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Reasons why FG’s “Looters List” is this complicated

After the Peoples Democratic Party Challenged the Federal Government to make mention of members that were alleged to have stolen public funds, the names released have generated arguments and controversies as to why certain names are not included.

Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, responding to PDP’s challenge gave a teaser list of top officials of the party who were corrupt.

“Well, I am sure they know that the treasury was looted dry under their watch. Yet they decided to grandstand. This shows the hollowness of their apology to Nigerians.

He said the National Chairman of the Party, Uche Secondus, on February 19, 2015 received N200 million from the office of then National Security Adviser (NSA).

“Then PDP Financial Secretary, on the 24th of October 2014, took N600 million only from the office of then NSA.

“Then National Publicity Secretary Olisah Metuh is on trial for collecting N1.4 billion from the office of then NSA.”

The Minister also said Raymond Dokpesi, the Chairman of DAAR Communications is also on trial for receiving N2.1 billion from the office of the NSA.

“Former SSA to President Jonathan, Dudafa Waripamo-Owei, on trial over N830 million kept in accounts of four different companies.”

Reacting to the list, PDP described it as “hollow and laughable” stating that the list put forward by the Federal Government as purported looters amount to a cheap blackmail, saying that none of those listed have been indicted or convicted by any court of competent jurisdiction or any panel of inquiry in the Country.

According to the Party’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the APC Government released the list in order to divert the public attention from the massive looting going on within its Party.

“We are not in doubt that the individuals he has mentioned will take their legitimate stride and pursue appropriate action in the Court.

“However, attacks on individuals, who are members of our party, does not in any way detract from the fact that the PDP, as a political platform, is not a Party of corruption.”

He iterated that the allegations against the party would not deter it from requesting for accountability on the campaign promises of the APC.

“This is a Government that is yet to account for $26 billion (N9 trillion) stolen through corrupt oil contracts in the NNPC, N1.1 trillion worth of crude diverted to service APC interests, N18 billion Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) intervention fund stolen by APC officials.

“This includes the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, and the N10 billion National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) for which members of the Buhari cabal were indicted.

“Since, the APC has decided to draw this attack, we will no longer hold back but appropriately commence a serialisation of all looters hiding in APC and the Presidency.”

With the reaction surrounding the initial list yet to die down, the Federal Government yet again released another list of alleged corrupt PDP members.

According to Lai Mohammed who made the revelation, the Federal Government has a long list of alleged looters of the public treasury.

”At the press conference where the list was released, I did say it was a tip of the iceberg. Apparently, this does not mean anything to people whose style is to comment on issues they barely understand, or just to shoot down anything coming from the Government.

“Did the PDP actually believe that the massive looting under its watch was a joke?.”

The new list includes:

  • Former NSA Sambo Dasuki: Based on EFCC investigations and findings
    alone (this is beside the on-going $2.1 billion military equipment
    scandal), a total of N126 billion, over $1.5 billion and 5.5 million
    British Pounds was embezzled through his office. A good number of
    these monies were simply shared to persons and companies without any
    formal contract awards.
  • Former Petroleum Resources Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke: In
    just one of the cases the EFCC is investigating involving her, about
    N23 billion is alleged to have been embezzled. She is also involved in
    the Strategic Alliance Contracts of the NNPC, where the firms of Jide
    Omokore and Kola Aluko got oil blocks but never paid government taxes
    and royalty. About $3 billion was involved. The Federal Government is
    charging Omokore and Aluko and will use all legal instruments local
    and international to ensure justice.
  • Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah: N13.9 billion. N4.8 billion
    recovered by EFCC in cash and property
  • -Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika: N4.5 billion. N29m recovered by the EFCC so far.
  • Alex Barde, former Chief of Defence Staff: N8 billion, and EFCC
    recovered almost N4 billion in cash and property already.
  • Inde Dikko: former CG Customs: N40 billion, and N1.1 billion in
    cash recovered in cash and choice properties.
  • Air Marshal Adesola Amosun: N21.4 billion. N2.8 billion recovered
    in cash. 28 properties and 3 vehicles also recovered.
  • Senator Bala Abdulkadir, former FCT Minister: N5 billion. Interim
    forfeiture order on some property secured.
  • Senator Stella Oduah: N9.8 billion. Interim forfeiture order on
    some property secured.
  • Former Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu: N1.6 billion – from NSA.
  • Senator Jonah Jang, former Plateau State Governor: N12.5 billion.
  • Bashir Yuguda, former Minister of State for Finance: N1.5 billion.
    $829,800 recovered.

The Government also named Senator Peter Nwaboshi (N1.5bn), Aliyu Usman, a former Dasuki’s aide at NSA (N512m); Ahmad Idris, a former Dasuki’s Personal Assistant (N1.5bn); Rasheed Ladoja, a former Oyo State Governor (N500m); and Tom Ikimi, N300m.

Others are Femi Fani-Kayode (N866m), Hassan Tukur, former PPS to President Jonathan ($1.7m); Nenadi Usman (N1.5bn),  Benedicta Iroha (N1.7bn), Aliyu Usman Jawaz, an ally of Dasuki (N882m) and Godknows Igali (N7bn).

PDP’s reaction

Reacting to the ‘updated’ list, Mr. Kola stated that Federal Government’s release of the names of those undergoing trial as “confirmed looters” shows it had taken over the functions of the judiciary.

“We are not interested in whatever names they are releasing; the government is taking over the duties of the judiciary.

“This government is the worst we have had in the history of our nation.  Nigerians will have to endure it till 2019 and vote it out.”

Initial Court Judgement

In July, Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos, ordered the Federal Government to “immediately release to Nigerians information about the names of high ranking public officials from whom public funds were recovered and the circumstances under which funds were recovered, as well as the exact amount of funds recovered from each public official.”

The judgment was delivered by Hon Justice Hadiza Rabiu Shagari following a Freedom of Information suit number: FHC/CS/964/2016 brought by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).

In her judgment delivered on 7th July 2017, Justice Shagari agreed with SERAP that “the Federal Government has legally binding obligations to tell Nigerians the names of all suspected looters of the public treasury past and present.”

While reacting to the judgment, Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami disclosed that it has agreed to publish names of looters as directed by the Court.

This would mean the Government could publish the names of alleged looters, even when Court had not declared them guilty.

Reno’s list

Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s aide, Reno Omokri reacted to the latest list released by the APC by mentioning the list of persons in the ruling party who have been charged with corruption of public funds.

In the statement entitled “The Real Looters List That Buhari and Lai Mohammed Do Not Want You to Know About,” the former Presidential spokesperson named 10 members of the APC he said should have been added to Mr. Mohammed’s list.

“His list did not contain even one member of the All Progressives Congress. If the list proves anything, it is that President Buhari, Lai Mohammed and their All Progressive Congress are not fighting corruption. Instead they are fighting opposition.

“I have taken the pains to produce a ‘teaser’ looters list of APC members who are collectively alleged to have looted over $2 billion (when you convert the dollar value of what they allegedly looted at the time they allegedly looted it).”

Alternative “Looters List”

“Rotimi Amaechi: Indicted by the Justice George Omeregi led Rivers State Judicial Commission of Inquiry of looting ₦97 billion along with co indictees including a former army general.

“Saminu Turaki: Alleged to have looted ₦36 billion. First charged before Justice Sabi’u Yahuza of the Federal High Court in Dutse, Jigawa State. Currently facing trial before justice Nnamdi Dimgba at the FCT High Court.

“Timipre Sylva: A well-known financier and supporter of the APC administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. Alleged to have looted ₦19.7 billion, was facing trial before Justice A. Y. Mohammed of the Federal High Court, Abuja. However, two days after President Buhari was sworn in, the new APC government WITHDREW the charges preferred against Sylva on June 1, 2015, and on October 3, 2018, the EFCC returned to Sylva, 48 houses seized from him during the administration of former president, Goodluck Jonathan in 2013 to him.

“Murtala Nyako: Alleged to have looted ₦29 billion. Currently facing trial before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja.

“Senator Danjuma Goje: Alleged to have looted ₦25 billion. Currently facing trial before the Federal High Court, sitting in Jos, Plateau State.

“Senator Abdullahi Adamu: Alleged to have looted ₦15 billion with the help of 18 co-accused. Charged on March 3, 2010. The case continues to linger in court.

“Orji Kalu: Alleged to have looted ₦3.2 billion. Currently facing trial before Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.

“Kayode Fayemi: Indicted by the Ekiti Judicial Commission of Inquiry headed by former Ekiti State chief judge and the Oluyin of Iyin-Ekiti, Ademola Ajakaiye, of sundry financial malfeasance totaling over ₦2 billion.

“Senator Joshua Dariye: Alleged to have looted ₦1.2 billion. Currently facing trial before Justice Adebukola Banjoko at an FCT High Court.

“Babachir Lawal: former Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Allegedly gave a ₦200 million contract to his own company from monies meant to look after Internally Displaced Persons. Has been sacked after protest by the opposition and civil society. Has still not been charged. Was allowed to be replaced by his own cousin.”

Arguments

The argument as to who was not on the list is one with many sides.

On the one hand, the list can be said to be a product of a challenge to name present PDP members who stole from government, in which case the nature of the challenge does not include non-PDP member as of today.

On the other hand, the list can be said to be that of PDP members in the former government who looted the Nation, in which case it will not matter if they are presently in PDP or not, they would need to be mentioned.

Those who argue that there will be no need to include people who are no longer in PDP can relay on the wordings of the PDP challenge which led to the list in the first place. The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbodiyan, while featuring on a programme on Channels Television clearly narrowed down those whose names he is seeking from the government when he said

“If they are current members of the rebranded and repositioned PDP, declare them so, but if they are hiding under villa protection and you are busy going around villages and towns announcing that PDP stole money, you are being unfair and you are not acting like a man of God. That is the position of PDP.”

This would seem to a section of commentators as if Ologbodiyan is saying the thieves are with you, if they are with us then give us a list of those with us who stole. This would make adding former PDP members to the list unnecessary.

Of concern, however, is that names of those who are not currently in the PDP seem to appear in the list. Dasuki Sambo and Diezani Alison-Madueke are not currently in the PDP but were mentioned, just as some former service cheif who were not politicians much more PDP members were mentioned, but others who deserted the party but are now APC members were not included in the list.

The wordings of Vice President Oosinbajo’s criticism which started the whole issue will also be a talking point for those who ask for all names to be included. The Vice President had said

“The corruption of the previous five years destroyed the economy,”

Also, it is commonplace to see the argument that even if corrupt politicians decamped to the APC, their corruption while in PDP should be blamed on the PDP which they were members of as of the time of the act of corruption. Yet this will serve the argument that they be mentioned, as they cannot escape being mentioned for not being in the PDP and still have the party take the blame for their actions.

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