The Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday passed the Value Added Tax Bill, with Speaker Mudashiru Obasa directing the Acting Clerk of the House, Mr. Olalekan Onafeko, to transmit a clean copy to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for assent.
The House also passed the bill that prohibits open cattle grazing in the state.
The two bills were passed after unanimous votes by the lawmakers at the sitting where the bills were read the third time.
Immediately after their passage, Speaker Obasa commended his colleagues for their passion to see that the state continues to grow.
“I thank you all for this historic exercise,” Obasa said.
The House had held separate public hearings on the bills on Wednesday, with stakeholders expressing support.
As the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, bicker over rights to collect Value Added Tax, the former has made moves to legally own the right.
The FIRS, in a letter to the National Assembly, asked the legislature to include collection of VAT in the exclusive legislative list.
The letter, dated June 1, also seeks the parliament’s approval of the establishment of the Federal Revenue Court of Nigeria.
This comes amidst moves by the Rivers State Government to stop the federal government from collecting VAT from the state.
Background
The FIRS has been in charge of VAT collection, which is then shared among the federal, state and local governments.
Rivers, Lagos and four other states are responsible for about 80 per cent of VAT collected in Nigeria.
A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt on August 10, ruled that it was the right of the Rivers Government to receive VAT in the state – restraining the FIRS from collecting VAT and personal income tax in Rivers State.
The state had argued that it was against the constitution to generate VAT that is later shared to other states.
The FIRS also failed to obtain a stay of execution it sought to prevent the state government from enforcing the verdict. This is even as the agency appealed the ruling.
By this judgement, the Rivers State is cleared to enforce its newly passed VAT Act for now.
A similar bill just scaled second reading at the Lagos State assembly on Monday.
The Letter
In a bid to override the Rivers State Government, the FIRS wrote to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Idris Wase, to vest, exclusively, all adjudication of tax disputes, including federal tax laws, companies income tax, petroleum tax, income tax, capital gain tax, stamp duty, VAT, taxes, levies and other laws, regulations, proclamations, government notices and rules on it.
Mr Wase is the Chairman of the House Ad-hoc Committee on Constitution Review.
The letter is titled, ‘Request for sponsorship of a bill for the establishment of the proposed Federal Revenue Court of Nigeria and the insertion of Value Added Tax under item 58 of the exclusive legislative list’.
In the communication, the agency sought the amendment of Section 251 (1) (b) of the Constitution of the FRN 1999 (amended) to remove the exclusive jurisdiction of the Federal High Court only on anything connected or related to federal tax matters since the same would be vested on the proposed federal revenue court.
“The Federal Inland Revenue Service also proposes for the insertion of value added tax immediately after Stamp Duties under item 58 part II of 2nd schedule of the 1999 Constitution of the FRN.
“The Federal Inland Revenue Service appreciates the maximum cooperation and support we are receiving from your good office on tax matters generally. This has boosted our morale and determination to do more for the government in tax revenue generation.
“The FIRS therefore wishes to further request that the House of Representatives consider the request for the establishment of the Federal Revenue Court,” part of the letter read.
The FIRS also noted that Item 59 of the Exclusive Legislative List Part 1, 2nd Schedule to the Constitution of the FRN 1999 as amended vests the powers to make laws on anything related to tax matters in Nigeria, on the National Assembly.
While the agency stated that the Federal Revenue Court was established by the promulgation of the Federal Revenue Court Decree No.13 1973 and later renamed to Federal High Court, it said the amended Section 7 of the Federal High Court Act (1991), conferred exclusive jurisdiction on the Federal High Court in relation to tax matters amongst others.
“Section 228(1) and 230(1) was further re-enacted as Section 251(1) (a) to (s), of the Constitution of FRN 1999.
“The FIRS hereby proposes for the insertion of Section 254(G) to 254 (L) in the 1999 Constitution of the FRN to provide for the establishment of Federal Revenue Court, the appointment of Chief Judge, power to make rules for the proceedings, the appointment of judges of FRC and the exclusive jurisdiction of FRC on federal tax matters.”
FIRS Denies
But in a turn of events, the FIRS has feigned ignorance over the letter or its attempt to include collection of VAT in the exclusive legislative list.
The Group Lead, Special Tax Operation Group of the FIRS, Matthew Gbonjubola, in a press briefing on Wednesday, said the FIRS was unaware of the existence of such bill as it was not being sponsored by the organisation, ICIR reports.
“I am not aware that FIRS has presented any bill to the National Assembly to request for any social media tax and I can tell you, on behalf of my Executive Chairman, very clearly that this is not from us. So, if there is any such bill at the National Assembly, the FIRS is not the sponsor and we have not seen it,” he said.
Wike Talks Tough
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State on his part, has vowed not to relent in the “fight.”
The Governor on Wednesday, insisted that the state will go ahead to enforce the provisions of the VAT Act.
While he insisted that “Rivers money is not meant for Abuja people but for the development of his state”, he threatened to shut down FIRS offices in the state should the “bullying” continue.
He made this statement at a meeting of concerned parties on Wednesday, in Port Harcourt while addressing Shell Petroleum Development Company and other representatives of oil companies and business owners in the state.
The event was televised live on Channels TV.
Mr Wike called for an end to what he described as the injustice in the country.
“Rivers State generated N15bn in June 2021 but got N4.7bn while Kano produced N2.8bn in June but Kano also got N2.8bn. Sometimes you don’t want to believe these things exist.
“…I cannot continue to beg the Federal Government for what belongs to his state.
“People say that let heaven not fall but sometimes I believe that heaven should come down so that everybody will rest…When we do the right thing, heaven is at peace. So, the right thing must be done at all times,” he said.
It is not clear whether the National Assembly will oblige the request of the FIRS as the lawmakers are currently on recess and expected to resume plenary next Tuesday.
Manchester City Women suffered an agonising defeat to Real Madrid to crash out of the Champions League.
Claudia Zornoza’s first-half goal sent Madrid through to the group stage 2-1 on aggregate after a 1-0 win at the Academy Stadium.
Hayley Raso hit the bar and Ellen White had a header cleared off the line as City dominated much of the game.
After a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Spain, City, who reached the quarter-finals last season, looked for an early goal and Steph Houghton headed wide from a corner.
The hosts were the better side but almost fell behind when Nahikari Garcia steered in after squeezing clear, only to be denied by the offside flag.
But Madrid grabbed the lead on the night and on aggregate just before the break when City failed to clear a corner which fell to an unmarked Zornoza and she drilled in a deflected effort beyond Karima Taieb.
The hosts should have levelled 11 minutes into the second half when White seized on a Madrid mistake and squared to Caroline Weir but the Scotland international failed to make contact with the goal gaping.
Nine minutes later, City again came closer to a leveller when Raso wriggled into the box before hitting the bar.
The hosts continued to dominate and White’s header was cleared off the line with 11 minutes left but they could not final a leveller to force extra-time.
The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) has released a shortlist of 130 lawyers qualified for the award of the highly coveted Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) rank for 2021.
Hajo Bello, the Acting Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, who doubles as the secretary of the LPPC, issued the notice on Wednesday.
She said the list comprising 95 lawyers in the advocate category and 35 in the academy category was drawn after the first stage of the appointment process.
“The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee by this notice makes an announcement on the shortlisted candidates that qualified after both the advocate filtration stages and academic pre-qualification exercise, preparatory to the award of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria for the year 2021,” the notice stated in part.
All qualified candidates shortlisted were “graded under the category system” of the LPPC, Ms Bello said.
The final list of the successful ones among the shortlisted candidates will be announced in October.
Ms Bello invited members of the public “to comment on the integrity, reputation and competence” of the shortlisted candidates.
All of such comments must reach the LPPC secretariat or the committee’s email not later than 4p.m. on Tuesday, September 28, 2021, she said.
The LPPC, a body chaired by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) and established to give the prestigious rank to deserving lawyers annually is domiciled at the Supreme Court.
The notice added that “any complaint (s) presented to the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee must be accompanied with a verifying affidavit deposed to before a court of record in Nigeria”.
Some of the shortlisted candidates include: the Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice of Ekiti State, Olawale Fapohunda, and a Prosecutor with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Rotimi Oyedepo.
Also on the list are, the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Tony Ojukwu; a police prosecutor, Simon Lough, and lawyers with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Sulayman Olawale, and Sani Mohammed.
See the full list:
LEGAL PRACTITIONERS PRIVILEGES COMMITTEE
SUPREME COURT OF NIGERIA THREE ARMS ZONE, SUPREME COURT COMPLEX, P.M.B. 308, ABUJA, NIGERIA Tel: 09-2344762
NOTICE OF CANDIDATES SHORTLISTED FOR CONSIDERATION FOR THE CONFERMENT OF THE RANK OF SENIOR ADVOCATE OF NIGERIA – 2021 (PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH 12 (2) AND 20 OF THE LEGAL PRACTITIONERS’ PRIVILEGES COMMITTEE GUIDELINES 2018)
The Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee by this notice makes an announcement on the shortlisted candidates that qualified after both the advocate filtration stages and academic pre-qualification exercise, preparatory to the award of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria for the year 2021.
2. All qualified candidates shortlisted are graded under the category system of the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee.
3. They are:
LIST OF SHORTLISTED CANDIDATES FOR THE RANK OF SENIOR ADVOCATE OF NIGERIA (SAN) ADVOCATE CATEGORY FOR 2021
1. OFFIA FELIX OTA, ESQ.
2. NWAFOR-ORIZU ORJI, ESQ.
3. ADENIYI ANTHONY ADEMUYIWA, ESQ.
4. UMEH PHILIP NDUBUISI EVARISTUS, ESQ.
5. OVRAWAH OGAGA, ESQ.
6. UGBODUMA JOHNSON TARIGHO OMOPHE, ESQ.
7. AFUBA PETER AGUIGOM, ESQ.
8. ODIONU JOHNSON, ESQ.
9. ABUBAKAR ADAMU, ESQ.
10. AJOSE-ADEOGUN OLAOTAN OLUSEGUN, ESQ.
11. WEST-IDAHOSA EHIOGIE, ESQ.
12. AWA UCHE SUNDAY, ESQ.
13. MEKWUNYE CHARLES DUMBIRI, ESQ.
14. OGUEJIOFOR CHARLES CHUKWUMA, ESQ.
15. OLADOJA TAJUDEEN OLASENI, ESQ.
16. AKARAIWE IKEAZOR AJOVI, ESQ.
17. OMOTOSHO FRANCIS, ESQ.
18. ONUZULIKE FELIX ANAYO, ESQ.
19. OKO-JAJA LAWRENCE SUNDAY, ESQ.
20. OSHOMEGIE CHRISTOPHER AGBOMEIRHE, SUNDAY, ESQ.
LIST OF SHORTLISTED CANDIDATES FOR THE RANK OF SENIOR ADVOCATE OF NIGERIA (SAN) ACADEMIC CATEGORY FOR 2021
1. PROF. OYEWO AJAGBE TORIOLA
2. PROF. OMOROGBE OLUYINKA OSAYAME
3. DR.OKAFOR KATHLEEN EBELECHUKWU
4. PROF. NWEBO OSY EZECHUKWUNYERE
5. PROF. SHOLANKE OLADIPO OLUSEGUN
6. PROF. DAODOLA RASHEED JIMOH
7. DR. AJALA TAIWO FRANCIS
8. OJUKWU ANTHONY OKECHUKWU, ESQ.
9. PROF. SODIPO BANKOLE ADEKUNLE AKINTOYE
10. DR. WIGWE CHRISTIAN CHIZINDU
11. DR.AGBONIKA JOSEPHINE ALADI ACHOR
12. PROF. AHMADU MOHAMMED LAWAL
13. PROFOLUDAYO GABRIEL AMOKAYE
14. PROF. SHAAKAA AKKARREN SAMUEL
15. PROF. CHUKWU LAWRENCE OBINNA COLLINS
16. DR. EFEVWERHAN DAVID IGHOJOHWEGBA
17. DR. ABILA VENUS ELIJAH SYLVANUS
18. PROF. IMBWASEH AKAA TYOZUA
19. PROF. KENEN EMMANUEL AYANGARUMUN
20. PROF. SANNI ABIOLA OLAITAN
21. PROF. ABDULLAHI SHEHU ZURU
22. PROF. UMENWEKE MESHACH NNAMA
23. BRAITHWAITE ABIMBOLA ONIKEPO, ESQ.
24. PROF. OMOREGIE EDOBA BRIGHT
25. PROF. MAIYAKI THEODORE BALA
26. PROF. ISAH MOHAMMED
27. DR. ONI BABATUNDE ADETUNJI
28. DR. AGABA JAMES ATTA
29. PROF. ABDULQADIR IBRAHIM ABIKAN
30. PROF. GBADAMOSI OLAIDE ABASS
31. PROF DAWUD KAMAL ALHAJI
32. PROF. ADBULLAHI IBRAHIM
33. DR. ABUBAKAR ABDULKARIM KANA
34. DR. OKORIE CHIMEZIE KINGSLEY
35. DR. AMADI JERRY
4. The General Public is at liberty to comment on the integrity, reputation and competence of the above candidates.
5. However, any complaint (s) presented to the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee must be accompanied with a verifying affidavit deposed to before a Court of Record in Nigeria.
6. Please, be informed that in relation to paragraph 12 {2} of the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee Guidelines, 2018, Twenty copies of such comments or complaints must be received at the office of the Secretary, Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee not later than 4.00pm on Tuesday 28th September, 2021 Or email: enquirieslppcnigeria@gmail.com
Three persons said to be workers of former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, have been kidnapped in Ogun State by unknown gunmen.
They were abducted Wednesday evening at Kobape, a community under Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The abducted staff of Obasanjo Holdings in Kobape were reportedly accosted while driving on the road.
A source disclosed that the company’s Financial Controller, the Group Auditor and the Group Store Manager were the victims of the incident.
The source who craved anonymity, hinted that the trio were abducted around Seseri village after their Hilux vehicle was shot at by the gunmen.
They were reportedly dragged into the bush and taken to an unknown destination.
The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the incident to newsmen in Abeokuta.
According to Oyeyemi, the incident happened around 6pm on Wednesday.
He said, “Yes, the kidnapping happened around 6pm on Wednesday. There is one Obasanjo farm around the area in Kobape.
“Our men have begun searching for them and we will ensure they are rescued.”
In the same vein, a retired lecturer of the Federal Polytechnic, Offa, Kwara State, Fasasi Olanigan, was also kidnapped along Abeokuta-Imasai in Ogun.
It was gathered that Olanigan was taken away by the kidnappers, who left his car by the roadside.
At the time of filing this report, our correspondent could not immediately confirm whether or not the kidnappers have reached out to the families of their victims for ransom.
A new United States Prosecutor has been assigned to take over the multimillion-dollar fraud case involving Olalekan Ponle, aka ‘Woodberry’.
Court documents from the Northern District of Illinois showed that John R. Lausch, Jr would take over future proceedings of Woodberry’s case from Assistant U.S. Attorney, Melody Wells, of the Northern District of Illinois.
Woodberry’s last court date was before Judge Robert W. Gettleman in August, when his lawyers, Michael Nash and Tom Durkin, applied for an extension to file pre-trial motions.
The next session is set for November 4.
Woodberry had been arraigned on a separate charge in Chicago in July. He was arrested in Dubai alongside Hushpuppi and charged in a U.S. District Court in Chicago with conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
In July, the U.S government applied for a motion of dismissal without prejudice granted by Judge Gettleman.
A complaint had accused Woodberry of orchestrating “business email compromise” schemes to defraud several U.S.-based companies.
The court documents stated that “the schemes resulted in attempted or actual losses to victim companies in the tens of millions of dollars, including a Chicago-based company that was defrauded into sending wire transfers totalling $15.2 million.”
The jury’s eight-count charge of wire fraud still holds, meaning Woodberry stands to forfeit, to the U.S. government, any property derived from proceeds in his offences.
The Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, has approached the National Assembly to move Valued Added Tax and other tax related matters to the exclusive list.
If successful, the law will grant the federal tax body exclusive rights to collect local consumption taxes in states of the federation, a move which will fulfil the agitation of Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari; Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya, and a few others from predominantly northern parts of the country.
In a letter addressed to the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Idris Wase, the body requested a sponsorship of “A Bill for the establishment of the proposed Federal Revenue Court of Nigeria and the insertion of Value Added Tax under Item 58 of Exclusive Legislative List.”
“The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) further proposes for the amendment of Section 251(1)(b) of the Constitution of FRN 1999 (Amended) by removing the exclusive jurisdiction of Federal High Court only on anything connected or related to Federal tax matters since same would be vested on the proposed Federal Revenue Court,” the letter said, “The Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) also proposes for the insertion of the Value Added Tax immediately after Stamp Duties under item 58 Part II. 2nd schedule of the 1999 Constitution of the FRN.”
The letter also asks the legislators to include tax disputes, including federal tax laws, companies income tax, petroleum tax, income tax, capital gain tax, stamp duty within the federal collector’s jurisdiction.
This development comes in the wake of tensions between the revenue collection body and state governments.
In August, a Port Harcourt Division of the Federal High Court ruled that states had the legal right to collect VAT and income tax within their jurisdiction and not the FIRS.
FIRS Chairman, Mohammed Nami, had asked companies to ignore the court ruling and appealed the judgement, asking businesses and individuals to continue remitting funds to it.
The Rivers State Government ordered the immediate enforcement of its Value Added Tax Law 2021 across the entire state, following the failure of the FIRS to secure a stay-of-execution order against the state.
Katsina State Governor, Aminu Masari, had criticised the judgement, saying it was unfair on other parts of the country and could amount to multiple taxation.
Like the FIRS, Governor Masari, a former speaker of the House of Representatives, had promised to block the implementation of the new VATruling by the court.
The landmark judgement has, however, set off a chain of events with Lagos State House of Assembly passing the Value Added Tax Bill through its second reading during a plenary on Monday.
Annie Idibia, wife of celebrated artist, Tuface, has cried out, alleging that her husband has secretly packed out of their matrimonial home to live with his baby mama, Pero Adeniyi, in the United States.
In a voice note that has now gone viral on Instagram and WhatsApp, Annie Idibia distressed voice can be heard lamenting the development and threatening to “scatter everything.”
The Nollywood actress said Tuface moved his belonging out of the house under the pretence of going for a shoot. She accused her husband’s cousin Frankie of orchestrating the move.
“I was with my husband today peacefully, nothing happened. My husband said he was going for a shoot today, only for him to pack his things and his stupid cousin – Frankie – helped him plan it. Innocent is on his way to America without telling me to see Pero,” she said in a distraught voice.
Annie proceeded to explain that her ten years’ marriage with Tuface has been a “living hell”, blaming his family for her woes.
“His family doesn’t love me, they hate me they have been giving me hell for ten fucking years,” she added.
On September 2, the actress publicly called out her husband on her Instagram for rekindling intimacy with his ex-lover, Pero, during a family vacation.
“I am going to scatter everything, nobody knows the wrath of an angry woman, I am going right now on Instagram live,” she now threatens.
“I am done,” she painfully laments as she wails inconsolably.
Tuface has remained mute through the controversy. His brother Charles did however cast slurs at Annie in the heat of the outburst.
Tuface and Annie have two children together, though the superstar artist has five children with other women.
The Federal Government has approved the National Policy on Fifth Generation (5G) Network for Nigeria, with immediate effect.
Dr Femi Adeluyi, Technical Assistant on Information Technology to the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, made the disclosure on Wednesday in Abuja.
Mr Adeluyi emphasised that the 5G policy implementation would take immediate effect.
He explained that the national policy took a period of two years to develop because of the need for extensive stakeholders’ engagement and the need to ensure adequate public awareness and sensitisation.
He added that the stakeholders’ engagement was thorough and multi-sectoral in nature, adding that it also took into account the report of the three-month 5G trials that began on November 25, 2019.
Mr Adeluyi noted that the report critically reviewed and studied the health and security implications of deploying 5G in Nigeria.
According to him, the WHO and the International Telecommunications Union, an organ of the United Nations, confirmed that deployment of 5G networks leaves no adverse health effects.
“5G networks offer significant advantages over current technologies. Some of its advantages include much lower latency, higher bandwidth, greater device density, longer battery life for nodes and greater network flexibility.
“Several countries have already started the deployment of 5G and are enjoying its benefits. These countries include the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Republic of Korea, South Africa and Lesotho, to mention a few.
“The National Frequency Management Council, chaired by Pantami, will soon release spectrum to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for Mobile Network Operators that meet all the required conditions.
“The NCC, as the regulator of the telecommunications sector, will continue engaging stakeholders with a view to developing the regulatory instruments required for the successful deployment of the new technology in Nigeria,’’ Mr Adeluyi added.
A UK-based technical services company, Prolifics Testing, had said Nigeria ranks among countries with the most scepticism for the deployment of 5G Internet network.
Nigerian evangelical leaders such as Pastor Chris Oyakhilome have also voiced their criticisms to the ultrafast connection, consequently drawing fines from UK broadcast regulator, Ofcom.
Nigeria has the least affordable internet service in the world, per a Surfshark report in February.
Peoples Gazette has reported that Nigerian opposition leader, Atiku Abubakar, paid $16.5 million (N8.7 billion in today’s parallel conversions) to an American firm to help him destroy his opponent’s campaign message and procure a visa to Washington in the run-up to the 2019 Presidential election, bolstering a long-held presumption that Nigerian electioneering was becoming more expensive to run even before illicit payments to electoral officers and voters are factored in.
Mr Abubakar, 74, used the money to enlist the services of K.M. Family Investment, LLC, a Texas-based public affairs consultancy run by Sada Cumber, a Pakistani-American diplomat and former U.S. Special Envoy to the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) under President George W. Bush. The deal was facilitated by Legacy Logistics, an Abuja-based integrated services venture linked to Mr Abubakar’s associates Samuel Cornelius and Joseph Nzepuome.
Amongst other campaign ideas, Mr Cumber and his team accepted the $16.5 million deal to help the former Nigerian vice president lobby American politicians and bureaucrats for a visitor’s visa, coordinate advanced communications of his campaign and help build a structure tasked with the “destruction” of opposition messaging, according to the contract seen by The Gazette as part of compliance with the provisions of U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act.
The deal was signed on October 26, 2018, three weeks after Mr Abubakar clinched the presidential nomination of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party to challenge President Muhammadu Buhari in the February 2019 elections.
President Muhammadu Buhari
But the filings said Mr Cumber had contacted top Washington lobbyists Holland & Knight no earlier than September 20, 2018, seeking their services in helping Mr Abubakar procure a visa to the U.S.
Holland & Knight charged Mr Cumber $75,000 for the contract and promptly dispatched its personnel to liaise with Republican members of the U.S. Congress, as well as representatives of White House National Security Council and the State Department.
Mr Cumber, an influential Republican and ally of former President Donald Trump, started preparing his team for a trip to Abuja to meet Mr Abubakar’s campaign shortly after the deal was signed and the visa was all but guaranteed, The Gazette learnt.
It was unclear how much Mr Cumber charged Mr Atiku for the visa alone as part of the $16.5 million campaign strategy deal. A spokesman for his firm did not immediately return a request seeking comments from The Gazette on Tuesday night.
Sada Cumber
The contract said the agreed sum was exclusive of Mr Abubakar’s flight and accommodation to the U.S. and security and logistics for Mr Cumber’s team on their trip to Nigeria — indicating that the Nigerian politician paid out of his pocket when his entourage stayed at the Trump International Hotel in Washington during the trip.
In the contract agreement, Mr Cumber asked Mr Abubakar’s campaign to pay $16.5 million into an escrow account. The money would be depleted in three tranches at every milestone of the three phases of the project.
“The Escrow Agent shall disburse the Escrow Fund as follows:
“a) Five Million, Five-Hundred Thousand and NO/100 Dollars ($5,500,000.00) shall be disbursed by Escrow Agent from Escrow Fund to Firm immediately upon confirmation that the travel VISA for Mr. Atiku Abubakar has been issued by the United States government;
“b) Eight Million, Five-Hundred Thousand and NO/100 Dollars ($8,500,000.00) shall be disbursed by Escrow Agent from Escrow Fund to Firm immediately upon shipment of the book by Firm and release of the Op-Eds by Firm.
Former U.S. President, Donald Trump
“c) Remaining Two Million, Five-Hundred Thousand and NO/10G Dollars ($2,500,000.00) shall be disbursed by Escrow Agent from Escrow Fund to Firm thirty (30) days before the currently announced Election Day in Nigeria of February 16, 2019. This date shall not change even if Election Day is postponed.
“Funds may also be disbursed in accordance with the joint written instructions signed by both Firm and Client. On disbursement of all of the Escrow Fund, this Escrow Agreement shall terminate,” the contract said.
The contract was scheduled to last between October 2018 and January 2019, when the last $2.5 million was slated to be released from the escrow account. It also included a clause that said any postponements of the election will not affect the disbursement of the $16.5 million as scheduled in the agreement. The election was indeed shifted from February 16, 2019, to February 23, 2019.
The deal underscored how expensive Nigerian presidential elections have become over the past decade, and how politicians continue to contract foreign strategists to help direct their campaigns. In 2015, Mr Buhari’s APC awarded a similar contract to AKPD Message & Media, a strategic communications outfit headed by David Axelrod, who directed President Barack Obama’s presidential campaign in 2008 and 2012.
Mahmood Yakub
The amount appeared to have been drawn from Mr Abubakar’s formidable campaign war chest and did not include other electoral expenses locally, including ad buys across traditional and digital media.
Nigerian politicians are also known to pay heavily to secure their parties’ tickets at the primaries, advance illicit payments to electoral officers and induce voters at the ballot box.
Mr Abubakar has carried a burden of corruption perception since he was accused of laundering about $40 million by the U.S. Senate in a 2010 probe. The probe uncovered how Mr Abubakar used his wives to launder the funds, including about $1.7 million in cash bribes from German technology giant Siemens. Siemens pleaded guilty to the charges in 2008 and paid about $1.6 billion in fines.
The main opposition chieftain was also named as an accomplice in a multinational bribery scandal of a broadband contract that sent his Democratic ally Jefferson to prison in 2005. Mr Abubakar denied all allegations of corruption and has not been formally convicted of graft, but the U.S. nonetheless found him unworthy of its visa and blocked him from getting one for years.
Mr Abubakar said in interviews that he applied for a U.S. visa repeatedly but was denied on administrative grounds, which consular officers did not elaborate.
But as his opponents were preparing to use his inability to enter the U.S. owing to unclear corruption claims, Mr Abubakar pinned his hopes on Mr Cumber’s steep ties across Washington, which paid off when he arrived in Washington on January 17, 2019, for the first time in over a decade, thereby crossing a major political hurdle that has haunted him for years.
Mr Cumber agreed to, as part of the deal, help Mr Abubakar write a book outlining his vision for Nigeria, hold talks with key players at the World Economic Forum in Davos, conduct opposition research and SWOT analysis of his ambition.
A campaign insider told The Gazette that Mr Cumber and his team helped put together the structure of his campaign, as well as the strategy document he launched in the run-up to the election. Still, it remained unclear whether the agreement was implemented in its entirety, especially as Mr Abubakar did not appear to have launched any book before the election.
A spokesman for the former Vice President did not return requests seeking comments about the contract.
Mr Buhari was declared the winner of the election amidst condemnation from election observers and protests from Mr Abubakar. The opposition leader argued the election was rigged after ruling party agents broke into the electoral commission’s database and changed votes, but lost at the tribunal and the Supreme Court.
![Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Wase [PHOTO CREDIT: Hon Ahmed Idris Wase on Facebook]](https://i0.wp.com/media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2021/03/158199190_232523365126702_2840175790317707811_n.jpg?resize=960%2C538&ssl=1)
![Governor Nyesom Wike [PHOTO CREDIT: @GovernorNyesomEzenwoWikeCON]](https://i1.wp.com/media.premiumtimesng.com/wp-content/files/2021/06/195853278_2539128139564695_2008878300522428761_n.jpg?resize=960%2C640&ssl=1)
