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$418m Paris Club Refund: Govs Tackle Malami, Say Action Fraudulent, Self-Serving
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) on Wednesday described the positions of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, on the controversial $418 million Paris Club contractors’ fee as “fraudulent and self-serving.”
The NGF Chairman and governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, disclosed the position of the forum in a communique issued at the end of its meeting, held at the Conference Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Fayemi, while reading the communique to journalists, said the governors had resolved to pursue the issue, which is before the law court, to a logical conclusion so as to know the next steps to take on the matter.
The governors, who insisted that the deductions for the payment of said consultancy were illegal, especially as the matter is before the courts, said Malami was not acting in public interest.
“The forum extensively reviewed the purported attempt by the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Minister of Finance to circumvent the law and a recent judgment of the Supreme Court, to secure the approval of the Federal Executive Council, to effect illegal payment of the sum of $418 million to contractors who allegedly executed consultancies in respect to the Paris Club Refunds to state and local governments.
“The forum set up a committee comprising the Chairman, the governor of Ekiti State, the Vice Chairman, the governor of Ondo State, the governor of Plateau State, the governor of Nasarawa State and the governor of Ebonyi State, to interface with the committee set up by Mr. President to review the matter.
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“But the position of the Governors’ Forum is clear and unequivocal. Although this matter is sub-judice and we are very reluctant to get in the way of a matter that is still being pursued in the courts, we are constrained by the manner in which the Honorable Attorney-General has been going around various media houses and purporting to create the impression that this is a liability to which governors have committed themselves to and agreed to, even though he is very much aware that that’s not the case.
“We reject all of the claims that he has made on these issues and we also insist that states will not give up on insisting that these purported claims are fraudulent and will not stand, as far as governors are concerned, and we will take every constitutional and legal means to ensure that these purported consultancies are fully litigated upon by the highest courts in the land.
“If the courts now find governors and the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and states liable, then we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. As far as we are concerned, this is a matter that governors feel very strongly about and we do not believe that the Attorney-General of the Federation is acting in the public interest. We believe he’s acting in personal, selfish interest, that would ultimately become clear when this matter is fully addressed in the law courts,” he said.
The governors, who also deliberated on the prevailing economic and security situation in the country, agreed to intervene by engaging with the federal government and other stakeholders to deliberate, suggest immediate action plans on ameliorate the current situations.
“The Forum extensively discussed the state of the Nigerian economy and security, following a presentation by Mr. Bismarck Rewani, member of the President’s Economic Advisory Council, the Forum resolved to immediately engage with the federal government and other critical stakeholders; Labour, the presidential candidates of political parties, and corporate actors on finding resolutions and suggestions to implement a set of immediate actions to ameliorate the worsening economic conditions in the country”, he said.
On the industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the communique said “on the prolonged strike by Nigerian universities, the forum encourages the federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities to find meaningful resolutions to the lingering impasse and as proposed to engage with both parties, just as we have done in the past, in a bid to ending the strike”.
The communique further revealed that the Forum discussed several other issues, ranging from resolve to increase funding for the health care sector to encouraging fiscal transparency in states.
News
BREAKING : EFCC declares Yahaya Bello wanted, seeks information on his whereabout
BREAKING : EFCC declares Yahaya Bello wanted, seeks information on his whereabout
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday declared former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, wanted.
The anti-graft agency said Bello is wanted for alleged offences relating to economic and financial crimes to the tune of N80.2 billion.
The EFCC called on Nigerians with information as to his whereabout to report immediately to the Commission or the nearest Police Station.
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“The public is hereby notified that YAHAYA ADOZA BELLO (former Governor of Kogi State), whose photograph appears above is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with alleged case of Money Laundering to the tune of N80,246,470,089.88 (Eighty Billion, Two Hundred and Forty Six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand and Eighty Nine Naira, Eighty Eight Kobo).
Bello, 48-year old Ebiraman, is a native of Okenne Local Government of Kogi State. His last known address is: 9, Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja.
Anybody with useful information as to his whereabouts should please contact the Commission in its lbadan, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt and Abuja offices or through these numbers 09-9044751-3, 08093322644, 08183322644, 07026350721-3, 0706350724-5; its e-mail address: info@efccnigeria.org or the nearest Police Station and other security agencies, ” a public notice issued by the EFCC read.
BREAKING : EFCC declares Yahaya Bello wanted, seeks information on his whereabout
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BREAKING: Submit yourself for probe, FG tells Ex-Kogi gov, Yahaya Bello
BREAKING: Submit yourself for probe, FG tells Ex-Kogi gov, Yahaya Bello
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has called on the immediate-past governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, to submit himself for probe.
News
APC: Reprieve for Ganduje, Federal High Court stops his suspension
APC: Reprieve for Ganduje, Federal High Court stops his suspension
The former governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje, has secured a court order from a Federal High Court in Kano halting his purported suspension as the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The order is sequel to an ex parte motion filed by Ganduje seeking to enforce his fundamental right to fair hearing.
According to the certified true copy of the order released on Thursday to journalists, the respondents in the application are the Police, Department of State Services DSS, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps NSCDC and nine other individuals.
Recall the APC executives in Ganduje ward of Dawakin Tofa local government area of Kano State had on April 16, announced the suspension of Ganduje over alleged corruption.
The decision was however quashed by both the State Working Committee of the APC in Kano and the National Working Committee NWC.
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A judge of the Kano State High Court, Usman Na’abba, had however affirmed the suspension and warned Ganduje against parading himself as head of the NWC and National Chairman of the APC.
However, in the ex parte order delivered on Wednesday by the Federal High Court and made available to journalists on Thursday, A.M Liman, a judge of the Federal High Court in Kano said the suspension should not be implemented until the case is heard and determined.
“That all the Respondents, their servants, agents or privies are hereby restrained from Implementing and/or giving effect to the purported decision reached during the purported emergency meeting of the alleged Executive members of APC Ganduje Ward, held at Ganduje Ward of Dawakin Tofa Local.
“That all the parties are hereby mandated to maintain status quo before the purported emergency meeting of the alleged executive members of APC Ganduje Ward, and to stay action in respect of this matter pending the hearing and determination of the substantive application,” Liman said.
April 30 has been fixed to hear Ganduje’s appeal.
APC: Reprieve for Ganduje, Federal High Court stops his suspension
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