Terrorism : Fulani herdsmen beheads PDP chairman, escape with head

Dorcas, wife of the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Bare Ward in Numan Local Government Area, LGA, Adamawa State, Charles Christsanthus, who was beheaded by suspected Fulani herdsmen, has narrated how her husband was murdered.

The suspects were also said to have killed the PDP chieftain in front of his wife and their four-month-old child and ran away with his head afterwards.

Christsanthus was killed in his farm on August 29, 2018.

Speaking with Punch, the widow of the slain politician also accused the police of shielding the killers of her husband.

Dorcas who spoke at the State Criminal Investigation Department where she had gone to lodge her complaint yesterday, said that only justice for her slain husband would bring her peace.

The woman said she was holding her four-month-old son and watched helplessly as the assailants hacked her husband to death.

She said, “His attackers led by our Fulani neighbours repeatedly stabbed him on the back and on his stomach before beheading my husband in our farm and made away with his head.”

Dorcas said she could identify her husband’s killers, insisting that the police were shielding them from answering for their crime.

“The police under the guise of allowing the suspects to seek medical attention are shielding those that killed my husband. The only thing I want is justice,” she stated.

The Police Public Relations officer in the state, Musa Habibu, insisted that some of the suspects were in custody, adding that investigation into the incident was ongoing.

Asked about the suspects allegedly receiving medical attention in a hospital, the spokesman simply retorted, “A suspect has a right to medical attention if he is sick.”

He added, “Some arrests have been made and those arrested are in police custody. I have had consultations with the assistant commissioner of police handling the issue who said arrest had been made.”

“But if they said one of those arrested is receiving medical attention, a suspect has a right to medication if he’s truly sick, it could be but I don’t have that information,” Habibu said. - Daily Post

CRAZE COUNTRY !! Market men and women buy nomination form for Niger governor

Market men and women from across all the local government councils in Niger state on Friday besieged the national Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to purchase a N22.5 million nominations and expression of interest form for Niger state Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello.

Coming under the auspices of the Niger state Market Men and Women Association, the Group said they decided to buy the nomination form for the Governor because of their conviction that his tenure has brought lot of blessings to the people of the state.

Spokesman of the traders, Alhaji Ahmed Salihu told newsmen those traders in the state camp together to contribute money to purchase the firm, stressing that they were heading back to minna to present it to the governor as a surprise gift.

He said “In the history of Niger state, this is the first time that Market Association decided to buy the nomination and expression of interest forms for the present governor of Niger State, Abubakar Sadiq Sani Bello.

“We are doing this because the governor has achieved a lot not only for market people but to the entire Niger people. Talking about the market people, for the first time the governor fixed all the roads in the market.

“He provided three 500 KVA transformer to the market. He did this because he wants to discourage the use of small power generating sets in the market in order to avoid fire disaster.

“So because of his achievements, the market people decided to come together to do this for him. We are here on his behalf without even his knowledge. After here we are going back to the state present it to the governor as a big surprise.

“If the market association has a chance, it would have first purchased the form for President Muhammadu Buhari for what he has done.”

Salihu disclosed that improvement in market activities in the State has helped improve the Internally generated revenue in the state, saying Under the governor’s administration, the state IGR has improved just as commercial activities have risen”

Also on Friday, 12 members of the Sokoto state House of Assembly who refused to join former Speaker of the house of representatives, Aminu Tambuwal to defect to the main opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP) were also at the secretariat to buy a nomination form for one of them, Faruok Malami Yabo.

Leader of the delegation, Sani Alhaji Yakubu told newsmen that they are ready to take over the government from the current PDP government led by Aminu Tambuwal.

While insisting that the APC will take over power from the PDP in the State during 2019 general elections, Yakubu said “As you can see, we have all contributed a total sum of 22 million, 500 thousand to obtain form for Honourable Yabo

“We decided to contribute our hard-earned salaries to the gentleman because we found it very imperative,” he said. - The Nation

GREEDY MAN !! Ekiti workers angry with Fayose over purchase of N75 million Jeep

Workers in Ekiti State are angry with Governor Ayo Fayose over the purchase of N75 million Lexus jeep 2018 model as a “parting gift” less than fifty days to exit from office.

They also slammed the governor for alleged N43 million severance benefits for him and his deputy, Prof. Kolapo Olusola.

The state councils of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) said the vehicle purchase and severance package was an act of insensitivity to the plight of the workers.

The unions wondered why a governor who has refused to pay backlog of salaries would be contemplating buying of exotic vehicle and paying himself severance as partying gifts.

Government workers are owed between five and eight month arrears of salaries while retirees are owed about nine month arrears of pensions.

In a joint statement on Friday signed by the state NLC Chairman, Mr. Ade Adesanmi and his TUC counterpart, Mr. Odunayo Adesoye, also described the “parting gifts” to Fayose and Olusola as “selfish.”

The workers’ leaders said Fayose ought to have been concerned with how the backlog of arrears of workers’ salaries and retirees’ pensions will be paid.

According to them, “there would be industrial crisis in the state, if the governor proceeded with his plans in paying himself and his Deputy that huge amount and purchasing the new vehicle.”

The “If it is true that the state government has approved the purchase of N74million worth of vehicle as parting gift and N43 million severance package each for the governor and his deputy.

“We stand to condemn it in its entirety, it is an act of selfishness and insensitive to the plight of workers and pensioners in Ekiti State.

“If a government is owing workers several arrears of salaries and at this critical time that the state ought to have mopped up all its resources to ensure that the outstanding salary arrears and other
entitlement are defrayed, that the governor as an individual is now clamouring for the payment of severance allowance and take away gift of N74 million Utility Sport Vehicle.

“We call on the governor to desist from such act and look for a way to pay workers’ salaries and if government should go ahead with this action there will be industrial crisis in Ekiti state,” the union leaders said.

On the allegations of illegal sale of state assets leveled against Fayose, Adesanmi said, “I don’t think that act is right.

“We stand to condemn it as well, because if property has been existing for several years now and has not been sold by previous governments and you have just few weeks to exit and you are putting them up for sale.

“It is condemnable and people buying that kind of property should know that this is not right, the incoming government would set up administrative panel to look into it.”

When contacted for reaction, the Commissioner for Information in the state, Lanre Ogunsuyi said he had no comment on the allegations. -The Nation

Russia asks Britain for help in identifying novichok suspects

Moscow has claimed it wants to ascertain as soon as possible the identities of the two men named by Britain as suspects in the nerve agent attack on a former Russian spy in Salisbury, and asked London to help.

“We need to establish who these people are, if these are [Russian] citizens or not,” said Maria Zakharova, the foreign ministry spokeswoman on Friday. “We want to do this with maximum haste and effectiveness, and so we are again appealing to Britain for help in ascertaining the identities of these people.”

Britain announced charges in absentia on Wednesday against two men believed to be officers with Russia’s military intelligence service, known as the GRU. Theresa May said the men flew into Britain in March to try and murder Sergei Skripal, a former GRU officer who sold secrets to MI6, and accused the Russian government of orchestrating the operation.

Scotland Yard said the alleged secret agents travelled to Britain under the names of Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, which were probably aliases. The Kremlin has described the allegations as unacceptable and denies that any Russian officials were involved.

Zakharova also accused May of a “frank lie” over her claims that Russia had not offered Britain information after the nerve agent attack, and suggested that May had “selective access” to Russian media reports.

Dmitry Peskov, a spokesman for Vladimir Putin, said on Thursday that Russia would not investigate the two suspects because it had not received a formal request for legal assistance from Britain.

Zakharova’s comments came as a purported ex-GRU officer claimed the attempted murder was too amateurish to have been the work of professional secret service agents.

 If GRU agents had wanted to target Skripal, they would have done it “quietly, without fuss, and brought him [to Russia] in a mail bag, and no one would have known where he had gone,” Ivan Tarasov told Russia’s Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper.

Tarasov also claimed the Skripals could have been targeted by a Russian crime gang, possibly over unpaid debts, and mocked reports that the suspects stayed in the same room in a cheap hotel near Salisbury. “That’s how bandits act, not professional secret service officers. GRU officers don’t stay in London hotels,” he said.

The purported ex-GRU officer also suggested that the suspects could have used novichok in a bid to confuse British investigators by pointing the finger of blame at the Kremlin. - The Guardian , UK

SARAKI EMPIRE !! AFRICA DUBAI !! Kwara suffers from development deficits, says Issa Aremu

Ahead of today’s governorship primaries of the Labour Party (LP) in Kwara state, governorship aspirant of the party, Comrade Issa Aremu has said that the state suffers from huge development deficits.

The frontline labour leader said if elected the governor of the state, he would rebuild Kwara state from what he called “Ghetto” of poverty into land of prosperity and common wealth for all.”

He promised to do that “Through selflessness, statesmanship, entrepreneurship, compassion, managing diversity, equality, inclusiveness, sense of justice and fairness.

He said his promised stewardship will be a continuation of his selfless and tested struggle within the national, African and global labour movement spanning four decades.”

Comrade Aremu said this in Ilorin, the state capital when he visited the Emir of Ilorin Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari for royal blessing on his ambition

He promised to draw on the experience of traditional authorities with respect to governance and leadership if elected to office in all the communities that make up Kwara state.

He vowed to revive old industries in the state, adding that new ones will be created for the benefit of the teeming unemployed youth in the state.

He said that the manifesto of LP recognizes that traditional rulers are the real custodians of the traditional institutions and cultural values of the Nigerian people and that in this capacity they play a very important leadership role at the grassroots level.

In a remark, Alhaji Sulu-Gambari described the aspirant as a competent candidate who is fit, by all standards, to be the state governor and even the president of this country.

The Emir said the LP governorship candidate is a man with a versed knowledge and wealth of experience who according to him has been a mover and shaker of this country and beyond.

He said that his leadership quality has given him the ample opportunity and recognition to have been nominated at different times to represent Kwara, Nigeria and even Africa in general at different fora.

Alhaji Sulu Gambari said Comrade Aremu was one of the leading figures at the former National Confab that was set up by the former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

The Emir said Comrade Aremu has every right to contest for any political office of his choice in view of his track record of achievements and prayed God to be with him and guide him in the task - The Nation

CBN debits accounts of fined banks over MTN’s ‘illegal’ repatriation

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has debited the accounts of three banks in relation to the fine placed on them for allegedly helping MTN repatriate $8.1 billion illegally.

In a notice sent to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Stanbic IBTC said the deduction will not affect its capacity to handle clients’ requests or clients’ ability to continue to carry out viable business transactions whether in relation to the importation of capital or otherwise.
“We write to update The NSE that the CBN has debited the account of our banking subsidiary with the CBN for the full amount of the above-stated fine advised to the Bank,” the notice read.

“Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC, as well as our banking subsidiary, maintain our position on this matter, which is the fact that the Bank has done nothing illegal and accordingly the Bank will continue to provide CBN with documents and details in support of our contention that our actions in relation to these transactions were not illegal.”
On it’s part, Standard Chartered Bank confirmed that the CBN had debited N2.4 billion from it’s accounts.

In a statement sent to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, the bank said it would continue to engage with the central bank despite the debit.
Citibank Nigeria has also confirmed the deduction of N1.2 billion from its accounts.
Banks often have accounts with the apex bank to tackle liquidity problems. - TheCable

Glo chairman’s son, Eniola Adenuga faces arrest over custody battle

A Tinubu Chief Magistrate’s Court has ordered the arrest of Eniola, the son of Globacom chairman, Mike Adenuga.

The Chief Magistrate, Mr T.A. Elias, in a ruling declared that the 28-year-old was in contempt of court for refusing to give the custody of his child, Anthena, to the mother, Damilola.

Elias said Eniola should be arrested until he gives, “full custody of the subject (Anthena) to the respondent (Damilola).”

Punch reports that Eniola and Damilola dated, and within the period, the 25-year-old became pregnant and had the child.

In September 2017, a Tinubu Magistrate’s Court gave an interim order which awarded the custody of the child to the mother.

While Eniola was given unrestricted access to the child, he was, however, asked to pick her every Friday and return her to the mother on Sunday.

The arrangement was said to have been running smoothly until May 18, 2018, when the father, in company of two policemen, allegedly took Athena from school and failed to return her to the mother.

The Falana & Falana Chambers had written a petition to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, accusing Eniola of abduction.

Mrs Funmi Falana, on behalf of her client, filed an ex-parte application on May 25, 2018, seeking the release of the child to the mother.

She said Damilola had been traumatised by the incident, adding that she was afraid for the child’s safety.

The application was granted by a magistrate, Mrs M.R. Osho-Adebiyi, who ordered Eniola to produce the child.

He was further ordered to appear before the court to explain why he should not be charged for contempt of court.

However, Eniola’s lawyer, Victor Amalu, filed a motion on notice on August 7, 2018, praying for a stay of execution of the order.

Eniola’s application was, however, countered by Falana, who said he was taking the court for granted.

The chief magistrate, Elias, overruled Amalu’s objections, describing the “modus operandi” used by Eniola as “appalling.”

He said, “The applicant (Eniola) on May 18, 2018, in company with some armed mobile policemen, went to Athena’s school and forcefully took her away contrary to the order of court dated September 20, 2017, granting custody to the respondent and access every fortnight from Friday to Sunday to the applicant.

“As there is no order of court validating this act, it amounts to taking law into his own hand and this on its own attracts sanction which should be expected.

“As the best interest of the child shall be primary consideration, this honourable family court is satisfied with the applicant application….”

The chief magistrate, citing Section 64 of the Lagos State Child Right Law, 2007, gave full custody of the child to the mother till she was 18 years old.

He also gave Eniola, “supervised” access to the child, adding that he could only see her every fortnight.

Elias advised the parents to take the child’s welfare seriously and put her development and progress first.

“The continuous refusal of the applicant to produce the subject in court amounts to contempt; bench warrant is accordingly ordered for any police officers to effect his arrest until he purges himself of contempt and gives full custody of the subject to the respondent,” he added. - Daily Post

Hopeless country !!! 2019 Elections : Why do you need to spend N1 billion to become governor -- Ango Abdullahi

The spokesman for the Northern Elders’ Forum, Prof Ango Abdullahi, has said that the major problems facing Nigeria’s democracy were the politicians, the press, the judiciary and voters.

Abdullahi spoke at the Newsmaker Lecture organised by the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria’s chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Ibadan on Thursday.

He also disclosed what he had discussed with Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Afenifere on the issue of restructuring.

Abdullahi also frowned at the high cost of forms by political parties and politicians spending so much money ahead of the 2019 general elections.

He said, “The first set of people responsible for our failure are the politicians. The second group is the press while the judiciary comes third.

“The voters come last in that order. On my way from Abeokuta today (Thursday), I cannot remember the number of billboards of politicians that I counted on the way. They are all coming out for the 2019 elections. They litter the place with billboards.

“Why do they want to be governors and senators? If you want to be Oyo State governor, you persuade the people and tell them why they should vote you.

“Your billboard will not speak to them unless they want to see your beautiful picture. If someone wants to be my president, I should worry about why he wants to be the president.

“The cost of forms is too much. Unless you run a charity and not an investor, you don’t spend so much money (to buy forms). We have records to show that people who won election as governors or senators spent as much as N1bn on the election.

“They cannot deny it. Why are you spending N1bn to be governor? We need to educate the people so that they will know why these politicians are rushing to be there.

“I am happy to say that I studied free to the university level abroad and that money came from groundnut and cotton. We have to really examine ourselves.

“Nigeria is lucky not to have natural disaster but our own disaster is in leadership. If you have a broken family, question the head. If there is a country that is not working, question the leadership.”

He said that the North needed restructuring more than any part of the country.

He said, “Lack of communication between different parts of Nigeria is arising from the elite class.

“They are the real failure of today’s Nigeria. If we could sit and tell ourselves the truth about what is wrong, we should be able to work things out.

“I was the chairman of the two meetings we had with Afenifere and Ohanaeze. It is better to continue with the dialogue than to continue with suspicions and allegations. I told Afenifere and Ohanaeze that, perhaps, the North needs restructuring than any other parts of the country. But what is missing is objective dialogue and discussion on how to approach it.

“If you approach it from the point of view that you are right and every other person is wrong, then you are not engaging in honest and objective discussion. We have agreed to engage in serious dialogue in terms of what type of restructuring this country requires. When we do, we hope we will find a platform where we will implement it,” he added. - Daily Post

Ex-IGP blasts Omokri: Jonathan will be sad if I open up

Suleiman Abba, former inspector-general of police, has issued out a warning to Reno Omokri, former aide of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

Speaking with reporters when he visited the secretariat of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Lagos, Abba expressed dissatisfaction with the reaction of Omokri to an interview he granted to Daily Trust last month.
In the interview, the former number one police officer had said the force he led compelled Jonathan to concede the 2015 election.
Abba also said a top Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member reached out to him to influence the Osun state 2014 governorship election in favour of the then ruling party.

Omokri had responded by accusing him officer of spreading falsehood.
“The accusation of the former IGP of Police makes no sense to reasonable men and women,” Omokri had said.
“IGP Suleiman Abba is proof of the fact that liars need a very good memory otherwise they would contradict themselves with their lies.”
But in his own response, Abba challenged Omokri to a debate on his activities as the IG.

He said if Omokri provokes him, he would open up on some things and Jonathan would feel sad.
“Please tell him (Omokri) to leave me alone as a retired police officer. He cannot change the narrative of what I did in office… If I open up, his godfather (Jonathan) will be sad,” he said.
“Reno should keep quiet and leave me alone. He should know that he is talking about a former police IG and a lawyer. I am well informed about my fundamental human rights. It is my right to speak when I choose to.

“That he was queering why shouldn’t I speak two or six months after leaving office, is not his business. If I can defend the right of others as lawyer, I should be able to defend my own by expressing myself.
“Out of the five IGs his boss worked with, I acted in good conscience. That much is not controvertible. I am proud to say that the police under my watch forced ex-President Jonathan to accept the result of the 2015 poll through our professional conduct.

“It was not the duty of the police to conduct election neither do we vote on election day. I have no regret over my action. Our action gave credibility to the 2015 poll which was widely acknowledged by both the local and international observers.
“For me, that translated into legitimacy for the current government. The practice all over the world is that whenever election is over everyone should work with the any government that emerged to move the nation forward. If Reno Omokri is sad that I am in Nigeria relating with a legitimate government, that is his headache.”
Jonathan had fired Abba shortly after he lost the 2015 election. - TheCable

Face of a fraudster !! N4.7bn ‘fraud’: ‘Ladoja bought 26 cars for ex-loyal lawmakers from state account’

A prosecution witness, Mr Abubakar Madaki, told a Federal High Court yesterday in Lagos that a former Oyo State Governor Rasheed Ladoja purchased 26 cars for 14 ex-legislators from the state coffers.

Madaki, an Economic and Financial Crimes (EFCC) operative, gave evidence in the trial of Ladoja and his erstwhile Commissioner for Finance, Waheed Akanbi, for alleged N4.7 billion fraud.

The defendants were arraigned before Justice Mohammed Idris on December 14, 2016, but they pleaded not guilty to the eight-count charge preferred against them by the EFCC.

The judge had granted the two men bail.

At yesterday’s resumed trial, Ladoja’s lawyer Bolaji Onilenla continued the cross-examination of the witness.

Madaki alleged that Ladoja instructed the second prosecution witness (PW2), Mr Wale Atanda, to buy 26 cars valued at N80 million for 14 legislators who were loyal to him in the House of Assembly from the state government’s (OYSG) account.

During the cross-examination, Onilenla asked the witness: “Take a look at Exhibit H25, the requested vehicle information for the cars, what is the date on it?”

The witness said: “It is dated 2005.”

Onilenla also asked the witness to confirm that the transaction on the cars was unrelated to the sales of Oyo State shares, to which he answered in the affirmative.

The lawyer then asked the witness: “Are you aware that the vehicles were given to the legislators on lease?”

The witness said: “There is no statement showing they paid for them, only Ladoja paid N5 million when the bank began to request for the money.”

Onilenla asked: “Are you aware that the legislators entered into agreements with VT Leasing Limited to pay for the cars by instalments?”

The witness said: “I am not aware of any agreement.”

Onilenla sought to tender the agreement documents, all of which were photocopies except the agreement between VT Leasing Limited and Mr Olayemi Busari.

The EFCC prosecutor, Mr Oluwafemi Olabisi, objected to the photocopies tendered, contending that they were not original copies.

But the court admitted and marked them as Exhibit H32.

Continuing his cross-examination, Onilenla said: “On the issue of the 600,000 pounds, did you investigate the bureau de change that was allegedly used?”

The witness said: “The daughter of the first accused was the beneficiary. She admitted getting 100,000 pounds and not 600,000 pounds. So, there was no need.”

Onilenla also asked the witness: “On the purchase of the armoured car, are you aware that Atanda bought the car for Ladoja on the supposition that he wanted it without asking him?”

The witness said: “Yes, My Lord, I am aware.”

Onilenla then asked: “Why then did you not investigate how an individual was able to purchase a car for the government without following due process?”

The witness said: “We did not investigate that.”

Onilenla told the court that he needed to produce more documents to enable him finish his cross-examination and prayed the court for an adjournment.

Justice Mohammed Idris adjourned the case until September 7 for continuation of trial.

PDP on N45m form: INEC must penalise Buhari for violating electoral act

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to hold President Muhammadu Buhari culpable for “violating” provisions of the electoral act.

The PDP said this on Thursday while reacting to the presidential nomination form bought for Buhari by a group known as the National Coordinator of Nigeria Consolidation Ambassador Network (NCAN).
On Wednesday, the group presented a cheque of N45 million to Adams Oshiomhole, chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), for the purchase of the nomination form of Buhari.
Sanusi Musa, coordinator of the group, said the decision to buy the form was informed by the need to consolidate on the foundation for a better Nigeria.

The gesture is said to contradict section 91 (9) of the electoral act which states: “No individual or other entity shall donate more than one million naira to any candidate.”
In a statement, Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP spokesman, said Buhari’s failure to turn down the group’s request indicts him.

The party added that Nigerians are aware of the president’s “gimmick” in purchasing the form, despite the “affluence” his family lives in.
“Nigerians are aware that the very expensive personal effects, including posh jewelries daily paraded by his close relatives betrayed the gimmick of using an unregistered group, pieced together to execute another failed pro-poor stunt to sway Nigerians,” the statement read.

“Already, our people are daily confronted by the flaunting of affluence and material wealth by the President and those around him, while betraying and abandoning millions of poor Nigerians who, unfortunately, put their trust in him in 2015.
“Since President Buhari has not publicly disowned the purchase of the form by the group, the PDP charges INEC to, within the next 24 hours, hold him culpable and make him to face the appropriate sanctions for the violation of electoral laws.” - TheCable

Disquiet over N75m Lexus for Fayose

There is unease in Ekiti State over the approval and purchase of a 2018 Lexus LX 570 Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) valued at N75 million for Governor Ayo Fayose as a “parting gift”.

The purchase is causing anxiety in the civil service as fear grips officers involved in the deal ahead of the change of government on October 16.

It was learnt that the vehicle was bought about a month ago but our reporter sighted the documents on the deal yesterday.

A civil servant, who spoke in confidence, described the deal as “strange, suspicious and unheard of” at a time government workers and retirees are owed salary arrears.

A memo for the purchase of the vehicle emanated from the Political and Economic Department of the Governor’s Office through the Office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG).

The letter authorizing the purchase of the SUV was addressed to the SSG, Dr. Modupe Alade.

It was written by Mr. Bayo Opeyemi, the Executive Secretary/Director General, and was dated August 1.

The deal was alleged approved same day by Fayose with his signature on the document.

The memo reads: “Kindly refer to the request for the direct procurement of one unit of 2018 Lexus LX 570 (U.S Specs) as a parting gift for the governor by the Political and Economic Affairs Department of the Governor’s Office at Page 15.

“The invoice at page 18 has been reviewed by the state’s Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) from N68,000,000 (exclusive of tax) to N66,000,000. The inclusion of 13 per cent tax will bring the total cost to N75,862,068.96.

“Please, present for approval the direct procurement of one unit of 2018 Lexus LX (US Specs) as parting gift for the Governor a sum of N75,862,068.96.”

A Certificate of No Objection (CONO) for Contract Award for the procurement of the SUV was also issued by Ekiti State Bureau of Public Procurement, dated August 3.

A Certificate of Purchase (COP) was also issued.

A civil servant familiar with the deal said: “The question people should be asking is: why is the outgoing governor approving the parting gift for himself?

“It is strange in the system, unheard of; it is suspicious. It was supposed to be the decision of the government and not the decision of one man.

“It is not the outgoing governor that will determine what the state will give to him. There is more to it than meets the eye.

“The incoming government must get to the root of the matter and all those involved, whether civil servants or politicians, must be brought to book.”

Former Minister of State for Works, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, slammed Fayose for allegedly buying the SUV as a parting gift.

He criticised the payment of N43 million severance package to himself and deputy, Prof. Kolapo Olusola.

Adeyeye also criticised the governor for alleged sale of government property and auction of government vehicles to cronies at “ridiculous prices”.

The former minister, who declared his intent yesterday to run for Ekiti South senatorial, said the governor’s latest action showed that he (Fayose) did not love the workers and masses as he used to claim.

He added that it was callous of the governor to buy a luxury vehicle for himself with the state fund when workers are owed between five and eight months’ salary arrears.

Adeyeye urged the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership in the state to be more vigilant to prevent the state from being plundered by the outgoing administration.

He said: “I have always identified Fayose as a selfish person. He only thinks of himself. I have always maintained that the governor can’t be trusted.

“I know he will like to appropriate everything to himself. We learnt he has been selling state assets, like the Erunfun Land on Ijan road. That land was bought by Chief Obafemi Awolowo in 1949 and he never appropriated it.

“We have had many governments in Ekiti: former Governors Segun Oni and Kayode Fayemi never contemplated selling the land, but Fayose was planning to sell it to himself. Ekiti people won’t accept that.

“It was Fayemi who supposed to send him off, but due to selfishness, he (Fayose) decided to appropriate that to himself. That is not the trait of a good leader.

“For four years, Fayose didn’t do more than five projects and he claimed he has performed. He only touched two towns throughout the time. Schools, hospitals and roads have decayed under Fayose. No investments in Agriculture, road network, everything was neglected.

“Not even a single investment was witnessed in agriculture. So, that victory (last governorship poll) was a sound one for APC and Ekiti people.

“Fayose made several agreements with leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2014 to win the governorship election. He never fulfilled any. He manipulated everything to suit himself in the PDP, despite the fact that I nearly won the governorship primary before I decided to defect to APC, just to defeat him at all cost.”

 Governor’s media aide: let accusers bring evidence

The Chief Press Secretary to Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, has debunked the alleged purchase of a N75 million Lexus “parting gift” to the governor from government coffers.

In a text message to our reporter last night, Adelusi challenged anyone with evidence of the purchase to present same.

The governor’s aide urged anyone with evidence that Fayose paid N43 million as severance package to himself and his deputy, Prof. Kolapo Olusola, to show it.

He described those criticising the purchase of the vehicle as “ignorant”.

Adelusi said: “Those who alleged should come forward with genuine evidence of purchase of the vehicle as well as payment of severance allowance.

“Those who are saying these things are ignorant of the law.” - The Nation