Sanusi blows his trumpet on the $20b issue.

The man who blew open the corruption saga that rocked the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Emir Muhammed Sanusi, has once again reaffirmed that the NNPC failed to remit billions of dollars to the federation account. 

Sanusi explained this further in a piece he wrote for Financial Times yesterday. Read his full write up after the cut.

Just over a year ago President Goodluck Jonathan suspended me from my position as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria after I questioned an estimated $20bn shortfall in oil revenues due to the treasury from the state oil company. As I said then, you can suspend a man, but you cannot suspend the truth. The publication last month of a PwC audit into the “missing billions” brings us a step closer to it.

When I was central bank governor I raised three broad questions. First, did the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation remit to the government the entire proceeds of its crude oil sales? Second, if it did not, is there proof of the purpose to which the unremitted amounts were applied? And third, did NNPC have the legal authority to withhold these funds?

Contrary to the claims of petroleum minister Diezani Alison-Madueke, the audit report does not exonerate the NNPC. It establishes that the gap between the company’s oil revenues between January 2012 and July 2013 and cash remitted to the government for the same period was $18.5bn. And it goes into detail about the NNPC’s account of how it used that money, which raises serious questions about the legality of the state oil company’s conduct.

The auditors say a significant part of the unremitted funds is supposed to have gone towards a kerosene subsidy that had been stopped two and a half years earlier by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua. His decree never appeared in the official gazette, leading some to question whether it ever had legal force.

Evidence disclosed in the report suggests this is a sideshow. The executive secretary of the agency charged with administering subsidies confirmed that, acting on Yar’Adua’s orders, it had ceased granting subsidies on kerosene. There was no appropriation for such a subsidy in the 2012 or 2013 budgets.

Throughout all this, Nigerians paid 120-140 naira a litre of kerosene, far more than the supposed subsidised price of 50 naira. Yet the state oil company withheld $3.4bn to pay for a subsidy that in effect did not exist. I have consistently held that this was a scam that violated the constitution and siphoned off money from the treasury.

The second major item raised in the report relates to the transfer of oil assets belonging to the federation to the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, a subsidiary of the NNPC.

NPDC has paid $100m for these assets, from which it extracted crude valued at $6.8bn but paid tax and royalties worth $1.7bn in the period scrutinised by the auditors.

PwC was unable to establish how much of the remaining $5.1bn should have been remitted to the government. But the report showed that, along with the private companies NPDC partnered with, it was extracting crude worth billions of dollars but yielding very little revenue for the treasury. I was investigating related transactions when I was suspended.

The third major item is a claim of $2.8bn by NNPC for expenses not directly attributable to crude oil operations; PwC said “clarity is required” on whether such upfront deductions from remittances to the federation accounts are allowed, or whether the money should have been remitted to the government. Finally, there are duplicated ex­penses, “unsubstantiated” costs, computation “errors” and tax shortfalls; a total of $1.48bn has to be refunded.

Of the $18.5bn in revenues that the state oil company did not send to the government, about $12.5bn appears by my calculations to have been diverted. And this relates only to a random 19-month period, not the five-year term of Mr Jonathan, the outgoing president.

Nigerians did not vote for an amnesty for anyone. The lines of investigation suggested by this audit need to be pursued. Any officials found responsible for involvement in this apparent breach of trust must be charged.

The Emir of Kano, Muhammed Sanusi, who was governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria wrote this in Financial Times on 13 May

Look at where a doctor forgot his phone.

 

A Jordanian gynaecologist is alleged to have accidentally left his cell phone in his patient’s abdomen during a Caesarean section section in April this year.

Hanan Mahmoud Abdul Karim, 36, was admitted to a private hospital in Amman for the operation on April 24, according to the Jordanian media. During the procedure, the gynaecologist somehow misplaced his mobile phone in the woman’s abdomen.

 

Majeda Abdul Hamid, the patient’s mother, told the media that after Hanan gave birth to a 4.8 kilogram baby boy she was discharged from hospital, and later the family started noticing her abdomen vibrating.

“My daughter suffered serious pains and could not move. I brought her back to the hospital where she was treated but nothing was done for her,” the mother was quoted as saying.

Hanan was then admitted to the casualty department of Al Bashir public hospital in Amman where X-rays revealed a foreign object in her abdomen. Physicians in Al Bashir hospital operated on Hanan and removed the phone.

Hanan’s case echoed in the Jordanian parliament, where the parliament member Salim Al Bataynah urged the Jordanian government to resign as a result of this scandal. “In countries which show respect to their nations, and following such scandals, governments usually resign,” he was quoted as saying. “The parliament should show responsibility and be on the level of the case.”

How We Planned Lekki Robbery In 24 Hours – Suspects Reveal

Following the arrest of 4 suspected members of the 22-man robbery gang that invaded the Lekki branch of First City Monument Bank, FCMB, 2 months ago in Lagos, killing five persons, preliminary investigation revealed that some of the suspects were oil bunkerers recruited from Delta, Ondo states and Arepo in Ogun State.
They were identified as Duke Odogbo, 38; Lawrence Kingsley, 31; Ebi Tosan, 20, and Ekelemo Kuete, 30. Recovered from the suspects were a 2008 model Honda Accord car purchased by one of the suspects from his share of the loot; a white Blackberry Z10 phone, one Apple i-Phone 5, one military face cap, used during the operation, and 120 expended ammunition.

Speaking on how the planned the robbery, Odogbo said it took the gang 24 hours to plan the operation at Tarkwa Bay. He further told a crowd at the Police Command headquarters, where they were paraded, that his share of the N15 million loot was N500,000. In his words, “I was invited by a friend from Warri, Delta State, to come for bunkering job. But on reaching Lagos, I was told it was a bank robbery.I told them I was into bunkering and not robbery. But because they told me we were going to make much money from it, I decided to join them.

“On the day of the operation, we left Tarkwa Bay at about 4.30 p.m., in two boats; with 11 persons on each. But one of the boats developed fault on the way. We all entered the good one. We got to the bank few minutes after 5p.m. Immediately we left the canal, some of us went to the road and started firing, thereby making way for those of us that would go inside. I led the team that went in.

“We were all putting on Army camouflage. I shattered the entrance glass with bullets and when we got inside, we demanded for the money realized for that day. The manager told us they did not make much. But we broke into one of their strong rooms where we got some money. We also broke into two ATM boxes, but there was no money in either of them. We told ourselves that the operation must not exceed 40 minutes.

“To my surprise, by the time we were leaving, I discovered that my colleagues were with seven extra rifles. When I asked, they said they saw some policemen in a van, concluded they were there for us and shot at them. I was not the one that shot the policemen. I did not kill anyone. It was when we got to the forest, located in an island in Ikorodu that we discovered that the amount stolen was N15 million and I got N500,000. I used my share to boost my bunkering business.”

On the speed boat used, Kuete confessed he drove one of them, adding that he was given N50,000 at the end of the operation. Kuete, who resides at Arepo area of Ogun State, said: “I must confess, I knew that we were going to rob a bank. I am a bunkerer at Arepo and I make at least N80,000 from each operation. I was hired to take them to the bank. I remained in the boat with four others, while the rest left for the bank. When they came back, we headed straight for our hideout, where our leaders shared the money according to individual’s involvement. I got N50,000.”

Why I challenged past presidential elections - Buhari

The president-elect has revealed why he challenged past election results and didn't concede defeat in 2003, 2007 and 2011.He said he wanted Nigeria to be free ..
Buhari,  stated this when Delta State All Progressives Congress members visited him in Abuja,

“Going through the court is not easy, both materially and physically, and I maintained that consistency because my view about my country is that Nigeria should be truly free.”“I understand why many of you, who were denied the opportunity to choose those you want to represent and lead you are taking the line I took in the last 12 years – in line with our constitution.
“Whether you get it or not, the most important thing is that you believe in the system and you should continue to try until the system is perfect.
“I express my condolence to you for the people murdered and I assure you that my objective of remaining consistently in partisan politics is to make sure that Nigerians are given their inherent right to choose whoever they want to lead them,”

I will send my wife to her father's house if she tries to change me - Denrele

 Denrele Edun has opened up on what to expect when he gets married this year.He says he can't wait to have children.Read excerpts from his new interview with Encomium
 
Will you drop your weird attitude by the time you get married?

It will continue. I am not putting up an act. This is who I am. I am happy about it. If I stop, people will think I have been living a lie for a long time, it will be a complete waste of time. It will be better for me to run to a country that is not on the world map. I don’t think I am weird, I am a regular guy, I am really grateful to God for that. I rather retrieve my bride price and send her to her father’s house. She will just spoil my market, Denrele fetches me money.

It seems Denrele is getting fair?

It is powder and photoshop. Of course, I am a little lighter than I used to be. I started appreciating myself and taking good care of myself. Again, my mother is not a Nigerian, she is not African. She is Indian. When I was in secondary school, I used to be very light, gradually, I became dark. My mom used to complain all the time that I am too dark. All in all, I just started taking care of myself with the right products

When will Denrele marry?

This year. I don’t want to say much about it. I don’t want anybody to know the bride. I can’t wait to start having children. I love children so much.

Have you found Miss Right?

It is a yes or no. I am still trying to understand what is going on. I have been into relationships that the person wanted to change me. Someone even fought me because of my friendship with Goldie. I just want her to understand me and where I am coming from. She is a Nigerian but I go with the flow, anything can happen

You often give the impression that you would have loved to come as a lady?

This is a good question nobody has ever asked me before. I look a lot like my mother, I know I look towards the feminine side, there is no denying it. People have even labelled my mannerism and gesticulation to my sexual preference but I always tell people, whom you go to bed with is different from who you go to bed as. If I was trying to be a lady, I am deceiving my conscience and living a lie. I am just comfortable with the person I am, I am comfortable with my identity I have built over the years. I am comfortable with the brand that is selling my market. We are in Nigeria, we are conservative people, they frown at what I do but they secretly admire the guts I have, they secretly wish they have such gut too. I was a bit confused about my identity while growing up. Every day people asked me if I was a girl or a boy. Even at the university, most time, I open my chest and tell them I will open my trouser too if they can open their’s. We will just end up laughing about it. I like who I am, I can’t give up Denrele for anything.

Adams Oshiomole plans to re-marry a beautiful model.

Edo State Governor, Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, doesn’t want to be a widower anymore. He has announced his willingness to remarry beautiful model Miss Lara Fortes five years after losing his first wife Clara in her long battle with cancer.

The marriage of Adams Oshiomhole and Lara Fortes is scheduled at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 15, 2015. The wedding ceremony will start at the Etsako West Local Government Council Marriage Registry, Auchi, while reception is about to take place at the Oshiomhole’s country home in Iyamho. Invitations to Oshiomhole’s wedding have already been sent to Edo governor’s relatives and friends.

“While looking forward to the honour of your
distinguished presence, I sincerely crave your pardon for the rather short notice. Please accept the renewed assurances of my highest esteem,” written in an invitation note signed personally by Adams Oshiomhole.

Edo State Governor’s first wife Clara deceased in December 2010, losing her long fight against cancer. She was 54 years old. Clara was the initiator of the Health Foundation for Maternal and Child Care, – a project aimed at providing healthcare for pregnant women and female children.

Earlier, in 2013, celebrating his fifth year as governor of Edo state, Adams Oshiomhole explained the reasons why he didn’t want to re-marry after the death of his wife. “Any woman who agrees to marry a man who is not rich, a man who alternates between police stations and cells and lives in a one or two bedroom apartment that is your real love ”, told press Oshiomhole, “ When my wife [Clara] said I love you, it was from her heart ”.

Kidnappers tell 7 Ekiti doctors to get ready to be picked up.

The Ekiti State chapter of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), on Tuesday said seven doctors have received threats of kidnap from unknown gunmen.

The Chairman of NMA in Ekiti state, Dr John Akinbote, told newsmen in Ado-Ekiti that the seven doctors received text messages from kidnappers, saying they could be picked up anytime.
This is coming barely one week after the former Chief Medical Director of Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Dr Patrick Adegun and a nurse with Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti, Mrs Margaret Aladenika, were kidnapped.

Adegun was kidnapped alongside his wife, Kikelomo, a few metres to the gate of their house located on Goshen Avenue, Federal Housing in Ado Ekiti metropolis.

Pm News

Nudity in the entertainment industry is disrespectful - Sola Sobawole

Veteran Nollywood actress, Sola Sobawole has opened up on actresses who go nude in the name of acting. When asked by Vanguard why she gets annoyed over nudity, she said

I don’t get annoyed, the bottom line is this; nobody forces you to do anything. We need education and we need exposure. I’m a typical Nigerian woman, I love my Naija and our culture; there are some things we don’t do, it’s not in our culture. If we say we want to do it, we can do it in our house under our roof not in public because you get no respect doing that. Our producers and directors need to know that when you are acting as a prostitute, you don’t need to remove your dress to become a prostitute. You don’t need to be touched to act as a grade A prostitute. I did Asewo to Re Mecca, the pace setter, fantastic; myself and Toyin Adegbola. I played the number 1 Asewo and I introduced Toyin’s character to it. We didn’t remove anything and it was talk of the town. When the producers know this, you will not see nakedness again. We should want people to respect us and respect this profession.

OJB Denies Being Sick.

 OJB has reacted to reports he suffered a kidney relapse and has been admitted at the General Hospital in Lagos.He sent out a broadcast which reads

Hi my name is Babatunde okungbowa a.k.a OJB Jezreel. I'd like to set the record straight, am at home and healthy with my family going about my normal business. Obviously bloggers don't research before they post. If they did they would know that a transplant patient will always do routine checkups cus of infections etc. Mmmm nuff said am sure hiptv, orisun tv,encomium,el tv and black jerzie seeing and speaking with me in the past 2 weeks. Wasn't on a hospital bed or in one! Research proper if it's gossip worthy or not"