12 top military officers in trouble over N5bn polls cash

•Others quizzed over N5billion ‘election operation’ fund  
The army segment of the $2.1billion arms slush funds    has landed 12 top army officers in trouble with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)
Three serving major generals, a retired major general, three brigadier generals, four colonels, and one lieutenant colonel are being interrogated by the anti-graft agency for their alleged involvement in the deal.
They were referred to the EFCC by the army authorities following an internal probe.
A security source familiar with the development branded it “a monumental fraud” last night.

The source said that from the evidence already gathered, what transpired in the air force with the arms procurement fund might turn out to be a child’s play.
“This is the most crucial aspect of the $2.1billion arms deals because the Nigerian Army was at the centre of the procurement. The case of the Nigerian Air Force might be a child’s play.”
Commodore Salisu Yushau, a retired finance director of the Air Force and prosecution witness in a case of corruption against former Chief of Defence Staff and one time Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh told a Federal High Court in Abuja last Wednesday of how air force money was used to buy choice properties for Badeh’s sons and how the former Air Force Chief routinely mopped up salaries in excess of N500m monthly.
Ex-National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki is facing a separate trial for alleged diversion of the $2.1 billion arms procurement fund.
Sources said:”already, we have started interrogating the officers referred to the commission. At the appropriate time, we will release their names to the public.
“Certainly, we will interact with two former Chiefs of Army Staff on the procurement process and inventory of arms and military hardware.”
The Army had said those found guilty of fraud by the EFCC will be tried by a Military Court Martial.
The Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Kukasheka Usman said in a terse statement that “However it should be noted that at the end of the commission’s investigations, those found culpable will be tried by a Military Court Martial.”
Some retired and former military officers are also under investigation for allegedly diverting a N5billion vote earmarked for election operation.
The fund was released by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
The illegal fund, which was drawn from the Central Bank of Nigeria, was allegedly used for personal service.
Investigation by our correspondent revealed that the N5billion was illegally drawn for the Army from the CBN by ONSA.
It was learnt another vote was budgeted for the Army in the 2015 budget for operations leading to duplication of funds.
Some Army officers were said to have helped themselves to the N5billion cash since “operation funds” were regarded as “mere fluid budget.”
A reliable source said: “Some top Army officers are under probe over N5billion election operation funds from ONSA. The funds were illegally drawn under curious overhead from CBN.
“But preliminary findings have indicated that the cash was diverted to personal use. There is no record of disbursement and utilization.
“Some of the affected officers have been invited to Abuja. If found guilty of mismanagement of funds and political indulgence, they might face severe sanctions including dismissal or retirement.”
About N16.5billion was released to the Nigeria Police, Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Army and ONSA for “logistic requirement for 2015 elections.”
The breakdown is as follows: IGP General Election OPS Fund Account (N10billion); Nigerian Air Force OPS Account (N1billion); Nigerian Army Operations Account (N5billion) and ONSA (N500million).

TheNation.

Atiku, Tinubu in race for APC BoT chair

By Muideen Olaniyi

From right: Former Vice President and chieftain of APC Atiku Abubakar, Rep. Mohammed Tahir Monguno (leader of delegation), Rep. Ahmed Yarima, Rep. Shehu Aliyu, Rep. Zakariya’u Galadima and Rep. Abdulrazak Namdas, during a visit of a delegation of North East members of House of Representatives to brief the former vice president on the proposed North East Development Commission in Abuja on Thursday. PHOTO: Atiku’s Media Office

Members of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) are already forming queues behind former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, ahead of tomorrow’s meeting of the Board of Trustees (BoT), Daily Trust on Sunday learnt yesterday.
Sources said the BoT meeting, scheduled to hold at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja, would be used to elect both the chairman and secretary of the Board, which is an advisory body of elders and leaders considered as the conscience of the party.

A leader of the APC in Abia State and former National Chairman of the Progressives Peoples Alliance (PPA), Chief Sam Nkire, had already declared his interest to become the secretary of the party’s BoT.
The latest development is an indication that the first interim National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande, may no longer be in the APC BoT chairmanship contest.
The APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, confirmed tomorrow’s meeting last Monday after resuming from a 10-day working break.
After the emergence of the BoT chairman, a meeting of the party’s national caucus will follow on Tuesday, March 22, 2016.
Chief Odigie-Oyegun said the meeting of the APC National Executive Committee (NEC), which is the party’s highest decision making organ, will hold on Thursday, March 24, 2016.
Daily Trust on Sunday learnt that the need to fill vacant positions in the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) would be ratified at the NEC meeting.
The APC national chairman, who spoke with journalists at the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja, had said that all arrangements had been concluded to conduct congresses through which a substantive national publicity secretary to succeed Alhaji Lai Mohammed would emerge.
  DailyTrust

2 Super Nigerian food to treat Diabetes

Onion

SPONSORED POST
HAVE YOU BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH DIABETES?…EAT THESE 2 SUPER NIGERIAN FOOD AND GET WELL FAST.
If you have diabetes, what I’m about to share with  you in this post could prevent you from having a premature heart attack, save your eyesight, kidneys, legs, and nerves—even save your life. http://www.showmehealthytips.com
Even though we live in a pill-swallowing, drug-oriented culture, more and more people are starting to realize that food and nature are really our best medicine. In 90% of all chronic and degenerative diseases, poor diet is either the direct cause or a significant factor. This is especially true for Type 2 diabetes.
There is no stage of Type 2 diabetes that can’t be helped by making some smart dietary changes. And the earlier they are made, the more dramatic the health improvements will be.  http://www.showmehealthytips.com

A few simple changes in your eating habits can actually reverse Type 2 diabetes so that all metabolic functions, including the body’s insulin production, return to normal. http://www.showmehealthytips.com
Now, here the two supper nigerian foods that help reverse type 2 diabetes:

1. ONIONS

Onions are one of the top food sources for the trace mineral chromium, which has a powerful positive effect on blood glucose levels. Research shows that chromium helps your body use insulin more efficiently, maintains steady blood sugar levels, and reduces the need for diabetes drugs.
Chromium deficiency and diabetes often accompany each other, according to a study published in Diabetes Care Magazine.This isn’t surprising when you realize that the symptoms of chromium deficiency (such as out-of-control levels of glucose, insulin, triglycerides, and high cholesterol) resemble those of prediabetes.
One cup of raw onion (about ½ cup cooked onion) gives you 24mcg of the “adequate intake” recommendation of 25 — 35mcg of chromium. So eating lots of onion is a very powerful way of helping your body defeat diabetes. http://www.showmehealthytips.com

2. NUTS

These little diabetes-busters are bursting with healthy fats, vitamins, and lots of minerals. If you’re prediabetic, or want to avoid Type 2, eating nuts will cut down your risk. If you already have diabetes, nuts help you manage your blood sugar and weight.
Nuts contain monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), which reverse insulin resistance. And remember the diabetes-heart disease connection? Nuts are another weapon in your heart-healthy arsenal, as studies show that daily consumption of nuts cuts the risk of heart attack by 35%.  http://www.showmehealthytips.com
If you have been struggling with Diabetes and would like to enjoy better health and deal with this problem in the Shortest possible time From Now…then Let Me Show You How to get this done! Click http://www.showmehealthytips.com
In this free information, I will reveal the following:
=> How you can Get Rid Of Diabetes within Few Months even if everything else that you have tried didn’t work for you.
=> A Natural Supplement almost nobody is aware of that can help you overcome Uncomfortable Diabetic Symptoms.
=> And Notable Testimonials From People Who Have Engaged the Program.
Remember to share this with family and friends. Once again, seeing is believing! http://www.showmehealthytips.com
To see what you can do to reverse your diabetic condition naturally click this link now http://www.showmehealthytips.com

TheNation

‘Oshiomhole can’t impose candidate on Edo APC’

•Ogiemwonyi

Chris Ogiemwonyi, an engineer, is a former Minister of State for Works  and governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State. He spoke with BEN OGBEMUDIA  on his ambition, conditions for credible programmes and preparations for next year’s poll.
What motivated you to join the governorship race in Edo State?
I am motivated to render service, and don’t forget, I did this successfyully for 34 years at the central government, 34 years. I worked for the NNPC and having done that to the satisfaction of my people, I think the remaining part, when I am still strong, I should equally come to render that same service to my people.
What do you have to offer differently?
Because of who I am, I have my characters. One thin g I market today is my name, which is a brand, in terms of integrity and accountability, good governance. These are things I cherish seriously and I market them as a brand then my experience, exposure for 34 years in a key sector of our economy, which oil and gas, my pedigree as a hard working person, everybody knows that; so if you look at these attributes, by the time you accumulate these things, you will see a fine gentleman coming out for this course.

There is this insinuation that you didn’t have the structure in the party to win the primaries. What will you say about this?
I hear that and I laugh when I hear it; structure, what is structure, these are human beings. What is going to play out now and tomorrow in Nigeria is not how deep you are in politics, but people are going to respect the character of the person. As things are evolving, it will get to a point where even the party is not going to be the determinant, but the person when you talk about this issue of structure, the delegates in their quite moments at home, they are human beings, they will keep on analysing who is the best among us, people will on their own make up their minds who to vote for based on the charcter of that person I promise you the parties we belong to now is not going to be too serious  about those considerations, people will be looking at the persons and whatever structure that is ground, because they are human beings, they will be very analytical in reaching their decision.
We have an outgoing governor, who will be leaving a big shoe behind. Do you think you have that character to step into those shoes?
I wish you will have time to ask about me when I was in the NNPC. If it is possible, you interrogate the people I worked with in my last three to four years in the NNPC, you will get a better judgment if you do that. Why was this man so highly respected by everybody in the oil companies, in the NNPC. Let me save time by not saying who I am but I expect you should go out and find who Chris Ogiemwonyi is, my name is synonymous with courage to do what is right, that is my name.
What are your plans for the state, in terms of job creation, considering the number of unemployed youths and graduates?
On the average today in Edo state just like in other states, in every house, we have a minimum of two to three unemployed graduates, the situation is like that in all homes, not only in Edo state so the issue of job creation is something every incoming government need to think through in Nigeria. My take on this is that I must commend Comrade Oshiomhole for what he has been able to do but I think it is an area we should look deeper to find out how we should address this. I must commend the state government for rebranding the Okpella Cement factory. I was in NNPC, I was part of those that worked in Obajana because the gas pipeline to Obajana was done when I was the CEO of NGC. The first day I went to Obajana, when I saw the number of people working in that Cement Company, we can re-create more of Obajana here. But why I will not talk too much on this is like me reeling out my manifesto but believe you me,  think the in-coming government should do a feasibility of all mineral resources in Edo state and me coming from the oil and gas, it is one thing that I will do, to put a strong team to quickly do the feasibility.  Do a feasibility of the whole and quickly identify these resources and then pursue foreign investors and I already have some. Some people have told me, Chris if you come in, we need some amount of land for car assembly, they want to come to Edo state for that, I have some friends from China they have told me already, that plant can employ about 3,000 youths, all they need from me is to provide the land. This state will be a place for industry destination i this part of the country. People believe me, they trust and that there will be sanctity of agreement, I will respect the content of that agreement and I will not go round to ask for favour in terms of equity interest, they know me already, I have established my name, my name as a brand.
What is your reaction to the allegation that the APC government is fithing a selective and corruption battle?
You see, every process when it is starting, people hold different opinion, I hate to generalise. He is selective, but I haven’t seen him do that. What I have seen is that this is a regime preaching change and so far, being led by somebody who is an apostle of change. With what we are seeing with mr president and because of who he is I am 100 per cent sure that this philosophy will come down gradually. Don’t forget there may be one or two Judases but it is the generality that we should look at in the various sectors that he is doing and don’t that some of the people who are in APC today came from the PDP so we will expect some of these things, but with time, I see perfection.
There are insinuations that the governor may anointed one or two aspirants and the issue of people actually voting may not arise. How do feel about this?
When you hear things like this, many people prepare to discuss things they don’t know. Oshiomhole preached one man one vote four five years ago and we saw what happened in this state, things have changed to that philosophy, as a person like to commend people; this guy destroyed godfatherism that in our state here before now, we have about  three people deciding how things are shared but today, godfatherism is buried and our prayer is that it will never rise again in Edo state so when I hear about that governor has anointed somebody, all APC is going to do is that we are going to the field, there will be an open primary. It is the people that decides. He has promised that there will be a free and fair primaries. How will anointing come into that? If he is anointing, it is the people you should blame because the only way you can exibit democracy is through open ballot and that is what the man is preaching. I have left my base in Abuja so that I can participate in the process and since I joined the APC last year, I have been following the process by process. I have not seen where this man has defaulted. I hate to join people to just condemn people, he has done well. But, don’t forget that I am an apostle of transparency and what you are saying, if I sense it, I will go to the streets, I will protest. I don’t want to join people to say that, who was there when he did the anointing? Let us try and destroy rumour mongering, that thing has destroyed so much in Nigeria.
What is your reaction to the controversial land use charge?
These people complaining, how many of them have seen the government gazette on the charge? People are just doing this bandwagon effect. My friends are crying and you want to join the cry. By my training, I prefer to go to the Ministry of Justice, get a copy and study it. Is not for the whole state, it is not for the whole city. It is for the low density area that they are talking about and the question you will ask yourself is it new, does it exist in other parts of the world. Byt the time you answer this questions, it is not new. Those that have flats in New York as compact as the city is, they still pay. I think we should commend him for being creative in the IGR and I think what people should ask is the usage of the money.
What is the way out of the perennial fuel crisis in Nigeria?  
I will advice Mr President to take a serious look at that price. My question is, what constitutes that landing price of the PMS?  I want a proper check on this.
During my period in the NNPC, we tried to look into the issue, the structure in the supply chain. I must tell you one thing. Until Nigerians are prepared to do things courageously, we may never see an end to this. Several governments have tried to see what the major problems were. One area they want to identify is that decision will be based on the landing cost of the product in Nigeria. What is the landing cost? We must check that thing seriously. Are there inefficiencies? Are there corruption practices. I will expect again, President Buhari should get those that knows the business to study the process line. The product arriving at Apapa, what is the actual landing cost? My take on that is that there are issues, some wastage. We have heard of demurrage being paid for some ships just at the Wharf and they will all account for this landing price.
They can do that. The NPA charges for example, we must do a serious review of these charges in order to arrive at the actual landing cost of the product.
On a global scale, my take on this is to deregulate. Let us pay for the proper price of this product. Open the market, let there be more participant, more players.
If we deregulate, the subsidy we are doing now for our neighbours, Ghana, Benin, Toko, Mali Chad and others will see us paying less price for the product. Because of the porous nature of the Nigeria borders, most of the product that have been heavily subsidized by the Nigeria government, find their ways into these countries.
Our borders are very porous. We are subsidising the products for our neighbouring countries. When I was Minister, go to our borders and you see trucks crossing over with products.

TheNation

Chris Ogiemwonyi Cautions Edo Delegates Not To Allow Their Conscience To Be Bought In Edo Governorship Election

One of the major contenders on the platform of the All Progressive Congress, APC, in the Edo State September 10th governorship race, Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi has advised the delegates who will elect Governor Adams Oshiomhole's successor to critically scrutinise the credentials of those jostling to govern the state.

Engr. Ogiemwonyi made this assertion while addressing the delegates in Owan West Local Government, Saboggida-Ora; Owan East Local Government and at the headquarters of the oldest Local Government, Akoko-Edo.

"I am here to solicit for your votes as a brother, friend and political party advocate who believe in due process. I am aware many of my contenders in the race have visited you almost twice. It is not out of hatred that I am visiting late. I was only obeying the governor's directives to wait till the ban on campaign is lifted.

"I want to tell you that I am a different kind of politician because of my background as a technocrat. When I left school years back, I had three jobs. Now, thousands of our youths are being turned out of schools on a yearly bases without jobs and it aches my heart.

"As governor of Edo State, if you give me your votes, I will not only create jobs for the teaming youths who are graduates, but will also provide hooks with which you can fish by yourself; especially those who have contributed immensely for the development of our dear party, the APC.

"My major reason for seeking to be the governor of Edo is to eradicate poverty because the statistics has shown that more than 60% of our people are living below poverty line. As governor of the state I will build on the legacy of governor Adams Oshiomhole who have laid the bases for concrete governance", Ogiemwonyi said.

At the various points of his campaign consultation, spanning through the entire Edo North Senatorial District comprising six local government from Owan West; East, Akoko-Edo, Etsako, West, East and Central the people received Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi with fanfare and glitz. They lauded his unblemished record for serving the nation in various capacity without faults.

Barrister Abubakar Yusuf, former students union president, University of Benin and chairman A Y holdings and APC political leader in ward 3, Etsako West local government said the people of Edo State are blessed to have Chris Ogiemwonyi aspiring to consolidate on the good work of Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

"I am indeed pleased that Edo State has the likes of Engr. Chris Ogiemwonyi as one of the foremost contenders for the September 10th governorship race. With his bold entrant Edo State can now separate the boys from the men. The person who is said to be anointed by the governor and the anointer now have serious battle to fight", Barrister Abubakar said.

19: Aggrieved APC, PDP leaders begin merger talks

By Donald Ojogo

• They are desperate, spoilers –Oni

Less than one year into the life of the current administration, politicians of the major partisan divides have commenced secret moves to realign forces ahead of the 2019 general elections, New Telegraph has gathered.
The talks, said to be causing ripples within the Presidency and a cross section of the All Progressives Congress (APC), cut across a sizeable portion of the ruling party and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The move, according to a source close to the leadership of the ruling party, is ostensibly triggered by the emergence of a new power cartel in the Presidential Villa that appears to have sidelined some founding fathers of the APC.
“Such leaders are aggrieved, but have resorted to remain calm and keep their cool even in the face of glaring subjugation to the background by those young Turks who have formed a new cartel in the villa to corner the spoils of war,” the source told our correspondent in confidence.
New Telegraph could not get reaction on the development from the Presidency as a text message sent to the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, was not replied as at the time of going to press.
But the deputy national chairman (South) of the APC, Engr. Segun Oni, has described such politicians as desperate spoilers who have nothing to lose any longer. “We are aware of all the antics of these so-called politicians. I am sure they are more in the PDP than they are in the APC.
Even if there are some in our party, they must be acting in ignorance and perhaps misinformed by their contact travellers in the PDP. “In this country, people have failed to realise that losing election itself is an opportunity for self-reassessment and reinvention. It is an opportunity to go back to the drawing board and see what could be done to salvage your party.
“You don’t just wake up one day and say because you lost, everything should be lost. It is absolutely impossible the way they view it. Like in America, once the Republicans or the Democrats lose, they concentrate more on what led to their defeat and not to immediately explore possible means of bringing down a government.
“As far as we are concerned, such elements are desperate and you the media should expose them, we know what they are up to, but we are more prepared to bring the dividends of change to the ordinary Nigerian who voted for our party than spend time trying to stop them,” Oni told New Telegraph.
The source said several attempts have been made by the APC leadership and the Presidency to placate those aggrieved party leaders who have lost out in their various states or geopolitical zones since the inception of the present administration in May last year. “The issue of politics is first to see how secure you are to further the national interest. If it is only national interest, it means that some leaders did not need to contest against incumbents to heat up the polity.
“Some specific leaders made sacrifices to bring about the change we are seeing today and where are these people? In most cases, they are either sidelined or relegated to the background because some new cartel boys have emerged to corner everything and have built walls around the villa against some of the real leaders.
“For now, we are keeping our strategies close to our chest, but I can assure you that in the course of time, things will start unfolding gradually because we can’t pretend that all is well among us. The real leaders of the party are watching developments and will give specific directives when the time comes. “The change we got was not the destination; it is just a bus stop and another vehicle can take us to that destination.
So, we are looking at various options, including two hard ones whether to go for a fresh party or revitalise the ailing PDP,” he said. The source, who was a member of the interim national executive committee of the APC, disclosed that the secret talks among the political class are being facilitated by two serving PDP governors and two former Senate presidents even as the tentative understanding is to scout for a less controversial presidential candidate from the North-East.
He said, the outcome of the March 19 Area Councils election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will determine, to a large extent, the direction of the realignment talks that are currently ongoing.

NewTelegraph

Nigeria’s Central Bank Illegally Hired, Sons, Daughters And Relatives Of Former VP Atiku, IGP Arase, GMD Of NNPC, Minister Of Internal Affairs, Other Top Officials

by SAHARAREPORTERS, NEW YORK Mar 15, 2016

SaharaReporters has obtained a list of at least 91 people tied to influential or highly placed Nigerians who were recently offered juicy appointments by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in a hiring process that was highly secretive. 

The list of beneficiaries of the CBN’s job largesse include a daughter of former Vice President Abubakar Atiku, a son of Mamman Daura, a nephew of President Muhammadu Buhari and one of the closest members of the president’s inner circle, a son of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, a daughter of former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Na’aba,  also daughter of of the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, a since of the Minister of Internal Affairs, Abdurahman Danbazzau and at least 86 others.
The highly controversial recruitment, seen as peddling of influence, first came to light a few weeks ago, but SaharaReporters just exclusively obtained the names of the beneficiaries.
The leaking of the irregular hires by the CBN caused significant embarrassment for the government and the bank. The CBN’s Director of Human Resources, Chizoba Mojekwu, was reportedly redeployed as the bank’s Director of Capacity Development and IT after CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, accused her of being behind the leaking of the list.
However, a top official of the CBN told our correspondent that Mr. Emefiele had arranged the hiring of relatives of top party leaders and powerful government officials as a strategy for saving his job.
Even though the list obtained by SaharaReporters has 91 names, our sources at the CBN disclosed that the CBN Governor had started the practice of using job offers to woo top government officials since Mr. Buhari came into power on May 29, 2015. One source revealed that, in September 2015, Mr. Emefiele had hired Claire Arase, a daughter of Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase.
SaharaReporters learnt that the CBN often went to great lengths, including tweaking the names of recruits, in order to hide the identities of beneficiaries of politically motivated recruitment. Often the CBN used the beneficiaries’ first names and their father’s middle names to hide their real identities. For instance, the bank listed Maryam Atiku as “Maryam Abubakar.” In another case, the bank entered the name of the son of Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, as “Nagode Abdulrahman.” In other instances, the bank used the maiden names of hired persons instead of their married names.
 The recruitments are deemed irregular because the CBN failed to advertise the vacancies in order to allow opportunities to all qualified Nigerians to apply for the jobs. In addition, the bank’s “political” recruitments did not follow principles of federal character set out for employment by government agencies and other public institutions. “Jobs were just handed to the children of ministers in the current administration,” one bank official stated. The source added that many of the new hires were asked to pick their department of choice after their irregular employment was concluded.