The Senate committee on public accounts has revealed that 85 government parastatals have failed to submit their audited accounts to the Auditor-General of the Federation since the time of their establishment.

The parastatals include the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Bank of Industry, Bank of Agriculture and the Transmission Company of Nigeria.

The Chairman of the committee, Matthew Uroghide (Edo-PDP) said the 85 parastatals have never submitted reports of their audit to the Auditor General of the Federation since they were created.

For other parastatals, he said 235 have about one to two years arrears, 103 have three to five years arrears, 17 have six to 10 years arrears while four have arrears of 11 years and above.

He said the practice contravened the provisions of section 85 (3) of the constitution which vested the powers to audit the public accounts, offices and courts of the federation with the Auditor-General of the Federation.

He added that the Auditor-General has been facing the challenge of making the parastatals comply with the provisions of the constitution.

“Many parastatals are unwilling to submit their audited report without being compelled while others do not take conformity of public expenditure seriously.

“There are no prescribed penalties for non-timely submission of audited accounts, status of privatised parastatals are not clear.

“AGF is handicapped due to budgetary constraints and absence of Board of Directors to approve appointments of external auditors has been used as excuse for unaudited reports,” he said.

Adopting the report of the committee, the Senate resolved to withhold the 2018 budgetary approvals for parastatals who have not submitted their reports since inception and those who have six to 10 years arrears.

The senators gave a deadline of May 2018 to others who have over 2 years arrears.

The senate mandated the Auditor-General to ‘constantly update and reconcile with parastatals with the compliance’ with a pledge to strengthen the office through budgetary allocation.

The lawmakers also mandated the Auditor-General to liaise with Bureau of Public Enterprise and Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to clarify the status of ”privatised, merged or scrapped parastatals”.

PT

The Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, on Wednesday sacked 18 commissioners in his cabinet.

Some political appointees in ministries, departments and agencies were also sacked.

This was stated in a letter signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Solo Chukwulobeluin in Awka.

The memo directed the affected appointees to hand over any project/vehicles in their possession to the office of the Secretary to the State Government on or before Friday, 16th March, 2018.

The memo reads, ”His Excellency, Chief (Dr) Willie Obiano, Governor of Anambra State, has directed that all political appointees and non-civil servant, heads of MDAs in the state submit their handover notes/reports on or before Friday 16th March, 2018 to the Permanent Secretary of their respective MDAs, or to the most Senior Civil Servant there in the absence of a Permanent Secretary.”

”All SSAs/SAs are to submit their Handover notes/reports to the Permanent Secretary, Office of the SSG.”

DailyPost 

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday sentenced Charles Okah and his co-defendant, Obi Nwabueze, to life imprisonment for masterminding the bomb blasts which occurred in Abuja on October 1, 2010 and, earlier in Warri, Delta State, on March 15 of the same year.

The two convicts were said to have planned the attacks with Charles’ elder brother, Mr. Henry Okah, the leader of the defunct Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta, who had been convicted of the same offences and sentenced to 24 years’ imprisonment by a South African court in 2013.

Justice Gabriel Kolawole, delivering judgment in the case which commenced on December 7, 2010, when the convicts took their pleas, ruled that the prosecution, proved the charges preferred against Charles and Nwabueze beyond reasonable doubt.

The two men were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment as prescribed Sections 15(1) and (2) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment) Act, 2004, under which they were charged.

Okah and Nwabueze, alongside Edmund Ebiware and Tiemkemfa Francis-Osvwo (aka General Gbokos) were first arraigned before the court on December 7, 2010 in connection with with the 2010 Independence Day and Warri bomb blasts.

Francis-Osvwo died later in detention, while Ebiware, who had his trial conducted separately, had been convicted on January 25, 2013 for the same set of offences and currently serving a life sentence.

At least 12 persons were said to have died, with many others injured and property, including cars burnt in the incident which occurred near Eagles Square in Abuja, venue of the Independence Day celebration, which was being presided over by the then President Goodluck Jonathan.

Punch

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has backed the initiative of the Benin Monarch, Oba Ewuare II, to engage all priests, priestesses, native doctors, traditional chiefs, market women and village heads to tackle human trafficking, kidnapping and other security challenges in the state.

Governor Obaseki described the initiative as a royal endorsement of the state government’s fight against human trafficking, illegal migration and other crimes in the state.

Obaseki noted that people who know the factors fuelling human trafficking and illegal migration would appreciate Oba Ewuare II wisdom in calling the meeting of traditional priests, priestesses and native doctors.

He said the native doctors have valuable ideas and inputs that is needed to develop a robust bouquet of strategies that would finally bring an end to modern day slavery and criminal trade in humans.

The Edo Governor expressed optimism that some priests and native doctors would adjust their ways because there are instances where some of these priests and native doctors have breached their codes of practice and get involved in the illegal trade.

He said, “As a government, we could not have asked for a better deal from the Oba of Benin. He is rich in wisdom and always there to offer his support to us. I am excited about the meeting, especially with the apex anti-human trafficking agency, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) scheduled to attend.

“It is time to be frank about this crisis and tackle it with all we have. We cannot continue to fold our arms and watch as we lose the most productive class of our population to human trafficking and illegal migration.”

“We are setting the stage for socially and legally approved enterprises and ventures that will keep our creative youths at home and contribute to nation building. We have committed the last one year of our administration to industrialising the state and things can only get better,” he assured.

The Nation 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)on Wednesday re-arraigned a former Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC Administrative Secretary in Kwara State Mr Christian Nwosu for allegedly accepting gratification.

He was re-arraigned along with Tijani Bashir before Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court in Lagos.

They were charge with a former Minister of Petroleum Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke (“still at large”) and Yisa Adedoyin, who was earlier convicted after pleading guilty.

Nwosu had pleaded guilty to receiving N30million bribe to rig the 2015 general election results when he was first arraigned, but he later changed his plea to not guilty.

They allegedly conspired to directly take possession of N264,880.000 which they reasonably ought to have known forms part of an unlawful act, which is gratification.

They also allegedly made cash payment of N70,050,000 to Adedoyin, which exceeded the amount authorised by law without going through a financial institution.

Bashir was accused of indirectly taking possession of and retaining N164,880,000 which he reasonably ought to have known forms part of gratification.

Bashir was also charged with indirectly retaining N30million, being part of the proceeds of an unlawful act: “criminal misappropriation”.

The prosecution said he indirectly concealed the N30million.

The alleged offences were committed on March 27 and April 7, 2015 and violated provisions of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act.

EFCC had earlier closed its case before the amendment.

Prosecuting counsel Rotimi Oyedepo said he would not call any further witnesses despite amending the charge.

Nwosu’s lawyer Victor Opara had opposed the move re-arraign his client on the basis that it would further delay the case.

He said the prosecution did not respond to his client’s no-case submission despite being served with it.

Opara aargued that the amendment would defeat the objectives of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 which provides for speedy dispensation of cases.

But, Oyedepo argued that the law allows the prosecution to amend a charge at any time before judgment is delivered.

Ruling, Justice Idris held that EFCC was at liberty to amend its charge at any time during proceedings.

“The law says ‘anytime before judgment’. It does not specify the time. I accept the amended charge,” the judge ruled.

The judge allowed the defendants to remain on bail earlier granted them.

He adjourned until March 29 for adoption of written addresses in the no-case submission.

The Nation 

The National Chairman of the National Action Council (NAC), Dr. Olapade Agoro, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to bury the thought of seeking a re-election in 2019.

Agoro, who has severally run as the presidential candidate of his party said rather than seeking a fresh tenure, Buhari should return to his hometown, Duara in Katsina State for a good rest.

Dr. Agoro in an interview with another newspaper said the President has not performed as expected as it appears he is not in charge of his government. He said: “If it is in a civilized society, he would have left office. Buhari has done his best, so he should go back to his village to rest. He has not been able to perform; he is not in control.”

The NAC chairman also said he is willing to take the wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari as his running mate come 2019.

“I am sure and certain that I am coming to power in 2019 and people will start seeing the sign before June. The sign would be in the horizon.

“I know that by the grace of God, whether APC, PDP or third force; they will see me in power. This is my time; this is the time for honesty and righteousness in government.

“Buhari won’t contest. If his wife, Aisha is interested in being my running mate, I will take her.

“She is a nice woman. But for the President, he should go home and rest. He has nothing to offer again,” he said.

He also commented on the reinstatement of the suspended Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Prof. Usman Yusuf by President Buhari after he was suspended for corrupt practices by the minister of health.

Agoro said the reinstatement was an insult to the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, who had suspended the secretary after an allegation of financial impropriety.

“The reinstatement is wrong. It hurts me to the bone marrow that the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, is still staying in that office. What duty does he have in that office after being insulted? Agoro queried.

Daily Times

The Kogi West senator, Dino Melaye, has explained how he escaped from the premises of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Maitama, Abuja last week Thursday following a siege by some police officers.

Mr. Melaye at the senate plenary on Wednesday said some ‘angels’ took him out of the premises to avoid police Special Anti-Robbery Squad who were deployed to the location to arrest him.

In a tweet update from his hideout inside the court building, Mr. Melaye claimed that Governor Yahaya Bello, his state governor and political rival, was responsible for his latest ordeal. The governor has since denied the allegation.

While contributing to a motion on a recent fracas involving Mr. Bello and senator representing Kogi Central, Ahmed Ogembe, the lawmaker narrated what transpired while he was allegedly being hunted.

“On the 1st of March, I was arraigned by the party I worked for. I was arraigned by the government I helped to install. I appeared before the court and I was granted bail. Having been granted bail, I was quickly alerted that there were over a hundred policemen from SARS outside the court waiting to arrest me. When they took pictures of them to come and show me, even if you were going for the head of Shekau, you wouldn’t have prepared any better.

“I was in that court for hours and they laid siege for hours. Every car coming in and out of the court were being checked. Somehow because I serve a living God, the angels of the Lord took me out of that court unnoticed and unhurt. They laid siege for more than five hours after I was resting on my bed.”

Mr. Melaye said the security operatives ought to follow a convention already in practice in pushing for his arrest.

“We have a convention in this country, that when security agencies are interested in interrogating, investigating and inviting any senator, they write the Senate President to provide such senator. Why would they demean the integrity of the Senate of the Federal Republic? And lay siege for the senator of the Federal Republic as if you want to arrest a common criminal!”

The lawmaker wants the federal government to declare a state of emergency in Kogi State.

“We can call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to declare a state of emergency in Kogi to serve as deterrence to other governors who thinks power starts and ends with them.”

The possibility of meeting the senator’s desire of a state of emergency is, however, very slim as Kogi is not suffering from any major violence or crisis beyond the ability of the state government and current federal security agencies.

Since the failed arrest, the police are yet to provide any official reasons for trying to arrest Mr. Melaye.

PT

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday evening received the FIFA World Trophy at the new Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He was handed the trophy by Christian Karembeu, a retired International footballer from France, who was representing world football body FIFA.

The President and members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) took a break from the meeting, which had been ongoing since 11am, to receive the FIFA delegation led by President, Coca Cola West Africa, Peter Njonjo.

Buhari also received CHAN Super Eagles who were awarded with silver medal at the competition in Morocco in January.

Also received was Nigeria’s Bobsleigh Winter Olympics Team.

Buhari noted that football had a huge following in Nigeria that cuts across religion and ethnicities.

He assured that the Super Eagles will get the necessary support ahead of the completion which starts in June in Russia.

The President noted that football was a big platform for empowering youths and commended Coca Cola for investing in the game.

He urged other organizations to emulate Coca Cola in supporting football and other sports.

Buhari also commended the CHAN Super Eagles and Nigeria’s Bobsleigh Winter Olympics Team for making the country proud.

The Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung, hosted the Cup for Nigeria as one of the countries that has qualified to participate in the competition.

He expressed optimism that the cup will return to the country in July as the Super Eagles, betting that the national team will win the cup.

“We have worked very hard for it and we will continue to make Nigeria proud,” Dalung said.

He said the Super Eagles, who took part in the CHAN competition in Morocco, advanced to the finals for the first time.

“This is the first time Nigeria has gone that far in the history of the completion and returned with a silver.”

He also said Nigeria’s Bobsleigh Winter Olympics Team, hoisted Nigeria’s flag for the first time in the competition, even though they are based in the United States.

Njonjo said the tour will extend to 91 cities in 51 countries, courtesy of Coca Cola.

He said Nigerians from all walks of life want to see the authentic, one-of-a-kind FIFA World Cup Trophy and take a photo with it.

“The event will certainly put Nigeria on the global spotlight. It will also heighten the patriotic fervor in millions of the Super Eagles’ fans in this national quest to bring home the FIFA World Cup Trophy this year.”

FIFA representative Karembeu, in his remarks, said Nigeria has beautiful youths and a future to build sports.

He said that as a World Cup winner he will like to see the Super Eagles believe in themselves, go far in the competition and bring joy to the Nigerian people.

Sun

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday that President Mahmoud Abbas of Palestine must embrace peace and stop paying terrorists in order to end the conflict between Israel and Palestine.

Netanyahu said this while on official visit to Washington DC, United States (US).

“To get peace, President Abbas has to embrace peace and to stop supporting terror … He pays about $350 million a year to terrorists and their families,” Netanyahu said during remarks to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee Policy Conference.

The prime minister added that he is committed to achieving peace with all of Israel’s neighbors, including the Palestinians.

On Monday, Israeli Foreign Ministry’s Deputy Director-General Alexander Ben-Zvi said Israel is still ready for direct talks with the Palestinians, but a meaningful proposal is needed in order to start the dialogue.

For decades, Israel has been in conflict with the Palestinians, who have been seeking diplomatic recognition for their independent state on the territories of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which are partially occupied by Israel, and the Gaza Strip.

NAN

Prime Minister Theresa May defended Britain’s links to defense and security ally Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Britain’s Queen Elizabeth for lunch at the start of a high profile visit to London.

A fiery exchange in parliament between May and opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn underlined tension in Britain over Prince Mohammed’s trip, which is aimed at building a broader economic partnership between the two countries, but has sparked protests about human rights and war in Yemen.

“The link that we have with Saudi Arabia is historic, it is an important one, and it has saved the lives of potentially hundreds of people in this country,” May said, pausing her answer briefly as opposition lawmakers cried “Shame!”.

The debate took place as Prince Mohammed lunched with the British monarch on the first leg of trip packed with displays of diplomatic affection designed to help the widen longstanding defense ties into a more far-reaching partnership.

Both countries sense an opportunity to broaden their existing relationship: Britain is looking for trading partners as it exits the European Union, and Saudi Arabia needs to convince skeptical investors about its domestic reforms.

But when Prince Mohammed meets May later on Wednesday, demonstrators will be outside protesting against both countries’ roles in Yemen where war has killed an estimated 10,000 people and where 8.3 million people depend on food aid and 400,000 children have life-threatening levels of malnutrition.

Corbyn said British military advisers based in Saudia Arabia were “directing the war” in Yemen and that the government was colluding in events which showed signs of being war crimes. May’s spokesman said the comments were “strange” and he would look into them.

Foreign minister Boris Johnson led the welcoming party for Prince Mohammed on his arrival late on Tuesday. Wednesday’s first official engagement was a trip to Buckingham Palace to see Queen Elizabeth - a rare honor usually reserved for heads of state.

The Saudi delegation will meet May and senior ministers inside May’s Downing Street offices to launch a UK-Saudi “Strategic Partnership Council” - an initiative to encourage Saudi Arabia’s economic reforms and foster cooperation on issues such as education and culture, as well as defense and security.

Britain is vying to land the stock market listing of state oil firm Saudi Aramco, but no decision is expected this week.

“We would like the Aramco share option to be issued in the United Kingdom and we will continue to suggest the City would be the best place for it,” junior foreign office minister Alistair Burt told parliament.

Later this month Prince Mohammed visits the United States, which also wants the lucrative listing, although sources said both countries may miss out.

British officials were privately delighted at the decision by Prince Mohammed, 32, to choose Britain as the major western destination on his first foreign trip since becoming heir to the Saudi throne last year.

The British government is keen to develop a two-way trade and investment relationship, eyeing both an expanded market in Saudi Arabia for service sector exports, and attracting Saudi cash to finance domestic projects.

Saudi’s ambitious heir wants to show that “shock” reforms have made his country a better place to invest and a more tolerant society.

Photographs posted online showed London taxis displaying advertising graphics welcoming Prince Mohammed, and electronic billboards promoted pro-Saudi messages with the hashtag #anewsaudiarabia.

Business deals are possible with British defense group BAE Systems (BAES.L) and European weapons maker MBDA, and initial agreements could be concluded on gas exploration, petrochemicals and other industries, according to British and Saudi sources.

The three-day visit will include a second Royal audience - dinner with the Prince Charles and Prince William - a briefing with national security officials, and a prestigious visit to the prime minister’s country residence.

May intends to use the private dinner at Chequers on Thursday, a 16th-century manor house 40 miles (60 km) northwest of London, to bring up concerns over the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, her spokesman said.

A Saudi-led military coalition is fighting the Houthi movement in Yemen, generating what the United Nation said in January was the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

Protesters are planning to target the Saudi officials over Yemen and other human rights issues, and Britain for licensing 4.6 billion pounds of weapons sales to Saudi Arabia since 2015.

May said all arms sales were strictly regulated, that Saudi Arabia’s involvement in the conflict was backed by the U.N. Security Council and her government supported it.

Speaking to reporters in London on Monday, Saudi foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir said his country had failed to effectively communicate the reasons behind its involvement in Yemen, but that they had not chosen to start the war.

Buses have spent two days touring London with banners accusing Prince Mohammed of war crimes, with more planned for Wednesday before the main rally, and parliament called an urgent debate on the visit.

“There will be widespread concern across parties at the fact that the dictatorial head of a medieval, theocratic regime is being given the red carpet equivalent of a state visit,” said Vince Cable, leader of the Liberal Democrat Party.

Reuters