Groups berate Buhari over softening anti-corruption war  

A conglomerate of civil society groups and the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) in Abuja berated President Muhammadu Buhari over the soft hand adopted in the fight against corruption in Nigeria whenever allegations arise against those appointed into the federal government by his administration.

The groups at a media briefing in Abuja decried that they “watched with dismay and shock the revelations emanating from the ongoing legal battle between the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Wabote, and a U.S. based Investigative Journalist, Mr. Jackson Ude.”

They protested that Engr. Wabote has continued to remain in office despite damning allegations of abuse his office, corruption and now allegation of perjury against him both in Nigeria and in the United States.

Details of the media briefing is presented below.

BEING THE TEXT OF A WORLD PRESS CONFERENCE ON THE CONTINUED THREAT TO THE SUCCESS OF THE ANTI-CORRUPTION WAR OF THE PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI ADMINISTRATION BY THE SOFT-GLOVES USED AGAINST ALLEGEDLY CORRUPT APPOINTEES OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA BY THE CONFERENCE OF NIGERIA POLITICAL PARTIES (CNPP) AND A COALITION OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS (CSOs) HELD ON THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 2022 IN ABUJA

Protocols

Gentlemen of the press, we invited you today because as a country, Nigeria is again being confronted by another possible setback to the ongoing war against corruption by the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration.

We are here specifically because we have watched with dismay and shock the revelations emanating from the ongoing legal battle between the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Wabote and a U.S. based Investigative Journalist, Mr. Jackson Ude.

While we hold no brief for any of the two, we are particularly concerned as to why Engr. Wabote has continued to remain in office despite damning allegations of abuse his office, corruption and now allegation of perjury against the Executive Secretary both in Nigeria and in the United States.

He has continued to engage in the alleged abuse of office by apparently using NCDMB or so it seems to handle his legal battle in the U.S., particularly using the Board of NCDMB and it’s spokesperson to issue media release in a case he is suing as an individual in his personal capacity. We have cause to ask the said public office holder to tell Nigerians how he pays his legal fees in the USA if he is not using public fund as alleged.

To the best of our knowledge, the NCDMB is not joined in the defamation suit against the journalist, which is pending in the U.S court and should not be responding for Engr. Wabote in the media.

In the same vein, it is our view that it is also wrong for Engr. Wabote to continue to enjoy the perks of office and obviously using public funds to fund his legal issue or associated issues.

Nigeria has remained at the bottom of the global corruption perception index not because efforts are not being made by the President Muhammadu Buhari led federal government but because basic elements of the rule of law and transparency are not observed.

With the magnitude of corruption accusations against Engr. Wabote, he should have since resigned or stepped aside momentarily to clear himself from the corruption allegations before returning to office or be suspended by President Muhammadu Buhari who appointed. None of these has happened.

Just yesterday, January 26th, the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria upbraided management of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) under Engr. Wabote over an alleged breach of local content laws being carried out by an Italian Multinational Oil Field Services Company, SAIPEM, which is serving as the principal contractor involved in executing $10billion Train 7 gas project.

The Senate Committee on Local Content chaired by Senator representing Oyo Central, Teslim Folarin had summoned the management of the NCDMB sequel to a petition against SAIPEM for alleged violations of local content laws in the execution of the $10billion gas project contract.

Senator Folarin who spoke at the commencement of the sitting before the Committee dissolved into a closed-door session with the NCDMB management led by its Executive Secretary, Engineer Simbi Wabote, said the Senate Committee was not satisfied with explanations given before it at its last interface with SAIPEM.

He said, “SAIPEM appeared before this committee in December last year on alleged violations of local content laws in the execution of the $10billion Train 7 Project without any convincing defensive submissions.

“The management of the construction firm failed to defend any of the allegations made against it by the petitioners as far as adherence to local content laws is concerned.

“Failure of SAIPEM to speak convincingly to the petitions, led to the appearance of management of NCDMB before us today being the regulatory agency monitoring the implementation of the local content laws.”

The Vice Chairman of the Committee, who is also the Deputy Whip of the Senate, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, told newsmen at the end of the closed-door meeting that NCDMB has been told to return to meet the Committee next week.

As already in the public domain, there are several corruption allegations dangling on the head of the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Wabote, including owing a company and operating a foreign account while in public office.

We find it funny that Engr. Wabote in his reaction to the allegation of operating a foreign account in a press statement claimed he does not own or operate any foreign account.

There are allegations that Engr. Wabote has six bank accounts listed against his name, amongst which are Bank of America and HSBC Banks on Dubai which constitute aspects of the ongoing litigation in the USA.

We are amazed that the same Engr. Wabote who claims that he does neither owns or operates a foreign account went ahead as alleged to pray a U.S court not to order him to tender his foreign accounts in court.

A look at paragraph three of the ruling where the US Court upheld his objections not to provide his foreign account points to the fact that there is a possibility that he has something to hide.

If he does not own or operate foreign accounts, why would he apply to the judge not to allow him tender them in court?

Globally, it trite it is an abuse of office to remain in office while being accused of corruption. The honourable thing to do is for him to resign or be suspended from office pending the end of investigations of the allegations against him.

Information in the public domain alleges that prior to joining politics, Engr. Wabote worked as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of TEE AND T CONCEPTS NIGERIA LIMITED, which was incorporated in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria with Registration Number 419331. It was registered on 13th of July, 2001 with company’s registered office address as NO.7, INGBIROAD, AMARATA, YENEGOA, BAYELSA STATE. This is a position which he allegedly continued to retain throughout his time in office as a public servant till date which we think President Muhammadu Buhari should direct an investigation.

Section 172 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) enjoins all persons in the public service to conform to the Code of Conduct.

According to the allegations, Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote has contravened the laws as stated above if the allegations are established.

Till date, as alleged the affiliated company,  TEE AND T CONCEPTS NIGERIA LIMITED with address above, has as directors:  Sotonye Wabote (Director), Simbi Kesiye Wabote (Director) and has as bankers – Zenith Bank (Account Number: 1013755048) and Fidelity Bank (Numbers 4010268127) and the company is still operational.

We therefore urge the EFCC and the CCB to immediately investigate the financial statements/transactions of TEE AND T CONCEPTS NIGERIA LIMITED to ascertain the extent of Engr. Wabote’s involvement or otherwise in the running of this private company with interest in landing state contracts either directly or via proxy companies and acquiring compensation in form of business transaction.

The award of contracts/projects to the company may have been influenced by ENGR. WABOTE SIMBI KESIYE using his office as an Executive Secretary of the NIGERIAN CONTENT DEVELOPMENT AND MONITORING BOARD (NCDMB), a government entity that works directly and closely with contracts/contractors, as well as performing regulatory functions for projects in the oil and gas industry.

The anti-graft agencies are called upon to investigate Suspected Payments as the Money Laundering Prohibition Act of 2011 (as amended) provides for procedures for customer due diligence, reporting requirements, offences, and penalties. Section 15 (2) clearly stipulates the offence of money laundering.

We hereby call on our anti-corruption institutions like the Economic And Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) to immediately investigate Wabote’s foreign accounts if he has and if he hasn’t, why did he sought court’s order not to make disclosure on foreign bank accounts?

We call on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately suspend Engr. Simbi Wabote from office as the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board until the conclusion of the investigation by the EFCC and the CCB. This has become very necessary as Engr. Wabote’s continues stay in office may undermine justice even in the matter he reportedly filed in the USA.

Due to the international dimension of the case as a result of the ongoing legal battle between Engr. Wabote and the United States based journalist, it has become expedient that President Muhammadu Buhari gives teeth to his administration’s anti-corruption war by ordering the immediate suspension of Engr. Wabote and a thorough investigation of allegations of corruption and abuse of office against him.

We also reiterate that the 21-day ultimatum issued by the CNPP and a coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs), demanding the resignation of Engr. Wabote subsists.

At the expiration of the ultimatum and Engr. Wabote is still in office, we shall be left with no choice to begin other legal process, including occupying the office of the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board until he leaves office, a court action, among others.

Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, National Coordinator of HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) for the Coalition.