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2023: The narrative of “Nigerian Government being broke is false” presidential aspirant

by Leading Reporters April 4, 2022

written by Leading Reporters

A presidential aspirant under the aegis of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo has reiterated that the saying, ‘Nigerian Government being broke is untrue’.

Adewole believes that Public Office holders use those lines to shy away from their core responsibilities of delivering the dividends of democracy to her citizens.

‘Have you ever seen any Public Officer who gets into office and resigns because there is no money in the treasury? – Adewole asked.

He stressed further that there is a need to vote for responsible people who have the interest of the masses at heart.

The Legal Practitioner and Media Entrepreneur believe that they is an urgent need to scrap the trend where people use the treasury as their purse and a demand for a replacement by progressive thinkers who will in turn change the fortunes of the political space.

He further added that there are two types of corrupt politicians in Nigeria; the ones who steal current money – these are the ones who plunder money that keeps getting into the treasury and the ones who steal future money- towards the expiration of their tenure decide to get fast loans from banks and foreign sources only to plunder them leaving the country in debt and absolute poverty.

This is the main reason why upright and principled people have to be voted into office and he believes he ticks all those boxes.

April 4, 2022 0 comments

Headlines

Two operatives of Federal Road Safety Corps killed by unknown gunmen in Anambra State

by Leading Reporters April 4, 2022

written by Leading Reporters

A team of Patrol Operatives of the Federal Road Safety Corps comprising of an Officer, a driver and two other staff on patrol operations have been attacked by unknown gunmen leading to the death of two personnel with one sustaining severe injuries.

The Patrol team were conducting routine patrol operations today Sunday , 03 April, 2022 at about 2:45 pm along Igbo-Uku- Uga route in Anambra State when the armed men opened fire at them killing two of the Corps personnel with one escaping into the bush and the team leader rushed to the hospital after sustaining severe injuries from the attack.

The Corps Marshal, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi who was visibly touched says he decried the attack while condoling the families of the deceased staff, the Unit Commander and Staff of Igbo-Uku Command, and the entire Management and Staff of the Corps over the loss and prayed their souls to rest in peace.

Oyeyemi also assured that the Corps is already working with the Nigerian Police Force and other relevant Security agencies to ensure that the perpetrators of this wicked act are arrested and allowed to face the full weight of the law.

Signed

Bisi Kazeem fsi
Assistant Corps Marshal
Corps Public Education Officer
Federal Road Safety Corps Headquarters
Abuja.

April 4, 2022 0 comments

Headlines

President Buhari state among northern states declared highly unsafe by Britain

by Leading Reporters April 4, 2022

written by Leading Reporters

Katsina State, the home state of Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari is among the northern states in Nigeria the United Kingdom has warned its citizens to extensively avoid, describing it as highly unsafe

Other states include Yobe, Borno, Adamawa, Zamfara, Gombe and Kaduna state where suspected terrorists bombed an Abuja- Kaduna moving passenger train on Monday.

The terror attack left in its wake over 20 persons dead, several wounded and many kidnapped by the criminals who planted explosives on the rail track and later shot at stranded passengers.
Few days before the train bombing, suspected bandits had also attacked an international airport in Kaduna.

President Muhammadu Buhari has since ordered security agencies to hunt down the terrorists.

In spite of this, the UK government said in a travel advisory on Thursday that the designated states are not safe because of the rising level of insecurity.

The directory issued by the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office FCDO, warned that the states any high risk areas where criminal group are still kidnapping people and killing others.

Part of the directory reads in parts: “The FCDO advise against all travel to Borno State, Yobe State, Adamawa State, Gombe State, Kaduna State, Katsina State, and Zamfara State. Violent attacks are frequent and there is a high threat of kidnap,” the post read.

“On 26 March 2022, gunmen launched an attack against Kaduna airport, killing at least one airport official in the latest in a series of attacks by gunmen in the north of Nigeria. On the evening of 29 March 2022, an apparent Improvised Explosive Device attack took place against a train travelling from Abuja to Kaduna. Reports suggest that a number of people were killed and that others were abducted by gunmen. Train services are now suspended between Abuja and Kaduna.”

“The threat level in North-East Nigeria, including around Maiduguri is increasing, particularly around transport hubs, religious areas, and large gatherings. Kidnaps have taken place on the roads in and out of Maiduguri. As the dry season starts in October, this risk is expected to increase even further,” the advisory further said.

“If the security situation in Maiduguri were to deteriorate any further, there is a significant likelihood that it could be extremely difficult for you to leave the city. We do not advise travelling by road.”

“If you’re in the North East against FCDO advice, keep in touch with the authorities and the wider community on the security situation and make sure your procedures and contingency plans are up to date. If you are working in the North East of Nigeria you should be fully confident in your employer’s ability to extract you from the North East in the event of any emergency,” FCDO said

April 4, 2022 0 comments

Headlines Investigation

Meet The “Bullionaire” Senator Patrick Ayo Akinyerule who own Eighteen Bureau De Change, Other Companies with which he cuts deals

by Leading Reporters April 4, 2022

written by Leading Reporters

The Senate Committee Chairman on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Senator Patrick Ayo Akinyerule and his family members own and sit in the board of at least eighteen companies as a serving Senator, including bureau de change, oil companies, construction companies, insurance and banking related companies, among other general services companies.

Investigations carried out by LeadingReporters into the financial activities of the company revealed what highly suggests that the Senator lacks the virtue of morality in leadership.

The Senator who represents Ondo Central is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria. By virtue of his profession, the moral dimension of leadership should not be strange to him. But that seems far from what obtains. Instead, it has become a situation where public petitions are converted to cash and business opportunities.

LeadingReporters investigation followed series of petitions received by this online news platform that Senator Akinyelure uses his position for self-aggrandizement and deal-cutting.

Among companies with which the Senator allegedly uses to cut ‘deals’ include:

Allover Bureau De Change Ltd, KKT Bureau De Change Ltd, Folly-Tizzy Bureau De Change Ltd, APL Bureau De Change Ltd, TopKem Bureau Dey Change Ltd

Other companies linked to the Senate Committee Chairman on Ethics include, but not limited to: KKT Oil Services Ltd, Allover Engineering Services Ltd, Senpat Engineering Ltd, PAL Construction Ltd, Folly Tizzy Services Ltd, Alphamate Commodities Co. Ltd, APL Insurance Brokers Ltd, Kunly and Associates Ltd

Further investigation revealed that Senator Ayo uses other companies where he fronts his wife and other relatives to perpetrate his alleged corruption. These companies are used as recipients of slush funds from those who have been petitioned and are willing to pay their way out of any indictment. They include:

Folly-Tizzy Bureau De Change Ltd and Bestomi Bureau De Change Ltd

Other allegation, as contained in the petition sent to this platform for publication against Senator Akinyelure is that 85% of petitions to his office become a leverage to negotiate mouthwatering deals with companies, government agencies and individuals. Oil companies are majorly his targets, according to a source that spoke to LeadingReporters on condition of anonymity. Others include government MDAs.

These monies are received in dollars via his Bureau De Change companies or that of his associates which would be revealed in our next publication. Besides, construction companies and oil companies linked to him receive patronage from defaulting companies and agencies that desire their names to be cleaned from every corruption allegations.

A petitioner who does not want his name mentioned shared his experience how Senator Akinyerule leveraged his petition to negotiate mouth-watering deal with a multinational company that shortchanged Nigeria Government of billions of Naira. He said that his presence in the office of the Senate Committee Chairman on Ethics and Privileges became a sore sight that he was literally told not to show up again.

He said it was much later that he received a call from someone who claim to be speaking from the office of the Senator directing him to go soft on the issue as that may become a risky adventure for him. The petitioner said that the caller literally told him that the company in question has link in virtually every government ministry and agency and there was little or nothing anyone could do about his petition because of the company’s strong links.

The office of the Senate Committee Chairman on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions is an office where morality should hold sway. But what obtains there is a far cry from what is expected from an office that should be a hub of morality, empathy and patriotism for Nigeria Government and Nigerians.

All efforts to get Senator Patrick Ayo Akinyelure to address the allegations against him as texts and calls text to his known lines were not responded to as at the time of filing this report.

April 4, 2022 0 comments

Headlines

2023: Pastor Adeboye speaks on the General elections, preferred candidate

by Leading Reporters April 3, 2022

written by Leading Reporters

“Hear it with anointed ears, I am not and I will never be a politician. I am called to be a pastor,” Pastor Adeboye says.

The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Enoch Adeboye, has said he has no preferred candidate for next year’s general election.

“Every political party is heavily represented. If I vote for anyone, I would be unjust to the rest of my children; I am the father of all and I like it that way,” he said. He added that he will support whoever God says.

“…my assignment has nothing to do with partisan politics, do not distract my attention. You will bear me out… I have never told you, this is the fellow you should vote for… I have never said this is the party you should belong to; I have never said it and will never say it,” he said at the April 2022 Thanksgiving Service held on Sunday.

Mr Adeboye also said Nigerians who refuse to vote in an election have no right to complain about the government.

“You were Nigerian before you became a Christian. As a Nigerian, you have a duty to register, to vote and make sure your vote will count. You have a duty to belong to any party of your choice; you can’t refuse to vote and then complain about the government,” the cleric said.

He said he has no care for the political party people belong to or vote for as long as they do their duty – vote in the upcoming 2023 elections.

During his sermon, he said God has yet to speak to him about the 2023 elections unlike in 2019 when God spoke to him a year before the elections.

“As of now, I still do not know whether or not there will be an election next year. Do not say that Pastor Adeboye said there will be no election next year, that is not what I said… Adeboye does not know yet,” he told his congregation.

For this reason, the cleric said, he does not know if there would be elections in 2023. He added that God might still speak to him about the elections.

“How come you don’t know? Because my father has not talked to me about it yet. The last time we had an election, He (God) spoke to me about the election by June of the previous year and this is April. So, it is not late but He hasn’t told me yet,” he added.

“I want you to listen with anointed ears and anointed hearts. Pastor Adeboye is not and will never be a politician. I have never been and will never be; that is not my calling, I am called to be a pastor,” he said.

Mr Adeboye’s statement on his political involvement comes at a time when there are speculations about the intentions of the church’s department on politics and governance.

RCCG in March announced that it has set up a department on politics and governance to help muster support for members with political ambitions.

While some find the church’s active participation in government commendable, many have condemned the action, alleging that it is a front to campaign for Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. Many Nigerians believe Mr Osinbajo seeks to contest the 2023 presidential election although he has yet to declare his interest. Mr Osinbajo is a cleric of the RCCG.

On Sunday, Mr Adeboye noted that he is very concerned about the Kaduna killings, oil theft, Nigeria’s depressing debt profile and other current national challenges.

However, “anybody who comes to me from whatever party to pray for them, I will pray. I have only one prayer for every one of them, “Father, let your perfect will concerning this fellow be done”

Speaking on his concerns about Kaduna, he said, “you cannot go to Kaduna by road, air or train. That brings so many questions to my mind as a man of prayers. Why Kaduna? Who is trying to isolate Kaduna? Why? After Kaduna, which next?” he asked.

He noted that while some Christians are killing themselves over 2023, rapture (a theological position held by some Christians consisting of an end-time event when all Christian believers who are alive, along with resurrected believers, would rise in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air) may come before the end of the year 2022.

“It is in the news and nobody has denied it that as of now more than 80 per cent of the oil we are producing is being stolen… that leads me to several questions,” Mr Adeboye said.

He went on to ask accountability questions on the whereabouts of the stolen oil.

“Who is stealing the oil? Where is the money going? What do they want to do with the money? Who are the foreign nations buying this stolen oil? How many of these nations of the world are your friends?”

According to him, it is an open secret that more than 90 per cent of the money Nigeria gets from crude oil sales is being used to furnish interest accruing on debt.

“We are borrowing more and according to a friend of mine, we are moving steadily towards a state of bankruptcy, a whole nation…”

He asked his congregation to pray to God that Nigeria’s debts be cleared just like in the time of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. If not, generations to come will continue to pay these debts, he said.

April 3, 2022 0 comments

Headlines

Why Section 84(12) of Electoral Act 2022 scares Nigeria politicians

by Leading Reporters April 1, 2022

written by Leading Reporters

On March 18, 2022, a Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia Abia State, declared Section 84(12) of the newly amended Electoral Act, 2022 as illegal and a violation of the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

The judge, Justice Evelyn Anyadike in her ruling, held that Sections 66(1)(f); 107(1)(f); 137(1)(g); and 182(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution already stated that appointees of government seeking to contest elections were only to resign at least 30 days to the date of the election and that any other law that mandated such appointees to resign or leave office at any time before that, was unconstitutional, invalid, illegal, null and void to the extent of its inconsistency to the clear provisions of the Constitution.

In view of this, she directed that Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act, 2022 be struck down as it cannot stand when it is in violation of the clear provisions of the Constitution.

Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari signed into law the Electoral Act on February 25, 2022. But on March 1, Mr. Buhari wrote a letter to both chambers of the National Assembly requesting them to delete Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act.

Prior to his letter to the National Assembly, Mr Buhari had expressed his dissatisfaction with that particular section of the Electoral Act. He stated this emphatically on the day he signed the Bill into law, noting that the Section constitutes a fundamental defect, as it is in conflict with extant constitutional provisions.

What Exactly is in Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act?

This particular Section of the Electoral Act states that “No political appointees at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for at the Convention or Congress of any political party for the purpose of the nomination of candidates for any election”.

What this means in simple terms is that a political appointee (like ministers, commissioners, special advisers, personal assistants, etc), be it at the federal or state level is not allowed to be a voting delegate or be voted for in a political party primary. And since such an individual was not allowed by the provision of Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act to be a delegate or be voted for in the political party’s primaries, thus, he/she cannot be a candidate for an election.

The only way such an individual would be a candidate is if he/she resigns before the party’s primaries, and political parties are mandated by Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act to conduct their primaries and submit the list of candidates at least 180 days (i.e 6 months) before the date appointed for a general election.

In a situation where a political party fails to comply with Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act, subsection 13 of the same Section states that the political party’s candidate shall not be included in the election for the particular position the candidate has filled in for.

Perhaps because there are reports of some political appointees in this current administration intending to vie for some political positions in the upcoming general elections, or that political appointees have historically contested elections while holding their positions or intend to continue to do so, there have been several debates or push for Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act to be deleted, relying on the provisions of the 1999 Constitution which Justice Anyadike, the Judge of the Federal High Court in Umuahia, Abia State also relied upon in her ruling.

What the Provisions of the Constitution say About Appointees of Government Seeking to Contest Elections

While delivering her judgment, Justice Anyadike cited 4 Sections in the 1999 Constitution. Here’s what each Section says.

According to Section 66(1)f of the Constitution, (1) no person shall be qualified for election to the Senate or the House of Representatives (f) if he is a person employed in the public service of the Federation or of any State and has not resigned, withdrawn or retired from such employment 30 days before the date of the election.

Section 107(1)f states that (1) “No person shall be qualified for election to a House of Assembly (f) if he is a person employed in the public service of the Federation or of any State and he has not resigned, withdrawn or retired from such employment thirty days before the date of election”.

Sections 137(1)g and Section 182(1)g make reference to individuals who want to contest for election to the office of President and Governor, respectively.

Section 137(1)g says that such a person (i.e the individual contesting for the office of the President) is not qualified if he/she is a person employed in the civil or public service of the Federation or of any State, and he/she has not resigned, withdrawn or retired from the employment at least thirty days before the date of the election.

Section 182(1)g is for individuals who want to run for the office of the Governor of any state. It states that “No person shall be qualified for election to the office of Governor of a State if – being a person employed in the public service of the Federation or of any State, he has not resigned, withdrawn or retired from the employment at least thirty days to the date of the election”.

It was based on these provisions of the 1999 Constitution that the Judge of the Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia directed that Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act, 2022 be struck down. The judgment has however been met with mixed reactions and has generated debates among legal practitioners.

On the Umuahia High Court Judgment

Ariyo-Dare Atoye, the Executive Director of Adopt a Goal Initiative (AGI) and one of the frontliners in the push for the Electoral Act to be signed into law told us that the National Assembly acted rightly on Section 84(12). “Political appointees give the Executive arm an undue advantage during party conventions and congresses for elective office. Political appointees seeking elective office deny other aspirants a level playing field if they remain in the office during the primaries”, he said.

According to Atayo, Sections 66(1)f; 107(1)f; 137(1)g; and 182(1)g of the 1999 Constitution which the judge cited in her judgment did not cover political appointees because they are not public servants.

Mr Atoye explained that “there are a plethora of cases in which the status of a public servant has been defined. One of the cases is that of ADAMU V. TAKORI (2010) ALL FWLR (P. 540) 1387 C.A”. The Court of Appeal held that a political appointee like the Attorney-General is not a public servant employed in the service of the federation or of a state and is therefore not covered by Section 318(1) of the Constitution”.

He reiterated that political appointees are not public servants that they exist at the pleasure of the appointors who can hire and fire without recourse to the public service rule which is not the case for a public servant, as the Executive cannot fire a public servant without going through the laid down procedure in the Public Service Book.

Mr Atoye further explained that by global convention, once political appointees are interested in public office, they resign immediately before the party’s timetable is out.

He stated that the matter the judgment on Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act will not stop at the outcome of the “forum shopping” in Abia State, and therefore advised that all political appointees who are seeking to contest their party primaries should not ignore the provisions of Section 84(12) until the Supreme Court has settled the matter.

Meanwhile, yesterday, the House of Representatives and Senate stated that they will appeal the judgment of the Federal High Court, Umuahia asking the Attorney-General to delete Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act, 2022.

April 1, 2022 0 comments

Headlines

ASUU: Union Threatens To Revoke NITDA Leader Certificate Over UTAS Failure

by Leading Reporters April 1, 2022

written by Leading Reporters

The Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has threatened to begin the process of revoking the degree certificate of the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, Kashifu Inuwa.

In a tweet by the union, it revealed that the revoking was a result of the failure of the University Transparency and Accountability Solution in the tests carried out on the proposed payment platform by the NITDA leader.

Inuwa had on March 9, 2022, claimed that UTAS failed the “integrity test, vulnerability test (security integrity), User Acceptance Test (UAT) and stress load test, as well as the hardware requirements” as directed by the Minister of Communication, Isa Pantami after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

ASUU has in fact called the claim of the NITDA boss an “unguarded statement”.

UTAS is the payment platform proposed by ASUU to replace the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

April 1, 2022 0 comments

Investigation Headlines

How Staff of Nigeria High Commissions defraud Nigerians as much as $500 for ‘special’ appointment for passport renewals

by Leading Reporters April 1, 2022

written by Leading Reporters

Nigerians, both at home and overseas are paying the price of leadership without morality and empathy. While Nigerians at home continue to bemoan untamed perennial corruption by public office holders, those living overseas are not left out from official exploitation by those saddled with the responsibility of protecting and aiding their fellow countrymen in distant shores. LeadingReporters investigation revealed that Nigeria High Commissions overseas compel Nigerians who are desirous of having their international passports renewed to part with as much as N250,000 to secure a not-too-distant date for data capturing.

LeadingReporters, following complaints by some Nigerians living in diaspora, launched an investigation into series of allegations of exploitation by staff and officers in Nigeria high commission, especially the passport departments. This online media platform uncovered a well-planned-out strategy with which these staff of embassies, especially the diplomatic attaches from Nigeria immigration service hoodwink their fellow countrymen overseas into parting with their hard earned money.

How do they perpetrate this illegality? Those in charge of capturing the applicants’ data intentionally lock appointment date for as long as six months, claiming that all the dates have been booked. After paying all necessary official fee for passport renewal, applicants are given a website to book for appointment for data capturing. The website, upon opening displayed dates that have been booked and locked. This means that the applicants may have to wait for up to six months to be attended to.

For instance, a visit to the passport renewal site of Nigeria Embassy in Abu Dhabi leaves a message that the mission would only attend to passport application on appointment basis ONLY for Tuesdays and Thursdays. In the site, applicants are asked to select a month then choose a spot for their passports renewal. A click on the month and date of an applicant choice would reveal that such date has been booked and locked.

LeadingReporters made an attempt to book a mock-appointment via the Embassy’s sign up site https://signup.com/client/invitation2/secure/6787879060110/true#/invitation. The site showed that all other months and days have been booked up to September 7^th, 2022.

We targeted some countries with high level of complaints by applicants. Countries like United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and other European and African countries. LeadingReporters Dubai correspondent who was detailed to act as an applicant. She visited the office and was told that with a whopping $500, she could get an earlier appointment within the next week .

When she asked the officer how he hoped to do fast track it for her since other applicants have booked up till September 7. She was told that all she needed to do was to pay the bribe and she would have her capturing done within 7 days. It was at that point that she was told by the officer who already has developed an emotional feeling for our correspondent that they (the staff in charge of data capturing) intentionally locked those dates and sell them eventually to applications who are willing and able to pay their way through.

The officer told our correspondent during a lunch date that they could charge as much as $700 and $1000 depending on the level of urgency. “Money makes things happen”. He told our correspondent.

April 1, 2022 0 comments

Headlines

Train Attack: Rotimi Amaechi heaps blame on the presidency; claims he forewarned FG

by Leading Reporters March 31, 2022

written by Leading Reporters

Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, the Minister of transportation has said that the terrorist attack on the Abuja-Kaduna train would have been avoided if the Federal Government had hearkened to his warning on same. The Minister, following the attack said that he has severally warned of possible attack on the train and rail facilities, but for the insincerity of his colleagues in government who misconstrued his genuine demand for more money.

“When you come with sincerity to government and your colleagues and people are stopping you, it is annoying.”

The minister said that it was imperative to have necessary digital security and crime prevention equipment that could forestall event as was witnessed few days ago where many Nigerians lost their lives and others kidnapped by terrorists.

Addressing journalists after visiting the scene of the incident on Tuesday, the expressed dissatisfaction over the incident, which he claimed, could have been averted with relevant digital security equipment in place.

“We knew what the problem would be. We knew we needed to have digital security equipment. We applied for it. But it was not granted us”.

“Because if we had those equipment, you will see nobody on that track. And I warned that lives will be lost. Now, lives are lost. Eight persons dead, 25 persons in the hospital.

“We don’t know how many persons have been kidnapped. And the cost of that equipment is just N3 billion. The cost of what we’ve lost is more than N3 billion.

The Minister said that to fix it would cost Nigeria more now to get the destroyed facilities fixed, and even to get the digital security instruments, going by the rising cost of dollar.

“All the things on that track now, will cost us more than N3 billion. And now even the things we said give us approval to buy – at the time we asked for it, dollar was N400, now it is N500.

March 31, 2022 0 comments

Exclusives Headlines

Video: Again, Fire Engulf Karimo Market for the Third Time, Traders Count Losses

by Leading Reporters March 31, 2022

written by Leading Reporters

Again, Fire Engulf Karimo Market for the Third Time, Traders Count Losses

Traders in Karimo Market, Abuja were left with nothing when fire broke out around 12:30am on Wednesday night.

According to eyewitness, over 500 shops were razed in the inferno which lasted hours before the men of the fire service put it under control.

Speaking exclusively with Leading Reporters, a neighbor to the victim stated that.

“My neighbor has a shop in the market and we were called around past 12: am yesterday night, we rushed there and saw that everything in the shop was burnt down”

“When it happened last year, we were able to recover some valuables because it happened in the daytime, but unfortunately, this happened in the midnight, we lost everything to the fire”.