The House of Representatives yesterday debunked allegations that each
legislator received $100,000 to peg the benchmark of the 2014 budget at
$76.5 per barrel of crude oil.
Speaking with reporters after the closed door-session, the Deputy
Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Victor
Ogene, said members did not fight over the issue at the closed door
session as alleged by some people.
“Seriously speaking, you all saw us when we came out, smiling. The
issues I told you clearly were between those who insisted that the
benchmark remains at $79 and those, who feel that it was okay at $76.5,”
he said.
He said neither did they receive any bribe from the Presidency over the benchmark.
The benchmark has been a source of contention between the Presidency
and the Lower House with the latter insisting on $79 per barrel as
against the Senate’s adoption of $76.5 per barrel.
The bribery allegation followed a meeting the lawmakers had with President Jonathan on the issue
Source
The Transition Monitoring Group has kicked
against President Goodluck Jonathan's nomination of Adamu Mu'azu, former
Bauchi State Governor, as the Chairman of the Nigerian Pension
Commission, PENCOM.
The group accused the president of appointing a candidate who was
still under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission, EFCC, for corruption.
Last week Wednesday, President Jonathan forwarded Mr. Mu'azu's name -
alongside Mfon Akpan as Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland
Revenue Service - to the Senate for confirmation.
"The Transition Monitoring Group, TMG, is astonished and peeved by
this move of the President, especially in the light of the fact that the
former Governor is yet to be cleared by the Economics and Financial
Crimes Commission, EFCC, of the corruption charges he is facing for
allegedly defrauding the coffers of Bauchi State to the tune of
N19.8billion when he was Governor of the State," the group said in a
statement on Monday.
"This and other similar acts of Mr. President, particularly his
penchant for surrounding himself with famed corrupt individuals, makes
his government's so-called anti-corruption efforts a laughing stock, for
it is patently obvious from his antecedents that President Jonathan
endorses corruption.
"The EFCC is investigating Mr. Mu'azu for allegedly stealing billions
of naira belonging to Bauchi State during his term as governor between
1999 and 2007.Other names forwarded to the Senate for confirmation as
Commissioners of PENCOM include Chinelo Anohu-Amazu (South East), Reuben
Omotowa (North Central), Mohammed Ka'oje (North West), and Adesojo
Olaoba-Efuntayo (South West).But the group said that appointing Mr.
Mu'azu to head the commission is in line with his practice of shielding
corrupt individuals.
"TMG recalls that in the heat of the corruption charges against the
same Mu'azu Adamu, President Jonathan appointed him in 2011 as Chairman
of the Board of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency
(NIMASA)," said the statement signed by Ibrahim Zikirullahi and Eddy
Ezurike, the group's Chairman and Publicity Secretary respectively.
"It was with the President's nod that Business Mogul, Mike Adenuga
and his wife, Titi Adenuga in late 2010 walked free from the EFCC
charges they were facing for reportedly collecting bribes from Siemens
officials; and it was this same attitude of Presidential Romance with
alleged corrupt individuals that enabled controversial Lawyer, Dele Oye
to walk scot free from EFCC charges of allegedly acting as front for the
defunct Oceanic Bank CEO, Cecilia Ibru; and aiding her to loot tens of
billions of Naira in Bank assets.
"The Nigerian people of course will not forget in a hurry how this
same President granted presidential pardon to a notorious convicted
corrupt former Governor and his kinsman, DSP Alamieyeseigha, and other
criminals, including a paedophile.
"Those who recently looted the Police Pensions Board, including its
former Director are yet to be brought to book. The list is endless; yet
Jonathan's regime talks about fight against corruption. The attitude of
Mr. President in recycling corrupt individuals in public places is
worrisome and does not inspire confidence at all.
"In fact, on issue after issue, he has shown that he will never
combat corruption but will rather aid, abet and shield corrupt
officials.
"The group called on President Jonathan to withdraw, immediately, Mr.
Mu'azu's nomination and take "creative steps" to rebuild confidence and
imbue confidence in the anti-corruption war.
"This is the only pathway to redemption, prosperity and development in this country," the statement added.