News
THE LIES AND LIARS OF THE ELECTION -Godswill Akpabio
There are three kinds of people. In the first category you have those who make things happen. In the second category you have those who talk about those who make things happen. And in the third category you have those who do not know what is happening. God has ordained for me to make things happen, and I am grateful to Him. That is my ministry.
Those who talk about the people who make things happen also have this as their ministry. They constitute the Gossip League. If I have been a major gossip commodity in their “enterprise”, I bless the name of the Lord. There is one thing worse than being talked about and that is not being talked about. But when they take their trade (gossip) to embarrassing heights of absurdity, one painfully has to undertake the task of reining them in and ensuring that lies and falsehood do not flourish in our State and invoke God’s wrath. It is not about me, but about the law of sowing and reaping. Rest assured that every idle and malicious talk would be judged by God Almighty.
My movement from the PDP to the APC overshadowed every discussion in Akwa Ibom State and cast a spell of fear over the Peoples Democratic Party. In their desperation, they told many lies against me and I would not bother to talk about all of them. I, however, would want to refer, for now, to four of these false claims and a few others . (1) That I said I was god or carried on like God.( 2) That I said, “Where was God when I made Udom Emmanuel Governor.” (3) That I contrived to sell the state to Moslems for the establishment of cattle colonies. (4) That I left the PDP and joined pigs and now eat in piggery. ( Credited to Prelate Emeritus Sunday Mbang and co)
My story is the story of grace. My father died when I was quite young. But my mother made me to believe that my FATHER left for HEAVEN because he was sure that I am not only strong but have the strength of character and resolve to take care of her and my SIBLINGS as well as generations of our people. I am a working person’s person. I became a Solicitor, Honourable Commissioner for years and the governor of Akwa Ibom State in actualization of God’s benevolence. God made me governor. The forces I faced in that election (2007) were daunting and no pundit gave me a chance. God lifted me from grass to Grace to send the message to all Akwa Ibom people and Nigerians that whether you travel by bus or by bicycle, whether you were born in affliction or in affluence, God’s will shall certainly and without fail be done in your life.
As a Governor I appreciated God at every opportunity and shall continue to do so as long as I live. My love for God and reverence of Him led to my partnership with the Church. On assumption of duty as Governor, my first act in office was the donation of a N100 million (one hundred million Naira) grant to the Church community to use as a revolving loan scheme for the poorest communicants in the church. I also extended a grant of N10 million (Ten million naira) to the Muslim community in Uyo Central Mosque to be utilized as a revolving interest free loan to the poorest Muslims in our State whose businesses confronted financial hindrances. The idea was to lift the enterprising children of God out of poverty and misery. I did this because of my conviction that we all worship the same GOD. This I did, not only because I have always been pro-poor but because of God’s injunction in James 2:15-16. I like it better in the Message Bible: “For instance, you come upon an old friend dressed in rags and half-starved and say, ‘Good morning, friend! Be clothed in Christ! Be filled with the Holy Spirit!’ and walk off without providing so much as a coat or a cup of soup—where does that get you?’
It was because of my fear of God, love of God and gratitude to Him for all He has done for me that I brought down the old chapel and I built the current Chapel in Government House – an architectural masterpiece in honor of God. It was because of my love of God, fear of Him and gratitude to HIM that Government started the compulsory monthly prayer meeting at the said chapel for Akwa Ibom State and Nigeria which held throughout my tenure, and I am happy to note that the tradition is still continued by the present administration. My love for God was also made manifest in my interventions in the renovation/construction/reconstruction of various churches across the State and Nigeria. My heart was so overwhelmed with God that I did not pay him back enough hence my commencement of the award- winning Carol Festivals which were watched live in more than 59 countries across the the World through out my tenure. It is a thing of pride that it is still being continued by the present administration. It is also my reverence to GOD and love for Him that made us to work together as Akwa Ibom people to break the GUINNESS BOOKS OF World RECORD by convoking the largest choir group on planet earth since the world was founded – the Godswill Akpabio Unity Choir (25,272members) to sing to the glory of God. Is it right for a LEADER who did all these to be referred to as anti- Christ by a tiny clique of self acclaimed “fathers of faith” because of mere change of political party ?
In 2016 my wife, was in a coma for months and the best doctors in the world with the help of the best life-support equipment gave her less than five percent chance of making it. Doctors and science gave up on her. The press wrote that she had died. But we held on to God and God brought her back to life. Science could not explain this awesome testimony.
In 2015, I was involved in an accident, which details are still suspect. I survived against all odds, because God showed up for me.
Can a man who has seen so much favour from God, turn around to blaspheme him? Can such a man seek to play God or seek to share His glory with Him? Such a man can never say “where was God when I made Udom Emmanuel governor?”. I neither made such blasphemous statement nor conceived it in my heart. I met Udom Emmanuel in 2012 or thereabout performing the duties of a deacon in Qua Iboe Church, Surulere. I immediately took a liking to him and adjudged that as a deacon, if given the opportunity, he would superintend over the affairs of our people with the FEAR of God. Whether I was right or wrong is for history to judge. Nevertheless I picked him to succeed me and by the grace of God and the votes of Akwa Ibom electorates, he won the election 2015. So God made him governor.
Yes, your guess is right. I met enemies out of 28 other aspirants who desired that same office. That remains my cross.
So for anybody to believe that I would question where God was when we made Udom Emmanuel Governor is the height of mischief. Of course God used me and Akwa Ibom people to make Udom Emmanuel Governor, just as He used Samuel to anoint Saul king of Israel. If King Saul departed from the expectations of God and God sent Samuel to communicate the message to him , no one can accuse Samuel of playing God. For me and my household, we shall forever love God and reverence Him.
I am happy that God is not like some of His pastors. Ever since I moved to APC, they have been preaching falsehood against the party, APC and joined politicians in peddling lies about me and the APC government led by President Muhammadu Buhari. Very well known Church prelates and Bishops that dined with me for 8 years while I was governor, despite my benevolence to them and their families joined the fray calling me killer herdsman for being a part of APC. But some of these “men of God” were in this same Country in 2012 when the farmers/herdsmen clashes claimed the lives of over 1000 people in the Benue/Plateau/Mambilla axis. At that time, a Christian was the President but was not accused of being a killer of Christians. The farmers/herdsmen clashes predate Nigeria’s Independence. The clashes have occurred under various leaderships. Yet the “men of God” have been unconscionable and insensitive in accusing the current President of masterminding genocide against Christians because he is a Muslim. I am happy that God does not condemn a man based on one man’s testimony, but He sees our heart and judges our motives and intentions accordingly. Whether one is a Christian or Muslim, we all worship the same God WHO will at the appointed time judge us from our deeds in words and actions.
But these misguided acts by a section of prejudiced Christian leadership seem to know no bounds. Otherwise, how can Christian leaders led by a former CAN President be sponsored to describe me in a televised press conference as “a foolish prodigal son who went to join pigs in a piggery and eat the food meant for pigs?”. May I ask the sponsored “men of God”, is my party, the APC a piggery? Is the ruling party in your Country made of pigs? Are your sponsors happy with this appellation? Is God happy with your twisted involvement in partisan politics? I would like to advise the “fathers of faith” to stop the hate speeches no matter how profitable and rather speak more to us about SALVATION, LOVE and UNITY.
Some of the lies are unfathomable and ridiculous. That it could be suggested
that I would seek to undo the transformational work I did in Akwa Ibom by mortgaging Akwa Ibom interests or entering into alliances with anyone is another wicked lie from the pit of hell.
In the course of this election, I had been photo-shopped by the same propaganda merchants who told the lies about me. My letterhead and signature had been forged by the same propaganda merchants to write falsehood and circulate same on the internet purporting to be a letter from me to the PRESIDENT through the Chief of Staff to Mr President . During the election they conscripted certain women from South Africa who claimed to be foreign observers and paid them to lie that I detained them using thugs even when such incident never occurred. I am yet to come across any of these phoney female foreign observers who claimed to have been detained by the said Akpabio and his gang of thugs. Such blackmail can not be allowed to peter out without a whimper. I have therefore instructed my solicitors to write to the South African Embassy with the view to bringing the purveyors of those lies to justice.
But in all these, I have often reflected on what happened to our Lord and Savior, JESUS CHRIST when some of the multitude who celebrated Him in the triumphant entry into Jerusalem were fooled by the Pharisees to shout, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” at his trial. Yes they crucified him. But because the Bible says in Job 20:4-7 “Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth, That the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?” .
When Matthew Henry was robbed, he said “Let me be thankful because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed.” Let me say, I am thankful because it was I who was lied against and maligned, not I who lied and maligned. My dream for Akwa Ibom lives on. My love for Akwa Ibom and Nigeria waxes stronger. I call on those who have been sucked into this axis of evil to stop the lies, the smear campaigns, the propaganda and the deliberate falsehood. I wish to serve notice that I would remain undaunted and focused in serving humanity.
Let me place on record my deep appreciation to hundreds of thousands of Akwa Ibom people who ignored the innuendos, falsehood and campaigns of calumny against me and the APC, trooped out in their numbers to vote Mr President and I on 23rd February and Obong Nsima Ekere on 9th March, 2019 respectively. You voted to join the centre politics of Nigeria. Be assured that no “conspiracy” can deny you the desires of your heart.
For the people of Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial District, Akwa Ibom State and Nigerians,continue to pray for our best is yet to come.
God bless Akwa Ibom State, God bless our Nation, Nigeria.
His Excellency,Senator Godswill Akpabio, CON.
News
Panic As Governor’s Official Car Got Stolen
Confusion and fear was the order of the day at one of the Government houses in the Southwest some days ago when one of the official vehicles of the Governor, a bullet-proof jeep allegedly disappeared from the garage.
The SUV which is said to be one of the three bullet-proof vehicles being used for the Governor’s official assignment was discovered missing.
The Governor who was out of the country on a short, rest leave was claimed to have been disturbed when he was alerted.
Sources claimed it wasn’t the first time things would get missing at the Governor’s private residence.
‘There had been series of thefts, ranging from missing cash, phones and other expensive items, it’s usually swept under the carpet. Indiscipline is the order of the day here’, a source confirmed this to papermacheonline.
The State Governor, a quiet individual who is spending his second time in office was said to have been disturbed by the occurrence that he had to cut short his leave and return home. One of his closest aides was also kidnapped recently.
Business
Former First Bank Employee Accuses Oba Otudeko, Bisi Onasanya Of Massive Fraud
A former First Bank of Nigeria Limited employee, Adesuwa Ezenwa, has accused billionaire industrialist Oba Otudeko and former Managing Director Bisi Onasanya of massive fraud during Otudeko’s tenure as chairman of FBN Holdings Plc.
In court documents filed at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, Ezenwa alleges that unsecured loans of approximately N12 billion were granted to a company in which Otudeko has significant investments, disguised as loans to Stallion Group of Companies.
Ezenwa, who was summarily dismissed in October 2016, is seeking redress for her termination and demanding N500 million in damages and N25 million in legal costs. She claims that she was made to bear the consequences of granting unsecured loan facilities worth billions of naira to companies linked to Otudeko and Onasanya, while her superiors who approved the credit were not penalized.
Ezenwa joined First Bank in 2002 and became a relationship manager in the corporate banking division in February 2016. She alleges that her superiors, including Abiodun Olatunji and Cecilia Majekodunmi, who worked closely with Onasanya, were involved in the fraudulent activities.
“As a relationship manager, I worked under the supervision and direction of my branch manager and group head and signed official correspondence only after they had approved and/or signed same. I had no independent authority in relation to the grant or disbursement of loans or other banking facilities,” Mrs Ezenwa said.
According to the claimant, she executed a large number of documents while she was still employed by First Bank, but only after approval by her bosses and on their direction.
She said she was summoned on 25 August 2015 to appear before a credit disciplinary committee reviewing facilities availed to a company known as Supply and Services Limited, a subsidiary of Royal Ceramics Group, one of the major customers of the bank.
The plaintiff said the committee could not determine whether she had a personal interest in any of the loans granted or whether she made any gain related to her duties. She said she was, however, blamed during proceedings for not whistleblowing on some of the deals endorsed by Mr Olatunji and Mrs Majekodunmi.
“The admonition was most unfair and unwarranted as I was in no position to whistleblow on my superiors … The persons to whom these reports would have been made were the very persons who were the perpetrators of the misdeeds,” she said.
A litany of allegations against Mr Otudeko
Mrs Ezenwa disclosed that unsecured loans of roughly N12 billion were availed, on one occasion, to a company in which Mr Otudeko has significant investment even though the facility was masked as loans granted to Stallion Group of Companies, which later spotted the false entry in its statement of account and complained.
In one case in 2012, she further alleged, an unsecured credit estimated at N2 billion was granted to Broadwaters Resources Company Nigeria Limited, which ended up being a conduit pipe used by Mrs Majekodunmi and Mr Onasanya to siphon monies from the bank. The claimant said the loan was never repaid.
“Out of the N12 billion camouflaged as lending to the Stallion Group, N8.21 billion was transferred through various accounts to a final destination account belonging to a company known as V-TECH LTD, which belongs to the chairman of FBN Holdings, Oba Otudeko, while the sum of N4.45 billion out of the same fictitious facility was transferred to Ontario Oil and Gas. The facility remains unpaid to date,” Mrs Ezenwa said in court fillings.
According to her, several similar loans were granted by Mr Olatunji and Mrs Majekodunmi, including to Supplies and Services Limited, which were “subsequently sublet and disbursed in smaller bits to several customers on more profitable terms to both officers.”
Swap Technologies and Telecomms Plc, Orbit Cargo, Netconstruct Nigeria Limited, and High-Performance Distributions Limited were among the companies named as beneficiaries of the loan disbursement.
Mrs Ezenwa disclosed that such loans could not have been granted without the involvement of the board of First Bank, considering that the amounts involved were huge and above the approval limits of the executive directors, the vice president and the managing director of the bank.
According to the complainant, her dismissal by the bank brought her into disrepute, threatening her chances of securing employment in reputable companies in future.
“The action of the defendant (First Bank) has consequently caused the claimant untold mental distress and is all the more damaging as the claimant is in her thirties and has simply been made a scapegoat for the malfeasance of some of the lapses of the management of the bank,” she said.
Among other demands, Mrs Ezenwa is urging the court to declare that there was no basis for the bank to dismiss her.
“She is being made a scapegoat for a lot of questionable transactions within the bank, which she is claiming innocent of,” Seyi Sowemimo, the claimant’s lawyer, told PREMIUM TIMES on Saturday. “So far, the trial has started. We have subpoenaed the EFCC, and we have subpoenaed the central bank to bring the audit reports of the bank,” Seyi Sowemimo, the claimant’s lawyer, told PREMIUM TIMES.
The allegations have sparked a legal battle, with Ezenwa seeking justice for her dismissal and damages for the fraudulent activities she claims to have uncovered.
Business
“AMCON MD In Trouble Over Keystone Bank Acquisition By Father In-law”, Isa Funtua
Why Bank Customers Are Making Panic Withdrawals…
Following the controversy generated by the leading opposition party, the People’s Democratic party, PDP, over the alleged acquisition of Keystone bank and Etisalat by Alhaji Isa Funtua and the CEO of AMCON, Ahmed Kuru, President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered probe into the alleged fraud.
A highly placed source at the headquarters of the Economic and financial crimes Commission, EFCC yesterday told daybreak that the President was thoroughly embarrassed with the allegations linking him to the transactions.
According to the source, a discrete panel will be set up soon comprising of the Chairman of the EFCC, representative of the DSS, ICPC, federal ministry of Justice to look into the allegations.
The source further added that, both Isa Funtua, Ahmed Kuru, the governor of the central bank of Nigeria, CBN, Chief Godwin Emefiele and management Staff of the Keystone Bank and 9Mobile will be quizzed by the operatives of the EFCC for some interactions.
Recently, a mindboggling scandal broke out to public knowledge about how Keystone Bank and 9Mobile were acquired in controversial circumstances by the business interests of one Alhaji Isa Funtua, a close friend of President Muhammadu Buhari, via the instrumentality of Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).
The PDP challenged the federal government to come out clean on what could be a serious dent on its anti-corruption stance, there is indeed no smoke without fire.
The leading opposition party also confirmed fact that the son-in-law of Isa Funtua, Ahmed Kuru, is the current CEO of AMCON.
Before him, the previous CEO, Chike Obi, was a first-class gentleman and technocrat who was strangely removed from office before the expiration of his term and was replaced with Kuru, the son-in-law of Isa Funtua.
Now, let us get into the insider details of how Funtua bought Keystone Bank and 9Mobile in the most bizarre of dealings that circumvent the laws of the land. Keystone Bank was sold by the current CEO of AMCON to his father-in-law, Funtua, without any AMCON Board’s approval and with the active connivance of CBN and NDIC at a grossly undervalued price of 25 Billion Naira. To put things in context, let us recall that Enterprise Bank was sold for over 60 Billion Naira and Mainstreet Bank was sold for over 100 Billion Naira under the former CEO of AMCON.
Before the sale of Keystone Bank to Isa Funtua, all bad debts in the books of the Bank were taken over by AMCON. So, it was a clean Bank with all the Assets and no Liabilities that was sold to the Buyers.
The Executive Management of AMCON was coerced into approving the transaction and those who were willing to submit a much higher bid were disqualified under a most opaque, suspicious process that lacks all transparency. The process was just manipulated in favour of the father-in-law of the AMCON CEO.
The Corrupt Payment for Keystone Bank The most disgusting part of the entire sale of Keystone Bank is how the 25 Billion Naira sales price was paid to AMCON.
The Isa Funtua Team paid 5 Billion Naira to AMCON, and then the balance of 20 Billion Naira was later paid through the most criminal and corrupt approach ever perpetrated by AMCON in favour of the Buyer. What happened was that AMCON moved 20 Billion Naira of their own funds as a fixed deposit at GTBank to Heritage Bank. Heritage Bank then paid the 20 Billion Naira on behalf of the Funtua Group to AMCON. In other words, AMCON used their own funds as a collateral for a loan to the Funtua Group for 20 Billion Naira!
When the Funtua Group took over Keystone Bank, they went borrowing immediately at the Interbank Market for 20 Billion Naira to refund AMCON’s funds. This has left a hole in Keystone Bank’s Balance Sheet and makes the Bank one of the most undercapitalized Banks in the Country as at today. The evidence of this highly compromised acquisition process can be obtained from the current and former staff of AMCON, from NDIC, CBN and from the current staff of Keystone Bank itself.
Another suspicious acquisition scandal surrounding the Funtua Group is about the untidy way 9-Mobile, formerly known as Etisalat, was bought. It is Mr. Adrian Wood of Teleology Holdings, a very sound telecoms professional, who collaborated with the Funtua Group for the acquisition of 9-Mobile.
The problem with their bid was the lack of a qualified Operator to support the bid which was one of the minimum conditions of NCC. Adrian Wood alone was not a substitute for an Operator.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) gave several conditions that must be met by the Ultimate Buyer of 9-Mobile to ensure the protection of shareholders value, prevent loss of jobs, protect the telecoms industry from slipping into a crisis and ensure transparency and professionalism in the post-acquisition entity.
The conditions listed by NCC that must be met by the Buyer are Strong Telecoms Operating Experience, Strong Financial Capabilities, Strong Technical Knowledge and Strong Administrative Skills.
The first thing that happened once Teleology was announced as the preferred winner was that the Funtua Group edged Adrian Woods out of Management and turned him to an Insignificant Shareholder.
The second development was that the Funtua Group raided Keystone Bank again and forced the Bank to Pay 50 million Dollars as down payment for the acquisition of 9-Mobile.
The third issue was that Teleology Nigeria replaced Teleology Holdings to remove any influence of Adrian Woods from 9-Mobile totally. The fourth step taken the Funtua Group was to borrow 260 Million Dollars from African Exim Bank.
The fifth thing was to coerce NCC to approve the sale at all cost without meeting 90% of the conditions set up ab-initio by the NCC.
The sixth strange action of the Funtua Group was to force the board of NCC to approve the sale through the influence and pressure from the Presidency. And the seventh Funtua infraction was to use the influence of CBN to force the Banks to the table and waive their own conditions of sale of 9-Mobile to the Teleology Nigeria group.
Efforts to reach the acting Head media and publicity of Economic and financial crimes Commission,EFCC, Mr. Tony Orilade to confirmed the latest developments proved abortive as his lines were not connecting.
Source; The Capital
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