If you closely watch the incidence that pushed EFCC to
start hunting down Iyabo Obasanjo and the muteness that
engulfed the Senate House at the beginning it wont take
you much time to figure out something fishy, especially now
that the Senators are giving Iyabo Obasanjo an ultimatum
to either come out from her hiding place or declare her seat
vacant if at all they can fulfil the constitutional requirements
of her being absent for 120 sitting in a year, thank God the
Senators alone can not recall her back, though some pressure
groups from her Senatorial Zone has also threaten to recall
her back if at all she didnt come out koro-koro to clear her
name with the EFCC.
At first, the story of Iyabo like a childs play with her boasting
that she is innocent and knew nothing about the Ministry of
Healths' saga. The Upper Arm didnt interfere at that stage
but kept mute. However, as the Ministry of Health investigation
grows bigger and bigger, new issues were raised and facts
were presented which seriously indicted the Distinguished
Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. As at that time, if
the Senators had wanted, would have intervene out of the
public eye and the matter be settled (which I expected, so that
at least the world over will not see our most intellectual law
makers in that unfit situation) unfortunately, it was not so,
dont know maybe its the ghost that is chasing her father that
is also chasing her.
I am now surprised to read in the dailies that the Senators are
issuing a warning threat to Iyabo to come out from her hiding
place. Why now?
Surprisingly, on the other hand, the EFCC, Nigerian Police and
the SSS still could not locate the whereabout of the woman
Senator - after confirming that she did not leave the country.
I doubt much if a crown figure like a Senator will just dissappear
into the thin air in Nigeria without the Police or SSS tracing its
whereabout. I smell rat, may be the EFCC and the SSS are still
under the pay record of Baba Ota.
Now, the EFCC that are seriously hunting for Iyabo as they said,
the Senators that want to declare her seat vacant and the the
Woman Senator herself that is hiding - what will the average man
think of the EFCC - not knowing their job? that a Senator got lost
in Nigeria without a trace? who is to be blame?
(http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/cartoons/cart01/160508)
Lol GGNK.
Oh gosh there goes another one 149 or 419 whatever u call it!!!!
From Scam to scam, who's to blame cant pin point dat but shes a part of it.
Chei!! thers no way you can give someone something without them nibbling it
in naija >:(
Thats the way the cookie crumbles!! About this time last year the Same EFCC under ribadu came out with a list of people which it claimed had been "indicted" and so could not stand for election. One of those people was Dr Lanre Tejuosho, son of the Ogun industrialist and Billionaire, Chief Tejuosho of Tejuosho Industries fame. His indictment by Ribadu was apparently only borne out of his decision to have the temerity to contest the Ogun west senatorial seat under ANPP, which had been reserved for Iyabo and therefore had to be guaranteed.
I knew Dr Tejuosho and was with him in Abuja a week before the list came out and he was confident that following their rally in Akure, a very strong message had been sent to the ruling PDP.
When I spoke to him when he came to Abuja to face the panel set up by obj to produce a white paper on the list, his case file was apparently empty and the panel told him there must have been some kind of mistake. Dr tejuosho had never worked for the government, never had a criminal record both in nigeria and abroad where he had schooled and had never been invited by any agency of government in relation to any misdemeanor. He met a gentleman from Imo who had been in Botswana for the last 16 years as a contract staff for the government and who by virtue of his modest contribution to his community had been drafted into the house of reps race in his constituency. Apparently not comfortable with his profile, the ruling party sounded the alarm and his name also appeared in the list. At the panel there was a single sheet of paper in his case file with the words "suspected of being a "419" person". no more no less. After enquiring whether there was a standard facial description of 419 people which he fitted, Dr Ayua the Permanent Secretary in the justice ministry and Chairman of the panel told him he was not working for the efcc, and he had the panels sympathy and they wished him all the best and better luck next time.
As God would have it Iyabo is now a fugitive senator hounded by the same agency that gave her and her co-travellers in the ruling party an undue advantage leading up to the polls. It was said that Ribadu pleaded for his man lamorde to chair the agency in his absence. It will be interesting therefore to see what kind of tangent the agency will take under the new helmswoman , Mrs waziri.
The evil that men (or women in this case) do will surely catch up with them someday.
Quote from: kitkat on May 18, 2008, 07:56:51 PM
Thats the way the cookie crumbles!!
LOL ;D ;D ;D Cookies like
Ticky Edris? An gaida kitkat!
GGNK,
Nice representation!
And to the trio; to hell with all your deeds!
Iyabo Obasanjo weeps in court, remanded in police custody By Tobi Soniyi, Abuja
Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, eldest daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Monday wept when she was told that the Abuja High Court would not admit her to bail after pleading not guilty for her role in the N300m scam in the Federal Ministry of Health.
(http://www.punchng.com/images/May/Tuesday/pix2008052031290.jpg)
Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello (2nd left) and operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, at the Abuja High Court... on Monday.
The trial judge, Justice Salisu Garuba, however, ordered that she be remanded at Maitama Police Station till Wednesday when he will rule on her bail application.
______________________________________________________
He who fights and run away leaves to fight another day.
How are the mighty fallen!!
Reminds me of a Hausa song by some Ghanaian musicians which goes something like this:
Duniya dauke ni ki kaini sama, amma sauko dani a hankali
Kai wannan tonon asiri.
I wonder if the disappearance of Iyabo was the reason Lamorde was
removed as acting chairman of the EFCC and transferred to Ningi as
area controller and thus the appointment of Mrs Waziri.
SENATE ORDERS NEW EFCC BOSS TO QUIT
By John Alechenu and Kunle Adeyemi
Published in Punch Newspaper Friday, 23 May 2008
The Senate on Thursday directed the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mrs. Farida Waziri, to stay away from the commission until the process of her appointment is completed.
(http://www.punchng.com/images/May/Friday/pix20080523403925.jpg)
The decision was taken after a heated debate by senators over the propriety of her assuming office in an acting capacity before the Senate's confirmation.
The President of the Senate, Mr. David Mark, consequently instructed the Chairman, Senate Committee on Drugs, Narcotics, Financial Crimes and Anti-Corruption, Senator Sola Akinyede, to carry out the Senate's decision.
Mark said, "Go and find out if she has resumed [assumed duty], because she has no business going there before this Senate confirms her.
"If she has resumed [assumed duty], my honest advice is for you to tell her not to do so until she is confirmed. In my layman's understanding, if an appointment has to get our confirmation, the person cannot resume [assume duty] before we confirm."
Mark said his understanding of a letter written to the Senate by the Attorney-General, Mr. Michael Aondoakaa, was an attempt to usurp the powers of the Senate.
He said, "My worry is that the AGF appears to be giving me an impression that Mr. President has the right to put people anywhere even when an appointment is said to be subject to Senate confirmation.
"The Senate cannot allow things to be done wrongly. If there are things that have been done wrongly in the past, we cannot allow this to continue in breach of the rule of law."
Section 2 (3) of the EFCC Act (2004) states, "The chairman and members of the commission other than ex-officio members shall be appointed by the President, and their appointments shall be subject to the confirmation of the Senate."
Section 154 (1) of the 1999 Constitution states " Except in the case of ex -officio members or where other provisions are made in this constitution, the chairman and members of any of the bodies so established shall, subject to the provisions of this constitution, be appointed by the President and the appointments shall be subject to confirmation by the Senate.
Earlier, Akinyede told his colleagues that Waziri's appointment was in breach of the Act establishing the commission.
He said, "I was informed that Mr. President has appointed someone in an acting capacity. I find that worrisome and that was why I wrote a letter to the AGF.
"My fear is that if this is allowed to go, I am afraid it is going to signal the end of checks and balances between the Legislature and the Executive. If you allow this to happen, we will open a flood gate of such appointments."
Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba(SAN) said, "The issue raised by the chairman of the Committee on Drugs and Narcotics is that the nominee has already started acting.
"But the information I have is that there is no leadership in EFCC. Nobody has taken over."
Senator Lee Maeba said "The Senate is under attack from people from the (Benue) state. We are being blackmailed to confirm Waziri.
"If Mr. President wants to appoint a substantive chairman, he should do so. I suggest we return the nominee back to the President."
In his contribution, Senator Uche Chukwumerije said, "Our country has reached a stage where we must say that the right thing has to be done."
He added," Iam not comfortable that sectional interests are coming into play. Nobody outside is happy about the fate of the EFCC. Let us reluctantly, I say reluctantly, set aside procedure and pass a resolution of "never again" should such a thing happen.
He recalled that since the establishment of the Commission, there has been a struggle for the control of its soul.
Meanwhile, the Movement Against Corruption has called for the immediate revocation of Waziri's appointment.
The group said at a press conference in Lagos on Thursday that Yar'Adua breached the rule of law and due process by jettisoning the provisions of the EFCC Act.
The National Chairman of movement, Alhaji Abdul Rahman Ahmad, said that the appointment of two acting chairmen for the EFCC within five months had shown that Yar'Adua's administration was only paying lip service to the rule of law.
Ahmad accused the government of removing the former EFCC boss, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, for daring to prosecute some former governors for corruption.
He added that the immediate past acting chairman of the commission, Mr. Ibrahim Lamorde, likewise incurred the government's wrath by "embarrassing Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello."