On Monday, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) admitted to receiving N100
million from the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP), Tony Anenih but not from former National
Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki as has been speculated in the
media.
This revelation was made in Abuja today by the National Publicity
Secretary of the Party, Dr.Abdul Ahmed Isaiq at a press briefing held at
the National Headquarters of the Party. Dr. Isaiq noted that the PDP,
through Tony Anenih, contributed the sum of N100 million in order to
shore up the SDP/PDP electoral alliance project.
These funds, according to Dr. Isaiq, were procured from the former
Finance Minister, Olu Falae, and not from the Arms Procurement Fund
(APF).
Therefore, Dr. Isaiq stated, the SDP would not refund a dime to the
Federal Government (FG), as the Party did not receive any of the illicit
$2.1 billion because the source which the money came from was not the
APF. He maintained that the Party is ready to take legal action to
defend itself in any court of law.
Below you can find the press release in its entirety:
Our attention has been drawn to a libelous and misleading story
trending in the social media and some newspapers , that the National
Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Chief Olu Falae GCON, OFR
collected N100M (One Million Naira Only) alleged largesse said to have
been immorally disbursed from Armed Procurement Fund by Colonel Sambo
Dasuki, the former NSA . We are dismayed by this story and hereby wish
to state as follows:
1. That the SDP was approached by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
through its BOT Chairman, Chief Tony Anenih for an electoral alliance
for the re-election bid of the former President Dr. Goodluck Ebele
Jonathan.
2. That Chief Olu Falae being the National Chairman (SDP) summoned
the National Executive Committee (NEC) of SDP to a well-attended meeting
to consider the PDP’s proposal of Electoral Alliance for the
re-election bid of former president Jonathan since SDP did not field a
presidential candidate of its own.
3. That the SDP NEC debated thoroughly the electoral alliance
proposal and finally gave overwhelming approval for the electoral
alliance with PDP. The NEC further empowered Olu Falae to communicate
the readiness of SDP to work with the PDP for the victory of former
President Jonathan, but based based on certain cardinal objective
principles which must be agreed upon such as zero tolerance for
corruption ,youth employment, increased capital funding allocation and
acceptance of the Confab report among others.
4. That consequent upon this agreement, the PDP through Chief Tony
Anenih contributed the token sum of N100m (One Million Naira Only) to
the SDP/PDP electoral alliance project through Chief Olu Falae. It is to
be noted that the SDP spent well above N100m for the execution of the
project throughout the country during the presidential campaign and
election period.
5. That the said N100 million was most transparently disbursed to our
SDP field organizations, especially to areas where we had more support
than PDP, and we have a full report of the transparency with which our
State chapters utilized the money for the purpose it was meant.
6. That it is obvious from the above, and pertinent to state here
that neither SDP nor Olu Falae was aware of Colonel Dasuki arms deal
money given through Mr. Anenih. The SDP, as well as many Nigerians, were
aware of the fact that the PDP had a fundraising event prior to the
election where billions of naira were donated. The SDP is also conscious
of the fact that the PDP are capable of funding their part of an
electoral alliance with SDP. We hereby affirm that neither the SDP nor
Olu Falae has anything to do with the $2.1billion Arms Deal debacle. Our
alliance was not based on monetary inducement but on 6-points of
cardinal objectives, which we believed could benefit the country at this
crucial time.
Thank you all.
Dr.Abdul Ahmed Isaiq
National Publicity Secretary
Social Democratic Party
Monday, 11 January 2016
Switzerland Government To Transfer A Further $300 Million In Abacha Loot To Nigeria
On Monday, Foreign Minister Geoffrey Onyeama announced
that the government of Switzerland would transfer a further $300 million
in recovered loot from the family of former dictator Sani Abacha.
The funds are part of an estimated $5 billion which was stolen and then funneled into various foreign accounts by the military dictator.
It will be recalled that in December 2015 SaharaReporters published several stories concerning former Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s authorization of a diversion of $300 million, taken from the loot recovered from Mr. Abacha, to the Office of the former National Security Advisor (NSA) Colonel Sambo Dasuki a few weeks before the 2015 Presidential elections.
Subsequent reports published by SaharaReporters indicated that the funds were used for a last minute media campaign for former President Goodluck Jonathan. Since December, the scandal has taken on the name of “Dasukigate” and has led to the indictment of several high profile figures including the spokesman for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, and media mogul Raymond Dokpesi.
Foreign Exchange Crisis: CBN Lifts Ban On Cash Deposit Of Dollars, Others
The Central Bank of Nigeria has lifted a ban stopping
commercial banks from accepting cash deposits of foreign exchange from
customers.
The CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, who announced the decision in Abuja on Monday, said the new directive took immediate effect.
Mr. Emefiele said the CBN would henceforth equally discontinue its sales of foreign exchange to Bureau de Change (BDC) operators, accusing them of excessive greed and rent-seeking practices.
The CBN governor explained that the BDC operators would now need to source their foreign exchange from autonomous sources.
He said to ensure that no operator violated the country’s anti-money laundering laws, the CBN would deploy more resources to closely monitor the sources of foreign exchange by the BDCs.
“These measures are not intended to be punitive on anyone or any group,” the CBN governor explained.
“Rather it is meant to ensure that the CBN is better able to carry out its mandate in an effective and efficient manner, to guarantee the preservation of our scarce commonwealth, and that our hard-earned financial system stability remain intact to the benefit of all Nigerians,” he added.
Nigeria has been hit by foreign exchange crisis amid falling oil prices.
Amongst a range of stringent measures to protect the naira and shore up the nation’s forex reserves, the CBN ordered stoppage of cash deposit of foreign currencies and also blocked use of naira debit and credit cards abroad, and transactions requiring payments in foreign currencies.
Army Captain Who Exposed Election Rigging In Ekiti Reabsorbed Into Army
The captain, it will be recalled, fled the country after he exposed the
rigging of the Ekiti State election, successfully making an electronic
recording of a meeting where top politicians of the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) and the Nigerian army strategized on how to place in office
Ayo Fayose, who eventually “won” the contest.
Army sources speaking with SaharaReporters also said Captain Koli, who is being praised by both peers and superiors, will receive a letter of commendation for his outstanding conduct and non-partisanship in the course of duty.
The captain, it will be recalled, fled the country after he exposed the rigging of the Ekiti State election, successfully making an electronic recording of a meeting where top politicians of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Nigerian army strategized on how to place in office Ayo Fayose, who eventually “won” the contest.
Brigadier General Aliyu Momoh, in collusion with then Minister of Defense Musiliu Obanikoro, former Osun State Senator Iyiola Omisore, former Minister for Police Affairs Jelili Adesiyan, Anambra politician Chris Uba, gubernatorial candidate Fayose, and others were caught on Captain Koli’s secret audio recording plotting to intimidate members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in order to successfully rig the gubernatorial race.
In the audio recording, which was subsequently published by SaharaReporters, Mr. Obanikoro was heard bribing General Momoh to use the military to deny APC voters access to polling stations and arrest leading opposition politicians in Ekiti State. The politicians were also recorded plotting with General Momoh about how to use their tactics in Ekiti to rig another election in Osun State.
News of Captain Koli’s reabsorption into the army follows the release of the Nigerian Army Board of Inquiry’s report where several high-ranking military officers were recommended for disciplinary proceedings.
It is unclear what other measures may be taken by the government, including possible prosecution of non-army personnel who were involved in the rigging. It should also be recalled that the army, in the course of searching for Captain Koli, tortured his teenage younger brother, a secondary school student.
Sagir Koli, the Nigerian army captain who put his
career and life on the line when he exposed the 2014 rigging of the
gubernatorial election in Ekiti State, has been reabsorbed into the
Nigerian army, SaharaReporters has authoritatively learned.
Army sources speaking with SaharaReporters also said Captain Koli, who is being praised by both peers and superiors, will receive a letter of commendation for his outstanding conduct and non-partisanship in the course of duty.
The captain, it will be recalled, fled the country after he exposed the rigging of the Ekiti State election, successfully making an electronic recording of a meeting where top politicians of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Nigerian army strategized on how to place in office Ayo Fayose, who eventually “won” the contest.
Brigadier General Aliyu Momoh, in collusion with then Minister of Defense Musiliu Obanikoro, former Osun State Senator Iyiola Omisore, former Minister for Police Affairs Jelili Adesiyan, Anambra politician Chris Uba, gubernatorial candidate Fayose, and others were caught on Captain Koli’s secret audio recording plotting to intimidate members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in order to successfully rig the gubernatorial race.
In the audio recording, which was subsequently published by SaharaReporters, Mr. Obanikoro was heard bribing General Momoh to use the military to deny APC voters access to polling stations and arrest leading opposition politicians in Ekiti State. The politicians were also recorded plotting with General Momoh about how to use their tactics in Ekiti to rig another election in Osun State.
News of Captain Koli’s reabsorption into the army follows the release of the Nigerian Army Board of Inquiry’s report where several high-ranking military officers were recommended for disciplinary proceedings.
It is unclear what other measures may be taken by the government, including possible prosecution of non-army personnel who were involved in the rigging. It should also be recalled that the army, in the course of searching for Captain Koli, tortured his teenage younger brother, a secondary school student.
Face your woes, leave us alone – MASSOB tells Abia PDP
Face your woes, leave us alone – MASSOB tells Abia PDP
The Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, on Monday dismissed claims that the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, was sponsoring the ongoing pro-Biafra protests across many Nigerian cities.
In a press statement by Comrade Samuel Edeson, the National Director of Information, MASSOB, he described the claims as “a complete expression of a politically confused and drowning persons,” stressing that “MASSOB is not the cause of Abia PDP led political misfortunes”.
He stated that “We have been protesting against the oppressors of Ndigbo even before the current state administration.
“Governor Ikpeazu and his PDP in Abia should focus on how to redeem their image, which has been battered and drastically lost.
“Our demonstration and protests are against the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu by Nigerian government; it’s not against state government or any individual.”
Edeson further maintained that “Nobody or group in Biafraland can use MASSOB against anybody in Igboland; MASSOB under the leadership of Comrade Uchenna Madu is the unifying factor of total libration and political stability of Ndigbo in Nigeria.
“We advise Biafrans at home and in the Diaspora to disregard some disgruntled persons that are claiming to be leaders of MASSOB”
The Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, on Monday dismissed claims that the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, was sponsoring the ongoing pro-Biafra protests across many Nigerian cities.
In a press statement by Comrade Samuel Edeson, the National Director of Information, MASSOB, he described the claims as “a complete expression of a politically confused and drowning persons,” stressing that “MASSOB is not the cause of Abia PDP led political misfortunes”.
He stated that “We have been protesting against the oppressors of Ndigbo even before the current state administration.
“Governor Ikpeazu and his PDP in Abia should focus on how to redeem their image, which has been battered and drastically lost.
“Our demonstration and protests are against the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu by Nigerian government; it’s not against state government or any individual.”
Edeson further maintained that “Nobody or group in Biafraland can use MASSOB against anybody in Igboland; MASSOB under the leadership of Comrade Uchenna Madu is the unifying factor of total libration and political stability of Ndigbo in Nigeria.
“We advise Biafrans at home and in the Diaspora to disregard some disgruntled persons that are claiming to be leaders of MASSOB”
BIAFRA STRUGGLE IGNITES AS ASARI DOKUBO PLANS AHEAD
Ralph Uwazuruike, the leader of the Biafra group, Biafra Independent Movement (BIM) had earlier announced that elections in the projected independent Biafra state would be held on February 22.
Uwazuruike was the leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State Of Biafra before he was ousted accused of disloyalty. He went on to form BIM and plans have been made to conduct elections in the region. This has been followed by the appointment of Rev. Fr. Samuel Aniebonam as the chairman of the Biafra Independent National Electoral Commission.
The Sun reports that Uwazuruike announced that an inter-denominational prayer session would be held at the Ojukwu memorial library on Tuesday, January 12.
He said religious clerics from the south south and south east region are expected to be in Owerri for the three day fasting and prayer session. He said it was organized to ask for God’s support for a successful election.
He announced that Apostle Gregory Ashiegbu would anchor the theme of the prayer titled: “Give us Biafra”
Uwazuruike explained that the election would be different from Nigeria’s own and would be an open ballot system unlike Nigeria’s closed ballot system. He said that all elections into offices will have been completed by May 22.
Meanwhile, Uwazuruikeclaimed that some expelled members of MASSOB are collecting money from politicians.
Please forgive me when I said that APC is an Islamic party, it was a joke – Sen Uche Ekwunife
After this shameless politician have jumped from one party to other, she is now saint as an APC.
“Please forgive me when I said that APC is an Islamic party, it was a joke. APC is a party for Ndi-Igbo, for Christians and for all lovers of progressive Nigeria.” – Sen. Uche Ekwunife as she decamped to APC.
***************************************************
Sen Uche was a former PDP member before moving to APGA, back to PDP and now to APC. She once describe as an Islamic party and a Vomit. – Hope For Nigeria.
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