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JUNE 11, 2007 VOL. 21, NO. 9

Riding the Storm

Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of Nigeria

Corruption charges threaten the chances of Olubunmi Etteh making history as Nigeria’s first female Speaker of the House of Representatives
By Bayo Bernard
Pressure seems mounting by the day on the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), to reverse its decision on the choice of Mrs. Patricia Olubunmi Etteh as the new speaker of the House of Representatives. The most recent of such is the alleged financial scandals involving the politician from Osun State, which is ostensibly threatening her chance to become the first female House of Representatives Speaker in the nation’s short history.
Etteh’s choice, since it was made public on Monday at the presidential villa in Abuja, a product of many PDP secret caucus meetings - one of such was said to have been held penultimate Saturday at the instance of former President Olusegun Obasanjo – has continued to threaten the unity of the centre party, with many of her colleagues vowing not to support what they described as party imposition of unpopular candidate.
Essentially, her choice has now taken a new dimension, information available to The Source revealed that the Honourable representing Ayedaade/Isokan/Irewole Federal constituency in Osun State has a lot of skeleton in her cupboard, enough to disqualify her from holding the exalted office.
Interestingly, the barrage of allegations threatening Etteh’s ambition are coming from her kinsmen from the South west geo-political zone who appear poised to quash her dreams.
Accordingly, the PDP must be ready to grapple with the credibility stigma that the allege scandals has placed on their anointed one, if indeed, her sponsors want that dream to see the light of the day.
Information available to The Source indicate that the woman who has been chosen by the high ranking politicians in the party, including erstwhile President Obasanjo to lead the House in the current dispensation has scandalous deals, under her wrapper that are likely to raise credibility questions.
For instance, The Source gathered that between 1999 and 2007 that she served in the Lower House, Etteh’s companies llegedly took contract from the House which were either poorly executed or not executed at all, despite the fact that payment was made for such contracts. For instance, she was said to have been awarded a contract to supply new computers but rather than do that, she supplied used ones, an action that allegedly drew the ire of the House leadership, prompting the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges, under the chairmanship of Honourable Mutawaken to probe the alleged discrepancies.
Aside that Etteh who is believed to have been imposed on her colleagues by the former President Obasanjo, has another financial scandal staring her in the face that many believe that for her to survive the current onslaught, she will have to explain her allege ignoble role in the mismanagement of a N68million donated to the Female Parliamentarians Summit, an account she has, allegedly, refused to render till date.
Etteh, according to sources has allegedly used her position in the House as the Deputy Chief Whip, in the last eight years to acquire questionable properties, including many hotels in Abuja and Ibadan, Oyo State. One of such is said to be a 120 bed-room five star hotel in Wuse Zone 7 and another one in Lugbe, along the Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport road. However, questions, indeed, abound on how the former Alliance for Democracy Deputy Whip, has suddenly arrived in such stupendous wealth.
Perhaps, answers to this question may not be farfetched according to information available to The Source which reveal that, at a time she collected various advances close to N350 million in the office of the director of finance, National Assembly, in most cases receipts were said to have been forged in order for her to pocket the money
Salisu Buhari, the first House of Representative Speaker under Obasanjo ‘s first tenure in 1999 was sacked by his colleagues for presenting fake certificate. Interestingly, the woman who has been anointed to lead the same house is alleged not to possess the West African School Certificate which enabled her to do a controversial diploma programme in Law at the University of Abuja. There are however indications that the leadership of the PDP would not bulge inspite of barage of criticisms from various quarters, and according to the party, she is one of the oldest principal in the present assembly.
However, her kinsmen in the Yoruba South west have petitioned concerned authorities to save the tribe from the impending shame Etteh’s ambition will bring on the race, if she is allowed to become the number four citizen.
In the petition made available to The Source, a group known as Coalition of South-West Youth Organisation, and signed by one Akeem Bakare said: "We raise this issue of her qualification now to avoid the shameful Salisu Buhari Toronto certificate scandal of 1999. The Yoruba known for high education standard, cannot afford the ignomity Etteh’s certificate scandal will bring to the nation.”
The group requested the anti-corruption agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC (to) probe her basic qualification immediately.” In the petition dated May 31, 2007 addressed to President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and copied the Vice President, chairman of EFCC, director, State Security Services, chairman, ICPC, PDP chairman and clerk of the National Assembly, the group played down the fact that Etteh truly represents the South west calling on the lower house to resist the move by “one man’s ego to install cronies on a very crucial arm of government.’
The Source's findings indicate that the EFCC has begun to beam searchlight on the financial activities of a woman said to be riding on the shoulders of the hawks in the PDP.
Besides, the issue which is capable of tearing the party apart is also said to have received the attention of Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu, a chieftain of the party in Oyo State, who sought to convince Obasanjo on the matter but was reburfed. The strongman of Ibadan politics was said to have written the presidency and PDP caucus through one Honourable Ajibola.
When The Source sought to verify the claim from Ajibola, he confirmed the petition written by Alhaji Adedibu stressing that the matter “has been taken care of by the party.” He however declined comment on the allege financial discrepancies of the incumbent House Chief Whip.
As the pressure mounts on Etteh to jettison her ambition, her loyalists, made up of powerful committee chairmen who were re-elected had gone to work to lobby new members.
The caucus, according to information in The Source’s kitty met Tuesday and Wednesday last week to fine-tune how to lobby new and cognate members to vote for her when the House finally meet to ratify her candidature. Only time will tell how far they can go.
Efforts made by The Source last week to reach Etteh were uncuccessful.