03032018 - APC budgets N500m for 20 vehicles
Vanguard Newspaper 03 February 2018
Vanguard Newspaper 03 February 2018
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8 — SATURDAY Vanguard, MARCH 3, <strong>20</strong>18<br />
N3.48b NDDC contract: EFCC closes in on Senator<br />
By Soni Daniel, Northern<br />
Region Editor<br />
A<br />
Nigerian Senator<br />
has come under the<br />
searchlight of the Economic<br />
and Financial Crimes<br />
Commission <strong>for</strong> using his<br />
influence to corner N3.4<br />
billion job <strong>for</strong> himself, using<br />
companies licensed by<br />
family members, friends<br />
and associates to secure<br />
the questionable jobs.<br />
The Senator (name withheld)<br />
who is already in<br />
court with the EFCC <strong>for</strong><br />
supplying used equipment<br />
to a Southern State<br />
in place of new ones and<br />
using the money to purchase<br />
a monumental<br />
building in Lagos, is being<br />
probed by the anti-graft<br />
agency <strong>for</strong> influence peddling,<br />
breach of public trust<br />
and abuse of the public<br />
procurement Act in the<br />
award of the multi-million<br />
contract <strong>for</strong> the ‘provision<br />
of plastic chairs and desks<br />
<strong>for</strong> primary and secondary<br />
schools in nine states of<br />
the Niger Delta-Abia, Imo,<br />
Ondo, Akwa Ibom, Cross<br />
River, Bayelsa, Rivers, Edo<br />
and Delta.<br />
Saturday Vanguard<br />
gathered that trouble started<br />
<strong>for</strong> the Senator when<br />
the EFCC received a petition<br />
on the fraudulent<br />
NDDC contract award<br />
from anti-corruption<br />
group, which alleged that<br />
the said contract did not<br />
pass through any bidding<br />
process as prescribed by<br />
law.<br />
The petitioners, Anti-<br />
Corruption Group and Integrity<br />
Forum, a group interested<br />
in promoting good<br />
governance, transparency<br />
and sustenance of the rule<br />
of law in Nigeria, raised<br />
the alarm that the Senator<br />
virtually used his position<br />
as the Chairman of a powerful<br />
Senate Committee to<br />
<strong>for</strong>ce the NDDC to hand<br />
over the huge jobs covering<br />
the nine states to him.<br />
Findings by EFCC<br />
showed that the lawmaker<br />
used 15 companies,<br />
which are closely related<br />
to him to award contracts<br />
valued at N3,483,144,000<br />
to himself not minding<br />
that the jobs did not go<br />
through any procurement<br />
process.<br />
Most worrisome to the<br />
crack team of EFCC investigators<br />
is the discovery<br />
that four of the companies<br />
were registered in the<br />
name of the Senator’s<br />
younger brother while the<br />
rest had the imprints of his<br />
proxies and business associates.<br />
Documents obtained by<br />
Saturday Vanguard from<br />
investigators gave the<br />
names of the companies<br />
used by the Senator to secure<br />
the jobs as: Benchmark<br />
Construction &<br />
Projects Limited; Milestone<br />
Allied Builders Limited;<br />
Edendoma Stars Intl;<br />
Isumabe U.K Global Ventures;<br />
Nelpat (Nig) Company;<br />
Edrihide Company;<br />
Antlers Construction & Allied<br />
Works Limited; AGH-<br />
Rown Ventures; NOAN<br />
Integrated Services Limited;<br />
De-Towers Construction<br />
& Allied Services;<br />
Eastern Wrought Iron<br />
Limited; Franstine Nig.<br />
Enterprise; Brant Technologies;<br />
Omozuabho Global<br />
Resources and Bugstruct<br />
Limited.<br />
Documents at the disposal<br />
of Saturday Vanguard<br />
also indicate that<br />
out of the 15 firms suspected<br />
to be linked to the Senator<br />
based on Corporate<br />
Affairs Commission’s<br />
records on their ownership,<br />
Investigations reveal<br />
that out of the above companies,<br />
all believed to<br />
have links with Senator,<br />
Benchmark Construction<br />
& Projects Limited got the<br />
contract <strong>for</strong> the production<br />
of plastic desks and chairs<br />
<strong>for</strong> primary and secondary<br />
schools in Abia State at the<br />
cost of N232,<strong>20</strong>9,600,<br />
Milestone Allied Builders<br />
Limited and Edendoma<br />
Stars International Ltd got<br />
the same contract sum of<br />
N232,<strong>20</strong>9,600 each <strong>for</strong> the<br />
same purpose in Akwa<br />
Ibom State. On the other<br />
hand, Isumabe U.K Global<br />
Ventures; Nelpat (Nig)<br />
Company and Edrihide<br />
Company also got<br />
N232,<strong>20</strong>9,600 each <strong>for</strong> the<br />
same contract in Bayelsa.<br />
In Cross River State, Antlers<br />
Construction & Allied<br />
Works Limited got her<br />
share of the contract sum<br />
of N232,<strong>20</strong>9,600 <strong>for</strong> the<br />
same production of plastic<br />
desks and chairs <strong>for</strong> primary<br />
and secondary schools<br />
while AGH-Rown Ventures<br />
and NOAN Integrated<br />
Services Limited were<br />
also awarded the same<br />
contract in Delta State at<br />
the cost of N232,<strong>20</strong>9,600<br />
each. Brant Technologies,<br />
Omozuabho Global Resources<br />
and Bugstruct<br />
Limited also got<br />
N232,<strong>20</strong>9,600 each <strong>for</strong> the<br />
same job in Rivers State.<br />
Similarly, De-Towers<br />
Construction & Allied Services,<br />
Eastern Wrought<br />
Iron Limited and Franstine<br />
Nig. Enterprise got<br />
N232,<strong>20</strong>9,600 each as contract<br />
sum <strong>for</strong> the production<br />
of same plastic desks<br />
and chairs <strong>for</strong> primary and<br />
secondary schools in Edo,<br />
Imo and Ondo States respectively.<br />
However, EFCC teams<br />
working on the probe of<br />
the Senator are trying to<br />
establish and locate the<br />
schools in the nine states<br />
where the said chairs and<br />
desks are currently being<br />
used after the lawmaker<br />
had received more than 50<br />
percent of the fund as mobilisation<br />
fee.<br />
Further investigations<br />
into the registration history<br />
of the above-mentioned<br />
companies with Corporate<br />
Affairs Commission (CAC)<br />
Abuja revealed that four of<br />
the firms- Benchmark Construction<br />
& Projects Limited<br />
with RC No: 925180;<br />
Milestone Allied Builders<br />
Limited with RC No:<br />
Continues on Page 43<br />
Mr. Onochie Anibeze, Saturday Vanguard Editor, (right) presenting a consolation<br />
prize of Tastee Fried Lunch Pack <strong>for</strong> a couple to Mrs. Ovadje Helen Okitoto in the<br />
recently concluded Vanguard's Valentine Love Note Competition at the newspaper<br />
Headquarters, Apapa, Lagos. Photo: Bunmi Azeez<br />
<strong>20</strong>19, insecurity: IBB, Danjuma hold<br />
talks in Minna<br />
FORMER Military<br />
President, General<br />
Ibrahim Babangida on<br />
Thursday played host to<br />
<strong>for</strong>mer Chief of Army<br />
Staff, General Theophilus<br />
Danjuma during<br />
which they held a closed<br />
door meeting.<br />
Gen. Danjuma was<br />
said to have arrived Minna<br />
International Airport<br />
at about 11:45am on<br />
Thursday and was driven<br />
straight to the hill top<br />
residence of Gen. Babangida.<br />
The source said<br />
the meeting commenced<br />
immediately after launch<br />
at about 1 p.m. and lasted<br />
over three hours.<br />
Immediately after the<br />
meeting, General Danjuma<br />
was driven straight to<br />
the Minna Airport in a<br />
Mercedes Benz E class<br />
belonging to Gen. Babangida<br />
which brought<br />
him from the Airport .<br />
A dependable source<br />
told our correspondent<br />
that the <strong>for</strong>mer Military<br />
leaders must have discussed<br />
current national<br />
issues including <strong>20</strong>19<br />
general elections and security.<br />
According to the<br />
source, “Nobody was<br />
with them during the<br />
meeting and so nobody<br />
could actually say what<br />
they discussed. The meeting<br />
started immediately<br />
after they had lunch together<br />
and the closed<br />
door meeting lasted over<br />
three hours.<br />
“However, I can tell you<br />
that they must have discussed<br />
the general situation<br />
in the country including<br />
security, politics<br />
and other sensitive matters.<br />
General Danjuma<br />
left the house here exactly<br />
4:05 and he was taken<br />
straight to the airport and<br />
that is all I can tell you<br />
about the visits”.<br />
Gen. Babangida had<br />
been playing host to<br />
prominent Nigerians<br />
since <strong>for</strong>mer president<br />
Olusegun Obasanjo<br />
wrote the incumbent<br />
president Muhammadu<br />
Buhari to go home and<br />
rest in <strong>20</strong>19 and that he<br />
should not contest the<br />
presidential election.<br />
Gen. Babangida also<br />
released a similar letter on<br />
Gen. Buhari.<br />
ANTI-GRAFT AGENCY: Lawyers’<br />
group hails Osinbajo over statement<br />
By Charles Kumolu<br />
THE League of Patriotic Lawyers has hailed Vice<br />
President Yemi Osinbajo <strong>for</strong> saying that the executive<br />
would not change its position on the chairmanship<br />
of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,<br />
EFCC.<br />
Briefing newsmen in Lagos, Chairman of the group,<br />
Mr. Abubakar Yesufu described the Vice President as<br />
being consistent with the truth on the matter.<br />
His words: “Ibrahim Magu remains the last man<br />
standing despite attempts to intimidate and blackmail<br />
him. Magu’s credentials remain unblemished and<br />
spotless as the cattle egret. Here is a man who put<br />
his in-law, the <strong>for</strong>mer Managing Director of Bank of<br />
the North, Mallam Bulama on trial, and eventually<br />
convicted him.<br />
‘’Here is a man who has put senior retired and serving<br />
military officers on trial <strong>for</strong> financial crimes. Here<br />
is a man who has refused to compromise and demanded<br />
justice. “It would be ambitious <strong>for</strong> anybody to think<br />
that he would ever be confirmed when more than 15<br />
senators are on his radar.<br />
“Until more than the 15 cases that abound in our<br />
various courts are consolidated and determined,<br />
Magu, like the Vice President said remains the EFCC<br />
boss, either in an acting capacity or otherwise.”<br />
<strong>20</strong>19: Okowa has no rival — Aide<br />
By Johnbosco Agbakwuru<br />
DELTA State Commissioner <strong>for</strong> Commerce and<br />
Industry, Barrister Mary Iyasere, weekend, expressed<br />
confidence that the state Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi<br />
Okowa would outrun other contenders from the<br />
opposition political parties in the <strong>20</strong>19 governorship<br />
elections.<br />
The Commissioner said the governor’s re-election<br />
would be a smooth ride based on his giant strides in<br />
industrialization and economic revival of the state.<br />
Speaking in an interview with Saturday Vanguard,<br />
Barrister Iyasere explained that ailing companies inherited<br />
by the state government were coming on<br />
stream through strategic partnership with the private<br />
sector.<br />
She said since assumption of office, Governor Okowa<br />
has taken bold initiatives to reduce unemployment in<br />
the state with Skill Training and Entrepreneurship<br />
programme, STEP, and Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurs<br />
Programme, YAGEP, under the SMART AGEN-<br />
DA development blueprint .<br />
She said that Delta was on the threshold of a gradual<br />
industrial revolution and economic prosperity.<br />
According to Iyasere, “The Okowa administration<br />
is reviving moribund industries like Bendel Steel<br />
among others to boost the economy of the state and<br />
thousands of youths have been trained and equipped<br />
to own their businesses in Delta state.”<br />
The commissioner noted that the state government<br />
inspired the youths to establish the various vocational<br />
ventures <strong>for</strong> wealth creation and enduring means<br />
of survival towards the fulfilment of their destiny and<br />
overall growth of the state.<br />
According to her, “With the productive engagement<br />
of the younger generation, incidents of youth restiveness,<br />
pipeline vandalism and all <strong>for</strong>ms of economic<br />
sabotage and criminal tendencies have reduced.<br />
Okowa ‘s populist policies have endeared him to<br />
Deltans. He is a leader with tremendous goodwill<br />
across the three senatorial districts of the state .Okowa<br />
has no rival. He will emerge victorious in the <strong>20</strong>19<br />
governorship elections.”<br />
On political appointments, the female Commissioner<br />
said the Okowa government was gender sensitive.<br />
I’ll trans<strong>for</strong>m Ora community<br />
– Baale Ogungbesan<br />
Ora community in Eredo Local Council Develop<br />
ment Area of Lagos State is to be repositioned.<br />
The Baale, Chief Oriyomi Peter Ogungbesan told<br />
Saturday Vanguard in his Odo-Ora Palace recently<br />
that he would harness all the resources in his domain<br />
to trans<strong>for</strong>m it to a mega community.<br />
He said that all achievements so far was a result<br />
of the support of Council of Obas and Chiefs, government,<br />
CDA and all other well meaning personalities<br />
in his domain.<br />
Chief Ogungbesan said he was determined to increase<br />
the population of the community and encourage<br />
other economic and social activities.<br />
The community, royal fathers, the executive chairman,<br />
Erodo Local Council Development Area, Hon.<br />
Saliu Adeniyi Rasaq expressed his unimaginable<br />
stride by the community leader, championing the<br />
frontiers of his community development in area of<br />
security, electrification, amongst others.<br />
Hon. Rasaq said, he would lay the foundation of<br />
the first Millennium Estate of its kind in Ora Community<br />
by March during the Ora Day an initiative<br />
of Olu-Ora.