January 27 , 2008
PRESS RELEASE
All Nigerian American Congress (ANAC)
Washington, DC USA
Immediate Release
January, 27th, 2008
ANAC CALLS ON THE NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT TO RELEASE THE FULL LIST OF ALL
APPLICANTS AND THOSE AWARDED LANDS IN THE DIASPORA ABUJA PYAKAS LAND
ALLOCATION PROCESS
Following a four hours deliberations via international teleconference of
the open Stakeholders and Board of Trustees Meeting of All Nigerian
American Congress moderated by ANAC Trustee from California Honorable
David Ogunnaike, the organization has called upon the Nigerian
government
through the Minister of Abuja Federal Territory, Alhaji Umar Modibbo, to
release the list of all applicants and those who were awarded the
designated land properties in the Abuja Pyakas Diaspora Land Process. In
attendance were stakeholders from the United States, Canada, and UK.
The board in a unanimous resolution requested ANAC Executive Director,
to send a copy of the letter requesting the Abuja full list to be made
to all the parties connected with the land allocation process in
question which included the office of Minister Alhaji Umar Modibbo,
Abuja Geographic Information System (AGIS) and other parties involved in
the allocation process in question. The intent of the request is to
answer to the public out cry of numerous members of All Nigerian
American Congress, counterpart All Nigerian European Congress and other
members of the Nigerian International Communities, who have made public
allegation that favoritism, tribalism, personal contact influences and
other corrupt and fraudulent practices may have been involved in the
land allocation process.
On behalf of the millions of Nigerians in the International Community
whom we represent their interest, we believe it is incumbent upon us in
ANAC as well as for the image of Nigeria and the administration of Umar
Shehu Yar'Adua who has embraced transparency and due process with all
welcomed strides, to openly investigate this matter very thoroughly and
if any anomalies are discovered, very swift actions should be taken to
rectify such errors. We in ANAC will continue our due diligence in
expecting a release of the requested list of applicants, exact numbers
of plots assigned by the Federal government of Nigeria, list, addresses
of persons or awardees given these plots in the diaspora, amounts
collected from applicants, to ascertain whether such persons are true
residents with real identities in the international communities. If
multiple allocations were given to any or some individuals or families
or any other evidence of fraudulent or corrupt activities were
perpetuated in the process on behalf of all Nigerians in the
International Communities then an immediate redress would be needed.
We in the leadership of ANAC would take this opportunity to call on the
Federal Government of Nigeria, the administration of President Umar
Shehu Yar'Adua to help us in this process and to make sure the
confidence of the growing Nigerian International Community is re-assured
of the sincerity in due process this administration has affirmed for a
new Nigeria. The leadership of ANAC on behalf of all our stakeholders
and the Nigerian International Community has opted to put aside for now
legal proceedings in the International Communities and or in Abuja
Nigeria, to give the Nigerian Administration the reported one to two
weeks by the Honorable Minister of Federal Capital Territory Alhaji Umar
Modibbo to make public and provide us in ANAC and the public the
requested full list of applicants and awardees. We have forwarded a
letter to that effect to the Honorable Minister and other affected
parties.
Paul Oranika
Chair, Public Affairs Committee
Ola Aina
Chair Ethics/Congressional Committee
(Author of Resolution)
Dan E. Austin M.D
Chairman, Board of Trustees
All Nigerian American Congress (ANAC)
Please refer all correspondence to
All Nigerian American Congress (ANAC)
P.O.Box 6500, Largo, Maryland, USA 20792
Email: memberservices@anacweb.org
WWW.ANACWEB.ORG