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House of Fraud : Buhari’s Supporters To Stage 7-day Protest Against Central Bank Governor, Emefiele Over E-Naira, Bad Economy and N500Billion Scandal
A pro-Muhammadu Buhari group, Nigeria First Movement has called for the resignation or sacking of the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele.
According to the supporters of the President, doing so will save the nation from further economic meltdown.
Group Coordinator, Augustine Richard in a statement said the latest introduction and subsequent launch of the digital currency, eNaira by Emefiele is the “final nail in the country’s already doomed economy.”
Since the release of the eNaira, the app has received negative reviews from Nigerians, who were disappointed with the tedious registration processes as part of the requirements.
The group also urged the CBN Governor to resign over his alleged inability to stabilise the country’s bleeding economy.
It threatened to mobilise over 200 other pro-Buhari groups across the globe for a ‘mother of all protests’ that would hold simultaneously in Abuja, Lagos and London, UK against Nigeria’s poor economic posture if Emefiele failed to resign or get sacked.
“Emefiele may have made history as the only governor to be re-appointed for a second term in office since the nation’s return to a democratic rule, however, he is best known for surrendering much of the bank’s independence, running a monetary policy that had record negative impact on the economy,” Richard said.
“The introduction and subsequent launch of the digital currency, eNaira, is perceived as the final nail in the country’s already doomed economy.
“We are ready to champion the call for Emefiele’s removal by staging a one-week protest that could potentially cripple economic activities in Abuja. We’re also ready to mobilise over 200 other pro-Buhari groups across the globe in the ‘mother of all protests’ that would hold simultaneously in Abuja, Lagos and London against the nation’s poor economic posture.
“Emiefele played a pivotal role in the collapse of the economy since his appointment as the CBN chief and before his arrival, the economy was said to be one of the fastest growing in the world. Shortly after his reappointment in 2019, Emefiele announced a five-year plan that targets double-digit growth in one of Africa’s largest economies.
“His approach to policy implementation, however, has left many in doubt, raising questions on how his key policy move, especially in the context of management of the exchange rate, benefits the economy, and the naira he sought to protect.
“On July 24, 2020, the CBN launched a series of non-intrant loan schemes under the AGSMEIS, MSMEDF, AADF and other loan schemes. The program attracted a lot of Nigerians, with millions of them seeking to join the program through all due process. For more than a year now, nothing has been done. The CBN under Emefile has shirked its primary responsibility of ensuring price stability and has embraced a more developmental role, in the hopes of naira stability.
“As confirmed by the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Finance, Rt. Hon. James Faleke, the CBN has failed to submit its Audited Account to the Office of the Auditor General (OAGF) for review, from 2010 to date.
“According to Kalu Ajah, chief executive officer at AfriSwiss Capital Assets Management Limited in Abuja, the CBN has pursued a strong naira policy and had sought to dampen imports. Well, imports have not declined and the naira is far from strong. One wonders if the import restrictions on items and capital controls were necessary or if the CBN should have devalued the naira earlier. I will say Nigeria did not benefit from the capital controls regime.
“The regulatory bank’s aggressive lending policy has been called into question as well, causing some concerns over the bank chief’s stewardship of the banking sector. The CBN is forcing banks to lend, and penalising non-lenders. These are shareholders funds being deployed via fiat.
“In October last year, the Central Bank fined 12 banks, including Citibank, First Bank of Nigeria, Guaranty Trust Bank, and Standard Chartered Bank N499 billion for failing to meet lending targets. It is another move that attracted criticism across the board.”
Richard added that the N500 billion which was stolen in a private Dubai investment towards the end of 2018 should be investigated by the President as well as other funds that went missing during Emefiele’s administration.
Our correspondent had in May 2019 made public a phone conversation of Emefiele; his deputy, Edward Lametek Adamu; Director for Finance, Dayo M. Arowosegbe and one of the Special Advisers to the CBN Governor, Emmanuel Ukeje discussing how to cover up the loss of over N500 billion stolen from the CBN in a private investment that collapsed.
CAUGHT ON TAPE some years back: CBN Gov Emefiele And Top Officials Discuss How To Cover-Up N500bn They Stole -Part1
CAUGHT ON TAPE: How Central Bank Governor Emefiele, Deputy Adamu And Top Officials Discussed How To Cover-Up N500bn Which They Stole From The CBN.
Two audio files, exclusively obtained by our correspondent revealed how the governor and top officials of the apex bank discussed plots to conceal the loss of huge sums of money in a Dubai investment.
The CBN claimed the audio conversation was genuine but no money was missing from the bank.
Isaac Okoroafor, the then Director of Corporate Communications had said: “The selective conversation being circulated was simply a discussion to ascertain why the auditors took that position and next steps to resolve it. Obviously, it soon became clear that a state government’s loan cannot be classified as ‘bad’ or ‘irrecoverable’ when the state still exists and getting FAAC allocations.”
However, in a petition written by Emefiele to the Inspector General of Police, he confirmed that the audio was authentic and this time raised the alarm that his phone had been bugged and that there was a breach of security at the apex bank.
He also asked the Inspector General of Police to investigate the audio lea.
Abbas, Kalu, Ihonvbere, Doguwa, Faleke, Obasa, Amaewhule, others in race for tickets
Primaries to pick candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for next year’s elections begin tomorrow.
Aspirants for House of Representatives tickets will take the first shots across the 360 constituencies.
As of last night, the party’s national secretariat was busy coordinating reports from screening centres, while appeal committees also sat to consider different cases as they arose.
“The process is tough, and the schedule is tight,” a member of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) told The Nation.
The party assured its members that, despite the logistical difficulties, the process would proceed as planned.
Leading lights of the party, which controls an overwhelming majority in the Green Chamber, such as Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, House Leader Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, spokesman Akin Rotimi, long-standing member Ado Doguwa, Finance Committee Chairman James Abiodun Faleke, former minister Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Chijioke Edoga and Leke Abejide, who defected from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), are among those seeking tickets to return.
Among those seeking a return to the House are Bimbo Daramola (Ekiti), Kafilat Ogbara (Lagos), Oluwole Oke (Osun) and Donald Ojogo (Ondo).
There are also high-profile lawmakers from state Houses of Assembly bidding to move to the House of Representatives.
These include Speakers Mudashiru Obasa (Lagos) and Martins Amaewhule (Rivers).
National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka said the date fixed for the intra-party selection is sacrosanct.
The screening of the contenders has set the stage for what is largely expected to be direct primaries and, in some cases, consensus arrangements.
According to the APC guidelines, direct primaries should be adopted where consensus agreements fail.
Sources said the panel cleared all aspirants from Lagos, Ondo, Ekiti, Enugu and Rivers states.
However, a source said members of the Appeal Committee were at the Treasures Suites in Abuja handling last-minute petitions arising from the screening exercise.
According to the source, governors still hold the ace, having been saddled by the party with negotiating the “mode of primary” best suited for their respective states.
A senior party official confirmed that the committee refused to bow to external interference.
He said despite intense lobbying and “pressure from opponents,” the screening panels opted for an all-inclusive approach.
The source added: “No aspirant was disqualified. I was part of the team that handled Lagos, Ondo, Ekiti, Enugu and Rivers states, and I am sure that all the aspirants were cleared.
“There was pressure to disqualify some, but the screening committee stood its ground.”
The party’s National Working Committee (NWC) reviewed the report of the screening committee on Tuesday and yesterday.
While the official results have not been formally gazetted, sources at the party’s headquarters confirmed that the reports have been ratified.
Already, the NWC has dispatched primary election committees to the states to liaise with governors for rancour-free shadow elections that will produce acceptable candidates.
A member of the NWC reiterated the party’s resolve to adhere to the revised schedule of activities and timetable.
He said: “We have done everything possible for the primaries to be held as scheduled.”
Emphasising that the timetable would not change, Morka said the clarification became necessary following misleading reports.
He said the primaries will be held as follows: senatorial, May 18; House of Assembly, May 20; governorship, May 21; and presidential, May 23.
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission have arrested the Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi, over alleged money laundering offences.
A source within the anti-graft agency, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment officially on the matter, disclosed on Wednesday that Abdullahi was arrested in Abuja and is currently being held in the custody of the commission.
According to the source, the investigation involves alleged fraud amounting to about N500 billion.
“We have arrested the Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria, Dr. Mustapha Abdullahi, over alleged money laundering offences. He was arrested in Abuja and is currently in our custody. The amount involved is estimated at N500 billion,” the source said.
The commission is yet to issue an official statement regarding the arrest as investigations continue.
Senator Cyril Fasuyi, representing Ekiti North Senatorial District, has been dragged before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged fraud involving the sum of $2,980,535.00.
The petition, submitted by Mr. Nuel Wilson, West Africa Regional Representative of Integrated Packaging Systems FZCO (IPS Ingredis) and its Nigerian subsidiary, IPS Ingredis Integrated Systems Limited, accused Senator Fasuyi and his wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Adun Fasuyi, of conspiracy, fraudulent conversion, obtaining by false pretence, stealing, and diversion of foreign investment funds.
According to the petition, which was acknowledged by the EFCC on December 10, 2020, the Dubai-based company alleged that the senator and his wife, operating under the name Legacy Foods Limited, failed to remit payment for products supplied to them after several business transactions.
The petition stated that IPS Ingredis, a company registered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, conducts the business of sales, supply, and distribution of raw materials across different countries, including Nigeria, through its local subsidiary based in Lagos State.
The complainant explained that the business relationship between both parties began in November 2015 after the suspects were introduced to the company by one of its Chinese customers. Following several meetings, the Fasuyis allegedly represented themselves as credible business partners interested in the company’s line of products.
Based on the agreement, the company reportedly supplied various raw materials, including corn starch, maltodextrin, shortening, maltose syrup, and other products to Legacy Foods Limited through multiple purchase orders.
The petition further alleged that goods worth over $9 million were supplied to the suspects during the course of the business relationship. However, the company claimed that after selling the products, the suspects allegedly refused to pay the outstanding sum of $2,980,535.00.
“Our clients supplied goods worth over $9,000,000.00 to the suspects. The suspects, after selling all the goods, refused to pay the sum of Two Million, Nine Hundred and Eighty Thousand, Five Hundred and Thirty Five United States Dollars worth of products already supplied,” part of the petition read.
The foreign investors also accused the suspects of allegedly diverting proceeds from the sales for personal use and benefits, despite repeated demands for payment.
According to the petition, investigations allegedly revealed that the products supplied had been sold and disposed of, while proceeds were allegedly converted for personal gains.
The complainant described the development as “a calculated attempt to dispossess foreign investors of their investment in Nigeria through fraudulent means.”
The petition also emphasized the need for Nigerian authorities to protect foreign investments and uphold the spirit of bilateral investment agreements between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates.
Meanwhile, the petition named Mrs. Elizabeth Adun Fasuyi as a co-suspect in the matter. She was reportedly present in court alongside her husband at a point during proceedings but allegedly avoided arrest by operatives of the anti-graft agency.
Senator Cyril Fasuyi, representing Ekiti North Senatorial District, has been dragged before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged fraud involving the sum of $2,980,535.00.
The petition, submitted by Mr. Nuel Wilson, West Africa Regional Representative of Integrated Packaging Systems FZCO (IPS Ingredis) and its Nigerian subsidiary, IPS Ingredis Integrated Systems Limited, accused Senator Fasuyi and his wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Adun Fasuyi, of conspiracy, fraudulent conversion, obtaining by false pretence, stealing, and diversion of foreign investment funds.
According to the petition, which was acknowledged by the EFCC on December 10, 2020, the Dubai-based company alleged that the senator and his wife, operating under the name Legacy Foods Limited, failed to remit payment for products supplied to them after several business transactions.
The petition stated that IPS Ingredis, a company registered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, conducts the business of sales, supply, and distribution of raw materials across different countries, including Nigeria, through its local subsidiary based in Lagos State.
The complainant explained that the business relationship between both parties began in November 2015 after the suspects were introduced to the company by one of its Chinese customers. Following several meetings, the Fasuyis allegedly represented themselves as credible business partners interested in the company’s line of products.
Based on the agreement, the company reportedly supplied various raw materials, including corn starch, maltodextrin, shortening, maltose syrup, and other products to Legacy Foods Limited through multiple purchase orders.
The petition further alleged that goods worth over $9 million were supplied to the suspects during the course of the business relationship. However, the company claimed that after selling the products, the suspects allegedly refused to pay the outstanding sum of $2,980,535.00.
“Our clients supplied goods worth over $9,000,000.00 to the suspects. The suspects, after selling all the goods, refused to pay the sum of Two Million, Nine Hundred and Eighty Thousand, Five Hundred and Thirty Five United States Dollars worth of products already supplied,” part of the petition read.
The foreign investors also accused the suspects of allegedly diverting proceeds from the sales for personal use and benefits, despite repeated demands for payment.
According to the petition, investigations allegedly revealed that the products supplied had been sold and disposed of, while proceeds were allegedly converted for personal gains.
The complainant described the development as “a calculated attempt to dispossess foreign investors of their investment in Nigeria through fraudulent means.”
The petition also emphasized the need for Nigerian authorities to protect foreign investments and uphold the spirit of bilateral investment agreements between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates.
Meanwhile, the petition named Mrs. Elizabeth Adun Fasuyi as a co-suspect in the matter. She was reportedly present in court alongside her husband at a point during proceedings but allegedly avoided arrest by operatives of the anti-graft agency.
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