Yunus Abdulhamid
7 September 2008
A former member of the Federal House of Representatives, Alhaji Dati Baba Ahmed has alleged that he was offered N200 million bribe to support third term by agents of former President Olusegun Obasanjo,but refused to collect the tempting sum of money. His refusal, he claimed, earned him a threat to his life, so that he had to temporarily flee from Nigeria.
Alhaji Baba-Ahmed who took a swipe at the government of President Umaru Musa Yaradua's for non-performance at the same time condemning the anti graft agencies in the country. He spoke at a forum organised by the Muslim Media Practitioners of Nigeria (MMPN) in Abuja yesterday.
He said, "we are told of government's seven-point agenda, but I call it zero-point agenda because if you take the points one by one, the government is not on course to achieve any of these points."
According to the ex-lawmaker, who represented Zaria constituency, a top official at the EFCC would soon tender his resignation letter just to keep his name and honour in-tact, as he allegedly found a huge sum of money deposited by unknown persons into his personal bank account.
Said he, "Please listen out, very soon, one federal commissioner of EFCC is going to resign because he found a large sum of money paid into his account. He is a typical Muslim brother and we should pray for and emulate him. It is not that we do not have good people in this country. It is just that they can't do what it takes to get to position of power and when they do get there, they are sent out. EFCC is very questionable. The biggest irony is that they bring policeman or policewoman to head the EFCC. I know what the police is as well as you know."
Baba Ahmed was speaking at the MMPN Ramadan seminar held in Abuja yesterday. The theme of the event was "Islam, Media and Corruption."
He said, "When I was in the parliament, we were not allowed to function as a parliament. I was offered N200 million to support third term. I didn't. Instead, I used my own money to run away from the country and, for two months, I was not sleeping in my own house. I was given SSS to guide me wherever I went but because I couldn't afford N3 million bribe, they looked for the next person and gave him the election I won."
Baba Ahmed declined further comment when Sunday Trust cornered him after the programme to substantiate his allegations. When this reporter insisted that the EFCC then had claimed that no lawmaker came forward to testify he or she was offered gratification, he said, "that was an issue passed to the EFCC and they are in a better position to clarify it. There are records for you to see that not only my life was under threat but others that did not support third term were threatened. Have you forgotten Bola Ige, Harry Marshal and others?" he asked.
Also speaking at the event was Dr Mairo Mandara, who represented her husband, Dr Usman Bugaje.
Bugaje noted that Nigerian leaders are not only corrupt but also the followers inclusive. He did a historical tour of corruption in the country, dating back to 30 to 40 years ago before which the social values and government's institutions were able to put the society in check against corruption. As a result of corruption, he said, "infant and maternal mortality in Nigeria is the second highest in the whole world. It is only second due to the sheer size of India. Over 1, 350 pregnant women die out of a hundred thousand simply because they chose to be mothers and what is frightening about it is that only about N5, 000 is needed to ensure a pregnant woman give birth safely. Yet our leaders change cars like clothes", he said.
He urged the Muslim media practitioners to be fair and courageous in the discharge of their duties as enjoined by the Holy Qur'an that Muslims should encourage people in doing of good and forbid what is evil and bad. "We shall be individually held accountable for our deeds by God. It is obligatory to fight corruption as Muslims", he said.
The event which was chaired by the former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Muhammed Lawal Uwais, also had other notable speakers as Alhaji Liad Tella who is a commissioner at the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Alhaji Abubakar Jijiwa, the Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria and others.
Also present at the occasion were the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Nigeria, Khosrow Rezazadeh, the Managing Director of Media Trust Limited, Alhaji Ishaq Ajibola, Sheikh Fouad Adeyemi, Sheikh Abdulfatai Adeyemi and Sheikh Tajudeen Bello.
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