The text of Governor Kalu's letter to President Obasanjo on the 22nd of August 2005, "
Working for Posterity to Judge Us" is as follows:
[salutation],
Working for Posterity to Judge UsI write you this letter with a deep sense of patriotism, and without any malice. As a practising Christian I detest sycophancy in whatever guise, and this is why I have always offered to tell you the truth, no matter how bitter it may be.
I may not be in your good books, even though I made huge personal sacrifice and contributed tens of millions of naira to your 1999 presidential campaign.
But my joy is that, at least, you can acknowledge that I am one of those you can count on to speak the truth to you at all times and without any let or hindrance.
It is now about four years since your administration emba-rked upon its anti-corruption crusade. Nevertheless, I regret to observe that the campaign has not yielded the desired result because it lacked focus and strong foundation ab initio.
The unrelenting resentment of the campaign by many Nigerians, including the media, is attributable to the fact that they see it as a deliberate plot to witch-hunt and muzzle perceived political enemies.
The high-handed, draconian, and commando-like operations of the EFCC and Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) so far have negated all that our democracy stands for. They do not hide their bias neither do they function within the ambits of the laws setting them up. Again, the establishment of the two institutions is a mere duplication since there are existing provisions in our legislation to handle their functions.
In any case, the most preposterous and incredulous aspect of your anti-corruption campaign is that while the media is awash with stories on the activities of EFCC and ICPC corruption is taking root daily in many federal establishments, Aso Rock inclusive. I have said it several times that corruption is rife among senior officials of government, especially those at the federal level.
It is said that a few members of the leadership of the Senate could stoop so low as to drop your name with active connivance of some of your aides to collect large sums in oil and defence contract commissions. The ignominous activities of this cabal, including the foreign accounts of some of your aides, serving and former ministers, are also well known to the international community. I would be surprised if you feign ignorance of this unfortunate situation.
Unbelievably, you have done nothing visible to extinguish this dangerous and sycophantic phenomenon. It seems you have deliberately turned eyes against the atrocities perpetrated by your officials because there is incontrovertible evidence at my disposal that you are afraid to prosecute them for fear of turning the table against yourself. I do not see why you should preach openly against corruption but deep inside you, you have a different attitude towards it.
What about the Abuja National Stadium? Why was the original design for the stadium which had a five star hotel and which contract was won by a Chinese firm discarded and re-awarded to another foreign construction company based in Nigeria without the five star hotel at five times the price quoted by the Chinese firm? There is unquestionable evidence at my disposal why the contract was awarded to the Nigerian-based foreign construction company instead of the Chinese firm.
What much do you know about the operations of the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE)? Who collected the commissions for the sale of Ajaokuta Steel Company and Delta Steel Rolling Mill, Aladja? Could both transactions have been said to be transparent?
Why have you found it difficult Your Excellency to probe the activities of the Federal Ministry of Works in spite of my allegation that the ministry stinks? It is an open knowledge that the operations of the ministry between 1999 and 2003 were a monumental fraud.
In a media appearance at the VOA last month I challenged you to openly declare your assets. Up till now you are yet to do so. By declaring your assets openly you will have succeeded in dispelling any doubts on the minds of Nigerians and the international community about the sincerity of your anti-corruption campaign.
Mr. President, you will agree with me that there are still many other questions that I would have loved to put across to you. But I have just asked these few to agitate your mind and dismiss your anti-corruption campaign as mere window-dressing.
A few other examples will baffle you. Let me ask you: Who owns Bell University and Bell Secondary School? I was shocked when you openly denied ownership of the two institutions and rather ascribed their ownership to Dr. Onaolapo Soleye, a one time Minister of Finance. I wish to put it to you, Mr. President, that I have overwhelming evidence to link you with both institutions.
Who paid for the construction of hostels and gigantic sports complex at the Bell Secondary School? I put it to you Sir that both projects were financed with tax payers money through the construction giant, Strabag, five years ago. What role did a former Minister of Sports play in the whole deal? What of the transformation of Ota, which is going on at frenetic speed? Who picks the bill? We knew all these things but deliberately chose to keep mute for the sake of peace.
The third question for you Sir centres on your tenure as Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources since 1999. Why has there not been a properly-audited account for the Ministry of Petroleum Resources since then despite the outcries by the people for this to be done? There is indisputable evidence that all the major deals in the nation’s oil sector are being handled by you through some agents. What about the leakages and the fraud at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), with particular reference to crude oil sales and the accrued commissions? What have you done to check the malfeasance?
You have at several occasions accused top government functionaries, especially the governors, of owing foreign accounts. Can you in all sincerity, Sir, swear that you own no foreign account(s)? There is evidence that you own foreign accounts, including a platinum credit card recently opened for you through which you charge your foreign account and make purchases abroad.
I fear for the ways things are going in this country under your leadership. I fear for the masses of our country which live under dehumanizing conditions. The economy has virtually collapsed, and there is no more middle class. Everything is in shambles yet we make millions of dollars daily from oil. An average Nigeria(n) lives on 60 cents (i.e N78) a day. Is this not a shame and a big scar on our collective psyche?
There is no way we can go on this way. If we continue this way then we are surreptitiously inviting anarchy and cataclysm. The patience of Nigerians is running out fast, and it behoves you to take the bull by the horns and salvage the situation before it consumes all of us.
As I said at the beginning this is a message that should challenge your statesmanship and patriotic zeal. You have an opportunity to write your name in gold if you can begin today to make amends.
You should redirect your energies to only gainful and edifying activities befitting of your exalted office instead of haunting innocent citizens just for refusing to dance to your dictates.
I am a straight forward, transparent and focussed person. I call a spade a spade not minding whose ox is gored. I have demonstrated this through my altruistic service to the people of my state.
I refer you to Galatians 6:7-8, and wish to state in my conclusion that anybody who wants to come to equity must come to equity with clean hands, and those who live in glass house should not throw stones.
You may not bother to like me, just give ear to my admonitions, and let us leave posterity to judge us.
Please accept, Your Excell-ency, the assurances of my highest consideration,
[Signed]
Source
President Obasanjo's response is to
direct the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). to investigate the matter. Here's a statement made to Thisday by Mr. Femi Kayode, from the president's office:
We completely reject and refute the suggestion that Mr. President has committed any crime or done anything wrong. It is precisely because he is a God-fearing, innocent and honest man that he has absolutely no hesitation in referring the matter to the EFCC for a thorough investigation and he directed that the findings of that investigation should be made public.
We have nothing to fear and nothing to hide. Mr. President is as clean as a whistle and these are nothing but baseless, spurious and vicious allegations which are designed to impugn his integrety. It will not work and we are not in the least bit concerned.
I have the details of every single allegation that has been made and I can assure you they are all baseless. We will do nothing to interfere in the EFCC investigation of this matter. We will co-operate and at the end of the day, I can assure you that Mr. President will be vindicated.
I don't agree with you that the allegation can lead to appearance of guilt and neither should that be the case. An allegation is nothing but an allegation without evidence. It is meaningless and irrelevant. People make hundreds of allegations per day. The issue is: where is your evidence and how can you substantiate it?
I do not see the allegation as anything other than what it is - a vicious, well-orchestrated and well-organised smear campaign against a man that has given virtually his whole life to the service of this nation in an honest, decent and transparent way. I can assure you that after the investigation has been concluded, those that made these vicious allegations will bow their heads in shame."
We look forward to the comclusion of this juicy story, and will keep you updated through this page. Meanwhile, your reactions to this story are welcome!
http://thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=27284 (use "nairaland" and "nairaland" if prompted for password)
This is at least partly a simply political manouvre by Governor Orji Uzor Kalu to further his presidential ambition. I hope it doesn't backfire!
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Are we expected to believe that the EFCC investigation can ever turn in any damning evidence against the Prez? or that the fact that weight of his office will not influence the out come of the investigation. In civilised countries when such a grave allegation is made against a public figure, the honorable thing to do is to commission an investigation and resign thereafter to ensure that justice is not only done but seen to be done, but that will never happen in this primitive African society we call Nigeria.
RIBADU EFCC BOSS.gif (6.43 KB, 75x75 )
Nobody should tell me of Investigation. I have never heard any result of an investigation in my darling Nigeria. Afterall, in Nigeria, anything is possible. OBJ is as corrupt as ORJI. In short ORJI is more corrupt than OBJ. But that is left for God to decide. Because I hate the word "
