Issues bothering on corruption should ordinarily be laid to rest by Issues Abattoir since it is obvious that corruption is either not given its true meaning or not pursued in good spirit as the anti-graft agency is in itself a thief, corrupt and used against targeted individuals.
Much has been said, written and discussed on corruption on this column since corruption became issues before, during and after the electioneering campaign leading to the 2015 election but the proponents of the fight against the so exalted language “corruption” has failed to justify their claims rather allow personal interest to becloud their sense of reasoning.
Corruption according to the English Dictionary is “The act of corrupting or of impairing integrity, virtue, or moral principle; the state of being corrupted or debased; loss of purity of integrity; depravity; wickedness; impurity; bribery”.
Corruption does not only mean stealing of public funds but also exist in both exploitation and mismanagement of official processes. Failure to remain and retain the moral ethics of an office so occupied implies loss of virtue and corrupt tendencies. Depriving clients from accessing files or demands for gratification before official duties are carried out are all acts of corruption.
An individual is corrupt when either official or private integrity, purity, virtue amongst others are willingly meddled with against social norms and practices.
Corruption in Nigeria context is a cankerworm that destroys especially the lives of young people. A situation where the rich are not satisfied, taking even from public source that would ensure the better and profitable living standard of the poor masses.
Leaders of the country at different fora had admitted there is corruption in the land, meaning that there are corrupt men even at the corridors of power.
Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, Ph.d, GCFR, in his admittance of corruption in the country maintained that corruption must be tackled from their root, which is by closing all identified leakages where monies are being carted away.
Dr. Goodluck Jonathan posited that fighting corruption must begin with fighting the sources where the nation’s resources are being siphoned before the individuals, arguing that apprehending people other than blocking the source would rather not solve the problem of corruption but create enmity and unnecessary heating of the polity.
It is now obvious that former president Jonathan’s view of blocking leakages in Nigeria is not a welcome one rather hunting certain perceived enemies of the current administration has presently taken over the Nigerian airwaves.
At the time, the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is currently undergoing charges in the court of law. If information available in the media is what going by, then the former EFCC boss is arraigned over non-remittance of recovery looted funds to either the Commission’s or Federal Government accounts.
Selected arrest by the EFCC is alarming as the Federal Government led by President Muhammadu Buhari is continuously been accused by citizens at large.
Issues Abattoir learnt that former Petroleum Minister under Dr. Jonathan’s government, Diezany Allison-Madueke’s arrest is not unconnected with Buhari’s quest to ridicule members of the previous cabinet in the guise of fighting corruption.
Questions on the lips of the citizens are numerous as they question the rationale behind what is being paraded as fight against corruption. Does fighting corruption amounts to selective arrest and promotion of other alleged corrupt individuals?
The former National Security Adviser, NSA, to Dr. Jonathan Col. Sambo Dasuki rtd. was arrested and humiliated by men of the security operatives. While the court ordered for the return of his international passport and other travelling documents to enable him go for medical treatment abroad, indeed he suffered humiliation.
A Panel was set up by President Buhari to investigate the former NSA, it is surprising that just as the Panel submitted its report to the president, he was swift to have ordered the re-arrest and prosecution of the former NSA, what a pity.
The 1999 Constitution which empowers the president to constitute a panel of enquiry also empowers the governors to do same for any erring administration.
Incumbent Rivers State Governor, Chief Barr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, CON, had set up a judicial commission of enquiry to investigate certain activities of the former administration led by Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi. The Commission’s findings were tabled before the President, Senate and the governor, yet the indicted ex-governor is freely parading himself in Nigeria and boasting of not being corrupt. This is because; President Buhari is fully behind him.
Former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi is made more popular, if he was at all at any time following the travail of his nomination as minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the happenings on the floor of the Nigeria Senate over corruption allegation.
But one thing is sure; whether Amaechi is made more popular or not, it is either he is popular on corruption grounds or major financier of the Buhari’s electioneering campaign, with Rivers State funds.
If the ex- Rivers governor, Amaechi is shielded from interrogation by President Buhari, as against the cases of other Nigerians like, Sambo Dasuki, Diezany Allison-Madueke, former EFCC boss amongst others; could it be said that such is encouraging, promoting or fighting corruption?
The principle of equity states that, “he who seeks equity must do equity”, “he who comes to equity must come with clean hands”. Is it therefore, safe to ask if our dear president Muhammadu Buhari is fighting, encouraging, advertising or promoting corruption?
President Buhari, with all due respect should acknowledge that Nigeria is a democratic State and no longer under military regime.
If Nigeria is not a military State, then all activities should be democratically coordinated to have the semblance of democracy other than that of a dictatorial State, thus, it is right to suggest that if evil must die in our dearly beloved democratic country, agent provocators of evil/corruption should not be compromised with.
With James Mgboineme
jamesthenewswriter@gmail.com.
