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$6bn Mambilla Scam: Release Agunloye Now, Soyinka Tells EFCC

Published

9 months ago

December 19, 2023

Eric

Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka on Monday, demanded the immediate release of a former Minister of Power and Steel, Dr Olu Agunloye by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over the alleged $6 billion Mambilla Hydro Power project scam.

The EFCC had declared Agunloye wanted over the $6 billion Mambilla Hydro Power project, and later took him into custody when he showed up at the agency’s office.

Soyinka, in a statement on Monday titled: “In Pursuit of Justice, Productivity, under the Rule of Law,” called on the EFCC to release Agunloye or detain all those directly or indirectly implicated in that Mambilla fiasco.

“In the meantime, the EFCC should release all its prisoners or, in the alternative, equally arrest and detain all those involved in this mammoth scam that has deprived the “GIANT OF AFRICA” the basic survival facility for a twenty-first-century society. One chicken in the coop is a travesty of justice and a deplorable lack of nerve.

“Release Agunloye, or detain all those directly or indirectly implicated in that fiasco. The preening and posturing of EFCC has served its purpose, it is time to now divert it to a productive end – bringing closure on the one hand, and also opening up new channels of productive fulfillment for a stressed and distressed nation,” Soyinka demanded.

According to Soyinka, the immediate provocation for these reflections is ongoing predicament of a former Minister of Power, Agunloye, currently detained by the EFCC, in total contempt of sense and justice, or indeed, basic humane considerations.

“We shall not go into the merit or demerits of the charges raised against him over a 16-year-old project that bears the name Mambilla. – that is the business of the law courts. Our concern at this moment is however only partially on the basis of individual Fundamental Human Rights.

“Most fortuitously, the detention of any former public servant under circumstances such as Agunloye also provokes the question: how is public interest – such as the pursuit of justice – served by such an arbitrary exercise of power?

“Before the now familiar carping, let me state that this is not the first time I have personally intervened in the high-handed and illegal conduct of the EFCC. All the way back to its inception, and public enthusiasm over its mission, I have had cause to use every means to promote and facilitate the success of that mission, while at the same time insisting on the organization’s operation under the law and citizen entitlement,” he stated.

Soyinka said his personal relations with the EFCC included placing the civic organization in which he is involved in an active relationship with that corruption-fighting agency, even to the existence of an MOU of collaboration.

He said from the time when intoxicated by righteous zeal, the EFCC in its early years attacked the home and offices of a businessman with a bulldozer, destroying and carrying off valuable equipment, he tackled its then director and demanded civilized usage in opposition to brute force.

The Nobel laureate added that it was this that impelled him to facilitate bringing to Nigeria President Kagame of Rwanda to lecture on how he tackled a deep-seated corruption culture among public servants.

“That was effected in the context of a conference on that very theme at the dedication of new offices of EFCC. I have never hidden my commitment to the operations of any corruption-fighting agency, including EFCC’s predecessor, the ICPC.

“Those credentials are stated to forestall any time-wasting and distracting interventions – let us now get down to immediate, and nation affective missteps by that same EFCC. The resort to “Trial or Smear by Media” of the most sensationalist kind, launched against the person of Dr. Olu Agunloye is unworthy and reprehensible.

“Most critically – and I want both governance and citizenry to understand this – it is counterproductive. It inhibits genuine inclination by proficient citizens for public service. That is a lamentable obstacle on the way to any nation’s development,” he said.

Soyinka added: “WANTED? Just what is that? Olu Agunloye has pursued his movements openly to the extent of being present and photographed at my sister’s funeral on December 8. He did not appear in disguise, did not sneak in and out. He functioned as any normal human being at an event at which the Press was present.

“Less than thirty-six hours later, he was declared WANTED: If that was an EFCC joke, it was in extremely bad taste, obviously designed for Social Media sensationalism, not for any serious crime-solving commitment.

“Nonetheless, Agunloye, as a dutiful citizen, issued a statement on his visibility and ready compliance. He promised to show up at the EFCC offices in Abuja the following day. He appeared, and was promptly arrested and detained.

“The information I have been able to obtain during the past two days of my return to the country is that the Head of the EFCC declared that he would release him only on the instructions of the President of the Nation.”

Soyinka asked: “True or false? I am not in the game of “He said, I said”. What matters is the murky exercise of power. I have had cause to intervene before this, all the way from Are, through Ribadu and Magu, that last until he stopped taking my calls. The present however transcends all other interventions, as it involves certain issues of national interest, in tandem with the evident issues of fundamental citizen rights.

“Put succinctly, I wish to claim that finally, after so many years of frustration, the nation is being offered an opportunity to put the Mambilla Project to rest, be it through terminal abandonment or resuscitation, corralling its lessons in fulfilling one of the most basic conditions for national industrial development with private creative input – addressing frontally and holistically the basic question of sustainable supply of power.

“In addition – and I concede that this is a personal, yet national concern. We stand a chance to finally solve a nation’s high-profile murder case, this being none other than that of Bola Ige, also prior minister of Power under President Olusegun Obasanjo.

“Let this be understood. The murder of Bola Ige, plus a monumental act of sabotage that took place under Ige’s watch, involving the loss of some engineers, was linked to massive corruption that underlay the Mambilla collapse.”

According to Soyinka, it is time to end the deception, the cynical cover-ups, the blame passing, the diversionary utterances, and the now open admission of corporate corruption with high reaches of power.

He called for a non-partisan Commission that would sit in public, take evidence, ask questions, and cross-examine witnesses over even one year if necessary.

“After all, this massive failure has gone on for nearly two decades. We can spare one more year, surely to lay bare the ugly face of Truth, then let the public do what it will with the revelations. The cycle of self-deception has gone on far enough. Let the two legislative chambers take the bull by the horns to end the charade, cut our losses, and move on,” he said.

Featured

NLC Laments Fuel Price Hike, Says ‘We Feel Betrayed’

Published

4 days ago

September 4, 2024

Eric

The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has lamented the recent increase in the price of fuel, saying the President Bola Tinubu administration betrayed them.

The Congress made the revelation in a statement signed by its president, Comrade Joe Ajaero, on Tuesday, and made available to newsmen.

He wrote:

WE FEEL BETRAYED

We are filled with a deep sense of betrayal as the federal government clandestinely increases the pump price of pms. One of the reasons for accepting N70,000 as national minimum wage was the understanding that the pump price of pms would not be increased even as we knew that N70,000 was not sufficient.

We recall vividly when Mr President gave us the devil’s alternatives to choose from: either N250,000 as minimum wage (subject to the rise of the pump price between N1,500 and N2,000) and N70,000 (at old pms rates), we opted for the latter because we could not bring ourselves to accept further punishment on Nigerians.

But here we are, barely one month after and with government yet to commence payment of the new national minimum wage, confronted by a reality we cannot explain.

It is both traumatic and nightmarish.

Yet, when we told government that it’s approach to resolving the fuel subsidy contradictions was patently faulty and would not last, it’s front row cheer leaders sneered at us, saying we did not understand basic economics.

But if truth be told, this act of betrayal is consistent with the character of this government. We recall the assurances we were given by the leadership of the National Assembly on the 250% tariff hike, that it had been dealt with and there was no need to openly engage the Minister of Power who was at that meeting.

Instead of the promised reversal, the rate has since been jerked up further putting more Nigerians and businesses in jeopardy.

The combined effects of government’s ferocious right -wing market policies brought Nigerians and Nigeria to their all-time low and led to the End-Hunger/End Bad Governance protests.

Rather than make amends, government arrested and hounded into detention some of those who took part and some of those who had nothing to do with these protests, charging them with criminal conspiracy, subversion, treasonable felony, terrorism financing and cyber crime with an intent to overthrow the government of President Tinubu.

The police and other security agencies have since been on rampage terrorising the citizenry in pursuance of government’s agenda of muzzling lawful dissent.

In brazen pursuit, they have defamed and libelled not a few individuals.

They have gone as far as appropriating the statutory roles of the Ministry of Labour and Employment in resolving trade dispute matters and issues considered outside the jurisdiction of the security agencies.

That the government is on rampage in the face of stifling conditions of living is an understatement but we promise Nigerians that we at the Nigeria Labour Congress will not be cowed into submission. Together with civil society, we brought about this democracy when some of the actors in power today were conspiring with the military on how to perpetuate their hold on political power.

When the State and the security forces picked on us in a hybrid war, we had our suspicions. We knew they were up to something sinister and needed to distract/divert our attention or possibly frighten or weaken us before they came out with it so that we would not have a robust response.

Now that they chickens have come to roost, we were right in our suspicions. However, we want to let Nigerians know that the clandestine/surreptitious increase in the pump price of pms is the first among the equally sinister policies government has up its sleeve.

On our part, we stand resolute with the people and will neither be distracted nor intimidated by the government or its security agencies.

We insist that government cannot criminalise protests or basic rights in the domain of the citizenry.

Accordingly, we demand the immediate:
1). Reversal of the latest increase in the pump of pms across the country;

2). Release of all those incarcerated or being prosecuted on the assumption of having participated in the recent protests;

3). Halt the indiscriminate arrest and detention of citizens on trumped up charges;

4). Reversal of the 250% tariff hike in electricity;

5). Stop to the hijack of the duties of the Ministry of Labour and Employment;

6). End to policies that engender hunger and insecurity;

7). Halt to government’s culture of terror, fear and lying.

We are guided by our belief in our country and the need to secure and sustain its sovereignty, integrity and welfare of the people.

In the coming days, the appropriate organs of the Congress will be meeting to take appropriate decisions which will be made public.

Featured

Falana Condemns Treason Charges Against #EndBadGovernance Protesters

Published

4 days ago

September 4, 2024

Eric

Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Femi Falana, has criticized the rising use of treason charges against protesters in Nigeria.

Falana, who spoke at a two-day international conference on anti-corruption and climate change in Abuja on Tuesday, condemned these charges.

On Monday, the Federal government charged 10 leaders and organizers of the #EndBadGovernance protest, which occurred from August 1 to 10, 2024. The protesters appeared before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja, facing treason charges among other allegations.

The defendants; Michael Adaramoye (also known as Lenin), Adeyemi Abayomi, Suleiman Yakubu, Opaoluwa Simon, Angel Innocent, Buhari Lawal, Mosiu Sadiq, Bashir Bello, Nuradeen Khamis, and Abdulsalam Zubairu, pleaded not guilty to the six-count indictment filed by Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun.

The charges outlined in case number FHC/ABJ/CR/454/2024 include treason, attempts to destabilize the country, intimidation of the President, and the destruction of government property in Kano.

The #EndBadGovernance protests, which drew significant attention in August, were part of a broader movement demanding greater accountability and reforms in Nigeria’s governance.

Falana expressed grave concerns about what he termed the “tribalisation” of treason, questioning the logic behind charging citizens with such a serious offense simply for protesting.

“I have been under pressure in the last 24 hours from Nigeria and abroad. People are wondering why the charge of treason is being tribalised in our country. How can you say that because people protested, they are being charged with treason?” Falana asked.

Assuring the public that there is no reason for alarm, Falana revealed that he has taken up the case and plans to advise President Bola Tinubu to instruct the police to withdraw the charges.

“All those who have expressed concern, do not be bothered; there is no cause for alarm. We are taking up the case, and we are going to advise the government, particularly the President, to direct the police to withdraw the charge. And that advice is also in the interest of the government because a treason charge is not like a charge of stealing,” Falana said.

He highlighted his experience defending treason cases, noting that this would be his fifth such case. “In the four previous cases, the government was compelled to withdraw the charges because we turned the case into the trial of the government,” Falana added.

He warned that misuse of treason charges could have negative repercussions for the government, citing past experiences as evidence.

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PDP Govs Call Wike’s Bluff, Says Threat Irresponsible, Reiterates Support for Fubara

Published

5 days ago

September 3, 2024

Eric

The governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party have slammed former Rivers State Governor, and Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and labelled his threats as unbridled and irresponsible.

On August 24, the PDP Governors’ Forum expressed support for Rivers State Governor, Sim Fubara, and called on the party’s NWC to grant him his “rightful” position as the leader of the party in the state.

In response, Wike announced over the weekend at the PDP secretariat in Port Harcourt that he would take firm action against PDP-controlled states that threatened his political structure in the state.

He stated “Let me assure all of you, not while we live will anybody take away the structure of the PDP from us. But let me tell people, I hear some governors who say they will take over the structure and give back to somebody.

“I pity those governors because I will put fire in their states. When God has given you peace, you say you don’t want peace – anything you see you take.”

Meanwhile, the forum, in a statement by its Director General, Emmanuel Agbo on Tuesday, labelled Wike’s threat as completely unacceptable.

The statement read in part, “The attention of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum (PDP-GF) under the chairmanship of H.E. Senator Bala Abdulkarim Mohamed (CON) and Governor of Bauchi State and all the member-Governors has been drawn to a widely circulating news story in which the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, H.E. Barrister Nyesom Wike, former Governor of Rivers State, made scathing and threatening comments regarding member-Governors of the Forum and notes the significant concerns that have been raised in the public space regarding the unity and peaceful coexistence within our party.

“The statements and threats to peaceful coexistence made by Wike to “Put fire” in the PDP controlled States are unbridled, irresponsible and without ambiguity unacceptable as it undermines efforts to build and maintain peace, cohesion, collaboration and mutual respect amongst leaders and members of the party. It is rather unfortunate that this is coming from someone who was once a member of this highly revered forum as a former governor.”

The forum emphasized its commitment to a “touch one, touch all” approach, pledging to support one another both individually and collectively, regardless of the circumstances.

It continued “A tradition Wike tremendously enjoyed in his days of travail as governor. Thus, we, therefore, maintain that our position on the affairs of the PDP in Rivers State, as unanimously resolved at our 2024, 3rd, and 4th Meetings held in Enugu and Taraba States respectively are not subject to review by any individual no matter how highly placed.

“We wish to emphasise that neither is the position of the Forum personal nor does it by any stretch of the imagination undermine the relevance of any stakeholder in the party. Rather, as loyal party faithful, members of the Forum remain committed to that pristine practice that was intended to guarantee order, eliminate conflicting centres of loyalty epitomised by the situation in Rivers State, and guard against distracting the Governor in the prosecution of his mandate. Wike benefitted wholly from that arrangement.

“We are irrevocably committed to working with the National Working Committee (NWC) of our great party, the PDP, in ensuring that Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State is conferred with all the privileges he is entitled to as a Governor elected on the platform of our party, both at the state and national levels.”

The governors affirmed that their unwavering commitment to party unity is of utmost importance.

They highlighted that the PDP has always prioritised unity and collective advancement.

The PDP Governors’ Forum stated that their recent actions, including backing Fubara, demonstrate their dedication to these principles.

The Punch