Tinubu didn’t finance my Lekki home, I sold houses, land, took loans, Adebanjo replies Akande – Newstrends
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Tinubu didn’t finance my Lekki home, I sold houses, land, took loans, Adebanjo replies Akande

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2 years ago

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Leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo

Leader of the Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, has given an account of how he built his house located at Plot 25, Ayo Adebanjo Close, Off Adebayo Doherty Street, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos State.

A former Interim Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Bisi Akande, in his book,
‘My Participations’, claimed that Adebanjo pestered Bola Tinubu to build the Lekki house for him.

Adebanjo however denied the allegation in a press statement on Thursday, calling Akande a “fool”.

The Afenifere leader claimed that he sold houses and land to build his Lekki house.

He also noted that he took a loan from a bank to complete the house.

While giving an account of how the properties were sold, Adebanjo said one of the lands sold were given to him by the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

He clarified that Tinubu didn’t finance his Lekki house, instead, Adebanjo alleged that Tinubu built a house for Akande.

The statement read, “About a week ago, last Thursday, 7 December to be exact at the presentation of the book ‘MY PARTICIPATION’ by Chief Bisi Akande, it was said that Chief Bisi Akande stated in the book that I brought pressure on Bola Tinubu to build the house for me.

“But since Bola Tinubu himself was present at the presentation, I expect him within a few days to refute such a malicious falsehood about me emanating from his Man Friday.

“I hold this view because Bola Tinubu just some 3 years ago on the occasion of the presentation of my autobiography ‘SAYING IT AS IT IS’ that for my incorruptibility and strength of character, he Bola Tinubu would not have been Governor of Lagos State in 1999. What then could he be demanding from me after his two-term governorship to make me pressurize him to build a house for me when I did not get a naira from him before he became the governor?

“There has been a lot of pressure on me not to react to Chief Bisi Akande’s tantrums, he is a neophyte, a beneficiary of a struggle he never took part in. I have been urged to keep to the adage not to ‘Answer a fool less you reduce yourself to his level’, but there is also an adage that says, ‘Answer a fool less he thinks he is wise’. A lot has been said in the press and the social media to demolish tantrums.

“But I owe a duty to myself and to put the record straight for posterity about the big lie that Bola Tinubu built my house in Lekki for me. I, therefore, deny categorically that my house at Lekki was built with my resources through the sale of 3 developed properties, loan from GTBank and the sale of undeveloped landed property given me by my late leader Chief Obafemi Awolowo of blessed memory.

“The details are as follows: A 4 bedroom duplex with 2 bedroom flat enclosed with 2 undeveloped plots at plot 4, block 14, Nuru Oniwo Street, Aguda Surulere, Lagos State, this is where I was living before moving to Lekki. The house was commissioned in 1972 by Chief Obafemi Awolowo. A wing of the duplex was once occupied by a staff of the security outfit then known as ‘special branch’ headed then by the late Alhaji M.D. Yussuf who later became Inspector General of Police when General Olusegun Obasanjo was the Head of State.

“It was later occupied by one of the wives Chief Pius Akinyelure, who often visit his wife there in the company of Senator Bola Tinubu. The gate of this property was forced open by (Sani) Abacha security forces when NADECO was holding a sendoff party for American ambassador Walter Carrington in my house, I took the Federal Government to court for damages and I was awarded N1million which has not been paid till today by the Federal Government, Mr. Olisa Agbakoba SAN, was my counsel.

“The house was sold to St Baths Anglican Church, Aguda, Surulere.Two storey building at Odedola Street, Surulere, Lagos State. I bought it through an Estate Agent by the name Mr. Shiwoniku who has relocated to the UK, he has a brother who is a legal practitioner in Abuja. The house was sold to a Ghanaian by the name Mr Akappo.

“He is still alive and he lives in one of the flats in the building. Four storey building with a warehouse on the ground floor and six flats on top. It was commissioned by Chief Awolowo in 1977. I inherited the plot of 45’X100’ from my mother Salamotu Anomo-Adebanjo, who built a bungalow on it.

“She bought the land when I was in primary school in 1940 from one Pa. Idowu Onitiri for £20, which she paid by instalment of £10, £7, £3. His son Akanbi Onitiri, executed the conveyance for me without extra payment after showing him the purchase receipts from his father, when I was developing it in 1976. Akanbi Onitiri is the father of Sumbo Onitiri, a well-known estate surveyor in Lagos.The building was sold to a woman through an estate agent. I then took a loan from GTBank to complete the house in Lekki where I am living now.

“When the interest on the loan became unbearable, I was compelled to sell the undeveloped land given to me by Chief Awolowo in Dide-Olu Estate in Maroko Victoria Island. One Mr. Ade Otusanya a friend of my son Femi Ayo-Adebanjo bought the land. The contractor who built my Lekki house is Engr. Hakeem Sulaiman, Senior Partner of Messrs HA associates. The Electrical and Mechanical Contractor is Engr. Tokunbo Oshokoya, Senior Partner of Messrs Oshea Projects. The Architect is Mr. Deji JohnsonThe Quantity Surveyor is the late Otunba T.B. Adebayo.

“The Lekki property, the house in my village, Isanya Ogbo, and three Bedroom flat in a townhouse, at Omorinre Street in Lekki are the properties I have in the whole world.”

Punch

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We’ve arrested seven suspected cultists, armed robbers in Anambra – Police

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1 min ago

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May 5, 2024

By

Anambra State Police command’s spokesperson, SP Toochukwu Ikenga

We’ve arrested seven suspected cultists, armed robbers in Anambra – Police

Anambra State police have apprehended seven individuals suspected of cult involvement and armed robbery, who have been wreaking havoc in the region.

The police are still searching for two additional individuals, including Makuo Nwuso, alias Baby.

According to SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the police spokesperson, a cut-size double-barreled gun, an unregistered tricycle, and various hard drugs were seized during the operation.

He said, “The suspects include Chukwuemka Ozoekwe, aged 18; Chidozie Anagor, aged 18; Chukwuemeka Oyeoka, aged 18; Ebuka Okoye, aged 17; Olisa Obi, aged 19; Chidubem Nwakwu, aged 20 and Nwankwo Kosisochukwu – all males. While Makuo Nwosu ‘m’ aka Baby and one other person whose name is yet to be identified are wanted.

“Police attached to Special Anti-Cult Squad SPACS while on patrol at Unizik Junction intercepted all males and five occupants including the driver of a tricycle.

“Operatives in a bid to question them, the occupants took to their heels while the others escaped, Chukwuemka Ozoekwe was arrested.

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“Chukwuemeka later led the police to their criminal den where Chidozie Anagor aged 18 years, and Chukwuemeka Oyeoka aged 18 years were arrested and the remaining two are still at large.

“Chukwuemeka later led the police to their criminal den where Chidozie Anagor aged 18 years, and Chukwuemeka Oyeoka aged 18 years were arrested and the remaining two are still at large.

“Also during the raid operation in their harbor, the pperatives arrested Ebuka Okoye 17 years, Olisa Obi 19 years, Chidubem Nwakwu 20 years, and Nwankwo Kosisochukwu.

“During interrogation, the suspects confessed to being members of the Vipers Cult group and they are one of the gangs terrorising Awka metropolis recently. The suspects also confessed that they were on a mission to rob the road users of their phones and personal belongings before the arrest.

“To this end, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Finance and Administration and acting Commissioner of Police, DCP Fidelis Ogarabe PSC MNIPS charged the Operatives to sustain the tempo in the fight against crime in the state. He also assures Ndi Anambra that the Confidence repose on the Police and all the security agencies in the State shall not be taken for granted and directs the suspects to be charged to court on the conclusion of the investigations.”

We’ve arrested seven suspected cultists, armed robbers in Anambra – Police

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Zamfara APC defends Mattawale, says protesters are rented crowd

Published

19 mins ago

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May 5, 2024

By

State Minister of Defence, Bello Mattawale

Zamfara APC defends Mattawale, says protesters are rented crowd

All Progressive Congress (APC) in Zamfara has urged the state minister of defence Bello Mattawale not to be distracted by the anti-progressive elements protesting against him, as they are ignorant, rented crowd who did not have an iota of what they were doing.

In a statement issued on Sunday in Gusau by the Zamfara state APC publicity secretary Yusuf Idris said the protesters are anti-progressive elements who do not mean well for the state.

“The attention of the Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress APC has been drawn to a malicious protest orchestrated by some anti-progressive persons against the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Mohammed Matawalle”.

“The protesters, largely made up of a rented crowd and those who did not have an iota of what they were doing, marched to the Headquarters of the EFCC in Abuja with their frivolous claims against the Minister and former governor of Zamfara and asking the anti-graft agency to investigate the Minister”.

He disclosed that the issue being raised is an over-flogged one.

“In fact, if the claims were true, the EFCC would have since made the details available to the public.

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“The rented crowd were ignorant of the national laws constitutional and judicial process in the operations of anti-graft agencies against a suspect resorted to a protest of envy and vendetta against the rising popularity of the Minister Bello Matawalle”

“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) response to sponsored protesters explains to them that the commission’s constitutional mandate is not driven by personal vendettas, political differences, and tribal sentiments but focused on upholding the rule of law and combating financial crimes without fear or favour”.

According to the statement, such protests have been coming from Matawalle’s political rivals organised by a few people from Matawalle’s home state, “sometimes using non-Zamfara indigenes who never knew the road to Zamfara and the latest, using people idling in the outskirts of Abuja and beggars to hold placards that they could not even read what the content said against the Minister”.

He said in Zamfara, the Minister’s support has continued unabated and they strongly believe that such failed protests will always meet brick walls and embarrassment to the sponsors who are presently trying to hide their faces over failure through sponsored protests to distract Matawalle from carrying his assigned national responsibility.

“At the party level, we know these people and we know their antics and political strength (if they have any) and we want to assure them that their envy against Matawalle will lead them nowhere because the Minister who is the APC leader in Zamfara, has since moved on with his life and has always shown readiness to work with anyone for the progress of Zamfara and Nigeria.

“The party leadership at all levels is with you and ready to defend the policies and programmes of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at all levels.

‘We are calling on the Minister to continue with his efforts to achieve peace and security throughout Nigeria for every citizen to go about his legitimate business without fear of being attacked or kidnapped.

“We urged the minister not to be distracted by the anti-progressive elements who don’t mean well for Zamfara State and Nigeria as a whole”.

Zamfara APC defends Mattawale, says protesters are rented crowd

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Poor power supply: Your cup is full, IPOB tells Enugu DisCo

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37 mins ago

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May 5, 2024

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Poor power supply: Your cup is full, IPOB tells Enugu DisCo

Separatist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has threatened to shut down the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company over poor power supply in the South-East.

The group called on the Chairman of the Enugu DisCo, Emeka Offor, and its management to “stop defrauding” the people, adding that residents had been compelled to pay “illegal estimated bills” which run into hundreds of thousands of naira.

IPOB, in a statement issued on Saturday by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful; said it is “calling for steady lights in the region by EEDC. If they continue with the abysmal light supply in the South East, IPOB will have no option but to shut down EEDC offices in the South East in the shortest possible time.”

The statement read partly, “Following the abysmal electricity experienced in the South East, we call on EEDC to provide adequate electricity in the area or exit the region for reliable companies to take over.

“EEDC is defrauding her consumers with exorbitant electricity bills without supplying the power. The company has refused to give its consumers prepaid electricity meters but keeps giving illegal estimated bills. In many communities in the Southeast, EEDC gives community bills running in the hundreds of thousands of naira. Whether the light was provided or not, any village that didn’t pay the illegal estimated bills will have the irregular light supply disconnected.

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“Communities buy their power transformers and electricity cables. At the same time, they pay the corrupt EEDC company to link power to the community. Afterwards, EEDC will bill the same village for the same power supply.”

The group alleged that the EEDC had failed to either restore or return some faulty transformers in some communities after they were dismantled, lamenting that such would inhibit business and industrial activities in the region.

The statement added, “EEDC dismantled some communities’ faulty transformers for repairs and maintenance but failed to return them for years. Some 10 years and some five years. To date, those transformers have not been restored nor seen.

“EEDC’s cup is full and we are going to show them that people are owners of the region and they are reaping Ndigbo off with abysmal power supply and exorbitant bills.

“The abysmal and unavailable power supply from EEDC will frustrate economic activities and industrialisation of Biafra Land. EEDC, therefore, must be kicked out.”

The pro-Biafran group partly tied the DisCo’s “over N12 billion” debt owed to the Transmissions Company of Nigeria to the epileptic distribution of adequate electricity in the region.

“EEDC’s indebtedness to the Transmissions Company of Nigeria (TCN) to over N12 billion, led to TCN restricting EEDC from using some of their facilities in Enugu. As it stands, EEDC is struggling with corporate integrity issues and liquidity to run its operations.

“The pertinent question to ask is, “Does EEDC have the capacity to distribute adequate electricity to the Southeast with her grossly insufficient budget?

“It is obvious that EEDC is fully aware of her limited capacity to deliver steady power yet they keep going around the Southeast defrauding and extorting the Governors and citizens in the name of power supply. The Federal Government has deregulated the power sector. Monopoly in the power sector is over,” the statement noted.

The pro-Biafran group also called on the Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, to make public the details and terms of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the state government and the EEDC, on March 25, 2023.

Poor power supply: Your cup is full, IPOB tells Enugu DisCo

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