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'C-PAIN": Citizens for Public Accountability and Integrity in Nigeria

We wish to introduce to you C-PAIN (as in 'See Pain"), which stands for 'Citizens for Public Accountability and Integrity in Nigeria." The theme of our kick-off campaign is '"Leaders, Where Are Our Billions?", as poignantly asked recently by Mrs. Rita Lori Ogbebor of Warri, Nigeria.

INTRODUCING  

'C-PAIN":  Citizens for Public Accountability and Integrity in Nigeria

'"Leaders, Where Are Our Billions?"  Campaign

January 1, 2005

Dear Nigerian Citizens and Friends of Nigeria:

A.  A Happy New Year to every one !

B.  We wish to introduce to you C-PAIN (as in 'See Pain"), which stands for 'Citizens for Public Accountability and Integrity in Nigeria."   The theme of our kick-off campaign is '"Leaders, Where Are Our Billions?", as poignantly asked recently by Mrs. Rita Lori Ogbebor of Warri, Nigeria.  We will like to believe that ALL Nigerian citizens and their friends accept what our name stands for, and will be interested in finding out how our executives spend our billions of naira in their care.

C. As our first public outing, we have sent out  virtually identical letters, each dated January  1, 2005 (see attached), to President Olusegun Obasanjo and the following twelve (12) sitting Executive State Governors in Nigeria, carefully chosen to achieve party and zonal balance;

Old Governors (began tenure in 1999):

1. SW - Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Lagos State (AD)
   
2. SS - Governor James Onanefe Ibori of Delta State (PDP)
   
3. SS - Governor Obong Victor Bassey Attah of Akwa Ibom (PDP)
   
4. SE - Governor Orji Uzo Johnson Kalu of Abia State (PDP)
   
5. SE - Governor Chike Udenwa of Imo State (PDP)
   
6. NW - Governor Ahmed Sani Yerima of Zamfara State (ANPP)
   
7. NC - Governor Joshua Chibi Dariye of Plateau State (PDP)
   
8. NE - Governor Ahmadu Adamu Mu'Azu of Bauchi State (PDP)

New Governors (began tenure in 2003):

1. SW - Governor Peter Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State (PDP)
   
2. NW - Governor Ibrahim Shekarau of Kano State (ANPP)
   
3. NC - Governor Bukola Saraki of Kwara State (PDP)
   
4. NE - Governor Ali Modu Sheriff of Borno State (ANPP)

We intend to copy our letters to several other leading public officials and legislative citizens of the country. 

D.  Other governors will be added in due course, but those who are not on the above list are free to provide unsolicited the information that we have asked of the above governors.  We would very much appreciate that gesture.

E.  Our request to the Executives is simple:  to ask for a proper  accounting  of the expenditures by  these Executives at the Federal and State tiers of government,  specifically of revenue allocations as published by the Federal Ministry of Finance (FMF) on its website, soliciting, where appropriate, information on how the monies in budget year 2004 (or any latest twelve-month period that there is the most complete information about, based on FMF website information http://www.fmf.gov.ng/faac.htm ) have been spent.  In particular, are demanding:
 
     (i)    written confirmation of monies received as published on the website;
    (ii)    officially (and independently) audited reports during any twelve consecutive months, either throughout 2003; or throughout 2004; or  from             July 2003 to June 2004; and
   (iii)    official permission to formally verify any samples of their submissions.

The publication of revenue allocation represents one commendable level of transparency.  However, we are particularly keen to receive their independent audited reports, as we believe that those are a MINIMUM level of acceptable accountability.

F. On July 1 and January 1 of every year, we intend to publish, on a scale of  0 - 10 a "Nigerian Executive Accountability Index (NEAI)": with:
 
      10 - the most cooperative Executive(s)
        1 - the least cooperative Executive(s)
        0 - no cooperation whatsoever

Where the sub-indices will include: 

     (1)  relative speed of acknowledging receipt of notification;
     (2) relative speed of providing first response to query;
     (3) comprehensiveness of response;
     (4) availability of audited accounts;
     (5) responses to additional query after initial submissions;

G.  We are aware that these high officials have no specific reporting responsibility to C-PAIN, but we intend to act on behalf of all the citizens of Nigeria to urge their cooperation in this regard.

H.  We urge Nigerians to support this cause, and in turn urge their Executive governors to cooperate with us !

Mobolaji E. Aluko                                                      John Ikubaje

International Coordinator, C-PAIN                          National Coordinator, C-PAIN

Hilary Ogbonna

Public Finance Coordinator, C-PAIN

C-PAIN

(Citizens for Public Accountability and Integrity in Nigeria)  

c/o Center for Democracy and Development (CDD)

2, Olabode Close, Ilupeju Estate, 

PO Box 15700, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria