Uganda Rural Community Support USA

The Chairman, Board of Directors of Rokel Commercial Bank, Mr. A.D.A
M’cormack has said the signing of the Lome Peace Agreement raises hopes that
a speedy DDR programme would create a framework whereby election could be
held in the year 2001. He said the slow economic recovery in 1998 suffered a
setback following rebel incursion of Freetown January 6 last year.

He lamented that the inflow of donor funds continues but the overall
investor and business confidence in the economy remains weak. He was speaking
at the first Annual General Meeting of the Bank held last week at the British
Council. The Auditors report and Account with Director’s report were
presented to the stakeholders at the meeting.

A force of salvation that masterfully displayed the highest
code of professionalism in their service to humanity ever witnessed in Africa
is completing its phased withdrawal from the shores of this land today.

In the next few hours, Ecomog will remain an image of the past in terms of
physical presence as Gen. Gabriel Kpamber, the last of the Force Commanders,
together with other senior officers, boards a plane bound for their home
country, Nigeria.

In his farewell speech to Gen. Kpamber during a reception in honour of the
Ecomog Force Commander Friday night, Special Representative of the UN
Secretary General, Ambassador Oluyemi Adeniji paid glorying tributes to the
entire Ecomog force.

“We owe a lot to Ecomog,” said Ambassador Adeniji.

To me, this was a sharp and simple acknowledgement of the moral exactness,
political sagacity, military ingenuity and boundless military accomplishments
of Ecomog in S/Leone. That the UN came in after Ecomog had done the dirty
work, is now a hackneyed reality. And if the UN, according to its boss in
S/Leone, could find itself indebted to Ecomog, what would Sierra Leoneans
say? The majority of S/Leoneans feel, rightly perhaps, that the oxygen pipe
has been disconnected in them with the final pull-out of Ecomog. This points
to how much the ordinary citizens had come to depend on this force for
survival, hope and assurances.

Whatever the late Gen. M.M. Khobe meant to this country, Ecomog transcends
that- simply because he was a product of the force. ECOMOG, the professional
and disciplined Nigerian-led multi-national peacekeeping force, is. Now,
Ecomog is gone, maybe for good. Kingsley Lington feels that there will be no
more Ecomog. Indeed, I hope West Africa will not have cause to reconstitute
Ecomog again, that is, let there be an absolute end to warring in the sub-
region so that we don’t have a reason to send our young talents to the battle
front again.

What we need now is to immortalize Ecomog; the force that has demonstrated
the hallmark of Pan- Africanism per excellence- that Africa’s salvation is in
itself. ECOWAS should consider giving Ecomog, maybe some of its prominent
commanders, a prominent place in the pictures to be reflected on the single
currency for West Africa. That will be a fitting tribute. It may also ensure
that the force remains immortalized.

Senegal’s President Abdoulaye Wade has urged all
peace and conciliation committees “getting excited on the Casamance” to stop
their activities on the issue of the troubled region.

“I do not recognise any peace or conciliation committee,” Wade said Saturday
in Dakar when he returned from a visit in Guinea-Bissau and the Gambia.

“I am urging all those who are getting excited on the issue of Casamance to
keep quiet,” he said.

“I am asking those people who know very well what I think of them and their
activism not to get involved in this matter any further,” he added.

“I am saying clearly that with me these bodies do not exist” he stressed.

“I prefer to have a direct dialogue with the heads of states of the sub-
region and I will engage, if possible, in a dialogue with the leaders of the
Movement of the Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) and even with those in the
bush,” he added.

Wade said Presidents Kumba Yalla of Guinea-Bissau and Yahya Jammeh of the
Gambia have reaffirmed to him their “strong will” not to tolerate any
destabilisation action against Senegal from their respective territories.

The MFDC has been waging a low-scale armed insurgency against Senegal since
the early 1980s with the aim of seceding from Dakar.

The accused, Senator Francis Arthur Nzeribe, on Monday April 17,
2000, circulated a document entitled: “To my Distinguished and Honourable
colleagues, Removal of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo from office as President of
Nigeria constitutionally by impeachment”.

He listed 15 grounds in the document, which he insist, are sustainable,
impeachable offences. The document did not disclose of the mandatory one third
of members signatures needed to commence the impeachment proceedings. On
Wednesday, April 26, 2000 he withdrew the document, but the issues have already
been raised.

The accusers were in two groups of persons: His distinguished colleagues,
the Senators and later, many Nigerians, both of which groups picked up the
gauntlet, assailed the man without hearing him out. If you can excuse the
second group, it is difficult to absolve the first of blames, especially those
four Alliance for Democracy AD Senators who went to the disgraceful extent of
physically attacking the accused. I disagree with both the accused and the
accusers in this latest spectre of Nigerian’s political conundrum. First the
accused, Chief Nzeribe, an acolyte of General, former Head of State of Ghana
and a few other African leaders with whom he did business, debuted in Nigerian
politics during the second republic, when, about 1982, he took the political
landscape by storm with fresh mints of British Pound Sterling. He joined the
Nigeria Peoples Party NPP and to bolster Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe’s chances, donated
an aircraft to his presidential campaign machinery.

That aircraft which is now about being auctioned by the federal Aviation
Authority of Nigeria FAAN, having been seized and abandoned by the military
since 1984, became a problem to the party owing to its high cost of maintenance
and fuelling.

Nzeribe went on to win his first senatorial seat in 1983 on the platform of
NPP and was among the group - this writer inclusive - that was removed from
power by the Idiagbon/Buhari coup of December 31st 1983. Not many people
remember Nzeribe’s artful departure from Nigeria, but he soon reappeared as an
author, writing many books in quick succession on Nigeria’s contemporary
political development, preparatory to the third republic. His first attempt to
return to elective politics of the era, was truncated by the Justice Fred
Anyegbunam’ s Transition to Civil Rule Tribunal. With time and that episode
over, the undaunted chief emerged as a pillar of the defunct Social Democratic
Party SDP in the East. Remember the Professor Ebere Esieke/Alexis Anielo
battles? The initial accord he had with Ambassador Babagana Kingibe was carried
on to the Jos primaries of the party, where no clear winner emerged. The late
Chief Abiola’s victory later in Abuja was neither negotiated nor settled with
his group. You don’t “steal” from Nzeribe and live to enjoy the reward, said
his supporters. Enter June 12 annulment.

Shouldn’t it surprise people that Nzeribe who was bounded out of office by
the military, prevented from political participation by a “military” tribunal,
had his presidential primaries cancelled by the military, turned round to
sympathise with and support the military to annul the June 12 election and to
support Gen. Abacha’s transmutation?

The explanation may lie in the chief’s single minded pursuit of power; his
tenacity of purpose, his energy for multiple games, his appreciation of power
levels and levers, his crowd control abilities and understanding of mass
sentiments, and finally, his capacity to use what he has to get what he wants.
Given these facts, therefore, you trifle, ignore or underrate him at your own
peril. Notwithstanding his choice of party during that era, he went on to win
his Imo west Senatorial district on the platform of minority Democratic Party
of Nigeria DPN against the overwhelming United Nigeria Congress Party UNCP
presence in Imo State, a feat he has repeated by wining the same seat on the
platform of minority All Peoples Party APP against the majority Peoples
Democratic Party PDP in Imo State. As an APP Senator, Nzeribe has proved to be
a frontline opposition member and nobody should grudge him.

Now, Nzeribe said there were impeachable grounds against Mr. President. He
listed 15 of them, adding that he has evidence to substantiate them. Against
the barrage of national and international outrage, he insisted that there are
(or were) proofs for the allegations. Meanwhile, four Alliance for Democracy
senators, in a fit of rage, attacked him. They did not want him to table the
petition. They had dismissed it, prima facie, using the copies dropped in their
pigeon holes. But they were not the only recipients of the documents. Their
duty was to agree or disagree with the petition. Either way, they had all the
opportunities to do so democratically, constitutionally. One of the cardinal,
albeit unspoken or unwritten principles of democracy is tolerance. The minority
should have its say while the majority, its way. If the minority through hard
work, presents superior arguments, it ought to and do often prevail. Indeed,
very often, what we have in the name of democracy is the prevalence of minority
wishes over the will of the complacent majority.

However, the current bullishness of the majority may be traceable to our
inadequate grooming for participatory democracy. On that fateful Tuesday, April
18, 2000, Satan revisited the Senate, and once more, took refuge in the hearts,
minds and bosoms of some distinguished senators. (apologies to Olusegun Adeniyi
of THISDAY Newspapers).

Since that day, the news wave and print media have been abuse attaining
Nzeribe. In Lagos, he was declared a “persona non granta”. It is unfortunate.
But this is chasing the shadow and leaving the substance. And the substance
goes beyond fighting Nzeribe. The issues raised ought to have been addressed,
even if, as I believe, the allegations have answers; and are indeed false.
Technicality or legalese may have defeated it but such a victory could have
been pyrrhic and ultimately counter productive. When told that he lacked his
colleagues support, Nzeribe said: “May I just refer you to a very recent case.
Six months ago, when I sounded the alarm about the impeachment of the former
Senate President, I was abused in the same manner I am being abused today, but
30 days after, the Senate President was removed with 90 votes out of 92,
against him. What makes you think the trend will not be the same this time?”

Is that the man you want to underrate or ignore? Let us recall that when the
Association for Better Nigeria, ABN, was formed, Nigerians rose in noisy
disapproval. Nothing was formally done to stop him. Just the noise. Then he
went to court and, before people gained consciousness, he got the injunction
that aided the annulment of the June 12 presidential election. What has
happened now is the same trend, same pattern. Discordant voices. Noisy
reprehensions. Some pushing and shoving. A few misguided punches. And the man
says: ” I am undeterred”.

We should not also forget that last March, Nzeribe had prophesised that the
president would be impeached in May, before his first year anniversary. When
asked recently, whether that was becoming a self

fulfilling prophesy, his reply was that:

“It is for you to know whether when I predict politically, it always happen”

Anybody who read Senator Ibrahim Mantu’s statement (THISDAY The Saturday
Newspaper, April 22, 2000, page 2 ) is sure to say that there was need to hear
out chief Nzeribe. Mantu is a PDP Senator and chairman of the Senate Committee
on Information. Re-enacting Olusegun Adeniyi biblical allusion, Mantu says, in
reference to president Obasanjo:

“I think he was God- sent, but Satan has seized him”.

Now to the withdrawn accusations. I was anxious to see Nzeribe’s evidence;
to hear him substantiate his allegations. Already Otunba Feshawe had denied the
allegation of raising US $250 million for President Obasanjo’s re-election in
2003. He demanded a written retraction or, in the alternative, threatened court
action against Nzeribe. The Chief was not impressed. He said that his evidence
will be laid before the Senate’s ethics committee at the appropriate time .

But he has now been stamped out of course .He has accepted his colleagues ”
advice ” and withdrawn the petition .By the way,is there any Senator not
yearning for a second term? So, why not the President? And when did it become
an offence, moral or legal, to raise money for elections?. All that are now for
mere conjectures. Optmists can smile. But the doubting Thomases are keeping
vigil. Our opportunity to silence them has been lost. I can however say that my
personal knowledge of Chief Obasanjo is enough reason for me to deny each and
every one of the allegations on his behalf as his lawyer would. Discrimination?
Nepotism? Contract Awards? No, not Chief Obasanjo. But while I can say this,
and much more on his behalf, I cannot and should not stop Chief Nzeribe from
substantiating his allegations. After all, they may not all stop with legalism.
What of the politics of it? The earlier they are conclusively dealt with, the
better. .But not anymore withdrawal. And I pray that we do not go round in
circles, back to the same point again.

The other question is whether impeachment was desirable. This gives the
impression that one conceded one or two of the grounds. No. It is more of a
gauge of the political temperature of the country. What the chart seems to be
reading is: “even if there are problems, impeachment is not the solution. Our
democracy is too young, too fragile, to be toyed with. Rather than fight
ourselves from different sides of the table, let us all sit on one side and
fight the problem together”. And this appears to be the basis of the national
outrage. Which means that Nzeribe, the accused, had got it wrong this time.

But one word for the accusers. President Obasanjo is not an AD man. He is
not a Yoruba president. I have spent enormous resources - time, energy, etc-
harping this on people. The way the accusers pounced on Nzeribe can only
justify, though wrongly, some of his allegations.

Some years ago, after the overthrow of the second republic government, there
was a man I knew who was very close to the old government, and as a matter of
fact gained a lot from his association with President Shehu Shagari’s regime.
He was soon to become the blue eye boy of the new man at Dodan Barracks. When I
asked him what he was doing at the inner most recesses of the new regime, his
reply was that he decided to find his way into the new system to discredit it.
“When I finish with it, Nigerians will stone the new Head of State”, he
concluded. Luckily, Ibrahim Babangida IBB saved the situation with his
intervention .There are many of them still around.

The face-off with the National Assembly is perhaps the main issue in the
current political impasse. While it is popularly believed that our
distinguished and honourable National Assembly legislators have unduly
antagonised the president, the latter is unyielding in maintaining his grounds.
As the two elephants fight, anticipated and desired national progress and
development are put at bay and despondency has replaced optimism. Fortunately,
there appears to be a truce. But we are waiting to see how Obasanjo will sign
the Budget 2000 that grants a staggering N22 billion to the National Assembly.
It is strange that our budgets go to our national assembly slim and come out
fat. Whereas all over the world democracies, budgets go to parliament fat and
come out slim.

I am personally surprised that the normal budgetary processes were not
followed. The national assembly ought to have sent its estimates to the Federal
Ministry of Finance, defend it before the Director of Budget and such estimates
are combined with all others and discussed at the Federal Executive Council
before the president presents them in the form of an appropriation bill to the
National Assembly. If this had been done, there would not have been such
drastic increment as we are now having. Whatever may be the case, Nigerians are
rightly complaining that four months into the year, the budget is yet to see
the light of day. Budgeting is the constitutional responsibility of the
executive. It is doubtful whether Nigerians would support the president signing
the budget into law as passed by the National Assembly, with the huge
additions. The hard truth appears to be that the National Assembly members are
anxious to give a good account of their stewardship but the rules seem to have
been twisted. And the Nzeribe saga seems to be a leg in the legislative arms
twisting. The answer is for the budget to be returned to the executive with the
remarks of the legislature so that the executive can re-submit a comprehensive
version with all the inputs made, to the National Assembly . Since this resort
may take a lot of time, both the executive, and the legislature’ may have to
find a middle ground in the interest of the nation.

Let there be peace. Let the rule of law prevail. Let us all follow the due
process. I appeal to our distinguished senators to let everyone including Chief
Arthur Nzeribe to have their way no matter how detestabl opinions may be.
Such detestable opinions can also be duly dismissed, but only constitutionally.
Beyond that, let all legislators sheath the swords. If we had allowed the
constitution and the laws to guide us, there would have been no need for all
the hot air.

Now, from this impeachment conundrum are diverse lessons in addressing the
national problems debilitating against the wheels of peace, order and good
governance of the country. I have hitherto written on the OPC, Egbesu, Bakassi,
APC and other tribal youths uprising. I have also had course to address the
sharia crises and recently, I was privileged to lead a peace team, from our
party, PDP, to some parts of the country. What Nigerians seem to be saying is
that the president is on the right course by stepping out an all fronts. That
his noble efforts in carrying along the wise and appreciative ones have not
given him time to compensate his helpers, believing that the nation is greater
than anyone. The president is fast becoming a respected world statesman. Ex-
President Nelson Mandela is getting old and the only man with charisma to move
into his shoes is Chief Obasanjo, who has already achieved the status of father
of the nation.

On the national plane, the problems referred to in specific terms, are the
controversial budget 2000, the troubled NNDC bill, the disputed anti Corruption
bill, the 13% derivation fund, etc.

It was, for example, difficult to explain why it took several months of
acerbity from the oil producing states before their constitutional dues were
granted. The governors concerned are already complaining that the payment made
to them are unacceptable on the ground that it was back dated to January 2000
instead of May 29 1999. They seem to be concluding that the South-South zone
that gave the highest support to the president is getting the worst deal. These
issues, constitutional and ultra political as they probably are, should indeed
arrest Mr. President’s attention rather than Nzeribe’s otiose allegations.

* Dr. Ogbemudia is former minister of labour

When maverick politician and infamous military apologist Senator
Athur Nzenbe stood up in the National Assembly to pursue his diabolical agenda
of impeachment against President Olusegun Obasanjo, he boldly told the
honourable senators that he was presenting the petition to unseat president
Obasanjo on behalf of members of his “constituency”.

He then went on to draw up a litany of allegations against the president and
his administration.

Being a proud son of Oguta and therefore a member of the Orlu senatorial
district which zone Nzeribe is purportedly” representing”, I expected to hear
about such myriad problems like marginalization of the East in appointments,
the total state of disrepair of federal roads in our zone, the revenue
allocation formular, the NDDC Bill amongst others’

Nzeribe however showed how well he is representing us by bringing up such
subjects like the sharia issue which he contends has hurt the interest of the
core North. The other points he raised were the retirement of political
military officers most of whom are from the core North. We in Nzeribe
constituency are solidly behind him and we urge him to continue to protect our
interest by siding with those who at the slightest pretext kill and pillage our
people unlucky to be residing or carrying on business in the North. We say many
Kudos to our able senator.
By coming openly to fight only for the interest of the core North Nzeribe has
shown us where his true constituency is.

Many will contend with me and argue that the core North neither elected
Nzeribe nor made him their spokesman. My reply is that Nzeribe’s constituency
is his pocket.

He has shown himself ready for any infamy and mischief as long as his self
interest is protected or how else can you explain a situation whereby a man who
scuttled Nigeria’s third republic through his Area Boys of Nigerian(ABN)
activities should still be unrepentant and continue in his old ways.

I have interviewed many members of our constituency and none of them has so
far identified themselves with the aspirations of the chief nor do they agree
that the chief is adequately protecting our interest at the senate. I wonder
where the chief got the so called signatories to his petition. When I remember
the spurious claims of 25 million ABN petitioners of the June 12 debacle, I am
not surprised at what the chief can do. A thorough investigation of the origin
of the signatures may land the chief in trouble with the law.

Oguta people are solidly behind the Obasanjo government and our collective
effort at democracy. By the grace of God’ the blood of the martyrs of our
democracy and the sacrifices of our journalists and human rights act; visits
who helped to bring about this our nascent democracy shall not be in vain.

EmekaOkoroafor, Abuja

When President Olusegun Obasanjo was still a candidate, he promised
to give women major roles in his government. In fact he went further by
committing himself to setting aside 30 percent of the positions in his
administration for women.

Although he has not achieved his targets in this area, the president has
certainly given some high profile jobs to women in his government. A case in
point is Dr. Kema Chikwe, who as Minister of Transport heads one of the most
sought after departments in government.

This ministry supervises some of the largest and most strategic parastatals
in the land. It also oversees some of the most sickly and problematic ones. For
instance it is her brief to sort out the likes of Nigeria Railways, Nigeria
Ports Authority (NPA), Nigeria Maritime Authority (NMA), Nigeria Unity Line
(NUL), Nigerian National Shipping Line(NNSL)(which is in liquidation)- just to
name a few.

The strategic nature of her brief can only be interpreted in two ways. One
is that it is a measure of the president’s resolve not to make women marginal
players in the cabinet. Secondly, it could be taken as an implicit expression
of faith in her abilities as a manager and leader, that she has been entrusted
with overseeing some of the parastatals that have defied the ministrations of
some of the best and most experienced managers in the land.

In her present capacity, Dr. Chikwe has chalked up a historic first. She is
the first woman to head this huge ministry. But proud as she is of this
achievement, she is quick to de-emphasise the gender factor- arguing that this
factor has not won her any concessions from a hard-driving president who is
only interested in performance. And so she has thrown herself into her brief
with zeal.

But not everyone is enamoured of her performance. Almost from day one of her
stay in the ministry, she has had to fight her way through to get things done.
In the process she has been trailed by all manner of controversies. She has
been embroiled in a media row with accusers who say she spent several tens of
millions doing up her official residence. Some others say hardly a month passes
without her visiting the ports in Lagos- wondering why she is paying so much
attention to the ports to the detriment of the other parastatals under the
ministry.

There has also been talk that she is difficult to work with having quarreled
or disagreed with some of the top functionaries whom she inherited at the
ministry.

Dr. Chikwe became minister courtesy of the fact that she is a politician. In
Imo state from where she hails, she is one of the party’s most prominent
leaders and was a founding member in the state. Even in this role as a
politician, controversy has dogged her footsteps. She has been caught in the
very bitter struggle with the state governor, Chief Achike Udenwa, over power
sharing in the state Peoples Democratic Party(PDP)- especially over the
question of who gets to be chairman of the party in the state. So bitter has
the row been that her opponents have accused her of nursing gubernatorial
ambitions with an eye on the year 2003.

Late on Friday a unique opportunity presented itself for the minister to
address some of these contentious issues which have dogged her steps over the
past few months. Accompanied by some of the chief executive officers of
parastatals under her ministry, she came calling at THISDAY corporate
headquarters where she was hosted by the board of editors.

In this interview she addresses the controversies surrounding her role in
the Imo state PDP as well as the perception in certain quarters that she was
difficult to work with. She revealed how as minister she is subjected to subtle
blackmail almost on a daily basis by people with agendas different from her’s.
She spoke extensively about her vision for the ministry under her watch, and
shed light on the nature of port reforms being executed. The problematic
railways and the other sick parastatals also came under review.

The minister who is a grandmother with three grandchildren also speaks on
the difficulties of juggling the roles of wife, mother and minister. Excerpts:

Why is there so much controversy around you and so much trouble in your
ministry? I do not know about any trouble in my ministry. Because I go to
work, I go into any office, and I deal with issues I should deal with. The
situation I met when I assumed office is one that required radical changes. And
if you are going to apply such radical changes in the situation we found
ourselves, you are bound to generate controversies. But if the controversies
are such that in the long run the public and not individuals benefits, then we
are prepared to accept the dent. But I think there is a wrong notion that in
the transport ministry we are sitting on the wealth of the nation, that there
is so much money to pick up. I can assure you that it is not the way some
people see it. So if there is any kind of problems there it must be that some
people have some wrong idea that in it there is money they can get. And
these people looking for money at the ministry are not people sharing in the
new Nigerian dream.

We hear you are a very quarrelsome person. You quarrel with your permanent
secretary, in fact you are fond of quarreling with your subordinates, not only
within the ministry alone but also within your party. What do you say to all
these?

Am glad you are bringing out these issues. First of all, I came into this
position as a politician and a politician from a political party, which has a
manifesto and a vision for this country. And I had to apply myself to what was
promised this nation. And if in my ministry I have people who do not share the
view of the change, it’s a problem. The basic thing is that they thought it
will be business as usual. I am not a quarrelsome person. People who are not my
friends are people who are dishonest, people who are not hardworking, people
who are lazy and have personal agenda. But I’m happy I have a new permanent
secretary and he finds me a wonderful person. The important thing is that he
himself is hardworking. He complements my own personality and I complement his
and we have drawn a programme for ourselves. And we also set ourselves to
achieve the goals. I have goals .I’m a focused person. The first shock I had,
the first problem I had was that the contracts at the Nigerian Railway were
being awarded from the ministry. So many of the beneficiaries were people
there. We cannot award railway contracts from the ministry, I said it was
unacceptable to me. No agreement of any of the contracts was made public. They
were like personal properties .I did not see the contract of the Chinese
projects months after I assumed office. When I started getting reports that
where are these agreements, the answer was shoddy. I insisted because you
cannot have an institution within an institution. People cannot tell you the
truth people w ere hiding facts from you. I. There was a time they hid files.
There was a time they hid 50 files and pretended that 50 files were missing
.And were asking my personal assistant and on the long run when I threatened to
prosecute whoever had the files they came out. And when you look at all the 50
files, they border on contracts.

This is the sort of thing I am talking about. People come to you to say ‘I
want to be your adviser.’ I told one you are too young to advise me. And they
will go around saying all sorts. I am being blackmailed everyday.

Secondly, the relationship between the ministries and parastatals matters to
me .You cannot control the parastatals from the ministry. All my managing
directors will tell you I don’t know anything about the contracts they award. I
called all my managing directors and said to them, ‘look I give you the
opportunity to operate, I’m not going to start asking you how you do your work.
I’m not going to allow the ministry to control you because of what they can get
out of you, which is what people I had before wanted to do.’ I have my direct
relationship with them because I have my own programme. I told them my
programme and I pursue my programme. I told them that if you take government
property to known friends or whatever, you are liable. And that is the
situation.

There in my state, I was a founding member of my party. I joined the party
when it had no name. I was in the contract and mobilization committee. I was on
the National Executive representing my state. I worked for my party. I did
everything that anybody can do in that party. The problem is I was not
nominated for ministerial position by my state and I know I deserve to work
with them. I didn’t go about lobbying to be minister let alone the minister of
transport. But as far as I know, it’s a divine intervention and that is why I
take it that I am on a mission.

The problem in my state is very simple, it’s not personal to me. I have
never had a personal disagreement with anybody, I’ve never even had any
argument with anybody, but just the principle that I practice. We zoned
positions, governor to Orlu, deputy governor to Okigwe, chairman of the party
to my zone. Owerri zone, my zone voted about 85 per cent to win any election,
including the gubernatorial election. The people who actually financed the
party and worked hard for the party are Greg Mbadiwe, Humphery Anumedu and
Rogers Okorocha. We worked to achieve that victory. We had a state congress. I
did not even want to go. But my people called me. They said look the governor
has removed the chairmanship from Owerri zone. But you know I am representing a
people so I had to rush home that Saturday morning. If I wanted to quarrel or
make trouble with anybody, I would have started earlier on in time.

When I got there I went to the party secretariat, nothing happened. I asked
the chairman and he said the governor had given a result a night before the
congress. I said how can this happen? And he said to me this is what we are
suffering. I went to the stadium where the congress was supposed to be taking
place, everywhere was locked up and people were outside. I said if this is the
way you people are playing your own politics, I’m going back to Abuja. At
1.00pm while the people were all outside in the hot sun the former chairman,
Chief I.D Nwoga called me and said they were going for a meeting at the
government house. But I said I asked you people and you said the governor went
to Lagos. Apparently he was in. Then the young men who went to conduct the
primaries came to my place and gave me a copy of the result that was submitted
without any complaints. At that time I did not want to bother myself but to go.
It was when we went to this meeting I said to the governor and asked him two
questions. You spent sometime in Lagos before this thing why didn’t you talk
with me? I said I heard anyway that you said I was irrelevant. And then what
about Enwerem(Senator Evan) I heard you said he should come to meet you in
Owerri. I said it was not fair. He is an old man. The first person the governor
disgraced after all he did for him was the former chairman, Chief I.D Nwoga. He
said he did that because Nwoga allowed Owerri people protest because the
governor was removing Owerri people from office .So you did not trust him and
you disgraced him on television. You said all sorts of things against him. I
said these are old men. You will kill them,you’ll make them have stroke. They
worked for this party. He said anyway we should go ahead with the meeting, He
said there should be five people from each zone. But there were six people from
Orlu zone, six people from Okigwe zone and we from Owerri zone we were five.
For five hours we said what are you trying to prove to the Owerri people it is
unfair. To remove the party chairmanship from the zone it means they are no
longer in the caucus of the party. I asked by the way while did you lock these
people out from the congress meeting. He said they were mainly thugs. But I
said to him politics goes with thugs so what was wrong with that. So it is not
enough reason to lock people out in the scorching sun. Finally I said to him
that I noticed the people from Orlu zone are speaking more that the people from
Okigwe zone. I said they should leave us alone since they said it was people
from Okigwe zone versus people from Owerri zone. Let us discuss this issue and
resolve it. And Okigwe conceded they said we should give them the next national
office of the party we said okay. We should give them the next national
chairmanship, we said okay. We should give them the executive position, we said
okay we agree.

Now that the governor had agreed to leave the chairmanship of the party to
Owerri, you could see it was obviously him alone.I picked my bag and wanted to
go, he said no. Chief Nwoga and Dr. Ugo said to him, let us go home and hold a
meeting of the Owerri zone. You see in politics when they zone anything to your
zone, people normally meet to bring out somebody. He said no. He told us he is
interested in knowing who becomes the chairman of the party and that it is here
or never. We said no you are treating us like children. Enwerem who is one of
those who founded our party in the state was not invited to that meeting.
Anyway, the long and short of it was that I told him this exercise we are doing
is wrong, we should bring the elders of the party to this meetings he said no.
Any way, when we came back. we told the governor that we have nominated chief
Mike Ahamba and Barrister Soromnaju for him to choose one. He refused. But we
asked him, is Ahamba not your lawyer at the tribunal. He refused.He said he
would put it to vote. I said how can you put it to vote because already Owerri
zone is handicapped, we are only four. Okigwe and Orlu had held their meeting
together. So you see, he just picked people who would agree with him. Then I
refused to vote, and that is the crime I committed up till today. I said on
principle, this was not democratic, then I left. In fact, I sent for my husband
and some leaders of the party in Owerri zone. I consulted them, they said I
should not vote. So when I left the following day, Owerri zone met and then
nominated P.C. Onuoha, who I was not even originally supporting .After that,
the governor was the person who reported me everywhere in Abuja. Everywhere we
went, he was told he was wrong. They gave the chairmanship to P.C Onuoha the
governor said he would not agree. He kept on the disagreement. At a stage,
Solomon Lar told him this lady is an upright person. When Chief Gemade came in,
he started fighting again. Finally, we held the last peace meeting, and
harmonized our lists. What happened was that he had his own list and Owerri
people had their own list. One thing is certain, I’m not a quarrelsome person.
He is the one using government machinery to carry out propaganda against m e…
He now goes to tell people that I want to contest the governship position. I
don’t have that ambition. If I wanted to contest for the govnorship of Imo
state, I would have had it on a platter of gold. I was a privileged member of
that party by virtue of my position. I never told anybody I wanted that
position, neither then nor in the future. I never nurse that ambition.

What are your visions, focus, programmes and dreams for the transport
ministry?.

I run a very big ministry in the transport sector which is charged with the
responsibility of the maritime transportation, the rail and the land transport
policy .In the rail sector, when I assumed office, the way I saw the railway
was totally unacceptable to me, and when you think of how much that has been
invested in the railway system in the past ten years, the trains were hardly
running anywhere. Our first challenge was to change the management of the
railway first and foremost. The people that were changed did not like it. They
are fighting us till tomorrow. They wanted to keep their jobs. But they just
could not fit into what we were trying to do for the railway. What is important
to me is to render efficiency at the railway. I have designed a program to
convert what we have now from the narrow gauge to the standard gauge, and then,
the expansion programme. The present rail system was designed very many years
ago- colonial days. Our expansion programmes include the east-west railine, the
Lagos-Abuja, and then Kano-Katsina rail lines. But the conversion programmes;
the report we have does not see the present lines carrying speed . So we must
have tracks that can carry speed. Then, infrastructural planning should be a
century’s affair. What we have now has been there for almost a century. So
whatever we are planning now, must be able to endure till the next century. I
have a problem with the world bank’s recommendation that advised me to retain
the narrow gauge. But I have said no, it is government’s policy to convert to
standard gauge and we are committed to it. I said to them, what is wrong with
modernizing our railways the way you have modernized yours. For now, my target
is to convert the present narrow gauge to standard gauge. The important thing
is to maintain what we have now in order to maintain services. I will not talk
as if I am dreaming. What we are talking about involves money, that is why we
are talking about the privatization programme of the railways. We have had some
interested investors come. But for some of them, what they demand is not
acceptable to us. They write good proposals, but they want you to pay like $31
million of $54 million to them for the study. With that kind of amount, I can
do Kano-Kaduna. So I tell them, you must also show me proof of funds to build
the tracks before I can talk seriously with you.

I have another problem- the abuse of railway property. Railway has enough
property which if professionally harnessed, will assist me fund a lot of the
programmes. I intend to do that.

For maritime, the port reform programme has been quite topical and generated
a lot of controversies. But my vision is to accomplish the various port reforms
already stated by my administration- modermize the maritime policies and then
render the maritime sector more efficient so that we get it more busy than it’s
working now. I must tell you something, when we assumed office, we did not have
24 hours operations but that is possible now.

The problems of our ports are myriad, we cannot solve them overnight. The
important thing is that our vision is to make our ports user-friendly and to
generate more revenue through the front door, and not to let it end up at
individuals’ pockets.

What am trying to do is to modernize our transport sector, render the
institutions more efficient and productive.

We heard that you are having running battles with the customs and other
agencies that operate at the port. The question is, can you really reform the
ports without those agencies working for you? Secondly, your ministry is full
of those parastatals that really should be privatized, and save government the
resources for running them. How many are going to be privatised, how many more
will you recommend? Why should the ports not be privatized?.

We are working harmoniously with the customs, the only thing is that we have
decided to let every agency solve its own problems. But if the problem of one
agency is going to affect another, then the agency must highlight it so that it
can be addressed. We set up an inter ministerial committee on port reforms. All
the agencies were represented in that committee. They had frank contributions
to themselves. The committee was chaired by the customs boss. We are working
towards the implementation of the reports. There is no controversy at all.

Can you address the issue of privatization?

We should actually be assuming a status of landlord status and this is the
direction we are working to. Because of lack of information, people often
criticise the whole concept of privatisation. But the truth is that sometimes,
privatization could even be better off. Look for instance what Dangote is
doing at the port. He is employing so many people. So if you conceptualise the
functions at the port, the private investors are bound to employ people. The
only thing is that they are going to employ people who are going to work, not
people who are coming to cause trouble at the port. So what we are going to do
is to privatise the ports so that invariably we are going to have the ports
functional. That is not to say every thing would be privatized. There are
certain roles the NPA will play. We are not going to say that the private
investors will manage NPA. Not at all. NPA will be there. They will act,
regulate, monitor and supervise.

The inland waterways has a problem too. If we are to capitalise inland
waterway its going to be a problem. So we are talking with an investor now.
What we want to do for instance is, you are empowered to purchase a vessel, the
bank will give you the credit. That is something we are trying to manage for
inland waterways. We are discussing with them. If it works out, it will be very
happy because we have great inland waterways to be exploited.

What is the actual contract term with the Chinese you brought to
rehabilitate our railways. You also talked about changing from regular nail
track to high free track line. Do you also put into consideration the nature of
our power supply. because there be must a power supply?.

What I said was faster train. I said standard guage has already been
introduced. You know the Itakpe- Ajaokuta -Warri. So its already on standard
guage. So the track in this case matters, because some countries like South
Africa uses narrow guage and some other African countries do. But the things is
what we are looking for is already down here. We are talking about improving
the speed for now. I am not encouraged. The impression I got when I assumed
office was that you can get to Abuja from Lagos in two months.

Talking about the speed of the trains, can’t you use gas to power a fast
train between Lagos and Abuja. You can use gas in Lagos, you have gas on the
way.

I am a realist-if wishes were horses, beggars would ride. These things you
are talking about are quite extraneous to the issue.

And I am not responsible for the gas you are talking about. I am not
responsible for the diesel. We are talking about infrastructure development. If
other people are responsible for them, I can’t commit myself on what would be
provided by another person.

What you should say is that the track should be able to carry at least the
fast train. One of the problems we have is that the tracks are single lane
ones. So it’s important that we do double lane or triple lanes so that within
the next century, we may be able to use what we have now.

You see you have to crawl before you stand, and stand before you walk .We
are talking about our power supply and we are talking about such speed and
don’t forget our topography. I mean I won’t like to take that risk during my
time.I would gradually get to that land of speed.

The Chinese contract was one of the problems I encountered when we assumed
office. The report I got was that the contract has been has been realised to
about 87.5%. It was like faith accomplish and they have been paid to that
amount. Not just realised in the sense of working. So government took a
decision to complete it at least for services to continue. But the truth is
that the contract has not achieved what we would like it to achieve in the real
sector.

When we got to office we found that the contract money has been paid and we
were left with no option, because they have paid for it. Even if everything is
wrong now, I accept it the way it is. But I doubt that I will because we are
also trying to evaluate what they have done.

A lot of contracts were awarded without referring to me and signed for the
minister.

Indeed the contracts are a big problem I can tell I will say anything except
to rectifying this. Concerning the Chinese the we are going to do our best.
Many of the locomotive are already bad.

We have problems with coaches and wagons. This is actually what I inherited
and it is not easy at all. We are now trying to see how we can rehabilitate the
coaches, wagon and locomotives. I never blamed the Chinese never, blamed them.

What have you done specially to deal with piracy and ‘wharf’ rats at the
ports?

We are at the moment taking very serious security at the ports. We are going
to concentrate at the gate in future so only people who have business in the
port would be allowed in at the gate.

Concerning the Dock labour decree, government has no business with that
registering dockworkers. So long as government is registering them directly,
government is liable. What we should be trying to do is to get specialized
companies to handle the registration. How they are registered will be left to
the Dock labour board, not the government. The Dock labour board will also give
them the requirements.

Democracy will be one year old in Nigeria this month. In the time you have
been a minister how has the journey been?

I enjoy the challenges of my job. As you know I am basically an
intellectual. The first thing I did was to design a frame work so that you make
it easy for yourself. So when I came into the office, I designed a framework-
my strengths, the direction, how to go about it. When I came in the problem was
so much and I thought I should be gathering them and solving them. One day I
was discussing with the president- as an experienced man, he said to me
‘minister, if I were you , I will take it one after the other’. I said’ yes
sir, thank you very much’. I took on the suggestion.

I have been moving from parastatal to parastatal. We’ve laid a very good
background and I think the result of what we have done will begin to manifest
in the next few months. We have done quite a few things, things that make us
happy. The fact that the ports are improving makes us happy, the fact that we
have done this NACFAC programme makes us happy. The fact that I have offers
makes us happy. Infact very soon I will be receiving books to equip the
academy.

Let me also comment on being woman the first woman (Transport) minister. I
appreciate it because I was in the forefront of women empowerment through the
National Council of Women’s Societies (NCWS), women opinion leaders. I assisted
with women of my era.

One thing you must understand is that in this job, the gender factor does
not come in, because the President has never treated me as a woman. What he
expects from any minister of transport is what he expects from me. No excuses.
I cannot give him the excuse that my husband said I should come. Even though my
daughter was going to have a baby in the hospital, I had to travel on tour. I
was used to enjoy moving about with my husband every day. I feel very sorry for
him, but he has been very understanding. There is no way I can be Minister of
Transport and pay him the kind of attention I was paying before. I have also
learnt that this type of job is better for people like me whose children are
already grown up and can look after themselves. My first two children are
married. The third one is 21, she will marry sometime early next year. The last
one is 17 and I can cope because I have a small family.

Second, I am very spiritual. It has helped me so much. And I never fail to
say that I have been spiritually directed,. I am very honest about my own
spiritual life, and I think it has been a beneficial factor. That is why in the
face of doubt and so on, I feel very strong, provided I am doing the right
thing. As far as I am concerned I am on a mission.

Mohammed Abacha, son of the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha,
currently facing trial for the murder of Kudirat Abiola has revealed that his
late father handed over to him monies in cash totalling $700 million (about N70
billion) for “safe keeping.”

He made the disclosure in the course of examination and cross-examination by
a team of British lawyers between April 3 and April 6. The British Deputy High
Commission, Mrs. J. Finnemore-Crokin acted as an examiner in the interrogation
which took place at the Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison, Lagos.

These facts are contained in the May 8, 2000 edition of Newswatch Magazine.

The British lawyers were in the country to examine Abacha in connection with
the case between the Attorney-General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the
Federal Government of Nigeria and Australia and New Zealand Banking Group
Limited currently before the Commercial Court in the Queen’s Bench Division of
the British High Court of Justice.

The younger Abacha admitted that starting from 1996 till the death of his
father, he received at various times monies in cash for safe keeping from his
father.

He initially refused to disclose where the money was kept, but when pressed
further he said the monies were kept in his 18 Suez Crescent, Abuja residence.
“They were kept in my custody in cash,” he said.

Abacha confessed that as at the time he received the money which were always
in cash, he never understood them to be from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

“I believe as I said, it was over time, sometimes in bags sometimes on
boxes.”

He said no one was in the know about the money except his associate, Atiku
Abubakar Bagudu, who has been formally charged by a Swiss Court for complicity
in the Abacha loot. He said that he and Bagudu kept a sort of ledger of the
money handed over to him on a piece of paper.

But he was quick to point out that some of the money was jointly owned by
him and Bagudu. He said Bagudu was the conduit through which the money was
transferred overseas. For this, he said several phony companies were formed to
receive and channel the funds to accounts, some privately owned by him and
others in conjunction with Bagudu.

He said that Bagudu did all the leg work and represented his interests at
the various meetings to seal the business transaction.

Hear him: “Mr. Bagudu had access to people in the financial sector or in the
government. He has a better understanding of a lot of these things, but I can’t
remember discussing issues of that nature with him.”

Also, he said it was Bagudu’s suggestion that the monies be invested instead
of leaving it dormant in overseas accounts. He asserted that “only Mr. Bagudu
knew about the monies” from his father for safe keeping.

Abacha said he could only recollect one occasion when his late father issued
orders for money to be withdraw from the account for payments to Chief Anthony
Ani, former Finance Minister and Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu who was at the time in
charge of the Ministry of Power and Steel.

With respect to the Ajakuta transaction, he said that Bagudu was also a
link-between his family and the government when efforts at recovery of stolen
money commenced.

He said meetings were first held between his family and the former National
Security Adviser (NSA), Gen. Abdullahi Mohammed and later with the former Head
of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar.

Abacha said that in all the meetings, Bagudu had represented his family. He
said in the first meeting, a memorandum of understanding was reached with the
federal government for the refund of $50 million while the second meeting had
agreed that the family pay back 300 million Deustche Mark.

He said that his late brother, Ibrahim, controlled and ran most of the
businesses, grouped under Selcon Holdings, and that he only stepped into his
shoes upon his death.

As attempts to change the leadership of the Senate deepen, Senate
President, Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, has predicted that there will be no end to
change in the Senate if those bent on removing him succeed.

Okadigbo who made the statement yesterday while speaking with newsmen at his
residence in Abuja also spoke of a plot to try to remove him next Wednesday.

He traced the current moves to impeach him to some senators who were
displaced from committee positions, saying they had not forgiven him for the
changes he made in the committees. He explained that all the changes in the
leadership of the committees were rational and democratic, adding that the
overriding factor was competence aimed at replacing deadwoods.

The work he said was done by a committee set up for that purpose, stressing
that all appointees were recommended by the committee while he merely announced
them.

On claims that he used the committees to reward his loyalists. Okadigbo said
it was only natural that those who supported him got something, but reiterated
that all political parties were represented.

He noted that those who swapped positions were given related committees,
citing the case of Senator Adolphus Wabara whose portfolio changed from
chairman, Defence committee to chairman of Police Affairs committee, saying the
two were related.

Okadigbo explained that rather them commend him for accommodating senators
of Alliance for Democracy (AD) and All Peoples Party (APP) and giving them more
chairmen, they only engaged in a campaign of calumny against him.

The senate president reminded the aggrieved senators that every leadership
change entails changes at all levels, adding that if those bent on removing him
succeed, there would be no end to change in the senate.

On efforts being made reach out to the aggrieved senators, Okadigbo said: “I
have tried to reach out to the senators. They may have other reasons why they
have refused to understand. May be they believed it is only through change they
can get what they lost”.

Meanwhile, Dr. Okadigbo has reacted to allegations of fraud and inflation of
contracts leveled against him by some sections of the media saying he is “as
clean as a razor blade “.

He also denied insinuations that he unilaterally spent N1.3 billion,
describing it as rumour and blackmail from oppononts and detrac.

He said that the money in question was approved for various projects already
earmarked for execution before he came into office, adding that what he did was
to sign the papers as recommended by various committees.

He described the allegations as bizarre and wondered at the motive of their
sponsors.

The senate president pointed out that the National Assembly budget of last
year was never tampered with nor was it spent on unapproved projects,
pointing out that they were used for repairs, payment of staff salaries,
purchase of vehicles among other things.

In apparent reference to a news magazine which last week carried a report on
award of contracts in the National Assembly, Okadigbo said the story was
‘baseless’ describing it as ” a storm in a tea cup”.

“If you find anything wrong about execution of contracts write about it,
don’t say Okadigbo has stolen the money”, he stated.

The Senate President also said the National Assembly has concluded
arrangement to send its 2001 budget to the executive for consideration July
this year.

He said the relevant department in the National Assembly had been asked to
finish preparations of the Assembly’s budget for year 2001 in good time so as
to meet the July date. He said that the budget would be submitted to the
executive for consideration, adding that the aim was to have enough time to
settle differences that may arise.

Dr. Okadigbo expressed the determination of the National Assembly to ensure
that the 2001 budget was passed and assented to by the president latest by
December.

The decision of the National Assembly to present its own budget to the
executive for consideration may not be unconnected with the disagreement
between the executive and legislature over the manner N4 billion allocated to
the National Assembly in this year’s budget was hiked by the Assembly to N28
billion.

This development soured relationship between the two arms, compelling the
presidency to ask the National Assembly to explain the rationale for the new
figure.

Based on this, the Assembly scaled down its budget to N22 billion, even
though the development is at the centre of the delay in signing the budget into
law.

On the controversy which trailed the allocation to the National Assembly in
this year’s budget, Okadigbo pointed out that the legislative arm lacks
infrastructure as it was not well catered for.

He said since the legislature was largely deprived under the past military
administrations, it now requires adequate resources that would put it in a
strong position as the executive and judiciary which are not effected by
previous military take-overs.

He solicited the understanding of Nigerians and the press in their
determination to remedy the ills of the past. Okadigbo equally reiterated the
commitment of the legislators to promote human rights, freedom of expression
and of the press.

He promised that all abnoxious laws against the press would be repealed by
the National Assembly in order to provide a conducive atmosphere for the
dissemination of ideas.

Meanwhile, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Gahali Umar
Na’Abba while condemning the moves to destabilise the Senate by certain forces,
re-affirmed the position of the House that it will not recognise any leader
foisted on the senate. He spoke last night at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International
Airport, Abuja shortly after his arrival from a three-week working tour to US
and Cuba.

His words: “I want to say that I will continue to associate myself with what
the House did and continue to advocate that the House will not cooperate with
any leader that emerged out of the corruption that is going on.”

The speaker who told journalists that Nigeria will benefit from his trip
abroad noted that what is happening at the National Assembly is a calculated
attempt to destabilise it.

“I want to condemn any move to destabilise the National Assembly. I have
been discussing with my colleagues and what they did was with my tacit
support,” he said.

The legislature, he said, is the only guarantee for democracy to thrive in1

Nigeria contending that it is the belief of the National Assembly that the
legislature must be independent.

As moves continue to effect a change of leadership in the senate,
there are indications that the Federal Government which had earlier denied
involvement in the plots, is adopting a new strategy in the schemes to oust
Senate President, Dr. Chuka Okadigbo.

Sources say hardliners in the presidency who are bent on forcing out
Okadigbo for his antagonistic disposition have intensified their lobbying of
senators. Senators, it was gathered, are being summoned individually to hear
why a new leadership has to emerge in the upper house.

It was learnt that with some of the senators who had clean records the
approach was persuasion. However, those who had questions to anwer from past
deals are being virtually blackmailed to fall in line with the plan to remove
Okadigbo.

Among those said to have been subjected to this treatment are a Senator from
Borno who did big business under the regime of General Sani Abacha, and whose
father once won a multi-million dollar contract.

The heat has also been put on another senator who used to be a minister
under Abacha, as well as another of his colleages who headed a strategic
parastatal under that administration.

The new moves are coming just as fresh facts are beginning to emerge as to
why some senators wanted a change of leadership in the Senate. The fresh
revelations come just as nocturnal meetings continue to hold in order to
perfect strategies for Okadigbo’s removal when the Senate resumes sitting on
Wednesday.

THISDAY authoritatively gathered that eight reasons have been listed to
justify the planned impeachment of Okadigbo. These include his alleged politics
of vengeance, recognition of some senators as first class and others second
class, his disposition towards acquisition of material wealth, his inability to
carry most senators along in the running of the affairs of the senate, his
disposition for an unhealthy opposition to the executive and the imbalance in
the composition of senate committees.

Others are his unholy alliance with Senator Arthur Nzeribe as manifested in
the presentation of a petition for the impeachment of President Olusegun
Obasanjo, and his inability to inject fresh leadership ideas, coupled with his
refusal to accord members of the upper chamber their due respect.

While explaining these reasons, a competent source told THISDAY that instead
of maintaining the unanimous support of the Senate, barely two weeks after
Okadigbo was made senate president, he favoured in the appointment of committee
officials, Senators that voted for him in his earlier bid for the seat of the
Senate president thereby polarizing the senate.

The source, who described these senators as minority added that Okadigbo
arrogated the status of first class senators to some members while he perceived
others as second class and third class senators.

This development, the source said, is manifested in the manner he allows
those he gave the status of first class senators to continue to speak and
dominate events on the floor of the senate.

Among these first class senators, the source noted, are people who though
not versatile with parliamentary procedures are giving constant recognition to
speak on the floor of the senate, while those he neglected are the most
experienced, most knowledgeable, versatile and educated”.

“To ensure that they remained marginalised, the senate president resorted to
shouting at these senators. And when they raise up their hands he would tell
them to put down their hands as if they were school children. And if you get an
adult to keep quiet, you know very well that the adult strictly speaking is not
quiet, he has resorted to other means of saving his honour”, the source said.

Speaking on the Senate President’s confrontational disposition towards the
executive, the source said that those who are planning to effect a change in
the leadership of the Senate believe that if nothing is done urgently, such
confrontational attitude may lead to a situation which may consequently
truncate the nascent democracy.

Meanwhile, serious lobbying continued amongst legislators to ensure that the
minimum number required to effect a change in the leadership of the Senate is
secured and maintained.

THISDAY gathered that at an all night meeting last Thursday, the opposition
group resolved to effect the change in the Senate leadership as soon as the
Senate reconvenes this week.

Also the issue of who should succeed the Senate President, was said to have
been resolved at that meeting. But participants also resolved to penetrate the
ranks of the members of House of Representatives and ensure that a measure of
support is obtained.

In a related development and in reaction to the moves to impeach Okadigbo,
two groups, Igbo Progressive Union (IPU) and New Nigeria Alliance (NNA), have
warned those behind the moves to desist as such a change in the leadership of
the Senate “would spell doom for the nation’s nascent democracy.

In a press statement jointly signed by the NNA National Chairman, Alhaji
Akin Makinde and National Secretary Chief Jerome Duru, the group enjoined
National Assembly members to rise in defence of democracy and resist the
attempt by the executive arm to destabilise the Assembly through the
impeachment of Okadigbo.

IPU’s statement, which was signed by secretary general, Jamike Okafor, said
it was already mobilising easterners to resist attempt to impeach Okadigbo,
adding that those behind the plot are enemies of the Igbos who would rather
prefer a stooge from the south east as Senate President.

Also contrary to popular opinion that Dr. Okadigbo and his deputy, Alhaji
Haruna Abubakar escaped impeachment last Wednesday as a result of the
“intervention” of their honourable colleagues from the House of
Representatives, one of the arrowheads of the planned impeachment and Deputy-
Chairman Senate Committee on Agriculture, Senator Mukthar Mohammed Aruwa, has
said that it was the inability to arrive at consensus candidate for the top
positions in the Senate that halted the move.

Reacting to what he described as an “invasion” of the Senate chambers by
members of the House of Representatives in an exclusive interview with THISDAY,
Aruwa maintained that the decision to elect or replace the leadership of the
Senate remained the exclusive preserve of the Senate, “and the Senate alone.

“The mandate given to the Senate President,” Aruwa held, “is that of the
senators only,” and wondered what could be wrong with the withdrawal of such
mandate if same ceased to be considered fit enough.

The onus for maintaining or withdrawing the mandate rests with the Senators
and “not for the Senate to discuss with the general public before or when and
how to give or withdraw that mandate,” the senator from Kaduna State contended.

Dismissing the withdrawal and subsequent expunging of Senator Nzeribe’s
controversial petition against President Obasanjo as “a gimmick” and “a show of
shame,” the senator said it is not in tandem with precedence which, saw
senators bagging various suspension terms for airing their views. Nzeribe’s
case, he argued, cannot be an exception.

“Since we are not practising a parliamentary system of government, the House
of Representatives, in the first instance, has no business whatsoever to tell
the Senate what to do and what not to do,” Aruwa said maintaining that
“recruiting” House members to come to the aid of the Senate President cannot
help matters since the impeachment procedure could commence at anytime they so
desired.

He said: “the camp (Okadigbo’s) did not know that we had problems ourselves
with the choice of the leader who will succeed Okadigbo, and because of that we
decided that until we resolve that issue, we were not going to create a vacuum
which will cause Haruna Abubakar to preside over the senate, for even a day.
Not because the members of the House of Representatives came. Not because of
their speech and threats.”

He, however, regretted that his group was not allowed to raise any objection
on the floor of the Senate. “So we decided to allow them do their show,” he
disclosed.

“All said and done,” Senator Aruwa said, “it is a fact that certain changes
have to take place in the interest of democracy, good governance, honesty and
transparency” and that, giving this fact, we have come to the definite
conclusion that something has to be done,” in that “Chuba Okadigbo should
resign honourably as the president of the Senate, or failing, which we should
remove him as we gave him the mandate and nobody else.”

Senator Nzeribe’s position, he said, “was orchestrated in the first place to
divert attention from the real issue.” When pressed on what the issue was, he
said. “When Chuba decides to resign, you will know the issue. And when he
refuses to, we will impeach him and you well know the reasons.”

When questioned about the veracity of the allegation that their decision was
influenced by considerable financial inducement from the executive, Aruwa
denied knowledge of anything of the sort, claiming that the plan actually began
about two months ago with about 53 members, whose number, he claimed, has
swelled to 83.

“Up till now,” he said, “none of the 83 signatories have registered their
intention to dissociate from the plan. “The plan is still as fresh as the grass
in August,” he added.

The moves by Senator Francis Arthur Nzeribe to have President
Olusegun Obasanjo impeached was not an Igbo agenda, Mr. Emeka Nwajiuba,
a member of the House of Representatives, has said.

Nwajiuba, therefore advised other ethnic groups to stop giving the
move an ethnic colouration, saying that Nzeribe’s moves were normal
democratic processes.

Nwajiuba, representing Obowo, Ehime-Mbano and Ihitte Uboma insisted
that the move by the senator did not represent the wish of Ndigbo and
that the Igbo agenda was to redress the many years of marginalisation
and neglect the people of the South-east suffered over the years.

He stated that rather than condemn the attempt, Nigerians should
analysis the issues in order not to encourage civilian dictatorship,
adding that in as much as President Obasanjo should be given the chance
to perform, it should not be at the detriment of one arm of government.

Nwajiuba, who is the chairman of the Works Committee of the House
attributed the president’s quarrels with the National Assembly to some
of his undemocratic postures and pleaded that President Obasanjo should
learn to apply democratic principles when dealing with national issues.

He noted that of all the bills passed by the National Assembly only
the last supplementary appropriation bill has been signed into law,
stressing that even at that, it was not implemented to the letter. He
dismissed the allegations that members of the National Assembly had not
performed creditably well.

He attributed the seemingly lack of performance to the attitude of
Nigerians who would not be patient with their elected leaders but would
also come out to condemn the legislators “any time we want to put our
feet down.”