[size=15pt]Investigations reveal scams by Umaru Yar’adua regime.

Author: Posted by Admin Sahara

Investigations reveal scams by Umaru Yar’adua regime[/size]

A plethora of recent revelations about former President Olusegun Obasanjo's scam-infested administration has blinded Nigerians to the shady practices that the Umaru Yar'adua regime has instituted in Nigeria in the last one year.

Nothing exposes this fact more than the expose at the National Assembly where several investigations into the previous administration have unearthed alarming information about the fraud perpetrated by the Yar'adua's regime.

Last week, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke, Nigeria’s Minister of Transport who is close both to Yar’adua and his deputy, Jonathan Goodluck, was in the spotlight following allegations that her ministry made massive withdrawals within four days in late December of 2007.

Saharareporters has also learned about an unreported revelation by Nigerian Custom officials about Yar’adua’s questionable gift of import duty waivers. Obasanjo’s government gave away import duties worth N1.6 trillion to political associates, businessmen, traditional and religious leaders as well as many women linked to him romantically. But a top Customs official also revealed that the Yar'adua regime in the last year has given out concessions worth N85 billion to his business and political associates for the importation of cement and fertilizers.

While these economic scams were playing out in both chambers of the National Assembly last week, a PDP memo also surfaced tacitly calling for the extension of Yar'adua's tenure from four to seven years. The ruling party’s position is an official follow-up to a campaign started by the corrupt former governor of Jigawa State, and now Senator, Alhaji Ibrahim Saminu Turaki.

Several sources in Abuja had told Saharareporters that Alhaji Turaki, who was widely dismissed when he first suggested extending Yar’adua’s term, was not working alone. He had Yar’adua’s blessing and full support in what political analysts regard as an insidious resurrection of the third term agenda that was unsuccessfully pursued by Obasanjo.

Yar'adua has charged his former Secretary to the Katsina State government and current Minister of Agriculture, Alhaji Abba Ruma, to fund his own version of the third term campaigns. Alhaji Ruma is to “re-invest” massive profits to be made from fertilizer concessions to fund the campaigns. As Yar’adua’s government focuses on massive funding of power and energy projects, Abba Ruma is angling to become the next minister of Energy (Power).

The People's Democratic Party (PDP) officials have already put in place a plan and structure to embark on the seven-year tenure campaigns. A source within the party’s Board of Trustees (BOT) told Saharareporters that the campaign is expected to commence about the same time the PDP re-absorbs a number of old PDP members who earlier decamped to other parties. Some of the newly absorbed members, whom our source described as “badly broke,” are to be offered “financial incentive to anchor the seven-year tenure campaign,” our source revealed.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke has reportedly gone into frenzied mode to defend her ministry’s scandalous withdrawals. A source close to her told us that she blames the embarrassing revelation of the withdrawals—made by Senator Patricia Akwashiki—as the culmination of “an on-going plot to replace her as a minister.” The source said she had survived so far thanks to the strong resistance by Yar'adua's vice, Jonathan Goodluck, to whom she is said to be “specially close.” But another source told Saharareporters that Mrs. Allison-Madueke also enjoys “very, very cozy relations” with Yar'adua. The source said that whenever she arrives to meet with Yar'adua, other presidency officials quickly leave the room. The source explained that the Transport minister’s ties to Yar’adua explain her recent fashion transformation “to dress more like a Muslim woman.”

It is unclear what will become her fate, though one of our sources said she would likely remain in the cabinet saddled with another portfolio since she is the only member of the cabinet nominated by Jonathan. One Presidency source told our correspondent that Yar'adua had met with her to get her side of the story, and may have decided to let things cool off as he headed out on a foreign trip today. He arrived earlier today in Egypt on a trip to a meeting of the African Union

One thing was clear, said our source: that Yar’adua was not thinking to call in officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to probe the N30-billion scandal. This is in sharp contrast with the case of former Minister of Health, Adenike Grange, and Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello. Even so, our source said Yar'adua was troubled by a security report that Mrs. Madueke had purchased a multi-million-naira home in Abuja in the name of her young son. He added that Yar’adua has been seriously contemplating dropping Mrs. Allison-Madueke and, the minister of state for Agriculture and Water resources, Ademola Seriki from his cabinet. Also slated to leave the Presidency is Mr. Baba Gana Kingibe, Yar’adua’s Secretary to the Government, who is described as “a perpetually drunk, incompetent and corrupt.”, if Kingibe is eventually edged out he will likely be replaced by the current minister for defense, Alhaji Mahmud Yayale Ahmed. The cabinet reshuffle is scheduled for between now and two weeks time. But as one Aso Rock observer quipped, “That’s if the president ever manages to get to the cabinet reshuffle folder.”


Yar'adua's political scam artistry is also playing out in Adamawa Sate where he recently abandoned his “non-interference” posture to force members of the state assembly to abandon their plan to impeach the state governor, Mr. Murtala Nyako.

Last week, the state assembly members had handed an impeachment notice to Nyako. The notice detailed his numerous acts of corruption, self-enrichment and abuse of office. But Yar'adua, who once stated that he would not intervene in a popular move to oust former Speaker Patricia Etteh of the House of Representatives, invited the members of the Adamawa legislature to Aso Rock. An authoritative source, a member of the assembly, told Saharareporters that they were offered N25 million each as bribe to stop Nyako’s impeachment.

A member of the House of Representatives also recently told our correspondent that, contrary to his public posturing, Yar’adua did intervene in a failed effort to help former Speaker Patricia Etteh to retain her job. “Even though Yar’adua didn't publicly intervene in the Etteh saga, he was using Dr. Aminu Shuaibu Safana to buy loyalty for Etteh,” said our source. Safana, who slumped and died while supporting Etteh during a rowdy legislative session, once served as Yar'adua's Secretary to the State Government in Katsina.

“That’s why we were able to remove Etteh only after Dr. Safana died,” said our source.


source:http://www.saharareporters.com/www/news/detail/?id=637

Is Sahara report able to provide evidence to support the claims in the report?? That should be the main question.

oooh sahara.i wudnt be suprised if its true ,we have seen worst things

I would not put that pass his administration. Anyone who has close tides with former leaders who stole has the potential to be a crook also.

Not trying to say I don't believe he is incapable of such, just that Sahara report seems to "conveniently" have access to a bank of information against most of these politician today, than any other newspaper in the same country. I just wonder what the source of their information is and how solid these claims are.