ICPC chairman directs FCSC, 4 other federal EFCC launches probe on syndicate ripping Nigerians off under the guise agencies to reform their systems Page 10 of safeguarding their nomination Over Buhari’s next cabinet Page 15 ...ensuring public accountability CR CorruptionVOL. 1 NO. 16 REPORTER Monday, May 27th, 2019 www.corruptionreporter.com @corruptionrep [email protected] President Buhari’s fight against corruption driven by political will Page 12 EXCLUSIVE Femi Gbaja Or Gbajabiamila? One Man, Multiple Identities Real Reason for his suspension by the supreme court of Georgia Different names he has operated under in the United States of America Social security number inconsistencies Date of birth inconstitencies The tax and credit card debts PAGE 4 ...ensuring public accountability CR 2 Monday, May 27th, 2019 Corruption REPORTER CelebRATING Chief E. K. Clark at 92 Happy Birthday ...ensuring public accountability CR Corruption Monday, May 27th, 2019 3 REPORTER EDITORIAL 2019 Presidential inauguration: the CorruptionCR journey so far in the REPORTER fight against corruption EDITORIAL TEAM PUBLISHER and the journey ahead Idris Abiodun Usman fter four attempts at including in high profile cases getting the top job against former governors CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD in Nigeria, President Joshua Dariye of Plateau state Majeed Dahiru Muhammadu Buhari and Jolly Nyame of Taraba Awas elected in March 2015, and state. sworn in on 29th of May 2015, The commission has also in to serve a four year term as the last three years secured the fourth executive president over 700 convictions in EDITOR of Nigeria’s fourth republic. various courts across the Mohammed Basah Muhammadu Buhari had risen country. The Commission had to the very top echelons of also made recoveries running the military in a public service into billions of Naira and other career that saw him serve currencies. as a Governor, Minister and As President Buhari warms GROUP NEWS EDITOR ultimately Head of State of the up to take another oath of Femi Lawson Federal Republic Nigeria. office, for his second term President Muhammadu of four years, there are loose Buhari had built a public ends that he must tie up if reputation for Spartan the urgent task, of ridding discipline and his stated dislike Nigeria of the cankerworm of INT’L CORRESPONDENT for corrupt practices in public corruption and its attendant Willem Vermeer office. effects in failure to deliver President Buhari had laid government services to down the markers, promising citizens, is to be achieved. As that his administration would the President begins his final WEBMASTER focus on three key areas term in office, he stands a Benedict Aguele namely: Security, Economy and chance to cement his legacy the Fight against corruption. and has declared on several In the area of the fight occasions that the war against against corruption, the Buhari corruption will continue administration has made some to be a major plank of his PHOTO EDITOR significant steps with a flurry government. Emmanuel Kenny Bako of arrests and prosecutions The President must also by the anti-graft agencies. The address the issue of his close President had early in the life associates being enmeshed in of his administration declared corruption cases, while also PAGE PLANNER that if Nigeria “does not kill pushing for the anti-graft Xtanlee Uche Echidi corruption, corruption will kill agencies to investigate and Nigeria”. prosecute more diligently, as The administration had well as pushing for relevant met with a number of brick laws in the fight to be amended walls against the fight against where necessary. corruption, which seemed to Nigeria can ill afford to MISSION STATEMENT slow its progress down. continue on the trajectory The anti-corruption fight it has been on, where public was confronted by claims resources are frittered away Where feeble minds of political and ethnic bias by officials at the expense of compromise integrityand against the government of the providing necessary services dignityand refuse to speak day, while the technicalities of to enable our citizens survive the Nigerian judicial system and thrive in a 21st century out, we will lift our voices in also played a part owing economy. defence of Nigeria and its to a combination of lack of the issue of training law people against corruption, thorough investigations, enforcement agencies, to preparation and prosecution handle corruption cases with inpunity, bad governance of cases against suspected a lot more tact and avoid and those who trample the corrupt persons. complaints of human rights laws of our land under their In spite of the loud outcries violations, is also key going against the government, anti- forward as the president feet. graft agencies had secured marches on for another four a number of convictions years. ...ensuring public accountability CR 4 Monday, May 27th, 2019 Corruption COVER REPORTER Exclusive: Social security number inconsistencies • Different names he has operated under in the United States of America • Real reason for his suspension by the supreme court of Georgia • Date of birth inconstitencies • The tax and credit card debts By Mohammed Basah Georgia’s rule that is punishable him Ms. Hadyatou had averred by life disbarment. His license that she had “never seen him…….. was subsequently suspended and or contacted him”. This news medium has exclusively hasn’t been renewed since. In a book, Fearless: The obtained a Private Investigator’s Two sisters Hadyatou Barry Emergence of a Formidable report, and other supporting and her sister, Ms. Yaye Barry Opposition Leader, by Wale documents, which reveal the were involved in an automobile Okediran, Femi is quoted as true character and person of Hon. accident sometime in December stating his side of the story thus: Femi Gbajabiamila, representing 2001. While Yaye Barry had As soon as I got the letter from Surulere I Federal Constituency hired Femi Gbaja to represent the United States which notified and Majority Leader of the her in a personal injury matter, me of the oversight, I rushed Federal House of Representatives her sister Hadyatou Barry had back to the United states to find of Nigeria. According to the retained a different attorney, out why the money had not been documents obtained exclusively Harry Malka. Curiously in 2002 disbursed, I made sure the client by this media platform, which Femi had settled a claim in the was paid in full and sorted out raises a number of issues that sum of $25,000 on behalf of issues that had arisen as a result border around his conduct while Ms. Hadyatou Barry, who had of this with the state bar. The in the United States of America, neither hired him nor given him book goes further to state that “one thing is sure FEMI GBAJA permission to represent her in “he denied ever being convicted has played around with at least the first place. He collected the or disbarred by the Georgia Bar three different date of births”. $25,000, deposited the money in which gave him a letter to confirm his attorney account, and never that he was in good standing”. The georgia supreme court communicated this development seven teeth an eye and two The Investigative Panel had affair to the said Ms. Hadyatou. He broken legs from the accident found among other things “He took my case without my would later withdraw the funds, and was still going through that Femi “acted wilfully and consent, got my check [for] close his practice and leave the treatment, filed a complaint dishonestly in settling Ms. $25,000.00 from the insurance United States for Nigeria, where against Mr. Gbaja in December, Hadyatou’s case without being company………………without my he contested elections under 2004. In her complaint against retained and without her consent cashed and left” authority”, and that he “acted and that, as a result, he is subject wilfully and dishonestly in to disbarment”. The court went converting Ms. Hadyatou’s funds further to acknowledge that Femi Gbaja (as he was then to his own use”. The Supreme “in mitigation of his actions known), with Georgia state Bar the banner of the Alliance for Court of Georgia, on its part, Gbaja asserts that he has Number 288330, was found to Democracy (AD), in 2003. submitted that, “Gbaja admits have violated the State Bar of Ms. Hadyatou, who had lost his conduct violated Rile 1.15 (I) Continue on Page 5 ...ensuring public accountability CR Corruption Monday, May 27th, 2019 COVER 5 REPORTER Exclusive: Social security number inconsistencies From Page 4 the state of Georgia Social security number inconsistencies The investigator’s report cooperated fully with disciplinary states about Gbaja that “he has authorities”, among other actions 13 liens against him for monies which led the court to “conclude owed within the state of Georgia that a 36-month suspension is an and private phone companies”. appropriate sanction”, in lieu of He currently carries tax and disbarment. credit card debt of not less than 8thousand US Dollars in the Identity inconsistencies United States of America. In According to the document made 2015 a case filed against Gbaja available to our reporter, Femi in Gwinnet County, Georgia, for had operated under different a $1,491.94 tax issue from the names from 1988 to 2002 in the year 2007, which as at the time United States of America. He of writing this report he was yet at different times went by the to pay up. Another state tax lien names “Femi Gbaja”, “Monsur was filed against him on 27th Biamila Gbaja”, “Femi G Gbaja”, May 2016 for a 2008 issue in “Femi G Baja” and “Femi H Gbaja” Fulton Country of Georgia state, among others. He was found in the sum of $1,797.83, which to have used differentSocial Gbaja is yet to settle as at the Security Numbers (SSN) while time of filing this report.