James Ibori's Loot

Former Delta State Governor, James Ibori, acquired a fortune exceeding £250m before the long arms of the law caught up with him. Some few years before he became governor and one of Nigeria’s most influential influential and richest politician, Chief Ibori worked as a cashier for Wickes, on a salary of £5,000-a-year.

     While the people of oil-rich Delta state languished in impoverishment, the former governor wasted no time spending his new-found wealth on luxury homes, top-of-the-range automobiles etc.
     All these came to an end when James Ibori stood in the dock of London’s Southwark Court admitting to the whole world that  he  had indeed stolen tens of millions of pounds from Delta state were he reigned as governor for eight years. He was brought to trial in UK because the bulk of his stolen money was laundered through his London office.
     Ibori’s crimes was aided by some of his  family members, including his wife Theresa, sister Christine Ibori-Ibie, his mistress Udoamaka Oniugbo, and Mayfair lawyer Bhadresh Gohil.
        Investigations revealed that Ibori  had  acquired  six choice properties in London alone, including a six-bedroom house with indoor pool in Hampstead for £2.2m and a flat opposite the nearby Abbey Road recording studios.
       He has a property in Dorset and a £3.2m edifice in South Africa. This is just a few among the lot. James Ibori parades the latest state of the art  cars, among them:  a fleet of armoured Range Rovers costing £600,000 and a £120,000 Bentley, a £300,000Mercedes, which he immediately shipped to South Africa.He  also owned a £12m private jet and spends about £126,000 a month on his credit cards. At one time,  the convicted former governor ran up a £15,000 bill for a two-day stay at the Lanesborough hotel in London.
          It would be recalled that Ibori was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in December 2007, but two years later a court in Asaba, Delta state dismissed the charges for lack of evidence. But when the case was reopened by Nigerian authorities in April 2010, Ibori fled to Dubai where he was detained at the request of the Metropolitan Police and extradited to the UK last April.
       The UK court where Ibori was arraigned was packed full with people who came to witness the proceeding. James Ibori,  appeared in the dock to  answer for his offences of fraud, money laundering and conspiracy. The prosecutor, Sasha Wass told the court Ibori concealed his UK criminal record, which would have excluded him from office in Nigeria.      
       His wife, his mistress and his sister were all jailed for five years each for money laundering offences following earlier trials. His  London-based lawyer,  Gohil, 46,was jailed for seven years for his role in the scam. Attempts will be made to confiscate as much of Ibori’s money and assets as possible so that they can be returned to Nigeria.

The Looting of Nigeria

By Moses George

The activities of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) on the privatization and commercialization of federal government owned public enterprises in Nigeria from 1999 to date were opened up with the inauguration of a seven-man ad-hoc probe committee headed by Senator Ahmed Lawan (ANPP, Yobe North). Other members of the committee were Senators  Babafemi Ojudu (ACN, Ekiti), Alli Ndume (PDP, Borno), Philip Aduda (PDP, FCT), Infeayi Okowa (PDP, Delta), Hope Uzodima (PDP, Imo) and Mohammed Magoro  (PDP, Kebbi).
               The whole scenario started sequel to a motion sponsored by Senator Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan (ANPP, Yobe North) and adopted by the Senate pursuant to its resolution No. S/Res/004/01/11 passed on 19th July, 2011. Senator Lawan and 25 other senators had sought to open a comprehensive investigation of the privatization and commercialization of government companies undertaken by BPE since 2000. Lawan had argued that privatized or commercialized government companies had failed with huge consequences on the nations economy.
         Privatization is a phenomenon that is a necessary concomitant to the principle of liberalization. What this involves is the transfer of control in terms of ownership and management from the government to private investors. The principle of privatization has come to be embraced as a way of eliminating inefficiency in the public enterprises sector. The phenomenon gained worldwide support following the privatization of British Telecom in 1984 under the Telecommunications Act. Several other privatizations took place in that country. Soon,  other countries, particularly, in Africa embarked on the practice.
               Nigeria was not left out of the frenzy as it  embraced privatization as a cardinal principle of the state's economic policy. Since the oil boom years in the 1970s, Nigeria has developed a large public sector investing over100 billion dollars from that period to 2005 and getting as meager 0.5 percent annually as returns.  Unfortunately, as the years rolled by, these establishments suffered recession. As a result of this, in 1988, the federal Military Government under a programme of privatisation and commercialization embarked on a major reform of its public enterprises.
                 Privatization was formally introduced in Nigeria by the Privatization and Commercialization Act of 1988, which later set up the Technical Committee on Privatization and Commercialization (TCPC) chaired by Dr. Hamza Zayyad (who died on March 12, 2002)  with a mandate to privatize 111 public enterprises and commercialize 34 others. In 1993, having privatized 88 out of the 111 enterprises listed in the decree, the TCPC concluded its assignment and submitted a final report. Based on the recommendation of the TCPC, the Federal Military Government promulgated the Bureau for Public Enterprises Act of 1993, which repealed the 1988 Act and set up the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE) to implement the privatization program in Nigeria.
      In 1999, the Federal Government enacted the Public Enterprise (Privatization and Commercialization) Act, which created the National Council on Privatization chaired by the Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
         A Decree promulgated in July 1988 specified a total of 110 enterprises to be privatized and another 35 to be wholly or partially commercialized. Before that Decree came into being, a total of 36 public enterprises were privatized through public offers in the privatization exercise that took place then. Among them are the four biggest banks in Nigeria which were formerly under government control and ownership.
                  However, investigations conducted by National Mail has revealed facts that the Nigeria’s Privatization and Commercializations programme, from 1999 by the Bureau of Public Enterprises, has  some rather serious issues that undermined the scheme. The ongoing privatisation process in the country, has  certainly not attained the expectations of Nigerians. It is disheartening that some companies that had been privatized for over 10 years have not been working as almost all of them are moribund .
        Vice president  Namadi Sambo - who heads the National Council on Privatization, said 80 per cent of sold government companies have failed. He attributed this ugly trend to lapses in the privatisation process.  Senator Abdul Ningi from Bauchi state, on the other hand, described the whole process as the biggest fraud the nation has witnessed.
      It is pathetic to know that from 1970 to 1999, the Federal government invested over $100 billion in building enterprises, but earned only 0.5% return on its investments. These companies were costing the government a whopping N265 billion annually to maintain. While a total of 146 billion was realized from the  sales of over 122 privatized companies under review. That is more than a hundred times their market value.
         One of the major impediments against the initiative, is the issue of high profile  impropriety of directors and management of the privatisation scheme, in collaboration with highly placed personalities in the society. 
          With the facts emerging  from the sales and concessions of public enterprises, compared with their actual value and collateral investment made by years of public funding, one has no doubt to the fact that  Nigeria has  indeed been pillaged  by unscrupulous elements for far too long. 
                 The Nigerian public have been taken for a ride in the whole  scheme as politicians connived with wealthy businessmen both at home and abroad to loot the nation’s common wealth in the name of privatization.
     The privatization process, according to the former Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, Dr. Julius Bala, lacked transparency and accountability between 1999 and 2003.
            Accusing fingers are being pointed at different directions as Nigeria  makes efforts to get to the root of the matter. Without any doubt, the entire process was infested with high profile corruption involving the BPE executives on one hand, top government functionaries and businessmen on the other hand.
          A former Deputy Director of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, Mr. Charles Osuji, was said to have collected bribe from Globalcom Chairman, Mike Adenuga for Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, after the sale of National Oil. Osuji, who was   eventually dismissal from the BPE by Rl-Rufai claimed that his boss actually directed him to get the undisclosed sum from Adenuga.
       In his reaction, Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai admitted that Osuji first brought a N25m Zenith Bank cheque to him.    He said after he ordered Osuji to return the money to Adenuga, who had already acquired National Oil, Osuji subsequently returned with $100,000 cash which he did not accept. El-Rufai further claimed to have reported the matter to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who as Vice President was the Chairman of the National Council on Privatization, and also to the then Attorney General, late Bola Ige. Both of them ordered that Osuji should be prosecuted. But he said that he couldn't  prosecuted Osuji because Ige died shortly after that, but the NCP directed that he should be dismissed.
      The Ajaokuta Steel Plant is the largest integrated steel complex in black Africa. The steel complex, built by a Russian firm, was Inaugurated on September 16, 1979.  The complex was initially expected to produce 1.5m tones of long steel products per annum. Its capacity was, however, expanded to between 3.6m and 6m tonnes.
       Obviously from all indications, the steel company has not met its objectives. To turn around the company and make it attain its production capacity, the Federal Government decided to invite investors to run the place profitably.
.                  Some corrupt  Nigerian businessmen saw an ‘opportunity’ and brought in  Indian investors as fronts. A concession agreement  was hurriedly put in place in May 2007.The Indian firm, Global Infrastructures Limited paid about $300m for a steel complex that was valued at  about $5billion.
              According to the Minister of mines and steel development, Architect Mohammed Musa Sada, former President Olusegun Obasanjo was the one who approved the concession of the Ajaokuta Steel Complex to Global Infrastructure Limited against due process.
            Cases of corrupt  Indian businessmen  kept coming up every now and then. These class of entrepreneurs come to Nigeria with nothing, but their briefcases. Their equally corrupt Nigerian partners lead them to our banks to take loans and use our assets as collaterals.
                      It is only in Nigeria that such is practiced. In other countries where there has been privatization, an investor  brings in capital to refuel the economy. But that is not what they do here. This practice  has made Nigeria vulnerable to corrupt foreign investors  who collaborate with their Nigerians partners to steal billion of dollars and ferry them to be lodged in foreign accounts leaving the nation dry and broke.
           The federal government spends  N3.6 billion annually on the wages a the moribund Ajaokuta Steel Complex, that is about N300 million monthly, while only N650 million is required to bring the company up to a production level where it can generate enough funds to sustain itself.
            Investigations revealed that the concession of the company to  Global Infrastructure Limited  was an arrangement of some corrupt Nigeria to to use the gigantic project as a vehicle to steal public funds. This becomes even more glaring against the background of the fact that the Indian firm lack the technical capacity to manage the complex.
          The   firm had to had re engage about 50 Russians and Ukrainian experts, who built it. As if that is not enough, the Indian company has reportedly stripped the complex  of all valuable equipments and machineries. Alarmed, he federal government decided to the cancel the deal.
             Former President Olusegun Obasanjo  reportedly  breached due process in the sale of some public assets, especially, the multi- billion dollars Ajaokuta Steel complex. The former Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, Nasir El-Rufai. Mallam El-Rufai who supervised the privatization of 23 of the 122 enterprises that have been privatized to date (about 18% of the total), accused the former president of overbearing interference. He said that he repeatedly disagreed with Obasanjo when he made moves to dictate to him. He said he also disagreed with Atiku Abubakar when he (Rufai) insisted that the laws must be followed, even as he said that former President Obasanjo also blocked the successful privatization of Nigeria Airways following the stories he received from former Minister of Aviation, Chief Kema Chikwe.
          Another public enterprise that has suffered similar fate is the  Aluminum Smelter Company at Ikot Abasi in Akwa Ibom State. The company which was worth $3.2 billion was auctioned to a Russian Company for $250 million. Curiously, the Russian  firm was asked to pay only $130 million. The balance of $120 million to  was said be used to dredge the Imo River for the company to ferry its equipments. Up till the time of writing this report, work on that project is yet to commence many years after the ‘sale’. where did all that money go ?
     The case of the risk giant NICON, reportedly acquired illegally by businessman Jimoh Ibrahim’s Global Fleet at over N18 billion is worrisome. Curiously, even the 5 per cent equity holding of the federal government was sold in  that deal thereby contravening the Public Enterprise Act 1999.
        The brazenly fraudulent manner in which the National Insurance Corporation of Nigeria (NICON) was sold, and the asset-stripping that followed should  stir every responsible government towards taking concrete legal actions against those involved.
          But Barrister Ibrahim   dismissed this allegation, saying he injected N17.5 billion and met no money in NICON’s account when he acquired the company.
        However, allegations by KPMG and Assurance Acquisition Limited (AAL) disclosed that the Global Fleet chief used forged documents to acquire. It claimed that Ibrahim withdrew 20 million pounds from NICON’s foreign account in London and stripped the company of N6.37 billion.
      The funds were categorized into; Investment in NICON Investment Limited, N2.484 billion proceeds from closure of HSBC Bank 1-Day call and Euro currency accounts, N1.739 billion, balance in the Oceanic Bank Plc domiciliary Account, N1.623 billion, investment in NICON Airways Limited, N350 million. Expenses incurred on behalf of NICON Airways Limited, N192 million; erstwhile GMD’s drawings, N12.9 million; expenses incurred on behalf of NICON properties Ltd, N12.5 million; expenses incurred on behalf of NICON investment Ltd, N10.2 million and liquidation of placement with NICON Investment Ltd, N51 million.
         
        These revelations and many more that are unfolding paint a grim picture of the reality of the corruption among politicians and public office holders in Nigeria. The question is: what can be done about it? Does the government of President Jonathan possess the political will, to deal with this national tragedy?
       The probe by the Senate is timely because it is shedding some light into the massive pillage of Nigeria’s national patrimony by officials that were sworn to protect it.
         It is also suggestive that it is time the government revisited the argument that the private sector does better in the management of utilities and businesses. Argument for this review is strengthened against the backdrop of the inability of practically all those who benefitted from the auction of various government companies have failed to  make any one of them successful. The extent of collusion between those in  positions of authority and a band of well-connected speculators in shattering the prospect of having a veritable private sector that can support growth and development is astonishing.
         Nigeria is witnessing a situation where its common wealth has fallen into the hands of privileged few who are gradually establishing a strong economic base that may that  could bring the entire nation on its knees before them..
    According to Dr Harold Chukwuma, a public comensator,  “ we know these people. We even fondly call them the new kids on the block. It is this same guys that are being used by our politicians to loot this country. Now that we now what transpired, relevant government agency should go after  them  and  get all that they have stolen back. Concerning the Senate probe panel, I wish that for the first time         something tangible should emerge from this probe by the Senate in order to send the right signals to those who may wish to take the nation for such a nasty ride in the future. It is also important that such inquiry is extended to other sectors of the economy with a view to recovering the enormous looting that some privileged members of the society have perpetrated against Nigeria. Those who stole the nation’s wealth must be shamed in public”.
            As  Nigerians wait to see appropriate action taken  against those who  created financial empires with stolen money, this administration should demonstrate some muscle in dealing with these issues. Nigeria should be a sacred cow and any person who connived to steal its wealth should not

Prince Abubakar Audu Speaks on His Vision For Kogi State

Prince Abubakar Audu is a household name, especially, in  the political landscape of Kogi state. He rode to power as Executive of Kogi State in 1993.  He was reelected again and again. His aggressive infrastructural development efforts set the state on a fast pedestal of development.  Prince Abubakar Audu, who recently stepped into the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, where he is contesting for governorship is  a very  influential politician with a strong political base. A lot of people see him  as the strongest contender for the governorship position. One advantage he seem to be enjoying is  that lots of Kogites appreciate his efforts when he was in Lugard House and they want him back again  to continue with what they describe as his legendary development of the state. In this interview, Prince Abubakar Audu Spoke  with Editor Moses George on his plans to salvage Kogi State whom he described,  as his baby. Excerpts:

Thank you Your Excellency. Lots of people would want to know why you are so keen on being reelected as governor of Kogi State.
Thank you very much Moses George. Well to start with, it is the people of Kogi state that are agitating for me to come back and as far as I am concern, the voice of the people is the voice of God. Whatever my people see me as being fit to do, by the grace of God I will readily make myself available to them. There has been so many questions regarding whether I am going to come back or not. Some say I am too old, some say I should support somebody else… my simple answer has been, if you find somebody more competent than me, produce him and I'll be too glad to support him. The question is not me choosing somebody. It is rather the question of somebody competing with me and whoever it pleases God to emerge at the end of the day would have it. But the people ought to judge between  us. For those who are of the opinion that I should sponsor somebody else… I don't know what prompted them to say that because I am 62 years old, whereas Ibrahim Idris is 67 or 68. He has done 8 years as governor and he is on the ninth year contrary to the stipulations in the 1999 constitution. The authors of that constitution never contemplated that any person holding the position of governor should have more than 2 terms of 4 years each, bringing the total to 8 years and he is doing 9 years. In my own case. I did only 4 years. Besides that, he has also made his son to go to the Federal House of Representatives against the people's wish and desire. He made it possible for his son to go to the House. Ibrahim Idris has failed but people do not reason from that perspective. Since he has failed woefully, why should they accept his son?  Somebody who has failed woefully, why should he be given that opportunity? Well, people say that I should sponsor somebody else. But am I constitutionally unfit? No. Don't I have the mental capacity? I do. Don't I have the intellectual capacity? I do. Am I not physically fit? I am. So why should anybody say that I should not contest. The kind of contacts I have, only few people in Nigeria have that kind of connections and it manifested in my administration. That time, our net monthly take home from the statutory allocation was between three to four hundred million and with that, we were able to provide numerous infrastructures for our people in Kogi state. We constructed a total of about 9,000 kilometers of road network across the state….surface dressing, asphalt overlay….we established the polytechnic at Lokoja and the university at Ayangba. We established the largest cement factory in Africa, which is the Obajana cement. We built a five star hotel; we dualized roads, upgraded secondary schools and some other tertiary institutions. Anpka used to be an Advanced Teachers College, but we converted it to a college of education with the intention to make it a degree awarding institution. The list of what we did while in office is endless. The facts are on the ground for anybody to see. But sadly, all these infrastructures that my administration put in place between 1999 to 2003 have been totally devastated. As I speak with you now, Kogi is a failed state according to the Central Bank's Economic Bulletin. My baby is sick! Kogi state is my baby. If my baby is sick, it is my responsibility to nurse the baby back to health. It is only an irresponsible father that will abandon the baby when it is sick. I have the formula. I have demonstrated it before and I did it very successfully. I have been tested and trusted. So the question of how can you do it again does not arise. Like I said earlier, when the statutory allocation was very minimal at 400 million naira, because crude oil was selling at 12 dollars per barrel and you will appreciate that Nigeria is a mono product country that relies absolutely on crude oil. Between 2004 and 2011, crude oil was selling at over 100 dollars. The net take home for Kogi state, this is also in the Economic Bulletin, at a time, it is 5 billion naira and more. With excess crude, the state was getting 18 billion naira and yet, the administration has nothing on the ground to show for the huge amount it was getting monthly. Ibrahim Idris' administration has not initiated any project and completed it. The president has been going to other states to commission projects. But in the case of Kogi state, he comes on project inspection, work in progress. I will give you an instance: I started the modern Lokoja stadium. Up till now Ibro could not complete it. When Mr. President went there, he did not go to commission the project. He went on project inspection. The Gananja road for instance, that is the road that link up Lokoja with Ajaokuta, I built it, but after several years of usage it became imperative that the road should be resurface. After resurfacing it with asphalt overlay, he brought in the president to commission it. What he did was just to rehabilitate that road and for that, he had to invite the president to commission it. It is ridiculous. We have commissioned several projects without fanfare. What else? Is it the hospital that he built and calls it a specialist hospital?
Can you compare that with the diagnostic hospital that I built in Ayingba? In the case of what he built at Lokoja and calls it a specialist hospital, three different people have commissioned it so far. Firstly, it was commissioned by David Mark, the President of the Senate, then Chief Olusegun Obasanjo also came to commission the same project. Lastly, President Jonathan also commissioned it. It is a big shame. Is it the Government House that I built which was classified then as the best in the country? The whole place now lacks mantainace.  The walls are dirty. They've not been able to white-wash the structure with paint for a period of 8 years. Go to the Lugard House, it is now a complete rumple, a mumbo-jumble. When I came in 1992. It was a ramshackle, completely dilapidated. After Lugard vacated the place in 1902, it was not put to use again. The whole building  was collapsing. It became an abode for dangerous reptiles. Because of the great sense of history that I had, I renovated the place. Today, it is a beautiful edifice. Look at the Glass House. Look at the Government lodged I built at Kabba, Idah and so on, they  have all depreciated due to lack of maintenance. In Abuja here, I heard that the Government Lodge has just been renovated at an astronomical amount.
Since you are saying that the administration of Alhaji Ibrahim Idris has failed. What exactly are you planning to do when eventually you become governor?
What I did between 1999 and 2003, was to initiate a scheme where unemployed youths were placed on some kind of monthly allowances through our youths empowerment programme. As a matter of fact, it was as a result of the choking level of unemployment in the state that made me to initiate the Obajana cement project. According to the agreement we entered into with foreign investors, Obajana cement factory would employ 15,000 workers. We also had a written agreement that out of that number, 13,000 workers must be indigenes of Kogi state, while the remaining 2,000 could come from anywhere in Nigeria. I don't think that Idris and his team have taken the trouble of studying the agreement. By the grace of God, when I return back to office, I am going to dust up that agreement and ensure that the right thing is done. The right thing is getting 13,000 jobless young men employed in Obajana cement factory. That would certainly reduce the pressure on the government. I also have plans to apply to the federal government to grant concessions for us to run the Ajaokuta Steel Company. When the steel company becomes operational, it will be producing billets for local use and iron rods for exports. That was the plan I had when I built the road from Lokoja to Ajaokuta. There are several byproducts of Ajaokuta Steel that will feed small scale industries and stimulate the economy. That will also reduce the pressure on the labour market. We have plans to boost agriculture. We wanted to bring in farmers from Zimbabwe and South Africa to embark on large mechanized farming. Our ultimate goal is to make Kogi state have enough to feed the entire nation as well as for export. When that is achieved, it will again go a long way to reduce the pressure on the labour market. Such initiatives will provide our youths with so many opportunities.
The Sally Tibot staff audit in Kogi state laid off a large numbers of workers. Most of these people, we are told have not been able to find any other source of livelihood. In specific terms, Your Excellency, what exactly are you going to do with regards to these workers when you are re elected?
First and foremost. I will make sure that all those workers that were retrenched are reinstated. I will also ensure regularity in the payment of salaries and emoluments like I did between 1999 to 2003. When I came in 1999, there were salary arrears of 7 months that the military administrator was unable to settle. Within the period of 3 months, I settled everything in line with my campaign promises, Now that we have very comfortable accruals in  the form of statutory allocations from the federation accounts; I should be able to ensure that salaries and arrears are paid promptly. We will ensure that promotions are cash backed. When you make promotions without any financial benefits attached to it, then it has no meaning. This is what is happening now in Kogi state. Pensioners are not paid. We will ensure that all this unhealthy developments are put behind us. For them to even admit that the authentic staff list was the one that took place between when the state was created up to 2003 from 2004 up to date was seen to be obnoxious and full of irregularities. As far as I am concerned, that is self indictment. How on earth can a state exist for 8 years without employing one single staff. Are you doing justice to the economy? Are you doing justice to our young school leavers? Are you doing justice to the labour market? Are you doing justice to economic stimulation? No. The answer is no!  I can assure you Moses George that more staff will be recruited and engaged in productive sectors. There are so many jobs for young people to do. But unfortunately, the only way the   administration of Ibrahim Idris deems fit to engage young men  is to recruit them, train them, arm them and ask them to kill during elections. They engage them as thugs. It is very unfortunate, it is very dehumanizing. No sensible administration will so dehumanize its own people. You see, you train up your son even to the level of obtaining masters degree, but the next thing he does is to become a thug. That is what has been happening in Kogi State and we are going to ensure that all these stops as soon as we come into office.
How exactly do you intend to transform these boys you talked about into useful members of the society?
What I am going to do is to get them engaged in gainful employment. The 13,000 or thereabout vacancies in Obajana Cement that I told you about earlier on, will absorb these boys. We will send a lot of them to abroad, like what happened to the Niger-Delta boys. We will send our own boys abroad too to get some good education there. By the time they are through with their education, thuggery will become unattractive to them and other boys around. I can assure you that political thuggery in Kogi state will become a thing of the past.
The issue of women empowerment is so important that most people, especially, women will want to know what is in the offing for them when you take office as governor of Kogi state?
I believe in the 35 percent affirmative action. But most importantly, because the women of Kogi state are enterprising, we will encourage their sense of productivity by getting them engaged in small scale industries. We will encourage them to form themselves into cooperative societies so that they can access some facilities that will enable them improve their trades. As a matter of fact, we do have a comprehensive blue-print for women development. I can assure you that our women will be given a better deal that will usher them into buoyancy.
Since you left office, one will assume that you must have reflected on all what transpired while you were governor in Kogi state. What will you do differently when you get back into office?
I have done it before differently. When I get back, it will be a complete re-enactment of what I did before and we will also try to improve on it. During my administration, Kogi was the fastest developing state in Nigeria. When all the 36 governors were assessed, we were number one in terms of performance in various sectors, especially with regards to infrastructural provisions. Our performance is going be to  more advanced. I have reflected on the problems that our people are confronted with and by the grace of God, we have the solutions on our hands.  My administration, like I mentioned earlier was able to put so  much on  the ground for the benefit of our people despite the meager resource at our disposal at that time. When I get to  Lugard by the grace of God, I shall ensure that our state is lifted  to greater height of social and economic advancement. Our people certainly deserve more than what they are getting now. And to get them out of this valley of underdevelopment, we decided to yield to their agitation for us to take reigns of power so as to use it as an instrument to provide them with respite.
Thank you your excellency for your time.
It being nice speaking with you Moses Geo

Mercy Johnson: The Ultimate Screen Goddess

Mercy Johnson Ozioma, from a family of seven children.  is an Igbirra from Okene in Kogi State. The curvy actress  made her acting debut in the movie, "The Maid" in which  she played  the role of a possessed house help. Her performance in that movie shot her into the limelight. She has since appeared in over 60 movies.        What many would consider a misfortune became a blessing: Her inability to pass her JAMB exams brought her into  the Nigerian movie industry (Nollywood). 
While she was growing up, things were pretty though. She had difficulties paying her school fees most times. At a point, she actually worked as a house maid to survive.
Recently, amidst controversies, she got married to her hearth throb, Prince Odianosen Okojie at  Christ Embassy in Lagos. The star studded event is still the talk of the town.
              Johnson  has won  several awards, among them, the 2009 African Film Award for best supporting actress.

How Corruption Defines Our Lifesyle

Lots of Nigerians are compelled to accept corruption as the commonest feature of life in  the country. If you ask me, I’ll tell you that they are right, especially, in view of the stories that made headlines in the past  weeks and months.
       Take a look at the case involving a permanent secretary in a federal ministry who was caught with a staggering amount of over N2 billion cash in his possession. The permanent secretary and other senior officials were members of a syndicate that had been stealing pension funds of over N3 billion every month. This criminal group of senior civil servants reportedly collected pensions of more than 70,000 non-existing retired workers. 
        It is indeed disturbing that while N28 billion that belonged to the police pension fund was found to be lodged in an unidentified account, more than 44,000 workers who retired between 1968 and 1975 were found to have been denied their pension benefits.One of the members of this corrupt syndicate  was reported to own about 550 accounts in one bank.  That raises a fundamental question whether Nigerian banks are complicit in cases of corruption. Again, if you ask me, I’d say they seem to be.
        Don't blame me for thinking that way: How could one person  operate such a large number of accounts without raising the suspicion of the bank’s senior management? I smell a rat here. What about you?
        Is not laughable that Nigeria, a country blemished by corruption should received a  grant of   98 million euros from European Union to aid it  fight corruption  and to strengthen its campaign against drug trafficking? Well, somebody says that the  grant’ resembles a Greek gift. It is like offering a dog a piece of bone to help the dog to fight its addiction to bones’ In a country where corruption has become an approved way of life, the grant from the European Union may well  be embezzled by a group of tough-talkingofficials.
Corruption in Nigeria is like a genetic disease. Most public officers are consistently devising and activating schemes to steal.

..

Nigerian Couple Caught In Ghana With Human Parts

Alhaji Rashid, 42  and Fauzia Bello,37 are at Nigerian couple resident in Amosima near Moree, in the Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese district of the Central Region in Ghana. They were arrested recently by the Central Regional Police Command in their residence  with human parts including two heads.
According to reports by neigbours, the couple  were always playing host to suspected  in their residence..Alhaji Bello is said to be a renowned herbalist in the area who provides services for numerous people, including armed robbers.

Chinedu Ikedieze( 'Aki'), Weds Atlast

Just in case you missed it, Star actor, Chinedu Ikedieze popularly known as Aki got married to beautiful, Nneoma. The traditional marriage was held at the St. Theresa’s Catholic Church Primary School field, Obolo, Isiala Mbano, Imo State. The white wedding on the other hand took place at the Redeemed Christian Church of God – Abundant Grace parish in Ogba, Lagos.
        The well attended occasion attracted several family members, friends and well-wishers.

Dame Patience Jonathan: Pursuing A Worthy Cause

Nigeria’s fashionably dressed  First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, has consistently stood for the rights and emancipation  of women. She has actively pursued this objectives sine  her husband, now Nigerian’s President, was Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State. 
        She took on this struggle to liberate women  from the multiple challenges they face in the world; In some cultures, deep-rooted societal norms, and practices we are usually given the worst end chokes up b the abilities of women, thereby preventing
them from enjoying  the basic liberties  of life.
     The first lady’s crusades in Nigeria, is an endorsement that Dame Jonathan is a passionate advocate of women’s rights and freedom. She  has been very vocal  in her convictions  that women and the girl-child deserve a better deal.
     On October 15th 2010, Her Excellency, Dame Patience Jonathan,  established the Women for Change and Development Initiative (W4CI) in Abuja, to promote women’s empowerment and gender equality. Through W4CI, the First Lady has  able to make giant leaps to change the orientation of women in all spheres of human life.
 Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in 1980, and nine years later, she obtained the National Certificate of Education (NCE) in Mathematics/Biology from the River State College of Arts and Science in Port Harcourt.  Her quest for knowledge and growth later landed her at the University of Port Harcourt where she studied Biology and Psychology. Her path took her from a career in teaching to banking then back to teaching. In 1999, she left her position at the Bayelsa State Ministry of Education when her husband, now Nigerian’s President Goodluck Jonathan, became the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State. They have two children together.
      Patience Jonathan has been recognized locally and nationally in the country and internationally for her philanthropic work. She received the “Beyond The Tears” International Humanitarian Award in 2008, for her role in the global fight against HIV/AIDS, the African Goodwill Ambassador Award also in 2008 and she was the  recipient of the “Wind of Change” Award from the South/South Women’s Organization.
           Between 2005 and 2007 when President Goodluck Jonathan served as Governor, Patience Jonathan served the state in the capacity of the first Lady of Bayelsa State. During this period, Mrs. Jonathan founded many philanthropic and women empowerment programs, among them are the A-Aruere Reachout Foundation (AARF), which she set up to improve the status and earning capacity of women and youths.
      The First Lady has pursued her programmes with unprecedented enthusiasm that has won her great admiration. The activities of Dame Jonathan  has only given expression to the  positive response of the  government to the yearning  of  the Nigerian woman over the years who have  decried their  outright neglect  in  the scheme of things  especially in the  political scene.
        The First Lady has won recognition both locally and internationally for her various activities, including  her philanthropic work and political pragmatism.
                 She has bagged several awards, including;  the “Beyond The Tears” International Humanitarian Award New York, USA, in 2008, for her role in the global fight against HIV/AIDS; the African Goodwill Ambassador Award (Los Angeles, USA, 2008) and the recipient of the "Wind of Change" Award from the South/South Women’s Organization.

Between 2005 and 2007 when Dr. Jonathan served as Governor, Mrs. Jonathan served the state in the capacity of the first Lady of Bayelsa State. During this period, Mrs. Jonathan founded many philanthropic and women empowerment programs,

The Obi of Onitsha

His Majesty lgwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe was born in Onitsha on 14 May, 1941, . He is a direct descendant of Ezearoli, through the lineage of Chimedie, Oreze Obi, and Aguzani. He has six children - four daughters and two sons

 1n 1963, lgwe Achebe was admitted the prestigious  Standford University in California, USA, where he took a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry. He later bagged a Master's degree in Business Administration from Columbia University in New York City, also in the USA.
     In 1979, Igwe  Achebe was nominated to the maiden set of the Senior Executive Course of the National institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos,
In 1972, Achebe returned to Nigeria to begin a long and fulfilled career with the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, were he worked for over 30 years.       He was eventually appointed  to the board of directors of Shell Nigeria barely nine years after joining the company. This was a record achievement that has remained unpararelled in the company.
     On reaching the normal retirement age of 55 years in 1996, the company requested lgwe Achebe to continue to provide his invaluable experience and expertise to the organisation by a special arrangement. He was transferred to Shell International in London, where he effectively acted as ambassador at large for Shell Nigeria with the title of Senior Corporate Adviser until his coronation as Obi of Onitsha
The Igwe has travelled and lectured widely, including universities and professional organisations, and featured on international electronic and in print media, including CNN, BBC and Reuters.
 Igwe Achebe is the Chancellor of the Kogi State University, Ayangba

Jeolouus Girl Friend Burns Boy Friends Genitals

Baby's Hand Choped Off By Step Brother

Nigeria Immigration Service Earns N10.3 b: Remits Only N7b To Govt

Recently, members of the National Assembly Joint Committee on Interior couldn't believe their ears when the Comptroller-General of Immigration, Mrs. Rose Uzoma,  told them that in 2011,  the Nigeria Immigration Service generated N10.3 billion, but N3.4 billion was remitted to the federation account. The question, therefore is, how was N7 billion naira expended?
         This revelations were made when Mrs Uzoma appeared before the committee to defend the 2012 fiscal budget. Her defence was that the revenue  generated comprises of N8,192,717,842.77 and off-shore earnings of $13,378,206 (N2,140,512,320).
     International passports which are said  cost the Nigeria Immigration Service N4,900, per unit  are sold to Nigerians at N8,750. N3,850 is realized as profit out of which  N1,250 is paid as technology fees to “e-revenue collection partners”, and the balance of N2,600 is remitted to the federation account. In 2011, a total of 722,327 Nigerian International Passports were issued.

Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s Alleged Plans To Seceded

The Federal Government has mobilized  security agencies in the country to put  ‘put an eye’ on Osun State governor, Engineer Rauf Aregbesola. The 24-hour surveillance was initiated  over an intelligence report generated by the Department of State Security (DSS) which accused the governor of  planning to seced from the Federal Republic  n of Nigeria using an  army of Islamic jihadists which he created.
    The security report addressed to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. O.A Ihejirika  stated that “there are indications that Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State is nursing the ambition of islamizing the state. Already, he has taken control of the Jama’atu Ta’awunil Muslimeen Society of Nigeria (TA’AWUN) spearheading the use of hijab in all public schools in the state.
   TA’AWUN was founded in 1994 at Iwo by one Dawood IMRAN-MOLAASAN(Sheikh), has also spread its tentacles to Kwara, Lagos, Sokoto and Kaduna states”
 The reported further stated that presently, “members of the group serve as bodyguards to the governor and are making frantic efforts to dislodge conventional security operatives from the Government HouseTheir unprofessional conduct is a source of embarrassment to well-meaning indigenes of the state, especially at public functions attended by the governor.”
      To pursue its agenda, the report alleged that “the state government is planning to introduce a general uniform for all primary and secondary schools in the state that will be acceptable to the group, not minding the feelings of the Christian population. The governor has also changed the name of the state from ‘Osun State’ to ‘The State of Osun’ which is at variance with the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution.”

Nigeria Should Diversify: Ignatus Amodu

You’ve been in partisan politics for a long time now. What is your own definitions of politics?
Thank you George. First and foremost, I am a political scientist and my perception of politics may be quite different from what you’ve heard before. To me politics is service.. and I believe that is the most important thing.  It is about who gets what, when and how? Politics is a platform that stimulates development for the general good of all. Even though developments in recent times has not been very encouraging, it does not change the fact that politics is a vehicle for development. We have the new breed politicians. Some them have good intentions. But others think that politics is an instrument for them to amass wealth through illegal means. You saw the shameful act of James Ibori. How could he possibly enjoy such ill gotten wealth when his people are languishing in poverty. It's a shame. We all know where it landed him. My advice is that politicians should resist the temptation of steal. People like Sardauna, Balewa Nnamdi Azikiwe etc, played transparent politics. The only reason they wanted power was to advance the cause of their people. These are role models and we should emulate them. Our upbringing has a lot to contribute to how we play politics. In my own case, I was brought up by a village  teacher.. Mr Obochi.. he built my morale character. stealing was a taboo.. it is still a taboo to me.
Since you’ve been in politics for this long, at what point  did  politics started losing its core values?
The greater proportion of corruption came into the country through the military. After they seized power,  no body could question their authority. So they just plundered the economy and did whatever they wanted. Since they stayed for so long, the civilians became infected and corruption became a  culture. But I know that president Jonathan is trying his best to ensure that this great country is back on its track of growing into a greater nation. That is why the president has reiterated his commitment to fight these anomalies.
But some people are complaining that the president pace is too slow to make any meaningful impact?
The president is not slow at all. Nigeria is a big country with complex problems. Of what use is speed if you will move into slippery ground and fall. Mr president needs to consolidate   his efforts so that  by the time the gains starts to roll out, the people of Nigeria will be better of for it. You don't jump to conclusion over issues, especially, the complex ones. Mr president is taking calculated steps toward getting Nigeria out of the woods. Even the Boko Haram issue  and all its threat to the security of this nation will be cone a thing of the past eventually. We need to rally round our president and encourage him. That is the only way we can march on.
How has  the new leadership at the Revenue Mobilization Commission  affected its operations?
I must be  frank with you here. We are under a seasoned  capable leader. He knows what to do a all times and we all have confidence in him. He operates an open policy. He  create the opportunity for us to debate on critical national issues. He allows everybody to air their views. That way he carries every one along. That has enhanced the working relationship between the commission and other agencies of government. Only recently, we were with the NNPC,  they told us their problem, and in turn, we told them what they should be doing. all these are the fruits that the new leadership has attracted. Every month, we do what we call post mortem. If any thing is going wrong in term distribution of funds, we ask questions and ensure that right thing is done immediately.
How efficient is your commission?
We have been acclaimed for our integrity. All of us have actually attained a level where we are no longer looking for money. The issue of corruption is completely out of the scene. we speak out as soon as any thing is going wrong. Well recently, we decided to look into the diversification of the economy. We are doing what you could call workshop. We have done one in Minna, we have done one in the southwest... all the geopolitical zones. We are telling Nigerians that we cannot continue to rely on oil to propel our economy. We should exploit other sources to drive our economy. We have agriculture, solid minerals tourism etc. We are passing a  strong message to the entire country.
What should Nigerians expect from your agency?
Under the new leadership at the Revenue Mobilization and physical Commission, we shall come up with a revenue formula that’ll be accepted to all./
Thank you very much
You are welcome

Nigerian Women Most Unfaithful

  survey report has made a shocking revelation about Nigerian women. According to  this report, 62 percent of Nigeria women  have admitted that at one point or the other, they were  unfaithful to their spouses.  Following closely on the heels of Nigeria is Thailand, Malaysian women on the other hand came in third with 39 percent.  Russian women came  fourth with 33 percent, while Singaporeans are fifth at 19 percent.
     This  study conducted by condom manufacturer, Durex, was based on interviews with 29,000 people in 36 countries. The survey also showed that Malaysian men have an average of three sex partners in their lives while those in Singapore and Hong Kong have 16, which is the highest in Asia.

Young Lady Buchered To Death

A young lady (names withheld) whose plans to get married to her boy friend had already reached advanced stage, met her death in a very gruesome manner recently.

     According to sources, her boyfriend could not contain his jealousy when he realized that his girlfriend had found another man on facebook.
     The facebook contact  all started out like a harmless, friendly chats on  with her new online friend who lives in USA. Soon, the  man began to  make irresistible promises the girl.
    Soon, the girl  developed some kind of affection for the man. Recently, the man was in Nigeria, and the girl went to  met up with him in a hotel room where they spent some time together.
       Somehow, the girl’s fiancé got  to know of this illicit affair and  traced the girl to the hotel room where a big fight ensued.The fight continued until they got home and in the midst of it all, the girl was murdered.

Boko Haram Threatens President Jonathan

Abubakar Shekau, the leader of the radical group, Boko Haram has threatened that the group will “devour” President Goodluck Jonathan “in three months”.
     In a report by Reuters, the group’s head in a video  titled: message to Goodluck Jonathan, posted on YouTube, said that President Goodluck Jonathan has set the hands of the clock backwards when he boastedo get rid of the group in three months.
   The video which played for 14-minute  showed  Abubakar Shekau in a white robe, with gunmen wielding AK rifles around him.  Leaning against the wall was a dangerous looking machine gun. In the video, the leader of the group first spoke t in Arabic and later in the Hausa. He boosted that the  President  does not have the capacity to o stop the group from carrying out attacks.
    Abubakar Shekau  added, “Jonathan, you the helpless, we heard that you intend and want to destroy us, but this talk is useless when it is said by an infidel because only God can destroy us,”  He went further t and said in Arabic. “Until now, nobody was able to do that (destroy us), and you too will not be able to do anything, with God’s help.You, Jonathan, cannot stop us, instead we will devour you in the three months like you are boasting.We are proud soldiers of Allah, we will never give up as we fight the infidels. We will emerge as winners … we will finish you and end your government.” It would be recalled that Abubakar      Shekau had released videos on YouTube in the past.
     For several years, the group Boko Haram has waged a violent campaign against the government of Nigeria. The sophistication of some of their most recent attacks has many concerned about the group's possible links to international terrorists.

Nigeria's Richest Pastors

Nigeria's pastors run multi-million dollar churches making them to rival even oil tycoons.
Some of the wealthiest Nigerian oastors own businesses ranging from hotels to fast-food chains.

 Presently, the joint wealth of five pastors in Nigeria put together is estimated to be at least $200m (£121m). 
   The richest of them of these five clergymen is Bishop David Oyedepo of the Living Faith World Outreach Ministry. He is  worth about $150m.The bishop owns a publishing company, 2universities, an elite chain of private schools, four jets and homes in London and the United States.
        Following closely on the hells of Bishop Oyedepo is the Edo born Pastor Chris Oyakhilome of the Believers' Loveworld Ministries. He is worth between $30 and $50m.

      Pastor Oyakhilome has business interest in  newspapers, magazines, a local television station, a record label, satellite TV, hotels and extensive real estate.
    The other pastors in the wealth department are Temitope Joshua of the Synagogue Church Of All Nations. Pastor Joshua is said to be worth between $10m and $15m.
     Pastor  Matthew Ashimolowo of Kingsway International Christian Centre, London is said to be worth between $6 million and $10 million.
The fifth person is pastor  Chris Okotie of the Household of God Church who is said to be worth between $3 million and $10 million.
     

These pastors are flamboyant They drive around in expensive automobiles and fly all the world in their private jets.Pastors acquired their wealth from various sources, including their congregations.
According to our sources, Nigerians who are desperate, looking for solutions to their problems go to churches for salvation, redemption and healing. Some pastors sometimes take advantage of them.

Fattest Lady in History Gets Married

Susanne Evan, the over-sized 33 years old mother of two is bidding to be the fattest in the world.The model for the Super-sized Big Beautiful Women has arranges a marriage of convenience.with Parker Clack, a chef..

She has once claimed that her  goal is to become the fattest woman in the history.. Talking about goals and achievements, Susanne seems to be racing towards her goals pretty fast. because her  present weights is a bit more than 342 kg (756 lb.).

Clack,  Susanne’s fiancé  loves cooking for her and she excitedly tells everyone  that her marriage was made in heaven.
The couple met over the internet. Now both of them live together with the Susanne’s two teenage sons at Susanne’s house in Arizona.

Nigeria's Richest Pastor Launches Airline

Bishop David Oyedepo, preacher and founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, more popularly known as Winners’ Chapel. is Nigeria’s richest pastor.
.He has made another landmark addition to his ever growing empire. This time around, the eloquent prosperity preacher has launched an airline called Dominion Air. This is coming on the heels of his other flourishing establishments. Oyedepo  who has acquired his fourth private jet, is also the owner of  the highly successful  Dominion Publishing House, Covenant University,  and an elite secondary school called Faith Academy.

Bishop Oyedepo is listed by Forbes as Nigeria’s wealthiest pastor with a net worth of $150 million.Apart from his four private luxury jets, Forbes also mentioned that the prosperity preacher owns eye popping  luxury homes in London and the United States.
According to sources, the airline which has been in the pipeline  for six years became  a reality this year. The company has since been registered.with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC),

Senator Ahamadu Ali Spoke on The Oil Cabal in Nigeria

Moses George & Deputy Editor Samson listening to Senator Ali

Senator (Dr) Ahmadu Ali, a trained surgeon was born on March 1, 1936 at Gbobe near Lokoja. .  He was educated at Nigerian College of Arts and Science, Zaria between 1955 and 1957 before moving over to University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan from 1957 to 1963. He was also at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland and the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh.
     At one time, he was a Minister of Education, he is the first Director General of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC,  he was a senator for three times, he was a National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he is the Chancellor African Business School. Presently, he is the Chairman Petroleum Products Pricing Agency, PPPRA.  Senator Ahmadu Ali is a distinguished statesman who has served this country well.  In  this interview, Senator  Ali spoke to Moses George, Editor of Akoyaa
You graduated as a medical doctor from the University College Hospital, Ibadan in 1963, and then, you went on to enlist into the Nigerian Army. Firstly, what attracted you to study medicine and why did you enlisted into the army as a doctor?
Right from my secondary school days at Barewa College, Zaria, and the flagship profession of students of Barewa College was the military. That is why the first, the second and the third generations of Nigerian army officers were all from Barewa College. The attraction was that right from secondary school class one to three, you only did two lessons. The rest, you went to the army barracks and train with recruits on how to shot, how to take cover and how to blow up bridges and so on. So, we were atuned towards the military. I actually wanted to join the Air force, because the Vice Principal of Barewa College, who was a mathematician was an ex pilot during the Second World War. Eventually, they now enlisted us into British air force and sent letters to our D O's and so on and they interviewed our parents and my mother being the only living parent rejected my joining the air force. That suppressed my ambition for the air force. My study of medicine came, because  when I completed my secondary school, my result that year was the best in the whole of Barewa College. Another Igala boy, Momoh Sule from Ankpa had the best result ever before me.  One day, the late Northern Premier came to our school and promised that no body from our class of 1954 would be employed by the Northern regional government. He said that we should all go to the Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology which was starting at that time. Those to be employed were those who failed their school certificate examinations. In making a choice of wat to study, I remembered that my late father was ill and refused to take western medicine and I said to myself, well, I would rather study medicine.  So I went through the Nigeria College, did advance level London and gained automatic admission to Ibadan to study medicine. In my final year at Ibadan in 1963, there was an advert for recruitment of young people, especially, university graduates into the army. So three of us that were friends, Professor Humphrey Anyawu, late Brigadier General Adelaja and I decided to apply. After the interview, we were taken and commissioned as second Lieutenant on March 14 1963. My final exam at UCH was in October. So I joined the army without a degree actually. What that means is that I graduated from the university as a soldier, because I was already a second Lieutenant. So you can see that it was this old ambition that I now give expression to it again.
What actually led to the 'Ali Must Go demonstration in 1978 when you were Minister of Education'?
Demonstrations by undergraduates in Nigerian Universities are not new. After the one of 1978, about three ministers who came after me also suffered the same fate. Students carried placards and insisted that they must go. ABU students carried placards against Professor Ango Abdullahi…they said that Ango Must Go. In my own case, I was not part to anything that led to Ali Must Go demostrations. As Minister for Education, I fought for money for education. The money meant for the universities, the treasury handed it over to the National Universities Commission. I recreated the National Universities Commission during my time, just as I produced the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB. I brought in Doctor Angulu who was the Register of ABU to come and be its pioneer Register. Professor Jubril Aminu was lecturing at the Ibadan Teaching Hospital; I also nominated him to become the Register of NUC. Government's revenue at that time was dwindling due to sharp fall in oil revenue. So one of the measures they took to beef up income was by asking students to pay for the food they eat. I think then, they were already paying twenty five kobo and it was going to be fifty kobo per meal. This was unacceptable to them. But this decision was not taken by the ministry. It was the NUC that took that decision. The NUC did not route that decision through the ministry. They went through General Yar Adua who was then Chief of Staff to Obasanjo and it landed at the Supreme Council which is superior to the Federal Executive Council were I belonged. So the they took that decision and we heard it on radio. So myself and the Permanent Secretary wrote a letter of warning to Professor Jubril Aminu who was the Executive Secretary of the NUC at that time, that they had no right to do a thing like that and that they should pass through the ministry. Well, that was what led to all the meetings that culminated into that demonstration. Before then, I got on well with them as a onetime Secretary General of the National Union of Nigerian Students. I tried to reach out to them. I even flew to Maiduguri to talk to them. It was after the secret meeting they held in Calabar that the whole thing erupted.
You were said to have always held independent views, even from that of the Head of State when you were Minister for Education, especially at Federal Executive Council Meetings. How true is this?
I don't know about holding independent views. What you saying is that all through my life, I speak my mind. I do not play politics with people's lives. When discussion are on, what I feel, I say it. I know a Head of State who used to throw his files at me. I collect it and then take it back to him. They know me as someone who would always speak out his mind. That is why General Gowan appointed me a minister on 24th of January 1975. They overthrew him in July of that same year; Murtala came in as Head of State. Murtala and I never agreed, we were always at each other's throat. He was my junior in Barewa College. Immediately he came in as Head of State, he said he will not have any body in education, except me. When Obasanjo became Head of State after Murtala's death, he insisted that I should continue to be Minister of Education, even when people like General Danjuma wanted me to go back to medical because that area was suffering as a result of my political appointment. Obasanjo insisted I remain in education.
Considering the vision of the of  founders  of National Youth Service Corps of which you were the pioneer Director General, would you say that the scheme is living up to its objectives or has it outlived its usefulness?
Only short sighted people in our society would say that the NYSC has outlived its usefulness. As far I am concerned, it can never outlive its usefulness. In a society of almost three hundred tribal groups, there is nothing you need more than understanding of one another. That is the key to living together. The scheme helps young people to learn how to live with other people. It helps them appreciate other people. A child from Ogun state goes to serve in Borno, Calabar goes to serve in Sokoto and so on. This will foster unity. That is why we believe that NYSC can never outlive its usefulness.  Apart from the great understanding it forges, inter marriages happen. By accident, these are the most useful people that can make election credible in Nigeria, at least, for the time being.
The Igala/Bassa people of Kogi east elected you into the Senate three times, making you the first Nigerian to be so honoured. What was responsible for this and what have you given back to them in return?
I keep giving back even when I am no longer a Senator. I keep serving Kogi East and the whole of Nigeria in every capacity I find myself. The creation of Kogi State was under my Chairmanship for eleven years. I was the leader of the movement for the creation of Kogi State. I travelled to America and everywhere to see that I could make use of all the levers to create Kogi State. The Igalas made a big mistake when they left Kwara for Benue. I was in government and I had succeeded in convincing the Federal Executive Council that the Igalas should be left to remain in Kwara until such time when states will be created on provincial basis, then, we will have a Kabba province state. That was my position. But some of our boys went and lobbied at the Supreme Military Council, and some emirs and chiefs also lobbied powerful people that they will never belong to a state with the people who are now in that state. So they had to remove them from that province and used the Igalas just to fill the gap. Within a year, those who criticized my position in the Federal Executive Council for wanting Igalas to remain in Kwara summoned me and they were begging me to take a letter to Obasanjo to return them back. So I told them that I was not Obasanjo's Chief of Protocol, so why should I carry the letter, that they should post the letter. When I told General Obasanjo that this is what my people are saying, Obasanjo said,”but I told you.” Because Obasanjo had told me earlier that my people had gone to lobby some emirs and that they will go to Benue and suffer.  Eventually, It was the Attah of Igala that told me that I have been elected to lead the movement for the creation of Kogi state when the agitation started. My wife, I think must be the first woman to stand on the drum to campaign for the creation of Kogi state. She also made donations ofcourse. General Babangida who created the state, went to the United Nations to speak at the UN as Head of State, so I flew there with my wife. We were in the United Nations floor, in the Ministerial kiosk, because I had told Ambassador Gambari who was Nigeria's Representative at the UN to reserve a place for me. He booked accommodation and a seat. After Babangida's speech, we all went to World of Astoria in the evening for cocktail. When Babangida saw me he said, 'Likita, you came all the way. You are not a business man. It is business men that follow Heads of States around. What have you come to do”? I said well, I came to give you support. So the Inspector General of Police, Gambo Jimeta said to Babangida, 'So you don't know why he is here? He is looking for the creation of Kogi State that is why he is following you about.” So Babangida said,”wallahi, by the grace of God I will create Kogi State for you.” So that is the secret.
When you aspired to become the governor of Kogi state under the platform of NRC, lots of your admirers were excited at the prospect of having you as their governor. What truncated your ambition?
I did not succeed in standing for any primary election. After the creation of the state in 1991, everybody said, well you brought the state, so come and be our governor. My old teacher, Alhaji Abdulrahaman Okene summoned me and told me to take a shot at it since the elders have decided. So I was preparing myself for primaries when Babangida made a law banning any Chairman of any committee of the National Assembly or State Assemblies from standing for elections. So, that cancelled me out.
As national Chairman of PDP, what were your achievements?
What would be the achievement of a National Chairman of a party more than how well you ran the party? We instilled discipline into the party and put it back in its frontline position. We made it a party that you can reckon with at all angles. We went to the general elections and captured twenty eight states out of thirty six; I transited the federal government from civilian to civilian without any hitch in 2007.     You must remember that my predecessors in office were sacked because they fiddled with the finances of the party. Before I left office, I gave one billion naira for the building of a permanent secnetariat of the PDP. I then created a committee that will handle the project under Goodluck Jonathan, the Vice President, who later turned out to be our President. This committee had to go round raising funds so that when I leave office the project would go on. I even got the C of O of the land for them. At our secretariat, we owed fourty five million when I got there, I paid off the debt and it became our own. I met no Kobo when I came, so I was carrying bowl in hand to be able to pay staff. After the nomination for the election, the party came into plenty of money. I didn't believe that my predecessors stole any more initially….but I eventually realized that there was money. Ten people will pay the party to buy forms for one post…. Over to billion naira came in as result of that process. When I realized this, I was shocked. One day I called the Director of Finance and asked whether all the money people are paying for forms across the country was going into a particular account. He said yes sir. He brought the statement and there was N1.5 billion in Zenith Bank, half a billion with Standard Chartered or so. I told myself that this money will not disappear like the last one. So I decided to do something reasonable with the funds.
You have been Chairman of Petroleum Products Pricing Agency since December 2009. The agency is being accused of negligent in its operations by allowing unscrupulous companies and government officials to defraud the country in the name of subsidy. What is your response to this allegation?
They are talking bunkums. Rubbish… They don't have any vague idea of  how PPRA operates. This agency is the body that is supposed to regulate petroleum products and pricing. The consumption of fuel every three months is determined. So the PPRA gives the PPMC over sixty percent of that quantity. To import. So PPRA itself imports only one third or there about of this quantity. PPRA processes the application of those marketers who have got the ability to bring in products. We have no power over the sixty percent that is given to PPMC. So the agency does not know how they administer it or who they give to, but the PPRA knows those that have satisfied all the conditions that are required for the license to import.  One day, the late President Yar Adua asked me to assist him because all the petrol stations in Nigeria had long queues, but no fuel and that it was an embarrassment for him. I obliged him and plunged into the job with all my energy. The first thing I found was that it was just a group of major marketers that were getting most of the licenses to bring in the product. And these major marketers complained to me that government owed them over six months of their subsidy claims. So I had to approach Doctor Rilwan Lukeman, the Minister, and begged him to process their payment because they don't get paid then, they won't bring in products and there will be scarcity. I also found out that these major marketers, most of them big name,…you give them 300,000 metric tons of PMS, they need one quarter of a billion dollars, none of them would want to invest that kind of money into an investment only to be pursuing papers from one office to another. So when they are allocated this quantity, if you are lucky, they bring in only 90, so there is already a shortfall of 210,000 metric tons. By the time this happens in 2 or 3 companies, there will be scarcity.  So I decided to look into the law establishing the PPRA, which says that the agency must provide a level playing field for all marketers. That is why I made two statements on the television…I said the cartel that is holding this country to ransom, I will break it. I then told the Executive Secretary of the PPRA, that the number of marketers you are giving licenses is too small…. Allocate more licenses to more companies so far they can satisfy your conditions. Don't restrict it to these people alone. Many companies started applying.. Some for 45,000, 30,000 metric tons and so on depending on their abilities. At the end of the day, they may bring in only 15,000 etc. But because they are more, more fuel is coming. That was how I created the glut in the PMS market that eventually broke the monopoly of the cartel. Even the Shehu of Borno came here and said, all his life, fuel had never sold at the same price as it sold anywhere in Nigeria. Everywhere, it was selling at 65 naira. Again, the PPRA does not give the license. It is given by DPR. Our own is to process the application and DPR will still conduct their own evaluations. So from 16, the number of marketers rose steadily 51. The number that PPMC deals with, we don't know. They are dealing with bigger groups that we never know. The PPMC fuel is actually for strategic reserve….most people don't know this. There is no nation that can run without a strategic reserve of fuel for a certain period in case of an emergency, like war and so on. They have their own tank farm like Atlacove and so on. When it is full, they go and hire other people's tank farms to store products.  Then ofcourse, there was a time I called all marketers when they accused me of promoting portfolio carrying marketers, so I told them that all of you carried portfolios before you were able to build tank farms, give others a chance. These small marketers actually came to save the nation. They may not be big names, but their effort created the glut we had. And that was my initiative. But what we could not guarantee, is whether the liter you got is exactly one liter. That is the work of DPR. So all the noise about fraud in PPRA is absolutely trash. But if anything is happening in that wise, then there must be a massive collusion, because there are checks and balances mechanisms.
There are rumours in certain quarters that your relationship with former President Obasanjo has not been very cordial lately. What actually happens?
I don't comment on rumours. Please go on to the next question.
What is your appraisal of the Goodluck Jonathan administration, especially, considering the high rate of unemployment, dwindling economy and high level of insecurity in the country?
The administration of Goodluck Jonathan is battling with a lot of problems. That is not unheard of in other administrations. Boko Haram was there before Jonathan came. Before then there was MEND and these Niger Delta Militants blowing up oil installations, kidnapping people and asking for ransom. All these have been going on. But the magnitudes seem to have exploded in recent times. But we have to ask ourselves; if fire for fire does not solve the problem, perhaps jaw to jaw will.  But President Jonathan is trying his best. We have to give him a chance before we can make a honest and critical assessment.
What is the prospect of this country staying together in view of the recent challenges confronting it?
Moses George, I will like to tell you categorically just as Babangida said. I am ready to carry arms against anybody that want to break Nigeria up or to tear it apart. So if there are people nursing such intention, they jolly well be ready for an unprecedented resistance from those of us who do not want to break Nigeria. Having said that, we should all be careful not to make pronouncements that will cause friction and heat up the polity.
Thank you for finding time to talk with us,
It's my pleasure. Thank you Moses George.

I said the cartel that is holding this country to ransom, I will break it. I then told the Executive Secretary of the PPRA, that the number of marketers you are giving licenses is too small…. Allocate more licenses to more companies so far they can satisfy your conditions. Don't restrict it to these people alone.