STAR ARTICLES: The Buhari Debacle Continues

[Mobolaji E. Aluko]

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GUARDIAN
Sunday, July 18, 1999

PDP Leaders Give Buhari Option To Resign

From Abiodun Adeniyi (Abuja) and Saxone Akhaine (Kaduna)

HOUSE of Representatives- Speaker, Alhaji Ibrahim Salisu Buhari may
have been advised to resign by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders,
in and outside government.

This is coming on the heels of Senator Idris Kuta-s renewed call for
the Speaker to step aside, saying that his case is beyond redemption.

The advice which came after a caucus consultation of the body this
weekend also followed what was regarded by the party as a "last straw"
from the revelations of the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC) chairman, Justice Ephraim Akpata, that there were official
discoveries of the alleged false declarations by the security
agencies.

Sources said yesterday that the consultations involving party
chairman, Chief Solomon Lar and National Secretary, Dr. Okwesilieze
Nwodo, alongside other top notchers resolved on the resignation option
against the backdrop of President Olusegun Obasanjo idea that erring
ministers in his regime will be "advised to resign".

In fact, it will be recalled that the president asked ministers to
forward unsigned resignation letters to the Presidency just in case
they are found wanting in the performance of their duties.

It was also said that the leaders consider the option as the most
honourable in the unlikely event of the impeachment alternative and
the emerging fact that the matter may never die.

One of the leaders told The Guardian On Sunday: "We are advising him
to resign to save the reputation of the party and the PDP government.
The other option is to step aside pending investigations but with
revelations coming left, right and centre, he may even get the
sympathy of people by resigning. Our words are however only advisory
as we cannot impose our will on him."

The source added that one of the group leaders has been delegated to
consult with the House of Representatives Speaker and relay the
decision. The consultation, it is said, may be followed by another
meeting with the Speaker probably in attendance, "if response is not
positive".

Added the source: "President Olusegun Obasanjo had resolved to stay
out of this matter. He said at the meeting with legislators that it is
a National Assembly affair and they should resolve their problems
therefrom. Otherwise we would have sought his voice as a party man to
intervene. When pressures mount, the speaker may have no option other
than to heed our advise. We shall see."

Kuta, at a press conference in Kaduna, blamed the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC), the clerk of the House of Representatives
and PDP leaders for suppressing the petitions against the Speaker on
alleged false declaration of age and certificate forgery before the
News magazine publicised the issue.

Said Kuta: "The impression people are creating that the boat should
not be allowed to be rocked is wrong. Before this boy was elected
speaker, it was made absolutely clear that the paper that he used to
contest elections were forged. It was made absolutely clear before his
election, but obviously he commanded a lot of money and therefore he
was able to have his way and suppressed whatever evidence that was
brought against his nomination as the Speaker of the House."

Specifically, the Senator said that the President, House of
Representatives members and other relevant agencies should immediately
prevail on Buhari to defend himself by coming out publicly to tender
his genuine birth certificate and original educational degrees, and
diploma and certificates to save the country from the embarrassment it
is now going through.

"So, the Buhari situation should not be looked upon purely based on
sentiment. We should not look at this issue on the ground that because
he comes from the North that he should be allowed to get away with
fraud. That is not the issue. The issue is that we are being asked to
choose between Nigeria and Buhari, and Nigeria is greater than the
Speaker (Buhari). It is a disgrace for Nigeria that as we are entering
into the next millennium, Nigeria would have a speaker, first,
under-aged, secondly, with fraudulent certificates."

The impression being created by the authorities, Kuta stated, "is that
the boy is now being shielded because INEC and other agencies who gave
him the clearance to contest election and to vie for the post would
seriously be indicted.

"The party which allowed him to stand for election is at fault, but to
me, my honour is more important than money. We have seen many
Nigerians who have stolen public funds and God punished them by taking
their lives, very corrupt officers or officials of government have
dropped dead, starting from Sani Abacha."

Besides, Kuta said that if actually Buhari feels that the allegations
made against him are false, the onus lies with him as a public
officer, especially under a democratic setting, to come out publicly
to clear the air first, rather than threatening legal action against
the News magazine.

"There are four forgeries, first, on his age, secondly, that he has a
first degree; then that he has P.hd, then that he served the National
Youth Service Corps in 1991. All these are false, he does not have a
first degree, he does not have a P.hd, he didn-t do NYSC and his age
is wrong. So, these are forgeries and each and every one of these
issues is criminal and is enough to send him to jail."

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GUARDIAN
Sunday, July 18, 1999

Buhari's Burden

From Abiodun Adeniyi, Abuja

HOUSE of Representatives speaker, Ibrahim Salisu Buhari, maybe
entangled. But it does appear he is ready to tangle. His thin
moustache twitched ceaselessly last week as if halleluyah was being
sang about him. His quick, confident paces also showed no signs of
stress. "I am in control," the blinking of his eyes seemed to have
suggested. A challenge may, however, be in his gavel wielding hands.

"The matter is simply a storm in a tea cup. The man has performed
well. All these are the handwork of detractors. We should be allowed
to move forward," Danladi Hamza, from Fagge Federal Constituency,
Kano, stated. "The integrity of the house has been questioned. The
speaker should clear himself of these grave allegations. They are
certainly not good for the reputation of the house," Nduka Iraboh, Ika
North, Delta state, emphasized. The positions represented generality
of reactions to allegations of forgery put at the doorsteps of the
speaker.

The beginning: A Lagos-based newsmagazine, {The News}, easily
classified amongst the vibrant weekies in the land, published in its
last week edition, reports of investigations into the educational,
socializing process of Buhari. The magazine which reportedly activated
its investigative dragnets in Kano, Abuja, Lagos and Toronto, Canada
alleged amongst other things that:

"the bachelor of science degree in Business Administration which the
speaker claimed to have obtained in the University of Toronto was
fake; quoting sources in Toronto, it revealed that the university has
no record of Buhari in its library.

* Buhari is not thirty six years old as claimed; by his alleged
records in Kings college; Lagos; the Kano born representative is
only twenty nine.

* the Speaker's business concerns are improperly registered.

Before the magazine's last week story, not a few dose of mudslinging
took place while the speakership was up for grabs. Five of the former
speakership aspirants including Mohammed Lawan and Sadiq Abubakar once
showed journalists at Rockview Hotel, Abuja faxed letters from Toronto
revealing that the speaker never attended their school. Some of the
charges against the politician including one stating that he is a
deficient speaker of English language were indeed published in
newspaper adverts. Anti-Buhari documents centering around suspected
false paper qualifications were then freely circulated around, just as
other contestants were equally denigrated. Infact, when the elections
were holding on June 4, Sadiq Abubakar told his colleagues in his
campaign address that honourable members should not shirk their
responsibility as honourable people by putting in a "suspected
deceiver." Not a few sensed his line of argument. When Buhari
overwhelmingly the polls and Sadiq Abubakar heartily embraced Buhari
even before the last ballots were cast, a fight without cause was
momentarily made out of Abubakar.

The speaker, however, began his job with great enthusiasim. His
handling of the house was respectable. His control style was
efficient. He laughed when appropriate and got serious at the desired
time. He was established as a go-getter. Even while the senate was
still taking its time on many issues including committee composition,
the House of Representatives under Buhari and quite unlike the Third
Republic House, showed great sign of purpose. Senator Isa Mohammed
once told the senate to take a we from what the house was doing and
get cracking too. Motions on many national issues were readily
discussed, agreed upon and passed onto the executive. The
dark-complexioned gentleman was generally adjudged to be in charge.
Naturally, everyone could not be satisfied with him. A number of
representatives were said to be displeased. Especially after
committees were constituted. "Only his cronies were put in charge,"
one critic remarked. "He cannot please everybody. There are over three
hundred representatives. How do you think he can satisfy all evenly?
From a cursory look, you can see that the man is a natural leader. A
greater majority has been carried along," another member noted.

The {News} investigations, it was gathered, was not hurried. The
journalists reportedly took their time. They dusted up the
pre-election charges. One after the other, they sought to cross-check.
At a stage, it was now the turn of Buhari to respond. Sources said he
was severally approached. Many times too, he declined elaborated
interviews simply denying that all the allegations, all the questions
on clarifications put to him were false. One of the News editors was
infact in Abuja to shore-up the quest for an interview. "My friends
believe me. The allegations are not true. Wallahi! I am too busy to
grant a long interview," the speaker reportedly stated.

That appeared to be the dead end. And the journalists went to press.

{The Guardian On Sunday} gathered that when the Speaker was told about
the promotional adverts about the story on radio it quickly dawned
that the reporters have landed. He moved to fight back. Sources said
he had hardly read the story before he reached out to his lawyers,
Rotimi Williams chambers, one of the best in the land. Having cleared
initial consultative process including a princely preliminary sum, the
politician retired to Abuja. "He is definitely at peace with himself.
It is all rubbish, the speaker is an upright person," Alhaji Jamu, a
resource person with the speaker stated last Monday.

At the assembly complex last Monday, nothing else was discovered by
groups of persons. "What will happen now?" "Can be survive this?"
"What is going to be his game plan?" "Will he sit today?" Many
questions of this nature surfaced. There were definitely no ready
answers. Suddenly, the "M-R-S-P-E-A-K-E-R!" shout punctuated those
discussions. The man was headed for the chamber to begin
deliberations.

Sitting pretty on his chair, he was strangely calm. Nothing from his
mien suggested the controversy that enveloped him. He controlled
representatives normally. He commanded at intervals, smiled when
necessary and giggled naturally. "He was not acting. I am surprised at
his kind of person, his kind of courage. If it were some other
persons, whether the allegations are true or not, he will be
disturbed. But this man appears unperturbed," one of the observing
reporters remarked at the end of Monday's deliberations when nothing
about the emerging scandal was mentioned. Former journalist, Nduka
Irabor, however, sought to introduce the matter through order 16 of
the House Rules the next day. The order allows for discussion of
matters of urgent national importance. He stated it but he was called
to order on grounds that such issues should have been discussed with
the speaker before hand. "But the speaker is involved in this case,"
he countered. "No way," a counter, counter response came, because "the
matter been talked about is newspaper speculation and we cannot work
on speculation by papers because they have severally written wrong
things in the past especially about the assembly." Interestingly, the
speaker allowed all the sides to comment. And his ruling: "I cannot
allow speculation to be discussed in this house. The matter is even a
legal one at this moment. Thank you." For that moment, the case was
closed.

But Irabor started the matter again the next day at the committee of
the whole House session. Herein, it was said that the chamber appeared
like a courtroom. Several arguments on the issue arose. There were
those who spoke for and those who were against. It appeared a balanced
situation. All the sides were equally deep and analytical in their
stand points. A stalemate infact revited at the stage. The matter was
to be hanged as there was no way forward. But they move forward; they
adjourned with those for the matter hoping to raise it again,
sometimes.

Reduceable from the house handling of the issue are that:

* representatives from the speaker's North-Western origin are
solidly resolved to back their own in the circumstance they will
not let go.

* those he has already empowered through committees will not leave
him, they will not allow him to fall they are ready to defend
their assumed benefactor at least in the interest of their own
power.

* the recurred two-third majority necessary to impeach him, just in
case, may never be possible as a lot of representatives have
reportedly not seen the "substance" in allegations hitherto
levelled against him.

* procedural technicalities, approach to "dealing" with the
situation which could be cumbersome may work in favour of the
speaker.

* his reported manipulative ability may have swayed a number of the
lawmakers sympathy. The quality was deployed by the politician
towards the end of the week. One aspect was an unusual interaction
with his colleagues at the legislators canteen - a thing fancied
by many as been responsive to feelings.

The senate is nevertheless carring out its own response at its level.
Last Tuesday, the body retired into their party caucuses where they
deliberated the controversy. Most felt the matter should not be swept
under the carpet. They, infact, closed shop unusually early to attend
to the matter as an issue of urgent, national importance. They later
conferred with President Olusegun Obasanjo who was said to have told
them to find ways of resolving the matter given fact that it is a
national assembly matter.

Senators Adolphus Wabara, Idris Abubakar, Idris Kuta, Roland Owie,
Tokunbo Afikuyomi, David Bolgidi have all expressed concern over the
allegations of forgery, arguing that the number four citizen should
better come out to defend himself in the interest of the assembly and
the nation at large. Bolgidi, in fact, said the Senate may not go into
any joint session with the House of Representatives if the integrity
of the Speaker is not re-established.

An anonymous statement has however, sought to discountenance some of
the allegations thus:

* that the allegations are idle ones as they first surfaced during
campaigns for the speakership but legislators were intelligent
enough to ignore them by voting massively for Buhari.

* that the "photographs and the said Toronto letters were
(allegedly) forged." This is said to be evident in the alleged
"super-imposition of headline of the letterhead and the signature"
(and)

* that the said Dr. Usman of the Network for Democracy is a
fictitious name and whatever he says cannot hold water as he is
non-existent.

Whatever happens, sources said Chief Rotimi Williams (SAN) may file
the matter in court tomorrow. That done, further discussions on the
issue will be regarded as subjudice. "But that is not enough," Olisa
Agbakaba, a human rights campaigner, stated, adding that "the
honourable thing to do now is for the speaker to resign." Agbakoba was
supported by Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) executive director,
Mr. Abdu Oroh. However, the ultimatum from Williams asking the News to
apologise within 72 hours expired Wednesday evening. The magazine's
Lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana has expressed their preparation for the court.

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GUARDIAN
Sunday, July 18, 1999

The Speaker Vs. The Truth

By Reuben ABATI

THE Honourable Speaker of the House of Representatives who has been
accused by The News Magazine of having lied about his age, and
academic qualifications has declared boldly that his integrity is
intact. Alhaji Salisu Ibrahim Buhari also told his colleagues at the
House of Representatives, that this is "one of the prices he has to
pay for democracy". Apparently, Speaker Buhari does not realise the
gravity of the scandal in which he has become an unwilling
protagonist. His response to the allegations so far has been too
typically Nigerian: bluster and bravado. But already, it is clear that
this is a public contest between the forces of truth and falsehood,
between appearance and reality, and at the end of the day, the only
possible solution is for the public to be told the truth. This is one
issue that cannot be swept under the carpet. Moreso, as the publishers
of The News are determined to use this particular case, to demonstrate
the value, power and potential of the press.

The first thing Speaker Buhari did was to employ the services of Chief
FRA Williams, easily the most important lawyer in the land. Point one:
the Speaker had intended to intimidate his accusers. But The News is
undeterred. They not only rejected a 72-hour ultimatum requiring them
to apologise and retract their publication, they also got their own
lawyer, the irrepressible Femi Falana, who seems to enjoy precisely
challenges of this nature, to get back at the Buhari camp. FRA and
Falana: very much like a contest between David and Goliath, except
that in the court of law what matters is not height, but evidence. And
the available evidence so far, is troubling. The News has told the
public categorically that Alhaji Buhari is a liar. This is a serious
allegation. Should the accused decide to go to court, and succeed in
providing a contrary evidence, the publishers of The News would be in
serious trouble indeed. Except that they are confident that they are
on the right track. Prevailing circumstances also seem to be against
the Speaker.

Senator Idris Kuta, from Niger State has already volunteered himself
as a likely witness when he told the BBC that one, he knows when
Buhari's father married his mother, and that two, Buhari, and his own
son were classmates at King's College. His son is 29, and according to
Kuta, "you can hardly have a classmate who is seven years older." If
Kuta had been a member of the APP or the AD, he could have been
accused of partisanship, of spreading sour grapes. If he were to be of
another ethnic origin he would have been accused of tribalism, or
being anti-North. But Kuta belongs to the same party as the Speaker.
Both men are Northerners. To even read ethnic or political meanings
into the Speaker's travails would be most ingenuous. What is at stake
is the truth: the test of truth is the best kind of test that can be
applied.

So far, Alhaji Buhari is not helping matters. He and his supporters
prevented the House from discussing the issue in the open. Sooner or
later, they will have to. Infact, they must. In a situation like this,
the best form of defence is that of truth. The queries posed by The
News require direct answers and supplementary evidence as follows:

"Speaker Buhari is 29, not 36 as he claimed."

"No, The News lied, I am 36."

"Speaker Buhari did not attend the University of Toronto".

"I did. The News is lying and the computers at the University of
Toronto are defective".

But Buhari has not responded in this fashion. He has spoken of his
integrity being intact, whereas that is precisely what is being
challenged. A man's integrity cannot be intact simply because he says
so ñ integrity must stand on something. For now, no one is sure where
Buhari's integrity lies. For all we know, it is currently hanging in
the balance, which is why those who have expressed the view that the
Speaker should step aside pending the conclusion of investigations
into his case, have a good point. If the Speaker is allowed to remain
in office, the integrity of the House, and of the legislative process
will be affected. How can we have as Speaker, a man who has been
publicly accused of perjury and forgery? The University of Toronto has
even written that no Salisu Buhari ever passed through that
university.

Apart from stepping aside, Honourable Buhari must go to the law
courts, to defend his honour and integrity. Perhaps all this would not
have arisen if the man had not presented himself as a candidate for
the position of Speaker, and if he had lost in the election. If he had
remained a quiet member of the House of Representatives, no one may
have taken the troubles to double-check his credentials. Prior to his
emergence as Speaker, Alhaji Buhari appeared in nearly every
newspaper. He was packaged as a wonder kid, an intellectual etc. It is
curious the role our journalists play in these matters. Today, a set
of journalists dress up someone as a public figure, soon after another
group discovers the opposite. Because the Nigerian press also does not
always do its home-work properly, it has become easy for its own
integrity to be questioned. In this matter, however, The News is
resolute, which is good for journalism.

When all is said and done, it is the process that has made this
possible that should be re-examined. Buhari's credentials were
originally checked by the state security service, INEC and the
National Intelligence Agency (NIA). There are also indications that
INEC and the SSS had raised doubts about Buhari's credentials, yet no
one deemed it necessary to take appropriate action. The facts do not
seem to add up on the Speaker's side. He could not have gained
admission into King's College at 18, nor could he have graduated at
23. To be doubly sure, the Federal Government should immediately
embark on an "Operation Show Your Particulars" in the public sector.
Every elected official should be required to re-present his or her
credentials, and these must be carefully examined. The truth is that
we live in a country where forgery is a major tool of survival.
Forgery is so sophisticated in our land, there is even a market for it
in Lagos. It is called Oluwole: The notorious corner of Lagos where
you can easily buy forged American Visas and Passports, dollar notes,
etc. We also place much premium on paper qualifications; and
certificates are perhaps easier to forge than any other form of
documents. Government must double-check the credentials of its
officials in the same manner in which universities routinely ask
students to present the original copies of their credentials.
President Obasanjo is the leading apostle of transparency and honesty
as non-negotiable tools of governance. The Buhari case is the first
major test for his administration. The public's right to know must be
defended. The truth must be revealed. Members of the House of
Representatives also owe themselves a duty: which is to correct the
pervasive impression that those who go into politics in Nigeria are
for the most part, fraudsters, con-men and liars. The Honourable men
in Parliament must see the need to protect the integrity of the
legislature. Buhari's father, by the way, appears to be the only one
supporting him poblicly. Except that a father's testimony in this
matter is not very useful. Speaker Buhari should start putting
together a small bag: he may need the end of the day: perjury and
forgery being criminal offences. And while we are all waiting for the
truth, the Speaker should be put under security surveillance. He must
not be allowed to move close to any of the country's borders. You see,
you never know...`

Akinyele's Wedding`

T`his seems to be the season of weddings in tinseltown. Rich boys and
girls in high places are acquiring new brides, and displaying their
new acquisitions for the whole country to see and admire. I didn't
realise that a second, third, or fourth wedding could be an
appropriate opportunity to display one's vanity. But that is what is
happening. In case you have not heard, Kwara State Governor, Rear
Admiral Mohammed Lawal (rtd) recently took a third wife ñ Aisha
Abdulrazaq, daughter of Alhaji Abdul Ganiyu Abdulrazaq (SAN).
According to the reports Hajiya Aisha, as she is now known, would be
His Excellency's official wife as Governor of Kwara State. Smart guy,
not so? New office, new wife. And what happens to the other two wives?
We'd have to ask the Rear Admiral.

Col. Lawan Gwadabe, former military Governor of Niger State, has also
taken wife No. 2: Hajia Khairat Abdulrazaq, the first female senator
from the Federal Capital Territory. Hajia Khairat, interestingly, is
the elder sister of Hajia Aisha, Rear Admiral Lawal's wife No. 3. The
Abdulrazaq's are clearly in a generous mood. Hey, do they have more
spinters in that household for willing suitors?

But no marriage in recent times has been more exotic than that of
Chief Alex Akinyele who seems to have a passion for foreign liaisons.
Aleco, as he is otherwise known, lost his beloved South African wife,
Yvonne Akinyele in 1998. Sir Alex was inconsolable. His wife was his
jewel of inestimable value. But now, Aleco is no longer mourning. He
feel in love, "at first sight" with a 35-year old Indian lady in
far-away Indian. They both got married the other day in Bombay, and
former Ms. Maria Bernadine Calvaho, now Mrs. Maria Akinyele is
sounding truimphant: She told Weekend Concord: "I sympathise with all
the ladies who wanted to get married to my husband" I can see that a
lot of ladies wanted to marry him at all costs. But I have taken him
away. All I can say now, is that I sympathise with them".

Well, who wouldn't? To marry his Indian love, Sir Alex flew friends
and relations to India. To all the women who wanted to marry Alex
Akinyele and lost out: better luck elsewhere.

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