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INSECURITY: APC Senators Tired Of Defending Buhari – Senator Orker Jev

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2 years ago

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The lawmaker, representing the Benue North-West senatorial district, Senator Orker Jev, in this interview with John Charles of The Punch, speaks about the six-week ultimatum the opposition Senators gave the President Muhammadu Buhari, to tackle insecurity in the country and other issues.

In the build up to the 2023 general elections, you declined to seek re-election, which paved the way for Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, to emerge as senatorial candidate unopposed. Were you afraid of the governor?

In fairness, let me say I am one of the luckiest politicians around. I have won five elections in my life. The first was my election into the state Assembly during the late General Sanni Abacha’s transition; we were not inaugurated but I won the election. Then, I won election thrice to the House of Representatives and now the Senate, making it five times.

So I count myself very lucky because I know how some people struggled to win one election and never got to win it.

If you understand the political landscape of Benue State, we emphasised fairness.

In our local parlance, it is known as ‘eat and give your brother’.

So, in the Benue North West, known as Zone B, there are two geo-political zones; the Jemgba and Minda axis.

So, in my estimation and the way I do my own things, I think it is unfair to say I want to continue. Though some politicians may insist on continuing until they are eased out, I don’t want my own case to be like that.

So, the second month after our inauguration in 2019, I told the governor that I would not be seeking re-election to the Senate. The governor asked me why, but I told him it was for fairness and that by 2023 it would be his turn. The governor, however, declined, saying that God had not spoken to him about it. But I told him that if he eventually decided not to contest, I would still not change my position. So, I told him that I was doing it in the spirit of fairness.

And a lot of people around him never believed me. They said that I was only trying to trick the governor, so I would pounce on him at the appropriate time.

At one point, the major opposition party in the state reached out to me and said that I should contest on their platform, saying that they knew that I would not get the nomination in the Peoples Democratic Party because of the governor’s factor, but I declined.

Basically, to answer your question directly, I thought it was fair that after 16 years the Jemgba occupied the senatorial seat, it should go to the other side, Minda.

Like you rightly said, in the spirit of fairness, why can’t this spirit prevail and the governorship seat rotate to Benue South senatorial district, known as Zone C, the Idoma?

Why not? I would take it if it was left to me and I had the power, but this one was within my power to take the decision and I took it. That is to show that I value fairness. When it comes to that matter, it is beyond me.

You see, at the last PDP governorship primary at the Aper Aku stadium, you will discover that the people of Zone C did not vote for their candidate.

Sometimes, certain things are beyond you. It is not for me to go and insist that this should happen. But I think we will get to a stage one day when such a thing will happen.

But for now, the average politician has their own calculation of some of these things. I don’t want to hold a forte or condemn anybody. If it is within my capacity to make a decision, I will take it just like I took it in the aforementioned.

It will interest you to know that a lot of people from the Minda axis who are supposed to benefit from my decision reached out to me to hold on to the senatorial position until they are ready, but I declined. So that is how politics is done. People talk about their own interests, but as for me, I have no apology for the decision I took. Any decision I take on what I stand for, I have no regret.

In 2019, when you defeated Senator George Akume, you did not allow the victory to overwhelm you as you declared that you remain Akume’s boy, but today you are close to the State Governor, Samuel Ortom. How do you strike a balance between Akume and Ortom?

From the first day I joined politics, I resisted the issue of godfatherism. I have leaders and I give them all their dues, but the idea of a godfather I abhor because I have read so much about and I see it is not a positive phenomenon.

Even now, I am dissuading my people not to abuse anybody on social media, especially my leader, Senator Akume. I started politics with him (Akume) during the Abacha transition programme when I contested a House of Assembly seat and he wanted to be governor until we parted ways around 2017.

I did politics with him, we had our differences, and I left him and crossed over to the governor. The truth is that no relationship is perfect, even between husband and wife, but the good news is that whenever I have an issue with him (Ortom), he is very approachable, and I express my point of view, and we resolve the issue; unfortunately, I cannot say the same for the other.

Opposition Senators slammed six weeks’ warning on the President Muhammadu Buhari to tackle the security situation in the country or face impeachment. Was it an empty threat?

Well, that day, we went into executive session. I think only one person among all the senators present objected to the impeachment.

Almost everyone, regardless of party affiliation, was dissatisfied with the state of the country.

Everybody has agreed that insecurity is the number one problem we have in this country. At the point we were talking, it had come to the nation’s capital. There are some representatives who can no longer go to their places again because of insecurity in their areas. Now it has come to the nation’s capital, so where are you going to run to?

So, the whole thing was driving home to everyone, and we have some people who have been core supporters of the President for the past three years or so, not just the APC but hard core supporters, as I always cite Senator Bokachua, who is still a member of the APC as we speak. But the assault on the capital territory is a tipping point for everybody, including the hard-core supporters of Mr. President.

Of course, several other issues were discovered, but that was the core issue. So the insecurity has reached the stage that the APC senators can no longer come out to defend the president.

For instance, when I appeared on Channels TV, the anchor of the programme told me that to balance it, he had invited an APC senator but none of them came to defend the president on the programme.

So also, I was invited to a programme at Radio Nigeria. As I prepared to honour the invitation, I saw a text message from the anchor that they were calling off the programme because there were efforts to get another senator from the other side but nobody was ready to come.

Nobody is happy with what is happening in the country and no one is ready to stake his neck to defend what is indefensible. Some of us, even as opposition people, don’t seriously expect that the President will be impeached, but like a Tiv proverb, which translates to ‘there is no decent way of crying.’ So it was our cry to the President to do something about insecurity.

So, let us hope that in those six weeks he will wake up because I heard what the spokesman for the president said which is very unfortunate. They think their job is to come and defend what is indefensible.

The other time, one of the spokesmen was on air calling senators anarchists for doing our constitutional duty instead of focusing on why we raised that issue, and what we said was that insecurity has gotten out of hand.

Have they forgotten that the man said he was coming to solve insecurity problems and was given the opportunity to address the bare minimum of what he promised, but he was unable to do so, and you are saying that no president can solve his country’s problems?

In other climes, Governor Samuel Ortom should have been applauded for sounding the alarm earlier than now that it would not be a surprise if one day these bandits entered the villa.

Rather, he (Ortom) was abused and called names by the Presidency, and this is the situation we are in today. These people are so daring and have threatened to kidnap the President. They once attacked the convoy of the President, the most protected man in the country today.

In the event that he (Mr. President) refuses to wake up, what is going to happen?

Let me tell you that impeachment is the only option we are seriously considering. I am talking from my vantage point, although some of us are expecting him to sit up. Whether it succeeds or not, this is a constitutional matter. Our constitution provides for impeachment.

Credit: The Punch

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BIG STORY

JUST IN: Police Arrest Yahaya Bello’s ADC, Security Details

Published

4 hours ago

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April 20, 2024

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The Nigeria Police Force has detained a female police officer who was the aide-de-camp to embattled former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, Saturday PUNCH is reporting.

The ADC was arrested alongside other police officers attached to 48-year-old Bello and is being detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Their arrests and detention followed a Thursday night order by the Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, directing their immediate withdrawal from the former governor.

Senior police sources, who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity because they did not have authorization to comment publicly on the matter, noted that the officers were arrested on the suspicion that they aided and abetted Bello’s escape from operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, who had gone to effect his arrest at his Abuja home on Wednesday.

“The ADC and the other police details attached to Yahaya Bello have been arrested and detained.

“They were arrested on the order of the IG, on the suspicion that they aided and abetted the former governor’s escape from the EFCC on Wednesday,” one of the sources told our correspondent in a telephone conversation on Friday.

Another source said, “Yahaya Bello’s female ADC and other police officers attached to him were brought to the command this morning, and they’ve been detained for aiding and abetting (the governor’s escape).”

Egbetokun had, on Thursday night, ordered the withdrawal of all police officers attached to Bello.

The order for the withdrawal was contained in a police wireless message sighted by our correspondent on Friday morning.

The document read, “CB:4001/DOPS/PMF/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.48/ 34 X ORDER AND DIRECTIVES X FOLLOWING MESSAGE RECEIVED FROM NIGPOL.

“DOPS ABUJA X BEGINS X CB:4001/DOPS/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.21/462 DTO:180955/04/2024 X ORDER AND DIRECTIVES X REF MYLET NO CB:3412/DOPS/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.1/36 DATED 15/04/2024 X AND MY EARLIER LET NO CB:3412/DOPS/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.1/30 DATED 24/01/2024 X Nigeria police have ordered the withdrawal of all men.

“Police attached to His Excellency and former Executive Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, should acknowledge compliance and treat with utmost importance. Please above for your information and strict compliance.”

Also, the Federal Government had on Thursday night placed Bello on a watch list.

In a document exclusively obtained by our correspondent on Thursday night, the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, revealed that Bello was placed on a watchlist for conspiracy, breach of trust, and money laundering.

The Assistant Comptroller General signed the document and copied the Nigeria Customs Service, the Inspector General of Police, the Director General of the Department of State Services, and the Director of the National Internet Agency.

The document read, “I am directed to inform you that the above-named person has been placed on a watch list. Suffice to mention that the subject is being prosecuted before the Federal High Court Abuja for Conspiracy, Breach of Trust and Money Laundering vide letter Ref; CR; 3000/EFCC/LS/EGCS.1/TE/V 1/279 dated April 18, 2024.

“If seen at any entry or exit point, he should be arrested and referred to the Director of Investigation, or contact 08036226329/07039617304 for further action.

“Please, accept as always the Comptroller-General’s warmest regards and esteem.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had earlier declared Bello wanted for laundering the sum of N80,246,470,088.88.

The development was contained in a notice posted on the commission’s official Facebook page on Thursday, with a snapshot of the embattled ex-governor attached.

The notice read, “The public is hereby notified that Yahaya Adoza Bello (former Governor of Kogi State), whose photograph appears above is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in connection with an alleged case of Money Laundering to the tune of N80,246,470,089.88 (Eighty Billion, Two Hundred and Forty Six Million, Four Hundred and Seventy Thousand and Eighty Nine Naira, Eighty Eight Kobo).

“Bello, a 48-year-old Ebira man, is a native of Okenne Local Government of Kogi State. His last known address is: 9, Benghazi Street, Wuse Zone 4, Abuja. Anybody with useful information as to his whereabouts should please contact the Commission.”

Bello had, on Thursday, failed to appear before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja following his arraignment by the EFCC.

The embattled former governor was arraigned in absentia before Justice Emeka Nwite alongside three other suspects, Ali Bello, Dauda Suleiman and Abdulsalam Hudu on 19-count charges bordering on money laundering.

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BIG STORY

Access Holdings’ Shareholders Unanimously Back Capital Raising Plan, Hail Aig-Imoukhuede’s Return As Chairman

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18 hours ago

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April 19, 2024

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  • Re-elect Olusegun Ogbonnewo, Ojinika Olaghere as a Non-Executive Directors

 

The shareholders of Access Holdings Plc (“Access Holdings” or “the Group”) at the 2nd Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on Friday, April 19, 2024, unanimously backed the Group’s plan to establish a capital raising programme of up to US$1.5 billion as well as the subset initiative to raise up to N365 billion, specifically, through a Rights Issue of ordinary shares to its shareholders.

The proceeds of the Rights Issue would be used to support on-going working capital needs, including organic growth funding for its banking and other non-banking subsidiaries.

The shareholders also ratified the appointments of Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Olusegun Ogbonnewo, and Ojinika Olaghere as Non-Executive Directors.

The appointment of Aig-Imoukhuede as the Chairman of Access Holdings was praised by the shareholders, who pointed to his rich history of success with the institution, having transformed it into Nigeria’s biggest lender by market value alongside Herbert Wigwe. Aigboje’s leadership was instrumental in driving the institution’s growth during the 2004 recapitalisation of the banking industry led by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under the leadership of its former Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo.

“We are thrilled with Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede’s return to the role of Chairman. His proven track record, experience, and strategic insights position him as the ideal leader to steer Access Holdings towards meeting its lofty targets. During his tenure as CEO, particularly during the recapitalisation directive by the CBN, he steered Access Bank to raise an impressive $2 billion in capital, and this demonstrates his capacity to, once again, lead Access Holdings towards successfully achieving the objectives of our planned Capital Raise and Rights Issue targets,” said Chief Sunny Nwosu, Chairman Emeritus of the Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN).

In line with the Group’s strong financial performance, the payment of a final dividend of N1.80 kobo per every N0.50 Kobo ordinary share for the 2023 financial year was approved, marking a 28 per cent improvement from the corresponding period in 2022.

The Group’s full-year results for the period ending December 31, 2023, showcased an impressive 335 per cent increase in pre-tax profit to N729 billion from N167.68 billion in 2022. The Group also experienced an 87 per cent surge in gross earnings to N2.59 trillion from N1.39 trillion in 2022 and reported a remarkable 306 per cent growth in profit after tax to N619.32 billion, from N152.20 billion in 2022.

Commencing in the second half of 2024, Access Holdings’ global expansion strategy will enter the consolidation and efficiency phase, aligning with its five-year plan to accelerate the attainment of its 2027 strategic objectives. The Group remains focused on driving sustainable growth, and delivering value to its shareholders even as it continues to build a globally connected community and ecosystem, inspired by Africa, for the world.

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BIG STORY

Customs Adjust FX Rate For Import Duties To N1,147/$

Published

20 hours ago

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April 19, 2024

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The foreign exchange (FX) rate for duties has once again been modified by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to N1,147.02 per dollar.

When compared to the N1,238.1/$ reported on April 18, this indicates a decline of 7.3 percent. On Friday, the customs rate was observed.

It dropped below the official foreign exchange rate, which ended trading at the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) on April 18 at N1,154/$.

The drop in the FX rate for customs tariffs and duties is coming amid the Central Bank of Nigeria‘s (CBN) effort to stabilise the naira.

On April 17, the naira appreciated to N1,050 at the parallel section of the FX market, from the N1,100/$ traded on April 15.

Meanwhile, on April 16, President Bola Tinubu inaugurated the national single window (NSW) project to boost trade in Nigeria.

NSW is an electronic portal linking all agencies and players in import and export processes to an integrated platform.

Speaking on the development, Adewale Adeniyi, the comptroller-general (CG) of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), said the country is making progress with consultations on the reopening of the borders with Niger Republic and Benin Republic.

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