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While we may differ over the coup d’état of 15th January 1966 and the counter coup of 29th July, 1966, forensic auditors have submitted their cryptic report:
“The Nation Was Left With Severe Head Injuries”
That is what prompted Bill Gates, the second richest man in the world who was at the Special Session of the National Economic Council held at the Presidential Villa on Thursday March 22, 2018, to declare as follows:
“Nigeria is one of the most dangerous places in the world to give birth, with the fourth worst maternal mortality rate in the world, ahead of only Sierra Leone, Central African Republic, and Chad. One in three Nigerian children is chronically malnourished.”
“The Nigerian government’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan identifies “investing in our people” as one of three “strategic objectives.” But the “execution priorities” don’t fully reflect people’s needs, prioritizing physical capital over human capital.”
Here you can see Nigeria’s per capita GDP growth from 2000 until today. If current education and health trends continue—if you spend the same amount in these areas and get the same results—per capita GDP flatlines, with economic growth just barely keeping up with population growth.
In 1978, Dr. OlikoyeRansome-Kuti, who later became the Nigerian minister of health, helped establish primary health care as the global standard.Tragically, 40 years after Dr. Ransome-Kuti helped other countries set a course for the future, the Nigerian primary health care system is broken. The evidence for this can be found in the epidemic of chronic malnutrition, or stunting.”
We also have the following front page report from “The Nigerian Tribune” newspaper of 26th March, 2018:
Headline: “How CBN moved over ₦100 billion to Jonathan’s residence ahead of 2015 poll” – Presidency Sources
This is nothing but desperation – Jonathan’s aide
“Few days after Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo alleged that billions of naira were withdrawn by former President Goodluck Jonathan-led government and shared a few days before the 2015 elections, more details are emerging, showing how several tranches of funds were illegally removed.
According to a Presidency source, some new but dramatic details of how some of the funds were illegally transported from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to the private residence of the former President Jonathan had now emerged.
In that particular case, the former NSA [National Security Adviser] personally supervised the physical transfer of the money from the CBN vaults to the private residence of the former president.
“In one particular instance, over N70 billion was released in parts from the national treasury between January 8 and February 25, 2015. The over $289 millionwhich was also referenced last week by the vice president is said to be included in this particular series of illegal transactions,” the source stated.
The Presidency source also said minutes of the CBN board meeting of August 25, 2014 indicated the board’s approval of another N60 billion requested by the former president and released later by the apex bank.
A Presidency source said the sum, which was okayed by the CBN board, was not tied to any project or procurement and was meant and disbursed purely for campaign purposes, through the office of the then NSA and the State Security Services (SSS) leadership at the time.
Specifically that N6o billion that was okayed by the CBN on August 25, 2014was said to have been shared between the two security agencies thus: N40 billionwent to the NSA while N20billion was released to the SSS,” it added.
While some of these newly emerging fund disbursements have been traced to the former NSA, there were indications that some of the funds were unconnected to the ongoing defence contract trials of the former NSA.
The $289 million mentioned by the vice president last week at the seventh Presidential Quarterly Business Forum for private sector stakeholders was released on February 25, 2015.
“Documents, including cash vouchers, indicate that $289,202,382 was released in cash to the NIA by the Central Bank of Nigeria from the Joint Venture (JV) Cash Call Account No. 000-0000-11658-366 of the NNPC/NAPIMS with JP Morgan Chase Bank, New York, USA.
At the exchange rate then of N199 to a dollar, $289 million is equivalent to about N60 billion. But had the money not been stolen, it would be at today’s rate over N104 billion,” it added.
According to the Presidency source, another set of illegal fund was withdrawn under one week between January 8 and 16, 2015.
It said the sum of N1.5 billion was released in three tranches of N300 million, N400 million and N800 million.
“This money was released from the MEA Research Library Account to the Join-trust Dimension,” an official source with knowledge of the transaction disclosed.
The source further said the sum was transferred to their various political associates, which included a former minister.
Further findings showed that N350 million was allegedly transferred to one of President Goodluck Jonathan’s ministers on February 2, 2015 and another N250 million was allegedly transferred to him on February 19, 2015.
A document further showed that yet another N10 billion was released to the Office of the NSA by the CBN on September 15, 2015.
The money was said to have been released in tranches of foreign exchange of $47 million, $5 million, 4 million euros and 1.6 million euros.
A letter from the Office of the NSA in November 2014 further showed that the money was released by the CBN as ‘funds for special services’.
Findings also showed that this particular CBN release of N10 billion was sourced in November 2014 from a N40 billion CBN released funds meant for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
It was this N10 billion that the source claimed former President Jonathan instructed the CBN governor and the then NSA to deliver to him personally in a private residence in Abuja.
Sources said the money was illegally transferred using CBN van for the use of “PDP presidential primaries.”
Responding to the allegations, special assistant on new media to Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri, said “this is nothing but the desperate last throes of a government that came in through propaganda and is about to go out because of a lack of proper agenda.”
In a statement on Sunday night, Omokori said the allegation was false, adding that the former administration was acknowledged globally for its anti-corruption drive.
“President Jonathan’s administration has the enviable record of advancing Nigeria’s anti-corruption war and delivered results to the point where we made our best ever improvement in Transparency International’s CPI in 2014, when we moved eight places forward from 144 to 136,” he said.
He said there was nobody involved in ensuring the emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari who had not secretly or openly regretted it, adding that “even his own wife, Aisha, is full of regrets and has not hidden it.”
Bashorun J.K. Randle
