N'Delta Avengers Threat: Buhari Hosts Jonathan Secretly In Aso Rock

President Muhammadu Buhari last night hosted his immediate predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan secretly at Presidential Villa, in Abuja, Sahara Reporters reports

The meeting, which was held at the private residence of the President held to discuss the Niger Delta crisis took place around 9pm on Thursday, our source says

A group of militants, Niger Delta Avengers has been bombing the nation's oil facilities, thereby down the economy.

At the meeting, President Buhari reassured the former president of his highest regards and made it clear to him that there was no plan to arrest him or his wife, Patience over the ongoing corruption clampdown.

The meeting it was learnt was brokered by former President Olusegun Obasanjo shortly after news broke that me Jonathan had taken refuge in Abidjan fearing that he would be arrested in he returned to Nigeria. Obasanjo who was in Lesotho at the time reportedly intervened on Jonathan's behalf. Obasanjo too met President Buhari earlier today in the Villa behind closed doors.

No aide joined the two leaders for the closed-door parley.

The Shocking Things Jonathan Told Me On Phone During 2015 Election - Buhari Reveals At 1yr In Office

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has been described as a Nigerian with "great sense of patriotism" by President Muhammadu Buhari over the later's rare decision to make that significant phone call to concede defeat during the 205 presidential election, News Punch has learnt

President Buhari said he was shocked when former president Goodluck Jonathan called him to concede defeat while votes were still being counted during the 2015 election.

This revelation was made on Monday at the Presidential Banquet Hall, Aso Villa, Abuja, when the President hosted the State House Press Corps to a lunch as part of activities marking this year’s democracy day, Premium Times reports

“When he made that famous call at 4:45 pm and said ‘Good evening Mr. President, I have called to congratulate you and I concede defeat’, I was silent for quite a while because I was surprised and he said ‘did you hear me?’,” the president said.

Mr. Buhari said he was shocked because for someone who was a deputy governor, a governor, a vice president and a president for six years to concede that easily showed Mr. Jonathan’s “great sense of patriotism”.

President Buhari said another former military head of state, Abdulsalami Abubakar, advised him to visit Mr. Jonathan for his “statesmanship and decision to save the Nigerian state”.

Mr. Buhari also said Mr. Jonathan belonged to a party that was at the helms of affairs for 16 years and for him to still go ahead and concede “was definitely not an easy decision”.

The president added that during the visit to thank Mr. Jonathan, General Abdulsalami again advised that in order to smoothen the transition process, he (Buhari) should set up a committee to meet with the outgoing ministers of Mr. Jonathan to begin the process of handing over at that level.

“Jonathan sincerely agreed to the suggestion and I got one of the best bureaucrats, in the person of Ahmed Joda, and told him to look round the country and come up with a team for the task.

” However, when Jonathan told his government this is what I have decided, they simply refused and said how can you hand over to Buhari when he has not been sworn in.

“That was the end of that good intention,” Mr. Buhari said.

The president said when he assumed office he trimmed down the number of ministries from 42 to 24, while many permanent secretaries were also dropped for one reason or the other.

He however said, his government was still shocked when it realized that ” those below were still living in the past” which, he said led to the infamous “budget padding.”

“The budget padding was our nasty experience, for me and many ministers who were not in government.

“We had to work day and night to correct the ills and I noticed that some of them were actually losing weight,” he said.

The president also spoke briefly about his inability to release the list of those who looted the nations treasury.

“We realized that we can’t talk too much or technicalities would come in and we may realize what we should have realized,” he said.

Mr. Buhari advised the reporters covering the state house to always conduct research on those visiting him whenever they plan to ask them questions, ” so that when next they come, they will do some research themselves”.

Speaking earlier, the chairman of the press corps, Kehinde Ahmadu, said Monday’s event was the first time that a serving president would host the corps to a lunch and thanked the president for the gesture.

Mr. Kehinde also said the reporters covering the president were willing to contribute their quota in his change agenda.

He also said the reporters would not ask for incentives from the president so that it would not be misconstrued as asking for gratification.

He however called for ” improved working conditions” for reporters covering the State House.

The oldest journalist covering the Villa, 80-year old Ladan Abubakar was specially recognized at the event.

Also recognised was the Director of Information at the State House, Justin Abuah for “his diligence and dedication to duties”.

Those who attended the lunch include the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed; the President’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari; and the Senior Special Assistant to the President, Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu.

Excerpts From Premium Times

Jonathan's Kinsman 'Coughs Out' N900m Looted Fund To EFCC After Denial, Name-calling

A sum of N900 million has been recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from Mr. Waripamowei Dudafa, a former Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, who is also his relative, Punch Newspaper reports this morning

Before the recovery, Mr. Dufada had denied the allegation by the antigraft agency that  he was a cohort of the N10bn distributed to delegates at the presidential primary of the Peoples Democratic Party in December 2014. The was name-calling by his family members that the EFCC was on witch hunting mission. 

The recovered money was found in one of Dudafa’s accounts, which was earlier frozen, a reliable EFCC source told Punch Newspaper correspondent 

The source said, “Dudafa told us that he had no money; so, we began to investigate his accounts. We then found N900m that was hidden in one of his accounts through the connivance of his account officer.

“Dudafa initially denied owning the account but when he was confronted with evidence, he had no choice but to admit. Some people, who had paid money into the account based on Dudafa’s instructions, even came forward to say that the account indeed belonged to Dudafa. The N900m will be used as evidence against him in court.”

Dudafa, who was a close aide to and a kinsman of Jonathan, was arrested on April 18 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.

The former presidential aide, alongside Jonathan’s ex Aide-de-Camp, Col. Ojogbane Adegbe, was accused of giving N10bn to delegates at the presidential primary of the Peoples Democratic Party in December 2014, in which Jonathan was the only candidate.

The money was allegedly diverted by the Office of the National Security Adviser from a Signature Bonus Account in the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The N10bn is believed to have been diverted from oil receipts as follows: $5m (November 14, 2014); $47m (November 27, 2014); €4m (December 3, 2014) and €1.6m (December 24, 2014).

While Adegbe was arrested but later released, Dudafa was said to have fled to either Dubai or a Caribbean country where he stayed for several months.

However, impeccable sources at the EFCC told our correspondent that Dudafa was arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services upon arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

In his Statement of Witness/Accused Person, which had been filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, embattled former NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), had said the N10bn was given to Ojogbane and Dudafa.

Dasuki had said, “That I am aware in November, I cannot remember the exact date, my office requested the CBN to exchange N10bn from the account of the Office of the National Security Adviser domiciled in CBN. The money was exchanged and $47m and some Euros, which I cannot remember the exact amount, were delivered at my residence.

“The money was for delegates that attended the nomination convention for the PDP presidential nomination. The money was paid and sent to Hon. Dudafa (SSAP, Household) and ADC(C-I-C) for distribution on the instruction of the President.”

HOT NEWS: BREAKING: Troops, N'Delta Avengers In Gun Duel At Bayelsa; Militants Flee, Many Injured

Credit: Punch Newspaper Online

I Don't Know 'We' Stole Such Huge Billions of Dollars For Election, Culprits Should Be Jailed - PDP BoT Member, Wabara

A member of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, Board of Trustee member and former Senate President during Obasanjo's regime, Chief Adolphus Wabara said he was startled, and so was so many Nigerians when it was revealed that his party, the PDP spent so huge amount of United States Dollar in prosecuting the 2015 general election.

Wabara speaking with The Daily Sun Newspaper correspondent, IHEANA­CHO NWOSU, in an interview said he never had faintest idea that such money exchanged hands. he further said he believed many Nigerians are really startled that such amount of money in dollars in billions exchanged hands. I don’t think any Presidential elec­tion in any part of the world has spent the type of money that was spent in the last election in Nigeria on election. Everybody more or less participated in the booty. So, any­body found guilty should be prosecuted

"I never had the faintest idea that such money exchanged hands. I’m sure many Nigerians are really star­tled that such amount of money in dollars in billions exchanged hands. I don’t think any Presidential elec­tion in any part of the world has spent the type of money that was spent in the last election in Nigeria on election. Everybody more or less participated in the booty. So, any­body found guilty should be prosecuted," Wabara opined 

On if the revelation destabilizes the PDP, Wabara said;

"I really don’t think it has. Don’t forget that you are innocent until proven guilty and that has to be in the court of law. That explains why you find the likes of (Olisa) Metuh before last Saturday, doing his job and all of them that have been mentioned so far are going around doing their thing, until maybe the day of judgment. In a criminal matter, the onus of proof is on the prosecution and it must be proven beyond all reasonable doubt for you to jail someone on a criminal charge. The EFCC, because of the enormity of their commitments, you find that they are not handling most of the matters professionally. We might end up having people escaping from jail on technical grounds."

On this questions:

You said you have no problem with the way they are handling the anti-cor­ruption war so far. But some people have raised the is­sue of party funds; that the probe so far has not dis­tinguished between party money and funds from the public coffers. Some have said that If you are probing public money, it should not be mixed with money that belongs to the political par­ty, which the party used for election purposes. Don’t you see the EFCC is mixing these together?

"I don’t think they are bringing ev­erything together. We are all Nigeri­ans and we knew how much the PDP raised during the presidential cam­paign – about twenty something bil­lion Naira, not dollars. But what we are hearing is different. If you sub­tract twenty something billion Naira from that, you will find that the whole thing is startling. But Buhari cannot get all the money that is involved, even if he is able to jail all them. I’m being very practical."

As you said, no one is guilty until proven guilty. Now, the same court had approved bail applications of some of these suspects, but none of it appears to enjoy the support of the arresting au­thorities. Is this in itself not an abuse of the process?

"There are two sides to a coin. I don’t want to believe that the EFCC or the ICPC will keep suspects un­necessarily. There was a case that they mentioned and they gave rea­sons why they were still keeping the person. That’s why they moved out of Abuja; they now obtained hold­ing charge from Lagos. You cannot blame the judiciary for doing that. If they get court judgment to continue to hold someone, then you cannot fault that. It’s just that we are alarm­ists. We want things to happen now and I think people are also getting a little bit tired."

EFCC Receives First Corrupt Petition of $2.1b Against Jonathan From A Southeast Ex-Lawmaker

The first of it kind again former President Goodluck Jonathan since the incumbent, President Muhammadu Buhari began his fight against corruption, a renown Igbo lawmaker, a former member of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Ikenna Ejezie, has written a petition to the anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC to probe the ex-President on the alleged mismanagement of $2.1billion released to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) for arms purchase.

The petition which was written by the Enugu ex-lawmaker through his counsel, Barr. Barrister Osuagwu Ugochukwu. dated  May 24, 2016 also requested the EFCC to invite Jonathan for interrogation on why he made N400million public funds available to a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, for personal and private party use, The Nation Newspaper reports this morning

It was the first petition the EFCC will formally receive demanding the investigation of Jonathan.

According to findings, the May 24, 2016 petition came from a former member of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Ikenna Ejezie, through his counsel, Barrister Osuagwu Ugochukwu.

Both President Muhammadu Buhari and the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mallam Abubakar Malami, were copied the petition.

The petition reads: “We are solicitors to Hon. Ikenna Ejezie hereinafter called our client and with you as he has instructed.

“Our client is requesting you to, in the public interest, invite ex-President Goodluck Jonathan for questioning and possible prosecution over his role in the misuse of $2.1billion through the Office of the National Security Adviser (Col. Sambo Dasuki rtd) and disbursement of N400million funds to Olisa Metuh for personal and private political party use.

“Our client notes that Dasuki had stated severally whilst in your commission that the $2.1billion was authorized for disbursement by ex-President Goodluck Jonathan for arms purchase, but later turned out to be for selfish purpose.

Olisa Metuh also had admitted that former President Goodluck Jonathan transferred and/ or authorized release of N400million public funds to his account for political campaign of Jonathan rather than for public interest.

“Our client informed us that the confession of Olisa Metuh is contained in his criminal statement with the EFCC.

“Our client is thus shocked that in spite of the implication of ex-President Jonathan in the current prosecution of Metuh and Dasuki, the former President has not been invited for his statement to be taken nor has he been prosecuted by the EFCC as co-accused/ defendant.

“Our client herewith requests that the ex-President be invited for questioning and to commence prosecution as he was the one who did authorize the disbursement of the $2.1billion and N400million public funds that were illegally abused and misappropriated by Dasuki and Metuh who are both standing trial in various courts in Abuja.

“Our client demands that this request be responded to within seven days from the receipt of this letter and as quickly as possible.”

The ex-President had on Monday told The Nation that  he was not on exile and won’t run away from any problem.

He said: “I am not on exile. I have no cause to go on exile. I was Vice President for two years and President for six years. I did everything I could and I served my country well”.

A former Minister of National Planning, Prof. Suleiman Olanrewaju Abubakar,  also quoted Jonathan as saying: “I am not on exile; I can never be on exile; I am going to come back to Nigeria.

“I cannot run away from any problem; I am going to face whatever problem that exists in Nigeria.”

When contacted, a top source at the EFCC said: “We have received a copy of the letter from the affected individual, and it will be treated on its merit. Normally, once anyone drops a letter or a petition, we   subject it to our due procedure of whether it has any merit or not.

“From what we have, what was sent to us was based on media reports. Those who brought the letter have not disclosed any fact yet.

“So far, they have to come up with more evidence. We will certainly demand for concrete evidence against the ex-President from the aggrieved who wrote us. And it is strange that a petitioner  or an individual will have to give the EFCC a deadline to do its work.”

Credit: The Nation

How $40m Transferred To Jonathan's Cousin For Phantom Contract

The Nation - The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has traced the source of the $40million paid to Roberts Azibaola, who is former President Goodluck Jonathan’s cousin, to a bank in London.

The cash was wired through Citibank N. A. Canada Square Canary in Wharf London E 145 LB into the account of One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited of Azibaola.

About $6million of the money was paid to a bureau de change in Abuja.

Azibaola, who was yet to make any refund, has been relocated from Lagos to Abuja in preparation for his trial.

Charges have been filed against the ex-President’s cousin at a Federal High Court in Abuja. No date has been fixed for his arraignment.

According to a document obtained by our correspondent, the $40million came from the account of the Special Services Office of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

“The Special Services Office has a joint account with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and some security agencies, which was managed by ONSA.

“The $40million was wired into the account of Azibaola’s company through Citibank N. A. Canada Square Canary in Wharf London E 145 LB.

“The money was transferred to One Plus Holdings Nigeria Limited with Robert Azibaola and Stella Azibaola as directors. All disbursements went to individuals and companies including two foreign firms and the wife of the ex-President’s cousin. About $5.5million has been allegedly transferred to Mrs. Azibaola.

“The $40mmillion was in respect of a contract for the supply of Tactical Communication Kits for Special Forces. No records of contract executed.

“We wrote to the Office of the SGF and the Permanent Secretary, Special Services Office (PSSO) said: “The SGF office is not in possession of any document or evidence of contract.

“Even the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said it had no records of the contract but it only made available payment advice to transfer the funds to the Azibaola’s account.

A source close to the investigation said: “We have to release the outcome of investigations to show that the EFCC is not engaging in any witch-hunt against the cousin of the ex-President.

“Although the contract was for the supply of Tactical Communication kits, when we interrogated the cousin of the ex-President, he said ‘they had a discussion with the ex-NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), to secure pipelines in the Niger Delta but there is no evidence to show for it.

“If there was any contract, how come $6million was remitted into the account of a bureau de change? None of the suspects was able to explain the reason for this.

Responding to a question, the source added: “Robert Azibaola has not refunded the $40million or a part of it. He has been relocated from Lagos to Abuja in readiness for his arraignment in court. He has behaved well in detention.

The EFCC arrested Azibaola’s on March 23 – in line with the ongoing probe of 300 companies involved in phantom contracts by ONSA.

But counsel to the suspect, Gordy Uche (SAN) in a statement in Abuja accused the Commission of embarking on a vendetta mission against former President Goodluck Jonathan.

He said the Federal Government was still owing his client $4million, being balance of the contract sum for “successfully securing oil pipelines which saw Nigeria reap billions of US dollars from increased oil production”.

He asked the commission to “either charge my clients to court or release them on bail”.

Uche said: “My client (Roberts) is being persecuted and punished because of his DNA, as a relative of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

“My client  is innocent until proven guilty, according to the laws of Nigeria. So, his continuous detention is a breach of his fundamental human rights as a free citizen of Nigeria. The appropriate thing for the EFCC to do in this circumstance is to release him now or charge him to court.”

DISCOVERED: Fresh N$40m MISSING Between Jonathan & Dasuki In Failed Chibok Girls Released Deal

The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), already enmeshed in the $15billion arms deal, is being fingered in the alleged disappearance of another $40million (N13.6billion)  approved  by the administration of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan ostensibly for the  negotiation of  freedom for the Chibok girls, The Nation Newspaper reports this morning.

According to the report, The Nation Newspaper gathered on good authority yesterday that part of the supposed deal was for Boko Haram to concede to a demand for ceasefire.

The under-the-table negotiation was however botched because the Boko Haram leadership was not interested in the deal.

The whereabouts of the cash is now unknown, prompting a probe by the Federal Government.

One report suggested that the money was handed over to the president of a neighbouring country, while another said it was in the ‘custody’ of  a former presidential aide.

The cash was allegedly drawn from the ONSA by the former top presidential aide.

A  source familiar with the development said:”The government is probing how about  $40million was allegedly spent by the administration of ex-President Jonathan to ‘negotiate’ with Boko Haram. The cash was allegedly withdrawn from the ONSA account by a former presidential aide.

“The said aide alleged that the cash was routed through the Presidents of a neighbouring country, but preliminary tracking showed that the money might have been diverted.

“Many people have been linked with the negotiation, but the government, through relevant anti-graft agencies, is trying to ascertain the whereabouts of the funds. We have started inviting those connected with the deal for interaction.

“Even the ex-President in January 2016 said in an interview with a news website, Quartz, in Geneva, Switzerland that his administration did not set up any negotiation team.

“I did not negotiate with Boko Haram. The government never set up a team,” Quartz quoted him as saying.

The  Boko Haram leader, Imam Abubakar Shekau, responding in one of his video messages to claims of negotiation with government,  had said: “We have not made ceasefire with anyone. We did not negotiate with anyone. It’s a lie. It’s a lie. We will not negotiate. What is our business with negotiation? Allah said we should not.”

Conitnuing the source said:”So, there could not have been any sum spent on negotiation with Boko Haram, if there was no deal with the sect. You can see that the ongoing investigation of $15billion arms deal in the ONSA has many dimensions.

“The main objective of the government is to recover the $40million.”

Credit: The Nation

12 Ex-Governors, 14 GEJ Ministers Breakaway From Sheriff's PDP

This is of course not a palatable time for the major Nigerian opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party as a  total number of twelve former governors and fourteen ministers who served under the ousted former Nigerian leader, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan Ebele has formed own faction of the  PDP, which they christened Concerned PDP Stakeholders Steering Committee, Punch Newspaper says.

The breakaway faction whom already constituted a 57-man committee in Abuja yesterday, according to Punch Newspaper,  is expected to take over the running of the party from May 21, when the tenure of the current members of the National Working Committee of the party comes to end.

Few days ago, News Punch reported a purported sacking of Ali Modu Sheriff-led national working committee by the new group, championed by former foreign affair minister, Prof Jerry Gana. Gana group described Sheriff-led NWC as hoodlums, gangsters

Former Borno Governor, Sheriff has swiftly reacted, thereby describing Jerry Gana group as thief

On the contrary, already, the NWC members led by the party’s National Chairman, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, are planning for the national convention scheduled to take place in Port Harcourt on Saturday.

The party is expected to elect new national officers at the convention.

The former governors, who have formed the breakaway group are Lucky Igbinedion (Edo),  Bonnie Haruna (Adamawa),  Ibrahim Shema (Katsina), Donald Duke (Cross River),  Attahiru Bafarawa (Sokoto),  Mahmood Shinkafi (Zamfara),  Abdulkaldir Kure (Niger),  Mohammed Makarfi (Kaduna),  Achike Udenwa (Imo), Babangida Aliyu (Niger)  Okwesilieze Nwodo (Anambra) and Gbenga Daniel (Ogun).

They have been joined by 14 former ministers who served under the PDP-led Federal Government when the party formed the government at the centre.

The former ministers are Prof. Tunde Adeniran (Education),  Inna Ciroma (Women Affairs),  Adamu Maina Waziri (Police Affairs), Prof.Jerry Gana (Information), Dr. Abubakar Suleiman (National Planning),  Tanimu Turaki (Special Duties),   Ishola Sarafa (Solid Minirals),  Zainab Maina (Women Affairs),  Joseph Anenin (Women Affairs), Ojo Maduekwe (Transportation), Prof. ABC Nwosu (Health), Dubem Onyia (Foreign Affairs), Bala Mohammed (FCT) and   John Odey (Environment).

However, it was gathered that the list was still being complied and that more big wigs in the party were planning to identify with the group, which is working to stop Sheriff from emerging as the national chairman of the party on May 21.

Among those who have joined the former governors and former ministers are Sen. Ibrahim Mantu, Amb. Nkoyo Toyo, Shehu Gabam, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, Rabi Ibrahim, Mairo Habib, Amb. Wilberforce Juta, Ibrahim Bunu, Sen. Joseph Akaagerger, Sen. Zigo Azeez, Sen. Ben Obi, Mrs. Remi Adiukwu and Sen. Ben Obi.

Also on the list are Dr. Bolere Ketebu, Prof. Sam Oyovbaire, Sen. Florence Ita-Giwa, Shittu Mohammed Kabiru, John Dara, Sen. Folashade Grace Bent, Awwal Tukur, Dr. Doyin Okupe, Dr. Patrick Okomiso, Sen. Anietie Okon, Alh. Aminu Yakudima and Mr. Nichola Msheliza.

Okupe, a former presidential spokesperson, told our correspondent on Saturday in Abuja, that the group would elect its officers next week.

He also said that the time and period of its inauguration would be determined during the week.

“The group would meet and elect its officers next week. We are serious about recovering the party from the grip of the few,” he added.

However, Sheriff had said that members of the group were “free to leave,” alleging that they never contributed to the success of the party in the first place.

He accused them of contributing to the deluge of problems facing the party now, adding that if they had worked assiduously with others in the past, perhaps, the party would not have lost power in 2015.

Sheriff, who spoke through his media aide, Inuwa Bwala, said, “Certain faceless groups have come up with different gimmicks trying to divert attention from the effects of what they did in the past leading to the squandering of the fortunes of the party, or to distract the attention of the chairman from pursuing very lofty and laudable programmes for the repositioning of the PDP or even just to cause mischief.

“Unfortunately, among such groups are self-styled elders and stakeholders led by Prof.  Gana.

“I have seen him sweating on television, playing with language but at the end of the day saying nothing.

“I want to specifically say we kept sealed lips about some of the activities of this man believing that we could still find a rendezvous at which we could work together for the progress of the PDP.

“I must say, and there are witnesses, that this is one character that attempts to play role in every government since the time of the military.”

Bwala added that given his recent action, “It was glaring that Gana would not add value to the repositioning of the PDP.”.

Excerpts from Punch Newspaper