A former Minister of Communication Adebayo Shittu claims that there were manipulations and fraudulent approvals under the immediate past government of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari.

Shittu served as a minister under the Buhari government but believed many persons close to the former Nigerian president manipulated things to their favour, plunging the country’s economy into a downward slide.

“Let me tell you, there were a lot of manipulations and we even heard that a lot of the so-called approvals did not emanate from President Buhari,” he said on Tuesday’s edition of Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily while responding to comments that the previous government was printing money to run the economy.

“There were a lot of manipulations and fraudulent approvals which did not emanate from the President.”

“I am telling you confidently that a lot of it did not get his attention,” he insisted. “There were a lot of people around the President who exploited their relationship with the President and conspired with the then-CBN governor.

Approvals Without Signatures

Shittu’s claims corroborated that of presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale who said many approvals for releasing funds within the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under Godwin Emefiele did not have Buhari’s signature.

“President Bola Tinubu has come out several times in fairness to him (Buhari), to say, ‘Look, this is what happened under the previous administration’. I think we have to acknowledge the fact that he (Tinubu) understands more than anyone that many of the approvals within the CBN that brought us to this point have no signature to President Muhammadu Buhari and had no knowledge of President Muhammadu Buhari,” Ngelale said.

Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan appointed Emefiele as the CBN governor. However upon assumption of office in 2015, Buhari retained him as the apex bank boss.

He, was, however, removed in June and is being tried for charges bordering on corruption.

Shittu therefore wants Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to wade into the matter and “probe properly”.

“I hope the EFCC will probe properly as to how these things happen without the President knowing,” Shittu said.

Blessing Agbebaku, speaker of the Edo state house of assembly, says the three lawmakers suspended during plenary on Monday engaged in “nefarious acts”.

On May 6, the speaker announced the suspension of Donald Okogbe (PDP Akoko-Edo II), Bright Iyamu (PDP Orihonmwon south), and Adeh Isibor (PDP Esan north-east I).

Okogbe, one of the suspended lawmakers, is an ally of Philip Shaibu, former deputy governor of Edo. He was the only lawmaker who did not sign the petition that led to Shaibu’s impeachment.

Agbebaku accused the lawmakers of attempts to change the leadership of the house through diabolical and other means.

He added that the closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras on the house premises exposed the spiritualist and the lawmakers who hired him.

“They are being influenced to cause chaos in this house by planning to change the leadership of this house. But to God be the glory, they were exposed,” the speaker said.

“They brought in a spiritualist into the Anthony Enahoro complex and dropped fetish items.

“They brought a herbalist into this house of assembly premises to plant some charms in the compound by 1am in the morning without knowing that the CCTV cameras will expose their nocturnal act.”

A rowdy and rancorous session ensued in the house after the speaker announced the suspension of the lawmakers, with the affected legislators accusing Agbebaku of acting “unilaterally”.

As tempers flared amid the pushing and shoving, plenary was abruptly adjourned.

Governor Siminialayi Fubara of Rivers state says the existence of members of the state house of assembly is based on his recognition.

Fubara spoke on Monday when some political and traditional leaders from Bayelsa state visited him at the government house in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers.

The Rivers governor said members of the state assembly do not “exist”, adding that he decided to “give them a floating” through a peace deal initiated by President Bola Tinubu.

Fubara said he accepted the peace accord on the understanding that there was a relationship between him and members of the state house of assembly.

The Rivers governor said he has shown restraint in the political crisis rocking the state despite his powers, adding that the other party did not show such.

He lamented that daily, his supporters suffer intimidation and attacks in the state.

“Those group of men who claim that are our assembly members are not assembly members — they are not existing,” Fubara said.

“I want it to be on record. I accepted that peace accord to give them a floating. That is the truth.

“There was nothing in that peace accord that is a constitutional issue. It is a political solution to a problem.

“It has gotten to a time when I have to make a statement that they are not existing.

“Their existence is me allowing them to exist. If I de-recognise them, they are nowhere.”

FUBARA VERSUS RIVERS LAWMAKERS

In the past few months, members of the Rivers state assembly and Fubara have been at loggerheads.

In October 2023, the assembly commenced impeachment proceedings against the governor.

The impeachment notice was later withdrawn in December 2023.

On several occasions, the assembly has overridden the decision of Fubara not to sign certain bills passed by the lawmakers led by Martin Amaewhule, the speaker.

In January, the Rivers assembly overrode the decision of Fubara not to assent to four bills earlier passed by the lawmakers.

In March, the assembly again overrode Fubara on the passage of some bills.

In April, the assembly did the same for the local government amendment bill.

On Monday, the assembly overrode the Rivers governor on the passage of the public procurement amendment bill.