EFCC confirms quizzing former FIRS boss, Fowler, over fraud allegation – Newstrends
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EFCC confirms quizzing former FIRS boss, Fowler, over fraud allegation

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has confirmed that a former Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Babatunde Fowler, is currently being investigated by the anti-graft agency.

It said that the ex-FIRS boss, who was invited this morning, was undergoing interrogation over an alleged fraud levelled against him while in the office.

Saharareporters had earlier this morning reported that Fowler was arrested by the EFCC and was being grilled in connection with an alleged N5bn fraud perpetrated under his watch.

Spokesman for the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed that Fowler was with the commission.

“Yes, Fowler responded to an invitation this morning. I believe he is still here,” Uwujaren said, but did not give further comments on why he was being investigated.

SaharaReporters recall that nine senior officials of the agency were detained by the EFCC over alleged multi-billion naira fraud in 2019.

But Punch reported that Fowler’s interrogation by the EFCC might be in connection with N100bn tax evasion allegation levelled against a tax firm, Alpha Beta Consulting.

Fowler was also a former Chief Executive Officer at the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service before his appointment as the FIRS chairman.

A former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Alpha Beta Consulting, Dapo Apara, had accused the firm of tax fraud to the tune of N100bn.

Apara stated in a petition to the EFCC in 2018 that Alpha Beta, the firm given exclusive rights to monitor and collect Internally Generated Revenue on behalf of the Lagos Government, “has become an avenue for official corruption of government officials, a conduit pipe for massive money-laundering scheme, tax evasion, among other vices.”

In the petition which was written by his lawyer, Adetunji Shoyoye and Associates, the ex-CEO claimed that the fraud had been covered by powerful politicians in the state.

 

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BREAKING: Appeal Court sacks Nasarawa Speaker, Ibrahim Balarabe

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BREAKING: Appeal Court sacks Nasarawa Speaker, Ibrahim Balarabe

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has sacked the Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Hon. Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

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Newstrends reports that in a judgement delivered on Tuesday, the court declared the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Hon. Sa’ad Abdullahi Ibrahim (Turakin-Opanda), as the rightful winner of the election for Umaisha/Ugya State Constituency.

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Breaking! Appeal Court affirms Sim Fubara’s victory

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Simnalaye Fubara

Breaking! Appeal Court affirms Sim Fubara’s victory

The State and National Assembly Appeal Court sitting in Lagos on Tuesday affirmed the election of Governor Siminalayi Fubara in the March 18 2023 governorship election.

The Appeal Court in a unanimous decision dismissed four separate appeals filed against the governor.

The appeals were filed by Patrick Tonye-Cole of the All Progressives Congress, Beatrice Itubo of the Labour Party, Innocent Ekwu of the Allied Peoples Movement and Lulu Briggs Dumo of Accord Party.

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The court held that all the appellants failed to prove the allegation of non-compliance with the Electoral Act.

The court also faulted the tribunal for dismissing Tonye-Cole’s appeal on the ground that APC sponsored him and had withdrawn the petition against Governor Fubara’s victory.

The appellate court further held that the fact that the APC withdrew its petition against Fubara’s victory does not prevent its candidate, Tony-Cole, from pursuing his appeal.

Breaking! Appeal Court affirms Sim Fubara’s victory

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Niger: Appeal Court sacks PDP lawmaker, declares APC winner

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Niger: Appeal Court sacks PDP lawmaker, declares APC winner

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has sacked Suleiman Wanchiko of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of Bida I (North) State Constituency election in Niger and declared Bako Kasim of All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the poll.

The three-member panel, while delivering the judgment through Justice Bature Isa-Gafai, held Wanchiko’s appeal was unmeritorious.

The appellate court agreed with Kasim’s counsel, Johnson Usman, SAN, that Wanchiko, having presented a forged testimonial to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), ought to be disqualified from contesting the election.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that INEC had declared Wanchiko the winner of the Bida I (North) Constituency poll for the Niger State House of Assembly election conducted on March 18.

The electoral umpire had declared Wanchiko as the winner with 12, 062 votes as against 11, 820 votes scored by Kasim.

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Dissatisfied with the INEC’s declaration, Kasim and APC, through their Counsel, Mr Usman, approached the state’s election petition tribunal via petition number: EPT/NG/SHA/11/2023 between Bako Kasim and another Vs. Suleiman Muhammad Wanchiko and another.

Kasim filed the petition on the grounds that Wanchiko was not qualified to contest in the election in that he submitted forged testimonial to INEC and that the election was invalid by reason of non-compliance with the Electoral Act, 2022.

At the end of trial, the tribunal found merit in the petitioners’ arguments and disqualified Wanchiko and ordered a re-run without him.

Not satisfied with the judgment of the tribunal, Wanchiko, through his counsel, Aliyu Lemu, SAN, approached the Court of Appeal, praying the court to set aside the decision of the tribunal.

But Kasim’s lawyer urged the court to dismiss the appeal and return his client as the winner of the election.

The appellate court upheld Usman’s argument that Wanchiko, having been disqualified, the proper order was to return Kasim as the winner of the poll and directed INEC to issue him a Certificate of Return.

Niger: Appeal Court sacks PDP lawmaker, declares APC winner

(NAN)

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