The Nigeria Liberty Forum wishes to commend Nigerians in the UK and all over the world for standing firm in following and supporting the trial of former Governor James Ibori’s associates in the UK. The NLF also uses this opportunity to encourage all patriotic Nigerians resident in the UK and beyond to come out in large number to witness the sentencing of Ibori’s sister, Christine Ibie-Ibori, and mistress, Udoamaka Okoronkwo (nee Onuigbo).

This week’s verdicts, which Christine Ibie-Ibori and Udoamaka Okoronkwo (nee Onuigbo), are proof of the success of our relentless efforts to expose all the moves made by the former governor and members of the Umaru Yar’adua cabal to frustrate the trial. Thanks to the persistent effort of patriotic Nigerians, Ibori and his sponsors’ attempts to derail the trial in London became futile.

Many Nigerians also worked with us to neutralize the despicable role played by Tony Baldry, a UK member of parliament. For one, Mr. Baldry tried to interfere in the case by submitting a letter aimed at undermining the efforts of UK law enforcement officials. He also engaged in acts clearly aimed at silencing his critics by engaging top libel lawyers to attempt shutting down blogs and UK newspapers that highlighted his role and attempts in helping Ibori and his associates to escape justice in the UK.

But this week’s guilty verdicts reflect not only the positive impact of our diligent commitment to the cause of ridding Nigeria of corruption but also the attentiveness of UK jurors willing to bring culprits to justice. A small cabal of highly placed Nigerians has recklessly robbed Nigeria’s resources. These shameless and unconscionable robbers have not only raped the nation but also profoundly compromised its institutions and hounded some of its best hands into exile.

The NLF wishes to express its gratitude to all of its members and non- members who made their presence felt physically in the courtrooms to show solidarity with the people of Delta State as well as the bloggers and citizen reporters who invested time and energy to report the progress of the trial. We also thank numerous Nigerians who, like Ms. Ayo Obe (formerly of the Civil Liberties Organization), either made trips to London to attend the trial or set aside time during their visits to show solidarity with our efforts. We are indebted to the many protesters who made it a point of duty to counter reactionary elements who blamed Ibori’s plight on political persecution rather than his greed. We thank Nigerians all over the world who helped chase Nigeria’s former “Attorney General of Crime,” Michael Aondoakaa, from his hotel room in London as he made efforts to truncate the trial in London, heavily abusing his office.

Finally, we call on all patriotic Nigerians resident in the UK (or even elsewhere) to make time in their calendar to attend the sentencing of Christine Ibie-Ibori and Udoamaka Okoronkwo (nee Onuigbo) at the Southwark Crown Court 8 on Monday June 7th 2010 at 2:00 p.m. prompt.

Nigerians’ presence in massive numbers is needed to send a clear message to the world that we abhor economic crimes that pauperize the majority of Nigerians and sabotage our country’s prospects.

Through your presence in court, you would also send an unambiguous message to Nigerian officials in Abuja that we demand a re-invigorated war against corruption. In order to jumpstart that war, the Goodluck Jonathan administration ought to jettison the incompetent current leadership of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and commence the trial of Mr. Aondoakaa for the “obstruction of justice”. We also call on the Nigerian Judicial Council (NJC) to commence the process for the retrenchment and trial of Justice Marcel Awokulehin of the Federal High Court who betrayed his office by presiding over a sham trial to reach a pre-arranged verdict that acquitted Mr. Ibori of all money laundering charges.

The NLF once again wishes to express profound gratitude for the role you have played in this struggle to hold corrupt Nigerians accountable, and also to thank you in anticipation of your presence at the Southwark Crown Court on Monday, June 7 at 2:00 p.m.


Signed

Kayode Ogundamisi

Zaynab Galadima

Ken- Eneduwa-George

Ms Abimbola Junaid

The Nigerian President Umaru Yar'adua is dead. He died today (5th May 2010 at about 9pm Local Time) at the Nigerian presidential villa.

Tony Baldry known amongst Nigerians as the "James Ibori MP "has been a Member of Parliament for over 20 years (elected in 1983).
A couple of weeks ago I wrote a blog post about Tony Baldry, the MP for Banbury, in which I referred to some rather surprising allegations that have been made about him by a grassroots anti-corruption group, the Nigerian Liberty Forum. I had been prompted to look into the issue after I read that the Independent had withdrawn an article about it, following libel threats from Tony Baldry.
A few days later, I myself was contacted by Baldry’s lawyers, Olswang, claiming that my blog post was defamatory, and copying me on a letter that they had sent to my webhosts, WordPress, threatening to sue them for libel, and demanding that the entire post be taken down. In their email to me, Olswang also stated that “we will advise our client to take all necessary steps to protect his reputation should there be any repetition of these allegations”, which I took to be a threat of libel against me.

(Readers can make up their own minds about the degree to which the Olswang letter accurately reflects what I wrote. The original version of the blogpost is available here.)

What surprises me most about this was that, to the best of my knowledge, Tony Baldry has not made any threats of libel against my original source, The Nigerian Liberty Forum. Their allegations and are still freely available all over the internet, and their criticisms arguably far more detailed and damning.

The dispute centres around a letter that Tony Baldry wrote to the British government in September last year, in which he discussed a UK corruption investigation into James Ibori, the former governor of Nigeria’s oil-rich Delta State region, along a number of his associates. Tony Baldry (through his lawyers, Olswang) has been at pains to make it clear that he wrote this letter in his capacity as a barrister (one of his second jobs outside of Parliament), and that in writing this letter he was not seeking to get the criminal investigation shelved:

1. The letter was written on the notepaper of 1 Essex Court, and it states clearly that Mr Baldry has been instructed by solicitors to represent James Ibori. The letter was clearly written in Mr Baldry’s capacity as Counsel for Mr Ibori, not as an MP.

2. There is no suggestion anywhere in the letter that Mr Baldry is seeking any course of action which would benefit Mr Ibori. The letter specifically summarises its purpose by saying that perhaps after the outcome of the criminal proceedings is known, relevant agencies might want to reflect on lessons learned.

The Nigerian Liberty Forum has argued, and I agree, that the quickest and easiest way of clarifying this issue to everyone’s satisfaction would be for Mr Baldry – or the UK government – to publish the disputed letter in full.

Unfortunately, the Foreign Office has refused a Freedom of Information Act request from the NLF. Given the lack of resources allocated by the government to the Information Commission for FOI appeals, it also seems likely that the decision will not be reviewed for many months – if not years.

So we’re left wondering what exactly what was in that letter, and what the purpose of writing it really was.

The decision to take down my original blog post was made by me. I didn’t think it was fair that WordPress were getting threatened over something that was my responsibility. While I knew that Tony Baldry was insistent that he had written his September 2009 letter in his capacity as a barrister rather than an MP, and I had made that quite clear in the article, I hadn’t actually been aware that Tony Baldry disputed the purpose of that letter as it had been described by the Nigerian Liberty Forum. And it seemed somewhat futile to get into a dispute with the author of a letter I hadn’t seen, over that letter’s contents – especially as I had merely been referring to what others had alleged, rather than making that allegation myself.

I also figured that once I’d had the chance to look into it in depth I could always return to the issue again.

My point in that original blog post – as it is now – was really that even if we take only the facts about this story that are not contested, it seems to raise some worrying questions.

1. Potential conflicts of interest

Firstly, it seems to me very surprising that our Parliamentary system should allow MPs to hold a second job which involves a) acting on behalf of people who are under criminal investigation (perhaps especially when this involves allegations of large-scale corruption) by the UK courts over which Parliament ultimately has sovereignty and b) making representations on behalf of such people to the same government ministers they face daily on the floor of House of Commons in their capacity as an MP.

The potential for such an arrangement to create conflicts of interest seems very clear, and quite worrying.

2. Transparency and accountability

Secondly, an effective democracy depends on our being able to scrutinise the activities of our elected representatives. Yet we are unable to do that fully in this case, because the letter that Tony Baldry wrote to the UK government is protected from FOI disclosure. As I believe the “exemptions” listed here make clear, one of the main reasons for this is precisely because he wrote it confidentially in his capacity as a barrister acting on behalf of a client.

(As it happens, it appears that the letter only came to light in the first place because it’s existence was leaked to the Nigerian Liberty Forum – had this not happened, then we and the voters of Banbury would presumably have never have even heard about this issue).

The Nigerian Liberty Forum have also alleged – and it should be clear here that I am referring to an allegation rather than endorsing it – that just days before writing his September 2009 letter to the UK government about James Ibori, Tony Baldry had met with the Nigerian President, and discussed the Ibori case with him.

Again, my point here is not to suggest that Tony Baldry broke any Parliamentary rules. My point is rather that it’s very difficult for us to scrutinise what, in practice those rules are allowing, and form our own judgements about whether we agree that this is reasonable and appropriate behaviour for our elected representatives.

One analogy might be the controversy around MPs’ expenses. Parliament had published the broad rules guiding what MPs were, and were not, allowed to claim, and these seemed reasonable enough to many. Yet it was only when the specific details emerged of what, exactly, had been allowed under those rules, that we got a really meaningful picture of what had been going on. And at that point many of us came to the conclusion that the rules were not appropriate, and needed changing.

It seems to me that the more “second jobs” that an MP holds, the harder it is going to be to scrutinise their external activities, and satisfy ourselves that those activities are appropriate, whether or not they are “within the rules” that Parliament writes for itself.

Tony Baldry’s external activities are listed by They Work For You as follows:

1. Remunerated directorships

Chairman (non-executive), Westminster Oil Limited; a BVI registered company, development of oil licences and exploration.

West African Investments Ltd; investing in infrastructure and natural resource projects in Sierra Leone and elsewhere in West Africa.

Halcyon Oil Limited; a Hong Kong registered company focusing on oil exploration and discovery projects in Central Asia.

Mastermailer Holdings plc; development of stationery and stationery products. I am a non-executive director, and my duties involve attending board meetings…

2. Remunerated employment, office, profession etc

Practising barrister, arbitrator and mediator…

Executive Partner in Diamond Film Partnership; a UK partnership promoting UK film and television production rights.

Chairman of the Advisory Committee of Curve Capital Ventures Ltd, c/o Apex Fund Services (Mauritius) Ltd, Suite 2005, Level 2, Alexander House, 35 Cyber City, Evene, Mauritius; a sector neutral investment company that predominantly invests in India, China and Africa and advises companies on strategic growth and global expansion.

The Oxford Mail reports that since last July alone, Tony Baldry has earned more than £111,000 from his external interests – significantly more than his £64,766 MP’s salary.

3. Why was the letter written?

Thirdly, I remain very confused about why Tony-Baldry-the-barrister would have written this controversial letter to the UK government in the first place.

The lawyer and journalist Allen Green had these thoughts on that issue in this week’s excellent article in the Lawyer:

The other aspect of the Independent on Sunday apology which intrigued me was the notion of a barrister – especially in a matter where solicitors are instructed – writing a letter.

I have never before come across it.

Settling draft letters to go out under the letterhead of the instructing solicitor or the client is common. Indeed it is sensible if one takes litigation seriously, not least as it prevents the barrister from blaming the solicitor for screwing up pre-action correspondence.

But a barrister sending a letter under their own name? Whilst there is nothing at all wrong with this, it must be unusual. In my experience it sometimes difficult to get barrister to even sign the pleadings they are supposed to put their name to.

So Allen Green wrote to Tony Baldry and asked him:

Why did you write the letter on behalf of the client when solicitors were instructed?

(It is highly unusual for barristers to write any correspondence in their own name (rather than pleadings), especially when solicitors are instructed.)

But the only answer to this that Tony Baldry gave was:

The letter was written in my capacity as a Barrister, instructed by solicitors.

4. Libel should not be used to suppress political scrutiny and debate. MPs work for us, and we have to be able to hold them to account.

Fourthly, it seems to me extremely worrying that an elected MP should be so quick to respond to public criticism by threatening to sue newspapers and web-publishers for libel. Tony Baldry is by no means alone in this. One of the reasons I became interested in this issue in the first place is that I’ve begun to lose count of the number of times an MP or Lord has used our notoriously draconian libel laws to try to get a news article censored.

Among the worst offenders was Michael Martin MP during his time as Speaker of the House of Commons. Martin’s multiple failures during the expenses scandal ultimately brought about his downfall (though he still got to sit in the House of Lords, where he has continued to do damage). But for a long time he had great success in using libel threats to get critical media coverage withdrawn.

These people are public figures whose actions in office can impact on us all. There is a clear public interest in being able to scrutinise and question their behaviour, freely and without intimidation. As public servants, it seems to me that our politicians therefore have a duty actively to support robust and open debate, and to avoid doing anything which might deter critical scrutiny.

Yet we have somehow got used to the idea that our MPs can routinely resort to heavy-handed legal tactics at the slightest of provocations. This week it was revealed that the Respect MP George Galloway was suing over a critical comment left on a blog. Regardless of the objectionable nature of the comment (and I’m no great fan of the website in question) this decision – and in particular the scale of damages being demanded - seems quite extraordinary. I hope that George Galloway, who interviewed me on his radio show (in his capacity as a radio presenter, not an MP, I hasten to add) when Don’t Get Fooled Again was first published, will soon realise how bad this looks to the neutral observer and reconsider what he’s doing.

There is now a palpable reluctance in large sections of the media to ask critical questions about our politicians’ behaviour, and the rules by which they govern themselves. It strikes me that this is very bad for our democracy. I think that our elected representatives need to develop a thicker skin, and we need to start being more critical when MPs make inappropriate libel threats.

I am genuinely amazed that Tony Baldry chose to address this controversy by threatening to sue my webhosts. I do not believe it reflects well on him that he chose to do so, especially as the airing of similar allegations in stronger terms elsewhere appears to have gone unchallenged.

Neither does it look good, as Allen Green has noted, that Tony Baldry demanded the removal not only of the comments he deemed inaccurate and defamatory, but the entire blogpost.

I have no desire to say anything about Tony Baldry which is untrue or unfair, and am happy to take corrections when necessary. But on the basis of the evidence I have seen, I do believe that there are serious questions that need to be asked about this case, and that asking those questions is manifestly in the public interest.

Culled from http://richardwilsonauthor.wordpress.com/

Dear Mr Baldry:

1.  I refer to your letter to me dated 8 January 2010. In the letter, you admitted writing a letter to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the Attorney-General, the Secretary of State for Justice, the Secretary of State for the Home Department, and the UK High Commissioner to Nigeria on behalf of the serial convict Mr James Ibori. 2. In the letter you alleged that: “The letter I wrote concerning Nigeria was entirely in my capacity as a barrister, properly instructed and fully in accord with the Code of Conduct for the Bar.”

 3. You will be aware that Part X of the Code Conduct for the Bar provides a comprehensive definition of legal services. It provides that: ‘"legal services" includes legal advice, representation and drafting or settling any statement of case witness statement affidavit or other legal document but does not include:

 
4. Therefore not everything done by a barrister is done in his or her capacity as a barrister and thereby in accord with the Code of Conduct for the Bar. I suggest that lobbying fellow Members of Parliament in senior Cabinet positions to interfere politically with ongoing judicial and prosecutorial is not covered by the above definition of ‘legal services’ under the Code of Conduct for the Bar.

5. In a similar letter to SaharaReporters you referred to section 303(a) of the Code of Conduct for the Bar. You stated: “I would simply observe that the Code of Conduct for the Bar in the England states that ‘. . . a Barrister must promote and protect fearlessly and by all proper and lawful means the lay client’s best interests and do so without regard to his own interests or to any consequence to himself or any other person’.”

6. You appeared to have overlooked the fact that said section 303(a) of the Code of Conduct for the Bar is found under the part of the Code specifically listed as “applicable to practising barristers.” It does not cover political lobbying.

 7. To buttress this point, I refer you to the previous provision of the part of the Code “applicable to practising barristers”, section 302, which provides as follows: “A barrister has an overriding duty to the Court to act with independence in the interests of justice: he must assist the Court in the administration of justice and must not deceive or knowingly or recklessly mislead the Court.”

8. It is evident from section 302 that section 303, which you prayed in aid, covers barristers representing their clients in court and related proceedings; not barristers engaged in political lobbying.
 
9. I suggest that the part of the Code that appears to apply to your conduct in this matter is that ‘applicable to all barristers’, specifically section 301(a), which provides that:

12. However, it is a well-known fact that Mr Ibori’s was represented by leading Queen’s Counsel from the Criminal Bar during the Restraint Proceedings initiated against him by the Crown in 2007. Similarly, his alleged accomplices currently undergoing prosecution at the Southwark Crown Court are all represented by Queen’s Counsel from the Criminal Bar. You are not known to be a leading Queen’s Counsel from the Criminal Bar and have not been involved in the conduct of the prosecution. The inescapable conclusion therefore is that you were instructed by Ibori’s solicitors because your position and influence as a Member of Parliament to lobby politically on his behalf.

13. In any event, section 9 of the Code of Conduct for Members of Parliament provides that: “Members shall base their conduct on a consideration of the public interest, avoid conflict between personal interest and the public interest and resolve any conflict between the two, at once, and in favour of the public interest.”

14. Furthermore, section 15 provides that: “Members shall at all times conduct themselves in a manner which will tend to maintain and strengthen the public's trust and confidence in the integrity of Parliament and never undertake any action which would bring the House of Commons, or its Members generally, into disrepute.”

15. The Guide to the Rules relating to the conduct of Members drafted specifically to assist Members in discharging the duties placed upon them by the Code of Conduct outlaws “Lobbying for Reward or Consideration”.

16. Section 89 explains that on 6 November 1995 the House agreed to the following Resolution relating to lobbying for reward or consideration:

“[N]o Members of the House shall, in consideration of any remuneration, fee, payment, or reward or benefit in kind, direct or indirect, which the Member or any member of his or her family has received is receiving or expects to receive—(i)  Advocate or initiate any cause or matter on behalf of any outside body or individual, or (ii)  urge any other Member of either House of Parliament, including Ministers, to do so, by means of any … approach, whether oral or in writing, to Ministers or servants of the Crown."

17. Section 91 provides that: ‘the Resolution does not prevent a Member from holding a remunerated outside interest as a consultant, or adviser, or in any other capacity, whether or not such interests are related to membership of the House. … However, if a financial interest is required to be registered in the Register of Members' Financial Interests … it falls within the scope of the ban on lobbying for reward or consideration.’

18. It is on record that you registered the following interest in relation to your work on behalf of Mr James Ibori in the Register of Members' Financial Interests:

19. Therefore your conduct in this matter appears to amount to Lobbying for Reward or Consideration under section 89 in breach of Code of Conduct for Members of Parliament and is not covered by the exemption in section 91.

20. For completeness, I refer you to section 7 of the Code of Conduct for Members of Parliament, which set out the following principles that “will be taken into consideration when any complaint is received of breaches of the provisions in other sections of the Code”:

 21. As you indicated in your letter of 8 January 2010, I have already written to the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police to investigate possible breaches of the money laundering legislation arising from your intervention in this matter. However, in view of your recent claims that your intervention on behalf of Mr Ibori “has been fully in accord with the Code of Conduct for the Bar” and that any alleged breach of the Code of Conduct for Members of Parliament “would be demonstrably shown to be groundless”, I will forward a copy of this letter and other relevant documents to the Bar Standards Board of England and the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards respectively for further investigation.

22. It is possible that further potential breaches of the relevant rules of conduct will come to light when your five-page letter of intervention is eventually disclosed. I do not expect you to disclose this letter voluntarily but I am happy to be surprised.

Yours sincerely

Kayode Ogundamisi

For  Nigeria Liberty Forum

www.nigerialibertyforum.org.uk

odamisi2000@yahoo.com

info@nigerialibertyforum.org.uk

Tony Baldry

British MP Tony Baldry, who wrote a five-page letter to the British authorities on 24 September 2009, three days after meeting with Umaru Yar'Adua in Abuja in an effort to interfere in the trial of James Ibori’s associates in London, has written to Saharareporters claiming that we did not authenticate the facts we published against him.  He did not say what we failed to authenticate, or send a copy of his letter to the Foreign Office. Attached to Mr. Badry's letter to us is another, dated 8 January 2010, addressed to the Nigeria Liberty Forum (NLF).  The NLF has been working hard in the UK trying to obtain the letter which Mr. Badry sent to the Foreign Secretary, and copied to other members of the Government.

Mr. Badry affirms in his letter to the NLF that his intervention in Mr. Ibori's case was as a barrister, not as an MP.  "The letter made it clear that the trial of these defendants is entirely a matter to be determined at Southwark Crown Court, the judge to direct, and the jury to decide," he writes.

Curiously, Mr. Badry makes no mention of his meeting with Yar'Adua, or why he felt the need to write his infamous letter.

SR publishes Mr. Badry's responses out of good faith.  We hereby appeal to him, out of the same sense of good faith, and if his interest in the Ibori matter is truly in the interest of law, to provide us with a copy of the letter that he sent to the Foreign Office last September.

Below is the text of Mr. Badry's letter to Saharareporters:

From:  Tony Baldry, 1 Essex Court, Temple, London EC4Y 9AR


I refer to various reports about me that you have put on your website.

I am slightly surprised that as responsible journalists, you appear to have made absolutely no effort to check your facts.

I attached, scanned, a copy of a letter which I recently sent to the Nigeria Liberty Forum in London.

 As far as I can see, they have made no attempt to put this letter on their website.

In addition, I would simply observe that the Code of Conduct for the Bar in the England states that “ . . a Barrister must promote and protect fearlessly and by all proper and lawful means the lay client’s best interests and do so without regard to his own interests or to any consequence to himself or any other person”.  I am sure the Code of Conduct for the Bar in Nigeria is similar.

I am confident that my conduct has been fully in accord with the Code of Conduct for the Bar, but if you or any of your readers feel that it has not, you are of course free to make whatever representations you wish to the Bar Standards Board of England.

 The fact that so far nobody has done so, I think simply demonstrates a recognition that there is no proper complaint to be made.

Likewise, if you or any of your readers consider that there is any complaint to be made about my conduct as a Member of Parliament, that as a matter of course can be taken up with the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards.

Again, no complaint has been made because, I suspect, those writing about this matter recognise that their allegations would be demonstrably shown to be groundless.

I would be grateful if you would put this email and the attached letter on your website.

 

Best wishes.

 Tony Baldry

THE SAVE NIGERIA PROTEST MARCH IN LONDON, FRIDAY 15TH JANUARY 2010

By Akintokunbo A. Adejumo

Seems like this date, 15th January 2010 will go down in the history of the Nigerians Abroad as a great day. Notably too, it was also the birthday of that great Icon of the Black race, Dr Martin Luther King, Jr. although its celebration this year in the United States will be on Monday 18th January.       It was the day Nigerians from throughout the United Kingdom and Europe gathered in an 'Enough is Enough - Save Nigeria" protest rally in London, demanding good governance in Nigeria, protesting the unfortunate inclusion of Nigeria as a terrorist state, and to know the whereabouts of their President, one Umaru Musa Yar Adua, whose health/medical conditions and whereabouts have been concealed from Nigerians and the world for 58 days.   Despite the harsh inclement and freezing weather conditions, the Nigerians, from several organisations marched through Central London in an impressive turnout that began as early as 10.30 am, in front of the Houses of Parliament, in a small park called Parliament Square, with the famous Big Ben in the foreground and the Westminster Abbey in the background. Appropriately again, we were standing around the statue of that great British statesman, Sir Winston Churchill.   We danced, made speeches and proudly waved the Nigerian flags and banners, and enthusiastically distributed leaflets to tell the whole world about the irresponsible, unfocused, unsympathetic and corrupt status of Nigerian leadership which has inevitably led to the suffering and abandonment of the people in the midst of the nation's abundant resources.   We sang both the old (Nigeria We Hail Thee) and current (Arise O Compatriots) National Anthems of Nigeria and chanted slogans such as:     President Yar Adua, where are you?   Nigerians are not terrorists!   Nigerians For Good Governance!   Enough is Enough of corrupt leaders!   Save Nigeria Now!     It was a sight to behold and be proud of. Nigerians (UK population estimated at 1.5 million, according to the UK High Commissioner in Lagos) had taken to the streets of a foreign capital to demand CHANGE from the cabal of evil and corruption that have been holding them hostage, in bondage, in poverty and oppressed for close to fifty years.   Kayode Ogundamisi, Convener of Nigeria Liberty Forum and one of the organisers of the protest, addressed the moderate crowd of over 250, saying history was on the side of the participants. "We are here today for both the present and unborn generations of Nigeria. We are tired of corrupt leaders since independence. We might be living abroad but we must not forget our roots" and that he was using this rally to advise parents to allow their children to know the original history of Africa and Nigeria and to also learn the languages not just speak the English language, because that would amount to mental and psychological slavery. Mr Ogundamisi also acknowledged and saluted the courage of the two patriotic Nigerians who demonstrated in front of the Nigeria Embassy in Kiev, Ukraine this week, without waiting for a large turnout of fellow Nigerians to join them.   Ms Abby Ojo, Co-ordinator of United and Positive Change in Nigeria (UPCINN), and a major organiser of this event, in her speech stated that to move Nigeria forward now depends on a united front of all Nigerians and the need to tell those in the corridor of power that 'enough is enough' since for too long, Nigerians have been taken for a long rough ride by our unscrupulous and selfish leaders.   Mr Akintokunbo Adejumo, Global Co-ordinator of Champions for Nigeria, in his speech, called for Change, respect and compliance for the Constitution of Nigeria, good governance, and urged Nigerians all over the world to demand change that will make Nigeria relevant in the comity of nations.   Mr Bob Olukoya, a legal practitioner and member of Action Congress UK also canvassed for the passage of electoral reforms which will stop any electoral manipulations come Election 2011 and beyond and the urgent need for all Nigerians to unite against our internal colonialists.   Others speaking at the rally included Hon Wale Oshun, a pro-democracy activist; Dr Ayo Owoade, Chairman of the AC, UK; Chuma Nwokolo, a UK-based Nigerian writer and political activist; Comrade Abdul Mahmud, veteran Student leader and political activist; Comrade Shina Oyedeji, London- based political activist; Zaynab Galadima, Youth activist/blogger; Dayo Israel, a Nigerian youth activist/Preacher; Mr Olukoya, a legal practitioner and member of Action Congress UK; , and Comrade Olamide Ayodeji Idowu of Ekiti Patriotic Front; Chinedu Vincent Akuta, activist/blogger and a member of Champions For Nigeria; Amos Akin Adejinmi of the Nigerian British Community Forum, NBCF; Akin Akisanmi of Surprise FM; Emeka Aneke, activist, Segun Fajemisin, journalist and writer of note; and the indefatigable Dare Gani Lasisi, journalist and activist.   That indomitable comedian, Obonjo, a talented Nigerian humour merchant also added glamour to the rally with his political satire and rib-cracking jokes and launched his YES WE FIT campaign.   Dayo Israel, a Nigerian youth activist/Preacher also took reference from the Bible where Prophet Moses challenged dictatorial Pharaoh to 'let his people go'.   Other notable faces include the "Champion Mother", Mrs Juliannah Balogun-Oke, she of the high-achieving quadruplets; Modupe Debbie Ariyo of AFRUCA; Segun Alli, an activist; Comrade Abdul Mahmud, veteran Student leader and political activist; representatives of the Southern Minorities Movement for Advancement; and a friend of late Anthony Fatayi-Williams who was killed in the London bus bombing in July 7, 2005.   The following notable organisations represented were the Nigeria Liberty Forum, Champions For Nigeria, Citizens For Change, Action Congress UK, Ekiti Patriotic Front UK, UPCINN, Arise Nigeria Organisation and Save Nigeria Group UK.   In order to stress that this protest is not about any tribe or race in Nigeria, speeches were given in Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo (the three major languages of Nigeria) and duly interpreted to the enthusiastic crowd with great applause.   The protest moved to the Nigeria High Commission in Northumberland Avenue, going through Whitehall (the stronghold of the UK Civil Service, passing in front of 10 Downing Street and the Horse Guards, and then on to Trafalgar Square to arrive at the Nigerian High Commission, where the protest continued and where representatives of the major organisations submitted protest letters and petitions to our diplomatic representatives for onward transmission to the Federal Government of Nigeria in Abuja.   The well-attended rally only had two uniformed British police officers assigned to the event, a clear indication that the United Kingdom authorities, whose permission to hold the rally had to be sought and given, are very much conscious of the fact that Nigerians living abroad are generally law-abiding. The uniformed police officers even too pictures with the demonstrators and just watched passively and benignly, asking us questions and getting answers about our country.   A majority of the Nigerians had taken the day off work and travelled long distances to be part of history in London. They had come from far places in the Midland England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France to witness the historic event despite the freezing weather.   Comrade Abdul Mahmud gave the vote of thanks at about 530 pm to round up the peaceful demonstration that started at 11.45 am, expressing gratitude to all Nigerians that contributed to the success of the protest and hope to see them again for further protests to demand for credible, democratic and transparent leadership in Nigeria.   It was a historic and poignant day for Nigerians in the UK and indeed, all over the world. There are sure to be more protests in other world capitals. Despite the presence of the opposition political party, Action Congress, UK Chapter, the protest was largely non-partisan and non-political, but mainly humanity oriented. Every Nigerian, irrespective of political affiliation, tribal or religion was welcome.   The recognition and commendation for the success of this protest march, unarguably the first of its kind in the Diaspora, should go to Kayode Ogundamisi of the NLF and Ms Abby Ojo of the UPCINN. And of course, to all Nigerians who braved the weather to make a stand and to make a point or two to our Government in Nigeria. As a Nigerian and as a Champion, I was glad and proud to be there.   The Save Nigeria Protest March in London, Friday 15th January 2010, had only two uniformed British police officers assigned to the event Champions for Nigeria is one notable organisations represented at the rally Citizens for Change is another notable organisations represented at the rally Well-attended rally Citizens for Change are well represented Champions for Nigeria is one of the following notable organisations represented at the rally Majority of the Nigerians had taken the day off work and travelled long distances Arise Nigeria is another notable organisations represented at the rally culled from www.nigeriaworld.com

Where is Yar’Adua? - el-Rufai, 92 others ask Saudi monarch - Let Yar’Adua address Nigerians live - CNPP, AC

From Taiwo Adisa, Christian Okeke and Kunle Oderemi - 07.01.2010 (Nigerian Tribune)

FORMER Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasir Ahmed el-Rufai, is among 92 other Nigerians who have forwarded a letter to the Saudi monarch, King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saoud, asking him to provide them with detailed information on the whereabouts of the Nigerian President, Alhaji Umaru Yar’Adua.

The eminent Nigerians, who wrote under the aegis of the Nigerian Liberty Forum (NLF), a United Kingdom-based pro-democracy group, said that the letter became imperative in view of the long absence of Yar’Adua from Nigeria and its constitutional implications for the country.

Those who signed the letter included Mallam el-Rufai; the National Publicity Secretary of the Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG), Mr. Yinka Odumakin, and the NLF coordinator in London, Mr. Yinka Ogundamisi and 90 others.

The group, in the letter dated January 5, 2010, stated that Yar’Adua had been domiciled in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for 44 days and that since the Nigerian President was not an ordinary citizen, his whereabouts and health records could not be treated as private matters.

In a letter, signed by both Nigerian UK-based activists and those in the country, the group said it was constrained to seek the assistance of the Saudi monarch in determining the truth about Yar’Adua, because government officials at home had been less than forthcoming on the true situation.

The group wrote: “We, the under-listed concerned citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, address this open letter of appeal to your government to reveal to Nigerians the exact location and state of health of our president, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who, we believe, has been your guest and patient in one of your hospitals since November 23, 2009.

“This open letter of appeal has become necessary because a nation of nearly 150 million has not seen or heard of its president for six weeks without any credible information.

“Your Royal Highness, Umaru Yar’Adua is not a private patient but our president and an employee accountable to millions of people. Information about his physical and mental well-being cannot be subject to the usual medical confidentiality of any ordinary citizen.

“This information should not be kept secret from the people he leads. Sadly, we must admit that our current government has failed to be truthful and transparent about the extent of infirmity of our president.”

The NFL also stated that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had, by default, become an accomplice in what it called the series of halftruths being dished out to Nigerians at home by government officials and thus needed to clear itself on such insinuations.

“In the eyes of many Nigerians, the Saudi government has by default become part of the conspiracy of secrecy that threatens to destabilise our democracy. Because without information on whether the president is alive or dead, permanently or temporarily infirm, the appropriate provisions of our constitution cannot take effect to deepen and broaden our democracy,” the group stated.

The Liberty Forum also reminded the Saudi king of the fact that the Saudi authorities did not hide information on the health of the Crown Prince, Sultan, when he took ill and went to the United States of America for treatment.

The group further stated that the incumbent king took charge in acting capacity when King Fahd, of blessed memory, took ill, unlike the situation left behind by Yar’Adua, who refused to hand over to his deputy when he embarked on the medical trip to Saudi Arabia.

It stated: “The effect of this leadership vacuum on our nation’s peace, progress and orderliness is self-evident, Your Highness. As Crown Prince of your Kingdom, you took charge of the affairs of state when your elder brother, King Fahd of blessed memory, became ill.

“Also, when Crown Prince, Sultan, departed for the United States for treatment on November 23rd, 2008, the Saudi public was made aware of the progress in his treatment leading to his return to the Kingdom on December 10, 2009. Leadership of nation-states is and must be continuous, and Nigerians need your intervention for our country’s young democracy to survive.”

The group said that by seeking adequate information from the Saudi authorities, the Nigerian people will be in a position to take advantage of the clauses in the constitution “which provide for orderly continuity in government in the event that the president is incapacitated by illness.”

Meanwhile, the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has condemned the Senate over its comments that its hands were tied over the ‘disappearance’ of President Umaru Yar’Adua. This came as the group also said it was outraged over the claims by the Governors’ Forum that Yar’Adua spoke to Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan and the leadership of the National Assembly.

The CNPP, in a five-paragraph statement signed by its national publicity secretary, Osita Okechukwu, and made available to the Nigerian Tribune in Abuja on Wednesday, challenged the Governors’ Forum to get President Yar’Adua to publicly address the nation and publish his latest medical report to convince Nigerians that their president was not indisposed.

In the statement, CNPP said it had expected the Governors’ Forum and the National Assembly, being elective organs, unlike the Federal Executive Council (FEC), to, without fear or favour, rise to the challenge and admonish President Yar’Adua to avail himself of Section 145 of the Constitution for the overall good of the country’s fledgling democracy.

The group said that those who were conducting what it called the orchestra of deception with the president’s health were the greatest enemy of the country’s democracy, which, it noted, was sliding into quasi-dictatorship.

It argued that it was incomprehensible how those who swore on oath to defend and protect the constitution were deliberately flouting same.

The group further wondered what was wrong with the vice-president from the same political party, acting for and on behalf of the president pending his recovery, which could have protected the president from distraction and saved the country from the constitutional crisis.

CNPP said “we are outraged that the Governors’ Forum and the Senate met on Tuesday and wittingly or unwittingly were drumming orchestra of deception, instead of prevailing on President Yar’Adua to avail himself of Section 145 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“CNPP is not impressed with the bland statement from the Governors’ Forum that President Yar’Adua spoke to the vice-president and others. We had expected the Governors’ Forum and the National Assembly, being elective organs, unlike the Federal Executive Council (FEC), to, without fear or favour, rise up to the challenge and admonish President Yar’Adua to avail himself of Section 145 of the constitution for the overall good of our fledgling democracy, our dear country and his speedy recovery.

“We wish to place it on record that those who are drumming orchestra of deception with the president’s health are the greatest enemy of our fledgling democracy that is dangerously sliding into quasi-dictatorship. It is incomprehensible how those who swore on oath to defend and protect the constitution are deliberately flouting it.

“Otherwise, what is wrong with the vice-president from the same political party acting for and on behalf of the president, pending his recovery; which could have protected the president from distraction of state duties and save us the constitutional crisis that led to a sitting Chief Justice of Nigeria swearing in his successor and the controversy surrounding the doubt over the president’s signature of 2009 supplementary budget.

“We challenge the Governors’ Forum to get President Yar’Adua forthwith to publicly address the nation and publish his latest medical report to convince Nigerians that their president is not indisposed,” it added.

Also, the Action Congress (AC), on Wednesday, said President Yar’Adua should hold a live phone-in on the electronic media where Nigerians could speak with him to lend credence to official claims that his health had improved.

According to the party, such an event would also confirm that he actually spoke with some key government officials and top lawmakers on phone.

In a statement issued in Lagos by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the AC said Nigerians would like to hear directly from him to assure them that he was, indeed, recovering.

“It is good that President Yar’Adua has spoken to Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan, Senator David Mark and Honourable Bankole. But these people do not constitute Nigeria, they are not the ones who voted him into office. The president must speak directly to the remaining 149,999,997 Nigerians, using the dated video recording format that we suggested in our earlier statement on Monday.

“Alternatively, the president could also do a live phone-in to the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) or Radio Nigeria to enable him to speak directly to his compatriots and convince them of his increasing well-being, instead of the current situation where the people have to depend on confused spin doctors to get an update on the health of their president who has been away for over 44 days.

“Besides, some of these people the president was said to have spoken with are no longer credible in the eyes of Nigerians, since they have given a lot of inaccurate information on the issue of the president’s illness, including that they had been in touch with him when we are aware they have not,” AC said.

The party repeated its earlier assertion that the health of the country’s first citizen was too important to be toyed with and demanded daily update on the his recovery in Saudi Arabia.

Tony Baldry

Written by Sahara Reporters, New York Thursday, 07 January 2010 16:10

Culled from www.saharareporters.com

The world now knows that the British MP, Tony Baldry, wrote a five-page letter to the British authorities on 24 September 2009 in an effort to interfere in the trial of James Ibori’s associates in London.  But that was not all he did in his desire to obstruct justice in the London trial. A Saharareporters’ investigation has revealed that only days before his letter, the controversial MP also met with Nigerian “president” Umaru Yar’adua, who is also a personal friend of Ibori’s, to discuss the case.

In that meeting on 21 September, three days before he wrote his now infamous five-page letter, Yar’Adua allegedly told him that the EFCC actions against Ibori in the UK were as a direct result of Ibori's support for him as President.   According to Baldry, Yar’Adua believed the UK authorities have been enlisted by his political opponents. This would mean that Yar’Adua never believed Ibori was actually guilty of any corruption as governor, which might have given the MP the added energy to write his letter as soon as he returned to the UK. 

In the letter, Mr. Baldry extensively questioned the UK’s approach to James Ibori.  Mr. Baldry, a UK Conservative Member of Parliament and lawyer with substantial business interests in Africa, addressed the letter to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the Rt. Hon David Milliband MP. 

But he really wanted to show he meant business, and so he sent copies of the letter, which had the address of his legal office—One Essex Court, Temple, London EC4Y 9AR—to the Attorney-General, the Rt. Hon Baroness Scotland QC, the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, the Rt. Hon Jack Straw MP, the Secretary of State for the Home Department, the Rt. Hon Alan Johnson MP; and even the UK High Commissioner to Nigeria.

Mr. Baldry, who said he had been instructed by Mr. Sarosh Zaiwalla of Zaiwalla and Co Solicitors to represent Mr. Ibori, the former Delta State Governor of Nigeria who was twice prosecuted and convicted in the UK in the 1990s for theft.  Mr. Baldry thought it was his mission to persuade these senior cabinet ministers of the UK of the need for Her Majesty’s Government to discontinue the ongoing prosecution, at the Southwark Crown Court, of associates of Ibori for various money laundering offences.  Mr. Baldry defends his mission on the on the grounds that the prosecution is damaging to the interests of Her Majesty’s Government in the Niger Delta region. He further laments the "Draconian world-wide freezing order on all of Ibori's assets" which has "serious consequences for Ibori and his ability to live his life day by day".

The letter encloses a "notarized statement, together with supporting documents, which Mr. Baldry personally received from Ibori. He claims that Ibori told him, “It is the first time that anyone has sought to listen to his explanation of what has occurred".

Mr. Baldry belongs to the opposition party in the UK parliament representing Banbury. The rewards for Mr. his intervention came in almost instantly: four days after he sent his letter to the Foreign Secretary, on 28 September 2009, he registered the following interest in the MPs’ Register of Interests: “Received fee of £22,012.57 from Zaiwalla & Co. (Solicitors to James Ibori), for advising clients. Time worked: 16 hours.”

Mr. Baldry is no stranger to controversy.  In 2008, he was listed as one of the MPs involved in the “expenses scandal” that recently roiled the UK parliament, according to parliamentary sources, he  claimed the maximum housing expenses worth £23,083. In 2000, he was accused of failing to disclose that he had taken £5,000 in “loan” before recommending that Sarosh Ziwalla should be awarded a CBE.

Saharareporters has learnt that Mr. Baldry’s letter was rejected by the UK government.  Indeed, the scandalous nature of the letter might have led the UK agencies affected to reject a Freedom of Information request filed by the Nigeria Liberia Forum (NLF) through its convener, Kayode Ogundamisi. Despite repeated assurances, the agencies affected failed to release Mr. Baldry’s letter. The NLF had requested the Ministry of Justice to release the letter to it but its application was turned down.

Preparatory to the trial of Ibori’s associates in London last year, Judge Rivlin QC   delivered a ruling for the case at the Southwark Crown Court. According to him: “all the money laundering offences ... arise in this way, and here I briefly summarize the Crown’s case. These ... defendants are all closely connected with a man named James Onanefe Ibori (‘Mr James’). Theresa is his wife; Christine is his sister and Adebimpe Pogoson was at the material time his personal assistant/secretary. Mr James has a chequered history. At one time, in the early 1990’s, when living in England and working as a cashier, he and his wife were in debt and also in trouble for minor offences of dishonesty; but by 1999 he had risen in the world, and in that year he took office as the Governor of Delta State of Nigeria. In that capacity he was required to make asset declarations, which are said to have been false. He was also paid a salary and expenses, which were expected to his only source of income.”

“Notwithstanding these limitations of his office, which were anti-corruption measures, according to the Crown it was not long before Mr James came into personal possession of very substantial wealth, running into millions of pounds sterling. The main thrust of the case against these defendants is that each of them then assisted him in a major money laundering operation, whereby these monies or at least part of them were paid into various bank accounts in the UK and/or used towards the purchase in this country of a number of properties, and/or to fund the luxurious life-styles of one or more of the defendants.”

“As it happens, very substantial sums of money have already been frozen pursuant to Restraint Proceedings initiated by the Crown in 2007. The prosecution says that virtually all of this money had been dishonestly plundered from the Delta State or in other ways fraudulently obtained by Mr. James Ibori.”

Mr. Baldry’s interest in Africa is substantial; he runs ten other jobs according to British parliament filings regarding his profile.  Saharareporters learnt that Mr Baldry, who was the Chairman of the House of Commons International Development Select Committee from January 2001 to May 2005, has extensive interests in the extractive industries of several emerging economies, especially in West Africa. For example, he is the Chairman of Westminster Oil Limited (a British Virgin Islands registered company involved in the development of oil licenses and exploration) and the Deputy Chairman of Woburn Energy plc (a UK AIM listed company specializing in oil exploration and recovery). He is also a director of West African Investments Ltd (a company that invests in “infrastructure and natural resource projects in Sierra Leone and elsewhere in West Africa”) and a shareholder in Target Resources plc (a company involved in gold and diamond mining in Sierra Leone). Mr Baldry is also the Chairman of the Advisory Committee of Curve Capital Ventures Ltd (“a sector neutral investment company that predominantly invests in India; China and Africa and advises companies on strategic growth and global expansion”). The MP for Banbury is also the head of a London Barristers’ Chambers (Chambers of Tony Baldry MP of 1 Essex Ct, Temple, London EC4Y 9AR) where he practices as a barrister, arbitrator and mediator.

The Nigeria Liberty Forum, in interviews with Saharareporters, said it would collaborate with other UK–based Nigerian association, especially the Respect Nigeria Coalition (RNC) to ensure that the MP does not escape sanction for obstructing justice in the Ibori case. Already the group has written to the Commissioner of the London Metropolitan police to prosecute the MP.

The trial of Ibori associates—including his sister, his secretary, his mistress and his lawyer—will commence next month, February 2010.

In another trial, his wife, Theresa Ibori and his UK lawyer, Bhadresh Gohil will also face different charges that will go to trial this year.  Last month in Asaba, Delta State, as reported by Saharareporters, a Nigerian judge cynically appointed by Ibori “acquitted” him of 170 charges of money laundering after the judge, Marcel Awokulehin, was paid $5 million in bribes.

The Crown Prosecution Services said that they expect Ibori lawyers to file a fresh motion asking the Southwark Crown Court to quash the London charges against three of Iboris associate appearing before Judge Christopher Hardy, but they appeared unperturbed as they claim to have always expected that the Nigerian case would be compromised and had based their arguments and the fulcrum of the case on a different set of legal principles.

It is instructive that in Mr. Baldry’s letter, he writes, "It is an enormous pity ...that there should be such disquiet over this particular case, and perhaps after the outcome of the present court proceedings are known, the FCO, CPS and others might want to reflect on what lessons need to be learnt from the procedures followed in this case".

Meanwhile, Saharareporters has learned that the Attorney General’s Office in London has turned down the request of the NLF for a copy of Mr. Baldry’s letter, which the office considered to be a request under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.  Although the Attorney General’s Office confirmed being in possession of the letter, it said it could not disclose it in view of certain sections of that Act.  It said information can be withheld if:

•    Its release would be prejudicial to relations between the United Kingdom and any other state;
•    Its release would, or would be likely to, prejudice the administration of justice;
•    It constitutes personal data, and
•    Its release would constitute an actionable breach of confidence.
 

War Against Corruption: Nigerians in London chase AGF Aondoakaa back to Abuja

Written by Saharareporters, New York   

Nigerians in London today used their telephones to chase AGF Michael Aondoakaa out of their city. The action followed an advisory by the Nigeria Liberty Forum in London notifying Nigerian nationals that Michael Aondoakaa was in the city.

"Nigeria and all haters of corruption have been alerted to the presence in London of Nigeria's notoriously corrupt protector of looters of Nigeria, Michael Aondoakaa," it said.
 
The Nigerian Attorney General of the Federation (who is being referred to as Attorney General of Fraud) was staying at the London Heathrow Marriot Hotel on Bath Road, Harlington, Hayes, UB3 5AN United Kingdom, Phone: +44 20 89901100.  He arrived in the UK yesterday to deploy federal power against the impending trial of President Yar'Adua's friends: the former Delta State Governor, James Ibori, and Yar'Adua's Private Principal Secretary, David Edevbie.  The trial commences at the Southwark Crown Court on Monday.

The Nigeria Liberty Forum, which earlier this year successfully organized the picketing of the presence of former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, at the London School of Economics and Political Science, urged  Nigerians to protest Aondoakaa's presence from the comfort of their homes by calling the hotel to ask them to kick the AGF out of the place.

The NLF advised callers: "Be civil, ask to speak with Michael Aondoakaa after you dial to speak with the operator. If he is there in his room, curse the daylights out of him for destroying Nigeria; if [he is absent], leave him a voicemail message.

"If you want to join in protesting his presence in London, contact the Nigerian Liberty Forum by text on: 07984212553."

The Marriot Hotel management told Saharareporters that they found themselves overwhelmed by calls from across the world within just 30 minutes. They  said that Mr. Aondoakaa, who had checked into the hotel yesterday, checked out abruptly when alerted that so many people were calling to ask after him. Our sources said Aondoakaa left empty handed without successfully securing any meetings with the UK Home Office or the Crown Prosecution Service, the UK bodies to which he was instructed to make some protests and submit "clearance papers" on behalf of Ibori and Edevbie.

Aondoakaa, who also claimed to have attended a UN meeting for a few hours in Vienna yesterday, told his friends who approached him about his recent embarrassing conduct that he was merely playing the script of Nigeria's taciturn and reclusive leader, Umaru Yar'Adua. He also told friends in London before hurriedly departing for Abuja today, that he enjoys the confidence of Yar'Adua in defending Ibori and other corrupt former governors. He bragged that Mrs. Farida Waziri, who is currently traveling with her husband in Saudi Arabia, will be in trouble for disowning his statement that the EFCC had cleared Ibori.
 
Aondoakaa also admitted that there were cracks in the Yar'Adua cabinet, saying that some people want him removed at all cost. He singled out former EFCC chairman, Nuhu Ribadu, as the biggest international headache for the Yar'Adua regime, and vowed that Ribadu would be charged for treason in due course.

Source: Saharareporters, New York   

proudly presents 

 EU must help tackle corruption and environmental destruction in Nigeria, says Green MEP
 

- Jean Lambert shares platform with Wole Soyinka and Nuhu Ribadu to discuss action to eradicate corruption

Jean Lambert, London's Green Party MEP, received a warm welcome last week [Friday 29 May] when she joined eminent campaigners including the Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka, [1] for the State of the Nigerian Nation, a major symposium on democracy and corruption in Nigeria. [2]

Jean delivered the opening speech at the afternoon session, organised by the Nigeria Liberty Forum, at the Holloway Road campus of London Metropolitan University. She spoke on ‘Poverty and corruption in Nigeria: what can the European Union do?'

Jean, who has supported Nigerian pro-democracy campaigns in London, recently submitted a written question to the European Commission asking what progress it had made in fighting corruption in Nigeria.

She also raised the case of Nuhu Ribadu, the former Executive Chairman of the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in Nigeria, who was dismissed from his post last year by the Nigerian Police Service Commission. [3] Many believe his dismissal was politically motivated.

Nuhu Ribadu was present on Friday and addressed the symposium after Jean.

Jean shared the Commission's answer to her question with the audience. The Commission pledged that it would "continue to insist that anti-corruption issues be included in the agenda of all EU-Nigeria political dialogue meetings to which the Commission is fully associated." Anti-corruption issues are likely to be discussed at a high-level EU-Nigeria meeting on the 8/9 June in Prague. [4]

Jean said it was crucial to examine the role of western companies in Nigeria. Last week a landmark case began in New York, to look at the involvement of Shell, the oil company, in the state execution of nine environmental campaigners, including Ken Saro-Wiwa, in 1995.

She also highlighted the environmental and human costs of the activities of the oil industry in Nigeria, and stressed the need for stable, democratic government - and Europe's obligation to support this - if these challenges are to be overcome.

Jean said:

"We know of the horrendous environmental effects of the flaring of gas and the toll it takes on human health: of the oil leaks and spills and the devastating effect on water, soil and biodiversity. We can see this colossal waste of energy, pollution, lost resources. Knowing what we do of climate change, it is essential that we use our current resources to develop the technology and opportunity for the future.

"This cannot be done without resources, a functioning state and active civil society. The EU has made a commitment to Nigeria: it is up to us as Members of the European Parliament to work with the people of Nigeria to see that that commitment is upheld."

ENDS

Notes

[1] Professor Wole Soyinka, the Nigerian writer, poet and playwright won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1986. He was the first African to be awarded the prize.

[2] The symposium was called to coincide with ‘Democracy Day', organised by the Nigerian government to mark 10 years since the return of democracy, but controversial among anti-corruption campaigners who are deeply concerned about the political situation in Nigeria.

[3] Under Nuhu Ribadu's leadership, the EFCC was seen as taking effective measures to tackle corruption, and his work was recognised with World Bank's Jit Gill Memorial Award for Outstanding Public Service in 2008.

[4] Click here for the full text of Jean Lambert MEP's question to the European Commission.

See here the Commission's answer in full online.

Culled from UK Green Party website. http://www.jeanlambertmep.org.uk/news_detail.php?id=473

Falana rescues Ribadu in London

• Blames Politician-Owned media For Distorting Facts On Ribadu's Tenure
   

From Martins Oloja (London)

PRESIDENT of the West African Bar Association (WABA), Mr. Femi Falana, literally saved Mallam Nuhu Ribadu from a barrage of questions from concerned Nigerians in London at the weekend.

Ribadu, former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was assailed with questions on his integrity while superintending the commission under the Olusegun Obasanjo government.

Angry Nigerians and other nationals who attended the heated colloquium on the state of the Nigerian nation at the Metropolitan University, London, wanted to know on which platform Ribadu mounted the rostrum to declare Nigeria as a failed state, which they accused him of contributing to its failure.

Ribadu, who was moved to tears during his presentation, lamented that Nigeria had not made any steady progress because of poor leadership.

He had asked rhetorically: "How did we get here? How did we get it so wrong and how did we fail as a nation?"

He said he felt "sad that we're not allowing the likes of Professor Wole Soyinka and Chief Anthony Enahoro to rest. Why is it that the same man (Enahoro), who moved the motion for independence, is still the same one going over the nation and rallying politicians?

"Why are we not allowing Soyinka to rest after using more than 50 years of his life to fight for the nation?"

He cited Chief Gani Fawehinmi, Soyinka and Falana as some of his notable mentors even as he revealed that "fighting corruption is the worst and toughest job in the world. But I made up my mind to give it my best shot."

He encouraged everyone in Nigeria and in the Diaspora to rally round and "make Nigeria work... and let's start writing our own history."

His presentation drew applause and hisses, with many in the audience questioning his collaboration with Obasanjo to nearly derail the 2007 elections.

But Falana came to Ribadu's rescue and blasted a section of the Nigerian press as not capable of judging the state of democracy and its actors in Nigeria.

Specifically, Falana, easily one of the leading lights of the pre-1999 pro-democracy struggles in Nigeria, had sought to rescue his close pal - Ribadu - from some barrage of questions arising from his participation in the Obasanjo administration.

While rounding off his intervention, Falana, who suggested that the electoral Act in Nigeria should be amended to include provisions allowing Nigerians in the Diaspora to vote anywhere, urged the critical audience to judge the travail and triumph of Malam Ribadu within the context of what the administration he served represented and the structure of the section of the press that has been vilifying him (Ribadu).

His words: "Please, do not judge Ribadu by what you read in some Nigerian newspapers... The young man has not been everybody's friend. I also criticized him while he was EFCC boss from the way he was carrying out his assignment under Obasanjo.

"But he (Ribadu) has demonstrated by his act in office that corruption can be fought... Really, don't judge him by what you read in the newspapers."

Then, he raised the poser: "Who own the newspapers that have criticized him? The Nation is owned Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. The Sun is owned by former governor Orji Uzor Kalu. Daily Independent is owned by James Ibori... Some of these actors even own some radio stations in Nigeria.

"The best thing these papers and their allies can do is to stigmatise Ribadu... These are people that Ribadu was prosecuting as EFCC boss."

However, a common thread that ran through concerns raised at the colloquium, which was also attended by the 1996 Nobel laureate in Literature, Professor Wole Soyinka, as exclusively reported in The Guardian on Saturday, was the issue of strategic plans after the talkshop.

Many contributors including Mr. Tunde Asaju, a journalist and media consultant and Mrs. Josephine Amuwo, a London-based community organizer, raised questions about what would happen to issues raised at the symposium.

Mrs. Amuwo, who described the London gathering as "community development for me," said, "but all of you guys have to ensure that it should not just be a symposium where we write a report and nothing gets done."

She asked: "What are we going to do next year when we will clock 50 as an independent nation? What should we plan to do, too, in the next 50 years? We should be part of making Nigeria great again."

Mr. Asaju also wanted to know: "Do we just gather here, lament our fate and just go home? What concrete changes do we expect to make after here?"

Nonetheless, part of the practical steps suggested by Dr. Okey Ndibe, who spoke on 'The role of those in the Diaspora,' include:

"We ought to come out and demonstrate against an imposed leader. An imposed leader should be rejected. 99

"We should not always forgive and forget; we should develop a long memory of any wrong-doing. Obasanjo elected Yar'Adua and Nigerians have forgiven and forgotten.

"We have to insist on the right thing. No criminal should be allowed to go. We are in Nigeria, where when a politician steals public fund, he declares God is faithful; God has blessed me. Three Bishops held a mass for Professor Maurice Iwu (the INEC chairman) in Nigeria."

The symposium was organised by the Nigerian Liberty Forum, to mark Nigeria's Democracy Day in London on Friday.

Culled from Guardian Newspaper. Sunday 31st May 2009

http://odili.net/news/source/2009/may/31/18.html

May 29 Not Democracy Day, Soyinka Insists
From Martin Oloja, London

"THE ball is now in your court...Election is still two years away...What is wrong in identifying now your candidates and beginning to mobilise support for them...Why can't you invade your homeland...Use your mobile telephones now to mobilise the people and guard democracy...the way Barrack Obama used the Internet technology to mobilise the youths to strengthen democracy...Mobilise the youths to guard the ballot boxes from start to finish...Defend the vote, nobody is going to do it for you..."

With these words last night at the London Metropolitan University, Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka urged Nigerians and indeed those in the Diaspora to move democracy forward from the realm of rhetoric to action that will lead to the enthronement of genuine democracy in the country.

Meanwhile, Nigeria's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr. Dalhatu Tafida, who denied widespread allegations at the colloquium last night that the Federal Government subtly mobilised to stop the London symposium, said concerned critics about the state of democracy and democratisation in Nigeria should note that "democracy is a long and tortuous journey," and we should thus demonstrate greater understanding of the of the complexities and challenges the process has imposed on us in the last five years as Nigerians.

Soyinka, who was the focal point at the well attended symposium, was assisted by notable speakers, including Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, now in Oxford for a postgraduate research programme on "effective anti-corruption programme;" Mr. Femi Falana; Prof Sola Adeyeye, former member of the House of Representatives; and columnist, Dr. Okey Ndibe.

Soyinka had begun his speech on a lighter note when he humorously "corrected" the "wrong impression" by Ndibe, who spoke before him that Obasanjo promised "uninterrupted power supply" but did not fulfill.

According to Soyinka: "Really, Obasanjo did not disappoint anybody about his promise on power...He delivered...He (Obasanjo) promised 'uninterrupted power,' which is the manifesto of PDP...."

The use of the paradox on "power" drew spontaneous ovation from the appreciative crowd, just as the Professor of Literature warned against celebrating May 29 as Democracy Day.

Soyinka berated government for allegedly attempting to stop him from attending the colloquium, saying nothing has changed in Nigeria to make the day a democracy day to be elevated above June 12.

Rather, he said, May 29 has been synonymous to some of the negative things that had occurred in the last 10 years of democracy, including the mysterious killing of former Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Bola Ige.

He rapped the civil society, which he said "still doesn't understand what it means to struggle for democracy."

But at a press conference in London yesterday to mark both 10 years of uninterrupted democracy and two years of the Yar'Adua administration, Tafida said the present administration's achievements should be properly contextualised in the last two years, adding that the road to true democracy is not a tea party.

His words: "Democracy is a long and tortuous journey. While the yearning and aspiration of Nigerians for quick dividends of democracy are legitimate and understandable, I urge you, my countrymen and women, to demonstrate a greater understanding of the matrix and complexities of the challenges that we face.

"The solution requires resources with which we are abundantly endowed; the capacity which we continue to seek; and rigorous planning, which is the hallmark of this administration."

The envoy a telephone chat with The Guardian denied that the federal government, attempted through his office, to sabotage the gathering of Nigerians at the London Metropolitan University, saying: "The allegation was untrue, as we will not do anything to dishonour any gathering to be addressed by the first Nobel Laureate in Africa, among other important Nigerians. The allegation must have been made to denigrate the present administration."

Ribadu, who was asked a deluge of questions by participants, urged Nigerians to shun rhetoric, stressing: "Let us start writing our own history."

The former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), who praised efforts of people and organisations in the Diaspora, including the Sahara Reporters, said the latter had assisted Nigerians in knowing some issues that are hidden.

Ndibe, who warned the present generation the danger of being wasted, like the Soyinka, said it was sad that the present dispensation of leadership in Nigeria, including the Obasanjo regime, has never defined stakeholders to include people like Soyinka, let alone others at the London gathering for democracy.

Ndibe berated Nigerians for their penchant of leaving everything to God, adding: "Nigeria is the only country where people go to vote and only God decides. Does it mean God chooses criminals for us?

"In Nigeria, God chooses the most fraudulent and we say power belongs to God; power flows from God...God chooses leaders. That is the sad situation about our country that some criminals have run and ruined...."

Convener of the London Forum, under the auspices of Nigeria Liberty Forum, Dr. Kayode Ogundamisi, who had early this year organised a demonstration against a forum addressed by Obasanjo at the London School of Economics, had in a welcome remark, noted: "We have Democracy Day with all its fanfare, but what has happened to democracy? Does anyone believe that if we had democracy, anyone would vote for the current situation- hospitals without medicine, schools without books, taps without water, bellies without food?"

He added: "Our solution is simple- Nigerians have to adopt a new activist culture, a sustainable culture of strong electoral activism...."

State of the Nigerian Nation

Summit: European Union Parliamentarian Jean Lambert joins Wole Soyinka and Ribadu on May 29th 2009 in London

MEP Jean Lambert

http://www.saharareporters.com

Jean Lambert, a Member of the European Parliament (MEP), has joined the panel of speakers that would feature Wole Soyinka and Nuhu Ribadu on May 29th at a one-day summit on Nigeria’s “State of the Nation,” to be held at the London Metropolitan University (LMU). The Nigeria Liberty Forum (NLF) organizes the annual event/is organizing the event as a counterweight to the “Democracy Day” normally celebrated by the Nigerian government.

An e-mail from Danny Bates, on behalf of the MEP, says that Ms. Lambert has agreed to participate in the event. Ms. Lambert is one of the UK’s two Green Party members of the Parliament.  She has strong interest in social justice and environmental rights issues.

Interest in the event has grown tremendously since the organizers launched a website, www.nigerialibertyforum.org.uk. Due to the growing interest from Nigerians and non-Nigerians in Europe, authorities of LMU have had to seek a larger hall capable of seating 1,000 participants .

A female participant who gave her name as Ebele describes the summit as an opportunity to plan the future of Nigeria.  She said she would be traveling from Germany to attend the event, which would start at LMU at 9:00 AM and end at 5:00PM.

In addition to Soyinka and Ribadu, other speakers at the event include Femi Falana, Sola Adeyeye (former member of the House of Representatives), Author Okey Ndibe, Ms. Affiong  Affiong, and Saharareporters founder, Omoyele Sowore.

The event promises to be packed with participants from all over Europe and beyond according to sign-up indications at www.nigerialibertyforum.org.uk.