Ndigbo group writes Buhari, seeks probe of Anyim’s alleged fraudulent deals. A group, the Ohaneze Ndigbo Christian Youths In Diaspora (UK Chapter), has petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari urging him to probe the alleged fraudulent deals of former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim.
The group’s petition was signed by its President General, Bro Cosmas Elechi.
It said among others that “President Muhammadu Buhari should look into the illegal acquisition of wealth of over 200 houses in Abuja, including the 4 Star Barcelona Hotel in the highbrow serene suburb of Wuse 2 by the former SGF all acquired while in Office in direct contravention of extant Civil service rules against the abuse of office and corrupt enrichment by Public Servants.
“We refer Mr. President to the various allegations of fraud in the Office of the Secretary of the Federation when there are multiple instances of fraud and allegations of loss of N12 billion in 4 years namely:
“We also refer Mr. President to the Niger Delta Development Commission where the commission lost over N70 billion in 4 years to the SGF’s office.”
Even more, the group raised some posers in the petition allegedly linking the former SGF to the centenary city project and other deals.
The group said it “would like Senator Anyim Pius Anyim to answer the following questions truthfully.:Does Anyim own any shares in Centenary City project? If yes, what was his consideration for procuring the shares? If yes, did he disclose his interest to the government? Non-disclosure is a criminal breach of office which he sworn to as a public servant.
“Did the Board of Directors of NEPZA approve Centenary city as a free trade zone?
“Is the Centenary city part of the Abuja master plan?
“For the Centenary city to be a free trade zone, the C of O should be in the custody of the Federal Government, where is the C of O?
“Is it lawful to use the C of O as collateral in a bank for a loan?
“If the Centenary City is his personal asset (he should please disclose). The CBN and Finance Ministry are yet to trace any financial record of direct foreign investment into the Centenary City Project till date.
“Why should Senator Anyim foist a residential estate in the Federal Capital territory on the Federal Government as a free Trade zone thereby depriving Nigeria of duly earned customs duty revenue and directly killing our local industries and divesting our youths of jobs?”
The petition further claimed: “When Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation in 2013 promised, on behalf of the Federal Government that the Centenary City project will be handed over to investors, people at the Investors Forum never knew he was handing over the project to himself.
“This phantasm project covers an estimated 300,000 hectares of Abuja land (about two kilometers away from the Airport) which is in excess of $4 billion. The project is not a Public Private Enterprises as made to be believed by the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim.”
The petition also made further damning claims: “Centenary City is alleged to be a joint venture between the Federal Government and Eagle Hills to create the city of the future in Abuja but investigation shows that the Centenary City PLC project is owned by Company First Limited represented by Esther Onoji as a Director with 16 Emmanuel Onoti Crescent, Olokonla, Ajah, Lagos State as registered address and Basic Start Limited represented by Jennifer Onah as a Director with 49/51 Carter Street, Ebute Metta, Lagos as a registered address.
“Basic Start Limited with Corporate Affairs Commission registration number 845727 was initiated registered on the 18th September, 2009 with 4th Floor, 009 Awolowo Road, Falomo, Ikoyi as registered address. Its initial capital was Ten Thousand divided into 5,000 shares respectively, owned by Mr. Paul Oki and 5,000 to Mrs. Boma Ozoba. The company’s share was later bought over by the aides of Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation; Esther Onoji and Jennifer Onah in 2013 and share capital increased to 1 Billion shares for the purpose of defrauding the Federal Government in the Centenary City Projects.
“The company, Centenary City PLC was registered with 17A Wumego Crescent, Off Christ Avenue, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos State as her address and had the under listed as Directors and there is no single share allocated to any of the Directors. The Directors includes Mr. George Marks (Julius Berger), Mr. Cletus Ibeto, Alhaji Abduslam Abubakar (Former Head of State), Mr. Olatunde Ayeni (A close associate of Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan), Mr. Hani Tanios Saliba, Emmanuel Ochela, Adetokunbo Kayode, Ugochukwu Anamelechi Nkwocha.
“If Eagle Hills claimed that they have appointed Julius Berger Nigeria PLC as a key collaborator and developer of the multi-billion dollar city, why is the Director of Julius Berger, Mr. George Marks named a Director in the Centenary City PLC registration with CAC?
“Esther Onoji and Jennifer Onah who work respectively for Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (have) 125,000,000 shares respectively.
“Search at the Corporate Affairs Commission indicates that Centenary City PLC (owned by Company First Limited and Basic Start Limited) had registration number 1109159 but the date of incorporation cannot be ascertained since there is no Certificate of Incorporation in the file but was registered in 2013 from the documents available in the file at the Corporate Affairs Commission.
“The Centenary City was not registered as a Free Trade Zone and there is no indication with the Corporate Affairs Commission that the Centenary city is free trade zone. Also, the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority [NEPZA] has confirmed that it did not receive any application from the Centenary City applying for Free Trade Zone; moreover, the Centenary City is not qualified as a Free Trade Zone.”
According to the petitioners: “The scheme of declaring the Centenary City as a Free Trade Zone is to give waiver to the owner which has been robbing Nigerian Government of Revenue; running into trillion of Naira and industrial growth. No single dollar through Foreign Investment has been received from the Centenary City project since 2013, rather the owners; Esther Onoji and Jennifer Onah who work for Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation has been using the Certificate of Occupancy as collateral to borrow money within the country.
“Although a Board member of Eagle Hills, Mohamed Alabbar claimed that Julius Berger Nigeria PLC has been appointed as a key collaborator and developer of the multi-billion dollar city yet Julius Berger PLC has been using the assumed Free Trade Zone status to evade import duties for technicians, labour, machines, cement e.t.c. Nigeria has lost over 300,000 jobs through this fraudulent act!
“The earlier the Federal Government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari withdraw the purported Free Trade Zone status, cancel the Certificate of Occupancy and investigate the whole deal behind the Centenary City project; the better for the country. This will save the country economy over N100 trillion for the administration.”
The group also averred in the petition: “It is trite to mention that at an auspicious reception organized in honour of Senator Pius Anyim, the former Secretary to the Federal Government by Ndi Igbo Community recently by eminent sons and daughters of Ibo land e.g. Chief Jim Nwobodo, Chief Festus Odimegwu etc. The Guest were surprised by the disparaging remarks the revered Guest of Honour Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim made about former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
“We would like to advice Sen. Anyim to please leave President Jonathan alone and not join issues with him over his untoward ambition to be the Nigerian President in 2019.”
Apparently, the petition is a fallout of a media war between Dr. Cairo Ojougboh and alleged supporters of Anyim. The group, which fired a petition to Buhari, however, defended Ojougboh thus: “For the avoidance of doubt a brief history of Dr. C .Ojougboh is necessary. He is from Agbor in Ike South LGA in Delta North. He is a medical doctor by profession. He is also known as a man who speaks the truth courageously and says it fearlessly.
“He has a reputation for being uncompromising with the truth. This is why Nigerians applauded him over his famous press conference on why PDP lost at the just concluded elections.
“Dr. Cairo Ojougboh is not in possession of any property belonging to NEPZA or the Federal Government. He has since returned the project vehicle which he was given as the Chairman of NEPZA.
“Dr. Cairo Ojougboh is not a political jobber, he stands by the Christian ethics of “if ye know the truth, the truth shall set you free.
“Allegations that Dr. Cairo Ojougboh tried to kill Hon. Nduka Irabo are untrue and unfounded.”
The Ndigbo Ohaneze however told Buhari in its petition that it “is aware of the animosity and the war between Sen. Pius Anyim and former Governors of Ebonyi State, Sam Egwu and also Governor Elechi because they refused to pay Senator Anyim ‘Protection Money.”
The group also accused Anyim of plotting for 2019 presidency through unprintable ways.
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