Buhari needs disciplined cabinet to fight corruption

Sir: With three cardinal programmes of President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB’s) campaign promises – Insecurity, Corruption and Economy – Nigerians expected effective and rebut fighting these promises in the country. Let me start with the corruption war. For long, PMB had been pontificating about his desire to fight corruption. His stance on this made Nigerians believes that he is capable to beat the previous administration’s efforts in fighting insecurity, corruption and improving the nation’s economy.

The war waged by the administration against corruption proved to be the toughest and it’s fighting back each passing day because there are several alleged corruptions within the administration. The most disturbing point of the war against corruption is becoming a subject of public scorn. Nigerians may recall that in less than two years, the administration faces its first litmus test in fighting corruption with highly celebrated profiled corrupt cases like ex-petroleum minister Diezani Allison-Madueke, Defencegate and PDP campaign funds but five years into the administration, there were no convictions of the alleged looters in these highly profiled corrupt cases.

The most shocking of this administration error was the approval of $25 billion contracts awarded by NNPC without the input of then acting president. At the time of the said approval, PMB was in a sickbed in faraway London. This casts serious doubt in the mine of Nigerians.  The most worrying development is that the anti-graft war, which used to be your major feat, is now all over the place. Magu, the anti-graft boss, has himself been accused of various infractions.
 
Did PMB heard Prof. Pondei, NDDC acting managing director, told a Senate panel that he spent N1.5 billion as COVID-19 relief on the staff? Did you hear him brazenly tell the committee that “we took care of ourselves,” he is still in office. That any of your appointees could make such a reckless statement on record shows how low they rate your anti-graft war. There is chaos going on between the President’s ministers and chief executive officers of the respective departments and agencies under their watch. 

Did the president know as a result of the infighting among the administration appointees are becoming a subject of public ridicule.  Minister of labour suspended the management of NSITF and said he had PMB’s approval. Former Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission vs. Minister of Niger Delta, Dr. Isa Ali Pantami Vs Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, NCC Executive Vice Chairman, Minister of Power Vs managing director of the Nigerian Bulk Electricity Trading Company, minister of power Vs managing director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA). Another episode of indiscipline when police officers were deployed to the house of Mrs Joi Nunieh, former managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), to intimidate her on a day she was supposed to testify about the massive corruption in the agency. Latest episode of indiscipline is that of Minister of Labour, Dr. Chris Ngige Vs James Falaki.

Nigerians never expected negative things to happen under PMB’s stewardship and voters never thought he would head a government bedeviled with boggling, chaos, among the administration appointees which are discrediting the administration’s goodwill and the nation at large.
 
Abba Dukawa.