| Gulf War windfall Take
me to court, says IBB
By ENYERIBE EJIOGU
Tuesday, September 7, 2004
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IBB
Photo: Sun News Publishing
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Former military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida
has challenged all the people saying that he embezzled or
misappropriated the Gulf war oil windfall, to institute a
case against him in court, if they have any proof.
In dismissing the allegations, Babangida said that he would
not bother to respond to all the hoopla being raised on the
issue in the media because they have not risen to the level
of truth. According to him, only in a court would he have
a legitimate opportunity to respond to the accusations.
The former president, who was speaking on an Africa Independent
Television (AIT) interview programme aired on Sunday, said:
“The only legitimate opportunity I will have is the
court. Right now, if you will take me to court I would like
that.
All these allegations, they haven’t established them,
they have not risen to the level of truth. If they had risen
to the level of truth, then I would have no option but to
explain. If you call me, Babangida is an idiot. I know that
I am not an idiot. Why do have I quarrel with you?”
Similarly, he stoutly denied the allegation that the mismanagement
of the nation’s refineries had started during his time.
He noted that his administration had faithfully observed a
well planned programme of maintaining the refineries, stating
that his administration only imported refined petroleum products
during turnaround maintenance of the refineries, adding that
the regime never got in the business of importing fuel as
is being done now.
“The only time we imported fuel into this country, during
my adminstration was to bridge a gap, during a turnaround
maintenance. We had maintenance programmes for the refineries.
We made sure that we stuck to those programmes. Fortunately
I had some of the brightest oil ministers in this country.
People like Alhaji Rilwanu Lukman, Prof. Jubril Aminu, Prof.
Tam David West and Dr. Chu S.P Okongwu. They were very meticulous
about the turnaround maintenance of the refineries. And you
can check the records. We never got into this business of
importing oil into this country. The only time we imported
oil was to bridge the gap during the turnaround maintenance.
Again, I take pride in this.
“The record books are there. Fortunately, we documented
everything about our activities in office. When you look at
the books, you will establish who is lying. But I am assuring
you that the refineries worked and worked well during my time.”
On the much repeated talk about his having interest in a refinery
outside the country, Babangida responded to this way: “You
can be assured that I did not have, I haven’t had and
I will not have any refinery outside Nigeria. But if you will
give me one, I will be very delighted.”
On the economy, Babangida said there is no magic wand per
se, for saving the Naira, which has been in free fall. In
his view, all that is required is for the government to create
the enabling environment and allow the people to take advantage
of them.
“You don’t need to be a president to know what
to do about the Naira. You don’t have to. The president
provides the enabling environment. I think the people themselves
should work hard to take advantage of what government is providing.
Once they take the advantage, once they are given the correct
incentives, I think that the Naira will become strong.”
Reacting to the suggestion that Nigeria should consider repudiating
its debt, he said it would not be “the correct thing
to do”, adding that doing so “will hurt us.”
Babangida commended the government for continuing to negotiate
with Nigeria’s creditors, stressing: “I don’t
think it is the correct thing to do. It will hurt us. I think
the government is right to keep on talking to them and negotiating
about it. I think there is a misconception about these debts
and what you call sovereign debts. They are not debts that
the government went and borrowed. Most of it is restricted
to certain sectors. The government has a responsibility to
negotiate, to ease the burden on the country. I think President
Obasanjo is doing fine. Wherever he goes, he talks about debt
forgiveness.”
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