June 8, 2015 : Adelani Adepegba and Friday Olokor 

The Federal Secretariat complex, Inset: Ugwu
| credits: Nairaland, Friday Olokor

A senior official of the Federal Ministry of Health, Martins Ugwu, who has been practising as a ‘medical doctor’ for over nine years, has been arrested by the police upon discovery that he stole the licence from his friend.

Ugwu, who is a Senior Medical Officer II on Grade Level 13, was found to have impersonated his friend, Dr. George Daniel, who is undergoing a residency training programme in Jos, Plateau State.

He allegedly stole the licence from his friend for whom he was best man during a wedding in 2006. They both hail from Orukpa in the Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State.

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PUNCH Metro learnt that Ugwu, who was due to be promoted to an Assistant Director in the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, a parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Health, has been working in the civil service since 2006 under the name, Dr. George Davidson Daniel, until he was indicted by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria as an impostor.

Ugwu who was arrested by the police last Thursday, was, however, released a few hours later, fueling speculations that the policemen might have been compromised.

Ugwu’s arrest was sequel to an investigation by the MDCN, which registers all Nigerian doctors and regulates their practice after investigations, the MDCN uncovered two Dr. Daniels- the same name on two separate identity photographs.

The MDCN in a letter to the Chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission, dated June 4, 2015, signed by the Registrar, Dr. A. Ibrahim, described Ugwu as an impostor, adding that the case had been reported to the police for further investigation and action.

It reads, “Records available to the council revealed that this “Dr.” Davidson Daniel George is an impostor as he is impersonating another Dr. Davidson Daniel who is the genuine doctor and he currently undertakes his residency training in Jos, Plateau State.

“The council summoned and interacted with the genuine doctor who gave some vital information on the impostor. The council has reported the matter to the law enforcement agency as a case of impersonation; with the genuine doctor deposing to a statement with regard to what happened between him and the fake doctor whose real name is Mr. Martins Ugwu.

“As it is, Mr. Martins Ugwu is an impostor. You may therefore wish to take further actions to deal with this matter in accordance with the provisions of the law.”

The MDCN said it was dissatisfied with the manner with which the police handled Ugwu’s case and promised to take up the matter with the Inspector-General of Police.

The council cited a previous arrest of a fake doctor arraigned for prosecution, insisting that the prosecuting police officers had never called the council’s investigators to court as witnesses while the case stalled in court.

The council said it was investigating and prosecuting about 40 cases of quacks in courts.

Ironically, Ugwu was part of a government committee that met more than 200 contingents returning from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea where they had volunteered to help fight Ebola under an African Union mission, last week in Abuja.

The Head of Inspectorate Department, MDCN, Dr. Henry Okwuokenye, who led the team of investigators, confirmed Ugwu’s arrest to one of our correspondents on Sunday in Abuja.

He said, “When we looked at our archives, we discovered there was actually somebody that bears the name, Dr. George Daniel, but the picture is not the same as the one that was sent to us. The Daniel under investigation had a photocopy of a practice licence and a provisional licence- the first temporary documentation for new doctors valid for only two years- but the unique folio number matched a real Dr. Daniel on MDCN files.”

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Linus Awute, fingered Ugwu as the head of a gang “scandalising and intimidating heads of agencies under the ministry and extorting money from them.”

He explained that the impostor had been handed over to the police, noting that the process of his sacking from the civil service had commenced. She said all the monies he had received as salaries would be recovered.

Awute said, “We are making efforts to get the other members of his (Ugwu’s) gang. He has been on the payroll of the government all these years but nemesis has caught up with him. He is the leader of a gang that has been operating in the ministry, intimidating and extorting money from heads of agencies under the ministry. They have approached me to negotiate in the belief that money has come to the ministry to be shared.”

When contacted, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Anjuguri Manzah, said the police were investigating the matter.

“The matter is under investigation, though the suspect has been released on bail for now,” he stated.

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June 8, 2015 : Agency Report 

Osinbajo and Adeboye

The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, and the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Chuch of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, on Sunday urged Nigerians to be faithful, diligent and honest in all that they do so as to attract favour from God and man.

The News Agency of Nigeria reported that they said this at the 8th Annual Conference and Reunion of the Redeemed Christian Church of God Apapa Family, Lagos Province 20, with the theme ‘Riding on the wings of Change’.

Osinbajo said at the event, which took place at the Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos, that the country needed faithful men who could be relied on to do a good job of nation building.

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“If you are a typist, if you are a receptionist, if you are a security man, be faithful in the little things you are doing.

“It is that faithfulness, it is that trustworthiness, it is that loyalty towards the things you are doing and to people you are serving that will lift you up.

“That is the change our nation needs. I trust that we, as the children of God, will be not just harbingers of that change, but will be that change.

“Our country is waiting for us; I trust that we are all going to be that change that the nation needs,” he said.

Also, Governor Akinwummi Ambode of Lagos State said that the theme of the conference was appropriate, especially with the current situation in the country.

“The theme of the conference aptly sums up our expectations and collective desire as individuals; no meaningful progress can be achieved without a purpose driven change in the right direction.

“Our prime focus and concern shall be to serve diligently; as we embark on this journey, no one, irrespective of status, strength, ability or disability would be left behind,” Ambode said.

The governor also prayed that God would grant him wisdom, knowledge and understanding as he governs the state.

“I request of the Lord divine wisdom and knowledge like King Solomon,” he said.

Adeboye prayed that the new leaders would rule Nigeria with the fear of God.

He said that those in power should remember that power belongs to God and that at the end of the day they would give account to Him.

“Anyone who wants to ride on the wings of change must be humble, kind, patient so that everything that Nigeria has lost will be fully restored,” Adeboye said.

NAN reported that Osinbajo, Ambode and Adeboye were given Apostles of Change awards by the RCCG Apapa family at the event.

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June 8, 2015 : Femi Makinde 

Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola

The Peoples Democratic Party has advised Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, to sell the helicopter purchased for security surveillance and stop ‘wasteful spending’ in order to raise money to pay salaries of workers in the state.

The Director of Media and Strategy of the PDP in Osun State, Mr. Diran Odeyemi, gave this advice in a statement made available to our correspondent in Osogbo on Sunday.

The statement read, “The PDP is urging the government to sell the helicopter Governor Aregbesola said was procured for the state. He should also stop frivolous trips to Cuba.

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“What this administration told us was that the helicopter was to be used for surveillance, but we have since discovered that the machine is only serving the travelling needs of Mr. Aregbesola and his family. This remains one draining pipe that must be blocked.

“The governor and his aides should also forthwith stop travelling in chartered aircraft around the world. If President Muhammadu Buhari could be travelling on British Airways, even when aircrafts in presidential fleet are available, there is the need for Governor Aregbesola to borrow a leaf.”

The opposition party also accused the governor of wasting the state’s resources on politics and arming of a group of youth he called “State Boys.”

The PDP called on the newly elected members of the Osun State House of Assembly not to turn themselves to rubber stamp of the executive arm of the government.

According to the party, the people of the state now place their hope on the lawmakers to check the ‘excesses of the governor’ in the interest of the masses.

The statement read further, “The whole world is aware of the fact that former Ekiti lawmakers were heavily bribed on the bill of Osun State for several months, where they mapped out strategies on how to impeach Governor Fayose.

“It is also fresh in minds the huge amount Ogbeni Aregbesola expended on the last Ekiti State governorship poll, Lagos State governorship poll and the Presidential project of the All Progressive Congress.

“Also, a group of miscreants called “State Boys” are being illegally armed and financed by the government to unleash terror on many indigenes of the state by the ruling party.

“All these actions and many others wasteful spending led us to where we are now, which if they could be reversed, could bring financial reserves to the state.

“But if Ogbeni Aregbesola will not treat this advice with disdain, and henceforth, begin to act as the governor of all, we believe at least he will be able to pay few months of the backlog of salaries owed workers and retirees.”

However, the governor described the suggestions and allegations from the opposition party as infantile.

Speaking through a statement issued by his media aide, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, Aregbesola said the PDP was just seeking cheap publicity with their suggestions and spurious allegations.

The statement read, “The suggestion shows clearly how degenerate the PDP has become in the thinking process of its leaders to have come up with the selling of a mere helicopter in order to pay salaries.

“It is disheartening this is how degenerate the PDP has become in their thinking process. They screamed ignorantly about two years ago that Osun procured a helicopter with a sum of N8bn. We had asked them to find out the cost of a Boeing plane, let alone a helicopter which was only leased and it was to beef up the Osun Swift Action Squad (SAS) for its aerial surveillance. This was clear to all in the state that the helicopter was procured as part of the Rauf Aregbesola administration’s comprehensive security measures to drive criminals far away from the state.

“For the PDP in its narrow and pedestrian thinking to tell us to sell the helicopter is a sign of intellectual laziness. The allegations that Aregbesola uses the helicopter for his personal use lack any evidence.

“It is obvious that the PDP, after it has reached its final bus stop of defeat rigmarole, as typified by the Supreme Court decision of May 27, is merely looking for something to keep it relevant.

“But come to think of it! What could be relevant in a party that never had any touch with the people? What could be relevant in a party that cannot even organise itself to give credible and virile opposition? It is therefore certain that allegations, such as Aregbesola financing Lagos, Ekiti and Muhammadu Buhari’s elections are not only laughable; they demonstrate the fact that the PDP cannot even be rescued from its self-inflicted tragedy. It is a party eternally rejected.”

“This certainly cannot be the path to go if its intention is to be an opposition party. An opposition party that will help the people to know what the people want.

“The people of Osun need adequate security which PDP failed to provide throughout Nigeria in its 16 years of misrule. The People of Osun require good governance which the PDP could not give them. I therefore advise that shameful lies such as those Odeyemi cooked up again and threw to the media would not help the party. They would help sink it deeper.”

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June 8, 2015 : Olalekan Adetayo 

 

President Muhammadu Buhari in Munich, Germany for the G-7 Summit...on Sunday.
| credits: State House

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President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday arrived in Munich, Germany, at about 15.25 hours to begin a two-day official visit, in the course of which he will participate in the G-7 Outreach Programme for invited heads of government and global institutions.

According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President was received on arrival by the Vice Minister-President of Bavaria, Mrs. Inge Aigner.

Buhari was accompanied on the trip by Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State; former Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN); a former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd.); and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Paul Lolo.

According to the statement, other invited Heads of State and international institutions who will join Buhari at the working session with G-7 leaders on Monday at Elmau include President Jacob Zuma of South Africa, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, President Macky Sall of Senegal, President Beji Caid Essebsi of Tunisia and Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn of Ethiopia.

Others scheduled to participate in the Monday’s session with G-7 leaders are the Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi of Iraq; the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki Moon; the Secretary-General of the OECD, Mr. Angel Gurria; the Managing Director of the IMF, Mrs. Christine Largarde; the President of the World Bank Group, Dr. Jim Yong Kim; the Director-General of the International Labour Organisation, Mr. Guy Rider; the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mrs. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma; and the Director-General of the World Trade Organisation.

Before leaving Munich for Nigeria on Monday, Buhari will hold bilateral talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada on the sidelines of the G-7 Outreach Programme.

He is also expected to meet President Barack Obama, President Francois Hollande of France, Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain and other G-7 leaders in the course of the Outreach Session and a working lunch at the Elmau Castle.

The Head of the Bavarian regional government is scheduled to host a dinner in honour of Buhari and other leaders invited to the G-7 Outreach Programme on Sunday (evening).

Government officials who saw Buhari off at the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja, on Sunday included the Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase; Commander of the Brigade of Guards, Brig.-Gen. Anthony Omozogie; an Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr. Sikiru Akande; and the Assistant Director, Security, Federal Capital Territory, Mr. Nebere Yeih, among others.

Meanwhile, the security problem being witnessed in parts of the country, efforts aimed at waging war against corruption and the nation’s power problem will top the list of requests President Buhari will present to G7 Summit, holding in Germany.

Shehu, who is currently on Buhari’s entourage, disclosed this in a statement from Munich on Sunday.

Shehu said Buhari arrived in Munich, Germany, on Sunday armed with the “wish list” of Nigeria in line with the demand of the G7 industrialised countries.

He said the G7 had earlier requested Buhari to prepare a shopping list and come with it for their consideration in what is seen as an excellent goodwill gesture towards the new leader and the country.

He said top on the list the President would tender before the G7 leaders is on the problem of security.

“We have a problem which they know,” Shehu quoted Buhari as saying.

He further quoted the President as adding that he had used every opportunity at his disposal ahead of the meeting to discuss the country’s needs with specific reference to terrorism and development needs at person-to-person meetings and telephone conversations with some of these leaders.

“These development issues, many and varied as they are, touch on the economy, combating corruption, increased foreign direct investment; power and energy, infrastructure, environment, enhanced transparency in elections and good governance,” he added.

Buhari announced that the leaders of the industrialised nations have shown a preparedness to work with Nigeria to help the country out of her problems.

The President will hold meetings on the sidelines with the host, German Chancellor, Angela Merkel; the French President, Francois Hollande; Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper; the Japanese Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe; and the World Bank President, Dr. Jim Yong Kim.

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June 8, 2015 : John Alechenu, John Ameh, Sunday Aborisade and Toluwani Eniola 

Saraki and Dogora

The crisis within the All Progressives Congress over the choice of candidates for the speakership and the Senate presidency of the 8th National Assembly deepened on Sunday as candidates not endorsed by the party’s leadership vowed to contest the elections on Tuesday.

Findings in Abuja on Sunday showed that the candidates – Yakubu Dogara (House of Representatives) and Bukola Saraki (Senate) had intensified   lobbying   the Peoples Democratic Party incoming lawmakers.

Senators-elect and their counterparts for the House began accreditation for the Tuesday election at the National Assembly in Abuja on Sunday.

The immediate past Minority Leader,   Femi Gbajabiamila, had at the party’s mock election   on Saturday emerged the APC consensus candidate for the post of speaker. He   polled 154 votes as against     Yakubu Dogara’s    three votes.

A total of 183 members registered for the mock election but the votes of four   were declared as invalid.

Bukola Saraki’s group boycotted the primary conducted for senate presidency , but the APC picked Ahmad Lawan, who got 32 votes.

Votes allocated to Dogora, a fraud, says Jibrin

But on Sunday, the spokesperson for the 8th Assembly Consolidation Group which is Dogara’s campaign body,   Abdulmumin Jibrin, warned that the APC was a on a path of self-destruction by sticking to the outcome of the primary.

Jibrin, a former Chairman, House Committee on Finance and contestant for the speakership until last week when he stepped down to support Dogara, insisted that there was no election.

“The mock election is a blatant lie. It was very shameful and disgraceful and the party only made a mockery of itself.

“We walked out of the hall and we never participated in the election. Therefore, the votes allocated to us were a fraud and we will not accept them,” he told a news conference on Sunday.

Jibrin   claimed that members of the group had received threats of disciplinary actions from the party since Saturday, but he restated the resolve of Dogara’s supporters to ignore the APC and nominate him(Dogora) for Tuesday’s (tomorrow) election.

Disclosing   that the group   had petitioned   Buhari to wade into the matter, he said it was regrettable that   in just a week after the APC formed the government at the Federal level, it appeared set on “derailing” from the ideals which propelled it to power.

“We have decided to write a petition to Buhari to intervene in this matter; to call the party to order. We will go ahead to nominate Dogara on the 9th and we will not back out,” he said.

The group seized the opportunity to unveil   Lasun Yusuf, a member from Osun State, as Dogora’s running mate .

The same Yusuf, had last week, announced that he was backing Gbajabiamila, only to make a U-turn on Sunday.

Support us, Gbajabiamila’s secretariat tells   Dogara

Shortly after the news conference, The Gbajabiamila   Secretariat in Abuja   called on the Dogara group to bury the hatchet and join the Lagos State lawmaker to build the House as from Tuesday.

It noted that had Dogara won the mock election instead of Gbajabiamila, the former minority leader would have supported him, being the candidate so chosen by the party.

The   secretariat, also said there was nothing strange in conducting a mock election, which it argued was not different from the primaries members participated in before their election to the National Assembly.

Dickson Tarkighir, who spoke for the secretariat said, “It is unfortunate that some members sought for intervention of the party before their election into the National Assembly but suddenly realised that the unbiased intervention of the party in the mock election is inappropriate.

“Definitely, these are not agents of change. The party gave members-elect the platform to elect a popular candidate that would represent the party in the House and we are glad that at the end of that exercise, it was res ipsa loquitur.

“Had Dogara won the mock election we would have all queued behind him now but as a mark of discipline and respect for the party, we are all behind Gbajabiamila.”

However, The PUNCH gathered that Gbajabiamila would most likely emerge as the speaker, barring any major alterations in the support structure he already had among members-elect.

It was learnt that flowing from his victory on Saturday,   the North-West and North-East caucuses of the House resolved to sustain their support for him on Tuesday.

He was said to be already assured of the votes of 47 out of the 48 APC members from the South-West.

Findings revealed that the North-West, with 87 APC lawmakers, had over 84 backing Gbajabiamila.

A returning member of the House, who asked not to be named said , “Kano, with the largest state caucus, has 24 members; 21 voted for Gbajabiamila on Saturday and will repeat the same on Tuesday.

“Jigawa has 11 members, all whom are with Gbajabiamila.’’

Investigations also indicated that 35 out of the total 39 APC members from the North-East were firmly backing Gbajabiamila.

A top APC member, who also spoke with The PUNCH in Abuja on Sunday, said,     “The project in the House is tied to the project of Senator Ahmed Lawan, who is contesting the President of the Senate.

“It is the same project and we will keep to it until victory is won on Tuesday.’’

It was learnt that the North-West and the North-East started plotting in May to edge Dogara out of the contest when they prevailed on   Mohammed Monguno, a former contestant for the speakership, to step down for Gbajabiamila.

Monguno was later asked to team up with Gbajabiamila as his deputy for a single ticket, a move meant to block Dogara in his North-East .

On the other hand, the North-West was said to have asked to be given no higher position than the Majority leader in the 8th House.

A former President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists and member-elect from Kano State,   Sani Zoro,    confirmed that the North was the main support base of Gbajabiamila.

Zoro said, “For someone who has served the opposition well for 12 years, he (Gbajabiamia) deserves to be rewarded.

“In a parliamentary system of government, he would have become the prime minister without debate.”

Findings showed that even the PDP Caucus with 193 members, was divided, an indication that Gbajabiamila and Dogara might share the votes of the minority camp on Tuesday.

“There is no guarantee of a block vote anymore because the two camps will share the votes of the PDP.

“The APC’s mock election of Saturday also spoke volumes of what to expect on Tuesday,” another member stated.

A group of senators-elect who are canvassing for the emergence Saraki as President   also insisted   on Sunday that the Kwara State senator would contest the position on Tuesday.

The group, in a statement by two of its members, Dino Melaye and Ahmed Rufai-Sani, argued that the mock   primary that produced   Ahmad Lawan as the APC concensus candidate, was manipulated by the party leaders.

The senators-elect noted with regret that the leadership of the APC did not carry the pro–Saraki group along while the Lawan group was allegedly informed ahead of the meeting.

The group explained that it went to the International Conference Centre venue of the meeting in Abuja with just five members to discuss the modalities for the conduct of the election on Tuesday.

It said, “The Unity Forum (Lawan’s group) insisted on open ballot voting which we discovered is different from the electoral process used to conduct the earlier election with the House of Representatives members -elect.

“To us, this open ballot voting is primitive; undemocratic and against universal electoral norms and practice.In the light of the above, we the Senators elect of Like Minds hereby insist on our position of Open ballot.

“Secret voting process which we believe is in consonance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the universal electoral values.

“As responsible citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and leaders in our own right, we have resolved and hereby state that we shall not be part of a process that promotes undemocratic electoral process.

“Such undemocratic process may resort to rancorous and uncivil situations which inhibit the rights of individuals to vote for the candidate of their choice, as this process will further divide us than unite members of our party.

“In conclusion we the Senators-Elect of Like Minds wish to state categorically that we will participate only in the constitutional election scheduled for Tuesday, the 9th of June 2015 in line with the rules of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The group vowed to address a news conference with 65 senators-elect across the APC and the PDP, who had already endorsed Saraki’s candidature for the post.

Investigations by our correspondents had revealed that 33 out of the 59 APC senators – elect voted for Lawan at the mock primary, leaving Saraki with the remaining 26.

Already the Saraki group are claiming to have the support of 49 PDP senators – elect who will give him their votes on Tuesday.

An incoming PDP senator, who confided in The PUNCH on the lobbying by the candidates, said, “The candidates have been reaching out to us, but we in the PDP are not united.”

APC cautions aggrieved candidates

The APC has however enjoined   the aggrieved candidates and their supporters   to   put its interest and that of the nation above their personal interests.

It said in a statement on Sunday   by its National Secretary, Mala Buni, that it was natural for people to feel disappointment after losing a contest. .

The party said, “ However, we must put the interest of our party above personal interests and avoid a situation whereby any other candidates, apart from those picked by the party, will emerge as Senate President and House Speaker on Tuesday.

‘‘Any outstanding issues will be resolved by the party so we won’t go into Tuesday’s election with more than one candidate each for the two posts – Senate Presidency and speakership.”

The party said it would amount to an act of shame if, despite its majority in   the National Assembly, it   was unable to produce a Senate President and Speaker of its choice.

It therefore appealed to all the aggrieved members to sheathe their swords and allow peace to reign.

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