THE YOUNG RUNNERS AND THE LOOMING PROBLEM FOR NIGERIA POLITICS: (SERIES ONE WITH LORD TEDDER HALL AND SOCIOLOGY DEPARTMENT)

MARTINS ISAAC [MI SPY]

The story is long already, so the less need for a wordy exordium. The ‘Not Too Young To Run’ Bill seem one of the most celebrated landmarks of the Buhari led administration, not especially when there is really little cause for a twinkle smile. However, one of the still-valid arguments for campus politics is that it serves as a training ground for future politicians. But perhaps, the cankerworm in the Nigerian Political system has eaten deep into the annals of the fabrics of the word ‘politics’ such that wherever it is mentioned, what permeates the air is malodorous fragrance of negativity. This is not a case for invalidation, but a call to service, of our cerebral faculty at what future we seek when the agents of the future can’t manage well, the little resources of the present.

The shape of this story includes exposure, fact-checking, investigations, analysis and solution poser. This is just the first of many, and it strongly advocates alone for the first three, owing to limited space.

It is known in the annals of Legislative politics in Unibadan the famous non-fictitious story of a time when the President of a faculty was impeached and replaced with the vice; the vice was also impeached and replaced with the Speaker; the Speaker himself impeached and replaced with the Deputy speaker who was also impeached. The General Secretary had to handover and the association completed that tenure without a president. Perhaps it has been over-bloated, perhaps not, it all happened in a session and subsequently earned the nickname – “Faculty of Suspension”.

Is it that legislators, having no checker on their excesses abuse power and we need a Judicial Arm, or the Executives whose fingers were designed with Klepto and gross misconduct need heavier sanctions… the series of happenings currently might just lead us there, and perhaps to a quagmire or to Canaan land.

THE LORDS OF TEDDER; THE MISSING ‘MAIZE’ AND WHAT WENT DOWN IN THE FARM
Trotting down the route from Lord Tedder Hall, en route the gate, I switched on my data and as the norm, catalogues of messages flood my whatsapp and chats increased. However, one especially caught my noble attention – the report of the Tedder Hall Press Organization (THPO) on the missing mace around 4pm which was further corroborated by a short release declaring the mace stolen, purportedly from the Chief Whip. As contained in the report from THPO, the Chief Whip, Hon. Ibrahim Okarende alleged that the Mace – the House symbol of authority was missing. The Clerk, Hon. Tamilore Olawuyi was more assertive as he claimed the Speaker of the House was hiding the Mace. Another Honourable said to be from A1 constituency claimed it was stolen while the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Sam Ovwighotu was quoted to have said it’s not missing. He further alleged that it was all a misunderstanding and that it was with the Chief Whip.

Now, with all these conflicting reports, the truth seems frail and caged. It needed freedom. It was on the backdrop of this that an investigation was effected. However, while going about a different story, the true story about Tedder Hall missing Mace was unraveled by two major stakeholders in the Hall. As gathered and confirmed in many quarters, there were allegations of misappropriation of funds surfacing against the Hall Chairman and some of his executives. In order to cover it up, and to prevent it being discussed on the floor of the House… [TBC]

THE EXCEPTION OF SOCIOLOGY; AND THE ROAD TO IMPEACHMENT
The suspension imbroglio was still much alive when an anonymous whatsapp user on the clandestine UI ‘stakeholder’ whatsapp page (WOUWO) dropped an EP. The title of the hit goes thus: “Who heard what the President of Sociology did too? Forged statement of account, I think…dem don impeach am too.” Immediately after this, it was corroborated in many quarters with both insiders and externals having a knowledge of the SOCIOLOGY BROUHAHA. But with few contradictions in the air. A number of personalities believed to be related to the case were sought out. They include, the impeached president himself, the Speaker of the house, a source close to the president as well as a stakeholder in the department both of whom prefer anonymity.

According to the release made available by the Editor in Chief of Sociology Press, Miss Olamide, the president of the Nigerian Sociological and Anthropological Association – Mr Damisa Wisdom Ozemoya was impeached on a 4 count charge offense bothering on forgery of bank statement of account, misleading the house of NSASA representatives council, betrayal of trust of NSASAITES, lack of transparency, using the official office for personal and family advantage and embezzlement of #187,215. When the president was reached, he admitted withdrawing the money for personal use without informing the House or any member of the executives. In his breakdown, #150,000 was for personal use, to help the family; #7,000 was used to finance the execution of a program which was inadequately approved, which he told the Speaker about; the left #30,000 was used personally for the purchase of a laptop which was for his project. He admitted his wrong to have done all these and perhaps, he had little choice considering the circumstances explained. Also in his claims, he revealed in his belief that the case was discovered by the Staff Adviser who he thought was the recipient of alerts. However, as it turned out, the president was oblivious of the recipients of alerts who upon investigation was the former president. It is worthy of note at this juncture to note that NSASA operates on the use of ATM for withdrawal with the card expected to be with the financial secretary. However, the financial secretary when quizzed on if he was aware of what the president did with the money, he denied. According to him, it was on the basis of the lack of safety in his room that made him entrust it to the president.

The Speaker when consulted produced with evidences, facts that revealed that the withdrawal mode were mostly by POS, some transfers…. [TBC]

THE HALL OF FAME: A MICROCOSM OF THE NASS 8TH ASSEMBLY
[…] the Hall Chairman who has the Chief Whip, Deputy Speaker (unconfirmed) and Clerk as his men in the House instigated the House to remove the Speaker so as to prevent disciplinary actions against him. This was alleged to have showed early signs at the previous sitting where the Deputy Speaker in the absence of the Speaker (without his permission) who was only away for ten minutes commence the sitting. The Speaker, it was said when returning was addressed by the Hall Chairman as ‘Honourable’ and not ‘Speaker’ as the norm. The Speaker was able to survive the first attempt and had to end the plenary session. Having done this, and to forestall a recurrence, he took the Mace and kept it. The Chief Whip whom it was revealed raised the ‘false alarm’ was alleged to have gone to the Secretariat with the same purpose in mind. It was this failure that led him to declare it missing. When the Hall Chairman was quizzed, he denied any knowledge of the allegations. He further stated he has given financial reports with bank statements three times this session alone without any contradiction with the most recent two weeks ago, which to him rendered the allegations baseless. The Speaker however who admitted his hurt especially with the actions of some of his principal officers believed Tedder Hall just survived a Civil War ‘which divided factions brought by the Executives’. He asserted again that the Mace wasn’t stolen but just a conspiracy as the Chief Whip who sent out the alarm knew the Mace was actually with him. He further revealed on what he called the existence of a long lasting war between the Legislative Council and Executives traceable to the elections. Though he didn’t give much into this, it was alleged the bad blood originated from the fact that four influential candidates aspired for the Chaimanship position in which the least expected won because he was fiercely supported by the incumbent then. And as for his emergence, it was against an opponent he termed as a strong supporter of the ********* (former) Hall Chairman which prepared the ground for ‘political division and witch hunting.’ The speaker confirmed every other rumours and stories from the stakeholders. He confirmed that he kept the Mace having noticed the trend of things, with malice being kept by Executive members and Legislators who were allies of the Hall Chairman. On the allegations of misappropriation, the Speaker added that the Legislative arm would put them on their toes as the Audit Committee would expose whoever is found wanting, but he is not ready to accuse anyone blindly.

Although he confirmed too that peaceful resolutions have been reached and there is harmony now in what was his attempt to be a little protective of the Executives and bury it all; my honest opinion is that except the Speaker will bow and compromise (the goodwill of the Lords), the ‘Civil War’ hasn’t ended, there has only been a ceasefire – an armistice which might expire sooner.

OF CONFLICTING REPORTS AND ALLEGATIONS; THE TRUTH FROM SOCIOLOGY
[….] All within the range of #1,000 to #7,000, according to the seen Statement of Account. However when quizzed on his highest transfer home, he said it was #100,000. The withdrawal in units according to cross-sections of observers does not provide a legitimate backing to the claim that #150,000 was to help the family. Most were transfers and it is even rumoured some of these transfers having ‘TRTN*********/FEP’ were to fund his Betnaija account. Another reason given to back this up was that when you make a transfer payment to Betnaija, you are charged #100. Most of this transfers had #100 as additional charges. I.e. #3,100; #1,100, 2,100 etc. However, with little knowledge on how Betnaija operates, this is not considered valid enough to back the accusation of funding Betnaija. Those who do, will understand better. On the claims he spent #7,000 to finance a programme which the House inadequately funded which he later told the Speaker, the speaker denies any knowledge of such and added that there was no programme of such. A member of the executive that was quizzed solely on this corroborated the Speaker denying knowledge of any such event. Lastly on the claims of laptop purchase too, an anonymous source claimed he has a laptop even before the swearing in though the source exhibited some forms of uncertainty. The president when quizzed also added that he has refunded a total of #137,000 already with the remaining #50,000 to be refunded this morning, Monday 15th of October. Again, this was disputed by the Speaker and the Head of Finance Committee who asserted that he had only refunded #133,000 and still defaulting #54,000. Although when reached again, he asserted he has paid #157,000 with the #4,000 transferred on Sunday by 9pm.

On why the president was eventually impeached even after he had admitted his guilt, the president believed his removal was influenced according to what he was told, as order from above. However, the Speaker has revealed that the removal was to save him after it was discovered he has been unfaithful. The discovery which according to him was made in June consequent upon a request from the Finance committee to the Finance commissioner to produce the Association’s statement of account aroused suspicion when the reply given was from the President. Since the request wasn’t to the president, but a reply was provided by him, it left them suspicious of conspiracy. Eventually when a report was presented, it was a ‘doctored statement of account’ which inflated figures. This, however wasn’t disputed by the president, now impeached who claimed he was only trying to cover up until he is able to refund the money without anyone knowing about it but was just quite unlucky. Noteworthy, he admitted guilt with remorse when approached but conflicting findings which contradicted his statements, as well contradicted his remorsefulness. It is as well important to inform the general public about what led to his impeachment as earlier raised. According to the Speaker, the deadline given to him was first week of October which elapsed without him completing the refunding. Also, there was the incident in which he was to sign an undertaking to refund #95,000 in a particular week. On returning from the typist with a copy of the undertaking, #90,000 was what was printed out. It was ignored because of the infinitesimal difference. However, it was added that he came back with an evidence of payment of #25,000 when actually it was #17,000 that was paid to the bank. This, with other factors were what the House according to the Speaker considered that the President needs to be excused from his duties and eventually led to his impeachment even months after the whole saga. Several others were discovered but the magnanimity of the press won’t permit all that has been seen, but for the fact that the public who has been fed on conflicting reports to have a dose of what actually transpired.

Of recommendation to NSASA, the architect of this problem is the operating of an ATM card system which needs no co-signatory to effect withdrawal. Thus, the best way to curb a repeat of this ugly episode is to operate the normal student transaction system and if withdrawal remains limited via that system, the Bank account should be upgraded to meet with their need. The use of ATM card led to this, and definitely would bring about more in the future, hence the need to end it.

ESTEEMED READER; SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY MORE INFORMATION ON ANY OF THE TWO STORIES UP, OR ANY GOING ON IN YOUR DOMAIN, CONTACT MI SPY ON 08130116100. YOUR ANONYMITY IS SUPER GUARANTEED, AS EVIDENCED ABOVE.

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