Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, on Thursday has debunked claims he approved some controversial contracts awarded by the NNPC Group Managing Director, Maikantu Bari. The Vice President said that he only approved two loans for the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and not contracts.
But Osinbajo’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande had earlier said that the Vice President approved contracts for NNPC.
Akande informed that the contracts were approved after due diligence when he was acting President at the time President Muhammadu Buhari was away in the United Kingdom.
Newsheadline247 gathered that the VP’s aide said his principal approved the recommendations for the contracts as part of necessary actions to deal with the backlog of unpaid cash calls and incentivise investments.
Akande also added that Prof. Osinbajo needed to make the clarification in view of media enquiries that followed NNPC’s claim that the contracts were indeed approved by Osinbajo.
Here is Akande’s tweet: “In response to media inquiries on NNPC joint venture financing, VP Osinbajo, as Ag President approved recommendations after due diligence & adherence to established procedure.
“Action necessary to deal with huge backlog of unpaid cash calls which Buhari adm inherited and also to incentivise much needed fresh investments in the oil & gas sector,” Akande had tweeted.
Against Akande’s tweets, Prof. Osibajo said he only granted ‘loans and not contracts’. He said this on Thursday in bonny Island where he flagged off the Bodo-Bonny Road, Rivers State.
The Vice President in his words said ”They were financing loans, joint venture loans, that have procured so in some cases NNPC ventures have to secure loans and they need the authorization to secure those loans.
“While the President was away, I granted authorization which is what the law provides.
“The law actually provides for that authorization, so I did grant all of those, in fact, there were two of them but those are presidential approvals but they are specifically for financing joint ventures and they are Loans not Contracts”, the Vice President stated.
Intels Nigeria Limited, INL, on Wednesday kicked against the termination of its Pilotage Agency Agreement by the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA.
In its reaction on Wednesday, the company described the action as “preposterous” and highly injurious to Nigeria.
The company was reacting to decision of the NPA to terminate the agreement between the agency and Intels, several months after both parties had disagreements over the company’s operations in Nigerian ports.
On June 27, PREMIUM TIMES exclusively reported how the Nigerian government was making moves against the operations of Intels, partly owned by former Nigerian vice-president and a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Atiku Abubakar.
The company was founded over three decades ago by Gabriele Volpi, an Italian national who also has Nigerian citizenship, and former Vice-President, Mr. Abubakar.
Earlier in April, President Muhammadu Buhari had approved the recommendations of the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, breaking the near-monopoly of Mr. Atiku’s Intels in the handling of oil and gas cargoes in the country.
But on September 27, Mr. Malami, wrote to the Managing Director of NPA, Hadiza Bala-Usman, directing her to terminate the boats pilotage monitoring and supervision agreement that the agency had with Intels, saying that the contract was illegal.
According to THISDAY newspaper, Mr. Malami in the said letter had stated that the agreement which had allowed Intels to receive revenue on behalf of NPA for 17 years, was in contravention of the Nigerian Constitution, especially in view of the implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy of government.
But Intels, in a statement on Wednesday, disclosed that following the letter from the Mr. Malami, directing NPA to terminate the pilotage agreement, NPA promptly ended the contract on October 10, without inviting it as the other party to the agreement for negotiation.
It also alleged that the NPA acted without due recourse to the terms of the agreement that specify conditions precedent before a party can exit the contract.
Based on the directive, Intels stands to lose several millions of dollars in commissions for the monitoring and supervision pilotage services it handles on behalf of NPA on Nigerian coastal waters.
Mr. Malami, in the letter, made it expressly clear that the agreement violated Sections 80(1) and 162(1) and (10) of the constitution, and wondered that both NPA and Intels did not avert their minds to the relevant provisions when they were negotiating the agreement in 2010.
But in its reaction on Wednesday, Intels argued that the termination of the agreement which was conveyed to the firm in a letter signed by the NPA boss on Tuesday, was “clearly preposterous and the consequences highly injurious” to the interests of Nigeria.
In a letter signed by a Director of Intels, Silvano Bellinato, the logistic firm said the action by NPA would force it to reconsider its multi-billion dollar investment at the Badagry deep seaport in Lagos, adding that the investment would have created thousands of direct and indirect jobs for Nigerians.
It explained that it had invested too much in the country and if the Nigerian government was not prepared to respect the sanctity of its contract, it would resort to the courts to challenge NPA’s action.
The company, therefore, gave NPA seven days to reconsider the decision, look into the critical areas of their relationship and to agree on a common solution.
According to the company, the NPA’s failure to address its concern shall lead to arbitration.
The company also alleged that the NPA was indebted to it to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars.
“Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) acknowledged a debt towards Intels Nigeria Limited (INL) in the sum of 674,767,415.00 US$ (in addition to the interests accrued in the meantime),” it said.
“NPA communicated the need to reconcile the sum of 109,000,000.00 US$ for the additional works carried out; NPA informed INL about the implementation to be discussed in respect of a ‘transit account’ called NPA service boat revenue collection account domiciled at one of the banks indicated by you and the related standard operating procedures (SOP); NPA confirmed 28% agency commission to INL and the 72% balance to be shared between NPA and INL in the ratio 30:70.
It stated further: “On March 27th 2017, we replied to every point in your letter of 15th March as stated below: INL took note of NPA’s acknowledgement of debt; INL declared availability to meet NPA in order to discuss the details for the certification of the 109,000,000.00 US$ for the additional works carried out.
“INL requested for postponement of the SOP application. On April 19th 2017, NPA acknowledged our acceptance of NPA’s proposal in respect of 28% agency commission (already included in the existing running Agency Agreement) and in particular to the 30% – 70% split, respectively to NPA and INL, related to the 72% balance. This would imply that the 30% is to be remitted on a monthly basis to NPA while the 70% is to be applied towards reducing the indebtedness to INL.
“Regarding the TSA application, NPA reiterated the strategic importance of such a request. However it is noted that TSA was not part of the existing agency agreement between the parties.”
Meanwhile, the company said that on May 5, it replied NPA’s letter of April 19 proposing the opening of a jointly signed account between INL and NPA in which the boat service revenues would have been directed.
Mr. Bellinato explained that: “Afterwards the account holders, with relative proxies, would remit the respective portions due to the parties, being 30% in favour of NPA and 70% in favour of INL.
Intels office building (Photo Credit: The Guardian)
“In the same letter we indicated our availability to identify the bank, from among the ones indicated by NPA; regarding the reasons of our proposal we firmly reiterated the precariousness of our financial status, mainly attributable to the credits towards NPA and heavily financed by various credit institutions.
“Such circumstances rendered alternative solutions to the ones suggested by us unviable, and also taking into consideration the inapplicability of TSA to running contracts in the manner proposed by NPA.
“Clearly, deduction of entitlements due to INL from collections under the Agreement, and payment of the balance into the designated NPA account for TSA purposes, would be in compliance with the TSA policy.”
The logistic firm also maintained that the decision by NPA to terminate the Agency Agreement, which was totally unexpected in consideration of the meetings held by the parties and exchange of letters, was clearly preposterous and the consequences highly injurious to the interests of the company.
“Hence, in compliance with the Article 12 of the Agency Agreement between the NPA and INL, we hereby request you to schedule a meeting within seven days from the date
of this letter, in order to analyse the residual critical areas of our relationship and to agree, to the possible extent, on a common solution.
“Should this not happen, we hereby notify you that, in accordance with Article 13 of the Agreement, we will refer the matters to arbitration, in order to safeguard our company from the significant damages and other adverse consequences that may result from this rather unbecoming decision,” it said. Premium Times
Guardian NG Super Eagles’ Technical Manager, Gernot Rohr has revealed his plans to build a formidable team before the Russia 2018 World Cup.
The coach believes some of the current players in the Super Eagles are not the materials he would rely on for a successful campaign in the World Cup finals in Russia, adding that he has the ambition of surpassing Nigeria’s previous performance in the event.
Although the 64-year-old Franco-German was delighted at the Eagles’ qualification for the global showpiece, he said the team needed a major surgery before the FIFA World Cup finals.
“Players in the mould of Zinedine Zidane and Thiery Henry, who once played under me, are the calibre of stars I would want in the Super Eagles to execute the World Cup finals in Russia,” Rohr said.
Insisting that he has not yet assembled his choice World Cup team, Rohr was emphatic that he would parade his best players in the group final game against Algeria in Constantine on November 6.
Remarkably, Nigeria is making her sixth FIFA World Cup appearance since its debut in USA ‘94. The Eagles were at France ‘98, Japan/Korea 2002, South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014.
Sources close to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said the German is expected to disclose to the federation his World Cup programme before he travels to Europe. These will include plans for grade A friendlies and training tours to prepare the players for the Russia 2018 World Cup campaign.
Meanwhile, Algeria has parted ways with their manager, Lucas Alcaraz following the team’s elimination from the race to Russia.
Superdeporte.es reports that the coach, who has a win record of one in four games since taking over from George Leekens when the Belgian resigned in February, has already returned to Spain.
Algeria are out of the race to qualify for the World Cup after picking up just one point in five games, in a group where they were viewed as favourite to qualify when the draws were made. They lost 0-2 to Cameroon at the weekend.
It has been a disastrous campaign for them as Alcaraz only took charge of the team in April following the resignation of Leekens in February before their reverse tie against Nigeria.
They are now searching for their fifth coach in just over a year since the start of the qualifiers for the World Cup 2018, where they are rooted to the bottom of group B.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger conceded on Thursday he may have no option but to sell star players Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil in the January transfer window.
The pair are both out of contract at the end of the season and are yet to agree new deals.
As things stand, they will be able to leave the Emirates Stadium for free, meaning January will be Arsenal’s last opportunity to cash in on their two most high-profile players.
“It is possible,” Wenger told a press conference ahead of his side’s trip to Watford on Saturday. “Once you’re in our kind of situation, we have envisaged every solution, yes.”
Asked if Arsenal had set a deadline for contract negotiations with the pair to conclude, Wenger replied: “No. Not at the moment.”
Chile forward Sanchez, 28, joined Arsenal from Barcelona in July 2014, a year after 28-year-old Germany playmaker Ozil’s arrival from Real Madrid.
The signings electrified Arsenal’s fan base, but for all their quality, the duo have thus far been unable to end the club’s 14-year wait for the Premier League title.
Sanchez has been linked with a number of major clubs, among them Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.
Ozil, meanwhile, is reported to have attracted interest from Manchester United, who are managed by his former Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho.
Earlier this week, Ozil’s agent, Erkut Sogut, indicated talks with Arsenal were progressing positively.
“That’s my understanding, yes,” said Wenger.
“I always said the fact that we didn’t find an agreement last year doesn’t mean the player will necessarily leave. Both players look happy here and overall I hope the situation can be turned around.”
The Police have disclosed why popular singer Davido – David Adeleke – is being questioned again concerning sudden death of his friend, Tagbo, societynow reports.
Lagos Police Commissioner Edga Imohimi made the disclosure during a briefing on Wednesday October 11 2017.
According to Societynow, the crack officer stated “at the General Hospital on Lagos Island, the CSO of the hospital by name Oparah Moshood had informed the DPO of the Lion Building Police Station that an unidentified male was brought in dead in an ash coloured Toyota Hilux with registration number LXB 738 EX. The dead victim was brought in by 2 unidentified male.
On searching the body of the deceased, the police found an international passport with the name Tagbo Umeike.
You can recall that one Caroline Danjuma an actress and the victim’s fiance, published on her Instagram page that her fiance died in the company of friends including one David Adeleke aka Davido. To be objective and in my usual style of fact finding, I called for a pre-investigative meeting in my conference room.
In that meeting were all the parties including family and friends of the deceased, family and friends of Davido and of course that of Danjuma and the DPO of Lion Building and the IPO were also present.
The meeting confirmed the following, that “Tagbo Umeike” on the day in question met and had drinks with friends including Davido at ‘Sushi Bar’.
The CCTV camera footage of the bar was called for and it showed that the victim had “40 takes of Tequila”.
During that meeting, Davido said he left the bar for DNA night club. He stated that he was only informed of the victim’s death at DNA Bar.
However investigation conducted into the case has clearly revealed that one Tunde Yusufu, a driver and the driver of Davido’s white Toyota Hilux Vehicle accompanied by one Agbaje Olaoye and one Idris Busare both Davido’s friends took the deceased to Lagos Island General Hospital and abandoned him in the car in front of the hospital on the instruction of Davido.
“The CCTV footage at the General Hospital picked up the white Hilux vehicle and captured the entire incident. The vehicle was recovered at No 7 Awosika Street, Lekki Phase 1”.
The police said the new revelation completely debunked Davido’s claim that he did not know how the deceased got to the General Hospital in Lagos.
“For this reason, I have instructed the DPO Lion Building and the investigating officers that they should invite Davido for questioning. It is in our interest to know why the victim was taken to General Hospital and dumped him, and why those who took him there fled the location without as much as notifying the hospital authority or reporting to the police.
“That calls for questioning. As I am talking to you, Davido has been re-invited for questioning.
He is at the Lion Building Police Station. The autopsy report on the deceased revealed that he died of “ASPHYXIA” which in lay man’s term is suffocation. At the end of this sub round of investigation, I will again let Lagosians know our findings”. SocietyNow.ng
The Nigerian government has directed the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to terminate the boats pilotage monitoring and supervision agreement that the agency has with Intels Nigeria Limited, a company co-owned by former vice president Atiku Abubakar.
According to media reports, Government says the contract with Intels, a leading integrated logistics and facilities services provider in the maritime and oil and gas logistics sectors of the country, was void ab initio.”
Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mallam Abubakar Malami (SAN), in a letter dated September 27, 2017 to the Managing Director of the NPA, Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman, said that the agreement, which has allowed Intels to receive revenue on behalf of NPA for 17 years, violates the Nigerian Constitution, especially in view of the implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy of government.
Intels, also co-owned by Mr. Gabriel Volpi, an Italian national who also has Nigerian citizenship, will lose several millions of dollars in the cancelled deal.
In the maritime industry, pilotage is compulsory for all ships of 35 metres overall length or greater unless a valid Pilotage Exemption Certificate is held by the ship’s master.
In return for the service, ship owners/companies are required to pay a pilotage fee, which Intels collects on NPA’s behalf and retains 28 per cent of the revenue as commission for the services rendered.
In the memo obtained by Thisday newspaper, Malami stated that the agreement violates Sections 80(1) and 162(1) and (10) of the constitution, and wondered that the parties – NPA and Intels – did not avert their minds to the relevant provisions when they were negotiating the agreement in 2010.
Section 80(1) of the constitution states: “All revenues or other moneys raised or received by the Federation (not being revenues or other moneys payable under this Constitution or any Act of the National Assembly into any other public fund of the Federation established for a specific purpose) shall be paid into and form one Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation.”
Section 162(1) states: “The Federation shall maintain a special account to be called ‘the Federation Account’ into which shall be paid all revenues collected by the Government of the Federation, except the proceeds from the personal income tax of the personnel of the armed forces of the Federation, the Nigeria Police Force, the Ministry or department of government charged with responsibility for Foreign Affairs and the residents of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.”
While sub-section 10 of the same section states: “For the purpose of subsection (1) of this section, ‘revenue’ means any income or return accruing to or derived by the Government of the Federation from any source and includes: (a) any receipt, however described, arising from the operation of any law; (b) any return, however described, arising from or in respect of any property held by the Government of the Federation; (c) any return by way of interest on loans and dividends in respect of shares or interest held by the Government of the Federation in any company or statutory body.”
In the letter titled: “Request for Clarification of Conflict Between Executed Agreement and Federal Government Treasury Single Account Policy,” the attorney general said: “I refer to your letter dated 31st May 2017, ref: MD/17/MF/Vol.XX/583 in respect of the above subject matter wherein you sought clarification on the legal issues implicated by the continuous implementation of the Managing Agent Contract Agreement dated 11th February 2010 executed between the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Intels Nigeria Limited for the provision of boats pilotage operations, in the light of the Federal Government of Nigeria’s Treasury Singe Account (TSA) policy.
“Upon my review of your letter under reference and the relevant agreements, I have been able to conclude inevitably that the terms of the agreement as agreed by parties and the dynamics of its implementation which permits Intels to receive revenue generated on behalf of NPA ab initio, clearly violates express provisions of Sections 80(1) and 162(1) and (10) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended). It is thus curious that parties did not avert their minds to the above provisions of the constitution whilst negotiating the agreement.
“The inherent illegality of the agreement as formed has since been expounded by the TSA policy issued by the Head of Service of the Federation on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria directing all ministries, departments and agencies to collect payment of all revenues due to the federal government or any of her agencies through the TSA.
“The objective of the presidential directive (TSA policy) in exercise of the executive powers of the president under Section 5 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) was in furtherance of the spirit and intent of Sections 80 and 162 of the constitution and to aid transparency in government revenue collection and management.
“NPA being an agency of the federal government is bound by the TSA policy and has not howsoever been exempt therefrom. Due to the constitutional nature of the TSA, where there is a conflict between the TSA and the terms of the agreement, the TSA shall prevail.
“Therefore all monies due to the NPA currently being collected by Intels and any other agents/third parties on behalf of NPA must henceforth be paid into the TSA or any of the sub-accounts linked thereto in the Central Bank of Nigeria (information of the account will be communicated in due course) in accordance with the TSA policy.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the agreement for the monitoring and supervision of pilotage districts in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Nigeria on terms inter alia that permits Intels to receive revenue generated in each pilotage district from service boat operations in consideration for 28% of total revenue as commission to Intels is void, being a contract ex facie illegal as formed for permitting Intels to receive federal government revenue contrary to the express provisions of Sections 80(1) and 162(1) and (10) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which mandates that such revenue must be paid into the Federation Account/Consolidated Revenue Fund.
“In the premise of the above, the conflict between the agreement and the TSA policy presents a force majeure event under the agreement, and NPA should forthwith commence the process of issuing the relevant notices to Intels exiting the agreement which indeed was void ab initio.”
In 2014, Atiku disclosed how he co-founded Intels and said: ”Of all the businesses into which I would venture, the most successful and the most lucrative would be a small oil services company I established with an Italian business man in the early 1980s.”
“I met Gabriel Volpi when he was working at Apapa Ports in 1982. The Genoa, Italy-born Volpi was a director in MED Africa, a shipping company.
“Volpi suggested we go into oil and gas logistics. He knew Nigeria’s future was in oil and gas. We registered the Nigeria Container Services (NICOTES), operating from a container office at Apapa Ports. I was not involved in the running of the company.
“NICOTES relocated later to the Federal Lighter Terminal in Port Harcourt when the business began to grow. The company, now known as INTELS (Integrated and Logistics Services), has grown into a multi-billion naira business providing over 15,000 jobs in Nigeria and other African countries, and paying hefty dividends to its shareholders.” PointBlank News
Ibe Kachikwu, minister of state for petroleum resources, submitted his controversial memo to the office of President Muhammadu Buhari only after it was leaked to the media, TheCable can report.
Whereas the letter — dated August 30, 2017 — leaked on Tuesday, October 3, 2017, he submitted it only on Thursday, October 5.
Buhari was said to have been surprised that he had not seen a letter supposedly written to him before it appeared in the media. He immediately raised an internal query on its whereabouts.
It was initially thought to be a fake letter by presidency until the ministry of state for petroleum resources confirmed it was written by Kachikwu in a press statement on October 4.
The registry of the chief of staff, which takes delivery of official mails for the president, denied receiving any such letter from the minister.
In standard public sector practice, all incoming mails are stamped “received” with date, time and signature of the receiving clerk all recorded. An acknowledgement copy is then given to the sender.
Kachikwu was asked by presidency to provide an acknowledgment copy of his letter, TheCable understands, but he said he could not find it, further fuelling internal suspicion that there was a political slant to the controversy.
ONLINE VERSION
He was then directed to submit another copy, which was received and stamped “received” on October 5.
However, the formatting of the letter he submitted on Thursday was different from what was circulated in the media, although the substance is the same.
In the new copy, the last paragraph on the opening page had four lines, whereas there were only two lines in the internet version with the other two lines “jumping” into the second page, TheCable learnt.
On page 6, the subheading of the first paragraph was “STOP” — but this was not in the online version.
It was also said that his story became inconsistent along the line.
In the fresh copy Kachikwu sent to the office of the president on October 5, he wrote in the covering note that he was “re-sending” what he had earlier sent “to the registry of the chief of staff”, but TheCable understands that when he was asked at a security meeting on Tuesday, he said he actually sent the letter to Daura, where the president had gone for the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations.
NO MEETING
The president does not have official mail receiving facility in his hometown but sources said Kachikwu might have requested someone to hand-deliver it to him and the courier might have failed to do so.
Kachikwu, who complained in his memo about insubordination and humiliation by the group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Maikanti Baru, in the widely publicised letter, was at the presidential villa on Friday, October 6 — ostensibly for a meeting with the Buhari.
Although it was reported in the media, TheCable inclusive, that he met with Buhari that day, it has turned out no such meeting was held.
TheCable confirmed that he was only able to meet presidential aides and that was why there were no pictures with Buhari and he did not make any comments to the State House media on the visit.
However, an angry Buhari ordered Baru to reply Kachikwu’s letter through the media since that was also where he read the minister’s complaints.
Buhari, sources told TheCable, believes the letter was meant to embarrass him because as the petroleum minister, he, and not Kachikwu, has the supervisory function over NNPC.
CONTRACT AWARDS
Baru was specifically instructed to explain the contract-awarding process at the NNPC under the procedures established by Kachikwu himself when he was GMD.
The NNPC, in a statement by Ndu Ughamadu, the group general manager (group public affairs), on Monday denied Kachikwu’s allegations and maintained that no law had been broken in the contract awards, most of which were not on cash basis and could not be valued as done by the minister in the memo.
But the corporation was silent on the issue of key management appointments which Kachikwu complained were made without his knowledge.
Aso Rock insiders also dismissed Kachikwu’s claims that he was denied access to the president which he said forced him to write the memo.
“The president was away on medical leave from May 7 to August 19. While still settling in, he went to Daura for the Sallah break, and not longer after that he went for the UN general assembly,” a senior presidency official told TheCable.
“Kachikwu dated his letter August 30th. When was he prevented from seeing the president? Kachikwu had been doing a lot of travelling, from the Netherlands to Abu Dhabi, Beijing, Washington DC and other places all the while.”
TheCable tried to get in touch with Kachikwu but he did not pick his calls or respond to messages all throughout Tuesday.
However, an associate of the minister said Kachikwu was not responsible for the media leak, and that he made frantic efforts to stop the publication but it was too late.
All mischief is in essence, evil. Ask Captain Hosa Okunbo. The prominent oil mogul experienced a rude sting from serenity, in the wake of rumours that he and his peers have ganged up and taken sides with Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, Minister of State for Petroleum, against Maikantu Baru, Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Okunbo, whose firm, Ocean Marine Services (OMS) is a major player in the oil sector, has issued a vehement rebuttal to the rumours, stressing that he has no reason to antagonise Baru.
“For the record, Ocean Marine Solutions (OMS) Limited was contracted by the NNPC to provide security coverage for the crude oil transportation because of its longstanding sterling reputation in maritime security. This became imperative after NNPC had offered PPP Fluid Mechanics Limited (his indigenous procurement and oilfield services company) a contract to transport crude from Escravos to Warri refinery when it had become highly uneconomical to transport crude oil between these locations through the pipelines in view of government’s huge expenditure for the maintenance and repairs of the Escravos-Warri broken crude oil pipeline.
“Upon satisfaction with the delivery of PPPFM and OMS, the companies were adjudged competent and capable of continued transportation of the crude by the NNPC. It was Dr. Baru who gave us a Crude Delivery through pipelines contracts. So, we have no reason to take sides against him. We are not political jobbers. We are industry people,” he said, in an exclusive chat with The Capital.
He disclosed that a letter of comfort was issued to his firm, OMS, to deliver the crude lines to the refinery at their cost without any commitment from NNPC under the minister Ibe Kachikwu when he was also GMD and this was also successfully commissioned under him without a contract.
It was at the resumption of Dr. Baru, who saw the injustice, that a proper contract was put in place, after serious negotiation with the various departments of the NNPC, and ever since, we have been delivering crude to the refineries without blemish.
Okunbo stressed that neither he or his colleague, Tunde Ayeni, are engaged in any plot against the NNPC boss. He emphasised that the rumour was the handiwork of mischief makers who are hell-bent on ruining his good name and the decent relationship he enjoys with Baru.
It would be recalled that speculations of Okunbo’s alignment with anti-Baru forces rent the social space, soon after the NNPC boss engaged Kachikwu in a dirty public fight, with President Muhammadu Buhari’s alleged backing.
Characters described as mischief makers by Okunbo, spread rumours that the OMS boss and peer are miffed over perceived unfair treatment being meted to the petroleum minister, courtesy Baru.
Okunbo has however, dismissed the rumours, stressing that whatever is going on between Kachikwu and Baru is an administrative matter. He said that neither he or his friend, Ayeni, is involved in such plot against Baru. The OMS boss described Baru as a fair and competent administrator. So mischief makers beware. Culled fromThe Capital NG
Wale Odunsi, deputy editor of Daily Post missed death by the whiskers on Wednesday as a mobile police personnel attached to the Government House in Kogi threatened to shoot him.
Odunsi had travelled to the state to honour an invitation to the rescheduled Kogi State Social Media Summit.
The programme was slated for Wednesday 11th and Thursday 12th October 2017.
Those invited were also scheduled to meet Governor Yahaya Bello at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Lokoja, Kogi State.
Narrating the incident to newsmen, Odunsi said it was divine intervention that saved him from being killed.
He said: “when I got there, I called to the special assistant to the Governor on New Media, Joel Odaudu Minister, that I was on my way to the Govt. House.
“I got there and walked towards the gate. As I approached the gate directly opposite the entrance of the governor’s wife office entrance, one of the protocol officials wearing White native charged towards me.
“In an unruly manner, he queried why I was trying to barge into the premises. So I asked ‘Oga, you didn’t have to shout at me like that. I was only looking for who to ask for direction’.
“Apparently infuriated by my guts, he dragged and pushed me away. Within seconds, a mobile policeman got up and slapped me. He used abusive words and warned me to move away. But I kept asking what I did to warrant the treatment.
“At this point, the protocol officer and two mobile policemen were taking turns to hit me on the chest while pushing me backwards; one slapped me the second time.
“I calmly walked some meters away and told and called Joel, the governor’s aide. As soon as he came, the security officials cornered him and were trying to change the story.
“I hurriedly strolled to where they were and insisted to know why I was assaulted. By this time, one of the policemen I believe is superior and another man wearing a blue safari suit and white T-shirt warned me to leave the area or face the consequences.
“The policeman’s eyes were red as if thirsty for blood. He kept screaming that he will punish with me mercilessly. So I called his name out, Iliya Ali: I told him to his face that I will report the incident to appropriate authority.
“On hearing that I called his name, he reached for his holster and attempted to bring out his gun. He said: ‘I will show you if na your mama, your papa or your any person you wan report me to give me name’.
“He also asked the Governor’s aide to leave the scene so he can deal with me. All the while, he was trying to bring out his gun while the governor’s aide was asking him to calm down.
“I sensed he might make real his threat so I stopped another okada and left the scene. I spoke to the Force spokesman, who sent Kogi CP’s number. I tried to reach him but it wasn’t successful, so I sent him SMS.
“I have left the state already before my time is cut short,” he narrated. Report by Daily Post
European countries are scrambling to cobble together a package of measures they hope will keep the Iran nuclear deal on track if U.S. President Donald Trump ignores their pleas and decertifies the landmark 2015 agreement this week.
The package would include a strong statement backing the deal by European powers, together with efforts to lobby the U.S. Congress and put wider pressure on Iran, officials said.
But without strong U.S. support for the deal, senior officials in Berlin, Paris and London say it may be only a matter of time before the pact between Tehran and six world powers unravels, with grave consequences for Middle East security, nonproliferation efforts and transatlantic ties.
The two-year-old agreement, under which Iran agreed to freeze its nuclear program for 15 years in exchange for sanctions relief, is viewed in Europe as a rare triumph of international diplomacy in the Middle East.
As tensions over North Korea’s nuclear activities risk boiling over into all-out war, any move by the United States to undermine the Iran deal is seen in Europe as utter folly.
European capitals have been delivering this message to the White House and Congress in one of the most intense lobbying campaigns in recent memory. In the past weeks, European ambassadors have met dozens of U.S. lawmakers. And on Tuesday, British Prime Minister Theresa May lobbied Trump by phone.
Despite this, Trump is expected declare this week that Iran is not complying with the pact. He is also due to unveil a tough new strategy toward Iran – including designating its Revolutionary Guards Corps as a terrorist organization – that could sink the deal.
“If the feeling is the United States no longer supports the agreement then the political reality is that the deal will be in serious jeopardy and its implementation will be very difficult,” a senior French diplomat told Reuters.
A decision by Trump to decertify would not automatically kill the agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The expectation is that Trump would kick the ball to Congress, which would then have 60 days to decide whether to reimpose sanctions lifted as part of the JCPOA.
THREE-PRONGED RESPONSE
European officials said they were preparing a three-pronged strategy if this does occur.
First, Berlin, London and Paris would issue statements reaffirming their commitment to the deal.
Second, they would redouble efforts to lobby Congress, which appears keen to keep the deal, against any rash moves.
And third, they would present measures to pressure Iran over its ballistic missile program and destabilizing policies in the Middle East — areas that fall outside the narrowly-focused nuclear deal.
French President Emmanuel Macron alluded to this at the United Nations last month. Diplomats said the package was still in the works and they had not yet briefed Brussels on it.
With the third step, the Europeans hope to build a bridge to Washington while keeping the JCPOA intact. But a German diplomat said ratcheting up pressure on Tehran was like walking a tightrope: push too hard and the whole deal could fall apart.
“We all knew the JCPOA wasn’t perfect, but by calling its benefits into question I see us only losing,” said a senior European diplomat who has been involved in negotiations with Iran since 2003, well before Washington joined the talks under President Barack Obama.
If Trump follows through on his threats it will be the second time in four months that he has distanced the United States from a major multilateral agreement despite intense lobbying by partners and members of his own cabinet.
But in Europe, the Iran move would be seen as far more damaging than Trump’s decision in June to pull out of the Paris climate accord.
