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President Yar’adua and his Friends of Questionable Characters.

April 30, 2009

‘‘It is not about them being close to my government. Not my government. It is between me and them, the ex-governors. You see, these former governors are my colleagues. We had worked together for eight years. Because I am the President, I cannot just jettison people I know. I am always very careful to separate my personal relationship with people from my state duties. What people usually perceive of the leadership does not determine the way I do things, both officially and personally. I don’t know anything else about the fight against corruption that we have not done. Now how do you link Nasir el-Rufai with fighting corruption?’’ ………….Umar Musa Yar’adua, President Federal Republic of Nigeria. Interview Guardian Newspapers 30th April 2009.

The above quotation is amongst the answers Mr Yar’adua gave in his celebrated interview he granted the Guardian newspapers as published by them in their Thursday April 30th 2009 edition.

I will start by quoting an old adage to Mr Yar’adua that says ‘’show me your friends and I will tell you who you are’’ Mr Yar’adua it seems is proud of his colleagues as stated by him. His colleagues like James Ibori, Saminu Turaki, Lucky Igbenedion, Joshua Dariye, Adamu Aliero, Jolly Nyame, Ahmed Sani Yarima, Ibrahim Shekarau and of course Diepreye Ailemesiegha and Peter Odilli.


As if he is not done yet, Mr President went ahead to say that he does not know anything else to do to fight corruption in Nigeria. The first thing to do Mr President is to sack Michael Andookaa your Attorney General or If Mr President has run out of ideas he might as well resign or step aside!

Going through that interview as granted by Mr Yar’adua shows clearly there is no hope for Nigeria under the Yar’adua administration for the simple reason those answers were shallow and lacked reasoning. More so he confessed to the fact that some of his officials took policy and drastic decisions without consulting him.

No wonder he had to reverse the blacklisting of Siemens because of corruption as according to him the German Chancellor begged him. Mr President is fraternizing with criminals like Ibori and Igbinedion because he has to separate his personal life from state life.

Ibori is wanted dead or alive here in the UK on fraud charges. Lucky is now an ex-convict.

Dariye’s loot is still being repatriated piece meal by piece meal to Nigeria from the UK. Yet our President said he is proud to have them as his associate and colleagues. Are Nigerians still wondering why corruption is walking on all four and is getting stronger by the day in Nigeria?

Is there anybody there who is still in doubt as to why Nuhu Ribadu was demoted, fired and chased into exile? Some of us can confidently say the Yar’adua government is of looters for looters and by looters. Typically Aliero is the FCT minister.

Mr Yar’adua actually went ahead to justify the demotion and the sacking of Nuhu Ribadu. Unfortunately it is the same Nigeria Police that have always promoted it’s so called gallant officers and men without re-course to rules and regulations especially if they kill common armed robbers who rob on the highway. Not only was Nuhu Ribadu very gallant, he was the bravest policeman that have ever serve the Nigerian Nation for the simple reason that he jailed Tafa Balogun who was one of the biggest pen and office robber of all times in Nigeria and was also his boss and IG. For that singular act alone he deserved to be promoted 4 times above his peers and colleagues and should be crown with GCFR or GCON of the least. For the first time in the history of Nigeria we had a brave young man who could confront the National treasury looters to their face and the heavens did not fall.

We had such brief exciting experience only during the golden period of the Nigerian state January 1984 to August 1985. That was when Generals Buhari and Idiagbon sent another set of looters to between 200 and 300 years in jail. Even emirs and obas were not spared.

Unfortunately that golden period was short lived and corruption bounced back stronger ever after and has never looked back since that ill-fated day on August 27, 1985.

May that day be wiped out from the history of Nigeria. Cursed be that day in the History of Nigeria forever and ever. Amen!

So Mr Yar’adua does not know what else to do to fight corruption in Nigeria, yet he confessed to the fact, power supply is in a sorry state. There is corruption in the Nigeria Customs that promotes smuggling. His EFCC under Farida Waziri is a lame duck and is almost dead.

His officials sabotage fuel supply in the country and Nigerians are held hostage by a few dubious select few. Mr President sir it seems you were never prepared for this job, kindly resign let us get a person who is better prepared and who is ready to fight this monster called corruption in Nigeria.

The whole truth your Excellency is that you should make fighting corruption the number item on your 7- point agenda and every other thing will follow.

I am happy you have acknowledged the fact that the little gain Nigeria had made on the international scene because of its stand against corruption during the OBJ years has been squandered by you! What a great shame it is.

It is never too late Mr President, today can still be the day of salvation, and you can make a U-turn and tackle this corruption head-on if you want. Let posterity remember you as having contributed to genuine national growth. Until then Mr Yar’adua farewell.

 

 

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