Jonathan panics, runs to Abuja as Buhari probes $2.1b oil cash

Former President Goodluck Jonathan has dashed into Abuja to meet some powerful men to seek protection from the ongoing secret investigation being carried out by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Jonathan is disturbed by the determination of President Buhari to expose how $2.1bn was illegally withdrawn from the Excess Crude Account (ECA).

Jonathan has already zoomed with his protest to General Abubakar Abdulsalami.

The general is leader of the National Peace Committee for 2015 General Elections. The crux is that:

•the Buhari administration is trying to blackmail him and his erstwhile cabinet members;

•he is not pleased with the corruption tar being put on his administration; and that

•he is worried by the likely probe of the whereabouts of the $4billion taxes and dividends paid by the Nigerian Liquified Natural gas Ltd between 2009 and 2014.

Sources who pleaded anonymity “because of the sensitivity of the matter” told The Nation that Jonathan and some of his ministers are angry that Buhari ought to know that such taxes and dividends are remitted to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

Another matter that is seriously troubling Jonathan and his ministers, according to the sources, is how the NNPC under his watch allegedly blew N3.8trillion in three years.

The Abdulsalami Committee is yet to have audience with Buhari on the allegations made by Jonathan.

Jonathan arrived in the country last weekend to “defend his administration”. He could not be reached for his reactions as at the time of posting.

It was, however, learnt that he had chosen to table before the Abdulsalami Committee some issues, including the controversial $2.1bn withdrawn from the ECA without recourse to the NEC.

The source said: “The former President returned into the country at the weekend but he is unhappy with the bashing of his administration.

“Jonathan believes that Buhari is blackmailing him and his ministers, contrary to the terms of the 2015 poll peace agreement which led to a smooth transition from the PDP to the APC.

“I think Jonathan approached the Abdulsalami Committee so that he will be left alone by Buhari who openly said he inherited an empty treasury from his predecessor.”

A former minister in the Jonathan administration, who spoke in confidence, said: “The ex-President is unhappy that the administration of Buhari has been stigmatising his administration instead of putting him into confidence on issues.

“For God’s sake, let them allow this man to earn his well-deserved retirement. If there is any observation by the new government, there are standard official procedures of addressing such.”

Buhari had on June 29, raised a four-man panel to check how NNPC spent N3.8 trillion in three years.

The four ‘wise men’ are Governors Oshiomhole, Udom Emmanuel, El-Rufai and Dankwambo.

While awaiting the submission of the committee’s report, Oshiomhole revealed that the immediate past Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, took $2.1billion from the ECA without approval.

Out of the $2.1b, only $1b was paid to oil marketers as subsidy and the rest $1b used for GEJ's election.

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Sultry singer,Seyi Shay has opened upon her close relationship with Sound Sultan...In an interview with City People Magazine, she said

Sound Sultan is like my dad really, the dad I never had. He is my mentor, he’s also my song writer; he and his wife are like my mum and dad. It’s a relationship that’s indescribable, God just used him as a vessel to really expose me. I used to go round with Naija Ninjas and Radio tours and he kept introducing me as his protégé. Cecil also used to tell people to put me on their shows that I’m good. Between the two of them, I flourished a lot.

 On her love life,she says

Well, I have a boyfriend, you guys would know soon.“We have known each other since I came to Nigeria.” For male admirers, one would always have that because of being in the public eye and it’s hard to be strong, especially when a lot of men say you have to do this in order for me to help you. It’s not easy for women, but thank God I have a very supportive system of management, I have a female manager, a female PR person, and being around females helps a lot.

Photos: Sunday Oliseh signs contract as new Super Eagles coach

He signed the contract moments ago. Congrats to him. More photos after the cut..

 

After previous failures, I was scared of contesting the 2015 election - Buhari

President Buhari says he was scared of contesting in the 2015 presidential election after his failures in past elections. He said this while addressing APC leaders during the breaking of the Ramadan fast at the presidential villa yesterday July 14th

"No matter the level you are, drop your influence so that we can help achieve the manifesto – security, economy, employment and corruption- because if we don’t kill corruption, corruption will kill Nigeria. We have to ensure that people we bring forward are those that will move the society forward.
I always like to go down the memory lane to show how lucky we are as a political group. At no stage was the decision taken by chance, it was all deliberate. The leaders of the parties felt the only way to wrest power from the PDP was for us to come together. I, in particular, was scared after previous failures of the elections of 2003, 2007 and 2011. We dissolved our various parties to form APC, then we applied to INEC, for once I was grateful to INEC. We had gone with nine people to INEC to apply and INEC advised us that we needed at least 25 people to form a political party. We were able to go back and raised 35 members across the country and then successfully registered the party. INEC then informed the federal government that we have met the requirements hence we cannot be denied registration. Many doubting Thomases said merger had never succeeded in Nigeria but here we are. I went into this long explanation so that you will appreciate how far we have come and for a society as ours, if we respect the constitution, then all the greed and problems will be a thing of the fast.”he said

Rapper DMX jailed for 6 months

The rapper was jailed in Buffalo, New York yesterday July 14th for failing to comply with a family court ruling. He was asked by a court to pay back child support to one of his baby mamas but he didn't. When he appeared in court yesterday, a judge slapped him with a 6 months sentence and he was immediately locked up in Erie County Holding Center.

DMX has been arrested many times in the past few years, but this is the first prison sentence since 2011.

Kim K wears see-through bra as she steps out with Kanye (photos)

Kylie trying to do like Kim. The pregnant 34 year old wore transparent bra under a sheer plunging black dress as she headed out for dinner with her husband Kanye at a restaurant in Santa Monica last night. More photos after the cut...

Nigerian man jailed in the UK after he falsely used online photo of a US soldier to dupe 2 women

27 year old Nigerian man, Tosin Olasemo has been sentenced to 4 and a half years in prison by a UK court after he was found guilty of using the photo of a US soldier fighting in Afghanistan to dupe two white women he met on a dating site of £250,000.

Tosin, who lives in Cardiff, UK, set up a profile on match.com using the photo of an unidentified US soldier in uniform, to trick his victims into believing he was serving in Afghanistan. He called himself Captain Morgan Travis to his first victim, and Michael Travis to his second victim and claimed to be based at Camp Joyce but he was actually living in Moira Street in the Adamsdown area of Cardiff.

During online conversations with his first victim, 47-year-old widow Tine Jorgensen, Tosin could see her via her webcam but he refused to show his own face, saying he was not allowed to show his own face because of security issues in Afghanistan, an explanation which looked genuine and acceptable.

Tosin then demanded various sums of money from Ms Jorgensen, including money for administration fees and other costs to facilitate his leave so he could come see her. Tosin, while using his real account name and photo, later contacted Ms Jorgensen to claim Morgan Travis had been arrested, persuading her to hand over almost £212,000 more to try and secure his release.

Speaking on his demand for money, prosecutor Ruth Smith said:

"They were designed to play on her emotional feelings for Morgan Travis, saying if the money wasn't paid he would spend one and a half years in detention."

However, police in Denmark soon informed her she had been a victim of a crime. The prosecutor said that confronted with this news by Ms Jorgensen, Tosin then claimed to be living in Lagos, Nigeria and had borrowed money from militants in Nigeria whom he could not now repay.

"Unfortunately Ms Jorgensen still felt an attachment to the defendant and believed his explanation. But her suspicions grew and she eventually reported him to South Wales Police, who arrested him in Adamsdown on January 28 this year."the prosecutor said

Officers recovered a number of false documents, including Nigerian identity cards and drivers licences under various names at his home in Cardiff. The prosecutor continued

"The defendant tried to damage his laptop computer by throwing it on the floor and stamping on it, but was prevented from doing so by police officers at the premises. The defendant had numerous documents on (his) equipment referring to how to speak to women and gain their confidence.".

On his second victim, Polish divorcee Joanna Kosz-Strusiewicz, he initially persuaded her to part with £1,100.

"He continued to make demands for money from her and she decided to make investigations of her own. She found information which led to her believing she had been cheated and wrote to the defendant."

Tosin pleaded guilty to four counts of fraud, four counts of possession of false identity documents, three counts of possession of articles for use in fraud and a single count of acquiring criminal property. He was sentenced to 4 and a half years in jail today July 15th.

The court also added that Tosin whose UK visa will soon expire may be deported. 

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Singer Timaya and his babymama, Barbara have welcomed their second child together, a girl. The proud father announced her birth on his instagram page. Congrats to them

Stay away from Benue state, governor Ortom warns homosexuals

While hosting the Prelate of the Anglican Communion of Nigeria, Archbishop Nicholas Okoh, in Makurdi yesterday, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State asked homosexuals to stay away from the state, warning that his administration would not spare anyone caught practicing it in the state.

“Gay lifestyle is alien to the customs, lifestyles, and the belief of Africans and the church, even though it is being promoted in the Western world. I sincerely pray that a revival would spring from Benue State and produce evangelists that would drive evangelization in Africa and the Western world because the personal knowledge of the Lord Jesus is the solution to the decadence sweeping across many nations today.” Ortom said (Vanguard)

Fayose thanks Buhari for appointing an Ekiti state indigine as Chief of Defence Staff

The governor took to his twitter handle to congratulate the new Chief of Defence staff, Maj Gen Abayomi G. Olonishakin pictured above and also thank President Buhari for appointing an Ekiti state indigene as the new CDS. See his tweets after the cut...

Read from bottom up...

Photos: Dele Momodu visits President Buhari at Aso Rock

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Governor Nasir El-Rufai sacks 20 Permanent Secretaries

Kaduna state Governor Nasir El Rufai announced yesterday through a press statement that he has sacked 20 permanent secretaries from Kaduna State civil service and has appointed new officials to fill some positions in his government.
“In line with its resolve to cut the cost of running government, the Kaduna State Government has announced the retirement of 20 permanent secretaries. This decision follows the streamlining of ministries in the state from 19 to a leaner 13, as part of efforts to free up resources to be used for providing schools, hospitals, roads and other public goods.
The government, which had at inception declared its determination to cut costs, drive efficiency and improve service delivery, is continuing the restructuring of its agencies. To ensure that the number of permanent secretaries is properly aligned with the new structure, there will be only 13 permanent secretaries for the 13 ministries." the statement read