$3M Bribery: Otedola Submits Video Evidence To Police

Oil magnate, Femi Otedola, yesterday, stoked his charge against embattled Rep. Farouk Lawan, by handing over to the police, audio and video evidence of how Lawan got the first installment of the bribe and how he demanded the balance.
Sources close to Otedola told Vanguard yesterday that besides submitting the video and audio evidence,he told Police investigators inAbuja how Farouk mounted pressure on him with a list of senior officials of the House who he claimed were to be settled with the bribe money.
Meanwhile political leaders from Lawan’s political base inKanohave disowned him.
The evolving scandal nonetheless, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC waded in yesterday with an admonition that the bribery scandal should not in anyway distract from the process of implementing the recommendations originally reached by the Lawan committee.
Meantime, the House leadership was last night meeting on how to respond to the damaging revelations spewing from the scandal. Among the options as learnt is to bring forward the House resumption from the scheduled Tuesday, June 19, 2012.
Sources close to Lawan were still upbeat, yesterday, insisting that the Police was working on the call logs in its custody, with which they were expected to clear the embattled lawmaker.
Otedola, Chairman of Zenon Petroleum appeared before the Special Task Force constituted by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar at precisely 10.55 a.m. yesterday. He told the panel headed by Commissioner of Police Ali Amodu that Lawan collected $500, 000 in cash and the Secretary of the committee, Boniface Emenalo collected $120, 000 in two installments of $20, 000 and $100, 000 respectively.
The video evidence
He produced a video recording of Lawan collecting the $500,000 in his residence and disclosed that the money in marked notes was provided by the SSS. He also disclosed that Lawan made “desperate” efforts to collect the balance of the money subsequently.
According to Otedola, Lawan said the money was to be distributed to other members of the House of Representatives who could help in suppressing the indictment of Otedola or his companies.
Otedola told the police that the persistent demands by Lawan for the balance of the bribe made on telephone were recorded in audio format. Both the audio and video recordings of the transactions were submitted yesterday.
A source privy to the developments disclosed: ”Farouk put pressure and kept on calling for the balance and when the pressure became unbearable, Otedola said that the two agreed that the balance should be flown in a chartered plane toAbuja. However, on the day the money was to come, Farouk said he would be in plenary and gave Otedola a name and phone number of somebody who would meet him for the money.”
Asked if the Police had recovered the money, a senior officer close to the investigation said yesterday: “First of all, the money was at no time handed over to the Inspector General of Police. Secondly, we have asked Hon. Lawan and the House to hand over the money to us and so far they have refused.
“We are told that the money will be kept as exhibit and only presented in a court of law. The question arising now is when has the House of Representatives become a security agency. What about the fear of tampering with the money, how do we guard against it if the money remains with the House?”
On what the next line of action would be if the House continues to hold on to the $620, 000, the source said, “The IGP who is the one investigating the scandal is currently on official assignment outside the FCT. As soon as he comes back, he will give us directives on what to do and we will take it from there”.
Otedola’s appearance before the Police yesterday was on his own volition Vanguard learnt yesterday. Sources close to him disclosed that Otedola went to the Police to give them the evidence of the alleged bribery following earlier denials put forth by Lawan.
Confusion trails Lawan’s documents
Meanwhile, confusion yesterday trailed the documents put forth by Lawan in which he claimed that he had written the leadership and the Chairman of the House Committee on Anti-Corruption, Adams Jagaba.
He first denounced the claim on Monday night, saying “there is no connection between my committee and the fuel probe committee and I was not given anything please thank you for calling to confirm from me.” Yesterday, he turned hostile as reporters sought clarifications from him.
”I have told you not to call me again on this matter; no comments,”Adamssaid.
Meanwhile shock and disappointment was evident in Lawan’s constituency in Shanono,Kanoyesterday as news of the scandal filtered among the people the embattled Lawan has represented since 1999.
Ali Katako, Commandant Bagwai unit of Askarawan Kwankwasiyya, a group associated with the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP noted that the development is self imposed, adding that ”the only regret we seem to be nursing now is that this development has put us on bad light”.
Similarly, the Bagwai PDP council chairman, Alhaji Inuwa Zangina Dangada on his part said “if in the end a prima facie is established against the lawmaker, he should be made to face the full wrath of the law.”
In Shanono Local Government, a stalwart of All Nigerian Peoples Party, Abubakar Usman, revealed that the lack of sympathy for the embattled legislator emanated from his own negligence.
“You only identify with someone that recognizes your existence but go round and find out whether anyone from this town appears to have shown concern on what has befallen a man they can legitimately claim to be one of them.”
He said that Lawan has not impacted on his people, and no traces of his developmental project in any of the two local Government councils that made up the Federal constituency.

Culled: Informationnigeria.org

 

‘Cassava bread will reduce cost of importation’

The Association of Small Scale Agro Producers in Nigeria(ASSAPIN) said on Tuesday that the Federal Government initiative in substituting wheat flour with cassava flour in bread making would reduce cost of importation.

Mr Joshua Mabinuori, the Association’s National Vice President, who stated this in an interview in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun, said the  initiative is a policy in  the right direction.
“We all know that the wheat we are using to produce bread is being imported into the country. So if we are substituting the imported wheat with the locally produced cassava, it means we are reducing the cost of importation.
“And as result of this, the money being spent on wheat importation will go into the pockets of the local cassava farmers rather than pockets of foreign farmers and this will eventually turn the economy around for good.
“Besides, it will also result to job creation because more people will be attracted to cassava farming due to readily available buyers.
“In all, the idea is a welcome development and we appreciate the government for this initiative and it shows that there is still hope for the small-scale farmers in the country.“
Mabinuori, however, criticised the government for not carrying small-scale farmers along before the bill for cassava in bread was sent to the National Assembly.
The ASSAPIN boss noted that small-scale farmers who are the direct beneficiaries of the bill were ignorant of the contents of the bill.
“ If government is talking about farmers need without getting in touch with the smal-scale farmers at the grassroots, then it is not the need of the farmers government is interested in.
“As good as the bill is, government failed to carry the farmers along and this should not be the case because without farmers involvement there is no how the initiative can be realised. But all the same we are in support of the bill.”
Mabinuori, however, appealed to the National Assembly to see to the speedy passage of the bill in the overall interest of the nation. (NAN)

Culled: Vanguardngr

 

Obasanjo will go to jail – Falana

Lagos lawyer, Femi Falana, has predicted that former President Olusegun Obasanjo will go to jail if the eight-year tenure of the latter is investigated.

Falana spoke on Tuesday at an event organised by Osun State civil society coalition in commemoration of June 12, 1993 presidential election.
He said, “If President Hosni Mubarak could go to jail and other corrupt leaders in Asia and North Africa, it is a pointer that former President Obasanjo will go to jail.”
Falana said Obasanjo was richer when he ended his presidential tenure than when he assumed presidency, stressing the need to probe the former helmsman.
He added that it was illegal for retired military rulers such as Gen Yakabu Gowon, Gen Ibrahim Babangida, and Gen Abubakar Abdulsalami, to attend the Council of State meetings.
An activist, Ayo Opadokun, who delivered a speech on, ‘Regionalism and Federalism: Panacea for Nigeria’s Underdevelopment’, advocated true federalism as a way out of Nigeria’s numerous problems.
Another activist, Bola Ilori, said Abiola should not be seen as a sectional leader.
A local government administrator, Dr. Oyebade Olowogboyega, delivered a paper entitled, ‘Conducting credible elections in Nigeria against the background of growing insecurity and corruption challenges’.
Olowogboyega called for the establishment of state police and stressed the need for an urgent amendment of the country’s constitution.
Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, called on the Federal Government to declare the result of the June 12, 1993 presidential election and pronounce Abiola the official winner.
Aregbesola said Abiola must be accorded post humous rights of an elected president, adding that it was in doing this that the late politician’s name would be immortalised.
Culled: 247nigerianewsupdate

 

A building collapsed in Abuja

A storey building, this morning, collapsed at Apo

Mechanic Village, a satellite town in the Federal
 Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
As at the time of filing this story, 3 people were seriously injured.
According to the Head, Public Relations Unit of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr Shuiab Yushau, the 3 victims have been taken to National Hospital, Abuja.
"Local volunteers assisted in rescued efforts," he said.

Borussia Dortmund slap £40M price-tag on Man Utd target Lewandowski

  Borussia Dortmund have slapped a £40 million price-tag on Robert Lewandowski.

The Daily Mail says Shinji Kagawa became United's first summer signing last week and Sir Alex Ferguson wrapped up the £4m arrival of Crewe youngster Nick Powell on Tuesday.
United are also keen to land Kagawa's former Dortmund team-mate Lewandowski. But the Bundesliga outfit rate the Poland international at £40m and insist they do not want to sell him.

Reds win midfielder race 

Icelandic midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson is to meet with the new manager at Swansea and explain why he is joining Liverpool.
The Reds look to have won the race to sign the attacking midfielder who did so well under Brendan Rodgers at Swansea last season whilst on loan from Germany.

The Swans had wanted to take him on a permanent deal and that looked likely to happen if Rodgers had stayed in Wales but as soon as he moved to Anfield all bets were off and Sigurdsson changed his mind.

The midfielder wants to meet Swansea's new boss, expected to be former Denmark star Michael Laudrup, to explain why he has decided against completing a £6.8million move from Hoffenheim to Swansea and instead will go to Liverpool.

Source:Eatsleepsport

$620,000 Bribery Scandal: Lawan to be declared wanted

 Security Operatives may declare the House of Representatives Chairman Ad Hoc Committee on Fuel subsidy, Farouk Lawan wanted, if he failed to appear before a police Special Task Force (STF) panel, set up to investigate the allegation of bribe between him and an Oil businessman, Femi Otedola.

Already, the Zenon Oil chairman had visited the police committee where he explained what he knew about the $3million and how he allegedly gave $620,000 to Lawan.
A Security Source who spoke with “Daily Post” said that the Police investigating panel had been expecting Lawan sinceJune 7, to appeared before its panel, and explain his role on the bribery allegation, but refused to show up.
The Source added that, the Police Authority has reached out to leadership of the lower chamber to prevail on the alleged Lawmaker to appear before the panel and defend himself on the allegation before tomorrow or face the full wrath of the law.
“Lawan might be declared wanted if he does not honour police invitation, which has been pending since June 7. We have reached out to the leadership of the House of Representatives to prevail on Lawan to respect the Police.
“We will, however, give him up till Thursday to come for interaction with the STF or we will apply the law. Do not forget that we can either declare him wanted or secure a bench warrant from a court for his arrest” the Source said.

Source:Dailypost

“Tell Lawan to produce the exact dollars he collected from me,” – Otedola

 The Chairman, Zenon Oil, Mr. Femi Otedola yesterday said the House of Representatives Chairman, Ad Hoc Committee on fuel subsidy, Farouk Lawan must produce the exact dollars he allegedly collected from him.

According to the Oil magnate, who claimed to have informed the State Security Service (SSS) before the alleged transaction, said the dollars was already marked by the SSS before it was handed over to the embattled Lawmaker.
Otedola stated this, while he appeared before the police Special Task Force (STF) panel to explain how he allegedly gave a sum of $620,000 dollars to Lawan and what he knew about the $3million.
For a month now, the House of Representatives has been battling with allegation of bribe between Otedola, a close associate with President Goodluck Jonathan and the Chairman of fuel subsidy committee.
Otedola, who company’s name was listed among beneficiaries of fuel subsidy, allegedly claimed that the Chairman of the committee demanded for a sum of $3million from him in order to help him to save his company name from the subsidy mess.
Otedola was said to have believed that the committee’s report which was submitted to the president was bias and should not be adopted by the federal government.
Otedola met the STF, headed by  Commissioner of Police Ali Amodu, between 10am and 11am in Room I.D. 068 on the First Floor of the  Force Headquarters.
A police source who preferred anonymity said Otedola has tendered the video and audio evidence of the allegation – that Farouk blackmailed him into parting with the cash.
A source said: “The oil magnate walked in quietly this morning to make his statement and we obliged him. He wrote a lengthy statement and insisted that the $3million bribe was demanded from him by Lawan. He told us clearly that he has evidence to back up his allegation.
“He also explained how he gave out $600,000 to the affected member of the House and why he chose to play along.”
Responding to a question, the source said: “For now, we only took Otedola’s statement. We need to get the statement from the other side(Lawan).

Source:Dailypost

Femi Otedola vs Farouk Lawan: The Allegations & Counter-Allegations of the $620,000 Bribery Scandal

 

Farouk Lawan & Femi Otedola

It is one thing to deny collecting a bribe. It sort of puts one in the clear, at least until proven guilty. But it is an entirely different thing to reiterate such statement later on saying you actually collected the bribe just to expose the ‘giver’ of the bribe.

Such is the nature of the controversy currently raging between the Chairman of the House of Representatives’ ad hoc committee that probed the fuel subsidy regime, Hon. Farouk Lawan, and the Chairman of Zenon Oil and Gas, Mr. Femi Otedola.
In an earlier testimony, Hon. Lawan denied collecting a $620,000 fuel subsidy bribe from Mr. Otedola.
In response to news reports circulating on the alleged bribe, Hon. Lawan, initially issued a statement denying his involvement in the scam.
My attention has been drawn to several newspapers and internet stories alleging that a prominent member of the House Adhoc Committee on Petroleum subsidy demanded and received the sum of $600,000.00 as bribe from an oil marketer.
I wish to categorically deny that I or any member of the committee demanded and received any bribe from anybody in connection with the fuel subsidy probe and I believe this is evident from the thorough and in depth manner the investigation was carried out and the all-encompassing recommendations produced therefrom as approved by the whole House.
He went on to say that the allegations were in an attempt to discredit the Fuel Subsidy report and divert the attention of the public from the real issues of large scale.
Barely 24 hours later, he reversed his earlier statement and admitted that he collected $620,000 from Mr. Otedola to doctor the panel’s report. He told journalists that he collected the money after Otedola approached him, adding that he informed the police and his colleagues about it.
Otedola, on his part, has agreed offering the money to Lawan; adding that it was part of a sting operation initiated by security agencies after he had reported that the committee demanded $3 million from him not to list his companies as part of those indicted in the report.
Otedola had alleged that the lawmaker pressed him for a bribe to remove his firm from the list of companies indicted by his committee for oil subsidy fraud. He said the request compelled him to involve security agencies in a sting to catch Lawan.
The Otedola-security agents’ collaboration was said to have led to a video recording of Lawan receiving a $500,000 bribe with a promise to remove Otedola’s company’s name from the list. The Clerk of the Lawal-led panel, Boniface Emenalo, also received $100,000 as part of the $3m allegedly negotiated with Otedola by Lawan.
In the latest development, Mr. Otedola appeared before the Police Special Task Force in Abuja yesterday to brief investigators on his own side of the story. He reportedly spent about an hour answering questions from detectives in the Special Task force team headed by Commissioner of Police Ali Ahmadu.
The police had invited Lawan but the lawmaker did not honour the invitation to appear before the panel on Tuesday.
However, media reports claim that a police source has established that Mr. Lawan initiated the contact with Mr. Otedola and demanded a bribe in exchange for removing two of Otedola’s firms from adverse reports that would beam an investigative searchlight on the theft of hundreds of millions of dollars in oil subsidy funds.
The police also confirmed that the SSS worked with Mr. Otedola to videotape the bribe and also snooped on several phone conversation between the Zenon executive and the legislator.
Police sources said that they believed Mr. Lawan contacted them to report that he was in possession of bribe money only after he realized that the currencies were marked.
Following Otedola’s statement, the Police authorities, have tagged Lawan as the ‘prime suspect’ in their investigations and are expected to make their move anytime soon.
Otedola said he can’t be accused of being a bribe giver because the money in question was handed to him in its entirety by the State Security Service (SSS).
This latest corruption saga has drawn the attention away from the initial fuel subsidy probe. However, Nigerians and indeed, the international community are eagerly watching to see what would be the outcome of this.

Source: Bellanaija

Mourinho tells Real Madrid: Get me Maicon

 Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho wants a reunion with Inter Milan fullback Douglas Maicon.

Marca says Mourinho is convinced at 31, Maicon still has plenty to offer and can be the solution to his right-back problem next season.

Maicon's management say he's ready to move on and now Mourinho is actively discussing his signing with Real president Florentino Perez.

Real hope to do business for around €5 million.

Music and message

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXD6QjfEdSY&feature=share

Jos suicide bomber posed as church member

Richard Jonah, a witness at today’s bombing of God Chosen Church in Jos, the central Nigerian state of Plateau, said the bomber entered through the church gate after deceiving the security personnel that he was a member coming for service.

Jonah said the suicide bomber, who drove a Volkswagen Golf saloon car, posed as a member of the church and was admitted to the premises by the security personnel.
“But immediately he entered into the premises, he drove straight into the church building and hit the structure with the bomb-laden vehicle while the second service was still going on,’’ he said.
The explosion brought down the entire church building, destroying chairs, tables and musical instruments as well as cars and motorcycles.
Officials say the number of casualties in the suicide bomb attack on the church at Rukuba Road, Jos, has not been determined.
However, witnesses said many persons, including the suicide bomber, died.
Mr Manasseh Pampe, a senior official of Red Cross Society in Plateau, said it was difficult to ascertain the figure as yet.
Pampe said that many of the victims had been taken to various medical centres in the town.
Many severely burnt people and other victims were being rushed to Bingham Teaching Hospital, Jos University Teaching Hospital and Plateau Specialist Hospital, Jos.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abu Emmanuel, confirmed the incident but said that the casualty figure was still being collated.
“We are still moving from place to place. Please give us some time,’’ Emmanuel told NAN.
An official of National Emergency Management Agency official, Mr Tajudeen Olanrewaju, also declined to be specific about the casualty figure.
“As you can see, we are still evacuating those injured to hospitals. For now, we cannot give you any clear figure,’’ he said

Malawi 1 – 1 Nigeria

 The Super Eagles and the Flames of Malawi played out a 1-1 draw in Blantyre on Saturday in a Day 2 qualifier for the 2014 World Cup. Home-based midfielder, Gabriel Reuben put Nigeria ahead with a header in the 90th minute but John Banda equalised for the home side with two minutes of additional time.

After some hostile reception from Malawian football fans in Blantyre on Friday, the Eagles under Stephen Keshi drew but should have won the match again late as they did against Namibia last Sunday in Calabar when Ikechukwu Uche scored in the 80th minute after the team had missed a raft of goal scoring chances.
The match was be played at the 25,000-capacity Kamuzu Banda Stadium in Blantyre and it was a sea of red colour. The Flames started the brighter and Eagles captain and goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama made a save off Nyondo in the tenth minute to keep the match scoreless.
Victor Moses almost scored his first goal for the Eagles on 33 minutes but the Malawian goalkeeper Simplex Nthara , who made a fine save and at the time the Super Eagles were putting on the pressure in search of the first goal.
In the 39th minute, Ikechukwu Uche was denied in a one-on-one situation but the Flames were saved again by goalkeeper Nthara but the Eagles get a corner kick.
First half ended 0-0 and the second half saw the Nigerian team push hard for a goal but the Flames were resolute in their defensive display backed up by Nthara. Efe Ambrose got the first yellow card of the match in the 80th minute.
Nigeria scored late and will have thought they were coming home with the three points until Banda saved Kinnah Phiri’s blushes with a last minute equaliser on the Kamuzu Banda pitch.

From=Dailytimesng

Jos bomb: Death toll rises

 At least ten persons, among whom is a suicide bomber, have been confirmed killed in Sunday morning’s bomb blast near Christ Chosen Church in Jos, Plateau State.

Three of the victims are known to have died in the blast, while the others were in a reprisal attack by enraged youths of the area.
According to the director, nursing services at Bingham University Teaching Hospital (BUTH), Mrs. Maria Goni, 51 injured persons were brought to the hospital, and two who remained in critical conditions were referred to the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH).
At BUTH, one of the recuperating victims was Mercy Francis, 45, who was suffering the additional pain of not knowing the whereabouts of her daughter. Blessing Francis, 6, said they were in the church when they saw a vehicle coming in on top speed. They erroneously thought the vehicle was bearing on one of the parishioners, but just as the officiating pastor asked them to be seated, they were overwhelmed by the blast, which brought the building down on them. The pastor was one of those in critical condition, and was also referred to JUTH.
An eye witness reported that the suicide bomber arrived the scene in a Toyota Corolla saloon car, and drove a little beyond the road leading to the church before reversing and speeding directly towards the church gate and ramming into the gate to ignite the explosion.

Although the explosion ruined the church building, no death was recorded at the scene, and those who sustained various degrees of injuries did so from the collapse of the building.

Culled from Dailytimesng

Obodo Rescued

Super eagles midfielder, Christian Obodo was on sunday set free from the hands of dare devil kidnappers a day after he was kidnapped.
His abductors had demanded 150,000 euro from his family in Warri as a ransom.
The spokesman of the delta state police, Mr Charlse Muka said policemen freed Obodo and arrested some of the suspected kidnappers.