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Alex Otti Clears Air On Ikpeazu Financial Deals

The Alex Otti led-government woke up to the shocking news of the several billions of naira allegedly left behind for the Alex Otti led-government by the former government of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu.

We waited to see if Ikpeazu or his Spokespersons would refute the false and offensive claims, but to no avail, rather we saw astronomical increase in the number of his allies and former aides circulating the Fake News with the intention to misrepresent facts and deceive the public, especially workers and pensioners whom he treated with utter disdain and disregard..

To put the record straight and disabuse the minds of those who may have been misled, we have decided to address Abians and state that the Summary of ABSG Balances with different banks as at 28th May 2023 is as follows:

NATURE OF FACILITY, LOAN BALANCE AS AT 28TH MAY 2023:

1 UBA (8,012,830,371.44)
2 ZENITH BANK (21,557,168,761.71)
3 UNION BANK (597,637,399.55)
5 CENTRAL BANK (47,760,302,510.12)
BANK BALANCES-TOTAL (77,927,939,042.82).

DOMESTIC DEBTS.

7 SALARIES AND SUBVENTIONS ARREARS (18,162,102,692.92).
8 PENSION ARREARS (21,283,876,789.80)
9 GRATUITY ARREARS (27,012,996,061.64)
10 CONTRACTORS ARREARS (4,563,186,896.65)
DOMESTIC DEBTS ARREARS-TOTAL (71,022,162,441.01)

11 EXTERNAL DEBTS (42,289,206,109.84)

GRAND TOTAL
(191,239,307,593.67)

For the records, the public should note thus:

1. The Okezie Ikpeazu-led government did not leave any N24 billion in the account of Abia state government as they falsely claimed.

2. The $ 200 million and $ 50 million dollars they claimed they left for the new administration are loans they were pursuing which is yet to crystalize.

3.. Outside the humongous financial liabilities left behind by the Ikpeazu-led government, they also left physical liabilities in all our key institutions. For example;, our University Teaching Hospital lost accreditation for the first time in history.

Our only state Polytechnic also lost accreditation. The regulatory authorities predicated their action against these institutions on Non-payment of salaries , lack of Equipment and Lack of Infrastructure.

4. Poor internal generation of revenue, with the little they generated frittered away in payment to consultants for no added value. They pay as much as 20% which is highly unethical.

5. Doctors who have been on strike since February 2023 just called off their strike, and they emphatically stated that they based their decision on their conviction that Governor Otti would solve the problem that necessitated the strike action.

7. Finally, the elementary question is; if Ikpeazu had the billions he claimed to have left behind for the Otti led-government in April and May, why did he not pay workers and pensioners before leaving office, since Governor Otti just took over from.him on the 29th of May 2023?

If Ikpeazu is trying to preempt anti corruption agencies by making such provocative false claims, he should know that they work with facts and figures, therefore even if he runs into the APC to seek refuge as he is planning to do, these anti corruption agencies would pursue and bring him to justice from there.

Ferdinand Ekeoma
Special Adviser
(Media and Publicity) to the
Governor of Abia State.

Mr. Kazie Uko
Chief Press Secretary to the Governor.

Mr. Mike Akpara
Special Adviser to the Governor on
Finance.

Mrs. Njum Onyemenam
Accountant General of Abia State.
15-06-2023.

You Must Sack INEC Chairman Now: Agbakoba To Tinubu

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former President of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Olisa Agbakoba has asked President Bola Tinubu to remove the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmoud Yakubu.

The senior lawyer, in a statement on Thursday, said the 61-year-old INEC boss must leave office by resignation or removal, otherwise the electoral reform task in Nigeria will be impeded.

In the statement by his Media Assistant, Niyi Odunmorayo, Agbakoba commended the President for “getting rid” Godwin Emefiele as the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); and AbdulRasheed Bawa as the Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The senior lawyer said, “Full congratulations go to President Tinubu for getting rid of Emefiele and Bawa and fuel subsidy and forex corruption. Endemic corruption has suffered a massive blow.

“Next is for the president to dismantle INEC. Everyone will agree that logistically, the 2023 elections are the worst in our history. I do not refer to the merits of the results of the elections. Many results are disputed and are in Tribunals. Both petitioners and respondents suffered at the hands of an incompetent INEC.

“As we await rulings from the courts massive reforms of the electoral framework ought to begin but this means that the INEC Chairman will have to leave office by resignation or removal, otherwise the reform task will be impeded.

“I add very quickly that the suggested reforms have nothing to do with the merits of election results at all. Both winners and losers of the elections were victims of the failure of INEC. Confidence in Nigeria’s democracy will be enhanced by a deep cleansing of INEC.”

Prof Eric Ofuegbu ,The Great Mathematician To Destroy INEC With Evidences

The Presidential Election Petition Court commenced proceedings today with the presentation of a petition by Peter Obi and the Labour Party. The party called its fourth witness, Professor Eric Ofuegbu, a renowned Professor of Mathematics at Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka.

However, the lead lawyer for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Abubakar Mahmoud, expressed his discontent with the short notice of the witness statement. He described the Labour Party’s actions as an “ambush” and requested the Court to postpone the witness’s testimony to allow ample time for studying the statement.

On the other hand, Bola Tinubu, represented by his lawyer, Wole Olanipekun, showed no objection to the witness providing testimony. Nonetheless, Olanipekun suggested a brief adjournment to accommodate INEC’s need for 48 hours to analyze the statement of this star witness.

After considering the arguments, Chairman of the Election Petition Court, Justice Haruna Tsammani, delivered a short ruling. The Court emphasized the importance of justice and fair hearing and decided to allow the witness to present evidence on Thursday.

Cross-examination of the witness was scheduled for the following day, Friday, June 16.

Breaking : EFCC invites Ex-Aviation Minister, Sirika, questions Nigeria Air officials

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has summoned the former Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, to appear before the commission.

The anti-graft agency had also questioned officials of the Nigerian Air over the recent launch of the airline in Abuja.

It was gathered that while the minister was due to appear before the commission within the week to answer questions related to the launch of the airline, Nigerian Air, garbed in Ethiopian colours, the commission had already grilled some supposed officials of the national carrier.

When contacted, spokesman of EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, confirmed that there was an ongoing investigation but could not give further details.

“I can confirm that there is an ongoing investigation in that regard,” he said.

Competent sources said that the commission would look at the N3 billion sunk into the project though some stakeholders insisted that over N80 billion was expended on the project.

The minister had, at the twilight of the Buhari’s administration, caused the supposed launch of the Nigerian Air in Abuja using an Ethiopian aircraft.

Stakeholders were enraged that an Ethiopian airline that landed in Nigeria with Ethiopian colours was packaged as a national carrier.

The minister had said at a recent Arise News Channel interview that the landing of the Ethiopian aircraft in Abuja, was “a marketing strategy.”

“We have already questioned some officials of Nigerian Air.

“We have invited the former Aviation minister, Hadi Sirika.

We are expecting him within the week”, the source said.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) disclosed last week that the airline was still on the first stage in a five-phase process of obtaining Air Operator Certificate (AOC) to operate as a commercial airline.

The Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) had also consistently opposed the idea on several grounds.

Speaking on the matter recently, the spokesman of AON, Obiora Okonkwo, warned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to be “blackmailed into accepting a contraption that would definitely and ultimately hurt the Nigerian economy and destroy millions of existing jobs in favour of one or two individuals”.

Just In: We Can No Longer Foot Universities’ Bill – FG.

The Ministry of Education has said the federal government can no longer foot the bill for universities.

The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Andrew David Adejo, said this at a press briefing Wednesday in Abuja while clarifying the Students Loan Bill signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday.

“Introduction of tuition fee is not arising from the act; No! Whether we like it or not, the government can no longer foot the bill for universities. That is why we are doing Private Public Partnership (PPP),” he said.

Responding to a question on if the act would introduce tuition fees in public institutions, Adejo said, “The universities already have autonomy, the autonomy they are yet to have is financial autonomy. It is when they get it that they can answer that question and the government is working towards that.”

The Permanent Secretary said the federal government was working out modalities to begin the disbursement of student loans in September because the president had directed that the first recipients of the loan must be available for the 2023/2024 academic session.

He said an inter-ministerial committee would be inaugurated on Tuesday to fine-tune the process for students to get the loan within six weeks.

He explained that the Act addressed the purpose of making sure that persons that get the loan pay their tuition, saying, “Without meaning to say what the committee set up would do, we don’t want to make something that only public school students would benefit from.

“For now, private schools are paying tuition so you have to give somebody who is going to private school an opportunity to get and pay tuition.

“What you have been seeing is the bill that was presented and went through final reading at the House of Representatives and before Mr President signs a bill, he looks at it and sends it to relevant ministries and then decides if it is okay and if there are modifications that are necessary.

“Let us wait to see the Act and you will get the Act when it is transmitted to the Ministry of Justice to produce into a gazette,” he said.

Adejo further explained that there were other fees apart from tuition that could make indigent students need a loan.

“You can’t give someone a loan and say pay tuition without sustaining his school. No. You have to get accommodation, even if tuition fee in public universities is free, you still pay for your accommodation and the federal government would not give you loan that will not make sure you get in school, stay in school and graduate,” he added.

While noting that such scheme had failed in the past, he said the government wanted to learn from the past, adding, “We want the current act to learn from the mistake of the past where there were more defaulters than people that paid. In the past, it is like it is a government money come and take and go, free money but that is not going to be the case with this.”

He however, assured that the process would be depoliticised and that jobs would be created even though it cannot be created 100 per cent, adding that universities and polytechnics were being redirected to focus on innovation and produce job creators.

Tinubu Appoints Acting EFCC Chairman

On Wednesday, Mohammed Umar Abba was named the acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission following the suspension of Abdulrasheed Bawa by President Bola Tinubu.

According to a statement issued by the director information office of the secretary to the government of the Federation Willie Bassey The Suspension follows weighty allegations of abuse of office levelled against him (Bawa).

The statement added that Bawa has been directed to immediately handover the affairs of his office to the Director, Operations in the Commission, who will oversee the affairs of the Office of the Chairman of the Commission pending the conclusion of the investigation.

Here are six things to know about the acting EFCC Chairman:

1. Mohammed Umar Abba was born on June 22, 1965, in Tudunwada Local Government Area of Kano State.

2. Abba bagged his first degree from Bayero University, Kano. He did his one-year national service at the old Anambra State Police Command and later got enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force. He attended the Nigeria Police Academy, Kaduna State, where he was commissioned in 1992.

3. CP Abba was seconded to the Commission in January 2016 to head the Counterterrorism and General Investigations, CTGI, Section at the Headquarters in Abuja.

4. He was appointed the Director of Operations of the Commission in 2017.

5. In 2019, he was promoted to the rank of Commissioner of Police.

6. On July 9, 2020, Abba stepped in as the Acting Chairman of the Commission, being the most senior operational officer when the former chairman, Ibrahim Magu, was suspended.

(Journalist101)

Breaking: Tinubu Sacks EFCC Chairman

President Bola Tinubu has approved the indefinite suspension from office of the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Abdulrasheed Bawa to allow for proper investigation into his conduct while in office.

According to a statement issued by the director information office of the secretary to the government of the Federation Willie Bassey The Suspension follows weighty allegations of abuse of office levelled against him.

The statement added that Bawa has been directed to immediately handover the affairs of his office to the Director, Operations in the Commission, who will oversee the affairs of the Office of the Chairman of the Commission pending the conclusion of the investigation.

Details later…

(Journalist101)

Happy Boys: OPM Pastor should be Arrested- By Activist Paul I. Njoku

In view of the verifiable sad realities between the General-Overseer of Omega Power Ministry (OPM), Apostle Chibuzor and the “Happy Boys”, who in my opinion were sent to Cyprus in a disguised and hypnotized University scholarship scam orchestrated by the same Apostle Chibuzor who later abandoned the boys in far away Cyprus should not be handled with kid gloves by the Nigerian government and relevant but diplomatic authorities because lives of the two Nigerians (Happy boys) matter.

Their lives are very important. They should not be intimidated and relegated to die. Their parents and family members need them alive and healthy. Nigerians should speak in the defense of those innocent and defenseless boys.

From the comparative analysis of the events, i am beginning to believe that Apostle chibuzor is fraudulent, satanic, uncouth and evil. I have developed a sudden and unusual feelings that he is not a genuine man of God but a scammer with a religious hypnosis to enrich himself and family.

I strongly believe he is cashing out on national trending catastrophy with media hype, fake philanthropy and deceit. How best can one define evil manipulation and reverse psychology by an illiterate? The “happy boys” have indeed exposed him.

Apostle Chibuzor should be held accountable and responsible should anything happen to those guys.

I

feel terribly heartbroken that instead of taking responsibility, he is busy laying abuses and “curses” on the boys he enslaved in Cyprus as if he is God. He does not know he has already put those guys in a worst ‘cursed’ and death-threatening situation by abandoning them in the street of cold and rebellious Cyprus. This is nothing but a modern-day slavery and human trafficking.

I urge the Inspector-General of Police to arrest, interrogate and prosecute Apostle Chibuzor with regards to the lives and safety of those Nigerian boys endangered in the hell-fire of Cyprus.

If Apostle Chibuzor has power to curse people, why does he not have same power to bless these vulnerable guys he voluntarily took into custody for media stunt? I authored good epistles on this man without knowing I was wrong and I will soon recant and withdraw my previous views on him because he does not deserve it.

His actions on the “happy-boys” is deeply shameless and heartless. He has a reprobate mind and lacks human conscience. TB Joshua of the blessed memory would not have abandoned students he told the world that he gave scholarship abroad.

One can imagine why he did not send these guys to the UK or USA where he reportedly sent his sisters, brothers, family relatives, allies, friends and in-laws but to a very poor and vulnerable Cyprus to die.

Deborah’s family and actor Aguba should be interrogated to tell the world what Apostle Chibuzor represents. No wonder Aguba simply told him to build him a small house in his father’s compound than the media endless stunts without productivity which he angrily sent Aguba back to his home state, Enugu, in a rented dummy apartment.

A simple sale of one of the G-wagons in Apostle Chibuzor’s garage can sustain the scholarship payment of those boys who did not beg him to offer them fake scholarship with media parade.

It is satanic for Chibuzor to risk the lives of those boys in a foreign land. He should not have abandoned and ignored them. He will never treat his children or child in such manner. He should pray nothing should happen to them.

Those boys were taken to Cyprus alive by Apostle Chibuzor. Therefore, he must bring them back to Nigeria alive than in corpses.

(Journalist101)

Breaking: Nigerian Governor Handover to Deputy due to Health Related Issues

Following pressures from different political quarters in Ondo State, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu has formally written to notify the State House of Assembly that he is on leave and that his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, should act as governor.

The Speaker of the House, Olamide Oladiji, in a statement, said Mr Akeredolu embarked on the 21-day leave for medical treatment abroad from 7th June and that he will be away until 6th July.

According to the letter, the leave will extend to the 6th of July due to public holidays on June 12 (Democracy Day) and Eid el Kabir (28th and 29th June.

The Governor, who had directed his Deputy, Hon.Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa to act as the Governor while away, has assured of his resumption on the 6th of July, 2023,” the statement said.

The Speaker described the governor as a lover of peace and an apostle of the rule of law.

He wished him a speedy recovery and a joyful vacation.

Opposition parties, including the Social Democratic Party and the Peoples Democratic Party, had demanded that the governor transmit power to his deputy in line with the provisions of the Constitution due to his health challenges.

Mr Akeredolu has not been seen in his office for several weeks, and it is known that he has health challenges.

Although the governor’s aides admitted that he was indisposed, his condition and absence from duty led to political intrigues and a division in his cabinet, significantly impeding decision-making.

Some elements within the cabinet appeared to be uncomfortable with the deputy governor assuming power as acting governor for unknown reasons.

It was reported that forces in the corridors of power orchestrated several machinations to keep Mr Aiyedatiwa away from assuming the acting role as stipulated by the constitution.

Such devices include stories that he routinely beat his wife, an allegation the camp of the deputy governor denied and attributed to his detractors.

The state government has not disclosed the nature of Mr Akeredolu’s ailment and where specifically he will seek treatment abroad.

ASUU Faults Student Loan, Says it’s not Practicable

The signing of the bill was in “fulfilment of one of his campaign promises to liberalise funding of education,” a member of the Presidential Strategic Team, Dele Alake, told State House Correspondents on Monday evening.

The Students Loan Act becomes Tinubu’s second piece of legislation signed since he assumed office two weeks ago.

The bill will enable indigent students to access loans at interest-free rates.

Gists9ja reported that the piece of legislation, sponsored by the Speaker of the 9th House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, passed the third reading at the House on May 25, 2023.

According to Alake, who was accompanied by other members of the media team, including Tunde Rahman and Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, David Adejoh, the new law mandates prospective beneficiaries to show proof of their origins.

“We’re very happy to announce to you that today the President, His Excellency, Bola Tinubu, signed into law the Student Loans Bill.

“This is a promise made during the presidential campaign by the then candidate, His Excellency Bola Tinubu, that he will bring back the student loans issue onto the front burner.

“And today, that promise he made has been kept. He has just signed that bill into law, which henceforth would allow or enable our indigent students to access Federal Government’s loans to fund the educational pursuit or career,” Alake said.

The presidential aide said the move was in sync with standard practice in developed climes globally and would ease access to education.

“This is how it’s done in other developed climes. So this is a boost to our youths and students nationwide.

“Of course, there are prescribed qualification parameters. And that is the proof of indigenship of whoever is to be a beneficiary.

“Of course, there are committees to be set up. The members of committees will be drawn from various bodies to superintend over the efficient and proficient disbursement of this facility,” he added.

Also said although the bill takes effect immediately, the procedures for application will be worked out by the committees to superintend the process.

On his part, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Adejoh, said by implication, the current scholarship board of the Federal Government will become a loan board capable of offering educational credit facilities to qualified applicants.

“Today, what the President has done goes beyond the symbolism. It is a demonstration of intent in terms of how he wants to handle education as he progresses in his presidency. Once the bill has been signed, that is the most important thing. A bill tells you what should be done. The how is what we are going  to put together.

“What we have now is that nobody shall say money did not allow him to go to school,” he added.

Reacting, the Academic Staff Union of Universities described the loan bill as discriminatory between the children of the rich and the poor.

National President, ASUU, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, in an interview with The PUNCH, said, “The union will react soon but everyone knows our position on student loans because you will end up encumbering the children of the poor with loans and debt after graduating. This is discriminatory. If what I read online is correct, it said it is only for children whose parents earn at least N500,000 per annum. That means if your father earns more, you won’t benefit.”

Similarly, the National President, Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, Mr Anderson Ezeibe, said, “I have not studied the bill and we don’t want to react on the surface. But I have seen one area that will not be practicable.

“It says that students should refund the money two years after NYSC. But what is the provision for someone who is not working after NYSC?  And will they all get jobs immediately after NYSC?.

However, the National Association  of Nigerian Students described the student loan bill as a “way forward” in the country’s education system.

In a statement made available to The PUNCH on Monday, the Cordinator,  NAN, Zone D, Adejuwon Emmanuel, however, faulted the repayment terms.

“Without saying much, student loan bill is a way forward to the educational system in Nigeria, because it will assist student whose parent cannot afford to pay tuition fee to be able to pay with the loan.

But as good as this is, there are some questions that need to be answered by the government. The ultimatum for repayment is not feasible. As we all know that there is no work anywhere and most graduates don’t  get work immediately, how will they pay back? How will it work when most of our graduates do not get jobs. Is there any plan or opportunity for those that have no work two years after NYSC?”

A former Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the University of Uyo, Prof Ini Uko, in an interview with our correspondent, lauded the initiative.

Uko said, “Well, this means that tuition fees will go up. The subsidy on tertiary education will be removed. Vice-chancellors will now be able to introduce tuition fees. This is a good initiative. I am a beneficiary of a student loan and, of course, the people who benefit from it will have to pay back.

“The truth is that we have to stop pretending that the government alone can continue to fund tertiary education. It is not possible.”

(Gistnja)