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Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Fuel Subsidy Scam: Civil Society Groups Want Petroleum Minister Sacked 
Published on April 25, 2012 by pmnews · 2 CommentsAbuja-based
Civil Society groups on Wednesday called for the immediate sack and
prosecution of Petroleum Minister, Mrs. Diezani Allison Madueke, over
the mind- boggling and scandalous acts of corruption documented in the
report of the Adhoc Committee of the House of Representatives.
Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, Minister of Petroleum Resources.
The executive arm of government also received knocks for the blatant abuse of the 2011 Appropriation Bill which resulted in the fraudulent escalation of the approved budget for fuel subsidy in 2011 from N245.96 billion up to N2.58 trillion.
The suspicious authorization of 128 payments in split withdrawals of N999 million each, totaling N127.872 billion by then Accountant General of the Federation, presently Governor of Gombe state, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwabo, also came into focus even as the group threatened to embark on some undisclosed measures if government refuses to do the right thing.
Speaking on the fuel subsidy scandal, Mr. Clement Nwankwo of the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), noted that it is deeply worrisome that subsidy was removed to the tune of 50% from 2011 and N1.258 trillion was spent, but that in spite of this reduction in subsidy, which ought to translate to a reduction of about 50% in the amount to be spent on subsidy, the figure has however been on the increase.
The rights activist noted that this mindless corruption is part of the cause of insecurity occasioned by Boko Haram, including the epileptic power supply situation in the country.
“A thief is no better if he comes from my village, it does not matter where the President comes from, what is more important to Nigerians is that our economy is being poorly managed. Public officials found culpable in this fraud should be sacked and prosecuted.”
He further pointed out that the National Assembly should go beyond their recommendation and bring people to account so as to avoid a situation where things would degenerate to chaos.
On his part, Mr. Eze Onyekpere of the Centre for Social Justice posited that there must be a way to prevent a repeat of such violent violation of the nation’s laws as seen in the fuel subsidy administration.
According to Eze, “those who have abused their offices should leave their duty post so that others who are interested in the progress of this nation can mount the saddle.”
Other members of rights group at the forum include Dan Nengel of the Community Life Project, Collins Okeke of the Human Rights Law Service, Dauda Garuba of the Revenue Watch Institute, Emmanuel Onwubiko of the Human Rights Writers’ Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) as well as Mkpume Daniel of the Youth Action Initiative Africa.
They expressed their preparedness to work with the House of Representatives to monitor compliance with the resolution reached by the House
N21b Fraud: Saraki Loses Bid To Stop Police
Published on April 24, 2012 by pmnews · 13 CommentsAttempts
by former governor of Kwara state and senator representing the Kwara
Central senatorial district at the National Assembly, Senator Bukola
Saraki, to stop the police from inviting and interrogating him have
failed.
Bukola Saraki
On Tuesday a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja declined to grant the restraining order sought by the former governor.
Saraki’s lawyer, Mr. Lawal Rabana, a senior advocate of Nigeria, had applied to the court in an ex-parte application, for the enforcement of the senator’s fundamental rights.
The presiding judge, Justice Olotu, declined to grant the ex-parte application and advised that the police be served with the motion on notice which was filed alongside the ex-parte application to enable the court hear both parties on the substantive motion.
Rattled by the court’s refusal to grant the order restraining the police from inviting him for interrogation over the alleged fraud, Senator Bukola’s media aide, Mr. Akintoba Fatiregun, issued a press release in Ilorin stating that the embattled senator had obtained an interim injunction restraining the Inspector General of Police, his officers and agents from arresting him or infringe on his rights pending the determination of the substantive suit slated for hearing on May 26.
Part of the statement by Saraki’s aide reads:
“As a law-abiding citizen, Senator Saraki has decided to seek legal redress to put a stop to what appears to be an orchestrated frenzy calculated at smearing his name, assaulting his dignity and intimidating his person through deliberately garbled accounts and serial leaks concerning loans granted to a company that he has no relationship with.
“Senator Saraki is indeed in receipt of a letter from the Police Special Anti-Fraud Unit, Lagos, inviting him to assist its investigations of a case of ‘conspiracy, forgery and stealing the sum of N21 billion belonging to Joy Petroleum Ltd.’
” Saraki has made it clear on many occasions that he has no relations with Joy Petroleum and wishes to so restate.
“While taking note of and displeased with the tendentious attempts to prosecute and persecute him on the pages of the media, Senator Saraki has asked the court to determine whether he could be invited by the police to assist in investigating a matter in which he is not linked and for which no specific allegation has been made against him.”
Fani-Kayode Faces Trial 10 October
The coast is now clear for the trial of the former Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode to commence on 10 October, 2012 as a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos bluntly refused to stay proceedings in his trial.
Femi Fani-Kayode
Subsequently, a certified true copy of the appeal before the Supreme Court was filed before the court.
Opposing the application for stay of proceedings, Barrister Nelson Okedinachi told the court that what the defendant filed at the Supreme Court was an academic exercise which had been overtaken by event.
He said the trial of the former Aviation minister is starting afresh.
Okedinachi contended that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Act does not provide for stay of proceedings.
Consequently, Justice Binta Muritala Nyako, while refusing to stay proceedings, adjourned till 10 October, 2012 for the trial of the former minister to commence.
University of Ibadan shut down for two weeks over students protest
The students took their protest beyond the school gates and mounted roadblocks around the UI/Ojoo road, causing serious traffic. All efforts to pacify the students failed, as they promised to continue protesting until their demands are met.
Following the two day protest, the University authority has shut down the institution for two weeks with immediate effect. Their reason for closing down the school? To abort the indefinite protest by students and to give them time to fix some of the problems the student complained about.
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