The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP) and the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), have petitioned the United Nations Secretary General, Mr Ban Ki-moon, requesting him to “withdraw your recent appointment of former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as UN Envoy for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) because of the widespread allegations of high level official corruption and almost absolute poverty perpetrated by his administration between 1999 and 2007.”
In a petition dated November 19, 2008, and signed by SERAP’s Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, and CDHR’s President, Olasupo Ojo, the organisations expressed “concerns about Obasanjo’s appointment and held that the appointment, apart from its implications for the credibility and good work of the UN, would do nothing to alleviate the deteriorating human rights and humanitarian situation in the DRC.
The organisations thus urged Mr Ki-moon “to withdraw the appointment without further delay.
“Withdrawing Mr. Obasanjo’s appointment would be entirely consistent with the fundamental principles and objectives of the UN, which are to promote and encourage respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms of all. “Not only would his continued appointment be untenable in the light of the principles underpinning the UN Charter and the UN convention against corruption, but it may also send a wrong message that the UN was insensitive to the plight of millions of Nigerians who continue to live in almost absolute poverty because of official corruption and mismanagement perpetrated by the Obasanjo administration, the organsations further argued.
“We hope that you would withdraw the appointment, and send a strong message that those who use official positions to undermine the ideals and principles, which the UN stands for, and perpetrate human rights violations, including poverty, and high level official corruption with destructive consequences, would not be rewarded with UN appointments,” the organisations further advised.
Among the reasons given for withdrawing Obasanjo’s appointment was massive official corruption and poverty allegedly perpetrated by his administration.
According to the organisations, “The Obasanjo’s administration is alleged to have perpetrated massive corruption, which has increased poverty and lack of access of millions of Nigerians to basic necessities of life, including water, reliable electricity, healthcare and education. Throughout former President Obasanjo’s first term in office that ended in May 2003, allegations of corrupt inducement by the executive to the parliament abound.
High-ranking federal ministers were indicted for massive looting, but rarely brought to justice. The recently concluded Parliamentary Hearing, which revealed the mismanagement of $16 billion budgeted to provide reliable electricity for millions of Nigerians, have shown the scale and magnitude of systemic/grand corruption during the Obasanjo administration.”
The organisations also stated: “While Mr Obasanjo may not be directly responsible for some of the official and political corruption perpetrated during his administration, we believe his lack of leadership and lack of genuine commitment and good faith to fight corruption contributed to widespread corruption in several sectors of government, precipitating poverty and undermining the ability of his government to discharge its international human rights obligations and commitments.”