Clear case of corruption ! are still shouting change ?

Omenkata:
By Obi Nwakanma

The minister for justice just announced that judges found to be corrupt will be tried by this administration. This is problematic. Though this sentiment is much shared, it should not be left to the president and his administration to define “corruption,” or determine which judge is corrupt. For the avoidance of doubt the writ of this republic does not make the president the supreme authority of the land.

The constitution is the governing authority of this republic, and the president is, as are all Nigerians, governed by the Constitution. It would amount to overreach for the president to break the thin glass boundaries that established the separation of powers under the constitution. It would be power-grabbing, and the National Assembly and the courts must keep an eye on this president. In fact, it is about time that the National Assembly moved to reduce some of the powers granted the president, because one of the great sources of corruption in Nigeria is the enormous and almost limitless power granted the executive by this constitution designed by the military. Let me advert the minds of Nigerians to January 1, 1984: a military coup had just sacked the democratically elected Government of President Shehu Shagari. At the head of that coup was a tall, lean, unsmiling General, who came across as a Spartan, no-nonsense, missionary soldier, out to rescue Nigeria from political and economic collapse.

Shagari had just been re-elected in a very controversial election, which had the great Nnamdi Azikiwe spewing fire in his very prophetic, as it turned out, post-election letter to Nigerians, “History Will Vindicate the Just,” published widely in the Nigerian Press. It was clear that the election was riddled with irregularities. Yet, corruption in the politics of those years was the bread and butter kind. It was confined mostly in the political parties. The civil institutions were still intact: the public service; the judicial system; the entire bureaucracy of state governance which could put to check to the excesses of political leadership. And they were still all there in 1984. Then came Buhari and his dark-browed praetorian guard, sacking the civil government, and instituting a rule by decrees. The first order of business was to dismantle the credibility of the elected political leaders the soldiers had sacked. In very elaborate fashion General Buhari and his rubber-stamp Supreme Military Council authorized the arrest, detention, and prosecution of the discredited politicians. His Minister for Justice, Chike Ofodile quickly crafted decrees that established extrajudicial tribunals that evacuated the powers of the civil courts. Some of the trials were in-camera. But it soon became obvious that these arrests and detentions were skewered mostly against politicians from the South, particularly of the group that called itself the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) and by politicians from the Middle Belt. It might have been inadvertent, but the impression it created was of a partisan, regionalist witch-hunt of Southern politicians – some of them the most popular, and in fact, the more credible in their visible achievements in the four years between 1979 and 1983.

One of the most dangerous contributions of Buhari’s era as a military dictator was the erosion of the credibility, dignity and the aura of impartiality of the Nigerian judiciary, until then seen my Nigerians as the bulwark against tyranny; and most credible of the three arms of government, particularly with the sack of the parliament, and the seizure of executive power by military decree. The judiciary lost its independence.

Malleable and second-rate people were rapidly appointed to the bench. As the generation of solid jurists began to leave the scene by the attrition of time, a new generation of judges, the product of a corrupted judicature became more or less judicial executioners of the mandate of anyone in power. The corruption of the Nigerian judicial system, which had been subdued to military decrees began with Muhammed Buhari in 1984. The use to which he put the courts of the land was corrupt. This is the fear that President Buhari’s opponents are currently expressing in the current use of state power, in what is being increasingly seen as a partisan witch-hunt to suppress a political opposition. Again, the same method seems obvious: Buhari is arriving the scene of government again at a time when oil prices have dipped very dangerously, and perhaps more dangerously is that the era of hydrocarbon is rapidly coming to an end, which means, even more financial instability for nations like Nigeria that have long depended on oil to fuel their national economies. To all intents and purposes, as like in October 1984, Nigeria is broke.

Buhari has suddenly discovered that he is unable to meet the lofty promises of his campaign, and his political strategy now is to beat the drum of corruption ad nauseam, and blame his old political opponents for his own increasingly apparent inabilities to revive the economy, or lead. For a man who spent twelve years seeking the office he now occupies, this president does not seem to have any clear, alternative strategies, or able to deliver on the promises he made. Now, here is my worry: the arrest of the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Olisa Metuh, and his arraignment in handcuffs give negative optics to this government. Yes, Buhari claims to be fighting corruption, and Olisa Metuh is accused of receiving N400 million from Colonel Sambo Dasuki, allegedly from the $2.1 billion approved for the NSA for arms procurement, the question most Nigerians are now asking is: was Olisa Metuh awarded an arms contract which he didn’t deliver, or is it just about receiving money from Dasuki. Why lock him up, and bring him to court in handcuffs, when not even Sambo Dasuki was brought to court in handcuffs? Is this a ploy to intimidate, humiliate, and ultimately punish and silence the PDP’s spokesman who has so far been engaging the current regime and calling some oftheir assertions to question? Because even people like Falae received money, and have publicly declared that they’d not return it because it has nothing to do with arms procurement, and they have not been locked up or brought to the court in chains. While every Nigerian supports the president and his administration’s apparent resolve to investigate, prosecute, and retrieve Nigeria’s stolen funds from whoever embezzled such funds, we must continue to insist that unless it is all for show, the process must not degenerate into illegality of its own. It is both sad and distressing hearing distinguished scholars of the law like Itsay Sagay, and the Criminologist, Professor Femi Odekunle arguing in support of a “limited rule of law,” these days. It points exactly to what went wrong with Nigeria: a shiftless and inferior elite incapable of the hard, long view. If the argument were to be made about a limited rule of law, Abacha would have hanged Odekunle who was brought before a military tribunal accused with Diya of plotting a coup.

But in the convenience of his current elation, the good professor has forgotten. Buhari is not fighting corruption. He is enabling corruption by interfering in the judicial process. If he were fighting corruption he would have addressed the following questions: how did the system fail so much that Sambo Dasuki as the NSA could appropriate and dispose of state fund as though it were personal funds without oversight? What happened to the old system of financial control that required a vast and complex system of inter-departmental coordination?

What happened to the public tenders system? How come the police services, charged with crime prevention, did not anticipate and prevent this financial crime before it happened through its own police intelligence?

How come the EFCC is only just showing interest after the facts? How did the disbursement of this money escape the Federal Audit Department, the government’s official inspectorate arm, which ought to report all transactions and irregularities to both the National Assembly and the Executive, and if need be, to the police, in the event that any government agency is misappropriating state fund. What this president has been unable to do is understand that what happened here is beyond Dasuki, it is systemic failure. It is in part the result of some of the forces Buhari himself unleashed against the system in 1984. Corruption is not only the “looting” of public funds, it is the corruption of the institutions when they are turned to the private, and convenient tools of people in power – and they lose legitimacy and capacity.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/01/buhari-is-not-fighting-corruption/

This write up is nothing but the truth. A clear case of what President Jonathan tried to explain to Nigerians that corruption is not stealing. ''stealing is stealing'' and Nigerian were to so narrow and limited to understood what he was trying to say. As God would have it, he is being vindicated everyday.

Every Nigerian is a pocket lawyer. what I know we are in a democracy and the country is governed with due process 'law' and the constitution. This should be allowed to take its full course to be able to pronounce anyone guilty. what we are seeing is impunity.

I hope sharia will be applied in this trial.

jordyspices:
I think I would have still preferred this honourable woman to still be the minister of finance with her sound economic plan compared to the present one my opinion thol so pls pls pls dnt quote me

Very one point. This country is bigger than any individual or political party. Our economy needs proper management with sound economic policy and frame work to effectively diversify and proffer a frame work for economy turn around. my take is Madam Ngozi and Soludo has what it takes to effectively manage this economy with their experience in economy and financial circle.

Amen Amen Amen

alexlee50:
your write up is lengthy and would have made a good academic discussion but your argument is not sound. Let me start with the Nnamdi kanu, it is the only the courts that can pronounce kanu guilty of the offence he is being charged with. Two courts have granted him bail and the executive is disobeying the order of the courts, and you think this is right? What happened to the rule of law? What happened to the right of the citizen as guaranteed in the Constitution of one being presumed innocent until he is convicted by the court. I do not want to go into the issue of kanu engaging in terrorist activities as only the courts would determine the guilt or innocence of kanu and this would based on the burden of proof which the prosecution has against him. If the prosecution has a good case against him whether he is granted bail or not would have no effect on the final outcome of the case. However disobedience to courts portends a grave danger to our democracy. As the gains and the independence of the judiciary in the last few would be greatly undermined. This could pose a great danger to our fledging democracy. On the dasuki issue, a number of issues are not within the public domain for us to pass a judgement. But on the dokpesi, the prosecution has no case. It would fail in court. Let's look at the facts in issue. Was dokpesi given a contract, the answer is yes. Did he execute the contract, the answer is yes. If perhaps he didn't execute a case of fraudulent conversion/stealing by conversion, obtaining by false pretenses could have been established against dokpesi. But in this case he executed it. Is it dokpesi 's duty to verify the account which government would use in paying him? The answer to that is no, as he is not a staff of government. Is it dokpesi' s duty to check if the job given to him passes through the procurement process? No, as he is not a staff of government. Those charges are defective. On the overall it is the burden evidence which the prosecution has against the accused that would determine their guilt or innocence. No one can perform magic with the facts of a case. The rule of law should be allowed to prevail

very sound argument.

omenka:
How many Gitmo inmates has the government of US released on orders from her courts?? As a matter of fact, how many of the inmates have seen the insides of a court room since detention??

Nnamumudi Kalluu will rot in jail like those terrorists in Gitmo and heavens won't fall, just like it didn't in the US.

Gitmo is not in US and it's not protected by US law. Don't worry it will be your turn next when the rights of court and fair hearing are abused. we can as well ask for the military to come back so that the constitution can be suspended and we are ruled by decrees.

End of discussion. Is there any question again on what Igbos want ? of course we know what Fulani's want, gracing land, sharia law, national police to control movements and ..........

Anticabal:
1.) He slept with a phantom prostitute maryam ibezimako- That's treasonable

2.) He imported a radio transmitter and hanged it on mtn mast- Serious treason

3.) He signed a phantom apology but only in the secrecy of DSs office- Babanla treason

4.) He called buhari a rapist and a terrorist- Super treason

5.) He chose to eat prison beans in peace than having a judicial charade whose outcome won't be respected- SuperMega treason.

Now what can be more treasonable than all these charges?

I think so

Remsilla:
ok

I do not think PMB should take him to court when he can not respect the decisions emanating from court. He should just decide on what he want to do, jail him with tricks as his doing or kill him. Just like Nandi of Biafra fame has said he knows he can not get justice in the court which suppose to be the hope of a common man. From my interpretation it means we are lost

I am also surprise with the silence of Nigerian, the press, the civil liberties and NBA.

I quote
''when the came for the communist I said nothing because I was not a communist,
When they came for the republican I said nothing because I was not a republican,
When they came for the Jews I said nothing because I was not a Jew,
when they deal with the Igbos I said nothing because I am not Igbo,
when they came for me and deal with me there will be no body to speak for me.
What goes around comes around.

Nigerians take note. The rule of the law / due process/ rule of engagement between those in power today and the masses must be respected.

freshness2020:
Only failures give excuses. Jonathan is still a shining star.

it was this same Buhari the spokesperson of book haram that said that war against book haram is war against the north. Again why do Buhari enjoy interview with the Hausa service of the BBC ?

TonyeBarcanista:
I have been witholding my position on Fayose's style of 'governance' all these whÍle. I think it's time to express it.


With due respect to Governor Ayo Fayose and his supporters, I think the Governor is abusing governance and is damaging the psyche of average Ekiti indigene on the responsibility of government by his actions.

His stomach infrastructure program has made government to be a "come and chop" affair. Instead of devoting such resources towards capacity building that will boost the human development of Ekiti people, and also wealth creation programs that will empower Ekiti people to be able to increase their financial capacity and build Ekiti economy, the governor rather spend it on non productive stomach infrastructure.

This pattern of sharing rice, cutting animal skin(kpomo), buying seasoning etc doesn't help the state go grow. Has he asked himself, "after eating the rice, what next for the people?" Will he feed them three times in a day? Will he give them money to buy cloths? Will he give them Shelter? Will he 'dash' the people automobile? How can his people get these without real empowerment?


I pray the Governor doesn't carry this form of governance(misgovernance) into the new year! He may not be the worst Governor but he needs to change...

Which Gov. is not come and chop ? the mistake he is doing is greater number of people are benefiting from it instead of few politrickians

lawydewy:
She may be right!
Good and bad is possible in Nigeria........

Aisha should tell us about Halliburton case which was investigated and people were jailed in US and her name was mentioned for money laundry. We are waiting........

vodkat:
Unknown soldiers. Na him.do.am

This one is known. Maybe chief of army staff burantashi na him do am

micchi:
Naija don jagaja protests in every region now God please intervene for buhari is confused

Bihari is original clueless & dullard combined

If the state governments spend scared resources on equipment to federation police, fix federal roads etc. why is the federal budget so huge ? It's time we scale down the federal budget & add to the state to bring efficiency into these institutions

Happy birthday and more happy returns

Yep good write up, if this is true awesome ! Positive change should look like positive change in character and deeds. this is what we need as a country, if the truth must be told, again truth is never sweet. Clear cut right change attitude and perception.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Why should someone rape you as alleged and you still begged to be in that relationship instead of reporting to appropriate quarters? If you claim to be a minor that you did not know what you were doing my question is did you not have good home training ? If this guy that you claimed raped you were to be substance like drug will you accused it of abusing you too ??

Kids should be kids and stay kids and don't dabble into relationship with money or wealth in view. enough of this nonsense.

emmyblackky:

“I challenge anyone to come forward with facts showing that I stole government or public money. I’ve never stolen Nigeria’s money.
On allegations that she owns choice properties everywhere in choice capitals of the world, she responded: “It is so sad that anyone could say such about me.
“Let me say something to you, I live with my husband in the same house we have lived since we married in 1999. Ask anyone who knows us.
“Our house in Abuja was bought in 2007 by my husband and as an architect and lover of interior décor, I did it up to our own taste.
“Anyone who tells you I have houses anywhere should feel free to publish them.
“That was how they said I bought an expensive property in Vienna. I went to court and I won the case. I never saw the house before except in picture.
“The house I stay in London is rented. As a woman, I love to look good. Some of my dresses and jewelleries are often dumped on me by those I buy from and I pay them when I can.”
Source:
https://today.ng/news/national/38245/diezani-jonathan-is-a-family-friend-we-were-not-dating

I love this challenge, Madam God will bless you. My boss used to tell me talk is cheap. A lot has been said Please Oshomole, APC and all haters take up this challenge, we are waiting.

I challenge anyone to come forward with facts showing that I stole government or public money. I’ve never stolen Nigeria’s money.
On allegations that she owns choice properties everywhere in choice capitals of the world, she responded: “It is so sad that anyone could say such about me.
“Let me say something to you, I live with my husband in the same house we have lived since we married in 1999. Ask anyone who knows us.
“Our house in Abuja was bought in 2007 by my husband and as an architect and lover of interior décor, I did it up to our own taste.
“Anyone who tells you I have houses anywhere should feel free to publish them.
https://today.ng/news/national/38245/diezani-jonathan-is-a-family-friend-we-were-not-dating

[/quote]

I love this challenge, Madam God will bless you. My boss used to tell me talk is cheap. A lot has been said Please Oshomole, APC and all haters take up this challenge, we are waiting.

Nigerians strived on propaganda ! Madam Petroleum has not been tried and convicted, again she's not even been accused with fact and figure. except by Oshimole who accused her, okonjo-Iweala and Adeshina. Abacha was accused, tried, convicted and money recovered still in the eyes of our changer agent he was not corrupt.
She remains innocent until convicted. Afterall petroleum business in Nigeria is control 85% by northerners & no one is complaining. if it was a minority now people will open their dirty mouth and begin to talk. Madam I wish you God's speed. Thanks for serving Nigeria

At first they say she was faking sickness and now they are saying it's a lie. some have even sentence and condemned her to death without first convicting her of any crime. it is said that those without sin let them throw the first stone.

#BringbackJonathan#

Abi you no want marry ? in African society there are certain expectations, to be a man you must show yourself as a man. Being a man has nothing to do with biological age but your actions.

Na talk where Kanu talk & fani talk una dey vex. Should he killed like boko haram & Fulani herbs man ?
In our constitution there is freedom of speech. Kanu is entitled to his opinion.
DSS should go for boko haram & Fulani herds men.
When Oga Jona was the president, northerners & APc said worst things & the presidency was still cool.

Lordave:
Isn't advisable Booohari should step down?


I mean his incompetence is immeasurable.

As a rtd general & CIC, PMB should take over the defense ministry cos' of insecurity in the land, not just the petroleum ministry.

What I know is there is separation of power in Nigeria. The executive should face their business of governance and leave the legislators alone to carry out their business of making laws. Without the legislators the executive can not function and if they behave like them, then what ? the Presidency will not get anything approved or done.

Is Saraki the only one with skeleton in his asset declaration ? PMB just declear that he owns a house in Abuja & not an estate, these claims should be investigated, including the wife's asset together with Halliburton allegation. shekina !

Rekadobello:
The old man pictured below is Ngaundare Ali, a pensioner with Borno State government. The 76-year-old allegedly still get paid a paltry N679 (six hundred and seventy nine naira) as his monthly pension since retirement. Wow, N679? But what can he buy with that.

Read the message posted by the Facebook user who shared the information

http://www.pijangonews.com/2015/09/pmb-must-hear-this-76-year-old-borno.html

This is the cause of Boko Haram in that state. Without handling the root cause of these mirage of wahalas yewa go still the gas.

funkyglitz:
Trust the woman she can't take the blame or apologize rather she will find someone else to blame...sorry dear but is one of those things you signed for as an employee and working under someone till you become your own boss.kpele

Even when you are the Boss or owned your company, you will still have to deal with people (client) if not you are not in business. I believe the company will still charge the lady for their services and that is where your pay is from. my friend used to say ''if the pay is right , the job must be right''. shikina !