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Mr. President Sir, Your Attention Is Urgently Needed

Abdu Isa Kofarmata

6^th June, 2007

Your Excellency Sir, I wish to first of all congratulate you for the victory and a successful ascension to the exalted office of the president and commander in chief. Sir, my little piece is not intended to promote any form of sentiment or undermine the sanctity and the dignity attached to the office of the president. But it is purely a patriotic call and sincere advise toward building a just and vibrant nation where justice, peace and opportunities will flourish. It is also as a result of my personal conviction and the highest confidence I have in your person as a leftist and radical politician who choose to follow the path of honor in spite of your larger family known position of conservatism.

Sir, this sincere contribution is intended to forward to your attention the best and only alternative way remaining for his Excellency to win the confidence of Nigerians within the first 100 days of your stewardship. Considering your previous position as a governor for Eight good years in Nigeria, there is no doubt that you are aware of the fact that corruption remains the only obstacle in our match toward economic and political development, corruption has eaten deeply into the flesh of our nation life and has dented our image in the committee of nations. Corruption has over the years hindered our dream of a viable, democratic and united Nigeria. Similarly, corruption remains the singular way by which our self serving elite spread poverty among our people.

It is no gain saying that corruption in itself does not arise out of nothing, rather it is perpetuated, promoted and spread by some few sadist who naturally take pleasure in seeing their fellow country men suffering. This group of parasites exists in all sector of our national economy. Some parade themselves as entrepreneurs, technocrats and captains of industry. They often collaborate and conspire with some public servants and politician (military politicians inclusive) to inflict pain and anger in the body of the ordinary citizen of this country.

It is therefore imperative that the president begins this heroic assignment by fighting and uprooting corruption. In order to uproot, dislocate and ultimately wipe out corruption in the political and economic landscape of our country, the president should first of all begin with the total overhaul of the two agencies established to fight corruption, notably the EFCC and ICPC. The EFCC in particular needs a total overhaul by changing the leadership and altering its selective mode of operation. What is more important here is to remove the executive chairman on the basis of compromise and for allowing himself to be used by some corrupt and self seeking politicians. Yes, Mr. President Nuhu Ribadu has compromise his duty and the image of his commission. He has killed our hope of having a corrupt free Nigeria. He often lied to deceive Nigerians and therefore committed perjury (lying under oath) which is also enough reason to loose his commission as officer of the Nigerian Police. His utterances, flagrant disregard of court orders as well as selective posture in investigation, arrest and prosecution of corrupt personalities can attest to these facts. Nuhu Ribadu has over the last 4 years been able to politicize his commission, many people in Nigeria and abroad see him and his commission as a security outfit of Obasanjo’s PDP. He has politicized his commission through intimidation and harassment of the perceived political enemies of the former president as well as the opposition parties. It is on record that Ribadu attended the political act ivies of the ruling PDP before the election in the name of retreat and after election in the guise of orientation of the newly elected executives and legislatures. Surprisingly, he did not remember to attend same of the other parties and their elected executives as if none exist.

For the president to win the support and confidence of the opposition, international community as well as the generality of Nigerians, Ribadu has to be replaced. The accelerated promotion enjoyed by Ribadu as approved by the former president cast a serious doubt in the mind of all right thinking Nigerian home or abroad. Mr. President, this is an officer that needs at least 12 good years to get to his present position or rank. Ribadu was an Acting Asst. commissioner of police in 2003 when he was appointed to head the EFCC. The question that keeps begging for an answer is when was he confirmed as substantive Asst. commissioner? How many years did he spend before his promotion to the rank of Deputy Commissioner then to the rank of substantive commissioner and now a substantive Assistant Inspector General of police? If you rule out corruption in this context then there is obvious disregard of procedure and service regulation to the benefit of someone else, which in itself amount to corruption. Posterity will judge, the people will also judge and there will definitely be the final judgment of the Almighty Allah. Mr. President Sir, the issue of Nuhu Ribadu and his commission the EFCC in the political economy of our great country is a unique one which will be presented separately in due course.

The second and urgent step is to investigate some section of the business community who often parade themselves as entrepreneurs and captains of industry while in the real sense they are agents and fronts of the corrupt public servants and politicians. In this regard therefore the president should urgently subject people like Aliko Dangote, Femi Otedola to serious investigation. Most importantly, the president should exploit all legal avenues to force the duo mentioned above to explain where and how they come across the huge amount of money they used and are still using to purchase our national assets. What is more interesting to know is whether the money is sourced internally, the bank or financial house that granted them the facility, the collateral used to obtain the loan? Similarly, if the facility is obtained abroad, Nigerians will be glad to know the countries and the institutions as well as the Nigerian agency that guarantee the transaction. Given consideration to the size of our economy and other economic infrastructure need to make our environment conducive for business as well as the poor purchasing power of our people, it is close to impossible for one to generate enough surplus from any legitimate business to the tune of billions of dollar to invest and acquire more companies like the way Dangote and Otedola are doing now unless otherwise….

It is pertinent as well to state that if the duo (Dangote and Otedola) are fronting for any serving or former public servant, justice demands that their identity be revealed to the public and be treated as accomplice. It is therefore logical and legitimate to arrest and prosecute them accordingly. Mr. President Sir, Nigerian will appreciate further, if fraudulent sale of our national assets and immediate reversal of all agreements and sale of any public asset to these people. In the same vein the president will earn himself a golden place in our national history if all waivers, concessions and exemptions granted to these people will be reversed and use any legal and constitutional means to collect back whatever is due to the federal government of Nigeria. Mr. president, we are crying for justice and good governance, we are submitting ourselves before you to please in the sprit of justice and equality, in the sprit of fairness to get us back our national assets such as Oshogbo rolling mills, Nicon Noga Hotel, Savannah Sugar, Benue cement, Kaduna and Port Harcourt refineries and all land belonging to NPA and Nigerian Railways corporation from Lagos – Kano.

Other people to be investigated in this regards are Jim Ovia of Zenith Bank, Tony Elumelu of UBA, and Ndidi Okereke of the Nigerian Stock Exchange. The role played by these people in the Nigerian financial sector need to be closely investigated. Mr. President, other economic and financial matters that need your urgent attention are the sale of AP, National Oil (Conoil) Unipetrol/Agip (OANDO).

The role of former president and his vice in the PTDF scandal should not be allow going under the carpet. The two former leaders should be compelled to declare their assets immediately as required by law. This will surely confirm our belief in you and will go along way in reposing more confidence in our belief of having an upright, sincere and fearless leader.

The NNPC account which for over 8 years been maintained secretly be urgently make public. Similarly, the NNPC figures which consistently for years refuse to agree with that of RMFC and federal ministry of finance should also be investigated and whoever is found to fraudulently and deliberately disallow these figures to reconcile should be sanction accordingly.

On the political scene, we call on the president to move above the democratic stand of his predecessor by trying to be a true democrat. One important way of becoming a democrat is by allowing the legislative and judicial arm of the government to operate independently without threat and interference. Other important political issues that need your immediate attention are the issue of high profile political assassinations which pervade the country in the last eight years. Mr. President, Nigerians are eager to know the assassins of Chief Ige, Marshal Harry, Dikibo, Sa’adatu Rimi etc. Mr. President, you are a victim of this kind of political and state murder when your late brother was killed in a very unusual circumstances, the agony and pain you suffered that time is now being suffered by the families of the above named victims.

Collectively, we call on the president to end the bloodshed in the Niger Delta region. We want to see a peaceful Niger Delta with all the economic and social infrastructures it deserves. We want to see an immediate transformation of the region. And in the sprit of fairness, Alhaji Dokubo Asari and any other person held by the former civilian dictator are released unconditionally.

Other people crying for justice are the family and relations of the victims of OPC terrorist attack. Ganiyu Adam and Frederick Fasheun should be brought to justice, appropriate legal punishment be administered on them for killing and destroying innocent lives for no reason.

Abuja, the symbol of national unity as portrayed by the initiators of the city, the national unity is limited to ethnicity or religious diversity but emphasize unity among social and economic class. Mr. President should look at the issue of the capital city with a view to make it accessible and habitable to all Nigerians regardless of their social and economic status. The present situation where only the powerful rich and self seeking elite are regarded landowners should be reversed. Big cities like New York, London, Tokyo and their likes are accessible to all nationals of those countries. By limiting the settlers and resident to only the powerful, Mr. President, the 1999 constitution which you have recently sworn to protect is violated recklessly. The constitution of Nigeria provided for all citizens to choose at will where to reside and carryout their lawful business within the length and breathe of this country. Nigerians are looking forward to a policy which would provide the rich and the poor, the elite and the common man effective policy on the basis of equity, equality and fairness resident in Abuja.

On the last note, the president should use his good office and sympathize with his fellow country men by reversing the pump price of the petroleum product which was hurriedly increased by your predecessor. Also, the president should immediately halt the retrenchment exercise now going on in the public service. Let me use this last portion of this piece to advise the president that the most important strategy left to win the and retain loyalty and cooperation from the vast majority of Nigerians is by distancing himself from Obasanjo, his cronies and bitter economic and political policies.