PDP Crisis: Splitting On Precedents Of Irresponsibility? By Ifeanyi Izeze

Self-deceit is defined as a misconception that is favourable only to the person who holds it. For some days now, handlers of Jonathan’s politics preferred to adopt new rhetoric by believing there is no crisis in the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP). Though the Bible says “as a man thinketh in his heart, so he is,” saying there is no crisis under the umbrella is obviously an act of praying the wrong way.
In a country or rather a party where precedents of irresponsibility and criminal impunity have been set, was it not surprising that the Tukur leadership and their apologists are crying foul when few months ago, the same President and the Tukur-led executive of the party outrightly preferred to recognize a dissident faction of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) led by the Plateau state governor, Jonah Jang? After all the governors voted, as recorded on video, the Rivers state governor, Chibuike Amaechi got 19 votes against Jang who scored 16. But the Presidency the same day recognized and hosted Jang as the NGF chairman in the villa.
If 16 was greater than 19 as in the Nigerian Governors Forum arithmetic where Jang was recognized instead of Amaechi, and 5 greater than 27 as in the Rivers State House of Assembly (RSHA), obviously the seven PDP governors of the new PDP should be greater than the 16 pro-Jonathan governors remaining in the old PDP. Why won’t this make sense in the warped mindset of the leadership of the party since precedents have been set using such arithmetic?
First it was the same Presidency that raised the Akwa Ibom state governor, Goodswill Akpabio as leader of a dissident faction of the Nigerian Governors Forum labeled the PDP Governors’ Forum. And there was nothing wrong with that.
This same Tukur-led NWC recognized the dissident faction of the PDP in Rivers state against the statutory and authentic leadership of the party in the state. And this was applauded.
Also the same Presidency and the Tukur-led NWC preferred to recognize and announce the candidate that emerged from a convention held by the dissident faction of the PDP in Anambra state just because the candidate that emerged from the authentic faction of the party in the state, Andy Uba was affiliated to former President Olusegun Obasanjo who has been challenging the way the party was being managed under the BamangaTukur leadership.
The Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Tony Anenih like the elder statesman and intelligent fixer he has always been, honestly on Tuesday September 3 admitted that leading figures of the party who broke away on Saturday August 31 have genuine grievances and valid reasons to have taken the action.
“I believe some of them have genuine grievances. But I have hope that once the grievances are addressed, they will come back. I am happy that the PDP has an internal mechanism for effective conflict resolution, and at the end of the day, the problems will be addressed and the PDP will come out of the crisis stronger. The Presidency and PDP leadership would take advantage of the peace talk to also consult widely on how to amicably resolve the crisis.”
It was an outright self-deceit for some sycophants and self-seeking PDP chieftains to say that the issues raised by the dissenting group in the PDP had no basis. Whether or not the leadership of the old party agreed with the issues that formed the core crux of the walkout, asking a tangible proportion of your membership including those that can be rightly described as leaders of the party to go to hell was an outright arrogance which has turned out now to be a very costly one. If you can do without them, why worry about their exit? You see what I mean?
The walk-out followed what the splinter group called unrelenting attacks on democratic ethos by the leadership of the party chaired by octogenarian businessman Bamanga Tukur, the man believed to be Jonathan’s henchman. As claimed, the new faction was formed to end the years of impunity, lack of internal democracy and respect for party rules by the current leadership of the party.
The question should be whether the Kawu Baraje-led faction of the PDP has any locus standi to challenge the factional leadership of Bamanga Tukur. The answer is yes because almost all members of the Baraje-led faction are not only staunch members of the PDP but well known chieftains and leaders of the party in various capacities at various levels.
Let’s even ask: What led to the resignation of most members of the National Working Committee (NWC)? Was it not the flouting of the directives from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the Bamanga Tukur leadership? What are we saying: which group should actually be referred to as a dissident faction? This is what you get in a culture of impunity.
Is it true that names of party chieftains deemed unsympathetic to the President were struck out of the list of aspirants for the different national positions up for grabs at the convention?
Was it not a shame that notwithstanding the fact that INEC had noted that the PDP congresses in nine states including Rivers were not conducted before the August 30 convention, the illegal delegates from such states were paraded at the convention in a cynical attempt to circumvent the electoral laws?
No matter how anybody feels about him, was Governor Amaechi not statutorily supposed to be the leader of the Rivers State delegation to Saturday August 31 special convention of the party that was genuinely out for peace? Who led the delegation from Port Harcourt and why were they recognized rather than being treated as a dissident faction? Across the ranks of the PDP especially in the national leadership, it has been from one case of impunity and irresponsible decision to another and now it’s back-firing.
No doubt, how President Jonathan manages the unfolding drama in the ruling party will have a lot to speak of his political sagacity. He has to quickly without waiting for any more time, reach out for new friends. How Jonathan plays his politics in the light of all these regional interests and aspirations that have found expression in some political parties, will determine whether PDP will go down with him or whether he would prevail.
It is very unfortunate that though the president’s people know they lack the political sagacity, number and even the acceptability to make Jonathan president come 2015, the diplomacy they should apply in approaching the issue of the president’s second term ambition is lacking. They are rather very arrogant and combative and this is not going to work. Mark my words!
Threatening fire and brimstone against any opposition- real or imaginary to Jonathan’s 2015 ambition is only an expression of disabled and unintelligent mindsets. Imagine the street talk that “Jonathan must be president whether Nigerians vote for him or not.” How shall this thing be? As rightly advised by Chief Anenih, provocative statements from both sides of the PDP would only worsen the crisis. And contrary to the act of winning elections by shootings and intimidation at the state and council levels, at the national arena of our political space intelligence and informed scheming rule. Bros, hear now o!
(IFEANYI IZEZE is an Abuja-based Consultant and can be reached on: iizeze@yahoo.com; 234-8033043009)

Saharareporters

“Are We Truly Ready to Develop and Unite Nigeria? By Sanusi Lamido Sanusi

“Let me start by saying that I am Fulani (laughter). My grandfather was an Emir and therefore I represent all that has been talked about this afternoon. Sir Ajayi has written a book. And like all Nigerians of his generation, he has written in the language of his generation.”



“My grandfather was a Northerner, I am a Nigerian The problem with this country is that in 2009, we speak in the language of 1953. Sir Olaniwun can be forgiven for the way he spoke, but I cannot forgive people of my generation speaking in that language.”

“Let us go into this issue because there are so many myths that are being bandied around. Before colonialism, there was nothing like Northern Nigeria, Before the Sokoto Jihad, there was nothing like the Sokoto caliphate. The man from Kano regards himself as bakane. The man from Zaria was bazazzage. The man from Katsina was bakatsine. The kingdoms were at war with each other. They were Hausas, they were Muslims, and they were killing each other. “The Yoruba were Ijebu, Owo, Ijesha, Akoko, Egba. When did they become one? When did the North become one? You have the Sokoto Caliphate that brought every person from Adamawa to Sokoto and said it is one kingdom.They now said it was a Muslim North.”

“The Colonialists came, put that together and said it is now called the Northern Nigeria. Do you know what happened? Our grand fathers were able to transform to being Northerners. We have not been able to transform to being Nigerians. The fault is ours. Tell me, how many governors has South-West produced after Awolowo that are role models of leadership? How many governors has the East produced like Nnamdi Azikiwe that can be role models of leadership? How Manygovernors in the Niger Delta are role models of leadership? Tell me. There is no evidence statistically that any part of this country has produced good leaders. You talk about Babangida and the economy. Who were the people in charge of the economy during
Babangida era? Olu Falae, Kalu Idika Kalu. What state are they from in the North?”

“We started the banking reform; the first thing I heard was that in Urobo land, that there will be a curse of the ancestors. I said they (ancestors) would not answer. They said why? I said how many factories did Ibru build in Urobo land? So, why will the ancestors of the Urobo people support her?”

“We talk ethnicity when it pleases us. It is hypocrisy. You said elections were rigged in 1959, Obasanjo and Maurice Iwu rigged election in 2007. Was it a Southern thing? It was not.”

“The problem is: everywhere in this country, there is one Hausa, Ibo, Yoruba and Itshekiri man whose concern is how to get his hands on the pile and how much he can steal.Whether it is in the military or in the civilian government, they sit down, they eat together. In fact, the constitution says there must be a minister from every state.”

“So, anybody that is still preaching that the problem of Nigeria is Yoruba or Hausa or Fulani, he does not love Nigeria. The problem with Nigeria is that a group of people from each and every ethnic tribe is very selfish. The poverty that is found in Maiduguri is even worse than any poverty that you find in any part of the South. The British came for 60 years and Sir Ajayi talked about few numbers of graduates in the North (two at independence) . What he did not say was that there was a documented policy of the British when they came that the Northerner should not be educated. It was documented. It was British colonial policy. I have the document. I have published articles on it. That if you educate the Northerner you will produce progressive Muslim intellectuals of the type we have in Egypt and India. So, do not educate them. It was documented. And you say they love us (North).”

“I have spent the better part of my life to fight and Dr. (Reuben) Abati knows me. Yes, my grandfather was an Emir. Why was I in the pro- democracy movement fighting for June 12? Is (Moshood) Abiola from Kano ? Why am I a founding director of the Kudirat Initiative for Nigerian Development (KIND)?

“There are good Yoruba people, good Igbo people, good Fulani people, good Nigerians and there are bad people everywhere. That is the truth.”

“Stop talking about dividing Nigeria because we are not the most populous country in the world. We have all the resources that make it easy to make one united great Nigeria . It is better if we are united than to divide it.”

“Every time you talk about division, when you restructure, do you know what will happen? In Delta Area, the people in Warri will say Agbor, you don’t have oil. When was the Niger Delta constructed as a political entity? Ten years ago, the Itshekiris were fighting the Urobos. Isn’t that what was happening? Now they have become Niger Delta because they have found oil. After, it will be, if you do not have oil in your village then you cannot share our resources.”

“There is no country in the world where resources are found in everybody’s hamlet. But people have leaders and they said if you have this geography and if we are one state, then we have a responsibility for making sure that the people who belong to this country have a good nature.”

“So, why don’t you talk about; we don’t have infrastructure,­ we don’t have education, we don’t have health. We are still talking about Fulani. Is it the Fulani cattle rearer or is anybody saying there is no poverty among the Fulani?”

This is a great message to our generation. Are we truly ready to develop and unite Nigeria?

"Jonathan and the big fight" - by: Salisu Suleiman.....

That many Nigerians are delighted with the seeming implosion of the self-acclaimed Africa’s largest political group, Peoples Democratic Party (PD) is not a secret. What many suspect, but refrain from voicing out is the fear that when push comes to shove, PDP and its various factions may come together rather than lose control power and all the privileges that come with it.

PDP has a history of internal wrangling, but has always managed to patch over those differences before every election to cling to power at all costs. The party’s numerous fights have never been about principles, policy direction or even about governance. The night meetings, long knives, legal battles and theater all come down to who presides over the depletion of Nigeria’s resources.

Traditionally, the fight to partake in the sharing formula is what has driven PDP’s constant internal wrangling; the same fact that in the end brings back aggrieved members – even in shackles. Not many in the PDP fold can rise beyond the hunger for power and influence, no matter how peripheral.

However, PDP’s current fight is anything but traditional, and the actors are after more than just tangential power and influence. What makes this implosion more intricate is that for the combatants, especially the self-styled PDP, it is fight for political survival and therefore a fight to the finish. No matter the pretexts, it is evident that President Goodluck Jonathan not only wants a second term, but is working assiduously, if behind the scenes, to actualize it. Members of New PDP, understanding the dynamics of power from experience, are clearly determined to take control of, or at worst, destroy the base. The stage is clearly set for a big fight.

While the back-stabbings, betrayals and sheer deceptive powers of the main actors may amuse Nigerians for a while, the fact remains that Jonathan’s already poor governance record deteriorate even more, further worsening the security and economic challenges government has been unable to tackle over the last four years. What is disheartening is that this is a fight that Jonathan didn’t have to fight, and a distraction that he can do without. But because he chose to abandon all the election promises he made, the president not only has to face his political adversaries, but has little sympathy from most Nigerians.

All Jonathan needed to do to silence his political opponents was to address some of the most fundamental issues affecting Nigeria today: corruption, poverty, insecurity, unemployment and infrastructural decay. If Jonathan had managed to free himself from the narrow clique deceiving him with heavily padded data about so-called economic growth that not translated into jobs and improved living conditions for Nigerians, he would know all except the most selfish beneficiaries of his kabu-kabu economics are happy that the party that elevated him to power is breaking up, and that he may end up without a credible platform on which to re-contest the presidential elections.

Unfortunately, like all presidents before him, Jonathan has surrounded himself with cronies and hangers-on who would tell him anything except that truth: Nigerians have become poorer and less secure since he became president; corruption is unparalleled, even by Nigeria’s very low standards, the fine figures about economic growth being bandied about means nothing to majority of Nigerians; Boko Haram still kills and maims at will; 20 million Nigerian youth still have no work and no prospects; education and health are complete shambles, our road networks are pockmarked with potholes and craters; religious and regional divisions are tearing Nigerians apart.

Jonathan’s big fight is not only with members of New PDP. Undoubtedly, with the likes of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and governors Sule Lamido, Babangida Aliyu, Murtala Nyako, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Rotimi Amaechi, Aliyu Wammakko and others comprise formidable opponents.

But what leverage does Jonathan have over them, and what would be their motivation for supporting him? If anything, a Jonathan triumph would very likely translate into jail terms for them, as James Ibori would confirm. Incidentally, most of the major contenders see themselves as qualified for, and therefore, potential candidates for the presidency.

Interestingly, there may be no guarantees for Jonathan even from the South – South and South – East. Of the northern governors that are currently on his side (reports indicate that more may jump ship) governors like Isa Yuguda, Ibrahim Shema, Jonah Jang, Gabriel Suswan, Mukhtar Yero – may not have enough influence to deliver their home states nor control their state delegates at crucial moments – like the presidential primaries – which is actually the root of the current crises.

Still, in the unlikely event that PDP manages to mend its seriously compromised foundations and presents Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential candidate, how many Nigerians will genuinely re-elect a president that has presided over unmatched looting of the treasury while hunger, insecurity, poverty and unemployment have worsened? Persuading Nigerians to re-elect him, and not PDP – whether new or old – will be Jonathan’s biggest fight.

Statue of the Giant Arhuanran Of Udo

This giant statue was sculptured to the memory of Arhuanran{Goliath type stature}a very powerful warrior and ruler of Udo. Oba Esigie {About 1504-1550AD} ascended the Benin throne at the peak of a war threat from Udo. Esigie in Benin City and Arhuanran in the town of Udo, about 20 miles from Benin City to the northwest. Udo then, was an important centre almost as large and powerful as
Benin City. His brother Arhuanran who was tricked from ascending the Benin throne due to palace intrigues, decided to go into battle with the new Oba. The battle was fought and won by Oba Esigie. Arhuanran drowned himself in Lake Odighi N’Udo.
Chief Osemwughe the Iyase of Udo took arm again against the monarchial authority to avenge the defeat and the death of Arhuanran his master cut the victory celebration short.

Oba Esigie launch a war on Udo once again .Udo was destroyed chief Osemwughe and his rebel armies fled. West of Benin kingdom now part of Yoruba land.
Oba Esigie determine to put an end to Udo rebellion once and for all. Sent royal troops under the command of Odobo and Aile to pursue them in the process the Benins royal army builds military camps {Eko} along the way some of these camps {Eko} are now towns in Yoruba land.
Some of the Camps are camp Odobo {Eko-Odobo} name after general Odobo contracted into Akotogbo and camp Ikalo {Eko-Aile}name after general Aile was contracted to Ikale.

Osemwughe and his militants gave themselves up; when they could not face the war machines of the Benins royal troops much longer.
They were later given a royal pardons by Oba Esigie but decided not to return to Udo .chief Osemwughe and his party were called Emma n’ Udo{the Udo deserters} which was later contracted to Ondo and the leader of the militants chief Osemwughe was mispronounced Osemawe a title by which all Ondo monarchs are now known.

No Tears For PDP By Peter Claver Oparah

PDP, that party that flatters itself as the biggest party in Africa is strapped to the death bed. It is hit with a serious ailment. It is ravaged by schism and implosion from within to the extent that the falcon cannot hear the falconer. Things have fallen apart for the party and mere anarchy and internal conflagration eats deep into the sinews of the party. For a start, the PDP had been adept in managing the greed of the Nigerian politician. Not that the art itself is rocket science but with huge resources to play with, with no real commitment to delivering the much abused democratic dividends, the PDP had reached to the elephantine greed that fires Nigerian politics and had leveraged on such fantastic power containment template to meld the many fractures and tempests that have wracked the party since formation. To the extent that the leaders of the party have come to believe that theirs is an impregnable forte, there has been a dangerous relegation of governance to meet the insatiable needs and interests of party chieftains, fixers, space fillers and hangers on. Nigeria has been the worst for the brand of politics PDP plays and every sector in the country is reeking from such diversion of resources to satiate the acerbic whims and caprices in the PDP.

From all possible indices, the umbrella which had rather excelled in shielding Nigeria from positive impacts of democracy is torn into shreds. The bevy of unethical and immoral Nigerians that have always converged under that rickety umbrella are in a free fight. PDP is set on an irreversible path of self destruction. It is presently being assailed by pangs of self immolation and unlike before, it is not blaming the opposition for its sordid fate. Selfishness and egotistic considerations are the factors that rule their present fight, as well as the legions of internal wars the party had been passing through since inception. Aiming to get the juicier chunk of the very pie that PDP had been cornering and employing as tool for mass pauperization remains the firing pin of the present battles the PDP is enmeshed in. The dirty and illicit interests of individual members, cabals and groups within the PDP had been the recurrent issue in the many wars the PDP had been fighting as well as the do and die manner with which it approaches the quest for power in Nigeria. Nigerians have been praying for the demise of this evil behemoth and from all indications, God has hearkened to their prayers this time around.

In the past, doomsday prophecies about PDP’s predictable implosion have not really materialized. The reason is not for want of sufficient grounds to rest a possible disintegration of the party but that the party had always been handy in handing out illicit entrapment to keep its internal discontents in check. This has negatively affected governance delivery as critical resources that would have bettered the worsening lots of Nigerians were deployed to settle the grumbling fat nabobs in PDP. It did not take any effort to notice the huge gash such misapplication of resources inflicted on the entire nation as the nation’s fate worsened while that of PDP members and chieftains blossomed. Our roads deteriorated as death traps, our schools got interred in rot, our hospitals became sprawling mortuaries, complete darkness spread over the land, youth unemployment become so dire that PhD holders scrambled for driver’s jobs, insecurity and dread chased all Nigerians to fortified bunkers and to their graves, corruption and vice triumphed. Life became one smooth enterprise in savagery, brutishness and misery.

PDP had been immodest in flattering itself as the biggest party in Africa but it knows that there is no love lost between it and majority of Nigerians. It knows very well that if Nigerians were allowed to vote in a free and fair election, it would have long become history. Much of its strength is artificial, derived from sexing up electoral results procured with awful deployment of brute tactics and engaging in deadly gerrymandering to corner every electoral victory in sight. It knows that Nigerians hate it with a passion yet it will not shy from boasting at every given occasion that it is a destination of choice for grudging Nigerians. Curiously, a party that had been in power for fourteen uninterrupted years had been finding it difficult articulating the sparkling credentials it had wrought with power because there is no real achievement and success story to tell. The PDP had been shy of predicating its insatiable quest for newer power on its performance in power. Rather, it had been a mish mash of bravura, propaganda and attempts to intimidate the people with its so called strength.

So, it was just natural that the present tempest ravaging the PDP will happen. It was just natural that one day, the same medications of greed and intimidation with which the PDP had been guarding its flanks will fail and when this happens, the disparate tendencies that converged in the party as a nest for meeting their base desires will go their different ways. It is just natural that the many contradictions and indecent flaps in PDP will seek out the party and rip it to the seams so as to free Nigerians from its vice grip. That is what is happening at present as the party and its members battle with their lives  to contain the present wave of fictionalization, insurrection and widespread schism. It is only that the traditional palliatives are not working now and a splinter faction has divided the battle within the PDP such that sides have been taken and the prologue for a long and enervating internal war is being written now.

Nigerians have prayed and longed for this moment when its main troubler will come to harm. The brewing crisis in the PDP is good and healthy for Nigeria, for Nigerians and for the concept of democracy which had suffered great devaluation in the hands of the PDP for the past fourteen years. In the ensuing battle within the PDP lies the last hope for the fading concept of democracy in Nigeria. Truth is that democracy had been taken to ridiculous low since 1999 and it is just hanging by the whiskers. In the gathering storm in PDP lies the hope for the recovery of the huge mileage the locusts have devoured from our national life these past fourteen years. In the sure-footed balkanization of the PDP that is trending now lies the hope that Nigerians can pull off something from this democracy that had been so banally abused.
So let no one, ruled by the greater interest of the Nigerian nation, pray for the survival of the PDP. I know that the buccaneers and shibboleths that have milked Nigeria for the past fourteen years through the PDP are dreading the fate that befalls them should their house of commotion crumble, as it is going at present. But Nigerians will be well rewarded should this umbrella which had assured Nigeria of continued decay, rot and degradation come to ruins soon and very soon. Nigerians will have its elections freed from the crucible it had been sentenced to these past fifteen years if the PDP dies. The progressive decay and rot that had hit our infrastructures will be arrested if PDP dies. The litany of woes and contradictions that have visited our country with the PDP governance will reverse if PDP dies. So let no one shed any tears for the PDP. It has lived its full life. It had exhausted its bests for the country in fourteen years of woeful and disastrous leadership. Nigeria does not need it again so it has to go up in smokes for Nigeria to start the process of recovery. Let PDP die for Nigeria to make any meaningful progressive stride!


Peter Claver Oparah
Ikeja, Lagos

Saharareporters

Title Renunciation: Olu of Warri rescinds decision

By BETTY IDIALU
Ogiame Atuwase II WARRI - After four days of protest over his decision to renounce the title ‘Ogiame’, The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwase II, has bowed to the wishes of his subjects. The Itsekiri monarch yesterday succumbed to the wishes of his subjects not to renounce the title when tension heightened around his palace. Atuwase II had allegedly planned to relinquish the traditional title of “Ogiame’’ for a yet to be disclosed title, but the decision did not go down well with the entire Itsekiri people. The Olu of Warri, who claimed the title Ogiame is associated with “Sea goddess’’, said he had nothing to do with the deity. The Itsekiri people began the protest on September 7 by besieging the Atuwase II’s palace to press home their demand that their monarch should rescind his decision. A statement issued by 22 Palace Chiefs at the height of the protest, criticised the decision of the monarch to renounce the title of Ogiame. The statement read by one of the Chiefs, Mrs. Rita Lori-Ogbebor, noted that Ogiame had nothing to do with the worship of any deity. Meanwhile, the Itsekiri protest entered its third day, there was an unprecedented crowd around the Palace of the Olu of Warri and the Olu of Warri play ground at Ajamimogha in Delta State. Yesterday, protesters came out as early as 7am dressed in red which they say was symbolic and to inform the King that there was danger looming in ’Iwere ‘land if the Monarch fails to rescind his decision of dropping the ‘Ogiame ‘Title. Mr. Fredrick Omaghumi and Mr Ekens Gbubemi both Itsekiris while speaking with the NIGERIAN OBSERVER said what every Itsekiri is saying is that the title ‘Ogiame’ was handed over to them by their fore fathers and that no one can stop the King from practicing his Christian faith but that the Ogiame Title is sacrosanct to the Itsekiir people and Itsekiri tradition. Speaking further, “this is about age long tradition, the first Olu of Warri to become a Christian was the 6th Olu who after his education brought the crown from Portugal and was never stopped from practicing his Christian religion, adding that the present Olu who holds a Master’s Degree in Law and has spent 26 years on the throne has been ruling them well and there has been no problems between the Monarch and his subjects. That he is the 10th Olu to be a Christian. They however blamed some Chiefs in Itsekiri Kingdom who they said misinformed the King on the Ogiame Title. According to them, when the Olu was enthroned he told us that he is a Christian and we accepted him and we are very loyal to him despite his faith. But there is no Ogiame without the Olu and no Olu without Ogiame. Itsekiri, according to them, was erroneously translated to mean king of water but rather, the first Olu of Warri, King Ginuwa who was a son to the Oba of Benin was sent to Warri to rule over the people across the water hence the title Ogiame, meaning the king across the water. TheNigerianObserver

Farida Waziri Threatens To Expose Obasanjo.

by Sunny_bobo

Former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Dr (Mrs) Farida Waziri,OFR has reminded former President Olusegun Obasanjo that ability to be used to witch hunt political enemies in the rabid pursuit of a third term agenda has never been part of the qualifications for appointment as chairman of the anti-graft agency. Waziri stated this while reacting to publications on allegations made against her by the former president. Obasanjo had been quoted as saying that Waziri was not qualified to head the EFCC when she was appointed chairman of the Commission. According to the statement personally signed by Waziri “My attention has been drawn to a number of allegations made against me by Mr Obasanjo. One of such was the alleged involvement of former Delta state governor, James Ibori in my appointment. While I hold the office of a Head of state, either serving or retired in the highest esteem, I will like to put on record for the umpteenth time that this is totally unfounded, blantant lie and arrant falsehood. It is therefore worrisome when a man who has been twice a Nigerian head of state can descend so low to peddle falsehood. The truth is that I never met Ibori in my life until after months in office as chairman of the EFCC when I used to see him in the presidential villa. It is on record today that I initiated the investigation that drove Ibori into the waiting hands of Interpol and Metpolice. As such, it is illogical and nonsensical for anyone to continue to insinuate that Ibori has a hand in my appointment. I remember this was one of the lies Obasanjo’s sit-tight pawns cooked to stop my appointment as EFCC chairman in 2008. “On the issue of qualifications raised by Obasanjo, the qualification for appointment as chairman of the Commission as stipulated in its Establishment Act says that the chairman shall ‘be a serving or retired member of any government security or law enforcement agency not below the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police or equivalent; and possess not less than 15 years cognate experience’. Late President Yar’adua did not have to alter the Establishment Act when he was appointing me unlike what Obasanjo did. “Again for the records, I served in the Nigeria Police force for 35 years and got to the pinnacle of my career before my appointment as EFCC chairman. If Obasanjo’s real age has not blurred his memory, I will like to remind him that I was a Commissioner of Police, Admin Force CID, CP General Investigations, CP Anti-fraud, CP X squad, CP Police Special Fraud Unit where I secured the first conviction in a case of Advance Fee Fraud in Nigerian history. These are all prime investigative organs of the Nigeria Police where I related with other law enforcement agencies including the FBI across the world. I must place on record that at SFU, I did not only relate with FBI, Interpol and Metpolice among others , we carried out joint operations at different times on a number of cases. I have also led the Nigerian delegation to the Interpol headquarters in France. “To further expose the height of mischief in the allegations, the past and present chairmen of the EFCC have both worked under me, yet someone can open his mouth to say I am not qualified to head the same agency. This is in addition to my educational qualifications such as a first degree in Law, a Master degree in Law and another Master degree in Strategic studies. I doubt if Obasanjo himself can boast of this level of educational qualifications. “I will also like to remind Obasanjo that no chairman of the EFCC has till date beaten my records in terms of investigation of high profile cases, prosecution, conviction and recovery. “I will like to warn that those who live in glass house don’t throw stones and as such Obasanjo should not allow me open up on him.Respectable elder statesmen act and speak with decorum” NairaLandForum