Happenings

Nigerians are now very worried and are asking several questions over the present debt situation of the Federal and State governments.

In recent years, the government at all levels have failed to exhibit a high sense of responsibility in managing borrowed funds. Are the incurred debts at a sustainable level?

Nigerians wish to know.

Obviously, the heavy indebtedness of a number of states is a reflection of the major reason why those in authority occupy public offices.

Indeed, the lack of prudence in the management and utilization of borrowed funds and the disability of measures that will guarantee transparency are two major characteristics of debt management in the country.

The country's debt profile is disturbing, while the capacity of the different levels of government to manage their debts is questionable.

Most importantly, the domestic debt data of all the states ought to be made public for Nigerians to know the financial status of these states.

This will go a long way to determining the fate of preferred candidates for elective positions in the 2023 general elections.

Sadly, millions of Naira have been frittered away to promote the activities of cultists, hoodlums and other categories of criminals by Those-in-Charge, as can be seen in the Olorunsogo, Molete, Felele, Scout camp and other communities in Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria, just as the crowd at available sources of doubtful sources of water establishes the fact that development is still a mirage.

Note- The liability value of appendages of serious candidates for elective offices in the 2023 general elections in the guise of political party candidates is not only a disservice to democracy, but also a threat to the electoral process.

Believers who sustain a very close fellowship with God have all it takes to neutralize the most oppressive darkness and adverse situations.

2 Samuel 22 : 1-7

1 Now it came to pass after the death of Saul, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Amalekites, and David had abode two days in Ziklag; 2 It came even to pass on the third day, that, behold, a man came out of the camp from Saul with his clothes rent, and earth upon his head: and so it was, when he came to David, that he fell to the earth, and did obeisance. 3 And David said unto him, From whence comest thou? And he said unto him, Out of the camp of Israel am I escaped. 4 And David said unto him, How went the matter? I pray thee, tell me. And he answered, That the people are fled from the battle, and many of the people also are fallen and dead; and Saul and Jonathan his son are dead also. 5 And David said unto the young man that told him, How knowest thou that Saul and Jonathan his son be dead? 6 And the young man that told him said, As I happened by chance upon mount Gilboa, behold, Saul leaned upon his spear; and, lo, the chariots and horsemen followed hard after him. 7 And when he looked behind him, he saw me, and called unto me. And I answered, Here am I.

The actual population of displaced Nigerians is still unknown. These bonafide citizens were displaced majorly by violent crimes and economic hardships.

The suggestion is that the uncollected Permanent Voters Cards(PVC) belong to the displaced Nigerians.

In this piece, the Founder, Spiritual head and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu OlagokeJP warns that the unending insecurity, economic hardships and the large number of uncollected PVCs will impact negatively on the 202 general elections. Excerpts:

Nigerians are apathetic to matters relating to the collection of their Permanent Voters Cards(PVC) to be able to be eligible to vote in the 2023 general elections because of the perceived disturbing state of the nation.

For example, the high prices of consumables and essential commodities coupled with the prohibitive prices of petroleum products has made life unbearable for millions of Nigerians.

The result is the hunger, poverty and high unemployment rate in the country. Indeed, the organized attacks on the Independent National Electoral Commission's(INEC)offices across the country by the enemies of the state has not helped matters.

The terrible state of security in the South East is also an issue. Nigerians in this part of the country live daily in fear. However, it is wrong for Nigerians to continue to cry over bad governance and the poor conditions of living without working to rekindle their hopes for a real change which the 2023 general elections may bring about, by producing the right leader who will not only transform the nation, but also carry out major reforms.

There is therefore, the need for the uncollected PVCs to be claimed to ensure that eligible voters are involved in the electoral process because this is one of the ways we can fix Nigeria.

The collection of the PVCs will ensure that Nigerians participate in the electoral process because if we fail to choose a credible leader, a random person will lead us.

Therefore, we must all realize that the power of electing candidates of choice depends on the collection of the PVCs by the electorate.

The failure to collect the PVCs will negatively affect the coming elections. Efforts should be geared towards encouraging Nigerians to collect their PVCs, by making the collection process easier than the process of registration. The INEC must also improve its communication strategy to ensure that all eligible voters are adequately informed on the need for them to exercise their voting rights.

Explore the potential of listening to achieve success.

You can generate sales through listening.

When you have compassion, you will be able to listen. For you to unlock difficult situations, listen.

Listening makes a difference in every interpersonal interaction.

NEWARK, N.J. – A Union County man who previously served as a staff member in the New Jersey Senate today admitted his role in a conspiracy to falsely inflate the invoices that a political consultant submitted to various campaigns, political action committees, and IRS 501(c)(4) organizations, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced.  

Antonio Teixeira, 43, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of tax evasion. 

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

From 2014 to 2018, Teixeira conspired with Sean Caddle, and Caddle’s political consulting firms, to defraud various campaigns, political action committees, and 501(c)(4) organizations of $107,800. Teixeira then failed to report this illicit income on tax forms that he filed with the IRS during those same years. 

Caddle was hired by a former New Jersey state senator to create the PACs and 501(c)(4)s so that they could raise and spend money to advocate on a variety of issues, including supporting particular candidates in local races around New Jersey. Teixeira served as the senator’s chief of staff and wielded influence over the consultants that the campaigns and organizations hired and the budgets that each of these organizations would receive. 

Teixeira and Caddle conspired to falsely inflate the invoices that Caddle’s consulting firms submitted to the campaigns, PACs and 501(c)(4)s with phony campaign-related expenditures. Caddle and Teixeira were fraudulently padding the invoices because they agreed to split the difference between Caddle’s actual campaign expenditures and the overage charged to the organizations. Caddle paid a portion of Teixeira’s share to him in cash and funneled the remainder to Teixeira via checks made to out to Teixeira’s relatives in order to conceal that campaign money was being kicked back to Teixeira. In total, Teixeira received more than $100,000. Although Teixeira pocketed these fraudulent proceeds and used the money for personal expenses, he never reported the money on the tax forms that he filed with the IRS during the course of the scheme.

The wire fraud conspiracy charge carries a statutory maximum prison sentence of 20 years, while the tax evasion charge carries a statutory maximum of five years in prison. Both charges are also punishable by a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the scheme, whichever is greatest. Sentencing is scheduled for March 27, 2023.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James E. Dennehy in Newark, and special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Tammy L. Tomlins, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Farrell, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Cybercrime Unit, and Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee M. Cortes Jr.

Source-FBI

The government at all levels in Nigeria has been called upon to empower relevant stakeholders in the environment sector as a step toward ending open defecation in the country.

This call was made on Friday by the Founder, Spiritual head, and Grand Imam of Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide, Prof. Sabitu Olagoke in an address titled ''SAY NO TO OPEN DEFECATION'' at the commissioning of the comfort house for the Shafudeeen national headquarters' mosque, Shafautedo, Apata-Omi-Adio road, Ibadan Nigeria.

''This calls for government empowerment of stakeholders-Town Planning Authority(Urban and Regional planning)as well as the Sanitary Inspectors to enforce people's compliance in every built scheme with effective sensitization on the essence of hygiene protocol to keep every place clean to avoid breakout of diseases and add value to the necessary beautification effect of the environment for healthy living.''

''Comfort House is an essential utility for the home and public places to be hygiene protocol compliant. Built houses must respect the sanitary laws of every compound area to be free of open space defecation,'' Prof. Olagoke stated.

In another development, Prof. Olagoke has advised media practitioners to discharge their duties with the fear of God and shun all sinful behaviors.

He gave this advice at a special Jumat thanksgiving  service  held att eh Shafudeen national headquarters mosque for members of the Oyo state chapter of the  Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers' Union of Nigeria(RATTAWU)

''Media practitioners should have the fear of God and shun all sinful behaviors. The promise of God would never fail, put your hopes on God. Your work is full of hazards, God shall always guide you and will not leave you. We pray that God will always guide and protect you, '' He prayed.

In his remarks, the chairman of RATTAWU, Comrade Adebayo Aribatise opined thanked God for everything saying,'' we are here to appreciate God for all He has done for us and in addition, I would like to admonish my members and everyone in the media to be devoted to their duties to justify the salaries they receive. On our part, we shall continue to engage with our employers to ensure that the welfare of our members is given the deserved attention.''
 

Chinese Real Estate Developer’s L.A.-Based Company Found Guilty of Paying Over $1 Million in Bribes to L.A. Politician José Huizar

LOS ANGELES – Based on the actions of its agents, including its billionaire Chinese real estate developer owner, a downtown Los Angeles-based company was found guilty today of paying more than $1 million in bribes – including luxury trip expenses, casino gambling chips and a sham loan – to then-Los Angeles City Councilman José Huizar to obtain city approval to build a 77-story skyscraper.

          After the jury deliberated for less than three hours, Shen Zhen New World I LLC was found guilty of all eight counts it faced: three counts of honest service wire fraud, four counts of interstate and foreign travel in aid of bribery, and one count of bribery.

          The owner of Shen Zhen – Wei Huang, 57, a resident of Shenzhen, China, who also maintains a residence in San Marino – is also charged in this case, but he has yet to make a court appearance in this matter. He is a fugitive believed to be in China.

          According to evidence presented at trial, in 2010, Shen Zhen – on behalf of its owner – purchased the L.A. Grand Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. The property was located in the 14th City Council District, whose representative at that time was José Huizar. As part of his roles on the Los Angeles City Council, Huizar was the chairman of the Planning and Land Use Management Committee, commonly referred to as the PLUM Committee, which oversaw major commercial and residential development projects in the city.

          In June 2018, Shen Zhen filed an application with the Los Angeles City Planning Department to redevelop the L.A. Grand Hotel into a skyscraper featuring a mix of residential and commercial uses.

          From February 2013 to November 2018, Shen Zhen, acting through Huang, provided Huizar and his aide George Esparza with cash, casino gambling chips, flights on private jets and commercial airlines, stays at luxury Las Vegas hotels and casinos, expensive meals, spa services, prostitution services, political contributions, and a $600,000 collateral for Huizar to confidentially settle a pending sexual harassment lawsuit against Huizar by a former staffer that threatened his career.

          At the time Shen Zhen provided these items, it did so intending to influence Huizar to take official acts to benefit the L.A. Grand Hotel redevelopment project, a project that would have transformed Shen Zhen’s hotel into a 77-floor mixed use skyscraper that would have been the tallest such structure west of the Mississippi River.

          Specifically, Shen Zhen intended that Huizar benefit the project by presenting motions and resolutions in various city committees; voting on the project in the PLUM Committee and City Council; taking action in the PLUM Committee to expedite the approval process of the project; exerting pressure on other city officials to influence the approval process of the project; and introducing and voting on city resolutions to enhance the professional reputation and marketability of Wei Huang.

          United States District Judge John F. Walter scheduled a January 23, 2023 sentencing hearing, at which time the company is expected to face a multi-million dollar fine.

          Huizar and former Deputy Mayor Raymond Chan have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them, which include racketeering conspiracy and multiple bribery counts, and are scheduled to go to trial on February 21, 2023. Esparza pleaded guilty in July 2020 to one count of racketeering conspiracy, and is scheduled to be sentenced on June 5, 2023.

          Federal prosecutors have now convicted a total of nine defendants along with receiving over $3 million in criminal penalties to resolve their investigation into two other major real estate development companies, as a result of Operation “Casino Loyale,” the ongoing corruption investigation into Los Angeles City Hall being conducted by the FBI and the United States Attorney’s Office.

          Salvador Huizar, José Huizar’s brother who testified as a witness for the prosecution in the Shen Zhen trial and is expected to testify at his brother’s trial, is scheduled to be sentenced on May 15, 2023 after he pleaded guilty to a felony charge of making false statements to federal investigators.

          In the first Huizar-related trial in this case, a federal jury on June 27 found real estate developer Dae Yong Lee, a.k.a. David Lee, 57, of Bel Air, and 940 Hill LLC, a Lee-controlled company, guilty of felony charges, including fraud and bribery, for providing $500,000 in cash to Huizar and his special assistant in exchange for their help in resolving a labor organization’s appeal of their downtown Los Angeles development project. Their sentencing hearings are scheduled for January 30, 2023.

          Assistant United States Attorney Mack E. Jenkins, Chief of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section, Assistant United States Attorneys Susan S. Har and J. Jamari Buxton, also of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section, and Assistant United States Attorney Patrick Castañeda of the International Narcotics, Money Laundering, and Racketeering Section, are prosecuting this case.

          Any member of the public who has information related to this or any other public corruption matter in the City of Los Angeles is encouraged to send information to the FBI’s email tip line at pctips-losangeles@fbi.gov or to contact the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office at (310) 477-6565.
Source-FBI

For some time, now a number of faceless individuals have been parading themselves as the leaders of Igbos in Ibadan and Oyo state for self-centered reasons. In light of the worrisome development of the Ezendigbo of Ibadan and Oyo state, Eze(Dr.) Alex Anozie warns Nigerians to be wary of such individuals.

Excerpt: Any individual or group who allows himself/themselves to be deceived by some people is/ are on their own. Everyone knows the genuine leader of the Igbos in Oyo state. Every Tom, Dick, and Harry knows the authentic leadership of the Igbos in Oyo state, and I Eze(Dr.) Chukwudum Alex Anozie, the Eze Ndigbo of Ibadan and Oyo state, and the Ohaneze/Igbo Community Development Association(ICDA) ably led by the President, Chief Emma Nididi Nzeako, we are the true leadership in Ibadan and Oyo state. God has confirmed this, Ndigbo who chose us has confirmed this, and the courts also confirmed this, so anybody or group who allows himself/themselves to be deceived by anybody is on his own because politics has come up again. This is an electioneering dispensation. Mushroom groupings are springing up. After the elections, you will not hear them again. Igbos are expecting to hear from us the leadership on the way forward.