A new document on the Lagos Public Procurement Agency (LPPA) website shows that N2,017,840 was awarded for the supply of rechargeable fans and fridge in the office of the deputy governor. This is contrary to the N2,017,840,000 quoted by Funso Doherty, governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Congress (ADC), in Lagos. In an open letter to Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, posted via X on Saturday, Doherty called attention to projects funded with taxpayers’ money. Doherty said he analysed the register of public procurement awards by LPPA for the second and third quarters of 2023. According to the ADC candidate, the awards reviewed were from April to September 2023. In the letter, Doherty listed some projects awarded by the state government that “require greater scrutiny”. He cited that N2,017,840,000 was awarded for the “provision of supply items (rechargeable fans, rechargeable lights, and fridge) in the office of the deputy governor”. Advertisement Doherty also added that the office of deputy governor was awarded N30,000,000 for “monthly outreach of indigent citizens by wife of the deputy governor”. According to the chartered accountant, another N30,000,000 was awarded for the monthly empowerment programmes of the wife of the deputy governor. The open letter elicited criticisms as Nigerians asked the state government to address the issue. DISCOVERIES ON LPPA WEBSITE Advertisement When TheCable downloaded the PDF document for July awards on the LPPA website, it was observed that N2,017,840 was earmarked as an award for the supply of rechargeable fans, lights, and fridge. TheCable checked the properties of the PDF document and found out that it was created on November 18, 2023, at 7:25pm.   Doherty made his X post on November 18, 2023, at 4:22 p.m. This indicates that the document may have been edited and re-uploaded on the website to reflect N2,017,840, contrary to the figure posted by Doherty. ‘N2m WAS APPROVED — NOT N2bn’ Advertisement In a letter dated November 20 and addressed to the director-general of LPPA, the office of the deputy governor of Lagos said the figures quoted earlier on the website were different from what was awarded to the office. The deputy governor’s office asked the director-general of the LPPA to clarify the “untrue and unfounded” information. The letter, which was signed by Tola Ekemode, director of finance and accounts in the deputy governor’s office, was obtained by Premium Times. In the letter, the office said the sum of N2,017,840 was awarded for the supply of rechargeable fans and not N2,017,840,000. The office asked the LPPA to crosscheck the “data and confirm the correctness or otherwise of all the details of the report as displayed on the website”. “It is important to state that, the office did get approval and awarded the provision of supply items (rechargeable fans, rechargeable lights and fridges) for the sum of =N=2,017,840 (Two Million, Seventeen Thousand, Eight Hundred and Forty Naira) and not the =N=2,017,840,000 (Two Billion, Seventeen Million, Eight Hundred and Forty Thousand Naira as reported on the website of your agency, Lagos State Public Procurement Agency, Lagos MEPB Q3 Budget Performance Review referenced by the X (formerly Twitter) account,” the letter reads. “Truth must be said, this is very sad and Mr. Deputy Governor has expressed his displeasure to this happening and will want your office to kindly address this by giving the public the true picture of events. “These errors or inaccuracies exhibited by your data are capable of putting credibility at stake. “One then wonders about the accuracies of the content on the site if the items concerning the Deputy Governor’s Office can be this inaccurate. “It is therefore important that you look through the data and confirm the correctness or otherwise of all the details of the report as displayed on the website.” LAGOS YET TO REACT Since the release of the open letter on Saturday, the Lagos government is yet to release an official statement to react to the issues raised by Doherty. Gboyega Akosile, chief press secretary to the Lagos governor, did not respond to calls or text messages about the matter.

  The Lagos State Government under the leadership of Babajide Sanwo-Olu approved N24.5m for the renovation of the official residence of the Commissioner of Police in the state. The approval for the project executed by Omay Engineering Services Ltd was dated February 6, which was a few days before the February 25 general election. The main opposition parties in the state accused security agencies of colluding with non-state actors to intimidate their supporters and suppress votes in some areas of the state. This was seen in the Public Procurement awards carried by the state government in 2nd and 3rd quarters of 2023. Aside the money spent on renovation, the state Ministry of Justice paid N200m to four Senior lawyers to represent Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat in pre-election matters. The state also released N20.8m for the decoration of the venue for political delegates’ congress. However, the money was approved on June 26, more than three months after the 2023 general elections. The sum of N6.1m was approved in July for the provision of furniture items at the Campaign office, GRA, Ikeja. Political commentators said it is wrong for taxpayers’ money to be used to fund political activities. The government also approved N152 million for the restoration of water supply at Iduganran palace, the official residence of the Oba of Lagos. These revelations come at a time when Nigerians are struggling to cope with economic realities. Meanwhile, the deputy governor has reacted to the controversy, saying he got N2 million for rechargeable fans, not N2 billion. In a memo addressed to the Director General of the procurement agency, Hamzat also claimed that his wife got N2.5m each for her monthly outreach to indigents and empowerment programme as against the N30m captured by the agency. Hamzat, in the memo signed by Director, Finance and Account, Tola Ekemode, on behalf the Permanent Secretary in the office of the deputy governor, said the report by the agency was untrue, mischievous, fake and unfounded. “It is important to state that truly, the office did get approval and awarded the provision of supply items (rechargeable fans, rechargeable lights and fridges) for the sum of =N=2,017,840 (Two Million, Seventeen Thousand, Eight Hundred and Forty Naira) as against the =N=2,017,840,000 (Two Billion, Seventeen Million, Eight Hundred and Forty Thousand Naira as reported by Doherty in his purported letter.” “In addition, the report that the office through the Wife of the Deputy Governor spent =N=30,000,000 monthly for outreach to indigents is inaccurate as the amount stated covered the whole year. It is =N=2,500,000 per month. Same for the Empowerment programme by the Wife of the Deputy Governor which also =N=2,500,000 per month as against =N=30,000,000 monthly reported,” read the memo. Daily Trust reports that Sanwo-Olu, and Hamzat, have come under criticism over the controversial approval amid the nationwide hardship.

  The Presidency, on Monday, blamed former President Olusegun Obasanjo for the current state of Nigeria’s democracy. The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who spoke to The PUNCH, noted that the democracy the country currently practises dates back to direct inputs by Obasanjo when he led the country’s first as military Head of State from 1976 – 1979 and as civilian President from 1999 – 2007. “Obasanjo ought to know that he brought this thing into Nigeria. He was the one who made us adopt it in 1979. He must have seen it as expensive and unsuitable when he governed us for eight years and even wanted an extension for another four years. “So, the way he is sounding, it is like the man is getting wiser after leaving office,” Onanuga said, reacting to Obasanjo’s post-presidential stance. The Presidency’s response followed comments made by Obasanjo at the high-level consultation on Rethinking Western Liberal Democracy in Africa held at Green Resort Legacy, Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta. Obasanjo had criticised Western democracy, suggesting it had not delivered good governance and development in Africa. He called for a reexamination and moderation of democracy to better suit African nations, citing the Western model’s disregard for African history and complexities. Obasanjo proposed an “Afro democracy” tailored to the continent’s unique needs. The ex-president said the snag with the liberal democracy was that it was not home-grown and did not take into account African history and multicultural complexities, among other peculiarities. Picking holes in the Western liberal democracy, Obasanjo described it as a “government of a few people over all the people or population and these few people are representatives of only some of the people and not fully representatives of all the people. Invariably, the majority of the people are wittingly or unwittingly kept out.” According to him, African countries have no business operating a system of government in which they have no hands in its “definition and design.” Obasanjo said, “The weakness and failure of liberal democracy as it is practised stem from its history, content and context and practice. Once you move from all the people to a representative of the people, you start to encounter troubles and problems. “For those who define it as the rule of the majority, should the minority be ignored, neglected and excluded? In short, we have a system of government in which we have no hands to define and design and we continue with it even when we know that it is not working for us. “Those who brought it to us are now questioning the rightness of their invention, its deliverability and its relevance today without reform. The essence of any system of government is the welfare and well-being of the people, all the people.” He argued that Nigerians must “interrogate the performance of democracy in the West where it originated from and with us the inheritors of what we are left with by our colonial powers.” But the Presidency blamed the former leader for a poorly copied model during his tenure as Head of State and, later, President. It criticised Obasanjo for not advocating a better system despite his current views saying, “If he believes in what he is saying now, he ought to be an advocate of the need to go back to the parliamentary system.” Onanuga added, “We were practicing the parliamentary democracy the British left for us. Then, the military struck in 1966. And when we were going to return to democracy, instead of going back to what we were practicing before, parliamentary democracy, which was not expensive, it was this same Obasanjo who accepted the recommendation of the constitutional assembly at that time that recommended this American-style democracy.” The Presidency criticised Obasanjo’s implementation of the presidential system, saying, “Obasanjo also knew that he copied this presidential system very wrongly. He copied the form and structure. But he didn’t copy the spirit of it.” “Something that should have been under him in 1999 to 2007, he even made attempts to modify the constitution,” Onanuga remarked.

  Tuesday 21 November 2023 BRT users lament shortage of buses, long queues Presidency fumes, tackles Obasanjo over democracy comment Mohbad’s autopsy report not with us yet – Police NITDA laments low participation of women in tech Benue Gov Poll: Appeal Court Dismisses Uba’s Appeal Against Alia, Deputy PDP’s Bwala Criticises Appeal Court Verdict Sacking Plateau Gov Tinubu Meets Chancellor Scholz On German Investments In Nigeria Lottery Regulation: Supreme Court Fixes Date To Hear Lagos, Ekiti Suit Against FG, 34 Other States Army Mourns As Former COAS Chris Alli Dies Unease in financial markets as CBN’s MPC meeting fails to hold Impeachment: Akeredolu, Aiyedatiwa’s supporters plan protest in Ondo Why Niger Withdrew MJTF Troops From Border With Nigeria 30 Internet Fraudsters, Kidnappers Arrested In Anambra Govt considers new MPC members as uncertainty rocks economy CAC lacks power to register trade union organisations, court holds Retirement directive unsettles adamant police officers Opposition alleges plot to turn Nigeria into one party system Visit a newspaper stand this morning, buy and read a copy for yourself…

  The Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court in Lagos has sentenced 65-year-old landlord Igwe Ambrose to double life imprisonment for sexually assaulting his tenant’s children. Ambrose faced a four-count charge related to sexual assault by penetration and indecent treatment of a child. The victims, aged 7 and 11, were subjected to the heinous acts at Shagari Estate, Ipaja, between January and June 2021, according to the court. Judge Abiola Soladoye, in her verdict, declared Ambrose guilty, stating that the prosecution established its case beyond a reasonable doubt. Soladoye said the victims identified the defendant and the evidence exposed him as a “bare-faced liar.” She then described the landlord as a “dirty old man” who fingered and touched the breasts of the survivors on the pretext of helping them with their school assignments. “The testimonies of the prosecution witnesses (survivors) were credible, as they cannot consent to being fingered by the landlord,” Judge Soladoye ruled. “The defendant was identified as the assailant and their evidence were corroborated by their mother and the investigating police officer (IPO) who visited the crime scene and a clear account of the assault and indecent treatment was confirmed.” The court then sentenced Ambrose to double life imprisonment for counts one and two, which involved the most severe charges. “In respect to counts three and four which carry seven years jail term, the defendant is hereby sentenced to seven years imprisonment on each of the count charge,” Judge Soladoye added. The judge then mandated that Ambrose’s name be entered into the sexual offences register maintained by the Lagos state government.

  President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has told international investors that the people of Nigeria, who are highly educated, highly skilled, and naturally industrious are the primary asset and advantage the country wields over other nations in the global race for new investments beyond the country’s natural resources. The president spoke in Berlin, Germany on Monday at a panel discussion titled, “Fostering local value chains and investments in Africa – The role of the German private sector” at the G20 Compact with Africa Economic Conference, hosted by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz. President Tinubu said that while promoting the rule of law was crucial for attracting foreign investments, Nigeria’s energetic youth population and well-educated populace represented the greatest incentive provided to investors toward the mutually-beneficial replication of China’s economic resurgence. “We are dogged in our pursuit of natural gas development today, in tandem with hydrogen production for tomorrow. The world knows Nigeria as a leader in the energy sector. Our vast gas deposits and business-friendly environment make us an attractive investment destination. But we are going a step further now. We are creating fiscal responsibility and tax reforms as we reform our financial institutions to expeditiously accommodate foreign investments. ”We are eager and ready to partner with you. We have the youngest, largest, and most vibrant youth population in Africa. Equally, we have every ingredient required in the making of a modern economy: a well-educated population, a massive market, and the political will to bring it all together under my leadership. “Africa has moved beyond the false past notions of business disincentivization and poor adherence to the rule of law. We now fully recognize the nexus between the inflow of investor money and the sanctity of contracts. We want to partner on the basis of who we are and what we do, rather than on the basis of long-held misconception,” the president said in a statement by his spokeman, Ajuri Ngelale. President Tinubu apprised the summit of the country’s move toward developing labour-intensive sectors of the Nigerian economy for massive job creation as well as a new emphasis on technological progress and new opportunities in Nigeria’s rapidly expanding information and communications technology space. The president assured potential investors that Nigeria has moved beyond restrictive policies, and today, capital can be moved in and out of the country freely, providing flexibility for investors. “Nigeria has consolidated on its democracy with several consecutive handovers of power. There is stability and predictability in the socio-political development of our country, which provides a conducive atmosphere for business operations and investment. Your money is safe. Since I assumed office in May 2023, we have embarked on transformative changes, removing all obstacles hindering businesses. We are reforming the economy based on the principle and philosophy of good governance,” the President affirmed. While persuading German automobile firms to establish manufacturing plants in Nigeria, he invited German businesses to take advantage of investment opportunities in multiple sectors following the successful visit of the German Chancellor to Nigeria in October. Speaking earlier, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz noted the dynamic and evolving nature of economic relations between the developed and developing nations of the world as he positioned Germany to enhance partnership with Nigeria and Africa on a mutually-beneficial basis. “To be clear, this is not about traditional development aid with donor-recipient schemes. Instead, we now focus on investments that yield benefits for both parties. In Germany, as we strive for climate neutrality by 2045, we anticipate a substantial demand for green hydrogen, a considerable portion of which we plan to import, including from Africa. “Many African countries possess larger potential for renewable energy and competitive hydrogen production than we do. I am convinced that there are fantastic opportunities for expanding cooperation between German and African companies in this context. “I highlighted this during my visit to Nigeria, where we already operate a hydrogen office and aspire to be a partner in the ambitious expansion of renewable energies,” the Chancellor stated. Other panelists at the discussion were the German Federal Chancellor, Olaf Scholz; President Alassane Ouattara of Côte d’Ivoire; Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch of Morocco; President Macky Sall of Senegal; Sabine Dall’Omo, Chairperson of Afrika-Verein (German-African Business Association); and CEO of Sub-Saharan Africa, Siemens AG. President Tinubu hosts notable German Business Chief Executives at a Nigeria-Germany Business Roundtable in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday.

  Lagos state government approved the sum of N44.8m for the clearing of vegetables within the Epe Mixed Development Scheme. According to records from the state’s Public Procurement Agency (PPA), the project was awarded in May to M/S Obak Nigeria Enterprises by the Lagos State New Towns Development Authority. Daily Trust had reported that Lagos state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has been criticised over the approval of N7.5 million to replace liquid fragrance in his office and N3 billion to purchase rechargeable fans for the office of his deputy, Obafemi Hamzat. Actions that public affairs analysts have described as insensitive to the plight of the people, especially coming at a time the government was encouraging the citizens to endure the economic hardship in the land. Involvement of judges in elections should be eliminated – Falana PDP wins all 16 seats in Taraba LG poll However, further checks revealed that some questionable spending was approved by the state government. Tinubu’s Portraits According to the document, N73.1m was approved for the production of the official portraits of President Bola Tinubu and the state governor, Sanwo-Olu. The project which was executed by the office of the Chief of Staff was awarded to Flolizvi Connect. Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos state, was sworn-in as President on May 29 after defeating his main rivals- Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP. Sanwo-Olu also started his second term tenure on the same date. According to available information on the website of the Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, there are less than 150 MDAs in Lagos. N80.8m Tokunbo vehicles; 400m on Charter plane The office of the Chief of Staff also got approval of N80.8m on June 19 for the procurement of ten units of foreign used vehicles. Daily Trust had earlier reported that the same office got approval of N440.75m for the purchase of a brand new Lexus LX 600 Bulletproof Sport Utility Vehicle. The office also got N18.5 million for the supply and distribution of 2,000 Noiler chicken across the local government areas and wards in the state. The government also approved N152m for the restoration of water supply at Iduganran palace, the official residence of the Oba of Lagos. Records also showed that the state approved N581m to renovate Saint Andrews Anglican Church in Oke-Popo area of the state. DailyTrust

  A global child rights organisation, Save the Children, has revealed that at least 17.6 million children will be born into hunger across the globe in 2023. Save the Children made this known in a statement on Monday to commemorate this year’s World Children’s Day. The charity organisation said about one-fifth more newborns face the challenge of hunger in 2023 compared to 14.4 million in 2013, according to a research analysis. “At least 17.6 million children, or one child every two seconds will be born into hunger this year, which is a 22% jump from a decade ago, according to new Save the Children research released today on World Children’s Day,” the statement read. “Save the Children found about one-fifth more newborns will face hunger this year compared to 2013 when 14.4 million children were born into the grips of hunger. “This figure was calculated using the latest country data on the prevalence of undernourishment from the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN (FAO ) and UN estimates on the number of births.” The organisation also established that world’s malnourished children are mostly found in Africa and Asia, adding that economic instability, conflicts and climate crises are responsbile for the hunger biting the world. “Economic instability, conflicts and repeated climate shocks have contributed to a devastating hunger crisis that is affecting every corner of the world. “According to the analysis, Africa and Asia account for 95% of the world’s undernourished births in 2023. The data does not include the impact the escalation of violence in the occupied Palestinian territory is having on hunger or the birth rate in the region.” The statement also quoted the Head of Hunger and Nutrition at Save the Children UK, Callum Northcote as saying, “More than 17 million newborns will this year enter a world where hunger will eat away at their childhood. “That’s 33 children a minute – or one child every two seconds. Hunger will destroy their dreams, silence their play, disrupt their education, and threaten their lives.” “The future of these children is already compromised before they even take their first breath. We must protect their childhoods and futures before it’s too late.” He added, “Huge progress has been made in the past to reduce global hunger. According to the analysis, 21.5 million children were born into hunger in 2001, one-fifth more than in 2023. “However, progress started to significantly decline in 2019, largely due economic instability, conflicts, and the worsening climate crisis.”

  Justice Hakeem Oshodi of an Ikeja High Court has warned members of the public to stop leaving charms in his courtroom. Oshodi gave the warning on Monday as the trial of five men charged with the murder of one Ifeanyi Etunmuse began. “No one should leave charms in my courtroom. It should not be repeated. A talisman was found after the last adjourned date in the murder case,” he said. The judge, who referred to the charm as ‘property’, warned the courtroom audience: “Do not leave your property here again. It does not work anymore.” The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Lagos state government brought charges against the five suspects; Atunrase Omolabi, Shittu Olawale, Olaide Opeifa, Olanrewaju Adebiyi aka Maja, and Jamiu Omosanya aka Orobo. They were charged for attempted murder and murder of Etunmuse at Western Funeral Home, Ijede Ikorodu. Earlier in the trial, the defence counsel continued with the cross-examination of the prosecution witness, Babatunde Olayinka. Olanrewaju Ajanaku, the lead defence counsel to the first, second, and third defendants and later on the fifth defendant, asked Olayinka if he could say that the defendants had a hand in the attack on the deceased. He also asked him if he was able to get a view of the compound of the local politician and funeral services businessman, Oluwatosin Onamade from his hiding place following the alleged attack. The witness told the court that he hid himself in the cemetery, and lay down for a while to hide himself from a group of men that he saw wielding machetes at the Onamade compound on the day of the incident, April 16, 2021. The witness further told the court that as he hid himself from the machete-wielding men, he turned around and saw a dead body beside him. Ajanaku asked the witness: “Can you say emphatically that the first, second, third and fifth defendant had anything to do with the body you saw?” The witness replied that he could not say emphatically that the defendants had anything to do with the body. The defence counsel to the fourth defendant, Mahmud Adesina, continued with the cross-examination of the prosecution witness and questioned him on whether he had told the court earlier that Femi Onamade, a relative of Oluwatosin Onamade, was the one who knew the defendants in person. Olayinka affirmed that it was Femi who knew the defendants and Oluwatosin who could identify them. The prosecution counsel, Mr M. T. Adewoye, re-examined the witness and asked him to clarify what he meant when he told the court earlier that he could not identify the defendants. Olayinka told the court that he indeed saw the machete-wielding men when they came into the compound. Adewoye requested the court to issue a witness summons for Femi Onamade to appear in court. The judge, then issued a witness summons for Femi Onamade. The judge adjourned the matter until Feb. 19, 2024, for the continuation of trial. On a previous court hearing on April 6, the prosecution had alleged that the suspects also cut off the wrist of Femi Onamade, the younger brother to Tosin Onamade. (NAN)