Nigeria tottering towards break-up, now is time for national conference, says Adebanjo

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has again been called upon to, as a matter of urgency, convene a national conference as a way to arrest and avert the country’s journey to full-blown civil unrest and possible disintegration.

Chief Ayo Adebanjo, a frontline Awoist, made the call in a lecture entitled “Threat Against the Ship of State,” which he delivered on the occasion of the 50th birthday of Mr Sina Kawonise, Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, Western Publishing Company, held in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, on Sunday.

Taking an exception to the present constitutional arrangement, he said the problems plaguing the 1999 Constitution were beyond amendment, describing the constitution as fraudulent because it was made by the military and it was unitary in practice rather than the mouthed claim that it was a federal constitution.

In view of the various calls for revenue allocation, based on derivation, the deluge of requests for the creation of more states, Adebanjo called on the president to convene a national conference, saying that, “should he fail to discharge this onerous historical responsibility, posterity will not forgive him.

“It is now a matter of consensus that there is too much power and resources allocated to the Federal Government. The general opinion now is that there should be a drastic devolution of power and resources to the states to reflect a truly federal constitution.

“Issues and ideas, which are very fundamental, are currently being raised against the country’s constitution which, in all honesty, the National Assembly cannot cope with. The constitution requires a drastic review through a surgical operation which can only be done by the convocation of a national conference,” he said.

He, however, said that he deliberately omitted the word, ‘sovereign,’ from his idea of a national conference because of the misconception in some quarters that ‘sovereign in that context would override the sovereignty of the incumbent government.

He described as fallacy the opinion by some people that the unity of the country was not negotiable, saying, “it is a known historical fact that the contraption called Nigeria today is composed of various ethnic nationalities that were colonised and administered separately by the British colonialists until 1914, adding, “to me, our present ‘unity’ is like that of a horse and the rider in which a section of the country is the horse and the other section the rider.”

Alluding to the advice given by the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, in December 1983 to the effect that the ship of the Nigerian state was headed for the rocks unless those in charge then took steps to reverse the trend, he said the events that followed the advice had become distasteful history to the country.

He noted that corruption, which was the order of the day when Awolowo gave the advice during the Second Republic, had now assumed a more frightening dimension and had been joined by terrorism and failure of federalism.

“Regrettably, that wheel of corruption is still very firm in its grip on the country today and it has acquired other powerful and lethal vices as its partners in the steering of the Nigerian ship of state towards the rocks.

“Today, we are faced with the same situation, or perhaps, a worse situation, that prompted Papa Awolowo to issue that proclamation of national emergency. Corruption has been joined by terror and the failure of federalism in steering the ship of the state towards calamitous destination if urgent steps are not taken to immediately address these issues.”

He listed the problems to include the various scandals rocking the House of Representatives, particularly involving the suspended Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms Arunma Oteh, the Honourable Farouk Lawan/Femi Otedola face-off over oil subsidy probe and the police pension scam, among several others.

“It is a matter for great national concern that thief catchers are themselves proving to be thieves, or, perhaps greater thieves than those they were asked to catch in the first instance. Where is the hope for honesty and accountability in Nigeria?

“The fear is that values of corruption are becoming so entrenched that it is difficult to find honest people. The more difficult it is to find honest people, the greater the jeopardy of the future of Nigeria,” he said.

The gathering attracted eminent Nigerians, which included President Goodluck Jonathan, represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr Reuben Abati; former governor of Ogun State, Chief Gbenga Daniel and his deputy, Alhaja Salmot Badru; governors of Ondo and Delta represented by their information commissioners, Mr Kayode Akinmade and Mr Felix Ofou respectively. The Niger State government was also fully represented.

Also in attendance was Ambassador Tokunbo Awolowo Dosumu; the Managing Director/Editor-In-Chief, African Newspapers of Nigeria (ANN) Plc, Reverend Sam Adesua; Editor, Nigerian Tribune, Mr Edward Dickson; Controller, Human Resource, ANN Plc, Mr Fola Oke; Pastor Segun Olatunji and his wife, Oyin, Senator Lekan Mustapha, Chief Alex Onabanjo, Chief Lekan Bello and Sir Olaniwun Ajayi.

Others included Professor Kayode Oyesiku; Senator Kayode Amusan; Special Assistant (Media) to the Oyo State governor, Dr Festus Adedayo; Mrs Dupe Olubanjo of Globacom, Segun Okeowo of Mount Zion Films; Mr Dotun Oyelade; Chief Tunde Odanye, among several others.

The Ebumare of Ago Iwoye, who was the chief host, led several other royal fathers to the events.

Nigerias debt rises by N1.21tn under Jonathan -Punch Investigates...

"In one year of the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, Nigerias debt profile has risen by N1.21tn, SATURDAY PUNCH investigations have shown.



Statistics obtained from the Debt Management Office show that the countrys debt profile rose from $36.45bn (about N5.68tn) in March 2011 to $44.28bn (N6.88tn) as of March 2012.

The domestic debt component stood at $38.37bn (or N5.97tn), while the external debt stood at $5.91bn (or N919.44bn) as of March 31, 2012.

Details of the external debt balance show that multilateral financial institutions account for 83.28 per cent of the countrys foreign debt.

The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, a member of the World Bank Group, accounts for $6.31m, while another member of the group, the International Development Association, accounts for $4.29bn.

The International Fund for Agricultural Development, also a World Bank group member, contributes $70.25m to the nations external debt balance.

The African Development Bank accounts for $43.55m, while the African Development Fund contributes $387.23m to the debt burden.

Non-Paris debts sources are 8.26 per cent of the nations external debt. These include the European Development Fund, $110.08m: and the Islamic Development Fund, $14.56m.

Bilateral loans account for $433.84m, while commercial loans contribute $54.63m.

The $500m, which Nigeria borrowed from the International Capital Market in 2011, accounts for the remaining 8.26 per cent of the external debt.

Details of the domestic debts, on the other hand, show that FGN bonds account for N3.67tn or 61.44 per cent of the money borrowed by the Federal Government from internal sources.

Nigerian Treasury Bills account for N1.95tn or 32.63 per cent, while Treasury Bonds account for N353.73m or 5.93 per cent.

As of March 31, 2011, the nations external debt stood at $5.23bn, while the domestic debt stood at N4.87tn.

This means that within one year, the external debt stock rose by 13 per cent, while the domestic debt stock rose by 22.59 per cent.

Most of the domestic debts were not tied to any specific projects, but were raised to finance budget deficit.

An economist and Head of Research and Strategy at BGL Securities Ltd., Mr. Olufemi Ademola, has attributed the increase in domestic debts to a shortfall in revenue and the controversial oil subsidy expenditure.

What the Federal Government has done over the past few years was to show foreign debts the exit door and open the door widely for domestic debts. That, however, may have been put on the reverse gear with the most recent developments.

Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has not hidden her preference for foreign borrowing.

This means that with the Federal Governments active performance in the local debt market, lenders would always prefer to lend to the government to the detriment of the private sector operators that also need money to develop their business.

Although Okonjo-Iweala championed the nations exit from foreign debt hole between 2004 and 2006, since she resumed in government as the Coordinating Minister for the Economy in 2011, the Federal Government has become more active in the foreign debt market.

The Federal Government had recently presented to the National Assembly a plan to borrow $8bn from external sources for infrastructure development.

The plan met appreciable opposition from some members of the National Assembly.

Had the government gone ahead with the $8bn loan, the move would have upped the Federal Governments foreign debt portfolio to $13.91bn.

While presenting the 2012 budget proposal to the National Assembly, President Goodluck Jonathan had lamented that the domestic debt had been growing at an alarming rate in recent years. The clearest evidence of this is that in 2012, the Federal Government earmarked N560bn for debt servicing.

The President had spoken of curtailing domestic debt, but he gave room for the government to accumulate more debt with a caveat that the debts should not go beyond 30 per cent of Gross Domestic Debt.

At the moment, the debt to GDP ratio is slightly less than 20 per cent. With a latitude of 30 per cent debt to the GDP ratio, the government can add up to 50 per cent of the current debt level.

In a telephone interview, the President of the Campaign for Democracy, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, said the increasing indebtedness was a sign that the nations resources were being mismanaged and that portended a great danger for the economy.

Ademola, on the other hand, said, You are aware that the subsidy on petrol rose from less than N500bn in the budget to more than N2tn. The finance minister has also come out to say that the nation lost 20 per cent revenue to oil theft.

Given these losses in revenues, what the Federal Government had to do was to resort to the local debt market. Statistically, we are still okay. That is when you look at the debt to Gross Domestic Product ratio.

However, generally, this is not good. It means that national debt servicing will continue to grow. The government will continue to pay higher for debt servicing. This will reduce the money available to be spent on other things.

It also means that the interest rate will continue to grow. The average businessman will not be able to borrow at a good rate.

Overall, he said, increasing interest rate will affect the profit that businessmen can make in the country.

The Managing Director, Lambeth Trust Investment Ltd., Mr. David Adonri, said the escalating debt finance by the Federal Government had crowded out the real sector of the economy, and the equities market.

The implication is that the capital being formed by the way of debt is what the government is using to finance consumption, and not investment. Its contributing next to nothing to the economy. Its an action that is destabilising the economy by increasing interest rate and inflation rate. By increasing these two rates, the government is causing more problems to the economy, he added.

The Managing Director, Financial Derivatives Company Ltd., Mr. Bismark Rewane, pointed out that the figure could not be looked at in isolation.

You dont just look at the debt figure. You need to consider a lot of things. For instance, the 20 per cent debt to GDP ratio is low considering the limit. The limit is 30 per cent, he added.

N2.8Bn MISSING. This Nigeria Is A Joke. MUST READ THIS ONE - By timkola

"There is uncertainty in the Ministry of Works and the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation over the whereabouts of N2.8bn toll gate revenue collected between 1999 and 2003.



The amount was declared missing in June 2008 by the Senate Ad hoc Committee headed by Senator Heineken Lokpobiri.

The committee was mandated by the Senate to investigate the management of funds in the nations transport sector between 1999 and 2003 before the toll gates were dismantled.

The former Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr. Ibrahim Dankwambo, had while appearing before the adhoc committee said N4.7bn was generated from toll collections within the four year period.

However, he had stated that only N1.9bn of the revenue was paid into the nations treasury.

The former AGF had assured the committee that his office would set up a panel to find out what happened to the N2.8bn and report back to the Senate.

But it was learnt that Dankambo never did before he vacated office to become the governor of Gombe State.

When asked about the whereabouts of the revenue, the incumbent Accountant-General of the Federation, Mr. Jonah Otunla, told SUNDAY PUNCH that an official letter should be written to that effect.

In compliance with his request a letter dated January 30, 2012 was sent to him.

The letter reads, In June 2008, your predecessor, Mr. Ibrahim Dakwambo appeared before the Senate Adhoc committee, which investigated the management of funds in the transport sector.

The committee, which was headed by Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, was told by Dakwambo that N4.7bn was generated from toll collections between 1999 and 2003 before the toll gates were dismantled.

Instructively, he stated that only N1.9bn was paid into governments treasury.

Since government is a continuum, and the issue involved is of public interest, we therefore, request your office to avail us of report of findings on the said N2.8bn, or what the AGF did on the matter.

We will appreciate supportive documents to validate any claim.

The letter was written in compliance with the Freedom of Information Act.

At the instance of the former Chief Press secretary to the Office of the AGF, Mr. Hasan Dodo, the letter was sent to the Administration Department of the OAGF headed by Mrs. Grace Papka on January 31, and was duly acknowledged.

It was then referred to the Director, Funds headed by Mr. Babayo Shehu on February 2, 2012; from where it further moved to the Office of the Director, Revenue and Investment headed by Mr. Mohammed Dikwa on February 7, 2012.

But since February 7, no official response had been received from the OAGF despite repeated visits to the agency by our correspondent.

The OAGF claimed that its Revenue Department had sent a letter to the Ministry of Works requesting details of the N2.8bn.

The letter reportedly forwarded in April and as of the time of filling this report, no response had been received.

Efforts to verify the status of the letter at the Ministry of Works on Friday were not successful as most ministry officials claimed ignorance of the matter.

At the OAGF, the new information manager, Mr Charles Nwodo, declined to comment on the issue, while his counterpart at the Ministry of Works whose name was simply given as Mr. Theodore, was said to be indisposed.

Section 15 (5b) of the Freedom of Information Act stipulates a period of 30 days for an FOI request to be processed.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Mohammed Adoke, had at a forum said the Act entrusted in his office the responsibility of ensuring compliance by ministries and agencies of government.

'CBN, Not NNPC operates J.P. Morgan secret account', say NNPC

NIGERIAN National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) yesterday fingered the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the operation of a secret foreign account with American bank, J.P. Morgan.

While declining ownership of the account, NNPC said it was opened by the CBN on its behalf in 2002, which remains the sole signatory to the account till date. 

The revelations were made before the Senate Committees on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Appropriation and Finance investigating government's fuel subsidy scheme by the NNPC Group Executive Director (Finance), Mr. Bernard Otti. 

The Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, had on Monday exonerated the ministry from knowing any details about the account, urging the committee to dig deep into the controversial foreign account.

Corroborating the argument, the newly appointed NNPC Group Managing Director, Andrew Yakubu, also reiterated that the CBN is the owner of the account, but the Committee Chairman, Senator Magnus Abe, insisted that Otti  should appear before the committee to throw more light on the status of the account. 

When he appeared on Tuesday, Otti said CBN operates the account on behalf of NNPC right from the onset when the account was opened in the U.S.

His words: "NNPC has no direct contact with the J.P. Morgan account. The account was opened by the CBN on behalf of the NNPC. It was opened in the last quarter of 2002 by the CBN for NNPC.

"The account is operated by NNPC in the CBN. CBN has its correspondent banks to which NNPC isn't a party. NNPC doesn't operate that account. NNPC operates domiciliary account with CBN."

Asked by the committee to be specific whether the NNPC or the CBN operates the account and whose money is paid into the account, Otti replied: "The money paid into the account is crude oil money of Nigeria. We are not party to that transaction. Our relationship with the CBN accounts begins and terminates with that account."

Otti reiterated that the CBN is the only signatory such that the NNPC is not even on the account mandate. “We have no relationship with Morgan whatsoever. We are not in the mandate”.

Not satisfied with the happenings as it relates to the account, the joint committee vowed to explore means to ensure that accounts not known to the Constitution are legalised and monies paid directly into the Federation Account.

At The Mercy Of Their Whims

When the irrepressible Herbert Macauley of blessed memory formed the first Nigerian political party in 1923, he must have done that for altruistic reasons rather than the present trend of cabalistic, nepotistic and cash and carry orientation of our political leaders.

The Nigerian National Democratic Party (NNDP) was not a route to drain the resources of Nigerians who were suffering under unbearable colonial yoke. It was a nascent political navigational route to self-governance and civil rights of ordinary Nigerians of that era.

I will bet my last dime that Herbert Macauley never dreamt about a day like today in our political development. He and his political successors of the pro-independence struggle have been made a laughing stock before their contemporaries in the world beyond. Our current political undertakers have deprived them of the sweet sacrificial aroma the likes of Nkrumah, Julius Nyerere and Leopold Senghor are enjoying due to good governance by their successors.

The recent unmasking of the self-styled “Mr. Integrity” of the National Assembly is a pointer that the country has been thrown to the dogs. Lawan Farouk exhibited the ambiance of a tough, incorruptible and focused law maker worthy of trust by well-meaning Nigerians. He fought numerous battles on our behalf and through that engraved himself in our hearts. Nigerians did not know that beyond the public image was a corrupt and self-opinionated political wheeler dealer of supreme pedigree. Nigerians were once again hoodwinked and left to nurse their broken hearts. The present exercise to clear his name is a futile task because Nigerians have already proclaimed him guilty and there is no appeal on that.

I am tempted to assume that Lawan Farouk is yet to understand the Nigerian factor in the fight against corruption. Hiring four or ten Senior Advocates of Nigerian (SAN) will neither send him to jail nor free him from jail. He should not waste his graft resources on lawyers because political criminals are never convicted in Nigeria. Let him join the list of the infamous and hibernate the usual way until a new dispensation waves the magic wand to cleanse him of present indictment.

No matter how betrayed we feel about the despicable actions of the disgraced Farouk, it is essential we subject the entire drama to strict proof to unearth other clouded aspects of the mess. We need to know the point Mr. Femi Otedola decided to play the spy. Was the entire show a bribery gone sour? Why did Mr. Otedola and his sting contingent not arrest Farouk after he collected the first tranche of US$250,000.00? If the first was an error, why let him go after the second tranche of same amount was collected? Was reporting him to appropriate security agencies an after-thought by the oil mogul? Mr. Otedola must clear his name by playing the recorded videos of the events when Farouk collected huge sums of money from him. Feeding us with audio of the arrangement to collect the balance of the promised US$3m will not suffice in this matter. Reading the transcripts released so far revealed that Otedola was careful on what he said.

Looking at the bigger picture, the financial and energy administration of the country is probably rotten beyond redemption unless something drastic is done to at least halt the trend before applying requisite sanitization measures. The past few days witnessed landmark disclosures of endless fleecing of our commonwealth by those paid to safeguard it. The Farouk saga ultimately provided a convenient distraction for these individuals and their media allies to ensure that Nigerians are prevented from asking the basic questions and calling for appropriate sanctions. It is indeed reprehensible that a section of the media and individuals are celebrating the fatal blow the Otedola/Farouk saga is apparently dealing on the House of Representatives “Subsidy Report.” Are we serious in this country or do we simply crucify the corrupt when we are not the beneficiaries?

It was recently reported that contrary to the directive issued by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in 2009, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) still paid out subsidy on kerosene in a clear case of policy breach. Nobody has asked why at ex depot price of N40.90 per liter, the product is sold at N150/liter? Who is benefiting from the differential? This amounted to a whopping sum of N331,547,318,068.06 (US$2.3billion) in 2011 alone, yet our countrymen and a section of the media are more concerned with a diversionary showpiece. I wonder if we can build a better nation when we are clothed with selfishness and hypocrisy.

On the heels of this huge financial loss to the state emerged a shocking revelation by the Hon. Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the economy, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala that she simply has no clue on the oil revenue receipts. On what basis is she managing the economy then? I am tempted to scorn the N2.19trillion subsidy figure she presented as under-estimated. To imagine that the mentioned sum was paid out last year and followed by the noise about the linear relationship between increase in pump price and subsidy reduction is the greatest absurdity the current administration has visited on Nigerians. It really makes one to wonder where our present crop of leaders emanated from. Surely, Nigerians are in real deep hole and only a free and democratic election can free us in 2015.

The hopelessness of our situation is not helped by the citizens. At times bad leaders are encouraged to entrench recklessness and impunity by the same people they have subjugated to various degrees of dehumanization. The practice of upfront drawdown of democratic dividends by voters and opinion leaders is one of the greatest dangers facing our democratic development. You cannot c sale your votes to a politician and later expect him to care about your sufferings. The same fate awaits the ethnic and religious bigots who mortgage themselves because of parochial considerations. Like I have always written, your tribesman and religious soul mate will not build a different petrol station or market for you. We will all shop at the same market.

The whimsicality exhibited by our leaders and power brokers is difficult to undersand. We are at all times at the mercy of their whims. Otedola cannot answer questions from the national Assembly unless his choice of public hearing is adopted is a typical example of this negative tendency. The President damned the entire nation concerning his assets declaration is another example. Farouk’s refusal to present the fruit of his corruption defines this new attitude of our leaders. Examples indeed abound to buttress this emerging characteristic of Nigerian politicians.

I urge all Nigerians to join hands in slicing this budding negativity before it becomes too late. We cannot perpetually remain at the mercy of their whims.

$620,000 bribery probe: Otedola refuses to testify in camera, second audio tape released

The controversial oil businessman, Femi Otedola refused to answer questions in camera relating to the $620,000 bribery scandal involving him and a lawmaker, Farouk Lawan before the House of Representatives Committee on Ethics and Privileges on Tuesday

Otedola, accompanied by his lawyer, Mr. Jide Koku (SAN) submitted a terse speech that he would only do so if the session would be broadcast live on a national television where Nigerians and the media could watch him.

After 120 minutes behind closed doors, Chairman of the Committee, Mr. Gambo Musa, told journalists, “Unfortunately, he (Otedola) was misguided, either by his lawyer or some people not to talk to us. We did all we could to explain our powers under the constitution (1999), but Otedola refused to answer questions.

“He said that he would do so only in public. He went further to insult us in one way or another but we allowed him.”

Musa added, “We reminded him of the consequences of not answering our questions. We even asked him to produce whatever evidence he submitted to the SSS and the police as proof but he refused.

“How do you solve a problem when someone refuses to talk? He refused to answer our questions and he insulted us; it was very stupid of him because he was just laughing.

“He said he was a businessman and not hungry like us. Are we hungry? Is anyone hungry here?”

Other Speech

The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Ethics and Privileges, Honorable Members of the House of Representatives Committee on Ethics and Privileges, Honorable Members, this is a matter that has generated a lot of public interest and controversy.

The House of Representatives Committee on the Management of Fuel Subsidy headed by Hon. Farouk Lawan held all its sittings in public.

When this issue arose, the House of Representatives Committee on Ethics and Privileges publicly stated that its investigations will be held in public.

It is therefore surprising and curious that this committee has made a U-turn to hold its investigative sittings in-camera particularly in the light of unfolding events.

I strongly believe that the interest of the public will not be best served if this investigation is held in-camera.

I have nothing to hide and will only speak on this issue when the press and interested Nigerians are allowed to be present at the sittings of this committee.

Thank you.
Femi Otedola, CON
3rd July 2012.

The proceedings in the House took place just as a second audio clip of the bribery transaction between Otedola and Lawan hit the airwaves on independent Channels Television. (See full text of the clip)

Transcript of the Second audio tape

Lawan: it wasn’t like my brother talking. That’s one. Secondly, please this thing that we are doing, keep it to yourself otherwise you will make it difficult for us …

Otedola: Ok, ok. I am na

Lawan: Because somebody called me now and said that we said we are going to address it.

Otedola: address what?

Lawan: Yea. Because if it is already out that we are going to do something, when we do it, people will think that we are doing it because we have been compromised. And you know that is something that errrrr… And if my colleagues get to hear about it, I wouldn’t be able to convince them. So keep it to yourself.

Otedola: ok

Lawan: Let it not be like anybody is aware of what is happening. If anybody ask you, simply explain that this thing, you know from your records. You have all records and you have made a case to the committee. You have sent your documents to the committee

Otedola: Yea, Yea

Lawan: Yea. It’s left for the committee… it’s left for the committee to decide what to do. Please keep it that way.

Otedola: Yea. God bless you. God bless you

Lawan: Yea. Because the moment it gets out now we are going to correct it. Then it means we have already Haaa… so let it be …

Otedola: Ok, Ok

Lawan: I want to spring a surprise on the floor and only that is the only credible way I can do this. So please, please.

Otedola: God bless you. God bless you my brother. I have been crying. Anytime I hear your voice

Lawan: Yes. You know your sector is small. Everybody knows… and people are already saying … Somebody just called now and said Femi has gotten his way around you guys and he has already succeeded.

Otedola: That is not true. But let me also tell you one thing ….

Lawan: No, no, no, no. I am saying it because this is what I heard

Otedola: But my brother, let me also tell you one thing. You know me as a person

Lawan: It doesn’t have… I know… I don’t want

Otedola: People just get up

Lawan: I know. That makes it difficult. Just, just whoever… you know… no. I didn’t do this. I’m sure it must have been a mistake from the committee but I have sent a letter to set the record right

Otedola: ok

Lawan: That’s all

Otedola: Ok my brother

Lawan: Yea. Yea

Otedola: Ok. Great, Ok

Lawan: Yea

Otedola: Thank you

On The Otedola/Lawan Bribery Saga And Their Recorded Conversations

From the various reports, Press releases and statements made by all the actors involved in this saga, certain undisputable facts have emerged:

(1)    There was definite communication between Farouk Lawan and Femi Otedola (both by telephone and face-to-face) in respect of the offer and acceptance of bribe money concerning the investigation by the House Committee probing the fuel subsidy scam. The question of who initiated a relationship is completely irrelevant when determining the guilt or otherwise of the giver and taker of bribe money.

(2)    The sum of $620,000 dollars out of a grand total of $3million price tag actually exchanged hands between Otedola and Lawan. No party is disputing this fact.

(3)    Otedola involved the State Security Service (SSS) and the scene was recorded when the money was handed over to Lawan to prove that he was pressured to part with the money.

(4)    Even though Lawan claims he collected the money to expose Otedola, he (Lawan) did not involve any law-enforcement agency when collecting the money.

QUESTION: So how on earth did Farouk Lawan ever hope to later convince anyone that those dollars came from Otedola when Otedola’s name is not written on the dollars? How did he ever hope to “expose” him?

(5)    A few hours after collecting the dollars, Farouk Lawan stood up on the floor of the House and, instead of exposing Otedola, he was actually shielding him by convincing his colleagues to remove Otedola’s company name from the list of indicted companies in the Report. That was the point that Lawan was expected to tell the world that he just collected bribe money, and like has been done in the past, spill the money on the floor of the House. He did not do so.

(6)    It was not until the scandal broke out in the Press that Farouk Lawan did something. He first denied ever collecting money and said he did not go to Otedola’s house and that if there is any such video, it must have been doctored.

(7)    Less than 24 hours later, Lawan sang a different tune. He now said he actually went to Otedola’s house to collect money, but it was to “expose” Otedola.

(8)    The only “expose” Lawan claimed he did was to write a hand-written note to Honourable Adams Jagaba, Chairman House Committee on Narcotics and Financial Crimes, to purport to hand over the bribe money to him. Honourable Jagaba has since denied that this ever happened. QUESTION: WHY DID FAROUK LAWAN NOT APPROACH ONE SINGLE LAW-ENFORCEMENT AGENCY WITH THE BRIBE MONEY?

(9)    The bribe money that is the all-important evidence to “nail” Otedola cannot be produced by Farouk Lawan now despite repeated demands by the Police. QUESTION: How come Farouk Lawan treated his all-important evidence with so much levity that he did not make Honourable Jagaba to acknowledge receiving the dollars in writing when he purportedly handed it over to him?

(10)    On the other hand, it has since emerged that Femi Otedola kept all his audio and video evidence intact and has decided to release them piecemeal to the public.

From the above sequence of undisputed facts, it is only a hired goon, mischief maker, or a complete fool that will not easily come to a definite conclusion in this on-going disgraceful and shameful episode rocking the National Assembly: Farouk Lawan collected bribe purportedly on behalf of his Committee to doctor his report but somewhere along the line the operation, like most robbery incidents, went terribly wrong. All the drama playing out now cuts the picture of a destroyed, disgraced and thoroughly embarrassed Farouk Lawan clinging on so desperately to anything to save his finished image and political career.

I use the phrase “National Assembly” advisedly because, even though it had sought to distance itself from the whole episode, it is undisputable that the bribe was solicited for and was offered to a Committee of the National Assembly which was doing an assignment of the National Assembly. Farouk Lawan only collected the money on behalf of the said Committee. Whether he gave to other members is another matter altogether.

However, the taped conversations between Otedola and Lawan only confirm what both parties actually agree took place: that they negotiated payment of bribe money several times by telephone. The only point of divergence is that both claim the negotiations were sting operations on the other. But while Otedola has evidence of his sting, Farouk Lawan has none.

By denying his obvious voice on those tapes, Farouk Lawan has made another u-turn: he is giving the impression that he never spoke to Otedola on telephone whereas he had earlier confirmed that there were several phone conversations between them and that he has call-logs to prove this. So, question to Lawan: during those phone conversations, what were they talking about? Was it about girlfriends or politics?

I thought the only honourable thing Lawan should have done is not to deny the obvious, but to say those taped conversations were part of his plan to “play along” and catch Otedola red-handed. So Farouk Lawan needs to now come up with his own version of those conversations between himself and Otedola because Otedola has provided to the public his own version.

In any case, the endless search for dollars or the debate about voice on those tapes are most unnecessary. The law says what has been admitted needs no further proof. In other words, what the recovery of the dollars and the voices on the tape seek to establish has since been established by the confessional statement of Farouk Lawan himself; i.e. he had several discussions with Otedola on phone over the bribe money and he actually collected it.

I am aware that many Nigerians are not happy with the way Femi Otedola hobnobs with all governments in power (and perhaps gets undeserved business concessions by so doing), but in this instant case, whether you like Femi Otedola or hate him, by reporting the matter to the SSS (the law says the SSS has all the powers of Police Officers too) and going ahead to record the transaction between him and Lawan, Otedola did all that a responsible citizen under the circumstances should do. Whether the sting was thorough or not is no longer his business. By the way, the purpose of arresting someone whilst collecting bribe is to establish the fact that the suspect actually collected it. But the video has already established that fact.

Farouk Lawan has confessed to that fact. And in any case, no Nigerian would have believed the SSS or the Police if Farouk Lawan was arrested for any reason a few hours to the presentation of that report. If, for instance, Farouk had claimed he was forced at gun point to go to Otedola’s house and then was arrested there, Nigerians would have believed him. In addition, Farouk Lawan would not have had the opportunity to perform the act for which the bribe was collected on the floor of the House the next day.  But as it is, the

SSS allowed him to roast in his own stew. In my view, the SSS did perfectly well in this case.

The bare-faced denial by Farouk Lawan of his voice on those tapes, and the denial of his complicity despite these overwhelming evidence, gives the clear impression that we are dealing with a hardened, unrepentant crook who is like a thief caught with his hand in the cashbox, but still claims he was only checking the color of the money.

In Japan, such persons like Farouk Lawan would have committed what they call “hara-kiri”.

In America and Europe, he would have resigned immediately from public office in shame and begged for forgiveness.

Unfortunately, here in Nigeria and aided by dubious hired goons, he continues to deny the obvious. What a shame!

As for the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges, their so-called investigation of the scam is nothing but a laughable sham, a diversionary and disgraceful enterprise with a pre-determined end, an unconstitutional and illegal exercise and Nigerians must ignore it.

I issue this statement out of a deep love for my country over and above personal relationships. If we do not say things as we see them truthfully and honestly at such times when patriots are required to stand up and be counted because of friendships, personal or professional benefits, then we should not complain if our country and its critical institutions continue to collapse. In fact, after the oil subsidy probe and before the presentation of the Report, I was with one of the Committee members in London when Farouk Lawan called and the phone was handed over to me. We chatted a few minutes on the phone during which time I encouraged him to do a thorough job and thanked him for his efforts so far. But alas! He has let everybody and himself down.

Farouk Lawan must stop this dance of shame and save that House of whatever is left of its credibility by resigning from office immediately and face his criminal trial squarely. It is, indeed, himself and his hired goons that are turning this episode into a theatre of the absurd, and not the other way round.
Thank you.

FESTUS KEYAMO, ESQ.

Second Swiss trial: Abacha’s son absent again

The corruption trial of the late Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha’s son began in his absence in Switzerland on Wednesday, for the second time in two years.

Abba Abacha, who is accused of pillaging his country’s funds while his father was in power, was said to be unable to travel after a road accident, the Geneva court heard.

At a previous trial in 2010, Abacha failed to turn up at court after Swiss authorities refused to give him a visa.

The defendant’s lawyer, Christian Luscher, quoted by Swiss news agency ATS, said the accident happened last Thursday in Nigeria, where the defendant lives, leaving him with whiplash and head injuries.

A medical certificate and police report were produced at the Geneva court to back up Abacha’s claims, before Luscher asked for the trial to be adjourned until his client was in a fit state to travel.

Abba Abacha is accused of belonging to a criminal organisation that raided Nigeria’s public funds from 1994 to 1998. He denies the charges.

The dictator is estimated to have siphoned off $2 billion (1.6 billion euros) from his country, of which $700 million has been returned to Nigeria from Swiss bank accounts.

Another $400 million is believed to be in Luxembourg, lawyers for the Nigerian government said.

At his original trial in 2010 Abba Abacha received a two-year suspended sentence.

Judges also ordered the confiscation of $350 million dollars from accounts in Luxembourg and the Bahamas.

The judgment was annulled by Switzerland’s highest court after it found that Abacha’s rights had been violated since he had been tried in his absence.

New attack keeps Abuja "troubled"

A day full of tension and worries for Abuja, the capital of Nigeria after another attack. Last evening a package containing a bomb exploded in the very central Aminu Kano crescent, the street with the highest number of pubs, supermarkets, night clubs, restaurants and shops.

The detonation of the bomb (put on the side of the road next to the entrance of a shopping mall often visited by Westerners) did not kill or hurt anyone. It caused minor damage to some automobiles and the windows of the buildings surrounding the area of the explosion.

At the moment many curious people have come to the area of the exposion as well as police forces who are listening to residents and collecting cues for police investigations. A spokesperson for the police has tried to "reassure residents" inviting them "to continue with their everyday lives and not to panic" following the "low intensity" bomb explosion of yesterday evening. Local authorities assure that all measures will be taken so as to guarentee the highest levels of security in Abuja starting from "police street patrol".

Yesterday's attack is the second in Abuja in the last ten days: on 22th June a "hand-made" bomb of minor intensity was launched from a fast-driving car against one of the best known clubs of Abuja, the 'Krystal Lounge'. Even this explosion was a minor one, it did not kill or hurt anyone. There was only minor damage to some of the automobiles parked in front of the 'Krystal Lounge'. The severest attacks were those carried out starting from August 2011 against the UN headquarters: 25 people were killed, among which a 30- year old Norwegian woman.

In June 2011 the headquaders of the State Police were hit (18 people died). On New Year's Eve a bar full of military people was hit (a dozen of victims). The very first attack against the city occurred in October 2010 in Eagle Square, the main square of Abuja. Celebrations of the 50th anniversary of Independence were underway: 15 people died, President Goodluck Jonathan was unhurt.

As for risks of terrorist attacks, the American Embassy in Abuja has warned its fellow citizens against the possibilty of hostile actions against American targets in Nigeria in occasion of the celebrations of Independence Day, 4th July.

The mission of the American Embassy can be read in a statement on the Embassy's website "it informs all US citizens on the possible attacks against US plants" and obliges them "not to got to areas of worship or shopping malls in Abuja". Moreover the statement also asks US citizens "to go back to their homes by midnight".

US diplomats and US intelligence fear the actions of the Boko Haram, the Islamic terrorist group that wants to impose itself all over the country. In the last couple of days the US government has put the three main leaders of the Boko Haram on the "black" list of terrorists operating worldwide.

In the last three years at least 1,600 people have been killed in Boko Haram attacks. These attacks have targeted above all the Federal States of the north as well as Abuja. . . (AGI.it)

More Protests Trail Postings to 'Volatile North'

The future and essence of the 39-year-old National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme stands threatened as more and more groups, individuals and organisations continued their protest against posting corps members to areas considered volatile and unsafe, given the degree of insecurity in the northern part of the country.

Churches, state governments and some groups under the aegis of Coalition of Concerned Parents are also among those who have expressed reservations on posting their wards and children to some parts of the country.

The Synod of the Church of Nigeria, (Anglican Communion), Enugu Diocese, for instance, yesterday urged the Federal Government to allow youths participating in the scheme to serve in their various geopolitical zones until the problems in some parts of the North fizzle out.

In a communiqué issued at the end of the first session of her 15th Synod, the church said allowing members participating in the scheme to serve in their various zones would help protect them against senseless attacks occasioned by the activities of the Boko Haram.

Aside the religious body, the Lagos State House of Assembly, Tuesday resolved to formally protest, in writing to the Director-General of the NYSC, its objection to the posting of innocent corps members to what seems like slaughter house. The decision to write the NYSC DG came when the member representing Ikorodu 1 Constituency, Sanai Agunbiade, under matters of urgent of public importance, intimated his colleagues of calls and text messages he had received from protesters since the posting commenced.

He said: "Unfortunately, a lot of our indigenes and citizens are being posted to troublesome areas where a lot of serving corps members died last year and their parents are still mourning, yet there is no sincere assurance from the scheme's management on adequate security for these candidates.

"I am against the sacrificing of innocent graduates who are supposed to be the hopes of the country in the name of the service at a time the country is going through naked violence in some parts of the North. We are not saying NYSC should be scrapped but if some people have chosen to be unrepentant in their brazen violence, then something must be done."

He suggested that corps members from such troubled states could be posted there if it is so important to send corps members to the security-challenged states, recalling that though the scheme was set up for national integration, he was against satisfying the goals and objectives of the programme in a situation where churches and business places are attacked with several people becoming casualties.

Others who supported the motion included Avoseh Hodewu Suru, who was particular about corps members from Lagos State and Adefunmilayo Tejuosho, who said the troubled areas of the North should have been blacklisted by the NYSC rather than making parents go through grief.

Deputy Speaker of the House, Taiwo Kolawole, asked that a resolution of the House be sent to the NYSC and the National Assembly declaring their rejection of corps members posted to such areas. He also submitted that he wanted the NYSC scheme to be revisited, insisting that the troubled states in the country should be blacklisted.

The Speaker, Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, while summing it up, said it gives people sleepless nights to know that their brothers and sisters are in troubled areas, adding that states have had cause to evacuate their indigenes. He questioned the capability of the scheme to protect the corps members and held that the protest was genuine. The Assembly suggested that the management of NYSC should "give those posted to crisis-ridden areas exemption on the basis of insecurity in those volatile areas of the country instead of putting their lives at risk."

The House said in the event that the corps members are not reposted, the NYSC should be held responsible for any negative thing that happens to any of the members.

In the same vein, journalists under the aegis of the Young Journalists Forum (YJF) berated the NYSC, and Ministry of Youths Development for deploying youths in "troubled zones". The forum, in a statement signed by its President, Ayodele Samuel and Secretary, Zacheus Somorin, said the action showed the thoughtlessness of the authorities overseeing the scheme.

The body urged the NYSC to give attention to the security of lives and property of the corps members as the scheme would be held responsible for any attack on corps members, especially in the Northern part of the country.

The statement said: "We call on all security agencies, state governments and indeed all peace-loving Nigerians to partner the NYSC in ensuring absolute protection and safety of all corps members in their states. The NYSC remains a unifying factor in our nationhood with the aim of achieving national unity and not national disaster in the course of serving their nation and humanity."

The YJF recalled that 25 corps members lost their lives in the April

bombing at the INEC office, Suleja, last year, another 11 members in Bauchi were killed during the post-election violence that rocked parts of the Northern states in 2011, just as several corps members have been killed in Jos, the Plateau State capital, and other Northern states.

However, despite the growing protests and fears about the continued necessity of the scheme, the management of NYSC has assured the 2012 Batch 'B' prospective corps members of adequate security. Corps members had been protesting their deployment to Bauchi, where 11 corps members died in post-election violence and to other states troubled by the activities of Boko Haram, especially Yobe, Kano and Borno.

In a statement issued yesterday by its Head of Press and Public Relations Unit, Mrs. Abosede Aderibigbe, NYSC said state governments had put adequate measures in place to guarantee the security of lives and property of corps members deployed in camps for the ongoing orientation course. "Prospective corps members should therefore proceed to their respective camps for induction into the noble scheme," the statement read.

It added that only those who have genuine reasons on health and marital grounds would be relocated out of their states to which they had been posted. They were however directed to register first in their states of deployment and then submit their applications there for consideration.