Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL)

The Humanity Centre: 610, Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Ijaye Bus stop, Ijaye-Ojokoro.

P.O. Box 1592, Agege, Lagos, Nigeria. Tel: 01-4736534, 08023226276, 08037194969

Website:www.thehumanitycentre.org E-mail: cacolc@yahoo.com, dadnig@yahoo.com

Name, Nail, Shame and Shun Corrupt Leaders Anywhere, Everywhere

PRESS STATEMENT

Power probe: Elumelu’s Report must be made public, trial transparent

The Coalition Against Corrupt leaders (CACOL) received with shock and disbelief the news of the attempt to sweep under the carpet, the report of the celebrated 16 billion-dollar power probe that took the House of Representatives so much time, energy and public funds to compile in 2008. We are shocked that a subterranean committee had to be set up to discredit the report of a probe procedure that the same House carried out in the full glare of the whole world through live transmission on global television channels. We are even more astounded that several months after the Nigerian Public have been informed that the probe report was ready for open debate technical errors are being invented out of it just to render it useless.

We viewed this move with disbelief because President Yar’Adua who first raised the alarm of multi-billion dollar waste in the power sector and all who matter in his administration had promised Nigerians not to leave any stone unturned to bring everyone indicted by the probe panel to justice. It is therefore a hocus-pocus that they all turn around to concur with the concoction that the $16 billion-spend with less power to show for it was well spent!

What gives us more concern is that the Federal Government is fast developing a penchant for rubbishing any report that unsettles it by setting up other phony committees to review reports compiled by statutory panels or lord it over agencies that comes up with such reports. The treatment meted out on the Uwais Electoral Reform Panel by setting up a review panel on its white paper and the setting up of Okiro investigative committee to take over the Halliburton Scam Probe from the EFCC is just two of such embarrassing examples. We believe the administration could disband such panels and agencies if it does not have complete confidence in them before, not after completing their assignments.

The setting up of a seven-man committee by the House of Reps to review the report of the Ndudi Elemelu-led Committee on Power probe is the latest of the antics of different arms of the Yar’Adua’s government to bail their indicted cronies out of their malfeasance. It is more embarrassing that after all these games of gymnastics with logic, the hunters usually become the hunted. And this practice has robbed Nigeria of services of patriotic and incorruptible citizens to take up assignments to bust corrupt practices in our society. This further calls to question the commitment of the administration to the fight the corruption monster and make it unattractive to our political leaders. It is instructive that all efforts by various agencies, committees and panels to bring culprits in all corruption scandals in Nigeria like those of Sagem I.D. card, Halliburton, Siemens have been stalled by administrative land mines orchestrated by agents of such culprits in various government ministries, departments and agencies.

While we are not exculpating Mr. Ndudi Elumelu from the current 157-count criminal charges being faced by him and his colleagues at the Federal High Court in Abuja, we only hope he is not being given the ‘Ribadu Treatment’ because of his Ribadu investigative style. ‘Ribadu Treatment’ is the reprisal attack a few Nigerians who dared to be forthright get for their effort in all criminal investigations that indict the powerful and the mighty in our society.

Just like Mal. Nuhu Ribadu stepped on powerful but thieving toes while he held way at the EFCC, so did Elumelu while his investigation of contract scams by his panel lasted. One of the former governors whom Ribadu investigated was said to have threatened the latter with a sack, a demotion and a criminal prosecution. The daring Malam is just a few moments away from the last lap of the promised punishments; having been unceremoniously fired, his promotion ‘reverted’ and he is currently being hunted for criminal charges. Equally like in the case of Nuhu Ribadu who was promptly declared wanted for criminal cases by his successors in EFCC, the speed with which EFCC swung to action in indicting, arresting and arraigning Elumelu and his colleagues is suspicious.

While we in CACOL believe that a trap does not catch a fox that walks away from suspicious tracks, we hope Mr. Elumelu is not a victim of orchestrated but vindictive frame-up by members of the cabals that his power probe report indicted. We are aware that Elumelu’s colleagues in the House had earlier made a couple attempts to nail him and discredit his report without success. We are equally aware that several unsuccessful efforts had been made to jettison the presentation of the report on the floor of the house. But the whole Nigerians, and indeed the whole world are aware during the investigation that contracts were awarded to fictitious, illegal and incompetent contractors and firms. If nothing else we know that the condition of our power supply has plummeted in the past six years when the NIPP was inaugurated more drastically than before it.

We are aware the chief accounting officer of that regime, General Olusegun Obasanjo and at least two ministers of the regimes power ministry, Olusegun Agagu and Lyel Imoke who later became governors through questionable circumstances were on top of the list of those recommended for prosecution. We are also aware that the trio and the companies they favoured whose men are still calling the shot in government are capable of manipulating the process against their indictors for their ‘pound of flesh’.

Whatever the case is however, CACOL would want the House of Representatives make the report and recommendations of power probe public forthwith. Even if it needs to be confined into the waste-bin of history Nigerians should be allowed their say on it. EFCC should make whoever is indicted face the law earlier than the Elumelu’s group whose indictments came later. The EFCC should not walk the talk that it is a tool of vengeance and selective justice. We would not want Elumelu’s report debated while the principal writer would be in captivity. In all, the presentation, debate of Elumelu’s report as well as the trial of any one in the present circumstances should be made public, equitable and transparent.

Debo Adeniran

Chairman, CACOL

08037194969

dadnig@yahoo.com

Sunday, 17 May 2009