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Of Obasanjos Anti-Corruption And The Third Term Hunger: The Saminu Turaki Perspective By Lawal A. T.
Some two years ago the amiable Jigawa state governor made what he believed to be a deft political move by paying a visit to Yola with his speaker, a few members of the national assembly and the ANPP state hierarchy. The reason for the visit was to pay homage to Atiku Abubakar the V,P and pledge allegiance to what Saminu believed was the political movement of the moment( and the future) according to the normally acceptable political power flow of the no2 stepping into the shoes of the no1.
Following the visit, a grand political gala was organized in Jigawa and all state party chieftains were briefed of the new development and the wisdom of lining up behind the imminent successor this early in the game. A sharp division arose within the ANPP hierarchy, which saw some notable figures disassociating themselves from the decampment process and pledging allegiance to the ANPP. Surprised at this development and the ever growing number of the ANPP camp, Saminu tightened the screws by suspending the dissidents and creating a new party exco comprising largely illiterate and indolent die hard loyalists whose only principle was tied to material gain.
About the same time the EFCC swooped on Jigawa and arrested Saminus Chief of Staff with another warrant for his younger brother Bashir, and his Suleja born but now Singapore based 2nd wife. The charges were the over invoicing of a supply contract to the NSPMC during the Abacha days through which Saminu and Atiku Bagudu using the corporate name EPCEL Nigeria Ltd had siphoned off millions of dollars. The sum of $12 million had been traced to EPCELS offshore account in jersey that was frozen at the instance of the federal govt. Bagudu had relinquished interest in the funds but Saminu refused alleging a witch hunt for his pitching camp with the VP. He was summoned to the villa several times to sign off on a letter relinquishing interest in the money but he played for time.
He later buckled under the sustained pressure and signed a letter giving up the money following which his ally was released and the EFCC backed off. Other petitions forwarded in part by Faruk Adamu, a member of the house of reps. included the over inflation and award of road contracts to two newly registered companies, Wildcat construction and Arkel Engineering totaling over N20 billion, and the use of local govt. funds running into billions to buy up sesame and export to japan. A company called Muramasa Resources was registered in Japan with Samira Turaki saminus 2nd and favorite wife and one Mr Naruse as directors and signatories. The local operations were handled by Saminus school friend Bashir Bello, son of the late CJ who gave up his job at the NMA to join in the largesse. To date not a single kobo or yen has been repatriated from the export of thousands of tons of sesame. These were all forwarded to the EFCC with a dazzling array of detail and supporting evidence running from payment vouchers to actual cheques and bank records.
What is also interesting is that refund to the FGN of the stolen $12 million in question was held up for several months due to legal and bureaucratic hurdles put in place by Saminu’s UK lawyers. Speculation is that given his new portfolio within the OBJ’s kitchen cabinet, the lucky Governor has been allowed to keep this ill gotten wealth with a view to channeling some of it to the cause. It’s amazing how things can come full circle within a few months. One wonders where Nuhu Ribadus EFCC stands in the light of all these moral summersaults.
For his trouble Faruk Adamu, the only one bold enough to confront Saminu with his litany of thievery and misgovernance is currently facing a recall for which the usually selective INEC has chosen to expedite the process.
A smart survivor by half, Saminu quickly moved to distance himself from the VP and pitched his camp in the presidency. The next few months saw the appearance of almost all the Obasanjo children in Jigawa, landing one plum supply contract after another. The Governor told all who cared to listen that the grossly over inflated road construction contracts and ridiculously expensive sugar project had to be padded to cater for interests in the villa, so the critics could go to hell. The sugar plant at Hadejia, a 1500 ton Chinese plant originally costing $2 million suddenly shot up to N16 billion, with Wallong Camco, run by his brother Bashir, and also handing the N5.7 Billion dutse dualisation project getting the job.
Following the demise of Waziri Mohammed the official treasurer of the 3rd term project, Saminu quickly stepped in and moved to Abuja where in the course of the next few months he wormed his way into the inner circle of the tenure extension architects with his generous availment of Jigawa state funds to oil the wheels of the 3rd term train. It is estimated that close to 750 million was moved from the states account with GTB PLC to Abuja to buy off national assembly members and provide logistics for the project. This money saw to the emergence of the Unity Group in the house of reps which later fizzled out.
Baba in the villa was alerted of Saminu’s contributions to the agenda and the usually no nonsense president did not bother to question the source of the stupendous sums being thrown about this time around. For his efforts Saminu was rewarded with the award of 3 juicy off shore oil blocks and a crude lifting contract of 60,000 barrels per day. A company INC Natural resources incorporated less than 2 weeks to the NNPC bidding round was used to pick up the blocs. This company’s directors include Seun Obasanjo under the pseudonym “oluwa seun”. The MD and principal promoter was again Bashir Turaki, Saminus brother who was visibly present on National tv at the mini round in DPR HQ Lagos, and who signed off on behalf of the company. The award of the blocs was tied to a dubious Ethanol production project in Jigawa State which is being promoted by no other than Saminu himself through EPCEL Nig. Limited, the same company that Obasanjo had 2 years earlier asked to refund $12 million of Nigerian government money.
With the cash from the crude sales flowing Saminu has since relocated to Burkina Faso where the regional headquarters of INC Natural resources is located and from there he has been traveling to Mexico, China, and the Far East by corporate private jet, looking for partners for his 3 oil blocs. He occasionally jets into Abuja to check on the progress of the 3rd term drive and then he is off again with nary a glance in the direction of the state where he is supposed to governor. Since November 2005 the longest the Governor has been in his state is the 48 hours he played host to the President between 24th and 25th of May this year, where the president showered encomiums on the ethanol project against the backdrop of a huge signboard announcing EPCEL Ltd as the contractors.
So much for transparency and the no holds barred anti corruption fight of the Obasanjo administration. Villains of yesterday are the heroes of today, and as many a Governor has learnt, one must learn to speak from both sides of his mouth to survive these very interesting times. Interestingly the Wily Governor has been using resources to keep his name off the headlines, while his less generous brothers like Makarfi in Kaduna and sheriff in Borno are taken to the cleaners by a selective press.
It seems the more you see the less you understand, as the poor people of Jigawa wallow in abject poverty, their resources have all been put at the disposal of the Obasanjo life presidency.
God help us all.
Lawal A. T
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