By Akin Oyedele and Friday Olokor, Abuja   
Friday, 17 Sep 2010
 

Scores of tertiary institution students and human rights activists marched through the streets of Abuja and stopped at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abuja, in protest against the presidential ambition of military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida on Thursday.

The development came barely 24 hours after the former military leader declared his ambition to contest the 2011 presidential election under the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party.

The protesters also queried the rationale behind the exclusion of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo from those slated to stand trial for the $180m Halliburton bribery scandal saga.

A statement by the anti-IBB protesters, under the umbrella of National Association of Nigerian Students, Joint Campus Committee, Ondo/Ekiti axis, said that the general was not the answer to the country’s problems.

The statement by the Chairman, Gbenga Oyebode, and Secretary, Adebayo Olumide, said students were concerned about what would be their fate in the event that Babangida became the country’s president.

The group itemised alleged infractions committed against the country during the eight-year regime of the former leader.

Some of these were alleged bastardisation of the economy, political destabilisation, corruption, human rights abuse and illegal closure of tertiary institutions.

The statement reads in part, “On this ground, Nigerian students of JCC, Ondo/Ekiti states axis, call on President Goodluck Jonathan to set up another sincere and transparent panel that will see to the allegations against IBB.

“If found guilty, he should be penalised according to the law. We shall organise ourselves (in protest), even in the South-West in general, to drive home our position on his ambition if the Presidency refuses to do something to probe IBB.

“We want to ask, if he has no skeleton in his cupboard, why he refused to appear before the Justice Chukwudifu Oputa panel to defend the entire allegations levelled against him.”

The arrowhead of the joint protest, Legal Practitioners and Anti-corruption Crusaders wants the FG to compel the EFCC to bring those connected with the Halliburton scandal to justice, including Obasanjo.

Addressing a joint press conference with the students’ leaders, the group issued a 14-day ultimatum to the FG to start the trial of the Halliburton suspect or face their wrath.

It threatened to embark on a nationwide comprehensive campaign for a mass boycott of the 2011 election, as well as to call on the international community to cease all anti-corruption collaborations with the country after the expiration.

The group said, “Jonathan, in a bid to shore up his wanting anti-corruption profile decided to arraign few scapegoats among those alleged to have benefitted from the $180m Halliburton bribe.

“It is, therefore, a matter of concern that the President keeps shielding Obasanjo and his co-beneficiaries even after the United States has said the FG has enough information to act on.”

The group said it had initiated a legal action at a Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking an order to compel the EFCC to commence the process for the prosecution of all those named in the Halliburton scandal.





In a leaflet circulated by another group of students claiming to come from Bwari campus of Nigerian Law School, under the aegis of Arewa Students Forum and Arewa Citizens Action for Change also want Obasanjo probed.

It reads, “$130m Halliburton scandal: Why is Obasanjo excluded? Who are the real culprits; tell the children the truth now. Impoverishing the nation through outright stealing by leaders must stop.

“We have a life to live, but they say only the rouge shall survive and EFCC turns the other way. Government war on corruption will remain elusive until criminal justice is made equitable.”

“Following persistent call by the civil society organisation for his prosecution over the Halliburton matter, Obasanjo had on May 29 written Jonathan, asking him to unmask the suspects in the matter.

He also denied the allegation that he benefitted from the slush fund.

Obasanjo had said, “Except for the payment of $2.5m to Chief Dan Etete, under the false identity of ‘Omoni Amafegha,’ allegedly in the context of the purchase of five per cent of the shares in Malabu, no payment to high (ranking) Nigerian official has been identified yet.

“Nor has examination of bank accounts (of suspects) shown any important cash withdrawal.

“Unless such elements are found, it will be impossible to obtain the conviction of Mr. Jeffrey Tesler and forfeiture of the frozen monies in favour of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“It is my hope that the content of this letter would bring about a decision of the FG to make available to the public the full details of the circumstances surrounding the Halliburton bribe scandal and who, if anybody, are the culprits.”

Asked to react to the protest of the group on the Halliburton matter, the Chairman of the EFCC, Mrs. Farida Waziri, said, “The protesters should know that it is the office of the attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice that is now in charge. We have done our own aspect.”