Wike Stops DSS, Police From Arresting Judge In PH

Nyesom Wike, fielding questions from journalists in front of the judge’s residence early this morning

The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, in the early hours of Saturday, mobilised to stop alleged attempt by men of the Department of State Security (DSS) and the Police to whisk away a High Court judge (name withheld) from his No. 35/84 B residence, on Forces Avenue, Old GRA, Port Harcourt.
The governor, who fielded questions from newsmen in front of the judge’s residence, said, in an attempt to stop the untoward action, he was manhandled by men of the DSS and the Police who came to whisk the judge away.
“What has happened this night is unfortunate. Even in military government, it has never happened like this, you listen to people. This is why we are here. I said not under my watch will I allow this type of activity take place.
 “The DSS, Police they cocked their guns, and said they will shoot me. And I told them, I have never heard this type of thing happen before. Again this is to show that more of this will come," Wike lamented.
Wondering why the security men will choose 1am to storm the residence of the judge, the governor said their action portends danger for the nation’s democracy.
He said all he expected the security men to have done was to invite the judge, adding that if he had ignored the invitation, then other legal steps should have been taken.
The governor explained that, he did not bother to know the name of the judge or what offence he committed, but he only had to come out to stop the brazen abuse of due process in taking the judge for questioning because, as chief security officer, he would not allow such lawlessness take place in his state.

See more pictures of the scene

Rivers Assembly Confirms 20 CTCs

Rt Hon Adams Dabotorudima 

The Rivers State House of Assembly (RVHA) has confirmed caretaker committee chairmen and members of 20 out of 23 local government councils of the state.
The CTC chairmen and members were confirmed, Thursday, at the plenary session of the House immediately after screening of the nominees by the lawmakers in Port Harcourt.
The confirmed chairmanship-nominees of the 20 LGAs include, Mr. Daniel E.O. Daniel (Abua/Odua), Hon. Justice Eke (Ahoada East), Hon. Tonye Alalibo (Akuku-Toru), Engr. Kagbang Otiks (Andoni), Mr. Agri Ezekiel Friday (Ahoada West), Hon. Simon Hart (Bonny), and Obariloamate Ollor (Eleme).
Others include John Wokoma (Emohua), Gift Anyalebechi (Etche), Louis Alawa (Gokana), Hon. Samuel O. Nwanosike (Ikwerre), Mr. Barida Nsaonee (Khana), Prince Collins Onunwor (Obio/Akpor), Barr. Osi Olisa (Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni), and Titus Wakama (Ogu/Bolo).
The rest are: Bipmgoka Jackbaba (Okrika), Mr. Chisom Nwaiwu (Omuma), Mr. Gbali Chisom (Oyigbo), Mr. Christian Chioka (Port Harcourt), and Mr. Bob Uelor Nkue (Tai).
The three local government areas that were not included in the screening are Opobo/Nkoro, Degema and Asari-Toru.
According to the Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adams Dabotorudma, the three local government areas were not included in the list sent by the Executive Governor of the state, Chief Nyesom Wike.
During the screening, the confirmed nominee for Akuku-Toru CTC, Tonye Alalibo, was asked to take a bow and go as a former member of the House.
The nominee was a member of the Assembly whose election was later annulled by the court, and the All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Assembly candidate, Hon. Alabrabora was sworn-in to fill the vacant seat in the Assembly.
The Speaker of the House, Adams Dabotorudima, urged the 20 new chairmen and members of CTCs to take their assignment seriously, saying that it would not be business as usual.
He said, the Assembly would ensure there is absolute transparency and accountability from the CTC chairmen and members, if sworn in by the Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike.
According to him, the House would from time-to-time conduct oversight activities of LGA caretaker committees and their administrations to ensure they were playing by the rules.

Source: The Tide

Rep Blames PDP Defeat In Edo To Disunity

A member of the House of Representatives, Mr Johnson Agbonayinma said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lost September 28 governorship poll in Edo due to disunity in the party.
Agbonayinma, who represents Egor/Ikpoba Okha Constituency and member of the PDP, stated this while fielding questions from newsmen in Abuja on Friday.
 He said that the party failed to resolve its problems, noting that a house divided could never stand.
 He said that politics was not a do-or-die affair, but regretted that many politicians so it as such hence frequent bickering in political parties.
The lawmaker called for an end to the “blame game’’ in the party. He lauded the reconciliatory move between Chairman of the party’s National Caretaker Committee, Sen. Ahmed Markafi and disputed Chairman of the party, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff.
He said he had wished that the reconciliation was pulled through before the election in Edo, “so that the party could win’’.
Agbonayinma denied an allegation that he was bodily in PDP but had his soul with the APC, and said he was in politics for the good of people of his constituency.
“When there is a motion on the floor of the House, I support or oppose for the good of Nigerians; it doesn’t matter to me if it is sponsored by APC or PDP,’’ he added.

Rivers CJ Dares Prisons Top Shots To Produce Murder Suspect

Justice Adama Indie Iyayi-Lamikanra

The Rivers State Chief Judge, Justice A.I. Iyayi-Lamikanra has ordered the controller, federal prisons, and the deputy controller of prisons in the state to appear before her to explain why they should not be put to prison for disobeying a court order for not producing the former Asari Toru Local Government Council Chairman, Ojukaye Flag-Amachree in court to take his plea on a murder charge against him.
The two senior prisons officials were summoned by the state High Court on Wednesday during the presumption of the matter, for failure to produce the accused in court.
Iyayi-lamikanra also ordered the Inspector-General of Police, the assistant inspector-general of police, Zone 6, the state commissioner of police and other security agencies to ensure that both prison officials complied with the court order.
Ojukaye Flag-Amachree is standing trial for a second phase of an alleged murder case brought against him by the State Government before Justice A.I. Iyayi-Lamikanra.
It would be recalled that at the last adjourned sitting, the state chief Judge had threatened to invoke the powers of the court against the prisons authorities, if they fail to bring the accused to the court on Wednesday to enable him fake plea, the order, which they failed to comply with.
The state chief judge also struck out an application filed by Counsel to the accused, Rowland Otaro, seeking to set aside the on-going trial for lack of merit.
Iyayi-Lamikanra while striking out the application said that the application was pre-mature as the accused has not been brought before the court to take his plea, and adjourned the matter to October 19, 2016.
Later in an interview with journalists, Counsel to the accused, Rowland Otario, (SAN), said the court’s decision to strike out the application was a total denial of fair hearing to his client, adding that the application was merely put on notice and had not been canvassed on the floor of the court.
Also speaking, Counsel to the state government, Godwin Obla, said the order by the court summoning the two prison officials would serve as deterrent to other institutions of government which disobey court orders.
Meanwhile, the Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Thursday, commenced hearing of bail application brought before it by the embattled former Chairman of Asari-Toru Local Government Area of the state, Ojukaye Flag-Amachree.
The three-man panel of judges led by Justice A.A. Gumel further directed the counsel involved in the matter to, within seven days, respond and serve their various briefs, and written addresses before the next adjourned date.
The appellante court also reserved ruling on the various arguments as canvassed by both parties on the bail application, adding that a date for the ruling on that motion would be communicated to the various parties.
Speaking to journalists at the Appeal Court, Counsel to the Plaintiff, Rowland Otaro (SAN), said they brought two appeals before the court on the refusal of a Port Harcourt High Court presided over by Justice Margret Opara to grant Ojukaye bail as well as Justice M. Opara’s jurisdiction to hear the matter when there was an application against the continuation of hearing.

Police, Cultists' Clash Leaves Two Officers Dead, Vehicles, Property Damaged In PH

Residents of the popular Rex Lawson Street and its environs in Old Port Harcourt Township in Rivers State are now living in palpable fear, following the alleged killing of two officials of the Anti-Cultism unit of the State police command, Wednesday by rampaging cult groups in the area.
A source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the incident happened at about 2pm on Wednesday at Rex Lawson Street, along Borokiri axis.
According to the source, the bad boys in the area had attacked one man from the area. It was learnt that the man later reported the matter to the police who swooped on the area, and arrested three boys who allegedly attacked the man.
The source said the policemen later discovered that one of the arrested had boys was on the wanted list of the police.
The source further said that in an attempt to take the suspects to the station, one of them jumped out from the patrol vehicle, and ran away, forcing the police to launch a hot chase for the runaway suspect.
It was learnt that while the policemen were chasing the runaway suspect, unknown to them the gang had laid ambushed on them, and opened fire on sighting them.
In the process, two of the policemen were allegedly hit by the bullets from the cult boys.
It was also gathered that the police later reinforced to the scene but the bad boys had all disappeared before the arrival of the team.
It was further gathered that residents of the area had all fled for fear of being cut by stray bullets or wrongfully arrested by the police.
It was gathered that the state Commissioner of Police, Francis O. Odesanya, had already visited the troubled area.
An eyewitness, who was in the area when the drama played out,  reports that the ever-busy street had been deserted as many buildings and cars were vandalized during the crisis in the area.
When contacted on phone, the Police Public relations Officer, (PPRO), DSP Nnamdi Omoni, who confirmed the incident, said some arrests have been made.
The PPRO, however, did not give details of those arrested by the police.

See more pictures of the ugly aftermath of the police rampage shortly after the killing of their two colleagues

Cultists Surrender Arms To Rivers Amnesty Team

There are indications that some cult groups operating around Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of Rivers State are not ready to surrender their arms.
This information emerged as the Rivers State Amnesty Programme Committee plans to visit ONELGA to receive repentant cultists and criminals.
One of the Greenlander groups in Omoku, who identified himself as Nath Ukwusa, said they were in support of the Amnesty Programme but required more time to mobilize their members to turn in their arms.
Meanwhile, a group of youth led by Don Wanny surprised the Amnesty Committee, when he led his gang to accept the amnesty offer.
Don Wanny, who is known to be a leader of a well-armed group of agitators, surrendered more than 20 AK-47 riffles, General Purpose Machine Guns, GPMGs, rocket launchers, Granades, British Pump Action, among many other dangerous weapons, to the committee in Omoku, Tuesday.
The arms were received by the state Amnesty Committen led by Ken Chinda.

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Amnesty Programme Ends 2017, As 23 Ex-Agitators Exhibit Engineering Skills

The Federal Government on Friday insisted that Presidential Amnesty Programme for the Niger Delta ex-fighters will end in 2017.
The Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh, said this while addressing some ex-fighters trained as electrical engineers who were in his office to present a transformer they worked on to him.
The former agitators were trained by Brainbox Matrix Services Limited in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
President Muhammadu Buhari had, on assumption of office, approved a two-year extension of the programme till 2017.
There have been calls for further extension of the programme, especially in the face of renewed attacks on oil and gas installations in the region by militants. But Boroh said the programme would not last forever.
He said, “Amnesty programme will not last forever. It will end next year. I thank God that you have finished your training. You can fit into Ministry of Mines and Power or private sector.”
Th ex-fighters demonstrated their skills to him with a transformer which they presented to him.
He later told journalists that it would have been difficult for his office to achieve the feat if Buhari had not given the go ahead to continue with the training of the ex-agitators.
He said, “You can imagine a group of persons who have transformed from militants to electrical engineers.
“Obviously, I am very proud of it because it has been a success story. And my appreciation goes to Mr. President who has done this in his determination and commitment to stabilising the Niger Delta region through human capacity development and infrastructure development.”
Boroh disclosed that 23 ex-agitators took part in the training which was meant to develop their capacity in transformer maintenance and establishment.
He called on agitators still in the creek to embrace peace.

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200 N'Deltans Get NDDC Overseas Post-Graduate Scholarships

Semenitari (right) presenting award certificate to one of the recipients of the scholarships,  Wednesday.

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has awarded post-graduate scholarships to 200 indigenes of the region to study various programmes in different countries of the world.
Of the 200 scholarships, 51 are for PhD and 149 for MSc.
Speaking while presenting the awards to the recipients, Wednesday, the Acting Managing Director, NDDC, Ibim Semenitari, said that merit was basis of consideration for the awards.
“We are proud to announce that each of them is a worthy beneficiary, having scaled the highly competitive Computer-Based Test; performed excellently in the tasking oral interview, and therefore, achieved a high aggregate,” she said.
“I am delighted to address these young, actively intelligent natives of the Niger Delta region who have won for themselves scholarship to pursue higher academic laurels overseas. Theirs is a story of what can be achieved through hard work, commitment and determination. It is the story of what success that can be achieved when men and women commit themselves to doing what is right at the right time”, Semenitari added.
According to her, “The narrative surrounding the NDDC Foreign Post-Graduate Scholarship Programme is woven into the very fabric of the commission. It was borne of the need to bridge the huge manpower deficit in the Niger Delta region, especially in Engineering, Science and Technology, the fields that drive the oil industry. It was conceived to build a pool of professionals whose intellectual mobility will be in tandem with global trend and procure proper and adequate space for the region as the goose that lays the golden egg.
“The motive was, and remains, to garner and horn the great natural possibilities and intellectual endowments that abound in the region. The stories today are testimonials that the motive was right and the motif truly determined to make a difference. That is what NDDC stands for – To Make A Difference.
“This Scholarship Programme, which commenced in 2010, is a good story to be told. And that is why, today, as the latest beneficiaries prepare to embark on their pursuit of the Golden Fleece, but in the academia, overseas, the NDDC is proud that the Niger Delta is sending out the best and the brightest of a pool of about 3,000 applicants,” Semenitari noted.
It would be recalled that since its inception six years ago, a total of about 1, 2411 scholars in the PhD and MSc levels from the nine mandate states of the commission have benefitted from the scheme.
A breakdown shows that the total number of beneficiaries in the MSc level stands at 1,066 while in PhD has a total of 345.
Highlights of the event were the presentation of special excellence awards to 18 beneficiaries, each in each level, from each state, for their exceptional performance.
See a cross section of awardees

110 Get SNEPCo's Six-Year Scholarship

L-R: Social Performance Adviser, Shell Nigeria Exploration & Production Company Limited (SNEPCo), Mrs. Ibukun Adewale, and Representative of the Group General Manager, National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), Mrs. Bunmi Lawson, presenting the award certificates to the scholars.


Some 110 students from Nigeria’s six geo-political zones have been awarded full-board six-year secondary school scholarships in the second set of the NNPC/SNEPCo Cradle-to-Career programme designed to give top quality education to bright but indigent youth.
In an address at the award ceremony in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, commended the Cradle-to-Career programme as a unique CSR initiative, and urged other corporate bodies to emulate the gesture.
He said the Federal Government would continue to implement holistic educational policies to improve the quality of education in the country, and enjoined the support of all stakeholders.
The minister was represented by the Deputy Director, Basic and Secondary Education, Mrs. Abimbola Olamilokun.
The Director of Quality Assurance in the National Examinations Council (NECO), Dr. Ikechukwu Anyanwu, said: “We played an active role in the selection process, and we can attest that it was fair and transparent. The students who have come through represent the best of what we had from public secondary schools, and we see them transforming to become leaders, if they keep up with same spirit of hard work and commitment.”
The Group General Manager, NAPIMS, Dafe Sejebor, who was represented by Supervisor, Community Development, Mrs. Bunmi Lawson, restated the commitment of NNPC towards quality education, and said they would continue to work with SNEPCo on initiatives that will help deliver quality social investment programmes to Nigerian children.
Earlier, the General Manager, External Relations, Shell Nigeria, Igo Weli had said: “I am particularly happy that, in spite of the low oil price in the global market and the economic challenges in the country, SNEPCo and its concessionaire, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and co-venturers, Esso Exploration and Production Company (Deepwater Ltd), Total E & P Nigeria Ltd, and Nigerian Agip Exploration Ltd - ENI, have kept faith with our commitment to support Nigerian youth to attend some of the best secondary schools in the country.
“We do this because, to us in SNEPCo, education is key to national development; it is the answer to today’s challenges, and an anchor for a better and brighter future,” Weli added.
The beneficiaries and their parents described the Cradle-to-Career scholarship as a lifetime chance to better their lot, and commended NNPC and SNEPCo for the opportunity.
It would be recalled that the beneficiaries have since begun their studies in six schools – Premiere Academy, Abuja; Nigerian Turkish International College, Kaduna; St. Francis Catholic Secondary School, Lagos; Lead Forte Gate College, Lagos; Top Faith International Secondary School, Akwa Ibom State, and Grundtvig International Secondary School, Anambra State.
These schools hosted the award ceremonies, which were held on September 27, 2016, to signal the formal commencement of the scholarship programme.
SNEPCo launched the National Cradle-to-Career programme in 2014 to help bridge educational inequalities resulting from geographic and socio-economic differences.
The endeavour contributes towards the realisation of the UNESCO 'Education for All' goal.
The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) operated joint venture also runs a Cradle-to-Career scholarship, which is targeted at youth from the Niger Delta.

Rivers PDP Threatens To Sue APC, As Gunmen Kill Four In Ogoni

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State has threatened legal action against the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman in the state, Dr Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, over allegations that the Rivers State Government and the PDP were responsible for the killings of four persons in Ogoniland alleged to be members of the APC.
The state Publicity Secretary of PDP, Samuel Nwanosike, who addressed a press conference in Port Harcourt, Wednesday, also denied insinuations by the APC that PDP contracted ex-freedom fighter, Solomon Ndigbara for the killings.
Nwanosike explained that PDP respect the sanctity of human life.
The PDP publicity secretary also called on security agencies to immediately open investigation into the alleged killing of the four persons in Nonwa, Tai Local Government Area.
It would be recalled that last weekend, reports emerged that one Boris Neenwi, a former councillor and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Yeghe community in Gokana Local Government Area of Rivers State, has been assassinated by unknown gunmen.
Neenwi was reportedly killed along with three others in Tai.
In his reaction to the killings in Tai, the facilitator of Ogoni Next Generation Project and former caretaker committee chairman of Gokana Local Government, Kadilo Kabari, described the incident as unfortunate.
Kabari said it was sad that innocent citizens die every day because of inadequate security.

Wike Pardons Nine Prisoners

Prisoners in Nigeria

As part of activities marking the 56th Independence anniversary of Nigeria, the Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has, granted state pardon to nine convicts serving life and death sentences at the Port Harcourt Prisons,
Wike, took the decision based on the advice of the Rivers State Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, pursuant to the powers conferred on him by Section 212 (1) (c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended.
A statement signed by the state Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Emmanuel Chinwenwo Aguma, SAN, said that the governor granted the reprieve to the nine convicts by substituting the terms of imprisonment already served for the sentences of either life imprisonment or death imposed on them upon conviction by a court of law.
He listed the convicts to include Chukwuemeka O. Emeka, life imprisonment; Akara Etteh, life imprisonment; Emmanuel Ihenebiri, life imprisonment; Samuel Amadi, life imprisonment; and Sgt. James Mordi, life imprisonment.
Others are Tochukwu Chukwu, life imprisonment; Goddy David Faghawari, death; Kendu Uffort, death; and Emmanuel David Ekanem, death.
The statement conveyed the governor’s directive to the comptroller of prisons, Port Harcourt, to, upon the receipt of the instrument signed under the hand of Chief Nyesom Wike, discharge the above named persons from the Port Harcourt Prisons by releasing them, insisting that the said instrument shall be a sufficient warrant for so doing.

Air Force Jets Bomb Illegal Oil Refineries, Barges In Rivers

Illegal Refinery set ablaze by security forces

In its concerted effort to stop illegal bunkering and criminal activities in the Niger Delta, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has destroyed illegal oil refineries and barges filled with petroleum products.
The refineries and barges were sighted by NAF Diamond 42 aircraft on an Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) mission in Bille community of Rivers State last Monday.
Thereafter, an Mi-24V helicopter gunship was called-in for attack.
A statement signed by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Group Captain Ayodele Famuyiwa, Monday, indicated that the operation was a huge success.
It said that a similar operation was carried out with remarkable success about two days earlier in the same location.
“These are clear signals to criminals operating in the South-South region, as well as other parts of the country, that it is no longer business as usual,” Famuyiwa warned.
“The people doing these things are the same people sponsoring Niger Delta Avengers and using the money to fight government.
“The so-called Niger Delta struggle has been turned into a struggle to defend this illegal business interest,” it added.

NDDC Alerts On Facebook Recruitment Scam

The Acting Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, has called on job seekers and members of the public to shun Facebook messages on an alleged ongoing recruitment in the commission.
Semenitari cautioned that the fraudsters, who placed such messages on the Internet were planning to defraud unsuspecting job seekers with such fake advertisement.
The agency’s chief executive officer, who raised the alarm in Port Harcourt, explained that such fraudsters were using the Facebook notices to mislead members of the public.
She maintained that the interventionist agency was currently not employing, and urged job seekers to ignore the Facebook notices, adding that message about NDDC jobs on the Internet should be ignored.
Semenitari also dismissed reports of an ongoing agric loan and youth empowerment programme, saying that none of such programme was currently existing in the commission.
She said, “First, we want to warn members of the public that NDDC is not doing any recruitment at the moment or handing out any agric loan or empowerment to anybody.
“If we were recruiting, it would be properly advertised and applications requested from suitably qualified candidates. We would not be placing any notice to that effect or carrying out the employment on Facebook.
“So, we are warning job seekers against allowing themselves to be duped by scammers.”
Semenitari maintained that NDDC would publicise any job placement in appropriate media channels for public attention.

Rivers Gov Promises 10,000 New Agriculture Jobs

Oil Palm Plantation could engage thousands of unemployed youth

The Rivers State Government has started the process of creating 10,000 jobs for unemployed youth through the expansion of agriculture projects, Governor Nyesom Wike, has said.
Wike said this in his address at a reception to mark the coronation and thanksgiving in honour Chief Mike Elechi as Obua Weze in Elele, Ikwerre Local Government Area.
According to a statement by the governor’s Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Mr Simeon Nwakaudu, said: “Aside the development of infrastructure across the state, we are working with private investors to create 10,000 jobs through key agriculture projects.”
Wike, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr Chukwuemeka Woke, said that the 10,000 jobs would be created with the expansion of Resonpalm Oil Plantation in Ubima.
He said that his administration was partnering Siat Limited to plant new nurseries at the oil palm plantation in the extensive expansion scheme.
Wike added that his administration was also in the process of re-activating Delta Rubber Ltd in partnership with private investors to ensure that more jobs are created for the people.
He urged the people of Elele to continue to support his administration to improve their standard of living.
The governor noted that Elele was one of the first communities that started the process that led to the emancipation of the state.
He congratulated Elechi on his coronation as Obua Weze, and described the honour as “call to service.’’
Responding, Chief Mike Elechi, thanked the governor and top officials of the state who graced the event for their support.

Wike Dissolves LG CTCs

Nyesom Wike

The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, has dissolved the caretaker committees of Degema, Khana and Gokana local government areas.
A statement by the Special Assistant to the Rivers State Governor on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, Tuesday, noted that the dissolution of the three councils followed the expiration of their tenures.
The statement quoted the governor as directing the affected caretaker committee chairmen to hand over to the most senior civil servants in their respective local government councils.
It would be recalled that at the time the three caretaker committees were appointed, the extant law allowed for a three-month tenure.

CCT Convicts Orubebe For False Assets Declaration, Confiscates Abuja Land

Godsday Orubebe

The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), sitting in Abuja, Tuesday, found the erstwhile Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe‎, guilty of the allegation that he falsely declared his assets in 2007.
The tribunal, in a Judgement delivered by its Chairman, Justice Danladi Umar, said it was satisfied that Orubebe shielded his ownership of Plot 2057 Asokoro District, Abuja.
Umar, who maintained that there was merit in the one-count amended charge the Federal Government preferred against the former minister, held that the said property should be forfeited to the government.
The tribunal noted that though Orubebe claimed that he had already sold the land before he submitted the assets declaration form, the title documents still had his name six years after.
Even though the tribunal confiscated the land from the defendant, it however declined to ban him from holding any public office.
Meanwhile, Orubebe’s lawyer, Mr. Selekowei Larry, SAN, has vowed to appeal against the judgment which he described as “travesty of Justice”.
Selekowei said the verdict was a clear example of “convict him at all cost” syndrome.
Federal Government, had in the course of the trial, called only one witness, an official of the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), that testified against Orubebe.
On his part, the defendant who testified for himself, also produced a witness before the tribunal.
In his Evidence-in-chief, Orubebe admitted that the plot was allocated to him by the government in 2007 as part of his ministerial entitlements.
He told the tribunal that he decided to sale the land after he defaulted in the payment of his Abuja house for two years.
He told the tribunal that whereas his monthly salary and every other allowances he collected in 2007 amounted to only N1. 3million, he said the salary was further reduced to N990, 000 in 2008.
“My Lord, as at September 26, 2007, I never had a property named Plot 2057, Asokoro District, Abuja. So, I could not have declared it upon my assumption of office as a minister.
“On June 29, 2011, when I was temporarily disengaged from the Federal Executive Council when it was dissolved before I was re-appointed, I never also had Plot 2057, Asokoro District. So, I could not have declared it as mine because it was no longer my property.
“But other pieces of land that was given to me by the government I served, I declared them.
“My Lord, the plot in question which was ordinary empty land in the bush that was given to me by the Federal Government that I served, bear the offer letter from the FCT minister.
“I decided to give it out to my landlord, Barr. Ajibola to settle for my two years house rent. This is because my lord in this country, so many people do not know that the annual salary of a minister, accommodation, transportation and inclusive of everything, per month in 2007, was N1.3million, by 2008, it came down to N990, 000.
“So, my Lord, the annual salary of a minister from that time and even today cannot pay rent for him in befitting places like Maitama, Asokoro, Mabushi or Wuse 2.
“All ministers in the FEC were given offer letters. Therefore, when I got the offer letter for the land, I saw it as an opportunity to settle my house rent.
“My Lord, I never saw the land and the C of O. The same day it was given to me was the same day I parted with it for N10million for two years house rent of N5million each.
“My Lord, I was never invited to the Code of Conduct Bureau in any form, either by telephone or by a written letter. I did not know anything about these issues until the day I was served with a letter to appear before this tribunal.
“I served this country as a minister for six years and four months and I do respect government officials.
“If only the bureau had invited me, I would have gone; even if only to clarify things for them which is a simple thing to do.
“From the day this case started I have never failed any sitting. Even when a medical trip was given to me and the court later fixed date on that day I cancelled my trip and appeared because my conscience is clear.
“I love this country, but I have a pain in my heart. When oil production went down to 700, 000 barrels per day, this was the man, the only minister that went to the creeks to meet the militants. I slept in the creeks with militants for two weeks, an effort that led to the amnesty programme and subsequent increase of oil production from 700, 000 barrels to 2.6m barrels.
“The same country that I served is now taking me through this rigour over an ordinary empty plot of land it also gave to me, which I sold to pay my rent to have a roof over my head to be able to serve.
“This is my regret. Now, the Niger Delta is boiling again, who will see what I am going through and agree to stick out his neck. My country has not treated me well, my Lord, my heart is heavy. I am a sad man”, Orubebe lamented from the witness box.
His witness, Mr. Akinwumi Ajibola, who is a legal practitioner and a real estate agent, also corroborated the story, saying it was his firm that sold the land for the defendant.
Orubebe was alleged to have committed an offence contrary to section 15 of Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act, Cap. 15 laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2014, and punishable under section 23(2) of the same Act.

Senate Screens NDDC Board Members

Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba

The Senate has commenced the screening of former Senate leader, Senator Victor Ndoma- Egba as chairman of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and other members, just as it has vowed not bend the rules for anyone.
Speaking, Tuesday, during the screening of the nominees, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Peter Nwaoboshi, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Delta North said that the committee will not compromise their actions against the backdrop of comments from some quarters that the members of the committee have been compromised.
According to him, the committee decided to make the screening open for all Nigerians to see what was going on, adding, ”We have made the screening open, we don’t want to hide anything, we want Nigerians to see everything; some said we have been compromised, we have the backing of the leadership of the Senate not to bend the rules and we are not ready to bend the rules.”
Former Senate leader, who appeared before the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, was however not screened, but he spoke very briefly to his colleagues, even as he was later asked to take a bow and go at 12.27pm.
But speaking with journalists shortly after he left the Senate Committee Room 231, Senator Ndoma- Egba, noted that the new board when constituted would take stock of all NDDC projects, systems and finances, with a bid to cleaning the books and starting on a clean slate.
The former Senate leader, who promised to door things right, with a new narrative for the Niger Delta region when they get there, said “we promise a new narrative for the Niger Delta region; the commission was set up for the Niger Delta region and the commission must returned to the regional body.
”We will take stock of our projects, systems, processes and finances and to know which projects are viable, we need to clean our books and start on a new slate. We will do things right when we get there. ”