President Bola Tinubu has sent Abdulrasheed Bawa, the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC on an indefinite suspension, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Mr George Akume said on Wednesday. According to a statement, the suspension is to allow for an unhindered investigation into weighty allegations made against Bawa. 
Suspended EFCC Chairman It read, “Mr Bawa has been directed to immediately handover the affairs of his office to the Director, Operations in the Commission, who will oversee the affairs of the Office of the Chairman of the Commission pending the conclusion of the investigation,” the statement said. See the full statement below: OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FEDERATION
14th June, 2023 PRESS RELEASE
PRESIDENT BOLA AHMED TINUBU SUSPENDS BAWA INDEFINITELY FROM OFFICE AS CHAIRMAN ECONOMIC & FINANCIAL CRIMES COMMISSION President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,GCFR, has approved the indefinite suspension from office of Mr. AbdulRasheed Bawa, CON, as the Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to allow for proper investigation into his conduct while in office. 2. This follows weighty allegations of abuse of office levelled against him.
3. Mr Bawa has been directed to immediately handover the affairs of his office to the Director, Operations in the Commission, who will oversee the affairs of the Office of the Chairman of the Commission pending the conclusion of the investigation. Willie Bassey
Director, Information
President Tinubu, Hope Uzodinma and Godswill Akpabio Recall that Godswill Akpabio was on Tuesday elected Senate president after polling 63 votes to defeat Abdulazeez Yari, who garnered 46 votes. The lawmaker representing Zaria constituency in Kaduna, Tajudeen Abbas, was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives, while Benjamin Kalu from Abia state, was elected deputy. Ndume while reacting to Akpabio’s victor said Tinubu is an “experienced” politician, adding that he convinced many lawmakers to support his preferred candidates. “When I contested last time (2019), everybody was on the other side because the party and president endorsed Ahmad Lawan,” he said. “It is almost a repetition of the same thing, the party and the president had a preferred candidate but this president (Tinubu) is an experienced politician who played a lot of politics. “He deployed his foot soldiers to compliment our (campaign team of Akpabio) efforts and that made a difference. The vice president assisted us. “He called some people. He even went to some people. It is politics. He sneaked out to visit some people and begged them to support. He has his reasons and they were convincing.” 
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio The statement read: “The election of Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, CON and Rt. Honourable Tajudeen Abbas as the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives for the 10th National Assembly is a good development. “I heartily congratulate them and also rejoice with the new Deputy Senate President Jibril Barau and House of Representatives Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu for their well-deserved victories. “Being elected by their peers as presiding officers and assuming the leadership of the National Assembly is a great honour that comes with huge responsibility. I trust that you will justify the confidence reposed in you by your members and many Nigerians. “I wish Senator Abdulaziz Yari, Honourable member Idris Wase and Honourable Aminu Jaji who enriched the process with their participation in the leadership election the best and a successful tenure in the 10th National Assembly. “I urge them to sustain the same level of enthusiasm they brought to the leadership contest in the discharge of their duties to their constituents and Nigeria. “My congratulations to all members of the National Assembly, across party lines, who, today, enlisted into the service of the blessed people of our great country.” He further said, “We have all been called upon and accepted the responsibility to diligently and faithfully serve our fatherland with the oath we took. It is time to get on and move swiftly with the business of governance in the service of Nigeria. 
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Senator Tajudeen Abbas “As your President, I am prepared to transparently work with the National Assembly. Nigerians expect distinguished Senators and Honourable members to make laws and carry out oversight duties that will enhance the performance of government to achieve successful outcomes including improving their quality of life. “In the course of our work together, disagreements may occur. When we disagree it will not be out of malice, ill-will and quest to diminish the institution of National Assembly or any individual member. “Our people across the length and breadth of our country expect so much from us. They want us to lift their economic burden. They want us eliminate insecurity so our farmers in rural communities can go to their farms and produce the food we eat. “Our people look up to us to change the fortune of our country for good and remove all barriers that impede progress. All of these we can make happen with dedication and commitment. “ “We can only achieve all the good things we promised during our campaigns when we work together in harmony but with respect for our respective prerogatives and in the best interest of our country. “We cannot afford to waste this opportunity because Nigerians want us to make every day of the next four years count. Justifiably, our people want more from their government. They truly deserve progressive good governance that will improve their standards of living. We must give them our best. “I will remain a partner in progress for peace, stability and prosperity of Nigeria. I count on the leadership of the 10th National Assembly and all members to work and walk with me on this governmental journey.” 
MKO Abiola While addressing reporters on Monday, Mr Dele Oladeji, State Chairman of the party to mark Nigeria’s Democracy Day said in a statement that the party wanted Tinubu to declare MKO as president-elect of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election so as to bring an end to a long lingering injustice against Nigerians. Oladeji noted that the “June 12 Day” remained a blight and watershed on the checkered democratic history of Nigeria and Africa “We request a release of the official result of June 12, a declaration of late MKO as the president-elect and presentation of insignia office and necessary compensation to his family.” The chairman stated that the requests would bring an end to long lingering injustice and correct devastating social and electoral bills against Nigerians and Nigeria. “This request will not be for only late MKO Abiola but for all Nigerians and the world at large, who will feel a huge relief. “It will also restore their faith and hope in the country afresh. “At this time, the June 12 Day should start to be celebratory like the Martin Luther King Jr. Day. “Also, it should stop being a day we keep mourning the injustice, loss to lives and property and the democratic rape of June 12 debacle,” he said. The chairman reiterated that a fulfilment of the party’s request would shore up renewed hope in the democratic system of Nigeria and Africa. He explained that it would bring a lot of maturity and faith in the democratic system in Nigeria. “It will build trust, faith and hope in the government of Tinubu, develop and foster rapid growth of the judicial and justice system and process in Nigeria.” Oladeji said this was the right to bring Justice to June 12 because a few of the active actors are still alive. “Ex-president Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida who annulled the election is still alive, Prof. Maurice Iwu, the third INEC chairman who conducted the election, Prof. Wole Soyinka and Mr Dele Momodu. “Others are Dr Kayode Fayemi and President Bola Tinubu l, who were major actors and prominent agitators in the June 12 debacle. “Tinubu was not only a victim and active actor but also went on exile with other like- minds, members and leadership of NADECO,” he said. The chairman said the party looked forward to the official announcement of the result of the June 12, 1993 election and declaration of the winner while congratulating the President on the eventual victory of the Feb. 25, presidential election. “We wish the President and Nigerians a successful tenure and a prosperous reign.” The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that former President Muhammadu Buhari on June 6, 2018, declared June 12 as Nigeria’s democracy day instead of May 29 in honour of late Chief M.K.O Abiola. Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election died in detention for an alleged treason. The declaration followed many years of agitations by civil society groups that Abiola must be immortalized. According to Buhari, the change was to remind all Nigerians of one free election after which the presumed winner along with Nigerians were denied their rights and their choices. Meanwhile, the Secretary of M.K.O. Abiola’s family, Ameen Abiola said the family expects President Bola Tinubu to pay the presidential entitlements of the deceased. Ameen addressed reporters on Monday at a prayer session at the M.K.O. Abiola family house in Gbagura, Abeokuta, the Ogun capital. The family said beyond payment of the entitlements, they look forward to seeing the government to implement the promises Abiola made to Nigerians. Ameen noted that they believe the current administration would ensure that all “incentives due to Abiola get to the family.” “This government has the capacity to ensure that all incentives that are due to the Abiola family get to us. “I believe this government would do everything to make sure that we get what we should have gotten from the previous government,” he added. 
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu On behalf of SERAP, Kolawole Oluwadare, Ms Adelanke Aremo, Ms Valentina Adegoke, and Ayomide Johnson, at the Federal High Court in Lagos, said SERAP “is seeking an order of mandamus to direct and compel President Tinubu to promptly probe allegations that USD$2.1 billion and N3.1 trillion public funds are missing and unaccounted for between 2016 and 2019.” SERAP also sought, “An order of mandamus to compel President Tinubu to direct the anti-corruption agencies to promptly probe fuel subsidy payments made by governments since the return of democracy in 1999, name and shame and prosecute suspected perpetrators, and to recover any proceeds of crimes.” “Ann order of mandamus to direct and compel President Tinubu to use any recovered proceeds of crime as palliatives to address the impact of the subsidy removal on poor Nigerians, and to put in place mechanisms for transparency and accountability in the oil sector.” In the suit, SERAP, argued that: “The allegations that US$2.1 billion and N3.1 trillion of public funds are missing and unaccounted amount to a fundamental breach of national anticorruption laws and the country’s international obligations including under the UN Convention against Corruption to which Nigeria is a state party. “The Tinubu government has constitutional and international legal obligations to get to the bottom of these allegations and ensure accountability for these serious crimes against the Nigerian people. “Directing and compelling President Tinubu to promptly probe, name and shame and bring to justice the perpetrators and to recover any missing public funds would advance the right of Nigerians to restitution, compensation and guarantee of non-repetition.” The suit, read in part: “There will be no economic growth or sustainability without accountability for the human rights crimes. “Poor and socio-economically vulnerable Nigerians should not be made to continue to pay the price for the stealing of the country’s oil wealth while state and non-state actors pocket public funds. “Investigating and prosecuting the allegations, and recovering any missing public funds would serve the public interest, ensure justice and accountability, and end the entrenched impunity of perpetrators.” “According to the audited reports between 2016 and 2019 by the Auditor General of the Federation (AGF), the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) failed to remit N663,896,567,227.58 into the Federation Account. The Auditor-General fears that the money may be missing.” “The NNPC also reportedly failed to account for the allocation of crude oil to refineries in 2019. 107,239,436.00 barrels of crude oil were lifted as domestic crude without any document. The Auditor-General fears that the crude valued at N55,891,009,960.63 may have been diverted,” among others.” 
Dave Umahi, former governor of Ebonyi state The Senator-elect stressed that the president will not distance himself from people who worked for his victory during the election, including himself. “So be assured that Mr President is not going to leave out people like El-Rufai and the rest of us who worked very hard for him. “You can see his track records. He doesn’t betray anybody. So be very much assured that my good friend El-Rufai is going to play a major role. “I’m not speaking for Mr President, but I’m speaking bearing in mind the character of him I know too well,” he spoke with Arise Television in Abuja. 
Political activist, Reno Omokri. Credit: RenoOmokri / Twitter “The suspension of Godwin Emefiele, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, by President Bola Tinubu is not in good taste. It appears to be a vindictive act, to punish Mr Emefiele for the patriotic Naira redesign policy, which was meant, among other things, to reduce the impact of money on the #NigerianElections2023. President Tinubu started well. Indeed, I have had cause to praise him. But he should not mar the progress he has made by this act of seeming vengeance. The country needs unity and stability after a fractious election. Now is the time for appeasement, not punishment. It is hoped that the President will reconsider his actions for the nation’s greater good.” He said. The suspension of Godwin Emefiele, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, by President Bola Tinubu is not in good taste. It appears to be a vindictive act, to punish Mr Emefiele for the patriotic Naira redesign policy, which was meant, among other things, to reduce the… — Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) June 9, 2023 
