Revenue: FG, States, LGs shares N821.9bn in June as Buhari demands new template

President Muhammadu Buhari

The disagreements between the NNPC and the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) will soon be a thing of the past as President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the review of revenue reporting template.

The Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun conveyed the President’s directive on Friday while giving a breakdown on how N821.9 billion revenue generated in June was shared among the three tiers of government.

“As you are aware, in the last couple of FAAC meetings, the accounts presented by NNPC were not acceptable by the states and so, Mr President asked to be briefed on the issue.

“Based on that briefing, Mr President asked for further information to be provided by both the Ministry of Finance and the NNPC.

“Last Thursday, he held a meeting with me, the Chief of Staff, the Minister of State for Petroleum and the NNPC team.

“Mr President gave some certain directives; one which relates to FAAC is the need to revise the template.

“It was ascertained that the reporting template between the NNPC and FAAC was not providing the right level of assurance around the figures.

“It is for this reason that he has directed that a new template be generated jointly between the Ministry of Finance, the office of the Accountant-General, NNPC and RMAFC,” she said

Adeosun said Buhari also directed that henceforth, before FAAC meetings, a team from the Ministry of Finance and the NNPC should go through the figures and agree before presenting it to FAAC members.

Giving a breakdown of the allocation for the month of June, Adeosun said that after deductions for cost of collections, the Federal Government received N283.54 billion.

Adeosun said in accordance with the revenue sharing formula, the 36 states governments received N143.81 billion, while the Local Government Councils received an allocation of N110.87 billion.

In addition, she announced that N37.4 billion representing 13 per cent of the mineral revenue generated in the month of June was also shared among the oil producing states.

To this end, Adeosun said the nation generated N393.17 billion as mineral revenue and N294.17 billion as non-mineral revenue in February.

She said that in the spirit of saving for a rainy day, N100 billion was transfered to the Excess Crude Account, making the balance 2.27 billion dollars.

Meanwhile, the Chairman, Commissioners of Finance Forum, Mr Mahmoud Yunusa, said the state governments agreed with the decision of President Buhari to review the revenue reporting template of the NNPC.

He said that the Committee will closely monitor the development, to ensure that it achieves the desired effect.

Earlier, the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) introduced the Accountability Index to the representatives of Federal, States and Local Government authorities.

The ICAN President,  Mr Razaq Jaiyeola told FAAC members that the Accountability Index was an initiative of the Institute to ensure prudent management of public funds by the three  tiers of government.

He said that the index will focus on policy based fiscal forecasting and budget, scrutiny and audit, budget credibility and management of assets and debts.

In summary, Jaiyeola said that the initiative will improve quality of governance in the country and tackle corruption in the public sector. (NAN)

John Abebe, Obasanjo’s brother-in-law remanded in prison

John Abebe, middle, with EFCC officials

John Abebe, the brother-in-law of former president Olusegun Obasanjo was remanded in Ikoyi Prison, Lagos today over an alleged forgery slammed against him by the the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

Justice Mojisola Dada of the Special Offences Court sitting in Ikeja, Lagos ordered the remand after listening to a four-count charge of forgery, fabricating evidence, using fabricated evidence and attempt to pervert the course of justice.

One of the count reads: “That you, Dr. John Warimeme Abebe, on or about the 22nd day of June, 2010 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, knowingly forged BP Exploration Nigeria Limited’s letter dated 30th November,1995 to Inducon (Nigeria) Limited by inserting in page 2 of the said letter the following words: “Also note that the ‘Buy-Out Option’ only applies to the pre-production stage of the NPIA. The $4m buy-out is thus irrelevant from production of oil in any of our fields” and purported same to have been issued by BP Exploration Nigeria Limited and committed an offence contrary to Section 467 of the Criminal Code Cap C17, Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2003.”

Another count reads: “That you, Dr. John Warimeme Abebe, on or about the 22nd day of June, 2010 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, knowingly used a fabricated evidence in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/224/2010 Between Dr. John Abebe, Inducon Nigeria Limited And Statoil Nigeria Limited, before the Federal High Court, which evidence was admitted and marked exhibit BB in the said suit and committed an offence contrary to Section 120 (2) of the Criminal Code Cap C17, Law of Lagos State of Nigeria 2003.”

The defendant, who is late Stella Obasanjo’s brother, pleaded not guilty to the charge when it was read to him.

In view of his plea, Rotimi Oyedepo asked the court for a trial date and prayed for accelerated hearing.

“I urge your Lordship to invoke the spirit of Section 19 of the EFCC Act and I also pray your Lord to remand the defendant in prison custody.”

The defence counsel, Uche Nwokedi, SAN, however, informed the court of a bail application.

He also prayed the court to remand the defendant in the EFCC custody, pending the outcome of the bail application.

In his response, Oyedepo confirmed receipt of “the bundle of documents in court”, while the Judge was delivering a judgment (in another matter).

He, therefore, prayed for a short time to enable him respond to the application “because of certain allegations on oath that was deposed to.”

Consequently, Justice Dada adjourned the matter to August 2, 2018 and ordered the defendant to be remanded in Ikoyi prison custody pending the hearing of the bail application. (NAN)

Kwara PDP chairman Oyedepo rejects Saraki, Gov. Ahmed

Kwara PDP chairman Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo:
 says he cannot be in the same party with Saraki and Governor Ahmed

Huge drama is expected in Kwara state politics in the weeks ahead as Senate President Bukola Saraki and Governor AbdulFattah Ahmed formally declare their defection to the Peoples Democratic Party from the All Progressives Congress.

Just as witnessed in 2014, when APC members left to join the PDP after Saraki joined the APC, a counter-defection from the PDP to APC or another political group is now easily predictable.

A sign of what to expect is the declaration by the Kwara State chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo, that he cannot work with the incoming defectors, especially Saraki and Governor Abdulfattah Ahmed.

Two senators, Shaaba Lafiagi (Kwara North) and Rafiu Ibrahim (Kwara South) as well as the six members of the House of Representatives from the state were among federal legislators who defected on Tuesday from the APC.

But Oyedepo, who spoke on the development on a radio programme in Ilorin, the state capital, said the national leadership of the PDP set up a committee to interface between his group and the defectors. The first meeting is slated for next week, he said.

The PDP chairman, who said he had just returned from a meeting with PDP leaders in Abuja, blamed the party’s national leadership for being allegedly insensitive to the political configuration in Kwara State and allowing themselves to be swayed by funding capacity of the defectors. To him, the option now before the leaders is to choose between his group and the Saraki’s.

If we agree to work with them (Saraki), just imagine myself and (Governor AbdulFattah Ahmed) Maigida standing on the same rostrum, pledging to do things for the people. It will be a shame; many people will look at me and wonder what has happened. So, it is better not to be in politics again. Instead of a dog being the treasurer for the lion, it is better for both to part ways and go on their separate hunting game.

“We have not sat down with the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and the state governor, Alhaji AbdulFattah Ahmed, even though I’m hearing several rumours that I have met with them and that they have offered me juicy positions. Those are all lies; the Senate President despite his humongous wealth, does not yet have what it takes to buy me. He cannot ever buy me because he cannot buy my integrity. If my bank account is not fat, my integrity account is very fat.

“So they have not met with us but our national body said they have set up a committee to meet with the two sides next week and when that meeting comes up, we are going to tell the national body that we cannot accept the formula they have put down which is 60:40, 60 percent for a state defecting with the governor and 40 percent for the existing PDP members. And if they said what of 50:50, or 40:60 or 30:70 or even 10:90, we shall not accept; we cannot accept any offer. Anything less than our not working together we cannot accept.

“So, we will tell our national body to choose between us and them and I know that they will not choose us because we don’t have money but we are not worried. We will only know that an end has come to our journey and our relationship (in the PDP).

“If we agree to work with them (Saraki), just imagine myself and (Governor AbdulFattah Ahmed) Maigida standing on the same rostrum, pledging to do things for the people. It will be a shame; many people will look at me and wonder what has happened. So, it is better not to be in politics again. Instead of a dog being the treasurer for the lion, it is better for both to part ways and go on their separate hunting game.

“The blame is not from the Saraki camp; the blame is from our national leaders (in the PDP). Leadership in Nigeria is the conspiracy of the elite to punish the downtrodden. When they gave us the party, we inherited nothing and so whatever you see in the PDP today is the product of our efforts. For this alone we should not be interested in defecting from our own house but it is better we do so now and look forward to better future for our dear state.”

Oyedepo is author of the book: Shonga and the Looting of Kwara State Treasury. He also wrote Letters to the Emir. Shonga offers an  incisive and revelatory account of how Senator Bukola Saraki, a former governor of Kwara State,  in collaboration with the rejected white Zimbabwe farmers ruined a thriving farming culture and thus manoeuvred the state into a debt trap.

NAN

R-APC Chairman Buba Galadima Involved In Auto Crash

Buba Galadima

The National Chairman of the Reformed All Progressives Congress (r-APC) Mr. Buba Galadima has been involved in a serious auto crash along Hadeija-Kano Road, Sahara Reporters has just learnt. 

Galadima was returning from Yobe state on Monday afternoon when the accident occurred. 

A local journalist confirmed to SaharaReporters that the R-APC Chairman had gone to condole with his brother who lost his daughter when the accident occurred.

The journalist said Galadima was in the company of his son, Sadiq Galadimma, and two others when their Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) somersaulted several times and crashed into a nearby bush. 

"The accident occurred this afternoon while Galadima was on his way to Kano state,” he said. “But they all survived the accident and they have been rushed to the hospital with another vehicle.”

Source; Sahara Reporters

N-PDP becomes Reformed APC

Buba Galadima

A rebel group announced its excision from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), on Wednesday, calling itself Reformed APC (R-APC).

Alhaji Buba Galadima, an engineer from Gashua, Yobe State, and former secretary of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change was introduced as the National Chairman of the group.

He told a press conference at the Sheraton Hotel in Abuja that the R-APC includes all the progressive forces in the APC, without mentioning the names, except the parade of paperweight politicians who were named as ‘officers’.

A major political player, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, chairman of the New Peoples Democratic Party that had joined the APC in 2014, was at the conference.

He said on Sunday in Ilorin that the New PDP would make its stand known this week. His presence may therefore be taken that the R-APC and n-PDP are one and the same.

Galadima, who had expressed frustrations very early in the life of the APC government claimed members of the R-APC included most of the leading members of the defunct new Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and others.

Galadima recalled that in the build up to the 2015 General elections, some political parties and groups came together, and formed a brand called the APC.

He said Nigerians however entrusted power to the APC based on its promises and potentials.

“We are sad to report that after more than three years of governance, our hopes have been betrayed, our expectations completely dashed.

“The APC has run a rudderless, inept and incompetent government that has failed to deliver good governance to the Nigerian people.

“It has rather imposed dictatorship, impunity, abuse of power, complete abdication of constitutional and statutory responsibilities, infidelity to the rule of law and constitutionalism.

“It has failed to ensure the security and welfare of our people and elevated nepotism to unacceptable height. The APC has failed to deliver on its key promises to the nation.

“There is no evidence of any political will to reverse the decline of our party, while leaders who have created these circumstances continue to behave as if Nigerians owe our party votes as a matter of right.`’

“The APC government, has been a monumental disaster, even worse than the government it replaced.

“The political party that was a vehicle for enthroning the government was rendered powerless by manipulations and complete lack of due process in its operations.’’

Galadima said the last straw, that broke the party was the congresses and Convention of the APC held recently.

He said that the congresses were intensely disputed as it was conducted with impunity, total disregard for due process, disregard for the party constitution and naked display of power and practices that had no place in the party.

“There are countless cases in courts all over the country challenging the legality of congresses and even the National Convention itself.

“It is very likely that the judicial decisions on these cases will result in massive chaos, confusion and uncertainties.

The fate of a party in this state with a few months to the elections is best left to the imagination, but it is not a fate we believe our millions of members should be abandoned to.’’

He said there were parallel congresses in 24 States while congresses in Wards, Local Government Areas and States all over the federation produced different sets of delegates.

“The so-called National Convention of the APC was even worse.

“The National Convention of the party was ridiculed with constitutional infirmities that were so glaring and obvious that no fair minded person can claim that a legitimate and lawful executive emerged from that process.’’

The Chairman of the organising Committee, Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, he said, declared 18 seats unopposed “since only one valid candidate stood at the end of the grossly manipulated nomination exercise for each of the offices.’’

This according to him was in flagrant abuse and violence to the Constitution of the APC.

Galadima added that even before the “illegal exercises’’ that had alienated millions of members, there had been widespread disenchantment with the manner the party had been run, and the conduct and performance of APC governments.

He said that the nPDP, which made a major contribution to the emergence of the APC administration, made strenuous efforts to invite attention to inequities, injustice and poor management in the party without any success.

The nPDP had shown good faith and commitment to the party, but it had been rewarded with indifference and even contempt.

“Under the circumstances, patriotic elements and most of the original founders of the APC have found themselves in the opposing side of this charade.

“Most of the delegates who bought and paid for forms for the congresses and convention and were elected as delegates have come together to take control and give legitimacy to APC to be now known as and called R-APC.

The R-APC as constituted have officers in all the wards, 774 Local Governments, and all the 36 States of the Federation including the FCT.

Galadima said that the R-APC also had National Executive Committee, the National Working Committee and other organs of the Party were properly constituted and functional.

He listed some of the National Officers of the R-APC to include Bala Gwagwarwa from Kano as national Deputy Chairman,North; Chief Theo Nkire, Abia State, as National Deputy Chairman, SouthEast; and Eko Olakunle, Ondo State, National Vice Chairman South West.

Others include Godwin Akaan as Deputy National Secretary; Dr Fatai Atanda, National Secretary; Kazeem Afegbua, National Publicity Secretary; and Daniel Bwala as Financial Secretary.

Galadima, who said the R-APC was the real party, said the reformed party would work with like-minded political parties and groups to offer Nigeria qualitative good governance in 2019.

He added that the party would in concert with others offer real change to Nigeria and “not fake change.’’

“It is clear that our party needs a leadership that will live by its founding ideals.

“We have therefore decided to legitimately lead those members to work to rebuild our nation more firmly on genuine democratic principles, to enshrine good governance and restore the faith of Nigerians in the possibility of the existence of a prosperous, secure and peaceful nation.’’

He called on all Nigerians, not to despair as a rescue plan was in the works and would be unfolded soon.

Answering questions, Galadima promised to deliver 75 per cent of the votes that president Muhammadu Buhari always could gather in any election.

The new Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole sued for calm and asked disgruntled party members to sheathe their swords. 

NAN

Ndume dismisses R-APC, Oshiomhole appeals

Adams Oshimhole, APC National Chairman 

Mr Adams Oshiomhole, National Chairman of the All Progressives (APC) has reiterated his appeal to aggrieved members of the party to be patient with his leadership, in an apparent response to the emergence on Wednesday of a rebel group, Reformed APC(R-APC)

“My appeal to all those who are aggrieved is to be patient,” Oshiomhole said.

However, former Senate leader and the Senator representing Southern Borno, Alhaji Ali Ndume, dismissed the new group, saying that only God and time could determine the direction of the APC in 2019.

Oshiomhole spoke to newsmen after receiving the report of the party’s just concluded National Convention Appeal Panel Committee’s report on Wednesday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)  reports that Alhaji Buba Galadima who is the National Chairman of the Reformed APC,  announced its formation at a news conference at the Sheraton Hotels in Abuja on Wednesday.

“The assurance is that under my leadership, we will make honest mistakes and once our attention is drawn, we will find courage to make up for our mistake.

“Some people say how can people eat their words, for me, I will eat my words if it is nutritious enough and if that is what I have to do to have peace in the family,” Oshiomhole said.

He expressed appreciation to members of the party for his election and for entrusting with him, the responsibility to pilot the party’s affairs at this time.

He acknowledged that he new of the party’s challenges before accepting the task, saying that it was a huge opportunity for him and other newly elected executives of the party to make a difference.

This, Oshiomhole said, was not only for the party, but for the country generally.

“So, I appeal to people to realise that a blind man can redeem his eyes if he applies the correct medication, but you can’t force it to open over night,” he said.

He added that forcing the eyes to open over night, would create more problems and damage the eye the more.

The APC national chairman maintained that he would do everything possible to sustain confidence and trust, adding that everybody was important in the party.

He also said that everybody in the party matters, adding that he would run an inclusive party.

“I pray for wisdom and courage and I believe that we have it and we will deploy it for peace within the APC family,Oshiomhole said.

Senator Ali Ndume, in a separate interview dismissed the new group.

He said the threat by the R-APC and nPDP to leave the APC would never spell doom for it, but only God and time would tell.

The Senator who admitted that politics is all about interest, said there was however, nothing wrong if an aggrieved group voices out its displeasure.

He added that movement from one political party to another is normal in politics.

“What is happening is part of politics, especially now in our political days, all of us are Nigerians and we know what is happening.

“So, politics is about interest and if somebody feels that his or her interest will be more protected by voicing out his dissent, it is Ok.

“This party is a party of time, decided by Nigerian masses and it is only God that can decide the time of a political party: God and Nigerians know that APC government is the light at the end of the tunnel,”the Senator said.

Malam Bolaji Abdullahi,  APC National Publicity Secretary was more laconic in his reaction. He said the party leadership would get the full details of what happened.

NAN

N-PDP becomes Reformed APC

Buba Galadima

A rebel group announced its excision from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), on Wednesday, calling itself Reformed APC (R-APC).

Alhaji Buba Galadima, an engineer from Gashua, Yobe State, and former secretary of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change was introduced as the National Chairman of the group.

He told a press conference at the Sheraton Hotel in Abuja that the R-APC includes all the progressive forces in the APC, without mentioning the names, except the parade of paperweight politicians who were named as ‘officers’.

A major political player, Alhaji Kawu Baraje, chairman of the New Peoples Democratic Party that had joined the APC in 2014, was at the conference.

He said on Sunday in Ilorin that the New PDP would make its stand known this week. His presence may therefore be taken that the R-APC and n-PDP are one and the same.

Galadima, who had expressed frustrations very early in the life of the APC government claimed members of the R-APC included most of the leading members of the defunct new Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and others.

Galadima recalled that in the build up to the 2015 General elections, some political parties and groups came together, and formed a brand called the APC.

He said Nigerians however entrusted power to the APC based on its promises and potentials.

“We are sad to report that after more than three years of governance, our hopes have been betrayed, our expectations completely dashed.

“The APC has run a rudderless, inept and incompetent government that has failed to deliver good governance to the Nigerian people.

“It has rather imposed dictatorship, impunity, abuse of power, complete abdication of constitutional and statutory responsibilities, infidelity to the rule of law and constitutionalism.

“It has failed to ensure the security and welfare of our people and elevated nepotism to unacceptable height. The APC has failed to deliver on its key promises to the nation.

“There is no evidence of any political will to reverse the decline of our party, while leaders who have created these circumstances continue to behave as if Nigerians owe our party votes as a matter of right.`’

“The APC government, has been a monumental disaster, even worse than the government it replaced.

“The political party that was a vehicle for enthroning the government was rendered powerless by manipulations and complete lack of due process in its operations.’’

Galadima said the last straw, that broke the party was the congresses and Convention of the APC held recently.

He said that the congresses were intensely disputed as it was conducted with impunity, total disregard for due process, disregard for the party constitution and naked display of power and practices that had no place in the party.

“There are countless cases in courts all over the country challenging the legality of congresses and even the National Convention itself.

“It is very likely that the judicial decisions on these cases will result in massive chaos, confusion and uncertainties.

The fate of a party in this state with a few months to the elections is best left to the imagination, but it is not a fate we believe our millions of members should be abandoned to.’’

He said there were parallel congresses in 24 States while congresses in Wards, Local Government Areas and States all over the federation produced different sets of delegates.

“The so-called National Convention of the APC was even worse.

“The National Convention of the party was ridiculed with constitutional infirmities that were so glaring and obvious that no fair minded person can claim that a legitimate and lawful executive emerged from that process.’’

The Chairman of the organising Committee, Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, he said, declared 18 seats unopposed “since only one valid candidate stood at the end of the grossly manipulated nomination exercise for each of the offices.’’

This according to him was in flagrant abuse and violence to the Constitution of the APC.

Galadima added that even before the “illegal exercises’’ that had alienated millions of members, there had been widespread disenchantment with the manner the party had been run, and the conduct and performance of APC governments.

He said that the nPDP, which made a major contribution to the emergence of the APC administration, made strenuous efforts to invite attention to inequities, injustice and poor management in the party without any success.

The nPDP had shown good faith and commitment to the party, but it had been rewarded with indifference and even contempt.

“Under the circumstances, patriotic elements and most of the original founders of the APC have found themselves in the opposing side of this charade.

“Most of the delegates who bought and paid for forms for the congresses and convention and were elected as delegates have come together to take control and give legitimacy to APC to be now known as and called R-APC.

The R-APC as constituted have officers in all the wards, 774 Local Governments, and all the 36 States of the Federation including the FCT.

Galadima said that the R-APC also had National Executive Committee, the National Working Committee and other organs of the Party were properly constituted and functional.

He listed some of the National Officers of the R-APC to include Bala Gwagwarwa from Kano as national Deputy Chairman,North; Chief Theo Nkire, Abia State, as National Deputy Chairman, SouthEast; and Eko Olakunle, Ondo State, National Vice Chairman South West.

Others include Godwin Akaan as Deputy National Secretary; Dr Fatai Atanda, National Secretary; Kazeem Afegbua, National Publicity Secretary; and Daniel Bwala as Financial Secretary.

Galadima, who said the R-APC was the real party, said the reformed party would work with like-minded political parties and groups to offer Nigeria qualitative good governance in 2019.

He added that the party would in concert with others offer real change to Nigeria and “not fake change.’’

“It is clear that our party needs a leadership that will live by its founding ideals.

“We have therefore decided to legitimately lead those members to work to rebuild our nation more firmly on genuine democratic principles, to enshrine good governance and restore the faith of Nigerians in the possibility of the existence of a prosperous, secure and peaceful nation.’’

He called on all Nigerians, not to despair as a rescue plan was in the works and would be unfolded soon.

Answering questions, Galadima promised to deliver 75 per cent of the votes that president Muhammadu Buhari always could gather in any election.

The new Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole sued for calm and asked disgruntled party members to sheathe their swords. 

NAN