Nigeria Rio Olympic Football Team Finally Gets Japanese Admirer’s Cash

Some officials of the Nigeria football team to the Rio Olympics have received their share of the $390,000 donated by a Japanese surgeon to the bronze-winning squad at the games.
It was gathered that each of the officials received $14,000.
It was further learnt that the cash backup for the cheques has finally been received more than two months after the donation was made and already a number of officials have received their payments, according to Africanfootball.com.
Wealthy Japanese surgeon, Katsuya Takasu, was highly impressed with the performance of the Samson Siasia-led team to Rio 2016 despite the many hurdles they faced and wrote out two cheques, one in favour of Coach Samson Siasia and the other for Chelsea star Mikel Obi.
The team agreed that the players be paid by Mikel, while Siasia settles the officials.
The documentation for the cheque in Mikel’s name is expected to be completed this week for the players to also smile to the bank shortly.
Both players and officials had earlier expressed fears after the long delay it took to cash the cheques.
Nigeria finished third at the Rio Olympics to complete a football Olympics medals set – Gold in 1996, silver in 2008 and bronze in 2016.

Saraki Urges Dealers To Patronize Made-in-Nigeria Cars

….Says Continuous Importation Not Sustainable
President of the Senate, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has urged the Association of Motor Dealers of Nigeria (AMDON) to key into the Current campaign for the promote of locally made goods through the purchase and sale of locally manufactured vehicles in the country.
Saraki made the plea when he hosted the National President of AMDON, Prince Ajibola Adedoyin  who led other members of the national executive of the association to visit him on Wednesday, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sanni Onogu, in Abuja.
He told the union that instead of bemoaning what the association described as astronomical custom duty and tariffs on imported vehicles, they should switch to buying and selling locally produced cars.
Saraki said: “What I am saying is that on the long term, we cannot continue to import vehicles into the country. I think I want us to buy into that policy….From our point of view, when we discuss that in the Senate, then the Committee can now take them up, invite the Minister and everybody and then we can take a position to know how to move forward.
“Definitely, we will move very fast on this to see immediately how this Buy Nigeria policy can address your interest and the interest of the country at large. We will continue to work together to see how we can improve on things,” he said.
Saraki however insisted that the Senate will not condone any fraudulent tendencies in the implementation of the nation’s automotive  policy.
He said: “We agree with you that this automotive policy is fraudulent from day one. Some handlers of this policy knew what was coming. Majority of them are not remitting duty to government coffers. They keep the money in their various pockets, depriving the nation the opportunity to build new assembling plants as agreed.
“We will bring up this motion for discussion on the floor of the Senate to address the grey areas in the policy. There is no vehicle assembly or manufacturing plant under construction. If the government had used the authentic and serious manufacturers, I believe that in the next five years, we would have seen the result,” he said.
Earlier, the AMDON president, Prince  Ajibola Adedoyin lamented the implementation of the nation’s automotive policy which he said has caused the prices of cars to skyrocket thereby denying the dealers of customers.
“We will want our country to be a manufacturing nation, but the idea of indirect ban on the importation of a necessity such as vehicles, in the hope of assembling made in Nigeria cars, while we are yet to assemble or manufacture a bicycle is a wild imagination which will definitely be realized after it has inflicted great pains on Nigerians and its economy, not to talk of the waste of scarce resources which would have gone down the drain,” Adedoyin said.
He called on the Senate to invite the Minister of Trade and Investment and the Director General of the National Automative Council to shed light on the development.
www.jaktufaridaharuna.blogspot.com.ng

$15m EFCC seized were legitimate gifts from friends – Patience Jonathan

Former First Lady, Patience Jonathan, has insisted that the $15m found in several bank accounts linked to her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, were “legitimate gifts from friends.”
Recall that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, recently ordered the freezing of some bank accounts  belonging to the former First Lady due to the ongoing investigation of alleged money laundering.
EFCC had also confirmed that Mrs Jonathan is being investigated for money laundering,  but no case has been instituted against her in any court yet.
Earlier, reports surfaced saying the former First Lady sued Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP,  over alleged campaign of “calumny” against her with regards to criminal investigations instituted against her by security agencies.
However, in a court paper filed by a group known as the Union of Niger Delta Youth Organisation for Equity, Justice and Good Governance, the former First Lady, maintained that the seized funds were accumulated over 15 years.
The court paper reads in part: “The funds in question were legitimate gifts from her friends and well-wishers over the last 15 years which she had been saving in order to utilize to upgrade family businesses and concerns which had been somewhat dormant by reason of the long period of her husband service as a public officer in Nigeria.
 “The gifts were given in small contributions by several persons some of whom she cannot even now recall over this period of 15 years sometimes in as small a gift as N250,000 Naira. In order to preserve the value of these funds which she did not require for any purpose at the time she changed them into foreign exchange and kept them as cash for a long period in her home safe in Port Harcourt and Abuja.
“It was when the family home in Otuoke was burnt down by hoodlums under the instigation of political adversaries in 2010 that she began to think about banking these gifts which had now grown to large sums in United States Dollars. In 2010 she therefore summoned one of her husband’s domestic aides, Waripamo-Owei Emmanuel Dudafa to assist her in opening bank accounts into which the funds could be deposited.
“Unknown to her the said Dudafa in a bid to be discreet about the owner of the funds decided to bank the funds in the names of companies owned by him. When she discovered this she was constrained to continue with the names of the companies when she was advised that it did not make any difference as to the ownership of the funds since the director of the company would appoint her as sole signatory to the accounts in question.
“When in 2016 Dudafa was arrested and detained she had no fear for the funds as she realized that the funds could not be attributable to him once it was discovered that she was the sole signatory to the said accounts. It was therefore a rude shock to her when she discovered that a no transaction order had been placed on the accounts by the EFCC in the belief that the funds belonged to Dudafa.
“She instructed her solicitors to further write to the EFCC to inform them that the funds belong to her and that they formed a part of her legitimate earnings over the last 15 years. It was this letter that was leaked by the EFCC to the media that became sensationalised and led to the plaintiff’s vilification and attack by ignorant persons who had no information about the matter.”
www.jaktufaridaharuna.com.ng

Nigerian music is bright spot in recession-hit economy

The lack of diversification in the Nigerian economy is among the country’s biggest challenges, according to AfriCapital CEO Dele Babade.
The head of the financial advisory firm said on Thursday that this was constraining trade with SA, adding that compared with Nigeria, SA had a long history of dealing with multinationals.
Speaking at the South Africa-Nigeria Banking and Finance Forum 2016, he said both SA and Nigeria had their own comparative advantages, but it was difficult for Nigerian companies to enter markets and operate against established brands, many of which were South African.
There was a need for Nigerian companies to find their own competitive advantage, Babade said. "Nigerian music and entertainment is crossing borders and SA can’t replicate that."
Babade said Nigeria needed to move up the value chain, instead of just exporting raw materials.

Hywel George, director of investments for Old Mutual Investment Group, said the company had seen gaps in Nigeria compared to its presence in other African countries.
But Old Mutual was "really getting going" in the country, investing in agriculture and other sectors with a local partner — a move George described as a necessity if one was going to do business in the country.
Babade said Nigeria was experiencing a shock due to the prevailing recession in the country arising from the drop in the price of oil. However, the current downturn could breed more diversification in the economy.
Babade said South African companies operating in Nigeria were not under the radar, as many Nigerians were starting to demand that foreign enterprises become more integrated in the local economy and show "mutual respect".
George said Old Mutual was considering listing on the Nigerian stock exchange in the coming years.
He said while a listing on the JSE often precluded a company from seeking any other listing, the move to list on another African exchange was a reflection of being pan-African.
www.jaktufaridaharuna.blogspot.com.ng

Fayose, Obanikoro, others must be brought to book – CACOL

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders CACOL, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to be diligent and get focused on discharging their duties concerning the alleged corruption cases against the former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musili Obanikoro, the Ekiti State Governor, Gov. Ayodele Fayose, the former Minister of Aviation, Mr. Femi FaniKayode, a General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Patrick Akpobolokemi and Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Atewa (rtd).
The Executive Chairman of CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran, in a reaction to the confusion being allegedly created by the suspects over the allegations against them said, ” they all need to explain and subject themselves to judicial proceedings to establish their innocence rather than ‘media defense.’
“Obanikoro has been alleged by the EFCC to have received the sum of N4.7bn from the Office of the National Security Adviser, through the head, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) in June, 2014. And he has admitted that he gave N2.3bn to the present Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose. Any right thinking Nigerian would ask the simplest of the questions – ‘why?’, and this is because the whole scenario smacks of corruption.”
“This entire media defense makes no sense at all considering the background that if one is innocent in relation to suspected corruption cases, there will be no reason to fear the EFCC or the justice system.” Adeniran added”
“EFCC must not get intimidated by cheap blackmail, the agency must work on all the somewhat difficult and recalcitrant suspects like Femi Fani Kayode and others; diligence in investigations and prosecutions are very vital in this regard and adherence with the rule of law. His tenure as the Minister of Aviation, must be thoroughly investigated and if found guilty of any sharp practice while in office, he must be prosecuted, regardless of the conscious attempt to distract the public from the crux of the allegations against him.”
“Gen. Patrick Akpobolokemi and Maj.Gen. Emmanuel Atewa (rtd) who were alleged to have siphoned N1.8bn from the coffers of NIMASA within two weeks in September 2014, and other similar cases in court must be pursed to logical and judicial conclusions. The era of using illogical reasons, cheap blackmail and propaganda to solicit public sympathy over heinous crimes like corrupt and sharp practices in order to escape justice must be put behind us a country and people.”
“We call on the EFCC not to relent in efforts to fight corruption in our country, and to ensure that diligence, thoroughness and lawfulness are always deployed in its constitutional duties as an anti-graft agency.” Adeniran concluded.
www.jaktufaridaharuna.blogspot.com.ng

Mob attacks, Kills 14 Fulani Herdsmen in Kaduna

An angry mob at­tacked Fulani herdsmen in Kadu­na State on Monday, killing fourteen people in the pro­cess.
“I was returning from Plateau state with eight pas­sengers, all of them Fulani herders,” a commercial bus driver, Adamu Aliyu told our source.
Aliyu said his bus broke down in Kaduna state, so he left it to go and search for a mechanic.
“While I was away, a mob surrounded the ve­hicle and forcibly brought out the eight passengers. They hacked them to death, dumped them in the vehicle and set it ablaze.
“Another vehicle was also attacked when it stopped to refuel and all the six people were burnt to death along with the car.”
Aliyu said problem en­sued in the streets, with soldiers and police finally intervening to contain the carnage.
“When the situation calmed down, I returned to my vehicle and found out that it has been burnt down, with charred remains of the passengers,” Aliyu said.
Jema’a local government chairman Bege Katuka said the area had been thrown into chaos with “indiscrim­inate” shooting the night before.
“On Saturday suspected Fulani herdsmen invad­ed Godogodo and opened indiscriminate fire on res­idents,” Katuka said.
“The following day, youths in the area mobil­ised and blocked the high­way, vandalising vehicles and attacking motorists,” Katuka said.
Kaduna state police spokesman Aliyu Usman acknowledged the Godogo­do attack and the riot, but said only two people had

Super Eagles Rise In FIFA Ranking Under Rohr, Moves Four Spot In Latest Ranking

The Super Eagles of Nigeria have once again move up a notch in the latest FIFA rankings released by the World Soccer governing body.
Since the appointment of new manager Gernot Rohr two months ago, Nigeria have experienced an improvement in her rankings by FIFA both on the continent and globally.
Victory over Tanzania moved the Eagles up in the last ranking but the latest rankings released by FIFA for the month of September, where Nigeria defeated Zambia 2-1 in her first World Cup 2018 qualifiers means they are now 60th in the world.
The rise by four spots still couldn’t earn them a spot in the Africa top 10 ranked country as they are 11th, one spot behind fellow World Cup group opponents Cameroun, while Zambia are 94th.
Algeria, the opponents of the Super Eagles of Nigeria next month are the highest placed team in Nigeria’s group although Ivory Coast still retain their position as the best placed African team on the rankings.
www.jaktufaridaharuna.blogpsot.com.ng

Ganduje dissolves Board of Kano Pillars FC

Kano State Government on Wednesday dissolved the management and board of Kano Pillars Football Club.
Coach Babaganaru Muhammad resigned as head coach of the team after the last match‎ of the season.
Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje announced the dissolution in Kano when he hosted Kano Pillars Basket Ball players at the Government House.
Ganduje explained that the dissolutiom of the Kabiru Baita led board was due to internal squabble and the team’s poor performance last season.‎
‎”I hereby dissolve the board and management of Kano Pillars FC due to internal squabble and poor performance”, Ganduje said.‎
‎The governor, however, assured that the club would soon be resuscitated and that government was determined to get a new board, a competent coach, as well as find good players, at whatever cost, to forge ahead.‎
He also directed the chairman of Kano State Sports Commission, Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima, to come forward with recommendations for restoring the glory of the club.‎
Ganduje promised to support the team to retain its position as the best Basket ball team in West Africa, as they prepare for the sub-regional basketball championship.
Galadima assured that the players would use the power of sports to project the image of the state.
“We are now number one in basketball, number one in taekwondo and number three in handball.
“Sooner than later, we shall dominate all sports in appreciation of your remarkable interest in sports development”, he assured the governor.‎
‎NAN reports that four-time Nigeria champions, Kano Pillars finished in seventh position last season.‎
www.jaktufaridaharuna.blogspot.com

‘The other room’ is where you worship the woman as a ‘god’ – Chioma Chukwuka reacts to Buhari’s comment

As the recent comment by President Muhammadu Buhari that his wife belongs in his kitchen continues to spark controversies across the country, renowned Nollywood actress, Chioma Akpata, has joined the league of female folks, raising their voices of concern.
The President had reacted to an ‘explosive’ interview his wife granted the BBC, where she said she may not back her husband at the next election unless he reshuffles his cabinet.
In his response, the president, who was in Germany on a three-day visit to discuss issues relating to security and economy, laughed and replied, “she belongs to my kitchen and living room.”
 Recall that veteran actress, Hilda Dokubo, had in a 2-minute video clip shared on her Instagram page @hildadokubo, said she does not belong in the kitchen, living room or other rooms and she deserves some right as a woman and human being.

Also reacting to the President’s comment, Akpota, on her Instagram page @chiomakpotha, had written a piece, putting ‘the other room’ in different categories.
The award-winning actress wrote: “THE OTHER ROOM!
“The Other Room where a woman pretends to be weak so that a man can believe he is strong; where a woman pretends to be foolish, so that a man can say he is wise, where a woman stoops so that a man can conquer.

“The Other Room where gods of men become worshippers of women; where leaders of thought become minions of the bleeders of blood; where wielders of power Succumb to power.
“The Other Room where the brashness of testosterone yields to the bra straps of Estrogen; where the bravado of masculinity is tamed by the wiles of femininity; where the turgid Becomes the flaccid.
“Three rooms in a house – one in which a man believes he is king; two in which he realizes a woman is god!”

I’m proud to be in the kitchen, other room – Senator Binta

The recent comment by President Muhammadu Buhari that his wife belongs in his kitchen, has continued to spark mixed reactions across the country.
The President had reacted to an ‘explosive’ interview his wife granted the BBC, where she said she may not back her husband at the next election unless he reshuffles his cabinet.
In his response, the president, who was in Germany on a three-day visit to discuss issues relating to security and economy, laughed and replied, “she belongs to my kitchen and living room.”
“If you succumb to the machinations of greedy and irresponsible political leaders, you will inherit a bad future and you will be bad leaders in the future. Make no mistake about this – you are the future leaders, whether anybody likes it or not. You are the change, you are the future; you are the answer.”
Following Buhari’s response to his wife, many concerned Nigerians have taken to the social media to criticize the President.
However, while some female folks have raised their voices of disapproval, others have stated categorically that their primary role begins and ends in the kitchen.
Recall that veteran Nollywood actress, Hilda Dokubo, had in a 2-minute video clip shared on her Instagram page @hildadokubo, said she does not belong in the kitchen, living room or other rooms and she deserves some rights as a woman and human being.
But the Senator representing Adamawa North under the All Progressives Congress party, APC, Binta Masi Garba, has agreed with President Buhari’s comment.

According to her, her primary role before joining the senate is in the kitchen.
She said this on Wednesday at the Senate’s plenary.
She jested, “I am proud to be in the kitchen and the other room.
“Before joining the senate, my primary role was in the kitchen.”
Laughter took over the senate hall after the statement.
Speaking further, Senator Binta enjoined Nigerians to look at the trauma which the released Chibok girls had gone through and called for a psychological rehabilitation on the girls to make them forget all they went through while in captivity.

Buhari names 46 ambassadorial nominees (FULL LIST)

President Muhammadu Buhari has sent the names of 46 nominees to the Senate as ambassadors.

Among the nominees are Pauline Tallen, Olorunibe Mamora and Musa Ibeto who was formerly nominated minister before his nomination was withdrawn in 2015.

Mr. Mamora, a former speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, was also a member of the Senate. He is an ally of ex-Lagos Governor Bola Tinubu.

Ms. Tallen is a former Plateau State deputy governor while Mr. Ibeto is a former Niger State deputy governor.

Here is the full list of the nominees:

1. Nurudeen Mohammed (Kwara)

2. Jamila Ahmadu-Suka (Sokoto)

3. Suleiman Hassan (Gombe)

4. Yusuf Tugar (Bauchi)

5. Usman Bugaje‎ (Katsina)

6. Uzoma Emenike (Abia)

7. Clifford Zirra (Adamawa)

8. Godwin Umo (Akwa Ibom)

9. Christopher Okeke (Anambra)

10. Baba Madugu (Bauchi)

11. Stanley Diriyai (Bayelsa)

12. Enyantu Ifenne (Benue)

13. Mohammed Hayatuddeen (Borno)

14. Etuborn Asuquo (Cross River)

15. Francis Efeduma (Delta)

16. Jonah Odo (Ebonyi)

17. Uyagwe. Igbe (Edo)

18. Ayodele Ayodeji (Ekiti)

19. Chris Eze (Enugu)

20. Muhammad Dalhatu (Jigawa)

21. Mohammad Yaro (Kaduna)

22. Deborah Iliya (Kaduna)

23. D Abdulkadir (Kano)

24. Haruna Ungogo (Kano)

25. Isa Dodo (Katsina)

26. Tijani Bande (Kebbi)

27. Y O Aliu (Kogi)

28. Mohammed Yisa (Kwara)

29. Modupe Irele (Lagos)

30. Musa Mohammad (Nasarawa)

31. Ade Asekun (Ogun)

32. Sola Iki (Ondo)

33. Adegboyega Ogunwusi (Osun).

34. Ashimiyu Olaniyi (Oyo)

35. Haruna Bawa Abdullahi (Plateau)

36. Orji Ngofa (Rivers)

37. Sylvanus Adiewere Nsofor (Rivers)

38. Kabiru Umar (Sokoto)

39. Mustapha Jaji (Taraba)

40. Zanna Bura (Yobe)

41. Garba Gajam (Zamfara)

42. Abdullahi Garbasi (Zamfara)

43. Pauline Tallen (Plateau)

44. Olorunibe Mamora (Lagos)

45. Musa Ibeto (Niger)

46. George Oguntade (Lagos)

Maitama Sule- Only revolution can make Nigeria get sincere leaders

First Republic minister of Mines and Power and Nigeria’s former Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Alhaji Maitama Sule, has observed that the country was in dire need of leadership, asserting that only a bloodless revolution would make Nigeria get sincere leaders who would return the country to the path of development.
Speaking while receiving the senator representing Kaduna Central senatorial district, Shehu Sani, in Kano, the elder statesman explained that the revolution would have to be in form of re-orientation and change of attitude by Nigerians.
His words, “What we need today in Nigeria is leadership, not only Nigeria but also the rest of Africa needs good leadership. We want leadership, not ruler-ship.

“We want leaders, not rulers; leaders with the fear of God. Leaders will not lie, leader will accept in public what they have accepted in secret, leaders with a vision, not a blurred vision, leaders will look at the lot of common man with the eyes of a patriot, not with the eye of a privilege few.
“We want leaders who believe that…… not those who will want to sit tight and remain there until death do us part like church marriage. We must have such leaders to turn the table…..revive the past glory of Nigeria. In order to have such leaders, we must have a revolution.

“I know the word revolution scares you. We must have a revolution. I am not calling for bloody or violent revolution, No. I am not calling for Tse-Tung revolution in China where over 70 million people were killed. I am not calling for the kind of revolution led by Mahatma Ghandi with his philosophy non-violent resistance. I am calling for bloodless, non-violent revolution.
“I am calling for a change of attitude, re-orientation. Who will have to bring about this? You are the answer. You are the panacea to our ills. You are the solution to our problems. You are the vehicles of change. You are the vanguard of this revolution. The future is yours. You shall mark it or mar it. You can make it or mar it.
www.jaktufaridaharuna.blogspot.com.ng

$15m scandal: Patience Jonathan sues SERAP over alleged abuse of human rights

Wife of the immediate past President, Goodluck Jonathan, Patience Jonathan has sued Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, over alleged campaign of “calumny” against her with regards to criminal investigations instituted against her by security agencies.

Recall that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, recently ordered the freezing of some bank accounts  belonging to the former First Lady due to the ongoing investigation of alleged money laundering.

EFCC had also confirmed that Mrs Jonathan is being investigated for money laundering,  but no case has been instituted against her in any court yet.

Following EFCC’s confirmation, SERAP, had asked the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami SAN, to urgently institute criminal proceedings against Mrs Patience Jonathan  over the purported $15m unexplained wealth frozen in four companies’ accounts.

However, the legal action instituted against SERAP was disclosed in a statement by the body’s Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni on Thursday.

According to the statement, the former First Lady sued the body over alleged, “campaign of calumny against her using online, print and electronic media to publish to the public unfounded and malicious allegations that she stole $15m (US) and ought to be prosecuted.”

The statement reads, “On 18th October 2016 at about 3pm we received court papers dated 6th October 2016 from a bailiff. The papers indicate that one Union of Niger Delta Youth Organization for Equity, Justice and Good Governance suing for themselves and on behalf of Mrs Dame Patience Jonathan filed a suit number FHC/L/CS/1349/2016 before a Federal High Court in Lagos against SERAP.

“The court papers also indicate a prayer for an order of interim injunction restraining SERAP from taking any further steps in further vilification, condemnation and conviction of the Former First Lady Mrs Dame Patience Jonathan, in all public media and in the use of the judicial process for that purpose by the extremely publicized pursuit of any application for the coercion of the Attorney General of the Federation to prosecute the Plaintiff/Applicant for owning legitimate private property, pending the hearing and determination of the Originating Summons.”

The statement disclosed that the suit is seeking an order directing “SERAP to stay all action and to desist forthwith from proceeding against Mrs Dame Patience Jonathan, with any process whatsoever, pending the hearing and determination of the Originating Summons. SERAP was also served a separate application to be joined in the suit number FHC/L/CS/1318/2016 earlier filed by SERAP against the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, over allegations of $15m unexplained wealth against Mrs Jonathan.”

But SERAP categorically rejects the misleading and entirely unfounded accusations by Mrs Patience Jonathan and her group, saying “we will vigorously oppose the suit in court. SERAP will never, in the discharge of its mandates, succumb to any intimidation, harassment and attacks in any way, shape or form. We are now consulting with our lawyers and will be preparing shortly our defence in court.

“At no time did SERAP suggest or even hint that Mrs Jonathan was guilty of the allegations against her. On the contrary, what SERAP has said is that the fact that the $15m found in the four accounts belong to Mrs Jonathan raises serious suspicion or at the very least a prima-facie case of unexplained wealth/illicit enrichment, and imposes an obligation on Mrs Jonathan to explain and justify the source(s) of the $15m.

“To be sure, SERAP is not engaged in any campaign against Mrs Jonathan or any other politically exposed persons for that matter. Our suit was filed against the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, and not Mrs Jonathan. It’s a joke to accuse SERAP of trying to coerce the Attorney General to perform his constitutional duty, as this is for the court to decide.

Mumumi maintained that SERAP consistently strives to ensure that its human rights and accountability work meet international standards and the highest standards of analytical rigor devoid of bias or assumptions as to individual’s guilt.

The body called on Patience Jonathan end her attacks on the “NGO simply working to make the government function to improve the conditions of millions of marginalized and disadvantaged Nigerians.

“Our work is driven solely by the fundamental principles of justice, impartiality, solidarity, universality of human rights, transparency and accountability in the management of Nigeria’s resources and wealth. We believe that it is through action that we have taken in this matter that the government can be motivated to live up to its commitments and to meet the expectations of Nigerians for good governance, human rights and the rule of law.”

Quoting the court papers it received from the former First Lady, SERAP said: “The campaign by SERAP is in breach of Mrs Jonathan’s right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty under Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended). The action by SERAP seeks to coerce the Attorney General of the Federation to embark on a breach of the same right when the Attorney General is in a better position than SERAP and the Court to know whether or not there is any evidence of wrongdoing by Mrs Jonathan.

“SERAP’s action is blatant misuse of the processes of this Court. SERAP therefore no longer deserves to continue as an incorporated entity and ought to be dissolved. It is just and equitable to dissolve SERAP in the circumstances of this case. Damages will not be adequate compensation for the irreparable damage Mrs Jonathan will suffer if the application is not granted. The Plaintiff undertakes as to damages in favour of SERAP in the event the instant application ought not to have been granted.

“There has been a running battle between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Mrs Jonathan with respect to the release of her legitimately earned funds which were deposited in accounts opened in the names of certain companies by one of her husband’s aides without her authorization.

“The funds in question were legitimate gifts from her friends and well-wishers over the last 15 years which she had been saving in order to utilize to upgrade family businesses and concerns which had been somewhat dormant by reason of the long period of her husband service as a public officer in Nigeria.

“The gifts were given in small contributions by several persons some of whom she cannot even now recall over this period of 15 years sometimes in as small a gift as N250,000 Naira. In order to preserve the value of these funds which she did not require for any purpose at the time she changed them into foreign exchange and kept them as cash for a long period in her home safe in Port Harcourt and Abuja.

“It was when the family home in Otuoke was burnt down by hoodlums under the instigation of political adversaries in 2010 that she began to think about banking these gifts which had now grown to large sums in United States Dollars. In 2010 she therefore summoned one of her husband’s domestic aids, Waripamo-Owei Emmanuel Dudafa to assist her in opening bank accounts into which the funds could be deposited.

“Unknown to her the said Dudafa in a bid to be discreet about the owner of the funds decided to bank the funds in the names of companies owned by him. When she discovered this she was constrained to continue with the names of the companies when she was advised that it did not make any difference as to the ownership of the funds since the director of the company would appoint her as sole signatory to the accounts in question.

“When in 2016 Dudafa was arrested and detained she had no fear for the funds as she realized that the funds could not be attributable to him once it was discovered that she was the sole signatory to the said accounts. It was therefore a rude shock to her when she discovered that a no transaction order had been placed on the accounts by the EFCC in the belief that the funds belonged to Dudafa.

“She instructed her solicitors to further write to the EFCC to inform them that the funds belong to her and that they formed a part of her legitimate earnings over the last 15 years. It was this letter that was leaked by the EFCC to the media that became sensationalized and led to the plaintiff’s vilification and attack by ignorant persons who had no information about the matter.

“SERAP is playing to the public gallery in order to gain the notoriety it has achieved over the past years. SERAP has done this mostly by intervening in high profile issues without regard to the rights of persons it claims to protect. SERAP jumped into the fray of ignorant accusations being made against Mrs Dame Patience Jonathan in the public media and has begun a campaign of calumny against her using online, print and electronic media to publish to the public unfounded and malicious allegations that she stole the funds in question and ought to be prosecuted.

“SERAP has maintained this position, notwithstanding the fact that there is no evidence whatsoever by which Mrs Jonathan could be prosecuted for obtaining the funds through unlawful means. In furtherance of this campaign, SERAP, being in breach of its own objects for which it was incorporated, has continued to proclaim the guilt of Mrs Jonathan in the media and recently was widely reported in the news media to have commenced a self-serving action to attempt to coerce the Attorney General of the Federation to prosecute her.”

Buhari’s govt “ll never victimize anyone -Presidency

The Presidency Tuesday night said that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari would never victimize anyone for whatever reason.
It however stated that the law must run its full course on anyone who breaks it, stressing that the current administration would never be cowed from its anti-corruption war.
The presidency was apparently reacting to the allegation credited to Justice John Inyang Okoro, one of the Judges arrested by the operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS that the federal government was victimizing him unduly in relation to the gubernatorial elections in Akwa Ibom and Rivers States.
A presidency source who craved anonymity said that “it is not in the character of this government to victimize anybody”

Fayose Fires Back At Obanikoro Over N4.745bn Arms Deal Confession

Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has fired back over claims that the former Minister of State for Defence, Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro allegedly told the anti-graft agency that he received money for his election from him.
Fayose, who denied the allegations in a statement, said rather than dissipating energy on what he described as “Fayose must be implicated at all cost” project, the Federal Government should “pay attention to hunger and suffering ravaging Nigeria and its people and leave me alone.”
In the statement signed by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Fayose said: “This project ‘Fayose must be implicated at all cost’ will definitely not put food on the tables of Nigerians and for all I care, the EFCC and its collaborators can keep running from pillar to post while I keep delivering good governance to Ekiti and its people.”
The statement said, “The governor dismissed the reported claim that former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro confessed to the EFCC that he received fund from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) under Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd) to fund his election.”
According to Fayose, “We have gone past this stage of media trial. EFCC should rather keep its gun powder dry; when we get to the bridge, we will cross it. They said more than this in the 2006 poultry scam blackmail; despite that, I am the governor today.”
Governor Fayose said he was “only reacting just to fulfil all righteousness because Nigerians are more interested in having food on their tables,” saying “those who arranged the dramatic and compromised return of Senator Obanikoro to Nigeria obviously did so in continuation of their project ‘Fayose must be implicated at all cost’ but I am not bothered because my election was legitimately funded.”
www.jaktufaridaharuna.blogspot.com.ng