The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Anti-corruption

  • Anti-graft battle can’t be won without the youths, says Buhari

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday said that the involvement of African youths is critical to winning anti-graft battle in the continent.
    He made the remark while launching the 2018 Africa Youth Congress Against Corruption (AYCAC) at the old Banquet Hall of the State House, Abuja.
    President Buhari, who was in January 2018 nominated as the African Union Anti-corruption champion, urged the youth to rise up to the occasion in order to check the rising trend of corruption in the continent.
    Fighting corruption has also been one of the three main objectives of Buhari’s administration since inception in May 2015.
    He said: “To the young people of Africa, this fight against corruption is yours to lead and to win in order to reverse the negative trends of corruption and it’s implications for Africa.
    “The Youth of Africa must pool their energies to effectively ensure that our natural and mineral resources remain on the continent for value addition, job and wealth creation as well as to create affordable health-care and quality education for our people. Winning the fight against corruption is very much in your hands!
    “Of particular interest to the youth, as reflected in the Nouakchott Declaration, is the emphasis on the imperative of investing in the demographic dividends through anti-corruption, education and sensitization campaigns, targeting young people as a means of bringing about behavioral change.
    “I thereby encourage young Africans, to use this Declaration as motivation to achieve greater resource investment in developing anti-corruption curricula and anti-graft campaigns in schools, businesses and the general public space.
    “African Youth must remain the front and centre of restoring traditional African values of probity, integrity, honesty, diligence and hard work. It is only when the youth drive this change, that corruption will be eliminated!
    “As a build up to this youth congress, l was briefed by the African Union Commission on the African Governance Architecture (AGA)-organized Regional Youth Consultations, dedicated to the Anti-Corruption theme of the year.
    “I am pleased to learn that the youth regional consultative forums were informative and rewarding for the over 600 young people from across the continent who sharpened their strategies and skills to fight corruption.
    “Furthermore, Youth meetings serve as vital platforms for young people to engage. I would like to recognize some of our young leaders here present who have demonstrated the zeal and determination to build the “Africa We Want”:
    “First, I wish to recognize Mr. Moussa Kondo from Mali for his Accountability Lab in the Republic of Mali. He blazed the trail on how to build sustainable coalitions of “Accountapreneurs”.
    “Secondly, I recognize, Mr.  Maxence Melo, from the United Republic of Tanzania, founder of Jamii Forums for strengthening the viability of whistleblowing policy tools.
    “I also enjoin us to celebrate our very own Nigerian – Damilola Olawale, founder of Code IT for using technology to give young people the tools to demand transparency in the management of public resources.”
    According to him, they have done impressive work in pushing the boundaries of innovation in the pursuit for greater accountability.
    “And so today, we celebrate them and indeed we celebrate all of you – anti-corruption youngsters. You are the unsung heroes of our thematic year of the African Union, the high-impact achievers. You are the REAL AFRICAN CHAMPIONS!”
    The President said that the Congress is a grand rallying point to catalyze policy and practical action against the vice of corruption.
    He added “We must listen to the perspectives of the African Youth and engage in frank and honest conversations. Communication, upwards and sideways can only be ignored at a price.
    “I am most pleased to observe that this Abuja Congress will take adequate stock of policy and institutional mechanisms in the fight against corruption as well as the role of technology amongst others.
    “I am confident that you will give due support to the continental strategies to: stem illicit financial flows out of Africa; expedite stolen assets recovery and return; strengthen the capacity of national anti-corruption institutions; explore the link between corruption and conflicts; strengthen oversight by citizens on budget performance.
    “You should also strongly advocate the universal signing and ratification of the African Union Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption by all Member States of the African Union.
    “At the end of your deliberations in this Congress, I am confident  that you will come up with an Agenda for Action on Winning the Fight against Corruption that will serve as the rallying cry of the African Youth towards a corruption-free Africa. Strive for an Agenda for Action that will be results-oriented and serve as a roadmap for our continent.” he said
    Sharing what he called the A, B, C of fighting corruption with the youths, he said “A”   stands for ACTION. Let us all move from talk to action. I urge you to develop tangible projects in your community to instil transparency and accountability of the highest standard. I look forward to receiving your Creed of Transparency from this Congress with a view to forwarding the recommendations to the next Summit of the African Union in February next year.
     “B” stands for BUILDING BRIDGES. The youth have a unique opportunity to spearhead the building of inter-generational and cross-sectoral bridges in our various communities. Often, fighting corruption requires partnerships with unlikely allies. Be open to exploring constructive partnerships with a wide base of actors. Again, I look forward to all of you joining the Transparency Champions Network that was created following the Regional Youth Consultations.
    “C” stands for CULTURE. So, let us cultivate and equip ourselves with African culture, right attitude and mindset change that will enable us to stand firmly against corruption. By so doing, accountability and change will begin with you and me.” he said
    He went on “I believe that as we wind up the African Union Anti-Corruption Year, the young people across the continent remain the cornerstone of shaping the future of the fight against corruption. While our symbolic year may be ending, our campaign must not end, for our common future is even brighter.
    “As Africa promotes regional integration and global prosperity, corruption remains a major stumbling block to the realization of the seven (7) aspirations of the African Union Agenda 2063 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
    “We must therefore fight it from all angles and avenues without ceasing. And only a united front led by the African Youth can change this present narrative to a great story of African transformation.
    “Permit me to leave you with a quote from the late Nigerian anti-corruption crusader Gani Fawehinmi, who said: “You do not justify your crime by a defence that there are other criminals”.
    “I therefore urge you all to challenge corruption in your different countries as we are doing in Nigeria and DO NOT COMPROMISE!!” he said
    The President also thanked African Union under the leadership of Chairperson, Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda, all African Leaders “for entrusting me with the leadership responsibility of championing the African Union theme of the Year – “Winning the Fight Against Corruption: A Sustainable Path to Africa’s Transformation.”
    Speaking at the occasion, the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, noted that the level of corruption in Nigeria and Africa as a whole is unacceptably high and warrant urgent action.
    With Buhari nominated as African champion against corruption, he said that champion has displayed and continue to display unwavering fight against corruption in Nigeria.
    He listed some of the measures taken by the Buhari’s administration to fight corruption to include whistle-blower policy, Treasury Single Account (TSA), Bank Verification Number (BVN).
    The government, he said, has embarked on continuous audit to ensure public funds are spent judiciously.
    To take anti-corruption battle to the next level, he said that the support of youth is critical.
    According to him, Nigeria will never shed the mandate given to it by the people to fight corruption.
    He said that the administration will continue the battle until corruption is wiped out.
    The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami noted that the youth are the future leaders of Africa and must go all out against corruption.
    According to him, corruption is injustice against Africans and must be resisted vehemently.
    “The time to kill corruption is now.” he added
    After panelists discussion, representative of United Nations (UNODC), representative of the Special Guest of Honor, Chairperson of the African Union and President of the Republic of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, who is the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Minata Cessouma, gave goodwill messages.

    Dignitaries at the function on Sunday included the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, and Minister of Foreign Affairs,  Godfrey Onyeama

  • Ribadu bags ‘lifetime’ global anti-corruption award

    THE founding chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has  bagged a lifetime/outstanding award on anti-corruption campaign.

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

    The award ceremony was  held yesterday at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre in Malaysia.

    Malaysian Prime Minister, Mahathir Mahamad,and the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Al Thani attended the ceremony.

    Sheikh Al Thani instituted the award in support of the United Nation’s anti-corruption drive.

    The award is in four categories, with joint winners in each category.

    Each category of the award comes with a cash prize of $250,000.

    Ribadu jointly won the lifetime/outstanding achievement category alongside former South African corruption fighter and ex-World Bank vice president, Leonardo McCarthy.

    The honourees were presented with a plague and certificate each by the two leaders.

    Ribadu was nominated for the award by the African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL), a civil society organisation doing pioneering work on whistle-blowing policy in Nigeria.

    His winning followed approval by ROLACC’s High-Level Selection Committee and the board.

    In his short acceptance speech, Ribadu described the award as a tribute to persons around the world working to curb corruption.

    He paid tribute to his colleagues at the EFCC, some of whom paid the supreme price in their line of duty.

    He said the award will boost the morale of corruption fighters who would come to realise that their job is not thankless, after all.

    Those who were honoured alongside the former EFCC chairman included Cambridge University don, Prof Jason Sharman and Dr. RobtelNeajai Pailey of Oxford University, who won the academic excellence category.

    Accountability Lab and Ms Fernanda Angelica Flores Aguirre jointly won the Youth Creativity and Engagement Award.

    The award for innovation was conferred jointly on PNG Phones Against Corruption, an in initiative from Papua New Guinea on reporting corruption, and Dr. Roger Oppong Koranteng, a Ghanaian national who heads Public Sector Governance at the Commonwealth Secretariat.

  • Buhari flags off Anti-Corruption Half Marathon Monday

    The maiden edition of the Anti-Corruption Half Marathon would be officially flagged by President Muhammadu Buhari and ably supported by President Paul Kagame of Rwanda next week Monday.

    According to the spokesman of the event, Jacob Onuh, about one thousand marathoners comprising of the military and paramilitary personnel, athletes, well-wishers are expected to take off from the Eagles Square to the Abuja National Stadium.

    Onuh disclosed to NationSport that “the main aim and objectives of the organisers of the event, are to open people’s eyes to the ills and damages corruption can do to the society and the nation too”.

    The half marathon is jointly organised by EFCC, ICPC, NOC, AFN, BPSR, Fair Play, Sports International Agency and the Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports Development.

    The Half Marathon which is expected to start at 7 am prompt, is in commemoration of United Nations World Anti-Corruption Day. A million naira would be won by the winner, First runner-up will smile home with the sum of N500, 000, while the Second runner-up will pocket N200, 000.

  • Our Girls; Ghana’s anti-corruption; Berger, RCC red card!

    Our Chibok Girls were kidnapped on April 15, 2014. Inexplicably Our Dapchi girl-child, 15, Leah Sharibu is not released. Why?

    The Ghanaian president informed us that he created the Office of Public Prosecutor to independently investigate past and present government corruption. That the post is occupied by an anti-corruption opposition lawyer is exemplary for Africa. Nigeria dropped the Office of Public Prosecutor here. Existing structures, ICPC and EFCC, struggle under the yoke of authority of the very people needing maximum investigation –politicians and the president. The president of Ghana gave guidelines to pursue the anti-corruption drive across an Africa where a text book, a kilometre of road or a classroom block built by African government contractors costs many times more than in the non-government world with African contracts padded up to 45-100% minimizing the developmental mileage of budgets and terminating African developmental dreams. African leaders are directly responsible for Africa’s underdevelopment leading to  ‘The Great Youth Trek’ from underdeveloped Africa through the Sahara to the ‘The Great Youth Mediterranean Crossing’ breaching developed Fortress Europe by many thousands of mainly young desperate African migrants of whom 10,000 drowned off Lampedusa with others raped, robbed, murdered and sold into slavery by human traffickers. The blood of Africa’s youth is on African politicians’ hands.

    The long-term horrible experience on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway exemplifies a ‘perfect storm’ nationwide faced by government projects which have failed, are failing, long delayed uncompleted like ‘shell buildings’ – abandoned or semi-abandoned projects. Though started to fulfil African developmental dreams, nobody gains by abandoning for 15-20 years, the six-storey see-through ‘shell building’ owned by the people through former NEPA on the Bodija road in Ibadan or the Ilubirin massive 10 block estate of see-through ‘shell high-rises’ in Lagos. Political successors have a duty to eliminate funds being lost as if to punish predecessors. Certainly, please quickly investigate mismanaged funds and hold past contractors to account, recover funds but always renegotiate the completion of contracts.

    Nigeria ‘achieved this disgusting failure’ by the deliberate CINS – Corruption, Incompetence, Negligence and Selfishness of its leadership, military and political and civil service and contractor classes in spite of our great God-given soil and oil wealth, yielding the national treasury nearly $1,000b, in oil and other revenues so far. Where is the infrastructure to keep pace with ‘the population guesstimate? Unimaginably, we struggle with 3,000Mw vs UN recommended 1Mw/1m population or 150,000Mw. Perhaps the $10b China facility will provide electricity from China which adds 30-40,000Mw to its national greed annually? But vested petroleum interests want us to remain dependent on generators, fuel and air pollution.

    It is sickening to see the unnecessary exposure to discomfort, disability and death that millions face daily as their only ‘DOD- Dividends of Democracy’ since 1999 on unmaintained or abandoned highways nationwide. Roads labelled ‘Under Construction’ are worse as construction work means nightmare traffic with a suspension of any moral obligation for maintenance to ease the suffering of citizens during re-construction. In fact ‘Under Construction’ roads automatically get worse. Is this punishment under the ‘You have to suffer to develop’ or ‘No pain no gain’ mantra from government? Empowered, the contractor’s unsupervised employees abandon or destroy existing contracted roads, neglecting the citizen’s rights during contract postponements rivalling adjournments in courts. Today the Lagos-Ibadan Road exemplifies an agonizingly slow upgrade to its former ‘Expressway Glory’ postponed to 2017, 2018 and now to December 2019.

    All such roads require contracts with ‘A Maintenance Clause’ demanding pothole filling during construction with easy access diversions pending completion of the roads. Ministry of Works’supervising engineers must take protection of the citizen from ‘Death by Contractor Negligence’ seriously and monitor contractors’ activities. Contractors in Nigeria, expatriate and local, have been allowed to ‘inflict pain’ as part of malicious contract execution. Lagos Airport road and the Apapa Port roads exemplify mass suffering. The problem is with poorly constructed entrance and exits from diversions. RCC and Julius Berger deserve red cards from supervising engineers!  Just smoothening the rough entrance to diversions at the two main Berger diversions and filling potholes on diversions and existing unrepaired roads will help greatly. Who will speak out for the citizens?

    Millions have been forced, by a lack of supervised construction, to face the multi-potholed ‘under construction’ or ‘yet to be constructed’ treacherous parts of the Lagos-Ibadan Road riddled with jagged potholes which must filled. Travellers may die in or trying to avoid potholes till the contract is full executed. Postponements increase deaths. Each pothole costs a few thousand naira to fill. ‘Death by Pothole’ is loss of a human economic resource-a life, a wife, and a multi-million naira waste. Now, as a direct result of National Assembly, NASS anti-people tactics, we are to await December 2019 for final construction, which may be postponed again. NASS stalled the completion of the road. Every go slow, crash, robbery attack, linkable to bad road traffic jams can be placed at the feet of NASS members who should all be denied re-election in 2019.  The people must sweep most NASS members away.

    We lost several NYSC members to accidents and other causes in 1975/6 when I did NYSC. A coffin is an unacceptable cost for NYSC. Some are even murdered. What honour do they get and what support do their families receive for paying the supreme sacrifice with an irreplaceable family loss of dreams and future?

    • Uncover ‘I LOVE NIGERIA’ KNOWLEDGEABLE CANDIDATES for 2019 -SDG 16.

     

  • Anti-participation knocks out anti-corruption

    Now, even the President is prevented from contesting

    Check out the following scenarios in some political parties: The national executive council NEC of the African Democratic Congress ADC, has said that nomination forms for aspirants contesting the 2019 general elections on the ticket of the ADC have been made affordable.

    The National Publicity Secretary of the ADC Mrs. Yemi Kolapo says this is in line with the commitment of the party to a fair playing ground for all its aspirants.

    The NEC of the United People’s Party (UPP) has made its own position in tandem with the most recent amendment to the constitution, the ‘Not Too Young To Run’ Law.

    The UPP will issue FREE Nomination forms; as well as Expression of Interest forms free to all aspirants below the age of thirty.

    The Peoples Democratic Party, the PDP has a long established policy of issuing forms to females aspiring to any office; free. The PDP in the past had produced quite a number of elected female Representatives, Senators, House of Assembly members and even council chairmen. However, it has taken no measures to reverse the slide in fortunes of elected female officers since the last general elections.

    The SDP, the Social Democratic Party has slashed the cost of nomination forms from what previously obtained, and this applies across board.

    In contrast, last weekend’s meeting of the NEC of the All Progressives Congress (APC) resulted in the decision to increase price of forms for contestants by over 300 percent, for all categories of nominations.

    It was astonishing to discover that the ruling party, whose governorship nomination form is now N22.5 Million (previously N5.5m), also has a price tag of N55 Million for the presidential nomination form. It is not about the money, but about the principle, of a thing. Not unexpectedly, some aspirants have protested the increase. Prospective APC aspirants held a media briefing in Abuja last weekend stating that a situation where the cost of an APC nomination form is higher than all other political parties in the country ridicules the Anti-Corruption War of President  Muhammadu Buhari.

    It is now said that the APC desires to discourage all but the serious ones from contesting on that platform. Could the fee hike be the best way to weed?

    Political parties in Nigeria are adopting carefully thought-out and deliberate steps at being all-inclusive and fostering full participation by party members.

    Chief Ralph Nwosu who is the National Chairman of the ADC says “one of our guiding principles is inclusivity and full involvement of the youth, women and physically challenged persons”.

    For vulnerable persons, the physically challenged as well as female aspirants on the ticket of the ADP, payment for nomination forms is voluntary. Anyone under the age of 30 pays 50 percent of the nomination form fee.

    The UPP has broken the records by their exemption for all aspirants below the age of 30 from paying fees. The exemption is also extended to physically challenged persons wishing to contest.

    The United Peoples Party has gone as far as including aspirants with financial issues; they can get nomination forms for federal and state houses of Assembly, free.

    The NEC of the UPP last week also announced a reduction in fees across board. So whereas an aspirant to the Senate would pay one Million Naira to pick a UPP ticket, a Senatorial aspirant in the APC will pay close to Ten Million Naira (N8.5 Million), to pick up an APC Nomination Form. For  Governorship, the fee is N3 Million in UPP,  in the SDP it would be N5 Million while an aspirant in the ADC would have to pay N6 Million.

    In the APC a Governorship aspirant would have to pay N22.5 Million, to be issued a nomination form.

    The Social Democratic Party has made known the reason for slashing the cost of nomination fees. The SDP NEC says the fee slash is in line with its populist policies aimed at encouraging mass youth and women participation in politics, and in elective posts.

    So what is the reason for the hike in fees by the APC NEC? Clearly all- inclusiveness is not an aim; rather it is vigorously pursuing a policy that excludes.

    For the APC, what it is saying is that for a credible candidate to emerge, he or she would have to have a high disposable income.

    But in a country with a minimum wage of N18, 000 and with millions jobless, then anyone vying for political office on the APC platform would only be walking into a CATCH – 22 Situation.

    The nominee would instantly be dubbed corrupt; those other credible candidates who abhor money politics would be scared off.

    A spokesperson for the would– be APC Aspirants, Okpokwu Ogenyi says the increment has made the APC unfriendly to many credible aspirants.

    Enter President Muhammadu Buhari.

    When he was to pick up his nomination form to contest the presidency in the last elections, Buhari lamented so hard about the cost of nomination fees that many Nigerians had to come to his aid, contributing their money to ensure his nomination form was purchased. The fee then was half what it is today.

    Yes, much has changed since then, but not so much as to justify the new fees. A beautiful thing is that Buhari has stated categorically that he cannot pay N55 Million Nomination fee. All the news last week was of how President Buhari had complained to the party that he could not afford the new fee.

    Meaning Buhari cannot contest for the next Presidential election.

    Can the APC not see what it has done to itself, trying so hard to shut out every credible candidate?

    Should President Buhari eventually come forth with the nomination form, the anti-corruption drive would then be turned on its head.

    In conclusion, this last line is from the National Chairman of the ADC, Chief Ralph Nwosu again: “Our party is not in the ridiculous and bizarre harvest – bazaar money politics, and god fatherism”.

    It’s a serious thing.

    (Reactions to: 07055547031)

  • Bello lauds Buhari’s anti-corruption stance

    Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has declared the support of the people of the state for the fight against corruption by the present administration in Nigeria.

    The governor in statement issues in Lokoja yesterday, urged the press to support the anti-corruption war of the present administration under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He commended President Buhari for his “unwavering fight against corruption,” saying that his administration has keyed into the vision of the president for Nigeria as a nation renowned for “incorruptibility and development”.

    He said further: “A set of leaders held the nation down for many decades; destroyed our public schools, public transport system, public healthcare system and almost endangered our generation with wanton corruption.

    “The leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari has restored our pride as a nation. He has made a bold statement to the International community, that we are not all about corruption and that we have leaders who can live above corruption.

    “President Muhammadu Buhari is not just a pride to our nation, but to the entire African continent. With him at the helm of affairs in Nigeria, the world is beginning to regain their trust in our dear nation”.

    Governor Bello thanked the President for remaining undaunted by the “sustained resistance of corrupt people against his administration,” adding that the corrupt people are beginning to “settle in the same bucket to fight Africa’s most incorruptible President”.

    He thanked the people of the state for supporting his administration, assuring them of more democracy dividends in the months ahead.

    “Our administration is working hard to put the right foot forward for the betterment of our dear State. We have made tremendous progress in the sectors of agriculture, healthcare, education and transportation.

    “The seeds we have sown in the past two and a half years are beginning to yield fruits. We have ensured security of lives and property like no other administration in the history of Kogi State. We shall continue to work for the greatness of our dear State.

    “I urge the people of our dear state to remain steadfast on the part of truth, development and transparent governance. We have made a big difference from the years of no-clear-direction”, he said.

  • Anti-corruption war must be mass-driven

    Sir: Corruption is a satanic evil and mortal sin which every major religion abhors and condemns. It is a vice against our native, cultural and societal values. In other nations where corruption is anathematized and felonious, corrupt leaders are disgraced, sanctioned and either imprisoned or executed. Check out Brazil where two former Presidents, Luiz Lula is presently serving a 12-year prison term and her successor Mrs Rousef was disgraced out of office and is facing prosecution. Remember Ms Park former President of South Korea was sent packing after thousands of her citizens poured into the streets demanding her dismissal and prosecution. Recently former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak was arrested and is now facing prosecution. Former South African President Jacob Zuma was forced out of office and is facing charges of corruption. In China corrupt officials found guilty of corrupt practices are executed.

    Pitiably this does not happen in my beloved country Nigeria. Our leaders have exploited the undeserved opportunities foisted on them either by regimental conspiracy and violence of the military hierarchy on one hand or the contrived fraudulent, immoral and violent usurpation of political power through electoral fraud to commit abominable, atrocious and inhuman crimes against the poor and hapless citizens. A country that must be rated as No 1 in timid cynicism and indolent inaction, these looters of our commonwealth are mocking us in their arrogant filthy affluence and putrid opulence and are even daring us to challenge them. They rent a crowd to take their protests to our law courts in an effort to intimidate the judiciary.

    For over five decades, this felony has grown to be a monster, a Leviathan that has morphed to become the most powerful institution – stronger than all state institutions. It incapacitates the judiciary; it has infected and defiled our parliament; it disarms the press; it demeans the academia. It pollutes our politics and has infiltrated and sickens the church; it degrades our national security; breeds violent criminality; delimits and retards our development and arrests our progress. It cripples the economy and generates poverty; irrigates and enhances impunity; raises an emulative legatee youth generation and sadly ridicules and shames our country in worldview. Hence, the former British Prime Minister David Cameron employing the hyperbolic adverb alludes to Nigeria as “fantastically corrupt.” During the last meeting of President Buhari with US President Donald Trump at the White House, Trump said, “Nigeria has a reputation for very massive corruption.”

    What a negative stereotypical perception of our beloved country!

    Between 1985 and 1993, during the Gulf War, Nigeria earned a huge windfall of oil revenue. In a report compiled by the renowned economist Late Dr Pius Okigbo’s Panel, the sum of US$12 billion was frittered away on yet to be accounted purpose by the IBB’s regime. Abacha who succeeded IBB took control of the Central Bank and took as much as he pleased. Fully loaded bullion trucks hauled green-backs in boxes to Kano and elsewhere around the world. It seemed he was a lone looter as the fear of Abacha was the beginning of wisdom. Notwithstanding his voracious kleptomania, Abacha left a war chest of foreign reserve of about five dozen billion dollars. When his successor Abdulsalam left after his swift transition programme to democratic rule, half of the foreign reserve was gone in less than a year.

    Obasanjo who is endowed with a peculiar luck in divine opportunism became the “prison-to–president” in appeasement of his Yoruba people after the immoral military overthrow of our legitimate president MKO Abiola. He became the instigator and promoter of all manner of vices – do-or-die politics; monetization of our political space; imposition of his will and candidates on his party and  the nation; rampant bank failures due to the fleecing of depositors funds; the US$16 billion wasted on power projects and other sundry abuses. Recall he boasted about raising scores of billionaires during his term. He introduced fuel subsidy and increased fuel prices serially. OBJ’s eight year presidency was a narrative in self-aggrandisement and self-enrichment as he dished out economic and political favours to those who adored him and punished those who did not revere him.

    Jonathan’s six year tenure was characterised by the most unconscionable and perverse looting of our commonwealth. His party PDP colonized the Central Bank and the NNPC and helped themselves with humongous and unfathomable theft of public funds that still marvels the world. They took the funds meant for procurement of arms to fight Boko Haram and distributed to their political agents to win the 2015 elections.

    The PDP is now demonizing PMB, a man of impeccable integrity who is on a redemption mission to save our nation from the rampaging locusts of yore.  Nigerians must rise up in unanimity to support the anti-corruption war or our future generations will not forgive us.

     

    • Elder Tommy U. Okochi Agbani, Nkanu West LGA, Enugu State.

  • Anti-corruption: Nigerians must join hands with FG to succeed, says Ribadu 

    For the anti-corruption battle to succeed, the Federal Government and the people of Nigeria must be on the same page, with same purpose, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu has said.

    The pioneer Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) explained that the consensus means working together to mobilise citizens, consolidate good practices and point out mistakes along the line.

    He spoke in Abuja at the public presentation of the first-year report of the Corruption Anonymous (CORA) project by the African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL).

    He said:  ”There is probably no better way to help Nigeria to find its feet than helping to entrench the fight against corruption  through a coherent  and  systematic  campaign  that has the support of Nigerians.

    “There is no gainsaying the fact that for us to succeed in the fight against the corruption scourge, there must be uniformity of purpose. What this means is that the government and the people—through the media and civil society organisations, would have to find a common ground. This consensus does not mean civil society serving as trumpets for the government, but it means working together to mobilise citizens, consolidate good practices and point out mistakes along the line.

    “The importance of the government/people synergy in the fight against corruption is best measured by the trust people have in the integrity of the system. The manifestation of that trust, in turn, is when people go beyond expressing verbal support for the work to volunteering tips and information.

    “Giving information about crimes to law enforcement agents is a constitutional role of the citizen. In fact, to do otherwise is not only unpatriotic, but a punishable offence. However,  Nigerians are often reluctant to play this role for a number of reasons. It is not because they are not patriotic. Anytime people see public officers who are serious about their task or a government that is committed, you see a surge of interest on the part of the public to contribute their quota to make the system work.”

    Ribadu also called for adequate protection for whistleblowers because of the importance to aiding security agencies.

    “Whistleblowing is a very important catalyst that can help law enforcement agents and it is, therefore, not out of place for the government to provide incentives for whistle-blowers with vital information.

    “The whistleblower  policy is new and evolving. There are issues and grey areas that need to be addressed to arrive at a more robust document. The back-end of the public interface platform needs serious tightening to make it fool-proof and ensure that it is not compromised. Those who volunteer information need to be sure of their security and confidentiality.

  • Group partners Imams, EFCC, NUJ on Anti-corruption

    An Islamic organisation, Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society, has partnered religious leaders, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Lagos State Government and the Nigeria Union Journalists (NUJ) Lagos Chapter on promotion of anti-corruption messages.

    The event was held at Lagos State Secretariat Central Mosque, Alausa, Ikeja.

    The partnership, according to its National Chief Imam, Fuad Adeyemi, was to ensure that messages against corruption in Nigeria had impact on the society.

    Imam Adeyemi, who doubles as Executive Director of Encouraging Accountability and Transparency Through Faith-Based Intervention (EAT-FIn),

    Adeyemi said the group since inception and during the last Ramadan has fed over 1, 500 people on a daily basis with three square meal.

    Occasion Chairman Dr Abdulhakeem Abdulateef, Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, urged the participants to join the anti-corruption campaign by using their pulpits to preach against corruption.

    He said: “Imams and Pastors are believed to be men of God, so we need all of you to help us to encourage the right values in the society particularly in the area of accountability and anti-corruption.

    “We must remember that the Almighty Allah will ask all of us to render account of our deeds thereafter, so the Imams and other religious clerics should lead us in the right direction because they are our leaders”.

    EFCC Lagos Zonal Head Umar Hadeja, who represented the Acting Chairman of the commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, noted that it is time Nigerians began to ask themselves some pertinent questions: “what does Islam say about corruption?” “What does the Quran say about the punishment that awaits any believing Muslim who engages in corrupt practices?”

    Hadeja said faith-based organisations must be seriously involved in the enlightenment campaign, considering the fact that every religion preaches against moral decadence, act of indiscipline and other vices, including corruption.

    NUJ Lagos State Council Chairman Dr Qasim Akinreti urged Islamic clerics to join the crusade to combat ills in the society especially in the area of corruption and other social vices.

    “The NUJ Lagos state will continue to interact with leaders of different faiths towards promoting a just society free of corrupt practices,” he said.

  • Buhari’s tepid anti-corruption crusade

    Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, former Foreign Affairs Minister, once argued only a few Nigerians multi-billionaires could be said not to have made their money through the state. With former political office-holders, such as ex-presidents, vice presidents, governors and lawmakers and their fronts as oil block owners, proprietors of private universities and those who clog our airports with private jets, it is difficult to invalidate Akinyemi’s thesis.

    With the resources in their hands, Nigerians have no illusion about the capacity of ‘corruption fighting back’. If anything, Nigerians are   offended by President Buhari’s endless moaning about corruption fighting back as the reason for not meeting their aspirations. Buhari, back in 2016, had during a Conference on Climate Change (COP22), in faraway Marakech, Morocco, complained to John Kerry the then American Secretary of State, about “how his government’s war against corruption had been grueling and how   the perpetrators of the evil against Nigeria were viciously fighting back.” And a few weeks back, he had, while throwing a jibe at former President Olusegun Obasanjo for spending $16bn on power project without much to show for it once again reminded Nigerians of ‘how corruption fighting back’, turned the hunter to the hunted back in 1984 when he was clamped into prison to take the place of those he had jailed for corruption.

    If the president is seeking the understanding of Nigerians who had fulfilled their own obligation by electing him a sovereign with awesome apparatus of state power to deal decisively with enemies of state, the opposite has been the case. Many Nigerians including the president’s fellow party men who know the buck stops at the president’s table are not particularly pleased with his approach to the anti-corruption crusade. His foot-dragging in the Maina’s reabsorption, his embarrassing silence in the cases of indicted Babachir Lawal, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, who was found culpable by two different administrative panels and the reinstatement of Usman Yusuf, the suspended Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme, have opened the president to allegation of selective anti-corruption crusade.

    And because corruption in our country is systemic, many believe “there is need for a holistic and formidable strategy that tackles the malaise from all fronts”, as against the president’s mindset which according to Archbishop Mathew Kukah of Sokoto diocese of “thinking corruption is all about stealing money”

    Many have also argued that fighting corruption must start with placing emphasis on the “virtues of discipline, honesty, truthfulness and patriotism” right from primary school as against current self-promotion by leaders like ex-President Obasanjo who often makes a virtue of his own honesty, patriotism, and Buhari of his own discipline, honesty and righteousness. Meanwhile our young ones who experience injustices first-hand even in the process of getting admission into Unity Schools or federal universities are in a dilemma.  While their counterparts elsewhere in the world are being groomed for the challenges of tomorrow through their governments’ investments in mathematics and science, our own impressionable minds are at the mercy of prosperity prophets who teach them how to pray and speak in tongues. Their role models are the likes of Senator Dino Melaye who says the source of his wealth is God and of course some of our half naked artistes who daily celebrate the power of money while remaining silent on the virtues of discipline, truthfulness and honesty without which society decays.

    But beyond all these, President Buhari as this column has maintained in the last three years, has been fighting common thieves without addressing the source of social menace that corruption has become. Without addressing Babangida’s liberalization and commercialization and Obasanjo’s ill-managed privatisation and monetization policies, the war against corruption cannot be said to have taken off.

    Happily, a Human rights advocacy group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, last Sunday, June 2, called on President Buhari “to order the probe of the five Directors General that manned the Bureau of Public Procurement between 1999 and 2012 for alleged abuse of office”. It is asking President Buhari to revisit the Senate report on privatization which after an initial foot-dragging, approved all the 45 recommendations of the Senator Ahmad Lawan-led committee that investigated the privatisation activities of the Bureau of Public Enterprises between 1999 and 2011. Part of the recommendation include the cancellation of sales of multi-billion naira federal government companies under former President Olusegun Obasanjo many of which the report alleged were fraudulently sold

    SERAP also called attention to some infractions claiming the “N900m that was used as loan to Nigeria Re-insurance Plc. for recapitalisation, was in violation of section 19(2) of the Public Enterprises (Privatisation and Commercialisation) Act 1999; That “Folio Communications Limited pledged the assets of Daily Times Nigeria Plc. to obtain loan from bank(s) and utilised the loan to pay for the share of the company.” And that  ”Core investor converted the premises of Volkswagen Nigeria Limited into bonded warehouses for storage of contrabands mainly rice, vegetable oils, fertilizer, but was not reported by the BPE’.

    We cannot also claim to be fighting corruption without a revisit to the rural electrification scam, the result of “corruption fighting back”. The House Committee chairman on power, Godwin Ndudi Elumelu, his deputy, Jibo Mohammed, Senator Nicholas Yahaya Ugbane, and seven senior management officials of the Rural Electrification Agency were slammed with a 156-count charge by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    The rural electrification projects funds were allegedly shared amongst 150 companies. The participating companies allegedly got paid 85% of the purported contract sums for work that was never executed. 113 of the companies got contracts for “grid extension” projects while the rest were awarded contracts to provide solar panels in rural areas of Nigeria The speaker Dimeji Bankole, using some proxies, was said to have been a beneficiary of the scam.

    The travails of  Hon Farouk Lawan the charman of  the house Committee of the fuel subsidy scam who was caught on camera receiving $650,000 of $3m agreed bribe from Otedola  was also ‘corruption fighting back.”  Tambuwal, the Speaker had during the debate of Lawan’s 205 page parliamentary report had admitted the lawmakers “are fighting against entrenched interests whose infectious greed has decimated our people”, and reminded his colleagues to “be mindful they will fight back and they normally do fight dirty.”  Otedola who served as prosecution witness against Lawan was never asked why he decided to set Lawan up if his own hands were clean.

    And finally, President Buhari cannot claim to be fighting corruption if the weighty allegations made by former chairman of House Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin, are swept under the carpet. He had alleged that four principal officers of the House met secretly to allocate N40billion to themselves out of N100billion allocated to the National Assembly in the 2016 budget. This was besides their N20b constituency projects. As it is in the Lower House, so it is in the Upper House. Both houses are involved in budget padding.

    Government anti-corruption crusade against former presidents, governors and current lawmakers seem to be waged halfheartedly. There can be no other name for senators awarding themselves N13.5m monthly salary in addition to their official pay than corruption.