IBB in Abeokuta

Alagba Ojedokun, Kamarudeen Ogundele



As at 2007(a long time ago!) the CNPP alleged that Obj quaffed N2.4trillion. Obj has yet to refute the allegations till date.Many more mind-boggling scandals have trailed the "Ebora" since then.

"Parties petition EFCC to probe Obasanjo
We waited patiently for over six months, the little we observed were reactions to Wilbros scam in Texas, Metropolitan Police find in United Kingdom, Siemens scandal in Germany and Iyabo-gate in Paris; none emanated from Nigeria, whilst Mr. President is sitting on top of files of monumental corruption. CNPP states its case against ex-president.

Some of the allegations •Unilateral withdrawals from Federation and NNPC accounts •Keeping record of oil sales secret •Illegally presiding over Oil ministry •Sale of refineries to cronies as scraps •Illegal sales of NITEL, Egbin •Underhand deals in the privatisation of ALSCON, Ajaokuta Steel, Hilton Hotel, NICON Insurance •Contract awards for Niger Delta Integrated Power Projects and Equipment of University Teaching Hospitals by presidential fiat •Sale of govt houses for peanuts
OPPOSITION parties yesterday called for former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s trial over alleged abuse of public office and illegal acquisition of wealth, among other allegations.

The Nation reported exclusively yesterday that the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) would submit a petition to the Economic and financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), calling for Obasanjo’s prosecution. The parties criticised President Umaru Yar’Adua for being "lukewarm, reticent and reactive; rather than proactive in favour of the war against corruption."

CNPP noted that there was nothing suggesting that the President is fighting corruption with deserved attention. "We waited patiently for over six months, the little we observed were reactions to Wilbros scam in Texas, Metropolitan Police find in United Kingdom, Siemens scandal in Germany and Iyabo-gate in Paris; none emanated from Nigeria, whilst Mr. President is sitting on top of files of monumental corruption," the CNPP said.

In a petition dated December 10, submitted yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Osita Okechukwu, to the EFCC, the CNPP asked the anti-graft body to investigate and prosecute Obasanjo for abuse of public office, earning wealth illegally and violation of laws governing government activities. It also accused Obasanjo of converting state-owned enterprises and properties into private ownership. The group alleged that Obasanjo was involved in oil deals, privatisation of state-owned enterprises. It claimed that contrary to the 1999 Constitution, Obasanjo illegally appointed himself as Petroleum Resources Minister and his activities in the oil industry were shrouded in secrecy. "He never rendered proper accounts of the oil revenue to relevant agencies like the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC). It is also on record that neither the Federal Executive Council nor National Assembly ever presented memoranda or budget of the oil industry," CNPP said. The group said Obasanjo and his cronies had a field day with crude oil sales which it described as the nation’s cash cow. "As petroleum minister, the transaction detail was only between himself and the managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). "Our investigation shows that between 2000 and 2006, Nigeria lost over $130 billion unaccounted revenue. A thorough investigation will crack the secrecy and reveal the wanton billions of dollars that had vanished from the sales book," it said.

Lamenting the state of the refineries, CNPP alleged that for "condoning the mega-scandal in the rehabilitation of the refineries, retaining incompetent contractors without sanction and benefiting from petroleum products importation, "Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has questions to answer for crimes against Nigeria". CNPP alleged that for eight years, Obasanjo unilaterally withdrew over N1 trillion from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Federation accounts. "This clearly shows that the cost of corruption under Chief Olusegun Obasanjo reached earthshaking proportion for an arm of government against its principal," the group alleged. In another petition also submitted to EFCC, CNPP asked the commission to investigate "the monumental fraud perpetrated by Prof Maurice Iwu, the Chairman of the INEC, in the award of contracts. The CNPP urged EFCC to investigate and prosecute the Minister of State for Agriculture, Alhaji Adamu Waziri, for allegedly awarding contracts without following due process while in office as Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF).

The contracts, it said, were never advertised or competitively bid for. CNPP accused Iwu of awarding a contract for the printing of ballot papers for the presidential, National Assembly, governorship and House of Assembly elections, to the Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC), Abuja, at N6, 580,200,000. 00 when it had no facilities to execute the contract. The said contract, CNPP alleged, was re-awarded to some British and South African firms at a much higher cost. CNPP said: "INEC led Nigerians to believe that the most sophisticated and modern communication equipment were required to facilitate the conduct of the elections and transmission of results." According to the coalition, a contract of over N16 billion was appropriated and contracted for communications projects, which include: Leased Global Networks- N4,000,000,000. 00, Authenticated/ Accreditation Device-N9,000, 000,000.00, Collation Machines-N2, 470,000,000. 00, Satellites Networks/IMMARSAT M4-N150, 000,000.00 and VSAT Equipment-N410, 000,000.00.

"To our consternation not only did the contractors default in execution of the project, indeed none was utilised for the conduct of the elections and up till date no refund of the said sum has been made to the coffers of the Federal Government. Besides, it accused INEC of awarding a contract of N222 million for the activation of existing VHF and HF Radios in the states to a favoured contractor who later defaulted as the Radios were not activated. "
The said N222 million," CNPP said: "has not been refunded." On Voters Registration, CNPP claimed INEC awarded a contract for the supply 33,000 units of Direct Data Capture Machine worth N4,954,300,000. 00.

"God forbid that a nation be led by a pack of greedy dogs who never say enough"-Tunde Bakare