Yinka Odumakin, an official of Save Nigeria Group (SNG), has provided more details about the $50,000 bribe the government of President Goodluck Jonathan had tried to offer the group, but which was rejected.
Yinka Odumakin, an official of Save Nigeria Group (SNG), has provided more details about the $50,000 bribe the government of President Goodluck Jonathan had tried to offer the group, but which was rejected.
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Saharareporters had earlier reported that the Jonathan administration had offered the cash after SNG officials led by Pastor Tunde Bakare met with the president in Aso Rock to discuss the group’s disappointment with the state of the nation. After Tony Uranta, an aide of Jonathan’s, denied our original report, Pastor Bakare granted us an exclusive interview to confirm that the bribe had been offered, but that his group had spurned the inducement.
The story of what transpired when the Save Nigeria Group met with Jonathan and his team last Monday further unfolded today as Mr. Odumakin, who was a member of the SNG delegation, explained how Minister of the Niger Delta, Godsday Orubebe, offered the cash to the delegates.
Narrating his case earlier today on naijapolitics, a popular listerv, Mr. Odumakin wrote as follows: “After the meeting with the President, he left the wing where we met for another [wing] and said ‘please don't go yet I'm coming’. Sensing what that could [mean] we headed for our cars…We would have left before Orubebe emerged from the president with a brown envelope but for the fact that the drivers were not allowed to stay in the cars.”
Odumakin further explained: “Before we could drive off he [Orubebe] brought the ‘gift’ from the President and he said so. We rejected the money instantly but he was persistent. Wisdom dictated we couldn't be creating scene at the [Aso Rock] villa gate after midnight.”
“We headed to our hotel and called Mr. Tony Uranta to come up with us. We then called Orubebe and put him on speaker to let him know that we are returning the money through Uranta back to him and to the president. Mr. Uranta then said that he appreciated our integrity.”
Mr. Odumakin revealed that the $50,000 came in “five bundles and all $100”. He added that, in order to guarantee that the money was returned to source, they also called Oronto Douglas, a senior adviser to Jonathan, to inform him of their action.
“We had moved on and we ordinarily would not have embarrassed the Presidency on this matter,” Mr. Odumakin further wrote, adding, “But 48 hours after the visit Saharareporters called to inquire if we visited Jonathan, which we confirmed. We then learnt that the meeting leaked through the other party. At that point, it became clear that some people were out to do some dirty job. It was later revealed to us that the story that was actually sold was that we collected money from the Presidency.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Orubebe today sent Saharareporters a rejoinder about the affair. Curiously, the minister’s rejoinder provided little clarification about his involvement in handing out the controversial cash.
Below is Mr. Orubebe’s full statement:
NO REASON TO BRIBE SNG, SAYS ORUBEBE
I have read, with a deep sense of shock and disappointment, allegations made against me in an on-line medium, claiming that I
attempted to bribe the leadership of the Save Nigeria Group, SNG,
after a visit with the president.
I find these allegations deeply distressing, and I am certain that the
highly respected Pastor Tunde Bakare must have been quoted out of
context. I am forced to react to these allegations only because I
would consider it an insult for anyone to attempt to bribe someone of
that stature, visiting with his group, and with, of all sums, 50,000
dollars.
True, a bribe is a bribe, no matter the sum. This is the reason why I
am all the more concerned and worried about these claims. What I
however find intriguing is that there is absolutely no reason to bribe
the Save Nigeria Group. When the body on its own volition rose to
challenge the sense of drift that had befallen the country over the
illness of our late leader, Mallam Umaru Musa Yar’adua, did anyone
bribe them?
So it is hard to believe that any right thinking person would attempt
to do so now. If a bribe is intended to induce someone to either do
something, or to refrain from doing it, what in objective terms would
I need to bribe the SNG for at this time?
This is a false story that should be dismissed by all right thinking persons.
The statement is signed by “Elder Peter Godsday Orubebe,
Hon. Minister,
Ministry of Niger Delta,” and dated 29th November, 2010.
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