FG to spend N3.1bn on Obasanjo, others in 2012

The Federal Government plans to spend N3.19bn on the pensions and allowances of former Presidents, Heads of State, their deputies, former leaders of the National Assembly and their families in the year 2012.

The proposed N3.19bn represents an increase of about N2bn from what was provided for the former rulers in the 2011 Budget.

The government also earmarked a total of N141.7bn for the pensions and gratuities, of retired civil servants, that are not captured in the contributory pension scheme.

The amount contained in the 2012 budget currently before the National Assembly is under Service Wide Votes. Our correspondents report that beneficiaries under this heading will receive a total of N414.4bn for the fiscal year.

The Remuneration for former Presidents, Heads of State Act passed by the National Assembly in November 2010 provides for the remunerations of all former Presidents, Heads of State and their deputies, including the families of former leaders who are late.

Currently, those who benefit from the Act are former Heads of State Gen. Yakubu Gowon; Gen. Muhammadu Buhari; Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar; Gen. Ibrahim Babangida; former head of the Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan; former President Shehu Shagari; former President Olusegun Obasanjo; their living deputies; and former heads of the National Assembly.

Other beneficiaries are the widow of a late former President, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe; the widows of a former Prime Minister, the late Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa; and the widows and families of former Heads of State, General Murtala Muhammed; and Gen. Sani Abacha.

When the N1.2bn bill was presented to the Senate in 2011, the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Intergovernmental Affairs queried the amount, saying that it was too high a price to pay for the comfort of former leaders who presided over the “economic retardation” of the country.

But explanations from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation showed that there were seven living former Heads of State, five Vice Presidents, six families of deceased leaders and two families of deceased Vice Presidents.

Among other benefits, the former leaders are expected to get a five bedroom housing accommodation each in any location of their choice with telephone services; at least three vehicles; and salaries of personal staff.

Also, the law provides that government should cater for the needs of the former heads of state whenever they visit Abuja, as well as pay for their use of courier services.

Reacting to the provision, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Bassey Otu, said the Senate would take a look at the provision and ensure that the former leaders did not get beyond what they deserved.

He said the N3.19bn might be slashed in line with the new posture of government to reduce the cost of governance.

“Rest assured that anything that should be done to bring these budgets to their proper sizes, will be done,” he said.

But the President of Campaign for Democracy, Joe-Okei Odumakin, criticised the increase from N1.2bn to N3.19bn, saying it smacked of insensitivity.

She told one of our correspondents in a telephone interview on Sunday that voting more money for the care of former leaders suggested that the poor would remain poor while those who had misruled the country would continue to grow richer.

She said, “First and foremost, it is extremely outrageous. How can you explain an increase from N1.2bn to N3.19bn? It smacks of insensitivity to the plight of Nigerians. It is sad that this is happening when our citizens are impoverished.

“It means that all the mouthing that the regime will reduce their pay is cosmetic and hypocritical.”

Also, the All Nigeria Peoples Party said the huge budget provision was President Goodluck Jonathan’s way of preparing the ground for when he would leave office.

According to the National Publicity Secretary of the ANPP, Chief Emma Eneukwu, the government has no idea of how to move the country forward.

He said, “We keep on saying it that this government has no human face and that it does not care what happens to the people.

“It was telling Nigerians that it was going to cut expenses, yet, it went ahead to increase the budgetary provision for these leaders.

“This same government told us that the economy would collapse without the removal of petroleum subsidy. It did not tell us that the economy of individual would collapse.

“This government is proving it day-by-day that it is a government that lacks vision and cannot be trusted. Nigerians cannot be deceived forever. One day is for the thief, the rest are for the owners.”

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“Why We Did Not Kill Obasanjo” – Boko Haram Leader

Information recently made available to us through a high ranking contact within the organizational structure of the terrorist Islamic group, Boko Haram reveals unnerving revelations regarding the recent attacks on Kano, Bauchi State – and the aborted attack of September 15, 2011 visit by former President of the federal republic of Nigeria, General Olusegun Aremu Obasanjo to the home of the in-law of the slain leader of the Boko Haram, Babakura Fuggu in Borno State.

It was gathered that the leader of Boko Haram, Imam Abubakar Shekau who is currently hiding away in Qoundere, Cameroun following the recent and ongoing attacks on Kano and Bauchi State – had deliberated seriously on the assassination of the former president of Nigeria, General Obasanjo on September 15, 2011 while on a visit to Borno State to the home of the in-law to the slain leader of Boko Haram Ustaz Mohammed Yusuf.

According to the Boko Haram source, former President Obasanjo had made first contact with Yusuf’s in-lawal, Babakura Fuggu [eldest son of Yusuf’s in-law in early September 2011concerning opening a channel of dialogue with the terrorist group. The leadership of the group took it uneasy with the choice of Babakura – since the line of leadership did not automatically follow family lineage as in traditional settings. As a ‘religious’ group they did not see Babakura as the rightful person to take over from Yusuf. – For this reason, the leadership of the group ‘silently’ objected to the meeting between Babakura and Obasanjo.

As Obasanjo concluded his secret meeting the previous day at the Green House with three other religious group [Jamatu Nasir Islam, JNI and CAN in Jos, the capital of Plateau State on the Wednesday of September 14, 2011, and took off the following day to Borno State, the terrorist group, according to the source, marked the former President within their ‘firing range’ from the moment he landed in Borno State at minutes after 11am till he departed the State in the late afternoon of the same day. According to the source, “we were not sure of him”.

“He was going to be a big catch” said the source who explained that the leadership halted the operation as Obasanjo went inside the residence of Babakura.

“Obasanjo was good to us. We had no problem with Obasanjo. We had him. We could have taken him out”, as he recalled that the sharia movement took off during the period when Obasanjo was president. “The problem started during the late President Yar’Adua regime. Goodluck only inherited the problem. We have no problem with Goodluck. But his Ijaw people around him are deceiving him”.

Interestingly, the Boko Haram source who spoke in fluent English with a slight American accent explained the decision to ‘finish’ Babakura Fuggu came due to what transpired between Obasanjo and Babakura. “We learnt he asked for money”. Babakura requested on behalf of Boko Haram monies to enable the group defray litigation costs and other minor financial requests which the leadership of Boko Haram considered menial and demeaning. The wife, Yakolo, was said to have received money from the former president to the tuned of N500,000. Babakura Fuggu was gundown on September 17, 2012 as he existed his home by his younger brother in the company of other young men dressed in reddish-orange babarigas each armed with AK47s – just barely forty eight 48 hours following the visit of former President Obasanjo.

Meanwhile, information available to us reveals the reason Kano and Bauchi State were attacked a few days ago as having to do with failed promises by the State governors of the two states. The entire northern governors, according to the Boko Haram source, have ongoing relationships with the group. ”Most of them pay us monthly to leave their states alone”.

In Kano State, the former state governor, Malam Shekarau reached an agreement with the terrorist group in late 2004 for an initial monthly disbursement of N5million which was later bumped up to N10million in 2009. The agreement, according to the source, included provision of institutional infrastructural support through the Hisbah Islam police project which received yearly budgetary allocation of N1.01billion. The gubernatorial election of April 2011 which introduced Rabiu Kwankwaso as the new governor changed the agreement. The Kwankwaso administration was quick to dismantle the Hisbah set up – and the said agreement to disburse N10million monthly. The governor proceeded to make arrests of known Boko Haram members. Boko Haram leadership who had found comfort in Kano did not appreciate the Kwankwaso administration’s policy on Boko Haram. According to the source, “we warned the Governor of the consequences”.

“We concluded on Kano in December 2011″. The abrupt end to the oil subsidy strike and protests served an opportunity for the group to strike. The preparatory work for the attack and the selection of targets had already been completed. According to the source, an estimated number of casualties was calculated to net 300 minimum. “The go ahead order” was given on Wednesday January 18, 2012 evening before the leader of the group left the country to Cameroon on the early morning of Thursday, the following day.

In Bauchi State, the Governor, Malam Yuguda reached similar agreement with the leadership of the group. A monthly disbursement of N10million was agreed upon along with provision of training grounds on the many mountain scattered in Bauchi State. The governor also promised to give them security against arrests by the federal government. The agreement was reached in June 2008 but mid 2011, the governor stopped the disbursement of the N1omillion regularly. Boko Haram were not happy but remained loyal to the agreement because of the unfettered access to the mountains of Bauchi as training camps.

However the arrest and detention of their number 3 man by the State Security Services SSS fractured the relationship between the governor and the terrorist group. According to the source, the State was attacked to free the number 3 leader of Boko Haram and to “teach them a lesson”. The detained leader schooled at the prestigious Lincoln University located in the State of Connecticut, USA and owns a block industry in Bauchi State near the home of the former governor of Bauchi State – an area densely populated by Boko Haram operatives.

According to the source, “the northern governors are overwhelmed”. They are aware of the capabilities of the Boko Haram operatives operating in their respective states. Some of the State government officials visit the terrorist groups in their training camps to watch the training exercises. “We train harder than the Nigerian military and they see it” said the source while ‘lamenting’ that the governor continue to tell the President that the menace of Boko Haram is under control.

The Boko Haram source made it emphatic that “we they have the weapons and are in control. We are not asking for Islamic Nigeria. We want our men free”.

By 247ureports

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Amosun marks Olusegun Obasanjo's property for demolition

It was also gathered that a property belonging to former President Olusegun Obasanjo has been marked for demolition.

The state government had in August, this year, awarded the contract for the construction of a 2.4 kilometre six-lane road in the area to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).

The proposed stretch of road, awarded at a cost of N1.3 billion, will consist of median with street lights, drainage systems, sidewalk and green belt on both sides.

Yesterday, dozens of buildings and structures already marked for demolition by the state government officials were pulled down by the bulldozers and caterpillars of the construction company handling the road expansion project.

Some shop owners at the area tried to salvage their property before the bulldozers moved in.

But one of the affected landlords, Mr. Olafemi Egbodofo, faulted the demolition and accused the state government of being insensitive to the plight of property owners in the area.

Egbodofo, who claimed to be the president of Nigerian Association of Hoteliers, threatened to institute a law suit against the government which he blamed for allegedly failing to follow due process.

Speaking with reporters, however, he denied receipt of any notice about the demolition from the government.

For the job, I am not against it but I’m only against the way it’s done. This is very barbaric and inhuman. Government should be more civilided every day and not as if an army is giving an order; they are killing people gradually.”

However, another resident, Mr. Ajose Jelil, lauded the state government’s effort in expanding the road.

Jelil advised Amosun to pay N5 million compensation to the victims of the demolition to ameliorate their suffering.

Speaking with reporters on the development, the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Olamilekan Adegbite, said the state government was already working on the compensation of the affected property owners.

Adegbite added that the state would reconstruct some of the demolished structures to prevent slum in the area.

The Newsmen learnt that some of the structures that risk demolition include a building belonging to Olusegun Obasanjo which houses the branch offices of the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Unity Bank and Ecobank Plc.

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