posted
Olusola is right, this has nothing to do with tribe, this men stole money and they were caught. I don't have any sympathy for them. Osuji and I came from the same area, I don't know him well. Believe me Osuji should rott in heil. He was so doom and stupid thank God he was exposed before his dream of becoming Imo State Governor could materialize.
quote: Olusola is right, this has nothing to do with tribe, this men stole money and they were caught. - Biafra
Sir, with all due respect, I think you too missed the point. Maybe if you re-read my earlier reply to Olu it might clear the dusty air. I don't see any Igbo crying for nwagbara or osuji here, what however, is at issue is why don't obasanjo apply the same zeal and speed to all. I'm not sure who injected tribe or whatever into this gist since it is not the bone of contention rather equity is.
Me to Olu;
quote:It is quite unfair to think that the Igbo who by the way opened this thread against osuji are upset over his stupidity. You can't say obasanjo showed the same level of interest over the billions and trillions stolen by anenih and balogun. How about the oil thieves, those Yoruba admirals who stole billions in oil revenue that were only demoted or retired? C'mon dude you can do better. I know! No doubt we’re all in agreement that corruption does not wear tribal garb but what we the Igbo are saying is that fighting it shouldn’t. Let every thief or embezzler be fired and jailed!
___________________ BIAFRA: The land of my ancestors now, yesterday and always. So it will be! Posts: 2482 | From: Ala Igbo | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged
MID-WEEK ESSAY: Reacting to the Day of the Long Knives in the Education Ministry
by
Mobolaji Aluko alukome@comcast.net Burtonsville, MD, USA
Thursday, March 24, 2005 _________
Events of the last two days in connection with the Ministry of Education and the National Assembly of Nigeria have been rather giddy.
At one level of analysis, the national broadcast by President Obasanjo of March 22, 2005, and his move of dismissal and future prosecution of certain public officials in the Ministry of Education and the National Assembly for corruption are the toughest and bravest he has made of late to stem this cancer of corruption that ravages our nation like AIDS. He must have suddenly obtained an epiphany that the rot is worse than he thought before.
At another level, however, I was a little bit worried about the speech. It laid too much blame on the National Assembly, while in fact it is the Civil Service (under the PRESIDENCY) which substantially TAKES OVER from the National Assembly when the budget has been approved. That is where THE CORRUPTION really begins - in expending the monies approved, and subverting the process of using the monies for the contracts and other matters that they were voted for.
In ALL THE YEARS that the military were in service, was the NATIONAL ASSEMBLY there ? Absolutely not ! Can a MAN at the very top of an organization steal money WITHOUT the connivance of those civil servants beneath him - head messenger, driver, accountant, auditor, etc. ? Absolutely not !
Another point: Why did he not make a broadcast over IG Tafa Balogun, who is reported to have had MORE MONEY in his bank accounts than the N55 million being bandied around now - to approve a budget ? Who is more demoralizing to the health of a nation: a Prof. Osuji who is "bribing" to get an Education budget passed, or a Tafa Balogun who should be CATCHING CRIMINALS and he himself shows to be a potential HEAD CRIMINAL ?
Again, please do not get me wrong: I commend the President for these bold moves. I am however worried that there can be a BACKLASH that he may not be able to defend because he has not adequately protected his flanges and can be rightly accused of selective justice. For example, with the Sultan of Sokoto's son Senator Badamasi Maccido involved, you can expect a FIGHT ON OBASANJO's HANDS from now on. Accusations of ethnic injustice will also be heard - as is normal in Nigerian affairs.
Nevertheless, now that Obasanjo has now made an example of the Education Ministry and those in the National Assembly related to the bribery and budget saga, he should seize this MOMENT OF OUTRAGE to put in place lasting steps to stem the cancer of galloping corruption - coupled with tolerant ethnicism and hypocritical religionism - that is ravaging our country by taking further actions as follows:
On the short run, the President should (re-)issue the following proclamation (he had done something similar before this saga broke, but he was obviously not taken seriously):
(1) that all ministers and agency heads who bribed or were involved in bribing Assembly members over the budget should QUIETLY own up;
(2) all National Assembly members that accepted bribes should quietly own up;
(3) all monies that were received should be returned QUIETLY to the EFCC;
(4) that the ultimatum expires at end of March 2005, whereupon there will be no amnesty/waiver and all will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
He should then:
(5) cause to be printed NOW, the Fifth Schedule Part I (Code of Conduct for Public Officers) of the 1999 Constitution . Millions of copies of this extract should be distributed to all Public Officials and Civil Servants, from the cleaner to the Head Messenger to the Ministers and Heads of Parastatals, to the Presidency itself.
(6) for starters, send up an Executive bill to remove or amend section 308 of the Constitution.
In the short- to medium term, the president should also seek to:
(1) champion the passage of the Freedom of Information Bill, which will allow the press and other willing individuals to press for public information, including suspicions of corruption;
(2) champion the passage of the Whistle-Blower's Bill; which will allow various people (particularly lower down) in the Public service to cry "Foul!" about corruption without fear of being victimized;
(3) seek to strengthen all the laws that were used to establish the ICPC and the EFCC so that they are not weakened by the courts.
(4) enable public access to declared assets of public officials, sanctioning any officials that don't declare their assets truthfully; and causing to be seized those that are not declared and are traced to these public officials;
(5) require independent, professional and regular audits of all local government, state and federal accounts as a precondition for further disbursements, making such audits available to the public;
(6) abrogate or seriously amend Section 308 immunity clause that benefits the President, the Vice-President, the 36 governors and 36 deputy-governors.
(7) speedily prosecute all persons not protected by Section 308 who aid and abet those immunized officials in financial and other types of corruption; he should for example see the very end of this Education Ministry Saga as well as Tafa Balogun's;
(8) focus on ridding the Police Force and Judicial Bench of corruption; these two arms are the most public faces of exercising justice in the land; again, Tafa Balogun!
(9) observe zero-tolerance for bribery by the NPF on our highways, including use of sting operations;
(10) observe zero-tolerance for bribery by judges, mandatorily disbarring for life any found to have taken bribes.
(11) focus on ridding the banks and other financial houses of corrupt practices; most of these people don't carry these bribes around without having gotten N50 million cash from some bank or the other: what should a SENATOR be doing with N20 million to N50 million cash, for example ? Is that not suspicious in itself ?
(12) observe zero-tolerance for money-laundering by banks;
(13) observe zero-tolerance for foreign-exchange round-tripping;
(14) focus on eliminating the 4-1-9 advanced fee fraud crime, making it a "special economic crime against the state"; using, for example, a central registry of phones and faxes supplied on 4-1-9 letters to SHUT down the phone numbers IMMEDIATELY;
(15) use sting operations to arrest and SUMMARILY jail caught miscreants.
Until we all - that is the Presidency, the Legislature, the Judiciary and Civil Society - have a consensus to do at least each of the above steps systemically and comprehensively, then the fight against financial corruption in Nigeria cannot be deemed to be serious, and any little gains can be unraveled in the twinkling of an eye.
All the above is to keep the momentum against corruption going at maximum pace a time of maximum outrage. Corruption - and along with lack of reliable electric power - is the one main thing that is SAPPING the energy for our progress in that country. We may be a poor country, but our poverty at the moment is REALLY not because we are THAT POOR, but because of the "fat cats" in Abuja who live as if they are not part of the rest of Nigeria.
So the jury is out on these latest developments. It may be a New Day - or Same-Old, Same-Old. Hopefully, President Obasanjo will seek God's wisdom - and Man's cooperation - to begin to overcome some of our myriad problems.
Posts: 380 | From: US | Registered: Dec 2004
| IP: Logged
quote:Another point: Why did he not make a broadcast over IG Tafa Balogun, who is reported to have had MORE MONEY in his bank accounts than the N55 million being bandied around now - to approve a budget ? Who is more demoralizing to the health of a nation: a Prof. Osuji who is "bribing" to get an Education budget passed, or a Tafa Balogun who should be CATCHING CRIMINALS and he himself shows to be a potential HEAD CRIMINAL ? – Aluko
Bingo! Eureka!! My point precisely!!! I am having a good belly laugh right about now.
___________________ BIAFRA: The land of my ancestors now, yesterday and always. So it will be! Posts: 2482 | From: Ala Igbo | Registered: Apr 2004
| IP: Logged
posted
The fact is that OBJ can not confortably prosecute ex IG Tafa Balogun simply because Balogun knows too much about OBJ`s personal involvement in coruption and shady dealings and probably even worse. all the security info on OBJ, is at Baloguns finger tips , that makes him untouchable. It was under his tenure as IG we had a lot of political murders such as of Ige and many others which are widely believed to have deep conections to the government and the ruling PDP. also the kidnaping of Ngige, the Uba connections, the sacking of several areas in the Niger delta, etc. Balogun has the security reports that tie these and more directly to OBJ and his cohorts. Therefore you could rather expect the ex IG to die of sudden illness or motor accident (or armed robbers? that would be fitting) than face prosecution in a court of law.
___________________ Biafra is inevitable.Illegitimis nil carborundum. Posts: 760 | From: europe | Registered: Jan 2005
| IP: Logged
posted
It's really interesting to see we've begun to call a spade by its name rather than take in prisoners when one takes a close look at the events that rocked the Ministry of Education and some members of the nation's highest law-making body. It did not come as a shock to me, however.
But the problem I do have with the entire situation is the kind of shame these efulefu bunch, the so-called Igbo leaders who betrayed all principles and yet we keep endorsing every move they make to lead us without questioning their behavior and/or having a prior knowledge they are likely to be vulnereable and gullible based on all the set-ups as we've seen in the past.
First, it was Evans Enwerem, an Igbo and Senate President who got kicked out before we even knew what was going on. Then came Chuba Okadigbo who went after his own pocket and was totally humiliated, disgraced and savagely axed from the senate. He died from that complication. Talk about Pius Anyim: Was he wise enough to have made up his mind not to seek a second term in the senate? As Senate President, did he deliver?
Now that Adolphus Nwagbara is the latest victim, does the agitation for an Igbo presidency make any sense? What guarantees an Igbo president will not stupidly steal public funds?
Take the Igbo governors for instance, what have they done other than steal public funds? All said and done, it is now very clear there's no need for an Igbo president and based on the past behaviors of these greedy Igbo politicians, PDP would be doing its party a whole world of good if it starts rewriting its zonal policies and take the senate presidency elsewhere.
What a disgrace and we have guts for the blame game!
Posts: 479 | From: The Universe | Registered: Jul 2001
| IP: Logged
I agree with a lot of what you have said, but note that Igbo never elected the efulefu's. You can only blame Igbo for accepting these efulefu's when Obasanjo shoves them down our throath. When Wabara lost the election, rather than stand by the truth the so called Ukwa Ngwa elders and their Ohaneze counterparts started preaching compromise for the sake of the senate presidency. How much good has that senate presidency done Ndigbo ? On the contrary it has been a source of shame as one greedy efulefu after another loses his mind at the sight of a few million naira while their mates are making away with billions.
Just watch and see what happens now the battle for the position is about to start, for every efulefu its back to Aso Rock for blessings.I think they should take that position away from them.
Posts: 1532 | From: USA | Registered: Mar 2001
| IP: Logged
before we get carried away, show me a politician in Nigeria today that is free from corruption and i will show you a maternity ward with a virgin about to give birth.
It is not about Igbo politicians been corrupt, it is about a system that condones corruptions. Obasanjo is very corrupt, at least the state of Otta farm before his second and third missionary journey tells a lot. Infact, during his first time around, OFN money (federal) was used to establish Otta farm. Now his Children are busy doing a Mohamed Abacha on nija economy.
They are all corrupt! It is not about Igbo politicians alone. If the truth is to be said, only an Igbo politician in the person of Ngige has tried to improve the lives of people in his State.
It is time for us all to put aside ethnic differences and rally round Gani Fawehinmi. Only him has promised to probe past leaders. He has never held any poltical position and has not stolen from the people. He has remain consistent, even in the face of many trials and tribulations. he has doggedly fought IBB, Hakilu and the killing machines that eliminated Dele Giwa. He has through past experience shown he has the capacity to stand and defend his convictions.
These are the qualities we need in a leader that will bring a new lease to life in nija.
All this noise about Tafa, (N)wa(g)bara, Osuji, etc. etc. is just a scratch on the surface of what this administration and politicians are doing to our nation and our psyche. Its all about them, their pockets and their interest.
Posts: 380 | From: US | Registered: Dec 2004
| IP: Logged
posted
Osuji goes to court. He calls bribe money, public relations lobby fee! haba! See the kind of people we have as politicians? When will it ever be called bribe? 2o naira to a police man at the check point is called toll fee, 2000 naira given to Custom at the airport is called look the other way fee, or forget me fee.
Hear what osuji and his lawywer has to say: ************************************************* Prof. Osuji in his suit filed by Chief Chris Uche (SAN) is also praying the court to stop both the EFCC and ICPC from commencing fresh investigation into the matter or prosecuting him until the suit is concluded and for the court to declare his detention as unconstitutional and illegal. In an affidavit, Prof Osuji described his arrest and detention as political. He said he was arrested and detained for the purpose of humiliating him. Explaining his plight in the affidavit accompanying the suit, Prof. Osuji said the allegation that his ministry gave public relations lobby fund to the National Assembly for budgetary consideration was not such that should warrant the treatment meted out to him as there was no likelihood of his running away. According to him, since his international passport had been impounded by the Federal Government, he ought not to have been arrested and detained since he could not run away. After all, he said, he did not collect any money for himself nor offer any money to procure any advantage for himself, nor was there any evidence that the passage of the budget of the ministry was for any personal benefit. He added that if not for the reason that he was earmarked for humiliation because of political reasons, he ought to be released the same way others that were quizzed by men of the EFCC over the matter. Prof. Osuji, therefore, wants the court to issue in his favour the following reliefs: * A declaration that his arrest, detention and harassment by the respondents from Wednesday, March 16, 2005 to Sunday, March 20, 2005 are unconstitutional, wrongful and illegal and constitute an infringement of his fundamental rights, and contrary to section 35(5)(a) and (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999; * A declaration that his continued threats to arrest, re-arrest and detain him by the respondents after his release on bail on Sunday, March 20, 2005 are unconstitutional, illegal, wrongful and constitute an infringement of his fundamental rights. * A declaration that his dismissal via a national broadcast and proclaiming him guilty without an opportunity to be heard is prejudicial and an act of political victimisation, and constitutes an infringement of his fundamental right. * A perpetual injunction restraining the respondents by themselves, their agents or privies from further arresting, re-arresting or attempting to arrest and/or detaining or attempting to detain him or in any manner attempt whatsoever interfere with his personal liberty in connection with the same matter for which he had earlier been arrested, detained for four days, and released on bail by the respondents. * A public apology to him by the respondents for; the breach of his fundamental rights, harassment, disgrace and humiliation. He described his arrest, detention and humiliation as “acts of political victimisation as shown in the letters written by the Applicant to the Presidency since January 28, 2005. The Applicant has been made a scapegoat and victim of political intrigues as a result of no fault of his.” *************************************************
So Osuji is saying that no one demanded egunje from him. The 55million naira was public relations funds meant to lobby the honorable senate committee members!
See why too much bookuru does not mean common sense, abi na we be the fools!
Posts: 380 | From: US | Registered: Dec 2004
| IP: Logged
posted
I agree with Tony 100%: This from letter to Punch Editor:
Nigeria’s way of fighting corruption
Watching the President read his epistle against corruption on Tuesday night, one would have shouted “Hosanna”, as the impression created is that the nation is getting so clean that corrupt politicians and public office holders are suddenly a thing of the past.
Those who are knowledgeable about Nigeria’s filthy political landscape, however, can see beyond the president’s alleged reforms.
While one cannot possibly defend those involved in the latest bribery scandal, the fact remains that the Nigerian government is run through sleaze.
I recall that in the early days of this administration’s first term in office, the House of Representatives accused the Presidency of arm-twisting, and when that failed, the latter resorted to bribery.
Matters came to a head when the Reps, smarting under the Presidency’s blackmail, brought bag loads of money to the floor of the House to prove that the Presidency actually bribed them.
Till today, the Presidency has not refuted the allegation; neither did Nigerians know how the money disappeared.
It is also curious that, before now, the Presidency is known to pay lawmakers’ allowances very close to the time it wanted them to approve of a particular expenditure or bill.
These being the case, it is only reasonable to assume that the latest victims of an alleged reform have only learned from their Commander-in-Chief.
The CHOGM financial scandal in which some people close to Mr. President were indicted was never pursued to a conclusive end.
Ditto the stinking Pentascope/NITEL deal through which the nation lost enormous amount of money.
Indeed, the list of shady deals in Nigeria’s corridors of power is such that cannot be exhausted.
However, our leaders should bear in mind that, even if the international community can be fooled about an anti-graft crusade that has not achieved anything in crucial areas of our national life, Nigerians could see beyond the smokescreen.
Until Baba catches and successfully prosecutes real big fish, Nigerians would take this as one of those things.
Tony Anibaba,234, Adetola Close, Surulere, Lagos.
The Punch, Friday, March 25, 2005
Posts: 380 | From: US | Registered: Dec 2004
| IP: Logged
The heat of the anti-corruption war embarked upon by President Olusegun Obasanjo since he assumed office in 1999 may have been turned on him eventually as the United States of America has queried him over $22 million allegedly lodged in the foreign account of his son, Gbenga.
The query which, according to reliable sources, has been revealed to the leadership of the National Assembly may come handy as one of the tools with which the Assembly would attack President Obasanjo when the federal legislators reconvene on April 5, after Easter break.
The money over which the query was issued was said to be in one of the many accounts maintained by the son of the president in the United States of America.
Reliable sources said, worried by the huge sum of money in the account of President Obasanjo’s son, American President, Mr. George Bush allegedly fired a query asking Obasanjo to furnish the authorities with the source of the money lodged in one of US’ leading commercial banks.
But in a swift reaction, a spokesman of the president, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode described the allegation as a mere campaign of calumny aimed at blackmailing the president.
His words: “This is just a campaign of calumny and nothing could be farther from the truth. Gbenga is a first class individual and a man of absolute integrity who is humbe, decent and very respectful. He is certainly neither a crook nor a rogue and nobody can blackmail him.
“In any case, we will not succumb to any form of cheap blackmail. If anybody really has anything, why is it that it is now that they want to make an issue out of it?Why didn’t they do so before now? They are only tryting to intimidate and embarrass us. But whatever they have, let them bring it out and I have no doubt in my mind that Gbenga will disprove it. This is a hardworking and honest young man and they should please leave Mr. President’s family out of politics.
“In any case, what crime are they saying the young man committed? Has he committed crime for being a businessman or the president’s son?” he queried.
However, reliable sources have informed Sunday Independent that the National Assembly, the House of Representatives in particular, may use the query against President Obasanjo in a possible impeachment bid.
But on this, Fani-Kayode said one would have to throw that question to them on why they would want to impeach the president.
According to him, there was no ground for a plot to impeach the president.
“Like we always said, the Senate and the House are full of men and women of integrity. But there are only a few bad ones among them,” he added.
Following the nationwide broadcast of the president last Tuesday, announcing the indictment of the Senate President, Chief Adolphus Wabara, the Minister of Education, Professor Fabian Osuji, and a number of principal officers of the National Assembly, in a bribery scandal, members of the National Assembly had resolved to take on the president.
The legislators, however, did not expatiate on what their course of action would be.
But sources told Sunday Independent that the House might have been bolstered by some alleged discoveries especially that of plans to buy off the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and Aluminum Smelter Company of Nigeria (ALSCON) Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State by Gbenga using some companies that were just recently incorporated in Nigeria.
According to sources, the Alliance for Democracy leader in the House, Mr. Wunmi Bewaji disclosed the case of the query issued to Obasanjo by Bush to other legislators and presented a document to that effect.
Besides, the source alleged that the lawmakers were ready to brandish proof that the same Obasanjo’s son, through the Indian Company ISPAT bought the gigantic Ajaokuta Steel plant and also on the verge of acquiring Delta Steel Plant at Aladja, Delta State and the Itakpe Iron Ore Mining Corporation in Kogi State. His company, Global Consult is also said to have controlling shares in these companies.
It was also gathered that the House Committee on Power and Steel had also investigated the case..
However, there was a bit of disagreement among the legislators before a final decision was reached.
While some of them argued that the president should not be held responsible for a crime committed by Gbenga since he is an adult, others said he could not be totally unconnected as he had been presenting his son, Gbenga as a reliable businessman, whenever he travelled abroad.
Sunday Independent gathered that a list of other business interests of the younger Obasanjo was also shown to the lawmakers during their executive session last Wednesday morning where they took a resolute stand to hit back at the president for allegedly making a sweeping statement that the National Assembly was an institution characterised by corruption.
A member said if the legislators disclose all they have or report their findings at the Bureau of Public Enterprises, the nation would marvel at the level of corruption going on.
The source said the House had now resolved to bring everything to the public arena for Nigerians to judge.
Similarly, the legislators have also complained that the Presidency had been starving the National Assembly of fund.
posted
This is a time to tell all you know. Wabara has a date with history. Will he be man enough to bell the cat? will he be man enough to catch the bull by the horn? May be this sigbo efulefu can indeed turn out to be archilles heels of this administration. This is how Ikechukwu Amazu put in his write up on Nigeriaworld.
"...The Senate President should robustly present his case. He must also use the opportunity of this defence to tell the world what he knows of this Chief President who is Chief Supreme who foisted him on the country. Everything: What really happened to Senator Okadigbo, his last but one predecessor? Was he murdered, as some suspect? If so, was the Chief President who is the Chief Supreme who is the Chief Hater Since 1966 involved in the murder in any way? What of Attorney General and Minister of Justice Ige who was murdered? Was the Chief President who is the Chief Supreme involved in his murder? Who really murdered publisher Nwankwo and retired academic Ikoku? Who really murdered all the other high profile public figures in Nigeria in the past five years? Is the Chief President who is Chief Supreme involved in any way in these exterminations? What about the crippling sites of corruption that have shaped the character of the regime of the Chief Supreme and Chief President? Does the Senate President know how much the Chief President who is Chief Supreme paid legislators to remove Senator Okadigbo from office before his subsequent death which some feel was a murder? If so, the Senate President should tell the country. What about the scandal involving the forced resignation of nominal Inspector General of Police Balogun? What was the involvement of the Chief President who is Chief Supreme in this bribery? Why didn't the Chief President who is Chief Supreme broadcast to the country on that occasion? What is the Chief President who is Chief Supreme's involvement in the ID Card bribery scandal, the NITEL privatisation bribery scandal, the Missing Ship bribery scandal, the Ajaokuta Steel Mill bribery scandal, the all-African Games bribery scandal, the Lagos state budgetary allocation bribery scandal, the Ministry of Defence bribery scandal, the Nigerian Airway's privatisation bribery scandal, the Bureau Public Enterprises bribery scandal, the gas liquidification/oil refinery mammoth construction enterprise bribery scandal in Ogun state, the Abuja stadium bribery scandal and the other bribery scandals that have rocked the regime since 1999? What has happened to monies returned to the Nigerian economy from the Abacha family? Where are these funds? How much of these are lodged in private accounts operated by the Chief President who is Chief Supreme and /or his family and associates? How much money has Nigeria made from petroleum oil sales since 1999 when the Chief President who is Chief Supreme and de facto, but not de jure Minister of Petroleum. On what basis is the Chief President who is Chief Supreme the Minister of Petroleum? Why didn't the Senate have the opportunity to constitutionally approve that appointement in an open hearing? Why are many Igbo youth who wanted to play a football match as MASSOB XI currently arraigned in court, charged with the crime of treason at a time that Professor Wole Soyinka is drafting a constitution for the OPC, a similar Yoruba organisation? (OPC has murdered hundreds of people since its formation but MASSOB, a peaceful organisation, has never harmed anybody.) Why has the police detained and murdered hundreds of Igbo people belonging to MASSOB? Does the Chief Supreme who is Chief President a member of the OPC?
The Senate President has an historic opportunity to tell his story and redeem himself. Astonishingly, he has the full constitutional cover, similar to that of Ngige's, to embark on this mission: Don't be hounded out of office for the sake of your name, your family, your people and the world. Tell the world about that creator of yours, the man who made you Senate President even though you lost the election to the reverend contestant in your constituency. Tell the country everything you know of the antics of the Chief President who is Chief Supreme. You will find yourself lodged more reverentially in the history books that chronicle this epoch of Nigerian politics."
Posts: 380 | From: US | Registered: Dec 2004
| IP: Logged
posted
This is what Gani Fawehinmi has to say about Obasanjo's war on corruption:
Sunday, March 27, 2005 ‘Obasanjo’s corruption war a ruse’
Despite the official exposure of massive corruption in both the executive and legislative arms of government, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN, says President Olusegun Obasanjo is just showing off with his much-publicised fight against corruption. Fawehinmi believes Obasanjo cannot wage an effective war on corruption because the basis of his government is corrupt. He spoke with VINCENT OBIA. Excerpts:
advertisement
Is Obasanjo winning the war on corruption?
The recent events involving the National Assembly have proved clearly that Obasanjo is not winning the war on corruption. We are not making progress at all in the fight against corruption. As a matter of fact, since emergence of the present democratic process the country has witnessed massive corruption everywhere, more particularly in the corridors of power.
You now have the nouveaux riche that have looted the treasury of the country. Many of them are now buying jets, buying mansions in various capitals of the world, purporting to be investing in various countries of the world monies that have been stolen from our country, and denying the Nigerian people employment, infrastructure, etc.
In Aso Rock itself, there is corruption. In the National Assembly, there is corruption, and there are accusations here and there about the judiciary. So, the country is littered with corruption. And I think the President is losing the war on a daily basis. The recent eruption of the lava of corruption in this country involving the Minister of Education is just a tip of the iceberg. Even Obasanjo has admitted in his broadcast that it is a tip of the iceberg.
It’s clear to everybody that Obasanjo cannot effectively win the war against corruption because he has not established a standard that would enable that war to be won. We have seen how he has covered the corruption of General Ibrahim Babangida over the years. We advised that Babangida should be investigated criminally and that the present law, that is the Criminal Code or the Penal Code, should be invoked to deal with that man. Instead, Obasanjo brought his Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which came into force in June 2000, and he has not made it effective. So, all those who have looted the treasury of the country could not be taken on by the ICPC Act of 2000. Even those who are now being probed on corruption are not been taken seriously by the government. Nobody has been prosecuted, tried, and convicted. Not a single person! So, how can you tell us you are fighting corruption? You agree that corruption is pervasive, yet nobody has been tried; nobody has been arraigned or convicted. No public officer! Where are the products of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Act? Where are the men in the prison? Where are the products of ICPC? Where are the men in the prison? Not a single person is behind bars. That is evidence that his anti corruption war is a ruse.
All those who are against Obasanjo can easily be investigated. You have investigated Joshua Dariye, the Plateau State governor, but where are all the governors? At least, 90 percent of the governors are corrupt. Look at their investments abroad! Where did they get the money? All those who have been governors since 1999, not a single one can say he is outside the circle of corruption. If there is anyone, let him prove it, that he is outside the circle of corruption. The onus is on him. People don’t care about what goes on and the President says he is fighting corruption. He is failing. Not withstanding Fabian Osuji’s sack. Now, Osuji has been dismissed, when will he be tried? When will he be cooling his heels in the prison? When will the money be taken from him? When will the investment be taken from him? The President’s broadcast, yes. After broadcast what follows? We have had so many broadcasts. Babangida is enjoying his loot. All the Abacha boys are enjoying their loot. Abdulsalami Abubakar is enjoying his loot, and all his men are enjoying their loot. For God’s sake, let Obasanjo tell his broadcast to the marines, not Nigerians who already know what is happening in the country.
How necessary are the Obasanjo administration’s anti-sleaze agencies in a genuine fight against corruption?
For press publicity, yes, those agencies could be necessary. They flash press statements in the newspapers, and that’s the end. Nothing follows.
Look at the national identity card project. What has happened to it and many like that? Now, at the seat of legislative power, look at what is happening. Bribe being demanded from government by government agencies for the purpose of government! That’s the height of it all. Obasanjo has not succeeded in fighting corruption.
Since he came to power, the infrastructure of this country has collapsed further and further. And the cause is corruption. The President himself has admitted that corruption stultifies growth or development. More Nigerians are buying jets. Even governors are doing businesses. Where is the money coming from?
The President knows that things have reached a point where the international community will draw the carpet from under his feet, and so, he is pretending now - let’s deal with Osuji, he’s dismissed. Is that all we need? What about when Nasir El-Rufai told us that Senators demanded and got N54 million. What happened? Up till now, we have not been told who issued the cheque.
The best way you can start a war against corruption is to publish the declaration of assets of everybody. Why are you making declaration of assets private? Let journalists have access to the assets declared by every public office holder. And let us see what they have and what they do not have. Is Obasanjo telling us that he doesn’t have the facilities to get the pictures of the houses of public officers abroad?
In Hong Kong? In Tokyo? In London? In Denmark? In Kopen Hagen? In New York? In Chicago? In Kampar? In Florida? The estates they are building there? For God’s sake, who is Obasanjo hoodwinking?
What about the property of public officers in South Africa, in the West Coast of Africa? Where did they get the money?
I only blame Nigerians because instead of them to revolt they carry their Koran and Bible and say God should help them. They invade the churches and Mosques, telling God to help them. God would not help people who do not help themselves!
Who can do this to the British? They will be on the street demonstrating. Who can do this to the Americans? They will be on the street demonstrating. Who can do this to the Germans? They will be on the street demonstrating. But Nigerians belabour Lord God Almighty. God has created them to help themselves, but they would not.
When you are talking about corruption, corruption starts from election. Obasanjo rigged election. He rigged in his own state. The basis of corruption in public life starts with election. Those who helped him to rig election now believe they must recoup what they had illegally expended. Who is he blaming now? The basis of his own leadership is corrupt.
Wabara was never elected by the people. When we were shouting our voices hoarse, Obasanjo ignored us. Wabara usurped Elder Dan Imo’s victory, and Justice Wilson Egbo-Egbo, who has now bitten the dust, concocted it – he is now a disgraced judicial officer. Many people in the Obasanjo government were never elected, they rigged election. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) never won election, it rigged election. And PDP is not a party. It is a stock exchange organization where people just invest their money and take billions at the expense of the Nigerian people. So, how do you fight corruption when the basis of your own existence is corrupt?
Look at the confusion in Anambra State; is it not caused by corruption?
Did Governor Chris Ngige win election? If he won how did he win? Chris Uba said he manipulated the whole process, and Obasanjo did not move against him. The President has abused the democratic process of this country, and he is now shedding crocodile tears about corruption. Even after the mayhem that was unleashed on the people of Anambra, we have not been told those who are involved, no one has been charged. Obasanjo is just making a show. Nigerians are not interested in shows, but in substance.
Besides public asset declaration by public officers, what other methods do you recommend in the fight against corruption?
Resolving the problem of Nigeria must start with a sovereign national conference. Let us restructure and re-define this country. The presidential system promotes a situation where a man could be corrupt and you cannot query him, because he is not in parliament. Obasanjo came on television just to arouse our feelings. In a parliamentary system, he would be in the House. We don’t want the presidential system. It doesn’t accord with our culture. We need a parliamentary system where on a general basis the government is kept on its toes. We must adopt a new system that would enable our people to live like human beings. We must have a new constitution that would give Nigerians fundamental right to education, health, jobs, social security, and other things that make life worth living. It is not just, as we have in the present Constitution, a mere theoretical right to free speech – what is free speech to a man who does not know where his next meal would come from? Or what is a right to life to a man who has nowhere to lay his head? What we have in the present Constitution are just ephemeral rights. Economic right is what is actually meaningful to people.
We need a sovereign national conference to address these fundamental issues. Not this concoction of a market talk in Abuja called National Dialogue.
People will elect members of the sovereign national conference at local government level, and at the level of interest groups. There would be a sovereign national conference planning committee, which would map out details of the conference in collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), not on party basis. Then at the end of the conference, two years or so, we would have a referendum to accept or reject resolutions of the sovereign national conference.
Nigerians have never been allowed to freely approve or reject their constitution. In 1914, 1921, 1946, 1951, and 1960, constitutions were imposed on Nigerian without any referendums. And in 1963 when Nigerians had the republican constitution, nobody sought the views of the people through a referendum. The 1979 and 1999 constitutions came about without a referendum. In the General Abdusalami Abubakar case, he even held elections before he released the constitution; this is the absurdity of it all.
We have been taken for a ride for too long. Our future can only be determined by us through a sovereign national conference. Until that is done, we would continue to move from one catastrophe to another, from one crisis to another, from one chaos to another from one debacle to another, until the country is in flames.
The fight against corruption the President is talking about today is just a ruse.
Posts: 380 | From: US | Registered: Dec 2004
| IP: Logged
posted
What is good for the goose is also good for the ....., Hear Dr. Akintide:
Obasanjo's Success At Fighting Corruption In Nigeria Is Compromised
By
Dr. Wunmi Akintide
WUMIONE@aol.com
President Obasanjo came to office again in 1999 with a promise to fight Corruption, if not in the Nigerian society, as a whole, but at least in the Federal Government. Close to five years later, he is yet to make a dent on the national cancer. Corruption at all levels of Government is worse off today than it has ever been in our nation's history. 95% of Nigerian politicians today seek elective office, not to serve the interest of their constituents, but to fill their own pockets, and to recover ten twenty fold or more, whatever money they might have spent on seeking office. Top civil servants and their Ministers and Commissioners now develop a clandestine strategy to have the Legislature increase and approve their operating budget, so they would have enough booty to share and to take home, regardless of the statutory obligations of the Federal Audit Department to ensure some accountability and strict adherence to Financial Orders.
Corruption as observed by Dr. Fakinlede in his latest article in Lagosforum, has become a way of life in a country that is flowing with milk and honey, so to speak, when you think of our natural endowments as a Nation. At a time that crude oil is now selling for close to 60.00 dollars a barrel, and rising, a country like Nigeria has no reason to be poor at all, if our resources are being properly and responsibly managed., and if all the loop holes of corruption at all tiers of Government are being carefully monitored and eliminated.
Even though our foreign reserve has grown by leaps and bounds under Iweala Okonjo and Obasanjo's economic policies, that has not translated into any measure of comfort or economic relief for the common man in our country. Why? Because the money is being squandered, stolen left, right and center every where you look because of uncontrollable corruption in high and low places as confessed by Mr. President himself in a recent national broadcast to the Nation. That broadcast has followed the recent scandal involving his Minister of Education and the top echelon of the Nation's Senate. The scandal that has now forced the President to raise a public alarm, is nothing but a tip of the ice berg, because more damaging scandals have occurred under this Administration in the last five years, and all the President had done was either to look the other way, or just take some cosmetic steps, here and there, or just let sleeping dogs lie. He often rationalized that the problem of corruption would take a long time to subdue and that all hands must be on the deck before it can be done. He often forgets that Indonesia once faced or exceeded the same level of corruption that Nigeria faced today until the nation had to take some draconian actions that are now be overdue in Nigeria for us to get any where near a solution.
I can tell you that Professor Osuji was not the first Minister to try and bribe the Legislature to approve more money for his Ministry, so his Ministry can have more money to spend and to manipulate. Many more Ministers have been guilty of the same offense in the last four years without any question as once observed by Minister Rufai who the Legislature wanted crucified for saying the truth.. Even the Presidency itself has been guilty of the same offense so many times. As a matter of fact, the President himself had recently set up his National Conference on the Constitutional restructuring of Nigeria, and has gone ahead to inaugurate it, without waiting for the Legislature to appropriate money. That, in of itself, was crass illegality that is open to corruption and abuse in high places. That kind of offense is serious enough in other countries to warrant the impeachment of a President. But in Nigeria no question is asked, because they all do it. If you belong to the ruling party you can get away with murder. I would argue that the President himself has given room for this kind of deviant behavior by waiting for more than five years to start raising this kind of alarm with some streak of "a holier than thou' attitude that is likely to raise some eye brows in many more quarters as objective and fair-minded people are duty and morally bound to ask many more pertinent questions than have been answered by what the President is now doing.
I must hasten to add that fighting Corruption is the right way to go for our country. But it has to be done the right way I am not knocking the President for now wanting to take the bull by the horn. But my question is what took him so long, and why he has not learnt some useful lessons from Murtala Mohammed the first serious Nigerian leader to confront Corruption and Indiscipline in Society? This President was Murtala's second-in-command at the time, and should have known that part of the everlasting appeal and greatness of Murtala was his courage and determination to follow thru with what he had promised on coming to power. I know Obasanjo may now argue Murtala's regime was purely military, and because his is civilian and democratic, he is in no position to act with as much precision and urgency as Murtala had done..As far as I am concerned, that was not enough excuse for him not to forcefully act within the limits of his power as a democratic President.
I repeat that Obasanjo's chances of success at leading the fight against Corruption this late in the game are terribly flawed, or compromised in my judgment, and here is why.
Murtala Mohammed, like I said earlier, had succeeded in reducing Corruption in our society within the 200 days he was privileged to lead the country, by first of all making himself the public example number one "by living above board" like Caesar's wife. He knew what he wanted to do, and he set about it "with immediate effect and automatic alacrity", as if he knew ,ahead of time, that he had only 200 days to accomplish the mission. It was rumored at the time, that Murtala had built a row of houses in Kano, his home town, presumably with ill-gotten gains from his days as a military commander in the Biafran War. One of the first thing he did as Head of Government was to surrender those houses to the Government as proof there wasn't going to be any sacred cow. By so doing, he had demonstrated to all Nigerians, including me ,at the time, that he truly meant business.
I was a senior civil servant working with the Federal Ministry of Establishments at the time. I was at the material time doing an in-service training at the Institute of Public Service, University of Connecticut when the news had reached me that Yakubu Gowon had been overthrown and that the new Head of State, Murtala, had decreed that any civil servant found to be doing business in addition to his or her job as a civil servant was to be retired with immediate effect. At the material time, I was a bonafide Director of Unimotors Nigeria Ltd, a company I had floated along with three other prominent Nigerians before I traveled out to Connecticut on my in-service training. I recall being forced to resign my position as Director of Unimotors with immediate effect , right from my base in Hartford, Connecticut, because of Murtala's new policy..
I am recalling this story to show that all Nigerians instinctively knew that Murtala Mohammed seriously meant business. Few Nigerians can say the same thing of Obasanjo today as President. My point is that this President has not always practiced what he preaches on this issue. Such a President can hardly lead a successful crusade against Corruption in our country. I recall reading the name of Obasanjo among prominent Nigerians whose names were published as some of the derelict debtors of the defunct National Bank in Nigeria I also recall seeing the names of one of the companies floated, owned and run by the same Obasanjo as a former Head of State, as one of the companies that took contract from the defunct Ondo State Government to reconstruct and tar Ijoka Road in Akure, the State Capital. The company got paid, but did not complete the project, just like many other fraudulent companies in Ondo State.
I was disappointed because I had expected Obasanjo to be above board. Any leader that would lead a successful war against corruption in Nigeria must prove himself totally above board in every situation. Tell me your friends, and I will tell you who you are. If you look at some of the President's close aides and political friends and associates across the country like Annenih, like Chris Uba and quite a few others I would not name here, you have to wonder if the President has the credibility to be taken seriously on fighting corruption.
To lead a successful war against corruption in Nigeria, you need the cooperation of whistle blowers who need not fear victimization, after they make a report of what they may have witnessed. The last trial of Senator Omisore over the death of Bola Ige, and how the whole situation was handled from A to Z does not lend any credence that the President's Party or the President himself is really up to speed in wanting to stamp out corruption from our Law Enforcement or the Nigerian Judicial System.. The current case of Terri Schaivo in Florida, and the way the Courts,at State or Federal levels in America, have upheld the American Constitution, despite the obvious interest of the President of the United States, the Governor of Florida and all of the big wigs in the Republican Party including the Christian Right, all tell me the Constitution, the Supreme Law in America is alive and well.
The same case would have taken a different turn, if the case is being tried in Nigeria. How many judges in Nigeria would dare rule against the expressed interest of the ruling Party and the President of Nigeria for that matter? I doff my hat for America and the rule of Law. I also doff my hat for President Bush who has not openly tinkered with the ruling of the Court as we speak. A leader cannot seriously fight corruption where the Rule of Law is always at the beck and call or the whim and the caprices of an individual or group. This takes me to my last point.
The rumor is already making the rounds with some justification that Obasanjo believes in "the notion of the sacred cow and selective justice or punishment. What is good for the goose should also be good for the gander. The treatment given to Senator Omisore while he was still under trial and before he was free of all charges pertaining to the murder of Chief Bola Ige by the President's Party speaks volumes on the state of corruption in our country. The protection and favors shown Chris Uba in the Governor Ngige saga in Anambra State were simply amazing not to talk of the deference or leniency shown Tafa Balogun the former IG who is yet to be charged for any corruption as we speak. 4 billion Naira is nothing to compare with 55 million that is alleged to have changed hands between some Senate members and the Minister of Education. If the President is showing so much revulsion in this case, one has to wonder why he appears so willing to let Tafa Balogun off the hook so easily. The inference can be made that the President probably has some information the rest of us don't know, but deserve to know, in a matter of public interest, like the scandal involving public officials like a former IG and a former Federal Minister of Education and our Senate President. I hope the President does not again backslide on his determination to fight corruption in our country by all means possible. What is important, however, is to do it right with fairness, and consistency.
I rest my case.
Posts: 380 | From: US | Registered: Dec 2004
| IP: Logged
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
