Despite what seemed a spirited denial by the Ogun State commissioner of information, Mr. Kayode Samuel to a recent Saharareporters’ report about the N500million ‘import waiver’ scandal brewing around the Ogun State Governor, the State Commissioner acknowledged in the rejoinder that import waiver was in fact granted the Ogun State to host the 15^th National Sports festival in November 2005– that was then sold to Globe Motors for N300million (He admitted that Globe Motors gave a “donation” of N300 million to the state government to host the game in cash  and cars) amongst many other admittance of the content of our story. On the heels of their rejoinder, Saharareporters has gathered from reputable sources that the Managing Director of Globe Motors - Chief Williams Anumudu was granted bail by the EFCC yesterday, just as another importation scandal hovers over the head of Ogun State Governor, Mr,. Daniel.

The latest scandal also concerns another import waiver scam involving the importation of 44,000 metric tons of Iron rods for which the governor was also granted import waiver by the federal government. Supposedly the import waiver was granted to enable the Ogun State government build the “Gateway Games Village”- (To build houses for athletes attending the games), which ended April of last year but the controversial merchandise only arrived two weeks ago. The rods which now lie at one of the ports in Lagos was blocked last week by the EFCC who insisted that such a transaction violates the economic interest of the nation when an attempt to clear the Iron Rods were made to the Customs by Mr. Daniel - thus denying him the opportunity to clear them for his own private use or sale. 

 Such misuses of importation wavier and associated scams have led the federal government to issue a feeble circular as recent as two weeks ago in attempts at stemming further abuse. The circular in effect stated that all importation waivers must strictly adhere to the duration of the event for which such licenses were granted and failure to adhere to the guidelines will result to the reinstatement of 100% import duty/taxes. In addition, the circular stipulated in clear terms that goods diverted by persons granted “import waivers” will attract 100% import duty. However it is not certain whether the circular proposes any punishment for person involved in diverting merchandise from its originally intended purpose to their private use. 

 As Saharareporters has come to discover further Governor Gbenga Daniels misdeeds as the Governor of Ogun State, according to a source within the EFCC, Mr. Gbenga Daniels may be barred from contesting for office based on his sordid financial background. The source within EFCC states that the governor heavy involvement in Bond Bank, while a state executive officer reeks of financial foul play. The source within EFCC showed Saharareporters investigators a letter which the EFCC drafted to Governor Gbenga Daniels during the trial of Tafa Balogun where the agency had to retrieve an SUV from the governor which the EFCC believed was a vehicle illegally given to him as a director of Bond Bank. Bond bank was involved in helping Tafa Balogun hide his stolen money from the police force.  According to the source, Gbenga Daniel and other directors of the bank had illegally awarded themselves SUVs. And, the governor is said to ride in this SUV as part of his convoy.

Our initial story and Ogun State Government Rejoinder reprinted below:

Gbenga Daniel in 500 million Naira import waiver scam

Saharareporters, New York 

As earlier predicted by Saharareporters, real tough times await the Ogun State Governor popularly known as OGD. Latest information indicate that the Governor of Ogun State – Justus Olugbenga Daniel may soon be facing the wrath of EFCC over a new unfolding N500millon scandal and that more scandals may be unfolding around the controversial Ogun State Governor, Gbenga Daniels in a manner that may finally pull him down as Governor of Ogun State or at the minimum earn him disqualification as a gubernatorial candidate in the upcoming elections. President Obasanjo was quoted last week as having told a group of American newspaper editors visiting Aso Rock that six governors of the PDP will be replaced because they have been indicted for corruption, our source said, Gbenga Daniel is one of those. Of particular interest is his possible connection to an import waiver scandal that has so far robbed the federal government of 500 million naira. 

Late last week, the EFCC made a major arrest of one of Gov. Daniels associate in the person of Chief Williams Anumudu the managing director of Globe Motors based in Victoria Island in Lagos. He was picked up and held in detention for questioning and has been in EFCC detention since Thursday at the EFCC office on Awolowo Road where EFCC agents have interrogated him. And, according to the EFCC agents, Chief Anumudu is reported to have begun talking while confessing of the role he played in the N500million scandal and how it connects to Gov. Daniels. According to the information supplied by Chief William Anumudu, in 2005, Governor of Ogun State had applied to President Obasanjo for “import waivers” on vehicles meant to be imported for the 15^th National Sports Festival –A.K.A “Gateway Games 2006”-in Ogun State. The presidency was immediate in approving the request. The approval by the presidency supposedly allowed the Ogun State government to import vehicles specifically meant for the sports festival however Gov. Daniels did not use the approved “import waivers” for the purpose which he stated to the presidency.   

Chief William Anumudu told EFCC agents that Governor Gbenga Daniel sold the “import waiver” to Globe Motors for a hefty sum of N300 million. Globe Motors in turn used the waiver for the entire year of 2006 for importation of vehicles for private business rather that for the original intended sports festival. In the course of the year, the Globe Motors clocked about N500 million profits via the “import waiver” sold to them by Gov. Daniels. This amount would have otherwise gone to the coffers of the federal government as income via import duties. 

 Saharareporters have also gathered that Globe Motors had not only benefited from this deal but have benefited from such deals in the past – as in the Argungun Festival in Kebbi State. In a scandal reminiscent of the 1980s era Import License scam used by the NPN to reward party loyalists, also in Zamfara and Kogi state, Globe Motors allegedly purchased “import waivers” from state chief executives.

RIGHT OF REPLY: NO SCAM IN GATEWAY GAMES IMPORT DUTY WAIVER 

By Ogun State Government 

 It is obvious that those bent on using foul and heinous means to hound the person and government of Otunba Gbenga Daniel are not relenting. Their latest gambit is a purported N500 million-import duty waiver scam involving the Governor of Ogun State. The story as reported by Saharareporters, an Internet based publication operating out of Oluwole Street in Lagos and sponsored by the Governor of a neighbouring State, and National Mirror newspaper in its Tuesday, January 30 edition is nothing but a cocktail of lies, twisted facts and deliberate falsifications designed to tar the person and administration of Otunba Gbenga Daniel with a dirty brush. 

 We state unequivocally that neither the Governor nor Government of Ogun State is involved in any import duty waiver scam. The financial transactions relating to the Games were transparently done. The imputation of scam against the Governor and Government of Ogun State is false in all material particular. 

The Facts 

On November 30 2005, the Government of Ogun State applied for import duty waiver for vehicles to be used for the 15^th edition of the National Sports Festival tagged Gateway Games 2006. The waiver was approved by the Presidency and a letter to that effect was duly processed through the office of the then Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. The Federal Government granted the waiver as an incentive as it is done all over the world when big events of this nature are held. It should be noted that similar arrangements have operated with regard to the Argungu Fishing Festival held in Kebbi State, amongst others.

In the letter conveying the approval of Mr. President to the relevant agencies it was clearly stated that the Import Duty Exemption Certificate would expire on 29^th December 2006. The Comptroller General of Customs also wrote a letter to the Customs Area Controllers for Apapa Port and Tin Can Island Port notifying them of the development and advising them to keep a list of all the importations done under the waiver for control purposes. 

Following the approval, three automobile companies were invited to bid for the importation of the vehicles. Dana, Coscharis and Globe Motors trading under the name of Buxton Trading Services Limited participated in the bidding, which took place in Abuja. Globe Motors was picked as the winner of the bid and its name was duly processed by officials of the Federal Ministry of Finance. It is noteworthy that the number of vehicles covered by the waiver (839 in all) were specified in the letter written by the Ogun State Government seeking for the waiver and in the letter written by the then Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on which the presidential approval was granted. 

So, it is obvious that at no time did the Government of Ogun State sell the waiver concession for money. It was bidded for and won transparently under the supervision of Abuja. When the Federal Ministry of Finance released the waiver in February 2006 it bore the name of Buxton Trading Services Limited a subsidiary of Globe Motors, which won the bid. And it was clearly stated that the waiver would last for a year with the benefiting company given the right to import 839 vehicles. 

Of course, Gateway Games was to attract some benefits from the company that won the bid. The Games Commission was to get N300 Million made up of N91 million in cash and vehicles to the tune of N209 million from Globe Motors as sponsorship for the Games. To date only about half of the pledged sum has been paid while the vehicles that formed the remainder have been advertised for sale through competitive open bidding in line with the philosophy of the Daniel Administration. Needless to say, Gateway Games 2006 has gone down in history as the best organized Games in the annals of the National Sports Festival 

All through the transaction, the Gateway Games Commission and the Ogun State Government exercised absolute probity, good faith, transparency and due diligence. At no time did the Commission or any official of the State Government abuse the conditions for the import duty waiver or its agreement with the Federal Government and Globe Motors. 

It is therefore spurious and a deliberate act of falsehood and mischief to insinuate that the import duty waiver was sold by any official of the Ogun State Government let alone Governor Gbenga Daniel whose only involvement in the process was to apply for the import duty waiver on behalf of the Gateway Games Commission of which he was Chairman. 

We publicly challenge all the dramatis personae in this current shenanigan to come out with any evidence where any underhand dealing can be traced to the Government or any of our people in Ogun State. Meanwhile our lawyers, Messrs Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), Kemi Pinheiro (SAN), Kunle Kalejaiye (SAN) and Prof. Taiwo Osipitan (SAN), have been instructed to institute legal action to remedy the filth being forcibly associated with the name of His Excellency, Otunba Gbenga Daniel.

Kayode Samuel 

Robot  # 1 | 31.01.2007 14:31

Despite what ...Read the full article.

docokwy  # 2 | 31.01.2007 14:49

=Robot;152328>Despite what ...Read the full article. The snooping kite perched awhile in the orient, and it seemed it will not depart therefrom. Happily now, its flown to the occident and already snooping there. Nigerians and corruption sha. Isn't Daniel the gov of Obasanjo's state?

Agbejoro  # 3 | 01.02.2007 12:20

Convergence of the Wicked, the Desperate and the Uninformed? Re: 1) Ogun State Governor in Iron Rod Import Crisis (January 31, 2007) 2) Gbenga Daniel in Fresh 500 Million Naira Scandal (January 28, 2007) This letter is in response to the article tagged “Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel in Iron Rod import crisis” dated January 31, 2007. My considered view, based on the nature the article under reference, is that writers like these have a place in history. Theirs is ignominy and the most debase place in the pen profession they have chosen. No one human being or group of human beings should claim repository of militancy. The wicked and desperate politicians at home in Nigeria have found in you both and the entity you represent useful tools for making mischief. By now, Mr. Sowore and his group have shown that they are real enemies of peace, progress and development of our dear Gateway State. This s because it needs no restating that Ogun State is one of the most educated States in Nigeria with highly enlightened citizenry. While it is appropriate to acknowledge that mis-governance and corruption have noting to do with enlightenment of the citizenry in a country like Nigeria, it is most appalling, and cheer demonstration of ignorance by the so-called e-journalists and the evil interest of the opposition they represent, that Sowore and his group have made themselves the mouthpieces of Ogun State indigenes. Nonsense!!! Who do they think they are? They have constituted themselves nuisances by attacking everyone for no just cause. I’m sure someone has invoked causes on himself or herself, including the group they represent. The God of those you maliciously attack will judge you. There is no point hiding my anger. I’m not writing as a lawyer but as an indigene of Ogun State. God damn all you unprogressive elements trying to distract our Governor from the duty we have collectively entrusted to him. I repeat, to hell with all of you. This is real “bole k’aja”. I dare you all to come out with concrete stuffs about this Governor Daniel and stop all these nonsense writings. It is unfair to keep attacking this innocent man simply because he cannot descend from the highly exalted position God has put him. Though I felt silence is the best answer for fools, and that you should not be dignified by response, the government made a detailed and painstakingly written response to your malicious article through the Hon. Commissioner for Information and Strategy- Mr. Kayode Samuel “No Scam in Gateway Games Import Duty Waiver”. Your earlier article “Gbenga Daniel in Fresh 500 Million Naira Scandal” of 28 January 2007 makes more nonsense and no sense at all. Though I was erroneously acting under camaraderie spirit thinking I was addressing respectable individual, I retract all those. We all are products of “Aluta”. Being idle, jobless freelancer on the internet surely does not give the latitude to keep descending on persons. You have moved from OBJ to Andy Uba to Yah A’dua, Odili, INEC boss Iwu and many others. It is obvious that you are running internet errands for the opposition group. Only a fool would have taken you serious on all those your evil publications. This is not that noble profession called journalism. This is misuse of pen and internet by hungry writers called “SaharanReporters”. You have for long abuse our sanity with all these one-sided stories and attacking of personalities. The issue of “44,000 metric tons of Iron rods”, “Bond Bank” and others raised in the article under reference are myopic, misplaced, and demonstrate high level of ignorance of uninformed persons. The phrase below is criminal allegation being speculative that someone intends or may do something when there has not been an attempt: “The rods which now lie at one of the ports in Lagos was blocked last week by the EFCC who insisted that such a transaction violates the economic interest of the nation when an attempt to clear the Iron Rods were made to the Customs by Mr. Daniel - thus denying him the opportunity to clear them for his own private use or sale.” By the nature of the allegation contained in the above quoted paragraph, Sowore and his cohorts would want us believe that, assuming the so-called rods came got into the country late after the games, the Governor wishes to divers them for personal uses. Assuming without conceding that the subject were intended for the Gateway Games that has since been over, would the Government of Ogun State need to sell the rods? Are there no other on-going projects? The above is a careless allegation that could only have been leveled by a demented person. Take a look at this: “The source within EFCC showed Saharareporters investigators a letter which the EFCC drafted to Governor Gbenga Daniels during the trial of Tafa Balogun where the agency had to retrieve an SUV from the governor which the EFCC believed was a vehicle illegally given to him as a director of Bond Bank”. May I ask, what is SUV to Otunba Justus Olugbenga Daniel? The brand of car involved is one that does not meet the taste of OGD courtesy the blessing the good Lord had endowed him ever before assuming the mantle of leadership in Ogun State. Linking Bond Bank (as it then was) to the allegation of iron rods is criminal. Years back in UBA House in one of the leading law firms in Africa, there was an instruction from a group of clients to incorporate a company that subsequently got a banking license from the CBN to trade as Bond Bank. Of course the name and particulars Otunba Gbenga Daniel and other persons to act as directors were forwarded. I’m sure OGD has said this over and over again, and has never at any time denied being a director in the said bank before he assumed office. He appropriately declared all his business interested in line with the Code of Conduct requirements before assumption of office. Tafa Balogun was just one of the several customers of the bank at that time. One thing is sure, no one can stop Otunba Gbenga Daniel from continuing all the laudable works of transformation he is presently doing for use in Ogun State beyond 2007. Quite frankly, he will be our amiable Governor till 2011. It is too late in the day to stop him. He has deservedly endeared himself into the heart of all and sundry in Ogun State, home and abroad, by his excellent performances. Sowore and others could go to blazes, perhaps commit suicide if it does not please them. Please note that so long as I read anything about my Governor, as one of the people whose mandate he carries, and as an indigene of Ogun State, I’ll rely you and see to it wide circulation. My subsequent writings will be devoid of diplomacy as you and your group deserves none. You may tune the battle to legal one or any form of aggression. Be sure that ours will overrun yours. We are fully prepared for you and will continue in defense of a course we believe in any day and manner. For as long keep writing nonsense, we’ll always treat and address you as persons without sense in our reply. Thank you.

lawproff  # 4 | 01.02.2007 15:25

take heart, agbero, omoyele sowore is working for the ac party and mr. athiefku, their ranks include bolaji aluko, bisikay et al. omoyele sowore started his jungle jounalism with the castigation of the erstwhile foreign and finance minister, ngozi iweala and since has never seen anyhting good about the obasanjo's government. hopefully after the next administration comes into office, he would find a ready and willing opposition figure to work for. for people like ourselves, we always think jounalism should be about unbiased dissemination of news and events in the polity. but sowore and elendu as well as okey indibe, sabella, olumehnse and others have turned the vocation into a perpetual cycle of persecution of good deeds, dissemination of falsehoods, halftruths, non-objective criticsism and pull-them down no matter what and how! it is always obvious in most of sowore's reports the inconstitencies of his accounts, outright and mind boggling innuendoes and personal anger occasioned by malice against his subject matter, whoever it may be at the time. even sowore himself cannot deny any of these allegations, but time will tell when the truth will reveal itself on who are the sponsors of omoyele sowore. justice is around the corner for all of you haters of nigeria disguising as super-patriots like your hero, mr athiefku.

emj  # 5 | 01.02.2007 19:57

So much kurugaing about very obvious mind boggling looting in Ogun State. If you guys think for a millisec that Gbenga will be allowed to continue to improvish our people, then it means that you are yet to learn. There is Justice that can not be bought, and it is just around the corner.........enuff said for now.

ding61  # 6 | 20.06.2008 09:40

A RESPONSE TO THE ARTICLE: “OGUN STATE GOVERNOR, GBENGA DANIEL, IN IRON ROD IMPORT CRISIS” Contributed by Sowore Omoyele, Wednesday, 31 January 2007, Last Updated Thursday, 24 April 2008. It is quite surprising to learn that this article concerning the involvement of Globe Motors Holdings Nigeria Limted and her Chairman, William Anumudu, in the 2006 National Sports Festival - Gateway Games 2006 has continued to be updated and published inspite of the fact that it is full of spurious and malicious allegations, distortion and misrepresentation of facts. One would have thought that, as impartial observers, the author and publishers would have had the decency to have covered, investigated and reported the outcome of the investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) into the matter, - which, for your information cleared both Globe Motors Holdings Limted and Mr. William Anumudu of any wrong doing -, with the same zeal, speed and coverage as the original piece if only to convince their readers of their impartial and unbiased reporting. One is only left to wonder the real motive of the article and its backers. For the avoidance of any doubt and contrary to the said article, we would like to state categorically that: ‘Globe Motors Holdings Nigeria Limted and Mr. William Anumudu have never been involved in any Import Duty Waiver Scam, and that at no time did Mr. William Anumudu buy, inform anyone, accept or confess buying any Import Duty Waiver of N300,000,000.00 or of any amount from the Ogun State Government or Governor or anyone else for that matter’. Had Sowore Omoyele had bothered to do a little investigation he would have been discovered that Ogun State Government went through a rigorous and transparent bid process for the Sponsorship of the Gateway Games 2006. He would have also found out that Globe Motors entered into a valid and legal Sponsorship Agreement with the Organizing Committee of the Gateway Games 2006 after she won the sponsorship rights for N300,000,000.00 and the provision of 839 vehicles for the Games, in a transparent bid process. Globe Motors Holdings Nigeria Limted went ahead to fully perform her obligations according to the terms of the sponsorship agreement and the conditions of the Duty Waiver. All the 839 vehicles approved under the Duty Waiver, (the waiver recognized and stated clearly who, when and how the vehicles were to be imported), for the Gateway Games 2006 were imported within the stipulated time and fully delivered to the Games organizers for the Games while also paying the N300,000,000.00 sponsorship fee. This has already been acknowledged by the Ogun State Government and also confirmed in an earlier response to the Sahara Reporters article, titled: ‘RIGHT OF REPLY: NO SCAM IN GATEWAY GAMES IMPORT DUTY WAIVER’ By Kayode Samuel, Hon. State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Ogun State Government. For the information of anyone who is in doubt or does not know, the EFCC carried out an extensive investigation on this matter and at the end cleared both Globe Motors Holdings Nigeria Limted and Mr. William Anumudu of any wrongdoing in the application of the waiver or their involvement in the Gateway Games 2006. The EFCC was also very clear and unequivocal in stating, through various letters at different stages of their investigations to Mr. Anumudu, Globe Motors Holdings Limted and the law firm, Falana & Falana Chambers that “the waiver granted to Ogun State Government was genuinely utilized by Globe Motors Holdings Nigeria Limited”. An EFCC letter, ref: CR:3000/EFCC/LS/G./VOL.3/144 of May 8, 2007 conveying their final report on their investigations to the law firm of Falana & Falana Chambers (lawyers to Globe Motors Holdings Limted and Mr. Anumudu), reads, in part: “At the conclusion of the investigation however, we could not find sufficient evidence to show that your client was guilty of any complicity as far as the utilization of the waiver was concerned…………Similarly, there was no evidence to substantiate that he had given bribe to anybody in order to obtain the waiver or to win the bid from the Ogun State Government”. Another letter from EFCC, ref: CR:3000/EFCC/LS/GI.TD/VOL.2/15 of April 4, 2007 addressed to the chairman of Globe Motors Holdings Nigeria Limted also reads, in part: “At the conclusion of investigation, it was established that Globe Motors Holdings Nigeria Limited bidded and won the importation of 839 Vehicles,…on free duty as contained in the waiver issued to the Gateway Games 2006, by the Federal Government of Nigeria……………In the light of the above it was found that the waiver granted to Ogun State Government was genuinely utilized by Globe Motors Holdings Nigeria Limited”. In an earlier letter, CR:3000/EFCC/LS/GI/TD/VOL.1/412 of March 9, 2007 conveying their initial findings to the Chairman of Globe Motors Holdings Nigeria Limted, the EFCC also wrote, in part: “From the evidence revealed after a critical examination of relevant documents we have not established any wrongdoings or unethical dealings against you in the application of the waiver conveyed to you” The foregoing clearly shows that the Sahara Reporters article is to say the least a misrepresentation and distortion of the facts. It is not a fair report; it is also inconclusive as it failed to capture all aspects of the matter especially as the EFCC investigations are concerned. The EFCC has a reputation of being very thorough and efficient in dealing fraud cases, so anyone that has been investigated and given a clean bill of health should be news enough for a follow-up report which is not the case here. The author failed completely to seek and report the truth as shown by these letters referenced here, which are all open to confirmation. By William Anumudu. For and on behalf of Globe Motors Holdings Nigeria Limted

ozoodoo  # 7 | 20.06.2008 11:20

These gang of leeches have their heads buried in the sand. Between Gbenga Daniel and his chorus boys on the one hand and Sowore on the other, I truly know who to believe.

VOR  # 8 | 20.06.2008 12:58

Chei! how did I miss this one? Agbejoro, I hope you are still on this board. As an indigene of Ogun state, I will like you to list for me the "so called" achievements of Gbenga Daniel in the state and I will debate you on this. I don't mind taking this to the crucible - one-on-one. Interested?

Son of the Delta  # 9 | 22.06.2008 16:03

Agbejoro and co When Sowore was writting on officials in the Niger Deltans it was the gospel truth. Let Gbenga Daniel and his co-looters in the South-West face the music and stop pointing unneccessary accusing figures.