Connect with us

News

Ex-FirstBank boss Onasanya dismisses fraud allegation

Published

on

By Francesca Hangeior

A former Group Managing Director of FirstBank, Dr. Bisi Onasanya, has dismissed claims of his involvement in a commercial loan transaction carried out 12 years ago at the lender.

Onasanya refuted the allegation in a statement signed by his communication advisor, Mr. Michael Oshunuyi, on Sunday, wherein he described the claims as baseless and an attempt to tarnish the reputation of the retired banker and chartered accountant.

On Thursday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission filed charges against Onasanya and three others at the Federal High Court in Lagos for allegedly obtaining a N30bn loan under false pretences. The anti-graft agency said the defendants would be arraigned on Monday.

Advertisement

The three other defendants are a former chairman of the First Bank of Nigeria, Oba Otudeko; an ex-board member of Honeywell Flour Mills plc, Soji Akintayo; and Anchorage Limited, a company linked to Otudeko.

Dismissing the claims, Oshunuyi said, “Our attention has been drawn to allegations and a charge sheet circulating on social media suggesting Dr. Bisi Onasanya’s involvement in a purported commercial loan controversy at First Bank 12 years ago. While we have consistently chosen to ignore such baseless attacks for over ten years, the growing concern expressed by family, friends, and associates from across the globe compels us to address these unfounded claims.”

He claimed that the matter in question was investigated eight years ago by the EFCC, two years after Onasanya retired from the bank.

“What is baffling is that a commercial transaction that occurred in 2013 and was thoroughly investigated eight years ago, where Dr. Onasanya established his innocence and non-involvement in the commercial transaction controversy, has now resurfaced in 2025 in the form of criminal prosecution. This is beyond his imagination,” part of the statement read,” he added.

Advertisement

Oshunuyi also noted that, to date, Onasanya has not been served with any charges, summoned, or formally invited by any court or investigating agency regarding these claims since the matter was investigated and dispensed eight years ago, adding that Onasanya is available to appear in court whenever he is summoned to defend his reputation and clear his name.

He further reasoned that the allegations appear to follow a deliberate pattern every year, with identical language and content being disseminated across multiple media platforms. He urged the media to exercise caution and verify information before publication, stressing the serious implications of libel.

The statement also clarified that Onasanya has never expressed interest in which person or group of persons is in charge of the control or ownership of First Bank or any other financial institution, for that matter. Instead, he has moved on from banking and remained committed to making a positive impact in people’s lives and other sectors of the economy.

In the vein, Otudeko, in a statement, dismissed the allegations against him, vowing to defend his reputation.

Advertisement

A statement issued in the wake of the allegations partly read, “In light of recent news reports, Dr. Oba Otudeko categorically refutes the claims concerning his role in FBN Holdings and will aggressively defend his reputation.

“As of this moment, he has received no official summons, nor has his legal team received any official invitation from relevant authorities. As he has done in the past, Dr. Oba Otudeko is always ready and available to assist any government agency with appropriate oversight in the execution of their duties, with the expectation that these affairs will be conducted with the highest standard of professionalism.”

He added that he was neither interested in serving in an executive capacity in any organisation in Nigeria or elsewhere, nor is he interested in serving in a non-executive capacity on any board aside from those he currently sits on.

“This includes any possibility of returning to the board of FBN Holdings Plc, which appears to be the focus of the recent unfortunate news barrage,” he maintained.

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

News

Presidency Slams Kemi Badenoch’s Insultive Remarks About Nigeria

Published

on

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on the United Kingdom’s Conservative Party leader, Kemi Badenoch, to stop making disparaging remarks about Nigeria.

The Nigerian-born politician, sparked controversy in 2024 following repeated critical comments about her country of birth.

In her first address of the year at an event hosted by Onward, a British think tank focused on economic and social issues, Badenoch criticized Nigeria’s governance. She stated she did not want Britain to mirror what she described as Nigeria’s “terrible government,” which, in her words, “destroys lives.”

Advertisement

Emphasizing the need for reform and trust-building in governance, Badenoch argued that the Conservative Party was the right choice to steer the UK away from such pitfalls. She warned that without significant changes, Britain could risk adopting systemic flaws similar to those she attributed to Nigeria.

The remarks prompted a response from Daniel Bwala, the Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Policy Communications. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Bwala urged Badenoch to avoid using Nigeria as a rhetorical tool to gain favor with her political base.

“I truly wish that sister Kemi Badenoch would avoid denigrating Nigeria, the country of her origin, as a weapon to please her far-right base,” Bwala wrote. He drew a parallel with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, noting that Sunak had never criticized India, his ancestral home, to gain political advantage.

Bwala praised Badenoch’s intelligence and political accomplishments but expressed disappointment over her negative rhetoric about Nigeria. “She is smart, intelligent, and we are proud of her rise in UK politics, but we are equally saddened by her terrible rhetoric against Nigeria,” he added.

Advertisement

This development underscores ongoing tensions surrounding the portrayal of Nigeria on international platforms, particularly by individuals with ties to the country. It raises broader questions about the balance between constructive criticism and national pride in political discourse.

Continue Reading

News

BREAKING: Falana Declares INEC Should Stop Conducting By-Elections

Published

on

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Constitutional lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to stop conducting by-elections in the country as such by-elections only lead to unnecessary and wasteful spending of funds.

Falana who made the call in a statement on Sunday, argued that since votes recorded during elections belong to political parties, the replacement of elected candidates as a result of death or resignation should not call for a by-election. “The political parties that sponsored the candidates that die or resign should be directed to fill the vacancy by nominating another candidate,” the lawyer said. He also urged the National Assembly to amend the electoral act to allow parties to replace elected officers without resorting to by-elections.

“The National Assembly should therefore amend the Electoral Act to allow political parties to replace elected public officers who lose their positions as a result of death, resignation or impeachment.

Advertisement

By virtue of Section 221 of the Nigerian Constitution, elections are won by political parties and not by candidates. “In the case of Amaechi vs. INEC & Ors (2 008) LCN/3642 (SC), the Supreme Court held that “The above provision (i.e.Section 221) effectually removes the possibility of independent candidacy in our elections, and places emphasis and responsibility in elections on political parties. Without a political party, a candidate cannot contest

“In his own contribution to the judgment, Pius Olayiwola Aderemi JSC (of blessed memory) emphatically stated that “…it is the political parties that the electorates do vote for at election time. “In P D.P. v. I.N.E.C. (1999)7SC (PT II) 30, Mr. Boni Haruna was allowed to be the governor of Adamawa State following the resignation of the elected governor, Mr Atiku Abubakar, who had been nominated as Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party. “For some inexplicable reasons, the Independent National Electoral Commission changed the law when it decided to conduct an additional election after the death of Mr. Audu Abubakar who had emerged the Governor of Kogi State,” he said.

Continue Reading

News

Give us Justice” Parents of EndbadGovernace Protest Victims cry out

Published

on

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Parents and relatives of the #Endbadgovernance protest that took place from 1-10 August 2024, has charged the federal government to investigate the numbers of casualties who were killed, injured and missing during and after the protest.

Ibrahim Yaha who spoke on behalf of the bereaved victims parent at a press briefing in Kano on Monday stated that the government has neglected investigating the killing by the police and swept justice under the carpet leaving them in pain.

“Each one of us has been in pain since August 2024 because our sons and daughters were killed by the police. We expected the government to acknowledge the atrocities committed by the police during the protest and to bring to justice all those suspected of responsibility for the killings and injuries.

Advertisement

“We all waited and waited but there seemed to be no any effort to investigate the police handling of the protest. We are dismayed that we did not receive condolences and not even a sympathy visit. Some of our sons and daughters were not even part of the protest, but they were killed because of excessive use of force and lethal attempts made by the police to suppress the protest. We are ready to provide all the information and evidence.”.

They however demanded that President Bola Tinubu should order a panel of inquiry in the killings that will constitute of experts as well as the parents of those killed.

Other demands include call for a public and impartial investigations into all the killings by the police during #Endbadgovernance protest, those suspected of being responsible for the killings must be held accountable and brought to justice and Justice for Victims’ Families.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2024 Naija Blitz News