The reason may not be unconnected to the lack of political root by the current minister from the state, Olusegun Aganga, who many Lagos indigenes even claimed is not from their state.

The other reason may be the resolve of the president to strengthen Lagos which is known to be weak and weighed down by the ubiquitous machinery of the All Progressives Congress (APC). What Ogun missed with the removal of Olugbenga Ashiru is what Lagos has gained. If eventually Lagos had the zonal slot, it will then be having two ministers which Ogun State used to have until the recent reshuffle.

Recent news reports, however, indicated that the Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is unsettled by the scheming for the slot. As usual, with its persistent internal wrangling, the party chiefs are at each other’s throat over who should pick the slot. The party was reported to have initially selected its chairman, Tunji Shelle, before the issue of gender preference came up. The president is said to prefer a female nominee.

A report had it that three female nominees were subsequently short listed by the state chapter of the party. The list already submitted includes Adenike Jones (Lagos Central), Tanwa Olusi (Lagos West) and Ajoke Maina (Lagos East). Jones is reported to be the favourite.

For the North-West, the choice is politically important for the president. The former minister from Sokoto was nominated by the state governor, Aliyu Wamakko, and House of Representatives speaker, AminunTambuwal. Now, the presidency has to select directly, based on recommendations of the president’s allies in the state. The president›s allies in the state includeSenator Umar Gada; former Senate leader and Nigerian Ambassador to Morocco, Senator Abdallah Wali; and a host of others. Reports had it that while Senator Gada is acknowledged as a pointman of the president in the state, Senator Wali is being mentioned due to his experience in the Senate and as a former minister of national planning.

The choice of a minister in Sokoto is critical as the main PDP has to contend with the combined machine of the House speaker and the state governor. Insiders said many factors are being considered before a nominee is selected from the state. There was even a report that overture is being made to the Sultan of Sokoto, Abubakar Saad. Facts, however, are that the National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki, is reported to be playing a key role in the search and screening for the right nominee.

Kano State is said to be a key battle ground. Already, the state governor, Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, is facing the pressure as his involvement in the G7 has empowered his traditional enemies within the PDP and the political opposition. Presidential strategists are looking at two main directions, both of which must have sufficient clout to take on the Kwankwasiya cult in Kano politics. Former House of Representatives speaker, Ghali Na’Abba, the old warhorse of legislative war under Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, is widely mentioned.

Na’Abba is believed to possess the political stubbornness like Dr Kwankwaso himself. Additionally, he has a strong leg within the federal legislature, having served crucially at a time to tame the Otta farmer. Many, however, think Na’Abba may be too controversial for the job, especially as a consensus builder is reportedly needed for the job in Kano State. That consensus is hinting at a nominee who can unite the anti-Kwankwaso forces in the state, including the Mohammed Abacha group which just joined the party.

This is where another name, Dr Akilu Ndabawa, a former aide to the president, is being mentioned. Indabawa has, however, been appointed into the National Dialogue Panel and this has raised questions on whether the president actually intends to put his old aide in the ministerial saddle. Some also believe that Indabawa may be too weak to confront the Kwankwasiya machine which is said to have ingratiated itself since the sitting governor got into office. His strength may, however, be his deep understanding of the Kwankwasiya machinery, having been an inner member in the recent past.

In Jigawa State, the tight grip of Governor Sule Lamido is making the range of choices difficult. Most prominent leaders of the party in the state are within the governor›s caucus. The challenge for the president’s people is to produce a nominee who can command the respect of the state and also serve as a counter weight to the governor. Economic empowerment is also said to favour the loyalists of the governor as many anti-Lamido forces have gone politically and economically bankrupt. A former governor of the state, Saminu Turaki, appears to be the only one with the network and wherewithal, but the former governor is considered unstable and “with many loads” which may be politically negative.

Others being mentioned include a former member of the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Senator Mohammed Alkali, who was elected senator in 1999 and ran for governor in 2003 with the support of the then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lamido. He had since fallen out with the governor after he decided to challenge him during the 2011 election. He was also stripped of his traditional title of Sardaunnan Gumel. Alkali is said to be a favorite.

Another possible candidate is a former member of the House of Representatives, Abba Anas, a one-time secretary of the PDP in the state who fell out with Governor Lamido in the twilight of his stay in the House of Representatives.

The situation in Kaduna State is tricky as the sitting governor, Ramalan Yero, must have a say, being a supporter of the president and the vice-president. The vice-president must also have a say as Kaduna is his base. Ultimately, however, the president’s choice is critical and key to emergence of any nominee from the state.

A close ally of both the president and the vice-president is Senator Issiah Ballat who is also an adviser in the office of the vice-president. Ballat is a known campaigner for the president, but he is facing tough challenge from Senator Esther Nenadi who is a former minister of finance.

he senator’s weak point may be her role in the removal of Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala from the finance ministry under former President Obasanjo and her alleged closeness to the former president. The Ballat option is also said to be unclear with signs emerging that a new name may surface, especially as such nominee will not have the challenge like the nominees to come from Kano, Sokoto and Jigawa.

The Southern states of Osun and Rivers are unique. In Osun State, the party chairman, Alhaji Ganiyu Olaoluwa, publicly announced that 24 individuals had signified interest. It is not clear what the party can do to narrow down the choice to three which is normally the norm. Insiders said the shortlisting had been done and that the three names were already in Abuja. Others, however, said nothing like that had been done as a party chief from the state is rumored to be the main decider. Osun is regarded as a battle ground and the towering presence of Senator Iyiola Omisore is cited as a major reason the choice may be a very easy one.

There is, however, mounting anxiety in the affected states. On Thursday, a news channel mistakenly reported that the list of ministerial nominees was out. That report created sensational panic in many political circles with calls and inquiries from far and near. When the report was found to be false, the tension died down automatically.

Some administration officials, however, hinted that the list may contain surprises for many.

“The president may shock those expectant politicians. We cannot be sure he will follow all those parameters you listed,” one of them hinted.

NigerianTribune

Billions already wasted, Mark, Tambuwal, two deputies reject multibillion naira govt homes

Abdulrahman Abdulmalik

President of the Senate, David Mark

The four top leaders of the National Assembly have snubbed a set of government-provided homes that have already gulped more than a billion naira in construction, asking instead for new houses at a more secure location.

The Federal Capital Territory Administration said weekend that the construction of four posh homes for Senate president, David Mark, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, and their deputies, Ike Ekweremadu and Emeka Ihedioha respectively, has been suspended after they rejected the location of the buildings, citing insecurity.

Authorities will now convert the structures to guest houses for the four lawmakers, the FCDA said.

Speaking weekend, FCT minister, Bala Mohammed, who was represented by the FCDA Director of Public Building, Bernard Lot, said work was ongoing at the project before the lawmakers made it clear they will not accept the houses.

 “You will recall that we had started that project, and there is a contractor carrying out the road work. You can actually access the place because the contractor has actually commenced work and has also done reasonably well on that,” Mr. Lot told journalists.

“But that too was affected by budgetary provisions. You know government has dwindling resources, but there is an issue there because development is not taking place fast in that area. And so the principal officers of the National Assembly have said that they don’t want that place because of the current security situation in the country.”

An ambitious plan by the FCTA to complete the lavish homes for the principal officers of the National Assembly, was already controversial, as the four lawmakers currently reside in houses constructed by the government, which they later bought for themselves under a contentious monetization policy.

Since the inception of the project in 2010, a minimum of N1.5 billion in appropriation have been made annually for the work. But the FCT minister said only a fraction of the amount was released to complete the project located at a new extension of Maitama district, called Goodluck Jonathan district.

The district is right behind the Lungi barracks in Abuja.

But despite the security, the lawmakers said they needed a safer location with the current situation in the country, and already one has been selected for them in the Three Arms Zone in the city centre.

The FCTA said the request has been granted with the approval of President Goodluck Jonathan, for the project to be started anew, this time within the Three Arms Zone, supposedly Nigeria’s most secure area, where the president himself lives.

“Though it is behind the army barracks, we cannot isolate them there, and government in its own wisdom has said that since they don’t want it, the authorities have decided to convert the buildings to guest houses and scale down the initial cost of the project. That is what we are doing now. We are scaling down the cost of the project to serve as guest houses to the principal officers of the National Assembly,” Mr. Lot said.

“As for their new residences, you are all aware that we have already cleared a new site located in the Three Arms Zone in the Central Area. The President has already given his anticipatory approval and the contractor has been asked to commence work on the project.”

The initial project involved opening up the previously fallow area, building new roads and facilities, and constructing four choice homes for the lawmakers.

The area was to also be made available for all classes of Nigerians, and the contract for the entire new district was N44 billion, Mr. Bala had said last November.

But PREMIUM TIMES has long confirmed in a previous investigation that the exclusive area is far out of the reach of ordinary Nigerians, with plots going for between N250 million and N400 million.

As of July 2013 when PREMIUM TIMES reporters visited the district, the area was under tight security and construction works were still ongoing.

The legislators currently live alongside other senators and members of the House of Representatives at the Apo Legislative quarters in Abuja.

In 2011, the FCT minister, Mr. Mohammed, himself a former senator, told the National Assembly the Apo area was insecure for the top lawmakers and said the government could not guarantee the safety of the four officers, hence the need for new houses.

“The National Assembly is the highest democratic body we have apart from the presidency. And the National Assembly complex at Apo has been sold out to the public. The place is being inhabited by all sorts of people. Leaving them there will expose them to the vagaries of the society. And anybody can be a principal officer; so whoever is there and you leave him there, you are not being fair to him,” Mr Mohammed had said.

 “Our decision is taken out of a sheer sense of responsibility. But with responsibility comes the issue of security, the issue of the latitude and leverage which officers holding certain offices must have.”

The chosen new location was the Maitama extension.

Mr. Lot said weekend the lawmakers’ homes, costing N3 billion, and handled by Julius Berger, had been discontinued.

The FCT authorities said the project was delayed due to shortage of funds.

In 2011, Mr. Bala said while N324 million was appropriated, only N146 million had been expended, leaving a balance of N178 million.

The FCT is also constructing a multibillion naira new home for Vice President Namadi Sambo. The initial cost for the project was N9 billion, but was raised to N16 billion by the FCDA, a move that was blocked by the National Assembly.

Mr. Bala said the project was also affected by shortage of funds.

“For a whole year (2012), there was no budget for that project but under 2013, we had an appropriation and the contractor is working. We had a cause to seek a variation on the contract to implement the second phase of the project. But it was stood down on the grounds that no project will have a variation above 15 per cent,” he said.

“So, we are having an implementation strategy to ensure that we complete that project on time, including the very essential aspects of the work, including the holding, gatehouse, bedroom, storage, among others.”

He said work was however ongoing.

Nigeria is constructing these new multi-billion naira posh homes for its five officials, who are already accommodated in comfortable government buildings, at a time that poverty appears to be growing in the country, with majority of its people living on less than a dollar a day.

PremiumTimes

Govt. Shutdown: House begins Obama’s impeachment proceedings

Republicans in the House of Representatives have scheduled impeachment proceedings against President Obama, claiming his inability to halt the federal government shutdown makes him unfit for office.
Congresswoman Michele Bachmann introduced a resolution to impeach Obama this morning and referred the matter to the House Judiciary Committee. Senior aides close to judiciary chairman Bob Goodlatte say hearings will begin Thursday.

“I think it’s high time President Obama be held accountable for his crimes,” explains Bachmann. “For two weeks now, vital government services have been disrupted, federal workers have gone without pay and national memorials have been closed, all because of the president’s refusal to negotiate over Obamacare.

“This isn’t just poor leadership. The Obama administration is corrupt to the core. The scandals surrounding the IRS, Benghazi, the Fast and the Furious (sic) and Solyndra have shown us this cabal will do anything to stay in power.

“But in shutting down the government President Obama has committed economic treason against the United States of America, and he must be removed before it’s too late. The Constitution provides us the mechanism of impeachment. It’s time to end this dictatorial regime and return the presidency back to the American people.”
Sour Tea

The U.S. federal government shut down on Oct. 1 after House Republicans refused to fund it unless President Obama agreed to repeal his signature health care reform, the Affordable Care Act, popularly known as Obamacare.

Although most polls show that a majority of Americans blame Republicans for the shutdown, many in the Tea Party feel President Obama is at fault for not immediately acquiescing to their demands.

“The tipping point for me was closing the World War II memorial,” says Texas Republican Louie Gohmert, who voted for the bill which effectively shut down the government. “I can’t believe Obama did that. I mean how dare he put politics ahead of our veterans.

“All this clown needs to do is repeal the most important law he ever passed, and then this will all be over. Why is that so hard? The Tea Party represents almost 22 percent of Americans. Only a dictator would refuse to give us everything we want. Obama should be more than impeached — he should be in jail.”

Hearings in the judiciary committee are expected to last for two weeks, after which the committee will create specific impeachment charges and refer them to the full House. If a majority of House members vote to impeach the President, the matter is referred to the Senate, where the Democratic majority makes ultimate success unlikely.

“We probably won’t be successful,” admits Ted Cruz, one of the few Republicans in the Senate supporting the impeachment process. “But we have to try. This guy is worse than Hitler. We have to do something.”

OsunDefender

FG Pays Ex Militant Leader Tompolo $326m, House Of Reps Queries

The House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee investigating the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund, CVFF, has queried the management of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency  NIMASA, over the $326million payment to Global West Specialist Vessels Limited, a company purportedly owned by ex- militant leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo aka Tompolo.

The House Committee was set up to ascertain how much has accrued into the CVFF, including the interest, as well as how much the Fund disbursed and to whom it gave the money . It also demanded to know why such huge amount of payment was made to Global West.

During the investigation, a member of the Committee, Dr Adejare Samuel Babatunde, raised an alarm  at the amount of money paid to one single company, and demanded that a detailed  bank statement of account of the CVFF be forwarded to the committee.

The committee, it was gathered, was also irked by the payment of 50 percent of NIMASA’s generated revenue to the said company, contrary to laid down financial regulations of government.

The committee also picked holes at the NIMASA CVFF accounts and demanded an explanation on the movement of monies from the Fund to other accounts.

Beside the unauthorized movements of monies from the Fund, the committee further demanded the disclosure of names and the consultants engaged by NIMASA and how much has been paid to the consultants.

The committee then called for an amendment of the Cabotage Act with a view to quickening the process of disbursement of the CVFF which has been hampered by the guidelines.

“The guidelines can be changed any time but changing the law is more cumbersome because by your explanation, we will run into trouble by 2015 when double hull vessels will be phased out.

“We also want the break down of the interest that accrued to the Fund on a  year by year basis,”Adejare said.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the Speaker of the House of Representatives,  Aminu Tambuwal, expressed concern at the state of the Nigerian maritime industry, which he said has been occasioned by ineptitude and poor regulatory framework.

His words: “The fear is that some unpatriotic people are misapplying the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund to the detriment of its objectives.

“Following the concern expressed by stakeholders and the Nigerian public on the irregularities occasioned by the misapplication of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund, the House considered a motion on the subject matter and resolved to set up the Ad-hoc Committee to investigate the application of the Fund so as to address the challenges and find a way forward.”

Defending the payment, NIMASA’s Director General, Mr. Patrick Akpobolokemi, said there was an agreement between the Federal government through the agency and the firm.

Akpobolokemi explained that the agreement was that 50 percent of extra revenue generated by NIMASA  should be paid as consultancy fee to Global West.

The agency boss stated that some consultants were engaged to grow the Fund, adding that the CVFF is put in tenured accounts so as to grow the Fund.

He explained that in the agreement government had with Global West, the firm was to provide platforms and intelligence that will assist the agency in blocking loopholes and fight crimes that can  hinder its financial growth.

The Cabotage Vessel Financing Funds currently stands at over N30billion, including its interest. About six indigenous shipping companies have applied to access the Fund.

The applicants, it was learnt, are currently undergoing security screening by government before the Fund will be disbursed.

Efforts to reach the management of Global West Specialist Vessels Limited were futile as the firm’s spokesman Mr. Paul Bebenimibo refused to take calls and reply to text messages sent to his phone.

Abusidiqu.com