The Federal High Court in Abuja today sentenced the former Minister of Power, Mr Saleh Mamman, to 75 years imprisonment in absentia over N33.8 billion money laundering offences.

Justice James Omotosho, who convicted Mamman in all the 12 counts preferred against him by the EFCC, ordered that the sentence shall run consecutively and not concurrently.

Justice Omotosho said that the absence of the ex-minister in court today (Thursday) and on the last adjourned date was a deliberate attempt to stop the wheel of justice.

The judge, who agreed with the EFCC’s lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, that though the defendant was not in court, the provisions of Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, gave the court the power to proceed with the sentencing.

The judge held that Mamman cannot claim to have suffered a miscarriage of justice.

The judge consequently sentenced the convict to seven years imprisonment in Counts one, two, three, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, 11 and 12 without option of fine.

Justice Omotosho also sentenced him to three year-jail term in Count 4 with an option of fine of a N10 million and two years’ imprisonment in Count 5 without option of fine.

The judge, who ordered that the sentence shall run consecutively, said this shall commenced from the date of his arrest.

He, therefore, ordered all security agencies in and outside the country, including the INTERPOL, to arrest Mammn anywhere he is sighted and handed over to the Nigerian Correctional Services for his jail term.

Also based on the application by counsel for the prosecution, which was not challenged by the ex-minister’s lawyer, Mohammed Ahmed, Justice Omotosho also ordered the final forfeiture of Mamman’s two properties located in choiced areas of Abuja and monies in different currencies recovered by the anti-graft agencies.

The judge further ordered that the differential amount between the monies and assets recovered from Mamman and the sum of N22 billion the prosecution was able to establish during the trial, out of the N33. 8 billion allegedly siphoned from the Zungeru and Mambilla Hydro Electric Power projects, be refunded by the convict.

Justice Omotosho had, on May 7, convicted Mamman in absentia over allegations of money laundering.

Although Mamman was conspicuously absent in court, Justice Omotosho, in the judgment, held that the EFCC had been able to established the 12-count amended charge against the defendant beyond reasonable.

(NAN)

The National Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Dr Hakeem Baba Ahmed, has explained why former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and the leader of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, were unable to join the PRP ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking during a Hausa political programme on DITV Kaduna, Baba-Ahmed said discussions between the PRP and the two politicians broke down after disagreements over conditions for joining the party.

According to him, Obi and Kwankwaso initially approached the PRP for possible collaboration and negotiations progressed to the point where a committee was proposed to continue talks.

“They came and said they wanted to join the PRP, but when we sat down and discussed with them, there were certain demands they made,” he said.

The PRP chairman said one of the major issues was the request by both politicians to secure the party’s presidential ticket without facing internal opposition.

“Before they joined, they told us that they were the presidential candidates meaning they should be given the ticket. We told them no, this is PRP; we do not practice that kind of politics,” Baba-Ahmed said.

He stated that the party insisted that Obi and Kwankwaso must first formally join the PRP and follow its laid-down procedures before seeking any elective position.
“I told them: first come into the party. After joining, you can then tell me, ‘I am Obi and I want to run for President,’ and ‘I am Kwankwaso and I want to be his running mate.’

“But for you to come even before a decision is made and ask us to guarantee you the ticket without opposition if you are truly strong contenders, then why fear competition?” he asked.

Baba-Ahmed said the PRP leadership acknowledged the political influence and support base of both men but maintained that the party could not violate its constitution and internal democratic process.
“We believed that if anyone entered a room and saw Obi and Kwankwaso, they would think strong contenders had arrived,” he said. “But we cannot break our party’s rules.”

He further disclosed that the camps of the two politicians also requested a significant number of party positions because of the supporters they intended to bring into the PRP.

“They requested that many positions be given to them because they said they had many supporters. We told them this was not a problem come into the party first, then we can sit down and discuss,” he added.

The PRP chairman also said concerns over the party’s status on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal and internal disputes within the party contributed to the collapse of the talks.

“They said when they checked the INEC portal, they could not find our party’s name there which has been addressed. But they also heard some people falsely claiming to be PRP members, which they felt could create confusion if they joined the party. We told them we are doing our best to address that too,” he explained.

Baba-Ahmed, however, said both sides ended the discussions peacefully.
“We wished each other well and parted peacefully there was no quarrel or fight,” he said.

The Federal Government has officially approved the long-awaited 40 per cent peculiar allowance for federal civil servants following intense pressure and threats of industrial action by the organised labour.

The approval, report says, came after a marathon meeting on Tuesday personally presided over by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Esther Walson-Jack, at the Conference Hall of her office in Abuja.

At the meeting, the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, NSIWC, it was learned, formally released the circular for the implementation of the allowance, bringing to an end nearly two years of agitation by workers over the delayed adjustment linked to the new N70,000 minimum wage structure.

Speaking during the meeting, Mrs Walson-Jack stressed the importance of strengthening communication and trust between government management teams and labour unions to avoid unnecessary industrial disputes.

She noted that while labour unions have the constitutional right to make demands, government agencies must also create room for dialogue and constructive engagement in order to sustain industrial harmony.
The meeting also provided an opportunity for the leadership of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, JNPSNC, (Trade Union side) led by its National Chairman, Benjamin Uyanto, and the Executive Chairman of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, Mr Eyo Nta, to present their positions before the Head of Service intervened to broker an agreement acceptable to all parties.

Both Uyanto and Nta commended the Head of Service for her timely intervention, describing it as crucial in resolving the lingering dispute.

Following the deliberations, an implementable circular table for the 40 per cent peculiar allowance was officially presented to the leadership of the JNPSNC.

Confirming the development in an interview, the National Secretary of the JNPSNC (Trade Union side), Olowoyo Gbenga, described the outcome as a major victory for Nigerian workers and a positive step toward improving workers’ welfare amid the current economic hardship.

According to him, implementation of the allowance will take effect from May 1, 2026, after workers had waited since July 2024 for the adjustment to reflect the new minimum wage template.

He further urged state governments to adopt the circular to enable workers at the state and local government levels benefit from the relief package.

Olowoyo lamented the worsening economic realities facing workers and their dependents, stating that many families were struggling under severe financial pressure.

He also revealed that the JNPSNC had earlier fixed May 21 for a nationwide industrial showdown over the matter, accusing the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission of initially resisting responsibility.

However, he said the intervention of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation eventually saved the situation and restored confidence among workers.

“With this development, workers may likely sheath their swords and allow industrial peace to reign in the workplace,” he said.