Igbo group backs President
G15, EFCC in war of words

FINALLY, the gloves have been removed and the battle for the President’s seat in 2011 is set to draw blood.

Last night, former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, took the battle to the door step of his former boss, Chief Olusegun Aremu Okikiolu Obasanjo.

Atiku, in an explosive interview with the Nigerian Compass on Saturday, pooh-poohed the suspected backing of Chief Obasanjo for President Goodluck Jonathan, describing it as a non issue.

Alhaji Atiku, who is eyeing the office he was denied in 2003 by Obasanjo, pointedly declared that his former boss is a liability to any aspirant to the office.

Also yesterday, a group of Northern elite, the Northern Political Leaders Forum, (NPLF), which also goes by the name G-15, warned President Jonathan against using the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) to witch-hunt governors who are opposed to his yet-to-be-declared aspiration for the election next year.

But the EFCC swiftly replied, sayng that it had been above board in its conduct.

Atiku, who spoke to Nigerian Compass on the telephone last night, said that his former boss is not just a liability to President Jonathan's ambition, but is offering a support that would not win the presidency for Jonathan.

Atiku, who claimed to be the best man in the race currently, said that he was not unaware of moves within the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) to stop him from running for the presidential election next year, because of the feeling within the party that he is the only politician in the race that can really unsettle and defeat Jonathan.

“If elections are held today in the country and they are free and fair, no candidate can beat Atiku because so far, I am the only politician – and a very experienced one at that – that is so far in the race. I am the only aspirant who has so far made public my blueprint for the transformation of Nigeria,” he said.

The former Vice President added: “My policy choices are excellent and fundamental to the future of Nigeria. They include job creation, security, infrastructure development, quality healthcare and education, good governance, war against corruption and the development of the Niger Delta.”

He stated further: “How can anybody take the support of Obasanjo serious, the Obasanjo whose public image is so disastrous and who is a liability to any aspirant?”

In the past few weeks, Atiku's return to the PDP has become a subject of discord, following the stance of the party that the former Vice President was not yet its member and could not claim to be contesting for the presidency on its platform. The party also holds that it is only after Atiku has been cleared from his state (Adamawa) as a registered member that he can be considered for a waiver within the party.

But Atiku disagrees. He said that the decision was an old system adopted from the Obasanjo era, where strong contenders were banned to pave way for the incumbent. He said that this time around, the tactic would no longer be acceptable as it had become worn out.

He said, “If you ask me, I will say there is a grand conspiracy to stop me from the presidential race. It’s a new manifestation of an old problem. Why are they afraid of me? It is simply because they know that I am the best politician to get things done in the country today.

“This entire story about the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) membership and waiver is part of the grand scheme to exclude me. How come, that a waiver was given (anticipatorily) to a South-east Governor ahead of a decision to become a PDP member. The whole scheme is saddening because it lacks creativity. Must you exclude other candidates from an election to achieve your own victory? Why can’t they, I mean the Jonathan political machine be a bit more creative and do things differently from General Olusegun Obasanjo?”

He said that if Jonathan was convinced about his candidacy and was sure he could win in a free and fair election, there was no need to start excluding his would-be opponents.

He also wondered why the PDP has not dared former Military President, Gen. Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, reasoning that it was possible the Jonathan handlers are devising a means of dealing with Babangida.

“If you think you are sure of yourself as a candidate that can win, then remove the obstacles from the path of the others. Create a level playing field and let Nigerians decide who they want to be their next President. Everything is stacked against me because I am the one that they fear. They are not doing this to Babangida and if you ask, I don’t know what their strategy is, as to how they will deal with him. I don’t know if they have a strategy against IBB. I know IBB to be a smart politician even when he wore military uniform. But it is Atiku that they are worried about, and it is him that they want to exclude from the race before it even starts,” he said.

Atiku added, “Let me warn that those old tactics have ran out. This election will not be a credible election if candidates are excluded from the race in order to create a safe passage for Jonathan or any other candidate for that matter. The international community will not accept another stage-managed election in this country.

But in a statement signed by a former Senate President, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, the NPLF, asked the president to be decent about his aspiration and not to re-invent the Obasanjo tactics of hounding opponents of the regime with the EFCC.

The group said it has noted the invasion of men from the anti-graft agency of some states of the federation, where the governors are perceived to be in support of the zoning arrangement within the PDP.

The statement said in part, “The “G15” urges President Goodluck Jonathan to enthrone a regime of tolerance of political opposition and to desist from use of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to intimidate and harass Governors and political leaders who are opposed to his ill-advised attempt to subvert the agreed zoning formula by seizing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ticket in next year’s general elections.

The NPLF wishes to draw the attention of all Nigerians to the inherent dangers of turning the EFCC into a Political Gestapo of a particular candidate. The NPLF recalls that this is the same tactics former President Olusegun Obasanjo employed in the pursuit of his failed Third Term agenda.

It is becoming clear to all that Jonathan’s candidacy for 2011 despite the PDP’s affirmation of the principle of zoning and rotation is a return of tenure elongation of President Obasanjo, which Nigerians unanimously rejected. The NPLF wants to make it clear that this development raises serious questions on President Jonathan’s repeatedly stated commitment to free and fair elections, and by extension the survival of the nation’s democracy.”

The NPLF added, “In as much as the NPLF is not opposed to the fight against graft, it is, however, manifest that the current onslaught against state governors and political leaders is part of the measures at checking those not well disposed to the bid of President Jonathan.

While we stand shoulder to shoulder with all our elected courageous governors in the current struggle, we call on the Presidency to retrace its steps by tolerating opposition without which there can be no enduring democracy and rule of law.”

But the EFCC described the position of the NPLF as pure blackmail. It said that the agency under the constitution of Nigeria, has a mandate to investigate and prosecute anybody or persons it believes has a question to answer.

In a statement by the agency's Head of Media, Mr. Femi Babafemi, the EFCC said it has noted “attempts by some politicians to link its on-going investigation of multi-billion Naira fraud allegations in some states of the federation to the 2011 elections.”

The EFCC said that “insinuations in media reports that it is targeting pro-zoning governors ahead of the 2011 elections, are calculated to freeze its hands”.

The statement said that nothing would stop the agency from carrying on with its duty as provided by the Act setting it up.

The statement said, “We have a legitimate duty to investigate and prosecute all forms of economic and financial crimes in all parts of the federation. This, we have been doing since the inception of the Commission in 2003 and will continue to do within the ambit of the law.

“It is on record that the Commission has continued to investigate various fraud allegations in several states of the federation, local government councils, federal agencies and private establishments.

“As such, our on-going investigations of multi-billion naira fraud allegations in Kebbi, Kwara, Imo, Jigawa and Rivers States are not different from what we have done in other states before now.

“Rather than making desperate moves to blackmail the Commission by imputing illogical meanings to its legitimate duties in a bid to freeze its hands, the questions the brains behind this propaganda should answer are:

“Are there allegations of fraud against their officials? Is the EFCC empowered to investigate such fraud allegations? Is there any law barring EFCC from investigating fraud allegations before, during or after elections?

Should election time be taken as a holiday period when law enforcement agents would have to close their eyes to the looting of public treasury? “

“We will like to re-assure the public as has often been been stated long before now by the leadership of the Commission, that the EFCC is not under any pressure from the Presidency or any other quarters to do anyone’s bidding on any issue.”

In Abuja yesterday, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Peter Orubebe revealed that the President would in two weeks' time make public his agenda for the transformation of the country to Nigerians.

He disclosed that while receiving the Board members of the Centre for National Integration, a non-governmental organization in Abuja.

His words; “In the next two weeks, the man Goodluck Jonathan will be presented to the Nigerian people to unfold his package for the transformation of this country,” adding that the country is transiting to greatness and needs a visionary captain in the person of President.

Orubebe noted that for the first time, Nigeria has a president who is a Ph.D holder with broad analytical mind and the fear of God to attend to the Nigerian questions, stressing that “therefore, we have a new dawn for transformation and everyone should join the moving train to transform the nation.

“If you go to Facebook, the man Jonathan is the most popular President in the world. The young and old are clamouring for him.”

While extolling the virtues of President Jonathan, the Minister noted that Jonathan’s few years of service have engendered rapid transformation in the power and oil sectors as the man in South-Eastern and Northern parts of the country can buy fuel at the same pump price with those in Abuja.

Orubebe however assured the NGO that Goodluck/Sambo Campaign Organization will partner with their organization as one of the very few NGO’s that will work with them.

Earlier, Patrick Obah, Life Patron of the group and the personal Assistant to the President pledged the group’s unalloyed support to the President. The group has John Nzewi as the BOT Chairman and Joshua Dariye as BOT Secretary.

Also yesterday in Abuja, a group, the Igbo Redemption Group, IRG, in a statement signed by the chairman, Chief Chimezie Ikeazor, SAN, said it would support the aspiration of Jonathan next year. It said its stand was based on its belief that the Jonathan presidency would benefit the Igbo.

The group also dismissed the one term tenure which Babangida is using as his campaign strategy, stating that it is unrealistic.

The IRG, which claims to be made up of all Igbo speaking people from the Delta, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and the South East lamented the sufferings of the Igbo people over the years.

“As living witnesses to recent events in our country we accept, with obedience to the will of God, we ask every well meaning Nigerian to continue to support President Goodluck Jonathan .We urge him to use his good office to re-address past and present injustices as he contemplates a formal declaration to compete”.

“As Igbo, we have endured colossal injustice and marginalization, our superior population and contributions to the Federal Republic of Nigeria not withstanding. As a people, we have paid great price for the indivisibility and prosperity of Nigeria , believing at every juncture that this is the final sacrifice.

From Warri, the Co-ordinator of the Women of Africa , a non governmental organization, Mrs. Alice Ukoko, advised those thinking that Jonathan would be an extension of the Obasanjo regime to perish the thought.

Ukoko, who spoke wit one of our correspondents in Warri said that the ongoing political wrangling of whether Jonathan should contestor not was uncalled-for, maintaining that Jonathan was divinely connected for the job and should be supported by all.

She said, “As a man who climbed political ladders without contesting a single office in his own right, I am convinced that the divine is propelling him to deliver for him and the people”.

“Others may say Jonathan is Obasanjo's third term. I do not want to argue this as I have made my position clear on this”.

By Geoffrey Ekenna, Samuel Ogidan and Johnchuks Onuanyim, Abuja, Joe Ogbodu, Warri