By SaharaReporters, New York
In a strong petition to the President of the Senate, Mr. David Mark, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Aminu Tambuwal, the Chairman of LRI and a one-time close operative of Chief Obasanjo, Mr. Richard Odusanya, traced the present socio-econo-political crisis in Nigeria to the maladministration of the past, particularly the arbitrariness and corruption in all ramifications of the Obasanjo administration.
“It is highly ironical when these leaders are now grandstanding, heating-up the polity and playing the ostrich,” LRI said, indicating the readiness of its members to assist such an investigation of the National Assembly motivated by the need to prevent a repeat of the past. “The future of Nigeria neither be secure nor prosperous if the defects of the past are not highlighted for necessary corrections to serve as deterrence.”
Among those defects, the petition drew attention to such specific issues as corrupt enrichment by proxy; high-profile assassinations by proxy; and criminal imposition of the personal will on Nigeria by Chief Obasanjo.
“Your Excellency’s intervention is of tremendous importance as the investigation of some of these issues by the police and EFCC have been jaundiced e.g. Chief Bola Ige murder and the cases of corrupt enrichment by proxy,” the petitioners said.
“The constitutional Separation of Power provisions will prevent the use of frivolous court injunctions to prevent the investigations. This would ensure fairness and transparency as well as deepen our democratic values/institutions.”
The petitioners, two of whom appeared on Sahara TV at the weekend to discuss their mission, also pointed out that such a process would afford Obasanjo and his associates the golden opportunity publicly to justify and earn the most often flaunted credentials that are now being put to question. They rejected the suggestion that they were motivated by politics, arguing that the time has come to be motivated by anything other than patriotism, and asserting that they have no fear of anything but God.
With reference to the many high-profile assassinations that took place during the Obasanjo Years, LRI drew specific attention to that of Chief Bola Ige, who was the Attorney General and Minister of Justice when he was mysteriously killed.
Ige, the petition recalled, had uncompromisingly resolved to work to sustain the control of Southwest Nigeria by his party, the Alliance for Democracy. Ironically, the complaint noted, President Obasanjo was bent on capturing the same geo-political area by all means and Mr. Odusanya himself was actively involved in delivering direct bribes from the Obasanjo government Chief Ige.
“The last [of such bribes] being a N50 million cash, Odusanya gave to Chief Ige days before his assassination, at the instance of his principals. The Greek gifts or bribes seemed not to have swayed Chief Bola Ige as he still embarked on the consolidation trip where he met his untimely death,” the petition said.
Similarly, it said of the late Chief Harry Marshal, a frontline opposition leader who was also killed, “Somehow, one of the petitioners (Odusanya) was instructed to deliver gift of money to him similitude of Chief Ige’s case. Instructively, Chief Marshal chose to collect the money at Agura Hotel and it became a surprise that he lives within the vicinity when he was assassinated few days later. Only him could know why he got a hotel room rather than collect the money in his house, but he died.”
Turning to the issue of corruption, the petition described as “laughable” the fact that former President Obasanjo’s is now posing as an anti-corruption figure, saying that as President, he “surpassed the grandiose Babangida’s Hilltop mansion and made Abacha’s love for monetary acquisition a child’s play.”
The former insiders said that Obasanjo was only cleverer than those predecessors of his because he engaged close aides and associates as proxies, a weakness in his plan which is not without traces that they, as petitioners, will willingly provide in the interest of the Nigerian people.
In that regard, the petitioners drew attention to the case of Senator Nnamdi Uba, who was during the period President Obasanjo’s Special Assistant, and now a man of tremendous wealth. They expressed the view that taking advantage of the Freedom of Information law, it should be possible to compare what he declared to the Code of Conduct Bureau when he was appointed the domestic aide and what he declared upon becoming governor of Anambra, as well as when he became Senator.
“The difference will shock and embarrass their greatest admirers,” they said of people such as Mr. Uba. “We can then help him in explaining the riddle including the “nationalistic sale-off” of Ajaokuta Steel Company/Oku-Iboku Paper mill and Nigerian properties sold abroad including those that benefitted in the commission of US $12.5 Billion loan repayment etc.etc.”
The petition also drew attention to the curious statement by Bodunde Adeyanju, another former Personal Assistant of President Obasanjo that he admitted to the police over the Halliburton scandal that he collected US$6 million but that he made sure he did not implicate Baba Obasanjo, and questioned whether Adeyanju, a lowly presidential hand, have collected such a vast amount of money without Obasanjo’s cover, let alone his knowledge.
The LRI petition, copies of which were also sent to the Attorney-General of the Federation & Minister of Justice, as well as the Inspector-General of Police, also dwelt on such issues as the scandalous Police Equipment Fund, which it described as “a disgrace to the sovereignty of Nigeria as a national entity,” and to Otunba Oyewole Fashawe, Obasanjo’s close friend and the dedicated trouble-shooting proxy MOFAS account he ran for Obasanjo at the defunct Trans International Bank (TIB).
Stressing that they are ready to provide authentication of their claims, the petitioners asserted that the inflows and outflows of that account will speak volumes, as it involves Halliburton, NNPC, PTDF, National ID Card Scheme, among others.
According to them, “Interesting disclosures in the [account] that will be difficult for OBJ to disown include serial bribery of House of Reps members with N4 million each to impeach Ghali Nabba leading to the celebrated Ghana-must-go money display at the hallowed chambers. In his erratic decision to detain and prosecute Otunba Fashawe, President Obasanjo ran into problems when EFCC investigations implicated him. Not even with a N700 million OBJ directly paid into the account.”
The petition further noted that the MOFAS account subsequently ran into a N7billion deficit, which contributed to the collapse of Trans International Bank and the loss of jobs to workers. “Acting in concert with Otunba Fashawe to run this account are Bodunde Adeyanju, Pariya Umar and one of the petitioners – Richard Odusanya.”
Calling on the National Assembly to take advantage of the separation of powers to ensure that the errors of the past are corrected, LRI said the kind of investigation it is asking for will prevent the use of frivolous court injunctions to prevent the investigations, but also provide Obasanjo with room to demonstrate that he has not been misrepresented.
“This would ensure fairness and transparency as well as deepen our democratic values/institutions. Importantly, it would also afford President Obasanjo and his associates the golden opportunity publicly justify and earn the most often flaunted credentials that are now being put to question.”
According to LRI, declaring its intentions, “For a nation to be great, the leadership must submit to the rule of law. Whenever illegal activities are committed, leaders must use the authority arising from their exalted positions to further the cause of justice and adherence to the obedience of laws of the land regardless of who is involved.”
Full text of the petition:
Leadership Rescue Initiative
OPEN LETTER TO NATIONAL ASSEMBLY LEADERSHIP
1. The Senate PRESIDENT.
National Assembly,
Three Arms Zone,
Abuja
2. The Speaker
Federal House of Representative
National Assembly
Three Arms Zone,
Abuja.
Dear Sir,
PREVENTING RE-OCCURRENCE OF THE INGLORIOUS PAST
1. PREAMBLE
1.1. For a nation to be great, the leadership must submit to the rule of law. Whenever illegal activities are committed, leaders must use the authority arising from their exalted positions to further the cause of justice and adherence to the obedience of laws of the land regardless of who is involved. There lies the eminence of leaders and not in the mere display of paraphernalia of office and egocentric acquisition of material wealth. Leaders of civilized world are more dignifying and much eminent than men of wealth because they deepen the obeyance of law and serve the cause of justice even on issues that involve them directly. We need as a nation of date with greatness, to act swiftly and decisively on critical issues of probity over which our leaders, past and present, are playing the ostrich. Consequently, this petition is written to you, Sir, in the interest of the Nation for equity, fair play and justice.
1.2. The present socio-econo-political crisis in Nigeria has its foundation in the maladministration of the past, particularly the arbitrariness and corruption in all ramifications of the Obasanjo administration. It is highly ironical when theses leaders are now grandstanding, heating-up the polity and playing the ostrich. The future of Nigeria can’t be secured nor prosperous if the defects of the past are not highlighted for necessary corrections to serve as deterrence. Therefore, we bring for your kind consideration and prompt but transparent re-visit of the following national leadership on abuse/calamities, with extreme assurance that we shall be readily available to provide unassailable facts to assist in sincere and conclusive state investigations; viz:
a. Corrupt enrichment by proxy
b. High-profile assassinations by proxy
c. Criminal imposition of personal will on the Nation.
2. CORRUPT ENRICHMENT BY PROXY
2.1 What makes former President Obasanjo to indulge in flaunting anti-corruption attributes is laughable. Though he acquired enormously vast landed properties exploiting the Land Use Decree he promulgated has military Head-of-State; the business empire he built on the somehow illegal acquisitions has nose-dived upon his imprisonment over the said phantom coup. He then became the President of the Federal Republic and engaged in deep seated animosity/vendetta leading him into imaginary competition in corruption with his predecessors. He surpassed the grandiose Babangida’s Hilltop mansion and made Abacha’s love for monetary acquisition a child’s play. He was however cleverer by engaging close aides and associates as proxies which in itself has turned out not to be without traces that we shall willingly provide.
2.2 President Obasanjo’s special assistant (domestic), now Senator Nnamdi Uba is today a man of tremendous wealth. With the FOI bill, it might be necessary to compare what he declared when he was appointed the domestic aide and what he declared upon becoming governor of Anambra/Senator to the Code of Conduct Bureau. The difference will shock and embarrass their greatest admirers. We can then help him in explaining the riddle including the “nationalistic sale-off” of Ajaokuta Steel Company/Oku-Iboku Paper mill and Nigerian properties sold abroad including those that benefitted in the commission of US $12.5 Billion loan repayment etc.etc.
2.3 It is very unfair to think President Obasanjo is such a weakling and an ineffective leader, as for his personal assistant (Domestic) Bodunde Adeyanju to collect US $6 million in the Halliburton bribery scam without his consent. One of the petitioners (Richard Odusanya) was flabbergasted while driving Bodunde Adeyanju to the Abuja Airport from his police detention and he boasted he admitted to the police that he collected only US $6 million but refused to implicate Baba Obasanjo. Issues concerning theses people stinks, only fair investigation can do justice to matter.
2.4 The police equipment fund is a disgrace to the sovereignty of Nigeria as a national entity. Despite clear constitutional provisions as to the funding and management of the Nigeria police, given her strategic importance; President Obasanjo arbitrarily and unconstitutionally approved for his in-law Kenny Martins to embark on the illegality of fund extortions that ran into billions of Naira. President Obasanjo is an interested party in this matter as Kenny Martins seemed to be carrying out a presidential errand. The truth is that President Obasanjo in flagrant constitutional disobedience and clear abuse of office of the President of Federal Republic signed under the seal to request for the exploitative and highly unconstitutional donations. Thus, this case cannot be successfully prosecuted without involving him.
2.5 The celebrated closest friend of President Obasanjo, Otunba Oyewole Fashawe is a case to behold. He ran a mundane clearing and forwarding/shipping company account –MOFAS which was a dedicated trouble – shooting OBJ proxy account at the defunct Trans International Bank (TIB). Inflows and outflows of the account will speak volume; it involves Halliburton, NNPC, PTDF, National ID Card etc. etc. Interesting disclosures in the A/C tat is difficult for OBJ to disown includes serial bribery of House of Reps members with N4 million each to impeach Ghali Naiaba leading to the celebrated Ghana-must-go money display at the hallow chambers. In his erratic decision to detain and prosecute Otunba Fashawe, President Obasanjo ran into problem when EFCC investigations implicated him. Not even with a N700 million OBJ directly paid into the account. Presently, the account is in about N7billion deficit contributing to the demise of Trans International Bank and loss of jobs to workers. Acting in concert with Otunba Fashawe to run this account are Bodunde Adeyanju, Pariya Umar and one of the petitioners – Richard Odusanya.
3. HIGH PROFILE ASSAISNATIONS
3.1 President Obasanjo’s desperate actions around the death of Chief Bola Ige is extremely revealing. For a worthy president, getting party nomination and subsequently winning election to the senate from prison by the accused in the assignation of his attorney general and minister of justice is uncharitable and makes one wonder what he was covering up to consent to such absurdity. It can only mean he was aware the detention was a ruse. Interestingly, this same government rather than disband the Abacha Killer Squad (SF) it inherited, kept and discretely nurtured them at the highest level of state intelligence.
3.2 Chief Bola Ige of blessed memory had uncompromising resolve to work to sustain his party AD’s control of the Southwest Nigeria. Ironically, President Obasanjo was also bent on capturing, do or die the same Southwest. One of the petitioners – Richard Odusanya was actively involved in direct errand of OBJ government’s bribe delivery to Chief Bola Ige. The last being a N50 million cash, Odusanya gave to Chief Ige days before his assignation, at the instance of his principals. The Greek gifts or bribes seemed not to have swayed Chief Bola Ige as he still embarked on the consolidation trip where he met his untimely death.
3.3 It must be emphasized that the charade and drama of the past are national disgrace, such as when the then inspector General Elhindero paraded people who disgraced him on attempt to label them Ige Killers.
3.4 Late Chief Harry Marshal was a notable opposition ANPP leader. Somehow, one of the petitioners (Odusanya) was instructed to deliver gift of money to him similitude of Chief Ige’s case. Instructively, Chief Marshal chose to collect the money at Agura Hotel and it became a surprise hat he lives within the vicinity when he was assassinated few days later. Only him could know why he got a hotel room rather than collect the money in his house, but he died.
3.5 We need to know as a nation whether Chief SM Afolabi was poisoned in detention or he died of natural cause. A former minister of Internal Affairs under OBJ, he was detained over a US $7 million National ID Card bribe being laundered in London by a close friend of President Obasanjo discovered by INTERPOL. Trying to proof innocence, the government detained everybody but the actual culprit. At is Asokoro detention meeting with Col. Kayode Are, then DG SSS, Chief Afolabi in annoyance threatened the government and President Obasanjo. Only Col. Are can avail the nation the truth of the government reaction to those threats. Some prominent Nigerians in same detention house were frightened by late Chief SM Afolabi’s outburst likely consequence.
4. CRIMINAL IMPOSITION OF PERSONAL WILL ON NATION
4.1 To say that President Obasanjo is a democrat amounts to mockery of probity. At about the completion of his constitutional 2nd term, he embarked on activities to elongate his term by constitutional manipulations and he compromised our democratic institutions. Though, he has consistently denied same; there abound facts and provable documents that confirm his deep and total involvement. The financial, socio-political and even psychological corruption of Nigeria over the 3rd term madness is legendary. Some of us on principled conviction worked vigorously in the then Atiku media campaign, with other patriots from other platforms to stop the evil that 3rd term project was, so we know what truly happened. If America were to be Nigeria, there won’t be the Water-gate, because what President Nixon did was minute compared to the calamity President Obasanjo put Nigeria through in his desperation to elongate his rightful tenure.
4.2 After the failed attempt to subvert the constitution, President Obasanjo was glaringly embittered and subsequently resolved through his actions to plunge the nation into deep crisis of inter-tribal disaffection. It was like pulling a bull out of a glass shop for him to be eased out of power, as a lot of viable presidential hopefuls, particularly of northern extractions, were coaxed out of the race. He put self above the nation by forcing the emergence of a “fatally sick” candidate who in his imagination could not withstand the rigours of campaign, death of whom will allow him re-visit his 3rd Term agenda, exploiting an available constitutional window as last result.
4.3 He ridiculed arrogated to himself the sovereignty of Nigeria by vacating the office of the Vice President which the judiciary courageously overturned. Nigerians need to know the truth to prevent re-occurrence of these ignominious acts. Infact, over a dozen court victories of then vice-president Atiku against him shows how a nation should never be governed in a democracy.
5. PRAYER
5.1 Without prejudice to any relevant national institution that may wish to act by virtue of constitutional provisions or responsibilities; we humbly and fervently pray that your Excellency graciously oblige the setting up of an Ad-Hoc committee to scrutinize there issues exhaustively in the interest of the nation. Your Excellency’s intervention is of tremendous importance as the investigation of some of these issues by the police and EFCC have been jaundiced e.g. Chief Bola Ige murder and the cases of corrupt enrichment by proxy. The constitutional Separation of Power provisions will prevent the use of frivolous court injunctions to prevent the investigations. This would ensure fairness and transparency as well as deepen our democratic values/institutions. Importantly, it would also afford President Obasanjo and his associates to the golden opportunity publicly justify and earn the most often flaunted credentials that are now being put to question. It is expected that they will gladly embrace this avenue rather than result to unorthodox self-help and manipulations. Sir, please help Nigeria.
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!
________________________
Richard Odusanya
Chairman
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