Sahara Reporters Latest News Thursday 31st January 2019

Sahara Reporters Latest News Thursday 31st January 2019

Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 31/01/19

target=_blank>BREAKING: Atiku: Will I Accept Result Of Election If I Lose? Why Not!

Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says he will accept the result of the 2019 presidential election if he loses — provided the election is free and fair.
Atiku said this on Wednesday on ‘The Candidates’, a presidential town hall co-production between Daria Media and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), with support from the MacArthur Foundation.
As the very final question before drawing the curtain on the interaction, Atiku was asked if he would accept the result of the election should he lose.
He replied: “If elections are adjudged to be free and fair and credible, why not? I have lost elections before.”

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target=_blank>BREAKING: I Lent EFCC N300m So It Could Take Off, Says Atiku

Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says he gave a loan of N300million to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from privatisation proceeds to commence activities when the anti-graft agency was set up.
He also said one of the ways to tackle corruption is to reduce the personal relationship between individuals in the public and private sectors.
He stated this on Wednesday night when he featured on ‘The Candidates’, a presidential town hall co-production between Daria Media and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), with support from the MacArthur Foundation and anchored by Kadaria Ahmed.
Speaking on how he hopes to fight corruption, Atiku stressed that he would embrace prevention measures as well as punitive measures.
His words: “There is need for us to go by the adage of the English saying, which states ‘Prevention is better than cure’. We can keep it going side by side — punitive measures and prevention measures — and my point is that we should be able to introduce technology in our public service and even in the private sector, so the relationship with the members of the public and private is not personal.
“I made an example of the United Arab Emirates, whose citizens are not as educated as Nigerians, and hereby introduced technology amongst the public sector. They have virtually eliminated corruption. I want to automate the public sector and make sure the contact that brings about corruption is eliminated. When you eliminated that, you would have reduced corruption to the barest minimum.”
On the activities of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as well as ensuring that corrupt public officials are not shielded from being prosecuted, even if they were his friends, he continued: “My quarrel with the judicial system is that there is too much delay, if we can shuttle the delay so that justice is being set out immediately, the better for us.
“Looking at the legislature and the procedure in dealing with the judiciary, you know that the cases we initiated during our administration are still in court. Where is the justice there? We set up the EFCC. I, in particular, brought the piece of drafting regulation from Brazil, and it was based on that draft, legislation was crafted. When it was eventually passed by the National Assembly, the EFCC did not even have the money in the budget to start the operation. I borrowed them N300million from the privatisation proceeds and I said ‘you better get to work’.
“The following year when there was budgetary allocation; they repaid the money. So I believe the period that it takes, most of the convictions that you are hearing today were cases from our administration.”

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target=_blank>BREAKING: Kadaria Ahmed Grills Atiku On His ‘Corruption’ Record

Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and his running mate, Peter Obi, are currently responding to questions on why Nigerians should elect them in the forthcoming elections.
The programme is tagged ‘The Candidates’, and is anchored by Kadaria Ahmad. ‘The Candidates’ is a presidential town hall co-production between Daria Media and the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), with support from the MacArthur Foundation. It is taking place at Sheraton Hotel, Abuja.
“Do you believe Nigeria has a corruption problem?” Kadaria asked.
Adjusting in his seat, Atiku’s responded as follows: “Certainly, Nigeria has a corruption problem. There is no doubt about that. In my view, corruption is the use of your privileged position to either enrich yourself, your relatives or even your friends. In other words, abuse of office.”
Kadaria went further to probe Atiku’s time in office, beginning with his time as a Customs officer at the Apapa Ports and the setting up of a logistics company that did clearing and forwarding while he was a Customs officer. She also asked if Atiku would consider that an abuse of office.
Atiku said: “Well, it was an issue of share purchase. At that point, it was very very lawful for any public officer to purchase shares. You must remember — I don’t know how old you were — there was indigenisation decree which was passed by the then military government which allowed public officers to legitimately acquire shares in the attempt to indigenise most of the companies that were operating at that time that were owned by expatriates.”
Responding to the question on the fact that the company was set up with another shareholder, an Italian, with the focus as clearing and logistics, Atiku responded: “It is not correct. The company was not registered as a clearing and forwarding agency at the time. It was a registered company to undertake logistics in oil and gas and that is what it still does, no more, no less.”
Continuing, she asked: “This company metamorphosed in 2006, and was given extended 25-year concession in some key ports in this country. But more than that, it was given monopoly for the oil and gas sector, at a time you were the Vice-President of Nigeria. Do you see that this could be a moral problem?”
Atiku answered: “Again, you’re very very incorrect. The issue of monopoly was not there. There were still companies that we met in the ports that were doing exactly what the company was doing. So, there is no question of monopoly. It is a complete misrepresentation of the facts. There was no monopoly at all. There was competition and there is still competition.”
The conversation continued:
Kadaria: This information is on your company website, by the way.
Atiku: You should have also crosschecked to see whether what the company is saying is correct or not.
Kadaria: Your company made a mistake on whether you have a monopoly?
Atiku: It is possible.

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target=_blank>LIVE: Q&A With PDP’s Atiku, Obi On ‘TheCandidates’

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target=_blank>Gospel Singer Funmi Aragbaye Loses Husband

Funmi Aragbaye, a popular gospel musician and National President of the Gospel Musicians’ Association of Nigeria, has lost her husband, Elder Bola Aragbaye.
Elder Aragbaye died at about 2:30pm on Wednesday, aged 77, at the University College Hospital, Ibadan.
During his lifetime, he worked at the Nigerian Tribune as a journalist under the supervision of ex-Governor of Lagos State Lateef Jakande, after which he left in 1967 to join The Sketch Press Limited, where he rose to become Editor.
He was appointed Chief Press Secretary to the late Chief Adekunle Ajasin, a former Governor of Ondo State, in 1981.
He clocked 77 on November 10, 2018, and is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren and other family members.

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target=_blank>Thugs Beat Up Rivers NBA Chairman ‘Because Of Onnoghen’

Sylvester Adaka, the RIvers State Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), was the victim of an attack by some thugs suspected to be affiliated to politicians on Wednesday.
Adaka had approached the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt on Wednesday to plead for request an adjournment of proceedings in response to the boycott order issued by the NBA over the suspension of Walter Onnoghen as the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).

target=_blank>BREAKING: 25 Months After Indictment, EFCC Charges Babachir Lawal To Court

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a 10-count charge against Babachir Lawal, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
Lawal is facing prosecution over allegations bothering on fraud.
The anti-graft commission also filed a four-count charge over allegations of fraud against Ayodele Oke, a former Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
Oke is facing trial alongside his wife, Mrs Folashade Oke.
The ‘grass cutting’ saga for which Lawal has now been charged to court, was first unearthed in December 2016 by the Senate ad hoc committee on the North East headed by Shehu Sani, the senator representing Kaduna Central.
Details later…

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target=_blank>25-Year-Old Ondo Panel Beater ‘Steals’ Sister’s, Brother’s Wife’s Pants

Adejoh Ojonugwa (the suspect) and Prophet Olajide Ogunleye (left)

Adejoh Ojonugwa, a 25-year-old panel beater, has been arrested in Ondo State for stealing underwear belonging to his elder brother’s wife.
Ojonugwa was apprehended by officers of Ondo State Police Command after the case was reported.
The suspect was nabbed alongside one Prophet Olajide Ogunleye of the Celestial Church of Christ, Ibanujemidopin Parish in Uso Local Council Area of the state.
SaharaReporters gathered that the 53-year-old prophet is well-known in the state.
During interrogation with reporters, Ojonugwa, a native of Kogi State, said he only visited the prophet for spiritual cleansing as he needed a solution to his problem.
Narrating his side of the story, he said: “I went to seek spiritual cleansing from Prophet Ogunleye and when I got there, he prayed fervently for me. In fact, he asked me about the job I do, and I told him that I am a panel beater, which has been my trade for a very long time.
“Later, he asked me to open my hand, and he dropped something on it for me to swallow, which I did. After I swallowed it, he prayed for me and I left his place. But when I got home, I became unconscious. Later, I began to look for my brother’s wife underwear and I took them to the Prophet for some ritual purposes. Sadly, hours later, my brother’s wife raised the alarm that her underwear garments were missing and I was arrested.
“When the Police arrested me, I was taken to Uso Police Station before they transferred me here to Akure. Two of the items belong to my brother’s wife and three belong to my younger sister.”
The Prophet, however, denied the allegation, stating that he was only being implicated by the suspect.
His words: “I am a true man of God and I have never seen the boy (Ojonugwa) in my life. He is just lying against me. The truth of this matter is that they came to me for a parcel of land and I refused to give them. I never asked him to bring any underwear for rituals. So, they feel it is an opportunity to implicate me in this crime since I had refused to give them the land to cultivate Indian hemp.
“Though, I engage in some spiritual cleansing for people, mostly pregnant women who have difficulties so they can give birth early and easily, I don’t engage in rituals as it is against the belief of our church. I only see the allegation as pure lies against me.”
Visibly angry, the elder brother of the suspect, Benjamin Ojonugwa, said his younger brother had always wanted to have money “by all means, even through rituals”.
“He is my own younger brother and has always been in haste to have money through any means, but I just thank God that he was exposed. He stole my wife’s underwear, and wanted to use it for ritual purpose, so that he will have more money than me,” he said.
Grace Ojonugwa, the victim, confirmed that the suspect stole her underwear from where she spread it to dry in the house.
“It was my husband’s younger brother that stole the pants. He was actually trailing me to spread it and when I discovered that the pants were missing, I knew he stole it,” she said
Femi Joseph, spokesman of the Ondo State Police Command, said the suspect and the Prophet were arrested last week by the Police.
Joseph, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said the cases of “stolen female underwear” were now becoming a trend and advised ladieas to be on their guard.
“We have to guard whatever we are putting on. I also advise parents to warn their children, particularly females, to be very careful where they keep their undergarments,” he said.
He added that the suspects would be charged to court soon.

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target=_blank>Afenifere (Afenifebi): Sick People Endorsed Sick Presidency! Bayo Oluwasanmi

Bayo Oluwasanmi

Yorubas have never been united politically as one people. Never spoken with one voice. They are easily bought and cowered with money and positions. They have played and continue to play the role of Brutus in Nigeria’s political history.
Politically, they are sheep led by bunch of disarray and disunited corrupt politicians (please stop calling them leaders) looking for green and fertile grazing field to fatten their own cows. For those of you who are too young or don’t know your history, Egbe Afenifere was the Yoruba equivalent name given to Action Group (AG) founded by the sage Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
The populist, socialist, progressive, and visionary programs of Awo as he was fondly called and the AG, gave the party the true meaning of Afenifere. That was then. With the demise of AG and other post-colonial political parties in Nigeria, the new Afenifere which I refer to as Afenifebi in parentheses in my title, literally means people who wish people bad. Afenifere was resurrected by some Yoruba politicians riding on the coat tails of the erstwhile AG and most importantly, on Awo’s name to make money and feed their greed.
Not very long ago, the Afenifebis because they could not agree as one, because their eyes are bigger than their stomachs, and because they are concerned with their individual economic security as opposed to the general good of Yoruba people and Nigerians in general for which Awo’s Afenifere stood for; they became fractured and factionalized and engage themselves in bitter fight for their piece of corruption pie from each successive federal government.
The latest discordant Babel noises from Afenifebi camps are from Ayo Fasanmi Afenifebi group which has endorsed Buhari for second term, while Fasoranti Afenifebi demands that Buhari publicly declare his assets. None of the two factions represents Yoruba people, their aspirations, and collective good.
The present Yoruba politicians are populated by cowards. This is evident by their prevarication on all important national issues. Their cowardice to stand up as one and articulate the fears and concerns of Yorubas about Buhari’s imperial presidency portrays them as sick people endorsing sick presidency!
I believe the Afenifebis have failed to unify and rally Yorubas around a common cause. They have refused to move in the best interest of Yorubas. They are too afraid to take a stand because it is politically expedient to remain fractured, factionalized, confused and get lost as it were.
There’s no person among them with spine, the moral constitution to convince the rest of Nigerians that Yorubas are men and women are Omoluabis. The Afenifebis are Yorubas built not for leading, not for protecting the rights of our people, but only to protect their political spoils.
The cowardice of Afenifebis to take a stand as one united front and speak with unambiguous language will be an indelible and damning part of their legacy. But one thing I’m sure of: history doesn’t forget the noisy voices once the dust settles, the winners and losers. When our history is written, we will celebrate those who exhibited bravery, and we will decide the aggressively malignant. We will cheer the heroic.
History says that leaders who let their people down at times like these are the ones who run and hide in the woods until the dust settles. Political self-preservation in dire circumstances is just about the same as cowardice… Let’s go there!
bjoluwasanmi@gmail.com

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Group Kicks Against Protest Over Appointment Of Brambaifa As NDDC MD

A group under the auspices of the Niger Delta for Accountability and Good Governance (NDAGG) has condemned a purported planned protest against the appointment of Professor Nelson Brambaifa as the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The group accused Timipre Sylva, former Governor of Bayelsa State, and his supporters of making frantic efforts aimed at influencing the presidency to rescind the decision on Brambaifa’s appointment.
The group stressed that Brambaifa’s appointment would bring positive impact to the Niger Delta region.
A statement by Preye Agama, coordinator of the group, read: “It is sad that some persons are being pushed to protest and issue unnecessary threats over the appointment of the erudite professor. It is sad and we call on the people of the region to join hands and support him to carry out the task ahead of him.
“We are indeed grateful, as a people, that the appointment of the person of Prof. Branbaiyefa’s status, class and ability to man the affairs of the commission to its enviable heights is the drive to actualise the mission and vision of the Commission as enshrined in the law establishing it and to the satisfaction of the people of the region.
“We are also convinced that the track records of Prof. Brambaifa as a seasoned administrator, team player and leader will prove vital in the present administration’s zeal to impact positively on the region with deep knowledge of the region acquired from his days at the University of Port Harcourt, Niger Delta University, and even at the NDDC itself while he served as the Bayelsa state representative in the just dissolved board.”
On the purported protest against the appointment, NDAGG urged the aggrieved indigenes of the region to sheath their swords, and “see the appointment as a turning point for the people of the region to ensure massive development of the region and work with a worthy son of Bayelsa to embark on a pragmatic development and empowerment of the people of the region”.
Meanwhile, attempts to reach Sylva’s media aide to get his principal’s reaction to the allegation were unsuccessful at the time of this report.

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