Corruption Watch – Page 19

October 8, 2015

CACOL ON BUHARI’S MINISTERIAL NOMINEES – UNWARRANTED LONG WAIT

PRESS STATEMENT

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders CACOL, while reacting to the list of ministerial nominees just submitted to the Senate, had described the long wait that heralded the release as basically unwarranted.

The Coalition’s Executive Chairman, Debo Adeniran, has expressed utter disappointment over most of the names making the list. “By the way, where lies the change Mr. President and the APC have been promising Nigerians all this while if appointment into his cabinet is still the same old style of ‘settling the boys’, regardless of whether or not such appointment enjoys any merit.” Mr. President had kept Nigerians on the edge for almost 4 months of waiting anxiously to welcome the super technocrats that would steer the ship of change in our polity but what have we now seen? The same old wine in a new bottle. Continue reading “CACOL ON BUHARI’S MINISTERIAL NOMINEES – UNWARRANTED LONG WAIT”

October 3, 2015

Attack on court becoming national tradition – CACOL

October 3, 2015 : Fisayo Falodi

Executive Chairman, CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran

A group seeking a corrupt-free society, the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, has decried the recent attack on the Ogun State Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abeokuta.

CACOL said it was disturbing that needless attack on litigants by overzealous and lawless politicians was gradually becoming a tradition in Nigeria.

Describing the attack on the Ogun State election petitions tribunal as a national embarrassment that tends to diminish the Nigerians as a people; CACOL urged the security agencies to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators.In a statement on Friday, CACOL Executive Chairman, Mr. Debo Adeniran, said it was saddening that no suspect had been arrested in connection with the attack three days after it occurred.

Adeniran said, “Attack is a national embarrassment that tends to diminish our value and dignity as a people. Such act of barbarism is only capable of debasing our sensibility as humans.

“Is ours turning into an animal kingdom where laws do not exist at all?

“Since the court is said to be the last hope of the common man in seeking justice, where else could the common man turn to when his last hope has been turned into a scene of jungle behaviour of all sort?”

He recalled that Nigerians were stunned not long ago when some group of political thugs invaded the premises of the High Court in Ado-Ekiti and beat up litigants, counsel and other court officials, including a judge whose official robe was torn to shreds.

Adeniran said to the best of his knowledge, the attackers were not invited for questioning, let alone arraigned for prosecution.

He said, “Because that show of national shame and embarrassment was allowed to go unaddressed, a precedent, so to say, has been set.”

Source: The Punch

October 2, 2015

Buhari Orders Probe of CBN, NNPC, FIRS, NCC, Customs

By Media Nigeria on October 1, 201

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered a complete audit of all revenue generating agencies in the country as a clean up measure and to make them more efficient.

Top on the list of the agencies are the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Federal Inland Revenue Service, the Nigerian Communications Commission and the Nigerian Customs Service.

MN had exclusively reported how former President Goodluck Jonathan had authorized the withdrawal of N67.2billion in cash from the Central Bank of Nigeria in the build up to the 2015 general elections.

The amount were said to have been carted away from the bank in bullion vans.

At his first Independence Day nationwide broadcast on Thursday, the President said the probe of the revenue generating agencies, including the CBN, became necessary following noticeable widespread corruption in the agencies.

“Preliminary steps have been taken to sanitize NNPC and improve its operations so that the inefficiency and corruption could be reduced to a minimum,” Mr. Buhari said.

“Those of our refineries which can be serviced and brought back into partial production would be enabled to resume operations so that the whole sordid business of exporting crude and importing finished products in dubious transactions could be stopped.

“In addition to NNPC, I have ordered for a complete audit of our other revenue generating agencies mainly CBN, FIRS, Customs, NCC, for better service delivery to the nation.

“Prudent housekeeping is needed now more than ever in view of the sharp decline in world market oil prices. It is a challenge we have to face squarely. But what counts is not so much what accrues but how we manage our resources that is important.

“We have seen in the last few years how huge resources were mismanaged, squandered and wasted. The new APC government is embarking on a clean up, introducing prudence and probity in public financing.”

He said at the inception his administration in May, a number of problems were inherited and that he was aware that Nigerians wanted quick solutions not the resolution of the problems.

Mr. Buhari said he had, after consultations, got down to work immediately on the medium term and long term problems which must be tackled if his government must continue to enjoy the confidence of the people.

He expressed delight that the nation’s armed forces had taken the battle to the domain of the Boko Haram insurgents and substantially weakened their logistical and infrastructural capabilities.

“Boko Haram are being scattered and are on the run. That they are resorting to shameless attacks on soft targets such as I.D.P. camps is indicative of their cowardice and desperation. I have instructed security and local authorities to tighten vigilance in vulnerable places,” he said.

The President noted that this success was made possible after marshaling an international coalition of armed forces of five neighbouring nations, G7 leaders as well as other friendly nations to confront and defeat Boko Haram.

On power, Mr. Buhari said government officials held a series of long sessions over several weeks about the best way to improve the nation’s power supply in the safest and most cost effective way.

According to him, improvement in the power supply is moderately encouraging and by the same token, supply of petrol and kerosene to the public has improved throughout the country.

“All the early signs are that within months the whole country would begin to feel a change for the better,” he said.

Mr. Buhari said his government was able to address the issue of salary arrears owed by state governments to their workers, saying the APC government stepped in to provide short-term support to the states.

On ministers, the President pointed out that there was a lot of anxiety and impatience over the apparent delay in announcement of ministers even when there was no cause to be anxious.

“Our government set out to do things methodically and properly. We received the handing over notes from the outgoing government only four days before taking over,” he said.

“Consequently, the Joda Transition Committee submitted its Report on the reorganization of Federal Government structure after studying the hand over notes.

“It would have been haphazard to announce ministers when the government had not finalized the number of ministries to optimally carry the burden of governance.

“Anyway, the wait is over. The first set of names for ministerial nominees for confirmation has been sent to the senate. Subsequent lists will be forwarded in due course.

“Impatience is not a virtue. Order is more vital than speed. Careful and deliberate decisions after consultations get far better results. And better results for our country is what the APC government for Change is all about.”

Mr. Buhari said for Nigeria, October 1st a day for joy and celebrations whatever the circumstances, recalling that 55 years ago the country was liberated from the shackles of colonialism and began her long march to nationhood and greatness.

“No temporary problems or passing challenges should stop us from honoring this day. Let us remind ourselves of the gifts God has given us. Our Creator has bequeathed to us Numbers – Nigeria is the ninth most populated country on the planet,” he enthused.

He said besides population, Nigeria was blessed with arable land, water, forests, oil and gas, coastline and solid minerals.

“We have all the attributes of a great nation. We are not there yet because the one commodity we have been unable to exploit to the fullest is unity of purpose. This would have enabled us to achieve not only more orderly political evolution and integration but also continuity and economic progress,” he said.

“Countries far less endowed have made greater economic progress by greater coherence and unity of purpose.”

Mr. Buhari noted that it was an achievement that the country had remained united and that should be appreciated, while consolidating the fledgling democracy.

“The fact that an opposition party replaced an entrenched government in a free and fair election is indicative of the deeper roots of our democratic system,” the President said.

“Whatever one’s views are, Nigerians must thank former President Jonathan for not digging-in in the face of defeat and thereby saving the country untold consequences.”

He reiterated that he bore no ill will against anyone on past events, stressing: “Nobody should fear anything from me. We are not after anyone. People should only fear the consequences of their actions. I hereby invite everyone, whatever his or her political view to join me in working for the nation.”

While wishing Nigerians a happy independence celebrations, President Buhari admonished Nigerians to appreciate the fact that it would take the combined efforts of all Nigerians to bring about change.

“We must change our lawless habits, our attitude to public office and public trust. We must change our unruly behavior in schools, hospitals, market places, motor parks, on the roads, in homes and offices. To bring about change, we must change ourselves by being law-abiding citizens,” he said.

Source: Media Nigeria

October 2, 2015

Ogun Election Tribunal Mayhem – Bring Perpetrators To Justice, CACOL Demands

By admin / October 1, 2015

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL has demanded the arrest and prosecution of party thugs that allegedly attacked a number of litigants in the premises of the Ogun State Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

The incident, as reported in the PUNCH edition of Wednesday, September 30, 2015, which occurred on Tuesday, 29th September, 2015, while the tribunal was hearing the petition brought before it by the defeated PDP gubernatorial candidate in the last general elections, Gboyega Isiaka Nasiru, against the incumbent, Senator Ibikunle Amosu, saw people suspected to be thugs allegedly sponsored by a political party, suddenly storming the tribunal premises and began attacking prominent personalities and other litigants with dangerous weapons. They were reported to have invaded the premises in such a large number that forced the policemen on duty to quickly call for reinforcement.

CACOL said it’s highly disturbed at what is gradually becoming a tradition by some overzealous, lawless politicians in our country to continually engage in what could be described a national embarrassment that tends to diminish our value and dignity as a people. Such acts of barbarism are only capable of debasing our sensibility as humans.

“By the way, what sort of society are we trying to build or what legacy shall we be bequeathing to upcoming generations, when the sanctity of our hallowed chambers of justice is flagrantly desecrated at will by those who have assumed a status of out-laws in our midst? Is ours turning into an animal kingdom where laws do not exist at all?” lamented the coalition’s Executive Chairman, Comrade Debo Adeniran. Since the court is said to be the last hope of the common man in seeking justice, where else could the common man turn to when his last hope has been turned into a scene of jungle behaviours of all sort?

Not too long ago, Nigerians were stunned at the height of barbarism displayed in the premises of the High Court, in Ado-Ekiti, when political thugs invaded the court premises, beating and injuring litigants, counsels and other court officials which included a judge who even had his official robe torn to shreds. The aim, apparently, was to disrupt the case that involved their man, and this they succeeded in achieving as no one could stop them. Report had it that the court, thereafter, had to suspend its sitting for weeks.

Speaking further, Adeniran said, “To the best of our knowledge, nobody was arrested nor invited for questioning, talk-less of being arraigned for prosecution. And because that show of national shame and embarrassment was allowed to go unaddressed, a precedent, so to say, has been set. Today, again, it’s happening in Ogun State and as usual, no one will ever answer for this shameless display of incivility and bestiality.

Therefore, in order that this ugly dimension of gross respect for law and justice, and by extension, for the nation’s sovereignty, is curbed and discouraged, perpetrators and sponsors of this ugly, uncivil and grossly barbaric act in Ogun State, regardless of their social or political status, should be arrested and brought to book, otherwise we might unwittingly be introducing another version of score-settling methods by our politicians. Nothing short of that will be acceptable to law-abiding members of the public.

Source: Universal Reporters.

October 2, 2015

OGUN ELECTION TRIBUNAL MAYHEM – BRING PERPETRATORS TO JUSTICE, CACOL DEMANDS

The incident, as reported in the PUNCH edition of Wednesday, September 30, 2015, which occurred on Tuesday, 29^th September, 2015, while the tribunal was hearing the petition brought before it by the defeated PDP gubernatorial candidate in the last general elections, Gboyega Isiaka Nasiru, against the incumbent, Senator Ibikunle Amosu, saw people suspected to be thugs allegedly sponsored by a political party, suddenly storming the tribunal premises and began attacking prominent personalities and other litigants with dangerous weapons. They were reported to have invaded the premises in such a large number that forced the policemen on duty to quickly call for reinforcement. Continue reading “OGUN ELECTION TRIBUNAL MAYHEM – BRING PERPETRATORS TO JUSTICE, CACOL DEMANDS”

September 30, 2015

SARAKIGATE: Politicians running from their shadows – CACOL

September 29, 2015

A development which came in the light of the ongoing trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal over alleged false declaration of assets. Politicians in the country had until now seemed to have taken the exercise for granted, believing that a day of reckoning may never come.

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL, a group of civil-society, community-based and other non-governmental organizations with the objective of fighting corruption and corrupt persons by any means possible at all levels in Nigeria has expressed its dismay over the seeming ineffectiveness of the anti-corruption agencies created by the government. Going by the existing constitutional powers conferred on the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), one cannot but wonder as to why these all-important institutions whose activities basically anchor the principle of accountability and probity on the part of public officers had, all these while, so remained virtually consigned to the background, so to say, in the affairs of our democratic governance.

Information reaching us as shown that the CCB seems to be complicit in the exercise to the extent that they simply grant politicians unfettered access to assets declaration forms earlier submitted by them to be altered having seen that the new regime is not taking it easy with those who made anticipatory and false declarations. The forms are not even properly kept; when one gets to their offices, constitutional process for accessing these forms that have been filled is not strictly complied with. They are left in open shelves and at times on the desk where the forms could even disappear, thus allowing a declarant to easily alter what he/she has earlier declared. Corrupt CCB officials engaged in this criminal act should be warned to desist forthwith and be made to realize that the fate of the accomplice in a crime is as grave as that of the perpetrator.

Looking at the CCB and Tribunal Act CAP 56, LFN 1990- The CCB and its twin sister, the Code of Conduct Tribunal are Extra – Ministerial Departments set up by the Federal Government under the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, Cap 56, LFN 1990. The Act gave the Bureau the mandate “to establish and maintain a high standard morality in the conduct of Government Business and to ensure that the actions and behavior of Public Officers conform to the highest standard of public morality and accountability.”

Corruption has so far succeeded in not only ravaging our values and pride, but has also succeeded in bastardizing the psyche of the majority so much so that thieves are openly hailed and celebrated. Ours is gradually becoming a society that encourages opportunism in whatever form. The tendency to exploit every given opportunity to satisfy one’s selfish desire no longer rest only with the leaders, the led themselves now encourage the leaders to thrive in self-serving exploits.

It’s saddening and highly disturbing to see what has now become the norm for the led to constantly remind their newly elected (or appointed) leaders of why they should see their new positions as an opportunity that might come only once and so urge them to corruptly enrich themselves to the maximum at the expense of the less privileged. The common phrase nowadays is “it is our turn to chop”.

It is now a common sight to see ‘men of timber and caliber’ turning out in large number to accompany an accused corrupt person to the court or law enforcement or anti-corruption agencies, on a solidarity mission; all aimed at intimidating the institution of justice. This is why, when we put all these together, no one would envy President Buhari on his committed crusade against corruption.

We make bold to say that corruption has virtually become the second name of the average Nigerian, therefore, it would not be entirely out of place to insinuate that whoever is fighting corruption should see himself as indirectly fighting the generality of Nigerians; and we all know what that entails.

Once asset declaration forms were filled and submitted by public officials to the CCB, it becomes a criminal act for any official of the CCB to allow any alteration to the document. Since the politicians had already sworn to oaths that whatever they filled in the forms as their assets was correct, they cannot come back to seek any amendment to any part or section of earlier information therein. That they even attempted to change their declarations at all should be seen as a criminal exercise as doing so amounts to forgery and should be so viewed and treated.

If we are truly serious about fighting corruption and rid of it from our system, all hands have to be on deck and support must be given to the government to do the needful, regardless of who is involved. The Anti-corruption hurricane has started gathering momentum, only the corrupt needs to fear the whirl wind.

Source: Newsverge

September 30, 2015

Arrest politicians seeking to alter assets declaration forms – CACOL

September 30, 2015 : Fisayo Falodi 2 Comments

ALI GAMBO ABDULLAHI

An anti-corruption group, the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, on Tuesday called for the arrest of politicians seeking to alter the information already contained in their assets declaration forms.

The group said those engaging in the practice should be arrested and prosecuted for forgery.

In a statement by its acting Media Officer, Temitope Macjob, CACOL said once assets declaration forms were filled and submitted by public officials to the CCB, it becomes a criminal act for any official of the bureau to allow any alteration to the documents.

It said since the politicians had already sworn to oaths that everything they filled in the forms as their assets was correct, they could not come back to seek any amendment to any part or section of information therein. CACOL, however, expressed dismay over what it described as the seeming ineffectiveness of the anti-corruption agencies in the country, especially the CCB.

The group said it was shameful that the CCB, whose activities were basically anchored on the principle of accountability and probity on the part of public officers, had been poorly discharging its responsibilities.

According to CACOL, the CCB is not properly handling the assets declaration forms already submitted to it by politicians.

The group said, “Information reaching us has shown that the CCB seems to be complicit in the exercise to the extent that the bureau simply grants politicians unfettered access to assets declaration forms earlier submitted to it to be altered having seen that the new regime is not taking it easy with those who made anticipatory and false declarations.

“The forms were not even properly kept; when one gets to the CBB offices, constitutional process for accessing these forms is not strictly complied with. The forms are left in open shelves and, at times, on the desk where the forms could even disappear, thus allowing a declarant to easily alter what he/she had earlier declared.

“Corrupt CCB officials engaging in this criminal act should be warned to desist forthwith and be made to realise that the fate of the accomplice in a crime is as grave as that of the perpetrator.”

Source: The Punch.

September 30, 2015

SARAKIGATE: POLITICIANS RUNNING FROM THEIR SHADOWS – CACOL

There had been indications in the news that politicians in the country have begun to lobby the Code of Conduct Bureau into availing them the avenue to tinker with the information earlier submitted on the assets declaration forms already in its custody, to escape possible future prosecution. A development which came in the light of the ongoing trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal over alleged false declaration of assets. Politicians in the country had until now seemed to have taken the exercise for granted, believing that a day of reckoning may never come. Continue reading “SARAKIGATE: POLITICIANS RUNNING FROM THEIR SHADOWS – CACOL”

September 23, 2015

KOGI/BAYELSA ELECTIONS: CACOL QUERIES APC’s CHOICE OF CANDIDATES

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL has queried the propriety of the choice of the two governorship candidates by the All Progressives Congress in Kogi and Bayelsa States.

This came on the heels of the recent emergence of former Governor of Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu and former Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Timipre Sylva as candidates of the All Progressives Congress governorship elections scheduled to hold in Kogi and Bayelsa States on 21st November, 2015 and 5th December, 2015 respectively.

All Progressives Congress’s candidate for the Kogi State governorship election, Prince Abubakar Audu’s public records is that of a man that has been described in many derogatory adjectives ever since he left office as governor in 2003. It is well documented that he has been hurled severally before several judges and on various issues. Mr. Audu was recently being prosecuted by the anti-graft agency, EFCC, of misappropriating N11 billion of the state’s funds while he was governor between 1999 and 2003.

Mr. Sylva was also docked alongside his co-accused in July 2014 for allegedly using three companies to siphon funds from Bayelsa state treasury between 2009 and 2012. A fresh plea over a six-count criminal charge was filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. He is said to be facing trial over the allegation that he masterminded the illegal diversion of funds from the Bayelsa State treasury while in power. He was specifically accused of siphoning over N6.5 billion from the Bayelsa State treasury between October 2009 and February 2010.

Reacting to this development on behalf of the Coalition, its Executive Chairman, Comrade Debo Adeniran has expressed his total disagreement and has frowned at the choice of the ruling party’s governorship candidates. He said, “The two candidates being presented by the ruling party in the two states are standing trial for corruption and we don’t think the party should allow those who have not discharged themselves of baggages of corruption to contest election, let alone win election. That would mean that they are allowing a danger that has been foreseen to cause catastrophe because, if they have not discharged themselves of corruption charges on account of their first term in office, they ought not to be allowed to cause further damage.

“Their integrity is still doubtful; so why should we allow them to go into the same office where we cannot be sure whether or not they are going to govern with integrity?” Thus, their openly expressed desire to seek a come back to the state Government House as governor, should be considered a misplaced effrontery.

Speaking further, Adeniran stressed that no sustainable democratic culture could be established as long as our No. 1 enemy, corruption, thrives. This is why CACOL and other anti-corruption institutions and organizations should not relent but remain in the vanguard of the fight against this seemingly untamable monster that had overtime assumed the overbearing status of an albatross that has constantly been terrifying the very existence of this nation by preventing corrupt elements from assuming political positions.

We believe that President Buhari, as a leader in the ruling party and one acknowledged to be a no-nonsense man on issues of corruption, cannot afford to be neither be too deaf nor blind to the long list of Audu Abubakar’s and Timipere Sylva past allegations. We also believe he would want to be taken seriously on his recent declaration to the world that his fight against corruption is not a respecter of political affiliation. “If you have reasons to fraternize with corrupt elements and you know deep down in your heart that such people are corrupt, then you don’t have to pander to the dictates of such class of people. The President needs to take up the toga of a revolutionary to be able to win the war, Adeniran added.

We would want to conclude, concerning this issue, that we are not oblivious of similar practice in some other political parties. The emergence of Ayodele Fayose of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP as Ekiti State governor in the last gubernatorial election in the state is another reference point. It’s on record that several charges, ranging from financial impropriety to murder, remained unresolved for over eight years after leaving office in his first stanza as the state governor, up till today. Therefore, our position on this anomaly should be seen and perceived by all concerned from a generalized view-point.

Temitope Macjob

Acting Media Officer, CACOL

temitope@thehumanitycentre.org

cacolc@yahoo.com.

23^rd September, 2015.

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

www.corruptionwatchng.com

September 21, 2015

What Saraki’s Arraignment Has Shown – CACOL

Sep 20 2015 – 3:59pm

Eromosele Ebhomele.

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL, has slammed those castigating Nigeria’s Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, over the latter’s trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki and subsequent order of his arrest for abstaining from the tribunal.

Though the Nigeria Police Force says it does not have a warrant of arrest from the tribunal to carry out the order against Saraki, the anti-corruption crusader said the tribunal’s action has shown that nobody, no matter how highly placed can be treated as a sacred cow in the current fight against corruption in the country. Saraki’s trial was supposed to commence on Friday, 18 September, 2015, but his absence resulted in the tribunal ordering his arrest.

“It’s worth recalling that CACOL, like some other well-meaning individuals and organisations, has consistently been advocating the strengthening of our institutions, especially those serving as avenues for law and justice if our clamour for entrenching the culture of respect for the rule of law, recognition of its supremacy, equality before the law, enforcement of the law and of course, unbiased but upright judicial system, as a veritable means of stemming the alarming tide of corruption in our country, is to be taken seriously,” Debo Adeniran, Executive Chairman of CACOL said.

Adeniran reminded Nigerians that the Buhari administration was voted in mainly to effect a positive change in the system. “Having collectively agreed that corruption has remained our number one enemy of progress as a nation, we owe it a duty to collectively give every support possible to this government in its fight against the monster that has ravaged our nation for this long,” Adeniran added.

He said his organisation would not buy into all the sentiments of witch-hunt, vendetta and the likes against Saraki as being expressed by those he called subversive elements in the society. “What is all this noise about witch-hunt, selectiveness or vendetta or whatever they want to call it? To me, it’s all bal-da-dash. Let’s even agree that the CCB’s action is selective, the reasonable question here should be; does it have a case at all against the accused? If the answer is yes, then why all the fuss? Assuming only five out of 20 thieves are being selected for prosecution, does that remove the fact that those five are thieves? The point I believe these critics should rather address here is; if thieves are selected, there is no way you could be among those selected if you are not a thief; and if you believe you have been selected in error, appear before the court and prove your innocence. I believe that settles it,” Adeniran argued.

CACOL posited that Senator Saraki is a Nigerian, a lawmaker representing the people of Nigeria and that he is being arraigned before a competent court to answer to charges made against him.

“Guilty or not, he has to appear,” the coalition’s chairman said. “We also warn those mischief-makers to desist from politicising every step taken by the government or any constituted and competent arm of the government, towards achieving a given end. Whatever intra-party or inter-party crisis that may exist within the polity should be of less interest to the Nigerian public; rather, what should be of paramount interest should be that of our collective wish as a nation. The fight against corruption should be seen as a collective one; therefore this administration needs the support of all in order to succeed. We must all realise that it is Saraki today; it certainly would be somebody else tomorrow. The Code of Conduct Bureau must not only be effective but must be seen to be and it just has to start from somewhere,” Adeniran said.

Source: The News