Saturday, November 26, 2011

THE EFCC SHAKE-UP

• More heads to roll
• Plot of merger with ICPC still on the card
• The forces that kicked Farida Waziri out



Farida Waziri
There are bubbles in the political space. And they are gaining desired public attention. One of such is the sack of Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mrs. Farida Waziri, a retired Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) by President Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday.

The removal was the second major bold step taken by the President Jonathan administration this week. The other was the arrest and arraignment of Boko Haram spokesman, Ali Umar Konduga as well as the alleged financier of the sect, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, by the State Security Services (SSS) at the Abuja Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.  The actions have notched up the image of the government.
Waziri’s sudden sack has sparked off varied reactions. While it is celebrated in some circles, it attracted flaks in a few quarters, especially those who believe Jonathan acted beyond his constitutional powers.  There are also sharp disagreements on the reason(s) for her sack.

However, Saturday Sun investigation revealed that the sack of Waziri is the first of a major shake-up the Federal Government wants to effect in the EFCC. It was gathered that when a substantive head of the anti-graft agency is eventually appointed, there would be other changes in the EFCC.

Sources revealed that the government opted for a major reorganization of the EFCC now to give the commission a new lease of life as well as prove that the exercise is not targetted at Waziri.
Saturday Sun learnt that the planned shake-up in the entire EFCC was occasioned by the plan to rid the commission of the Waziri elements and sentiments. Also, it was gathered, the exercise is to appease the United States, which had sent a report alleging bribery in the EFCC. The Presidency reasoned that if the report on attempt to bribe those investigating and prosecuting cases is true then there’s need to bring in new people into the commission.It was learnt that the operations and legal departments in the EFCC are likely to be affected in the shake-up.

Apart from the shake-up in the EFCC, checks revealed that government is also considering appointing a serving police office to head the EFCC. The suggestion, in this regard, it was learnt, came about as those pushing it reasoned that a serving police officer would make it easier, in the command of policemen attached to the EFCC. Those who are opposed to this, it was gathered, argue that such arrangement may cause a personality clash between the office of the Inspector of Police and the head of EFCC, as witnessed when Mallam Nuhu Ribadu headed the anti-graft agency. Those in this school of thought are pushing, instead, for the appointment of a retired judge or retired policeman or soldier to do the job.

Checks also revealed that those who are pushing for the merger of the EFCC and Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC) are using Waziri’s sack as an opportunity to get government fuse the two agencies. These elements, it was learnt, say that with a vacuum at the headship of EFCC, the issue of who assumes the executive position, in the event of merger, would not pose any problem.

The office of the Attorney general of the Federal and Minister of Justice had made a case for the merger of the EFCC and ICPC. However, the move suffered a setback at the National Assembly when senators opposed it.

It was gathered that government, persuaded that there is duplication of roles between EFCC and ICPC, wants to represent the bill of the merger plan, with the argument that this would make corruption war more effective.
“Government feels strongly that the merger of EFCC and ICPC would give the war against corruption a boost. Therefore, don’t be surprised if the bill on the merger is re-presented. Until this is resolved, a substantive head of the EFCC may not be announced,” a source close to the Federal Government told Saturday Sun.

Meanwhile, the sack of Waziri did not come as a surprise to those who closely followed her activities since 2008. This is despite the fact that she had about seven months left of her tenure, which would have expired in June 2012. The signs as to the type of Czar President Jonathan desired for the anti-graft body have always been there for everybody to see. Pressures had weighed in from different flanks against the woman. The forces that swayed against Waziri, therefore, are:

International circle  
Although Waziri undertook several foreign trips, where she participated in high profile conferences on corruption, it was gathered that the international community, especially the United States, did not like her. Sources revealed that this came about owing to the Mallam Nuhu Ribadu sentiment. Sources revealed that the US is yet to forgive Nigeria for the removal of Ribadu and, therefore, did not want Waziri, the beneficiary of the change of guards. It was, therefore, not surprising that United States Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton, at a town hall meeting during a visit to Nigeria in 2009 flayed Waziri’s EFCC. She said the body had lost the bite it was noted for during the reign of Ribadu.
US never recanted her position. Instead the country intensified pressure on Jonathan to reorganise EFCC. In fact, it is no longer news that it was one of the conditions given to Jonathan by US before it queued behind him to succeed the late President Umar Yar’Adua.

Mrs. Clinton said: “We want to see the reinstatement of a vigorous corruption commission. The EFCC has kind of fallen off in the last one year. We will like to see it come back to business to able to partner us.”
As a show of solidarity with the US, the Metropolitan Police severed ties with Waziri’s EFCC.  Shortly after that, the UK Serious Fraud office bade a goodbye to Waziri. She damned these forces but, perhaps, never knew her decision had a price.

The Presidency
The death of President Yar’Adua was the beginning of the real problem of Waziri. Those that brought her to the office were all kicked out of the cabinet. One of them was Michael Aondoakaa, then Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of justice. She found comfort in the arms of former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Aloysius Katsina-Ala, who, incidentally, was Aondoakaa’s mentor. Some of the pressures were staved off by the ex-CJN.

With these people gone, Jonathan’s men mounted intense pressures on him to remove Waziri. At that time, former Information and Communications Minister, Prof Dora Akunyili, was lined up as a replacement. Waziri’s kinsmen, including the Senate president, David Mark and Gov. Gabriel Suswam, intervened and saved the day.  Jonathan was told the implication of taking such a step, especially as he was still soliciting for support from different geo-political zones for his presidential ambition.

Also, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and his loyalists, who were incensed by the removal of Ribadu by Yar’Adua, never ceased from fighting Waziri. Unfortunately for her, Obasanjo had the ears of Jonathan. The presidency set some traps for the ex-EFCC chairman. Several politicians, who got favour from EFCC, had informed the presidency. The car gift she allegedly gave a prominent government official was just one of the traps.

National Assembly
The relationship between the former EFCC boss and the National Assembly has never been robust. When she was initially appointed, Mark hesitated in endorsing her, but coming with the backing of the former justice minister, the Senate accepted the nomination.  Prominent Benue indigenes had also mounted pressure on the Senate president to back her. And he did.

Fortunately for the EFCC boss, there was really no reason to seek the intervention of the lawmakers after her confirmation. But an opportunity for them to show that they were not particularly pleased with her performance in office came recently. The House of Representatives came up with a bill seeking an amendment to the EFCC Act to reserve the chairmanship of the commission for a retired Supreme Court Justice or Appeal Court Judge.
Waziri saw this as a subtle move to stop her reappointment next year and mobilised her supporters to criticise the bill and possibly stop the amendment. She didn’t succeed in stopping the bill until she was kicked out.

Forces from Gombe
Waziri is involved in the politics of Gombe State, where the husband, Adamu Ajuju Waziri, hails from. The man, who was in the last Senate, wanted to return to the upper legislative chamber but failed to get the support of the then governor of the state, Mohammed Goje.
The development angered the family to the marrow. In fact, the arrest and prosecution of Goje by EFCC recently is attributed to the frosty relationship between Waziri and the former governor. The incumbent governor of the state, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, is said not to be happy with Waziri’s action. He worked hard to assist his predecessor in getting bail.

Goje’s loyalist and that of the governor are believed to have exerted massive influence on notable individuals in the presidency to ensure that the woman is removed or at worst not reappointed. The veracity of this claim was demonstrated by the wild celebration that followed the announcement of her removal in Gombe. For Goje loyalists, it is a well-deserved move by the President.

Judiciary
The greatest fight waged by Waziri was the long drawn battle with the Justice minister, Mohammed Bello Adoke. Until their differences were somewhat resolved a few months ago, the two had openly engaged in huge fisticuff. Apart from the minister insisting that suits against defenders should be originating from his office, he has been campaigning that EFCC and ICPC should be merged. If the man had had his way, he would have removed Waziri long before now. It is certain that the pressure from him may have watered the ground for her sack.

Apart from Adoke, some judges who believe that Waziri tried to blackmail judiciary, with the allegation that judges were stalling the work of the commission, may have contributed in subtle manner to ease her out. The president of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta had told her in clear term that judges were not happy, for instance, with frequent amendment of charges midway into trials by her leadership.
Also, some senior members of the judiciary were not happy with Waziri’s move to set up a special court to try corruption cases. It was gathered that they see this move as an indictment of them and indeed, a vote of no confidence in the courts.


From staff  
Apart from external factors the former EFCC boss was said to have received the greatest heat from some staff of the commission. A senior official of the commission told Saturday Sun that two-third of petitions against the woman were couched by EFCC staff and sent to the presidency and AGF’s office.
He said: “Honestly, I can tell you that Waziri was removed by petitions from staff. We were writing with pseudo names to the presidency and even international agencies.”

Fact of the matter
Somehow, that Waziri survived till Wednesday before she was removed was a huge surprise to many who knew the forces that were at her jugulars. The conspiracy against her was much and, according to a source, “there was no way she could not have ended this way. If she had completed her tenure, certainly, she would not have got a reappointment.”

 Source sunnewsonline

Saturday, November 19, 2011

I’ll take Eagles back to Lagos

•Says, “My players won’t play on artificial turf again”

New Super Eagles Manager, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi has sensationally revealed that the Super Eagles would return to the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos more than seven years after the team abandoned the Sports City in protest against alleged unfriendly fans and critical sporting press.

Keshi
Eagles last played inside the Lagos Stadium in 2004 during the LG Cup invitational tournament that was won by the Lions of Senegal.
But the former Super Eagles’ captain who led the Nigerian team to beat the Chipolopolo of Zambia 2-0 in an international friendly match on Tuesday at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in Kaduna says he wants to return to the Sports City in Lagos where he began his illustrious playing career stressing that he is poised to build a new Super Eagles team that Nigerians would be proud of.

In this exclusive interview with Saturday Sunsports in Kaduna, Keshi popularly known as the Big Boss declared that what he has at the moment is not a team but a group of players given to him by the technical committee of the Nigeria Football Federation. He revealed his road map towards rebuilding the Super Eagles with a view to reclaiming Nigeria’s lost glory in the round leather game. The juicy interview is served hot and fresh for your weekend delight. Enjoy it!
My dream Super Eagles

My dream Super Eagles is the one that would make Nigerians smile. The Super Eagles that Nigerians would be proud of. But what I have at the moment is not a team but a group of players that were given to me by the Technical Committee. But after about six matches you could ask me the same question again.

Home-based players as base
Nothing good comes easy. For me, I believe in one philosophy and that is the fact that you must first work before you smile. Yes, we do have abundance of players in Nigeria but we must create a situation whereby we can nurture these talents into stardom. And whereby we cannot do that then it’s going to be difficult. I like to work with players in the domestic league. With that I can set up a base because I have more time to work with them unlike the foreign-based players that I could hardly have up to five or six training sessions with at a time. You can image that we barely had two training sessions in between these two matches against Botswana and Zambia. By the time I start working with the home-based players, I hope to get what I want for the team and Nigerians.

Monitoring players in the domestic league
You might be right to say that I’ve not been around for a while, but I have assistants that have been working with clubs in the domestic league. They know the players. All I require from them is to pick about 25 players for me and I do the rest of the job. I also have coaches like Kadiri Ikhana to help me in selecting players from the domestic league. So I do not expect much problem with the selection of 25 quality players from the domestic league. Once I have the players, I do the job.
Preparation for Rwanda game

I intend to go Morocco to be with Austin Eguavoen and the Dream Team. When I’m gone I do not expect any problem because my assistants would be busy with home-based players. When I return we continue from where they stop at least for about two or three weeks before we go for Christmas holiday. And if we cannot brush them up within those three weeks, then we know how many players we would need to bring from Europe. I do not intend to bring in 20 players from Europe because that would be ridiculous. We would have four teams playing in the continent in either the CAF Champions League or Confederation Cup. We should have some players from those teams. So those are part of the programmes that we have.

Eagles’ return to Lagos
I’m not against playing in Abuja. Abuja is part of Nigeria. But I grew up playing in National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos. My dream is to go back to that stadium and play my matches there. Once in a while I could go out of Lagos to other parts of the country like Kaduna, Kano or Calabar. But my main stadium is going to be Lagos. But that stadium has got to be ready because I cannot have my payers play on artificial turf anymore. I lost about three players to the artificial turf at the stadium in Benin. Although the standard of the turf in Benin is okay, yet it is not the same as playing on natural grass. If the National Stadium in Lagos could be done fast and put back in good condition, all I want is to return to Lagos and play because that’s where I belong.

Crowd/spectators as inspiration
When I was in Togo, you would mistake my training sessions for real match situations because of the large crowd that came to watch the training. It was the same situation when I was in Mali. I remember when I was still playing in the Nigerian team. When we went to train in the National Stadium in Surulere, Lagos, everywhere used to be jam-packed with spectators. It’s some kind of motivation for the players because it helps them get ready for the match.

I want to see that happen again that’s why I want to go back there. That would also put the players on the edge because they know that they have to play to meet the expectations of the fans. I don’t see why the Super Eagles no more play in Lagos and prefer to play in Abuja. But I would like to go back to Lagos.

It is for the coach to decide where the team plays and that’s it. The players have no reason to refuse to play where the coach wants the team to play. Players should look up to their coach for leadership and direction.

By sunnewsonline.com

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Keshi signs Eagles’ 2-yr deal

Stephen Keshi
 •Gets Brazil 2014 World Cup quarterfinal mandate

Nigeria has confirmed the appointment of a former captain of the Super Eagles, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, as a replacement for the sacked coach, Samson Siasia, and given a mandate to take Nigeria to the Brazil 2014 quarter-finals of the World Cup.

Keshi replaces Samson Siasia, who was sacked last Friday after his 2012 Nations Cup qualifying failure. The 49-year-old, who captained Nigeria at the 1994 World Cup finals, was previously in charge of Mali and Togo at international level. Keshi was also part of the last Nigerian side to win the Africa Cup of Nations - as they did in 1994.

“It was a unanimous decision taken by the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) for the appointment of Stephen Keshi as the new head coach of the national team,” said NFF Deputy President, Mike Umeh. The NFF’s Executive Committee met in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, yesterday and deliberated on the recommendations of the body’s Technical Committee, that had recommended Keshi.

Has he has been given a deal that runs till 2014, Keshi was given a mandate of taking Nigeria to both the 2013 Nations Cup and the World Cup the following year. His contract includes a stipulation that he must qualify for South Africa 2013 and reach the quarter-finals of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Keshi will be free to choose his assistant. There was no news on whether a technical director will be appointed to supervise him. This is mainly because Keshi achieved a major qualifying success when he led the unfancied Togo to the 2006 World Cup in Germany.