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Condemnations
Trail Obasanjo’s Broadcast Licences
Action Congress (AC) one of Nigeria’s
leading opposition political parties and
Chief Gani Fawehinmi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) have called for
the immediate revocation of the broadcast licences which Ex-President
Olusegun Obasanjo granted himself and others on the eve of his handover
of the reins of power to President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
In spite of the apparent disdain and
hatred Olusegun Obsanjo showed to journalists and the media during his
reign as Head of State, their significance in development both to
individuals and corporate entities was never lost to him. This was
manifested in his award of four radio and television licences to
himself.
Investigations revealed that Obasanjo
awarded himself four radio and television licences and two to Chief Tony
Anenih, former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the ruling Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP).
On May 28, 2007, the day before he
handed over power to President Yar’Adua, Obasanjo approved the issuance
of 38 radio and television licences of which he alone had four. He
acquired his broadcast licences through his firm, Africa Telecoms &
Technology Limited [ATTL].
A private news organisation’s
investigations revealed that the African Telecommunications and
Technology Limited, registered on November 10, 2003 with its
headquarters situate at No. 56, Quarry Road, (Agbeloba House) Abeokuta
in Ogun State, South-west Nigeria belongs to Obasanjo and serves as the
corporate head office of Obasanjo Holdings Limited.
ATTL has Aharab Properties Limited, with
seven million naira share, and Ibad Limited, with three million naira
share as its shareholders and the three firms share Agbeloba House as
their corporate address. The directors of the two parent companies, the
investigations revealed, are Anthony Awoisibor, Lucky Onyeamegede and
Stephen Oyodele Isib, suspected to be Obasanjo's protégés.
The news media’s investigations also
revealed that Kings Broadcasting Limited, registered by the CAC on
January 16, 2007 with a total share holding of one million naira has
No.10, Murtala Mohammed Way, Benin-city, capital of Edo State,
South-south Nigeria as its corporate office. Its directors include
Anthony E. Anenih (Jnr), with N500,000 shares; Eugene Anenih, with
N300,000 shares; and Agbonmembele Augustin Giwa with N200,000 shares.
The named share-holders all gave the same Abuja address for the CAC
registration.
AC, through its
National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, also demanded an
investigation into the circumstances surrounding the issuance of the 38
licences to Chief Obasanjo and his cronies, including a Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart; a probe to unravel the owners of the
other licences; whether their applications followed due process or not;
and if they gained an unfair advantage over the applicants.
Alhaji Mohammed said: “What is so urgent
about acquiring radio and television licences that cannot wait until he
(Obasanjo) has left office, at least to avoid any perception of
impropriety by a sitting president?
“We are even more shocked at the fact
that Obasanjo most likely sidetracked due process by giving preference
to himself and his cronies, when there are dozens of applications now
gathering dust at the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) waiting for
presidential approval.”
Chief Fawehinmi, in his
call said the action of Obasanjo was tantamount to corruption and a
brazen abuse of office adding that it was illegal for him to grant
himself television and radio licences on the eve of departure from
office saying that the development was contrary to Section 15 (5) of the
1999 Constitution.
Fawehinmi said in the face
of Chief Obasanjo and President Yar’Adua not refuting the report, “this
report stands uncontroverted and uncontradicted”.
Chief Fawehinmi said: “I …
consider the action of ex-President Obasanjo in awarding to himself
television and radio licences as a brazen abuse of his office and power
as President of Nigeria.
“This is contrary to
Section 15(5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,
1999, which provides that: ‘The State shall abolish all corrupt
practices and abuse of power.”
He therefore called on the
President to take a decisive action on the matter; he said: ”I
therefore, call on President Yar’Adua to cancel or withdraw forthwith
all the television and radio licences stealthily or surreptitiously
acquired by General Olusegun Obasanjo on the eve of his departure from
office as President of Nigeria on May 29, 2007.
“The constitution must be
respected over and above personal and political party relationship that
may exist between the incumbent President and ex-president Obasanjo, the
Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party.
”It is only then that the usual refrain of ‘rule of law’ and
‘Servant-leader’ can have any meaning.”
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