General
EFCC Docks FUTA VC, Bursar for N157m Fraud
By Dipo Olowookere
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Tuesday, February 14, 2017 arraigned the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), Professor Adebiyi G. Daramola and the Bursar, Emmanuel Oresegun before Justice S. A. Bola of the Ondo State High Court, Akure on a 9-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence, abuse of office, misappropriation of funds and conspiracy to steal to the tune of N157 million.
Their journey to the dock followed a petition received by the EFCC sometime in 2016, alleging corruption, fraud, and mindless stealing of the funds of the university by the duo. It was alleged, among others, that the VC collected housing allowances whilst living in the government residential quarters, drew Furniture Allowance annually instead of once in 4 years as approved by the Income and Wages Commission.
He was also alleged to have used public funds to finance private expenses, while engaging in illegal payment of allowances to the university’s council members.
In addition, the VC collected bogus monthly imprest, transferred and placed N100,000,000.00 of the University funds in a fixed deposit account without authorization. They however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Professor Adebiyi G. Daramola on or about the 2nd of September, 2016 at Akure within the Akure Judicial Division of this honourable court with intent to defraud, obtained the sum of Twenty Four Million Two Hundred and Twenty Three Thousand Four Hundred and Eighty Four Naira (N24,223,484.00) only from the Federal University of Technology Akure, when you falsely represented that the said sum of money was for your biennial family vacation overseas for the year 2015 and 2016, which representation you knew was false.”
Another count reads: “That you, Professor Adebiyi G. Daramola and Emmanuel A. Ayodeji Oresegun on or about the 21st January, 2015, at Akure within the Akure Judicial Division of this honourable court with intent to defraud, conspired to fix the sum of One Hundred Million Naira (N100,000,000.00) only property of Federal University of Technology, Akure in a Wema Bank account No: 1300003035 without due process.”
In view of their plea, counsel to EFCC, Benedict Ubi, asked for a trial date.
But counsel to the 1st and 2nd defendants, Adebayo Olanipekun and O. Theophilus prayed the court to allow them move oral application for bail.
Ubi opposed the oral application, stating that counsel have to put facts before the court as to the reason why the defendants must be granted, which he would also need time to respond to.
Justice Bola, having considered the arguments of all the counsel, granted bail to the defendants in the sum of N10 million bond, 2 sureties in like sum who must be professors in FUTA or public officers not less than grade level 17, and must depose to affidavit of means.
They are to also present title documents of landed properties within the jurisdiction of the court and must present evidence of tax payment for the past 3 years.
The case was adjourned to March 20, 21 and 22, 2017 for commencement of trial, while the defendants are remanded in State CID, Police headquarters, Akure pending the perfection of the bail conditions.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
A former Chief of General Staff, General Oladipo Diya (rtd), has been reported death by his family.
The late military officer was the second-in-command to the late Nigerian Head of State, General Sani Abacha, from 1993 to 1997, when he was arrested for an alleged treason.
In a statement, Mr Oyesinmilola Diya said the former Military Governor of Ogun State died in the early hours of Sunday, March 26, 2023.
However, he did not disclose if the 79-year-old Odogbolu, Ogun State-born army general suffered from any illness before his demise.
In the statement, he only stated that further announcements would be made public in due course.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government of Nigeria has assured that it is ready to fulfil the Paris Agreement on Climate Change to ensure effective gender inclusion.
This was disclosed by Mr Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment, during the inauguration and inception workshop of the project in Abuja tagged The Nigeria Initiative for Climate Action Transparency (ICAT), Just and Gender Inclusive Transition (JGIT) Project.
The project is aimed at helping countries to better assess the impacts of their climate policies and actions and fulfil their transparency commitments.
Mr Ngige said the objective of the inception meeting was to launch the ICAT Just Transition project and increase awareness among the national stakeholders for a better understanding of its implementation.
He said that ICAT, an International multi-stakeholder partnership of the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), was supporting Nigeria in setting up Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) of a Just and Gender Inclusive Transition(JGIT).
The minister, represented by Ms Daju Kachollom, Permanent Secretary in the ministry, said Nigeria had signed a Project Cooperation Agreement (PCA) with the UNOPS, represented by the ICAT management.
According to him, the PCA is to firm up the process leading to the take-off and implementation of the project over a 12 months period.
“The objectives of the project, among others, include developing JGIT monitoring and MRV and ensuring it links with the sectoral MRV system.
“Another objective is to Enhance Transparency Framework (ETF) implemented by the Federal Ministry of Environment to achieve synergy, institutional memory, and stakeholder inclusion and cooperation.
“It will further enable a tripartite cooperation between government, labour, and employer associations to achieve a Just and Gender Inclusive Transition going forward with the implementation of the Paris agreement,” he said.
The minister said that the ICAT project would be implemented by a team of national experts and international ICAT consultants under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
On his part, Dr Yerima Tarfa, ICAT, JGIT Project Team Lead, said the initiative would help to increase the overall transparency capacities of countries and assess the contribution of policies and development objectives.
According to him, this is by providing appropriate methodological information and tools to support evidence–based policymaking.
Dr Tarfa noted that Nigeria was the largest economy and leading oil producer, and most populous in Africa.
“It faces the unique challenge of having to diversify its economy away from fossil fuels (petroleum, natural gas, and increasingly, coal) while responding to the unmet energy needs of its growing population.
“Nonetheless, Nigeria is turning this challenge into an opportunity by increasing the use of renewable energy, reducing its carbon footprints, and eliminating gas flaring.
“Nigeria’s National Determined Contributions (NDCs) is committed to a 20 per cent emission reduction by 2030 unconditionally and 45 per cent conditional, with focus on power and electricity, oil and gas,” he said.
The team lead said the highlights of the NDCs include ending gas flaring by 2030 and a 30 per cent energy efficiency level by 2030.
He said the inauguration of the inception workshop would provide the opportunity to create awareness and build a national cross-knowledge sharing that would provide a platform for key stakeholders to facilitate the implementation of the Nigeria ICAT JGIT Project.
He added that this would further set up an MRV of Just and Gender Inclusive Transition and its Roadmap for implementation in Nigeria.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
An appeal court sitting in Abuja on Friday upturned the judgment of the Osun governorship election tribunal, which removed Mr Ademola Adeleke as Governor of Osun State.
In January, the tribunal declared the former Governor of the state, Mr Gboyega Oyetola, as the authentic winner of the 2022 governorship election in the state.
While Mr Adeleke contested for the position under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Oyetola flew the flag of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Mr Adeleke was declared winner of the poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), but Mr Oyetola, who contested as a sitting governor, approached the tribunal to dislodge the winner.
He argued that Mr Adeleke won through an electoral fraud, over-voting and his prayers were answered, as the tribunal upturned INEC’s decision and declared him the winner.
However, Governor Adeleke appealed the judgement and today, a three-member panel of justices held that the election tribunal erred when it ruled that Mr Oyetola and the APC proved their allegation of over-voting.
The appellate court held that Mr Adeleke was validly elected as the governor of Osun State and restored his mandate.
