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Omokri to el-Rufai: Your arrest fear a ruse

Published

1 month ago

February 13, 2025

Nasir El-Rufai, Reno Omokri

Omokri to el-Rufai: Your arrest fear a ruse

Former Kaduna State Governor Malam Nasir el-Rufai’s claim that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Administration plans to arrest and prosecute him is unfounded, a former presidential aide has said.

Reno Omokri said el-Rufai’s alarm was his habitual strategy of manipulating the public whenever he lost out in a power game.

The former governor recently raised the alarm that the federal government planned to arrest and prosecute him, insisting that he would not be intimidated into going into exile. He said he would remain in the country to lead the fight for good governance.

However, Omokri, in a statement, said el-Rufai was suffering from a persecution complex, noting that the former governor had accused past governments of targeting him.

He said: “The same Nasir el-Rufai, who falsely accused President Goodluck Jonathan of planning to kill him, is the same person now accusing President Bola Tinubu of wanting to arrest him. Indeed, the devil has no new tricks other than recycling the same old tired lies!”

Omokri contended that el-Rufai’s allegation was a veiled attempt to ward off ongoing investigations of his administration by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). He explained that the former governor habitually manipulated public opinion to shield his shortcomings.

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He accused the former governor of politicising a legitimate criminal investigation, “If the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission investigates and finds him wanting for financial crimes, that is not a political action. That is purely a law enforcement incident, and the only defence against that would not be that ‘President Tinubu is after me.’ It would be that you are innocent.”

Digging into el-Rufai’s past, Omokri said the former governor would go to any length, including spreading false propaganda, to achieve his purpose.

He said: “On page 272 of ‘Power, Politics and Death: A Front-row Account of Nigeria Under the Late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’, a former THISDAY editor and former President Umaru Yar’Adua’s spokesman, Mr Olusegun Adeniyi, wrote, ‘On the way, Balat, himself a former minister in Obasanjo’s government, asked, ‘Segun, this cabal thing, were you a member?’ Before I could respond, former Federal Capital Territory minister, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, who played a prominent role in the campaign that eventually brought Jonathan to power, interjected, ‘There was no cabal, we created the myth in the media to neutralize Turai (Yar’Adua’s wife).”

Omokri pointed out that el-Rufai spread the propaganda about a non-existent cabal while he was in exile for fear of criminal investigation by the President Yar’Adua administration.

“If el-Rufai could lie against a man on his deathbed and his devastated wife, who is President Tinubu that he cannot lie against?” he queried.

He dismissed the former governor’s claim that a former senator, Shehu Sani, had been recruited to destroy his (el-Rufai) reputation as unfounded.

He said, “Nasir el-Rufai was described by his boss, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, as a known liar in his book, My Watch Volume 2. In that work, former President Obasanjo said, ‘Nasir’s penchant for reputation savaging is almost pathological. Why does he do it? I recognised his weaknesses, the worst being his inability to be loyal to anybody or any issue consistently, but only to Nasir el-Rufai.

“He barefacedly lied, which he did to me against his colleagues and so-called friends. I have heard of how he ruthlessly savaged the reputation of his uncle, a man who was like his foster father in the African setting. I shuddered when I heard what he did to his half-brother in the Air Force, who is senior to him in age.”

Omokri to el-Rufai: Your arrest fear a ruse

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We won’t stop Sharia panels from operating in Oyo – Gov Makinde

Published

7 hours ago

March 28, 2025

Trends Admin

Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde

We won’t stop Sharia panels from operating in Oyo – Gov Makinde

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has assured Muslims in the state that he has no objections to the operation of Sharia panels, emphasizing that individuals are free to seek dispute resolution through them if they so wish.

Speaking at the 2025 Iftar event organized by the state government at the Government House, Agodi, Ibadan, Makinde clarified that he has no plans to challenge the legality of Sharia courts in the state. His comments were conveyed in a statement on Thursday by his media aide, Dr. Sulaimon Olanrewaju.

Earlier in the week, Dr. Rafiu Bello, Chairman of the Sharia Committee of Oyo Land, had confirmed that a Sharia panel had already been established in Oyo town and had begun sittings. This led to renewed discussions regarding the panel’s constitutionality.

In response, Makinde reiterated his stance that the Constitution remains the supreme authority in all legal matters while acknowledging the role of Sharia panels in alternative dispute resolution.

“I read in the newspaper that I would go to court for interpretation on the Sharia panel, which is ongoing in Oyo. That is not my position,” the governor stated. “My position is that we will support anything that is in our Constitution.”

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Makinde explained that alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, including the Sharia panel, could ease the burden on the courts, provided they do not conflict with constitutional provisions.

He further emphasized his administration’s commitment to maintaining religious harmony and unity in the state, cautioning against attempts to use religion for political gains.

“As we move towards the next election, there will be elements that only think about the next election. But what we have done in this administration is to think about the next generation,” he said.

The governor also used the occasion to appreciate the Muslim community for their support and prayers, acknowledging the contributions of religious leaders, lawmakers, and security agencies in fostering peace and development in Oyo State.

The event was attended by several dignitaries, including former Governor Rashidi Ladoja, Deputy Governor Bayo Lawal, Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin (represented by Deputy Speaker Mohammed Fadeyi), and other key figures from the judiciary and legislative arms of government.

We won’t stop Sharia panels from operating in Oyo – Gov Makinde

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EFCC re-arraigns son of ex-PDP chairman for alleged N2.2bn oil subsidy fraud

Published

7 hours ago

March 28, 2025

Trends Admin

EFCC re-arraigns son of ex-PDP chairman for alleged N2.2bn oil subsidy fraud

Mamman Nasir Ali, the son of former chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and one Christian Taylor were on Thursday rearraigned for an alleged N2.2 billion oil subsidy fraud before Justice Mojisola Dadap of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

They were re-arraigned alongside Nasaman Oil Services Limited on an amended 57-count charge, following new findings in the case.

The defendants had initially been arraigned on a 49-count charge bordering on conspiracy to obtain money by false pretence, obtaining money by false pretence, forgery and the use of false documents.

At the scheduled trial for the adoption of final written addresses on Wednesday, the prosecution counsel, Seiduh Atteh, informed the court of the amended charges and requested that the defendants take a fresh plea.

There was no objection from the defence counsel, Obafemi Kolade, SAN.

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Consequently, the court granted the request.

The defendants, thereafter, pleaded “not guilty” to the amended charges preferred against them.

In the amended charge, the defendants, as well as Oluwaseun Ogunbambo and Olabisi Abdul Afeez, who are both at large, allegedly “fraudulently obtained money from the Federal Government on or about September 9, 2011.”

The defendants also allegedly forged a document titled: “ GASOLINE ANALYSIS” on board MT Overseas Limar, purportedly issued by Saybolt Concremat on the said date.

Following the re-arraignment, Kolade requested time for the defence to amend its written address in response to the new charges.

Justice Dada directed the prosecution to file a response before the next hearing.

The case was adjourned till April 15, 2025 for the adoption of final written addresses.

EFCC re-arraigns son of ex-PDP chairman for alleged N2.2bn oil subsidy fraud

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Group says Natasha’s recall will deepen democracy

Published

8 hours ago

March 28, 2025

Trends Admin

Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

Group says Natasha’s recall will deepen democracy

The Campaign for Democracy, a civil society organisation, on Thursday said the recall of Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP-Kogi Central) by her constituents would deepen democracy in Nigeria.

The pro-democracy group also said that such action by her concerned constituents would help put lawmakers on their toes to serve them well.

The group made this known in a statement issued in Lokoja by its President, Mr Ifeanyi Odili.

It expressed worry over what it described as “avoidable” crisis between embattled suspended Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan and Senate President Godswill Akpabio a few weeks ago.

According to the group, the incident has put Nigeria’s image on trial before the global community.

The CSO said it was worried that, rather than addressing the core issues surrounding her (Akpoti-Uduaghan) suspension within the framework of Nigeria’s democratic institutions, she chose to “engage in a campaign of calumny against the Senate as an institution.”

“It’s unfortunate that Akpoti-Uduaghan’s activities within and outside the country since the beginning of the controversy have cast an unfortunate dent on the image of Nigeria, for which she must apologise.

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“This is nothing but gross misconduct against Nigeria,” it said.

It advised respected Nigerian leaders to always identify when not to play opposition politics with delicate national issues, in the best interest of the nation.

“More worrisome is the fact that she has distorted the facts preceding her suspension and curiously held on to her sexual harassment allegations against the Senate President as the reason for the initial actions taken against her.

“Taking such misrepresentation to the world stage and representing Nigeria illegally at the Inter Parliamentary Union to air such views can be described as nothing but gross misconduct against the country.