Tuesday, 22 May 2012
Wikileaks: Andy Uba, Emeka Offor, Etsu Nupe Tried to Bribe Former Chief Justice Kutigi on 2007 Elections
Emmanuel Nnamdi "Andy" Uba And Emeka Offor
By SaharaReporters, New York
A cable that emanated from the US embassy disclosed that Andy Uba, a former senior assistant on domestic matters to former President Olusegun Obasanjo, offered a bribe of N200 million to retired Chief Justice Idris Kutigi in an attempt to compromise the Supreme Court ahead of the 2007 presidential poll. According to the cable report, Mr. Uba arrived at the CJ’s office in the company of controversial businessman, Emeka Offor. Quoting a source in Mr. Kutigi’s office, the cable revealed that the then chief justice rejected the bait and asked both Mr. Uba and Mr. Offor to leave his office.
The cable suggested that the two emissaries were acting on behalf of former President Olusegun Obasanjo who sought to have his estranged deputy, Atiku Abubakar, excluded from running in the 2007 presidential elections.
The cable also revealed how Mr. Obasanjo used the Etsu Nupe, the foremost traditional ruler from the Chief Justice’s home state, to offer Mr. Kutigi another bribe of N400 million. The cable stated that the former Chief Justice also rejected that offer.
Full details of the cable follow below:
VZCZCXRO1338 OO RUEHPA DE RUEHUJA #0841/01 1201551 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 301551Z APR 07 FM AMEMBASSY ABUJA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9362 INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW 0298 RUEHCD/AMCONSUL CIUDAD JUAREZ 0294 RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS 6745 RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
Hide header C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 ABUJA 000841 SIPDIS SIPDIS DOE FOR CAROLYN GAY E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/29/2017 TAGS: PGOV [Internal Governmental Affairs], KDEM [Democratization], NI [Nigeria], ELECTIONS SUBJECT: SUPREME COURT'S MOOD COLORED BY ELECTIONS AND BRIBERY ATTEMPTS ABUJA 00000841 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Ambassador John Campbell for reasons 1.4 (b) & (d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY:
In upcoming weeks, the mood of the Supreme Court may well be an important factor in determining how many of the recently concluded "elections" stand. In the past three weeks its rulings on the myriad lawsuits brought by President Obasanjo and Vice President Atiku in their political battle provide a glimpse of its approach and mood. Court thinking may be colored by the unsuccessful attempts to influence the current Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Idris Kutigi through bribery. While this glimpse is not intended accurately to predict outcomes of elections tribunals, it might indicate that the judiciary will show greater independence than after the elections of 2003. END SUMMARY.
¶2. (C) In the upcoming weeks, the mood of the Supreme Court may well be an important factor in determining how many of the recently concluded "elections" stand. In the past three weeks, court rulings on the myriad lawsuits brought by President Obasanjo and Vice President Atiku over the political battle between the two top elected leaders may provide an indication of its future direction. In the two biggest cases, one determining whether the National Electoral Commission (INEC) had the right to disqualify candidates, and the second on the validity of the hastily convened Administrative Panel to indict Atiku, the court came out against the use of the Presidency's powers to manipulate the electoral environment. And Chief Justice Kutigi, in establishing the elections tribunals several weeks ago, stressed to the judges selected for the panels the importance of dealing with cases quickly. He also warned the electoral tribunal judges against being influenced by bribery and political pressure, stating that those who succumbed could be dealt with through the National Judicial Council, and those found wanting could be removed from their positions.
¶3. (C) Kutigi appears to be reacting strongly to several credibly reported attempts to sideline him or to co-opt him for political purposes. A member of the Chief Justice's staff told PolCouns that the Presidency had attempted to bribe Kutigi twice before the elections. In the first case, the President personally contacted Kutigi to offer Kutigi's son an appointment as a Federal judge. Kutigi is said to have demurred, saying that he wanted nothing that might be seen as favoritism and was concerned that his son should be appointed in the future on his own merits. Nevertheless, Kutigi's son was nominated.
¶4. (C) According to the same source, the second attempt came when the President's former special adviser and current Governor-elect for Anambra state, Andy Uba, visited Kutigi's office on April 10 accompanied by Anambra businessman Emeka Offor. The aide says the two offered Kutigi 200 million Naira (about $1.6 million) to drop the suit by Atiku and leave him off the ballot. Kutigi, according to the aide "reacted strongly" to the offer and escorted them out of his office. The next day, President Obasanjo declared a two-day holiday ahead of the April 14 elections, delaying the decision in the Atiku suit until the following week.
¶5. (C) A third attempt reportedly took place on April 24, when Kutigi was summoned to meet the Etsu Nupe, the paramount traditional ruler from his home state. According to a member of the Nupe council of chiefs, the Etsu Nupe offered Kutigi 400 million Naira (about $3.2 million) from "the Presidency" in exchange for "control" over which specific cases the elections tribunals would overturn results. According to the source, Kutigi was livid. He told the Etsu that he had no desire to explain to his family "where this kind of money comes from" and pointed out that, at his age, he would be "meeting the angels" to answer for his life very soon. "And they will not be asking me for Naira," he is said to have concluded. When the Etsu discussed the situation with his council, several of them reportedly berated the Etsu for "even suggesting" that Kutigi could be bribed and advised him to return the cash to its source as soon as possible.
¶6. (C) On April 26, rumors began circulating that Kutigi's official vehicle had come under attack in Abuja by "unknown ABUJA 00000841 002.2 OF 002 gunmen." Reportedly, shots were fired at the Chief Justice's car and he was whisked to safety by his security aide. Post has been unable to confirm this rumor, but it is widely believed by Nigerians to be true.
¶7. (C) On the same evening, PolCouns overheard phone calls from three Supreme Court Justices, including the Chief Justice, to members of ANPP Presidential candidate Muhammadu Buhari's entourage. Two of them were expressing sympathy with Buhari over the elections and assuring him of the judiciary's impartiality. The third call - a Justice from the Southwest - also encouraged Buhari personally to forge ahead with the elections tribunals because, in the words of the Justice, "we are fed up with the pretense of democracy" pushed by President Obasanjo.
¶8. (C) COMMENT: While this glimpse is not intended accurately to predict outcomes of elections tribunals, it is an indictor of the mood within elements of the Judiciary. Given the widespread public concerns about the electoral process, the Judiciary could take a more active role in these tribunals than it did in 2003. If these indications are correct, it could signal that the judiciary is prepared to be more independent that it was after the elections of 2003. CAMPBELL
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HABA, U NO KNOW SAY NA PHONE
Submitted by maikware (not verified) on September 12, 2011 - 00:43.
@Mark Eyade: Mr man our rulers are idiots that is why they go to the American Ambassadors to reveal all our secrets to them...to me this is treason at high places. The police, Army SSS, NIA and so on should investigate and arrest anybody mentioned in those cables. The spies/CIA/MI5/Mossad do not need to employ/send any of their agents to this country for the simple reason that our bastard rulers are doing the work for them. No wonder they kill Gen Murtala, Gen Abacha and refused to allow Gen Buhari to claim his mandate...they prepared canaries that will sing without beckoning on it to sing.
Remember Jonathan, Ribadu etc have all spoke one-on-one with the American Ambassador, so its not phone tapping but idiots singing willingly.
Bleed Rotten Country!
Submitted by Digu Ekpelekpe (not verified) on September 9, 2011 - 12:10.
When Uncle Sam comes up with its usually gloomy and Apocalyptic prophesy about Nigeria, we now know that they know what the rest of us including our dumb Government do not kwow about our beloved but cursed country.
Wikileaks has shown that everything including the judiciary and the military is up for sale and be bought.it has also shown that things don't just happen, they are worked (bought) out.
The Federal Government through the Legislature should order a probe of all Justices(retired and Serving) as well as military wigs(retired and serving)with a view to ascertaining their stupendous an certainly ill gotten wealth from torpedoing the very system they swore to up hold.
We must do something about our Country if it will not cave in.
Wiki-war
Submitted by Ephraim Osazuwa (not verified) on September 9, 2011 - 01:03.
God bless those in wikileaks that have made it possible for Nigerians to realize that they have idiots for leaders. Our leaders have made it possible for foreign countries to do away with their spy agencies, as far as Nigeria official secrets are concern. They do not even need to pay for it. For a country to be as wayward as we are in Nigeria is unthinkable.We donot need any foreign enemy - we are our own worse enemy. Justices without ethics; policemen renting their uniforms and guns to armed robbers; AGN working for the miscarriage of justice and openly accepting bribes from criminals. I am sure if any country want an eight hour video of the President and his wife in an intimate moment, I am sure the NSA will gladly provide it for a fee.
The truth be told, and be
Submitted by Bankole (not verified) on September 8, 2011 - 22:07.
The truth be told, and be told bluntly!
I gladly voted Buhari for his person and the lack of complication in his socio-political life. It is now obvious we are not getting better as a country with anything at all from the Proud Devils' Party. All my pithy fellow citizens that voted a liar cos he had no shoes have contributed in our corruption and hopelessness as a country
Now you can all say "had I known", 'If and only if wikileaks revealed these before elections....."
Really, if you knew Jona and PDP this much before now, life would've been better.
YOU ARE ILL-INFORMED
Submitted by Uzoma (not verified) on September 8, 2011 - 20:54.
Wikileaks not only about Nigeria, it is about every country of the world's communication with the USA. So what SR is publishing are those information concerning Nigeria. So appreciate wikileaks and SR for this expose. We have seen the kind of idiots will call leaders. Those calling Buhari bad name should cover their face in shame. We now know those killing Nigeria-OBJ, GEJ and PDP.
Idiots Ruled By Fools Indeed.
Submitted by Uche J. (not verified) on September 8, 2011 - 17:28.
Thanks and God Bless Pastor Bakare, Nigerians are really idiots ruled by fools.
Imagine a Country where a President and his criminal aids are evidentially accused of bribing the CJN and the Citizens only interest is abusing USA and SR for revealing these secrets to them!
Never found a more befitting image of a man who concentrates on hunting for rats while his house burns!!!
american=freedom, but I do not know if obamas hate the igbos.
Submitted by IQ+PSYCHOLOGY+PROPHECY (not verified) on September 8, 2011 - 16:55.
anyone who hate freedom should shut their fucking mouth. Who does not know that the highest and craziest and bulliest corrupt man ever in their nigerian nations is obasanjo and after him is ibb. obj is all rounder. obj eats from the north and feed the north and betray his people for the north=corruption, and the crude oil is equal to his life=a must one nigerian=north breath. Obj kills the igbos and only is confortable with giving igbo females post and making them betrayers and concumbines.Obj is as ugly and his heart. And as cunny and cowardice as his fears.We are waiting for them to be old and we divide the country chikena...who want to try then?
Don't be surprised. It is a
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on September 8, 2011 - 15:05.
Don't be surprised. It is a open secret. They do listen in on conversations of Nigerians - anyone they choose from within the embassy. I know for a fact!
What should bother you and all of us is that our government officials are even the ones giving them more.... See this Punch Newspaper article on another Wikileaks revelations on Nigeria:
http://www.punchontheweb.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201109083262314
This one should get everyone riled up both at home and abroad.
These days, everyone and their dog is collecting biometric data on Nigerians, be it SIM registration, Drivers License, International Passports, what have you. Nobody is asking the question, "what are they doing with all the information, and what measures -legal and otherwise - are in place to protect huge amount of sensitive information they are collecting on people?"
GOODMORNING NIGERIANS ???? BUHARI DE LAUGH OOO !!!
Submitted by Istanbul-man 3 (not verified) on September 8, 2011 - 14:10.
WHERE ARE OUR J.RAWLINGS IN THE MILITARY ??? THIS GREAT COUNTRY HAS DONE MUCH FOR YOU. PLEASE SAVE HER FROM HER KNOWN ENEMIES-THE HAWKS. DO NOT ALLOW HER TO BE RUINED. NO OTHER ORGANS/ARMS OF GOVERNMENT TO SAVE HER AND HER HELPLESS PEOPLE. WE KNOW POWER IS VERY INTOxICATING,YOU MAY NOT WANT TO SANITIZE AND LEAVE AFTER RESCUING HER. BUT WE HAVE NO DEMOCRACY EITHER. WE HAVE ONLY BUNCH OF ROGUES,MONEY MONGERS & MAD-DOGS AS LEADERS. EVERYWHERE IS CORRUPTION, EVEN OUR PLACES OF WORSHIP AND SCHOOLS/INSTITUTIONS-WORST STILL, THE JUDICIARY(COMMON MAN LAST HOPE). ALL HAVE SINNED AND HAVE BECOME SHAMELESS!! THIS IS THE SOURCE OF PROBLEM. THEY USE RELIGION AND TRIBALISM AS COVER-UP. THEY ARE THE SPONSORS OF ALL THESE CRISES. PLEASE COME AND FISH THEM OUT AND GIVE THEM A JERRY RAWLINGS' LESSON. ANYBODY WHO SUPPORTS THIS APPEAL SAY AMEN!!.
SAHARA REPORTERS IS SPONSORED BY ACN
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on September 8, 2011 - 14:04.
Sahara reporters is there no cable on your fellow party members the ACN. Are u seriously telling me there is no cable on Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
HABA, U NO KNOW SAY NA PHONE
Submitted by MARK EYADE (not verified) on September 8, 2011 - 12:30.
HABA, U NO KNOW SAY NA PHONE TAPPING?
iF nIGERIA IS A RESPONSIBLE COUNTRY, WHY WILL PEOPLE GO AND DISCUSS SENSITIVE ISSUES WITH FOREIGNERS? THE SECURITY APPARATUS IF WE HAVE ANY AT ALL SHOULD INVESTIGATE THIS PHONE TAPPING AND PROSECUTE ALL INVOLVED.THIS SAME THING LED TO NIXON RESIGNING IN AMERICA AND HAS LED TO THE MET COMMISSIONER ALSO RESIGNING IN THE UK THIS YEAR.WHAT A SHAME.
Andy Ubah is the only thief
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on September 8, 2011 - 12:13.
Andy Ubah is the only thief in the world who is not in prison. But we should not worry, when the revolution erupts, he will surely pay for his iniquities
Mumu people, truth dey come
Submitted by igwe of nigeria (not verified) on September 8, 2011 - 12:12.
Mumu people, truth dey come out una dey complain. Country wey idiots full boku (thank you O pasor Bakare wey remind us), make una nor halla for all dis people wey kill Naija, una continue to dey deceive una sef say everything go better.
My friend who made this
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on September 8, 2011 - 12:06.
My friend who made this technology possible? Please remember the that BIG BROTHER is out there!
At least we get to know what the high and mighty do to the country. Imagine, OBJ offering CJN N400M. Where did he get the money? Remember the Ghana Must Go Bags episodes in the national assembly. This OBJ man has no morals. He can actually corrupt the angels. Now wonder IBB is self justified in his attack on OBJ.
WE HAVE HAD ACCESS TO THESE
Submitted by JIMMY IWEALA (not verified) on September 8, 2011 - 10:41.
WE HAVE HAD ACCESS TO THESE INFORMATION THE USA EMBASSY AND WIKILEAKS ARE CHURNING OUT DAILY.
GOD BLESS SR FOR MAKING THESE INFORMATION STALE.
LET USA GO TO HELL WITH TO HELL WITH THEN.
SR, WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU DO VERY GOOD AND THOROUGH JOBS. THOSE WHO CRITICIZE YOU FOOLISHLY SHOULD KNOW!
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KUTIGI and Uwais
Submitted by Kunle Olatunde (not verified) on September 8, 2011 - 10:01.
Hon Justices Kutigi and Uwais are my favourite CJN and the best we have had in recent times. Dishonourable Justice Kastina-Alu on the other hand is the worst thing that happened to Nigerian Judiciary
SHUT THE HELL UP! BEWARE OF THE AMERICANS
Submitted by Ayo Peters (not verified) on September 8, 2011 - 09:13.
Of course the Americans bug the lines of our elite including our seat of power. They know what we dont know and laugh at our stupidity! They know the average Nigerian shakes for oyinbo. If you have lived amongst Americans, you can detect when they want to get expo from you! However, these morons we have in this country think Americans are our friends. When they try it, tell them off. Thats how you handle stupid Americans who are worst bribe takers than us.
The embassies are used to collect information, which they use to their own benefit. They really dont care if your country breaks or not as long as Chevron and other American based companies are functioning well,..... They should face their messed up country. And to our stupid leaders, SHUT THE HELL UP. To all our bribe taking elites, your days are numbered!!!
Thank You Kutugi
Submitted by Austineo (not verified) on September 8, 2011 - 08:22.
God will bless Justice Kutugi for upholding the sanctity of the Judiciary. This is a lesson for highly placed Nigerians. Katsina-Alu should cover his face in shame for disgracing and bringing the Judiciary to disrepute.
Wili-war
Submitted by Shola (not verified) on September 8, 2011 - 08:14.
Wilileaks to me, is trying to destroy Nigeria. What do u think?
Phone tapping
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on September 8, 2011 - 05:38.
The US officials are tapping our phone lines and siding with the opposition. The judiciary has been playing politics all along, calling and reassuring opposition of their support. And the judiciary is impartial and independent? Mr. Campbell's mission was to bring about the quick realization of America's projection (working to answer) of our country's disintegration by 2015. Kutigi, who could not find justification for collecting bribe from Obasanjo later found good reasons to collect bribe from Yaradua. More Wiki, more.
Do US Embassy officials eavesdrop on phone calls of our elite?
Submitted by Okwuchukwu Ezeanyika (not verified) on September 8, 2011 - 04:51.
I am concerned about this statement: "On the same evening, PolCouns OVERHEARD PHONE CALLS (emphasis mine) from three Supreme Court Justices, including the Chief Justice, to members of ANPP Presidential candidate, Muhammed Buhari's entourage..."
I am compelled to ask: "Is the US Embassy tapping or eavesdropping on telephone calls of selected Nigerian elite in addition to what we now know that they undertake full-scale espionage in the country?"
USA Embassies or CIA missions?
Submitted by AU Citizen (not verified) on September 8, 2011 - 00:23.
We can see that this nation called USA is a danger to the entire world. Their so called embassies are merely spying stations. This rogue nation has spent so much money destroying other nations that it has failed to take care of its trillions of dollars debts. What sort of nation is this, that needs others to die so that it may live? I don't care what or who did what in Nigeria - it's wrong for another country to interfere to this extent in another sovereign nations' affairs, end of.
america who killed bola ige
Submitted by Deri (not verified) on September 8, 2011 - 00:09.
American embassy and wikileak biko tell us who killed Dele Giwa, Bola Ige, Abiola and why u could not stop Aabacha from hanging Kensarowiwa-cause almost all of yr cables are on elections and not on why we dont have light, water and good roads.
Kutigi and relevance
Submitted by Tafidan DDAJI (not verified) on September 7, 2011 - 22:15.
What's the relevance of this story?Whether Justice Kutigi responded to the undue influence or not,he did not end well because the 2007 Supreme Court judgment on that year's presidential elections was in the bad books of history.Justice Kutigi's vote that added colour in favour of the majority judgement,made a dent against justice and fairness.History is in for it as Kutigi stalled a change to the political climate of Nigeria.
What!!!
Submitted by Egoigwe (not verified) on September 7, 2011 - 21:51.
"On the same evening, PolCouns overheard phone calls from three Supreme Court Justices, including the Chief Justice, to members of ANPP Presidential candidate Muhammadu Buhari's entourage"
What do they mean by Political Counsel overheard phone calls? Clearly, the import is that the US Embassy bugged telephone lines of prominent Nigerians to enable them listen in on their conversations. Question is, how far up the ladder does this travel, are Mr President's lines being monitored as well? If anyone had the capability that would be their first priority. Who then would they not be listening in on? This portends very grave consequences for all our security.
Corruption Unlimited
Submitted by Abubakar Sam (not verified) on September 7, 2011 - 21:40.
What people will do to maintain power.
