US demands trial of Ibori, Odili

US demands trial of Ibori, Odili

It is no longer a joke. The government of United States of America is telling the administration of Mr. Umaru Musa Yar’Adua in Nigeria to show more seriousness in prosecuting corrupt and fraudulent officials or risk continued ridicule in the comity of nations.

State Department official, in Washington D.C reliably told pointblanknews.com this week, that the U.S. government is waiving aside diplomatese to specifically demand the prosecution of former Governor of Delta State, Mr. James Ibori and his former Rivers State counterpart, Mr. Peter Odilli for proper trial.

Over =N= 100billion of Rivers State funds have been alleged to have been diverted by former Governor Dr. Odili using Mr. Arumemi- Ikhide and his related companies.

The British government is investigating Mr. Ibori on allegations of the laundering of millions of dollars of looted state funds. But, Mr. Ibori denies the charges of laundering against him.

At the last count, the former governor is said to have looted close to N200 billion from the coffers of Delta State treasury w hile several assets worth £35 million (Thirty Five Million Pounds) overseas alleged to be proceeds of crime and traced to Chief James Ibori have been frozen by a British Court.

According to the sources who asked for anonymity to avoid admonitions for disclosing a top secret diplomatic issue, the State Department, following the recent visits of both President Barrack Obama and Secretary of State, Mrs. Hillary Clinton, has followed up with a memo detailing the known fraudulent and corrupt activities of Mr. Ibori and Mr. Odilli. The memo was said to have contained pungent criticisms of the half hearted commitment of the Farida Waziri – led Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, in Nigeria and its treatment of certain categories of Nigerians as sacred cow in the self appointed war of the Yar’Adua’s administration against corruption.

The sources told pointblanknews.com that the said memo included a dossier of the stolen wealth already traced to both Odilli and Ibori by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Central Intelligence Agency, C.I.A.

One of the sources explained that the recent critical comments of Obama while in Ghana last month, and later the very direct criticism of EFCC by Mrs. Clinton while visiting Nigeria was the strong indication that the international community would not take Nigeria out of negative reckoning until Ibori, Odilli and other indicted officials were prosecuted according to the existing statue on corruption in Nigeria.

The said memo was said to have also ridiculed the transfer of Ibori’s trial to Asaba as a farce that offers no amusement as it is predictable that his innocence would be stage managed even as evidence continues to show that he indeed stole Delta State dry.

Also the air of silence and inactivity on the allegations against Odilli was raised in the said memo.

Details of Odili’s Looting Spree

Full Text Of The EFCC's Report That Scuttled Peter Odili's ambition. The Report Was Addressed To President Olusegun Obasanjo By EFCC's Chairman, Nuhu Ribadu.

THE INTERIM REPORT ON THE INVESTIGATION OF A CASE OF ALLEGED CONSPIRACY, ABUSE OF OFFICE, FRAUDULENT CONVERSION OF PUBLIC FUNDS, FOREIGN EXCHANGE MALPRACTICE, STEALING AND MONEY LAUNDERING


Your Excellency,

Over the past several weeks, the Commission received numerous petitions against the Executive Governor of River State, Dr. Peter Odili and some officials of the State.

The following report is prepared below to update you on the context, content, and full ramifications of the investigation against Dr. Peter Odili, Executive Governor of River State, and Mr. Arumemi-Ikhide, a business associate of Dr. Odili.

Your Excellency, this is=2 0for your kind review.
Most respectfully,
Nuhu Ribadu
Executive Chairman

In line with its statutory mandate, the Commission received and responded to numerous petitions against the Executive Governor of River State, Dr. Peter Odili and some officials of the State in the past several weeks. After careful investigations, major findings were made with severe implications of fraud, conspiracy, conversion of public funds, foreign exchange malpractice, money laundering, stealing and abuse of oath of office.

2.0 Facts of these of Petitions:
The petitioners stated that they carried out a private investigation into government looting of the treasury of Rivers State by Governor Peter Odili and alleged amongst the following:

i. That the sum of =N=24.6billion was used by the government of Rivers State at various times to build gas turbines as part of its Independent Power Programmme yet the people of the State could not enjoy uninterrupted power failure.

ii. That this elaborate electricity project was executed without appropriate legislation by the State House of Assembly in flagrant abuse Constitutional requirements.

iii. Th at the contractor behind the scam is Mr. Johnson Arumemi-Ikhide, the proprietor of a number of companies prominent among which are: Rockson Engineering Company Limited, Arik Air, etc.

iv. That the Government of Dr. Peter Odili had several financial dealings amounting to about N3.5 billion Naira with Rockson Engineering Company Limited long before the company was incorporated on 16 th May, 2000.
v. That Rockson Engineering Company Limited was involved in a number of fraudulent procurement of Iveco buses and Ferryboats for the State at the instance of the State Governor, Dr. Peter Odili.

vi. That the same Rockson Engineering Company Limited, with its star quality business leverage, curiously has only two directors which are Mr. Johnson Arumemi-Ikhide, and his wife, Mrs. Mary Ehiomome Arumemi-Ikhide.

vii. That between December 2005 and January 2006, the sum of over N1 billion was disbursed by Dr. Peter Odili to members of the Rivers State House of Assembly in the name of 2004 Constituency Project that were never executed.

viii. That there has been illegal diversion of Local Government Councils’ funds by Rivers State Governor, His Excellency, Mr. Peter Odili to the tune of =N=4,351,555,000.00

ix.=2 0That various illegal diversions of funds from the various State Government accounts were done by the Governor and officials of the State, sometimes through Rockson Engineering Company Limited.

x. That the siphoning of government funds was also done through the State Ecological Fund accounts where =N=176million was collected by Mr. Goodlife Ben, the Accountant of the Government House and =N=34million by one Mr. Vernon.

xi. That the Governor voted and procured two jets and one hundred vehicles committed to his Presidential campaign, as he did not raise any fund from the public for the campaign.
xii. Lastly, the Petitioners called on the Commission to check these frauds.

3.0 Investigation
The Investigating Team commenced full work into the allegation enumerated above by inviting the principal officers of the State that were implicated. The officers invited were the Commissioners for Finance, Local Government and Works, Messrs Kenneth Kobani, Mella O. Oforibika, and Arc Ucheowaji J. Urombo respectively. The Accountant General of the State, Mr. Geoffrey Senior Jaja, was also invited and they all volunteered written statement.

Mr. Johnson Arumemi-Ikhide, the Chairman of Arik Air Nigeria Limited among several other companies like Rockson Engineering Ltd, Ojemai Holdings Limited, etc20were also invited and volunteered statements. Searches were conducted in the offices of Arik Air Nigeria Ltd. and Rockson Engineering Company Ltd. in Lagos and Port Harcourt respectively. Some documents relating to contracts and foreign exchange transfers were found and retrieved for analyses. Letters have been dispatched to banks to avail the Commission documents and statements of the State and Local Government accounts of Rivers State, of some companies and of individuals. Some banks have forwarded statements and documents, which have been analysed/examined.


4.0 Findings
Based on the investigation carried out so far, the following facts were revealed.

i. Mr. Johnson Arumemi-Ikhide, the Chairman of several companies, is a major contractor to the Government of Rivers State. He was awarded several contracts by the State Government including the Independent Power Programme (IPP), Supply of buses and cars, etc.

ii. Prior to becoming a major contractor to the State Government in 2000, Mr. Johnson Arumemi-Ikhide was a shareholder of, and an Executive Director in, Negris Engineering Nigeria Limited. He worked for the company for over eighteen (18) years before leaving the company, as a result of misunderstanding with the other management staff, to form Rockson Engineering Nigeria Limited in 2000.

iii. While he was still with Negris, he provided an interface between Negris and Rivers State Government during which two major contracts were secured for the company. The contracts were the supply and installation of generating sets and transformers worth =N=401,016,101.00. The other contract was the supply, construction and installation of turbine power station worth =N=4,256,076,000.00 in 2000.

iv. The second contract was about 60% completed when Mr. Johnson Arumemi-Ikhide left Negris and suddenly became the consultant to Rivers State on the same contract using his then newly formed company, Rockson Engineering Company Limited. The remaining payment for the Negris contract were routed through his company where the sum of =N=734,764,749.00 is yet to be remitted to Negris.

v. The incorporation of Rockson Engineering in 2000 immediately he left Negris marked the beginning of siphoning huge government funds that run into several billions of naira through gas turbines contract scam.

vi. Rivers State Government diverted the sum of =N=30,031,446,589.70 at various times to account number CA6010914407 at zenith Bank Plc belonging to Rockson Engineering Company Limited just between January 07, 2004 to December 06, 2006.

vii. Investigation also revealed that Rockson Engin eering Company Limited has several bank accounts with Bank PHB Plc, Sterling Bank Plc, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, First Bank of Nigeria (FBN) Plc, Intercontinental Bank Plc and Union Bank of Nigeria (UBN) Plc. These banks were involved in the inflated contracts between Rivers State Government and Rockson. The statements of accounts from these banks are being awaited to ascertain the magnitude of the inflows of the State Government funds into these
accounts.

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viii. Further investigation disclosed that Dr. Peter Odili curiously approved the remittance of $250,000 to a London-based Swiss Ver Finance, as an arrangement fee for the purchase of two gas turbines transmission towers and accessories.

viv. Mr.Johnson Arumemi-Ikhide has a long-standing relationship with the Governor of Rivers State, Dr. Peter Odili dating back to middle eighties. He served as an interface between Negris and Rivers State Government. He used one of his companies, Ojemai Investment Ltd to acquire a property at No. 67 Trans Amadi Industrial Layout belonging to UTC Nigeria Plc.for the private hospital called Pamo Clinics and Hospitals Ltd, belonging to Dr. Peter Odili the Governor of Rivers State at a cost of =N=200million.

ix. Investigation revealed that funds were diverted from Rivers State Government Account to Rockson Engineering Limited, where it was transferred installmentally between March 2005 to November 2006 from Bank Account Number 6571020007472 with Union Bank Plc. to the following Companies:
a. Alpha System
& Commodity Co. Ltd = N=3, 957,734,700.00
b. Sea Petroleum
& Gas Co. Ltd. = N=6,623,940,500.00
c. Peg Magrect
Shipping & Trading Ltd. =N=638, 320,000.00
d. Wopat Nig. Ltd. =N= 276,100,000.00
e. Dairy & Live-
Stock Ltd. =N=281,000,000.00
f. Arula Investment =N=330, 000,000.00

Total =N= 12,107,105,000.00


It is important to know that investigation has established that all the money was used to purchase foreign exchange which was exported out of the country.

x. It was revealed that the sum of =N= 2,547,300,000.00 was diverted from Government House Zenith Account No. 6010916589 between September 05 and November 06 to one Emmanuel Nkata, a personal staff of the Governor working at the Rivers state liaison office Abuja. All withdrawals were in cash and without any official transaction and documentation.

xi. It was revealed that the contract for the construction of the River State High Court was bidded at =N=2,582,000,000 but was awarded to one Company called Mega Trend investment company Ltd .. at the value of =N=3,4000,000,000 thereby inflating it by =N= 818 Million in violation of the Due Process requirement of the government.

xii. It has also been discovered that a parallel account called account 2, a/c No. 0130215431600 was opened with UBA PLC in the name of Rockson Engineering. From 2001 when the account was opened to 2002, the sum of =N=12,064,988,787.61 was paid into the account from Rivers state Government. Interestingly, Mr. Arumemi-Ikhide denied knowledge of the existent of this account. So far, the sum of =N=12, 059,602,734.20 has been withdrawn from the said account. This is clear evidence of direct looting of the treasury of Rivers state.

xiii..That Government Funds were diverted to the purchase of various vehicles between January 2005 and June 2006 from various car dealers using Government House account number 6010916587 with Zenith Bank as follows:
a. Peugeot Automobile - #424,474,681.75
b. Cosharis Motors - #166,500,000.00
c. Stallion Motors - #230,500,000.00
d. Ningi Motors - # 75,125,000.00
e. Noble Motors - #39,970,062.25
f. Elizade Motors - #135,700,000.00
g. Inej Mic Automobile - #39,875,000.00
h. Kaara Motors Limited - #6,862,500.00
i. Globe Motors Limited - #18,250,000.00
j. Icon Motors Limited - #7,250,000.00
Total = #1,104,008,304.00

This was unquestionably a ploy used to siphon public funds by the Governor, as no Government House can accommodate vehicles purchased with this a mount of money.

xiv. It was further established that Rockson Engineering Company Limited transferred over $120million through JM/JEM Air and one Thomas Eggar, a lawyer in the UK, to various bank accounts overseas. Over GBP2million and EURO 1million were also transferred overseas in the same manner. These transfers were done between January and November 2006. It is important to note that all the naira denomination of these transfers were direct lodgements originating from Rivers state Government accounts.

xv. It has also been established that Mr Arumemi-Ikhide the business partner of the Rivers State Governor, is the owner of ARIK AIR LIMITED. He used monies received from the Rivers state Government to acquire all the assets and aircrafts of the company estimated to be worth over =N= 25billion.

xvi.The Political and business relationship between Dr. Odili and Mr Arumemi-Ikhide has become more obvious since the former’s declaration to run for the Presidency. Investigation conducted at various hotels such as Transcorp Hilton, le Meridien, Sheraton etc in Abuja revealed that the Odili campaign organization made bookings worth =N=130 million through his campaign management team. The money came directly from the accounts of Arik Air Ltd. The origin of the money is linked directly to Mr. Arumemi-Ikhide for Dr. Odili’s campaign.


CONCLUSION.

From the investigation thus=2 0far, it is abundantly clear that the Rivers State Governor, Dr. Peter Odili, is using Mr. Arumemi-Ikhide and his Rockson Engineering Company Ltd as a front and a crony for the systematic looting of the treasury of the Rivers state Government.

The result of this relationship reveals that over =N= 100billion of Rivers State funds have been diverted by the Governor Dr. Odili using Mr. Arumemi- Ikhide and his related companies.

Your Excellency, I must also let you know however, that this Investigation is still apace and that further developments will be communicated to you accordingly.

•Court Papers Shows Ibori's Looting Spree

COURT PAPERS SHOWS IBORI'S LOOTING SPREE

IN THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT OF NIGERIA

HOLDEN BENIN CITY

SUIT NO: FHC/B/CS/862/2007

BETWEEN:

1. ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF DELTA STATE )

2. DELTA STATE GOVERNMENT )

3. DR. IFEANYI OKOWA )..PLAINTIFFS/

(Secretary to the Delta State Government) )..APPLICANTS

4. AUDITOR-GENERAL OF DELTA STATE )

AND

1. ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIMES COMMISSION)

2. THE EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, )

(Economic and Financial Crimes Commission) )…DEFENDANTS/

3. THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION )…RESPONDENTS

COUNTER AFFIDAVIT OF 1 ST DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT TO THE MOTION DATED 8 TH OCTOBER 2007.

I, YAHAYA BELLO, Male, Nigerian and Police Officer of 15A Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos State do hereby make oath and state as follows:

1. I am a Superintendent of Police assigned to the 1 st Defendant by the Authorities of the Nigeria Police Force and by virtue of my position I am familiar with the facts of this case.

2. I have the authority and consent of the 1 st and 2 nd Defendants to depose to this affidavit.

3. I am the head of the team of investigators directed by the 1 st Defendant to investigate the allegations of conspiracy, official corruption, diversion and misappropriation of public funds, stealing and money laundering perpetrated by Chief James Ibori and his aides from 1999 – 2007.

4. While paragraphs 1-9 of the affidavit in support of the motion on notice are correct paragraphs 10-29 thereof are not true.

5. Contrary to the averment in paragraph 12 of the supporting affidavit the 1 st Defendant has no plans to harass any official of the Delta State Government.

6. That in further denial of paragraphs 13,14,15,16,17 and 18 of the Applicants’ affidavit the 1 st and 2 nd Defendants/Respondents state that they are guided by the welfare and interest of the citizens of Delta State and would not take steps that will negate the spirit and letters of the law including due process in carrying out its investigative assignments.

7. That in answer to paragraphs 19 and 20 of the Applicants’ affidavit the 1 st and 2 nd Defendants/Respondents deny issuing any threats to the Applicants and has no plans to freeze the accounts of the Delta State Government.

8. That in answer to paragraph 21 of the Applicants’ affidavit the 2 nd Defendant informed and I verily believe that he never granted any such interview where threats were issued on the Applicants.

9. That in denial of paragraph 22 of the Applicants’ affidavit the 1 st and 2 nd Defendants do not intend to ground the activities of the Delta State government but are merely carrying out investigative activities pursuant to the provisions of the EFCC Act 2004 and the request of the London Metropolitan Police in line with the bilateral treaty between Nigeria and United Kingdom.

10. That in denial of paragraph 23(a) of the Applicants’ affidavit the 1 st Defendant never threatened to seal the offices of the various departments of the 2 nd Plaintiff including the Ministry of Finance, the Accountant General’s office and the Auditor-General’s office.

11. That in denial of paragraph 23(b) of the Applicants’ affidavit the 1 st Defendant states that it is not making unlawful efforts to procure and serve freezing orders on the Banks where the 2 nd Plaintiff has or maintains accounts as alleged.

12. That in denial of paragraph 23(c) of the Applicants’ affidavit the 1 st Defendant states that the ongoing efforts of the 1 st Defendant to wipe out economic and financial crimes throughout the country are restoring public confidence and the confidence of foreign investors to invest in Nigeria.

13. The 1 st Defendant has received many petitions alleging the commission of serious economic and financial crimes by Chief James Ibori, his aides and several officials of the Delta State Government.

14. Two of such petitions were sent to the 1 st Defendant by Concerned Elders and Citizens of Delta State from November to December 2006. Attached herewith and marked Exhibits “EFCC1” and “EFCC2” are copies of the said petitions.

15. Some concerned indigenes of Delta State have sued the 1 st Defendant in the Federal High Court over the alleged delay in the prosecution of Chief James Ibori.

16. The investigation carried out by the 1 st Defendant’s team headed by me has revealed the involvement of Chief James Ibori and his accomplices in the following economic and financial crimes:

i. The transfers made into the account of Christine Ibie Ibori (Chief James Ibori’s sister) held in HSBC London was on behalf of Onovin Nig. Ltd., a company solely owned by Vincent Uduaghan, a younger brother to the present governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, the latter who had served as Commissioner for Health and Secretary to the State Government under Ibori’s Administration between 1999 and 2007.

ii. Investigation reveals that Onovin Nig. Ltd. was awarded a contract in December 2004 for laying of tartan tracks in Oghara Stadium at the sum of N142.9 million by the Delta State Government.

iii. That said Onovin Nig. Ltd. had secured the services of another company, a German based firm, BSW Postfach 1180, Deutschland for the supply and laying of the tracks in Ogbara Stadium.

iv. A total of two hundred and eighty four thousand Euros (E 284,000.00) was wired to the German Company by Onovin Nig. Ltd. for the job while another sum of N77.8 million naira equivalent from the contract sum was wired to the account of Christine Ibie Ibori, (Chief James Ibori’s sister) held in HSBC, London about the same time.

v. Further investigation carried out on Onovin Nig Ltd. account revealed some monthly lodgments of Delta State Government cheques of five to seven million naira spanning from 2002 to 2007 to the region N350 million naira which the owner claimed to be payments for the supply of fuel to the Government House from Total Nig. Plc. Depot in Benin, Edo State.

vi. That Total Nig. Ltd. which equally had the same contract for the supply of fuel to the government House denied having any dealings with Onovin Nig. Ltd.

vii. That transfers were made into Udoamaka’s account in HSBC London, which originated from three Assurance Bank Drafts amounting to about N140 million.

viii. That investigation conducted on Udoamaka’s accounts such as Sagicon Nig Ltd., Rivbbed Agro Allied, Saagaris Properties, Global Little Drops held in Oceanic and Zenith Banks revealed several lodgment of Delta State Government cheques in the neighborhood of N2 billion out of which N1.3 billion Naira were paid out between May and December 2006.

ix. That several cash lodgments amounting to N400 Million were also noticed both in the personal “ Pearl” Account and Companies’ accounts by characters such as Ede Ogoro and Charles Isiayei whom the investigation team discovered to be Private Secretary to the Governor of Delta State and Chief Accountant of the Delta Government House respectively.

x. That the investigation team also discovered other several cash lodgments running into billions of naira which were also made by the above Ede Ogoro and Charles Isiayei in connivance with some Bank officials into the following accounts: Koln Nig. Ltd., Silhouette travels, Prime Chambers, MER Engineering Ltd., Bainenox Ltd. and so on spanning from 2001 to the last day of James Ibori Administration and purely drawn from the “Security Votes” of the State under the Permanent Secretary, Government House, Asaba.

xi That Prime Chambers, one of the beneficiaries of the billions of naira cash lodgments is owned by Professor Utuama, the present Deputy Governor of the State and a former Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice during Ibori’s administration.

xii That Bainenox Ltd. account in UBA Plc is being operated by Chiedu Ibie, who is also a Director of MER Engineering and Koln Nig. Ltd. Companies believed to be owned by Chief James Ibori.

xiii. That investigation on Wings Aviation reveals an on-going transaction between the Aviation Company and Bombardier Inc. ( Canada) over the purchase of an air craft at the cost of USD 25 million for the personal use of Chief James Ibori.

xiv That payments were made to the UK Solicitors by Wings Aviation Parabola International Corp (a Mauritius based company owned by a Zambian (Edward Shamutete) linked to Chief James Ibori), Copex Management Service, another Mauritius firm on behalf of Erin Aviation, Pamaron Oil and Gas etc. advertisement



xv. That part of the money paid from Nigeria for the purchase of the aircraft was the USD 1 million Dollars paid to the Solicitors by Pamaron Oil and Gas Ltd from Fidelity Bank.

xvi. That further investigation however revealed that the transaction was made on the order of Bi Courtney Ltd. through another company, Flodan Ltd. These two companies which moved money for Chief James Ibori by using another company, BIADOXE Ltd. as a disguise, are owned by the same person.

xvii. That investigation on the acquisition of NAFCON revealed that O-secul Nig. Ltd., a company owned by Mike Orugbo bidded and acquired the company in 2005 for the sum of USD 152 million dollars.

xviii. That during the bid process, the sum of USD 2 million dollars was sourced by Mike Orugbo and paid to the company’s liquidators via a new Nigerian Bank for the sum of N280 million naira issued sometime in August 2005.

xix. That investigation showed that the Oceanic Bank raised the remaining money on behalf of O-secul for the acquisition of the fertilizer company while there exists no evidence of previous banking relationship between O-Secul and Oceanic Bank but the Bank felt comfortable in granting the large facility to the company.

xx. That the sum of USD 46 million dollars was received by the Bank via a Certificate of Capital Importation from Copex Management Service, the same Company that wired money to UK Solicitors for the acquisition of aircraft on behalf of Erin Aviation, this time, on behalf of ‘NOTORE Mauritius’ for the acquisition of 39% of NAFCON now NOTORE chemical industries Nig. Ltd.

xxi That the so-called Notore Mauritius is a group of foreign investors mainly from EMP a US based firm and Egypt Fertilizer Company as claimed while investigation further revealed that the duo were brought into the investment by the same UK Solicitors, Arlington Sharmas.

xxii. That another payment of N4.418 billion was received by Oceanic Bank from Brisbane Ltd. via two Intercontinental Bank Manager’s Cheques for acquisition of 13% of the fertilizer company while Brisbane Ltd. is owned by Henry Imasekha who is also the sole owner of Berkeley Group.

xxiii. That investigation on the origin of the money paid Brisbane however, revealed that in 2001 Mr. Henry Masekha used Bromley Ltd. to secure a loan of N2.2 billion naira from New Nigeria Bank without any collateral or evidence of previous Banking relationship with the Bank and purchased 10% of Econet Nigeria Ltd. (now Celtel) while few weeks later ‘Delta State Government’ bought 5% of the Econet shares from Bromley Ltd. at the sum of N2.5 billion naira via a Standard Trust Bank Draft which he used in liquidating the New Nigeria Bank facility.

xxiv. That in 2006 during the taking over of V-mobile by Celtel, Bromley Ltd. sold the remaining shares to Celtel and it is from this money that Brisbane Ltd. acquired 13% of the fertilizer company.

xxv. That investigation on share placements in Nigerian banks and companies revealed the diversion of N5 Billion from the accounts of the Delta State Government in Oceanic Bank and Zenith Bank for the purchase of Afribank shares for Chief James Ibori. The fraudulent transactions were perpetrated through the use of 14 fictitious companies such as Double Dip Nig. Ltd., Arusha Nig. Ltd., Abajim Nig Ltd., Lugba Nig. Ltd., Mombassa Nig. Ltd., Limpopo Nig. Ltd., Zaragoza Nig. Ltd., Sandton Nig. Ltd. etc.

xxvi. That the 1 st Defendant’s/ Respondent’s intervention succeeded in putting a stop to the diversion of the funds to Chief Ibori’s private hands and recovered the said funds with even a benefit of capital gain on the investment.

xxvii. That the funds have since been returned to the coffers of the Delta State Government to enable the Government carry out valuable projects for the people of Delta State.

xxviii. That investigation on allegations of public funds diversion to acquire

Wilbros Nig. Ltd., a multinational oil servicing firm in Port

Harcourt sometime in 2006.

xxix That the said Wilbros Nig. Ltd was acquired for USD 155 million by a new established company Ascot Offshore Nig. Ltd. registered and solely owned by Mr. Henry Imasekha, the same character moving funds in Celtel, Oando and NOTORE chemical industries.

xxx. That on the assumption of office as Governor of Delta State in 2003 Chief James Ibori declared having only four(4) properties he acquired from 1995 and 1999 all valued at N100 million naira and seven (7) plots of land acquired between 1983 and 2000 with a total value of N5 million naira. Our investigation has so far revealed the acquisition of over 20 properties in and outside Nigeria by Chief James Ibori.

xxxi. That our enquiries also confirmed allegation of massive fraud and theft of public funds against Chief James Ibori in collaboration with the State House of Assembly members using supplementary budget as disguise.

xxxii. That supplementary appropriation was sent to the State Assembly for the approval of over N40 billion naira between 1999 and 2005 accompanied with executive letters all dated 2004 signed by Chief Ibori for the requests. The proceeds of this massive fraud are currently being traced.

xxxiii. Several billions of Naira meant for “Security Vote” by the Delta

State Government from 1999-2007 were diverted by Chief James

Ibori and his collaborators.

17. That based on the foregoing the 1 st Defendant/Respondent has concluded investigation into the aforesaid allegations of serious economic and financial crimes and is ready to prosecute all those found to be culpable in the circumstances.

18. Apart from the foregoing the 1 st Defendant has also been directed by the Federal Government to assist the Metropolitan Police in the investigation of money laundering offences allegedly committed in the United Kingdom by Chief James Ibori and three of his personal aides. Attached herewith and marked Exhibit EFCC 3 is a copy of the letter of the 3 rd Defendant dated 28 th September, 2007.

19. Following the directive of the Federal Government the 1 st Defendant has assisted the Metropolitan Police in the said investigation of money laundering offences committed in the United Kingdom by Chief James Ibori and his aides.

20. Chief James Ibori has not filed any case against the Defendants as his civil rights have neither been violated nor threatened in the course of the comprehensive investigation embarked upon by the 1 st Defendant.

21. Chief James Ibori was not arrested but invited to assist the 1 st Defendant in the investigation of his alleged involvement in serious economic and financial crimes.

22. Chief James Ibori responded to our invitation and made useful statements in the course of the investigation and was therefore granted bail in self recognizance.

23. Public officers in the service of the Delta State Government and private persons including officials of banks and other corporate bodies have also made statements in connection with the allegations of fraud, theft and money laundering running into several billions of naira belonging to the Government of Delta State.

24. The Plaintiffs have benefited from the investigation conducted so far by the 1 st Defendant as the sum of N5 billion illegally diverted by Chief James Ibori to acquire shares for himself has been recovered and paid back to the coffers of the Delta State Government.

25. The Authorities of the United Kingdom and Nigeria are currently involved in recovering other ill-gotten assets of Chief James Ibori and his fronts for the benefit of the people of Delta State.

26. Several assets worth £35 million (Thirty Five Million Pounds) overseas alleged to be proceeds of crime and traced to Chief James Ibori have been frozen by a British Court.

27. Instead of co-operating with the Defendants to recover the looted wealth of the impoverished people of Delta State the Plaintiffs are using the machinery of government to frustrate the investigation and prosecution of criminal suspects.

28. The Plaintiffs rushed to file this suit on October 8, 2007 in order to frustrate the investigation and prosecution of Chief James Ibori and his aides.

29. Before the order ex parte was issued by this Honourable Court the 1 st Defendant had concluded its investigation and would have charged the said Chief James Ibori to Court but for the fact that he secretly left the country.

30. That the restraining order sought by the Applicants is designed to shield criminal suspects from prosecution and thereby promote corruption and abuse of office with impunity.

31. That I make this declaration in good faith.

…………….

DEPONENT

SWORN TO at the Federal High

Court Registry, Benin City

This…………. Day of ………….. 2007

BEFORE ME

COMMISSIONER FOR OATHS

FOR SERVICE ON:

THE PLAINTIFFS’ COUNSEL

KEN E. MOZIA & CO.

81 MISSION ROAD ,

BENIN CITY



IN THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT OF NIGERIA

HOLDEN BENIN CITY

SUIT NO: FHC/B/CS/862/2007

BETWEEN:

1. ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF DELTA STATE )

2. DELTA STATE GOVERNMENT )

3. DR. IFEANYI OKOWA )..PLAINTIFFS/

(Secretary to the Delta State Government) )..APPLICANTS

4. AUDITOR-GENERAL OF DELTA STATE )

AND

1. ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CRIMES COMMISSION)

2. THE EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN, )

(Economic and Financial Crimes Commission) )…DEFENDANTS/

3. THE ATTORNEY-GENERAL OF THE FEDERATION )…RESPONDENTS

NOTICE OF PRELIMINARY OBJECTION advertisement



TAKE NOTICE that at the hearing of the Plaintiffs’/Applicants’ Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction dated 8 th of October 2007 the 1 st and 2 nd Defendants will raise a Preliminary

i. The Honourable Court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the substantive suit as it has no judicial power to confer immunity on persons reasonably suspected to have committed serious economic and financial crimes.

ii. The substantive action is incompetent, frivolous, vexatious and an abuse of court process.

PARTICULARS

a. By virtue of the provision of the Economic and Financial Crimes Act 2004 and Money Laundering Prohibition Act 2004 the 1 st Defendant is empowered to investigate allegations of conspiracy, official corruption, misappropriation of public funds, stealing and money laundering perpetrated by past and serving officials of the Delta State Government.

b. The former and current officials of the Delta State Government are not immune from investigation in respect of allegations of sundry economic and financial crimes perpetrated from 1999 to date.

c. The 1 st Defendant’s letter Reference No: CR:300/EFCC/ABJ/ASO/ TM.3/Vol.2/321 dated 6 th June 2001 is within the purview of the statutory duties and functions assigned to the 1 st Defendant by virtue of the Economic and Financial Crimes Act 2004 and Money Laundering Prohibition Act, 2004.

d. The Federal High Court lacks the competence to prevent the 1 st Defendant from carrying out its statutory duties and functions.

e. By virtue of the Agreement Between the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning the investigation and prosecution of crime and the confiscation of the proceeds of crime, 1989 Nigeria is under an obligation to assist the United Kingdom in the investigation of money laundering charges involving Chief James Ibori and his personal aides.

ALTERNATIVELY

AN ORDER SETTING ASIDE the ex parte order granted by this Honourable Court on the 9 th day of October, 2007.

GROUNDS
There was no urgency warranting the grant of ex parte order on 9/10/2007 on the basis of a letter written to the Plaintiffs on 6/6/2007.

The Plaintiffs suppressed and conceded material facts in the affidavit in support of the motion ex parte.

There ex parte order has shielded former and current public officers in Delta State including those who are not parties to the suit from investigating and prosecution on account of economic and financial crimes committed by them.

The Honourable Court lacks the vires to restrain the 1 st Defendant from arresting, investigating and prosecuting criminal suspects accused of engaging in financial and economic crimes.

The ex parte order is at large and seeks to preclude the 1 st and 2 nd Defendants from discharging their statutory responsibilities under the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (Establishment Act) 2004.

Dated this…………day of October, 2007

……………………………….

W.K. SHITTU ESQ.

W.K. SHITTU & CO.

1 ST DEFENDANT’S COUNSEL

93 ALLEN AVENUE ,

IKEJA, LAGOS

FOR SERVICE ON:

THE PLAINTIFFS’ COUNSEL

KEN E. MOZIA & CO.

81 MISSION ROAD ,

BENIN CITY

http://www.pointblanknews.com/os2147.html

Ribadu's visit to Gani Fawehinmi-PHOTOSPEAK for Police IG Onovo.

Former EFCC chairman, Nuhu Ribadu sneaked into Nigeria to visit the family of late human rights lawyer, Chief Gani Fawehinmi.
His controversial visit has become a security nightmare as the federal authorities in Nigeria continues to investigate his manner of entry and exit. Saharareporters obtained exclusive photos of the visi to Gani Fawehinmi's family in Lagos. The inspector general of the Nigerian police, Ogbonaya Onovo earlier today, at a press conference, denied that Ribadu visited Gani's house. He challenged anyone with photographs of the visit to show it to the public.
http://www.saharareporters.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3721:ribadus-visit-to-gani-fawehinmi&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=18

United Nations General Assembly: Again, Yar’Adua a No-Show, Nigeria’s international profile dwindles

Nigeria’s sickly leader, Umaru Yar’adua, will not speak at the 64th United Nations General Assembly in New York, after all.

This is contrary to the impression energetically pushed in the past few weeks by his aides that he would be attending the event, which he also missed last year. At that event, he was represented by the lackluster Foreign Minister, Ojo Maduekwe, and the increasingly unpopular Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Michael Aondoakaa. Mr. Maduekwe spoke for Yar’Adua on the last day of the general debate, a sad situation for Nigeria as most world leaders had already left for home.

Yar’Adua’s decision to skip the General Assembly is thought to be related to Nigeria’s dwindling fortunes on the international scene, as well as related diplomatic embarrassments. Among them, his Principal Private Secretary, Mr. David Edevbie, is currently being sought for trial by the police in the United Kingdom over his involvement in the outright stealing of $38.5 million from the proceeds of V-Mobile divestment of Delta and Akwa Ibom states.

Yar’Adua’s government is also said to be embarrassed by the fact that should he travel to New York, he would not even have the comfort of meeting with President Barak Obama or any other major world leader. Saharareporters has learnt that efforts made by his aides to schedule high–level meetings with them were generally rebuffed. The US President, for his part, preferred a parley with a bunch of African leaders to a private meeting with Yar’Adua.

Analysts say that another factor that may have influenced Yar’Adua’s decision to remain in Abuja is the fact that while he is in New York, the real action will be at the G20 meeting in Pittsburgh, 370 miles south, with such countries as South Africa, Indonesia, Brazil, India and Argentina among those joining the industrialized countries. While Nigeria has often talked about development, those countries have a lot more to show.

Another factor that may have pushed the pin into Yar’Adua’s international balloon concerns the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, which are targets of development that nations are expected to meet by 2010. While some countries even regard those targets as “minimum”, not “millennium,” and are working to exceed them, Yar’Adua told The Guardian in April Nigeria would not meet several of them. He mentioned such key MDGs targets as poverty-reduction, maternal health, education and child health as those that Nigeria would not achieve.

In a curious twist three weeks ago, Amina Ibrahim, who is Yar’Adua’s Presidential Assistant on the MDGs, told the local press that in order for Nigeria to meet the MDGs, it would need to invest N4 trillion per year from now, about N24 trillion by 2010. Yar’Adua is not thought to be ready for penetrating questions from the international press on these contradictions.

Also, recently, Nigeria was embarrassed by the appointment of a junior Rwandan military officer over a Nigerian as the Force Commander of the UN-African Union Hybrid Force in Darfur (UNAMID), a post vacated by the well-regarded Gen. Martin Agwai of Nigeria. President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua offered a tepid response to the development that analysts said was worse than the appointment of the Rwandan, who trained in Nigeria, and who now has command of Nigerian sector officers in Sudan who are his military seniors.

Another concern in Abuja is said to be the unprecedented revocation of the appointment of newly appointed Nigerian Ambassador to the United States, Professor Tunde Adeniran, by the US State Department right after Foreign Minister Maduekwe had hosted a farewell dinner for him. Prof. Adeniran was sent back home from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International airport Abuja when the US communicated their decision to Mr. Maduekwe about his ambassadorial accreditation.

In addition to all of this, Yar’Adua’s health continues to be uncertain. He only recently returned from Saudi Arabia where he underwent medical treatment at the German hospital in Jeddah.

More than 140 Heads of State or Government will take part in the General Assembly’s annual debate and the specialized summits, which will this year focus on such global challenges as climate change, nuclear security and non-proliferation, as well as the world financial and economic crisis.

Those leaders will include Chinese President Hu Jintao will be the first Chinese leader in over 30 years to speak at the General Assembly. When President Obama takes the microphone next week, it will also be his first time.

Yar’Adua’s absence will deny Nigeria the opportunity to share the stage with the planet’s movers and shakers, as well as hold important bilaterals and business meetings that are possible because of the presence of so many leaders in New York. Yar’Adua’s absence in the mix confirms Nigeria’s deepening irrelevance, even in Africa.

Mr. Maduekwe, who is currently traveling in Brazil, will again represent Nigeria in the general debate. He is expected to arrive in New York at 8:30 PM via Brazilian Tam airline on September 18 . As is the convention, he will speak only among Ministers, when all the Heads of State and Government have been heard and have heard each other, and invariably left. Last year, to him fell the ignominy of speaking at the closing session, long after the lions, having had their roar and their choice of meat, had returned to their lair.

Coca-Cola Jets Out Of Nigeria.

It was no cheering news to hear that the Nigerian Bottling Company has decided to shut its concentrate supply plant and relocate it outside Nigeria. The company cited the high manufacturing costs that render the products non-competitive for export to other Coca-Cola bottlers in ECOWAS States and Central Africa as a reason.

The news must have passed as ordinary company news but we are concerned about its enormous implications, one of which is that Nigeria’s manufactured goods are not competitive for even African countries like Ghana.

The distressing thing about this is that when Coca-Cola moves out of Nigeria, of course we will continue to drink coke, and we will continue to create and sustain jobs at Coca-Cola PLC. Those bottles of Coke will just have to be imported, as the Coca-Cola Jobs and Taxes are exported to foreigners.


It is easy to blame the global meltdown for yet another example of operational failure of a corporate giant. In our country’s situation, however, it is time we took another look at our investment climate that seems at least for now to be driving away potential and established investors and well-known global brands.
Recession or not, Nigeria has the largest market in Africa. That was partly the reason for the presence of many multinational companies in our country. But the ineptitude of successive Nigerian governments to sustain a conducive environment for operational efficiency of both public and private companies has created an embarrassing nightmare in terms of containing operational costs in the face of dwindling revenues and returns on investment.

The increasingly hostile business environment has manifested in the decline of
the textile industry, the local tyre industry, which has lost Michelin and Dunlop, and many others.
Certainly, these are major business news items in the international community and run counter to all efforts to build an attractive investment destination.
It is an open secret that power is the engine of manufacturing to provide goods, and services for consumption by customers and society at large. Yet, the downtime of our electricity grid is about 90 per cent if not 100.

To compete or stay afloat companies have had to invest heavily in alternative sources of power and ignore the possibility of any supply from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), which is a monopoly. It is well-known that the PHCN has become a veritable source of unnecessary and wasteful expenditure which cripple planned and expected returns on investment, production and services, because of its inefficiency.
In addition, transportation costs have risen sharply due to bad roads, police check points, and the spiralling costs of fuel. Also, exchange rate fluctuations and unpredictability make importation of materials difficult to achieve and thus sustain operational capacity. Thus, there is low capacity utilisation and plants have closed down, heightening unemployment, and discontent in the population.

Even for companies that are braving the harsh business environment, they experience a hostile and testy industrial relations environment.
Global brands have for many years created employment for Nigerians and Coca-Cola, especially, is a major player in the beverages and entertainment industries. It is sad indeed to see them shut a vital plant like the one under discussion.
We have repeatedly lamented the death of manufacturing in the country and the seeming insensitivity of government to it. The duty of government is to provide a conducive environment for the private sector to thrive.
So again, we call on the Federal Government to stop the drift. Before Nigeria becomes a pariah state to international manufacturing concerns, there is need for government to take some positive action.
Multiplicity of taxes, high lending rates, dumping, insecurity and lack of basic infrastructure such as electricity, potable water, and transport network have afflicted the sector with unusually high production cost.

The closure of the Coca-Cola plant is yet another reminder of the urgency of the
problem with the manufacturing sector.

This is the season for OPEN TREASON. We send Michelin Jobs elsewhere, even as we continue to buy Tires for our Cars. Send Coca-Cola Jobs elsewhere, even as we continue to drink coke. Send all manufacturing to Ghana. Even our banks, hawk the Banks to the Chinese. Stupid, stupid, people.

It seems only bad news can come out of Nigeria. What is all this nonsense! Is Nigeria that rudderless to deal with such a minor problem and save jobs?

This is very unfortunate. Will it serve as a wake up call to our governments and public leaders for a change? Granted our Governments have failed the industries as much as they betray the masses. This is yet another challenge to the country. We can create incentives for folks to purchase the Coca-Cola plants and put them to some kinds of production that would manufacture similar products and generate employment. Who says we cannot compete with Coca-Cola in Africa?

This is another national challenge that could, long term; make us a better and enabling nation.

dimokalu@yahoo.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Last Updated on Thursday, 17 September 2009 20:10

Michael Aondoakaa: I won’t join issues with Farida

$38m V-Mobile shares: I won’t join issues with Farida
From GODWIN TSA Abuja
Monday, September 14, 2009
•Aondoakaa
Photo: Sun News Publishing

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Michael Aondoakaa (SAN) has denied any conflict between his office and that of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as they both have a good working relationship.

Consequently, he said he would not join issues with EFCC Chairman Mrs. Farida Waziri on the controversy as to whether or not the Commission had cleared three ex-governors including Chief Obong Victor Attah, James Ibori and Bola Tinubu of Akwa Ibom, Delta and Lagos states over the professional fees paid by them to African Development Fund Incorporations (ADFI) for sales of their shares worth about $38 million in the V-Mobile, a telecommunication firm.

The chief law officer of the federation was reacting to a statement by the anti-graft agency to the effect that the three ex- governors involved in the deal had not been cleared.
He maintained that with respect to the professional fees, which have become a subject of litigation in a London Court, the three former governors were investigated by the EFCC and cleared.
“If EFCC says that the ex-governors have not been cleared on the issue of the professional fee paid to the ADFI, I won’t join issues with the commission.
“What I believed the EFCC Chairman could have said was that the fact that they have been cleared on this issue of the professional fees paid to the ADFI does not mean that other investigations on other issues are not on-going.

“I think she might have been quoted out of context.
“Until she faces me and says it by herself that the ex-governors have not been cleared on this issue of the legal fees paid by the ex-governors to ADFI Account Number 0140011552, I will know what to say.
“In any event, I can’t see any conflict in what I have said and what EFCC is saying.
“The issue in question is the professional fee and brokerage paid by these ex-governors to ADFI with respect to the sale of the shares owned by their respective states in V-Mobile which a petition investigated by the EFCC described as money-laundering and another allegation that David Edevbire, the Private Principal Secretary to President Umaru Yar’Adua was involved in the signing of the agreement between the ADFI and the ex-governors.
“I have said that David Edevbire was not involved in any way in the deal and that the attempt to bring in his name is only to tarnish the image of the government of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and rubbish his anti-corruption war.

“I am not talking from the air. The facts are there and they are sacred.
“I have said that the Federal Government would refuse prosecution of any Nigerian before a London court on offences which ingredients are domiciled in Nigeria .
“In this case, the Metropolitan Police are before the London Court against ADFI on the grounds that the professional fees paid by the three ex-governors to it are proceeds of crime (money-laundering).
“And the fact of this case is that the issue of the professional fees paid to ADFI has been investigated in Nigeria by EFCC and those involved have been cleared.

“The press statement I issued on the case relates to the issue of the professional fees paid by them to the ADFI which is the subject-matter of criminal litigation before the London court.
“The court case by EFCC started in Nigeria against the ADFI itself has been withdrawn by EFCC upon its discovery that no prima facie case stood against the incorporation.
“I have no problem with EFCC. We have a cordial working relationship,” he concluded.

Re: NTA N8.2 billion Scam: Carrying out my statutory role as a minister not a scam- Dora Akunyili

Re: NTA N8.2 billion Scam: Carrying out my statutory role as a minister not a scam- Dora Akunyili Print
Written by Dora Akunyili
Saturday, 12 September 2009 18:37

I have seen this story on me on your site titled “NTA Scam: 8.2 Billion Naira NTA Broadcast Equipment for Nigeria 2009 questions” written by unidentified concerned Nigerian broadcast professionals on July, Monday 20, 2009. In the story I was labelled a scammer.

I have also noticed that it has remained on your home page as news flashes for months and this has become an embarrassment to me, my family, my staff, and all the people around me. It is also a surprise to me that you did not cross-check such a weighty and damaging allegation before placing it on your website. It is even more worrisome that it is anonymous. I deserve to be contacted for clarification on such a damaging allegation after long years of selfless service to our dear country, especially my eight years sojourn in NAFDAC where I almost lost my life for refusing to be compromised by criminals.
When this story started making rounds, I wondered where it was coming from. A whole lot of questions raced through my head; could this be sponsored by those who lost out in the bidding process, or those who would not want NTA to compete with their stations, or are these fake drug merchants still looking for ways to attack me for ruining their businesses? I am confused but only God knows who is desperate to malign me. My consolation is that nobody can pull me down except if God allows it.

In my several years as a public servant, I have endeavoured to live above board right from when I became the DG of NAFDAC to now that I am the minister for information and communications. I have tried to be as transparent as possible in my activities. I have always been a firm believer in this country Nigeria for many reasons. All through my life I have studied on Government Scholarship from Secondary school to undergraduate and post graduate levels. I did my post Doctorate Studies in University of London on commonwealth fellowship because I am a Nigerian. My commitment to public service understandably is propelled by overriding national interest. As a firm believer in God, I know that we are on a pilgrimage on earth, and that at the end of this journey I will, just as any other person account for my actions or inactions.

As a minister, it is my responsibility to present memos on projects from all the 14 parastatals under the ministry of information and communications to Federal Executive Council (FEC). This presentation is normally done after due process certificate is received on any project. Consequently, from my assumption of duty in December 2008 to date, I have presented the following three financial memos to Federal Executive Council on projects for approval: The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) contract which involves Building of Emergency Communication Centers in 36 States of the federation and FCT at the total sum of N2, 439,896,837.57, Supply/Installation of Emergency Communication Equipment in 37 Centers at the total sum of $13,572,651.60, and the NTA Broadcast Equipment Upgrade of N8.9 billion.

Surprisingly the memo to Federal Executive Council on NTA project has generated so much heat that I feel compelled to clear my hard earned reputation of any complicity in this matter.

Let me give some clarification on the whole process for the award of the equipment upgrade on NTA. First of all, the process started two years ago when the National Sports Commission indicated interest to host the FIFA under 17 World Cup, long before I became Minister.

The first step undertaken by NTA was to go through selective tendering, after which they recommended three contractors to Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP): THOMPSON GRASS VALLEY OF FRANCE for upgrading and refurbishing of 6 Outside Broadcast Van from Standard Definition (SD) to High Definition (HD), plus upgrading and refurbishing of International Broadcast Centre from SD to HD.

WTS/SONY NIGERIA for renovation of the 6 Digital Satellite News Gathering van. VISAT USA for upgrading and refurbishing of 9 meter satellite Hub at the National Stadium. Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) reviewed the submissions of NTA and decided to call for fresh tenders from all interested parties in order to clear some technical details. Following the BPP position, fresh tenders were submitted directly to BPP from all interested parties. Thereafter, BPP selected WTS/ Sony Nigeria to handle the entire project. Based on the BPP decision, a ’Certificate of No Objection’ was issued to WTS/SONY.

It was at this stage that I carried out my statutory responsibility to carry the memo that has gone through all necessary due process to Federal Executive Council for approval. From the above information which has been in the public domain, it is clear that I was not in any way involved in determining the project or selecting the contractor; I did not initiate the contract; I did not in any way influence the contract; and I have nothing to do with the process by law.

I had earlier said that I never asked who was the contractor to any project in all the contracts that I took to FEC since I became Minister, and that WTS/SONY group wrote a letter to see me after the contract had been approved by FEC. During the meeting with the WTS/SONY group, which eventually took in my office in the presence of a ministry staff, I raised the following points:

(a) That the contract is time bound and therefore must be executed with dispatch and delivered on schedule.
(b) Delay would not be entertained.
(c) Sometimes when contractors are given any form of down payment, they go about looking for whom to give money. I thereby warned them not to give money to anybody, and that if anyone asks them for money, they should report to me. This is because such distribution of monies leads to delays, contracts not being properly executed and sometimes abandoned projects. I added that I did not want this contract to become another Halliburton.
People have done a lot of damage to the image of this country. Some writers even said that the South Africans OB vans cost N6.4 billion and that NTA wanted to refurbish six OB Vans with N6.8 billion. This is not true. First, I will like to clarify that the right figure for all projects is N8.9 billion and not N8.2 billion. People got everything wrong about the contract. The NTA project is in four different areas. The first area includes Upgrading the six OB Vans. Second, is the upgrade of the international Broadcast Center (IDC) to high definition mode. This center has well over 40 monitors, which are to be removed and installed with another set of equipment of high definition mode. In addition, there are four Edit Suits in place. The third one is the Upgrade of Nine-Metre Satellite Hub at the National Stadium, Abuja. And four, there will be an upgrade of the digital satellite news gathering vans. Before jumping into conclusion we should find out what constitutes the contract in South Africa? Has anyone given an analysis of what they bought? What kind of cameras, how many cameras, what quality of cameras that they bought, are they remote control or with cable, what quality of microphones, what payment plan was in place, warranty period, maintenance agreement, staff training and other details. Are all their equipment powered by UPS and Generators as is the case with Nigeria?.

For the NTA contract, federal Government secured a good payment offer. Government makes a 15 per cent down payment, and 85 per cent will be paid over a period of twenty seven months at an interest rate of 5 per cent. One would have taught that this should have given some of our journalists good news to write about. The interest rate of any loan today as we all know is between 20 to 25 per cent. Here is a wholly owned Nigerian company offering government 5 per cent interest rate spread over two years to supply equipment and somebody thinks it is a fraud. Where is the fraud coming from? Has anybody made effort to find out the financing method South Africa adopted?

On why NTA is renovating from SD to HD: this is not a possibility. You cannot renovate from standard Definition to High Definition. Part of the job content is to remove all equipment in those six Outside Broadcast (OB) vans and install them with brand new equipment of high definition mode. It is what NTA calls upgrading from standard definition to high definition. It is therefore not renovation but total stripping and replacement of the entire content of the OB vans.

One can therefore understand how saddened I was when I read in Sahara that the contract was shoddy and expensive. I plead that management of Sahara reports should kindly endeavor to reach out and verify issues of national relevance and if possible interview whoever is concerned before going to town with sensational and damaging accusations and misinformation. This is important because blackmailers will continue to think of the next story to make up when one fails.

What is happening today is very dangerous; a situation where anybody can write anything and it will be posted to the internet unverified. Is it not better to verify allegations against anybody to avoid vilifying an innocent person? Must we destroy the image of our country and the future of our children by painting our country and every Nigerian Public Servant “bad’’ in the eyes of the world? The impression we give to the world today about ourselves is what they will use against us tomorrow. If I was desperate to make easy money, I would have become a multibillionaire in my over 71/2 years as NAFDAC DG. Rather, I preferred to tread the part of incorruptibility for which I nearly lost my life.

Signed: Prof. Dora Nkem Akunyili, Minister of information and Communications, Nigeria

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Yar’adua jolted by Ribadu’s audacious appearance in Nigeria

Two sources in Abuja have revealed to Saharareporters that Umaru Yar’adua was, in the words of one of them, “in a state of fury” following the surprise appearance in Lagos yesterday of former EFCC Chairman Nuhu Ribadu. One of the sources said Yar’adua’s wife, Turai, also made frantic calls to heads of security agencies demanding to know how Ribadu could have entered the country without detection.

Word went out from the presidency that security agencies must hunt down Ribadu at all cost.

Ribadu stunned the media and Nigerians – and jolted the Yar’adua regime – by visiting the grieving family of the late legal luminary, Mr. Gani Fawehinmi.
Ribadu’s dramatic appearance coincided with another orchestrated effort by Yar'adua's notoriously corrupt Attorney General Michael Aondoakaa to exonerate corrupt public officials wanted in the UK for money laundering. In a widely reported statement, Aondoakaa told the press that the EFCC had cleared former state governors and Yar'adua's private principal secretary currently wanted in the UK in connection with the stealing of $38 million in funds that belonged to their respective states. UK law enforcement agents have indicted former Governors James Ibori and Victor Attah as well as Yar’adua’s principal secretary David Edevbie for funds they divested from V-Mobile.

A close friend of Ribadu’s told Saharareporters that the former EFCC boss, who has been on exile in the UK, said he could not live with himself if he had not returned to Nigeria to personally convey his condolences to the family of Mr. Fawehinmi, a mentor of his and Nigeria’s most visible human rights attorney in more than three decades.

Ribadu, who had been on exile in the UK, sneaked into Nigeria to meet with the family of Mr. Fawehinmi, a mentor of his and Nigeria’s most visible human rights attorney of the last three decades.

Newspaper reports said Ribadu's sudden visit to Fawehinmi's family jolted the family and created a commotion that led to a slight damage to his car. According to our sources, Ribadu has left for France even as Yar’adua’s stunned security agents scurried about looking for him – and sent signals to neighboring West African countries to arrest and hand him over if he was spotted.

A source close to the Yar’adua regime said that Aondoakaa was particularly irked that Ribadu’s unannounced visit took the shine off Aondoakaa's press conference called to claim that Edevbie, James Ibori, Bola Tinubu and Victor Attah had been cleared of money laundering charges in the V-Mobile transactions. At the conference, Aondoakaa accused Ribadu of “swearing to an affidavit” that included the name of Mr. Edevbie in the V-Mobil money laundering scandal. The AGF claimed that Ribadu had sworn to the alleged affidavit in order to embarrass the Yar'adua government. There is currently a Europe-wide arrest warrant for Edevbie.

In a curious twist, the EFCC earlier today circulated a statement refuting Aondoakaa’s assertion that the agency had cleared the three former governors. The EFCC’s disassociation is just part of the unmasking of the attorney general’s web of lies on the case.

Saharareporters’ investigations also exposed the falsehood in Aondoakaa’s claim that Ribadu swore to an affidavit. Our correspondent obtained a copy of Ribadu's statement – not a sworn affidavit – to the Metropolitan police in London, regarding the upcoming trial of Ibori’s associates. We also established that the statement did not mention, much less delve into, the V-Mobile case.

Aondoakaa’s current gambit is driven by his notorious greed for amassing bribes from officials facing possible prosecution for corrupt acts. A source close to Edevbie, whose tenure as Ibori’s Finance commissioner was marked by extensive collaboration in most of the former governor’s money laundering schemes, said Edevbie had paid Aondoakaa more than N280 million in 2007. In return, Aondoakaa swore to an oath to defend Edevbie from any EFCC investigation or prosecution. A top Abuja-based lawyer also told our correspondent that Aondoakaa “most likely acted in his usual shameless manner by collecting protection fees from the former governors implicated in the V-Mobil scam.”

Aondoakaa has established a reputation for shielding, or attempting to shield, corrupt former and serving officials as well as corporations from prosecution. He has written several letters to UK courts to sabotage the trial of Ibori’s associates held for collaborating with the former governor in acts of money laundering.

The Abuja lawyer also punctured Aondoakaa’s claim that he had never filed a nolle prosequi regarding any criminal trial except in the case of Henry Okah. “The man must think our brains are as filled with cash and sand as his own,” said the lawyer, noting that Aondoakaa had intervened to stop the forgery trial brought against controversial businessman Jimoh Ibrahim in 2008. He also noted that Aondoakaa played a questionable role in the case against drug conglomerate Pfizer for carrying out unauthorized drug trials in Kano.

Aondoakaa's latest desperate attempt to exonerate Edevbie and the former governors was so shabbily done that he erroneously included the name of former Lagos governor, Bola Tinubu, in the list of those wanted by UK law enforcement in connection with the case. A charge sheet obtained by Saharareporters shows that Bola Tinubu's name was not mentioned. Saharareporters had earlier reported that Tinubu's involvement in the scam remained localized. He transferred his loot through Ibilie Holdings into an account belonging to Wale Tinubu, the CEO of OANDO PLC. A source at the London Metropolitan police told Saharareporters that they could not rule out prosecuting Tinubu if their investigations link the former Lagos governor to any of the offshore money laundering scams.



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Aondoakaa shields Ibori from trial!

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Justice Minister Michael Aondoakaa (SAN) did not wait for 24 hours to elapse before clearing the former Delta State governor, Chief James Ibori, over the sale of the state’s shares to Vmobile around 2007 yesterday. Also cleared by the anti-graft agency in respect of the same deal, according to Aondoakaa, are former Lagos State Governor Bola Tinubu and his former AkwaIbom State counterpart, Obong Victor Attah.

But the minister was silent on recent allegation that the Delta State government offered its 820 million units of shares in Oceanic International Plc to Ascot Offshore Nigeria Limited to secure a N44billion-loan from Intercontinental Bank Plc in 2007.

In a THISDAY report, Aondoakaa alleged that former EFCC chairman, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, was working against President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua’s administration from abroad.
He said Ribadu had continued to give false information to the British Government about situation in Nigeria.

In a petition filed during the tenure of Ribadu as EFCC chairman, the three former governors were alleged to have sold the shares of their states to Celtel (now Zain) through a company called African Development Funds Incorporated.
The transaction was said not to be transparent and also proceeds of the sale was alleged to have been used for money laundering.
Aondoakaa said the revelation about the clearance of the former governors emerged following a request from the British Government for more information about the deal.
The minister said he was not aware of the case until the Home Office in Britain sought for information on the case on June 1, 2009.
After he got the letter from Britain, the minister said he requested for the file and was furnished with information on the case on June 22.
Aondoakaa said: “This case has to do with Vmobile shares involving three former governors, Chief James Ibori of Delta State, Senator Bola Tinubu of Lagos State and Obong Victor Attah of AkwaIbom State. I was not aware of the case when I assumed office. I got a request for Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) from Britain on the 1st of June. There is a company called African Development Funds Incorporated. The company was engaged to sell the shares of the state to Vmobile (Celtel).
“While the transaction was going on, EFCC got information that the transaction was not transparent and that it was to be used for money laundering. EFCC started their investigation. I was not the AGF when it started. The EFCC said Access Bank was the bank used during the transactions.
“During investigation, it was gathered that the EFCC ordered Access Bank to stay action on the deal that the commission was investigating the deal. Later, the EFCC wrote the bank that the issued had been cleared.”
In the clearance letter entitled “Re: Alleged Case of Conspiracy, Money Laundering, Abuse of Office and Official Corruption. African Development Fund Inc. Account No. 011400552” dated the 12th of January, 2009 and signed by Umar Sanda on behalf of the chairman of the commission, EFCC said: “Our letter with ref no. CR:300/EFCC/LS/EG2/ VOL.2/266 dated 21st March, 2007 on the above subject matter refers:
"In view of the above you are kindly requested to remove the caution placed on the account and allow normal transactions on the account.”
Aondoakaa further said the former governors had been cleared before Britain requested for the details of the case.
He also denied the allegation that the agreement to the deal was signed by the current Principal Private Secretary to the President, Mr. David Edevbie, who worked with Ibori when he was the governor of Delta State.
The minister said: “At the time the request was made, EFCC had cleared the former governors. I didn’t ask the EFCC to clear the former governors after I got the request from Britain. All they have done is to embarrass the government. I can’t grant any request if all the ingredients of the offences were committed here.

This is not the first time the Attorney-General of the Federation and Justice Minister Michael Aondoakaa has rushed to James Ibori’s aid. According to a National Daily report; Special thanks to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Michael Kasse Aondoakaa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Ibori out-smart Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Farida Waziri (rtd) and her colleagues at the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to compromise on the criminal cases preferred against him.

James Ibori, the notorious former governor of Delta State who has been indicted for corruption, is behind the near-collapse of two banks; Oceanic and Inter-Continental banks - whose managements were dissolved by the Central bank of Nigeria (CBN).

According to reports, Ibori had promised Mr. Akingbola (the sacked CEO of InterContinental bank) that he will prevail on Yar'adua to stop Sanusi from sacking InterContinetal bank management last month, but Sanusi acted faster than he'd expected.

The EFCC had arrested Ibori after the 2007 general election when he had handed over to his successor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan. The Federal High Court remanded him in prison custody but released him eventually on strongest of bail conditions. As soon as the former governor, who was said to be one of the late General Sani Abacha's secret allies, was granted bail, he began to work seriously on modalities for his safe landing.
He allegedly applied his deft persuasive and manipulative skills within the EFCC headquarters in Abuja, and the Presidential Villa in Asokoro.

How has managed to convince Yar’adua to cover shield him from prosecution all this while? Blackmail, sources said!

National Daily reported that Ibori had threatened to expose the secrets of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP's victory in the 2007 elections, particularly how President Umaru Yar'Adua won or did not win the election and the details of the role played by the Independent Election Commission (INEC) and the security agents.

National Daily reports:

Ibori, according to knowledgeable sources, also vowed to reveal some shocking secrets about some senior staff of the EFCC including their hidden properties and monetary assets. He allegedly warned that he will expose the details of the looting of multi-million naira recovered from public officers, businessmen and other fraudsters. The enraged PDP chieftain allegedly accused Yar'Adua and some party leaders of betrayal, warning that he will not go down alone.

“Ibori said he will expose everything; the secrets of 2007 election, how INEC and the security Agencies were compromised. He said some senior staff of EFCC past and present are hypocrites wondering how they were able to own millions of naira in secret accounts administered by proxy and also acquired numerous exquisite properties worth millions of naira.

National Daily sources said that Ibori's threat to expose government officials, PDP, Minister of Justice and EFCC achieved the intended result as he was invited to Aso Rock for discussion on how to resolve the vexatious matter.
Sources said Ibori did not hesitate to bare his mind when he finally met with President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua and later with National Security Adviser, General Sarki Muktar (rtd) and Aondoakaa.

Sources close to the former Delta State governor confided that Ibori reminded Yar'Adua about the role he played in his emergence as president in 2007, lamenting that the president and PDP have chosen to reward him with public disgrace.

Ibori, according to sources, estimated his expenses during the 2007 presidential election campaign to be about N10 billion with the condition that he will not be prosecuted by any of the security agencies when he finally vacates the Delta State Government House.

Sources in Ibori's political circle disclosed that Yar'Adua who was listening attentively to his erstwhile colleague tried to calm him down. He allegedly absolved himself of any responsibility for his ordeal explaining that he only allowed the security agencies to discharge their duties according to the constitution.
The President promised to consult with government agencies and important individuals on the strategy to be applied in saving him from his ordeal.

Ibori later met with the National Security Adviser, Sarki Muktar. He allegedly advised the NSA not to accept any suggestion that the case involving him is a legal matter, because some of the funds which he allegedly looted from the state treasury were spent on the benefit of certain former government officials and the ruling PDP.
“When I donated several millions to the Presidential Library initiated by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, EFCC did not raise eye brows, I was approached to source for billions of naira to finance Yar'Adua's election campaign but no one objected to this. When I left office they now realized that Ibori stole from Delta State funds” Ibori allegedly queried.

Muktar in response allegedly rinsed his hands off whatever misfortune that befell Ibori. He said that the decision whether to arrest or prosecute former governors accused of financial crime was entirely taken by the erstwhile chairman of the EFCC, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu. Muktar was said to have explained that his office is responsible for National Security delicate issues like threat to lives and property, arms insurrection, acts capable of causing disintegration of the country, civil strife, muting by the Armed Forces etcetera. He advised his forlorn guest to reach out to the relevant agencies to discuss the way out of his dilemma.

National Daily learned that Ibori desperate to get the reprieve he so much desired took his case to former PDP Board member, Chief Tony Anenih aka Mr. Fix It, PDP National Chairman Vincent Ogbulafor, Minister of Justice, Michael Aondoakaa, whom he also had a hand in his appointment, and former National Secretary of PDP now External Affairs Minister, Ojo Maduekwe.

The PDP Chieftains were said to have given Ibori the assurances that the case against him will eventually fizzle out.
Ibori was said to have particularly pleaded with Anenih to use his influence in Aso Rock to convince President Yar'Adua to personally intervene in the matter. Anenih, according to sources, told Ibori to calm down that he should consider his request done.

Ibori is believed to be one of the PDP henchmen who played a vital role in the emergence of Ogbulafor as the party's chairman. So, it is now payback time. Ogbulafor, sources said, promised to do everything within his power to ensure that he was not convicted by the trial court.

The Justice Minister, Michael Aondoakaa, who is said to have been a close friend of Ibori even before he was appointed into office allegedly told Ibori that he will study his case so as to discover the loopholes to capitalize upon in ensuring that the case died a natural death.

Maduekwe was said to have also expressed his sympathy for the troubled former Delta State governor, He said that as a lawyer he would liaise with Aondoakaa to strategize on how to absolve him totally from the allegation against him.

National Daily learned that Yar'Adua discussed the Ibori matter with Anenih, Ogbulafor, Aondoakaa and Maduekwe.

It was resolved that the President should use his influence to secure reprieve for their loyal party member who did so much to help the party achieve certain goals.

Ibori's much tainted influence among Niger Delta militants and politicians were also considered in the decision to give him a safe landing.
Ibori was factored to play a leading role in Yar'Adua's re-election plans in 2011. He has since been announced as a member of the PDP's elders committee.

“The militants may totally reject any rapprochement from the Federal Government if Ibori was convicted. Furthermore, PDP may lose elections in the region in 2011 as a protest against the fate that befell their eminent son,” our source said.

National Daily sources revealed that Yar'Adua later summoned the Justice Minister, Aondoakaa and gave him the go-ahead to find a solution to Ibori's corruption trial. That he should work with EFCC chairman, Farida Waziri to effectively and conclusively resolve the case in Ibori's favour.

Sources said that Aondoakaa carried out the President's instruction with astounding speed. He allegedly held several meetings with EFCC Chairman, Waziri, and some of the commission's top lawyers to gain a common ground on how to conclusively discharge the Ibori financial profligacy case. The EFCC at the end mandated an independent lawyer to critically study the allegations against Ibori, outline the legal weakness in the case of the prosecution and recommend how to puncture the lacunas based on the points of law.

The independent lawyer was said to have recommended that Ibori's trial be transferred from Kaduna High Court to Asaba High Court so as to create an enabling ground for the final evacuation of the allegations against Ibori.
EFCC lawyers acting the script on the agreement between Ibori, Aso Rock and EFCC under the coordination of the AGF, allegedly encouraged Ibori's counsel to apply for the charges against him to be “quashed and thereby leading to terminating the criminal proceedings.”

The EFCC deliberately did not provide adequate witnesses to sustain its charges against the accused, at the last hearing at the Federal High Court, Asaba, Delta State. This explains why Ibori's lawyers decided to exploit that at this early stage of the trial to knock off the case.

In an interview with reporters, counsel to EFCC, Ibrahim Isiyaku said “the application to quash the case was filed because they feel our evidence cannot sustain the charges. They have a right to do this now or they could plead a no-case submission after we may have called our witnesses.”

Counsel to Ibori, Austin Alegeh (SAN) who also spoke to reporters stated clearly that “it will be a waste of the court's time and abuse of court process to embark on a trial when it is very obvious that EFCC has no witnesses and cannot sustain the charges.”

Emmanuel Okosun of Alegeh's chambers classified all the 170-count charges against Ibori into “13 clusters” for ease of reference; all said to be punishable either under the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act of 2003 or that of 2004. Having outlined the clauses, Alegeh said in the application that the EFCC has failed to show in any way, and in all instances, that any “offence has been disclosed against any of the accused”.

Alegeh's motion, was hinged on three main planks; One, that “none of the counts disclose a prima facie case against any or all of the accused persons”, that is Ibori or any of his co-accused. Two, “the accused persons are not in any way linked to the offence of money laundering as charged by prosecution”. Three, “Constitutionally, the charges are incompetent as they constitute Delta State business or affairs of state which the Federal Government of Nigeria or any of its agencies such as the EFCC is incompetent to inquire into”.

Alegeh specifically claimed in section (g) of the application; “That in other words, the accused persons are not linked to any of the allegations made in the 170-count charge”. Actually, this is at the heart of the application; that what EFCC has done so far is to claim that Ibori or his associates may have moved money, but, so far, failed to show how the accused persons moved any moneys from a particular bank to another, the dates of such movement, from which bank account to another.

According to Alegeh's application, “that in particular, as all but one of the counts are based on Money Laundering Charges, it is vital that the prosecution disclose, prima facie, the illegality of the said sums in other words, it must show the predicate offence of corruption allegedly committed by the 1st accused or any of the other accused persons”. Alegeh therefore held that “the prosecution has not been able to meet this vital requirement because such illegality or proof of corruption does not exist, prima facie or at all, on the face of the documents annexed to the charge”.

Moreover, Alegeh held that the “EFCC, (a federal agency) is constitutionally unsuited to inquire into the allegations of corruption by or against functionaries of a State Government; this explains the commission's inability to provide cogent materials upon which to hinge a proper trial.
Ibori's counsel therefore asked for the case to be quashed on the grounds; “That the prosecution herein attempting to fulfill that requirement had supplied voluminous proof of evidence in a bid to show that these materials upon which the case was predicated, but that after critically perusing these documents which include statements of prosecution witnesses, names of prosecution witnesses, documentary evidence and statements from the accused person, it is apparent on the face of the said documents that no offence has been disclosed against any of the accused persons”.

Ibori was alleged to have showed his gratitude by promising to compensate some EFCC officials with money said to be several millions of naira.
It was not certain at press time if it is true that a part of the promised recompense has been handed to the Ministry of Justice and EFCC collaborators.

But competent sources within the anti-corruption agency which has come under serious attacks from the US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton disclosed that from the moment Waziri took over EFCC it was clear the Ibori corruption trial would soon die a natural death. Reason: The Justice Minister was said not to have minced words in warning the EFCC boss against pursuing the charges against Ibori as Ribadu and later Ibrahim Lamurde were hell-bent on doing.

Specifically, when the former Delta governor secured the transfer of the case from Kaduna to Delta State where a High Court was hurriedly created, efforts by the EFCC to appeal the ruling was frustrated by the AGF who vehemently warned Waziri against the action.

Even when the controversial independent legal advice on the trial was contracted to a team of lawyers led by a SAN, with a mandate to The aim of this opinion is to examine/weigh the charges and the proof of evidence with a view to establishing the chances of a successful prosecution, it was clear to all and sundry within the EFCC and those outside the commission but in the know of the manipulations that the findings would never make any impacts. And true to expectations, rather than seek to dot the Is and cross the Ts in the charges and over all investigation of the alleged case of corruption against Ibori, the EFCC leaked the documents to Ibori lawyers who studied it and knew exactly how to puncture the trial and possibly get the court to quash it.

Unwilling to face the wrath of the public, Waziri had sought to withdraw the case from the court and order a fresh investigation so as to tighten the loose ends identified in the independent legal advice but was cowed into letting sleeping dogs lie. She was allegedly summoned to the residence of the AGF where Ibori was also waiting, and was warned to let the matter continue in court.

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INEC awarded N2.174b contracts in two days .

With Re-run elections over, it is contracts time at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), with as much as N2,174,19billion approved in two days. The contracts were awarded on August 6 and 27 at the commission’s management meetings specifically convened for that purpose, The Nation reports.

Three of the contracts, worth N988.28million, were awarded on August 6. The INEC management approved 18 others (amounting to N1.185.91billion) on August 27.

A breakdown of the August 6 contracts is as follows: Procurement of non-sensitive election materials (N945million); special publication in Wall Street Journal on INEC’s programmes and activities (N26, 280,000) and special publication on creating a path to equitable representation (N17million).

The August 27 contracts are: Construction of National Voter Registry Back-up Centre in Abia State (N468, 183, 698. 23million); setting up of a mini-printing press at INEC headquarters and Electoral Institute (N101.5million); procurement of voting cubicles (N31, 440,000); and Special report on INEC’s reforms and plans (N18million).

Others are: Global Leased Transmission Network (GLTN) N12.5million and N1.5million to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Department for project supervision; 3M File Tracking System (N58.5million); Consolidation of 2008 continuous voter registration data (N19, 250,000); alternative power (solar) back-up for communication equipment at the headquarters (N18.5million) upgrade of the PABX (N28.5million) and N1.5m to ICT department for supervision.

They include construction of ICT Strategic Centres in Jigawa State (N97, 621. 236million) and Ogun (N97, 580,604.00million).

It was gathered that four contracts on procurement of non-sensitive election materials for bye-elections were also retroactively ratified on August 27, based on anticipatory approval by the INEC chairman, Prof. Maurice Iwu.

The non-sensitive election contracts awarded by Iwu before the August 27 approval came were N45.5million (22/7/2009); N47.9million (7/08/2009); N40.5million (7/8/2009); and N49.5million (11/08/2009).

At the August 27 meeting, INEC ratified the anticipatory approval of N20million to four Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), including Human Rights Monitor, Rights Monitoring Group, Transparency Movement and West African Network of Election Observers.

Other unnamed 15 CSOs were given N15million (N1milion each) to monitor the Ekiti North Senatorial District Rerun Election.

But the Executive Director of Human Rights Monitor, Mr. Festus Okoye, said: "Nobody has sent any money to the Human Rights Monitor in relation to the Ekiti North Senatorial re-run."

It could not be immediately ascertained why the contracts were approved in two days.

A source who pleaded not to be named, said: "We are under a contracts siege; a kind of bazaar is going on here. We hope the Presidency will ask the relevant agencies to come in and check our books. It is time for President Umaru Yar’Adua to ask questions.

"Some people are taking advantage of non-reconstitution of INEC to award contracts arbitrarily. Can you imagine what over N2billion can do in the life of a nation?

"Some INEC staff have an outstanding case with the EFCC. Yet, while the investigation is in progress, the same cabal is feasting on the system.

"Most of these contracts did not pass through due process. And in line with relevant laws, a few ought to be approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC)."

It was learnt that the approval of the contracts has caused a huge row as the management is not statutorily constituted.

INEC has a 14-man management team comprising the chairman, 12 National Commissioners and the Secretary to the commission.

Besides the Secretary, Abdullahi Kaugama, who is a career civil servant, only four of the remaining 13 commissioners are left because the five-year tenure of others has expired.

While some National Commissioners ended their tenure in August, last year, the last, Dr. Mohammed Jumare, completed his term last April.

The national commissioners who left in August are Ekpenyong Nsa, Mohammed Abubakar, Esther Sallah, Setley Dadze, Mohammed Bello, Senator Olorunnibe Farunkanmi, and Ishmael Igbani.

The four surviving commissioners are Iwu, Victor Chukwuani, Phillip Umeadi Jr., and Solomon Soyebi.

Findings also revealed that none of the contracts has been referred to the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) for approval by FEC.

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