Femi Gbajabiamila

Femi Gbajabiamila, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, on Monday walked out a representative sent by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele.
The leadership of the House of Representatives had cancelled the proposed emergency plenary session scheduled to hold on Monday, May 9, 2022 over the lingering crisis over hike in the price of Aviation fuel otherwise called Jet-A.

Femi Gbajabiamila
However, Emefiele who shunned the invitation of the leadership of the House over the crisis in the aviation sector, sent a representative, Kingsley Obiora.
At the commencement of the meeting today, the Speaker walked out Obiora with a clear message directed to the CBN governor.
“We all pull out of our recess to be here. Nothing could be more important than being here,” the Speaker said.
Emefiele has been heavily criticised for reportedly obtaining the N100 million nomination form of the All Progressives Congress from the party’s organising secretary at the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja.
He, however, came out to debunk the reports claiming it was “patriots” who bought the All Progressives Congress party’s nomination forms for him, adding that he would use his own money to buy his nomination forms when he had made a decision to run for the number one office.
This sparked the outrage of Nigerians who highlighted the massive corruption cases the CBN governor is currently enmeshed in.

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Candidates writing the 2022 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) in Enugu were stranded following the sit-at- home order being enforced by some hoodlums claiming to be members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the South-East.
The 2022 Computer Based Test (CBT) which began on Friday May 6, ought to have ended on Monday, May 9 but was shifted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board (JAMB) to Tuesday, May 10.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), an official of JAMB on Monday in Enugu said the board shifted the exam to May 10 due to Monday sit-at-home in the South-East.
Some of the candidates, who also spoke to the news agency, said they were not aware of the cancellation, saying they came to the centre only to be told that it had been shifted.
They said that many of them who went to do reprint of their slip discovered that the date and time for the exam had been shifted to Tuesday May 10 by 7am.
Ezekiel Okpara said, “There was no vehicle to convey my friend and I to TETFUND Centre at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus, (UNEC) where we are supposed to write the examination.
“My dad took us by his car to the centre and we were disappointed when other students standing at the entrance of the hall told us that it has been postponed to Tuesday.
“We went to cyber cafe close to the centre to do reprint of our slip where we saw that the date and time has been shifted,” he said.
Another student who identified herself simply as Chigozie said JAMB would have informed them earlier about the change in the examination timetable than allowing them to take the risk of coming to the centre.
“It is risky to go out on Mondays in Enugu for fear of the unknown but here we are to write our CBT which did not hold. Personally I feel disappointed and stranded because my house is far from the centre.
“What can we do, we are going back to come back tomorrow,” she lamented.
Meanwhile, the students writing the ongoing West African Examination Council (WAEC) in the state have also decried the stress they went through to write Food and Nutrition subject due to non-availability of transportation.

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AfDB President Akinwumi Adesina

A coalition of 28 groups, which procured All Progressives Congress, APC Presidential nomination and expression of interest forms for the President, African Development Bank AfDB, Akinwumi Adesina, has said it did not have the consent of the continental public servant to purchase the forms.
According to the coalition, 24 hours after paying for the forms, it has not been able to reach the banker. It, however, said Adesina remains the best man for the job and that the groups needed to procure the forms to meet relevant deadlines before trying to convince Adesina.

AfDB President Akinwumi Adesina
Speaking on Sunday, according to Vanguard, after picking up the forms at the International Conference Centre, ICC, in Abuja, the coalition said it had not been able to reach Adesina.
The coalition had earlier on Saturday paid for the forms. It said between the period it paid for the forms and when it picked them on Sunday, it was yet to get across to Mr Adesina.
The leader of the Youth Arise Movement, one of the groups in the coalition, Babatunde Ademola, said, “I am one of the group leaders of this team of 28 groups that have been working tirelessly and consulting across the country and even outside the country to ensure that we get him to come and obey the clarion call.
“I will tell you significantly that we have tried to reach out to him, we have sent messages; we have looked at any way we will get across to him. We have not got any definite response from him. 
“However, because we know the Constitution of Nigeria is very clear, and the Act that governs the umpire for electioneering is also clear, and we know that the timing is not on our side and we believe that for such person after we have looked at the situation of this country, we need Dr Adesina to come and solve Nigeria’s problem and because of this, we have put our resources together.”
On when the coalition would present the forms to Adesina, he said; “By the grace of God, we will ensure that. We know that he is not available, right now. We have been trying to reach him, but when we get him we will inform you.”
The President of the One Nigeria Group, Mohammed Saleh, who led the delegation, said Adesina was a man of proven integrity and experience.
“He has done so much for Nigeria as Minister for Agriculture. He has solved the problems of so many farmers, created so many jobs by solving the corruption in the agricultural sector. Particularly the fertilizer, which he brought the e-wallet for fertiliser which the farmers are enjoying now; and it has created a lot of jobs. It has also helped millions of farmers in Nigeria which they are still benefiting and also as President, African Development Bank he has brought a lot of initiatives that solve Africa’s food security problem. So, we will like him to come back home and apply it here in Nigeria.”

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday told a Federal High Court in Abuja that six different statements made by an oil magnate, Aliu Abubakar, implicating a former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr Mohammed Adoke in alleged $4 million money laundering charges, were not made under any threat or duress.
 
According to Daily Post, the anti-graft agency insisted that the statements were made in the comfort of the Conference Hall of the EFCC Executive Chairman with a CCTV camera and laptop recording the six statements being made.
 
A witness for the EFCC, Ibrahim Ahmed, made the clarifications while testifying in a trial within trial following allegations by the oil magnate, Aliu Abubakar that he made the statements under threats, inducements and duress while at the EFCC’s office.
 
Following the allegation, counsel for Adoke, Paul Erokoro, SAN, had objected vehemently to the admission of the statements against his client, prompting the court on December 6, 2021, to order for trial within trial to ascertain the allegations.
 
However, Ahmed, an operative of EFCC, informed Justice Inyang Ekwo that the six statements made on different dates were recorded in the best conducive atmosphere in the air-conditioned EFCC Chairman’s conference hall.
 
The witness debunked the allegations of the oil magnate, adding that the statements were made on August 6, 2015, November 30, 2015, January 16 and 17, 2016, December 31, 2019, and January 6, 2020, by Abubakar in the presence of a seven-man panel of investigators.
 
The EFCC’s witness further told the court that Abubakar was always accompanied by two lawyers, Ameh Audu and Peter Ayuba, as well as his choice relatives while making the statements.
 
Throughout the period the statements were made, the witness said that Abubakar never raised any complaints against the mode of making them until the statements were about to be tendered in court in the course of their prosecution for money laundering.
 
Under cross-examination by Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, who stood for Aliu Abubakar, who is the 2nd defendant in the criminal trial, the EFCC’s witness said that Abubakar was indulged to the extent that his lawyer was allowed to record his statement on his behalf based on his narration to the lawyer and that he had voluntarily signed them.
 
The witness read out a portion of the statements in the open court where Abubakar wrote that his lawyer, Ameh Audu should be allowed to record the statement on his behalf because he has confidence in him, adding that the lawyer up till now had not made any complaint of threat, inducement or duress.
 
Meanwhile, the trial has been adjourned to Tuesday, May 10, 2022.
The anti-graft agency is prosecuting the erstwhile AGF alongside an oil mogul, Mr Aliyu Abubakar, on 14 counts.
 
In the charge, EFCC alleged that Adoke had sometime in August 2013, in Abuja, accepted a cash payment of the dollar equivalent of N300 million from Aliyu, thereby committing an offence punishable under section 16 (2)(b) of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2011 (as amended).
 
Whereas Abubakar was also accused of accepting cash payment of the sum of $4 million from Faman Holdings Limited, through one Abdulhakeem Uthman Mustapha, in September 2013.
The prosecution told the court that Adoke made structured cash payments in tranches into his Unity Bank Plc Account No. 0020153263.
 
The prosecution maintained that the former AGF made cash payments that exceeded the approved threshold amounts, outside a financial institution.

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Some members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu State say the party may lose the 2023 governorship election in the state over its choice of candidate.
 
The members who are PDP stakeholders in Enugu West Senatorial District were reacting to a story published by SaharaReporters over a plan by some party leaders to pick a former Commissioner of Finance in the state, Peter Mbah, as governorship candidate despite being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged illegal financial dealings and misappropriation of funds.
 
According to Martin Okolo, leader of Enugu West Senatorial District’s PDP stakeholders, apart from Mbah, other governorship aspirants of the party have pending cases in different courts or with anti-graft agencies.
“The party was, last week, drawn to the calamity that awaits the party in Enugu state if it makes the mistake of fielding a burden candidate with a baggage of corruption. Sahara Reporters, last week, published how one of the PDP governorship aspirants, Mr. Peter Mbah, was alleged to have a cesspool of corrupt allegations hanging on him,” Okolo said in a statement shared with SaharaReporters.
 
“Incidentally, Mbah is not the only one among the 15 governorship aspirants cleared by the party to contest for Enugu State governorship ticket in the 2023 election. Among those who were cleared with Mbah are Prof. Bart Nnaji, Nwabueze Ugwu, Rev. Ifeanyi Nwoye, Capt. Everest Nnaji (retd.), Hon, Chijioke Edeoga, Dr. Ken Onoh, Prof. Hillary Edeoga, Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa, Senator Ike Ekweremmadu, Elder G.O.C. Ajah, Dr. Kingsley Udeh, Beloved Dan Anike, Senator Gil Nnaji and Engr. Everest Anike.
 
“The aspirants that have most conspicuous cases pending either in the courts, at the EFCC, tribunals, government gazettes, etc. include Prof Bart Nnaji, Chief Everest Nnaji, Prof. Hillary Edeoga, Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa, Senator Ike Ekweremmadu and Senator Gil Nnaji.
 
“Prof. Bart Nnaji: The former minister for power is in the list of 20 prominent Nigerians published by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) in 2019 as top debtors with an unserviceable loan of N25 billion.
“Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had announced that the AMCON was effective in the recovery of the debts among prominent Nigerians and had set up a special task force comprising the heads of AMCON, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and permanent secretaries of the Ministries of Justice and Transportation, and charged to recover the debts.
“Prof Nnaji and major promoters of Geometric Power Limited are seventh on the list that includes His Excellency Chimaroke Nnamani as the fifteenth (15th) on the AMCOM list of heavy debtors.
 
“In 2012, Prof Nnaji resigned as the Minister for Power under President Goodluck Jonathan. He was accused of conflict of interests in his job and the use of his companies to ‘corner’ (gain) ownership of the unbundled sectors of power generation and distribution. The then PDP National Chairman, Adamu Mauzu petitioned that he suspected Nnaji owned proxy interests in some of the new independent power plants (IPPs) ‘hurriedly put together to benefit from Power Purchase Agreement (PPAs) even though such companies have not met the expected milestone that will put them in the position to generate electricity.’
 
“Earlier than his resignation, the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) under Joe Ajaero as National Secretary, called on Prof Nnaji to resign over alleged unaccountability of funds, nepotism and high handedness on the electricity workers.
 
“Capt. Everest Nnaji: Recently inaugurated a 5.4 km road he executed in his community. He hails from the same Nkanu East local government area, same as Peter Mba and Prof Bart Nnaji. He is a pilot and owns an Air-shuttle Service company. His matter is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before an Ikeja Special Offences Court, which came up on April 2, 2019, before Justice Mojisola Dada who lamented that (there) were applications to stall the trial.
“Capt. Nnaji and another suspect, Victor Uadiale, were charged with five counts bordering on conspiracy to obtain money by false pretences and obtaining $4.8 million by false pretences from a Kuwaiti national, Mr. Tawfeeq Al-Omar in 1997 and 1998. In June 2021, the (EFCC) presented more graphic evidence against the accused persons including Nnaji.
 
“Prof Hillary Edeoga: Former Enugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime, in July 2009 removed from office, Edeoga, who was his Commissioner for Agriculture, over alleged complicity in the foiled plot to divert nine trucks of fertilizer allocated to the state.
“Chime asked Edeoga to go after a meeting of the State Executive Council (SEC) at Government House in Enugu. He later became the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia state, where he was also accused of academic fraud, financial embezzlement and administrative impunity by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASSU), Owerri zone.
 
“Gil Nnaji The former Senator that represented Enugu east senatorial zone was accused of making himself an accessory to the allegation of forgery of Senate standing rules in 2015 by asking the Federal High Court to stop the investigation of Senators Bukola Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu. He was also accused of diverting electricity transformers meant for his constituency.
 
“Ike Ekweremadu: In 2018, the EFCC detained Ekweremadu for alleged fraud and failing to explain how he came to own 22 properties in Nigeria, the United States, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates.
“He was under investigation for allegedly owning about the 22 properties some of which he failed to declare in his Asset Declaration Form at the Code of Conduct Bureau. The Federal Government sought an interim order of the Federal High Court, Abuja, to temporarily seize the 22 prime properties/assets located in London, Dubai, Florida, and Abuja, that were allegedly not declared before the CCB.
 
“The motion ex-parte filed by Festus Keyamo (SAN) on behalf of the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property was brought before the court pursuant to Section 330 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015; Section 8 Of the Recovery Of Public Property (Special Provisions) Act and Section 44 (2)(K) of the 1999 Constitution.
 
“In an affidavit deposed to in support of the motion ex-parte by Yohanna Shankuk, a litigation clerk in Festus Keyamo Chambers, he stated that from 1999 till date, Ekweremadu had been a public officer and had not earned anything outside his salaries and allowances as a public officer.
“He, therefore, wondered where the lawmaker got the money to acquire such properties. The undeclared assets were identified as 11 Evans Enwerem Street, Apo Legislative Quarters, Apo, Abuja; Plot 2633 Kyami, Abuja; Housing Estate; Plot 1106 CRD, Cadastral Zone 07-07, Lugbe, Abuja; Plot 2782,  Asokoro Extension, Abuja; houses at Citi Park Estate, Gwagwalada, Abuja and Plot 1474, Cadastral Zone BD6, Mabushi, Abuja.
 
“Sir Chinyeaka Ohaa: The retired federal Permanent Secretary was arrested by the EFCC alongside Chimaroke Nnamani in 2007 for sleaze during the Nnamani governorship of Enugu state when he was the Accountant General of the state. Former Senate President, Chief Ken Nnamani, in a recent open confession, narrated how he prevailed on the former chairman of EFCC, Nuhu Ribadu to drop corruption charges against Ohaa.
“Nnamani said and I quote, ‘While I was in office, he (Ohaa) had difficulties when he served at the state level. He was tossed around; they were going to stand for charges in various courts of the land. I ensured that he did not continue with that harassment. And that helped him to continue till he retired because when I reached Nuhu Ribadu, he was in my house and Chinyeaka was there too. I invited both parties so that we looked at the matter properly to know what really happened. Chinyeaka was made a witness in the matter. So, he didn’t have to go further because if he had gone further if the matter had gone further, he will not be where he went to before he retired.”
 
“Even the Enugu godfather, Chimaroke Nnamani, who is promoting aspirants such as Peter Mbah is himself not free from the baggage of fraud trial. In his trial by the EFCC, only his companies were convicted while his personal corruption charges are still ongoing. It is for this reason that Nnamani in his attempt to recover the properties that are making him sponsor the likes of Peter Mbah for the governorship of Enugu state. Chimaroke is alleged to be selling off most of his properties in Enugu, Abuja and other parts of Nigeria.
 
“It is in the light of the above that the PDP is warned to be wary of picking a compromised candidate in the state since it is obvious that most aspirants of the PDP that hail from ‘favoured’ council areas are not free from making the PDP lose Enugu state to a rival party.
 
"It is in this light that stakeholders in Enugu state are worried that that PDP may lose the entire South East with the Abia state controversy over its choice of governorship candidate that the Abia State governor is accused of planning to fail for a preferred All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant. Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is urged to save the PDP from complete extinction in the South East by refraining from recycling baggage aspirants."

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Family members of the passengers abducted during a terrorist attack on a Kaduna-bound train on March 28 have vowed to stop the plan by the Nigerian government to resume train operations on the Abuja-Kaduna route.
 
The distraught family members disclosed this on Monday in Abuja at a press conference to register their displeasure at the way and manner the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi has been handling the tragic event.
 
Speaking on behalf of the group, Zara Aliyu, said they would not allow the train service to resume operations on the route until their kidnapped loved ones are released.
 
She also called on the government to put adequate security measures in place to guarantee the safety of the prospective passengers.
 
The group also accused the minister of being insensitive for running around at a stadium in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, recently following his declaration to run for the office of the President, instead of working toward rescuing the victims.
 
Zara said, "We are the families of abducted passengers of NRC AK9 Abuja- Kaduna bound Train attacked on March 2022.
 
“Today marks the 42nd day our loved ones have been held hostage. It has been 42 long days of living in fear, virtually no sleep, no bath, wearing the same clothes under the scorching sun and rain and being exposed to extreme environmental hazards.
 
"The emotional psychology, mental and physical torture arising from these conditions are only imaginable.
 
"We read in the news that one of the two pregnant women in captivity delivered her baby in the forest. Giving birth is supposed to be a moment of joy; how would it have been if this woman delivered her baby in the comfort of a maternity ward?"
 
She said they were disappointed by the nonchalant attitude of the minister towards the plight of the victims.
 
She added that the NRC had not contacted them one week after the presidential directive was issued that the management of the Nigerian Railway Corporation should establish a Situation Room to give updates on the rescue efforts to the relatives.
 
The families, therefore, called for the intervention of the National Assembly to prevail on the relevant security agencies to ensure the safety and rescue of the victims.
 
"Just a few days after March 28th, Mr. Amaechi was seen running around the stadium in Port Harcourt where he declared his intention to become the next President of Nigeria. We had expected Mr. Amaechi to be running around as to how to get his abducted passengers rescued and this is highly disappointing," she said. 

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Activities at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja have been disrupted following the two-day warning strike embarked upon by aviation workers.
 
Workers of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NiMET) and the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT) had earlier been directed to embark on a warning strike from Monday over the non-implementation of conditions of service.

The two-day warning strike will likely dampen what would have been a big relief for air travellers following the decision made by airline operators not to halt flight services over the increasing price of aviation fuel.
 
According to the Nation, General Secretary of NUATE, Ocheme Aba said all operations at the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMet, as well as the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, would be grounded along with that of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, NCAT.
 
A notice to the staff of these agencies jointly signed by General Secretary, NUATE, Comrade Ocheme Aba; Secretary-General, ANAP, Comrade Abdul Rasaq Saidu and General Secretary, AUPCTRE, Comrade Sikiru Waheed, says that despite best efforts, the issues concerning conditions of service of NAMA, NCAA, NiMeT, and NCAT as negotiated with agencies for upward review had remained with the National Salaries Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC), and the Minimum Wage Consequential Adjustment and remain unimplemented since 2019.
 
However, the strike, which commenced in the early hours of Monday, has led to the closure of the offices operated by the aviation agencies.
 
A source in NUATE told The Nation that flight operations have been grounded, noting that offices of NCAA, NiMet, NAMA and NCAT had been locked.
 
“Currently, the unions; NCAA, NiMet, NAMA and NCAT offices are under lock. So, no operations, even the control tower, there is no operation for now.
“As I speak with you now, all the staff members including the cleaners are all outside. The gates leading to the offices are locked with chains and padlocks.
 
“Passengers are stranded because there is no flight operation until we get a directive but for now, no operation.
 
“Even the local flights need the weather forecast to move and as I speak with you now, I have not heard the sound of any aircraft. International and local flights cannot move because for any flight to move, they need a directive, they need to know the weather condition before they can move but as it is now, no staff is allowed to enter into the office so there is no way they can get the information to move because, in aviation, flying is not by assumption but by instruction.
 
“We need a directive from the union leaders, if there is an agreement between the government and the union, we will sheath our swords,” he said.

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An investigation by Interpol has uncovered how more than Sh25 billion (N89.4 billion) was wired into Kenya from Nigeria between October and November 2020.
 
The Interpol and the Kenyan Police have, for over two months been investigating a string of cash transfers involving two Nigerian Fintech tycoons, Eghosasere Nehikhare and Bukunmi Olufemi Demuren, and another Nigerian. The suspicious transfers are up to $221 million (N128 billion) from Nigeria.
 
Nehikhare is the founder of Boltpay, while Demuren is the founder of Multigate Limited.
 
A source privy to the matter has since told Kenyan's Nation newspaper that Nehikhare and Demuren and the other Nigerian enjoy the backing of a powerful Kenyan politician.
 
They reportedly, alongside two Kenyans, wired the cash in US dollars and Euros to Kenyan banks through multiple companies registered locally with shared ownership and suspect addresses.
 
Court papers indicate that the Assets Recovery Agency (ARA), which is investigating three companies over Sh5.6 billion — a quarter of the actual amount that entered Kenya — does not know the magnitude of its probe.
 
Local and international investigators have gathered a lot of information on the companies involved and their owners. However, they have tried to also unravel where the Sh20 billion was sent to.
 
On April 5, ARA obtained court orders freezing Sh5.6 billion in six bank accounts, but its investigators are unaware that the network of firms and individuals had moved another Sh20 billion through local lenders in one month in 2020.
 
An ARA officer recently confirmed that the agency was only aware of the Sh5.6 billion frozen; it has no details of an Interpol investigation first revealed by Business Daily.
 
The local daily revealed that a network of six firms — OIT Africa, Avalon Offshore Logistics, RemX Capital Ltd, RemX Ltd, RemX Investment Partners and Multigate Ltd — moved Sh25.6 billion from Nigeria to Kenya before wiring some of the funds to countries in Europe and Asia.
 
Despite confirming that ARA has yet to interrogate shareholders of the companies, the officer insisted that its investigations were ongoing and could see some of the suspects charged with money laundering and other economic crimes.
 
The source of the funds has puzzled local and international sleuths, who are trying to find the origin.
 
The Nation has established that Interpol’s investigation has hit a brick wall, as it would need to cooperate with Kenyan and Nigerian authorities to determine when, how and why Sh25.6 billion was moved between the two countries.
 
The information sought by Interpol would require obtaining bank statements of all accounts where the funds were stashed or moved from.
 
ARA’s lack of knowledge of the actual amount moved to Kenya in 2020 indicates that there is no cooperation between the agency and Interpol.
 
Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss George Kinoti did not respond to queries by the newspaper on whether his agency was investigating the suspected money laundering racket.
 
The DCI has an economic crimes unit, and its mandate is to provide investigation reports on such with the aim of having perpetrators jailed or fined.
 
ARA, on the other hand, seeks to have illicit funds forfeited to the government. The funds frozen by the High Court were part of Sh25.6 billion wired into the country from Nigeria, before part of it allegedly vanished.
 
This means that the local banks that received the funds — Equity and UBA — could be the only way to determine where the Sh20 billion is or was wired to.
 
Two Nigerian financial technology tycoons are at the centre of investigations by ARA and Interpol. Boltpay founder Eghosasere Nehikhare and Multigate Limited founder Olubukunmi Olufemi Demuren could have started the global movement of billions from Lagos, ownership documents from the Companies’ Registry in Kenya show.
 
Nehikhare is a graduate of the University of Oxford in the UK and is the CEO of Multigate Ltd, while Mr Demuren earned a chemical engineering degree from Cooper Union University in the US. Mr Demuren is the board chairman of Multigate Ltd.
 
Mutligate and RemX are among companies registered in Kenya, Dubai and Nigeria and which are at the heart of the money transfers.
 
So far, Kenyan authorities have traced and frozen Sh5.6 billion, pending the conclusion of the investigations. The money is in six bank accounts owned by three companies.
 
However, according to the Kenyan Nation, investigators have so far frozen accounts of three firms — Avalon Offshore Logistics Limited, OIT Africa Limited and RemX Capital Limited. They are the owners of the accounts deposited with the money.
 
Two bank accounts of Avalon Offshore Logistics Limited held at Equity Bank are holding $374,630 (Sh43,408,490) and €3,824.66 (Sh472,809), suspected to be proceeds of crime.
 
OIT Africa’s three bank accounts held at Equity and United Bank for Africa (UBA) are holding a total of $41,715,444 (Sh4,833,568,496), while Remix’s account at UBA is holding $6,648,838 (Sh770,400,859).
 
ARA, in court papers, claims the money was wired to six accounts held at Equity Bank and United Bank of Africa (UBA).
 
Through Principal State Counsel Mohamed Adow, the agency says the amounts were a culmination of suspicious credits from various suspicious sources and conducted suspicious transfers and withdrawals.
 
ARA says that on February 11, it received information on suspected money laundering schemes and acquisition of proceeds of crime involving multiple cash transactions conducted through the bank accounts of the three companies.
 
The money was from a foreign country and the source has no legitimate explanation involving the companies and their agents.
 
“The companies are suspected to be part of a syndicate involved in a complex money-laundering scheme involving themselves and foreign nationals.
 
The bank accounts of the companies are used as a conduit for complex money laundering,” says ARA.
 
The preservation order Justice Esther Maina issued bars the three firms, their employees, agents, servants or any other persons acting on their behalf from transacting, withdrawing, transferring or dealing in any manner howsoever with any profits or benefits derived or accrued from the funds.
 
A search at the Registrar of Companies revealed that RemX Capital directors are John Kisilu Kamusina and Evalyne Wawira Gachoki.
 
Avalon Offshore directors are Nigerians, Jeffrey Nnaoma Michaels and Uduma Okoro Christopher Kalu.
 
OIT Africa directors are Vionnah Akoth Odongo and Kenneth Odongo Raminya. Multigate Limited directors are Olubunmi Akinbanjo Akinyemiju, Nehikhare Eghosasere and Demuren Olufemi Olukunmi.

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Map of Rivers State

No fewer than 300 staff members of Emohua Local Government Area in Rivers State have had their salaries withheld while some had theirs reduced over allegations that they are ghost workers.
 
In a court document filed at the National Industrial Court, Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on Monday and obtained by SaharaReporters, the staff members affirmed that Emohua Local Government Council and its Chairman, Dr Chido Lloyd have “no such power, right, authority whatsoever to demote, downgrade the employment grade level of staff members, nor withhold, cut down/slash their monthly salary”.
  Map of Rivers State
The affected workers, therefore, demanded a written apology in two (2) national newspapers, noting that the Local Government Council also has no power to discipline them.
They described such demotion, downgrade, withholding or slashing of staff salaries as a violation of section 48(1) of Rivers State Local government Law No 5 of 2018.
 
 
 
They demanded the release of withheld salaries and the reinstatement of other affected workers to their employment grade levels before their demotion.
They also demanded the sum of One Million Naira only, (N1,000.000.00) representing damages for trauma, inconvenience, displacement, embarrassment and losses the action of the defendants has caused the claimants.
 
The document reads in part, "A Declaration that 1st and 2nd defendants: reason of powers/function vested in them by section7 (5) Fourth schedule of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, has no such power, right, authority whatsoever to demote, downgrade the employment grade level of the claimants, nor withhold, cut down/slash the monthly salary of the claimants.
 
"A Declaration that the demotion, downgrade in employment grade level, withholding/slashing of the salaries of the claimants (public officers) by the defendants without due process of law is unjustifiable, wrongful, unlawful, illegal and constitutes a violation of the claimants right to adequate means of livelihood, equal pay for equal work without discrimination as guaranteed by section 17(3) (a) (b)(c)(d) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
 
"An Order of this Honorable Court on the defendants to within Seven (7) days of the judgement of this Court re-instate the claimants to their employment grade level before their unlawful demotion/downgrade by the defendants.
 
"An Order of this Honourable Court on the defendant to, within seven (7) days of the Judgement of this court release in full the withheld and unpaid salaries of the claimant, whether those held in full or by way of deductions as applicable to any of the claimant's case, whose salary is withheld in part or in full and particularly those affected by the defendants’ unlawful demotion/downgrade of employment grade level now computed as follows.
 
"Written apology in two (2) national newspapers with circulation across Nigerian states, to the employee of the 1st defendant including the claimants who are affected by the defendants’ unlawful employment demotion/downgrade and withholding of salaries.
 
"The Order of this Honourable on the 1st and 2nd defendants to pay each and every of the claimant so affected by the 1st and 2nd defendants policy of demotion, downgrade, withholding, salary cut, the sum of One Million Naira only, (N1,000.000.00) representing damages for trauma, inconvenience, displacement, embarrassment and losses the action of the defendants have caused the claimants," the document added.
 
 
 
 
 

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Pastor Tunde Bakare, the founding pastor of the Citadel Global Community Church has formally declared his interest to contest for President on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
 
Bakare who made the declaration in Abuja on Monday listed four mandates his administration will focus on.

According to Bakare, he’s a product of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s free education policy in the Old Western Region.

Bakare also listed peace, progress, prosperity and possibilities as the four mandates his administration will focus on if he becomes the president of Nigeria.

He said the peace mandate would reintegrate all the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria and encourage dialogue with all aggrieved groups for true nationhood.
 
He said, “Peace mandate will achieve a policy thrust on nationhood, leadership, governance and national security. Through the peace mandate, we will reconcile and reintegrate the Nigerian people into a true nation and competent leadership that can unify Nigeria and harness our enormous potential.
“We will establish a presidential commission for national reconciliation and reintegration whose board of trustees will consist of three eminent Nigerians from each of the six geopolitical zones.
“These three Nigerians will include traditional monarchs, former heads of states, statesmen and women while ensuring the participation of youths and vulnerable groups. This commission will be mandated to within the first 100 days of our administration engage every aggrieved group in Nigeria and secure their commitment to dialogue for true nationhood. And within two years the commission will acknowledge and reconcile every past and current national group’s grievance and force their reintegration of the diverse sectional groups in Nigeria into true nationhood.”
 
He also said his administration will support the separation of power.
 
Bakare promises to improve electricity, saying a lot of resources are lost in Nigeria due to poor electricity.
 
 “I for one can relate to the frustration of the Nigerian businesses and business owners as they lose around 29 billion dollars annually to poor electricity,” he said.
 
On security, Bakare promised to restore the military to world-class as it was in the past and also improve the health sector.
 
“Our medical cities will give the primary school teachers access to the same quality of healthcare that is currently available only to those that can afford to travel to cities like Dubai,” he said.
 

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The Edo State police command has confirmed the arrest of a popular prophet, Benson Nosakhare, who was accused of defrauding members of the public with fake prophecies.
 
A victim of the prophecy, Osamudiamen Thompson, had petitioned the state police commissioner, alleging that he was hypnotised by the prophet who collected his car.

He said he gifted the ‘prophet’ his car after Nosakhare told him he saw him in a vision where he had an accident in his Lexus ES 350 car.
 
The victim further claimed that after he came back to his senses, he noticed that the prophet had already changed the colour of the car from gold to black and was already using it.
 
A statement released by Edo police spokesperson, SP Bello Kontongs, confirming the arrest, reads, “The operatives of Edo State Police Command on 03/05/2022 arrested a fraudster masquerading as prophet Benson Nosakhare ‘M’ who prey on gullible members of the public through the use of false prophecy and divine pronouncements.
 
“One of his victims Mr. Osamudiamen Thompson ‘M’ of Osemwenkhae Street, Ikpoba Hill, Benin City in a petition addressed to the Commissioner of Police Edo State, complained that he was hypnotized by prophet Benson Nosakhare ‘M’ of Power Ground Chapel Incorporated situated at No. 3 Uwa street off 2nd East Circular Road, Benin city.
 
“According to the victim, the prophet claimed he saw him in a vision where he had an accident with his Lexus ES 350 car. He said the prophet told him that for him to avert the accident, he should use the car to sow seed to the Lord which he did in his church.
 
“He further stated that after he came back to his senses, he noticed that the prophet had already changed the colour of the car from gold to black and was already using it.
 
“The suspect had confessed to the crime and will be charged in court accordingly. The following cars were recovered during a search of his apartment in Benin City. A Lexus ES 350 car and Lexus RX 350 jeep were obtained from Odigie Godspower, using the same fake prophetic pronouncements”.

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The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has blamed the current fuel scarcity being experienced in Abuja and other parts of the country on the Salah holiday.
 
The corporation said it was a result of low 'loadouts' at depots which usually happen during long public holidays.
NNPC stated on its verified Twitter page, saying “another contributing factor to the sudden appearances of queues is the increased fuel purchases which are also usual with returning residents of the FCT from the public holidays.”

NNPC assured that it was working with the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and marketing partners to ramp up 'loadouts' from all depots from today (Monday).
 
NNPC assured Nigerians that there is enough petrol.
 
“We have national stock in excess of 2.5 billion litres, with sufficiency of more than 43 days,” it said.
 
Motorists were left stranded over the weekend in the nation’s capital following the scarcity of fuel as there were queues in many filling stations in the city.

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The Alliance on Surviving Covid 19 and Beyond (ASCAB), chaired by human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to sack and recommend the Governor of the Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele for prosecution if he refuses to resign his position in order to pursue his political ambition.
Falana also said more disastrous consequences await the Nigerian naira and Nigeria’s debt-ridden economy if Emefiele is allowed to continue to use his official position to prosecute his presidential ambition.

He noted that the naira plunged from N417 at the parallel market to N591 to US$1 after the nomination and expression of interest forms of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were purchased for Emefiele.
The Chair, Alliance on Surviving Covid 19 and Beyond (ASCAB) in a letter dated May 9 and titled 'Legal Hurdles To Cross By Mr. Godwin Emefiele', noted that by virtue of the combined effect of section 9 of the CBN Act and Section 18 of the Banks and Financial institutions Act 2020, it is the Board of the CBN that is competent to permit him to engage in politics or any other vocation.
According to Falana, the Board of the CBN has not authorised him to participate in the primary election of the ruling party.
The senior lawyer said to that extent, Emefiele is not qualified to seek any elective position or participate in the primary election of any political party.
 
The letter reads in part, "Last week, it was reported that a group of farmers had purchased the N100 million nomination form for the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele to enable him to contest the presidential primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC). While thanking his band of supporters, Mr. Emefiele did not hesitate to confirm his interest in the presidential race. 
 
"According to him, ‘Should I answer their calls and decide to seek presidential nomination, I will use my own hard-earned savings from over 35 years of banking leadership (simulating the image of a public-spirited official) to buy my own Nomination Forms…This is a serious decision that requires God’s Divine intervention: in the next few days, (my italics) the Almighty will so direct’.
 
"Apparently convinced that Mr. Emefiele is on strong legal ground, a newspaper has reported that his involvement in the race has caused jitters in the camp of other aspirants in the APC. But the supporters of the Governor have ignored section 9 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act which provides that: 'The Governor and the Deputy Governors shall devote the whole of their time to the service of the Bank and while holding office shall not engage in any full or part-time employment or vocation whether remunerated or not except such personal or charitable causes as may be determined by the Board and which do not conflict with or detract from their full-time duties.' The provisions of section 18 (4) (b) of the Banks are in pari materia with Section 9 of the CBN Act.
 
"For the avoidance of doubt, the powers conferred on the Governor and the Board of the CBN under the CBN Act are enormous. They include the power to ensure monetary and price stability; issue legal tender currency in Nigeria; maintain external reserves to safeguard the international value of the legal tender currency; promote a sound financial system in Nigeria; and act as Banker and provide economic and financial advice to the Federal Government.
“In addition, the Banks and Financial institutions Act 2020 has empowered the Governor and CBN to grant and revoke licences of banks; supervise banks, dissolve Boards and Management of Banks, remove Managing Directors and other directors of Banks, sanction erring banks and officials, make rules that guide commercial banks, provide loan to Governments, set interest rates, serve as apex bank to other banks and ensure a cordial relationship with foreign banks.
“Furthermore, the Minister of Finance shall seek inputs from the CBN in preparing the Medium Term Expenditure Framework for the annual budget pursuant to the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007.
 
"The performance of these statutory functions which shall be in the national interest cannot be left in the hands of a politically exposed person. Hence, the Central Bank Act and Banks and Financial institutions Act provide that the bank shall be a fully autonomous body with the objective of promoting stability and continuity in economic management. Therefore, the involvement of the Governor in partisan politics will compromise the autonomy of the CBN.
“For instance, during the #EndSARS protests in October 2020, Mr. Emefiele held a secret meeting with some of the leading protesters. He tried in vain to prevail on the young men and women to end the protests. In a desperate bid to coerce the leaders of the #EndSARS movement to stop embarrassing the Buhari administration, Mr. Emefiele invoked his powers under the BOFIA by freezing the bank accounts of 20 leading protesters.
“He then proceeded to the Federal High Court where he secured an ex parte order to justify the violation of the fundamental right of the protesters to property.
 
"Even though Mr. Emefiele wanted to extend the obnoxious ex parte order, he was compelled to discontinue the suit when his use of the CBN to achieve his political objective was exposed in the media.
 
"No doubt, the image of the CBN would have been more dented if the bank accounts of leaders of opposition political parties had been frozen for protesting the deleterious economic policies of the Buhari administration. No doubt, the discharge of the functions of the CBN Governor by a politically exposed person will certainly lead to a conflict of interest contrary to the provisions of Section 9 of the CBN Act, Section 18 (4) (b) of the BOFIA Act and Paragraph 1 of the Code of Conduct for Public Officer enshrined in Part 1 of the 5th Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended.
“Since the governorship of the Central Bank is a full-time engagement, it is submitted that Mr. Emefiele cannot go around wooing delegates to vote for him in the primary election of the ruling party. More importantly, the country cannot afford a situation whereby the Governor of the Central Bank will be tempted to dip into the till to fund his political campaign.
 
"From the foregoing, Mr. Emefiele has a number of legal hurdles to cross to participate in the primary election of the ruling party. Having realised the criminality involved in accepting the Greek gift of the farmers the CBN Governor said that he would use his ‘hard-earned savings from over 35 years of banking leadership (simulating the image of a public-spirited official) to buy my own Nomination Forms’.
“However, since he has the constitutional right to participate in politics and contest elections, he is required by law to resign his appointment forthwith. If he does not call it quits with the CBN forthwith, Mr. Emefiele should be removed by the President in line with Section 11 of the CBN Act and recommended for prosecution for conflict of interest before the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
“Retaining Mr. Emefiele as the Governor of the CBN and presidential aspirant in the ruling party is going to have more deleterious effect on the national economy that has been paralysed through the implementation of obnoxious monetary policies at the behest of imperialism.
 
"Finally, it was reported that upon the purchase of the APC nomination form for Mr. Emefiele, the naira was reported to have plunged to N591 to US$1 from N417 at the parallel market official rate. More disastrous consequences await the currency and the debt-ridden national economy if the Governor is allowed to continue to use his official position to prosecute his presidential ambition.
“However, while Mr. Emefiele is awaiting divine intervention, it is pertinent to point out that by virtue of the combined effect of section 9 of the CBN Act and Section 18 of the Banks and Financial institutions Act 2020 it is the Board of the CBN that is competent to permit him to engage in politics or any other vocation. So far, the Board of the CBN has not authorised him to participate in the primary election of the ruling party. To that extent, he is disqualified from seeking any elective position in the primary election of any political party or in the general election."

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A Federal High Court in Abuja has refused the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele’s request to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) Abubakar Malami, from preventing him from pursuing his presidential ambition while in office at the head of the apex bank.
 
Emefiele had in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/610/2022 and filed on May 5 asked the court to declare him eligible to participate in the 2023 presidential election.

SaharaReporters Media

In the suit filed through Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), he is praying for a declaration that he is not bound to resign to participate in a primary election to select a presidential candidate.
 
The CBN Governor is the sole plaintiff in the suit, with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney-General of the Federation as respondents.
 
He also prayed the court to determine whether Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act 2022 is not inconsistent with Section 137 (1)(G) of the 1999 Constitution.
 
The suit was filed two days before the CBN governor said he had not made up his mind to run for the office of the president.
 
Three support groups purportedly bought him the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential nomination form worth N100 million.
 
Part of the grounds of the application reads: “That the plaintiff has aspiration to seek election to the Office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and participate as a candidate in the upcoming 2023 elections.
 
“That section 84(12) of the Electoral Act, 2022 provides that: ‘No political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the Convention or Congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election’.
 
“That the plaintiff verily believes that he is not affected by these provisions, as he is not a political appointee as envisaged by the above provisions of section 84(12) of the Electoral Act, 2022.
 
“That the Central Bank of Nigeria is entirely (100 per cent) owned by the Nigerian Federal Government, and therefore constitutes a government agency with the meaning and intendment of Section 318 of 1999 Constitution.”
 
Ruling on Monday, the court summonsed INEC leadership and AGF to appear before it on May 12, to show cause on why status quo antebellum, should not be granted to the CBN Governor.

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A popular Kannywood filmmaker, Aminu Mukhtar, who was declared wanted for producing a film titled ‘Makaranta’ has been attacked, SaharaReporters has learnt.
The Kano State Film Censorship Board had declared Mukhtar wanted in January for producing the movie ‘Makaranta,’ meaning ‘School’ in English, alleging that it was promoting immorality.

Reacting to the board's decision at the time, the film director said he was not disturbed or worried by the censors board’s invitation and insisted that he did nothing wrong.
He said, “When I heard that the board was looking for me, I was not disturbed at all because I did nothing wrong. My film is not about Kano or Hausa people alone. About 17 languages are featured in the project. Moreover, I did not shoot the movie in Kano State. So, I don’t understand why their blood is hot over the issue. And again, I did not shoot it in Kano.
“My film is not only about sex education, it captures other things such as female genital mutilation and it aims to create awareness about things that are happening, not only in our communities but also in schools, as the name of the film portrays.”
But SaharaReporters learnt on Monday that Mukhtar had been attacked by some persons suspected to have been sponsored by Muslim fanatics in government.
Photos of the filmmaker obtained by SaharaReporters on Monday suggested he had been hit in the head with a hard object, as blood ran down his neck from a wound he had sustained in the head.
However, information about those who attacked him was still sketchy at the time of filing this report.

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Some university students on Monday in Lagos protested against the ongoing strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
ASUU is the umbrella body of public university lecturers in Nigeria.

However, there was tight security around the University of Lagos (UNILAG) area where the protest was held as police patrol vehicles could be seen on standby.
The students in their large numbers marched towards the UNILAG front gate, chanting solidarity songs and displaying placards with inscriptions like ‘End ASUU strike,’ and ‘Is Federal Government Playing, What Kind Of Playing Is This’.
One of the protesting students, while speaking to BBC News Pidgin Live, said, “We are tired of staying at home, we are average students. By now I should have finished my undergraduate but I’m still a final-year student.
“For over four and a half years, I have been a student. I’m tired; for how many years will I be a student? FG (Federal Government) should please listen to the cry of ASUU, let us go back to our classrooms.”
Meanwhile, ASUU has extended its strike by 12 weeks.
This was confirmed by the National President of ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke who spoke to SaharaReporters on Monday morning.
The academic body took the decision at an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) held at ASUU Secretariat in Abuja.
The emergency meeting, which had in attendance principal officers and branch chairmen, started on Sunday and ended early Monday morning.
Members of the union had embarked on a one-month strike on February 14 over the failure of the Nigerian Government to honour the various agreements reached with them.
Some of ASUU’s demands include the release of revitalisation funds for universities, renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU agreement, release of earned allowances for university lecturers, and deployment of the UTAS payment platform for the payment of salaries and allowances of university lecturers.
Following the expiration of the initial four-week warning strike, the union had gone ahead to declare additional eight weeks of industrial action, saying that it was giving the government more time to attend to its needs.
 

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The Anambra State Police Command has confirmed that a truck conveying cows was set on fire in the state.
 
SaharaReporters had reported how gunmen set ablaze a truck loaded with cows along Uga-Ezinifite Road in the Aguata Local Government Area of the state.

An eyewitness had said the truck was being driven by northerners before it was attacked by the gunmen who set it on fire.
 
The incident happened at about 8 am on Sunday, May 8.
 
The spokesperson for the state police command, Tochukwu Ikenga in a statement said a suspect had been arrested in connection with the attack.
 
He added that one Mohammed Lawan who was conveying the cattle, was rescued by the police alongside other occupants.
 
Ikenga revealed that only the front of the truck was affected.
 
“The command has rescued one Mohammed Lawan of Taraba State Livestock within Ezinifite and Uga expressway,” the police spokesperson said.
 
“The rescue was following a distress call today, May 8, at about 8 am of suspected arson and cruelty to animals by gunmen.”
 
The latest incident comes exactly a month after unknown gunmen shot dead over 20 cows and several goats at the Nkwo Igboukwu market in the same council area.
 
SaharaReporters had reported at the time that some residents who were thrown into a state of confusion following the incident, gathered around the dead livestock, deliberating on what could have happened.
 
From videos shared, some of the traders were seen running, as they assumed the gunmen came back to attack them.
 
However, they returned when they observed their assumption was baseless.
 
A man said, “People can just start running at any time. We are just being vigilant. This is happening live at Igboukwu.”
 

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The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele, is currently scouting for judges to issue a court order that will allow him to retain his position at the apex bank while campaigning for the Presidency, SaharaReporters has learnt.
 
A source told SaharaReporters that Emefiele had briefed lawyer Mike Ozekhome to file a case seeking enforcement of his right to contest the 2023 presidential election without resigning from his current position.

However, as of the time of filing this report, checks by SaharaReporters showed that the case had yet to be filed.
 
Emefiele has been heavily criticised for reportedly obtaining the N100 million nomination form of the All Progressives Congress from the party’s organising secretary at the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja.
 
He, however, came out to debunk the reports claiming it was “patriots” who bought the All Progressives Congress party’s nomination forms for him, adding that he would use his own money to buy his nomination forms when he had made a decision to run for the number one office.
  See Also Politics Nigeria’s House Of Representatives To Reconvene On Monday Over Central Bank Governor, Emefiele’s Presidential Aspiration 0 Comments 1 Week Ago
This sparked the outrage of Nigerians who highlighted the massive corruption cases the CBN governor is currently enmeshed in.
 
Just recently, a group, the Human & Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), urging the body to take swift action to prevent the breach of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act by the Governor, by promptly and diligently investigating the motive and sponsors of the Green Alliance Movement.

The group said if any foul play was uncovered, such culprits should be prosecuted accordingly.
 
Also, human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore condemned the move by the CBN Governor, describing Emefiele as one of “Nigeria’s longest-serving and probably most brazen thieves.”
 
Meanwhile, over the weekend, a coalition of 28 groups consisting of Youth Arise Movement, Nigerians in Diaspora One Nigeria Group, Prudent Youth Association of Nigeria, women groups, farmers, people with disabilities and other civil society groups, reportedly raised N100million fees to purchase the APC nomination forms for the President of African Development Bank, Dr Akinwunmi Adesina.
 
However, a source told SaharaReporters that Emefiele made financial arrangements for the groups to procure the nomination form for Adesina.
 
The source said, “The Essence of purchasing a form for Adesina was due to the fact that he wanted to use Akinwunmi as an example to show that a big banker of the AFDB is actively participating in politics without relinquishing his position too.”
 
The source informed SaharaReporters that Emefiele has the support of Buhari’s powerful uncle, Mamman Daura in his Presidential bid.
  See Also Politics Governors Pull Out Of Committee Set Up To Push Presidential Ambition Of Central Bank Of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele 0 Comments 2 Months Ago
“Emefiele’s Presidential project started with Buhari’s cabal member, Ismaila Isa Funtua who is now late. Also, THISDAY publisher, Nduka Obaigbena and Kashim Ibrahim-Imam are the arrowheads of his campaign," the source said.
 
SaharaRepprters had exclusively reported how Emefiele brought in three aircraft from Switzerland for his campaign.
 
Emefiele has allocated about N500 billion for his presidential ambition, leveraging his edge as the manager of the country’s most critical financial institution, SaharaReporters also learnt.
 
“Emefiele has brought in three airplanes for his campaign. He was asked to resign. He has allocated about N500 billion for his campaign,” a top source revealed.
 
SaharaReporters had on February 13, 2022, reported that there was division in the All Progressives Congress (APC) over the presidential ambitions of some of its prominent members, which is capable of tearing the ruling party apart.
  See Also Politics Corruption-riddled Governor Of Nigeria's Central Bank, Godwin Emefiele To Use CBN's Funds To Finance Presidential Ambition 0 Comments 3 Months Ago
A top source in the party had told SaharaReporters that the “APC is torn between (Vice-President Yemi) Osinbajo, (Bola) Tinubu and Emefiele’s people, each pushing their own candidate and agenda.”
 
SaharaReporters had exclusively learnt that a cabal led by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami was strongly behind the push for Emefiele to succeed Buhari, ahead of other strong contenders in the party.

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Human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore has lambasted Muhammadu Buhari-led Nigerian government over the ongoing strike action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities.
 
ASUU had embarked on a four-week warning strike on February 14 to press home its demands, with the prominent ones being the renegotiation of the ASUU/FG 2009 agreement and the sustainability of the university autonomy by deploying UTAS to replace the government’s imposed (IPPIS).

Other demands include the release of the reports of visitation panels to federal universities, distortions in salary payment challenges, funding for revitalisation of public universities, earned academic allowance, poor funding of state universities and promotion arrears.
 
On March 14, the association extended the strike action by another two months to give the government more time to address all of its demands.
 
The union in a statement by its President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke on Monday said it would be rolling over the ongoing strike for another 12 weeks.
 
Reacting in a tweet, Sowore accused Nigerian government officials of being selfish.
 
According to the activist, the “selfish elites quickly resolved and stopped airlines from shutting down services” but failed to end the strike keeping students at home.
 
He tweeted, “ASUU has extended strike by 12 weeks, before you know it Nigerian students would have stayed home the entire year & the selfish elites quickly resolved and stopped airlines from shutting down services! It is time to act! Nigerian students, where art thou?”
 

ASUU has extended strike by 12 weeks, before you know it Nigerian students would have stayed home the entire year & the selfish elites quickly resolved and stopped airlines from shutting down services! It is time to act! Nigerian students, where art thou? #WeCantContinueLikeThis

— Omoyele Sowore (@YeleSowore) May 9, 2022
The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) had, on Friday, announced its decision to stop operations from Monday over the hike in the price of aviation fuel.
 
However, the association on Sunday suspended the action.
 
AON said the decision to suspend the planned shutdown was taken after “numerous calls from the highest echelons in government”.
 
The association said the Nigerian government promised urgent intervention, adding that the suspension of the operation shutdown would be followed by dialogue.

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Canada-based Nigerian woman, Stephanie Otobo, who had some years ago alleged that she had an amorous relationship with Apostle Johnson Suleman, the General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries, has released nude photos of the clergyman in a Twitter thread.
 
Otobo, who took to her Twitter handle on Monday, shared screenshots of her video chat with Suleman asking him to come forward and debunk her claims.

A photo of the clergyman holding his penis was shared and another showing her breasts while on a video call with him was also shared online.
 
She alleged that the cleric tried everything to stop her from progressing, and had almost ended her life.
 
She wrote on Twitter, “If these screenshots were fake, how did I get his pics that aren't public in the first place and how come I'm the first to release this kind of pics of him? He has changed his hairstyle twice since I came out to speak up with receipts. He has done a lot to appear different.
 

If these screenshots were fake, how did i get his pics that aren't public pics at the first place and how come I'm the first to release this kind of pics of him? He has changed his hairstyle twice since i came out to speak up with receipts. He has done alot to appear different🤣 pic.twitter.com/wsDOFKQDAX

— Stephanie Otobo (@stephaniedocean) May 9, 2022
“If the dick pic isn't his, what is he gonna say about the scar oh his left thigh? His wife can't deny that scar. How did I know he has a scar on his left thigh if we didn't have intimacy? Lol. If he's denying it, he should open up his thigh let's see. His nails too say it all.
 
“Some people kept on wondering why I came out exposing Apostle Johnson Suleman, and why I haven't let go ever since. The truth is that I never planned to. He pushed me to the wall and the only way I could fight back was to cry out and made everything known. The devil smile.
 
“Apostle Johnson Suleman tried using police to shut me up because I visited Nigeria to do feature Timaya in a song. I already paid Clarence Peters for the visuals of the song before oga arrested me, cos I refused to obey him to go back to Canada. He wanted me to amount to nothing.
 
“He did everything to stop my music career. He was scared that I'll be influential. He even poisoned me, paid my friends to set me up and bribed some members of my family to assassinate me. Lured me to come to make a false confession at his church in Auchi that I lied against him.
 
“That it was other pastors and politicians that wanted to bring him down. How come no name was mentioned.? I only did that cos the pressure was too much and everyone had left me to suffer alone. No support. I had to give up at that moment to have the opportunity for reinforcement.
 
“This man has done everything to end my life but God is not dead, this video is the complete story of how everything happened and how it's going lately. I'll release a comprehensive video of everything that happened and the answers to questions."
 
https://twitter.com/stephaniedocean/status/1523549192819408896?t=iM2injjlia-qq7pPzmPDOw&s=19
 
The case of Otobo, a Canada-based singer, came up in 2017 and 2018 when she accused Suleman of having a sexual relationship with her – a controversial scandal that plagued the church and attracted the attention of Nigerians for months.
 
In January 2018, Otobo accused Suleman of impregnating her and breaching a promise to marry her.
 
She claimed she had sex romps with the pastor in Italy, New York and Nigeria.
 
Suleman denied the allegations and threatened to sue SaharaReporters for reporting the story.
 
He also threatened Festus Keyamo, whose law office in Lagos represented Otobo, demanding an apology and the payment of N1 billion to him for blackmail and injury.
 
Otobo however said she had pictures of him exposing his private parts, evidence of which it said would emerge in court. She released part of the photos in a Twitter thread on Monday.

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