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PRESS RELEASE
My attention has just been drawn to the expensive joke purportedly enacted by the National Chairman of APC, Abdullahi Adamu. The speculation is rife that the Chairman took a flight of fancy and decided to make a pronouncement beyond his competence. He has, allegedly, made public his preferred choice as the candidate of the APC for the Office of the President in the next general elections.
This alleged pronouncement runs contrary to the position of majority of Northern Governors in APC and their counterparts in the South. Our agreement is unanimous on this issue. The office of the President should be contested for by qualified persons from the Southern part of the country if the move to get a consensus candidate fails. There has been no shift from this settled issue.
Let it be known that the Chairman or anyone who holds a contrary opinion does so at a personal level. He is at best embarking on a frolic which reasonable people will consider dangerous.
We are grieving but have not forgotten that Power MUST shift to the south. On this we stand.
Signed:
Oluwarotimi Akeredolu,
Governor, Ondo State and Chairman, Southern Governors’ Forum
June 6, 2022.
The Presidency has dismissed the claim of Bola Tinubu, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), that he brought President Muhammadu Buhari into power.
While addressing APC delegates in Ogun State last week, Tinubu had boasted that without him, Buhari would have lost in 2015
“You have not heard this from me before. This is the first place I am saying this. If not me that led the war front, Buhari wouldn’t have emerged. He contested first, second and third times, but lost. He even said on television that he won’t contest again.”
“But I went to his home in Katsina. I told him you would contest and win, but you won’t joke with the matters of the Yorubas. Since he has emerged I have not been appointed minister. I didn’t get contract. This time, it’s Yoruba turn and in Yorubaland, it’s my turn,” he had said.
Following the heavy criticism that trailed his comments, Tinubu recanted and claimed he was quoted out of context.
But in a statement on Monday, Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, said many people worked for the emergence of Buhari.
“It is perhaps not surprising that on the eve of the All Progressives Congress (APC) flagbearer primary there are those running as candidates who wish to associate themselves with the President’s rise to elected office seven years ago.”
“There are many people who played parts large and small in his historic election in 2015, making history as the first opposition candidate to defeat a sitting president with power changing hands peacefully at the ballot box.
“There are those who advised the President to run again; those who decided to build a political party – the APC – that could finally be the political vehicle capable of delivering victory where all other opposition parties and alliances before it had failed.
“Those decisions may have been agreed upon by a few. But they were delivered by thousands and voted for by tens of millions. No one can or should claim to have made this possible.
“Yet as important as that moment was, it is not what should decide the next general election. What matters is the future: the policy platforms, the ideas, the drive, and the determination to take over the President’s stewardship of our country and build upon his legacy to make our country better than it has ever been.
“The person most demonstrable in those qualities is the one to lead our party and our country forward.”
A closed-door meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) and governors who are members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) kicked off in Abuja last night (Monday).
The meeting held at the APC National Secretariat at Wuse 2 area of the City Centre.
Reports gathered from sources at the party’s headquarters that the meeting is likely to take a final decision on who should be fielded as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 poll.
The party’s presidential primary is slated for Tuesday.
The APC had screened 23 aspirants to contest its ticket at the primary but two contestants – Jigawa State governor, Abubakar Badaru and former Senate President, Ken Nnamani – have withdrawn from the race, leaving 21 others to slug it out.
President Muhammadu Buhari has asked the party stakeholders and aspirants to think of consensus.
However, on Monday, there were reports that one of the aspirants had been endorsed as the choice of the president.
But Buhari later distanced himself from the report.
Security operatives on Monday night evicted journalists wearied from waiting endlessly for the presidential convention accreditation, out of the national secretariat of the All Progressives Congress in Abuja.
While urging the newsmen to hurry up with their belongings, the stern-looking security aides disclosed that they are acting on the order of the APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.
When asked to give a reason for the eviction, one of the operatives retorted that Adamu asked them to clear out the premises because he was planning to ‘host an important meeting and won’t like to see journalists hanging around when he returns.’
The incident, which happened at about 7.15 pm on Monday evening, almost resulted in a stampede as journalists were seen rushing to pack their laptops, tripods, cameras, and bags.
Earlier, Adamu had caused a stir when he announced at the meeting of the National Working Committee that the party has settled for Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, after due consultation with the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.).
Barely one hour after the NWC meeting ended, the report was subsequently debunked by the presidency, which disclosed that it was yet to agree on a particular aspirant.
The crack within the leadership of APC became noticeable when seven members of the same National Working Committee held a press conference and denied choosing the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan as its consensus candidate.
The National Organising Secretary of the APC, Suleman Argungu, has reiterated that the choice of Lawan was not the decision taken by the party as alleged.
“It’s not an issue that has been discussed on the floor of the NWC and we have just, and just recently about two days ago, the northern Governors meeting had a meeting that the leadership of this country, under the leadership under the All Progressive Congress should go to the south.
“And equally, the Southern governors also affirmed that. So we as members of the NWC are also with the governors on what they have said and some minutes ago the governors in the North have gone to the presidency and have just briefed the president that they are still on what they said with regards to the power shift to the south.
“It is information and all of us are entitled to our opinion, we are all democrats,” he said.
..Akeredolu condemns attack, promises to hunt down assailants
Suspected terrorists are said to have attacked St Francis Catholic Church in Owo, the headquarters of Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State.
Reports have it that a bomb could have been used in the attack looking at the high number of casualties recorded.
Emerging reports suggest that many worshippers have died and several others have been left injured following the explosion at the church which is situated close to the palace of the Olowo of Owo.
As at the time of filing this report, the authorities were yet to give a detailed statement regarding the development.
The police are expected to give a brief within the hour.
Meanwhile, Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has expressed deep sadness over what he calls an unprovoked attack and killing of innocent people of Owo, worshiping at the St Francis Catholic Church, Owa-luwa Street.
In his reaction to the tragic incident, Governor Akeredolu said the vile and satanic attack is a calculated assault on the peace-loving people of Owo Kingdom who have enjoyed relative peace over the years.
“It is a black Sunday in Owo. Our hearts are heavy. Our peace and tranquility have been attacked by the enemies of the people. This is a personal loss, an attack on our dear state.
“I have spoken to the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ondo, Most Reverend Jude Arogundade, who is presently on his way to Owo. Similarly, I have had to cut short my party’s national assignment in Abuja and visit Owo immediately.
“This is an unexpected development. I am shocked to say the least. Nevertheless, We shall commit every available resource to hunt down these assailants and make them pay. We shall never bow to the machinations of heartless elements in our resolves to rid our state of criminals.
“I commiserate with my people in Owo, particularly families of the those who lost their lives to this ugly and unfortunate attack. I extend my condolences to Olowo of Owo, Oba Gbadegesin Ogunoye as well as the Catholic Church,” Akeredolu stated.
The governor urged the people to remain calm and vigilant. He warned them not take laws into their hands, adding that he has spoken to the heads of the security agencies in the State.
Akeredolu further stated that he has equally been assured that security operatives would be deployed to monitor and restore normalcy to Owo kingdom.
A member of a vigilante group has been killed in the Lugbe area of Abuja for allegedly insulting Prophet Muhammad.
It was gathered that the mob killing occurred at the Timber market section of the Fruit Market in Federal Housing Estate, Lugbe.
Eyewitnesses said the victim, a Muslim, was known of the act of insulting the prophet and the latest was on midnight of Saturday.
But the mob action was said to have taken place around 1pm on Saturday after seeking refuge in the vigilante office in the market.
It was gathered that the local security outfit was outnumbered before he was killed in front of the office, thereafter, burnt.
“The guy is known as Small Hundaru, that was not his first time of insulting the prophet before the action was taken,” said Halilu, a trader at the market.
“He was caught after buying food in the market in the afternoon, because when the blasphemy occurred it was just few people who were there, then a stick was used to hit him in the head. Though he had a gun with him, it was retrieved before the beating.
“Thereafter, he was stoned before he ran to the office. His colleagues at the office were aware but they couldn’t shield him due to the number of people that chased him. After he was unconscious, petrol was poured over him and not to stoke any fear in the market, he was burnt in front of the office.”
The scorched tyres used in burning him could be seen at the scene while traders locked their shop in anticipation of any violence.
However, with the presence of policemen, the place was calm but three persons were said to have been allegedly shot by the policemen.
President Muhammadu Buhari has signed into law the new Appropriation Bill recently passed by the National Assembly.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives), Umar I. El-Yakub who made this known in a statement, said the new law repeals the Appropriation Law passed by the lawmakers in December 2021.
In the new Act which increased the size of the federal budget for 2022 to N17.319 trillion, N817.699 billion is for statutory transfer, N3.978 trillion will go to debt service, N7.108 trillion is for Recurrent (Non-Debt) Expenditure while N5.415 trillion is for Contribution to the Development Fund for Capital Expenditure for the Year Ending on the 31st day of December, 2022.
The statement read in part, “Today, President Muhammadu Buhari assented to the Appropriation (Repeal And Enactment) Bill, 2022 recently passed by the National Assembly. This Act repeals the Appropriation Act, 2022 and enacts a new Appropriation Act, 2022; to authorise the issue from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation the total sum of N17,319,704,091,019 (seventeen trillion, three and nineteen billion, seven and four million, ninety-one thousand and nineteen Naira) only, of which N817,699,410,210 (eight hundred and seventeen billion, six hundred and ninety-nine million, four hundred and ten thousand, two hundred and ten Naira) only, is for Statutory Transfers, N3,978,087,110,437
“(Three trillion, nine hundred and seventy-eight billion, eighty-seven million, one hundred and ten thousand, four hundred and thirty-seven Naira) only, is for Debt Service, N7,108,621,131,849 (seven trillion, one hundred and eight billion, six hundred and twenty-one million, one hundred and thirty-one thousand, eight hundred and forty-nine Naira) only, is for Recurrent (Non-Debt) Expenditure while N5,415,296,438,523 (five trillion, four hundred and fifteen billion, two hundred and ninety-six million, four hundred and thirty-eight thousand, five hundred and twenty-three Naira) only, is for Contribution to the Development Fund for Capital Expenditure for the Year Ending on the 31st day of December, 2022.”
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the guidelines for the 2023 elections.
The commission issued the document on Friday.
The 37-page document contains 106 guidelines, along with health measures that must be adhered to during elections.
According to section 18, verification of voters will be done using the bimodal voter accreditation system (BVAS).
“18. (a) In accordance with Section 47 (2) of the Electoral Act 2022, a person intending to vote shall be verified to be the same person on the Register of Voters by the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) or any other device approved by the Commission, in the manner prescribed in these Regulations and Guidelines,” the document reads.
Voters are restricted from taking their phones or similar recording devices to voting cubicles.
Section 49 also restricts collation and returning officers from making or receiving phone calls during collation.
The commission also affirmed the electronic transmission of results after voting at polling units, according to the Electoral Act 2022.
Section 38 reads: “On completion of all the Polling Unit voting and results procedures, the Presiding Officer shall: (i) Electronically transmit or transfer the result of the Polling Unit, direct to the collation system as prescribed by the Commission. (ii) Use the BVAS to upload a scanned copy of the EC8A to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), as prescribed by the Commission. (iii) Take the BVAS and the original copy of each of the forms in tamper[1]evident envelope to the Registration Area/Ward Collation Officer, in the company of Security Agents. The Polling Agents may accompany the Presiding Officer to the RA/Ward Collation Centre.”
On health guidelines, INEC said the use of face masks at polling units is compulsory as anyone who fails to comply would be turned away.
“Wearing of face mask is mandatory at all election locations. An improvised face mask using a handkerchief, scarf or other such materials is acceptable,” the document reads.
“Any person who does not wear a face mask at a polling unit, collation centre or other venues where electoral activities are conducted shall be politely turned away, provided that no person shall wear a face mask branded with the insignia or unique identification of a political party/candidate or indicating the person’s voting preference.”
Former Senate President, Bukola Saraki has stated that when he opposed the plan to foist a Muslim-Muslim presidency on Nigeria in 2014 he acted in the national interest and believed Nigeria was bigger than anybody’s ambition, including that of Bola Tinubu.
Saraki, in a statement signed by the head of his Media Office, Yusuph Olaniyonu, in response to the speech by Tinubu in Abeokuta yesterday claiming that Saraki and others opposed his desire to be running mate to President Mohammadu Buhari in the 2015 elections, noted that he will oppose any plan that causes a religious crisis in a multi-religious country like Nigeria.
“When I and other leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2014 stood against having a Muslim-Muslim ticket, it was not a decision targeted at any individual or group but one taken in the national interest. Tinubu knows this and he is just being mischievous by presenting this decision as something aimed at stopping his ambition.
“Let me make it clear that the decision to oppose the plans by some people to make APC present a Muslim-Muslim ticket in 2015 was in the national interest and I will take the same stand today, tomorrow, and any other day. My stance is based on the fact that such a ticket is not good for the unity of the country and will further accentuate one of our fault lines.
“Even Tinubu knows that I am a man who does not shy away from standing for what is right. He knows that I don’t follow the crowd and I take a stand based on my conviction of what is good for the country and what is not good for her. It is also obvious that I have paid prices for this stand.
“The opposition to a Muslim- Muslim ticket was not targeted at Tinubu or any other person. It was a decision that even all party leaders know helped the victory of the party and also worked for the unity of the country. That decision is not about self but national and collective interests. It is a decision which served the purpose of the people of Nigeria and I have no regret supporting it”, Saraki stated.
While expressing surprise that Tinubu refused to move on and still sulked over what happened in 2014, the former Governor of Kwara State added that the APC presidential aspirant had become so fixated on the Muslim-Muslim ticket issue of 2014 that he worked so hard to stop the emergence of Saraki as Senate President in a move he considered as retaliatory.
Saraki also stated that after he was elected Senate President, Tinubu maintained an adversarial position against the eighth National Assembly, initiated covert and overt measures aimed at undermining the federal legislature, and set the executive against the legislature.
“Despite calling himself a democrat, he continued to support every effort to frustrate the eighth National Assembly and thwart its efforts to provide good representation to Nigeria. He was the architect of several moves that set the Presidency on a collision course with the National Assembly. At a time, he would twist issues and make false claims in his quarterly press statements aimed at making the National Assembly under my leadership look bad. Now, Nigerians know the truth. We can only urge Tinubu to look at the bigger picture on all matters and stop viewing all issues within the prism of his ambition and personal interest”, Saraki stated.
Signed:
Yusuph Olaniyonu
Head, Abubakar Bukola Saraki Media Office
Abuja
Dayo Dasilva, OGUN
A member of a dare devil Kidnap Syndicate operating along Ewekoro has boasted that ‘no police officer in Ogun State can attempt to arrest them, with the kind of sophisticated guns and charms in their possession’.
This was disclosed by a victim, Idowu Sanusi while narrating his ordeal, in the hands of the kidnappers, who abducted him and his friend, Yusuff Olatunji, along Itori, Ewekoro axis of Ogun State, on a Sunday evening, while attempting to tow their truck that broke down on the road.
Idowu, still in shock of the experience told Nigerian Newstrack that, nowhere is safe again, as he never thought he could be abducted in a place he had lived for over 40 years, by strangers.
Narrating his encounter to Nigerian Newstrack, Idowu said “ I was in the company of my friends Yusuff and Mustapha Okanlawon in a bid to tow a broken down truck partially blocking the road, to avoid accident”.
“We have concluded arrangements with the people that will come and tow the vehicle when Five Fulani guys in military camouflage uniforms came out with sophisticated weapons. Infact, I thought they were officers of Op Mesa, until when they started collecting our phones behaving roughly” Idowu said.
In his words “Mustapha escaped immediately he saw them coming, my attempts to escape proved abortive as I was brought down forcefully, while one of them told me that they were kidnappers and he will not hesitate to kill me if I try to escape again, he then corked his gun, shouting ‘you want kill yourself, you no dey hear news, na we kill one fuel station manager in Ewekoro, a pastor died in our hands, walahi I go delete you”.
Showing the bruises on his hands, Idowu explained that he had to cooperate as they took him and Yusuff into the bush around 8:45 pm and they walked for few minutes, when their leader speaking in Yoruba on phone talked to someone that they are around a church.
Idowu said, a vehicle which looks like Micra came few minutes after the call and they entered the vehicle which drove them for like 20 minutes with clothes tied around their eyes.
According to him, “when the car stopped us, we trekked further into the bush till about 4:00 am the next day, as they take drugs and rest intermittently along the railway tracks, until we got to a deep bush that looks like a cage."
"They started making calls and their dressing and language confirmed they were Fulani men, but they work with some Yoruba people. We were told to sit down and rest, but I could not sleep”.
Idowu said, “we got talking and at a point their leader got annoyed when my friend told them that they are brothers as he is a Muslim like them. The leader told him point blank that he will shoot him if he repeats that, as they never introduced themselves to him as Muslims saying business and religion do not mix. We had to beg him. While in the bush a motorcycle rider brought food, drinks and drugs to the place that looked like an abandoned farm as the whole place was deserted”.
“They asked us to eat, we said no but requested for water and they gave us. We were asked to call 3 lines each and requested for N50 million each totaling N100 million within 24 hours or our lives will be terminated. They later accepted to collect N10 million after series of begging and appeals. They gave their rules saying if we like we can inform the police or vigilante. They asked us if we have seen their kinds of guns before, boasting that no police can face them if they don’t want to die. They even claimed that if they do charms and it doesn’t work they will kill the doer or herbalist immediately.”
Idowu in an emotion laden voice said, "Nigeria has failed me", noting that the case was duly reported at the Itori Police station, where the officers were very supportive and happy that they came out alive.
Idowu and Yusuff were abducted on Sunday evening and released on Monday evening, but the traumatic experience would not be forgotten so easily as Idowu said he was faced with death in the hands of the Kidnappers, whom he suspected could have information about them before the incident.
All attempts to speak with the State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO SP Abimbola Oyeyemi on the spate of Kidnapping in Ogun State proved abortive.
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Bola Tinubu, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and presidential hopeful, says without him, President Muhammadu Buhari wouldn’t have won the presidential election in 2015.
Tinubu spoke on Thursday at a meeting with APC delegates in Ogun state.
Describing the election as a “battle”, Tinubu also spoke on how he “surrendered” the vice-presidential ticket to Yemi Osinbajo, when concerns were raised over a Muslim-Muslim ticket for the APC.
“Buhari asked me to be his running mate, but Saraki campaigned against a Muslim-Muslim ticket. He felt it would affect his ambition to be senate president. The senate president could not be a Muslim as well. They rose against it. I said ‘I have someone that’s a Christian and I will nominate him. This party must not scatter’. And I nominated him (Osinbajo). That’s the truth,” Tinubu said in Yoruba.
“They asked me to bring three names. Yemi Cardoso was number one. Wale Edun was number two, Yemi Osinbajo was number three. I decided to drop just one name since I was surrendering my right. Buhari agreed to this and I dropped Yemi Osinbajo’s name.
“You have not heard this from me before. This is the first place I am saying this. It’s my time now.
“If not for me that led the battlefront, Buhari wouldn’t have won. He contested first, second and third time, but lost. He even said on television that he won’t contest again.
“But I went to his home in Katsina. I told him ‘you would contest and win, but you won’t joke with the matter of the Yoruba’. Since he has been elected, I have not been appointed minister. I didn’t get a contract.
“This time, it’s Yoruba turn and in Yorubaland, it’s my turn.”
Speaking further, Tinubu took a swipe at Dapo Abiodun, governor of Ogun state.
Tinubu said APC did not want to give the governorship ticket to Abiodun in the build-up to the 2019 polls.
There was crisis in the APC prior to the 2019 elections over the refusal of Ibikunle Amosun, who was completing his second term as governor of Ogun at the time, to support Abiodun as his successor.
Amosun, who had supported another aspirant, was later suspended by the party.
Speaking on the circumstances surrounding the issue at the time, Tinubu said he did much to ensure the success of Abiodun at the polls.
“That one (referring to Abiodun) that is sitting down here, could he have become governor without me? We were all in the stadium where they tore all the posters. Even the candidacy of the party, they didn’t want to give it to him,” the APC chieftain said in Yoruba.
“It’s been over 25 years that I have been serving them. This one sitting at my back, Dapo, could he have become a governor if not for me?
“If he wants to hear, his life will be long. If he wants to meet God in his position, he would admit that he wouldn’t have become governor if not for God and I.”
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, on Thursday, met with Abdullahi Adamu, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Also on Thursday, five APC governors met with Osinbajo at his residence in the presidential villa, Abuja.
Osinbajo’s meeting with the APC chairman and the governors, comes ahead of the party’s convention to select its presidential candidate for the 2023 elections.
Identities of the governors were unknown as at the time of filing this report.
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had shifted the date for submission of list of candidates by political parties, with the ruling party postponing its presidential primary election earlier scheduled for May 29-30 to June 6-8.
President Muhammadu Buhari had, before travelling to Madrid, Spain on official visit, met with the 22 governors of the APC, where he sought their support to choose his successor.
Some APC stakeholders have been pushing for a consensus candidate that will face Atiku Abubakar, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the presidential election, but a section of the party and some aspirants have opposed the move.
Osinbajo’s meeting with Adamu and the governors also comes after the conclusion of the party’s screening exercise for presidential hopefuls by the John Oyegun-led committee.
Central Bank of Nigeria has ordered banks and Payment Service Providers to accept indemnity from customers for highly secured online funds transfers.
It stated this in a circular signed by the Director, Payments System Management Department, Musa Jimoh, with the reference number: PSM/DIR/PUB/CIR/01/006, titled ‘Circular on the review of operations of NIBSS Instant Payments System and other electronic payment options with similar features’, which was released on Thursday.
The circular stated that “Further to the circular on the above reference BSP/DIR/GEN/CIR/01/011 and dated August 13, 2014, banks are hereby required to comply with the following:
“Accept indemnity from customers for highly secured online funds transfer above N1m for individual and N10m for corporate, subject to a maximum of N25m (individual) and N250m (corporate).
“Provide customers with the option of electronic or paper indemnity based on the customer’s preference.
“Implement electronic indemnity with stricter controls requiring biometric verification of identify.
“Adhere to multiple factor authentication for highly secured online funds transfer.
“Inform and educate customers on the use of indemnity to increase transaction limits where possible.”
CBN also released another guideline titled ‘Guidelines for the registration & operation of Bank Neutral Cash Hubs in Nigeria’.
It stated in the guidelines that BNCHs were cash collection centers to be established by registered (licensed) processing companies or Deposit Money Banks based on business needs.
CBN said the hubs would be located in areas with high volumes of commercial activities and cash transactions.
It further stated that the hubs would provide a platform for customers to make cash deposits and receive value irrespective of the bank with which their account is domiciled.
“This guideline aims to provide minimum standards and requirements for BNCH registration and operations for effective supervision,” CBN stated.
According to the CBN, the key objective of setting up the BNCH was to reduce the risks and cost borne by banks, merchants and huge cash handlers in the course of cash management activities; deepen financial inclusion, and leverage on shared services to enhance cash management efficiency.
CBN said the BNCH’s duties included receipt of naira denominated deposits on behalf of financial institutions from individuals and businesses with high volumes of cash; disbursement of naira- denominated withdrawals on behalf of financial institutions to individuals and businesses with high volumes of cash, and any other activities that might be permitted by the apex bank.
A Nigerian judge sentenced a Chinese man to two years in prison for ripping up Naira notes, the Bloomberg has reported.
A federal court in Lagos convicted Li Lei Lei of “mutilating the Nigerian currency” during an altercation with airport officials while he was trying to leave the country in mid-May, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said in a statement on Tuesday.
Li “angrily tore to pieces” N3,200 ($7.70) in bank notes when immigration officials at the West African nation’s international airport in Lagos searched his luggage for drugs, the EFCC said.
Li pleaded guilty to four charges of breaking central bank legislation, according to the anti-graft agency. The judge handed down a sentence of six months in prison for each charge, or the option of a N200,000 fine, it said.