Skip to main content

'Emefiele Didn’t Follow Due Process In N1.2bn Contracts' Award'

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said that some witnesses have testified that the former Governor of the Center Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, did not award N1.2billion in procurement contracts through a tender committee.

The Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, stated this in a statement issued on Wednesday.

The statement said, “A Third Prosecution Witness, PW3, in the trial of Godwin Emefiele, former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Oluwole Owoeye, on Tuesday, November 28, 2023, told a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, presided over by Justice Hamza Muazu, that all the 45 contracts awarded by the erstwhile governor of the apex bank did not go through the contract’s tender committee of the bank.

“Owoeye, Head of the Secretariat of the Major Contract Tender Committee (MCTC), disclosed to the court that any contract in excess of N10million must go through MCTC; however, the award of the contracts, though within the threshold of the contract that ought to have gone through MCTC, did not go through the Committee.”

The statement added that the witness also explained that, when contractors submit their bids, it is the responsibility of the Committee to vet the companies by ensuring that the particulars of directors are disclosed to the bank, so as to prevent the award of contracts to companies in which any staff of the CBN is a director.  

All these requirements that MCTC would have ensured were met were circumvented as the contracts did not go through the committee.

The EFCC had arraigned Emefiele on Friday, November 17, 2023, on six counts bordering on procurement fraud. 

At Tuesday’s proceedings, prosecuting counsel for the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, called three witnesses, including Owoeye. 

The other two witnesses are Samsideen Romanus, an official of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC, and Remigious Ugwu, a compliance officer with a commercial bank.  Both witnesses gave their testimonies before the court. 

The court admitted Owoeye’s disclosures as exhibits F1 to F45.

Justice Muazu thereafter adjourned proceedings in the matter to January 18 and 19, 2024.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Stop Creating Enmity, It'll Hurt You, Gov Fubara Warns Partisan Police Officers •Donates 100 Vehicles To Cut Response Time To Emergencies

Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has advised partisan police officers who abandon their core professional responsibilities to pursue vested political interests to know that the enmity they fuel and eventually create will hurt them in the long run. Governor Fubara maintained that police officers are engaged and trained as professionals to protect lives and property while contributing to the desired peace in the State as a patriotic duty. The Governor insisted that it is, therefore, an aberration for any of them to think that protecting any particular individual or being one-sided in the political affairs to the detriment of the State amounts to professionalism. Governor Fubara gave the advise at the inauguration and formal handover of 100 operational vehicles acquired by his administration to the Rivers State Police Command at the Sharks Football Stadium in Port Harcourt on Tuesday. The Governor said: "I need to say this, so that you will understand. When you (Disu) ca...
Post a Comment
Read more

Assembly Screens, Confirms Oko-Jaja, Seven Others For BoPP Board •Tasks Members On Rivers First Policy

Rivers State House of Assembly has screened and  confirmed Opobo-born Barrister Lawrence Oko-Jaja, SAN, as Chairman of the Board of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement (RSBoPP). Also screened and confirmed were Dr. Ernest Ibekwe Ekwe; Dr. Mina Ogbanga; Engr. Iseleye Amachree; Engr. Adokiye Oyagiri; Engr. Gift Alex-Hart; Mrs. Grace Osaronu; and Barrister Selinah Amonieah, who will serve as members. The eight nominees had appeared for screening before the lawmakers shortly after the reading of the letter sent by the State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, to the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Victor Oko-Jumbo, requesting the House to determine their suitability for appointment as members of the Board of Rivers State Bureau on Public Procurement. Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Victor Oko-Jumbo, read the letter by the Governor during plenary at the Hallowed Chamber of the House of Assembly, Auditorium of the Administrative Block, Rivers State Government House in Port Harcourt, on Friday. The S...
Post a Comment
Read more

66 New Babies Born At RCCG Convention, As Adeboye Prays Against Fresh Wars

Several mothers were delivered of no fewer than 66 babies at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Convention ground over the weekend. Adeboye announced this during the church’s 71st Annual Convention Friday Holy Ghost Service, tagged, “Beyond Expectations,” held from Friday night to Saturday morning at the church’s headquarters in Mowe, Ogun State. According to him, they comprised 31 females and 31 males. The Daddy GO also announced that next month’s Holy Ghost Service would be dedicated to those trusting God for the fruit of the womb. He said, “I believe God that there will be a lot of twins, triplets and many more. God does not know how to do small things and does not stop when your cup of blessings is full.” Meanwhile, Adeboye, has called on Christians, especially his church members, to pray against fresh wars, within and outside the country’s borders. The cleric said the country was already fighting many  “wars” such as kidnapping, terrorism and killings, adding that fre...
Post a Comment
Read more