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Why Corruption Is Difficult To Tackle In Nigeria – Bisi Akande

Published

4 months ago

January 13, 2024

Editor

Ex-Osun State Governor, Adebisi Akande, has said successive administrations in Nigeria have failed to defeat corruption due to a “corrupt mindset” of Nigerians.

Akande, who spoke to journalists in his Ila-Orangun country home on Saturday as part of activities marking his 85th birthday, said until Nigerians have a change of mindset and embrace the virtues of dedication and hard work, no leader would be able to attack and defeat corruption in the country.

The pioneer Interim National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, who lamented that rather than embracing hard work, many Nigerians would prefer to cut corners, said leadership alone could not make people prosperous.

He further said, “In Nigeria, corruption is not the first thing to fight otherwise you get perished. The mindset is corrupt.

“The man who wants prosperity by miracle is corrupt. You want to own a car or house by miracle, you are already a corrupt man.

“In a country where everybody is corrupt, who is that leader, who will bell the cat?

“So you are only blaming the leader, but you are corrupt yourself. Go to religious circle, everybody wants comfort without work.

“The present generation doesn’t want to work. They want everything by miracle. Such a community can never be prosperous. No leader can make them prosperous.

“They will just be blaming government. A country where everybody is corrupt like Nigeria, nobody can solve the problem,” The PUNCH quoted him.

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JUST IN: US Lawmakers Order Investigation Of Shell, Eni For Allegedly Bribing Nigeria’s Ex-President Jonathan, Others

Published

1 hour ago

May 9, 2024

Editor

The United States House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services has asked the Department of Justice, DOJ, to reopen the Foreign Corruption Practice Act into Shell and Eni’s 2011 purchase of the rights to Oil Prospecting Licence, OPL, 245, one of Nigeria’s most lucrative oilfields.

The lawmakers said evidence available implicated Shell and Eni for bribing some Nigerian government officials, including former President Goodluck Jonathan, to the tune of $1.1 billion.

According to the lawmakers: “Available evidence implicates both companies in a scheme that resulted in the payment of $1.1billion in bribes to Nigerian government officials, including then President Goodluck Jonathan.

“Shell and Eni, both registered with the US Security and Exchange Commission, continue to profit from the deal in violation of FCPA.”

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BREAKING: Rivers Assembly Clerk Disowns Pro-Fubara Faction, Insists Amaewhule Is Speaker

Published

1 hour ago

May 9, 2024

Editor

The clerk of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Emeka Amadi, has disowned the pro-Governor Sim Fubara’s faction of the Assembly.

Amadi insisted that the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly remains Martin Amaewhule.

The clerk said the three members of the assembly loyal to Fubara—Hon. Victor Oko Jumbo, Hon. Sokari Goodboy Sokari and Hon. Adolphus Orubimie Timothy—were suspended on October 30, 2023, and they cannot lay claim to be officers of the House.

On Thursday, some lawmakers appointed Jumbo as the new Speaker of the Assembly.

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Suspension Of Enigies: Court Grants Benin Monarch’s Prayer To Join BTC

Published

2 hours ago

May 9, 2024

Editor

An Edo State High Court sitting in Benin has granted the prayer of Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, to include Benin Traditional Council as a defendant in a suit between him and some suspended Enigie (Dukes) in Benin kingdom.

Justice Peter Akhihiero granted the Benin monarch’s prayer at the resumed hearing of the suit on Thursday.

The suspended Enigie that took the Oba of Benin to court are Professor Gregory Akenzua, Enigie of Evbuobanosa, Chief Edomwonyi Ogiegbaen, Egbaen Siluko Dukedoms in Benin Kingdom, on behalf of others.

The suspended Enigies are challenging their suspension by the Oba of Benin at the Edo State High Court.

In the suit, the plaintiffs argued that only the state governor can remove them from their positions.

In his ruling, Justice Peter Akhihiero granted the Oba of Benin’s prayer to include the Benin Traditional Council as the 3rd defendant in the suit marked, B/250os/2023, while Oba Ewuare II and Edo State Government, are the 1st and 2nd defendants, respectively.

Akhihiero, however, urged the defendants’ counsel not to worry about the timing, insisting that “the race is not for the swift, or the battle for the strong”.

“If they were bringing in the Traditional Council as necessary, I don’t see this as a problem since you people have brought the Oba to court.

“I don’t think I can shut down any party. Let them come in and file their processes,” he added.

He, however, adjourned the case to July 15, 2024.