ATIKU POINTS A FINGER AND THREE POINT BACK AT HIM?

Nigeria @ 54: Politicians Getting Richer, A Bad Omen-Atiku

Former Vice President has observed that after 54 years of independence, the ordinary Nigerians are still lamenting what independence meant to their lives because of the widening gap between the leaders and the people.

In a statement issued in Abuja by his media office, the former Vice President noted that many Nigerians were concerned about how democratic governance has changed the quality of their lives for the better. He regretted that the rate at which poverty is ravaging Nigeria is inconsistent with the vast resources available to Nigeria. According to him, the country’s wealth does not automatically lead to better life if good governance is lacking? Atiku said the rate at which unemployment is accelerating among Nigeria’s youth, creates youth restiveness, which itself lead to other social crises such as armed robbery and other violent crimes. At 54, he said, Nigeria should have counted among countries that have lifted its citizens out of poverty.

The former Vice President also noted that a situation where the leaders are getting richer at the expense of the people while the ordinary citizens are becoming poorer is a bad omen for the country. He recalled that even before the current grim security challenges, poverty, disease, hunger and unemployment were dominant features of the country’s challenges of development. As the sixth largest oil producer in the world, Atiku insisted that Nigeria has no excuse for failing to lift its people out of poverty. He argued that there is a correlation between the quality of the country’s leadership and the quality of good governance. According to him, “we should not expect individual leaders to rise above their own level of competence. Those seeking elective offices must be adequately prepared for leadership; they must be people with vision and commitment.” Atiku Abubakar warned that unfulfilled promises leads to disillusionment, thereby creating disconnect between the leaders and the led.

On the country’s unity, Atiku blamed politicians for playing up the ethnic and religious differences for personal advantages. This attitude, he said, puts the unity of the country under a severe strain. The former Vice President, however, noted that Nigerians should not lose hope in the country, stressing that the country could get out of the woods if leaders are elected on the basis of their competences rather than primordial considerations. He said the consequences of misgovernance and poor leadership have no ethnic and religious borders.

Icheoku says except that Abubakar Atiku is part of the problem if not a main cause of it. Atiku was in government for eight long years as vice president and he failed to tell Nigerians what he was able to do during this period to help alleviate Nigerians problems. Also how he amassed his stupendous wealth was not disclosed but Nigerians know better that it was not through dint of handwork but the same corruption that has eaten very deep into the body politic of Nigerians. Anyway, it is the silly season of politics in Nigeria, and every Satan now pretends to be Angel Michael. Icheoku calls on Abubakar Atiku to take up Obasanjo's challenge and visit America to clear himself of grave corruption allegation hanging on his neck. Until then, Atiku can blow all the hot air he wants but Nigerians alongside Baba Iyaba, go dry laugh at his third run for the presidency!

ATIKU SAYS TO FIGHT CORRUPTION?

Icheoku says except that Nigeria is peculiar country where anything goes, this man should have since been locked away or at worst politically disposed into irrelevancy for corruption. Here is a man wanted by the United States of America for corruption, but who has remained a fugitive from justice on the run, now saying that "He wants to lead a government that will rebuild the institutions of governance with zero tolerance for corruption and nepotism, where hard work and dedication are adequately rewarded?" 

Icheoku says if only Atiku Abubakar will lead by example by accepting Baba Iyabo's challenge to visit America and enjoy their big house. But hey, the joker and obviously a proven failed president wanna-be, has  begun yet again another arduous Mountain Everest climb without preparation nor appropriate gear. For Jonathan Goodluck, it seems that the gift of an Atiku challenge would be a gift that keeps on giving. Atiku Abubakar, Icheoku says accept Olusegun Obasanjo's challenge and visit America today and prove yourself worthy of Nigerians' sacred trust by putting your money where your mouth is. If you have nothing to be afraid of, board the next Delta Flight to JFk and until then, you remain only a blow-hot especially on the issue of corruption! -www.atikuvisitamerica.blogspot.com

NORTH WILL NOT VOTE FOR PDP - ATIKU.

Icheoku says first of all "NORTH" is not the entire Nigeria? Second of all which "NORTH" is Atiku referring to? Is it the Hausa/Fulani "NORTH" that has been killing and maiming the other "NORTH?" Is it the Northwestern "NORTH" that has been appropriating everything allocated to the North? Is it the Northeastern "NORTH" that Boko Haram has ravaged and rendered "NORTHLESS?" Certainly the Middle Belt "NORTH" does not agree with Atikku that there is one single cohesive "NORTH" in existence; and has since for the records disassociated themselves from the Atiku's hegemonic NORTH. There is also ACF's NORTH and NEF's NORTH. So would Abubakar Atiku please tell Icheoku and other Nigerians who cares to listen to his bullcrap which "NORTH" will not vote for PDP? In the mean time, Icheoku asks Atiku when is he going to take up the Baba's challenge and visit America where FBI's red carpet reception awaits him to join the banquet of William Jefferson. 

ATIKU, AN AL-QUEIDA AGENT - WIKILEAKS?

Obermayr MEP, has accused the Opposition All Progressive’s Congress (APC) of channeling European Parliament financial aid to Boko Haram in the North East of Nigeria, and called on the European Commission to investigate alleged concerns over the party’s financial and political allegiance with the terror group. 

The Nigerian Times learnt exclusively that Franz Obermayr, of Austrian Freedom Party, currently the most popular political party in Austria, made the statements in a press release issued on 16 September and covered widely by the European press.The Nigerian Times also learnt that Obermayr has been working closely with Stand for Peace, a Muslim-Jewish interfaith organisation dedicated to countering extremism and promoting social and religious cohesion. Oberamy has also called on EU election observers to closely scrutinise the links between the APC and Boko Haram in the run up to the 2015 presidential election.

He said: “In Nigeria’s case, a large proportion of the subsidies from Brussels are used in the north of the country. The federal states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa in the extreme north-east of the country are precisely the areas in which Boko Haram’s campaign of terror is largely tolerated by the authorities. The aforementioned sub-republics are governed by the All Progressive Congress (APC)” 

In the statement made available to The Nigerian Times, Obermayr says that all further European Parliament cooperation and funding to Nigeria should be subject to the findings of a report into the close relationships between political parties and terrorist groups in the country, suggesting that all development aid should be immediately suspended if any wrong doing is exposed. 

Turning to individuals in the APC, Mr Obermayr raised the US Embassy memo which states that former Vice-President and 2015 Presidential hopeful, Atiku Abubukar, received money from Al-Qaeda to “destabilise the south of the country” and the recent defection of Femi Fani-Kayode from the APC because of their “clear islamist agenda and sympathies with Boko Haram” 

Further, in a statement that highlights widespread concern ahead of the 2015 presidential elections, he said: “Even the most senior man in the APC, former Nigerian head of state and presidential candidate, Mohammadu Buhari, was quoted in the British newspaper The Guardian back in 2001 calling for sharia law to be introduced throughout Nigeria, including the Christian-dominated south.” 

The announcement from Obermayr and Stand for Peace follows a similar call from Andrew Rosindell MP, of the UK parliament, for an inquiry into the relationship between members of the APC and Boko Haram. 

“Unfortunately, in many cases a lot of Europe’s political decision-makers are negligent when it comes to contacts and financial aid for associations and political parties which in reality act as camouflage organisations and as a result often open the doors to European institutions for radical Islamist groups,” is the criticism voiced by Austrian Freedom Party MEP Franz Obermayr, who has already called on the Commission for greater transparency on this issue in a parliamentary survey. 

“In Nigeria’s case, a large proportion of the subsidies from Brussels are used in the north of the country. The federal states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa in the extreme north-east of the country are precisely the areas in which Boko Haram’s campaign of terror is largely tolerated by the authorities. The aforementioned sub-republics are governed by the All Progressive Congress (APC), which is now also standing for the presidency in the upcoming 2015 elections”. 

“The leaders of this party have repeatedly been linked with radical Islam and their terrorist groups,” warns Obermayr. Wikileaks for example published a memo from the US Embassy to the effect that the former Vice-President and APC member Atiku Abubakar received money from Al-Qaeda to destabilise the south of the country. 

“And lastly even the most senior man in the APC, former Nigerian head of state and presidential candidate, Mohammadu Buhari, was quoted in the British newspaper The Guardian back in 2001 calling for sharia law to be introduced throughout Nigeria, including the Christian-dominated south,” Obermayr went on, referring to the manifestly close links between the APC and Islamist terrorism in the region. 

Obermayr said : “During its history Europe too had to learn the painful lesson that a semblance of democratic legitimacy did not prevent brutal and inhuman regimes from gaining power. Against the backdrop of the upcoming elections, all evidence of links between Boko Haram and political parties in Nigeria must be carefully scrutinised, documented and then reported to the European Parliament and the general public. Future cooperation with Nigeria should depend on these reports.”According to Obermayr, it goes without saying that development aid should also be suspended immediately if suspicions are confirmed in the above-mentioned regions.

WHY ATIKU WANTS TO BE PRESIDENT - SHEHU GARBA.

"Turaki has been passionate to serve, he has the passion to give back to Nigeria.  You know his story, how he rose from being a nobody to becoming what he is today. The story about a ‘shoeless leader’ was stolen from Atiku. That one without shoe is no other person than Atiku. He was a herdsman child, his father didn’t know education. He didn’t go to school he was only rearing cattle and wanted his son to do the same. And you know the story about the fact that the local judge had to jail Atiku’s father so that Atiku could go to school.

Atiku went to school barefooted. Government gave him uniform, slippers, gave him education free and even gave him allowance for his upkeep as a school going kid. So looking at the opportunities he had gained from the state and seeing what he has become, rising to become the second most important  person in the leadership hierarchy of this country there is always the wage to give back in kind.
He has also been given enormous opportunities and has invested heavily in the southern part of Nigeria. He currently ranks higher than most state governments in terms of job creation as the businesses he is involved in has served more Nigerians both directly and indirectly in terms of employment  than even the government.
 If you look at what is happening in his native home of Adamawa, he has the American University of Nigeria. As I speak to you now that university has the largest concentration of Americans in the country, there are more Americans there than you have in the American embassy. You can imagine what it does for the image of Nigeria.  So this is how far Atiku’s vision has taken him. He wants to give back to Nigeria, he believes he owes Nigeria and Nigeria does not owe him. That is why he is driven by passion and in his view, as an individual and also a member of a group that is doing business,  I can say he has done so much to change the lives of Nigerians and still wants to serve on a scale that is much better. As soon as he becomes the president of Nigeria, using the enormous power  conferred by the constitution on the president, his vision is that this opportunity that he got as a child would be given to every Nigerian child, that we would be living peacefully in the country and proper as citizens of Nigeria.
Won’t that create further problems for the APC given that there are quite a number of aspirants standing before him?
Atiku’s bid for the ticket of the APC will not cause trouble for anybody and will not generate friction. You are not going to see us attacking any aspirants, because if we attack any aspirant, we will weaken the party; so his conduct will be one of civility, of respect for each contestant. We are hoping that this will be about ideas.  We need more aspirants within the APC to put themselves forward for election and Nigerians will choose who they want. This right is guaranteed by both the Constitution of the country and that of the party. So the assumption about other aspirants who have not made a declaration so far is not going to be a problem. The Constitution does not say that the first to aspire gets automatic ticket. In fact, APC wants to show the world that it is different from other parties by not giving automatic ticket to anybody. They don’t have that language in the APC.
Atiku has been in the race for decades and some say this portrays him as ‘desperate.’ Does this recent outing not confirm he is desperate to be president?
Atiku does not need to be president, he is only desperate to serve and what is wrong with that? This man feels heavily indebted to the country, he feels Nigeria has been so good to him; as I said, he feels he owes the country and feels he has to give back. He has the vision and nobody can deny the fact that Atiku is the most visionary Nigerian that is alive today and we are where we are today because this country has been  condemned to visionless and clueless leaders. Atiku has a vision for building the country. His vision is that the regulatory environment in the country in terms of foreign and local  investment will be such that foreigners will bring money and develop the country. You don’t even need government money to develop the country, if the environment is right, investors would come.
With a population of 170 million, Nigeria has a big asset and Atiku is looking at that, there’s nobody in the world that would not wish to bring their money into Africa’s number one economy if there is peace and security for persons and property and he is prepared to guarantee that.
This was how they built Dubai. The father of the present ruler of Dubai, when he called the world and said ‘this is my vision, this is what I want to do,’ people were laughing at him, they said, ‘this desert? Who do you think will want to come here?’ But all of us now want to go there. A friend was telling me this morning that he wanted to go to Dubai and for seven days the planes were fully booked. Nigerians are trooping to Dubai to go and either do business or rest, so why can’t we make others come to Nigeria? The ground rule must change and Atiku is prepared to lead this change, that is the point.

ATIKU ABUBAKAR, THE SEPTEMBER 24 DECLARATION.

Icheoku says Atiku Abubakar, like any other Nigerian citizen reserves the right to seek any office in the land including the presidency of the Federal Republic. Therefore Icheoku does not begrudge the Adamawa State native for once again readying himself to throw his hat in the ring to contest the presidency of Nigeria in 2015. Like in 2007 and 2011 when he contested and lost respectively to late Umaru Yar'Adua and Goodluck Jonathan, there is no crystal ball to see if the result this time will be any different. However that does not preclude or stop him from at least trying; there is nothing wrong with that especially since quitters don't win.

Anyway, Icheoku says there is a certain issue the Turaki of Adamawa needs to settle before Nigerians and the International community can seriously see him as a contender worthy of their respect. It is called the Obasanjo Challenge. Atiku Abubakar must first take up the OBJ challenge and lift the weighty monkey of corruption off his shoulder before he can earnestly offer himself as an acceptable candidate for the presidency of Nigeria. Recall that Olusegun Obasanjo, his former boss, categorically swore that on his watch that Atiku Abubakar can never be president of Nigeria.

According to Baba Iyabo, Atiku Abubakar is putridly corrupt and such a sewer of corruption is not a good personality to lead or be the president of Nigeria. To buttress his point, OBJ challenged Atiku to take a flight to JFK and see the red-carpet reception the FBI will give him. Icheoku laments that till date, Atiku Abubakar has not taken up Obasanjo on this, rather he has ignored the challenge, hoping that like everything in Nigeria, it will soon fade away, filed away in their ever forgetful short memory bank? To date, Atiku Abubakar has neither denied the alleged nor had he made any vehement protest to either clear his name or distance himself from the allegation. A matter made worse because the United States of America Senate still has an open warrant for Atiku Abubakar, pending a voluntary appearance to defend or his forcible arrest upon sight.

According to the criminal complaint, Atiku Abubakar was involved in corrupt money laundering activities wherein he caused to be to be laundered sums totaling over $40 million dollars through the United States banks between 2000 and 2008. Continuing, Atiku Abubakar used one Jennifer Douglas as a point person in moving large sums of money from ghost offshore corporations into the United States. A 2008 civil complaint by the United States Securities and exchange Commission also alleged that Siemens AG of Germany, doing business in Nigeria, also paid Atiku Abubakar bribes totaling $2million dollars. It is on record that Siemens has since pleaded guilty and paid criminal penalties to the US government for several bribery charges including Atiku's.

Atiku Abubakar was also involved in a massive corruption at Petroleum Technology Development Fund PTDF where from large sums of money was equally laundered through US banks using phony companies Guernsey Trust Company Nigeria Limited, LetsGo Ltd and Sima Holding Ltd, companies which Atiku Abubakar had interests in and operated by proxy. When Jennifer Douglas was arrested and questioned for all the staggering transfers, she confessed that she was a conduit for Atiku Abubakar and only made commissions for helping him launder the money.

Atiku Abubakar equally transferred a total of $14million dollars to American University in Washington DC to purchase naming rights and consulting services for his Nigerian American University in Adamawa?

Atiku Abubakar's catalogue of corrupt practices was also implicated during the trial of US Congressman William Jefferson of Louisiana, who was another agent of Atiku Abubakar. Recall that the Congressman was found guilty for aiding and abetting a foreign state official's (Atiku Abubakar) corrupt practices in the United States and is currently serving a long prison sentence. Recall also that a sum of $90,000 in cash was found in the Congressman's freezer, part of his proceed from Atiku Abubakar bribery. So what did Atiku Abubakar do when he learnt that the FBI is closing in on him to arrest, indict and prosecute him for corruption? He bolted away from the US in the middle of the night, abandoning his multi million dollar mansion home in Potomac Maryland, never to return to the United States ever again for fear of prosecution and long prison sentence.

Atiku Abubakar knows that the US is an equal opportunity prosecutor and their prison home to everyone regardless; that was you commit the crime, you will do the time and their law knows no Turaki of Adamawa before whom to bow and tremble? This is the story that has made Atiku Abubakar a fugitive from justice in the United States of America today.

Icheoku says who else would know better of all these but Baba Iyabo himself, the reason he swore against Atiku Abubakar' presidency and challenged Atiku to visit the United States of America if he does not fear a long incarceration. Icheoku hardly agrees with Baba Iyabo but on the occasion of his dare to Atiku Abubakar to visit America, Icheoku is  on lock-step with OBJ and says Atiku prove your innocence, take up Baba's challenge NOW.

Icheoku laments that Nigerians always complain about their leaders but are always complacent in choosing who leads them. In a more civilized and morally-hinged society, a person with the baggage of Atiku cannot and would not be dreaming of the presidency of the country; not with so many uncleared allegation of gross corruption pending against him. Icheoku recalls when Gbenga Obasanjo first blew the whistle, during the privatization process which Atiku as vice president then headed, that Atiku is trying to buy up all Nigerian assets at understated prices, that he was scolded by even his father Olusegun Obasanjo for making his government look bad. But it is equally on record that OBJ never denied as incorrect or untruth the information let out of the bag by his now estranged son. Icheoku says this is the man, Atiku Abubakar, who is readying himself to become Nigeria president?

The other problem with Nigerians is that to them the end always justifies the means; hence no one ever pauses to ponder how Atiku Abubakar made his money? Nobody knows anything about his educational background or in short any other thing about him except that he was a Custom officer, then what? Nigerians first heard about Atiku Abubakar during the Buhari regime when his ADC Jokolo was involved in a 53 suitcases scandal. Thereafter he was forcibly retired from the Customs and he went into some cargo clearing and forwarding. Subsequently he delved into politics, joining Shehu Yar'Adua's PDM and later won Adamawa State's governorship from where Obasanjo picked him to be his vice president and the rest is now history. Icheoku says a man with this many lacunae in his curriculum vitae is readying himself to become president of Nigeria?

What Icheoku  is trying to say is that Atiku Abubakar's only glaring and most meaningful business is CORRUPTION, CORRUPTION and CORRUPTION and such ALONE does not qualify him for the highest office in the land, period. Anyone in doubt should please tell Icheoku the road traveled of Atiku's wealth - how did he acquire his stupendous wealth? What product does Atiku manufacture or make or produce? What "app" code did Atiku write? What construction or supply company does Atiku own and whoa re his employees? What tax bracket is Atiku in and what are his sources of income? And this is the man gunning for Nigerian presidency, Icheoku asks?

But hey, like John the Baptist in the wilderness, Icheoku can only warn but have no way of influencing many of the zombies that populate Nigeria, many of whom hunger and the desire to make some money have driven to near stupefied senselessness. But regrettably, people who lack conviction, moral fortitude and the courage to do the right thing would readily bend over for Atiku if he pays the right price? Icheoku says if Atiku Abubakar could pay the purchase price for the presidency, Atiku Abubakar would rule Nigeria, regardless; only for Nigerians to later complain that Atiku is an incurable kleptomania? But now that they still have the chance to do something to stop Atiku, they will not; but are waiting and positing themselves to partake of the Atiku bonanza in form of campaign largess.

Nigerians, Icheoku warns that Atiku Abubakar is not good for you; never been and will not be in the future. A man who selfishly hops around political parties, scheming, just to aggrandize his own personal goals is not the kind of leader Nigeria desires and/or deserves. Yesterday Atiku was a PDP vice president; the other day Atiku was ACN presidential candidate, the day after he crawled back to PDP and today he went back to his vomit in APC and again seeking the presidency? Icheoku queries what manner of a man is this Atiku Abubakar to whom anything goes well that will yield him the presidency of Nigeria? Icheoku asks why does Atiku find it convenient to hover around political parties looking for an easy ingress into Aso Rock, but would not help to do the heavy lifting building political parties and fighting electioneering campaigns require?

Icheoku queries why does Atiku Abubakar not want to work and fight for the presidency or walk the talk to get there but is prostituting himself to sneak into Aso Rock? Icheoku will not be surprised if Atiku Abubakar rushes back to the PDP when the APC presidential primaries is fought and won. Icheoku is emphatic that Atiku Abubakr too will meet the Tom Ikimi's treatment because Tinubu does not forgive nor forgets; and will not preside over an APC that will fly an Atiku Abubakar's presidential ticket. Icheoku's consolation is that Nigerians appear to know the empty corrupt suit called Atiku Abubakar very well. They have severally, twice, rejected him in the past and will readily do the same come 2015, assuming the phantom of his APC presidential candidacy becomes a dream come true. So until then, Icheoku will continue to "dey laugh" with the once again quest for Aso Rock Atiku Abubakar. Hopefully he will share some proceeds of corruption to Nigerians in form of campaign expenses. Icheoku says "walahi talahi bana ji Atiku Abubakar; kai, wanaa ba acha u. Atiku no be am!

ATIKU FIRST THING FIRST, VISIT AMERICA.

U.S Senate accuses Atiku & American Wife of $40m illegal transfer

• Posted by Weboga on February 5, 2010 at 8:08am

WASHINGTON DC —A REPORT on former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar was presented to the United State’s Senate yesterday.

The US Senate report which showed how funds were transferred on behalf of the former number two citizen showed that: “From 2000 to 2008, Jennifer Douglas, a U.S. citizen and the fourth wife of Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President and former candidate for President of Nigeria, helped her husband bring over $40 million in suspect funds into the United States, through wire transfers sent by offshore corporations to U.S. bank accounts.”

The report said: “In a 2008 civil complaint, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, alleged that Ms. Douglas received over $2 million in bribe payments in 2001 and 2002, from Siemens AG, a major German corporation.

“While Ms. Douglas denies wrongdoing, Siemens has already pleaded guilty to U.S. criminal charges and settled civil charges related to bribery and told the Subcommittee that it sent the payments to one of her U.S. accounts.

In 2007, Atiku Abubakar was the subject of corruption allegations in Nigeria related to the Petroleum Technology Development Fund.

“Of the $40 million in suspect funds, $25 million was wire transferred by offshore corporations into more than 30 U.S. bank accounts opened by Ms. Douglas, primarily by Guernsey Trust Company Nigeria Ltd., LetsGo Ltd. Inc., and Sima Holding Ltd.

“The U.S. banks maintaining those accounts were, at times, unaware of her PEP status, and they allowed multiple, large offshore wire transfers into her accounts. As each bank began to question the offshore wire transfers, Ms. Douglas indicated that all of the funds came from her husband and professed little familiarity with the offshore corporations actually sending her money. When one bank closed her account due to the offshore wire transfers, her lawyer helped convince other banks to provide a new account.

“In addition, two of the offshore corporations wire transferred about $14 million over five years to American University in Washington, D.C., to pay for consulting services related to the development of a Nigerian university founded by Abubakar.

“American University accepted the wire transfers without asking about the identity of the offshore corporations or the source of their funds, because under current law, the University had no legal obligation to inquire.