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  • Disregard Obasanjo’s Comments on Nigeria’s Insecurity; Group Urges Nigerians

    Disregard Obasanjo’s Comments on Nigeria’s Insecurity; Group Urges Nigerians

    A Civil Society Organization (CSO), Save Nigeria Movement has described as hypocrisy and antics of a failed leader, comments attributed to former President Olusegun Obasanjo that the inability to combat insecurity in Nigeria is a choice of her leaders.

    The CSO similarly noted with sad concern comments attributed to Obasanjo that Nigeria needs a mad leader to govern her effectively. This kind of advice is ill motivated and has no place in a democracy. Obasanjo dictatorship kind of leadership did not solve any of Nigeria’s problems and should therefore not be recommended as an option.

    In a strongly worded press release signed and made available to journalist in Abuja by the Convener Rev. Solomon Semaka, the group wondered why somebody whose tenure was marked with several episodes of insecurity will suddenly turn around to crucify others for failing to combat insecurity.

    “Nigeria under Obasanjo was a theatre of insecurity. The disruption of oil production in the South South, kidnapping of expatriates and the birth of terrorism in Nigeria were some of the sad achievements of President Obasanjo. It is therefore uncharitable for him to insinuate that the inability of the current administration to end insecurity is a choice”, the statement noted.

    The CSO also castigated Obasanjo for failing Nigerians in his own time in the area of economic development, job creation and social amenities which are essential indices for peace and development.

    “Obasanjo lacks the credentials to pontificate over Nigeria’s insecurity because he laid the foundation for everything that’s happening in the country now. He was a lawless leader who paid no attention to the rule of law or the separation of powers. He should be held accountable for his role in the Ife/Modakeke crisis, the massacres in Zaki Biam and Udi”, the statement insisted.

    The CSO equally noted that even though Obasanjo paid lip service to corruption, corruption and embezzlement of public fund was a booming business under his watch as evidenced in the guise of privatisation and the sale of government properties and the handling of repatriated funds. This, the group noted was the begining of Nigeria’s problems and the root cause of all insecurity in the country.

    “We challenge Obasanjo to come clean and tell Nigerians what happened to oil revenues under his watch. He should explain to Nigerians what happened to the billions made in the name of privatisation. He should explain to Nigerians what he did with the repatriated Abacha loot under his watch. If these monies went into developing the nation, we would have had a good economy and solid institutions that would have addressed our challenges as a nation”, the statement added

    While urging him to be an elder states man deserving of the privileges he enjoys as a military head of State and democratically elected leader, the CSO urged him not be an agent of distraction and a puppet in the hands of some disgruntled elements.

    “To whom much is given, more is expected. Nigeria has given so much to Obasanjo and it will be unfair for him to give back nothing in return. Instead of siding with enemies of the State, he should be offering solutions to the problems bedeviling the country and mobilizing his wealth of experience both at home and in the diaspora to make the country better”, the statement added.

  • CSO berates A’Ibom Assembly over N45B supplementary bill, wants public scrutiny

    CSO berates A’Ibom Assembly over N45B supplementary bill, wants public scrutiny

    A Civil Society Organization, Policy Alert has described as suspicious the processing of a N45B supplementary Bill by Akwa Ibom Assembly calling on the lawmakers to subject the bill to public scrutiny.

    This is coming after Governor Udom Emmanuel made a fresh request for a N45B supplementary budget, less than one week after a public outcry may have stalled the Assembly from allegedly approving a N150B loan for the Governor.

    The supplementary bill, made up of N41B for Recurrent Expenditure and N4Billion for Capital Expenditure is coming just two months into the 2023 fiscal year and was received via a letter during plenary last Thursday.

    But the organization, promoting economic and ecological justice in the Niger Delta in a statement frowned at the haste to pass the bill and without the Assembly not subjecting it to public scrutiny

    The statement, signed by it’s Programme Officer, Fiscal Reforms and Anti-Corruption, Faith Paulinus
    also frowned at the non disclosure of items in the recurrent expenditure which make up.more than 90% of the supplementary bill.

    “The haste by the legislators to get this done makes the entire process highly suspicious. By asking the House Committee on Appropriation and Finance to report back to the House within 24 hours after the second reading, the leadership of the Assembly has indicated that it may not be interested in taking citizens’ inputs into account in the consideration of the controversial supplementary budget.”

    “We urge the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly allow sufficient time for thorough legislative scrutiny of this controversial supplementary appropriation bill and to subject the proposal to a public hearing in line with the traditional procedure of the legislature on bills and the principle of fiscal transparency and accountability.

    ” It would be an injustice and a slap on the collective intelligence of Akwa Ibom people to allow this supplementary budget to pass without giving citizens an opportunity to weigh the proposals against their actual priorities.

    “We call on the legislature to resist the temptation of being rushed to accept the supplementary proposals hook, line and sinker. They must learn to feel the pulse of the citizens and prioritize the overriding public interest over partisan loyalties and electoral concerns. They should prudently examine the provisions line by line against extant fiscal data.” It said.

    House Leader, Udo Akpan had said the Bill would increase the budget size of the state that was passed last year from N586Billion to N631Billion, an increase of N45Billion from when it was approved last year.

    The Bill was read the second time and referred to the House Committee on Appropriation and Finance to report back to the House within 24 hours but is expected to interface with relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies for further contributions on the Bill and legislative procedure before passage.

    A newspaper had earlier reported that recent moves to obtain a loan was a decoy to use the yet to be paid 13% arrears as a collateral while the loan was meant to fund elections for the Governor’s preffered candidate.

    “It could be recalled that in a string of Federal High Court judgments in 2021, the Federal Government had been ordered to pay $2.258 billion to Akwa Ibom State, $1.638 billion to the Delta State, $1.114 billion to Rivers State, and $951m to Bayelsa State, as share of recalculated oil derivation revenue in line with Section 16(1) of the Deep Offshore and Inland Basin Production Sharing Contract (PSC) Act

    “Instead of waiting like other three States of the Niger Delta which the judgment covered, Governor Udom Emmanuel, devised a means to tap into the expected billions of naira even without receiving payments directly from the federal government. That strategy was to use the judgment as a guarantee to obtain secret loans from commercial banks. Our sources revealed that the loan deal was struck with First Bank PLC.

    ” However, the information on the bank the State struck the deal with was not independently verified by this reporter. Yet, one of our sources mentioned that the Governor is using the strategy so that his administration can enjoy part of the refunds since he envisages that the tranches of payments of the refunds may not come in the life of his administration.

    “The reason for this loan, our sources who are privy to the plans confided, is to be used to run the 2023 elections and also enable the governor to have an upper hand in payment of delegates to ensure his succession plan flies

    ” Interestingly, this is not the first time the administration of Governor Udom Emmanuel would be acquiring loans secretly and under the mask of 13 percent derivation refund. This action which has gradually become a dark trend in the State dates back to July 2021.” The report said.

    It also indicted members of the state Assembly after they amended the standing order of the house to enable them deliberate and process a loan request from the governor secretly in return for monetary and political gratification from the governor

    “The standing order before the December 2020 amendment under Order 2 rule 2 (1) of the House tagged as ” Message from Governor” notes ” The Speaker shall immediately after prayer or as soon as any member has taken the Oath of Allegiance read to the House any message addressed to the House by the Governor.”

    “However, in the amended version which created sub-rule (4) the standing order reads that a message from the Governor can be deliberated during executive session if the House of Assembly deems fit. ” A message from the Governor can be deliberated at the executive session if the members deem it fit and proper to be so considered in exceptional circumstances.

    “TheMail has gathered that select members of the leadership of the House of Assembly in a meeting recently with the Governor consented that they would authorize the loan secretly so far their political interest in the 2023 election is protected and they also get a bite of the dark loan. Yet, it was agreed that this particular loan approval would not be discussed on the floor of the house else it would spark public outcry.” The report said.

  • CSO Observatory Implementation of the Police Act 2020 to be inaugurated in South East Zone

    CSO Observatory Implementation of the Police Act 2020 to be inaugurated in South East Zone

    By Okechukwu Keshi Ukegbu

    A Civil Society Organisations Observatory Group on the Implementation of Police Act, 2020 and the Police Trust Fund Act, 2019 is to be inaugurated at Umuahia, Abia State for the South East region, early next month.

    A statement by Comrade Okechukwu Nwanguma, Executive Director,Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) notes that a CSO-PTF Support and Oversight Group for the South East Zone will be launched early next month, adding that the group had been launched earlier in late January for the North Central and the FCT.

    According to him, the Support group is intended to act as a catalyst to spur the Police Trust Fund to deliver on its mandate. “The CSO-PTF Support Group will also carry out sensitisation to create public awareness across the geo-political zones on the existence of Police Trust Fund and its mandate”, part of the statement reads.

    Nwanguma said that the event will be both the inception meeting with the identified CSOs to introduce the project objectives and intimate them on their roles as well as a capacity building for CSOs on the Police Act 2020 and the Police Trust Fund Act 2019 to help the participants understand the contents and purposes of the two Acts.

    It will be recalled that RULAAC is a member of a Consortium implementing different activities under a Police Reform Project supported by MacArthur Foundation aimed at promoting Police Accountability in Nigeria.

  • Decisive Offensives against Insurgents, Bandits Yielding Results, CSO Says

    Decisive Offensives against Insurgents, Bandits Yielding Results, CSO Says

    A rights group, Northern Youth Network (NYN) has said the decisive offensives carried out by the Nigeria Airforce with support of ground troops on terrorists and bandits in the northern part of the country has brought a lot of relieve to communities that were tormented by activities of the criminals.

    Particularly, the group explained that the declaration of BokoHaram/ISWAP and bandits as terrorists has provided the impetus for the military to use maximum force to eliminate terrorism and its sponsors in the country.

    In a statement signed by the convener of the group Mallam Abdulrahman Ahmed pointed out that the within the past 3 weeks, the Nigerian Airforce assisted by the ground troops have eliminated several commanders of the terrorist and bandits in Zamfara, Sokoto, Niger, Kaduna and along the lake Chad River basins with thousands of them surrendering to the military.

    “The Northern Youth Network has observed with great pleasure, the victories recorded by the Nigerian military in the war against insurgency and banditry in the country in the past weeks”, the statement noted.

    Recall that the Nigerian Military recently confirmed that Troops of Operation Hadin Kai eliminated more than 120 Bokoharam insurgents in the last two weeks, while over 50 have been arrested in various operations across the north west and north east region of the country.

    In one of the operations troops apprehended Sani Suleiman, bandit commander loyal to a notorious and wanted bandit, Bello Turji. Similarly, NAF jets bombarded one of the major bandits camp in Farar Doka, where over 43 bandits were eliminated. In Niger state, NAF airstrikes and military gunships destroyed bandits’ camps, eliminating over 37 bandits including their leaders.

    According to the group, troops with the collaboration of civilian JTF while in another success, on fighting patrol neutralized scores of BokoHaram /ISWAP terrorists on Dunga Lawanti village near Gubio in Borno State.

    “Earlier, weapons, motorcycles and other items were recovered from the insurgents. The Northern Youth Network profoundly appreciates the Nigerian military and particularly the Chief of Air Staff, Marshal, Isiaka Oladayo Amao. We celebrate the soldiers for taking the war to the enclaves of the terrorists”, the statement noted.

    The group further averred that as an association which has been involved in peace building in states ravaged by BokoHaram/ISWAP insurgents, the news of these successes is cheering and heart warming.

    It commended the focus and determination of the military, most especially the Nigerian Airforce and gallant troops, who have decimated the terrorists within these weeks adding that the successes were novel, impressive and unprecedented and urged Nigerians to support the war against insurgency and banditry.

    “We rise to commend the Nigerian military. We particularly commend the air component for the sustained bombardment of terrorist enclaves and top commanders in the last 3 weeks. The Chief of Air Staff is appreciated for the heat turned on the insurgents with intensive air strikes. We celebrate the ground troops who support the air component by sustaining a fierce offensive on fleeing terrorists and bandits”

    The group, further tasked the military to sustain and intensify the heat on the terrorist until they are eliminated and peace restored to the affected states and regions in compliance with President Buhari’s determination to hand over a peaceful country to his successor.

    “After years of insurgency, peace has finally returned to Muna community in Borno State, Damasak market has been reopened and some major roads which were closed down have now been opened to traffic. We deeply commend the Nigerian Army and the Airforce for such proactive and result oriented tactics to the war against insurgency and banditry”, the statement added.

  • Rehabilitate Refineries Before Scrapping Fuel Subsidy–CSO Tells FG

    Rehabilitate Refineries Before Scrapping Fuel Subsidy–CSO Tells FG

    By Ya’u Mukhtar

    President of the Civil Society Group for Good Governance, CSGGG, Comrade Ogakwu Dominic, has called on the federal government to revive the country’s moribund refineries before contemplating fuel subsidy removal.

    His call was made during a world press briefing in Abuja.

    In a statement, Comrade Ogakwu noted with worry that, in spite of having four refineries domiciled in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna, the country cannot still refine its crude oil.

    He further expressed concern that, Nigeria cannot afford to continue spending a whopping amount of money yearly to finance the fuel subsidy regime.

    The statement reads in parts…”A key area of concern is Nigeria’s fuel subsidy bill which is growing faster and bigger than what our country’s economy can carry. If you can recall, it was stated recently that the country needs to spend a princely N3 trillion on subsidy in 2022. In the light of this humongous sum, we join well-meaning Nigerians in rehabilitation of the refineries to improve availability of products locally and reduce importation.

    “It is also important that the federal government also ensure that the right policies are in place and improve the country’s domestic refining capacity to meet local demand before subsidy removal is implemented.”

    Dominic further appealed to the Nigerian Customs Service personnel and other security agencies to mount surveillance across Nigeria’s borders to stem the tide of petroleum products’ smuggling to and fro neighbouring countries.

    “We want to use this forum to call on Nigeria Customs Service and relevant security agencies to pay special attention to our land borders in order to mitigate the smuggling of Nigeria’s petroleum products to neighbouring countries.

    ” We are also calling on those involved on aiding and abating the smuggling of petroleum products to desist from this sabotage as the country is bleeding from all its openings and this can no longer be accepted,” he added

  • CSO commends NASS for removing controversial clause in electoral bill

    CSO commends NASS for removing controversial clause in electoral bill

    A civil society organization Committee for the Protection of Peoples Mandate (CPPM) has commended members of both chambers of the national assembly for doing the needful in removing the controversial clause 87 of the electoral bill which made direct election the sole method of political parties primary and reviewing it to accommodate other options of indirect election and consensus as the members of a political party so decides.

    In a press release issued by the executive chairman of the organization Nelson Ekujumi in Lagos today Thursday 20th January 2022, he stated “We recall that our voice at CPPM was one of the very few loud ones that commended and congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari for his patriotism and statesmanship in declining assent to the electoral bill due to the controversial clause which to us apart from the logical and rational reasons adduced by Mr. President, was dictatorial, obnoxious, undemocratic and an assault on the internal democratic rights of the parties”.

    According to Nelson Ekujumi, CPPM is also very glad to note that President Muhammadu Buhari who has always and indisputably put the collective interest of Nigerians first and foremost on all issues, did not buckle to the campaign of blackmail and calumny by agents of destabilization who went all out to incite and sow seed of discord even before Mr. President declined assent to the bill of which the controversial clause was motivated by self interest as against national interest by the legislators.

    But today, same persons, interest and groups masquerading as fighting for the masses but whose interest is about politics of hate and division, are all out congratulating the legislators for doing the right thing of reviewing the controversial clause to meet with the observations raised by Mr. President in his correspondence with the national assembly and are now saying the legislators have done the right, logical and rational thing, which makes one to wonder, why the double speak so sudden, but we hope Nigerians are taking note of these persons and groups for what they stand for?

    The group then called on the national assembly to harmonize their positions to reflect the rights of the parties to internally and democratically choose their candidates either through direct or indirect election or consensus because, “We have noted that while the Senate amendment accommodated direct, indirect election and consensus, that of the house of representatives only recognized direct and indirect election”.

    CPPM admonished the national assembly to as soon as possible harmonize the bill appropriately and send it back to Mr President for assent in order to deepen our democracy.

  • CSO, rights activist give Buhari 7 days to order probe into alleged killing of Benue tax officer by Nigerian Army

    CSO, rights activist give Buhari 7 days to order probe into alleged killing of Benue tax officer by Nigerian Army

    The Save Nigeria Group and a human rights activist, Solomon Semaka, have issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to commence investigation into alleged killing of one Sixtus Terfa Akure by officers of the Nigerian Army. 

    The Late Akure, who was a Senior Inspector of Taxes with the Benue State Internal Revenue Service, BIRS, was said to have been found dead in the early hours of January 16, 2022, around Aper Aku Estate in Makurdi, the state capital.

    In a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, date January 17, 2022, and copied to the Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, the Senate president, Speaker of the House of Representatives, British, American, German, Japanese, Chinese Embassies and the National Human Rights Commission, the group alleged that Mr Akure was killed on Friday, January 15, 2022, by men of the Nigerian Army and his mangled body found the next day. 

    The letter, signed by T.D. Sorkaa Esq., a solicitor to Mr Semaka and the Save Nigeria Movement, noted: “Our brief further reveals through the chairman, BIRS, in a statement after his death that ‘the late Sixtus was whisked away last night by military personnel in what has become a regular occurrence, and his body was found early hours of Friday around Aper Aku Estate by the roadside.’

    “Moreover, our brief reveals, according to Ukan Kuru, a social media activist, from information he gathered from the late Sixtus’ close relative who revealed to him that some men of the Nigerian Army came in their truck at the North Bank tax point to intimidate BIRS officers on duty. The junior colleagues of the late Sixtus all fles but as a senior officer he stood his grounds to know what the problem is.

    “The Nigerian Army officers descended on him, beating him blue black before forcing him into the their vehicle and took him to unknown location, only for his body to be seen the following morning by the roadside.”

    While appealing to the President to use his position as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces to within seven days set up an inquiry to unravel the root cause of Mr Akure’s death and the Nigerian Army’s involvement.

    The group, therefore, demanded a compensation in the sum of N500 million to the family of the deceased.

  • Omicron: CSO urge Saudi Arabia to end Flight suspension on Nigeria

    Omicron: CSO urge Saudi Arabia to end Flight suspension on Nigeria

    By Jabiru Hassan, Kano.

    Independent Hajj Reporters, a civil society organisations that monitors and reports Hajj and Umrah activities has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to deploy diplomatic measures to engage the government of Saudi Arabia with a view to ending the flight suspension placed on Nigeria by the Kingdom of over the prevalence Omicron variant of Covid-19.

    IHR in a statement on Thursday signed by its National Coordinator, Ibrahim Muhammad said it acknowledged and lauds the proactive efforts of Saudi Arabia in protecting the Holy Sites and Muslims from the virus that resulted in restricting countries that has reported the Omicron Variant.

    “However, it is our hope that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is aware that other countries such as the United States, United Kingdom and Canada, who had earlier invoked flight suspension on Nigeria based on Omicron, have now lifted the suspension”. “In addition, United States had on Tuesday lifted the travel ban initially imposed on South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, and Malawi over Omicron; after United States Center for Disease Control recommends lifting the travel restrictions arguing that such restrictions are no longer necessary to protect the public health”.

    The statement appealed to Saudi Arabia to queue into the World Health Organization advice against blanket travel ban over omicron and lift the suspension on Nigerian Pilgrims. It is apparent that what countries need to do is to adopt measures that will stem the tide of Omicron spread without having to selectively ban some countries.

    It said “Moreso, Nigerian Hajj Operators being the fifth Hajj/Umrah facilitators has suffered serious financial losses running into billions of naira. Many of the operators have closed shop with many more in debt with no special bail out or hardship curtailment assistance from any quarter”.

    Both Nigeria and Saudi Arabia should understand that the recent suspension came at a time when the few Hajj/Umrah Operators who are trying to stand the heat begin to salvage what remains of their business. Further delay or continued blockade of Nigeria from entering the Kingdom will definitely lead to the collapse of an entire Hajj and Umrah Industry”.

    The statement added IHR stated that its appeal is also based on The International Air Transport Association (IATA) earlier call on governments of all nations to follow the advice of the World Health Organization (WHO) and immediately rescind travel bans that were placed on Nigeria, South Africa and others – called that has been heeded by United Kingdom and Canada.

    The advice states that “public health organizations, including the WHO, have kicked against travel bans to contain the spread of Omicron, that blanket travel bans will not prevent the international spread, and they place a heavy burden on lives and livelihoods. In addition, they can adversely impact global health efforts during a pandemic by disincentivizing countries to report and share epidemiological and sequencing data.

    “After nearly two years with COVID-19, we know a lot about the virus and the inability of travel restrictions to control its spread. But the discovery of the Omicron variant induced instant amnesia on governments which implemented knee-jerk restrictions in complete contravention of advice from the WHO” “Based on the above, we appeal to relevant agencies in the Kingdom to review the direct travel ban placed on Nigeria with a view to lifting the ban as soon as it is desirable,” the statement concluded.

  • CSO Slams ‘El Zak-Zakky over N4million diversion allegation

    CSO Slams ‘El Zak-Zakky over N4million diversion allegation

    A civil society organisation, Save Nigeria Movement has lambasted the leader of Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky for his claim that he fed himself through the period he was intention while the Department of State Security Service (DSS) diverted N4million voted for his monthly upkeep.

    The CSO in a statement signed by its convener, Solomon Semaka and made available to journalists in Abuja said the interview granted by the sheikh betrays his calling as leader of a religious group.

    Please read full text of the statement entitled ‘El Zak-Zaky Litany of Lies’, reads;

    Our attention has been drawn to spurious allegations made against the Department of State Security Service by leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, wherein he claimed that the DSS diverted N4million monthly meant for his upkeep while in detention when he was responsible for his feeding and other logistics.

    Ordinarily, this reckless allegation would have been allowed to slip but for the fact that it was published by one of the leading newspapers in the country and circulated widely on the social media, keeping mute will give impression of consent and thereby mislead a lot of Nigerians.

    Firstly, the claim by Sheikh El-Zakzaky that he was responsible for his feeding from the day he went into detention to the day he left in addition to purchasing a generator set and fuelling it runs contrary to the claim he made earlier that he was maltreated by the DSS. This kind of wild claim is akin to saying he provided logistics for the operations of the entire DSS establishment.

    The self styled leader of IMN had made a lot of noise using his cronies alleging maltreatment of himself and the wife to the point that his safety was no longer guaranteed. At some point, he had asked the international community to hold the Federal Government responsible should any misfortune befall him. As one who claims to lead a religious group which is assumed to be a pius body, it is saddening that such spurious allegations would come out from the supposed mentor of many.

    Claiming to have been maltreated all along in detention and coming out to say he was allowed to spend detention in luxury even while in detention from a government he desperately seeks to blackmail only amounts to speaking from two side of his mouth. This singular claim thus cast aspersions on any other claim that this self-styled cleric made about carrying bullets in his body and that of his wife.

    Nigerians of good will must not allow persons with links with violent organisations to blackmail our security architecture in the guise of religion or criticism. As patriots, we find it expedient to speak out against this blatant lies been told about the nation’s state security service. Assuming without conceding that the Federal Government voted N4million monthly for the upkeep of the acclaimed cleric, it only shows how the government cared for him despite the atrocities he was been held for.

    To set the records straight, from my personal knowledge of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA)the DSS operations are guided by (ACJA) where the rights of the suspect are upheld in addition to ensuring speedy dispensation of justice. It is indeed absurd that instead of showing gratitude to the judiciary and by extension the DSS, the Sheikh choose this inglorious path to dish out tissues of lies in an attempt to smear the image of the DSS and curry public sympathy for himself.

    It is not right for an acclaimed servant of Allah to take to lying to his followers and the world to cover up for his wrong deeds. All known religious books admonishes believers to seek true repentance from their deeds and not lying to cover up their deeds as nothing can be hidden from the Almighty.
    We advise this self styled cleric to discontinue this calculated bare faced lies against the DSS and save a pint of dignity for himself considering the charade his lies has already caused.

    SOLOMON SEMAKA SOLOMON

    CONVENER
    SAVE NIGERIA MOVEMENT
    DECEMBER 19,2021

  • Budget padding: CSOs Want Senator Barau Jibrin Sacked as Senate committee chair on appropriation

    Budget padding: CSOs Want Senator Barau Jibrin Sacked as Senate committee chair on appropriation

    Some civil society organisations on Thursday, December 16, 2021, called on Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan to sack the chairman Senate committee on appropriation, Senator Barau Jibrin.

    The groups, Guidance of Democracy and Development Initiative (GDDI) and Partners for Legislative Agenda in Nigeria (PLAN) stated that cannot remain the chairman of the committee in the face of the report of his involvement in budget padding.

    Leaders of the group, Comrade Danesi Momoh Prince of GDDI and Comrade Igwe Ude-Umanta, noted that Senator Jibrin’s continuous leadership of such a sensitive committee is in variance with the All Progressives Congress anti-corruption crusade.

    ”It is therefore incumbent on you as the Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to rise to the moral and patriotic occasion before you and sack the indicted Senator,” the groups told Lawan.

    They further said:
    ”We are very saddened about the manifestation of corruption in Nigeria in its instituted forms. At a period of undeniable economic downturn and financial austerity for the federal government, it is suffocating to live with the fact that as long as a character like Senator Barau Jibrin chairs the Appropriation Committee of the Senate, budget padding will be the order of the day.

    ”The 2020 Appropriation Act is full of padded expenditures which have now been pronounced by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) as failing in all the integrity tests of accepted procedures in procurement and an aberration to the provisions of the Procurement Act.

    ”In the reported Constituency and Executive Tracking Exercise Phase 3 Report of the ICPC, it has become obvious that Senator Barau Jibrin has bestrode our national budget as a monstrous Colossus, creating expenditures that can only be criminally explained, or accounted for.

    ”And expectedly, the Senator has not denied the allegations in the ICPC report against him. A man who is found to have grossly abused our National Budget should not by any moral compass be allowed to continue to superintend over the legislative scrutiny of our National Budget.

    ”It is no longer news that various contract scams have been traced to Sinity Nig. Ltd, Engr Jibril Electrical Engineering and Talgo Luxury Estate Investment Nig. Ltd (companies owned by Senator Jibrin, and his family members, or in which he has serious stakes in).

    ”Projects running into millions are found to have been paid for in Kano North Senatorial District where the Chairman Senate Appropriation Committee represents, without any evidence of the projects being delivered or executed. Other projects are awarded and paid for without any iota of regard to Procurement Rules or the Procurement Act.
    ”It is therefore a matter of patriotic duty for you, the Senate President to act in national interest by removing him as a matter of dire urgency. Nigerians can no longer afford the continuous padding of our national budget. Enough is enough!”