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Don’t go with official vehicles, Buhari tells ministers

Published

11 months ago

May 27, 2023

President Muhammadu Buhari

Don’t go with official vehicles, Buhari tells ministers

Two days to the end of the eight-year administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, and handover of power to the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu on May 29, the Presidency has said ministers will not be allowed to leave office with their official vehicles.

It said they would only get what the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission prescribes as their severance benefits.

It noted further that Buhari and the Vice-President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), would also leave behind their armoured, luxury vehicles, which would be taken over by their successors, Tinubu and his deputy, Kashim Shettima, respectively.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, gave the clarification in an interview, following the usual practice of government officials leaving office with their official vehicles.

Across the country and at all levels of government, it has become a norm for heads of the executive arm and some heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies to leave office with government vehicles; some sold the vehicles to themselves at a rate many people describe as ridiculous; some allocate huge funds for themselves for the purpose of buying vehicles; while some buy or convert government properties to personal use after their tenure.

Shehu stated that Buhari, Osinbajo and the ministers would not leave office on May 29 with the vehicles allocated to them.

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He said, “As we speak today, nobody is entitled to official cars. What they use are project vehicles. These ones can only be boarded and sold after four years of usage. That is when the book value has been exhausted.

“This is as far as the law recommends as we speak. So, don’t expect that because ministers are leaving, they will carry their vehicles under Buhari. It is not going to happen. If the ministers are not taking their vehicles along, you don’t expect the president to take any. It is not going to happen.”

The presidential spokesperson explained that the law already provides for former presidents and their deputies to get a certain number of vehicles at certain intervals, and that there was no need for them to take government vehicles.

He stated, “Former Heads of State have a prescribed number of vehicles they are entitled to, which may be changed after a certain number of years. And the President has kept to this by supplying that number of vehicles to all former Heads of State each time it is due. The President will not place himself above the others; that I can assure you.”

‘Vehicles too sophisticated’

Meanwhile, a top source in the Presidency has explained that the vehicles used by the President and the Vice-President were purpose-built and could not be used by private citizens, which the occupants of the offices become after leaving office.

The source noted that apart from the high cost of the vehicles, they come with high-end customisation, including security and other features.

The source said the vehicles, including Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Toyota Land Cruiser sport utility vehicles, buses and luxury vans, meet certain comfort, security and durability requirements.

Findings revealed that the President and the Vice-President use armoured 2019 Mercedes Benz Maybach S650 bullet-proof sedans, which some experts estimate to be worth at least N300m.

The Buhari-led government earmarked N907m in 2018 for a phased acquisition of new vehicles and spare parts for the presidential fleet.

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The 2019 budget also allocated N843m for the purchase and maintenance of motor vehicles.

The high cost is due to the extensive customisation, security features and the limited production of the armoured luxury vehicles.

It was gathered that the President’s official vehicle is a five-seater sedan, fitted with massage and heated seats. With a 5.5-liter 12-cylinder turbocharged engine, it revs at 5,000 per minute, with 510 horsepower. It also has miles per gallon rating of 25mpg on the highway and 15 mpg in the city.

The 2018 allocation meant that Buhari would no longer use the defective 2014 Mercedes Benz S350 passed to him by his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan.

In 2022, N1.6bn and N30m were allocated for car-related expenses in the offices of the President and the Vice-President respectively.

However, as Buhari and Osinbajo leave office on May 29, a source in the Presidency said both officers would leave behind the high-end luxury vehicles that have chauffeured them for the past few years.

Like Shehu, the source stressed that since the country caters for all past Heads of State, there was no need to leave office with such expensive vehicles.

The source explained, “Past presidents are already under the care of the government. In the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, there is a department that monitors the affairs of past Heads of State. That department takes care of everything past presidents need.

“He (Buhari) cannot take those vehicles. Those are bulletproof vehicles that cost a lot of money. They don’t come cheap. They will be used by the next President. What will he be doing with them as a private citizen?

“I know there are governors and heads of ministries, departments and agencies who after using a vehicle for a while, they may leave office with it. But that does not apply to the Office of the President and the Vice-President.”

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BREAKING: FCCPC storms Chinese supermarket over discrimination against Nigerians

Published

8 hours ago

April 22, 2024

Trends Admin

BREAKING: FCCPC storms Chinese supermarket over discrimination against Nigerians

The Federal Competition and Consumer and Protection Commission (FCCPC) on Monday visited the Abuja-based Chinese supermarket situated at the China General Chamber of Commerce over alleged discrimination against Nigerians.

Nigerians on Sunday expressed outrage over reports that the supermarket only allowed entry to Chinese.

The issue was further escalated when a group of Nigerians visited the shopping mall only to be stopped by security personnel.

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The facility manager of the complex, Shaibu Sanusi, confirmed that Nigerians from outside the complex were not allowed to shop but Nigerians within could access it.

While the supermarket remains shut, the consumer protection agency seems to believe that some people are hiding inside in a bid to avoid confrontation with the agency.

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BREAKING: Judge vacates order suspending Ganduje as APC National Chairman

Published

9 hours ago

April 22, 2024

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Abdullahi Ganduje

BREAKING: Judge vacates order suspending Ganduje as APC National Chairman

Kano State High Court, Presided over by Justice Usman Mallam Na’Abba that earlier on slammed an order Suspending Dr Umar Abdullahi Ganduje as National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress APC, has reverses Self vacating same order.

One Haladu Gwanjo and Laminu Sani Barguma who claimed to be the Chairman and Secretary respectively of the APC Ganduje Ward in Dawakin Tofa Local Government area of the State, had secured an order Suspending Ganduje As the Chairman of the Party.

However in a twist of events the Presiding Judge of the High Court Justice Usman Na’Abba said while vacating his earlier order, that upon reading a Motion Ex-Parte together with 27 paragraph affidavit in support and a written address dated the 22nd day of April, 2024 sworn to by one Glory Adah a litigation secretary in the 4th respondent solicitors law firm.

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“And after hearing, Mr. L. O. Oyewo Esq, with A. Falana Esq and J. Essiet Esq counsel’s of the 4th Respondent/Applicant, an order of interim injunction is hereby granted”.

The Interim Injunction order is for staying of the execution of the order of interim injunction contained in the ruling of the court delivered on the 17th April, 2024 directing parties to maintain status qou ante as at the 15th day of April, 2024 in relation to the suspension of the 4th respondent/applicant from the 1st respondent by the Ganduje Ward Executive Committee pending the hearing and determination of the 4th respondent/applicant Motion on Notice..

The Judge than adjourned to 30th day of April, 2024 for hearing on the case.

BREAKING: Judge vacates order suspending Ganduje as APC National Chairman

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BREAKING: Court frees Ex-NIMASA DG Akpobolokemi of N8.5BN fraud

Published

10 hours ago

April 22, 2024

Trends Admin

Patrick Akpobolokemi

BREAKING: Court frees Ex-NIMASA DG Akpobolokemi of N8.5BN fraud

Justice Ayokunle Faji, discharged and acquitted the former NIMASA director-general, today April 22, 2024, while delivering a ruling on a no-case submission filed by him and four defendants, in a 22-count charge against them.

Akpobolokemi was arraigned before the court alongside Major-General Emmanuel Atewe (rtd), a former Commander of the Joint Task Force Operation Pulo Shield, and two other staff of the agency, Kime Engonzu and Josphine Otuaga.

In discharging and acquitting Akpobolokemi and one Josephine Otuaga, a staff of NIMASA, Justice Faji held that the EFCC failed to establish a prima facie (sufficient evidence) case against them.

However, he ruled that a former Commander of the Joint Task Force Operation Pulo Shield, Major-General Emmanuel Atewe (rtd), (second defendant), and a Staff of NIMASA, Kime Engonzu (third defendant), have to open their defence because they have a case to answer in counts 12 to 22 of the charge.

Akpobolokemi had in a no-case submission filed by his lawyers, Dr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN) leading with Collins Ogbonna, prayed the court for an acquittal without having him present a defence.

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He stated that the prosecution, with all its witnesses and evidence tendered while making its case, failed to link him to the alleged crimes.

The defendants are being prosecuted for an amended 22-count charge bordering on conspiracy; conversion; and stealing (by fraudulent conversion).

One of the counts reads: “That you, Patrick Ziadeke Akpobolokemi, Major General Emmanuel Atewe, Kime Engozu, and Josphine Otuaga sometime in 2014, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Court, with intent to defraud, conspired amongst yourselves to commit an offence to wit: Conversion of the sum of N8,537,586,798.58 property of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2012 and punishable under Section 15 (3) of the same Act.”

They had pleaded “not guilty” to the charges, thereby prompting the commencement of their trial.

Upon conclusion of the prosecution’s case, all the defendants opted for no-case submission.

Delivering its Ruling, Justice Faji held that none of the witnesses called by the Prosecution led any shred of evidence linking the first defendant, Patrick Ziadeke Akpobolokemi, and the fourth defendant to the offences they were charged for.

The court held that having regard to the totality of evidence led by the prosecution failed to provide any credible evidence linking the first defendant with the commission of the crimes alleged against him in Counts 1-11 of the first amended Charge and/or established a prima facie case against him warranting him to enter upon his defence.

The court also noted that out of the eleven witnesses fielded by the Complainant, only one witness, (PW 2), gave evidence where the name of the first defendant (Akpobolokemi) featured, while other witnesses made it abundantly clear that, they did not know the first Defendant and did not have any dealings with him.

“If there is no sufficient evidence linking the accused with the statutory elements and ingredients a court of trial must as a matter of law discharge him. It has no business searching for evidence what is nowhere and therefore cannot be found,” the Court held.