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Ladi Adebutu is on the run, trying to evade prosecution for vote buying, money laundering–Investigation

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Ladi Adebutu is on the run, trying to evade prosecution for vote buying, money laundering--Investigation

Ladi Adebutu is on the run, trying to evade prosecution for vote buying, money laundering–Investigation

Contrary to his claim that he left the country because of alleged threats to his life, the
candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the March 18 governorship election in Ogun State, Hon Ladi Adebutu, actually travelled abroad to evade the long arm of the law over alleged criminal activities, sources have revealed.
Checks revealed that Adebutu left the country following security agencies’ uncovering of a vote buying plot linked to him during the March 18, 2023 governorship and House of Assembly polls in Ogun State and the invitation extended to him to clarify issues.
According to the sources, Adebutu was alleged to have perpetrated bribery, conspiracy and peddling undue influence contrary to sections 121 and 127 of the Electoral Act 2022;  breach of electoral law prohibiting vote trading, deliberate facilitation of money laundering, and connivance to deliberately breach the  monetary policy of the Federation.
Sources revealed that in a letter made available to security agencies investigating his criminal activities, Adebutu had indicated that he travelled abroad to seek medical care, and had given no indication of threat to life.
Sources within the security services indicated that
preliminary nvestigations showed that in the build-up to the election, Adebutu had contacted his bank and caused over 200,000 prepaid Verve bank cards preloaded with N10,000 each to be printed.
Ladi Adebutu is on the run, trying to evade prosecution for vote buying, money laundering--Investigation
A credible security source confirmed,  with clear-cut evidence that these Verve Bank Cards were delivered directly  in two batches on the 16th and 17th of March 2023,  respectively,  by an accounts officer from Zenith bank.
This, it was  maintained, is a violation of Section 121of the Electoral Act (2022), which prescribes 12 months’ imprisonment for any “person who directly or indirectly, by his or herself or by any other person on his other behalf corruptly makes any gift, loan, offer, promise, procurement or agreement to or for any person, in order to induce such person to procure or to endeavour to procure the return of any person as a member of a legislative house or to an elective office or the vote of any voter at any election.”
The Verve cards, which were supposedly printed to honour the lawmaker’s late mother, were however uncovered as vote buying instruments going by the confessions of party agents and POS operators arrested by security agencies during the polls, which indicted the PDP guber candidate.
Adebutu was said to have applied for the Verve cards from Zenith Bank on February 27, 3023 two days after the presidential election which the PDP lost by a wide margin in Ogun State, following which the cards were delivered to him by his relationship officer in the bank.
Investigation further revealed that contrary to Adebutu’s claim that the cards were issued during his mother’s burial, they were actually issued few days to the election, raising the obvious question of collusion by Zenith Bank with a politically exposed person to perpetrate electoral fraud.
Also, the statements by some of Adebutu’s polling agents that were arrested confirmed that he gave them the cards to manipulate the March 18 polls.
The sources described Adebutu’s actions , using game-betting platforms and POS operators, as well planned, carefully orchestrated and unprecedented electoral fraud made out of desperation after losing the February 25, 2023 Presidential and National Assembly elections.
Adebutu and his agents were said to have
distributed the cards throughout the over 5000 polling units and positioned POS operators at the same so each voter could convert the card to cash at the POS terminals.
The cards were said to have been funded on the 16th and 17th of March directly from Adebutu’s account with Zenith Bank, with the lawmaker paying over N2.4bn directly from his account.
Said a source: “Checks at the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) showed that the foundation in whose name the PDP candidate carried out his criminal activities were fictitious.
“We have it on good authority that following a petition written to security agencies over the incident, it was observed that Adebutu expended huge sums to manipulate the March 18 2023. governorship election in Ogun State.
“Hon Adebutu caused prepaid Verve cards preloaded with N10,000 each and bearing such inscriptions as Dame Caroline Oladunni Adebutu Empowerment Scheme, Dame Caroline Scheme and “Dame Caroline Oladunni Adebutu Memorial Endowment Scheme, to be printed under the guise of honouring his late mother, but it was a vote buying gimmick, and these cards were used to buy votes on March 18.
“Luck, however, ran out on him when party agents and POS operators who were  used to perpetrate the deliberate manipulation of the electoral process were arrested by the security agencies and made statements that indicted him.
“The financial institutions that collaborated with him have revealed that he contacted them to create the cards which were delivered to him two days to the governorship election.
“It was when he observed that all these things had come into the open that he suddenly disappeared into thin air in order to evade justice.”
The security sources, which accused the PDP lawmaker of violating Sections 121 and 127 of the Electoral Act (2022) which expressly forbid vote buying, said that it was regrettable that Adebutu had flagrantly violated laws meant to sanitize Nigeria’s electoral process.

Politics

Social Political Group Calls On Dr.Okundaye To Join Governorship Race

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Social Political Group Calls On Dr.Okundaye To Join Governorship Race

Social Political Group Calls On Dr.Okundaye To Join Governorship Race

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Elvis Omoregie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sahara Weekly Reports That A Social  Political group Edo Progressive Forum has called on a chieftain of the Labour Party Dr. Oghogho Okundaye, to join the governorship race for Edo state  2024.

 

 

 

 

 

Social Political Group Calls On Dr.Okundaye To Join Governorship Race

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was contained in a communique issued at the end of the group enlarged meeting held in Benin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Briefing Newsmen At the end of the meeting The State coordinator of the group Marcus Ediale, said they decided to hold the meeting to appraise the Political happenings in the state and  fashion out way forward.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He said at the end of the deliberation on  the issue of governorship race came up and after much discussion the members agreed that competence, capability, exposure and ability to carry people along should be the criteria to be considered by all the political parties in getting their representatives rather than zoning.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comrade Marcus Ediale also told journalists that the issue of some personalities were also discussed and the members decided to persuade a Labour party chieftain Dr Oghogho Okundaye to join the race for the 2024  gubernatorial election.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Throwing more light on the issue the secetary and Publicity Secretary of the group Erhabor Osamuyi and Isah Briamoh respectively  said having been following the pedigree of Dr Okundaye the group decided to call on him to take the bull by the horn and contest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They said apart from his humanitarian and generosity Dr. Okundaye level of intellect and exposure are some of the criteria the next Edo State governor should possess in order to take the state to further heights

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other members of the Edo Progressives forum said arrangements are already in top gear to approach Dr Okundaye  physically having the followed him from afar to persuade him to accept  their plea

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They expressed optimism that with the calibre of  Dr.Okundaye as the state governor who is a detrabilized Nigerian  the much sought after getting to the pinnacle of development will be easily achieved.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Edo Progressives Forum is a non partisan socio economic group with members within and outside Nigeria and it  champions the  cause of good governance and  Progressive governance in the country.

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Politics

BREAKING! Gunmen Attack Kogi Governor, Yahaya Bello, Several Injured

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BREAKING! Gunmen Attack Kogi Governor, Yahaya Bello, Several Injured

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sahara Weekly Reports That Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State escaped death by whiskers when his convoy was blocked and attacked by people believed to be supporters of Alh. Muritala Yakubu Ajaka at about 12.30 hours on Saturday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BREAKING! Gunmen Attack Kogi Governor, Yahaya Bello, Several Injured

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The attack took place near the Naval Base, a few kilometres from Lokoja town.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was reported that the convoy of Muritala Yakubu Ajaka, having sighted that of the Governor, reportedly blocked the road while some of his armed thugs started shooting sporadically at the Governor’s convoy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Tundra branded with the logo of the SDP and with SDP flags also blocked the Governor’s vehicle and occupants of the SDP-branded Tundra were armed with rifles and short guns.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Confirming the incident, the state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, said there is no cause for panic as the Governor is in high spirits.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Some security aides and other aides attached to the Governor sustained some degrees of injuries and have been rushed to medical facilities for medical attention.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We urge the people of Kogi State to remain calm as security agents are in full control to ensure the arrest of the hoodlums behind the attack.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“The State Government will ensure that law and order are maintained as the attackers will be brought to justice,” he said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Governor Bello warned that no APC member should involve in any reprisal attack as insecurity from any quarter will be met with stiff penalties

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ACAON congratulates President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, described him as visionary leader

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ACAON congratulates President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, described him as visionary leader

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Ifeoma Ikem

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sahara Weekly Reports That The Board of Trustees and National Executives Council of “Anti- Corruptions Awareness Organization Nigeria ( ACAON), has sent a congratulatory message to Nigeria’s new leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.

 

 

 

 

 

 

ACAON congratulates President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, described him as visionary leader 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tinubu was inaugurated as the 16th Nigerian President on 29th of May, 2023.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a congratulatory statement personally signed by the BoT chairman, Alhaji Prince Kola Kadewolu Adeyemi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The statement was made available to the pressmen ,the group described Tinubu as a visionary leader who understands governance

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ACAON expressed satisfaction that the Former Lagos State Governor would revamp the current situation and make great impact in every sectors across the nation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“We pray for an enabling environment throughout his tenure with his cabinet to be a very successful one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aderemi advised Mr President to be mindful in implementations of any of his policies in other to avoid any serious hardships to the masses which he took oath to govern.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stating thatthe president should recall one of the major issues experienced from the immediate past adminstration which was her “cashless policy and Fuel scarcity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

According to him, presently the masses are not happy concerning the announcement of fuel subsidy removal during his inauguration speech by the President ,he should do something urgent because everyone is just recovering from Cashless Policy,that led Nigerians into buying of Naira with Naira,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“To Whom Much is Given, Much is Expected” .

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