Godwin Obaseki has been returned by INEC as Edo State governor-elect.
The candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the Edo
State governorship election, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has been declared
winner of the poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
He defeated his main rival and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, with 66,310 more votes.
Obaseki polled 319,483 votes as against Ize-Iyamu’s 253, 173 votes.
INEC’s Returning Officer, Prof. Kayode Soremekun, who
declared Obaseki winner, said he had met all conditions required to be
returned as governor elect for the state.
Obaseki had claimed an early lead in the poll, but half way
into the election, the tie had been evenly posed with results appearing
to be likely to swing in either candidate’s direction.
With results for nine of the 18 local government areas in
the state collated around 11am, Obaseki had won five LGAs and polled
142,424 votes as against Ize-Iyamu’s four LGAs and 136,808 votes.
The results for the remaining nine local governments, however, saw the APC candidates lead widen, paving way for his victory.
The collation and announcement of the result was not without incident.
Hundreds of PDP supporters held a protest at the INEC office in Benin where the exercise was taking place.
The protesters alleged that results from their areas were
manipulated and that there results were cancelled in areas that were PDP
strongholds. They called on INEC to suspend collation of result from
the areas, including Esan North-East LGA.
The protesters were, however, dispersed by the police with tear gas as the protest became more heated.
Also, some agents, including that of KOWA Party, called for
the cancellation of the result, with others, including the APC candidate
urging them to go to court.
Also, PDP’s agent, Chris Agbonwanegbe, refused to sign the result sheet, saying it was “rehearsed and produced”.
See collated results for all LGAs below:
The Chairman of the All Progressives
Congress, Edo chapter, Mr. Anselm Ojezua, has described the rejection of
the state governorship election results by the Peoples Democratic Party
as an act of a bad loser.
Ojezua said in Benin on Thursday that the entire process of the election had been nothing but peaceful.
He said, “This is just a case of a bad loser. It is a pity that the PDP expects to win in a state which it had run down.
“Though the announcement of the results is still ongoing, I commend INEC , thus far.
“The process was very peaceful. INEC was efficient in delivery of materials to ensure that they got to locations on time.”
The chairman advised the PDP to channel its grievances to the appropriate quarters.
The PDP had, through its Chairman, rejected the results of the election, describing it as “fabricated and pre-determined”.
The
All Progressive Congress (APC) candidate in the Edo governorship
election, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, currently ahead of his closest rival from
the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, with 62,
306 votes.
The APC has polled 306,663 votes, while the PDP garnered 244,363 in
all the local government areas where results have been officially
announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Results of 17 out of 18 LGAs in Edo State have been announced by INEC.
The APC won in 12 LGAs, while PDP triumphed in five.
Ovia South West is the only local government whose results have not been declared.
A former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku
Abubakar, has faulted the national leadership of the All Progressives
Congress for overruling the recommendation of its appeal panel on the
Ondo State governorship primary.
The appeal panel had recommended the
cancellation of the APC governorship primary in Ondo State, where a
Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, emerged the winner.
The National Working Committee of the
ruling party, however, ignored the panel’s report and submitted
Akeredolu’s name to the Independent National Electoral Commission as the
APC candidate for the November 26 governorship election in the state.
Atiku, in a statement in Abuja on
Wednesday by his Media Office, urged the NWC of the party, led by Chief
John Odigie-Oyegun, to promote the rule of law and due process in the
conduct of its affairs.
This, he said, was germane to the unity
and stability of the party, adding that the leaders should stop breaking
their own rules.
The National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju
Bola Tinubu, had, in a statement, criticised Odigie-Oyegun for rejecting
the recommendation of the appeal panel on the Ondo primary of the
party.
Tinubu, a former Lagos State governor,
who called for the resignation of the national chairman, said
Odigie-Oyegun was promoting injustice in the party by manipulating the
Ondo primary.
In the statement by his media office,
Atiku stated that it was imperative for the national leadership of the
party to respect internal democracy and democratic tenets, warning that
“you cannot break your own rules without creating problems.”
Atiku added that the NWC was supposed to
be an impartial umpire in the arbitration of crisis among its members
in any given election.
He noted that since the APC found
veritable reasons to review the outcome of the governorship primary, and
was able to establish valid grounds to cancel the exercise as well as
call for a fresh one, the decision to deviate from the panel’s decision
was a negation of due process and “an unfashionable hollow in democratic
best practices.”
The former vice-president stated that it
was wrong for the APC to have set aside a resolution its own organ
reached on the crisis.
He advised the leadership of the party to do a soul-searching on why problem arose and escalated.
According to Atiku, the party leadership
should always be guided by respect for the rules, fairness, equity,
neutrality and respect for democratic consensus.
The former vice-president, however,
urged aggrieved members of the APC in the Ondo election to exercise
restraint in seeking redress to the crisis.
He asked the leadership of the party to
retrace its steps and restore confidence among the conflicting parties
in the state for the overall benefit of the ruling party.
One of our correspondents learnt that a meeting of the party leaders and some governors would take place next week.
It was gathered that the meeting was part of moves to resolve the crisis caused by the Ondo State primary.
A party leader, who confided in The PUNCH,
on Wednesday, said, “I can tell you we will meet on the crisis,
possibly on Wednesday (next week). Our leaders will also reach out to
Asiwaju.”
There were reports on Wednesday that the party mandated the Progressives Governors’ Forum to intervene in the crisis.
According to the report, the party and the forum had mandated the Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, to meet Tinubu.
Tambuwal was said to have been contacted
by the party leaders on Tuesday to mediate in the dispute between
Tinubu and Odigie-Oyegun.
The PUNCH learnt that the governor would meet the APC leader on Saturday as part of efforts to resolve the crisis in the party.
It was reported on Wednesday that the
crisis was one of the issues discussed at a meeting Tambuwal and the
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, had with
President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday.
The media aide to Tinubu, Tunde Rahman,
however, said he was not aware of any planned meeting between the former
governor and Tambuwal.
“I thought that when Tambuwal was asked
if his meeting with Buhari had to do with the matter of the Ondo APC, he
said he did not know,” Rahman said while parrying the question.
Meanwhile, a member of the appeal panel
set up on the Ondo governorship primary, who spoke on condition of
anonymity with our correspondent on Wednesday in Abuja, expressed
sadness over the flouting of rules in the party.
He said, “I am glad our leaders have
started speaking out. We cannot continue to have a situation where the
proper things are jettisoned under the guise of expediency.
“That former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar is standing up to be counted is something we should be happy about.”
Finance
Minister Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, yesterday said Nigeria was already walking
out of the economic recession following some positive measures the
Federal Government had taken.
Mrs. Adeosun added that the recovery plan was to invest more in infrastructure and stop wastage in governance.
The Minister, in an interview with
reporters after the closing ceremony of the 2016 National Council of
Finance and Economic Development (NACOFED) conference in Abeokuta, the
Ogun State capital, noted that the economic recovery process would be
driven from the local, state and the Federal Government levels.
“We are investing more in capital
expenditure than we have ever invested. We are sorting out
infrastructure; we are stopping wastage and so the sign of recovery is
already there.
“We are already getting out of recession
because of the actions the Federal Government is taking. If you are in a
problem, the day you start to step towards progression, you are already
getting out of it; we are getting out of it.
“Agriculture and solid minerals are
already starting to grow and so they are responding to our policy
initiative and we are expected to continue in that direction.”
“Nigeria is getting out of the trouble
that we have found ourselves. We are turning things around and I believe
everybody is united and everybody that was here (conference)
represented the 36 states of Nigeria and this recovery will be driven
from the state and local governments,” she said.
According to her, the diversification of the economy from oil to agriculture and solid minerals is yielding positive results.
She urged the Finance Commissioners from
the 36 states and other stakeholders at the conference not to see
economic recovery as the Federal Government’s responsibility, but rather
join hands to save the economy.
“There are no Federal people; everybody
lives in the states. So having everybody together working in the same
direction is very important and I want everybody to be included,” Mrs.
Adeosun said.
Some of the big names failed to deliver their polling units in yesterday’s Edo State governorship election.
But the two leading candidates – Godwin Obaseki of the APC and Osagie Ize-Iyamu – won in their units.
The APC candidate, who voted at Unit 19, Ward four in Oredo local government, secured 160 votes against 77 votes for the PDP.
Ize-Iyamu won in his unit (Unit 26 Ward 5 in Orhionmwon local government area) by 369 votes to APC’s one.
Governor Adams Oshiomhole also won in
his polling unit but former Governor Oserhiemen Osunbor lost his unit to
the PDP. APC National Chairman chief John Odigie –Oyegun lost in his
Unit 2, Ward 2, Oredo local government polling unit although the party
won in the local government.
At the PU001 Staff Training School,
Benin where Oyegun and Ize-Iyamu’s wife, Idia, voted, the PDP won the
unit with 78 votes to APC’s 69.
Former chairman of the Board of Trustees
(BoT) of the PDP Cief Tony Anenih delivred in Esan Northeast local
government to the PDP . He voted at Uzenema Primary School, Urue-Uromi.
PDP won 123 votes to APC’s 48.
At his poling unit in Iruekpen, Esan
West local government, the PDP took 168 votes to APC’s 120. The PDP also
took the local government, it was learnt.
In Ward 10, Unit 1, Iyamho in Etsako West local government, where Oshiomhole voted, the APC scored 752 votes to PDP’s two votes.
Former Chief of Staff to former
President Goodluck Jonathan, Chief Mike Ogiadomhe, secured a victory for
the Peoples Democratic Party in his polling unit at Fugar, Estako
Central local government.
The PDP got 308 votes to APC’s 214 votes.
APC chieftain Gen. Charles Airhiavbere at Unit 18, 19, 20 and 21 of Ward one in Oredo local government, delivered for his party.
In Unit 18, PDP got 158 while the APC
got 259. At Unit 19, APC got 146 and PDP 85. From Unit 20, the APC got
259 votes and the PDP 208 votes and in Unit 21 the APC scored 128 votes
and PDP got 98 votes.
Senator Matthew Urhoghide voted in Unit nine Ward two where the PDP scored 139 and the APC got 51 votes
The police declared the election peaceful in spite of some skirmishes that were recorded.
Three helicopters were deployed on patrol. They moved over the senatorial districts and waterways between 2pm and 6pm.
Speaking to reporters after the aerial
patrol, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in charge of
Operations, Habila Joshak, who led a team of security agents across the
state, said there was no major security issue.
He said: “With adequate preparation and
education of the electorate and with the needed equipment availed
security agencies, we can conduct peaceful, free and fair election in
this country.
“Even though this country is yet to
accept politics as a way of electing leaders to govern us, respect the
laws when not elected and celebrate with decorum when elected, we
recorded just one or two incidents of people attempting to replay some
of the old practices.
“I would say the election was 99 per
cent peaceful. If there were arrests made, it was to restrain people
from carryout any action that will threaten the conduct of the poll.
They might not be serious issues. But those arrested will be brought to
the command headquarters and interrogated.
“We will look at the cases and tell you
what happened. But right now, I can only say that some people tried to
exploit the peculiarities of some polling booths that are remotely
located and not easily accessible to armed policemen. They attempted
that but in each of the attempt, some arrests were made. No weapons
recovered.”
The House of Representatives on
Wednesday suspended its former Chairman, Appropriations Committee,
Abdulmumin Jibrin, from the parliament for 180 legislative days (roughly
one year).
He was also banned from holding any position of responsibility in the House for the rest of the 8th National Assembly.
In addition, he would tender a written apology to the House on resumption from suspension.
This followed the adoption of the report
of the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges which investigated
allegations of breach of privileges of the House and its members by
Jibrin.
The suspended lawmaker had soon after
his removal as chairman, Appropriations Committee, accused the Speaker,
Yakubu Dogara; the Deputy Speaker, Yussuff Lasun; Whip, Alhassan Doguwa,
and Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, alongside some committee chairmen of
budget fraud.
He also accused his colleagues of
systemic corruption which he said he had a divine mandate to expose with
a view to engineering reforms.
His public statements angered members of the House who were then observing their annual recess.
On resumption, the Chairman of the House
Committee on Rules and Business, Emmanuel Orker-Jev, moved a motion
citing a breach of the privilege of the House and its members against
Jibrin.
The matter was subsequently referred to the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges for investigations.
Presenting the report on the floor of
the House during plenary on Wednesday, the Chairman of the Committee,
Nicolas Ossai, said after a week-long investigations, his panel found
Jibrin guilty on all counts.
Ossai said, “Hon Orker-Jev underscored
the gravity of the allegations (made by Jibrin) as a calculated campaign
of calumny, denigration of the House and publication of false and
scandalous statements with libellous, contemptuous and defamatory
contents in various media platforms.”
He said during its sitting the committee
received oral evidences, electronic records and written documents from
Orker-Jev and Channels Television.
As part of his testimony before the committee, Orker-Jev was quoted as quoting Jibrin as saying,
“As it stands today, these corrupt elements have infested the House, making the institution a hub of systemic corruption.
“I repeat, there is massive individual
and systemic corruption in the House of Representatives. And all
Nigerians have a responsibility to avail themselves of this rare
opportunity to flush out corruption in the House.”
He tendered copies of The PUNCH, and
several other national and regional newspapers as well as discs
containing visual and audio recordings of Jibrin making these comments
on national television.
Ossai expressed regret at the
respondent’s refusal to honour the committee’s invitation even when it
agreed to make the hearing public.
The committee said from its findings, the fact that Jibrin made the statements credited to him was not in doubt.
It also said, “The committee found that
those statements were broad sweeping without proof; consequently the
committee views those statements as injurious, scandalous and
denigrating to the House as an institution.
“…That the committee considers that the
actions of Hon. Abdulmumin Jibrin, taken as a whole, amount to an
infraction of Sections 21 and 24 of the Legislative Houses (Power and
Privileges) Act and the rules of the House.
“The committee finds that Hon.
Abdulmumin Jibrin breached the practices, precedents and usages of the
House of Representatives in that the House has established procedure for
expressing and redressing grievances which he didn’t follow.”
The committee then recommended that
“Abdulmumin Jibrin, should be reprimanded in accordance with Chapter
9(1) of the Code of Conduct for Members of the House of
Representatives.”
Deputy Speaker of the House, Yusuf
Lasun, who presided over the session, put the committee’s report and its
recommendations to a voice vote and it was unanimously approved.
In his reaction to the development,
Jibrin said the entire process leading to his suspension was flawed and
as far as he was concerned, “it is a non-issue and complete nonsense and
it is not going to stand anywhere in the world.
“As you are aware, the matter is a
subject of litigation, I have instructed my lawyer, Femi Falana SAN, to
file charges of contempt against Speaker Dogara and of course the House
of Representatives and I’m sure the matter will move over to the
judiciary and decision will be taken. I’m pretty sure it will be in my
favour.”
Falana, who berated Dogara over the suspension of Jibrin, said the suspension would not stand the test of time.
In a message sent to our correspondent
via email, Falana said, “It is the height of contempt. It is a primitive
resort to self-help by the House of Representatives. Since the matter
is in court, the House deliberately breached its rule of not interfering
with pending judicial proceedings.
“In his desperation to cover up the
scandal the Speaker, Honourable Dogara, made himself the accuser,
witness, prosecutor and judge at the same time and thereby breached the
elementary rule of nemo judex in causa sua (thou shall not be a judge in
your own cause).”
The
House of Representatives on Wednesday suspended a former Chairman,
Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, for 180 legislative days.
The suspension followed the adoption of the recommendations of the Nicholas Ossai-led Ethics and Privileges Committee.
The Committee laid the report earlier in the day and it was considered and adopted in the afternoon.
All four recommendations were adopted at the Committee of the Whole House presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Yussuff Lasun.
Speaker Yakubu Dogara left the chamber shortly before the House
dissolved into the Committee of the Whole House and came back just
before the adoption of the recommendations.
Jibrin had alleged that Dogara, Lasun, Whip Alhassan Doguwa, Minority
leader Leo Ogor and nine committee chairmen illegally inserted
fictitious projects into the 2016 Budget.
Jibrin was accused of bringing the House into disrepute with his utterances and action over the scandal.
The Senate on Tuesday began a probe into
the allegation that the MTN Nigeria had repatriated $13.9bn from
Nigeria to other countries between 2006 and now.
A member of the Senate representing
Kogi-West Senatorial District, Dino Melaye, while moving a motion based
on the ‘Unscrupulous Violation of the Foreign Exchange (Monitoring and
Miscellaneous) Act’, alleged that MTN illegally repatriated the amount
out of the country through its bankers.
The bankers, according to him, are
Stanbic IBTC, which allegedly helped the firm to transfer $4.87bn;
Standard Chartered Bank, $5.72bn; Citi Bank, $2.98bn; and Diamond Bank,
$0.35bn.
The lawmaker stated that he had
documentary evidences to back his claims, some of which he brought to
the floor of the chamber and said would be made available for
investigation.
He said, “The Senate observes that MTN
did not request for the Certificate of Capital Importation from its
bankers, Standard Chartered Bank, within the regulatory period of 24
hours of the inflow. The Senate observes also that the CBN was not
notified of this inflow by Standard Chartered Bank within 48 hours of
receipt and conversion of the proceeds to naira as required by
regulation.
“It further observes that the sum of
$117,683,987bn was also brought in by MTN between 2001 and 2003 in three
different tranches. It is concerned that since inception, MTN had
sought the collaboration of influential and unpatriotic Nigerians to
assist them in looting our external reserves.”
The Nigerians, Melaye added, included a
serving minister, who he said MTN allegedly used in moving $13.92bn out
of Nigeria, which was over 50 per cent of the country’s external
reserves, to floated and incorporated offshore Special Purpose Vehicles
in the Cayman Island, Mauritius and British Virgin Island.
The senator listed the names of the
SPVs, their promoters/shareholders and their share loan between MTN
South Africa as: Cel Telephone Investment Limited, Port Louis,
Mauritius; Dr. Pascal Dozie and Dr. Okechuckwu Elenemah; $20,749,532;
Celtel funded shares SPV (which was renamed NISPV Limited in 2008), Port
Louis, Mauritius; Dr. Pascal Dozie, Ahmed Dasuki, Gbenga Oyebode,
Babatunde Folawiyo and Dr. Okechukwu Elenemah, $2,019,232.
Others are Mobile Communication
Investment Limited, Port Louis, Mauritius; Mohammed Sanni Bello;
$3,862,985; Mobile Communication Holdings, Port Louis, Mauritius;
Mohammed Sanni Bello; $3,454,102; Hermitage Overseas Corporation
Limited; Victor Odili; $10,273,986; SASPV Limited and Ahmed Dasuki,
$10,058,991.
The list also includes NCell Limited,
Geneva Water Front Drive, British Virgin Island; Gbenga Oyebode,
$4,512,593; Universal Communication Limited, Barkly House, George Town,
Cayman Island; and Babatunde Folawiyo, $5,534,941.
The President of the Senate, Senator
Bukola Saraki, noted that the allegations raised by Melaye were serious
and required thorough investigation as the issues could not be ignored.
The lawmakers subsequently voted that
the Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions
should carry out “a holistic investigation” into the matter and report
back to the Senate.
The committee was given two weeks to carry out the task.
Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole,
said on Tuesday that the picture of a convicted terrorist, Umar Farouk
Abdulmutallab, was found in a fake voter register as an eligible voter
for Wednesday’s governorship election.
Oshiomhole, who spoke when he received
the United States Consul General in Lagos, John Bray, at the Government
House in Benin, explained that the said terrorist was registered with a
Bini name.
Abdulmutallab was convicted for
attempting to detonate explosives hidden in his underwear onboard an
airline from Amsterdam, The Netherlands, to Detroit, Michigan, on
December 25, 2009.
Oshiomhole, who expressed worry over the
development, noted that the foundation for credible elections was the
voter register, adding that once the voter register was manipulated,
there could be problems.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the
Independent National Electoral Commission in Edo State, Mrs. Priscilla
Imoudu-Sule, promised to get back to our correspondent.
But she has yet to do so as of the time of filing the report.
Oshiomhole explained, “Right now, we
have evidence of two versions of the voter register – the one they have
officially distributed and the one that some elements within the ICT in
INEC have also produced in Abuja.
“What they have done in the past, which
we hear they want to re-enact, is that they will display one voter
register which is reasonably accurate. They also have a fake one which
they intend to bring and use to spring a surprise in certain locations,
where they believe that they have no chance. When voters go there, they
would find a voter register different from the one that they know. There
will be confusion in those voting centres.
“For example, I was shocked to find the
portrait of Mr. Abdulmutallab, and that will interest Your Excellency,
the young man who has been jailed in the US for a terrorist act. His
portrait is in the fake voter’s register with a Benin name under it.
“I am sure if you look at the face, if
we don’t know the face, you, the US officials know the face. And you
find the name under it, that it is a Benin name in Ovia South-West.”
He also alleged that INEC had enlisted
some members of the opposition party as election observers even in
Etsako-West, where he hails from.
The governor said, “Last night, in my
local government, one of the PDP leaders, who incidentally is on the
list of INEC observers, I can be very specific, one Tenebe, we have
information that he got boys around and they were shooting. But the
police went to apprehend them; they engaged the police in a shootout.”
Oshiomhole, however, reiterated the
commitment of the state towards a peaceful conduct of the election,
adding that, “I guess that if you review your records or your political
notes, you would find that up till 2007, our opponents relied solely on
rigging.”
Earlier, he US Consul-General, who led a
delegation of election observers, expressed the hope that the outcome
of the poll would reflect the will of the electorate.
Brady said, “We are here to observe the
elections. We will all be watching this election very closely. It is
essential that the election is peaceful, fair and credible and reflects
the will of Edo citizens.
“The postponement was a setback a
few weeks ago. But I still believe it offers us the opportunity to hold
the first successful and transparent governorship election in 2016.”
A Nigerian doctor based in Canada, Dr.
Adekunle Williams-Owolabi, has been banned from medical practice for six
months after making sexual comments to patients at his clinic in
Labrador West.
Owolabi’s licence was suspended and he
was ordered to pay the sum of $75,000 towards the costs of holding the
hearing where he was found guilty of professional misconduct towards
patients.
A panel established by the College of
Physicians and Surgeons of Newfoundland and Labrador in St. Johns made
the decision to suspend the doctor’s licence on Monday.
According to CBC News, a
teacher, Arlene Johnson, who visited Owolabi’s clinic, testified that he
made some sexual comments during a pelvic examination.
Johnson said that after the test, he had
hugged her and whispered in her ear, “You have a beautiful clit, does
your husband tell you that?”
Another complainant also testified that Owolabi made inappropriate comments while examining her pelvic.
She said Owolabi asked, “Do you like big ones or small ones?”
She noted that he made the comments when
she was pregnant, undressed from the waist down and her feet in
stirrups, while two female secretaries in the room watched.
The panel said that Owolabi’s
inappropriate comments and touching of patients showed a lack of respect
for their dignity and privacy. Therefore, it instructed him to have a
chaperone present whenever he sees female patients in the next two years
and after returning to medical practice.
Owolabi, who admitted to hugging one of
the patients, however denied making such comments towards the woman. His
lawyer, Paul Stokes, said they were disappointed in the panel for
making the decision.
Although the doctor has 30 days to
appeal the panel’s decision in court, Stokes said that he and his client
had not decided if they would appeal the decision.
The panel established a pattern of
behaviour after four former patients of Owolabi lodged the charges of
professional misconduct. They testified before the tribunal that his
actions ranged from making sexual comments to inappropriate touching and
kissing at his clinic.
Owolabi is said to have studied in Nigeria, but he was licenced to practice.
Having more sex makes men more likely to believe in God (well it is a miracle for some of them)
New research suggests sex inspires spirituality and even religious beliefs
According to Duke University's study, in America, it is down to oxytocin
The 'love hormone' is released during sex, childbirth and breastfeeding
Researchers claim having sex inspires spirituality and even belief in God.
According
to the research, sex releases a ‘love hormone’ oxytocin not only
promotes social bonding, altruism but also divinity – especially in men.
Researchers
at Duke University, in North Carolina, say that sex could inspire a
belief – or an increased belief – in God and religion.
The study published this week look at oxytocin a hormone which is often stimulated during sex, childbirth, and breastfeeding.
Researchers at Duke University, in North Carolina, say that sex could inspire a religious beliefs and spirituality
It also comes in medication form and is often used to help women in labour.
But
in the study, men reported a greater sense of spirituality shortly
after taking oxytocin and their feelings continued a week later.
According to a news website for the University, Duke Today,
lead author Patty Van Cappellen, a social psychologist at the American
University, said: ‘Spirituality and meditation have each been linked to
health and well-being in previous research.
‘We were interested in understanding biological factors that may enhance those spiritual experiences.
‘Oxytocin appears to be part of the way our bodies support spiritual beliefs.’
To test the chemical reaction some of the men were given the hormone whilst others took a placebo.
The men who got a dose of the ‘love hormone’ were more likely to say that spirituality was an important part of their lives.
The hormone oxytocin sparked more positive emotions but the study did not investigate its affects on women
And
not all of them had previously said that faith was a part of their
lives. They also expressed a feeling of unity with other people and
living things.
Oxytocin,
it seems, sparked more positive emotions, such as awe, gratitude, hope,
inspiration, love, and serenity. But it didn't affect everyone equally –
those with a certain gene, called CD38 and which regulates its release
in the brain, had a much more amplified response.
According
to the study, which was published in the Social Cognitive and Affective
Neuroscience, women produce more oxytocin then men, but Duke University
hasn't yet studied its effects on female godliness.
Dr
Van Cappellen adds that another study needs to be carried out with
women as the chemical operates differently between genders.
She added: ‘Spirituality is complex and affected by many factors.
‘However, oxytocin does seem to affect how we perceive the world and what we believe.
‘Oxytocin's effects on women's spirituality still needs to be investigated.’
The
period of courtship is very important and paramount in every
relationship because it is the period of knowing each other, the period
of knowing the character and attitude that each partner possesses.
This is also the time of knowing each other’s background, family
members and also the time for each partner to prepare for greater
responsibilities.
According to an online source, Courtship is the period in a
relationship which precedes engagement and marriage or the establishment
of an agreed relationship of a more enduring kind. During this time,
there are likely to be many challenges because it is a time of
understanding each other. Most often, partners detect the weakness(s) of
one another during this period. It is also a period during which a
couple develops a romantic relationship before getting married. Each
intending partner gets to know how to manage or tolerate the
temperaments of the spouse, since up-bring and exposure, education and
mindsets are not the same from person to person.
On the other hand, Marriage, according to an online free dictionary,
is a legally and formally recognized union of a man and a woman.
Similarly, it is a process by which two adults make their relationships
public with consents of parents or other witnesses. In some cases,
Courtship leads to marriage. However, there is a clear distinction
between marriage and wedding.
The utmost aim of every partner is to end up in marriage with man or
woman of their choice, but sometimes fail to understudy what marriage
entails.
Interestingly, most young person in contemporary days, look forward
to that day of wedding but do not know about the challenges of marriage.
Suffice to note here that being mature is more important in handling
all these responsibilities either in “marriage or courtship”.
As for Courtship, it allows intending spouses to practice, in a
limited way, the roles and the virtues needed in marriage, while
marriage permits them to practice the roles and virtues necessary in
living together for life.
In proper courtship, it is necessary for the partners must recognize their first righteous desires and ambitions.
In conclusion, by the most courtship metamorphose into marriage most
of the physical growth of each partner would have already occurred. More
importantly, the level of friendship that the couples have shown during
courtship, goes a long way in determining how smooth the marriage ride
will be, beginning from their wedding night.
Then, every intending spouse should bear in mind that the main
purpose of courtship is to avoid troubles in marriage and to know each
partner’s behaviors, attitudes, mannerism, temperament and interests
better before getting married. To the singles in courtship, please note
that marriage is not the place to start your studies, rather courtship.
And to the married, do have blissful years together for life.
The Chairman Senate Committee on the
Federal Capital Territory, Dino Melaye, has ordered for the slaughter of
any cow found loitering within the Abuja Metropolis. Melaye who gave the order in Abuja, on Monday, said
it became necessary to give the go ahead to kill the animals since
herders have refused to yield several warnings to keep their animals out
of the city. Melaye said it was obvious that the ban
placed on herders was not working as such new measures needed to be
adopted to serve as deterrent to errant herdsmen. He said, “Honourable Minister, Senate
as an institution is not happy at how Fulani Herdsmen continue to move
their cows across the city centre, which we are aware you have given
directive against some time ago. “From now, get knives and ask your men
to slaughter cows found in the capital city or prosecute herdsmen seen
with cows in the city centre and let them pay a fine of N50,000 per cow
or both. This order must be carried out.” The committee chairman told the
Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Alhaji Mohammed Bello, during an
interactive session in the Senate that members of the committee were
unhappy with the poor sanitary condition of the once beautiful city. Melaye further revealed that the Senate
had received several complaints that some residents of the territory
were converting their apartments into hotels and brothels; a situation
he said was distorting original master plan of the city. He noted that some people were already
undermining FCT authority under the Minister’s watch, a situation which
he said was unacceptable.
Armed robbers have attacked Balogun
Market on the Lagos Island, hacking three security men with machetes, in
a failed attempt to burgle some shops in the market.
PUNCH Metro learnt that in the
attack on Friday at about 5am, one of the robbers, a Nigerien identified
only as Saidu, was also hacked to death by a mob.
It was gathered that the robbers, whose
number had yet to be ascertained, were armed with cutlasses and
attempted to open some shops.
Our correspondent learnt that a distress
call was put across to the Ebute Ero Police Division, after which
policemen went to the scene. The robbers, except Saidu, reportedly fled.
When PUNCH Metro visited the
market on Monday, most traders refused to comment on the incident,
saying business activities had not started as of the time of the
incident.
A night guard, who did not want his name in print, however, told PUNCH Metro that the injured security men were rushed to the Lagos Island General Hospital.
He said, “It was around 5.30am on
Friday. We were the only ones on the market premises, except for some
Muslims praying in nearby mosques. We observed that the robbers were
armed with cutlasses. They wanted to break into some shops. We
confronted them and they attacked us.
“They injured three security men with
cutlasses. Some people called the police at the Ebute Ero division. Two
policemen were also on patrol around the market. They assisted us in
confronting the robbers.
“The injured security men were quickly
rushed to a hospital on the Lagos Island. When the robbers sighted the
police, they fled. But we made sure that all of them did not escape. One
of them was caught, and he turned out to be a Nigerien. He was beaten
up by a mob. I don’t know his fate.”
A police source at the Ebute Ero
division told our correspondent that the injured robbery suspect was
rushed to a hospital, but he did not survive.
“The robber was hacked with machetes. He was also beaten up. He was later rushed to a hospital where he died,” he added.
PUNCH Metro gathered that the case had been transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Ikeja, for further investigation.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the incident.
She said, “The robbery suspect, Saidu,
of Niger Republic died on Friday at about 3pm. Some robbers, including
Saidu, had attempted to burgle some shops in Balogun Market, before the
police repelled them. Saidu’s corpse had been taken to a morgue. The
case has been referred to SARS where further investigation is ongoing.”
A
member of the National Working Committee of the All Progressives
Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, yesterday called on President
Muhammadu Buhari to speak out on the crisis rocking the party to save it
from collapse.
Some APC youth leaders from Ondo State also took a swipe at APC
National Chairman Chief John Odigie-Oyegun for his role in the crisis
rocking the chapter.
Frank described Odigie-Oyegun as acting incompetently, adding that
the call on him to resign by former Lagos State Governor Asiwaju Bola
Tinubu justifies his position “that Oyegun cannot lead the party”.
Frank said an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting should be summoned to resolve all contending issues.
He said the President’s silence was not in the party’s interest,
pointing out that another one year of Oyegun’s leadership would spell
doom for it in the 2019 general elections since more crises will be
unresolved.
Frank said: “I want to use this medium to appeal to Mr. President
because it has got to a situation where he can no longer be silent on
the party’s internal issues.
“The President must speak out and save our party. He is the leader of
the party and must not leave the party in the hands of these people
that cannot resolve any crisis.
“Every party member is loyal to the President and he should see the
need to immediately call an emergency NEC meeting to enable us come
together and look at these allegations. They are not just mere
allegations, but very critical ones which must be looked into by the
party and position taken.
“If we don’t do something, even APC supporters in Ondo State will
sabotage the process for us because they are not happy. We must do
everything possible to bring all aggrieved persons together. If we don’t
take emergency steps to resolve these issues, we will have ourselves to
blame.”
Arguing that he had been vindicated by Tinubu’s position, Frank said:
“Today, we have seen one of the founding fathers of our party, a
national leader, agreeing with my earlier call that Oyegun should resign
as national chairman. That should let you know that I forsaw what they
didn’t see. I knew from the outset that he could not take the party
anywhere.
“The truth is coming our today and it has shown that Oyegun cannot
take this party to where the party wants to get to. Are we still going
to deny that there is a crisis now that the national leader and founding
father of the party has come up to make his position clear that Oyegun
should resign? Is it not clear that there is crisis in the party?
“Tell me one problem that the APC under Oyegun has been able to
resolve since we started having issues. As far as I am aware, APC under
Oyegun has not been able to resolve one crisis in this party. There is
crisis everywhere in this party which we cannot hide any longer.
“What has happened has shown clearly that Oyegun cannot do the job. A
few days ago, Mr. President launched Change begins with me campaign.
But for us, the change has to start from within the party so that
Nigerians can follow.
“Based on this weighty allegation from our national leader and
founding father of the party, I want to restate my earlier position that
we must call an emergency NEC meeting.
“If Oyegun knows that he has nothing to hide and that whatever Tinubu
has said about him is not true, I am challenging him to immediately
call an emergency NEC meeting to enable us come together and look
ourselves in the face and tell ourselves the truth and see how we can
resolve this internal crisis.
“If we cannot resolve this crisis now, we may never be able to
resolve it. Since the last meeting we held six months ago, none of the
decisions reached at the NEC meeting has been implemented. That has
shown incompetence on Oyegun’s leadership.
“We agreed at that meeting that there should be a mini convention to
fill vacant positions among others such as downsizing the BOT and having
an Elders Council. Today, if I have issues, where will I go to?”
The youth leaders from 18 local government areas of Ondo State
queried why Odigie-Oyegun overruled the verdict of the APC National
Working Committee (NWC) that a fresh governorship primary should be
conducted.
At a news conference attended by the APC leaders, their deputy
chairman, Saheed Lateef, urged the party’s national leadership to as a
matter of principle and ethos of the APC uphold the recommendations of
the appeal panel.
The panel had affirmed that the election was compromised with fake
names in the delegates’ list. It consequently called for fresh election.
Six of the 11-member committee of the NWC had recommended nullification of the primary election and conduct of a fresh one.
But Odigie-Oyegun reportedly suppressed the majority decision and
upheld the “disputed” poll in favour of Mr. Olurotimi Akeredolu (SAN).
“Since we believe in the anti-corruption crusade of President
Muhammadu Buhari, this must reflect and should be extended to the
internal arrangement of the progressives party.
“Our position is not against any individual, but the process that characterised the primaries,” Lateef said.
The youth leader said the position was reinforced by their commitment
to the principle of democracy that emphasised that “minority cannot
overrule the majority decision”.
Lateef noted that the struggle to ensure the formation of progressive
government in the Sunshine State should not be defeated because of
selfish interest of some individuals.
President, African Development Bank, Mr. Akinwumi Adesina
The African Development Bank is working
on giving Nigeria loan facilities of $4.1bn between now and next year
for critical sectors of the economy.
The loans include $1bn at a
concessionary interest rate of 1.2 per cent for Nigeria to address the
2016 budget deficit and aid her economic recovery.
The President, AfDB, Dr. Akinwunmi
Adesina, disclosed this to State House correspondents on Monday after a
meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and other members of the
Economic Management Team at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to the AfDB president, the
package includes; $1bn in budget support, $300m to create jobs for
185,000 youths, $250m towards infrastructure development in the
North-East, $1m grant to deal with challenges of Internally Displaced
Persons, $300m for infrastructure development around Abuja, and $200m
for the Transmission Company of Nigeria to improve its facilities, among
others.
Stressing that Nigeria was the largest
shareholder in the bank, Adesina said that the bank was in the country
to offer its support in the face of the current tough times.
He said, “I think the times are
difficult but I want to commend the government for being bold in taking
the right decisions. I think that the fact that the price of crude oil
has gone down is a big challenge, because you have 98 per cent external
forex revenue coming from the sector.
“So, it has created calibrations; I’m
not going to go into the details of all the problems, but what is
important is what we are going to do about it.
“I’m not here to lecture the Nigerian
government. I’m here to support very strongly. We have said that we are
going to support the Nigerian government with the budget support to be
able to deal with some of the fiscal imbalances that they have. We are
looking to consider for an award of $1bn to help to deal with that
particular deficit.”
Adesina added that the bank would help
to revive Nigeria’s economy, especially by deepening the level of
diversification in critical sectors such as agriculture, solid minerals
and manufacturing.
According to him, the bank is going to
provide in total $4.1bn to Nigeria between 2016 and 2017 for power,
infrastructure, agriculture and for the private sector, including
financing and lending to the Small and Medium-scale Enterprises.
He also said that he expected the AfDB portfolio in the country to grow to $10bn by 2019.
Adesina, a former Nigerian Minister of
Agriculture, added, “We also recognise that power is perhaps the most
important challenge that is driving inflation in the country. So, we
expect in our portfolio this year to invest in a total of 1,400
megawatts of power to focus on the energy sector; and by 2017, we plan
to add 1,387 megawatts to the sector.”
He said that the bank also discussed
with Osinbajo and the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, on how to
invest in areas of women and youth employment in the country as well as
to look for opportunities to support access to finance by supporting the
Development Bank of Nigeria with $500m, which will help to provide
cheap financing for the real sector that the country wants to grow.
According to him, the bank is also
providing $100m to the Bank of Industry to enable it to lend to small
and medium-sized enterprises.
Adesina said, “Let me just say that
Nigeria is experiencing tough times, but Nigeria is not falling apart;
and when people talk about debt crisis, Nigeria is not in a debt crisis.
If you look at the fiscal deficit of this country with regard to the
GDP, it is about three or 3.5 per cent. It is still way below the five
per cent recommended by the Fiscal Responsibility Act.
“If you look in terms of the debt to the
GDP ratio for Nigeria, it is 15 per cent. So, there is no debt crisis
in Nigeria; what you have is liquidity problem and we are trying for the
country to be able to drive down inflation and to be able to make sure
we are working with the government to be able to provide incentives for
the private sector.
“Because to come out of recession you
need more than the government, you need the private sector. So,
incentives are very important. The Finance minister talked about a whole
lot of incentives that they are going to give and I think that is the
right way to go.
“Nigeria will come out of this as a better and more diversified economy than before it went into the recession.”
Also speaking, Adeosun said there was no
need to fear over the new loan as it would be put into good use, adding
that the government was not over-borrowing.
She added, “And as Dr. Adesina said, we
are looking unto them with $1bn budget support; but beyond that, there
are lots of loans and initiatives around agriculture, job creation for
the youths, solid minerals, women empowerment and women’s access to
finance, and access to finance by the SMEs.
“We are not over-borrowing, what we
are trying to do is to ensure that this money we are borrowing we use it
on the key infrastructure that will drive the economy.”
EKITI State Governor Ayo Fayose has ordered the state to stop transacting business with Zenith Bank.
The action is not unconnected with the face-off between him and Zenith on the freezing of his personal accounts domiciled in the bank by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
According to a circular from the Office of the Accountant General on Tuesday, all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) must comply with the order within 48 hours.
The
circular was addressed to the head of Service, permanent secretaries,
general managers, administrative secretaries, heads of Non-Ministerial
Departments and agencies and tertiary institutions.
The MDAs and institutions have begun implementation of the order to meet up with the deadline.
The circular, which was signed by the Accountant General, Mrs. O.O. Owolabi, is titled: “Stoppage of banking relationship with the Zenith Bank Plc.”
It reads: “The state government has directed immediate stoppage of all banking relationships with Zenith Bank.
“All Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) are expected to adhere strictly to this instruction and sever transaction with the bank within 48 hours.
“By extension, workers’ salaries cease to be remitted to salary accounts domiciled
with the bank forthwith. They are, therefore, advised to supply
alternative bank accounts with their respective MDAs for transmission to
this office within 60 days.
“Kindly,
give the contents of this circular the widest publicity it deserves. The
governor is poised to address the state on the matter in due course.
Thank you.”
The fear of job loss has gripped Ekiti
indigenes working in the bank, especially the main Ado-Ekiti branch on
Secretariat Road and the campus branch at Ekiti State University (EKSU). The workers are apprehensive of a
repeat of the backlash of Fayose’s strained relationship with Ecobank,
which led to the shutdown of the bank’s two branches. Ecobank sacked scores of Ekiti indigenes following the government’s crackdown and closed its operations. The EFCC on May 24 froze two Zenith Bank accounts belonging to Fayose
for alleged laundering of about N1.2 billion believed to be part of
the arms fund from the ex-National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo
Dasuki (retd.) The cash was allegedly released to the governor to fund his campaign in the 2014 governorship election.
Fayose claimed Zenith Bank funded his campaign but the bank denied the allegation. The governor sued the EFCC and the bank
at the Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti, seeking an order to de-freeze the
account, which the court declined. The matter was adjourned until September 30.
The
United States’ Democratic Presidential hopeful, Hillary Clinton has
expressed her gratitude to her Nigerian-born US-based doctor, Dr.
Oladotun Okunola for helping her to recover from her recent health
challenge.’
In a Twitter message via her handle @HILLARYCLINTON, she wrote: “I
want to give a big THANK YOU to my Doctor who travels everywhere with
me, Dr. Oladotun Okunola. I wouldn’t be here without him! Literally.
Recently, Clinton left a 9/11 memorial event in New York and appeared
to stumble and faint as she was assisted into a vehicle by staffers and
secret service agents.After a coughing fit during an event earlier that week, the new
episode only added to the growing speculation that Clinton is suffering
from potentially serious health conditions that are being hidden from
the public.
Clinton’s recent behavior at various events, characterized by people
assisting her walk up steps and fits of coughing, has led observers to
increasingly speculate about potentially serious health problems.
However, she’s back on her feet, thanks to Dr. Okunola and her medical team.
Dr. Okunola is Hillary Clinton’s Dr. Feelgood. He is the mystery
sidekick that has been spotted with her all across the campaign trail.
Okunola, who is dressed like a Secret Service agent rushed to
Hillary’s side when animal rights activists interrupted her rally in
August. The outfit is so convincing that the media actually identified
him as a member of the Secret Service.
Dr. Okunola joins the prestigious Neurology group, Neuroscience
Center of Northern New Jersey, to provide a variety of specialized care.
He specializes in epilepsy, clinical neurophysiology, and sleep
medicine.
Dr. Okunola completed medical school at Howard University College of
Medicine. He stayed and completed his internship and neurology residency
at Howard University Hospital, Washington, DC. He received fellowship
training in epilepsy and clinical neurophysiology at Georgetown
University Hospital, Washington, DC. He also completed a sleep medicine
fellowship at Norwalk Hospital, Connecticut.
As part of his fellowship training in clinical
neurophysiology/epilepsy, he focused on intraoperative and epilepsy
monitoring; EEG and EMG. As a sleep specialist, he diagnoses and treats
sleep related disorders such as daytime sleepiness (hypersomnolence),
insomnia, narcolepsy, obstructive, central, and complex sleep apnea,
etc.
Dr. Okunola is board-certified in both adult neurology and clinical
neurophysiology. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Neurology.
The candidate of the All Progressives
Congress in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State, Godwin
Obaseki, has promised to provide farmers, under the Anchor Borrowers’
Programme, with free Certificates of Occupancy to enable them access
their lands for productive farming.
Obaseki stated this on Wednesday during
the inauguration of the programme in Benin, where the beneficiaries were
awarded a loan of N2bn provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria and
guaranteed by the Edo State Government.
He spoke just as Governor Adams
Oshiomhole explained that the aim of the loan was to provide employment,
reduce food imports and diversify the economy.
The APC candidate also assured that his
administration would collaborate with various communities on the use of
modern equipment for farming.
He said, “I will make sure that all
farmers under this Anchor Borrowers’ Programme get their certificates of
occupancy free of charge because with the certificates of occupancy,
you now have access.
Obaseki, who said that the programme
would ignite agricultural revolution in the state, noted said that there
were other incentives that the state government would provide to reduce
the cost of production, cultivation and increase profit for farmers.
The plenary of the House of
Representatives on Wednesday became rowdy following the protest by some
sympathisers of the sacked House Chairman on Appropriation, Abdulmumin
Jibrin, who felt a member had moved a motion to suspend Jibrin.
Trouble started after the Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business, Emmanuel Orker-jev, raised a point of order.
He was recongnised to speak by the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara.
After welcoming his colleagues back to
plenary, Orker-jev urged them to disappoint journalists, who had
predicted a rowdy session by allowing peace to prevail in the chamber.
He asked for and received permission to
move a motion, citing a breach of the privileges of the House as well as
that of members.
The lawmaker noted that the House had come under heavy attack by the allegations of budget padding being made by a member.
At this point, all eyes were on Jibrin,
who was dressed in a white flowing gown as he stood from his seat,
stepped out of the chamber and returned minutes later with a stash of
documents.
Members of the internal security arm of the National Assembly kept him under close watch as some moved to protect the mace.
Orker-jev proceeded to read his motion
titled, ‘Breach of privileges of the House of Representatives of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria, National Assembly and provisions of the
Legislative House’s Powers and Privileges Act, CAP, L12, LFN’.
Things went on smoothly as members listened attentively until he got to the point where he mentioned Jibrin’s name.
Some lawmakers, believed to be members
of the Transparency Group, started shouting, “No, no, no!”, colliding
with shouts of “Dogara, Dogara, Dogara” as pro-Dogara members began to
distribute green scarves with the inscription ‘I stand with Dogara’
boldly written in white.
Some tied it on their heads; others hung it on their shoulders, while others tied it to their waists.
The rest of the motion was drowned in the noise which followed.
When a relative calm was restored after
about 20 minutes, Dogara told his colleagues that copies of the motion
would be distributed.
He, however, said he would read the only
prayer of the motion, which was to refer the matter to the Ethics and
Privileges Committee for proper investigation.
The committee was given one week to submit its report.
At this point, another member, believed
to be Jibrin’s supporter, Aliyu Madaki, raised another Point of Order
amidst protests from other lawmakers.
Dogara, nevertheless, recognised him
after jokingly telling him, “You are reaping what you sowed. When others
were speaking, you did not allow them.”
Madaki then went on to explain that
Orker-Jev’s motion was not seconded before it was referred to the
committee, but was overruled.
The motion was, however, passed and referred to the ethics and privileges committee.
Jibrin could be heard saying, “I won’t get a fair hearing” a couple of times.
This was happening at about a time when a
group of protesters, under the aegis of the Coalition in the Defence of
Democracy, staged a protest at the main entrance of the National
Assembly, demanding Jibrin’s immediate suspension.
Convener of the protest and President of
the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Imo Ugochinyere, said the
protest was organised to defend the integrity of the National Assembly.
He alleged that there was a plot to destabilise the National Assembly using the sacked appropriation committee chairman.
“Despite knowing the powers of the
legislature in appropriation as provided in sections 59, 81 and 82 of
the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, Hon. Jibrin
obliged himself to negative democratic influences, who are willing to go
the extra mile to derail democracy,” he said.
Earlier, Dogara in an address of welcome
he read during plenary, stated that the leadership of the House had
exercised great restraint in the face of consistent attacks and
unsubstantiated allegations of wrongdoing by Jibrin.
He said the events of recent weeks gave
cause for grave concern and posed existential threats to the corporate
integrity and image of the House as a democratic institution.
Dogara stated, “Shortly after we
adjourned for recess, our colleague and erstwhile Chairman,
Appropriation Committee, embarked on a strange propaganda clearly aimed
not only at the destruction of the image of some members but a
systematic destruction of the institution of the House of
Representatives and indeed the legislature by portraying it to the
public as an irredeemably corrupt institution.
“The chief motivation for his actions,
as he has said several times and repeatedly is to have the four
principal officers removed from their positions and not that the truth
should be known. It was T. S. Eliot, who once said, ‘The last temptation
is the greatest treason: to do the right deed for the wrong reasons’.
“Unfortunately, T. S. Elliot didn’t tell
us what it is when someone does the wrong deed for the wrong reasons.
These wild allegations, which were initially directed at four members of
the House leadership, progressively engulfed the entire membership of
the House and then the institution.”
The Speaker added, “We chose the part of
maturity by maintaining great restraint in the face of all these, fully
conscious of the fact that at the appropriate time, the truth will
prevail. I have bad news for those who think they can pull down this
institution of the people.
He stated that members were also
patriotic enough to understand the mood of the nation and the critical
and sensitive matters of urgent national importance deserving of
immediate attention.
Dogara said, “We will, therefore, not be
distracted by any insidious antics, however well orchestrated and
falsehoods however cleverly propagated to confuse Nigerians. We remain
accountable to Nigerians for our conduct as public servants.
“This is not the appropriate venue to
address allegations made against individual honourable members, many of
who are criminal in nature, as there are constitutional avenues for
that.
“This is more so that these matters are before all the security agencies and ridiculously before some foreign missions.”
Meanwhile, the Conference of Nigeria
Political Parties has called on Dogara and other principal officers of
the House, who were accused in the budget padding saga in the chamber,
to step down immediately.
It said this would enable the House and security agencies to investigate the matter.
CNPP said it agreed on this decision at a meeting held by its national leadership in Abuja on Tuesday.
The CNPP, in a statement signed by its
National Chairman, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, and the Secretary-General,
Chief Willy Ezugwu, in Abuja on Wednesday, vowed “to mobilise Nigerians
to occupy the National Assembly if the Speaker and his accused
colleagues refuse to listen to the voice of reason.”
The body maintained that “it is out of place for the House leadership to continue to be the judge in their own case”.
The statement added, “The best way to
lay to rest the budget padding allegation is for the speaker and the
principal officers of the House to step aside.
“Anyone, whose hands are clean, should not be afraid to submit himself or herself to investigation.
“To us, the budget fraud allegation,
running into billions of naira, is grave enough for the leadership of
the House of Representatives to disqualify itself from presiding over
the House to allow for internal self-cleansing and to give room to the
security agencies to do a thorough job.”
The Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission has frozen Patience Jonathan’s personal account, titled
‘Patience Ibifaka Jonathan’, which is domiciled in Skye Bank Plc.
Impeccable sources within the agency
told our correspondent on Wednesday that the move had become necessary
due to the prima facie case established against the former President
Goodluck Jonathan’s wife.
As part of investigations into alleged
diversion against a former Special Adviser to ex-President Jonathan on
Domestic Affairs, Waripamowei Dudafa, the anti-graft agency had frozen
four companies’ accounts in Skye Bank with a balance of $15,591,700.
However, before the EFCC could arraign
the four companies in court, Jonathan’s wife deposed to an affidavit,
claiming that the money belonged to her.
Despite Patience’s claims, however, the
EFCC arraigned the four companies –Pluto Property and Investment Company
Limited; Seagate Property Development and Investment Company Limited;
Trans Ocean Property and Investment Company Limited; and Globus
Integrated Service Limited.
The companies pleaded guilty and the
EFCC had already begun moves to ensure that the money is forfeited
permanently to the Federal Government.
A detective at the EFCC told The PUNCH,
“Recall that we had frozen the four companies’ accounts, which Patience
Jonathan later laid claim to. We have been able to establish that the
money was part of proceeds of crime.
“She had no evidence that the money in
the four accounts belonged to her. All she had were platinum debit
cards, which she was using to withdraw money and the cards are not
evidence of ownership.
“Initially, we had traced $5m to her
personal account, which we did not touch but I can confirm to you now
that the $5m account, bearing Patience Jonathan’s name, has also been
seized since she claimed that the monies in the company accounts and the
one in her personal name all emanated from the same source.
“We are tracing other accounts belonging
to Patience. It will interest you to know that despite all the letters
she has written, she has never stated where she got the money from. She
claimed to be a housewife and yet she has $20m.”
Patience had recently written a letter
to the acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, where she claimed
that she needed the money for her medical treatment abroad.
She had also sued Skye Bank for N200m, accusing the bank of freezing her accounts unjustly.
In a letter written by her lawyers,
Granville Abibo (SAN) and Co, Patience said, “It is noteworthy to
emphasise that the said accounts, which were in US dollar denomination,
were card-based accounts and our client is the sole signatory of these
accounts.
“The said bank officials also assured
our client that they will change the account names accordingly and issue
to our client new credit cards for the said accounts which was not done
despite repeated demands.
“However, our client has been operating
the said accounts using the cards for her medical bill payments and
purchases for her private purposes without any let or hindrance.
“Our client was therefore surprised when
the said cards stopped functioning on July 7, 2016 or thereabout. Our
client immediately thereupon contacted Skye Bank Plc through our
solicitors. It was only then that the bank officials informed our client
that the said accounts were placed on a ‘No Debit Order’ following
investigations and instructions from your commission and this is without
notice to our client by either the bank or the commission.
“It is in the light of the foregoing
that we urge you to use your good offices to vacate the ‘No
Debit/Freezing Order’ placed on the said accounts.”
Sacked
House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation Chairman Abdulmumin
Jibrin (APC, Kano) has vowed not to appear before Committee on Ethics
and Privileges mandated to investigate him for bringing the House into
disrepute with his utterances.
But Timothy Golu (PDP, Plateau) said
(Jibrin) must be sanctioned. He, however, added that members were ready
to forgive Jibrin if he apologises to the House and Nigerians.
Jibrin said he was willing to appear
before the Committee only if its proceedings would be public and
witnessed by Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), among others.
Jibrin, in a statement yesterday said what happened on the floor was a script written by the Speaker.
He urged his colleagues to live above blackmail and deal urgently and decisively with the allegations of individual corruption.
He said he watched events on the floor
carefully and observed that “rather than open up the matter for
discussion in view of the public interest it has generated and allow me
to brief my colleagues, an opportunity I have been denied for several
months, Mr Speaker deployed some legislative tricks and theatrics to
save the day.
“In a move that smacks of abuse of
process, Speaker Dogara granted under point of order, an opportunity to
the Chairman of Business and Rules Committee who started with a speech
then suddenly transited to a motion under privilege – a clear case of
manipulation and gross abuse of the House rule. This is the easiest
resort since the attempts to secure a vote of confidence had woefully
failed.
“The motion was therefore passed and referred to the Committee on Ethics and Privilege with one week to submit its report.
“The grand plan is to dilute the ongoing
external investigation by the police and EFCC and use the Ethics
Committee for a soft landing.
“But what happened on the floor of the House today is just the end of another beginning.
“Despite all these and since I can
substantiate the allegations I raised with cogency, I will take up the
opportunity provided by the Ethics committee to state my case under the
condition that the hearing will be public and will allow the press,
CSOs, NGOs, NLC, ASUU, NANS, NBA and the general public to witness the
entire proceedings.
“This is the only way that I can have
the comfort and confidence that the proceedings, the investigations and
the outcome will not be manipulated or compromised.
“I am ready to appear before the committee even today if the proceedings will be public.
Predictably, in his speech, Mr Speaker
tried to drag the entire House into the matter to give the impression
that the entire House is the accused.
“I wish to state for the umpteenth time
that the allegations I raised are against the quartet of Speaker Yakubu
Dogara, Deputy Speaker Yusuf Lasun, House Whip Alhassan Doguwa, Minority
Leader Leo Ogor and few other members NOT the Honourable House as an
institution.
