Headlines
Three Serving Govs Planning to Pay Salaries with Stashed Cash – EFCC
Three serving state governors are under monitoring over moves to launder cash through table payment of salaries to workers, the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, said on Thursday.
Bawa, who did not give the identities of these governors, said two of them were from the North, while the third one was from the southern part of the country.
He said intelligence at the agency’s disposal revealed that the three governors had concluded plans to inject the money into the system through table payment of their state workers’ salaries.
“Let me tell you something; the Intel that I have yesterday and I would want you to take this thing very seriously. Already, some state governors have some of this cash stashed in various houses and the rest are now trying to pay salaries in cash in their state,” he told Daily Trust.
When quizzed on whether the commission would summon the said governors, Bawa said they were closely monitoring them.
“I don’t know how they want to achieve that but we have to stop them from doing that. Well, we are working, they have not paid the salaries in cash yet but it is a very serious thing,” he said, noting that the act was against section 2 of the Money Laundering Prohibition Act.
“The law is very clear regarding cash transactions. Anybody that is to consummate any cash transaction as an individual, if it is not through a financial institution, must not be above N5m and if it is above that it is criminal for you to engage in such transaction. And for corporate entities, it is N10m.
“Yes, I agree the salaries are not up to that but why are you all of a sudden, and all along you have been paying people salaries through their bank accounts and now you want to pay them in cash, what are you trying to do? They will come under a lot of guises, they are trying to do verification of officers, that is what we have gotten,” Bawa added.
The development is coming amid moves by the Central Bank of Nigeria to redesign the naira notes, particularly the N200, N500 and N1000 bank notes.
The CBN had on October 26 announced that the country’s currency would be redesigned to address many issues that had negative effects on Nigeria’s economy. The development has since generated mixed reactions among Nigerians.
The Punch
The Senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, has filed contempt charges against the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and others over her six-month suspension without pay from the Senate.
Others listed in the Form 48 contempt charge, filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja and sighted on Thursday, include the Clerk of the National Assembly and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct, Senator Neda Imasuen.
It will be recalled that Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on 4 March, while delivering a ruling on an ex parte motion filed by Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan through her legal team led by Mr. Michael Numa (SAN), restrained the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges, and Code of Conduct from proceeding with any investigation against the plaintiff/applicant.
This investigation related to alleged misconduct following events that occurred during the Senate plenary session on February 20, 2025 and a subsequent referral on February 25, 2025.
The court’s order was to remain in effect pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction.
The court also issued an order directing the defendants to show cause why an interlocutory injunction should not be granted to restrain them from proceeding with the purported investigation against Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for alleged misconduct, as such actions would affect her privileges as stipulated in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the Senate Standing Order 2023, and the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act.
Additionally, the court declared that “any action taken during the pendency of the suit is null, void, and of no effect whatsoever.”
The Court granted Akpoti-Uduaghan permission to serve the originating summons and accompanying documents on all defendants through substituted means, such as delivering them to the Clerk of the National Assembly, cited as the 1st Defendant, or by pasting them on the premises of the National Assembly and publishing them in two national dailies.
However, just two days after the court’s ruling, the Senate proceeded to suspend Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan for six months.
In response to the court order, the Senate President contested the power of the court to interfere in the internal affairs of the legislature, arguing that the court lacked jurisdiction to intervene in Senate matters.
In her contempt charge, Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan argued that her suspension constituted wilful disobedience to the subsisting court order issued on March 4 stating that an enrolled order of the interim injunction issued by Justice Egwuatu was duly served on the defendants on March 5.
According to Form 48, the defendants/contemnors “deliberately and contumaciously disregarded” the binding directive of the court and “proceeded with acts in flagrant defiance of the authority of the court.”
The court, in a notice of disobedience of a court order signed by its Registrar pursuant to Section 72 of the Sheriff and Civil Process Act 2004, informed the defendants/contemnors of their wilful disobedience to the court order issued by Justice Obiora Egwuatu.
It warned that defying the subsisting order rendered Akpabio, Senator Imasuen, and the Clerk of the National Assembly liable for contempt of court, which could result in their committal to prison.
The immediate-past governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has bragged that heaven will not fall if the Martins Amaewhule-led House of Assembly p impeaches his successor, Siminalayi Fubara.
At a media parley in Abuja on Wednesday, Wike, who is the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), said there is nothing wrong if the lawmakers decide to sack Fubara for alleged impeachable offences including withholding their salaries for months.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) powerbroker said: “If you have committed an offence to be impeached, what’s wrong? Is it a criminal offence? It’s provided in the constitution. Am I a member of the Assembly?
“If you have committed an infraction of the constitution and the Assembly deems it fit to say, you should be impeached.
“I have heard people say: ‘Oh, if they impeach him, there will be a breakdown of law and order’. Rubbish! Nothing will happen.”
Wike said if the Amaewhule-led House wasn’t disposed to peace, the Assembly would have gone on a six-month recess after the Supreme Court verdict.
He rubbished the letter written to the Assembly by Fubara, saying he should have done better.
On Friday, February 28, 2025, the Supreme Court handed a raft of decisions on the protracted political situation in the oil-rich South-South State.
In the judgment delivered by Justice Emmanuel Akomaye, the five-man panel of the court unanimously dismissed the cross-appeal filed by Fubara challenging the validity of the House of Assembly presided over by Amaewhule as the Speaker.
In dismissing Fubara’s appeal, the court ordered Amaewhule to resume sitting immediately with other elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The apex court barred the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Accountant General of the Federation, and other agencies from releasing funds to the Government of Rivers State until it purges itself of what the court described as flagrant disobedience to court orders.
Also, the apex court declared the local government election conducted in the state on October 5, 2024, as invalid.
Fubara subsequently said he would fully implement the judgments of the apex court and directed the Rivers State Independent Electoral Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to come up with modalities for the fresh election.
The electoral commission fixed August 9, 2025, to conduct a fresh local government poll in the State.
The Assembly later issued an arrest warrant against RSIEC Chief, Justice Adolphus Enebeli (rtd), over failure to appear before the House.
Furthermore, the Secretary to the State Government, Tammy Danagogo, in a letter dated March 7, 2025, sought a meeting with the lawmakers for March 10, 2025 to discuss the re-presentation of the 2025 budget and a peace talk, but the Assembly asked the governor to channel his invitation properly.
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara was on Wednesday denied access to the Rivers State House of Assembly quarters, where lawmakers currently hold plenary sessions.
According to a Daily Post report, the governor arrived at the Assembly quarters on Wednesday morning to present the state 2025 budget but was met with a locked gate, preventing his entry.
Fubara had earlier pledged to implement the Supreme Court judgment, which includes the formal presentation of the 2024 budget.
The budget was initially presented to a four-member Assembly faction in December 2023.
Last week, the Assembly issued a 48-hour ultimatum for the governor to present the 2025 budget.
In response, Fubara stated that he was awaiting the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the court judgment before proceeding.
On Sunday, in a letter signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Tammy Danagogo, and addressed to Speaker Martins Amaewhule, Fubara invited lawmakers for discussions on the Supreme Court ruling.
The discussions were expected to cover issues such as the budget presentation and the payment of outstanding salaries to the legislators, amongst other issues to chart a way forward for the state.
