No fewer than six countries have already refused to grant a
place of safety request by the minister of petroleum
resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke.
The Business Council for Africa (BCA) said in its just-
released monthly report that about US$ 1 trillion is the
latest estimated figure of the looting of the Nigerian
treasury between 1960 and 2005 alone.
According to Sahara Reporters, the report dated March 2015
focused extensively on Nigeria’s general elections. It said
the notorious minister, whose impunity is known to have
been closely-protected by President Goodluck Jonathan, will
be coming under the microscope for the first time in her
ministerial career.
“Given her reputation, it comes as no surprise to learn that
6 countries have already refused to grant her asylum to live
in their countries as she now wishes to leave Nigeria at the
earliest possible opportunity,” it said.
The BCA recalled the president-elect Muhammadu Buhari
lamenting that the rest of the world looks at Nigeria as the
home of corruption, one where stealing is not corruption but
a way of life, and that his administration will pursue all
public offices and individuals who are believed to be guilty
of corruption.
It observed that despite an earlier promise, it is now
understood that Buhari’s anti-corruption fishing net will
include ministers currently serving under President Goodluck
Jonathan. Alison-Madueke’s departure from Nigeria is
likely to be followed by several other PDP elders, party
members and supporters as well as some former
government officials, as Buhari’s anti-corruption drive will
be far-reaching.
“It will be very interesting to learn in the coming months
exactly how far back in Nigeria’s history his administration
will go in the pursuance of those who have robbed”.
The latest estimated figure of theft from the Nigerian
treasury between 1960 to 2005 is US$ 1 trillion. Given that
President Jonathan’s administration is considered the most
corrupt of any of its predecessors, that figure is going to be
considerably magnified, but whether the new president will
wish to pursue former heads of state is a matter of interest
and considerable debate to Nigeria observers. It is this
subject that is primarily responsible for Buhari’s success in
winning the election, as well as his campaign promises to
eradicate Boko Haram, revive the economy and rebuild
Nigeria to its position as the number one country in Africa.
While the BCA agreed that the March/April 2015 were “the
most credible elections in Nigeria’s history”, it said they
could not be called the most incorruptible.
On the contrary, it referred to them as the worst because of
the amount of money that the PDP so freely and openly
spent on trying to secure the re-election of Jonathan.
“The stories and reports from throughout the 36 States of
the amount of money distributed by the PDP to elders,
rulers, church leaders, unions and youth leaders amongst
others in an endeavour to favour the voters towards the
PDP has backfired badly,” the report said.
BCA said that if the 2011 elections were considered bad, the
2015 elections will undoubtedly go down as the most
corrupt in Nigeria’s history, certainly since 1999, as the
amount of money being distributed as bribes primarily by
the PDP so very openly would readily confirm
It reported that since November when campaigning began,
President Jonathan and General Buhari during their travels
made no fewer than 109 promises of what they intend to
achieve if given the mandate in the presidential election.
“President Jonathan’s campaign continued to hinge on his
party’s Transformation Agenda and the achievements of his
Government in the last 4 years, particularly in the
agricultural sector, job creation and the empowerment of
women,” the report said. In that regard, it credited
Jonathan as having achieved a great deal during his tenure.
According to the report, it was, however, Jonathan’s failures
– rampant corruption, insecurity, inability to eliminate the
Boko Haram insurgency, failure in such sectors as the
economy, and power in particular, and the overall feeling
that he was ruled rather than leading – that have cost him
his re-election bid.
The report also stated that in the 2015 elections, up to 250
Nigerians lost their lives, describing that deplorable record
as speaking volumes for the control achieved by the police
at the campaign rallies by the two main candidates.
It described the cost of the campaigns of the two main
parties as “simply staggering”, noting that by the first week
of March, Buhari had spent some N332.58 billion as
compared to the expenditure of President Jonathan which
amounted to N1.05 trillion.
“This is without taking into account the cost of other
expenses for such items as campaign rallies, where the PDP
has spent N1.06 billion against Muhammadu Buhari’s
APC’s N595.08 million, and clearly demonstrates the
desperate lengths that the PDP have gone to in order to try
and secure the re-election of President Jonathan.
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