Features
Otti-Ikpeazu: Putting the records straight on KPMG report
It is often said in local parlance that somebody set for execution, must first of all be allowed to defend himself. It is also said that only a tree would hear that it would be cut down and still stand. Better still, as was popularlised by the late Sam Mbakwe, Governor of old Imo State, a rat does not eat the food of a man while he is still awake. In both law, and journalism, the maxim, audi autaram partem, the Latin expression for hearing the other side remains a grundnorm for ethical practice.
All these elements have been playing out in Abia State between Alex Otti, the state Governor and his officials on one side and Okezie Ikpeazu, his predecessor and his camp, on the other. At the heart of heart of it all is the back and forth allegations and counter being traded between the two on the handling of the state resources by the former, particularly that a whopping N107 billion grew wings under his care.
Otti, had Friday, April 19, 2024, at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, in the United States of America, where he delivered a lecture entitled: State of Governance and Economic Transition: Meeting the challenges, told his audience comprising indigenes of the state, residing in the US: “Talking about corruption, I had set up a forensic audit as soon as I took over office in Abia, last year (2023). So that there won’t be any argument, I called in one of the top three audit firms in the world, and not too long ago, they turned in their report, and some of the things in their report are frightening.
“So, some N9.3 billion was paid to seven contractors for contracts that were not executed at all up till today. Another N15.9 billion (N16 billion) was paid to 63 contractors with no supporting documents anywhere in the state. Another N12 billion was paid to two contractors for contracts that do not exist, out of this figure N10 billion was on September 25, 2020, paid to a contractor for the construction of the Abia State Airport.
“We have spent time trying to locate the airport and up till now have not been able to locate it… So, as we continue to look for our airport, we have also told the security agencies to help us search. When you juxtapose that with pensions that were lying unpaid for about 10 years and the salary arrears, just one of these headings, the N10 billion that was spent to build a non-existent airport, was exactly the amount of money our government used to take off the pension arrears.”
By that singular outing, the governor had drawn the axiomatic ant-infested faggots to himself as Ikpeazu and his camp have not rested in taking him to task to come clean of the entire revelations, particular on the Forensic Audit Report of the firm, which he claimed he relied on to make his assertions. Key among the allegations was that Ikpeazu, allocated N10 billion to a non-existent airport project in the state, which he attributed to the said audit report..
They accused him of not disclosing to the same audience in the US, after previously claiming that he met an empty treasury when he took office on May 29, 2023, that the Ikpeazu government actually left for him a net cash balance of N3,495,207,127.14 in various banks, where the state government operated about 78 accounts in 14 banks in the country.
Indeed, it turned out, they further stressed that Otti had on July 13, 2023, less than two months after assumption of office, engaged the services of KPMG, a globally reputable firm, to carry out a financial process review of the Ikpeazu administration from May 29, 2015 to May 28, 2023, when the former Governor left office.
However, he was said not also to have disclosed the terms of the review, which was contained in the report of KPMG, which was submitted to the government by electronic means, received by Dr. (Mrs.) Njum Onyemenam, Accountant General, Abia State Government and Michael Akpara, the Commissioner for Finance.
In the 360 page report, which was titled: Provision of Process Review Services; Project Azumini, Final Report of Factual Findings, submitted in March 2024, KPMG was clear on Page 15 of the document that, “(A). This assignment was not performed by us in the capacity of a statutory auditor. Hence, this is not any form of financial statements audit of ABSG or any entity listed in the report. We are therefore not required to render an opinion on the financial statements of ABSG or any entity listed in the report. (B) Rather, we have performed the procedures we considered appropriate in the circumstances and in line with relevant KPMG methodology. (C). We were also not required to review the adequacy or otherwise of the output of the prior or current external auditors and/or consultants of ABSG, and did not perform any of the following: (I) Conduct a trial and / or inquiry in the course of the assignment.
(II) Act as a tribunal, commission of inquiry or in judicial or quasi-judicial role.
(III) Perform, any adjudicatory function whatsoever in the course of the assignment.
(IV). Conduct any exercise with a view to determining whether any person was guilty or innocent of any offence.”
KPMG further clarified on Page 16 of the same report that it was limited to only the documents provided to it by the government and as such, could not be said to have exhaustively dealt with the review, since it did not see certain documents from the government. It said under “Limitations and subsequent events”, that, (A). We have included and records information relevant to the scope of work and objectives in line with the executed engagement letter of 13 July 2023, and as provided by the relevant MDAs of ABSG and the banks. Notwithstanding the foregoing, it is possible that documents and/or information exist, which were not made available to us.
(B) The provision of additional documents and / or information after submission of this final report will however attract a separate fee and timeline discussion between KPMG and ABSG.
(C). For ease of understanding of this report, specific limitations (if any) are stated in the relevant sections of this report.”
Instructively, the report warned the Otti-led government that the report was not a public document and that the agency shall not be answerable to the document being made public or queries from agencies of government, should the Abia State government decide to make it public or submit same to security agencies.
On Page 2 of the report, it said: “This final report is intended for the use of the Abia State Government (“ABSG”) and should not be used for any other purposes. This report may contain legally privileged and confidential information. No part of the content may be quoted, referred to or disclosed, in whole or in part, without KPMG’s prior written consent.
“Nothing in any part of this report shall preclude or subject to any limitation whatsoever the release of the report / communication by ABSG to any law enforcement or court of law to whose control ABSG is subject, or becomes subject, provided that KPMG shall accept no responsibility or liability to such agency of government in connection with their use of the report.
“ABSG acknowledges that KPMG to the fullest extent possible shall not assume any liability whatsoever to any third-party recipient of this report or any other person or authority whomsoever under any circumstances whatsoever, irrespective of whether KPMG has consented to the disclosure of this report to such a third party.
“ABSG shall indemnify and hold KPMG harmless against any claim, litigation fee, cost, expenses, or liability relating to the submission of this report to third parties by ABSG. KPMG may provide ABSG with oral, inception reports, status updates, draft reports, or draft presentations. Nonetheless, our final report shall take precedence in all circumstances, and therefore, no reliance should be placed by ABSG on any oral, inception report, status updates, draft reports, or draft presentations.”
But when Otti broke the ice by announcing the result of review in the United States and subsequently released the report, it drew serious rebuttal from the Ikpeazu camp. Ikpeazu warned Otti, to focus on governance and stop deceiving the people with lies and fiction.
Ikpeazu, who said that Otti was diverting attention from the quarterly financial reports of Abia State, which showed that his government has been reckless with funds, added: “Accounting for the N10billion, no dime was diverted. Otti is diverting attention from his own Quaterly financial report which captured him spending N3billion on research and other nonexistent projects.
“Why is it that he is using the same Ferrotex contractor, who he accused of receiving N10billion from us for major contracts today? What stopped him or his auditors from asking Ferrotex for explanations? We have decided to respond to him with evidence of jobs done. The time of truth has come.”
John Okiyi Kalu, Commissioner for Information under Ikpeazu, said that the alleged N10billion originally budgeted for the airport project was rechanneled into road projects, following the approval of the Executive Council, after traditional rulers in the state told Ikpeazu to forget an airport project but focus on fixing major roads in the state, adding that the royal fathers had told Ikpeazu that the airports in Owerri and Uyo made an Abia airport project unviable.
Okiyi-Kalu, who later served as a Commissioner for Trade and Investment, said that it was shocking that Otti and his media handlers rushed to a blogger to help them publish an indicting report against his former principal instead of the publishing the ‘forensic audit’ report through official state channels.
Okiyi-Kalu explained that the airport project issue first came to the Abia State Executive Council at a meeting on September 24, 2020.
He said that based on the presentation made to the Exco, they approved the project and also approved the borrowing of N10billion “from UBA Plc as an initial investment by the state with repayment charged to our FAAC account with the bank.
In an allusion to what KPMG later confirmed that they did not see all the documents in their review, Okiyi-Kalu challenged the current Secretary to State Government, Kenneth Kalu, to review and confirm his claim from Exco records in his custody, adding that on November 17, 2020, Ikpeazu took to his official X (formerly Twitter) handle to inform Abia Citizens that the airport project had been suspended.
The former commission, while stressing that Ikpeazu informed the then Commissioner for Works, Elder Bob Ogu, of his intention to suspend the Airport project in anticipation of Exco approval, hence the State Ministry of Works selected road projects in Abia 2020 budget for funding with the N10 billion and allocated resources to the contractors, also gave a detailed account of the roads and contractors that received the N10billion initially marked out for construction of an airport and listed about 18 projects that were done, in place of the airport.
According to his list: “China Zonghghao for Osisioma flyover Aba & ABSUTH Road Aba got N800,000,000. Trackcare Construction Company for Aba-Owerri road Aba (Brass to Osisioma junction segment, Ururuka road Aba, Afor Ibeji/ Ubakala Umuahia, Stella Marris Catholic Church, etc got N1,035,000,000.
“Ferrotex Construction Company for Aba-Owerri road (Railway junction-Brass junction segment) Aba, Obohia Road Aba, Opobo Junction-Ukpakiri Ogbor-Hill Aba, Uratta Ugwuati, Itungwa, Rehabilitation of failed Ururuka got N1,500,000,000.
“Shannah Jardon Construction Company for Okigwe Road Aba, Milverton Road Aba, Cemetery-Eziukwu Road Aba got N450,000,000. Ecklean: Osusu road Aba-N 200 000,000, Cosmos Construction Company for Immaculate Avenue Umungasi Aba got N150,000,000 while Setraco/Hartland for Port Harcourt road got N1,000,000,000.”
He added that, “Rockwaters for Ohanku Road Aba, Okpu Umuobo Aba got N650,000,000, MOW for Ebenma Street Aba and Ovom street Aba got N1, 130,000,000. Zubbalco for MBUBO Umuakwu got N200,000,000.”
Other details showed that Tunnel End Construction Company got N780,000,000 for the construction of Umuene-Obikabia, Umuojima-umuokiri- Ekeakpara, umuakatawom-Eziama-Ohanze while Paceo Carretera company got -N312,000,000 for the construction of Agalaba Ring road in Obingwa.
Others, according to him were Delhope Construction Company got N557,000,000 for the construction of Umuobiakwa-Owo road Obingwa, Federal Medical Centre internal road, Aba Road Umuahia (GG-shoprite).
He also argued that Ministry of Works’ Construction department got N325,000,000 for the construction of Umuobiakwa internal roads, Umuobiakwa (Gov) roads, Mbawsi internal roads and desilting of Aba big gutter while BOK construction got -N100,000,000 for the construction of Agbama Ring road Umuahia.
“Crystalkleen Construction for York/Jubilee/Nicholas street Aba got N30,000,000, Pumeco Construction for Aba road (Uchenna/ShopRite) Umuahia, Zero portholes in Umuahia roads got N353, 000,000, while Yodel construction for Afrata road, Umuahia got N100,000,000.
“E&P for Trinity College Road Umuahia got N60,000,000 and Obitex Development Company Ltd for construction of Ohuhu road from Isiokata, diversion from the gully erosion at isiokata to Umuawa Ohuhu to Nkwoegwu got N125,000,000.”
More details provided show that Smutedge Company got N200,000,000 for the rehabilitation of failed portions of Umuikaa-umuenne, Pacon Company got N12,000,000.00 for completion of drains at
Ozuomba/Ohazu road. MOW company for Zero pot holes(Aba) got N100,000,000, Charbel Company for Government house got N400,000,00 and the State Ministry of Public Utilities got N100,000,000 for Streetlights.
However, explaining further that the list containing the tranche payments was not exhaustive as those were the only ones in his personal Exco note that he kept during meetings, he said that it is also true that other tranche payments were made from other sources, stressing that the Ministry of Works led by Elder Bob Ogu and the Ministry of Finance led by Dr Aham Uko back then, should be able to supply a more comprehensive list to what he was saying.
Okiyi-Kalu added that Ferotex Construction Company, as one of the reputable indigenous construction companies with anti-graft agencies’ clearance was selected by the Ikpeazu administration as lead company in the “contractor financier” arrangements with UBA.
He said that the above-mentioned arrangement, the “contractor financier” arrangement was not alien within the public sector, alleging that a similar arrangement was entered into by the Otti’s government with Craneburg Construction Company for N50bn facility earmarked for “various roads”.
He explained that such lead companies are more or less consultants that would receive the bulk amount and pay other road contractors as banks would not likely agree to enter into multiple agreements with all the contractors.
He said that Otti’s claim that he got the top three audit firms in the world to do the forensic audit was untrue, as his top three audit firms have failed to follow the money as expected of any audit firm, even the least ones, adding that a serious forensic audit investigation would simply seek to establish if the allocated funds got to the companies and also if the contractors did the work.
According to Kalu, “Those who claim that there was need for “virement” may be speaking out of ignorance in this case. The road projects were already in our approved 2020 budget, hence no need for further house approval.
“All state revenues are expected to be used to fund state budget and from the time we had approval to spend on the roads instead of Airport there is, no further need for legislative approval.”
“For the further education of those who verbalize terms they do not understand, “virement” is the process of transferring items from one financial account to another. In this case, the airport project and the road projects must both be in the 2020 budget before you can execute virement….says Otti lied deliberately to mislead Abians.
Okiyi-Kalu was to further explain that the net credit balance of N3.48 billion left for Otti by Ikpeazu was different from other near-cash assets, such as a 3.5% share in Aba Independent Power Project (IPP) Geometric now valued at over N40 billion, among others. RAAMP funds of $50 million and AfDB fund of $115m as well as net FAAC credit of N6 billion and stamp duties accrual of more than N40 billion naira.
Okiyi-Kalu said that given that one should at least expect a former Managing Director of a Bank to know the difference between a Process Review report and a Forensic Audit Report, he can only say that Otti lied deliberately to mislead the public. “Furthermore, Governor Otti sought to mislead the public when he alluded to the N10 billion being taken from the state’s consolidated revenue account whereas it was a contractor finance loan from UBA plc”, he said.
He expressed sadness that many of Otti’s cheering crowd do not know the difference between a forensic audit and a process review, a situation he advised all those confused to do proper research to know the difference.
“How much did Governor Alex Otti pay KPMG? Abians deserve to know because we are already paying a state-owned audit unit that would have done a far better job. So far, Otti’s government has spent N9 billion on a subhead called “research & development”. What is he researching and developing in Abia State? Check quarterly financial reports published by his administration, if in doubt.
“Based on antecedent, never trust anything said by Governor Otti. He lies and misrepresents facts too frequently to be taken seriously. Did you notice that after I responded to his allegation of missing N10b with details of road contractors paid from the money, he said, “The money was moved into 32 different accounts” instead of the money being paid into road contractors’ accounts?”
He said that he remains grateful to whoever forced Otti to leak the KPMG report, stressing that at face value, the report exonerates Ikpeazu of any wrongdoing and highlights the leadership shortcomings of Otti.
“A Governor does not award contracts in Abia State and a Governor does not sign Cheques. It is the Finance & General Purpose Committee (F & GPC) that reviews tenders, recommend companies for the award of contracts and passes the same to State Exco for approval. Similarly, only the top officials of the Ministry of Finance sign State Government Cheques and at the level of ministries it is the Permanent Secretary and Director of Finance.
“As a Commissioner in Abia State for six years I never signed any government or ministry cheque because it is not within my remit. Where then is the evidence of Dr Ikpeazu stealing N10bn meant for Abia Airport.”
Okiyi-Kalu went further to call on all those who need a copy of the process review report, to contact him via his WhatsApp, assuring that he will send it to them if he believes they are capable of understanding such reports.
In the report, KPMG said its investigation for the period under review covered Zenith Bank and Union Bank is from 1 January 2020 to 28 May 2023 as the two (2) banks were KPMG audit clients up to 31 December 2019.
The firm said that although “our report may contain references to relevant laws and regulations, we do not provide legal opinion on compliance with such laws and regulations. (b). Our discussion of the relevant laws and regulations is intended solely to facilitate the determination of applicable facts, which may be relevant to the interpretation and/or application of such laws and regulations. Should such interpretation require legal advice, we recommend that ABSG obtain an independent legal advice.
It said that in its process review, it held discussions with the officials of ABSG to obtain an understanding of the contract, analysed Abia State Public Procurement Law 2012, the Abia State financial regulations (as amended in 2001); Analysed schedules of contracts awarded during the period under review to determine in-scope contracts from the Governor’s office and ministries and agencies of the state government and reviewed documents for business justification, approval process, and completion of project, in line with the
relevant policies, procedural manuals and practices. It also reviewed Tender Documents, Bid Submissions, Jobbing Order, Contract Agreements, Minutes of MTB, Award Letters, Interim Certificates, Final Completion Certificates and Payment Vouchers. It also reviewed and analysed the bank account statements received from 35 circularised banks to determine payments to contractors for the period under review. That is in addition to the reviewed of records from ABSG Cash Office, Admin Office, Office of the AG,
UBA and Access Bank to ascertain total payments to contractors through CFF: 1 Ministry of Lands and Ministry of Housing has been merged into Ministry of Lands and Housing in the new administration. 2 Retrieved on 5 August 2023 from Contract Award Publication | Abia State Government. It also interviewed bank officials, officials of the state government and consulted “CBN guidelines and circulars on bank charges and benchmark against the amount charged by the three (3) banks, and independently reviewed and analysed the fees, and payments on the credit facilities, in line with the executed offer letters and extant CBN guidelines.”
These among other process yielded some findings, which included the fund for the now controversial airport project and some issues of conflict of interests, where some Civil Servants and some government officials had interests in some companies that were awarded contracts by the government. Significantly, some of the contracts were awarded without the approval of the governor.
The report added: “We did not perform any scientific test on any of the records and / or information provided to us by ABSG and/or the circularised banks during this assignment, to ascertain their authenticity, as this type of assignment does not require scientific test on the records. Therefore, our review, analysis and examination of the records and information provided were limited to the content of such records or information.”
Stating that under Ikpeazu, the government awarded 560 contracts to 23, 121 contractors with 520 contracts, having a cumulative contract value of ₦294,824,123,365.79, it added: “Notwithstanding that ABSG did not provide sufficient information to enable KPMG to: Determine the contract values of the remaining 40 of the 560 contracts. Independently verify the accuracy and completeness of the ₦294,824,123,365.79 contract value of the 520 contracts.
“We analysed available records, noting the following: ABSG paid ₦131,877,519,592.0622 to the 231 contractors, via three (3) means i.e., CFFs (₦71,315,434,474.50), directly from ABSG bank accounts (₦59,467,035,117.5623), and procuring MDAs (i.e. Ministry of Works – ₦927,200,000.00 and ASOPADEC – ₦167,850,000.00). We reviewed sample payments of ₦107,234,358,515.21 of the ₦131,877,519,592.06, noting the following exceptions amounting to ₦56,662,966,007.76: ₦15,936,522,309.43 – 6324 contractors with no supporting documents maintained by the Cash Office, Office of the AG.; ₦12,800,851,500.00 – Four (4) contractors for contracts that do not appear to exist, per available records and discussions with relevant officials.
These include: ₦10,000,000,000 to Ferotex on 25 September 2020 for the “construction of Abia State airport”; ₦2,000,000,000.00 on 6 June 2022 and 1 September 2022 to Logistics De Luke, for the “delivery of 22 different brand-new vehicles”, among others.
It said there were cases of non compliance to due process relating to the selection of contractors and award of contracts. These included: “Six (6) MDAs did not provide “Certificate of No Objection” from the Bureau of Public Procurement for 8232 contracts worth ₦156,759,362,425.87, contrary to Section 21 (h) and Section 18 (4) of State Public Procurement Law. Six (6) MDA did not provide record of bid evaluation for 7,234 of the 85 sampled contracts with a cumulative value of ₦98,570,680,828.07. The firm said it did not see any record that the governor approved 3535 contracts amounting to ₦83,382,082,143.10, in line with ABSG’s practice.”
Some of the contractors listed by the report have gone public to confirm receiving payments for work done as stated by the Ikpeazu team. They listed the work they did for the state government and offered pictorial evidence. They also highlighted the fact that the process reviewers listed sums pertaining to contract awards as if they are funded projects emphasizing that contract award is different from funding for contract. One of the contractors, Track-Care Global Construction Limited in a recent media statement said: “After the publication of the KPMG reports, we have deemed it imperative to further enlighten the citizens of Abia State about the various processes of contract jobs.
“There is a difference between contracts awarded and the amount paid. Payments are released in multiple tranches therefore, some of the contracts mentioned are yet to be mobilized or funded eg. Ururuka phase 2 etc. All the contracts that were mobilized have been completed. KPMG in their reports, have stated that the figures are yet to be verified. It is important to set the record straight in order to avoid further defamatory information against a reputable organisation”
For the first time since the video of Adams Oshiomhole taunting her for being “childless” Betsy Obaseki, wife of Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has come out with full reply to the former governor and her husband’s predecessor, over the comment, which has raised a lot of dust across the country with echoes as far as the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Against the backdrop of reports that Remi Tinubu, wife of President Bola Tinubu, who was said to have been rankled with the statement, actually summoned Oshiomhole, former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Edo First Lady, on Saturday, rejected the tag of being barren, stating that she indeed had multiple miscarriages and stillbirths.
She told a group of 200 Edo women living outside the country, in a live video during a zoom meeting that everyone was created by God for a purpose, advising childless women to see themselves not as barren but as fruitful, potential and proud mothers of children that would come in God’s time, citing herself as an example.
Speaking alongside Ifeyinwa Ighodalo, wife of Esua Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, she reminded women, Obaseki also shared a message of encouragement for women who, like herself, had faced the pain of miscarriages and stillbirths, urging them not to feel discouraged or defined by their losses.
Hear her: “I dare to call you fruitful. You and I are potential and proud mothers of children that will come in God’s time. Enjoy the life God has given you. My words of comfort to you, like myself, who have conceived and experienced miscarriages, painful stillbirths, and evacuations of babies who died in our wombs is that everyone was created by God for a purpose.
“And as a result, have no children to show for the pain we have endured; you are not barren. Take your mind off your challenge, and before you know it, children will start coming. My contributions to the society are far greater than just being a mother. Being fruitful is not limited to childbearing but about impacting lives and creating positive change in the society. There is no point in feeling bad. Women can fulfill God’s purpose in many ways beyond motherhood.”
By Sunny Igboanugo
On Thursday, June 20, 2024, President Bola Tinubu announced Hashimu Argungu as the new Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC). He is the sixth in the present dispensation, as the Chairman of the body, which history dates back to the 1957 Constitutional Conference, otherwise known as the Willinck Minorities Report, with the main objective of achieving ethnic balance in the structure and characterisation of the Nigerian Police.
Since returning to civilian rule in 1999, Nigeria has seen five other PSC Chairmen – Simon Okeke, appointed by Olusegun Obasanjo, in 2001, Parry Osayande, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), appointed in 2010 by Goodluck Jonathan, then President, Mike Okiro, Musilu Smith, and Solomon Arase, who all retired as Inspectors General of Police (IGPs). While Okiro was also appointed by Jonathan, Smith and Arase, were both appointed by Muhammadu Buhari in 2018 and 2023 respectively.
Argungu, is therefore the first PSC boss appointed by Tinubu. Whatever prompted the President to name the retired super cop as his choice to manage this strategic body, created for the recruitment of police personnel and more specifically, the reward and punishment of senior police officers in Nigeria from the ranks of Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), and above, the result has shown that it is a good pick.
Indications have shown that the PSC boss is proving by the day that he did not only pass through the police institution in his 32-year service, but the institution also passed through him, as his words, actions and deeds showcase him as not only having a hands-on understanding of his environment, but possesses the magic lamp, from which he could spring the genie that solves very knotty problems, even those that have defied his predecessors.
Picture this! Since 2018, when Buhari, then President, gave his nod for the recruitment of 60,000 constables into the police force – 10,000 each year for six years, only 10,000 are said to have gone through the process successfully. The rest exercises have been mired in one controversy or the other, as a result of the infighting between the two super powers in the police structure in the country.
Take the latest effort as a test-case. For about six years now, the thorny issue of the recruitment of these junior police personnel, had seen Argungu’s predecessors and past IGPs, on a war-path over the modalities for conducting the exercise.
Recently, precisely on June 15, 2024, authorities of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), shot down another effort in this regard when it roundly rejected a recruitment exercise embarked upon by the PSC, after a Supreme Court judgement, which clearly stated that it was within the purview of the commission to recruit personnel for the force.
In a statement announcing the decision, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) and spokesman of the force, said: “This became necessary upon being inundated with a series of complaints and allegations of corruption raised by unsuspecting candidates and stakeholders on the irregularities that marred the exercise most especially the disappearance of the names of screened candidates who were successful to the last stage.
“Upon careful scrutiny of the list released on the Police Service Commission portal, it was discovered that several names of persons purported to be names of successful candidates are those who did not even apply and therefore did not take part in the recruitment exercise.
“The published list contains several names of candidates who failed either the Computer Based Test (CBT) or the physical screening exercise or both. There are those who made it to the last stage of the exercise but were disqualified, having been found medically unfit through the standardised medical test but who also made the list of successful candidates as published by the PSC. Most worrisome is the allegation of financial dealings and corrupt practices leading to the outcome where unqualified and untrainable individuals have been shortlisted.”
But in a prompt pushback, the PSC accused the police of flagrant abuse of ethics, the Constitution and valid judgment of the apex court of the land, demanding clear and verifiable evidence of the claim of fraud in the exercise, while indicating that there was no going back on its decision regarding the existing list.
Ikechukwu Ani, its spokesman, while conveying the commission’s position, regretted, in a statement on June 21, 2024 that since 2019, when a former Inspector General of Police hijacked the soft copy of an ongoing recruitment exercise and forcefully completed the exercise without the input of the Commission – the statutory body solely charged with such responsibility, the Commission has not been allowed to perform this constitutional duty.
“The Commission has at every turn suffered several indignities in its attempt to perform functions provided to it by the Constitution even after the Supreme Court decided the matter in its favour. This show of brute force and intimidation by the Police and most recently inducements of hired writers to run down the Commission in the Media is a serious affront on the mandate of the Commission,” the statement, said.
Dismissing the allegation and accusing the NPF of reluctance to abide by the decisions of the apex court, he added: “The Commission demands that the Police should provide verifiable evidence to prove the allegations peddled against it as it is obvious that it is a case of giving a dog a bad name in order to hang it. It is important to state that due process was meticulously followed throughout the exercise and the Commission wishes to assert its prerogative to exercise full control over recruitments into the Nigeria Police Force.”
According to him, even when the verdict of the court gave no role to the police over the matter, the PSC “in its wisdom, invited relevant stakeholders into a Board for the recruitment exercise to ensure inclusiveness and transparency. This magnanimity has since been misconstrued. It is relevant to state that the judgment and even the Constitution did not give the Police any role in the recruitment of any cadre of Officers into the Police Force.”
He added: “It is unfortunate that the Police has attributed its obvious failure to protect lives and properties, and safeguard our nation from banditry and terrorism to bad recruitment. This claim is self-indicting and provocative. Since 2019 when the Police forcefully snatched the exercise from the Commission, they have gone ahead against the provisions of the law to Superintendent over the 2020 and 2021 exercises. It is the fraudulent Recruits they brought into the system during these exercises that are currently haunting the Nigeria Police Force.”
However, like the gentle breeze after a tempest, tempers seem to have been cooled and the storm appears to be over, as the NPF has since decided to let go of the fight and both parties, have now decided to be on the same page, after a meeting of the IGP team and that of the PSC boss with Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Gaidam.
On Tuesday, July 30, 2024, Adejobi was again on song, when he broke the good news that the police had accepted the list citing an agreement between the Kayode Egbetokun, who replaced Arase, who was removed few days after the imbroglio and Argungu. Adejobi’s statement on the truce between the IGP and the PSC boss, both of them lawyers, thus confirmed the statement of the PSC through Ani a day earlier that training for the new recruits would commence on August 10.
The police spokesman, said: “The Nigeria Police Force and the Police Service Commission have finally reached an agreement regarding the final merit list for the recruitment of police constables into the Nigeria Police Force. Following extensive deliberations and collaboration, both the NPF and the PSC have worked diligently to ensure that the recruitment process remains transparent, fair, and merit-based.
“The Inspector General of Police expressed satisfaction with the outcome, stating that the agreement on the final merit list is a testament to the commitment of both the Nigeria Police Force and the Police Service Commission to work together in the best interest of the country.”
What is the implication of this? The import could be gleaned from the words of Godswill Akpabio, Senate President, on Thursday, July 12, 2024, when he bemoaned the damage the feud had caused to the nation, during the appearance of Argungu at the Red Chambers for confirmation of his appointment.
Hear him: “In the last two years, we probably would have had an additional 20,000 Nigerians into the Nigerian Police Force, but unfortunately, as a result of personality clashes, the issues went as far as the Supreme Court. Whether withdrawn or not withdrawn, this Police Service Commission we have just cleared today, and the office of the Inspector-General of Police should be cautioned to take the interest of Nigerians into consideration and the security of this nation uppermost and not their interest and work harmoniously toward the realisation of Mr President’s vision that Nigerians should be allowed to sleep with their eyes closed.”
With the latest development, it appears that the words of the Senate President have struck the right chord. In that respect, much accolades must be given to Argungu. Armed with a masters degree in law and an alumnus of the prestigious Nigeria Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), the former DIG in charge of the Legal Department of the Nigerian Police Headquarters, Louis Edet House, Abuja, who is also equipped with a 32-year-core competency experience in policing, seems fully prepared. Is this therefore the beginning of a new thing in the PSC?
For as Akpabo, observed, much is dependent on the smooth relationship between the police and the commission in terms of giving Nigerians the environment they need to sleep with two eyes closed? Does Argungu succeeding where his predecessors failed indicate a step towards this path? The nation waits!
Is Chukwuma Charles Soludo in trouble? To many keen observers of events in Anambra State in recent months, yes, is likely to be the answer. The governor’s re-election, from the different angles and indices of critical assessment, appears quite threatened and his political future, quite bleak. Recent events support the contention that the political ground on which he is presently standing is not as solid as the one that brought him to power.
There are several pointers many watchers of events in the state are likely to rely on in arriving at that position. Most prominent among them is perhaps the most critical element, which every assessor or participant looks at from every government official – performance. Here, he does not seem to be smelling roses.
To assess the performance of the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), there is only one measure-stick – the Nigerian-Dubai-Taiwan promise he made to the people of the state before his ascendency to power. Long before then, in fact, several years before, Soludo, had sung it as his personal mantra that if ever given the chance to pilot the affairs of the state, he would transform it into a modern and productive enclave similar to Dubai or Taiwan model.
Soludo, or Charlie Nwa-Mgbafo, as he prefers to be addressed, was sworn in as governor on March 17, 2022, after concerning other opponents to the back, prominent among them, Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who came second, and Andy Uba of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who came next, in the previous year’s governorship election in the state. It is therefore more than two years now, going to the third, still the people and those watching from afar, have been waiting for the promised transformation.
But if there is any attempt at achieving that feat or indeed, any sign of it, they are apparently in oral delivery – mere, puerile, empty words and claims. Nothing in the state suggests that Anambra is inching towards Dubai or Taiwan. There are no tall, glittering buildings illuminating the skies with bright light at night, there are no economic clusters manufacturing all manner of consumer, industrial and other ancillary goods.
Certainly, there are no fashion centres anywhere in the state or designer-products therefrom that march the Dubai or Taiwan model. There are no shopping malls that attract international buyers from across the world. There are neither tourist centres nor monuments attracting global audience or interests, let alone visitation to Anambra State. Indeed, there is nothing of interest in the state that could mark the governor or the state out within the period outside mere words and claims.
Naturally, Soludo and his supporters may point to some roads built by the government. But how much could such structures compare to those in Dubai or Taiwan? Besides, which other government in Nigeria, even in the worst-case scenario did not build a road or two? Roads are the commonest structures every government points to. Even the governments of the late Chinwoke Mbadinuju and Willie Obiano, both competing for the worst records in the history of the state, built roads.
In fact, Obiano even built an airport to boot. Yet, his rating is nowhere near that of Peter Obi, his predecessor or Chris Ngige, before him. Yet again, Soludo, has nothing like an airport or the International Conference Centre that Obiano also built to his name, not to talk about an ambitious industrial firm like the Intafact Bevearages Limited owned by SABMiller, brewers of the popular Hero brand caressing the palates of beer drinkers in the entire South East, established by the Obi government.
But the more compelling factor, even more virulent outside the uninviting image as a distant performer, is the current crisis in the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), through which he rode to power in 2022. The party ought to present succour for the former CBN boss in his approaching re-election bid. But that possibility now looks unsure.
The danger of the rug being pulled off the governor’s feet looks quite apparent as things progress in the coming days within the party, which has been in power in the state since 2006, 17 years counting. In other words, the governor could find himself on a lonely road without a party platform soon, if he does not act quickly to turn the table around.
Reports have it that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has recognised Edozie Njoku as the National Chairman of APGA. If true, the development is fraught with danger, as it means he might lose the party structure, hitherto resting on Victor Oye, who brought him in and subsequently Sylvester Ezeokenwa, his successor.
Chekwas Okorie, APGA founder and first National Chairman, captured the current rumble in the party that points to the certain vulnerability of Soludo. On July 16, he told reporters in Abuja that the governor was bent on undermining the progress derivable from the change in APGA leadership, which he said was the outcome of a hard-fought battle to wrench it away from the vice grip of the forces that had held it down over the years.
Tracing the journey that led to the current leadership transition, Okorie, who regretted how the party had been dogged by crisis for the past 20 out of its 22 years of existence, was particular about Soludo’s complicity in fuelling the situation in recent years by lending himself to the negative forces, and now by railing against the emergence of the Njoku leadership, even after the battle had been won.
Citing a recent event, where the governor reportedly boasted that he was going to use his connections to ensure that Njoku’s leadership would never come to pass, the former APGA boss, not only warned Soludo of the consequences of his action, but particularly admonished President Bola Tinubu not to lend his weight to the plot to further destabilise the party.
Hear him: “APGA has had enough leadership crises in 20 of its 22 years existence; enough crises to last it for centuries. All we want now is a peaceful environment to re-launch APGA as a national political party that will take its rightful place in Nigeria’s democratic space. It is APGA that provided Governor Peter Obi the platform, the opportunity and the exposure to launch himself as a two term governor of Anambra State and now a key player in national politics.
“This party provided the platform for former Governor Rochas Okorocha to realize his long elusive aspiration to become the governor of Imo State. Governor Willie Obiano is another beneficiary and product of APGA. The Late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu used the platform of APGA to re-launch himself to relevance in Nigeria’s political space.
“Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo had made two previous attempts to be governor of Anambra State on the platform of other political parties. He was finally able to achieve his ambition on the platform of APGA. The God we worship will not allow him and his cohorts to destroy our God given party. This will not happen in his life time.
“The God we worship will strengthen Chief Edozie Njoku and endow him and all the leaders of the authentic APGA with the wisdom and fortitude to serve the party diligently, forthrightly, and with the fear of God. We call on all well-meaning Nigerians, especially, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as the father of the nation to prevail on Governor Chukwuma Soludo to rein-in whatever that is propelling him to target APGA for destruction.
“I wish to repeat that Professor Chukwuma Soludo joined APGA voluntarily and is at liberty to exit same way without attempting to destroy a house he did not build. I urge the National Chairman of the party, Chief Edozie Njoku and the National Working Committee to immediately write formal petitions to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and Chairman, National Judicial Council, the National Security Adviser, major Embassies in Nigeria whose countries practice democracy, the European Union, United Nations etc on this threat to democracy and the rule of law in Nigeria by a single inordinately ambitious man called Professor Chukwuma Soludo, the Governor of Anambra State.”
Okorie, who had accused the governor of threatening not only to sink the party, but kill it completely, should the Njoku leadership eventually endure, would not be the first to accuse Soludo of harbouring a disdainful attitude for the party. Even from within, the governor was said to have seen the party as nothing less than an SPV. He was even said to have ended the veneration of the late Ikemba Nnewi, Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, which his predecessors had promoted as one of their strategies to entice Ndigbo, having adopted him as the father of the party.
Not only was he said to have stopped wearing attires embossed with Ojukwu’s face, he reportedly removed all the memorabilia and other associated items, to emphasise his aversion. Even though it might be nothing other than a mere allegation, the governor, has obviously not done much to prop APGA, beyond what he met on ground.
In fact, speculations had been rife that the governor actually has one leg in the All Progressives Congress (APC), while retaining his seat through APGA and he would be happier to please the ruling party at the centre than his own party. But even the prospect of joining that platform may not place him on the same spot he is with APGA, where he could be in total control, should he do the needful.
Even if he joins APC today, he would have the likes of the party’s big wig in the state to contend with. Last week, Ifeanyi Uba, the Senator representing Anambra South, who has been angling to take his job, using the federal might, was locked in a meeting with Abdullahi Ganduje, the APC National Chairman. Even a political imbecile could guess the tenor of the meeting. In fact many are emphatic that it was to preempt the governor and check whatever his moves are with the ruling party. How sure then is he that even those egging him on would not lead him to a booby-trap in which the possibility of securing a ticket in the APC, would at best be suspect or at worst, futile.
Besides, even if he uses the immense resources available to him to oil his way through the ruling party, he would certainly employ more of such resources to deal with the consequent political outcome. Even himself ought to know that it is easier for the biblical camel to enter through the eyes of the needle than for APC to win elections in Anambra State. The only way to achieve that would certainly be to force his way through willy-nilly, which has its own consequences in terms of collateral damages.
So, why not take the easy path? What is this path? This is the time for Soludo to seek genuine reconciliation within the party. Just like Okorie observed, the only time APGA enjoyed relative peace was in the first two years of its existence. For the rest, it has been decked with one crisis or the order. Rather than continue fuelling the manifest discontents within the party’s leadership, why not reach out and bring everybody to the same table and genuinely trouble-shoot?
For one, is it not perfidious to promote retaining the chairmanship position of APGA in Anambra from 2004 till date? What is the wisdom? Where is the justice? Indeed, would this not be the best time for Soludo to treat the deadliest cancer that had eaten deep into the soul of the party for two decades now – the genuine appeasement of Chief Chekwas Okorie, who toiled night and day, travelling through the proverbial seven seas and seven forests to make APGA a reality after which he has been denied the fruit of his labour?
It was the late Igwe Osita Agwuna of Enugwu-Ukwu, Igwe Umunri, that once said that he elected not to have a fence in his palace, to allow the unrestricted ingresses and egresses of men and spirits. Let the troubled APGA ship berth either at Agu-Awka or Amawbia and let the stevedoring commence, with Soludo supervising. Surely there are a lot of loading and offloading to be done in APGA.
His success at this critical stage, could release the genie in the magic lamp to smoothen his way back to office much easier than contending with the ferocious spirits awaiting him elsewhere. His ardent critics say too much knowledge, acquired and assumed makes him impervious to advice. Let him prove them wrong for once!
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