Why I did not succeed Abacha as Head of State - Jeremiah Useni
Written by Nuruddeen M. Abdallah & Aliyu Machika
Sunday, 23 August 2009 03:23
You come from one of the most peaceful states in the country, described by many as a tourism haven. Plateau has suddenly become a boiling point. What is happening?



Yes, Plateau is a peaceful state, even tomorrow, and it is good for the cooling of oneself due to the favourable weather. Unfortunately, along the line, we may have offended God and that it why issues that can be amicably resolved resulted into chaos, which led to bloodshed and destruction of property. We could remember that there was a crisis between the Lantang and Wase people, but thank God, we were able to settle that.

In order to avoid the crisis that earlier happened, we established a strong Plateau Elders’ Forum where we came up with far reaching resolutions on the way forward. But, unfortunately, only five percent of the resolutions were implemented leaving behind up to 95 percent unimplemented. And, this is why we are still experiencing social and religious crisis in Plateau state.

The recent crisis happened during the local government elections when Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) wanted to win everywhere, whether they are accepted or not. And people used that to destroy mosques and churches. That is purely political, but some people turned it into religious. However, despite all this, we are still working hard to ensure that peace returns to Plateau. God made all of us and therefore, nobody should feel superior to another. And, I like to say here that we need the support of the people, too, because it is a two-way traffic. That is to say, the government and the public have to work together as a team.


You made mention of a peace conference which you were a member. Which government did you summit the resolutions to?


That was done under the retired General Chris Alli (when he served as sole administrator of the state during the emergency rule). All of us came together and looked at all the recommendations made by various committees earlier and updated them and that was why they were so many. But, of course, General Chris did not stay long. We therefore, did the same during the second coming of former governor Joshua Dariye. He too, didn’t stay long as he was forcibly impeached. And, I emphasised this because that was not impeachment. He was single-handedly removed by former President Olusegun Obasanjo because he didn’t support third term, not that he committed any offence that warranted impeachment.

So, Michael Botmang came in, though he was the deputy governor and he, too, didn’t stay long. In fact, he was busy campaigning for the Jonah Jang to be governor. When Jang came in, again, whether deliberately or not deliberately, he suddenly got himself in this latest crisis I wouldn’t know, but much of the recommendations are still not implemented.


Abacha died in controversial circumstances. As one of the closest persons to him, can you relate his last moments?


As you know, a day before he died, we had a visiting President Yasser Arafat of Palestine and we saw him off. That same day, at about 6pm, when we were driving inside the city, he told me that he was not feeling fine. So, at around 7pm, he dropped me off and I told him to go and have a rest. In fact, I went back and I was doing some administrative work, when I was called upon that I was needed at the Presidential Lodge.

But to hear the news that he was dead, I was dumbfounded because you will remember that when he died there were lots of speculations. Some even said that I should be probed, which was very unfortunate. So, when I got to the Presidential Lodge, I met officers, such as the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Comassie, Abdulsalam Abubakar and others. They told me that Abacha was dead. So, I was really dumbfounded and felt very sad.


But when he died, there was rumour that some Indian girls visited him prior to his death and there was a suspicion that they may have poisoned him. What really happened?


I have been saying that this rumour isn’t true. When he died, some people insisted that an autopsy test must be conducted. He must be taken to Germany and America for the test. In my own view, he died a natural death and the reports are there. But, of course, some people just wanted to give the man a bad name; hence they were insinuating that he was a womanizer and the rest of it. But the records are there. And, who would have heard such a thing should it be a reality.


Talking about Generals, you were the most senior military officer after Oladipo Diya, who was involved in that coup saga. Why didn’t you succeed Abacha?


Even if Diya was not involved, I am still the senior. In military service, there are two types of seniority. That is seniority by protocol and seniority by military. So, if you talk of protocol, then he was senior, but by rank I am the senior. And I still remain the senior.


It was said that Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, Chief Security Officer to the late Head of State summoned all the Generals when the issue of succession came up. What really happened?



I am not aware that he summoned the Generals because I wasnot part of those he summoned. He couldn’t have summoned me. You see, when the issue came up, the remains of General Abacha was still lying before us and so there was an argument that why can’t we go and bury him before any issue of succession came up. Now, when the discussion finally rose, there was a division of interest as some officers were of the view that military seniority should be considered while others were saying that protocol should be considered. And, if military seniority was adopted, it could have been me, but since protocol seniority was adopted then, it was Abdulsalam because he was the Chief of Defence Staff, who was next to the Head of State. So that was what happened.


How did you get the news of Abacha’s death because some people are saying that it was Al-Mustapha that broke the news to all of you after he summoned you all to the Presidential Lodge?


Like I said earlier, I was attending to some administrative matters and my phone rang and I was told that I was wanted at the Presidential Lodge. And when I went there, I was told that the Head of State was dead.


Some people still hold the view that the late Abacha was a dictator. Having worked with him closely, what is your own perception of this?


Those who said that he was a dictator do not know what they are saying. All this were the sayings of those people who felt that under Abacha’s regime they could not do what they wanted. Look at what is happening to banks today. Abacha saw it and if you remember the Failed Bank Tribunal, many bank chief executive officers and managing directors ran away from this country. People don’t know and this was over 10 years ago. And over these years Abacha still remains the topic of discussions.

And, if Abacha had remained in the system, we wouldn’t be buying a dollar for N158. If Abacha were still alive, we wouldn’t have been borrowing from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). But IMF would have been borrowing from us by now. During Abacha regime, we never borrowed even a penny from anybody. In fact, all the international financial institutions closed down their offices in Nigeria because they had nothing doing. The West does not want us to progress because we were on the verge of growing to the extent that we would be helping other countries.

So, this so- called dictatorship is nothing but propaganda against him and his regime. They were using the Abacha government to hide their own misdeeds under the carpet. Look at what is happening in our democracy now were people’s votes don’t count. If they said, the first time in 1999, was due to the fact that it was organised by the military, then what about the happenings in 2003 and 2007 that turned out to be the worst. I think, there is no other forms of dictatorship worst than this kind of dictatorship where people are denied their rights to vote their leaders.

During the Abacha regime, no governor or minister was actually cut with up to N1billion, but today they are spraying billions of Naira, buying houses everywhere and cars. Abacha ordered that we should be using Peugeot and even himself was using the same Peugeot. But today we are seeing just local government chairmen driving expensive cars running into tens of millions of naira. When Abacha was alive, we deliberated and argued seriously on every matter that needed a decision in the council before arriving at the final decision. So, I know very well and without any bias that the late Abacha is better than all those that are branding him as a dictator.


10 years after Abacha’s death, the Federal Government is still talking about Abacha’s loot.


Well, those who said that there is Abacha loot should explain.


But the government alleged that it has retrieved up to $500 million from the Swiss Bank?


But the National Assembly said that it has not seen the money and how it was spent is not known to them because it was never appropriated.


After your retirement and enthronement of Obasanjo, you were fingered as the person with the highest number of property in Abuja. How correct is this?


They were more than because people said many things about me. They said I have suffered from an unknown disease. That I have over 100 plots and houses in Abuja and that I had $100 million. They even said that they had arrested a trailer full of money belonging to me and at that time the highest denomination was N20, which is madness because there is no bank I could have taken the money to. These were all said as blackmail, but I never get worried because I am sure they would never succeed. Obasanjo did what he did because Abacha was not there for him to blackmail and the next person to him was me and that was why he engaged in all that he did.


But they said you have property more than anybody in Abuja?


Then, where are the properties? Go to my house, you will find only a simple building. But there are ministers during Obasanjo who have built houses both in Abuja and their home towns worth billion of Naira. The thing is that when you decide to help people, then someone somewhere, would begin to level you as the wealthiest person on earth, which is not true.


One of the issues that attracted criticisms to the regime of the late Abacha was his alleged transmutation to a civilian president. And you, being his closest associate were also accused of trying to transform into the Mayor of Abuja.


This is very interesting. When you look from Day One when FCT was created, it was suggested that it should be governed by a mayor. Somehow, the past governments, whether military or civilian, were not able to establish the office of the mayor. They prefer to make it a ministry so that they can control the money that goes there. But if you are a mayor, then you are independent. That is why even the budget of the FCT might be approved by the Head of State. We have council chairmen, but because there were no mayor to swear in, they are sworn in by the National Assembly.

So, it has been like that very unfortunately. And, that is why I made sure that we follow what the law establishing the office has said. As at that time, there was only one first class chief in the whole territory and that was in Abaji. All his colleagues were third class chiefs because they were part of Kwara State before Kogi was carved out of it. I made a proposal which sought to address the matter, where we now have different classes of chiefs in the FCT which was eventually approved by the late Abacha. So, that was the foresight we had and that was why we wanted to have a mayoral position for the FCT so that it can be fully independent.


What is your relationship with Macosa dance?


What they don’t know is that if I am attached so much to Macosa dance as they said, then what time did I have to go to work. When I was the FCT minister, I used to go to my office between 6-7am. Since I know people come to office by 8am, I always wait until 8am before I begin to call my directors. Anytime a file is brought to me I check the date it left the permanent secretary’s office. And if the file left his office seven days after it went in, I asked him why. So, people did not think about time I have to do all this, if they only think that I always socialize with all my time. But yes, I enjoy Macosa dance because they say that work, work without play makes Jack a dull boy.


But do you like the name Jerry-boy?


Yes, I like it because it makes me feel much younger. When you said Jerry-boy, I begin to wonder whether Jeremiah is still in his 30s.


Now that you are in politics, do you consider going for an elective position?


No, I don’t have such consideration yet. But, of course, I cannot overrule it. That is not impossible. But I did not consider such yet.



How do you feel coming from an area with the highest number of Generals? And why can’t these Generals call the politicians to order over the crisis bedevilling Plateau?


There are two things involved. One, we are not selfish and we have to serve the people. Secondly, it defends on their capacity to accept what we offer them for peace. I think, whoever you find doing one thing or the other, is only protecting an interest. So, I believe we are doing our best in that direction and we would continue.

On the second part of the question, yes, we are fighters and we are religious people and we like to impart knowledge into the people. In my area, we get soldiers, farmers and teachers. Those are the main things we occupied. Till today, we have not had a Commissioner of Police because in Lantang, we believe that police is meant for women and not a job for a man. Check the records we haven’t even gotten an Assistant Commissioner.

We have soldiers and farmers too, because you have to defend your farm. And teachers too, yes because in our religion, we believe that if you are a teacher you are already on your way to heaven. So people said we have large number of Generals but we are never Head of State. When I was governor of the old Bendel state, people will tell you what I did and that is why 20 years later they called me and gave a chieftaincy title.


Do you have any regret in life?


As a Christian, I shouldn’t say I have any regret. But as a human being, I will say yes, I regret the death of my wife. However, I am not asking God why. When I joined the military as a boy-soldier at the age of 14, I never thought that I will retire from the service as a three- star general. I never knew that I will survive all this wars and coups. And I retired honourably because nobody mentioned my name for retirement. I am still eating and I have an office, whether good or bad. And I go wherever I want and I am not begging. So I thank my God.

Where is the reason(s) given? Could not read any such thing in the article.

^It was all about "protocol seniority" vs "military seniority" in the army. Whatever that means.
Useni is just another bush man.

[b]Those who said that he was a dictator do not know what they are saying. All this were the sayings of those people who felt that under Abacha’s regime they could not do what they wanted. Look at what is happening to banks today. Abacha saw it and if you remember the Failed Bank Tribunal, many bank chief executive officers and managing directors ran away from this country. People don’t know and this was over 10 years ago. And over these years Abacha still remains the topic of discussions.

And, if Abacha had remained in the system, we wouldn’t be buying a dollar for N158. If Abacha were still alive, we wouldn’t have been borrowing from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). But IMF would have been borrowing from us by now. During Abacha regime, we never borrowed even a penny from anybody. In fact, all the international financial institutions closed down their offices in Nigeria because they had nothing doing. The West does not want us to progress because we were on the verge of growing to the extent that we would be helping other countries.

So, this so- called dictatorship is nothing but propaganda against him and his regime. They were using the Abacha government to hide their own misdeeds under the carpet. Look at what is happening in our democracy now were people’s votes don’t count. If they said, the first time in 1999, was due to the fact that it was organised by the military, then what about the happenings in 2003 and 2007 that turned out to be the worst. I think, there is no other forms of dictatorship worst than this kind of dictatorship where people are denied their rights to vote their leaders[/b]

He his now a politician too? oga ol