₦airaland Forum

Amaechi is like a big dry bone on Buhari's throat.

As a full-fledged citizen, I am incensed by the damning swirling allegations of brutal and unrelenting serial pillages of the resources of Rivers State leveled against Mr Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, the immediate past governor of the State, by the integrity Group, a self-styled anti-corruption watchdog committed to the enthronement of accountability and good governance.


Whether this group is a witch hunt tool is a matter of conjecture but as a citizen, I am encouraged by the courage the Integrity group has demonstrated by its decision to seek judicial remedies in pursuit of its avowed commitment of bringing to justice, Amaechi and his co-travellers if they were found to be in anyway vicariously responsible for the barefaced stealing of the resources of the state. Apart from the fact that as a nation, we do not have the luxury of condoning or treating the monster called corruption with kid gloves because it will ultimately lead to our perdition, there is a new sense of urgency and belief that we should collectively deal with corruption before it kills us.
Buhari embodies our collective determination and aspiration to deal decisively with corruption, the cancer and archetype of our predicament malignant as a nation.

Decades of systematic corruption which shows no sign of abating have left the nation in financial ruins and held in abeyance the unfurling of the great Nigerian possibility. During the campaigns, Buhari’s anti-corruption mantra was reassuring and gave us hope of a fresh beginning. It is reinvigorating to note that the few months he has been in power have not diminished his resolve and determination to confront and deal decisively with corruption. Nigerians, the world and posterity will judge him by his actions and not by his words.


Former Governor Amaechi has proven to be a divisive political figure who means different things to different people. Before these allegations broke, I perceived him as a largely misunderstood leader who as a rite of passage had to pass through the crucible in defense of his convictions. This image was cemented in my psyche by the nature of his emergence as governor and the many political battles he has had to fight in the course of his political career.

But given these sleaze allegations and his unsatisfactory, infantile and laughable response to them have left a healthy dose of doubt on my mind as per his culpability. These allegations are grave in nature and point to economic crimes against a state. It bespeaks of high treason, mindless pillages and one of the most comprehensive looting of our collective patrimony and must be treated with the seriousness it deserves. If liable in countries such as China with zero tolerance for corruption, culpability in this instance means death.


Instead of insulting our sensibilities by telling us that everybody in Rivers State knows that he does not like money, it is in Amaechi’s interest to respond to each of these grave allegations. His public image is already in tatters going by these latest disclosures. It is only sufficient explanations and responses to them that will redeem his already battered image. Otherwise, he will occupy a prominent place in the nation’s hall of infamy and in our history a footnote. If he has a chapter, the chapter will chronicle how he serially raped Rivers State.
Instead of brinkmanship, Amaechi should explain to the world if actually he connived with his lieutenants to corner the mind-boggling sum of sixty billion naira being proceeds from the sale of the gas turbines of Omoku, Trans Amadi, Eleme and Afam.

Nigerians and the people of Rivers State are waiting for Amaechi’s explanation regarding this allegation that he mindlessly, callously and criminally caused to have siphoned the sum of $ USD 105 million (N21 billion naira) through hurried transfers using three companies as a conduit. We are waiting for Amaechi’s explanation regarding the alleged unlawful payment and fraudulent conversion of N8 billion meant for the construction of a multi-storey Karibe Whyte Specialist Hospital in Portharcourt using Clinoriv Specialist Hospital and Leisure Ltd as a front. The long-suffering people of Rivers State are anxiously waiting for the former governor’s explanation as par his alleged criminal role in the unlawful enrichment of Collect (Nigeria) Ltd with public funds to the tune of N1.5 billion.


So far, Amaechi’s response to these allegations is far from satisfactory, and constitutes a gratuitous insult on the victims of kleptocracy which allegedly flourished under his rule. His statement thus far that everybody in Rivers State knows that he does not like money is bravado taken too far, and calls to question his understanding of the gravity of these grave acts of corruption which he is accused of. The people are so incensed that they may visit jungle justice on him should he walk the streets of Port-Harcourt without police protection.


It would appear that Amaechi’s arrogance may stern from his belief that his relationship with President Buhari makes him untouchable. The fact that Amaechi expects the people, the very victims of his alleged mindless pillage of their resources to empathize with him, is the height of delusion, impunity and arrogant display of raw power.


As repositories of power, the people of the state voted for him between 2007 and 2015. His aghast at the people for not defending him in the face of these allegations does not in any way obviate the fact that as governor, he bears full responsibility for his actions and inactions in office. This is why the foundation upon which leadership and governance is built and cannot be manipulated at the whims of political demagogues and clowns who see themselves as agents of change.


Nigerians massively support Buhari’s anti-corruption stance and his pledge to wedge an unwavering frontal war against corruption. During his recent visit to the United States while responding to allegations of the selective nature of his war on corruption, he stated in clear terms that no one, not even his party members would be spared. Nigerians again applauded him. If Buhari rises above powerful interest within his party in this anti-corruption, he would have succeeded in writing his name on the pantheon of the immortals.


Given the rot and the pandemic corruption which had shackled the nation and held in abeyance our emergence as an economic behemoth, the cleansing of the Augean Stable has assumed even a greater sense of urgency and should not be sacrificed to satisfy selfish interests. If the resources used in funding the Buhari campaign is a product of the sleaze in Rivers State, and Amaechi is shielded from justice, then Buhari’s anti-graft war is dead and buried on arrival.


Is Amaechi the only political leader who contributed to the victory of Buhari and All Progressive Congress? Is it right to steal money as an APC chieftain and wrong to steal as an opposition politician? In ordering for a thorough investigation into these allegations, these are some of the posers that the president should have a moment of introspection.


While the President is making headway on all fronts in tracing looted funds beyond our shores as he has assured Nigerians, he should also order the probe of the corrupt allegations against Amaechi in the national interest. Nigerians, Africa and indeed the international community are watching. How the president, the Economic and financial Crimes Commission and all the anti-corruption agencies treat this matter has grave consequences on the anti-graft war. The anti-graft war could get a shot in the arms as it gathers momentum or it would be buried before it even commenced.

That means no be only kpons for italy edo dey contribute to our GDP! Shame to bad people, in Daddy Shokey voice.

Could the Awujale be confirming what the Oba of Benin said years ago that Oduduwa came to Ife from Benin? The Awujale says people were already in Ife before the arrival of Oduduwa. In other words Oduduwa did not fall from the sky to found the yoruba race. Yorubas were already existing before the arrival of the Benin prince Oduduwa.

FriedPlantain:
went through the article 3 to four times and couldn't find where the Oba denied being Yoruba, all he said was they migrated from Sudan to Nigeria.

May be you need the holy ghost to help you. If the Yorubas are claiming they originated from Ife through Oduduwa and someone is telling you here that his own people, the Ijebus, are from sudan, you are saying he is not saying they are not Yorubas then something is wrong with you. May be you are living in denial.

The Leader, chief Tony Akhakon Aneni, the Iyasele of Esan land, clocked 82 a few days ago. My nairalanders please show some love to our greatest politician of all time. The man who masterminded the great June 12 election; killed Obj's 3rd term ambition and successfully midwifed the defeat of his party by the opposition in other to fully allow our democracy to take root. All hail the great leader, Mr 'fix it', the enforcer and Nigeria's greatest political strategist. Happy birthday, sir! You will live long for us to celebrate you more!

barcanista:
APC wan finish this man oo

Oh boy you fall my hand! Finish who? Saraki? No, they are finishing themselves. Dual nationality is allowed in our constitution. Beside, the Gbajabiamila that Tinubu and his minions are rooting for also hold a US passport. Infact apart from the Apc top members from the northern part, most of those from the south, especially south west have dual nationalities. If saharanubu reporters think they are helping Tinubu and APC by most of their concorted lies they called news, they are dreaming. They are instead destroying their benefactor: Tinubu.

MAY THE SOUL OF THE OONI REST IN PEACE. WHY HAVE THEY NOT ANNOUNCED THAT OF THE OBA OF BENIN? WE HEARD ON THIS FORUM THAT HE DIED ABOUT THREE MONTHS AGO. ARE THEY NOT THROUGH WITH CONSULTING THE BENIN GODS?

Buhari’s 95 %, 5% Comment: President Denies, Says It Is A Social Media Creation

Patrotism, decency as defined by the all knowing, all seeing and all wise, Muhammadu Buhari! Nigeria we hail thee!

Don’t stampede me’


Only patriotic, decent and experienced Nigerians would make my cabinet, President Muhammadu Buhari reassured yesterday.

The President was responding to questions on a television programme, titled: “Good morning, Nigeria” in Abuja, He said politicians and technocrats will constitute the cabinet.

“From what I have seen so far, we need really patriotic Nigerians – Nigerians that can work very hard, knowledgeable, experienced, committed Nigerians – to be in charge of ministries.

“A lot of the institutions of Nigeria – important institutions – were compromised. Everybody was for himself and God for all of us; it is most unfortunate. We have the people, educated people, experienced people, but everybody seemed to be working for himself – how much he could get as much and as quick as possible.

“We have to look for technocrats and we have to look for politicians and certainly, we have to look for decent people in this class to give them the responsibility of being in charge of ministries and important parastatals (agencies).”

Buhari also yesterday appealed to Nigerians to bear with him over the delayed formation of his cabinet.

Buhari had last week, revealed that he would not form his cabinet until September.

Speaking during a television programme monitored in Lagos yesterday, the President also reiterated his administration commitment to bringing the desired change to Nigeria

Tell them!

A former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, has condemned recent allegations that a former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, supervised the alleged embezzlement of some funds from the Excess Crude Account (ECA).

According to Obi, the release of funds from the ECA cannot be done without the approval by the president. This he said was the trend not just under former President Goodluck Jonathan, but also during the tenure of former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and the late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

The former Anambra State governor said this during an interview with journalists.

Edo State Governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, recently opened a floodgate of attacks against Okonjo-Iweala.

He had alleged that $20 billion was missing from the ECA and other sources. Thereafter, he said it was $10 billion, N720 billion and at another time he alleged that the amount was $2.1 billion. He had also accused the former minister of using $1 billion from the ECA to fund the re-election of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

But responding to questions from journalists, Obi said: “I don’t think that was correct.Let me clarify it properly: There was never a time the National Economic Council (NEC), governors’ forum or any other body approved the release of excess crude money.

“The release of excess crude money was only and only by the express approval of the president. The practice was that the Governors’ Forum would meet and agree to appeal to the president to release funds to assist them in fulfilling their various states’ obligations. I was a state governor during the presidencies of Obasanjo, Yar’Adua and Jonathan and the procedure was the same.”

The former Anambra governor also described calls for the trial of the former finance minister as unfortunate, saying some Nigerians “have this attitude of trying to pull down our best.

“Okonjo-Iweala is a global star and only came back to serve her country and she did that with passion. We gain nothing trying to pull her down. We did it with Aruma Otteh, but we know what she is today?” he asked.
Continuing, Obi said he had been in several meetings where the former minister woman “was almost crying,” while urging governors and other policy makers to save for the rainy day.

“She advised that proceeds from excess crude sales should be saved in the Sovereign Wealth Fund for effective management. I have read newspaper reports that it is ironic that she spoke of a rainy day when it was already pouring.

“I personally remain indebted to her because it was from her persistent preaching on the need to save in the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF) that made me incorporate savings in foreign currency - that is why one third of it money we left on leaving office was in foreign currency, $156 million(N25 billion at that time). With interest now it would be about $170 million and with the current rate it is almost N40 billion,” Obi revealed.

Furthermore, he advised state governors that are finding it difficult to meet their obligations to cultivate the attitude of saving.
“Excess crude money should be saved in the SWF. No country will survive without saving for the future. Even in animals’ kingdom, the ants saves for the rainy days. We must save bearing in mind that natural resources that we enjoy today are depleting assets.

“I have said severally that there is nothing wrong with bail-out or restructuring of debts, but I insist that such reliefs must be with conditions to instill fiscal discipline; else we make it a bad habit,” he said

The presidency monday stated that President Muhammadu Buhari was misquoted when he said his government would only favour the zones that voted for him during the election, assuring Nigerians that no part of the country would be left out under the present government.

Reacting to a video of the president during his US visit last week, Buhari’s media aide, Mallam Garba Shehu said the insinuation was a “social media commentary” that was not tenable.

In the video, Buhari had stated that Nigerians should not expect constituencies that gave him five per cent of the vote to be treated in the same manner as those that gave him 97 per cent of the vote during the elections.

But as he continued speaking, he clarified that even if tried to favour one constituency over another, the constitution would not allow him to do so, as he was expected to treat all parts of the country fairly.

However, the video, which went viral, has raised eyebrows with some Nigerians wondering if Buhari’s initial remark was a Freudian slip.

Dismissing this notion, Shehu said: “That is a social media commentary. Whoever says that is just making a social media commentary which is a discussion not regulated in accordance with journalism ethics.

“What the president meant to say was that the world of politics is seen as a reward system by which people expect to derive maximum support from giving maximum support and he meant to say that he is a different kind of leader and will govern in the interest of all.

“He repeated his famous quote that I belong to everybody and I belong to no one. He said he will be fair to all irrespective of how they voted and went on to say that the constitution of the country makes it compulsory for every Nigerian government to run all in livid administration.

“Under our constitution, everyone and every part of the country is protected. That is what he meant to say. So that line was taken out of the context in which the statement was made.

“Taking together in its contest, the president intended to reassure all the parts of this country that none will be neglected.”
[/b]The presidency monday stated that President Muhammadu Buhari was misquoted when he said his government would only favour the zones that voted for him during the election, assuring Nigerians that no part of the country would be left out under the present government.

Reacting to a video of the president during his US visit last week, Buhari’s media aide, Mallam Garba Shehu said the insinuation was a “social media commentary” that was not tenable.

In the video, Buhari had stated that Nigerians should not expect constituencies that gave him five per cent of the vote to be treated in the same manner as those that gave him 97 per cent of the vote during the elections.

But as he continued speaking, he clarified that even if tried to favour one constituency over another, the constitution would not allow him to do so, as he was expected to treat all parts of the country fairly.

However, the video, which went viral, has raised eyebrows with some Nigerians wondering if Buhari’s initial remark was a Freudian slip.

Dismissing this notion, Shehu said: “That is a social media commentary. Whoever says that is just making a social media commentary which is a discussion not regulated in accordance with journalism ethics.

“What the president meant to say was that the world of politics is seen as a reward system by which people expect to derive maximum support from giving maximum support and he meant to say that he is a different kind of leader and will govern in the interest of all.

“He repeated his famous quote that I belong to everybody and I belong to no one. He said he will be fair to all irrespective of how they voted and went on to say that the constitution of the country makes it compulsory for every Nigerian government to run all in livid administration.

“Under our constitution, everyone and every part of the country is protected. That is what he meant to say. So that line was taken out of the context in which the statement was made.

“Taking together in its contest, the president intended to reassure all the parts of this country that none will be neglected.”

Op you dull ooh! Out of about 6000 parastatals of the federal government, you selected 40 for your comment. And when has Plateau, Kaduna and Benue states become part of the south south and south east. Some of those names are from these states.

BushidoBlue:
Which dream d op see dis news? Cos d meeting ended in a stalemate...

Op to slap u dey hungry me!!!!
When 12 hours don pass...

Oh boy no slap me ooh! Na one of APC's mouthpieces, Premiumtimes, i for from read ooh!

Elslim:
sauce

Premiumtimesng.com. july 27, 2015

Where is the independence of the three arms of govt? So the legislators have become Buhari's errand boys now to be ordered around. We have indeed entered "one chance!"

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the gladiators in the ongoing crisis in the House of Representatives to resolve all pending issues within six hours, ahead of the resumption of house plenary Tuesday.
Mr. Buhari met with the All Progressives Congress, APC, house caucus at the Presidential Villa Abuja, Monday.
One of the members who attended the meeting, which lasted about 30 minutes, told PREMIUM TIMES that the president “did not waste time, but simply reminded members on the need for party discipline”.
“He said he never wanted to interfere in the affairs of the Legislature, but he’s now forced to do so to maintain party discipline,” the source quoted the president as saying.
The source, who declined to be named because he was not permitted to speak to the media on the outcome of the meeting, said Mr. Buhari asked Speaker Yakubu Dogara and Femi Gbajabiamila to hold a meeting with the national chairman of the APC, John Odigie-Oyegun and find a solution to the problem within the next six hours.
“The president said it was unacceptable for him to be in office under the APC, and the PDP would be allowed to dictate who occupies positions in an administration he heads,” the source said.
“Buhari urged all members to look beyond themselves and consider the country and the platform under which they were elected.”
The source added that the APC leadership is expected to brief the president on the outcome of the meeting between Messrs. Dogara, Gbajabiamila and Odigie-Oyegun.
The meeting with the lawmakers had ended without a consensus on how to solve the lingering crisis.
Members emerged from the brief talks with the president, insisting on their varied terms as the solution to the crisis. Some lawmakers threatened violence.
The House is resuming Tuesday after nearly a month break.
The prolonged break followed a violent clash on the floor of the chambers after members supporting the speaker, Mr. Dogara, and those backing former minority leader, Mr. Gbajabiamila, engaged in a free-for-all.
Mr. Dogara emerged speaker in defiance of the APC leadership’s decision to anoint Mr. Gbajabiamila for the office.
Since then, the party has insisted Mr. Gbajabiamila be made the majority leader, a proposal Mr. Dogara rejects. The speaker says Mr. Gbajabiamila’s south west region has produced the deputy speaker, Yusuf Lasun.
Ahead of resumption Tuesday, the house warned against violence that may again erupt on the floor of the house.
Mr. Lasun also vowed Monday that he will not step down for Mr. Gbajabiamila as a way of resolving the crisis.
Messrs Dogara and Gbajabiamila were in attendance at the meeting with President Buhari.
Mr. Gbajabiamila, who spoke to journalists first, said the president insisted that the party was supreme and its structures must be adhered to.
“We spoke heart to heart with the president,” he said, adding that this was the first time the two groups had met peacefully.
Mr. Dogara and the party chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, who had extra discussions with the president, later emerged to speak with the press amid heckling from some members who threatened to assault the speaker if he said anything different.
The chairman of the party, Mr. Odigie-Oyegun, who spoke on behalf of the party, said the meeting was a family meeting and was a success, adding that in another three to four hours, there will be good news.
He opted to speak for Mr. Dogara, but the speaker spoke for himself saying he had always been on the side of the party as against the opinion of his other colleagues.
The members are expected to meet with the leadership of the party and come up with names to fill the slots for the principal officers and revert to the president. They are expected to meet with the president later Monday night

Its either the op was the one that reseached that statement for Buhari or he is a spin doctor out to deceive the gullibles. From your quote of the statement, Buhari was refering to Obama first tenure. That started in 2008/2009. So why are you then basing most of your posts on his second tenure 2012/2013.
By Jan 4 2009 when Obama was sworn in for the first time, 98% of his ministers and other aides were already nominated by him awaiting confirmation by the Senate. Buhari has been sworn in almost two months now yet not even 4% of his aides have been appointed.

eluquenson:
Please, can someone guess what he has in his pocket.

Yes na! His Lord Luggard phone! And by the way, which carpenter dey sew those him coats self!

President Buhari has told the whole world that he cannot appoint ministers until he has completely rescued Nigeria from corruption and the Boko haram insulgency. In other words by september, when he would have appointed his ministers, corruption and Boko haram issues would have been tackled. Long live our president. Our long awaited 'redeemer'! The only key that can lock the nation's doors against coruption, insulgency, militancy, indiscipline, etc.
carry go sir! We are behind you. All hail the KING!

sademola:
Op is not making sense at all. He/she didn't prove Obama had full cabinet announced in one swoop. Op, u goofed!!!

Obama named his full cabinet before he was sworn in on Jan 20 2009. Except for the Secretary of Commerce. The man who he norminated for this position, Bill Richardson withdrew on January 4 2009. It was only in his second tenure that it took him almost three months to constitute his cabinet.

"When cabinet ministers are appointed in September, it will be some months after I took the oath of office. It is worth noting that Obama himself did not have his full Cabinet in place for several months after first taking office; the United States did not cease to function in the interim. In Nigeria’s case, it would neither be prudent nor serve the interests of sound government to have made these appointments immediately on my elevation to the presidency; instead, Nigeria must first put new rules of conduct and good governance in place." .....Buhari

The above quote is another in the season of goofs from our octogenarian president. President Obama nominated his cabinet and administration before he was sworn in in January 2009 for his first tenure. Infact immediately he was announced winner of the election on Nov 4 2008, Obama announced Rahm Emanuel as his Chief of Staff. Then he went ahead to nominate Hillary Clinton, his rival during the Democratic party primary as his Secretary of state.
On Dec 1 2008, he announced he was retaining Robert Gates, a Republican and Secretary of Defence in the same capacity, not minding the fact that they don't belong to the same party.
How can our president's media team allow such fundamental faux pas in U.S of all places. Since Buhari has refused to appoint his cabinet we should expect much more costly mistakes in days ahead.

Barack Obama/Appointments and nominations as President





Following the 2008 election, President-elect Barack Obama has announced the appointment of a number of key White House staff.


Cabinet

Barack Obama's Cabinet, as of January 2009, is proposed to comprise:
Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State;[1]
Timothy F. Geithner, Secretary of the Department of the Treasury;[2]
Robert M. Gates, Secretary of the Department of Defense[1]
Eric H. Holder, Jr., Attorney General, Department of Justice[1]
Ken L. Salazar, Secretary of the Department of the Interior [3]
Tom J. Vilsack, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Yet to be nominated, Secretary of the Department of Commerce
Hilda L. Solis, Secretary of the Department of Labor
Tom A. Daschle, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services
Shaun Donovan, Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development[4]
Ray H. LaHood, Secretary of the Department of Transportation
Steven Chu, Secretary of the Department of Energy[5]
Arne Duncan, Secretary of the Department of Education;[3] [6]
Eric K. Shinseki, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs
Janet Napolitano, Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security[1]

Other Appointments

Some of the appointments are:
Judith A. McHale, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Department of State [7]
Julius Genachowski, Chair of the Federal Communications Commission [8]
Leon Panetta, CIA director [9]
Dennis Blair, Director of National Intelligence [9]
John P. Holdren, Science adviser and co-chair of the President's Council of Advisers on Science and Technology [10]
Carol M. Browner for "a new White House post overseeing energy, environmental and climate policies" [5]
Lisa P. Jackson, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency [5]
Nancy Sutley, Chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality [5]
Jonathan Favreau, Director of Speechwriting[11]
Cecilia Munoz, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs[11]
Peter Orszag, Office of Management and Budget Director[12]
Rob Nabors, Office of Management and Budget Deputy Director[12]
Lawrence Summers as Director of the National Economic Council[2]
Christina D. Romer, Director of the Council of Economic Advisors[2]
Melody C. Barnes, Director of the Domestic Policy Council[2]
Heather A. Higginbottom, Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Council[2]
Ellen Moran, Director of Communications[13]
Robert Gibbs, Press Secretary[13]
Dan Pfeiffer, Deputy Director of Communications[13]
Susan Rice, Ambassador to the United Nations[1]
General Jim Jones, USMC (Ret), National Security Advisor[1]
William J. Lynn III, Deputy Secretary of Defense[14]
Robert F. Hale, Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) at the U.S. Department of Defense; [14]
Michele Flournoy, Under Secretary of Defense (Policy) at the U.S. Department of Defense; Cite error: Closing </ref> missing for <ref> tag
David Ogden, Deputy Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice[15]
Elena Kagan, Solicitor General, U.S. Department of Justice[15]
Tom Perrelli, Associate Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice [15]
Dawn Johnsen, Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel, , U.S. Department of Justice.[15]
James B. Steinberg for Deputy Secretary of State, U.S. Department of State, [16]
Jacob Lew, Deputy Secretary of State, U.S. Department of State,[16]
Thomas E. Donilon as Deputy National Security Advisor, U.S. Department of State,[16]
Tony Blinken as National Security Advisor to the Vice President.[16]
Cassandra Butts, Deputy White House Counsel[17]
Elizabeth Sears Smith, Deputy Cabinet Secretary;[17]
Shawn Maher, Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs for the United States Senate;[17]
Dan Turton, Deputy Director of Legislative Affairs for the United States House;[17]
Dr. John Holdren, Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Co-Chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST); [18]
Dr. Jane Lubchenco, Nominee for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Administrator;[18]
Dr. Eric Lander, Co-Chair, President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST);[18]
Dr. Harold Varmus, Co-Chair, President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST).[18]

http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Barack_Obama/Appointments_and_nominations_as_President

Those that were sabotaging the power sector have taken over power. Vandalization of gas pipe line was one of the instruments the apc elements used to discredit the achievement of the Jonathan's govt in the power sector.

Baba please do something about this. That of Civil Defence is worse. What values had these people brought to the Services to merit a special promotion?

On August 22, 2014, a
concerned Immigration officer
wrote an open letter to former
President Goodluck Jonathan
on what he called the
“unministerial conduct” of the
then Minister of Interior,
Comrade Patrick Abba Moro.
Copies of the letter were sent
to the then Senate President,
Senator David Mark, Senate
Committee on Interior and the
Head of Service of the
Federation.

The officer accused the former
Minister of abuse of office,
corruption and impunity.
It was equally alleged by the
concerned officer that junior
officers above their seniors
was the order of the day under
the Minister since he assumed
office in 2011.
Agencies under the Ministry of
Interior are Nigeria
Immigration Service (NIS),
Nigeria Prison Service (NPS),
Federal Fire Service (FFS) and
Nigeria Security and Civil
Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Allegations were also rife that
the sleaze and injustice in
Immigration led to a fight
between Moro and former
Comptroller General of
Immigration, Rose Chinyere
Uzoma, over staff recruitment
and that resulted in her ouster
on January 16, 2013.

She was succeeded by Rilwan
Bala Musa in an acting capacity
before the appointment of the
current CGI, David Shikfu
Parradang, on June 10, 2013.
Uzoma reportedly disagreed
with Moro over his alleged
penchant for staffing
Immigration with people from
his Idoma ethnic nationality in
Benue State.
The woman was said to have
complained to those close to
her that the powers-that-be
were literarily forcing her to
engage many people from a
particular ethnic nationality in
Immigration Service.

Prior to that time, it was
gathered that Comptrollers-
General were empowered to
recruit staff on Grade Levels
One to Seven. But after the
fight between Moro and
Uzoma, the right was
withdrawn and handed over to
the board and Head of Service
of the Federation.
Although the FFS, NSCDC, NIS
and NPS are under the control
of a board (Civil Defence, Fire,
Immigration, and Prisons
Services Board), which is
responsible for the
appointment and promotion of
staff, the role of the board was
alleged to have been eroded
by corruption and meddling
from higher quarters.

Buhari cancels special
promotion

In the face of these weighty
allegations, President
Muhammadu Buhari has
ordered the cancellation of
special promotion granted 30
officers of the NIS.
Those affected are 22 senior
officers and eight junior ones.
Patrick P. Moro, younger
brother to the immediate past
Minister is among the junior
officers who have been
ordered to revert to their
former ranks with immediate
effect.

Buhari had earlier ordered the
State Security Service (SSS) to
cancel the promotion exercise
it conducted for its staff in the
last days of the administration
of former President Goodluck
Jonathan, due to “observed
lapses.”

An SSS memo, signed by one,
Toma C. Minti and dated July
3, 2015, urged those that
benefitted from the exercise
“to revert to their former ranks
with immediate effect.”

A wide category of staff that
were “promoted, converted
and upgraded” by the exercise
would be affected.

“In view of the observed lapses
in the promotion exercise
released from March 31, 2015
to date, the President,
Commander-in-Chief of the
Armed Forces of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria has directed
its suspension forthwith. The
personnel affected include
those promoted, converted and
upgraded within the period
under review,” the memo said.

“The DGSS has constituted a
committee to handle the
review of all the cases,” it said,
urging its offices across the
country to disseminate the
information to all personnel.

The letter conveying the NIS
promotion dated May 27, 2015,
was signed by the Secretary of
the Civil Defence, Fire,
Immigration and Pensions
Services Board (CDFIPB) Alhaji
A.A. Ibrahim.
Ibrahim’s letter to the
Comptroller General of NIS,
David Parradang reads:
“Forwarding of the list and
respective letters of 22 names
of senior officers and eight
junior officers recommended
for special promotion. I am
directed to convey approval of
the CDFIB for the special
promotion of the under-listed
officers.

“In the exercise of your
delegated responsibility, you
are expected to conduct the
production and issuance of the
individual officers’ letter of
promotion. Please accept the
Board’s highest consideration
in this regard including our
hearty congratulations to the
affected officers”.

Those to lose ranks

According to investigations by
Nigerian NewsDirect, the
affected 22 senior officers
(Inspectorate Cadre) are:
James Sunday (ACI-DCI);
Momoh Aipon Brahim ((ACI-
DCI); Chidi Nwadiaro (ACI-DCI);
Isa Oddor Adamu (CSI-ACI);
Nuruddeen M.M. (SI-CSI);
Yelichini M. Wilberforce (DCII-
CII); Odimegwu Curtis Ernest
(ASCI-DSI); Dotun Aderibigbe
(CSI-ACI); Abdulrasheed Sheu
(CSI-ACI); Dike Chukwuemeka
Michael (ACI-DCI); Halima Umar
Usman (PII-ACII).

Others include Friday Akor
Etuka (ASI II –ASI I); Dallah
Yusuf (SII-PII); Attah Godwin
(SII-PII); Ali Matthew (II-SII);
Ameh Elechenu (SII-PII); Onah
Francis (SII-PII); Odah A.
Gabriel ((SII-PII); Eche Ejeh (SII-
PII); Oloja Francis (SII-PII);
Ngbede Isa (II-SII) and Vembe
Paul Aondona (II-SII).

The eight junior officers
(Assistant Cadre) who
benefitted from the
controversial exercise are:
Adamu Dalo (AII); Michael
Adegbe (CIA); Ukombe Marcus
(IA I); Kenneth Okoye (IA I);
Ekoja Simon (IA2); Patrick P.
Moro (IA I); Haruna Ngbede (IA
I) and Okobia Simon (IA I).

How CGI kicked against
promotion

A combination of dejection and
spirit of rebellion had pervaded
the air around the NIS over the
controversial mass promotion.
Scores of petitions were
forwarded to the board by
aggrieved staff demanding that
the exercise be cancelled.
Parradang also wrote against
the promotion, an exercise
which earned him a question
mark from the Permanent
Secretary.

Parradang had written a
protest letter to the CDFIPB,
arguing that the promotions
should be reversed because
they did not follow due
procedures.
Moro was Chairman of the
board until the end of last
administration on May 29,
2015.

Parradang’s protest letter to
the Director/Secretary, against
the promotion was written on
June 8.
The letter entitled Re: Release
of year 2014 senior officers
promotion results” reads: “I
wish to draw your kind
attention to the above subject
matter and to invite you to
recall that Mr. HY Malgwi
(Deputy Comptroller General –
HRM) represented me in most
of the meetings of the CDFIPB
preparatory to the release of
the results of the 2014 Senior
Officers promotion Exercise.

“However, I consider it
expedient to inform the CDFIPB
that available intelligence
coupled with a barrage of
complaints, with which my
office is being inundated,
indicate that majority of
officers and men of the Nigeria
Immigration Service are
disgruntled over the outcome
of the last promotion exercise,
particularly the ‘Special
Promotion’ in favour of 30
officers/men, conveyed vide
three letters, all with Reference
No. CDFIPB/FFS/SP/REQ/429/1
and dated 27th May, 2015.

“Although the Public Service
Rules do not make any specific
reference to the concept of
Special Promotion, the CDFIBB
Guidelines for Appointment,
Promotion and Discipline of
August, 2012 provides in
Paragraph ‘C’ of page 20 of the
document as follows: “SPECIAL
PROMOTION – A reward for
excellence – Promotion in the
Board shall be based on merit.

However, in deserving cases,
the Board in consultation with
the Services may identify and
offer special promotion to
officers who show commitment
and exceptional brilliance in the
discharge of their
responsibilities and
performance of duty in the
services.

“Paragraph 3 above
presupposes that no officer of
the NIS can be considered for
“special promotion” unless
there has been due
consultation between the
Board and the NIS, that such an
officer has been identified and
deserves to be so honoured for
exceptional performance of his
official duties. It can be safely
inferred that the identification
of such an officer may be by
way of letter of
recommendation from the
Comptroller General of
Immigration Service or even
any other authority/person
outside the NIS and the NIS
thereafter forwards the name
(s) of such officer(s) with the
particulars of the exceptional
performance of duty to justify
any deserved honour from the
CDFIPB in the magnitude of
“special promotion”.

“My attention has been drawn
to this position by officers who
are apparently aggrieved by
the development, especially as
it is being alleged that the
process was seemingly not
only laden with irregularities
but had encroached into the
2015 vacancies for promotion.
See Annex 1 and 11.

“It may be necessary to also
point out here that the
consternation being generated
by the outcomes of the last
promotion exercise, including
the special promotion cases,
may not be in our best interest,
as Officers/Men who carry arms
and charged with the
enormous and very sensitive
responsibility of securing our
borders, among other duties
which have direct bearing on
national security, should
ordinarily not be performing
such duties with low morale or
disaffection. Apart from
breeding gross indiscipline in a
uniform service like ours, which
operates on the bedrock of
seniority, such untoward
situation may also impact
negatively on our reinvigorated
efforts at ensuring effective
and efficient service delivery to
Nigerians and foreigners alike.
The multiplier effect of these
scenarios can be better
imagined.

“The essence of this letter
therefore, is to urge the CDFIPB
to convene a special meeting
with a view to critically looking
into the issues at stake and to
take necessary steps to
redeem the good image of the
Board and the hard-earned
integrity of its esteemed
members.

“While the above is for your
consideration and necessary
action, please accept as always
the renewed assurances of my
high regards and esteemed
consideration”.

Parradang restated his
opposition to the promotion
while speaking with Nigerian
NewsDirect in an exclusive
interview in his Abuja office on
June 17.
“I have seen that special
promotion, I will talk to you
very categorically about that.
The Act that establishes the
Immigration and Prisons
Services Board has specific
provisions for special
promotions and in special
promotions, there is a provision
in that Act and it is strictly on
recommendation by the
individual’s service and it must
have been a recommendation
from their act of gallantry or a
performance of a job that has
been done to warrant special
promotion. Those are the
procedures for special
promotions”, he explained.

A day after the publication,
Parradang incurred the wrath
of some powerful forces for
crying aloud against the
promotion.

Permanent Secretary squeals
on CGI

The Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Interior, Abubakar
G. Magaji, questioned the CGI
over the interview.
In a June 29 memo with
reference number FMI/
PSO/020/T1/187, entitled “Re:
Immigration to annul Moro’s
special promotion”, the
Permanent Secretary said:
“My attention has been drawn
to a publication by the Nigerian
NewsDirect newspaper,
Vol.5.No.31, at front page and
page 11 of Monday June 29,
2015, with the above caption
(copy attached). In view of the
provisions of the Public Service
Rules on Publication and Public
Utterances, particularly PSR No.
030421 (i) (b) and (c) and PSR
No. 160601 under Application
of the Public Service Rule to
Federal Government
Parastatals, you are requested
to comment on the contents of
the Report. Please accept my
warm regards”.

Consequently, Parradang
fortified his action saying “I
hereby acknowledge the
receipt of your letter FMI/
PSO/020/T1/187 dated 29th
June on the above subject
matter and state as follows:
“That in line with the provisions
of Public Service Rules (PRS)
030421 (i) and Section 27 of
the Freedom of Information Act
(FOIA), I did grant interview to
the Executive Editor of
NewsDirect newspaper, one
Mr. Rotimi Durojaiye, a
fortnight ago on a variety of
issues.

“That in the course of the
conversation and in response
to his question on the
modalities used by the Civil
Defence, Immigration, Prisons
and Fire Services Board
(CDFIPB) in the last special
promotion, I told him that I
take exception to the exercise
because due procedures as
spelt out in Paragraph ‘C’ page
20 of the CDFIPB Guidelines for
Appointment and Discipline of
August 2012 were not followed.

“That never a time in the
conversation did I tell the
journalist that the NIS would
annul the said Special
promotion because I know that
the NIS does not have such
powers hence my protest letter
to the appropriate quarters. I
also told him that I protested
the exercise when it became
clear to me that due process
was not observed in the
nomination of the beneficiaries
of the said special promotion
because of my understanding
of the negative implications of
elevating subordinates far
above their superiors without
proven reasons. The
implications of such exercise
on discipline and general
motivation of the workforce in
the long run especially as a
Service under arms cannot be
over estimated.

“I hereby enclose the audio
device of the interview and full
publication of the same in the
NewsDirect newspaper for the
consideration of the Permanent
Secretary.
“Kindly accept as always, the
assurances of my high
regards”.

Furore over foreign postings

While the dust created by the
board headed by the former
Minister over the special
promotion is yet to settle, there
is also open talk of low morale
of NIS officers on foreign
missions.

About 75 percent of names of
officers on foreign missions are
said to have come from the
former Minister’s office.
Aggrieved officers are
therefore calling on President
Buhari to recall all officers of
the NIS who are in foreign
missions.

Nigerian NewsDirect learnt that
majority of the officers in
foreign missions are from a
section of Nigeria, with Benue
State having the lion’s share.
The officers who are said to be
paid allowances in hard
currencies also draw their
monthly salaries at home. They
are also entitled to free
accommodation wherever they
are posted to.

Benue state has 14 (about 32
percent) out of 93 officers
posted to 40 countries across
the world.
It is followed by Imo State with
nine officers, closely followed
by Plateau State which has
eight officers.
Kwara, Ebonyi, Anambra, Cross
River, Lagos, Ogun, Kano,
Jigawa and Niger States have
only one officer each in foreign
missions.
While Bauchi, Kogi and Rivers
States have five officers each,
Kaduna and Edo have four
officers each outside the
country.
Katsina, Osun, Zamfara and
Abia have three officers each
representing them in foreign
missions, while Bayelsa, Borno,
Kebbi, Oyo, Delta, Adamawa,
and Sokoto have only two
officers each.

The exercise had drawn
criticisms from other members
of the service who felt that
their states had been shut out.
But while defending the
postings during his interview
with Nigerian NewsDirect,
Parradang had stated that “the
criteria used in foreign posting
are the federal character
adopted all over the country
and we try to pick the best of
our officers to serve in
missions abroad”.

Many aggrieved officers are
seeking redress and are
insisting that the last days of
Moro be probed by the
administration of President
Buhari, especially concerning
promotions in the parastatals
under the Ministry of Interior.
The complaining officers who
produced copious documents
to establish the malpractices
urged President Buhari to come
to their rescue by instituting an
enquiry into the rushed
promotion exercise.

An officer added that “the
corruption in the board is
responsible for these
promotion scams. If you attend
an interview without following
it up at the board, you are sure
to lose out despite your score
in the promotion exam.
“The board is headed by a
Director/Secretary and is
answerable to the Minister of
Interior who is the Chairman.
But corruption and nepotism
climbed the wall during the last
board under the Minister.
“His style did not go down well
with many directors on the
board and the Permanent
Secretaries in the Ministry. But
he appeared to have the power
to remove them. In fact, he
removed up to four directors
and Permanent Secretaries
who opposed him. He was very
powerful”.

Various attempts to get the
side of the Director/Secretary
of the Board and Moro were
unsuccessful.
One of the former aides of
Moro who does not want his
name in print, said the
allegations of corruption and
nepotism against his ex-boss
were false, saying those
making the allegations should
come forward with evidence to
substantiate them.

He insisted that there was no
way “he could have
circumvented the rules guiding
appointments and promotions
in the agencies because they
are laid down”.

NIS Public Relations Officer,
Chukwuemeka Obua, an
Assistant Chief Inspector, said
he could not comment on any
of the issues “because my boss
has spoken”.
The dust raised by the board
and Moro hasn’t settled yet,
and it is not likely to settle
soon.

Impunity On August 22, 2014, a concerned Immigration officer wrote an open letter to former President Goodluck Jonathan on what he called the “unministerial conduct” of the then Minister of Interior, Comrade Patrick Abba Moro. Copies of the letter were sent to the then Senate President, Senator David Mark, Senate Committee on Interior and the Head of Service of the Federation. The officer accused the former Minister of abuse of office, corruption and impunity. It was equally alleged by the concerned officer that junior officers above their seniors was the order of the day under the Minister since he assumed office in 2011. Agencies under the Ministry of Interior are Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Prison Service (NPS), Federal Fire Service (FFS) and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). Allegations were also rife that the sleaze and injustice in Immigration led to a fight between Moro and former Comptroller General of Immigration, Rose Chinyere Uzoma, over staff recruitment and that resulted in her ouster on January 16, 2013. She was succeeded by Rilwan Bala Musa in an acting capacity before the appointment of the current CGI, David Shikfu Parradang, on June 10, 2013. Uzoma reportedly disagreed with Moro over his alleged penchant for staffing Immigration with people from his Idoma ethnic nationality in Benue State. The woman was said to have complained to those close to her that the powers-that-be were literarily forcing her to engage many people from a particular ethnic nationality in Immigration Service. Prior to that time, it was gathered that Comptrollers- General were empowered to recruit staff on Grade Levels One to Seven. But after the fight between Moro and Uzoma, the right was withdrawn and handed over to the board and Head of Service of the Federation. Although the FFS, NSCDC, NIS and NPS are under the control of a board (Civil Defence, Fire, Immigration, and Prisons Services Board), which is responsible for the appointment and promotion of staff, the role of the board was alleged to have been eroded by corruption and meddling from higher quarters. Buhari cancels special promotion In the face of these weighty allegations, President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the cancellation of special promotion granted 30 officers of the NIS. Those affected are 22 senior officers and eight junior ones. Patrick P. Moro, younger brother to the immediate past Minister is among the junior officers who have been ordered to revert to their former ranks with immediate effect. Buhari had earlier ordered the State Security Service (SSS) to cancel the promotion exercise it conducted for its staff in the last days of the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, due to “observed lapses.” An SSS memo, signed by one, Toma C. Minti and dated July 3, 2015, urged those that benefitted from the exercise “to revert to their former ranks with immediate effect.” A wide category of staff that were “promoted, converted and upgraded” by the exercise would be affected. “In view of the observed lapses in the promotion exercise released from March 31, 2015 to date, the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has directed its suspension forthwith. The personnel affected include those promoted, converted and upgraded within the period under review,” the memo said. “The DGSS has constituted a committee to handle the review of all the cases,” it said, urging its offices across the country to disseminate the information to all personnel. The letter conveying the NIS promotion dated May 27, 2015, was signed by the Secretary of the Civil Defence, Fire, Immigration and Pensions Services Board (CDFIPB) Alhaji A.A. Ibrahim. Ibrahim’s letter to the Comptroller General of NIS, David Parradang reads: “Forwarding of the list and respective letters of 22 names of senior officers and eight junior officers recommended for special promotion. I am directed to convey approval of the CDFIB for the special promotion of the under-listed officers. “In the exercise of your delegated responsibility, you are expected to conduct the production and issuance of the individual officers’ letter of promotion. Please accept the Board’s highest consideration in this regard including our hearty congratulations to the affected officers”. Those to lose ranks According to investigations by Nigerian NewsDirect, the affected 22 senior officers (Inspectorate Cadre) are: James Sunday (ACI-DCI); Momoh Aipon Brahim ((ACI- DCI); Chidi Nwadiaro (ACI-DCI); Isa Oddor Adamu (CSI-ACI); Nuruddeen M.M. (SI-CSI); Yelichini M. Wilberforce (DCII- CII); Odimegwu Curtis Ernest (ASCI-DSI); Dotun Aderibigbe (CSI-ACI); Abdulrasheed Sheu (CSI-ACI); Dike Chukwuemeka Michael (ACI-DCI); Halima Umar Usman (PII-ACII). Others include Friday Akor Etuka (ASI II –ASI I); Dallah Yusuf (SII-PII); Attah Godwin (SII-PII); Ali Matthew (II-SII); Ameh Elechenu (SII-PII); Onah Francis (SII-PII); Odah A. Gabriel ((SII-PII); Eche Ejeh (SII- PII); Oloja Francis (SII-PII); Ngbede Isa (II-SII) and Vembe Paul Aondona (II-SII). The eight junior officers (Assistant Cadre) who benefitted from the controversial exercise are: Adamu Dalo (AII); Michael Adegbe (CIA); Ukombe Marcus (IA I); Kenneth Okoye (IA I); Ekoja Simon (IA2); Patrick P. Moro (IA I); Haruna Ngbede (IA I) and Okobia Simon (IA I). How CGI kicked against promotion A combination of dejection and spirit of rebellion had pervaded the air around the NIS over the controversial mass promotion. Scores of petitions were forwarded to the board by aggrieved staff demanding that the exercise be cancelled. Parradang also wrote against the promotion, an exercise which earned him a question mark from the Permanent Secretary. Parradang had written a protest letter to the CDFIPB, arguing that the promotions should be reversed because they did not follow due procedures. Moro was Chairman of the board until the end of last administration on May 29, 2015. Parradang’s protest letter to the Director/Secretary, against the promotion was written on June 8. The letter entitled Re: Release of year 2014 senior officers promotion results” reads: “I wish to draw your kind attention to the above subject matter and to invite you to recall that Mr. HY Malgwi (Deputy Comptroller General – HRM) represented me in most of the meetings of the CDFIPB preparatory to the release of the results of the 2014 Senior Officers promotion Exercise. “However, I consider it expedient to inform the CDFIPB that available intelligence coupled with a barrage of complaints, with which my office is being inundated, indicate that majority of officers and men of the Nigeria Immigration Service are disgruntled over the outcome of the last promotion exercise, particularly the ‘Special Promotion’ in favour of 30 officers/men, conveyed vide three letters, all with Reference No. CDFIPB/FFS/SP/REQ/429/1 and dated 27th May, 2015. “Although the Public Service Rules do not make any specific reference to the concept of Special Promotion, the CDFIBB Guidelines for Appointment, Promotion and Discipline of August, 2012 provides in Paragraph ‘C’ of page 20 of the document as follows: “SPECIAL PROMOTION – A reward for excellence – Promotion in the Board shall be based on merit. However, in deserving cases, the Board in consultation with the Services may identify and offer special promotion to officers who show commitment and exceptional brilliance in the discharge of their responsibilities and performance of duty in the services. “Paragraph 3 above presupposes that no officer of the NIS can be considered for “special promotion” unless there has been due consultation between the Board and the NIS, that such an officer has been identified and deserves to be so honoured for exceptional performance of his official duties. It can be safely inferred that the identification of such an officer may be by way of letter of recommendation from the Comptroller General of Immigration Service or even any other authority/person outside the NIS and the NIS thereafter forwards the name (s) of such officer(s) with the particulars of the exceptional performance of duty to justify any deserved honour from the CDFIPB in the magnitude of “special promotion”. “My attention has been drawn to this position by officers who are apparently aggrieved by the development, especially as it is being alleged that the process was seemingly not only laden with irregularities but had encroached into the 2015 vacancies for promotion. See Annex 1 and 11. “It may be necessary to also point out here that the consternation being generated by the outcomes of the last promotion exercise, including the special promotion cases, may not be in our best interest, as Officers/Men who carry arms and charged with the enormous and very sensitive responsibility of securing our borders, among other duties which have direct bearing on national security, should ordinarily not be performing such duties with low morale or disaffection. Apart from breeding gross indiscipline in a uniform service like ours, which operates on the bedrock of seniority, such untoward situation may also impact negatively on our reinvigorated efforts at ensuring effective and efficient service delivery to Nigerians and foreigners alike. The multiplier effect of these scenarios can be better imagined. “The essence of this letter therefore, is to urge the CDFIPB to convene a special meeting with a view to critically looking into the issues at stake and to take necessary steps to redeem the good image of the Board and the hard-earned integrity of its esteemed members. “While the above is for your consideration and necessary action, please accept as always the renewed assurances of my high regards and esteemed consideration”. Parradang restated his opposition to the promotion while speaking with Nigerian NewsDirect in an exclusive interview in his Abuja office on June 17. “I have seen that special promotion, I will talk to you very categorically about that. The Act that establishes the Immigration and Prisons Services Board has specific provisions for special promotions and in special promotions, there is a provision in that Act and it is strictly on recommendation by the individual’s service and it must have been a recommendation from their act of gallantry or a performance of a job that has been done to warrant special promotion. Those are the procedures for special promotions”, he explained. A day after the publication, Parradang incurred the wrath of some powerful forces for crying aloud against the promotion. Permanent Secretary squeals on CGI The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Abubakar G. Magaji, questioned the CGI over the interview. In a June 29 memo with reference number FMI/ PSO/020/T1/187, entitled “Re: Immigration to annul Moro’s special promotion”, the Permanent Secretary said: “My attention has been drawn to a publication by the Nigerian NewsDirect newspaper, Vol.5.No.31, at front page and page 11 of Monday June 29, 2015, with the above caption (copy attached). In view of the provisions of the Public Service Rules on Publication and Public Utterances, particularly PSR No. 030421 (i) (b) and (c) and PSR No. 160601 under Application of the Public Service Rule to Federal Government Parastatals, you are requested to comment on the contents of the Report. Please accept my warm regards”. Consequently, Parradang fortified his action saying “I hereby acknowledge the receipt of your letter FMI/ PSO/020/T1/187 dated 29th June on the above subject matter and state as follows: “That in line with the provisions of Public Service Rules (PRS) 030421 (i) and Section 27 of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), I did grant interview to the Executive Editor of NewsDirect newspaper, one Mr. Rotimi Durojaiye, a fortnight ago on a variety of issues. “That in the course of the conversation and in response to his question on the modalities used by the Civil Defence, Immigration, Prisons and Fire Services Board (CDFIPB) in the last special promotion, I told him that I take exception to the exercise because due procedures as spelt out in Paragraph ‘C’ page 20 of the CDFIPB Guidelines for Appointment and Discipline of August 2012 were not followed. “That never a time in the conversation did I tell the journalist that the NIS would annul the said Special promotion because I know that the NIS does not have such powers hence my protest letter to the appropriate quarters. I also told him that I protested the exercise when it became clear to me that due process was not observed in the nomination of the beneficiaries of the said special promotion because of my understanding of the negative implications of elevating subordinates far above their superiors without proven reasons. The implications of such exercise on discipline and general motivation of the workforce in the long run especially as a Service under arms cannot be over estimated. “I hereby enclose the audio device of the interview and full publication of the same in the NewsDirect newspaper for the consideration of the Permanent Secretary. “Kindly accept as always, the assurances of my high regards”. Furore over foreign postings While the dust created by the board headed by the former Minister over the special promotion is yet to settle, there is also open talk of low morale of NIS officers on foreign missions. About 75 percent of names of officers on foreign missions are said to have come from the former Minister’s office. Aggrieved officers are therefore calling on President Buhari to recall all officers of the NIS who are in foreign missions. Nigerian NewsDirect learnt that majority of the officers in foreign missions are from a section of Nigeria, with Benue State having the lion’s share. The officers who are said to be paid allowances in hard currencies also draw their monthly salaries at home. They are also entitled to free accommodation wherever they are posted to. Benue state has 14 (about 32 percent) out of 93 officers posted to 40 countries across the world. It is followed by Imo State with nine officers, closely followed by Plateau State which has eight officers. Kwara, Ebonyi, Anambra, Cross River, Lagos, Ogun, Kano, Jigawa and Niger States have only one officer each in foreign missions. While Bauchi, Kogi and Rivers States have five officers each, Kaduna and Edo have four officers each outside the country. Katsina, Osun, Zamfara and Abia have three officers each representing them in foreign missions, while Bayelsa, Borno, Kebbi, Oyo, Delta, Adamawa, and Sokoto have only two officers each. The exercise had drawn criticisms from other members of the service who felt that their states had been shut out. But while defending the postings during his interview with Nigerian NewsDirect, Parradang had stated that “the criteria used in foreign posting are the federal character adopted all over the country and we try to pick the best of our officers to serve in missions abroad”. Many aggrieved officers are seeking redress and are insisting that the last days of Moro be probed by the administration of President Buhari, especially concerning promotions in the parastatals under the Ministry of Interior. The complaining officers who produced copious documents to establish the malpractices urged President Buhari to come to their rescue by instituting an enquiry into the rushed promotion exercise. An officer added that “the corruption in the board is responsible for these promotion scams. If you attend an interview without following it up at the board, you are sure to lose out despite your score in the promotion exam. “The board is headed by a Director/Secretary and is answerable to the Minister of Interior who is the Chairman. But corruption and nepotism climbed the wall during the last board under the Minister. “His style did not go down well with many directors on the board and the Permanent Secretaries in the Ministry. But he appeared to have the power to remove them. In fact, he removed up to four directors and Permanent Secretaries who opposed him. He was very powerful”. Various attempts to get the side of the Director/Secretary of the Board and Moro were unsuccessful. One of the former aides of Moro who does not want his name in print, said the allegations of corruption and nepotism against his ex-boss were false, saying those making the allegations should come forward with evidence to substantiate them. He insisted that there was no way “he could have circumvented the rules guiding appointments and promotions in the agencies because they are laid down”. NIS Public Relations Officer, Chukwuemeka Obua, an Assistant Chief Inspector, said he could not comment on any of the issues “because my boss has spoken”. The dust raised by the board and Moro hasn’t settled yet, and it is not likely to settle soon.

This story was on thisdaylive online before 6:30am this morning. For reasons best known to them, it was yanked away. Why? Was the management settled?
Well nlanders the story has been put back. Could Thisday be on nairaland?

Bickering, rancour and
bitterness have become the
lot of officials of the
Nigeria Immigration
Service due to arbitrary
promotions and postings
that run contrary to laid
down procedures, writes
Chinedu Eze
The Nigeria Immigration
Service (NIS) is remembered
more today for the 21
applicants that were
stampeded to death on March
15, 2014 and the angst of the
Nigerian public when the
outgone government did not
show enough remorse.
Besides, the job promised the
relatives to the victims did not
materialise till the last day of
the immediate past
administration as shady efforts
were made to employ some of
the relatives of those victims.
However, informed source said
those relatives have not
received their appointment
letters and this simply meant
that they were not employed.
The tragic incident opened up a
can of worms on what went on
under the then Minister of
Interior, Abba Moro as it
concerned NIS. Moro’s lack of
contrition after the tragic
incident and the inability of the
then administration to punish
those involved in the
recruitment saga, sagged the
existing goodwill that the then
government had.
The Nigeria Immigration
Service is still reeling in the
throes of the policies and
actions taken under Moro that
had given rise to disaffection
among Immigration officers, as
those who used to be junior
officers were suddenly
promoted above their seniors
without any defined procedure
or record of gallantry to define
such unusual favour in a
paramilitary system where
promotion is done in batches
and special promotions come
many years in-between.
Recruitment Racket
Before the tragic incident of
March 2014, the NIS had a
tradition of organising
recruitment exercise every
other year and according to
inside sources, after the
exercise the officials involved
go to buy lands and vehicles
and usually few people were
employed and sometimes no
one was employed.
In response to the last year
exercise, which turned tragic
the past administration raised
a presidential committee to
work out how the relations of
the victims could be employed.
It was after the general
election the committee
seemingly swung into action
and recruited some applicants
some of whom were related to
the victims of the March
exercise but this was not
ratified by the Immigration
Board because of the shoddy
way and questionable manner
it was done, disclosed an inside
source.
“Few days to the end of the
former administration, the
Presidential Committee
suddenly woke up from their
slumber to organise interviews,
issued illegal appointment
letter to the alleged relatives of
those who were affected by the
2014 recruitment exercise.
That appointment has not been
documented because the
Board of the Nigeria
Immigration Service was not
consulted,” the source told
THISDAY.
Promotion and Posting
Under the former Minister of
Interior it was alleged that the
procedure for promotion and
posting was abandoned and
arbitrary system was adopted
determined by variables that
could only be explained by
those who took charge at that
time. THISDAY learnt that those
who are aggrieved in the
system today include the
officers who had not been
promoted since the last 10
years while those under them
had been promoted twice in
four years and some were
promoted every year.
“There were those who were
promoted because of where
they came from and others
who were posted to juicy
places because of the same
reason. The former Minister
turned our rules upside down
and now there is no more
respect among officers
because it is difficult for you to
salute a senior officer who was
two years ago your very junior.
It is not because of his
gallantry but because he came
from the former Minister’s tribe
or state; or in the case of
women because her husband is
from that community as the
Minister,” a disenchanted
Immigration officer told
THISDAY.
Before the last administration
the policy in Immigration was
that when officers are posted
for Foreign Service they were
promoted when they return
after four years so that they
would be in line with their
colleagues who were in the
same batch with them. This is
called special promotion. But
under the last Minister, special
promotion was done every
year.
“Out of 26 posted to new
missions 12 are from Benue
(Idoma), 10 from Plateau, and
the rest was shared by the
remaining 34 states and
Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
But the procedure before now
was that every state is given
one position, now the special
promotion was being done
every year. Officers now don’t
give respect to their superiors
because many of the superiors
were their juniors. The
President should institute probe
panel into NIS,” said another
embittered Immigration official.
The official said Comptroller
General of NIS, David Paradang
was most of the time side-lined
and therefore was not privy to
the posting, recruitment and
promotions and that was why
he recently wrote formal letter
to the Ministry of Interior to
protest the latest promotion
done in NIS before the exit of
the last administration.
It was alleged that he was
never allowed to make inputs
in the posting of officers to
those juicy areas like Port
Harcourt, Abuja, Ikoyi, Festac,
Ikeja passport offices and
those also posted to the
Murtala Muhammed
International Airport, Lagos.
THISDAY gathered that foreign
posting for Immigration officers
was published in March, 2015
and it did not follow the federal
character policy. Ideally, every
state should have one
Immigration command, “but
commanders from Benue state
controllers were manning five
states which include Edo,
Festac Passport Office, Ogun
state, Benue state itself and
Delta. And in Command
Controllers, officers from
Benue are in charge of Lagos,
Cross River, Oyo and Imo
states.”
Emoluments
Part of the grievances of
Immigration officials was the
fact that most of their
allowances are not being paid.
They attributed it to the poor
financial management of the
past administration because
what was budgeted for the
Service this year was 35 per
cent of last year’s budget, “So
allowances and other fringe
benefits of officers are not
being paid, including transfer
allowances and death benefits.
The former Minister was more
interested in special
promotions and foreign
posting,” one of the officials
alleged.
High Cost of Passport
Under Moro the cost of
obtaining international
passport rose from N8, 750 to
N19, 500. It was alleged that
he awarded contract to Greater
Washington Limited, an air
cargo company to distribute
passports to applicants and N2,
000 was added to each
passport; then the e-payment
platform which was contracted
to a company known as New
Works was at N2, 500 per
passport.
Insiders said the cost was
outrageous and exploitative
and these were part of what
jerked up the price of the
passport.
“But what baffles us is that the
applicants collect their passport
at the point of issue so the
company, Greater Washington
is virtually doing nothing, so
why are collecting N2, 000 per
passport? They started on
August 1, 2014 and till now it is
not on record they have
distributed any passport. At this
time of hardship for Nigerians
he (Former Minister of Interior)
jerked up the price of passport.
There is so much animosity,
indiscipline, complacency and
bitterness among the officers
right now!”
But top official of Greater
Washington told THISDAY in an
interview that the company’s
job was not the distribution of
passport but the verification,
authenticating the addresses
and other information supplied
by the applications; “that is the
thrust of our job with
Immigration.”
The official who disclosed that
the company has over 400
employees located at different
airports in the country also told
THISDAY that the exercise was
to avert a situation Nigerians
provide fake information in
their passports and go to
commit crimes overseas and
when caught it would be
difficult to trace them thereby
casting doubt on the
authenticity of the Nigerian
passport.
“Applicants come to apply for
passports with fake addresses
and other information. They
open account in banks with
fake information and when
investigated the addresses
they provided are non-existent.
So our job is to verify this
information supplied by the
applicants. There was a tragic
incident that happened recently
where a woman drug courier
died overseas and when the
body was to be brought to
Nigeria it was discovered that
the address in her passport
was fake. Since August 1, 2014
we started work we have been
able to eliminate this problem,
which brings shame to the
country,” the official said.
He said the N2, 000 that is
charged is not meant for
Greater Washington alone but
other agencies help to facilitate
the verification exercise,
including IT Company, NIS and
others.
This was confirmed by the NIS
Public Relations Officer, Emeka
Obua who told THISDAY that
NIS engaged Greater
Washington and New Works on
Public Private Partnership (PPP)
basis, adding that Greater
Washington has been very
helpful in the verification of
information supplied by
passport applicants.
“Some people use false
addresses so we use that
company to authenticate the
addresses and other
information. The verification
exercise is very important.
Some addresses are fictitious.
There is no contract on PPP that
does not go through the office
the Attorney General of the
Federation, so by contracting
out the verification NIS has not
negated the policy of
government.”
On the high cost of the
passport, Obua said, “NIS
introduced new booklet which
is 64 pages, so the number of
pages has increased and it has
enhanced security and other
new features. As far as we
know, no Nigerian has
complained about the increase
in price of the passport and you
have to note that persons
under the age of 18 and
pensioners still pay the old
price.
“We also want to prevent the
system whereby people will
use the passport to commit all
kinds of atrocities and that is
why we are very strict in
change of name and change of
date of birth. If you want such
change you will have to pay
N30, 000 non-refundable fees
to the coffers of government
which we use to process it. We
ask you to bring your
certificates and other
supporting documents.”
On special promotion that take
place too regularly in
Immigration during the past
administration, Obua said for
that fact that the federal
government nullified the last
promotion done recently in
some agencies justified the
action of the Comptroller
General to protest the last
special promotion exercise
done in NIS, which together
with others have left many of
the officials highly embittered
and aggrieved.