okada_man:

The Americans concluded thus;

They were not fooled, they know Nigeria more than our leaders.

They were smarter than our former president.

It would be interesting to see what the self labeled "agbonivbasket' has to say.

Wow! I wish i could kill them all.

Eko Ile:

lol @ Jonathan Was Ineffective As A Governor?

I remember getting zero answers from the same blind and crippled people every time we ask them to list GEJ's effectiveness and accomplishments as the deputy and sitting governor of his state right before the elections.

Like I say always, the average Nigerian is way more corrupt than the crooks and losers they elect.

Poor Nigeria, another 4 years inside toilet.

Thank God I am now foreign based, Cotonou sweeet oooooooo.

Wikileaks And Nigerian Ruling Class Indiscretions By Is’haq Modibbo Kawu
Posted: September 8, 2011 - 16:58
By Is’haq Modibbo Kawu



“Ribadu, seeming to be in an environment where he felt comfortable and relaxed (the US Ambassador’s residence!), told the ambassador he wanted to share some more of what is really going on”- WIKILEAKS REPORT.

“The revelations were the outcome of interactions between US Consul-General in Nigeria at that time, Mr. Brian L. Browne and notable political stakeholders in the country in that period. Among those in contact with the US senior diplomat was Prof. Ukandi Damachi, allegedly a close confidant of Gen. Babangida and a former staff of the University of Lagos now into private business”- VANGUARD newspaper, Monday, September 5, 2011

For me, the revelations from the WIKILEAKS REPORTS have not been exactly sensational, given all that we have experienced in the hands of those who rule us. The innards of ruling politics have always been a cesspool of intrigues; bitter rivalries; scandals and cloak-and-dagger at its most brutally Unclad. What the Wikileaks Reports have done, was to add flesh to the skeleton as well as unmask individuals, displaying the ugly unclothedness of ruling class actors for all to see. In that sense, Wikileaks are a genuine nemesis of ruling classes around the world; especially the most powerful imperialist system in human history, US imperialism. No wonder, Private Mannings the alleged whistleblower is kept in solitary confinement, while Julian Assange faces the possibility of extradition to the United States, if he is not bumped off, somewhere along the line. Imperialism’s dirty linens and the corrupt ruling classes allied with it, around the world, are being washed in the open sewers of contemporary politics, and the whole world is watching!

But what should give us the pause in Nigeria, is how our ruling elite readily and shamelessly sing like birds, in the presence of American diplomats, often agents of their secret services! It is a pattern that is alarming, because underlying it, is a deep-seated inferiority complex; the house-nigger mentality, which signposts a near-total absence of self-worth; dignity and patriotism. The quotations at the head of this piece give a good indication of the mentality of those who rule us or hold sensitive positions, in our national system. There is a groveling servitude to American diplomats (secret agents really), that took hold of Nigeria, and has underlined public policy, especially since 1999. We might recall that the main reason General Victor Malu was removed as Chief of Army Staff, was his opposition to the increasingly-overbearing American influence on the Nigerian armed forces. The Americans were allegedly invited to teach “peacekeeping” tactics; yet Nigeria had a more superior peacekeeping history than the Americans, notorious for invasion of countries around the world!

[size=18pt]It signposted the new reality in Nigeria; the collapse of a nationalist and patriotic tradition and the complete surrender to the diktat of imperialism, above all, American imperialism: in security matters; in economic doctrine; in the cultural sphere! Kowtowing to America became central to policy, and from the most junior official to the highest, invitation to dinner in the American ambassador’s residence became a mark of recognition and an opportunity to sing without let about Nigeria, thus providing vital pieces in the tapestry of American domination of Nigeria and the world. This is not trivial; recall that the late President Yar’adua described his invitation to the White House, by President George Bush, as the greatest thing that ever happened to him[/size]! Groveling servitude to imperialism manifests in even the most insignificant situations, to the utter embarrassment of the individuals concerned. Last year, the controversial sports chieftain, Amos Adamu, fell for a sting operation laid out by British journalists. [size=14pt]He sang like a bird and fell into a trap, which ended his controversial sports career. The same man would have treated Nigerian journalists with contempt, but facing Oyibo journalists he lost it, and like Humpty-Dumpty, fell off the hill of his carefully-constructed, money-spinning li
fe, in sports.
[/size]

[size=15pt]Our founding fathers: Chief Obafemi Awolowo; Sir Ahmadu Bello; Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, were committed patriots; anti-imperialist and dignified human beings, with a strong sense of history. They fought colonialism and chose consciously to build a new nation. As they used to say, the right to make our own mistakes, was a gain of liberation[/size]! The same patriotism led to the rejection of American diktat, by General Murtala Muhammed in his famous “African has come of Age” speech, during the Extraordinary Summit of the OAU, on the Angolan crisis in 1975. Nigeria led Africa’s recognition of the MPLA as the genuine movement of national liberation, against the FNLA and UNITA sponsored by the Americans and apartheid South Africa. Those were some of the finest moments in our history! They contrast with the deep rot all around us today and the complete lack of honour and the absence of a sense of history, amongst those who rule our country! In the past week, the media have reported that security agents of the Zionist state of Israel now protect the Nigerian president. It is that absurd!




These are the worst of times in Nigeria! The state has been systematically weakened by pervasive corruption; incapacity and incompetence of officials and loss of legitimacy by the ruling class. The raison d’etre of power is looting and personal enrichment by officials; while the “privatization” of the state to serve prebendal interests of factions of the ruling class often engenders vicious rivalries which condition the tendency to want to be in the good books of Americans and other foreign powers. [size=18pt]Each faction or individuals representing these factions, craves recognition by imperialist diplomats,[/size] who have controlling interests to protect in the Nigerian economy, politics and civil society, as part of a world-wide hegemony. Invitations to Ambassadors’ residences; generous offering of food and laced with sufficient alcohol, they shoot their mouths like dane guns! [size=18pt]Nigeria is further compromised, but they cannot be bothered because they are actually slaves, or house niggers, ever willing to grovel in the presence of their imperial masters. This, for me, is the most serious aspect of the WIKILEAKS REPORTS! And it is the reason that I think what is on the Nigerian agenda today, is a new struggle for national liberation.[/size]





http://saharareporters.com/article/wikileaks-and-nigerian-ruling-class-indiscretions-is%E2%80%99haq-modibbo-kawu

Spot on. People like this should be in government, not the sissies who cant just stop talking!

AjanleKoko:

Well, everybody is still relevant to the society. It's not by class of degree, my broda.
I am a 2:2 grad. I can relate to how your friend felt. When I finished NYSC, I went to one of my dad's friends for some assistance, and he told me 'It's like you didn't go to school at all.' I felt crushed, but I didn't let it kill my resolve. Comments like that can be devastating to the psyche.

I took it all in, applied for my Msc, which was rather inconvenient at the time, and started the long and painful journey towards career definition.

It has been a long and torturous journey, but all in all, I thank the Almighty. When I look back, some of the IT companies that I was struggling to get a position with back then, which were considered 'big companies' back then, I am now personal friends with the CEOs and owners of those companies today.

For people like your friend, they should just suck it in, and start to make up in additional qualifications and experience. The sooner you get out of the initial funk, the better for you. As per work, you have to take whatever you can get to start with. Don't spend time envying those who are called for Mobil and Chevron tests. For most of them (the 2:1 and 1st class grads I mean), that's about as close to the oil job as they are gonna get. You should get cracking, so you can move past of them while they are still writing tests here, there, and everywhere.

I have nothing but respect for you Ajanlekoko. You tha best!

Go see a Shrink, get some SSRI and look for a p/-r/-o-s/titute to phock


Thats all you need!

ROFLMAO!

@Topic: I agree.

With the way they bribe left, right and center, who can argue with that!

The US cable gives the impression that what the staff in the NSA office promised was an unrestricted access to the biometric data of all passport-holding Nigerians. The cable says though Nigerian passport holders have a right to their biometric information, they are often not able to do so.

Awesome. We all indeed have inferiority complex.


White Power baby!

Black is fuuuuugly!

These guys are infact ready to sell us.



LOL

ROFLMAO!


Nigeria egbelele ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Nigeria biko mi

Builder:

Disappointed. i honestly am ashamed of my great country Nigeria and her leaders, judges, politicians etc and their relationship with this woman Robin R. Sanders

former americna ambassador to Nigeria. u never read anything like this about ghana, which leads me to think nigeria is centuries away from colonisation and

civilisation. imagin yaradua, paying nigeria judges 57million dollars just uphold his election when 150million people are hungry, destitute and hopeless

if u ask me the way forward for nigeria, i will say its best for nigerians sell nigeria and distribute the money amongst themselves so that everybody can
immigrate, and make the country into a giant massive zoo or a games reserve.

How could a country have soo much natural resources, yet sufffer immensely due to ignorance, selfishness, greediness and just plain stupidity, is this a black

thing and just a nigerian thing? RIP nigeria, not even jesus christ can wake nigeria up again from the dead

I like that!

I think it is best we allow these guys come rule us for another hundred years. I'd rather be a slave and enjoy the good things of life than be free and have nincompoops like Jonathan, Tinubu et al rule over me.

rasputinn:

Didnt IBB describe himself as the evil ingenious

BTW,the way the US diplomats described OPC really cracked me up

Truth be told,I've never heard of a more fitting description of the OPC

I thought the same too!

Vintage IBB!


ROFLMAO


Even our so called strong man is really a sissy.

ola olabiy:

Stranger?

The country isn't ours, guys. It has always been like that.

That's that.

My professor, I tire for these people oooooo

I am really ashamed and I wish I could join Boko Haram and just blow someone up. We are really senseless.

I guess you are right, this is not our country. It belongs to the US.

http://saharareporters.com/news-page/wikileaks-andy-uba-emeka-offor-etsu-nupe-tried-bribe-former-chief-justice-kutigi-2007-elec


It is time someone with commonsense did something to the US embassy?

The ambassador needs to be sent back to his/her country.


Anyone else ashamed of our leaders as I am?

Wikileaks: Andy Uba, Emeka Offor, Etsu Nupe Tried to Bribe Former Chief Justice Kutigi on 2007 Elections



Posted: September 7, 2011 - 21:21













Emmanuel Nnamdi "Andy" Uba And Emeka Offor



By SaharaReporters, New York

A cable that emanated from the US embassy disclosed that Andy Uba, a former senior assistant on domestic matters to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, offered a bribe of N200 million to retired Chief Justice Idris Kutigi in an attempt to compromise the Supreme Court ahead of the 2007 presidential poll. According to the cable report, Mr. Uba arrived at the CJ’s office in the company of controversial businessman, Emeka Offor. Quoting a source in Mr. Kutigi’s office, the cable revealed that the then chief justice rejected the bait and asked both Mr. Uba and Mr. Offor to leave his office.

The cable suggested that the two emissaries were acting on behalf of former President Olusegun Obasanjo who sought to have his estranged deputy, Atiku Abubakar, excluded from running in the 2007 presidential elections.

The cable also revealed how Mr. Obasanjo used the Etsu Nupe, the foremost traditional ruler from the Chief Justice’s home state, to offer Mr. Kutigi another bribe of N400 million. The cable stated that the former Chief Justice also rejected that offer.

Full details of the cable follow below:

VZCZCXRO1338 OO RUEHPA DE RUEHUJA #0841/01 1201551 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 301551Z APR 07 FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9362 INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW 0298 RUEHCD/AMCONSUL CIUDAD JUAREZ 0294 RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS 6745 RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
Hide header C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 000841 SIPDIS SIPDIS DOE FOR CAROLYN man-lover E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/29/2017 TAGS: PGOV [Internal Governmental Affairs], KDEM [Democratization], NI [Nigeria], ELECTIONS SUBJECT: SUPREME COURT'S MOOD COLORED BY ELECTIONS AND BRIBERY ATTEMPTS ABUJA 00000841 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Ambassador John Campbell for reasons 1.4 (b) & (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY:

In upcoming weeks, the mood of the Supreme Court may well be an important factor in determining how many of the recently concluded "elections" stand. In the past three weeks its rulings on the myriad lawsuits brought by President Obasanjo and Vice President Atiku in their political battle provide a glimpse of its approach and mood. Court thinking may be colored by the unsuccessful attempts to influence the current Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Idris Kutigi through bribery. While this glimpse is not intended accurately to predict outcomes of elections tribunals, it might indicate that the judiciary will show greater independence than after the elections of 2003. END SUMMARY.

¶2. (C) In the upcoming weeks, the mood of the Supreme Court may well be an important factor in determining how many of the recently concluded "elections" stand. In the past three weeks, court rulings on the myriad lawsuits brought by President Obasanjo and Vice President Atiku over the political battle between the two top elected leaders may provide an indication of its future direction. In the two biggest cases, one determining whether the National Electoral Commission (INEC) had the right to disqualify candidates, and the second on the validity of the hastily convened Administrative Panel to indict Atiku, the court came out against the use of the Presidency's powers to manipulate the electoral environment. And Chief Justice Kutigi, in establishing the elections tribunals several weeks ago, stressed to the judges selected for the panels the importance of dealing with cases quickly. He also warned the electoral tribunal judges against being influenced by bribery and political pressure, stating that those who succumbed could be dealt with through the National Judicial Council, and those found wanting could be removed from their positions.






¶3. (C) Kutigi appears to be reacting strongly to several credibly reported attempts to sideline him or to co-opt him for political purposes. A member of the Chief Justice's staff told PolCouns that the Presidency had attempted to bribe Kutigi twice before the elections. In the first case, the President personally contacted Kutigi to offer Kutigi's son an appointment as a Federal judge. Kutigi is said to have demurred, saying that he wanted nothing that might be seen as favoritism and was concerned that his son should be appointed in the future on his own merits. Nevertheless, Kutigi's son was nominated.

¶4. (C) According to the same source, the second attempt came when the President's former special adviser and current Governor-elect for Anambra state, Andy Uba, visited Kutigi's office on April 10 accompanied by Anambra businessman Emeka Offor. The aide says the two offered Kutigi 200 million Naira (about $1.6 million) to drop the suit by Atiku and leave him off the ballot. Kutigi, according to the aide "reacted strongly" to the offer and escorted them out of his office. The next day, President Obasanjo declared a two-day holiday ahead of the April 14 elections, delaying the decision in the Atiku suit until the following week.

¶5. (C) A third attempt reportedly took place on April 24, when Kutigi was summoned to meet the Etsu Nupe, the paramount traditional ruler from his home state. According to a member of the Nupe council of chiefs, the Etsu Nupe offered Kutigi 400 million Naira (about $3.2 million) from "the Presidency" in exchange for "control" over which specific cases the elections tribunals would overturn results. According to the source, Kutigi was livid. He told the Etsu that he had no desire to explain to his family "where this kind of money comes from" and pointed out that, at his age, he would be "meeting the angels" to answer for his life very soon. "And they will not be asking me for Naira," he is said to have concluded. When the Etsu discussed the situation with his council, several of them reportedly berated the Etsu for "even suggesting" that Kutigi could be bribed and advised him to return the cash to its source as soon as possible.

¶6. (C) On April 26, rumors began circulating that Kutigi's official vehicle had come under attack in Abuja by "unknown ABUJA 00000841 002.2 OF 002 gunmen." Reportedly, shots were fired at the Chief Justice's car and he was whisked to safety by his security aide. Post has been unable to confirm this rumor, but it is widely believed by Nigerians to be true.

[size=18pt]¶7. (C) On the same evening, PolCouns overheard phone calls from three Supreme Court Justices, including the Chief Justice, to members of ANPP Presidential candidate Muhammadu Buhari's entourage. Two of them were expressing sympathy with Buhari over the elections and assuring him of the judiciary's impartiality. The third call - a Justice from the Southwest - also encouraged Buhari personally to forge ahead with the elections tribunals because, in the words of the Justice, "we are fed up with the pretense of democracy" pushed by President Obasanjo. [/size]


¶8. (C) COMMENT: While this glimpse is not intended accurately to predict outcomes of elections tribunals, it is an indictor of the mood within elements of the Judiciary. Given the widespread public concerns about the electoral process, the Judiciary could take a more active role in these tribunals than it did in 2003. If these indications are correct, it could signal that the judiciary is prepared to be more independent that it was after the elections of 2003. CAMPBELL

goggs:

kai kai kai! See treason of the highest order. The Americans didn't need to even fly in a spy! The information was BROUGHT in. Kai how easy cant it get. I imagine Ben Bernanke (US Federal Reserve Chairman) running to the british government complaining about ministers and telling all about how hillary and obama are pushing and pulling about healthcare reform!

This stinks. I admire SLS sometimes but this crosses the line!

Imagine the ambassador saying that the US was watching. Kai we are not independent yet

We got one from the Britikos, we are yet to BEG for our independence from the Americans

Buncha cowards, thats what we all are.

Builder:

Our leaders in nigeria in whatever feild are senseless fools,  why must they always tell the US ambassor their plans. i mean its like the USA runs Nigeria directly, what a stupiddd country this is

The USG didnt even have to pay for the information. Freely available.


All the US ambassadors needed to do was pick up their calls. Thats all

Sacarstic:

NLs must we use every opportunity to whip up ethnic or religious sentiments Can`t we just sit for one`s and look at issues critically guided by values and principles and make better contributions I am beginning to think if we have inferior brains compared to our western counterparts, "Nation of idiots ruled by fools". sssssshhhhhhmmmm

So racist westerners have superior brain?


It is obvious you have some complex issues. Call I-800- I-AM-CRAZY for a board certified shrink NOW, before it is too late. You need help.

Idris Kutigi is also involved?


Wow! Nigeria is for sale indeed!


The funniest thing is that no one has resigned, apologized or committed suicide?

Our leaders just could not stop running to the US ambassadors, to whine, cry and complain.


And these people are supposed to be our role models?



Shame! Shame!! Shame!!!

Thank goodness, I am no longer a Nigerian.

Didnt realize Obj was this strong!

How Obasanjo mounted pressure on Uwais over Buhari's petition – Wikileaks
News    Wednesday, September 7, 2011


A United States of America cable released by Wikileaks has revealed how former President Olusegun Obasanjo mounted pressure on the former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Muhammadu Lawal Uwais (rtd) and other Supreme Court Justices over the 2003 presidential petition brought by General Muhammudu Buhari (rtd.)

In the report, Wikileaks revealed how the former CJN had approached the then United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. John Campbell to intimate him on Obasanjo's interference with the judiciary.

According to the report "Nigeria's former Chief Justice, Muhammadu Uwais, was so highly fearful of President Olusegun Obasanjo's interference with the judiciary that in 2005, he sought a meeting with the new American ambassador, Mr. John Campbell, so that someone knows what is happening here in case something happened to him."

The report explained further how Uwais had told Mr. Campbell that "he and other Supreme Court justices were experiencing "pressure and harassment" from President Obasanjo because the presidency was concerned that the court might not do his bidding beginning with complicated effort of James Ibori, the Delta State governor, to run for the governorship again in 2003 against the background of his alleged conviction for stealing roofing materials years earlier."

According to the cable "at a point in the complicated process that involved all kinds of interests and political manoevres, Justice Uwais told Mr. Campbell that the Ibori case had been followed by attempts to deposit large sums of money into his bank account in order to implicate him.

As the legal challenge against President Obasanjo by the ANPP's General Muhammadu Buhari over abuse of security forces, lapses in voting procedures and other elements of the severely flawed 2003 elections of Obasanjo's election drew to a close in 2005 with the Supreme Court gearing up to announce its decision, pressure on the judiciary and other participants mounted.

It further stated that the former CJN "told Ambassador Campbell that attempts had been made to bribe, blackmail, intimidate and threaten him. Despite that, the Chief Justice stressed he would see the process through and that had never considered walking away from the challenge."

Expressing his personal evaluation of the candidates, he characterized Buhari as "honest,

hardworking and sincere," and told the ambassador that Buhari would eliminate corruption.

While criticizing Buhari for having an "ineffective campaign organization," he observed that he (Buhari) was too loyal to those who had helped him in the past and reluctant to dismiss some who were detrimental to his efforts."

Justice Uwais was said to have characterized Obasanjo "mean, insincere and not trustworthy," a man who would turn on anyone for petty personal reasons." he said, and continued that Obasanjo was "increasingly addicted to the office of the Presidency."

Although Uwais also observed that the former president was almost "completely out of touch" with the thoughts and needs of Nigeria, he observed that he had at least appointed some advisers with credentials even if their actions and motives were suspect."


http://odili.net/news/source/2011/sep/7/343.html

I’ll expose Tinubu and ACN leaders soon –Babatope, Director of Organisation in the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN)


Wednesday, September 7, 2011

“Wait. When we get to 2014 and start campaigns for 2015 elections, we will let Nigerians know all these things you are talking about. But, for the meantime, they are on the streets, saying they are of the Awoist camp. Fine. Anybody who says that is welcome”

Babatope


[img]http://odili.net/news/source/2011/sep/7/sun/Babatope20-07[1].jpg[/img]
advertisement




As Director of Organisation in the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN, in the Second Republic, Chief Ebenezer Babatope cut a niche for himself as a firebrand acolyte of the legendary,Chief Obafemi Awolowo. His acceptance of the position of a minister in the General Abacha led military regime however diffused the impression.


He has come back smoking hot, rekindling the flame of those days.

In this interview with CHIDI OBINECHE he speaks on the hey days with Awo, how he was barred by the Alliance of Democracy(AD) leaders from the party, the Olabode George imprisonment saga, the single term proposal and more.


Excerpts:

You’ve been in politics in the last three or four decades. But in the last 15 years, your political step tends to indicate that you’ve abandoned your familiar track i.e Awoism. How true is that?

Absolutely false. Those who are peddling it are idle minds. They don’t know what they are talking about. It is very difficult for me to forget my days as an Awoist, to forget my days as an activist, to forget my days as a man committed to working for the best interest of the people. I mean, I am not 40 years old. I am not 30 years old. I am 68. Therefore, there are certain things that age will demand from a person you don’t expect me to start doing things that will enable my opponents feel that I have already given up hope in fighting for the masses.


This thing started in 1994 when I became a minister under the Gen. Abacha regime. And I have written two books about this. What do you want me to do?” I have written “The Abacha regime and the June 12 crisis,” and “The Abacha regime: What went wrong?” I explained all the details that people need. I didn’t sell myself to the Abacha government. Infact, you are the last person I’m going to give this interview to, in terms of what happened before. I didn’t sell myself to the Abacha government, I was given to the Abacha government by members or leaders of my political movement and the Awoist camp. So, problem started along the line. And believe me, if you go and read my book, “The Abacha regime and the June 12 crisis” it spoke for democracy, it explained all this things. I am still myself.


But some people feel that having joined the Abacha regime, and had some knocks, the return to democracy in 1999 presented an opportunity to re-unite with your “kindred spirits,” who were largely in the then Alliance for Democracy (AD)?

Get you facts clear. I joined party politics in this dispensation on November 22, 1999, after one year that the process started, I wanted to identify myself with them; the younger ones were prepared to have me along with them, but the older ones were not. Why, do you want me to be crying and begging. So, I went to join the PDP, which also had many of my friends who were and are still of the Awoist camp.


Who are these?

Ah, Senator Martin Jubril Kuye, Senator Omilani, Yemi Olu Alabi, Yemi Famoumbi, Prof. Tunde Adeniran, Muyiwa Oladimeji, Dayo Abatan. So many of them. People make a mistake which I want to correct. Many people believe that the PDP is the NPN of old. That is not correct. The people that founded the PDP were people mostly that belonged to the progressive parties in the second republic, and also of the SDP in the succeeding republic.

You cannot say that Chief Solomon Lar, Prof. Jerry Gana, that they belonged to a conservative class in Nigeria. They are progressive leaders. And when I waited for one year, and the people in the AD did not say come in, even when I had shown them all the interests in going with them, I joined PDP.


Looking back now, would you think they are carrying on very well with the ideologies, principles and philosophies of the late Chief Awolowo?

I know I am carrying on with the philosophies of the late Awo and I can never deviate. That is my life. I cannot talk for those that are in the ACN now. I am not a member of their party. You want me to talk about that. I cannot do that.


But you can do a dispassionate overview?

Those who claim to be of the Awoist camp, I wish them the best of luck. What they do with their utterances can really justify whether they are of the Awoist camp or not. So I cannot judge them. It’s like committing Harakiri against history.


But what about things like free education, which Awo gave. They are not doing it?

Wait. When we get to 2014 and start campaigns for 2015 elections, we will let Nigerians know all these things you are talking about. But, for the meantime, they are on the streets, saying they are of the Awoist camp. Fine. Anybody who says that is welcome. But essentially, the masses will judge them on whether they are actually meeting what Papa Awolowo did when he was Premier of Western Nigeria and when he was leader of the Action Group (AG), and the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).


Awo is perceived as the greatest man from Yoruba extraction. But some people argue that the late Chief MKO Abiola, and Chief Olusegun Obasanjo tower above him in terms of goal and office attainment, and national acceptance?

Nobody has ever said that. Abiola and Obasanjo are leaders in their own right. They are great men. Abiola did very well and became the martyr of the struggle. But none of them, their relations or supporters can ever say that the two men are greater.

Infact, let me give you a correction, Awolowo was not just a Yoruba leader. He was not. Papa Awolowo was a Pan-African leader, who had his connections with all the progressive elements all over the world. When he was studying in London, he was a member of the British Labour Party (LP).


And when we were in the second republic UPN, myself and the late MCK Ajuluchukwu, because of Papa’s connection were trained in LP of great Britain and SGB of Germany. Chief Obafemi Awolowo was first and foremost a Yoruba man. papa Awolowo said something that is very vital and which all Nigerian politicians should learn from. He said before you can claim to be a good Nigerian, you must first of all be a good person from your town or tribal area. So, if that is the basis of the assumption that Awo was a good Yoruba leader, yes you’re right. But in all perspectives, he was one of the greatest African leaders that have emerged recently. A man who had vision, a man who had focus, and a man who was imbued with progressive ideas, fighting all the way till he died for the best interest of Nigeria.


You were Director of organization in the then UPN. You were very visible especially in the media. Now, if you would have another opportunity, what did you do wrong then that you would like to correct?

There was nothing I did wrong at that time because I was lucky to have been tutored by a great Pan-African leader, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. And apart from that, ordinarily I am an Nkrumalist, I believe very much in the cause of Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana. And honestly when you put all those things together I didn’t do anything wrong because at every given stage, Papa Awolowo was giving me corrections, if I made any mistake that time.


So what were the mistakes he corrected you?

Papa Awolowo corrected me about one thing; that I should not accept that some people are my political enemies, Papa said, you don’t have political enemies. If you say you have political enemies, you endanger your health. It was Papa who warned me and I want to say this. One day Chief Obasanjo made a statement and I picked my biro and went after him. Papa cautioned me and said, the moment you accept that one is your political enemy, when you’re reacting to him, there are certain glands in the human body that secrets dangerous hormones, and when that happens you can get any of these dangerous diseases – cancer, prostrate etc. But you must purge yourself of anything that will make you believe that anybody is your political opponent, look forward and present an objective matter that is principled.


When the AD shut you out, why didn’t you persist?

Embrace them in isolation of what was going on? A politician that makes himself idle is finished. Don’t make yourself idle. I have asked myself questions if the leaders of the AD at that time had said don’t come in, there are other political parties in Nigeria. Many Nigerians forget this fact that many of the political parties, even the AD came from the bosom of the PDP. They were all members of the PDP. So when I went to join the PDP on November 22, 1999, that was what motivated me. Like I told you, many of my friends who were of the Awolowo stock were already in the PDP.


You want to be the National Secretary of the PDP now? What is new that you are going to bring into that office, looking at your antecedents?

First of all, I am making consultations. I cannot announce openly that I want to be the National Secretary of the PDP, because the National Working Committee (NWC) has not yet formally announced that the post of the national secretary of the body has been zoned to the South-West. And secondly, the South-West PDP leaders are yet to meet, because they have not been told to fill the position. But if the NWC zones it to the South-West and secondly if the PDP leaders in the South-West affirm the position, then I can then come out to say that I want to contest the position. So, all I am doing now is to make underground connections, connections with people before offering myself. But to answer your question, I believe very much that the PDP must advance from being the largest political party in Africa to showing that it is the best. We have the best organization on the ground, but basically it is that which has been brought by all the elements and leaders who have got real historical past. But we must link it to what is happening now. President Goodluck Jonathan says he is involved in transformation programme. The administration of the PDP must be nurtured towards ensuring that the transformational policy has meaning, has effectiveness, has focus, vision and result.


And these are the things that are going to happen. Secondly, there must be need to harness all the resources available to the PDP in terms of men, materials and other things. Bring them together and advance the cause of the party. So, political parties have become major areas of interest in the world for development. Organization within the political parties must aim at the truth, and be geared towards getting results for the party. These are the things I want to put together, if those things happen and if the PDP believes that it can really have a Secretary, I believe that in this world, you can only progress, if that organization puts together all the facts it has in terms of experience, maturity and age and these are the edge I have. I am qualified. And if any other position like the Chairman has been zoned to the South-West, I will not contest. But if they zone the secretaryship and the PDP leaders affirm it, I will contest. Like I told you, these are the things I want to do. We are preparing a manifesto on what I am going to do. In the next one month, I shall announce and bring out the manifesto.


The PDP has lost the South-West that they used to control. What do you think went wrong?

We have ourselves to blame for that. We, in the PDP were not united. And a house that was not united paved way for failure. And I give you state by state analysis. Take Ogun State for example, three political parties grew out of the PDP to contest against the ACN. We had the PDP that had Tunji Olurin as governorship candidate, we had PPN that had Adeleke Isiaka as the governorship candidate and there was the Labour Party (LP), that had Rev. Jide Awosadori as gubernatorial candidate. And all this people were formidable PDP people. When you had all these from PDP fighting ACN, of course the result would be predictable.


Go to Oyo State, the government of the ACN in Oyo State is a hopeless minority. Because of in-fighting in PDP, Rasheed Ladoja, Bayo Akala, and others were not united. If you put the votes of Ladoja of Accord Party and Akala together, it is 235,000 more than the votes of Ajimobi. And if you analyse Ajimobi’s votes, you find out that Folarin, the former Senate leader, Lekan Balogun, Elder Wole Oyelese, Bolarunmi, former Deputy governor, also contributed to Ajimobi’s votes. If you put them together you find out that the votes that the PDP would have used to wallop Ajimobi would have been more than 400,000. Now to Osun State, we lost the state because we were fighting ourselves. And many of us have learnt lessons from that. We were quarrelling about who will become governor, not believing that it is only God who gives power to human beings.


The Igbos have a saying “Onye ma echi. Echi di ime” (who knows tomorrow. It is pregnant). Only God knows tomorrow. No one knows tomorrow. That was in a record I cannot forget. It was made popular by Celestine Ukwu. As we were fighting ourselves for the governorship of the state, our government was stolen by Justice Salami and his group. That is why I laugh when people say he is an angel. He is not an angel. That character? But I have refused to take my pen and start writing about him because there is little gap in age between him and me. But our government was stolen by the man and his gang of judicial officers in Ibadan. But the time we now came back, it was difficult for us in Osun State to pull our acts together. And therefore, my brother, Aregbesola became governor.


So, it was majorly disunity that made us to lose South-West. But this does not remove the fact and I am saying it with all efforts at my command and with the fear of God, that the PDP is very, very strong in the South-West. Take Lagos State, we won Lagos by 1.2 million votes in the presidential elections. But if we were to put our acts together, all the PDP leaders in Lagos, we would have won the governorship. We have learnt lessons, and that is what is important and we are prepared to build on it. By 2015, we would not only have regained control of the South-west, but we would also have built up a formidable force in the PDP that no ACN in this world can challenge our control of the state.


This disunity you are talking about, was it responsible for the plight of the former South-West PDP leader, Olabode George, who ended up in prison?

Let me tell you I now want to talk to you as a lawyer. Bode George, is my friend. I have known Bode George for the last 40-50 years. We went to the same university. I was one year ahead of him. But talking as a lawyer, honestly speaking, Bode George was a political prisoner. He was computerized to prison by our political opponents.


Who are they?
[size=18pt]
[b]I won’t tell you. You should know. Bola Tinubu is a great political calculator. Say what you like, Bola Tinubu is a heavy political calculator. And I want to concede that to him. In the first instance, there was no business of Bode George being tried by a High Court of Lagos State. Bode George was involved with Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA) which is a Federal concern. If I, as a lawyer, I had access to my friend Ayalanja; we ought to have raised that fundamental point. If this man was to be tried at all, it would have been by a Federal High Court and not a Lagos High Court.


When a motion was raised, because we were talking about jurisdiction, they went ahead to try him in a Lagos High Court. Of course, you know the influence of Tinubu in Lagos. I am not saying Tinubu interfered with the Judiciary. But I am saying that the influence of Tinubu in Lagos and the two of then are not political pals. But when the case went to the Court of Appeal, again we met Justice Salami, we met him. I am saying it clearly, Chidi, we met Justice Salami(emphasis). There was one woman again, Ogunbiyi, who also featured prominently in the tribunal at Ibadan. So, immediately we landed at the Court of Appeal, and we heard that Salami was there I just told our friend not to expect much. Bode George was a political prisoner; a victim of the viciousness of politics in Nigeria. But he has made history for himself and I know that by the grace of God he will be exonerated. [/b] [/size]


You said his political opponents sent him to prison. But even at that, the PDP appears reluctant to accommodate him after his travails. He was barred from attending the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) meeting.

(Cuts in) That is false. That is very, very false. By the grace of God, I am a member of the Board of Trustees of the PDP, at least till March next year, Bode George was not barred. He was not in the country when we had the BOT meeting in July 26. When I read it in one of the papers, I laughed. But you don’t react to everything you see in the papers, otherwise, you become a fool. Bode was a former deputy National Chairman of the PDP, he was national vice chairman(South-West) for the PDP, and by virue of being a former Deputy National Chairman of the party, he is a member of the BoT by our constitutional provisions.

So, who barred Bode Goerge? Nobody barred him. Again, don’t forget that there had been many political prisoners before in the world. Nkrumah was a political prisoner, Papa Awo was a political prisoner.


But there were not financial misdemeanour attached to their imprisonment?

Eeem! That’s true. That’s true. But then, for goodness sake, the basis under which it was said George had been jailed, if we apply it to governance since 1960, many people will go to jail.

Contract review. I was a minister for 12 or 14 months. And I know what I’m talking about. Review of contract and limitations of the chairman, the managing director, the board, up to the minister. If we apply that across board, many, many officials of government will be sent to prison, from 1960.

The performance of the PDP in government since 1999 is a subject of derision. There is decay of infrastructure, collapsed roads. Die hard fans of President Jonathan are regretting,voting for him. What is responsible for the slow pace of action, insecurity, bombings and no motion.


Let me be very honest with you and my fellow compatriots. We had this government only 3 months ago. Why are we in a hurry? It is not because I am in PDP that I am saying this? Why are we in a hurry? We are already judging them after 3 months? Those who are saying they regret voting for Jonathan, I’m sure nobody who is seen as an objective person will say thatr.


Maybe, out of frustration? These are Media Creations. All of you are creating these things.

Three months are too short to judge a government. In terms of security, there is no country in the world, you don’t have bombings,

Even when you don’t have bombings, there are political problems. A greek philosopher, HERACLITUS, once said that society must be in a permanent state of conflict no matter how the state is, it will have its own problems. Bombing is not peculiar to Nigeria. Even, we are very sad because we are not used to these things.


Nigeria is a country created by God. We passed through a civil war and we survived it. And when you talk about determination, from all indications, government is showing that it wants to achieve results.

Look at our foreign policy. It is very dynamic and strong. The recognition given to the National Transitional Council of Libya is a correct one. I am one of the fans of Ghadafi. He is only one year older than me. When I was about to graduate, Ghadafi staged a coup.

But where Ghadafi got it wrong is that he turned a dictator and stayed for 42 years and you say that our government should not recognize the NTC. No. 42 years in power? Our government recognizes the fact that Nigerian people will never, never affirm a ruler who turns himself into a dictator. That shows that foreign policy is dynamic. Our people say that a country’s foreign policy is an extension of that country’s domestic policy. We are going to get there.


Please comment on the single tenure proposal by the Federal Government?

I have written an article, where I appealed to Nigerians to give it a trial, and let us support it. These two terms thing in Nigeria is very hazardous and dangerous. When a government is put in place after elections, the secondary problem starts. People begin to ask about who is going to take over power.


But when the man knows he has a limit of 6 years, we are going to be saved of the commotion attached to these two terms syndrome.

Again, it is not a new thing in Nigeria. When the Abacha constituted conference left, it promulgated a constitution which was never signed into law; and which proposed that there should be a single term for office holders in Nigeria.

And when Obasanjo called the National Political Reforms Conference in 2005, it recommended that this country should embrace a single term of 6 years.


Infact, I was in the sub-committee of that conference that recommended a single term of 6 years of this country. That sub-committee was headed by former Senate President, Dr. Joseph Wayas.

And we had people like Jerry Gana, Segun Arisegun(current Ogun dep governor).

Gan Dutshi, Mustapha, Comrade Ejiofor of the NLC were all members.Taiwo Alimi, an ace broadcaster was a member.

I want Nigerians to sit down and analyse and they will definitely discover that it pays Nigeria better to have a single term for office holders.


I give you an example. The UPN was the best organized political party at the time. Nobody can dispute that. But for the charisma of Papa Awolowo, the UPN would have been badly splinttered by the contest for power which usually arise before elections. In 1982, those who wanted to take over power from the governors of the UPN, were so militant that if not for Papa Awo, the party would have gone into disintegration. And that was because of the two terms thing. I plead with Nigerians. Let’s support single term. It is going to end most of our political problems.


We are going to cement democracy in Nigeria as a form of government. We have done very well so far. We can further consolidate the gains of democracy if a man goes to power and concentrates. Some people ‘have said when a man goes to power on a single term, he doesn’t do anything. That’s not true.

Every human being wants to look for history. Every man wants a niche for himself. He wants to be remembered for things he has done.



http://odili.net/news/source/2011/sep/7/508.html

WikiLeaks: EFCC Operatives Reveal They Had Files Containing Ibori, Obasanjo And Goodluck Jonathan's Corruption
Posted: September 7, 2011 - 19:54

EFCC Chair, FaridaWaziri earlier today in Abuja defending the Jonathan's against corruption charges
By SaharaReporters, New York
On 18 November 2008, Ashishana Okauru resigned his appointment as Director of the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Abuja.
Later that week, news outlets were buzzing with the story that Mr. Okauru had been detained at the EFCC along with his powerful wife, the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service, Mrs. Ifueko Omogui-Okauru. Mrs. Omoigui-Okauru had merely visited the premises to pick up her husband on their way home.



The detention order was said to have been given by the Chairman of the EFCC, Mrs. Farida Waziri, and Mr. Okauru was so angry and embarrassed he called Mrs. Waziri on the phone and told her he was quitting with immediate effect.

A WikiLeaks cable just released now shows that Mr. Okauru had anticipated trouble and had taken some steps to ensure that the highly-sensitive information under his control had a chance to serve the public interest rather than powerful political players in the country.

Later that week, in Dakar, Senegal, two members of the Nigerian delegation to the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) disclosed that Okauru's removal was part of a grand scheme by a group of ex-Governors and others who were under investigation for corruption by the EFCC, to cover up their past misdeeds and be able to run in the next elections by dismantling the EFCC and NFIU.

The two: NFIU External Relations Officer Tukur Modibbo and NFIU Chief Analyst Mr. Mustapha Mohamed, had been Okauru's trusted lieutenants, and he had surreptitiously given several financial intelligence files to them, although nobody else knew they had the files.
Although Modibbo did not say where the files were, he indicated that he had 100 corruption-related case files with international linkages, approximately 26 of which were on Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs).

Modibbo and Mohamed said they had no plans to give the files to Okauru's replacement, former Special Control Unit Against Money Laundering (SCUML) Director Norman Wokoma, whom they believed could not be trusted and would easily be replaced if he did not cooperate with those who put him there.

According to the cable, Okauru's forced resignation was a direct consequence of the details of his conversations earlier that month with officials of the United States government in Washington being relayed to Waziri by Wokoma. Waziri then rewarded Wokoma with the position of Acting Director of the NFIU following Okauru’s resignation.




The cache of sensitive files, Mohammed told his American interlocutors, included files on the following:

• [size=15pt]the Ibori and Siemens scandals;
• Olusegun Obasanjo's power sector fraud;
• Obasanjo's daughter Yabo Bello's alleged money laundering activities;
• (then) Vice President Goodluck Jonathan's suspected corruption in Bayelsa State;
• Files involving the Inspector General of Police;
• Files involving Attorney General Michael Aondoakaa; and
• Files involving EFCC Chairperson Farida Waziri.
[/size]
Mohammed asserted that Waziri had been strategically appointed by AG Aondoakaa to prevent investigations of the former governors, pointing out that actions to block such investigations included the redeployment all EFCC personnel that had a hand in their cases.
Mohamed and Modibbo were convinced that President Umaru Yar’Adua’s poor health had provided the former governors the opportunity to consolidate control over the country's anti-corruption apparatus and enable them to participate in the next elections.

Furthermore, they said, the former governors had begun to cover their tracks by first convincing convinced the President to appoint Aondoakaa as AG as he would “do a good job” of defending the legal challenge of Yar’Adua’s election.

Having succeeded in accomplishing that, the former governors also arranged to have Mike Okiro appointed Inspector General of Police; and Waziri appointed to replace Ribadu at the EFCC in order to undermine the cases against them, as Waziri would be loyal to the AG and help quash the cases.

This WikiLeaks account also corroborates SaharaReporters previous reporting of the unholy alliance between Aondoakaa and Waziri, including how they got their appointments.
Farida Waziri, Chairman Economic and Financial Crime Commission, defend Patience Jonathan, on the $13.5 million seized by the EFCC has reported by Wikileaks, a cable network. Waziri,told journalists in her office this evening, in Abuja, during a courtesy, by a non- governmental organisation.

Coincidentally, Farida Waziri, Chairman Economic and Financial Crime Commission was defending Patience Jonathan, in Abuja to regarding the $13.5 million seized by the EFCC which was reported in Wikileaks cable Mrs. Waziri told journalists in her office this evening, in Abuja, during a courtesy, by a non- governmental organization that Mrs. Jonathan had not "engaged in any form of corruption".


http://saharareporters.com/news-page/wikileaks-efcc-operatives-reveal-they-had-files-containing-ibori-obasanjo-and-goodluck-jon

Inu ma jin ooooooooooo


So Bode Goerge killed Funsho Williams and Bola Ige?


No wonder Tinubu and BG never got along, so they know each other's secret/ It would be interesting to see what Bode george has to say about it.

I guess the other question is that how much of something like this is still going on?
Is Jonathan still revealing secrets to the US Ambassador? When was the last time Sanusi ran to divulge national secrets to the US Ambassador, and our Senators and represensentatives?

And when these guys run to the US Ambassadors, who do they think they were talking to? USG or just some pal who happens to be working for the US State department.


I am gutted by all these revelations. Our so called leaders have no respect for us, for themselves, and for the country they were supposed to serve. Clearly, clearly, the labour of our heroes past seem to have been in vain.

They all should resign in shame. I am ashamed of them all. And we all should and it is time we demanded answers from them.

I guess I wasnt clear enough.

Why is Sanusi running to the US Ambassador to open this can of worms.

This seems like espinionage to me, albeit a voluntary one, and the US didnt have to pay or work hard for it.

Right there is a mole, who sees nothing wrong in washing our dirty linens in the public; no wonder the US has no respect for us.


@OYB: remember he is talking to the US Ambassador, not to the SS, the EFCC, the ICPC or some other local security outfit, And he is revealing national secrets here.

Retardeen Jonathan was afriad to exercise power.

Odechukwu has been embarrased, I am beginning to actually pity him.

^^^

You are a failure!

^^^

I thought OBJ was Ibo?

me, I just want to sow my oats, nothing more nothing less.

tpia@:

he's been in military uniform, if that counts.

You have very low IQ, lil wonder you find academics very difficult


How is your worobo business doing?