Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against President Muhammadu Buhari “over his failure to probe allegations that N106bn of public funds are missing from 149 ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), and to ensure the prosecution of those suspected to be responsible, and the recovery of any missing public funds.”

The suit followed the grim allegations by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation in his 2018 annual audited report that N105,662,350,077.46 of public funds are missing, misappropriated or unaccounted for across 149 MDAs.

In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/903/2021 filed last week at the Federal High Court in Abuja, SERAP is seeking: “an order of mandamus to direct and compel President Buhari to promptly investigate the alleged missing N106bn of public funds, ensure prosecution of anyone suspected to be responsible, and the full recovery of any missing public money.”

In the suit, SERAP is arguing that: “Recovering the alleged missing public funds would reduce the pressure on the Federal Government to borrow more money to fund the budget, enable the authorities to meet the country’s constitutional and international obligations, and reduce the growing level of public debts.”

According to SERAP: “Directing and compelling President Buhari to ensure the investigation and prosecution of the alleged grand corruption documented by the Auditor-General would be entirely consistent with the government’s own commitment to fight corruption, improve the integrity of MDAs, and serve the public interest.”

SERAP is also arguing that, “The alleged missing public funds have hampered the ability of the indicted MDAs to meet the needs of average citizens, as the missing funds could have helped the government to invest in key public goods and services, and to improve access of Nigerians to these goods and services.”

Joined in the suit as Respondents are Mr Abubakar Malami, SAN, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation; and Mrs Zainab Ahmed, Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning.

SERAP is arguing that, “It is in the interest of justice to grant this application, as it would improve respect for the rights of Nigerians, and improve their access to essential public goods and services. The suit is in keeping with the requirements of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended]; anti-corruption legislation, and the country’s international obligations including under the UN Convention against Corruption; and the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party.”

SERAP is also seeking an order to compel the president “to publish full details of the yearly budgets of all MDAs, and issue regular updates that detail their expenditures, including by making any such information easily accessible in a form that can be understood by the public.”

The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare and Ms Joke Fekumo, read in part: “The failure to investigate the allegations of grand corruption in the 2018 annual audited report constitutes a grave violation of the duty placed on the Nigerian government to take appropriate measures to promote transparency and accountability in the management of public finances.”

“President Buhari’s constitutional responsibility to ensure the investigation and prosecution of allegations of corruption, as well as recovery of any missing public funds is contained in Section 15[5] of the Nigerian Constitution, which provides that ‘the State shall abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power’, and in the Oath of Office in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution.”

“The Oath of Office of the President is considered of such importance that section 140 of the 1999 Constitution provides that the President cannot perform his or her respective official functions as President without taking the oath of office.”

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

Kolawole Oluwadare
SERAP Deputy Director
22/8/2021
Lagos, Nigeria
Emails: info@serap-nigeria.org; news@serap-nigeria.org
Twitter: @SERAPNigeria
Website: www.serap-nigeria.org
For more information or to request an interview, please contact us on: +2348160537202

PRESIDENT BUHARI PREACHES UNITY AS BICHI EMIR RECEIVES STAFF OF OFFICE

President Muhammadu Buhari, on Saturday in Bichi, Kano State called on emerging leaders in the country to rid the nation of divisiveness and unite the people.

In an address to the Emir of Bichi, Nasiru Ado Bayero and his people at his inaugural ceremony read on his behalf by Professor Ibrahim Gambari, the Chief of Staff, the President said the prevailing circumstances of the nation impose a demand on leaders to “display their qualities and work earnestly for continued peace and unity.”

The President said:

“Your turbanning at a providential time like this in the history of our country when the prevailing social and socioeconomic conditions have created an opportunity for emerging leaders to display their qualities and work earnestly for continued peace and unity.

‘‘Your father, my friend the late Emir of Kano, Ado Bayero, was a symbol of unity, not only within his Kingdom but also within Northern Nigeria and the whole country.”

Going down the memory lane, President Buhari said when we remember Ado Bayero, we remember unity, we remember simplicity and good leadership, a leader who devoted his life to unify the nation.

“I remember with nostalgia, the passion and commitment he always exhibited in the pursuit of anything he believed in, a distinctive character that almost cost him his life prematurely on 19th January, 2013 because of his vociferous stand against the Boko Haram terrorists.”

President Buhari expressed optimism that the new Emir will exhibit similar qualities and “even much more, as he has begun to exhibit” within the few months of his reign.

The President, who extended his “deep and wholehearted congratulations”, said he will continue to pray for the success of the Emir and looks forward to his contributions ‘‘to uplifting the people of his emirate and Nigerians in general.”

The leader of the Presidential delegation, Professor Gambari, who is an uncle of the Emir, Nasiru Ado Bayero from his mother’s side, reaffirmed his loyalty and affinity to the Emir.

Gambari described the recreation of Kano’s additional four emirates by the Abdullahi Umar Ganduje administration as ‘‘wonderful, historic and innovative.”

Other members of the Presidential delegation are the Ministers of Defence, Maj Gen Bashir Salihi Magashi (rtd), Agriculture, Alhaji Sabo Nanono, Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika and Water Resources, Engr. Suleiman Hussein Adamu as well as the Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media and Publicity), Garba Shehu.

Garba Shehu
Senior Special Assistant to the President
(Media & Publicity)
August 21, 2021

August 21, 2021

Press Statement

2023: PDP Accuses APC of Using EFCC To Hound Opposition, Dissenting Voices

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alerts that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration is using security agencies, particularly the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to hound and harass PDP leaders in a renewed move to cow and weaken opposition formation ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Our party however states that no amount of intimidation, harassment and use of anti-graft agencies to clampdown on its leaders on trump up corruption charges, can cow or make the PDP to surrender or abdicate the mandate already given to it by Nigerians to lead in the effort to rescue our nation, come 2023.

The APC knows that it has been rejected by Nigerians having failed woefully and that there is no way it can win elections under any condition.

As such, it seeks to use the state apparatus of power to decimate and muzzle opposition and dissenting voices and foist an anti-democratic situation on Nigerians.

Part of this heinous plot by the APC is to use the EFCC to bully, harass and hound PDP leaders, who are rallying Nigerians for the task ahead, with a view to coercing them to abdicate the mandate of the people and join the APC.

This explains why the EFCC and other security agencies have been harassing PDP leaders such as former Senate President Bukola Saraki, former PDP state governors, including the former governor of Abia state, Senator Theodore Orji, former governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson, his Kano State counterpart, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso and other key PDP leaders, on trump up charges, while their counterparts in the APC with similar allegations as well as others who had defected to the APC are moving around freely.

Even corrupt officials of the APC administration, who are looting our national treasury, are doing so freely, under Buhari’s watch.

Furthermore, our party has been made aware of plots by the APC administration to use the EFCC to further harass outspoken PDP chieftains in a bid to muzzle our party, force a one-party state and deny Nigerians a voice to challenge the atrocities of the APC and its administration.

We alert Nigerians of how many of our leaders are being harassed by emissaries of the APC in a bid to get them to compromise their stand against the corrupt and inept APC administration.

If the APC had done well; if it had not devastated Nigerians and brought so much pain to the people; if the APC had managed our national resources well instead of engaging in unbridled treasury looting, stealing over N15 trillion naira and turning our nation into poverty capital of the world; if APC had not compromised our national security and threw our nation open to bandits, insurgents and terrorists, would it not be celebrating by now instead of this plot to force the people to submission?

In all, the APC should know that their evil enterprise cannot bend our leaders or sway Nigerians to jettison their determination to oust the APC from office at all levels across the country, come 2023.

Nigerians already know that they are saddled with a “failed President” and his “failed APC” for the remaining of his second and final term which will end in 2023.

However, the PDP calls on the EFCC Chairman to quickly insulate the commission from APC’s manipulative enterprise, which ruined the former leadership of the commission, especially as this clampdown cannot save the APC in 2023.

Signed:

Kola Ologbondiyan
National Publicity Secretary

Osinbajo, Atiku, governors, family, celebrate Pa Okowa’s legacy

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has described the late Pa Arthur Okowa, as a foremost educationist and committed public servant who contributed to the growth and development of education in the country.

Osinbajo spoke on Saturday at St Michael’s Anglican Church, Owa-Alero, Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta at the thanksgiving service marking the celebration of life of Pa Okowa, father of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta.

Osinbajo said the late Pa Okowa was an outstanding teacher, pioneer educationist and committed public servant.

He noted that the story of educational development of many communities in Delta and Edo States cannot be told without the mention of Pa Okowa.

According to him, a good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children, adding there was no doubt that Pa Okowa left an inheritance for his children’s children, his community and the state.

“I am honoured to join so many from all over the country and the rest of the world to celebrate the life and times of an outstanding pioneer educationist and a committed public servant, Pa Arthur Okowa.

“He was also a great politician with the UPN under the leadership of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo,” he said.

The Vice President said the legacies left behind by the deceased would last forever.

“There is no guarantee that material wealth can last a generation but a legacy of character and faith in God lasts forever.

“The nation and the state benefited and still benefit from the contributions of Pa Okowa with his son becoming Governor of Delta.

“The Owa-Alero community, Delta and Nigeria has been blessed with the life and times of Pa Arthur Okowa,” Osinbajo added.

Chief mourner and Governor of Delta, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa said his father would have been 89 years today, but he passed on January 28.

He said his father was a great teacher, politician and community leader whose disciplinary actions contributed immensely to the success of his children in life.

“We give thanks to the Lord our God for showing him mercy to have lived up to 88 years.

“I thank Vice President ,Yemi Osinbajo, my dear brother governors and distinguished guests for coming to celebrate the life and times of our great father.

“Our father lived a worthy life and we thank God for his life. He was a teacher and many people know him to be a great disciplinarian and that discipline impacted greatly in our lives.

“He played his part to educate people in this country particularly in this part of the world. He was also a great politician and am grateful that he guided me through difficult and turbulent times in politics.

“He worked very hard for the creation and growth of the Ika Diocese of the Anglican Communion. He retired home at 80 and rose to become Okpara-Uku of Idumebo Quarters, Owa-Alero.

“He lived a good life of truth and discipline and as his children, we are happy that we went through his disciplinary measures.

“On behalf of our entire family we thank you for coming to celebrate the life and times of our great father,” Okowa stated.

Archbishop Metropolitan and Primate of the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion, Most Rev’d Henry Ndukuba in a sermon titled “Seek ye the Lord with the prevailing faith” said the faith that prevails is the one that is anchored in the name of God.

The Primate said the late Pa Okowa left a great legacy as an astute teacher and community leader and urged the children to work hard in preserving the legacy left behind by their great patriarch.

He urged Christians to repent from their evil ways as there is no repentance in death.

He noted that sin, sickness, lust, death and judgement were the lonely roads that Christians must pass through in the course of life but urged them to remain strong in faith because God will be with those that are in faith.

“Sinners are alone when they thread the path of sin, sickness, lust, death and judgment, but those who are in faith will go through the challenges successfully.

“The excellency of power belongs to God because when you get power through false means you will require doing evil things to maintain such powers, but when you seek power through right means, the one who owns the power will preserve it for you,” he said

Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar attended the thanksgiving service including governors of Sokoto, Aminu Tambuwal; Akwa-Ibom, Udom Emmanuel; Edo, Godwin Obaseki; Oyo, Seyi Makinde; Ondo, Rotimi Akeredolu; Rivers, Nyesom Wike; Taraba, Darius Ishaku; Enugu, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; Adamawa, Ahmadu Umaru-Fintiri; Benue, Samuel Ortom; Bayelsa, Douye Diri; Anambra, Willie Obiano, Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed; Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi and Deputy Governor of Delta, Kingsley Otuaro.

Also in attendance were National Chairman of PDP Prince Uche Secondus; Chairman, Board of Trustees PDP, Senator Wales Jibrin; Senator Dino Melaye; Minister of State for Petroleum Chief Timipre Sylva; Minority Leader House of Representatives Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, Chief James Ibori, Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Lucky Irabor; Chairman of UBA Mr Tony Elumelu; Chairman Thisday and Arise Media Group, Prince Nduka Obaigbena; Businessman Sir Jide Omokore among others.

PRESIDENT BUHARI CONDOLES WITH EKITI, OYO, OGUN STATES OVER PASSING OF FORMER MILITARY GOVERNOR, GEN. GENERAL ADETUNJI IDOWU OLURIN

President Muhammadu Buhari commiserates with government and people of Ogun, Ekiti and Oyo states over passing of former military Governor and Administrator, Gen. Adetunji Idowu Olurin.
The President joins family, friends and professional colleagues in mourning the military officer, who served the country meritoriously in his career, extending support when he was called upon as military Governor in Oyo State, and later as Administrator in Ekiti State. He also was outstanding as ECOMOG Commander in Liberia.
President Buhari notes Gen. Olurin’s efforts in community development, particularly in his state, Ogun, willingly putting his experience and knowledge at the service of various governments.
The President prays that the Almighty God will grant the departed soul eternal rest, and comfort his family.
Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
August 21, 2021