Arms scandal: No $2.1bn is missing, FG’s lying, says Dokpesi

John Alechenu, Olusola Fabiyi, Fidelis Soriwei, Adelani Adepegba and and Ike Mowete

Former Chairman of DAAR Communications Plc, Chief Raymond Dokpesi has described the alleged missing $2.1bn arms fund as a hoax, saying the charges were meant to decimate the leadership and membership of the opposition party.

Dokpesi said this Abuja when members of the PDP Youth Vanguard named him as the group’s patron.
He said, “Our party is indeed experiencing a massive persecution, political repression and vendetta of the kind never before seen on our shores, targeted at the leadership, membership and indeed sympathisers of the PDP by the All Progressives Congress government of the day.

“I speak with regard to several matters before the law courts of our country concerning the PDP members and especially my humble self on charges filed against us by the Federal Government.

“I must hasten to assure you that there is nothing like the much-flaunted $2.1b arms gate. The competent courts of our land would sooner or later prove this coinage, aimed at decimating the leadership and membership of our great party, to be nothing but a hoax.”

Dokpesi told the youths group that the PDP had not and would not die.

The EFCC had arrested Dokpesi following an investigation into the interim report of a presidential committee on the procurement of arms and equipment for the Armed Forces and the defence sector from 2007 to date.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has preferred six counts of money laundering and procurement-related charges involving N2.1bn against him.

Dokpesi had, however, in a statement, said the money he collected from the NSA’s office was meant for publicity and media campaigns during the 2015 general elections, describing it as a contractual transaction.
The prosecution said Dokpesi and his company had, by the deal, violated the provisions of the EFCC Act, Public Procurement Act and Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act.

He was granted bail in the sum of N400m on December 14.

EXPOSED! How Amaechi Diverted Over N40 Billion Into Buhari’s Presidential Campaign

The immediate past governor of Rivers State and current Minister of Transport, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi illegally acquired and diverted not less than N40 billion of Rivers State funds into the presidential campaign of the All Progressives Congress (APC) which saw the emergence of Muhammadu Buhari as President, emerging details are revealing.

Funds running into billions of naira were unaccounted for in sleazy misappropriations allegedly facilitated and presided over by the former Rivers State governor. Sources informed about the shady deals under Amaechi availed IGBERETV, details that show how Rivers State’s treasury was emptied into private concerns of the former governor as well as the APC presidential campaign.

In October 2015, a Judicial Commission of Inquiry, set up to investigate the sale of state assets in Rivers State under Amaechi demanded the immediate prosecution of Amaechi and all his cronies involved in the illegal sale of Rivers State assets. According to the panel report, Amaechi misappropriated over N97 billion in the sale of the state valued assets.

“The commission recommends that the former governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, along with his former commissioners for Finance and Power, Dr. Chamberlain Peterside and Augustine Nwokocha, respectively, should be held to account for their roles in the sales of the power generation assets of First Independent Power Limited and the disbursement of the proceeds therefrom.

“Government accepts this recommendation and directs the office of the Honorable Attorney-General and commissioner for Justice, to promptly set in motion the appropriate machinery for the recovery of the proceeds of the sale of the gas turbines from the former governor, Rotimi Amaechi, and every other persons implicated in the commission’s report,” the Commissioner of Housing in Rivers State, Emma Okah, who spoke on behalf of the State Government, said.

In August 2015, reports in the Nigerian media were awash with Amaechi’s ownership of several foreign accounts. In one of the reports, it was alleged that “the sum of over 757 million U.S. dollars was stacked by Amaechi in a foreign U.S. Bancorp/Minnesota account.”

In swift reaction, the Integrity Group, a non-governmental organization, sent a petition to President Buhari as well as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission chairman to investigate Amaechi for the over N70 billion allegedly stolen from the Rivers State government.

According to investigative reports, backed with several documents attached to the Rivers State Judicial Commission of Inquiry report, this amount is separate from the N21 billion which the PDP claims Amaechi transferred from the Power Assets proceeds account of Access bank to the accounts of three private companies with a 25 Trans-Amadi Road, Port Harcourt address. Those companies are Advante Consulting and Management Company, Result Imports Experts Company, and Capital Ltd.

The PDP in Rivers State claim that there are many more instances of fraud and theft perpetrated by the former Governor, which is why they are asking President Buhari to probe Rotimi Amaechi’s past. But instead of probing Amaechi, his role as the benefactor of President Buhari’s campaign was fatly rewarded with a government appointment as Minister of Transport under Buhari.

A source who did not want to be named disclosed to IGBERETV that the sum of N6 billion was single-handedly provided by Amaechi to support President Buhari for the APC presidential primaries alone. “The N6 billion largesse Amaechi donated to Buhari just for the primaries alone is what was partly spent settling over 8,000 APC delegates. Buhari outspent Atiku, Kwankwaso and the other aspirants. Delegates were settled in hard currency before and on the grounds of the primaries. Seven bullion vans brought Amaechi’s money into the arena of the APC presidential primaries. How do you think Buhari got the ticket? It was Amaechi’s money that did the job”, the source said.

Amaechi also allegedly funneled over N30 billion into the overall presidential campaign of the APC across the thirty-six states of Nigeria. “Amaechi was the one spending most of the money for media, for the US consultant David Axelrod and most of the private jets and vehicles used by APC during the campaign were provided by him. That’s why he became known even within his party’s circles as the ‘ATM’”, an informed source who pleaded anonymity told this newspaper.

As fresh facts continue to emerge, Amaechi is alleged to have drained Rivers state reserves from N55 billion to N1.24 billion within the time frame of a single year. Out of the amount allegedly withdrawn by Amaechi, N53.93 billion was said to be without a list of expenditure. BudgIT, a civic startup that disseminates budgets and public data, made the revelation via its Twitter handle. BudgIT stated that it obtained the information from FBN trustees, while disclosing the figures.

“Amaechi had access to over N3 trillion during his eight years as Rivers State governor, but failed to leave funds for the development of the state. His only ambition was the wastage of Rivers State money like a prodigal son on his political ambitions”, a senior Rivers State government official who did not want to be named told our correspondent.

More sleazy revelations on how Ameachi ran Rivers State into penury have continued to filter into the public space, the recent being how he allegedly lavished the sum of N82 million on the 80th birthday dinner of Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka.

Despite the deluge of allegations, the former governor has continued to deny the reports. In one report, he denied ownership of bank accounts in the United States and Switzerland. In a statement, Mr Amaechi said the stories were concocted to ridicule his person and achievements. Efforts by IGBERETV to get Amaechi’s side of the story have proved abortive.

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC), President Buhari’s ruling party has risen in stout defence of Amaechi insisting that officials of anti-graft agencies cannot probe Amaechi without evidence. The party said that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) would not touch leaders of the ruling party except it has solid evidence.

FULFILL YOUR AGREEMENT WITH BOKO HARAM, DECLARE NIGERIA FULL ISLAMIC STATE, SEN. SHEHU TELLS BUHARI

FULFILL YOUR AGREEMENT WITH BOKO HARAM, DECLARE NIGERIA FULL ISLAMIC STATE, SEN. SHEHU TELLS BUHARI

S-H-O-C-K-I-N-G!!!
 
Buhari Must Fulfil His Agreement With Boko Haram Leaders – Sen Shehu Sani.
**declare Nigeria a full Islamic state and Implement Sharia law across Nigeria.

“President Buhari should keep his own part of the bargain if he wants Boko Haram to stop the terror. He should stop the begging, and keep his part of the deal;

1] declare Nigeria an Islamic state,
2] free the captives,
3] implement Sharia across Nigeria
4] abolish Western education.

That was the promise Buhari made to Boko Haram leaders, to get their support. Buhari can afford to renege on his electioneering promise to Nigerians but not Boko Haram.” – Senator Shehu Sani, Kaduna state Central.

ABIA CHARTER OF EQUITY: A MIX-UP IN THE ISSUE OF THE UPCOMING SUPREME COURT JUDGEMENT- BY CHUKS DIGITS

ABIA CHARTER OF EQUITY: A MIX-UP IN THE ISSUE OF THE UPCOMING SUPREME COURT JUDGEMENT- BY CHUKS DIGITS


Anybody that is bringing up Abia Charter of Equity or Charter of Unity (Peace accord) as precedence to the upcoming Supreme Court judgement is bias, naive, lopsided and not been fair to Abia People. As far as this contest and the awaiting Supreme Court judgement is concern, the so called charter of equity and unity has no place in it and anybody that wants the supreme court to observe it as precedence of ruling the final judgement is talking shit. Talking about charter of Equity when Isuikwuato people were denied their slot is raising more uproar in the means of ongoing argue baggy. By right it was even the turn of Isuikwuato to produce the governor base on the charter as the name ABIA goes which stands for A for Afikpo, B for Bende, I for Isuikwuato and A for Aba. One will even be surprise that Obingwa people are not been fair to other part of Ngwa let alone the entire state. We have to recall that this same local government alone that is shouting marginalization has produced two deputy governors Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe now 3 times senator and Hon Eric Acho Nwakamma. Though their senatorial zone (Abia South) have also produce all the deputy governors Abia ever had and also the highest political office in Abia state represented by former senate president Aldophus Nwagbara from Ugwa but Obigwa is dominating other Local Governments that made up of Abia South. The same overriding attitude which they have been exhibiting is what they want to use to intimidate the entire state but it might not work. From above assertion, anybody who wants call spade a spade should let Obingwa people know that they are been greedy, domineering and call them to order. It is the same greedy that is causing the problems we are facing today in Abia State. It will be illogical to use Abia Charter of Equity or Unity as a tool to toy other part of Ngwa or the entire state and anybody that is asking for the Supreme Court to use any form of Charter for their Judgement is bias and agent of destabilization. If we must expose what was said during election, some of the statement we heard during election alleged that Okezie and clique have mission of seizing power for 16 years, it was an agenda they intend doing because they said that today’s Abia was originally divided into Ngwa and Old Bende. Old Bende which included Umuahia and they were of opinion that Old Bende have produced governors for 16 years and will make sure power did not reach them again until next 16 years. But because Dr. Ikpeazu who might be willing to dance to the tune of some selfish politicians from the zone, they now want to be silent over the fact that Ngwa people are one and allow Dr. Otti to enjoy his mandate but the rhetorical question is; who is fooling who? One article was made by Kodilinye Obiagwu of South East Bureau Chief and published in guardian with caption APGA, PDP, Supreme Court and questions for Abia’s charter of unity. Having read the article, the article itself is a malapropism which lost focus, dangling and digressing. The issue at stake was not fully address but it is rather a systematic call for Supreme Court judges to tamper justice with mercy and have sympathy with Obingwa people and the entire Abia South. Is that what a rational mind should tell a respectful arm of government that shouldn’t be biased? One of the names he mentioned in his article for example Dr. Uche Ogah who comes from Isuikwuato, a local government that was denied their slot in the stance of the equity decided to keep quite not because he cannot fight but because he sees politics as not do or die affairs. It is not that Dr. Ogah cannot arrange boys to cause pandemonium in the state BUT because he did not want to destroy the state he loved and his only state BUT today’s do or die politicians are willing to burn down the State as far as it will enable them intimidate others to take over the power. As far as this issue has gone beyond Abia State settlement, we must not be bias in action and reasoning. We must not resurrect buried hatches because it will create more problems in the state. We should rather allow the Supreme Court to decide and not putting words into them in order to sympathize with any set of people. In fact if the court should have sympathy, it should be for the suffering poor masses of Abia State that voted for Alex Otti so that they will experience the needed positive changes in Abia State. If the Court should tamper justice with mercy, it should be mercy to the common man in Abia State that has been suffering because of poor leaderships going on in the state. Nobody is disenfranchising Obi Ngwa or others but if we must be sincere we must accept the fact the figure they are presenting is like false and overwhelming even when the entire local government could produce 50,000 votes during the presidential election. It is obvious that such figure has been there as tools for election rigging even before the time of Okezie and they still want it to be applicable in this era of card reading which might not work.

Chuks Digits- From Abia State, a Preacher and a Software Specialist.

FG Starts Direct Payment To Niger Delta Ex-Militants

President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government has commenced the direct payment of salaries into the account of former militants of the Niger Delta region.

The Niger Delta ex-militants were paid the sum of N65, 000 monthly stipends including the three months arrears owed them.

Leadership reports that the chief of staff in the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Colonel Dedis Abel (Rtd), launched the direct payment exercise in Port Harcourt, the Rivers Stare capital, on Wednesday, January 6.
The ex-militants were paid the sum of N65, 000 monthly stipends including the three months arrears owed them.

Colonel Abel hinted that the federal government has stopped making payments through leaders of the ex-militants.

“The Amnesty Office took the decision to pay the ex-agitators directly following reports of complicity and short-changing of some of them by the leaders. Reports revealed that some of the ex-agitators were paid as low as N20, 000 out of the N65, 000 which does not conform with the mandate of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

“Henceforth, payment of the monthly stipend would be made directly to each beneficiary with focus to eliminate cases of fraud and short-changing by their leaders. Similarly, this exercise will enable us to collect biometrics of beneficiaries and to create Bank Verification Numbers to enable government to make future payments through their individual bank accounts,” Abel said.
The chief of staff said further explained that the week-long direct payment was to clear October, November and December salaries owed to over 2,000 former militants, drawn from different camps in the state and its environ.
He also disclosed that out of the 30,000 beneficiaries under the Amnesty Programme, only 13,000 had gotten either vocational training or formal education before this new administration.

“However, the number of those trained increased by 5,000 since Retired Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari to head the Presidential Amnesty Programme five months ago. The 5,000 newly trained beneficiaries were sent to both local and foreign institutions and vocational centres to acquire knowledge and skills that would allow them become self-reliant,” he said.

Colonel Abel said the remaining 12,000 former militants that are yet to undergo the programme would be trained in the coming months, and thanked Heritage Bank for its collaboration and support towards the Amnesty Programme.

The Federal Government-led by late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua granted amnesty to the Niger Delta Militants as part of a desperate effort to curb the restiveness in the oil rich region in 2009. The programme has reportedly gulped $1 billion.

But, Chief Edwin Clark recently urged President Muhammadu Buhari to take the Niger-Delta amnesty programme seriously as it has a way of affecting the nation.

Meanwhile, former militants of the Niger Delta have threatened war if the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and director of radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu is not released by the Federal Government.

Exposing the lies of politically controlled EFCC chairman who claimed that no petition has been written against corrupt APC leaders

Exposing the lies of politically controlled EFCC chairman who claimed that no petition has been written against corrupt APC leaders

Behold the petition  against the APC Presidential sponsor, Rotimi Amaechi:
THE INTEGRITY GROUP
KM 11 ELEME JUNCTION INTERCHANGE
PORT HARCOURT – ABA EXPRESS WAY
ELELENWO – RIVERS STATE

#BIAFRA : IS GENEVIEVE NNAJI’S ABUJA ESTATE DEVELOPMENT A WISE CHOICE?

Currently we came across a picture shared on Genevieve Nnaji’s wall of an estate she’s currently developing in Abuja, do you think it’s important to do this in a hinterland far away from her land? You can see her inspect the development of the estate. At this critical time the people of Biafra are talking of their own sovereign country Biafra. We want to know what you think.