Controversy
Barely four months after his assumption of office when he decided along with the Federal Cabinet that Nigeria must import a few million tons of Beans from the country of Burkina Faso. The reasons were well founded but were harshly taken by the media who called for his resignation. Reasons for Beans import from Burkina Faso http://www.nigerdeltacongress.com/oarticles/obasanjo_declares_a.htm
Another controversy was faced when the former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Senator Bode Olowoporoku alleged that the minister connived with foreigners to dupe the country in a 3.4 Billion Naira scandal over fertilizer imports. A bag of fertilizer was said to cost N1500 in Ukraine, the main import country and was said to be sold by the ministry for N2800 with a margin on each taken by the minister. He explained to the Federal Cabinet the reasons for the disparity to include transport and duties cost of the process of moving fertilizer from the Ukraine to Nigeria. They accepted his explanation with his presentation of documentation to that effect. The case was dismissed by both the EFCC (Economic and Financial Crimes Commission) and ICPC (Independent Corrupt Practices Commission).
Senator Olowoporoku still continued with his proceedings against the minister even walking out the Minister of State of Agriculture, Chief Bamidele Dada from the Senate chambers when he came to explain. Mallam Bello expressed that Olowoporoku must has a vendetta against him over not being awarded fertilizer contracts during the process that may have earned him N200 million. The senator denied this saying “I have never requested contracts from the Ministry in my position as a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”. Evidence was presented of his two letter-headed requests with his signature. He dismissed the evidence as his attempt of helping some of associates of his. The Corporate Affairs Commission however disclosed that he registered both companies and his wife was listed as the CEO and Managing Director. This exposed the vendetta. The Senate relieved Chief Olowoporoku of his position as the Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture. He was also excluded from membership in all committees. This was subsequent to his eventual dismissal from the ruling political party, the Peoples Democratic Party. The media capitalized on making an opera of the situation. Details of the alleged scandal: http://www.gamji.com/article4000/NEWS4715.htm
Read more about this topic: Adamu Bello
Famous quotes containing the word controversy:
“Ours was a highly activist administration, with a lot of controversy involved ... but I’m not sure that it would be inconsistent with my own political nature to do it differently if I had it to do all over again.”
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“And therefore, as when there is a controversy in an account, the parties must by their own accord, set up for right Reason, the Reason of some Arbitrator, or Judge, to whose sentence, they will both stand, or their controversy must either come to blows, or be undecided, for want of a right Reason constituted by Nature; so is it also in all debates of what kind soever.”
—Thomas Hobbes (1579–1688)