Obasanjo waived Due Process to ‘fastrack’ power projects
March 27th, 2008 | Published in Corruption, Governance, Nigeria | 9 Comments
If I were General Olusegun Obasanjo, the former Nigerian president, I will be having lots of sleepless nights.
The ongoing investigation into the energy contracts his administration awarded revealed he and the then Minister of Power, Liyel Imoke (current Governor of Cross Rivers state), decided to waiver the Due Process - a mechanism put in place to prevent fraud and ensure probity, yet when it mattered most, it was conveniently sidetracked under the pretext of fast-tracking the development in the power sector. Excerpts from Vanguard:
Former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, yesterday told the House of Representatives Committee probing the alleged spending of about $16 billion on the power sector in 10 years without commensurate result that former President Olusegun Obasanjo approved Due Process waiver for the controversial National Integrated Power Plants (NIPP) to fast track payments to contractors.
Where is the logic?
Equally troubling is the fact that Mrs Esther Nenadi Usman, who successed Dr Ngozo Iweala at the finance ministry has yet to summon the courage to appear and testify before the panel.
This is absurd!
If Drs Okonjo-Iweala and Ezekwesili flew in from Washington despite their busy schedules to testify before the House Committee on Power and Steel, why won’t Madam Usman?
The guilty are always afraid I guess. It was under her watch that some 2 billion dollars was awarded to fund power projects, The Chairman of panel, Elumelu has asked Nigerians to beg her to appear stating: “If you look at the contract for Mambilla Power project, she signed it. If you look at the $2.5 billion that was taken out of the Excess Crude Account, she signed it. Nigerians should please beg her to appear because we are not here to pass judgment on anybody.”
Beg her? No!
Haul her ass to jail, that is what I will do…if I can!
Some facts about the Mambilla Power project:
1. A German based consulting firm, LAHMEYER International, has admitted its failure to execute the feasibility study on Mambilla Hydro-Power Project after collecting N369 million.
2. The contract was awarded to the firm even after it was blacklisted by the World Bank.
3. N250million was spent to build a bungalow to facilitate hurried ground breaking of moribund Mambila Power project in May last year during the twilight of the Olusegun Obasanjo administration. The building was 25 kilometres from the Mambilla project site.
I will wait patiently to see the aftermath of this investigation…
March 28th, 2008 at 1:30 am (#)
This is the real test to see if Yar’Adua is serious about fighting corruption.
March 28th, 2008 at 2:36 am (#)
And a real test to see if Nigerians will just sit there and let him and the “caucus” get away with frustrating the fight against corruption in Nigeria. All cases of interest e.g. Ehinderogate, Ettehgate, Iborigate, Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello gate etc see to have melted or gone seriously quiet.
Am encourgaged that as per the papers today in Nigeria, EFCC has commenced the trial of Obasanjo and we await the conclusion.
We must keep registering our interest in the fight against corruption in Nigeria. Is it not strange that almost 1 year on there is no verdict on ~Ehindero?
March 28th, 2008 at 2:39 am (#)
Oh by the way have you noticed that all the gatted names above are of the same clan? Now what is the take on Yaradua on all these? Or is he a member of that same community of fraudsters? Well I hope not so we wait and see what Mr Tortoise will do and when he will end this race.
March 28th, 2008 at 7:10 am (#)
I have started two previous times to leave a comment to this post and each time, I delete what I have written. I’m not sure why. It s becoming overwhelming to see reports that simply continue to reinforce my thoughts on certain Nigerians and maybe even Nigeria as a whole.
I try to stay positive and to believe that change is possible. In fact, I do believe change (for the better) is possible. I just am disappointed that a country that has so much potential and so many brilliant minds continues to squander opportunities. OBJ is simply a reflection of this. And well, now I have my theme for a new post. lol!
NIGERIAN CURIOSITY
IT WAS SO MUCH EASIER WHEN I ONLY HAD ONE…
March 28th, 2008 at 8:25 am (#)
In retrospect, it was a blessing in disguise that Madam Etteh shot herself in the foot and had to be removed for Bankole to take over as the House speaker. If not, Nigerians would never have heard of the atrocities of Obj and goons.
YarA’dua has his work cut out for him now. He has no excuse not to dock those thieves, and even map out a better strategy to solve the energy problem.
The likes of Elumelu and Bankole are what Nigeria need to move forward.
March 28th, 2008 at 2:46 pm (#)
@solomonsydelle, i believe i get your feel on this matter and could be frustrating sometimes, but I remain encouraged that things will change albeit very slowly. I read on the net that Iyabo Obasanjo Bello’s investigation by EFCC as well as that of her father, the very same OBJ is in progress. What i dont get is why she is not suspended from office while being investigated.
@Imnakoya, God does work in mysterious ways and I pray that more bold upright and fortrighh persons would be given a chance in Nigeria. I for example await the Ondo State governorship verdict with keen interest for the likes of Olusegun Mimiko are also needed.
May 6th, 2008 at 7:05 pm (#)
I always said that someday,the lie of the liar will become stench to his own nostrils and he will choose to tell the truth for a change.
I want to believe this to be true of todays National Assembly ???
Dear Mr. President, let ‘rule of law’ be ‘rule of law’ indeed, with justice metted out. Let Due Process of law begin to swallow the workers of iniquity without fail.
Thank you.
May 28th, 2008 at 8:01 am (#)
[…] Although there have been some flashes of hope coming from the judiciary and the House of Representatives. The former has reversed some questionable elections, and the latter commenced probing the activities of the previous administration. […]
June 24th, 2008 at 11:43 am (#)
[…] The two governors were former OBJ ministers, who managed the power projects from 2000 to 2008. Those projects, the nation later discovered - thanks to House of Representatives probe - are a cesspool of corruption. This blog and several others discussed the House probes then, see: Nigeria deserves to be in darkness and Obasanjo waived due process to fast-track power projects. […]