Uduaghan is a liar – Nwaomu

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Mr. Gideon Nwaomu is the CEO/MD of the popular first drinking spot in Asaba, capital of Delta state established for over a decade now. The business structure was on Tuesday, 15th, November, 2011 brought down with bulldozers by the Delta state Task Force on Flood Control and Removal of Illegal Structures under orders of the state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan. In this mind blowing interview with our correspondent, Mr. Nwaomu, former state chairman of Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) broke the silence describing the governor as a liar.

 

Excerpt:

 

Sir, let meet you.

 

I am Mr. Nwaomu, a Deltan, CEO/MD Giddy’s Place, the first ever popular drinking and relaxation spot established several years ago in the heart of Asaba, the capital city of Delta state. I was also the former state chairman of Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN)

 

Sometime in November, 15th, 2011 your business was demolished by the state governor under the instructions of the state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan whom we learnt before now was your close friend?

 

Yes my business empire, the GIDDY’S PLACE was demolished but please I don’t want us talk about it cause the matter is already before a competent court of law. Thank you.

Ok sir, but we heard the governor saying during a phone-in-programme that the place was not for business but for residential and you went ahead to turn it into a business place. Again, during that programme, the governor did say the state government sponsored your medical treatment to abroad please what can you say about all these issues?

Yes, the Phone-in-programme was held in Delta Broadcasting Service (DBS), Warri on Saturday, November, 26th, 2011 and an excerpt from the programme was published on Monday, December, 5th, 2011 edition of the state owned newspapers, The Pointer Newspaper and the governor was quoted as saying “Firstly, the approval given to that land was for a residential building and not for a night club but the person turned it into a night club and instead of it becoming a place where people dine and dance, it became a den for armed robbers where they meet to plan their operations. I also read in the papers that the owner called me on phone and was unable to get me. The last time I saw him was three years ago when he had an accident and the state government sponsored his medical trip abroad. So, you can see that this not political because if it is political, the state government would not have sponsored him abroad for his medical treatment. We cannot allow these places to exist. Any place that people have turned to where armed robbers meet, the police have been given instructions to take over such places and the owners and workers there will be arrested and prosecuted.”

I want to tell you that the governor is a liar, he is lying, he cannot say the last time he saw me was three years ago when I had an accident. He cannot say he didn’t see me, I was with him last year, precisely the day Mrs. Cecilia Ibru, the former CEO/MD of Oceanic Bank was convicted, if I am not mistaken, it was July, 6th, 2010 and I was in company of Charly Boy who interviewed the governor. The interview was conducted by Charly Boy and Mr. Suuny Ogefere, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, even Paul Odili, communication manager to the governor was also present with us too. So, he cannot say he saw me in three years ago. I cannot imagine how a whole governor of his caliber will be lying. I repeat, governor Uduaghan, saw me last year in his office in company of Charly Boy and his media aides I have mentioned above. I want to correct one impression about my treatment abroad, governor Uduaghan keep on talking about my treatment in abroad, he gave me money, that he sponsored me. I want to ask was the money his personal money, for Christ sake, I am a Deltan who was in need of assistance for his medical treatment. I appealed for 54 thousand dollar which was equivalent to I8 million naira then, but from the coffer of Delta state, I was given N2million only. I decided that this issue should be addressed once and for all so that Deltans are not misled as always. I want to ask, if there were such medical facilities in Delta state, I wouldn’t have gone to the Apollo Hospital, New Delly in India and because such facilities were not on ground than pages of newspapers, radio and TV despite all the huge allocations of billions of naira, I have to find my way to India. I really get annoyed and upset whenever the governor and his cohorts tell people that I was sponsored, I was sponsored to abroad for medical treatment. I want to ask am I not a Deltan? Was the money his personal money? As a tax payer, I think I should have some sort of privileges and rights like every other citizen of Delta state. Has the governor ever mentioned other persons whom the state had assisted for their medical treatments abroad? You and I know some of these people, even those who got far far above what I was given. Why always talking about my sponsorship to abroad for treatment. Don’t forget I was also having some monies of my own and other persons, well-wishers, friends and political associates also assisted me together with the N2 million naira state government assistance which has now turned to personal money.

 

The governor has always told people that Giddy’s Place was a criminal hid out where armed robbers plan their operations and I laughed. Uduaghan becoming a governor in 2007 started from this Giddy’s place that has all of a sudden turned a den of criminals. People can ask the likes of Chief (Engr.) Sobotie; ask Dr. Chris Oghenechovwen and so many others names I may not mention. Even the former governor, Chief James Ibori and the current governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan including past and current commissioners were all regular guests at Giddy’s place which has turn to a den of criminal.

Sir, how would you describe the whole incident mostly when it was said that you and the governor were best of friends?

 

The issue here is that without mincing words its pure political victimization. I am been victimized politically, because I pledged my total supports for Chief Great Ogboru, governorship candidate of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) who has a sincere vision for Deltans. I can tell you wholeheartedly that I have my Certificate of Occupancy, C of O, of that very land with the following number, DTSR 1034, Ref No LA/ A /1738/11, dated October 7, 1997, signed by P. E. Ebitomno (Mrs.) originated from the Military Administrator’s Office, Director of Lands and Survey. Similarly, the Deed of Re-assignment between Izeh (assigner) and I Mr. Gideon Nwaomu (assignee), prepared by D. O. Nwanokwai, a legal practitioner, is here with me. Uduaghan is victimizing me because I am supporting Great Ogboru his opponent and that is the bottom truth.

As I said earlier, the matter is already before a competent court of law and I wouldn’t want us to talk about it but I am very convinced that the court as the last hope of the common man, justice must surely be done to this issue. I have always said it that the man who is on ground already, fears no fall anymore and I am always happy that man is not God.

Gov’t Will Fight Boko Haram – President Jonathan

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President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has said government will fight Boko Haram, the “group of evil-minded people who want to cause anarchy to the end”.
 
President Jonathan was speaking to Mr. Mohame Bazoum, Deputy Prime Minister of Niger Republic, who brought a condolence message for lives lost during the Christmas day bombings and  solidarity message from President Issoufou Mahamadou to State House, Friday.
 
He said both Muslims and Christians were victims of the explosives planted by Boko haram, and called for a concerted effort by all well-meaning Nigerians to bring this problem under control.
 
President Jonathan agreed with President Issoufou that this was not a religious war, adding that “no religion asks its followers to throw bombs to kill people they don’t even know”.
 
The President called on neighbouring countries to cooperate with Nigeria in the effort to stop this evil, because “the perpetrators pass through borders at will and we have to ensure that there are no safe havens for them in the sub-region”.
 
He thanked the Nigerien President for the message of condolence and solidarity.
 
Earlier, Mr. Mohame Bazoum, Deputy Prime Minister of Niger Republic, said President Issoufou was concerned about the violence and loss of lives, and assured President Jonathan of the Nigerien President’s support in the efforts to check the activities of Boko Haram.
 
He urged Nigerians to emulate the tolerance exhibited by President Jonathan in handling the affairs of the nation.
 
 
MUSA ADUWAK
For: Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity)

Uduaghan Hinges Nigeria’s Future on Hardworking Youths

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Delta State Governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan on Thursday hinged the future greatness of the country on youths that were prepared to be self-reliant and hardworking.
 
Uduaghan, speaking during the  presentation of awards to 200 participants of  the 3rd Award Ceremony of the Shell/Delta State Government  Livewire programme, observed that any country with a crop of youths that are dependent on others would not make any progress in the 21st century.
 
The governor who spoke through his deputy, Prof. Amos Utuama (SAN)  noted, “the future of our great nation and indeed, our state depends on youths who are hard working, painstaking, innovative and ready to be self-reliant.”
 
He reasoned that poverty alleviation programmes that do not provide the needed environment for the young ones to be engaged in viable business ventures would not go a long way in achieving their set targets.
 
According to him, the state government in confronting the scourge of unemployment and youth restiveness in the state has made it a matter of policy to continue to engage the youths in productive ventures to reduce the ugly trend and to secure their future.
 
Uduaghan lauded the Livewire Scheme, recalling, “The success story of this programme began in 2005 and in year 2006, the pioneering set had 120  recipients of the award. Their testimonies are encouraging.”
 
Addressing the awardees, the governor disclosed that the concept of the programme was motivated by the need to reach out to more people in the state and urged the recipients to work hard to be the best among all the award recipients so far.
 
The governor stated that his administration would continue to partner with the private sector for the overall sustainable development of the entire state.
 
Shell’s Government and Community Relations Manager, East, Mr. Funkakpo Fufeyin on his part  informed that over 1000 Niger Delta youths have benefited from the programme since its inception.

Debunk no-fuel-subsidy claim with facts/figures or apologize to Nigerians, ACN tells FG

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The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has asked the federal government

to either debunk, with facts and figures, a published informed analysis of the true prices of locally refined and imported fuel or apologize to Nigerians for cheating and deceiving them over the years. In a statement issued in Lagos on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party also said the National Assembly, as the true representatives of the people, must summon the author of the analysis to a public hearing, as part of efforts to reveal the truth about the so-called fuel subsidy. It said the analysis, by an obviously well-informed industry insider/analyst, showed that the true price of a litre of fuel refined in Nigeria is N33.36, while the true price of imported refined fuel from the government’s swap deal involving 275,000 barrels per day with Commodity Traders is N34.45/litre. According to the report, that means the average true price of a litre of fuel is N34.03, compared to the current price of N65 per litre which the government claims it is subsidizing at N73/litre, and the proposed new price of about N140/litre when the subsidy is removed. ”This has confirmed what our party and many well-informed groups and individuals have always said, that there is no fuel subsidy, and that what the government has been claiming to be subsidizing is corruption and inefficiency. ”It has taken an industry insider to use facts and figures to debunk the government’s fuel subsidy claim, and to let Nigerians know that the government has indeed been overcharging them for fuel. While it may not be realistic to ask the government to refund all Nigerians who have been massively cheated, we call on the government to first apologize to the citizenry for deceiving and cheating them, and then follow up by selling fuel to them at the right cost,” ACN said. The party said the expose by the author of the article which, by the way, is a must-read for all Nigerians (thanks to the Guardian newspaper which published it on Wednesday, 28 Dec. 2011) is precisely the reason why it has been calling for a robust debate on the fuel subsidy issue, instead of the current choreographed consultations with ‘stakeholders’. It also appealed to other newspapers to publish the report to make it more accessible to Nigerians and further the debate on the subsidy issue, before a government that is obviously under external pressure railroads the citizenry into paying almost five times the true price of fuel. Alhaji Lai Mohammed National Publicity Secretary Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) Lagos, Dec. 29th 2011

Bombings: Nigerians can’t be fooled all the time! – Legislator

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Only recently precisely on 24th July, 2011 in Arewa House, Kaduna, the SCSN President, Dr. Ibrahim Datti Ahmad vowed that Muslims would defend the implementation of the Islamic banking system “with the last drop of their blood.” “Jaiz bank has come to be and there is nothing they can do about it and if we have to go to war on this, we’ll go to war… Whatever they call themselves, whether archbishops, priests or whatever they are, let them stop disturbing our lives… We’ll meet fire with fire if they make the Jaiz bank impossible.” 

Not quite long thereafter, again in Kaduna on 28th July 2011 the Alh. Sa’ad Abubakar, the Sultan of Sokoto’s made his first public reaction since the emergence of the Boko Haram Islamic fundamentalists, “Most of the crises in the Northeast are not caused by Boko Haram sect… Stop blaming every violence on Boko Haram” he said.

However, on the Christmas day bombings in the country JNI and SCIA headed by the same Sultan of Sokoto claimed that “The perpetrators of the Christmas Day blasts in all parts of the country have done their evil acts not on behalf of the Nigerian Muslims or Islam. Boko Haram that claimed responsibility has done so on their own not on behalf of the Nigerian Muslims.”

I am not surprised by these attacks at all, certain prominent Nigerian Islamic leaders have been beating drums of war. It doesn’t make any difference if Boko Haram massacred innocent worshipers including women and children on their own behalf or on the behalf of Nigerian Muslims or Islam. Not all Nigerian Muslims are Boko Haram but all Boko Haram are Nigerian Muslims and the Leader of Nigerian Muslims is the Sultan of Sokoto. It is certainly contradictory for the Sultan having absolved Boko Haram of any violence to turn round and say Boko Haram did not act on behalf of the Nigerian Muslims or Islam. Why was he defending them in the first place?

Also, I find divisionary that the Sultan is calling for implementation of past Judicial Commission of Inquiry reports on Jos and the North East violence. What have reports on the Jos Crisis and crises in Northen Easter got to do with massive killings on innocent worshipers in a Church in Madala? What is the Sultan’s interest in the Solomon Lar report and not say the Bola Ajibola Judicial Commission of Inquiry Report headed by a fellow Muslim and a Jurist of International repute?

Their lame attempts to down play religion when nobody has accused them is ridiculous to me, the several Churches that were bombed were attacked on Christmas day. Why for example has the Boko Haram never bombed any Mosque on Sallah day? Nigerians now know better and we are being vindicated by the day, the Jos crisis is not really about indigeneship/settlership dichotomy nor is it because about poverty or unemployment. I concur with the Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor who said, “Let us not deceive ourselves, as good as religion is, it can be a terrible thing because it is only religion that can give a man the conviction to do this kind of thing.” How else can one explain the Madala massacre?

Signed

Bitrus B. Kaze

Member, House of Reps

Representing Jos South and Jos East

N4.bn Scam: EFCC Describes Ex-Gov Audu’s Stay Application As Abuse of Court Process

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has described a motion on notice filed by ex-governor Abubakar Audu of Kogi State seeking for an order of Kogi State High Court to stay further proceedings in the N4 billion corruption charges against him as an abuse of court process.
 
Audu had on December 12, 2011, through his lead counsel, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, filed the motion supported by 11 paragraph Affidavit. This was 26 clear days after the Supreme Court of Nigeria on November 16, 2011, struck out a similar application he filed on January 24, 2011.
 
Five justices, led by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Dahiru Musdapher, sat in chambers and came up with their ruling, a copy of which was presented before Justice Saidu Tanko Husseini of High Court of Kogi State on December 9, 2011 when the case came up. But Ozekhome, SAN, had argued against the presentation of the ruling by prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, as he said that in his about 30 years experience at the bar, he was unaware of such a legal jargon as “sitting in chambers”.
 
He described the Supreme Court ruling as a possible forgery which he must verify. The judge obliged his prayers and adjourned till December 22, 2011. But three days after, (December 12, 2011), he filed another stay of proceedings at the High Court.
 
In reply to Audu’s latest motion for stay of proceedings, the EFCC, through its counsel, Jacobs, on December 22, 2011, filed a 20 paragraph counter Affidavit supported with written address in opposition to the accused’s motion. Also attached to the counter Affidavit was a Supreme Court ruling as Exhibits RJ1.
 
The EFCC says the High Court does not have the jurisdiction to hear the stay of proceedings motion, “same having already been decided upon by the SCN when the apex court refused stay of proceedings in this Honourable Court as shown in Exhibit RJ1. Therefore, by the principle of stare decisis, this Honourable Court and all other subordinate courts are bound by the decisions of the SCN”
 
The prosecution counsel further stated that “it is our humble submission that the contention of the Applicant that none of the parties were heard at the Supreme Court before giving the said ruling is unfounded as this Court does not have a business with whether or not the decision of the Supreme Court is right or wrong and can therefore not sit over same”.
 
Jacobs, in paragraph 12 and 13 of the Counter Affidavit in opposition to the accused motion, said the application is another ploy by the accused to further delay the commencement of trial in the case which started in 2006 with the series of applications he inured the court with. “In all the several applications, there is none that has been won by the accused”, he declared.
 
In paragraph 17 of the motion, the EFCC prayed the court to discountenance the motion as staying proceedings in the matter will cause further delay and hardship to the complainant, having been given a go ahead by the Supreme Court and since the matter has not been allowed to proceed to hearing since 2006 when it commenced.
 
It would be recalled that Justice Husseini, in his ruling of June 10, 2011, held that since the matter was starting de novo, the starting point was the re-arraignment of the accused (ex- governor Abubakar Audu) by taking his plea afresh.
 
This development led the accused to proceed on appeal and filed motion for a stay of proceedings. A third stay of proceedings which motion, the accused filed, is in relation to his appeal before the Court of Appeal. “The case at the Court of Appeal is attacking the jurisdiction of the court to re-arraign the accused person; that motion is pending. The appellate courts are obliged to take these cases separately and determine its merit and demerit, no matter how frivolous it is. Like Pontius Pilate, wash your hands off until the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court concludes this case”, Ozekhome told the court.
 
After listening to all submissions by the prosecution and accused counsels, the court adjourned proceedings till January 24, 2012, for ruling and continuation of trial.    
 
Audu was originally arraigned on an 80 criminal count charge of fraud and embezzlement of public fund to the tune of over N4 billion while he was governor of Kogi state between 1999 and 2003.

Delta SPDC monarch contractor frames up subjects

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The Destruction

By Our Reporter


The embattled and self exiled traditional ruler of Uzere kingdom, Isoko South local government area of Delta state, HRH Isaac Udogri 1, has again attracted the curses of his subjects for framing up some illustrious sons of the community following the bloody crisis that rocked it which led to the untimely death of two youths and burning of his palace and other property.

It would be recalled that following what the youths and leadership of the kingdom described as refusal of SPDC to sign the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMOU) entered into with the kingdom since 1958 sparked up a protest that turned bloody resulting in burning of the monarch’s palace, his wife’s provision store by the irate protesters and the killing of two indigenes by soldiers invited by the monarch.

In a statement issued by the community President General, Chief Emeakpo Owhe (JP) and made available to media men stated that “It is a known fact that Uzere kingdom/land has been blessed with oil and gas in its land. It is also a known fact that SPDC took the advantage to exploit these natural resources on our fatherland for the past 52 years (1958 to date). Oil and Gas have continued to flow from the bowel of the land uninterrupted for over five decades with continues gas flaring, inflicting serious environmental hazard on the people and the land.”

According to the statement, the gas flaring has caused land degradation, deforestation, ecological destruction resulting in infertility of the land, poisoning and reduction of aquatic life as well as the pollution of the air and water which has caused several different diseases, including cancer, stroke. “Consequent upon the above, we wrote shell since February 2011 to come to Uzere to discus and firm up and GMOU (Global Memorandum of Understanding) with Uzere Communities. In the month of October, we reminded SPDC on the imperative of putting a frame work in place of the (GMOU) so that we can legally know the basics of our relationship partnering and cooperation with SPDC. The ultimatum  given to SPDC on the issue of GMOU with Uzere kingdom expired months ago. But up till now SPDC has not shown any interest to have a GMOU with Uzere kingdom, its host communities. Today we cannot boast of any Uzere son or daughter working in SPDC, from typist to other office staff. No graduate in SPDC from the kingdom, yet oil and gas is been removed daily from the land making the people dry economically.” adding that they have also written to Delta State Government on the refusal of SPDC sign the GMOU stressing that the crisis was never political.

After been rendered homeless by his community, the monarch who is a bona-fide member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) allegedly framed up and petition his subjects, one Chief Iduh Amadhe, Delta state house of Assembly candidate of the Labour Party for Isoko South constituency 11 in the 2011 elections, Chief Emeakpor Owhe, President General Uzere, the community chairman and others whom he alleged are behind his predicament and wanted him dead. 

It was reliably gathered that the monarch in collaboration with one Mr. Leo Okuweh Ogor, member representing Isoko federal constituency in the House of Representatives and deputy majority leader, Mr. Johnson Erijo, Delta state house of Assembly member representing Isoko South constituency 11 and deputy majority leader and Mr. Askia Ogieh, former chairman of Isoko south council amongst others who are members of the PDP alleged connived with the police in Abuja to effect the arrest of the Uzere citizens and currently in detention.

The innocent suspects as been described by the kingdom and the entire Isoko nation who were whisked to the Luis Edet’s house in Abuja since last week were denied bail despite their lawyers readiness following instructions given by the above actors in the arrest.

Investigations however revealed that the labour party candidate is been witch hurt by the PDP cabals over his refusal to drop his appeal case at the court of Appeal, Benin against the PDP house of Assembly member declared winner by the INEC.

The labour party candidate and other suspects who were charged to a magistrate court in Abuja after the court declined jurisdiction were taken to an Abuja high court but unfortunately the court was on vacation and they were returned to police custody before the IG directed that they be transfer to zone 5, Benin city where they are currently been detained.

Impeccably sources confided that the labour candidate had in three months ago robed into a stage managed kidnapping of one Pa. Ogrih at the same kingdom by his son, one Mr. Sam Ogrih, member, Delta state house of Assembly service commission; Mr. Askia Ogieh, former council boss, Mr. Johnson Erijo, member, house of Assembly and others before this current framing up by the same cabals all in a bit to frustrate him from pursuing his election case pending in the court.

Some indigenes of the community who pleaded for anonymity described the monarch as a greedy and self centered king “Has amassed wealth for himself to the detriment of the community. He handles Shell contracts; he connives with Shell to commit evil against his own community all because of money. He is a politician and card carrying member of the PDP and he fights against anyone who dares vote and campaigns for any other party than PDP in the community. The crisis that rocked the community was caused by him and his cohorts because of his greediness and wickedness in the land. In 2011 elections he was given money by his party to fight against the members of other parties especially the labour party Assembly candidate. I want to tell the whole World that the crisis is not political but the monarch and his cohorts have turned it political where innocent people in the town are now been arrested unlawfully. This is the worst and shameful king this our kingdom has ever had in decades because we have never had a king turned contractor who strives in fighting against his subjects for political reasons best known to him. The painful thing is that when the crisis started Chief Iduh was not in town. For several months now he has not been in town because he is pursuing his election case at the Appeal court in Benin and it will be mere wickedness for anyone to robe him into what he knows nothing about. Even our community leaders arrested are been framed up too.”

When contacted the tradition ruler, HRH Udogri who debunked all the allegations said that the arrested suspects are those behind the crisis that has rocked his kingdom which led to the burning of his palace, his wife’s store and other property adding that “One Chief Iduh since I was installed in 1984, has been fighting me. They want me dead. I struggled on my own. I am not denying that I am a contractor. I am a contractor in NDDC, I am contractor in DESOPADEC, I am a contractor with the state government and I am a contractor with Shell. I am a contractor with Agrip and I am a contractor with Chevron. I make my money that way.” He stated.

Meanwhile the panel of inquiry set up by the state government has not commenced sitting before the suspects were been arrested in connection to the crisis which the entire kingdom have condemned in strong terms.

As at the time of this report the police hierarchy, it was gathered are dilly-dallying over the matter just to frustrate the labour party candidate from concentrating on his election case pending at the appellate court in Benin.

When Integrity Becomes King…

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Nigeria has accomplished so much less than its vast potential mainly because we have stood on the shoulders of dwarves. We have found the best answers to our problems, but they are all buried in government White Papers in what seems to be an endless cavern of archives. We have also found answers in the selfless studied ideas of some Nigerians whose credibility transcend the shores of our land.

So, why do we talk things to death, refusing to walk the talk? Why do we keep chewing our problems over and over until there is nothing left to swallow? Why do we always try to heap things whose solutions we know on the proverbial drawing board, on which there is no more space? Is it that we hope that our problems will get better with age like wine? I know that some things get worse before they get better, but that only happens when the people concerned do not stop looking for answers and do not stop engaging each other to find honest solutions.

Writing in his treatise The Art of War, Sun Tzu declared that when you are without resources, depend on resourcefulness. But Nigeria is blessed with both incredible resources and resourceful people across the land. So once again, what is our problem? Reginald Ihejiahi, the managing director of Fidelity Bank Plc told us that everything boils down to what he called a wholesomeness of integrity which he said makes the difference in the lives of individuals, companies and nations.  

Democratic government is supposed to mean the people in power. Governance is then the art of exercising power on behalf of the people. But our leaders mostly exercise power for themselves. Until we dare to enthrone a wholesomeness of character, a wholesomeness of integrity, our nation will continue to be a place where if the rules we created gets in the way, we bend them to pass.

All through the ages, it has always been the few saving the many, but in Nigeria, it is the few who bend the rules to enslave the rest of us, to control our nation and corner our common wealth. This is why the law respects persons. This is why Nigerians are angry, so angry that it is becoming increasingly contagious. This anger is more evident in those like me who know that our nation is so remarkably blessed we have no reason not being a member of the G8 group of nations.

We have paid and are still paying a huge price for our failure to turn our vast potential into greatness. But I know that the day will come when every blow we strike against the rock of deception that entombs our nation will cause it to shatter and we will be free at last. Some will be quick to dismiss and label me a hyper optimist especially those who have seen my raging anger in cold print. The rock is a peculiar object. When you try to break it, it seems to absorb every blow, mocking every effort. But the truth is that every single blow we deliver weakens it internally, until one final blow shatters it. The fact is, we do not know which blow will shatter this rock of deceit and that is precisely why we must not tire in our effort to provoke change. We dare not stop striking because we may stop when we are ten blows, five blows or even one blow away from shattering the manufactured chaos behind which hidden negative interests prosper. We weaken this evil force by doing what Reginald Ihejiahi still remembers he was taught a long time ago to “brighten the corner where you are” and “act well thy own part for there the honour lies.” Though Mr Ihejiahi heard those words years ago, they have an eternal quality, relevant through the ages, timeless and worth their hefty weight in gold. If every individual brightens the corner where they are, the land will be enveloped by light that will chase away the darkness.

In his epochal ‘I have a dream’ speech, Dr Martin Luther King Jr. said he did not want people to be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character. It is therefore abundantly clear that character and integrity have content. Though integrity has content, it is still indivisible. We cannot have selective, partial or convenient integrity. It is either wholesome or it is not integrity. The challenge is to rise up and shatter this rock of lies, duplicity, corruption, cheating, hypocrisy…by living lives that show clearly that integrity is indivisible.

Let us now begin to stand on the shoulders of giants. And it does not take rocket science to do so. President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan recently distributed to his top functionaries the book written by one such living legend, Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore who turned his country from a third world nation to a first world nation in one generation. In 1965, Singapore’s per capita was $511 but it is currently the 15th in the world at $42,653. Their economy depends heavily on export, ranked 14th globally with manufacturing contributing about 27.2 percent in 2010. It is the world’s fourth leading financial centre and fourth largest foreign-exchange trading centre. Singapore is rated the 2nd most business friendly economy in the world and grew the fastest globally in 2010 with GDP growth of 14.5%.

Singapore is host to more than 7,000 companies from the United States, Europe and Japan, 1,500 from China and another 1,500 from India. Singapore is in the top three as an oil refining centre.

Their focus and hard work have earned them the world’s 10th largest foreign reserves which as at June 2011, stood at $242.287 billion. Yet Singapore is a nation of 5.1 million people, occupying a land area of 710 sq km. In essence, Singapore has less than a third of the population of Lagos state and occupies about 20 percent of the total area of Lagos state. I am using the story of Singapore to illustrate how we have been short changed over the years by clueless leaders who ruled us not for national or regional profit but for their personal profit. What made the difference in Singapore and similarly progressive nations is credible leadership anchored on integrity.

The way success is measured in government and governance is through the standard of living of citizens. Here in Nigeria, politicians speak so flippantly of the dividends of democracy, a phrase they plucked from the arcane and mysterious syllabus of political sloganeering. The success story of Singapore, created in one generation is the most eloquent testimony of the dividends of integrity. In a nut shell, it is not democracy but integrity that delivers honest leadership and very visible and celebratory development.

We have many roads to choose from. Some of them we have travelled before with disastrous consequences. The only road Nigeria should now take is called integrity. The Singapore story makes it lavishly clear why I believe that if we dare to harness our massive resources and resourcefulness, if we dare to reinvent our nation, if we dare to make integrity a way of individual and national life, Nigeria will leapfrog to the G8 group of industrialised nations within a generation. Integrity enthroned will create a new breed of ‘virtuecrats’ and not hide bound bureaucrats with vested personal, religious and regional interests, who specialise in making red tape so long, no one has seen its end. In business, people talk of the return on investment, which involves calculating viability and profitability. What about the return on integrity? We have seen the massive evidence of that in Singapore. If we dare in Nigeria, the return on integrity will blow the mind of the world in just one generation. If we dare…, investors will find their way to our nation knowing that Nigeria is truly an investors’ goldmine.

The fault lines on which Nigeria sits is dangerously shifting because of our refusal to address the glaring faults, a wilful negligence that has birthed all manner of violent crises across the land. We are pulling in different directions. When we achieve true unity, Nigeria will truly become greater than the sum of its parts. The irony is everyone seems to be in agreement that the nation needs to be reengineered, restructured and refocused to achieve her optimal best. What is the best way to do this? Is it through the National Assembly or a Sovereign National Conference or a combination of both? Whatever it will take, let us truly and sincerely redesign Nigeria. The fear of balkanisation is not real because no one truly wants that outcome. Whatever options we choose, Dr Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi are two giants on whose shoulders agitators for a better Nigeria should hence forth stand.

No calamity or natural disaster will be worse than terrible leadership. But what is the usual response of governments at all levels to calamities? Set up with great fanfare a ‘high powered’ commission of inquiries that will be peopled with ‘expired’ brains who actually are part of the problems, to amongst other things find out the immediate and remote causes of the immediate crisis. The commission’s report will be received with even greater fanfare but will be dumped unread as soon as the cameras stop rolling. I look forward to the day when governments will set up commissions of inquiry to look into the immediate and remote causes of success and its multiplier effect, make all Nigerians to own the report and dare to implement these immediate and remote causes of success. It will not only signpost the beginning of real hope but also more importantly, the beginning of the reign of integrity. It will herald a new attitude where, ask not what is in it for me, ask what is in it for my country Nigeria, will be the new rallying cry. That will mean that integrity has become king. And will mark the ultimate achievement of a balance of responsibilities between the people and those they entrusted with power.

There are indeed many giants on whose shoulders we can stand on, but none evidently is greater than integrity. May we as individuals and a nation find both integrity and God. And may the best days of our past not even measure up to the worst days of our future.

Okechukwu Peter Nwobu 

okechukwunwobu@yahoo.co.uk

Removal of Fuel Subsidy, An Affront on the People

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Events in recent times have not ceased to astound me.  In the face of the enormous challenges that Nigerians face, government still chose to exercise a blind eye, and is seeking to worsen the already sorry situation of the people. Why is it that despite all the pressing issues craving for government’s attention, the one she chose to court, is that of the removal of fuel subsidy, an option that is clearly against the interest of the people?
Isn’t it very shameful that after over five decades of discovering oil in commercial quantity, Nigeria our dear country is still importing refined petroleum into the country? We have been importing these products for over forty years. Yet it does not taste sour it the mouth of Mr. President to say that Nigeria will collapse if fuel subsidy is not removed. If after over fifty years of the discovery of oil, Nigeria still imports the refined product, then I think it is utterly disgusting and shameful. It means our leaders have not paid attention on the need to develop Nigeria. Their attention may have been on how to enrich themselves at the expense of the generality of the people. We all have seen how our politicians who lived in penury become multi millionaires upon attaining political. They accumulate this wealth, while the fortunes of the country continue to dwindle under their watch. Of course, they care less because all that matter is their pocket.
The President presented a budget to the National Assembly on the 13/12/2011, without making provision for subsidy. That singular act is a declaration of war on poor Nigerian masses. It is obvious that Mr. President and his team are ready for a confrontation with the people. I can assure him that the people will not just fold their arms and allow government mess up their lives through ill conceived policies. May be someone should remind Mr. Jonathan that it is almost five months since the inception of his administration, he is however yet to implement any of his campaign promises. I hasten to add also that the removal of fuel subsidy was never a part of his campaign promises. So where he got it from, don’t ask me. Or did he just fool Nigerians in order to win the April Elections?
His retinue of advisers must have underestimated the capability and capacity of Nigerians to fight any anti people policy by of government. I have indeed heard the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku make a statement, to the fact that the North African revolution cannot happen in Nigeria. My modest response is simply this, such a statement is laughable. If they think this is in the affirmative, then let them go ahead and dare the people by removing fuel subsidy. I have this inkling that our leaders forget that power belongs to the people. However, I am least surprised by their seeming ignorance. Because Nigerians, we have slept on our rights for too long. We must therefore awake from our protracted slumber and seek to protect our interests.
If Mr. President doesn’t have anything to offer Nigerians, let him engage in wide community consultations so that the people can school him on what they want government to do for them.  Removal of fuel subsidy is not the best decision, because this would merely pitch the government against the people. And government cannot withstand the wrath of the people. One had honestly expected the President to think about building more refineries and getting the current ones that lay in a comatose state, to work. Unfortunately however, the President is thinking otherwise.
Suffice to ask at this point, who will the benefit most from this removal of fuel subsidy? It most certainly cannot be the poor masses of Nigeria who toil day and night yet, they still live below a dollar per day. It must therefore be in the interest of the cronies of Mr. President, those who financed his campaigns. That is the only way he can pay them back. I dare say here that exploitation is not the best way to pay back a debt. 
The so called removal of fuel subsidy is evil, anti people and an affront on the people of Nigeria. We must therefore collectively resist and fight it. I call on all well meaning Nigerians to resist this move by the government. It is anything but in the interest of Nigerians. God bless Nigeria

PANEL: N11.9 billion stolen from LG accounts from 1999-2007

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The Judicial Commission of Inquiry on the activities of the seventeen
local government councils in Enugu State from January 1999 to 31st
December, 2007 has said that over eleven billion naira
(N11,901,545,490.00) of allocations to local government councils in
the state within the period remain unaccounted for.
 
 
The Chairman of the seven member commission; Hon. Justice Anthony
Onovo, who announced this while presenting the report of the
commission to the state governor Mr. Sullivan Chime at the government
House Enugu said it was the recommendation of the commission that the
sum be recovered from the people responsible.
 
Hon. Justice Onovo explained that the commission went through the cash
books and payment vouchers provided by the 17 local governments and
the 39 development centers and scrutinized a total of 50,094 payment
vouchers of the local governments from the year 2006 and also
inspected and verified projects executed.
 
He however pointed out that the commission was unable to receive any
single document relating to allocation of revenue to the local
government in the state out of the federation account for any part of
the period under review from any officer past or present in the state.
 
According to him, up till the point of submitting the reports,
treasurers that served in four development centres, Nsukka East,
Ezeagu North, South, and West have not fully submitted their cash
books and payment vouchers as demanded by the commission at its
inauguration.
 
Hon. Justice Onovo observed that the total amount received by the
local government is over seventy nine billion naira
(N79,442,748,374.49) made up of over seven billion naira
(N7,759,582,888.37) direct payment to the council and over seventy
one billion naira (N71,683,163,165,483.12) allocation paid to the
council through the ministry of finance.
 
According to the report while the 17 LGA received the sum of over
seven billion naira (N7,759,582,888.37) from June 1999 to April 2002
by direct allocation the sum of over thirty-eight billion naira
(N38,898,617,109.41) was through the ministry of finance for the same
period.
 
Justice Onovo said from investigation they could found no explanation
for the where about of the sum of over three billion naira
(N3,076,429,603.32) and also that allocation to the local government
were usually not in full because they were used for the state for
purpose other than those authorized and could not find explanation for
the sum of N3,423,475,356.84) transferred out of JAAC account into
various state government account.
 
The commission also noticed a lot of impurity in the past with tales
of missing public documents some of which were allegedly burnt and
beyond recovery. It therefore further recommended the recovery of
COT from the Banks in view of a central bank circular on it and
recovering of over seven billion naira (N777,396,336.52) N3,
423,475,356.84; N3,076,429,603.32 from the former accountant general
who refused to give any explanation for those transfers and non
appearance of the funds in JAAC Account.
 
It also recommended greater effort and accountability in revenue
generation in the local government administration in the state,
recovering of over payment of security vote made to council chairmen
for a period of between 2006 – 2007, and recovering of the sum of
N232,602,437.70 from treasurers of eleven local governments that
failed to post the money paid to the council into their main cash
books.
 
The commission blamed the local government service commission and
ministry of local government in the state for failure to discharge
their statutory responsibilities on issues of guidelines and
monitoring of the activities of the council and recommended that local
governments should on monthly bases prepare bank reconciliation
statement and submit to the commission before receiving the next
allocation.
 
The commission recommended that JAAC account should be audited
annually by the auditor general of local government, the
reconstitution of JAAC members, more training programme for local
government staff, use of date capturing machines for personnel audit
of the local government and verification of claims of debts owed
individuals by the local government among others.
 
According to Hon. Justice Onovo the commission’s report is in four
volumes, the main report, graphic details and images of atrocities
committed in the local government including town engineers turned
contractors, use of Fictious receipts, over pricing of contract and
outright embezzlement of funds, and payments made for non existent
jobs purported to have been done.
 
Other volumes contained proceedings of the commission at both the
private and public hearing, appendices for facts and figures,
memoranda, date and other communication received and relevant payment
vouchers.
 
Justice Onovo thanked governor Chime for the opportunity given them to
serve the state and expressed the hope that their findings and
recommendation would help the governor in his zero tolerance for
corruption and guide the future conduct of hose in charge of
government at the local government level and at other levels of
government and spheres of public life.
 
Receiving the report, Governor Chime thanked them for a job well done
despite odds and challenges they encountered and said, “from the
survey, it is obvious that you did a detailed insight in the
activities of the local government.”
 
The Governor therefore assured them that the report will be studied in
details and take appropriate steps to implementing the recommendations
adding that the local government will not be the same in the state by
the time he leaves office.
 
The commission was inaugurated on 15th day of April 2008 with Hon.
Justice A. O. Onovo as chairman. Others are Chief Laz Ugwu, Chief
Nicholas Ojike, Igwe Chris Ngene, Mrs. Josephine Onaga, Chief Gilbert
Obu and Mr. Henry Nwatu as Secretary.
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