Headlines

Intrigues, Threats, Blackmail Attend N200Bn Probe

Published

11 years ago

January 12, 2016

By Sam ADEGBE, Abuja

Fund Stuns Senate, Exonerates Bogoro’s Management Team
How Petitioners Mislead Senate Into Controversy

Available facts may have exonerated the management of the Tertiary Institutions Trust Fund, TETFund, which is facing a committee of the Nigerian senate to defend allegations of mismanaging of over N200 Billion, alleged to have been remitted into the coffers the fund, between 2012 and 2013, being proceeds from 2% tax deductions on contracts across the country.
nationalTRAIL findings indicates that the Nigerian senate may have goofed by inadvertently being dragged into acting out a script for some desperate office seekers, which may eventually rubbish its proclaimed transparent oversight, following revelations that the celebrated N200Billion alleged scam was a hoax after all.
Senator Abdullahi Aliyu, from Niger state, somehow unsure of his own figures, who raised the alarm on the floor of the Nigerian senate last December, may have inadvertently misled his distinguished colleagues into a needless controversy, and a wild goose chase, an exercise generally viewed by the public with suspicion.
The senate Committee on tertiary institutions which was mandated to probe the allegation, must have been stunned by TETFund’s submissions to the effect that the search for the money in its coffers was misplaced, and the petition a mere conjecture, lacking facts to warrant the interest the Nigerian senate seem to show on the matter.
Our correspondent reports that, proofs being placed before the senate committee include the fact that Professor Suleiman Bogoro, the executive secretary of TETFund, and ostensibly the target of the attack, came on board on April 14th 2015, and the issues being complained about took place long before he came to the office. To this end, he was not in the best position to explain the actions being queried, even if such actions were wrongly taken.
This is even as nationalTRAIL findings further reveal that, records point to the fact that, contrary to what the petitioner wanted the Senate to believe, and probe, TETFund never accessed the said money, and could not have mismanaged what was neither remitted to its accounts, nor given to it in whatever form.
On the other hand, a Presidential committee, headed by former Benue state Governor, Gabriel Suswan, may have accessed N273.9 Billion, directly from the Central Bank in 2013, with the express approval of former President Goodluck Jonathan, and disbursed the funds to 59 tertiary institutions across the country under the NEEDS Assessment programme of the then Federal Government.
Although the NEEDS Assessment Intervention could have been ordinarily covered by the Act establishing TETFund, the then government in its wisdom did not deem it expedient to channel the funds through TETFund, though, TETFund and other stakeholders were part of the Suswan’s Committee, which was reported to have done a swell job, as many projects have been verified to have been undertaken under the intervention.
These revelations in TETFunds submission before the senate, since the petition was tabled on the floor of the senate, tends to lend credence to the suspicion that the Senate was being cajoled into acting out a script used to mischievously set up Professor Suleiman Bogoro, and his the management at TETFund, to ensure their ouster so as to pave way for a preferred candidate as head of the organization.
Be that as it may, the management of TETFund, our correspondent learnt, has made a good defense of its position over the matter, revealing to the Nigerian Senate that, it eyes are being deliberately covered from the achievements of TETFund under Professor Bogoro , by portraying his management as corrupt. The fund explained that it was not ready to compromise the integrity for which it has been known for over the years.
It remains a fact that TETFund has been adjudged for three consecutive years as the most performing and transparent Government agency, just as it is a truism that, the fund has sponsored the execution of projects in virtually every tertiary institution in Nigeria under its purview.
Records indicate that TETFund has sponsored amongst many others, the completion of projects at the Moddibo Adama University, Yola, Adamawa State Polytechnic, also in Yola, Gombe State University, Kebbi State University of science and technology, Aliero, Yaba College of technology, Lagos, University of Ibadan, Federal University of Technology, Akure and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, amongst several others.
Available records also indicate the sponsorship of projects at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Michael Okpara University, Umudike, the University of Jos, Nasarfawa State University, Keffi, College of Education, Akwanga, the University of Ilorin, Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto, Bayero University Kano, as well as the Federal College of Education, Zaria.
Amongst other universities positively affected by TETFund, outside the controversial N200 Billion, include, the University of Port Harcourt, University of Benin, Akwa Ibom State University, Niger Delta University on Wilberforce Island, Federal College of Education, Obudu, the university of Maiduguri, Federal Polytechnic Damaturu and the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University in Bauchi, to mention but a few.
According to our findings, while the petitioners misfired in falsely accusing TETFund of mismanaging funds that never accrued to it, the issue of bias in the sponsorship of projects has been proven to be false as TETFund projects cut across all tertiary institutions in the country, depending on their size and needs. Access to TETFund intervention is usually predicated upon performance and usage of previous allocations, we learnt.
Stakeholders in the education sector, as well as staff of TETFund, while giving TETFund management a pat on the back for prudence, and visibility of projects across tertiary institutions, were quick to dismiss attempts at linking Professor Bogoro’s management with unwholesome practices.
Some staff of the organisation, told our correspondent on conditions of anonymity that, Suleiman Bogoro, from Bauchi State, who is billed to appear before the Senate Committee on Tertiary Education on Tuesday, to re-echo TETFund defences, may be facing religious persecution by some forces, who have not hidden their disdain for his rising profile and continued stay in the office, at the expenses of their own preferred candidates.
To some, it was rather curious that issues in the petition had been subjects of past investigations, and its resurgence on the floor of the senate smacks of political witch hunting, given the fact that Bogoro was appointed by the immediate past administration which most people perceive as corrupt in all facets. “The petition stems from a recycled issue which had been investigated and dismissed by appropriate authorities”, one of them intoned.
Professor Bogoro, a minority Christian from Bauchi state has declined comments on the perceived tussle between him and some political forces from the north East, but our correspondent who has been following developments around him reports that, he seems to be getting too relevant in the politics and governance of the country, which in turn makes some people uncomfortable, given the unfolding trends in the politics of Bauchi State in particular.
Investigations in the senate reveal that most senators who initially believed the allegations contained in the petition and supported the probe are beginning to soft paddle, as it is becoming clear that they were misled into crucifying the organization, which many others are looking up to as a model.

Headlines

2027: THE MANY WARS IN PARTIES

Published

1 month ago

June 1, 2026

Our Reporter

☆ ADC, PDP, NDC, LP Tacle APC Amidst Internal Wranglings.
☆ Party primaries trigger godfather vs godson clashes.
By: Our Special Correspondent.

Election periods always make Nigeria a political melting pot. Tensions, intrigues, violence, manipulations and grandstanding have been the order.
2027 may not be an exception, as already, the polity is heating up and political players are up in arms.
Between political parties, battle lines are being drawn.
It is no longer news that, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the ADC and former Anambra state governor, Peter Obi of the NDC have secured the presidential tickets for their various political parties, ahead of the 2027 elections.
While Nigerians await the outcome of the presidential primaries for the other parties, it is apparent that the leading dramatis personae of the 2023 presidential election debacle, are set to square it out again in 2027.
But, while most, if not all the opposition political parties are emershed in multi-dimenssional crisis, the stage seems set for dirtier political schemings, in the quest to wrestle power from the ruling APC.
With the apparent collapse of the much talked about coalition, frontline candidates may again go into the election as a divided house, as the parties are further polarized by the attendant crisis arising from the just concluded primaries.
The ruling APC, also faced with similar crisis following the primaries. The primaries of all the parties seem to have sparked internal wranglings
across Edo, Delta, Lagos, Oyo, Kano, Rivers and other states. In most states, the primaries for governorship, Senate and House of Representatives seats have triggered deepening crises between governors, former governors, senators and entrenched party blocs.
While one may regard such disagrerments as normal and could be resolved before the main election, the disagreement between President Tinubu and the opposition may linger.

The President is fighting hard to ward of attacks over his failed promises which were made in 2023, as campaign issues.
Similarlly, the issue of insecurity, fuel subsidy, pol8cy summersault, and general cost of living have been brought to the front burner, in political discourse.
Tinubu told Nigerians on Friday that subsidy removal and forex reforms have revived investor confidence, lifted market cap to 250,000 points, and drawn new oil and gas investment. He also said security operations have “intensified” against bandits, separatists and insurgents.
But critics insist that Tinubu’s camp is working to cripple opposition parties reminescent of the Abacha-era dark days.
In apparent move to realign forces and reshape 2027, NDC’s Peter Obi has announced Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as his running mate.
Obi told a gathering brfore naming Kwankwaso as his running mate, that, the Vice President office under him, will be “an active partner, not ceremonial”. The NDC held a special convention Saturday to affirm Obi as flagbearer where he promised 10,000MW electricity generation. Labour Party has also presented Dr. Chibuzo Okereke as its presidential candidate, a lowly rated personality.
At the sub-national level, political players are pulling the strings from different end. Most governors are being accused of imposing their cronies as governorship, senate, House of Representatives and House of Assembly candidates.
The national leadership of the APC has been struggling hard to adress the widespread crisis occassioned by the primaries. The APC, in Lagos amidst the internal wars, has picked Princess Damilola Sonayon-James as running mate to Lagos governorship candidate Dr. Obafemi Hamzat. Both are seen as stooges of the governor and by extenssion the President.
In Rivers, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike has vowed that, the APC “Rainbow Coalition” will agree on one governorship candidate and that ADC’s Atiku won’t get 10% of Rivers votes. Though the candidate has not yet been named.
Wike also declared “Rivers has no option but to back Tinubu”.
In several states, there have been massive decampments from the APC in particular, because of unfavourable outcomes of the primaries.
All these point to a turbulent outing for the APC, even as the ruling party.
As for the opposition parties, they all have been emasculated, and may not be able to pose much threat to the ruling APC.
While the political wranglings were going on the most serious threat to the APC remains the rising concern over insecurity. The issue seem to have ignited anger across the country, with Federal Workers Forum threatening an indefinite nationwide strike over rising insecurity and unresolved wages. SERAP, has meanwhile urged the UN Secretary-General to invoke Article 99 over Nigeria’s “escalating insecurity—mass abductions, killings, displacements”.

Headlines

“Nigeria Is in a Hurry to Celebrate Victory Over Enemies of the State,” Says Tinubu as He Decorates New Service Chiefs

Published

9 months ago

October 30, 2025

Our Reporter

By: Fabian Apechihin

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged the newly appointed service chiefs to discharge their duties with utmost dedication and renewed commitment, declaring that “Nigeria is in a hurry to celebrate victory over enemies of the state.”

The President made this statement on Thursday during the decoration ceremony of the new service chiefs with their ranks at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Those decorated were General Olufemi Oluyede as Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant-General Wahidi Shaibu as Chief of Army Staff, Air Marshal Kennedy Aneke as Chief of Air Staff, and Vice Admiral Idi Abbas as Chief of Naval Staff.

The ceremony was attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima and the spouses of the newly promoted officers, who joined the President in performing the decorations.

In his address, Tinubu underscored the central role of security in fostering national development and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to protecting the lives and property of all Nigerians.

“Security is an essential element without which everything else becomes meaningless,” the President stated. “There can be no sustainable development if this fundamental need is not met. Our people and our nation must remain secure to enjoy the dividends of governance.”

The elevation and decoration of the new military chiefs followed their confirmation by the National Assembly on Wednesday, after a closed-door screening session with lawmakers.

It will be recalled that, in a recent overhaul of the nation’s military hierarchy, President Tinubu appointed:

Lieutenant General Olufemi Olatubosun Oluyede as Chief of Defence Staff,
Major General Waidi Shaibu as Chief of Army Staff,
Rear Admiral Idi Abbas as Chief of Naval Staff,
Air Vice Marshal Sunday Aneke as Chief of Air Staff, and
Major General Emmanuel Undiandeye retained as Chief of Defence Intelligence.

The new appointments mark a strategic restructuring of Nigeria’s security leadership aimed at strengthening the fight against insurgency, banditry, and other threats to national stability.

Headlines

FG Dismisses Coup Rumour, Reaffirms Confidence in Nigerian Military

Published

9 months ago

October 20, 2025

Our Reporter

By: Fabian Apechihin

The Federal Government has dismissed widespread rumours of an alleged military coup plot against President Bola Tinubu, declaring its full confidence in the loyalty and professionalism of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made this known in an interview with The Punch on Sunday, insisting that the administration has “no reason whatsoever” to doubt the assurances given by the Defence Headquarters, which had earlier denied reports linking the detention of 16 military officers to a coup attempt.

“The Federal Government has no reason to doubt the military on what it has said,” Idris stated.
“We believe the Armed Forces of Nigeria remain committed to protecting the nation’s territorial integrity and strengthening the fight against insecurity. The government commends their sacrifice and will continue to support them in safeguarding the country.”

The minister’s remarks came a day after the Director of Defence Information, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, firmly debunked a report by Sahara Reporters alleging that the detention of 16 officers was connected to a failed coup plot and the cancellation of the 65th Independence Day parade.

Gusau described the publication as “false, mischievous, and deliberately aimed at creating unnecessary tension and public distrust.”

He clarified that the cancellation of the October 1 Independence Day parade was a purely administrative decision — taken to allow President Tinubu attend a key bilateral meeting abroad and to enable military units sustain ongoing counterinsurgency operations nationwide.

On the issue of the detained officers, Gusau said their case was “an internal disciplinary process” and not related to any political matter.

“The investigation involving the 16 officers is routine, aimed at upholding discipline and professionalism within the ranks,” he explained. “An investigative panel has been constituted, and its findings will be made public in due course.”

Reaffirming the military’s constitutional role and unwavering commitment to civilian rule, Gusau stressed emphatically: