2019: Masari Wins Katsina State Governorship Primary Election

The Katsina State Governor,  Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, has on Sunday emerged the flag-bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2019 governorship election.

The Chairman, APC Gubernatorial Primary Election in the state, Dr. Isa Adamu, disclosed on Sunday that the election was contested by three aspirants.

He further said the total number of 5,627 votes were cast during the primary election.

He reiterated that Masari scored 5,562 votes which made him emerged as the  winner of the election.

Adamu said that Alhaji Abubakar Ismail Funtua, got eight votes, while Alhaji Garba Dankane, had only one vote, also 56 votes were invalid.

In his acceptance speech, Gov. Masari thanked the delegates for re-electing him as the party candidate for the 2019 election, assuring delegates that he would try to ensure unity among party members for the progress of APC and Katsina State.

@Katgovmedia reports that Masari also urged those who lost in the contest to support the party candidates so as to ensure its victory in the 2019 general elections

Katsina Media and Publicity reports that with this  development, it is now official that Masari is the All Progressives Congress flag-bearer in the coming 2019 elections

Maikaya Never Accused Any Aspirant Of Inducement - Maikaya Media Organisation

The Maikaya Media Organisation has debunked the misleading publications by Nigeria Assembly News against Alh Musa Muhammed Maikaya,  titled " I DONT KNOW WHO TO TRUST AMONG THE DELEGATES, ANY FAIR WINNER HAS MY SUPPORT- MAKAIYA, APC GOVERNORSHIP CANDIDATE IN NASARAWA

In a press release by the Maikaya Media Organisation on Sunday,  it debunked the statement credited to Alh Maikaya saying that "each delegates received the sum of 50,000 and more from aspirants as an inducement". 

"It is a known fact that the party primaries is going on peacefully in Lafia with Maikaya assured of victory, so we are not surprised that some of his opponents will go all length to malign his person by crediting false statement to his person, the statement read. 

As a core APC man, Maikaya remained committed to the final decisions of the delegates at today's primaries. 

2019: Buhari's Victory At Primary, Signs Of Nigeria's Evolving Greatness - Eze

...Congratulates APC, Oshiomhole for successfully holding direct presidential primary

President Muhammadu Buhari's victory at the just concluded presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been described as the sure sign that Nigeria's process of national development is on track.

A chieftain of the APC in Rivers state, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, who stated this in a statement he issued in Port Harcourt on Sunday, also congratulated the party and its leadership, especially the National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, for sparking the beginning of a revolution in the nation's democratic process, through the successful use of the direct primary system to produce the presidential candidate.

According to Eze, the fact that over 16 million members of the the party across the country cast their lots to affirm President Buhari as the party's presidential candidate showed that the election, come February 2019, would be a mere walk over as more Nigerians are becoming aware of the vision of the administration and the currently ongoing works to elevate the country to the class of the world's developed nations.

He, however, urged Nigerians not to mind the propaganda and falsehoods from the People's Democratic Party (PDP) camps and unite to get President Buhari reelected for a better future for the nation and avoid those that looted her common patrimony with impunity from regaining power at the centre by any means. 

 "I am convinced with the 16m members of APC as contained in our database that affirmed President Buhari as our Flag -Bearer winning the 2019 general elections not minding whoever that PDP will elect wouldn't be a challenge or obstacle to the reelection of President Buhari", he said.

He recalled that recently, at the State of New Jersey and City of Philadelphia, President Buhari was doubly honoured as special citations were read on the Nigerian leader's military, professional and political strides. 

The Chairman, Nigerian Coalition for Business Development and Investment, Dr Jude Iheoma, also read a citation on behalf of the City of Philadelphia.

On hand to witness the honour were international investors and captains of industry. 

Also there were ministers; directors-general; Dr Ibrahim Mayaki, CEO NEPAD International; Princess Gloria Akobundu, CEO NEPAD Nigeria; Prof Ibrahim Gambari, former Minister of External Affairs; and top senior government officials from Nigeria.

He pleaded with Nigerians to unite "so that together we can encourage this world respected leader by reelecting him so that we will not become a laughing stock before the International community.

"For the entire world and world leaders to be queuing up just to meet President Muhammadu Buhari, is an indication that there is something special about President Buhari, there is something about the Nigeria he now leads, that the world likes. 

“I think that Nigerians themselves should better look at this from this positive point of view, as a major development. We had situations in the country in the past where key world leaders didn’t want to meet our own leaders, all of that has changed in the last three years", Eze noted.

Outcome Of Osun Guber Election Acceptable - CSOs

  

The Civil Society Organisations that monitored the last gubernatorial election in Osun State said the outcome of the election was acceptable because it reflect the will of the people.

The groups expressed satisfaction over the conduct of the election and commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for exhibiting neutrality in the exercise.

The Returning Officer, Professor Joseph Fiwape declared that the candidate of All Progressive Congress (APC) Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola scored a total number of 255,505 votes to defeat the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senator Ademola Adeleke who scored 255,023 votes in the election.

In a joint press statement in Lagos, the six groups, Centre for Women Agenda (CWA) Campaign Against Social Injustice (CASI) Centre for Sustainable Dialogue (CSD) Development Advocacy Group (DAG) Rights Monitor Agenda (RMA) and Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reforms (CODER) lauded the security operatives for displaying professionalism in performing their duties.

The representatives of the groups Dr. Mrs. Olufunke Adesina, of CWA, Comrade Adedapo Ajisegiri of CASI, Comrade Onotosho Hakeem of CSD, Dr. Oyedokun Alli of DAG, Comrade Jerry Nwachukwu of RMA and Comrade Wale Adeoye of CODER said the conduct of the election met the standard and congratulated the people of the state for being peaceful. They admonished the Governor-elect to be magnanimous in victory.

The statement reads in part, "We, the undersigned civil society organizations as election observer groups, heartily congratulate the good people of Osun State for trooping out to the polls both on the 22nd of September and on the 27th September, 2018 rerun election, to elect the state's helmsman whose outcome is a reflection of the will of the people as expressed at the polls."

"We also congratulate the people of Osun State for their civil, peaceful and orderly conduct in jealously guarding their mandate and proving that the will of the people is supreme in a democracy."

"In as much as we recognize that no election anywhere in world can be perfect, we call on the security agencies to investigate these allegations and do the needful. However, we make bold to state with all emphasis that these allegations do not in any way distract from the fact that, the will of the people as expressed at the poll, has triumphed."

"We congratulate the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for exhibiting professionalism and neutrality despite threats, intimidation and blackmail before and during the election. We note with gladness that INEC deployment of its personnel and materials on the day of the election was timely, efficient and has received accolades from all relevant stakeholders for a superlative performance."

"We equally commend the international and local observers for their high sense of responsibility in observing the process according to global best practices."

"We commend the media for its professional and unbiased coverage which is critical to deepening democracy and ensuring societal stability."

The statement further says that while there were incidents of violence on the day of the rerun election, there was no doubt that the most popular candidate won the race. 

"We must commend the security agencies for their professional deployment and exhibiting diligence, patriotism and high sense of responsibility in their conduct during both rounds of elections which contributed in no small measure to the success of the election.

"However, we observe that unlike in the first round of election on the 22nd of September, 2018 which was largely peaceful and orderly, there were reports of pocket of violence in some areas far away from the locations of polling stations where the rerun elections took place on Thursday, 27th September, 2018."

Katsina State APC Delegates Screened, Ready For Gubernatorial Primaries

Delegates from the 34 Local Government Areas of the All Progressives Party -  APC Katsina State Chapter had successfully been screened  and are all set to commence vote casting to elect the party's flagbearer in the 2019 elections.

The exercise was segmented into the three Senatorial zones of the state namely; the South (Funtua),  Central (Katsina) and North(Daura) Senatorial Zones.

Earlier, the Katsina State Governor, Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari had visited the Katsina APC Zonal office for his screening.

It will be recalled that Katsina Media and Publicity reported the Katsina State Governor had purchased his declaration of intent form, submitted the form and was successfully screened last week

Flooding: 70 Percent Of Bayelsa Communities Under Water, Dickson Cries Out

...Gov Urges FG to Declare Flood Emergency in Bayelsa

...As a flood ravages Gov’s community, Toru Orua, others 

The Governor of Bayelsa State, the Honourable Henry Seriake Dickson, has raised the alarm that over 70 percent of the communities in the state have been submerged by the raging flood in the country.

The Governor spoke to journalists during a tour of communities  severely affected by flooding with representatives of the National Emergency Management Agency, members of the state security committee, the Police, the Army, the Air Force, the Navy, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence and others.

A statement by the Special Adviser to Governor on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, on Sunday, stated that the Governor spoke to journalists in the middle of a road in front of his father’s compound at Toru Orua, with water rushing at a bewildering rate from the Forcados River into the community.

The severity of the flood was such that some of the communities have been cut off by the increasing flood level which has got to window and lintel levels in others.

The governor and those who embarked on the tour with him observed that Biseni community and settlements around it in Yenagoa Local Government Area could no longer be accessed by road. 

The convoy of cars had to be turned back when the people came out in boats on the tarred road to say that accessing the area by road had been rendered impossible by the raging flood with rising water level.

Also, Governor Dickson and his team visited other communities which were submerged by the raging waters with the desperate people in need of shelter for relief materials at Sampou, Kaiama, Odi, in Kolokuma/Okpokuma Local Government Area and Sagbama, Bolou Orua, Toru Orua, and several others in Sagbama Local Area. 

A substantial part of the state capital, Yenagoa, especially Tombia, Akempai, and others are seriously affected by the flood.

Governor Dickson said that the severity of the flood made the State Executive Committee and the State Security Committee to take a decision during their meetings on Friday to close down all schools in Bayelsa with immediate effect to enable the management to take the students to their parents. 

He described the flood as a major disaster which had affected the state with thousands of people rendered homeless.

The governor also identified several some public premises which were not affected by the flood for immediate conversion to temporary  internally displaced camps in the state.

He called on the Federal Government for urgent support to the state to combat the humanitarian challenges thrown up by the flooding emergency

The Governor who called on the Federal Government to declare a flood emergency in Bayelsa observed that the coastal state which is below the sea label was omitted when the government declared emergency flood situation in four states - Kogi, Niger, Delta and Anambra - on September 18, 2018.

He argued that the flood situation in Bayelsa was inevitable as the entire state is below sea level with all the major rivers and tributaries through  which water flows from the River Niger and Benue to the Atlantic Ocean. 

He said that the state government had set up a Special Committee to manage the flood situation comprising top government officials and the security services under the leadership of the Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah 

He said, “We have spent the whole day going from one local government area to the other; going from one community  to the other; assessing the situation and seeing first hand  the way our people are coping with this major disaster. 

“Community after community, we have seen women, children and men managing to survive a very difficult  situation. So I want to first of all, on behalf of the state government and the good people of this state appreciate the resilience of our people who are affected in the various communities. 

“What has happened in this state is that about 70 percent  of our state right now is under water as we speak. Almost 70 percent of our communities are under water now and people are now grappling for survival. What we have seen is really, serious, dangerous and touching. This is a major disaster that has affected the state.

“And those of you on this tour can attest to the deplorable state we have seen in community after community. So I want to call for immediate federal support to our state. We as part of our emergency and disaster management system, we have in place, a committee that has the security services working with the officials of the NEMA under the overall management of the Deputy Governor who reports to me.

“Government in conjunction with the security services are working with the NEMA and SEMA officials and community leaders organising themselves to mount various forms of rescue operations  and we have seen how the people themselves living in this flooded homes are now devising various ways of protecting themselves and properties.

“What we have seen is really touching. This is a major disaster that has affected the state and I want to also thank the members of the Security Council.”

Speaking also, representative of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr. Kayode Fagbemi, said that having observed the pathetic flooding situation in Bayelsa during the tour of the affected communities with the governor, he would report his findings to Abuja.

He said that the agency had sent 20 òf its staff to the Bayelsa  preparatory to the anticipated flooding in the state.

Fagbemi who said that relief materials would soon arrive the state  added that the agency was collaborating with its state counterpart to organize camps in the state.

“I have gone round communities with His Excellency and the Deputy Governor and I have for myself and i have seen that the situation is pathetic and I will take the report back home and more support will come from the federal government.

“We have brought a water purifying machine here because we know many of the water sources will be contaminated and make sure people don't take contaminated water.” He said.

Flooding: Bayelsa Government Closes All Schools

...Commences distribution of relief materials  to affected communities  

The Bayelsa State Government has directed immediate closure of all schools in the state as a precautionary measure to avoid loss of lives in the current flooding in the state.

The decision was reached at the State Executive Council meeting presided over by the State Governor, the Honourable Henry Seriake Dickson, who also set up a special committee to facilitate prompt and effective response to the flood emergency in the state.

The Commissioner for  Information and Orientation, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said in a statement on Saturday that the highest decision making body in the state also directed the Ministry of Health to set up an emergency health response unit in the state to mitigate the effect of the flood on the people.

Iworiso-Markson said that the Emergency Health Response Unit  of the Ministry of Health was designed to monitor and prevent the outbreak of diseases like cholera during the period covered by flooding in Bayelsa.

According to him, the Director of the State Emergency Management   Agency briefed the State Executive Council on the flood situation and said that the agency would kickstart the distribution of relief materials to affected communities on Saturday.

The commissioner advised the Bayelsa citizenry not to panic as the government was making all efforts to secure lives and properties in the state.

He said that a large number of communities in virtually all the local government areas were seriously affected by the flooding especially in Ekeremor, Sagbama, Ogbia, Southern Ijaw and indeed all the eight local government areas. 

He said, “The Bayelsa State Executive Council has directed immediate closure of all schools including private institutions in the state as a precautionary measure to avoid loss of lives to severe flooding in the state.

“The Government has also set up a Special Committee to coordinate activities relating to the flood which has affected several communities in the state.

“The State Executive Council also directed the Commissioner for Health to set up an Emergency Response Unit to monitor and prevent the outbreak of diseases like cholera and others associated with flooding.

“The Director in charge of SEMA briefed the State Executive Council on the flood situation and said that the agency would commence distribution of relief materials on Saturday.

Government is taking all measures to secure lives and property; the good people of Bayelsa should not panic.”

9 In 10 Osun Residents Believe Re-Run Election Was Violently Rigged-Report

A survey conducted on Friday by Opinion Polling Agency (OPA), a pan African polling group, has shown that one out of ten Osun residents believed the Osun state supplementary poll was ruthlessly rigged.

The group in the report circulated on Saturday ,a copy of which was also sent to the Ademola Adeleke Campaign Office,noted that a total of 5000 residents were randomly questioned across the three senatorial districts.

"We asked four questions.Is the Osun supplementary poll free and fair ? Who actually won the Osun governorship election? Which of the political parties deployed violence as a tool at the Thursday poll?",Adekola Samson,the agency project manager noted.

"For the first question,more than two third said the election was forcefully rigged by the APC.Almost the same two third said Ademola Adeleke won the election at first ballot.About 70 percent said APC used extreme force against opposition PDP at the supplementary poll",he wrote in the report.

My Samson said the likelihood of error is minimal because "the subject of the polling was still very fresh in the minds of the public.

"We have local and international observers who volunteered to administer the oral questionnaire",Samson stated further.

"In reality we have more people who wanted to participate in the survey but we limited the number to 5000 with the sample comprising of women,men and young voters",the project manager stated.

African Polling Agency is affiliated with the Good Governance Office of the African Union.

Tata Officially Decamps To APC, Directs His Media Team To Work For Masari

The Katsina State renowned politician who was a gubernatorial aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the preparations for 2019 Elections,  Alh. Umar Abdullahi Tsauri Tata, had today officially decamped to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Katsina Media and Publicity reports that this was disclosed while he was meeting with his media team across the 34 Local Government Areas of Katsina State at the Saidu Barde House, the former Katsina State Government House, Katsina. 

Tata said that the APC have been in love with him for long while the PDP he was in never loved him, adding that he was the only one that loved the party.

Tata also attested to the integrity and sincerity of Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari citing relevant examples of good deeds of the Governor in the state and made a comparative analysis with the former dictator,  Shema.

@katgovmedia reports that he handed over his media team to the Director General; Media and Publicity to the Governor of Katsina State,  Malam Ibrahim Mu'azzam Abdullahi stating that he is giving them to him as "Amana (trust)" that he should hold them in with sincerity as Masari is also holding him in trust. He also cautioned his team against thinking they are here to get money and charge them to work for the success of Masari as there is no longer "Gidan Tata" in media as all are now dissolved and dissected for Masari.

The D.G who showed his appreciation for the trust Tata placed in him and accepted to hold the former "Tata Media" team and integrate them into the Masari Media Plan.

Finally, Tata assured the people of Katsina that he will personally make sure that the PDP will be back to its degrading position as it was in 2015.

I Am Still In The Race, I Have Not Stepped Down For Anybody – Musa Maikaya

The good people of Nasarawa State especially APC delegates in Nasarawa State has been asked to ignore the rumour that Alh.Muhammed Musa Maikaya has stepped down for one Engr A. A. Sule. 

According to the Maikaya Media Organisation,  Alh Muhammed Musa Maikaya is very much in tbe race and he remained the candidate to beat as the APC conducts it's party primaries tomorrow.

"The rumour is a wicked attempt by a desperate politician to divert the attention of our massive supporters and indeed it is a clear indication of acceptance of failure on the part of those spreading it.

"Muhammed Maikaya’s contest is a clarion call from the teaming youths and the good people of Nasarawa State who discovered his antecedents in the area of Empowerment through “Maikaya Development Foundation" which includes but not limited to:

• Scholarship scheme for the past 10yrs
• Health care scheme for the less privileged
• Youth and women Empowerment among others.

"Therefore the decision for his contest or withdrawal lies in the hands of these most critical stakeholders of Nasarawa State and not any opposition political group,  the statement concluded.

Flooding: Dickson Solicits NAF Support For Evacuation Of Victims

Bayelsa State Governor, the Honourable Seriake Dickson has sought the collaboration of the Nigerian Air Force and other security agencies to undertake emergency evacuation operations of flood victims in the state.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, quoted the governor as having said in a statement on Saturday  that several communities had already been submerged by  flood in the state.

Governor Dickson who made the appeal when the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar, and his entourage paid him a courtesy visit in Government House, Yenagoa, said that Bayelsa was the worst hit by the flood in the country as the entire state was below sea level.

The Governor said in the next one month, more communities would be affected, stressing that adequate preparations needed to be made by the state government in partnership with the military and other relevant agencies towards providing support to assuage the plight of those being displaced by the flood disaster.

He said, “Let me commend the AirForce for the way and manner your officers and men supported this state during the 2012 flood. I want to also use this opportunity to call for more support from you. 

“As we speak, so many of our communities are under water. As you know, the whole of Bayelsa is below sea level. So, once there is a major flooding situation in our country, our state is one of the most impacted because all the major rivers pass through here to the Atlantic.

"I want to see a situation where your officers and men collaborate more with our people especially in the area of evacuation because the situation we have at hand is alarming. 

“The reports we are getting are not palatable. We are told that the situation will continue for the next one month, by which time, I can count on my fingers how many communities in Bayelsa will not be evacuated. "

Governor Dickson, who reiterated his administration's commitment towards supporting security agencies to sustain the prevailing peace and stability in the Niger Delta region, also called for synergy  with the Nigerian Airforce in terms of providing effective security in and around the Bayelsa International Airport.

The Governor who described the airport as the most critical and expensive infrastructure embarked upon by his administration, assured the Chief of Air Staff of the state government's readiness to provide land and logistic support to enable the Airforce establish its presence at the facility.

"We are also happy to partner with you on the airport project. We have already established contacts with your very competent team on ground. 

“We want to work with you not only in securing the airport, which is your primary responsibility but also on how we can support you by way of land and even some support to enable your officers and men move down there to be in effective control because that is the most critical and expensive singular infrastructure project embarked upon by my administration that will serve the state, this region and our country for a long time to come."

Governor Dickson also urged the Nigerian Airforce to partner the state in the provision of quality education and healthcare delivery.

He stated further that the state government would hand over one of its model secondary schools to the AirForce as it did to the Nigerian Army.

Earlier, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar, said he was in the state on an operational visit to the Mobility Command as part of efforts to reposition the Nigerian AirForce for optimal performance.

While reeling out his achievements in office especially in the area of fighting insurgency in the Northeast and militancy, Air Marshal Abubakar assured the governor of NAF's preparedness to strengthen its security architecture in Bayelsa and the Niger Delta region to safeguard strategic national assets within the area.

Rivers APC Holds Peaceful Presidential Primaries Across 319 Wards In Rivers State

The All Progressives Congress, APC, held its Presidential Primaries across the 319 wards of Rivers State Friday without any reported incidents.

According to a press release by the Rivers State Publicity Secretary of APC, Chris Finebone, he said that reports collated at the APC State Secretariat, 63 Aba Road, Port Harcourt by the Presidential Primaries Returning Officer for Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, a total of 388,653 party members across the State voted for the only Presidential aspirant of the party, President Muhammadu Buhari.

The election which was based on the direct mode of primary earlier adopted by the NWC/NEC of the party for the exercise was witnessed by all the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Electoral Officers in the 23 LGAs of the State. Also on hand to witness the primaries were the various Divisional Police Officers across the State.

Earlier, the State Presidential Returning Officer, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi who is also the Minister of Transportation had arrived the APC State Secretariat and was ushered into the State Chairman’s office from where he monitored the exercise before visiting some wards within the Port Harcourt metropolis and environs to see things for himself.

Whereas the 319 Ward Party Secretaries served as Ward Returning Officers, the 23 LGA Secretaries of the party served as LGA Returning Officers.

Meanwhile, all hands are on deck to ensure a successful Governorship Primary scheduled for Sunday, September 30, 2018 in Port Harcourt.

Let’s Avoid Head On Collision Over Planned Demotion, Inspector General of Police, Tells Police Service Commission Chairman

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris has advised the new board of Police Service Commission (PSC) chaired by former IGP, Musiliu Smith to follow laid down procedure in the much touted planned demotion of some police officers who were promoted since his appointment as the IGP in 2016.

Leadership had sighted the letter titled: "Re: Planned Demotion of Police Officers Promoted Between 2016 and 2018 by the Newly Constituted Board of the Police Service Commission’’, dated September 23, 2018, the IGP addressed to PSC Chairman.

The IGP said even though the PSC Chairman has the right to discipline or demote officers of the force, he has to tread the path of constitutionality, legality, duties and powers conferred on his offices and that of the IGP by the extant laws.

He told Smith that the functions, roles, inherent powers and duties of the offices of PSC Chairman and the IGP are unambiguous and are contained in the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Police Act, Police Regulations and Police Service Commission Act.

"I appeal to the highly experienced Chairman of the Commission and a well-respected former IGP, not to allow the Police head for collision.

"On my appointment as the IGP on the 22nd of June 2016, I assured President Muhammadu Buhari of my determination to confront crime and criminality in the country in line with the mantra of His Excellency. I have largely succeeded on this promise as there is hardly any major crime without a breakthrough.

"This was made possible with the support of highly dedicated, professional, efficient and committed officers who worked day and night to ensure their arrest and prosecution while others are lazing about in search of posting. The only way to encourage and motivate these officers for greater efficiency is to recommend them for special promotion in line with the general principles of promotion”.

"These recommendations were duly approved by the Commission and letters of promotion issued to them and the officers posted accordingly and are performing efficiently. For the same Commission to demote them outside their power of discipline to say the least will be arbitrary, selective and discriminatory”.

"I am however quite certain that the Chairman will not tow this line of action despite petitions from disgruntled officers. If it does, the Police Service Commission, the Nigeria Police and the affected officers will not only be locked in very serious litigations but in controversies and scandals that will not do the Police any good”.

Idris said he first regarded it as mere normal rumours when he began to read in the news media that Smith had constituted a committee being headed by the former Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Clara Bata Ogunbiyi to review and demote Police officers promoted between 2016 and 2018 by the last PSC Board.

He said, the news began to assume life of its own when Smith’s personal assistant, CP Olayinka Balogun (rtd) had on September 19, 2018 in the office of the Commissioner of police, Osogbo boasted that the commission had concluded plans to single out some officers for demotion.

Idris who stated that his office has not been contacted before embarking on such exercise as required by the laws and protocol averred that he has to write therefore to draw attentions of the PSC chairman who was a former IGP and Justice Ogunbiyi, a former Supreme Court justice to the tradition, normal practices and positions of the laws governing the matter.

Meanwhile, the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court, Justice Ishaq Bello has assigned the suit for enforcement of fundamental right filed by group of human right activists seeking to stop the planned demotion of the officers to Justice O.A. Adenyi sitting at Apo, Abuja.

The activists have asked the Abuja High Court to halt an exercise by the Police Service Commission to demote some police officers who enjoyed special promotion recently for gallantry and superlative performance.

Source: leadership.ng

APC Presidential Primaries Ongoing Peacefully In Katsina State

The All Progressive Congress (APC) presidential primary is going on successfully across the country.

Katsina Media and Publicity learnt that the primary elections are peacefully ongoing in all part of the State. 

In Ajiwa,Gobarau, Daura, Kudu II and Kudu lll collation centres, our correspondents reported that party members came out in numbers and voting commenced since 8:am.

It will be recalled that Katsina Media and Publicity had reported the adoption of direct primaries in the Presidential nomination of the party's candidate by the National working committee of the APC.

IGP Idris Commends Police Personnel And Other Security & Safety Agencies Deployed For Election Security Osun Gubernatorial Election

• There were no official complaints of violence or injury to persons reported at any Police Station/Division in all the Seven Units where the re-run election was held on 27th September, 2018.
• Members of the public are hereby implored to disregard and discountenance claims in some sections of the media that Security Agencies intimidate Journalists, Election Observers and voters during the re-run election
• The Nigeria Police Force appreciates the law abiding attitude and peaceful conduct of the good people of Osun State during the Election.

The Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim K. Idris has expressed utmost satisfaction with the implementation of the Robust Security Arrangement for the Osun State Gubernatorial Election and commends the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Department of Operations, the entire Police Personnel, Officers and Men of other Security and Safety Agencies under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) deployed for Election Security during the just concluded Osun State Gubernatorial Election on Saturday, 22nd  September, 2018, and the Re-run election of Thursday, 27th  September, 2018.

In a press release by the Force Public Relations Officer, Ag. DCP Jimoh Moshood, he said that the IGP appreciates the commitment and civility of the entire security personnel in ensuring adequate security and conducive environment for a credible Gubernatorial Election in Osun State.

"The IGP further extols the high level professionalism, politeness, firmness and unbiased conducts of the Police Personnel, before, during and after the election. The Nigeria Police Force equally appreciates the law abiding attitude and peaceful conduct of the good people of Osun State, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Election Monitors/Observers, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), the Media and other critical stakeholders for a good working relationship with the security personnel deployed for the election. The good disposition and spirit of sportsmanship exhibited by most of the political parties in the election which doused fear and tensions during the election is gratifying and highly commendable, Ag. DCP Moshood said.

He further said that as a lead security agency in election security in a democracy, the IGP further commends the entire security personnel deployed for the election for their personal sacrifice, collective patriotism and commitment in ensuring that the election was conducted in an atmosphere of peace devoid of any breach of public peace and security throughout the period of the election, the Commissioners of Police and their personnel in the States contiguous to Osun State who were placed on Red Alert by the Inspector General of Police are equally appreciated.

"The impressive performance of the Police personnel to ensure law and order and a successful election is a clear testimony of the capability of the Nigeria Police Force in its renewed commitment to continue to adhere to International Best Practices in the conduct of elections in the country now and in the future.

"It is imperative to state that, there was no any Election Observer, Journalist or Electorate arrested, detained or prevented from carrying out their statutory civic responsibilities/duties during the period of the Election. There were also no official complaints of violence or injury to persons reported by any individual(s)/group at any Police Station/Division in all the Seven Units where the re-run election were held on 27th September, 2018, however, any member of the public with any complain now should do so at the nearest Police Station for immediate investigation.       

The Police Spokesperson urged the public are hereby implored to disregard and discountenance claims in some certain sections of the media that the security agencies intimidate Journalists, Election Observers and voters during the re-run election as untrue, unfounded and entirely hear-say.

"The Nigeria Police Force will continue to sustain and improve on the election security successes recorded in the Gubernatorial Elections in Edo, Ondo, Anambra, Ekiti States and the just concluded Gubernatorial Election in Osun State as an index for the conduct of subsequent elections in the Country, the statement concluded.

Osun People Mourn Rape of Democracy

By Olawale Rasheed

Great people of Osun state are in mourning over documented assault on democracy and violent electoral robbery streamed live worldwide on Thursday. Across Osun today, there is no jubilation, no celebration; the state is in deeply sad mood.

Our people were violently robbed; their mandate was forcefully snatched;and unwanted leadership imposed on them. Ever since the creation of the state, this is clearly the darkest moment.

Almost all election stakeholders attest to the blood soaking process where a gangster-like operation was conducted to subvert the will of the people for the imposition of a  rejected leadership. Leaders of thought from all parts of the country are appalled by the open theft and the danger it portends for our nascent democracy.

As  most critical state institutions are compromised and shamelessly partisan, the Ademola Adeleke Campaign Organisation will still explore all democratic means to restore and retrieve the stolen mandate. We are determined to continue the political struggle by seeking judicial redress for the sake of democracy ,our people and the future of our dear country.

We extend our appreciation to the great people of Osun state for their unrivaled support from the beginning to the end of this flawed electoral process. You stand by us for democracy to prevail but anti-democratic forces trampled on you to temporarily deny us that sweet victory. It is not over.

We also congratulate journalists ,election monitors and observers for standing by the truth. Your fair and equitable role exposed the reprehensible electoral robbery. We still need you to be on guard as Osun state has signaled more ominous sign  of what to expect in the near future.

We cannot but pay homage to the memories of our party members who lost their lives during the poll. We commiserate with the families. We sent our sympathy to our members who were attacked and incarcerated.Our pain is for democracy. No matter how dark the night may be, daylight will prevail.

We salute the courage of our leaders and party members. We put up a good fight. We win this contest but we were openly cheated. We salute citizen activists and Nigerians from all walks of lives for defending and standing with us and democracy.

That stolen mandate of Osun people will be retrieved and good day shall come and our people shall rejoice.

Olawale Rasheed is the Director, Media & Publicity of Ademola Adeleke Campaign Organisation

We Are Set To Deliver Free, Transparent, Credible Primaries For All Contestants - Delta PDP

Ahead of the forthcoming Delta PDP party primaries, slated to commence from 30th September through to 4th October, 2018, to elect our various candidates to fly the party's flag for the 2019 general elections, the Delta State PDP wishes to once again reiterate our pledge to provide a level playing field for all our aspirants contesting for all the elective tickets in our great party.

Dr. Ifeanyi Osuoza, the Delta PDP State Publicity Secretary, gave this pledge in a statement made available to the press, adding that this affirmation was in consonance with the commitment of the party leader, His Excellency Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa and indeed the entire leadership of the PDP in the State, to act in tandem with the party constitution and ensure a free, fair, credible and transparent process for the primaries across the State.

The Delta PDP Spokesman who also heartily congratulated all aspirants and contestants who purchased and submitted their nomination and intent to contest forms under the PDP and have been successfully screened and duly cleared as qualified to contest the primaries, equally noted the concerns expressed in some quarters over the issue of imposition of candidates and assured that there was no anointed or favourite person in any position, even as he reassured that all contestants will go into the primaries as equals. 

"We wish all our aspirants and their supporters the best of luck as you go into the various primaries to seek the tickets, as our flags bearers for the 2019 elections and we want to assure you that there will be no imposition of candidates for any position and there is no anointed or preferred candidate for any ticket."

According to Osuoza, "Every aspirant and contestant will go into the primaries on his/her own merits, popularity ratings and convincing manifesto of their capacity to fly our flag with pride and their capabilities to deliver the dividends of democracy to Deltans. A level playing field will be provided to ensure that everyone is given equal opportunity to aspire for any of the tickets, as only the best will emerge and will be good enough to fly our flag in the general elections," he stressed with emphasis.

Dr. Osuoza then admonished and implored all aspirants and their teeming supporters and loyalists to eschew violence, desist from any acts that may jeopardise, sabotage or truncate the process, maintain order and civility, exhibit maturity and decorum, obey the rules and guidelines laid down for the process and imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship and brotherly love like one united family, as they go about the primaries, bearing in mind that the ultimate objective is to win the general elections, which the PDP must go into as a united and unshakable force.

"Delta PDP is driven and motivated by our avowed creed and objective to return power back to the people and deliver satisfactory primaries where the wish and desires of the people will be established and upheld as the deciding factor in the emergence of all our candidates. We, therefore, enjoin all our members, leaders, faithful and supporters to display the highest levels and examples of party discipline, decency, tolerance and be on their best behaviour, in order to ensure that we all collectively deliver a credible and satisfactory primaries that will shame our detractors and convince the opposition beyond any doubts, that the PDP is fully on ground and poised for comprehensive victory in the 2019 general elections," the statement concluded confidently.

Group Commends Security Personnel For Peaceful Osun Governorship and Supplementary Election

• Berate Foreign and Local Election Observers for paid press releases to discredit security arrangment for the election

The United Young Professionals has commended the Nigeria Police and all the security personnel that coordinated the just concluded Osun State Governorship Election and Supplementary election.

Reacting to various press release by some Foreign and Local Election Observers, the National Coordinator of the United Young Professionals , Adewole Kehinde said the press releases were sponsored by a particular party to discredit the Security personnel under the amiable DIG Operations, DIG Habila Josak and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

"It was widely reported by all the media how observers under the aegis of Coalition of Election Observer Groups exchanged punches and assaulted themselves severely over the sharing formula of the money they allegedly got from the governorship contender.

"According to police source, trouble started around 7:45pm on Wednesday after the observers invited journalists for a press conference ahead of the governorship rerun.

"At the hall of the Nigeria Union of Journalists secretariat in Osogbo, venue of the planned press conference, the observers were said to have started hauling insults on themselves as they exchanged hot altercations on whom should address the media"

While the imbroglio ensued, some observers alleged that one of their leaders shortchanged them.

One of the observers simply identified as Michael, was alleged to have collected the sum of one million naira from a candidate of one of the leading political parties for the rerun.

They claimed that Michael declared the sum of N500,000 instead of the N1,000000 he allegedly received from the candidate.

To this end, the observers started throwing punches on their leader and others who they perceived hoarded their money.

It took the efforts of the police before normalcy was restored to the venue as the victim was taken to the Police clinic for medical treatment.

"We wondered how Election Observers who have been compromised with money from governorship aspirant will have the audacity send out press releases to condemn the peaceful supplementary election that conducted today in Osun State, Adewole reiterated.

"We called on Nigerians especially Osun State indigenes and residents to ignore such paid press releases coming from the so called Election Observers either Local or International, the statement ended.

Oyo Politics: Group seeks ADC’s Governorship Running Mate Zoned To Oyo

A group, Committee for Equity and Fairness under the aegis of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on the party to end marginalization of the people Oyo Federal Constituency by fielding a running mate in the forthcoming governorship contest in the state to Oyo Zone.

The group’s position is contained in a statement signed by its coordinators, Mr. Abdullahi Olanrewaju Idowu and Tayo Samuel on Thursday.

The statement alleged that Oyo Central Senatorial Zone is yet to produce either a governor or deputy since the return to civil rule in 1999.

The group noted that from 1999 to 2019, a space of 20 years, all governors and their deputies have emerged from other zones but Oyo. The governors include; Alhaji Lam Adesina, 1999 – 2003; Senator Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, 2003 – 2007; Otunba Adebayo Alao Akala, 2007 – 2011 and the current occupier, Senator Abiola Ajimobi from 2011 – 2019.

Similarly, Chief Iyiola Oladokun, 1999 – 2003; Otunba Adebayo Alao Akala, 2003 – 2007; Alhaji Taofeek Arapaja, 2007 -2011 and Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo, 2011 – 2019, the present deputy governor, all come from other zones but Oyo.

“With the current political permutation and the voting strengths and patterns in the 7 Zones in Oyo State - Ibadan City, Ibadan Less City, Ibarapa, Oyo, Ogbomoso, Oke Ogun I and Oke Ogun II and taking a cursory look at the two major political parties ADC and APC, comparing Apple for Apple vis-à-vis the likely zoning arrangement of state political offices by these parties, it is highly expedient that ADC should zone its deputy governorship position to Oyo Federal Constituency,” the statement stated. 

According to Idowu, the group’s position is premised on permutations that the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, would most likely pick its governorship candidate from Ibadan and its deputy from Ogbomoso, “a zone where the ADC stood no chance of winning the gubernatorial election”. 

“Judging from the array of gubernatorial aspirants in ADC, it is certain that the governorship candidate of the party will be picked from amongst the aspirants from Ibadan zone. 

“ADC is very strong in Oyo Federal Constituency, and it is a statement of fact that after Ibadan zones, Oyo zone has the largest followership in ADC and it is a good strategy to exploit the voting bloc from the zone to neutralize the likely results that will be coming from Ogbomoso zone during 2019 governorship election. 

“From INEC statistical data, Oyo zone has over 250,000 registered voters and Ogbomoso equally has over 250,000 registered voters and politics is a game of number.

“From 2011 and 2015 governorship election results, it was confirmed that Oyo votes were used to neutralize and or consume results from Ogbomoso zone,” the group stated.

Idowu expressed confidence that should ADC consider picking its governorship running mate from the Oyo Zone for the first time, it will be a masterstroke and a bitter pill for other political parties, especially the ruling party to swallow seeing that it will galvanize more votes and also change the political dynamics of Oyo state as this strategy will propel ADC to win the gubernatorial election in the state.

The group appealed to party leaders, elders and state executives, as well as other stakeholders to consider the marginalized Oyo zone to produce the deputy governor in 2019 for the first time in the spirit of equity and fairness. 

The statement said that “equity and justice no doubt constitute the hallmark and pride of the Yoruba race. In the socio-economic sphere as well as in the traditional governance structure of the Yoruba people, the principle of fairness is sacrosanct. Indeed, it is the basis for peaceful co-existence, harmonious living, progress and societal development.

“This principle is even more relevant in modern times. The politics of ‘zoning’ and ‘rotation’ are founded on this principle. And many states of Nigeria have found it very efficacious and durable. But we may find it a bit difficult to subject this concept to test in Oyo State – the crucible of Yoruba Politics.”

Group Petitions EFCC On Economic Sabotage By General Electric International And Her Nigerian Business partner Rockson Engineering Nigeria Ltd

The Empowerment for Unemployed Youth has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) over the massive fraud, financial crimes, and economic sabotage perpetrated against Nigeria by General Electric International, Rockson Engineering Nigeria Ltd and their associates resulting in the crippling of the power sector

Addressing the EFCC official today in Abuja, Solomon Adodo who spoke on behalf of several Civil Society Organisations that made up the Empowerment for Unemployed Youth, he called on the EFCC to cause a detailed investigation of the facts contained in their petition and invite the key players to find out why they have continued to sabotage the Federal Government’s efforts and investments in the power sector.

Excerpt is the full text of the petition submitted to the EFCC:

26th SEPTEMBER, 2018.

THE AG. CHAIRMAN,

ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIMES COMMISSION,

EFCC HEAD OFFICE,

ABUJA.

MASSIVE FRAUD, FINANCIAL CRIMES, AND ECONOMIC SABOTAGE PERPETRATED AGAINST NIGERIA BY GENERAL ELECTRIC INTERNATIONAL, ROCKSON ENGINEERING NIGERIA LTD AND THEIR ASSOCIATES RESULTING IN THE CRIPPLING OF THE POWER SECTOR

The Empowerment for Unemployed Youth Initiative is a body duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission to champion the cause of the unemployed youth vis-à-vis the factors influencing unemployment  alongside our sister Civil Society Organizations are deeply pained at the deafening silence accorded the House of Representatives Report of Investigation into the huge sums of money spent on power generation, transmission and distribution between June 1999 and May 2007 without commensurate result.

More worrying and utterly disconcerting is the fact that most of the companies that played key roles and/or were indicted by the said Report chronicling the grandest heist against the Nigerian economy and her good people have resurfaced under new consortiums to continue their spree of unfettered looting and defrauding of the Nigerian government while posing as Nigeria's technology partners in the power sector.

It is quite saddening to note that General Electric International and her Nigerian business partner Rockson Engineering Nigeria Ltd (which now hides under the nest of a corruptly contrived consortium with GE) have chosen the inglorious path of continuing in leading this unholy pack of looters having bribed their way out of the appropriate sanctions that should ordinarily have been visited on them for their conspicuous roles in the fraud and deliberate sabotage committed against Nigeria as revealed by the House Report which specifically recommended that General Electric, Rockson Engineering and their thieving cronies be subjected to thorough criminal investigation and prosecution.

We are further disenchanted at the fact that General Electric and Rockson Engineering still continue to bleed Nigeria of direly needed funds through highly over-inflated contracts skewed in a manner that they are doomed to fail such that the duo can maintain Nigeria as a feasting ground through a never ending circle of fraudulent activities that stand to Nigeria's development with negative economic consequences that further exacerbate the unemployment situation.

It is therefore highly imperative that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission expedite action to halt this vociferous decimation of our economy while hounding the individuals behind these crimes to jail to serve as deterrent to other individuals or entities. Indeed, the avowed stand of the President MuhammaduBuhari led administration not only to fight corruption and economic crimes to a standstill but also to right the compounded wrongs of many years perpetrated against the Nigerian nation can not be shoved aside. To this extent this General Electric/Rockson Engineering Consortium fraud presents a clear litmus test and the EFCC is hereby called upon to do the needful.

The following incontrovertible facts should further help the EFCC in doing justice to this matter. From 1999 when Nigeria returned to democratic governance to date, the Federal Government has invested well over $20 billion to ensure that there is stable power supply but in spite of this huge investment, the Nigerian power situation continues to wobble due largely to the deliberate activities of GE and its conspirators who have sabotaged the efforts of the Federal Government.

As a starting point, during the administration of President OlusegunObasanjo, GCFR, between 2003 and 2007, the Federal Government of Nigeria came up with an intervention program in the power sector to improve generation with investments in a number of new gas to power projects. For inexplicable and unjustifiable reasons, the projects were awarded without any bid and in flagrant breach of relevant procurement laws and due process.

As later events have revealed, especially after these contracts became public knowledge, these contracts were awarded at outrageous and hyper-inflated sums without appropriate and requisite feasibility studies underpinning them or even post contract supervision to ensure they were executed let alone being executed efficiently. Partly, because GE promised to invest $100 million in a state-of-the-art repair and service plant for power turbines; a repair and service plant which never came to fruition like other GE empty promises used as a bait to defraud the Nigerian Government. However, today 10 of the 18 turbines supplied by GE in one scope are flown back to the US for refurbishment and repairs.

Strangely, while payments under these contracts were specified against identified milestones, payments were made without the attainment of any milestone whatsoever. Now, as GE produces both single cycle and combined cycle gas turbines, it was ordinarily expected that they know the technical specifications of turbines especially with regards to efficiency. Generally, the single cycle gas turbines have an efficiency factor of 27%, while the combined cycle gas turbine has an efficiency factor of 47%. This is a fact known to GE as producer of these turbines. Sadly, GE supplied the Federal Government with single cycle gas turbines instead of the more efficient combine cycle gas turbines, despite that they have held themselves out (howbeit pretentiously) as Nigeria’s technology partner. It is rather baffling why they did not recommend to supply combine cycles which are more efficient with additional investments per project.

In respect of these power projects, GE International and its Nigerian partner, Rockson Engineering were engaged to provide the country with technical assistance and guidance and also to supply all the turbines through letters of credit fully established and paid in advance in USD to be delivered at Nigeria Seaports of Lagos and Onne, in Rivers State. When GE indicated that the turbines were ready, the Federal Ministry of power, having realized that the sites were not ready for the turbines, instructed GE to keep the turbines in the warehouse until when the sites were prepared and ready to receive the turbines. However, not only did GE refuse to keep the turbines in the warehouse, they shipped and dumped the turbines at the Lagos and Onne Ports without proper preservation because neither GE nor Rockson Engineering accepted that it was their responsibility to do so.

Understandably, whatever loss that would be occasioned would be borne by the Federal Government while these entities get their maximum and hyper-inflated payments.

In order to save the turbines from deterioration, the Federal Ministry of Power had to again award a separate service contract to GE to, among other things, assess the conditions of the very turbines they supplied for which the sum of $5million was paid by the Federal Government of Nigeria to GE.

After the assessments, GE was also contracted to supply replacement spare parts for the same turbines at the sum of $15 million USD for repairs of the turbines. The implication of the foregoing is that GE successfully stole from the Federal Government of Nigeria an additional sum of $20 million USD for what was apparently the fault and misconduct of GE.

Additionally, whereas GE supplied the turbines referred to above, that is, 18 nos. GE frame 9 x126MW turbines for total sum of $404 million USD, in the case of Egbema, Amoku and Gbarain the same GE supplied 9 nos. GE frame turbines of 126MW each through Rockson Engineering at a whooping sum of $1.55 billion USD. In other words, while GE supplied 18 units at $404 million USD in 2007, the same GE, as a consortium with Rockson Engineering supplied only 9 units of the same turbines at $1.55 billion USD. While GE was bleeding the nation to death as shown above and in many other instances too many to recount in this Petition, Rockson was also hammering away on the already fragile walls of the Federal Government’s finances. Thus, between the duo of GE and Rockson, Nigeria lost billions of dollars and with nothing to show or justify such humongous pillaging of our resources.

THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PROBE

On the basis of the facts highlighted above among many others, the House of Representatives, in 2008 constituted an Ad-hoc Committee to investigate the power sector expenditure. The report of the Ad-hoc committee which is annexed to this Petition did not only thoroughly berate and deprecate the fraudulent, outlandish and sordid acts of GE and its allies, notable among whom was Rockson, the report specifically recommended that GE, Rockson and their cronies be subjected to criminal investigation and prosecution. Furthermore, while the EFCC was investigating Rockson Engineering Nigeria Ltd in 2009 of fraud involving the sum of over N347billion, GE and Rockson Engineering Nigeria Ltd entered into a Consortium Agreement.

The aim of this consortium agreement was to provide a cover for RocksonEngineering which was blacklisted as at that time due to its fraudulent activities as per the Report of the House of Representatives. By reason of this consortium agreement, they were awarded the EPC contract for 215MW Kaduna Power Plant by the Federal Ministry of Power for $256million USD.

The performance period (timeframe for execution) for the Kaduna Power Plant project was 36 months from the date of the award.

Equally, the various other power projects awarded to GE and Rockson prior to the Kaduna Power Plant (the pre-2009 projects) were also slated for completion within 48 months during which these projects ought to have been completed and handed over to the Federal Government to contribute to the national grid of electricity generation and supply. Thus, by all reasonable estimation, Nigeria would have had thousands of megawatts produced and aligned for utilization sometime about 2011. Sadly however, none of these projects has been delivered up to date (2018) but the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing continue to pay GE and Rockson Engineering on the said service contracts, apparently with the connivance of project staff of the Ministry of Power.

Some of the projects designed and intended to generate electricity are as shown below:

GbarainUbie - 378MW

Amoku - 378MW

Egbema - 378MW

Kaduna - 215 MW

TOTAL 1349MW

It is therefore clear that the activities of GE International has deprived Nigeria of at least 1349MW of electricity over a period of about six (6) years.  Still further, the choice (preferred) fuel for the Kaduna 215MW power plant as per the EPC contract was LPFO and natural gas. GE, Nigeria’s Technology Partner knowing that LPFO is available at Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemicals Company, but that pipeline gas is not available eliminated in the fuel mix post contract execution and commencement, leaving only the unavailable natural gas. This would create an impossible situation and leave the nation to only make recourse to diesel with its severe economic repercussions. Consistent with their shameless tradition of abuse, brazen acts of defrauding the nation and mindless scheming, perhaps aided and emboldened by some unpatriotic elements in positions of authority, GE and Rockson have written to the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing requesting for $15million USD to re-introduce LPFO into the fuel mix of Kaduna 215MW Power Plant. The request is still pending.

We find it incomprehensible that the duo of GE and Rockson would be so bold to not only deprive the nation of a critical operational component of the equipment they contracted to deliver (as per the LPFO fraud) but also turn around to demand for an additional whooping sum of USD15 million as harvest in furtherance of their malevolence. How can a contractor who breached the contract by excluding the LPFO component in the equipment feel so confident to demand for such outrageous sum in the name of remedying its design defect?

ROCKSON AS A CHRONIC DEBTOR

It is important to state here that in the midst of all of this, Rockson Engineering has severally been listed as a bad debtor and that AMCON has bought over some of its bad debts.

It is as well important to state that whereas the activities of Rockson Engineering and its CEO, Sir Johnson Arumemi-Ikhide with regards to their relationship with Rivers State Government, Dr. Peter Odili and Arik Air has been a subject of previous investigation by the EFCC, the aspect covered by this petition which is of far more national consequence, has never been investigated.

Rockson has not only aided and abetted the criminal and fraudulent acts of GE on the nation, it has yielded itself as an active instrument by which these frauds have been practiced on and perpetrated against Nigeria by GE. On reading of the contract in respect of the Kaduna power plant brings to the fore certain curious features and occurrences of very significant proportions. Firstly, GE’s choice of Rockson in the midst of previous indictment and the House of Representatives’ investigation and damning report. Secondly, the decision by GE and Rockson to enter into a consortium arrangement with liability specified as several and not joint despite that they bided for the contract as one entity, with GE as leader of the consortium to protect and cover Rockson completely. Thirdly, the acceptance by government officials to award and execute the contract with GE-Rockson on the basis of several liability despite that both entities were awarded the contract as a single Contractor. Many more flashpoints abound in the contract. The character of its execution is a sad tale of public knowledge.

THE SABOTAGE AND ECONOMIC REPERCUSSIONS.

The acts of sabotage done to the efforts of the Federal Government and the economy of Nigeria by GE and Rockson are quite monumental and include the following:

Defrauding Nigeria of $1.348 billion USD over and above the standard international price of single cycle GE frame 9 turbines.

Loss of over 1349MW of electric power to the national grid for a period of over 6 years which, when sold at N40/KWh would have directly generated at least, the sum of N1,388,202,105,600.00 as detailed below:

Avg. power Available (MW)

Years delayed

Annual Loss of Revenue (NGN)

Total Loss of Revenue (NGN)

Kaduna

105.1

6

36,823,536,00

220,941,216,000.00

Egbeme

185.7

6

64,847,827,200.00

389,086,963,200.00

Omoku

185.7

6

64,847,827,200.00

389,086,963,200.00

Gbarain

185.7

6

64,847,827,200.00

389,086,963,200.00

GRAND TOTAL

1,388,202,105,600.00

Loss of over $7 billion USD in direct foreign exchange on importation of generators and diesel fuel imported and used for self-generation by Nigerians (from 2011 to 2018).

Loss of revenues and jobs in textiles and other industrial clusters across the country expected to gain from increased and stable power.

Loss of approximately $150million USD for non-proper preservation of the turbines, consultancy fees and procurement of spare parts.

Loss of small scale self employment opportunities for the youth.

PRAYERS

Given all that has been said above, and the much that may further be revealed in the course of investigating this petition, it is our prayer that:

EFCC would cause a detailed investigation of the facts contained in this petition and invite the key players to find out why they have continued to sabotage the Federal Government’s efforts and investments in the power sector.

The key actors who would provide relevant information include:

GE Nigeria, CEO,

Mr Lazarus Angbazo and representatives of the various GEentities in Nigeria including but not limited to GE International Operations Nigeria Limited, General Electric NP Nigeria Limited, Pressure Control Systems Nigeria Limited, among others

Rockson Engineering Nig. Ltd/Rockson International Group Limited, CEO, Sir Johnson Arumemi-Ikhide

LiyelImoke, former Minister of Power.

Esther NenadiUsman, Former Minister of Finance.

Project Managers and staff of Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing of Egbema, GbarainUbie, Amoku, Kaduna and Alaoji power plants.

Project Consultants of Egbema, GbarainUbie, Amoku, Alaoji and Kaduna Power Plants.

Officials of Bureau of Public Procurement.

Officials of AMCON

It is our firm belief that a detailed investigation of the facts contained in this petition would help to determine the actual economic losses and havoc done to Nigeria by GE, Rockson and other actors in the despicable developments set forth herein with a view to recovering them and preventing future losses in the national interest.

Please accept the assurance of our commitment to the Nigerian project.

Thank you.

Yours faithfully,

Solomon Adodo