Haliru Mohammed Bello

Haliru Mohammed Bello (born 9 October 1945) is a Nigerian politician. He was trained in veterinary medicine. He held various administrative positions under the military governments before 1999. He was the Minister of Communications from June 2001 to May 2003. After he left office he was indicted in a bribery scandal involving the German telecom company Siemens AG.

He was Defense Minister from July 2011 until June 2012. He was appointed the acting National Chairman of the People's Democratic Party of Nigeria on 25 May 2015.

Early years

Haliru Mohammed Bello was born in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, on 9 October 1945. After his primary education in Birnin Kebbi he attended Government College, Zaria, now Berewa College. He was admitted to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1966, and studied veterinary medicine.

He became a lecturer at Ahmadu Bello University and a Fellow of the College of Veterinary Surgeons of Nigeria. He held this post until 1994, when General Sani Abacha replaced him by Brigadier General S. O. G. Ango.

During the 1995-98 transition program, Mohammed was a founding member of the Democratic Party of Nigeria (DPN). After the death of Abacha, Mohammed was one of the founders of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) in Kebbi State.

In September 1999 President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed Mohammed as a Commissioner on the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission. In December 2001, Mohammed said that the regulator had been mistaken in revalidating the analog mobile licence granted to MTS First Mobile, which could interfere with plans for the nation's GSM network. He said the government was instead encouraging MTS to go into fixed and rural telephony. In September 2002 Mohammed announced that 400,000 lines were being installed to expend NITEL's GSM network in the North-west zone. In May 2003 Mohammed approved revised regulations for interconnection between telephone companies designed to foster competition. Mohammed left office in May 2003. In total the court found that Siemens had paid out €12 million in bribes to obtain contracts in Nigeria and other countries, and fined the company €201 million. In November 2007, the German authorities provided fresh information on the Siemens bribery scandal.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) launched an investigation. President Umaru Yar'Adua said of the case "... there will neither be sacred cows nor a cover up for anybody found culpable of breaching the law".

In January 2010, another scandal emerged over a N5 billion contract for supply of equipment to (M-tel), a subsidiary of NITEL. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) launched an investigation. In 2002, Mohammed had looked into complaints by Ericsson over the conduct of Motorola in trying to win a contract, and on the basis of his findings the contract was awarded to Ericsson. Mohammed was not accused of wrongdoing in this case.

Later career

PDP leader In June 2004 Mohammed was elected as PDP National Vice Chairman for the North West Zone, which consisted of the states of Kaduna, Katsina, Kano, Kebbi, Sokoto, Jigawa and Zamfara.< In March 2008 Mohammed became Deputy National Chairman of the PDP. In January 2011, he was appointed Acting National Chairman of the PDP after Okwesilieze Nwodo was suspended by the Enugu High Court.

Mohammed supported a change to the PDP's zoning system so that President Goodluck Jonathan could run for reelection in 2011, rather than making a northerner the party's candidate.

Acting Chairman of the PDP

Following the resignation of PDP Board of Trustees (BOT) Chairman, Anthony Anenih, the BOT appointed Haliru Mohammed as its Acting Chairman. Mohammed’s nomination was endorsed on 25 May 2015 by the BOT at a meeting at the Aso Rock presidential villa in Abuja. The decision was unexpected, as Anenih had said he was resigning so that Jonathan could take the post.

Controversy The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has already filed charges against him for an alleged role in the diversion of funds meant for the procurement of arms in the office of the National Security Adviser.