TIMI FRANK CALLS THE BLUFF OF THE VP & LAWYERS. INSISTING THE VP HAS A CASE TO ANSWER

Comrade Timi Frank 

The saga between Vice-president of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo & one of his accusers, former Deputy Publicity Secretary of the APC, Comrade Timi Frank has not ended like many had thought it would happen. After the apology and retraction from the Vanguard which had earlier carried the accusations by Timi Frank that the VP had something to do with N90b which was despatched in very funny circumstances, many had thought Timi Frank would have gone scared to hide in his anonymous cocoon.

But alas no, that hasn't been the case. It seems like the threat of a robust litigation from the chambers of Femi Falana, SAN on behalf of the pastor turned politician VP of the country now hanging on his head has even given him more impetus, as he has now gone out more on the mountain top to shout out for all who cares to hear that the vice president should rather leave Vanguard alone and face him squarely to sue him instead.

Hear what Timi has to say,  N90bn scandal: Stop threatening media Houses, sue me, Frank tells Osinbajo
...Urges DSS, EFCC, others to investigate his allegation
...Urges VP to resign.

A political activist and former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Comrade Timi Frank, has challenged Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to sue him instead of threatening Media Houses over his latest revelation of N90 billion used for the last general elections.

Frank said he was anxiously waiting to receive court summons from the Vice President, assuring that such move will afford Nigerians and the international community opportunity to hear more about the activities of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) pastor (Osinbajo).

He also asked Osinbajo to resign  as VP, to give room for thorough investigation and unbiased prosecution in court, saying "this is important so as not to influence the judiciary as well as use public funds to pursue the case as a sitting Vice President."

The political activist had revealed how the VP allegedly collected about N90 billion from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to fund the last presidential election.

Responding through a statement to a letter Osinbajo sent through his lawyer, Femi Falana to Vanguard Newspapers for a retraction, Frank said he is rather expecting the VP to sue him instead of threatening the media house for keeping the general public informed.

"I understand Prof. Osinbajo, through Femi Falana has written Vanguard Newspaper, demanding for a retraction. It is a move to silence the media and those of us speaking for Nigerians. I challenge Osinbajo to sue me and not Vanguard Newspaper. I'm prepared to meet him in court whenever he is ready to do so.

"The VP should know that I can not be intimidated by his threat. We shall meet in court
"The VP is trying to intimidate everyone including the media but he has forgotten how he accused others like former President Goodluck Jonathan and former Senate President Bukola Saraki without any evidence," Frank stated.
While urging Vanguard and other newspapers to stand firm, Frank called on the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Director of the State Security Service (DSS), Independent Corrupt Practices Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate his claims objectively.

"Osinbajo is trying to use his position as Vice President to intimidate me and especially the Vanguard Newspaper but he won't succeed.

"I have also spoken with Femi Falana, the VP's lawyer who has confirmed that he has a letter from the Vice President for me but I'm yet to receive the letter," he stated.

Frank also challenged the EFCC to quickly release the reports of its earlier investigation of the activities of the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS) under the current leadership.

Signed:
Comrade Timi Frank
Political activist
Abuja.

VANGUARD NEWSPAPER DOES QUICK RETRACTION & APOLOGIZE AS FEAR OF ROBUSTS LITIGATION & DAMAGE PAYMENT LOOMS

Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, VP, Nigeria 

In order not to fall victim to the threat of a very robust litigation against them for publishing what is tantamount to falsehood, one of Nigeria's biggest newspaper brand - Vanguard has done the most honorable thing possible, by issuing with immediate effect a retraction of one of their stories that had painted the current Vice-president of Nigeria, his excellency, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo in very bad light. The retraction also came with unreserved, public apology too.

See the retraction and apology here-

*RETRACTION:*
*APOLOGY TO VP YEMI OSINBAJO*
*ON SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 7:25 PM* *IN NEWS BY VICTOR OGUNYINKA*

*On our website publication of  Monday, September 23, 2019, we published a story titled “N90 Bn FIRS Election* *Fund: Osinbajo’s problem, not 2023 politics.” We have since discovered that the story lacks factual substance and we hereby retract it in its entirety.*

*We tender our profound apology to Professor Yemi Osinbajo SAN, the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on whom the story touches directly the All Progressives Congress, A.P.C.* *and the FIRS for any inconvenience or embarrassment the publication has occasioned them.*

*We hold Professor Osinbajo, S.A.N. in the highest esteem.*

*VICTOR OGUNYINKA*

© 2019 Vanguard Media Limited, NIGERIA.

The story as seen above had pointed fingers at the VP, the APC which is the VP's party & a Government institution - The FIRS, manned by the highly resourceful, Babatunde Fowler. One of the sponsors of the highly damaging story is alleged to be a former chieftain of the APC, Mr. Timi Frank who years back had been removed from the ruling party and had since then become a turncoat and a vociferous enemy of party and those now in charge of it.

Prior to the retraction, the solicitors to the VP, led by the Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Femi Falana had sent a strongly worded warning to the newspaper to do an immediate retraction and tender an unreserved public apology, or be ready to feel the full weight of the law which could result to them paying a very hefty fine.

The VP a legal luminary himself, who is also known to be pastor had confidently said he was ready to waive his immunity to allow for unfettered investigation into the matter, which had grossly insinuated that he had received slush money prior to the 2015 election. In a Twitter text that was authored in its entirety by him, he had said -

"In the past few days, a spate of reckless and malicious falsehoods have been peddled in the media against me by a group of malicious individuals.

“The defamatory and misleading assertions invented by this clique had mostly been making the social media rounds anonymously.

“I have today instructed the commencement of legal action against two individuals, one Timi Frank and another Katch Ononuju, who have put their names to these odious falsehoods.

“I will waive my constitutional immunity to enable the most robust adjudication of these claims of libel and malicious falsehood.

It was after the above that the robust letter from the chambers of Mr. Femi Falana, award winning legal luminary came out. Full text of which is below-

September 24, 2019

Mr. Eze Anaba,
The Editor,
Vanguard Newspaper,
Apapa, Lagos.

Re: N90 bn FIRS election fund, Osinbajo's problem, not 2023 politics-Frank

We are solicitors to Professor Yemi Osinbanjo SAN, the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (hereinafter referred to as “our client”) on whose behalf and instructions we write this letter.

Our client’s attention has been drawn to your highly libelous story entitled “N90 bn FIRS election fund, Osinbanjo’s problem, not 2023 politics-Frank” recklessly published in the Vanguard newspaper edition of September 23, 2019.

In the story credited to one Comrade Timi Frank, your newspaper informed your large readership that our client’s travail “has nothing to  do with 2023 but alleged mismanagement of about N90 Billion Naira (sic) released by the Federal Inland Revenue Inland Service (FIRS) to prosecute the last general elections in favour of the APC”.

The false contextual background and specific untrue and defamatory statement include the following:

"The presidency discovered how Osinbajo allegedly mismanaged N90billion from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

When confronted by the presidency, he confirmed to General Buhari that he indeed allegedly took N90billion from FIRS but it was used for the 2019 presidential election campaign in strategic states of the South-west.

Gen Buhari asked for a breakdown of how the money was spent and he said he gave N11 billion to Lagos state APC leader but when the said national leader and one former APC chairman were invited for an explanation, it was confirmed that Osinbajo gave only N5billion and not N11billion to Lagos state.

'The cabal is asking to know how come they beat PDP in the South-west with less than 60,000 votes if the money was actually spent in the strategic states of the South-west as allegedly claimed.'

The activist insisted that if the information is true, Osinbajo must resign his position as Vice President, adding that such is akin to the characteristics of ‘yahoo boys."

It is clear that the entire publication was a vicious, wicked and reckless ploy to impugn the reputation of our client and lower him in the estimation of right thinking members of the public. Without any scintilla of evidence you deliberately gave the dubious impression that our client colluded with the Federal Inland Revenue Service to divert public funds to the tune of N90 billion to prosecute the 2019 general elections in the South west region.

In view of the foregoing we have our client’s firm instructions to request for the immediate retraction of the offensive and derogatory publication coupled with apology prominently published in your newspaper.

Take notice that if we do not receive your formal retraction and apology within 24 hours of the receipt of this letter, we shall proceed with our client’s instructions to seek legal remedies including aggravated damages in the appropriate High Court.

Yours Sincerely,

FEMI FALANA, SAN

So with the first part now done, with the apology and retraction done by Vanguard, would the duo of Timi Frank & Katch Ononuju who are said to be the authors and sponsors of the blatant falsehood, now tow the honorable path too and admit they had lied with extreme vigor against the VP? 

VP Osibanjo launches TraderMoni in 3 additional Lagos markets

The Vice President of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN launched the Federal Government's N10,000 Naira interest free loans, otherwise known as Trader-Moni to traders in three more Lagos markets on Monday.

VP Osinbajo who led other Federal and State Government officials to Ikotun, Igando and Ile-Epo markets also urged the traders to make judicious use of the loans to secure more from Federal Government.

While interacting with the traders, the VP said the objective of the scheme would be defeated, if traders do not repay the loan to secure more from the Federal Government.

"This is one particular initiative this administration has put in place to help address the plights of those at the grassroots, which is to help you grow your businesses and make lives meaningful to you and your families.  That's why we have ensured that there is no collateral at all and that when you repay the loans, you can secure more from the Government because it shows you are serious with what you are doing, " he said.

Some of the traders who were interviewed, applauded the initiative but pleaded for more loans saying that they would be willing to boost their trades and businesses with as much fund as possible that's made available to them.

Yemisi Babalola, a salt trader in Ikotun market expressed her readiness to invest the money in her trade.  She said that although she would have loved for the money to be more, she would nonetheless make judicious use of the initial fund so as to qualify for more loans.

Similarly, Jide Akanni, a butcher at Ile-Epo market, said that it took the actual arrival of the Trader-Moni officials in the market, for him to be convinced that it was true.  He said having been registered and his account credited, he now believes the scheme is real.

"When they say Trader-Moni, I had always thought it was one of those political gimmicks. But today,  I am convinced that it is real.  As I repay the initial loan given,  I have been assured of prompt increased money," Akanni said.

Gradually and steadily, this very well thought out initiative of the FG is reaching more and more people. 

SEUN BAKARE WEDS OSINBAJO. ONE DOWN ONE MORE TO GO. AS ENGAGEMENT WENT DOWN SUCCESSFULLY! "UPDATED"

Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo & daughter

Oluseun & Damilola

Seun & Damilola with the VP & wife

Hajia Bola Muinat Shagaya, Seun, Damilola & Prince Shina Bakare

Our Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and his delightsome wife, Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo are sure very social media savvy and are fully abreast of the realities of the times, so Instagram, Twitter, Facebook etc are all nothing extraordinary to them. So before anyone would need to bend over backwards to get any news about their gorgeous daughter engagement today, Thursday, March 15, 2018, in Abuja both VP and wife themselves had released images of what went down on their different media platforms for all to see.

Like we had rightly predicted, it wasn't a loud loud throw out, as expected of the wedding featuring the children of both the incumbent Nigerian Vice President and that of billionaire businesswoman, Hajia Bola Muinat Shagaya. It was more of an elevated parlour affair! The engagement was at the Aguda House official residence of the VP and a follow up reception at the old banquet hall of the Presidential villa, where the wedding reception on Saturday would also take place.

If one can just quickly remember  that just in the last 2 weeks prior, the kids of serving Governors in Nigeria, just recently got married and Nigeria practically moved to the 2 locations of those events, so now the wedding of the first daughter and child of an influential Vice President at that to the son of a well known, highly connected lady! So the people expected that heaven should literally have come down to earth, but alas, it was devoid of the unnecessary fanfare and attendant paparazzi, but that didn't take away from the class and distinction of the event though.

Parents of the gorgeous bride wore a very lush red silky Aso Oke ensemble. The bride and the groom's traditional outfits as expected were stunning to say the least, the happy bride was all smiles all through, so also was the lucky bridegroom, who was enveloped by much air of confidence. Mother of the groom a renowned style icon in her own right looked stunning in her rich and lush purple outfit. All through the occasion, it was obvious that Damilola shares a deep bond with her parents. The wedding proper itself is set for Saturday, March 17, 2018 in Abuja. the FCT at the National Christian Centre.

So part one which is the engagement is done and dusted already, now it's the turn of part 2, which is the wedding proper, which is what we are awaiting with bated breaths and we know that for that, a host of men of God from around the country, in particular Pastor Enoch Adeboye would gather to make that occasion, stamped, sealed and delivered from heaven.

Congratulations on this one.

More exciting pictures after the break.

SEUN WEDS DAMILOLA. FOR HAJIA BOLA MUiNAT SHAGAYA, IT'S A NEW LEASE OF LIFE.....

Hajia Bola Shagaya, VP & wife- Prof Yemi & Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo & Groom- Seun Bakare

Two families uniting in matrimony is always a good thing, from just being strangers before or just friends, both in marriage becomes one united family and as much as possible, become one big single family. At least that's what the union between the son, Seun of Hajia Bola Shagaya and the daughter-Damilola of the Vice President would engender, unity, oneness and love.

This wedding by all standards should be a big one, a VP of a super rich nation like Nigeria, who was a very successful lawyer before coming into politics, whose wife's nuclear family- The Awolowos, are very influential and very well to do also and a billionaire business woman, who is not only very highly connected, but by implication also very very well to do. But from the little we have heard, thiugh all things are been put in place to make sure it's a classy wedding by all standards, it is rather going to be a "quiet wedding", far from the attendant noise that we are all expecting! If all things don't change as planned, the engagement would be done inside the living room of the bride's home in Abuja and the wedding ceremony and other events, would be at the Ballroom of the Aguda House in Abuja, the FCT, devoid of all the unnecessary noise and fanfare, paparazzi et al. Why both families have chosen to go this way, is only known to them. So all those expecting full Owambe mode, had better have a rethink. Maybe after this write-up though, things might change?

What we can tell you as a matter of fact for now though is that, Hajia Bola Shagaya the groom's mom, has jetted to  Dubai, the tourist capital of the UAE to do the required shopping to make this occasion a grand one???? As much as possible, at least to the limit that they can go.

We all know that she has been quiet for a bit now, reason been that some of her funds have been held up (that EFCC matter, remains hanging), which might have affected many things, but being a billionaire, that doesn't mean that there wouldn't still be a few hundreds of millions here and there to play with that's was kept somewhere. Apart from the paucity of funds, she being a friend to so many very powerful and super rich and influential people, especially someone like His Royal Majesty, The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammad Sanusi II, her very good friend, who she singlehandedly bought and gave a "Rolls Royce" to when he became the Emir as a gesture of friendship, when things were more robust, we can bet that all of these great people would rally around her now at this time. Maybe the Emir, might even use his influence to relax some unnecessary scrutiny around HAJIA, so that she can breathe a lot more easier.

One very good part of this wedding also is basically that, major part of the finances concerning the events, at whatever level it would go would be born by the bride's family, the Osinbajos, not because of their position, but because that the way it is in Yoruba tradition and culture. So Hajia would only just do as much as she can or wants to do, that's after she and her family might have done the normal statutory contributions expected of them towards the wedding..

Part of the good things about marrying the daughter of the Vice President, who is known to be the 2nd most powerful person in Government in Nigeria, would be that if there was ever any issue or problem whatsoever before with the Government in whatever form, those issues are likely to either be totally relaxed or they would disappear totally, completely and quietly, without a whimper. That's because you can't be one big happy family and you are still having an issue or a problem with a unit of that one big family or still pursuing a negative issue against yourself! So we are expecting that madam would soon exhale without difficult pretty soon!

Now that the countdown is only a few weeks away (March 15 & 17, 2018 being the dates), would the dad of the groom, Mr. Shina BakareB emerge and be involved in any way? In fact who is Shina Bakare? Where is he domiciled? Lagos, Ilorin, Abuja, Cotonou, India or the US?

The little we know about the dad of the groom is that he is/was a "globe trotting businessman' with tentacles that extended to "Cotonou, India and the US). He was a former Moslem who like his son got converted ti Christianity whilst "abroad" and he has since remarried. Though his whereabouts are not known, maybe he would appear at the wedding of his son to the highly cerebral, very well natured and behaved, gorgeous, eldest daughter of the VP.

Seun, the born again, Pastor in the making son of HAJIA Bola Shagaya a devout moslem, is one of Hajia's 5 sons, Sheriff, Hakeem, Seun, Kabir & Tolani, who are all doing very well first e themselves. The first 2 boys are married. While 3 of the boys are Shagayas, Seun the 3rd born is aa Bakare and one of the boys is a Saro.

Kabir the 4th born and 2nd to the last would be getting married also this year too, in May from the indications we have gotten. And we are expecting that would be another big wedding too.

The very close ally of at least 5 former first ladies, namely the late Maryam Babangida, Maryam Abacha, late Stella Obasanjo, Turai Yar'Adua and Dame Patience Jonathan is a lady of style, elegance and panache anyday and we are sure she would bring that to bear at this occasion too.

THE VP OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCES DAUGHTER'S BETROTHAL ON SOCIAL MEDIA

So we have a "Vice President" in Nigeria that's so in tune with the times and who is especially media savvy!

The Pastor cum successful lawyer and Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, took to his Instagram page- Professor Yemi Osinbajo verified (profosinbajo) an hour plus ago to somewhat officially announce the betrothal of his gorgeous daughter Oludamilola Osinbajo to Hajia Bola Shagaya's son Seun Bakare.

The statement read like- "With joy and praise to the Lord, Dolly and I announce the betrothal of our daughter Oludamilola Osinbajo to Oluseun Bakare. 

The upcoming wedding like we already reported yesterday is set for March 15 & 17, 2018 in Abuja FCT. And to correct a notion we had written on yesterday, the incoming son-in-law of the VP is a "Christian" (converted) and not a Moslem like we had thought.

Congratulations again. 

OUR GENTLEMAN VICE PRESIDENT IS A HOPELESS ROMANTIC. CELEBRATES WIFE & SELF ON 28TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY

Your heart is my home.......

Were it that he wasn't a sound lawyer an SAN at that who has gotten to the pinnacle of his career, with intimidating pedigree, Vice President of Nigeria, his excellency Prof. Yemi Osinbajo would have made awesome money at being a poet or much sought after rapper, giving Chance and Jay Z a major run for their money. Most likely he would have been a poetic giant no doubt!

On the occasion of his and his wife's 28th wedding anniversary just yesterday, the pastor and lawyer and our current VP, "waxed poetically lyrical".


The Prof, spoke so glowingly about Madam Dolapo, that everyone's heart melted totally. Hear him-

"When our worlds collided. It was just a matter of time. Our story began today, many years ago. The harmony in the symphony. My treasure! Happy Anniversary Oludolapo. Your heart is my home".

Chai! (In Madam Patience voice) see loves eeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!

As much as the above is mind blowing, only those who better understands the Yoruba languagee well, would have understood greatly the import of what "Your heart is my home" conveyed- "Okan e Ni ibugbe mi"! My domicile, my place of rest, my totality, my place of peace!

Last year during the summer of 2016, we were part of a group of people that had dinner in London with the VP's wife, and we can tell all without fear of contradiction, that she's most probably one of the most pleasant and down to heart and very caring woman we have ever encountered. No airs and she brings you in effortlessly.

So we seem to somehow understand where the VP is coming from.

Congratulations, Sir and Madam, long may this endure, always in love and respect! Salute!!!

FORMER CHIEF OF GENERAL STAFF, ONDO & LAGOS MILITARY GOVERNOR VICE ADMIRAL MIKE AKHIGBE HAS PASSED ON

THE LATE ADMIRAL

We commiserate with the families, associates & friends of the former Governor of Ondo & Lagos State, who later became the deputy or better put the Vice President to the then Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar during the military rule between 1998 & 1999, in the person of Retired Vice Admiral Mike Okhai Akhigbe, who sadly passed on to the great beyond age 68 at the weekend in London. 

The former Chief of  Naval Staff, is said to have had a long battle with cancer, before finally succumbing to the cold hands of death this weekend. 

After his retirement, he had gone on to read law, becoming an attorney and had ran his own law firm, specializing in maritime & real estate law.  He is said to have had a substantial investment in real estate. 

He is survived by his wife & children. May the soul of the dearly departed rest in peace.