…As Court orders interim forfeiture of N1.96 billion linked to Ontario Oil***
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Tuesday said Nigeria needs a strong ruling party and a strong opposition party to check the government for democracy to thrive in the country.
Mr. Obasanjo said this while speaking with journalists shortly after he hosted the Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Ahmed Markafi, at Green Legacy Resort in Abeokuta.
The former President who reinstated that he has ended partisan politics, however, said that the decision does not affect his passion for Nigeria’s growth.
“I have said that publicly before and I will say it again: for our democracy to thrive and continue to be strong, we need strong party in government and strong party in the opposition. It has to be that way, otherwise the party in government will get away with impunity and that is not good for democracy,” he said.
“I have said no partisan politics for me again. And not partisan politics but Nigeria is my passion until death do us part. Anything that concerns Nigeria, the good of Nigeria, you will see my involvement,” Mr. Obasanjo stressed.
On his meeting with Mr. Makarfi, the former president said it was a meeting of two former colleagues.
”This na two colleagues meeting, two colleagues before before. When I was the President, Chairman was a governor. Two colleagues before before,” he said.
He said he emphasised to his guest that he would never again be involved in party politics.
”I have told the Chairman that I was in PDP before but not now. God forbid say when a dog vomits, it will go back to eat its vomit, no. I have said no partisan politics for me again and not partisan politics.
”So, the Chairman has come to greet me and I greet am. And now that we’ve greeted ourselves, Chairman will be going, you gentlemen and ladies of the press, you can now go, leave the Chairman alone,” he stated.
In the meantime, a Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the interim forfeiture of N1.96 billion allegedly belonging to an oil company, Ontario Oil and Gas, over alleged fraudulent sale of refined petroleum.
Justice Hadiza Shagari issued the order, following an ex-parte application filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) seeking attachment of the funds.
“That the property mentioned in paragraphs nine of the affidavit viz, Renoir Logistics Ltd currently under investigation be interim attached/forfeited pending the determination of the investigation and possible prosecution of the case.
“That the said property attached/forfeited, ad-interim be managed and controlled by the EFCC,’’ the judge held.
In the suit labeled FHC/L/CS/1464/17, the commission joined as first and second respondents respectively, Ontario Oil and Gas Ltd, and Mrs Ada Ugo-Ngadi, Managing Director of the company.
An affidavit of urgency elicited by an investigating officer of the EFCC, Abdukarim Acheneje, in support of the ex parte motion, chronicles as follows:
“That the EFCC received a petition from Ms Joan Ganadanu, a legal practitioner, against the second respondent, complaining of diversion and conversion of proceeds of sale of refined petroleum products valued at N1.96 billion.
“That the petition alleged that the first respondent is a customer to Union Bank Plc, of Stallion Plaza branch, Marina Lagos.
“That union bank granted a loan facility to the first respondent in the tune of 70 million US dollars to import and/or purchase locally refined petroleum products PMS, DPK and AGO.
“That the loan was to be repaid from sale of the products and the second respondent guaranteed repayment of the said loan personally.
“That further investigations revealed that the respondent have lifted the product on the order financed by the bank for 10,000 metric tons of AGO, since July 2016.
“That the respondent have sold same, but have refused to lodge the proceeds in the company’s account, and pay back the facility to union bank among other financial infractions.”
Additional report from Premium
