Political News
Jonathan Picks Ex-Convicts For 2015 Presidential Reelection Declaration
Oct 23, 2014 – Jonathan Picks Ex-Convicts For 2015 Presidential Reelection Declaration
In a discomforting sign that Nigeria’s new president will travel a familiar old track after all, Goodluck Jonathan has nominated two questionable men, Haliru Bello Mohammed and Yusuf Hamisu Abubakar Mairago, for ministerial appointments.
Mohammed is famously known as one of the beneficiaries of the infamous £8.6 billion Siemens international bribery scandal that spanned several countries and embarrassed Nigeria, while Mairago, who has been nominated to represent Kaduna, was the executive director of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF). He was arrested and detained by the EFCC for close to one year over his fraudulent activities in the PTDF.
Mr. Mohammed has previously been Minister for Communication. Recently, he was also the deputy chair of Mr. Jonathan’s party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
In the Siemens scandal, several other Nigerian officials besides Mohammed were named by Reinhard Siekaczek, who faced charges of bribery in a Munich court in 2007. Others named include Tajudeen Olanrewaju, Cornelius Adebayo, Alhaji Elewi , and Professor Jibril Aminu, a former Minister of Petroleum Resources who went on to become a PDP Senator.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) did investigate the scandal as the former Ministers reportedly admitted to taking the cash payments from Siemens.
Jonathan’s nomination of tainted officials to high office is an important early signal either of weakness, or of readiness to betray the promises he made to voters as he campaigned for office, or both. On almost every campaign stop, he promised to engage in the “transformation” of Nigeria, including combating corruption.
For that purpose, some Nigerians claimed to have voted for him but not his party, the PDP, which they said they loathed.
[Sahara Reporter]
Akuwax in Mongu, Zambia.
October 24, 2014 at 4:57 AM
Nigeria has the largest population in Africa, and I wonder why we like picking recycled leaders all the time. People with such cases should be nominated in public offices. shame.
Akuwax in Mongu, Zambia.
October 24, 2014 at 4:58 AM
Should not be nominated in public offices.
Nathan
October 24, 2014 at 5:22 AM
Nigeria will always be Nigeria, when will the younger ones in that country ever step in to correct the messes left behind by these old barons? Wonder why people dont revolt in that country, i know why too many tribes.
Jilo
October 24, 2014 at 1:35 PM
Well, since your president does not care no more and decided on his own decision to work with questionable people, let the youths and young generation in this Country make their own discernment. Folks, if the situation continue like there will be no hope for our future generation. These fools in the corridor of power are not ready to help the situation and systematically turning this Country to Mafia Country. Now our youths are the ones that can change the perception. How? Let those young Nigerians go after these thieves by kidnap, seize their properties, go after their kids not only in Nigeria, force them to cough out the stolen money, and continue making life unpleasant for them may be they would change. All armed robber should not go after individual who are working to be successful life but to go after thieves in the government. Note, they can achieve by joint effort. If any one of them is arrested they might as well arrest every youth in the Country. As I have said earlier, there must be a solid co-operation among the youths. During the court proceeding , the youths will then tell the authority what they really want. As for GEJ he is really confused and need deliverance.