Obiagelli:
before you buy this bullcrap, Google the qualification of these ministers,
Bukar Shuaib (minister of agriculture) studied Veterinary medicine at the collegiate level, becoming the first Nigerian
Veterinary Doctor.


You are a tribalist.

Don't be blinded by emotions, he that comes to equity must come with a clean hand, are you trying to say the east and south did not have qualified people to fit into that position?anybody from the college of agriculture can do the same job, doesn't have to be a vet doctor,knowing the federal character policy that you can't appoint or make over 80 percent of your cabinet people from same geographical location, this is a crime ,now what do you have to say about their muslim ,muslim rule?if we are to move forward rules have to be followed no need to wonder why he was ousted.

Buhari's double standard comes to mind when he confined Shagari to house arrest after his coup d' etat while jailing other political detainees including the erstwhile Vice president Ekwueme who exercised no power in the ill-fated 2nd republic.

Obiagelli:
LIES. The SMC had 15 members other than Buhari, 8 were northerners and 7 were southerners

Air Commodore Larry Koinyan


Navy Captain Ebitu Ukiwe

Brigadier Paul Omu


Colonel Salihu Ibrahim - Kwara


Brigadier Ola Oni


Commodore Augustus Aikhomu


Tunde Idiagbon

You are right obiagelli.i remember you opened a thread similar to this where the issue of cabinet appointment was discussed exaustively.Unfortunately,that thread is no longer in nairaland's data.

The General's selling point appears to be the hype about his supposed moral integrity, which will supposedly translate to eradication of corruption. A trip down memory lane however tells us different. Under the late dark-goggled General, Buhari presided over PTF (petroleum trust fund), which was later revealed to be a cesspool of corruption. If the supposedly incorruptible Daura general couldn't stop corruption in PTF, then he obviously can't be trusted to eradicate corruption from Nigeria.

The infamous 53 suitcase saga during Buhari's 20 month military misrule also raises questions about his commitment to the eradication of corruption. A northern Emir was accosted by Custom agents at Lagos international airport with 53 suitcases of currency in direct violation of the prevailing laws. Buhari redeployed the principled customs officer – Atiku Abubakar – who apprehended the Emir, while allowing the sacred cow Emir to go scot free. Ironically in several circles today, that principled customs officer - Atiku Abubakar - is portrayed as corrupt while Buhari is hailed as incorruptible by his blind and ignorant supporters.

Contrast Buhari's kid's glove, pat-on-the-back for the 53-suitcase Emir, with Fela's unjust imprisonment ostensibly for failing to declare his own hard earned foreign currency. The truth of the matter is that the vindictive Buhari never forgave the late Afrobeat maestro for his popular hit tune Army Arrangement, in which Fela sang about the 2.8 billion Naira that reportedly disappeared from our nation's oil accounts while Buhari was petroleum minister.

Bialegend: The General's selling point appears to be the hype about his supposed moral integrity, which will supposedly translate to eradication of corruption. A trip down memory lane however tells us different. Under the late dark-goggled General, Buhari presided over PTF (petroleum trust fund), which was later revealed to be a cesspool of corruption. If the supposedly incorruptible Daura general couldn't stop corruption in PTF, then he obviously can't be trusted to eradicate corruption from Nigeria.

The infamous 53 suitcase saga during Buhari's 20 month military misrule also raises questions about his commitment to the eradication of corruption. A northern Emir was accosted by Custom agents at Lagos international airport with 53 suitcases of currency in direct violation of the prevailing laws. Buhari redeployed the principled customs officer – Atiku Abubakar – who apprehended the Emir, while allowing the sacred cow Emir to go scot free. Ironically in several circles today, that principled customs officer - Atiku Abubakar - is portrayed as corrupt while Buhari is hailed as incorruptible by his blind and ignorant supporters.

Contrast Buhari's kid's glove, pat-on-the-back for the 53-suitcase Emir, with Fela's unjust imprisonment ostensibly for failing to declare his own hard earned foreign currency. The truth of the matter is that the vindictive Buhari never forgave the late Afrobeat maestro for his popular hit tune Army Arrangement, in which Fela sang about the 2.8 billion Naira that reportedly disappeared from our nation's oil accounts while Buhari was petroleum minister.

If Fela were alive he would have waxed hundreds of records condemning the corruption of GEJ.

There is the issue of Buhari's pseudo-religious demagoguery, which has sometimes been mistaken for religious fanaticism. At the height of Nigeria's Sharia crisis when there was a real danger of Nigeria being torn apart along religious lines, the General added fuel to the raging Sharia fire that was threatening to consume the nation by supporting the promulgation of discriminatory religious laws in our multi-religious country contrary to our secular constitution. Buhari failed to rise above sectional ethno-religious interests as was expected of a former head of state and presumed statesman.

If the Fake General really believed in Sharia law, why didn't he promulgate it as military head of state ? One is therefore forced to conclude that the general was simply playing to the northern gallery – hypocritical religious demagoguery for cheap popularity among the northern masses, hence his undeserved saintly reputation. Or perhaps he was a coward who lacked the guts to prosecute the Sharia Jihad while he was in power. The General later compounded matters by publicly instructing Muslims to only vote for Muslims. His sycophants and propagandists have unconvincingly tried to deny or "explain" his statement, but the arrogant general never bothered.

Bialegend GIVE ME MORE BULLCRAP

IBB Threatens to Expose Buhari's Corruption



Former President Ibrahim Babangida has threatened to expose the corruption of Former President Mohammed Buhari especially as relates to his tenure as Minister of Petroleum. Buhari was appointed Minister of Petroleum in 1976 under the Murtala/Obasanjo administration. Not much is known about any scandals that occured during his tenure as Minister, but there are rumors of the mysterious disappearance of US$2.8 Billion from the NNPC account in Midlands Bank in the United Kingdom, during Buhari’s stewardship.

Now that IBB has threatened to expose him, it lends a certain credibility to the rumors indicting Buhari of grand graft. Babangida who released a statement through his media adviser, Prince Kassim Afegbua said, “On Gen. Buhari, it is not in IBB’s tradition to take up issues with his colleague former President. But for the purpose of record, we are conversant with Gen. Buhari’s so-called holier-than-thou attitude.

“He is a one-time Minister of Petroleum and we have good records of his tenure as minister. Secondly, he also presided over the Petroleum Trust Fund ( PTF) which records we also have. We challenge him to come out with clean hands in those two portfolios he headed. Or, we will help him to expose his. “records of performance during those periods. Those who live in glass houses do not throw stones. Gen. Buhari should be properly guided.”

http://nigerianewsday.com/news-a-commentary/politics-a-government/2648-ibb-threatens-to-expose-buharis-corruption

Obiagelli:
its painful that thread is no longer here. The funniest part was that he never met David West before he made him petroleum minister.

If someone hates Buhari, please they shouldn't post lies to tarnish his image. I don't like the PDP but i wouldn't post lies about them.

Yes i remember David West story in your thread-how that he nearly missed his flight from PH to Lagos,how he waited at the visitors' waiting room at dodan Barracks.

The meaning of CVU (civilian/conference visitors unit) That thread was incisive.

You see,Nigeria is a complex place where politicians subvert public interest due to their own parochial interest.

Nigerians won't vote Buhari for the same reason they didn't vote Gani Fawehinmi's National conscience party.

Remember that our poliiticians did not fall from the sky.They are a subset of the larger society.Nigeria indeed is a paradox

Obiagelli:
its painful that thread is no longer here. The funniest part was that he never met David West before he made him petroleum minister.

If someone hates Buhari, please they shouldn't post lies to tarnish his image. I don't like the PDP but i wouldn't post lies about them.

Yes i remember David West story in your thread-how that he nearly missed his flight from PH to Lagos,how he waited at the visitors' waiting room at dodan Barracks.

The meaning of CVU (civilian/conference visitors unit) That thread was incisive.

You see,Nigeria is a complex place where politicians subvert public interest due to their own parochial interest.

Nigerians won't vote Buhari for the same reason they didn't vote Gani Fawehinmi's National conscience party.

Remember that our poliiticians did not fall from the sky.They are a subset of the larger society.Nigeria is a paradox

Buhari has nothing to offer…should retire says El-Rufai


The attention of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai has been drawn to statements from Generals Muhammadu Buhari and Ibrahim Babangida purporting to be responses to the advice he gave both men to retire.

Since Babangida libelled whole generations of Nigerian youth as being unfit for leadership, age has become an issue in the coming elections. While it is true that neither youth nor age supplies wisdom on their own, it makes sense to ask those who have been recurring decimals in our country’s sorry history to leave the stage. That is all El-Rufai asked of these men who seem to think that their failure to do their best for Nigeria when they had the chance qualifies them for a return to office. Our people surely deserve better.

El-Rufai is amazed that General Buhari cannot debate this matter without scurrying to the gutter, making claims that are baseless and unsupported by any facts. Mallam El-Rufai’s tenure as FCT minister was a period of stellar performance in remaking our federal capital. Despite the difficult decisions that had to be taken to restore Abuja, Mallam El-Rufai continues to receive deserved praise and recognition for his achievements in restoring the Abuja master plan, introducing Nigeria’s first computerised land registry and helping thousands of Nigerians achieve their dreams of home ownership in the federal capital. Buhari is perhaps one of a tiny few blinded by their prejudice from recognising the quality of El Rufai’s service.

That same prejudice accounts for the baseless claims of corruption Buhari levels against El Rufai. The fact is that Mallam El-Rufai served Nigeria with integrity and has never been convicted of any corrupt act. He is boldly contesting the false charges which the Yar’Adua government filed against him in court. It is strange that a Buhari who protests when unproven claims of N2.5 billion (about US $3billion in those days!) missing oil funds are levelled against him can gleefully elevate similar claims into facts when it concerns another. How would Buhari feel if the corruption allegations made against him by Group Captain Usman Jibrin, then a board member of PTF, are today reported as if they were proven facts? So much for “corrupt background” and “shoddy performance”.

Mallam El-Rufai wishes to remind General Buhari that he has remained perpetually unelectable because his record as military head of state, and afterwards, is a warning that many Nigerians have wisely heeded. His insensitivity to Nigeria’s diversity and his parochial focus are already well-known. In 1984, Buhari allowed 53 suitcases belonging to his ADC’s father to enter Nigeria unchecked at a time the country was exchanging old currency for new.

Against all canons of legal decency, he used retroactive laws to execute three young men for drug-peddling after they were convicted by a military tribunal and not regular courts of law. Buhari was so high handed that he gave himself and his officials immunity even from truthful reporting. That obnoxious Decree 4, against which truth was no defence, was used to jail journalists and attempt to cow the media as a whole. That tyrannical legislation shows the essence of his intolerance. These are facts of recent history.

The story of counter-trade and import licensing, the cornerstone of Buhari’s stone-age economic strategy and those whose interests it served, is a tale for another day.

Mallam El-Rufai respects both Generals Buhari and Babangida as elder statesmen. He believes their age, experience and guidance may contribute to the success of any future government. El-Rufai however believes that it is time for a new generation of leaders with new thinking and wholesome democratic attitude to move our nation forward. The vicious response by the Buhari camp to a simple statement that their almost-70 principal should retire is proof enough that a Buhari, the new Democrat, tolerant of views different from his own, is yet to evolve. And that is sad, for his fledgling party and its leadership. Buhari and his cohorts may wish to reflect that it will take more than attacks on personalities to become electable. Having seen his version of discipline, Nigerians are not likely to cherish an encore. But they will welcome an engagement with the issues and problems of everyday life that have hobbled the peoples of this land.

Muyiwa Adekeye


http://pointblanknews.com/pbn/exclusive/buhari-has-nothing-to-offer-should-retire-says-el-rufai/

El-Rufai insists Buhari is unelectable

By Segun Balogun

Mohammadu Buhari’s record as a military head of state will perpetually render him unelectable because Nigerians will never desire a repeat of such administration, said Nasir El-Rufai, former FCT Minister. Reacting to statements made by the Mohammadu Buhari’s party, Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), regarding the advice he gave the retired army general to retire from politics, Mr. El-Rufai, in a statement on Monday, said age is certainly a factor in the coming presidential election since Ibrahim Babangida has already defamed young Nigerians as unfit for national leadership.

“While it is true that neither youth nor age supplies wisdom on their own, it makes sense to ask those who have been recurring decimals in our country’s sorry history to leave the stage. I’m amazed that General Buhari cannot debate this matter without scurrying to the gutter, making claims that are baseless and unsupported by any facts,” said Mr. El-Rufai, describing Mr. Buhari’s leadership style as parochial and insensitive to Nigeria’s diverse background.

He asked whether “the failure [of Mr. Buhari and Mr. Babangida] to do their best for Nigeria when they had the chance qualifies them for a return to office. Our people surely deserve better.”

He was obviously irked by the claims made by CPC regarding his administration as a federal minister, describing them as fictitious and prejudicial.

“Despite the difficult decisions that had to be taken to restore Abuja, Mallam El-Rufai continues to receive deserved praise and recognition for his achievements in restoring the Abuja master plan, introducing Nigeria’s first computerised land registry, and helping thousands of Nigerians achieve their dreams of home ownership in the federal capital,” the statement said.

A reminder

“In 1984, Buhari allowed 53 suitcases belonging to his ADC’s father, to enter Nigeria unchecked, at a time the country was exchanging old currency for new. Against all canons of legal decency, he used retroactive laws to execute three young men for drug-peddling after they were convicted by a military tribunal, and not regular courts of law.

“Buhari was so high handed that he gave himself and his officials immunity, even from truthful reporting. That obnoxious Decree 4, against which truth was no defence, was used to jail journalists and attempt to cow the media as a whole. That tyrannical legislation shows the essence of his intolerance.

These are facts of recent history,” the statement said.

A new mindset

Mr. El-Rufai said it will take more than slander to become electable in 2011 because Nigerians will rather cherish an intellectual discourse about their daily problems.

While saying he still respects both Buhari and Babangida as elder statesmen, he emphasised his belief that their age, experience, and guidance are best used to contribute to the success of any future government.

Mr. Buhari, according to him, is not the kind of leader that can move the country forward because “now is the time for a new generation of leaders with new thinking and wholesome democratic attitude.

“The vicious response by the Buhari camp to a simple statement that their almost-70 principal should retire, is proof enough that a Buhari, the new Democrat, tolerant of views different from his own, is yet to evolve. And that is sad, for his fledgling party and its leadership,” the statement said.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/National/5626686-146/el-rufai_insists_buhari_is_unelectable_.csp

Obiagelli:
That is the sad truth my brother, Buhari contested almost as an independent 3 times till he was pushed to join the crooks (many of them in the APC). I hope we get out of this problem someday.

Unfortunately,we won't come out of this anytime soon if the Nigerian press do not ammend their ways.

It was the press who damaged Buhari.

Sometimes,i laugh at myself when i read some comments i post here in defense of politicians who don't know i exist.It's funny.

PTF Fraud: How N25 Billion was stolen under Buhari’s watch



The Petroleum Trust Fund was inaugurated by the Abacha administration in March 1995 and General Muhammadu Buhari was appointed to head the Fund which was formed sequel to the increase in the pump price of petrol to N 11 from N 3.25. The then Head of State, Gen Abacha had said then that the Fund was to distribute the gain from the increased price on social and infrastructural projects.

The Fund started work with an initial capital of about N60b in 1996 with a mandate that included the rehabilitation of roads and waterways, educational and health institutions, providing textbooks and stationery, procuring essential drugs and vaccines, providing water supply systems, reviving crumbling agricultural sectors, connecting outlying areas to the national electricity grid, extending railways and telecommunications and ensuring consistent food supply.

Buhari often referred to as Mai Gaskiya (the honest one) was apparently considered for the job mainly because of the qualities he possessed, with the Abacha led government feeling that would douse the tension generated by the increase in fuel prices. With time however, allegations started flying that the PTF was no more than another avenue for the Abacha administration to siphon funds.

On assumption of office in 1999, Chief Obasanjo disbanded the PTF. One of the discoveries made by the administration was that between its inception and July, 1999, the funds that accrued to the PTF stood at N 181 billion. It was also found out that the Consultants appointed by the Executive Chairman of the Trust Fund, Gen Buhari constantly fleeced the country of funds running into billions.

In 2000, the Obasanjo administration set up an Interim Management Committee to take a look into the affairs of the Petroleum (Special) Trust Fund and ascertain among other things, how much has been spent by the PTF so far and what is on ground to justify the huge expenditure. The Committee the set to work and accomplished all the terms of reference by March 2000. The Interim Management Committee submitted that:

Term of Reference No 1:
The Interim Management Committee has already ascertained the total income that has accrued to PTF from its inception to date. The total amount that has accrued to PTF is N 181, 795, 000, 000 (One hundred and eighty one billion, seven hundred and ninety five million Naira). The report for the ascertainment of accrued income has been completed.

Term of Reference No 2
Independent Consultants were commissioned by the Interim Management Committee to ascertain the state of all the bank accounts operated by the Petroleum Special Trust Fund from its inception up to September, 1999.

All the assignments have been completed and all the reports submitted. An Executive Summary was prepared and a total of N 3, 642, 982, 280 (Three billion, six hundred and forty two million, nine hundred and eighty two thousand, two hundred and eighty Naira) was found to be recoverable from various banks, due to excess charges, under payment of interest on fixed term deposits and non-payment of interest on current account balances, as stipulated by Central Bank of Nigeria guidelines.

Terms of Reference No 3
The Petroleum Special Trust Fund intervened in, prepared and packaged, ready for transfer to the appropriate line ministry

(b) Food Supply Sector All the necessary verification work have been concluded for projects and programmes and reports already supplied by independent consultants. The programme is already in the process of being transferred to the appropriate ministry, as per the approval given by Mr President.

(c) Education Sector i) Educational Materials Procurement Programme: The verification of the entire programme has already been done and the process of handing over the whole programme to the appropriate beneficiaries has reached an advance stage as directed by Mr President ii) Rehabilitation of Educational Institutions: The services of various consultants have been used to carry out the technical audit of all the projects throughout the country and a comprehensive up to date report has already been completed by the co-ordinating consultants. The preparation of an Executive Summary has reached an advanced stage.

(d) Health Sector: (i) Drug Revolving Fund: The drug revolving fund programme has been thoroughly verified and all available stocks have been transferred to the various state governments. As per the directive of Mr President (ii) Rehabilitation of Health Institutions: The programme for the rehabilitation of Health Institutions throughout the country has been verified and a comprehensive up to date status report prepared. And Executive Summary for the attention of Mr President is being prepared.

(e) Water Supply Sector: All projects and programmes under this sector have been thoroughly verified in compliance with the terms of reference No 3. A comprehensive and up to date report has already been completed.

(f) Other Project Sector: The projects under the sector which were commenced have already been completed. The rest of the projects are yet to commence. The report stating the above mentioned up to date status of all projects under this sector has already been completed.

Terms Of Reference No 4

(i) The audited account of the fund as at 30th June, 1999 stating the Assets and Liabilities of the Petroleum Special Trust Fund has already been prepared by the KPMG Audit, a firm of Chartered Accountants. (ii) The Audited Accounts of the fund as at 31st December, 1999 stating the Assets and Liabilities of the fund has already been prepared by Pricewaterhouse Coopers Audit, a firm of Chartered Accountants. (iii) The Audited Accounts of the Fund for the month commencing January, 2000 to June 30th 2000 is to commence when the IMC was replaced. This would have given the asset and liabilities of the Fund at the end of the terms of the former IMC.
Terms Of Reference No 5

The present administrative structure was carefully examined and the best option is to transfer each departmental staff operating a project sector to the appropriate ministry where the projects are transferred. This will reduce hardship on the staff and also will enhance the capacity of the ministry concerned for it to cope with the additional responsibility.

Terms of Reference No 6 and 7
The former IMC has undertaken a thorough technical audit of all projects and programmes using well experienced independent consultants. In the process of the technical audit, the sanctity of all contracts agreement was upheld and all costs were evaluated to a realistic level. The value of work done up to date has been ascertained and the estimated cost of completion has also been calculated. The appropriate ministry that will be responsible for the completion of any project may further negotiate the time and cost of completion of any project.

As it has been enumerated above, all the terms of reference given to the former IMC has already been virtually completed. The handing over of projects to respective ministries has already commenced. The former IMC would have completed the winding down of the activities of the Petroleum Special Trust Fund as directed by Mr President by the end of June, 2000.

The total public funds to be recovered from various contractors, banks and consultants amounted to about Twenty five billion, seven hundred and fifty eight million five hundred and thirty two thousand four hundred and forty eight Naira.

Below is the Executive Summary of various reports of the independent consultants on verification exercise which resulted in the funds recoveries.

Members of The Interim Management Committee Are As Follows:
Dr. Haroun Adamu (Chairman), Alhaji Abdu Abdurrahim, Barrister Achana Gaius Yaro, Arc Edward Eguavoen, Mr. T. Andrew Adegboro, Engr Baba Goni Machina

Report On The Amount To Be Recovered From Some PTF Projects And Programmes
The Interim Management Committee was appointed by Mr President. One of the terms of reference of their appointment is to carry out verification exercise on all projects and programmes prior to packaging the projects and programmes for subsequent transfer to the appropriate line ministries. The recoverable exercises of the under-listed projects were completed and the various reports and the IMC recommendations forwarded to President Obasanjo for further directives.

The Listed Projects Are –
(i) Afriproject Consortium (APC) PTF Management Consultants and also Project Consultants (ii) PTF intervention in the HIV/AIDS Programme (iii) PTF Health Sector Intervention inputs (iv) PTF Prevalent cases of expiring drugs all over the country (v) PTF residential estate development on Plot 780 Cadastral Zone A8, Abuja FCT (vi) PTF Head Office extension contract at Airport Road, Abuja (vii) PTF-Bank accounts operated from inception to 31st December 1999.

AFPRI- Project Consortium (APC) Afri-Project Consortium were contracted by PTF as Management Consultants and Project Consultants. The former Chairman of PTF also delegated to them the power of Engineer in all appropriate project requiring such power. Afriproject Consortium then assumed an absolute power of initiation, approval and execution of all projects.

Three reputable management consulting firms were engaged to verify all payments made to (APC) from the inception of PTF up to 30th September, 1999. On verification it was found that they have over charged PTF for their services to the tune of N 2, 057, 550, 062 (Two billion fifty seven million five hundred and fifty thousand and sixty two Naira only).

(ii) PTF Assisted HIV/ AIDS Programmes : The intervention of PTF in the HIV/AIDS was flawed due to professional negligence by the management consultants. There was an excessive order of HIV/AIDS kits which resulted in most of the kits expiring before use. Also there was gross inflation of the purchase price. The two factors combined resulted in a loss of N 579,000,000 (Five hundred and seventy nine million Naira only).

(iii) PTF Intervention Programmes : PTF intervention in the health sector input programmes totalled to about N 9 billion Naira. The projects were executed by the management consultants and PTF in-house staff. In this sector there are three glaring areas of loss: (a) Purchase of specific frames which was done at N 1,900 each while they can be purchased locally at a price between N 80 and N 880. This resulted in total loss of N 45, 270,000 (b) Purchase of ambulances which was done at N 13,000,000 each instead of the price of N 3,000,000 each. This resulted in total loss of N 900,000,000 (Nine hundred million Naira only). (c) Purchase of drugs was done to the tune of N 3.08 billion. Price inflation and expiring of drugs resulted in a loss to PTF of about N 1, 500, 000,000 ( one billion, five hundred million Naira).

(iv) PTF Prevalence Expiring Drugs All Over The Country: A team of Pharmacists were commissioned to verify the Drugs Revolving Fund Programmes. Their findings were very depressing. A huge loss has been incurred by PTF as enumerated below:- (a) Drugs and consumables worth N 817, 831,723 (Eight hundred and seventeen million, eight and thirty one thousand seven hundred and twenty three Naira only) were found to have expired by October, 1999 (b) another quantity of drugs worth N 94, 741, 517 expired in December, 1999 (c) drugs worth N 233, 416, 829 will expire by March 2000 (d) Drugs worth N 461, 255,073 will expire by June 2000 (e) Drugs worth N 429, 117, 861 will expire by September, 2000 (f) Drugs worth N 1, 196, 276, 052 will expire by October- December, 2000.

There were many cases of deterioration of drugs as a result of faulty manufacturing, inappropriate packaging, improper storage and excess stock.

(v) PTF Residential Estate: The involvement of PTF in Residential Estate Development was out of its intervention sphere. As at now, the estate has been confiscated by government. The contract sum is N 703, 815, 416 (Seven hundred and three million, eight hundred and fifteen thousand four hundred and sixteen Naira only) while after verification, the whole project was valued at N 328, 901, 521 (Three hundred and Twenty Eight Million nine hundred and one thousand, five hundred and twenty one Naira only). There was an inflation of the contract to the tune of N 374, 913, 895 (Three hundred and seventy four million, nine hundred and thirteen thousand eight hundred and ninety five Naira only).

(vi) PTF Headquarters Extension: The IMC Commissioned Consultants to determine the current construction cost of the on-going extension at the headquarters office. The current construction cost determined by the Consultant came to N 326, 207, 861 (Three hundred and twenty six million, two hundred and seven thousand, eight hundred and sixty one Naira only) as against a contract sum of N 461, 216, 759 (Four hundred and sixty one million, two hundred and sixteen thousand, seven hundred and fifty nine Naira only) this resulted in contract sum inflation of N 135, 008, 879 (One hundred and thirty five million, eight thousand eight hundred and seventy nine Naira only).

(vii) Bank Accounts Operated By PTF From Inception To December 31, 1999: Various Consultants were commissioned to verify the Bank accounts operated by PTF from inception of the Fund up to 31st December, 1999. The Fund operated its bank accounts under three different categories viz- (a) Administration Account (b) Project Account (c) Treasury Account. Recoveries to be made from the various banks are as follow:

(a) Administration Account Total Amount recoverable is N 664, 415, 793 (Six hundred and sixty four million, four hundred and fifteen thousand seven hundred and ninety three Naira only). This is mainly due to overcharge on Cost of Turnover (COT), non-payment of interest on current account balances as stipulated by Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other various discrepancies.

(b) Project Account On project Account, total amount recoverable is N 2, 467, 817, 167 (Two billion, four hundred and sixty seven million, eight hundred and seventeen thousand, one hundred and sixty seven Naira only). This is made up mainly from overcharge of Cost of Turnover (COT), non-payment of interest on Current Account balances as stipulated by Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other various discrepancies.

(c) Treasury Account All the Treasury Accounts were verified and amount to be recovered is N 510, 749, 323 (Five hundred and ten million, seven hundred and forty nine thousand, three hundred and twenty three Naira only). This is mainly due to short-payment of interest on deposited funds. (See Box A).

The total sum of N 11, 658, 532, 448 (Eleven billion, six hundred and fifty eight million, five hundred and thirty two thousand four hundred and forty eight Naira only) is recoverable as per various reports completed as at now.

1.Other Potential Areas Of Fund Recovery : Road (Highways and Urban Roads) The PSTF uses about 70% of its income on highways and Urban Road Projects. In this project sector, there was total variation of contract sums of N 68,000,000,000 (Sixty eight billion Naira). These variations were not done with properly priced bills of quantities and approved civil contracts procedure as stipulated by government regulations. Taking the experience of what has been discovered after verification of previous contracts awarded by PSTF, the minimum potential recovery will be about 15%. This estimated percentage will be about N 10, 000, 000 (Ten billion Naira). The verification of this project sector was about to take off when the IMC members were replaced.

2. Rural Water Supply Programme The area of potential fund recoveries under this programme are basically two :- (i) Mobilisation paid to contractors who by now have not even commenced work (ii) Over pricing of contracts. The amount to be recovered from this project sector can be conservatively estimated at N 1,000,000,000 (One billion Naira).

The detail verification report on this programme has already been completed. The executive summary of this report was in the process of compilation when the IMC members were replaced.

3. National Health and Educational Institutions Rehabilitation Programme The detail verification exercise on this sector has already been completed by various independent Consultants. The executive summary for total amounts recoverable is now in the process of being compiled. The conservative estimate of amount recoverable due to non-performance of contractors and over-pricing of contract is about N 600,000,000 (Six hundred million Naira).

4. National Educational Material Procurement Programme This programme entails the purchase of educational materials such as text books, exercise books, chalk, dusters, pencils, biro, magazines, maps etc. The verification exercise of this programme is yet to commence. The conservative estimate of recoveries to be made due to non-performance by contractors and inflation of prices will be in the region of N 900,000,000 (Nine hundred million Naira).

5. Rural Telecommunication Programme The Rural Telecommunication Programme was supposed to be carried out in two phases viz: – (i) Pilot programme (ii) The main programme. The main programme was to commence after the pilot programme has been completed and certified as operational, but mobilisation of N 1, 600,000 (One billion, six hundred million Naira) was paid to the contractors for the main programme without any contract being signed at all.

In view of the government policy at present, the full amount of the mobilization paid can be recovered (i.e N 1,600,000,000), See Box B

The Committee recommended that the total recoverable amount can be used to offset some of the outstanding debts because some of the creditors are contractors from whom these amounts are to be recovered. It also recommended that the President may wish to set up a high powered judicial panel to recover the huge public fund and to take the necessary action against any officer, consultant or contractor whose negligence resulted in this colossal loss of public funds.

The Interim Management Committee Members who compiled this report include Dr. Haroun Adamu (Chairman), Alh. Abdu Abdurrahim, Barrister Achana Gaius Yaro, Arc. Edward Eguavoen, Mr. T Andrew Adegboro and Engr. Baba Goni Machina.


http://pointblanknews.com/pbn/exclusive/ptf-fraud-how-n25-billion-was-stolen-under-buharis-watch/

Buhari: Myth And Mystery

This is a warning to Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

By Opeyemi Agbaje

I have never been a fan of Muhammadu Buhari. When he took power in December 1983 as military head of state, I was already a third-year law student at Ife. He headed a brutal and unthinking dictatorship; one that jailed journalists, abolished civil liberties and declared it wasn’t interested in democracy – the only military government that never announced a transition to civil rule programme! His regime was headed for the only time in Nigeria’s history by two Northerners, indeed two Fulanis, according to some reports about Idiagbon’s ancestry. He rushed to exonerate ex-President Shagari from wrongdoing while appearing determined to pin all blame on his deputy, Alex Ekwueme, and the opposition parties. Curiously, the pattern of trials and convictions by his military tribunals suggested that Second Republic corruption was led by the opposition parties – in particular, the UPN and NPP – rather than the ruling NPN.

He sought to humiliate Awolowo, sending soldiers to ransack his residence. Yet, his “War Against Indiscipline” had its exceptions – his ADC allegedly helping to clear an Emir’s 53 suitcases through the airports during a currency exchange programme. He ran a government of no more than four or five people – his deputy Idiagbon; his National Security Organisation head, Ambassador Rafindadi; his minister of Internal Affairs, Mohammed Magoro; and himself – to the exclusion of his colleagues in the Supreme Military Council and everyone else. He was easily overthrown, having thoroughly isolated himself from every power centre. In a sense, his government might be seen as precursor to the murderous Abacha regime: seeking absolute power, promulgating retroactive laws, terrorising and proscribing civil society organisations and professional groups.

Before becoming military dictator, Buhari had served serially as military governor and minister of Petroleum under Murtala/Obasanjo, and GOC in Jos from where he and others orchestrated the 1983 toppling of democracy. The myth of outsider to the Nigerian ruling class is strange, given his CV. How could someone who occupied those positions and ran our oil sector under the military be excluded from Nigeria’s problems? As head of state, Buhari did not make any dent in Nigerian corruption. Indeed, the counter-trade scam which happened under his watch was no different, in scope and scale, from the petroleum subsidy and other corruption scandals that have since plagued Nigeria. And what about the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) which Buhari led under Abacha? Anyone who was an adult during Abacha’s reign can testify that PTF was the biggest source of patronage and corruption in the Nigerian economy in its time! One is also entitled to wonder whether Buhari cared about human rights abuses under Abacha, such as the killing of Kudirat Abiola, shooting of Alex Ibru and Abraham Adesanya, or the several concocted coup plots of that era?

I may be willing to concede, in the absence of contrary information, that Buhari may not be personally corrupt, but corruption thrived below and around him due probably to his seeming inclination to abdicate the powers of offices he occupied to someone, usually a subordinate. Most people attribute the running of the “Buhari/Idiagbon” regime to Idiagbon; it is believed that subordinates (Salahijo/Tayo Akpata, etc) managed the PTF; even his Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) is managed by Sule Hamma and Buba Galadinma, and they may have perpetrated activities in Buhari’s name which he was unaware of and which have destabilised that party. How will such a “leader” fight corruption? That trait encourages politicians to seek to be his deputy, hoping they would be beneficiaries of the “Buhari Power Abdication Syndrome”. But there could, especially in a presidential system, be an alternative model – the Abacha/Diya model – in which a deputy ends up in prison rather than power! An executive president could, for instance, simply appoint Hamma as SGF and Galadinma as Chief of Staff, while marginalising any vice president. Ask Diya about Aminu Saleh, Auwalu Yadudu and Hamza al-Mustapha; or ask Jonathan about his powers under Yar’Adua! There could be a third model, of course – the Goodluck model.

Buhari’s other shortcoming, which feeds the abdication syndrome, is his seeming lack of interest and competence in policy and administration. This could be said to have been demonstrated on national television during the pre-election presidential debates as he displayed stunning lack of depth on virtually all aspects of policy. His other limitation has consistently been displayed since return to democracy in 1999 – parochialism. While aspiring to power in a multi-ethnic, multi-religious nation where political stability and national integration cannot yet be taken for granted, his public statements have included advocacy for implementation of Sharia all over Nigeria; advising Muslims not to vote for persons who won’t protect their faith; accusing an Oyo State governor in the aftermath of a Fulani herdsmen and indigenous farmers dispute that “your people are killing my people”, a claim that turned out to be unfounded and perhaps the reverse; alleged incitement to violence before the 2011 general elections and petulance thereafter; and recent but not surprising threat of bloodshed and “dogs and baboons” over the 2015 elections which is three years away!

It is a mystery that Buhari gets consideration in the context of national leadership. He clearly lacks the temperament required for the office and his supporters might be well-advised to seek alternatives.


https://www.facebook.com/notes/adeyinka-grandson/buhari-myth-and-mystery/10151020723041294

Why Buhari will never be president of Nigeria

By Femi Aribisala

ON Friday, 23rd August, 1985, the military government of Major-General Mohammadu Buhari decided to place me under arrest. My crime was that I wrote, among others, an article entitled: “Counter-trading Nigeria’s Future” in the National Concord, exposing the government’s scam of diverting public funds into private coffers through barter-trade with Brazil. A man by the name of Benson Norman was sent from the State Security Services (SSS) to my office to get me. Not finding me, he left a note that I must present myself unfailingly at the SSS office at 15 Awolowo Road, Ikoyi Lagos the next Monday morning.
However, on Sunday, 25th August, 1985, Lateef Aminu came first thing in the morning to my house to inform me that the government of Buhari/Idiagbon had been overthrown. For this reason, I am fond of telling people that God brought about a change of government in Nigeria just because of me.

Coup-plotter

Under the Buhari/Idiagbon regime, once you ended up at 15 Awolowo Road, you may never be heard of again. Decree Number 2 of 1984 empowered Tunde Idiagbon to arrest and detain anybody indefinitely without trial and without legal reprieve. After Buhari was overthrown, Mohammadu Gambo opened the prison doors of 15 Awolowo Road on public television, revealing people in various stages of UnCloth and malnutrition that had been kept in the dungeons without trial by Buhari’s hound-dogs.

As self-imposed Head of State, Buhari had no regard for human rights. Immediately he seized power, he announced that he would “tamper with” the press. Soon, the infamous Decree Number 4 was promulgated which made even the publication of the truth a punishable offence. Under this cover, Buhari jailed innocent journalists, including Tunde Thompson and Nduka Irabo. He abolished civil liberties, promulgated retroactive decrees enabling him to kill Nigerians through jungle justice, proscribed civil society organizations and professional groups and exercised “absolute” power.

This same Buhari would now have us believe that he has gone through some metamorphosis and has become a democrat. I am sure you will forgive me if people like me don’t believe him. Buhari is not, has never been, and will never be, a democrat. Only in Nigeria would a man with his track record, who came to power through a military coup that illegally overthrew a democratic government, now be acclaimed as a democrat. It is on record that Buhari’s military regime is the only one in Nigeria’s history that failed to promulgate a programme for return to civilian rule.
Facts and fiction

So what exactly qualifies Buhari as a democrat today? Precious little! There is nothing democratic about forming and joining political parties just in order to be the presidential candidate. Little wonder then that Buhari’s parties have a short shelf-life. Buhari would like to be Nigeria’s head of state once again. He can no longer achieve this through the barrel of a gun. The only route now open to him is through the democratic process. That is the reason he now conveniently fashions himself as a democrat. It is merely a means to an end; no more, no less.

Buhari’s reputation as an anti-corruption crusader is also a myth. As head of state, he did not make any dent in Nigerian corruption. All we got was a cosmetic “war against indiscipline.” The counter-trade scam happened under his watch. Rather than deal with it, he sent his hound-dogs after nonentities like me who dared to expose it. That scam was no different, in scope and scale, from the petroleum subsidy and other corruption scandals that have since plagued Nigeria. The Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) that Buhari headed under Abacha was also a citadel of corruption. While Buhari himself might not have enriched himself, his cronies and those who worked under him did so handsomely.

On three different occasions, Buhari has run for the presidency. On three different occasions he has failed. That should really be enough. If, as seems likely, he were to run for the presidency a fourth time in 2015, there is no question that he would fail yet again. Try as he might again and again, Mohammadu Buhari can never be President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Buhari’s sectarianism

There is a fundamental reason behind this. Buhari is a bad politician. He is an unbending former military dictator and not a democratic consensus-builder. Like his new ally, Bola Tinubu, Buhari is a regional, sectional politician. Such politicians are practically impossible to package and market nationally in the ethnically-delicate Nigeria of today.

Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Malam Nasir El’Rufai, one of those Northerners who deserve to be serious contenders for the presidency of Nigeria, observed that Buhari remains “perpetually unelectable” as a result of his “insensitivity to Nigeria’s diversity and his parochial focus.” This is an elegant way of saying that politically, Buhari has an uncanny tendency to put his foot in his mouth. He talks before thinking of the political implications of his words. He shoots from the hip.

The strength of Obasanjo, which enabled him to capture the presidency on two different occasions, was that he was perceived as a broadminded politician, not overly partial to his people in the South-West. As a matter of fact, in his first election, his people did not want him. The strength of Goodluck Jonathan, which propelled him to win the presidency, was that he was able to string together a coalition that stretched both north and south of the Niger. The weakness of Buhari is that he is totally unacceptable to people outside his region.

Buhari is a Northern regional champion. As head of state in the 1980s, his government was unapologetically Northern. No attempt was made to balance the ticket at the top. It was the only regime in Nigeria’s history headed by two Northerners. When he seized power, Buhari put Shagari, the Northern head of state he overthrew, under house arrest. But then he jailed Alex Ekwueme, the Southern vice-president. You may well ask what makes Shagari less culpable for the misdeeds of the Second Republic than his number-two man. The simple fact was that Buhari was Fulani as was Shagari; but Ekwueme was Igbo.

Impolitic words

At the height of the Sharia debate during the Obasanjo administration, Buhari declared that Muslims should vote only for fellow Muslims. This was politically suicidal for a man seeking national office. He became an advocate for implementation of Sharia all over Nigeria. He protested to the Oyo State governor, in the context of a dispute between Fulani herdsmen and indigenous farmers in the state, that “your people are killing my people.” This turned out to be unfounded and perhaps the reverse.

His threats during the campaign for the 2011 elections incited widespread violence in the North after he lost. His supporters went on a rampage; looting and killing; in spite of the fact that, by all accounts, the elections were adjudged the most free and fair in the history of Nigeria’s current democratic experiment. By the time the mayhem had subsided, over 1000 people had been slaughtered in cold blood and some 65,000 displaced.
Forgetting that a statement made in Hausa would readily be translated into English, Buhari later declared unapologetically in a BBC interview: “If what happened in 2011 should again happen in 2015, by the grace of God, the dog and the baboon would all be soaked in blood.” These are the tokens of an irresponsible politician, whose ambitions for power supersede the national interest. Who then are the dogs and baboons that Buhari has in mind to soak in blood if and when he loses yet again come 2015? Are they his children or are they those of others?

With the Boko Haram insurgency in the north, Buhari played to the Northern gallery yet again, calling the Jonathan government “the biggest Boko Haram.” Wole Olaniyi was a fly in the wall at a meeting in Kano Government House designed to persuade PDP rebel governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso, to decamp to the APC. Assuming that only Northerners were present, Buhari declared the Boko Haram was a “strategic plan” by the government of Goodluck Jonathan to “destroy the North.” When Jonathan declared a state of emergency in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states, Buhari still saw this with Northern goggles, insinuating that the President is waging war on the North.

President of the North

Without a doubt, Buhari has massive support in the North. Indeed, he is the most popular Northern politician in the North today. But that precisely remains his undoing at the centre. The more he has been identified as a Northern champion, the less attractive he has become as a national choice. Even in the North, his support base is limited to the Muslim population. He does not appeal to Northern Christians. Then there is the added factor of the opposition of his implacable opponents among the Northern elite. Men like Babangida and Atiku would rather die than allow Buhari get to Aso Rock.

One thing is certain, the South-South and the South-East will not vote for Buhari in 2015. Not only that; there are no buyers for Buhari’s sectarian politics in the South-West. No matter what Tinubu might be telling him, the people of the South-West will not vote for Buhari in 2015. We already had the template in 2011, when Buhari tried to sell himself, first by balancing his ticket with a Yoruba man; and then by making sure the Yoruba man is a Christian; a pastor no less. But it just did not wash. It will not work in 2015.

The worst thing that can happen to Northern presidential aspirations in 2015 is for Buhari to be on the APC ballot. That is a sure guarantee that the North will not be providing the next president. Buhari would be a shoo-in in an election for president of Northern Nigeria. But in an election encompassing the entire country, the best he can envisage is to be a kingmaker. He cannot be king. The nearest Buhari will get to Aso Rock in 2015 is by attending the Council of State meetings.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/01/buhari-will-never-president-nigeria/

Bialegend is really working hard to get these stories. A visit to your archive will sure not be a waste. I still have my reservations towards Buhari sha. Hope he doesn't bring out posters next year.

Obiagelli:
i think Buhari’s interviews expecially in Hausa are always deliberately doctored.

You are right about defending politicians, but i believe we have to continue to hype the good ones and attack the bad ones among them. That way we might get better leaders.

Unfortunately,our constitution at present will not allow good people to thrive.For instance,look at how Oshiomhole

Is currently being messed up in Edo by enemies of progress.PDP is an enemy of progress in Edo state as exemplified by the trio of Lucky igbinedion,Tony Anenih and professor Osunbor

Op, the coup of 31 Dec, 1983 brought buhari in, not oust. It was shagari that was ousted

Obiagelli:
your exact reservation please.

even when I called them my reservations you still want me to tell you? Am sure youu have yours too. Let's reserve it