Former French president to face trial over campaign financing…Read full details

http://ift.tt/2kgFHNW

(FILES) This file photo taken on November 20, 2016 shows former French president and former candidate for the right-wing Les Republicains party primaries ahead of the 2017 presidential election, Nicolas Sarkozy delivering a speech at his campaign headquarters in Paris. AFP PHOTO / Eric FEFERBERG 

Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy is to face trial over the allegedly fraudulent financing of his doomed 2012 bid for re-election, a legal source told AFP on Tuesday.

The prosecution claims Sarkozy greatly exceeded a spending limit of 22.5 million euros ($24 million) by using false billing from a public relations firm called Bygmalion.

The source said one of two judges in charge of the case, Serge Tournaire, had decided on February 3 that the case should go to trial after the failure of Sarkozy’s legal efforts to prevent it in December.

Bygmalion allegedly charged 18.5 million euros to Sarkozy’s rightwing party — which at the time was called the UMP, but has since been renamed the Republicans — instead of billing the president’s campaign.

Executives from the company have acknowledged the existence of fraud and false accounting and the trial will focus on whether Sarkozy himself was aware or taking decisions about it.

Only one other president — Jacques Chirac — has been tried in France’s fifth republic, which was founded in 1958. He was give a two-year suspended jail term in 2011 over a fake job scandal.

Questioned by police in September 2015, Sarkozy said he did not recall ever being warned about the accounting and described the controversy as a “farce”, putting the responsibility squarely on Bygmalion and the UMP.

While the so-called Bygmalion case is the most pressing, 61-year-old Sarkozy has been fighting legal problems on several fronts since losing the 2012 election to President Francois Hollande.

After retiring from politics following that defeat, he returned to take the helm of the Republicans and sought the nomination to run for president in this year’s two-stage election in April and May.

In a surprise result, he was eliminated in November in the first round of a primary contest, trailing the eventual winner Francois Fillon and former prime minister Alain Juppe.

The son of a Hungarian immigrant father, Sarkozy was nicknamed the “bling-bling” president for his flashy displays of wealth.

Vía Uzomedia http://ift.tt/2kmg8Ny

Al-Makura sacks 10 commissioners, redeploys 2 others (Read full details)

http://ift.tt/2jXwVIt

Governor Umaru Al-Makura of Nasarawa State on Tuesday sacked 10 commissioners and redeployed two others.

A statement issued by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Mohammed Abdullahi, indicated that six commissioners were retained, two of which were redeployed to other ministries.

Those retained at their beats included Yusuf Shehu-Usman, justice; Dr. Daniel Iya, health; Sunny Agassi, lands and Mr Gabriel Aka’aka, environment.

The commissioners redeployed are Aliyu Tijani from local government and chieftaincy affairs to education, while Haruna Osegba moves from commerce and industry to local government and chieftaincy affairs.

Already, the governor has forwarded the names of new nominees to the State House of Assembly for confirmation to replace those axed.

Vía Uzomedia http://ift.tt/2kI34TV

Heavy police deployment as protesters gather at National Stadium (Read full details)

http://ift.tt/2la69wy

< Previous

1 of 10

Next >

Nigerian Police stand by to ensure peace during the protest organised by OneVoiceNigeria group, at the National Stadium, Lagos. PHOTO: FEMI ADEBESIN-KUTI

OneVoiceNigeria anti government protest at the National stadium, Lagos. PHOTO: FEMI ADEBESIN-KUTI

OneVoiceNigeria anti government protest at the National stadium, Lagos. PHOTO: FEMI ADEBESIN-KUTI

 

The police on Monday took over strategic locations in Lagos metropolis in readiness for the anti-government protest initially planned by popular musician Tuface Idibia alias 2baba.

The popular musician cancelled the protest on Sunday citing “security concerns and public safety consideration’’. However, some groups vowed to go ahead with the protest in spite of the cancellation by its initiator. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that over 100 policemen were seen at the National Stadium, Surulere, the planned take-off point of the protest.

The police team, led by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, came to the National Stadium, with over 15 vehicles and one Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC).

NAN reports that other locations in Lagos metropolis with heavy police presence were the Gani Fawehinmi’s Freedom Square, Ojota and the National Theatre, Iganmu.

NAN reports that at 9.00 a.m, a group of about 100 protesters from different groups had gathered at the National Stadium awaiting the arrival of other members of the group.

Speaking with NAN at the stadium, Owoseni said that the police presence was not to stop the protest, but to maintain law and order during the procession.

NAN reports that the main entrance to the stadium, which was initially locked, was opened for the public to use the facility on the orders of the police commissioner.

Yemi Adamolekun, the Executive Director, OneVoiceNigeria, told NAN at the venue that the coalition was not discouraged by the last minute cancellation of the protest by Tuface.

She said the protest was not about Tuface Idibia, but about Nigeria. The planned protest had gained momentum with several public figures and civil society groups pledging to be part of it.

Tuface had called for nationwide protest against what he claimed as the worst economic crisis in the country which saw the costs of goods and services skyrocketing, with many families struggling to survive.

Vía Uzomedia http://ift.tt/2kyaqHc

I don’t know Buhari’s exact state of health, says Adesina (Read full details)

http://ift.tt/2laeSir

In spite of the rumours regarding his state of health, the Nigerian government remains mum on the nature of President Muhammadu Buhari’s ailment.

Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday politics yesterday, Buhari’s spokesman, Femi Adesina, refrained from stating specifically what was wrong with the president but asked Nigerians to pray for him. Adesina claimed that doctor-patient confidentiality would not allow divulging Buhari’s health status.

He later said he was not aware of what was wrong with the president, but insisted that only Buhari can address Nigerians on the state of his health.

“I am sure it will get to a point when the President has to disclose the status of his health if it needs to be disclosed. If it’s something serious enough to disclose, I am sure he will disclose it,” he said.

“The President is the one who can release his own health status.

“The day he left, we still spoke. He didn’t tell me ‘this is my condition’. He told me he was going to rest and he would do medicals and that was included in the statement we released,” he added.

Buhari left Nigeria on January 19 for London to “undergo routine medical check-ups” during a short holiday and was expected to resume work on February 6.

But Adesina said in a statement on Sunday that the president was advised by his doctors to extend his 10-day leave without stating when he would return to the country.

“The President had planned to return to Abuja this evening (yesterday) but was advised to complete the test cycle before returning. The notice has since been dispatched to the Senate President (Bukola Saraki), and Speaker, House of Representatives (Yakubu Dogara),” he said.

Adesina, however, noted that the president’s absence was immaterial since there was no vacuum in government.

“But the issue now is (that) there is no vacuum in government. No lacuna because power has been transferred to the Vice President (Yemi Osinbajo) who is acting president.

“So, Mr President can take the time he desires and when his doctors give him a clean bill of health, he then can return home.”

Vía Uzomedia http://ift.tt/2ky2SEa