Showing posts with label Nuhu Ribadu. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nuhu Ribadu. Show all posts

Monday, January 17, 2011

2011 Presidency: What If The Contest Begins With A Wrestling Match Between Jonathan And Ribadu In Public, Then The Debates?


Nuhu Ribadu

2011 Presidency: What If The Contest Begins With A Wrestling Match
Between Jonathan And Ribadu In Public, Then The Debates?


In recent times the life blood of politics and elections in Nigeria has become openly physical, partly because of the unusual power struggle between politicians.These types of fights amongst political aspirants or leaders in the country will be surpassed by a new one as we are about to see now and this recommended fight will be between Jonathan
and Ribadu.


Goodluck Jonathan


Jonathan and Ribadu will be drawn to a wrestle under a written consent, and the fight must be fully expected by Nigerians both at home and in the Diaspora.

We all know the grim nature of Nigerian problems at this time, as well as the struggles that continue to confront the people.

In particular, we now know a system of free and fair election is a major problem in Nigeria, as Attahiru Jega and INEC recently experienced with the text case of Delta’s recent gubernatorial election, however, that should not stop us from trying to make it better.

We will all admit that in a complex society like Nigeria with its numerous social, political, institutional and infrastructural problems, there is need for a leader who is both physically and intellectually strong. Brothers and Sisters, what better way to show one’s physical strength than through a show of manliness and a feat of strength which could only come through a flesh and blood type of fight such as an all-out wrestling between J and R.

The wrestling match should be a onetime fight in a major public ground, and while the nation expects both a winner and a loser out of the fight, the goal of the mêlée should not be about the destruction or disqualification of an opponent as they must both be ready for the series of intellectual debates that will follow.

Again, they should fight first and let’s see who will recover fully as that will be one indication of a show of persistence, and vigor which will be required as they vie for the control of the presidency. It takes energy to fully face the tide of debates, especially when the debates must shift across the federal capital, different states, and rural areas. No excuses, as the people across the country deserve such
openness.

In some of these places, there will be rough roads, heat from generators, poor air conditioning, damaged areas and other bad positions which are not unusual to average Nigerians. Both J and R must be psychologically ready to fight through these commonplace hassles and hazards as they set out to debate for the presidency.

Through this all-new way of rolling out national debate in front of the people, everyone can quickly ascertain which one of these front-runners has the energy to bear the desperation and pressure carried by many in the country on a daily basis.

During the debates, we will witness the intellectual rigor of J and R, and determine who is the intellectual lightweight or intellectual heavyweight? Unlike anything else, there will be no room for a draw in the fight as the citizens will be looking for a clear winner or loser in the daylight brawl as well as debates. We know they will argue about economic, education, healthcare, security and other institutional reforms, but first we must determine who among them has the fighting spirit and competitive power to handle an irregular nation like Nigeria.

The nation is in need for a non-violent and institutional revolution, and one of them must unleash the physical and intellectual energies that will be needed to clean the country, and guide the hopes and needs of the people.The problems of challenging the results of the fight, and any of the pre-April debates will be unnecessary as everything will be in the public sphere followed by instant judgment. The results will be more credible and transparent unlike the actual April election which as will all know could be mired in fraud.

Nigerians live in an extraordinary time, and it is now up to Attahiru Jega to set the date for the all-out wrestle and the subsequent debates. But to ensure the democratic process, let the likes of Jonathan, Ribadu, Buhari, Shekarau, Utomi and others join in the April Presidential election with the hope that INEC will work towards
ensuring a minimal atmosphere of impartiality as no election is perfect.

Again, before anything else, let the apparent two popular politicians, Jonathan and Ribadu take the lead through push-downs and takedowns within a contest that is certainly more of a perfect match, then Jega can take it from that point. Best of wishes to the people.


~ By John Egbeazien Oshodi, Ph.D , DABPS, FACFE, is a Forensic/ClinicalPsychologist and an Assistant Professor of Psychology and Behavioral Science, North Campus, Broward College, Coconut Creek, Florida. joshodi@broward.edu



Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Mrs.Patience Goodluck Jonathan Versus Gov. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi

The First Lady of Nigeria, Mrs. Patience Goodluck Jonathan and the Governor of Rivers State. RT.Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.

"All the primary schools in Okrika are surrounded by houses and we don't want the schools to be surrounded by residential houses where people cook and sell and distract the pupils, so we have to demolish them. We want to pay them compensation and demolish the houses".
~ Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State in Nigeria on August 24, 2010.


"But what I am telling you is that you always say you must demolish, that word must you use is not good. It is by pleading. You appeal to the owners of the compound because they will not go into exile. Land is a serious issue".
~ Mrs. Patience Goodluck, the first wife of President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria.


The above exchange of words between the First Lady, Mrs. Patience Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers state took place in Okrika last Tuesday August 24, 2010, when Mrs. Jonathan criticized the governor for his insistence to demolish water fronts to build a school. After the unpleasant incidence, she left the state without completing her tour as she angrily returned to Abuja from her civic reception ground in Okrika. She no longer visited the prisons where some inmates were waiting to be released and she cancelled the inspection of the model Secondary School at Ebubu Eleme.

Madam First Lady Patience Goodluck Jonathan has been throwing her weight around and supported by the desperate camps of President Goodluck Jonathan who have been paid millions of naira, including many Nollywood actors, to use image laundering to delete the money laundering case against Mrs. Patience Goodluck and her proxies.

Lest we forget that on September 11, 2006, Mr. Osita Nwajah, the EFCC spokesman made a public declaration that a whopping sum of $13.5 million Dollars(US) was seized from Mrs. Patience Jonathan, the wife of then Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Goodluck Jonathan.

“Abia is number one (of corrupt state) not because it is number one alphabetically, but because we have one of the biggest established cases of stealing, money laundering, diversion of fund against Governor Kalu. The governor used his mother, daughter, wife and brother to divert N35billion to build his business empire including Slok Airlines, Slok Pharmaceuticals and newspaper house…Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu corruption is of international dimension.There is s also a petition against the Governor of Bayelsa’s wife. She was involved in laundering the sum of one hundred and four million into foreign account. She is also being investigated.”

~ Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, during the plenary section of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which held on September 27, 2006.


The case is suit number FHC/ABJ/M/340/06 filed on August 21, 2007 at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

For a detailed account of the EFCC case of money laundering implicating Mrs. Goodluck Jonathan, see Jonathan Goodluck’s Family, Sahara Reporters, Ribadu or Adewuyi: Who Lied Against Whom? By Adebiyi Jelili Abudugana, Published 06/19/2010, in the Nigeria Matters of Nigerians In America.


Sunday, April 11, 2010

The Untold Story of the Allegation of $10.8 Billion Tax Evasion Fraud against Chevron and its Associated Companies

Update on the Allegation of $10.8 Billion Tax Evasion Fraud against Chevron and its Associated Companies 1





On 1st July, 2005, ABZ Integrated Limited, a Nigerian company based in Abuja broke the news of the $10.8 billion tax evasion and fraud by the Nigerian branch of the Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX Euronext: CHTEX), an American multinational energy corporation headquartered in San Ramon, California, (see annexure 1b).

Following the disclosures, ABZ was duly engaged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of Nigeria under the Executive Chairmanship of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu (see annexure 1a) as a consultant for the recovery of the unpaid taxes from Chevron Nigeria Limited. The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) under Dr. (Mrs.) Obiageli Ezekwesili acknowledged the engagement and financial entitlement of ABZ Integrated Limited (see annexure 5b).


In the last quarter of 2005, the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), under the chairmanship of Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, had a public hearing on the allegation of $10.8 billion tax evasion and fraud against Chevron Nigeria Limited. And in September 2006, the Chairman vindicated ABZ and confirmed that Chevron evaded tax as alleged and was ordered to refund the sum of $492 million. NEITI’s auditors also validated the claims of ABZ. But Chevron has only refunded a fraction of the total Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) evaded, without paying the penalties required by PPT Act. And ABZ has not been paid its entitlements since Chevron has refunded the sum of $866 million of the Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) evaded so far.

This is the untold story of the whole financial scandal as reported by Fidelis Uzonwanne, the Managing Consultant of ABZ Integrated Limited.

~ Nigerians Report




UPDATE ON THE ALLEGATION OF $10.8 BILLION TAX EVASION AND FRAUD AGAINST CHEVRON AND ITS ASSOCIATED COMPANIES BY ABZ INTEGRATED LTD

THE UNTOLD STORY

In July 2005, when ThisDay Newspaper published ABZ Integrated Ltd’s open letter to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on the allegation of $10.8 Billion tax evasion and fraud against Chevron Nigeria Ltd, some Nigerians believed it. Some took it with a pinch of salt. While some dismissed it with utmost disbelief.





Before ABZ took that bold step, an in-dept investigation of the activities of Chevron had been painstakingly undertaken. This culminated in a 106 –page report being forwarded to EFCC on the 12th of May 2005, with over 400 page annexures (Annexure 4).



The way and manner the relevant government agencies in Nigeria reacted to the issue was very shocking and unbelievable. Organizations such as the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its subsidiary NAPIMS, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) etc, stood in stout defense of Chevron’s position and treated ABZ with disdain and scorn. We were undaunted because we were very sure of what we stated and were prepared to defend it till the last day.





Following our publication, the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), under the chairmanship of Dr. (Mrs.) Obiageli Ezekwesili, held a meeting of stakeholders in Nicon Hotel on the 9th of August 2005. NEITI issued a press release (Annexure 5a) on the outcome of the meeting confirming inter alia:
(i) That ABZ was duly engaged as consultants by EFCC and that ABZ’s effort led to the recovery of $6.5 million

(ii) That the information provided by ABZ (i.e. the report) has been referred to the Hart Group to verify the claims made therein.

Other confirmations of ABZ’s efforts and entitlements are enclosed herewith as (Annexures 5b, c, d & e).





Recall that field work on the ABZ’s investigation of Chevron under EFCC Committee on Government Revenue Fraud was done between December 2003 and January 2005. FIRS and other Government agencies were answering questions on their respective roles relating to Chevron’s operations and their culpability thereon (Annexures 6a, 6b, 6c & 7a, 7b).

Between September and November 2005, the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), under the chairmanship of Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, carried out a public hearing on the allegation of $10.8 billion tax evasion and fraud against Chevron. About September 2006, the report of the Committee’s investigation was laid before the plenary. The chairman in a press conference confirmed to the whole world that indeed Chevron evaded tax as alleged and was ordered to refund the sum of $492 million (Annexure 8).

On November 9, 2006, Segun Adeniyi, a former Editor of ThisDay Newspaper, Spokesperson to President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, and then a member of the National Stakeholders Working Group (NSWG) of NEITI, confirmed to the whole world that ABZ had been vindicated because NEITI’s auditors had confirmed to them the veracity of ABZ’s claims (Annexure 9a). Please find enclosed an except from Hart Group report dated 14th August, 2006 for more details (Annexure 9b).

We want to confirm to you that the harassment Ribadu’s EFCC was giving to ABZ in 2005 was merely a decoy to shield the main issues from people’s prying eyes. This dummy sold by Ribadu’s EFCC enabled the trio of FIRS, Chevron and EFCC to conceal the recoveries being realized from Chevron through ABZ’s effort. Recent events have confirmed that the maneuvers were intended to enable them dip their fingers into the official tills. Their campaign then was that ABZ was making false claims, that Chevron never evaded tax and no money was refunded. Unknown to so many people was the fact that as at that time (July 2005), Chevron had refunded over $130 million and part of it diverted.




By a letter dated 6th October 2008, the Executive Chairman of FIRS, Mrs. Ifueko Omouigui-Okauru, in response to Nigeria’s House of Representative’s Ad-hoc Committee’s inquest, claimed that the sum of $131 million had been recovered from Chevron but that it was not from ABZ’s effort (Annexure 10). At the time of this claim (i.e. October 2008), ABZ, through its own information network was aware that Chevron had refunded $491 million (Annexure 11). ABZ, through its Solicitors, Messrs Fountain Advocates, petitioned Farida’s EFCC, alleging a diversion of $360 million. The petition was dated 17th November, 2008, with all the necessary attachments including bank statements treasury receipts, correspondences from Chevron (Annexures 12a, b, & c). Two reminders dated 12th January 2009 and 14th January 2010 have been sent to Farida’s EFCC and mum is the answer (Annexures 13 & 14).

As at December 2008, Chevron had refunded the sum of $866 million of the Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) evaded (Annexure 15). The relevant penalties based on the provisions of PPT Act is three times the tax evaded i.e. $2.598 billion (Annexure 16). FIRS has no choice than to abide by the law. There’s no evidence that FIRS is prepared to make this demand on Chevron. Besides, ABZ is still willing and prepared to provide a report that will turn in additional recoveries of $2.0 billion from Chevron.



As at today, ABZ has not been paid its fees for this assignment. Instead, FIRS and Chevron have been busy plotting how to silence ABZ. One way they thought they could achieve this was to encourage Chevron to seek ICAN’s (The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria) support to “deal” with the Managing Consultant of ABZ. Chevron petitioned ICAN that ABZ’s report was baseless, unprofessional and that Fidelis Uzonwanne, the Managing Consultant of ABZ, should be charged with professional misconduct. The company represented to ICAN that it never refunded any tax evaded (Annexure 17a, b & c). This is contrary to its various letters evidencing refunds e.g. letters of January 24, 2005, November 29, 2005 and receipts obtained (Annexures 17d, e, f & g). True to type, ICAN set to work through malicious advertisement of the fact that Fidelis Uzonwanne was facing ICAN investigating Panel without first writing him as a member. He is currently facing trial at Disciplinary Tribunal for exposing corruption and helping his country to recover $866 million of lost revenue (Annexures 18a, b & c). That is the sorry state of the Nigerian Nation.

Over $400 million out of the $866 million recovered from Chevron through ABZ’s effort has been diverted by FIRS and their collaborators in CBN (Annexures 19 & 20). Farida’s EFCC does not appear prepared to bring the criminals to book despite all the information made available to it (Annexures 21a, b & c). See Annexure 25 for more details on diverted funds. Instead, the conspirators have vowed not to pay ABZ its dues and will prefer the option of eliminating Fidelis Uzonwanne by any means. Yes, the plot to assassinate Fidelis Uzonwanne is thickening and he is aware of it. What is his offence? He led a team that exposed tax evasion and fraud perpetrated by Chevron. The first process of his annihilation is through financial strangulation by denying his company its dues. The next in the chain is to make sure he stops practicing his profession by using forged documents, falsehood and undue influence to get ICAN do its bidding. The final is assassination.

Please ventilate this to the whole world. The Nigerian economy is seriously being threatened by the cabal in government revenue agencies, who have vowed not to allow any of their own go down no matter how corrupt. The anti-corruption crusade is at its lowest ebb. Nigeria’s economic future is getting dimmer with every passing day. The Executive Chairman of FIRS, who supervised and managed the looting of the money recovered from Chevron in a letter with reference no FIRSB/MD/001/130 of 4th February, 2009 requested CBN, its accomplice, to give her a clean “bill of health”. CBN, by its letter dated 12th February 2009, with reference no. FOD/DIR/GA/SEC/012/68, acted accordingly (Annexure 22). The duo made a fruitless attempt to conceal a diversion of $112 million. ABZ, by its letter of 2nd December, 2009, knocked the bottom off the unwholesome arrangement (Annexure 23). The same goes for the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) (Annexure 24). It set up a committee to investigate the allegation of fraudulent diversion of $360 million, concluded its investigation and attempted to give Ifueko a clean “bill of health” without inviting the company that made the allegation (Annexure 25). Although the OAGF confirmed a diversion of $8.6 million, those indicted are still sitting comfortably on their seats and using tax payers’ money to campaign and launder their image.



Like all other financial scandals that have rocked Nigeria, this would have fizzled out long time ago but because of the plan of the treasury looters to “kill the goose that lays the golden egg”. If the same Chevron project had been awarded to a foreign firm, the Federal Government would have easily parted with hundreds of millions of Dollars as professional fees with the perquisites attached thereto. Believe it or not, no foreign company would have been able to match ABZ’s achievements. After ABZ’s investigation of Chevron what happened next? Other oil companies are still enjoying their illicit funds.

Since the exit of Dr. (Mrs.) Obiageli Ezekwesili from NEITI, the agency has since joined the band wagon of other government agencies who are more interested in budgetary allocations than performing the role for which they were established. ABZ by a letter dated 20th April, 2009, alerted the organization of several issues that it should ordinarily make effort to know (Annexure 26). The organization never even bordered to respond. The reason is very simple. The Executive Chairman of FIRS, Mrs. Ifueko Omouigui-Okauru has pocketed the organization and has ensured no further audits are carried out especially 2006 audit of the oil & gas industry in Nigeria, because of the unprecedented fraud by FIRS that year. The Nation lost over $3 billion of PPT and Royalty revenue to fraud.


By Fidelis Uzonwanne
Managing Consultant of ABZ Integrated Limited,
Abuja (FCT),
Nigeria.


EDITOR'S NOTE:
ALL THE REMAINING DOCUMENTS ON THIS CASE FOLLOW BELOW
.

Update on the Allegation of $10.8 Billion Tax Evasion Fraud against Chevron and its Associated Companies 2

Update on the Allegation of $10.8 Billion Tax Evasion Fraud against Chevron and its Associated Companies. 3

Update on the Allegation of $10.8 Billion Tax Evasion Fraud against Chevron and its Associated Companies 4

Update on the Allegation of $10.8 Billion Tax Evasion Fraud against Chevron and its Associated Companies 5

The Untold Story of the $10.8 Billion Tax Evasion and Fraud By Chevron Nigeria Limited and Its Associated Companies 6

The Untold Story of the $10.8 Billion Tax Evasion and Fraud By Chevron Nigeria Limited and Its Associated Companies 7.

EXPOSED:

How Multinational Corporations Dodge Taxes

U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act


Wednesday, March 31, 2010

The Untold Story of the $10.8 Billion Tax Evasion and Fraud By Chevron Nigeria Limited and Its Associated Companies

Update on the Allegation of $10.8 Billion Tax Evasion Fraud against Chevron and its Associated Companies 1





On 1st July, 2005, ABZ Integrated Limited, a Nigerian company based in Abuja broke the news of the $10.8 billion tax evasion and fraud by the Nigerian branch of the Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX Euronext: CHTEX), an American multinational energy corporation headquartered in San Ramon, California, (see annexure 1b).

Following the disclosures, ABZ was duly engaged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of Nigeria under the Executive Chairmanship of Mallam Nuhu Ribadu (see annexure 1a) as a consultant for the recovery of the unpaid taxes from Chevron Nigeria Limited. The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) under Dr. (Mrs.) Obiageli Ezekwesili acknowledged the engagement and financial entitlement of ABZ Integrated Limited (see annexure 5b).


In the last quarter of 2005, the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), under the chairmanship of Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, had a public hearing on the allegation of $10.8 billion tax evasion and fraud against Chevron Nigeria Limited. And in September 2006, the Chairman vindicated ABZ and confirmed that Chevron evaded tax as alleged and was ordered to refund the sum of $492 million. NEITI’s auditors also validated the claims of ABZ. But Chevron has only refunded a fraction of the total Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) evaded, without paying the penalties required by PPT Act. And ABZ has not been paid its entitlements since Chevron has refunded the sum of $866 million of the Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) evaded so far.

This is the untold story of the whole financial scandal as reported by Fidelis Uzonwanne, the Managing Consultant of ABZ Integrated Limited.

~ Nigerians Report




UPDATE ON THE ALLEGATION OF $10.8 BILLION TAX EVASION AND FRAUD AGAINST CHEVRON AND ITS ASSOCIATED COMPANIES BY ABZ INTEGRATED LTD

THE UNTOLD STORY

In July 2005, when ThisDay Newspaper published ABZ Integrated Ltd’s open letter to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, on the allegation of $10.8 Billion tax evasion and fraud against Chevron Nigeria Ltd, some Nigerians believed it. Some took it with a pinch of salt. While some dismissed it with utmost disbelief.





Before ABZ took that bold step, an in-dept investigation of the activities of Chevron had been painstakingly undertaken. This culminated in a 106 –page report being forwarded to EFCC on the 12th of May 2005, with over 400 page annexures (Annexure 4).



The way and manner the relevant government agencies in Nigeria reacted to the issue was very shocking and unbelievable. Organizations such as the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its subsidiary NAPIMS, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) etc, stood in stout defense of Chevron’s position and treated ABZ with disdain and scorn. We were undaunted because we were very sure of what we stated and were prepared to defend it till the last day.





Following our publication, the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), under the chairmanship of Dr. (Mrs.) Obiageli Ezekwesili, held a meeting of stakeholders in Nicon Hotel on the 9th of August 2005. NEITI issued a press release (Annexure 5a) on the outcome of the meeting confirming inter alia:
(i) That ABZ was duly engaged as consultants by EFCC and that ABZ’s effort led to the recovery of $6.5 million

(ii) That the information provided by ABZ (i.e. the report) has been referred to the Hart Group to verify the claims made therein.

Other confirmations of ABZ’s efforts and entitlements are enclosed herewith as (Annexures 5b, c, d & e).





Recall that field work on the ABZ’s investigation of Chevron under EFCC Committee on Government Revenue Fraud was done between December 2003 and January 2005. FIRS and other Government agencies were answering questions on their respective roles relating to Chevron’s operations and their culpability thereon (Annexures 6a, 6b, 6c & 7a, 7b).

Between September and November 2005, the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream), under the chairmanship of Dr. Cairo Ojougboh, carried out a public hearing on the allegation of $10.8 billion tax evasion and fraud against Chevron. About September 2006, the report of the Committee’s investigation was laid before the plenary. The chairman in a press conference confirmed to the whole world that indeed Chevron evaded tax as alleged and was ordered to refund the sum of $492 million (Annexure 8).

On November 9, 2006, Segun Adeniyi, a former Editor of ThisDay Newspaper, Spokesperson to President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, and then a member of the National Stakeholders Working Group (NSWG) of NEITI, confirmed to the whole world that ABZ had been vindicated because NEITI’s auditors had confirmed to them the veracity of ABZ’s claims (Annexure 9a). Please find enclosed an except from Hart Group report dated 14th August, 2006 for more details (Annexure 9b).

We want to confirm to you that the harassment Ribadu’s EFCC was giving to ABZ in 2005 was merely a decoy to shield the main issues from people’s prying eyes. This dummy sold by Ribadu’s EFCC enabled the trio of FIRS, Chevron and EFCC to conceal the recoveries being realized from Chevron through ABZ’s effort. Recent events have confirmed that the maneuvers were intended to enable them dip their fingers into the official tills. Their campaign then was that ABZ was making false claims, that Chevron never evaded tax and no money was refunded. Unknown to so many people was the fact that as at that time (July 2005), Chevron had refunded over $130 million and part of it diverted.




By a letter dated 6th October 2008, the Executive Chairman of FIRS, Mrs. Ifueko Omouigui-Okauru, in response to Nigeria’s House of Representative’s Ad-hoc Committee’s inquest, claimed that the sum of $131 million had been recovered from Chevron but that it was not from ABZ’s effort (Annexure 10). At the time of this claim (i.e. October 2008), ABZ, through its own information network was aware that Chevron had refunded $491 million (Annexure 11). ABZ, through its Solicitors, Messrs Fountain Advocates, petitioned Farida’s EFCC, alleging a diversion of $360 million. The petition was dated 17th November, 2008, with all the necessary attachments including bank statements treasury receipts, correspondences from Chevron (Annexures 12a, b, & c). Two reminders dated 12th January 2009 and 14th January 2010 have been sent to Farida’s EFCC and mum is the answer (Annexures 13 & 14).

As at December 2008, Chevron had refunded the sum of $866 million of the Petroleum Profit Tax (PPT) evaded (Annexure 15). The relevant penalties based on the provisions of PPT Act is three times the tax evaded i.e. $2.598 billion (Annexure 16). FIRS has no choice than to abide by the law. There’s no evidence that FIRS is prepared to make this demand on Chevron. Besides, ABZ is still willing and prepared to provide a report that will turn in additional recoveries of $2.0 billion from Chevron.



As at today, ABZ has not been paid its fees for this assignment. Instead, FIRS and Chevron have been busy plotting how to silence ABZ. One way they thought they could achieve this was to encourage Chevron to seek ICAN’s (The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria) support to “deal” with the Managing Consultant of ABZ. Chevron petitioned ICAN that ABZ’s report was baseless, unprofessional and that Fidelis Uzonwanne, the Managing Consultant of ABZ, should be charged with professional misconduct. The company represented to ICAN that it never refunded any tax evaded (Annexure 17a, b & c). This is contrary to its various letters evidencing refunds e.g. letters of January 24, 2005, November 29, 2005 and receipts obtained (Annexures 17d, e, f & g). True to type, ICAN set to work through malicious advertisement of the fact that Fidelis Uzonwanne was facing ICAN investigating Panel without first writing him as a member. He is currently facing trial at Disciplinary Tribunal for exposing corruption and helping his country to recover $866 million of lost revenue (Annexures 18a, b & c). That is the sorry state of the Nigerian Nation.

Over $400 million out of the $866 million recovered from Chevron through ABZ’s effort has been diverted by FIRS and their collaborators in CBN (Annexures 19 & 20). Farida’s EFCC does not appear prepared to bring the criminals to book despite all the information made available to it (Annexures 21a, b & c). See Annexure 25 for more details on diverted funds. Instead, the conspirators have vowed not to pay ABZ its dues and will prefer the option of eliminating Fidelis Uzonwanne by any means. Yes, the plot to assassinate Fidelis Uzonwanne is thickening and he is aware of it. What is his offence? He led a team that exposed tax evasion and fraud perpetrated by Chevron. The first process of his annihilation is through financial strangulation by denying his company its dues. The next in the chain is to make sure he stops practicing his profession by using forged documents, falsehood and undue influence to get ICAN do its bidding. The final is assassination.

Please ventilate this to the whole world. The Nigerian economy is seriously being threatened by the cabal in government revenue agencies, who have vowed not to allow any of their own go down no matter how corrupt. The anti-corruption crusade is at its lowest ebb. Nigeria’s economic future is getting dimmer with every passing day. The Executive Chairman of FIRS, who supervised and managed the looting of the money recovered from Chevron in a letter with reference no FIRSB/MD/001/130 of 4th February, 2009 requested CBN, its accomplice, to give her a clean “bill of health”. CBN, by its letter dated 12th February 2009, with reference no. FOD/DIR/GA/SEC/012/68, acted accordingly (Annexure 22). The duo made a fruitless attempt to conceal a diversion of $112 million. ABZ, by its letter of 2nd December, 2009, knocked the bottom off the unwholesome arrangement (Annexure 23). The same goes for the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) (Annexure 24). It set up a committee to investigate the allegation of fraudulent diversion of $360 million, concluded its investigation and attempted to give Ifueko a clean “bill of health” without inviting the company that made the allegation (Annexure 25). Although the OAGF confirmed a diversion of $8.6 million, those indicted are still sitting comfortably on their seats and using tax payers’ money to campaign and launder their image.



Like all other financial scandals that have rocked Nigeria, this would have fizzled out long time ago but because of the plan of the treasury looters to “kill the goose that lays the golden egg”. If the same Chevron project had been awarded to a foreign firm, the Federal Government would have easily parted with hundreds of millions of Dollars as professional fees with the perquisites attached thereto. Believe it or not, no foreign company would have been able to match ABZ’s achievements. After ABZ’s investigation of Chevron what happened next? Other oil companies are still enjoying their illicit funds.

Since the exit of Dr. (Mrs.) Obiageli Ezekwesili from NEITI, the agency has since joined the band wagon of other government agencies who are more interested in budgetary allocations than performing the role for which they were established. ABZ by a letter dated 20th April, 2009, alerted the organization of several issues that it should ordinarily make effort to know (Annexure 26). The organization never even bordered to respond. The reason is very simple. The Executive Chairman of FIRS, Mrs. Ifueko Omouigui-Okauru has pocketed the organization and has ensured no further audits are carried out especially 2006 audit of the oil & gas industry in Nigeria, because of the unprecedented fraud by FIRS that year. The Nation lost over $3 billion of PPT and Royalty revenue to fraud.


By Fidelis Uzonwanne
Managing Consultant of ABZ Integrated Limited,
Abuja (FCT),
Nigeria.


EDITOR'S NOTE:
ALL THE REMAINING DOCUMENTS ON THIS CASE WILL BE PUBLISHED IN THE FOLLOWING DAYS OF THE FIRST WEEK OF APRIL.



Friday, May 1, 2009

Robert Amsterdam: Nasir el-Rufai Has No More Questions To Answer!

An Interview with Robert Amsterdam on the International Defense Team of Mallam Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai, Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (OFR), the former Minister of Abuja Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Nigeria resigned the appointment in June 2008.


Nasir el-Rufai

Q 1: Sir, on 30 April and 7 May 2008, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai appeared before the Nigerian's Senate Committee on Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FTC), to answer questions on his tenure as minister of the FTC, how have you found out that the allegations of bribery and corruption against your client Mallam Nasir Ahmad EL-Rufai are spurious?

I read his testimony before the senate, which totaled approximately 100 pages. Further, I must say that in my 30 years of practicing international law, rare is the situation when governments truly attack people who have committed real crimes with so much fanfare and publicity. In my experience dealing with these cases, I have found that the more politicians publicize alleged wrongdoing in attempts to slander and develop a particular narrative about individuals, the less substance there are to these types of allegations. I must confess to having had the privilege of knowing my client prior to being retained on this matter. These allegations ran so contrary to my experience with this individual that I performed my own independent investigation. That investigation revealed a continuous pattern of legislative harassment of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai that dated back to 2002. This history included his sworn testimony which he made publically and under oath concerning malfeasance within the body of the Senate itself. Am I surprised by the present goings on against my client? Absolutely not.

Q 2: Why has he disobeyed court orders as he bluntly stated that?
"Let it be clear that nobody will keep me out of Nigeria. I will return home at the completion of my course of study at Harvard. I have no desire to seek Asylum but would not be stampeded to abandoning my studies to make the government happy."

My understanding is just to the contrary. He has provided voluminous testimony and appointed individuals in his place to answer further questions. From reading various press conferences and threats that have been made, my impression quite frankly is that those individuals who cast aspersions on this man’s character fear his return and are doing everything possible to make that eventuality uncertain.


Q 3: Mrs. Farida Waziri., Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), said that her Commission has the right to extradite Mallam Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai. Is she right or wrong?

I would respectfully disagree. There are a tremendous number of allegations spoken at various press conferences that appear to have been dealt with in their entirety by the sworn testimony of my client.


Q 4: Why should Mallam Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai use his undergoing a course of study at Harvard University as an excuse to refuse a legal summons on the charges of abuse of office and corruption in Nigeria?

My client has answered fully all of these allegations time and time again. His course of study will be over and he will be able to dedicate even more time to re-answer these charges. The ongoing political attacks on my client and the obvious intent to cause him harm leads me to ask of your readers what the intent of this campaign against El-Rufai and other reformers such as Nuhu Ribadu, really is.


Q 5: The International Defense Team of Mallam Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai has been making his case more controversial by calling it a political campaign against him. Why and how is it a political campaign when the EFCC is not prosecuting him as a politician, but as a former civil servant?

What makes this case political is the inherent bias and prejudgment that was reflected in the Senate’s and EFCC’s attitude toward El-Rufai. Bluntly, certain individuals have an improper purpose, clearly harboring a long-standing enmity toward my client. I confess that it appears that this enmity has stopped them from a detailed analysis of the fulsome response provided by El-Rufai. Simply because El-Rufai was a public servant does not deny him the right to equality before the law and equal protection by the law. He has no where waived these rights.

Q 6: If Mallam Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai was indeed an incorruptible public servant whilst in office, why is he afraid of returning to Nigeria to defend himself on the alleged misappropriation of about N32 billion from the sale of Federal Government Houses in Abuja?

My client has made it clear that when he left office, these monies were not missing. He has shown absolutely no fear by testifying before the Senate and fully answering all questions. As his lawyer I have tremendous concerns given the public statements made in Nigeria to date as to whether he could ever have a fair trial with respect to any allegation given the nature of the public attacks that have been made on his good name.

Q 7: The President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), is included in your International Defense Team and will defend Mallam Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai on the eight-count charge against him by the EFCC, so don’t you think it would be inappropriate to go on with the uncivil public statements accusing the Nigerian government of political victimization?

The long series of personal attacks, prejudicial distortions of findings, and numerous press conferences necessitate a public response. Those who are intent upon destroying my client’s reputation have not waited for their day in court. Nor shall we.

Thank you for granting us this important interview.


About Robert R. Amsterdam


Robert R. Amsterdam

In his 25 years of practice, Robert R. Amsterdam has handled numerous international business disputes and in a variety of emerging markets. With an active trade and subsidy practice, Amsterdam has both defended and prosecuted cases for and against governments and corporations. Canadian Lawyer says of Amsterdam that he is "one of the few lawyers in the world [good at] taking on the state when the state starts acting like a criminal."

Amsterdam has worked in countries as diverse as Hungary, Nigeria, Venezuela, and Guatemala and is deeply experienced with politically sensitive cases. Highly regarded for his strategic innovation and international reach, Amsterdam was retained by the Russian corporation YUKOS-Group MENATEP in 2003 for the defence of former CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky - one of the most high profile cases in modern Russian history.

He co-founded the Toronto-based law firm Amsterdam & Peroff with Dean A. Peroff in 1980 and has represented well-known global corporations including PriceWaterhouseCoopers and the Four Seasons Hotel Group. Amsterdam has delivered speeches at organisations such as the Carnegie Endowment, the Fraser Institute and the International Commission of Jurists and has debriefed parliamentarians and NGO leaders on a variety of political, legal, and business issues. His expert legal commentary is frequently featured in the media, and he has appeared in the American press Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, the UK press the Financial Times, Guardian, German press Die Press, Tagesspiegel, the French press Le Monde amongst others, and was prominently featured in a BBC documentary. Robert has also written many legal and scholarly articles including the recent article which he co-authored and was published in the Fordham Journal - "The duality of state co-operation within international and national criminal cases". Amsterdam also has a successful blog www.robertamsterdam.com.

London's The Lawyer magazine named Robert Amsterdam one of the Hot 100 Attorneys in the UK for 2005.

He is a member of the Canadian, New York and International Bar Associations. He earned his BA from Carleton University in Ottawa and studied law at Queens University in Ontario (LLB).



Conducted by Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima, the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Nigerians Report.com