Northern Youth Leaders Adopt Bala Mohammed For 2019 Presidential Polls

Information reaching 247ureports.com from sources in Adamawa State indicate that the Northern Youth Leaders Forum have adopted the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory [FCT], Senator Bala Mohammed for its choice candidate for the 2019 presidential election.

The selection was made public following a conference by the national body held in Adamawa State today at about 12noon. The group had screened ten [10] candidates from the north – comprising of t

As gathered, the youth group disqualified many of the candidates on the grounds of ability to appeal to the generality of the nation, appeal to all peoples and sections of the country, age and lack of controversy.

The youth leaders forum are reported to have the blessings of the former head of states.

A source from within the group pointed to Senator Bala Mohammed as the newest face in the group with the list controversial issues associated to his name and career. The source explained that Bala Mohd appeals to the other regions of the country. “He will sell well as a national candidate”, the added that Atiku Abubakar does not have age on his side.

247ureports.com gathered that the recent and repeated invitation of the former FCT Minister from the security agencies under the present administration had to do with the perceived presidential ambition. A source who explained that the increased acceptability of the former Minister within the leadership cadre of the north, had caused the present administration to be unsettled with Bala Mohd.

Stay tuned for the communique.

THE EFCC & FCDA CONSPIRACY UNRANVELLED

Economic and financial crimes commission (EFCC), a reputable government agency that has over the years fought corruption is now involved in some of the worse unspeakable corrupt practises.

The Economic financial crimes commission has since the beginning of the Mohammed Buhari Administration been accused of being a substantial tool to witch hunt the former administration’s executives and intimidate any potential political candidate for the 2019 election. They were also accused of looting recovered looted funds and breaking the laws of the federal Republic of Nigeria.

 A recent development has proven these accusation to be true as the EFCC an anti-corruption institution has been fingered in shoddy activities.

Ibrahim Magu who formally assumed office as the acting chairman of EFCC on November 11^th 2015 and was supposed to be confirmed by the senate was exposed by the Department of State Service DSS of all his illegal, corrupt practises. The most shocking amongst other allegation was the 83million rented and furnished apartment funded by the fedral capital development agency (FCDA).

the  rented  mansion in the elitist Maitama District of the Federal capital territory (FTC) Abuja located at No. 8B, Rudolf Close, off Katsina Ala Crescent, in the highbrow Maitama District, was the abode of a former federal minister who died sometime in May 2014.

An impeccable source said: “The property was rented to the Acting EFCC Chairman for N40,000,000 at N20,000,000 per annum.

“Furthermore, the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) curiously awarded a contract to Africa Energy, a company owned by Rtd Air Comm. Umar Muhammad, to furnish the residence at the cost N43,000,000, in a Government where the President is known to have frowned at and rebuked his ministers for requesting N20,000,000 each to secure accommodation and furnish them.

“It is shocking that the man spearheading the anti-corruption crusade of the government will be involved in such a venture.

According to the monetization policy it is illegal for Federal Capital Development Authority,

FCDA, to pay for Mr. Magu’s rent as it was against federal government’s monetization policy.

The monetization policy was passed into law vis-a-vas passage of the certain political and judicial office holder acts 2002, it is legally stated that monetization of the salaries and allowances of all categories of Federal public servants that were formally paid in kinds be converted to cash by the salary and wage commission. The fundamental aim of the policy is to prevent and thwart government officials from using the public or tax-payers money for personal gain.

The monetization policy was expressly defiled when the FCDA funded the accommodation of an executive, it is illegal for the FCDA to rent and furnish a house for even ministers let alone heads of government agencies. Even at the FCDA, there was violation of procurement process as Abuja Metropolitan Council officials  grumbled over the pressure mounted on them to perfect the process.

 This is where the conspiracy begins that left the public with so many questions.

Why will the FCDA go against the federal government monetization policy?

What is the connection between the FCDA and EFCC?

Under what arrangement is the FCDA involved in with using tax-payers money to rent and furnish the apartment for the acting EFCC boss?

These questions has the public pondering, did the FCDA pay Magu’s  rent and furniture as a bribe to malign, besmear and persecute the former Minister Sen Bala Mohammed who was unjustly arrested and detain for 45days with no charges or evidence of all accusations.

Connecting the dots between when the former minister was invited and detained by the EFCC and the statement by the lawyer representing the EFCC when asked why the former minister was yet to be granted bail 27 days in detention with no charges, he said “I did inform the court that we would do our best; whatever I said before the court is subject to the decision of my senior, my superiors. I am just a small boy” that left the court asking who this superiors are that wants Sen Mohammed Bala detained after he has met all bail conditions.

With these recent findings and development it is clear that the present minister of FCTA Mohammed Bello connived with the acting EFCC chairman Magu to besmear and persecute Sen Bala Mohammed.

It is now a clarion call for the Buhari Administration to investigate the involvement of the FCT minister Mohammed Bello in this corrupt scandalous conspiracy and necessary actions should be taken.

The way corruption is fought is more important than the fight against corruption. If corruption is fought with wicked, impure, callous and sadistic measures or procedures, we run the risk of creating tin-gods and the fight itself will be in breach of citizen’s fundamental rights as guaranteed by 1999 constitution.

Adamu U. Sani

Below are the pictures of the house and Receipt for confirmation of payment. 

 

Kogi First Lady celebrates children with special needs through Hayat Foundation initiative

Her Excellency Barr. Mrs Amina Oyiza Yahaya Bello, Wife of The Executive Governor of Kogi State and Co Founder of Hayat Foundation is passionate about the plight of Special Needs persons and the Disabled people. she emphasizes the need for Government to develop an all inclusive policy for these category of persons as they are also uniquely part of the society.

She says the president is committed to seeing that these lives matter by his expression of devotion towards their cause.   Her passion for these persons  was shown expressly during her visit to the Poorest of the Poor Home in Kuje, a home for kids with Cerebral Palsy.

She was concerned at the lack of consistent care and the living conditions of these vulnerable ones. She also was accompanied by her entourage; a group of Doctors, physiotherapists and volunteers for the foundation to the home, they catered to the children and also administered medical assistance and some therapy to the children.

She calls on the members of the society to please be the change they want to see by reaching out and touching these vulnerable ones, this was also stressed on her Television Interview on Gender Agenda  AIT where she talked about her goals and plans for these special ones.

we need each other she stressed as she also says that Love conquers all as she understands their plight by been a mum to her  wonderful son Hayat who also is living Cerebral Palsy. She intends to make sure using the Foundation as both an advocacy and an intervention tool to see to it that these hidden lives are celebrated.

visit www.hayatfoundation.org.ng

WATCH VIDEO https://youtu.be/wchoANpdV1g

More  photos below...

 

BALA'S BAIL APPLICATION - EFCC WITHDRAWS UNDERTAKING GIVEN IN OPEN COURT TO RELEASE HIM DUE TO PRESSURE FROM ABOVE

On Monday 21 November 2016 when the application for bail filed by Chief Chris Uche SAN on behalf of the former FCT Minister Sen Bala Mohammed came up for hearing for the first time, the in-house lawyer representing the EFCC Rimasomte Ezekiel Esq., informed the FCT High Court 4 presided over by Hon. Justice U. Baba Yusuf that there was no need to move the application as he was in close consultation with the Investigation Officers and that the former minister who has been in detention without charge for 27 days as at the time would be released on or before the expiration of Wednesday 23rd November 2016. To buttress the undertaking the EFCC counsel informed the court that he was speaking from the Bar. By established judicial practice a lawyer is taken for his words and commitments whenever they swear by the Bar. In fact it is taken to be stronger than depositions in an affidavit. In the face of the above strong undertaken from the Bar by the EFCC, Chief Uche SAN representing the former Minister was constrained and he conceded adjournment since the essence of the commitment by EFCC meets the objective of the application for bail for his client. Based on the judicial practice that the courts do not act in vain, the Court adjourned the case to Thursday 24 November 2016 on the general understanding that parties would appear to report the release of the former Minister.

However when the case came up on Thursday 24th November 2016 the same counsel to the EFCC served a Counter Affidavit to the bail application opposing the application and deposing to facts it intended to rely upon to justify the continued detention of Sen Bala Mohammed. The EFCC lawyer stated in open court that the reason why he is recanting on the undertaken and commitment to release Sen Mohammed made on Monday is because of pressure from his superiors. “I did inform the court that we would do our best; whatever I said before the court is subject to the decision of my senior, my superior. I am just a small boy”.

Following the pressure from superiors which Ezekiel Esq., referred to in the matter, the EFCC resorted to methods that has grave consequences with potential to erode its integrity to the shock and bewilderment of lawyers in court and the public in the gallery. Chief Uche SAN had attached three letters addressed to, delivered and duly acknowledged by the EFCC relating to the former Minister's health condition to the bail application. The EFCC vehemently denied any knowledge of the health condition of the former Minister in open court in the face of incontrovertible facts put forward by Chief Uche SAN. Secondly without putting forward factual basis to substantiate any link as it claims the EFCC alleged that the former Minister who has been in its custody influence a co-suspect it granted bail to jump bail.

Aisha Babangida opens up about her divorce and keeping up with the legacy of her late mother at the 2016 SHE FORUM AFRICA conference held on the 6th October, 2016 in Abuja.

Hajjiya Aisha Babangida delivered a powerful and heart-warming speech at the SHE FORUM AFRICA conference held at  Sheraton hotel ,Abuja as she opens up about her divorce and managing her late mothers’ foundation (THE BETTER LIFE PROGRAM). 

Hajjiya Aisha Babangida begins her speech by telling the audience that her story is one of wisdom and grace.  She goes ahead to tell us that she was built and nurtured for this role because it’s all she knows and has seen while growing up and it’s also a legacy that she is very proud of. 

She further mentions that she got married, had a little baby girl and got divorced twice and felt that she had shamed her parents and everyone who invested in coming to her wedding.  

She explains how she didn’t realize that she could still be interdependent in her marriage i.e. nurture her husband and still do what she was brought to this world to do.  She talks about her second divorce saying “so she’s no longer here ( her mother)  and suddenly my marriage, (second) goes downhill, instantly. I begin to wonder maybe she was the one holding the marriage itself, but the embarrassment was, I didn’t pay attention to her foundation when she was sick, I was building somebody else and I am very proud that I built somebody else, a man. I get divorced again and now I am in a hurry to do her work because this is all I know and I am enjoying every bit of it because this is what as I said, I was raised to do.” 

The crux of her speech was the challenges she had to face before taking over the foundation because she had no guide and information to continue from where her mother left of and so she decided to shut down the organization and single handily   reopened, revived and added value to what it already was.  Following the reopening of the foundation which is still a working progress, she established a micro-finance bank to assist the women, men and to bring everyone into the financial sector as her mission was to empower as many people as possible. 

She rounds up her speech by saying “there are 3  Fs that I work with internally; Faith, Focus and forge, forge as to construct successfully ,so this is what I work with and above all humility, I must remember who I am, I must remember where I come from, I must remember that I owe you all something .”  Then she says a little Christian prayer she had heard from a friend, “father, in the face of life sometimes awful circumstances, may we find your grace to be a source of awe and wonder. Instruct us in our trials and carry us in your arms when we are overwhelmed, this is for each and every one of us, this prayer is about faith. Once you have faith, you conquer the world, if you focus; every single thing is possible and forge, just go forward and build. And then there is an Islamic prayer that says the divine grants wisdom to whom the divine wills and to whom wisdom is granted indeed receives overflowing goodness, but no one will internalise the message but the realised hearts”.

 She ends by encouraging the ladies that they could succeed in life, do what they want to do and still be loving wives that they are supposed to be. Everyone has a story, she said ; “be so  proud of your story because that is what makes you live, leave the men alone, by the time we get our acts together, do everything ,they would want to buy in as well, please have faith, that faith in God is what will make you succeed in life and you will be happy, smile at everybody that you go through, that’s why I said that mine is a story of grace and wisdom , everywhere I have to go, I have to stand up, I can’t afford to breakdown, I can’t afford to cry, I have a father who dots on my happiness, I have my siblings”. 

“this is who I am I have to sit up because you all look up to me as well, because when you see me you remember my mother, so do I now need to start running around the streets and acting like a mad woman? No, so I have to live for you, you have to live in me, thank you”.

Sanata Bala Mohammed, Con: OF Kwangila, 'gidaje, Da Ƙasar DA CRONIES

Da yake a auki wasu Media rahotanni a kan tsohon ministan na Abuja

The hankalin Sanata Bala Mohammed, con, Kauran Bauchi, tsohon ministan Babban Birnin Tarayya, FCT an kõma zuwa wasu kafofin watsa labarai da rahotanni, inda da cewa an indicted da anti dasa hukumomin ko cewa wasu daga cikin dukiya da aka kwace daga tattalin arzikin kuma Financial Laifukan Hukumar, EFCC. Sanata Mohammed ya umurci mu mu bayyana kamar haka:

EFCC bincike

Gaskiya ne cewa Sanata Bala Mohammed, kamar mutane da yawa da jama'a ofishin da kambun, da ake bincika da EFCC da kuma ya sa ba qualms game da wannan a cikin hasken da shahararren rawa ya taka leda a karkashin Goodluck Jonathan Administration a matsayin ministan na Abuja. Shi ne kuma daidai da ɗansa, Shamsudeen aka kira da tambayoyi da EFCC game da wata daya da suka wuce da kuma fito a administrative beli. Duk da haka, gudanar da bincike shi ne har yanzu mai gudana. Yana da wani Cardinal manufa mu fikihu wanda wani zargi ne ba gaskiya jĩ da kwarewarsa, m sai same shi da laifi. Duk da haka, a cikin dashi harka, ba yana da tsohon ministan aka gayyata da kaina, kuma bã ya da ki wani gayyatar. Duk da haka, ko da a gaban EFCC ƙarasa da bincike, wasu mischievous abubuwa suna ambaliya da kafofin watsa labarai niƙa tare spurious bayanai don besmear halinsa.

Domin kaucewa shakka, matsayinsa ne cewa duka mai gudana bincike (wanda ya gan istinbadi da fitina da kafofin watsa labarai (wanda ya gan mischievous), shi ne price da cewa yana da da za a da za a biya jagoranci, wannan matsayi na siyasa da kambun kamata ba amma riƙe kuma motsa jiki da iko da gata na ofishin amma ya kasance a shirye don sabõda ayyuka da kuma inactions a dace lokaci. shi ya sa ya halarci a cikin House bincike na Land Musanya Shirin notwithstanding ya misgivings a abin da ya gani a fili mu- shirya sakamako. Ko a yanzu, tsohon ministan ya averred cewa zai kasance a shirye don girmama wani gayyatar daga wani anti dasa hukumar.

Ya kuma yi fāriya da cewa gwaji ci gaba da aka yi a lokacin da ya. Wata irin wannan ci gaba da aka ƙasar kasafi na ƙasar ga mutane da yawa 'yan Nijeriya! Duk da haka, Bala ya yarda da fallibility na yan Adam da shirye ya yarda cewa ayyukansa ba zai iya zama cikakke tun kawai Allah yake cikakke.

Kasafi na Land to 'yan uwa da abokai

Daya daga cikin dokokin ayyuka na kowane Ministan Abuja ne don ware ƙasar. Duk da haka, shi ne mai kuskure ne su yi tunanin cewa yana da Abuja inexhaustible buildable ƙasar yankunan jiran wani ministan ware ga wanda ya so. Maimakon haka, wadannan verifiable gabaceku, abin da tsohon ministan babban birnin tarayya suka yi, tare da tawagar, ya sassaƙa fitar da wasu sababbin yankunan da aka baya kasaftawa a Nijeriya da mazauna. Irin wannan sabon yankunan sun hada da Guzape, Kiyami da dai sauransu. Don yin m weather da cewa ya kasaftawa ƙasar wa abokansa, 'yan uwa da kuma ma'aikatan na FCT, kamar dai wadannan ba su ne' yan Nijeriya patently mischievous, uncharitable da ƙarancin cancantar. Tsohon ministan m babu wata dokar da har ya traducers kamata nuna wa sashe na Kundin tsarin mulkin Najeriya da cewa disenfranchises dangantakar da ministoci da sauran jama'a ofishin kambun daga gata da damar bude ga sauran 'yan Nijeriya. Our matsayi shi ne cewa wadanda vilifying tsohon ministan dai da sosai short tunanin ko sun zabe shi don ya tafiyar da zabe ɓacin hankali. In ba haka ba, ba za su iya mantawa da sauri haka cewa, ba ma dogon ago, daya daga Sanata Mohammed ta magabata wanda a yanzu yake riƙe da wani zaɓe na ofishin ya indignantly tambaye waɗanda suka zarge shi da allocating ƙasar wa 'yan uwa da abokai su jira su bi da bi, kuma yarda da makwabtansu . Amma duk da haka, da sammai ba fada. Mun yi mãmãki a lõkacin da ta zama haka al'amarin da cewa abin da yake mai kyau ga Goose ne ba mai kyau ga gander! Again, ba za mu iya manta da haka nan da nan cewa, ba da dadewa, a kan rana ta ƙarshe a ofishin, tsohon ministan babban birnin tarayya ya yi asusun tarayya na game da 3000 mãkirci na ƙasar zuwa mambobi ne na jama'a, wani mataki da aka kwace daga majalisar dattijai amma mayar da Sanata Bala Mohammed wanda ya bayar da hujjar cewa mataki na wanda ya riga ya yi daidai da ya iko. Yana da umarni a lura da cewa ko da yake Sanata Bala Mohammed da yake riƙe da rikodi na kasancewa mafi tsawo hidimarsa, ya sanya m asusun tarayya na ƙasar fiye da wasu daga cikin magabata. Sai daya abubuwan al'ajabi da ya sa ya ake gicciye don na kasa culpable fiye da mutane da suke tafiya kan tituna ba tare da wani molestation.

cin hanci da rashawa[/b]

Babu wani abu da zai iya zama mafi spurious kuma wawa fiye da bangare na rahoton cewa tsohon ministan nema, kuma ya karbi biliyan daya Naira a kowane ƙasar kasafi a Abuja. Yi addu'a, inda su ne na asusun tarayya a tambaya? Mene ne darajar cikin ƙasa? Kuma a cikin abin da bank account ya saka da Saide na cin hanci da rashawa? Shiryayye jama'a za su tsayar da cewa wannan rahoto ya bi daidai da wannan abin kwaikwaya a matsayin wani a baya labarin a cikin abin da aka yi da'awar cewa tsohon ministan ya refunded da Naira Miliyan Xari da Arba'in da biliyan biyu Naira ga gwamnatin tarayya. Mene ne total kasafin kudin na FCT cewa ministan zai saya da irin wannan girma adadi balle maida wannan? Wannan kuma, shi ne hujja bayyananna daga kokarin yanke ministan to jama'a opprobrium ko da a gaban anti-dasa bangarori gama bincike da kuma cimma wata qaddara karshen.

[b]kwangila

Labarin ta zargi cewa Sanata Bala Mohammed bayar da kwangila a guje cikin biliyoyin Naira su fronts ne m shaida na grand mãkirci a yi amfani da kafofin watsa labarai a zana jama'a opprobrium da tsohon ministan. Reminiscent na sauran ƙarya zargin, bai labarin bayyana kwangila a tambaya kuma bai ba da darajar kowane kwangila ko sunayen beneficiary kamfanoni, facts da zai yi a yarda da masu karatu su kusantar da nasu karshe. Wannan shi ne lokacin da bakin ciki kamar yadda yake m saboda girma da kwangila kashe a karkashin Sanata Mohammed aka gada daga baya gwamnatocin. A aiki farar hula wanda ya tashi zuwa ga daraja da darektan a cikin tarayya yakin sabis kafin ya koma siyasa, tsohon ministan dauke shi mafi a ajiye tare da qa'ida ta ci gaba a gwamnatin don kammala data kasance kwangila da ayyuka fiye da kyautar sababbi, ko da jaraba . Irin wannan kwangila sun hada da Kubwa axial Road, da Umaru Musa Yar'Ardua expressway da Abuja Rail Link.

More fundamentally, tsohon ministan kushewa da ƙoƙari hoodwink mambobi ne na jama'a a cikin imani da cewa ya bayar da m kwangila to fronts da cronies. Babu wani abu da zai iya zama m daga gaskiya, Ganin cewa a duk ayyukan, daga conceptualization to ofishin ga jama'a samuwa da kuma yarda da mai amfani da sashen an hõre rigorous mutunci gwaje-gwaje da kuma saboda tsari. Bayan haka, mafi yawan kwangila da suka shafi cikin FCT aka bayar da tarayya m majalisa. Sanata Bala Mohammed dole ne a fifiko ga single-handedly kewaye da waɗannan masu tafiya da linzami ba tare da wani kiwon yatsa.

Land Musanya

Again, 'yan Nijeriya ana regaled da salacious da bogus Figures kamar yadda a iƙirarin cewa ministan ake bincika zuwa asusu na Daya Naira triliyan, a kimanta adadi na abin da zai ƙara ga gwamnati bin nasara kisa da aikin. Sanata Bala Mohammed dake damunsa cewa abin da aka ɗauki cikinsa a matsayin da amfani bidi'a da mai girma multiplier sakamako ga tattalin arzikin da ake juya a cikin wani mafarki mai ban tsoro ga duka da masu zuba jari suka ciyar gwaji Jimlar kudi a cikin tsari da kuma sauran masu ruwa da tsaki suka tsaya amfana daga spate na tattalin arziki aiki da cewa za a unleashed da aiwatar da aikin. Ya ba ya tunanin cewa wannan augurs kyau ga zuba jari drive na gwamnati. Duk da haka, kuma, ba cewa bincike ne mai gudana, shi beats da tunanin cewa hukuncin da ake shige ma da aka kammala.

Kammalawa

Wadannan ba da mafi kyaun sau Sanata Bala Mohammed da iyalinsa ba bincike, kafofin watsa labarai Haske a kan shi da kuma sharrin siyasa abokan adawar. Amma hali shi ne cewa wannan ba zai zama karo na farko da jama'a ofishin kambun ana bincika. Duk da haka, ya nẽmi tsari da ya yi aiki a Nigeria da kishin kasa da kuma matuqar ƙaddamar da cewa, ko ta yaya wadannan bincike kawo karshen, tarihi ba zai iya shafe da fadin gudunmawar da ya yi wa Goodluck Jonathan Administration a lokacin da ya zama ministan babban birnin tarayya. Wadannan sun hada da ...

A karshe, Sanata Bala Mohammed ne ya umarci magoya bayansa da kuma dangantakar su zauna a kwantar da hankula da kuma ku nĩsanci ayyukan da zai rushe yanzu kokarin a tabbatar zaman lafiyar kasar dogara da cewa, a cikin cikar lokaci, duk za su kasance da kyau.

Emma Agu, FNGE

Media Consultant Sanata Bala Mohammed, con

Former FCT Minister Bala Mohammed reacts to reports of alleged embezzlement and seizure of property by EFCC

On Saturday July 6th, there was a report that former FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed was being investigated for alleged embezzlement and N872million worth of property was seized from him and his son by the EFCC.

The ex-minister was said to also be under investigation on alleged fictitious contracts of about N1billion, allocation of 12 choice plots worth billions of naira and 37 other commercial plots of land worth about N8 billion as well as the controversial N1 trillion Abuja land swap. He has reacted to the story. Read after the cut...

Being a reaction to some Media Reports on the former minister of the FCT

The attention of Senator Bala Mohammed, CON, Kauran Bauchi, former minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT has been drawn to some media reports purporting that he has been indicted by anti graft agencies or that some of his property has been confiscated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Senator Mohammed has instructed us to state as follows:

EFCC investigation.

It is true that Senator Bala Mohammed, like many past public office holders, is being investigated by the EFCC and makes no qualms about this in the light of the prominent role he played under the Goodluck Jonathan Administration as minister of the FCT. It is also correct that his son, Samsudeen was invited and interrogated by the EFCC about a month ago and released on administrative bail. 

However, the investigation is still ongoing. It is a cardinal principle of our jurisprudence that an accused is granted fair hearing and presumed innocent until found guilty. However, in the extant case, neither has the former minister been invited personally nor has he declined any invitation. Yet, even before the EFCC concludes its investigation, some mischievous elements are flooding the media mill with spurious information to besmear his character. 

For the avoidance of doubt, his position is that both the ongoing investigation (which he considers legitimate and the trial by media (which he considers mischievous), is the price that has to be to be paid for leadership; that political office holders should not only hold and exercise the powers and privileges of office but be ready to account for their actions and inactions at the appropriate time. That was why he participated in the House investigation of the Land Swap Program notwithstanding his misgivings at what he considered a clearly pre-arranged outcome. Even now, the former minister has averred that he will be ready to honour any invitation from any anti graft agency. 

He also takes pride in the fact that substantial progress was made during his tenure. One such progress was the land allocation of land to many Nigerians! In spite of this, Bala accepts the fallibility of the human person and is ready to admit that his actions could not have been perfect since only God is perfect.

Allocation of Land to family members and friends

One of the statutory functions of any minister of the FCT is to allocate land. However, it is a misconception to think that Abuja has inexhaustible buildable land areas waiting for a minister to allocate to whomsoever he likes. Rather, following verifiable precedents, what the former FCT minister did, with his team, was to carve out some new areas which were subsequently allocated to Nigerians and residents. Such new areas include Guzape, Kiyami etc. To make heavy weather of the fact that he allocated land to his friends, family members and staff of the FCT as if these are not Nigerians is patently mischievous, uncharitable and untenable. The former minister broke no law unless his traducers should point to the section of the Nigerian constitution that disenfranchises relations of ministers and other public office holders from privileges and opportunities open to other Nigerians. Our position is that those vilifying the former minister either have very short memories or have chosen to engage in selective amnesia. Otherwise, they cannot forget so soon that, not too long ago, one of Senator Mohammed’s predecessors who now holds an elective office had indignantly asked those who accused him of allocating land to his family members and friends to wait for their turn and favour their enemies. Yet, the heavens did not fall. We wonder when it became the case that what is good for the goose is no longer good for the gander! Again, we cannot forget so soon that not long ago, on his last day in office, a former FCT minister made allocations of about 3000 plots of land to members of the public, an action that was revoked by the Senate but restored by Senator Bala Mohammed who had argued that the action of his predecessor was consistent with his powers. It is instructive to note that although Senator Bala Mohammed holds the record of being the longest serving, he made fewer allocations of land than some of his predecessors. So one wonders why he is being crucified for being less culpable than people who are walking the streets without any molestation.   

Bribery

Nothing can be more spurious and stupid than the aspect of the report that the former minister demanded and received One Billion Naira on every land allocation in FCT. Pray, where are the allocations in question? What is the value of the land? And into which bank account did he deposit the proceeds of the bribery? Discerning members of the public will observe that this report follows exactly the same pattern as an earlier story in which it was claimed that the former minister had refunded the sum of Forty-Two Billion Naira to the federal government. What is the total budget of the FCT that a minister would acquire such a monstrous figure let alone refund same? This again, is a clear evidence of the effort to sentence the minister to public opprobrium even before the anti-graft panels conclude their investigations and to achieve a predetermined end.

Contracts

The story’s allegation that Senator Bala Mohammed awarded contracts running into billions of Naira to fronts is further evidence of the grand plot to use the media to draw public opprobrium against the former minister. Reminiscent of other false allegations, neither did the story disclose the contracts in question nor did it not give the value of each contract or the names of the beneficiary companies, facts that would have allowed readers to draw their own conclusions. This is as sad as it is unfortunate because the bulk of contracts executed under Senator Mohammed were inherited from previous administrations. A career civil servant who rose to the rank of director in the federal civil service before joining politics, the former minister considered it more in keeping with the principle of continuity in government to complete existing contracts and projects than award new ones, no matter the temptation. Such contracts include the Kubwa Axial Road, the Umaru Musa Yar’Ardua expressway and the Abuja Rail Link.  

More fundamentally, the former minister deplores the attempt to hoodwink members of the public into believing that he awarded juicy contracts to fronts and cronies. Nothing can be farther from the truth, given the fact that all projects, from conceptualization to bureau for public procurement and the endorsement of the user department were subjected to rigorous integrity tests and due process. Besides, most contracts relating to the FCT were awarded by the federal executive council. Senator Bala Mohammed must be a superhuman to single-handedly bypass these checks and balances without anybody raising a finger.  

Land Swap

Again, Nigerians are being regaled with salacious and bogus figures just as in claiming that the minister is being investigated to account for One Trillion Naira, a projected figure of what would accrue to the government following the successful execution of the project. Senator Bala Mohammed regrets that what was conceived as a beneficial innovation with great multiplier effect for the economy is being turned into a nightmare to both the investors who spent substantial sum of money in the process and other stakeholders who stand to benefit from the spate of economic activity that will be unleashed by the implementation of the project. He does not think that this augurs well for the investment drive of the government. However, again, given that the investigation is ongoing, it beats the imagination that judgement is being passed even before it is concluded.

Conclusion

These are not the best of times for Senator Bala Mohammed and his family given the investigations, the media spotlight on him and the mischief of political opponents. But his attitude is that this will not be the first time that public office holders are being investigated. However, he holds firmly that he served Nigeria with patriotism and utmost dedication and that, no matter how these investigations end, history cannot erase the modest contributions he made to the Goodluck Jonathan Administration during his tenure as FTC minister. These include…

Finally, Senator Bala Mohammed is enjoining his supporters and relations to remain calm and eschew acts that would undermine current efforts at stabilizing the country trusting that, in the fullness of time, all will be well.

Emma Agu, FNGE

Media Consultant to Senator Bala Mohammed, CON