Amnesty: EFCC arrests eight consultants

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission( EFCC) yesterday arrested eight consultants allegedly used by the Presidential Amnesty Programme in the past to award multi- million naira contracts.

 New Telegraph gathered from highly placed sources at the headquarters of the anti- graft agency in Abuja that the consultants ( names withheld) were arrested over allegations of fraud and infractions in the contracts said to have been awarded by the Amnesty Office under the leadership of Mr Kingsley Kuku, former Special Adviser to ex- President Jonathan on Amnesty Programme.

One of the sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the arrest and interrogation of the suspects, was in continuation of the EFCC’s investigation of the tenure of Kuku, who is outside the country on medical grounds. 

Although, details of the alleged infractions by the consultants were still sketchy as at the time of this report, New Telegraph gathered that operatives want the suspects to explain allegations that their companies allegedly performed below requirements.

FIRS to generate N4.5trn revenue in 2016 –Fowler

Senate probes AIPB’s failure to publish accident reports

The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) has said that it was targeting to rake in the sum of N4.5tr in 2016 in a bid to raise the country’s revenue profile. T his was disclosed yesterday by the Acting Executive Chairman of the Service, Babatunde William Fowler while appearing before the Senate Committee on Finance at the National Assembly complex.

Speaking during his screening by the Senate Committee, he said the revenue from the country’s Value Added Tax (VAT) would be increased from N500m to N2.5tr next year. He also said the proposed N8trillion budget for 2016 was realisable, saying “the Vice President was not aware of this projection before disclosing the proposed N8trillion budget. “If oil can generate N1trillion, the Customs and us can generate N4.5trillion. So, the budget of N8trillion is quite durable. “Our projection of N4.5trillion does not include an increase in VAT.

This is because we are of view that tax should be fair, “ he said. Warns against repeat of NIS tragedy in proposed recruitment of 10,000 policemen Meanwhile, the Senate yesterday resolved to investigate the reasons behind the non-publication of reports on air crashes that occurred in the country by the Accident Investigation and Prevention Bureau, AIPB.

The upper legislative chamber, through a motion, entitled, “the need to publish accident investigation reports”, by Senator Theodore Orji (PDP Abia Central), stressed the need to carry out holistic investigation into the non-publication of air accident investigation reports by the AIPB.

While describing the tradition as counter-productive and in contradiction with best practices, the parliament mandated its Committee on Aviation to thoroughly investigate the remote and immediate causes of the trend and report its findings to the Senate within two weeks. Orji, in his lead debate, recalled the Bellview, Sosoliso, ADC and Dana air crashes between 2005 and 2012, lamenting that till date, nothing had been heard about findings of AIPB on the crashes.

HID Awolowo’s burial holds today

Buhari, govs, others expected in Ikenne

All roads will lead to Ikenne-Remo, Ogun State today as the late Yeye Oodua and matriarch of Awolowo dynasty, Chief (Mrs) Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo, is laid to rest. Mama Awolowo, who died on September 19 at her residence in Ikenne-Remo, would have celebrated her centenary birthday today.

President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, governors across the 36 states of the federation and eminent Nigerians are billed to attend the burial. As last minute preparations were being made yesterday, the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) honoured the late matriarch by organising a farewell programme for her.

The UPN National Chairman, Prof Bankole Okuwa, and the party’s governorship candidate in the April 11 election, Prince Rotimi Paseda, led hundreds of members to the event which took place at the party’s secretariat in Ikenne. Okuwa, who was one of the associates of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, recalled his relationship with the deceased, describing her as true jewel of inestimable value. On his part, Paseda, who extolled the virtues of Mama Awolowo, noted that the support she gave to her husband during their political travails was unprecedented.

The UPN chieftain described the ideology of the couple as exceptionally outstanding, adding that it was for simultaneous economic and human development. Paseda also canvassed the adoption of the economic policies of the late Chief Awolowo, saying they remained the best for Nigeria. Also yesterday, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, said that he has no doubt that the late Mama Awolowo is now resting in heaven.

The renowned minister of God said this at a private prayer session held with the family at the Efunyela Hall of the Awolowo’s residence in Ikenne-Remo. “By the special grace of God and because of my interaction with Mama, I have no doubt at all that she is in heaven now,” he said.

Adeboye, who shared his experience with the audience on how he confirmed that the late matriarch was already resting in heaven, noted that he had a personal encounter with her two weeks before her death. “Before Mama passed on, she was making a request and I was contacted.

I won’t go into details about the request but I was abroad and when I came back, I saw her and we had a little discussion before she passed away. As a result of that, I have no doubt that Mama is resting with the Lord,” the cleric added. Adeboye used the occasion to appeal to the congregation to also work hard towards making heaven in the eternal life.

“You have to consider your own case. Because all of us can’t say when it will be our turn. Would you end up resting in the Lord or you end up on the other side? The choice is yours,” he said. The General Overseer led a 20-minute prayer session which he stated was held on three points. He said, “The question is why are we having a special prayer at this time like this.

The reasons are: number one; that at a time of celebration that is when we are most vulnerable to the enemies. “If you look through the scriptures, you will find out that most of the people who ran into serious problems got into trouble because of celebrations and we don’t want that to happen during this celebration. “This is a very big celebration involving the whole nation.

We want to pray in advance that nothing evil will happen to us during this celebration and after this celebration.” “Second reason why we need to pray is because a lot and lots of people will be coming. We don’t want anybody to say that it was when I was returning for any occasion that I had an accident. We have started peacefully and we will end it peacefully.

We want people to come in peace and return in peace. “Thirdly, why we need to pray because of the legacy of our parents who have gone. We want it said that after the transition of Papa and Mama, the Awolowo family became stronger and bigger. We don’t want a situation where things will now begin to diminish. We want to pray for the legacy they are leaving behind that the Almighty God will keep the legacy and move the children to higher heights.”

CBN reduces lending rate to real sector to 11%

Warns banks against diversion of credit facility

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday took a two-pronged approach aimed at easing credit flow to the real sector of the economy by reducing both the benchmark interest rate – the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) and the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) to 11 per cent and 20 per cent respectively.

Before the reduction, MPR was at 13 per cent while the CRR stood at 25 per cent. CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, told newsmen yesterday in Abuja that the cut was part of efforts by the Federal Government to improve the country’s economy. Emefiele, who spoke on the outcome of the committee’s meeting, said the cut would also ensure that more funds were released to Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) to boost lending to agriculture and solid minerals sectors. According to him, this will improve their productivity and provide added avenues of job creation.

“The MPC, by a vote of eight out of 10, reduced the MPR from 13 per cent to 11 per cent, while two members voted for retention of the rate at 13.0 per cent. “Seven members voted to reduce the CRR from 25 per cent to 20 per cent, while three members voted to hold. “In addition, eight members voted for an asymmetric corridor of +200 percent to 700 percent, while two voted to retain the symmetric corridor of +/-200 per cent around the Monetary Policy Rate,” he said.

Emefiele said the committee came to the decision in consideration of the weakening economy, particularly the low output growth, rising unemployment and the uncertainty of the global economic environment. “The committee underscored the need for banks to ensure that measures taken to stimulate the economy translate into increased lending to the sectors with sufficient employment capabilities and the potential to generate growth. “Accordingly, the MPC agreed that going forward, any attempt by the CBN at easing liquidity into the system shall be directed at targeting the real sector, infrastructure, agriculture and solid minerals.

“The MPC further directed all bank managements to put in place necessary regulations to ensure strict compliance by the DMBs. “This is to ensure that employment and productivity is stimulated, while also moderating prices,” he said. The apex bank boss also warned commercial lenders to comply with the new policy directives targeted at growing specific sectors such as agriculture, power, solid minerals whose long term objectives are employment generation.

Emefiele said a formal circular would be addressed to the banks in respect of the new directive. According to him, “the MPC was, particularly, concerned that the previous liquidity injections embarked upon through lowering of the CRR, in the last MPC, has not transmitted significantly to improved credit delivery to key growth and employment in sensitive sectors of the economy. Rather, more credit was to sectors with low employment elasticity.” He said the committee restated its commitment to evolve and implement measures that would be supportive of consolidating and strengthening output growth with an eye on price stability. Emefiele said:

“At the last policy committee meeting, we took the decision to begin to ease and that was why we reduced the CRR from 31 to 25 per cent. Unfortunately, we thought that by allowing the bank to have access to the liquidity, that the funds will be channeled to those sectors that we think would be employment-generating sectors; that will support growth, stimulate development and reduce the level of unemployment.

Unfortunately, that has not happened. “But what we have decided to do at this meeting is to say yes, we must stimulate growth, we do not have a choice in the face of challenges in the global economy and Nigeria is not isolated at this time that we must commit to growth. “What we have decided is that, yes, we continue to ease going forward, we will ensure that funds that are going to be injected into the system, banks are going to be expected to ensure that those funds are directed as loans to these sectors.

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Crisis looms over Kogi guber poll

INEC fixes Dec 5 for supplementary election

APC: We’ll do fresh primaries

PDP: INEC’s decision morally bankrupt

AGF: Poll must be concluded

Crisis is brewing over the Kogi State supplementary election fixed for December 5 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). INEC yesterday said it would go ahead with the conduct of supplementary poll despite the death of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Prince Abubakar Audu, on Sunday.

With the window of replacement provided by INEC, the national leadership of the APC said it would conduct a fresh supplementary primary for governorship aspirants. But the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected INEC’s decision to go ahead with the conduct of the supplementary election. Both APC and PDP are holding emergency meetings today in Abuja.

New Telegraph learnt that the PDP is weighing legal options. Also, a silent war has begun in APC over Audu’s replacement. Some hawks in the presidency see Audu’s death as an opportunity to entrench the interest of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in the party by producing the new flag bearer.

Audu was of the Bola Tinubu-led defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) ilk. Some of the forces pushing for a fresh primary election are said to be considering the majority Igala ethnic group where the late Audu hailed from. The PDP candidate, Governor Idris Wada also bared his fang yesterday as he removed 15 local government chairmen from office for defecting to APC.

The Electoral Act gives INEC 14 days to conduct supplementary election where there is an inconclusive poll. The commission has declared Kogi State governorship election inconclusive because the number of cancelled votes was higher than the margin of the difference between the two frontline candidates – Audu and Wada – and ordered a rerun in 91 polling units across 18 local government areas. APC governorship candidate, the late Audu, was leading with 240, 867 votes as against the PDP candidate, Governor Wada’s 199,514 votes.

INEC, in a statement issued yesterday, said the commission has been notified by the APC of the death of its governorship candidate in the election. According to the statement signed by Secretary to the Commission, Mrs. Augusta Ogakwu, the commission has, after due consideration of the circumstances, decided to conclude the process by conducting election in the 91 affected polling units as announced by the returning officer.

It said it decided to allow the APC to fill the vacancy created by the death of its candidate. “Accordingly, notice is hereby given to all the 22 political parties participating in the Kogi governorship election that supplementary election in the 91 affected polling units shall hold on December 5, 2015,” the statement added.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja yesterday after a meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC), APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, said the party is set to conduct fresh primaries. Oyegun, however, did not state the date for the supplementary primaries.

“The truth is that I will only know by the end of tomorrow (today),” Oyegun told New Telegraph. “As a party, we are going to proceed with process of organising primaries to provide a substitution for the late Abubakar Audu.” Oyegun said the Attorney General of the Federation has made it public that the APC should replace the late candidate.

When asked what will be the modalities for the fresh primaries, Oyegun said “we have only just got notification today, so we are going to go into executive session now, to know the nature of the primaries”. On the fate of Hon. James Abiodun Faleke, the running mate of the late Audu, the APC national chairman said that the aspirants will determine who becomes the next running mate to whoever emerges through the fresh primaries.

In the APC primaries conducted two months ago, Audu came first with 1,109 votes. Other aspirants that contested the primaries with Audu and their votes are: Yahaya Bello (703), Usman Abatemi (400), Sanusi Abubakar (309), Atawodi (183), James Ocholi (90), Olumoroti (56), Baba Ali (28), Obadofin (15), Elephant (11), Nicholas Ugbane (8), Clarence Olafemi (7), Idrissima (5), Meyanga (2), Sule Eje Abutu (2), Alex Kadir (1), Ojo Onukaba (1), Sani Shaibu (1), Zakari Jiya (0) and Yakubu Mohd (0). The AGF and Minister for Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), earlier yesterday said APC would present another candidate in the supplementary elections.

The AGF, who spoke in Abuja at a seminar, said the election has to be concluded and that APC would have to substitute its candidate for the purpose of the supplementary elections. He, however, did not say that the party’s deputy governorship candidate would automatically step in as the party candidate.

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