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Nigeria Democratic Liberty Forum (NDLF)

April 16, 2009
Halliburton cover-up; Nigeria's Attorney General's commitment to an enduring culture of corruption in Nigeria. New York, NY, April 17th 2009:Members of the Nigeria Democratic Liberty Forum (NDLF) are appalled & stupefied by the pervasive culture of corruption among Nigeria's government officials. The unrestrained adoption of corrupt practices as a norm in government despite its glaring destruction and ruins of Nigeria is beyond the comprehension of a sane mind. We have a country where the middle class has been annihilated as a result of greed and widespread corruption, unemployment is at an alarming 80-90percent over the years when a country like the United States is lamenting 8.5percent unemployment rate for just 2009. The current halliburton scandal over a stunning $180m bribe paid to Nigerian government officials to win over an NLG contract can only bring to the front burner the unconscionable reasons why Nigeria continues to grapple with her inexplicable problems. While we are hopeful that Nigeria would be liberated from the grip of unscrupulous people who are determined to see to the demise of the country, we want to state that we do not have confidence in the current Attorney General of the federation & the incapacitated 'anti corruption' agencies to unveil the masks on those that are involved in this latest thundering corruption scandal. The Attorney general's hideous visit to the United States to purportedly collect the 'halliburton list' of those involved, his engagement of US attorneys to 'assist' in the recovery of this list from the US government and the government's setting up of a board of inquiry into the scandal is insulting to the sensibilities of Nigerians and just another ploy to divert attention and have this incident suffer the same fate of a grand cover up as with previous corruption cases involving the powers that be in Nigeria. The plan to obtain a deposition of Mr. Albert Stanley is highly preposterous. Is Mr. Aondoakaa attempting a retrial of a case that has been concluded in the US? His comments that Nigerians should volunteer information on this bribery scandal is another gimmick to perpetrate a scam on Nigerians. His knowledge of $150m stuck in swiss bank out of the $180m even before his panel of enquiry commences work indicates that he knows more than he is willing to state publicly. The AG has left no one in doubt where he stands on this unfortunate incident like other corruption cases while he has been in office by providing a defence for the Nigerian beneficiaries of this bribe. His assertion to the effect that if someone says he would be giving out a bribe and he 'pockets' it or changes his mind was the most shameless, crude and blatant attempt to cover up corruption in Nigeria. He has taken defending corruption to a new low! Mr. Aondoakaa has brought opprobrium to the office of Nigeria's Attorney General and the law profession and should be fired immediately. His determination to enable the festering of corruption and his protection of corrupt government officials should attract a sanction from the Nigerian Bar Association. The Attorney General from all intents and purposes has shown that he is 'Mr. Fix it' for Nigeria's corrupt elites. He ensured the stalling of the Governor James Ibori trial in London and his recent de listing of James Ibori from the list of governors that are facing corruption trial at a time he is searching for the halliburton list in Washington DC further exposes his national deceit and the commitment of the Yar'Adua administration to ensure an enduring culture of corruption in Nigeria. We challenge the AG to address the nation on the fate of the 10million Euro Siemens' bribery scandal as we are aware that the actors have not been prosecuted. He does not need to search for the Siemens list that include Chief Cornelius Adebayo, Tajudeen Olanrewaju, Haruna Elewi, Dr. Bello Mohammed and Senator Jibril Aminu. It is evident that corruption can only be firmly rooted in Nigeria under the Yar'Adua administration We, as members of a mass based organization are not naive that the Nigerian political class would wake up one day and give up on corrupt practices and proclivities without a resistance and a demand for accountability and transparency in the way government's businesses are conducted. We call on all Nigerians to rise up so that we can take our country back from the treacherous characters that are occupying public offices in Nigeria The NDLF wishes to assure the AG that we would ensure that this halliburton scandal is not swept under the carpet, we shall also utilize all available options here in the United States to expose those behind the halliburton scandal and also expose the shenanigan of Mr Aondaakaa. Signed: Olubukola Oreofe Dr. Adegboyega Dada Dr. Willie Nwiido Executive Director Chairman Director, International Affairs

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