I Wasn’t In Office As Lagos Attorney-General When You Were Tried, Osinbajo Replies Bode George

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday described as fake news
the statement by Chief Olabode George, a former Deputy National
Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that he was part of
those responsible for his incarceration in 2009.

George in an exclusive interview with Daily Independent had
claimed that Osinbajo as Attorney General and Commissioner for
Justice connived with Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, a former governor of
Lagos to draft the unknown law that was used against him.

He also claimed that he met Osinbajo during a flight and asked
him to seek forgiveness from God.

However in a statement by Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant
to the President on Media and Publicity, Osinbajo said he has no
hand in George’s travails as he had left office a year before his
trial started.

He also said he has never had any conversation with Bode George
on the matter before and after he became Vice-President.

The full statement reads:
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, is completely baffled by a
statement credited to Chief Olabode George, a former Deputy
National Chairman of the PDP to the effect that he had forgiven the
VP for his alleged role in his (Chief George) incarceration for
alleged contract splitting during his tenure as Chairman of the
Nigeria Ports Authority, NPA.

According to the Vice President, “ I honestly hope that this is
fake news and the product of some mischief as the entire story is a
complete fabrication.“

However, it is now important to set the records straight as
follows, in rebuttal of this amazing falsehood!

1. Chief Olabode George’s trial commenced in August 2008, a year
after Prof. Osinbajo left as Attorney-General of Lagos State. ( He
served as Attorney General from 1999 to 2007.) Chief George was
convicted by the High Court in 2009.

2. Chief Olabode George was charged to court by the EFCC, a
Federal Government agency, not the Ministry of Justice, Lagos
State. Chief George’s party, the PDP was in office at the center in
Abuja at the time.

3. Chief Olabode George was charged under Sections 104 and 203
of the Criminal Code. The Code has been in force since 1914! Indeed
both provisions have been in the Code since then. Every State in
the South of Nigeria cites it as it’s own law.

Prof. Osinbajo clearly could not therefore, as Chief George
alleged, have “connived with Tinubu to draft the unknown law that
was used to convict him”. Neither Prof. Osinbajo, Asiwaju Bola
Ahmed Tinubu, nor the House of Assembly, Lagos State passed any new
Criminal law. In any event, their tenure ended a year before he was
charged to court.

The other law that came up at the Supreme Court, “The Public
Procurement Act 2007,” is an Act of the National Assembly, not a
State law.

4. The Vice President never met Chief Olabode George on any
flight within or outside Nigeria. He also never had a discussion
with him on his conviction or incarceration on any flight or at any
time . Indeed the only interaction the VP had with Chief George
since his incarceration was in 2017 at the 50th Anniversary
Celebration of the founding of Lagos State, where the VP was guest
of honour . The VP greeted him where he sat with other elders of
Lagos State. There was no discussion whatsoever in that brief
encounter.

It is hoped that these claims were only falsely credited to him,
otherwise one would have to wonder how he came about such an
outlandish fiction, complete with a meeting on a flight that
definitely never happened!

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President Buhari Appoints New Aides for the First Lady
of Nigeria

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of the
following aides to the First Lady, Federal Republic of Nigeria.
1) Dr. Mairo Almakura – Special Assistant on African First Ladies
Peace Mission (AFLPM)
2) Muhammed Albishir – Special Assistant on Organization of African
First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD)
3) Wole Aboderin – Special Assistant on Non-Governmental
Organizations
4) Barr. Aiyu Abdullahi – Special Assistant on Media and
Publicity
5) Zainab Kazeem – Special Assistant on Domestic and Social
Events
6) Funke Adesiyan – Personal Assistant on Domestic and Social
Events
The appointments take immediate effect.

Suleiman Haruna
Director of Information
to First Lady of Nigeria
State House
Abuja

Regional Secretariat of AFLPM will soon be a reality

First Lady of Nigeria, Dr. Aisha Buhari has expressed her
resolve to construct a regional secretariat for the African First
Ladies Peace Mission (AFLPM). The Mission, which was established
after the Beijing Conference of 1995, has been in the custody of
Nigeria, with leadership rotating among African First Ladies.

She was speaking during a solidarity visit by First Ladies from
the states at the Presidential Villa on Wednesday, 16th October,
2019.

“I have successfully secured 2.7 hectares of land in Abuja for
this purpose and the foundation laying will soon be conducted in
the presence of African First Ladies” said Mrs. Buhari.

Speaking on the advocacy project for the improvement of maternal
and child health, which is supported by Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation and implemented by Future Assured Programme in
partnership with the states First Ladies, Mrs. Buhari said it will
come to an end in December 2019.

She used the opportunity to commend the first ladies for the
good work they have been doing in their various states, and the
successful collaboration they did with Future Assured, calling on
the new First Ladies to do the same. She called on them not to
succumb to distractions by social media.

Commenting on the videos circulating on social networks, Mrs.
Buhari extended her apology to her children, her immediate family
members and all well-meaning Nigerians over the embarrassment that
the videos had caused.

She expressed appreciation to the President for approving a new
set of aides to assist her in carrying out her various
responsibilities.

Earlier, First Lady of Borno state, Mrs. Falmata Umara Zulum
representing Northern First Ladies Forum and Mrs. Betsy Obaseki,
representing Southern First Ladies Forum spoke during the
occasion.

Mrs. Zulum said they were at the Villa to welcome her back after
a long absence, and expressed their unalloyed loyalty and support
to her initiatives especially through the Future Assured Programme,
which she said has made her a role model even to other African
women.

Mrs. Obaseki on her part said they received news of the First
Lady’s return with great excitement, praying God to continue to
protect her. She used the opportunity to thank the President for
approving additional special assistants for her, saying this is an
indication of the regard he has for her work.

The event was attended by wife of the Vice President, Mrs.
Dolapo Osinbajo, wife of the Senate President, Mrs. Maryam Ahmed
Lawan and wife of the Speaker, House of Representatives, Mrs.
Salamatu Gbajabiamila, as well as wives of Governors and wives of
Legislators.

Suleiman Haruna
Director of Information
to First Lady of Nigeria
State House
Abuja