Connect with us
Advertisment

celebrity radar - gossips

EFCC Set To Move Against EL-Rafai,Obansanjo

Published

on

obasanjo el-rafiu

Advertisment

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC might storm Ota farm and Kaduna State to interrogate former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT and current Kaduna Governor, Nasir EL- Rufai, over allegation of Abuja Rail way contract fraud.

This is coming after the Senate Committee on FCT on Monday, February 15, disclosed that Obasanjo and El-Rufai, awarded the Abuja Rail Project in 2007 at an inflated cost, with neither a design nor Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, with the Chinese Civil Engineering and Construction Company, CCECC.

Advertisment

The committee said the contract, which stood at 60.67 kilometers, was inflated by ten million dollars per kilometers even as the original length of the project was later reduced to 45 kilometers without refund of the cost for the 15.67 kilometers cut off.

As at press time, efforts made by Post-Nigeria to confirm the planned interrogation of the duo from the spokesman of the EFCC proved abortive.

The Committee Chairman, Senator Dino Melaye, has demanded the refund of the sum of 195,878,296.74 dollars being the sum allegedly funneled into private pockets.

Advertisement

Meanwhile, the Project Manager of the company, Etim Abak, said the contract was signed by the then FCT Minister without design and MOU, saying it was carried out based on what he simply identified as conceptual design.

“The contract was awarded based on conceptual design and estimates were not properly done. There was no formal design submitted and rail bridges and crossover bridges were not captured in the contract, “he told the committee,’’ Abak said.

Melaye, while speaking at the site, said his research showed that the rail project was inflated by over ten million dollars per kilometer, wondering why such corrupt act was perpetrated by the handlers of the project.

Melaye, said the entire project was shrouded in fraud, noting that the contract sum was $841.645,898 with project completion period put at 48 months.

“Now, you have reduced the length of the kilometre standard gauge from 60.67 kilometres to 45.245 kilometres, meanwhile, there is no concomitant reduction if you juxtapose the length of kilometres and the reduction in terms of the cost.

“If we are to spend 841 million dollars for 60.67 kilometres and now you have reduced to 45.245 kilometres and the only reduction in terms of monetary value is from 841.6 million dollars to 823 million and with reduction of just about 17 million dollars that to me is not commensurate to the reduction in terms of length.

“The Federal Government has so far invested 31.5 billion dollars and another 7.6 billion from the SURE-P fund and if you put these together, we have altogether 39.1 billion dollars invested in the rail project, leaving the balance of 113. 233,155.32 dollars.

“The sum of three billion dollars proposed in the 2016 national budget of the FCT for the rail project.

“If you look at this, I would want to say that I did a personal research and looked at rail construction of the same specifics, of the same technology across the globe and one cannot but complain that this railway project in Nigeria is on a very high side.” He said.

Melaye also questioned the rationale behind the government’s loan of 500 million dollars from Exim Bank of China for the project, adding that funds injected into the project by the federal government was far enough to execute the entire project.

“From my own calculation, in fact, from my comparison with other rail projects across the world, the federal government investment in this project is enough to execute the project without taking a loan as high as 500 million dollars from China.

”From our research and it’s very simple, the world is now a global village. As you are sitting here now, on your phone you can Google, even in India and Egypt. Fortunately, one of those projects in Zambia was also done by this same company, CCE.

“We have six countries and the average cost per kilometre, none is above four million dollars per kilometre. Why is the Nigerian project is costing 13.8 approximately 14 million dollars per kilometer,” Melaye stated.

 

Advertisment

Sahara weekly online is published by First Sahara weekly international. contact saharaweekly@yahoo.com

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

celebrity radar - gossips

Call EFCC to order, Nigeria is not a lawless country – Yahaya Bello Media Office

Published

on

Confusion as EFCC names ex-Kogi Gov in amended corruption allegations perpetrated before he became Governor

Call EFCC to order, Nigeria is not a lawless country – Yahaya Bello Media Office

 

Advertisment

About 9:30 am today, the 17th day of April 2024, persons who described themselves as officers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) arrived the Wuse Zone 4 Residence of His Excellency, Alhaji Yahaya Bello to effect his arrest.

This is despite a subsisting Order of injunction granted on 9th February 2024 by the High Court of Justice, Lokoja Division in Suit No. HCL/68M/2024 between Alhaji Yahaya Bello v. Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, restraining the Commission either by itself or its agents from harassing, arresting, detaining or prosecuting Alhaji Yahaya Bello, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive fundamental rights enforcement action.

Advertisment

The EFCC was duly served with that Order on 12th February 2024 and on 26th February 2024; the EFCC filed an Appeal (Appeal No.: CA/ABJ/CV/175/2024: Economic and Financial Crimes Commission v. Alhaji Yahaya Bello) against the said Order to the Court of Appeal Abuja division. The Appeal was accompanied by a Motion for Stay of Execution of the Order of the High Court which the Court of Appeal adjourned for hearing till the 22nd day of April 2024.

Furthermore, Judgment in the substantive case between Alhaji Yahaya Bello and the EFCC is to be delivered at 12 Noon today in Lokoja.

Contrary to all of the above, the EFCC has now laid siege to the home of H.E Yahaya Bello seeking to arrest him in contravention of the extant orders!

Advertisement

It is a surprise that an agency led by a lawyer could flagrantly disobey a subsisting court order by taking actions contrary to the reliefs granted.

We are aware of the total commitment of the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the rule of law and can say categorically that the leadership of the EFCC might have offered the agency on a platter of gold to desperate politicians to convert to their score settling tool without minding the effect on its integrity and the image of Nigeria as regards the rule of law.

A situation where law enforcers disregard the rule of law is a definite recipe for anarchy, which will adversely affect every aspect of the nation’s economy.

Nigerians have perceived the desperation of the anti-graft agency to embarrass and harass the former Governor by all means through spurious allegations, especially the latest one dating back to September 2015, way before he assumed office.
We are aware that there are clandestine moves to correct the error, but with even more questionable allegations, which would embarrass the Commission and Nigeria more than the initial one.
It is unfortunate that an agency that is supposed to enforce the law is now the first culprit with respect to disobedience of court orders.
This is a big dent on the fight against corruption. He who comes to equity must come with clean hands.

We call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to call the EFCC to order in the interest of legal sanity.

MEDIA OFFICE
HE YAHAYA BELLO

 

Call EFCC to order, Nigeria is not a lawless country - Yahaya Bello Media Office

Advertisment
Continue Reading

celebrity radar - gossips

PRESIDENT TINUBU’S APPOINTEES FROM THE NORTH MUST TAKE A STAND

Published

on

 

Advertisment

PRESIDENT TINUBU’S APPOINTEES FROM THE NORTH MUST TAKE A STAND

Following my position on the recent attack on the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu by a spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum, it has come to my attention that Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed who once served as the Spokesperson of the group and currently a Special Adviser on Political Matters in the Presidency took to his page on it to express a different position.

Dr. Baba-Ahmed declared that my stand against the unjust attack against the new administration of President Tinubu that is working very hard to reposition our country for better as ‘ill-advised’. He suggested I could have done a better job in my defence of the administration where I have the rare honour to serve as a Minister.

Advertisment

Dr. Baba-Ahmed’s relationship and or affinity with Northern Elders’ Forum is well-known. The fact now is that he is an appointee of the administration as Special Adviser. Any committed official of the administration has a duty to work for the success of the government he is a part of, protect and defend the government against unjust and undue attack from those who hide under ethnic and other primordial interests to heat up the polity.

It is more important to state that every appointee of President Tinubu including Dr. Baba-Ahmed owe the government a duty to promote and advance the good work and commendable efforts of the government across all sectors.
As appointees of the government from the North, we must all take a stand, be unequivocal in our support and work for the success of the administration we are serving. This is not the time to dither and waiver. We must stand up to be counted for the government or take our exit.

Bello Matawalle
Minister of State for Defence

Advertisement

April 15, 2024

Advertisment
Continue Reading

celebrity radar - gossips

Sen Moallayidi: The untold story of Adamawa born politician who introduced Facility Management course in ABU By Dr Salihu Mohammed Lawal

Published

on

Sen Moallayidi: The untold story of Adamawa born politician who introduced Facility Management course in ABU By Dr Salihu Mohammed Lawal

 

Advertisment

Sen Moallayidi: The untold story of Adamawa born politician who introduced Facility Management course in ABU

By
Dr Salihu Mohammed Lawal

 

 

Advertisment

In the different spheres of life there exist quintessential Nigerians who have silently achieved fame and glory without making noise about such feat; rather preferring to remain silent while still creating waves and continuing to bestrode the landscape with ingenuity that breaks new grounds.

 

Sen Moallayidi: The untold story of Adamawa born politician who introduced Facility Management course in ABU

By
Dr Salihu Mohammed Lawal

Advertisement

 

Sen. Ahmad Abubakar MoAllahyidi is one of such great Nigerians, who represented Adamawa southern Senatorial District in the Senate between 2015-2019 comes readily to mind. A fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors, a Certified Public Private Partnership Professional (IP3,Washington DC) also holds a Facility Management Professional (FMP) of (IFMA,USA). Moallayidi is a 1980 graduate with a Bachelor of Science Degree with Honours in Quantity Surveying and an Masters Degree in Construction Management.

This amiable gentleman in the year 2010, pioneered the designed and institutionalization of a facility management course in Ahmadu Bello University Zaria (ABU). He single handedly served as the sole lecturer for it (Post graduate studies in Facility Management ABU). His pioneering efforts were the basis for having facility management courses in Nigerian Universities.

The None serving Senator is an accomplished professional in managing facilities, resources and humanity is leading the private company called Integrated Facility Management Services Ltd among other endeavors that handled some of the most complex facility management services in Nigeria. These facilities include; Management and improvement of the Abuja International Conference Center (ICC) Management of Eagle Square Abuja Kaduna International Trade & Investment Centre, Kaduna (1997-2010). Murtala Mohammed Square Kaduna,and Nigerian Export and Import Bank, Abuja. He also managed Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) Headquarters & Residential Quarters in Abuja, Presidential Complexes in Lagos (Dodan Barracks and State House, (Marina) and Nigerian Army Strategic Bulk Storage Facility in Enugu.

The Rehabilitation and start-up operations of Health and Medical Industries Jos, a company specializes in the manufacture of cotton wool, bandages and gauge.

MOALLAYIDI AS A MEMBER OF VARIOUS PROFESSIONAL BODIES AND ASSOCIATIONS

Senator Moallayidi is an acumen of managing facilities was the pioneer President of International Facility Management Association in Nigeria (Abuja City-based Chapter) IFMA and is a Fellow Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors, a Fellow of Nigerian Institute of Management Consultants (NIMC) and a Fellow Association of Facility Management Practitioners of Nigeria (AFMPN).

He participated in the Technical Committee on Commercialization and Privatization T.C.P.C. that commercialized government companies for improved performance.

This is the highly revered personality that is leading the management of the Abuja International Conference Center as the Managing Director of integrated Facility Management Services Ltd for which he has set an unprecedented record of upgrading the ICC to global standard in the management and improvement contract after the noticeable failure over the years before the coming of IFMSL.

MOALLAYIDI AS A POLITICIAN

The political journey of this personality of unique humble character, Senator MoAllahyidi is a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Legacy Party. He contested and won the Senatorial election and represented Adamawa South Senatorial District and sworn-in as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 2015. MoAllayidi while in the Senate, he distinguished himself as a vocal Senator in the red chambers and served as a Vice Chairman/Member of various standing and Ad-hoc committees.

Some of the communities is belonged to were; Vice Chairman Committee on Oil & Gas, Vice Chairman Culture and Tourism, Member Banking and Other Financial Institutions, Member Education (Basic & Secondary), Member Legislative Compliance and Member Federal Character and Inter Governmental affairs.

Other committees he belonged to were Member Committee on Bureaus of Public Procurement (BPP), Member ECOWAS Parliament and also held strategic positions where he played critical leadership roles for the APC such as: 2015 Senatorial Candidate (APC), Adamawa Southern Zone, 2014 Secretary APC Reconciliation Committee North Eastern Zone, 2014 Member of APC Congress Committee, Yobe State
(2014).

MoAllayi Joined APC as a result of the merger of CPC, ACN and ANPP (Legacy party) in 2011 Joined CPC and Contested for Adamawa South Senatorial Seat, 2007 he was the Director of Logistics of ANPP Presidential Campaign. While in 2003 the Man MoAllayi was the Director of Logistics ANPP Presidential Campaign.

His political might grew mightier for having a stronger voice for a common Man. in June (2022) the Senator convened the setting up of Arewa New Agenda (ANA) a Pan Northern socio-political organization with the aim and objectives as follows :

Setting up an agenda for the continuing relevance of the North in Nigerian Governance. It is to harmonize and project Northern positions on critical national issues. And to protect Northern interest in the Nigerian Political discourse and evolution.

ANA is an umbrella organization comprising of over 126 network affiliate groups across the 19 Northern States and FCT which Moallayidi became its extended leader as its Patron of Fulbe United for Peace and Development. It’s
the association of over 33,360 Ardos (The Fulbe Umbrella group) leaders across Nigeria.

The distinguished Senator was honored with the respected commander of Nigerian Students (CNS), an award by National Association of Nigerian Student NANS

Dr. Salisu Mohammed Lawal
Writes from Zangon Kataf, Kaduna State
And be reached through this means; emeles20o1@yahoo.com

Advertisment
Continue Reading

Cover Of The Week

Trending