The on-going anti-corruption crusade of President Muhammadu Buhari is getting bolder and harsher, with most Nigerians getting agitated on the actual direction, Assistant Politics Editor, DANIEL KANU, writes.
The fight against corruption by the President Muhammadu Buhari government seems to be getting bolder by the day.
For some commentators, the latest development appears to be assuming an intriguing and dangerous dimension.
Despite criticisms that have dogged the crusade, the anti-corruption agencies – Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Department of State Services (DSS) and Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) – have intensified the tempo on the arrest of perceived looters of the nation’s treasury.
From Jonathan’s Chief Security Officer (CSO), Gordon Obuah; National Security Adviser (NSA) of his administration, Sambo Dasuki; and former Head of Service, Steve Oronsaye; the interrogation has been extended to former National Publicity Secretary of PDP, OlisaMetuh;ex-governor of JigawaState, SuleLamido; and spokesman of Jonathan’s re-election campaign, FaniKayode.
By the close of last week, Jonathan’s Media Adviser, Reuben Abati; and former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Bala Mohammed, had been raked in.
This is aside the recent arrest of seven judges on allegation of graft by operatives of the DSS.
Earlier perception
On account of his perceived high integrity profile, President Buhari had enjoyed massive goodwill and support from Nigerians in the anti-corruption agenda.He was, in fact, seen by most Nigerians as a man with distinguished trademark of integrity, courage and devoid of any baggage.
There was, therefore, the feeling of great excitement and relief among Nigerians that, with the retired General, better days had returned to the country, especially given the change mantra that ushered in his administration.
The euphoria transcended Nigeria’s borders as confidence of investors all over the world was boosted that a new dawn that would witness great progress had finally come.
To add to the mood of the moment, the three-point agenda of his campaign rested on rescuing the economy, anti-corruption and security.
On the average, his administration has received measured acclaim on its efforts at restoring security in the land. In similar vein, some have applauded the anti-graft campaign, with others arguing however that the agenda is not only selective but also diversionary in the face poor economic policies of the government.
In defence of crusade
Special Adviser to Buhari on Media, Femi Adesina, however insists that his principal means well in the crusade.He said Buhari promised change,which would not come on a platter of gold but with sacrifice.
According to him, Nigerians should not expect instant magic from Buhari, as genuine transformation of the nation would take some time.
In a recent engagement, Adesina had appealed to Nigerians to support the current administration, quoting Buhari as saying it would take a minimum of 18 months to revive the economy.
He said: “I think Nigerians have always complained, and we should learn to stop complaining and believe more.
“If you have elected a government because you believe it can bring change, and you have not allowed it to isolate what the problems are, and articulate what the solutions would be, and you begin to have all these complaints, I think it is not natural.”
The former editor-in-chief of The Sun newspapers had earlier told TheNiche that those afraid of the anti-corruption war have skeletons in their closet.
“There is nothing wrong in the anti-corruption body, EFCC, inviting somebody to make explanations on an issue the person was involved in. You cannot be invited to explain what you are not aware of. The crusade on corruption is not selective as some people believe. You cannot arrest all involved at the same time. Nigerians should wait and see how it will all end, rather than jumping into false conclusion.”
Adesina argued that what the government needs at a time like this is cooperation and support, stressing that things deteriorated in the country over the 16 years that PDP was in power.
He contended further that there must be reality in the people’s expectation rather than succumbing to emotion that is far from reality.
“There must be realistic expectation, and realistic expectation will demand that people are patient, supportive, and encourage the government. This is a government that is working for the people. Rather than complaining, let us cooperate, support and encourage. This change will come, but it would follow a process, and it would be enduring,” he advised.
Critics of the government are hardly convinced by Adesina’s explanation. To them, arrest of perceived opponents of the government and the strategies adopted in the exercise leave much to be desired.
Nwabueze weighs in
Constitutional lawyer, Professor Ben Nwabueze, is among those that are not comfortable with the way the government is going about the exercise.
The Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) had in a recent outing with media men, argued that the acts establishing the anti-corruption institution, EFCC, as well as DSS are, to a large extent, unconstitutional.
He also decried the unconstitutional means by which the Buhari government has used the institutions in its battle against corruption.
Nwabueze, who said that the lawless activities of the EFCC in the fight against corruption are increasingly assuming terroristic proportions, added that such activities are only helping to cast Nigeria in the ugly light of a police state.
The elder statesman was of the view that any fight against corruption that is based on unconstitutional process can only create anarchy.
His views were stated in a paper entitled ‘Emasculation of our constitutional democracy through the subversion of the safeguards enshrined in the constitution for the protection of the individual against the oppressive use of the organised coercive force at the disposal of the state’.
Part of the paper reads: “The issue raised is as to whether constitutional democracy and state terrorism or a police state can co-exist. For 12 years since 2004, a regime of state terrorism has been foisted on us – in the name of a war against corruption. The lawless activities of the EFCC created ostensibly to fight corruption were increasingly assuming terroristic proportions.”
The octogenarian lamented that the unconstitutional laws and enforcement activities of the EFCC and the DSS were yet to make any noticeable impact in uprooting the monster of corruption in the country.
The missing point
Aside the likes of Nwabueze, other analysts insist that if Buhari intends his war against corruption to be taken seriously, he needs to first clean up his own house, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
History, they claim, tells that it is possible. In 1990, Kim Young-Sam, the opposition leader of South Korea, merged his Democratic Reunification Party with the ruling and allegedly corrupt Democratic Justice Party to form the Democratic Liberal Party.
Running on the platform of this new party, he won the presidency in the 1992 elections. He served for just one term and used that opportunity to clean up South Korea. He arrested his two predecessors, Roh Tae-woo (1988-1993) and Chun Doo-hwan (1980-1988). Roh was sentenced 17 years and Chun was sentenced to life. Kim’s anti-corruption crusade did not spare his own son. In 1997, Kim Hyon Chol, his son, known as the “Crown Prince”, was indicted for bribery and tax evasion. He was sentenced three years.
“That is what a transparent and sincere anti-corruption agenda should look like. South Korea, like Nigeria, had just gone through several years of military dictatorships and former dictators turning elected presidents,” volunteered a lecturer in Department of History, Lagos State University (LASU), who asked not to be mentioned.
Nigerians react
Human rights activist,Femi Falana(SAN), said government is not yet winning the war on corruption despite evidence available to it.
In a recent presentation entitled ‘Winning the war against corruption’, he observed that the anti-corruption battle could not be won through regular courts.
In his words, “Apart from the class solidarity usually extended to politically-exposed persons by judges in all capitalist societies, the situation is compounded in Nigeria by judicial corruption and professional misconduct on the part of senior lawyers involved in the defence of corruption cases.
“Owing to lack of coordination in the trial of politically-exposed persons, corruption is fighting back. Painfully, the federal government is on the defensive, as it has failed to counter the deliberate manipulation of the criminal justice system by the indicted looters of the public treasury.”
EkitiState governor, Ayo Fayose, says the anti-corruption agencies are mere weapons in the hands of the Presidency to witch-hunt, intimidate and silence the opposition PDP.
Elder statesman and founder, Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), Frederick Fasehun, said the President is ruling the country by intimidation, just as he believed that the anti-corruption fight is not only selective but vindictive.
Some even allege that Buhari has not shown that his government is better than that of his predecessor despite propaganda and frantic efforts at blackmailing him.
The LASU don told TheNiche: “What I think could have happened is that there was an orchestrated attempt to make Jonathan’s administration appear incompetent and weak. Now, nothing clear-cut is happening”
Onaiyekan sues for caution
Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, has advised Buhari to take it easy with his anti-corruption drive, so that his actions are not misjudged.
Speaking at a dinner organised for Catholics in politics at the Church of the Assumption, Asokoro, Abuja, the cleric was quoted as saying that Buhari needed to carry out his anti-corruption fight in a way that he would not be seen as being biased.
For Onaiyekan, the fight against corruption can only succeed where there is transparency and honesty.
He said: “This challenge obviously lies squarely on those who now have the power to rule our nation. I want to beg them to resist the temptation to rub in the plaques of defeat on the losers and try to avoid politics of persecution – some even talk of execution, of losers.
“We have to tackle dishonesty, and I believe we need to retrieve stolen goods, especially those that are just piling up other people’s money. While we do that, it is my strong feeling that we should try to avoid as much as possible humiliating or disgracing people who may indeed have tried their best to serve the nation.
“How to do this and keep these two elements together require a lot of sagacity and clear-mindedness. But we should pray for our leaders to be granted the grace.
“We must be clear-minded on this matter and not allow ourselves to be naive, thinking that it is just enough to make few arrests here and there and the matter is settled.”
