Atiku, Should Just Go AWAY!

Atiku, Should Just Go AWAY!

By Paul Adujie
Thursday, 15 March 2007
Alternating between consternations and bemusements, I continue to be amazed by how shameless Atiku is! The man continues to act as if nothing has transpired to change his political fortunes in the past year. Atiku continues to make threats, ominous and desperate pronouncements about his political ambitions.

Why would Atiku proclaim his disqualification as spelling anarchy for Nigeria? Must Atiku become president of Nigeria? Atiku seem to equate his personal political ambitions with the continued corporate existence of Nigeria!

Atiku and his friends have repeatedly threatened to foist anarchy upon Nigeria as Atiku is disqualified by INEC from contesting the elections scheduled for April 2007.

Atiku and his Action Party have repeatedly threatened to disrupt the forthcoming elections, as it become clear that Atiku cannot contest. But what magnitude and levels of arrogance is it, that permit, Atiku and his friends to make statements that seems to equate .

Can someone please explain to me, why Atiku apparently believes that we are all beholden to him in Nigeria. Why does he posses this exaggerated sense of himself? Why does Atiku equate his sinking ship, with Nigeria’s corporate existence and Nigeria’s statecraft? How can one citizen, any citizen, be so arrogant presumptuously absurd? How can Atiku be so ridiculous in his logic, as to think that his personal ambition is synonymous with the collective national interests of one hundred and forty million Nigerians?

A Nigerian (Samira -Shakira Edi) with concerns for peace and security for Nigeria, had the following to say, in a Nigerian discussion group: “Atiku is a long slug that has become a professional alarmist. His campaign depicts the height of political profiteering, diversionary tactics, obfuscation, digression, nebulous concepts, recalcitrance, arrogance, a tsunami of lies, and avalanche of hate, a glitch here …. all gimmicks used by a drowning man to ferment trouble and digress the national attention from his grimes and crimes. “

And he has no shame to carry out this cloak & dagger, and open warfare with his boss. Very mind-blowing why concerned Nigerians could not look past the supposed OBJ (atrocities) to see the white elephant bent on destroying the country. Atiku's appalling actions are shaping up the country for an impending dramatic consequence, which may well mean dire consequencies for the country. His latest gimmick was nothing but a fluke, a miraculous "malady" on the threadmill, which gave him a much-needed escape hatch when the heat was turned on him.

It is unfair to extrapolate one case and to draw a conclusion that he is fleeing from justice. But this is a drama that has been played out repeatedly each time the EFCC become interested to sniff around Atiku. Which makes me conclude that the notion that this is a man concerned about his legal rights to contest the elections is a sham. Frankly it is simply a diversionary tactics in escapology in a bid to let himself off the hook. Being president will give him perpetual immunity from crimes.

Let him parachute back to Nigeria and receive the slap that is impending from the EFCC. Why does he fear the scrutinizing if he was not afraid of something? A Cop-out? YES! “

In the same vein, the federal government of Nigeria has advised Atiku not to continue to mislead Nigerians, according to a Nigerian newspaper, ThisDay. Which is excerpted below. Presidency has said Vice President Atiku Abubakar should stop misleading Nigerians that the Lagos High Court cleared him of the indictments by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Administrative Panel of Inquiry (API), over the management of the Petroleum Technology Development Funds (PTDF). The EFCC has, however, appealed the ruling.

Justice Inumidun Akande of Lagos High Court, had Tuesday, set aside the EFCC report on the PTDF probe, as well as the report of the Bayo Ojo-led API, on an application brought by Otunba Oyewole Fasawe, challenging his alleged unlawful detention based on the reports.

Akande had declared that the EFCC report, which also indicted Vice President Atiku Abubakar of mismanaging the PTDF was null and void, a ruling that the EFCC has yesterday appealed.

The Presidency, in reacting to the ruling, advised the Vice President to stop misleading Nigerians because as far as it was concerned, he was not a party to that suit.

The Presidency, in reacting to the Vice President's comment to the ruling where he likened it to the "collapse of the house of deceit" as very amusing, said it is very shocking that the number two citizen could even have the nerve to link the ruling by the Lagos High Court to his being cleared of his indictment by the EFCC and the Administration Panel, and thus was free to pursue his presidential ambition.

Speaking through the Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Mallam Uba Sani, the Presidency noted that as far as it was concerned, the Vice President remained indicted by both bodies because his case before the Federal High court in Abuja was still on.

It also advised Nigerians to be wary of people who want to cause mischief, saying it remained steadfast in the fight against corruption and all its attendant ills.

Sani had emphasized that even the Lagos State High Court, which gave ruling in the case, lacked jurisdiction to handle it, adding that Fasawe's suit ought to have been filed in a Federal High Court, and not a State High Court because the EFCC, which has already appealed against the ruling, is a federal agency.

The President's Special Assistant also stated that, "we deem it necessary to react to the Lagos State High Court ruling, declaring as null and void the reports of the EFCC and Bayo Ojo-led Administrative Panel which indicted Chief Oyewole Fasawe over the PTDF account. In the national dailies of Wednesday, 29th November 2006, the vice president was also said to have, by extension, been cleared of his indictment by the EFCC and the Bayo Ojo Administrative Panel.

"We wish to state as follows:

Chief Oyewole Fasawe approached the Lagos High Court for the enforcement of his fundamental rights. The Vice President was not a party to the suit. He cannot therefore appropriate what he did not ask for.

Vice President's case is still before the Federal High Court in Abuja. Until the case is determined, the Vice President remains indicted by the EFCC and the Bayo Ojo Administrative Panel. .

The Lagos State High Court lacks jurisdiction to handle a case involving the EFCC, because the EFCC is a federal agency. Therefore, Fasawe's suit ought to have been filed in a Federal High Court, not a State High Court. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has already filed an appeal challenging the ruling of the Lagos State High Court".

The Presidency also seized the opportunity to "urge Nigerians to beware of mischief makers. We must remain vigilant. We must not sacrifice the war against corruption on the altar of political expediency".

Dissatisfied with Tuesday's decision of the Lagos High Court, which not only voided the report of its investigation on PTDF but also awarded N5 million in favour of Fasawe, who was indicted in the report, the EFCC, has approached the Court of Appeal, Lagos to set aside the ruling and dismiss in its entirety, the action instituted by Fasawe.

In the notice of appeal, dated November 29, which was made available to THISDAY yesterday, the commission argued that the trial Judge, Justice Inumidun Akande erred in law and wrongly assumed jurisdiction to entertain the suit, when the EFCC, the State Security Service (SSS) and the Inspector General of the Police (2nd, 3rd and 4th respondents respectively are protected by the Public Officers Protection Act.

Besides, the commission stated that the trial judge erred in law when he held that the report, dated August 24, 2006 is unconstitutional, illegal and constituted a violation of Fasawe's right to fair hearing and argued that the 1st respondent (Fasawe) was confronted with the allegation against him and was allowed to react to same before the report.

The EFCC also faulted the decision of the court below to the effect that it has no right to detain Fasawe and that his detention was illegal, and maintained that the power to detain within the period allowed under the Constitution is necessarily inherent in the investigative powers of the Appellant.

The commission also wants the appellate court to upturn the decision of the lower court on the ground that the judge was wrong to have granted an order of perpetual injunction restraining it from further arresting, detaining or prosecuting Fasawe, insisting that the injunction violates the Constitutional and statutory powers of the commission to investigate and prosecute offenders in court.

Pointing out that the principles governing the grant of perpetual injunction were wrongly applied by the trial court, the EFCC, faulted the award of N5 million as damages in favour of Fasawe contending that he (Fasawe) did not make out a case to warrant the award.

It therefore prays the court to allow the appeal and upturn the decision of the court below.

EFCC chairman, Nuhu Ribadu told THISDAY: What we are seeing is a case of when you fight corruption; corruption will always attempt to fight you back. We have already filed an appeal and we believe that there may be constitutional issues to be resolved both in the judgment and in the efficacy of a state high court ruling over matters that may be in the purview of a Federal High Court

Despite the above detailed reports by ThisDay newspapers and despite all that are already known about Atiku in Nigeria and elsewhere, Atiku continues to behave as if, nothing has changed!

Atiku is finished politically, Atiku is toast! Atiku is down and out! Atiku should just go AWAY!