Sunday 18092016

SUNDAY VANGUARD, SEPTEMBER 18, 2016, PAGE 5
Nigeria at war with itself-Ex-CJN
… as Dogara, Amosun, Osoba, others celebrate Bankole at 75
Daud Olatunji,
Abeokuta
A
former Chief Justice of
Nigeria, Justice Dahiru
Musdapher, yesterday,
described Nigeria as a nation
at war with itself, warning that
Nigerians are treading a path that
threatens the continued peace
and unity of their country.
Musdapher said the 2015
presidential election has also
worsened the unity of the country,
claiming that the election was
marked by division along ethnic,
regional, partisan and religious
lines.
The former justice spoke as
guest speaker at a public lecture
to mark the 75th birthday of the
father of a former Speaker of the
House of Representatives, Chief
Suarau Alani Bankole, held in
Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.
The public lecture, which
attracted prominent personalities
from across the country, was
entitled, ‘The question of Nigerian
unity’.
The dignitaries include the
Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Yakubu Dogara;
his deputy, Hon. Yusuf Lasun; the
Minority Leader, Hon Oyenma
Chuchu; Ogun State Governor
Ibikunle Amosun; and a former
governor of the state, Chief
Olusegun Osoba.
Others include a former judge
of the World Court, Prince Bola
Ajibola”, a former governor of
Jigawa State, Sule Lamido; a
former Minister of Sports, Mr
Taoheed Adedoja; and Oba of
Lagos, Rildwanu Akiolu.
Musdapher described the
celebrant as a detribalised
politician who worked for the
unity of the country.
According to the former CJN,
favouritism, nepotism and tribal
sentiments have made it
impossible to run a merit-drivensystem
in the country. “Hard
work, brilliance, honesty and
integrity in our dealings are no
longer rewarded. Rather, we
celebrate mediocrity soaked in the
corruption we claim is our
Common enemy”, he said.
“I am scared and deeply
worried. The situation is grave and
the media, the 4th estate of the
realm, has a big role to play in
this crusade”.
While condemning the role the
media played in the challenges
facing the country, Musdapher
said: “I am also aware today
the most media houses have
editorial policy and clear leaning
towards sectional and myopic
perspectives. Tribal and nepotic
leanings are present in most issues
debated or reported in our media”.
He, however, urged
government to develop a tradition
of continuity and positive
transition from one
administration to the next.
While lamenting the
challenges facing Nigerian unity,
Musdapher said: “ It is rather
worrisome that after over 100
years since the amalgamation of
the northern and the southern
protectorates in 1914 ,we seem
as divided as ever. “These realities
force us to question if indeed
Nigerian today was the
amalgamation of separate
regions in an arranged marriage
that some argue only lasted while
the matchmakers, colonial
Britain was still around and in
control,”the former CJN said.
“The union remains as unnegotiated
union in the minds of
many Nigerians. Hence, I am
of the view that, without the clear
undemanding of the root causes
or our seemingly confused social
system, we cannot even begin to
make up with the strategies and
solution that are capable of
dousing the negative effects of
disunity and firmly bringing our
nation within respectable or
acceptable level of social
decency”.In his keynote address
at the occasion, Osoba concurred
with the submissions by the CJN,
pledging to deliver Musdapher’s
message to the managers of the
media. “My Lord has delivered
Exclusive
U.S court clears legal hurdle for repatriation of $550 Abacha loot
•Interbank Rate: $550m X N308.7 = N169.8billion
•Parallel Mkt: $550m X N425 = N233.8billion
Soni Daniel,
Northern Region Editor
A
United States District
Court, yesterday,
dismissed a case by a
Nigerian lawyer seeking to
stop the repatriation of over
$550 million of stolen funds
during the regime of late
General Sani Abacha
(referred to as the Abacha
loot) to Nigeria until the
payment of his legal fees
worth $320 million by the
Nigerian Government.
The thrashing of the case
by Justice John D. Bates of
the U.S District Court
automatically clears the
final legal hurdle for the
return of the loot to Nigeria
to help it retool its
plummeting economy which
has received heavy
pummelling from falling oil
prices and corruption.
The U.S-based Nigerian
lawyer, Godson Nnaka, had
laid claim to the fact that the
Nigerian Government must
pay him the $320 million as
legal fee for the forfeiture of
the $550 million of the
Abacha loot still trapped in
the United States.
But Justice John D. Bates,
in dismissing Nnaka’s case,
held the claimant was not
entitled to such payment
since he was not a party to
the forfeiture case filed by
the US Department of
Justice in conjunction with
Nigeria.
Nigeria, through the
Office of the Attorney
the judgement and I will deliver
your message to the media”, the
former governor said.
While recasting the relationship
with Chief Bankole, Osoba said
though, he was two years older
than him and did not have many
things in common, they relate
well.Dogara, in his goodwill
message, said the submissions by
the former CJN had challenged
him in building a nation on justice,
unity and equity.
He further said the challenges
facing the country were as a
result of lack of leadership,
saying with right leadership, the
country would bounce back.
In his remarks, the celebrant,
lamented that he would have
celebrated his 70th birthday five
years ago, but was stopped
following the prosecution of his
son, the former Speaker.
He urged young politicians
to practise developmental
politics, saying politics should
not lead to hatred.
General of the Federation,
also filed a robust opposition
to Nnaka’s motion for the
payment of the lien and also
asked the court to bar
Nnaka from making
subsequent filings in that
case.
Ruling on the case, the
District Court entered an
order denying Nnaka’s
Motion for a Charging Lien
(fee). The Court also
specifically ruled that
Nnaka’s participation in this
case must now come to an
end.”
Justice Bates said that
Nnaka did not meet the
basic prerequisites to be
considered as a proper party
in the case and to be paid
the amount he requested for,
having not qualified to
represent Nigeria.
The judge also ruled out
Nnaka for the payment
since he had not won any
judgment for Nigeria.
Justice Bates said in his
ruling obtained by
Sunday Vanguard last
night that “Neither Nnaka
nor his purported clients are
parties to the forfeiture
matter and neither of them
can win judgment through
this litigation.
“The conclusion dooms
Nnaka’s motion for
charging lien. At common
law, the charging of lien is
applicable to a judgment or
decree obtained for a client
by an attorney. Until a
judgment or decree has been
obtained, the right to
impose a lien does not arise.
“Even the most basic
prerequisites for charging
lien are missing here:
Nnaka has not won a
judgment for Nigeria;
indeed, he had not
successfully entered
appearance on Nigeria’s
behalf. A charging lien in
the amount of $320 million
is not called for. Nnaka’s
claim against Nigeria must
be pursued in another case:
16cv-1400.
“Unless and until Nnaka’s
claim to the defendant’s
assets are reinstated by the
DC Circuit, Nnaka’s
participation in this case
must now come to an end,”
From left: Deputy Director, Musical Society of Nigerian (Muson), Mrs. Edna Soyannwo;
Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation, Ms. Nonny Ugboma; MTN Foundation 3rd Price
Winner, Sarah Akapo; Director, MTN Foundation, Mrs. Aisha Pamela Sadauki , and Director,
MTN Foundation, Mr. Dennis Okoro, during the 9th graduation ceremony of the MTN
Foundation Scholars At Muson Centre Onikan, Lagos .Photo by Kehinde Gbadamosi
the U.S judge ruled, paving
the way for Nigeria to draw
down its huge cash.
It will be recalled that
Nigeria’s Attorney General
and Minister of Justice,
Abubakar Malami, who
was in the U.S for the
judgment, had recently
raised the alarm that Nnaka
was merely trying to delay
the return of the Abacha loot
by the U.S, by making a
frivolous claim that Nigeria
must pay him 40 percent of
the Abacha loot.
Nnaka had also claimed
that Malami was working
against him after he had
refused to relinquish “70
percent” of his 40 percent to
the minister.
But in responding to the
allegation, Malami
described Nnaka as a
strange person to the case
who had not recovered a
dime for Nigeria since he
was allegedly given a
mandate by the former
Attorney General of the
Federation, Mr. Olujimi, to
recover the Abacha loot in
2004.
By Simon Ebegbulem,
Benin-City
G candidate OVERNORSHIP
of the All
Progressives Congress
(APC) in Edo State, Mr
Godwin Obaseki, says the
state needs a competent,
credible and hardworking
governor to efficiently
manage the state’s
resources and effectively
execute people-oriented
programmes.
Obaseki spoke during an
interactive session with
civil society organizations
in the state. He noted that
with declining oil revenues
and the consequent
reduction in federal
allocation to states, fresh
ideas are needed in the
running of government
adding that diversifying
the economy has become
even more imperative to
ensure sustainable growth
Malami, in a 44-page
document made available
to Sunday Vanguard earlier,
described Nnaka as a man
trying to reap from where he
did not sow.
The minister said the
Nigerian Government
would not pay Nnaka the
huge amount he is asking for
since he is not qualified to
practise law in the
Maryland area where the
case is taking place and did
not recover any money for
the country 14 years after he
was given a provisional
letter to help locate and
recover the Abacha loot.
The court had also held
that since the temporary
letter given to Nnaka by
Olujimi was not revalidated
by Mohammed Adoke when
the forfeiture case resumed
in 2013, the lawyer could,
therefore, not claim to be
representing Nigeria.
But Nnaka immediately
rejected the court verdict and
appealed against the ruling
and threatened to sue
Malami for saying that he
was not qualified to
represent Nigeria and was
not entitled to 40 percent of
the Abacha loot. The litany
of cases filed by Nnaka and
the appeal by the US
Department of Justice, in
conjunction with Nigeria,
directly delayed the
repatriation of the huge cash
from the U.S to Nigeria.
Upon persistent inquiry,
Malami told Sunday
Vanguard from the venue of
the hearing in the U.S that
he was hopeful that with the
dismissal of the frivolous
case by Nnaka, efforts would
be intensified to bring back
the Abacha loot.
“We trust that this Order
denying Nnaka’s frivolous
claim to the Abacha assets,
will help to allay the fear of
the Nigerian general public
arising from an online
medium’s article which
stated that Nigeria stands to
lose $320 million on
account of Nnaka’s Motion.
“We also hope that this
Order will help to correct the
many falsehoods and halftruths
published in the past
against the Office of the
Honourable Attorney
General of the Federation
regarding this matter.
“This is a positive
development for Nigeria,”
the AGF said.
Why Edo needs a competent manager of resources
as governor —Obaseki
and development.
“Edo State lost two
generations to bad
governance by the PDP and
‘career politicians’. The
political base can no
longer be restricted to
people with traditional
political anthem; we now
need to infuse fresh blood,
thinking and resources into
our politics, and that is
what people like me came
into the political scene to
characterize”, he stated.
“Yes, I believe that I fit
into that new paradigm of
governance. With a
successful career of over 30
years as an investment
banker and wealth
management expert, and
the valuable experience I
have garnered as
Chairman of the State’s
Economy & Strategy Team
in the last eight years, I am
very clear on the direction
that we should be looking
in order to move Edo State
to the next level of
infrastructural
development, industrial
growth and technological
advancement.
“Lagos has shown itself
as a model, and I don’t see
the reason why we can’t
have other models in
Nigeria with Edo blazing
the trail as a mini-sized
Nigerian state that can
survive as a country. To
achieve this status, we
require competent,
credible and hardworking
managers, and that is what
I am.”
He further urged civil
society groups in the state to
stay true to their cause as
advocates for the
entrenchment of good
governance. “It is important
that civil societies remain
what they are meant to be.
That is, to serve as watchdogs
for the government and as
promoters of democratic
values.”