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Anenih’s state burial not cause of Obaseki, Oshiomhole rift – Ex-commissioner

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By Francesca Hangeior.

The Media Director of the Edo All Progressives Congress Campaign Council, Kassim Afegbua, has faulted the claim by Governor Godwin Obaseki that he fell out with a former governor of the state, Adams Oshiomhole, over the state burial given to the late Tony Anenih.

Obaseki said on Friday during the Peoples Democratic Party campaign for the September 21 governorship election in the state that one of the problems his administration had with Oshiomhole was that it organised a state burial for the deceased PDP leader.

Speaking to party supporters at Okpujie Demonstration Primary School in Uromi, Obaseki said Oshiomhole questioned the rationale behind his organising a state burial for Anenih.

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He said, “When Chief Tony Anenih died, I gave him a state burial while I was still in the All Progressives Congres, and this is one of the things that caused problems between Oshiomhole and me.

“He said the late Anenih was not an elected official, so why would I give him a state burial? I said the man has done more than many governors, so he deserved it.”

However, Afegbua, who was a commissioner under Oshiomhole, said in a statement on Sunday that Obaseki was playing cheap politics with the claim.

He said, “I just read what was attributed to Governor Obaseki as the reason he gave for falling out from Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and I wondered why an executive governor could make such a bogus claim just to score a cheap political point.

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“It is terrible character indices for Governor Obaseki to raise such devious reason as the rationale for his breaking apart from Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

“Governor Obaseki is not even smart at all. Chief Tony Anenih, of blessed memory, died on the 28th of October 2018, at the age of 85, but Governor Obaseki’s political squabbles with Comrade Oshiomhole started in late 2017, by February 2018, it had become so visible and almost irreconcilable.

“I remember vividly that I met with Governor Obaseki at his residence on Commercial Avenue on the 18th of May 2018 in an attempt to bring the two of them together after a series of failed reconciliations by Alhaji Aliko Dangote and a couple of other governors.

“At the 18th May 2018 meeting, I confronted Governor Obaseki about the reason why he fell out with Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, his benefactor. He pointedly told me that he just wanted to be his own man. He showed an aspect of his ethnic chauvinism when he rendered the following words; “that short man from that little village of Iyamho cannot run the show”.

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“I remember asking him at what time he suddenly realised that his benefactor was a ‘short man’ and from ‘that little village’ because I recalled he was always carrying Oshiomhole’s bag each time they were travelling. At that point, his countenance changed.”

Afegbua said he insisted that he put together a team of 10 mutual friends to meet and resolve the issue, and the governor obliged him that evening before he left for Abuja the following day.

He added, “When I got to Abuja, I met with Comrade Oshiomhole and related to him my encounter with Governor Obaseki. He was willing to attend such a meeting but doubted if the governor was genuine in his affirmation. But on the evening of May 19, Governor Obaseki called me to inform me that he would no longer subscribe to the meeting and that I should call it off.

“When I called Comrade Oshiomhole to inform him of the governor’s disposition against the meeting, he told me he would have been surprised if the governor would have been available for the meeting. That was how I put off the meeting.

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“Chief Tony Anenih died on October 28, 2018, almost a year after the political differences started. So, it is the height of ungodliness and devilish intentions for Governor Obaseki to make reference to the state burial for Chief Anenih as the cause of his differences with Comrade Oshiomhole.

“He wants to profit from the death of Chief Anenih for political reasons. I am ashamed to hear this and to read this. Imagine the height of desperation to implant a godson when he once quarrelled with the idea of a godfather. What manner of a leader is Governor Obaseki? Profiteering from the dead?”

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Change Negative Narrative About EFCC Being Used For Settling Political Scores- Reps

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………Ask Anti Graft Agency To Fight Financial Crimes Within Established Laws

.
……My Staff Are Poorly Paid, EFCC

…., States Why Fight Against Yahoo Boys Fierce

 

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The House of Representatives has tasked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to purge itself from the negative impression that its being used to settle political scores and concentrate fighting financial and economic crimes within established laws.

The House handed the advise on Tuesday through the Chairman House Committee on Financial Crimes Honorable Ginger Onwusibe who led members of the committee on the 2024 oversight exercise on the commission.

The oversight covered extensive facility tour of departments and critical operational units of the antigraft agency.

In his terse remarks, Hon. Onwusibe challenged the agency to improve its operational activities in combating economic and financial crimes by complying with its 2004 Establishment Act and other relevant applicable laws like the Money Laundering ( Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022: Terrorism ( Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022: The Proceeds of Crime Act. 2022, as well as other statutes, that compels it to carry out these roles transparently with accountability and show that the negative maxim being peddled in some quarters that the agency is often being used for settling political scores is incorrect .

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The committee assured that it will collaborate with the commission to actualize its mandate by enacting new laws or amending old ones and as well providing budgetary interventions, if it must strive tirelessly to be on top of its challenges

The House urged the agency to collaborate with sister agencies and desist from keeping suspects as- awaiting ‘trial in correctional centres nationwide

“At this point let me add that a recent visit to the Maximun and Minimun Correctional centres in Kirikiri Lagos State, numerous suspects have been awaiting trial for over one year and yet we are all acquainted with the saying that justice delayed is justice denied”

” It is on this note that we call on the EFCC, Attorney General of the Federation and the Judiciary to improve and ensure the administration of justice works and is efficiently delivered to the victims”

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The House warned the agency to purge itself of rotten eggs in order to fight economic and financial crimes frontally, thereby stimulating the Nigerian economy

It also urged EFCC to focus properly on its mandate.

” The issue of appropriate and proper focusing on the mandate of the EFCC must relentlessly be on the front burner:

“Orders from competent courts , arrest and debt recovery must be pursued religiously” the House cautioned

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But on its side, the antigraft agency said it has not deviated from its focus but rather working hard and fighting financial and economic crimes as enunciated in its mandate.

Chairman of the agency , Ola Olukeyede told his guest in his remarks during the oversight visit that the commission was doing much to fight financial and economic crimes and stimulate the Nigerian economy

He said so far that the agency has recovered over N250bn cash, tens of million of Dollars and other foreign currencies, with over 3000 convictions: 17000 petitions while also investigating over 20000,with about 4000 fresh cases , all being handled by a misery number of staff strenght

He noted that its priority is to improve the country’s image and stimulate its economy, such that there could be improvement in foregin direct investments and stimulation of the local economy.
Olukeyede however, argued that the agency needed more staff strenght, funding , better renumeration for staff because they were poorly paid. He also emphasised on modern day technology to fight the ever dynamic cyber criminals

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According to the EFCC boss, it was important to give more salary to EFCC staff and deploy modern technology to fight emerging cyber crime dynamism . He expalined that the agency has increased efforts to fight Yahoo, yahhoo, boys because of their ability to crumble any economy within a twinkle of an eye

According to him, the agency was expanding its drag net to focus on ministries, departments and agencies infrastructural projects. ” “Go to MDAs and see their budget implementstion. It is not up to 20%”

“We want to ensure 50% infrastructural development” the anti graft boss announced, insisting that it would henceforth encourage monitoring of project implementation which was an aspect of preventing financial crimes

He said the agency has dismissed lots of erring staff, and will continue to dismiss and even prosecute them going forward.

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Olukeyede disclosed that it had designed a template on staff integrity, using the Gift- Policy model

.” It is not every thankful gift we should collect” the EFCC boss warned

” I am advocating for more welfare improvement, better welfare, he said.

“We will do more recoveries, more convictions, but we need more resources to do our work, maintaining that, that was his stand on ethics and integrity .

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Olokeyede’s demand for more salary wage for staff of the commission, is seen as an incentive to boost welfare and morale to fight financial crimes to standstill.

He stated that there was the utmost need to increase salaries of staff of the commission

The EFCC boss who spoke on his stewardship in the last one year, further added that it increased the war against Yahoo- Yahoo boys because of the consequences of their nefarious acts which could crumble a nation’s economy in a jiffy.

He argued that more technology was required to fight financial crimes.

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For instance he explained that it was a common scenario then for thieves and armed robbers to attack and break into banks with guns and Dynamites

” But it is the same common and more easier scenario and task now to have Yahoo-Yahoo boys and bank thieves attack banks with technology in the comfort of their homes or hideouts”

“So we need technology and we also need to increase our fight against these Yahoo boys who can dismantle any economy within a twinkle of an eye

He called on the national Assembly to improve and increase its finances because fighting Financial crimes was a herculean task that requires adequate funding

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Olokeyede who apparently was responding to criticisms of the commission’s over concentration on Cyber crimes/ thieves, perpetrated by Yahoo boys, said he has made tremendous impact in enforcement, investigation and conviction with an outstanding record convictions between October 2023 when he was appointed till date

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Trouble looming for Obaseki as Gov Okpebholo orders probe of his admin

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has ordered the setting up of a committee to probe the immediate-past administration of Godwin Obaseki for its failure to inaugurate 14 Edo Assembly lawmakers-elect into the 7th Assembly.

Okpebholo disclosed this while giving his inaugural speech as the new governor of the state.

Governor Okpebholo also ordered the State Chief Judge to immediately investigate the initial delay of former Governor Obaseki to inaugurate duly-cleared judges by the National Judicial Council (NJC) last year

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Naira may depreciate to N1,993 against dollar – Report

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Nigeria’s naira has been projected to depreciate further to N1,993 per dollar in the coming days.

This is according to BMI, a Fitch Solutions subsidiary report title, ‘Weak Naira and Structural Challenges to Constrain Nigeria’s Medical Devices Market Growth’.

The report said the forecasted depreciation will be predicated on the 95 percent dependence on imports for pharmaceuticals in Nigeria.

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According to the report, the development would erode both the health system and patient purchasing power.

“We expect that the naira will end 2028 at N1,993/$ from N306/$ in 2018.

“As the naira weakens, the cost of importing medical devices will continually increase, eroding both the health system and patient purchasing power, especially to invest in essential medical technologies given the underfunding of the public health sector,” the report stated.

This comes as Naira fell to N1681.42 and N1735 at the official and parallel foreign exchange markets on Monday.

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This comes as FMDQ FX transaction turnover dropped significantly from $1.4 billion on Friday to $471.5 million on Monday.

Last Thursday, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso, said the country’s external reserves rose to $40 billion.

Despite Central Bank of Nigeria’s interventions and external reserves rise in the last months, the naira has continued to experience fluctuations in the FX market.

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