The Presidency Should Release the Osinbajo-led Panel Report - Timi Frank

The fight against corruption may be in jeopardy if the findings of the Presidential committee investigating the controversial $43 million in Lagos house is not released to Nigerians on time, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank said on Sunday.

The APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary, in a statement signed in Abuja, voiced his belief that the reports ought to have been released to show transparency in the war against corruption.

He said the continued delay in making public the outcome of Yemi Osinbajo-led three man committee might begin to give room to rumours and speculations.

He said anybody found guilty should not be protected, saying “The NIA and SGF's reports should no longer be kept away from Nigerians. These reports should be released within the shortest possible time to allay the fears among a section of Nigerians”.

Frank said not only Nigerians were expecting the outcome of Professor Osinbajo's panel, but also “the international community” on how Nigeria would handle the matter that could make or mar the war against corruption.

The Bayelsa born politician, who said Nigerians still believed in the integrity of Prof. Osinbajo the same way they trusted President Muhammadu Buhari, stated that he had to speak out because he also commended the move when the committee was set up by the President.

He said, “It is high time this report is make public to proof to the world that our party means it when we say we are fighting corruption, because do as said is the hallmark of integrity in governance.

“The reports of discovery of large amount of money as $43M without true identity of the owner in a country where government cannot pay salaries or increase the meager being paid the hard working civil servants, where poverty, hunger and massive unemployment are order of the day, should not be delayed or swept under the carpet.”

The presidency had promised to release the reports over a week ago before President Buhari travelled for a medical check-up.

It would be recalled that the committee headed by Acting President Osinbajo was also tasked to investigate the allegations of corruption against the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Engr. Babachir David Lawal.

By Muideen Olaniyi

Oke, Babachir Won’t Be Reinstated by Presidency

The Presidency has ruled out the possibility of reinstating the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Ayo Oke, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, who were both suspended from office recently.

A source in the presidency told SUNDAY PUNCH in Abuja on Saturday that they were both indicted in the report of the presidential investigative panel that probed them.

The source explained that the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, who is the chairman of the panel would have presented the report to President Muhammadu Buhari last Monday but for the President’s journey to London for medical consultation.

The source, who is conversant with the arrangement, told our correspondent on condition of anonymity that in case Buhari tarries in his return to the country, Osinbajo will act on the report and a decision would be made public soon.

He said the decision to make the report public was arrived at before the President travelled.

The source added, “The panel’s report was ready since last Wednesday. It was the formal presentation that was fixed for Monday. That has been overtaken by event with the President’s journey.

“Before the President travelled however, he met with the Acting President on many issues, including this one in question.

“An understanding was reached on the position to take. That decision will soon be made public. It is just a matter of time.

“The President can return any time. The Acting President can also announce the decision in case the President did not return on time.”

When asked if it is appropriate for Osinbajo who led the panel to be the one that will implement the report, the source said, “He chaired the panel as the Vice President and now, he is the Acting President. Besides, the decision was arrived at in consultation with the President. It is a government decision.”

When further asked if there was any possibility that Oke and Lawal might be given a clean bill of health, the source said, “as a matter of fact, their case is a done deal.”

The Senior  Special Assistant to the Acting President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, could not be reached on the telephone for comment as of the time of filing this report .

The Osinbajo panel also had the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), and the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, as members.

The panel investigated allegations of violations of law and due process made against Lawal in the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on the North-East, while it probed Oke on the discovery of large amounts of foreign and local currencies by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in a residential apartment at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos, for which NIA is laying claim.

The Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Mounting Humanitarian Crisis in the North-East had also indicted the suspended SGF on the same matter.

The panel was said to have considered the Senate report alongside its own investigation in arriving at a conclusion on Lawal’s case.

By Olalekan Adetayo

Buhari May Be in Possession of Osibanjo Panel Report - Presidency

The Presidency has hinted that the panel that investigated the allegations against the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Ayo Oke, may have submitted its report to President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, dropped the hint this morning while featuring on the Sunrise Daily programme of Channels Television.

Babachir was investigated for alleged violations of law and due process in the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on the North-East; and Oke, over the $43.4m hauled from a residential apartment at Osborne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos.

The Presidency had last Wednesday assured that President Buhari would receive the report today.

But Adesina disclosed this morning that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo who headed the three-man panel met with Buhari before the latter travelled to London for medical follow-up yesterday.

The presidential spokesman explained that the submission of the report might have "come up" during that meeting.

"The vice president met with the president yesterday before he travelled. It is not unlikely that that (the submission of the report) may have come up," Adesina said.

He also stated that given the reputation of the members of the panel, Nigerians should expect "what is fair and just" from the report.

By Isiaka Wakili

Osinbajo Panel May Free Oke

Barring last minute alteration in its decisions, the Presidential Investigative Panel probing suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal and the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Ayodele Oke, may have set free the security chief while recommending Lawal for criminal investigation and likely prosecution.

The three-man panel set up by President Muhammadu Buhari, under the chairmanship of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, was constituted two weeks ago and given 14 days to conclude the assignment. Though it has concluded the probe since Wednesday, May 3 the panel will submit its report to President Buhari on Monday.

The panel, which also had the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, and National Security Adviser (NSA), Major General Babagana Munguno (Retd), as members, sat in camera throughout its work.

(Daily Post)

                                      

Osinbajo Panel To Submit Report on Babachir, Oke To Buhari on Monday

The three-man panel set up by President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal and Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), will submit its findings on Monday.

Lawal and Oke were suspended last month and vice-president Yemi Osinbajo, along with Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami and National Security Adviser (NSA), were tasked with probing the activities of the Presidental Initiative on North-East (PINE) under Lawal. They will also verify the ownership of $43million discovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in a Lagos apartment.

In a statement by Osinbajo’s spokeman, Laolu Akande, the committee will submit its report to Buhari by Monday.

“The three-man presidential investigative committee set up by President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, under the chairmanship of Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, to inquire into the discovery of foreign and local currencies by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at Osbourne Towers, Ikoyi, Lagos and the allegations of due process violations in the award of contracts under the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE) is completing its assignment today and is scheduled to present its reports to the president on Monday, May 8, 2017,” the statement read.

By Ifreke Inyang

Read How Suspended NIA Boss, Oke Hid $50m from Buhari, Mongonu

Contrary to his earlier claim, fresh details have emerged revealing how the suspended Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency hid the $43m found recently at a private apartment on Osborne Street, Ikoyi, Lagos, from both the President and the National Security Adviser, according to Sahara Reporters.

These revelations are coming just as the Presidential Committee set up to investigate the matter and some procurement violations by the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal are almost done with their findings.

An official source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity said Oke contrary to his claim, the suspended DG did not brief the NSA at all about the existence of such funds-$289M- or the projects they were meant for when the Buhari administration took office in May 2015, even though the money had been released in March the same year.

Reports revealed that the NSA office only got wind of the existence of such funds during the work of the presidential committee that audited the Defense Equipment Procurement in the Armed Forces. The Committee had observed certain payments from the CBN to the NIA and raised questions drawing the attention of the NSA.

When the Committee began raising questions on the funds, in order to cover his tracks, Oke informed the NSA on the existence of such funds for the first time warning the Committee that its job does not cover the activities or the spendings of the NIA.

A top government source narrated thus, “The Presidential Committee on Audit of Defense Equipment Procurement, in the course of its assignment came across information that the NIA received a huge sum of money in early 2015 from the former President. Based on this the NSA carried out a preliminary investigation during which the NIA claimed the money was released for some projects aimed at commencing the Agency’s 30th anniversary. This was in January 2017.”

The source added that subsequently, “a team was constituted” to ascertain the situation. The first suspicion of a potential abuse was noticed at this stage, according to sources, especially considering the amount of money involved and the purposes stated.

“This was how the NSA and the Presidency learnt of the existence of such funds. We were not told by anyone in NIA until the Committee saw something, and raised a red flag,” the sources noted.

A top official in the know observed “this is the issue: the NSA was not told that NIA had this lump cash stashed away in the place it was eventually discovered by EFCC. In any case, extant rules are clear that such monies ought only to be placed in the NIA headquarters or in CBN vaults.”However, when the embattled NIA top spy was now compelled to explain what was happening, “he still did not inform anyone in the Federal Government or presidency that he kept $43m of the said funds in cash at a private apartment anywhere in Lagos or any part of the country,” it was added.

According to findings, the CBN actually paid out some of the funds directly to some NIA contractors, raising questions why the suspended NIA needed to put aside such huge cash in a private apartment.

Findings revealed that the projects for which the former President approved the funds totaling $289m included two in Lagos whose cost were put at about $28m, which is way less than the $43m cash found in the Ikoyi apartment. Sources explained further that as at January this year, funds for the Lagos projects had actually been released to the tune of $18m, meaning only about $10m was left to be paid four months ago before $43m was found in the Lagos apartment recently.

Said one official source, “So let us even assume that the NIA DG wanted to keep funds in Lagos for the Lagos based projects, he did not need that much for the total of the Lagos projects at all. And apart from that it is completely untenable to stash away agency money in a private apartment instead of keeping it with the CBN or inside the NIA head office where the money would be well-secured and its disbursement well protected.”

By Dolapo Adelana