Buhari: why me?

– President Muhammadu Buhari says he wonders why he came to power at this economic -challenging period
– The president said with God’s help, the country will experience better days
-The president addressed Nigerians in London on the state of the economy

President Muhammadu Buhari has wondered why he came into government at this period of economic challenges but expressed optimism in the success of the administration with God’s help.

The Punch reports that the president said this on Friday, February 5 when he was addressing the members of the Nigerian community in the United Kingdom in London.

President Buhari said he always wondered why oil, which used to sell for over $140 per barrel, would reduce to $30 per barrel during his time as president and why he wasn’t in charge when the country was financially buoyant. He said he however continue to pray to God to be merciful to the over 170 million Nigerians.

“With the problems we have in this government, I sometimes wonder. At least, this time around, I asked for it, I prayed for it, I went round the country and I asked for it. But the first time under the military, I allowed the military to take decision.

“But I say why me? Why is it that it is when they have spent all the money, when they made the country insecure that I returned?

“Why didn’t I come when the treasury was full? Oil price was over $140 per barrel and when I came, it slipped down to $30. Why me?

“I keep on praying to God to pity Nigeria and its over 170 million people who are exposed to climate change, illiteracy and poverty.”

Buhari said his administration had succeeded in mopping up over N2.2trn as of January through the Treasury Single Account arrangement. He explained that although it was introduced by former president, Goodluck Jonathan, he didn’t know why it was not implemented.

“You know the condition we are in now. I am sure with demands from home, in spite of what your effort is, you know we are really in trouble.

“We have tried to impose what we call Treasury Single Account. The reason is simple. This government did not initiate it; it was initiated by the previous government. But it was so unpopular to the bureaucracy, so the previous government for its own reasons, could not impose it.
“But when we came and we found out that we were broke, we said this is the way to do it.
“I will tell you two examples to convince you. Firstly, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation had more than 45 accounts. Ministry of Defence had more than 70 accounts. Tell me which Accountant-General can trace all these accounts?

“So, we imposed TSA. By the end of December, coming to January 2016, we mopped up more than N2.2trn which would have been used through bureaucratic system to raise vouchers and sign cheques so that they don’t go into the next budget.”

The president applauded the United States and Britain for preventing the previous administration from rigging the election. He recalled that Samdo Dasuki, the national security adviser had urged the service chiefs to tell the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that they could not guarantee safety during the polls. He said Professor Attahiru Jega, the chairman of INEC had guarantee 60 percent free and fair election at a point when the country had only managed 45 per cent.

“Then we insisted that election must be done according to the constitution.

“At this point again, I must hasten to thank the United States for sending the Secretary of State, Kerry, to go and read the riot act to the previous government and speak to Prof. Jega, the Chairman of INEC and speak to us as opposition that the US would not tolerate any election outside the Nigerian constitution.

“They maintained the pressure from that date until after the election and the formation of the new government.

“I think Nigerians honestly should thank the US for this. The same thing with Britain, they used all their experience and their powers to make sure that the Federal Government did not rig the last election.

“We thank God, we thank these super powers and we thank technology. Why we thank technology is because of the permanent voter cards and the card readers.”

Meanwhile, the president has handed over power to Yemi Osinbajo, the vice president while he is on a short vacation, a move that has generated reactions from Nigerians.

Delta pastor impregnates nine female church members

– Pastor impregnates nine church members
– Victims reveal how they were deceived
– Pastor says they are all liars

A Delta-based pastor has reportedly slept with and impregnated seven single ladies and two married women, all members of his church.

According to The Punch, the man of God simply identified as Dukes has been on the alleged act for over two years, a situation which has led to impregnation of the women.

Reports also say the self-acclaimed man of God had also seduced several young girls in neighbouring communities with the pretext of helping them with suitors before he relocated to Umunede to save face after his antics had been discovered.

Dukes was reportedly detained at Agbor Police Station by aggrieved parents of his victims for two days before being granted bail.

According to Josephine Ogor, a member of his ‘Light Of God Ministries’ church, “The self acclaimed reverend uses preaching, choirs and organised youth fellowship to get young girls.

“That was what he did in Ute-Okpu, Otolokpo neighbouring communities before he moved into Umunede and he was driven away by the elders of the communities, he likes girls of 15, 16 and 17 years he sleeps with.”

Some married women were also reported to have started carrying their marital problems to him, and known for his magical powers, the women were made to feast on his mind-blowing prophecies, especially unsuspecting members of his church including some highly placed politicians and businessmen across the state.

Some of his victims, Awele John, Marble Ogoan and Rosemary Iwendi, who claimed they were hoodwinked into sexual intercourse with him via magical powers, said: “Please Mr. Pressman don’t use our pictures.
“The man is fake, he uses magical powers to woo young girls he sleeps with, that was how we fell into his net, and our eyes were opened.”

And one of the married woman who fell prey of the pastor’s antics, said she had gone to the reverend’s house to seek advice on constant quarrels between her and the husband for possible solution when Dukes allegedly gave her anointed oil.

The woman who pleaded anonymity said she was asked to rub and take from the oil but she suddenly found herself making love with the reverend during the night.

“I saw myself having sexual intercourse with the Reverend in my sleep and I was shocked before I made it known to my husband,” she said.


The clergyman’s usual mode of getting people is by asking them, especially unsuspecting female miracle seekers, young girls looking for suitors, among others, olive oil bottles which eventually keeps them inseparable from him.

Dukes, when contacted, reacted in the negative, saying that the reports were attempts by people who want to blackmail and kill him as a true man of God.

According to him, “I am not responsible for their pregnancies, they are lairs.”
Two investigating police officers, who also pleaded anonymity at the police station, informed that, “We are currently investigating the Reverend after some parents of the girls he allegedly seduced reported the matter at the station, we have earlier arrested and released him on bail while investigation is ongoing.”

Snake swallows goat in Abuja

The residents of Gwagwalada in Abuja woke up to this, recently.
The snake was restless, weak and unable to move after swallowing a goat. See photos below:

 

Bhet, how come?

Confrontation Of President Buhari By Angry Biafrans In London

Buhari Was Smuggled Out Of Kensington Close Hotel London Via The Basement Last Night As Angry Biafran Protesting The Illegal Incarceration Of Their Dear Leader Nnamdi Kanu Laid Siege
Angry Biafrans blocked Buhari from entry into the Kensington Close Hotel where he was billed to address Nigeria Community in the United Kingdom. Unknown to Buhari and his people, angry Biafrans rushed and blocked him from entry as he entered the lobby of the hotel. It took the intervention of the metropolitan police to allow him passage after persuading Biafran to calm down.



This disorganised and affected Buharis program as he could only spend about ten minutes in the supposedly town hall meeting. While Biafrans waited outside the hotel entrance for Buhari’s exit, his aids pleaded with the metropolitan police to ask them to leave. The police rebuffed them, letting them know that these people have right under the law to stay where they wanted to. Afraid of Biafrans on his way out, he has to be smuggled through the basement of the hotel.

There is no evidence to probe Alison-Madueke - Buhari

– President Buhari says he can’t prosecute the former minister of petroleum over lack of evidence
– The president threatens to prosecute all those who dipped their hand into the nation’s wealth
– Buhari is unwilling to give up on his search for evidence

Former oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke was arrested in London on suspicion of bribery and money laundering

President Muhammadu Buhari, has said that he is unable to prosecute the former minister of petroleum resources, Deizani Alison-Madueke and other petroleum workers over what he called lack of evidence, Break Times reports.

The president stated this in an exclusive interview with Peter Okwoche of the BBC, after attending a conference on the ongoing Syrian crisis.


Okwoche in a series of tweets quoted the president to have said: “To prosecute corruption successfully we need evidence. That’s not easy especially in petroleum sector.”

President Buhari had earlier threatened to prosecute all those who dipped their hand into the nation’s wealth for private use and among those brandished and suspected to be prosecuted is Alison-Madueke.

The president unwilling to give up on his search for evidence has unwittingly admitted that there was no form of evidence privy to his government against the former minister and as such vindicated her from diverse alleged corrupt malpractices leveled against her by Nigerians.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister of Dominica Roosevelt Skerrit has denied that Nigeria’s former petroleum minister was ever offered or encouraged by his government to take Dominican citizenship.

Skerrit’s denial comes as Alison-Madueke faces serious corruption investigations in both Nigeria and the UK.

Bayelsa Permanent Secretary Caught By Police Trying To Buy Newborn Baby For N200,000

A current Permanent Secretary in Bayelsa State, Dr. Wisdom Sawyer, was arrested Thursday by police for allegedly attempting to purchase a newborn baby for N200,000. Dr. Sawyer is also a medical practitioner and proprietor of Survival Hospital in Igbogene, Yenagoa Local Government Area (LGA).

 
Nigeria Police Force SaharaReporters Media 
 
The arrest follows a complaint by the newborn’s mother, Nnenna Lawrence, 24 years old, who had reportedly gone to the hospital eight months into her pregnancy requesting an abortion.

Dr. Sawyer reportedly declined to perform the abortion due to the risks involved. However, he had allegedly offered to buy the unborn child for N200,000 if she was a female or N250,000 if he was a male.
Sources from the Bayelsa State Police command speaking with SaharaReporters said that the doctor gave the mother N27,000 as a commitment if she agreed.

However, when Ms. Lawrence delivered a boy she reportedly changed her mind and reneged to sell the baby as agreed to Dr. Sawyer. She is then said to have fled to the Igbogene Division ‎of the Police after the hospital refused to release the newborn baby to her.

Asinim Butswat, the spokesman for the Bayelsa Police command, confirmed the development to our correspondent and said an investigation is now underway.

"On Thursday, at about 1000hrs, one Nnenna Lawrence of Igbogene community, reported to the police that she delivered a baby on the February 3, 2016 at Survival Hospital in Igbogene, Yenagoa. She stated that prior to the delivery, she had arranged with a doctor and a nurse to sell the baby to one woman, now at large, at the sum of two-hundred thousand naira,” his statement read.

Mr. Butswat also said that the Doctor and the Nurse are undergoing interrogation at Igbogene Police Station.

Code Of Conduct Tribunal Trial: Nigeria Lines Up Eight Witnesses Against Senator Saraki

The Federal Government has proposed eight witnesses who will testify against the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, when his trial on 13 counts of false assets declaration before the Code of Conduct Tribunal starts.

Contrary to widespread reports last year that the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai, was part of the proposed prosecution witnesses, a court document obtained by our correspondent on Friday showed that the governor is not listed to testify against the Senate President.

The list obtained shows eight proposed witnesses who were said to have been involved in the investigation of the four forms in which Saraki had allegedly made false declaration of his assets between 2003 and 2011 during his two terms as governor.

The list of witnesses which was filed along with charges instituted against Saraki is dated September 11, 2015.

The document bears the signature of a then-Deputy Director of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Muslim Hassan (now a judge of the Federal High Court), who had also signed the charges.

The trial of the Senate President is expected to commence any moment from next week following Friday’s judgement of the Supreme Court affirming the validity of the charges preferred against him and the jurisdiction of the CCT to try him.

Following the apex court’s judgement, the Danladi Umar-led tribunal is expected to issue a hearing notice to parties to enable the prosecution, led by Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), to open its case by calling its proposed witnesses.

Those listed by the prosecution to testify against him are: Yahaya Bello, Michael Wetkas, Mustapha Abubakar Musa, Nura Ali Bako, Adamu Garba, Samuel Madojemu, Abdulrahaman Bayo Dauda and Nwachukwu Amazu.

Some of the witnesses were said to be detectives who investigated the four forms submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau by Saraki as a two-term governor.

The proceedings of the tribunal had been stalled by an earlier ruling of the Supreme Court staying the proceedings of the tribunal pending the hearing and determination of his appeal.

The five-man panel of the Supreme Court whose order had put Saraki’s trial on hold was headed by now retired Justice John Fabiyi.

But Friday’s judgement of a fresh seven-man bench led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, effectively terminated the order of stay of proceedings earlier granted by the apex court.
In the 13 counts instituted against Saraki, he was alleged to have “corruptly acquired many properties while in office as Governor of Kwara State, but failed to declare some of them in the said forms earlier filled and submitted.”

He also allegedly made an anticipatory declaration of assets upon his assumption of office as governor, which he later acquired.

He is also accused of sending money abroad for the purchase of a property in London and that he maintained an account outside Nigeria while serving as governor.

Saraki initially refused to appear before the tribunal, prompting it to issue a bench warrant against him.
He later submitted himself to the CCT for arraignment on September 22, 2015 before the arrest warrant could be executed.

…as Supreme Court orders senate president to face trial
The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed the appeal by the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, challenging the propriety of his trial on charges of false assets declaration preferred against him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

A seven-man panel presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, unanimously ruled that Saraki’s appeal against the jurisdiction of the CCT and the competence of the charges lacked merit.

Justice Walter Onnoghen, who delivered the lead judgement, dismissed all Saraki’s seven grounds of appeal, affirming that the charges instituted against him were valid and that the tribunal was validly constituted with requisite jurisdiction to try him.

He said, “In conclusion, I find no merit in the appeal which is accordingly dismissed.

“The judgement of the lower court (Court of Appeal) delivered on 30th October, 2015 dismissing the appeal of the appellant against the ruling of Code of Conduct Tribunal of 18th September 2015 is hereby affirmed. Appeal dismissed.”

The CJN and other members of the full panel of the apex court, comprising Justices Tanko Muhammad, Sylvester Ngwuta, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Chima Nweze and Amiru Sanusi, also consented to the judgement.

The judgement of the Supreme Court terminated an earlier order of the a panel of apex court presided over by now retired Justice John Fabiyi, which had on November 12, 2015, stayed proceedings in the trial of the Senate President.

The CCT is therefore expected to issue a hearing notice for the continuation of the senate president’s trial.
In the 13 counts initiated by the Federal Government, Saraki was said to have made false assets declaration in his forms submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau as a two-term Governor of Kwara State between 2003 and 2011.

He failed in his bid to get the Danladi Umar-led tribunal to quash the 13 counts, after he was arraigned on September 22, 2015.

He appealed to the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, against the decision of the CCT to continue the trial
But by a two-to-one split decision of its three-man bench led by Justice Moore Admein, the Court of Appeal dismissed the senate president’s appeal.

Saraki, in his further appeal to the Supreme Court, asked the apex court to quash the charges filed against him on among his seven grounds of appeal, that the CCT lacked jurisdiction to try him as it was constituted by two instead of three members.

He also argued that the tribunal was not a criminal court and thus lacked the power to issue bench warrant or apply the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 in its proceedings.

Saraki contended that the charges preferred against him were incompetent on the basis that they were filed in the absence of the Attorney-General of the Federation in office.

He also canvassed as part of his grounds of appeal that the charges instituted against him had been rendered incompetent by being served on him in an “incurably defective manner.”

The senate president also contended that the Court of Appeal wrongly justified an alleged disobedience of a Federal High Court’s order to stay proceedings by the CCT.

Justice Onnoghen, in considering the appeal on Friday, condensed the seven grounds raised by Saraki, through his lawyer, Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN), into five issues.

All the five issues were resolved against Saraki and in favour of the prosecution –the Federal Government.
The apex court upheld the argument by the Federal Government’s lawyer, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) and held that contrary to Saraki’s contention, the Danladi Umar-led CCT was validly constituted by two members.

He held that while the Constitution under Paragraph 15(1) of the 5th Schedule provides that the CCT must be composed by the Chairman and two members, the law was silent on the quorum of the tribunal that could validly conduct its proceedings.

Affirming the contention of the prosecution to the effect that the chairman and one member of the tribunal could form a quorum for the tribunal, Justice Onnoghen cited the provisions of Section 28 of the Interpretation Act, which stipulates that the quorum of any tribunal, commission of inquiry, “shall not be less than two.”

Justice Onnoghen said, “From the above provision, it is clear that any sitting of the Code of Conduct Tribunal presided by the chairman and one member, as was the case herein, is valid.”

The apex court also dismissed the contention that the CCT lacked jurisdiction to issue bench warrant or apply the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 in its proceedings.

Though the Court of Appeal had described the CCT as “a tribunal with limited jurisdiction,” the apex court ruled on Friday that going by the subtitles in the Third Schedule to the Code of Conduct headed, ‘Code of Conduct Tribunal Rules of Procedure, it was safer to refer to the CCT as having “a quasi-criminal jurisdiction.”

Justice Onnoghen highlighted the subtitles to include, ‘institution of proceedings’; ‘order on an accused to appear’; ‘plea of not guilty or no plea’; ‘presentation of case for prosecution’; ‘procedure after presentation of evidence by the prosecutor’; ‘defence’, and so on.

“From the totality of the provisions, it is my view that it is clear that the intention of the legislature is to make the proceedings of the tribunal criminal proceedings to be regulated by criminal procedure,” Justice Onnoghen held.

On the issue of incompetence of the charges due to the absence of an AGF, Justice Onnoghen also held, “It is very clear that the power of initiating criminal proceedings by any officer of the department of the Attorney General of the Federation is not dependent on the office of the said Attorney-General of the Federation having an incumbent.”

The apex court also held that the argument by Saraki to the effect that he was improperly served was baseless, holding that going by Section 136(a) of the ACJ Act, “trials may be held not withstanding any irregularity, defect or error in the summons or warrant or in the issuing, service or execution of the summons of warrant.”

He also held that the CCT did not disobey any order of the Federal High Court staying its proceedings.
The apex court described as unfortunate an attempt by Saraki’s lawyers to intimidate the tribunal by raising the issue.

The apex court said, “In any event, there was no order of the Federal High Court staying proceedings of the tribunal which was disobeyed by the tribunal.

“I hold that the instant issue is an attempt at intimidating the Code of Conduct Tribunal, which is very unfortunate.”

The Supreme Court was, however, filled to capacity mainly by political associates of the senate president on Friday.

Many of them who could not find seats stood in all available spaces in the court room.

The supporters of the Senate President left quietly in disappointment after the judgement was delivered.
The Supreme Court had, on November 12, 2015 through a five-man panel, led by now retired Justice John Fabiyi, granted an order of stay of proceedings of Saraki’s trial before the CCT, pending the hearing and determination of his appeal.

After granting the order of stay of proceedings, the apex court ordered parties –Saraki and the Federal Government – to exchange their briefs of argument within 14 days.

A new panel headed by the CJN which heard the appeal on December 4, 2015 comprised Justices Walter Onnoghen, Tanko Muhammad, Sylvester Ngwuta, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Chima Nweze and Amiru Sanusi.
The senate president, who was said to have submitted four assets declaration forms which were allegedly investigated by the CCB, was found to have “corruptly acquired many properties while in office as Governor of Kwara State but failed to declare some of them in the said forms earlier filled and submitted.”

He also allegedly made an anticipatory declaration of assets upon his assumption of office as governor, which he later acquired.

He is also accused of sending money abroad for the purchase of property in streak of property in London and that he maintained an account outside Nigeria while serving as governor.

Saraki initially refused to appear before the tribunal prompting it to issue a bench warrant against him.
He later submitted himself to the CCT for arraignment on September 22, 2015 before the arrest warrant could be executed.