The Anti-Corruption Network (ACN) today escalated the war over the non-war against corruption in Nigeria by sending a petition to United States President Barak Obama, citing the dangers of failing to check “corruption with impunity” in the country, and linking it with growing insecurity.
The group led by a former house of representatives member Dino Melaye led protesters to the US Embassy in Abuja to drop a letter demanding that President Obama revoke the visas of key officials of President Goodluck Jonathan's regime and their families.
“We are deeply concerned that if this gravity of corrupt practices goes on unchecked, unpunished and unabated, it will definitely worsen the unpalatable security situation and challenges we are already facing which its root course could also be traceable to destructive impact of corruption,” the group said in the letter, dated May 16 and routed through the US Ambassador in Nigeria.
UPDATE: Dino's letter
Below is full text of the letter:
ACN/NEC/CORRP./VOL 1/004
16th May, 2013
His Excellency
Mr. Barack Obama
The President
United States of America (U.S.A)
White House Washington D.C.
U.S.A
Through,
His Excellency
The Ambassador
Embassy of the United States of America
Diplomatic Zone
Abuja, Nigeria.
Your Excellency,
CORRUPTION WITH IMPUNITY AND INSECURITY IN NIGERIA
It is with absolute sense of responsibility duty and patriotism that we in the Anti-Corruption Network have deemed it necessary to draw your Excellency’s attention to the practices of Corruption with impunity that is ongoing in Nigeria under the present Administration. We are deeply concerned that if this gravity of corrupt practices goes on unchecked unpunished and unabated, it will definitely worsen the unpalatable security situation and challenges we are already facing which its root course could also be traceable to destructive impact of corruption.
We are conscious of the fact that in todays globalized world, insecurity in one part of the world is insecurity to the whole, economic quagmire in one part will also affect the whole, particularly in the case of Nigeria as the most populous black Nation in the world and as the greatest influence among Africa nations. It is in the light of the foregoing and taking into consideration. During Obasanjo’s era, Joshua Dariye of Plateau State, was impeached with less than the required number of Legislators, since then Plateau State has never been the same.
Now the same sage is happening in Rivers State, where the Police escorted only five Members of the House to perform similar act. Ameachi’s offence is that he is speaking out against injustices, oppression in the ruling class.
To further carry out the act Members of Rivers State House of Assembly are being lured with oil blocks. We have also refused to be used by those in Government to carry out mass protest against the Governor based on fictitious documents to implicate the Governor of corruption. We are also determined to protect any progressive Governor or citizens of Nigeria who is been intimidated by the Presidency for standing for the masses, including the media house.
The U.S.A huge investment in Nigeria and those of other Western Countries and others that we are calling on the U.S.A Government to use their good influence to call on our present political leadership to truthfully, sincerely and constructively fight Corruption, punish Corrupt officials and serve deterrence.
EXAMPLES OF THE CASES OF CORRUPTION WITH IMPUNITY
1) Mrs Daziani Allison Madueke: the Honorable Minister of Petroleum Resources, she has been indicted by five different investigative panel Committees reports at different time, yet she confidently remains in charge of the Ministry unperturbed.
2) The KPMG Report: Indicted the NNPC, PPPRA and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources of massive Corruption and lack of transparency.
3) The Farouk Lawal Report of the House of Representative Investigative Committee: Spoke elaborately of unprecedented Corruption between bureaucracy and the marketers of petroleum products. It is commonsensical as well as logical to observe that the marketers can not dip their hands into Government coffers to pay themselves without approval from NNPC, PPPRA, Minister of Petroleum, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) AND OF COURSE Minister of Finance. Unfortunately till date no Government Official in these Ministries and Agencies has been invited by the Anti-Graft Agencies or Police on these outrageous subsidy scandals.
4) Aig Imoukede Report: This report recommended refunds to the Government and indeed some refunds have been made, yet the Honorable Minister of Finance, Mrs Okonjo Iweala one year after refunds has refused to tell Nigerians who refunded what and out of what as demanded by best practices in good governance and transparency. Ideally, this nature of refund means indictment, yet no prosecution is ongoing talk less of jail.
5) Nuhu Ribadu Report: The Nuhu Ribadu report also spoke about unprecedented and scandalous Corruption in the petroleum Ministry and its Affiliated Agencies and parastatal.
6) NEITI Report: Revealed that the NNPC is yet to remit #1.3 trillion Naira to the Federation account under the Chairmanship of Mrs. Deziani Alison Maduekwe. It further revealed that 600 million U.S dollars was withdrawn from the Joint Ventures Account with Chase Bank and squandered on an inexplicable reason till date.
It also revealed that 2.3 billion dollars was collected from Joint Ventures account and transferred to the NNPC headquarters for security reasons in the Niger Delta region. We all know that the Ministry of Petroleum has no relationship whatsoever with defense issues, as all the security Agencies including the police are funded by Appropriation Act.
We recalled with great pain that in the year 2011 about 280 billion Naira was budgeted and appropriated for oil subsidy, however, the Government of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan ended up spending over 2.3 trillion Naira, over 2 trillion Naira above appropriation and of course half of Nigeria total appropriation. This is unprecedented in Nigeria history and against the extant laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. All of these took place under Mrs. Deziani Alision Maduekwe supervision as the Minister of Petroleum.
(2) We have chronicled and reported cases of Corruption in the Ministry of Niger Delta Headed by Elder Godsday Orubebe.
(3) Corruption in the Ministry of Power
(4) Corruption by Honorable Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke.
THE POSITION OF THE PUBLIC POLICY TRADITION
The Public Policy Tradition recommends Suspension for any Government official indicted in cases of Corruption. We are deeply disturbed under the present Administration headed by President GoodLuck Ebele Jonathan, this act has not been applied afore mentioned glaring cases of Corruption. Undoubtedly, the administration is rather encouraging, shielding and promoting corrupt practices.
THE PUBLIC POLICY TRADITION APPLICATION IN THE PAST
1) Chief Sunday Afolabi, former Minister of Internal Affairs during the President Obasanjo regime was removed over the National Identity card scam
2) Professor Fabian Osuji, former Minister of Education was also removed over allegation of Corruption.
3) Chief Adolphus Wabara, former President of the Senate, Federal Republic of Nigeria was removed over bribery allegation
4) Professor Grange and Architect Gabriel Aduka, former Minister of Health and Minister of State for Health respectively were both removed from office on allegation of Corruption, to mention but few.
The Corruption cases against these mentioned Minister and the Senate President combined are nothing to be compared to the mountain of Corruption against Dezaini Alison Maduekwe alone (Minister of Petroleum) not to talk of others yet the Jonathan administration have turned a blind eyes to all cases of corruptions under him, instead President Jonathan went ahead to grant pardon to Mr. D.S.P. Alamesiagha who is carrying an international Warrant of Arrest for money laundry and escape from United Kingdom in a move that certainly boost Corruption with impunity. Major Magaji a man who committed Sodomy had sex with four men and was sentence to jail by the High Court, Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. Supreme Court in her judgment described the act by Major Magaji as brazen bizzare and barbaric, yet he got President Pardon.
Our Appeal:
1) We want to seriously appeal to the Government of the United State and President Barack Obama to use his good office and diplomatic influence to impress it upon the Nigerian Government and President Goodluck Jonathan to stand firm against Corruption.
2) We recommend that all indicted Corrupt Government officers visas and members of their immediate families be withdraw particularly for the following officers;
v Deziani Alison Maduekwe – Minister of Petroleum Resources.
v Mohammend Bello Adoke – Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation.
v Elder Godsday Orubebe – Minister of Niger Delta.
v Alhaji Ibrahim Idris – Former Governor of Kogi State.
v Cecilia Ibru – Former M.D. Oceanic Bank PLC.
v Justice Abubakar Talba – Judge of the Abuja High Court.
We sincerely appreciate the great sacrifice you will have to make in reading through this lengthy letter of ours and the attached evidences of Corruption documents. We however hope that will deserving attention in the common interest of peace, political stability and security of our two countries.
Accept please the assurances of our high esteem.
Yours Sincerely,
Otunba Dino Melaye
Executive Secretary
Source: Sahara Reporters
