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  • Saraki, Dogara, others mourn Senator Adeleke

    The leaders of the National Assembly, Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara have expressed shock over the sudden passing away of the first civilian governor of Osun State and a two-term serving Senator, Isiaka Adeleke.

    Saraki, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, described Adeleke — the first elected Governor of Osun State — as an important figure in the Eighth Senate.

    “My heart goes out to the family of Senator Adeleke, and the people of the great State of Osun,” Saraki said.

    “Adeleke was a leader in every right, a formidable colleague, patriotic statesman, good family man and complete gentleman whose contributions to the development of the of Osun State in particular and the nation in general will never be forgotten.”

    The Senate President went on to eulogize Adeleke, who served as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Capital Market as a consummate reformer, courageous public servant and grassroots politician whose love for his people and commitment to national service remains unparalleled.


    “From his track-record as a second term Senator, it is clear that Adeleke was a man who his people trusted to carry out their mandate in the Senate,” he said, “He was always passionate about his work in the legislature, and showed competence, dedication and an ability to work with everyone to bring about the greater good. He will be sorely missed.”


    He commiserated with the immediate family of the deceased, the larger Adeleke family, Osun West Senatorial District, Governor Rauf Aregbesola and the entire people of the State of Osun, the Vice Chairman and members of the Senate Committee on Capital Market, the Senate, and indeed, the 8th National Assembly.

    Saraki prayed to Almighty Allah to grant Adeleke a place among the righteous ones in Aljannah firdaus.

    Also speaking in a separate reaction, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara described the sudden death of Senator Isiaka Adeleke as shocking and a huge loss to the country.

    In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media & Public Affairs, Turaki Hassan, the Speaker said he received with shock, the news of sudden death of Senator Adeleke and said the former Osun State Governor was a distinguished gentleman.

    “Senator Adeleke was a leader who left giant footprints and lasting legacies as the first civilian governor of Osun State,” he stated.

    Dogara also recalled that the late senator was credited for establishing tertiary educational institutions across Osun State when he was governor in the third republic, thereby laying the foundation for the development of the State.

    “On behalf of all members of the House of Representatives, I condole with the Adeleke family, the Senate, government and people of Osun State over this big loss,” Dogara added.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Adeleke, aged 62, died Sunday morning at a hospital in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, hours after he engaged in a political meeting which terminated late Saturday.

    Until his death, Adeleke chaired the Senate committee on capital market.

     

  • CCT: Saraki, Ngwuta, others to forfeit alleged undeclared assets

    CCT: Saraki, Ngwuta, others to forfeit alleged undeclared assets

    Sequel to their ongoing trial before the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, Senate President Bukola Saraki and Justice Sylvester Ngwuta of the Supreme Court, may have their properties, which are subject of the charges leveled against them, temporarily forfeited pending the final determination of their cases.

    This is according to the CCT’s new Practice Direction, 2017, released last week.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the 26-paragraph Practice Direction, with commencement date of February 16, 2017, is signed by the CCT’s Chairman, Danladi Umar, and the other member of the tribunal, William Atedze.

    Paragraph 12 of the document, which deals with ‘Seizures’, gives the prosecution the discretion to apply (through ex-parte motion) for temporary forfeiture of assets which are subject of the trial pending the final determination of the case.

    It allows the prosecution to make the application for property seizure at the commencement of the trial or “at a reasonable time thereafter”.

    According to legal experts, since the new practice direction is a procedural framework, it will take immediate effect on ongoing cases.

    Paragraph 12 reads, “The prosecution may, at the commencement of the trial or at a reasonable time thereafter, apply to the tribunal for an interim order of seizure, forfeiture and confiscation of the property, the subject of the charge pending the final determination of same by the tribunal.

    “An application for temporary seizure may be heard in chambers or in open court by the tribunal.

    “Application for temporary seizure shall be made motion ex parte supported by an affidavit and schedule of the property to be so attached.”

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Saraki is being prosecuted by the Federal Government before the CCT on 18 counts including mostly false assets declaration.

    According to The Punch, some of Saraki’s properties which are the subject of the charges preferred against him are located at 15, 17, 17A and 17B Mcdonald Street, Ikoyi, Lagos. Others are located at Plots 2481 and 2482 Cadastral Zone A06, Maitama, Abuja, (otherwise known as 1 and 3 Targus Street, Maitama, Abuja).

    Saraki is also accused of obtaining a N375m loan from Guaranty Trust Bank Plc on February 11, 2010, which he allegedly used to buy property in London.

    The Senate President was said to have failed to declare the London property.

    On his part, Justice Ngwuta was arraigned on eight counts before the CCT on April 20.

    Properties, which are subject of the case, are listed in seven of the counts.

    In count one to seven, the prosecution accused Ngwuta of false declaration of assets by failing to declare a parcel of land and properties in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, as well as some luxury cars, all belonging to him, when he declared his assets to the Code of Conduct Bureau between June 2, 2011 and July 19, 2016.

    The offence is said to be contrary to Section 15 of the Code of Conduct Bureau Act, Cap C15 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and punishable under Section 23(2) of the same Act.

    The Justice of the apex court is also accused in count eight of engaging in private business as a public officer, contrary to Section 6(b) of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act.

    Specifically, in count one to three he is accused of failing to declare his parcel of land measuring 1,722.952 Square Metres located at Umkpufu, Off Onwe Road, Azuiyiokwu, and properties at Plot 36, Onwe Road Layout as well as Plot 35, GRA Extention (Onwe Road) Layout, allin Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.

    In count four to seven, the Justice of the Supreme Court was accused of failing to declare between June 2, 2011 and July 19, 2016, the following cars as part of his assets:

    *A Wrangler Jeep with Vehicle No: VRG5553562034689, Chassis No: IJ4GA591581626734 and number plate RSH526AJ; a BMW 5 Series Saloon with Vehicle No: 7779067484832 and Chassis No: WBSWL91060P323876, marked KUJ510FU; a Hummer Jeep with Vehicle No: VRG77746900444362 and Chassis No: 5GRGN2389H101515 and number plate KWL881JE; a Liberty Jeep with Vehicle No: VRG77746817425807 and Chassis No: 1J8GP28KX9W550564, marked RBC570DP.

    Forfeiture of property, which is the subject of a trial, has been part of the three types of sentences imposable on the defendant found guilty since the establishment of the tribunal.

    But giving room to the prosecution to request the seizure of the said property before the final determination of the case is novel at the CCT.

    The other two sentences the tribunal can pass on a defendant, convicted by the CCT, are vacation of office and disqualification from holding public office for 10 years.

    The new practice direction explains in its First Schedule that one of the sentences or combination of two or all the three sentences can be passed on a convict depending on the level of harm of the offence on the victim and the level of culpability of the defendant in the offence.

    The document also now divides the trial before the tribunal into four stages, which are arraignment, pre-hearing, the trial and sentencing procedures.

  • N15bn Lagos loot: Stop speculating, tell Nigerians the truth – Saraki dares EFCC

    N15bn Lagos loot: Stop speculating, tell Nigerians the truth – Saraki dares EFCC

    Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki has dared the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to reveal the identity of the owner of the N13bn recovered from an apartment in Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos to Nigerians as they deserve to know the truth and nothing other than that.

    The Senate President said this on Tuesday while speaking on a monitored programme on Arise News Network.

    Saraki noted that the whole confusion surrounding the recovered money, was not good for Nigeria’s image and warned that the National Assembly might need to step in.

    “I believe this is something simple that the organisation (EFCC) should manage, even before the speculation started coming out. The circus has to come to end as to whether it belongs to individuals, companies, agencies or a state government.

    “We, however, believe they will sort it out and eventually tell Nigerians who owns the money. Nigerians deserve to know. The circus must stop,” he said.

    When asked if the EFCC made an error by not monitoring the Osborne Towers, Saraki said: “I would rather not comment and prejudge them because they might come before us.

    “But clearly, Nigerians must know, to save us this embarrassment. I believe they should come out and tell us who owns the money. I believe an agency like this should monitor and clear this mess.”

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the EFCC had last week discovered specifically the sum of $38m, N23m and £27,000 from the apartment. However, the anti-graft agency is yet to reveal the identity of the owner(s) of the loot.

  • Details of National Assembly 2017 budget will be made public – Saraki

    Senate President, Bukola Saraki, has stated that the details of the National Assembly’s 2017 budget will be made public.

    He said the public release of the budget details would enable Nigerians to get the true picture of things and not to rely on speculations .

    Saraki’s who made the remarks last night on Arise News Night, a current affairs programme on Arise News Network also assures that the 2017 Nigeria’s budget will be ready on the 5th of May.

    He added, “On the National Assembly budget, we hope to change the way it’s been perceived, because in the past, not much was known about the National Assembly budget.

    “But when I came in, I said we were going to change that and make it transparent. We hoped that we could have done it in 2016, but in 2015, unfortunately, we did not settle down as a united Senate as quickly as we could.

    “But now that everything is fine, the National Assembly’s budget will be transparent. Nigerians will know what every member receives.

    “By the time the budget is passed in the next few weeks, we will make it public and it will be to our advantage, because we hear statements like National Assembly members are the highest paid, because what people do is to take the budget and divide it by 469 members and arrive at our salaries.

    “But by the time we present the budget and by the time people see what goes to salaries of aides, what goes to capital, what goes to management, what goes to running costs, and what goes to actual salaries of legislators, the commentary will stop after they see the breakdown,” he said.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13ZGPl0U2vM&t=1030s

    However, when Saraki was reminded that there is the widespread perception that Nigerian legislators collect humongous salaries estimated at $189,000 per annum, which is 116 times above Nigeria’s GDP per capita, he dismissed the notion, stating: “Those figures like I explained are arrived at when they have taken the bulk budget of N115 billion and divided it by 469 members and come with a figure of $189,000 per annum.

    “When we release the detailed budget, you will see what is the salary, you will see what is allowances, you will see what is the cost of running the offices, you will see what is management, you will see the cost of legislative studies, you will see the cost of the capital budget.

    “So you will now be able to actually know how much a legislator earns and how much he is even paid to run his office, which he has to retire. But because over the years, it has never been made public, people have concluded that legislators earn a lot more and they are not going to make it public.

    “Then again, if you look at other countries like the UK or US, in the US, a senator gets close to $1 million to $2 million to run his office, but nobody adds that to his salary. But because we have not broken down our budget, this has caused the misrepresentation.”
    He also explained that the allowances of legilators are determined by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

    Meanwhile, When the Arise anchor, Charles Aniagolu, reminded him that the executive recently set up a reconciliatory committee to look into the frosty relationship between the Senate and the executive, Saraki said he was not aware of any committee, as there was no need for it.

    “But I don’t think that the committee was set up because we rejected one person. There are many nominees we have rejected, and been re-presented or replaced.
    “But we can’t define our democracy based on individuals. There is a process; the process is transparent. The president sent a name and the nominee has been rejected. That is it, we’ve played our own part; and I don’t think the executive is basing the relationship on the rejection of one nominee.

    “I’m not aware of the committee, I think it was announced after a cabinet meeting, but since then that has not happened.

    “May be on second thoughts, I think the question to ask is, is the committee really necessary? Besides, when the relationship was not as good as this, when we had major issues such as the budget (last year), we didn’t have a committee.

     

  • Senate won’t interfere with any religion – Saraki

    Senate won’t interfere with any religion – Saraki

    Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has said that the Senate will not make laws that interfere with the religious creeds of Nigerians.

    Saraki, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sanni Onogu, disclosed this when the Council of Ulama (Muslim clerics) in Nigeria visited him in Abuja.

    “I say that again, whatever laws we pass here, will be respectful to the religious beliefs of our people. We will not do anything that will in anyway go against that.

    “We are trying our best to ensure that we pass laws that will make direct positive impact on Nigerians. I want to also use this opportunity to assure you that whatever laws we pass here, will be sensitive to the religious values of the whole Nigeria”, Saraki said.

    The Senate President also commended the Council for uniting all Islamic scholars under one umbrella, a development he said has contributed immensely to the stability and progress of not only the Islamic religion but that of the nation.

    He expressed the commitment of the Senate to make the country better by passing laws that make positive impact in the life of the citizenry.

    He further stated that the Senate is working hard to replicate the successes achieved in the fight against terrorism, in the fight against corruption and the revival of the economy.

    “We thank God for the success we have made in the fight against corruption and I am sure that the progress will be extended to the economy in order to put this country in a better place,” he said.

    On his part, the Chairman of the Council of Ulama in Nigeria, Sheik Abdullahi Abubakar Tureta, commended the Senate President for his patience and perseverance in the face of political adversity since his emergence as Senate President.

    “We praise you for that and we are not surprised looking at your family background and we urge you to continue to be patient and persevere as the Almighty Allah promised to be with the patient one,” Tureta said.
    ​

    R​eminding the Senate President about the burden of leadership, Tureta said the responsibility for the welfare of all Nigerians has been placed on both the executive and the legislative arm of government.

    “If the two of you cooperate, everything will go well with the country, but if you work at cross-purposes, only the Almighty God knows what will befall the country.”

    On his part, the Secretary General of the Council, Professor Mohammed Sadiq Abubakar, lauded the cooperation between the Senate and the Executive in the fight against terrorism in the country.

    He noted that the cooperation contributed in no small measure in defeating terrorists and insurgents in the North East.

    Abubakar urged the two arms of government (executive and legislature), to further strengthen their relationship​.

    “We are happy about the fence mending and reconciliation efforts of the President with the Senate. I was happy when I read that the Senate President in a newspaper interview said that there is no quarrel between the executive and the Senate.

    The Council of Ulama of Nigeria, he said, was established 31 years ago to unite the Ulamas from all the Islamic sects for the purpose of stability within adherents of the Islamic religion and the nation in general, saying that, “our membership is drawn from all Islamic sects without any form of discrimination.”

  • Another CCB official indicts Saraki, says ‘you didn’t declare London properties’

    Another CCB official indicts Saraki, says ‘you didn’t declare London properties’

    The trial of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB maybe far from over as another official of the Bureau, Samuel Madojemu, insisted on Wednesday that he (Saraki) failed to declare a London property which he acquired through mortgage in 2010.

    Madojemu, who is the Head, Intelligence Unit of the CCB, is the third prosecution witness in the Senate President’s ongoing trial on 16 charges of false asset declaration and breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers.

    According to a report by The Punch, the trial is ongoing before the Danladi Umar-led Code of Conduct Tribunal in Abuja.

    In count 14 of the charges, the defendant was accused of giving an instruction to his banker, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, in 2010, to transfer £1,516,000 within two days to Fortis Bank in London for mortgage redemption.

    The defendant was said to have failed to declare the London mortgage and the property he acquired through it.

    Under cross-examination by the defence lawyer, Mr. Paul Erokoro (SAN), Madojemu had identified a property at 70 Bourne Street, South-West London valued at $4,800,000 which Saraki had declared that he acquired through the proceeds of the sales of rice and sugar/loan in January 2002.

    But under re-examination by the lead prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), on Wednesday, Madojemu said the London property, which Saraki declared that he acquired in 2002, was not the one he acquired through mortgage in 2010.

    The witness said, “It was not stated that there was London property. He also did not declare any mortgage from 2002 to2011.”

    Madojemu also said Saraki failed to declare a card with debit of $3.4m.

    When asked if a declarant was expected to declare a card and properties acquired through his companies, Madojemu said, “If you look at Exhibit 2, you will see the note on asset declaration form.

    “In paragraph 3, it was stated that every declarant is required by law to declare his assets and liabilities including that of his spouse or spouses who are not public officers and those of children under18 years of age, honestly, sincerely and submit same to the bureau within 90 days of receipt.

    “I also want to refer you to the page 3 of the form (under buildings).

    “Your lordship will see under the column ‘Car acquired/source’. What I had said was that these are instructions for a declarant to declare his assets and liablities.

    “If you have a bank loan, credit or any card of card or asset of your nominees or your spouse and children under 18years they are going to be declared and you have to declare the date of acquisition.

    “If you go to columns on ‘Building’, you are going to declare there whether your building was acquired through a nominee or any form it was acquired.”

     

  • Why we met separately with Buhari behind closed doors – Saraki, Dogara

    Why we met separately with Buhari behind closed doors – Saraki, Dogara

    Leaders of the National Assembly, Senate President, Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara have explained why they both met with President Muhammadu Buhari separately behind close doors on Monday.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Buhari first met with Dogara before meeting Saraki.

    Each of the meeting lasted for about 40 minutes.

    The Senate President and the Speaker, who both spoke to State House correspondents after the meetings, said they had “routine consultation” with the President.

    Dogara dismissed the assertion that he was in the Villa over crisis between the executive and the legislature.

    Dogara said: “It baffles me when people see you visit Mr. President, the assumption out there is that something is going wrong.

    “Nothing is wrong. It is just a routine consultation. You might look at it as crisis, but I don’t look at it as crisis.

    “You know I have always said this that as a government our value will be the problems we have solved.

    “We can’t be remembered for avoiding or running away from problems.

    “It is only when‎ we provide solution to some of the things you refer to as crises and we look at them as opportunities to begin anew that people will now remember us for putting down enduring legacies.”

    On the proposed protest against the recent activities at the National Assembly, Dogara said Nigerians were free to express their views peacefully.

    He said: “This is a democracy we are running and we have to open the space to civil society, to everyone who feels aggrieved to be able to air his grievances.

    “So, if they have grievances against the institution of the legislature, we will take it.”

     

  • Saraki denies rift between executive, legislature, says I’m in constant touch with Buhari

    Senate President, Dr. Bukola Sarakli on Monday denied speculations of rifts between the presidency and the senate, insisting that both arms were working together for the common good of the nation.

    Saraki made the denial via his Twitter handle @bukolasaraki.

    He said all reports of fight between the two arms of government were exaggerated, adding that what has been going on are just normal functions of the two arms of government.

    He wrote, “No rift between @NGRPresident & @NGRsenate just people exaggerating normal exec & Legislative actions. I’m in constant touch with @MBuhari.”

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that recently the media (print, broadcast and online) has been awashed of the rumoured rifts between both arms of government.

    This follows the Senate’s refusal to confirm the 27 Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC) for the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC maintaining that the President must suspend the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu as it earlier recommended before it can proceed with the confirmation of the 27 RECs.

    The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Custom, Hammed Ali, had also within this period turned down Senate’s invitation.

    The Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Professor Itse Sagay (SAN) had also refused to honour senate’s invitation, saying that the Senate cannot order him to appear before it.

    See tweet below:

     

     

     

  • Alleged N310million theft: DSS clears Saraki, others

    Alleged N310million theft: DSS clears Saraki, others

    The Department of State Services (DSS) has cleared Senate President Bukola Saraki and other members of the National Assembly over their alleged involvement in a theft of N310million.

    It described the story as “malicious falsehood” being spread by one of its dismissed officers, Abdulrasheed Maigari.

    A senior officer of the Service told This Day Newspapers in an interview: “The story making the rounds that the sum of N310 million belonging to the Senate President was stolen in 2015 is a malicious

    “From our investigation, the money in question did not belong to the Senate President or any member of the National Assembly for that matter.

    “The investigation conducted by the DSS and the confessional statement made by Abdulrasheed Maigari, a suspect in the case, did not support this claim at all,” he said, adding: “Maigari’s recent claim in the media is nothing but a made up story to achieve a hidden motive.”

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the Chief Press Secretary to the Senate President, Sanni Ologun on Sunday debunked the allegations linking the Senate President with the N310million, that was said to be stolen from a Bureau de Change (BDC) operator in November 2015.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that Maigari was recently arrested by a combined operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Special Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and the Anti-Kidnapping Unit from the Abuja Police Command, alongside the suspected gang leaders, Emeka Kelvin and Ndubuisi Prince Uzor on March 26.

  • Reports that N310million was stolen from Saraki’s house is April Fool – Aide

    Reports that N310million was stolen from Saraki’s house is April Fool – Aide

    Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, on Sunday denied reports making the rounds in some sections of the media (not TheNewsGuru.com) claiming that a sum of N310 was stolen from his house.

    Reacting through a press statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Sanni Onogu, noted that the allegation that the said money purportedly stolen from a Bureau de Change operator in November, 2015 by suspected operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and some Army personnel belonged to him was spurious and targeted at misleading the public.

    The statement reads: “the Office wants to reiterate that the Senate President had nothing to do with the said stolen money by suspected security agents then and even now as being maliciously peddled by some online media to tarnish his image.”

    “It would be recalled that when the incident was reported by the media in December 2015, a section of the online media which has become notorious for dragging the name of the Senate President into issues that he knows nothing about, the DSS issued a statement where it stated that it had arrested some of its men that partook in robbing a Bureau de Change operator in Abuja.”

    “This Office had also in a statement, in reaction to the false report, stated that the Senate President had nothing to do with the money allegedly stolen. We still insist that he has nothing to do with the money and we challenge those still rehashing the stale and fake news to avail themselves of the reports of the police and the DSS on the matter to avoid misleading members of the public unnecessarily.”

    “Let me state that the Senate President has no army personnel among his security details. Therefore, it becomes absurd for one of the suspect in the robbery to have claimed according to the report that the money was brought to the Senate President’s house from where they connived to steal it.”

    “The report remains a lie which must be disregarded by the public, and should it be recirculated tomorrow, it will still remain a lie. At best we count this unwarranted fake report as part of the April Fool ritual. But the public deserves a better deal from its sponsors and purveyors”.

    “Besides, the content and intention of the fake is nothing but baseless allegations emanating from the infantile minds of unreasonable interlopers, hell bent on rubbing mud on the reputation of a distinguished Nigerian, who is today in his capacity as the Senate President, is working assiduously with critical stakeholders to stabilize and grow our economy. Enough is enough.”