Those who have had the impunity, to steal audaciously, from our common patrimony, in the recent past, must be laughing at the misery, of the rest of us. They will be happy that our elite,are locked down in battle, over who to prosecute, how to prosecute, where to prosecute, when to prosecute; while the looters association of Nigeria, whose membership dates back in time, celebrate their unbelievable respite, in the early reign of their old nemesis, President MuhammaduBuhari (PMB). But it is hoped, that this orchestrated din of confusion, is not allowed to suffocate what shouldbe, a national emergency.
For the avoidance of doubt, what is at stake, is how to recover, as much of our common patrimony, as is possible, from a rapacious elite. Of course, the first step is to determine, who and who, were involved in the stealing. The proper process would involve the auditing or probe of relevant agencies or officials of government; except where there are clear cases of stealing, which can immediately be referred to a law enforcement agency, for investigation and prosecution. Ordinarily, this should not raise any dispute, but unfortunately many are already up in arms, with this first process.
There is the dispute, between those that want the probe to be restricted to the President Goodluck Jonathan’s era and those that insist that the probe should go back in time, to 1999. The protagonists on both sides of this argument cut across the country, but for reasons that have not been properly canvassed, eminent legal icon, Professor Ben Nwabueze, claiming to represent an Igbo interest group, argues that to restrain to the probe to only the Jonathan era, would amount to a witch-hunt. While Prof is a preeminent Igbo son, I think it is unfair, unless he said so, to represent the view of his group, as the view of the Igbos, as some commentators have claimed.
However, the issue of who the group represent, should not detract from the substance of their argument. For in conducting a probe or an audit of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), for instance, it has to stretch back to the last audit. And it will ridiculous, an abuse of office, and a criminal connivance, for any official of the state, to gloss over, cover, ignore or condone, a criminal infraction, just because they like the face of the President, who presided, at the time,any suspected sleaze, took place. But it is will unfair to argue for, and expect, that were glaring cases of humongous stealing has been established, against an official,who helped himself under the immediate past regime, that no trial should take place, unless a similar indictment and trial, of an official of the previous era, is also afoot.
So, what Professor Nwabueze, and all lovers of due process of law, which incorporates fair and equitable treatment of all persons, should be on the watch out for, is any unfair and unequal treatment of all citizens, by the government of PMB, in the fight against corruption. That love for due process, must however, not involve, a premeditated obfuscation of the real issues; which is, how can Nigerians encourage and support the recovery of as much of our stolen common resources, as is possible, under PMB; who clearly got a democratic mandate, from Nigerians, to wrestle corruption to the ground. Unless the procedure is manifestly unfair, it should not matter, the tongue or tribe, of those who may be caught in the web.
The attack on Bishop Hassan MatthewKukah, for daring to ask PMB, to take it easy, with the officials of former President Jonathan, even when all that has taken place are mere threats, has shown what majority of Nigerians, would ordinarily love to do to the looters. Mob action. In the past few days, the reputation of the nationally acclaimed cleric, has been shredded. As if his advice, can be equated to the 6 billion US dollars, allegedly stolen by one Minister, under the government of President Jonathan, the armada of our national opprobrium, against those that have perpetually placed our nation among the list of failing states, in the last three decades, have been unleashed on one of our national icons.
Perhaps Bishop Kukah, was merely living up to his professional calling, by intervening on behalf of the regime of President Jonathan. As a priest of the Catholic Church, when a sinner confesses his sins, he is asked to make some restitution, not necessary in full measure, as the priest determines, the measure of atonement. But if indeed,half of the report in the media, concerning the enormity of the financial brigandage that took place under the regime of President Jonathanis true, then, then the type of contrition, which the Bishop by his vocation is used to, would not be enough. Short of a mob action, the type of restitution needed, would be a near complete restitution.
But would the brigands who have ran a circle around our national life, give up without a serious fight. The chances are that, they won’t. That perhaps explains the tactical manoeuvre of PMB, to find the best possible way, to corner the rats that have eaten deep, into our national treasury. The challenge faced by this government, as to how to go about this national emergency, underscores the critical incompetence of our criminaljustice system. Most likely, PMB, appreciates this fundamental challenge. That may have informed his inauguration of a Presidential Advisory Committee, led by eminent Professorof law, Itse Sagay, and populated by fecund minds, to wriggle Nigeria, out of the quagmire. What PMB therefore needs, is our national support, not orchestrated confusion.
