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CORRUPTION ‘BANTERS’ OBASANJO Vs LEGISLATORS: KETTLE CALLING THE POT, BLACK! – CACOL

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL, has said that former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, lacks the moral grounds to label any government, institutions, agencies, individuals as corrupt, considering the unresolved and lingering suspected corrupt acts perpetrated by the retired Army General.

The Executive Chairman of CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran said “to put it aptly, former President, Olusegun Obasanjo’s anti-corruption stance is pure hypocrisy and akin to ‘the kettle, calling the pot black’. We can say this even at the risk of sounding ‘supportive’ of the gluttonous  legislators who have frankly admitted as reported in the media to being ‘corrupt grandchildren of a corrupt grandfather’; both sides of the divide are indeed culpable in the infestation of corruption in the fabrics of our society. They are two sides of the same coin, actually!”
“We recall how all efforts to get Obasanjo to answer to allegations of corrupt practices over the Halliburton and Siemens Scandal against him were met with consciously and tactically placed obstacles that have shielded the former President from judicial and public scrutiny of his roles in the saga till date.”
The media had been awash recently with exchanges of banters dwelling on the ‘more corrupt’ between the loquacious ex-President and the legislature, with the earlier describing the latter as ‘a den of unarmed robbers’. In responding, some legislators have said that Obasanjo is the ‘grandfather of corruption’ in Nigeria.
In a brief narrative of what CACOL had done in the past on Obasanjo and his suspected corruption cases, Adeniran said “our Coalition submitted a petition against former President, General Olusegun Obasanjo (Rtd) to the EFCC on November 14th, 2007 at the Lagos Zonal Office on offences bordering on alleged conspiracy, fraudulent conversion of funds and abuse of office, foreign exchange malpractice and money laundering.”
 
“Following the submission and defense of our petition, an investigative panel was set up to look into the issues raised by our Coalition. Till date, we are still tracking the case and have even written to the EFCC as recently as May, this year for updates, but nothing is forthcoming.”
 
“We found it worrisome; indeed, when we discovered that a report on our petition that the EFCC had not officially released found its way into General Obasanjo’s Book titled ‘My Watch’, in which the former President published a purported report of the investigation panel (page 431 – 465). We had wondered why it was only the former President that appeared to have seen the report while the other stakeholders and the populace remain in the dark and groping. The experience definitely speaks volumes on why some apparently corrupt elements in our midst remain ‘powerful’, ‘untouchable’ and very well ‘above the law’ in spite of the fact that, constitutional footing/s for such status does not exist!” Adeniran added
 
“Were it not against this sort of background, Obasanjo and his ‘grandchildren’ in the legislature ought to bury the heads in shame. A morally upright person would be more comfortable with clearing his name of the corruption allegations against him before pointing fingers. Four fingers are pointing right back at Obasanjo in whichever direction he points a finger to, in the decadence that presently obtains, for being profoundly suspect in the Nigerian situation almost on all plains.”
 
“The ongoing banters are insensitive and insulting to the people’s sensibilities. For the umpteenth time we call on the Attorney General of the Federation, the EFCC and other agencies to re-open the Halliburton and Siemens scandal case promptly, a case that has remained unresolved till date.“ He concluded
 
 
Wale Salami
Media Coordinator, CACOL
08141121208
November 25, 2016
 
 
 
For more press releases and statements, please visit our website at
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8,863 GHOST WORKERS IN KWARA: CACOL REITERATES THE NEED TO EXPOSE AND PUNISH CULPRITS BEHIND THE ‘GHOST WORKERS’ FRAUD

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL has described the undying issue of ‘ghost workers’ in the country as an unfortunate trend that has bedeviled the Nigerian Public service sector for long, following the recent discovery of 8,863 cases in Kwara state while also asserting that the fraudulent act is also perpetrated in many other states in Nigeria.

 
It was revealed recently in media reports that, 8,863 suspected ghost workers on the payroll of both the state and local governments were discovered by the Secretary to the Kwara State Government, Alhaji Isiaka Gold, in an audit carried out in the state.
 
The Executive Chairman of CACOL Mr. Debo Adeniran, in reacting to the discovery, condemned the phenomenon called ‘ghost workers’ and called on the Kwara State Government to ensure that culprits behind the fraud are all brought to book immediately.
 
He lauded the Kwara State Government for fishing out 8,863 ghost workers. He said, “according to available information, the discovery will save the State about N437, 500, 513.56 monthly. But merely discovering ‘ghost workers’ is not enough if the ‘unseen’ faces behind the corrupt act are not uncovered. The criminals behind the scenes must be unmasked and made to face the wrath of the law to abate a syndrome that has apparently become ‘institutionalized’ in our country.”
 
Continuing Mr. Adeniran said, “this thoroughly corrupt act has been happening in the country for too long, we cannot afford to allow it to further endure. If 8,863 jobless graduates of Kwara State had been employed legitimately for the positions occupied ghost workers, unemployment would have been drastically reduced in the State, but the corruption criminals would not allow that to happen.”
 
He insisted that ‘’the ‘ghost worker’ phenomenon is not self-induced; that powerful forces are behind it, therefore the government at the Federal and state levels should through the relevant agencies; the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, ICPC, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the Federal and state Ministries of Finance etc. investigate and expose those ‘behind the scene’ in this infamous ‘ghost worker’ story; prosecute them and ensure that those found wanting are punished.’’
 
‘’Previously, we had called on the ICPC to scrutinize the Civil Service; a call we are repeating, we know that the ‘ghost worker’ stories that we have listened to for so long did not happen without the involvement of the Civil Service and Civil Servants. The monumental lootings of our treasury could not have happened without the collaborating hands of civil servants, they participate actively in sleaze for their own pecuniary gains! There is no other way to justify the civil servants whom their earnings do not corroborate the wealth which they display with rabid impunity across the country.’’ Mr Adeniran concluded
 
 
Wale Salami
Media Coordinator, CACOL
08141121208
November 23, 2016
 
 
 
For more press releases and statements, please visit our website at
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PATIENCE JONATHAN SHOULD HAVE HER DAY IN COURT, BUT THE $15.5M ACCOUNTS MUST REMAIN FROZEN UNTIL THE END OF JUDICIAL PROCESS – CACOL

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL has described the ambience around the $15.5m money laundry scam involving the wife of the immediate past President, Patience Jonathan as that which exemplifies the scenario where the so-called high and mighty wield their ‘immunity’ with bare-faced impunity and effrontery even in the face glaring constitutional dictates that stipulates otherwise.
 
A Federal High Court recently rejected an application by the former First Lady urging the court to order the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC to withdraw the ‘No Debit Order’ it placed on the accounts holding the monies purported to be owned by Mrs. Jonathan.
 
The Executive Chairman of CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran when reacting to media reports on the issue stated that “the controversies surrounding Patience Jonathan, the EFCC and the sum allegedly laundered has been stretched for far too long without any meaningful twist toward a logical conclusion. What we are witnessing is a continuum of an embarrassing tug of war between the EFCC, a body constitutionally charged with combating financial and economic crimes and Patience Jonathan, a Nigerian bounded by the constitution like every other Nigerian.”
 
“At this point, it now behoves on the EFCC to fulfill its constitutional role of by establishing an ‘airtight’ case based on concrete evidences against Patience Jonathan if they exist. Apart from focusing at preventing access to the controversial funds, the EFCC must go ahead to carry out thorough investigations and diligently prosecute the cases against Madam Jonathan like it is constitutionally empowered to do. By now, Mrs. Patience Jonathan ought to been invited for questioning just like any other Nigerian who may be suspected of having committed an illegality.”
 
Also involved in the Patience Jonathan suit, are Warampo Dudafa, an ex-aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan and the four companies whose representatives already pleaded guilty and subsequently convicted for the money laundry scam. This latest suit instituted by Mrs. Jonathan was intended to make the court to order the EFCC to unfreeze the accounts and grant her access to the money in question.
 
Adeniran called on the EFCC to exercise every constitutional powers to freeze any bank accounts with suspicious transactions and amounts until they are cleared of suspicions. He said, “the agency should be tactful and decisive in carrying out its constitutional functions to achieve convictions, because that is what will serve as strong deterrent against corruption.”
 
The anti-corruption crusader also called for accelerated hearings of the cases involving the former First Lady and all other corruption cases that are pending in different courts. He concluded stating that, “at the end the anti-corruption drive would be futile if after all the show of activities, corruption criminals are do not get convicted under the Buhari administration in spite of the anti-corruption stance of the regime. The EFFC need not to be intimidated by falsely acquired “immunity” against probe, questioning, investigation or arrest. No one is above the law! We expect the anti-corruption agencies to exert their powers as provided for by the constitution to overcome any intimidation in performing their duties. No law says Patience Jonathan is “untouchable” or can’t be prosecuted.
 
Wale Salami
Media Coordinator, CACOL
08141121208
November 23, 2016
 
 
 
For more press releases and statements, please visit our website at
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BUHARI’S OUTCRY ON CORRUPTION FIGHTING BACK: INTENSIFY ANTI-CORRUPTION DRIVE NOW! – CACOL

President Muhammadu Buhari, was recently reported to have expressed frustrations on the anti-corruption drive being prosecuted by regime stating that some persons who have enriched themselves through corrupt means are now using those stolen funds in their fight-back against the war against corruption.

 
The President’s Media Aide, Femi Adesina, told reporters that Buhari spoke at a meeting with the American Secretary of State, John Kerry, on the margins of conference on climate change, COP22, in Marrakech, Morocco where he stated that corruption was fighting back vigorously but gave the assurance that surely it is a war that would be won.
 
Following this, the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL has said the President’s statement is one which shows will but also reflect weaknesses that call for introspection as far as regime’s the anti-corruption drive is concerned.
 
The Executive Chairman of CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran posited that, “the President’s statement portrays that the government should move beyond lamentations and confront the corrupt elements who are fighting back. It is should not be a thing of surprise to the President that corruption fights back wherever it is fought. Thus, any serious anti-corruption drive would have envisaged corruption fighting back and would have prepared methodologies to confront such manifestations.
 
“It is like telling the obvious by saying that the Nigerian government and public service has for a very long time been dominated by corrupt officials and public servants, making the fight against corruption a difficult one given the humongous ill-gotten wealth at the disposal of these beneficiaries of sleaze and sharp practices.” Adeniran added.
 
Continuing, he said, “therefore, what the government needs to do, is not allow already anticipated challenges of the fight against corruption to impede the movement and momentum of the war against corruption beyond expressions of frustrations.”
 
“Basically, the anti-corruption agencies need to be strengthened with sufficient funding, manpower, and there must be training and re-training of personnel. Also, reforms of some laws inhibiting the work of anti-corruption agencies and the enactment of new laws must be done to facilitate an environment where corrupt elements will not be able to escape the wrath of the law willy-nilly.”
 
“President Buhari should realize the strength of the constitution and use it to the maximum, if there are laws that should be improved upon, then constitutional processes should be utilized to seek amendmendents to make the fight against corruption effective and with respect for fundamental human rights. We are asking the President to do the needful to intensify the crackdown on corruption.” He concluded.
 
Wale Salami
Media Coordinator, CACOL
08141121208
November 18, 2016
 
 
 
For more press releases and statements, please visit our website at
 
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REPORT OF VALIDATION CONFERENCE ON THE LAGOS OPEN PARLIAMENT 3 (LOP3) ORGANISED BY THE COALITION AGAINST CORRUPT LEADERS, CACOL

BACKGROUND
 
The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL on Wednesday, November 16, 2016 held a Validation Conference, a part of it’s governance performance monitoring project tagged ‘Lagos Open Parliament 3, LOP3’ at Ladio Hotel & Suites in the Ijaiye – Ojokoro area of Lagos state.
 
The validation conference is one of the 3 conferences held in the activities that precede the launching of the Lagos Open Parliament 3, LOP 3 publication. The purpose of the event was to present to the general public the findings of the Coalition pertaining to government performance in Lagos State under the leadership of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.
 
The conference witnessed the presentation of data, findings, and testimonies gathered in the LOP3 process for validation, refutation/invalidation and other updates.
 
Participants included representatives drawn from; the 20 local government areas in Lagos state, the Media, Civil society organizations, government agencies etc.
Several events are embedded in the process of the LOP; these include administering of questionnaires; compilation and analysis of data and news items (TV, radio, newspapers, online news and social media). Three interactive conferences are also held within the process of the LOP i.e. Exploratory, Validation and Public Presentation Conferences (launch). The Public Presentation marks the end of the process.
 
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the conference are to;
·         Involve major stakeholders including; Lagos state government representatives, Lagosians from Local government areas, civil society organizations, and the Media in the LOP3 process.
·         Present data, findings and testimonies gathered in the LOP3 process for validation, refutation/invalidation and other updates.
 
 
 
OPENING REMARKS BY THE EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN OF CACOL, MR. DEBO ADENIRAN
 
The Executive Chairman of CACOL welcomed and thanked all the participants for honouring the invitation to be part of the validation conference stating that their attendance was crucial to the purpose of the event.
 
He briefed the audience on the fundamental objectives of the Lagos Open Parliament. He informed that the validation conference was the penultimate to the publication of the Lagos Open Parliament.
 
In giving a brief background, the Executive Chairman explained that the first edition of the Lagos Open Parliament launched in 2011 which was tagged ‘True State of Lagos by Lagosians’ raised a number of controversy in the public as people thought it was aimed at rubbishing the ‘achievements’ of the Babatunde  RajiFashola administration. This then necessitated investigations into the premises of this claimed ‘achievements’ of the former governor and subsequently led to the publication of the second edition of LOP in 2014. He debunked the accusations that the Coalition sort to undermine the former governor’s achievements and stated that after due inquiries into projects that were undertaken within the state, it was discovered that the government failed in executing most capital projects and that Lagos was governed under false pretenses.
 
In his conclusion, the Chairman explained that it is the findings from researches and other activities of the LOP process that leads to the final publication at the end of each period reviewed. The LOP is a means of enhancing participatory governance, expanding the democratic space to facilitate responsiveness, accountability and transparency.
 
HIGHLIGHTS OF PRESENTATIONS
·         The questionnaire – a multi-media presentation of the questionnaire that was utilized to survey the opinions, views and complaints of Lagosians to elucidate it as one of the basis upon which the LOP3 is predicated
·         Table of questionnaire findings, charts – a multi-media presentation of the findings and deductions from the LOP3 questionnaire in percentages, pie charts and bar charts
·         Media findings – a multi-media presentation of news reports culled from newspapers and the social media on governance and infrastructural development in Lagos state  
·         Multi-media presentation of pictorials from across Lagos on state and stages of infrastructural development
 
 
VALIDATION SESSION (interaction and information sharing) – testimonies, updates, refutations, invalidations, verifications, questions, comments etc.
 
The Validation conference which was preceded by an Exploratory Conference held on the 30th of August 2016, focused on general governance performance and project executions under the Lagos state Governor Akinwunmi Ambode-led Lagos state government for the period of May 29, 2015 to October, 2016.
 
During the Validation Conference, there was an evaluation of questionnaires that focused on the conditions of infrastructures; the security challenges; and the quality of State services in terms of health and education. There was also data analysis and review of the questionnaires which was illustrated in graphical formats to show the frequencies of answers by respondents within Lagos state.
 
The session witnessed questions, comments and updates from participants on the presentations. It was pointed out that certain issues were not captured in the presentations. The controversy over the ‘sale’ or ‘concessioning’ of Alade Market at Ikeja and the demolition houses in Lekki were cited as examples.
 
Participants also gave updates the current state of projects and impact of government in their respective locations. Some projects were reported to have been completed while many are still at different stages of execution with none reported to have been abandoned.
 
The Executive Chairman of CACOL in his response explained that the issues that are not captured in LOP3 could be because the research process had already been concluded before the developments arose. He explained that such matters like the Alade market controversy would be featured in the next LOP. He further stated that since the publication of the Lagos Open Parliament was periodic, any issue that was left out of one would most certainly be addressed in the following edition.
 
The Chairman concluded the conference by informing that recommendations stemming from the CACOL’s findings made to the current administration in Lagos state would be published in the LOP3.
 
The essence he stated is to advise the government of Lagos on issues which are imperative to the living conditions of citizens within the state while emphasizing that CACOL’s goal via the LOP is basically targeted at; monitoring government performances and policies, promoting transparency and accountability and enhancing healthy interface between the civil society and government in the overall interest of the development of Lagos State as an entity.
 
The Validation Conference ended with a vote of thanks given by Comrade Adesina Ishola  
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N3.6bn PURCHASE OF EXOTIC CARS BY HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IS INSENSITIVE TO THE STATE OF THE NIGERIAN ECONOMY – CACOL

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL have condemned the purchase of vehicles by members of the House Of Representatives, describing it as a show of insensitivity to the current economic plight of Nigerians. According to reports, 360 units of Peugeot 508 series are to be delivered to the House in batches that would amount to the sum of N3.6bn. The reports further suggests about 28 cars of the 50 making up the first batch have been delivered to the legislative body.

 
The Executive Chairman of CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran, described the acquisition of cars by the parliament as an insensitive given the parlous state of the economy of the country. He said, “the government in its entirety is often guilty of insensitivity to the living conditions of the vast majority of Nigerians. There is a regular disconnect that makes it seem like the government is ignorant and unperturbed by the standard of living of many Nigerians. Given the current economic conditions of the country, much emphasis should have been placed on debating our way out of this unfortunate phenomenon called recession. But what we have are a bunch of shallow and self-centred individuals doing a comparative cost analysis on their own comfort and forgetting the interests of those they ought to be representing.”
 
“From reports, each car would cost N10m and the House already allocated for them in the 2016 budget. It should be noted that 223 out of the 360 members of the House are new members having been elected in the general polls of 2015. Hence, all members would be a beneficiary of this costly legislative scheme.”
 
Continuing, Adeniran posited that “the procurement of this set of vehicles was not prompted out of necessity but it was barely necessitated by the prevailing trend of misplacing priorities that is often affiliated with our government. In this alarming economic conditions we are all witnessing, the focus should be on cutting down the cost of governance and finding out ways which monies like this could be used to boost the declining industries in the country. The members of the legislative body of the country should realise that Nigerians didn’t vote them into power to allocate wealth to themselves so that they can live as prince and princesses while the majority of Nigerians wallow in poverty and barely surviving on a dollar per day.”
 
The anti-corruption crusader further stated that “it is heart rending to see these law makers never hesitate when deliberating on how much money they allocate for themselves but when it comes to issues of national importance that could change the lives of Nigerians for good, they often start playing the political and the ethno-religious cards.”
 
Adeniran concluded stating emphatically that “If the government wants Nigerians to tighten their belts as is often preached then it should start with the government officials. We can no longer condone this house of wastage.” 
 
Wale Salami
Media Coordinator, CACOL
08141121208
November 14, 2016
 
 
 
For more press releases and statements, please visit our website at
 
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DIKKO AND OBANIKORO: RETURN OF LOOTS, PLEA BARGAIN NOT DETERRENT ENOUGH AGAINST CORRUPT – CACOL

Following the return of N1bn to the Federal Government by the former Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko, the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL, has once again reiterated its position on corruption criminals or suspects who opt for plea bargain and those that voluntarily return their loots. Mr. Debo Adeniran, the Executive Chairman of CACOL, who spoke on behalf of the Coalition said, “it is very imperative for Nigerians to understand the details of what constitute the ‘plea bargain’ being offered to some suspects of corruption or the ‘go and sin no more’ attitude which is apparently being applied as in Dikko and some other suspected corruption criminals’ cases.”
 
In recent developments, the former Comptroller-General was reported to have returned N1bn to the FG, just as a former Minister of State for Defense, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, has signed an undertaking with the EFCC to return N480m as ‘ill-gotten gains’ under their watch while in office. The ex-custom boss has been under investigation by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC for diverting about N40bn during his administration as head of customs between August 2009 and August 2015, while Obanikoro’s case is about his alleged role in the diversion of N4.7bn from the imprest account of the Office of the National Security Adviser.
 
Adeniran, CACOL’s leader expressed dissatisfaction with the developments given the gravity of the crimes in question. He said “our Coalition has always insisted on punishing culprits of corruption to serve as deterrent to other corruption criminals and the potentially corrupt persons in the country. The non-application of punitive measures against persons guilty of corruption would make the whole anti-corruption war a huge joke, a waste of time, energy and resources.”
 
“We are aware that part of the conditions for plea bargain, given to accused persons, who are penitent, are forfeiting of properties and pleading guilty. We acknowledge the necessity to differentiate between penitent corruption criminals and recalcitrant ones, but we insist that the return of loots is not far-reaching enough if the war against corruption will achieve enduring success.”
 
“Our position is that, it is correct to treat those who admit their guilt voluntarily and those that make the state to expend resources energy and time before their conviction is achieved differently, we agree to that extent. But our position is that those that opt for plea bargain should nonetheless not be allowed to go scot-free; they should hence be stripped of all their properties and monies as well as honours that could have been bestowed on some of them – they should be made to start life anew. All of their material possessions should be deemed as proceeds of corruption and therefore confiscated by the state. Then they can be told to ‘go and sin no more’.”
 
Continuing, he said, “as for the recalcitrant ones of should of course be made to face the full constitutional and judicial consequences of their crimes. They should be put in jail according to size of their loots, even up to life imprisonment.”
CACOL is suggesting life imprisonment for convicts that stole any amount above 1 billion naira, and they should be made to work diligently for their own upkeep via whatever skills they possess previously or has been able to learn behind the bars. ‘’They should be used as objects to educate the young, the youth and all when they go on excursion to the prisons, seeing former corrupt leaders in such situation will certainly serve to deter the potentially corrupt. Furthermore, whatever assets traced to such convicts should be deemed to be proceeds of corruption and confiscated by the Nigerian state.’’ The Executive Chairman of the Coalition concluded.
 
 
Wale Salami
Media Coordinator, CACOL
08141121208
November 4, 2016
 
 
 
For more press releases and statements, please visit our website at
 
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GOODLUCK JONATHAN’S RECENT COMMENTS: AN ATTEMPT TO SAVE HIS FACE AND MAR ANTI-CORRUPTION DRIVE – CACOL

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL has expressed dismay at the former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan’s recent comments, saying he has suddenly found his voice after maintaining sealed lips for more than a year, even in the face of myriad of palpable accusations directed at the acute misgovernance that characterised his administration.
 
Recently in New York, at an award ceremony, ex-President Goodluck Jonathan stoked controversy when he said that the tenets of democracy and the rule of law were upheld during his tenure as president. He outlined his administration’s achievements with reference to ensuring freedom of speech and freedom after speech; empowering institutions while reducing government’s influences over them and enacting the Freedom of Information Act and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.
 
In a reaction, CACOL, said through the Executive Chairman, Mr. Debo Adeniran, that the former president’s attempt at doing a comparative analysis between his time in office and the current administration, is baseless, petty and pedestrian. “A crucial time like this when the country is in recession and Nigerians are going through a very harrowing experience, calls for sober reflections where leaders who are worth their salts ought to project what will positively steer the ship called Nigeria forward particularly by displaying sound understanding of the ongoing anti-corruption drive.”
 
The former President had at the award event asserted that his government could not be accused of nepotism, as according to him, there was no preference to tribe and ethnicity in the appointment of members of his cabinet and aides.
Adeniran continuing in his reaction said “the former president’s comments are not helping the current situation of the country but rather serving as a distraction from the unpleasant aftermaths of the his administration. What he is doing is creating precedents that would lead to his invitation for investigations on issues he has dabbled into by himself. However solid his comparisons are, it cannot be faulted that so much irregularities, tragedies and atrocities were perpetrated under his watch. Even if it is true that the former President gave institutions leeway, as he claims, it is obvious that he failed to exercise control over its officials and that is why there are issues of corruption affiliated to his administration.”
 
“We have read in the news about several allegations of money laundering and missing funds involving close aides to Jonathan during his time as president. Fresh in our minds is the Dasuki Gate scandal and in the light of recent revelations, there have been confessions from Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro that funds were released to Mr. Ayodele Fayose, the current governor of Ekiti State, to help finance his election into office.”
 
Adeniran continued, stating that Goodluck Jonathan cannot be objective enough in evaluating himself. “He would only be focused in branding his administration as competent and failing to address the irregularities that occurred. He should leave such comparison to those who are objective.”
 
“To us in CACOL, we see former president Jonathan’s comments as a way of saving his face in the light of the various corruption allegations linked to his aides, family members, wife and his defunct cabinet members. We also see this as a desperate attempt by an individual who is conscious of the reality that he has a lot of questions to answer for when it comes to the corrupt practices that reigned supreme under his watch. He has already put himself on ‘trial’! Nigerians are not fools.” Adeniran concluded
 
Wale Salami
Media Coordinator, CACOL
08141121208
November 1, 2016
 
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CACOL LAUDS APPEAL COURT’S RULING ON SARAKI’S FALSE ASSETS DECLARATION CASES AT THE CCT

The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL has hailed the ruling of the Appeal Court in Abuja over the jurisdiction of the Code of Conduct Tribunal to try the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki over fraudulent assets declaration. The panel of the appeal court led by Justice Abdul Aboki-affirmed the CCT’s jurisdiction, thereby dismissing the appeal filed by the embattled Senate President in a unanimous judgment.
 
Executive Chairman of Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran, said while applauding the judgment “we had said since the Saraki decided to approach the Appeal court for the second time that he was on trying to buy time and delay justice. In fact, with this ruling, damages should be awarded against him for abuse of the judicial system. This is because the earlier ruling of the appeal court had been validated in February by the Supreme Court, yet Mr. Senate President went back to the appeal court.”
 
From media reports, the issues put forward in the appeal were all resolved by the judgment including the affirmation of the earlier ruling of the Danladi Umar-led CCT which asserted the tribunal’s jurisdiction, and that under the Constitution, the CCTl was not under any obligation to invite appellants to enable them to make written admission of breaches in their asset declaration forms before charges could be brought against them.
 
Adeniran said, “with this development, we urge the Federal government to prosecute the cases with the CCT against Saraki with utmost diligence given his very apparent penchant for slipperiness, this his dancing in circles from CCT to Appeal court, Supreme court and back to the appeal court is a perfect example.
 
“However, it is a loathed fact that we would have a Senate President who would eventually be spending more time in a courtroom than in the National Assembly. In other climes where the principles of the constitutions are upheld and the issues of morality are taken seriously, the Senate President would have been required to vacate his post instantly in order for him to clear his name. This act would definitely create a trend to be emulated in our polity”
 
“The assets declaration breaches allegedly perpetrated by the Senate President is no small offence and little wonder why he sought to seek a dismissal of the case in the Appeal Court even after a clear verdict had been previously reached. This trip to the Appeal Court was an unnecessary distraction to the subject matter and it laudable that the judiciary used these events to affirm its watchdog role in the constitution.” Adeniran
 
 
Wale Salami
Media Coordinator, CACOL
08141121208
 October 27, 2016
 
 
For more press releases and statements, please visit our website at
 
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DASUKI-GATE: EX-PRESIDENT JONATHAN’S STATEMENT UNEXPECTED OF A STATESMAN; IT SIGNIFIES HE IS PREPARING GROUND FOR HIS DEFENSE – CACOL

The immediate past president of Nigeria, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is once again in the news after he made comments at the Oxford Union in the United Kingdom where he gave a lecture on Youth Entrepreneurship and chose that medium to give his opinion on the trial of the former National Security Adviser, NSA, during his tenure.
 
The former NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki, is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC for alleged diversion of funds meant for procurement of arms totaling about $2.1bn. Goodluck Jonathan who had been mute on the case since the arrest and consequent detention of the former NSA, was reported to have stated that, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd,), did not steal $2.1bn contrary to the charges against him.
 
The Executive Chairman of Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL), Mr. Debo Adeniran, said in reaction to the comments of Jonathan that, it was a way of preparing for his own defense when he is eventually called to question about his roles as the President when corruption reached the most monumental proportions in the history of the country.
 
“I am not surprised that the former President made such a statement because he has always demonstrated his ignorance of how much malfeasance took place under his watch. He was the chief accounting officer of that regime and believed that all fingers are pointing in his direction, because most of those that have confessed to sharing in the loot have mentioned one way or the other that he (Jonathan) gave approval for the money they expended, the latest of which is Obanikoro and Fani-Kayode.”
 
“He knew that eventually, it will get to him, that was why he was saying that it was not possible for Dasuki to steal $2.1bn, even when he saw people moving more than $9m to South Africa under a non-conventional guise for buying arms and he saw the revelations that even some of his ministers went away with more than $20bn.”
 
The former President had in his comments contended that the allegations that $2.1bn was stolen by the ex-NSA were not true, arguing that warships, aircrafts and a lot of equipment for the military were bought during his administration.
 
Adeniran speaking further on the issue said “it very unfortunate that a former President of this country can denigrate his Statesmanship status by this attempt to toy with the national intelligence and sensibilities of Nigerians. Is he taking Nigerians as ‘fools’?”
 
“Most discerning Nigerians knew since the episode of the arms deal scandal broke out that it was going to come to this and that a lot of illogical explanations and cunning justifications would be thrown up in the desperate moves to escape justice. This was why CACOL advised Jonathan the last time he spoke on corruption cases in the country stating that it was not yet time to talk, we told him to ‘speak up or forever hold his peace’. This a man that have had ample opportunities long before now to help the anti-corruption drive he couldn’t prosecute by supplying vital information on the looting under his watch by speaking up. A man, who had tried to protect his ministers who are corruption suspects by insinuating that some of them would be witch-hunted after his defeat in the last election, certainly knew the heat of the anti-corruption war would get to him. It was just going to be a matter of time; basically, a drowning man clutches any available straw for survival.”
 
Adeniran concluded that the former President ought to know better than to make such statements on a case that has led to so many revelations and already in the courts including the ECOWAS Court. He said, “The former President did not exhibit the character of a Statesman with such statements. What he has done is to make himself more susceptible to questions connected to the Dasuki-Gate and other corrupt practices like the Diezani Madueke, Abba Moro, Stella Oduah etc. cases that happened during his tenure.”
 
Wale Salami
Media Coordinator, CACOL
08141121208
October 26, 2016
 
 
 
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