Jonathan Nominates Siemens Bribe Taker, Haliru Bello Mohammed, For Minister

Jonathan nominees: Haliru Bello Mohammed (L) and Hamisu Mairago
By SaharaReporters, New York

In a discomforting sign that Nigeria’s new president will travel a familiar old track after all, Goodluck Jonathan has nominated two questionable men, Haliru Bello Mohammed and Yusuf Hamisu Abubakar Mairago, for ministerial appointments. 

Mohammed is famously known as one of the beneficiaries of the infamous £8.6 billion Siemens international bribery scandal that spanned several countries and embarrassed Nigeria, while Mairago, who has been nominated to represent Kaduna, was the executive director of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF).   He was arrested and detained by the EFCC for close to one year over his fraudulent activities in the PTDF.

Mr. Mohammed has previously been Minister for Communication.  Recently, he was also the deputy chair of Mr. Jonathan's party, the People's Democratic Party (PDP).

In the Siemens scandal, several other Nigerian officials besides Mohammed were named by Reinhard Siekaczek, who faced charges of bribery in a Munich court in 2007. Others named include Tajudeen Olanrewaju, Cornelius Adebayo,  Alhaji Elewi , and Professor Jibril Aminu, a former Minister of Petroleum Resources who went on to become a PDP Senator.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) did investigate the scandal but no prosecution of the main culprits ever arose from it even though the former Ministers reportedly admitted to taking the cash payments from Siemens.

Jonathan’s nomination of tainted officials to high office is an important early signal either of weakness, or of readiness to betray the promises he made to voters as he campaigned for office, or both.  On almost every campaign stop, he promised to engage in the “transformation” of Nigeria, including combating corruption. 

For that purpose, some Nigerians claimed to have voted for him but not his party, the PDP, which they said they loathed.  

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Jonathan Goodluck and his unholly ministers

Ni of the pastgeria factor for that matter. People thought having a new bolld in the state's politiy will radicalise the quality of the promised change Goodluck made during his electionneering campaign. Thanks to Nigerians, they are politically sagacious. Winning states like lagos is not a sine qua non to acceptability of the PDP as a credib le politicalparty, but because Jonathan seems to be a new blood. If he performed far below expectation, four years is around the corner. Thanks to Prof. Jega, busibness as usuall during election is a thing of the past. Political socialisation is developing in the country. Unless the imposed ministers on him are constitutionally checked, we will hadly depart from the past.
Lere Amusan,PhD.
Lecturer, Dept. of Political Sciences, Osun State University, Osogbo, Nigeria

Hmmm. Its like d presido's

Hmmm. Its like d presido's hands are tied by d pdp cabals.

Re- Vote GEJ 2015

As sarcastic as this might appear to be,but it's just the OBVIOUS FACT. Presently president Jonathan is like a Lamb in the mist of Lions. You may recall that Jonathan was almost denied the presidency but for the intervention of some lions. These lions are now demanding for their "RIGHTFUL" pounds of flesh; not the lamb's but for the usual loose flesh that abound around. Me think it's unusual and not thoughtful to act otherwise .
Therefore let the Lamb manage these lions till 2015 when he will take full responsibility. Then and only then can Nigerians judge the man JONATHAN .

Jonathan u don dey fork up

Jonathan u are a disappointment to South South people.I regret to have voetd for you.
Pointer
1. Establishment of new universities when the existing ones are underfunded. I know because you want a university in you in your village, Why don you fund the existng one in Bayelsa to make it world class.Look at The University of Petroleum Resources Effurun, it a complete glofied Primary School, Gov.Amechi Millenium Primary schools are better than it. No road just nothing. Why dont you behave like great leaders like Awolowo, Zik and Ahnmadu Bello who establish Universites but not in their home town. MUMU . Proverb say e better make u born witch than to born quite mumu person.
2. look at your Ministerial nominees ,accused thieves and you want them to thief the country to bone. Look at Bankole and many others, you better drops those names and give Nigerians good govt. The Ph.D you have is not showing in your management at all. Well you be Lecturer before, so Blocking don fit spoil your too.

I reserve my comment on GEJ

I reserve my comment on GEJ for now,until he constitute his cabinet.

This is another solid proof

This is another solid proof that Nigeria is yet to find a leadership to give it a future. When you reward bribe-takers with ministerial jobs, on what moral ground will you stand to fight looting and all forms of corruption? It's pity that that GEJ will not make a difference and make the Ijaw nation proud of producing the president that remanufactured Nigeria from its decomposing state.

correct talk.

you've said nothing but the simple truth. I agree with u 100%. No transformation will take place under PDP/GEJ.

We all know thief beget

We all know thief beget thief, the little difference between Jona and Yar'adua is that Jona is corrupted but both of them are clueless and un-performed presidents

Na wao this is so sad. There

Na wao this is so sad. There is a big problem. Ah Ah

It only in Nigeria that i see

It only in Nigeria that i see people doing the same thing the same way several time and expecting different result. Even a nusery school pupil know that this ''Jelly fish''man is clueless, visionless and even corrupted.

Was it not the same GEJ that

Was it not the same GEJ that brought Adamu Mu'azu as ur chief maritime(former bauchi Gov) while he has N20B allegation hanging with Efcc? Pls GEJ supporters since u guyz didn't put up so just shut up now! Nothing will change for u ppl. Jst put down your mats n chairs until 2015. By then maybe jst MAYBE u will realise and vote pdp out. But to be honest I don't blame pdp I blame u stupid ppl that voted GEJ not pdp.

GEJ AND THE EGUJE WAR

YOU PEOPLE SHOULD HOLD YOUR PATIENT.AHA! GEJ IS GOING TO FIGHT CORRUPTION LIKE BUHARI AND BAKARE BECAUSE GEJ WILL NOT COMPROMISE LIKE OBASANJO. HAVE YOU NOT SEEN HOW HE ARRESTED BANKOLE AND CO? HAVE YOU NOT SEEN HOW HE WELCOMED BODE GEORGE FROM PRISON. HAVE YOU NOT SEEN HOW GEJ TREATED THE HALLIBURTON AFFAIRS. DID YOU NOT SEE HOW HE HANDLED DEVELOPMENT IN HIS STATE WHILE HE WAS THE GOV. IN BAYELSA. YOU GUYS COMPLAIN TOO MUCH. THIS GUY IS BETTER THAN BUHARI AND BAKARE IN TERMS OF FIGHTING CORRUPTION THAT IS WHY WE RIG OH SORRY, EEH , YES THAT IS WHY WE VOTED FOR HIM. GOD SAVE US FROM OURSELVES.

I'm now doubtful of jona

President GEJ should know that selecting competent cabinet is very important.or is he compensating northerners?I'm now doubtful of GEJ in delivering his promises.

Niegrians, it is just too

Niegrians, it is just too early to begin to whine, the worst is yet to come. You people did not see the silly woman who ruined Imo state as Ohakim's deputy is one of GEJ's ministerial nominees. If we can go back in time a little bit, we would discover that the signs were there all around this man that he is just dumb. But the 'dumbest' were Nigerians who could not see through the haze. Jonathan told you all that obj is his mentor and he had no apologies for that choice of a godfather. So why are we complaining? If not for the early warning by SR, Ibori would have been smuggled back for 'trial in Nigeria' and at the end of the day be a ministeral nominee. Problem is what is the army waiting for to flush out these criminals and give them the Rawlings treatment. This is not the democracy we yearned for all these years. We can start all over again by setting off right with a people's constitution through a soverign national conference.

I AM DISAPPOINTED

I AM REALLY DISAPPOINTED WITH GEJ. LET HIM GO AHEAD AND CONSTITUTE A CABINET OF THIEVES, CROOKS AND LIARS AFTERALL GOD IS WATCHING. WE VOTED FOR YOU THINKING THAT YOU WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE BUT IT SEEMS YOU ARE NOT BETTER. WE BEGIN TO DOUBT YOUR SINCERITY OF GOING EVEN AFTER YOUR TERM OF 4YRS AS YOU PROMISED. WE NEED GOD INTERVENTION IN NIGERIA.

Clear Signs of RIgging

This, to me, is a manfestation that the election was rigged. Otherwise, a President that geniuely has the mandate of the poeple will not and shall not act in this manner.

For GEJ and PDP knows that they could still have their way through rigging, blackmail and kinds of scheming. They can afford to do what they want and like. They feel they are not answerable to NIgerians.

it is a pathetic situation

I guess something is

I guess something is seriously wrong somewhere. Only God can deliver this dear country of ours. With all the clamor for a country free corruptions, we still want to give people who are supposed to be in EFCC net (in a normal situation) a chance to even steal even more. This must be happening in a dream! Are there no fresh in-corruptible minds out there? No wonder Obasanjo said that his predecessors failed on corruption. Anti-corruption war is more than just noise.

GEJ is PDP

A vote for GEJ is a vote for PDP.

MYOPIC SOUTHERNERS

THE FAMED EDUCATIONAL ADVANTAGE OF THE SOUTH OVER THE NORTH IS A FALLACY. WHY, BECAUSE EDUCATION IS SUPPOSED TO WIDEN YOUR HORIZON AND ERADICATE THE CONCOMITANTS OF ILLITERACY IN THE FORM OF TRIBALISM, NEPOTISM, MYOPIA,INFERIORITY COMPLEX ETC. UNFORTUNATELY ALL THESE AND MORE WERE DISPLAYED IN YOUR COMMON CHOICE OF GEJ AS OUR NEXT PRESIDENT.
MY OWN FATHER DROVE ME OUT OF HIS HOUSE WHEN I MENTIONED BUHARI AS MY CANDIDATE. HE ARGUED THAT THE WORST SOUTHERN CANDIDATE DESERVES ASO ROCK THAN THE BEST NOTHERN CANDIDATE.
"WE VOTED GEJ AND NOT PDP" HOW NAIVE!!!
THIS REGIME WILL BE WORSE THAN SHAGARI'S.
IF ONLY WE HAD JETTISONED SENTIMENTS AND VOTED THE "UNFORGIVING-MAD DOG-ABOKI" INTO THE VILLA, A LOT OF THE ENEMIES OF NIGERIA WOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE GULAG NOW
WETHER WE ACCEPT IT OR NOT, ONLY A MAD MAN CAN SET THIS NATION BACK ON ITS FEET. WE HAVE LOST ANOTHER CHANCE LIKE WE DID AWOLOWO.

WHATEVER..IT DOESN'T MATTER....

However you cry, whatever you say, these guys are set in their ways. It's all about an elite club "who knows who". Bankole was made speaker because of the position of his father within the PDP 'circus' (bunch of clown), today, the result of his 3 years in power is quite vivid for all to see - failure totally.

why wont their be bomb blast

why wont their be bomb blast every where in Nigeria, Ride on Jo and appoint all the thieves as gate keepers

query

nigerians are to be blame not the president, they known the kind of man he is and they voted for him stop crying over a split milk.only god will deliver us. so nigerian people double your prayers.

We are Doomed!

GEJ is trying to compensate this guy because his house was burnt during the post election crises. People can see some of the reasons why the youths attacked these guys. you can see for yourselves in the article above. And these are the same people (rejected by their communities) that will form the new government! We are doomed!!!

It's up to the National

It's up to the National Assembly to accept or reject these looters as our Ministers. If they endorse the choise, we may be turned into laughing stock of the world because the Siemen Scandal and PTDF scam were well-publicised cases that everyone following events in Nigeria in the last few years would know that these guys do not deserve to hold any public office again. However, is a different ball game, we eulogize criminals and condemn credible citizens. I think we symbolize the characters in the Animal Farm and the famous Hindi film INQUILAB. The only character missing is AMITABH VACCHAN who featured as PM of India, and summoned all the criminal ministers in one conference room at the presidential palace and shot them. We need someone like Amitabh Vacchan to eliminate these crooks and give Nigeria some breathing space.

When Buhari Wept, You All Laughed

@fiRe ClOud oF God, let the truth be told. Nigerians are bunch of hypocrites and ethnic/religious bigots who dont even believe in the God they worship. How can you vote a person without voting his party. When you cannot divorce a candidate from his party because we dont have independent candidate in nigeria. You will not be surprise to see nigerians repeating the same mistake. Buhari wept for nigeria, nigerians will weep blood by the end of 2015.

Corrupt Nigerians as Ministerial Appointees

What more evidence of GEJ administration's incapacity to fight corruption do you want than the testimony of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, his mentor who told a gathering of international personalities that Goodluck Jonathan's administration lack the political will to fight corruption? I doubt if any Nigerian can claim that he voted GEJ because he believed the man will perform. It was purely a choice based on primordial sentiments of religion and ethnicity. We know the person that has both political will and antecedent to fight corruption and restore moral rectitute in Nigeria, but he was rjrcted by majority in the South due to his religious and regional affiliation. So what are we talking about? I think Nigeria has no great future ahead until the day we unite and elect a competent leader devoid of religious, ethnic and regional sentiments. We have scores of them but we always go for the wrong person due to our poor judgement.

I PRAY FOR OUR COUNTRY-NIGERIA

With the kind of nominees for ministerial appointments, i dont think anything good will come out of the transformation project of Mr President. We just have to pray for our country because i have not seen any positive sign of the promised transformation if people of questionable character are appointed ministers. God save Nigeria.

I CALL IT SENTIMENTAL POLITICS

Appointing corrupt individuals for offices in this land is wrong and it is left for us, the masses to condemn it and bring His Excellency, our dear president to order but loosing hope in the person and capability of GEJ to talk about Buhari is a sentimental politics. Constructively criticize his bad appointments, actions and inaction but dont compare him with Buhari cos they are incomparable.

Nigerian U- turn

I'm surprise by the large numbers of southerner and Christians commentators on the above topic. Are they not the one who says GEJ is a God sent? Now they are denying that they voted for GEJ. They now do a u-turn and join we that predicted that GEJ will follow the foot step of his predecessors. Mumu people " we voted GEJ not PDP".

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