Yoruba: The Sick Man Of Nigeria By Bayo Oluwasanmi

I borrowed the title of my article from the expression “sick man of Europe commonly referred to the Turkish Empire.” In the 19th century, it was believed that Turkey had fallen under the financial control of other nations. In the 1920s, Turkey was a typical Muslim hellhole with a long record of atrocities, ethnic cleansing, genocide, massacres, overwhelming and pernicious influence of Mullahs, inefficient government, bribery everywhere, and oppression of women.
The expression equally applies to Nigeria and of course Yoruba political space: corrupt and inefficient government, recklessness, lawlessness everywhere, failed system, corrupt judiciary and broken criminal justice system, brazen robbery and endless looting of the treasury, violence here and there, fear, panic, strife, grieve, by citizens from day and night marauders on our streets, our roads, and in our communities who kill at will. Unyielding overt and covert hostilities and tensions between the federating parts that will ultimately bring Nigeria into her knees.
It's easy to hide from the fight for survival if the fight is mythic in scale. And at this particular time in our history, things feel apocalyptic. The Yoruba deal makers who made possible the merger and alliance of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and Congress for Political Change (CPC) which became All Progressives Congress (APC) that produced Muhammadu Buhari as the president, have become cartoonishly immobilized  by playing second fiddle in national affairs particularly the future of Yoruba race vis-a-vis on-going debate on the possible breakup of Nigeria. The Hausas have made their position known on the breakup of Nigeria when the northern youths gave three-month ultimatum to Igbo to vacate their region. Similarly, Igbo people continues to agitate for Biafra. Only Yorubas among the three could not agree with one voice on where they stand on the future of Nigeria and most importantly, on the future of Oduduwa people.            
The present makeup of Yoruba political leadership is populated by cowards. This is evident by its prevarication on the all important issue of whether or not Yoruba will stay or leave Nigeria. Their cowardice to stand up and articulate the fears and concerns of Yorubas as vocally expressed by the other two groups make Yoruba the sick man of Nigeria. Amazingly, Yoruba political leadership has not yet figured out how to respond to the issue. I believe they have two choices: they may either unify and rally Yorubas around a common cause, or express their support to one ungovernable, stunted, barbaric, primitive one Nigeria and see Yoruba dissolve into the political abyss.
This is not the time for Yoruba political leaders to play a wait-and-see game. As cowards, they are content to play the better of two evils without resistance when faced with a political dilemma. They have refused to move in the best interest of majority of Yorubas, too afraid to take a stand because it is politically expedient for them to drag their feet. There's no person among them with the spine, the backbone, the moral constitution to convince other groups and their lackeys that Yorubas are more than forging political mergers, alliances, or alignment. They too can be resolute in determining their own fate and destiny.
It seems to me they need a deeper understanding of what the word  progressive means. Let me be clear: any leader or leaders who fail to take a stand on behalf of their people are not only sell-outs, but blindly  ignorant at best and flatly dangerous at worst. They are content to hope that time will present an advantageous opportunity to resist the coming breakup of Nigeria. They are content to hope that they can continue to operate as though business as usual will be enough. Yoruba people demands this is the time for the political leaders to abandon politics as usual, and act boldly and swiftly. The most basic resistance from them is to say no to one Nigeria where our people are impoverished, bed ridden by disease, joblessness, hopelessness, and paralyzed by fear and insecurity, and pinned to a cul-de-sac where the pursuit of happiness is impossible. They should refuse to play nicely, but protest with radical fervor any advances that do not favor our cause and course.
To me, the present Yoruba political leaders are not leaders built for leading, not built to protect the rights of our people, but only to protect their political spoils. By the time they wake up from their stupor, however, there may not even be a Nigeria left to save. They'll only be able to thank their strategy of waiting for an opportune time to start resisting of being part a country that's fast vanishing before their eyes. They will regret that they have not started their own movement and preparation for the inevitability a long time ago. May be now they can join the rest of us who want to live without wondering if we'll ever survive this new hellhole they help put us in. The Yoruba leadership need to wake the hell up!
The cowardice of such leaders to declare their stand in unambiguous language will be an indelible and damning part of their legacy. But one thing I'm sure of : history doesn't forget the noisy voices once the dust settles, the winners and losers. When our history is written, we'll celebrate those who exhibited bravery, and we'll decide the aggressively malignant. We'll cheer the heroic. History tells us that leaders who let their people down at times like these are the ones who run and hide in the woods until the dust settles. Political self-preservation in dire circumstances is just about the same as cowardice.
We have a word for people who are dominated by fear. We call them cowards. J.R.R. Tolkien once wrote: “A man that flies from his fear may find that he has only taken a shortcut to meet it.”

You can reach Bayo at bjoluwasanmi@gmail.com.
Bayo Oluwasanmi

Emeka Offor’s Townsfolk Concerned Over Behavior Of Police Officers Probing Controversial Contractor

As the five-man panel set up by the Federal Government to investigate petitions of grave human rights violations against Emeka Offor, one of Nigeria’s most controversial government contractors, presses ahead with its work, a large section of the Oraifite community in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State has expressed concern over the unprofessional behavior of some policemen involved in the special assignment.
Though members of the Oraifite community say they still have confidence in the leader of the panel, Yusuf Kolo, an Assistant Commissioner of Police who commands the Inspector General of Police Special Tactical Squad (IGPSTS), they are worried about the behavior of some police officers assisting the panel with field reports.
The leader of Concerned Oraifite People, Chuks Momah, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), told SaharaReporters that the conduct of a team of police officers led by Superintendent Collins Eruogu, an indigene of Imo State, “calls for concern.”
The Eruogu-led team, based in Onitsha, Anambra State, is acting on behalf of the Kolo panel whose members are reportedly saddled with other serious national responsibilities across Nigeria.
“It is worrisome that Offor ordered 11 persons from his faction in Oraifite summoned to Abuja on June 28 to answer charges against them not to honor the invitation, boasting that the police would rather come to Oraifite to take evidence from them on his terms, and things played out just like that,” Mr. Momah said in an exclusive interview.
Our correspondent reported that police officers did go to the Oraifite Civic Center on Monday, June 26, and heard from the 11 persons led by Sunday Igboanuzue, a Lagos-based trader, and Tony Obi, chairman of the Emeka Offor Foundation who used to work as a forest guard, as well as an Onitsha-based trader, Okey Ufondu, who is also the father of Mr. Offor’s third wife, Adaora. Offor married her on January 3, 2014.
SaharaReporters was reliably informed that the real reason why Mr. Offor fought desperately to prevent the 11 persons from going to Abuja was his fear that one of them, Chimezie Okoye, could be detected by the police in Abuja and consequently arrested. Some members of the Oraifite community allege that Chimezie Okoye was second in command to Olisa Ifedike alias Ofeakwu, the deadliest kidnapper in Anambra State who was arrested in September 2012. Mr. Offor extricated him from police detention in 2012, and even arrived at the Oraifite Improvement Union meeting with him in the same vehicle on June 26, 2017.
One of members of the community present at the meeting with police officers said Mr. Ufondu openly stated at the forum that if were in Mr. Offor’s shoes, he would have killed some of his critics and damned the consequences.
Amazed at the vituperations of Mr. Offor’s henchmen right before investigating police officers, a number of people walked out in anger. Those who left the forum included the immediate past President General of the Oraifite Improvement Union (OIU), J.A.P. Okolo, a medical doctor who is also the President of the Association of Anambra Town Unions (ASATU) and former legislator in Ebonyi State where he previously served as Special Adviser to the Ebonyi State Governor on Agriculture.
Mr. Momah said, “I hope and pray that the police officers will at the end of the day work in a way that will bring glory to the police leadership by providing a robust answer to the question of what happened to some 22 Oraifite persons who disappeared suddenly before the advent of the Muhammadu Buhari administration. And some of the disappeared are now presumed dead.” He provided details of some of the missing persons and those who returned after long and grueling experiences at the hands of police officers, especially men of the Special Armed Robbery Squad (SARS).
The victims of Mr. Offor’s highhandedness includes Christian Okwumuo, an architect based in Nnewi, who was whisked away on January 3, 2014, at a burial in Umuezopi by some of the over 50 policemen assigned to Mr. Offor in his hometown. Mr. Okwumuo was a political activist who refused to join Emeka Offor’s political lineup in Oraifite.
There is the pathetic case of Mrs. Elizabeth Nwandu, a widow since 2009. The police arrested her three sons reportedly on instructions of Mr. Offor and his acolytes. All three persons are presumed dead. The first was Ikechukwu, who returned from overseas in 2012. Arrested on trumped-up charges, Ikechukwu disappeared a few weeks after his arrival. His brother, Chukwuebuka, was arrested in 2013, also on trumped-up charges. In 2015, Chibueze Nwandu, a Lagos-based trader, was arrested. He has not been sighted since then.
Mrs. Ngozi Noel Obi, a widow from Awo village in Oraifite, counts herself lucky for being detained for only three days at the Anambra State Command headquarters in Awka for demanding that Mr. Offor’s mother pay her for some bottles of locally distilled gin popularly known as kaikai or ogogoro. Her case could have been like that of Mrs. Evelyn Adili whose son, Nonso, a dealer in old auto spare parts, was arrested by Mr. Offor’s police detail, together with his brother, Ndubuisi. Their offence was that their mother had the temerity to demand the repayment of a loan that Mr. Offor’s father reportedly took from her late husband.
Ndubuisi was released after paying a N350,000 bribe to the police in the name of “bail money” even though getting released from police detention is officially free in Nigeria. His elder brother is still missing. Mrs. Adili remains under serious threat from Mr. Offor’s people who demand that she withdraw her testimony to the police investigators.
The case of the Adilis is reminiscent of the Ekekwe brothers, Nnanna and Amobi. They were allegedly tricked to Mr. Offor’s house by one Ifeanyi Chukwulobe, a motorcycle repairer. After explaining to Mr. Offor who inquired into their means of livelihood that they were Plaster of Paris (POP) craftsmen, they were arrested by Mr. Offor’s police and taken to the Ozubulu police station and accused of armed robbery.
Mr. Chukwulobe subsequently collected N40,000  from their mother as “bail money”. Yet, only Nnanna was released. Even so, his freedom was temporary, as he was to spend the next 9 months at the SARS office without trial. He was freed only three months ago on the order of a magistrate. Nnanna seems luckier than his brother, Amobi, who is still missing.
Also missing since 2014 when he was whisked away by policemen assigned to Offor is Obinna Adimachukwu, son of Mr. “Avenger” and Mrs. Anthonia Ifeyinwa Adimachukwu, of Isingwu quarters in Oraifite.
Another person arrested in 2014 when Mr. Offor’s close friend, Mohammed D. Abubakar, was the Inspector General of Police were Sunday Chukwumezie and Okechukwu Muozube. They were released only three months ago.
Arrested in 2014 also was Benjamin Onyemaibeya, son of Johnson Onyemaibeya who is well known by his alias of Jack Demo. A Lagos-based businessman, Benjamin was arrested for contesting to be the youth leader in the community. He was advised to stop because Mr. Offor had anointed a different candidate for the post, and he retorted, “Who is he? Is he my God?” He was quickly arrested.
A source in the community said Mr. Onyemaibeya’s cousin, Arinze Nwosu, reported his utterance to Mr. Offor. In compensation, Mr. Offor nominated Mr. Nwosu to become the Director General of the National Engineering Design Institute in Nnewi, and the Goodluck Jonathan administration wasted no time appointing him to the post in 2014.
Another person arrested since 2014 is Chinedu Ugochukwu, the younger brother of Boniface Ugochukwu, a well known pastor in the community and cousin of Johnson Onyemaibeya.
Meanwhile, SaharaReporters has obtained a list of the 11 persons who were invited to Abuja to meet with ACP Yusuf, charged with investigating Mr. Offor for serious human rights abuses. The list includes Offor’s younger brother and a member of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Onyebuchi Offor. He is accused, alongside Chiedu Odumegwu, Chukwudi Obunike, Nnamdi Onwuanumba and Chimezie Okoye, of strangulating Ifeanyi Okeke, a well known activist of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), for standing in their way on the day of election into the state House of Assembly in 2015. Onyebuchi Offor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was to be controversially declared winner of the election.
Emeka Offor

Petroleum Equalization Fund Staff Drags Petroleum Ministry, NNPC To Court, Seeks N50m Damages For Victimization

Mr. Mohammed Oluwaseyi Gambo, an employee of the Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF) in Lagos Cluster 1, has dragged the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, PEF and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to court over an allegedly underserved disciplinary action meted out to him.
Among the reliefs being sought by Mr. Gambo is the payment of N50 million by his employers as exemplary damages.
The suit filed on his behalf by his lawyers, Jiti Ogunye Chambers, before the Lagos division of the Industrial Court of Nigeria lists the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, NNPC and PEF as first, second and third respondents respectively.
Events preceding the suit, according to court documents in possession of SaharaReporters, began on 24 October 2016, when one Mrs. Mary Agabi, PEF Cluster Manager, sent an e-mail to Mr. Gambo requesting him to make an amendment to the meter tickets for a truck. 
Mr. Gambo responded with an explanation that he had completed his own job of notifying the Information Technology (IT) Department in writing and that he had used all the authorized templates to effect correction on the meter tickets to no avail. Having done so, explained Mr. Gambo, it fell on the IT Department to step in and effect the corrections.
In addition, Mr. Gambo appealed to his boss that since she was in Abuja for training at the time, where PEF’s IT Department is at the headquarters, she should take advantage of her presence there to engage the IT Department directly to have the matter resolved. Mrs. Agabi’s response was that because of her participation at the training program, Mr. Gambo should continue the interaction with the IT Department with a view to resolving the issue.
What followed, said Mr. Gambo, came as a shock. His Cluster Manager, who had instructed that he should continue interacting with the IT Department for possible resolution sent a memo on the same subject a few minutes later, copying the General Manager (GM), Operations. In the memo, she stated that she believed the problem of such cases of unconcluded amendments was because of the manner Mr. Gambo was handling assignments. Remarkably, her memo was sent when she had already received Mr. Gambo’s mail copied to the IT Department in which he had stated that the problem of patchy network connectivity made the correction of the meter tickets difficult.
Sensing bad faith on Mrs. Agabi’s part, he felt a need to defend his character against apparent calumniation. He reminded the Cluster Manager of a time she accused him wrongly, but took no action in the interest of workplace harmony.
He similarly reminded Mrs. Agabi of a time he was in Abuja for the General Operations Meeting, during which he introduced her to one Mr. Joe Utulu of the IT Department at the head office in a bid to create a smooth working relationship between them for the purpose of finding a lasting solution to the lingering difficulties in the digital and electronic meter tickets amendments.
Following the introduction, Mrs. Agabi phoned Mr. Gambo from the IT Department to speak to one Mr. Fatai Oseni of the IT Department in order to recapture the issue of the meter tickets amendment difficulties. The said Mr. Fatai Oseni promised to find lasting solutions to the problem, a promise which the IT Department was not able to fulfill until the October 242016 incident recurred.
Suspecting that he was about to be scapegoated for a problem he did not create Mr. Gambo decided to send memo to his Cluster Manager, stating his previous attempts to make things work and have the meter ticket amendment difficulties resolved permanently. He also lamented the way in which his character was being tainted by his Cluster Manager.
The memo, however, set the Cluster Manager off like a bomb. She issued a query to Mr. Gambo to which he responded. His response provoked no other correspondence between them until a query from the Human Resources Department of the PEF on 28 November 2016 to which Mr. Gambo responded the next day.
After the queries were responded to, there was no communication between Mr. Gambo and his Cluster Manager or the PEF Management.
However, in January, while Mr. Gambo’s colleagues were being paid their upfront allowances, he was not paid. Also, while his colleagues were duly promoted for the year 2016, he was not promoted. This moved him to make a complaint in a letter and an email to the PEF Management that he was yet to receive his 2016 Performance Incentive Bonus (PIB) and 2017 Upfront Allowance and requested that he be paid. His request elicited no response. He was not paid the Performance Incentive Bonus (PIB) and Upfront Allowance and was promoted to the Chief Officer Salary Grade Level of SS1, which was due in 2016.
 On 10 January, Mr. Gambo applied for a two working-day casual leave out of his usual annual leave of 32 working days to attend to an urgent family matter, having met all the conditions and secured the endorsement of his line-manager. The application was, however, rejected without an explanation. He, therefore demanded to know why it was denied by writing to the Manager, Administration and Personnel; General Manager, Corporate Services; General Manager, Finance; and the Executive Secretary.
He was replied by the Human Resources Department via an email dated 17 January. The email stated that he was denied because of an ongoing disciplinary action on his file, making his request impossible to process. Mr. Gambo reminded the Human Resources Department of the public service norm of opening a temporary file when the main file is not accessible, but got no response.
Similarly, on the 18 January, the Human Resources Department sent a letter to him stating that the non-payment of his 2016 performance bonus and 2017 upfront allowance was because of the decision of the management to suspend both payments because of an ongoing disciplinary process in which he was involved. Mr. Gambo responded to these mails, requesting that the details and particulars of the pending disciplinary process be made available to him as he was not aware of them.
But rather than address his request, the Human Resources Department of PEF, on 9 February, sent him a mail assuring that it would give him a proper response soon. There was no response. Instead, what he got was a piece of communication titled: “Last Warning Letter” on the 10th February. The letter was dated 9 February.
Mr. Gambo said the administrative punishment contained in the “Warning Letter” amounted to a violation of his right to fair hearing, as he was never specifically confronted with the allegations relating to acts of misconduct or insubordination and was never served any letter given from Human Resources Department informing him that he had failed to exculpate himself in his response to the query of 28 November 2016.
In addition, he stated that the action of his employers was contrary to Chapter 3, Section 3 of the Public Service Rules, which provides for various types of misconduct and the provisions of Section18.10.2 of the Corporate Policy & Procedure Guide of the NNPC.
He further stated that when the provisions of Chapter 3, Section 3 of the Public Service Rules, 2008 Edition and specifically the provisions of Rule 030301, Rule 030302, Rule 030304, Rule 030305 and Rule 030307 are applied to the his case, it would clearly show that the PEF management failed to follow the dictates of the Public Service Rules, thereby rendering the disciplinary action taken against him illegal. In addition, he claimed that the respondents failed to follow the administrative disciplinary steps of interdiction, investigation and disciplinary hearing, in accordance with the due process of law, the principles of natural justice and the right to fair hearing.
Mr. Gambo noted that he wrote letters of complaints and appeals to the PEF management through his Cluster Manager. On discovery that his Cluster Manager refused to endorse the letter he wrote to the Board Chairman of the NNPC stating that the chain of events leading to his appeal originated from the query she gave him, Mr. Gambo said he decided to send his letter to the Board Chairman through the Executive Secretary.
For the claimed infraction of his rights, Mr. Gambo is seeking an order quashing the validity of the “Warning Letter” punishing him for an alleged act of insubordination resulting in the forfeiture of his Performance Incentive Bonus for the year 2016 and promotion to the Salary Grade Level of SS1. In addition, he is seeking an order prohibiting the respondents from punishing him by being denied his entitlements as well as an order compelling his employers to pay his entitlements and promote him to the next grade level in addition to the N50 million in exemplary damages.

Atrocities In The National Sports Federation Election: A Call For Justice

The June 13 sports federations’ elections were marred by brazen fraud and manipulations orchestrated by three aides of Barr. Solomon Dalung, the Minister of Sports. OLUKAYODE THOMAS, an aspirant for the President of Athletics Federation of Nigeria, who was unjustly disqualified is therefore calling on higher authorities to compel the Minister to investigate the atrocities, if at least to absolve himself of complicity.
Serving on the board of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) between 2013 and 2017 greatly taught me the virtue of patience and restraint but on June 13, 2017 at the National Stadium, Abuja, venue of the National Sports Federations Election; I had to call a spade a spade.
Despite battling screening and eligibility issues till the wee hours of the morning before being cleared to contest, I arrived at the stadium early and started distributing my campaign leaflets, which detailed how I intend to get Nigeria’s track and field back on track, to the delegates.
I had garnered amazing support based on my campaign mission that the tripod of education, entertainment and sports offers and enduring platform for youth and economic development.
Then, a friend drew my attention to the list of candidates that were qualified to and disqualified from contesting the AFN election.
I found my name, Olukayode Thomas, listed among those disqualified for not having a constituency. If my disqualification was shocking, more shocking was the name of Gloria Obajimi on the list of delegates qualified to vote.
Obajimi, a highly respected sports administrator, and lecturer, is the President of National Association of Women in Sports (NAWIS).
NAWIS has a representative on the board of each of the federations. The representatives were elected in an election supervised by the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development weeks earlier. At the time of the election, Obajimi was in the United States.
Rosa Collins, a co-contestant for the office of the President of Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) won the election to represent NAWIS on the board of AFN. I could not hide my disgust and there and then I told Obajimi off for usurping the seat of one of her members.
‘Sister, I can’t believe you could be part of this fraud. We look up to you as a role model and someone to emulate, you are the President of NAWIS, yet you want to usurp the seat of one your members, a junior one at that. This is not dignifying at all ma’, I told her.

NOT JUST NAWIS, IT WAS EVERYWHERE

Collins and I were not the only victims of the fraudulent manipulations perpetuated by three aides of the Minister of Sports led by Namsel Nimyel at Nicon Luxury Hotel between 2am and 3am on June 13. The two conspirators others are Abdullah Muhammad, the president of Traditional Sports and Archery and a Senior Officer from the Youth Section of the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development.
Brown Ebewele who had won the election to be the representative of Coaches and Technical Officials was dropped by the trio. Henry Amike who was second runner-up in the election was not on the list as replacement, neither was Femi Emmanuel who came third.
Ebewele’s replacement was Gad Onamuegbu, an Abuja based coach who did not even participate in the Coaches and Technical Officials’ election.
The inclusion of Hamed Adio, a colleague of Nimyel at Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) as representative of Philanthropist, Ex-Official member or Sponsor category on the AFN board could only be explained these three aides; hence, my call for investigation into their roles during the elections.
Immediately the electoral guideline was released, SolidWorks Nigeria Limited, the most prominent sponsor and philanthropist in athletics in the last ten years in Nigeria and for about two decades in Delta State, had been issued a letter as the representative of this category on the board of AFN. SolidWorks therefore ought to nominate the representative of this crucial category on the AFN board.
But Adio, though a good athlete in his days and a member of the board of AFN over 15 years ago, does not qualify either as a Sponsor or Philanthropist. He has no history or record of being either, and if the definition of Ex-Offico member is anything to go by (An ex officio member is a member of a body (a board, committee, council, etc.) who is part of it by virtue of holding another office. The term is Latin, meaning literally "from the office", and the sense intended is "by right of office"; its use dates back to the Roman Republic) Adio does not qualify. He was nowhere near athletics in the last ten years at state or national level. He is not a member of any board, committee or council in athletics.
So how did Adio become the representative of Philanthropists or an Ex-officio member or Sponsor on the board of AFN? It was part of the grand agenda by Nimyel to disenfranchise some people and perpetuate electoral fraud.

Nimyel has questions to answer: if Adio being on the board was above board, why was his name not announced weeks before the election? If the Ministry of Sports does not want SolidWorks to present a representative for this category, why not call for election of the representative of the category so that Adio can contest and see if stakeholders in that category would want him to represent them on the AFN board, just as was done for Institutional Representatives, NAPHER/SD, NAWIS and other categories?
The decision to allow the ‘election’ of athlete representatives to stand was in clear violation of the election guideline.
The electoral guideline states that ‘an athlete representative shall in addition be an active athlete or have retired not more than four years prior to the election. Such athlete must have also represented Nigeria in at least two major international competitions and with no drug related infraction’.
The winner of the election retired from athletics more than four years ago. Secondly, there is no record of his participation in two major international competitions.

WAVES OF DISQUALIFICATION

The supposed winner of AFN President Election, Ibrahim Gusau, rode on waves of unjust and mysterious disqualifications, beginning with the zonal elections in the Northern Zones.
In the North West, Gusau from Zamfara State, the obvious beneficiary of the manipulations of Nimyel and others, had Charles Yaok from Kaduna State to contend with.
To ensure Gusau had no opposition from the zone, the electoral officers told Yaok to go and bring his evidence of tax clearance and before he returned, Gusau had been elected unopposed as the Zonal Representative.
In the North East, Fidelis Gadzama was up against Haruna Bako. While Bako was disqualified because he did not present a tax clearance, Gadzama was cleared to contest, without presenting tax clearance.
A Prison Officer, Gadzama, had been granted leave of absence from work by the Nigerian Prisons Service from May 2, 2013 to May 21, 2020, based on the letter he wrote to the Prisons management in which he claimed that the AFN had chosen him to scout for athletes for Nigeria at home and abroad.
He is based in the United Kingdom. He served on the last board of AFN, while away from Nigeria. Gadzama called himself board member on paper. How he was cleared to contest and Bako who lives and works in Nigeria was disqualified, remains a mystery that Nigerian authorities should compel Nimyel to explain.
Even after Hawa Kulu-Akinyemi, the director of Federations and Elite Athletes, granted all aspirants waiver to contest and produce their tax clearance before inauguration on July 13, 2017, Nimyel and group ensured Bako and Yaok were not allowed to contest to pave way for Gusau and Gadzama to be elected unopposed.
In North Central, Titus Ayodele, a civil servant, was also disqualified because of tax clearance but was cleared even he quickly rushed to his office in Abuja to get photocopies of his tax clearance.

ELECTORAL COLLEGE AND INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES

The Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung, on several occasions, made it clear that the office of the President and Vice President of Federations is open to all aspirants with strong pedigree in the sports and that they will be elected by the Electoral College.
There were also insinuations that it will be used to disqualify some aspirants. Determined not to fall prey, I approached the former President of AFN, Evang. Solomon Ogba, to be SolidWork’s representative on the AFN board, since the company had been appointed by the Ministry to produce the representative for the Philanthropist category. He agreed and as the director of the company, he made me the representative of SolidWorks instead of Malik Ogba who had earlier
indicated interest.
A day before the election, there were rumours that some ministerial aides were determined to disqualify independent candidates seen as opponents of their preferred candidates but the Minister at a press briefing during the inauguration of the Electoral Committee Members dismissed the rumour.
Then at about 6pm, the rumour resurfaced. My campaign manager and I met with all the relevant authorities and I was cleared for the election. The meeting lasted till 11.30pm.
On Election Day, Nimyel and gang told the electoral chairman that the Minister said all independent candidates are disqualified.
Even when it was brought to his attention that the Minister had announced on the social media and radio that all aspirants who had filled the form would be allowed to contest, Nimyel looked at me and told me clearly that I cannot contest and that he is acting on the instruction of the Minister.
I was also disqualified from contesting as the representative of Sponsor/Philanthropist and Ex-Officio Member.
The slot earlier given to SolidWork was transferred to Adio, I was also not allowed to contest as an independent candidate, yet in the same election and at the same venue, Mary Onyali contested as an independent candidate and was voted for by the Electoral College.
The irregularities and fraud were met with resistance and protest leading to assaults. While some of us were civil and decided there and then to protest to higher authorities, some took the law into their hands.
Coach Gad Onumegbu who usurped Ebewele on the board physically assaulted former 400m runner Charity Opara while Rosa Collins and Brown Ebewele were also manhandled.

OBSERVATION OF CREDIBLE SPORTS PERSONALITIES

For the former Vice President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima, the conduct of the elections with “the whole drama of intrigues and manipulation of the election process will create confusion in sports. Dalung has run sports down and there is no likelihood that it will improve under his tenure.”
Former National Sports Commission Director-General, Mallam Al Hassan Yakmut, revealed that voting delegates were openly bribed with money.
“A whole lot of money exchanged hands. It was for the highest bidder
and those of us who have no money to spend lost out.”
Senator Abdul Ningi said “This is the last time we will allow the Ministry of Sport to conduct election for us. We have discovered that they are very ungrateful people. These manipulators do not have anything good to offer sports; they don’t have passion for sports. I suspected foul play by the minister and I was warned beforehand by some stakeholders,” former President Nigeria Taekwondo Federation, George Ashiru said.
“The election was not free, not fair and not credible as everything was done in secrecy. They nominated people with most delegates not knowing how the process was conducted. The minister said everything should be done by election but nomination was done. Behind our back, none of us were aware when the Sponsor was replaced.”

OBSERVATIONS AND COMMENTS:

Weeks before the election, The Minister promised a level playing field for all contestants but the reverse was the case. His aides who claimed to be acting at his behest made life hellish for many aspirants.
The Guideline, the bible for the election, was altered on several occasions The Minister’s aides, Nimyel and group, romanced some contestants especially in athletics and what happened on Election Day confirmed the fears of many.
The Minister has set up a panel where those with protests could appeal to. Many do not have confidence in the panel because past appeals
where ignored.
A case in point is the AFN athletes’ representative. An appeal against his choice was ignored and he was a delegate at the election despite not satisfying the requirement to be an athlete’s representative. If the directives of Nimyel, a ministerial aide could supersede a Ministerial pronouncement as was the case with Mr. Dalung that speaks volumes of his control of the Ministry.
I have been voting for President Buhari since 2003. Between 2014 and 2015, I was a volunteer for Buhari Campaign Group for seven months because I firmly believed that Buhari’s Government will bring positive Change but the story in sports has been contrary. The 2013 National Sports Federation Election that I participated in under the government of President Goodluck Jonathan was not only free and fair, as a government nominee, I led the opposition against Evang.
Solomon Ogba, who we perceived as the government’s candidate. The election was held several times but I stood my ground. After the election I was neither intimidated nor victimized.
Spin doctors in last few days have attempted to heap the blame of the fraud and manipulations that characterized the election on the directors in the Sports Ministry but by so doing, they have only made the Minister looked weak and lacking in authority. The real culprits that alter the master list were Nimyel and his two partners who claimed they were acting on behalf of the Minister. In any normal organization, sanctions to deter future violations of rules and directives are the norm. Weeks after the election, none of his aides who altered the delegate list have been queried or sanctioned by the Minister. From this, we could infer that they were acting his script as they claimed.
The Minister is an activist; a disciple of Fidel Castro, Che Guevara, Thomas Sankara and others. Would any of his mentors be comfortable with the action of Nimyel and others under his watch? Most likely, the answer is no. President Buhari was a victim of electoral fraud on many occasions; would he have been proud of the last election and the fraud that characterized it? Most probably, no.

MY PRAYERS

The Minister must be compelled investigate the role Nimyel and others played in the altering of delegate list, disqualification of candidates and other electoral fraud perpetuated that day. They must also be sanctioned to prove to the world that the Minister is not in support of their action. Mere restoration of those denied their place is not enough. Beneficiaries of the fraud must be disqualified from participating in future election or a rerun. Cancellation of the AFN June 13, 2017 National Sports Federation
Election because of the widespread fraud and electoral irregularities. Those who suffered financial, emotional and other losses must be compensated. Public office is based on trust; some of the Minister’s aides, led by Nimyel, have abused and raped this trust several times in the last few weeks. I am appealing to higher authorities to compel the Minister to investigate the role of Nimyel and others in the irregularities and fraud that characterized the last federal election and sanction them. Failure to do the above would mean Nimyel and the others were acting the Minister’s script as claimed.

Yours Sincerely,

Olukayode Abimbola Thomas

An Aspirant for AFN President in the June 13, 2017 elections.
Solomon Dalung

EFCC Grills Ifedore LGA Top Officials Of Ondo State Over N60 Million SURE-P Fund Embezzlement

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has quizzed three top management staff of the Ifedore Local Council Area of Ondo State over the alleged embezzlement of a N60 million- fund from the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Program (SUPE-P) meant to execute some capital projects in its area of operation.
The trio are: Mr. Taiwo Aladesuyi, Head of the Works Department; Mrs. Dare Alao Olubunmi, the Director of Local Government Administration; and Mrs. O. Fatogun, the LGA’s former Head of Personnel Management.
SaharaReporters learnt authoritatively that the SUPE-P fund was diverted into personal accounts and siphoned with the aid of the immediate past chairman of the local government, Mr. Akinsola Adu and some other members of staff members of the council.
An impeccable source close to the EFCC confirmed to our correspondent at the weekend that the three staff have confessed to how the funds were spent.
The source, who pleaded anonymity, said as follows:
“The three of them were quizzed by the EFCC last week and they made confessional statements about what they knew on the SURE-P funds released to Ifedore local government which [were] diverted into personal accounts and [spent].
“The Head of Works Department in the local government (Taiwo Aladesuyi) whose main account with the Wema Bank was used in diverting and siphoning the SURE-P fund and he has about twelve different account numbers with different banks linked through his BVN.
He further disclosed that Mr. Aladesuyi was formally detained at the EFCC office in Ibadan but was later released after meeting conditions which included a surety.  He will however continue to visit the EFCC pending the end of the investigation.
According to him, the EFCC requested the bank statements of the local government officials from their respective banks as part of the investigation and the documents showed how the money was transferred.
“Their mobile phone numbers were used in tracking their BVN in the various banks where it showed that the SURE-P fund was actually diverted into personal pockets and also embezzled.
“He further told our correspondent that the EFCC had already gathered enough evidence against the LG officers while some purported projects the local government claimed to have executed with the money were given to cronies and the prices overblown.
A female staff in the local government confirmed the arrest and quizzing of the three officials but declined further comment when contacted by SaharaReporters.
“Yes, the three of them were invited by the EFCC to Ibadan for questioning and I learned the head of works department was detained for few days but was later released after meeting their condition for bail. That’s the only information I have,” she said. It was gathered that the anti-graft agency also wrote to the current caretaker chairman of the Ifedore Local Government, Dipo Ajibola, who provided the agency with documents relating to projects that were purportedly executed by the local council.
SaharaReporters learned that the arrest of the local government staff members was a follow-up to a discreet investigation, as well as a petition written to the Ibadan office of the EFCC.
Preliminary investigation, we learnt, had revealed how N60m was disbursed to the Ifedore Local Government to execute some capital projects, but was allegedly embezzled.
A document obtained by SaharaReporters showed that the fund was released through a circular letter with Ref No: CMG. 782/122, sent to the local council area by the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Ondo State under the former governor Olusegun Mimiko.
The document showed that the N60m fund was released on the 13th of October 2016 through the immediate past chairman of the local government, Sola Adu, but was secretly diverted into the personal account of Mr. Aladesuyi at Wema Bank.

Sorry Chief Nnia Nwodo, Nnamdi Kanu Is The Supreme Leader Of Ndigbo By Churchill Okonkwo

Recently, the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) woke up from their slumber and described the call by IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu for a boycott of the November governorship election in Anambra State as irresponsible and totally devoid of focus. This was quickly followed by a caution to IPOB not to arrogate to themselves the supreme leadership of Igbo land by Ohanaeze Ndigbo, through Nnia Nwodo.
My first reaction was e-yaaa Nnia Nwodo. Is it jealousy? Or are you guys just realizing that you have created a royal emperor by omission and commission? When elders and adults that should know better opted to own a group that gained prominence by fear mongering, cursing and derogation of every other ethnicity in Nigeria, I wondered what happened to wisdom.
There is an Igbo saying that a boy sent by his father to steal does not go quietly but breaks the door with his feet. Ohaneze under Nnia Nwodo, from inception, appears to be competing with IPOB in attracting resentment on Ndigbo. Now that IPOB has grown wings and is threatening to break the doors and windows of our glass house, Ohaneze became jittery.
The trademark of IPOB from the onset has been the propagation of hate-filled message stuffed with fear. But my Igbo generation, out of frustration of seeing their hero Goodluck Jonathan lose the 2015 election, aligned themselves with a hate group. Professionals, some respected columnist, etc. opened their eyes, heard the curses and either kept silence of joined in its propagation.
It is the leadership of Ohaneze, the likes of Prof. Soludo, Prof. Pat Utomi, Dr. Dozie Ikedife, the senators and the rest that ran and paid homage to the Supreme Leader of IPOB that created the emperor that will forever haunt and hurt Ndigbo in our relationship with other ethnicities in Nigeria. When politicians seeking to ride under the Biafran Spirit choose to pay homage to the supreme leader of Ndigbo, his head and that of his followers has been swollen. Now, we have been ordered to boycott the governorship election in Anambra State or be shown “pepper”.
Accept my apologies, Chief Nwodo, the toothpaste is out of the tube and the train has long left the station. You cannot pick and choose when to align with our supreme leader to boost your popularity only to turn around and lecture your leader on the meaning of decorum. After seeing and hearing of the hatred and bigotry from IPOB and radio Biafra, your response was to ask, “What is his offense anyway?” At another instance, Chief Nwodo wondered why a call for a republic of Biafra should attract detention. Now, he suddenly remembered that “we are still part and parcel of the present Federal Republic of Nigeria, bound by its laws, no matter how repressive or unjust.”
Sorry, chief Nnia Nwodo, you are like John the Baptist that heralded the coming of the Messiah whose shoes you cannot untie now. What is done is done. Ndigbo did not just get a new leader; they got a Supreme Leader. You and Ohaneze have no choice than to fall in line. Did Chief Nnia Nwodo miss the memo the other day when Dr. Dozie Ikedife proudly presented the new Lion King of Ndigbo to our people - the mob on the street?
APGA’s caution to Nnamdi Kanu to drop his “emperor” perception of himself and humble himself may be too late. APGA should get ready for a state of emergency that will be declared in Anambra after the kata-kata that will follow an attempt by IPOB to disrupt the Anambra 2017 election. Worst still, the tense atmosphere and fear during the election will present an opportunity for APC to rig the election. IPOB is about to deliver Anambra State to APC.
The UPP governorship candidates Osita Chidoka and Dr. Chudi Ofodile that paid homage to the supreme leader of Ndigbo, Chief Kanu in order to gain popularity should follow his order and withdraw from the election now. Where is Prof Chuma Soludo that backed incumbent Governor Obiano? Can someone please tell him that his good friend, our Supreme leader has declared that there will be no election in Anambra?  Prof, don’t you think you should convene an emergency meeting of the Nzuko Umunna over the impending showdown at your backyard?
As I was concluding this I got a WhatsApp message that Anambra has seceded from Biafra. Then, my phone rang. I picked it up and heard a sarcastic laughter on the other end from Governor Ayo Fayose, Apostle Reno Omokri, and my good friend Femi-Fani-Kayode. These renegade intruders that helped propel the monsters that are threatening the Igbo nation are sitting back and laughing at us. Can you imagine Reno degrading Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe to a local champion and mocking Ndigbo? Alu emeee!
Here is food-for-though for Chief Nwodo and the rest of us; why have we allowed political lepers to join in punching ourselves and scratching our skin until we see blood but still refused to stop? Rather than worrying about who the Supreme leader of Ndigbo is, Nnia Nwodo should start expressing moral outrage that we have descended to the level of recording and spreading fake and troubling audio messages of evil and injustice on brothers and ourselves just to justify that we are marginalized and that everyone hates us.
It is true that like other ethnic minorities in Nigeria, especially those in the oil-producing Niger Delta, Ndigbo are disadvantaged in the current political structure. But one should not use the fact that craw-craw itches to scratch himself into blindness. All chief Nwodo should be worried about is not who the Supreme leader of Ndigbo is, but who will build consensus with other ethnic nationalities on restructuring. Chief Nwodo should re-focus on leading Ndigbo out of the ditch and pushing for the implementation of true federalism by building bridges.
It is also true that IPOB and the likes had been in existence before the emergence of Nnia Nwodo as the President of Ohaneze Ndigbo, but he joined in promoting their fear mongering tactics. Now that the same conscious toxic behavior is being used to attempt to precipitate tragedy before or during the Anambra Governorship election, Chief Nwodo and Ohaneze should not complain but accept responsibility. Is Ohaneze ashamed because IPOB is doing what they cannot do?
So, sorry chief Nwodo and Ohaneze that a new king is overshadowing your presumed supreme leadership of the Igbo nation. I completely understand how you feel and I hope you have learned some lessons these few months about the dangers of playing the politics of fear and imposing on Ndigbo a sense that every other tribe has it so easy in Nigeria but us.
I still believe in you though. If only you can stop focusing only on negative events and disappointments and switch to a positive frequency in order to reshape our realities and thoughts. If only you will begin to see your role as the leader of Ohaneze as an opportunity to deliver results rather than a popularity or beauty contest with IPOB and the supreme leader of Ndigbo, Chief Nnamdi Kanu.

You can email Churchill at churchill.okonkwo@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @churchillnnobi.

Nnamdi Kanu and Nnia Nwodo

Sorry Chief Nnia Nwodo, Nnamdi Kanu Is The Supreme Leader Of Ndigbo By Churchill Okonkwo

Recently, the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) woke up from their slumber and described the call by IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu for a boycott of the November governorship election in Anambra State as irresponsible and totally devoid of focus. This was quickly followed by a caution to IPOB not to arrogate to themselves the supreme leadership of Igbo land by Ohanaeze Ndigbo, through Nnia Nwodo.
My first reaction was e-yaaa Nnia Nwodo. Is it jealousy? Or are you guys just realizing that you have created a royal emperor by omission and commission? When elders and adults that should know better opted to own a group that gained prominence by fear mongering, cursing and derogation of every other ethnicity in Nigeria, I wondered what happened to wisdom.
There is an Igbo saying that a boy sent by his father to steal does not go quietly but breaks the door with his feet. Ohaneze under Nnia Nwodo, from inception, appears to be competing with IPOB in attracting resentment on Ndigbo. Now that IPOB has grown wings and is threatening to break the doors and windows of our glass house, Ohaneze became jittery.
The trademark of IPOB from the onset has been the propagation of hate-filled message stuffed with fear. But my Igbo generation, out of frustration of seeing their hero Goodluck Jonathan lose the 2015 election, aligned themselves with a hate group. Professionals, some respected columnist, etc. opened their eyes, heard the curses and either kept silence of joined in its propagation.
It is the leadership of Ohaneze, the likes of Prof. Soludo, Prof. Pat Utomi, Dr. Dozie Ikedife, the senators and the rest that ran and paid homage to the Supreme Leader of IPOB that created the emperor that will forever haunt and hurt Ndigbo in our relationship with other ethnicities in Nigeria. When politicians seeking to ride under the Biafran Spirit choose to pay homage to the supreme leader of Ndigbo, his head and that of his followers has been swollen. Now, we have been ordered to boycott the governorship election in Anambra State or be shown “pepper”.
Accept my apologies, Chief Nwodo, the toothpaste is out of the tube and the train has long left the station. You cannot pick and choose when to align with our supreme leader to boost your popularity only to turn around and lecture your leader on the meaning of decorum. After seeing and hearing of the hatred and bigotry from IPOB and radio Biafra, your response was to ask, “What is his offense anyway?” At another instance, Chief Nwodo wondered why a call for a republic of Biafra should attract detention. Now, he suddenly remembered that “we are still part and parcel of the present Federal Republic of Nigeria, bound by its laws, no matter how repressive or unjust.”
Sorry, chief Nnia Nwodo, you are like John the Baptist that heralded the coming of the Messiah whose shoes you cannot untie now. What is done is done. Ndigbo did not just get a new leader; they got a Supreme Leader. You and Ohaneze have no choice than to fall in line. Did Chief Nnia Nwodo miss the memo the other day when Dr. Dozie Ikedife proudly presented the new Lion King of Ndigbo to our people - the mob on the street?
APGA’s caution to Nnamdi Kanu to drop his “emperor” perception of himself and humble himself may be too late. APGA should get ready for a state of emergency that will be declared in Anambra after the kata-kata that will follow an attempt by IPOB to disrupt the Anambra 2017 election. Worst still, the tense atmosphere and fear during the election will present an opportunity for APC to rig the election. IPOB is about to deliver Anambra State to APC.
The UPP governorship candidates Osita Chidoka and Dr. Chudi Ofodile that paid homage to the supreme leader of Ndigbo, Chief Kanu in order to gain popularity should follow his order and withdraw from the election now. Where is Prof Chuma Soludo that backed incumbent Governor Obiano? Can someone please tell him that his good friend, our Supreme leader has declared that there will be no election in Anambra?  Prof, don’t you think you should convene an emergency meeting of the Nzuko Umunna over the impending showdown at your backyard?
As I was concluding this I got a WhatsApp message that Anambra has seceded from Biafra. Then, my phone rang. I picked it up and heard a sarcastic laughter on the other end from Governor Ayo Fayose, Apostle Reno Omokri, and my good friend Femi-Fani-Kayode. These renegade intruders that helped propel the monsters that are threatening the Igbo nation are sitting back and laughing at us. Can you imagine Reno degrading Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe to a local champion and mocking Ndigbo? Alu emeee!
Here is food-for-though for Chief Nwodo and the rest of us; why have we allowed political lepers to join in punching ourselves and scratching our skin until we see blood but still refused to stop? Rather than worrying about who the Supreme leader of Ndigbo is, Nnia Nwodo should start expressing moral outrage that we have descended to the level of recording and spreading fake and troubling audio messages of evil and injustice on brothers and ourselves just to justify that we are marginalized and that everyone hates us.
It is true that like other ethnic minorities in Nigeria, especially those in the oil-producing Niger Delta, Ndigbo are disadvantaged in the current political structure. But one should not use the fact that craw-craw itches to scratch himself into blindness. All chief Nwodo should be worried about is not who the Supreme leader of Ndigbo is, but who will build consensus with other ethnic nationalities on restructuring. Chief Nwodo should re-focus on leading Ndigbo out of the ditch and pushing for the implementation of true federalism by building bridges.
It is also true that IPOB and the likes had been in existence before the emergence of Nnia Nwodo as the President of Ohaneze Ndigbo, but he joined in promoting their fear mongering tactics. Now that the same conscious toxic behavior is being used to attempt to precipitate tragedy before or during the Anambra Governorship election, Chief Nwodo and Ohaneze should not complain but accept responsibility. Is Ohaneze ashamed because IPOB is doing what they cannot do?
So, sorry chief Nwodo and Ohaneze that a new king is overshadowing your presumed supreme leadership of the Igbo nation. I completely understand how you feel and I hope you have learned some lessons these few months about the dangers of playing the politics of fear and imposing on Ndigbo a sense that every other tribe has it so easy in Nigeria but us.
I still believe in you though. If only you can stop focusing only on negative events and disappointments and switch to a positive frequency in order to reshape our realities and thoughts. If only you will begin to see your role as the leader of Ohaneze as an opportunity to deliver results rather than a popularity or beauty contest with IPOB and the supreme leader of Ndigbo, Chief Nnamdi Kanu.

You can email Churchill at churchill.okonkwo@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @churchillnnobi.

Nnamdi Kanu and Nnia Nwodo

A Tale Of Two Sharias By Modiu Olaguro

In one of Sheikh Abdullahi Faisal's tapes, the Jamaican radical relayed a story that happened in the lifetime of the Prophet of Islam (May peace be upon him).
It was the case of a woman who was notorious for borrowing jewelry without returning them back to their rightful owners. After thorough investigations, it was established that the lady was a thief, a confirmed one.
Her wrist must go. And fiam, it went!
As it is at the moment, the virtual criminals who loathe hard work began hissing like snakes. The prophet swore in the name of his creator that should his most beloved daughter, Fatima, steal, he would chop off her hand!
That was the prophet. That was Justice. That was the sharia my teachers taught me while I was six years old.
Justice. Fairness. Equity.
It was this knowledge of Prophet Muhammed that made former President Obasanjo mock the charade the criminals in the north called sharia during his reign. He called it "political sharia," predicting its early death.
All of the criminals who were governors at that time indulged in every single act that attracted penalties in the sham they called sharia— high-wired stealing, adultery, fornication, murder, etc.
Had their useless sharia been Islamic, no single flesh would have been left on Yerima's skin for he was, and still is a big thief.
Had their useless sharia been Islamic, no single bone would have been left on Bukar's head for his punishment would have made his people pebble his skull to dust.
Shekarau—like Bola Tinubu, Bukola Saraki, Godswill Akpabio—served as Governor for just eight years and appropriated billions for themselves as pension. What about Kwankwanso, Babangida Aliyu, Wammako, etc.?
Their own sharia was modeled in the shadow of the Afrikaans, an apartheid system where the victims of the society are subject to the law while the Criminals in Power remain above the law.
SaharaReporters will keep exposing the enemies of the people. My brain had always isolated me from taking Evans’ paracetamol on my enemies' headache.
Those of you shouting Invasion of Privacy are Abobaku, pathetic creatures of the Stone Age.
Small thing, dem go shout Allah; small thing, dem go shout Anobi...And dem de do bad bad bad bad things...When they are not pressing the buttocks of hoteliers in USA, they would be fondling the breasts of 13 year olds in Zamfara, all in the name of making laws for the “fifu of Nijeria!”
An enemy of the people was caught in a threesome orgy.
Lo and behold, the oppressed population are out shouting invasion of privacy!
SMH!
Abeg who know the babalawo wey de helep dem politicians make juju? I need his expertise.
Thank God scientists have not found the cure for what is doing you people.

#OurMumuDonDo
Your own nko?



Modiu writes from Lagos. You can reach him at dprophetpride@gmail.com.

Modiu Olaguro

A Tale Of Two Sharias By Modiu Olaguro

In one of Sheikh Abdullahi Faisal's tapes, the Jamaican radical relayed a story that happened in the lifetime of the Prophet of Islam (May peace be upon him).
It was the case of a woman who was notorious for borrowing jewelry without returning them back to their rightful owners. After thorough investigations, it was established that the lady was a thief, a confirmed one.
Her wrist must go. And fiam, it went!
As it is at the moment, the virtual criminals who loathe hard work began hissing like snakes. The prophet swore in the name of his creator that should his most beloved daughter, Fatima, steal, he would chop off her hand!
That was the prophet. That was Justice. That was the sharia my teachers taught me while I was six years old.
Justice. Fairness. Equity.
It was this knowledge of Prophet Muhammed that made former President Obasanjo mock the charade the criminals in the north called sharia during his reign. He called it "political sharia," predicting its early death.
All of the criminals who were governors at that time indulged in every single act that attracted penalties in the sham they called sharia— high-wired stealing, adultery, fornication, murder, etc.
Had their useless sharia been Islamic, no single flesh would have been left on Yerima's skin for he was, and still is a big thief.
Had their useless sharia been Islamic, no single bone would have been left on Bukar's head for his punishment would have made his people pebble his skull to dust.
Shekarau—like Bola Tinubu, Bukola Saraki, Godswill Akpabio—served as Governor for just eight years and appropriated billions for themselves as pension. What about Kwankwanso, Babangida Aliyu, Wammako, etc.?
Their own sharia was modeled in the shadow of the Afrikaans, an apartheid system where the victims of the society are subject to the law while the Criminals in Power remain above the law.
SaharaReporters will keep exposing the enemies of the people. My brain had always isolated me from taking Evans’ paracetamol on my enemies' headache.
Those of you shouting Invasion of Privacy are Abobaku, pathetic creatures of the Stone Age.
Small thing, dem go shout Allah; small thing, dem go shout Anobi...And dem de do bad bad bad bad things...When they are not pressing the buttocks of hoteliers in USA, they would be fondling the breasts of 13 year olds in Zamfara, all in the name of making laws for the “fifu of Nijeria!”
An enemy of the people was caught in a threesome orgy.
Lo and behold, the oppressed population are out shouting invasion of privacy!
SMH!
Abeg who know the babalawo wey de helep dem politicians make juju? I need his expertise.
Thank God scientists have not found the cure for what is doing you people.

#OurMumuDonDo
Your own nko?



Modiu writes from Lagos. You can reach him at dprophetpride@gmail.com.

Modiu Olaguro

Former Chief Of Staff To Governor Dickson Escapes Assassination In Yenagoa

Five gunmen attempted to kill Dikivie Ikiogha at his home in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State on Monday.
It was gathered that the suspected assassins, who were armed with AK-47 rifles, gained access into the compound located in the Kpansia area of the state capital at about 2 a.m.
But Mr. Ikiogha, a close friend and ally of former President Goodluck Jonathan and former Chief of Staff to Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson, was not in the house when the gunmen struck.
Mr. Ikiogha parted ways with Mr. Dickson and pitched his political tent with the All Progressives Congress (APC), where he made an unsuccessful attempt to secure the APC ticket in the Bayelsa State gubernatorial race.
The hoodlums reportedly scaled the high fence of the building and found a policeman guarding the house fast asleep with his rifle.
They were said to have seized the policeman's rifle and tied him up before breaking into one of the rooms in the building.
Speaking in confidence, a source from the house described the incident as scary, adding that God saved the chief for not being home when the gunmen came into the apartment.
He said the hoodlums operated for an hour between 2 a.m. to 3 a.m. before leaving the house.
“After tying up the policeman, the gunmen cut the iron protective device in one of the windows and entered the room. They held one of the domestic servants at gunpoint and ordered him to lead them to the chief's room,” the source said.
“When they got to the room, the only saw the wife. They asked the wife to produce her husband. But the woman insisted he traveled.
“They told her they came for the chief but that since he was not around she should give them all the money in the house. The woman was able to give them some money. They left promising to come back for him again.”
The source said before the attack, the chief complained that his life was being threatened by some unknown persons.
"He was once complaining that people were after his life. He said it could be in connection with his recent statement on issues affecting the state,” the source said.
When contacted, Mr. Ikiogha declined to give details of the incident, claiming that divulging such details could jeopardize the ongoing investigation.

Former Yobe Governor Who Introduced Sharia In August 2000 Admits He Is The Person Caught In Scandalous Sex Video

A Nigerian senator has owned up to a scandalous video that showed him dressing up in the presence of two women in a room, presumably after sex.
But Bukar Ibrahim, representing Yobe East Senatorial District, told PREMIUM TIMES in his first interview since the scandal broke that he had not committed any official wrongdoing and the video was only made public after attempts to blackmail him failed.
“This is a personal, private matter. What does my having been with a girl have to do with the public?
“You know the normal thing: people ask for unreasonable things, and if you deny them, they try to blackmail you if they have a way,” Mr. Ibrahim, a former governor of Yobe State, said Monday afternoon.
Sahara Reporters published the video on the Internet Sunday, and it quickly caught online frenzy. As Governor of Yobe State, Mr. Bukar Abbah Ibrahim introduced Sharia Law wish amongst others forbid adultery and prostitution
The footage, roughly two minutes long, showed Mr. Ibrahim reaching for his underwear, apparently after emerging from the shower.
In the room, one of the two women in the video held a device that was capturing the activities; while the other strolled about. But none of them was stripped like Mr. Ibrahim.
Mr. Ibrahim said he couldn’t remember where or when sexual activities took place, but the room appeared like a typical motel accommodation.
The senator said he owed no one an explanation since he was not accused of any crime.
“If they say I raped, that’s a different matter altogether,” Mr. Ibrahim said. “Is it because I am a public official then I am not supposed to be entitled to private life?”
The senator said he knew when one of the women was filming him, but was told it was only for fun and they also wanted to illuminate the room with a camera.
“They just mentioned it to me as a joke and I took it as nothing really serious,” he said. “This is something that happened between two adults.”
Mr. Ibrahim, who signed a controversial Sharia law while in office as governor, nonetheless, said he will investigate the matter.
“I have commenced investigations to find out why it is circulating,” the senator said. “But from all indications, it is a blackmail.”
The latest scandal underscores growing cases of indiscretion amongst Nigerian lawmakers.
It comes barely a year after a former U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria accused three members of the House of Representatives of sexual misconduct.
James Entwistle, who left Nigeria last August, said in a petition to Speaker Yakubu Dogara that the lawmakers solicited sex from prostitutes and hotel workers during a leadership training assignment in Ohio, midwestern United States.
In his petition, which was published by New Telegraph in Lagos, Mr. Entwistle said he had evidence to nail Mohammed Galolo, Samuel Ikon and Mark Gbillah of the sexual offences.
But the lawmakers denied the allegations and added their voice to the growing calls for a thorough investigation at the time
The House later cleared the trio following an internal investigation by its Ethics and Privileges Committee. Mr. Entwistle declined an invitation to testify before the committee.
Samuel Anyawu, Chairman of Senate Ethics Committee, told PREMIUM TIMES he had not been fully briefed on the viral video of Mr. Ibrahim, but said he would wait until the entire Senate gives him instruction on how to proceed.
“I am not fully aware of what transpired,” Mr. Anyawu, representing Imo East Senatorial District, said Monday. “I will wait for the Senate to give direction on how to proceed, if at all.”
A Lagos-based lawyer, Liborous Oshoma, said the latest scandal further corroborates longstanding public perception of Nigerian politics and politicians.
“In Nigeria, the more honorable or distinguished you become, the less honorable or distinguished your behavior becomes,” Mr. Oshoma said in an apparent mockery of House members and Senators who prefer to be addressed as ‘honourables’ and ‘distinguished’, respectively.
“This is what our politics and politicians have been associated with for decades —female politicians drinking and attending late night events with male politicians who cannot do without sleeping with women that are not their wives,” Mr. Oshoma said.
“So, if one is coming to the public light right now, it just goes to buttress what everyone has always known.”
Mr. Oshoma said Nigerians would expect no serious outcome from the Senate, even if the body conducts an investigation into the latest scandal.
“We have enough issues on our hands to begin to discuss a Senator with illicit affairs,” Mr. Oshoma said. “Let the Senators deal with the issues surrounding our ailing president and take Nigeria out of the current crisis.”

EFCC arrests former Jigawa State Governor, Saminu Turaki


A former governor of Jigawa State, Senator Saminu Turaki was this afternoon, July 4, 2017 arrested by agents of EFCC.
He was picked up at the venue of the public presentation of a book on Brigadier Zakariya Maimalari, the first regular combatant officer in the Nigerian Army, in Abuja.

Before the arrest, EFCC has had to declare Turaki wanted for failing to present himself for trial since 2011 on 36 counts corruption charge before the Federal High Court, Dutse.
The court had issued a warrant directing the Inspector General of Police or his officers and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to arrest Saminu Turaki and bring him before the court.
Justice S. Yahuza gave the order after Turaki consistently failed to attend trial.

But attempts to execute the warrant failed as Turaki remained elusive.
On May 19, 2016 operatives of the Commission acting on a tip-off had stormed the 16 Denis Osadebey Street Asokoro, Abuja home of the former governor but he slipped through their hands.
Turaki faces multiple charges bordering on criminal conspiracy, stealing, money laundering and misappropriation of public funds.

EFCC

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
Oronsaye’s N2bn Fraud Trial: Court Overrules Afe, Admits Statements
Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja on July 3, 2017 overruled objections by Osarenkhoe Afe, to the admissibility of his statements made to the EFCC, and admitted them in evidence as Exhibits 1 and 1a.

Afe, managing director of Federick Hamilton Global Services Limited is standing trial along with Stephen Oronsaye, a former Head of Service to the Federation, for a N2billion fraud case. They are facing an amended 35-count charge bordering on “stealing and obtaining money by false pretence”.

Afe had through his counsel, Oluwole Aladedoye, objected to the admissibility of the statements, arguing that they were obtained from his client through “oppression”, thus necessitating the commencement of a trial-within-tr
ial.

In proving its case that the statements were made voluntarily by Afe, the prosecution led by O.A. Atolagbe, called three witnesses – operatives on the EFCC’s Pension Task Force, who testified that the statements were made by him, and that “he was not coerced” into making them.

The ruling, which lasted about an hour, brings to an end the trial-within-trial, which began on June 21, 2016. The trial judge gave the verdict in his ruling “after consciously and deliberately weighing the evidence presented to the court by the prosecution and defence”.

The statements are confessional ones made by Afe to the EFCC on February 24, 2011 and March 16, 2011 in the course of investigating five companies – Hamilton Global Services Limited; Cluster Logistic Limited; Kangolo Dynamic Cleaning Limited, and Drew Investment & Construction Company Limited – alleged to have been used to perpetrate the fraud.

“The second defendant was in a good state of mind, when he made the statements,” the judge held, noting that if indeed, he was coerced into making the statements as claimed; he never took any steps, like writing “a letter of protest” and asking “the court to order the EFCC to produce the statement he was coerced to write”.

The trial judge further held that “if in the course of proceedings, there are new developments, which put the statement in great doubt; this court has the power to expunge it, as it is easier to do that, and I don’t have power to remove evidence that has already been objected”.

Justice Kolawole, thereafter, admitted the statements exhibits in the criminal trial, and adjourned to October 12, 2017 for “continuation of judicial trial of the defendants”.

Earlier in the proceedings, the trial judge granted a motion brought by Oronsaye’s counsel, Barth Ogar, asking the court to release his client’s international passport, in order for him to travel abroad for medicals.

The trial judge ruled that: “Ogar must in the next 48 hours file a personal undertaking that the defendant shall return his passport on or before September 30 for purposes of his further trial.”

EFCC

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
Oronsaye’s N2bn Fraud Trial: Court Overrules Afe, Admits Statements
Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja on July 3, 2017 overruled objections by Osarenkhoe Afe, to the admissibility of his statements made to the EFCC, and admitted them in evidence as Exhibits 1 and 1a.

Afe, managing director of Federick Hamilton Global Services Limited is standing trial along with Stephen Oronsaye, a former Head of Service to the Federation, for a N2billion fraud case. They are facing an amended 35-count charge bordering on “stealing and obtaining money by false pretence”.

Afe had through his counsel, Oluwole Aladedoye, objected to the admissibility of the statements, arguing that they were obtained from his client through “oppression”, thus necessitating the commencement of a trial-within-tr
ial.

In proving its case that the statements were made voluntarily by Afe, the prosecution led by O.A. Atolagbe, called three witnesses – operatives on the EFCC’s Pension Task Force, who testified that the statements were made by him, and that “he was not coerced” into making them.

The ruling, which lasted about an hour, brings to an end the trial-within-trial, which began on June 21, 2016. The trial judge gave the verdict in his ruling “after consciously and deliberately weighing the evidence presented to the court by the prosecution and defence”.

The statements are confessional ones made by Afe to the EFCC on February 24, 2011 and March 16, 2011 in the course of investigating five companies – Hamilton Global Services Limited; Cluster Logistic Limited; Kangolo Dynamic Cleaning Limited, and Drew Investment & Construction Company Limited – alleged to have been used to perpetrate the fraud.

“The second defendant was in a good state of mind, when he made the statements,” the judge held, noting that if indeed, he was coerced into making the statements as claimed; he never took any steps, like writing “a letter of protest” and asking “the court to order the EFCC to produce the statement he was coerced to write”.

The trial judge further held that “if in the course of proceedings, there are new developments, which put the statement in great doubt; this court has the power to expunge it, as it is easier to do that, and I don’t have power to remove evidence that has already been objected”.

Justice Kolawole, thereafter, admitted the statements exhibits in the criminal trial, and adjourned to October 12, 2017 for “continuation of judicial trial of the defendants”.

Earlier in the proceedings, the trial judge granted a motion brought by Oronsaye’s counsel, Barth Ogar, asking the court to release his client’s international passport, in order for him to travel abroad for medicals.

The trial judge ruled that: “Ogar must in the next 48 hours file a personal undertaking that the defendant shall return his passport on or before September 30 for purposes of his further trial.”

EFCC

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
Oronsaye’s N2bn Fraud Trial: Court Overrules Afe, Admits Statements
Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja on July 3, 2017 overruled objections by Osarenkhoe Afe, to the admissibility of his statements made to the EFCC, and admitted them in evidence as Exhibits 1 and 1a.

Afe, managing director of Federick Hamilton Global Services Limited is standing trial along with Stephen Oronsaye, a former Head of Service to the Federation, for a N2billion fraud case. They are facing an amended 35-count charge bordering on “stealing and obtaining money by false pretence”.

Afe had through his counsel, Oluwole Aladedoye, objected to the admissibility of the statements, arguing that they were obtained from his client through “oppression”, thus necessitating the commencement of a trial-within-tr
ial.

In proving its case that the statements were made voluntarily by Afe, the prosecution led by O.A. Atolagbe, called three witnesses – operatives on the EFCC’s Pension Task Force, who testified that the statements were made by him, and that “he was not coerced” into making them.

The ruling, which lasted about an hour, brings to an end the trial-within-trial, which began on June 21, 2016. The trial judge gave the verdict in his ruling “after consciously and deliberately weighing the evidence presented to the court by the prosecution and defence”.

The statements are confessional ones made by Afe to the EFCC on February 24, 2011 and March 16, 2011 in the course of investigating five companies – Hamilton Global Services Limited; Cluster Logistic Limited; Kangolo Dynamic Cleaning Limited, and Drew Investment & Construction Company Limited – alleged to have been used to perpetrate the fraud.

“The second defendant was in a good state of mind, when he made the statements,” the judge held, noting that if indeed, he was coerced into making the statements as claimed; he never took any steps, like writing “a letter of protest” and asking “the court to order the EFCC to produce the statement he was coerced to write”.

The trial judge further held that “if in the course of proceedings, there are new developments, which put the statement in great doubt; this court has the power to expunge it, as it is easier to do that, and I don’t have power to remove evidence that has already been objected”.

Justice Kolawole, thereafter, admitted the statements exhibits in the criminal trial, and adjourned to October 12, 2017 for “continuation of judicial trial of the defendants”.

Earlier in the proceedings, the trial judge granted a motion brought by Oronsaye’s counsel, Barth Ogar, asking the court to release his client’s international passport, in order for him to travel abroad for medicals.

The trial judge ruled that: “Ogar must in the next 48 hours file a personal undertaking that the defendant shall return his passport on or before September 30 for purposes of his further trial.”

EFCC

Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
Oronsaye’s N2bn Fraud Trial: Court Overrules Afe, Admits Statements
Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja on July 3, 2017 overruled objections by Osarenkhoe Afe, to the admissibility of his statements made to the EFCC, and admitted them in evidence as Exhibits 1 and 1a.

Afe, managing director of Federick Hamilton Global Services Limited is standing trial along with Stephen Oronsaye, a former Head of Service to the Federation, for a N2billion fraud case. They are facing an amended 35-count charge bordering on “stealing and obtaining money by false pretence”.

Afe had through his counsel, Oluwole Aladedoye, objected to the admissibility of the statements, arguing that they were obtained from his client through “oppression”, thus necessitating the commencement of a trial-within-tr
ial.

In proving its case that the statements were made voluntarily by Afe, the prosecution led by O.A. Atolagbe, called three witnesses – operatives on the EFCC’s Pension Task Force, who testified that the statements were made by him, and that “he was not coerced” into making them.

The ruling, which lasted about an hour, brings to an end the trial-within-trial, which began on June 21, 2016. The trial judge gave the verdict in his ruling “after consciously and deliberately weighing the evidence presented to the court by the prosecution and defence”.

The statements are confessional ones made by Afe to the EFCC on February 24, 2011 and March 16, 2011 in the course of investigating five companies – Hamilton Global Services Limited; Cluster Logistic Limited; Kangolo Dynamic Cleaning Limited, and Drew Investment & Construction Company Limited – alleged to have been used to perpetrate the fraud.

“The second defendant was in a good state of mind, when he made the statements,” the judge held, noting that if indeed, he was coerced into making the statements as claimed; he never took any steps, like writing “a letter of protest” and asking “the court to order the EFCC to produce the statement he was coerced to write”.

The trial judge further held that “if in the course of proceedings, there are new developments, which put the statement in great doubt; this court has the power to expunge it, as it is easier to do that, and I don’t have power to remove evidence that has already been objected”.

Justice Kolawole, thereafter, admitted the statements exhibits in the criminal trial, and adjourned to October 12, 2017 for “continuation of judicial trial of the defendants”.

Earlier in the proceedings, the trial judge granted a motion brought by Oronsaye’s counsel, Barth Ogar, asking the court to release his client’s international passport, in order for him to travel abroad for medicals.

The trial judge ruled that: “Ogar must in the next 48 hours file a personal undertaking that the defendant shall return his passport on or before September 30 for purposes of his further trial.”