Sahara Reporters Latest News Tuesday 21st May 2019
Sahara Reporters Latest News Today and headlines on some of the happenings and news trend in the Country, today 21/05/19
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target=_blank>“Get Depressed Atiku His Pills, Stop Cooking Up Disgrace For Him” Onochie Advises Atiku’s Aides
Lauretta Onochie, social media aide to President Muhammadu Buhari, has replied former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on his defamatory claim and demand of N500M. She dismissed the letter from Mike Ozekhome(SAN) and other threats from the legal luminary and Atiku ‘s team as a deliberate ploy to make her lose focus as the legal battle to unseat President Buhari, his boss, gets intense.Recall that the former vice president’s lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), had in a letter to Onochie on Sunday, demanded five hundred million Naira, (N500m) and a written apology in six national and one international daily, as well as on all social media platforms wherein the said publication was made. Saharareporters had reported how the media aide said the Wazirin of Adamawa was on UAE watch-list and she was asked on Sunday to tender apology on or before 48 hours. However, Onochie has fired back in a statement released to Vanguard Newspaper on Monday calling Atiku depressed soul in desperate need of his pill but whose aides would not tell him the truth for the sake of their stomachsHer words:“EVIL SHALL NO LONGER HAVE A VOICE NOR SAY, ANYWHERE IN NIGERIA. Good morning Family and Friends. Lauretta Onochie This is in no way responding to the depressed Alhaji Atiku Abubakar whose aides are constantly cooking up disgrace for him, for the sake of their stomachs, instead of giving him his pills. This is to reassure my PERSONAL PEOPLE who are concerned and have emailed, texted or called to know if I’m fine that truly, I had the most hilarious day yesterday and that I am very fine. I continue to laugh at the clowns who do not know what they are walking into. Why you need Buhari to lead this country till 2023- Lauretta Onochie(Opens in a new browser tab) We are entering into the most crucial time at the Election Tribunal where the mandate freely given to our beloved President by Nigerians, is being challenged and I’m their nightmare. In their thinking, “Let’s distract Lauretta Onochie. We can’t afford to have her focused on her job”. Buhahahahahaha! I can’t be distracted. Truly I can’t for very simple reasons. I have a great family that thinks the world of me. My friends are fiercely loyal and committed because they know me. 34 million Buharists across world are on standby. Always. I have the witness of a clear conscience. I love Nigeria and her wellbeing is my focus. Its all good people. At the end of it all, EVIL SHALL NO LONGER HAVE A VOICE NOR SAY, ANYWHERE IN NIGERIA. Thank you my people and May God Bless You All.”
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target=_blank>80 Lawyers Shortlisted For Senior Advocate of Nigeria Award
80 lawyers have been shortlisted for the 2019 conferment of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria award.
According to the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee, the 80 shortlisted lawyers have scaled the first and second pre-qualification exercise.
Notable among the shortlisted lawyers is Mr Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, human rights activist lawyer.
In a press release signed by Hadizatu Mustapha, LPPC Secretary/Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, called on the general public to comment on the integrity of the shortlisted lawyers.
It reads partly, “The 80 shortlisted lawyers had scaled through the first and second advocates’ filtration, academic pre-qualification exercise and the appeal process, preparatory to the award of SAN for the year 2019.
“Any complaint(s) presented to the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee must be accompanied with verifying affidavit deposed to before a court of record in Nigeria.
“Ten copies of such comments or complaints must be submitted at the office of the Secretary, Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee, at the Supreme Court of Nigeria Complex, Abuja, not later than 4:00 p.m. on Monday, 17th June, 2019.”
Also shortlisted for the SAN award conferment are 13 professors in the academic category.
They are Joseph Abugu, Damilola Olawuyi, Olaide Gbadamosi, Mamman Lawan, Uchefula Chukwumaeze, Oludayo Amokaye, Alphonsus Alubo, Rasheed Ijaodola, Sampson Erugo, Edward Oyewo, Oghenemaro Emiri, Bankole Akintoyesodipo and Afeisimi Badaiki.
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E2%80%99s-counsel-fidelis-oditah-beneficiary-13-billion-malabu-oil-deal-testifies-milan target=_blank>Queen’s Counsel, Fidelis Oditah, Beneficiary Of $1.3 billion Malabu Oil Deal, Testifies in Milan
Fidelis Oditah, a Queen’s Counsel and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), whose company- Indigo Drilling drilled the Eaton field- one of the two fields been developed in the Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 245 block, on Wednesday testified in the Milan court in Italy, as a consultant for Eni, one of the two companies standing corruption charges for the unwholesome sale of the block in 2011.Indigo, which is jointly owned by Oditah Ibeneche, is part of the Transocean group of companies. Transocean says that Indigo,”is jointly owned by Transocean and its local Nigerian partners, Chima Ibeneche and Fidelis Oditah, SAN. According to the company which managed the Deep water Horizon rig that spilled 210 million barrels of crude into the Gulf of Mexico in 2011, ‘Indigo operates Transocean’s rigs in Nigeria. Transocean’s Deepwater Pathfinder drill vessel, drilled Etan-1X in OPL 245 to a Total Depth of 4,574 m in 1,720 m of water.The well was said to have logged 120 m of hydrocarbon-bearing sands. Oditah did not declare to the Milan court that he has interest in the block before taking the stand to give his summation on the 2011 six-party agreement reached between the Federal Government of Nigeria, Malabu oil and Gas, Eni, Royal Dutch Shell (RDS), Eni and its Nigerian subsidiary Nigeria Agip Exploration (NAE).“Mr President to sum up, I believe that the challenge to the 2011 Resolution Agreement of Shell and ENI is just politically motivated by the FGN under pressure by international NGOs”. Oditah made this conclusion, despite overwhelming evidence showing a webbed trail of kickbacks and sleazy deals that mandated the Milan prosecutor to begin trial after four years of investigation.Connection to Kola AlukoAs a lawyer with expertise in solvency and corporate structures, Fidelis Oditah is no stranger to the corrupt entrails of the oil and gas industry in Nigeria.Septa, a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to Seven Energy International- a company Oditah served as non-executive Board member to between 2012 and 2016, received at least $26 million in loans from a firm called Arcadia. According to civil organizations- Global Witness, Corner House, and Re:common who have been providing evidence to the Milan prosecutor, says Arcadia collected $4 million from Rocky Top, one of the companies used to move proceeds of the payments made to Malabu Oil and Gas to the accounts of persons within and outside Nigeria.The said $4 million remittance made to Arcadia by Rocky Top, was done on behalf of Septa. This same fund, was used to repay a loan to Ark, a company controlled by Kola Aluko- a former Deputy CEO of Septa). Aluko is under investigation in Nigeria and the UK for money laundering on behalf of Alison Madueke-Nigeria’s Minister of petroleum Resources under Goodluck Jonathan.Septa has since repaid loans worth $9 million to Arcadia for funds borrowed by Aluko. Aluko has been accused of using Seven Energy and Atlantic Energy to launder funds- a claim all parties deny. Oditah’s involvement with illicit monies predate’s Kola Aluko.According to an online source, Professor Oditah received N5.7 million from a Zenith Bank Asaba branch account set-up by Ibori. The money was paid to him in three installments. Oditah is also the Director of Vetiva, the financial service company that served as joint financial advisor and joint stockbroker for Notore Chemicals during the latter’s float on the Nigeria Stock Exchange. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the London Metropolitan Police have labelled Notore as a front for James Ibori. Surprisingly, naught of this was mentioned on the prospectus for the firm’s listing on the stock exchange. Contrastingly, the allegation of Seven Energy’s involvement with Kola Aluko was stated on its bond issue.In April, Dayo Ayoade, a lecturer in the Faculty of Law, University of Lagos, had iformed the Milan court that the Resolution Agreement that saw OPL 245 trasnfered to Shell and Eni, was an illegal deal. He was followed by Stephen Rogers An expert from British firm Arthur D. Little, who observed that the valuation of the block itself as at April 29 2011 was far higher than the $1.3 billion officially paid for the block but siphoned into private pockets. Rogers said the value of the block was in the region of $3.5 billion.The registration date of Indigo Drilling on the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) website, is given as 2011-08-05, which is shortly after the April date of the resolution agreement.
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target=_blank>‘Lagos/Badagry Road Still Gateway Of Pain, Anguish After Spending N460bn On Its Rehabilitation’, Says Odumakin
Protesters Bearing Placards
Dr. Odumakin addressing protesters
Women under the aegis of ‘Women Arise For Change Initiative’ and members of the Campaign for Democracy (CD), a civil society organisation, on Monday, thronged the major roads in Badagry to protest the total neglect of the Lagos-Badagry Expressway by both the Federal and State Governments.
The two groups were joined by the residents of Badagry and motorists who regularly ‘ply’ the roads.
The protest match started from Badagry roundabout at about 8am on Monday.The protesters filed out peacefully on the highway to Igbo-elerin.
They held aloft placards with various inscriptions, such as “FIX BADAGRY EXPRESS ROAD”, “Enough Is Enough”, “We Are Also Tax Payers”, “No Retreat, No Surrender”, “We Give You 100 Days”Addressing the protesters, Dr Joe Odunmakin said the protest was to draw attention of President Muhammadu Buhari and Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Lagos State Governor-elect, to the plights of residents, motorists and other road users, over the neglect and abandonment of the road.
Protesters Bearing Placards
Odumakin said the road had become a death trap and a huge hindrance to business and economic growth in Badagry and its environs.
She said, “As we speak, we will find out that Badagry has been a gateway of pain and anguish. A lot of people are dying on the road, tourism has almost collapsed, this is a place that over 460 billion naira has been spent to rehabilitate the roads.
“There’s a nexus between infrastructures in terms of roads and the economy, and the economy here is almost coming to stagnation, and this is why is support this just cause.”
She urged the government to rise up to the occasion by fixing the road because of the location of the road and the crucial purpose of linking Nigeria to other West African countries served by the road; claiming that the road is not just an eyesore but a nation shame.
“Government must rise up and within 100 days, and ensure that something urgently is done. Again, state of emergency has to be beamed on this road, and finally I think that we must understand that if roads are not fixed, then almost everything will collapse.
Dr. Odumakin addressing protesters
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“This is a West African road, and this has become a national shame,” She concluded.
Some residents and students along this axis while speaking with Sahara Reporters said the road had claimed many lives , caused miscarriages, made lots of people to lose their jobs and made a lot of student to fail their exams, and lots more.
The distraught residents said the time-taken to cover the distance from Mile 2- Badagry was equivalent to the time-taken to cover the distance from Enugu to Lagos.
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target=_blank>LIVE: Staff Of Tai Solarin College Of Education Cry Out Over 54 Months Unpaid Salary
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LIVE: Staff Of Tai Solarin College Of Education Cry Out Over 54 Months Unpaid Salary
LIVE: Staff Of Tai Solarin College Of Education Cry Out Over 54 Months Unpaid Salary
The Coalition of Tai Solarin College of Education Staff has berated Ibikunle Amosun, Governor of Ogun State, for not paying salary and allowances to them for 54 months.
They also accused the Provost of the institution for embezzling funds meant for the development of the school.
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target=_blank>‘Shut Down Operations And Vacate Nigeria’, Niger Delta Republic Fighters Warn Oil Companies
A group called Niger Delta Republic Fighters has ordered all oil companies and multi-nationals operating in the Niger Delta to vacate the region from May 29, 2019.The group said it will declare the Niger Delta Republic on the 1st of June, 2019.The NDRF revealed what is to to befall the region in a press statement signed by Maj. Gen. Maxwell Dan and seen by SaharaReporters on Monday.Maxwell Dan said: “After several months of consultations within and outside the shores of Nigeria on the collective wellbeing of the Niger Delta people in the Nigerian state, coupled with cruel persecution and selective maltreatment of the Niger Delta sons and daughters by Nigerian government over the years especially by the present administration of Muhamadu Buhari and his agents despite the huge contribution of the Niger Delta people to the sustenance of Nigeria. “We therefore take solace in the word of our patriarch – Isaac Boro, which states “…Today is a great day, not only in your lives but also in the history of the Niger Delta. Perhaps, it will be the greatest day for a very long time. “This is not because we are going to bring the heavens down, but because we are going to demonstrate to the world what and how we feel about oppression. Remember your 70-year-old grandmother who still farms before she eats; remember also your poverty-stricken people; remember, too, your petroleum which is being pumped out daily from your veins; and then fight for your freedom.” It is quite unfortunate that the story has not change till today, and we are standing on that declaration, we are standing on the declaration of the sovereign state of Niger Delta and we will declare ‘NIGER DELTA REPUBLIC’ on June 1st, 2019.”It is a common fact that Nigeria has completely derailed from the path of peace, justice and progress as proclaimed by its founding fathers. “The selective maltreatment of the Niger Delta people became more clearer when President Buhari ordered police to ransack the house of Chief E. K. Clark in order to have blackmail the aged Niger Delta Leader and force him from agitating for the Niger Delta people. “As that could not pay off, the scavenger removed a Niger Delta son Mr. Mathew Seiyeifa the most qualified Director of DSS without any due process. Not satisfied with his cruel and selective onslaught against the Niger Delta people, the scavengers plotted again and remove our son – Justice Walter Onoghen from office on frivolous allegations without following due process neither was he given opportunity of fair hearing. “It is also unfortunate that after four years of this administration, there is no single viable project executed by the federal government in the Niger Delta despite the billions of Naira accrued to the government from the resources of the Niger Delta as a result of the cease fire in the region. “Most surprising is the unfounded allegations and counter allegations trailing the controversial 2019 Presidential elections, after committing such a day robbery fraud against the people, the central government of Nigeria could not manage the outcome but continue to blackmail decent characters in order to incarcerate them. It so unfortunate that Nigerians have witness the worse government since independence and the criminals derive joy in telling lies and deceiving populace while the streets of the cities and towns are flooded with innocent blood on daily basis. “The blood of innocent citizens is becoming alarming and it is clear that the government cannot protect the citizens, instead they continue to make unguarded statements without recourse to the safety of the people, it is a common fact the country is in siege and we cannot allow it to consume us.”In the light of the above injustices, we therefore use this medium to warn and order all the multinational oil companies operating in the Niger Delta to shut down their operation and vacate the region from May 29, 2019 to avoid avoidable circumstances as we will declare the Niger Delta Republic on 1st June 2019. “All operations by Oil Companies in the Niger Delta is hereby ordered to stop from 29 May 2019, anyone we see in the oil platform, both onshore and offshore shall be treated as criminal. We therefore call on International Community to withdraw their citizens from the Niger Delta region on or before 1st June 2019 as their safety cannot be guaranteed neither are we ready to compromise our freedom any longer. “We have already recruited, trained and equip our freedom fighters for this purpose. Arms and other war materials has been bought and brought to Nigeria, immediately we commence action, Port Harcourt Airport would be shut down only our fighter jets would be permit to use the facility. “This war would consume them in Abuja and Lagos, there is no going back on this, we therefore call on all the Niger Delta citizens to return home as their safety is guarantee at home than anywhere else. “We are tired of being second class citizens in our land, the injustice has reach its peak. While we admonish our Elders and Leaders, particularly PANDEF to remain calm as we shall make further declarations and directive soon; however, our position on this issue cannot be compromised as injustice to one is injustice to all. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.”
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target=_blank>Air Peace De-board Passenger For Asking Attendant To Translate Safety Instructions To Igbo Because ‘He Does Not Speak English’
A passenger with Air Peace was today de-boarded by the airline over claims that he could not communicate in English during safety briefing.
The passenger identified as Mr. Christopher Aniagboso told the cabin crew to translate the safety briefing for passengers in the over-wing exit seats in Igbo language and not English as is the standard.
The airline in a statement by its spokesman, Mr. Chris Iwarah, said that other passengers around him offered to translate what was being said in English to him, but he insisted that the crew must brief him in Igbo language.
Besides, Iwarah said that efforts to relocate the unruly passenger from his seat to the other proved abortive despite the intervention of the cockpit crew.
He, however, said that the passenger who had earlier on May 12, 2019 missed his morning Lagos-Owerri flight was communicating to its ground staff in fluent English, but later showed up for the afternoon flight in good time and was issued an over-wing exit seat on request .
He insisted that his antics of not being able to communicate in English were meant to delay the flight.
Iwarah declared that his de-boarding was necessary in a bid to guarantee the safety of its crew and customers and said it would not tolerate an act that would jeopardise safety on any of its flights.
He said: “When all efforts to have Mr. Aniagboso cooperate with the crew failed, the crew advised him to change his seat as the flight was already running late. He declined the advice to change his seat.
“The captain of the flight, who was eventually briefed on the development, also did everything to secure Mr. Aniagboso’s cooperation to no avail. At this point, our crew members were left with no other alternative than to advise Mr. Aniagboso to disembark to enable the flight depart.
“Only those who were able to clearly understand and express their willingness to perform their safety responsibility are allowed by aviation regulations to sit in the exit row. It is also clearly stated in the safety cards that only those who can speak English are allowed to sit in the exit row.
“All through Mr. Aniagboso interaction with our ground staff, he communicated in fluent English. So, his claim of not being able to communicate in English at the point of the safety briefing was meant to disrupt and delay the flight.
“Air Peace takes pride in promoting the use of all local languages on board our flights without discrimination. We encourage our crew to speak the local language whenever it is possible to do so. But we do not allow passengers with ill motive to disrupt our flights and endanger the safety of our esteemed customers and crew.
“Conducts with the potential of jeopardising the safety of our esteemed customers and crew are not welcome on any of our flights,” he added.
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target=_blank>INEC Withdraws Certificate Of Return Of 25 Election Winners
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following a court order, has withdrawn 25 Certificates of Returns from some winners at the last conducted general elections.
This was revealed by Festus Okoye, Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee while speaking at the ‘Forum on Media Coverage of 2019 General Elections’ held in Enugu today.
Okoye lauded the coverage of the 2019 elections by the media. He also tasked the media to constantly keep the people abreast of every amendment done to the Electoral Act of the country.
He said that INEC had completed the retrieval and issuance of the 25 certificates of return on Friday, May 17, 2019.
Giving a breakdown of the certificate withdrawn, Okoye said 22 of the 25 certificates withdrawn were as a result of intra-party lawsuit.
“20 of the 25 certificates-of-return were withdrawn from All Progressive Congress (APC) members to other APC members; while two from People Democratic Party (PDP) members were withdrawn and issued to other PDP members.
“The other three were withdrawn from APC and PDP and given to other political parties.”
Commending the media, the INEC Information and Voter Education Committee Chairman said the media has become a platform for the explanation of INEC political and electoral decisions.
“The media and its practitioners to dig deep into the Electoral Act to ensure that the import of the recently amended sections is made known to the public.
“The media should also centre on the aspect of using Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to resolve electoral issues especially at the party levels instead of going to the court.”
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*-because-my-small-penis-pastor-tells-court target=_blank>My Wife Denies Me S** Because Of My Small Penis, Pastor Tells Court
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Pastor Samson Farounbi has told an Idi-Ogungun Customary Court, Agodi, in Ibadan, that the small size of his manhood made his estranged wife to deny him s** for a long period.
Farounbi disclosed this on Monday when testifying before the court on a case of divorce he instituted against Tope Farounbi.
He had requested the court to end their 19-year union on the grounds of lack rest of mind, threat to life and lack of respect for his family.
Narrating his ordeals, Farounbi said his wife, who was a fruit seller, used to return home at late hours every day and refused to have s** with him.
“There was a day I challenged her why she always returned late and denying me s**.
“She confessed that the small size of my penis was responsible for keeping late outside and for refusing to have s** with me.
“She suggested to buy local herb for the treatment of my micro penis, which cost N5,000, but I priced it down to N4,000.
“I got myself treated with the Agbo (local herb), but she still felt reluctant to allow me have access to her body,” he narrated.
The pastor further alleged that the defendant maltreated his mother when she was living with him and that the ill treatment forced his aged mother to relocate to Ilesha, where she died a few months later.
He told the court that Tope used to curse every member of his family and always cursed his blood brothers whenever they visited him.
“My lord, she is a devil, always fighting people, especially females that come to my church for prayer, accusing me of flirting with them.
“We have never stayed beyond two years in every house I rented since we married 19 years ago due to her stubbornness and troublesome character.
“The five children of our union lack home training and always cursing me whenever I tried to correct any of the kids for doing wrong things.
“In fact, our first child has run away from home now and I cannot even locate his whereabouts.
“I urge the court to separate us so that I can have peace of mind to do my pastoral work,” he pleaded.
In her defence, Tope denied all the allegations but urged the court to dissolve the marriage as requested by the plaintiff.
She accused her husband of womanising, saying he never cared for her welfare but was in the habit of drinking alcohol.
President of the court, Mr. Mukaila Balogun and the two court assessors — Messrs Wahab Popoola and Alao Ganiyu — in their unanimous decision dissolved the marriage.
Balogun said the court was handicapped to settle the dispute between the parties because the couple had agreed to end the marriage.
He ordered that three kids that are males, including the first born that ran away, should be in the custody of the plaintiff; while the remaining two daughters should remain with the defendant.
He further directed the plaintiff to pay N8,000 monthly allowance for the upkeep of the two kids in the defendant’s custody.
He admonished the parties to refrain from fomenting trouble or disturbing public peace.
(NAN)
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Tribunal Rejects APC’s Plea To Recount Governorship Election Ballot Papers
The Oyo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has struck out an application by Adebayo Adelabu, Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, at the just concluded governorship election in the state to recount ballot papers used in the election.
Mr. Titus Asaolu (SAN) had filed an application praying the court to order the Independent National Electoral Commission to recount ballot papers used in the March 9 election but the judge refused to grant the plea.
Delivering the ruling, Justice Sirajo Mohammed, who led the three-man panel stated that the request “would jeopardise the respondents right to fair hearing.”
He also said the petitioners are only challenging the result of few local and recounting ballot papers of all local government would be against their charges.
Mohammed added that Adelabu would have to amend his charges to cover the request but noted that the window for amending pleas has closed.
He then dismissed the application and fixed June 10 for the commencement of the hearing.
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