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Tag: Orubebe

  • CCT chair’s absence stalls Orubebe’s trial

    CCT chair’s absence stalls Orubebe’s trial

    The absence of the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), Danladi Umar, yesterday stalled the resumed trial of former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Godsday Orubebe.

    Umar was said to have lost his aunt and reportedly travelled out of Abuja.

    Orubebe is accused of failing to declare a property he acquired in Abuja while in office.

    When trial opened on April 7, the first prosecution witness gave details of how the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) discovered a property owned by Orubebe in Abuja, which he allegedly refused to declare.

    The witness, Samuel Madojemu, an official of the CCB, said Orubebe failed to declare the property at Plot 2057, Asokoro District, Abuja, while he was minister between 2007 and 2011.

    Madojemu said his responsibility in CCB included “intelligence on observed breaches of the code and asset tracing investigation”.

    He said Orubebe submitted five asset declaration forms to the CCB between 2007 and 2011. The copies of the forms were admitted by the CCT as exhibits.

    On how the CCB discovered the ex-minister owned the property, Madojemu said the Certificate of Occupancy (CoO), which the bureau obtained from the Federal Capital Territory’s (FCT’s) Department of Land Administration, showed it was issued to Orubebe on April 10, 2011.

    But he said the ex-minister failed to declare it when he  was leaving office in 2011.

    Madojemu was led in evidence by lead prosecution lawyer Mohammad Diri .

    He was to resume his testimony yesterrday but for the absence of Umar, which prevented the tribunal from sitting.

    The matter was adjourned till April 20.

  • How we discovered Orubebe’s property in Abuja, by witness

    How we discovered Orubebe’s property in Abuja, by witness

    The prosecution in the case against former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Godsday Orubebe opened its case yesterday. Its first witness gave details of how the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) discovered a property owned by the ex-minister in Abuja, which he allegedly refused to disclose.

    Orubebe is being tried at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) on a one-count charge of false assets declaration.

    The witness, Samuel Madojemu, an official of the CCB, said Orubebe failed to declare the property on Plot 2057, Asokoro District, Abuja, while he was minister between 2007 and 2011.

    Madojemu said his job includes “intelligence on observed breaches of the code and asset tracing investigation”.

     He said Orubebe submitted five asset declaration forms to the CCB between 2007 and 2011. Copies of the forms were admitted by the CCT as exhibits.

    On how the CCB discovered that the ex-minister owned the property, the witness said the Certificate of Occupancy (C/O) obtained from the Department of Land Administration of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) showed that it  was issued to Orubebe on April 10, 2011.

    But Madojemu noted that the former minister failed to declare it when leaving office on May 29, 2011.

    The witness was led in evidence by lead prosecution lawyer Mohammad Diri, who is also the director of Public Prosecution of the Federation.

    The witness said Orubebe ignored the CCB’s invitation to him to make statements during investigation.

    He said: “The defendant declared his assets to the bureau by virtue of his position as a public officer and as a minister.

    “I was instructed to invite him to the bureau for the purpose of obtaining his statement on allegations and intelligence report that was being handled by the bureau concerning him.

    “I invited him. He promised to respond by sending his legal team. He also promised that he might come in person, but he did not come.

    “My lord, the bureau issued him with Form CCB 1, which is the bureau’s asset declaration form and he made his declaration between 2007 and 2011 – the period of investigation.

    “The Code of Conduct Bureau issued the defendant the Form CCB 1 five times. For those five times, he made his asset declaration to the bureau.

    “My lord, after we received the form, we examined the form as part of our procedures’ investigation to ascertain if there was over-declaration or under-declaration.

    “We conducted intelligence assessment on the declaration made by the defendant. We discovered that there were some other plots or property that were traced to the defendant, Godsday Orubebe.

    “We conducted record examination by writing a letter to the Federal Capital Territory’s Department of Land Administration.”

    He added: “My lord, in their response, which was in writing, it was indicated that Plot 2057 Asokoro District for which the Certificate of Occupancy was issued on April 10, 2011, belonged to the defendant.

    “We thereafter compared the information arising from the response from the FCT Land Administration Department with the information on asset declaration forms submitted to the bureau between 2007 and 2011 and discovered that Plot 2057 Asokoro District belonging to the defendant was not declared even as at May 29, 2011 when he left office.

    “Apart from the letter from FCT land admin registry, we also received a Certified True Copy of the Certificate of Occupancy in respect of Plot 2057 issued to the defendant.

    “We also received the CTC of the Right of Occupancy for that same Plot No 2057 issued to the defendant.

    “Also received from the FCT land administration registry, was a letter of authority, given to one Engineer Rodney by the defendant authorising him to collect the Certificate of Occupancy and the Right of Occupancy from the FCT land registry. It was supported by the (international passport) page of the defendant.”

    “My lords, the question we wanted to ask the defendant was why he did not declare plot 2057 for which the C of O was issued to him on April 10, 2011. Whereas for the period under consideration, 2007 to May 29, 2011, when he made those declarations, he did not make the declaration of the property at the end of tenure asset declaration form 2011. He acquired the property while he was still in office.

    “But my lord, he promised to send legal representative to the bureau or come in person, but he did not come. We afforded him the opportunity, but he did not come,” Madojemu said.

    Orubebe’s lawyer Selekowei Larry (SAN) objected to the move by Diri to tender copies of the C/O, the Right of Occupancy (R/O), the letter of authority referred to by the witness, which were attached to a letter dated February 18, by the Department of Land Administration of the FCT.

    Larry contended that the letter with the documents attached to it was inadmissible under Section 83(3) of the Evidence Act, because it was authored by “a person interested” while the case against his client was pending in court.

    The letter dated February 18 was authored by Assistant State Counsel of the Lands Administration, Mrs. Funke Audu, of the Federal Capital Territory.

    “These are documents procured during the pendency of this case. The letter is dated February 18, 2016, whereas the suit commenced on October 18, 2015,” Larry said.

    Tribunal Chairman Danladi Usman overruled Larry and upheld Diri’s argument that Audu, who was an employee of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, could never be a party interested.

    While the witness spoke, Orubebe, dressed in white traditional attire and a black hat, sat quietly in the accused box.

    Further hearing has been fixed for April 14 for the defence to cross-examine the witness.

  • Alleged bribe: CCT threatens to strike out charge against Orubebe

    Alleged bribe: CCT threatens to strike out charge against Orubebe

    The Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal, Danladi Umar, on Wednesday threatened to strike out the case brought by the Federal Government against former Minister of Niger-Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe.

    Danladi gave the warning following the prosecution’s failure to open trial in the case.

    Orubebe was arraigned before the tribunal on November 9 last year on a four-count charge of false assets declaration and acceptance of N70million bribe.

    The prosecution, led by Peter Danladi, on November 9, 2015 sought an adjournment for two weeks to enable it prepare its witnesses for trial.

    The tribunal granted the prosecution’s prayer and adjourned to November 26 for the prosecution to open trial.

    On November 26 everyone had expected the prosecution to call its witnesses, only for Danladi to announce plans by the prosecution to amend the charge.

    The prosecutor said he intended to amend counts two, three and four, a request the defence lawyer, Selekowei Larry (SAN), opposed.

    At Wednesday’s proceedings, a new prosecution lawyer, E.A. Orji, who said he was from the office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), sought a further adjournment to enable him prepare for trial.

    Orji said although the case was slated for hearing, the original case file was transfered from the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to the Department of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF) in the office of the Minister of Justice and AGF.

    “I got to know of this development this morning. In the circumstance, we shall be asking for a date. We are looking at between three to four weeks adjournment to enable us study the case file and proceed with this matter with dispatch.

    “It is not our practice to delay trial. I have, before the court’s sitting informed the defence,” Orji said.

    Responding, Larry objected to the prosecution’s application for adjournment.

    He said: “This matter commenced on November 9, 2015. After plea was taken, there was some argument as to the next step forward.

    “The case was adjourned to November 26, 2015. On that day, the case could not go on because the prosecution hinted the court that it wanted to amend the charge.”

  • FG moves to amend charges against Orubebe

    FG moves to amend charges against Orubebe

    The scheduled commencement of trial in the case against former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Godsday Orubebe was stalled Thursday by the Federal Government’s decision to amend an earlier charge of four counts filed against Orubebe.

    Orubebe is charged with false asset declaration and acceptance of bribe totaling N70 million.

    The prosecution, led by Peter Danladi had on November 9, 2015 sought an adjournment for two weeks to enable it prepare its witnesses for trial.

    The tribunal Chairman, Danladi Umar granted the prosecution’s prayer and adjourned to November 26 for the prosecution to open trial.

    Thursday, everyone had expected the prosecution to call it witnesses only for Danladi to announce plans by the prosecution to amend the charge.

    He said he intended to amend counts two, three and four, a request the defence lawyer, Selekowei Larry (SAN), opposed.

    Danladi while applying for the amendment of the charges cited section 216 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, which he said allowed the prosecution to amend or alter the charges it filed at any time before judgment was delivered.

    “The matter was adjourned till today (Thursday) for hearing. But before we proceed, we are applying to amend counts two, three and four. The applications are brought pursuant to section 216 of the ACJ Act and pursuant to the inherent jurisdiction of this honourable tribunal.”

    Larry opposed, and argued that such request for amendment could not be done orally, but through motion on notice.

    “This is serious business. You ‎can’t just jump up and say you want to amend the charges. You have to notify us about what you want to do. You have to do it through motion on notice. You cannot come and take us by surprise. We have to know what you are doing.

    “This is a court of record. Whatever they want to do, let them do it properly by way of motion on notice.”

    Ruling, the tribunal Chairman upheld  the prosecution’s right to amend its charge any time before judgment.

    He consequently adjourned to February 27 next year.

  • Orubebe arraigned at CCT

    Orubebe arraigned at CCT

    •  Pleads not guilty • Trial begins Nov 26

    Ex-Niger-Delta Minister Godsday Orubebe was yesterday arraigned at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) in Abuja on a four-count charge of false assets declaration and acceptance of bribe.

    He pleaded not guilty.

    Orubebe was accused in counts one and two of failing to declare his ownership of two property in Abuja.

    In counts three and four, the ex-minister was alleged to have received N70million bribe from Pastor Jonathan Alota, whose company, Chemtronics Nigeria Ltd, the ministry awarded contracts.

    Clad in a white traditional attire and a black hat, he arrived the tribunal’s sitting venue in Jabi, Abuja about 9:20am. He was accompanied by a crowd comprising youths and women.

    Some came with drums, while others carried placards condemning the trial, which they described as “injustice” and “an anti-corruption war targeted at Niger-Delta indigenes.”

    When the case was called at 10:50am, Orubebe went into the accused box.

    He stood in the box briefly before the CCT Chairman, Danladi Umar, directed that a chair be provided for him to sit.

    Prosecution lawyer, Musa Ibrahim Usman, told the tribunal that the day’s business was the arraignment of the accused.

    Without objection from the defence team led by Selekeowei Larry (SAN), an official of the tribunal read the charge to Orubebe, a count after the other, to which he pleaded not guilty.

    Shortly after his plea, the prosecution’s lawyer sought a short adjournment to enable him prepare his witnesses.

    Usman said his witnesses, particularly his key witness, were outside the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    Larry expressed disappointment that the prosecution was not ready for trial. He said the defence was eager to clear its name.

    The defence lawyer’s request that the prosecution should provide a brief rundown of its case against his client was not allowed by the tribunal chairman, who noted that such verbal review of the case was unnecessary where the defence was already served with the proof of evidence.

    Upon an application by Larry, the tribunal chairman said under the tribunal’s rules, accused persons were entitled to bail without any condition attached to it, but that such an accused must always attend proceedings until the case is concluded.

    He frowned at the inability of the prosecution to open trial even when the defence was not opposed to the beginning of trial.

    “You are expected to always be prepared. This is the essence of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015. As at the time of arraignment, you are expected to be ready with your witnesses.

    “You do not bring people from far distance to court and not be ready to conduct your case. All your witnesses should be in court on the next date, so that we do not experience any delay,” Umar said.

    He adjourned till November 26 for definite trial.

    While proceedings were on, it was a carnival-like atmosphere outside the tribunal’s premises, as the crowd of drum-bearing and placards-carrying youths and women drummed and sang Orubebe’s praise.

    Although a team of policemen later pushed them away from the tribunal’s entrance, they persisted in their drumming and praise singing until proceedings ended after noon.

    The crowd hailed Orubebe as he exited the tribunal’s premises in his car and headed home.

  • Alleged false assets declaration: Orubebe accuses agencies of witch-hunt

    Alleged false assets declaration: Orubebe accuses agencies of witch-hunt

    Former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Elder Godsday Peter Orubebe has dismissed allegations of false declaration of assets and acceptance of N70 million bribe.

    The former minister is to appear before the Code of Conduct Tribunal on November 9 on a four-count charge of receiving the bribe from a contractor and failure to declare his ownership of two plots of land in Abuja.

    Orubebe, who spoke with reporters in Abuja yesterday afternoon, said he personally collected the tribunal’s summons last Friday, asserting that he had been wrongly blamed for the disappearance of N600 million during his successor’s tenure.

    He also accused some government departments of inviting him for questioning unnecessarily.

    “This simply tells me it is an issue of witch-hunt and it is not good for the development of this country,” he stated, urging President Muhammadu Buhari to stop government agencies’ undue harassment of perceived foes.

    “If these things are coming out because of the role that I played at the International Conference Centre as an agent of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), then it is unfortunate,” he said.

    On allegation that he failed to declare ownership of two plots of land, Orubebe stated that government gave him two plots of land which he disposed of to take care of his needs as a minister.

    He added that he could not declare continued ownership of a gift that he had disposed of.

    On the N70 million bribe allegation, the former minister said there was “unnecessary confusion” over the money and his alleged role.

    Orubebe said he asked President Goodluck Jonathan, the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) to revoke about seven shoddily-handled contracts for the construction of skill acquisition centres, only for a pastor, who owned one of such contracts to pay N20 million into the accounts of Glory Christian Sanctuary, an evangelism centre built by the ex-minister in his village.

    “I saw that there was N20 million deposit in the account of the centre. I asked them who brought the money and they said it was my private secretary, Akpokome, a civil servant.

    “I asked him and he told me that it was the pastor that gave him the money; I was so furious and I told him that the same way he collected the money, he should return it to the man.’’

  • ICPC grills Orubebe for alleged N605m fraud

    ICPC grills Orubebe for alleged N605m fraud

    Former Niger Delta Affairs Minister Godsday Orubebe has been quizzed in connection with the ongoing investigation of an alleged N605million fraud.

    The cash was withdrawn from the Constituency Project account of the ministry by five officials without authorisation while Orubebe was in charge.

    The Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has filed charges against the five. They are: Yusuf Agabi (Director of Finance and Account), Akpore Okeroghene (Deputy Director of Finance), Abibu Ayinla (Director of Finance), Idowu Adewale (Deputy Director, Accounts) and Ngozi James (Deputy Director, Accounts).

    According to the Chief Legal Officer of the ICPC, Paul Ahmed, the suspects “fraudulently withdrew N605 million from the Constituency Project account of the ministry without authorisation” between July 2013 and October 2014.

    They were alleged to have made fictitious claims through payment vouchers to cover up the alleged fraud.

    Although Justice Husseini Baba of the FCT High Court fixed September 16 for the arraignment of the suspects, the ICPC intensified its investigation by inviting Orubebe.

    According to the fact-sheet obtained from the commission, Orubebe spent about two and a half hours on Monday with a team of investigators.

    Orubebe arrived at about 9.59am and left at about 12.28pm.

    It was not immediately clear if Orubebe was in any way connected with the alleged fraud or he is being prepared as a witness.

    A source in ICPC said: “In spite of the fact that we have filed charges against five directors in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, the investigation into the fraud is open-ended.

    “Certainly, we still have some gaps to fill on the case because we are suspecting that there might be more accomplices in the system.

    “Orubebe was in charge of the ministry when the fraud was perpetrated; we need to find out from him how things went wrong. Perhaps, he may give more insights.

    “What we did was to ask a team of investigators to interact with the former Minister especially on the accounting procedure and authorisation of funds in the ministry.”

    A top official of the ICPC said: “Without prejudice to the ongoing court process, our operatives interacted with Orubebe but we cannot give details.”

    Orubebe did not pick calls made to his telephone lines yesterday.

    A text message sent to him was also unacknowledged.

    The last public outing of Orubebe was when he created a scene at the International Conference Centre in an attempt to abort the collation of the results of the March 28 Presidential Election.

  • For Akwa Ibom’s Orubebe, the end justifies the means

    HIs name is not really Orubebe. But this man, Uwemedimo Nwoko, who took the oath of office a few days back as Akwa Ibom Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, has more than a passing characteristic with the former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe.

    In May, this man removed his suit, folded his sleeves, tightened the fist of his hand and was ready for a fight with the All Progressives Congress (APC) agents, who were that Tuesday carrying out the order of the Election Petition Tribunal to inspect, copy and scan ballot papers and other election materials used to declare former Governor Godswill Akpabio as winner of the March 28 Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial district election.

    Nwoko lost his cool. The drama went to the extent that the chief law officer of the state fumed with rage that over his dead body would he allow the scanning of the over 450,000 ballot papers the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate.

    Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), party agents and reporters watched in shock and disbelief as Nwoko recreated a replica of the Godsday Orubebe show at the International Conference Centre during the collation and announcement of the Presidential results.

    Activities at the conference hall of the electoral commission in Uyo, venue of the inspection, came to a standstill for more than two hours. Security personnel comprising mostly men of the Department of State Security (DSS) and Police pleaded with APC agents to exercise restraint.

    The APC has described the action as shameful, shocking, disgusting and unbecoming. Not even pleas by officers and men of the DSS that he should show some level of civility could Nwoko.

    The earlier order of the tribunal granted on May 8 declaring a 10-day grace for the inspection of the election materials was unsuccessful owning to acts of interference.

    Tempers rose to its peak when party agents took him up warning him against flouting the tribunal’s order. The situation got worse when the Head of Legal Department of INEC as well as the electoral officer of Ikono Local Government Area also echoed Nwoko’s position that the ballot papers would not be scanned until they tribunal’s order was interpreted by the tribunal, a position that further incensed party agents who sensed that both Nwoko and INEC officials were merely playing script to undermine the process. Security agents had to smuggle the EO to safety as the angry agents almost mobbed him for being partisan even as a civil servant.

    When it was time for the EO of Ikono to supervise the scanning of the ballot papers of the local government, he was nowhere to be found. When asked for by the party agents, the legal officer said he was receiving treatment in the hospital, a reply which further infuriated the petitioner’s agents. It took the intervention of the State Secretary of the APC to calm down his party agents for normalcy to return to the venue.

    The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Austin Okojie, who was alleged to be in a hospital at an undisclosed location had to call the Legal Department of the commission directing that the tribunals order should be carried out as directed and contained in the tribunals order that was earlier served INEC before any progress could be made. Nwoko was still desperately trying to scuttle the scanning of the ballot papers even with the directive of the REC and non interference order of the tribunal which the PDP he claimed he was representing were also served.

    Until January, Nwoko was not a politician in the strict sense of the word. He was a lawyer in private practice loved by many for his radical bent and assistance to the underprivileged.

    He was sworn in by Akpabio as the 14th Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of the oil-rich state on Tuesday, January 13. He served the administration for 20 weeks and seems to have proved his worth as fourth occupant of the office under Akpabio.

    Before relocating to Akwa Ibom, Nwoko practised law in Lagos. Many will remember him as the lawyer who dragged retired Air Vice Marshal Nsikak Eduok to court on allegation of the murder of his domestic servant.

    The Nwoko of that Tuesday is quite different from the vintage Nwoko who ate, slept and dreamt the rule of law. Anger sure got a better part of him.

    Well, with Akpabio fulfilling his promise to ensure Governor Udom Emmanuel appoint him as commissioner, the end seems to have justified the means for Nwoko, who threw caution to the wind because of his benefactor. Ride on oga Nwoko, time will make people forget the show of shame of that Tuesday.

  • And Orubebe makes Akwa Ibom exco

    He removed his suit, folded his sleeves, tightened the fist of his hand and was ready for a fight with the All Progressives Congress (APC) agents who were carrying out the order of the Election Petition Tribunal to inspect, copy and scan ballot papers and other election materials used to declare former Governor Godswill Akpabio as winner of the March 28 Akwa Ibom North West Senatorial district election.

    The man of the moment is  a former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Akwa Ibom State, Mr Uwemedimo Nwoko. He lost his cool that Tuesday. He must have impressed  Akpabio, who has now fulfilled his promise to ensure Nwoko is retained as a member of the Executive Council. He is one of the lucky 19 men who served Akpabio and will now serve Udom Emmanuel.

    The drama went to the extent that the former chief law officer of the state fumed with rage that over his dead body would he allow the scanning of the over 450,000 ballot papers the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate allegedly scored.

    Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), party agents and reporters watched in shock and disbelief as Nwoko recreated a replica of the Godsday Orubebe show at the International Conference Centre during the collation and announcement of the Presidential results.

    Activities at the conference hall of the electoral commission in Uyo, venue of the inspection, came to a standstill for more than two hours. Security personnel comprising mostly men of the Department of State Security (DSS) and Police pleaded with APC agents to exercise restraint.

    To many, the action was shameful, shocking, disgusting and unbecoming. Not even pleas by officers and men of the DSS that he should show some level of civility could stop Nwoko.

    Nwoko’s position was that the ballot papers would not be scanned until they tribunal’s order was interpreted by the tribunal.

    Many could not reconcile that Nwoko to the one they knew. He was a lawyer in private practice loved by many for his radical bent and assistance to the underprivileged.

    He was sworn in by Akpabio as the 14th Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of the oil-rich state on Tuesday, January 13. He served the administration for 20 weeks. He is considered the first Attorney General of the state with a robust background in rights activism. Before relocating to Akwa Ibom, Nwoko practised law in Lagos. Many will remember him as the lawyer who dragged retired Air Vice Marshal Nsikak Eduok to court on allegation of the murder of his domestic servant.

    The Victor Attah administration saw ‘hell’ in the hands of Nwoko. He disagreed openly with the administration on issues revolving around constitutionalism. Former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation Michael Aondoakaa cannot forget Nwoko in a hurry over his handling of a pre-election brief arising from the 2007 general elections. Nwoko was the lawyer to Emmanuel Obot, who challenged the election of Basssey  up to the Supreme Court where a unanimous judgment was delivered by Justice Dahiru Musdapher returning  Obot as duly elected into the House of Representatives.

    During the adjudication on the case, Nwoko accused Aonadokaa of violating the tenets of the rule of law by impeding the judgment of the court. This contributed to the stripping of Aondoakaa of the title of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) by the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee (LPPC). Another factor that culminated in the move against Aondoakaa was a petition submitted by the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR).

    The 50-year-old Nwoko has close to 25 years experience in law practice majoring in commercial, property and public law. So, it was not surprising that the human rights community in Akwa Ibom and the House of Assembly were happy when he was made the attorney-general.

    The Nwoko of that Tuesday is quite different from the vintage Nwoko who ate, slept and dreamt the rule of law. Anger sure got a better part of him and it will take some time for him to shrug off the new image. Perhaps, his resurfacing in the Akwa Ibom exco is good enough to justify his Orubebe replay.

  • Orubebe to Ijaw: return to your ‘God-given profession’

    Former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs Minister Elder Godsday Orubebe at the weekend urged his ijaw kinsmen to return to their “God-given profession” of fishing.

    The former minister noted that leaving fishing, following the discovery of oil, had adversely affected the economy of the average Ijaw man.

    Orubebe spoke in Lagos at a seminar organised by Ijaw Professionals Association (IRA) with the theme: Translating the Ijaw Vision Into Reality: Way Forward.

    Orubebe’s paper was titled: The place of Ijaw in Nigeria: A call for strategic action.

    He said: “We have stopped planning and thinking because we believe in the little we can get from the Federal Government. So, we forgot our central goal. The Ijaw people are predominantly fishermen who also engage in maritime activities.

    “But oil changed the nature of our people. This is sad.”

    The former minister described the situation as “our dilemma”.

    Orubebe said the Ijaw, though good in alcoholic drinks production, had also abandoned same.

    The former minister regretted years of neglect of the region by successive governments.

    He said: “Despite being one of the largest sources of oil in this country, Ijaw has suffered marginalisation and infrastructural neglect of our region. More than 90 per cent of the communities are yet to be connected with network of roads. Linkage to the national grid of electricity is still a dream.”

    Orubebe urged Niger Delta residents to create a strategy that would make them become less dependent on oil to enable the region progress.

    The former minister would rather “allow sleeping dog lie” than talk about what happened in the last general elections and the victory of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential election.

    Orubebe said he would tow the footsteps of President Goodluck Jonathan to remain quiet on the matter.