The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) has condemned the Rivers State Government for breaking into the residence of the former Commissioner for Information and Communications in the state, Ibim Semenitari.

The government officials had impounded a vehicle from the residence of the former Commissioner of Information and Communications in the state, Ibim Semenitari.

According to a statement by the state government signed by one Mr. Simeon Nwakaudu, in its efforts to recover government property from officials of the immediate past administration in the state, securities agents and government officials took possession of government’s vehicle from the home of the former spokesperson for the Rotimi Amechi administration.

In her reaction, the ex-commissioner said that 10 policemen with machine guns came to her residence without a search warrant and forced their way into her premises to cart away the said vehicle which rightfully belonged to her in line with the monetisation policy of the government.

Reacting to this on behalf of the Coalition, its Executive Chairman, Comrade Debo Adeniran, has described the action of the present government as official robbery, which should not be condoned in the state.

“If anybody steals or lays claims to government’s property, there should be a normal process to be followed for government to take over properties and not through forceful means.

Government should be more skilful in dealing with issues and should not be seen to be vindictive. If Ibim Semenitari or anybody has committed any crime, it is the court that should confiscate the proceeds of the crime; not the government engaging in brigandage.

We are not holding brief for the ex-commissioner neither are we saying government should not claim what belongs to it from anyone that takes it unlawfully, but she should be properly charged. We are not told that she is on the run; she still resides in the state. She should be properly briefed since she claimed that she was not given any notice and was not even around when the officials bombarded her house.

In essence, the action of the Rivers State government is uncalled for and highly reprehensible. As a matter of fact, such act of brigandage should not be seen to have been committed by a government of Rivers State which has a supposed law practitioner at the helm of affairs,” Adeniran said.

SOURCE: Universal Reporters.

SOURCE: Universal Reporters.

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) has kicked against the N9 billion set aside for the recently inaugurated lawmakers in both the upper and lower chambers of the federal parliament as allowances.

Investigations have revealed that the jumbo pay will cover the lawmaker’s accommodation, furniture and vehicle allowances.

Reacting to the news on behalf of the Coalition, its Executive Chairman, Mr. Debo Adeniran, described that “It is very appalling and unfortunate that the present administration is starting on a note like this despite the promise of change before they got to power.

It is preposterous that the National Assembly of a country that has a preponderance of its citizens living below poverty line could set aside a whooping N9bn as wardrobe allowance.

Earmarking such an humongous amount for such frivolous purpose is the highest height of insensitivity on the part of the lawmakers to the plight of the country as a whole.

This is a government Nigerians are expecting to cut salaries and emoluments of its officers.  This makes one to wonder if this new administration is sincerely ready to live up to its promise of a better Nigeria for all and sundry.

In essence, the action of the lawmakers is not only reprehensible, but retrogressive and must be condemned by every well-meaning Nigerians.”

SOURCE: Universal Reporters.

The Coalition against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) has commended the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on their effort so far in ensuring that corrupt public officials are grilled and quizzed.

This came on the heels of the quizzing of the former Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro and the former Governor of Borno State, Mr. Ali Modu Sherrif. Okiro was quizzed over his alleged involvement in a N275m fraud during his tenure as the Police Service Commission boss while the ex-governor of Borno was invited over an alleged mismanagement of N300bn during his tenure.

Speaking on behalf of the Coalition, its Executive Chairman, Comrade Debo Adeniran commended the ICPC and EFCC for their effort so far on the cases.

He said, “The effort of the anti-graft agencies though late, is worthy of commendation. It must be noted that public officers find it so easy to plummet the coffers of their respective states and nation because they are not made to publicly declare their assets. The cat would have been let out of the bag much earlier if their asset declaration had been on ground for people to be able to monitor the progress that he was making in administration.  By this no corrupt public officials would have been allowed to stay in office longer than necessary.

As for the Ex-governor of Borno State Ali Modu Sheriff accused of embezzling of funds of over N300bn and abuse of office while he was in power, though it is a good thing that he was the one who turned himself over to the EFCC, still the EFCC should ensure that proper investigation is carried and if he is found guilty by the court of law, he should be allowed to face the penalty. Also since he is on administrative bail, the EFCC should ensure that he doesn’t leave the country for any reason whatsoever, until proper investigation is done or until he is declared innocent by a competent court.

And for the former IG, if the need arises for him to be taken to court and persecuted after wards, the  ICPC should ensure that he goes through the judicial process and if found guilty he should be persecuted equally for it; because no corrupt culprit should be allow to go unpunished.   They should be used as an example for others who may want to indulge in any corruption act.”

The Coalition however urged the anti-agencies to keep up the good work and ensure that they make the process a diligent, open and a transparent one.

SOURCE: Universal Reporters.

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) has frowned at the Federal Government on the secret declaration of their assets and the recent withdrawal of the N2.45bn fraud suit against former governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva from a Federal High Court.

This came on the heels of a statement by the head of Buhari’s media team, Garba Shehu, who indicated that the President and Vice-President had submitted their assets declaration forms separately to the Code of Conduct Bureau. The contents of the forms were however not disclosed.  It would be recalled that while seeking election into the highest office of the land, the president had promised Nigerians to publicly declare his assets and liabilities as soon as he took over government.

Also the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr MS Diri withdrew the N2.45bn fraud charges against a former governor of Bayelsa State, Timpre Sylva. The EFCC had on May 18, 2015 re-arranged the former governor on six counts of fraud before a Federal High Court Justice.

Reacting to this on behalf of the Coalition, its Executive Chairman Comrade Debo Adeniran said “the Federal government doesn’t need to start on the wrong foot. They are taking the wrong foot first by not declaring their asset open as earlier stated by the President himself “that him and every member of his cabinet must first declare their assets publicly for everyone to know their worth before assuming office”. They have not being able to do so six days of their assumption into office and if they should start on this note; it would be highly disappointing.

Although the president and his cabinet claimed to have submitted all the list of their assets to the appropriate authority but they still need to make public declaration so that every citizen of Nigeria would know what their leaders have before assuming office and also to enable us assess them properly when leaving office at the end of their tenure.

Speaking further, he said “if President Buhari and his Vice don’t declare their asset publicly there would be nothing to show that their regime would be a transparent one at the long run, therefore he urged the present regime to declare their assets publicly before doing any other thing.

The withdrawal of the N2.45bn fraud suit against the former governor of Bayelsa State Sylva by the Federal government from the Federal High Court in Abuja is an indication that the FG has something they are trying cover and that would be a bad starting for their administration. The FG shouldn’t be involved in such a case, they should allow the anti-graft agencies carry out their duties. Nobody is saying Sylva is guilty or innocent but that can only be proven by a competent court of law. FG should not prevent him (Sylva) from going through the Judicial process because until he is allowed to go through the normal process it can’t be said that he is innocent and since the EFCC had already charged him to court, he should be allowed go through the Judicial process. “If he is found guilty he should be made to pay squarely for it because no corrupt culprit should be allow to go unpunished without paying dearly for it; but if he is proven innocent by the court of law then he should be allowed to go free.”

So much trust has been entrusted on this present regime therefore they should do everything within their power to be transparent to the fullest and also allow Justice to prevail in the Judiciary.

SOURCE: Universal Reporters.

An anti corruption group, known as the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) has written to Governor Fayose of Ekiti State to as a matter of urgency checkmate the activities of his overzealous supporters.

In the said letter signed by Debo Adeniran the Executive Chairman of the group stated thus; “According to a recent article on PUNCH newspaper of Thursday 4th of June, 2015, “Fayose’s thugs beat PUNCH correspondent in Ekiti”. Some thugs loyal to your government were reported to have descended on a PUNCH correspondence, Kamarudeen Ogundele, beating him up while on official duty.

The thugs, who were said to have laid siege to the House of Assembly Complex and all major roads leading to the state capital, attacked the journalist for trying to take pictures of women praying for peace in the state.”

Debo in his letter said; “Mr Governor Sir, we write to let you know that we acknowledge your apologies for your overzealous supporter’s actions, your expression of regrets, and your assurance of guaranteed freedom to journalist while carrying out their official duties in the state. Nevertheless, such a thing ought not to have happened at all if your office did not allow the hoodlums to hang around the state and if they do not enjoy the protection of the office.

The Coalition wishes to empathize with the correspondence. These are the hazards of the profession, and it is the reason why media houses should ensure that their workers; especially reporters and correspondence, are well protected with solid life insurance policy put in place for them, against all these type of unforeseen circumstance.”

“We hope that your government would affirm its assurance to prevent reoccurrence of such incidence on journalist in the state,” Debo said.

SOURCE: Universal Reporter

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) has dared the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to make public, the details of the Excess Crude Account.

This came on the heels of the face-off between the minister and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum on how $20bn that allegedly accrued to the ECA was disbursed.

The forum had said in a statement it issued after its meeting that a sum of $20bn was paid into the ECA between June 2013 and April 2015.

In her reaction, the Minister of Finance noted that the details of ECA are published every month along with the allocations to the three tiers of the government.

The Minister also threatened that her ministry, in the interest of transparency and accountability, will publish details of the ECA for the last four years.

Reacting to the news, the Executive Chairman of the Coalition, Mr. Debo Adeniran, who noted that the ECA is an illegal account, averred that Nigerians are eagerly waiting for the statement of the account.

He said, “In the first instance, the Excess Crude Account is illegal. It is the recklessness of some politicians that necessitated  the establishment of the account. The Minister of Finance should know that Nigerians could not wait any more to have the full details of the Excess Crude Account, not just for the last four (4) years, but since the inception of this profligate government she oversees its economic team.

It is a known fact that huge amount of money has been frittered away from the federal coffers by this present administration without anyone being queried or made to face the wrath of the law. It is also known that this administration penchant for lying is so ridiculous that whatever said by any member of the government should be taken with a pinch of salt. Hence, we are calling on Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala to make good her promise by making public the details of the ECA as soon as possible.

More so, Nigerians are demanding the details of how their governors also used their monthly allocations. Nigerians want to know how much is accrued to each state from the Federation and Excess Crude Accounts and how each state expended its own share of the largesse because findings have shown that many of the states do not have much to show for the revenues.

Abimbola Adegoke

Media Officer, CACOL

20th May, 2015

SOURCE: Universal Reporters.