Still home. I'm bored.
Oh well, thank God for blogging.
How many of you have heard of the recent controversy trailing the DG of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Dr. Ndidi Okereke-Onyiuke?
If you haven't, read the story below...
On Monday August 11, 2008, at the shell hall, Muson Centre, Onikan Lagos, the DG of Nigerian Stock Exchange, Dr. Ndidi Okereke-Onyiuke who heads the ‘Africans for Obama’, a Nigerian-based group mobilizing and canvassing for the election of US Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, Senator Barrack Obama, held a very flamboyant dinner/concert that attracted society bigwigs, politician and businessmen.
Dubbed the most expensive dinner in recent times, with 56 buffet tables loaded with assorted drinks and food. Tickets alone were sold in the category of Platinum (corporate table for eight people for N2.5mil and individual N325, 000). For gold category, the ticket went for N2million for a corporate table of eight and N275, 000 for an individual.
Being well connected in the corporate world as well as in the corridors of power, it was easy for Dr. Onyiuke to raise N100 million.
However, the N100 million garnered at this event is already causing ripples as to where the money raised is going, since the person in whose honour the dinner/concert was staged cannot in anyway capacity receive foreign donations for his campaign.
The US Foreign Election Campaign Act (FECA) 1974, ‘prohibits any foreign national from contributing, donating or spending funds in connection with any federal, state, local election in the US either directly or indirectly’
Since organizing that dinner, Dr. Onyiuke has been battling with humiliation, criticisms and castigation over the dinner and the activities of the group. First, the campaign organization of the Democratic Party’s candidate out rightly dissociated itself from the activities of ‘Africans for Obama’. Staff counsel to the ‘Obama for America Inc’ had written that ‘we want to inform you that ‘Obama for America Inc’, which is the principal campaign for the president for the US and the National Democratic committee are in no way affiliated with the event or with this organization. We will not accept any fund raised at this event or through the fund raising activities of this group.'
As if that wasn’t enough, on Thursday Aug 14th 2008, the Securities and Exchange Commission demanded an explanation from Okereke-Onyuike. She was also later quizzed by the EFCC, her passport seized and later released.
Further investigation is currently going on the matter.
So what do you guys think? Was her action in order? Was she wrong to stage this dinner?
Meanwhile, here are pictures from comedian Julius Agwu's Laff for Christ Sake which held last weekend...
Pics courtesy of purefoto.com
Enjoy...
