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Experts canvass people-oriented fight against corruption

By Gregory Austin Nwakunor (Lagos), Oluwaseun Akingboye (Akure) and Abba Anwar (Kano)
03 July 2016   |   3:53 am
When Nigerians voted for change, the mantra of the All Progressives Congress in 2015, it was basically to stem corruption in the country, which many said, had reached pandemic level.
Olafeso

Olafeso

* There is a missing link in the fight
* The fight is eroded with politics, former Nlc scribe

When Nigerians voted for change, the mantra of the All Progressives Congress in 2015, it was basically to stem corruption in the country, which many said, had reached pandemic level. President Muhammadu Buhari, in fact, started on a positive note with the bite given to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).

The startling revelation of how monies meant for the purchase of arms to fight insurgency ended up in private pockets. The disclosure revved Buhari’s approval rating, as somebody, who is genuinely fighting corruption. But recent developments have made the war to look lopsided and appear, as the late Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu described in his book, Because I Was Involved, as “the thriving industry of witch-hunting and scapegoatism in Nigeria.”

In the last few weeks, the Buhari administration has come under intense criticism over the perceived lopsidedness of the war against corruption and the hurried decision to clear the chief of army staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, over allegation of his acquisition of properties in Dubai, United Arab Emirate.

The Dubai property saga of Buratai began after a leak by Sahara Reporters revealed that the army chief acquired two properties in Dubai, to the tune of $1.5m, money allegedly diverted from a military vehicle contract scam.

According to the report, General Buratai and his two wives in 2013 paid the sum of 1,498,534.00 AED (N120 million/$419,000) for the first property, Project TFG Marina Hotel Unit 2711. Sale documents indicated that the first property was handed over to the Buratai on January 13, 2013.

The allegation that Buratai might have pilfered funds meant for the purchase of military vehicles came to limelight after soldiers and officers, especially those from the Northeast petitioned President Buhari, urging him to order an investigation into the contract scam.

But in his defence, Buratai claims the two properties in Dubai were paid for instalmentally through personal savings three years ago. He said the Dubai properties along with other personal assets have consistently been declared in his assets declaration form as commander Multinational Joint Task Force and as chief of army staff.

A foremost human right lawyer and activist, Myson Nejo, noted that for the first time in the history of the country, the citizens are witnessing a sincere move to stamp out the corruption, which has eaten so deeply into the fabrics of the nation in its entirety.

Nejo said the law of the land, as interpreted by the courts, have empowered the anti-graft agencies to bring whosever that is corrupt to justice.

Using the legal term, Ubi jus ibi remedium, meaning, “no wrong should go uncorrected if it is capable of being remedied by courts,” Nejo affirmed that the prevalent corruption in the country transcends economic circles, linking it also with the social and political spheres. He disclosed that those who control the political machinery of government are better placed to dominate and control other sectors freely.

According to him: “I think the anti corruption crusade of the present government cannot be trivialised by anybody. As you can see the crusade is already yielding dividends. It is not right when political office holders take advantage of the collective confidence reposed on them to rock the boat of development of the country through corruption.

“The attitude of our political leaders in every tier of government calls to question their pedigree and upbringing. This generation of leaders has thrown morality to the winds and has consistently sacrificed the welfare of the masses. In order to demobilise this hydra-head and bring the economy out of the woods, it is necessary to fight corruption to a standstill,” he said.

He said, “the anti-corruption war of the present government is, therefore, a right step in a right direction. Meanwhile, some have tagged this crusade as selective or prejudicial to others, but I feel, this may not be correct, after all.”

His words: “Although, they are entitled to their opinions, the truth is that the era of abuse of public office and impunity is over. My advice on the anti-corruption crusade is that in addition to those being prosecuted, Mr. President should use his good offices to build transparency into government business.”

“Without necessary mechanism to forestall corruption through inbuilt devices to checkmate or prevent such tendencies, the fight against corruption would amount to building something on nothing. And will be subject to name calling, like in the present day, instead of being praised by all.

“Just like those holders of public offices yesterday, I don’t think the present ones descended from heaven. Therefore, building transparency into our spending is very important,” he said.

Another legal practitioner, Emmanuel Louis Etiuzalle, in assessing the situation, said, “what we are experiencing today is not new to discerning Nigerians. You will recall that during the administration of former President Obasanjo, the government, particularly, the political leadership was accused of using the EFCC as an instrument of political repression. It has been alleged in so many quarters that the EFCC only arrest and investigate corruption against political enemies of the government.

“Clearly, the arrests, detention and prosecution of offenders are not coterminous with the fight against corruption. It maybe narrowly viewed in that regard, because this is about the first time that erstwhile highly placed government functionaries are being openly arrested, detained and prosecuted on a wide scale,” he said.

Regrettably, there have been reported instances where both agents of the state have disobeyed court orders, especially, with respect to arrests, detention and bail for suspects and accused persons.

“We must commend the Nigerian courts for their forthrightness in declaring unconstitutional or ultra vires such inordinate acts of the law enforcement agencies. Just about a fortnight ago a Federal High court ordered the EFCC to pay about N12 million as damages to the son of Murtala Nyako for the violation of his fundamental human right and freezing of his bank accounts for two years without an enabling court order,” he remaarked.

However, the National Vice Chairman (Southwest) of the PDP, Olorogun Eddy Olafeso, believes the anti-corruption crusade is not driven by fair conscience, equity and all sincerity.

Olafeso lamented that it is a political war of attrition declared on the opposition party, especially, strong members of the PDP to demoralise them, assassinate their characters and integrity; so as to demobilise the party against a political come-back in the nearest future.

The PDP chieftain expressed doubts over the anti-corruption drive, saying that the attempts by the Federal Government to dump the 2014 National Conference reports on the excuses of party differences and ideological variations is more corrupt than those witch-hunted by the anti-graft agencies.

“If the restructuring of our Federal system that is a dire necessity is not effected,” he said, “corruption will still persist no matter how much the party in power and its hunt-dogs may try. And these solutions are clearly spelt out in the CONFAB report, so why will any sincere government throw such into the bin; if not corruption?

“It is like ignoring the scourge of a full-blown leprosy to cure mere rashes on the body.”

The PDP Southwest Chairman declared that the major opposition party wants the President to succeed, “because if he succeeds, Nigeria must have taken a positive step forward.”

He also faulted the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Engineer Babachir Lawal for the excuses given for prosecuting PDP stalwarts over the arms deal and their long stay in power, insisting that there must not be any sacred cow bigger than the law.

“Virtually, APC is presented as the holy saint while the other parties are the dirty ones. He mentioned that because PDP had been in power for the last 16 years that is the reason government has been hunting PDP. He has forgotten that 75 per cent, the core leadership of APC today are equally from PDP.

“So, where is rationality? Does he just wake up to open his mouth just because he can? This country is in a very sensitive state and we must be careful about our utterances. I am very disappointed in him and the APC for what he just said,” Olafeso said.

The Executive Chairman of Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission, Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado, believes that the fight should be people-oriented, which should also include labour unions, states, local governments and other critical stakeholders.

He stressed, “we are all partners in progress. The issue of corruption is one that affect states and local governments. We need a robust approach to the fight.”

The Kano anti-corruption boss said there was a missing link in the Federal government’s fight against corruption, hence the need to make some holistic re-strategising.

“You still see policemen collecting bribe on the road; corruption is still visible in our health sector and many others of the society. So, what are we talking about?” he queried.

The former National Vice President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) Comrade Isah Tijjani, also said the fight was a welcome development, but complained that politics was eroding its significance, as mostly, it is members of the opposition parties that have been affected in the process.

Tijjani said interrogating campaign funds of PDP without doing the same thing to the ruling APC is more of selective justice.

He said, “government should decentralise the fight against corruption by coming up with some benchmarks that can assist the crusade.”

Tijjani maintained, “there were equal claims and counter claims that government monies were also used states during the last general election; so, why then is the interrogation only for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members?

“When campaign funds are given to party members, who would ask about where such funds emanated? It doesn’t happen this way. When campaign funds are given, will you now enquire whether they came from money meant for purchasing weapons or will you ask if such monies were government’s. I mean it doesn’t make sense,” the former NLC scribe said.

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