Posted on

Dr. TUNJI BRAITHWAITE: A DOGGED REVOLUTIONARY, A HUMANIST AND HERO OF THE PEOPLE!

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL mourns the passage of Dr. Tunji Braithwaite; a Nationalist, a consistent and persistent fighter against all forms of oppression and repression, a supporter and motivator of our Coalition in the war against corruption. His passage represents a colossal loss to the activist and revolutionary community.

Dr. Tunji’s monumental contributions to the struggle for an egalitarian society are immeasurable and invaluable. He lived and died for the struggle to liberate the poor and oppressed in spite of his ‘privileged’ background.

As far back as 1978, he formed the National Advance Party, NAP, a political party with the mission of prioritizing the welfare of people; he was of the ‘Awoist’ school of thought, an ardent and outspoken defender of the voiceless and the poor. He believed in Awo’s policies and Fela’s philosophy which led to him volunteering to be lawyer to the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, late Fela Anikulapo Kuti and several others in law courts against military dictatorship.

His passage is particularly painful for us in CACOL, for the roles he played in supporting actively the activities of our coalition including being the Chairman of our past 5 Annual General Meetings; intellectual support and guidance.

A strong advocate for the restructuring of Nigeria Federation, defender of women and human rights; Dr. Tunji dared and confronted the military with every ability he had, until the Khaki boys were kicked out of power and remained intolerable to civilian dictatorship afterwards, especially during the Olusegun Obasanjo regime; this informed his active participation in foiling the illegal and infamous third-term bid of the retired General.

A rare kind and in a class of his own; comparable to Fela Kuti, Beko RansomeKuti, Gani Fawehinmi, Alao Aka-Bashorun etc. who were his ideological soul-mates and like them, he cannot die, for revolutionaries don’t die!

 

Wale Salami

Media Coordinator, CACOL

080141121208

wale@thehumanitycentre.org

cacolc@yahoo.com,cacol@thehumanitycentre.org

March 29, 2016.

 

 

Posted on

ON THE CURRENT ECONOMIC SITUATION; WE CALL FOR DECISIVE ACTION – CACOL

The Coalition Against Corruption, CACOL finds it pertinent with the apparent biting economic situation, to demand of the government to wake up from its inability to recognize that governance is much more about pro-action than sloganeering and phraseologies; a situation whereby almost every aspect of the polity is in crisis owing to government failure is not acceptable.

‘’The truth is that the present economic situation is a manifestation of the non-profundity and the lack of preparedness inherent in the ‘change’ the APC-led Federal government rode upon to win the general elections in 2015 basically. It reflects the futility of ‘cosmeticism’ and redecoration as strategic approaches for revamping an economy already in woe, as a result of the hitherto existing economic direction i.e. the neo-liberal economic order’’ in our view in CACOL.

Explaining further, Mr. Debo Adeniran, Executive Chairman of CACOL said ‘’the regime has failed to clearly stamp its’ economic ideology, direction or principle which could be used to prove, that indeed, there is a ‘change’ economically and that it is moving toward alleviating the painful situation of the-people, particularly the poor who forms the majority. At best, the economic direction can be described as ‘foggy’ and this appear to be consciously made so; with the scenario riddled by contradictions, somersaults, illogicality, indecisions and uncertainties. This is what is at the background of the present economic hardships; where the people are battling with challenges for very basic needs; from food to housing, power to energy and from education to employment etc. and with government appearing hapless.’’

In CACOL’s view‘’any economic order predicated mainly on the neo-liberal dictates of the IMF/World etc. would always prioritize every issue from the perspective of profit; that has and still remain the bane of the economy, and this is linked with the political will to alter the cause of the subsisting existing economic order. The privatisation of the commanding heights of the Nigerian economy; a neo-liberal decision is what is really behind the crises in the Power, Oil, Education, Health sectors and some others.

CACOL’s Executive Chairman noted that ‘’prior to now and till now, no government since 1999 hasattempted to implementoreven bother about what Chapter 2 of Nigerian Constitution says, the ground norm upon which government is instituted;and that is why there is no social protection for the extremely poor. A political will to begin to make social economic rights as enshrined in chapter 2 of the constitution enforceable would be a departure from the past which will indicate clearly the direction of government socio-economically. As for everything economically in Nigeria presently, it is cob-webbed and indeed foggy.’’

‘’It’s no gainsaying to affirm that any economic direction that will not alleviate the sufferings of the vast majority of the people will be tantamount to elevating their pains and worsening their situation of existence, thus the least that the government can do is to adopt a social welfarist approach that will embrace the provisioning for; social security for the extremely poor, a situation to ensure equitable distribution of resources and avoiding the concentration of wealth in the hands of a privileged few; affordable housing, education system that will leave no child out of school, a health care system that will be accessible to all and infrastructures that will facilitate the enabling environment for business and enterprise’’, concluded Mr. Adeniran when he commented on the present economic situation in Nigeria

Wale Salami

Media Coordinator, CACOL

080141121208

wale@thehumanitycentre.org

cacolc@yahoo.com,cacol@thehumanitycentre.org

March 22, 2016.

 

For more press releases and statements, please visit our website at

www.corruptionwatchng.com, www.cwatch.thehumanitycentre.org

Posted on

CACOL CALLS FOR EXPOSURE OF CULPRITS BEHIND THE GHOST WORKERS’ PHENOMENON IN THE COUNTRY

The Federal Government has begun to put in place measures to expose another 11,000 ghost workers on its payroll in its second batch of staff audit. This is coming shortly after the government deleted 23,000 ghost workers from its payroll and saving the nation the sum of N2.29bn per month.
Media reports have it that the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun in a Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday, headed by President Buhari, said the Ministry of Finance was using computer techniques to investigate the 11,000 affected cases, that as soon as the cases were resolved, Nigerians would be informed of the amount saved and the number of names removed from the payroll.
The Executive Chairman of the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) Debo Adeniran, in response to the development, commended the efforts of the Federal government directed at uncovering additional ghost workers on its’payroll. He insisted that ‘’the ‘ghost worker’ phenomenon is not self-induced; that powerful forces are behind it, therefore the Federal government should through the relevant agencies;the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, ICPC, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Ministry of Finance etc.investigate and expose those ‘behind thescene’ in this infamous‘ghost worker’story; prosecute them and ensure that those found wanting are punished.’’
“Previously, we had called on the ICPC to scrutinize the Civil Service; a call we are repeating, we know that the ‘ghost worker’ stories that we have listened to for so long did not happen without the involvement of the Civil Service and Civil Servants. The monumental lootings of our treasury could not have happened without the collaborating hands of civil servants, they participate actively in sleaze for their own pecuniary gains! Or how do we justify the civil servants whom their earnings do not corroborate the wealth which they display with rabid impunity across the country?’’ Mr Adeniran asked.
The anti-corruption Crusader, on behalf of CACOL stressed that the anti-corruption drive of the present administration should be a collective effort of both the citizens of the country and government, by naming, shaming and shunning corrupt practices, because this isthe surest way of stemming the corruption tide in the country.
 
 
Wale Salami
Media Coordinator, CACOL
080141121208
wale@thehumanitycentre.org
March 11, 2016.
 
 
 
For more press releases and statements, please visit our website at
Posted on

TAXING THE UNDER-EMPLOYED IS INSENSITIVE TO THEIR SOCIAL REALITY; CACOL TELLS LAGOS STATE GOVERNOR, MR. AKINWUNMI AMBODE

The Lagos state government has announced through the Executive Chairman of Lagos State Internal Revenue Service, LIRS, Mr. Olufolarin Ogunsanwo, its plan to extend tax payment obligation to domestic workers and artisans in the state. According to news report, the plan will affect market men and women, artisans and household domestic staff.

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL, while commending the Ambode regime for some noticeable developmental projects being implemented across the state and encouraging the government not to relent, would not want the regime to snatch with left hand what it has offered the poor Lagosians with the right hand, frowns at the idea of taxing the poor, the under-employed and unemployed considering that the conditions of existence of these categories of citizens has hitherto been painful and characterized with penury and deprivations; a situation which remain unchanged and as a matter of fact deteriorating rapidly.

Mr. Debo Adeniran, Executive Chairman of CACOL questioned the logic behind the taxing of persons who are already impoverished consequent upon the failure of government in facilitating gainful employment opportunities on one hand and failure in service delivery by the government on the other. He said, ‘’one would expect a government that promised what was presumed to be positive ‘change’ during electioneering campaigns to alleviate the sufferings of the people to understand that the condition of living of these categories of persons cannot but get worsened with imposition of unwarranted taxes since their incomes (if they earn at all) have not improved.’’

‘’Most perplexing is that those categorized as ‘household domestic staff’ are included when we all know that most of these staff are only paid in kind. Majority of domestic staff are housed, fed clothed etc. by their employers, and where they are paid stipends, such stipends are usually sent to their chaperons or parents, so how would they be able to afford to pay tax? Mr. Adeniran asked. “The other categories can barely take care of their very basic needs with the paltry they earn via extra-ordinary hard work in their self-preservation and survivalist efforts especially since government offers no Social Security plans for the under-employed and unemployed.’’ He added

‘’And on tax collection and methods generally, reports also have it that Alpha Beta Company would serve as the tax collectors in the plan to tax the already impoverished people of Lagos state’’ continued Mr. Adeniran, ‘this we find this to be very disturbing on one hand because of its susceptibility to corrupt and sharp practices and on the other to be contrary to the laudable Treasury Single Account (TSA) which they All Progressive Congress APC-led government is utilizing at the Federal level to plug holes of corruption in the system. Is the Governor Ambode Lagos state APC-led government against the TSA idea, we ask? Why is it that the LIRS cannot handle revenue collections and why is Lagos state not taking steps to localize the TSA idea? Paying Alpha-Beta to do a job that the Lagos State Internal Revenue Service is set up to do is to make Lagos tax payers pay twice for single service rendered; CACOL demands that the ill-conceived arrangement should be stopped forthwith.’’

CACOL is of the opinion that Lagos state should employ the services of outfits akin to SystemSpecs that could utilize modern technology like Remita to ease all the bottlenecks in tax collection and thereby achieving the plugging of the conduits pipes of corruption just like the Federal Government have been able to save about 3 trillion naira in 6 months as result of the TSA. Software solutions have been proven to be much more effective in reducing the complexities of revenue collection and remittance.

‘’Above all, we strongly demand that the Lagos state government desist from going ahead with the plan to tax people that are under-employed as this will amount to adding to their sufferings and total insensitivity to their plights. People who are short of blood do not donate blood. We advise the government to provide services to these categories of people which can be taxed upon consumption similar to the Value Added Tax (VAT), such they will only be taxed for services they access that is provisioned by government. The reason government is instituted in the first place is to harness the resources of society for the social welfare of the people as enshrined in Chapter 2 of the Nigerian constitution, if government has failed in doing this, it will be unfair to compound the pains of the impoverished who are engaged in self-help for their survival and existential issues by imposing unwarranted taxes.’’ Executive Chairman of CACOL concluded.

Wale Salami

Media Coordinator, CACOL

080141121208

wale@thehumanitycentre.org

cacolc@yahoo.com,cacol@thehumanitycentre.org

March 10, 2016.

 

 

For more press releases and statements, please visit our website at

www.corruptionwatchng.com, www.cwatch.thehumanitycentre.org

Posted on

ALLEGED CASH RECOVERY FROM AIR MARSHAL ALEX BADEH; CACOL URGES OPTIMAL JUSTICE DELIVERY

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has reportedly recovered the sum of $1M from Alex Badeh, immediate past Chief of Defense Staff, after a search was carried out in one of his mansions located in Abuja by officials of the Commission. The property is said to be worth over N1.1bN, being one of his five properties that have been seized by the anti-graft agency.

Chairman of the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL), Debo Adeniran, in responding to the development, lauded the gallant efforts of the EFCC in the cash recovery and its entire anti-corruption drive. He charged the anti-graft agency and the judicial authorities to see to the unbiased treatment of this case and ensure that, optimal and appropriate sanctions are administered to the accused In line with the law, if found guilty as charged.

Badeh, who is being charged with several allegations including the alleged purchase of a commercial plot of land at plot 1386, Oda Crescent, Cadastral zone AO7, Wuse 2, Abuja valued at N650m; the payment of N878m for the construction of a shopping mall at Cadastral Zone A07, Wuse 2, Abuja, and another sum of N304m to complete the construction etc. has been arraigned by the EFCC before a Federal High Court in Abuja on 10 counts of money laundering and consequently remanded at Kuje Prison, Abuja till 10 March 2016 for hearing on his bail application. ‘’Another welcomed development’’ said Mr. Adeniran when commenting on Badeh’s remand at the prison. ‘’It will show to those that are in public offices and considered to be high and lofty in the society they are not above the laws of the land and will serve as deterrent to other corrupt persons in the society’’, he added.

The anti-corruption Crusader stressed that; ‘’the era of sacred cows and treating corruption issues only in the media must be eclipsed, if we want corruption to be rooted out of our polity. The situation whereby corrupt public officials with outrageous evidences of corruption will be granted bail and made to enjoy limitless freedom all in the name of looking for evidence and witnesses, even in the face of evidence scattered everywhere must end, if we all want to successfully redeem the country’s national and international image.’’

CACOL therefore calls EFCC and the other agencies not relent in their efforts to bring those that looted the treasury of the nation to book. All the cases must be pursued to logical conclusions; diligent investigations and prosecutions must be carried out to achieve convictions, President Buhari must continue to demonstrate the political will to combat corruption no matter whose ox is gored.

Wale Salami

Media Coordinator, CACOL

080141121208

wale@thehumanitycentre.org

cacolc@yahoo.com,cacol@thehumanitycentre.org

March 9, 2016.

 

For more press releases and statements, please visit our website at

www.corruptionwatchng.com, www.cwatch.thehumanitycentre.org

Posted on

SANCTION CORRUPT, ERRING JUDGES; CACOL CHARGES THE NIGERIA JUDICIAL COUNCIL (NJC)

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL welcomes the recent disciplinary action taken by the National Judicial Council (NJC) against Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia of the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court over alleged gross professional misconduct that culminated in denial and perversion of justice and see it as a step in the right direction as the country battles the monster called corruption.
 
The NJC placed a ban that rules her out of any possible elevation to a higher court throughout her career on the bench, warned her against any act of misconduct and ruled her out of any possible consideration for any ad-hoc judicial appointment throughout her career on the bench after finding her guilty as alleged.
 
Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia was alleged to have sat on justice by deliberately making endless adjournments on a pre-election matter which she knew quite well had a limited life-span and refused to deliver judgement until the life-span elapsed, thus rendering the entire process a waste.
The NJC has also queried the Chief Judge of Enugu State, Justice I. A. Umezulike over an allegation that he accepted N10 million donation from a litigant before his court.The CJ was alleged to have invited the litigant who was a plaintiff before him to the launching of a book he wrote, and accepted a donation of N10 million from the litigant.
Mr.DeboAdeniran, Executive Director of CACOL speaking on the developments, said,‘’we congratulate the NJC for taking the bold step and implore the Council to do more in addressing the issue of erring Judges as this will help in the quest to sanitise the Nigerian Judiciary and rid the country of corruption. The cases of Justice Mohammed Yinusa and Justice I. A. Umezulike should be looked into as the allegations against them are grievous and requires punitive if they are found wanting.’’
 
It could be recalled thatLagos Federal High Court Judge, Justice Mohammed Yunusawas alleged EFCC to havetaken a bribe to tune of N225, 000 from Mr Rickey Tarka (SAN).In highlighting the relationship between Mr Tarfa and Justice Mohammed, the EFCC revealed that Rickey Tarfa’s lawyer firm had habitually been asking the Chief Registrar of the Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court to assign his cases to Justice Mohammed Yunusa.
Mr. Adeniran said‘’it’s shocking that barely a month after Rickey Tarfa’s episode, Justice Mohammed Yunusa has again been fingered in another bribery case in which the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Joseph Nwobike, before a Lagos State High Court for allegedly bribing the Judge; this reveals that contrary to the claim that the Judiciary is impervious to corruption, there are corrupt and sharp practices going on in that arm of government. Perhaps this is what informed President Muhammadu Buhari’s position that the Judiciary is a ‘headache’ in the ongoing war against corruption.’’
 
The EFCC alleged that on March 19th, 2015, Nwobike, transferred the sum of N750,000 through his United Bank for Africa account number 1002664061 to Justice Yunusa in order that he refrains from acting in the exercise of his official duties; it also claimed that Nwobike had on September 28, 2015 intentionally and indirectly given the sum of N 300,000 to  Justice Yunusa through Awa Ajia NigLtd’s account No. 0000971931 domiciled in Access Bank Plc. belonging to Justice Nganjiwa Hyeladzira Ajiya of the Federal High Court in order that Justice Mohammed Yunusa acts in the exercise of his official duties.
 
The Executive Chairman of CACOL therefore charged the NJC to approach the sanitizing of the Judiciary holistically by putting in a place a well-organized system of checks and balances to curtail the corrupt activities of some corrupt Judges. ‘’The Judiciary is very crucial to the success of the anti-corruption war; the Judiciary can purge itself of corrupt tendencies if the right measures are put in place and implemented and this applies to other arms of government’’ Mr.Adeniran averred.
 
CACOL believes that there are a good number of such bad eggs in the Judiciary and calls on the NJC and other relevant authorities not to relent in their efforts at cleansing this all-important arm of the government and ridding it of its disturbing rots and decay. Justice remains indispensable for our national growth and development. We urge the NJC to also look into the all the cases with a view of establishing the veracity of the allegations and applying the necessary punitive where necessary to serve as deterrent to others.
Wale Salami
Media Coordinator, CACOL
080141121208
March 8, 2016.
Posted on

THE SENATE SHOULD NOT KILL THE TREASURY SINGLE ACCOUNT (TSA) BY ENCUMBERING THE INITIATIVE WITH TRIVIALITIES – CACOL

CACOL view as counter-productive, retrogressive and suspect the recent move by the Senate in the resolutions passed asking the Federal Government to urgently terminate the 2013 contract between the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, and SystemSpecs. According to reports, one of the resolutions also called for the halting further deductions the Federal Government could have paid of the N25 billion contract sum to the platform provider based on the charge of one per cent transaction fee for all collections.

Reacting to the development, Mr. Debo Adeniran, Executive Chairman, Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) said “the Senate’s plan is akin to ‘killing’ the Treasury Single Account (TSA) initiative and this is tantamount to unplugging the holes of corruption that has already been plugged by the very effective strategy that has helped the country to check fraud and promote accountability’’.

“In six months the Federal has been able to save about 2.2 trillion naira through the TSA initiative, an amount that is about half the budget for 2015; this huge sum of money would have ended up in private pockets without trace. Why then would anyone want to kill the TSA or undermine the idea if it has been so beneficial to the country? It is our opinion that most of those opposed to the TSA initiative are those who were beneficiaries of the leakages that the TSA has been able to block’’ Mr. Adeniran continued.

CACOL holds the belief that the controversies over TSA are unwarranted; just like the whole anti-corruption war is coming under attacks, the TSA is facing a similar fate, it is corruption fighting back. We believe it is not really the contractor or the contract awardee that is at the bottom of these controversies but the recalcitrant attitude of those that want the old ways of corruption to be sustained.

Mr. Adeniran clarified further that, “one would have expected the Senate in playing its’ oversight functions to convincingly expose any foul play or discrepancies and violations with facts and figures over the TSA in relation to the contract signed; proffer its’ alternative which must be better and above all ensure that the country does not backslide in terms of losing the gains of the TSA strategy so far. Anything short of this is suspect and may amount to an attempt to hoodwink Nigerians to achieve ends that are not clear to Nigerians and may not be in favour of national development.’’

 

Wale Salami

Media Coordinator, CACOL

080141121208

wale@thehumanitycentre.org

cacolc@yahoo.com,cacol@thehumanitycentre.org

February 26, 2016.

 

 

 

 

Posted on

METUH IS TRYING TO SLOW DOWN THE WHEEL OF JUSTICE WITH HIS ‘NO-CASE SUBMISSION’ – CACOL

The National Publicity Secretary of the People Democratic Party (PDP) Olisa Metuh pleaded not guilty to a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Thursday, 18 February to the seven-count charge of fraud and money laundering the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has charged him with. Metuh has been standing trial since January 2016 for fraudulently   receiving N400m from the Office of the National Security Adviser in November, 2014 and money laundering involving about $2m.

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) hold the belief that this latest move by Metuh with the no-case submission and the other pleas; are all legal technicalities or tactics to achieve the truncating the course of justice or to delay the final judgment on the case, despite all the glaring evidences gathered by the EFCC to corroborate the prosecution.

According media reports, Justice Okon Abang the presiding Judge, granted the permission to Metuh who is being prosecuted along with his company, Destra Investment Limited, to file a written address to the no-case submission and equally ruled that Metuh should continue to enjoy the bail earlier granted him in the same terms and conditions.

Mr Debo Adeniran, Executive Chairman of CACOL in responding to the development, called on Justice Okon Abang, “not to concede to any form of bias or compromise on his judgment irrespective of pressure from any quarters but do the right thing by ruling on the case and administering justice in line with the laws of our country without fear or favour’’.

‘’At this stage of the anti-corruption war; the nation need to guard and guide against elements that are bent on relying on the weaknesses of our laws to get away with their crimes. The corrupt amongst us have through primitive accumulation acquired huge resources to influence, alter or subvert justice when they are caught pants down! This situation must be corrected and the path to do that is via eternal vigilance’’ Mr Adeniran added.

Corruption is indeed fighting back and we must collectively as nation and people ensure that the on-going anti-corruption war is sustained to salvage our country.

 

Wale Salami

Media Coordinator, CACOL

080141121208

wale@thehumanitycentre.org

cacolc@yahoo.com,cacol@thehumanitycentre.org

February 22, 2016.

 

 

Posted on

RICKEY TARFA AND JUDGE YUNUSA BRIBE EPISODE: A CONFIRMATION THAT SOME LAWYERS AND JUDGES ABET CORRUPTION! – CACOL

The revelation that Mr Rickey Tarka (SAN) paid a bribe to tune of N225, 000 in to the account of a Lagos Federal High Court Judge; Justice Mohammed Yunusa is quite an explosive exposition that gives credence to the position of our Coalition, the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL); that some lawyers and Judges abet and aid corruption.

 

According to news reports, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC, in a counter-affidavit to the suit filed by Rickey Tarfa to challenge his alleged unlawful arrest and detention by the EFCC on February 5 for hiding two suspects of financial crimes in his Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) and thereby willfully obstructing the arrest of the suspects. An operative of the EFCC stated in the affidavit that a check carried out into the Access Bank account of Tarfa’s Law firm revealed that a sum of N225, 000 was sent to Justice Mohammed Yunusa’s Bank account, a transaction the Judge acknowledged with appreciation through a text message which said ‘Thank you, my senior advocate’.

 

To highlight the relationship between Mr Tarfa and Justice Mohammed, the EFCC counter-affidavit further revealed that Rickey Tarfa’s lawyer firm has habitually been asking the Chief Registrar of the Lagos Judicial Division of the Federal High Court to assign his cases to Justice Mohammed Yunusa.

 

Mr Debo Adeniran, Executive Director, CACOL, when reacting to the revelations said, ”Nigerians need no further testimony to underscore the position of our organisation; that of the EFCC and the Presidency on the ignoble roles some members of the Bar and the Judiciary play in frustrating the war against corruption. The President said the Judiciary was the headache in the war against corruption while EFCC avers that some lawyers do not only aid and abet corruption but they tutor corruption criminals on how to escape justice.’’

 

‘’That 90 Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) can queue behind a colleague with such disgusting baggage to appear in court is indeed very shameful; and it speaks volumes about the level of immorality and rot in the system. Even, the presiding Judge in the case described the appearance of the SANs as ‘’tantamount to harassment and intimidation’’, following the appearance of the SANs at the court.’’Mr Adeniran added

 

And as if to add insult to injury Rickey Tarfa has publicly admitted that he paid the N225, 000 in to the Judge’s account but that it was for some burial expenses of Justice Mohammed’s late father! Nigerians are not fools, assuming without conceding, that the story is true, what is the explanation for the frequent requests from Tarfa’s law firm for his cases to be assigned to Justice Mohammmed’s court? CACOL is determined to expose the lies of these abettors and perpetrators of corruption; shame all corrupt elements and together with forces that are ready to be unpretentious about the fight against corruption kill the corruption!

 

 

“We hasten to add that our position is not a blanket condemnation of the Bar and the Judiciary. In fact CACOL is calling on the Nigeria Judicial Council (NJC) and the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) to make conscious, spirited and determined efforts to sanitize the Judiciary and the Bar with goal of enhancing the expedient and prompt treatment of corruption cases given the malaise the monster have wreaked on our National existence.’’ Mr Adeniran said.

 

If we are to fight corruption to the point of killing the seemingly undying monster, then all hands must be on deck in the battles within the war against corruption. Forward to the war against corruption!

 

 

Wale Salami

Media Coordinator, CACOL

080141121208

wale@thehumanitycentre.org

cacolc@yahoo.com,cacol@thehumanitycentre.org

February 20, 2016.

 

Posted on

MINISTER OF BUDGET AND NATIONAL PLANNING SHOULD BE SACKED! PRESIDENT SHOULD WITHDRAW THE 2016 BUDGET AND APOLOGIZE TO NIGERIANS – CACOL

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL), has applauded the move by Presidency to effect an overhaul of the Budget office by purging it of all identified corrupt officials through the secretary to the Federal Government, Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita.

Following the avalanche of errors, paddings and discrepancies discovered in the 2016 Budget; President Buhari has ordered the mass sack of members of a “Budget Mafia” in the budget office, who masterminded the discrepancies and inflated figures featured in the 2016 budget in a bid to scuttle the new innovations of the current administration and cause national embarrassment to the Buhari Government.

According to latest reports, the “Mafia” was alleged to have proposed a budget of N9.7tn for capital and overhead spending, excluding personnel cost, as against the President’s initial estimate of about N8tn.The Mafia also proposed N3tn as overheads alone out of the N9.7tn, a figure the president later slashed to N163bn.

CACOL calls on the President to go beyond the sack of Mr. Yahaya Gusau, the Director General of the Budget Office others by sacking the Minister of Budget and National Planning who failed to properly peruse such an important national document to identify the paddings and cleanse it of errors before passing it to the President for assent. ‘’We find the appointment of a new Special Adviser on National planning for the Ministry as uncalled for and can only be regarded as a “pat on the back” for the Minister’s inefficiency; for fairness and equity in the overhaul of the Budget Ministry, the Budget Minister should be sacked, to serve as deterrence to intending lethargic Ministers who act like ministerial position is a “chop and sleep“affair.’’ Mr. Debo Adeniran, Executive Chairman averred

CACOL hastens to call on President Buhari to withdraw the Budget and tender an unreserved apology to Nigerians for also failing to properly scrutinize the budget before its presentation. Having been in possession of the budget for two weeks, it is quite negligent of the Office of the Presidency not to have thoroughly perused through and identified defects in the budget before its onward presentation to the National Assembly.

 

Wale Salami

Media Coordinator, CACOL

080141121208

wale@thehumanitycentre.org

cacolc@yahoo.com,cacol@thehumanitycentre.org

February 19, 2016.