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Crimes in progress
By Okey Ndibe
Emmanuel Nnamdi (...Read the full article.

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Before I post my thread, read this mail from a friend, after reading the Newswatch story and then the story by Newswatch. I believe we are whirling round in a deadly circle and the earlier some patriotic forces clean up this augean stable the way it was done in Ghana, the better for all of us.

My friend's mail on the Newswatch story.

This is quiet an interesting article. Much as I subscribe to some of the views in this article particularly the one relating to gender bias, I still do not believe Madam Etteh has the qualification to be the speaker of the House of representatives. Let me repeat myself, there are other women from the South West in the National Assembly who can hold their own anywhere any time for that position. I had expressed my fears about her inability to relate to female politicians from other regions of the world. I knew in my heart the problem of self expression and articulation will rear its ugly head. It is one thing to read prepared reports, it is another thing to be able to speak ex tempore when meeting people like Madam Pelosi of the United States or Madam Livi, the foreign minister of Israel for example. I have been proven right. This woman has brought into that exalted office and into focus the very character traits that I feared for; and that which I hope her staff will try to conceal when she is meeting with leaders outside of Nigeria...disengagement, shiftiness, social ineptitude and the worst of all, intellectual inferiority.

However, why bother with ring worm when we are confronted with leprosy? How in this world did this woman get such an exalted post? How in this world did we allow this woman to be imposed on us? It is a sign that our country may be in a free fall. No wonder the best out of us are outside of the country. Outside of the country because the country is in the vice grip of leaders who are notoriously allergic to introspection and analysis. As for Obasanjo, if the rumor mills are right I will simply say he imposed this woman on the country out of hormonal irresponsibility.

The pervasive religious intolerance and bias at the highest levels of our government is not worthy of comment. It has been going forever and so, annually Christians are killed as a matter of ritual in the North. It is a shame that politicians use religion to achieve their perverse goals. Nigeria is being held hostage by Talibans of both faith.

So, Governor Oyinlola has nothing to do in Osogbo than to relocate to Abuja to save Madam speaker from the carnival of disgrace she created for herself. Shame on him. I hope the tribunal in Osogbo will throw out this impostor who does not recognize or even understand the constitution. I wonder why he did not take the clown in Ondo State along with him.

The truth of this matter is that Madam Etteh like most of our leaders is inept, awesomely incompetent, monumentally ignorant and simply incurious. That is what Nigeria has become. I assure you my friends, that we are in trouble. There is that attitude of if you can't beat then, then join them.What we are witnessing in Nigeria now is conformity which is the jailer of freedom and an enemy of growth. Someone needs to advise Madam speaker to hire tough and no nonsense staff who know the ropes and who can articulate on any subject, even while sleep walking. Otherwise, we shall all face monumental embarrassment when she ventures out of the country for any serious issue unrelated to her last reckless adventure in Maryland, and if it is unrelated to hair dressing. The question is did this woman even pass the WAEC? I doubt it, but then Nigeria has now become a nation where people live on forged diplomas, a nation where no one cares how illiterate the leaders are, as long as they throw money around, money of dubious origin at that!

As for her private life, I think it should be left private. That is why it is called private life. It is not meant for public discourse.

Folake Lebi



Untold Story of Patricia Etteh
Newswatch Magazine

By Tobs Agbaegbu, Kazeem Akintunde & Modupe Ogunbayo
Sunday, September 09, 2007


There are more reasons why speaker Patricia Etteh is being opposed by her colleagues in the House of Representatives than you already know

The House of Representatives took a major step last week towards determining the level of culpability of Patricia Olubunmi Etteh, speaker, in the controversial N628 million contract scandal which blew open two weeks ago. The House took a decision to probe the circumstances of the award of the contract through a nine-man committee led by David Idoko, a member from Benue State. The outcome of the committee's findings will determine to a large extent, whether Etteh will be impeached or allowed to retain her position as speaker.

The committee was given two weeks to submit its report. Other members include Nasiru Mohammed, an ANPP member from the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Sanni Saleh Minjibir, ANPP from Kano, Chinedum Eluemunoh from Anambra PDP, Peter Umoh, PDP, Akwa Ibom, Depo Oyedokun, PDP, Oyo, Yakubu Dogara, PDP, Bauchi, Habeeb Fasinro, AC, Lagos and Rabe Nasiru, PDP, Katsina.

The development, on the surface, represents a victory for a faction of the House, called Integrity Group, which has been spear-heading the campaign to investigate the contract deal. The group is led by Farouk Lawan, House committee chairman for Education.

Newswatch learnt that a meeting was held in the speaker's house on the eve of the session where the committee was constituted. Loyalists of the speaker were said to have assured that her interest would be protected and that there was no cause for alarm. This was said to be after the group had infiltrated the opponents of Etteh and promised them that no punishment would be meted to those who subtly turned round to back the speaker.

Newswatch learnt that a good number of the Integrity Group members are now taking positions in support of the continued stay in office of the speaker. There are fears that the probe would likely end up a smokescreen, achieving nothing in the end.

But Lawan told Newswatch that his group was satisfied with the development in the house. "We called for a probe and a committee has been set up for the purpose. We have nothing more to complain about." he said.

Dino Melaye, House committee chairman on Information and other arrow-head of the 'Etteh-must-stay,' campaign described the development as "normal and okay." He told Newswatch that he harbours no fears that the members would do a good job because members are independent-minded and people of integrity. Melaye said he did not see it as victory for the Integrity Group. "We are not in a battle field in the House, so it would be wrong to see the development as a case of victory or defeat for anybody or group," he told Newswatch.

As the probe committee gets set for its work this week, Newswatch learnt that the "Etteh Must-Go-Group" may release a shocker against the embattled speaker. The group is said to have compiled a dossier of the speaker's grammatical slips since she emerged speaker. The essence of the document which they intend to circulate among members is to show that Etteh is incompetent to lead the 360 members of the lower legislature.

Etteh was roundly ridiculed in the document shown to Newswatch in Abuja. Three of the grammatical blunders she was alleged to have committed since she became speaker received special mention. The first was said to have occurred during her maiden address to the House after she was sworn in. She was quoted as having advised members thus: "Please Honourable Members, you should write your names in the register, anybody who did not write his name will be 'striked' out." She meant to use the word 'struck.'

Again, Etteh was said to have embarrassed legislators when she received in audience, an ambassador from one of the European countries who paid her a visit shortly after she became speaker. She was quoted as having said: "We are happy to received the strangers in our midst."

The speaker was said to have committed the third grammatical blunder when officials of the Federal Emergency Roads Management Agency, FERMA, paid her a courtesy call. She pleaded with them to "please make our roads habitable." Perhaps, she wanted to make a case for proper rehabilitation of roads in Nigeria. Etteh is a trained Cosmetologist but her critics prefer to call her a hairdresser.

Farouk Lawan, leader of the Integrity Group, told Newswatch that they are not impressed with the quality of leadership she has provided so far. Lawan said: "I must confess that I am not impressed with the quality of leadership that I have seen. When I speak to majority of members of the House, one issue that keeps occurring is the issue of incompetence. In the few months that the House has conducted business, it has clearly come to the fore that our expectations have been misplaced. The people we assisted to assume leadership positions do not appear to have what it takes to provide an intellectually robust chamber that will serve as the platform to the Nigerian people, for the provision of a veritable ground for sound debate on national matters. This is quite worrisome."

Etteh appears to be in trouble indeed. Last week, fresh facts emerged that the speaker and management of the assembly allegedly lied in their statement that due process was observed in the award of the contracts. When he addressed journalists in Abuja, on September 1, Monima Daminabo, director, Information and Publications in the National Assembly said that "Due process was followed, at every stage in the award of the contracts. The tender notices for the projects were duly advertised through conspicuous display on the official notice board throughout the National Assembly premises as it is the practice."

The National Assembly secretariat also disputed figures variously quoted in the media recently, on the actual amount approved for the contracts. Daminabo who spoke for the secretariat told journalists that about N579 million and not N628 million as alleged, was spent on the houses of Etteh and the deputy, as well as for purchase of some vehicles for principal officers of the House.

The breakdown shows that a total of about N238 million was spent on the upgrading of cluster of structures including security and payment of Value Added Tax, VAT, at the speaker's residence. Furnishing and fittings in the cluster of structures at the speaker residence gulped N71.895 million while upgrading of cluster of structures of deputy speaker's residence gulped about N90 million.

In the same way too, a total of N55 million was provided for in the contract for furnishing and fittings in the cluster of structures at the deputy speakers residence. Vehicles alone, made up of eight Toyota Land Cruisers purchased for eight principal officers are also provided for in the contract terms. This is also in addition to one Toyota Land Cruiser Jeep and two Peugeot 406 Cars meant for the speaker and two Mercedez Benz 500, one Toyota Land Cruiser, one Toyota Hilux and two Peugeot 406 vehicles for the deputy speaker. Daminabo said "the scope of work being carried out in those residences is provided for in the 2007 Appropriation Act."

Contrary to the claim of compliance with due process, Newswatch investigations revealed that the procedure for the award of the contract is substantially at variance with prescriptions of the Due Process Office at the Presidency. Newswatch is in possession of the policy document titled: "The ABC of the Contract Due Process Policy," issued by the Budget Monitoring and Price Intelligence Unit (Due Process), State House, Abuja.

Under the policy, six core ingredients to be observed on "the rules of the contracting game" includes advertisement, pre-qualification, invitation to tender, opening of tender, bid evolution process and determination of winning bids.

Each of the procedures takes some time to be concluded. Specifically, widespread advertisement is meant to be applied before the award of contracts. For contracts that are below 10 million, the policy provides that "advertisement of such projects must be placed in the Notice Board in a conspicuous layout."

It is a different ball game for contracts that are above N10 million. The rule here is for "an advertisement calling for pre-qualification of contractors or invitation to bid, must be placed in at least two national newspapers or 'Government Gazettee." The alternative to Government Gazettee is the Federal Tenders Journal, a publication of the Federal Ministry of Information which carries only adverts of contract opportunities of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Lawan confirmed that no such procedure was observed in the award of the contracts. He also debunked the claim by Daminabo that the contract was provided for in the 2007 budget. Lawan explained to Newswatch what actually transpired: "I was the chairman of the committee on Appropriations between 2005 - 2007 and when I speak of legality of action taken I speak from the point of experience. When budget 2007 was passed by the House of Representatives, there was no provision in that budget for the renovation of the official residence of the speaker or the deputy speaker. When we made enquiries, and asked the management, they said the buildings belong to the FCDA and it was the responsibility of the FCDA to manage them. If you see the correspondence, it was only in June that the leadership of the House, after Etteh had become Speaker, that they wrote to FCDA, to come and renovate the house and FCDA responded. When the budget was passed in December, there was no question or doubt as to who was responsible for the House. It was clear that it was the responsibility of the FCDA and so, we did not make provision for it in the budget."

Based on the position they have taken on the matter, the Integrity Group insisted last week that the House would investigate the Speaker's role. And they eventually had their way.

Etteh's road to the present controversy began at 12 noon July 12, after 38 days in the saddle as speaker. That was the day the meeting of principal officers that awarded the contracts took place at Etteh's office in the National Assembly Complex, Abuja. During the meeting spanning 40 minutes, five separate contracts totaling N627,944,445.45 million were awarded. The contract totalling N238, 852,192:95 million was awarded for the renovation of Etteh's official residence while N71 million was approved for the furnishing of the same residence. A contract for the renovation of the official residence of Babangida Saidu Nguroje, the deputy-speaker, was awarded to the tune of N90,296,225.25 million. Another contract for its furnishing stood at N55,200 million. The fifth contract billed for the purchase of official vehicles for the principal officers was N172,600 million.

In attendance at this meeting were Etteh, Saidu Nguroje, the deputy speaker; Bethel Amadi, the chief whip, Baba Shehu Agaie, the deputy majority leader and Wale Adegoke, chairman, Welfare Ad Hoc Committee. Others in attendance were Nasiru Arab, the clerk to the National Assembly, NASS; O. Ogunyomi, the deputy clerk, NASS, Niyi Ajiboye, acting clerk, House of Representatives; Idris Mahdi, director, Estate & Works; M.A. Sani-Omolori, director, legal services; O. Adelami, director, finance and supplies and C.J. Usman, a deputy director. The secretariat comprised of Mansur Jarkasa, another deputy director; Silas Ayuba, an assistant chief accounts officer, ACAO, for Planning and Idris Abubakar, another ACAO, Planning. Copies of the minutes of the meeting of the body of principal officer's where the decision to award the contracts was deliberated upon showed that Etteh presided.

After opening prayer by Ogunyomi, she instructed Arab to intimate members present of the purpose of the meeting. Arab informed the assembly that the meeting was convened to deliberate on the renovation of the official quarters of the speaker. He revealed that up till that time, Etteh was yet to move in because "a lot of work needed to be done in order to bring it to the required standard." He promised the assembly that if the request was granted, the project would commence right away. Done with his presentation, Arab, thereafter, called on Mahdi to brief members on the project.

Obviously Mahdi needed to convince the House on the need for the amount he was about to quote for the project that afternoon. Before he made his presentation, he assured the gathering that when the project is completed, it "would ensure a high level of comfort and a sense of security for the occupant." He enjoined those present to note that the speaker's house had not been renovated since its completion in 1999. Going further, Mahdi said the scope of the project includes demolition and alteration; block work; finishing; doors and windows; mechanical installations and fittings/fixtures. Other aspects of the project includes painting/decoration; installation of close circuit television, CCTV, and multiple intercommunication system; general installation of electrical fittings; supply and installation of XTY 2101 Walk Through metal detectors and other external works.

After giving this overview, Mahdi then presented quotations received from some 'reputable' construction companies that bidded for the project after its advertisement through the National Assembly notice board. Interestingly, the National Assembly's Department of Estate and Works was among the companies that submitted quotations for the project. It submitted a quotation of N238, 852,192:95 and promised to finish the project in six weeks upon the payment of 60 percent advance. On the other hand, M/S State Company Nigeria Limited submitted a quotation of N242,478,279 based on the payment of 80 percent upfront. M/S Niger Investment & Construction Limited proposed a budget of N262,484,855 and promised to also finish the project if given 80 percent of the budget before hand. Similarly, M/S Mutunshi Nigeria Limited asked for 80 percent advance of N238,852,192:95 of the amount it quoted for the project and promised to complete the job within six weeks. Since State Co. Nigeria Limited made the lowest quotation against the quoted figure of N242,478,279 it was awarded the contract.

A breakdown of the contract package revealed that demolition and alteration would gulp N14,520 million; block work would cost N224,100; finishing N35,426,500; doors and windows, N13,119,495 million while Mechanical installations is N9,582,930. Further breakdown shows that N35 million was quoted for fitting and fixtures; N7.321 million for painting and decoration; installation of CCTV and multiple intercom system attracted N30 million; general installation of electrical fittings, N8 million; supply and installation Walk Through metal detector, N10 million naira; external works, N64, 283,354 million. As a corporate entity, State Co. included Value Added Tax of five percent. State Co Nigeria Limited was registered with CAC on the 24th of April 1976 with registration no. 16957 and share capital of 100,000.

At this juncture, Arab, the clerk to the National Assembly, asked a pertinent question. He wanted to know whether there were enough funds to cater for the project. Responding, Adelami, in his capacity as the director of Finance and Supplies, confirmed the availability of funds for the project. He even assured the gathering of timely payment to the contractor if the Estate & Works department issues a job certification promptly. This was a factor that was harped on in the subsequent weeks after the contracts became controversial. Some House members protested that allocation for the contracts was not included in the 2007 budget of the House of Representatives.

Ogunyomi urged the gathering to extend the scope of the project from six to eight weeks. Arab then said 25 percent of the amount quoted would be paid to State Co. on the commencement of the job while subsequent payments shall be made upon confirmation of stage of execution by the Department of Estate & Works.

Etteh, who had barely said anything since the commencement of the meeting, then asked Sani-Omolori, the director of legal services, a question on the appropriateness or otherwise of the process adopted by the assembly in awarding the contract, especially as it concerns advance payment. Sani-Omolori answered in the affirmative. This fact also became knotty when the transaction became public knowledge. Some members of the House protested that the award of the contract did not follow due process. This led to insinuations in some quarters that the National Assembly did not openly call for tenders before awarding the controversial contracts. Some of the companies that submitted bids for the contracts were not registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission. CAC.

Checks at the CAC in Abuja showed that one of the companies that got the contract for the furnishing of one of the residences was registered in 2000 in the name of a former member of the House of Representatives. The company, Victogenval Nigeria Limited, with registration No 381308 was registered on November 23, 2000 with a share capital of 100,000. Its registered office and address of directors are both located at 38 Ndidem Usang Uso Road, Calabar, Cross River State. It was discovered that all the directors of the company bear the same family name. But the address cited in the letter awarding the contract to Victogenvel was Block B54, Shop 7, Wuse Market Extension in Abuja. The company got the N71,895,000 project for the furnishing of the speaker's official residence within the Apo Legislative Quarters, Abuja.

However, during the July 12 meeting, the officers "unanimously agreed" to approve the award of contract for the renovation of the speaker's official residence to M/S State Co. Nig. Ltd. In a letter ref: NASS/E&W/BC/12/S.144 dated 16th July and signed by Mansur S. Jarkasa for the clerk of NASS, the committee awarded the contract to State Co. During the July 12th deliberations, the committee said it allocated the N238,852,192.95 million contract to it because it was the recommended amount by the Department of Estate and Works which still falls below the quoted figure of N242,478,279. It also agreed that the project must be completed within a period of six weeks. It would pay 25 percent of the cost upfront "charging House Capital Allocation" which the company agreed to. This means the fund for the contract was taken out of the allocation for the House of Representatives for the year.

Not only that, a contract of N71,895,000 was awarded same day, for furnishing the speaker's residence. For this particular contract, M/S Victogenvel Nig. Ltd. submitted a bid of N71,895,000, M/S Homelink Holdings Ltd. proposed N93,250,000 while M/S Bulktrade & Investment Co. Ltd. made the highest bid of N105,284,000. In letter ref. NASS/E&W/BC/12/S.145/1 and dated 30th July, the contract was awarded to Victogenvel. Its budget was also drawn from House Capital Allocation. The breakdown states that Victogenvel would expend N52.550 million on furnishing; N10.638 million on curtains and N3,407 million on voile. The Venetian blinds in the speaker's house would cost N300, 000 while beddings would cost N5 million.

After that motion was passed, the Director of Estate & Works made a case for the renovation of the residence of the deputy speaker so as to "make the house more conducive for human habitation." He said the house was commissioned nearly two years ago but had never been inhabited. This resulted in "peeling of tiles, paints and other structural damages."

Continuing, Mahdi said three construction companies responded to "an advertisement" and bidded for this contract. M/S Lee Development Nig. Ltd submitted a quotation of N90, 296, 225:25. M/S CNO Development Ltd quoted N94, 217, 926:00 while M/S Decrew Ltd. submitted a quotation of N92, 587,410:30.

The meeting said the request was in order and was 'timely,' and awarded the contract for the renovation of the residence of the deputy speaker to M/S Lee Development Nig. Ltd. in a letter reference NASS/E&W/BC/S.143 to the tune of N90,296,225:25.

The breakdown shows that the main building would be renovated at the cost of N62,624,866.00; the residence of the aide de camp, ADC, N7,848, 854; external work, N8,962,500. About N4,560,185 was provided for contringency while VAT was N4, 289, 820.25.

For the furnishing of the speaker's residence, a contract of N55,200.000 million was awarded to the same company. Mahdi explained that the house needed to be refurbished because "since the last furnishing was done at the inception of the last legislature, most of the items were either damaged or obsolete items."

At this point Etteh spoke. She corrected the notion that the equipment in the house were damaged. She said there was nothing remaining in the house following the exit of "the last occupant." She further said the span of the household items and equipment was at the expiration of the incumbent's tenure or when they are damaged. Aminu Bello Masari was the immediate past speaker of the House of Representatives. Thereafter, Mahdi presented quotations for furnishing of the speaker's house. Four companies bidded for it. M/S Lee Development Nig. Ltd. submitted a quotation of N55,200,000, M/S De-Crew Ltd.'s was N57,130,000; M/S CNO Development Ltd. bidded at N59,030,000 while M/S MP Associates Ltd. made the highest quotation for the contract with N62,328,922. In letter ref. NASS/E&W/BC/S.137/11 and dated 30th July, Mansur A. Jarkasa wrote to M/S Lee Development Nig. Ltd. that it won the contract.

Another item on the agenda of the meeting was the supply of ten Toyota Land Cruiser VXR 470 EFi Jeeps and two Mercedes Benz S320 cars to the House of Representatives. The jeeps, according to the description, have full option, leather seat, air conditioner, air bag and refrigerator. Explaining the reason why this purchase was necessary, Niyi Ajiboye, the acting clerk to the House of Representatives, said following the inauguration of the sixth House of Representatives, new principal officers were sworn in. Citing that as part of Extant Rules and reviewed remuneration package of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commsssion, Volume ii for legislature at federal, state and local government levels of February 2007, Ajiboye said the purchase of the vehicles "would in no small measure enhance" the legislative and administrative operations of the principal officers of the House of Representatives.

He then announced the names of some automobile traders whom he said were selected through selective tendering after they had responded to an advertisement of the purchase of jeeps placed on the notice board of the National Assembly. M/S Kymco Motors Co. Ltd. quoted N125 million for the purchase of the jeeps at N12.5 million for each jeep. M/S AUSU Nig. Ltd. calculated N13.7 million per jeep to make a total quotation of N136 million naira. M/S NIA Nig. Ltd's quotation was a million higher than AUSU's at N137 million calculated at N13,7 million each. Bras Ventures Ltd., Ineh-Mic Motors and Carcraft Ltd. bidded for the supply of two Mercedes Benz S Class cars. Ineh-Mic and Carcraft proposed a budget of purchase of the two cars at N27 million each, totalling N54 million and N26 million (times) two cars totalling N53 million respectively. Bras got the contract for quoting the lowest price of N49 million naira. It sold each one at N24.8 million. The market price of Mercedes Benz S-320 is N16 million. Therefore, it was over-valued. The two Benz cars are meant for the use of the deputy speaker.

The members, however, complained that the price of N12.5 million for a Toyota Land Cruiser jeep is too expensive. So, they directed that it should be pegged down to N12.3 million. Furthermore, the members expressed their preference for the VXR V8 engine full option leather seat, air conditioner, air bag and refrigerator for the Principal Officers. Kymco Motors Co. Ltd. got the contract to supply 10 Toyota Landcruiser Jeeps at the cost of N123 million.

On the other hand, Bras Ventures got the N49.6 million contract to supply two Mercedes Benz S-320.

Despite the criticisms that have greeted the scam. Etteh appeared unruffled last week. When the House resumed on Tuesday, September 4, the speaker used the opportunity to test her hold on the House. The House commenced proceedings about 11.30 am with a call for order by Bethel Amadi, chief whip, and PDP member from Imo State. Later, Etteh called for prayers by Independence Ogunewe, a member from Imo State, for the repose of the soul of Evan Enwerem, former President of the Senate who died recently.

After the prayer, the speaker called for adjournment. This was put to vote. Those in support had the day. With the adjournment, Etteh was able to get some respite for one day. The next day, she lost control and the Integrity Group had their way.

By press time last week, members of the Integrity Group were involved in series of meetings on how best to take advantage of the probe to actualise their long term objective of getting the speaker out of the exalted office. Loyalists of the speaker are also expected to meet to draw up modalities of saving madam speaker whom they earnestly need to retain their positions as committee chairmen or members of plum committees.

As the Integrity Group intensified its moves to ensure that Etteh was impeached, some of the power brokers behind her emergence as speaker made spirited efforts to save her job. Last Monday, at least three formidable personalities who are the powers behind her throne moved to Abuja to thwart the impeachment plot. Those deeply involved in the battle to ensure that Etteh survives the plot to remove her are Olusegun Obasanjo, immediate past president of Nigeria who is her political godfather, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, governor of Osun State and Yinka Omilani, deputy national chairman of the PDP in the South-West.

Newswatch learnt that these three personalities are not leaving anything to chance in the efforts to see that Etteh wriggles out of the raging political storm.

It was gathered that Obasanjo who got her into office has be making series of moves to ensure that she was not disgraced out of the seat. Apart from Obasanjo, Oyinlola the Osun State governor last Tuesday led a powerful delegation from the state to Abuja to provide moral support to the embattled speaker. Kayode Oladeji, press secretary to the governor, who spoke to Newswatch on phone said that Oyinlola was in Abuja to truncate the impeachment plot.

On his part, Omilani, deputy natonal chairman South-West PDP in defending the speaker said she followed due process in the award of the contract. "We stand by her because we believe she is a credible woman, a woman of integrity and that she was brought up to maintain the rules and regulation of the House because she is not new there. According to the people who are insiders, she followed due process throughout the award of the contract. She also told me that the civil servants who are there, like the director of finance, director of administration were all present at the meeting, at which the contract was awarded," Omilani said.

He claimed that the arrowheads of the plot against the speaker were doing so for selfish reasons. "It is for their own selfish interest and not in the national interest that they want her out as speaker. I was told that one wanted to be chairman of appropriation committee, and another wanted to be the House committee on NDDC but she did not give them the positions. He said South West PDP will stand by the speaker" and ensure she was not booted out of her exalted office.

Besides, the battle to get Etteh off the hook is also being coordinated from the home front by Oba Olatunde Falabi, the Akire of Ikireland who told Newswatch that they are offering prayers for her.

But the big question most people are asking is who really is this woman at the centre of the storm? Who exactly is she and what are her antecedents?

Etteh was born on August 17, 1953 in Ikire, Osun State. She had her early education at Baptist Primary School, Surulere, Ilorin in Kwara State where she obtained her First School Leaving Certificate, after which she proceeded to Aiyedaade Grammar School, Ikire, between 1968 and 1973, for her secondary school education.

Thereafter, she went to London's Morris School of Beauty Culture in 1975 and London College of Modeling in 1976 after which she returned to the country and established a hair dressing salon in Ibadan, Oyo State. While in Ibadan she met her husband, Etteh Etteh, an architect for whom she had two children.

But the speaker has never been seen in public with her husband even on the day she was sworn-in as the first female speaker in the country. This fuelled speculation bordering on her marital status as many Nigerians soon began to wonder aloud why a supposedly happily married woman is not proud enough to appear in public with him. Newswatch investigation in Ibadan and Ikire revealed that the marriage between Madam Speaker and Etteh, had allegedly gone cold. Both of them have gone on their separate ways. It was learnt that although the estranged husband still lives in Ibadan, their two children are not in the country.

Etteh lost her father at a tender age, which left the responsibility of raising her and her siblings to her mother. The speaker's passion for politics was unprecedented even in her childhood. She was said to be in the habit of following politicians to rallies and meetings. This paid off in 1999 when she contested to represent her community in the House of Representatives under the banner of the Alliance for Democracy, AD, and won the ticket to represent Ayedaade/Isokan/Irewole Federal Constituency.

Elected to the House in 1999 on the platform of AD which, immediately, selected her as its chief whip, Etteh decamped to the PDP in 2002 and on the platform of her new party, she was re-elected to the House in 2003.

While in the PDP and in recognition of her leadership qualities, she was elected deputy majority chief whip in the House, a position she held from 2003 to 2007 alongside being the leader of the South- West Caucus in the National Assembly

When she became a lawmaker in Abuja, she enrolled for a part-time Diploma in Law at the University of Abuja in 1999 which she completed in 2003. She is also presently an undergraduate at the same university where she is studying for a Bachelor's degree in Political Science. It is, however, not clear whether she has suspended the programme in view of her present position as the Speaker of the lower legislative house.

It is believed in some quarters that the battles that Etteh has been confronting in the past few weeks have been really coming from some men who perhaps feel uncomfortable that a woman is not good enough to be the speaker of the House of Representatives. The issues of culture and religion have come into consideration. From day one of her ascension to the position, majority of members never saw Etteh as capable of holding on to power for long.

Oba Olatunde Falabi, the Akire of Ikireland alluded to this recently when he told Newswatch that majority of Northerners in the House do not want Etteh in such a prime position due to their religious belief. "Most of their women don't go out and they still don't believe that a woman should be a leader|," Oba Falabi said. He said that Etteh has what it takes to lead the House of Representatives, adding that the whole Ikireland and Osun State is solidly behind her. He said that the town would continue to offer prayer for her so that she would come out of her present ordeal unscathed. "Her being there is not due to our making and I believe that those that put her there would see her through the present problem," Oba Falabi told Newswatch.

Etteh has contributed immensely towards the development of Ikire by attracting federal projects to the area. Among projects listed by the Oba as those facilitated by the speaker are a hospital at Odeyinka, State Security Service, SSS, post, the sinking of bore holes and the establishment of a liaison office of the Bells University owned by former President Obasanjo in Ikire.

In recognition of her contributions to the development in the area she was honoured with chieftaincy title Iyalaje of Ikireland.

Her road to the top in politics did not come easy. Tiamiyu Alarape, an indigene of the town told Newswatch that some members of the community were not happy with her when she was to contest the election in 1999 as she was told point blank to go and contest in her husband's constituency. But the people changed their position and are now her supporters. Alarape hoped that the speaker would survive her present ordeal so that more developmental efforts would get to the community through her effort.

The speaker has also been able to erect some structures for herself in her home town. Apart from the family's compound at Isale Popo, Ikire, where her mother resides, Etteh has built a befitting personal residence for herself in the town.

When Newswatch visited the family house last Tuesday, the speaker's mother was said to have travelled while only one police officer and two domestic staff were at her private residence. They all declined to speak with Newswatch.

The speaker's problem in the House started with the discontent among members on the appointment to the House Committees. Those who considered themselves more friendly to her did not get what they had perhaps hoped for. From then on, members who lent helping hands in the emergence of Etteh started nursing some sense of betrayal and had only waited for the opportune time to fight back.

When Etteh was picked by her colleagues to become the speaker of the House of Representatives, it came as a pleasant surprise to most members of the public, since it made her the first woman in Nigeria's political history to occupy that exalted position. This explains why her historic emergence as head of the lower legislative chamber in the present dispensation was accepted in many quarters as a welcome development.

Not surprisingly the women folk in Nigeria were in the forefront in celebrating this development as they saw it as a welcome break from the male-domination, if not near-monopoly, of administrative power at that level of governance in the country. For them, Speaker Etteh had blazed a trail which was certain to see more women rising to the pinnacle of power.

Many had argued and rightly too that the minimum qualification specified for the office was school certificate which she possesses. But Newswatch learnt that apart from the awards of contracts for the renovation of her official quarters, some of her colleagues in the House felt scandalised over what they termed the speaker's low level performance.

Newswatch learnt that some lawmakers in the House were shocked when the speaker, after marking her birthday in the United States of America, simply returned to the country without using the opportunity of her visit to the US to see her fellow female colleagues who presently heads the U.S. House of Representatives.

Her emergence as Speaker also is not without controversy as reports pointedly linked her with former PresidentOlusegun Obasanjo who, it is believed, influenced her choice for the coveted position. Nobody contested with her for the job.

On the business front, Newswatch learnt madam speaker is allegedly to be presently building a hotel in Ibadan and another one in Abuja. The two hotels, whose construction works are going on simultaneously, are at various stages of completion.

Additional reports by Mikail Mumuni and Anza Phillips







© 2007 Newswatch Communications

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Dear ON and PC,

Please let us take it easy with Nigeria, her politicians and the way conflicts especially over monumental corruption are resolved. Kissing and making up is the only way out because nobody wants to rock a boat in which all will end up in the water and perish. We do not expect anything better and to be sure these processes have been with us for a long time. It is now a well known fact that leadership at all levels of government in Africa and Nigeria in particular is one critical challenge to any meaningful development and progress in the 21st century.
So Etteh and co including Uba are mere metaphor's for this monumental challenge. I do not even know if the Ghana model can still work in Nigeria of today but Nigerians should get ready for a very rough and long ride ahead. The journey may take a better part of the 21st century culminating in a melt down akin to Somalia, Liberia or Sierra Leone, but it will take a long time to come.:twisted::twisted::twisted:

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I hope Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State is reading this write up for a full understanding of the magnitude of the forces against him.

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From what is happening now, there is really no hope for this country. Nigeria has finally arrived at a point of no return. If all the public outcry against corruption and treasury looting is not touching our leaders heart, then Nigerians should gear up towards a change of the most violent type. Corruption in Nigeria has always assumed different forms. How can Nigerians allow a group of heartless demons to be in charge of their affairs? If N300 billion was allocated for road maintenance under Obj and not even one road was rehabilitated, why have Nigerians nit asked where this money has gone to?

Why have they not staged street protests to demand explanation of what happened to $8 billion voted for power. In the recent times, one has witnessed the most naked display of mass deceit. We are now saddled with a man who calls himself servant leader, a president who professes to be an angel, having zero tolerance for corruption but would end up being the most corrupt. The most annoying part is that he daily insults the intelligence of Nigerians.

In his last week's address of world press he was heard saying that madam speaker must answer charges against her. How could he make such statement when he is working to underground to undermine whatever committee that is set up to probe her? It is either Nigerians have lost their minds or the people themselves have accepted corruption as a way of life.

Right now Nigeria has become the proverbial puzzle with no solution. The people who are fighting corruption are themselves enmeshed in it. Before ex governor Turaki could finish saying that he removed N10 billion from Jigawa's state treasury to finance Obj's 3rd term bid, Malam Ribadu rebuked him saying there was no such thing. He also said the money Andy Uba carried on his trip with Obj was his private money and as such needed no investigation.The president said he would govern by the rule of law and have zero tolerance for corruption but he would accept stolen money from governors to finance his election. His present stance on the trial of ex governors is like poking his finger in the eyes of Nigerians. The trials of notorious ex governors like Kalu, Odili and Ibori must be put on hold and there is nothing we can do about it.

What is happening in Nigeria exists only in folklore, where a governor before leaving office would secure a court order to stall his future trial. He could have gone even to the extent of securing an order preventing his trial as long as he is alive.

When one reads news about Nigeria, one begins to wonder whether Nigerians are normal human beings. Despite all the scandals on his head, Andy Uba could still call the shots in the country. Till now he has not explained his role in the money laundry affair with presidential jet and he cannot tell us how he acquired his doctorate degree.

The system is too rotten that even a Rawlings would not do. Fixing Nigeria would mean doing away with anybody has participated and is still in politics. Our politicians are a band of crooks and treasury looters.

My only concern now is that innocent people are being slaughtered in Niger Delta on the orders of a president who Nigerians did not elect and who speaks with both sides of his mouth. Right now it is criminal for anyone to be law abiding in Nigeria, a nation that has no regard for law and order.

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=overdryv;207102>From what is happening now, there is really no hope for this country. Nigeria has finally arrived at a point of no return. If all the public outcry against corruption and treasury looting is not touching our leaders heart, then Nigerians should gear up towards a change of the most violent type. Corruption in Nigeria has always assumed different forms. How can Nigerians allow a group of heartless demons to be in charge of their affairs? If N300 billion was allocated for road maintenance under Obj and not even one road was rehabilitated, why have Nigerians nit asked where this money has gone to?

Why have they not staged street protests to demand explanation of what happened to $8 billion voted for power. In the recent times, one has witnessed the most naked display of mass deceit. We are now saddled with a man who calls himself servant leader, a president who professes to be an angel, having zero tolerance for corruption but would end up being the most corrupt. The most annoying part is that he daily insults the intelligence of Nigerians.

In his last week's address of world press he was heard saying that madam speaker must answer charges against her. How could he make such statement when he is working to underground to undermine whatever committee that is set up to probe her? It is either Nigerians have lost their minds or the people themselves have accepted corruption as a way of life.

Right now Nigeria has become the proverbial puzzle with no solution. The people who are fighting corruption are themselves enmeshed in it. Before ex governor Turaki could finish saying that he removed N10 billion from Jigawa's state treasury to finance Obj's 3rd term bid, Malam Ribadu rebuked him saying there was no such thing. He also said the money Andy Uba carried on his trip with Obj was his private money and as such needed no investigation.The president said he would govern by the rule of law and have zero tolerance for corruption but he would accept stolen money from governors to finance his election. His present stance on the trial of ex governors is like poking his finger in the eyes of Nigerians. The trials of notorious ex governors like Kalu, Odili and Ibori must be put on hold and there is nothing we can do about it.

What is happening in Nigeria exists only in folklore, where a governor before leaving office would secure a court order to stall his future trial. He could have gone even to the extent of securing an order preventing his trial as long as he is alive.

When one reads news about Nigeria, one begins to wonder whether Nigerians are normal human beings. Despite all the scandals on his head, Andy Uba could still call the shots in the country. Till now he has not explained his role in the money laundry affair with presidential jet and he cannot tell us how he acquired his doctorate degree.

The system is too rotten that even a Rawlings would not do. Fixing Nigeria would mean doing away with anybody has participated and is still in politics. Our politicians are a band of crooks and treasury looters.

My only concern now is that innocent people are being slaughtered in Niger Delta on the orders of a president who Nigerians did not elect and who speaks with both sides of his mouth. Right now it is criminal for anyone to be law abiding in Nigeria, a nation that has no regard for law and order.

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Take heart Overdryv. You read the high chief of her clan said they are praying for her. Very soon the emirs, obis, church pastors, market women etc will join to pray for. To think that these are the same people you are fighting on their behalf tells the whole sorry story.

Have you ever bothered to ask why throughout Obj's regime till now, the NANS, one of the most potent weapons of civil rejection of maladministration/corruption has remained disorientated, only very actively effective in killing each other in a theatre field called CULT. Revelation from what is going on in Port Harcourt is a peep to what these politicians have done to NANS and our dear fatherland.

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A CROOK IS A CROOK IS A CROOK!

In the manner of her mentor and rumoured fornication partner, Igbochukwu Matthew Aremu a.k.a as Ali Baba the Chief Thief, Ms. Etteh has proven herself to be shallow, empty-headed, profligate and sleazy, in short a comsummate crook who combines a dizzying dose of incompetence and vulgarity tinged with a false sense of self-worth bordering on impunity. That this uncultured character is today calling herself speaker of Nigeria's House of Representatives must be seen as a damning indictment of us all. We seem to actively participate in the routine rituals of our debasement by callous potentates and their confederates.

We must be living in a fool's paradise to imagine even for a split second that something substantially reforming can be derived from these impostors - Yar'Adua included. And verily, our "servant-leader" president seems to be having lots of fun at the expense of gullible Nigerians these days. Thanks, for instance, to The Guardian, we now have the revelation that the ex-katsina governor is very popular in all the six zones of the country! All that in the name of 100 days of moving around in circles and basically avoiding studiously to launch a transparent probe of Obasanjo's violent and corrupt regime that has stollen or squandered the nation's resources in the last eight years of a most depraved and backward autocracy.

A product of the corrupt and criminal process that threw him and the likes of Madam Speaker up as "leaders", Yar'Adua is not likely to commit "class" suicide by being instrumental in the much-needed destitution of the perfidious woman embroiled in the renovation scandal. It behoves on citizens to mount a robust, purposeful and grassroots-based campaign to call for the resignation of the morally-challenged Ms. Etteh. But more importantly, we must demand the immediate dismantling of INEC and its corrupt framework that was remarkably responsible for the emergence of such rotten characters that today populate the highest levels of the nation's decision-making bodies.

As for the buffoons wanting to make this clear case of sleaze against the crooked speaker a North vs. South issue or even a gender one, they should be reminded that such puerile and imbecilic antics are bound to fail.

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Optimist(i-g-b),

Cultism on Nigerian campuses is the culmination of the many years of Ogboni and Pirates confraternity the Yorubas gave to us. The case of Sea dogs is very appalling since it had no known motive. It was mainly used by members to instil fear in other students who tried to meddle with their girlfriends. The authorities should have killed it at inception but it was allowed to blossom.

In the case of Ogboni, only Murtala Mohammed tried to fight it,which might have contributed to his assassination. This is one evil organisation which held Nigeria hostage as virtually all judges and lawyers were members.

On the issue of NANS, their failure to act as a watch dog against bad governance is a reflection of general corruption of the populace. Which student leader today would not accept financial inducement from government?

Nigeria's problems must also be reappraised in a wider perspective. I met a guy the other day. He said he made his money by doing ''Exam Runs'' in Nigeria. After his graduation he was going from centre to centre writing various exams for people for a fee. Nigeria is a country where parents shop for ''Expo'' for their children . What morals do one expect from students who got their admission exams written for them?

Me sha O, I have given up on Nigeria.

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“A source said, ‘The two parties decided to sheathe their swords and halt the impeachment of the Speaker. Those against Etteh gave her a condition to reconstitute the membership of some of the committees in the House. They also asked the Speaker to be mutually consultative on major issues, especially contracts.’”

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If these accounts are true - if it is true that the Hairdresser turned Speaker has been saved, then Tonsoyo and Udokaamah may have just won when they argued the last time, in a manner that potrayed them as asking for the Hairdresser to be left alone while we focus on "cleansing the system".

I am sad.

Auspicious.

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From the foregoing, it is now clear that the emancipation of our country from the clutches of corruption is a mirage at least in the foreseeable future.

How on earth did this lady of low quality get nominted by her party, then win the party's primaries and eventually triumphed at the general election? These are the consequences of Godfatherism? It also speaks of the level in which governance has been reduced in Nigeria. It is no longer the beginning of the end, but indeed the end itself as Tai Solarin of blessed memory will say.

One thing is clear, we're just few inches away from the gates of Somalia! We shall get there and I don't think there will be any more Nigeria to pillage by the politicians. I cry for my beloved country.:cry::cry:

bye-bye-oh. I be una broda,
jaga-jaga