No Foreign Trip of VP Osinbajo Cancelled Because of Saraki - Presidency

Following an online news medium, Sahara Reporters' report that Vice President prof. Yemi Osinbajo’s planned trip was cancelled when it was discovered that President Muhammadu Buhari would also be out of the country at the time, the Presidency on Sunday denied the cancellation of the trip to India for fear that the embattled President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, may become acting President.

Sahara Reporters' report had insinuated that the Vice-President’s trip was called off in order to ensure that Saraki, who is the third in hierarchy in the country, did not emerge acting President in the absence of Buhari and Osinbajo.

But a source  in the Presidency according to Punch Newspaper said, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent that it was an unwritten rule that the President and Vice President could not be outside the country at the same time.

The source said it was wrong to think that cancelling Osinbajo’s trip had anything to do with Saraki, adding that the unwritten rule preceded the present administration.

Besides, he said if he had embarked on the trip, the Vice-President would have returned to Nigeria latest by Wednesday, stating that Buhari, who is travelling to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, is scheduled to return on Tuesday.

“If the President is travelling on Monday and will return on Tuesday, how many hours are you expecting Saraki to begin to wield the powers of a President?” he said.

The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, told journalists that there was no truth in the report that the Indian trip was cancelled.

Akande said, “Nigeria has been invited to the Indian/African Summit and the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment will be leading a delegation to the event.

“There is nothing like cancellation. Remember that the visit of the Vice-President to any country is not treated in secrecy.

“Whenever the Vice-President is to travel out of the country, we inform Nigerians. So, this story in question is a bunch of speculation. There is no cancellation.”

SHOCKER: $1m Raw Cash Recovered At Badeh's N1.1b Worth House In Abuja By EFCC

A whopping sum of $1 has reportedly recovered from an Abuja home of the embattled ex-Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshall Alex Badeh, by the men of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, the EFCC, report according to Punch Newspaper suggests.

According to Punch Newspaper, the money was recovered after detectives searched a mansion located at 6, Ogun River Street, Maitama, Abuja.

Punch said a detective at the EFCC, who did not want his name in print, said, “We have seized several properties belonging to Badeh. A few days ago, we returned to the mansion located at 6, Ogun River Street, Maitama.

“In the presence of several witnesses, including neighbours, we searched the house and recovered $1m in cash. The money has been lodged as evidence.”

When our correspondent visited the mansion on Sunday, the EFCC seal was seen on the gate, with the warning, ‘EFCC, Keep off!” written all over the fence.

The property, which is said to be worth over N1.1bn, is one of the five properties seized from the ex-defence chief.

Some of the properties were said to have been purchased, renovated and furnished for a son of the former CDS, Alex Badeh (Jnr.).

Badeh also allegedly bought a commercial plot of land at Plot 1386, Oda Crescent, Cadastral Zone A07, Wuse II, Abuja for N650m.

They were said to have paid N878m for the construction of a shopping mall at Plot 1386, Oda Crescent, Cadastral Zone A07, Wuse II, Abuja, and another sum of N304m to complete the construction.

The anti-graft agency also accused them of paying N260m to purchase a duplex at No. 19 Kumasi Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja, for Badeh’s son.

The sum of N60m was said to have been paid for the renovation of the property and another N90m to furnish the property.

The retired Air Force officer also allegedly paid N330m to one Honourable Bature to purchase a duplex at No. 14 Adzope Crescent, Off Kumasi Crescent, Wuse II, Abuja.

They were also accused of paying N240m to Rabiu Isyaku Rabiu to buy a semi-detached duplex at No. 8A Embu Street, by Sigma Apartment, Wuse II, Abuja.

They also allegedly renovated a private property at No. 2, Nelson Mandela Street, Asokoro, Abuja, with N62m.

In the charges, signed by EFCC’s Deputy Director, Legal and Prosecution Department, Aliyu Yusuf, the anti-graft agency alleged that Badeh removed the sum of N3.9bn from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force.

But Badeh had, last week, denied ownership of the properties seized by the anti-graft agency.

Badeh, who has remained in the EFCC custody since February 8, has been charged along with a firm, Iyalikam Nigeria Limited, before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

He is set to appear in court on Monday (today).