Sahara Reporters Latest News Wednesday 27th March 2019
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 27/03/19
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target=_blank>Court Remands Businessman Over N218m Property Scam
An Mpape Magistrate Court in Abuja has remanded Mike Wasiu Adamu, a businessman, in Police custody following his alleged involvement in a N218million property scam.
It made the remand order on March 25, following an application by the Police in a suit marked MT/19/2019.
The “Warrant of Commitment of Prison of Remand’ directed the official in charge of prisons at the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Abuja, to keep Adamu in its custody until Monday, April 1, 2019.
He may then be brought before the court at the expiration of the order, the order stated.
Mike, the son of Amos Adamu, former Director-General of the Nigerian National Sports Commission and ex-FIFA 24-man executive committee, was arrested following petitions to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP).
One petition was written by a firm, NISL Ventures Ltd, on November 1, 2017.
It was titled ‘Conspiracy to defraud, obtaining by false pretence, fraudulent deceit and fraudulent conversion of funds and issuance of dud cheques by Messrs. Mike Adamu and Kolawole Adewale of Eureka Heritage Properties and Consultant Ltd.’
It alleged that Adamu and Adewale received N218million from 14 tenants in respect of NVL’s property without lawful authority and “without remitting same to NVL’s designated accounts”. The sums were allegedly received between 2014 and 2016.
One of the tenants said the property comprised a Shopping Plaza at Plot 109, Adetokunbo Ademola, Wuse II, Abuja.
Another petition was written by a law firm, Paschal Legal, on behalf of a firm, Zuruhills Integrated Services Ltd, on July 17, 2018.
It was titled ‘Petition against One Mike Adamu and Reform Sports West Africa Ltd for Issuance of Dud Cheques and Criminal Breach of Trust’.
The petition read in part: “Mike Adamu, in the bid to offset the sum of N139,500,000 owed our clients by him and captured in a Terms of Settlement document… issued a dud cheque to our client. Every effort to get Mike Adamu to make good his financial obligation to our client has been to no avail. Consequently, we respectfully request that you use your good office to ensure that Mike Adamu is brought to book.”
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target=_blank>Three Killed, Passengers Thrown Off In Different Directions As Car Crashes Against Truck In Ondo
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Three persons lost their lives on Tuesday in a fatal road accident, which occurred on Ode Aye-Okitipupa road in Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The trio died when their commercial motorcycle veered off its lane and rammed into the articulated vehicle driving on the other side of the road.
The deceased were thrown off the motorcycle in different directions. One of them was crushed by a speeding vehicle.
Occupants of the vehicles, a Golf Volkswagen with registration number CH 978 GGE and a diesel truck with registration number AKD 28 LG, were seriously injured as a result of injuries sustained in the fatal accident.
Wasiu Ojeyemi and Taiwo, who were in separate vehicles, were immediately rushed for treatment in a nearby hospital in Ode Aye.
Anthonia Adekemi, spokesperson of the Ondo State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), said he could not immediately confirm the accident when contacted.
“I am yet to really confirm this, but I will get back to you,” she said.
However, Police sources in the town confirmed the accident, adding that the bodies of those who died in the road crash have been evacuated and deposited in the morgue.
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target=_blank>Confusion At MMA2 As Passengers Miss Their Flights Over Terminal Reshuffle
Some passengers of domestic airlines in the country are having a herculean tasks locating the rightful terminals that the airlines they booked with will eventually depart or arrive from.
This confusion has also led to chaos among travellers, their drivers and towing vehicle companies operating at the two terminals at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos.
The two domestic terminals in Lagos are the Murtala Muhammed Airport Two (MMA2), which is owned and operated by Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), and the General Aviation Terminal (GAT), owned by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
This confusion began when Arik Air and Air Peace moved some of their operations away from GAT to MMA2. Some of the affected passengers said that there wasn’t enough sensitisation to the clients of the airlines before and after the relocation of some of the services from GAT.
For instance, some travellers have missed their flights after presenting themselves at the wrong terminals, without compensation by the affected carriers. Mostly affected in the confusion are the passengers who booked online.
At the GAT area on Tuesday, a particular driver who wrongly parked at GAT to pick his boss was seen struggling with officials of a towing company who wanted to impound his car for allegedly parking at a wrong place within the area.
After much argument, which almost led to fisticuffs between the two, it was later realised that his boss whom he had come to pick up would arrive on Arik Air from Port Harcourt at MMA2 and not GAT, where he had earlier parked.
A source close to FAAN said some of the passengers had complained to it about the confusion created by the splitting of the operations between the two terminals by some of the airlines.
The source said: “The two airlines (Arik Air and Air Peace) also have stands at MMA2 apart from the GAT they were operating all their flights from before now. Some passengers who were supposed to board planes from MMA2 are seen missing the flights because they initially went to GAT where they used to board flights to their destinations in the past.
“For instance, some travellers with drivers are seen parking their vehicles at wrong places and today degenerated to fisticuffs between drivers and a towing company at GAT. Before now, some of the vehicles have been towed.”
The source called on the managements of the two airlines to embark on publicity by informing air travellers of the appropriate terminals for each flight.
It would be recalled that April last year, Arik Air had announced the movement of its Port Harcourt Airport operations to GAT.
The airline had said that all daily flights to Port Harcourt International Airport would cease to operate from GAT and would depart and arrive at MMA2.
Also, in January, Air Peace relocated its Lagos-Akure, Lagos-Kaduna and Lagos Port Harcourt NAF Base flights out of GAT to MMA2.
The airline said that the relocation of some of its services to MMA2 was to enhance its quality services to its esteemed customers, adding that apart from the three routes, other local services it plans to come onboard with would be operated at the terminal.
A statement by the Corporate Communications Manager, Air Peace Mr. Chris Iwarah, had said that the development was in line with its expansion plan and strategy to deliver a much better experience to members of the flying public using its services.
Iwarah stated that the expansion of its services to MMA2 would further address the space constraints it was facing at GAT, but noted that other routes it operates to would continue to operate from GAT.
He said: “We are pleased to announce the extension of our flight operations from our main base, the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos to the Murtala Muhammed Airport 2 effective from January 2, 2019. We will now operate our Lagos-Akure, Lagos-Asaba, Lagos-Kaduna and Lagos-Port Harcourt NAF Base flights from MMA2. Other new domestic routes we plan to launch soon will also be done form the facility.
“Other domestic flights out of Lagos will, however, operate from our main Base, the General Aviation Terminal of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos. We are quite hopeful that the expansion of our Lagos base to MMA2 will afford us the space and convenience to deliver first-class flight experience to our loyal customers.”
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target=_blank>House Of Reps Spokesman AbdulRasaq Namdas Publicly Declares Interest In Becoming Speaker
As the race for the position of Speaker in the ninth House of Representatives hots up, Chairman on Media and Public Affairs, AbdulRasaq Namdas, representing Jada/Ganye/Mayo/ Belwa /Taoungo Federal constituency of Adamawa State, has formally declared his intention for the exalted office.
He made the declaration on Tuesday in Abuja at a press conference, saying that he has the prerequisite legislative experience to lead the House of Representatives.
Namdas said his aspiration is in line with the trust and confidence reposed in him by his people and the approval of his stewardship as a legislator in the outgoing 8th National Assembly.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we believe that as our democracy grows, it requires competent and committed individuals with requisite experience and pedigree to build and strengthen our institutions,” he said.
“One of such institutions is the Parliament, and in particular, the House of Representatives, which is the House of the Nigerian people. We know that the task ahead is enormous but surmountable. I therefore, stand before you today to make a solemn declaration to seek the office of Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives.”
He explained that he was throwing his hat in the ring for the position ‘of Speaker because the 9th Assembly deserves the best of leadership. He added that he had served as spokesperson for the house and defended the legislature effectively for four years.
“I am convinced and I believe you are aware that I possess the necessary legislative and personal credentials to effectively lead the House to enviable heights.
“Apart from competence, experience, untainted personal record and excellent leadership traits, what will I be offering to you in terms of policy thrust? We are presenting a new legislative charter, which is our contract with the Nigerian people; this. is a contract that will be driven by good laws and ethical legislative practices. We are desirous to enter into a contract with the Nigerian people for the good of the nation.
“We are not oblivious of the bad blood and emotions generated among the citizenry in the course of the general election; we will therefore work urgently and genuinely to mend fences and build bridges across the nation.”
The lawmaker stated further that he would seek further electoral reforms to enable Nigeria attain global best practices in her election processes.
He pointed out that he would operate an open-door policy, where every lawmaker will be accorded equal rights and opportunities.
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target=_blank>Staunch AAC Supporter Sandra Popoola Receives Queen Elizabeth’s OBE Award
Mrs Sandra Olubukunola Popoola, a staunch supporter of the African Action Congress (AAC), has been awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her services to local government, communities and charity.
The Royal Family helps highlight achievements across the UK and the Commonwealth in a number of different ways throughout the royal year: from award ceremonies and special events, to Royal visits to charities, businesses and institutions. These events help shine a light on many achievements that might otherwise go unnoticed, as well as foster pride in the work of a wealth of diverse industries and communities.
News of the award was announced in the New Year’s Honours List 2019.
Speaking on the award, Popoola said: “The news made me happy, but happier is the Nigerian community in Luton, Bedfordshire who have been bursting with pride at the achievement.”
Aside taking on the role of charity organiser both in Nigeria and the UK and Chairlady of charitable organisations across the globe, her involvement in helping the needy and deprived children in Nigeria has put her in the spotlight.
Popoola was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, and has decades of achievement and experience in civil service. She is also the founder and chair of VOS foundation, a charity organisation helping children in many schools in Nigeria.
Speaking on the award, she said: “I am both humbled and honoured to have been awarded an OBE.
“I would like to take this opportunity to celebrate the diverse nature of the UK society; the basis of my local government involvement services come from my upbringing in Nigeria, but I could have not reached what I did if the UK had not offered me huge opportunities to practise and enhance my skills and contributions.
“I have been lucky to live in a country without frontiers, free to move, to exchange ideas without any barrier. My hope is that the future generations can enjoy the same opportunities I had and be able to freely move, participate in elections as diasporans, embrace the dynamic nature of modern-day electioneering to be enriched by diversity if youths are allowed to be involved in the process.”
Speaking in an interview with Jide Tai Shodeinde, Popoola commented on the need for the Nigerian society to recognise individuals and groups with outstanding achievements.
She also made reference to the just concluded election in Nigeria, and made recommendations for the electoral process in Nigeria to embrace digital transformation by e-voting.
“Electronic voting is the key to electoral credibility,” she said.
She also pointed out the need for citizens in the Diaspora to be involved in subsequent elections in Nigeria, stressing that as stakeholders remitting $22billion yearly to the country, she “hopes the present administration can make this happen by 2023, which is equally possible”.
Popoola is married to Mr. Kenny Popoola with three children.
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target=_blank>Court Picks May 7 For Ruling On Malami’s Objection To MTN’s $1.3bn Tax Suit
Justice Chukwujeku Aneke, sitting in the Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday reserved ruling in a preliminary objection filed by the Attoney General of the Federation asking the court not to entertain the MTN suit bordering on N242billion and $1.3billion import duties and withholding tax assessments.
Arguing the motion on Tuesday, Tijani Gazali, counsel to the AGF, urged the court to strike out the suit filed by MTN on the ground that the case was instituted outside the time prescribed by law.
Gazali argued that the power of the AGF to write a letter to MTN on the matter is included under Section 2A of the Public Officers Protection Act, adding that there was no issue of abuse of office.
“MTN filed this case as a result of the letter written by the AGF asking MTN to pay the tax due to the Federal Government of Nigeria over the past 10 years, but rather than responding to this directive, they instituted this case,” he said.
In its preliminary objection, the AGF argued that the plaintiff, in seeking redress to the subject matter, has just three months from the date the cause of action arose to institute the action.
He argued that the plaintiff commenced the suit in clear disregard to Section 2 of the Public Officers Protection Act, which provides that any action commenced against a public officer, must be made within three months from commencement of cause of action. The AGF argued further that the plaintiff’s failure to commence the suit within three months as stipulated by law, robs the court of jurisdiction to entertain same.
“This case does not amount to the AGF acting outside the scope of his office. AGF can even file a charge or civil siut to recover the money,” Gazali said and urged the court to strike out or dismiss the suit.
MTN, through its counsel led by chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Damia Dodo (SAN) and Professor Fabian Ajogwu, told Justice Aneke that the objection of the AGF was unfounded.
Olanipekun said the court cannot at this stage dismiss or strike out the suit without the evidence of parties.
“My Lord can even order parties for oral evidence in determining our reliefs. We urge your Lordship to dismiss this objection as being frivolous,” he said.
MTN had instituted the suit by a writ dated September 10, 2018, challenging the legality of the AGF’s assessment of its import duties, withholding tax and value added tax in the sums of N242billion and $1.3billion.
The plaintiff is seeking, among other reliefs, a declaration that the AGF’s demand of the sums of N242billion and $1.3billion from MTN, is premised on a process which is “malicious, unreasonable and made on incorrect legal basis”.
Justice Aneke, after listening to both parties, reserved ruling till May 7.
In its writ of summons, MTN is seeking declaratory reliefs on the following grounds:
“That the purported ‘Revenue Assets Investigation’ allegedly carried out by the Federal Government on MTN, for the period of 2007 – 2017, and its decision conveyed through the office of the AGF by a letter dated August 20, violates the provisions of section 36 of the constitution.
“A Declaration that the AGF acted in excess of its powers, by purporting to direct through its letter of May 10, a ‘self assessment exercise’ which usurps the powers of the Nigeria Customs Service to demand payment of import duties on importation of physical goods.
“A Declaration that the AGF acted illegally, by usurping the powers of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, to audit and demand remittance of withholding tax and value added tax.
“A Declaration that the purported ‘self’ exercise instituted by the AGF via its letter of May 10, is unknown to law, null and void and of no effect whatsoever.”
In addition, the plaintiff wants a court order vacating the AGF’s demand letter dated August 20, for the sums of N242billion and $1.3billion from MTN Nigeria Communications Ltd.
Besides, MTN is claiming a total sum of N3billion in damages, against the defendant, which covers general damages, exemplary damages, and legal costs.
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E2%80%98come-forward-proof%E2%80%99 target=_blank>Kano Govt Challenges Anyone With Evidence Of Election Killing To ‘Come Forward With Proof’
The Kano State Government has challenged anyone with proof of killings during the supplementary governorship election of March 23 to come forward with it.
Malam Mohammed Garba, the Commissioner of Information, gave the challenge while addressing a news conference in Kano.
According to Garba, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) claimed two persons were killed in Nasarawa Local Government but when they went to the area and to Nasarawa Hospital, they were unable to get report of any death.
He maintained that if there was any person who witnessed the killing of somebody in Nasarawa LG or anywhere, he or she should come forward with proof.
Garba noted that there were a lot of fabricated stories during the election, which were the handiwork of people who were “desperate opposition party members seeking to discredit the election at all costs”.
He maintained that the supplementary election was generally peaceful beside the two incidents that were quickly addressed by the security agents in the affected areas. He added that the state government would continue to ensure the safety and security of all the residents of the state. He also called on them to remain law-abiding.
Garba commended the journalists for adequate coverage of the exercise and called on them to use their positions to promote peace in the state.
The Kano supplementary governorship election was blighted by incidents of violence, voter intimidation and ballot box snatching.
Abba Yusuf, governorship candidate of the PDP, was leading the race as of the time the March 9 governorship election was declared inconclusive. But after Saturday’s supplementary exercise, incumbent Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of the All progressives Congress (APC) was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral COmmission (INEC).
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target=_blank>UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATION: How Bauchi APC Bribed Domestic Observers To Look Away During General Election
Bauchi State APC Secretary (Middle) verifying the observers
The car used
Observers at the entrance of Chaba Guest Inn where they were accommodated by the APC
Team members to Shira During the Trip with Ijeoma in front
A signed observer form by the team members
Observers ate and drank at the Parlour of the Shira APC Chairman
Observers at the Isa Yuguda’s Parlour
Observers at the Isa Yuguda’s residence
In this Investigation, Haruna Mohammed Salisu exposes how some domestic observers compromised their jobs, going after local politicians to make money instead of monitoring during the 2019 general election in Bauchi state.
The Bauchi State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has paid domestic civil society organizations (domestic observers) that monitored the just concluded 2019 general election between N100,000 and N250,000 each during presidential and national assembly as well as governorship and state assembly elections, investigation by WikkiTimes has revealed.
The party also secured 45 rooms for the observers at Chaba Guest Inn Bauchi for four nights each during the governorship and state assembly election conducted on March 9.
Still pictures, audio and video clips exclusively captured by WikkiTimes exposed a high-ranking official of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state screening/verifying the observers a day to the governorship election, a prerequisite for the payment.
WikkiTimes also captured agents of the party paying the screened domestic observers money, after the conduct of the election.
Alhaji Bako Hussaini, Secretary of the APC in the state, personally screened the observers at the party’s secretariat along Maiduguri by-pass a day to the elections, where they presented their INEC accreditation certificates, which he validated with a master list of all the accredited observers in his possession.
Hussaini paid the observers from N100,000 to N250,000 per organization after the presidential election, while the payment after governorship and state assembly election was done by agents of the party led by one Mallam Ya’u.
On the day of the payment after governorship election, Mallam Ya’u and his colleague used a green Honda Civic car with Registration Number AH 495 KTG Bauchi, where they handed over N100,000 to one of the observers on Saturday, March 16 at 3:01pm at Container (Wunti Market, opposite Bauchi Multipurpose Indoor Sports Hall).
How It Unfolded
Acting on a tip off, WikkiTimes correspondent obtained INEC observers vest and went undercover as the Bauchi State coordinator of one of the accredited organisations.
At about 6:32pm on Friday March 8, this reporter joined observers from other organisations at the APC state secretariat for the screening exercise.
The domestic observers were asked to photocopy the INEC’s accreditation letter offered to all CSOs for elections monitoring, “which was a criterion to ensure that the observers have sold out and were willing to cooperate with the APC, as was done during the presidential election”, says our whistle blower whose organisation received N250,000 during the presidential election.
Joining those struggling to get screened, this reporter’s turn eventually came. He met “the man in-charge of the deal”, as he was addressed by the observers, some of whom were already screened and were therefore performing the roles of “guides and conduits” to others just arriving at the venue of the screening.
“What is the name of your organisation”, Bako queried this reporter, to which he answered pointing at Number 29 on the list in Bako’s hands.
The same Bako paid between N100,000 and N250,000, depending on an organisation’s staff strength, to ensure that the reports filed in by the observers were written in favour of the APC.
“The worth of your organisation depends on your number; we are five in our organisation and we got N100,000; those that got N250,000 were up to 45 in number,” said Ijeoma Uka, the Bauchi State Coordinator of Youth Initiative for Better Nigeria.
Ijeoma Uka’s organization was one of those that collected the money from Alhaji Bako Hussaini after the presidential election.
Observers from Diaspora Advocacy for a New Dawn Initiative in Nigeria led by one Gloria Uchenna collected N250,000 from the APC after the presidential election.
One of Gloria’s colleagues, Chinedu Uchenna, confirmed in an interaction with this reporter that the eight of them got N12,000 each out of the APC’s N250, 000 — though to their utter dissatisfaction.
In a secretly recorded conversation with WikkiTimes, Rita Ikiriko, who was the state team leader of Global Policy Advocacy and Leadership Initiative, also confirmed receiving N150,000 from the APC after the presidential election.
Ugbaje Douglas Elton of the African Initiative for Sustainable and Positive Development also unwittingly confirmed cnfirmed to have collected N250,000 from the Bauchi APC on behalf of his team after the election.
Observers from Youth Education on Human Rights and Civic responsibilities led by Grace Aliyu also collected N250,000.
Usman Ishaka, the state coordinator, Integrity Friends for Peace and Truth Initiative betrayed the trust their name bears and collected N250,000 as confirmed to WikkiTimes by Daniel Anummi, who represented his coordinator in collecting the cash.
Many other organisations collected the APC’s largesse, but the ones above represented those for which Wikkitimes obtained documentary evidence or where its reporters were physically involved in the deal using undercover techniques.
Not only did these organisations collect APC’s money, their staff sent to the field also paid little attention to the observer mission, and instead went after politicians to make as much money as possible.
A Trip To Shira
In order to understand how the compromised domestic observers operated on the field, this reporter, whose adopted organization was verified by the APC state secretary, joined observers from three other organisations to Shira Local Government on the day of governorship and state assembly elections.
The journey to Shira was full of fun, laughter and perfection of more “deals” on how to get party officials lured to paying more money to the team of observers, including the reporter. The reporter teased the other members that he had an idea of how the team members could get more money, “since this is our last chance”.
Ijeoma Uka, who was sitting in the front seat, turned back to say “now you are talking” before flashing a beautiful smile at our correspondent and shaking his hands.
This reporter suggested that the observers should gather all their evidence and also meet with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party and also visit more LGAs. “I think that will help us get more money from party chairmen in other LGAs since they have plenty of money to waste,” the reporter said. The idea was cheered and accepted by the team members.
Shira, A Disappointment
While in Shira LGA, the main objectives of Ijeoma Uka of Youth Initiative for Better Nigeria and Blessing Uchenna of Diaspora Advocacy for a New Dawn Initiative in Nigeria did not include observing the conduct of the elections.
The team arrived Yana, the headquarters of Shira at exactly 12pm, and headed to Polling Unit 0039 not to observe the polls but to inquire the location of the INEC office where Ijeoma confirmed previously having a deal with some local politicians during the presidential election.
But this reporter insisted that the team should have some minutes to observe the elections at the polling unit before proceeding to INEC office. We signed the observers form and left for the INEC office where Ijeoma and her friend perfected their deals during the presidential and national assembly elections
Upon reaching the INEC office located adjacent Shira LGA secretariat at Yana, Blessing and Ijeoma immediately changed their mood, because the INEC office was already depopulated since election materials were already distributed and voting was already going on in the LGA.
To them, our deal was over; the LGA APC party Chairman whom Ijeoma and co wanted to meet was no longer at the INEC office.
Amidst sighs of disappointment, Ijeoma asked our driver to zoom into the INEC premises to see if we could make any sense of what was going on. We were ushered in by a tall, skinny man who smiled upon seeing Ijeoma, signifying the duo might have previously met.
Ijeoma wasted no time in asking to know the whereabouts of the Shira APC Chairman. “He votes at PU 007, Shira,” the man told us.
Off we left for Shira, town less than 10km away from Yana. When the team arrived in Shira, upon inquiry on the exact location of the APC Chairman’s PU 007, the team was directed to his house.
The team ate, drank and had some fun at the house of the Chairman, who, to the disappointment of Ijeoma, only gave the team N3,000 this time around. “This man is stingy in this election, how will he give us just N3,000 naira”, she complained as she counted the N200 pieces in disgust.
During the presidential and national assembly election, the same APC chairman in Shira, according to Ijeoma, gave them N100,000.
While in Shira, the team only observed the election at the APC Chairman’s polling unit, a few metres from his residence, before leaving for Disina, the home town of the Hussaini.
When the team arrived Disina, a district in Shira LGA, it was already 2:14pm. Elections in most of the polling units, especially the ones that were blighted by voter apathy, were already concluded and counting was ongoing.
The untiring Ijeoma who was still confident that “good money”, as she used to say, “would come out of this journey”, requested to know Hussaini’s house. The team was led by a volunteer who accompanied the observers to the house.
Upon reaching the place, our correspondent counted six observers from different organisations who also thronged the compound.
As was the case in Shira, the team dined and wined at the house of Hussaini, who afterwards gave N10,000 to the observers, making their total earning from politicians for the day N13,000.
At the end of the trip, three of the observers, including this reporter, got N2,700 each; the driver of the car received N2,000 while Ijeoma Uka, being the team leader, left with N2,900.
Ijeoma Uka personally shared the money among the team members at Chaba Guest Inn upon our return to Bauchi.
The Deal At Isa Yuguda’s House
After a hectic journey from Shira to Chaba Guest Inn were the observers were lodged by the APC, in Bauchi town, the team was told to rush to Isa Yuguda’s house. Yuguda was Bauchi Governor from 2007 to 2015.
The observers were told to see the ex-governor, who was also supporting the re-election bid of the incumbent.
When the team arrived at Yuguda’s house at VIP, the reporter could physically count125 domestic observers who were already seated in groups in the compound waiting for the man.
After patiently waiting for about 17 minutes (4:26 to 4:43pm), a heavily-built man asked the observers to enter the parlour to meet with their host.
After exchanging pleasantries, Yuguda started lamenting about the state of affairs in the country; he rciticised President Muhammadu Buhari, saying: “You would be surprised to know that even Buhari would not fight corruption in this country.
“Prior to becoming the President, people held him in high esteem as the only person that could fight corruption, but today if you shout corruption close to the President’s ears he will look the other way because some kinds of corruption are too big to be fought.”
He spent several minutes talking and exchanging banters with the domestic observers, who, from all indications, were not interested in what he was saying.
Yuguda asked the observers to return the following morning, as he was not feeling fine. “Please come back tomorrow by 11am, let me see what I can do for you; but manage what I can be able to afford,” he said to the dissatisfaction of many of the observers who thought the gratification would be instant.
All hope not lost; some of the observers advised that a list should be formed to ensure that no new entries were accepted the following day.
The following morning, March 20, 2019 the observers, including this reporter, came back at exactly 11am, but Isa Yuguda was nowhere to be found. The team was told that he was still sleeping; the observers were asked to wait. The team waited till 2pm and was asked to leave and return by 5pm.
The reporter left and requested the other team members to call him when the Governor wakes up. By 5pm when the observers were asked to come back, Rita Ikiriko from Global Policy Advocacy and Leadership Initiative placed a call to our reporter to complain that the observers were at the gate but were denied entry into Yududa’s house.
In the end, nothing came from Yuguda.
Not All The Observers Were Bad
However, not all domestic observers sent to observe the elections budged when asked to collect money by the ruling party.
For instance, Mbami Sabka Iliya, the Bauchi State Coordinator for Cleen Foundation, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre and Human Rights Agenda Network, confiscated the tags of the observers he sent to monitor the elections. “When I was told that they were at Isa Yuguda’s House, I rushed there and luckily I caught them red-handed,” he said. “I had to seize their tags immediately.”
Another observer from Women Advocacy and Research Documentation Centre, who asked not to be mentioned, told this medium that she was “in the Church when I started receiving calls that I should submit my form for screening at the APC Secretariat”.
“I told them that I have no business going to the party office as an observer,” she said, adding that although her colleagues collected the money, she tried to shame the devil by staying away.
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target=_blank>BREAKING: INEC To Conduct Adamawa Supplementary Governorship Election On Thursday
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has fixed Thursday March 28 for the supplementary governorship election in Adamawa State.
INEC made the decision after it received green light to proceed from the Adamawa State High Court sitting in Yola, which vacated the order restraining the conduct of the election.
In vacating the order, Justice Abdulaziz Waziri had said: “Election is a constitutional matter; this court would not be used to breach the process.”
Before the March 9 election was declared inconclusive, Ahmed Umar Fintiri, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had polled 367,471 votes, while the incumbent governor, Jibrilla Bindow of the All Progressives Congress (APC), had 334,995 votes.
It meant Fintiri was leading with a margin 32,476; however, ballots cancelled for various infractions amounted to 40,988, leaving INEC with no option but to schedule a reun in the affected 44 polling units in 28 registration areas.
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‘Only One Cardiovascular Lab In The 11 States Of The South-South And South-East’
The only functional cardiovascular laboratory in the entire South-South and the South-East geopolitical zones is located in the Bayelsa Specialist Hospital (BSH), Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital.
Making the disclosure at BHS on Monday, a prominent Interventional Cardiologist, Dr. Dafe Emmanuel, said since the inauguration of the hospital, which was built by the state Governor, Seriake Dickson, the lab has been providing services to patients from the 11 states that make up the zone.
Dafe, who heads the cardiovascular unit of the hospital, said patients from other parts of the country also patronise the medical facility for various cardiovascular procedures.
He said a similar laboratory in the University Teaching Hospital Enugu has not been functioning in the last three years, same as the one established in Akwa Ibom State by former Governor Godswill Akpabio.
He said: “In the Bayelsa Specialist Hospital, we have a functional cardiovascular laboratory that serves the whole of South-South and the South East. This is the only functioning card lab in these 11 states.
“Other card labs working in Nigeria are three in Lagos and one in Abuja. The one in Abuja serves the whole of the north and its is privately driven. In Enugu, the Federal Government tried to establish one but it never worked.
“There is one in Akwa Ibom established by the former Governor, it has been shut down for the past three years. It is not working. There is one coming up in Owerri, it is privately driven. So, these are the only functioning labs. Only about five functional card labs in Nigeria. This is how terrible it is. People die every day.”
Dafe said the efficiency and proper management of the laboratory in BHS since its establishment had led to the influx of many patients from different parts of the country to the hospital.
He said over 100 patients from outside the state patronized the hospital for cardiovascular procedures in the past one year, adding that they came from Abuja, Katsina, Zaria, Calabar, Benin, Owerri, Enugu, Port Harcourt among others.
“The patient I am handling now is from Oghara Teaching Hospital. As I am talking to you another patient is on his way from Benin. The reason we get these patients is that they heard of the work we are doing.
“So, the work is spreading. When they come they stay with us here in hotels with their relatives. We have more than 100 for the past one year that came from outside to get cardiovascular help here.”
He said the laboratory was equipped to manage all cardiovascular cases such as coronary setting, right and left heart cartrisation, geoplasting and peripheral balloons among others.
The doctor said: “We have treated many patients who were due for above-knee amputation. The orthopedic doctors said they would chop off their legs. Nobody wants their legs chopped off. No matter how beautiful the artificial legs look like, they cannot be exactly like the natural leg.
“A number of them that came here, we were able to convert them. Many of them did not have the amputation anymore. Some of them we converted from above knee to below knee amputation because the gangrene was extensive and we couldn’t salvage the muscles and the tissues. We also do pace maker insertions here.
“We do minor heart surgery. You don’t open up the heart. You use needle to get into the vessel. Then pass your wires and get the work done and while doing that the patient is awake and you are talking with the patient. Everything is done and the same or next day, the patient will go.”
Also speaking, the Community Chief Executive Officer (CCEO) of BSH, Cynthia Oye, said though the state government owned the hospital, it was being managed by a private organisation, Oyesis Global Network.
She said the hospital was also equipped to undertake other critical health procedures than cardiovascular cases, adding that BHS was effectively handling stroke and kidney cases through state of the art machine.
Oye noted that the hospital was currently running free cleft lip ad cleft palate surgeries in partnership with an American-based organisation.
She said: “We have free surgeries and it is still ongoing. We started the surgeries June last year and we have had 22 successfully done so far.”
She added that the hospital’s bills were very affordable and competitive, especially with the help of the Bayelsa Insurance Scheme floated in the state by Governor Dickson.
She said: “The hospital is in Government House. It looks nice and clean so people just assume it is expensive. Most people still don’t know that it is open to the general public. They assume it is for dignitaries and high-profile persons.
“We are very affordable with competitive rates. And one thing I know we do here is attaching importance on patient’s health. If somebody comes as emergency, we don’t talk money first we try to stabilize the person first.”
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