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Mambilla and Obasanjo’s Testimony of ‘EC Conclusions’

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By Abdullahi Mahmood,

You may have seen a bunch of photocopied documents labelled “EC Conclusions” and marked “16th Meeting” which have been flying about. We did receive them again in the circuit this morning and decided to take a deeper look at these and share this view with the public. These documents are also marked “Secret”, but they are no longer secret because they are being widely circulated to all and sundry. The documents boldly bear the stamp of the “Presidency, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation” and was certified by its “Legal Department on the 7 September 2022”. They are the same documents that are referred to in Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s letter to the Honourable Attorney General of the Federation, Barrister Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, in December 2023. They are the same documents that the former President Obasanjo brandished at his interview with journalists in late August 2023 and the same ones that he (Chief Obasanjo) would quickly toss before the anyone who cares to hear his attempts to clear himself of any blames or faults in respect of the lingering Mambilla Power Project crisis.

The readiness of the former president Olusegun Obasanjo to remain a major player in the Mambilla power project saga was reasserted by TheCable, a Nigerian news vendor which reported on Wednesday, 13 Dember 2023 that Chief Obasanjo “has informed the federal government that he is ready to testify for Nigeria ‘in any forum’ over the disputed Mambilla power contract”. This was within a few hours of the unannounced arrest of the former Minister of Power Dr Olu Agunloye by EFCC on same Wednesday. TheCable which is thought to be controlled by or affiliated to a former Minister of Power under the Buhari Administration also published: “Obasanjo pledged his ‘continued commitment’ to assist the government ‘by shedding more light on these matters as may be required of me’, adding, ‘I have therefore resolved to make myself available to testify in Arbitration or any forum should you consider it necessary in our national interest’”.

Seeing these “secret” documents in circulation again reminds one that Chief Obasanjo did not explain to the public or those to whom he circulated the suspicious “EC Conclusions” of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, that he (as President of the Federal Republic) did not conduct any FEC meetings for the rest of May 2003 after the 21 May 2003 meeting. And that, in fact, he did not conduct any FEC Meetings throughout the months of June and July 2003 and, not until about middle or late August 2003, did he conduct the first FEC Meeting but with new members of the FEC, most of who were not at the meeting of 21 May 2003. Chief Obasanjo has yet not circulated the Minutes of the meeting of FEC where the Minutes of the 21 May 2003 meeting were presented, amended, and adopted and has not stated when the undated “EC Conclusions” he is brandishing were extracted. He has also not yet disclosed that he knows that “EC Conclusions” are not the same as “Minutes of FEC Meetings”.

Contrary to Chief Obasanjo’s claim in his letter of December 2023 to President Tinubu’s Attorney General, Barr. Fagbemi, as published by TheCable, Ministers had statutory powers to award contracts in 2003, and if this was not satisfactory to the President or FEC, either of them had the power to cancel the contracts. As the Minister of the Federal Republic in charge of the Power and Steel Ministry, Dr Agunloye admitted that he awarded the Mambilla Power Project as a BOT contract at zero Naira cost to FGN in May 2003. The President or FEC had powers to cancel the contract and if they did, they were bound to communicate formally and officially such to the Minister which they never did to date.

Contrary to Chief Obasanjo’s claims in his public letter to President Tinubu’s Attorney General, Barr. Fagbemi, that he (Obasanjo) never knew the 2003 BOT Contract was ever awarded, the then Minister of Power, Sen Liyel Imoke, under President Obasanjo, on 3 September 2003 wrote Sunrise, the awardee, to repudiate the validity of the 2003 Mambilla BOT contract and later in meetings with Sunrise and its lawyers, he (Minister Imoke) said he would report back to the President as he was expected to do. Chief Obasanjo is also feigning ignorance of the following facts: that his own personal lawyer and bosom friend, legal luminary Chief Afe Babalola, SAN wrote to his (Obasanjo’s) Government in Feb 2005 that the 2003 Mambilla BOT contact was legitimate; that the then Attorney General of the Federation, Barr. Michael Aondoakaa, SAN wrote to President Yar’Adua in 2007 that the 2003 Mambilla contract was properly awarded, that the then Attorney General of the Federation, Barr. Abubakar Malami, SAN officially confirmed to President Buhari and Minister Fashola in 2016 and 2017 that the 2003 Mambilla BOT was legitimate, and that Chief Femi Falana, SAN also wrote to President Buhari in 2018 and 2020 that the BOT Contract was proper and legitimate.

As a matter of fact, the statutory power of a minister to award contracts without explicit approval of FEC was taken away by the same President Olusegun Obasanjo only in November 2005 with the new edict, the ICRC Act 2005. However, Dr. Gbolahan Elias, SAN had pointed out to FGN in 2018 that the ICRC Act 2005 was not made retroactive and could not be applied to the 2003 contract awarded by Minister Agunloye.

Verily, it is of public interest that Chief Obasanjo’s now customary defence to clear himself of wrongdoings in the Mambilla Power crisis or of alleged corruption during his eight-year tenure as stated over and over by him and especially by TheCable may be misleading because the “Yar’Adua power sector probe of the 2000 to 2007” roundly indicted the former President Obasanjo and all his Ministers of Power except Chief Bola Ige and Dr Olu Agunloye. Also, the former President Olusegun Obasanjo is yet to absolve himself from allegations of mismanagement of a cash grant of $16 billion (sixteen billion US Dollars, approximately N24 trillion, today) that he claimed was spent on power sector procurements, considering the Col. Dangiwa Umar’s “Notes on Obasanjo in respect of the power sector from 1999 to 2007” and the damning investigative report of The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) of 2017 on the power sector titled “From Darkness to Darkness – How Nigerians are paying the price for Corruption in the Electricity Sector”.

Mr. Abdullahi Mahmood.
The Mambilla Collections.

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CUPP lampoon Reps over move to investigate Ugochinyere, others for visit to Fubara

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**Calls for reversal of the ill-informed Move by the House of reps

The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has Condemned the attempt by the House of Representatives to refer Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere and other members to the Committee On Ethics for probe over their Solidarity Visit to the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.

Fifty members of the House of Representatives hadq paid a solidarity visit to the Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, to celebrate his one year in office.

The lawmakers, who consist of members of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP), Labour Party ( LP), New Nigeria Peoples Party ( NNPP), All Progressives Grand Alliance ( APGA) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) also include the spokesman of opposition coalition, in the House, Ikenga Ugochinyere..

Ugochinyere had explained on the sideline of the thanksgiving service in Port Harcourt that federal lawmakers were in Rivers to solidarilize with Fubara and celebrate with him on his one year of transformational leadership.

But the House had referred the Honourable members to the Committee on Ethics for disciplinary action over their visit

However, the chairman,

Media Committee of the

Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) Chief Barr. Chukwudi Ezeobika in a statement has tackled the leadership of the House for the action which he said clearly cast doubt on its integrity in the observance and or adherence to the laws which they enact/promulgate. 

“Relying on the point of order/ privilege raised by Yusuf Gagdi of the All Progressives Congress, Plateau State to arrive at such decision is erroneous and grossly misleading.

“The House, by this very action, has impugned on the integrity and sacredness of Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) especially Sections 39 and 40 which guarantee Freedom of Expression and the Press as well as that of Peaceful Assembly and Association respectively. 

“We, the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP),  hereby call on the leadership of the House of Representatives to, without further delay retract its ongoing steps in the purported probe of these Honourable members by its Ethics Committee and not engage in any act that may violate the fundamental rights of its members or any member of the public. 

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Kano Police counter reports that Emir Bayero will lead Jumma’t prayer

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the Kano State Police Command has countered reports that Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero will lead Jumma’t Prayers at Kofar Kudu Central Mosque, Kano, where Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi, Emir of Kano, leading prayer at the moment.
The reinstated Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II and the dethroned Emir Aminu Ado Bayero, have been laying claim to the throne, creating confusion in the city.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf had dethroned Ado Bayero and asked him to hand over within 48 hours.
But the dethroned monarch in defiance returned to the town under military protection and has been operating from the mini palace since then.
In a statement by Abdullahi Kiyawa, spokesman of Kano Police Command, said, “The Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Usaini Gumel, FIPMA, psc further assured that all necessary security arrangements have been made for Alhaji Aminu Bayero to observe his Jummah Prayers in the Mosque where he lives at the Nasarawa Palace.
“The CP also assured that the Police and all other state security agencies will provide adequate security at the Palace where Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II is expected to observe his Jumma’at Prayers.
“Members of the public are therefore advised to ignore the false reports and misinformation circulating on social media and to go about their activities without fear of molestation or intimidation assuring that the Police will continue to provide the necessary security for ensuring that residents observe their Friday congressional prayers peacefully and without threats to their lives and property.”
The emirate tussle has continued to linger since the reinstatement of Sanusi and dissolution of the five emirates.
There have been cnflicting court orders for and against
Based on the conflicting orders, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kayode Ariwoola, had summoned the head of the Federal High high Court and Kano Chief Judge.
The Police statement reads,
KANO STATE POLICE COMMAND
31ST MAY, 2024

The Kano State Police Command is hereby advising all residents to disregard the false information circulating on social media that Emir Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero will lead Jumma’t Prayers at Kofar Kudu Central Mosque, Kano.

2. The Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Usaini Gumel, FIPMA, psc further assured that all necessary security arrangements have been made for Alhaji Aminu Bayero to observe his Jummah Prayers in the Mosque where he lives at the Nasarawa Palace.

3. The CP also assured that the Police and all other state security agencies will provide adequate security at the Palace where Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II is expected to observe his Jumma’at Prayers.

4. Members of the public are therefore advised to ignore the false reports and misinformation circulating on social media and to go about their activities without fear of molestation or intimidation assuring that the Police will continue to provide the necessary security for ensuring that residents observe their Friday congressional prayers peacefully and without threats to their lives and property.

SP ABDULLAHI HARUNA KIYAWA, ANIPR, MNISMA,
POLICE PUBLIC RELATONS OFFICER,
FOR: COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, KANO STATE COMMAND.

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Royal turbulence gets messier as emirs Sanusi II, Bayero move to hold prayer at Palace Mosque

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Dethroned Emir Aminu Ado Bayero and Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II

As the royal turbulence continue to shake the foundation of the city of Kano, the ancient city is tension soaked as the two contending Emirs- the reinstated Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II and the dethroned Emir Aminu Ado Bayero, have indicated their determination to hold Jumaat prayers at the Palace Central Mosque.
A press statement issued Thursday night, signed by Danburan Kano, Munir Sanusi Bayero, spelt out the itinerary of the reinstated Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II to the Mosque to lead the Jumaat Prayers.
The statement explained that Emir Malam Muhammadu Sanusi II, who resides in the Palace, and is closer to the contending Mosque, is expected to lead the two rakat Friday prayers.
Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II has been leading the Jumaat Prayers at the Palace Central Mosque as the Amir of the City, a statement explained.
The statement by Danburan invited Kano residents to come and listen to the sermon to be delivered by the Emir Malam Muhammadu Sanusi II.
However, another statement from an aide of the deposed Emir, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero invited residents to join him at the Emir’s Palace Friday Mosque to observe the Juma’at prayer.
It stated that the movement to the Emir’s Palace Mosque starts at 12.30 pm.
However, the police are yet to comment on the development.

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