NIGERIA POLITICAL HISTORY

Nigeria: Jonathan Congratulates Soyinka At 80, Lauds His Contributions to Humanity By Jaiyeola Andrews, 13 July 2014 Abuja — President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday congratulated Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, as he attained the age of 80 years today. The President equally commended him for his contribution to arts, development of the country and humanity. The commendation was contained in a statement issued by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Dr. Reuben Abati. "President Jonathan felicitates with the globally-renowned academic, dramatist, poet and literary icon as he celebrates the attainment of another significant milestone in a long, very fulfilled and achievement-laden life. "As he (Soyinka) enters the elite club of the world's highly revered octogenarians and very special people who have made very significant and indelible contributions to their countries and humanity, the President joins Prof. Soyinka, his family, friends, associates, readers and fans across the world in giving thanks to God Almighty for his glorious life of service to the arts, his nation and mankind at large. "On the happy occasion of the Nobel laureate's 80th birthday, President Jonathan applauds his life-long dedication and indefatigable commitment to using his acclaimed genius and talents, not only in the service of the arts, but also for the promotion of democracy, good governance and respect for human rights in Nigeria, Africa and beyond. "The President assures Prof. Soyinka that he will always be celebrated and honoured by his proud countrymen, women and children for his famed literary works and for his exemplary career which has inspired others to take up a life of selfless service to humanity. "He wishes Prof. Soyinka very happy 80th birthday celebrations and prays that God Almighty will grant him many more years of good health and strength to continue with his devotion to making the world a better place for his people and all who live in it" the statement concluded. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Wole Soyinka - 'We Must Respond to Those Who Feel They Have a Divine Right to Mess Up Our Lives' By Magnus Taylor, 9 May 2014 Wole Soyinka is 80 this year and has long inhabited that illustrious pantheon of African literary greats, the Godfather of whom was the late Chinua Achebe. But Soyinka achieved something that his contemporary, Achebe (whose frail health in later years made him seem like a much older man), never did: in 1986 he was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature, the citation reading: "[he] in a wide cultural perspective and with poetic overtones fashions the drama of existence." With his resplendent, silver afro giving him the most iconic profile in Nigeria, when Soyinka talks, and he does so in long, gravelly sentences, you listen. And whilst his most famous dramatic works may be substantially metaphysical in theme, his current outlook seems more forcefully political. Or perhaps this is a product of what his admirers and questioners most want to talk about: how do we solve the 'problem(s)' of Nigeria? When, in reality, Wole might prefer to ponder the mysteries of the universe, the audience the RAS' 'Africa Writes' lecture last night brought him firmly back down to earth. And the problem-du-jour in Nigeria is currently quite clear: the case of the 300 school girls kidnapped by the islamist group Boko Haram from a small town in the country's northeastern Borno state. The imaginative #BringBackOurGirls campaign has galvanized a previously ambivalent international community to pay attention to a conflict that was formerly viewed as a parochial 'Nigerian problem'. One gets the feeling that even in Nigeria the insurgency in its poor northern regions has been viewed as something that could be effectively contained and had little impact on the oil-rich southern states. Soyinka, however, seeks to dispel the notion that 'Boko Haramism', as he calls it, is a spontaneous, temporary and isolated problem: "it is a product of decades old political tactics". Over the last twenty years, "religion has become mixed with politics to create a toxic brew". Relations between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria have deteriorated as politicians sought grassroots support to buttress their own power. Mixed with the international rise of conservative islam after the Iranianian revolution, "people [politicians] became surrogate ayatollahs in their little religious ponds." Soyinka links this rise of religious radicalism with another blight of modern Nigeria: impunity. This word is often associated with a failure to prosecute powerful individuals guilty of corruption. However, Soyinka argues that it extends far beyond this to include those who engage in violent sectarian action - beatings and lynchings - in the name of religion, and survive unpunished by the legal system. "Boko Haramism", says Soyinka, "began with the culture of impunity on religious grounds." Soyinka asserts that "When the first northern governor declared his state theocratic we should have said 'No!... but the President, seeking an unconstitutional third term, needed votes from the north." But whilst Boko Haram may have its origins within the 'Almajiri' foot soldiers of northern politicians, something then happened that they did not expect. The foot soldiers turned on their political mentors, forming the wild and uncontrolled movement we see today. The insurgency has now grown beyond the capacity of the Nigerian state to control. The government and army "cannot handle it" and perhaps, should not even be expected to: it is "the responsibility of the global community. A crime against humanity has been committed." Soyinka calls for a new generation of Nigerians, artists or otherwise, to step up and accept leadership, for his time has now passed. It is the task of a new generation to "respond to those who think they have a divine right to mess up our lives." But in truth, few have the wit, energy and wisdom of Soyinka to address such a problem in so convincing a style. Wole may be nearly 80, but he is certainly not done yet. Magnus Taylor is Editor of African Arguments -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Roots of Igbo-Yoruba Conflict in Nigerian Politics 2 May 2014 Zik, Ndi-Igbo and their southern neighbours: Charting a new political direction for Nigeria (4) Yesterday we presented in details how Awo stopped Zik from going to the Central Legislature via the Western Region. Today, we publish the origins of Igbo-Yoruba conflict in Nigerian politics and linkagers to the NNDP, NYM and NCNC. Read on... ROOTS of Igbo-Yoruba conflict in Nigerian politics The first point to be noted is that the appearance of ethnic conflict in Nigerian national politics especially as it relates to the Igbo and the Yoruba actually masked a more complex struggle between interests that were non-ethnic in nature. In this study, it will be shown that although the political mechanics of anti-colonial nationalism first ignited tension and defined the parameters of Azikiwe's face-off with the leadership of the Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM), in the end, class and personal interests became the dominant factor that deepened that face-off and have foisted the persistent Igbo-Yoruba conflict in Nigerian politics. Before I delve into the issue or origins of the said Igbo-Yoruba conflict, I would like us to ponder over these general observations about politics and its nature; 1. In every clime, political leaders exercise authority and dispense patronage to build support for themselves and discourage or repress opposition. 2. In liberal democratic theory, the interests of a class are represented in different ways by rival political parties. Conversely, every party represents a variety of class interests and hence its membership will be drawn from different classes. Social deference 3. Party leaders and many of those who benefit from the party's activities usually become part of a privileged class that enjoy social deference, power, and wealth regardless of the party's official doctrine and programme. 4. Many people who espouse or practice ethnic solidarity in politics are not traditionalistic and may adopt ethnic-based strategies in their pursuit of personal and class-based goals. 5. Finally, while class interests may be asserted by electoral means, party competition, as such, should not be mistaken for class struggle--See, R. L. Sklar, Op cit. For a fuller appreciation of the above assertion and its applicability in the analysis of the roots of Igbo-Yoruba conflict in Nigerian politics, let us go a little way back to historical developments in Nigerian politics starting from the time of Herbert Macaulay. The era of the NNDP: Herbert Macaulay founded the Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP) on June 24, 1923. The party was basically for the propagation and defence of the interests of the residents of Lagos notwithstanding its "Nigerian" appellation. The NNDP was until 1938 the major force in Lagos political life. Its candidates were victorious in the Legislative Council elections of 1923, 1928 and 1933, always winning all the three legislative seats allocated to Lagos. Educated elements The chief sources of Macaulay's strength were his newspaper, the Lagos Daily News; the party; the support of the highly organised Lagos market-women, the House of Docemo and its supporters; and his unique ability to fire the imagination of the semi-literate and illiterate masses of Lagos. Macaulay was reputed to be ruthless in vilifying his opponents in his paper and on the rostrum. For nearly four decades he did more than any other person to divide and polarise the educated elements of Lagos leaving deep and unhealed wounds that definitely influenced later developments within the nationalist movement. But whatever his motivations for the different actions and political battles he fought, he consistently espoused and defended the cause of Africans and was therefore regarded as a great nationalist. Two currents of opposition to Macaulay and the NNDP in the 1920s are discernible. One was a group of conservatives led by Dr J K Randle which revived the Peoples Union, a political association that was formed in 1908 and became defunct in 1916. The Peoples Union expired after the death of its founder, J K Randle, in 1928. Ernest Ikoli was its last secretary. The other was a group of young progressives who organised the Union of Young Nigerians in 1923. It was led by Ayo Williams, Dr J C Vaughn and Ernest Ikoli. Although the party expired after only five years, it may be regarded as the forebear of the Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM). The NYM era: In 1934 however, leading young critics notably, Ernest Ikoli, Samuel Akinsanya, H O Davies and Dr J C Vaughn--formed the Lagos Youth Movement, which in 1936 changed its name to Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM) upon the advice of the editor of the Lagos Comet. The highly intellectual H O Davies became its General Secretary (1937-1941). According to Coleman, apart from occasional outspoken criticism of government policy by individual members, the policy of the movement was moderate: Long live our Prince and Long Live their majesties. The Nigerian Youth Movement will never fail to cooperate with . . . the governor. (Coleman, Nigeria, p.218) Newspaper editor In 1937 the NYM was strengthened by the return of Nnamdi Azikiwe, after nine years sojourn in the United States and three years as a newspaper editor in the Gold Coast. In the same year, H O Davies also returned from overseas studies in England and re-joined the organisation. With the hyper-activity of these two, NYM became within the next three years the first Nigeria-wide multi-ethnic political organisation in Nigerian history. Events during these three crucial years however laid bare certain underlying factors which were to shape the subsequent course of nationalist movement in Nigeria. Coleman writes, during the fifteen-year period 1934-1949, Nnamdi Azikiwe was undoubtedly the most important and celebrated nationalist leader on the West Coast of Africa, if not in all tropical Africa. To the outside world "Zikism" and African nationalism appeared to be synonymous. (Coleman, op. cit., p. 220) A brief review of Azikiwe's background and the influences that shaped his ideas is essential. Azikiwe was born in Zungeru in northern Nigeria in 1904, the son of an Ibo clerk in the Nigerian regiment. He attended mission schools in Onitsha, Calabar and Lagos and lived in Accra briefly before sailing for America in 1925 for further studies. "Azikiwe spent his first seven years in America at segregated Negro colleges in the Southern atmosphere of discrimination and caste. Profound changes were occurring in the character of protest activity among American Negroes; the growth of a militant press, the emergence of a 'Negro Renaissance' with a new emphasis upon the rediscovery of Africa, the 'Black Nationalism' of Garveyism . . . As a result of his experiences in the United States . . . Azikiwe was determined to be a leader, with the West Coast of Africa as his arena, in the world-wide struggle to emancipate the Negro race". (Coleman,op. cit., p. 222) His first two books, Liberia in World Politics and Renascent Africa, were written with the basic preconception that the struggle of the future was going to be racial, between black and white. Given this background Zik tended to think and act along Universalist and racial lines. He was just as much at home in Accra, Lagos, or Onitsha. The sensationalism and pugnacity of American yellow journalism also helped shape his outlook and journalistic style, particularly the obsessive race-consciousness of American Negro newspapers. In his Renascent Africa, Zik advised that "there is no better means to arouse African peoples than that of the power of the pen and of the tongue". Azikiwe arrived Nigeria in time to carry on the traditions of Jackson and Solanke (two strong ideological firebrands and activists of bygone era). And he came properly equipped for the task. Thus when he arrived, he found waiting not only a large number of young Yorubas and non-Yoruba Lagosians who were dissatisfied with the conservatism and moderation of their traditional Lagosian leadership, but also all the educated elements of one of the largest tribes of Nigeria, the Igbo, which until then had had no spokesman. Azikiwe brought three new elements to Nigeria and the Nigerian Youth Movement: militant racial consciousness; an expanding sensationalist press; and a large number of educated Nigerians that were previously politically un-mobilised or excluded. With H O Davies, they enlivened the NYM. In the 1938 elections, the NYM defeated the NNDP, winning all the three seats in the Legislative Council as well as those of the Lagos Town Council. Restrictive property franchise But it should be noted that the results did not reflect popular opinion because of the restrictive property franchise used in compiling the voters' list. Only 792 persons voted in the elections, but the result did reflect the political inclinations of the upper strata of the Westernised Lagos elite. However, because the old established leaders of the movement were conservatives and moderates, and were more inclined to 'cooperating' with the colonial government of the day to effect 'mundane' reforms for the betterment of the society at large as well as creating lucrative opportunities for its members and leadership, they did not quite welcome Azikiwe's militant and uncompromising tactics. They certainly found Azikiwe's extremely impetuous, highly personalised militant attitude and incessant attacks on the British unpalatable. How NYM leadership saw Zik: The NYM leadership probably saw Zik as a radical and feared that he could put all of them into trouble with the British or colonial authorities or perhaps frustrate their individual and class interests that were partly dependent on the goodwill of the colonial government. They therefore began to distance themselves from Zik. The first outward sign of this resolve was the NYM's tactical decision to distance itself from Azikiwe's West African Pilot newspaper, which was the main organ of Zik's apparently worrisome attacks. Although Azikiwe's Pilot newspaper espoused the cause of the Nigerian Youth Movement (with obvious embarrassing radical and militant colouring from Zik) the NYM leaders decided to publish an official organ. In June 1938, they launched the Daily Service newspaper, advertised as "the official journal of the Nigerian Youth Movement", with Ernest Ikoli, Vice President of NYM and acknowledged dean of Nigerian journalism, as publisher and editor, and H O Davies as business manager. From that moment Azikiwe's enthusiasm for the movement reportedly cooled. The action was perhaps a confirmation to Zik that his contributions and apparent attempt to alter the vision of the NYM, however devised, were not appreciated or welcome to the NYM leadership. Azikiwe's critics alleged that he bitterly resented the competition from the Daily Service. But the Daily Service was not the only newspaper competing with the West African Pilot; there were others. In an editorial, according to Coleman, Ernest Ikoli rejected the suggestion and accused Azikiwe of being a megalomaniac. That accusation in itself was a confirmation that Ikoli and his peers in the organisation were not exactly well disposed to Azikiwe and his contributions in the movement; in fact that they must have regarded him as an upstart. In any event, you can well imagine the fierce counter-attack that must have come from Azikiwe's West African Pilot! Thus began a breach within the NYM which was never successfully closed. Zik resigns from NYM Shortly afterwards, Zik resigned from the executive committee of the NYM citing preoccupation with business affairs. In February, 1941, the Legislative Council seat held by Dr Kofo Abayomi, then president of the NYM, became vacant following his resignation from the Council and ultimate appointment to the governor's Executive Council. Abayomi's resignation precipitated within the movement's leadership - and ultimately within the membership - a struggle over the selection of his successor. The principal contestants for the office were Ernest Ikoli (Ijaw) and Samuel Akinsanya (Ijebu Yoruba). The selection of Ikoli by the leadership led to allegations of intra-tribal discrimination. Akinsanya and Azikiwe charged that the former (Akinsanya) had been rejected only because the dominant group of Lagos Yorubas who formed the bulk of the movement's leadership would not want an Ijebu Yoruba. This was how the 'Ijebu ke' syndrome or slogan was coined and used to attack those that rejected Akinsanya. Richard L. Sklar had this to say of the episode: Certainly there had been a tendency on the part of the Lagos elite to look down at their brethren from the provinces, a kind of snobbishness that elicited resentment. But Ikoli was an Ijaw, not a Lagos Yoruba, and his candidature was supported by another prominent Ijebu Yoruba, Obafemi Awolowo, then secretary of the Ibadan branch of the NYM and assistant (to Akinsanya) of the Motor Transport Union. Adamantly Azikiwe and Akinsanya insisted that anti-Ijebu prejudice was the underlying motive at play, and they resigned from the movement. (Sklar, op. cit., p. 54) A press war between the West African Pilot and the Daily Service ensued. Akinsanya contested against Ikoli as an Independent, with Azikiwe's backing, and lost. Of course you can see that the old quarrel between Ikoli and the other leaders of the movement on one hand and Azikiwe on the other was taking a deeper shape and must have contributed to Azikiwe's response. Tribal tension James S. Coleman offered a more detailed insight. His words: The Akinsanya crisis was the first major manifestation of a tribal tension that affected all subsequent efforts to achieve unity [in the NYM]. From the beginning the mass membership of the Youth Movement was predominantly Yoruba in origin. Because of certain historical factors many Yorubas were prejudiced against the Ijebu Yoruba. The Ijebu had never come completely under the old Yoruba kingdom at Oyo. During most of the nineteenth century the Ijebu controlled the main trade routes into the interior, and they had acquired the reputation of being the Jews of Yorubaland. Situated as they were on the edge of the Lagos Lagoon, they had supplied most of the middlemen in the slave traffic. Yorubas from Oyo, Ibadan, and the Egba kingdom tended to look down upon or dislike the Ijebu. Akinsanya, an Ijebu, felt that he had been discriminated against on the basis of this prejudice when Ikoli won over him. It mattered little that Ikoli was an Ijaw. It is not known whether Azikiwe quit the movement because of intertribal antagonisms, or because he was dissatisfied with his role. (Coleman, op. cit., pp. 227-228) Complete break Well, I personally think that Azikiwe's resignation must have been informed by the later reason. He had resigned from the executive committee in 1939, I imagine, because his aggressive militant approach in the fight against colonialism was frowned at by the NYM leadership. This was a deep matter that suggested very serious ferment as would exist when strange bedfellows cohabitate. His remaining a member of the movement at the time meant that he only adopted a wait-and see attitude. His next line of action no doubt would depend on how the leadership's attitude to his style, tactics and overall anti-colonial philosophy developed. If he perceived a change or a more accommodating attitude from the leadership, he would have stayed. But this never happened nor did Zik want to mellow down and become another middle roader in order to fit in. A complete break with the group was therefore inevitable, if Zik was to continue the anti-colonial struggle in his own way. Otherwise, he risked being sacked from the group for 'incompatible or anti-NYM' stance. Of course, if the leadership began to imbibe his methods, even after his resignation, a rapprochement would or could happen. And this was why Zik continued to parley with the NYM leadership all through the years, even after the formation of the NCNC, as you would see below. I think the Akinsanya crisis only served as the last straw in Azikiwe's decision to quit the Nigerian Youth Movement. Sklar was right when he wrote thus: It is not at all likely that a nomination controversy alone could have produced as grave a consequence as actually followed. The NYM was a turbulent party and controversy among the leadership was nothing new. Thus Dr K. A. Abayomi, President of the Youth Movement after its reconstruction in 1938, was replaced a year later and is reported to have resigned from the Legislative Council partly as a result of having fallen from favour within the party. In 1941 the split might easily have been averted since the death of Olayinka Alakija had created a second vacancy in the Legislative Council that was contested that same year. Obafemi Awolowo has [in his The Autobiography of Chief Obafemi Awolowo (1960)] reviewed the controversy from a partisan standpoint and attributed the fall of the NYM mainly to the tactics of Nnamdi Azikiwe. (Op. cit., p. 54f) In any event, Azikiwe's break with the NYM leadership set the stage for the political fusion of the Igbo, southern minority elements and the Yoruba masses of Lagos, which took organisational form in 1944. Post-Akinsanya crisis and the emergence of the NCNC: Shortly after the Ikoli-Akinsanya episode of 1941, most of the leaders of the NYM became disenchanted or distracted by war-time changes and turned to other things. Azikiwe had resigned, of course. Dr Abayomi joined the governor's Executive Council in 1943; H O Davies, the General Secretary withdrew to serve as a government marketing officer; Akinsanya went home to his village and became the Odemo of Ishara, a chief; and others drifted away. The one exception to the process of disintegration of the movement was a development in the period 1941-1944 in Ibadan. Under the leadership of Chief Obafemi Awolowo, then an Ijebu cocoa trader, a group of traders and intellectuals made efforts to reform the movement. Indeed, Awolowo had become wary of the lethargy in the NYM during this period. He organised two Western Regional conferences of the NYM between 1942 and 1944 in Ibadan, where he was based, to rejuvenate the organisation. Provisional committee According to Coleman, the last of the conferences which held before Awolowo's departure for London for further studies passed a resolution of no confidence in the Lagos executive of the movement, and established a provisional committee to conduct the affairs of the movement during the interim period before the planned All-Nigeria Representative Council scheduled to hold in June 1944. Before the council could meet however, Awolowo left for further studies in England, and the movement for reform and rejuvenation of the NYM which he started was largely abandoned. It should be noted however that until 1938, although the various political organisations that emerged frequently referred to "Nigeria" in their names and stated objectives, their activities hardly went beyond Lagos. But between the period 1938-1941 when H O Davies and Azikiwe were active in the NYM, branches were established in Ibadan, Ijebu-Ode, Warri and Benin City in the west; Aba, Enugu, Port Harcourt and Calabar in the east; and among southern expatriate groups in Jos, Kaduna, Zaria and Kano in the north. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Abuja explosions: Delegates want Boko Haram financiers prosecuted on April 15, 2014 / in Confab Debate 1:01 am / Ask Jonathan to implement Galtimari, Turaki, others’ reports BY HENRY UMORU WITH teary eyes, delegates, yesterday, condemned in strong terms, bomb explosions at Nyanya bus terminal in Abuja, the nation’s capital, by members of the Boko Haram sect in which about 100 people were feared dead and several others injured. confab-new1111The delegates, who observed one minute silence for the victims, also condemned past and similar mayhem in other parts of the county. They called on the Federal Government and stakeholders to, as a matter of urgency, implement all actionable recommendations made to it by various committees such as the Gaji Galtimari, Kabiru T. Turaki and Borno/Yobe Elders among others, which recommended prosecution of some politicians found to be financing and empowering members of Boko Haram. To heal the wounds inflicted on Nigerians and families affected in these massive killings and wanton destruction of property almost on a daily basis, they advised the Federal Government to immediately commence a process of reconciliation, rehabilitation and reconstruction of the affected areas. The Kawu, 19 others insecurity motion The delegates’ positions followed a motion by Is’haq Modibbo Kawu, who is representing the Nigeria Guild of Editors and titled, “Motion of urgent Public importance over the security situation in the North, pursuant to Order V11 Rule (1) V of the Rules of Procedure.” The motion was co- sponsored by 19 other delegates. They were Mrs. Hannatu Ibrahim, Prof. Jerry Gana, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomasie, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, Dr. Magdalene Dura, Senator Ibrahim Mantu, Hon. Mohammed Kumalia, Senator Adamu Aliero, Prof. Auwalu Yadudu, Amb. Ibrahim Mai Sule, Prof. Iyorchia Ayu, Senator Jack Tilley Gyado, Gen. Jerry Useni, Senator Ibrahim Ida, Hon. Terseer Tsumba, Arch. Ibrahim Bunu, Major General Ike Nwachukwu, Chief Olu Falae, Chief Edwin Clark and Brig. General Geoffrey Ejiga. The motion read in part: “The conference condemns the activities of the perpetrators of these heinous crimes. The Conference is concerned about the continuous deterioration of the security situation and calls upon the Federal Government to take urgently, drastic and concrete steps to arrest and immediately bring an end to these atrocities.” They urged that all necessary measures be put in place to use proportional and non- excessive force to deal with the situation and safeguard the life, property and well- being of innocent civilian population in all areas affected. Leading a robust debate on the motion, Modibbo Kawu lamented that despite the declaration of state of emergency in three North East states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe, the insecurity in those states has continued to escalate. He said: “Whereas the Rules of Procedure has provided in Order V11 Rule (1) that matters of urgent public importance ( if) any may be tabled for discussion; whereas the security situation in the country has been deteriorating in the last 5-6 years; whereas the preponderance of the security breaches have been in the North although security is a National issue; whereas in the last two months the security breaches have escalated in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa stares where over 20 villages have been completely razed down and thousands of people killed including school children in spite of the state of emergency which has been in existence for almost one year; ”Whereas in the North East the problem is Boko Haram, in the North West, it is armed banditry, cattle rustling and kidnapping of young women more particularly in Zamfara, Jigawa, Katsina and Kaduna states. ”Whereas in the North Central we have ethno- religious and herdsmen and farmers conflicts, which have led to the sacking of several villages, destruction of property, displacement of people and killing of thousands of people in Benue, Plateau and Nasarawa states; whereas the Conference notes that Nigerian security forces have made a lot of efforts to bring the insurgency, armed conflict and banditry under control; in spite of the efforts of the security forces the situation has continued to escalate.” Nwanyanwu, Ozekhome’s motion Prior to Kawu’s motion, National Chairman of the Labour Party, LP, Dan Nwanyanwu who is representing LP at the conference ,had moved a motion condemning the killings. The motion was seconded by a Federal Government delegate, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), who argued that the wave of killings in the country is increasing in wavelength. According to him, the killings have become endless as perpetrators of such acts no longer discriminate between Christians and Moslems or northerners and southerners in their crusade and called on the House to urge the authorities to re-strategise and come up with effective measures to address the problem of insecurity in the country. Coomassie intervenes However, former Inspector General of Police, IGP, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomassie, representing the North West geo- political zone punctured the motion, saying that the North was ready with a prepared motion to be read on the insecurity situation in the North and sought the permission of Conference Chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi and the sponsor, Kawu, was then called to move it. Attempts to scuttle motion Speaking on the motion, Chief Sergeant Awuse, a South-South delegate almost scuttled the motion raising Order 8 arguing that the conference cannot entertain such motion because delegates were not served with the motion paper ahead of time, adding, “If a motion paper has been served on those at the table, delegates deserve to be served copies. “While I sympathise with what is happening in the country, we must not add to the problem, but we must go by the rules and we should not create any problem for ourselves.” However, Femi Falana (SAN), representing the Civil Society Organisation, cited Order 1 rule (2) and countered Awuse’s point of order, saying no formality was required on this issue because what happened yesterday where people were killed was an emergency situation and an issue of urgent National importance. He noted that the Galtimari’s report had covered these issues and urged the government to implement the report and those of similar panels. These killers are not Nigerians –Abdullahi Commenting, Amb. Yerima Abdullahi representing the Elder Statesmen category said: “We have been scratching the surface of this issue of Boko Haram. Some of these undertakers are not Nigerians. It may have started with Nigerians but these people are not Nigerians. Security may have better information. They have roots in Cameroon, Niger, Chad, etc. We have a very big problem. Security forces should show more interest. The earlier the authorities woke up to this situation, the better.” Nigeria is under siege – Clark Contributing to the motion, a former Federal Commissioner for Information and Ijaw leader, and a delegate on the platform of Elder Statesmen, Chief Edwin Clark, noted that what was happening at the moment with people being killed was not a matter of the North or South but requires a collective action because Nigeria was under siege. His words: “The issue of my son that was kidnapped is no longer an issue compared to what has happened. What is happening now is a national issue. It is not a North or South issue. Wherever it is happening, Nigerians are being killed and Nigerians are under siege. ”We have a duty to look at this issue and not to play politics with it. Security is doing its job. They need the support of every one of us; soldiers alone cannot fight this war. I think it has come to a stage where all must be involved. When my son was kidnapped, all of you rallied together. He is not dead. Everyday we sit down here deliberating. What are we debating about? Will Nigeria be eradicated before we know it is here with us? ”This conference must do something about it. This conference must send a message to the authorities that something must be strongly done about it. Instead of me going to eat at 2 pm, monetise it and send it to those who are dying fighting this scourge. The time has come for all of us to do something.” We need holistic approach —Anka On his part, a delegate representing the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, Hassan Salihu Anka, who condemned the act, however, called for a holistic approach involving all stakeholders to solve the problem. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- United States Department of Justice (Washington, DC) Nigeria: U.S. Freezes More Than U.S.$458 Million Stolen by Former Nigerian Dictator in Largest Kleptocracy Forfeiture Action Ever Brought in the U.S. 5 March 2014 Late Sani Abacha Washington, DC — The Department of Justice has frozen more than $458 million in corruption proceeds hidden in bank accounts around the world by former Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha and conspirators. A civil forfeiture complaint unsealed today in the United States District Court in the District of Columbia seeks recovery of more than $550 million in connection with the largest kleptocracy forfeiture action brought in the department's history. The restraint of funds announced today includes approximately $313 million in two bank accounts in the Bailiwick of Jersey and $145 million in two bank accounts in France. In addition, four investment portfolios and three bank accounts in the United Kingdom with an expected value of at least $100 million have also been restrained, but the exact amounts in the accounts will be determined at a later date. Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department's Criminal Division and Assistant Director in Charge Valerie Parlave of the FBI's Washington Field Office made the announcement. "General Abacha was one of the most notorious kleptocrats in memory, who embezzled billions from the people of Nigeria while millions lived in poverty," said Acting Assistant Attorney General Raman. "This is the largest civil forfeiture action to recover the proceeds of foreign official corruption ever brought by the department. Through our Kleptocracy Initiative, we are seizing the assets of foreign leaders who steal funds that properly belong to the citizens they serve. Today's action sends a clear message: we are determined and equipped to confiscate the ill-gotten riches of corrupt leaders who drain the resources of their countries." "We will not let the U.S. banking system be a tool for dictators to hide their criminal proceeds," said Assistant Director in Charge Parlave. "This action demonstrates the FBI's ability to combat international corruption and money laundering by seizing the assets of those involved. I want to thank the special agents, financial analysts and prosecutors whose hard work over the years resulted in today's announcement." The over $458 million in frozen funds and the additional assets named in the complaint represent the proceeds of corruption during and after the military regime of General Abacha, who assumed the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria through a military coup on Nov. 17, 1993, and held that position until his death on June 8, 1998. The complaint alleges that General Abacha, his son Mohammed Sani Abacha, their associate Abubakar Atiku Bagudu and others embezzled, misappropriated and extorted billions from the government of Nigeria and others, then laundered their criminal proceeds through the purchase of bonds backed by the United States using U.S. financial institutions. As alleged in the complaint, General Abacha and others systematically embezzled billions of dollars in public funds from the Central Bank of Nigeria on the false pretense that the funds were necessary for national security. The conspirators withdrew the funds in cash and then moved the money overseas through U.S. financial institutions. General Abacha and his finance minister also allegedly caused the Government of Nigeria to purchase Nigerian government bonds at vastly inflated prices from a company controlled by Bagudu and Mohammed Abacha, generating an illegal windfall of more than $282 million. In addition, General Abacha and his associates allegedly extorted more than $11 million from a French company and its Nigerian affiliate in connection with payments on government contracts. Funds involved in each of these schemes were allegedly laundered through the United States. The complaint seeks to forfeit bank accounts and investment portfolios with funds located in Bailiwick of Jersey, France and the United Kingdom. On Feb. 25 and 26, 2014, U.S. arrest warrants for the assets were enforced in Jersey and France though mutual legal assistance requests and in the United Kingdom through litigation brought pursuant to the U.K. Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Act. The complaint also seeks to forfeit five corporate entities registered in the British Virgin Islands. This case was brought under the Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative by a team of dedicated prosecutors in the Criminal Division's Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section, working in partnership with federal law enforcement agencies to forfeit the proceeds of foreign official corruption and, where appropriate, return those proceeds to benefit the people harmed by these acts of corruption and abuse of office. Individuals with information about possible proceeds of foreign corruption located in or laundered through the United States should contact federal law enforcement or send an email to kleptocracy@usdoj.gov. The investigation was conducted by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Elizabeth Aloi and Assistant Deputy Chief Daniel Claman of the Criminal Division's Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section, with substantial support from the Criminal Division's Office of International Affairs. The department appreciates the extensive assistance provided by the Governments of Jersey, France and the United Kingdom in this investigation. Case Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 1 of 42 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section Criminal Division United States Department of Justice 1400 New York Avenue, NW, 10th Floor Washington, DC 20005, Plaintiff, ALL ASSETS HELD IN ACCOUNT NUMBER 80020796, IN NAME OF DORAVILLE PROPERTIES CORPORATION, AT DEUTSCHE BANK INTERNATIONAL, LIMITED IN JERSEY, CHANNEL ISLANDS, AND ALL INTEREST, BENEFITS, OR ASSETS TRACEABLE THERETO; ALL ASSETS HELD IN ACCOUNT NUMBER IN NAME OF MOHAMMED HSBC FUND ADMINISTRATION (JERSEY) LIMITED AND ALL INTEREST, BENEFITS, OR ASSETS TRACEABLE THERETO; ALL ASSETS HELD IN ACCOUNT NUMBER 223405880IUSD, IN NAME OF RAYVILLE INTERNATIONAL, A . BANQUE A, AND ALL INTEREST, BENEFITS, OR ASSETS TRACEABLE THERETO; ALL ASSETS HELD IN ACCOUNT NUMBER IN THE NAME OF STANDARD ALLIANCE FINANCIAL SERVICES LIMITED AT BANQUE A, AND ALL INTEREST, BENEFITS, OR ASSETS TRACEABLE THERETO; UNDER SEAL Case No. ALL ASSETS HELD IN ACCOUNT NUMBERS 100130688 AND 100138409, IN NAME OF MECOSTA SECURITIES, INC., AT STANDARD Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 2 of 42 BANK LONDON LIMITED AND ALL INTEREST, BENEFITS, OR ASSETS TRACEABLE THERETO; ALL ASSETS HELD AT HSBC LIFE (EUROPE) LIMITED, FORMERLY HELD IN ACCOUNT NUMBER 37060762 NAME OF MOHAMMED AT MIDLAND LIFE INTERNATIONAL LIMITED AND ALL INTEREST, BENEFITS, OR ASSETS TRACEABLE THERETO; ALL ASSETS HELD IN ACCOUNT NUMBER 38175076, IN NAME OF MOHAMMED SANI HSBC PLC, AND ALL INTEREST, BENEFITS, OR ASSETS TRACEABLE THERETO; ALL ASSETS HELD IN THE INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO OF BLUE HOLDING (1) PTE. LTD., ON BEHALF OF OR TRACEABLE TO RIDLEY GROUP LIMITED, AND/OR THE RIDLEY TRUST AT J.O. HAMBRO INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LIMITED AND ALL INTEREST, BENEFITS, OR ASSETS TRACEABLE THERETO; ALL ASSETS HELD IN THE INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO OF BLUE HOLDING (2) PTE. LTD., ON BEHALF OF OR TRACEABLE TO RIDLEY GROUP LIMITED, AND/OR THE RIDLEY TRUST AT J.O. HAMBRO INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LIMITED AND ALL INTEREST, BENEFITS, OR ASSETS TRACEABLE THERETO; ALL ASSETS HELD IN THE INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO OF BLUE HOLDING (1) PTE. LTD., ON BEHALF OF OR TRACEABLE TO RIDLEY GROUP LIMITED, AND/OR THE RIDLEY TRUST AT JAMES HAMBRO & PARTNERS LLP AND ALL INTEREST, BENEFITS, OR ASSETS TRACEABLE THERETO; 2 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 3 of 42 ALL ASSETS HELD IN THE INVESTMENT PORTFOLIO OF BLUE HOLDING (2) PTE. LTD., ON BEHALF OF OR TRACEABLE TO RIDLEY GROUP LIMITED, AND/OR THE RIDLEY TRUST AT JAMES HAMBRO & PARTNERS LLP AND ALL INTEREST, BENEFITS, OR ASSETS TRACEABLE THERETO; DORAVILLE PROPERTIES CORPORATION, A BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS CORPORATION, TOGETHER WITH ITS ASSETS AND ALL PROPERTY TRACEABLE THERETO; MECOSTA SECURITIES, INC., A BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS CORPORATION, TOGETHER ITS ASSETS AND ALL PROPERTY TRACEABLE THERETO; RAYVILLE INTERNATIONAL, S.A., A BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS CORPORATION, TOGETHER ITS ASSETS AND ALL PROPERTY TRACEABLE THERETO; RIDLEY GROUP LIMITED, A BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS CORPORATION, TOGETHER WITH ITS ASSETS AND ALL PROPERTY TRACEABLE THERETO; AND STANDARD ALLIANCE FINANCIAL SERVICES LIMITED, A BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS CORPORATION, TOGETHER WITH ITS ASSETS AND ALL PROPERTY TRACEABLE THERETO, Defendants. VERIFIED COMPLAINT FOR FORFEITURE REM Comes now the Plaintiff, United States of America, through its undersigned attorneys, and alleges, upon information and belief, as follows: 3 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 4 of 42 I. INTRODUCTION This is an action in rem to forfeit corporate entities and more than $500 million in other assets involved in an international conspiracy to launder proceeds of corruption in Nigeria during the military regime of General General his son Mohammed Sani Abacha, their associate Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, and others embezzled, misappropriated, defrauded, and extorted hundreds of millions of dollars from the government of Nigeria and others, including through the three criminal schemes described herein. They then transported and laundered the proceeds of those crimes through conduct in and affecting the United States. The defendants in rem are subject to forfeiture as property involved in money laundering offenses in violation of U.S. law. 2. As alleged herein, in one scheme, General Abacha, together with Mohammed Sani Abacha, Bagudu, and others, systematically embezzled public funds worth billions of dollars from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on the false pretense that the funds were necessary for national security. After causing the CBN to disperse the funds, often in cash, General Abacha and Bagudu then moved the funds overseas, including through U.S. financial institutions (the "Security Votes Fraud"). In another scheme, General Abacha and his finance minister, Anthony Ani, caused the government of Nigeria to purchase non-performing government debt from a company controlled by Bagudu and Mohammed Abacha at vastly inflated prices, generating a windfall of over $282 million for Mohammed Abacha and Bagudu through U.S. financial transactions (the "Debt Buy-Back Fraud"). Finally, in the third scheme alleged herein, General Abacha and his associates extorted more than million from a French company and its Nigerian affiliate in connection with payments on government contracts (the Extortion"). 4 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 5 of 42 3. Proceeds of the Security Votes Fraud were transported into and out of the United States in violation of U.S. law and pooled into bank accounts in London, where they were used to purchase hundreds of millions of dollars of U.S. dollar-denominated Nigerian bonds. The bonds generated tens of millions of dollars in interest paid through Citibank in New York and guaranteed by the United States; in effect the conspirators lent money stolen from Nigeria back to Nigeria with zero risk and at enormous profit. By 2007, the bonds were liquidated, and the proceeds from the sale of the bonds, together with the proceeds of the Debt Buy-Back Fraud and Extortion, were deposited into the defendant accounts, using the defendant corporate entities and through U.S. financial transactions, as described herein. The defendant corporate entities are registered in the British Virgin Islands, and bank accounts and investment firms holding the other defendant assets are located in the United Kingdom, France, and the Bailiwick of Jersey. II. THE DEFENDANTS IN REM 4. By this Complaint, the United States seeks forfeiture of all right, title, and interest in the following property: (a) All assets held in account number 80020796, in the name of Doraville Properties located at Deutsche Bank International Limited in the Bailiwick of Jersey, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto. These assets were last valued at approximately $287 million; (b) All assets held in account number in the name of Mohammed Sani, at HSBC Fund Administration (Jersey) Limited in the Bailiwick of Jersey, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto.2 These assets were last valued at approximately million; (c) All assets held in account number 223405880IUSD, in the name of International, S.A., at Banque SBA in Paris, France, and all For ease of reading, the defendants in rem appear in bold throughout this Complaint. HSBC Fund Administration was formerly Midland Bank Offshore Limited. 5 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 6 of 42 interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto. These assets were last valued at approximately $1 million; (d) All assets held in account number 223406510PUSD, in the name of Standard Alliance Financial Services Limited located at Banque SBA in Paris, France, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto. These assets were last valued at approximately million; (e) All assets held in account numbers 100130688 and 100138409, in the name of Mecosta Securities, at Standard Bank in the United Kingdom, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto. These assets were last valued at approximately £21.7 million; All assets held at HSBC Life (Europe) formerly held in account number 37060762 in the name of Mohammed Sani at Midland Life International Limited, and all interest, benefits or assets traceable thereto;3 (g) All assets in account number 38175076, in the name of Mohammed Sani, at HSBC Bank and all interest, benefits, or traceable thereto. These assets were last valued at approximately $1.6 million; (h) All assets held in the name of Blue Holding (1) Pte. Ltd., on behalf of or traceable to Ridley Group Limited and/or the Ridley Trust, at J.O. Investment Management Limited in the United Kingdom, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto. These assets were last valued at approximately €6,806,900; (i) All assets held in name of Blue Holding (2) Pte. Ltd., on behalf of or traceable to Ridley Group Limited and/or the Ridley Trust, at J.O. Hambro Investment Management Limited in the United Kingdom, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto. These assets were last valued at approximately All assets held in the name of Blue Holding (1) Pte. Ltd., on behalf of or traceable to Ridley Group Limited and/or the Ridley Trust, at James Hambro & Partners LLP, in the United Kingdom, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto. These assets were last valued at approximately (k) All assets held in of the name of Blue Holding (2) Pte. Ltd., on behalf of or traceable to Ridley Group Limited and/or the Ridley Trust, at James Hambro & Partners LLP, in the United Kingdom and all interest, The branch of Midland Life International Limited holding account number was acquired by Life (Europe). 6 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 7 of 42 benefits, or assets traceable thereto. These assets were last valued at approximately €56,962,996.26; (1) Doraville Properties Corporation, a corporate entity registered in the British Virgin Islands, together with all its assets and all property traceable thereto; (m) Mecosta Securities, Inc., a corporate entity registered in the British Virgin Islands, together with all its assets and all property traceable thereto; (n) Rayville International, SA, a corporate entity registered in the British Virgin Islands, together with all its assets and all property traceable thereto; (o) Ridley Group Limited, a corporate entity registered in the British Virgin Islands, with all its assets and all property traceable thereto; (p) Standard Alliance Financial Services Limited, a corporate entity registered in the British Virgin Islands, together with all its assets and all property traceable thereto. III. JURISDICTION AND VENUE 5. This Court has jurisdiction over this subject matter. 28 § 1345 and 1355(a), and 18 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1)(A). 6. This Court has in rem jurisdiction over the named defendant properties. 28 U.S.C. § 1345 and 1355(a). 7. Venue for this action is proper in this district because the named defendant properties are presently located in foreign countries. 28 U.S.C. § IV. FACTUAL ALLEGATIONS A. Key Participants - General Abacha, his Associates, and their Corporate Entities 8. General Sani Abacha was a military officer in Nigeria who assumed the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria through a military coup on November He held the office of the President until his death on June 8, Prior to assuming the 7 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 8 of 42 presidency, he served as Chief of Army Staff (1985-1989), Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (1989-1990), and Minister of Defense (1990-1993). As described herein, General Abacha conspired with others to steal and defraud hundreds of millions of dollars from Nigeria, extort money from third parties wishing to do business in Nigeria, and launder the proceeds of that theft, embezzlement, misappropriation, and extortion throughout the world. 9. Ibrahim Sani Abacha was the first son of General Sani Abacha. Ibrahim Abacha participated in the conspiracy to steal hundreds of millions of dollars from the Nigerian government and launder the proceeds around the world. He died in a plane crash in January 1996. 10. Mohammed Sani Abacha is the second son General Sani Abacha. After Ibrahim death, Mohammed Abacha assumed his brother's role in the conspiracy to steal hundreds of millions of dollars from Nigeria and launder the criminal proceeds throughout the world. Mohammed Abacha received and helped to launder more than $700 million in cash stolen directly from Nigeria's public coffers. He also is a signatory and/or a corporate representative designated on many of the defendant assets. Atiku Bagudu was an associate of General Abacha and his sons who participated in the conspiracy to steal and launder hundreds of millions of dollars. Among other things, Bagudu played an instrumental role in setting up and executing the complicated financial transactions used to launder the proceeds of the conspiracy. He is also a signatory and/or corporate representative designated on many of the defendant assets. 12. Ismaila Gwarzo held the position of National Security Advisor (NSA) during the presidency of General Sani Abacha, and Gwarzo participated in the conspiracy to steal and launder hundreds of millions of dollars. Among other things, Gwarzo prepared and executed the 8 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 9 of 42 false paperwork that caused the CBN to release hundreds of millions of dollars worth of U.S., U.K., and Nigerian currency as part of the Security Votes Fraud described below. Daura was an associate of the Abacha Family and operated the Sunshine Bureau de Change, a money exchange business located in Nigeria. Daura participated in the conspiracy by moving criminal proceeds out of Nigeria to accounts he controlled in England and by transferring criminal proceeds into and out of the United States to accounts controlled by the Abacha Family. Anthony Ani held the position of Minister of Finance during the presidency of General Abacha. Minister Ani authorized the disbursement of Nigerian government funds in furtherance of the Security Votes Fraud and the Debt Buy-Back Fraud, both described below. 15. David Umaru was an attorney and associate of the Abacha family. Umaru participated in the conspiracy by communicating General extortion demands to third parties wishing to do business in Nigeria, including as described below to the owners of Group, a French-based construction company. Defendant Doraville Properties Corporation (Doraville) was incorporated in the British Virgin Islands on July 2, Bagudu was a director and authorized signatory on its bank accounts at Deutsche Bank AG and at Deutsche Bank International Limited (Jersey) Eagle Alliance International Limited (Eagle Alliance) was incorporated in Ireland on August 9, Bagudu was an authorized signatory on its accounts at Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) Grindlays in London, England, and at Goldman Sachs & Co. in Zurich, 9 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 42 Switzerland.4 As discussed herein, in Eagle Alliance's assets were transferred to Mecosta Securities, Inc. Harbour Engineering and Limited (Harbour Engineering) was incorporated in the British Virgin Islands. Bagudu was an authorized signatory on its account at Banque A in Paris. Defendant Mecosta Securities, Inc. (Mecosta) was incorporated in the British Virgin Islands on October 9, Bagudu was an authorized signatory on accounts in the name of Mecosta at ANZ (London); Standard Bank in London, England (Standard Bank); Credit Indosuez in London, England; Goldman Sachs in Zurich, Switzerland; and Banque Baring Brothers in Geneva, Switzerland. 20. Morgan Procurement Corporation (Morgan Procurement) was incorporated in the British Virgin Islands on January 24, Bagudu was an authorized signatory on four accounts at the Union Bank of Nigeria in London, England. Defendant Rayville International, was incorporated in the British Virgin Islands. Bagudu was an authorized signatory on its account, number 223405880IUSD, at Banque SBA in Paris. 22. The Ridley Trust was created by Indosuez Trust Services Limited at the request of Bagudu and registered in Guernsey, Channel Islands, on September 22, The Ridley Trust is the sole shareholder of the Ridley Group. Bagudu is the Ridley Trust's prime beneficiary. 23. Defendant Ridley Group Limited (Ridley Group) was incorporated in the British Virgin Islands on June 10, 1997. Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) Banking Group Limited, with headquarters in Australia, purchased Grindlays Bank, another international bank, in After its acquisition, the bank operated in London, England, under the name of ANZ Grindlays Bank In early 1996, the London bank's name was again changed to ANZ Banking Group London. For purposes of this Complaint, the financial institution known as Grindlays Bank, ANZ Grindlays Bank and ANZ Banking Group London will hereinafter be referred to as ANZ (London). ANZ Banking Group's New York branch will be referred to ANZ (New York). 10 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 42 24. Defendant Standard Alliance Financial Services Limited (Standard Alliance) was incorporated in the British Virgin Islands. Bagudu was an authorized account signatory for account number 223406510PUSD in the name of Standard Alliance at Banque SBA. B. The Security Votes Fraud 25. Between January 1994 and June 1998, General Sani Abacha, National Security Advisor Gwarzo, and others stole more than $2 billion from Nigeria by fraudulently and falsely representing that the funds were to be used for national security purposes. As described below, General Abacha and Gwarzo executed false national security letters directing the withdrawal of funds from the CBN, referred to as "security votes" letters after a practice by which Nigerian governors received a budgetary allocation for security purposes. Rather than use the funds for national security purposes, the stolen money was transported out of Nigeria and deposited into accounts controlled by General associates, including Mohammed Abacha and Bagudu. i. Embezzlement of over $2 billion from the Central Bank of Nigeria 26. In order to steal public funds from Nigeria, National Security Advisor Gwarzo, at General direction, prepared one- to- two page letters to General Abacha purporting to request millions of U.S. dollars, British pounds sterling, and Nigerian naira to address unidentified "emergencies" that threatened Nigeria's national interests. General Abacha endorsed each letter with his signature, thereby approving the disbursement of the requested monies. The endorsed security votes letters were sent to the CBN, located in Nigeria, and the CBN, acting in accordance with the letters, disbursed the funds as directed in cash or traveler's checks, or through wire transfers. 27. Using these security votes letters to take money from the CBN violated what the CBN has described as Nigeria's "accepted government procedures." The proper government 11 Case Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 12 of 42 procedures required the Minister of Finance and the to each approve disbursements in accordance with Nigeria's budget. The security votes withdrawals were not properly approved by both the Minister of Finance and the Aceountant-General, and were also not included in Nigeria's budget for the relevant fiscal years. 28. Over sixty false security votes letters were addressed to and endorsed by General Abacha, each of which resulted in the withdrawal of Nigeria's public funds from the CBN. Subsequently, the funds were deposited into accounts controlled by, or used to purchase assets for the benefit of, General Abacha, Bagudu, or other members of the conspiracy. For example: (a) By letter, dated June 2, 1994, Gwarzo falsely stated: "In view of the on-going negative campaign against this country, small international operation has been mounted to cover it.. approve as a matter of urgency, the sum of Five Million Dollars.. this operation." (b) By letter, dated November 30, Gwarzo falsely stated: million dollars are requested] to combat an economy that was deflected and distorted through the black market." (c) By letter, dated August 20, Gwarzo falsely stated: "In light of the current political situation in the country, coupled with the increase in security operations.. is need for a lot of funds to handle the challenges outlined above such that I require Three hundred and million Naira [N350,000,000.00] plus Thirty million dollars [$30,000,000] and Fifteen million Pounds [£15,000,000.00] .. consider desperate need and approve." Each of these letters, and others like them, were endorsed by General Abacha. 29. Shortly after General Abacha's death, the government of Nigeria established a Special Investigation Panel (SIP), which found that General Abacha and his co-conspirators had used the false security votes letters to steal and defraud more than $2 billion in public funds, including: (1) at least $1.1 billion and pound sterling (GBP) in cash; (2) at least 12 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 13 of 42 $50,465,450 and £3,500,000 GBP in traveler's checks; and (3) at least $386,290,169 through wire transfers. ii. Transfer of the Embezzled Funds Out of Nigeria and Through the United States 30. The conspirators transported the proceeds of the Security Votes Fraud out of Nigeria to accounts in Europe that were under the conspirators' private control, including the Rayville and Standard Alliance accounts at Banque SBA, the Eagle Alliance and Mecosta accounts at ANZ (London), and the Mecosta account at Standard Bank as described below. The CBN staff and other individuals known and unknown to the United States generally would deliver the currency stolen with the security votes letters to Gwarzo at his residence. Gwarzo and others acting at his direction would repackage the currency in secure bags and then deliver it to General Abacha at his residence in Nigeria. 32. General Abacha, or those acting at his direction, delivered more than $700 million of these funds to Mohammed Abacha in bags or boxes full of cash. 33. Mohammed Abacha gave the cash he received to Bagudu, who later arranged for the money to be transferred to accounts controlled by Bagudu and Mohammed Abacha in foreign countries. Transfers included deposits into accounts in the name of defendants Mecosta, Doraville, Standard Alliance, and Rayville, as well as Eagle Alliance and Harbour Engineering. 34. In order to move the money overseas, Bagudu deposited the cash proceeds of the Security Votes Fraud into at least one of two Nigerian commercial banks, Union Bank of Nigeria and/or Inland Bank of Nigeria. Bagudu referred to the money deposited into Union Bank and Inland Bank as his "cash swaps." Bagudu and/or Mohammed Abacha then instructed Union Bank or Inland Bank to transfer the stolen funds to other accounts under Bagudu or Mohammed 13 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 14 of 42 Abacha's control, such as accounts in the name of Mecosta, Rayville, and Eagle Alliance. Inland Bank or Union Bank made the necessary arrangements to transfer the money overseas.5 The funds were transferred from Union Bank or Inland Bank back to the CBN, to an account held by Union Bank or Inland Bank at the CBN. The CBN then transferred the funds from the account of Union Bank or Inland Bank to their respective overseas domiciliary accounts held at banks in either London or New York.6 The specific London or New York account varied depending on which Nigerian commercial bank had been used in the first instance. 35. Through these "cash swaps," at least million was transported into and out of the United States, and into accounts held in the name of the defendant corporations. For example: (a) Between July 1995 and April 1996, $18.3 million was deposited into accounts in Nigeria at Union Bank and Inland Bank controlled by Mohammed Abacha and Bagudu. These funds were subsequently wire transferred into and out of correspondent accounts at financial institutions in the United States for deposit into accounts held in the names of Eagle Alliance or Mecosta at ANZ (London). The transfer of these funds was accomplished through transactions including, but not limited to, the following: (i) On or about October Bagudu caused the wire transfer of $5 million from an account at Union Bank of Nigeria into and out of a correspondent account at Barclays Bank New York, into a correspondent account at ANZ (New York), for credit to the Eagle Alliance account at ANZ (London). Starting at least as early as August 1995, the Nigerian Ministry of Finance required Nigeria's commercial banks to transfer foreign currency out of Nigeria through the CBN. A domiciliary account is a bank account held in the name of an individual or corporate entity operated with foreign currency. 14 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 15 of 42 (ii) On or about November 5, 1995, Bagudu caused the wire transfer of $6 million from a domiciliary account of Union Bank of Nigeria into and out of a correspondent account at Barclays Bank New York, and then into and out of a correspondent account at ANZ (New York), for credit to the Eagle Alliance account at ANZ (London). This $6 million was credited to the Eagle Alliance account on or about November (iii) On or about January 3, Bagudu caused the wire transfer of approximately $320,000 from Inland Bank of Nigeria into and out of a correspondent account at Morgan Guaranty Trust Bank, New York, and then into and out of a correspondent account at ANZ (New York), for credit to the Eagle Alliance account at ANZ (London). (b) Between August and November at least $7.2 million in proceeds from the Security Votes Fraud was deposited into the Eagle Alliance account at ANZ (London) by or on behalf of Alhaji Ahmadu Daura, an associate of Mohammed Abacha. These funds included monies withdrawn from the CBN in the form of cash and traveler's checks. The monies were first deposited into accounts controlled by Daura at London Trust Bank in Nigeria and then wired to the Eagle Alliance account at ANZ (London). (c) In an additional $20 million in proceeds from the Security Votes Fraud were wire transferred from the Inland Bank of Nigeria domiciliary account at Commerzbank AG in London, into and out of correspondent bank Credit Lyonnais, New York, for deposit into account number 223405880IUSD held in the name of Rayville at Banque SBA in Paris. (d) On or about July another $10 million in proceeds from the Security Votes Fraud were wire transferred from the Inland Bank of Nigeria domiciliary account at Commerzbank AG in London into and out of correspondent bank Credit Lyonnais, 15 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 16 of 42 New York, for deposit into an account in the name of Harbour Engineering located at Banque SBA in Paris. (e) Between November and January an additional $59 million in proceeds from the Security Votes Fraud were transferred into and out of the United States for deposit into account number held in the name of Mecosta at Standard Bank in London as follows: (i) First, the $59 million in proceeds were transferred from Inland Bank of Nigeria to the CBN; (ii) Second, the CBN credited the proceeds to an Inland Bank of Nigeria domiciliary bank account held at Citibank (New York); (iii) Third, Citibank (New York) transferred the money into a correspondent bank account at Barclays Bank, New York; and (iv) Fourth, Barclays, New York transferred the proceeds into Mecosta's account at Standard Bank. In an additional $24 million in criminal proceeds from the Security Votes Fraud were transferred into and out of the United States for deposit into account number held in the name of Mecosta at Standard Bank. C. Debt Buy-Back Fraud i. The Conspirators Defrauded Nigeria of More than $282 Million by Causing Nigeria to Repurchase Its Own Government Debt at a Grossly Inflated Price 36. Mohammed Abacha, Bagudu, and others defrauded Nigeria of more than $282 million by causing the government of Nigeria to repurchase Nigeria's own debt from one of their companies for more than double what Nigeria would have paid to repurchase the debt on the open market. 16 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 17 of 42 37. In the Nigerian Steel Development Authority (an entity owned by the Nigerian government and later known as Ajaokuta Steel Company) entered into an agreement with Tiajpromexport (TPE), a Russian company, to construct a steel plant in Nigeria for 5 billion German (DM). The government of Nigeria agreed to give TPE debt instruments guaranteeing payment of $2 billion to finance part of the construction. The government of Nigeria later suspended payment on these debt because of a dispute that arose with TPE. TPE, in turn, stopped work on the steel plant, and Nigeria defaulted on the outstanding debt instruments. 39. Subsequently, Bagudu learned, through his contacts at ANZ (London), about TPE's interest in selling the debt. Employees of ANZ (London) told Bagudu that they had a client who would be willing to sell the debt to one of companies (in this case, Mecosta). The client was later identified as Parnar Shipping Corporation (Parnar), a Liberian company. 40. Bagudu, in turn, approached Ibrahim Abacha and Finance Minister Anthony Ani and received assurances that the government of Nigeria would buy back the debt from Bagudu if one of companies purchased it from TPE. To guarantee that Nigeria would purchase the debt, Ani entered into an agreement on behalf of Nigeria to buy the debt from Mecosta on April more than four months before either Parnar or Mecosta actually acquired the debt. As a result of this agreement, the Nigerian government paid millions of dollars more than necessary to cancel its debt, as described below. Bagudu orchestrated a series of transactions through which Mecosta received money in escrow from Nigeria, used that money to purchase the debt from Parnar, and sold the debt back to Nigeria at a significant markup. 17 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 18 of 42 42. Specifically, Bagudu arranged for TPE to sell approximately billion DM of its Nigerian debt instruments to Parnar on or about September 30, 1996, for 350 million DM. That same day, Parnar resold the same debt to Mecosta, raising the price to 486 million DM. Mecosta immediately marked up the price again and sold it back to Nigeria for 972 million DM, which the Nigerian government paid in two installments of 486 million DM. 43. Mohammed Abacha and Bagudu, as the owners of Mecosta, yielded a profit of approximately million DM or $282,506,664. 44. Nigeria's purchase of the debt was personally approved by General Abacha, even though Nigeria would have saved hundreds of millions of dollars by buying the debt on the open market at the price TPE was willing to sell it, which was nearly two-thirds less than Nigeria ultimately paid for the debt. ii. The Disposition of the Debt Buy-Back Fraud Proceeds 45. The CBN paid Mecosta, Bagudu, and Mohammed Abacha as follows: (a) On or about May the CBN transferred 486 million DM to an escrow account held in the name of and Mecosta at ANZ (London), DM of which was then used by Mecosta to pay for the debt instruments. (b) In April Ani caused the CBN in Lagos, Nigeria, to wire an additional 486 million two accounts held in the name of Eagle Alliance and Morgan Procurement. Specifically: (i) On or about April 15, 1997, the CBN transferred $141,253,333 (equivalent to approximately 243 million DM) into and out of a correspondent bank account at Citibank (New York) to Goldman Sachs in Zurich, Switzerland, for credit to accounts held in the names of Eagle Alliance and Morgan Procurement. 18 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 42 (ii) On or about April 22, 1997, the CBN transferred (equivalent to approximately 243 million DM) into and out of a correspondent bank account at Citibank (New York) to Goldman Sachs in Zurich, Switzerland, for credit to the Mecosta account, but, instead, these funds were deposited into an account of Eagle Alliance. 46. Later in officials at Goldman Sachs informed Bagudu and Mohammed Abacha that the bank was ending their relationship over concerns about the source of the money in the accounts held by Eagle Alliance and Morgan Procurement. As a result, Bagudu and Mohammed Abacha transferred approximately $202.3 million in cash and securities from the Eagle Alliance accounts at Goldman Sachs in Zurich to a Mecosta account at Banque Baring Brothers, located in Geneva, Switzerland, and they transferred approximately $90 million in cash and securities from the Morgan Procurement accounts to a Mecosta account at Credit Agricole Indosuez in London. 47. On or about February officials at Banque Baring Brothers informed Bagudu and Mohammed Abacha that the bank was terminating its relationship with Mecosta over false representations made by Bagudu and Mohammed Abacha about the source of their money. Bagudu and Mohammed had falsely represented to Banque Baring Brothers that the funds came from the oil and gas industry. 48. Bagudu and Mohammed Abacha then approached DBIL located in Jersey. DBIL officials, relying upon the false representations of Bagudu and Mohammed Abacha and false documents purportedly showing legitimate sources of the Mecosta money, approved their request to open an account in the name of Mecosta. For example, Bagudu and Mohammed Abacha represented to DBIL that the Mecosta funds were the proceeds of oil, construction, and 19 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 20 of 42 energy trading, when in truth and in fact the Mecosta funds were the proceeds of theft and corruption. 49. When the DBIL account was opened on or about April 3, Bagudu and Mohammed Abacha changed the name on the account from Mecosta to "Doraville Properties Corporation" and transferred approximately $137.1 million in proceeds of the Debt Buy-Back Fraud from their Mecosta account at Banque Baring Brothers into this Doraville account at DBIL. 50. In after General Abacha's death, approximately million of the funds deposited into the Doraville account were transferred to the government of Nigeria voluntarily by the Abacha family, leaving only $1,000 remaining. This $1,000 was later comingled with funds from the purchase and sale of Nigerian Par Bonds as described herein. Approximately million of the funds Eagle Alliance (on behalf of Mecosta) obtained in this scheme were transferred into Mecosta's account at ANZ (London) where it was intermingled with proceeds from the Security Votes Fraud and used to purchase Nigerian Par Bonds as described below. D. The Laundering of the Proceeds of the Security Votes Fraud and the Debt Buy-Back Fraud through the Purchase and Transfer of Securities, Nigerian Par Bonds 52. Mohammed Abacha, Bagudu, and others invested the proceeds of the schemes described above in Nigerian Par Bonds (NPBs), reaping more than million in interest paid by the Nigerian government and backed by the United States. 53. Through the use of their corporate entities, including defendants Mecosta, Rayville, Standard Alliance, and Doraville, Bagudu and Mohammed Abacha pooled proceeds of the Security Votes Fraud, the Debt Buy-Back Fraud, and other criminal activity into the 20 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 42 purchase of NPBs and related Payment Adjustment Warrants (PAWs) through a complex series of monetary transactions in or affecting the United States. As set forth herein, transactions involving these Nigerian government securities are traceable to the defendant assets held in the name of the five defendant corporations. i. Background on Nigerian Par Bonds 54. NPBs were U.S. dollar-denominated securities whose interest (known as "coupon interest") payments were guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury. This type of security was created as part of the Brady Bond program to help developing countries holding substantial debt to restructure their debt into bonds. Under this program, U.S. zero-coupon (i.e., interest free) bonds were held in escrow to guarantee the payment of interest on bonds issued by developing nations, such as Nigeria. The U.S. dollar-denominated securities, issued by developing nations, were offered for sale around the world through commercial financial institutions that elected to participate in this market. 55. Bonds are valued by the issuer at the amount due to the bond holder on the bond's maturity date (known as the "par value" or simply "par"). The bond's par value is also referred to as the bond's "face value." 56. Nigeria first offered NPBs under the Brady Bond program in To encourage investors to purchase NPBs, the Nigerian government also issued PAWs, another type of investment, with each purchase of NPBs. A set formula determined how many PAWs would accompany each purchase. The NPBs and PAWs could be traded together or separately. The PAWs yielded dividend payments, which were paid twice per year. 57. Citibank NA, New York (Citibank (New York)) served as the Fiscal Agent, Registrar, and Calculation Agent for the Nigerian government in connection with the issuance 21 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 42 and sale of NPBs and PAWs. In this capacity, Citibank (New York) was responsible for disbursement of coupon interest payments on the NBPs and for payment of dividends on the related PAWs. The Nigerian government periodically transferred money to Citibank (New York) to fund these payments. Coupon interest payments and dividend payments were then made from the United States by Citibank (New York) in U.S. dollars to the financial institution designated by each bond holder. 58. Over the course of the conspiracy, Bagudu and Mohammed Abacha transferred approximately million in proceeds of their criminal schemes into accounts in the name of Eagle Alliance and Mecosta at ANZ (London) and approximately $83 million into accounts in the name of Mecosta at Standard Bank, also in London. These funds were used to purchase NPBs worth $572 million (face value), including $490 million at ANZ (London) and at least $82 million at Standard Bank. 59. Of the $190 million deposited at ANZ (London), approximately $126.5 million originated from the Security Votes Fraud. An additional $15 million was transferred to ANZ (London) from Morgan Procurement, a company owned and controlled by Mohammed Abacha and Bagudu. Between and 1997, Morgan Procurement received two public contracts for the procurement of vaccines from Nigeria's National Commission for Women and Federal Ministry of Health, both of which were under the control of Maryam Abacha, General Abacha's wife and Mohammed Abacha's mother. The million was a portion of the more than million received by Morgan Procurement for these contracts, of which only approximately $48 million was used to purchase vaccines. 60. The NPBs purchased by Bagudu and Mohammed Abacha generated substantial income. For example, from November through November 2006, a total of at least 22 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 23 of 42 million in coupon interest payments, funded by Nigeria and traceable to NPBs purchased with the proceeds of the Security Votes Fraud alleged herein, was transferred from Citibank (New York) into bank accounts in the name of Eagle Alliance and Mecosta at ANZ (London) and Doraville at DBIL. ii. The Purchase of Nigerian Par Bonds at ANZ (London) By Defendant Mecosta 61. In September Eagle Alliance entered into a Master Deferred Purchase Agreement (MDPA) with ANZ (London) to buy NPBs through the bank's "emerging markets" program. This umbrella agreement authorized Eagle Alliance to enter into subsequent, specific deferred purchase agreements with ANZ (London) to acquire NPBs using funds from Eagle Alliance and financing from ANZ (London). Pursuant to the MDPA, Eagle Alliance provided approximately 30 percent of the purchase price from its deposits, and the remainder was financed by ANZ (London), with the NBPs serving as collateral for the loans. In accordance with the MDPA, payments were made in U.S. dollars to ANZ (New York). 62. All told, Eagle Alliance paid approximately $29.8 million to purchase NPBs worth $200 million (face value), all of which were paid using funds transferred through ANZ (New York) and financed by ANZ (London). 63. For example, on October 24, Eagle Alliance paid million to purchase NPBs worth $10 million (face value) using funds transferred through ANZ (New York) to ANZ (London) coupled with financing from ANZ (London). 64. On or about February 8, 1996, Mecosta entered into a similar MDPA with ANZ (London), which authorized Mecosta to buy NPBs using its own funds combined with financing provided by ANZ (London). In accordance with the MDPA, and subsequent, specific deferred purchase agreements, payments were made in U.S. dollars to ANZ (New York). 23 l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 42 65. On or about February Mohammed Abacha and Bagudu transferred all remaining assets held by Eagle Alliance to Mecosta. 66. By early May Mecosta owed over $200 million to ANZ (London). To pay down this debt, on or about May 1998, Bagudu arranged for the transfer of £40 million GBP (the equivalent of $64.3 million) from Inland Bank Nigeria Lagos, Nigeria, to Mecosta's account at ANZ (London). These funds were converted into U.S. dollars, which Mecosta used to reduce the debt owed to ANZ (London). 67. From November through November Citibank (New York) disbursed coupon interest payments on the NPBs to ANZ (New York) that were later transferred into the accounts of Eagle Alliance and Mecosta located at ANZ (London) as follows. The coupon interest payments were used to pay down the debt owed to ANZ (London) for the NPB purchases: Date of Payment Amount of Coupon Payment 11/15/1995 $4,687,500 5/15/1996 $ 9,375,000 11/15/1996 $13,125,000 5/15/1997 $15,312,500 11/15/1997 $15,312,500 5/15/1998 $15,312,500 11/15/1998 $15,312,500 68. By November 1998, Bagudu and Mohammed Abacha, through Mecosta, had purchased and held through ANZ (London) NPBs worth $490 million (face value), but Mecosta also owed ANZ (London) $95 million that it had borrowed to finance the purchase of the bonds. iii. The Transfer of Nigerian Par Bonds from ANZ (London) to Defendant Doraville's Account at DBIL 24 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 25 of 42 69. In November 1998, ANZ (London) Bagudu, as the authorized representative of Mecosta, that ANZ (London) was closing its "emerging markets" operation through which the NPBs were held in Mecosta's account. As a result, on November 20, Bagudu and Mohammed Abacha transferred $400 million of the $490 million (face value) NPBs held in the Mecosta account at ANZ (London) to Deutsche Bank AG in London through DBIL in Jersey. Later, as described below, NPBs worth $325 million (face value) from this tranche were transferred to Doraville's account at DBIL. Bagudu transferred the remaining NPBs worth $90 million (face value) to Credit Agricole Indosuez in London. 70. Mohammed Abacha and Bagudu accomplished the transfer of NPBs from Mecosta to Doraville through a series of transactions on or about November 20, involving ANZ (London), Deutsche Bank AG London, DBIL in Jersey, and U.S. financial institutions, as described below. Ultimately NBPs worth $325 million (face value) were transferred to the account of Doraville at DBIL. (a) First, NPBs worth $400 million (face value) were transferred from the Mecosta account at ANZ (London) to Doraville's account located at DBIL. (b) Next, DBIL transferred the NPBs to an account held in the name of Doraville at Deutsche AG London. (c) The NPBs at Deutsche Bank AG London were held as collateral for a $95 million loan that Doraville received from Deutsche Bank AG London through transactions into and out of correspondent banks in New York. (d) Doraville, in turn, wired the $95 million in loan money into and out of Morgan Guaranty Trust Company, New York (now LP. Morgan) to ANZ (London) to pay off the outstanding debt that Mecosta owed on these bonds. 25 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 26 of 42 71. Approximately one year later, in November and Mohammed Abacha paid Deutsche Bank AG London a total of $98 million (reflecting the $95 million loan amount plus $3 million in fees) to pay off Doraville's loan. This debt was paid using funds from the sale of NPBs held as collateral for the loan and proceeds from the following transactions: (a) A wire transfer of $25 million, including proceeds from the Security Votes Fraud, on November 1999, from bank account 223405880IUSD held in the name of located at Banque SBA in Paris into and out of a correspondent bank account at Deutsche Bank New York, and to Deutsche Bank AG London; (b) A wire transfer of $10 million of Security Votes Fraud proceeds on or about November from bank account number held in the name of Standard Alliance located at Banque SBA into and out of a correspondent bank account at Deutsche New York, and to Deutsche Bank AG London; (c) A wire transfer of at least $9.5 million of the Debt Buy-Back Fraud proceeds on or about November 26, from another Mecosta investment account, located at Credit Agricole Indosuez London, to Bankers Company, New York, for deposit at Deutsche Bank AG London; and (d) The sale of NPBs worth $75 million (face value) of the original $400 million (face value). 72. Upon Bagudu's and Mohammed Abacha's repayment of the $98 million debt, Deutsche Bank AG London transferred the remaining $325 million (face value) of the NPBs and related PAWs on or about December 13, 1999, to Doraville's bank account at in Jersey. 73. From April 2000 to November 2006, Bagudu and Mohammed Abacha sold the remaining NPBs worth $325 million (face value) held in the account of Doraville at DBIL in 26 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 42 Jersey on the open market or back to the Nigerian government, yielding at least $149,986,000. The proceeds from the sale and redemption of NPBs were deposited into account number 80020796 in the name of Doraville located at DBIL in Jersey. For example, on or about September 22, 2005, NPBs worth were sold, and on or about October 13, 2005, NPBs worth were sold. The proceeds of both sales were deposited into account number 80020796 held in the name of Doraville at DBIL in Jersey. 74. Citibank (New York) disbursed coupon interest payments on the to Doraville's account at DBIL between the time that Doraville acquired the bonds and the time that they were sold or transferred. 75. In addition to the coupon interest payments, from at least April through November 2006, Citibank (New York) transferred at least million in proceeds from the sales of PAWs into account number 80020796 held in the name of Doraville at DBIL in Jersey. 76. From November 2001 through November 2006, Citibank (New York) disbursed dividend payments related to the PAWs worth over $6 million into and out of Deutsche Bank Trust Company in New York for deposit into the account of Doraville at DBIL by means of multiple wire transfers. 77. On May 2003, Bagudu was arrested in Houston, Texas, for extradition on warrants issued by the Bailiwick of Bagudu subsequently entered into an agreement with Nigeria and Jersey to return more than million of Doraville's assets to the Nigerian government in exchange for Jersey's withdrawal of its extradition request and his return to Nigeria for possible prosecution. Bagudu transferred $163,719,820 from Doraville's DBIL bank account to Nigeria. According to Bagudu, this sum represented his half of the Doraville assets. 27 Case Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 28 of 42 78. The assets currently held in the Doraville account (valued at approximately $287 million) include the funds remaining after the transfer and liquidation of the NPBs. All of the NPBs are believed to have been sold or redeemed by 2007. iv. Transfer of NPBs from ANZ (London) to the Defendant Blue (1) and Blue (2) Investment Portfolios 79. In July 1997, Bagudu acquired the Ridley Group. In September 1997, at Bagudu's request, Indosuez Trust Services Limited formed the Ridley Trust in Guernsey, with Bagudu as the prime beneficiary. By the Declaration of Trust, the Ridley Trust became the sole shareholder of Ridley Group. 80. On or about November 30, 1998, Bagudu caused the transfer of NPBs worth $90 million (face value) of the original $490 million from ANZ (London) to an account in the name of the Ridley Group at Credit Agricole Indosuez, London. To accomplish this transfer, he first had to repay the remaining debt owed by Mecosta to ANZ (London) against the bonds. To do so, Bagudu caused the wire transfer of approximately $2.4 million of Debt Buy-Back Fraud proceeds on or about November 24, from an investment account in the name of Mecosta at Credit Agricole Indosuez, London, to Marine Midland A., New York, to ANZ (New York), and then to the account of Mecosta at ANZ (London). 82. NPBs worth $90 million (face value) remained in the Ridley Group account at Credit Agricole Indosuez, London at least as late as November after which Credit Agricole Indosuez, London moved the Ridley Group account to Indosuez Trust Services Limited. 83. Coupon interest payments were transferred to Ridley Group at Credit Agricole Indosuez and Indosuez Trust Services Limited in connection with the For example, on or 28 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 29 of 42 about November 22, 2000, a payment of $2.8 million was transferred into and out of Citibank (New York) to the Ridley Group at Credit Agricole Indosuez, London. 84. On or about January 21, 2005, Indosuez Trust Services Limited transferred all funds, NPBs, and related PAWs held by Ridley Group and the Ridley Trust to J.O. Investment Management Limited, an investment located in London, England. 85. Subsequently, the NPBs were liquidated and the proceeds from each sale were deposited into J.O. Hambro Investment Accounts. Because Citibank (New York) served as the Fiscal Agent, Registrar, and Calculation Agent for Nigeria in connection with the issuance and sale of NPBs and PAWs, the transactions that liquidated the bonds occurred, in part, in the United States. 86. In August J.O. Hambro Investment Management Ltd transferred the assets of the Ridley Trust to the investment portfolios of Blue Holding (1) and Blue Holding (2), two corporations registered in Singapore. (a) On or about September 20, approximately €70 million were transferred from the two investment portfolios held at J.O. Hambro Investment Management Limited in the name of the Ridley Trust to investment portfolios Blue Holding (1) Pte Ltd and Holding (2) Pte Ltd held at another investment James Hambro & Partners LLP, also located in London, England. (b) As of December the balances of the investment portfolios held in the names of Blue Holding (1) Pte Ltd and Blue Holding (2) Pte Ltd at J.O. Hambro Investment Management Limited were approximately €6,806,900 and €21,846,983, respectively; and the balances of the investment portfolio accounts of Blue Holding (1) Pte Ltd and Blue 29 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 30 of 42 Holding (2) Pte Ltd at James Hambro & Partners LLP were €10,293,343.58 and €56,962,996.26, respectively. v. The Purchase of Nigerian Par Bonds at Standard Bank by Defendant Mecosta 87. From on or about August 8, 1997, through January 27, 1998, Bagudu caused the transfer of $83 million in Security Votes Fraud proceeds from Bagudu's account at Inland Bank Nigeria, Lagos, Nigeria, to Standard Bank in London for credit to account number held in the name of Mecosta. This transfer was conducted through transactions from Inland Bank, through the CBN and into an Inland Bank Nigeria, domiciliary bank account located at Citibank (New York). These funds were then transferred out of Citibank (New York) into and out of a correspondent bank account at Barclays Bank, New York, to Standard Bank in London where they were comingled with funds already in account. 88. Bagudu and Mohammed Abacha used the funds in Mecosta's account at Standard Bank to purchase NPBs and related PAWs using a combination of cash and financing from Standard Bank, with the NPBs held as collateral. vi. The Transfer of Defendant Mecosta's NPBs from Standard Bank to Defendant Standard Alliance at Banque SBA in Paris, France 89. In late to early Standard Bank also withdrew from the emerging markets program. As a result, Bagudu and Mohammed Abacha transferred Mecosta's NPBs from Standard Bank. 90. In order to transfer the NPBs, Bagudu and Mohammed Abacha paid off the debt leveraged against those bonds by selling some of the NPBs. After the debt was paid, on February 5, Bagudu caused the transfer of NPBs worth $82 million (face value) and 30 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 31 of 42 related PAWs from Mecosta's account at Standard Bank, London to account number 223406510PUSD, held in the name of defendant Standard Alliance, located at Banque SBA. In addition, on or about February 23, 1999, Bagudu caused the transfer of approximately $2.5 million in cash from Mecosta's account at Standard Bank to bank account number 223406510PUSD, held in the name of Standard Alliance and located at Banque SBA. The transaction was conducted through Credit Lyonnaise Bank, New York. 92. On information and belief, the remaining funds held in Mecosta's account number at Standard Bank, after the NPBs and cash were transferred, were moved to account numbers 100130688 and 100138409, also in the name of Mecosta at Standard Bank. 93. On or about December 6, 2006, Standard Alliance sold a tranche of NPBs for $84,562,500. The proceeds of this sale were transferred through Credit Lyonnais, New York and were deposited back into account number 223406510PUSD, held in the name of Standard Alliance and located at Banque SBA. Coupon interest payments were also transferred from Citibank (New York) to Standard Alliance at Banque SBA and Mecosta at Standard Bank during the time when those accounts held NBPs. For example, Standard Alliance received semi-annual coupon interest payments of $2,549,687.50 between May 28, 2002, and December 5, 2006. E. Extortion i. Extortion for the Payment of a Nigerian Government Contract 94. During his regime, General Abacha dominated the government and economy of Nigeria, exercising plenary control over the military and security forces, as well as government contracting, the award of oil and gas concessions, and other lucrative government benefits. In November he stopped payment on Nigerian government contracts with foreign companies, 31 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 32 of 42 including the Dumez Group, a French civil engineering firm. Although the Dumez Group later restructured itself as a Nigerian-based company, Dumez Nigeria Limited (Dumez), it was unable to collect approximately $469 million in connection with these contracts. 95. David Umaru, an attorney and associate of the Abacha family, advised the owners of Dumez that payments could be restarted i f they agreed to kick back 25 percent of those payments to the Abacha family. Dumez agreed. Dumez entered into an agreement with Allied Network LTD, a Nigerian corporation created by Umaru to receive kickbacks for Abacha family members. Allied Network LTD was listed under "Mohammed Sani" and "Abba Sani," which referred to Mohammed Abacha and his brother Abba Abacha. 96. In December Umaru opened an account in the name of Allied Network LTD at Union Bancaire Privee (UBP) in Geneva, Switzerland. This account was used to funnel kickback payments to the Abacha organization. Dumez also opened an account at UBP to receive the payments from the Nigerian government, once they were restarted. 97. Between August and May 22, the CBN transferred to the Dumez account at UBP in Geneva. Of this amount, $97,375,543, or 25 percent, was then transferred by Dumez to Allied Network LTD for distribution to members of the Abacha organization. 98. In late Mohammed Abacha caused a total of of payments from Dumez, intended for Allied Network LTD, to be transferred into defendant account number 38175076, held in the name of "Mohammed Sani" at Midland Bank London (now HSBC Bank where it was comingled with $2.12 million in proceeds of the Security Votes Fraud that had previously been wired directly from the CBN into this account. HSBC Holdings acquired Midland Bank in 1992. In 1999 HSBC Holdings phased out the Midland Bank name in favor of HSBC Bank. 32 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 33 of 42 ii. The Laundering of the Dumez Extortion Proceeds and Transfer of the Proceeds to the Defendant HSBC Accounts 99. The transfer of the in Dumez Extortion proceeds to defendant account number 38175076 at Midland Bank London occurred through financial institutions in the United States. The funds in defendant account number 38175076 at Midland Bank London were deposited into two of the defendant accounts, each held in the name of "Mohammed Sani," as follows: (a) Wire transfers of $2,500,000 on or about July 14, 1997, $5,000,000 on or about January 15, 1998, and $1,000,000 on or about June 10, 1998, into and out of a correspondent bank account at Chase Manhattan Bank, New York, and then into and out of a correspondent bank account at Bankers Trust Company, New York, to account 04-082-437 at Midland Bank Offshore Limited, which is now known as account number S-104460 at HSBC Fund Administration (Jersey) Limited; and (b) Wire transfers of $1,000,000, and $3,000,000 on or about June 9, 1998, into and out of a correspondent bank account at Marine Midland Bank, New York, to account number 37060762 in the name of Mohammed Sani at Midland Life International Limited, which is now held at HSBC Life (Europe). V. BASIS FOR FORFEITURE 101. At all times relevant to this complaint, conduct constituting theft; conversion; fraud; extortion; and the misappropriation, theft, or embezzlement of public funds by or for the benefit of a public official were criminal offenses under Nigerian law, as enumerated in the Nigerian Criminal and Penal Codes, including but not limited to Nigerian Criminal Code Act 33 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 34 of 42 1990, CAP.77, Part 3, Chapters 12 and 34, and the Nigerian Penal Code Law 1963, CAP. 89 Chapters X, and XIX. Copies of relevant provisions are set forth in Attachment A. 102. As described below, the following entities were used by Abacha and his associates to execute these financial transactions, and each constitutes a "financial institution," as defined under 31 § 5312(a)(2) for purposes of 18 § 1956 and 1957: (a) ANZ Banking Group, New York; (b) Bankers Trust Company, New York; (c) Barclays Bank, New York; (d) Citibank NA, New York; (e) Chase Manhattan Bank, New York; (f) Chemical Bank, New York; AG, New York; (h) Marine Midland Bank, New York HSBC USA, NA); and (i) Morgan Guaranty Trust Company, New York (now JP Morgan Chase). FIRST CLAIM FOR FORFEITURE (18 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1)(A)) Paragraphs above, are incorporated by reference as i f fully set forth herein. 104. Pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1)(A), "[a]ny property, real or personal, involved in a transaction or attempted transaction in violation of sections 1956 [or] 1957... of [Title 18], or any property traceable to such property" is to forfeiture to the United States. 105. Title United States Code, Section 1957 imposes a criminal penalty on any person who, "[k]knowingly engages or attempts to engage in a monetary transaction in criminally derived property of a value greater than and is derived from specified 34 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 35 of 42 unlawful activity." A "monetary transaction" includes the "deposit, withdrawal, transfer or exchange, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, of funds or a monetary instrument.. through, or to a financial institution." U.S.C. § 1957(f)(1). 106. For the purposes of 18 U.S.C. § 1957, the term "specified unlawful activity" includes the transportation, transmission, or transfer in interstate or foreign commerce of $5,000 or more in securities or money that is known by the defendant to have been stolen, converted, or taken by fraud in violation of U.S.C. § 107. For the purposes of 18 U.S.C. § 1957, the term "specified unlawful activity" also includes the receipt, possession, concealment, storage, sale, or disposal "of securities or money of a value of $5,000 or more," or the pledge or acceptance "as security for a loan any goods . . . or securities, of the value of $500 or more, which have crossed a State or United States boundary after being stolen, unlawfully converted, or taken, knowing the same to have been stolen, unlawfully converted, or taken" in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2315. 108. As set forth above, the following defendants rem constitute property involved in money laundering transactions and attempted money laundering transactions in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957, and therefore are subject to forfeiture pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1)(A): (a) All assets held in account number 80020796, in the name of Doraville Properties Corporation, at Deutsche Bank International, Limited in the Bailiwick of Jersey, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto; (b) All assets held in account number S-104460, in the name of Mohammed Sani, at HSBC Fund Administration (Jersey) Limited, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto; (c) All assets held in account number in the name of Standard Alliance Financial Services Limited at Banque SBA in Paris, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto; 35 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 42 All assets held in account number 223405880IUSD, in the name of Rayville International at Banque SBA in Paris, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto; All assets held in account numbers 100130688 and 100138409, in the name of Mecosta Securities, at Standard Bank in London, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto; All assets held in the name of Blue Holding (1) Pte. Ltd., on behalf of or traceable to Ridley Group Limited and/or the Ridley Trust, located at J.O. Hambro Investment Management Limited, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto; All assets held in the name of Blue Holding (2) Pte. Ltd., on behalf of or traceable to Ridley Group Limited and/or the Ridley Trust, located at J.O. Hambro Investment Management Limited, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto; All assets held in the name of Blue Holding (1) Pte. Ltd., on behalf of or traceable to Ridley Group Limited and/or the Ridley Trust, located at James Hambro & Partners LLP, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto; and All assets held in the name of Blue Holding (2) Pte. Ltd., on behalf of or traceable to Ridley Group Limited and/or the Ridley Trust, located at James Hambro & Partners LLP, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto. SECOND CLAIM FOR FORFEITURE (18 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1)(A)) 109. Paragraphs 1-102, 104 and 105 are incorporated by reference as i f fully set forth herein. For purposes of 18 U.S.C. § 1957, "specified unlawful activity" is defined in U.S.C. § 1956(c)(7)(B)(iv) to include foreign offenses involving "the misappropriation, theft or embezzlement of public funds by or for the benefit of a public official." As set forth above, the following defendants in rem constitute property involved in money laundering transactions and attempted money laundering transactions in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957, and therefore are subject to forfeiture pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1)(A): 36 (e) (g) (i) Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 37 of 42 (a) All assets held in number 80020796, in the name of Doraville Properties Corporation, at Deutsche Bank International, Limited in the Bailiwick of Jersey, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto; (b) All assets held in account number in the name of Standard Alliance Financial Services Limited at Banque SBA in Paris, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto; (c) All assets held in account numbers 100130688 and 100138409, in the name of Mecosta Securities, at Standard Bank in London, and interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto; (d) All assets held in the name of Blue Holding (1) Pte. Ltd., on behalf of or traceable to Ridley Group Limited and/or the Ridley Trust, located at J.O. Hambro Investment Management Limited, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto; (e) All assets held in the name of Blue Holding (2) Pte. Ltd., on behalf of or traceable to Ridley Group Limited and/or the Ridley Trust, located at J.O. Hambro Investment Management Limited, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto; (f) All assets held in the name of Blue Holding (1) Pte. Ltd., on behalf of or traceable to Ridley Group Limited and/or the Ridley Trust, located at James Hambro & Partners LLP, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto; and (g) All assets held in the name of Blue Holding (2) Pte. Ltd., on behalf of or traceable to Ridley Group Limited and/or the Ridley Trust, located at James Hambro & Partners LLP, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto. THIRD CLAIM FOR FORFEITURE (18 U.S.C. § 981 (a)(1)(A)) Paragraphs 1-102, 104, 105 -107 and are incorporated by reference as i f fully set forth herein. Title 18, United States Code, Section 1956(h) imposes a criminal penalty on any person who conspires to commit any offense defined in 18 U.S.C. § 1956 or 1957. 37 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 42 As set forth above, the following defendants in rem were involved in a conspiracy to commit money laundering transactions and attempted money laundering transactions in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h) and 1957, and therefore are subject to forfeiture pursuant to 18 U.S.C. 981(a)(1)(A): (a) All assets held in account number 80020796, in the name of Doraville Properties Corporation, at Deutsche Bank International, Limited in the Bailiwick of Jersey, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto; (b) All assets held in account number 04460, in the name of Mohammed Sani, at HSBC Fund Administration (Jersey) Limited, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto; (c) All assets held in account number 223405880IUSD, in the name of Rayville International at Banque SBA in Paris, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto; (d) All assets held in account number OPUSD, in the name of Standard Alliance Financial Services Limited at Banque SBA in Paris, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto; (e) All assets held in account numbers 100130688 and 100138409, in the name of Mecosta Securities, at Standard Bank in London, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto; (f) All assets held in the name of Blue Holding (1) Pte. Ltd., on behalf of or traceable to Ridley Group Limited and/or the Ridley Trust, located at J.O. Hambro Investment Management Limited, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto; (g) All assets held in the name of Blue Holding (2) Pte. Ltd., on behalf of or traceable to Ridley Group Limited and/or the Ridley Trust, located at J.O. Hambro Investment Management Limited, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto; (h) All assets held in the name of Blue Holding (1) Pte. Ltd., on behalf of or traceable to Ridley Group Limited and/or the Ridley Trust, located at James Hambro & Partners LLP, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto; and (i) All assets held in the name of Blue Holding (2) Pte. Ltd., on behalf of or traceable to Ridley Group Limited and/or the Ridley Trust, located at James Hambro & Partners LLP, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto. 38 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 39 of 42 FOURTH CLAIM FOR FORFEITURE (18 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1)(A)) Paragraphs 1-102, 104, 105 -107, and are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. As set forth above, the following defendants in rem constitute property involved in money laundering transactions and attempted money laundering transactions, and were involved in a conspiracy to commit money laundering transactions and attempted money laundering transactions in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(h) and 1957, and therefore are subject to forfeiture pursuant to U.S.C. § 981(a)(1)(A): (a) Doraville Properties Corporation, a corporate entity registered in the British Virgin Islands, together with all its assets and all property traceable thereto; (b) Mecosta Securities, Inc., a corporate entity registered in the British Virgin Islands, together with all its assets and all property traceable thereto; (c) Rayville International, SA, a corporate entity registered in the British Virgin Islands, together with all its assets and all property traceable thereto; (d) Ridley Group Limited, a corporate entity registered in the British Virgin Islands, together with its assets and all property traceable thereto; and (e) Standard Alliance Financial Services Limited, a corporate entity registered in the British Virgin Islands, together with all its assets and all property traceable FIFTH CLAIM FOR FORFEITURE (18 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1)(A)) Paragraphs 1-102, 104 and 105 are incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. For purposes of 18 U.S.C. § 1957, "specified unlawful activity" is defined in U.S.C. § 1956(c)(7)(B)(ii) to include foreign offenses involving extortion. 39 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 40 of 42 As set forth above, the following defendants in rem constitute property involved in money laundering transactions and attempted money laundering transactions in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1957, and therefore are subject to forfeiture pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 981(a)(1)(A): (a) All assets held in account number in the name of Mohammed Sani at HSBC Bank and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto; (b) All assets held in account number S-104460, in the name of Mohammed Sani, at HSBC Fund Administration (Jersey) Limited, and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto; and (c) All assets held at HSBC Life (Europe) formerly held in account number 37060762 in the name of Mohammed Sani at Midland Life International Limited and all interest, benefits, or assets traceable thereto. 40 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 41 of 42 PRAYER FOR RELIEF WHEREFORE, Plaintiff requests that judgment be entered in its favor against the defendant properties; that pursuant to law, notice be provided to all interested parties to appear and show cause why the forfeiture should not be decreed; that the defendant properties be forfeited to the United States of America and delivered into its custody for disposition according to law; that the Plaintiff be awarded its costs and disbursements in this action; and for such and further relief as this Court may deem just and proper. Respectfully submitted, JAIKUMAR RAMASWAMY, CHIEF ASSET FORFEITURE AND MONEY LAUNDERING SECTION By: /s/ Elizabeth A. DANIEL H. CLAMAN Assistant Deputy Chief ELIZABETH A. ALOI Trial Attorney Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section Criminal Division U.S. Department of Justice 1400 New York Avenue, NW, 10th Floor Washington, DC 20530 Tel: (202) 514-1263 Fax: (202)514-5522 Attorneys for Plaintiff UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 41 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 1 Filed 11/18/13 Page 42 of 42 VERIFICATION I , Debra LaPrevotte, am a Supervisory Special Agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and a case agent assigned responsibility for this case. I have read the contents of the foregoing Verified Complaint for Forfeiture In Rem, and the statements contained therein are true to the best of my knowledge and belief, and I base my knowledge for this verification of the Complaint for Forfeiture In Rem on the following: (a) Information I have learned during, or been given by special agents of the FBI and other law enforcement officials who participated in the investigation of Nigerian General Ibrahim Abacha, Mohammed Abubakar Bagudu and other individuals engaged in illegal fraud schemes involving the Federal Republic of Nigeria and others; (b) My review of the interviews and testimony of various cooperating witnesses, my knowledge of other such interviews, relating to the investigation of General Sani Ibrahim Mohammed Abubakar Bagudu and other individuals engaged in illegal fraud schemes involving the Federal Republic of Nigeria; and (c) My experience in foreign corruption, fraud and embezzlement investigations, and the experience of other law enforcement officers related to foreign corruption, fraud, and embezzlement investigations. I declare under penalty of perjury as provided by 28 U.S.C. § 1746 that the foregoing is true and correct. Executed this day of November, Debra LaPrevotte Supervisory Special Agent Federal Bureau of Investigation 42 Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 7-1 Filed 02/19/14 Page 1 of 6 ATTACHMENT A: SELECT EXCERPTS OF APPLICABLE NIGERIAN LAW Nigerian Criminal Code, Act CAP. 77 3 Offences against the Administration of Law and Justice and against Public Authority Chapter and Abuse of Office 98. (1) Any public official (as defined in section (a) corruptly asks for, receives or obtains any property or benefit of any kind for himself or any other person; or corruptly agrees to attempts to receive or obtain any property or benefit of any kind for himself or any other person, on account (i) anything already done or omitted, or any favour or disfavour already shown to any person, by himself in the discharge of his official duties or in relation to any matter connected with the functions, affairs or business of a Government department, public body or other organisation or institution in which he is serving as a public official, or (ii) anything to be afterwards done or omitted, or any favour or disfavour to be afterwards shown to any person, by himself in the discharge of his official duties or in relation to any such matter as aforesaid, is guilty of the felony of official corruption and is liable to imprisonment for seven years. * * * 98A. Any person (a) corruptly gives, confers or procures any property or benefit of any kind to, on or for a public official (as defined in section 98D) or to, on or for any other person; or (b) corruptly promises or offers to give or confer or to procure or attempt to procure any property or benefit of any kind to, on or for a public official or to, on or for any other person,on account of any such act, omission, favour or disfavour on the part of the public official as is mentioned in section 98(l)(i) or (ii), is guilty of the felony of official corruption and is liable to imprisonment for seven years. Any person Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 7-1 Filed 02/19/14 Page 2 of 6 (a) corruptly asks for, receives or obtains any property or benefit of any kind for himself or any other person; or (b) corruptly agrees to attempts to receive or obtain any property or benefit of any kind for himself or any other person, on account (i) anything already done or omitted, or any favour or disfavour already shown on the part of the public official (as defined in section in the discharge of his official duties or in relation to any matter connected with the functions, affairs or business of a Government department, public body or other organisation is mentioned in section 98(l)(i) or (ii), is guilty of the felony of official corruption or institution in which the public official is serving as such; or (ii) anything to be afterwards done or omitted, or any favour or disfavour to be afterwards shown to any person, by a public official in the discharge of his official duties or in relation to any such matter as aforesaid, is guilty of the felony of official corruption and is liable to imprisonment for seven years. * 98D. In sections 98 to 98B, "public official" means any person employed in public service (within the meaning of that expression as defined in section 1(1)) 99. (Extortion) Any person who, being employed in the public service, takes, Or accepts from any person, for the performance of his duty as such officer, any reward beyond his proper pay and emoluments, or any promise of such reward, is guilty of a felony, and is liable to imprisonment for three years. * * * 6 Offences Relating to Property and Contracts Division and Like Offenses Chapter Every inanimate thing whatever which is the property of any person, and which is movable, is capable of being stolen. (1) A person who fraudulently takes anything capable of being stolen, or fraudulently converts to his own use or to the use of any other person anything capable of being stolen, is said to steal that thing. Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 7-1 Filed 02/19/14 Page 3 of 6 (2) A person who takes or converts anything capable of being stolen is deemed to do so fraudulently i f he does so with any of the following (a) an intent permanently to deprive the owner of the thing of it; (b) an intent permanently to deprive any person who has any special property in the thing of such property; (c) an intent to use the thing as a pledge or security; (d) an intent to part with it on a condition as to its return which the person taking or converting it may be unable to perform; (e) an intent to deal with in such a manner that it cannot be returned in the condition in which was at the time of the taking or conversion; (f) in the case of money, an intent to use at the will of the person who takes or converts it, although he may intend afterwards to repay the amount to the owner. The term "special property" includes any charge or lien upon the thing in question, and any right arising from or dependent upon holding possession of the thing in question, whether by the person entitled to such right or by some other person for his benefit. (3) The taking or conversion may be fraudulent, although it is effected without secrecy or attempt at concealment. (4) In the case of conversion, it is immaterial whether the thing converted is taken for the purpose of conversion, or whether it is at the time of the conversion in the possession of the person who converts it. It is also immaterial that the person who converts the property is the holder of a power of attorney for the disposition of it, or is authorized to dispose of the property. * * * 390. Any person who steals anything capable of being stolen is guilty of a felony, and is liable, i f no other punishment is provided, to imprisonment, to imprisonment for three years. Punishment in Special Cases * * (5) If the offender is a person employed in the public service and the thing stolen is the property of the State, or came into the possession of the offender by virtue of his employment, he is liable to imprisonment for seven years. Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 7-1 Filed 02/19/14 6 Nigerian Penal Code Law CAP. 89 (1987) Chapter X - Offences By or Relating to Public Servants Whoever being or expecting to be a public servant accepts or obtains or agrees to accept or attempts to obtain from any person for himself or for any other person any gratification whatever whether pecuniary or otherwise, other than lawful remuneration, as a motive or (a) for doing or forbearing to do any official act; or (b) for showing or forbearing to show in the exercise of his official functions favour or disfavour to any person; or (c) for rendering or attempting to render any service or disservice to any person with any department of the public service or with any public servant as such, shall be (/) with imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years or with or with both[.] Whoever accepts or obtains agrees to accept or attempts to obtain from any person for himself or for any other person any gratification whatever whether pecuniary or otherwise as a motive or reward for inducing by corrupt or illegal means any public (a) to do or forbear to do any official act; or (b) in the exercise of the official functions of such public servant to show favour or disfavour to any person; or (c) to render or attempt to render any service or disservice to any person with any department of the public service or with any public servant as such, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with fine or with both[.] Whoever being a public servant, in respect of whom an offence under section is committed, abets the offence, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years or with or both. * * Chapter XIX - Offences Against Property Theft 286. Whoever intending to take dishonestly any movable property out of the possession of any person without that person's consent, moves that property in order to take it is said to commit theft. Case Document 7-1 Filed 02/19/14 6 287. Whoever commits theft shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to years or with or with both. * Criminal 308. Whoever dishonestly misappropriates or converts to his own use any movable property, commits criminal misappropriation. 309. Whoever commits theft shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to two years or with or with both. * * Criminal Breach of Trust Whoever, being in any manner entrusted with property or with any dominion over property, dishonestly misappropriates or converts to his own use that property or dishonestly uses or disposes of that property in of an direction of law prescribing the mode in which such trust is to be discharged or of any legal contract express or implied, which he has made touching the discharge of such trust, or wilfully suffers any other person so to do, commits criminal breach of trust. 312. Whoever commits theft shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to seven years or with fine or with both. * Receiving Stolen Property Property, the possession whereof has been transferred by theft or by extortion or by robbery, and property, which has been criminally misappropriated or in respect of which criminal breach of trust has been committed, is stolen property, whether the transfer has been made or misappropriation of breach of trust has been committed within the Northern States or elsewhere[.] Whoever dishonestly receives or retains any stolen property knowing or having reason to believe the same to be stolen property, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to fourteen years or with fine or with both. * Case l:13-cv-01832-JDB Document 7-1 Filed 02/19/14 Page 6 of 6 Whoever voluntarily assists in concealing or disposing of or making away with property which he knows to be stolen property, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to years or with or with both. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Why Nigeria'll Not Break Up Under Jonathan's Watch - Clark By Ikenna Asomba, 28 February 2014 Elder statesman and Ijaw Leader, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark was the guest lecturer at the 7th Distinguished Lecture Series of School of Media and Communication, Pan Atlantic University, Victoria Island, Lagos, last Wednesday. He spoke on burning national issues including the raging Boko Haram insurgency, war against graft and comments that Nigeria may disintegrate before 2015 among others. CHronicling the history of Nigeria dating back to the 1914 amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorates, Clark said that propositions that the nation will disintegrate should be totally disregarded, as what is playing out in the country today is only a tussle for political power. He said: "We have been together for the past 100 years. It was in 1914 that Lord Lugard amalgamated the Northern and the Southern protectorates. Don't ask me why the amalgamation because I do not want to dwell on that. But firstly, it is apt to note that there was a true federation particularly in 1961. Among Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and the Sarduana of Sokoto, Ahmadu Bello, there was a federation and these premiers agreed that there was going to be a federation where everybody will be equal. We are going to have a federation where every component and region will be allowed to develop at its own pace. Then, these three leaders were able to develop their own region. "It was in 1956 that the late Chief Anthony Enahoro moved a motion in the Parliament that there should be independence, but the Northerners said no, that we were not ready. So, when they came out of the Parliament, they were booed and jeered at. And the northerners vowed never to come to Lagos again. Then, this was followed up by the independence in 1960, Nigeria did not break. Even in 1966, five majors in the Army decided to plot a coup that saw many people killed, including Tafawa Balewa, the Sarduana of Sokoto, Chief Akintola, Chief Okotie-Eboh and some soldiers. All these played out and Gen. Yakubu Gowon came into power but Nigeria did not break... "Even in 1967, there was a civil war which claimed so many lives because the Igbo felt they were marginalized and therefore they fought for a cause. Under Odumegwu Ojukwu, they seceded from Nigeria, but Gowon insisted that Nigeria must remain one. After the war that ensued, Nigeria became more stronger and united, the Igbo were re-integrated into the country because Gowon declared that there was no victor, no vanquished. Since then, so many things have happened, but Nigeria did not break. "When in 1914 Lord Lugard amalgamated the Northern and Southern protectorates, he did not say one would be superior to the other; he did not say one would rule Nigeria forever. Massive support The Northerners have ruled this country for 38 years, military and civilian, whereas others have ruled for just 16 years. The Igbo have just ruled for 6 months, but heaven did not fall. Now that the South-South who has not been there before is now there, heaven wants to fall." He recalled the 1979 election, saying the South-South massively supported Alhaji Shehu Shagari, a northerner and NPN candidate, and has always supported the North and other regions for the Presidency noting that there was no reason the South-South, a minority, will not be supported to complete its tenure of eight years in the presidency. Jonathan has right to re-contest elections: Speaking further, Clark said that Section 137 of the 1999 constitution allows the President to go for two terms of four years each. "So, it is an aberration for anybody to say that Jonathan does not have the right to re-contest in 2015 presidential elections. Section 137 guarantees the President the right to go for two terms of four years. President Jonathan was only a running mate to the late President Musa Ya'Adua in the 2007 elections. He only contested as President in 2011, therefore, it is a mix-up to say that Jonathan's tenure started in 2007." Obnoxious statements: Describing statements credited to General Muhamadu Buhari, Adamu Ciroma and Asari Dokubo that there will be war if Jonathan wins or does not win the 2015 elections, Clark said they are not enough to break the country. His words: "So, when you are talking about Nigeria in the shadow of 2015, I am very optimistic that nothing will happen to our dear country. I don't see Nigeria breaking in 2015. People are just saying this because two American scholars who conducted a research some years back, postulated that Nigeria is in a balance or that Nigeria will break. They based their postulation on jostling for political power and the small arms being imported into this country. Now certain obnoxious statements have been made by the likes of Buhari, Geidam, Alhaji Suleiman, Adamu Ciroma, Asari Dokubo and others that there will be war, bloodshed, that there will be no Nigeria, if Jonathan wins or does not win the 2015 elections. These statements which support the assertion by the American scholars is not enough to break Nigeria. Let it also be known that I, E.K. Clark openly responded to the National Assembly, especially the Hon. Aminu Tambuwal-led House of Representatives not to play double standards. When the House ordered the Inspector General of Police to arrest and investigate Asari Dokubo, who was only reacting to the statements of some northern elements who are threatening to make the country ungovernable if Jonathan wins the 2015 election, it was my open letter that made the matter die down till date." On Corruption: "Jonathan has done a lot in fighting corruption in this country. Looking at the issue of fuel subsidy, even the son of the former Chairman of his party was prosecuted. But however, I suggest that with the political will he has to fight corruption, that a Corruption tribunal should be set up, to charge criminals who steal our public funds, no matter how highly placed they are. This is being done in other countries. It pains me that most corrupt Nigerians still work freely in the streets. Rather than keeping shut, they go about accusing the present administration of corruption. Take for instance, the suspended CBN governor, who has been playing a holy than thou attitude, it has just been made known that he was involved in financial recklessness at the CBN. Sanusi should not be allowed to go scot free. He should be made to go to jail, if found wanting after ongoing investigations. Boko-Haram challenge: Reacting to Tuesday's killing of students of Federal Government Girls College in Yobe State, by the deadly Islamist sect, Boko Haram, Clark affirmed that all hands needed to be on deck in combating the insurgency which has claimed many lives and properties. He however blamed the insurgency to statements credited to some northerners that Nigeria will be ungovernable if Jonathan wins the 2011 Presidential elections. "I think the federal government has been making frantic efforts to contain this insurgency. Government recently created a new army division to support the armed forces that are there already. These insurgents are terrorists, because they have already been brain-washed that when they kill, Allah (God Almighty) will reward them after death in heaven, with seven virgins which is all fallacy. One major challenge is the issue of genocide. Because when the Jonathan administration uses full force like Obasanjo did, so many innocent Nigerians will be killed." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: My Problem With Northern Leaders, By Oritsejafor By Emma Amaize, 24 February 2014 Warri — PRESIDENT of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayodele Oritsejafor, has said that his problem with most Northern political and religious leaders was that they were not doing enough to dissuade Boko Haram terrorists from the spate of unprovoked attacks on Christians and the country in general. Speaking when Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer, CSO, to ex-Head of State, Late General Sani Abacha, led a team of Nigerians, under the aegis of Al-Mustapha Peace, Unity and Development Initiative, on a courtesy visit to him in Warri, Delta State, Oritsejafor accused Northern leaders of showing little concern for the plight of southerners affected in the crisis. Al-Mustapha informed the CAN President that he was in Warri to seek his understanding and support for peace and unity in the country in the face of the siege to some northern parts of the country and killing of innocent persons by Boko Haram. He said one of the shocking findings by his group was that some individuals were investing in crisis in the country and were at the moment sponsoring propaganda against him and his team for seeking the return of peace and unity in the country. Pastor Oritsejafor, who said he was impressed by Al-Mustapha's peace efforts, said about eight years ago, he personally drove to Asaba to deliver materials to Northerners that fled Onitsha and other parts of the East, when angry Easterners, on sighting the corpses of their kinsmen that were slaughtered by insurgents in the North, rose against them. "There must be a way of reaching out to these displaced persons. Look at what is happening in Borno State. It is happening to both Christians and Muslims, but when you listen to the leader of these insurgents, Abubakar Shekau, he said in the last message that they are after Christians and anywhere they find them, they will kill them." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: More Reactions Trail Sanusi's Removal By Abdulwahab Abdulah, 21 February 2014 Reserve Bank Governor Lamido Sanusi. Eminent Nigerians have continued to express divergent views over the removal of the Central Bank Governor,CBN, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi from office. Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and Lagos lawyer, Mr. Bamidele Aturu condemned the removal of the CBN Governor, saying it was a distraction which can only contribute to shifting the focus of the government from finding the missing $20 billion oil money. However, Lagos-based Senior Advocate, Chief Ladi Rotimi-Williams said the removal of Sanusi is "long overdue." SERAP in a statement, by its executive director, Adetokunbo Mumuni said: "The government should not politicise the fight against corruption. Our concern remains the urgent, thorough, transparent and effective investigation into allegations that $20 billion oil money is missing from the account of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). "If it is true that the suspension is linked with Sanusi's public disclosure of the missing funds, SERAP believes that this will be clearly wrong and contrary to the government's obligations under the UN Convention against Corruption to target a whistle-blower simply for public information in the public domain. "No one should be victimized for contributing to the fight against corruption, which is the moral and legal responsibility of any serious, open and people's oriented government. "Unless the government comes clean about what exactly has happened to the $20 billion missing oil money, the NNPC will remain unaccountable to Nigerians for its action. This will not be consistent with the attitude of a government establishment funded with tax payers' money. "The government's action in finding the missing money and punishing suspected perpetrators is critical if it is to enjoy the trust and confidence of Nigerians in the fight against corruption." Aturu in a statement titled: 'Purported Suspension of CBN Governor: An offensive illegality', said: "It is unsurpassed in its blatant illegality and immorality. So, as far as the law goes, the purported suspension of the Governor is unwarranted. Section 11 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 2007 clearly lists the instances when the Governor or any of his Deputies can cease to remain in office. "For the avoidance of any doubt whatsoever, none of such instances include suspension by the President. The only mention of the word 'suspension' is in section 11(1)(d) and that relates to the removal of the Governor when he or she is disqualified or suspended from practicing his or her profession in Nigeria. "Of course, the illegal suspension of the Governor is not from a professional body and is not at all contemplated by the law", he noted. The activist pointed out that the only occasion the President can recommend the removal of the Governor or exercise any disciplinary control over him is under section 11(1)(f) and that recommendation must be supported by two-thirds majority of the Senate before he can be removed. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Outrage Trails Lamido Sanusi's Suspension By Bukola Idowu, Chima Akwaja, George Agba, NSE Anthony-Uko, Olushola Bello and Olaolu Oladipo, Weneso Orogun, 21 February 2014 Reserve Bank Governor Lamido Sanusi. In an unprecedented action by the federal government, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday removed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, who was in neighbouring Niger Republic where he was attending a meeting of West African central bank governors. Though the presidency called its action "suspension from office", Nigerians from different walks of life have expressed divergent views on Sanusi's removal. Many individuals and groups who spoke to LEADERSHIP yesterday expressed anger over his sudden removal, insisting that he was being punished because of his revelations about the unremitted $20 billion oil revenue by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Sanusi, who was away on official assignment in Niamey, the capital of Niger Republic, when his suspension was announced, returned to the country later in the day only to be accosted by members of the State Security Service (SSS) and questioned for several hours. Sanusi vows to challenge suspension, hands over to Alade in Niamey But in a swift reaction to the development , Sanusi said yesterday that he would go to court to determine the propriety of the president's power to suspend him. Sanusi, who said he was not interested in returning to the CBN top job, however, said he was challenging the suspension to establish the independence of the CBN governor. Speaking during an interview with CNBC Africa, Sanusi said: "There may also be the legal issue of whether the president, who does not have the power to remove the governor, has the power to suspend him or whether it is suspension and not removal. I do plan to have the court confirm if indeed that authority exists and I will challenge it. "Even if I challenged it, I am not going back to the job; certainly I will not go back, but I think it will be in the interest of the institution to crosscheck once and for all whether the Presidency has the power to do that. The reason is that if it is not challenged, then, the next CBN governor cannot be independent for fear of being suspended by politicians." Sanusi also said he had already handed over to Dr Sarah Alade, who was in Niamey with him when he got the news of his suspension. According to him, he was in Niamey, Niger, to attend a meeting of West African central bank governors when he received the news and immediately he left the meeting and handed over to Alade, who was with him at the meeting. He said, "I flew this morning to Niamey along with other governors of West African central banks to meet with the presidents of Niger and Ghana as part of the working group of the West African Currency Zone. Fortunately, I came in with my DG, Sarah Alade, whom I was asked to hand over to. I left the meeting and handed over to her. I have... met with the Nigerian ambassador to Niger who told me that the Presidency asked him to inform me of the decision. But Jonathan yesterday released a fresh set of allegations against Sanusi as reason for his suspension, besides the initial allegations of financial recklessness and misconduct levelled against him earlier. Special adviser to President Jonathan on media and publicity Dr Reuben Abati, at a press conference with State House correspondents in Abuja, said the particulars of misdeeds of Sanusi included persistent refusal and/or negligence to comply with the Public Procurement Act in the procurement practices of the CBN. Jonathan nominates Emefiele as new CBN gov Jonathan has however nominated the Zenith Bank managing director and chief executive , Godwin Emefiele, to replace Sanusi. The federal government led by President Jonathan had, in a letter to the Senate president, David Mark, and read on the floor of the Senate prayed the upper house to approve Emefiele's appointment. When his appointment is approved by the Senate, Emefiele will emerge as the 11th governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. The president also nominated an executive director of First Bank, Mr Adelabu Adebayo, as deputy governor to replace Tunde Lemo who retired from the apex bank recently. Meanwhile, former president of Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria Okechukwu Unegbu has said the appointment of Mr Emefiele by President Jonathan is illegal and contradictory. Unegbu said the nomination is illegal because Sanusi has not been removed from office, adding that even when someone is acting, Sanusi still remains the CBN governor until June 2014. Explaining that the removal of CBN Governor can only be determined by a 2/3 majority in the Senate, he noted that the Naira will take a backseat in the foreign exchange market because of the uncertainty in the economy. According to Abati, some of the alleged financial infractions include: 1. Persistent refusal and/or negligence to comply with section 15 (1)(a) of the Public Procurement Act in the procurement practices of the Central Bank of Nigeria; hence, acting in an unlawful manner and promoting a governance regime characterised by financial recklessness, waste and impunity, as demonstrated by the contents of its 2012 Financial Statements. 2. Reckless and unlawful expenditure by the leadership of the Central Bank of Nigeria on 'Intervention Projects' across the country. 3. Financial infractions and acts of financial recklessness committed by the Central Bank as reflected in its audited financial statements of 2012. 4. Inability of the CBN to prepare its financial statements using applicable International Financial Reporting Standards (IFFS), whereas Deposit Money Banks that the CBN is supervising have complied with this national requirement since 2012. This laxity calls to question CBN's capacity for proper corporate governance, as it sends wrong signals to both domestic and international investors on the state of the Nigerian economy. 5. Breaching in a material manner the provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by the CBN and other Deposit Money Banks on Banking Resolution Sinking Fund, particularly the refusal by the apex bank to constitute a Board of Trustees (BOT) to manage the Fund since 2010 when it was established and its continued utilisation of the Fund for certain operations without approval of the said BOT. 6. Acquiring 7% shares of International Islamic Management Corporation of Malaysia to the tune of N0.743 billion without bringing this transaction to Mr. President's attention or a board approval obtained before it was entered into in disregard to section 34 (b) of the CBN Act 2007 which provides that the CBN shall not, except as provided in Section 31 of the Act, inter alia, purchase the shares of any corporation of company, unless an entity set up by the approval or authority of the Federal Government. 7. Failing to implement the provisions of the Personal Income Tax (Amendment) Act 2007, thus effectively assisting its staff to evade tax despite the generous wage package in the CBN, relative to other sectors of the economy. 8. Spending N3.086 billion on "promotional activities" in 2012 (up from N1.084 billion in 2011) even when the CBN is not in competition with any other institution in Nigeria. 9. Claiming to have expended N20.202 billion on 'Legal and Professional Fees' in 2011 beyond all reasonable standards of prudence and accountability as well as claiming to have spent N1.257 billion in 2012 between expenses on 'Private Guards' and 'Lunch for Policemen'. 10. Breaching section 6(3)(c) of the CBN Act 2007 provides that the board of the CBN is to make recommendations to Mr. President on the rate of renumeration to Auditors and even going to the extent of changing one of the Joint External Auditors without notifying the office of the President. 11. Offering a breakdown of 'Currency Issue Expenses' for 2011 and 2012. Interestingly, it claimed to have paid N38.233 billion to the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company Limited (NSPMC) in 2011 for 'Printing of Banknotes when paradoxically, however, in the same 2011, NSPMC reported a total turnover of N29.370 billion for all its transactions with all clients (including the CBN). 12. Claiming that CBN paid Air Charter, such as paid to Emirate Airline (N0.511 billion), Wing Airline (N0.425 billion) and Associated Airline (N1.025 billion) to distribute currency by air nationwide, when in essence Emirate Airline does not fly local charter in Nigeria. Wing Airline is not registered with Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority and Associated Airline does not have a billion turnover for 2011 because upon enquiry, the management claimed that they have no financial statements and have not had any significant operations for the past two years that will warrant preparation of financial statements. 13. Difficulties in understanding CBN breakdown such as "Currency Issue Expenses" of N1.158 billion and Sundry Currency charges of N1.678 billion under "Currency Issue Expenses." As they are in 2011 so are similar expenses in 2012. 14. Foreign Bank accounts that have been closed offshore were still operational in the General Ledger for over six months after they have been confirmed as closed accounts by the offshore banks. 15. CBN's failure to properly follow "Know Your Customer" policy to the extent that the apex bank had unknown customer with account balance of N1.423 billion since 2008, while claiming that they are taking steps to obtain the required details regarding the address of the customer. 16. Wasteful training and travel expenses to the tune of N9.24 billion in 2012 up from N7.65 billion in 2011 and expenses on "ATM offsite policy change" coming to N1.045 billion. 17. Apart from expenses on "Non Interest Banking" N1.359 billion in 2012 up from N0.977billion in 2011, the CBN is still very heavy on expenses on "Project Eagles" spending N0.606 billion in 2012 up from N63million in 2011. 18. Spending N1.678 billion in 2012 up from N1.670 billion in 2011 on newspapers, books and periodicals (excluding CBN's publications). APC faults Sanusi's removal The All Progressives Congress (APC) has faulted the suspension of Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as governor of the CBN. In its reaction yesterday, the APC in a statement by its interim national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the move is "patently illegal, poorly thought-out and in bad taste". According to the statement made available to LEADERSHIP yesterday, the APC in appraising the situation noted that the action will definitely have negative consequences for the nation's economy if allowed to pass. Mohammed on behalf the party also said the action is the clearest indication yet that President Jonathan, whose body language does not abhor corruption, is willing to silence any whistle-blower, no matter his or her status. "As the country wallows in unprecedented corruption under the rudderless and corruption-hugging Jonathan administration, the president may have finally decided to send a strong signal to all Nigerians that it will not tolerate any exposure of corruption under any circumstance. What better way to do this than to silence the man who has exposed the alleged missing 20 billion dollars in the NNPC accounts?" it said. APC also stated that Sanusi's suspension has also depicted President Jonathan as a leader who does not care if he destroys national institutions on the altar of personal ego and political expediency. "First it was the judiciary which came under his sledge hammer, when he suspended then president of the Court of Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami, just to satisfy the hawks in his party. Then, it is the turn of the National Assembly, the police and now the financial sector. President Jonathan should not destroy our institutions before he bows out of office next year," the party stated. Quoting Section 11 (f) of the CBN Act 2007 that empowers the president to remove the CBN governor, the APC reasoned that the section is clear that he can only do so if he has the support of two-thirds majority of the Senate. "Nowhere in the Act is it said that the president can suspend the CBN governor, as he has done in another of his serial rape of the country's laws," it said, adding that the reasons given by the presidency for Sanusi's suspension are as puerile as they are unprecedented, and amount to calling the dog a bad name just to hang it. Lagos Chamber of Commerce condemns action Also reacting to the suspension, director-general, Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Muda Yusuf, said Sanusi's suspension may have some negative implications on the confidence and continuity of some of the monetary policies in the country. Yusuf stressed that most of the CBN governor's policies are credible and enduring, adding that they have brought a lot of stability to the financial system. "Given the fact that Sanusi has just about three months to the end of his tenure, I feel that he should have been allowed to stay on especially when the allegations relate to his activities over the last five years. The action by Mr President could easily be interpreted to mean that it is a way of getting back at Sanusi because of his pronouncements on the issue of non-remittance of funds by the NNPC into the federation account. It is difficult to convince people otherwise. Given the strategic nature of the CBN as an institution and because of the circumstances of the suspension, the confidence of investors in this economy will be negatively affected." Experts react Dr Biodun Adedipe, chief consultant, B. Adedipe Associates Limited, a prominent firm of management and financial consultants, said: "My view is that it is an ill-advised decision because it fails to recognise the importance of the office of CBN governor. The action of Mr President has serious implication for both the management and reporting of the economy, issues which indeed have been at the centre of recriminations between Sanusi and some other government agencies for some time. "For the economy, it portends a government that does not want to face the reality of the potent threat to its major source of revenue, that funds its fiscal operations and also drives most economic activities. "For investor confidence, both local and foreign, this development is worrisome because what investors want to see is clearly good governance underscored by business-friendly economic reforms. Decisions of this nature are not in any way confidence-inspiring." Likewise, Olubunmi Asaolu, analyst at FBN Capital, said what will throw the market off a bit is the speed and surprise at which "this happened, given all the noise Sanusi has been making in defence of the naira and 'alleged' missing monies and kerosene subsidies. The independence of the next CBN governor will be even more questionable now - that is the real negative here". He however noted that banks' share prices may see a bit of relief. "Assuming that the hawkishness of the Monetary Policy Committee and the Central Bank (MPC/CBN) may soften a bit if Sanusi is out, but at the same time investors may question how resolute the MPC/CBN will be in defending the naira since that was all what Sanusi's qualms have been about. On his own part, Sonnie Ayere of DunnLoren Merrifield, said the policies of the CBN may not be overturned considering that Alade has been on the board and part of the MPC. He noted that she is expected to keep up with the ongoing policies. However, financial analyst Henry Boyo said the suspension had been long overdue, noting that central bank governors worldwide are judged based on price stability and low level of inflation which Mr Sanusi had failed to implement. Boyo also urged the next apex bank governor to recognise that interest rates should be brought down to at least 6 or 7 per cent and inflation rate at not more than 2 per cent. According to the president of Association of Stockbroking House of Nigeria (ASHN), Mr Emeka Nwosu, "The suspension of the CBN governor may create uncertainty in the economy." He noted that the country has relied on individuals rather than institutions, urging the country to build institutions. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: 2015 Election - I'm Covered By Immunity, Jonathan Tells Court By Davidson Iriekpen and Ernest Chinwo, 17 February 2014 President Goodluck Jonathan has asked a Kaduna State High Court to dismiss the suit filed by one Alhaji Shuaibu Lilli and others, challenging his right to contest the 2015 presidential election. The president said based on section 308 of the 1999 Constitution, no civil or criminal suit could be instituted against him in his personal capacity during his tenure as the president. In the suit, which has Jonathan, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants, the plaintiffs are asking the court to stop Jonathan from contesting the 2015 presidential election because doing so would mean that he is running for a third term in office. But Jonathan, through his lawyer, Dr. Fabian Ajogwu (SAN), urged the court to dismiss the suit because it was incompetent and that the court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain and grant the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs. However, amid the legal battle over the eligibility or otherwise of the president for another term in office, the PDP yesterday said there were indications that Jonathan would seek the party's ticket again. He also argued that by section 308 of the 1999 Constitution, he enjoys immunity from civil and criminal proceedings in suits brought against him in his personal capacity. Jonathan further argued that since there was no law that bars him from running for president so as to give rise to any right which entitles them to institute the action against him, the plaintiffs have no cause of action against him as to entitle them to institute the suit against him. He stated that the plaintiffs had no locus standi to institute or commence the suit against him before the court and that the suit amounted to an abuse of court process. The president noted that the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja in suit number: FCT/HC/CV/2449/2012 between Mr. Cyriacus Njoku vs Goodluck Jonathan and two others had already determined his eligibility to contest the 2015 general election. He argued that the originating summons of the plaintiffs does not have on it the mandatory endorsement to serve out of the state as required by law. He also noted that the plaintiffs' suit was premised on issues surrounding the election and term of office of the tenure of the late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, his predecessor. The president concluded his argument by saying that in the circumstance of the case, there was no cause of action against him in the suit. After listening to the arguments by the parties, the presiding judge adjourned the matter until March 17 for judgment. As the legal battle over the president's eligibility to continue in office beyond 2015 rages on, the PDP has said there are positive signals that he will run again. It also said it was not aware of any agreement between Jonathan and anybody or group that he would do only one term in office. PDP Deputy Chairman, Mr. Uche Secondus, told reporters in Port Harcourt at the weekend that there were positive feelers that Jonathan might seek a second tenure. He spoke at the residence of the supervising Minister of Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, when former Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Joseph Mbu, led his successor, Mr. Tunde Ogunsakin, on a courtesy visit to the minister. When asked if Jonathan, who has been consulting traditional rulers in the South-west and the North over the 2015 general election, will run for a second term, Secondus said: "The indications on whether the president would run for second term are very, very positive indeed. President Jonathan is free to run for a second term." On the claims by some people, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo that the president had promised to do one term in office, he said the party was not aware of such an agreement between Jonathan and anybody. "I am not aware of any agreement that President Jonathan entered with anyone or group in 2011 that he will only serve as president for one term. I have also not seen any agreement. And no one or group has been able to produce such a document. The PDP has no knowledge of such a document," he added. On the contentious Soku oil wells which the state Governor, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi, said Jonathan had ceded to Bayelsa State, Secondus explained that matters of oil wells and boundary disputes were not settled on the pages of newspapers or through media debates, but through the court. He recalled that Akwa Ibom and Cross River States had a similar problem and it was settled at the Supreme Court. "The matter is in court so I cannot offer any further comment on that, but Governor Amaechi should stop playing politics with the issue of Soku oil wells. Amaechi has been politicising the issue of the Soku oil wells. The issue of Soku oil wells cannot be settled on the pages of newspapers," he said. He also said the party's National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu'azu, and other top officers of the party had reached out to the five governors, including Amaechi, who defected from the party to the All Progressives Congress (APC), to appeal to them to return to the ruling party. He said the party was still awaiting a response from the governors. He however said the PDP would still win the 2015 elections whether or not the governors returned to the party. "The governors like every other Nigerian have one vote. The governors do not keep the votes of those who will vote in the villages and towns in their states in their respective government houses. They vote on election day like any other voter, so we should not give a man the powers that he does not deserve," he said. Also, the Rivers State Chairman of the PDP, Felix Obuah, who was with Secondus at the home of Wike, said Jonathan had done well and should run for a second term. Obuah told journalists that the coast was clear for Jonathan to run for a second term if his achievements during his first term were objectively itemised and appraised. "We in Rivers State are waiting for President Jonathan to declare his interest for a second term and we will give him our unalloyed support," he said. On the N30 billion that the Rivers State House of Assembly approved for Amaechi to spend from the N53 billion state's reserve funds, Obuah said the process was illegal. He said: "First, some lawmakers converged on the Government House and approved Governor Amaechi's request to borrow N100 billion from the Nigeria Stock Exchange. Second, the same lawmakers have again met at the Government House and approved that Governor Amaechi should spend N30 billion of the state's funds. A proper sitting of the Rivers State House of Assembly has not taken place. So, at the appropriate time, Governor Amaechi will be made to account for all the monies that he is spending now." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Oduah, Olubolade, Orubebe, Ngama Removed By Isiaka Wakili, 13 February 2014 Nigeria Aviation Minister Princess Stella Oduah President Goodluck Jonathan removed four ministers yesterday because of their interests in pursuing "higher and deeper" political ambitions, Information Minister Labaran Maku has said. Those affected were Stella Oduah (Aviation), Caleb Olubolade (Police Affairs), Godsday Orubebe (Niger Delta Affairs) and Yerima Ngama (State for Finance). The president asked them to step down during yesterday's Federal Executive Council (FEC), which lasted for about four hours. Briefing journalists after the meeting, Maku said Jonathan asked them to quit "because they indicated interests in playing deeper roles in the politics of the country." But it was clear that Ms. Oduah was removed because of her role in the controversial purchase of N255 million bullet-proof cars for her use by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) last year. She was indicted by the House of Representatives which asked the president to fire her for violating procurement rules, while a presidential inquiry panel turned in a report that has never been made public. A senior government official hinted Daily Trust that the panel report also found Oduah wanting in the armour cars purchase and therefore recommended her removal. The other three ministers have been nursing governorship ambitions in their states. Ngama wants to be PDP's candidate for Yobe State in the 2015 elections, Orubebe is angling for the Delta State governorship seat, while Olubolade is likely to join the Ekiti State guber race scheduled for June 21. Ms. Oduah from Anambra State has not publicly indicated any interest in running for an elective office. But Maku insisted yesterday that all the four fired ministers were asked to step down because of their political ambitions or other private plans. "Today, the president announced further changes in the Federal Executive Council. He (Jonathan) said a number of ministers have been asked to step out of the Federal Executive Council to further their own interests, some in politics, others in their own private focuses," Maku said. "In announcing their acceptance in their decision to participate in the polity, the president thanked them very sincerely for the great job they have done in helping the government realise the goals that have been achieved under the transformation agenda." Asked to clarify if the ministers resigned or were asked to step down, Maku said: "The president said he had asked them to go because of their interests. They have indicated interests in pursuing higher and deeper interests in the polity and so he had decided to allow them to go and pursue those interests." On whether Jonathan asked Ms. Oduah to go based on the report of the three-man administrative panel of enquiry he set up to probe the bullet-proof cars purchase, Maku said: "I have just reported exactly what the president said. Also, don't forget that allegations don't necessarily mean guilt." Asked if more ministers who have political ambitions would be asked to go later on, Maku said: "That is left for the president to decide." Maku himself is believed to be planning to run for Nasarawa governor in next year's election. Other ministers with obvious governorship ambitions are FCT Minister Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Mines Minister Musa Sada (Katsina) and Education Minister Nyesom Wike (Rivers). Our correspondent reports that Ms. Oduah was absent at yesterday's FEC meeting, apparently because she was aware that she would be removed. But Ngama seemed to be caught unawares as he was acknowledging cheers from staff of the State House before he entered the council chamber for the cabinet meeting during which he was told of his removal. Erstwhile Police Affairs Minister Olubolade stepped out of the FEC meeting about 20 minutes to the end and left the State House quietly. Pending the appointment of substantive ministers to replace the four who have been fired, Jonathan asked the Minister of State for FCT Olajumoke Akinjide to supervise the Police Affairs Ministry, Minister of State for Trade and Investment Samuel Ortom to supervise the Aviation Ministry, Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs Darius Ishaku to take charge of the ministry, while Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala would combine her work with that of Ngama. The removal of the four ministers brings the total existing ministerial vacancies to 14, following the sack last year of 10 ministers. Jonathan has already nominated replacements for those who left last year, and the Senate yesterday began screening hearings for the ministerial nominees. Nigeria: More Heads May Roll - Ministers, Aides Intensify Lobby By Donald Ojogo, George Agba, Jonathan Nda-Isaiah and Uchenna Awom, 13 February 2014 Nigeria Aviation Minister Princess Stella Oduah Following the sack of four ministers - Stella Oduah (aviation), Godsday Orubebe (Niger Delta), Yerima Ngama(state, finance) and Caleb Olubolade (police affairs) - yesterday in what appears to be a re-organisation of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) and the Presidency, surviving ministers and presidential aides have intensified lobby to retain their jobs. The sack of the ministers by President Goodluck Jonathan came barely 48 hours after Mike Oghiadomhe was relieved of his position as chief of staff and five months after the sack of nine ministers. More heads may roll as the exercise appears to be unending. LEADERSHIP gathered that as soon as the announcement of the ministers' sack became public knowledge, allies of some serving ministers and presidential aides took spontaneous steps by rushing to the residences of power brokers. Similarly, others who were currently out of the country were said to have started making contingency arrangements to cut short their stay and return home for the lobby game. According to a source close to one of the president's close associates, immediately after yesterday's FEC meeting, three ministers and two special advisers to the president attempted to know if his principal was at home or not. This is even as LEADERSHIP gathered that a close aide of the president who was abroad when the ministers' sack was announced put a call through to the same person, promising to cut short his stay in the United States. He is billed to return today. The source said, "We never knew of the sack of ministers before we started receiving some government officials; at first, we thought it was a meeting they came for, and because Papa was not around, we were not too sure of their mission. "It was a few minutes after these people, three serving ministers - one is a woman, and the two SAs - left that we got to know that the president had sacked Orubebe and others from the cabinet." The source said, shortly afterwards, there was an instruction from their principal who was away in his village in a state in the south-south that details of his movement should not be disclosed to anyone. The president's action was akin to bowing to pressure as two of the sacked ministers - Oduah and Orubebe - have been most controversial owing to allegations of corruption. For Oduah, her continued stay in his cabinet has been generating public disaffection against the current administration following corruption allegations dangling on her neck. Minister of information Mr Labaran Maku, who confirmed the sack of the four ministers shortly after the FEC meeting at the presidential villa, Abuja, said the four ministers had indicated their interest to pursue further political ambitions in the country and were asked by the president to go and do so. But the government's explanation is regarded as evasive of the real reasons, as there are other ministers with governorship ambitions who are still in the cabinet. Following the allegations of fraud involving the purchase of bulletproof BMW cars at an alleged inflated price of N255million last year for Oduah by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), coupled with criticisms from organised private sector and the general public, President Jonathan had constituted a presidential committee which investigated the matter. On arrival from London where he was treated for severe abdominal pains, Jonathan told journalists at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, that he had already received the report from the presidential committee on the bulletproof cars scandal. Even though the House of Representatives committee which investigated the matter had also indicted the minister, the presidential report was kept secret until yesterday when the president sacked her alongside three of her colleagues. Oduah's subsequent sack by the president, LEADERSHIP gathered, is a subtle way by Jonathan to succumb to the wishes of Nigerians and save his government from a series of corruption allegations heaped on it ahead of the 2015 general allegation. Sources at the presidency told our correspondent that the removal of the other three ministers was part of plans by the president to streamline his cabinet in a manner that would enable him boast of ministers with the political clout to push for his re-election bid in 2015. In the case of police affairs minister Olubolade who is a close friend of the president, it was learnt that although he had since commenced his politicking for the governorship slot in Ekiti State, the president considered him as not well-grounded in the grassroots politics of his state to trust him enough in terms of mobilising the electorate in the favour of the ruling party. That apart, Olubolade has been having it rough with major stakeholders in the Ekiti chapter of the PDP. For Orubebe, LEADERSHIP learnt that his removal may not be unconnected with the feud between the former minister and elder statesman from his home state Chief Edwin Clark which has to do with the former's ambition to contest for the Delta State governorship poll in 2015. Owing to the disagreement between the duo, the president was said to have advised Orubebe to tarry a while in his quest for the governorship. LEADERSHIP gathered that Jonathan made up his mind to weed out Orubebe two weeks ago when he (Jonathan) learnt that the former minister had already opened a campaign office in the state against his advice. It was also gathered that Orubebe's role leading to the exit of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur as national chairman of the PDP did not go down well with the president. The most glaring of the president's resolve to streamline his cabinet along political calculation in a way that would enable him mobilise support in 2015 is the sack of minister of state for finance Yerima Ngama. Ngama, who stands alone in the political wilderness of his home state Yobe, LEADERSHIP gathered, is considered in Jonathan's political camp as lacking the political clout and stamina to withstand political hawks in the All Progressives Congress-dominated state like Yobe. But far more important is the controversial statement credited to Ngama that the 2013 national budget was not implementable because of the over-bloated revenue estimates by the National Assembly. But Maku noted yesterday that the former ministers were only asked by the president to step down to pursue further political and private interests. Maku told newsmen: "Also today, the president announced further changes in the Federal Executive Council. He said a number of ministers have been asked to step out of the Federal Executive Council to further their own interests -- some in politics, others in their own private-focused. "Clearly, what the president did today was to allow ministers who have indicated interest in pursuing further goals in the polity, in the economy and in the life of the country to be allowed to go. Those asked by the president to go include the following: the minister of state for finance, Dr Yerima Ngama; minister of police affairs Navy Capt. Caleb Olubolade (rtd), minister of Niger Delta affairs Elder Godsday Orubebe and minister of aviation Mrs Stella Oduah." On those who will oversee the affairs in the portfolios of the sacked ministers, Maku said: "Today, the president asked the following ministers to take charge of the ministries. The Ministry of Aviation -- the minister of state for trade, industry and investment, Samuel Ortom, to supervise until the substantive appointment of a minister of aviation. "The Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs already has a minister of state, Darius Ishaku; in the Ministry of Finance, of course, the CME is already in charge. For the Ministry of Police Affairs, the president asked the minister of state for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Olajumoke Akinjide, to take charge of the ministry." Asked whether the ministers would be asked to go in batches since many others in the cabinet have political ambitions, Maku said, "That is left for the president to decide. I am not the president but I believe sincerely that it depends on what they have communicated to Mr President. He does not just take those decisions in isolation." Asked to clarify if the ministers resigned or were asked to step down, he said, "The president said he has asked them to go because of their interests. They have indicated interest in pursuing higher and deeper interest in the polity and so he has decided to allow them to go and pursue those interests. You have to get that correctly so that you won't go and say something like it was said in the case of the former chief of staff." On whether the president asked Oduah to go based on the report on the N255 million car scam of the committee he set up to investigate or not, Maku said, "I have just reported exactly what the president said. Also, don't forget that allegations don't necessarily mean guilty, and I think the press should always take some time to be patient. But the truth of the matter is that they left because they indicated interest in playing deeper roles in the politics of the country and the president has decided to let them go." Senate Screens Gusau, Obanikoro, four other ministerial nominees The Senate yesterday began the screening of President Goodluck Jonathan's ministerial nominees after attempts by some APC senators to stall the screening hit a brick wall. Senate president David Mark said no matter how long it would take, the Senate would eventually screen the nominees and there was therefore no need for delay tactics. Senator Babafemi Ojudu, (APC, Ekiti Central) through a point of order called for more time on the grounds that the Senate had been flooded by petitions from the nominees' states and their former places of work. The APC lawmaker appealed to the Senate president for extension of the screening time to enable them study the reports on the nominees. However, Senator David Mark said: "There is enough time for you to read the ones you can read today but if I know you well, I am sure that in a few minutes, you can read it and if there is any question that you will want to ask, you should also be free to ask. There is nothing in our rule to say that you must be given two days ahead of time. So it is not clearly your privilege. Again, I rule you out of order." Another APC senator, Anthony Adeniyi (APC, Ekiti), referred to point of order 118,119,120 and 121 of the Senate Standing Rule which reads: " When nominations have been made by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the nominations shall be referred to appropriate committees or committee of the whole for consideration." He cited Section 120 (a) of the constitution which requires that nominees must not only declare their assets but undergo security screening with the nation's relevant security agencies, but said such were not attached in the documents distributed to senators to prove they had done that and therefore demanded that the exercise be put on hold, but he could not succeed in his argument as the Senate president, again, ruled him out of order. The Senate screened six out of the 12 ministerial nominees. Those screened were Senator Musiliu Obanikoro (Lagos), Hon. Mohammed Wakil (Borno), Amb. Aminu Wali (Kano), Mrs Akon Etim Eyakenyi (Akwa Ibom), Mrs Lawrencia Labaran Mallam (Kano), and Gen. Aliyu Mohammed Gusau (rtd) from Zamfara State. As is the Senate's tradition, Senator Obanikoro and Hon. Mohammed Wakili were not asked questions because they were former lawmakers. Also, former NSA Chief Aliyu Mohammed Gusau was asked to take a bow and go. Fielding questions from the senators, former Nigerian ambassador to China Aminu Wali said tackling corruption in the country was a collective responsibility of all Nigerians, insisting that they were all guilty of the menace that has eaten deep into the fabric of the nation at present. The remaining six nominees -- Boni Haruna (Adamawa), Dr Khaliru Alhassan (Sokoto), Hajiya Jamilla Salik (Kano), Alhaji Abduljelili Oyewale Adesiyan (Osun), Dr T.W. Dangogo (Rivers) as well as Asabe Asmau Ahmed (Niger) -- will be screened today and confirmed by the Senate. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: 2015 - Nigeria 'Ll Break If Jonathan Is Not Allowed to Contest - -Ezeife By Okey Ndiribe, 15 January 2014 Abuja — Former governor of Anambra State Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, has declared that Nigeria may break up if President Goodluck Jonathan was disallowed from running for a second term in office. Ezeife, who stated this in an interview with Vanguard in Abuja, said: "At this juncture in Nigerian history, President Jonathan's interest in a second term and Nigerians' interest in the continued existence of the country have become coterminous." He also insisted that those opposed to President Jonathan's convening of a national conference were also opposed to Nigeria's continued existence as a united country. He said: "If you say because you oppose President Jonathan's bid for a second term in office, you are also opposed to a National Dialogue, you are saying no to one Nigeria. " The truth of the matter is that opposing President Jonathan's second term is like opposing the continued existence of Nigeria as one united country. "What do you think would happen if as a result of the handiwork of the opposition, President Jonathan is disallowed from running for a second term in office? Can you control what would happen? " Whether you are from the North, South or West, you can't stop President Jonathan from going for a second term and winning. "Everybody can make noise but if those who are making noise should think deeply, they would realize that the continued existence of Nigeria as one country is anchored on Jonathan's continuation in office come 2015." On what would happen if President Jonathan contested the election and lost, he said: "We would be faced with the same problem. The Niger Delta boys would blow up all the oil pipelines and then a part of the country could say they are no longer interested in Nigeria; they could say Nigeria legally expired when the nation marked its centenary and that they are now on their own. "This is not what I want, but I am afraid it could happen if we foolishly think of only our short term interest, instead of thinking of long term implications. "However, if Jonathan contests and loses in a free and fair election where Nigerians truly vote against him, it would be less bloody than if he is not allowed to contest at all." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Alleged Training of Snipers: NHRC holds emergency meeting over OBJ’s letter on January 09, 2014 By Innocent Anaba LAGOS—With the polity still rumbling over the exchange of letters between President Goodluck Jonathan and his predecessor, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, will meet next week. The meeting is to consider the request by the Federal Government for it to investigate the allegation by Obasanjo that President Jonathan was training snipers and had placed 1000 political opponents on his watch list. Vanguard gathered that the commission’s extra-ordinary meeting of its Governing Council, slated for January 15, will discuss modalities and parameters under which to proceed with President Jonathan’s request. The Federal Government through the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Mohammed Adoke, SAN, had on December 23, last year, asked the NHRC to probe former President Obasanjo’s letter. Adoke had said: “May I draw your attention to the above and the attached State House memorandum dated December 23, 2013 in respect of the above subject matter (Before it is too late). I am to request you to investigate the allegations bordering on the human rights’ violations contained on pages 9-10 of the letter written by former President Obasanjo to President Jonathan, attached to the memorandum under reference. “In order to properly delineate the issues within your sphere of competence particularly as other issues raised in the letter are being investigated by appropriate agencies of government, I have decided to reproduce the relevant paragraphs below. “Allegations of keeping over 1, 000 people on political Watch List rather than criminal or security Watch List and training snipers and other armed personnel secretly and clandestinely acquiring weapons to match for purposes like Abacha and training them where Abacha trained his own killers. If it is true, it cannot augur well for the initiator, the government and people of Nigeria. “Here again, there is lesson to learn for anybody who cares to learn from history. Mr. President would always remember that he was elected to maintain security for all Nigerians and not for personal or political ambition or interest of anyone. “The Yoruba race adage says, “the man with whose head coconut is broken, may not live to savour the taste of the succulent fruit”. Those who advise you to go hard on those who oppose you are your worst enemies. Democratic politics admits and is permissible of supporters and opponents. When the consequences come, those who have wrongly advised you will not be there to help carry the can. Egypt must teach some lessons.” NHRC summons council members Vanguard gathered from an authoritative source that the commission had invited all members of its Governing Council for meeting, which will decide among other things, how to treat President Jonathan’s request. The meeting, according to the source, would also decide who to invite during its investigation and how to probe Obasanjo’s allegation and perhaps at what level to invite the former president, if the need arises. Obasanjo to Jonathan Obasanjo in his letter dated December 2, 2013 titled “Before Its Too Late…” had said: “Allegation of keeping over 1,000 people on political watch list rather than criminal or security watch list and training snipers and other armed personnel secretly and clandestinely acquiring weapons to match for political purposes like Abacha, and training them where Abacha trained his own killers, if it is true, cannot augur well for the initiator, the government and the people of Nigeria. “Let me repeat that as far as the issue of corruption, security and oil stealing is concerned, it is only apt to say that when the guard becomes the thief, nothing is safe, secure nor protected in the house. We must all remember that corruption, inequity and injustice breed poverty, unemployment, conflict, violence and wittingly or unwittingly create terrorists because the opulence of the governor can only lead to the leanness of the governed. But God never sleeps, He is watching, waiting and bidding His time to dispense justice.” Jonathan to Obasanjo Jonathan in his reply to Obasanjo’s letter, had accused him of inciting Nigerians, saying “Instigating people to cause problems and disaffection within the party is something that you are certainly familiar with. You will recall that founding fathers of the Party were frustrated out of the Party at a time. Late Chief Sunday Awoniyi was pushed out, Late Chief Solomon Lar left and later came back, Chief Audu Ogbeh and Chief Tom Ikimi also left. Chief Okwesilieze Nwodo left and later came back. “In 2005/2006, link-men were sent to take over party structures from PDP Governors in an unveiled attempt to undermine the state governors. In spite of that, the Governors did not leave the Party because nobody instigated and encouraged them to do so. “Perhaps the most invidious accusation in your letter is the allegation that I have placed over 1,000 Nigerians on a political watch list, and that I am training snipers and other militia to assassinate people. Baba, I don’t know where you got that from but you do me grave injustice in not only lending credence to such baseless rumours, but also publicising it. You mentioned God seventeen times in your letter. Can you as a Christian hold the Bible and say that you truly believe this allegation? “The allegation of training snipers to assassinate political opponents is particularly incomprehensible to me. Since I started my political career as a Deputy Governor, I have never been associated with any form of political violence. I have been a President for over three years now, with a lot of challenges and opposition mainly from the high and mighty. There have certainly been cases of political assassination since the advent of our Fourth Republic, but as you well know, none of them occurred under my leadership. “Regarding the over 1000 people you say are on a political watch list, I urge you to kindly tell Nigerians who they are and what agencies of government are “watching” them. Your allegation that I am using security operatives to harass people is also baseless. Nigerians are waiting for your evidence of proof. That was an accusation made against previous administrations, including yours, but it is certainly not my style and will never be. Again, if you insist on the spurious claim that some of your relatives and friends are being harassed, I urge you to name them and tell Nigerians what agencies of my administration are harassing them. “I also find it difficult to believe that you will accuse me of assisting murderers, or assigning a presidential delegation to welcome a murderer. This is a most unconscionable and untrue allegation. “It is incumbent on me to remind you that I am fully conscious of the dictates of my responsibilities to God and our dear nation. It is my hope that devious elements will not take advantage of your baseless allegation to engage in brazen and wanton assassination of high profile politicians as before, hiding under the alibi your “open letter” has provided for them.” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Angry reactions trail Clark’s letter to OBJ on January 08, 2014 E. K. Clark BY SONI DANIEL, CLIFFORD NDUJIHE, DAPO AKINREFON, CHARLES KUMOLU, JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU & LEVINUS NWABUGHIOGU The open letter of Elderstates man and Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, opened a can of worms in the polity. Eminent Nigerians who reacted to the 10-page letter expressed mixed feelings. While some welcomed the letter others said it was not necessary. There were also those who berated Obasanjo for opening the flood gates of exchange of letters, which they argued portended grave danger for the polity. In the letter, Clark lampooned Obasanjo over his 18-page letter to President Goodluck Jonathan where he accused the president of being clannish, lying over his re-election ambition, training snipers and listing 1,000 political opponents to be dealt with. Countering, Clark called Obasanjo a liar, hypocrite, unrepentant trouble maker, saying that the Jonathan Administration was not pro-Ijaw. Call Clark to order – Junaid Mohammed Northern political commentator, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, yesterday, asked President Goocluck Jonathan to call Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark to order before he plunges the nation into chaos with incendiary language. Mohammed, who was reacting to the open letter addressed to Obasanjo by Clark, noted with dismay the attempt by Clark to usurp the power of the presidency and act as if he was Nigeria’s President. According to the Second Republic federal lawmaker, Clark has no locus standi whatsoever to write the letter to Obasanjo since the former head of state did not address his letter to him. “Obasanjo raised relevant national issues in his letter to Jonathan and did not send it to Clark or made reference to the Ijaw leader. If I may ask, on what basis did Clark write to Obasanjo? “I find it extremely irresponsible and unbecoming of the likes of Clark to take it upon themselves to insult international leaders like Obasanjo for offering some pieces of advice that Jonathan should have taken quietly with humility and thanked the former president for his admonition,” Mohammed said, adding, “the letter written by Clark to Obasanjo exposes the weakness of President Jonathan’s Presidency and calls to question whether the president or proxies are in charge of the administration.” Clark has right to defend Ijaw — Ezeife Third Republic Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife said: ‘’Anyone who writes should be very sure of what he writes on national issues. It should involve going down memory lane to bring out relevant facts. That is what I think Edwin Clark has done. As a leader of the Ijaw people, he has no choice than to speak out when the Ijaws were mentioned in a manner that he did not find comfortable. He is only trying to put out the fire, since Obasanjo accused the President of being held hostage by his people. It is not good for us to be allowing anybody to be throwing darts at the nation. Such an act reduces the presidency. Not replying Obasanjo will mean an insult to President Jonathan. It’s time to unmask Obasanjo — Afenifere Also commenting on the letter, Afenifere’s Spokesman, Mr Yinka Odumakin, commended Clark for writing the letter and blamed Obasanjo for the unending saga of open letters.. He said: “Obasanjo opened the flood gate of letter writing and he should know that he is not the only one who has a pen in Nigeria. Others who are knowledgeable about the affairs of Nigeria like him are definitely going to comment. I have read through the letter by Chief E.K Clark and I think he has served Obasanjo good measures. I think the time has come for Obasanjo to be unravelled and for him to know who he really is. I give kudos to Clark for that wonderful letter.” Clark’s letter is welcome –Falae Former Finance Minister and presidential candidate, Chief Olu Falae said: “This is a democracy. If anything is topical, everybody should be free to comment on it. There should be no hide and seek about such matters. If it is topical and I feel like commenting, I should be free to comment. Comments are free, only facts are sacred.” OBJ provoked the Ijaws –Yakassai Elder Statesman and founding member of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, Alhaji Tanko Yakassi said that former President Obasanjo should be blamed because he started the open letters that seems to be heating up the polity. Arguing that Obasanjo provoked the Ijaw people in his letter to Jonathan, he said the former president should have sought audience with the President instead of resorting to writing an open letter. He advised Obasanjo to defend himself on the allegations against him in Chief Clark’s letter, saying: “I think it is expected because of the way General Obasanjo provoked all the Ijaws in writing his letter to the President. I think every Ijaw man is entitled to feel offended. It is none of their business but they were provoked. The contents are natural, allegations have been made, I think it is up to General Obasanjo to confirm or to deny. The responsibility for the heating up of the polity is that of Obasanjo, he should have sought to meet with the President instead of the open letter.” A terrible wind is blowing –Ikokwu Second Republic politician and one of the founding members of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Chief Guy Ikokwu, concurred that Obasanjo should not have written an open letter to President Jonathan because he also had his shortcomings. His words: “Obasanjo was living in a glass house. The proverb says he who lives in a glass house should not throw stones. But Obasanjo has been throwing stones right from the civil war till date and it has become habitual. If you throw stones at people who live in the same house with you, they will find a way to retaliate. So, it is not surprising that his daughter, Iyabo Obasanjo reacted and now Clark is reacting. “Obasanjo is having serious problems answering or rebutting the issues that have come up from these letters. A terrible wind is blowing and where and how it will end is not certain. Altogether, Obasanjo has ruled the country for about 12 years. He should have used the opportunity to transform Nigeria but he failed.” It’s time to halt the letters –Uwazurike President of Aka-Ikenga, an Igbo intellectual think tank group called for stoppage of the exchange of open letters to enable President Jonathan concentrate on governance. His words: “Chief Clark’s letter is one in a set of letters. Many of us were not happy with Chief Obasanjo’s open letter because it was bound to open floodgate of letter exchanges, which will not be about the nation but individuals. Clark and Obasanjo were ministers under General Yakubu Gowon. They are not strangers to themselves so Clark has the right to write Obasanjo. However, these letter writings should stop; let us allow the president to lead the country.” Obasanjo is a confusionist —Arunsi Asked his view on Clark’s letter, Hon. Arua Arunsi, (PDP, Ohafia/Arochukwu Federal Constituency, Abia), said: “I don’t agree that Obasanjo is a trouble maker but I can say he is a confusionist. He wants to bring confusion to this country by writing such letter to the present Head of State. When he was there, nobody wrote him that kind of letter but he keeps writing to others. To me, he is a confusionist. And as a statesman, that is not good for him. When I made my reactions last time, I said that Obasanjo told lies because you cannot talk about the economy being in shambles when this economy is growing at seven percent while his grew at three percent. So, in this case, that was a lie. That wasn’t the truth. So, if Edwin Clark calls him a liar, well, to some extent, that may be correct. Yes, I may not see him as a trouble maker, but as a confusionist. He wants to bring confusion to the governance of this nation. Ordinarily, what he wrote as an open letter could have been an advice even personally.” Clark is not helping Jonathan –Mbadiwe However, Hon. Eddy Mbadiwe, (APC, Ideato North and South Federal Constituency, Imo State), said Chief Clark was not helping President Jonathan with his defence.. “ My reaction is that Chief Edwin Clark is not helping the President at all. I think he should keep silent and let time heal the wounds. I am not sure that making all these comments will help the matter in any way.” Share Print Email NEXT ARTICLE → Gunmen abduct monarch’s mother, grand daughter in Bayelsa ← PREVIOUS ARTICLE Anambra LG polls ’ll be free, fair —Obi Anambra LG polls ’ll be free, fair —Obi You might also like Read Clark's letter to Obasanjo - Vanguard News 57 House committee chairmen face sack - Vanguard News How Jonathan is splitting Awo’s house - Vanguard News Jude Okoye apologises for firearms pix - Vanguard News Recommended by -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OBJ’s letter: Afenifere warns against regime change •Kicks against attempts to stall national conference Written by Taiwo Adisa - Abuja Tuesday, 31 December 2013 01:08 PAN-YORUBA socio-political organisation, Afenifere, on Monday, warned against unconstitutional regime change in the country. The organisation also drew a parallel between the letter written by former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, to President Goodluck Jonathan on December 2 and another document circulated in January 1976, entitled “Facts to know about Murtala - A warning to the nation,” ahead of the putsch that ousted General Murtala Muhammed from power. In a statement endorsed by its national publicity secretary, Yinka Odumakin, Afenifere, on Monday, it said “all citizens of our country with a sense of history would have been able to draw a parallel between Obasanjo’s letter to President Jonathan on December 2, 2013 and a document circulated in January 1976.” According to Afenifere, when Obasanjo issued a similar letter against the regime of General Ibrahim Babangida, the latter rushed to Ota, Ogun State and immediately made changes to the military high command. In making reference to a book, “Soldiers of Fortune,” written by Mr Max Suollin, the group recalled the role allegedly played by Obasanjo in the ouster of President Shehu Shagari in the Second Republic. “This is why we in Afenifere are not impressed with the letter from the General, who has never shown any pure motive since he started his interventions in our national affairs. “It is, therefore, the height of foolhardiness and or a lack of sense of history for members of the political class to be enabling these Generals, who have not been known to act in the collective interest in their infamous careers. “Have our politicians forgotten so soon what the country went through for six years when Abacha was enabled to overthrow the Ernest Shonekan-led Interim National Government in 1993? “We do not argue that Nigeria does not have serious challenges at the moment, but we refuse to accept that the solutions to our problems would come from any group of military adventures. It is a jaded option that we have been offered over the years and it has always created more problems than the ones it promises to solve,” Afenifere said. It warned against any attempt to stall the proposed national conference, which it described as a veritable platform to address the crises facing Nigeria. “We are issuing this warning as we can no longer ignore the rumour that has been very thick in the air that some forces who want to abort the proposed national conference are scheming to exploit the challenges of our democracy, so as to cause an unconstitutional change in the polity,” Afenifere stated. It added that “on a more fundamental note, there is a delicate balance in the country at the moment, which has made the proposed national conference the most veritable platform to address the crises facing Nigeria and for which the nationalities are rearing to go. “To attempt to stop that process by staging a coup would amount to rushing Nigeria to a major catastrophe, as any group of military adventurers may discover there is no space for them to preside over. “It is, therefore, in the best interest of all that those who are possibly plotting to cause crisis in the country perish the thought and allow the national conference to proceed without hitch, so that the people of Nigeria can proffer their own solutions to the challenges of the country and so that we can emerge a united and prosperous entity from the table of brotherhood. “This is our patriotic approach to nation building, which we commend to all reasonable Nigerians.” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: NHRC to Set Up Committee to Probe Obasanjo's Allegations By Tobi Soniyi, 31 December 2013 Following the directive by President Goodluck Jonathan through the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the commission will be setting up a committee to investigate the allegations of human rights violations contained in former President Olusegun Obasanjo's letter to the president. Confirming this Monday, a source at the commission said the committee would have been constituted but for the yuletide holiday season. The source said the commission has taken the instruction from the presidency seriously and would do all within its powers to investigate the allegations. Investigations by THISDAY showed that the memo from the attorney-general requesting the commission to probe the allegations has already been circulated to all council members of the commission. Meanwhile, a non-governmental organisation, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has also sent a petition to the NHRC requesting it "to urgently investigate the recent allegation by former President Olusegun Obasanjo that the government of President Goodluck Jonathan is training snipers and other armed personnel secretly and clandestinely acquiring weapons to match for political purposes like Abacha, and training them where Abacha trained his own killers." SERAP urged the commission to ensure that anyone found to be involved in the training of snipers should be held responsible. SERAP said it was concerned that the allegation, if found to be true, amounted to a grave breach of international law, and directly undermines the government's responsibility to safeguard the safety and security of the citizens. "It also constitutes an assault on the rule of law, and is entirely inconsistent with the practice of a democratic society, which Nigeria strives to become," SERAP said. The organisation said government had a particular responsibility to protect all citizens and others resident in the country against human rights violations. It said: "The training of snipers will lead to a pervasive climate of insecurity and the absence of the rule of law. The legal right to life and protection against extrajudicial execution is recognized by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Nigeria is a state party. Article 6 of the Covenant states that 'No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life.' This right is non-derogable even in times of emergency." Jonathan had last week directed NHRC to investigate the said rights abuses contained in Obasanjo's letter. Acting on the instruction of the president, the attorney-general had forwarded Obasanjo's letter to the commission for investigation. In a memo dated December 23 and addressed to the Executive Secretary of NHRC, Prof. Bem Angwe, the attorney general had requested the commission to investigate the allegations bordering on human rights violations contained on pages 9-10 of Obasanjo's letter. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Jonathan Admonishes Politicians, Says Nigeria Belongs to All 25 December 2013 President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday admonished politicians and statesmen that were heating up the polity saying that the country belongs to all Nigerians. The President was speaking at the Christmas day service at the Cathedral Church of the Advent, Anglican Communion, Gwarimpa, Abuja. He said that the nation belonged to every Nigerian;, "the common man, traditional rulers, religious leaders, our men, our women." Jonathan specifically cautioned the politicians against making inflammatory statements that could heat up the polity in the name of politics. "For us at this time especially, we the politicians, we think we own this country and begin to think about next election and doing what we ought not to do, making statement we ought not to make, writing letters we suppose not to write. "This country belongs to our statesmen, traditional rulers, religious leaders, our men, our women, our youth. Nigeria does not belong to any politician or group of politicians." The president called on Nigerians to use the occasion of the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ to pray for the country to overcome its challenges, particularly, insecurity. He noted that his administration had done appreciably well in addressing the challenge of terrorism. "For those who know about terrorism, countries that are infested with terror hardly get out of it." He gave the example of the incidences in Abuja, saying even the police headquarters was bombed as well as the UN building right here in the seat of government. But for the proactive measure taken by the government and our military, may be the next target would have been the State House, Jonathan lamented. "So, we have to thank God that we have been able to bring it to a reasonable level, though we are far from getting there. "There are a lot of challenges but we have to thank God," he said. Jonathan also reiterated that his style of leadership was neither high handed nor dictatorial as expected in some quarters. Citing Biblical reference, the president said that the Jews expected Jesus Christ as a saviour that would liberate them even with violence, from the Romans invasion. "Whenever we go through the story of Christ and leadership, it reminds you of the circumstances of the Jew in the face of the political situation today. "When Christ was born, the Jews were told that God has giving them a King, a saviour, these are the key words. "The Jews were being dominated by the Romans, it was like when we were under the colonial masters, the Romans were governing them. "So, when they said that there was born a king and a Messiah, they were thinking they were getting somebody who will come and lead them to war and throw away all the Romans for them to be free. "But when Christ was born, I believe a number of the Jews were disappointed, the war they expected was not his own style. "So today, we have similar situation, the expectations of the people are hardly met by leaders," he said. The president assured that his administration would do its best to lead the country aright and to its desired destination. Earlier, in a sermon focused on Peace and Joy, the Archbishop of Abuja, Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh, said Christmas was a reminder of the Peace and Joy that the birth of Jesus Christ brought to the world. Okoh, who is also the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, said that Jesus Christ came to reconcile God with man and to take the sins of mankind away and make the world a better place. According to him, enduring peace can only be found in Jesus Christ, adding that "by nature, God is peaceful. Okoh urged Nigerians, especially Christians, to embrace the lessons of Christmas, to be a source of peace and joy to others He added that it was in the interest of the country to ensure that peace reigned as there was no other country to go to. The clergy urged Nigerians not to join anyone to cause trouble that could lead to a situation of war. Prayers were offered for the peace of the nation, the president, his family and all Nigerians. Those present at the Church service include, the mother of the President, Madam Eunice, First lady, Dame Patience, and Sen. Phillip Aduda, PDP-FCT. The Ministers of Information, Labaran Maku, Police Affairs, Caleb Olubolade and the Minister of State, FCT, Mrs Jumoke Akinjide, service chiefs and presidential aides were also at the service (NAN) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Jonathan Hits Obasanjo Again By George Agba, 26 December 2013 Barely three days after his reply to former president Olusegun Obasanjo's letter to him, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday fired yet another 'shot'. In apparent reference to Obasanjo inferring that Nigeria does not belong to him alone, President Jonathan said the nation does not belong to politicians, but to the common man and woman. Obasanjo's letter to Jonathan on December 2, 2013, as well the latter's reply raised very weighty issues regarding national security. The former president is reportedly being investigated over some of the allegations made in his letter to the president. According to Jonathan, politicians who think they own the country make unguarded statements and write letters they are not supposed to write. Jonathan, who stated this when he attended a Christmas service at the Cathedral Church of the Advent, Life Camp, Abuja, also declared that Nigeria was not the property of any politicians. He said, "For us at this time, especially we the politicians who think we own this country, we'll begin to think about our next election and doing what we ought not to do, making statements we are supposed not to make and writing letters we are not supposed to write. "I call on the clergymen and statesmen who really own this country, because this country belongs to our statesmen, the traditional rulers, our religious leaders and men and women and youths. Nigeria doesn't belong to any politician or group of politicians. So, we will continue to urge you to continue to pray for this country." Jonathan noted that the security situation in the country would have been worse if terrorists' activities had not been effectively contained, even as he added that after the bombing of the force headquarters in Abuja, the next target would have been the Aso Rock Presidential Villa. "The primate mentioned a number of issues that deal with a number of nations that deal with crises. For those who know about terrorism, countries that are infested with terror hardly get out of it. If you look at Pakistan, we even go there to train our soldiers. In some parts of Pakistan, as we are even talking now, there appears to be no government. So, this country could have been worse. "Look at the incidents in Abuja; even the police headquarters was bombed and the UN building right here in the seat of government. Maybe the next target would have been State House. So we have to thank God that we have been able to bring it to a reasonable level," he said. Admitting that there were still security challenges in the country, the president said, "Though we are far from getting through, as there are a lot of challenges, but we have to thank God. The primate said if it were to be like Syria; look at South Sudan too. They were part of Sudan and they felt that they were being dominated. They have resources; there is oil in parts of South Sudan. They carried arms against the state. Finally the whole world through the UN liberated them." Hinting that he would be attending the Security Council meeting of the African Union (AU), he said, "In fact, within this week, we will be going for a Security Council meeting under the AU. My envoy just came back on Sunday, from where he had a conversation with them; how do we stop this madness? So, we have to thank God, even though we still have these security challenges in our country. At least, we are reasonably better. "In terms of Nigeria, if we have crises, the primate was mentioning whether Ghana or Sierra Leone can accommodate us. Even now, Nigerians in these countries, the people who own the countries are not even comfortable with the number. From Cameroon to Senegal, Nigerians are everywhere. If not for political and diplomatic reasons, they would have even asked some of them to go. Then assuming we have a crisis, what will be your state? Where will you go? Is it the Atlantic Ocean? "So, I urge you to continue to pray. I also thank the religious leaders of this country. They have been praying and I believe God has been hearing our prayers. We will do our best within the period that God has asked us to occupy the positions we are occupying." Obasanjo's Letter To Jonathan: Al-Mustapha Reacts Former chief security officer of the late Gen. Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha has reacted to the postulation by former president Olusegun Obasanjo in his open letter to President Goodluck Jonathan, that he (Al-Mustapha) was released from prison to help the president train assassins to eliminate opposition politicians. Al-Mustapha expressed his views while speaking with the Hausa Service of the Voice of America (VOA) yesterday in Abuja. He challenged the ex-president to a public debate on the allegation he raised that Jonathan might be training snipers. Al-Mustapha said he was away in India receiving treatment for injuries he sustained while in detention, during the administrations of Abdulsalami Abubakar and Obasanjo, when he heard of the allegations. "I read Obasanjo's letter and subsequent comments by Nigerians. I would have responded immediately, but I was away in India receiving treatment," he said. He also said that although his name was not mentioned in the letter, he was sure the former president was referring to him. "If he has anything to say on me, he should mention me directly or even challenge me and not make allusions," Al-Mustapha said. The former presidential security chief challenged Mr Obasanjo to publicly ask him anything, saying he would provide him with answers. Al-Mustapha swore that the allegation that he was being used by President. Jonathan to train assassins was false. "Perhaps it is Obasanjo and his cronies that are planning what he was insinuating," he added Al-Mustapha said he had decided to forgive all those who had a hand in his incarceration while he was being tried for the murder of Kudirat Abiola, wife of the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief M.K.O Abiola. He was initially convicted for the murder by a Lagos High Court, but was discharged and acquitted by the Court of Appeal. He, however, added that such people, including former president Obasanjo failed to accept that fact and still harboured fears about him and what he knows about them. "I urge everyone to pray for Obasanjo to accept my challenge to a public debate so that the truth will come out," he said. Al-Mustapha said he was focused on helping Nigeria find its rhythm by uniting the people, especially the youth and the poor. "From 1974 to the present, a lot of things have been buried with all sorts of lies, but all will be revealed one day," Al-Mustapha said. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: OBJ's Letter to Jonathan 12 December 2013 Olusegun Obasanjo former president of Nigeria and President Goodluck Jonathan Obasanjo's 18 page letter entitled "Before it is too late", dated December 2, 2013. BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE I am constrained to make this an open letter to you for a number of reasons. One, the current situation and consequent possible outcome dictate that I should, before the door closes on reason and promotion of national interest, alert you to the danger that may be lurking in the corner. Two, none of the four or more letters that I have written to you in the past two years or so has elicited an acknowledgment or any response. Three, people close to you, if not yourself, have been asking, what does Obasanjo want? Four, I could sense a semblance between the situation that we are gradually getting into and the situation we fell into as a nation during the Abacha era. Five, everything must be done to guard, protect and defend our fledgling democracy, nourish it and prevent bloodshed. Six, we must move away from advertently or inadvertently dividing the country along weak seams of North-South and Christian-Moslem. Seven, nothing should be done to allow the country to degenerate into economic dormancy, stagnation or retrogression. Eight, some of our international friends and development partners are genuinely worried about signs and signals that are coming out of Nigeria. Nine, Nigeria should be in a position to take advantage of the present favourable international interest to invest in Africa - an opportunity that will not be open for too long. Ten, I am concerned about your legacy and your climb-down which you alone can best be the manager of, whenever you so decide. Mr. President, you have on a number of occasions acknowledged the role God enabled me to play in your ascension to power. You put me third after God and your parents among those that have impacted most on your life. I have always retorted that God only put you where you are and those that could be regarded as having played a role were only instruments of God to achieve God's purpose in your life. For me, I believe that politically, it was in the best interest of Nigeria that you, a Nigerian from minority group in the South, could rise to the highest pinnacle of political leadership. If Obasanjo could get there, Yar'Adua could get there and Jonathan can get there, any Nigerian can. It is now not a matter of the turn of any section or geographical area but the best interest of Nigeria and all Nigerians. It has been proved that no group - ethnic, linguistic, religious or geographical location - has monopoly of materials for leadership of our country. And no group solely by itself can crown any of its members the Nigerian CEO. It is good for Nigeria. I have also always told you that God has graciously been kind, generous, merciful and compassionate to me and He has done more than I could have ever hoped for. I want nothing from you personally except that you should run the affairs of Nigeria not only to make Nigeria good, but to make Nigeria great for which I have always pleaded with you and I will always do so. And it is yet to be done for most Nigerians to see. For five capacities in which you find yourself, you must hold yourself most significantly responsible for what happens or fails to happen in Nigeria and in any case, most others will hold you responsible and God who put you there will surely hold you responsible and accountable. I have had opportunity, in recent times, to interact closely with you and I have come to the conclusion painfully or happily that if you can shun yourself to a great extent of personal and political interests and dwell more on the national interest and also draw the line between advice from selfish and self-centered aides and advice from those who in the interest of the nation may not tell you what you will want to hear, it will be well. The five positions which you share with nobody except with God and which place great and grave responsibility on you are leadership of the ruling party, headship of the Federal Government or national government, Commander-in-Chief of the Military, Chief Security Officer of the nation, and the political leader of the country. Those positions go with being the President of our country and while depending on your disposition, you can delegate or devolve responsibility, but the buck must stop on your table whether you like it or not. Let me start with the leadership of the ruling party. Many of us were puzzled over what was going on in the party. Most party members blamed the National Chairman. I understand that some in the presidency tried to create the impression that some of us were to blame. The situation became clear only when the National Chairman spoke out that he never did anything or acted in any way without the approval or concurrence of the Party Leader and that where the Party Leader disapproved, he made correction or amendment, that we realised most actions were those of the Chairman but the motivation and direction were those of the Leader. It would be unfair to continue to level full blames on the Chairman for all that goes wrong with the Party. The Chairman is playing the tune dictated by the Paymaster. But the Paymaster is acting for a definitive purpose for which deceit and deception seem to be the major ingredients. Up till two months ago, Mr. President, you told me that you have not told anybody that you would contest in 2015. I quickly pointed out to you that the signs and the measures on the ground do not tally with your statement. You said the same to one other person who shared his observation with me. And only a fool would believe that statement you made to me judging by what is going on. I must say that it is not ingenious. You may wish to pursue a more credible and more honourable path. Although you have not formally informed me one way or the other, it will be necessary to refresh your memory of what transpired in 2011. I had gone to Benue State for the marriage of one of my staff, Vitalis Ortese, in the State. Governor Suswam was my hospitable host. He told me that you had accepted a one-term presidency to allow for ease of getting support across the board in the North. I decided to cross-check with you. You did not hesitate to confirm to me that you are a strong believer in a one-term of six years for the President and that by the time you have used the unexpired time of your predecessor and the four years of your first term, you would have almost used up to six years and you would not need any more term or time. Later, I heard from other sources including sources close to you that you made the same commitment elsewhere, hence, my inclusion of it in my address at the finale of your campaign in 2011 as follows: "... PDP should be praised for being the only party that enshrines federal character, zoning and rotation in its Constitution and practises it. PDP has brought stability and substantial predictability to the polity and to the system. I do not know who will be President of Nigeria after Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. That is in the hand of God. But with PDP policy and practice, I can reasonably guess from where, in term of section of the country, the successor to President Jonathan will come. And no internal democracy or competition will thereby be destroyed. The recent resort to sentiments and emotions of religion and regionalism is self-serving, unpatriotic and mischievous, to say the least. It is also preying on dangerous emotive issues that can ignite uncontrollable passion and can distabilise if not destroy our country. This is being oblivious to the sacrifices others have made in the past for unity, stability and democracy in Nigeria in giving up their lives, shedding their blood, and in going to prison. I personally have done two out of those three sacrifices and I am ready to do the third if it will serve the best interest of Nigerian dream. Let me appeal to those who have embarked on this dangerous road to reflect and desist from taking us on a perishable journey. With common identity as Nigerians, there is more that binds us than separates us. I am a Nigerian, born a Yoruba man, and I am proud of both identities as they are for me complementary. Our duties, responsibilities and obligations to our country as citizens and, indeed, as leaders must go side by side with our rights and demands. There must be certain values and virtues that must go concomitantly with our dream. Thomas Paine said "my country is the world"; for me, my country I hold dear. On two occasions, I have had opportunity to work for my successors to the government of Nigeria. On both occasions, I never took the easy and distabilising route of ethnic, regional or religious consideration, rather I took the enduring route of national, uniting and stabilising route. I worked for both President Shagari and President Yar'Adua to succeed me not just because they are Moslems, Northerners or Hausa-Fulani, but because they could strengthen the unity, stability and democracy in Nigeria. We incurred the displeasure of ethnic chauvinists for doing what was right for the country. That is in the nature of burden of leadership. A leader must lead, no matter whose ox is gored. In the present circumstance, let me reiterate what I have said on a number of occasions. Electing Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, in his own right and on his own merit, as the President of Nigeria will enhance and strengthen our unity, stability and democracy. And it will lead us towards the achievement of our Nigerian dream. There is a press report that Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has already taken a unique and unprecedented step of declaring that he would only want to be a one-term President. If so, whether we know it or not, that is a sacrifice and it is statesmanly. Rather than vilify him and pull him down, we, as a Party, should applaud and commend him and Nigerians should reward and venerate him. He has taken the first good step. Let us encourage him to take more good steps by voting him in with landslide victory as the fourth elected President of Nigeria on the basis of our common Nigerian identity and for the purpose of actualising Nigerian dream... " When you won the election, one of the issues you very early pursued was that of one term of six years. That convinced me that you meant what you told me before my Speech at the campaign. Mr. President, whatever may be your intention or plan, I cannot comment much on the constitutional aspect of your second term or what some people call third term. That is for both legal and judicial attention. But if constitutionally you are on a strong wicket if you so decide, it will be fatally and morally flawed. As a leader, two things you must cherish and hold dear among others are trust and honour both of which are important ingredients of character. I will want to see anyone in the Office of the Presidency of Nigeria as a man or woman who can be trusted, a person of honour in his words and character. I will respect you for upholding these attributes and for dignifying that Office. Chinua Achebe said, "One of the truest test of integrity is its blunt refusal to be compromised." It is a lesson for all leaders including you and me. However, Mr. President, let me hope that as you claimed that you have not told anybody that you are contesting and that what we see and hear is a rumbling of overzealous aides, you will remain a leader that can be believed and trusted without unduly passing the buck or engaging in game of denials. Maybe you also need to know that many party members feel disappointed in the double game you were alleged to play in support of party gubernatorial candidates in some States where you surreptitiously supported non-PDP candidates against PDP candidates in exchange for promise or act of those non-PDP Governors supporting you for your election in the past or for the one that you are yet to formally declare. It happened in Lagos in 2011 when Bola Tinubu was nocturnally brought to Abuja to strike a deal for support for your personal election at great price materially and in the fortune of PDP gubernatorial candidate. As Chairman of BOT, I spoke to you at that time. It happened in Ondo State where there was in addition evidence of cover-up and non-prosecution of fraud of fake security report against the non-PDP candidate and his collaborators for the purpose of extracting personal electoral advantage for you. In fact, I have raised with you the story of those in other States in the South-West where some disgruntled PDP members were going around to recruit people into the Labour Party for you, because, for electoral purpose at the national level, Labour Party will have no candidate but you. It also happened in Edo State and those who know the detail never stopped talking about it. And you know it. Ditto in Anambra State with the fiasco coming from undue interference. If you as leader of the Party cannot be seen to be loyal to the PDP in support of the candidates of the Party and the interests of such Party candidates have to be sacrificed on the altar of your personal and political interest, then good luck to the Party and I will also say as I have had occasions to say in the past, good luck to Goodluck. If on the altar of the Party you go for broke, the Party may be broken beyond repairs. And when in a dispute between two sides, they both stubbornly decide to fight to the last drop of blood, no one knows whose blood would be the last to drop. In such a situation, Nigeria as a nation may also be adversely affected, not just the PDP. I wish to see no more bloodshed occasioned by politics in Nigeria. Please, Mr. President, be mindful of that. You were exemplary in words when during the campaign and the 2011 elections, you said, "My election is not worth spilling the blood of any Nigerian." From you, it should not be if it has to be, let it be. It should be from you, let peace, security, harmony, good governance, development and progress be for Nigeria. That is also your responsibility and mandate. You can do it and I plead that you do it. We all have to be mindful of not securing pyrrhic victory on the ashes of great values, attributes and issues that matter as it would amount to hollow victory without honour and integrity. Whatever may be the feud in PDP and no matter what you or your aides may feel, you, as the Party Leader, have the responsibility to find solution, resolve and fix it. Your legacy is involved. If PDP as a ruling Party collapses, it will be the first time in an independent Nigeria that a ruling political party would collapse not as a result of a military coup. It is food for thought. At the prompting of Governors on both sides of the divide, and on encouragement from you, I spent two nights to intervene in the dispute of the PDP Governors. I kept you fully briefed at every stage. I deliberately chose Banquet Hall at the Villa to ensure transparency. Your aides studied all the recordings of the two nights. But I told you at the end of the exercise that I observed five reactions among the Governors that required your immediate attention as you are the only one from the vantage point of your five positions that could deal effectively with the five reactions which were bitterness, anger, mistrust, fear and deep suspicion. I could only hope that you made efforts to deal with these unpleasant reactions. The feud leading to the factionalisation of the Party made me to invite some select elders of the Party to mediate again. Since I was engaged in assignment outside the country, I was not able to join the three members of the elders group that presented the report of our mediation to you. I was briefed that you agreed to work on the report. It would appear that for now, the ball is in your court as the Leader of the Party. I can only wish you every success in your handling of the issue. But time is not your friend or that of the Party in this respect. With leadership come not just power and authority to do and to undo, but also responsibility and accountability to do and to undo rightly, well and justly. Time and opportunity are treasure that must be appreciated and shared to enhance their value and utilitarianism. It is instructive that after half a dozen African Presidents have spoken to me to help you with unifying the Party based on your request to them and I came in company of Senator Amadu Ali to discuss the whole issue with you again, strangely, you denied ever requesting or authorising any President to talk to me. I was not surprised because I am used to such a situation of denial coming from you. Of course, I was not deterred. I have done and I will continue to do and say what is first, in the best interest of Nigeria and second, what is in the best interest of the Party. I stand for the aims, objectives, mission and vision of the founding fathers of the Party, to use it as a wholesome instrument of unity, good governance, development, prosperity and progress of Nigeria and all Nigerians. I have contributed to this goal in the past and no one who has been raised to position on the platform of the Party should shy away from further contribution to avoid division and destruction of the Party on any altar whatsoever. Debates and dialogues are necessary to promote the interest and work for the progress of any human institution or organisation. In such a situation, agreements and disagreements will occur but in the final analysis, leadership will pursue the course of action that benefit the majority and serve the purpose of the organisation, not the purpose of an individual or a minority. In that process, unity is sustained and everybody becomes a winner. The so-called crisis in the PDP can be turned to an opportunity of unity, mutual understanding and respect with the Party emerging with enhanced strength and victory. It will be a win-win for all members of the Party and for the country. By that, PDP would have proved that it could have internal disagreement and emerge stronger. The calamity of failure can still be avoided. Please, move away from fringes or the extremes and move to the centre and carry ALL along. Time is running out. I will only state that as far as your responsibility as Chief Security Officer of the nation is concerned for Nigerians, a lot more needs to be done to enhance the feeling of security amongst them. Whether one talks of the issue of militancy in the Niger Delta, the underlying causes of which have not been adequately addressed, if addressed at all, kidnapping, piracy, abductions and armed robberies which rather than abate are on the increase and Boko Haram which requires carrot and stick approach to lay its ghost to rest, the general security situation cannot be described as comforting. Knowing the genesis of Boko Haram and the reasons for escalation of violence from that sector with the widespread and ramification of the menace of Boko Haram within and outside the Nigerian borders, conventional military actions based on standard phases of military operations alone will not permanently and effectively deal with the issue of Boko Haram. There are many strands or layers of causes that require different solutions, approaches or antidotes. Drug, indoctrination, fundamentalism, gun trafficking, hate culture, human trafficking, money laundering, religion, poverty, unemployment, poor education, revenge and international terrorism are among factors that have effect on Boko Haram. One single prescription cannot cure all these ailments that combine in Boko Haram. Should we pursue war against violence without understanding the root causes of the violence and applying solutions to deal with all underlying factors - root, stem and branches? Nigeria is bleeding and the hemorrhage must be stopped. I am convinced that you can initiate measures that will bring all hands on deck to deal effectively with this great menace. Mr. President, the most important qualification for your present position is your being a Nigerian. Whatever else you may be besides being a Nigerian is only secondary for this purpose. And if majority of Nigerians who voted had not cast their votes for you, you could not have been there. For you to allow yourself to be "possessed", so to say, to the exclusion of most of the rest of Nigerians as an 'Ijaw man' is a mistake that should never have been allowed to happen. Yes, you have to be born in one part of Nigeria to be a Nigerian if not naturalised, but the Nigerian President must be above ethnic factionalism. And those who prop you up as of, and for 'Ijaw nation' are not your friends genuinely, not friends of Nigeria nor friends of 'Ijaw nation', they tout about. To allow or tacitly encourage people of 'Ijaw nation' to throw insults on other Nigerians from other parts of the country and threaten fire and brimstone to protect your interest as an Ijaw man is myopic and your not openly quieting them is even more unfortunate. You know that I have expressed my views and feelings to you on this issue in the past but I have come to realise that many others feel the way I have earlier expressed to you. It is not the best way of making friendship among all sections of Nigeria. You don't have shared and wholesome society without inclusive political, economic and social sustainable development and good governance. Also declaring that one section of the country voted for you as if you got no votes from other sections can only be an unnecessary talk, to put it mildly. After all and at the end of the day, democracy is a game of numbers. Even, if you would not need people's vote across the country again, your political Party will. Allegation of keeping over 1,000 people on political watch list rather than criminal or security watch list and training snipers and other armed personnel secretly and clandestinely acquiring weapons to match for political purposes like Abacha, and training them where Abacha trained his own killers, if it is true, cannot augur well for the initiator, the government and the people of Nigeria. Here again, there is the lesson of history to learn from for anybody who cares to learn from history. Mr. President would always remember that he was elected to maintain security for all Nigerians and protect them. And no one should prepare to kill or maim Nigerians for personal or political ambition or interest of anyone. The Yoruba adage says, "The man with whose head the coconut is broken may not live to savour the taste of the succulent fruit." Those who advise you to go hard on those who oppose you are your worst enemies. Democratic politics admits and is permissive of supporters and opponents. When the consequences come, those who have wrongly advised you will not be there to help carry the can. Egypt must teach some lesson. Presidential assistance for a murderer to evade justice and presidential delegation to welcome him home can only be in bad taste generally but particularly to the family of his victim. Assisting criminals to evade justice cannot be part of the job of the Presidency. Or, as it is viewed in some quarters, is he being recruited to do for you what he had done for Abacha in the past? Hopefully, he should have learned his lesson. Let us continue to watch. As Head of Government, the buck of the performance and non-performance stops on your table and let nobody tell you anything to the contrary. Most of our friends and development partners are worried and they see what we pretend to cover up. They are worried about issue of security internally and on our coastal waters, including heavy oil theft, alias bunkering and piracy. They are worried about corruption and what we are doing or not doing about it. Corruption has reached the level of impunity. It is also necessary to be mindful that corruption and injustice are fertile breeding ground for terrorism and political instability. And if you are not ready to name, shame, prosecute and stoutly fight against corruption, whatever you do will be hollow. It will be a laughing matter. They are worried about how we play our role in our region and, indeed, in the world. In a way, I share some of their concerns because there are notable areas we can do more or do better than we are doing. Some of our development partners were politically frustrated to withdraw from the Olokola LNG project, which happily was not yet the same with the Brass. I initiated them both. They were viable and would have taken us close to Qatar as LNG producing country. Please do not frustrate Brass LNG and in the interest of what is best for Nigerian economy, bring back the OK LNG into active implementation. The major international oil companies have withheld investment in projects in Nigeria. If they have not completely moved out, they are divesting. Nigeria, which is the Saudi of Africa in oil and gas terms, is being overtaken by Angola only because necessary decisions are not made timely and appropriately. Mr. President, let me again plead with you to be decisive on the oil and gas sector so that Nigeria may not lag behind. Oil with gas is being discovered all over Africa. New technology is producing oil from shale elsewhere. We should make hay while the sun shines. I hope we can still save the OK and Brass LNG projects. Three things are imperative in the oil and gas sector - stop oil stealing, encourage investment, especially by the IOCs and improve the present poor management of the industry. On the economy generally, it suffices to say that we could do better than we are doing. The signs are there and the expectations are high. The most dangerous ticking bomb is youth unemployment, particularly in the face of unbridled corruption and obscene rulers' opulence. Let me repeat that as far as the issue of corruption, security and oil stealing is concerned, it is only apt to say that when the guard becomes the thief, nothing is safe, secure nor protected in the house. We must all remember that corruption, inequity and injustice breed poverty, unemployment, conflict, violence and wittingly or unwittingly create terrorists because the opulence of the governor can only lead to the leanness of the governed. But God never sleeps, He is watching, waiting and bidding His time to dispense justice. The serious and strong allegation of non-remittance of about $7bn from the NNPC to central bank occurring from export of some 300,000 barrels per day, amounting to $900 million a month, to be refined and with refined products of only $400m returned and Atlantic Oil loading about 130,000 barrels sold by Shell and managed on behalf of NPDC with no sale proceeds paid into NPDC account is incredible. The allegation was buttressed by the letter of the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria to you on non-remittance to the central bank. This allegation will not fly away by non-action, cover-up, denial or bribing possible investigators. Please deal with this allegation transparently and let the truth be known. The dramatis personae in this allegation and who they are working for will one day be public knowledge. Those who know are watching if the National Assembly will not be accomplice in the heinous crime and naked grand corruption. May God grant you the grace for at least one effective corrective action against high corruption, which seems to stink all around you in your government. The international community knows us as we are and maybe more than we claim to know ourselves. And a good friend will tell you the truth no matter how bitter. Denials and cover-up of what is obvious, true and factual can detract from honour, dignity and respect. Truth and transparency dignify and earn respect. And life without passion for something can only achieve little. I was taken aback when an African Development Bank Director informed me that the water project for Port Harcourt, originally initiated by the Federal Government and to be financed by the bank, is being put in the cooler by the Federal Government because of the Amaechi-Jonathan face-off. Amaechi, whether he likes it or not, will cease to be governor over Rivers State, which Port Harcourt is part by the end of May 2015, but residents of Port Harcourt will continue to need improvement of their water supply. President Jonathan should rise above such pettiness and unpresidential act, if it is coming from him. But if not, and it is the action of overzealous officials reading the situation, he should give appropriate instruction for the project to be pursued. And there are other projects anywhere suffering the same coolness as a result of similar situation, let national interest supercede personal or political feud and the machinations of satanic officials. Mr. President, let me plead with you for a few things that will stand you in good stead for the rest of your life. Don't always consider critics on national issues as enemies. Some of them may be as patriotic and nationalistic as you and I who have been in government. Some of them have as much passion for Nigeria as we have. I saw that among Nigerians living abroad, hence, I initiated Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation, NIDO. You must also differentiate between malevolent, mischievous and objective criticism. Analyses, criticisms and commentaries on government actions and policies are sinew of democracy. Please, Mr. President, be very wary of assistants, aides and collaborators who look for enemies for you. I have seen them with you and some were around me when I was in your position. I knew how not to allow them create enemies for me. If you allow them, everybody except them will be your enemy. They are more dangerous than identified adversaries. May God save leaders from sycophants. They know what you want to hear and they feed you with it essentially for their own selfish interest. As far as you and Nigeria are concerned, they are wreckers. Where were they when God used others to achieve His will in your life. They possess you now for their interest. No interest should be higher or more important than the Nigerian interest to you. You have already made history and please do nothing to mar history. I supported you as I supported Yar'Adua. For me, there is neither North-South divide nor Christian-Moslem divide but one Nigeria. Let me put it, that talks, loose and serious, abound about possible abuse and misuse of the military and the legitimate security apparatus for unwholesome personal and political interest to the detriment of the honour, dignity, oath and professionalism of these honourable and patriotic forces. Let me urge the authorities not to embark on such destructive path for an important element of our national make-up. The roles of the military and the security agencies should be held sacrosanct in the best interest of the nation. Again, let not history repeat itself here. I believe that with what Nigeria went through in the past, the worst should have already happened. It must be your responsibility as the captain of the ship to prevent the ship from going aground or from a shipwreck. For anybody close to you saying that if the worst happens, he or she would not be involved is idle and loose talk. If we leave God to do His will and we don't rely only on our own efforts, plans and wisdom, God will always do His best. And the power of money and belief in it is satanically tempting. As I go around Nigeria and the world, I always come across Nigerians who are first-class citizens of the world and who are doing well where they are and who are passionate to do well for Nigeria. My hope for our country lies in these people. They abound and I hope that all of us will realise that they are the jewels of Nigeria wherever they may be and not those who arrogate to themselves eternal for ephemeral. Also, to my embarrassment at times, I learned more about what is going on in the public and private sectors of Nigeria from our development partners, international institutions and those transacting business in Nigeria most times I was abroad. On returning home to verify the veracity of these stories, I found some of them not only to be true but more horrifying than they were presented abroad. Other countries look up to Nigeria for regional leadership. Failure on the part of Nigeria will create a schism that will be bad for the region. Knowing what happens around you, most of which you know of and condone or deny, this letter will provoke cacophony from hired and unhired attackers but I will maintain my serenity because by this letter, I have done my duty to you as I have always done, to your government, to the Party, PDP, and to our country, Nigeria. If I stuck out my neck and God used me and others as instrument to work hard for you to reach where you are today in what I considered the best political interest of Nigeria, tagging me as your enemy or the enemy of your administration by you, your kin or your aides can only be regarded as ridiculous to extreme. If I see any danger to your life, I will point it out to you or ward it off as I have done in the past. But I will not support what I believe is not in the best interest of Nigeria, no matter who is putting it forward or who is behind it. Mr. President, I have passed the stage of being flattered, intimidated, threatened, frightened, induced or bought. I am never afraid to agree or disagree but it will always 13 be on principles, and if on politics, in the national interest. After my prison experience in the close proximity of and sharing facilities with an asylum in Yola, there is nothing worse for anyone alive and well. And that was for a military dictator to perpetuate himself in power. Death is the end of all human beings and may it come when God wills it to come. The harassment of my relations and friends and innuendo that are coming from the Government security apparatus on whether they belong to new PDP or supporters of defected Governors and which are possibly authorised or are the work of overzealous aides and those reading your lips to act in your interest will be counter-productive. It is abuse of security apparatus. Such abuse took place last in the time of Abacha. Lies and untruths about me emanating from the presidency is too absurd to contemplate. Saying that I recommended a wanted criminal by UK and USA authorities to you or your aides to supplant legitimately elected PDP leader in South-West is not only unwise and crude but also disingenuous. Nobody in his or her right senses will believe such a story and surely nobody in Ogun State or South-West zone will believe such nonsense. It is a clear indication of how unscrupulous and unethical the presidency can go to pursue your personal and political interest. Nothing else matters. What a pity! Nothing at this stage of my life would prevent me from standing for whatever I consider to be in the best interest of Nigeria - all Nigeria, Africa and the world in that order. I believe strongly that a united and strong PDP at all costs is in the best interest of Nigeria. In these respects, if our interests and views coincide, together we will march. Putting a certified unashamed criminal wanted abroad to face justice and who has greatly contributed to corruption within the judiciary on a high profile of politics as you and your aides have done with the man you enthrone as PDP Zonal leader in the South-West is the height of disservice to this country politically and height of insult to the people of South-West in general and members of PDP in that zone in particular. For me, my politics goes with principles and morality and I will not be a party to highly profiling criminals in politics, not to say one would be my zonal leader. It destroys what PDP stands for from its inception... God is never a supporter of evil and will surely save PDP and Nigeria from the hands of destroyers. If everything fails and the Party cannot be retrieved from the hands of criminals and commercial jobbers and discredited touts, men and women of honour, principles, morality and integrity must step aside to rethink. Let me also appeal to and urge defected, dissatisfied, disgruntled and in any way displeased PDP Governors, legislators, party officials and party members to respond positively if the President seriously takes the initiative to find mutually agreeable solution to the current problems for which he alone has the key and the initiative. I have heard it said particularly within the presidency circle that the disaffected Governors and members of PDP are my children. I begin to wonder if, from top to bottom, any PDP 15 member in elective office today is not directly or indirectly a beneficiary and, so to say, my political child. Anyone who may claim otherwise will be like a river that has forgotten its source. But like a good father, all I seek is peaceful and amicable solution that will re-unite the family for victory and progress of the family and the nation and nothing else. In a democracy, leaders are elected to lighten the burden of the people, give them freedom, choice and equity and ensure good governance and not to deceive them, burden them, oppress them, render them hopeless and helpless. Nothing should be done to undermine the tenets, and values of democratic principles and practice. Tyranny in all its manifestation may be appealing to a leader in trying times of political feud or disagreement. Democracy must, however, prevail and be held as sacrosanct. Today, you are the President of Nigeria, I acknowledge you and respect you as such. The act of an individual has a way of rubbing off on the generality. May it never be the wish of majority of Nigerians that Goodluck Jonathan, by his acts of omission or commission, would be the first and the last Nigerian President ever to come from Ijaw tribe. The idea and the possibility must give all of us food for thought. That was never what I worked for and that would never be what I will work for. But legacy is made of such or the opposite. My last piece of advice, Mr. President, is that you should learn the lesson of history and please do not take Nigeria and Nigerians for granted. Move away from culture of denials, cover-ups and proxies and deal honesty, sincerely and transparently with Nigerians to regain their trust and confidence. Nigerians are no fools, they can see, they can hear, they can talk among themselves, they can think, they can compare and they can act in the interest of their country and in their own self-interest. They keenly watch all actions and deeds that are associated with you if they cannot believe your words. I know you have the power to save PDP and the country. I beg you to have the courage and the will with patriotism to use the power for the good of the country. Please uphold some form of national core values. I will appeal to all Nigerians particularly all members of PDP to respect and dignify the Office of the President. We must all know that individuals will come and go but the Office will remain. Once again, time is of the essence. Investors are already retreating 16 from Nigeria, adopting 'wait and see attitude' and knowing what we are deficient of, it will take time to reverse the trend and we may miss some golden opportunities. Finally, your later-day conversion into National Conference is fraught with danger of disunity, confusion and chaos if not well handled. I believe in debate and dialogue but it must be purposeful, directed and managed well without ulterior motives. The ovation has not died out yet and there is always life after a decent descent. Accept, Dear Mr. President, the assurances of my highest consideration. Olusegun Obasanjo PS I crave your indulgence to share the contents of this letter, in the first instance, with General Ibrahim Babangida and General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who, on a number of occasions in recent times, have shared with me their agonising thoughts, concerns and expressions on most of the issues I have raised in this letter concerning the situation and future of our country. I also crave your indulgence to share the contents with General Yakubu Danjuma and Dr. Alex Ekwueme, whose concerns for and commitments to the good of Nigeria have been known to be strong. The limit of sharing of the contents may be extended as time goes on. Olusegun Obasanjo -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: 24 Hours After Jonathan's Reply - Obasanjo Faces Investigation By Donald Ojogo, Kunle Olayeni and Anayo Onukwugha, 24 December 2013 Obasanjo's letter Barely 24 hours after President Goodluck Jonathan's reply to an earlier letter written to him by former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, the nation's security agencies have concluded arrangements to "interview" the former leader, for him to "explain details" of some of the allegations he made in the letter. LEADERSHIP gathered that but for the absence of the former leader from the country, an inter-departmental team of the nation's security apparatus was on the verge of visiting Obasanjo in Abeokuta or at his farm in Otta, Ogun State on the mission, which a source called "routine". It was also gathered that even though President Jonathan had in his response to the former president's letter given indications that relevant security agencies would probe some of the allegations in the December 2, 2013 letter sent to him, the move to investigate had indeed been concluded before the president's letter that was released to the press Sunday night. According to the source, the inter-departmental security team has in it representatives of the Department of State Service (DSS), National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and the Police. Regardless of the arrangement, the source said it was not meant to be an invitation, as such could be misinterpreted as government's moving against those with dissenting voices. "The best the security agencies can do under this circumstance is to interview the former president for us to be given the opportunity to know from him what the nation's security community did not know before now. "You ought to know that security apparatus does not work like politicians; anywhere and whenever politicians have problems, security agencies tend to steer clear, because they know how they settle their differences. "But in this case, certain issues have been unravelled in form of allegations in the said letter, which in the thinking of those in the best position, requires that further information be sought from the former president. "But the only thing is that he has to be given first charge respect as a former president of the country; it is either the team visits him in Abeokuta or in his Otta farm or anywhere he deems necessary, in order for him to explain details to the team," he said. He further said, "This is very important and needs not to be politicised, because some of the issues border on the nation's security and security of individuals who are players in the polity." Obasanjo, had in his letter sent to President Jonathan, alleged that he was training a killer squad to watch over 1,000 perceived political opponents. Part of the letter had read: "Allegation of keeping over 1000 people on political watch list rather than criminal or security watch list and training snipers and other armed personnel secretly and clandestinely acquiring weapons to match for political purposes like Abacha and training them where Abacha trained his own killers, if it is true, it cannot augur well for the initiator, the government and the people of Nigeria. "Here again, there is the lesson of history to learn from for anybody who cares to learn from history. Mr. President would always remember that he was elected to maintain security for all Nigerians and protect them. "And no one should prepare to kill or maim Nigerians for personal or political ambition or interest of anyone. The Yoruba adage says, 'The man with whose head coconut is broken may not live to savour the taste of the succulent fruit.' Those who advise you to go hard on those who oppose you are your worst enemies. Democratic politics admits and is permissive of supporters and opponents. When the consequences come, those who have wrongly advised you will not be there to help carry the can. Egypt must teach some lesson." When contacted the special adviser to the president on political matters, Ahmed Gulak said, "Whether or not the security agencies have set up a team to either have audience with the former president or not remains within the purview of the security agencies. Only the office of the NSA or any other relevant security official can answer that question because it is not a political matter but a security one. "Besides, you have read the president's reply; he made it clear that the security agencies will probe; so take it like that." SSS keeps mum When LEADERSHIP contacted the spokesperson of the SSS, Marilyn Ogar, through calls and text messages, there was no reply as at press time. The text message reads: "Good evening Ma, kindly confirm the information that the SSS is to quiz former President Olusegun Obasanjo in connection with his letter to President Jonathan. We need the confirmation for a balanced report. Prompt reply will be appreciated, Ma. Thank you." I won't take up issues with Jonathan - Obasanjo Former president, Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday said he would not reply to the letter by President Goodluck Jonathan, which accused him of setting the stage for subversion in the nation. Addressing a press conference in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, Obasanjo explained that he had "tremendous respect" for the office of the president and would not wish to make further comments. The ex-president said this against the backdrop of Jonathan's reply to his 18-page letter on December 2, 2013. Jonathan had, in his response on Sunday titled Re: Before It Is Too Late said he decided to respond in writing because Obasanjo's letter was clearly a threat to national security and that it may deliberately or inadvertently set the stage for subversion. The president also alleged that his predecessor's letter was meant to instigate members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against him, as well as incite Nigerians from other geopolitical zones against him. He further refuted the allegation that he was training snipers to assassinate about 1,000 people who had been placed under watch, adding that he had already directed security agencies and the National Human Rights Commission to investigate Obasanjo's allegations and make their findings public. Speaking yesterday through his media aide, Tunde Oladunjoye, former president Obasanjo acknowledged receipt of Jonathan's letter. Oladunjoye, who was the state PDP deputy governorship candidate in the 2011 general elections, recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Oladunjoye stated that he was under instruction from Obasanjo to formally address the press conference in response to "several requests from local and international media", but he said the former president did not wish to make further comments beyond the contents of his last letter to Jonathan. "Since the publication of the letter written by the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, which was in response to the letter earlier written by revered former president, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, we have received several requests from local and international media asking to know Chief Obasanjo's reaction to Mr. President's response. "One, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, acknowledges Mr. President's letter/response. However, Baba, as he already indicated in his December 2, 2013 letter, does not wish to make further comments beyond the contents of his last letter to the Mr. President, or react to the said letter/response from Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. Let me quote from page fourteen, paragraph two of Chief Obasanjo's letter to Mr. President dated December 2, 2013 and titled "Before It Is Too Late: "'I will maintain my serenity, because by this letter I have done my duty to you as I have always done, to your government, to the party, PDP, and to our country, Nigeria.' "Two, let me reiterate here, that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR has tremendous respect for the office of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria," Oladunjoye said. He expressed appreciation to journalists who, he said, "have been very upright, ethical and robust on the subject matter." The face-off between Obasanjo and Jonathan heightened following the 18-page letter by the ex-president, who accused his successor of pursuing "selfish personal and political interests" at the nation's detriment. In the letter, Obasanjo also alleged that the president had failed to deliver on his promises to Nigerians, as well as curb insurgency and corruption in the country. He claimed that Jonathan had placed more than 1,000 Nigerians on a political watch list, adding that the president had succeeded in destroying the PDP and polarising Nigeria along regional and religious lines. But Jonathan debunked the claims by the former president, describing the letter as a threat to national security. The president pointed out that since he started his political career as a deputy governor, he had never been associated with any form of political violence. Buhari To Jonathan: Your govt is lawless In a related development, former military head of state and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari has described the federal government under the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan as a lawless government. This was as he also said the APC would do everything constitutionally possible to ensure that the country did not only witness a credible election in 2015, but also would ensure that Nigerians were delivered democratically. Buhari spoke yesterday at a rally jointly organised by the Rivers State chapter of the APC and a pressure group, the Save Rivers Movement (SRM) in Port Harcourt. The was attended by the interim national chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande, former governor of Lagos State, Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu and former speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari, among others. He said, "We are in an extremely difficult situation where the government of the day is lawless. It is very clear to us and the international community, that executive governors are the chief security officers of their states. "A lot of you here were not born when our leaders saw that the fundamental thing is one Nigeria, in spite of our differences, ethnic and religious. We found ourselves as one people. Our country has tremendous resources and talented people. We the people have managed to organise ourselves, so that we can run this country. "APC is about securing and efficiently managing Nigeria. I want you to believe and participate fully, because governance is there for you. We in this party will do everything possible constitutionally, to make sure that 2015 election is credible. We are going to deliver our country democratically come 2015. No matter how negatively other people think, Nigeria will survive." Buhari described the Rivers State governor and chairman, Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Rotimi Amaechi, as a courageous leader who had the support of the APC and majority of Nigerians, despite the attacks on him by the present government. In his speech, Amaechi said he was the first person on the 'black list' of the Jonathan-led administration hinted at by former president, Olusegun Obasanjo in his recent letter to the president, pointing out that the reason for the rally was to remind Nigerians that the federal government was standing on impunity. Amaechi said, "They replied former president Olusegun Obasanjo's letter and asked him to prove the list in the letter. I am Number One on that list. They want to kill me as if there is no God, but the God I worship will protect me. "The reason for the rally today is to remind Nigerians that the current federal government is carrying on with impunity. We are being molested by the police, they are paying thugs to shoot dynamite, to shoot guns against (sic) innocent citizens." Also speaking, interim national chairman of the APC, Chief Bisi Akande commended members of the House of Representatives who recently dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and defected to the party, for their courage in carrying on, in spite of the threat to declare their seats vacant. In his goodwill message, chieftain of the party and former Lagos State governor, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, described Amaechi as an eagle, considering his courage, achievements and determination to save Rivers State from evil-minded individuals. I didn't visit Obasanjo with APC leaders - Senator Effiong Meanwhile, miffed by media reports that he was at the meeting of the APC leaders with the former president, Senator Bob Effiong has said he could not have been in Abeokuta, because he belongs to the PDP. Effiong was among those reported to have been in the delegation of APC leaders to the former president's residence on Saturday. But in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday by his special assistant on media, Ernest Udokang, Effiong said the report was misleading. The statement read in part: "The attention of Senator Effiong Bob, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Benin, has been drawn to publications in certain newspapers and online social media that he was in the All Progressives Congress (APC) delegation that visited former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday December 21, 2013 "Nothing could be farther from the truth. Senator Bob, a staunch member of the Peoples Democratic Party, has never declared for nor indicated any intention to be a member of APC or any other political party. It therefore amounts to gross mischief for anybody to imagine that he was in the delegation that went to lobby the former President to join the party when he is not even a member of the party. "Senator Bob, who joined the PDP from inception, was recently elected Chairman of the PDP Caucus of the Senators Forum. "On the day in question, Senator Bob was not even within the vicinity of the venue of the meeting with Obasanjo. He was in Abuja with his family and friends. It is still unexplainable how and where the information that he was a part of the APC delegation emanated. " -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You lied, Jonathan replies Obasanjoon December 23, 2013 / By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor & Ben Agande LAGOS—President Goodluck Jonathan has accused former President Olusegun Obasanjo of deceitfully manipulating facts and figures to impugn his credibility, vowing that he would not for any reason mortgage a bright future for the country. The President, in his response to the December 2, 2013 letter to him from the former president, accused his one time political benefactor of hypocrisy asserting that Obasanjo was rather guilty of several of the allegations raised. Dr. Jonathan in debunking the allegations of having failed in maintaining security, reminded Obasanjo that the Boko Haram insurgency started under his watch in 2002 and that the first major case of kidnapping for money was also in 2006 during Obasanjo’s stewardship. President Goodluck Jonathan and former President Olusegun Obasanjo President Jonathan also challenged Obasanjo to swear with the bible if he believed in the allegation that the administration was training snipers to trail political opponents, just as he said that retractions by Central Bank governor, Lamido Sanusi have debunked the allegation of squandering oil receipts. Responding to the allegation of corruption leveled against the present administration, Dr. Jonathan poked at Obasanjo citing the Halliburton and Siemens scandals which happened under his brief, and the mockery of his military administration by his townsman, the music legend, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. He thus challenged Obasanjo to cite verifiable cases corruption against the present administration. Dr. Jonathan also denied the allegations of betraying the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP charging that it was certainly not him that made the PDP to lose Obasanjo’s home state, OgunState to the opposition in 2011. President Jonathan who in the letter acknowledged Obasanjo’s role in his political enthronement and called him baba five times, nevertheless said he was forced to respond openly based on what he described as Obasanjo’s legendary role in pulling down all his successors since he was Head of State in the seventies. The letter dated December 20, 2013 ran thus: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- APC’s visit to OBJ: Nigeria may be heading for a shipwreck -Soyinka Written by Monday, 23 December 2013 00:00 NOBEL Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has warned that Nigeria might be headed for a shipwreck, as top officials of the All Progressives Congress (APC) visited former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, to court his support. In a statement entitled: “Shipwreck ahead,” Soyinka warned that Nigeria would need urgent rescue operations if the APC wanted to invite people like Obasanjo to serve as a navigator for the ship of state. “An APC-led group, we understand, has been paying courtesy visits to former heads of state,” he said. Professor Soyinka said it would be disastrous for the country if the purpose of the visit was captured in the mission statement credited to the APC national leader, Senator Bola Tinubu, that the party had resolved to rescue Nigeria and appealing to Obasanjo to lead the mission. “We’re resolved and determined to rescue Nigeria. We want you as navigator,” Tinubu was quoted to have said. Responding, Soyinka said “If this attribution is correct, may I urge you, as an urgent public service, to advise families to begin the stockpiling of life-belts for the guaranteed crash. “Don’t forget to alert the coastguards – ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States), AU (African Union), UNO (United Nations Organisation) etc etc - to be on the alert for possible salvage operations.” The foremost writer then said he wondered “if General Sani Abacha would not have been on the ship’s complement were he to be alive.” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- China identifies 4 evils bedevilling Nigeria •‘We can help fast-track Nigeria’s economic growth’ Written by Idowu Samuel-Abuja Monday, 02 December 2013 00:00The government of the Peoples Republic of China has expressed interest in helping to fast-track the process of development and growth of Nigeria, especially in the areas of infrastructure and growth of economy. China, however stressed that for Nigeria to tap from its tested wisdom in nation building, it must struggle hard to tackle what it described as four evils which it reckoned has been bedevilling Nigeria and most African countries for long. It gave the four evils as feudalism which it stressed promotes indiscipline, extravagance and corruption, poor leadership and party system as well as weak institutions. A top official of the Chinese government, Mr Ai Ping, disclosed this to the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, during the latter’s visit to the Foreign Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Beijing, China. The Vice Minister, International Department of CPC Central Committee, told the PDP chairman that the ability of China to conquer the four evils with capacity to limit the progress of any country was the reason his country has risen from poverty to prosperity, all within a period of 40 years. He also disclosed that the success of China as the world’s second best economy was mainly rooted in the priority attention successive governments had placed on growth of national economy and the need to be self reliant in many respects. According to him, China was able to evolve a strong system of governance with the aid of the CPC which he stressed has been promoting discipline among members, while deriving its strength from the grassroots. Ping said China never joked with the idea of constant reforms, noting that Nigeria too can imbibe the tradition of fashioning out home grown reforms to change its governing system through democracy. The minister urged Nigeria to take a cue from a sister African country, Ethiopia, which, according to him, now tends a single digit economy, through the progress oriented reforms it adopted about half a decade ago. Ethiopia, he stressed, was one of the least developed parts of Africa, when it suddenly began to tend one of Africa’s fastest growing economy on a single digit base having demonstrated understanding of the basic rules of economic development. He said within a few years, Ethiopia was able to evolve a market driven economy, with attendant encouraging infrastructural development, adding that the East African country complemented its new consciousness for growth by focussing attention on human developments. He said Nigeria should not shy away from recruiting experts from relevant quarters to train its youths on acquisition of skills, which, according to him, is vital to national growth. He said, “In China, we always have more solutions than problems. All the changes we have had in China came through reforms and reforms should be an ongoing process. So, China and Nigeria can forge strong partnership while exploring areas of cooperation which would be beneficial to the two.” Tukur, in response, told the minister that he and other members of the PDP were in China to learn from the country’s model of development and party system. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Man Who Witnessed Amalgamation Dies At 120 By: Abu Nmodu on November 11, 2013 - 3:48am A centenarian, the only living man who witnessed the amalgamation of the Northern and the Southern protectorates in 1914, Mallam Goman Salihu, died yesterday. He died at the ripe age of 120 years. According to a family source, the late centenarian is survived by 18 children, many grandchildren and wife Zainab Abbu. The now late Gomna had told LEADERSHIP in his last interview on his sick bed how, as a teenager then, he witnessed the parade that ushered in the amalgamation. The centenarian, who spoke with the help of his two children Yusuf Salihu and Mohammed Salihu, was on his sick bed and found it very difficult to speak audibly. Apart from being one of the oldest men in the ancient city of Zungeru, the late Alhaji Salihu is respected for his ability to bring people together to live in peace despite their different backgrounds. Speaking on his death, the chairman of Zungeru Community Development Association, Mallam Salman Yusuf, stated that the late centenarian was father to all and therefore prayed that Allah SWT would grant him eternal rest. Meanwhile, his body was laid to rest yesterday in Zungeru, about 2pm, with people from different backgrounds witnessing the burial. His younger brother Ahmadu Salihu received visitors, as the traditional head of Zungeru or Hakimi Zungeru, Alhaji Salisu Abubakar, was not in town. Though the Hakimi was in Kano to witness the wedding of his son, LEADERSHIP gathered that he was devastated by the loss of the centenarian who, he said, had been a wise counsellor to the people. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day I blasted Obasanjo to his face –Atiku November 2, 2013 by Gbenro Adeoye Former Vice-President of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has revealed that he “blasted” his then boss, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, over his bid to run for a second term. Abubakar made the disclosure during an interview with a newspaper published in Hausa. In the interview published by an online publication on Friday, Abubakar also disclosed that he and Obasanjo argued over his failed third term bid. Atiku said during one of their arguments, Obasanjo gave him a Quran to swear loyalty to him. He said, “At first we started arguing, and then he (Obasanjo) opened his drawer and brought out a copy of the Quran and asked me to swear that I will not be disloyal to him. There was nothing I did not tell him in that room. The first thing I told him was that I swore with the Quran to defend the Constitution of Nigeria. Why are you now giving me the Quran to swear for you again? What if I swear for you and you go against the constitution? “Secondly, I looked at him and told him that if I don’t like you or don’t support you, would I have called 19 northern governors to meet for three days in my House in Kaduna only for us to turn our back on you? “Thirdly, I asked him, what are you even doing with the Quran? Are you a Muslim that you would even administer an oath on me with the Quran? I was angry, and I really blasted him. He asked me to forgive him and he returned the Quran back to the drawer, and we came out.” Obasanjo’s third term bid failed following public outcry over what many saw as unconstitutional. Speaking further about the controversial bid, which could have taken Obasanjo to a record 12 years as the country’s president, Atiku said he vehemently told Obasanjo to leave after the completion of his second term in office. He said, “In fact we had the same kind of altercation when he was gunning for third term, he informed me that “ I left power twenty years ago, I left Mubarak in office, I left Mugabe in office, I left Eyadema in office, I left Umar Bongo, and even Paul Biya and I came back and they are still in power; and I just did eight years and you are asking me to go; why?” And I responded to him by telling him that Nigeria is not Libya, not Egypt, not Cameroun, and not Togo; I said you must leave; even if it means both of us lose out, but you cannot stay.” Obasanjo and Atiku fell out at some point during their administration, with reports that the two did not see eye to eye. There were also unconfirmed reports that the two of them fell out because Obasanjo went back on his promise to use one term in office and support Atiku’s candidacy for the presidency after his four years. Some reports claimed that Obasanjo had to go on his knees to seek Atiku’s support for his second term. Atiku denied that his former boss went on his knees to plead for his support. He, however, said that Obasanjo visited his residence to plead for his support. He said, “Honestly, he did not kneel down for me. But he did come to my house and I refused to see him. And he knocked my door continuously and asked me in the name of God to come out, so I came out, and we went downstairs, and he asked me to join him in his car and I said, no, because of security reasons, but he insisted. So when we entered his car, I never knew that he had gone round states pavilions and asking for the support of governors and delegates and they refused to listen to him because they have not seen us together. So that was why he came and picked me up so that we would go round together. There is something that many people did not know before, which I will tell you now. “We sat with party elders and discussed the issue of Presidency and there was debate as to whether the South will have eight or four years? If the South had eight years, so the north too should have eight years subsequently. After lots of debates, it was finally agreed that the South should have eight years. And when power returns to the north, they should also have it for eight years. “However, governors objected to this arrangement. I was then in a dilemma; is the governors’ objection genuine or just a political gimmick. What if I followed them to run against the president and they later on turn their back on me and align with the president? At the end of the day, one would neither be a vice president or a president because politics is a slippery game.” Concerning his role in the recent breakup of the Peoples Democratic Party, where Abubakar led a number of PDP governors out of the party’s convention, Abubakar said they had spent four months plotting the move. He said, “We have been planning for some time because we have spent almost four months planning how to split the PDP. “At first I didn’t know the arrowhead, but they eventually came and met me and I joined them because their reasons are the same with the ones I have been fighting against within the party; lack of fairness, honesty and tyranny. If I can fight the military to restore democracy, why can’t I fight fellow politicians?” Abubakar added that the breakaway faction of the party had appealed a court judgment declaring its association illegal. “We have appealed; and we are planning seriously, you will see what will happen,” he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How Lugard Conducted Amalgamation Ceremony – Centenarian By: Abu Nmodu on November 2, 2013 - 2:34am As the controversy over whether the amalgamation of Northern and Southern protectorates took place in Zungeru in Niger State or Lokoja in Kogi State continues, a centenarian, Alhaji Gomna Salihu, who claimed to have witnessed the event, has given an insight into how it was conducted by the British colonialists in Zungeru in 1914. In an interview with LEADERSHIP Weekend in Zungeru, Salihu whose speech has been impaired by old age, recalled that the ceremony was heralded by a parade by the colonial army. Salihu, who was assisted by two of his sons - Yusuf Salihu and Mohammed Salihu – during the interview, asserted that Zungeru was occupied during the era by mostly railway workers and those serving the colonial masters while he was a distributor of coal to the colonial masters and some royalty who depended on coal for energy. He stated that, after the amalgamation, it dawned on them that Zungeru represented a bigger Nigeria than they thought because of the different tribes which moved to the area. Pa Salihu also recalled areas used by the colonial masters and Lord Lugard as administrative office, quarters and mess before moving to Kaduna, adding that, “We all came out with mostly railway workers to watch the parade marking the amalgamation.” According to him, the first train that came to Zungeru stopped at a nearby village called Gwarijiko where some of the materials used by the colonial masters were discharged. The centenarian stated that, apart from administrative activities, Zungeru was a hub of economic activities because of the presence of the colonial administrators “whom we used to go to their houses to admire their ways of life.” While being categorical that the amalgamation took place in Zungeru, the centenarian admitted that he could not give more details of the ceremony due to his failing memory. Yusuf and Mohammed, who now take care of him, agreed with the narration of their father whom they said had been telling them about the ceremony of the amalgamation. Mohammed stated that he used to tell them about the first bridge in Kango-Jebba built by the colonial masters primarily to serve people coming from the southern part after the amalgamation. LEADERSHIP Weekend further gathered from the family that Alhaji Salihu had four wives, but only one, Hajiya Zainab popularly called Abbu, was still alive. The chairman of Zungeru Community Development Association, Mr Salmanu Yusuf, reiterated that Zungeru remained the town that the amalgamation took place and wished that the historical relics in the community were upgraded by building a city in the town to mark Nigeria’s centenary. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yoruba Assembly, Awolowo Foundation list terms for confab . Wednesday, 09 October 2013 00:00 By Tunde Akinola News - National .FOR the Yoruba Assembly, the announcement of convening a national conference by President Goodluck Jonathan is a “welcome development” as it will allow each nationality to develop its economy at its own pace within the frame-work of a united Nigerian Federation or Nigerian Union. Also, the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation has begun efforts geared at contributing to the national conference. In a statement Tuesday by Convener of Yoruba Assembly, Lt.-Gen. Alani Akinrinade, the group said a national conference convened to work out a better structure for the survival of the country as one territorial entity characterised by peaceful co-existence of the nationalities should not be subject to the stresses of partisan political parties. He noted that the organisation of the conference should be without any direct participation by any of the existing political parties in the country. “While all Yoruba people respect political parties as vitally crucial instruments for the running of the country’s democratic processes, we believe, however, that involving partisan political parties in the national conversation of the national conference is capable of creating avoidable tension and distraction for meaningful dialogue among the nation’s federating units,” the statement said. The group said the conference should be given freedom and support to do a thorough job in good time, so as to ensure that the national conference would not unnecessarily disrupt the statutory calendar for the 2015 general elections. In a statement issued by the Obafemi Awolowo Foundation, it recommended that there should be “no-go” areas in the course of the discussion, saying the fact that people would not be restricted would enhance frankness as well as greater acceptability of the conference outcome. It added that the outcome of the conference should lay appropriate emphasis on the needs and aspirations of the Nigerian people. One of the leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Tinubu, had upon his arrival from a medical trip in the United States (U.S.) at the weekend, said Nigerians should not rely on the conference, as it would be a “major distraction” and a diversionary step taken by a sinking ship. He said there was something wrong about the timing of the conference as it would fall within the election year. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- National dialogue: Let there be no restriction, says NMA October 7, 2013 by Fidelis Soriwei, James Azania, Ozioma Ubabukoh and Sodiq Oyeleke The Nigerian Medical Association, on Sunday, said it would back President Goodluck Jonathan’s proposed national dialogue. It however advised that there should not be restrictions as to areas of discussion, adding that Nigerians from all walks of life should be given opportunity to freely participate in the discussions. NMA National President, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, said this in Benin, Edo State, shortly after he led the leadership of the association on a courtesy visit to Governor Adams Oshiomhole on Sunday. He said, “We cannot afford to bungle this opportunity especially as Nigeria prepares to celebrate her centenary anniversary. Nigerians, irrespective of their political, ethnic or cultural persuasions must be allowed to make input.” The national leadership of the Trade Union Congress has demanded the discussion of the unity of the country and its existence by the proposed national conference. However, the National President of the TUC, Mr. Bobboi Kaigama, and the Secretary of the congress, Mr. Musa Lawal, said in an electronics mail on Sunday that the outcome of the conference must represent the interest of the Nigerian citizenry and move the nation forward. The TUC leadership also demanded the inclusion of a representative each from the Nigeria Labour Congress and the TUC in the confab committee led by Senator Femi Okurounmu. According to the labour leaders, critical issues such as the revenue allocation, the system of governance and cost, power sharing formula, corruption and other issues considered inseparable from the nation’s existence must be dealt with at the confab. The duo also called on delegates to give due attention to the state of the nation’s economy, the scourge of poverty, important sectors including power, health and education. Kaigama and Lawal urged the prospective delegates at the expected conference to display the virtues of statesmanship and maturity in discussing the issues of critical importance to the well being of the nation. They also appealed to Nigerians to be considerate in articulating the interest of their constituents with due consideration to those of others without endangering the unity of the country. “The congress anticipates that issues to be discussed at the conference to include the basis of our unity and existence as a nation, the system of government and the power-sharing formula, our geopolitical and fiscal federalism, citizenship, the electoral and representative system, the cost of governance, security, corruption, boundary adjustment and foreign policy, freedom of faith and other fundamental human rights. “Similarly, we charge the delegates to conscientiously consider and take unequivocal resolutions on our economy and the poverty index, our roads and other means of transport, as well as power, education and health sectors. “Nigerians expect the delegates to be mindful to display requisite broadmindedness and statesmanship in their dealings at the conference. They said that the TUC was not against the National Dialogue proposed by the President considering the challenges confronting the nation. Also, the outgoing Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Dr. Sunday Makinde, has called on the Federal Government not to postpone the planned national conference. He said this during the investiture of Most Reverend Samuel Uche as the new prelate of the church on Sunday in Lagos. He described the conference as a key factor for peace and unity of Nigeria. Makinde said, “Convergence of national conference is imperative for the country. If we do not hold it, we are postponing the evil day.” He, however, called on the Federal Government to find a lasting solution to the ongoing strike embarked on by lecturers under the aegis of the Academic Staff Union of Universities. however, the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties has called on the President of the Senate, David Mark, to come to President Jonathan’s rescue stopping the proposed national conference. It made this call on Sunday in a statement where it argued that the proposed conference, from all intents and purposes, “is diversionary, a bridge to no-where and which might be hijacked by ethnic merchants.” In the statement signed by the CNPP National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, the group said that the desires of Nigerians would not be achieved by the proposed conference, “as ethnic merchants dominate the 13-man Prep-Committee and its intention is not sovereign.” The statement read in parts, “For the avoidance of doubt, Nigeria has never since after the civil war been as divided as it is now; we are in no doubt at a tipping-point of frustration and rudderless leadership. “However, the solution to pervasive corruption, crass inequality, gross unemployment and mass poverty is not a conference bridge to no-where. “Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Prof. Awalu Yadudu and other patriots had decried this unnecessary building of bridge to no-where.” “It is not only going to split discussion into tribal jargons, but will not achieve critical legislations which Senator Mark promised Nigerians on June 6, 2011, during his inaugural speech as the second term President of the Senate and chairman of the National Assembly. “The charter he reeled out then, like the Magna Charter of 1225, remains relevant today and can be legislated by the national and state assemblies to strengthen our federation, strengthen our economy, strengthen our institutions, reduce the cost of governance and fight corruption etc. The CNPP, therefore, called on Mark to bail out President Jonathan and Nigerians by honouring the covenant he made to Nigerians, “instead of supporting a conference bridge to no-where.” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: National Dialogue/Conference - Jonathan Raises 13-Member Panel By Misbahu Bashir , Isiaka Wakili, Turaki A. Hassan, Francis Okeke, Musa A. Krishi and Ismail Mudashir, 2 October 2013 More on This Nigeria Sets Up Panel for National Conference Nigeria Celebrates 53rd Independence President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday set up a 13-member committee to come up with modalities of convening a national dialogue/conference to resolve what he called issues that currently cause friction in the polity. The president made the announcement in a special national broadcast to mark the nation's 53rd independence anniversary. The advisory committee has Dr. Femi Okurounmu as chairman and Dr. Akilu Indabawa as secretary, and is expected to complete its assignment within a month. Others members of the committee are Prof George Obiozo, Prof. Ben Nwabueze, Senator Khairat Gwadabe, Senator Timothy Aduda, retired Col. Tony Nyiam, Prof. Funke Adebayo, Mrs Mairo Ahmed Amshi, Dr. Abubakar Sadiq, Alhaji Dauda Birma, Malam Buhari Bello and Mr Tony Uranta. Jonathan will inaugurate the panel on Monday, said a statement last night by Secretary to the Government of the Federation Anyim Pius Anyim. The committee's terms of reference are to consult with stakeholders with a view to drawing up agenda for the conference, as well as recommend its structure, modalities, representation, timeframe and legal framework. Also, the committee is to advise on the legal procedures for integrating the conference's decisions and outcomes into the constitution and other laws. Earlier speaking during his broadcast, President Jonathan explained his decision to convene a national conference. "When there are issues that constantly stoke tension and bring about friction, it makes perfect sense for the interested parties to come together to discuss," he said. Jonathan did not say if the conference would be "sovereign", which is what the national conference agitators want. He said "the nation will be briefed on the nomenclature, structure and modalities of the dialogue" after the committee would have submitted its report. Jonathan's decision to convene a national conference is coming eight years after the National Political Reform Conference called by then-President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2005. Obasanjo was accused of convening the conference to try to achieve his tenure elongation bid through the backdoor, which failed as the conference recommended the retention of the four-year two terms for the president. He submitted the report to the National Assembly which dumped it, as the lawmakers had opposed convening the conference ab initio. 'Diversionary' In his reaction yesterday, one of the advocates of a sovereign national conference, Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa, said Jonathan was the wrong person to call a dialogue "because he is part and parcel of Nigeria's problems. He is jointly responsible for problems affecting the country." "What we need now is independent national conference to be jointly organised by the civil society organisations, legislature, executive, judiciary, traditional rulers, religious bodies and various ethnic groups. Even the aggrieved insurgents should have representation in the conference," Musa told Daily Trust in Kaduna yesterday. He said advisory committee "should be disbanded immediately otherwise the President is going to do what former Presidents Babangida and Abacha did, which we rejected." The former Kaduna governor, however, said he supported idea of a national conference as it was the only solution to Nigeria's problems. "If Nigeria cannot have a national conference to discuss its problems, it will disintegrate and go back to pre-historic period where lands and leadership were acquired by force," he said. But Professor Auwalu Yadudu, who was a delegate at the 2005 conference, described Jonathan's moves to convene another dialogue as an attempt to divert the attention of Nigerians. "It looks diversionary because we have had many fora where our problems were discussed and addressed. The conference is not well considered or intended, it is diversionary; they want to take people's attention, I don't think it's a worthy effort," he told Daily Trust. Elder statesman Alhaji Magaji Dambatta, who also participated in the 2005 conference, urged Northern leaders to get ready for this dialogue. But he told Daily Trust that solutions to Nigeria's problems are already in the report of the 2005 National Political Reform Conference. "There is nothing to fear about rubbing minds about the future of Nigeria by all segment of people, but what is to be feared is the machinations to undermining the basis of democracy which gave every segment of the society a voice in the affairs of the Nation. Everybody has a say but majority at end have their way," he said. Dambatta said the 2005 conference came up with a report that could have served the country well but Obasanjo "dumped it and left it to rot away" because his third term agenda failed. "I call on governors and politicians in the North to wake up to this clarion call and mobilise ourselves to chart the course we want, face our compatriots from all parts of the country thoroughly, sincerely and frankly," he added. Meanwhile, the Senate said it was in support of convocation of a national dialogue by President Jonathan. Spokesman Eyinnaya Abaribe said the move was in line with the stance of the Senate as espoused by Senate President David Mark on September 17. Mark had said they were in support of a national conference but which would not be sovereign since the parliament and other democratic structures exist. "This initiative is in sync with the senate position articulated by Senate President in his address on 17th September advocated for a conference of nationalities to discuss the Nigerian question," Abaribe said. But House of Representatives spokesman Zakari Mohammed told Daily Trust the House was yet to take a position on the issue until it resumes from a break today. "If the House wants to have any position, it is when we resume from the oversight break tomorrow (today).... The House will resume and take a position," he said. Some National Assembly members, however, expressed divergent views on the national dialogue/conference announced by President Jonathan. While some lawmakers from the North opposed the conference, others from the South-West said it was a welcome development. Rep Aliyu Sani Madaki (PDP, Kano) said the issue of any national conference does not arise since democracy is in place. "This is something that isn't welcome at all. By this, it means all the powers will now be vested on conference and whatever the delegates decide must come to stay. What if they say they don't want him to be president any longer? "In a country where you have the president and the National Assembly, how will you begin to talk of any national conference? Those clamouring for this are not sincere," he said. Rep Ibrahim Babangida Mahuta (APC, Katsina) said: "The issue of national conference usually arises where there are no representatives of the people. In the House of Representatives, we have 360 members with each representing a particular constituency." But a member from Lagos State, James Abiodun Faleke, said the conference was a welcome development as long as there would not be external influence on its members. "It is indeed a welcome development if it is going to be free. But if it is not going to be sovereign, it makes no sense to me," he said. Senator Olufemi Lanlehin (APC-Oyo South) also described Jonathan's move as a welcome development needed to move the nation forward. But Lanlehin told the News Agency of Nigeria the conference could not be sovereign as this would be unrealistic. "Sovereignty is all about the freedom of the people to take decisions. There is no way the government would surrender its powers and sovereignty given to it by the people to a collection of people to decide how it operates," he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PDP Crisis: ‘New PDP’ Alleges Plot To Arrest Obasanjo, Atiku, Others By: Chibuzo Ukaibe, Bayo Oladeji on September 30, 2013 - 3:16am The ‘new’ Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) yesterday alleged that there is a plot by the Presidency to arrest former President Olusegun Obasanjo and his former deputy, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, over their perceived support for the breakaway faction of the ruling party. A statement by the national publicity secretary of the nPDP, Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, which made this claim, also stated the G-7 governors are also pencilled down for crackdown by the presidency and noted that they had resolved neither to retreat nor surrender in their bid to reclaim the party. The Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje-led PDP wondered why Obasanjo was being targeted for arrest as the former president was not linked to the existence and operations of their party and stated that the plot to arrest Obasanjo was to demystify him. According to Eze, the targeted governors include Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara), Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Aliyu Wammako (Sokoto), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), and Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano). Part of the nPDP statement reads: “Some days ago, we received intelligence reports that the Presidency was putting finishing touches to what it calls “Operation Total Crackdown on G7 and their allies in the New PDP. “When we got details of the plot to arrest and commit the leadership of New PDP to prison without charge we thought it was a joke. The reality, however, dawned on us after we read the interview of our friend and brother Alhaji Mujahid Asari-Dokubo in the PREMIUM TIMES, September 26, 2013, confirming that President Goodluck Jonathan is under pressure to arrest former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar without any further delay. “The sin of these two distinguished Nigerian statesmen, according to those plotting their “demystification”, is their alleged support for the New PDP, including the G7 governors. That this evil plot is being conceived by the Presidency confirms that the Abacha days are truly here again with us. “We do not know why General Olusegun Obasanjo is being linked with the new PDP. Let us state unequivocally that this foremost nationalist has not in any way – either directly or by proxy – had anything to do with our existence and operations. Ridiculing and plotting the arrest of such a distinguished personality that fought to keep this nation as one entity and contributed immensely in making PDP the most vibrant, virile, versatile and biggest political party in Africa as a nobody is not the best strategy to use to fight the cause of President Jonathan, who knows what Chief Obasanjo did to make him President in the first place.” The party summoned an emergency meeting in view of what it called “the devilish plot to crack down on us” and resolved “not to be intimidated as members of the party leadership have been advised to write their Wills.” It stated that it won’t back down on any of its demands as it meets with the President Jonathan on October7. However, in a swift reaction, Obasanjo yesterday asked Nigerians to count him out of any fictionalisation of the strife-torn PDP. Speaking through his chief of staff, Deacon Victor Durodola, Obasanjo said it was his wish to reconcile the aggrieved in order for the party to remain one. “Former President Olusegun Obasanjo does not belong to any faction of the party, he is a leader of the PDP, Baba is former President of the country under the platform of PDP, former Chairman, Board of Trustees of the party so you don’t expect him to belong to any faction of the party. As far as he is concerned, PDP is one and what is happening is a disagreement within the PDP family. It is a family affair and it would soon come to an end. Baba is a mediator and you don’t expect a mediator to take sides in a feud. So those who are insinuating that Baba belongs to one faction or the other are missing it. “It is his wish that peace and unity return to the party and that is what he is working on till this hour. The idea that some people are after him because of the crisis he is trying to resolve does not arise. He always believed the party would come out stronger out of the crisis.” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Deportation of Igbos, Fashola Tenders Unreserved Apology By Olasunkanmi Akoni, Monsur Olowoopejo and Anozie Egole, 26 September 2013 More on This Lagos Regret Over Deporting Igbos Lagos Governor Fashola Lagos — TWO months after the controversial deportation of Igbo residents, Governor Babatunde Fashola, Thursday, rendered an unreserved apology to the Igbos over the July 24 dumping of some alleged destitute in Onitsha, Anambra State by his administration, saying, "the action of our government was misunderstood." This came as President Goodluck Jonathan, deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha, and Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Rev. Matthew Kuka, urged Ndigbo to continue to chart new developmental cause for the nation. However, speaking at silver jubilee symposium of Igbo think tank, 'Aka Ikenga,' at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, NIIA, Victoria Island, Fashola insisted that he could not allow differences on a subject matter tarnish the bond and friendship that were built overtime with the Ndigbo in the state. Rev. Kuka who was the guest speaker at the symposium, had earlier accused the governor of personally attending the event to settle differences with the Ndigbo speaking community over the controversial deportation saga. Responding, Fashola argued that his relationship with the Igbo remained solid and that many had misunderstood and misrepresented the actions of the Lagos State Government because of party politics. According to him: "The truth is that I do not have a problem with the Igbos, they know that because the largest herd of cattle I received during my father's burial came from the Ndigbo. Those people who came under their many colours are not people I have a problem with, they are my kindred and my people. "Also, there were people who did not clearly understand me and they have misunderstood words said or misrepresented actions taken in the way that it has pleased them to do so. To those people, I owe an explanation, not a defence of what has happened and that is partly why I am here. "We have built a relationship based on tolerance, mutual respect, trust and love. That relationship was started by our ancestors, it was handed over to us and we have nourished it with a lot of trust, with a lot of understanding and with a lot of fidelity. "Those who misunderstand that relationship, think that there is no value in that relationship I have come here to correct that because I place a lot of value on that relationship. If those people have misunderstood me or they have misunderstood actions taken by our government, here, now and today, I offer an unqualified and unreserved apology. "Why should people feel compelled to migrate from one place to the other? Is there one part of this country that is less endowed whether in human or natural resource? Is that the problem? Is it the case that perhaps some parts are so endowed or not adequately managed? "Those are the honest debates that we must have. The political storm is gathering and allusions have been made to the issues I address, not only by the chairman, but by the President of Ohaneze Ndigbo. How can development be so difficult in the part of Nigeria that gave us Ike Nwachukwu, Chinua Achebe, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Odumegwu Ojukwu, Alex Ekwueme and so on, how can development be so difficult in that part of this country? I think those are the real issues." "I think we have been in the news of our relationship for the wrong reasons in the last few weeks, but if you listen to the voices of those who speak the loudest, you would see that they do not speak about us, they do not speak about the problems, but about themselves. The majority of us are concerned about how to make it better, that is what concerns us always in Lagos, and it is not an easy decision for me." The pursuit of making it better makes us adopt policies which are always subject to the human text of fallibility". Also, Jonathan who was represented by the Secretary to the Federal Government, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, in his address, tasked the group to continue to chart a positive course for the Igbo race, which he said has preserved the enterprise, history, arts and culture of the Igbo nation. Kuka in his lecture, said the Igbo race in Nigeria needed to cope with the excesses of globalisation which he said has thrown up many challenges and contribute its own quota to national development. "The greatness of any nation today lies in its capacity and ability to manage diversities and welcome strangers. The Igbo are very much welcomed strangers anywhere. Despite the tragedies and misfortunes that we have, we still have a great nation to build, the final step of the greatness of our nation is where we place integrity", he said. The event was well attended by notable Igbo politicians and icons including, Senator Ike Nwachukwu, who chaired the occasion, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, Kanayo O Kanayo, Onyeka Onwenu among others. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Afenifere Rejects Mark's Proposal for National Conference By Gboyega Akinsanmi and Toba Suleiman, 23 September 2013 The Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) Sunday flayed the proposed national conference enunciated by the Senate President David Mark in the speech he delivered to declare open a new legislative session. The ARG, a pan-Yoruba think-tank, also endorsed Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, for a second term in office, at the instance of the feat it said his administration had recorded so far. Fayemi's endorsement, which was disclosed in a statement, issued at the end of a three-day Governance Assessment Tour by the group to the state, during which it inspected a number of projects and listened to presentations from representatives of government agencies. But in another statement by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kunle Famoriyo, the ARG explained that Mark's speech espoused good judgment, which the group said, marked a major detour from the one he delivered at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) conference some weeks ago. According to the statement, we have some reservations as we still consider Mark's proposal for a national conference as a piecemeal. We condemn Mark's morbid obsession for the false inviolability of 1999 Constitution, a recurring theme in his speech." The statement explained that Nigerians "are not made for the law and as such, their fate cannot be sealed, as Mark wants, by the constitution. His job will be more fruitful if he directs the affairs of his office by the conviction that National Assembly represents the people and not the constitution. "We also found it distasteful for Mark to condescendingly regard leaders of ethnic nationalities as an unpredictable mass, a description that shows he still bears vestiges of military dictatorship, even after more than a decade as the custodian of the nation's democratic institution. "We believe the constitution derives its powers from the sovereignty of the people and not the other way round as Mark wants us to believe. Another wrong notion in Mark's speech was his claim that Sovereign National Conference (SNC) is a sectional agenda instead of national panacea. "We do not believe that SNC will serve Yoruba interest the most. In fact, the Ijaws stands to benefit more. But of what use is prosperity when there is no peace? It therefore makes sense for peace that the Ijaw people keep their oil proceeds and pay royalty to the federal government." On Fayemi's endorsement, the group's National Chairman, Hon. Olawale Oshun, said his sterling performance deserved an unopposed ticket for a second term, given his strides in providing quality governance for the people of the state. According to him, Fayemi's policies are not just about executing projects, they are focused on human developmental goals. He has also shown that he could uphold the welfarism ethos of our founding fathers as espoused by the movement led by late Chief Obafemi Awolowo. "With what we have seen, we can boldly say that Ekiti State is ready to tap into regional, national, and global economic potentials while also developing its local economies to global standards," he said. According to him, the group got a favourable report about the performances of the governor in the Chief Segun Odegbami-led fact-finding committee, which was set up by the ARG leadership to assess the governor in the areas of economy, wealth creation, education, governance, and healthcare delivery. Other areas, according to him, where Fayemi was found to have performed creditably well in the report include, infrastructure, water supply, civil service and regional integration, agriculture, women empowerment among other pivotal sectors of the economy. While maintaining that Fayemi should be entitled to right of first refusal in All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2014 governorship election, the ARG leader, said: "There is nothing wrong in allowing a performing governor or any elected official to continue in office." Oshun added: "Even, this is the practice in advanced countries of the world like United States where Presidential system of government is practiced. No member of the Democratic Party contested against President Barack Obama for the last presidential race. "Fighting over position used to generate a lot of acrimony in a party and distracts the incumbent. Even you can imagine the acrimony that is witnessed when children fight over a piece of meat in their plate at home." Earlier, Odegbami in his report, said the members of the committee travelled across length and breadth of the state for on-the-spot assessment of all the projects before making their recommendations. He added that the assessment was expansively done in Ekiti and Osun States, where Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. Nigeria Jonathan to Detractors - Allow Me to Do My Job In response to the barrage of criticism in recent weeks, especially from -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigerians encourage corruption – Jonathan September 18, 2013 by Ifeanyi Onuba, Abuja 280 President Goodluck Jonathan has lamented that in spite of institutional reforms aimed at fighting corrupt practices, Nigerians, through their actions encourage graft. He also said both the public and private sectors were involved in corruption but stated that he would not give out their names “so that I won’t be attacked.” The President spoke while declaring open the 54th annual conference of the Nigerian Economic Society in Abuja on Tuesday. The conference, which has as its theme, “Institutions, institutional reforms and economic development,” is the single largest gathering of economists in the country. Jonathan argued that if Nigerians did not “reward corrupt practices” through their actions, those involved in them would have no need to continue. He said, “I want a society where all of us will frown upon people who come up with what they are not supposed to have. “(If) a young man who just started a job and within six months or a year comes up with a car of N7m to N15m and you clap for him, then you are rewarding corruption. “So for us as a nation to bring corruption down, it is not just blaming government or blaming the police. but all individuals must frown upon people who have what they are not supposed to have; who live in houses they are not supposed to live in; who drive cars they are not supposed to drive and who wear expensive suits they are not supposed to wear. “And until Nigerians are able to do this, I don’t think we will get to where we want to go.” Advising that the war against corruption should not be left to the government alone, Jonathan said both public and private institutions were also involved in sharp practice. He advised that the country should stop creating an environment where people would be tempted to take what belonged to the public. The President said “ When you talk about corruption, the private sector is involved; the public sector is involved; even individuals. But I wouldn’t want to mention names so that I will not be attacked. “But I know that if collectively we don’t reward corruption, people would not be attracted to corrupt practices but when we all reward corruption, then of course, we will be tempted to go in that direction.” He however said his administration would continue to focus on how to strengthen all anti-corruption agencies to enable them discharge their duties effectively. Jonathan explained that his administration’s approach to fighting graft was targeted at building institutions that had the capacity to overcome corrupt influences. This approach, according to him, will use the rule of law as a framework. In this regard, he said the leadership of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other-Related Offences Commission had been repositioned to ensure effective, efficient and transparent way of managing corruption and corrupt practices. He said that a major principle underlying the implementation of his transformation agenda was the unwavering conviction that reforms must not be centred on individuals, no matter how strong they might be. Rather, he said his administration recognised the fact that in order for reforms to be sustainable, they must be driven by strong, sound and effective processes and institutions. On the management of government finances, Jonathan said that the nation’s budget was now being managed electronically. He said, “For many years, the process had been manual – government officials carrying documents and files from one office to another. “This manual system created opportunities for corrupt practices and also introduced many ghost workers and ghost pensioners to the payrolls. “Today, we have put in place computerised systems and processes to manage the government payroll and also government finances.” At the event, the Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and a former Minister of Health, Prof Eyitayo Lambo, were conferred with a fellowship award of the NES. The institute had only conferred its fellowship award on 38 distinguished economists in its 56 years of existence. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Senate President backs national conference September 18, 2013 by Sunday Aborisade, Abuja President of the Senate, David Mark, on Tuesday said the call for national conference by certain sections of the country was in order in view of the discontent in the polity. Mark, while welcoming senators from their seven-week annual vacation, said every matter about the union of ethnic groups that made up the country should be opened to discussion though with the proviso that the dismemberment of the country should be a no-go area. He said that the country could not continue to shy away from discussing national issues in view of the discontent in the polity and present global realities. The Senate President said, “We live in very precarious times, and in a world increasingly made fluid and toxic by strange ideologies and violent tendencies, all of which presently conspire to question the very idea of the nation state. “But that is not to say that the nation should, like the proverbial ostrich, continue to bury its head in the sand and refuse to confront the perceived or alleged structural distortions which have bred discontentment and alienation in some quarters. “This sense of discontentment and alienation has fueled extremism, apathy and even predictions of catastrophe for our dear nation. “A conference of Nigeria’s ethnic nationalities, called to foster frank and open discussions of the national question, can certainly find accommodation in the extant provisions of the 1999 Constitution which guarantee freedom of expression, and of association. “It is welcome. Nonetheless, the idea of a National Conference is not without inherent and fundamental difficulties. Problems of its structure and composition will stretch the letters and spirit of the Constitution and severely task the ingenuity of our constitutionalists.” But Mark, in tandem with the typical fear of those already in power, wanted a national conference premised on existing governance structure, saying giving the sovereignty to an “unpredictable mass” to determine the fate of the country “will be too risky a gamble and may ultimately do great disservice to the idea of one Nigeria.” He in fact said “it would be unconstitutional to clothe such a conference with constituent or sovereign powers.” He said, “Let me counsel that we make haste slowly, and operate strictly within the parameters of our Constitution as we discuss the national question. “Be that as it may, such a conference, if and whenever convened should have only few red lines, chief among which would be the dismemberment of the country. Beyond that, every other question should be open to deliberations. “The task of nation building requires patience, faith, scrupulous honesty, diligence, dedication, sacrifice, toil, labour, assiduous application and massive investments in our future. The heights attained by great nations were not made by sudden flights. “Our people long for a country in which our tremendous potentials as a nation are transparently and equitably nurtured and realised; a country in which law reigns supreme, and is applied evenly and equally to all, high and low. “For our constituents, there is no alternative to the democratic project. What they dread, and will never want, is a nation trammeled by impunity, brigandage, banditry, insurgency, rampant corruption, and misgovernance. “These expectations perfectly dovetail into our core constitutional mandate of making laws for the good government of our federation, and all of its parts.” Mark lamented that despite the fact that the 2015 general election was still two years away, some “political jobbers, sycophants, and hustlers have prematurely seized the political space, and are being allowed to set the tone of national discourse.” He described the development as an “unnecessary and avoidable distraction by characters or hirelings who are desperately in search of relevance.” He said those in the forefront of the crisis were only out to feather their own nests and in the process unduly overheat the polity. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: PDP Crisis - Obasanjo Asks Jonathan to Forget 2015 15 September 2013 Nigeria Dutse — The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Elders committee headed by former President Olusegun Obasanjo has told President Goodluck Jonathan to shelve his 2015 ambition as one of the conditions for resolving the crisis that has split the party into two. The confusion in the PDP as a result of the formation of 'New PDP' on August 31, has lingered for two weeks now, with no solution in sight. Rather, President Jonathan last week sacked nine ministers, most of whom were nominees of governors and top politicians in the New PDP. An insider in the elders committee told our reporter that the elders told President Jonathan the bitter truth, giving him two conditions for peace. Sunday Trust source explained what happened thus: "The governors have resolved to let go of their grievances only if Bamanga is removed and Jonathan drops his 2015 ambition. The Obasanjo-led group of elders of the party presented this position to the president days before this meeting. However, we learnt the president rejected the idea." Our correspondent learnt that it was as a result of this position taken by the elders that loyalists of the president began to call Obasanjo names. The former President supported Jonathan's 2011 election against all odds. The former members of the PDP's National Working Committee (NWC) told our reporter that many members of the party from the North were disappointed in President Jonathan because before the last election he had vowed not to contest 2015 in the next election. He said, "Particularly those of us from the North who had earlier backed him for the presidency in 2011 are not happy. We had an understanding with him over the 2015 election, but his refusal to honour it and insistence to contest the election at all cost is part of what we are experiencing now. I think he should be honourable enough to tell those calling on him to dump that agreement that it will not help the PDP and our democracy." 'SACKED MINISTERS WERE UNDER WATCH FOR WEEKS' The 'New'Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has explained that the nine Ministers sacked by President Goodluck Jonathan last Wednesday were under security watch for weeks, describing them as victims of the ongoing war between the PDP and the New PDP. Speaking in an interview with Sunday Trust in Abuja, the National Publicity Secretary of the factional group, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, advised the dismissed ministers not to regret their ouster, saying 'the future is bright for them' and 'they should not see it as do-or-die affair'. Eze said, "If the President has taken a stand to remove some of our people or those we nominated into his cabinet, it is his entitlement to do that. But we want to assure those people who are with us but have been dropped that the future is bright for them. They should not see it as a do-or-die affair. They should just see it that they have become victims of the struggle to liberate our party from the hands of undemocratic elements that are occupying it". Also in its official response titled "The removal of our candidates from the Federal Executive Council (FEC)", Eze said "the truth of the matter is that the innocent Ministers were sacked because they were either nominated by us or sympathetic to our cause', stressing that "they were programmed to fail immediately they were indentified with us." He also said, "No matter the flimsy excuses being given by the Federal Government over the sack of nine of our candidates from the Federal Executive Council (FEC), the truth of the matter is that these innocent Ministers were sacked because of us. "We are aware that these Ministers had been under surveillance and denied the necessary tools to work with. Sadly, these innocent Ministers have been sacked while the most corrupt Ministers, whose atrocious activities are well known to Nigerians, are retained. The most pitiable case of these sacked Ministers is that of our mother, the Minister of Housing, Ms Amal Pepple, whose crime was approaching Mr. President to plead with him, even kneeling down to beg him to forgive Governor Amaechi for whatever sins he is assumed to have committed against him. "We urge our supporters to continue to exercise patience and avoid the temptation to meet force with force so as not to play into the hands of our enemies. We also urge all Nigerians to intensify prayers for God to touch the hearts of our leaders so that these dark days of General Abacha during which people are haunted for expressing their views would not return". The PDP National Publicity Secretary Chief Olisa Metuh, who was contacted to speak on the crisis rocking the ruling party, promised that the Alhaji Bamanga Tukur-led National Working Committee (NWC) would make its position known after the ongoing efforts by party elders and leaders to resolve the matter. "We won't comment on the issue as a mark of respect for elders and party leadership at the highest level. They are at present working on having a resolution to the differences. We look forward to the resolution of our differences. But whatever happens at the end of the day and however it goes, the party will come out with its position very soon. But for now, we want to give respect to the elders and the leaders who are trying to resolve the matter. DAY JONATHAN'S ANGER MADE MINISTERS TO WEEP AND SWEAT On the eventful Wednesday, members of the cabinet had arrived the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa for the Federal Executive Council (FEC), obviously without sensing what observers described as a ministerial coup was about to happen. Indeed, the extensive deliberations on several memos before the council could not have suggested that President Jonathan would release a "minor" wave that swept away nine ministers' jobs. But apprehension set in among the cabinet when the president slowly began to inform them that some of them would be attending their last cabinet meeting in his administration. And the names of the affected ministers began to roll. Some of the sacked ministers left the State House unnoticed, stylishly staying away from the watchful eyes of journalists, while those who survived the hammer, apparently conscious of the fact that their fate could equally be up in the air, stepped out of the Villa like wildfowl drenched to the skin by a thunderstorm. The Honourable Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation, Chief Edem Duke, was drenched in sweat; the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Olusegun Aganga, was aghast; the Minister of Sports, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, looked very pale; while the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Chukwuemeka Nwogu, was wobbly. Even while speaking to State House correspondents after the FEC meeting, the Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, who defended and justified the president's 'verdict' on the affected ministers, could not help getting perplexed and petrified as he was intermittently wiping off sweat with a handkerchief. Maku dispelled insinuations that the shake-up had some political undercurrents. "We're all convinced that the president has so far in council and as a leader of this country, shown uncommon commitment to the development of Nigeria...we commit ourselves to him and the nation...Even the press has been speculating cabinet reshuffle for a long time...There is no government in the world that doesn't reshuffle cabinet. Cabinet reshuffle is part of a systematic public administration. I believe what the president has done is simply to address the issues of re-tooling his government to achieve greater service delivery. It's at the discretion of the president at all times to reshuffle his cabinet. It's his prerogative under the constitution. "This has nothing to do with any other factor other than having come two years into his administration, he's refocusing his government to inject fresh blood to achieve greater service delivery to Nigerians. I believe this must have been coming over time. It can't be something you do over night. So, I believe, as the president explained to us, he has studied the way his government has worked, set targets for the next two years, and what he's doing is to adjust his cabinet to realise the objectives of his transformation agenda. That is exactly the reason he has come out with these changes at this time", Maku said. Many political watchers remain unconvinced by Maku's assurances. At least, five of the sacked ministers are known to be political allies of key leaders of the PDP who nominated them to President Jonathan for ministerial appointments when the nPDP was still united. The sacked Minister of State of Power, Kuchi, for example, was the Niger State nominee sponsored by Governor Aliyu Mua'zu Babangida. The governor is a leading figure among those opposed to Jonathan's touted re-election ambition in 2015 and chieftain of the nPDP. It was actually Babangida who first exhumed what he maintained was the president's agreement in 2010 to spend only one term in office. Kuchi is widely believed to have been consumed by Babangida's "sins" against Jonathan. Obada, the former Minister of State of Defence hails from Osun State, as former governor of the state, Chief Olagunsoye Oyinlola, who was instrumental to her appointment as minister. Oyinlola was the National Secretary of the PDP before he was removed when the party's crisis began to fester. Oyinlola, whose removal was attributed to his loyalty to former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is currently the National Secretary of the nPDP. Professor Rufai's offence might not be unconnected with the activities of her state governor, Lamido, despite the innocuous speeches of the two politicians at the Aminu Kano Triangle. The governor is one of the G5 governors who have drawn a battle line with the presidency and the PDP over what Jonathan's touted re-election ambition and the leadership style of the party chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur. The former Minister of National Planning, Usman was one of the longest serving ministers in the country. He is from Kano State and he was said to have been chosen by Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso for the ministerial appointment. The minister, who had served in Obasanjo's and late Yar'adua's administrations before he was reappointed by the present administration, is seen as a close ally of his state governor. Kwankwaso is a founding member of the nPDP faction. Before his sudden sack last week, Ashiru was seen by many as one of the ministers the president trusted in terms of service delivery in his administration. But he was believed to have been nominated by Obasanjo. Now that the former president has fallen apart with Jonathan he could no longer be trusted. It was learnt that he was sacked over fear of where his loyalty might be in the effort to actualize Jonathan's 2015 ambition. The ministers were caught off-guard, as was Inuwa Abdul-Kadir whom Jonathan had earlier removed as Minister of Youth Development on Monday August 26 while he (Abdul-Kadir) was on official duties in Calabar, Cross River State. Abdul-Kadir was ostensibly removed over a crisis arising from the election of Yakubu Shendam as president of the National Youth Council of Nigeria. Some members of the Council believed to be pro-Jonathan were said to have vehemently rejected Shendam's appointment. But the minister stood his ground. The recent sack of the nine ministers has, however, been according further speculations to Abdul-Kadir's removal. The former minister, sources said, is a political ally of Sokoto State Governor, Aliyu Wamakko, also a key leader of the nPDP. And although many people might have foreseen, speculated and predicted a cabinet reshuffle, the manner of the announcement of the sack and the political leanings of the affected ministers have been raising more questions than answers. HEROIC WELCOME FOR PROFESSOR RUQQAYYA Professor Rufai, the immediate past Minister of Education might not have been a "prophet" appreciated by President Goodluck Jonathan, but in Jigawa State where she hails from, the effusive demonstration of appreciation by the people on Friday September 13 struck quite an emotional chord in her. Two days earlier, the Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido had announced his administration would be organizing a homecoming reception for Rufai at the Aminu Kano Triangle, Dutse. Lamido had nominated Rufai to Jonathan's ministerial cabinet. And many political analysts and followers of the raging crisis threatening the unity of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were quick to read vindictiveness into the president's axe, as Lamido is a chieftain of the New Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction baring fangs against Jonathan and the PDP's leadership style. A mammoth crowd turned out to honour the former minister. As early as 3pm, thousands of both men and women thronged the reception venue with banners of various inscriptions, chanting 'sai mama'. Rufai arrived the Aminu Kano Triangle in company of Governor Lamido and her husband, Dr Ahmed Rufai by 5pm. As soon as the crowd sighted their motorcade, it erupted into songs of 'sai Lamido,'sai mama', dancing all the way. Ruqayya could not hide her joy as she waved endlessly to the crowd, showing her appreciation. Chairman of the occasion, Alhaji Umaru Zandam, described the former minister as "a woman whose star has just begun to shine." Zandam enthused: "We are here today in honour of our illustrious daughter of Jigawa State who has made Nigeria, Jigawa State, Governor Lamido and her family very proud. She is a testimony to that statement that what a man can do a woman can do better. History will vindicate your achievements in the Ministry of Education. Your achievements in the education sector will continue to speak for you. We are not surprised because you came from a sound parental background. We are proud of you". After the chairman's speech, Professor Ruqqayya rose to express her gratitude to Allah, who she said had guided and protected her in the last three and a half years she served as education minister and Governor Lamido who stood by her and supported her all the way. "I thank Allah who used my leader, my governor to nominate me as a minister. I will, forever, remain grateful to Governor Sule Lamido for the confidence and faith he has in me. I never dreamt of becoming a minister. There are people who have been with the governor for a long time and yet he chose me, even though I had only worked closely with him not for long. "I am happier today than when I was appointed a minister. I used to think of how I would end my tenure as minister. But seeing this mammoth crowd today, I say Alhamdulilah, I have ended well. I cannot thank my leader Governor Lamido and people of Jigawa state enough. "Though some people may be surprised, I will like to extend my gratitude to President Goodluck Jonathan who had been very supportive throughout my stay as minister. This is the first time in recent history a minister of education had stayed in office for three and half years. Most of my predecessors stayed for one and half years or two years at most." The former minister told the gathering that the reception was a testimony that she represented Jigawa State well. She thanked her husband, Dr Ahmed Rufai for his support and understanding while she was a minister. "Most husbands would not allow their wives to go out without knowing when they would return home," she said. Expressing appreciation to President Jonathan for appointing Professor Rufai a minister, Governor Lamido said the Jigawa State people bore neither ill-feelings nor grudges against the former over Rufai's removal. "The president has not done any wrong by firing her and there is no political dimension to the sack, contrary to popular opinion. The president has the power to hire and fire," the governor asserted. Although both Governor Lamido and Professor Ruqqayya, in their separate speeches, shied away from inferring bitter intra-party politics in President Jonathan's sack of the ministers, most public opinions believe current developments within the PDP and the ignominious manner of the dismissal of the ministers lend credence to vindictiveness. Ismail Adebayo, Muideen Olaniyi, Abdullahi Anako and Abdulkadir Badsha Muktar and Isiaka Wakili -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria Is Jinxed, Cursed - Obasanjo By Jide Jegede, 13 August 2013 More on This Ex-President Slams Nigeria's Leaders Former president Olusegun Obasanjo. While reviewing Nigeria's history since independence, former President Olusegun Obasanjo said the country may have been cursed with poor and irresponsible leaders. Mr. Obasanjo, who gave the keynote address at the 4th Annual Ibadan Sustainable Development Summit organised by Centre for Sustainable Development, University of Ibadan, in collaboration with African Sustainable Development Network, on Tuesday, said if Nigerians were yet to commend a leader after 53 years of independence, "Then we are jinxed and cursed; we should all go to hell." He also condemned the younger generation of leaders in the country, saying they lack integrity and probity and have failed their people woefully. Making specific reference to his Vice President for eight years, Atiku Abubakar; former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu; former Speaker, House of Representatives, Salisu Buhari; former Bayelsa State Governor, Deprieye Alamieyeseigha; and others as younger generation of leaders, the former President said Nigeria was not lucky even with them. "We had some people who were under 50years in leadership positions. One of them was James Ibori, where is he today? One of them was Alamieyeseigha, where is he today? Lucky Igbinedion, where is he today? "The youngest was the Speaker, (Salisu) Buhari; you can still recall what happened to him. You said Bola Tinubu is your master. What Buhari did was not anything worse than what Bola Tinubu did. "We got them impeached. But in this part of the world some people covered up the other man. The man claimed he went to Government College, Ibadan but the governor (Oyo State) went to Government College and packed all the documents so that they would not know that he did not go there. "I wanted someone who would succeed me so I took Atiku. Within a year, I started seeing the type of man Atiku is. And you want me to get him there? "I once went to Tanzania because Julius Nyerere recognised Biafra. He told me not to mind his aides and others in government. They would say they have one house in town but their five year old sons and daughters would have houses all over. "Some of you who are condemning the leadership would get there tomorrow and it will be a different story. Only very few are actually good. "Abacha, my predecessor got $750m. Through our lawyer in Switzerland we recovered $1.25bn and the lawyer still said there is probably still another $1bn to be recovered [The figures didn't add up but that was what the former President said]. In 1979 we had 20 new ships specially built for Nigeria. When I came back 20 years after, the national shipping line had liquidated. "The whole thing is not just about leadership. If we talk about good leadership you should also talk about good followers. If you talk about human right you should also talk about human duties and obligations. "It is sad that after 53years of independence we have no leader that we can commend. The problem in Africa is that when one person takes over he would not see any good thing that his predecessor did. Let us condemn but with caution," the former military ruler and two-term democractically elected president said. The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Isaac Adewole said he was worried about the fate that could befall the country as she holds her general elections in 2015. "We have not raised question about the scenario where 35 people found it difficult to conduct credible election in this country," the don said in reference to the election of the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum that has polarized Nigeria's 36 state governors. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Atiku, Tinubu, Alams, Buhari, Others Failed Nigeria - Obasanjo By Ola Ajayi, 14 August 2013 More on This Ex-President Slams Nigeria's Leaders Former president Olusegun Obasanjo. Ibadan — Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, said his former deputy, Atiku Abubakar; chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Salisu Buhari, and former governors of Delta and Bayelsa states, James Ibori and Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, respectively, had failed the nation. He said it was sad that after 53 years of independence, there was no leader that could be commended. The ex-president said this while delivering a keynote address at the fourth annual Ibadan Sustainable Development Summit, organised by Centre for Sustainable Development, University of Ibadan, in collaboration with African Sustainable Development Network. The ex-president started in his jovial characteristic manner as he mentioned all those he claimed had failed to justify the leadership confidence reposed in them. While responding to issues relating to poor leadership in Africa, he specifically mentioned Alhaji Abubakar, Tinubu, Salisu Buhari, Alamieyeseigha and others. He said: "I wanted someone who would succeed me so I took Atiku. Within a year, I started seeing the type of man Atiku is. And you want me to get him there?" On young politicians He added that during his administration, there were some politicians who were under 50 years in leadership positions. Obasanjo said: "One of them was James Ibori. Where is he today? One of them was Alameseigha. Where is he today? Lucky Igbinedion; where is he today? "The youngest was the Speaker, Buhari. You can still recall what happened to him. "You said Bola Tinubu is your master. What Salisu Buhari did was not anything worse than what Bola Tinubu did. "I once went to Tanzania because Julius Nyerere recognised Biafra. He told me not to mind his aides and others in government. "They would say they have one house in town, but their five-year old sons and daughters would have houses all over. "Some of you who are condemning the leadership would get there tomorrow and it will be a different story. Only very few are actually good. In 1979... "Abacha, my predecessor got $750 million. Through our lawyer in Switzerland we recovered $1.25 billion and the lawyer still said there is probably still another $1 billion to be recovered. In 1979, we had 20 new ships specially built for Nigeria." He lamented that when he came back 20 years after, the national shipping line had gone under. He said: "The whole thing is not just about leadership. If we talk about good leadership you should also talk about good followers. If you talk about human rights you should also talk about human duties and obligations." Lamenting our inability to produce leaders, who are above board, he said: "We are jinxed and cursed; we should all go to hell. The problem in Africa is that when one person takes over, he would not see any good thing that his predecessor did. Let us condemn but with caution." He described the topic, Leadership in Africa's Quest for Sustainable Development, as very apt and timely. In his short address, the Vice-Chancellor of University of Ibadan, Professor Isaac Adewole, said it was pitiable that we, as a country, have not been able to raise questions about how 35 people (referring to the Nigeria's Governors' Forum) could not conduct credible election in this country. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NewsReel August 17, 2013 - Obafemi Awolowo: Hero of Yoruba, Killer of Biafra, Betrayed by the North [ Masterweb Reports: Obinna Akukwe reports ] - Obafemi Awolowo is the undisputed hero of the Yoruba tribe of Nigeria whose wartime policy of starvation and currency change helped kill the Biafran dream. The post colonial era of Nigerian history was dominated by three actors, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo and Ahmadu Bello. Dr Azikiwe was an avowed nationalist who preferred one Nigeria above anything else. Sir Ahmadu Bello was a tribalist who initially preferred a balkanized Nigeria to enable his people live their religious and cultural life without external negative inluence and was later reluctantly convinced to seek an agenda for a united Nigeria. Chief Obafemi Awolowo from the onset did not hide his preference for an Oduduwa Republic. Chief Awolowo is idolized by the Yorubas because he was able to transform the South West into an educational and industrial hub in Africa and build a robust political climate. He so much understood the value of education that he made it free, affordable and offered a lot of scholarships to Yorubas to advance academically to the highest level. He ran a political system in Action Group whereby people have their say while the leader has his way. This is the system Bola Tinubu is unsuccessfully trying to emulate in Action Congress of Nigeria. Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, a core nationalist, never received the level of hero worship Awolowo received in the South West because Igbos severally accuses him of not taking them out of Nigeria when Chief Awolowo and Sir Ahmadu Bello were angling for a balkanized nation. Chief Awolowo was the sage whose idea ended the Nigerian civil war. He advised the Gowon Cabinet to block all food supply to Biafra so as to end the war quickly and according to him ‘’starvation is a legitimate instrument of war’’ This led to the starvation of over one million Biafran children. Thus Awolowo’s advice and actions led to the quick end to the Biafran dream. Therefore it is right to say that what the entire armed forces of Nigeria could not do, the wisdom of Awolowo did. Chief Awolowo convinced Gowon that every adult Biafran who managed to survive the starvation deserved only #20 pounds to start life afresh irrespective of economic status before the war, an action perceived as intended to further reduce the ability of Igbos to recover economically. Another policy of his which frustrated Biafra’s ability to import food and arms was the change of currency which according to Awolowo ‘’And it is on record that Ojukwu admitted that two things defeated him in this war, that’s as at the day he left Biafra. He said one, the change of currency, he said that was the first thing that defeated him, and we did that to prevent Ojukwu taking the money which his soldiers has stolen from our Central bank for sale abroad to buy arms…So I decided to change the currency, and for your benefit, it can now be told the whole world, only Gowon knew the day before, the day before the change took place’’. Chief Awolowo has been variously accused of introducing tribalism into the Nigerian politics. He chased Dr Azikiwe out of the Ibadan in 1954 when the NCNC headed by Azikiwe won majority seats in the West Nigerian House of Assembly and through a palace coup called cross carpeting Zik was denied the Premiership of Western Nigeria, at a time when Professor Eyo Ita, an Efik was premier of Eastern Region and Alhaji Umoru Altine , a Fulani, was Mayor of Enugu. Dr Azikiwe, following the footsteps of Awolowo, had to frustrate Professor Eyo Ita out of Enugu. Chief Awolowo and Sir Ahmadu Bello seems to have a deeper understanding of the Nigerian complexities than Dr Azikiwe. While Awolowo never trusted the Igbos, the north never trusted Awolowo and theYorubas. The northern oligarchy instigated crisis in Western Nigeria in the same manner President Obasanjo used the Uba brothers to instigate crisis in Anambra State. This crisis led to the trumped up charges leading to the trial and imprisonment of Awolowo . Reports has it that he was to be poisoned in prison before the military coup altered the state of affairs. Awolowo was released from Calabar prison by Biafran leader Odumegwu Ojukwu and there was an agreement that while Ojukwu declares Biafra in the East, Awolowo would declare Oduduwa Republic in the West. The British establishment, sensing the dangers of Awolowo declaring Oduduwa Republic in the West, convinced Gowon and the north to checkmate Awolowo’s secessionist agenda by appointing him the Vice Chairman of Federal Executive Council. This strategy worked effectively and Awolowo was deceived that after Gowon’s tenure he would be given the opportunity of ruling Nigeria. Awolowo thus had to checkmate the Biafran dream to clear any obstacle to his ruling Nigeria while the north was looking for the right opportunity to throw him into the dustbin. In frustration, Awo resigned from Gowon’s cabinet when he realized he has been politically duped. Awolowo quashed the Biafran dream while the northern establishment killed the Oduduwa dream and betrayed Awolowo’s presidential ambition thrice. This fact was aptly captured by a prominent Yoruba leader and Nigeria’s former minister of aviation Chief Femi Fani-Kayode while replying to a boastful statement by another prominent northern leader, Alhaji Usman Farouk on how the north dominated the Yoruba people and conquered the Niger Delta. According to Fani Kayode, "… the north literally begged Awolowo not to declare Oduduwa Republic and go the way of Biafra even though that was his original intention…Fourthly it was the support that the south west gave to the north that allowed Nigeria to win the war. Fifthly it was the lie that Gowon and the northern leaders fed to Awolowo that he would be made President of the country after the war and after being effectively being made de facto Prime Minister under Gowon during the war that got Awolowo to support them", invariably, the Igbos and Yorubas were effectively dribbled, divided, manipulated and overpowered. The ascension of Awolowo’s kinsman Obasanjo as Head of State was another opportunity for him to realize his dream of ruling Nigeria. The 1979 election result was decided in the infamous judgement where the Supreme Court refused Awolowo’s plea that 2/3 of 19 is 13 states therefore declaring Alhaji Shehu Shagari the winner of the election. The north led by Generals Shehu Yaradua and Theophilus Danjuma convinced Obasanjo on why Awolowo should never be the president of Nigeria. Therefore, instead of a runoff election, which some believe could favour Awolowo,the Supreme Court declared Alhaji Shehu Shagari the winner. Chief MKO Abiola at one point was used by the northern dominated NPN to oppose the presidential ambitions of Awolowo . He used his Nigerian Concord newspaper and enormous wealth to fight Awolowo and UPN and when they finished using him to deal with Awolowo, they frustrated Abiola’s presidential ambition and he had to resign from the party in 1982. Alhaji Umaru Dikko, then transport minister, sent message to Abiola that the presidency is not for sale to the highest bidder. When Babangida annulled the election of Abiola in 1993, Yorubas alluded to a certain curse Awolowo released on Abiola, in the heat of the later’s opposition to his presidency ‘’that even if Abiola was to be given the presidential seat, he would not sit on it.” In 1999, after the suspicious death of Abiola, the northern establishment sensing that Chief Olu Falae was the choice of the Yoruba people, rigged the polls in favour of Obasanjo . It is obvious that the North had shown evidence of being deadly political strategists than their Yoruba and Igbo compatriots, having used the political suspicion between the duos to dribble them. Conclusively, the north is not as dumb as people assume; they used Awolowo to checkmate Biafra and then dealt with Awolowo and his ambitions. Obinna Akukwe ( profetobinna2@yahoo.com ). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How we freed Awolowo from prison to join Gowon’s govt., by Gen. Adebayoon July 14, 2013 / in Interview 12:06 am / Major-General Adeyinka Adebayo (rtd), 85, is a former military governor of the defunct Western Region in whose time Chief Obafemi Awolowo was released from prison and made to join the General Yakubu Gowon government as Federal Commissioner for Finance and Vice Chairman of the Federal Executive Council. Adebayo, a civil war general and President, Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE), spoke, in this interview at his Ikeja GRA, Lagos home, on how the release of the former premier of Western Region happened, the state-of-the-nation, the security challenges facing Nigeria, corruption and the South- West integration programme. Excerpts: By Bashir Adefaka You were in charge of what has today become six-states of the South-West as military governor of Western Region and so should have an idea of how to achieve the integration in the former Western Region without necessarily breaching the unity of Nigeria against the insinuation of some people. What is your take? Well, you have said it all. It is true that I was governor of Western Region, which is now split into six states. At that time when we were asking for states, other regions were asking for states as well. We thought that creating more states was a good thing because it would help the states economically, spread the economy of the region and bring development quicker, and then, it would enable the people to work harder for their states. And I think this is what we should still do. What we should do now is to develop the economy because, if we do, it will give employment to our youths coming out of school and make people work harder than before. Continuing to do exactly what you have said has informed the move by governors of the states of the South -West to integrate to be able to achieving a programme which grows the economy of the region thereby providing jobs for the youth. But some people are looking at it from ethnic angle which they say is not good for one and united Nigeria. How do you link the two? People should think more of the development of the region/states via the overall development of our nation than thinking about ethnicity. We have gone far ahead of ethnicity in this country and that should be taken away from our minds whenever we are talking about things that will help us grow as components of the national entity. We must think about development of our individual regional areas but we must also keep ourselves together as a nation. Major General Adeyinka Adebayo… You have been much aware of the cries of marginalisation by leaders of South-West where you are President of the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE). Some have blamed the reason for the marginalisation on you the leaders of the race. I think the people crying marginalisation are only Yoruba people now. What I would say is that they should forget about whether or not we are marginalised and face how we can develop ourselves as a component of the national entity. We must develop the country and the way to develop the country is to get the states to work. The first step to developing a nation is to develop oneself, when you do that and some of your products get to other areas, you then must ask for your entitlements from the centre as a result of your contribution to the collective building of the nation. We are in a federal system and we have states within the federation. Therefore, whatever is due to each state must be given to it. I think it would be unfair to the Yoruba people to be subjected to marginalisation to the point that we shout that Federal Government has not given us our entitlements whereas we are supposed to be part and parcel of the government. The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, recently accused former President Olusegun Obasanjo of taking the Yoruba to where they are. He said he had the opportunity to do more than for his people while in office but that was not done. I am not prepared to comment on what Alaafin of Oyo said. Obasanjo was President of the country. And as President, he was in charge of development of the entire country. Obasanjo was not doing it all alone. He had a team working with him and for the development of each area within the federation and so, one should not be blaming Obasanjo now! Why did you people not shout then when he was there, that he was not doing the right thing for the Yoruba race? I am not saying that Yoruba people have been given all their entitlements but one must not put the blame on the head of Obasanjo because he was a Yoruba man. At the same time, being a Yoruba leader and President of the country almost concurrently, he should not be working on his own tribe alone at the expense of others. That would have made it worse now that the people are talking about it because he would have breached the leadership trust that was put in him. As a retired general… (cuts in) But not tired (laughs). Yes, retired (but not tired). You have other generals around you that ordinarily should complement your efforts in moving the Yoruba race forward: Generals Oladipo Diya, Tajudeen Olanrewaju and others. Yoruba were said to be indifferent to their plight while they were awaiting pardon as victims of the General Sani Abacha’s phantom coup. Now that they have been pardoned but the gazette to clear them finally is being delayed, what is your word to President Jonathan? First and foremost, let me start by saying I am still a Major General, there is no gainsaying that I am still respected in the society and so I can speak my views to the top. President Jonathan has started well by pardoning these generals and I can only advise him to complete it by ensuring that the gazette regarding their pardon is published on time so that the grey areas due to conflicting media reports as to who and who have benefited will be cleared and the fine generals will be restored finally to their normal lives with full enjoyment of their entitlements. These are generals that have contributed their quotas to the building of the nation. I mean, Diya lives near me here. He is a good man; a good Yoruba man both inside and outside the military. The same thing is General Tajudeen Olanrewaju, the late General Adisa and others. In the first place, there was nothing they did that was bad so as to warrant that sentence. But we thank God now that the President has done what is necessary and pardon has been issued. But I am also aware that the Army authority has not been able to effect the release of their entitlements because of either the delay in the release of the gazette or that the presidency has not officially informed them. This makes it necessary that President Jonathan should see this as a major component of the laudable effort he is making in ensuring that things get better in this country and he should cause all those involved in the release of the gazette to do so without delay. Most Nigerians are not comfortable with the security challenges facing us as a nation. If it is not Boko Haram, it is militants kidnapping people in the Niger Delta or cultists killing police officers and, do not forget, that Jos crisis has also not really subsided. As far as security in Nigeria is concerned, it is the responsibility of the Federal Government to ensure the security of lives and property and the states to report whatever security challenges facing their respective domains to the Federal Government as a way of putting a superb security measure in place. By this I mean security is a participatory duty that, even though it is the responsibility of the Federal Government to ensure, every good Nigerian has a role to play. The Federal Government will not be everywhere; they will not be at the grassroots. What are those other people doing? How are they taking proper care of their domains to ensure that behaviours that are alien to their various communities are checked? That takes us to the issue of corruption. This, apparently, has eaten deep into the fabrics of our national life. Is it that government has not done enough to tackle the scourge or the scourge has turned into a monster? The fight against corruption is the responsibility of one, the government of the federation; two, the governments of the states and the individuals. Corruption is a disease that must be vigorously tackled by everybody. The issue of power in 2015 is already heating up the polity: the Igbo are clamouring, the Niger Delta megaphones won’t let go, yet the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has made clear its position that it must be North come 2015. What do you think? We do not know ourselves much yet and therefore we must continue to work together. We should continue to bring everybody to work together to get the right leadership. It does not matter where the leadership comes from, but it must not come from one place all the time. At any rate, leadership should go to the adequately qualified, efficient, honest person. At the same time, we must not forget other areas. Your government of Western Region faciliated the release of Chief Obafemi Awolowo from prison after being convicted for treason. How did you arrive at that decision? We arrived at that decision because we discovered that there was no need to put him in prison in the first instance. The old man did a lot of good works for the country, for the Western Region and, when the military took over from the civilian regime that put him in prison, it was the duty of the military regime in power to release him. That was what we did. I worked on the military on the need to release him and we agreed. Yes, we brought him into the military government and he did a lot of good jobs for us there. So it was based on your recommendation that he became Federal Commissioner for Finance? Well, based on the recommendation of the government (laughs), he became the Federal Commissioner for Finance and he did very well in that position and improved the economy of the country. I just want to be sure of the role you played in how Chief Awolowo moved from prison to the office of the Federal Commissioner for Finance. I recommended his release and he was released. And when we wanted to bring some civilians into the military government, we felt he would be very useful in the regime, and it turned out that he stood out of the pack. He never disappointed us and we thank God he did not. You just clocked 85 but still looking radiantly vibrant. What is your birthday message for the younger generation? One, you should be contented with what you have, with what you are and you must put your mind on what you want to be in future. Then, if you do not overwork yourself on what you do not need, on what you do not have, then you would not have any problem. You love the way I look at 85 because I have always lived my life as a contented person. I am happy, simple and I look after my children and my children look after me… (cuts in) Including the former Ekiti State governor-son of the retired general. (laughter)? (Laughs) Yes. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: Al-Mustapha - Rights Group Calls for Probe of Prosecutors 16 July 2013 More on This Nigeria Responds to Al-Mustapha's Acquittal Al-Mustapha Still in the Army - Hqtrs Army - Al-Mustapha Still in Service Nigerian Judge Declines Al-Mustapha's Appeal Judge Withdraws From Al-Mustapha's Appeal... FG VS Al-Mustapha - Judge Declines to Hear... Nigerian Court Reserves Judgement Hamza Al-Mustapha The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to probe the prosecutors who handled Maj. Hamza Al-Mustapha's case. The call is contained in a statement issued on Monday in Abuja and jointly signed by the National Coordinator of the association, Mr Emmanuel Onwubiko, and the National Media Affairs Director, Miss Zainab Yusuf. Al-Mustapha, a former Chief Security Officer to the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, was sentenced to death on Jan. 30 last year over the murder of Kudirat Abiola on June 4, 1996 in Lagos. Kudirat was the wife of the presumed winner of the 1993 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola, who died on July 7, 1998. Al-Mustapha was on Friday released from the Kirikiri Maximum Prisons, Lagos, following his discharge and acquittal of a murder charge by the Court of Appeal in Lagos. He was set free along with Mr Lateef Shofolahan, an aide to Kudirat. The statement said the investigation should determine whether the prosecution team compromised the trial of Al-Mustapha and Sofolahan. "The earlier judgment may have resulted in the eventual alleged miscarriage of justice by the appellate court in Lagos. "It is the belief of the rights group that government and the hierarchy of the nation's judiciary cannot afford to overlook the ground swell of allegations of professional misconduct," the group said. The statement urged the Lagos State Judiciary to consider the overall public interest before deciding whether or not to institute an appeal before the Supreme Court to challenge the outcome of the appellate court. It, however, stressed the need for the State Government to collaborate with the Federal Government to work out and implement "transparent civil financial compensation package for the family of the late Kudirat. HURIWA said that the fact that the Appeal Court had freed Al-Mustapha, did not mean that Kudirat was not killed by "alleged state -sponsored killer squad. "We in the human rights community have the greatest respect for the integrity of the nation's judiciary. "We are also very conscious of the fact that as an institution run by human beings who are imperfect, there are possibilities of compromise and other attributes of corruption and bribery." (NAN) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: I Made 'Successful' Mistakes As President - Obasanjo By Ola Ajayi, 10 July 2013 More on This I Made Successful Mistakes - OBJ Founder and President, Obasanjo Holdings Nigeria Limited, Nigeria, captured during the africa Progress Panel Report during the World Economic Forum on Africa 2011. Ibadan — FORMER President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, reviewed criticisms that greeted his leadership style when he was president, saying all mistakes his critics claimed he made were "successful mistakes." Many Nigerians, especially people from the South West, had severally scored his eight-year rule low, particularly for turning his back on the zone. Chief Obasanjo, who was in Ibadan at the lecture marking the 50th anniversary of Aare Afe Babalola's qualification as a legal practitioner listed his achievements, travails in prison and handing over power to a civilian government, and concluded that if his critics saw those achievements as mistakes, so be it. He said: "There was one mistake I made that turned out to be a successful mistake." "When I was looking for somebody to give leadership in University of Lagos, I chose Aare Afe Babalola and some said I made a mistake, it is now a successful mistake." The ex-president further stated there are many Nigerians, but there are not many good Nigerians. Part of achievements he claimed he recorded includes ending the civil war which threatened the corporate existence of this country and drawing up a successful programme for smooth transition. He added that having spent over three years in prison, he was persuaded to become the President of this country. While delivering his lecture entitled,'The future of Law in Nigeria', the former chairman of Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, Justice Emmanuel Ayoola (rtd), said: "We delude ourselves in this country if we believe that we can be a great nation without a great legal system. "The path to the greatness of our nation is through a reliable, efficient, trustworthy and value-driven legal system." Governor Abiola Ajimobi, at the occasion, called on Chief Afe Babalola to make his philanthropic gesture felt in Oyo State. Present at the ceremony were President Goodluck Jonathan who was represented by the Solicitor General of the Federation, Abdulahi Gulak; Governors Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Dr. Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Dr. Olusegn Mimiko (Ondo), representative of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (Osun); former Ekiti State governor, Chief Segun Oni; Justice Emmanuel Olayinka Ayoola (rtd), Chief (Mrs.)Folake Solanke (SAN), Prince Bola Ajibola (SAN), Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN), Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Alhaji Lasun Salami (SAN) and a business tycoon, Mr. Jimoh Ibrahim. Also in attendance at the ceremony traditional rulers including the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, the Olugbo of Ugboland, Oba Frederick Obateru Akinruntan, among others. Two books, 'Current Legal issues in contemporary Nigeria,' and 'Source of a Legal Icon' were launched at the event. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nigeria: U.S.$600 Billion Stolen By Nigerian Elite Since Independence By Omololu Ogunmade, 19 June 2013 Related Topics Nigeria A report by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has put the estimated amount of looted funds from the Nigerian treasury at $600 billion between independence and 1999. Making this known yesterday in Abuja at a two-day international conference on "Emerging Democracies in Africa: Challenges and Opportunities", organised by the Nigerian Institute for Legislative Studies, Professor Festus Iyayi of the University of Benin said findings had shown that the estimated sum of money stolen by the Nigerian elite between 1960 and 1999 from the treasury varied between $400 billion and $600 billion. He recalled a UNODC report, which showed that as far back as 1999, the total amount stolen by members of the ruling class had been put at $400 billion. He also cited the Director of Office of UNODC, Mr. Tim Daniel, who had reported that $110 billion was being looted annually from the treasury, while stolen monies stashed in foreign accounts increased from $50 billion in 1999 to $170 billion in 2003. The professor, who disagreed with the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on unemployment statistics in Nigeria, said research had shown that the current level of unemployment in Nigeria was above 40 per cent and would rise to 50 per cent at the end of this year. However, Okonjo-Iweala, who spoke on "Youth Unemployment and Violence" at the conference, had put the current unemployment rate in the country at 37 per cent. While noting that the looted sums would have created millions of jobs, Iyayi quoted UNODC in 1999 as stating: "That is a staggering - almost 'astronomical' amount of money because if you were to put $400 billion bills end-to-end, you could make 75 round trips to the moon! "Concretely, those $400 billion could have translated into millions of vaccinations for children; thousands of kilometres of roads; hundreds of schools, hospitals and water treatment facilities that never came to be." In her presentation, Okonjo-Iweala put the present unemployment rate in Africa at 60 per cent, adding that by 2035, Nigeria's workforce would exceed that of any other country, including China. She, however, observed that to achieve this, the country would need to invest massively in education. She suggested that entrepreneurial studies should be included in secondary school curriculum with a view to helping the youths create jobs for themselves upon leaving school. While insisting that the federal government had put several measures in place to address youth unemployment, Okonjo-Iweala said the government had concluded the first phase of youth scheme employment through which she said 1,000 youths shortlisted from 24,000 initially invited for examinations, had obtained between N1 million to N10 million grants to set up various businesses. According to her, the output has been cheering with 15,000 jobs created so far from the initiative, adding that the second round of the scheme, which was essentially for women, had been launched. While pledging that the third phase of the scheme would commence soon, Okonjo-Iweala said the employment initiatives were parts of the government's interventions in youth unemployment with the intention of creating jobs and averting violence among the youth. She also said so far, 3.5 million jobs had been created in the agricultural sector of the society. However, Iyayi recalled that an independent survey conducted by Rise Network showed that unemployment in the country was growing annually at the rate of 16 per cent, recalling also that a report of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in 2011 had put the unemployment rate in both urban and rural areas at 42.7 per cent, with urban unemployment put at 17.1 per cent while rural unemployment was put at 25.6 per cent. Iyayi described this high rate of unemployment in Nigeria as a time bomb waiting to explode, as he recalled that it was frustration resulting from unemployment that forced a youth in Tunisia to set himself ablaze leading to the Arab Spring in Northern Africa and beyond. "The Nigerian youth unemployment rate is about three times the sub-Saharan African unemployment rate of 12.6 per cent. These statistics do not include youth unemployment. When these are added, the youth unemployment problem becomes really potentially explosive. "This situation is not only alarming: it is a time bomb, especially in the light of the fact that while some 4.5 million of the population enter into the labour market annually (most of whom are job seekers) only 1 per cent can be absorbed. In effect, employment growth seriously lags behind labour market growth," he added. Iyayi also noted that the situation would only be worse with the recent prediction that Nigeria's population would exceed that of the United States in 2050 and also grow further to 914 million at the end of the century. He warned: "If the current labour trends continue and the labour market growth continues to consistently outstrip employment growth, the implication is obvious: the bomb will detonate!" interim leadership arrangement. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ojukwu was right on confederacy in 1966 – Prof Oluyemi Fagbohun On June 12, 2013 · In News 2:00 am..Share BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE …As Aregbesola, Sagay, others proffer solution on how to make LGs functional LAGOS—ONE thought dominated the comments of discussants on how to make local councils in Nigeria effective at a forum in Lagos Tuesday: There is so much rot in the councils and decisive actions are needed to make them deliver democracy dividends. However, the discussants were divided on how to ensure effective governance at the grassroots. While some asked the National Assembly to remove the Local Councils as a tier of government and tie them to the states in line with the dictates of classical federalism, others said the councils should be allowed to operate as currently enshrined in the 1999 constitution. Odumegwu Ojukwu Among those who proffered solutions to the decay in the councils were Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; legal icon, Professor Itse Sagay, SAN; Professor Francis Oluyemi Fagbohun; and Mr. Onyekachi Ubani (Chairman, Nigeria Bar Association, Ikeja branch). This came as Prof Fagbohun, who chaired the event, said that late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu was right when he called and fought for confederacy in 1966 but people misunderstood him and branded him a rebel. According to him, events in the country indicate that “we are returning to confederation. Nigeria has concepts which you can’t find anywhere in the world. Our federalism is homegrown. What we have is not a federal system. We started on a wrong note. The federating units did not come together and agreed to unite. That is the basis of our problems. “Nigeria is an artificial creation. Before independence, we had true federalism. The East was even operating three tiers of government and it worked. After the 1976 local government reforms, the councils have never remained the same. Even the establishment of the Joint Account Committee has become a problem in most states.” Aregbesola on his part, attributed his inability to conduct council polls in Osun State to pending litigations, assuring that once the legal fisticuffs were resolved he would hold the polls. They spoke at the second edition of the National Public Discourse organised by CMC Connect in association with O’Ken Ventures, at MUSON Centre, Lagos. It was themed: “Local Government Authority: How Autonomous?” The governor attributed the rot in the councils to military introduction of unitary system of government, designation of councils as a tier of government, over-concentration of power at the centre to the detriment of the federating units, creation of federation account and allocation of funds to other tiers of government. Citing the examples of United States of America, India, Brazil, Switzerland and Australia among others, he said countries operating a federal system of government have two tiers of government – the centre and the federating units (states) arguing that it is an aberration to make councils a tier of government. He picked holes in the allocation of 51 per cent of revenue to the Federal Government with the 36 states getting 26 per cent. “The Federal Government is too distant from the people. What is the Federal Government doing with its 51 per cent allocation? It is impossible for the government at the centre to present itself to the people in the grassroots. “The introduction of garrison federalism made it a rule that everything (revenue) must come to the Federal Government and ensured straight jacket garrison command of allocation of funds to the local governments. Which other federation outside Nigeria allocates revenue from the Federal Government to other tiers? Government exists to generate income. Any government that cannot generate income is not worthy of its existence.” To make councils functional, he said the states should be allowed to create and fund councils as they deem fit without input from the National Assembly as currently obtains; the country should be restructured with power devolved to the federating units because defective federalism is responsible for the widespread poverty in the country and without allocation only a few states and local councils would survive. Speaking in like manner, Sagay said the question of autonomy for councils in a federal setting was an aberration. His words: “What we have in Nigeria is an aberration. It is unheard of for local government to be listed in the constitution. The local government is totally and completely an agent of the state government for development. What should happen is that every state should decide how many local governments it wants and fund them by itself. “The Federal Government should not fund local governments. Why should we have a federation account? Why do we all share from one account and say we are a federation? Why must we have the same system of government in all the councils? States should be able to decide the form of local government system they want whether parliamentary or presidential… “Late Chief Obafemi Awolowo recognized in 1947 that the only way we (Nigeria) can be together is through federalism. We should be thinking of how to reduce the stifling control of the centre. Nigeria has to practice a federal system of government. What we have now is a semi-unitary system. The Federal Government should be thinking of how to convert the zones into powerful regions and leaving the centre with a few responsibilities because the Federal Government is the weakest government in the country. “If we follow the correct principles of federalism and allow power to devolve to the federating units we will get it right. The regions funded the Federal Government in the past and kept 50 per cent of their revenue. Today the Federal Government strips states of their resources. The Federal Government has no resources. All they have is Abuja and Abuja has nothing. If it is not Niger Delta oil or Lagos VAT, it is Customs duties. Not up to five per cent of Federal Government resources come from the Federal Government.” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Obasanjo, Buhari, Tambuwal, others shun Jonathan’s event May 30, 2013 by Olalekan Adetayo, Abuja 392 Comments KEY predecessors of President Goodluck Jonathan in office, ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo; and ex-dictators, retired Generals Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Babangida, and Abdusalami Abubakar (retd.), as well as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, on Wednesday shunned the Democracy Day event of the Federal Government. While all former heads of government were reportedly invited to the event where Jonathan rendered an account of his mid-term performance, only Alhaji Shehu Shagari, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (retd.) and Chief Ernest Shonekan attended. Gowon ruled as military head of state between 1966 and 1976; Shagari from 1979 to 1983; while Shonekan spent barely 99 days in office as head of the Interim National Government foisted on the country by Babangida after the annulment of the June 12, 1993 election won by the late businessman, MKO Abiola. Rather than be in Abuja, Obasanjo chose to attend the First Jigawa State Investment Forum in Dutse, where he showered praises on Governor Sule Lamido for being a brilliant performer in whom he (Obasanjo) was well pleased to have helped to office. “You can help someone to find a job but you can’t help the person to do the job. In this case, we found a job for Sule Lamido and Sule Lamido was ready, willing, able and competent to do the job,” he reportedly said at the event. Obasanjo is believed to have facilitated the coming of Jonathan to the Presidency in 2007 but the two have reportedly become estranged. Buhari, now one of the arrowheads of the coalition to unseat the Peoples Democratic Party in 2015 and the Jonathan administration, had in recent past exchanged hot words on the state of the nation. Babangida contested the PDP Presidential ticket with Jonathan in 2011 and he is generally seen not as a fan of the administration. Tambuwal was represented at the event by his deputy, Emeka Ihedioha, who gave no reason for the Speaker’s absence. Analysts on Wednesday believed that attendance and non-attendance at the Democracy Day celebration was “all part of the 2015 politics.” Meanwhile, Jonathan, while presenting his scorecard for his second year in office, asked Nigerians who are fond of criticising his government to ensure they first develop their marking scheme before assessing his administration. Before the President formally presented the report of his two years in office, Vice- President Namadi Sambo; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim; Minister of National Planning, Dr. Shamsudeen Usman; and the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, had taken turns to present the achievements of the administration in all sectors for the past two years. “I plead with those who want to write and assess us to prepare marking scheme, compare us with previous governments and so on and so forth. Develop your marking scheme and mark us,” Jonathan said. Jonathan said while assessing his government, he had discovered that a number of comments of his critics were “based on heartbeats and not any visible criteria.” “A number of comments about the performance of this administration are based on the heartbeat of people,” he said. He specifically referred to an assessment done by an unnamed newspaper which scored the Minister of National Planning and the Minister of Trade and Investment an average in terms of performance. Jonathan said contrary to that assessment, the performances of the two ministers remained the best among the three ministers that had so far been in charge of those ministries under his leadership. On the Ministry of Trade and Investment, the President said because of the hard work of Dr. Olusegun Aganga, foreign investors had been investing heavily in the country despite the security challenges facing the nation and that until Usman came on board, the Ministry of National Planning had remained relatively not in existence. Sambo had earlier in his welcome remarks said all members of the Jonathan administration were united in their aspiration to transform Nigeria to a nation that would be respected worldwide. He said the Democracy Day was not all about a public holiday but a day to look inwards and give account of stewardship, adding that was why the administration was using the opportunity to give account of its actions to the nation that gave them the mandate to serve. Sambo urged all Nigerians to join hands to build a nation that would fulfil the promise of the past and work for the good of the present and the future generation. He said constitutional and moral burdens were on all of them in government to uphold democratic tenets. He said, “To whom much is given, much is expected. We are grateful to the nation for the mandate we received from the freest and fairest election in recent time. The transformation agenda is decided on those things that should be done to reposition the country. In the last two years, we have pursued a resolute course to widen the political space. “Our public institutions are being rebuilt. The National Assembly is very vibrant, the judiciary is truly independent. There is a general onsensus that democracy and government in Nigeria are getting better. We have laid a foundation of change in the last two years. “In the face of unprecedented security challenges, the challenges call for caution from all of us. Nobody should make political capital on the issue. We seek your support and honest counsel in the areas we can improve upon. A bright future beckons on this land and its people. We assure generations unborn of a nation that will meet their needs.” Anyim said the mid-term report presented by the President provided verifiable achievements of his administration. He said the administration had protected the rights of citizens and the rule of law in its two years of existence. He scored the administration high in the expansion of civic space, entrenchment of checks and balances, sanitisation of electoral process, federal character in appointments and anti-corruption fight, among others. Okonjo-Iweala, on her part, said the administration’s transformation agenda had been tailored towards addressing some of the nation’s problems, including insufficient jobs, rising debt, high recurrent expenditure and falling reserves, among others. She said in its two years, the administration had made the economy strong, exchange rate stable, and reduced inflation to 9.1 per cent from 12.4 per cent in May 2011. The minister said the Federal Government had started retiring its past debts and changed waiver and tariff policies from focusing on individuals alone to the entire sector. She added that the government hired 50 forensic auditors to probe the fraud in the fuel subsidy regime, adding that sanity had so far been restored to the system. She said following the audit, N14bn had been recovered out of the N234bn diverted funds while oil marketers had been reduced to 32, making it easier for government to monitor them. “The contributory pension scheme is sound and it is being reformed to prevent fraud. Nigeria’s credit rating has improved. International investors are investing more in Nigeria. Our banks are strong and the stock market is also strong with stock exchange index rising to 71 per cent,” she said. Okonjo-Iweala said the administration had done well in the areas of rail rehabilitation, inland ports construction and the overhauling of airports. The Founder/President, Rainbow PUSH Coalition, Rev. Jesse Jackson, observed that leadership was not just about winning elections but about transforming the people. He urged Nigeria to continue to deepen its democracy because the nation mattered to the international community. He urged Nigerian leaders and followers to dream big about the nation, saying their resources must unite and not divide them. “Nigeria must deepen democracy. Nigeria matters. In peacekeeping around the world, Nigeria matters. Dream, keep dreaming big. Dream Nigeria. Dream of one Nigeria,” he said. Others who attended included wife of the President, Patience; wife of the Vice- President, Amina; former Chief of General Staff, Gen. Oladipo Diya (retd.); President of the Senate, David Mark; Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mariam Mukhtar; and Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu. Others were the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Tony Anenih; the party’s national chairman, Dr. Bamanga Tukur; former CJN, Justice Alfa Begore (retd.); elder statesman, Chief J.P. Clark; members of the National Assembly, former state governors, including Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala (Oyo); Sam Egwu (Ebonyi); Segun Oni (Ekiti); and members of the Federal Executive Council, among others. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- How ‘unforced errors’ dog democracy, by Soyinka . Tuesday, 28 May 2013 00:00 By Kabir Alabi Garba, Yemi Ogunsola, Debo Oladimeji and Ajibola Amzat News - National .AS Nigeria marks 14 years of democracy, Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka has described the nation’s democracy so far as one that has been hampered by “unforced errors”– that is, errors that are quite avoidable if more care had been taken. He also alerted the public to terrorist cells long-established in the Southern parts of the country through insidious cattle routes. However, he insisted that May 29 is in no way Democracy Day but a mere “ego day”. June 12, according to him, remains the authentic Democracy Day. In an interview with The Guardian on Tuesday at his home in Abeokuta, Ogun State, the literary icon noted that in lawn tennis, from where he drew his analogy, unforced errors occur in moments of sloppy thinking and/or overconfidence. “There are many promises, first of all, unfulfilled. One, of course, is power (electricity), which is so essential to the generation of the economy… The problem till now has not been solved. There are many other infrastructure examples of that. It is scandalous, for instance, that the major artery that links Lagos to the rest of the country, the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, remains in such decrepit state. It is a disgrace to any regime. Whether you talk of Yar’Adua or about Olusegun Obasanjo; it is humiliating for the entire nation. Nowhere else in the world can that happen. I repeat, nowhere else in the world, either on this continent or Asia or Europe.” According to Soyinka, such a disgraceful level of failure, in better climes, couldn’t have occurred without the culpable authorities “committing hara-kiri.” The eminent scholar also cited what he called “high-handed actions” totally unexpected from a democratically elected president. “I refer for instance to the action during the oil subsidy when suddenly armed police and the army were sent to take over a public square which does not even belong to the Federal Government but to a state where people were protesting a glaring deformity in governance…” Soyinka noted that in instances where it becomes inevitable to insert any “minuses” into citizens’ lives, responsible and responsive governments look for ways of compensating for such by including some pluses by way of palliatives. But this, he lamented, was ignored when the Jonathan Administration removed fuel subsidy back in 2011. “I said this confidently because I know that the president was advised at a time that ‘before you do this... do that and that and that. This wasn’t done. It was after the public rebellion broke out that things like transportation were introduced – buses were imported to be distributed all over the country. So that people like you and me will be quite happy to park our vehicle and take public transportation. This is what we are talking about the compensation pluses.” Soyinka came down hard on the Nigerian Governors Forum over the controversy that trailed its recent election, describing it as a ‘disgraceful’ anti-democracy debacle. “All of us must take a stand. For me, this issue is not a party matter, it is a national matter. This affects democracy. The governors, especially of the PDP have done great damage to the cause of democracy in this country. This is a disgraceful conduct. This in effect is their way of celebrating Children’s Day. In other words, this is their present for Nigerian children because there is no question that an election was held. To now suggest that a different result had been arrived at before the election is an insult to the intelligence, it is a sabotage of democracy and it is an act of contempt for the polity of this nation. “What is unacceptable and treasonable in my view to the cause of democracy is when an election is held within an organisation of 35 members, the integrity of that election should be upheld as a service to democracy and as a lesson to the rest of the nation. In this case, what they have done has debased the meaning of democracy and set us back several years. “They are giving an indication of what will happen in the next election. And the nation, all of us, must be on our guard to defend democracy with the last drop of our blood because this is a very bad example to set for children everywhere that we are teaching discipline, who are being lectured all over the place by various governors to live up to the principle of equity, to be good players in school sports. To have done this on Children’s Day is blasphemous.” Declaring that true federalism is yet to be practised in the country, Soyinka urged governors to concentrate on developing their states in spite of whatever is happening in the centre: “That is why I say that the governors have the responsibility to push the envelope as far as they can. And to say sometimes to the centre: ‘go to hell. We are now concerned with our own salvation. We see you playing so much politics you have no time. Even to fulfill your responsibility to the state’.” He added : “The governors should also learn that they are in a position to act far more autonomously than they are doing at the moment. My favourite word is decentralization. Even if the centre is under-developing the nation, the governors have the responsibility to develop their own area – and they can do this by independent action, by decentralizing the process of development. We have seen how Lagos has been transforming itself. We have seen this kind of action also being taken by certain governors in terms of education, health, public transportation where the Federal Government has been dragging its feet.” While asserting that the emergency rule in force in three northern states of Adamawa, Yobe and Bornu, was long in coming, the professor of literature, citing discussions with the late National Security Adviser, Owoye Andrew Azazi, warned that insidious infiltration of the southern part of the country by terror groups, had been on for long through cattle routes that crisscross the region. He declared: “During my lecture at the 100th anniversary of King’s College about two years ago, I warned that there are already Boko Haram cells in the South. I used the expression that ‘we are all here speaking grammar. Until they come over the wall and scatter all of us, before we get serious’. I said that there are cells already ... Azazi confirmed it when we met. We spoke for one and a half hours. Azazi revealed that we were being infiltrated via some of the cattle routes and this has been responsible for some of the clashes between the farmers that we have been witnessing and the ambushing of farmers in Oyo State in Ogbomosho even in Ogun State by Fulani herdsmen. “When we met, he was coming from the United States, where he had gone to negotiate some surveillance helicopters, because through a number of these cattle routes, some of these Boko Haram people were already infiltrating into the South. The evidence is becoming quite open now and I don’t consider it a security matter any longer. People are waking up to the reality. When I go hunting, I move into the bush quite a lot. I see camps. I see cattle rearer settlements where they camp from time to time. It is some of those which have been, in many cases, converted to Boko Haram cells.” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Abiola’s friendship with IBB, Abacha led to his death - Don Written by Friday, 17 May 2013 03:22 The friendship among General Ibrahim Babangida, General Sani Abacha and the winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola has been described as “disastrous friendship,” Empowered Newswire has reported. It is a kind of friendship that leads to death and destruction. This statement was made by a Nigerian scholar who teaches at the University of California, Davis, USA, Professor Wale Adebanwi, while delivering the 2013 annual lecture of the African Studies Centre at St. Anthony’s College, Oxford University, the United Kingdom. Adebanwi, who is the author of ‘Authority Stealing: Anti-Corruption War and Democratic Politics in Post-military Nigeria,’ also analysed the friendship between Babangida and his late friend, former Minister of Federal for the FTC, Abuja, Major-General Mamman Vatsa, Abacha and the late Major-General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua and former Bukina Faso leader, Captain Thomas Sankara and President Blaise Compaore. He concluded that the friendship that existed among these competing and ambitious leaders contained the possibility of danger and death. Professor Adebanwi stated that it was not a surprise that the kind of “instrumental” friendship that these leaders shared among them led to the death of some of them in their quest for power, position and prominence. He cited the example of the execution of Vatsa by his friend and best man, Babangida; the assassination of Sankara by his friend, Compaore; the alleged murder of Yar’Adua through the injection of a killer virus into his body by the agents of his friend, General Abacha; the annulment of Abiola’s election by his friend, Babangida; the imprisonment in solitary confinement of Abiola by his friend, Abacha, and the assassination of Bola Ige while serving under his friend, former President Olusegun Obasanjo. He added that it was ordinarily surprising that in spite of the gruesome way in which Ige was killed and his loyalty to President Obasanjo, Obasanjo later dismissed his friend as someone who did not know his left from his right. He told the audience that Ige was assassinated while planning to return home to stop Obasanjo’s party from rigging the 2003 elections in the South West. The lecturer also reminded the audience of the famous statement by the philosopher, Aristotle, “O my friend, there is no friend!” In a lecture entitled, ‘What are Friends For? The Fatality of Affinity in the Postcolony,’Adebanwi challenged African scholars to pay attention to friendship among powerful people in understanding the nature of power and political competition in Africa. He cited philosophers who states that friendship can be used for three things, including virtue, pleasure and utility. He added that in the context of political competition, friendship is often not used for virtue but for utility thereby turning friends into enemies. Stated the former Bill Gates Scholar at Cambridge University, “First, from the profile of all these men, their roles, and the positions they occupied in Nigeria’s national life, it is already evident that their friendships could not but have been politically consequential. However, the fact that their friendships were also fatal in virtually every case invites us to examine the potential fatality of friendship when friendship intersects with the search for power in (Africa). Two, the friendships and ambitions of these men have largely defined the political history of Nigeria in the last three decades and half.... Three, the friendships of these men were largely cross-cutting.” The chief host, Dr David Pratten, the Director of the African Studies Centre, Oxford University and Fellow of St. Anthony’s College, Oxford, stated that the university was happy to invite Adebanwi to give the annual lecture, which had been delivered in the past by distinguished scholars from all over the world. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- All Is Fair In War And Love?(2) On May 13, 2013 · In Awo vs Achebe, For the record 12:01 amShare By Mazi Chike Chidolue After reading: “All Is Fair in War And Love” Continue here: iii) If Ojukwu had not continued to hound Major Nzeogwu and his men where Ironsi stopped, because both of them were jealous of the towering popularity of Nzeogwu and his men, Ojukwu should have given Nzeogwu a fighting unit to command in the Civil War. A pamphlet ‘The Revolution: Heroes of Change The Life and Times of Major Kaduna Nzeogwu & Who Killed Him’ by Prof. Tom Forsyth, published by Ivory Tower Publishers, Atlanta Georgia USA, said “Another strange rumour about Nzeogwu’s death, has it that although he died in the battle field, the bullet that killed him wasn’t from the enemies, but from own soldiers who were detailed to kill him … “OJUKWU’S REACTION TO COMPLICITY IN NZEOGWU’S DEATH … ‘When I was announced as Governor of Eastern Region, I started working secretly to get all the detainees transferred to the East. The officers in Lagos were dead-scared of the release of the detainees. Nzeogwu was certainly popular when he came to the East … I have heard it alleged that I was jealous of him. I was already Governor at the time, my position wasn’t threatened. I couldn’t have been jealous of him. The reason why he wasn’t incorporated into the Biafran Army was this: The senior officers were afraid of him, especially those under whose area of command he would have operated. There was actually a senior officer who handed me his letter of resignation because of his fear of operating in the same area as Nzeogwu. It is convenient now for some people to start telling less than the truth about what actually happened. The fatal patrol that Nzeogwu mounted when he died, he did in the company of my junior brother, Tom Bigger. They both died in the same action side. In that death, part of me died also. If Ojukwu has been correctly reported, his statement about military postings of soldiers is not correct. During postings of soldiers to units, no soldier, officer or other rank has the right to choose which soldier he would like to operate with and which he would not because, military postings are military orders which can only be varied by a superior officer! As the Commander-in-Chief in Biafra, nobody could vary or openly complain about his orders. Suppose he was magnanimous enough to entertain such complaints, the critical question would have been: who was more valuable to Biafra, Nzeogwu or the phantom senior officer? The answer is obviously Major Nzeogwu. Biafra lost the unmatchable services of Nzeogwu because of Ojukwu’s intrigues, indiscretion or poor judgment. Again, Ojukwu should have given the command of the Mid-West Expedition to Colonel Tim Onwuatuegwu rather than Colonel Banjo who had nothing to recommend him for that position except that he was Ojukwu’s playmate. Of Onwuatuegwu, Major Adewale Ademoyega, one of the five majors that planned the January revolution in his book, Why We Struck, the most authentic account of that glorious event said, “Another shining light in the Nigerian Army was Captain Timothy Onwuatuegwu. He was the adjutant of the 5th Battalion when I joined that unit in December 1963. Onwuatuegwu was a brilliant cadet at Sandhurst and the first Nigerian to be made a junior under-officer in that world famous institution. He was unmarried when we first met and we shared the Mess life together. A Roman Catholic, he was active and could hardly be faulted in military duties. Because he was humble, senior officers found him useful, loyal and dependable; at the same time, junior officers found it easy to work with him; he made himself like one of them … He had an untiring endurance!” Colonel Onwuatuegwu would not have halted at Ore as Colonel Banjo did. He would have continued to Ibadan where it was said, Yoruba zealots led by Wole Soyinka were waiting to accompany the brave Biafran troops to Lagos. If this had happened, Gowon would have had no other option than to flee to Kaduna; the Yorubas would have been freed from the military anvil of the Hausa-Fulani, the civil war would have ended with much less casualties and destruction and the history of Nigeria changed for the better! I hold Chief Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu singularly and personally responsible for the collapse of Biafra, the murder of Major Chukwuma Nzeogwu and Colonel Tim Onwuatuegwu, the deaths of many Biafran freedom fighters such as Dr. Imegwu, Chris Okigbo, Imperial Major Willy Archibong, Col. Chude Sokei and others, and the unmitigated suffering that has been the special lot of the Igbos ever since; above all, Ojukwu sent the Biafran dream to an untimely grave. The dream that, as he said in the Principles of the Biafran Revolution, encapsulated as THE AHIARA DECLARATION ‘is the culmination of the confrontation between Negro nationalism and white imperialism … a resistance to the Arab-Muslim expansionism which has menaced and ravaged the African continent for twelve centuries and which is the most deadly threat to modern civilization as we know it today. A deadly threat that is the latest recrudescence in our time of the age-old struggle of the black man for his full stature as a man … This is why we in Biafra are convinced that the Negro can never come to his own until he is able to build modern states (whether national or multi-national) based on a compelling African ideology, enjoying real rather than sham independence, able to give scope to the full development of the human spirit in the arts and sciences, able to engage in dialogue with the white states. No matter the odds, we will fight with all our might until black men everywhere can, with pride, point to this Republic, standing dignified and defiant, as an example of African nationalism triumphant over its many age-old enemies.” *Gowon and Ojukwu Ojukwu knew that while preparing for victory in any war, one should also prepare for defeat, because either of them is possible. Ojukwu should have arranged for all the surviving members of Nzeogwu’s men to be within earshot during the last days of the war so that he would seek safety in flight with them or have them shot by own troops which would be a less painful death instead of their being captured by the enemy, just as the Nazis did not allow Hitler to be captured by the Allied Powers. Only the disciples of the killers of Ironsi know what horrible and indescribable fate befell Onwuatuegwu! Because Ojukwu abandoned Colonel Tim Onwuatuegwu to an unknown fate, unsung and unmourned, I will therefore pay to Onwuatuegwu the tribute that was paid to Field Marshal Rommel by Field Marshal Sir, Claude J. E. Auchinleck, British Army Commander-in-Chief in the Middle East, because it belongs as much to him as to Rommel. ONWUATUEGWU, NOW THAT YOU ARE GONE, I SALUTE YOU AS A SOLDIER AND A MAN FOR YOUR AMAZING SUCCESSES AS A LEADER OF MEN IN BATTLE. Like Rommel, who was the youngest Field Marshal in the German Army during the Second World War, Onwuatuegwu should have been made a Field Marshal in the Biafran Army. Ojukwu could not recognize the need to reward outstandingly brave patriotic service. During the recapture of Owerri, Onwuatuegwu leading the Biafran ‘S’ Division cleared over 95% of Owerri. As soon as he accomplished this, Ojukwu relieved him of command of ‘S’ Division, posted him to the School of Infantry as the Commandant and made Colonel Ogbugo Kalu Commander of ‘S’ Division. With the momentum already set in motion by Onwuatuegwu, Kalu cleared the remaining less than 5% of Owerri and was promoted a Brigadier-General! Ojukwu might not have known that Onwuatuegwu converted the training officers and men of the School of Infantry into a fighting force which he used to slow down Obasanjo’s Third Marine Commandos advance to Uli and therefore enabled Ojukwu to escape. It was this patriotic temporary hold-up by Onwuatuegwu that Obasanjo referred to as an ambush to kill him. Though I do not commend Ojukwu’s conduct of the war, I relish the military and national burial given to him, solely because that burial inflicted incalculable anguish on the likes of Obasanjo and Danjuma. The analysis of the services or disservices rather, of Zik, Ironsi and Ojukwu to the Igbos is a minus with respect to the pre/post war condition of the Igbos. The herculean burden imposed on the Igbos by the unpatriotic conduct of these men has compelled me to embark on a literary work with title, Zik-Ironsi-Ojukwu: Wreckers of Igbo Nation. In spite of what many know as the intention of the Five Majors who plotted and executed the January revolution, it is still called an Igbo coup! Odia Ofeimun debunks this falsehood. He wrote in his Forgotten Documents of the War, “Therefore, let me make a clean breast of it: my one great rationale for wanting to see the documents ‘outed’ is to help shore up nation-sense among Nigerians by rupturing the culture of falsehoods and silences that have exercised undue hegemony over the issues. I take it as part of a necessary revolt against all the shenanigans of national coyness and the culture of unspoken taboos that have beclouded and ruined national discourse. What primes this revolt is, first and foremost, the thought of what could have happened if the forgotten documents had seen the light of day at the right time. How easy, for instance, would it have been to stamp the January 15,1966 Coup as being merely an Igbo Coup if it was known that the original five majors who planned and executed it were minded to release Awolowo from Calabar Prison and to make him their leader …” Concluding his write-up, Odia Ofeimun tried to make Awolowo a champion of the One Nigeria Project. But we know that Awolowo had stood out for long as a true and pure agent of Yoruba interests, a stand that hurts nobody as others could canvass for their own ethnic empire. Achebe is therefore correct in advancing the charge that Awolowo’s new interest in the One Nigeria Project was because of the opportunity to deal a death blow on Igbos who, among other ‘sins’ bridged the developmental/economic/educational gaps between them and the Yorubas rather too quickly and unexpectedly. At the dawn of Internal Self Rule in Nigeria, while Zik was prepared to wait for Sardauna to come along, Awolowo implored Zik that both of them should team up to create a Southern Federation which would be more manageable and beneficial to its citizens. Awolowo was very right in this prognosis because this unbundling of Nigeria would have been painless, peaceful and effortless, especially as petroleum has not been discovered in commercial quantity in Eastern Region. Above all, Awolowo’s conversion to the One Nigeria Project might be to show gratitude to Gowon for freeing him from prison, just as Ojukwu joined the National Party of Nigeria on his return from exile – we do not know the unwritten terms of the pardon. Another instance of Awolowo’s steadfastness as a Yoruba patriot is to be found at the appointment of the first Nigerian Principal of the University College, Ibadan. When the tenure of the last British incumbent of that office, Dr. Parry, was about to expire, Dr. Akanu Ibiam, then Chairman of the University College Council went to London to confer with Sir Charles Morris, Chairman of the Inter-University College Council, on the appointment of a successor to Dr. Parry. During their discussion, Sir Morris said ‘Why do you come to us? You have your man there (Prof. Kenneth Dike). You are lucky to have a ready-made man on the spot’ (courtesy of Life & Thoughts of Professor Kenneth Onwuka Dike by Emeritus Professor Alex. O. E. Animalu). On Dr. Ibiam’s return from London, a meeting of the Ibadan University College Council was convened. According to the chronicler of Dike’s biography, “When I (Dike) went that morning to the meeting of Council … the first item was the appointment of Principal. To my surprise, the Chairman asked me to leave the room. I left the room and went home … I told my wife they would spend a whole day on this, because knowing our people, everybody was going to put up his own candidate. This was the first time a black man was going to be appointed in Black Africa to head a new University. But fifteen minutes later, the Registrar came to tell me that I was required back in the Council Chambers … When I got back to the room, everybody clapped. I was told that I have been unanimously elected the Principal. ‘As the appointment was flashed in the 1 pm news by Radio Nigeria … Mrs. Ona Dike (wife of Kenneth Dike) recalled,’ “The Chiefs who were sitting in the Western House came in groups to congratulate him and know him. As Ken has mentioned, he received a congratulatory message from Chief Obafemi Awolowo but he did not mince words in telling him that his position should have been given to the oldest Nigerian professor (Prof. Onabamiro) in the University.” As if Awolowo didn’t know that apart from scholarship, which Dike and Onabamiro have in common, leadership position demands other competences, which Dike displayed abundantly as Vice Principal of the University College. If Awolowo were in Ibiam’s shoes, he would not have bothered to consult London. He would have gone ahead to get Prof. Onabamiro installed as Principal at all costs! In contrast, Dr. Akanu Ibiam followed due process, which in Nigeria today, receives only lip service from those in authority. Dele Sobowale had from the beginning of this simulated crisis, announced his neutrality. While the Awoists were hitting Prof. Achebe below the belt, Sobowale delivered the ‘unkindest cut’ by wishing Achebe dead! He said in the Sunday Vanguard of October 21, 2012, ‘Here are “the brightest and the best” from both ethnic groups parading prejudice and fanning the embers of latent mutual hatred – all in defense of two individuals; one dead, the other at death’s door’. How did Sobowale know that Chinua Achebe is at death’s door? The Igbos have a saying which approximately translates as follows: ‘the tree that is expected to fall, did not; but that which is healthy fell instead’. So, Sobowale is the most deadly Yoruba enemy of Achebe. I wish Sobowale a sufficiently long life to witness Achebe hit his ninetieth and possibly hundredth birthday. Because Ofeimun did not see the war at close quarters he is entitled to ask ‘So what was Biafra’s handle on the basis on which the world was told that no power in black Africa could subdue her?’ Obasanjo, who took part in the war as a combatant, said in his book My Command “The rebels then resisted vigorously with foreign materials and mercenary support. The Federal side, which was thinking of celebrating victory in 1968, got bogged down and mauled. The ‘Biafran’ resistance, born out of fear of extermination, grew to outmatch the Federal offensive action. Owerri, a major ‘Biafran’ town which was captured by Federal troops, was re-taken by rebel soldiers with heavy casualties on both sides. “By the end of April 1969, after almost two years of bloody and destructive war, the envisioned quick victory had eluded the Federal side. The rebel enclave had been drastically reduced in size, but the ‘Biafrans’ were still holding their own and had achieved a stalemate. They were in the process of turning the stalemate into reverses for the Federal side … The recapture of Owerri by the rebels was quickly followed by a southward thrust to Port Harcourt. The Federal toehold on Aba was slipping. The morale of Federal soldiers was at its lowest ebb. The despondency and general lack of will to fight was glaringly manifest in the large number of cases of self-inflicted wounds among Federal soldiers. Officers were apathetic, if not downright disloyal. Distrust and absolute lack of confidence plagued the ranks of the officer corps. They openly rejoiced in the misfortunes of one another. “With restrictions imposed by the Federal Military Government on many items of imported goods, and the country in the grip of high inflation, the civil population had started to show signs of disgust with the war, which appeared to them unending, and with the Government’s handling of it. Some highly placed Nigerians had started to suggest that the Federal Government should sue for peace at all costs to prevent the calamity and disaster that would befall the Federal side in a possible rebel victory.” That was one of the war situations which Obasanjo, a fighting soldier, saw which Ofeimun, a civilian did not see! But for Ojukwu’s mismanagement of Biafran war effort, Biafra would have survived on her own steam. If Ojukwu had utilized the incredible and invaluable potential of Nzeogwu and his men instead of hounding them, if he had appointed Onwuatuegwu to command the Mid-West Expedition, if he had not been so colonially mentally dominated that he did not see the need to seek help from the USSR as Col. Nasser did during the Suez Canal crisis of 1956, if he had not allowed his ego to blind him in critical decision making, and so many other ifs, Biafra would have survived. In 1956, Nasser demanded from France and Britain that part of the toll collected from Suez Canal from international shipping should be given to Egypt on whose land the canal was built. When the demand was rejected, Nasser blockaded the canal and France and Britain declared war on Egypt. Nasser prudently cried for help to Khrushchev who contacted the American President asking him to tell France and Britain that they must leave the Suez Canal within seventy-two hours. They complied promptly. As soon as they left, Nasser mounted Cairo Radio and said, ‘GONE ARE THE DAYS WHEN THE BRITISH LIONS ROARED AND EVERYBODY TREMBLED, NOW THEY CAN TERRIFY NOBODY’. The USSR ambassador visited Enugu while the crisis was building up to inspect the sites of the Teaching and Specialist Hospitals that Dr. M. I. Okpara had convinced the USSR to set up in Eastern Nigeria. On that visit, a journalist told the ambassador that there was no need for the inspection of the sites as war was threatening. The ambassador calmly retorted ‘If we are building hospitals here, there will be no war.’ With Nikita Khrushchev as the President of USSR, that could not be an idle statement. But Ojukwu, “in his wisdom” thought that communist support was a dangerously malignant virus which would kill the soul and body of Biafra faster than the alliance of western imperialism, muslim Arabism and Nigeria. This was the first case in world history where communism and capitalism colluded to suffocate a people struggling for survival. All these happened because of the bad, poisoned and uncritical education Ojukwu received at the feet of capitalism and imperialism! Ofeimun’s recital of all the ‘goodness’ visited on the Igbos by Nigeria at the end of the war, were clearly and absolutely vitiated by the Abandoned Property Policy, the reduction of every bank account operated in Biafra during the war to twenty pounds, the Indigenization decree, at a time the Igbos could hardly feed themselves and many other instances of woes. Major Hassan Katsina’s declaration of a six day police action to bring Biafra back to the Nigerian fold was due to that officer’s very poor appreciation of the implications of war. When Ofeimun said “Not to forget the egregious observance of eight-hour war-day on the Federal side and the deliberate slowing down of Federal aggression which, sometimes humanitarian but based on scheming for power in Lagos, lengthened the period of warfare and may unwittingly have been responsible for the many civilian deaths through hunger.”, he needs to be informed that we did not notice any of these in Biafra. The weapons of war, ‘holy and unholy’, Nigeria did not use during that war were those she did not have. The scene of the destruction of Murtala’s division at Abagana sector by gallant Biafran forces, confirmed the above statement. At Abagana, horsetail whips laced with razor blades to be used on Biafran males were seen! Biafran senior army officers similarly inflicted inhuman treatment on fellow Biafran soldiers and civilians due to the very poor understanding, planning and execution of the war and utter lack of ideological clarity by Biafran military high command. Ojukwu did not know that a war of survival is a revolutionary war in which the relationship between the soldier and the people is like that between fish and water. A glance at The Reminiscences of the Cuban Revolutionary War by Dr. Ernesto Che Guevara the greatest guerrilla that ever lived confirms my statement. My personal experience also confirms it. The day I reported for training at the School of Infantry in Biafra, a friend who had just passed out advised me not to let it be known that I am a university graduate if I wished to come out alive from that school. On another occasion, while I was supervising the movement of some troops of our Strike Force to the Tactical Headquarters on the orders of Captain Felix Ogbuagu, our commander, Brigadier Amadi suddenly surfaced. I promptly came to attention and saluted him. He left some minutes later only to come back in less than thirty minutes interval. Jumping down from his Jeep, he took a horsetail whip from his boys and flogged me to his satisfaction while I was surrounded by his goons of body guards with their rifles on the ready. He said that he did not want to meet an officer twice at the same spot within thirty minutes. If there was no war and with my B.Sc. Hons degree in Physics, there would have been no stage where I would have met Brig. Amadi as an inferior especially as I had no plans of joining the army. In Biafra, we got tired of telling this set of soldiers that we were no career officers, that we were only freedom fighters who will leave the army for them at the end of the war. With all that we now know about the January 1966 revolution, many Nigerians persist in calling it an Igbo coup because of what Chinua Achebe identified as The Igbo Problem in his booklet The Trouble With Nigeria. He said “Nigerians of all other ethnic groups will probably achieve consensus on no other matter than their common resentment of the Igbos … The origin of the national resentment of the Igbo is as old as Nigeria and quite as complicated. But it can be summarized thus: The Igbo culture being receptive to change, individualistic and highly competitive, gave the Igbo man an unquestioned advantage over his compatriots in securing credentials for advancement in Nigerian colonial society. Unlike the Hausa/Fulani he was unhindered by a wary religion and unlike the Yoruba unhampered by traditional hierarchies. This kind of creature, fearing no God or man, was custom-made to grasp the opportunities; such as they were, of the white man’s dispensation. And the Igbo did so with both hands. Although the Yoruba had a huge historical and geographical head-start, the Igbo wiped out their handicap in one fantastic burst of energy in the twenty years between 1930 and 1950 … “The rise of the Igbo in Nigerian affairs was due to the self-confidence engendered by their open society and their belief that one man is as good as another, that no condition is permanent. It was not due, as non-Igbo observers imagined, to tribal mutual aid societies. The “Town Union” phenomenon, which has often been written about, was in reality an extension of the Igbo individualistic ethic. The Igbo towns competed among themselves for certain kinds of social achievement, like building of schools, churches, markets, post offices, pipe-borne water projects, roads, etc. They did not concern themselves with pan-Igbo unity nor were they geared to securing an advantage over non-Igbo Nigerians. Beyond town or village the Igbo has no compelling traditional loyalty. “The Igbo State Union was a paper tiger whose bogey value may have been exploited by a handful of self-appointed leaders in such places as Lagos and Port Harcourt; but among the Igbo elite, it was largely a joke and to the Igbo masses, it was quite unknown, “The real problem with the Igbo since independence is precisely the absence of the kind of central leadership which their competitors presume for them. This lack has left them open to self-seeking, opportunistic leaders who offered them no help at all in coping with a new Nigeria in which individual progress would no longer depend on the rules set by a fairly impartial colonial umpire.” I say again, the January 1966 revolution was not an Igbo coup since the leaders of that movement intended to free Awolowo from prison and hand over the Federal Government to him. All those including Gowon who say that the Biafra-Nigeria War was caused by the secession of the East and the declaration of Biafra, are suffering from convenient amnesia or Katabasis. The war started smoldering right before May 1966 when the Hausa/Fulani hegemonic jihadists who were destabilized by the glorious January revolution launched their campaign of pogrom and genocide against Easterners in general and Igbos in particular and given government sanction when Gowon said that the basis for unity did not exist, which pushed them into widespread ethnic cleansing! From the time Gowon became nationally visible as head of state till now, he has not shown any serious-mindedness or intellectual depth. He has remained Jack the Jolly Boy which explains but does not justify the following: He repudiated the ABURI ACCORD and allowed his ‘super permanent secretaries’ to interpret that document which was written in very simple English language! If Gowon had co-operated to implement the Aburi Accord as signed in Ghana, on January 5, 1967, there would have been no war; He said that the Aburi Meeting was only an opportunity for members of the Supreme Military Council to meet again in full strength and exchange pleasantries. Ojukwu countered by saying that he went to Aburi to work and that he did work; After they killed Ironsi, Gowon took the title of Supreme Commander until Ojukwu asked him ‘can you really supremely command? (Which made him step down to the title of Commander-in-Chief); He said at another time that the killing of Igbos had got to an unacceptable level, prompting Ojukwu to ask him if there was a level within which the killing of Igbos was justified. Gowon also said that God in His infinite mercy had put the government of this country in the hands of another northerner, which was a hollow and shallow conception of national affairs. When Gowon said that he was ready to face trial at the International Court of Justice he seemed to have forgotten the several apologies he had tendered to the Igbos. At the Oputa Panel he said “It came to me as a shock when I came to know about the unfortunate happenings that happened to sons and daughters of Asaba domain. I felt very touched and honestly referred to (the killings) and ask for forgiveness being the one who was in charge. Certainly, it is not something that I would have approved of … I was made ignorant of it, I think until it appeared in the papers.” In conclusion, those Nigerians like Odia Ofeimun who argue “As I see it, a distracted individualism which some people preferred to describe as republicanism, is priced above a genuine sitting down to plan with and for the people. What it calls for, instead of inventing enemies and see competition in zero-sum terms, is a mobilization of effect and resources to rise above the disabilities that we share as Nigerians. We do need to bring the Civil War to a proper end by looking into the past without flinching and wresting ourselves from the goblins of pernicious fictions.” must reconcile themselves with the fact that you cannot make omelet without breaking eggs. The Igbos have been the greatest protagonists of the “One Nigeria Project”. The people that have debauched and sabotaged the Project are precisely those who contributed little or nothing but have benefited most from the Project and others who are paid to execute it. Ofeimun, please speak to this people and not to the injured and long-suffering Igbos. It is true and significant that the war has not been brought to a proper end, as you rightly pointed out; the onus of bringing the war to a proper end rests on you victorious Nigerians, not on vanquished Igbos. Even though the Igbos lost their war of survival, there is no need to add insult to injury unless you belong to the Obasanjo group, which insists that the Igbos as a defeated people should not raise their heads for another two hundred years. Chinua Achebe, without mincing words correctly reported Awolowo’s war dictum and its effects. It should be clear to this specie of Awoists that they cannot mount a successful rearguard action on this issue. Awolowo’s place in Nigerian history is very secured and quite sublime. For me, among Azikiwe, Awolowo and Ahmadu Bello, I would have chosen Awolowo as the best of the troika to lead Nigeria. Concluded. MAZI CHIKE CHIDOLUE , was former Officer, 12 Commando Brigade Biafra Army. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Pambazuka (London) Nigeria: Did the Federal Government of Nigeria Engage in Igbo Genocide? By Emma Enekwechi, 9 May 2013 Chinua Achebe's recent book has revived fierce discussions about the Biafra genocide, the darkest chapter in Nigerian history. The country is still divided over the issue and 'Biafrans' want out of Nigeria After Chinua Achebe published his new book - 'There was a country: A personal history of Biafra', Nigerian politicians, and intellectuals assailed his account of events accusing him of propaganda and creating the impression that what he wrote was some sort of fabrication. They went further to attack his person and impugn his reputation as one of Africa's greatest novelists. It has therefore become necessary to put together a sample of narratives from international observers, reporters, and writers articulated during or immediately after the events of 1966 -1970 and after. People need to know what events preceded and precipitated the January 15, 1966 coup; what happened as the conflict escalated culminating in the slaughter of tens of thousands of Igbo and other Easterners; what brought about the secession of Biafra from Nigeria; and how Nigeria conducted the war and committed the worst genocide in Africa in the 20th century. This information is important because young people need to be able to look at contemporary Nigeria in the light of her history so they can appreciate the present mess the country is currently in and be able to judge for themselves the future of the fiction called 'One Nigeria.' The January 15, 1966 coup was conceived and planned by Majors Chukwuma Nzeogwu, Emmanuel Ifeajuna and Ademola Ademoyega. 'Why We Struck: The story of the first Nigerian Coup' published by Evans Brothers, Ltd Ibadan, 1981, is the original work of the only surviving member of the trio that conceived and planned the coup. Here is the background to the January 15 coup given by Major Ademoyega. 'By November 1965, the people (of Western Nigeria) had started to fight the unpopular Akintola government. They sang war songs and fought on the streets. They invented the 'wetie' (meaning soak him up), a practice in which a political opponent and his house or property were sprayed with petrol and set ablaze. Somehow, in 'wetie' only the intended victim suffered. By December 1965, there had been a total breakdown of law and order in Western Nigeria. The lawlessness had gone beyond the control of the mobile (anti-riot) police and the Akintola government was seen to be tottering to its collapse... .. This was the appropriate time for a state of emergency to be declared in the West and for a caretaker government to be set up, pending the conduct of a free and fair election. However the Balewa government was more anxious to preserve Akintola (whose political party NNDP was in alliance with Balewa and Sarduana's party, NPC, to form the NNA led by Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, Sarduana of Sokoto; the NCNC, AG, and UMBC were also in alliance as the UPGA led by Dr. M. I. Okpara) as the premier of the region than to restore law and order. Therefore Balewa announced that the situation in the West was normal and that everything was under control.'p.22. 'I met Chief H O Davis, who was then a Federal Minister in the Balewa government, who had come to spend the New Year holidays at his retreat just behind the Army Chalet at Taqua Bay. I greeted him and asked if he was Chief Davis and he said 'Yes'. I soon got into deep conversation with him on the political situation in the country. I was particularly interested to know what the Federal Government's view was, apart from Balewa's public statements. Chief Davis made it clear to me that the Federal Government had no solution to the political crisis. He said that everybody was just waiting to see what would happen next and that nobody knew exactly what that would be; but surely something was bound to happen. I left Chief Davis feeling that the Balewa Government had something up its sleeve. Otherwise the minister would not be so emphatic that something was bound to happen. When I returned to the Officers' Mess, Apapa, on January 3, 1966, I went to work with Ifeajuna. After extensive prodding, we discovered that the Balewa Government had a terrible plan to bring the army fully to operate in the West for the purpose of eliminating the elites of that region, especially the intellectuals who were believed to be behind the intransigence of the people against the Akintola Government. It was for this reason that the government had attacked the intellectuals of the Region, especially those at Ife, intimidating and victimizing them for their refusal to support it. People like Tai Solarin of Mayflower School, Ikenne, were among those marked down. It was also intended that if the plan succeeded in the West, the next target would be the East. The Federal Government was to use loyal troops for this purpose and the 4th Battalion in Ibadan commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Largema and the 2nd Battalion in Ikeja temporarily commanded by Major Igboba, but soon to be taken over by Lieutenant-Colonel Gowon, were designated for this assignment. The operation was fixed for the third week of January 1966, when the Sarduana would have returned from his pilgrimage and Lieutenant-Colonel Gowon would have completed his takeover of the Ikeja Battalion. In preparation for this horrible move by the Federal Government, the high echelons of the Army and the Police were being reshuffled. Major-General Ironsi was ordered to proceed on leave from mid-January. He was to be relieved by Brigadier Maimalari, over the head of Brigadier Ademulegun. Lieutenant-Colonel Njoku was to temporarily command 2nd Brigade HQ at Apapa. In the Police Force Inspector-General Edet was sent on leave from December 20, 1965. The officer closest to him was retired and the third officer Alhaji Kam Salem was brought in as the new Inspector-General. The stage was thus set for the proper walloping of the UPGA 'rioters' of the West. From our own stance, this proposed 'whipping of the West' was a most dastardly plan. Anuforo, Onwuatuegwu and I had each in turn commanded the troops in Makurdi against the Tiv rioters who were opposed to the high-handedness and oppression of the Sarduana Government of the North.' pp 66-70. 'Events moved very fast that month. By January 10, I was again in Kaduna. Through some senior civil servants I telephoned, I was able to confirm that Umra Hadj group led by the Sarduana would be back in Kaduna on January 12 and 13. It has been confirmed in Lagos that the Commonwealth Prime Ministers Conference was due to end on the 12th and that most of the delegates would leave Lagos almost immediately. Therefore Nzeogwu and I fixed the D-Day for Saturday January 15. Late on the 14th news reached us that the Sarduana had been having a meeting in Kaduna on that day with Chief Akintola of the West, and that both Brigadier Ademulegun and Lieutenant-Colonel Largema were in attendance. It was obvious to us that they might be putting final touches to their planned 'walloping of the West'. But we felt confident that we were already one step ahead.' P.70. 'Contrary to the load of wicked propaganda that had since been heaped upon us, there was no decision at our meetings to single out any particular ethnic group for elimination or destruction. Our intentions were honourable, our views were national and our goals were idealistic.'P.60. Ideologically, 'We also believed in the immediate release of political prisoners of those days, namely Chief Awolowo, Jakande, Anthony Enahoro, Onitiri, Omisade and so on. As we saw it, these actions would bring immediate relief to the suffering masses of the West and North and would generate peace and concord throughout the Federation.' P. 33. Note that the three people who conceived and planned the January 15, 1966 coup were by the account of the only surviving member of the trio, Major Adewale Ademoyega, a Yoruba, two Igbo officers and himself, a Yoruba. Note also that the primary goal of the coup was to save Western Nigeria from being 'walloped' by the Army as planned by Sarduana, Abubakar and other Northern leaders in collaboration with S. L. Akintola, Fani- Kayode and others from Western Nigeria. Saving the East from similar 'walloping' and giving justice to the Tiv were secondary goals. Releasing Awolowo, Enahoro, Jakande, Onitiri, Omisade and other political prisoners from prison were also secondary goals. Recall that the crisis in 1965 was centred in Western Nigeria where the Western Regional election held in October had been brazenly rigged by the Ahmadu Bello/Tafawa Balewa/Samuel Akintola/Fanni- Kayode clique (NNA). With Chief Awolowo in prison and Dr. M. I. Okpara as leader of the NCNC/AG/UMBC alliance (UPGA), Okpara had the unenviable task of defending the expressed choice of the people of Western Nigeria against the scheme of imposing an illegal government on the West hatched by the Bello/Balewa/Akintola/Fanni-Kayode clique. Maazi Ukonu a very popular entertainer in Enugu and an Igbo man broadcast the authentic results of the Western election from under the table in Chief Awolowo's library in Ikenne. He was aided by Wole Soyinka who could confirm this story. How can anyone reconcile this with the falsehood being peddled that the coup was an Igbo coup to install Igbo hegemony? With the people of Eastern Nigeria constantly confronting and challenging the North's blatant imposition of illegalities on the rest of the country, it is easy to see why Bello/Balewa and the entire Northern feudal oligarchy would want to physically destroy the people of Eastern Region, especially the Igbo. The declaration of Biafra presented such opportunity and with the help of the West and the Middle Belt they set out decimating the people of Eastern Region. Their first weapon of genocide was STARVATION. Here is a sample of the statements made by leaders of the Nigerian Government. General Yakubu Gowon, Head of State: In an interview with Tom Burns a journalist stated: 'Food is the means to resistance: It is ammunition in this sense and the mercy flights into rebel territory are looked upon as tantamount to gun running' [Tablet, London, December 7, 1968; Spectator, December 27, 1968.] Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Finance Minister and Vice-Chairman of the Federal Executive Council in the Nigerian Government stated: 'All is fair in war, and starvation is one of the weapons of war. I do not see why we should feed our enemies fat in order for them to fight us harder' [Financial Times, London, June 26, 1969; Daily Telegraph, London, June 27, 1969] Chief Anthony Enahoro, Federal Commissioner for Labor and Information stated: 'There are various ways of fighting a war. You might starve your enemy into submission, or you might kill him on the battlefield.' [Daily Mirror, London, June 13, 1968.] Brigadier Hassan Usman Katsina, Chief of Staff of the Nigerian Army stated: 'Personally I would not feed somebody I am fighting' [Times, London, June 28, 1969.] Brigadier Benjamin Adekunle, Commander of the Third Marine Commando, stated: 'In the sector which is under my command - and that covers the entire southern front, from Lagos to the frontier of Cameroon- I want to see no Red Cross, no World Council of Churches, no Pope, no Missionary, and no UN delegation. ... ... You have a keen intellect my friend. That's exactly what I mean ... .Until the entire population capitulates I want to prevent even one Ibo having one piece of food to eat' [Stern Magazine, Germany, August 18, 1968] Both the German and the English translation of the full interview can be made available. Col. Shittu Alao, Commander of the Nigerian Air Force, stated: 'As far as we are concerned we are hitting at everything flying into Biafra, Red Cross of not.' [Washington Post June 7, 1969.] International journalists and experts reported on the implementation of this starvation policy. E. R. J. (Dick) Hayward, an Australian and UNICEF's deputy director, was deeply troubled about the children in Biafra and Biafran territory occupied by Nigeria. Reports coming to him from the UNICEF representative in Lagos (this one from an African, who therefore could not be accused of racism) stated as follows: 'It must be stated at once, and quite categorically, that one cannot escape the conclusion that the government and various tribal groups have indicated, both by word and action, their complete displeasure at providing any assistance for men, women, and children of the Ibo tribe. Among the large majority hailing from that tribe (Yoruba?) who are more vocal in inciting the complete extermination of the Ibos, I often heard remarks that all Nigeria's ills will be cured once the Ibos have been removed.' [The Brutality of Nations, P. 42.] But the starvation policy was not directed at the Igbo only. Around Calabar and in areas inhabited by the Ibibio and Annang ethnic groups, the Red Cross estimated some 750, 000 refugees in the areas controlled by the Nigerian Federal troops. Reports of how the Nigerian Army confiscated the food meant for these refugees abound. 'The worst cases of starving children required special formula, food, and medicines as well as medical care. Most supplies sent in from Lagos had lacked proper documentation, so the Nigerian army had claimed the supplies as their own.' Continuing, Labouisse and Marks (relief workers) travelled about the area separately, but they saw many of the same sights. Labouisse came upon one make shift village of 5,000 refugees, mostly children and elderly, with few males. Louis Gendron, UNICEF official accompanying Lebouisse, kept notes on what they encountered. 'All were in the very last stages of starvation. Children and elders were prostrated and crouched on the earth -ready to die. ... . In one hut which had only a roof and no walls there was the desiccated body of a child possibly two years old. Next to him but not protected by the roof while the rain started falling was another boy of the same age, also crouched on the ground entirely naked - probably alive, but not for long, who did not even stir when the rain started. Between the huts, in fact in the middle of the path, were numerous graves. We were told that there were ten to fifteen deaths every day, and we have sufficient evidence to believe that this figure is probably not exaggerated.' [The Brutality of Nations, p. 72.] 'In Ikot Ekpene, a major town, the prison was used to house a thousand people mostly children. There was a long line of children and mothers, most of them stark naked and all of them in terrible condition of starvation' '... ..Labouisse and Gendron were experienced relief officials but these were the worst conditions they had ever seen. Back in Lagos, Labouisse described to various government ministers what he had seen, not in Biafra but in their own Nigeria-controlled areas. The ministers expressed disbelief and said they did not have information about such conditions' [The Brutality of Nations,p73] An equally chilling report was made by another journalist. 'The Biafran advances have firmly recaptured Ikot Ekpene. Yesterday, three Biafran soldiers broke open the prison there. Almost 1,000 Annang civilians emerged who had been imprisoned for four months since the Nigerians took Ikot Ekpene last April. The Annangs are a minority people of one million population who live in the Ikot Ekpene area. Most of the released prisoners were women and children. In the last two days they have slowly moved away on the roads towards the Biafran towns of Aba and Umuahia. Children can be seen walking with canes, and many thin women with swollen legs are sitting or lying on the roads. In Ikot Ekpene prison today, almost every cell has one dead body. A few women and children remain, begging for food and too weak to move away.' [The Financial Times, August 15, 1968]. Chemical Poisoning: But starvation was not the only weapon that the Nigeria Government used to exterminate Biafrans. The other instrument of genocide was the use of chemical poisoning. Foreign correspondents in Biafra, '... ..provide detailed cogent evidence that foodstuffs reaching Biafra from Nigeria have in the past been treated with Arsenic, Cyanide, and other poisons.' [Daily Telegraph, July 8, 1968.] 'Later, outside experts, a team headed by U.S Senator Charles Goodell and the nutritionist Jean Mayer would confirm that food brought into Biafra through Nigerian territory had, in fact, been poisoned.' [The Brutality of Nations p. 33] Nigeria's third weapon of genocide was targeted bombing of civilian populations and non-military targets. Here are a few examples. Targeted Bombing: Bruce Loudon in a BBC interview broadcast in February 1968 described the bombing of Itu Hospital established by the Presbyterian Church sixty-three years earlier. 'Dr. Philip painted two huge red crosses against a white background and outside he erected a flag pole and raised an enormous Red Cross flag. The other day the Migs came in and swooped overhead. The Migs bombed and bombed and bombed again, all direct hits. Within seconds, the Mission was reduced to a contorted mass of burning hot iron and whimpering patients. Dr. Duncan, who was on the opposite hill at the time saw the Migs turn again and come in low over what was once the hospital, this time strengthened by machine guns. With Dr. Duncan's aid, Dr. Philip began to pull out dead and wounded. Even the blue ambulance was of no use for that had been shot at, its tires burnt and its windows smashed.' In a report by Lloyd Garrison in the New York Times of December 31, 1968 and in International Herald Tribune of January 1, 1969, member of the US House of Representative from Ohio Donald E. Lukens reported that he experienced four bombings while in Biafra: '... not one of them was a military target, with the possible exception of Uli Airport which takes both relief and arms flights. The first raid was over Umuahia when I was sitting in the house of the Chief Justice. A rocket slammed into the clinic next-door killing three children. In two days more than four hundred were killed in Umuahia and twice that number maimed and wounded. Most were women and children who didn't know where to run. Many were strafed in the market place. Not one was a military casualty. Of all the targets in Biafra, the ones most often hit are child-feeding centers and crowded open markets.' 'A protest against air attacks on civilians in Biafra, alleged by a Red Cross observer to be deliberate, is to be lodged with the Nigerian Federal Government tomorrow by M. Jean Pierroz, the newly arrived International Red Cross delegate in Lagos. The protest is understood to arise from a report to Geneva by M. Jaggi, the Red Cross observer in Biafra, that several hundred civilians were killed or wounded in an air raid on Awgu market on February 17, 1968. Federal aircraft using rockets and cannons, M. Jaggi reported also raided Aba and Port Harcourt hitting targets of no military significance. He regarded these raids as deliberate attacks on civilian population , particularly those on Awgu where he had checked casualties personally.' [William Norris, Sunday Times, London, February 26, 1968.] 'I have seen things in Biafra this week that no man should have to see. Sights to scorch the mind and sicken the conscience. I have seen children roasted alive, young girls torn in two by shrapnel, pregnant women eviscerated, and old men blown to fragments. I have seen these things and I have seen their cause: High flying Ilyushin Jets operated by Federal Nigeria, dropping their bombs on civilian centers throughout Biafra.' [William Norris, Sunday Times, London, April 28, 1968] Caption: Nightmare in Biafra. John Hogan in an article in the Irish Times, March 12, 1968, stated as follows: 'Slowly but effectively, a reign of terror has been created. The ruins of the Mary Slessor Memorial Hospital at Itu, of the hospital at Itigidi, and of the Cheshire Home at Port Harcourt stand as a kind of grisly memorial to something that must be if words are to retain any meaning. It is certainly not war. It is genocide.' Walter Partington reported in the Daily Express, London, April 23, 1968, 'But today I saw that things aer different in the air. A Nigerian bomber, believed to be a Russian-built Ilyushin, killed more than seventy Biafrans in a hit-and-run attack on a busy town forty miles from Port Harcourt.' President Houphet-Boigny of Ivory Coast described Nigerian pilots thus: '... ... outstanding heroes more redoubtable from the fact that they do not meet any obstacle (fighter planes, rockets, DCA shots) in their dirty duty of massive destruction and systematic extermination of a people without defense.' Between May and August 1968, Nigerian Air Force planes killed over two thousand civilians, miles away from the fronts or any military targets. Of the 112 targets hit (many more than once) which can be picked from the diary of the Nigerian air raids, the breakdown shows the following pattern: Civilian residential areas (46); Markets (14); Schools (13); Hospitals (9); Churches (5); Farms (8); Others (17). Enugu, Owerri, Aba, Port Harcourt, Umuahia, Abakaliki, Uyo, Afikpo were some of the main towns hit with the worst casualties. At Aba (279) killed, Umuahia (214) killed, Owerri (146) killed by the end of April 1968. About 50 villages had also been raided in this period with Awgu market (165) killed and Nomeh market (85) killed. This will really blow your mind. 'Clyde Ferguson and American Ambassador Walter Annenberg met with British Prime Minister Harold Wilson. In the course of their discussion, Harold Wilson, the British Prime Minister, remarked that if a million Ibos had to die to preserve the unity of Nigeria, well, that was not too high a price to pay.' [The Brutality of Nations, p. 261] . Can you believe this? The British Prime Minister stated that it is okay to murder one million Igbo just to keep Nigeria one. Now, you can imagine what he told Yakubu Gowon in private. Are you still surprised that Gowon and his clique murdered three million Igbo and other Easterners without batting an eye-lid? Note that throughout the war, "British involvement with the Nigerian Government was an incestuous relationship. It would be impossible to sort out where decisions were made, or by whom - in Lagos or London, by this Nigerian official or this British diplomat' [The Brutality of Nations, p. 31] The British Government of Harold Wilson had not only supplied Nigeria with armoured cars, bombs, and other heavy artillery, but also hundreds of military personnel (NCO's and high ranking officers) to man those weapons and command Nigerian troops. More than half of them were killed by Biafran forces. In exasperation, the Manchester Guardian of June 3, 1968 complained: '... ... .. Nor has there been enough explanation of the role of individual British officers. Naval officers on training assignments with the Nigerian Navy, are known to have played active operational roles, and the same appears to be true of some Army officers'. 'Britain practically gave away to Nigeria 150 armored cars, Saladins and Ferrets for a token payment of $1,200 each as against the actual cost of $60,000 each. Britain also supplied aerial bombs which were used by Nigeria for slaughtering civilians in markets, refugee camps, churched and hospitals.' [Daily Telegraph, London, January 3, 1968.] The Spectator in a front page article on May 31st 1968 lamented: 'For the first time in our history, Britain has become an active accomplice in the deliberate slaughter of hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children whose only crime is that of belonging to a proscribed nation: in short an accomplice in genocide. And the British people together with a supine opposition have averted their eyes and let the Government pursue its shameful way without hindrance.' Why did the world and the United Nations fold their arms and watch as Nigeria and Britain organized and perpetrated genocide on Biafrans? Was 'internal matter of a sovereign nation; as United Nations Secretary General U Thant, said time and time again, an excuse for allowing the Holocaust to take place? No one should have known it better than the Secretary General. This was the very question that the United Nations had dealt with, unanimously and effectively in the aftershock of the Nazis' 'final solution of the Jewish problem.' Raphael Lemkin one of those in the forefront of the efforts to prevent a recurrence of such mass murder, put it at the time, 'The question arose whether sovereignty goes so far that a government can destroy with impunity its own citizens and whether such acts of destruction are domestic affairs or matters of international concern.' Twice the United Nations had decided, unanimously in the negative, and created new international law converting the moral right of humanitarian intervention into a legal right - The Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide. Could it have been invoked in the Nigerian situation? Was Nigeria deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part?' The answer of course is 'Yes'. [The Brutality of Nations, p. 7]. Then why was it not done? The answer can be found in this conversation. 'After the war ended, I began to talk to officials of governments and international relief agencies and to gather documents. As I pieced them together, trying to learn what had actually happened, an unexpected level of the archaeological dig emerged. I went to a National Security Council staff man and said, 'The British did this.' 'Oh, of course', he responded. 'The British orchestrated the whole thing.' 'The British Government had not covered up the fact that the Nigerians were starving the Biafrans - and killing them by every other means they could such as bombing crowded market places.' [The Brutality of Nations, p. 5]. Some people were quibbling about the number of people dying from starvation in Biafra. Dr. Clyde Shepherd summarized the enormity of this genocide thus: 'People wonder about the statistics of the dying people in Biafra. For some months now I have personally been involved with the chief delegate of the Red Cross in Biafra in working out the statistics of the dead. The figures we have produced are obtained from samples of death rates in villages, refugee camps, and hospitals from every province in Biafra. By the end of July, six thousand deaths a day from malnutrition and starvation only was the figure we arrived at. Recently, last month (October) the Red Cross published a figure of eight thousand to ten thousand deaths daily from starvation. Knowing how this figure was reached, I will agree with it as being reasonably accurate. But all our figures, I would remind you are likely to be on the conservative side.' [The Brutality of Nations, p. 108]. 'More people had already starved than were estimated to have died up to that time in the Vietnam War over the previous ten years. More were starving each week than had died under the first atomic bomb at Hiroshima or were killed in all four Arab- Israeli Wars up to that time. With the death rate continuing at the rate of ten to twelve thousand a day during September and October more would die of starvation those next two months than were killed during the entire Spanish Civil War.' [The Brutality of Nations, p. 108]. This was the situation in 1969 as the war was winding down. So what happened about distribution of relief materials and starvation as the shooting war ended in January, 1970? Immediately after the war the United States as well as many countries of Europe wanted to flood Nigeria with food to help alleviate the starvation and death in the former Biafran territory. But the Nigerian Government in collaboration with the British Government refused to allow the food to get to Biafra. Finally, the President of the United States, Richard Nixon confronted Harold Wilson, the Prime Minister of Britain and asked him what he was going to do about Biafra. Wilson went into a tirade about how history will blame Ojukwu for the starvation of Biafrans. When he finished, President Nixon looked him in the eye and said, 'Look Harold, two months from now, all those people are going to be dead, and no one is going to blame Ojukwu - they are going to blame you'. [The Brutality of Nations, p 280.] While the Nigerian Government was proclaiming to the world that it was pursuing a policy of 'Reconciliation, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation' in Biafra, in practice it was continuing the policy of extermination of Biafrans by starvation. Jacobs, 1987 articulated what actually happened after the declared end of the war: 'Numerous efforts to move food within the country were resisted by Nigerian authorities. UNICEF chartered two DC-6's in Europe and tried to get them accepted for food distribution inside Nigeria. The Nigerian Government refused and they had to cancel the charter. The United States sought to persuade the Nigerian Government to accept planes or helicopters, even offering to turn the C-97's over to the Nigerians themselves to operate but the Nigerian Government refused.' [The Brutality of Nations, p.285]. 'Medical teams had come to Lagos from Red Cross Societies in Australia, Austria, Japan, and Switzerland. But the Nigerian Government would not let them go to former Biafran territory to help the sick and dying. Even the Nigerian Red Cross in the document "New Cases of Severe and Moderate Malnutrition' had to protest to the Nigerian Government that 'That there was a sharp rise (500 percent) in malnutrition and starvation during the four weeks following the end of the war ... ... ' [The Brutality of Nations, p. 287]. Anyone can speculate about the motivation of the leadership of the Nigerian Government in continuing the policy of starving Biafrans after the war had ended, what is not in question is the outcome - the death by starvation of hundreds of thousands of Biafran babies, children, mothers, old women and old men months after the war had ended. Survivors will also testify that several weeks after the war ended soldiers of the Third Marine Commando led by General Olusegun Obasanjo slaughtered thousands of Biafran men in several communities in Aba, Ukwa, Umuahia, Ngwa and surrounding communities. They also embarked in a systematic orgy of raping Igbo women and girls whom they had taken hostage and converted into sex slaves. Many of the women were so distraught that they committed suicide. Survivors of these atrocities are still alive and will testify. World Report on Nigeria's Genocide in Biafra 1966-1970: 'In some areas outside the East, Ibos were killed by local people with at least the acquiescence of the federal forces ... . 1,000 Ibo civilians perished in Benin in this way' [New York Review, December 21, 1967] '... ... ..after the Federal take over of Benin ... troops killed about 500 Ibo civilians after a house-to-house search.' [Morning Post, September 27, 1967] 'Federal troops killed or stood by while mobs killed more than 5,000 Ibo in Warri, Sapele, Agbor, ... ' [New York Times, January 10, 1968] 'There has been genocide on the occasion of the 1966 massacres ... the region between the towns of Benin and Asaba where only widows and orphans remain, Federal troops having, for unknown reasons massacred all the men.' [Le Monde, April 5, 1968]. 'In Calabar, Federal forces shot at least 1,000 and perhaps 2,000 Ibos most of them civilians.' [New York Times, January 18, 1968] 'Bestialities and indignities of all kinds were visited on Biafrans in 1966. In Ikeja Barracks, Biafrans were forcibly fed on a mixture of human urine and feaces. In Northern Nigeria numerous Biafran housewives and nursing mothers were raped before their husbands and children. Young girls were abducted from their homes, working places and schools and forced into sexual intercourse with sick, demented and leprous men.' [Mr. Eric Spiff, eyewitness, 1966] 'There has been genocide for example on the occasion of the 1966 massacres... . Two areas have suffered badly (from the fighting)... . firstly the region between the towns of Benin and Asaba where only widows and orphans remain, Federal troops having for unknown reasons massacred all the men. According to eyewitnesses of that massacre the Nigerian commander ordered the execution of every Ibo male over the age of ten years..' [Monsignor Georges, sent on a fact finding mission by His Holiness, Pope Paul VI, [Le Monde, April 5, 1968.] '... 650 refugee camps contained about 700,000 haggard bundles of human flotsam waiting hopelessly for a meal. Outside the camps was the remainder of an estimated four and a half to five million displaces persons ... the kwashiorkor scourge ... .. a million and half children ... suffered from it during January; that put the forecast death toll at another 300,000 children ... . More than the pogroms of 1966, more than the war casualties, more than the terror bombings. It was the experience of watching helplessly their children waste away and die that gave birth to ... . a deep and unrelenting loathing ... it is a feeling that will one day reap a bitter harvest unless ... .' [Fredrick Forsyth, Umuahia, Biafra, January 1969] 'I saw several hundreds of Zombie-like creatures - men, women and children lying, sitting, or squatting in the midst of others who were dead. The living ones were completely reduced to skeletons and could not talk. Frankly, I took fright ... . I believe that any foreign troops from anywhere in the world, occupying Ikot Ekpene or any other town in Biafra would have shown much more sympathy ... ' [General Alexander Madiebo, Ikot Ekpene, July 1968.] 'One word now describes the policy of the Nigerian Military Government towards secessionist Biafra, "genocide". It is ugly and extreme but it is the only word which fits Nigeria's decision to stop the International Committee of the Red Cross, and other relief agencies from flying food to Biafra' [Washington Post (editorial) July2, 1969] 'The record shows that on advances on Benin, Warri, Ughelli, Abakaliki, Calabar, Ikot Ekpene, and Port Harcourt, thousands of male Ibo civilians were sought out and slaughtered, and that widespread looting and burning are also evident. With the war now almost fifteen months old, it is often forgotten that some 30,000 people from what is now Biafra were massacred in the Northern Region in 1966 and that not one Northern Nigerian soldier or civilian who took part in this pogrom was punished by the Gowon regime' [Lloyd Garrison, New York Times, September 8, 1968] 'The loss of life from starvation continues at more than 10,000 persons per day - over 1,000,000 lives in recent months. Without emergency measures now, the number will climb to 25,000 per day within a month - and some 2,000,000 deaths by the end of the year. The new year will only bring greater disaster to a people caught in the passion of fratricidal war.' [Senator Edward Kennedy, appealing to American Leaders for greater humanitarian aid to Biafra and efforts to end the civil war. Sunday, November 17, 1968] '... . The war aim and (final) solution properly speaking of the entire problem is to discriminate against the Ibos and in their own interest. Such discrimination would include above all the detachment of those oil-rich territories in the Eastern Region ... in addition the Ibos' freedom of movement would be restricted, to prevent their renewed penetration into other parts ... . leaving any access to the sea to the Ibos is quite out of the question ... .' [Federal Nigerian Minister to E. C. Schwarzenbach, Swiss Review of Africa, February, 1968.] 'Until now efforts to relieve the Biafran people have been thwarted by the desire of the Central Government of Nigeria to pursue total and unconditional victory and by the fear of the Ibo people that surrender means wholesale atrocities and genocide. But genocide is what is taking place right now - and starvation is the grim reaper. This is not the time to stand on ceremony or to go through channels or to observe diplomatic niceties. The destruction of an entire people is an immoral objective even in the most moral of wars. It can never be justified; it can never be condoned.' [Mr Richard Nixon, September 9, 1968; during the presidential election campaign.] 'It is relevant however that not only the Ibos, but all Easterners - including the Minority Peoples, Ibibio, Efik, Ijaw etc were victims of Northern massacres and expulsions. According to refugees, the only non-Northerners generally spared in those events were those who wore the dress or bore the distinctive face markings of the Yoruba tribe of the West.' ["A Condemned People", Conor Cruise O'Brien, The New York Review of Books, December 21, 1967] 'Nigerian soldiers have massacred more than 500 Biafran civilians in the town of Urua Inyang on the southern war front. Most of the townspeople are members of a minority tribe, Annang ... Most of the refugees were Annang, Ibibio, Efik, and Ogoni.' [Charles Taylor, Toronto Globe and Mail, October, 10, 1968.] 'The Associated Press reported yesterday from Umuahia that 500 persons died Saturday night in the shelling of a Biafran town and refugee camp at Urua Inyang south of Aba. Refugees from the camp said Nigerian troops entered the town yesterday morning.' [Toronto Globe and Mail, October 7, 1968]. So the question remains, 'Did the federal government of Nigeria engage in the genocide of its Igbo citizens through their punitive policies, the most notorious being starvation as a legitimate weapon of war?' This question is now howling like hurricane wind. Everyone must keep asking this question until Nigeria and the world give us an answer. The calculated murder of one to three million Igbo children is a heinous crime against humanity. Every Igbo and indeed every Nigeria who has conscience must join in asking for a response to this question. Many of the people who orchestrated this genocide are still alive and must be held accountable. The collective voices of three million children are crying out for justice. As you can see in this piece, there is almost nothing Chinua Achebe said in his work about the activities of Nigerian leaders during the Nigeria Biafra war that has not been said before and even in stronger language. So why have Nigerian leaders especially from the Western Region been attacking him so viciously and with such vituperative and acerbic venom? Why did they keep dragging Prof. Wole Soyinka (one of the foremost defenders of the rights of Biafrans) into this? Soyinka who was actually thrown in jail by Nigerian dictators for standing up for justice for Biafrans? Did they ever read his book 'The Man Died'? After 30,000 -100,000 Easterners, men, women, and children were massacred by Northerners all over Northern Nigeria from May 29th to October 1966, what did Yoruba leaders do? Remember that the immediate goal of the coup of January 15th 1966 was to forestall the 'walloping of the West' according to Adewale Ademoyega, one of the key three planners of the coup. So what did Yoruba leaders do? They sent a delegation of Yoruba Obas (traditional rulers) to tour the North and to thank Northern Emirs and political leaders for not killing Yorubas during the pogrom [Ekwe-Ekwe]. They did not go there to say that the killing of Igbo and other Easterners was wrong or to demand that the wholesale slaughter of unarmed civilians must stop. No. They just thanked the Emirs for not killing Yoruba. Which of the Nigerian Army officers that committed the mass murder of civilians, raping of defenseless women and girls at Benin, Warri, Sapele, Asaba, Onitsha, Aba, Umuahia, Port Harcourt, Ameke-Item, Ngwa, and Abakaliki etc were ever punished for their crimes? Chinua Achebe and his family like thousands of other families from the Eastern Region were chased out of Western Region and Lagos in 1967 like thieves for no other reason than they were Igbo. I have never heard Achebe say that anyone called him this past forty years to apologize for treating him and his family like criminals. Note that thousands of Igbo residing all over Yoruba land and Lagos were not so lucky to escape to the East. They were killed by their Yoruba neighbors and co-workers and never lived to write about their experience or to tell their stories. Who knows what many of these people would have been. Some may have been as famous as Achebe or even more. But they never lived to be who God created them to be. If you are 43 years and older; lived in Eastern Region in 1966-70, and you are alive today, it is partly because of the valor of Biafran soldiers and the heroism of Biafran administrators as well as the magnanimity of God that you are alive today. As you can see from these accounts Nigeria never wanted you to live. Nigerians have never told themselves the truth about what happened from 1966-1970 and immediately after. Nigerians have been lying to themselves and their children about their history, the absurdity of yoking together people who do not share much in common except that somebody roped their nations together and gave them a name and then told them that they must be one country. Since the amalgamation they have mindlessly slaughtered more than four million of themselves in the stupidity of remaining one unworkable country. Some groups have been forced to live with other groups that hate them with a passion. As the harvest of this hatred, the mindless slaughter of millions of innocent people piles up, the plutocrats pretending to run the government revel in their ability to loot every government treasury on which they can lay their hands. The result is degradation of the environment, decay of society and despair of the people culminating in chaos and unprecedented human suffering for our people. This is what Nigeria is today. So what does the future hold for Nigeria? Anyone who says that Nigeria as a country and as it is today is working is delusional. No, Nigeria is not working and will not work. The different groups in Nigeria must sit down in an environment of total freedom and decide for themselves who wants to continue to be in One Nigeria and who wants out. Those who want out of Nigeria must be free to leave without conditions while those who want to remain in One Nigeria exercise their right to do so. Biafrans want out of Nigeria; I repeat, Biafrans want out of Nigeria. Until the Igbo and indeed other nations that make up Nigeria are free to express their choices without hindrance or let, the societal decay, personal desperation and attendant chaos will continue and get worse. History has taught us that no amount of force can stop a people indefinitely from demanding and exercising their freedom, liberty, and self determination. Nigerians have a choice - face this reality and deal with it or continue to live a lie. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ‘How ethnicity, religion influence appointments of varsities’ officials’ . Thursday, 25 April 2013 00:00 By Rotimi Lawrence Oyekanmi News - National • Govt dumps merit, names indigenes as VCs, registrars, bursars • Varsities bar northern, southern applicants from ‘elite’ courses FAR from the tradition of academic excellence upon which the nation’s universities were built, appointments to their key positions are now increasingly being influenced by ethnic and religious considerations, an investigation by The Guardian has revealed. Instead of curtailing the unethical practice, the Federal Government seems to have tactically endorsed the unwritten rule; looking the other way each time merit is disregarded in the appointment of vice chancellors, registrars and bursars. The trend now holds sway, especially in the older universities as the government succumbs to pressure orchestrated by ethnic bigots who employ a combination of threats, blackmail and even religious sentiments to get their preferred candidates appointed. Among the 27 older federal universities, that is those founded between 1948 and as recently as 2007, only the University of Abuja, headed by Prof. J.S.A. Adelabu; the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) headed by Prof. Vincent Tenebe; the Federal University of Technology, Minna (Prof. Musibau Akanji) and the Federal University of Petroleum Resources (Prof. Alhassan Bichi) have vice chancellors that are not directly from the geo-political zones where the respective institutions are located. The other 23 are headed by professors from the same geo-political zones where the universities are domiciled. Of the nine new federal universities established in 2011, three out of the six located in the northern part of the country are also headed by academics from the north. They include: Federal University, Dutse, Jigawa (Prof. Jibril Amin); Federal University, Kashere, Gombe (Prof. Mohammed Farouk); and Federal University, Lokoja, Kogi State (Prof. Abdulmumini Rafindadi). The remaining three are being headed by academics from the southern part of the country. They are: Federal University, Lafia, Nasarawa State (Prof. Ekanem Briade); Federal University, Wukari, Taraba (Prof. Geoffrey Okogbaa); and Federal University, Dutsin-ma, Katsina State (Prof. James Ayatse). The last three in the 2011 set, located in the southern part of the country – Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State; Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State and Federal University, Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State, are also headed by academics from the south – Profs. Oye Ibidapo-Obe, Mobolaji Aluko and Isaac Asuzu respectively. Looking even at the latest three federal universities established in the North in 2013, Federal University, Gashau, Yobe State; Federal University, Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State and the Federal University, Gasua, Zamfara State, the first two are also headed by academics from the north (Profs. Shehu Abdulrahman and Lawal Suleiman Bilbis), while Prof. Chuks Ben Okeke, from the southeast, heads the last one. The first generation universities, that had hitherto been the epitome of ethics and due process, have also been bitten by the ethnicity bug. For instance, the University of Ibadan (UI), founded on November 17, 1948, which appointed Prof. Kenneth Dike, from the southeast, as its first Nigerian vice chancellor and Emeritus Prof. Tekena Tamuno, from the Niger Delta region, as vice chancellor from 1975 to 1979, has since joined the ethnic vice chancellors’ club. After the tenure of Ayo Banjo, an emeritus professor of English, who was vice chancellor between 1984 and 1991, all the university’s vice chancellors have always been from the southwest. Between 1960 when it was established and 1966, the University of Nigeria (UNN), Nsukka also had foreigners as its vice chancellor. They were Dr. George Marion Johnson (1960 -64) and Prof. Glen Taggart (1964-66). In fact, between 1978 and 1979, Prof. Umaru Shehu, a northerner, was UNN’s vice chancellor. However, from 1980 to date, except for 1994 when Prof. Umaru Gomwalk was appointed as the sole administrator, all UNN’s vice chancellors have been Igbo. Take, also, the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, established in 1962. The institution’s first vice chancellor was British, Dr. Norman S.Alexander before he was succeeded, in 1966, by Dr. Ishaya Audu, a northerner, who held sway till mid-1975. But between 1978 and 1979, the institution also had what would eventually be its only vice chancellor from the southwest part of Nigeria, Oladipo Akinkugbe, a renowned professor of medicine. Since then, ABU’s vice chancellors have always come from the north. In fact, the attempt to appoint one in 2009, when Malam Adamu Ciroma was the pro-chancellor, got so messy that Ciroma decided to resign. The current vice chancellor, Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha emerged in controversial circumstances. The case of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), established in 1970, is also intriguing. At the expiration of Prof. Emmanuel Nwanze’s tenure as vice chancellor in 2009, the campaign for the appointment of a Bini indigene as vice chancellor became ferocious. A particular group, in an advert published in a couple of newspapers, practically threatened the Federal Government, insisting that it was either a Bini indigene was appointed UNIBEN’s vice chancellor or nobody else. The eventual emergence of Prof. Osayuki Oshodin in November 2009 as vice chancellor, even when he came third among the contestants in the order of merit, is seen as a fall-out of that agitation. The ethnic bias has also affected the admission process, as in one northern university and another in the South for instance; it is difficult for students from the South and North respectively, to be admitted for ‘elite’ courses like medicine, law, pharmacy and accounting, according to sources. Banjo told The Guardian that the Federal Government might have encouraged the ethnic dimension by establishing a federal university in each state. To him, the decision by the Federal Government to ‘give’ each state a federal university is being interpreted by the states as their own share of the national cake. He said: “When I was leaving the University of Glasgow (in 1959) and the position of vice chancellor became vacant, the search party went to New Zealand to get one. And that was because the whole thing was based on merit and the best interest of the university. The distance between New Zealand and Glasgow, Scotland is about 18,805 kilometres.” Education Minister, Prof. Ruqayyatu Rufai, spoke directly on the issue recently, during the inauguration of the governing councils of 21 federal universities in Abuja. She asked the new councils to tackle the glaring irregularities in the appointment of principal officers. Her words: “The councils must ensure that proper attention and priority be accorded the relevant universities’ laws and government guidelines in such appointments. Governing councils must ensure that transparency, probity and due process are followed in the selection and appointment processes, so that the best and the right candidates emerge for these positions.” She added: “The erroneous idea that chief executives or any principal officer (of a federal university) should come from its locality is alien to the system and should not be allowed to becloud your decisions on this. Rather, merit should be the guiding principle.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Nigeria’s ruling class has grown worse – Sagay April 10, 2013 by Simon Ejembi Professor Itse Sagay Renowned legal practitioner, Prof. Itse Sagay, on Tuesday criticised the country’s ruling elite for failing to provide good governance for the nation. Sagay said this in Lagos while delivering a lecture ‘Good Governance and Enforcement of Law and Order’ at the Nigerian Institute of Management’s 2013 Management Day. He said, “The most remarkable characteristic of the Nigerian ruling class is its complete and total insensitivity to the public outcry and outrage over the percentage of our resources that the members appropriate to themselves for their own consumption.” He explained that while Nigerian Senators and House of Representative members earn $1.7m and $1.4m respectively per annum, American Senators earns about $174, 000 with UK parliamentarians earning £65,738 per annum. He noted that income per capita for the US and UK is $46,350 and $35,468, respectively, while that of Nigeria is $2,248. Sagay said, “Nigerian legislators pay themselves the highest salaries of all legislators in the world, even though their country is amongst the least developed in the whole world. “One fact is clear, the Nigerian political and public service elites have been exhibiting a devastating level of value deficiency since the end of the First Republic, which has grown progressively worse. With a few exceptions, the quality of our ruling elite has degenerated with each successive Republic.” Sagay also lamented the role corruption had played in contemporary Nigeria, describing it as ‘Grand Commander’. “No day passes without the disclosure of one fresh set of financial scandals or the other. The financial blood of the country is simply being drained away by a kleptomaniac political and public service elite,” he said. Some notable scandals according to him, include the 2008 House of Representatives Committee on Electrical Powers investigation into the $16bn expenditure in the power industry, that was overtaken by the arrest and prosecution of the chairman of the committee for corruption relating to contracts in the same industry. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Atiku lied about Pentascope deal –El-Rufai April 2, 2013 by Fidelis Soriwei, Abuja El-Rufai A former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory under the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, has said that a former Vice-President, Abubakar Atiku, lied when he accused him of imposing the Pentascope management contract on the defunct Nigeria Telecommunitions Limited. El-Rufai was the Director-General of the Bureau for Public Enterprise when the Federal Government entered into a contractual agreement with a Dutch firm, Pentascope, to manage the nation’s telecommunications firm, NITEL, on the eve of the privatisation carried out by the Obasanjo administration. El-Rufai said that Atiku, who was Chairman of the National Council for Privatisation, gave a written approval to enter into a contractual agreement with Pentascope to manage NITEL on February 21, 2003. El Rufai whose allegations were contained in an electronic mail on Monday, signed by his Media Advisor, Mr. Muyiwa Adekeye, said that Atiku’s memo on the Pentascope’s management contract with NITEL dated February 20, 2003 was raised by a director of the BPE in charge of the duties of the Director-General at the time. The former minister explained further that the Pentascope deal was made following what he described as a competitive selective process following an earlier decision that a management firm be engaged to prepare NITEL to operate like a private firm in addition to preserving its assets. He added that the terms of the contract with Pentascope made it a duty for the BPE to set up an executive committee to monitor the operations of the company on a daily basis. According to him, the management contract was terminated in 2005 because it was frustrated due to lack of effective supervision by the BPE and other key players in the Ministry of Communications and the NCP under Atiku’s leadership. He said, “On Pentascope, we see the same pattern of muddying the waters with falsehood. As chairman of the National Council on Privatisation, Atiku gave his approval in writing on 21 February 2003 for the management contract with Pentascope to be signed. “The memo on which Atiku minuted his approval, BPE/I&N/NT/MC/DG/280, is dated 20th February 2003, and was initiated by the director of BPE that was covering the DG’s duties at the time. By the virtue of the high office he then held, Atiku knows that Pentascope was not foisted on NITEL but emerged from a properly advertised and competitive selection process. “After the failure of the first attempt to sell NITEL, it had been decided that there was the need for a management contractor to keep the momentum of preparing the company to operate like a private entity and to preserve its assets. Pentascope resumed in NITEL on 28 April 2003, shortly before el-Rufai left the BPE to become a minister. “The Pentascope contract terms included obligations by the BPE to monitor the contract, and for the NITEL Board to set up an Executive Committee to supervise day-to-day operations in NITEL. Between the new BPE leadership that neglected its responsibilities, the NCP which Atiku chaired and which failed to supervise the BPE and the bureaucrats and politicians around the Ministry of Communications, the management contract was frustrated and terminated in 2005.” El Rufai’s reaction followed an allegation by Atiku in an interview with Sunday PUNCH, that el-Rufai, as the DG of the BPE defied wise counsel to foist the Pentascope management contract on NITEL. Atiku had alleged that el-Rufai ignored public outcry against his choice of Pentascope to manage NITEL even when it was proved that the foreign firm was financially incapable and lacked the competence to manage the telecommunications firm. The former VP had said, “On Pentascope, one would have expected your paper to direct the questions to el-Rufai himself. The Pentascope scandal was one of the issues investigated by the National Assembly and it accused el-Rufai of ignoring wise counsel by imposing the company on NITEL. “Despite proven allegations that Pentascope was not financially capable and technically competent to handle NITEL management contract, the former Bureau of Public Enterprise Director-General ignored public outcry and forced the Dutch company on NITEL. “Before the coming of Pentascope, NITEL was making an estimated N100bn profit annually. However, as soon as Pentascope took over, NITEL’s profits were nose-diving incredibly. “With telecoms stakeholders, the National Assembly and the Nigerian public insisting that the imposition of Pentascope on NITEL was ruinous to national interest, the Federal Government eventually cancelled the management contract against el-Rufai’s desire.” El-Rufai, who also commented on the NITEL GSM contract involving Ericsson and Motorola, denied Atiku’s claim that his brother was on the board of Motorola. He also debunked the claim that the contract was split, adding that it was awarded to Ericsson, “but at the lower price submitted by Motorola, because of Atiku’s intense lobby and smears deployed to advance Ericsson’s bid.” He alleged that Atiku and his then ADC, Abdullahi Yari, spoke on several occasions to him to favour Ericsson in the bid. He said that Atiku had a responsibility to explain to Nigerians why he was pushing for Ericcson to get the offer. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Atiku, el-Rufai in verbal war Written by Taiwo Adisa - Abuja Tuesday, 02 April 2013 00:00 FORMER Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasiru el-Rufai, has accused former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of confusing facts in his response to claims contained in his book, “The Accidental Civil Servant,” released recently. el-Rufai, in a statement by his media adviser, Muyiwa Adekeye, said the former vice president illegally meddled in the privatisation process and, indeed, favoured some companies, which ordinarily would not have won certain bids. The former minister accused Atiku of being a salesman for Ericsson which, he said, won the NITEL contract ahead of Motorola, which, according to him, submitted a cheaper bid. Reacting, however, Atiku said he would not rush into joining issues with el-Rufai, who, he said, “is a drowning man and a danger to everyone.” Atiku, reacting through his head, media office, Mallam Garba Shehu, on Monday, said he would examine the authenticity of any document paraded by el-Rufai before making comments. el-Rufai had earlier said “it is understandable that Atiku would be enduring some unease as his media team has tried to engage in obfuscation about their principal’s serial interference with contract award processes that were detailed in the book. “Against this, they have reproduced el-Rufai’s assertion that Atiku did not meddle in privatisation processes, which are very different and distinct in nomenclature and substance from seeking contracts for friends.” According to el-Rufai, Atiku’s several interventions in the privatisation process were well documented, adding that such interventions led to a protest by the government of the United States of America. “It is Atiku’s responsibility to explain why he became an Ericsson salesman, although the investigations conducted by Motorola after the debacle makes clear he was not engaged in an altruistic mission. “This incident had diplomatic repercussions as the American government wrote to protest this loss by an American company that had submitted the cheaper bid. “Atiku persists in his laughable assertion that el-Rufai’s brother is a shareholder and member of Motorola’s board – something any person can research and confirm to be an outright falsehood,” he said. el-Rufai also said the Pentascope management contract for NITEL failed because the National Council on Privatisation (NCP), headed by Atiku and the Ministry of Communications, failed to supervise the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE) to ensure the contract worked. He also accused Atiku of muddling up facts as related to the claim the NITEL was making a monthly profit of N100 billion. “When a former vice president asserts that NITEL was making N100 billion in profit annually, the mind must boggle that someone so unconstrained by fidelity to facts had once been saddled with significant responsibilities. “NITEL never made such profits. NITEL had never paid a single dividend to the FGN until the BPE forced it to pay N3 billion in 2001! “While the politicians and bureaucrats were fighting to reclaim ministerial control of NITEL (and the inflated equipment contracts that came with it), the company was fast losing market share to the new kids on the block, the GSM companies that understood how to create and sustain value,” he said. But Atiku, in his reaction, said “Nasir will stop at nothing. If anyone is fielding documents, we will first of all like to examine them for their authenticity. Then, we will make our response known fact-for-fact, document-for-document.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Shock as renowned author, Chinua Achebe, dies at 82 Shock as renowned author, Chinua Achebe, dies at 82 March 23, 2013 by Akeem Lasisi Achebe A giant eagle flew away from the forest of African literature on Thursday as iconic thinker, writer, scholar, activist and statesman, Prof. Chinua Achebe, passed away. Although he was 82, his passage has spread shock, grief and anxiety about Africa’s destiny across the globe. Since about a week ago, anxiety had hovered above the health of the author of all-time greatest Things Fall Apart, whose story arguably best interprets the intricacies of the continent’s burden and contradictions. While it was later learnt that he had been ill and hospitalised in an undisclosed medical facility in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, reports said he died Thursday night, a development that his family has confirmed. The legendary writer, who had lived in the US since 1990, following an accident he had, in which he sustained a spinal cord injury, was, until his death, the David and Marianna Fisher University Professor and Professor of Africana Studies at Brown. Despite the distance, Achebe had his heart in his fatherland as he regularly kept a close and critical eye on goings-on, especially on the political front. In some of his recent reactions, he had, last year, condemned the Federal Government’s decision to remove subsidy on petroleum products. Also, because he believed there was no progress to celebrate yet, he twice rejected the national honour that the Goodluck Jonathan government extended to him. But he stirred what can now be termed his final controversy late last year when he published his Biafra war memoir, entitled, There was a Country. Although the book is highly revealing in most parts and speaks to the future as much as it does to the past, Achebe’s stance that the late renowned politician, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, betrayed and dehumanised the Igbo during the war drew the anger of many followers of history, especially from the South-West, where Awo still remains an idol, based on his immense contributions to the development of the area, especially when he was the Premier of the defunct Western Region. While Achebe’s departure may provide some people an opportunity to re-read There was a Country with a dispassionate mind, other stakeholders, including the Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, who has described Achebe’s death as devastating, had opined that Achebe was not extravagant in his account of happenings during the Biafran war. In his reaction to the news of Achebe’s death, an obviously shocked Soyinka reportedly told a radio station, Cool FM, that he could not yet say much as at Friday. But he noted that the passage was devastating. Followers of the relationship between the two, and the dreams they shared for the country, would believe that what could be devastating to Soyinka is not just his compatriot’s death, but also the fact that their long-drawn battle to see a sane country did not come to reality in Achebe’s lifetime. Now over-74-year-old Soyinka had, in a poetic tribute to Achebe, when the latter clocked 70, expressed frustration that they both appeared to have fought in futility as forces that hold the country down had not relented. While the dream of Achebe, and those of other crtics and activists might not have been realised about Nigeria and Africa, his calling as a writer is an normous and intimidating success. His flagship book remains Things Fall Apart, which, since 1958 when it was publsihed, has continued to be relevant and amass sales and acclaim globally. When the book clocked 50 in 2008, it was celebrated for months in different parts of the world. Over 15 million copies of the novel are officially said to have been sold, while observers believe more than this number may also have exchanged hands via piracy. Although Achebe’s other novels that include Arrow of God and No Longer at Ease are also acclaimed, many critics have argued that the way Achebe was able to capture the tragedy of colonialism in Africa, through a tale that simultaneously and impeccably tells the story of the pre-colonial Igbo people, in an inspiring and believable manner, made him one of the greatest writers the world has produced. Apart from the fact that Things Fall Apart is also one of the most translated books from Africa, its relevance, even beyond the African question, came to fore recently when American scholar and critic, Robin Bate, situated President Barrack Obama’s tax reform policy, which seems to favour the weak, in the story of Unoka, father of the protagonist of the novel, Okonkwo. It is as a result of this that Achebe’s death has shaken the literary world globally. In The Telegraph, Sameer Rahim observed that Achebe was a wise literary master, whose works will echo down the ages. How he died – Family, agent The family and literary agent of renowned novelist, Prof. Chinua Achebe, on Friday said he died peacefully following a brief illness at an unnamed hospital in Boston, United States. A joint statement issued by his family and literary agent, Andrew Wylie, and released to the Associated Press, said he died on Thursday night after he was admitted to the hospital some days ago. A statement released by his agent, Andrew Wylie, and family confirmed that he died in a hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, “following a brief illness.” Describing the late writer as “one of the great literary voices of his time,” the statement also said Prof. Achebe “was a beloved husband, father, uncle and grandfather, whose wisdom and courage are an inspiration to all who knew him. Prof. Achebe’s family requests privacy at this time.” The statement said Achebe’s “wisdom and courage” were an “inspiration to all who knew him.” Brown University, where Achebe worked until his death, said it would organise a memorial in honour of one of its most valuable faculty members in history. A statement from the university described the late literary icon’s passing as an event of global significance. Achebe joined Brown in September 2009 and was its David and Marianna Fisher University Professor and professor of Africana Studies until his death. In a tribute, Brown University President, Christina Paxson said, “The colloquia he organised at Brown attracted a grand array of guests and effectively demonstrated how the humanities can build understanding by drawing from and encouraging a variety of perspectives. We were honoured to have him among us.” Achebe was Africa’s greatest literary export – Zuma Underscoring the implication of Achebe’s death as a continental loss, South African President, Jacob Zuma, says Africa owes a depth of gratitude to the late writer. He said in a tribute, “I have learnt with great sadness of the passing of this colossus of African writing. Chinua Achebe was Nigeria and indeed Africa’s greatest literary export and a legend of African literature. “It was in his famous novel Things Fall Apart that many Africans saw themselves in literature and arts at the time when most of the writing was about Africans but not by Africans,” said President Zuma. Also, The Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory has sent its condolences to the family of renowned author and thinker. Centre spokesman, Sello Hatang, said Achebe was “a great African writer and thinker.” “Nelson Mandela referred to Prof. Achebe as a writer ‘in whose company the prison walls fell down.’” He was a genius, colossus – Osofisan, Osundare Renowned writers, Profs. Femi Osofisan and Niyi Osundare, have also hailed Achebe as an unmatched icon. While Osundare, in a preliminary tribute, described him as a colossus, Osofisan said Achebe’s life and circumstances that surrounded his death showed that he was a genius. He said, “His death is still a shock even though he was old enough. Achebe was one of the truly great minds of his generation, who could be grandly right and grandiosely wrong. “That is perhaps why he has ended amid a burning controversy for such is always the paradox of genius. Only the small stars die without a noise. I am convinced that Achebe will continue to speak to us perhaps even louder from the grave.” Duke, Babawale, others mourn The Minister of Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Edem Duke, has described the death as shocking and a huge loss to Nigeria and the international community. In a statement issued in Abuja on Friday by the Special Assistant (Media) to the Minister, Dr. Oladokun, Duke said Achebe was not only a global literary icon, but also a distinguished nationalist, who contributed immensely to the making of a modern Nigerian nation. He added, “Prof. Achebe raised issues of nation-building, peaceful coexistence and cultural affinity in his writings. He had an excellent grasp of his culture, which he deployed with uncommon deftness and a style that has remained unique and enduring. “He made the well-being and future of this country his concern till he breathed his last, and despite living out of the country for some time, he never allowed the physical distance to separate him from his culture, his nation and his people.” In another tribute, the Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilisation, Prof. Tunde Babawale, noted that Achebe was a great nationalist, an accomplished academic, a great intellectual, a renowned scholar, a prolific writer and literary giant of note and a teacher of no mean achievements. “He was a reputable author and assiduous global affairs commentator. He would always be remembered for his simplicity, love for his country and Africa and outstanding spirit of critical scholarship,” he said. The Executive Secretary of the National Institute of Culture and Orientation, Dr. Barclays Ayakoroma, said the death was a big blow. He said, “But we thank God that he had put Nigeria on the global literary map.” He gave his best, says Odia Poet and critic, Odia Ofeimun, has also said that Achebe was a phenomenal personality, who gave his best to posterity. Ofeimun, who was one of the people that vehemently criticised Achebe for the way he represented Awolowo in There was a Country, said, “He gave his best. His best remains forever phenomenal. We can quarrel as we please with aspects of his works. What we all owe him makes him triumphant. I wish we argued more with him than we did. He will be remembered for as long as stories are told.” ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The laundering of $182 billion March 15, 2013 by Punch Editorial Board NIGERIA has been financially haemorrhaged by some corrupt leaders, as a report from the United States-based Global Financial Integrity indicates. The agency recently said a total of $182 billion was stolen and laundered offshore between 2000 and 2009. Nigeria is ranked eighth out of 20 countries notorious for illicit financial outflows, just as it is placed 135th out of 176 in the Transparency International’s Global Corruption Perception index. The plundering of our commonwealth by just a few goes against the grain of prevailing crippling poverty, unemployment and decrepit socio-economic infrastructure. The GFI described Nigeria as “the leading source of illicit financial outflow from sub-Saharan Africa.” This is a huge paradox as the theft happened under a democracy. Since 1999, the country has been under civil rule. According to the GFI, it relied on analysis of data from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund to reach its conclusion, stressing that developing countries lost a total of $903 billion in 2009. Even now, the trend is accelerating as graft is worn as a badge of honour. What fostered this heist is not difficult to fathom. Ours is a government being run by narrow minds, and harder hearts. Mismanagement of oil wealth and illegal oil bunkering have strewn a cobweb of corruption, making slush funds easily available for pillaging. However, the seemingly industrial scale of the looting, despite the operations of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt and other Related Offences Commission, should arouse some curiosity. Is it that the anti-graft bodies were deficient, complicit or looked the other way while the looters had a field day? And what role did the banks play? These are genuine concerns. The Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit and the Special Control Unit against Money Laundering were established to strengthen the performance of the EFCC. Under the act, through automation, banks alert the EFCC on transactions that fall within the “suspicious thresholds.” From periodic revelations of how public funds are looted by public officials, with banks as conduits, it is obvious that extant laws on money laundering are observed only in the breach. Annually, the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation audit the books of these banks; yet the humongous illicit transactions that pass through their systems in violation of extant financial regulations are not made public. Nevertheless, the only oasis was the CBN’s hammer of 2009, which fell on some corrupt bank chief executives who were not only relieved of their jobs but were prosecuted. Money Laundering Prohibition Act (2011) as amended prescribes limits of financial transactions in banks by individuals and bodies corporate, beyond which a bank must alert the EFCC or make transaction reports. The MLPA increased the threshold for reporting transactions by individuals from N1 million to N5 million and between N5 million and N10 million for corporate bodies. Abuse of this regulatory regime was evident in the pension funds looting spree uncovered by the Senate in a recent investigation. The political leadership is not sincerely committed to the eradication of corruption. As the chairman of the ICPC, Ekpo Nta, once put it, “there is no political will to fight corruption in Nigeria.” Key public officials do not demonstrate exemplary conduct such as adopting a modest lifestyle, and avoiding corruption themselves. People found guilty of corruption are not punished because of their position or status in the society. The “big fish” are not only protected from being prosecuted for corruption, the unlucky few that are prosecuted get light sentences. Besides, spurious state pardons are remedial measures for the few that get convicted. It is this vacuous moral compass that led the administration of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, in cahoots with corrupt politicians, to hound the pioneer chairman of the EFCC, Nuhu Ribadu, out of office. In the corporate sphere, the scourge is as corrosive and devastating as it is in the political arena. A disgraced former bank executive reportedly acquired 12 homes in the United States, 28 shops and seven residential houses in Dubai, and four houses in South Africa, all bought with laundered funds. Indeed, the rot in the banks is very deep. Since successful money laundering is largely a product of either connivance of, or negligence of, bankers, the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria Act 2007 has a redemptive role to play here. Striking out names of its members aiding and abetting money laundering from its register has become imperative. By so doing, such elements become professionally prostrate and are seen as lepers who should never be employed by other banks. But, the situation is becoming hopeless. The former US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, described the level of corruption in Nigeria as “unbelievable.” Fighting corruption requires a strong political leadership. The basic requirement of civilised democracy is that everyone plays by the rules and that the rules command public confidence. Brazen stealing of public funds will continue until laws aimed at fighting corruption are strictly and consistently applied. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ INEC leaders corrupt, judiciary partial – Buhari March 8, 2013 by Emma Anya Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) | credits: igbofocus.co.uk A former Head of State and Leader of the Congress for Progressive Change, Maj-Gen Muhammadu Buhari, has accused the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission of being deep in corruption. Buhari, in a lecture he delivered at the African Diaspora Conference in London, said only wholesale changes in the top echelons of INEC could could cure it of the malaise. A copy of the lecture at the Monday conference was made available to The PUNCH on Thursday. According to Buhari, INEC, as currently constituted, “would be unable to deliver any meaningful elections in 2015.” He said, “INEC’s top echelons are immersed deep in corruption and only wholesale changes at the top could begin to cure malaise. What is required is a group of independent minded people, patriotic, incorruptible but with the capacity to handle such a strenuous assignment of conducting elections in Nigeria.” Buhari, who also did not spare the Judiciary for its role in previous elections in the country, said that it was appalling that the electoral body had developed a very cozy relationship with the Executive and Judicial arms of government that its impartiality is totally lost. To butress his claim, the Katsina State-born general stated that in the run-up to the last elections, INEC requested (and received with indecent haste) in excess of N80bn (about £340m), a hefty sum by any standards, so that it could conduct the elections, including organising biometric voters data specifically for the 2011 elections. “But when opposition parties challenged the patently dishonest figures INEC announced and subpoenaed the biometric data in court, INEC refused to divulge them on the laughable excuse of ‘national security,”’ Buhari said. Buhari narrated his experiences as a participant, in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 presidential elections and criticised the commission and the judiciary for stunting the growth of democracy in the country. “In 2003, INEC tabled results in court which were plainly dishonest. We challenged them to produce evidence for the figures. They refused. The judges supported them by saying, in effect, failure to produce the result does not negate the elections.” He added, “In a show of unprecedented dishonesty and unprofessionalism, the President of the Court of Appeal read out INEC’s figures (which they refused to come to court to prove or defend) as the result accepted by the court. “The Supreme Court, the highest court in the land, said this was okay. “In 2007, the violations of electoral rules were so numerous that most lawyers connected with the case firmly believed that the elections would be nullified. Buhari then went ahead to mention two of such violations – the neglect of one of the core provisions of the Electoral Act 2006, and results that were prepared one or two days before elections were conducted in 2003 as well as April 31, a day that does not exist on the calendar. He said, “The Act stipulates that ballot papers shall be serially numbered and voters result sheets must also be tallied on serially numbered papers. INEC produced ballot papers with no serial numbers and also used blank sheets, thereby making it well nigh impossible to have an audit trail. “ In 2003, the courts rubber-stamped this gross transgression of the rules. Some election returns confirmed by INEC stamps included, April 28, two days before the election, April 29, a day before the election and astonishingly, April 31, a date which does not exist on the calendar, illustrating the farcical nature of the election. “The Supreme Court split 4-3 in favour of the government.” Buhari lamented that in 2011, all pretences at legality and propriety were cast aside by INEC. He claimed that in the South-South and South-East, INEC put voters turnout at between 85 and 95 per cent even when reports showed low participation in the poll. According to him, the electoral body recorded 46 per cent turn out in the zones where opposition parties had large followers. He said, “ In the South-South and South-East states, turnout of voters was recorded by INEC at between 85 per cent and 95 per cent, even though in the morning of the election, the media reported sparse attendance at polling booths. The rest of the country where opposition parties were able to guard and monitor the conduct of the presidential election turn-out averaged about 46 per cent . “In many constituencies in the South-South and South-East, votes cast far exceeded registered voters.” These, according to him, “bring us to the need for an impartial judiciary in a democratic setting.” Lamenting the absence of Rule of Law in the country, Buhari argued that “elections in Nigeria since 2003 have not been free and fair. To Buhari, an independent and impartial judiciary would have overturned all the presidential elections since 2003. He alleged that since 1999, the Federal Government, under the control of the Peoples Democratic Party, had “successfully emasculated the judiciary and turned it into a yes-man.” He said that in recent elections in Nigeria, many voters had to be guided – like blind men and women – as to which name and logo represent their preferred choices or candidates to vote for. He added, “When one does not know what the thing is all about, it is difficult to arrive at a free choice. It will be even more difficult to hold elected office holders to account and throw them out for non-performance at the next election. Under these circumstances, democracy has a long way to go.” Buhari argued that “for democracy to function perfectly, a reasonable level of ethnic, linguistic or cultural homogeneity must exist in a country. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yar’Adua wanted Turai to succeed him —el-Rufai Written by Lanre Adewole- Lagos Monday, 18 February 2013 THE late president, Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua, planned a dynastic succession, following his resolve that his health would not sustain a second term in office, by putting the then First Lady, Turai, top of a four-man list of possible successors, former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, alleged. He also confessed to being a mole in the administration of former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, on the controversial issue of his alleged third term agenda, disclosing that he was leaking plans on the execution of the agenda to the opposition which eventually scuttled it. Those claims, among others, including reasons for dumping his soul-mate and former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu, for General Muhammadu Buhari during the duo’s failed presidential projects, were contained in his autobiography, “The Accidental Public Servant.” The author claimed in the memoir that “however, the most interesting story, which on return to Nigeria I confirmed as truth, was the report of a meeting between Umaru Yar’Adua and a leading Northern traditional ruler in September 2009. “The first class emir, who had unsuccessfully sought audience with Umaru for months, suddenly received a call summoning him to the Villa to meet the president. “He came to Abuja immediately and met Umaru the same evening. After exchanging pleasantries, Umaru first heard out the traditional ruler’s reason for wanting to see him and responded positively to the request made. He then informed the traditional ruler that he was convinced that his deteriorating health would disqualify him from running for a second term in 2011. He, therefore, needed to carefully identify the person that he would support for the next contest in less than two years. The assistance of the traditional ruler, whose domain is nationally respected for the quality and quantity of its marabouts, spiritualists and mystics, was required to guide Umaru arrange his succession. “Just before he took his leave, the traditional ruler requested Umaru to give him names of anyone he had considered as successor, so that the mystics could pray appropriately and ascertain whether the person can successfully wear the crown of leadership. Umaru thought carefully about this, got a piece of paper and wrote four names and handed them over to the emir without another word. The emir looked at the list expressing no emotion, pocketed the single page and took his leave. The names on the list were Umaru’s wife, Turai, his sons-in-law, Governors Saidu Dakingari of Kebbi State and Isa Yuguda of Bauchi and Bukola Saraki, then governor of Kwara State. “On his way out, the emir was ambushed by Turai, who wanted to know if Yar’Adua had included her on the list of potential successors. The emir was a little shocked but went on to confirm that. Turai thanked him and suggested that she was the only person that could be trusted with Umaru’s legacy as the mother of his children.” Writing on his role in scuttling the alleged third term agenda, even while a minister in Obasanjo’s government, el-Rufai claimed that “once we agreed on that position, we then had to set about our strategy for achieving this objective and we immediately knew that the cooperation of the National Assembly would be instrumental in ending the initiative. “We immediately began a dialogue with Dr Usman Bugaje of the House of Representatives, who was the main champion of the group in the House opposed to a third term; we also approached Ken Nnamani, the Senate President and Aminu Masari, the Speaker of the House. Both of them believed the National Assembly was dead against extending Obasanjo’s tenure. We made it clear to them that we were likewise against the idea.” “Every few days, Nuhu and I would go around meeting with various parties we knew to be involved in the project, both in support and against it. Everybody in the pro-camp spoke freely with us as they assumed that we were close enough to Obasanjo and were trusted members of the team. Almost every night between two and three in the morning, after everyone had gone to sleep, we would drive to senator Nnamani’s house and the three of us would update one another on what we had all learned that day.” He almost alleged that an act of betrayal by Ribadu in the course of his nomination by the Action Congress of Nigeria as the presidential candidate, was responsible for the decision of his group Good Governance Group (3G) to dump him for Buhari of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ How IBB, Abdulsalami tricked Atiku on presidency - El-Rufai Written by MOSES ALAO Sunday, 17 February 2013 MORE revelations have continued to emerge from the controversial memoir of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, The Accidental Public Servant, in which he detailed the part played by former Heads of State, Generals Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar, in the failed bid by former Vice-President Atiku Abubabakar to succeed his boss, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in 2003. The two generals as well as a former National Security Adviser, General Aliyu Gusau, according to El-Rufai, in his newly-released book, had in conjunction with Atiku, formed what was known as the G4, a political group allegedly hell-bent on supporting Atiku to stop Obasanjo from becoming the country’s president for a second term, because “the four of them had been meeting to review Obasanjo’s performance and they had concluded that Obasanjo’s first term up to that point had been a disaster.” El-Rufai revealed that the former vice-president had called the trio of himself [El-Rufai], his political adviser, Dr Usman Bugaje and Thisday publisher, Nduka Obaigbena and told them of how the G4 had allegedly told him (Atiku) that the group would support him to become president as he was the then vice-president, who “should have the first shot at the presidency.” “Now, it was a well-known fact then that President Babangida harboured a similar ambition. Yet, Atiku believed that Babangida, who is older, would step back for him to have the first shot. He [Atiku] did not see as a trap. The moment he told us, it did not sound right. As I learned much later, this was Babangida’s ploy to prove to Obasanjo that Atiku, given the slightest opportunity, would stab him in the back. When the four of them began meeting and discussing Nigeria’s problems, Babangida allegedly called Obasanjo and informed him,” the book read in part. According to the book, which has drawn diverse comments from the public, including Obasanjo and Atiku, revealed that while the G4 meetings were going on, General Babangida was furnishing Obasanjo with details of the meeting while Atiku, who had similarly informed his boss, was alleged to be withholding some information, probably taking insurance against a backlash of his actions. Atiku, according to the former minister, was also in consultation with a second political group comprising 17 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors “who all wanted him [Atiku] to be the next president, in return for assurances for a second term for themselves.” This group, it was gathered, was powerful because the governors controlled the selection of voting delegates to the party’s national convention which would determine the presidential candidate. However, the bubbles of General Babangida alleged plot against Atiku burst with one of Atiku loyalist’s suggestion that the former Head of State should be made to walk the talk. Atiku was advised to approach the G4 with information that having begun consultations within the country and got positive feedbacks, he needed to undertake international consultations which would involve the G4, especially the former presidents using their influence on the international scene to sell Atiku to the international forces in France and Germany. While Atiku’s men, El-Rufai and Bugaje, were to handle consultations with the United States and United Kingdom, he was advised to test IBB by asking him to arrange a meeting with a former President of France and a former Chancellor of Germany where they could broach the topic of an Atiku presidency, a test which the former head of state allegedly failed, as El-Rufai revealed that: “We never got to the point of having those consultative meetings abroad because before they even took place, Babangida had already failed the test.” Accordingly, El-Rufai went on to write that act of disloyalty and subsequent actions allegedly on the part of Atiku created a wedge between him and his boss further widened the gulf of his ambition to the president of Nigeria. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Power tussle: Ribadu tried to incriminate Yar’Adua –El-Rufai February 9, 2013 by Olusola Fabiyi, Abuja Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, has alleged that Mallam Nuhu Ribadu tried to incriminate former President Umaru Yar’Adua. This he said happened when former President Olusegun Obasanjo showed a preference for Yar’Adua as his successor and not el-Rufai or the former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. El-Rufai said this in his new book, The Accidental Public Servant. El-Rufai also alluded to the insistence of Ribadu to be made Obasanjo’s successor in the book. He said the former boss of the anti-graft agency was livid with anger the day Yar’Adua informed him that Obasanjo had asked him to pick the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential nomination form. “Well, Obasanjo has not told me, and as far as the Presidency is concerned, I have my candidate for the presidency, and that is Nasir el-Rufai. I am going to speak to Obasanjo about this,” Ribadu had told Yar’Adua, according to el-Rufai. He said when it dawned on Ribadu that Obasanjo was in support of Yar’Adua, the former police boss started looking for incriminating petitions against him. El-Rufai wrote, “Nuhu’s instinctive reaction was that of a typical policeman – dusted up EFCC files and combed for petitions against Umaru. “Nuhu did not realise it at that time, but he was the one in trouble, not Obasanjo or Umaru. He dusted up all his files and found petitions against the then Katsina State governor and launched investigations. “He was clearly trying to take Yar’Adua out of the race and narrow all options to zero except for el-Rufai,” he said. The investigations, he said, led to the arrest of local government chairmen in the state, on the allegation of diversion of local government funds. The former minister said he had to persuade Ribadu to stop the investigations, saying that people would read meanings into all his actions. “Anything you do henceforth will only just confirm what people say about you –that you target people that threaten certain interests. If you had been investigating Yar’Adua for a year beforehand, that would have been different, but you were not. It is too late to start now,” el-Rufai claimed he had told Ribadu. El-Rufai also said leaving office as the President of Nigeria in 2003 was very painful for Obasanjo. Writing under the sub-headline, ‘The final breakfast,’ el-Rufai said the former President looked pale and sad the day he was going to hand over power to his successor, the late President Umaru Yar’Adua. He said rather than being happy, Obasanjo looked as if he was going to be killed. He wrote, “The sentiment of the breakfast was for the most part upbeat, though it struck me that Obasanjo, that morning, looked like he had grown several years older. “He looked as if he was about to face death – his skin was sallow and it was very clear that this was difficult for him, like someone in the final hours before heading to the electric chair. “He did not eat any breakfast, he just had some tea. I never thought of losing power as being that painful, but he was visibly pained.” But a source close to the former President said that el-Rufai, who was Minister of the Federal Capital Territory under Obasanjo, said he (el-Rufai) decided to deride the former President because he did not anoint him as his successor. He said el-Rufai had thought that the former President would put him forward as his preferred choice instead of supporting Yar’Adua. The source said that the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, had told Obasanjo to narrow the search for his successor to only the former minister of the FCT. The source, also a former minister, said, “el-Rufai is bellyaching. He has not forgiven Obasanjo for not asking him to pick the PDP presidential nomination form, unlike Yar’Adua. “He, with Ribadu backing him, had thought that the President would make him his natural successor. The anger of his rejection manifested in his new book.” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Buhari led war against Obasanjo’s third term – El-Rufai February 11, 2013 by Niyi Odebode, Abuja Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) A former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nasir El-Rufai, has said that ex-Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari, spearheaded the war against the third term project of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. He added that former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar merely claimed the victory for the truncation of the project. El-Rufai, who disclosed these in his book, “The Accidental Public Servant,” said that Buhari fought third term ambition of Obasanjo without taking the credit. He listed others, who also fought the Obasanjo’s third term dream as Dr. Usman Bugaje; Farouk Aliyu, Bala Na’Allah and Femi Gbajabiamila. El-Rufai said, “In the House of Representatives, the most vocal and articulate opponents of the third term bid, who rallied around Dr. Usman Bugaje (Peoples Democratic Party), included Aliyu, Na’Allah of the All Nigeria Peoples Party and Gbajabiamila of the then Alliance for Democracy. “They all did a great job, they were courageous and took risks to openly oppose the third term project, while others like Atiku claimed victory.” He explained that between 2003 and the time the third term debate started, Obasanjo and Buhari were not on talking terms. The former minister of the Federal Capital Territory said that he intervened and appealed to Buhari to be talking with Obasanjo. El-Rufai said that he told Buhari during a visit that he should be talking with Obasanjo. He said that he told Buhari, “You are a former President (Buhari); he (Obasanjo) is the current President. You were his petroleum minister (when he was a head of state). You were very close and enjoyed mutual respect. You should be talking,” he wrote in the book. The former minister said after his intervention, a delegation representing Buhari had an initial meeting with Obasanjo at the Banquet Hall, near the State House in Abuja. According to him, the delegation comprised Dr. Mahmood Tukur; Adamu Fika (Wazirin Fika) and Dr. Sulaiman Kumo. He stated, “I learnt from Obasanjo that the trio led by Fika reportedly told him that his third term project would be defeated. “At this point, I was not looking like a successful emissary in Obasanjo’s eyes, but my job was done. “Merely by reaching out, we had succeeded in recruiting Buhari to spearhead the guerrilla warfare that helped end the ‘constitutional amendment’ debates in the National Assembly.” Explaining the role of the former head of state, el-Rufai said, “Buhari remained available to engage with Obasanjo while making repeated trips to Abuja to visit legislators in their houses or calling them, making a pitch for them not to support the third term attempt.” The former minister stated that Buhari had argued that the United States Constitution, which Nigeria’s was modelled after, started without a term limit provision but that US citizens later realised that term limit was necessary and hence it was added to the US constitution. Buhari’s second argument, El-Rufai added, was that if the Nigerian constitution was amended to pave way for Obasanjo’s third term bid, nothing would stop him from further tenure elongation. He said, “Buhari had considerable moral authority and was completely disinterested in the outcome of the third term debate, so having him available and physically in Abuja to oppose it helped a lot in defeating Obasanjo, Tony Anenih, Ahmadu Ali, Ojo Maduekwe, Senator Ibrahim Mantu, Dalhatu Tafida and other third term protagonists. “What was impressive about Buhari was that he did this quietly and effectively without the desire to claim any credit.” El-Rufai also disclosed that as part of the third term project, a public communications management group was formed. El-Rufai said the group budgeted N1.2bn for public relations. He said, “Circulated at one of the meetings was a public relations budget for media spending to the tune of N1.2bn that was drawn up in support of the third term project.” El-Rufai stated that when he asked how the money would be sourced, he was told that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and the Federal Capital Territory would provide it. He said, “I had no intention of using FCT’s security budget for such an endeavour. I was therefore relieved when one of the newspapers in vehement opposition to the third term project obtained the budget and it was front page news a few days later.” When contacted, Atiku’s spokesman, Mallam Garuba Shehu, said, “We thank God that El-Rufai is not the only Nigerian that witnessed the third term project. The facts cannot be changed to suit his current political need.” He said that the former minister’s book was a tissue of lies. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We punished troublemakers in the party — Odujinrin February 10, 2013 by LEKE BAIYEWU Senator Dipo Odujinrin is the chairman of the faction of Peoples Democratic Party loyal to former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Ogun State. He tells LEKE BAIYEWU in this interview why the party launched a counter-attack by expelling and suspending some party members Your executive recently expelled and suspended some party members for anti-party activities. What were the reasons for such punishment? It is in accordance with Article 57 of the constitution of the party – not exhausting all the mechanism of the party before going to court; resorting to court frivolously in so many cases – securing about 36 court orders in number; purported meeting of the party had been held at unauthorised places and locations; and causing disaffection for the party on the pages of newspaper. These are grievous offences and they were handled at the ward level, which is the unit of our membership. When you want to join the party, you join from your ward and the ward can also take disciplinary action against you at that level. Of course, you can appeal at a higher level. Don’t you think the disciplinary action would fuel the internal crisis in the party, rather than abate it? We have been patient enough. We set up a reconciliation committee and it went round the whole state for people who are aggrieved to come out with their grievances before the committee. We continued the reconciliation at the executive level and we had huge success in that direction. Those who had left have come to us and we have accepted them. It is those who are still left behind and causing trouble for the party that were given the treatment. I don’t see it as aggravating the problem at all; the solution is in sight. And what is the solution in sight? A number of those at the other side (Kashamu faction) have been coming to the mainstream of the party and we have been accepting them. Can you mention some of the returnees? People like (former chairman of Yewa-North Local Government) Mr. Soji Eweje, Mr. Dayo Abatan, Mr. Egunjobi, Mr. Ajibode; these are top leaders who have returned to the mainstream and they are working with us already. What are the measures your executive is putting in place to resolve the issues? Like I said before, we have set up a reconciliation committee and it is as a result of the reconciliatory effort that we had the return (of aggrieved members) from Yewa (Ogun-West Senatorial District) and Ogun-Central Senatorial District. Mr. Dayo Abatan from Ogun-Central and Mr. Segun Sowunmi, who was also very active on the other side, is back with us and he is also from Ogun-Central. And we are working on Ogun-East now – the Ijebu side to make other people come into the party. We are making huge success and huge progress, and we are happy about it. How many aggrieved members have returned from Ogun-East? It is being done quietly; they don’t want it announced yet. People have been calling me and I have been responding to them. I won’t want to embarrass them because I didn’t tell them I’ll mention their names. A faction of your party has faulted the August, 2012 congress that produced your executive, threatening to take legal actions because the exercise was illegal. Was due process followed in the conduct of the said congress? The national secretariat came to conduct the congress they talked about; I did not conduct the congress. The party at the national level came from Abuja to conduct it and that is more than six months ago. A lot of water has passed under the bridge since that time and we are making huge progress in the party. Since over six months ago, August last year, they still want us to be talking about the congress when we are already working. The executive will soon be one year old out of a four-year tenure and there has been a noticeable difference people have seen. Recently, we held a huge celebration for our Baba (Obasanjo) in Abeokuta; it was our executive that put it together – the executive that is already six months old. A factional executive has threatened to institute legal actions against any member of the party, including you, that parades themselves as holding any office from which they’ve been sacked or suspended. Are you ready for another round of legal battle? I am a lawyer, don’t forget. So, court is not a strange thing to me. Anybody can go to court and we also have the right of reply. There is no problem about court; it is out to do its functions. A section of your party has several times accused former President Olusegun Obasanjo of working for the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria-led government in Ogun State. Can this be true? It is not true. Chief Obasanjo is an international figure and he respects authorities. This is a governor of a state (Ibikunle Amosun), inviting him (Obasanjo) for a state function. Obasanjo is not partisan. It was a state function on January 15, 2013, when our heroes who fought for the unity of Nigeria were being remembered. And Chief Obasanjo, being a former soldier – a retired general – must honour that call. I think it is uncharitable for anybody to say because he went for a state event, he has become an Amosun ally; it is very unfair and uncharitable. Obasanjo’s accusers said he made his bias for the ACN government public at an event, which had Amosun in attendance. How did it happen? It was on infrastructure; the construction of a fly-over (the first in Abeokuta), that’s all. If there is something to commend, we should commend; if there is something to denounce, we should denounce. Everything cannot be negative. There are more negatives than positives. Obasanjo said what the positive is, while the negatives are still there – like demolition of people’s houses is negative. It doesn’t mean that because he commended the efforts on the bridge, he commended the demolition of people’s houses. No. Do you agree that the South-West geopolitical zone has been marginalised in the affairs of this nation, particularly under the current PDP-led Federal Government; remember there is no more Yoruba member of the national executive of your party? If you remember, there is a background to it. Initially, we were to have a Speaker from the South-West, which was taken away by the House of Representatives. The PDP zoned that (the seat) to the South-West. The party then made some amendments by giving us the secretary. And we still have the office of the national secretary in the South-West. Government agencies’ boards are being constituted now and there are South-Westerners in the various boards being constituted. In fact, in the one that was constituted last Tuesday — the National Examination Council board — one of the members of my executive and working committee is a member of that board – Mr. Yemi Oluyomi. He is a member of that board, representing the South-West. The announcements are being made gradually; the boards are being constituted gradually and South-West people, of course, will be there. You said the South-West still holds the position of the national secretary of your party. Who is that secretary? The secretary is still former governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola. We know there is a matter is in court and that will be disposed of at the appropriate time. That has not been taken away from the South-West. How would you describe the war of words and public criticism between the presidency and Obasanjo? Is there any ulterior motive? The former president always says the president (Goodluck Jonathan) is his President. And recently, he said he would talk about Nigeria, the party and the government. He has no apologies; he will say his mind. In that order, he would talk about Nigeria first, the party next and then the government. He said without Nigeria, there can be no political party; without political party, there can be no government. In that order he addresses the nation in all those issues. And he will just say it as it is not minding whose ox is gored. It does not mean he has any vengeance or animosity against the person of Mr. President, no. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As senators, we stopped impeachment crisis between Obasanjo, Anyim – Durojaiye February 9, 2013 by Adeola Balogun Senator Biyi Durojaiye in this interview with ADEOLA BALOGUN speak on various issues The way you reel out dates and details of events does not portray a memory of an 80-year-old, what is the secret of that? God’s grace is the first secret of what you have observed and what many people have also observed. People say I look younger than my age and that I look strong and virile, it is God’s grace. Another contributory factor is inherited good genes. My father was a very healthy person and he lived to nearly 87 and my mother too was a very healthy woman and she lived nearly 92 before she died. The other one is Spartan discipline; I am not an angel because I too had my fun when I was younger but I avoided excesses. The number of beer bottles I have taken in life can be counted on my finger tips. I never smoked in my life; I have always been moderate in whatever I do. The final which is also an aspect of God’s grace is very happy domestic life with a very good woman and children. My wife was a God-given woman and my children whom I knew before they were born. I saw all of them before they were born and they came exactly as I saw them and in the order. They sat by me, two girls, one boy, two girls one boy long before they were born. So these are the reasons for what you have observed and I thank God. What was your dream as a young boy? The dream was to be a lawyer and at a time, I also wanted to be a soldier. Those were the two competitive interests I had. What killed the second one was my mum’s remark. She said, ‘my younger brother was in the army, he had standard six with others who didn’t go to school, they were soldiers. But I learnt you have read 10 books (iwe mewa, school certificate or standard ten). How can someone who has read 10 books (standard 10/school certificate) become a soldier?’ I explained to her that even graduates join the army but she said ‘that is not the type of job for an omoluabi like you’. Anyway, law was an attraction and it was what my father proposed. But you graduated without being a lawyer. I graduated both in economics and in law but I was in the public service. I was in the federal civil service for three years, civil service of the Western region for four years. Then back in the federal corporate service, Central Bank of Nigeria for 23 years and five years in the Mint. So, a total of 35 years in the public service of Nigeria, including 28 years in the CBN and the Mint before I went into law practice briefly, then national duties to politics. I spent more time outside of law than in law. The impression people have about anyone who works in the CBN is that such a person is ‘working inside money…’ But that is true; even in our days, we worked in money. But it depends upon what control you have over your own appetite or self discipline against avarice. I don’t know whether the practice still continues, once any currency note got torn or dirty, we used to burn them. Scarcely there was any senior officer who didn’t have the experience of being the officer in charge of burning currency notes, notes that could still be used. The temptation has always been there; you would feel it and it would now be a matter of your strong will to allow the good conscience to win over temptation. Your mind would tell you, can’t I keep some away instead of burning everything? So, the temptation has always been there, but it depends on your attitude to money. My attitude to money has always been different; I have never been tempted or let me put it this way; I have always overcome temptation. For some people, they can do that probably because of their religion or because they are comfortable. What was your own case? There is something you have not mentioned, upbringing. Even before religion, upbringing is the first. The Yoruba would say ehinkule laawo kato somo loruko (you look at your background before you name your child) It is also hammered to your hearing to always remember whose child you are. My parents were exemplary; nothing in my family record has had any stain at all. My forebears were illustrious people in their own rights, no one with blemish and that was ingrained in us through our oriki. Even before I went to school and before I knew about Jesus Christ, I had always known the kind of training I received to be honest and transparent. Again, don’t say someone is honest or transparent until you have put him in a position of temptation; it is when he has survived being tempted that you can call him an honest person. A man as tough as the late Brig. Tunde Idiagbon specially commended me. After the return of democracy, just shortly before he died, he was asked in a very rare interview whether Nigerian politicians had learnt a lesson and he was quoted to have said, ‘No, they have not learnt any lesson. The only politician I respect in Nigeria is Otunba Adebiyi Durojaiye.’ That is a plus for me and I thank God for that. When the military government of he and Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari militarised the Mint and put the Pay Master General of the army in charge, Gen Abubakar Abdukabir, as the managing director, they put me next to him as executive director Finance and Commercial. I didn’t want to go but I learnt that it was Idiagbon who asked I should be put there. When the CBN governor then told me that I had been transferred to the Mint, Iasked why; because I was already planning to retire and go into law practice. So having been a director for eight years at the CBN, I felt I had had enough and so I could go and do what I had always dreamt of doing. But the CBN governor said ‘It is the prime minister of your country (Idiagbon) who said we should send you there; he sent your name and said you should come and assist the military man in running the place. They said they have your record of integrity.’ So how did Idiagbon know that? I was the first treasurer of the alumni association of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos. I later became president, he knew me through that. That was how we got to know each other and he was highly impressed about the record I had. Is it possible to work in that kind of environment and remain honest without incurring the wrath of colleagues? Or what was your own experience? You have mixed the questions now; whether it is possible to work in the midst of people and not be tempted to join them? I have written that in my book. Then you asked whether it is possible to remain honest without incurring their wrath? It is difficult not to incur the wrath of others. They would label you as a pretender, holier than thou and what not. There are people who will not believe it could be true but over the years, I can tell you that it is true. There was a time someone senior to me instigated someone to forge my signature just to dent my image and when I shouted and insisted that police must come in, it was the same person that came to me and said we could resolve it in-house. I insisted that we must get to the root of the case because they knew I had just built a house and they wanted to rope me in, that I must have taken some money, so I challenged them. The police came and found out that the signature was forged and eventually we got to know who did it and the fellow left in disgrace. There were so many experiences which I have recorded in my book and I want many young people to read and I know they will learn a lot. It is not a question of advertisement, they will gain a lot. How was it possible for you and your team to carry out a change of currency in a record time at the Mint? That was why they called me in and that was what we achieved. We were commended and Idiagbon in particular commended me to say they were happy that we were able to complete the exercise they gave us within the scheduled time. Why the sudden change? The Buhari/Idiagbon administration which was truly a corrective regime believed that corruption was becoming endemic then. They wanted to correct all the ills and if they had stayed long enough, perhaps they would have found a permanent solution. Anyway, they wanted to change the currency because they had intelligence reports that some people had stockpiled money not even only in Nigeria but also outside the country. They believed that such a change would expose the corrupt elements and as the currency was being changed, they were monitoring the movement of money both within and outside the country. At the time, the Mint was handling the printing of our currency, but nowadays we hear stories that we print outside. Can you enlighten Nigerians on this? The volume is so great that the Mint may not be able to handle it, even in our time, those notes that we changed were printed outside by our partner, De la Rue, but when you are forthright in your work, you might step on toes. I think I stepped on the toes of De la Rue. They are our suppliers for most of the materials we use in printing currency notes and minting coins in Nigeria. But I just thought we should not allow the oyinbo people to print for us and others in Africa since we already got the biggest security printing and minting in Africa except South Africa and some North African countries. I proposed that we solicit the patronage of other African countries which was approved by the board and I led the team. We toured West and East Africa leaving out South Africa which was under white rule and North Africa which identified more with the Arabs. We got support from West and East Africa and they started patronising us, though we never offered to print their currency notes because they might suspect we had ulterior motives. We only offered to print their security documents like postage stamp, certificates and others but the representative of De la Rue made a remark, ‘Duro, you are a very ambitious man, so you want to compete us out of Africa?’ He said it quietly but he meant it. What they did was to under-quote whatever we quoted in those countries and there was no way we could print at a profit by competing with them because we were buying all our materials from them or through them. After spending so much time in the CBN, why did you still want to practice law? Because it was my first love. Let me illustrate it this way, right from my youthful age, my father was a public letter writer in the rural setting of Ijebu Igbo and was always involved in law suits over land matters. He must have noticed some traits that showed I probably would be a good lawyer. We in Ijebu Igbo have common boundaries with Oyo, Ondo and Osun and our land was always at the boundary lines and there were a lot of squabbles with our neighbours. My father was going to court all the time over land disputes. All that might have prompted him to feel it’s good to have a lawyer son in the family. The idea to become a lawyer had been planted in me right from my elementary days and I grew up to like it. But you didn’t practise for long before you jumped into politics. I didn’t jump into politics. I embraced the idea of the two-party structure which was introduced by the military just about the time I voluntarily left the service and went to the Constituent Assembly to prepare a constitution which is not done now. Then, civil servants were allowed to retain their jobs and contest for places at the CA and still come back at the expiration of nine months or so. We produced the 1989 Constitution which unfortunately never saw the light of day. What the National Assembly people are doing now can not work because they are too busy with other duties. In any case, the genuine document that can serve as our constitution can only be worked out by all the segments of the society including the traditional rulers and ethnic minorities. We need to do that to have a workable constitution. Some people say the 1914 amalgamation of Nigeria would work for only 100 years and after then, to your tents o Israel after 2014. What is your take on this? I have always opposed disintegration. An experiment that has lasted 99 years now can be taken as a successful experiment. Even though I criticise the British for taking over this country but when you want to look at it, they administered this country better. The currency they introduced to us had greater purchasing power. I started working in 1954 and I was able to save and build a house as a bachelor without stealing or receiving bribe from anybody. Things were orderly, look at the time after I had four A level GCEs, I took up an appointment with the Chief Awolowo-led government with his efficient head of service, Chief Simeon Adebo. They introduced a middle cadre in the civil service for people of Western Nigeria who had three A level GCEs. That is how I was able to get the job and I was on a salary of £390 per annum. My rent at Oke Ado in Ibadan was £1 10’ a month and my transportation was one shilling a day and five in a week, about £1 in a month. Everything was very cheap. When I joined the service in 1957 in Ibadan, I noticed that food was much cheaper in Ibadan than in Lagos. As a bachelor, I was able to save and I built my first house and when I bought my first car, the government gave a loan of £600 to fresh graduates and Volks Wagen was £620 but as a tall person, I opted for a Peugeot and I added £240 from my savings. Things were better in those days, water supply and electricity where they were available were regular and dependable. Education was very sound, people with Standard 6 under colonial rule probably spoke better English than most graduates of today. So these are what to consider when you want to critise the British; it is the system that we should review, not that we disintegrate. And then, we should check ourselves because the corruption is too much. As a lawyer, it is not easy for me to advocate the death penalty. But when you see the wickedness of civil servants such as the police pension boss who stole billions of pensions of people who have served all their lives, I think he deserves nothing less than life imprisonment. The presidential system is too expensive, even the Americans have cried out that their system is becoming more expensive. That is why I am convinced that the parliamentary system is worth trying. If people are afraid of a national conference, let us adopt the 1960 Constitution which the likes of Nnamdi Azikiwe, Awolowo, Sarduana and so on operated. The best thing is to have a national conference to agree on how to live together. As a civilian working at the CBN, why did you agree to go to the war front in the course of your duty? It is a reflection of my lineage. We have reputation for courage in my family. The CBN wanted to know what happened to our Enugu branch which was affected by the war. I was in the administration department but there was nobody in the operations that was ready to embark on the journey because of the war. Like David did, I volunteered and I asked for the technical people to go with me and we wanted to know whether any money was left there. It was Theophilus Danjuma that we saw in Enugu. Before we got to Enugu, we met Gen. Shuwa in Makurdi(who was recently killed in Borno) and David Jemibewon. Jemibewon was a young Major then and he was surprised that civilians could venture to come to the war front and he vowed to ensure our safety and comfort. He got us the convoy and escorts and we travelled from Makurdi to Enugu where we met Danjuma, a very handsome young officer then. Some people have made remarks against Gowon and Awolowo about the war but we must commend what they did. The governor of the Bank of England who visited Nigeria at the end of the war commended Nigeria and the CBN for setting the record in world history for prosecuting a war without taking foreign loans and repaying the local ones in record time. We were the officers in charge at that time. We have a good history and we should not disintegrate but we should reform the system. Those who want disintegration have their reasons but we should sit down and talk and negotiate. I am for one country but better governed. Is it correct to say that you got fully baptised into full time politics at the Constituent Assembly? Every major step I have ever taken in life, I consult God. When the CA was winding up, I asked God what next step I should take, whether to go fully into politics like my colleagues at the CA like Segun Osoba, Dele Olumilua, Lam Adesina, Emeka Ezeife and many others. I also asked God whether I could combine politics and law just as people like Abraham Adesanya and Ayo Adebanjo and God told me in clear language to do that. That is why I went into politics. What were the challenges you people had as the first Senate after a long period of the military regime? The challenge we had was how to lay the foundation for a strong democracy. In September 2002, there was tension between the Senate led by Senator Pius Anyim and the executive led by Olusegun Obasanjo. While the Obasanjo government wanted Anyim and his deputy, Ibrahim Mantu, impeached, Anyim too wanted to get rid of Obasanjo and it was a serious fight. My intervention with other forces ensured that the crisis was averted. I gave a press conference where I talked against impeachment, especially to avoid being overrun by the military again. The media did a marvellous job and circulated the information. The Senate was parked by high quality people like Senator Ike Nwachukwu, who had been a general, a governor, a minister before becoming a senator. People like JK Waku, David Mark, Zwingina, Ita Giwa, the three Abubakars, Okunrounmu, Prof. Olabimtan and the Oyi of Oyi, Chuba Okadigbo. We brought a lot of experience to the Senate. At 80, what is your message to Nigerians? That we should have a rebirth about our attitude towards money. Nobody came with money to this world and nobody will go with it. The propensity to get money at all cost is getting too much and I think God can do it if we pray. I plead with our leaders to show example to the led for a better Nigeria. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------