.A bolekaja presidency

In search of some hidden terrorists in the heart of Abuja, the designated offices for his Preside...Read the full article.

[kvin33]

I don't understand. Are you disputing the EFCC report or asking us and the NASS to just ignore it? There may be political bad blood, but the V.P like a lot of public officials has a lot of skeletons in his closet. "His" day of reckoning is here, everyones' will come one day. I didn't hear you or him say he is innocent! Assuming he'll win the impeachment fight is for now, I believe highly presumptuous. Counting his support during the TTA, before the EFCC report and assuming that the then observed strength will hold despite current developments is literally equivalent to counting your chickens before....

Are you saying, he'll ignore the proceedings? He'll refuse to appear?? He'll explain that the EFCC and US State Attorney office are liars and witch hunting him unfairly?? We'll all welcome him defending himself. However, this silly defence that everyone was doing it, the president was aware of it, the FG never lost a kobo, is with all due respect, Hogwash! If he and you think that he has so much support that he can admit to the charges and get let off by the NASS, he must be delusional.

Let me make one observation: OBJ is devastatingly efficient on opponents whenever he has the law on his side, and bumblingly pathetic when he attempts to force unlawful events. Check his history. In my view, a purely subjective judgement, Atiku is holding the short end of the stick on this one. The sad part is that support he had during TTA from certain presidential hopefuls WILL NOT be forthcoming this time as they will enjoy pruning a potential heavyweight out of the field.

[Auspicious]

A tricky one here. Auspicious will reserve his comments and siddon look.

[Free Publius]

Oga,

Dont be too rash in dismissing Abati's writings on this issue. Yes, in a perfectly rational environment, Atiku will be dead, if he doesnt resign immediately. But we're talking about Nigeria and, though Atiku doesnt have the EFCC at his disposal, he nonetheless knows where a lot of dead bodies are buried. And, I dont get the impression he's the type to give up without a BIG fight. Stay tuned! The drama is just beginning to unfold.

Free Publius

[sniper]

I Am Inclined To Disagree With You This Time Around And As The English Will Say That It Is Total Bullocks That Rub Is Talking About, I Am Dissappointed That Rub Is Making Us Feel That Atheifku Is A Clean Nigerian,
I Also Know It Is People Like Rub That Hides The Evil People Like Atheifku Mete On Nigerians Under A Nice Fabric. My Questions To Rub Are:
1. Is Athiefku Clean?
2. Is He Above The Law Of The Land That He Can Not Be Investigated.
3. Should There Be A Celebrity Style Way Of Calling The People That Embezzle Our Money With Reckless Impunity To Book.
4. Why Should Rub Feel This Step To Rid Our Country Of Corrupt Officers Will Fail.
I Am Surprised That That Word Which Hunt Still Echoes In Nigeria When Corruption Is Been Investigated, Finally I Say I Can Not Be Fooled When I See A Thief I Know One And They Must Not Be Spared Let Us Treat Them Like The Common Theif In Mile Twelve They Dont Deserve Any Pity.

Thank you Abati for this balanced piece. There is quite a lot that meets the eye in this current palaver between OBJ and Atiku.

I have read the report and note that the evidence is not strong enough for any impeachment. What is clear is that the vindictiveness of OBJ, once again, has been brought to the fore. I am worried about the type of people running Nigeria. OBJ has not shown any maturity in the handling of this case. In normal cases of this nature, given the corpus of this report and where suspicions may be evident, then refer the case to a court of competent jurisdiction. When the court has decided it would then be proper to send findings to the national assembly, if a guilty verdict was pronounced by the said court. Referring the case to the National Assembly now is puuting the cart before the horse. This is a diversion meant to split the Assemblymen/Senators and detract them from passing the many issues/bills before the house.

While no one is condoning any form of malfeasance in government, one applauds the EFCC for the transparency of the report. But it should go further to investigate the presidency, as there are many issues of financial irregularities: demanding money by coercion for the building of a presidential library, withdrawing monies from the Abuja Stadium account, being mute about the account of the Petroleum Ministry for which OBJ has been the sole Minister for the past seven years, his influence in the Transcorp buy out of the Abuja Hilton using the Stock Exchange as a 'de facto' collateral.

In short, the days of the long knives are here and Nigerians are going to witness accusations and counter accusations. A massive distraction from the thievery that is going on now in the executive branch of government. One thing is clear, none of the current crop of leaders should be allowed to rule Nigeria again.

Siddon look is apt in this circumstance as the nation grinds to a halt!

Objective! Very objective indeed! These observations are quite valid. I hope others see it this way.

In reality, the mass media is a very powerful tool. People tend to believe that everything in print must be true - just so long as it is in print. Unfortunately it does not work that way. Tommorow, if The News publishes anything untoward about Ribadu, people will take it as the gospel truth without crosschecking facts.

I think it is still too early to draw conjectures on this issue; let us watch events as they unfold. That was how the media was awash with stories about how Pastor Odukoya prayed for kids just before the Sosoliso plane crashed yet if you interview the survivors of the crash, they tell you that they had no clue - nada - not even a pilot warning; the plane just went boom! The government tells you they financed the hospital bills of the survivors??? Big fat lie! The abandoned them leaving oil companies that had no link with the incidentl to struggle with the bills. The government only grabbed political photo opportunities from the catastophe through the media; and for many of us it was simply the gospel truth.

If you believe what the government feeds you, you will end up believing your grandmother must have been gay.

[Profegee]

I think this is an indication of answered prayers.

The new Nigeria of our dreams devoid of selfish interest, corruption, business-as-usual and cruelty is just beginning. If it does not happen this way, my people, in what better form do we expect it?

Let's keep our fingers crossed as truth unfolds itself. The response of the National Assembly will definitely tell us if they still live in the past. Certainly, it is very obvious that the true wealth of Vice President Atiku Abubakar is from the N30,000 loan of yester years devoid of dirty deals. Hmm! His hands are really clean

Well, his self defence clearly shows his guilt. I wonder why some Nigerians find it dificult to be down-to-earth. Asked of the coincidence and gifts from the beneficiaries of the transfer of PTDF money to ETB and TIB, the response is OBJ also has some gifts from the same set of the people.

I wonder why some loyalists of Atiku are talking of impeachable offences against OBJ, the offences they never saw any reasons to follow up before now. It reveals the calibre of our representatives

We need not trouble ourselves unreasonably, some of these properties would soon become Nigeria's: the universities at Badagry and Yola, some strange shares, etc. We are nearer the true Nigeria of our dreams.

Cheers.

Profegee.

Senators and other Nigerians should be careful with Obasanjo because IF they allow him to finish with Atiku, he will turn on them in true dictator fashion.

Obasanjo should stop this witch-hunting and focus on doing his job as president to take the Nigerian masses out of the poverty land. It is clear that OBJ's body language is geared for power-mongering and not to service to the electorate.

[UncleTisha]

THISDAY - 08 SEPT 2006

While Vice President Atiku Abubakar maintains his innocence on the EFCC report, THISDAY checks reveal that the five-man administrative panel, set up by President Olusegun Obasanjo actually indicted him.

The panel, headed by the Attorney General and Justice Minister, Mr. Bayo Ojo, had as members, FCT Minister, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, Education Minister, Mrs. Obiageli Ezekwesili, Minister of State for Water Resources, Mr. Dada and the National Security Adviser, Major General Sarki Muktar.

A copy of the report, available to THISDAY went into details on the activities of all the principal characters with the following conclusion on Atiku:

"The VP supervised the PTDF among other agencies. He admitted he authorised the placements as deposits in the banks based on the satisfactory reasons given by the Executive Secretary PTDF.

"He admitted ES-PTDF forwarded requests for release of funds to him and he would decide which was necessary to be sent to Mr. President for approval. On the $50m approval/placement, he claimed he could not remember if he was involved or not.

"Having carefully perused the report of the EFCC, interviewed and had interactive sessions with all those listed at page 5 above and gone through the various documents provided, the following are our findings and recommendations:

"We are of the view that His Excellency, Vice President Atiku Abubakar (hereinafter referred to as the VP) abused his office and position by diverting funds approved for the PTDF operations to placements in ETB and TIB Plc, instead of implementing the projects budgeted for. The funds were deposited in the two banks at below-market rates over a period of time.

"Indeed, the projects are only being approved for implementation in 2006 which raises the question why the funds were withdrawn from the Treasury in the first place, so many years ago.

It is the view of the Panel that these actions benefited private business interests and those of the VPs friends and associates like Otunba Fasawe and Chief Mike Adenuga rather than the public interest of accelerated implementation of the projects.

"We also find that the VP's action in unilaterally approving the disbursement of the sum of $20m (without the approval of the President and the Federal Executive Council as was done for the initial $125m), violated the constitution and amounted to conduct unbecoming of the VP's high office.

"We view the VP's explanation to the Panel that he thought the President and FEC's global approval of the sum of $125m covered him on this subsequent approval as untenable.

"On the basis of the findings above, the VP should be indicted and held accountable for the various acts of embezzlement and fraud that took place in PTDF with his approval and under his supervision.

"In view of the VP's constitutional immunity, the matter should be referred to the Code of Conduct Bureau for necessary action."

[WaleAkin]

Abati is such a witty and highly sarcastic fella, what a title!!

My generation halfly met the public transport in old Lagos called Bolekaja which has a metal front and wooden rear with back tailboard like a Pick Up van, the name Bolekaja according to history was coined as a result of incessant fighting between the conductors and commuters and instead of the exchange of blows and negative innuendoes on board, the conductors would ask the commuters to come down from the bus and fight, hence the word BOLEKAJA, "come down and fight"

Obasanjo and Atiku have been fighting inside the Aso Rock villa(The Bolekaja Villa) for a very long time, now the latter has gone to the Senate to act as referee. The question now is, will Atiku come down to fight?

Abati, thats a very good one for a Friday!!


Cheers,
Wale

[IZONERE]

These two men might end up destroying themselves. We have all been saying that this might be a good thing for Nigeria but will it really? OBJ and Atiku are not the only crooks in our system. Will the senate president be any better?

[ELAWALO]

While I find Reuben's piece interesting and insightful. It is worth noting that the recurrent issue with Nigeria has been that we have the wrong people in places of authority and significance.
As expected the VP should held accountable for the disbursment of funds and their placement in the said banks. However Mr Presido OBJ is no saint either. By coincidence all these are coming to light at a time Mr VP is seeking to replace OBJ at Aso Rock. We all know what OBJ's misgivings are regarding his VP ' ambitition.
Numerous factors can be adduced for our current state of affiars as a country .. the simple truth is that neither Atiku or OBJ qualify to be occupants of the highest office. They are just pawns in the game that known "Bandits", "Confusionists" and the "Confused" are playing with our country. I think both OBJ and Atiku can be painted with the same brush !
End of Story !

[Abraxas]

Hi, folks!

(1) What if Atiku ABUBAKAR is successfully impeached, who would want to be the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for just under 8 months of his or her life?

Haba! Even Admiral Mike AKHIGBE had it better, despite the circumstances.

(2) What if the PDP Family way is applied to the solution of the Obasanjo-Abubakar wahala: i.e. by the usual reconciliation, rehabilitation and remuneration.

In simple English, PDP would reconcile the North and South of Nigeria, through the reconciliation of General Olusegun Obasanjo and Customs Officer Atiku Abubakar, by the consession of the post of President and Commander-in-Chief to the North (Atiku Abubakar ) for two (2) terms (2007 - 2015), with the South (either OBJ or his proxy) as the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

If OBJ falls for the bait, (which some say he is humble enough to consider favourably), then he would be in his 80s - 90s by the end of that administration! If, however, OBJ chooses a proxy, it is very likely that the peron would come from the South-South, very likely, the incumbent Governor of Cross River State, Mr. Donald Duke.

So, with an Atiku Abubakar-Donald Duke presidency, the PDP can atleast dream of holding on tenuously to political power in Nigeria for another 8 years, at least, as yet to be agreed.

(3) What if Atiku ABUBAKAR is NOT impeached, would OBJ be ready to tender his resignation on "principle", since the non-impeachment of his personally chosen Vice President is, more or less, tantamount to the National Assembly, the representatives of over 130 million Nigerians, passing a vote of no confidence in him?


(4) What if OBJ dies before the end of the impeachment process, CONSTITUTIONALLY, can Atiku Abubakar still cover the duties of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the balance of the lifetime of this yeye Obasanjo-Abubakar administration?

Muchas gracias.


Don Juan Carlos ABRAXAS (III)

[nkechi patrick]

Many thanks, mr. abati, for this carefully written and well balanced piece. This is what i take from your article:


"In seven years, the President sent so many bills to the National Assembly which have not been attended to. He and his aides should be more interested in pushing the lawmakers to focus on those bills which can expand the space for human freedom; laws which will strengthen the education sector and the economy, laws which can create jobs for the army of unemployed youths."

Obasanjo has failed nigerians and to leave us in this mess means he does not give a damn! Bolekaja and ajegunle boys are waiting for hime, as soon as he can get out of his toy-room-aso rubbish!

[Watchman]

This article is very disappointing and I am very surprised Abati would write such an article. It is very premature; at worst he should have kept quiet and let events unfold. What is going on is very very serious and it transcends personal politics and petty quarrels within the presidency. The issues involved are central to our survival and progress as a nation. Abati seems to be implying that the president should have just continued ‘business as usual’ pretend as if nothing happened and leave office quietly without rocking the boat. Such ideas and suggestions are not only dangerous they are the core tendencies that have undermined this nation over the years. What is he talking about!!!!!!! This is the vice president one of the major contenders for the top office???? I hope we all have our heads on the right way.

In any decent society the VP would have resigned and cleared his name. If and when he clears his name he can then come back to contest and people will be sympathetic to his cause. Has it become ‘do or die I must get into office by all means, matter’? The standards being set for office holders is so low it is pathetic, all kinds of questionable characters, from questionable backgrounds supported by questionable resources have now come out to contest for president. IBB, ATIKU, YERIMA, KALU, MARWA ETC ETC. And for goodness sake people should stop talking about ‘selective investigations’ ‘persecution’ etc etc. If you are a thief you have no right to talk about selective targeting, clear your name first then come and tell us about selectivity. Why isn’t the EFCC chasing Buhari????

What really worries me is that Abati wrote this article. Respected journalists writing for reputable papers should be helping settings standards and bringing clarity to issues, and not lowering the standards and creating further confusion. If he of all people cannot read the import of the reports by the EFCC and the administrative committee or is deliberately sidestepping or creating confusion over the issue then we should be very worried. This issue is not just about having sufficient proof of guilt. Its about the integrity of the office of the Vice president (the man should not demean the office by fighting a dirty war from THE OFFICE) and about the character of persons who aspire to the position of president (we need people who are more concerned about integrity, service and the office than their personal gains).

It seems to me that the major reason the VP has not resigned is that without his immunity he might be subject to criminal prosecution. It is very likely he will be able to thwart any attempt to remove him, but in winning that battle he may lose the war.

[MrOneNaija]

For over seven years now, some of us have consistently warned Nigerians through our writings about the serious danger posed by Obasanjo and his eerie regime. A recurring theme of those writings is the sordid reality that the anti-democratic and truculently pedestrian posture of the tyrant has largely contributed to a profound and unprecedented debasement of the Nigerian presidency. That Obasnjo's violent and reckless ways have taken their toll on the Nigerian psyche is no longer news. The Obasanjo-oedered massacres at Odi, Zaki-Biam, etc., the '419 elections' of 2003, the sacking at gunpoint of Audu Ogbeh by Obasanjo, the Obasanjo-sponsored anarchy in Anambra, the military coup in Oyo and Bayelsa, the expropriation of national assets by the pillaging monster at Aso Rock and his confederates, the evil attempt by the dictator to stay in power beyond May 2007, etc. , all these sad events point to a soi-disant leadership in a state of disarray. Yet, what is new is the fact that there are indications that Nigerians are now beginning to fight back. But as if to make matters worse, as popular opposition to the lunatic of Aso Rock mounts, there are indications that a combination of desperation and fear is driving the tyrant further into the pit of criminality and isolation. The latest attempt by the dictator to use the prostitute called Ribadu and his gestapo-like outfit against Atiku is a case in point. And Nigerians must not allow this evil to stand.

Nigerians should be gladdened at the prospect that, to paraphrase the bard, the evil that men do lives after them... Obasanjo's perdition is just beginning. From the intoxicating, yet deceptive heights of born-again apostasy, the Nigerian Caligula is now ensured of a choice abode in the hell of ignominy - in the apt company of the likes of Bode George, Chris, Uba, Amadu Ali, Anenih, the old and dangerous fool derisively called the garrison commander of Ibadan politics, etc. Nigerians should rise and salvage their country from the tribe of degenerates now pretending to rule them.

P.S. My last piece posted on Nigeria Village Square (and elsewhere) is aptly entitled "The Sad and Pathetic End of Obasanjo".
http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/...ondu/index.php

This is third-term, round #2. This time, OBJ is not looking for extension of his office, but for the destruction of Nigeria and anybody that is to take over from him. The man thinks that Nigeria belongs to him and that if he cannot rule, nobody should rule.

You lost the first round because you had no ground to stand on and because you lack the mental capacity to win such a monumental deception.
You will also lose the second round because of the same qualities in you.
You will not only lose this one, but every murder you ever committed and every penny you ever stole will be exposed.
Keep watching!

Atiku lists OBJ’s 127 impeachable offences - As Senate receives EFCC report on VP
From AKIN DURODOLA, TAIWO ADISA and JACOB SEGUN OLATUNJI - 08.09.2006

VICE President Atiku Abubakar has threatened to present National Assembly members with 127 impeachable offences against President Olusegun Obasanjo, as he said he was ready to respond to the allegations made against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in details.


Abubakar, responding to an impeachment notice against him forwarded by the President to the Senate, said the president and not himself, should be impeached. One of the offences, according to him, was the alleged “milking the state oil company (NNPC) of funds for political purposes.”


The vice president’s spokesman, Garba Shehu, while saying that Abubakar was not afraid of the allegations against him, stated that he would respond to them in detail, adding that the vice president was also planning to ask the Senate to investigate Obasanjo himself on what he said were impeachable offences.


Shehu, in a statement, described the report of a “so-called” investigation of his (Abubakar’s) alleged wrongdoing submitted to the Senate as a “cocktail of lies and malicious fabrications calculated to smear his name.” He said Atiku was confident that the Senate would throw out the report because of its “inconsistencies, inaccuracies and illogicalities.”


The vice-president said the report had not been able to link him directly or indirectly to any wrongdoing. According to him, “the EFCC and the ministerial administrative panel that looked into the allegations” against him merely drew their conclusions from the conjectures and totally unrelated accidental happenings. Meanwhile, the Senate, at its sitting on Thursday, received the report and deliberated on it.


The President’s letter to the Senate read in part: “I am constrained to forward to you a complete report on the investigation substantially generated by the request from the US’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and following my own instruction for the investigation of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) as a result of the allegation made by Congressman William J. Jefferson in his letter of May 28, 2004.


“The report of the Administrative Panel of Inquiry chaired by the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and the conclusions of the FEC on the issue are hereby forwarded to you for information of members of the Senate. “Just before the FEC considered the report, the vice president submitted the memorandum dated 6th September 2006 to which my reply dated 6th September 2006 was given.”


The Senate is due to consider the letter on Tuesday. Deputy Leader of the Senate, who is also the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Media and Publicity, Senator Jonathan Zwingina, who briefed Senate correspondents on Thursday, said that the Senate would take the letter through any of its three procedures.


According to Zwingina, the Senate would either refer it to a standing committee, an ad hoc committee or consider the letter in a committee of the whole house. He said it was not true that the Senate had commenced impeachment proceedings against the vice president. “I will want to be very factual about what we received. And I want to let you know that this matter is a very sensitive story and a very serious one. And I want to draw your attention to the communication from the President.”


He said that the President did not make mention of impeachment in the communication and the Senate would consider the matter appropriately. “I just want to correct the impression that the communication forwarded had any specific intention. The intention of the President specified in the letter is for the information of the Senate.

“Now, as you are aware, the Senate has procedures of considering information before it. We have three options; the first and foremost is that this report will be made available to all senators and, as you are aware, the Senate President has undertaken that before we go on weekend break, all senators will have copies. This is to enable them to read and acquaint themselves with the contents of those reports and we will resume to consider the report.


“First the Senate may decide to assign them to a standing committee or second, the Senate may decide to assign them to an ad hoc committee, or third, the Senate may decide to consider them in the committee of the whole house, but I want to say that this would be a decision of the Senate and most senators will have been acquainted with the fact before discussing the matter.


“I, therefore, want to say that we should not rush to conclusion, we should not read into the report and into the letter of the President what was not there,” Zwingina said. In another development, the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday kept mum over the face-off. Though the fresh face-off between the duo was a subject of discussion at the national secretariat among the staff and officials of the party, no official statement was made as at press time.


When the Nigerian Tribune visited the national secretariat located at Wadata Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, the National Working Committee (NWC) was said to be in a meeting mainly to discuss the preparations for the party’s primaries for the election of candidates for the 2007 general election.

[gwobezentashi]

But it is not too late yet for voices of reason (if there are any in this land still) to call on Obasanjo and Atiku to fight by all means as they are determined to, but not to allow their personal squabbles to stand in the way of the Nigerian project.

Wishful thinking. We are now in "roforofo" theatre and it is free fall hereon.

In every major political contest of this nature, the Vice President has demonstrated an understanding of power politics and managed to run a step ahead of his boss.

Well, this time around it seems Mr President is teaching him a lesson in guerilla warfare. For too long, the VP was threatening to open a can of worms. He showed his hand and the President has bared his fangs. This report looks like it was rushed out perhaps to pre-empt anything the VP might say or do, which may now likely be seen in context as "diversionary tactics".

It seems to me also that the hounding of Atiku as if he were already a convicted man is likely to backfire.

The VP has been politically damaged whichever way you look at it. The report has all the makings of a tabloid investigative journalism, deliberately confusing with the dates but sufficiently salacious with mouth watering numbers to reek opprobrium. Recovery for the VP is going to be a hard slog and he has little time left but you may be right that there is not enough to impeach the VP with in that report. It looks more like bad belle politics.

The diversion of Presidential energy into personal squabbles is of no benefit whatsoever to Nigerians.

Hear hear! Its the story of our lives - misplaced priorities and missed opportunities.

If the National Assembly investigates the Vice President and gives him a clean bill of health, the President would have lost face. Why does he want to take such a risk at this time?

My bro, the man cannot lose what he does not have. Face!


Aluta!

Gwobezentashi

This one na proper bolekaja , na wa.

Me thinks no impeachment will happen, this is just another one of the messiah of aso rock's tantrums.
What I find amusing is with all the talk of Atiku is corrupt, this is all they can dish out on the man!! This is not enough damaging evidence to impeach the VP.
One thing that stands out is Atiku's people saying that the VP got the president's authorisation to conduct these transactions, so if the President was aware then, he is equally cupable of this abuse of office allegation. As my dear friend Auspicious states, the buck stops at his door!!!
Obj is in for a shock, I doubt very much if he will be able to pull it off. This confirms he is not a politician and doesn't know how to play the game. He has nothing to bargain with to pull this off at the NASS or anywhere else - Obj doesn't have loyalists to pull this off in Nigeria.
Now if Atiku is taken out of the race, does this clear the way for IBB? is Obj attempting to clear the way for an IBB presidency come 2007?
Mr. Abati is right, Obj should be more concerned with ensuring that outstanding bills before the house aimed at bettering the lot of Nigerians are passed before the end of his administration, stabilising the polity and giving us credible elections next year. not on personal vendetta drives that will probable heat up the polity so much that a state of emergency will be declared!!!

VOR


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