…As Police arraign Adeleke, four others for alleged exam malpractices***

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday in Abuja ordered Prof. Usman Yusuf, the Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), to immediately proceed on administrative leave.

Buhari gave the order in a statement signed by Mr Olusegun Adekunle, Permanent Secretary, General Services Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF).

He further directed that Mr. Ben Omogo, Director, Administration Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF), should oversee the affairs of the scheme.

He said that the leave was to ensure unfettered investigation by the Independent Fact-Finding Panel to be inaugurated on Friday.

The panel, to be headed by Dr. Hassan Bukar, has Mrs Jummai Idakwo, OSGF as the Secretary.

Members are Dr. Emmanuel Meribole​​​, Director, Federal Ministry of Health, Mr. Adewale Owolo​​​​, Director, Audit, Office of the Auditor General of the Federation (OAGF), Mr. Shamsuddeen Bello, ​​​Deputy Director, Expenditure, OAGF.

Other members are Mr Ishaq Yahaya​​​​, Director, Certification & Compliance, Bureau of Public Procurement, and Dr Ekanem John Udoh, Director, Science, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology.

One of the terms of reference (TOR) of the panel are to investigate the alleged infractions listed by the NHIS Governing Council in its letter dated Oct. 18, 2018 and determine the extent of culpability or otherwise of the Executive Secretary with regards to the allegations.

It is mandated to make appropriate recommendations based on the findings from TOR I, identify, investigate and make recommendations with regards to issues that led to the unhealthy relationship between the board and the Chief Executive Officer.

The panel is further to Investigate and make recommendations on the extent of the involvement of staff Unions’ within the institution as to the current impasse between the Governing Board and Executive Secretary and to examine all governance challenges in the NHIS and make appropriate recommendations.

The president directed that with the establishment of this panel which has two weeks to report its findings, the earlier body set up by the Governing Council stood dissolved.

He added that the government recognised the importance of the scheme as a strong mechanism for the delivery of public healthcare and reassured Nigerians of the determination of the government determination to place high premium on public interest.

​The president said that the Federal Government had found it necessary to restate that the objectives for he establishing Parastatals was in fulfillment of the need to deliver services to Nigerians faster and better.

He added that government had also considered it necessary to restate that the roles of Governing Boards and Councils were as prescribed by the statutes, guidelines and extant circulars.

He added that the position of chief executives of Parastatals was to ensure that policies of government as enunciated by boards and councils were implemented in accordance with their mandate.

“Government, has however, observed with deep concern, the growing tension between boards and chief executives and their attendant implications for governance.

“For the avoidance of doubt, government will neither tolerate acts of indiscipline from any appointee nor will it harbour any acts of corruption.

“Government will, however, ensure that due process is followed strictly in trying to maintain discipline and probity in public service,” the president said.

In the meantime, Senator Ademola Adeleke (Osun West) and four others were yesterday arraigned at the Federal High Court, Abuja for allegedly engaging in examination malpractices.

Also arraigned were Sikiru Adeleke (who is said to be the senator’s relative), Alhaji Aregbesola Mufutau (the school principal), Gbadamosi Thomas Ojo (registrar) and Dare Samuel Olutope (teacher).

The five were arraigned on a four-count charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/156/2018, filed in the name of the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

Ademola and Sikiru were accused of fraudulently, through personation, registering as students of Ojo-Aro Community Grammar School, Ojo-Aro, Osun State to enable them sit for the National Examinations Council (NECO) examination of June/July 2017.

The other three defendants were accused of aiding the commission of the alleged offence.

They pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to them, following which their lawyers prayed the court to grant them bail pending trial.

Alex Izinyon (SAN) appeared for Senator Adeleke, while Nathaniel Oke (SAN) appeared for Sikiru Adeleke.

The first three defendants, on whose behalf bail applications were filed and argued, were granted bail by Justice I. E. Ekwo.

Ojo and Olutope, who were represented by Isaac Adeniyi on October 15 when the case earlier came up, were not represented by any lawyer yesterday. No bail applications were also filed for them.

However, during the proceedings, Oke made an oral application for their bail, which the judge disallowed and insisted that a formal application be filed for them.

Ruling, Justice Ekwo ordered the remand of Ojo and Olutope in prison pending the hearing of their bail application.

For Senator Adeleke, the judge granted him bail on self- recognition and directed that he should endorse a bond to always be available for his trial.

Justice Ekwo ordered that Senator Adeleke should deposit his passport with the registrar and must not travel out of the country without the permission of the court.

For the two others, the court granted each bail at N2million with one surety, who must be a “responsible” citizen and an owner of landed property within the court’s jurisdiction.

They are to deposit their passports with the court’s registry and are not to travel out of the country without the court’s permission.

Dressed in a traditional attire (buba and sokoto), with his signature cap, Adeleke kept a calm disposition throughout the about 45 minutes proceedings.

Shortly after the proceedings, the senator was seen making calls, while the other defendants made efforts to perfect the bail granted them.

Unlike the show of solidarity exhibited by leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) when former Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose was recently taken to court, no prominent PDP member was in court yesterday.

In the first count preferred against the defendants, the prosecution alleged that the five defendants “conspired to commit felony, to wit: examination malpractices, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 10 of the Examination Malpractices Act Cap E15 LFN 2004.”

In count 2, the prosecution alleged that the three members of staff of the school acted in concert by aiding and abetting “the commission of examination malpractice by personation” when they allegedly “registered Senator Ademola Adeleke and Sikiru Adeleke”, knowing or having “reasons to believe that they are not students of the school”.

The alleged offence was said to be contrary to Section 9(1) of the Examination Malpractices Act Cap E15 LFN 2004.

In count three, the two Adelekes were accused of acting in concert, and “personated as students of Ojo-Aro Community Grammar School when you fraudulently registered as students of the school in the June/July, 2017 NECO”.

The offence is said to be contrary to Section 3(2) of the Examination Malpractices Act Cap E15 LFN 2004.

The fourth count accused the three members of staff of the school of “acting in concert” and while “saddled with the responsibilities of registering students of your school in the June/July 2017 NECO examination, breached that duty by registering Senator Ademola Adeleke and Sikiru Adeleke as students of your school in the June/July 2017 NECO examination when you know or had reasons to believe that they are not students of the school”.

The fourth count was said to be contrary to Section 10(a) and punishable under Section 3(2) of the Examination Malpractices Act Cap E15 LFN 2004.

The Citizen