Most Northern politicians in Nigeria do not trust Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan (GCON) and would want him to resign for some reasons. Surprisingly, even Southern Politicians and some Ijaw statesmen are opposed to the VPs continued stay in office. The reasons are as follows:
ONE: WEAK LEADERSHIP
There is a general feeling that Dr. Goodluck Jonathan is more of an administrator than a leader. He is better positioned that can only take instructions rather than initiate new ideas, which is the hallmark of true leadership. As a Deputy Governor, he performed excellently as Alamieyeseigha’s errand boy. Now Dr. Goodluck Jonathan cannot even control his wife Dame Patience Jonathan, who is now a wedge between the Vice President and his followers. A man who cannot control his wife cannot be competent to preside over the affairs of 140 million people.
TWO: FALSE ASSET DECLARATION
There are wide spread rumours that the Vice President lied during his Asset Declaration. There are more than two gigantic hotels belonging to the Vice-President, which were not declared to the Code of Conduct Bureau. His wife Dame Patience Jonathan has a Hotel in Otuoke and three Housing Estates in Port Harcourt. She also hijacked properties meant for the Poverty Alleviation Programme in the State. Among the properties hijacked include: three 3 No. speedboats, 2 No cold stores. I at swali Yenagoa and the other at Twon-Brass. These were not declared.
THREE: THE N8 billion Gas Turbine Scandal
The Vice-President awarded a contract of N4 billion to buy two 2 No. Digital Gas Turbines. The contract value was reviewed upwards to N8 billion, but not even one Gas Turbine was procured. What Bayelsa people saw was the refurbishment of one of the Gas Turbines at Imiringi and no new Gas turbine was procured. It was a fraudulent deal Dr. Goodluck Jonathan awarded to an Ogbia woman, widely believed to be his girl friend.
FOUR:THE ANYIAM OSIGWE CONTRACT SCAM
Dr. Goodluck Jonathan in connivance with the then Deputy Governor Hon. Peremobowei Ebebi packaged a contract for one Anyiam Osigwe and Igbo contractor to build A 4-Star Hotel . Because of his financial interest in the deal, he rushed to commit the State Government into writing an agreement with the Igbo contractor. However, when Bayelsa indigenes got to know that the contract to build Yenagoa City they rejected the idea. This led to a consistent, sustained protest against the policy. When the VP eventually tried to revoke the contract, Anyiam Osigwe threatened litigation hence the VP was blackmailed to award a contract the build a 4 star Hotel at the whopping sum of N3.2 billion. While negotiation were going on, the value of the contract was reviewed upwards to N5 billion. There are insinuations that the value has been inflated again. This illegal deal must be investigated because charity begins at home.
FOUR: THE INFLATED FLOWER CONTRACT
The wife of Vice President Dame Patience Jonathan awarded a contract of planting flowers in the Mbiama Yenagoa road at a whopping sum of N500 million. We have two major problems with the contract. First, the contract was awarded to one of her cronies Mrs. Megan Bozimo. Secondly, the flower planting contract did not follow due process, as there were no tenders, bids and other procedures stipulated in the “Due Process Rule” or the Public Procurement Bill. The Bayelsa State Government and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission should investigate the award of contract to determine the degree of compliance with due process.
FIVE: THE ARUERA FOUNDATION N3 BILLION SCAM
The Aruera Foundation was established by Mrs. Patience Jonathan to siphon about N3 billion Naira. Numerous hotels projects built by the Vice President as a Pet project to assist the poor and the less-privileged. More that N3 Billion Naira was paid into the Foundation, with no visible impact on the lives of the less-privileged. Authentic from impeccable sources indicate that the money was used to acquire choice property in Otuoke, Port Harcourt and Calabar and Uyo.
SIX: THE BIG COVER-UP
Contrary to wide spread assertions that the Governor Dr. Goodluck Jonathan left a healthy economy before he became Vice-President, the reality is that the VP left behind a huge debt of well over N28 billion – a reason most people blame for the slow pace of development in the State when Governor Timipre Sylva took office. It is surprising that the VP covered-up this mess when he publicly claimed that he was committed to transparency and accountability. Another cover-up is The actions of the VPs former Chief of Staff Mr. Moses Otazi also betrayed his boss. He is believed to have stashed away the sum of N150 Million in the country home of his wife at Ewio but luck ran out of him as a local mafia group broke into the safe and made away with the loot. The man was obviously scared of lodging his lucre in the bank. Mr. Otazi we were told is not bank-friendly. This scam was also covered-up.
SEVEN: THE NEMBE-BRASS ROAD CLEARANCE SCANDAL
As Governance of Bayelsa State Dr. Goodluck Jonathan awarded the contract of clearing the Nembe Brass Road to a serving Senator one Chief Barigha Amange at a whopping sum of N530 million. We were reliably informed that apart from the contract sum being paid up front, the job was shoddily done due largely to the fact that there was neither survey nor soil test. A Chief from the Nembe Community also informed us that prior to the award of the said contract the Nembe Chiefs Council had protested to Dr. Jonathan never to award the contract to the suspended Chief Amange because he was already from the community and was bent on destabilizing the community. But the Vice President did not heed the advise this contract and the mode of its award did not follow due process as it was compensatory, essentially to enable the beneficiary raise money for electioneering campaigns.
The VP is like a chameleon that changes his colours but has been engaging in mindless looting. He is a weak leader and cannot control him home. He is not assertive, firm and lacks the mien to be President of Nigeria. If anything happens to President Umar Musa Yar’Adua, the VP should be forced to resign.
Eghosa Imogie is of the Institute of Humanitarian and Human Rights Law, Port Harcourt
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