Group Faults Buhari’s Decision To Exclusively Probe Jonathan’s Administration
Buhari and Jonathan. Image source Blackmagic
A PRO-democracy non-governmental organisation, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has described as selective and unfair, the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari to exclusively probe the immediate past administration led by former President Goodluck Jonathan over alleged acts of corruption.
HURIWA said the probe must be broadened to include all successive federal administrations since 1979 till May 29, 2015 for it to be credible. In a statement jointly signed by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, and National Media Affairs Director, Miss Zainab Yusuf, HURIWA said the laws of natural justice and morality are against any governmental policy that would be targeted at a selected group of persons to the exclusion of others particularly when public corruption and graft reportedly pervaded public and political spaces during the military regimes of Gen.
Ibrahim Babangida and the late Gen. Sani Abacha. “Corruption indeed became a general theme of debates as far back as 1983 when some politicians abused import licences and waivers to import rice and even the national chairman of the then ruling party, National Party of Nigeria (NPN), was accused of large scale insider abuses which included the importing of customised champagnes for his birthday bashes,” HURIWA explained.
It added: “If any sound, deliberate, articulate, forensic, all-inclusive, dispassionate and unbiased investigations of graft and alleged heist of public funds by government officials is to be conducted, then this government should commence the probe from the genesis of corruption in Nigeria and not focus exclusively on the immediate past administration of President Jonathan.
Any investigations that are not all inclusive is nothing but selective and politically motivated and therefore renders any expected outcomes null, void and vindictive.” The Rights group admonished the current government to adopt comprehensive and broad-based non-partisan approaches to the anti-graft war.
It called for fundamental changes in the hierarchies of the anti graft agencies for efficiency and effectiveness. “The current leaderships of the anti-graft bodies are compromised, corrupt and ineffective and must be changed and replaced with independent-minded experts that will wage an all out anti-corruption war devoid of partisanship and eye service as is currently obtained. You can’t fight impunity with impunity,” HURIWA noted.
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10 Comments
HURIWA, other groups/associations and individuals can say whatever they want to say.But, let them not be hypocritical.They cannot tell the current government what to do or not once it is legal.What stopped former President Goodluck Jonathan from probing Obasanjo’s government?Do they want the present government to build on the ineptitudes of Jonathan’s presidency? Then, where is the change we voted for?This is balderdash!
THAT IS NOT CHANGE, RATHER CORRUPTION IN A MORE ADVANCED FORM. WHEN JUSTICE IS ONE SIDED, IS THAT FIGHTING CORRUPTION? LET BUHARI STOP MAKING NOISE, RATHER LET HIM GO AHEAD AND PROBE, UNTIL HIS 4 YEARS FINISH, HE WILL STILL BE PROBING WITHOUT DOING NOTHING. VERY CLUELESS!
You have not answered the most fundamental question I raised-what stopped Jonathan to probe Obasanjo? Therefore, if the current government rightfully probes the outgoing government, they should be supported.The coming government either 2019 or 2023 has the task to probe the current government too.It must start somewhere and I think it has commenced.
For instance, if the former NSA was not interrogated, how would you and the world know that he has five bulletproof vehicles, guns & ammunitions and soldiers in his house?
Thirdly, why afraid of the probe if their hands are cleaned? Or, were you part of the team that squandered our ‘oil money’ and so opted to be it’s mouthpiece?
Please re-examine your proferred reasoning.That the previous administration probed or did not probe its predecessor is not even a point. Those could be its failures and that’s part of why that administration is gone. However you cannot use that to justify selective justice today. Actually, no president has the constitutional right to prevent any corrupt Nigerian from being probed and prosecuted nor select any particular Nigerian to be probed. Creating the capacity of the anticorruption agencies to go after all corrupt office holders past and present is what he needs to do, not point who and who. In the process, millions of jobs will be created for graduates who will go after corrupt people who have disrupted their lives with a passion without fear of favor too. Then other agencies to watch the anti corruption agencies will emerge in a dog watch dog fashion, while strengthening the judiciary and its own watchers too. That is how systems are built. Not agencies watching for the presidents eyelid or body movement to go after selected people. Actually it would be illegal for him not to investigate certain persons as the law is clear on how accused people should be investigated. It will create injustice and there can be no peace where there is no justice. HURIWA is right, By the oath of office, office holders and the president swore to perform his duties without fear or favor…..Investigating and prosecuting all alleged cases of corruption is a duty that he sworn to should be done. We shouldn’t make an issue of this because poor reasoning like this can lead to bigger moral questions such as: what moral standing does a person like me a northerner or a person from Katsina have to prosecute someone from Ogoni for extraction and sale of the oil under his land in Ogoni ? The only nexus is the law and the same law says you cannot select between people who commit the same crime.The president has the capacity to go full hog and should not shield anyone on account of how far back they were in office.
Good talk my brother never mind the hypocrites, blinded by bigotry and greed to usurp Nigeria’s natural resources. Let us have an international commission to probe all past leaders of this country, without fear or favor. That is how we know real patriots. Enemies of Nigeria are not even Boko Haram or MASSOB they are those who are bent on perpetrating injustice in this country. Thanks for being of very intelligent and discerning mind. : “there can be no peace without justice” This is such a simple fact and yet so the called intellectuals of the so-called most sophisticated region of Nigeria cannot factor into their analyses. You cannot treat people like dirt and expect them to love your evil union of their subjugation. God will punish those who deliberately subjugate others, that includes, Hausa/Fulani, Yoruba, Igbo and all. As a panacea, once we give all Nigerians justice peace and prosperity will reign.
God bless all patriots and all Nigerians of goodwill.
Are you going to tell me that the person of former governor Bola Tinubu does not have ammunitions in his house? even local government chairmen have ammunitions in their houses, then u come to a whole National Security Adviser’s house who is a military personnel and u expect him not to have ammunitions? Do you know the meaning of that position NSA? It is a position of very High risks involved and u expect him not to have bulletproof cars? may be u were part of people who plotted to kill him and failed that is why u recover the cars now. As for GEJ, he is not scared of being probed, The probe will only make the federal government spend more money probing and at the end of the day achieve nothing. Let him go ahead and probe, he should stop blabbing it, It looks like he is even scared of probing.
You are talking balderdash my friend. Did you really think before you talk, so because Jonathan did not probe obasanjo, let Buhari ignore it? I don’t know why you guys always submit to sentiment when it comes to something that would benefit your selective interest. Listen this jonathan you talk down at, is part of the same people feeding you and your people in this country, and as you guys always like cause problem there would soon be outright war in Nigeria. We the middle belters would never support muslims. If there is any probe let be done entirely, or Buhari should shut up!
I pity you gentleman.Imagine how you think and write.From HURIWA to my comment, who talked about religion and war? None! Whether you support muslim or not, they will continue to be what have been destined for them.In Nigeria, both muslim and christian have the right to be president at different times.You did not support a muslim in 2015 and he won.Does that not send a message to you?
Secondly, if you want war, start killing yourself and your household.Thirdly, may the merciful God that I believe in him remove the devil in your heart in that you can be positive in life and not a bloodsucker.
When OBJ planned a coup with his brother and was caught and jailed, you guys called it fathom coup. It was HURIWA and other human right body that campaigned and sensitized the world of the doom to come. Gen. Abacha would have marched them to the gulag and heavens wont fall. It was The Guardian and others that campaigned ceaselessly for their release and pardon. That’s is a lesson. You accepted human rights when it suits you and hate same for others.
This group were not speak for all Nigerians, they were speaking for their family, they were nor represent anybody.
because any Government have to start implementation of the law somewhere, so that everybody should respect the law.
if you commit a crime, you have to be responsible for your account.
The President should start from this group, if anyone of them have service as public officers.
We will review and take appropriate action.