₦airaland Forum

By Dele Sobowale

“A truth that’s told with bad intent beats all the lies you can invent.”

William Blake, 1757-1829. (VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS).

The Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, should be renamed the Code of Corruption Bureau, CMB, as long as Mr. Saba is in charge. The fellow either has no sense of recent history or is just plain untrustworthy for such an important position. In his many years as Chairman of CCB the organization has brought only two important people to court. The first was Bola Tinubu, former Governor of Lagos State, in 2011; the second is Senator Bukola Saraki – the current Senate President in 2015. The CCB apparently, wakes up every four years to select a victim to justify its existence – which had become almost a criminal drain on our resources with nothing to show for it.

The two cases have several similarities in common but two will be sufficient to prove the total insincerity and partisanship of the CCB Chairman when it comes to prosecuting offenders in respect of the CCB Act. First, Tinubu left office on May 31, 2007, and no longer enjoyed the immunity which the governor’s office provided. But, he was not prosecuted until 2011 – four years after. Second, Saraki left office as Governor of Kwara State in 2011, and had no immunity for four years. Today, he has been hauled to court for crimes allegedly committed as far back as eleven years. The first most important question is: where was the CCB all the while? Second, question is: why is it that when some former governors are perceived as irritants to those in power that the CCB files charges against them?

Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki Docked by Code of Conduct Tribunal in Abuja. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan
Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki Docked by Code of Conduct Tribunal in Abuja. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan
Because I was a strong defender of Bola Tinubu in 2011 when he was the intended victim of CCB partisan persecution, I will now like to reproduce segments of an article published at that time in order to prove that the CCB had been, not only very selective in its prosecution of offenders, it had been secretive about letting some go unpunished.

Permit me to first of all remind the readers that as far back as 2006, the CCB had published the names of governors which were accused of infractions of the CCB Act.

Please read what I wrote in 2011 under the title WHAT ARE YOU SIR, MR PRESIDENT?

“The governors listed by the CCB in 2006, are, James Ibori (Delta State), Lucky Igbiniedon (Edo State), Ayo Fayose (Ekiti State), Boni Haruna (Adamawa State), Gbenga Daniel (Ogun State), Olagunsoye Oyinlola (Osun State), Saminu Turaki (Jigawa State), Ahmed Karfi (Kaduna State), GOODLUCK JONATHAN [capitals mine](Bayelsa State), Chimaroke Nnamani 9Enugu State), Achike Udenwa (Imo State), Sam Egwu (Ebonyi State),and Bola Tinubu (Lagos State)”.

When confronted with the list, published in 2006, by CCB in 2011, when Tinubu was being prosecuted, Mr Saba made the following declaration. “Regarding the case of the other state governors since 2006, and whether or not a lot of time has not been wasted, and why Tinubu has been singled out, Tinubu has not been singled out, it is an ongoing process. You will also know that some of the governors at the time made some refunds to the Federal Government. Somebody like Saminu Turaki made some refunds to the Federal Government. So it is an ongoing exercise”.

Mr Sam Saba, Chairman Code of Conduct Bureau, in September 28, 2011.

Since then, four years ago, none of those listed had been prosecuted. Fair minded Nigerians should ask Mr Saba to produce any evidence of work he did since 2011 on the rest of those listed. Either that, or Saba should openly apologise to all those people and then resign. Even then Saba would need to explain to the whole world how he selected those allowed to “make refunds” and how much refunds were made and, above all where is the refund recorded to have been made to the states involved.

Mr. Saba is an artful dodger but not very clever. The more he talks the larger the credibility gap he creates for himself and the CCB. For Saba to be believed, we must have a list of refunds; if any was made. And we must have a list of illegally accumulated wealth discovered by CCB against each culprit – to be sure that the “refunds” were reasonable. At any rate since when did Saba constitute himself into the final arbiter when people are discovered to have corruptly enriched themselves? Readers would notice that in the rest of the cases, the former governors were invited to offer explanations. Neither Tinubu nor Saraki was invited before their cases were filed. In the CCB’s Animal Farm, “Some animals are equal; some are more equal than others”. George Orwell, 1903-1950. Ah! Mr Saba.

The truth is the CCB had done nothing about the remaining cases because they were on the right side of power. Only Fayose now stands the risk of being hauled before the CCB Tribunal, which had been dormant, while salaries were received, after leaving office. That is what has turned the CCB, under Saba to a Code of Corruption Bureau. Its operations remind one of that observation by William Shakespeare, 1564-1616, “Wrest once more the law to your authority…” (VBQ p 121). Saba and his gang at the CCB have twice demonstrated that they are not interested in prosecuting all offenders – only those on the wrong side of authority.

abagoro:
Sincerely I wonder why the jamboree on a hotel to the extent of Obiano coming to commission it. Did he come in official capacity or was it merely a personal invite?

You'll never change. You hatred for any good news from Anambra has really made you insane. If committing suicide can cure you of your hatred for ndigbo, so be it

Nigeria under Buhari is gradually sliding back into the dark days. They just wanna shut people up with all manners of threat and continue with the propaganda that all is well. Meanwhile, Nigeria presently is in trouble with no specific direction; security is in shambles, economy is in comatose, investors are running away, no salary for workers, pot holes everywhere, and the worst of all, a divisive president that can't even engage the populace. Well no! They can't take away our freedom of speech and association. Shame on APC led government

Good

These guys hypocrisy stinks. God deliver us from them

Igbos are beautiful. Great people

The next Awolowo of Yoruba land. My respect

Good

Ok

egift:
Very specific and concise on the major issues. He also said, every Nigerian should be thank former President Jonathan for saving us the troubles by leaving peacefully.

"Nigerians need Change and need it fast....the wait is over" - President Buhari.

Are you now the interpreter?

modelmike7:
No it won't. My President can multitask!

Your president that his mouth is already bent; that can't even make a comprehensible speech? You guys are in for a long tjing

Please the presidency needs an interpreter. Enough of these nonsense

Can someone tell me what this man is saying! The speech is not being translated and no interpreter is by his side, how do we understand him?

Una never see something

Abeg, who go be the interpreter?

Gen currently on.

Ok

Ok

When is minister of petroleum ( Buhari) going for senate confirmation?

Ok but you said your own is Ohaneze youth council and not Ohanaeze youth movement; wetin come consign you old men with what Ohaneze youth movement does? Talk of sycophancy and joblessness

They should call on Buhari body odor ti come to the rescue.

Goodby loser. Bayelsa belongs to pdp and pdp belongs to bayelsa

We are in for it. Just buckle your belts, it's gonna be a rough ride. Wish they just blow up all oil pipe lines for Nigeria to face reality and really define where we belong

What a dumb move. Obasanjo was minister of petroleum for did anything come out of it? This shows the only thing binding us all together is just oil and nothing more. So funny a old man of buhari's age can't even delegate a responsibility to anyone else but himself.

TITOBIGZ:
Hw much last last.

Is your daughter up to 18 years? Just like Sanusi, that'll be ok.

This man is old. He is fast losing it. I hope we don't end up having a total senile man at the state house. Baba really needs to go and rest

God bless the proudly 5%. Una too much

Just wanna book space, have nothing to say

Goodbye Nigeria

Op, forget that thing. I dey enjoy my efo riro like say tomorrow no dey. Na wa oh! The tribalism don leave politics enter food too?

just4now:
l plead with you in the name of the Lord to jettison your idea it is inspiration from hell. l used to love football until one day the Lord showed me how deep He detests football in the church or church getting involved. In addition He frown at TV stations own by churches from showing it. He said worldly news casting in these stations also infuriate Him. Please always ask Holy Spirit before you introduce anything to the church.

Shalom.

I hope you treated the malaria very well. Sorry and may the good Lord heal you