On what grounds are you faulting the tribunal
that was duly set up by the Buhari-led military
junta to try your dad and several other
politicians of the time?


That’s an interesting question. ‘Duly set up’ ignores
the fact that the Buhari military government itself
was technically illegal and illegitimate. Coups were
defined as treason by the military themselves after
the assassination of Murtala Muhammed in 1976. So,
can an illegal administration ‘duly set up’ anything?
But that’s perhaps an academic argument, but
what’s not in dispute is that the junta had an
agenda. For instance, let’s examine the tribunal and
its processes for one minute. The accused had no
legal representation, in dad’s case, witnesses were
harassed and intimidated (detained & threatened
with prosecution if they didn’t testify against him);
they were not allowed to see any evidence against
them; and the accused were questioned in what can
only be called an abusive manner verging on torture.
Dad, like several others, for instance, was denied
medication for blood pressure and diabetes. That, in
itself, would be grounds to quash any conviction in a
country that has a modicum of justice and strong,
working, legal institutions. Also it seems that the
tribunal (of 3 serving military officers and 1 judge),
was ordered to find dad guilty. A senior member of
the Supreme Military Council, or whatever they called
themselves, from Bendel State intimated that to me
after he had retired from public life. Former vice
president, Alex Ekwueme, also refers to this in his
autobiography: dad, Bisi Onabanjo, Bola Ige, and
Adekunle Ajasin, were announced as being guilty of
the specific offence by Idiagbon before they were
even charged with it. Interesting that dad was the
only politician from Bendel State found guilty and
jailed for any offences (others were detained). Also,
he was tried for several things. Even the tribunal
could not find him guilty of corruptly enriching
himself or any other individual. Rather, he was found
guilty of ‘corruptly enriching his political party’ – and,
unlike what some think, he didn’t give state funds to
the UPN. Rather, a campaign contribution was given
to the UPN treasurer in Bendel State by a contractor
to the Bendel State Government. Dad accepted that
as UPN chairman in the state and the chief executive
of the state he was responsible, even though he
himself did not personally accept or disburse the
money. Dad described the tribunal as a ‘Kangaroo
Court,’ which is what it was. It is interesting to note
that the chairman of the tribunal, General Ndiomu,
had some form in chairing tribunals that gave
verdicts the incumbent dictator wanted. He chaired
the tribunal that sentenced General Vatsa to death
on very flimsy circumstantial evidence, and that’s
being generous. This is not to say that politicians in
the 2nd Republic were not corrupt or that none found
so by any tribunal wasn’t. Even a broken clock is
right twice a day. But dad’s real ‘crime’ (as far as the
junta was concerned), was political. My father’s
establishing the derivation of oil revenue as a
constitutional reality in Nigeria by successfully taking
the FGN to the court to establish fiscal federalism.
Buhari’s views on that are very well known. The 1.5
percent revenue derived is what funded my dad’s
school buildings and public health programmes. If he
had the 13 percent they have today, who knows what
he might have done. Now, do you think he was the
victim of a terrible injustice or not?


Where is the former first lady, widow of the
late former governor, Ambrose Alli?


My mother lives in the UK. She is well, happily retired
and enjoying her grandchildren. She recently turned
70, we thank God.


Why did she relocate and for how long has she
been away?


She relocated for the reasons stated above. She was
forced to by constant harassment. Also, she had
options – for which we thank God.

You said somewhere that your dad does not
need a pardon because he was not guilty of
any crime, meaning he was unjustly convicted
and imprisoned. What else could be done by
government with regards to the conviction?


I said we are loath to accept a pardon because you
pardon the guilty. Accepting a pardon implicitly and
explicitly admits guilt. Again, I am not a lawyer, I
studied geology for a degree, and West African
Politics & Creative Business Management at post-
graduate – but it seems to me, when you examine
the circumstances, that there are grounds to quash
his conviction.


Has your family made any case for a possible
reversal of the judgment that convicted your
dad?


I met with, and wrote formally to the current
Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole,
on all these matters a couple of times. So far, despite
a seemingly positive disposition, we have had no
official acknowledgement, response, or action.


Is your family planning a special event to
commemorate your late father’s anniversary?



Next year is the 25th anniversary of his death on
22nd September – it would have been his 85th
birthday. We are examining and exploring doing
something to mark it. But the best thing we can do is
see that he gets justice and has his name cleared. I
would add that if you consider the way dad was
treated and his narrative, it is no wonder that
politicians in Nigeria are the way they are. Would you
rather steal billions and live a comfortable or
luxurious life with your family or serve your people,
die a pauper and leave your family to the tender
mercies of Nigeria?


Could you narrate a bit of what you people
suffered following the death of your father?


I’m sure you’ll appreciate that some of the details are
personal and painful. Our dad was sentenced to 100
years in jail and was there for five years. To get some
idea of what our mother went through, when your
house is ransacked by 30 heavily armed soldiers of
the Nigerian Army, in full combat attire, all your
husband’s properties seized and bank accounts
frozen, you are regularly harassed and questioned by
the security services, perhaps you’ll understand
something of what she experienced under the Buhari
junta. Although she was a senior midwife of over 20
years experience, when she finally had enough and
joined us, the children in exile in the UK, mum had to
start again as a newly qualified midwife. She worked
in the UK National Health Service until she retired a
few years ago. We, children, were lucky that we had
an English grandmother who had the means to help
us go to good schools in the UK.


How did you get over the trauma?


Well, human beings are resilient. It took some time. It
wasn’t until the response we saw at dad’s burial that
we realised the regard and affection the people of the
then Bendel State and Nigeria had for him. Also, we
were taught to try and forgive people who wrong us,
and to believe in justice.



Culled from The Daily Independent

If you pple don't want us to vote for GMB, then bring someone else but definitely not "that man"