United Kingdom To deploy observers in Edo and Ondo States to monitor the governorship elections

The United Kingdom yesterday said it would deploy observers in Edo and Ondo States to monitor the governorship elections, and threatened sanction, including a travel ban to the United Kingdom, against sponsors of violence in the two elections.

The UK said the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, had met with the leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The decisions of the UK Government were contained in a statement issued yesterday in Abuja by the High Commission to Nigeria.

The statement said: “As a friend and partner of Nigeria, we are closely following the lead up to the off-cycle governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states scheduled for September 19 and October 10, respectively.

“These elections are important, both as an essential element of effective governance within both states and an indicator of the strength of Nigeria’s democratic institutions.

“Our High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, has held meetings with leaders of the two main political parties, the APC and PDP.

“The discussions focused on the need for the parties’ leaders to prevail on supporters to avoid violence before and after the elections and we welcome the Edo candidates’ signatures of the National Peace Committee and INEC convened a peace accord yesterday.

“We will be deploying observation missions to both the Edo and Ondo elections and supporting civil society led observation.

“The UK takes a strong stand against election-related violence and, just as we did in the general election in 2019, will continue to take action against individuals we identify as being responsible for violence during the elections.

“This could include restrictions on their eligibility to travel to the UK, restrictions on access to UK based assets or prosecution under international law.

“The UK will continue to provide support and engagement as we move towards these elections. We urge INEC, the Police and all other agencies involved to work together to deliver free, fair and credible elections.”

Source: THISDAYLIVE.COM

APC chieftain urges collaboration to develop Ekiti

The Ekiti All Progressives Congress (APC), United Kingdom chapter, has appealed to stakeholders to collaborate with Gov. Kayode Fayemi towards the development of the state.

The chapter’s chairman, Dr Lee Badeji, made the appeal in a statement issued to newsmen on Sunday in Abuja.

He added that the infighting among party members in the state was not necessary, stressing that there was the need for unity, if the state must remain relevant in the political arena ahead of the 2023 elections.

Badeji, however, noted that the political infighting in the state chapter, was not unconnected with the internal quibble among its stakeholders.

According to him, such atmosphere does not speak well for a political family, adding that there is need to forge a common political front.

This, he said, was critical to engender unity among politicians in the state, for the common good of all Ekiti at home and in the diaspora.

He added that as a leader, he was already working round the clock to unify all warring parties within the party in the state.

“My peace initiative is solely due to my position as the chairman of the state’s party in the UK to preach peace and unity among all leaders at home.

“I therefore call on all other party leaders in the state, including those who had left for one reason or the other, to allow for reconciliation and long lasting peace to reign.

“As the 2023 politicking commences in earnest, the role of Ekiti State is very pivotal in shaping the next electioneering in the country.

“However, we must put our house in order to be able to make meaningful and valuable impact in the months ahead,” he said.

Badeji noted the contributions of other political leaders in the state to forestall and sustain progress in the interest of all.

He added that such party leaders had over time provided good leadership at several points in their political sojourn in the state, saying that their contributions could not be undermined.

According to him, the individual contributions of such leaders had positively impacted the overall wellness of the residents.

“I am ready and willing to work with all in the overall interest of Ekiti.

“Truth remains Gov. Fayemi may not be perfect, no one is, and just like everyone too, Dr Badeji is no exception. But as human, I learn from my mistakes, make the necessary adjustment and move on.

“The same way can be said of the incumbent Gov. Fayemi, he is a man that learns from his mistakes and always willing to learn and listen to the opinions of others,” he said.

Badeji lauded the state party leaders and commended their efforts so far, at ensuring that the interest of the people remained paramount.

Mr Olusegun Agbalajobi, had also in a statement, commended Badeji for his peace initiative, saying that he was a true son of Ekiti and a good leader that should be emulated.

“I appreciate the mediation you have undertaken without any push from anyone. I am ready and willing to work with you in the overall interest of Ekiti,” the statement quoted Agbalajobi as saying.

Source: Today.ng

A Senate report has revealed how top management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) paid themselves N85.6 million to attend a graduation ceremony in the United Kingdom at a time Nigeria was on lockdown and airports shut.

Daniel Pondei, Acting Managing Director of NDDC.

Non-remittance to NDDC: NASS issues bench warrant on 8 oil companies

A Senate report has revealed how top management of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) paid themselves N85.6 million to attend a graduation ceremony in the United Kingdom at a time Nigeria was on lockdown and airports shut.

The report shows that approval for the funds was made in April – at the time when countries were on lockdown and flight activities suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The money was shared in April for a supposed trip in June, none of the officials travelled for the trip and none of them had returned the money as of July when the Senate investigated the matter, the lawmakers said.

This is one of the many revelations that emerged from the National Assembly’s investigation into spending by the NDDC, which has generated mixed reactions among Nigerians.

The Senate had, on May 5, set up a seven-member ad-hoc committee to probe the “financial recklessness” of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) of the NDDC. The committee was particularly asked to probe the IMC for allegedly squandering N40 billion in three months.

In the same vein, the House of Representatives Committee on Niger Delta commenced an investigative hearing on the alleged mismanagement of N81.5 billion between January and July by the commission.

There were accusations and counter-accusations from the investigative hearings conducted by the Senate and House committees in July, between some lawmakers and members of the NDDC, amid startling discoveries.

Besides how lawmakers allegedly ‘hijacked‘ NDDC projects and how the commission spent N1.3 billion for staff as ‘COVID-19 relief funds’, another revelation is how the NDDC spent a total of N85.6 million on the graduation ceremony in the UK.

This was contained in the report of the Senate ad-hoc committee. The Senate had on July 23 considered the report that exposed the ‘reckless’ and ‘budgetless’ spending by the IMC.

Top among the beneficiaries are the Managing Director, Daniel Pondei, the acting deputy director, projects, Cairo Ojougboh, another director, Luke Ibanga, and a Seledi Wakama who got the lion share of the fund.

The report

According to the document, the NDDC account shows a one-off travel expenditure with the description tagged “Delegate to attend graduation ceremony of NDDC scholars in the United Kingdom in June 2020”.

The total cost of this trip was N85.6 million, covering 14 staff to travel to the United Kingdom. And the travellers include Messrs Pondei, Ojougboh and lbanga.

The report listed 14 beneficiaries paid different amounts for the ‘graduation.’ They are:

Saledi Wakama (N33.3 million), Messrs Pondei, Ojougboh and Bassey Etang who got N4.6 million each, Mr Ibanga (N3.5 million), Nimite Ateki and Allwell Hanachor, who got N3.2 million each.

Others are, Chinyere Madume (N3 million) and Marg Consultant (2.9 million). While Irene Okezie, Clara Braide, Bestman Nnwoka, Omoren Usenobong and Kubiat Bassey were paid N2.9 million each.

Two other beneficiaries were also listed in the overseas travel expenditure but for different purposes.

They are Ekpebu Lawrence who was paid N4.6 million for “participation at International Labour and Employment Relations Association in South Korea 2018” and Abgenglasede Nosa paid N3.6 million for attending “2019 Association of Certified Fraud in Texas 2019.”

The report said these payments demonstrate a form of internal control failure in the NDDC, especially with the management‘s choice to subject such transactions as cash payments to Individual staff. And that the corporate affairs department in collaboration with the Human Resource Department should have been responsible for direct payments for visas to the relevant embassies and airlines as direct cash payment to staff could be abused.

“It is also curious that these payments were made on the 17 April, 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 lockdown for a June 2020 trip. Obviously, monies had been paid to the 14 staff involved. There was no evidence that these trips took place as Nigeria and the United Kingdom were on lockdown during this period with all international flights and consular services by the UK High Commission suspended.

“The EIMC team explained that the trip was planned to take place In June and September without any consideration for the Covid-19 pandemic, therefore an early disbursement of fund (CovId-19 was already here in April!) was made to enable staff make timely visa arrangements,” part of the report read.

The committee however said since the trip “is no longer going to hold, everyone paid must refund the monies paid to them for the trip.”

This comes at a time many Nigerian students under the NDDC scholarship are stranded abroad because of the lack of funding from the commission.

The commission paid “scholarship grants” to Mr Pondei and other top officials rather than to the suffering students.

In May, the students wrote to the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, complaining that life for them abroad has been compounded by the coronavirus pandemic which has prevented them from even engaging in menial jobs for survival.

President Muhammadu Buhari has, however, directed the NDDC to pay the fees and stipends of scholars of the commission who are facing hardships abroad.

Since the revelations emerged, individuals and civic groups have called for the prosecution of guilty NDDC officials as well as sanction of lawmakers who are complicit in the NDDC scandal.