Copy of this letter was sent to the EFCC
Mallam Nuhu Ribadu
Chairman,
Economic & Financial Crime Commission
15 A Awolowo Road,
Ikoyi, Lagos
Nigeria
Dear Mallam. Ribadu:
PETITION AGAINST OTUNBA GBENGA DANIEL, THE CURRENT EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF OGUN STATE
It is with utmost pleasure that I am submitting this petition against the smooth operator unmeritoriously called Governor in Ogun State. An operator who thinks the Almighty Allah has created someone whose books He (Allah) cannot balance. The alleged improprieties are listed below under separate captions for your review and immediate action for the sake of posterity, the dignity of the black race, sanctity of Nigeria in general and Ogun State in particular:
Economic and Financial Crime against XeChem International Incorporated
On Monday, August 23, 2004, the Punch newspaper reported in an article written by Yemi Giwa and titled “Ögun, US firm to produce sickle cell drugs.” The article states that “the Ogun State Government has concluded plans to start the production of sickle cell drugs at its firm, Gateway Pharmaceutical Company, Ikangba, Ijebu-Ode. The Special Adviser to the Governor on Economic Planning and Development, Ms. Yosola Akinbi gave an indication to this effect on Saturday in Abeokuta. She said the state government had signed an agreement with a US-based pharmaceutical company, Xechem International Incorporated, to produce sickle cell drugs utilizing the facilities of the Gateway Pharmaceutical Company.” (See Exhibit 1).
Gbenga Daniel visited the New Jersey office of the company, met with Ramsy C. Pandey, Ph.D., the President of the Company at its’ headquarters. That led to Dr. Pandey’s visit to Nigeria. Mr. Daniel collected a total amount of two hundred thousand dollars ($200,000) from the company as an advance fee, and up till today there is no progress thus leaving the company in the cold. Gbenga Daniel has not spoken with the company’s officials regarding its fate since he has collected the money, and an unfruitful noise had been made in the press to announce that a sickle cell company is on the way to Ijebu- Ode.
Mallam Ribadu, in my humble view, an advance fee fraud has undoubtedly been committed, which in fact is capable of damaging the image of Nigeria. Since your Commission goes after the “yahoo-yahoo” governed, this disgrace of Nigeria by Gbenga Daniel in a manner that constitutes economic and financial crime needs to be investigated to cause this “yahoo-yahoo” governor to face the wrath of the law. Dr. Pandey’s address is:
President of Xechem International, Inc.
New Brunswick Technology Center
100 Jersey Avenue, Building B-310,
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Of course, it is pertinent to mention here that, Dr. Pandey later met with President Olusegun Obasanjo who facilitated the establishment of XeChem Pharmaceutical Nigeria Limited in Science Village, Sheda, Abuja. I hope he would not entertain any fear in speaking out to confirm this true fact. As you may be aware, Dele Arojo, a contestant against Daniel, who would have gotten the
ticket of the PDP in Ogun State, was brutally murdered on the street of Lagos before the 2003 elections. Alhaji Animashaun (alias Age), a friend turned opponent of Daniel was brutally murdered in Sagamu. The show of violence where Gbenga Daniel surrounded himself with thugs carrying guns, cutlasses in the presence of police in Ake palace, Abeokuta, after Daniel and Senator Ibikunle Amosun colluded in Abeokuta imposed fear on people to dare say anything against Daniel in Ogun State. Further, such act, coupled with the fact Daniel has never denounced any attack on opposition, provides a catalyst for fear of lives to many people who would have spoken against him. The fact that my house has been attacked twice by his thugs with my colleagues injured with cutlasses and broken bottles and the policemen attached to my house have engaged in a shoot out with some of his thugs, cows people from confronting the evil in Ogun State. Even though this is not a matter for your commission, I attach evidence of this herewith. (See Exhibit 2).
Donation to General Obasanjo’s Library
It is on record that an unappropriated One hundred million Naira (N100 million) was donated to President Olusegun Obasanjo’s library fund for the construction of the presidential library. This fund was taken from the coffer of the Ogun State government after the budget has been passed. The budget passed into law did not include this contribution on behalf of the Ogun State government by
Gbenga Daniel. Since the expenditure was not contained in the approved budget, it should not have been spent without revision of the appropriation and its re-authorization by the Ogun State House of Assembly. Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Mr. Babatunde Salawu, the Accountant General, and Mr. Lekan Bello, the Commissioner of Finance therefore violated the appropriation laws of the State. This illegal diversion would have definitely affected the programs for which the funds were appropriated and adversely impacted the lives of our people in Ogun State. Since the intendment of the appropriation was violated, a financial crime should be deemed committed by the three officials of the State mentioned above. Mr. Ribadu, the elected or selected officials in Nigeria need to be taught to respect appropriation, which is the law that guides governments on spending.
Bonds Bank
In accordance with the Elendu Report published on May 31, 2006 (See Exhibit 3), Elendureports.com uncovered an intriguing system of award of contracts in Ogun State. According to its’ investigations, “Ogun State contractors are made to open bank accounts at the Abeokuta branch of the then Bond Bank. One contractor was told to open an account at the said Bond Bank and add a lady named Toyin (represented Gbenga Daniel) as a co-signatory to the account. Mobilization for the contract was paid into the Bond Bank with Toyin as co-signatory. According to our sources in Ogun State Government House, the Special Duties Commissioner, Kola Onadipe gave a similar instruction to other contractors. We met with Kola Onadipe in Lagos Island. He denied that such acts were taking place and attributed such stories to political opponents of Gov. Gbenga Daniel.”
It would be recalled that Bond Bank gave a Jeep to Mr. Gbenga Justus Daniel as a gift. Upon investigation and demand by your Commission, Mr. Daniel returned the Jeep which was illegally purchased with the depositors’ funds. This constitutes an admission that Daniel was not entitled to it, and was in fact guilty of taking a bribe. It is now proper and meet to investigate all the contractors paid through or by Bond Bank on behalf of Ogun State. When the records are subpoenaed, the masquerade named Toyin would be unearthed and should be investigated and prosecuted, if found involved in the illegitimate and unlawful contractual practice.
Inscription of Daniel’s name on Vehicles purchased with government funds
It is a known fact that the governor was caught with some money which he later used to procure buses from a foreign country. Even though, that was done in contravention of the procurement procedures of the State government, all the vehicles purchased bear the following inscriptions: “OGD students” “OGD workers” “OGD drivers” etc. (See Exhibit 4). OGD as is well known stands for Otunba Gbenga Daniel. It is extremely ridiculous for Gbenga Daniel who is an employee of the State to refer to the workers, students and drivers in Ogun State as his. What a stinking and arrogant way of thinking? While certain laws might have been violated in the acquisition of the vehicles through shady means, the inscription of the governor’s name on the
vehicles purchased with government funds should be a basis to trigger an investigation to determine in whose names all the government buses were registered. Additionally, his name should be ordered erased from those vehicles. On the private taxicabs sold to individuals by Daniel’s government, it should be argued in the Court of law that the governor should be made to pay compensations to the owners of those vehicles he disdainfully compelled to advertise his name and/or the name should be ordered erased. Ordinarily, one would have expected the members of the State House of Assembly to checkmate all these arrant nonsense, but like Ayodele Fayose declared, Gbenga Daniel like Fayose takes care of the members with the funds of the government. This brings me to the corruption between some of the members of Ogun State House of Assembly and Mr. Daniel.
N100 million given to certain members of Ogun State House of Assembly including the Speaker, Mrs. Titi Oseni.
Sometimes ago, Daniel was alleged to have given N100 million each to certain legislators and refused to give the money to those reported to have been supporters of his opponent. While evidence of this is not readily available because the members to whom these money were not given would not want to risk their lives like me to give testimony, your Commission should compare the asset of Mrs. Titi Oseni, the Speaker of the House, and other members of the Ogun State House of Assembly with their earned income to unearth all the government money they have all been sharing. This sharing of looted money should also be extended to the local government chairmen who are alleged to be taking N1m every month out of their local government’s allocation as “Contribution”. It goes without saying that appropriations are also violated in this instance.
I would appreciate your objective attention to the aforementioned criminal activities of Mr. Gbenga Justus Daniel, an Ijebu man.
Respectfully submitted,
Lanre Banjo
Ogun State Gubernatorial Candidate, 2007
Enclosures
