The Nation Newspaper

Category: Letters

  • Still on Maku’s governance tour

    SIR: In the name undertaking tours and other ingenious devices, public office holders often empty the public coffers. It does not matter that for all intents and purposes, the tour has no direct, indirect, immediate or future relevance. It does not matter either if it is at the expense of basic infrastructure for the people. What matters most is what they stand to gain individually or collectively as we have witnessed in the character of many public office holders.

    Though Nigerians have suffered for so long from the malaise, it appears the culture is not about to be retired.

    A case in point is the round-the-country good governance tour being undertaken by Minister of Information, Labaran Maku alongside over 120 others. The absurdity of the whole exercise was recently brought to the fore when Edo state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole told a bewildered audience in Benin City, the state capital, that the minister sent him a proposal to the effect that the state should bankroll the expenses incurred by the group on its cameo trip to the state.

    As it is in Edo State, Nigerians, so it is in other states where the people are already aware of what their governments have done or failed to do in terms of good governance. Beyond the possibility of reaping substantial financial largesse from all the states toured, what other impact does Maku’s good governance tour intend to have on the people?

    Despite being harassed by debilitating challenges, Nigerians have not lost sight of the fact that Maku is a federal subject on a federal mission. They are aware that the mission cannot be of any more benefit to the states other than for the federal government using it as a publicity stunt for its vaunted transformation agenda. The federal government is not known to undertake altruistic projects; certainly not for states governed by opposition parties. Nigerians are therefore wondering why it is not only undertaking this unnecessary tour but also coercing the states to fund it.

    Maku ought to have answered this question first before sending funding proposals to state governments.

    It is no surprise that Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka expressed profound happiness that Comrade Oshiomhole dismissed Maku and his good governance funding proposals. The time has come for public office holders to stop being frivolous in the manner they handle public funds. The Oshiomhole example is heart-warming and Nigerians expect other state governors who have not swallowed the good governance bait to distance themselves from committing their state resources to fund it.

    • Ernest Omoarelojie,

    Benin City

  • Don’t stop the tsunami in judiciary

    Don’t stop the tsunami in judiciary

    SIR: In any progressive clime, the essence of the rule of law is basically for the creation, preservation, enthronement and advancement of a civilized society, hence, when judges responsively punish wrongs, protect rights and resolve discord by thoughtful, independent and unbiased application of laws, the justice system secures the freedoms, tranquility and equality that engenders a social environment in which man’s highest aspirations and evolution can be realized.

    A weak judicial system, on the other hand, is manure to all forms of social ills.

    Sadly, Nigeria has not been particularly fortunate in its drive at evolving functional democratic governance, which could deliver the often-touted, but elusive dividends to the people, principally because of the credibility crisis bedeviling its judiciary.

    A ray of hope glittered in what can be best described as a judicial tsunami, when the National Judicial Council spurred President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State into the sacking of two suspended judges – Justice Charles Archibong of the Federal High Court, Lagos, and Justice T. D. Naron of the High Court of Justice, Plateau State, respectively.

    The two judges were accused of joining the bandwagon by delivering controversial judgments that many described as ‘embarrassing’ to the judiciary.

    Specifically, Naron drew the anger of the NJC over his poor handling of the governorship battle between ex-Osun State governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, and the incumbent Governor Rauf Aregbesola while Archibong’s indictment bordered on his controversial ruling in the case involving a former managing director of Intercontinental Bank, Erastus Akingbola.

    President Goodluck Jonathan has since approved the compulsory retirement of Justice Archibong, following the recommendation of the NJC.

    While the latest action of sacking is commendable, it is worthy of note that these two judges are not the only ones delivering or have been found to have delivered kangaroo and controversial judgments.

    The NJC should then, beam its searchlight on other judges who might have been compromised by flushing them out of the bench, if we are ready to win the war against electoral and other forms of judicial corruption in the country.

    The Nigerian Bar Association has promised to clean the Augean stable by effectively punishing its members – irrespective of their status – who contravened the ethics of the legal profession.

    Cases of corruption in the judiciary seem to be more prevalent in the political turf. For instance, it is alleged that since 1999, nearly all elections into major political offices in the country had resulted in petitions as the losing parties challenged the outcome of the polls.

    It was reported that over 7,000 suits were filed at the various tribunals after the 2007 general elections alone!

    No wonder, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Afe Babalola raised some concerns when he said, “Time was when a lawyer could predict the likely outcome of a case because of the facts, the law and the brilliance of the lawyers that handled the case. Today, things have changed and nobody can be sure.

    To get out of this quagmire, the judiciary must be well funded, corrupt judges sanctioned, courts should be adequately equipped and most importantly, the government must summon the political courage to put an end to judicial corruption.

    The NJC has taken the right path with the tsunami – and even going the extra length – by setting up a fact-finding committee to investigate allegations brought against Justice Abubakar Talba of a Federal Capital Territory High Court, who recently gave a convicted pension thief, John Yusufu, an option of N750, 000 fines for conniving with others to defraud the Police Pension Office of N27.2bn.

    This portends a good sign since what the nation badly needs now is a break-away from its past in entrenching a courageous, independent, unbiased and financially autonomous judiciary that will have the muscle to stem the continued gangrenous reign of the hydra-headed monster called corruption.

    • Adewale Kupoluyi

    Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta

  • Extend the death penalty to treasury looters

    Extend the death penalty to treasury looters

    SIR: “No one can be a billionaire in Nigeria today without being corrupt. If you are a businessman, you would have evaded tax or other levies like import duties with the active connivance of those in charge”…Prof Bolaji Akinyemi.

    A few days ago, the media reported that Bayelsa state Governor Mr. Seriake Dickson has signed into law The Anti-kidnapping and Connected Matters Law. The law is said to impose the maximum punishment of death without an option of fine on any convicted kidnapper. Of course, kidnapping is a condemnable offence in any society in view of the embarrassment to the nation and psychological trauma to the victim and family of the victim.

    Today kidnapping has assumed an alarming dimension in the Nigeria. For instance, the mother of finance minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala was kidnapped, the Nollywood actress and Special Adviser to Gov Okorocha was also abducted and lots of others. It is an open secret that ransom is paid to secure the release of the captives.

    After all there are news report that kidnappers often smile to the bank or where the money is lodged to enable them claim it before releasing the captives. Evidence has shown that graduates, undergraduates, serving and retired military personnel mastermind some of these kidnap. The conclusion is that poverty has overwhelmed the entire nation. And this is caused by massive looting of the nation’s treasury that is gradually becoming a family affair among a certain clique.

    It is equally no longer news to hear a public servant or political office holders arraigned for offences of Corrupt Practices like embezzlement of public fund. Indisputedly, our greatest problem today as a nation is corruption. Individuals now build plazas, hotels, estates, mega stations and oil depot from looted public funds whereas government cannot even build a block of toilet. The looters become proprietors of private schools and charge exorbitant school fees. Infact, the easiest way to join the league of millionaires (or billionaires) is to loot the treasury.

    Despite these heavy looting, it is the fowl thieves, handset thieves, pick-pockets that get maximum prison sentence. The treasury-looter gets off the hook through plea bargain; a concept that has abused through wrong application in Nigeria.

    It is commendable that Bayelsa State governor signed into law, death sentence for kidnappers. Let me quickly add that treasury looters also deserve such punishment because they do more damage than kidnappers. The treasury looters divert money meant for pensioners, money budgeted to buy drugs, books, rehabilitate our roads, provide potable water, revamp our ailing industries.

    I call on the National Assembly to compliment the step taken by National Judicial Council by amending our laws to provide for death penalty for treasury looters. The NJC just sacked three High Court Judges; let us have speedy amendment of the Penal code, Criminal code, EFCC Act, ICPC to provide for death penalty so that resources won’t vanish like smoke into thin air. The obsolete Sections in our penal laws should be amended to conform to present trend.

    So it’s unfair to have death penalty for kidnappers alone. The sooner we impose capital punishment for treasury looters, the better for our nation.

    • Danlami Alhaji Wushishi

    Minna

  • Suspension of four lawmakers in Ogun

    Suspension of four lawmakers in Ogun

    SIR: What distinguishes man from animals is the observance of law and order. Developed societies of today attained such status because of adherence to the rule of law. Any right-thinking person should therefore support any measure taken to enforce law and order in order to keep the society a going concern.

    Given the above background, the suspension of four members of the Ogun State House of Assembly by the House leadership should be commended. Three weeks ago on a radio programme, one of the suspended legislators threatened to precipitate a crisis in the legislative chamber. She collected a handful of three other lawbreakers and violated Rule 38 of the House at the penultimate sitting of the legislature.

    What is more, after they had been suspended at the plenary on Tuesday they decided to break the mace of the House in order to prevent further legislative business. They even went further to announce the suspension of the leadership of the House after destroying the mace. We must not condone this brazen display of lawlessness anywhere in the country.

    Of course, any discerning mind could see the hand of the discredited opposition in the attempted crisis. Having failed to create a state of insecurity in order to stall the ongoing development strides in the state, they have now shifted to the House in order to present a façade of crisis in Ogun. That won’t gel.

    I advise the House leadership, led by the Speaker, Suraj Ishola Adekunbi, to stick to the rules of the House. While we call on the police to investigate the criminality of the lawmakers with the aim of prosecution, they should be allowed to return to the chamber at the end of the maximum number of days prescribed by the House Rule. That way, we will all be seen to be promoting the rule of law in Nigeria.

    • Steven Oladele,

    Abeokuta.

  • That unfortunate crisis at Nasarawa varsity

    SIR: Nasarawa State University, Keffi, has over the years earned an enviable reputation as one of the few universities in the country where industrial and academic harmony reign supreme. This record is particularly significant against the backdrop of the sundry strikes, students’unrest and disruption of academic activities that have characterized the life of a typical higher institution of learning in recent times.

    It therefore came as a cude shock to not a few persons across the land, when Nasarawa State University (NSU) was closed indefinitely a few days ago, in the heat of the students’ protest over water scarcity. No less surprising was the circumstances that led to the protest in the first place, and the eventual closure of the school that is otherwise universally acknowledged as a model in serenity and stability.

    It all started some three weeks ago when water scarcity became prevalent throughout Keffi and, by extension, NSU. Hopes had been raised that whatever was responsible for the scarcity would be dealt with sooner than later. But, alas, one week stretched into another without any respite. Not unexpectedly, the residents of Keffi in general and the university community in particular, started to lose patience as the scarcity stretched on for what, to some, appeared like eternity.

    The university management, led by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. S.O. Amali, swung into action. Following a series of meetings and consultation on the best ways to deal with the nagging problem. Water was to be made available to all and sundry through the boreholes and water tankers. It was hoped the effect of the prevailing scarcity on the university would, at worse, be minimal.

    One could, therefore, imagine the management’s utter dismay, even as plans were being fine-tuned to implement these and other far-reaching measures, a group of students commandeered their colleagues into a supposedly peaceful and orderly protest. Sadly, this particular protest wasn’t all that orderly. Tempers began to flare when, in the course of the protest, the ever-busy Akwanga-Keffi-Abuja highway was blocked for some hours, with thousands of innocent travelers stranded against their will. In other words, the students’ freedom of assembly/association eventually became a hinderance to other innocent citizens’ freedom of movement along the veritably busy expressway.

    Although the students were expressing their grievances by protesting, they were however misled by miscreants who eventually took over the crisis, using the moment to rob residents of their phones and cash, even inciting the wrath of the soldiers.

    From the foregoing, it is clear that some elements within and outside the university decided, for reasons best known to them, to turn this unfortunate and unforeseen situation (water scarcity) into an opportunity to indulge in mischief and mayhem. That notwithstanding, it is our hope and belief that this unfortunate chapter shall not only pass as soon as possible, management will put in place some measures with a view to ensuring that never again shall this type of bitter pill be forced down the throat of our students.

    • Akum Pamilu

    Keffi, Nasarawa State

  • PDP’s imminent demise

    SIR: After a long spell of brutal and excessively corrupt military dictatorships, Nigerians peacefully drove the soldiers back to the barracks in 1999 but not until the military ruling class, in collaboration with their civilian counterpart programmed and arranged pseudo electoral contests in which the retreating soldiers formed and financed a party that produced one of them whom could protect their interests.

    And since May 1999, PDP hijacked the political space of Nigeria and it has dished out to Nigerians more than enough of toxic of maladministration, misgovernance, mismanagement and directionlessness in terms of leadership.

    For the past 14 years, Nigeria has been groping in the dark and it is on the verge of collapse. Except the PDP and its current lords are clinically entombed, Nigeria risks violent implosion.

    Jonathan happens to be the worst President in Nigeria so far in terms of cluelessness, colourlessness, ineptitude and incompetence.

     

    • Akinrolabu Tunde,

    lkeji-lle.

  • Judiciary and Jonathan’s 2015 ambition

    Judiciary and Jonathan’s 2015 ambition

    SIR: President Goodluck Jonathan’s 2015 presidential ambition appeared to have received a judicial endorsement when the Federal Capital Territory High Court, presided over by Hon. Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi, held that he could still aspire for another term in office come 2015, notwithstanding the previous two Oaths of Allegiance and Oaths of Office already taken by him. The judgement itself appears to have created more confusions than it tended to solve.

    One Cyriacus Njoku, a memeber of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), had dragged thePresident to court, sometimes last year, seeking for the judicial declaration that he (Jonathan) is presently serving out his second term in office and thereby will not be qualified for another term in office in 2015, having taken both the Oath of Allegiance and Oath of Office twice, as required by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

    The Plaintiff supported his argument on the ground that he took his first Oath of Office and Oath of Allegiance in 2010, following the death of President Umaru Musa Ya’ Adua and again in 2011 after winning the presidential election. The Plaintiff also relied on Sections 135 and 137 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

    As reported on the media, the Judge refused this argument in his judgement.

    The judge went ahead to hold that the 2010 Oaths taken by Dr Jonathan were as a result of the principle of Doctrine of Necessity, propounded by the Senate in the heat of the crisis, created by the long absence of late President Yar’ Adua, which eventually paved way for him to become President, and therefore, could not disqualify him from seeking another term in office, if he so desires. His Lordship was equally of the view that the provisions of Section 135 of the 1999 Constitution are only applicable to an “elected” president and not to someone who assumed office as President Goodluck Jonathan did in 2010.

    With greatest respect, the Judge failed to answer the question on the number of times the Oaths should be taken by a president, which by an extension, is a yardstick used to measure the tenure of office of a President. If His Lordship had done so, he would have found out that, with the combined effects of Section 135 (2) and Section 137 (1) (b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the drafters of the Constitution never intended to allow one individual take the Oath beyond two times, however the circumstance.

    It is a trite law that the Vice President, under our law, has a joint ticket with the president in any election and by extension they both hold a joint term. This best explains why the Supreme Court, in AGF &Ors v Atiku & Ors (2007) 4 SC (Pt II) 62, refused to allow the purported removal of the then Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar by President Olusegun Obasanjo. Their Eminent Lordships maintained that both the VP and the President “swim and sink” together by the virtue of their joint election and joint term of office.

    Thus, it cannot be said that Jonathan’s emergence after the demise of Umaru Yar’Adua as the president was completely out of election, given the above Supreme Court decision.

    The court also said that the plaintiff did not have locus standi and yet it went ahead to give judgement on the substantive suit. It is trite that once the issue of locus could not be established, the court is automatically stripped off of any form of jurisdiction to delve into the suit.

    It is submitted here that the interest of justice is better served when the laws are not interpreted in such a way as to give an individual(s) undue advantage above the interest of the larger citizenry. It cannot be sustained, by any stretch of argument, that the I999 Constitution (as amended) provides for the tenure of the office of the President beyond eight years.

     

    • Barrister Okoro Gabriel,

    Lagos

  • Presidency out of touch on economy

    Presidency out of touch on economy

    SIR: The presidency has denied that Nigeria’s economy is weak and wasted. How can the presidency know whether the economy is weak or strong, when its personal budget runs into billions of naira, and picks no electricity, food and water bills? What does the presidency lack, financially? Yes, nothing. What do the legislators lack financially? Indeed, nothing.

    The former President of America, Bill Clinton, who took time to study the situation, knows that the overwhelming majority of Nigerians are wallowing in abject poverty. The international community knows a lot about how Nigeria exports crude fuel, imports refined fuel, and the scam surrounding the enterprise perpetrated by the powers that be through cronies and proxies.

    America and other well-meaning peoples and personalities advised President Goodluck Jonathan to engage in dialogue with Boko Haram, but he prefers to spend unlimited amount of money on the search for security.

    With unbridled corruption and impunity, since the corruption is perpetrated by the rulers, how can the presidency insist that the economy is buoyant? That is because what we have in Nigeria is governance by deception. When you hear “I have no shoes”, don’t believe it. If you are told the government has done this or that, go and find out.

    It is hoped that the All Progressive Congress will make a difference, but it must caution the current opposition governors politicizing religion and banning commercial motorcycling insensitively. Lack of sympathy for the less privileged is a major and prevalent problem in Nigeria, it pervades the entire society, and it is rampant. That is a major concern about most Nigerian leaders.

    Nigerian rulers’ priorities are more often than not misplaced. Take the case in which the National Assembly is asked to approve four billion naira to build a First Lady’s quarters? What is the place of the “First Lady” in Nigeria’s Constitution? Yes, it is one of the newest idols that our Christian and Muslim rulers are serving in lieu of the old “idols”. Unfortunately, contemporary idols are financially demanding much more than the ancient idols. Are there no halls where the “First Lady” can meet with her visitors if she must? Very many roads need much less than a quarter billion naira to get solidly tarred; one billion can fix some dams, etc.

    Most ordinary Nigerians are faced with hyper-inflation, but Dr. Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is insisting that Nigeria’s economy is robust. Yes, she has to justify her resignation as the Managing-Director of the World Bank to become Nigeria’s Finance Minister. Unfortunately, don’t ask her anything about corruption in Nigeria, because she knows nothing about it, talk less of what to do about it. She is only a world-renowned economist.

    • Pius Oyeniran Abioje, Ph. D,

    University of Ilorin.

  • Hope rises for educational reforms in Ekiti

    Hope rises for educational reforms in Ekiti

    SIR: Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, may have finally struck the right chord to soothe the nerves of teachers with the recent reconstitution of the state’s executive council, which brought on board a respected, renowned teacher Kehinde Ojo, as Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology.

    Bringing in Ojo, a one-time Best Teacher of the Year in the state who retired as a permanent secretary in the education ministry could have been the governor’s most innovative way of emphasizing ‘education’ as the centre of his government’s developmental strategy.

    It could have been the governor’s trick at securing the cooperation of the bulk of Ekiti teachers who had hitherto suspected every move at improving their lot; perhaps until the state’s secondary schools were being standardized via impressive renovation and appreciable supply of teaching equipments.

    The governor’s motive could have been anything positive but we wouldn’t have desired to know if the NUT (Ekiti State chapter) had not practically jumped for joy with booked slots of welcome adverts on radio in which they described Ojo as “one of our own” and “a round peg in a round hole” to thus, unwittingly, attract attention to Ekiti teachers again.

    It has been a pleasant surprise to hear the teachers appreciate the appointment of the Commissioner for Education, for there had been no such acknowledgement by teachers before. Not even the renovation of schools or the supply of teaching and sports equipments were applauded by the teachers.

    When computers were supplied to secondary schools in Ekiti-State, the teachers didn’t appreciate it but rather went about whispering that the computers were being put to deplorable use by students while teachers, impliedly, folded their arms and looked the other side.

    From all indications, the main headache of the Ekiti teachers has been the Teachers Development Needs Assessment (TDNA) which the state government had proposed to the chagrin of the teachers, a proposal which the teachers challenged and the political opposition took for ‘weeding test’ in a state where teaching had already been abandoned for institutionalized exam mal-practices with its attendant loss of professionalism in the system.

    It is noteworthy that there has been no known moment of truce between the teachers and the state government since the controversy was thrown up. It has only reduced in intensity to a state of quietude with time, perhaps because the well-meaning governor decided to shift his attention to developing school structures and supplying teaching equipments.

    With Ojo, a model of professional teaching by all standards, coming in to mount the saddle at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Ekiti State governor might just have simply intended to make a show of him, for teachers to see him as the standard to aim at, as the model to emulate, as an example of the gains or benefits of professionalism to professional teachers, an attestation to the saying that “the reward for hard work is more work”.

    As he is returning to work, this time to reform education in a higher capacity, we have cause to heave a sigh of relief and expect things to happen more positively, more smoothly, more rapidly.

    We hope that the warm embrace that the Ekiti State NUT has given him means that the man the teachers would work with has arrived and that Ekiti is likely to witness actions and a good rapport with the teachers in achieving desired results of educational reforms.

    • Jide Oguntoye

    Oye Ekiti

  • PDP, Kalu and his media trumpeters

    PDP, Kalu and his media trumpeters

    SIR: Orji Uzor Kalu’s desperation to force himself on the people’s Democratic Party in Abia State has been amusing and irritating. The generality of Abians are appalled at what has become a band-wagon line up of whistle blowers who as it where, are taking turns in Kalu’s media platform to pitiably delude themselves into believing that Nigerians will be swayed by their deluge of white lies, which tried in vain to legalize illegalities and maliciously demonized Governor T.A. Orji whose meteoric credentials they struggled in vain to ridicule.

    Kalu’s lackey’s and media hackers may have advanced their dead-on-arrival case against T.A. Orji but for the generality of Nigerians, nay Abians who are well versed in their masters questionable lifestyle, those ranting have been confined to the tinkling cymbal of a politician who has exhausted what remained of his once hailed relevance.

    Kalu’s next gambit: “Njiko Igbo” is a bargaining chip, intended to unsettle Jonathan against his 2015 Presidential bid and force him to conscript him into the ruling People’s Democratic Party. Yet another colossal failure and the desperate Kalu, who has lost every sense of reasoning, stripped himself of his remaining dignity to approach the indifferent PDP for the second time no matter how insignificant the position was going to be. How is the once invincible Kalu itching to go back to his vomit?

    The right of association being bandied by Kalu’s cohorts will only fly in the event that one side to a party accepts the other side’s hand of fellowship. It is practically impossible for one side to force themselves on the other. In this wise, Kalu’s media attack dogs are saying crucify T.A. Orji, crucify T.A. Orji, our master breathed life into him, yet he betrayed him. Some have even alleged they were there, when T.A. Orji’s release from detention was negotiated et al.

    These parochial and mischievous submissions pretended not to know about the superior favour of yester years, which compelled T.A. Orji to literarily take bullets for Kalu by opting to languish in detention instead of betraying Kalu who obviously was the main target of economic and financial crimes commission.

    Kalu’s ignorant media drummers will be battling with the pertinent reality of wanting to reconcile his touted popularity, against the over-whelming rejection trailing his yearning to come back to PDP.

    Kalu is at his best, when disaffection reigns and this background dossier has made the people weary of his come back bid, failure which the state will relapse back to its horrendous past. As a make believe leader, who has abysmally denigrated himself to irrelevance, I would rather we leave Kalu at that.

    • Emmanuel Onyema,

    Aba, Abia State