The pan-Yoruba socio-political association, Afenifere, has said the Siemens bribery scandal involving some former ministers had vindicated its earlier call for a comprehensive probe of the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
According to the group, the revealation from the German firm represents a fraction of many dubious dealings that allegedly characterised the administration between 1999 and 2007.
The National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Mr Yinka Odumakin, told our correspondent in Lagos on Thursday that the group�s position remained that whosoever was found guilty in the investigation into the Siemens scandal should be made to face the full wrath of the law.
The four ministers of communication that were mentioned in connection with the bribery case are the late Alhaji Haruna Elewi, Chief Cornelius Adebayo, Dr Mohammed Bello and Maj.-Gen. Tajudeen Olanrewaju.
Adebayo was the chairman of the political committee of Afenifere, before his appointment into the Federal Executive Council under Obasanjo in 2003.
Odumakin said Afenifere had been monitoring the case since it broke out last week, adding that the group had noted Adebayo�s denial of any involvement in the bribery scandal.
�We want to believe what he has said and we hope that the probe will prove him( Adebayo) right,� he added.
Asked what Afenifere would do should it be established that Adebayo took the alleged 570,000 euro bribery, the spokesman said there was no point predetermining the group�s position while the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) was already investigating the matter.
He added that whatever position Afenifere would adopt over Adebayo would be determined by the outcome of investigations by relevant agencies.
Meanwhile, fresh facts emerged on Friday on how the ICPC got Siemens to cooperate in its investigation of the bribery scandal.
Sources at the commission told our correspondent that the chairman of ICPC, Justice Emmanuel Ayoola, had to make a call to the headquarters of the telecommunications giant in Germany where the deal was struck.
It was gathered that Siemens asked the anti-graft agency to forward a letter to it, which it promised to table before its board.
A source at the commission also said Ayoola, while soliciting Siemen�s cooperation, promised that the Nigerian government would play its part in getting to the root of the scandal.
Contacted on the matter on Friday, the Resident Consultant for ICPC (Media and Events), Mr. Folu Olamiti, confirmed that a call was first placed to Siemens in Germany, which in turn asked that a formal letter be written. But he didn�t say who placed the call.
Nov242007