*TAIWO OYEKAN To Empower Lagos Island Vulnerable Residents With N20 Million*

*• Nigeria Police Force To Receive Patrol Vehicle*

*• Others To Be Gifted Assorted Food Items, Filled Gas Cylinders*

In his continued effort to upscale the Standard of Living of Residents across Nigeria”s Premier Local Government Area, Hon. Prince TAIWO AJIBADE OYEKAN has concluded plans to gift Twenty Million Naira (N20,000,000) to Widows, Elderly Locals, Physically Challenged Persons, Petty Traders, Artisans and Technicians.

In addition, The Deputy Leader of Lagos Island Local Government Legislative Arm will donate a Patrol Vehicle to the Nigeria Police Force to improve security architecture on the Island.

Hundreds Of Bags Of Rice and Filled Gas Cylinders will also be distributed.

According to Hon. Oyekan, the Socioeconomic Intervention Initiatives are designed to complement the efforts of the State and Federal Governments in Poverty Alleviation and Security of Lives and Property.

“I am passionate about uplifting the vulnerable in our communities and I will not relent. We must brighten the hope of the people and make the world a better place”. He said.

Recall that the Iconic Council Legislator had in March disbursed N10 Million and in May, N5 Million respectively to the Indigents and Small Scale Business Owners to promote local economy and Residents’ standard of Living.

In December 2023, A Utility Bus was presented to a Lagos Community Security Outfit (The Isale-Eko Community Security Team,
Folumo), an intervention geared towards promoting community Policing.

Hon. OYEKAN’s Action Plans were commended by Community Leaders, Party Chieftains and Stakeholders in the State.

The Date and Venue of the much-talked about MEGA PLUS ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT will be announced soon.

… It’s About The People And Our Communities

… Determined To Do More For Betterment Of Humanity

*© PTO Media & Strategy Centre*

EFCC: AS THE NATION AWAITS THE SUPREME COURT

By Tunde Nasir

Since the new EFCC Chairman, Olanipekun Olukoyede assumed office about one year ago, the fight against corruption, financial and cyber crimes, has taken a new heightened and reinvigorated dimension to the admiration of those who are genuinely concerned about fighting the cankerworm of corruption that has bedeviled our nation almost to a standstill.

Ola Olukoyede, a Pastor, seems to be following the Biblical injunction, as he declared from the outset his intention to combat the evil of corruption vigorously as a means of fostering economic development of the nation.

Perhaps, following the promise of God in Joel 2:25: “I shall restore to you the years of the locust, the cankerworm and the caterpillar have eaten…”

However, knowing the certification, experience, prowess and international connection that Olukoyede was armed with and bringing into the office, it was not surprising that opposition to his appointment started as soon as his name was announced by President Tinubu on October 12, 2023 and his confirmation by the Senate on October 18, 2023. Those who did not object to Olukoyede’s previous appointments as Chief of Staff to the Chairman of EFCC and also as a Secretary to the Commission, suddenly turned around to say that he was not qualified to be appointed as chairman!

However, Olukoyede has continued to soldier-on, delivering on his mandate, undeterred and undaunted. Within 12 months, a record 3,455 convictions were secured and monetary recoveries from October 2023
to September 2024 stood at
N248,750,049,365.52 (Two Hundred and Forty-Eight Billion, Seven Hundred and Fifty Millon, Forty- Nine Thousand, Three hundred and Sixty-Five Naira, Fifty-Two Kobo), $105,423,190.39 (One Hundred and Five Million, Four Hundred and Twenty-Three Thousand, One Hundred and Ninety Dollars, Thirty-Nine Cents) and £53,133.64 (Fifty-Three Thousand, One Hundred and Thirty- Three Pounds, Sixty-Four Pence); apart from recoveries in other foreign currencies.

On the Issue of corruption trials, Olukoyede revived or initiated court cases against high-profile politically-exposed persons, including former Ministers and Governors. Among the politically-exposed personalities who were hitherto considered untouchable and now on trial for corruption are former governors Yahaya Adoza Bello(Kogi), Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara), and Darius Dickson Ishaku (Taraba). Former Ministers Saleh Mamman and Olu Agunloye have been put on trial too.

Correspondingly, the Commission has faced the biggest ever campaign of calumny, blackmail, public protests by sponsored NGOs, simulated attacks in the media and well-oiled, sponsored litigations to undermine the operations of the Commission and its unrelenting Chairman.

Chief among the litigations against Commission is the lawsuit initiated at the Supreme Court by Kogi State Government challenging the establishment and constitutionality of the EFCC. The suit, according to the plaintiff, posited that the establishment of EFCC was an affront on principles of federalism.

About 15 other states reportedly joined Kogi State in the suit and asked that their grievances against the EFCC be consolidated. There have also been comments and actions for and against the court action instituted by Kogi State Government and its collaborating governors.

A former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Dr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), has written to the National Assembly about constitutional issues related to anti-corruption agencies in Nigeria and factors inhibiting the government’s objective of abolishing corruption, as stated in Section 13 of the Constitution.
In two separate letters to the Senate and House of Representatives, dated October 14, 2024, he said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was “an unlawful organisation that he believed was unconstitutionally established.”

However, in the contrary, respected lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana (SAN), countered Agbakoba. Falana said: “For me, the ICPC and the EFCC like the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) have come to stay. What we should be demanding are measures to make these institutions autonomous and not under the control of any government,”

He added: “And the Supreme Court has maintained rather repeatedly concerning the EFCC and ICPC, that these are crime fighting bodies, and should not be under the control of the Federal Government. They are agencies to fight economic crimes in our country, to fight financial crimes in our country, to fight corruption in our country.”

However, with the controversy generated by the Kogi State’s suit against the EFCC and its discussion in the court of public opinion, some states who initially applied to join the suit have beaten a quick retreat, applying to the Supreme Court to withdraw from the suit. Among the states that have withdrawn are Jigawa, Anambra, Adamawa, Ebonyi and Benue states, who have separately filed motions before the Supreme Court, saying they are no longer interested.
In the case of Benue State, Governor Hyacinth Alia suspended the State’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Bemsen Mnyim, for acting “unilaterally in joining the suit without the approval of his principal.”
The development came on the heels of the declaration by the Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, that the state was neither aware nor part of the suit challenging the legality of EFCC.

In the case of Ogun State, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Oluwashina Ogungbade denied ever initiating any case or being part of Kogi State’s suit against the EFCC.
Speaking to newsmen in Abeokuta, Ogungbade wondered why some sections of the media continued to include Ogun state in the list of the states in court against the EFCC.

“We don’t have a suit against EFCC. We never filed any action against EFCC challenging its constitutionality. We already issued a statement to that effect clarifying that we never had any suit attacking the EFCC’s constitutionality and that we did not join the suit filed at the Supreme Court filed by some other states in that regard. So, I am surprised that some media outlets are still running reports that include and mention Ogun State as one of the states challenging the EFCC’s existence when that is not the case.“

According to the statement by Ogun State government, “the constitutionality of the EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) had since been determined by the Supreme Court, and Ogun State considers discussions on the issue closed.”

The Ogun State government stated that it had “no factual reason or recent development to reopen the question of the EFCC’s constitutionality.”
It added that “as a federating unit with law enforcement agencies of its own, it had no desire to undermine the Federal Government’s law and order objectives.”

One of the vociferous anti-corruption groups, the Vanguard for Credible Representation (VCR) has lauded those states that have withdrawn from the Kogi’s suit against EFCC at the Supreme Court. In a statement signed by VCR’s Head of Mission, Onche Ugbabe, the group said it was “heartwarming that some state governors were dissociating themselves from the suit and lending their support to the fight against corruption.”

The statement reads: “It is heartwarming that Governors Hyacinth Alia and Dauda Lawal have publicly dissociated themselves from the suspicious move orchestrated by some state governments. We also commend the Governments of Anambra, Adamawa and Ebonyi states for heeding the voice of reason and withdrawing from the suit.”

The group hailed erudite lawyers like Mr. Femi Falana SAN and Kayode Oladele who have faulted the suit and its backers.
“It is highly gratifying that erudite lawyers like Mr. Femi Falana SAN and Hon. Kayode Oladele have publicly condemned the unpopular move, citing a plethora of judicial decisions of the Supreme Court on the legality of the anti-corruption agencies.

“It is in the light of this that all well-meaning individuals and institutions should lend their support to the war against corruption and not seek to thwart it by any scheme or schism,” the group said.

As the nation awaits the Supreme Court verdict, it is expected that more Governors will see reasons and withdraw like others who are not participating, or have withdrawn from the suit. As at now, there are more state governments that have distanced themselves from the suit than those who are before the Supreme Court. The bell ticks!

Tunde Nasiru, a Public Policy Advocate based in Abuja, sent this through [email protected]

Speaker Obasa Presents Vehicles To Lagos Assembly Senior Staff

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, has presented official vehicles to staff of the Assembly in the directorship cadre.

The presentation of the cars is the second in a row coming a few weeks after some senior staff were handed the keys to their own cars as part of the efforts of the leadership of the House to bolster productivity and service delivery to the legislative arm and the state.

The beneficiaries include directors and deputy directors across the various departments and units that make up the Assembly.

Speaking concerning the presentation at the Assembly complex, Dr. Obasa said the occasion marked an important landmark in the determination to ensure effectiveness, encourage productivity and hard-work and support the need to have a conducive work environment for the staff.

The Speaker noted that the Lagos State House of Assembly has become a yardstick for measuring legislative prowess and excellence due largely to the result-oriented focus of the staff and management.

“As a result of this, it is just necessary to boost this efficiency and keep the Assembly up there as the perfect example of legislative effectiveness that it has become in our democratic Nigeria.

“We cannot falter or step down from the successes we have achieved so far. The Lagos State House of Assembly has created that pathway in this democracy for the smooth running of the society.

“We want to continue to have a House of Assembly that does not only have a conducive environment, but with staff who are always eager to meet the needs of Lagosians through inputs in pro-people legislation for which the House is poised.

“It is pleasing to say that the vehicles would help the beneficiaries meet official needs and tasks and enhance our collective goals of making Lagos better each day,” he said.

In his response to the presentation of the vehicles to the staff, the Clerk of the House, Barr. Olalekan Onafeko, commended the positive outlook and welfare-oriented posture of the leadership of the Assembly headed by Speaker Obasa.

Barr. Onafeko, who doubles as Head of Service of the Assembly, said the vehicle would enhance productivity and encourage passion and commitment among the staff.

Eromosele Ebhomele
Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly.