Are Nigerians United Against Corruption Or
Is It, You First?
By
Paul I. Adujie
Lawcareer@msn.com
New York, United States
Are Nigerians agreed on corruption elimination and eradication? Maybe NOT!
I have maintained in the past that I abhor corruption because of its
consequences.
You would think that all reasonable persons, especially Nigerians, are
united against the corruption scourge or pandemic, and therefore intently
focused in the war against it?
Copiously, I have written about the adverse effects of corruption, corrupt
practices and those who perpetuate it, in a series of articles, I had
argued that corruption is anathema to national development, as it deprives
Nigeria for instance, needed resources for the development of public
infrastructures and the consequent stagnation, stifled and stunted growth,
development or advancement, adding that Nigeria’s greatness depends on
corralling our efforts to decimate corruption, wherever it is found. I
assumed then that a majority of Nigerians are united and agreed on
fighting corruption successfully!
A successful war against corruption requires that everyone is put under
the radar, and no passing the buck! Any defense of persons accused of
corruption must be rooted in their innocence and certainly not the
unproven guilt or mere suspicion of other persons.
In the past two weeks or so, I have written two articles, supported with
facts and internet-links to buttress the arguments that I had presented; I
regret to announce that the overwhelming majority of Nigerians who
responded to the two articles, Vice President Atiku Abubakar Must Explain
and Vice President Atiku Abubakar Must Resign Now, were in favor of the VP
as the responses defended the VP, instead of a focus on the issues
Those defending the VP, have anchored their argument on their fervent
beliefs that corruption is pervasive in Nigeria, that corruption permeates
the federal government and that President Obasanjo is even more corrupt
than Vice President Abubarkar; Defenders of the VP are uninterested in the
evidence or facts adduced to support the presentations that I made, and
their excuse is simply that, there is corruption everywhere, and that it
is therefore pointless fighting corruption at all, or starting the fight
from the middle?
My criticism of the VP is encrusted with specificities, such as dates,
locations, amounts and names of persons involved etc. Defenders of the VP
are not interested in the specific exactitudes of facts presented, they
are instead wishing away the facts by seeming to say, not-in-my-backyard!
They have managed to convince me that the war on corruption must mean
every other persons being prosecuted and punished first, and then, their
family, political associates and friends of the VP defenders and the VP,
must be punished last, if at all!
How about the personal responsibility of these accused individuals? These
individuals who it would appear, are always camouflaging their guilt by
pointing to others, who may be equally guilty or others who are just being
pointed to, to distract the real guilt of those being investigated,
arrested and charged? This is as if to say, my defense is rested on the
guilt of others? Instead of using or relying on, my complete innocence? We
ought to require or even demand that accused persons answer for
themselves, and not depend on mere suspicions, unproven allegations and
guilt of all others!
In various cases, these sorts of warped and twisted arguments have been
made to protect corrupt public officials in Nigeria during the past six
years. In Plateau state for instance, the Plateau House of Assembly
overlooked stunningly glaring evidence, including some of such evidence on
tape, against Governor Chibi Joshua Dariye and refused to impeach him and
cheered him, instead, after the state of emergency previously declared in
that state was lifted. There is also the resort to immunity shield and
cloak, abused by some.
And even in Governor Dariye’s case, British Police testified, British
Police is also on President Obasanjo’s payroll, and subject to his
manipulations? Does President Obasanjo also manipulate the American FBI?
Was it not the FBI that initiated VP’s investigations?
In Cross River State, the Deputy Governor Ekpenyong was impeached for
purchasing a house in the name of his twelve years old son, and then, like
magic, the governor was reinstated and then he resigned, I think with full
benefits, as if he had not committed the breaches of the laws and ethics,
which were obvious!
Governor Kalu Orji, (the boy who cried wolf) is always crying wolf,
imagined wolves and no wolf at all, Governor Orji has been accused of
improprieties and he seem to have completely ignored the charges, but
instead, he frequently accuses others of corruption and improprieties of
his own! But famously omitting to provide specifics as evidence of facts
to sustain his accusations, as if he is not required to?
He has accused persons ranging from Chief Annenih to President Obasanjo
etc. Kalu Orji has had cause to apologize to President Obasanjo and PDP in
the past, for such flippant accusations that he had made against the
president, only to repeat more accusations at regular intervals!
Corruption wars again by Kalu Orji? Kalu Orji accused others of being
killers once, but without providing specifics proofs? Kalu Orji’s Deputy
not recanted threats to Kalu, that were allegedly made by Chief Annenih,
Kalu would not answer to accusations against him, he relies on immunity?
Of course, not in his backyard, President Obasanjo should be punished
first, the other person, must go first, no person for whom there are
specific evidence or facts? Such as we have demonstrated against the VP?
Kalu has been alleged to own Slok Airlines, Sun Newspapers (the proud
tabloid) Kalu is also said to own a home in Maryland, United States,
according to Jonathan Elendu and Omoyele Sowore, Kalu’s home is ironically
close to the VP home the US, looters know where to shop for homes I
suppose. I do not have evidences or facts connecting Kalu’s to properties,
proving alleged breaches, I do not for instance know the names of the
board of directors of Slok Airlines, Sun Newspapers and whether it
includes Kalu’s name, I do not also have the block and lot numbers or land
registry information on Kalu, as I have on, I have hear speculations
regarding numerous deals by Governor Igbinedion, deals he is said to have
had, in California, in London, South Africa etc, but I do not have
specifics! I have head that an Ibori has a two million pounds value
property located in choicest area of London, (is this Ibori, any relations
of Governor Ibori?) I do not have specifics regarding Igbinedion, Kalu or
Ibori, whereas, I had specifics on Mr.& Mrs.? Atiku!
Everybody else, seems to deserve punishments for their corrupt
enrichments, but don’t start the corruption war with me or my family,
friends and or political associates? But why does the war against
corruption in Nigeria appear to be a war that some Nigerians are only
interested in fighting, and directed against all others, but themselves?
We have 26 letters in the English alphabet, Nigerians are analogous to
these alphabets, now, it would seem as if, attempts to prosecute A for
corruption, leads to A, pointing very quickly to B, as A insists that B is
also corrupt and deserving of severest punishments, before the
contemplation of punishments for A, if at all? A natural progression will
of course result in B pointing at C and C pointing at D, the
finger-pointing as to who is culpable for corruption and who should be
punished first, is therefore obviously endless!
Nigerians are now quite familiar with Tafa Balogun, former Inspector
General of Police in Nigeria, as we are as well familiar with former
Minister for Education, Professor Fabian Osuji and former president of
Nigerian senate Senator Adolphous Wabara
We were told that that these persons were corruptly enriching themselves
at the expense of Nigerian taxpayers and voters. But defenders of these
men, in a rapid response manner, have labeled them, as victims of
vendettas, witch hunt by the ever vindictive and vengeful presidency!
Naturally, these turns of events would make all reasonable people
ponderously wonder, whether it is possible to actually fight a successful
war against corruption in Nigeria?
How could the elimination and eradication of corruption in Nigeria become
a successful undertaking, when as it is, ulterior motives are always
ascribed to every effort that has been made by the current federal
government of Nigeria? Some have in the past suggested that those persons
that have been prosecuted for corruptions were so pursued, because they
are mere political enemies of Nigeria’s current president, a president who
is intent on punishing his enemies for every real or imagined infraction!
Adducing ancillaries and very extraneous reasons, which are merely poor
excuses or defense, ridiculous and incredulously self-serving
distractions, has become a time-tested and perfected method for the
corrupt persons in Nigeria to avoid well deserved prosecution and
punishments, as they are now quick to argue and point fingers falsely at
prosecutors and persons merely doing the hatchet job for the presidency.
Nigerian general public have become inured and immune to these outlandish
and outrageous excuses and “defenses” The corrupt are being pursued
because they are from the wrong ethnic, regional or religious grouping
which Nigeria is comprised and composed. Which makes me want to ask, more
questions, including; where is the outrage? How come nobody is shock at
the revelations or public disclosures against the VP? How is it that the
public seem to accept the obvious lies, feeble and nebulous defenses from
the defenders of the VP?
A big challenge has clearly arisen, perhaps unanticipated by those who
established the Economic and Financial Crime Commission EFCC and the
Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, two new anti corruption agencies
established by current Nigerian federal government, to ferret out those
who were, are and continue to engage or condone corruption and corrupt
practices
How can Nigeria successfully fight corruption with present mindsets that
believed Tafa Balogun will never be arrested? Mindsets that believed Osuji,
Wabara, and Osomo were selectively being prosecuted? How is it possible
that everyone that is arrested or investigated by EFCC, and ICPC, the
Nigeria Police, is somehow because such person is a political enemy of
President Obasanjo? How is it that the president is able to possibly
manipulate all these grown persons at all these government agencies? Where
is their personhood, if they actually such puppets on stings? How is
President Obasanjo able to emasculate everyman and woman at these
agencies? How does President Obasanjo manage to put every Nigerian tied to
his apron strings? Could this just be elaborate disinformation? Could
these mindsets have arisen from economic disenchantments and attendant
expectation fatigue among Nigerians? Or could it be that too many now
benefit or expect to benefit from corruption? Are Nigerians ready to
eradicate and eliminate corruption? Will any Nigerian President, the
current one or the next, succeed in doing so?
Some people seem to believe that the EFCC, the ICPC and the Nigeria Police
are not independent or neutral and cannot investigate or prosecute
corruption in Nigeria, or that they are controlled by President Obasanjo,
but, how about British Police testimony against Governor Dariye and
America’s FBI investigation against Atiku? Are some now prepared to argue
that President Obasanjo has the whole world in his pocket? Including
having the EFCC, the ICPC, the FBI and Scotland Yard in Obasanjo’s control
and influence?
At this rate, only aliens or beings from Mars can be trusted to probe
corrupt Nigerians? Martians would not be blamed for ulterior motives or
hidden agendas; Only beings from Mars have no friends or sympathies or
block-interests in Nigerians of particular groupings, be it regional,
ethnic, religious or whatever else! perhaps this is why the government of
Nigeria has now invited Britons to audit CBN and NNPC?
When will Nigerians accept that the war against corruption is real? And
then trust and support President Obasanjo to intensify the fight against
corruption; then provide specific information for prosecuting this
desirably necessary war? Nigerians must unite against corruption, support
the current president, the next and everyone who fights corruption!
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