According to sources, the Presidency is under pressure to revisit investigations into the $180m Halliburton scandal. They claim that some groups are being covertly sponsored to file petitions at the International Criminal Court (ICC) against the former president over the killing of innocent people in Odi and Zaki-Biam communities in Bayelsa and Benue States respectively.
The former president had during his tenure ordered troops to invade Odi over the killing of military men by militants. A similar infraction that provoked the same measure happened in Zaki-Biam.
The alleged counter-attack by the Presidency is coming against the backdrop of recent public criticism of President Goodluck Jonathan’s handling of the Boko Haram insurgency and other security challenges by Obasanjo.
Barely a week after the airing of the critical comments, Jonathan hit back during his presidential media chat saying that rather than stamp out militancy, the Odi invasion only killed innocent old people and children.
The spat between the president and his erstwhile godfather is seen in political circles as the latest evidence of increasingly tense 2015 power struggle within the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP). Obasanjo is said not to be favourably disposed towards backing a Jonathan second term. He is suspected to be one of the boosters of a potential presidential bid by the Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido with the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as the undercard.
Investigations by our correspondent confirmed that the camp of the former President had been gripped with fear in the last one week over the alleged plot by certain forces in the presidency to launch a campaign of calumny against him.
It was learnt that the ex-President after receiving intelligence alert last weekend tried to stop some negative advertisements against him in some newspapers, but he only succeeded in convincing a South-West-based newspaper to grant him concession.
Apart from media attacks, loyalists of the ex-President are disturbed about moves to revisit investigations into the Halliburton scam, as well as plans by some influential groups to go to the ICC.
A highly reliable source in Obasanjo’s camp, who spoke in confidence yesterday, said: “They are planning to deal with Baba because they think he will not support the 2015 project. Already, they have started this plot with media attacks, including placement of indicting advertisements against Obasanjo.
“We have got intelligence report that some people are trying to prevail on the Presidency to revisit the $180m Halliburton scandal since Mr. Adeyanju Bodunde, a former Personal Assistant to Obasanjo, was implicated in the alleged scam.
“They are plotting to frame up the ex-President in the Halliburton scandal. It is sad that they are desperate; they want to hang something on Obasanjo’s neck in order to intimidate him to shelve any involvement in 2015 project. Yet, we are in a democracy. Obasanjo should be entitled to his opinion no matter how bitter it is.”
Bodunde was arraigned in 2010 alongside George Mark, Jeffrey Tesler (now at large), Hans George Christ, Heinrich J. Stockhausen, Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, and Bilfinger Berger GMBH.
George Mark, Jeffrey Tesler, Hans George Christ, Heinrich J. Stockhausen; Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Bilfinger Berger GMBH were alleged to have sometime between 2002 and 2003 conspired to make several cash payments of $1million (five times) totalling in equivalent the sum of $5million to Bodunde. They were alleged to have committed the offence contrary to Section 16 of the Money Laundering Act 1995(as saved by Section 23(2) of the Money Laundering Act 2004) and punishable under Section 15(2) and (3) of the Money Laundering Act 1995(as saved by Section 23(2) of the Money Laundering Act, 2004). Julius Berger had engaged in plea bargain.
The source also admitted that if there is any worry at all in Obasanjo’s camp, it is the ICC dimension to the plot against the former President.
“They want to use some groups to write petitions to ICC on Odi military campaign in 1999 and the Zaki-Biam issue. Their plan is to put an obstacle before Obasanjo to distract him from serving as a rallying point for politicians of like minds seeking a fundamental change in 2015,” he said.
“At least a group from Bayelsa State has indicated interest in filing petition before the ICC. So, you can see what we are saying and why we have every cause to be concerned. Even at that, Obasanjo has not told any of his associates the direction he wants to go in 2015. I do not know what is behind this witch-hunt.”
When contacted, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, said: “What I can say is that this government is not witch-hunting anybody, it does not do so.
“Let me put it on record that it is not the style of President Goodluck Jonathan to witch-hunt or intimidate anybody. The President is an extremely liberal person, he does not believe in vengeance or oppressing anyone.”
Okupe also denied any crisis of confidence between the President and Obasanjo.
He added: “The media may present the situation as if there is a problem between the President and ex-President Obasanjo, but there is no truth in such insinuation. From inside, I do not see any issue or disagreement between the President and our former leader.
“Ex-President Obasanjo is an elder statesman and somebody that enjoys the love and respect of the Presidency.”
TheNation
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