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Tag: Jonathan

  • Abdulsalami Panel: we didn’t beg for Jonathan

    Abdulsalami Panel: we didn’t beg for Jonathan

    Treasury looters to face trial soon, says Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption battle got a major boost yesterday, with the Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar-led National Peace Committee for the 2015 General Elections endorsing it.

    Besides, the committee denied the speculation that it was on a mission to plead for former President Goodluck Jonathan.

    Dr. Jonathan, who left office on May 29, has not been accused of any offence.

    Members of the committee, who met with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, said the on-going action against corruption was in order.

    “It is not heating up the polity,” their spokesman, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kuka, told State House reporters after the meeting.

    The committee, however, cautioned against the abuse of due process.

    Rev. Kukah said the committee members, on Monday, met with Senate President  Bukola Saraki and spoke of plans to hold talks with House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara.

    Gen. Abdulsalami  led other members of the panel, including the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III; the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and the Primate of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, the Most Revd. Nicholas Okoh.

    Others are: the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan; Dr. Kukah, who is the Bishop of Sokoto Catholic Diocese; a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mrs. Priscilla Kuye and Senator Ben Obi.

    Briefing reporters on their mission to the Villa, Rev. Kukah denied that the Committee was intervening on Jonathan’s behalf  when it met behind closed doors with President Buhari.

    The former President was at the Villa last Thursday night for talks with his successor.

    There were unconfirmed reports that Dr. Jonathan approached the Gen. Abdusalami-led panel to plead with President Buhari as his administration beamed its searchlight on the activities of those who held public offices under the former president.

    But, the cleric noted that Jonathan never sought the committee’s intervention.

    Rev. Kukah said: “We gave a bit of update about the relevance of the peace committee itself and how we can help to nurture what God has given to us.

    “Anybody is free to come to our committee but President Jonathan never by telephone or another means talked to the committee.

    “We went to see him, but that is after we had already seen members of the political parties, members of the civil society. We planned to see the speaker because we couldn’t see him yesterday.

    “This is a very planned series of intervention, essentially just to hear out everybody and I think the good news is that Nigerians are committed to a new nation, they are committed to ensuring that the gains and blessings God has given us come to fruition.”

    On the committee’s mission, he said: “This is not an intervention; it is not a hearing out process. When we had election, it was like a wedding. Now the reality of government is now the marriage and people need to be encouraged.

    “We need to reaffirm that this is our country and the only thing we can collectively be opposed to is injustice, iniquity, corruption and in that regard we all had one single conversation.”

    The bishop said the President reaffirmed the need for the committee to continue. The international community has also welcomed the contributions.

    Stressing that the committee has not been policing elected officials, Rev. Kukah said that the panel’s intervention will not only help to build but also strengthen confidence in the process.

    Commenting on the Buhari administration’s anti-corruption posture, the cleric said: “It is not heating up the polity. In our conversation with President Jonathan and members of the parties, I don’t think any Nigerian is in favour of corruption, or is against the President’s commitment to ensuring that we turn a new leaf.

    “I think what we are concerned about is process. It is no longer a military regime and under our existing laws everybody is innocent, until proven guilty.

    “Again our own commitment is not to intimidate or fight anybody. The former President’s commitment and what he did still remain spectacular and I think that  President Buhari himself appreciates that. So, our effort really is to make sure that the right thing is done.”

  • Update: Committee not intervening for Jonathan – Kukah

    Update: Committee not intervening for Jonathan – Kukah

    The National Peace Committee on the 2015 General Election headed by former Head of State, Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar (rtd), on Tuesday denied intervening on behalf of former President Goodluck Jonathan when it met behind closed doors with President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Speaking on behalf of the committee after the meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the Bishop of Sokoto Catholic Diocese, Dr. Mathew Hassan Kukah, also noted that Jonathan never sought for intervention of the committee.

    It was alleged that Jonathan had sought the intervention of the committee to check the beaming of Buhari’s anti-corruption searchlight on activities of his regime.

    Kukah said: “We gave a bit of update about the relevance of the peace committee itself and how we can help to nurture what God has given to us.

    “Anybody is free to come to our committee but President Jonathan never by telephone or another means talked to the committee. We went to see him, but that is after we had already seen members of the political party and members of the civil society.  We planned to see the speaker because we couldn’t see him yesterday.

    “This is a much planned series of intervention essentially just to hear out everybody and I think the good news is that Nigerians are committed to a new nation. They are committed to ensuring that the gains and blessings God has given us come to fruition.”

    On why it has become necessary to intervene, he said: “This is not an intervention, it is not a hearing out process. When we had election it was like a wedding, now the reality of government is now the marriage and people need to be encouraged.

    “We need to reaffirm that this is our country and the only thing we can collectively be opposed to is injustice, iniquity, corruption and in that regard we all had one single conversation.”

    He said President Buhari has reaffirmed the need for the committee to continue, while the international community has also welcomed the contributions of the committee.

    Speaking on Buhari’s administration’s position on corruption, he said: “It is not heating up the polity. In our conversation with President Jonathan and members of the parties, I don’t think any Nigerian will support corruption or is against the President’s commitment to ensuring that we turn a new leaf.

    “I think what we are concerned about is process, it is no longer a military regime and under our existing laws everybody is innocent until proven guilty.

    “Again our own commitment is not to intimidate or fight anybody, the former President’s commitment and what he did still remains spectacular and I think that  President Buhari himself appreciates that. So our effort really is to make sure that the right thing is done.”

  • Jonathan was really  caged, says Soyinka

    Jonathan was really  caged, says Soyinka

    Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka has said that ex-President Goodluck Jonathan was really caged by some forces while in office.

    He said Jonathan was unaware that the nation had been compromised and that ex-First Lady Dame Patience was on the loose and  ought to be charged for incitement or chaos.

    He however said he warned a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu to beware of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    He said Ribadu later confirmed that Chief Obasanjo was using him.

    Soyinka made the submissions in an interview he granted a team from Zero Tolerance Magazine, produced by the Media and Publicity of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC).

    He said he met Jonathan on more than two occasions and that it was obvious the former President had no knowledge of what was going on under his watch.

    He said: “Correct. There were forces around Jonathan, which he himself did not understand and that is why I stressed that, you’ve got to choose your circle of advisers very carefully, when you are in charge. He was caged; things were going on that he did not know about.

    “And again, I am revealing this to you, since this won’t be published till after the elections because I won’t want to be seen as campaigning for or against one side. It shows  in deep trouble governance can be; governance can dig itself into a huge hole and not even know it’s in there. The statement that was issued was issued the night when I met him.

    “Oh! It is more than two occasions, but two in recent times. I will tell you one interesting aspect of what we discussed. Jonathan did not know that the nation had been compromised so badly in this telephone thing with the King of Morocco. I was the one who told him when we met over an issue and I said to him, ‘by the way, how is the King of Morocco? Jonathan didn’t know what I was talking about’.

    “When I mentioned the telephone issue, he thought I was talking about his campaign for the AfDB  managing  director for which he was lobbying other Head of States. He said ‘I haven’t spoken to him in a long time’, and I said ‘no, you spoke to him a few days ago.’

    “He said ‘no, I intend to speak with him, I even asked my foreign ministry to link me up with him because I am campaigning for a candidate but I haven’t spoken to the King of Morocco’. Then I said to him, ‘You better go and read the newspapers of last week’. And I can tell you, he didn’t know.

    “So, can you imagine that the President did not know that a scandal had developed that involved a withdrawal of an ambassador!”

    On the former First Lady, Soyinka said she ought to be charged for incitement and chaos

    “On a lighter note, I asked him, ‘what are you doing about madam’, because that one seems to be embarrassing the nation as usual because that seems to be her function as so called first lady. “You got to a section of the country and tell your supporters to stone those who campaign for change and you insult another part of the nation by calling them those who produce children that they cannot look after. That woman should be charged for incitement, chaos; it’s incredible that she is allowed to run loose.”

    Pressed to disclose Jonathan’s reply to the question on his wife, Soyinka added: “I am not going to tell his response(laughs…). But I am free to tell you what I said, it will be an abuse of privilege if I tell you his response.”

    Soyinka said he did not bomb Jonathan but he had spoken privately with the President on the state of the nation.

    He said Jonathan allowed corruption to fester during his administration.

    Soyinka gave details on how he warned ex-EFCC chairman, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu  against being used by ex-President Obasanjo.

    He said: “I warned your former boss, Ribadu, I told him that, your task will be done when in the course of your investigation; you discover that the source of the problem is the very person who appointed you.

    “He looked shocked a bit, and eventually he and I met in London, after, he was removed and El-Rufai was also in exile after they tried to kill him. We met and Ribadu refused to sit down. I asked him to sit but he said no, that until I accepted his apology? And he said, “I should have listened to you, I failed to listen to you. Something you said to me, and I failed to listen” Ribadu admitted that he realized very late that Obasanjo was using him.

    “So we have to destroy that link between power and corruption. Audu Ogbe confirmed what I am telling you. Then it was ‘go after this one, go after the one, ahh! You did not arrest him? Arrest his mother!’ I am challenging Obasanjo to deny it.

    “So when you are looking for corruption, you should look at the entire stratum of the society, while some forms of corruption are direct, others are indirect.”

    When reminded that former President Obasanjo said Ribadu investigated him and cleared him of all corruption charges, Soyinka said: I am not going to speak on this; but one thing l like, when I speak, I don’t dwell on rumours but at the same time I form opinion within the limits of the investigation which I make, that’s how far I go. I am a very curious person; I‘ll always ask: is this thing true, is it not true? And I use my own means to investigate and come to my conclusion.”

    “Of course he(Ribadu)  did, that was one of the longest discussions I had in a long time. We were there for almost four hours and we spoke for at least two and a half hours. I asked him a couple of questions and he told me certain things in confidence and there were things in which corroborated the things I have heard from different directions on investigations which I myself had made.

    “But the important thing is that he came around to see that my indication to him is that you had to get to the source of corruption which grows when it is tolerated.”

     

  • Honour agreements reached under Jonathan, says Buhari

    Honour agreements reached under Jonathan, says Buhari

    president Muhammadu Buhari yesterday ordered the Ministry of Transport to keep to the agreements reached with firms building seaports and modern standard gauge railway lines.

    He spoke while being briefed on the activities of the ministry by its top officials, led by the Permanent Secretary, Mohammed Sambo Bashar.

    Briefing State House correspondents after the meeting, the Permanent Secretary said the President was impressed with the pace of work on major projects  in the sector.

    According to him, laying of tracks on the Abuja-Kaduna rail project had been completed while locomotives, which had  been paid for were still being awaited as operations would commence on the route by December.

    He said the rail lines from Lagos to Kano, Kano to Port Harcourt and Port Harcourt to Gombe were in operation.

    He said: “Basically, what we did is to present to the President the various programmes and projects and the reform efforts we have been undertaking in the last couple of years, the stages of the various projects, especially the railway rehabilitation programme and development in our seaports. And also some of the regulatory issues that we sought are due for review and attention.

    “The President quite appreciated a lot of what has been achieved so far and he has indicated his willingness to continue with a lot of projects and programmes already on ground. And he has expressed his support, especially when we start talking about the capacity building for individual operators in the country. He is really appreciative of the entrepreneur initiatives of Nigerians and indication that government will continue to give its full support.

    “There are issues that he thinks we should pay a lot of attention, especially in the execution of agreements that we have entered into. He emphasized on the need to adhere strictly to the terms of agreements and we are going to abide by that.

    “Basically, those agreements are relating to the projects we entered into with the construction of railway, standard gauge lines and rehabilitation programmes.”

    Asked to give updates on ongoing projects, he said: “Well, I think the rehabilitation programme of the old gauge lines, as you are aware, we have completed the Lagos-Kano and it is operational. Twice a week, people move from Lagos to Kano and back to Lagos.

    “We have also recently commenced operation from Kano to Port Harcourt, and Port Harcourt to Gombe and from Gombe upwards we have some challenges.

    “With regards to Abuja-Kaduna, track has been completely laid and we are now waiting for locomotives to arrive, which have been ordered and paid for. Our belief is that we will meet the deadline of December, 2015.”

  • Jonathan was caged in office – Soyinka

    Jonathan was caged in office – Soyinka

    A Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has said ex-President Goodluck Jonathan was really caged by some forces while in office.

    He said Jonathan did not know that the nation had been compromised.

    He also said the ex-First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan was loose and ought to be charged for incitement or chaos.

    Soyinka, however, said he warned a former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu to beware of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    The Nobel Laureate made the submissions in an interview he granted a team from Zero Tolerance Magazine, produced by the Media and Publicity unit of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Soyinka said he met Jonathan on more than two occasions and it was obvious that the former President had no knowledge of what was going on.

    He said: “Correct. There were forces around Jonathan, which he himself did not understand and that is why I stressed that, you’ve got to choose your circle of advisers very carefully, when you are in charge. He was caged; things were going on that he did not know about.

    “And again, I am revealing this to you, since this won’t be published till after the elections because I won’t want to be seen as campaigning for or against one side. It shows in deep trouble governance can be, governance can dig itself into a huge hole and not even know it’s in there. The statement that was issued was issued the night when I met him.

    “Oh! It is more than two occasions, but two in recent times. I will tell you one interesting aspect of what we discussed. I will reveal to you that Jonathan did not know that the nation had been compromised so badly in this telephone thing with the King of Morocco. I was the one who told him when we met over an issue and I said to him, ‘by the way, how is the King of Morocco? Jonathan didn’t know what I was talking about’.

    “When I mentioned the telephone issue, he thought I was talking about his campaign for the AFDB managing director for which he was lobbying other Head of States. He said ‘I haven’t spoken to him in a long time,’ and I said ‘no, you spoke to him a few days ago.’

    “He said ‘no, I intend to speak with him, I even asked my foreign ministry to link me up with him because I am campaigning for a candidate but I haven’t spoken to the King of Morocco’. Then I said to him, ‘You better go and read the newspapers of last week’. And I can tell you, he didn’t know.

    “So can you imagine that the President did not know that a scandal had developed that involved a withdrawal of an ambassador?”

     

  • Buhari to Jonathan: looted funds must be returned

    Buhari to Jonathan: looted funds must be returned

    Former Head of State Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar facilitated President Muhammadu Buhari’s meeting with his predecessor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, The Nation learnt yesterday.

    Thursday night’s meeting at the Villa was at the instance of the 2015 Elections Peace Committee, following complaints by Jonathan that the President was not sticking to the peace accord they signed.

    Jonathan also sought for understanding on alleged corrupt practices and mismanagement of funds under his administration, it was learnt.

    A source said Jonathan claimed that he was hearing about some of the graft allegations  for the first time.

    But Buhari was said to have insisted that all looted funds must be returned to the nation’s coffers.

    He also restated his pledge that Jonathan had nothing to fear at all, according to a source who pleaded not to be named because of the “sensitivity” of the matter.

    The outcome of the session was said to have informed Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s declaration at the weekend that the Buhari administration’s anti-corruption battle was not targeted at Jonathan.

    According to the source, the parley was arranged by Abdulsalami.

    Jonathan was uncomfortable that Buhari had moved against his ex-Chief Security Officer (CSO), ex-National Security Adviser (NSA) and some ministers.

    The source said Jonathan asked the Abdulsalami Committee to prevail on Buhari not to “rubbish” him.

    The source said: “For some weeks, Jonathan has been in the country to iron out some issues on his government.

    Based on Jonathan’s complaint, Abdulsalami made efforts – five times- to get in touch with Buhari but the ex-Head of State could not get through on time. I think Buhari already had security reports on Jonathan’s emissary.”

    At a point, Abdulsalami expressed his frustration to some former Presidents who also prevailed on Buhari to give the committee a chance to mediate.

    The source added: “This was how Abdulsalami succeeded in securing an appointment from Buhari for Jonathan with a caveat that the immediate past President should feel free to bare his mind.”

    Giving an insight into the talks, another source said: “Jonathan said he was hearing some of the allegations, especially financial sleaze, against his administration for the first time. He made it clear that he had nothing to do with some of these corrupt practices.

    “He said whatever steps or actions the President intends to take; it should be within the framework of the peace accord the two leaders signed. Obviously, he wanted soft landing.

    “He also pledged to cooperate with Buhari as much as possible on all steps he is going to take.”

    Buhari, it was gathered, restated his pledge that Joanthan had nothing to fear. But he said there was no going back on the recovery of looted funds.

    “The President reassured Jonathan that he has no personal agenda against him. But he insisted that whatever was stolen from the treasury must be returned,” the source said.

    There were indications last night that ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo’s visit to Buhari was part of moves to “offer advice” to the President on the issues raised by Jonathan.

    When contacted, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Mr. Femi Adesina, said: “I am aware that President Buhari met with ex-President Goodluck Jonathan but it was behind closed doors. I don’t have the details of what they discussed.”

    Some of the issues which made Jonathan to seek peace talks with Buhari are:

    • probe of $2.1billion illegally withdrawn from the Excess Crude Account without recourse to the National Economic Council(NEC);
    • whereabouts of $4billion taxes and dividends paid by the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas Limited between 2009 and 2014;
    • how the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) spent N3.8trillion in three years;
    • likely trial of some ex-ministers; and
    • list of looted funds, banks where they are kept and ex-ministers or government officials affected.

    The National Economic Committee (NEC) had on June 29 raised a four-man panel on how NNPC spent N3.8trillion in three years.

    The four “wise men” are Governors Adam Oshiomhole (Edo), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Mallam Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna) and Ibrahim Dankwambo (Gombe).

    Awaiting the committee’s report, Governor Adams Oshiomhole joined issues with the immediate past Minister of Finance Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on how $2.1billion in ECA was disbursed without approval.

    He said of the $2.1billion, only $1billion was paid to oil marketers as fuel subsidy and about $1billion used for election purposes.

    Although, Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala claimed that the ex-President approved the spending of $1billion, Oshiomhole said Jonathan had no right to do so.

    He said any withdrawal from Excess Crude Account ought to be approved by the National Economic Council (NEC).

    The Nation had on July 15 published that the ex-President approached the Gen. Abdulsalami National Peace Committee for the 2015 General Election, for protection.

  • Buhari, Jonathan meet in Aso Rock

    Buhari, Jonathan meet in Aso Rock

    President Muhamadu Buhari on Thursday met behind closed doors with former President Goodluck Jonathan at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The meeting held inside the President’s official residence.

    President Buhari met former President Olusegun Obasanjo at the same venue on Friday.

    The details of discussion at the meeting with Jonathan on Thursday were unknown as at press time.

    Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, however confirmed the meeting.

    President Buhari also met with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal together on Friday night.

  • Jonathan not target of any probe, says Osinbajo

    Jonathan not target of any probe, says Osinbajo

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday dismissed suggestions that the Buhari Administration is witch hunting former President Goodluck Jonathan with the probe of the activities of some agencies.

    On the contrary, he said the administration’s anti-corruption stance is designed to check corruption in all areas of the nation’s life.

    “It’s not about a probe of a past government, that’s not what this is about. We are talking about our future, we are saying that we must put in place a clear strategy going forward,” the vice president said at the funeral of Madam Elizabeth Adesola Mamora, mother of Senator  Olorunmibe Mamora, at  the First Baptist Church, Ijebu-Ife, Ogun State..

    “Not just about ensuring that people are made to pay for looting the treasury, our system of justice must be fair to ensure that anybody who does anything that is wrong is brought to account. We can’t allow impunity to continue. So it’s not about the previous government, it’s about any form of impunity,” he stressed.

    Vice President Osinbajo said the anti-corruption effort of the government is a genuine programme aimed at sanitizing the country.

    In his sermon at the service, the head of the Baptist Church in Ogun State, Pastor Segun Jaiyesimi, challenged political leaders to make positive change while alive, especially when they are holding public office as there will be no opportunity to do so after death.

    The ceremony drew a large crowd of friends, associates  and relations from far and near including APC leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Chief  Bisi Akande, Governor  Ibikunle Amosun  of Ogun State, Governor  Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, former governors of Ogun, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and the immediate past governor of Rivers, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi.

     

     

  • ‘I’m not ready to attack Jonathan yet, but he misruled us’

    ‘I’m not ready to attack Jonathan yet, but he misruled us’

    Lawyer, criminologist and former Minister of State for Education under President Goodluck Jonathan, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, spoke with Sunday Oguntola on the new administration and where Jonathan missed the mark. Excerpts:

    What’s your take on the state of the nation?

    I believe that a nation that went down to the level we got to under the last administration will find it difficult to get out of it hale and hearty. I believe Dr Goodluck Jonathan is, in fact, a lucky man that President Muhammadu Buhari won the election. We had reached the end of the road under him.

    That we had a change of government, itself, had given us a breather. What the breather means is that we have a better hope than before. A lot of Nigerians now expect something as against when we had no expectation. What we are looking for now is how President Buhari will get us out of the messy situation we are in.

    They have started arresting some criminals. What we had in the past were inconclusive arrests and investigations. We must make people account for what they did. Our security agencies must arrest looters. Instead of just taking money from them, we must take the current arrests to a logical conclusion.

    You were part of the Jonathan’s years. Are you dissociating yourself from the failures of that administration?

    I became a minister in that government by a lot of interferences. For instance, when I refused to be a minister, no less a person than Theophilus Danjuma was contacted to prevail on me. I accepted the appointment and worked for Nigeria. The duty of Jonathan was to appoint, mine was to work. I did my work unblemished.

    However, there were things in government that went on while I was there and after I had left that I dissociate myself from. I’m dissociating myself from the infractions of the government.

    I want Nigerians to know that there are people in this country who have made money and had wealth before going into government.

    The former president himself said several times that he didn’t know I was that wealthy before I joined his government.

    The point is I’m not directing any attack at anybody but what I’m saying is that the country was misruled and if Jonathan was my father or brother, I will say so. I won’t keep quiet when things are bad. You will recall I told Jonathan two months before the elections that there was no way he could come back.

    Do you think the steps Buhari have taken so far are taking us back to the right tracks?

    As somebody in the business world, I will say that Buhari himself might not have done something but the fact that you cannot carry $100,000 to the president for any favour has put a different orientation into our heads that it is no longer business as usual. It is clear that at over 70, Buhari will never get to a stage where he would have any other interest at heart than the good of Nigeria.

    But some have alleged that 95 percent of his appointments are from a section of a country where he comes from. What’s your take on that?

    There are appointments that the President has to make under constitutional conditionality but there are some that are strictly under his prerogative. We can compare him with other former presidents of Nigeria and see if he had done anything different. You cannot appoint a Minister of Niger Delta from Lagos. It is not possible because the constitution has taken care of that. But if you talk about some appointments, it is based on what the President wants.

    For the first time in the nation’s history, the president and the head of the electoral commission are from the same region. Will this augur well?

    I can confirm to you that Amina Zakari will never be chairperson of INEC. A government’s business cannot be left in a vacuum. When the last chairman was leaving, somebody necessarily must take over in an acting capacity. What we have is a transition to a different government.

    In a country where the President is inundated with many criminals, he has to take his time to appoint the right person for an important agency as INEC.

    But I can assure you that Buhari is too sensible to make Amina the substantive INEC chairperson no matter how competent she is. The history of Nigeria has made it that the President and the INEC chair always come from different regions. Amina is only bidding time in INEC. She will go when Buhari finds a competent person.

    What about the appointment of the Department of State Services (DSS) Director-General, a man from the President’s village, more or less a cousin?

    Nigerians must learn to remove pettiness from our reactions. Given the sensitive nature of this country, in terms of coups and counter-coups, it has become a practice to appoint someone you can trust as DSS chief.

    Let me start by saying that Daura is a wonderful and honest man. He has not been found wanting or accused of corruption. We have had several instances of Presidents only entrusting security to persons they are comfortable with.

    The former DG SSS, Sunday Areh, was dismissed for allegedly plotting a coup. He was a Lt. Col when he was dismissed from the military. He was brought back by former President Obasanjo. Areh was like his son. He became DG DSS.

    Lt. General Patrick Azazi was appointed as Director of Military Intelligence, then National Security Adviser (NSA) because former President Jonathan believed in him. Azazi was from Jonathan’s region. Every major appointment in the security forces then were coordinated by Azazi. That was what the former President was comfortable with.

    The point is that today people feel comfortable with certain persons. Nigeria has become so distrustful that you need persons you can trust for certain roles. So, what is wrong with Daura who left the service voluntarily because he couldn’t cope with the level of corruption?

    So, the President has not done anything wrong by picking a man who left the service voluntarily. We have to be careful with many of the things said in the social media because most of the activists are sponsored and paid by certain vested interests.

    Are you not bothered that Buhari is taking eternity to form a cabinet?

    Let me tell you that because of the level of rottenness in the polity, you have to be extra careful with some appointments. I know that Nigerians can be impatient. We are becoming restless. What Buhari is going through is as a result of the distrust we have for our leaders.

    Do you agree with Buhari’s limiting his probe of past administrations to Jonathan’s government?

    Buhari has no business going to probe Obasanjo regime. It will just be an unnecessary and irresponsible distraction, because whatever Obasanjo did, Yar’ Adua came, and I can tell you I worked with Yar’ Adua. I was then the Chairman of the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria and in my meetings with Yar’ Adua he would have probed Obasanjo.

    I can tell you that without making mistakes. And Obasanjo knows himself that Yar’ Adua would have probed him. If Yar’ Adua did not probe him, Jonathtan came and did not probe him then that government is gone and gone.

    Whatever Obasanjo did in his government obviously will have effect on Yar’ Adua/Jonathan’s government and if they felt that there was nothing wrong and nothing to probe that was the business of that government.

    But whatever happened in Jonathan’s government has direct and immediate bearing and consequences on this government. It is a back- to- back government. Buhari has a duty to probe Jonathan. And in any case what is wrong with that? I was a minister before, what is wrong in probing me? Why is anybody afraid of Buhari’s probe? What is causing anxiety over the issue of Daura now?  Why are they afraid? If your hands are clean, why are you afraid of probe? I have properties all over Nigeria and abroad. I have every cheque that I have received in my life as a human being. So, why is anybody afraid of probe?

    Are you still open to returning to politics?

    It destroyed all my businesses. I can play an advisory role. I can play roles that are not directly opposed to my successes, my business successes in life. I don’t think I want to be involved. I am too old now. At 53, I should bow out.

    What then happens to the infatuation you have of ruling Delta, which you are passionate about?

     I am still passionate. We have a governor who is my friend, who we all started the party together. Let us see him succeed instead of heating up the polity of Delta State. I am very certain that is what we need to do right now.

    But as God wishes, if He calls you, you cannot reject. But I am saying that I won’t go to anybody; that I have never done before to submit my CV to beg for appointment that I want to work for you.

    You didn’t lobby to be a minister?

    Never! I did not. EK Clark was the one who insisted that I must be a minister. He did everything possible and I said I will not be. When it became so bad he spoke to my friend Theophilus Danjuma to persuade me.

    Some persons are of the opinion that you are attacking Jonathan because he removed you as a minister?

    It is very childish for anybody to make such statement. Jonathan himself feels guilty that he will have to leave politics for nothing. We held that administration and made it work without any interest. Jonathan has not given me one kobo in my life; I was the one who spent my personal money and I am not attacking him.

    If you see all my discussions, I have not attacked him. If I have to do so, I have enough reasons to do so because I have enough facts to do so but I have not gotten to that stage yet.

  • Jonathan’s aides made him sole candidate in 2011, Mark claims

    Jonathan’s aides made him sole candidate in 2011, Mark claims

    Former Senate President  David Mark  said yesterday that aides of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan were the brains behind his promotion as sole presidential candidate of the  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2011 election.

    The aides’ position,he said,ran contrary to that  of party leaders at an earlier meeting that “though it was the turn of the North, President Jonathan was also to be allowed to contest.”

    Mark  was reacting to claims by former Presidential Adviser on National Assembly Adviser, Senator Abba Aji, on the circumstances surrounding Jonathan’s candidacy in that election.

    The former Senate President, in an open  letter to Aji said: “You referred to a meeting in which Prof Sam Oyovbarie and Gen. Sam Ogbemudia made contributions. I was in that meeting too. You will recall that the crux of that meeting was whether or not Jonathan was to be allowed to contest (2011 elections).

    “It was argued that since the late President Yar’Adua (Umaru Musa) was from the North, any candidate to complete his term must also come from the North.

    “After a lengthy debate, the conclusion was that ‘although Jonathan was not from the North, he also was to be allowed to contest’.

    “If after this, you met elsewhere to also conclude or decide that Jonathan was to be the sole candidate, I certainly was not a party to that meeting nor was I privy to that decision.

    “I was, therefore, very shocked when you queried why others were allowed to purchase forms in the caucus meeting.

    “When did you decide that Jonathan was to be the sole PDP presidential candidate?

    “If anything, it is you the personal aides who floated and promoted that idea.

    “The first meeting merely agreed that though it was the turn of the North, President Jonathan was also to be allowed to contest.

    “My understanding was that the emphasis was on allowing someone outside of the northern geopolitical zone to contest.

    “Why then would you want to stop other candidates from the North from buying forms?

    “In any case, how did selling forms to other candidates of Northern extraction amount to misleading Jonathan?”