[dropcap]F[/dropcap]ormer President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has listed conditions that must be fulfilled before he can appear in court.Jonathan gave this condition through an application he filed before a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, asking for an order to set aside the issuance and service of the subpoena ad testificandum issued to him by the court on October 23, 2017, for the purpose of compelling him to appear in court to give evidence in proceedings of a charge delineated FHC/ABJ/ CR/05/2016.
The suit was filed by the Federal Republic of Nigeria against Olisa Metuh and Destra Investment Limited with a seven-count criminal charge.
Jonathan, therefore, asked in the alternative for an order mandating Olisa Metuh to deposit the sum of one billion naira with the court in line with the provisions of Section 241 (2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.
The one billion naira according to Jonathan is to cover his travel expenses and that of his security personnel from Otuoke to Abuja and for logistics as well as the provision of tight security to cover the period of time he might spend appearing before the court as former President and any other order the court may deem fit.
The Motion on Notice dated October 27, 2017, and signed by his counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) was brought before the court pursuant Section 37 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as altered, Section 241(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, Section 183 of the Evidence Act 2011 and the inherent jurisdiction of the court as preserved in Section 6 (6A&B) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as altered.
The grounds given by the former President in his Motion on Notice includes that the evidence being sought from him is an invasion of his personal privacy and family life as provided in Section 37 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as altered.
He further stated that the evidence being sought from him is likely to expose him to a criminal charge, penalty and forfeiture, adding that the subpoena is vague and applied for on a frivolous ground. According to him, the application for issuance of a subpoena for him to appear and give evidence in the charge against Metuh was in bad faith as it was meant to embarrass him and subject him to public ridicule, odium and obloquy.
Former President Jonathan argued further in his application before the court that Olisa Metuh was not his personal aid or appointee while he was the President of Nigeria and could not have dealt with him directly under any circumstance to warrant his invitation to give testimony in the criminal charge against him.
He added that the seven-count-charge against Metuh before the court for which he was invited to testify has no nexus or connection to him as during his tenure, he appointed people to different positions of authority to carry out the day to day running of government activities and he believed in their competence that they discharged the duties to the best of their ability in the overall interest of the nation.
This he said, indicates that it is these appointees that related with him directly and not any third parties, adding that it is these appointees that are in the best position to explain or give testimony on the daily activities of government under their supervision.
Explaining his request for an alternate order mandating Metuh to deposit one billion naira for his travel expense with the court, Jonathan stated that by provisions of Section 241(2) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, he is not bound to attend court except Metuh pays for his travel expense.
The Motion on Notice filed by the former President was supported by a six-paragraph affidavit deposed to by Usman Salihu, a litigation officer with the law firm of Mike Ozekhome and a written address in which former President Jonathan argued his points in support of the motion.
Mr. Boss Gida Mustapha New Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Federal Government on Monday named Mr. Boss Gida Mustapha as the new Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF). Until this appointment, Mustapha was the Managing Director/CEO of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).
Mustapha’s appointment came just as the government announced the sacking of the former SGF; Mr. Babachir Lawal who was accused of unwholesome practices while in office.
Mustapha, a lawyer, management consultant, politician, businessman and boardroom expert of considerable repute was named to step into the shoes of Lawal after several months of cries by the Nigerian masses to do the needful.
Born in Adamawa State, Mr Mustapha attended Hong Secondary School, in Hong Adamawa state and North East College of Arts and Sciences Maiduguri Borno state, crowning it with WASC and HSC in 1976. He earned his Bachelor of Law (LL.B) from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1979 and was called to Bar in 1980.
From 1980 to 1981, Mr Mustapha did the compulsory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) – Directorate of Legal of legal Services at the Army Headquarters and was in charge of review of Court Marshall Proceedings.
After his National Service, he joined Sotesa Nigeria Limited, an Italian consultancy firm, as an Executive Director in charge of Administration, leaving in 1983 to join the prestigious law firm Messrs Onagoruwa & Co in Lagos.
With his law practice fully taken off, the MD was appointed Principal Counsel in the firm Messrs Mustapha & Associates, His legal interests and expertise included privatization commercialization and Liberalization of Public Companies/Corporate and Government Parastatals. He was also involved in preparation of varied and miscellaneous banking documents such as Debentures, Guarantees, Mortgages, Bonds and Loan Syndications.
One of Mr. Mustapha’s career highlights was his appointment as a member of Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the defunct Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund (PTF), serving meritoriously from 2000 to 2007. At the PTF, he was responsible for production of an up-t0-date comprehensive project and programme report, including location, coverage and whether performed, performing or abandoned production of final report of Assets and Liabilities, examination of the Administrative structure and cost effectiveness of PTF Projects and Services among other duties.
Mr. Mustapha also played key leadership roles at the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) serving as Social Secretary and Chairman at the Yola branch.
After his stint at the PTF in 2007, Mr. Mustapha was appointed Principal Partner of the law firm, Adroit Lex. His law practice and the burning desire to serve the larger society conspired to attract the MD into politics, at various times, he was member Federal Republic of Nigeria Constituent Assembly (1988-1989), Chairman People’s Solidarity Party-Gongola State (1989-1990), state chairman, Social Democratic Party-Gongola State (1990-1991); he was even a gubernatorial candidate for SDP in Adamawa state in 1991.
He was the Deputy National Chairman of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria from 2010 to 2013.
In 2007, he again played a prominent role, serving as the Deputy Director General of the party’s Presidential campaign Organization. His services remained in high demand after the fusing of CAN joined forces with other parties to form the All Progressive Congress (APC). He was a member of NCC and Secretary APC Presidential Campaign Organization Mobilization (2015) and member, APC Transition Committee (2015). He is also a member, APC Board of Trustees.
In addition to the NBA, the MD is a member of various professional bodies including African Bar Association (ABA), Commonwealth Lawyers Association, International Bar Association (IBA) and Human Rights Institute (HRI). But Mr. Mustapha’s accomplishments go beyond politics and the Bar; he is respected boardroom guru, having been appointed into the boards of several companies in the manufacturing financial services as well as oil and gas sectors.
He is the National Vice President, Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship international Nigeria.
The MD has travelled extensively visiting no fewer than 30 countries, and always taken interest in how waterways assets are managed in those countries. His address to management staff on assuming office set the tone style and direction of his administration. He stressed teamwork and the need to focus on the Authority’s vision and mission. He is also said: “Just call me Boss, there is no need calling me Manager; I don’t have nicknames.”
Mr. Mustapha who is married with children, enjoys golf, lawn tennis, travelling, documentary films, charity work and meeting people.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Delta State Police Command, with effective collaboration of the IGP’s Intelligence Response Team have arrested a notorious burglar, linked to series of heist across the country including the recent stealing of valuables worth over millions at the residence of Senator Peter Nwaoboshi. This was contained in a press statement made available to journalists by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) DSP Andrew Aniamaka disclosing that a Notorious Burglar involved in the Burglary and Stealing at Chief Nwaoboshi’s residence has been arrested.
The PPRO said; “The Delta State Police Command, with effective collaboration of the IGP’s Intelligence Response Team on Tuesday, 24/10/2017 arrested one Emeka Ezeonyi ‘m’, aged 18yrs old, for his involvement in series of burglaries and stealing cases in the residences of many identified prominent personalities in Asaba, Owerri, Makurdi and Enugu metropolis.
The suspect, who hails from Umuchu village, in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, has confessed that he was responsible for the burglary and stealing of phones, laptops and cash in the Asaba residence of Senator Nwaoboshi and many others which occurred recently in the state.”
DSP Aniamaka further informed that, the Commissioner of Police Delta State, CP Zanna Ibrahim has commended the officers who effected the arrest,stating that, the police have once again through effective deployment of tactical intelligence effected the arrest of a budding notorious criminal.
[dropcap]P[/dropcap]resident Muhammadu Buhari has sacked two suspended top shots. They are erstwhile Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Babachir David Lawal, and now-former Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Mr Ayodele Oke. Both men were accused of corruption and investigated by a high-powered panel headed by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.
Their sack was announced via tweets by The Presidency and Presidential Spokesman Femi Adesina. The tweets also announced that President Buhari has appointed Mr Boss Mustapha as the new SGF.
Hon. Chuks Okoji receiving his certificate of return from the election returning officer at the APC party secretariat in Asaba
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he chairmanship candidate of APC in Oshimili North local government Area Chuks Nduka Okoji being presented his certificate of return by the election returning officer at the APC party secretariat in Asaba.
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]wo mariners who attempted to sail from Honolulu to Tahiti have been rescued after being stranded in their boat for five months. Jennifer Appel, Tasha Fuiava and their two dogs were rescued Wednesday by the crew of the USS Ashland, an amphibious dock landing ship based in Sasebo, Japan.
The women were spotted on Tuesday by a Taiwanese fishing vessel 900 miles southeast of Japan, according to Honolulu station KHON TV. Crew members contacted the Coast Guard in Guam. It then relayed the news to the USS Ashland, which was deployed in the area. Appel and Fuiava set sail for Tahiti on May 23, but had an engine casualty amid bad weather a week into their voyage. Still, they continued on by sail.
In June, they began making daily distress calls, but had no luck getting the attention of ships for 98 days straight.“It was very depressing and very hopeless, but it’s the only thing you can do, so you do what you can do,” Appel told reporters.
One night, a group of sharks attacked the boat and one shark returned a day later.“Both of them, we actually thought it was lights out, and they were horrific,” Appel said. “We were just incredibly lucky that our hull was strong enough to withstand the onslaught.”
The two also dealt with the pain of seeing ships but not being able to make contact, Fuiava told NBC News.
“I could see light and I could see vessels, and once you get closer, we thought it would be close enough to do a [distress] call,” Fuiava said. “When they would turn and keep going, yeah, it was kind of sad.”
The ordeal ended Wednesday when the USS Ashland arrived on the scene around 10:30 a.m. Officials assessed the damage to the boat and found it unseaworthy.
The two women and their dogs were aboard the naval vessel by 1:18 p.m.
“I’m grateful for their service to our country. They saved our lives,” Appel said, according to a Navy press release. “The pride and smiles we had when we saw [U.S. Navy] on the horizon was pure relief.”
Appel and Fuiava were able to survive the five months of being stranded, thanks to water purifiers and a year’s worth of food they packed before sailing ― mostly dry goods like oatmeal, pasta and rice. Once aboard the ship, Appel and Fuiava received medical assessments, food and a place to sleep. They will remain aboard the Ashland until the ship’s next port of call.
“The U.S. Navy is postured to assist any distressed mariner of any nationality during any type of situation,” Cmdr. Steven Wasson, Ashland commanding officer, said in the release. Currently, the sailboat is adrift, but Appel and Fuiava hope another ship finds it and it can be repaired. Meanwhile, Appel said the ordeal hasn’t sworn her off planning a future ocean journey.
“Well, you gotta die sometime,” Appel told ABC News.“You may as well be doing something you enjoy when you’re doing it.”
[dropcap]A[/dropcap]ll works and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Since the Delta State government cannot create jobs for the jobless youths, Gov. Okowa has decided to create smart jobs through wealth creation programme, called Delta State Lottery (S.M.A.R.T gambling).Gov. Okowa told Deltans on Thursday October 26, 2017 that the Delta State Lottery will empower a lot of Deltans and those who will participate in the game.According to him, “it is our strong hope that Delta State lottery will be a game changer in the lives of our people, we hope it will redistribute income to our people because, the high point of this lottery game is the job creation aspect, more Deltans should be employed through this process.”
“We are hopeful that most of the agents will help their families through the lottery,” he said, adding, “we are sure that there will be a lot of winning, not less than 50 per cent of stake will be spent on winning while the state share from the other 50 per cent would be plugged into charity, especially to assist vulnerable people.The above is the statement of our dear governor, Gov. Okowa who has taken Deltans and indeed Nigerians aback. When other state governors are launching resourceful programmes for their citizens, our is encouraging ponzi scheme (S.M.A.R.T Lotto).
It is shameful to note that Delta State House of Assembly granted approval for the establishment of Delta State Lottery. I can recall my school days when my parents use to warn me against anything gambling and the dangers accrued to it including instant and sudden wealth, manipulation of the hopes of the poor into making them to stake their meager savings.
They end up most of the time disappointed leading many to commit suicide. My question still remains, is gambling the “prosperity for all Deltans” Gov. Okowa promised his people?
It is therefore condemnable, and unfortunate that the Delta state government could lend itself to the promotion of a scheme meant to rip Deltans of hard earned money. Deltans say NO to S.M.A.R.T lotto because Gov. Okowa was voted in to better the lives of Deltans and not to impoverish them with this S.M.A.R.T game in the name of Delta State Lottery as Deltans are no longer foolish and greedy as they have learnt from the past (the popular MMM ponzi scheme).
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Comptroller General (CG) of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) Colonel Hameed Ali (rtd) has said that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has not fulfilled its promises, half way into the journey of four years.In an unsparing assessment of the party by an insider, Ali said the party is gradually losing its core values, vision and mission, adding that more than fifty percent of the positions in the Buhari government are being held by members of the PDP who fought against the actualisation of a Buhari Presidency.
The usually blunt retired colonel spoke today in Abuja at the commissioning of the office complex of the Buhari Support Organisation in (BSO). Ali is also a national co-ordinator of the group.“We have won one battle by taking over power. But what we make of this power is very essential to us and to humanity. We must agree that we cannot finish our four years without delivering and leaving something to be remembered for in this country for a long time to come.“We have no problem with our President because he is on course. But I must confess here that we have been infused by people who were not part of this journey and these people are the ones that call the shot today. That is why we are derailing. If we had the right people who had the vision and have been there in and out, I believe that we will not be going the way we are going today.”
“It is my belief that those of us who have been in the trenches all these years to get good governance will surely be sleeping with belly ache every day, especially in the recent past. Every day, when you wake up, there is a story that makes you shiver. We cannot, as a people who have fought and committed everything we had to bring this government to being sit back and allow things to happen the way they are happening.“These people that are calling the shots today were not there and when the chips are down, they will disappear and melt within the system. We are the ones that will be asked to account for what happened.
“Are we willing to face Nigerians and tell them that we have failed? I think this is the time for us to come together, create a system that is very robust enough to fight back and take back government in our hands and ensure that we deliver.
“We believe that if you want to change the system, it will happen. Let me say that in the course of the jihad of the Prophet Mohammad, anytime they go out for a battle, they come back with loot, but these loot, as far as my own research told me is not distribute to everybody, but to those who took the sword and faced the enemies.
“We are the ones that will be asked to account for what happened. Are we willing to face Nigerians and tell them that we have failed? I think this is the time for us to come together, create a system that is very robust enough to fight back and take back government in our hands and ensure that we deliver.”“But let me say here without fear of being contradicted that I think half way through the journey, we are losing our core values. We are losing our vision and mission and I think that the idea of our being here today is to look critically at what we need to do to get back on track.
“There is no doubt that we have derailed because we are not doing what we say we want to do. Why is it so? We need to find an answer to that. If we do find an answer, then what should we do to get us all back on track. We owe this great nation and the 180 million Nigerians the duty to give good governance. Good governance is what they voted for and good governance is what they expect to get and they serve that.
“We therefore, as BSO, have a great task ahead of us. My dear comrades, the battle and the job starts now. We have won one battle by taking over power. But what we make of this power is very essential to us and to humanity.“Therefore, I want to take this opportunity to tell my colleagues here that we have to change the narratives. When we were out there Working and jumping on the street and reaching every corner, we were shouting change, change for a better Nigeria. Now, the key word is good governance for Nigerians”.
Col. Ali’s position was supported by Plateau state governor, Simon Lalong, who said state governors are not happy that they are left out of appointments being made by the government.Lalong, who shared the sentiments of the Custom Boss also lamented that appointments into government positions are made without recourse to the governors, adding that those who do not have the capacity to defend the actions of the President have been the ones benefiting from federal government t appointments.
The governor said the government must be made aware that things are not working the way they should, saying “If things are wrong they are wrong, if they are right they are right. But it requires very courageous people to come out and say these thongs are wrong or they are right.“Let the Mr. President be aware that this is the time to do it because even as governors we are also complaining in our various states, we are saying it. We complained in our states that we sit down and we hear appointment made and then people start asking you as the governor where is this man coming from?
“But when we turn right and turn left, we don’t know where such a person is coming from. Many people have complained. I’m sure governors have complained that we should be able to know who and who will Protect Mr. President and his administration.“When I heard that BSO is coming back again, I said is it not too late because if you allow people to grumble too much, you will see fight in several states and some of them are for a just course.
Somebody suffered for the party, the person is not rewarded and you wake up to see another man who even fought you, the man who made you to lose your job is now being appointed and the one who suffered is sitting down. Sometimes he will be looking for tears to cry and the tears will not be there because they are dry.“Like our chairman said to me, it is not too late. This is the time to start because this is the time you will hear a lot of things coming. People who have not serve will come back and say I had serve this way, I had serve that way but the records are there. The records can not tell lie. If it is true that they served this way, they served that way let the record”.
The event was chaired by Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora, the ministers of Defence, Niger Delta, Trade (State), Health (State), governors of Bauchi, Kogi and Plateau States, Senator Magnus Abe, among other APC bigwigs.Similarly, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was represented at the occasion by the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Muhammed Musa Bello.
[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n a no-holds-barred interview which he granted Vanguard, immediate past Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, unmasked his successor, Governor Willie Obiano, exposing his lies and explaining why he does not deserve re-election. According to him, “What we have today is that if you ask him the roads constructed, he will answer Peter Obi demanded this; ask him the school improved, he will say Peter Obi that. Ask him his manifesto, he will say Peter Obi only left “near cash”. Please reead on . . .
Question: Sir, how is the campaign going?
Peter Obi: Going on very well. Electioneering is tough, especially in our country where truth is in short supply.
As somebody who has gone through elections, I often tell people to restrict their promises during election to what is realistic. In essence I always advocate for respect for the truth.
I read Cicero’s Manual if electioneering written for his relation called Quintus. Cicero advised him to tell lies about his opponent and to even invent scandals – thus is what I see in Anambra State.
I am at the Centre of the campaign- campaigning for the PDP’s candidate. Every day, they invent stories about me. They sponsored people to make comment about 7 billion Naira, when it appeared it was not working, the man in question said it to himself. You are left to wonder the extent people will go because of election.
As someone campaigning for my party, I have restricted myself to the truth and I will continue to do so. Every statement I make to buttress the need for a change in the governance of Anambra is the truth. All you hear me say about money I left, the accruals, total absence of projects, my savings, are all verifiable.
Sir, you mentioned the money you left. As the issue is becoming controversial, could you tell us all about that?
There is nothing controversial about it. Some people are deliberately introducing controversy where none exists.
All my life, I have managed money. I started business early in life, right from my primary school. By the time I got to the university, I was already travelling outside the country for business. Even as a student, other students gave me money to hold for them, because they knew that with me, their money was secured.
Whether in business or government, my attitude to money remains essentially one- prudence.
Now to your question of how much I left. On the 17th of March, 2014, that I left office, I left a total of N25 billion cash in different another N23,600,000,000, normally called set aside funds to execute some projects already identified, or to finish critical projects already on. It was part of the two-year salary for last set of civil servants we recruited – we did so in order not to encumber the new Governor. Ironically, because these funds were tied to specific projects like the Amawbia to Amansea, NYSC main office at Umuawulu/ Mbaukwu, the hotels, malls. We also had critical projects like the Three Arms Zone, which included Governors Lodge. we did not include them in our hand over note.
So if you are talking about total Naira I left, it is actually money N48,600,000,000. I will give you the breakdown of all the banks. ( showed us all the banks, account names, banks and certified bank statements.)
In dollar component, I left $156 million. We had it $56 million in Fidelity bank, $50 million in Access bank and $50 in Diamond bank .Today, going by current dollar rate, the accruals and others, the money is about 200 billion Naira.
And these are not money that were left in foreign banks. Journalists should verify this. That’s why I laugh whenever they try to tell plain lies.
We laid solid foundation for my successor to start strong. Let me give you an example, toward the end of our Government, we decided to build the new three arms zone, comprising the lodge, legislative building and the judiciary. We awarded the contract at 8 billion, and paid 2 billion Naira. We awarded and commenced some roads, paid mobilisation and left my predecessor to perform their flag-off.
We also did a lot of ground work in our relationship with the federal Government in different ways. We, for instance, commenced the roadwork from Head Bridge to Umunya, after obtaining the written permission of the Federal Government to pay us back. After that portion, we got the permission to do Amawbia junction to Amansea, which I started. Part of the plan was to do Amawbia Junction to Umunya and the entire Express is completed. We are not losing anything since we will be paid back.
There is also the dualisation of a road that we call ‘three-three’ (Onitsha to Otuocha Junction.) These were some of the roads were set aside money for, among other things.
Sir one of the things your successor said is that you left him a debt of 127 billion Naira, how true is that?
The day I left office, I did not have any unpaid certificate of work that had been executed. I did not have any certificate of supply that was delivered that was not paid for. As an accountant I expect him to know that contracts are not debt until executed. He was just trying to confuse the people through half-truths. Let him explain to the people that he included contracts yet to be executed.
When I became Governor in 2006, Dr. Chris Ngige had awarded the reconstruction of Zik’s Avenue – the major road in Awka, and a lot of other roads. These were ongoing projects. Because he paid for all the certificates generated, I did not say, based on the contracts unexecuted, that he left me with debts. No contractor came to me that Ngige was owing him. Likewise, ask the Governor to tell you how many contractors that came to complain that Peter Obi was owing them.
The biggest contractor we had when I was in office was RCC and IDC, go and ask them if I owed them. Our biggest supplier was Innoson, Coscharis and HP. In each case, I paid them in advance. I bought over 1000 vehicles from Innoson and paid him at least six months to one year before he supplied me one; the same with HP.
As Governor, I had dedicated amount I shared among contractors once allocation came. That was why, under me, work went on non-stop.
Immediately my predecessor was elected, I explained all this to him in the hope that if he got it right, Anambra state will be the ultimate beneficiary. I even took him to all the international partners working for us. Ironically, it was Mr. Oseloka Obaze, using his international contacts, that connected us to most of them. We went to the World Bank, DFID, UN, JICA, EU, UNDP. In fact I explained to him our relationship with the UNDP, how, after I allowed them to use our Lodge as office after the attack on their office and how the state had benefitted many folds. Surprisingly, one of the first things he did was to issue UNDP with a quit notice.
I am trying to recall all this to show you how well we meant for the success of the Governor. Rather than face governance, he is peddling falsehoods against me, including the accusation I bequeathed debt to him. Ask the Governor to give you the schedule of those debts.
What is happening show the quality they’ve reduced governance to in my state today. It shouldn’t be. It’s like a situation where they say my government was able to export vegetables worth $5 million. Where was that vegetable produced? What was the refrigeration process? Where is the documentation process? It is like my government saying they are exporting rice. You saw the president on October 1, thanking states that are producing rice, he did not even include Anambra state that is now, according to the Governor, a net exporter of rice. My government say they had order to export ten million tubers of yam, but everybody knows that in Anambra state most of the yams we eat come from Benue and Taraba States.
I think what is happening is that in the absence of executed projects to use to campaign, as Cicero advised Quintus, they are inventing lies and dressing them as truths. Have you asked yourself why All this controversy about the money I left now that there is an election?
Sir, Nigerians are surprised at what is happening today, considering the vigorous campaign you did for him in 2013?
If you have interacted with human beings, you would have known enough of some of them to be shocked over what they do. I read Philosophy and I know about Blaise Paschal, who, in his book called Penses described man as a chimera, an animal in Greek mythology that had two heads, he is an angel in one and a brute in the other. Such contradiction is what we see among human beings.
Yes, I campaigned vigorously for him and everywhere I went with him, they asked me this question. I told them he would perform and if he did not, I would be the number one person to campaign against him.
How much of Obiano did you know before promoting his candidacy?
I met Obiano in the bank. I was a bank director and bank chairman. The relationship between a bank director/chairman and someone who works in a bank is not close. However, we knew each other. And I believe that if someone has risen to a certain level in life, there is at least minimum standard of behaviour you can expect from him. For example, when I went in there, I was looking at where I was coming from and the things I wouldn’t do. When I was being impeached, I remember some prominent Anambra people were telling me to do some things, but I declined. I don’t want to do things that in future I will regret.
Sir, how would you react to the claim by Obiano that you demanded 7.5 billion from him?
This is another regrettable lie. On 23rd December, 2016, he came to my house for the first time since he became Governor. He came with an ordained Bishop, to plead for reconciliation and to ask for my support for his re-election bid. There, I asked him about the 7.5 billion and he said it did not come from him, that he only heard it from people. Now he is the one saying it. I’m sure the Bishop will be listening to us. And other people who have been in the same meeting with him and I where I have reiterated that I do not want any kobo from him, will know that I have never, on my own honour, ask Obiano to pay me money. I have not even been paid my severance allowance since I left office, which I am entitled to. I just told you what I left in office. Nobody has ever left one dollar. If I was desperate, I could have comfortably taken just $30 million and it will remain $126 million. Nobody on earth will leave money and go and beg the person he left the money for to give him some.
Because I made it clear to him that I would support my party and perhaps being told that my support was critical, he now resorted to blackmail. He is doing violence to himself because Nigerians will be reading in between lines and will know who to trust and who to deal with in future. It is unfortunate.
Beyond the falsehoods, what other issues do you have with Obiano?
I don’t have any issue with Mr. Obiano. I have issues with Governor Obiano. Whatever issue we have, I have forgiven him. But for Governor Obiano, he has turned governance into what it should not be. You’ve been reading wonderful things in the newspaper, but let Governor Obiano invite you to Anambra. When I was going for second tenure, I invited journalists three months to election and we toured all the projects we were doing and the investments we had attracted. Governor Obiano has attracted $7.8 billion worth of foreign investment, can you people come and inspect those yam fields where we are going to get 10 million yams, or the Ugu field, or the rice field, or where those investments are.
What role did you play towards the emergence of Obiano?
I don’t want to go about how he emerged. He has emerged and did not perform, let somebody else try it. It’s just that in this country, so many people have emerged and they did not deliver. Even in the first world, people have emerged and they did not perform and they were asked to go.
Don’t you think he has the Power of Incumbency to his advantage?
I’m not going to rig the elections. I have never done it before. I am only going to tell Anambra people to ask for what Obiano did in the past four years as a basis for his re-election or being voted out. How many roads did he do? Even in his own senatorial zone, in a local government called Anyamelu, in my first tenure I constructed 43 kilometres of road. Today, a town called Umumbo, you can’t go there. After Anyamelu is his own local government, where I constructed lots of roads. I did Nsugbe road. I also did Nkwele Ezunaka bypass. Apart from Aguleri, his own town, let him tell you which town he has successfully completed two kilometres of road. In another local government in the same north, the next local government is Anambra West, I started reconstruction of Anam to Mmiata in my first tenure. If you leave Anambra west, the next local government is Oyi there, I did Awkuzu and many other roads. The next one is Onitsha North. In my first tenure, I did Awka road, New market, Old Market, Enugu Road, Marine, New Cemetery, Uguta Road, I can go on and on. In Onitsha South, the next one, I did Sokoto, Creek Road, Oga, Haruna, Port Harcourt Road, and then constructed head bridge to Upper Iweka in my first tenure. From there you enter a local government called Ogbaru, I constructed the Harbour Industrial Estate where you have all our industries. One can go on and on.
Apart from roads, in education, I returned schools to the church and if you go there most of the schools have two buses. I gave them one in the first tenure and one in the second tenure. And this cut across schools around there. You can go and verify. I also provided them with computers, boreholes, Internet connectivity, generators, among others.
So let Obiano tell the people the one he did that requires him to come back. Let him say how many schools that he was able to give buses.
What we have today is that if you ask him the roads constructed, he will answer Peter Obi demanded this; ask him the school improved, he will say Peter Obi that. Ask him his manifesto, he will say Peter Obi only left “near cash”.
How would you access the APC candidate?
I’m not in APC. APC has a candidate who I believe is doing his own bit of campaigning. We have a candidate whom I have worked with and know very well and I am supporting him.
Sir, who provided security in Anambra is being contested, what can you say about that?
Whatever is good for the state gives me joy. As far as I am concerned, the person that did it does not matter.
When Obiano was coming in, it was me who told him that we had put in so much energy on security issue and that we had done tremendous work which he could take advantage of by building on what we had done. I told him that the monies we were leaving, he could use them to start strong. For example, federal government gave us $2 billion to fight erosion. I left it for him. Within his 100 days in office, he invited MD Abubakar, the then IG, to come and take control of 50 vehicles he said he bought for police. On that occasion, MD Abubakar told him that Anambra had done well in security, that under Peter Obi in five years, they’ve never had any bank robbery, which was constant when I was there. Go and ask people like the Archbishop of the Methodist Church in Umuahia about security when I came. When I came on board, Onitsha was taken over. Go and read the interviews of Commissioner Bello who came with me when I arrived. He decided to bring in the best team. They came to Lagos here and took Haruna, who was then DC operations, took Bello who was then next in line, to Anambra. That’s where we started. Go and read the interviews of security experts who knew about the Anambra situation when I was there. Their conclusion is that what is being enjoyed today in Anambra is built on a foundation laid by Peter Obi. I did not only buy over 600 vehicles for security agents, I bought Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC)and Armoured Patrol vehicles and other advanced security gadgets.
It was me that went to the late Yar’Adua to give me permission and support to fence the army barracks in Onitsha. These are things I did in my first tenure. I came when the issue was so critical that criminals with known names were coming and operating. I fought them to a standstill. Even Evans said I was the one who chased him out of Onitsha. But what I told the security officials was that I did not want our success to become news. Because if you are doing the right thing, you don’t have to make noise. The people will feel the success.
[dropcap]P[/dropcap]eoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders in northern axis of Oshimili North Local Government Area in Delta say the elective position desirable to them in 2019 is House of Assembly seat.The leaders made this known in a communiqué released to newsmen in Abuja on Sunday.
In the communiqué signed by Chief Martin Okakwu, Senior Special Assistant (Political) to Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa and Mr Frank Esenwah, the leaders said that Ibusa axis of the area had occupied the legislative seat for 18 uninterrupted years, from 1999 to date.Besides, they said that Ibusa people had since the creation of Delta in 1991, picked all the commissioner slots allotted to the local government area, and monopolized the chairmanship of the council for that long, except in 2014.
In addition, the leaders pointed out that the senator currently representing Delta North at the National Assembly, Mr Peter Nwaoboshi, was from Ibusa.They, therefore, contended that the resolve of the North-North axis of the local government area to occupy the constituency’s seat in the state’s legislature was predicated on the tenets of equity, justice and reciprocity.They said that Ibusa people should not take the cooperative and good mindedness of the north-north axis for granted.
According to the communiqué, Ibusa axis needs to show resounding and deep appreciation for the political understanding and cooperation which the northern axis has given to it over the long period.The people urged the leadership of PDP in the state to intervene in the matter, saying that they occupied a larger part of the local government area and had more population.“We will not continue to play second fiddle in an area we have equal stake.
“Over the years, we had shown tremendous understanding just for peace to reign, yet such gesture is unappreciated and has been taken for granted and perhaps, weakness,” the communiqué stated.The leaders said that they held Nwaoboshi in high esteem as a senator, but that he would “not begrudge our expectations that you carry us along as your immediate constituents and that none of us is seen or taken for a fool.“More respectfully and with stronger resolve, we reiterate our earlier position that the PDP House of Assembly ticket be reserved for the North-North axis’’.
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[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Delta State Police Command, with effective collaboration of the IGP’s Intelligence Response Team have arrested a notorious burglar, linked to series of heist across the country including the recent stealing of valuables worth over millions at the residence of Senator Peter Nwaoboshi. This was contained in a press statement made available to journalists by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) DSP Andrew Aniamaka disclosing that a Notorious Burglar involved in the Burglary and Stealing at Chief Nwaoboshi’s residence has been arrested.
