The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Anti-corruption

  • Anti-corruption war and society’s failure

    Anti-corruption war and society’s failure

    SIR: Let’s begin with the profound words of Bishop Mathew Kukah, Convener of the National Peace Committee. Kukah expressed his disappointment with the performance of former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, stating that the ex-governor has been a “poor advertisement” for what young people can achieve. He posited: “I feel very sad because Kogi has been on the front burner and Yahaya Bello, the governor, prided himself on being the youngest governor and being a representation of what the youths of this country can do if they are given the opportunity.”

    The big question is, have we failed as a society? Are the same youths’ examples of Betta Edu-gate and alleged criminalities of the likes of Yahaya Bello a good omen?

    Yahaya Adoza Bello, born 18 June 1975, was a politician who served as the governor of Kogi State from 2016 to 2024. Bello was the youngest governor in Nigeria throughout his term in office. His political career began with a loss to Abubakar Audu in the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial primary in 2015. Audu won the election, but died on election day; Bello was selected to replace him as party nominee and was sworn in the following year.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recently dragged the former Kogi governor before Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Maitama, Abuja for alleged N84billion money laundering offenses, alongside his nephew Ali Bello, Dauda Sulaiman and Abdulsalam Hudu. The EFCC had previously seized $760,910.84 that Bello allegedly paid to American International School, Abuja, as fees for four children until graduation, over money laundering.

    It is difficult to definitively say what the biggest failure in modern society is, as different people perceive it differently. When you consider what society has experienced in recent years, particularly in our beloved country Nigeria, it can feel like we are spinning in circles – exhausting ourselves on a hamster wheel continuing to desperately do what we’ve always done and believe what we’ve always believed.

    Some of our greatest challenges are those we are capable of overcoming, yet within our current structures and systems, we find ourselves falling short. For example, in a system that allows Diezani Alison-Madueke to plunder and get away with billions of dollars, former Accountant-General of the Federal Idris Ahmed stole over N100 billion public fund; why would the younger elements be different?

    In this vein, there is a sense of empirically nauseating feeling of general public profligacy and corruption of etiquette – given the pitiable situations and as Nigeria languishes in debt laced with unending economic crisis, it would have been expected that state governors would cut their coat according to the cloth. But the reverse has been the case as some of the state chief executives have been leading a profligate lifestyle.

    This is a clear indication of profligacy, recklessness and corrupt tendencies of Yahaya Bello who prided himself as the youngest governor. It is appalling to say the least. As it stands today, Bello is a fugitive of the law.

    Read Also: NDIC deepens transparency with anti-corruption unit inauguration

    This is the time to demand for accountability from public office holders. It is not enough to work only on setting up democratic institutions and processes. These institutions and processes must be put to work, creating opportunities for citizens to lead healthy and productive lives. Ensuring that government actually works for the public good requires informed, organized, active and peaceful citizen participation. Citizens must, therefore, understand ideas about citizenship, politics and government.

    It is, a thing of joy that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has called on ex-Governor Bello to follow the path of decency and submit himself for probe. Fagbemi posited: “I state unequivocally that I stand for the rule of law and will promptly call EFCC and indeed any other agency to order when there is indication of any transgression of the fundamental rights of any Nigerian by any of the agencies. But I also tenaciously hold the view that institutions of state should be allowed to function effectively and efficiently. Nigeria has a vibrant judicial system that is capable of protecting everyone who follows the rule of law in seeking protection.” The likes of Yahaya Bello, Betta Edu and many others should be an example of zero tolerance for corruption of President Bola Tinubu’s era.

    • Richard Odusanya odusanyagold@gmail.com
  • FG rolls out anti-corruption and transparency units in MDAs

    FG rolls out anti-corruption and transparency units in MDAs

    In a significant move to strengthen its anti-corruption efforts, the Federal Government has announced the establishment of Anti-Corruption and Transparency Units (ACTUs) within all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

    This initiative, approved by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) upon request from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), aims to foster a culture of integrity and transparency within the civil service.

    Mrs. Lydia Shehu Jafiya, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Finance, flagged off the first sensitisation workshop for 2024 under the Ministry’s ACTU.  She highlighted the critical role civil servants play in upholding ethical standards.

    She emphasised the importance of leadership setting the tone by demonstrating integrity and excellence. 

    She also reminded civil servants that they are entrusted with safeguarding public trust, noting that corruption in any form erodes this trust and hinders national progress.

    Read Also: Army dismisses allegation of bias in trial of soldiers

    The Permanent Secretary stressed the importance of adhering to the ICPC Scorecard Template, a tool designed to measure progress towards anti-corruption goals.

    Mrs. Jafiya underscored that corruption extends beyond financial crimes, adding that it encompasses acts of omission, negligence, and soliciting commissions while performing official duties.  This broader definition emphasizes the need for vigilance and ethical conduct in all aspects of government work.

    The sensitization workshop specifically targeted Directorate Cadre Officers (GL 15-17).  The goals of the workshop, as outlined by Mrs. Egundebi Yemisi, Director of Special Duties, are to equip directors with a deeper understanding of how to systematically evaluate processes and procedures within their departments; foster collaborative discussions to identify areas where systems can be strengthened and organizational effectiveness can be enhanced; and guide Directors on leveraging the ICPC Scorecard Template as a tool to measure progress towards anti-corruption objectives.

    The initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda,” which prioritizes good governance and transparency. Mrs. Jafiya emphasised the ministry’s commitment to working with the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, to achieve zero tolerance for corruption within the ministry.

  • Renewed Hope Agenda and anti-corruption war

    Renewed Hope Agenda and anti-corruption war

    When he appeared before the Senate for screening and approval of the upper chamber of the National Assembly before his confirmation as the new Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) last October, Mr Ola Olukoyede. appeared sure-footed and sounded self-assured. In his responses to questions from the law makers, the new anti-corruption Czar demonstrated that he is a thorough professional well acquainted with the terrain of fighting financial crime, unveiling fraud and bursting corrupt cartels.

    Critics of his appointment had contended that Olukoyede was not qualified for the job in the light of Section 2 (3) of the EFCC Act which states that the Chairman of the EFCC “must be a serving or retired member of any government security or law enforcement agency not below the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police or equivalent and possesses not less than 15 years experience”. But those who supported his nomination for the job pointed out that Olukoyede is a lawyer with over 22 years experience as a regulatory compliance consultant as well as a specialist in fraud management and corporate intelligence.

    Furthermore, the new EFCC boss served as Chief of Staff to a former Chairman of the outfit from 2016 to 2018 as well as Secretary to the Commission from 2018 till 2023. His performance on the floor of the Senate demonstrated his thorough knowledge of the psychology of corruption and he came across as someone who had thought deeply about the subject and thus had pragmatic and concrete policy suggestions on how best to tackle the menace from the roots without recourse to cheap sensationalism.

    For instance, as he told the Senators, “I did a survey between 2018 and 2020 on 50 entities in Nigeria, both human and corporate entities. I picked just one scheme, one specie of fraud, which is called contract and procurement fraud. I discovered that within the three years, Nigeria lost N2.9 trillion”.

    Demonstrating to the legislators the colossal opportunity cost of such massive looting of public resources, Olukoyede said “When I put my figures together, I discovered that if the country had prevented the money from being stolen, it would have given us 1000 kilometers of roads and it would have built 200 standard tertiary institutions. It would also have educated about 6000 children from primary to tertiary level at N16 million per child; it would also have delivered more than 20000 units of three bedroom houses across the country; it would have given us a world class teaching hospital in each of the 36 states of the country”.

    It was thus against this background that Olukoyede said that the EFCC under his leadership would spend more money on preventing corruption by identifying and blocking leakages rather than spending humongous amounts on trying to retrieve lost money after such money has been stolen and most likely expended. While saying that enforcement is a very strong tool in the hands of anti-corruption agencies which the EFCC would not ignore, he advocated for what he called a transactional credit system in Nigeria because in his words. “If we continue to allow Nigerians buy houses, cars and other essential properties by cash because we don’t have an effective credit system one thousand security agencies will not do us any good and that is the reality”.

    Read Also: Military neutralises 43 terrorists, arrests 115

    Continuing, Olukoyede told the Senators that “The savings of an average Nigerian all through his service years cannot build the type of houses they are building and the cars they are riding. The problem we have is just like the proverbial monkey that was locked in a cage with a bunch of Bananas. The owner stood outside with a cane. The monkey would either eat the bananas, get beaten and be alive or allow the bananas to get rotten and die of hunger”. It is obvious that Mr Olukoyede is not excusing corruption but advocating that even as we deal decisively with corrupt elements among us, we must also reflect on the deeper and more fundamental roots of the problem so that we do not continue to address just the symptoms.

    That he takes enforcement as important as the preventive measures he articulates is evident from his submission that “To encourage our criminal Justice system to work, the substance should be taken above technicalities. We must encourage our criminal Justice system to adjudicate in such a way that it will not drag for a very long time. Prosecution should not be allowed to take more than a maximum of five years from the court of first instance to the Supreme Court. The Senate can work on that very seriously. If we make the administration of the criminal Justice system to work, you will see the great work the anti- corruption agencies are doing”.

    Mr Olukoyede has already begun to walk his talk as his agency has asked the immediate past Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadia Umar-Farouk to appear before its team of investigators currently probing the alleged laundering of amounts to the sum of over N37.2 billion under her watch as Minister. In a similar vein, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), Halima Shehu, who has been placed on suspension, has also been interrogated by the EFCC to shed light on the alleged movement of N17 billion from the account of the NSIPA to some suspicious accounts within one week.

    Of course, the EFCC has also taken over the case file of the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele, for prosecution over stupendous corruption investigations into his management both by the Department of State Services (DSS) as well as the Special Investigator into the finances of the apex bank, Mr Jim Obazee, former Chief Executive Officer of the  Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria and highly respected financial analyst and investigator. It could be argued with some justification that not much use can come of expending valuable time in seeking to probe the activities of previous administrations when such time can be utilized in the pursuit of a new administration’s agenda.

    However, if the alleged diversion of public funds is of such a gargantuan scale, there certainly can be no harm in seeking to retrieve such funds as unobtrusively as possible especially if the culprits are cooperative enough to want to return looted wealth quietly. The new EFCC Chairman must, however, guard against sensational trial by media of allegedly corrupt persons which past Chairmen of the agency indulged in even when there was scant evidence to meaningfully pursue such cases to a logical conclusion in the courts.

    The NFIU also has a critical to play in effectively actualizing the anti-corruption objectives of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. A major step that the NFIU has taken in this regard is that of ensuring that security votes of state governors are paid into dedicated accounts at the CBN to facilitate better monitoring of disbursements from the accounts. Prior to the decision of the NFIU in January that cash withdrawals can no longer be made from public accounts, governors were collecting their security votes directly from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee.

    Between 2015 and January this year, governors reportedly withdrew over N701 billion from their respective accounts

    and it is hoped the new requirement on withdrawals will help facilitate greater transparency, integrity and accountability in the use of the security votes. The secrecy that shrouds the magnitude and pattern of disbursement of security votes has been identified as a major source of corrupt enrichment at the state level and it is surprising that the funds should now be domiciled and accessed from dedicated accounts at the CBN has attracted hardly a mention in the media.

    Another major step taken towards concretizing the goals of public accountability in the utilization of collective resources by public officers is the decision of the federal government to publish for the first time ever the 2024 budgets of its 63 Government Owned Enterprises (GOE) in accordance with the Renewed Hope Agenda. Many Civil Society Groups, activists and Non Governmental Organizations have commended this move which they say will open up the activities of such agencies for public scrutiny thus helping to ensure a greater sense of responsibility by public office holders in affected GOEs in the expenditure of government funds.

    The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, has been enjoined by Nancy Odimegwu , spokesperson of BudgIT “to make public comprehensive details of the 2024 Approved Budget to keep citizens informed and empowered to engage with the government across all levels”. According to a news report in this newspaper on the development, “Nancy Odimegwu commended the government for the unprecedented step towards transparency as this was the first time the government would be acceding to public clamour for insights into the budgets of the major agencies and enterprises”.

  • AGF seeks states’ support for anti-corruption efforts

    AGF seeks states’ support for anti-corruption efforts

    Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) has urged states to develop measures to complement efforts by the Federal Government and its agencies to curb corruption.

    He spoke in Abuja yesterday at the opening of a three-day stakeholders’ forum on the administration of criminal justice in Nigeria.

    It was organised by the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies (CSLS) and other groups in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Justice.

    Fagbemi said: “Another issue of critical importance is the challenge of mainstreaming anti-corruption principles within all sectors of the criminal justice system and into subnational public administration. 

    “One of the lessons learnt from the implementation of the National Anti-Corruption Strategy 2017-2022 is the need to ensure that the strategy is adopted and driven at the subnational level

    “This is a move away from current efforts by anti-corruption strategies being driven solely by law enforcement and regulatory agencies at the federal level.”

    Fagbemi, who expressed delight that the 36 states have enacted their versions of the Administration of Criminal Justice law, noted that the enactment of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) in 2015 has thrown up some issues that need to be addressed.

    He added that the last amendment to the Constitution – Fifth Alteration (No. 15) Act of 2023, which deleted the legislative item “prisons” from the Exclusive Legislative List, re-designated it as “Correctional Services” and re-categorised it as a legislative item under the Concurrent Legislative List, has made it imperative for state legislative houses to develop more interest in issues affecting the correctional centres.

    Read Also: Leaders seek global approach to anti-corruption campaign

    “The effect of these constitutional changes is that the Houses of Assemblies of the various States of the Federation can now make laws for their respective states in matters pertaining to Correctional Services. 

    “It has, therefore, become imperative to properly address issues arising directly from these constitutional changes.

    “Central among these issues is the need for expedited collaboration and coordination between the respective states of the Federation and the Nigerian Correctional Service, for the purpose of ensuring proper structuration and delineation of responsibilities on custodial and other correctional matters. 

    “This will help in tackling issues of custodial rights and related 

    correctional policies and its challenges,” Fagbemi said.

    ·              

  • Leaders seek global approach to anti-corruption campaign

    Leaders seek global approach to anti-corruption campaign

    Leaders in anti-graft crusade have called for a global approach to the fight against corruption to achieve the desired results.

    The leaders, who spoke at a workshop yesterday in Abuja, urged the Federal Government to work towards getting the buy-in of countries at the regional, continental, and global levels for more effectiveness.

    A Senegalese anti-corruption crusader, Mrs. Aminata Toure, urged the Nigerian government to push the anti-corruption crusade to the global stage through the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union (AU), and the United Nations (UN).

    Mrs. Toure, who served as Senegal’s Prime Minister from September 2013 to July 2014, said if Nigeria and other African countries really wanted to fight corruption, they should enlist the cooperation of UN member-countries.

    Toure also canvased the establishment of a joint anti-corruption court by ECOWAS in addition to having such courts operating independently in member countries.

    She said: “Member-countries need to mobilise the needed resources for the anti-corruption court at the ECOWAS level, while each country maintains its existing anti-corruption mechanism at the local level.

    “Countries in the region must summon the courage and political will for them to recover the estimated $148 billion reportedly stolen from Africa and taken offshore.

    Read Also: Adoke’s anti-corruption pretence

    “This amount can build and equip over 200 hospitals as well as over 300 well equipped schools back home. Figures of stolen money should be communicated to the ordinary people in such concrete terms. Otherwise, the figures will be of no meaning to them.”

    The chairman of the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), Olanrewaju Suraju, backed the call for global approach to the anti-corruption campaign.

    He noted that some corruption cases involving high profile Nigerians were vigorously prosecuted in the United Kingdom (UK).

    The activist alluded to the cases of the late Bayelsa State Governor Diepriye Alamieyesegha, former Plateau State Governor Joshua Dariye, former Delta State Governor James Ibori, and the recent indictment of a former Petroleum Resources Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke, who is being prosecuted in the United Kingdom UK) for alleged corruption.

    Suraju said: “It’s becoming clearer that we can’t rely entirely on our Administration of Criminal Justice. Seeking extra territorial jurisdiction will be most appropriate for countries willing or unwilling to assist Nigeria in prosecuting people accused of corruption.

    “You can see that it has taken about eight years for Mrs. Alison-Madueke to be taken to court. We see situations where those accused of corruption continue to enjoy proceeds of their alleged crimes.”

    The workshop, organised by HEDA and the MacArthur Foundation, attracted participants from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), among others.

  • Church hails Buhari’s anti-corruption war

    Methodist Church Nigeria has hailed the anti-corruption crusade of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

    Speaking at the weekend at the 25th Synod of the Diocese of Lagos Mainland, held at the Hoare’s Memorial Methodist Cathedral, Yaba, Lagos, the Archbishop and Bishop of Lagos Mainland, the Most Rev. Obafemi Adeleye, said the Buhari government had done a lot to fight corruption.

    He said: “The anti-corruption war of the Buhari administration is commendable with mixed feeling. It is clear to all and sundry that corruption is like a cancer in the life of Nigeria. Some of our past leaders, from the federal to the local government levels, are corrupt. The mixed feeling is that the anti-corruption crusade should not be one-sided. For the sake of posterity and integrity, President Buhari should extend the war to his own camp and not only the opposition party.”

    Archbishop Adeleye said the worsening security situation following the increasing spate of bloodletting in some parts of the country was of great concern.

    He said a day hardly passed without one incident of armed robbery, kidnapping for ransom, militancy or terrorist attack making the headlines, urging the government to reinforce the security architecture and management.

    “I also call for a robust and sustainable response to the renewed security challenges in our country,” Adeleye added.

    The cleric said unemployment should be tackled, noting that the government and the church should not shy away from creating jobs for youths through skill acquisition and empowerment programmes.

    He said the health sector should be given attention.

    “Our hospitals, especially teaching hospitals, should be well equipped and funded.”

    Rev. Adeleye said the federal and state governments should put in place palliative measures that would address hunger and poverty “because hunger has turned some people to slaves, thugs and hero worshippers. It is not an overstatement that some of the killings during the elections and suicide cases in recent times are avoidable, if the government had given poverty and hunger the needed attention.”

    While praising the conduct of the 2019 general election, the Synod, however, advocated an overhaul of the electoral process through well-articulated and effectively-executed electoral reforms that would address most, if not all the flaws in past elections.

    The Synod congratulated the Prelate, His Eminence Dr. Samuel Uche, on his re-election, and also the Conference Lay President, Sir Folu Aremu.

    Dr. Uche said the theme of the event: Obedience to God, better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22b) is apt, noting: “But God demands total obedience from us, not partial obedience, if we want to enjoy his blessings.”

    The ceremony was rounded off with a thanksgiving yesterday.

  • Going back to the archives – will Buhari’s anti-corruption war be an exercise in futility?

    I go back to this article – first published 6 February, 2016 – today simply because no time can be more opportune than now to draw attention to the unfortunate fact that our politicians are becoming progressively worse. Elections now over, it is obvious that no member of the National Assembly, old or new, indeed not even the predominantly APC members, who love to call themselves progressives, would see how unthinkable it is that at a N30,000 minimum wage, (N360,000 per annum), it will take an average Nigerian worker 982 years to earn a Nigerian senator’s yearly salary of  $2,183,686   (N353,756,988.00).

    No corruption is greater than this and I ask: will President Buhari confront this monstrosity head-on, or do we, M u m u Nigerians, just look on helpless at this gross reality? No, should the president do nothing about it, Nigerians should just storm the National Assembly like the Algerians are doing against a recalcitrant president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika,

    I digress.

    “What component of our education is missing in the upbringing of our political leaders who  loot the national treasury so much about 500  of them take 25% of the resources meant for 150 million Nigerians? What component of our education is missing in the development of our governors who, when caught in the net of EFCC, plea bargain or run away or use the court to cut the rest of us to pieces? I ask, what component of our education is missing in the training of our civil servants and contractors that make them inflate contracts, execute budget in the real sense of EXECUTION, and fiddle with documents to filch our finances? Finally, what component of our education is missing in the upbringing of our pastors and preachers that make them defecate on the altar of celestial adulation?” – Professor Oyewale Tomori, FAS, former Vice-Chancellor, Redeemer University.

    One needs not be an economist to know that Nigeria’s current economic circumstances demand a meeting of economically literate minds to clinically interrogate our problems and plot a way out, at least in the short term, since only a fundamental restructuring of Nigeria can cure its many ills.

    It is obvious that corruption, and our skewed structure, sit atop whatever has brought Nigeria to its present circumstances. A good reading of our history spanning the regimes of Ibrahim Babangida  right down  to President Goodluck Jonathan’s, will affirm the view that dealers, rather than leaders, ruled Nigeria throughout that long period.

    In the first place, these are a people who, in their years in office, neither diversified the Nigerian economy nor moderated their greed. Rather, they luxuriated in, and mercilessly frittered away, the billions of petro dollars that poured endlessly into the country’s coffers. Rather than encourage investment in agriculture and solid minerals, their greater concern was to amass huge personal fortunes that today see them living in stupendous luxury in hilltop mansions. Yet, despite their bulging wealth, they are so much without conscience they still collectively earn billions in pensions, and sundry benefits, at the expense of the majority poor.

    But that is not even half the story.

    As Dr Jide Oluwajuyitan recalls in “Dealers as Leaders”, (The Nation, Thursday, 3 March 2016): “the real tragedy is that Buhari is yet to start the war on corruption. All he has done so far is attacking the symptoms of a deep rooted malaise unleashed on our nation through Babangida’s Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) and Obasanjo’s mismanaged privatisation programme. The former allowed his ‘army of anything goes’, to pillage our land like a conquered territory. Part of the fallout of that was the depreciation of the naira from the pre-SAP N1 to $1, to today’s over N300 to the $1. Obasanjo, in turn, in cahoots with Atiku, presided over the sale of N100Billion assets, acquired over a period of 50 years (1958 – 2008), for a paltry $1.6b, to dealers and wheelers, their fronts and acolytes who, in turn, embarked on asset stripping to buy private jets and build skyscrapers instead of efficiently running the industries they bought at next to nothing”.

    President Buhari cannot close his eyes to these, if he wants to win the anti corruption war.

    In like manner, their subalterns, as military governors etc, did no less harm to the country’s financial and economic well-being. Several other individuals, banks inclusive, have been used to steal the country blind as every penny of the stolen trillions went through banks. Nigerians can no longer wait to see some of these banks get heavily penalised and their directors hauled into jails if President Buhari really wants to make a success of the anti corruption war that has clearly defined him.

    The same day Oluwajuyitan wrote, a usually very restrained Emeritus Professor Jide Osuntokun could not help writing as follows in his own column in the same newspaper: “The kind of looting we are being told happened is enough to depress any sane and patriotic Nigerian.

    The level of looting poses existential threat to this republic. In China, some of what happened in the recent past would have attracted the ultimate punishment (death). Some of the stories sound like they are from Ali baba and the 40 thieves. People walk into the office of the National Security Adviser, sign a piece of paper, and walk out with a mandate to go to the CBN or banks where government has money to go and collect billions for some spurious work for government or the ruling party, or even for no work at all! Nigerian crude was sold without the treasury being credited with the proceeds. Billions, if not trillions, were shared among party bigwigs as if people were playing the game of monopoly with the nation’s money.

    Government’s decision to bring the guilty parties to book had better been speeded up before people lose their patience.

    Another reason for the lingering fear that informed the title of this article is what Stephanie Findlay of AFP calls: “the Goodluck Jonathan Alibi”. This alibi, already pleaded by Olisa Metuh, PDP’s erstwhile Publicity Secretary, in his money laundering ‘no case’ submission, and which, according to informed sources, the former National Security Adviser, Col.  Sambo Dasuki, would also plead, is that both men were obeying President Jonathan’s orders.

    It would appear that President Buhari is shielding the former president from being invited to testify, even if only as a witness. This is said to be on account of a so-called pledge to Jonathan on account of his election concession as if, with the President Gbagbo example, he had a choice.

    I just hope that  the president is aware that should these people go scot free, there goes his anti-corruption war (which some U.S state officials, for yet unknown reasons, recently tried to undermine by heavily under reporting its  number of  convictions which are now in the high hundreds).

    However, whichever way President Muhammadu Buhari chooses to be remembered by history is strictly in his own hands. Nigerians have just gifted him a tabula rasa on which to write his own epitaph.

    I wish him well.

     

    As Professor Adelabu delivers UNIFE 334th Inaugural Lecture

    If anybody should be absent at this  Inaugural, it shouldn’t have been me. What next could I do other than try to make up, a tweeny little bit, with this letter  to her straight from the heart.

    My dear Professor Dupe Adelabu,

    Nothing would have gratified me more than being present at your inaugural tomorrow, 26 March, 2019.

    Unfortunately, I had contacted a very bad cough at a nearby petrol station where I had been playing drought for some years, inhaling, unknown to me , oil fumes and smoke, albeit imperceptibly.

    Over the last weekend, I began to cough and soon completely lost my voice. Diagnosis: fume induced cough. .

    I have, since Saturday, communicated only by text messages, and signs, at home. Not a single phone call.

    Really, really terrible.

    I heartily congratulate you on this huge occasion, appreciating the gargantuan effort, and the amount of self denial, that must have gone into making the exemplary scholar we have in you today. Not only papa and mama, but my egbon, your darling sweetheart, and better half, now at the bosom of our Lord Jesus Christ, as well as the children, and your grandchildren, must be beside themselves with joy on this your great occasion.

    I salute your industry, your incomparable caring heart and your inimitable public service. I deeply appreciate your being an untiring prayer warrior, as prayer has been your greatest tool, of helping Ekiti state but more importantly, the governor, and his family.

    The good Lord will continue to be your guide and guardian as he upholds you, and all yours.

    So shall it be in the mighty name of Jesus.

    Amen.

    Tinuke sends her warmest congratulations.

  • Why the anti-corruption fight is a must

    Corruption, or the practice of it, has many faces to it; but simply put, it is the art of seeking gratification or bribe or departure from that which is pure, simple or correct. Transparency International, the global anti-graft watchdog, defines it as the abuse of entrusted power for private gain. Its effects in our clime can be seen everywhere, most especially in the public sector arena. Corruption drains life out of a functional system as its cohorts seek to concentrate state resources in the hands of a few.

    Indeed, there is hardly a discourse in Nigeria today without recourse to the word – corruption. The lexicon is being ingrained in the fabrics of socio-political interactions and activities in the country now as the main evil that has hindered development, growth and progress of the nation. It is based on his resolve to fight corruption in a decisive manner that General Muhammadu Buhari contested the 2015 presidential election like two previous presidential elections before then. Perhaps, the difference in 2015 was the apparent bold face with which participants in the previous regime were pillaging the resources of the nation without let or hindrance. Buhari’s message that enough was enough resonated with voters.

    In his inaugural speech, he had declared point blank: “We shall strongly battle another form of evil that is even worse than terrorism – the evil of corruption…Corruption will not be tolerated by this administration and it shall no longer be allowed to stand as if it is a respected monument in this nation.”

    President Buhari has been true to his words, sometimes to a fault, some might say, ever since he assumed office.

    Indeed, there is no society that condones corruption. Governments fight it everywhere. However, the intensity and scope of the war against corruption differ from nation to nation. Here in Nigeria, it is not by accident that Buhari has taken the fight against corruption head-on. He was credited with this virtue as a military Head of State in the 1980s. His ouster in 1985 by fellow Generals was linked to his uncompromising stance against the vice. Now in his second coming to power as civilian president, he has relied on a number of institutions that he met already functional and he has also focused attention in many other directions.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC have been established by law as anti-graft institutions to investigate and prosecute those accused of involvement in corrupt practices. The Code of Conduct Bureau is another anti-graft agency specifically set up to monitor public officers and their belongings relative to their levels of income. Although the Bureau has not been as visible as EFCC and ICPC but its judicial arm, the Code of Conduct Tribunal lies in waiting for erring public officers who conceal their true worth against their level of income in order to escape the sanctions of its law. The contentious ongoing case before the tribunal involving the suspended Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Walter Onnoghen is an example of when the tribunal comes into public glare.

    There are numerous cases bothering on corruption in the various courts right now. Many of the cases that were instituted over 12 years are yet to be decided either for reasons of non-diligent prosecution or because lawyers have found ways and means of using the technicalities of the law to delay and prolong the cases. The case of former Governor of Taraba State, Jolly Nyame that commenced in 2007 was only recently decided in 2018. He was accused of fraud amounting to N1.64 billion while in office. Nyame, who was earlier sentenced to 14 years imprisonment by an Abuja High Court had his jail term reduced to 12 years by the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal and was asked to pay in addition, a fine of N495 million. Also, former governor of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye who was initially sentenced to 14 years imprisonment had his sentence reduced to 10 years by the Appeal Court. Dariye was found guilty of criminal diversion of N1.162 billion ecology fund meant for the state. He is a serving senator of the All Progressives Congress, although the offence was committed while he was governor on the ticket of the People’s Democratic Party. Other high profile cases are still being argued in several courts.

    However, there are other measures that are also paying off in the war against graft. The rigorous implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and the linkage impact of the BVN (Biometric Verification Number) as it relates to multiple account operators, are two very important tools the administration has engaged to curtail financial mismanagement and money laundering. The TSA has continued to act as a wedge against fleecing of government revenue at the level of revenue generation and collection agencies, the same way that BVN has largely curbed the incidence of money laundering in the banking arena.

    In addition, the whistleblower policy was introduced in December 2016 to help uncover stolen funds, private property acquisitions with public funds and all manners of mismanagement of public funds and financial malpractices.  The policy provides for citizens who volunteer tips about corrupt practices and financial crimes to be rewarded with between 2.5 and five per cent of the money recovered.  From the several investigations concluded by April 2018, N7.8billion, $378 million and 27,800 pound sterling had been recovered. Properties located in the major cities in the country that have been traced to individuals and companies with links to corruption are being seized with relevant court orders.

    Currently, the Buhari administration is soliciting the help of foreign governments to repatriate funds lodged in offshore banks. Properties located in foreign lands and believed to be owned by Nigerians who are beneficiaries of corruption are also being scrutinized for eventual seizure with the cooperation of governments in the countries where such properties are located.

    The whole idea is to drum it in the ears of Nigerians that corrupt enrichment will no longer be condoned and so it will not continue to be an attraction. However, for the whistleblower policy to have a legal force, the Whistleblower Protection Bill pending in the National Assembly must be enacted without further delay.

    Simply on account of the intensity and uncompromising stance of the administration in the anti-graft war, many have tended to dub it a vendetta against perceived enemies, especially opposition politicians. There have been complaints from several quarters that although the adoption of zero tolerance for corruption is widely acknowledged as good practice, Buhari’s administration has not in some cases practiced what it preaches. The example has been cited on how it took far too long for the president to sack Babachir Lawal, his first Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), who was embroiled in a corruption scandal barely one year after he assumed office. Even when EFCC finally decided to arraign Babachir in court over the allegations leveled against him, there are people who felt that the government was taking the action to douse latent public opinion that it had some sacred cows that are untouchable.

    Despite the challenges and obstacles dogging the anti-corruption fight, President Buhari has remained undaunted, using every occasion to re-echo his resolve to fight the vice to the very end. Hesaid, as recently as a few weeks ago while campaigning in Lokoja, Kogi State, that since his electoral promises to Nigerians included fighting corruption, he could not afford to let the people down. “For this administration, fighting corruption is non-negotiable. It is a must.We must fight corruption frontally because it’s one of the reasons we got elected,” he stated.

    By contrast, Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, in the February 16 election, has been talking of enriching his friends, with a rhetorical question by him as to whether or not his friends as Nigerians, are not entitled to being rich. His latest pronouncement that he would consider granting amnesty to corrupt people if they surrender the money they had stolen is frightening indeed.

     

    • Salaudeen writes from Dutse, Jigawa State.

  • System, not me, responsible for slow anti-graft war – Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday blamed the democratic system for the seemingly slow pace of the anti-corruption war.

    The system, he reiterated, is responsible for the slow progress of the war not he.

    The President spoke in Abuja when he received the Federal Capital Territory community on Christmas homage at his official residence.

    “Fighting Corruption, yes, we are slow because the system is slow.

    “It’s not Baba that is slow but it is the system so I am going by this system and I hope we will make it,” he said

    The President stressed: “I told you what I did when I was in uniform but now when I have to go by this system (democracy) where people have to be arrested and then prosecuted, taken to court and then with evidence, we will collect back what they had taken illegally and for doing that, people are calling me Baba go slow.

    “I am going slowly but whatever the case, I will not stop pointing fingers at those who have abused trust by taking money that does not belong to them.

    “I will keep on trying to do my best for this country and get back what belongs to the country.

    “We are doing to do the roads, revive the railway and electricity with the little resources at our disposal.”

    He said he will embark on aggressive reelection campaign soonest based on the three issues that got him elected in 2015.

    These issues anti-corruption war, tackling insecurity and improving the economy, according to him, are still relevant today.

    The campaign, he said, will start by visits to each of the six geo-political zones of the country.

    According to him: “The party nominated me and I will contest. We are watching the Independent National Electoral Commission very seriously and we are going out very soon we will go from geo-political zone to geo-political zone to remind the people of our promises in 2015; three fundamental things, security, because you have to secure the country before you can govern it and talking about what we have done regarding securing the country, the people of the North-east know better.

    “The three fundamental things we campaigned with are still very relevant. On improving the economy, which we are still going to explore, we have done well in agriculture and those who embraced farming are not regretting it and we have also addressed unemployment and we are very lucky, through that we are now attaining food security.

    Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Bello, said the FCT community was happy with the performance of President Buhari in office and pledged to support him massively for another term of office.

    He said “We pray that God Almighty to continue to grant you good health, strength, capacity, ability and patience to continue to lead us to the Promised Land.

    “On behalf of the FCT we appreciate you for the good works you are doing for the territory, just last week you commissioned for us a new airport terminal and so many road projects that are going on in Abuja and we feel highly delighted to be hosting you here and it’s my honour on behalf of the FCT community I want to assure you that we are solidly behind you and by the grace of God we look forward to you spending another four years in the state house so that you can truly make Abuja the city of our dream because we want Abuja to be among the 20 best cities in the world in the next few years to come and I think that is possible.”

    Primate of the Anglican Communion, Nigeria Reverend Nicholas Okoh congratulated the President for overcoming his health challenges and said all citizens of the country are grateful to God for that.

    The cleric noted the spirit of unity among followers of different religions in the Federal capital Territory is exemplary and should be replicated in all parts of the country.

    He said religious leaders will continue to work for peace and harmony in order to sustain peace in the country.

    The delegation comprised religious leaders and traditional rulers as well as top functionaries of the Federal capital Territory administration.

  • Doha award confirms Ribadu’s role in anti-corruption crusade, says Tinubu

    ALL Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has congratulated former Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman Mallam Nuhu Ribadu for winning the global lifetime award for anti-corruption.

    The award, according to the former Lagos governor, was a testament to the former EFCC chief’s dedication to the battle against graft.

    The award administered by Doha, a Qatar-based think-tank, Rule of Law and Anti-corruption Centre (ROLACC), celebrates corruption fighters, academics and campaigners from around the world.

    It was conferred on Ribadu at a ceremony held over the weekend at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre in Malaysia.

    In a letter to the former EFCC chairman signed by Asiwaju Tinubu and titled: “Global Lifetime Award for Anti-Corruption,” the APC leader reminded Ribadu that his work is not finished yet and that he still has much to give Nigeria and the world.

    The letter, released by the Tinubu Media Office, reads: “Congratulations for winning the Global Lifetime/Outstanding Award for anti-corruption.  The award is a testament to your singular dedication in fighting corruption in order to make ours a more excellent country and to restore our national reputation.  The award shows that a person of integrity and commitment can make a difference and indeed be successful without sacrifice of principle or ethics.

    “In recognition of your intrepid work as the first chairman of EFCC and for your contributions to good governance and anti-corruption worldwide, the award was more than warranted. It was richly deserved.  You personify the best of our nation.

    “As EFCC chairman, you erected the necessary law enforcement architecture for the fight against corruption. The excellence and importance of your work is recognised by President Muhammadu Buhari who has carried on the anti-corruption campaign with zeal and determination by further strengthening the EFCC and making the anti-corruption fight a pillar of his administration.

    “With this award, you make your fellow Nigerians proud because the award is also recognition that we are a land of intelligent and honourable people and that corruption is not intrinsic in our national character. With the award you also secure your place among the most respected anti-corruption fighters and law enforcement figures in the world.

    “Dear brother, you must also remember what this award does not say. While it recognises you for work excellently done it does not mean that your work is at all finished. You still have much to give Nigeria and the world.

    “Your unique expertise and compassion for our people means you must continue to help build progressive good governance so that our people may soon have the just and prosperous nation they deserve.

    “Continue to be a leader of resolve and a role model to the next generation”.