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Trouble knocks at the door of Nigeria’s destiny. How will Nigerians respond to meet th...Read the full article.

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NIGERIA'S BLEAK IS REAL !!!

Atten: OBJ & PDP ardent supporters!! !

"My assessment is that Obasanjo is the worst leader Nigeria has ever witnessed...We must ensure that he vacates office... to save Nigeria from imminent collapse..then can we assess the level of pillage, sweep the rubbles and begin the onerous task of reconciliation, rehabilitation and reconstruction."....Col. A. D. Umar.


War against corruption has failed, says Umar
Erstwhile Military Governor of Kaduna State and chairman, Movement for Unity and Progress (MUP), Col. Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (rtd) spoke with SAXONE AKHAINE on the April polls. Excerpts.
THERE are fears that the April elections would not hold, do you share such fears?


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The elections must hold. I appreciate the fact that both the President and his sympathisers will want the elections postponed and his tenure elongated, but Nigerians will insist that the elections go ahead as scheduled. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed its readiness to conduct the elections. Nigerians must co-operate to ensure that the elections hold.
Comment on the turn of events in the Senate regarding the PTDF probe.
I am really shocked by the surprise expressed by many enlightened Nigerians about the involvement of Mr. President in the PTDF scam. I am not surprised that President Olusegun Obasanjo is indicted in this fraud. The conclusion on the President's involvement is the tip of the iceberg. I will say that President Obasanjo has from day one engaged directly or indirectly in misapplication and misappropriation of public assets. There is ample evidence to prove this.
Why has the National Assembly kept quiet about such revelations?
Several reasons account for this. The first is that up to the constitutional amendment attempt, we had a weak National Assembly or at least the Senate, which had abdicated its oversight responsibility for whatever reasons. Secondly, we have a President who has succeeded in creating an impression of an incorruptible and altruistic reformer. He also put in place two anti-corruption agencies, the EFCC and the ICPC, to demonstrate his resolve to fight corruption.
Unfortunately, the President has through his vindictive nature and attempt at deception opened a can of worms. Thirdly, the public has since resigned to patiently waiting for God to intervene or for the expiration of the tenure of this government. In near total absence of checks, the President continues to display much contempt for the people. He doesn't respect the laws and encourages his subordinates to flout laws with impunity. Until recently, both INEC and EFCC derive their powers from the President. They do as they please in total disregard of the Constitution with the approval of the President.
Are you linking the President with misapplication and misappropriation of public assets beside the PTDF report?
Of course yes. I start with the report of the first Senate ad hoc committee on the PTDF. Now even that committee that had shown undue deference to Mr. President had accused him of misapplication of PTDF funds even if they recommended that he should be advised to desist from such act in the future. Now Otunba Fasawe has provided evidence against the President. He alleged that the President gave him N700 million to wipe off PDP indebtedness to a bank. So where did the President get that kind of money from? We expect the EFCC chairman to investigate this instead of engaging in diversionary search for Obasanjo's wealth through the FBI. Nigerians and in particular the Senate must insist on finding out the source of this money.
Secondly, a searchlight on the NNPC will reveal other involvement by the Presidency. Perhaps, the Senate may want to look at the following areas. When the Revenue Mobilisation and Allocation Committee queried the NNPC on dubious accounting in 2003 or so, the Senate invited the then NNPC GMD, Mr. Gaius Obaseki, to explain. He failed to appear and the President did not compel him to appear. The issue is still pending.
OPL allocations have been conducted in the most opaque manner. I will say that the NNPC is the most corrupt institution in Africa and yet the President was the Minister for Petroleum for seven years.
The N55 million scam in the Federal Ministry of Education, which led to the sack of the minister and resignation of former Senate President Adolphus Wabara and indictment of some members of the National Assembly is far less than the estimated sum embezzled hourly at the Ministry of Petroleum.
In the area of privatisation, we need to check out how Global Infrastructure purchased Delta Steel Company when it was not even involved in the final bid? The only reason it decided to buy Delta Steel at $5 million more than the price offered by an indigenous company, which won the bid was that for the price of Delta Steel Company it was given the management contract of Ajaokuta Steel Company and Itakpe Iron Ore Mining Company.
Nigerians must know that Ajaokuta is being stripped, the ore that has been stockpiled at Itakpe is being exported. I heard that the Presidency has been inundated with petitions from steel industry workers on the untoward activities of Global Infrastructure but no action has been taken. The Senate must act.
The Senate will do well to investigate the Pentascope NITEL Management contract. We will be interested to find out why the value of NITEL suddenly dropped from the initial offer by IILL of $1.3 billion to about US$500 million it was finally sold to TRANSCORP a company in which the President has substantial share holding.
Then there is the contribution or extortion of some companies towards the President's library to the tune of N7 billion. It is instructive that the library is being sited close to the President's Bell's University. Some of the major contributors are currently being investigated by the EFCC and yet the President is holding on to their contributions.
When President Obasanjo came to power in 1999, NEPA had a capacity to generate about 2,700 mega watts. It is generating less than 2,500 after an investment of over $3 billion. Where are the roads on which over N500 billion was spent in the last seven years?
Due process is quick to point out that it has so far saved the country over N200 billion through renegotiations of contracts already awarded by ministries and the Federal Executive Council (FEC). What this means is that both ministries and FEC are guilty of contract inflation. The question is how many ministers and senior civil servants have been sanctioned for these acts?
The EFCC is fond of reminding us that this is the first time in the history of Nigeria that senior public servants are being brought to book. And they point to the case of IGP Tafa Balogun who was convicted of stealing N17 billion and jailed for six months. This case should only be cited to demonstrate this administration' s unseriousness in the fight against corruption.
Who does not know that the Ministry of Education N55 million case was aimed at the removal of Wabara from the Senate Presidency in a similar manner that the late Chuba Okadigbo was removed? Why if I may ask, was Senate deputy president not sanctioned when he was accused of demanding bribe to have Nasir El-Rufai confirmed as minister? While state chief executives are being tormented by EFCC, only those ministers like Mimiko who have fallen out of favour are threatened with sanctions.
Only the President's opponents are hounded by the EFCC. Even the chairman of EFCC is not convinced that this government is sincere in its war against corruption and he does not honestly believe that President Obasanjo is honest.
What legacies would the incumbent government leave behind?
A very tragic one indeed. The President is fond of a recollection of his past performance as head of state (1976-1979). He reminds us that he handed over power voluntarily to a civilian administration after running the most efficient administration.
On his departure he left behind 32 aircraft, most efficient and functional infrastructure, disciplined and efficient civil service etc. On his return in 1999 all these have deteriorated. All past administrations were vilified for this sorry state. The President promised to embark on massive restoration in an emergency fashion. All areas would receive his Midas touch. In the area of fight against corruption we heard that there would be no sacred cows. It would not be business as usual, zero tolerance for corruption, stepping on toes, economic reforms would receive the necessary attention, etc.
Nearly eight years what is the score card, which will be the right measure of his legacy? The reality of the economic reforms is that the economy is worse than when he took over in 1999. The reforms have succeeded in causing 70 per cent of the population to fall below poverty line while only about two per cent control over 60 per cent of our financial assets. Less than 30 per cent of our industries are functioning and even those are operating at below 40 per cent installed capacity. Infrastructure has all but collapsed. Security is far from guaranteed.
The war against corruption has earned a dismal record. Nigeria was scored the 27th most corrupt nation under the late Gen. Sani Abacha's most vilified administration. Today we are ranked sixth. This administration has scandalously under-achieved in spite of the huge financial resources that have accrued to it. This is the tragic legacy President Obasanjo is going to leave behind.
In January 2004, I wrote an open letter to President Obasanjo. In that letter I observed that with the way and manner he was abusing power, insisting on deception and betrayal, the Good Lord was going to fight back. What we are witnessing today is the beginning of that fight.
Obasanjo was considered a role model by most Nigerians, a beacon of hope, a torchbearer of equity and justice, and a fair minded and efficient leader. All these have been slaughtered on the altar of arrogance and vindictiveness.
My assessment is that Obasanjo is the worst leader Nigeria has ever witnessed and I am sure this is the view of most Nigerians. We must ensure that he vacates office at the appointed time to save Nigeria from imminent collapse and only then can we assess the level of pillage, sweep the rubbles and begin the onerous task of reconciliation, rehabilitation and reconstruction.
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Trouble knocks even louder:

ThisDay:
INEC Raises Alarm Over Polls
• Buhari urges N/Assembly to reconvene

From Andy Ekugo, Sufuyan Ojeifo and Chuks Okocha in Abuja, 03.29.2007

On a day President Olusegun Obasanjo finally assented to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2007, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed fear that the April polls may not hold going by the barrage of court cases challenging the commission's work.

This comes as the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) Presidential candidate, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), calls on Senators and members of the House of Representatives to cut short their recess and reconvene next week in an emergency session to discuss a matter of urgent national importance.

INEC National Commis-sioner in charge of Information and Publicity, Barrister Philip Umeadi, expressed the commission’s fears during his daily press briefing on the state of preparations for the April 14 and 21 elections.

According to him “We might be boxed into a difficult situation for the election to hold. As I speak to you, most sincerely, we might be boxed into a tight situation, if the court continues to speak.”

Specifically asked what the commission will do in terms of the plans to emboss the photographs of the Presidential and Governorship candidates in the ballot papers in view of the court orders that some candidates be allowed to contest, Umeadi said “the biggest printing press in the world can only print 1.2 million copies in a day, so you figure that out yourself. We have just 17 days to the elections. So, you add up the details.”

Umeadi continued: “I am worried and sincere about these court cases, they have the tendency to destroy the elections. There are cases that can affect the conduct of the elections. As we speak, you are aware that the National Democratic Party (NDP) is in court trying to stop the elections. This is also a court case. But quote me, the elections must hold and we are prepared for the elections.”

On the court injunction that INEC should publish the name of the former governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chris Ngige as the Action Congress (AC) governorship candidate in Anambra State, Umeadi said, “we have not officially seen the order, but I can assure that INEC will obey all court order.”







...In a related development, the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) Presidential Candidate, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), has called on Senators and Members of House of Representative to cut short their recess and reconvene next week for an emergency session for a matter of urgent national importance.

In a letter to members of the National Assembly, Buhari stated that the emergency session is to save the country from simulated confusion; occasioned by Presidential veto of Section 10 of the 2006 Electoral Act as amended.

He drew the attention of members to the shoddy preparation of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the voters registration exercise has reduced the number of days for the conclusion of the exercise from 120 days to 60 days through the amendment of Section 10 of the 2006 Electoral Act.

If the situation is left, he warned that “only 10 million out of 61 million registered voters were registered before December 14th, 2006; which means that 51 million voters will be disenfranchised or in the worse case scenario if they are unwittingly allowed to vote; their votes might be a fertile grounds to be hijacked by anti-democrats to scuttle the transition”.

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ThisDay:
INEC: Adefarati’s Death Won’t Stop April Polls
• Gani, Falana back commission

By Kola Ologbondiyan, Deji Elumoye in Lagos, Andy Ekugo in Abuja, James Sowole in Akure, Tunde Sanni in Ibadan, and Jaiyeola Andrews in Abeokuta, 03.30.2007

The death of Presidential candidate of the Alliance for Demcoraccy (AD), Chief Adebayo Adefarati, would not affect next month’s election, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said.

Lagos lawyers, Chief Gani Fawehinmi and Mr. Femi Falana, at different interviews, hailed the Commission’s decision to go ahead with the election as scheduled and described the action as laudable.

But desirous of participating in the election, AD leaders would meet today in Abuja to deliberate on Adefarati’s death and the party's chances in contesting the April 21 Presidential election, with a view to adopting a candidate that may replace the deceased.

The INEC position was predicated on the anxiety over the death of the Presidential candidate following conflicting interpretations of the Electoral Act 2006 which states in section 37 that: “if after the time for the delivery of nomination paper and before the commencement of the poll, a nominated candidate dies, the Chief National Electoral Commissioner or the Resident Electoral Comm-issioner shall, being satisfied of the fact of the death, countermand the poll in which the deceased candidate was to participate and the Commission shall appoint some other convenient date for the election”

The commission’s Dir-ector of Public Affairs, Mr. Segun Adeogun, told newsmen in Abuja that the organisation would offer AD the opportunity to substitute the late candidate, who died at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo after an illness, which had led to his hospitalisation.

Lagos lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, yesterday, backed the position of INEC chairman, that the April 21 presidential election can not be stopped on account of Adefarati.

Gani’s position was last night strengthened by human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, who said the death of a candidate “has no relevance as far as the constitution is concerned.”

According to Gani, “the death of Adefarati can not have any effect on the timetable for the election to the Presidency. Electoral Law is guided by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Section 132 (2) and (3) are relevant here.”

Section 132 (2) provides that “an election to the said office (President) shall be held on a date not earlier than sixty days and not later than thirty days before the expiration of the term of office of the last holder of that office.”

Also, Section 132 (3) provides that “where in an election to the office of President one of the two or more candidates nominated for the election is the only candidate after the close of nomination, by reason of the disqualification, withdrawal, incapacitation, disappearance or death of the other candidates, the Independent National Electoral Commission shall extend the time for nomination.”

In Gani’s estimation, under the prevailing circumstances, election must be held before April 29, he said, adding that the late “Adefarati was one out of 24 aspirants. There are 23 others (aspirants) left.

He also contend that in the face of these constitutional provisions, Section 37 of the Electoral Act 2006, which prescribes that if a candidate dies after nomination, elections will be postponed, has become “null, void, illegal and unconstitutional because it conflicts with the Constitution. Section 37 of the Electoral Act 2006 can not overrule the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he stressed.

Adefarati, former governor of Ondo State under the umbrella of AD died yesterday in Owo at the age of 76, after he slipped into a coma few days ago.