EFCC, Obasanjo’s Untouchables And The Anatomy Of Corruption (I)

By

Prince Charles Dickson

pcdbooks@yahoo.com

Jos, Plateau Nigeria

 

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission was established in 2002 by an Act of the National Assembly as amended in 2004. We are informed that the establishment of the Commission was to curb the rampant corruption of the day by enforcing all the economic and financial crimes law. Reeling out the functions of the EFCC would be like reciting primary rhymes because the EFCC’s functions are not different from that of the Nigerian Police, or better, is still the same as the Nigerian Police.

 

The provisions that made the EFCC workable are the same provisions in the nation’s penal codes. I am not an unrepentant sarcastic critic or one of those the President said “they are uncomfortable with the anti-corruption stand”. On the contrary I am happy with the anti-corruption stand and  sit therefore of the President, at least that stand has facilitated the comical jail term of the Inspector-General of thieving technology, the catch of a Governor-General in the “Looting Brigade”, a distinguished “Stealing” Senate President and many more.

 

I am happy that the EFCC for once has made it possible for close to 30 of the 36 State Governors to be at their duty post even after subvention has been dished out. Plus those that bought their mansions while still outside public service, minus those who were already millions and billionaires, the good news is that everyone is suspecting the other…some cannot even enter a plane to Benin Republic.

 

However, my happiness ends at this point, because according to the words of the President, I am not “comfortable” with the anti-corruption stand. My unhappiness stems from the fact that I have studied the anti-corruption stand, I have sampled a large number of opinion of the poor, down trodden Nigerians and my conclusion without fear of contradiction and threat is that, the present maladministration led by Obj and his men of the PDP is the most corrupt this nation will and indeed has witnessed. With each passing day they keep shattering records set by predecessors and setting new ones, which they again break. What the Gowons, “Shagaris”, IBBs, Abachas and Abdulsalamis achieved in terms of massive corruption and looting of the national treasury by themselves and their cronies is negligible going by the present standards being set by Obj’s men.

 

Much as the EFCC may be seen to be trying, my question is why is it that despite the noise of anti-graft, anti-corruption and its numerous uncles, the Olusegun Obasanjo arrangement is the very anatomy of corruption. The government of Baba Iyabo has displayed in dizzy high proportions nepotism , cronyism, graft and political corruption.

 

The Untouchables, they are many, they have held the entire nation hostage; their evil acts are all too glaring for all to see despite their efforts at keeping them secret. The untouchables…why one law for the rich another for the poor, I do not condone corruption whether you are the President’s friend or foe, Anti-Atiku or Pro-Obasanjo, stealing is stealing, but why are there untouchables, why is the EFCC tough talking Ribadu closing his eyes and being unable to tread where Lions fear?

 

One of the untouchables is Anthony Anenih, the Chairman ‘Board of Thieves’ of the PDP, this is the same man under whose charge several billions of Naira budgeted for the repair of roads disappeared into thin air, infact the only road he built was probably in heaven. Under his charge he had the record of the highest number of phoney contracts awarded. I recall a friend, who won one of such contracts, only to get to the road site, to discover there was absolutely nothing wrong with the road in question. I have a dossier of several more roads construction contracts awarded to Julius Berger and till date, these same roads are still death traps. The masquerade of his phoney oil companies established for the purpose of oil blocks Owel E and P, Godsonic Oil and Gas and many more. Forget all that rumours of the man having so-so numbers of houses; at the last count he had eighteen buil dings, mansions not inclusive, all with C of O’s in his name, the man get liver. Yet he is just too clean for Ribadu’s men.

 

An untouchable, in this era where several Governors have stepped on the Presidents soft toe is Peter Odili of Rivers State, despite feeble denials, he like Alams, Peter also owns a refinery, a world class hospital and a chain of hotels, not to talk of his numerous off shore accounts and cult activities, less I forget his gun running racketing with restive youths in his domain, yet the EFCC has turned a blind eye and asthmatic nose to the smell of corruption in Rivers.

 

In Nassarawa, Abdullahi Adamu is an untouchable; he is in that boat with Bukola Saraki of Kwara and the entire Saraki clan, there is an association called ‘Sai Baba Iyabo Union’ with several Governors as members, such Governors for their loyalty are spared the visit of the EFCC men whether they steal or not.

 

Another untouchable that has honour against thieves is the Uba dynasty of both Andy and Chris, while the former is in charge of domestic stealing buying luxury cars left and right which at the last count he had acquired nineteen, the latter is in charge of political stealing. These two fronts of the President can do no wrong…it tells on the personality of a President that surrounds himself with a figure like Chris Uba, that can barely repeat his marriage vows. These men are untouchable.

 

Nepotism at its best, Julius Makanjuola is an untouchable who for being the President’s cousin can steal in broad daylight and be told ‘go and steal no more’, just like Gbenga, Olu and the Abebes whose hands all smell of crude oil stains, while the Niger Delta in particular and the nation at large suffer for the same oil, God gave us in quantum.

 

Alams got the nail in the head deservedly but what of the thieving that has been perfected by the duo of Lucky and Ibori in both Edo and Delta States after an amicable resolution Ibori the truck driver was left off the hook by the Judiciary run by Obasanjo and that was the last we heard of that epic Oscar production of the movie called ‘Ex-Convict’. I know that Alams was a rogue, Dariye a crook but why has same EFCC that has stormed Adamawa, Plateau, Ebonyi not stormed Asaba or Benin or Port Harcourt. The looting of these men are child’s play compared to Alams small chop of “make body no lost”, these men certainly are untouchable.

 

How could I forget the great bone collector of the hallowed chambers? Deputy Senate Presido Ibrahim Mantu, an Obasanjo runsman to the c ore, Obasanjo’s broom. His many off shore accounts and properties and oil blocs is open secret and yet the junior fixer second only to Tony Anenih has not been visited by EFCC.

 

Some two months ago, the EFCC barked at Bode George another untouchable by the time he had roared, the EFCC put its tail behind and we were told by the EFCC, they just wanted clarifications, clarification indeed!

 

When the Nigeria Ports Authority still stinks in the aftermath of the corrupt pollution the man left behind. The billions of Naira that moved around him on the deal that saw to the ‘PDPfication’ of the Southwest is open knowledge and yet he is smiling everywhere he goes, ask me, who in his shoes will not smile, as an untouchable you will smile all the time even when watching the Tories of England deliver a budget proposal you understand nothing about and of, only I make bold to say one day for the thief...less than a second for the owner (the Nigerian Masses). Alams eating Plantain (Boli) and groundnut (geda) with handcuffs, whether overkill or overdo, is a reminder that someday, there will be a Brixton Prison for all crooks this nation has produced as leaders.

 

Despite all the face that EFCC has powdered in its corruption fight, Nigerians want to know why are there so many untouchables, what happens to all those oil men fronting for the President, we want to know, how the President’s chickens at Ota farm lay golden eggs worth several millions a month and an average family if any exist cannot afford a piece of egg in a week of ‘eight days’.

 

The untouchables are not just the ones I have mentioned; they have infiltrated the priv ate sector. They were visible during the Presidential Library show of shame. A President that does not read wants to own a library, if only he reads; he would have been concerned about the verdict of history.

 

The government of Obasanjo has continued to misuse public power for illegitimate and sinister cultic advantage to the detriment of millions of Nigerians. Obasanjo’s PDP has continued to pose a serious developmental challenge to the same goals it says it is pursuing. It continues to undermine democracy and good governance by flouting and subverting formal process.

 

EFCC, ICPC, and the President all barking like a ranting mad… (I did not complete the phrase, less I be accused of calling Nigerians mad people). The fact remains that the anatomy of corruption in this anti-corruption government is that elections were rigged, thus public accountability has been eroded and distorted, corruption in the Judiciary compromises the rule of law…our service providers have given the masses unfair provision of services, e.g. the Teaching Hospitals, Public Schools, Transport system, our leaders have bought public offices and sell same to the highest bidder, so resources are siphoned.

 

The private sector is declaring millions and billions in profits and this cannot be translated to improved living standards, because of distortions and inefficiency, that is why when the President is scoring himself high on 2005 budget implementation, the Finance Iron lady is begging to disagree, saying barely 55% of it has been implemented and the poor man cannot even notice a percent of it. All the hullabaloo of anti-corruption, like other critics before me the question still remains what manner of anti-corruption are we talking about. I accept that we have to start somewhere but not this way. The noise about the President’s Gold card, foreign accounts, oil deals and corrupt practices raised by a fellow untouchable and Grand Patron of the ‘Institute of Corrupt Practicing Crooks’ (ICPC) Governor Orji Kalu has fizzled out and as I said at that time has come and gone like pouring water on a fowl’s feather. Allah’s wrath is not what any man would want to face, somebody should tell our leaders enough is enough, there is an Almighty somewhere watching, the evil cup of our leaders if not filled will soon…and when it does pour I hope mercy would be on leave for the masses will vent vengeance on them.