CBN sacks boards of Union Bank, Keystone Bank and Polaris Bank - ITREALMS

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The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has dissolved the Board and Management of Union Bank, Keystone Bank, and Polaris Bank with immediate effect, reports ITREALMS.

This action, according to the acting Director, Corporate Communications at CBN, Sidi Ali Hakama (Mrs) has became necessary due to the non-compliance of these banks and their respective boards with the provisions of Section 12(c), (f), (g), (h) of Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act, 2020.

MTN sacks IHS Towers, embraces American Tower - ITREALMS

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MTN Nigeria Communication has sacked its hitherto telecom mast solution provider, IHS Towers while embracing the American Tower, reports ITREALMS.

This is coming after a decade deal of partnership, which will expire by the end of 2024 business year.

Buhari replaces Onnoghen as CJN, swears in Justice Tanko Mohammed to take over - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

President Muhammadu Buhari has replaced the Chief Justice of the Federation, JUstice Walter Nkanu Samuel Onnoghen and replaced him with Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed, reports ITREALMS.

Buhari in an address made available to ITREALMS said the CJN is being suspended to enable him answer to the charges of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, just as he swore-in Tanko Mohammed as Acting Chief Justice on Friday in Abuja.

According to him, "A short while ago, I was served with an Order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal issued on Wednesday 23rd January 2019, directing the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honourable Justice Walter Nkanu Samuel Onnoghen from office pending final determination of the cases against him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal and several other fora relating to his alleged breach of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers.

"2. The nation has been gripped by the tragic realities of no less a personality than the Chief Justice of Nigeria himself becoming the accused person in a corruption trial since details of the petition against him by a Civil Society Organization first became public about a fortnight ago.

"3. Although the allegations in the petition are grievous enough in themselves, the security agencies have since then traced other suspicious transactions running into millions of dollars to the CJN’s personal accounts, all undeclared or improperly declared as required by law.

"4. Perhaps more worrisome is the Chief Justice of Nigeria’s own written admission to the charges that he indeed failed to follow the spirit and letter of the law in declaring his assets, citing ’’mistake’’ and ’’forgetfulness’’ which are totally unknown to our laws as defences in the circumstances of his case.

"5. One expected that with his moral authority so wounded, by these serious charges of corruption, more so by his own written admission, Mr. Justice Walter Onnoghen would have acted swiftly to spare our Judicial Arm further disrepute by removing himself from superintending over it while his trial lasted.

"6. Unfortunately, he has not done so. Instead, the nation has been treated to the sordid spectacle of a judicial game of wits in which the Chief Justice of Nigeria and his legal team have made nonsense of the efforts of the Code of Conduct Tribunal to hear the allegation on merit and conclude the trial as quickly as possible considering the nature of the times in which we live.

"7. Whether deliberately or inadvertently, we have all seen the full weight of the Chief Justice of Nigeria descend on the tender head of one of the organs of justice under his control. There is simply no way the officers of that court, from the Chairman to the bailiffs, can pretend to be unaffected by the influence of the leader of the Judiciary.

"8. Not only the trial court, but others have been put on the spot. Practically every other day since his trial commenced, the nation has witnessed various courts granting orders and counter-orders in favour of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, all of them characterised by an unholy alacrity between the time of filing, hearing and delivery of judgment in same.

"9. The real effect has been a stalling of the trial of Justice Onnoghen, helped along by lawyers who insist that these orders, whether right or wrong are technically valid, and must be obeyed till an appellate Court says otherwise. No doubt, that it is the proper interpretation, but is it the right disposition for our nation?

"10. Nigeria is a constitutional democracy and no one must be, or be seen to be, above the law. Unfortunately, the drama around the trial of the Chief Justice of Nigeria has challenged that pillar of justice in the perception of the ordinary man on the street. For it is certain that no ordinary Nigerian can get the swift and special treatment Justice Onnoghen has enjoyed from his subordinates and privies in our Judicature.

"11. In the midst of all these distracting events, the essential question of whether the accused CJN actually has a case to answer has been lost in the squabble over the form and nature of his trial. This should not be so.

"12. If Justice cannot be done and clearly seen to be done, society itself is at risk of the most unimaginable chaos. As a Government, we cannot stand by wailing and wringing our hands helplessly but give our full backing and support to those brave elements within the Judiciary who act forthrightly, irrespective of who is involved.

"13. As you are all aware, the fight against corruption is one of the tripod of policies promised to Nigerians by this administration. Needless to say that it is an existential Policy which must be given adequate attention and commitment by all the three arms of government. The efforts of the Executive will amount to nothing without the cooperation of the Legislature and especially the Judiciary.

"14. It is no secret that this government is dissatisfied with the alarming rate in which the Supreme Court of Nigeria under the oversight of Justice Walter Onnoghen has serially set free, persons accused of the most dire acts of corruption, often on mere technicalities, and after quite a number of them have been convicted by the trial and appellate courts.

"15. Since there is nothing the Executive Arm can do after the apex court of the land has spoken on any matter, several of these individuals walk free among us today, enjoying what are clearly the proceeds of the corruption which for so long has defeated the efforts of this nation to develop and prosper.

"16. It is against this background that I have received the Order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal directing me to suspend the Chief Justice pending final determination of the cases against him. It also explains why I am not only complying immediately, but with some degree of relief for the battered sensibilities of ordinary Nigerians whose patience must have become severely over-taxed by these anomalies.

"17. In line with this administration’s avowed respect for the Rule of Law, I have wholeheartedly obeyed the Order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal dated 23rd January 2019.

"18. Accordingly, I hereby suspend the Honourable Mr. Justice Walter Nkanu Samuel Onnoghen, GCON as the Chief Justice of Nigeria pending final determination of the case against him at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

"19. In further compliance with the same Order of the Code of Conduct Tribunal, I hereby invite Honourable Justice Ibrahim Tanko Mohammed JSC, being the next most Senior Justice in the Supreme Court, to come forward to take the Judicial Oath as Chief Justice of Nigeria in an Acting Capacity.

"20. Fellow Nigerians, we can only stand a chance to win the fight against Corruption, and position our dear nation for accelerated development when we stand together to contend against it.

"Thank you and may God bless our country."

Uboshe Uboshe/Editor

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Acting President, Osinbajo sacks Daura, D-G, DSS - ITREALMS

ITREALMS:

The Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has sacked the Director-General (D-G), State Security Service (DSS), Mr. Lawal Musa Daura, reports ITRealms.

This is coming as Mr. Daura has been placed under arrest, following the siege conducted by DSS on the National Assembly (NASS) Wednesday morning.

Osinbajo in the termination directive made available to ITRealms in a press statement endorsed by his Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Laolu Akande, said the termination of the appointment is with immediate effect.

Mr. Daura was also directed to hand over to the most senior officer of the State Security Service until further notice.

Further, ITRealms gathered that the Presidency has denied DSS over the blockade of the National Assembly, saying it was not aware and subsequently is against the rule of law.

The 65-year old DG, was appointed into the office on July 2, 2015. 

Uboshe Uboshe/GEE

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Gov Obiano sacks 18 commissioners, other political appointees

ITREALMS:

The Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, has reportedly sacked the 18 commissioners in his cabinet, alongside the political appointees in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) reports ITRealms.

The Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu, in a memo sent to the affected appointees in Awka, ordered the affected officers to hand over to permanent secretaries of their respective ministries, departments and agencies or to the most senior civil servants in the absence of permanent secretaries.

The memo, ITRealms gathered, had directed affected appointees to hand over any project or vehicles in their possession to the office of the Secretary to the State Government on or before Friday, 16th March, 2018.

The memo in part read, ”His Excellency, Chief (Dr.) Willie Obiano, Governor of Anambra State, has directed that all political appointees and non-civil servants, heads of MDAs in the state submit their hand over notes/reports on or before Friday, 16th March, 2018 to the Permanent Secretary of their respective MDAs, or to the most senior civil servant there in the absence of a Permanent Secretary.

“All SSAs/SAs are to submit their handover notes/reports to the Permanent Secretary, Office of the SSG.

“A copy of the handover note/report must be submitted to the Secretary to the State Government on or before Friday, 16th March, 2018.

“Further to the above, political appointees and non-civil servants, heads of MDAs and SSAs/SAs under reference, are to also hand over any government project/utility vehicles in their custody to the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Secretary to the State Government on or before Friday, 16th March 2018.

“The contents of this letter are for your attention and necessary actions, as I assure you of my high regards.”

The memo, ITRealms also gathered, was copied to the office of the deputy governor, among others.

A Senior Special Assistant to the governor on media, Mr. Oliver Okpala, confirmed the development, saying, “It’s the proper thing to do in the circumstance.”

“When a government is transiting to a new term, it’s proper to disengage all those who served in the former tenure. Governor Willie Obiano will start his second term on 17th of March. So, all those who served in the first term should go.

“If the governor wants to reappoint anybody, then it is a fresh contract. So, the disengagement of the political appointees is normal and proper,” Okpala enthused.

ITRealms recalls that Gov. Obiano was re-elected on 18th of November, 2017 in a landslide victory across all the Local Government Areas in the Anambra State.

Ozo Nweke Ozo with additional report from EnterNaija.com/GEE

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Finally Buhari sacks Babachi, Ayo Oke, names Boss Mustapha new SGF

ITRealms:

The President, Muhammadu Buhari has sacked the elsewhile embattled Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Mr.  Babachir David Lawal and the Director General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ayo Oke, over corruption allegations, naming Mr. Boss Mustapha to replace Babachir, reports ITRealms.

Special Adviser to the President, (Media and Publicity), Mr. Femi Adesina, confirmed this to ITRealms in a press statement, saying that Buhari named Mr. Boss Mustapha new SGF after  studying the report of the panel headed by the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, which investigated allegations against the suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Babachir David Lawal, and the Director General, National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ayo Oke.

According to him, Buhari accepted the recommendation of the panel to terminate the appointment of Mr Lawal.

ITRealms reports that Mr Mustapha appointment takes immediate effect.

Also, he revealed to ITRealms that Buhari approved the recommendation to terminate the appointment of Ambassador Oke, and has further approved the setting up of a three-member panel to, among other things, look into the operational, technical and administrative structure of the Agency and make appropriate recommendations.

ITRealms  gathered that before Mustapha, born in Adamawa State, he was the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the National Inland Waterways Authority.

Mustapha attended Hong Secondary School, in Hong, Adamawa State and North East College of Arts and Sciences Maiduguri, Borno State. He completed his Secondary School Education in 1976 with WASC and HSC certificates.

He obtained his Law degree from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1979 and was called to bar in 1980.

Ayo Midele/GEE

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